Archive

At the Smithsonian, the cake is a lie

In 2010, critic Roger Ebert proclaimed that “video games can never be art.” Up against gamers who appreciate the increasingly cinematic qualities of the medium, the debate over whether video games are a legitimate avenue for art is a contentious one that has been invigorated by new graphic and technological capabilities. Unfortunately, the new Smithsonian exhibit The Art of Video Games ignores the artistic process in the development of video games, focusing instead on the 40-year history of video game consoles.

By Mark James March 22, 2012

Georgetown falls to Loyola, ends winning streak

Until now, the Hoyas have ably maneuvered through the first half of their schedule. The bulk of the Big East schedule still remains, but the upcoming battle against the Blue Devils will determine if the season will be one for the memories.

By Kevin Joseph March 22, 2012

José Andrés shows DC his flautas with Pepe the food truck

From Minibar to Jaleo, Spanish-born chef José Andrés has slowly been indoctrinating lovers of fine dining and small portions in the D.C. area. While the quality of his bite-sized cuisine has become one of the major attractions of the District, there’s always been one drawback, until now—the food did not literally come to those desiring to taste the legendary tapas. With the launch of Pepe, Andrés’s first food truck, this contrived problem is resolved.

By Kirill Makarenko March 22, 2012

Real trees wear pink

When they first came to the District back in 1912 as a gift from a Tokyo mayor, cultural ambassadors doubted that Japanese cherry blossoms were strong enough to take root in D.C.’s soil. But now, 100 years later, the longevity of the brilliant blooms has proven these amateur botanists incorrect. This year, the centennial 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival reveals this same strength in the Japanese people, reflecting on the March 2011 tsunamis while celebrating the enduring spirit of Japan.

By Julia Lloyd-George March 22, 2012

God Mode: Gamers of the world, unite!

Over the past few months, my housemates and assorted visitors have spent an inordinate amount of time playing video games. Sadly and unsurprisingly, I don’t have much to show for it, save one semi-profound realization. I’ve discovered the secret to great multiplayer game design—socialism.

By Tim Shine March 22, 2012

Blast That Box: Too cool for old school

The words “hipster” and “rapper” have pretty disparate connotations—keffiyehs and boxy glasses versus platinum grills and blunts. But hipster rappers exist, and their influence is altering the crowd that follows and enjoys rap music. Acts like Das Racist, The Cool Kids, and Chiddy Bang have changed the formula for successful hip-hop, infusing their music with wide streaks of irony or influences from disparate genres.

By Matt Pacana March 22, 2012

Critical Voices: Anti-Flag, The General Strike

As its name suggests, Anti-Flag is notorious for its leftist brand of political punk. And, perhaps because of a recent trend of distaste with the government and capitalist institutions, the band has found friendly ears for its latest album, The General Strike. While by no means for everyone, the LP is a must-hear for those who find themselves identifying with people who spent some part of the past six months camping out in parks.

By Shom Mazumder March 22, 2012

Critical Voices: The Shins, Port of Morrow

“You gotta hear this one song. It’ll change your life, I swear.” Back in 2004, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and the Shins still consisted of its original members, the band was forever immortalized in the words of Natalie Portman’s character in Garden State, as “New Slang” catapulted the group to indie stardom and exposed them to a wider audience. But since then, James Mercer, the frontman and beating heart of the band, has dismantled the original line-up to introduce an entirely different cast of characters. Their new LP, Port of Morrow, consequently sounds more like Mercer’s side project, Broken Bells, than traditional Shins, which might alienate some fans who preferred the more charming sound of Oh, Inverted World.

By Julia Lloyd-George March 22, 2012

Students advocate for University Office of Sustainability

Last week, a group of students and faculty planted flowers and removed trash along O Street between 35th and 36th Streets in an effort to improve neighborhood relations and demonstrate environmental commitment.

By Tiare Dunlap March 22, 2012

GUSA executive appoints diverse cabinet and staff

Last weekend, newly inaugurated GUSA President and Vice-President Clara Gustafson (SFS ’13) and Vail Kohnert-Yount (SFS ’13) announced their selections for their executive cabinet. Out of a record 80 applicants, the executive appointed six women and five men, including former GUSA senators Colton Malkerson (COL ’13) and Yupang Chang (MSB ’15), forming a staff that will be one of the most diverse cabinets in recent memory.

