Broadside October 17 Issue

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<<Freshman Forward Strikes Again

Creating Awareness

Liz Hodges and her finishing moves breathe life into Patriots SPORTS • Page 11

The Wizarding World Returns The new, interactive website Pottermore will attempt to satisfy fans thirsty for more Harry Potter STYLE • Page 6

Month-long activites planned to educate community on HIV/AIDS NEWS • Page 3

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper www.broadsideonline.com

October 17, 2011

Volume 88 Issue 6

MASON MADNESS

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Start Season With A Bang

Photo by Gopi Raghu

Members of George Mason’s men’s and women’s basketball teams gather after introductions at Friday’s Mason Madness. The men’s basketball team is hosting an exhibition game Oct. 31 vs. Lycoming. The women’s season starts Nov. 11 with a home game against American University. See SPORTS for more photos.

2010 Crime Statistics Released Campus Alcohol and Drug Referrals on the Rise Antonieta Rico Staff Writer Alcohol and drug referrals at George Mason University jumped in 2010, according to the latest Annual Security Report released by university officials Oct. 1. Report statistics show 511 liquor laws referrals from the Fairfax campus and student residences combined, compared to 291 in 2009. Drug referrals for the combined Fairfax campus and student residences increased this year to 123 from 65. Actual arrests for alcohol offenses dropped on the Fairfax campus, while drug arrests rose slightly from 2009. Referrals for drug and alcohol violations are made to the university’s Office of Judicial

Affairs and are handled through the university judicial system. They are not considered criminal or civil proceedings, according to the Judicial Affairs website. Part of the increase in referrals can be attributed to two incidents last fall, one of which was a police raid on an off-campus house, said Lt. Kevin P. Barrett, Mason University Police coordinator for the ASR. On Sept. 3, 2010, a joint operation by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and Mason police yielded almost 30 referrals. That same weekend, Mason police made another 12 referrals at a separate off-campus house party. Additional referrals made by the Office of Housing and Residence Life also contributed

to the increase, Barrett said. “The two reasons why, in my opinion, the numbers for referrals were higher [this year] are because more referrals were made by housing and we had a couple of incidents that occurred off campus, but were referred to Judicial Affairs,” Barrett said. The ASR also showed an increase in burglaries on both the Fairfax campus and student residencies from eight in 2009 to 34 in 2010. The jump can be attributed to stricter reporting procedures, which would have previously classified some crimes as larcenies but now qualify as burglaries for the latest ASR report, Barrett said. Most of the crimes that occur on Mason are property crimes, which do not fit the cri-

teria for reporting on the ASR, said Maj. George Ginovsky, assistant chief of police at Mason. “The overwhelming type of property crime is simple theft,” Ginovsky said. Most of those crimes are thefts of laptops and textbooks left unattended on campus. To read the complete 2011 Annual Security Report, including crime reports for the Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun campuses, in addition to other university properties, log on to the University Police website at gmu.edu/depts/police/annualsecurity.htm. You can also stop by the police headquarters on University Drive on the Fairfax campus for a hard copy.

Wanda Sykes Performs at Mason Comedian a Hit at Mason Family Weekend Comedy Show Tina Corinteli Broadside Correspondent It was 30 minutes till start time, and floods of people were rushing in through the doors of the Patriot Center on Saturday night. The majority of the audience was students, guiding eager family members to their assigned seats. As the clock approached eight, the chaos that once ensued near the concessions dwindled to several people still rushing to snag a bag of popcorn or, in one case, figuring out which stall of the bathroom someone’s grandmother got stuck in, and helping her out before the show started. The lights grew darker, the audience became quiet and the opening act emerged from the back of the stage. “Tonight, you’re going to

hear stuff you have never heard before,” warned Keith Robinson, the opening act for the Family Weekend Comedy Show. “Come on now. It’s college.” The cautionary statement, directed primarily at the younger audience members, rang true throughout the entire two-hour show. Both Keith Robinson and Wanda Sykes touched on topics that probably wouldn’t be considered appropriate at the dinner table. Robinson, a self proclaimed “situational racist,” was very engaging with the audience, often calling upon guests sitting in the front. Age was a recurring theme in his jokes, so the combination of students and parents present proved to be the perfect audience to refer to and use in building up to his punch lines.

See SYKES, Page 4

Photo by Jake McLernon

Comedian Wanda Sykes performed at the Patriot Center Saturday night. Comedian Keith Robinson opened for Sykes.

