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Voices

Sen. Chuck Hagel represents the very best of Georgetown

On Jan. 7 President Obama nominated former Republican Senator from Nebraska, Vietnam War veteran, and Georgetown professor Chuck Hagel to replace Leon Panetta as the next Secretary of Defense. Ever since details of the possible nomination leaked in December, the choice has proved controversial and been attacked by a diverse group of political organizations.

Voices

Let’s be honest about rape

Rape. The very word seems harsh, cruel, and reminiscent of something beyond the bounds of civilization. Say the word ‘rape’. Just say it. Do you feel ashamed, like you said something that just shouldn’t be uttered in polite society? A survey of the front page of The New York Times, CNN, Headline News, or even the DPS Crime Blotter makes it seem that way, using euphemisms like forcible fondling, violate, or assault to avoid the abject horror of having to simply say the word ‘rape’.

Voices

Psychology student psychologically scarred by psychos

I’m a psychology major and my life philosophy is very simple: people are inherently good. Deep down in the dark corners of the heart, there is the intention to do good and be good. There is love, courage, passion, and all those beautiful things that give you shivers down your spine.

Voices

Tornadoes and hurricanes and earthquakes oh my!

The most riveting entertainment, besides the carnal details of Silvio Berlusconi’s life, comes from The Weather Channel. Like any teenage soap, the direction of events on The Weather Channel are somewhat nonsensical and there’s always a plot twist at the end. As a small child who was clearly above the pettiness of morning cartoons, I would spend hours watching the weather and attempting to understand the patterns.

Voices

Irrelevance and distortion: Autism and the Newtown shooting

This past Friday, the United States experienced an appalling tragedy: 26 people, 20 of whom were children, were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The perpetrator responsible, Adam Lanza, is believed to have suffered from Asperger’s syndrome, a more severe autism spectrum disorder that not only hinders social interaction but also limits linguistic and cognitive development. Immediately after the status of the gunman’s behavioral health was revealed, a number of media sources alleged that Adam Lanza committed this massacre because he had Asperger’s syndrome.

Features

Best of 2012

The Voice Staff selects its favorite movies and albums of 2012.

Leisure

Keep away from Playing for Keeps: A romcom gone wrong

At first glance, Playing for Keeps seems to have all the substance required of a winning romcom; the story of a hot former soccer star with a Scottish accent (Gerard Butler) who is trying to do right by his son and ex-wife (Jessica Biel), while clichéd, at the very least offers a few hours of mindless entertainment.

Leisure

Taryn Simon dazzles and disturbs at the Corcoran Gallery

The Corcoran Gallery of Art is filled to the brim with colorful, eye-catching works of visual mastery, but you have to wade through that sea of technical skill to get to photographer Taryn Simon’s A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters, a massive, six-room exhibit that initially overwhelms its viewer with monotony. The walls are hung with gigantic, uniform, brown frames grouped into sets, all following the same formula—one or more with headshot photographs of somber-faced individuals, a slender one with small black writing, and another with photographs, legal documents, or other archives, all mounted with the most boring shade of tan you’ve ever seen.

Leisure

Fuego Cocina douses authenticity

Fuego Cocina y Tequileria recently opened its doors in Clarendon promising diners an experience that doesn’t quite live up to its fiery name. The Mexican restaurant and tequila bar is the newest business from the owners of Passion Food Hospitality, a group of chefs with American, Latino, and seafood restaurants in the DMV area. With its stiflingly opulent atmosphere, the restaurant is a far cry from the local, small family owned taquerias that it ought to resemble.

Leisure

Critical Voices: El Perro Del Mar, Pale Fire

Much like the name it bears, Swedish solo act El Perro Del Mar’s Pale Fire contains all the subtle strength of a gently burning white flame. While melodically subdued, the record has a palpable power only slightly dimmed by Sarah Assbring’s reverberant, airy vocals that result in a satisfyingly ambient synth-pop concoction.