By Vanya Mehta March 22, 2012

University to implement anti-sweatshop regulations

As early as this summer, Georgetown is likely to implement the Designated Suppliers Program, a system in which all suppliers of University apparel must verify that they pay their workers a living wage and allow their workers to unionize and collectively bargain, according to Associate Vice President for Federal Relations Scott Fleming.

By Connor Jones March 22, 2012

City on a Hill: Troubled by preemptive arrests

Back in October, Metropolitan Police raided two Capitol Hemp locations in Adams Morgan and two in Chinatown, confiscating water pipes that they claimed were up for sale expressly for the consumption of marijuana. While offering these pipes (most people call them bongs) at head shops is perfectly legal, the police justified their actions by pointing to other items for sale in the store that expressly referenced cannabis use and evasion of law enforcement, such as the book Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use, and the DVD 10 Rules for Dealing with Police.

By Gavin Bade March 22, 2012

Sports Sermon: Hoyas, meet D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera

“He’s better than advertised, and most kids that come out of high school are not,” Smith said. “D’Vauntes, he doesn’t really have any weaknesses.”

By Kevin Joseph March 22, 2012

Hoyas follow UNC win with Penn victory

The Hoyas went out and upset the Quakers, 11-9, in Philadelphia. Junior Sophia Thomas scored six goals and freshman Caroline Tarzian chipped in one goal to go with three assists.

By Melissa Sullivan March 22, 2012

Double Teamed: Goodell sets NFL standard

Justice has been served, and while Saints fans might not be happy, this is an important step toward making the NFL a more safe and honorable league.

By Daniel Kellner March 22, 2012

Hoyas falter, seniors bow out

A year after putting Georgetown on the national radar with a near upset against Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament, the Georgetown women’s basketball team failed to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Hoyas, a five-seed, were undone in the Round of 32 by Georgia Tech, 76-64.

By Kevin Joseph March 22, 2012

Editorials

Georgetown should encourage neurodiversity

Gender equality, respect for the LGBTQ community, and racial diversity are all common topics of discussion at Georgetown. But most students remain unaware of another movement on campus—neurodiversity, a philosophy that acknowledges neurodevelopmental differences, such as developmental, cognitive, learning, or behavioral disabilities, as a normal part of the human experience. Although this mindset is beginning to take hold on campus, students and the administration alike can do more to ensure that those with mental abilities different from the stereotypical norm are comfortable and welcome on campus. The admissions office should also actively recruit these individuals to encourage a wide range of perspectives and experiences in the Georgetown community.

By the Editorial Board March 21, 2012

Page 13 Cartoons

Georgetown Day 2012

By the Voice Staff March 21, 2012

Editorials

Rutgers suicide highlights persisting prejudice

On March 16, a New Jersey jury reached a verdict in the case of Dharun Ravi, a student at Rutgers University who was accused of spying on his former roommate. In September 2012, Ravi set up a webcam with which to record and broadcast his then-roommate, Tyler Clementi, having sex with another man. Three days later, Clementi, who was not out to the general public, committed suicide by jumping off of a bridge. On Friday, the jury found Ravi guilty on charges including bias intimidation and invasion of privacy. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

By the Editorial Board March 21, 2012

Editorials

Goldman won’t change until we make them

Last week, Greg Smith decided to resign from his position as an executive director at Goldman Sachs with a bang. He lashed out, via an op-ed in the New York Times, at the predatory and indecent banking culture that is the norm at Goldman Sachs, claiming that the company had detracted from its previous mission of “teamwork, integrity, a spirit of humility and always doing right by our clients.”

By the Editorial Board March 21, 2012

Hoyas comeback bid falls short against North Carolina State

Georgetown finally broke out of their NCAA Tournament slump on Friday, but that win was only a mild reprieve from the Hoyas’ postseason woes. Poor shooting and foul trouble doomed the Hoyas on Sunday, who lost to a double-digit seed for the third year in a row.

By Tim Shine March 18, 2012

Clark leads Hoyas to first NCAA Tournament victory since 2008

It took four years, but Georgetown is once again advancing in the NCAA Tournament. Jason Clark ensured that he wouldn't graduate without an NCAA victory, scoring 21 points to lead the Hoyas to a 74-59 victory over Belmont.

By Tim Shine March 16, 2012

Long-delayed boathouse project moves forward

On Saturday, March 3, the National Park Service held a public workshop on the construction of a boathouse along the Potomac River waterfront near Georgetown.

By Morgan Manger March 15, 2012