Teach For America Employs Students Nationwide Effort to Better Education in Low-Income Areas ‘See Spot Run,’” Brown said. “Even though the goal is huge, the goal by sending a member Teach For America is a na- [of Teach For America] is to get tional, educational non-profit them on the level. It’s completely organization that allows univer- possible.” Teachers from TFA also sity graduates to spend two years in schools in low-income com- have an impact on high school munities to help improve stu- students. Even though a student dent graduation rates and may graduate from a high school narrow the achievement gap. It is in a low-income area, they may not be readthe brainchild ing or doing of Wendy “The retention rate of math at an apKopp, the curpropriate teachers is greater rent CEO, who level, which proposed the than that of someone may cause isidea for her majoring in sues when it undergraduate education.” comes time to thesis while at tackle the colPrinceton Unilege workversity. -Joey Brown, Mason l o a d . “Teach for Coordinator for Teach For Members of America sends America TFA work to enthusiastic, make sure qualified stuthat high dents with a school gradubachelor’s degree to try and help [students in ates are reading and doing math low income areas],” said Joey at a level that will make them Brown, Mason coordinator for competitive, viable college stuTFA. Members of TFA receive dents. Statistically speaking, memtheir teaching license upon combers of TFA have a noticeable impletion of their two years. There are 43 regions in pact on the education system. areas, such as New York City and “More often than not, the sucLos Angeles, and applicants ac- cess rate is great,” Brown said. cepted into a program are al- “And the retention rate of teachlowed to specify where they ers [who teach past the required would be most interested in two years] is greater than that of someone majoring in educateaching. The program has no major tion.” Once someone begins requirements and all majors are teaching, they are technically accepted. Applicants should bear employed by a school, and act as one thing in mind, however. “Your major is most likely if they are a regular, brand new not whatever you’re going to be teacher. Their TFA status is not teaching,” Brown said, “but be- disclosed to other teachers. cause they’re enthusiastic, they However the member is allowed know they’re making a differ- to disclose that information should he so choose. ence.” Students can join Teach For According to Brown, teachers can have a gigantic impact on America if they have a 2.5 GPA students in low-income commu- and complete a five-step applicanities. For example, a fifth grade tion process. The next applicaclass in such an area might only tion deadline is Oct. 26. be reading at a first-grade level. Interested students can contact “Instead of reading things like Teach For America for more in‘Harry Potter,’ they’re reading formation.

Justin Lalputan News Editor

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News

54,000

The number of harvester packets Mason Cru plans to send to needy families in South Sudan

Monday, October 17, 2011

Event Calendar Monday, Oct. 17 Academic Skills Workshop: Organizational Strategies Student Union Building I, Room 3129 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 18 Career Services Workshop: Behavioral Based Interview Student Union Building I, Room 3400 5:30 – 7 p.m. Concert: Wind Symphony with Fairfax Wind Symphony Center for the Arts, Concert Hall 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 19 Film: With My Own Two Wheels Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall, North 3 p.m. Sustainable Living Roadshow Johnson Center, North Plaza 9 a.m.

Thursday, Oct. 20 Love South Sudan GMU The Hub (SUB II), Ballroom 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 21 Air Force ROTC Interest/Recruiting Johnson Center, Kiosk D Noon – 2 p.m. Writing and the Contemplative Mind Conference Mason Inn Conference Center & Hotel 9 a.m. –- 2 p.m.

Mason Students Support South Sudan Mason Cru Raising Money to Send Harvester Packets in an Attempt to Provide a Sustainable Food Supply Justin Lalputan News Editor George Mason University Cru, formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ, is currently hosting “Love South Sudan,” an event that is trying to raise money in an attempt to send 54,000 harvester packs to needy families in the Republic of Sudan. The reason for sending harvester packets, which are essentially gigantic seed packs, is to help create a stable food source in South Sudan, said Mason Cru member Julie Manausa, a sophomore majoring in conflict analysis and resolution. “The country is one of the poorest countries in the world, which blows my mind,” Manausa said. Mason Cru accepts donations, and has also been selling Tshirts with the “Love South Sudan” design emblazoned on the shirt for $20. The proceeds go towards purchasing the aforementioned seed packets. According to Manausa, even though the “Love South Sudan” Tshirts are only $20, they can have a large impact on the lives of those who receive the harvester packets. “Each T-shirt we sell provides sustainable crops for 40 families,” Manausa said. “So it’s 20 bucks and you’re helping out 40 families.” According to Manausa, Mason students have contributed to the cause, but there are others

Oct. 11

Oct. 10

POLICE FILES Theft From a Building Acquatic Center Victim reported his unsecured Sigma-Chi Pledge Book was taken while exercising. This case is under investigation by GMUPD. (55/ Higgins). Medical Assist Mason Inn Victim was transported by EMS to INOVA Access after complaining of severe abdominal pains. (16/Chandler) Hit and Run Rappahannock Parking Deck Vehicle was parked and unattended when another vehicle struck it and then fled the scene. (25/Dean) Theft From a Building Fine Arts Building Victim reported a wallet with credit card and numerous items were stolen for a backpack. Items were valued at $94.00. (16/Chandler)

