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February 2012

Leisure

Critical Voices: Lana Del Rey, Born to Die

While Lana Del Rey has been incessantly assaulted by a hailstorm of criticism since the release of her single “Video Games,” most of the insults have had little to do with the quality of the rising pop star’s music. Despite being accurately described as spoiled, contrived, and dead inside—or perhaps as a direct result of these qualities—Del Rey has released an album that is far more refined than her debut LP, A.K.A. Lizzy Grant, and more enjoyable than her critics are willing to admit.

By February 2, 2012

Voices

In 2012 presidential race, our last hope is Leslie Knope

No currently airing television show highlights the tedium and frustrations of government bureaucracy with comedic ease quite like NBC’s Parks and Recreation. The show’s popularity and comic brilliance is assuring to viewers, especially those who double as voting citizens, that government officials like the Deputy Parks Director of the Pawnee Parks Department, Leslie Knope, exist. Sadly, however, it seems characters like Knope only occupy in the fictional sphere.

By February 2, 2012

Voices

The gender spectum spans more than just pink and blue

A few years ago, when I was coloring with my nephew, he asked me which crayon I wanted to use. I chose purple, saying, “It’s my favorite color.” He picked up pink, and said “I love pink, it’s my favorite color.” Unconventional, but who really cares? Two weeks later he came back, and reported that pink was no longer his favorite color. Only girls like pink. That particular wavelength of light had been designated effeminate.

By February 2, 2012

News

Turkish Ambassador speaks in Copley Lounge

Namik Tan, Turkey’s envoy to Washington, proudly asserted his country’s crucial role in Middle Eastern and European affairs yesterday in Copley Formal Lounge. “The sick man of Europe is now the healthiest man of Europe,” Tan declared.

By February 2, 2012

Voices

Carrying On: A pirate’s life for me

In the war against online copyright infringement, the Stop Online Piracy Act—better known as the reason you couldn’t use Wikipedia two weeks ago—represents something in between a scorched earth policy and the Death Star’s destruction of Alderaan in Star Wars. The problem with the bill is that its definition of piracy is so general, and its enforcement mechanisms so extreme, that it could require the shutdown of large swaths of the Internet (including pretty much any site with user-generated content). Under SOPA, everyone would be a pirate.

By February 2, 2012

Voices

Obama’s courageous plan to steady the cost of college

During his State of the Union address last week, President Obama proposed a plan to slow increases in college tuition. His strategy calls for steering federal dollars to colleges that keep tuition low while cutting federal support to colleges that continuously raise price of attendance. Focusing on campus-based aid programs that go to university administrators instead of the much larger federal grants that go directly to students, Obama’s plan places the incentive to keep costs down squarely on the universities themselves, which ultimately have the power to prevent future increases in tuition.

By February 2, 2012

News

SAFE reforms move into implementation phase

After the student body passed the three Student Activities Fee Endowment reform proposals last week, three steering committees prepare to guide the proposals toward their implementation in the coming months.

By February 2, 2012

News

CSP seeks to connect student groups with Hoyalink

In an effort to centralize processes like group registration, event calendars, websites, and transitions in leadership, the University launched a new communications platform for student organizations called Hoyalink at the beginning of this semester.

By February 2, 2012

News

Student-led sustainability projects expanding

Of the three Student Activities and Fee Endowment proposals passed last week, Georgetown Energy received the greatest support from the student body. With 2,269 “yes” votes, its resounding success serves to highlight a campus-wide increase in student-led sustainability projects.

By February 2, 2012

News

City on a Hill: Demand statehood for D.C.!

Last week, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, five D.C. council members, and a delegation from the non-profit group D.C. Vote flew to New Hampshire to support a resolution supporting statehood for the District.

By February 2, 2012