Leisure

Critical Voices: Ke$ha, Warrior

With her signature riot of glitter and war paint, Ke$ha has established a character for herself that doesn’t stray far from a party girl stereotype. In spite of this image, the pop singer-songwriter has masterfully expanded her repertoire by capturing a vast array of styles and influences on her superb sophomore effort. True to its name, Warrior has Ke$ha fighting to continue doing what she does best: not giving a fuck.

News

Community concerned with D.C. school consolidation

On Nov. 13, D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced a plan to shut down 20 schools in 19 buildings and six wards before the beginning of the next academic year.... Read more

Leisure

Under the Covers: Not all adaptations are alike

Konstantin Levin is expected to live the life of a 19th century Russian aristocrat—days devoted to a bureaucratic job, afternoons spent in St. Petersburg salons, discussing politics or more likely gossiping, and evenings devoted to a vodka fueled dinner, ball, or a night at the opera. But this isn’t satisfactory to the thoughtful Levin, an essential character in Tolstoy’s epic novel, Anna Karenina, and a significant figure in a recent film interpretation.

News

The Corp joins with Google to map Georgetown’s landmarks

If you’re new to the Georgetown area or directionally challenged, you can now check out Google Maps to find all the classic Georgetown spots such as the Exorcist stairs or... Read more

News

University begins initiative to improve campus technology

On Tuesday, Provost Robert Groves announced to the University community an $8 million investment in an initiative on technology enhanced learning aimed at three areas: faculty-designed classroom innovation, improving the... Read more

Leisure

Reel Talk: Quentin-ssential Tarantino

The path of a filmmaker’s career can often take twists and turns, at times making critics out of former fans. For Quentin Tarantino, such defectors are largely confounded by his most recent film’s compulsive dips into farcical comedy. How, they inquire, could the genius behind two ‘90s masterpieces create a movie as incoherent and painfully self-indulgent as Inglourious Basterds? Either the auteur is criminally misunderstood or his trademark obsession with violence and pop culture references has enervated audiences’ tolerance for the absurd. Tarantino apologists point to the former; the absurd is what they crave most. And they are right.

News

City on a Hill: Autonomy at any cost

Mayor Vincent Gray wasn’t crazy about the D.C. Council’s plan to use a referendum to secure budget autonomy for the District when it was first proposed, and it seems his... Read more

Sports

Hoya women’s basketball nets two on the road

Coming off of a close victory over La Salle University (1-7) last week, the Hoya women’s basketball team (6-2) looked to continue their winning ways, squaring off in two road games versus cross-town rival George Washington University (4-3) and Monmouth University (2-5).

Sports

The Sports Sermon: Hoya soccer could bridge a glaring gap

Non-revenue sports are in for a challenge when trying to find student support, but men's soccer could be the start of a change.

Sports

Men’s soccer heads to first College Cup

With their win last Saturday against the University of San Diego (14-9-0) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, the 2012 Georgetown men’s soccer team (19-3-2) has written themselves into the Georgetown sports lore.

Sports

Double Teamed: Belcher suicide raises alarm

For the typical American sports fan, waking up on an autumn Sunday means one thing: football. The thought of skipping it and missing any of the action, especially in our fantasy sports-driven culture, is almost unheard of.

Sports

Track makes strides at Navy

The track and field season kicked off last weekend when the men’s team traveled to Annapolis, Md. to participate in the Navy Invitational. This was the first meet of the indoor season, which runs until the beginning of March.

Editorials

DPS needs to improve laptop protection

There’s been an unfortunate spike in crime at Georgetown this semester. This November, thefts alone increased 44 percent from October. The fact that the majority of these thefts have occurred in public places like the Leavey Center is particularly worrying, as is the fact that a third of the incidents were laptop thefts. Students understand the need to protect their valuable personal belongings, but generally fail to actively do so. Responding to the increase in thefts, the University’s Department of Public Safety has launched a campaign to encourage increased vigilance.

Editorials

Reconsider District school consolidation

Last month, D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced her plan to close 20 traditional D.C. public schools before the beginning of the next school year. This plan is estimated to displace approximately 3,000 students across six of the city’s eight wards. Henderson’s reasoning behind the closures is that a consolidation of schools will strengthen DCPS by redirecting funds from the maintenance of under-enrolled schools to the improvement of academic programs.