Oct. 13

Oct. 12

Suspiscious Event Arlington nstructor received a suspicious threat. Forwarded to threat assessment. (26/Kitchens) Medical Assist Hazel Hall Arlington Student got shocked from loose wire from laptop plug. No medical assistance required. (26/Kitchens) Motor Vehicle Accident University Drive/Saint John’s Place Vehicle 2 pulled into lane and was struck by oncoming Vehicle 1. Estimated damage $5,000.00. (56/ Lighthiser) Driving While Intoxicated Ox Rd/Kelley Dr. Kimberly Johnson, 48 (non-GMU) of Virginia Beach, VA was arrested and transported to the Fairfax County ADC. Subject was held on a secured bond of $1,000.00. (56/Lighthiser) Theft from vehicle West lot Victim reported that his GMU parking pass was stolen from his vehicle. Loss estimated at $90.00. (48/Surber) Theft from building Freedom Center Victim reported that unattended keys had been stolen. Loss estimated at $24. (34/Ganley, K)

Police Files are taken verbatim from www.gmu.edu/police. Broadside does not make any changes to public records.

who are apathetic. “Some students completely blow us off and ignore us altogether, and some say ‘Yeah, that’s cool’ [about “Love South Sudan”] and come to the kiosk without us really having to address them,” Manausa said. “It’s kind of been hit or miss for most of the student body, but quite a few have bought a T-shirt or said they would like to help.” Turnout for the event has been moderate, and as of Friday, a little over 100 T-shirts have been sold by Mason Cru, but Manausa said that there is still a lot of time

for students to participate. “We have a lot of T-shirts left. We’ve been selling them for two weeks, but we’ll also be selling them Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and at the event.” The actual event will be held on Oct. 20 in The Hub (SUB II) Ballroom where the actual packaging of the harvester packets will take place. It will run from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Mason Cru is looking for volunteers. Students can come anytime while the event is in progress and help package the harvester packets.

Students may donate as much time to packaging as they wish. “It’s working together towards a goal; you feel like you’re really doing something here. It’s not like donating money to an organization and not knowing where [the money is] going,” Manausa said. Last year Mason Cru held an event called “Love Haiti” and plans are in the works to try to hold another event to provide assistance to another nation in need next year.

AcademyHealth Student Chapter Opens on Campus Organization Hopes to Connect Health Services Research and Policy Ahsan Zaman

For more events and activities, check out: today.gmu.edu

Photo by Dakota Cunningham

As part of Mason Cru’s fundraiser they set up a booth in the North Plaza where they appected prayer requests.

Asst. News Editor AcademyHealth Student Chapter is a new organization at George Mason University. The student chapter officially became a recognized student organization by Mason on Oct. 10 and was recently recognized as an AcademyHealth Chapter by the AcademyHealth organization. “AcademyHealth is a professional organization that tries to bridge health services research with health policy and advocate for both sectors,” said Tracy Immel, co-president of AcademyHealth Student Chapter. “The student chapters serve as almost a vehicle for developing future leaders in health services research and policy.” According to Immel, Mason was the right place to begin this student chapter. “We have so many people in our school who are centered on health and policy, that it was a really good place to facilitate the development of leaders in those fields,” Immel said. “[The student chapter] is an-

other opportunity to provide to that offers students the opportustudents that will help them grow nity to network with professionas professionals, which is obvi- als,” Immel said. ously the mission of the George To become a member of the Mason health administration and student chapter, students must policy department,” Immel said. pay a $40 membership fee to the While graduate students ini- AcademyHealth organization. tiated the student Students chapter, students must be reg“We are going to be istered memof all years are enproviding a lot of opcouraged to join. bers of Academy“We are still portunities to see Health in reaching out to health services u n d e r g r a d s ,” order to beresearch and policy in come memImmel said. “It’s bers of the open to underaction.” grad and masters student chapstudents and ter. -Tracy Immel, co-president Ph.D. students Chapter of AcademyHealth Student and nursing. It’s meetings are held once a not restricted, but Chapter it’s more likely month in the that we are going Johnson Cento get more active involvement ter. The next chapter meeting will from master’s students just be- be held today. cause they are probably a little “New students who maybe more set on their path of going have not joined are still invited to into health services research and come and then, obviously, mempolicy than an undergrad might bers are going to come,” Immel be.” said. “Our student chapter is really There will be a meet and emphasizing networking, so it’s greet session at the next chapter sort of another opportunity meeting as well as a guest speaker among many that we hope to post who will talk about breast cancer

