Archive

The Wheel World: D.C.

Everyone is familiar with the urban cyclist stereotype—he or she is skinny, wears spandex but not a helmet, and is usually plotting a way to slip through a red light, only to be narrowly missed by oncoming SUVs. I’ll admit I have a certain fascination with these law-defying speed demons. Because rather than zooming past them in a car or observing them from a clunky Circulator bus, I generally find myself in front of them, then blocking their path, and finally watching them zip through an intersection, barely avoiding traffic, as they rush ahead of me.

By Eric Pilch February 24, 2011

Pop music’s legitimacy may render Bieber fever terminal

He’s watching you as you walk to Lau. He’s at your Thursday evening pregame. He’s balling out in the NBA. He’s rocking the red carpet in Hollywood. He’s in the Super Bowl (albeit in a Best Buy commercial). He’s even in a body bag on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Though only 16 years old, Justin Bieber has gone from lowly Ontario preteen to international superstar in the blink of an eye.

By Keaton Hoffman February 24, 2011

Law enforcement needs to prioritize for student safety

For reasons that are unclear to me, last semester I began seeing excessive numbers of law enforcement officers in the Georgetown area. Their teeming presence did not by itself bother me. Whatever the reason, I still felt a sense of security knowing there were always police nearby if needed. But at the same time, I noticed an increase in Department of Public Safety-issued write-ups for rambunctious parties and Phishy aromas, and it seriously irked me.

By Troy Miller February 24, 2011

Finding a sense of self by blogging as The College Prepster

Traveling is quite the ordeal for me. There I was, pacing back and forth between Dunkin Donuts and the newspaper stand in Reagan International Airport. Fellow travelers were whizzing by, only adding to my growing anxiety. Caught up in my own thoughts, I whipped around when I heard my name, “Carly?”

By Carly Heitlinger February 24, 2011

On eve of GUSA election, campaigns woo voters

The idea of being an “outsider” is a key feature in today’s GUSA election, which marks the culmination of two weeks of campaigning for the four 2011-2012 GUSA presidential candidates and their running mates.

By John Flanagan February 24, 2011

ANC criticizes Campus Plan, proposes enrollment cap

As the D.C. Office of Planning prepares its report on Georgetown’s 2010 Campus Plan for the city’s Zoning Commission, Georgetown’s Advisory Neighborhood Council has put forward a draft of its own positions to be considered at next Monday’s ANC meeting.

By Samuel Buckley February 24, 2011

Editorials

Charlie Joyce and Paige Lovejoy for GUSA

In a Georgetown University Student Association election that features high-profile running mates, a deluge of YouTube commercials, and cliché campaign slogans, it can be easy to miss the presidential ticket marked by sound judgment, competence, and a clear work ethic. Charlie Joyce (COL’12) and Paige Lovejoy’s (SFS’12) campaign has made few waves, but their combined experience and knowledge of the issues make their ticket the most effective and refreshing choice for executive.

By the Editorial Board February 24, 2011

Clubs, SAC lock horns over funding

A collection of more than 20 student groups plan to publicly voice their frustration with the Student Activities Commission’s new funding guidelines. “We were given no formal opportunity to provide feedback on the existing Funding Guidelines prior to the release of the new funding guidelines,” the group wrote in a letter, which will be released Thursday.

By Chris Heller February 24, 2011

News Hit: Vandal burns lawn signs

Last weekend, lawn signs that voice opposition to Georgetown’s Campus Plan were found burned in front of a Burlieth home. The three burned red-and-white signs, which display mottos like “Oppose GU’s Campus Plan” and “Our Homes, Not GU’s Dorms,” were discovered on Monday morning.

By Ryan Bellmore February 24, 2011

Editorials

Defend Pell Grants against political assault

For the past two weeks, House Republicans have been preparing to square off with President Barack Obama and Democrats over next year’s budget. Some 800 Georgetown students who receive Pell Grants will have a serious stake in this fight—billions of dollars in federal student aid hang in the balance. Republicans would like to cut the maximum Pell Grant by $845 per year and eliminate more than $1.8 million for the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant program.

By the Editorial Board February 24, 2011

City on a Hill: Late-night Metro is a must

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is in tough straits. It is facing a projected $72 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2012—and that’s without the House Republicans’ proposal to strip an additional $150 million in federal funding from WMATA over the next eight months.

By Juliana Brint February 24, 2011

Editorials

RJC needs real reform, not a hasty makeover

When the Residential Judicial Council disbanded in October 2010 in order to reorganize, there was hope that with time to reflect on its shortcomings, the RJC would return ready to be an important voice for students in Georgetown’s opaque disciplinary process. Unfortunately, the proposed reforms announced Feb. 16 do little to address the fundamental issues that have plagued the RJC in the past. If the reforms are adopted as proposed, the RJC will return just as ineffectual and insignificant as it was before.

