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April 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Jamie Woon, Mirrorwriting

It’s rarely fair to directly compare one musician to another, but Jamie Woon will likely find himself pinned next to James Blake on the reg with the release of Mirrorwriting. Which is a bit ironic—Woon’s first single was released more than two years before the hot-shot London producer appeared on the scene. But the pair’s combination of blue-eyed soul and dubstep—two of Britain’s biggest contemporary musical currents—landed them both in the BBC “Sound of 2011” poll, just months before each would release his full-length debut.

By April 7, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues

Although they’re often lumped together with indie rock artists, Fleet Foxes are, at heart, a folk group. That folksy sound helped them develop a steady listening base with their eponymous 2008 debut, and they remain true to it on their sophomore release, Helplessness Blues. The album proves to be a strong follow-up, with shining moments that are pleasant enough to make even the grouchiest person smile yet powerful enough to get the lethargic stoners out of their seats.

By April 7, 2011

Leisure

Banger Management: More like Warped Snore

For millions of American kids, the Vans Warped Tour was the pinnacle of the adolescent summer. Founded in 1995, Warped Tour capitalized on the burgeoning popularity of extreme sports, combining the best of skate culture with the biggest underground punk, metal, and ska bands. In its inaugural year, the Warped Tour featured an impressive roster of alternative powerhouse acts, ranging from the West Coast stylings of Sublime, No Doubt, and Pennywise to the East Coast melancholy of early emo and post-hardcore forefathers like Seaweed and Quicksand. For many teens growing up the ‘90s, the Warped Tour became a comfort zone, where their music and hobbies, snubbed by the mainstream, were accepted and celebrated.

By April 7, 2011

Leisure

Internet IRL: iPhones: High-tech cocaine

I have a confession to make—I’ve been sleeping with my cell phone most nights. Yes, it may seem like we’re never apart. I can talk to it for hours, and I can’t keep my hands off it. I can’t be away from it, even at night. I think I’m in love. And I’m not the only one who’s been engaging in such a, er, modern romance. This weekend, I noticed my neighbor Tristan Deppe (COL ’12) had phone numbers written all over his arms. When I asked him about his interesting choice of body art, he told me that it was because his phone was broken due to “water damage.” Left phoneless, he needed a way to keep track of girls’ numbers, and this was his solution.

By April 7, 2011

Voices

A tough late-night call

Georgetown has been grappling with the issue of sexual harassment for some time. From hate crimes to sex crimes and everything in between, our campus community has been plagued by an unhealthy and often dangerous sexual dynamic. The situations in which harassment are most likely to occur often involve alcohol, which sometimes makes the decision of how to react to it more difficult.

By April 7, 2011

Voices

The quality of children’s television is no longer All That

A month ago my friend sent me an email titled “START GETTING EXCITED LIKE NOW,” with nothing but a link to a screenshot of a press release from Nickelodeon Studios in the message’s body. They were announcing plans to produce brand new episodes of cartoon classics like Hey Arnold!, Rugrats, Angry Beavers, and Doug, with production to commence on Mar. 14. Like any other kid who grew up with the shows that made the network an instant nostalgia inducer, I was ecstatic. Turns out it was a hoax pulled off by some punk ass kid in California that knew a little Photoshop. Damn high school kids.

By April 7, 2011

Voices

Student leads the way by being a committed follower

Some people, when they’re looking for music recommendations, turn to Pitchfork or other indie blogs. I simply open up iTunes and check out the top 100 songs. If I don’t have one of the top 10, I get anxious and download whatever I’m missing immediately. I’m a trendaholic.

By April 7, 2011

Voices

Lead me into tempeh-tation and deliver me from cheese-vil

Growing up in a conservative Christian household, observing Lent has always been an intricate part of my cultural and religious identity. But this year I wanted to abstain from something that would truly challenge my willpower—my Diet Dr. Pepper fast from last year didn’t quite cut it.

By April 7, 2011

News

New boathouse stalled by Park Service delays

Georgetown University’s efforts to construct a boathouse on the Potomac River, which have attracted millions of dollars in alumni donations and cost more than $1 million in lobbying fees, have come to a halt as the National Parks Service continues to delay a report critical to its progress.

By April 7, 2011

Editorials

No more futile concessions on Campus Plan

Last week, the University announced a series of concessions in the bitter fight over the 2010 Campus Plan, including the addition of 250 undergraduate beds either on-campus or at a satellite location and the introduction of a hard enrollment cap of 15,000 students. Administrators agreed to these conditions after weighing suggestions from the District Department of Transportation, the Office of Planning, and the community. However, signals from the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and lessons from previous campus plans show that such concessions are nothing more than useless and unwise capitulations.

By the April 7, 2011