research. “We are going to be providing a lot of opportunities to see health services research and policy in action,” Immel said. “AcademyHealth is sort of one place where students can go to help them better understand the world of health services research and policy and how they can use that information to build their careers.” Elections for the AcademyHealth Student Chapter take place once a year in March. Then, a transition period will transpire in April, during which the outgoing officers will train the new officers. Mason is not the only university that has an AcademyHealth Student Chapter. George Washington University, Georgetown University and John Hopkins University also have an AcademyHealth Student Chapter. For more information about the AcademyHealth Student Chapter at Mason, students can visit hap.gmu.edu and click on the AcademyHealth Student Chapter tab on the left side of the page. The AcademyHealth Student Chapter also has a Facebook page and a Twitter account which can be found on the website.

Journalism is a tough business. If you think you can keep up, come check out our office on the first floor of Student Union Building II.

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Mason Family Welcome Dinner

Photos by Jake McLernon

Family Weekend at George Mason university took place Oct. 14-16. President Alan Merten spoke at a dinner for students and parents (top) and was present for the presentation of the Family of the Year Award (right). The weekend culiminated with a 5K run/walk on campus and also featured Mason Madness and stand-up comedy from Wanda Sykes.

AIDS Awareness Month Underway at Mason Goal of Activities to Educate Students and Local Community about AIDS

Ahsan Zaman Asst. News Editor HIV/AIDS Awareness Month is taking place during the month of October at George Mason University. “The month is planned to bring awareness to HIV and AIDS issues, as well as the impact that it’s having on our community within Mason and our community within Fairfax and the northern Virginia area,” said AIDS Walk Captain Sarina Stephenson. “It’s very important because a lot of students, as well as faculty and staff, don’t necessarily understand often the impact that it’s really having on a classmate or a co-worker or a professor that could be teaching them,” Stephenson said. “So I think a lot of times it’s overlooked at how close this issue hits home for us on our campus as well as around the world, and I

think it starts with realizing how it impacts you as a college student and how it impacts other students around you and then taking that to another level.” AIDS Walk is part of HIV/AIDS Awareness Month and will take place on Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. by Metro Center Station in Washington, D.C. Free shuttles will run throughout the day from the Shenandoah Parking Deck stop to the Vienna metro station. “George Mason’s team could not be possible without our sponsors,” Stephenson said. “I would say a big push this year has been obviously the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement. We kind of [host] or jump start AIDS Walk campaign for George Mason’s team and then this year we are partnering with Student Government, Sexual Assault Services, Office of Counseling and Psychological Services, as well as we open it up to our 200-plus student organizations.”

According to Stephenson, last year there were 42 sponsor student organizations and a total of 456 registered students, faculty and staff who participated in AIDS Walk. “We are hoping to get around 55 student organizations this year,” Stephenson said. This year incentives will be offered. “We say, ‘If you can commit to signing up 10 of your members for AIDS Walk, then we’ll recognize you as a sponsor and put you on the back of our Mason T-shirt’ and we are doing that again this year,” said Stephenson. Stephenson also talked about the importance of educating people in the community about HIV/AIDS. “It starts with educating yourself,” Stephenson said. “Educate yourself and then register and walk. Educate yourself before you walk and really understand why you are walking and who you are walking

for. There are tons of people who are really depending on people who walk and so I think that as team captain I’m really trying to hold educational events so people know and can take something away from it before they walk.”Taking part in AIDS Walk is becoming a Mason tradition. “I feel like we have a pretty good presence on campus with HIV and AIDS awareness,” Stephenson said. “We have been doing AIDS Walk for at least 20 years, and every year our participation rates get larger and larger, so from those numbers we can tell it’s making a difference in people getting involved.” Stephenson’s goal is to get at least 500 participants from Mason to come out for the AIDS Walk this year. “We are representing George Mason University. We have to [showcase] in a way and we have to represent,” Stephenson said.

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Style

The number of years comedian Wanda Sykes has been doing stand-up comedy.