By the Editorial Board February 24, 2011

Upperclassmen give Sugar support down low

For the Georgetown women’s basketball team, star guard Sugar Rodgers has been the unquestioned key to their success. However, the No. 17 Hoyas (20-6, 8-4 Big East) must also give credit to their bigger, more experienced players—Monica McNutt, Tia Magee, and Adria Crawford—for their triumphs this season.

By Melissa Sullivan February 17, 2011

The Sports Sermon: February sadness

The Monday after the Super Bowl marked the beginning of a very dark time for sports fans. After Aaron Rodgers hoisted the Lombardi trophy, we entered the worst three weeks on the sports calendar. The NFL hangover is in full effect, and March Madness is a few weeks away.

By Nick Berti February 17, 2011

Hoyas set for Big East run

With the Big East Championships on the horizon, Georgetown’s track and field team is poised for a breakout meet. So far, this season’s races have all been in preparation for the beginning of the postseason with this weekend’s Big East Championship in Akron, Ohio.

By Kevin Joseph February 17, 2011

Heather Raffo brings Iraq to the Davis Center

On Monday evening in the Davis Center, Heather Raffo looked like the quintessential American woman. Dressed in a fashionable, artsy getup with black jeans, riding boots, and a creamy tunic, the striking blonde was the epitome of Western style. So one might be surprised to learn the subject matter that the acclaimed actress-playwright was presenting about the lives of her fellow Iraqis. Raffo, who claims that her distinctly non-Middle Eastern appearance helps her “get under the radar” to promote her art, performed this week in a program entitled “Performance as Cultural Diplomacy.”

By Mary Borowiec February 17, 2011

Shorts at E Street

With any mention of the Academy Awards, an argument about the merits of Black Swan versus The Social Network usually ensues. But while the Great Debate about Best Picture rages on, the oft-overlooked category of Best Short Film has generated Oscar buzz of its own at D.C.’s E Street Cinema. Too often, even the winning short films sink back into obscurity after the Academy Awards, and during the ceremonies, audiences scratch their heads at lists of nominations they have never heard before. Through ties with various cinemas as well as iTunes, the Academy has worked hard to change this attitude, making Best Short Film nominations available to theatergoers and iPad owners alike.

By Heather Regen February 17, 2011

Fast Break: Walker snaps streak with exceptional play

It was a tale of two point guards on Wednesday night as No. 9 Georgetown traveled to No. 12 Connecticut for a matchup of Big East powers. While Chris Wright scored 19 points for the Hoyas, the story of the game was UConn star Kemba Walker.

By Adam Rosenfeld February 17, 2011

You won’t need 3D glasses

What’s the difference between “The Birth of Venus” and “David”? The answer seems obvious: one is a painting, the other a sculpture. But to abstract expressionist David Smith, the difference between the two art forms was not so vast. He sees them as separated by just one, easily adjustable distinction: dimension. The manipulation of that difference is the premise of David Smith Invents, a new exhibition open in DuPont Circle’s Phillips Collection through May 15. The exhibit features works of varying media—from clay to canvas to steel—which display Smith’s blurring of the line between two dimensions and three.

By Leigh Finnegan February 17, 2011

Backdoor Cuts: I remember my first game

Freshman year, when I first started writing for the Voice, I lucked into one of the best gigs ever: men’s basketball beat writer. The previous year’s writer was going abroad, and from among a young staff, I got the nod. That meant press passes to every game, reserved seating on the baseline, and never waiting on the cold sidewalk.

By Tim Shine February 17, 2011

Gallery cafe is buono, costoso

If you’re looking to add some culture to your routine, the National Mall’s various scientific, historical, and artistic attractions have all you need. And the National Gallery’s Garden Cafe is the place to head if you want to supplement your cultural nourishment with some actual food. The Garden Café marries art with cuisine, especially when, for particularly special exhibits, it recruits renowned chefs to create new, complimentary menus.

By Samuel Buckley February 17, 2011

Critical Voices: Nicholas Jaar, Space is Only Noise

You might have heard some unavoidable Internet buzz about this new release. After dropping a smattering of genre-bending EPs in 2010, this experimental producer—barely old enough to drink—is releasing his debut. He’s got a keen ear for space and silence and his vocal-centric work suits headphones more than dance floors. No, I’m not talking about James Blake—this is Space Is Only Noise, the first full-length to come from 21-year-old Brown University undergrad Nicolas Jaar.

By Matthew Collins February 17, 2011

Critical Voices: Toro y Moi, Underneath the Pine

Today’s indie music is somewhat dichotomous: on one side are the simplistic, folksy, vocally-driven bands, and on the other there are chillwave electronic maestros. But on his 2010 debut Causer of This, Toro Y Moi (real name Chazwick Bundick) managed to slip between the cracks, landing in an altogether undefined genre with a combination of catchy melodic vocals and trippy electronic samples.

By Mark James February 17, 2011