Improv Group Lightens up Campus Mason Improv Association Finds Their Niche in D.C. Metropolitan Area Photo by Luke Fontana

Dylan Hares Media Beat Writer A wise man once said, “No one hands you a script when you wake up in the morning and says, ‘Here are your lines for the day.’” Truer words were never spoken. No one ever hands the Mason Improv Association a script. However, every time they hit the stage, they still manage to show people a good time. Founded in the fall semester of 2010, the seven-member group has gained significant momentum and presence in the George Mason University and D.C. performing arts arenas, having performed in several local college competitions. “I love it,” said founder and senior English major Paul Laudiero. “I think everyone should do it.” Laudiero has actively participated in the D.C. improvisational comedy scene for the past two years since he transferred to

Mason. He identified a deficiency of comedy on campus and immediately did something about it. Since then the M.I.A. has packed shows in the Theaterspace and Black Box venues of the Performing Arts Building, and most recently in the Johnson Center Bistro. The M.I.A. performs in the long-form improv style, as opposed to short-form style that was demonstrated most of the time in “Whose Line is it Anyway?”. The long-form format is more storybased and involves more time with a specific character and more room for jokes. The group is unique because it uses an interview at the beginning of the show as the inspiration for scenes instead of employing the classic approach that uses shout-outs from the audience — a technique used by professional troupes in New York and Chicago, but rare among the college scene. On Thursday, the M.I.A. took

to the Johnson Center Bistro stage from family ties and romance to with the premiere D.C. troupe, child birth. The group was well reJive Turkey, and Mason ceived by the nearly full JC Bistro, in what is likely the largest crowd student/comedian, Eric Weber. to ever grace the Weber, a space. junior history “We don’t do cheap The group m a j o r , jokes. We don’t talk takes pride in the warmed up about sex for the sake kind of humor the audience that it tries to with a hilariof talking about sex. bring to campus. ous fiveWe play to the top of “I don’t want minute set our intelligence. to use the term about the tri[College students] ‘high-brow’ beals and tribudon’t think they want cause that seems lations of life it — but they do.” p r e t e n t i o u s ,” in college. He Laudiero said. has also per“But we don’t do formed in -Paul Laudiero, founder of cheap jokes. We D.C. Improv’s Mason Improv Association don’t talk about “The District’s sex for the sake of Funniest Coltalking about sex. We play to the lege Competition.” Thw M.I.A. took the stage top of our intelligence. [College next, and after interviewing a stu- students] don’t think they want it dent about her summer vacation, — but they do. We’re consistently engaged in an excellent impro- getting laughs.” It certainly is a higher caliber vised set of vacation scenes that dealt with a wide range of topics form of comedy that the group

brings, which is consistently enjoyed by all. After the M.I.A. performed, Jive Turkey, which has graced campus once before, had an equally enjoyable set inspired by a rather raunchy tale of drunken escapades. For those who have ever done improv before or have ever been interested, the M.I.A. holds open workshops every other week for those who want to come have a good time and see where their imagination takes them. “You don’t have to memorize lines. You don’t have to be funny. In fact you shouldn’t be funny. You should just be yourself — funny will come,” Laudiero said. He emphasized that the workshops are a great place for people who have never done improv to have a safe and comfortable environment to stretch out, and experience something new. There are no prerequisites to attendance, only the willingness to

have a little fun. “It’s a great way to unwind after a bad day,” said senior communications major and M.I.A. member Conler Mandt. “It’s the beauty of improv: Everyone can do it.” “It’s like crack,” Laudiero said. “Everyone who comes gets involved pretty quickly and just keeps coming back for more.” The M.I.A. fills a niche that has long been empty on the Mason campus: comedy. One look around may make people feel like everyone is taking everything too seriously and it may be a positive change to have a group on campus that provides an outlet for members of the community to just be silly and have a good time. Information about shows and open workshops can be found on the group’s Facebook page; simply search for the Mason Improv Association.

Photos by Jake McLernon

Wanda Sykes Wows the Patriot Center Students, Community Get a Dose of Laughs SYKES, from Front He often went as far as criticizing the current generation, claiming, “You all think you gonna save the world — well it’s not gonna happen.” This prompted a hilarious rant about his “skinny jeans-wearing” son before transitioning to his ex-wife and thoughts about women. After a brief dive into politics, his 30 minutes were over, and the lights in the Patriot Center dimmed to the point of complete darkness. With the spotlight turned on and the speakers blaring a heavy bass, Sykes stepped onto the stage. “What are y’all thinking hiring me with my foul mouth?” Sykes said. Known for her noholds-barred style of humor, the 47year-old began with a brief mention of her experience at Occupy Wall Street, which brought her to the topic of

Barack Obama. The bit was funny, but in retrospect, it felt as if she dwelled on the topic for too long.

With the spotlight turned on and the speakers blaring a heavy bass, Sykes stepped onto the stage. “What are y’all thinking hiring me with my foul mouth?” Sykes said.

Sykes drew most of her material from her personal life from her recent double mastectomy to being the lesbian mother of a set of Caucasian toddler twins. Motherhood was a central

theme throughout the show and arguably the source of her most hysterical jokes, notably her portrayal of Lucas, her son with an abnormally large head. Sykes continued into her personal life and used her very physical method of telling jokes: At one point, she hunched over on all fours on top of a stool. The show came to a close, and the lights turned on to reveal an audience that appeared pleased with the evening. What could have been an awkward recipe for families proved to be a bonding experience, with many continuing to recite their favorite lines on their journey out of the venue. With Seth Meyers last year and Wanda Sykes this year, we can’t help but wonder: Who does Mason have in store for next year?

Upcoming Patriot Center Events Disney On Ice: Dare to Dream 7 p.m. Wednesday

An Evening With Andre Rieu 8 p.m. Nov. 19

Vicente Fernandez 7 p.m. Oct. 30

Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music 7 p.m. Dec. 15

Jeff Dunham - Controlled Chaos 8 p.m. Nov. 5 Russell Brand 8 p.m. Nov. 17

Disney Live - Phineas & Ferb 1 p.m. Feb. 26 Harlem Globetrotters 2 p.m. March 25

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New and Rising Local Rappers Fresh Talent Is Just Down the Road Carlos Perez Broadside Correspondent There aren’t many people left on campus who remember Wale’s

2008 performance in a cramped corner of Dewberry Hall on a cold February night, and only a few who remember the way the bells in Wale’s then-lone hit “Nike

1. Fat Trel

2. Phil Ade

From: E St., NE D.C.

From: Silver Spring, MD

For fans of: Waka Flocka; Freeway; Wooh da Kid This 21-year-old gangsta rapper out of D.C. was previously attached to Wale’s Board of Administration label prior to being unceremoniously dropped a day before his latest mixtape released. It’s been a while since the District has seen a young rapper so quickly garner such an invested grassroots fan base within city limits. “April Foolz,” Trel’s recent Luger-infused project, turned a few more heads well outside Metro limits, as did his latest leak produced by Big K.R.I.T., “Bitchez Started Klokkin.” Another called “Rolling” is a pop-rap song that calls back to the days when street-hard rappers weren’t afraid to tackle radio-pop territory. More than happy to fill the role of D.C.’s anti-hero (He’s a Cowboys fan! The horror!), his “Nightmare on E St.” mixtape is slated for an early November release.

For fans of: Mac Miller; weedless Wiz Khalifa; the idea that Drake used to be a “real backpacker” Young, full of pop-friendly hooks and memorable punch lines — when not painfully corny — and signed to Raheem DeVaughn’s local boutique label 368 Music Group, Phil Ade has quickly risen to one of the DMV’s most visible rappers, a notable marketing feat given the area’s high rapper-per-capita ratio. His first two mixtapes — “Starting on JV”; “The Letterman” — were a lot more heavy on the Tribe-era boom-bap nostalgia tip, while his latest — “A Different World” — strayed into slighty more southern aesthetics. There’s at least one song in his catalog that someone would love to use as a Facebook status.

Boots” echoed around a room struggling to fill a fifth of its capacity. Fast forward three years and Wale can be found at the center of two of the area’s largest ven-

3.Uptown X.O. From: Georgia Ave., Uptown D.C.

ues — the Verizon Center and Merriweather Post Pavilion — within a span of only four months alongside some of today’s most recognizable rap figures. And

4.RatedR the Mac From: Largo, MD

For fans of: “Revolutionary but Gangsta”; “Fear of a Black Planet”

For fans of: Mannie Fresh; Young Jeezy; trapping in Cadillacs

“Had idle hands/ now I got ‘em on my rifle and/ I'm ready to smite a cops for lockin’ up my mans,” spits X.O., channelling all the ethos and cadence of the archetypal black preacher. It sounds even better paired with ABthePro’s lavish 60’s and 70’s era soul and jazz sample-heavy instrumentals, a dynamic the two fully appreciate. Early in Wale’s career there was a lot of handwringing over his selfanointment as “Ambassador of Rap for the Capital” — his words, not mine — since he’s technically from Maryland. And while general consensus has arrived at a lukewarm shoulder-shrug when it comes to Wale’s exact hometown, it adds an extra layer of authenticity to X.O., a lifelong resident of the District, when he raps, “Uncle Sam taught me how to rob/ Not 50 Cent.”

There’s only one official mixtape release to his name, but it’s not about quantity, right? “Welcome 2 Da Morgue,” dropped under the growing Midieast Studio, is a loud, 808heavy record drenched in enough southern bounce to remind anyone who listens exactly on which side of the MasonDixon Line D.C., Maryland and Virginia fall. Rated R seems like a man who knows what he likes: women, tattoos and Chevrolets. At its most basic, this is music that sounds best with a set of subwoofers the size of two overfed 4-year-olds at your back and a woodgrain grip in your hands. The lower the ride, the better.

while he’s still yet to follow through on his promise of bringing a Grammy to the District, even Wale doesn’t deny the fact that he likely isn’t the best artist living in

5 . S l u t t y Boyz (Dew Baby, PWild, Boosa da Shoota, Oochi, Killa)

Meatchi,

From: E St., NE D.C.

the metropolitan area. Here are few local rappers that would probably make a night in Dewberry Hall a lot more memorable.

To download and listen to these local artists, visit local-specific websites like dcmumb o s a u c e . c o m , forthedmvonly.com and dmvunplugged.com.

For fans of: cooking; swag; the idea of a Bricksquad-backed Travis Porter This is the group of D.C. kids having the most fun with music not involved in go-go. Let’s hope they keep soundtracking the area’s vibrant, youthful hedonists with songs like “Coming off My Fingers” and “We Be Fresh,” or the entire “Chu Don't Dew” mixtape, for that matter. Due to the group’s name, they’ve actually lost opportunities for live shows. There’s something there to be said about sexuality being taboo, but more importantly is that this kind of irresponsible energy is a good thing for music, especially in a scene that’s still trying to find its legs.

The Thing is back New Prequel Lacks Magic of Previous ‘Thing’ Films Jeff Giorgi Opinion Editor In the time leading up to the release of “The Thing,” my biggest fear was that the movie would abandon all of the tense isolation and fear that the John Carpenter version was remembered for, and instead just deliver a glossy CGI monster-fest. Reading all the advance reviews, you’d think that my fears would have been confirmed. Truth is they were, but they also weren’t at the same time. Anyone who’s seen the Capenter’s take has an idea of what they’re getting themselves into with this prequel/remake. Scientists uncover an alien specimen capable of shape-shifting into any organism it wants to. When your setting for a film is Antarctica and you have no idea who is human and who isn’t, obviously suspense and tension build. And that’s why the movie wasn’t a loss for me. Despite the abundance of CGI in the movie,

especially during the last act, I was still on edge just wondering what was going to happen next. That being said, all I wanted to do after I finished watching the prequel was go home and rewatch the Carpenter version. The truth is that there’s nothing in this updated film that really compares to the it, and with a film as loved and revered as the 1982 version of “The Thing,” all you’re going to do is place the two movies side by side. If you’ve never seen Carpenter’s take, then this one will prob-

Next Issue: Paranormal Activity 3

ably have you biting your nails the whole time. My favorite scene in Carpenter’s version involved a blood test to try to prove who’s human and who’s not. I remember sitting there, the first time, completely on edge. When a similar scene started in the new one, it just didn’t feel as impactful. Perhaps that’s just the jaded 25-year-old in me though. “The Thing” isn’t a terrible film at all; it’s just not very memorable. In the future, no one will look through your movie collec-

tion and say, “Oh man, you’ve got the 2011 ‘The Thing?’” It simply won’t happen.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 1 Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday, 3 p.m. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2 Friday, 9 p.m. Saturday, 9 p.m. Sunday, 6 p.m.

Drake Concert Canceled Album Delay, Scheduling Conflicts to Blame Dylan Hares Media Beat Writer The fall concert is an integral part of the George Mason University experience. In years past, Mason has hosted such great acts as Kid Cudi, Taking Back Sunday, the All American Rejects and OneRepublic. As of last week, the concert for the fall 2011 semester was to be no exception. The one and only Drake was slated to take the Patriot Center stage on Nov. 15, much to the excitement of the

Mason community. Already a stop on his tour, the Office of Student Involvement worked with Live Nation to purchase discount student tickets for the fall concert instead of booking a similar, separate act. Student Involvement had 900 discount tickets available to sell to the student body on Oct. 7. Lines began early in the morning that Friday and after the doors opened at 10 a.m., it only took two and a half hours for all 900 tickets to be sold. It wasn’t a week later that a

member of Student Involvement posted on the wall of the Facebook event that Drake had cancelled the show. While some are concerned about the $35 they spent on the seats, what’s most disconcerting is what’s going to happen to the long-established tradition of an amazing fall concert. “It has not been rescheduled yet to the best of my knowledge,” said Assistant Director of Programming Michelle Davis. “We didn’t book the show so we are not privy to that information.” In-

deed, Student Involvement has been thrown for a loop as much as anyone else anticipating the show. According to Drake’s blog, October’s Very Own, “The new date for ‘Take Care’ [Drake’s upcoming CD] is November 15th, 2011.” That, for those paying attention, is the date he was supposed to be at the Patriot Center. He continues to say in the blog post that he is pushing back the release date in order to do some fine tuning and give it to the fans the way it deserves to be. Subse-

quently, his Club Paradise Tour will be “moved to when students are back from the Christmas/New Year break so that I can get to more schools.” That said, it seems highly possible that Drake could still be coming to the Patriot Center sometime during the spring semester.

“At this point we are able to pull off another show for the fall,” Davis said. Look out for more information from the Office of Student Involvement. The Patriot Center will be providing refunds between Oct. 19 and Nov. 17 for purchased tickets. Tickets must be intact and a student ID must be presented.

Broadside

Style

Pottermore

Man on the Street

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Would you use Pottermore?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Lives on Through the Internet Aneela Wadan Broadside Correspondent For many die-hard Harry Potter fans, July 15, 2011, was a bittersweet day. As they gathered in long lines and waited to be seated in a movie theater, the reminiscing began. Just about 14 years ago, “the boy who lived� started to win his way into the hearts of millions through the words of author J.K Rowling and the mega-hit movies. As fans sat in the theater at midnight, a nostalgic feeling took over. Were Harry Potter and his story essentially over? Was Harry’s time really gone? Not if J.K. Rowling had anything to do with it. The billionaire author wanted to keep the dream alive and have Harry live on for his fans, even though the series and movies have reached their endpoint. With the help of Sony, Rowling launched Pottermore, an interactive website based on the Harry Potter series, which helped satisfy the craving of the many fans who wanted more after the series and movies were finished. Pottermore is only open to selective beta users at the moment, but will go public at the end of October. The website will offer digital audio books and e-books for purchase through the online Pottermore Shop, along with new information about the books and tidbits of exclusive facts and trivia on the Wizarding World. On top of that, many interactive games allow users to get sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses and compete with their assigned wand. The best part? Everyone gets to play alongside Harry Potter. Points are earned by winning challenges like brewing potions and engaging in spell duels. A record of these points is kept on a live feed, so players can keep track of their earnings. Fans can also in-

“Yes. I’m a giant nerd, and I always wish I could live in Harry Potter’s world.� Sommer Anderson Freshman Sophomore

“Yeah, deďŹ nitely. I like the Harry Potter movies. I’m open to it.â€? Joshua Sims Sophomore Government and International Politics

“Yes. I’m already playing it. It’s a lot of fun, and you get a lot of background information that is not in the books.� Deanna Gulick Sophomore Art History

“Maybe if I had the tie. All my friends are part of it.�

Graphic by Lauren Ransom termingle with one another, making the whole experience a dream come true for all of Harry Potter’s followers. Thanks to J.K Rowling, the magic will

Sarah Porter Junior Psychology

never end. Look out, Facebook and Twitter: You have competition on the way!

Photos by Stephen Kline

Overcoming Procrastination

Bring the water to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain the mixture and set aside. Combine the butter, garlic and onion in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Line a round pan with one pie crust and fill with chicken mixture. Remove thyme sprigs from the liquid mixture and pour into the pie crust. Top with second pie crust and seal edges. Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes.

How to Stop Wasting Your Time Mariam Waqar Broadside Correspondent The average college student starts the morning by hitting the snooze button and occasionally skipping class. They end it watching late night TV or chatting on Facebook instead of doing homework. Dilettantes in the ways of laziness during high school, most students are experts in the field by the time they reach college. Last-minute rushes to the Johnson Center Library to print out a paper or trying to scout out an available computer on campus are just some of the consequences of putting off work until the last second. However, there are many helpful tips to fend off temptation and avoid getting sucked into the downward spiral that is procrastination. 1. Start your homework by doing the least-daunting task. The piece of work that you’re looking forward to the most will be the one that will get your mind focused the fastest. 2. Write out four to five

tasks that you want to complete for each day of the week, and reward yourself if you meet a day’s worth of tasks. 3. Designate a relaxation

Set Internet time limits on social networking sites or other entertainment websites so that you won’t be browsing while you’re actually supposed to be studying. This will increase productivity and decrease distraction.

5. Instead of having the “I’ll do it later� mindset, aim to complete tasks as soon as possible so they’re out of the way and you don’t have to stress over them. 6. Set Internet time limits on social networking sites or other entertainment websites so that you won’t be browsing while you’re actually supposed to be studying. This will increase productivity and decrease distraction. By following these tips and tricks in addition to making promises to yourself, you’ll be able to organize your assignments and academic engagements in a way that will be totally devoid of procrastination. Productivity will be maximized so that you can enjoy all of your time without any stress.

day. You’ll start to work harder throughout the week in anticipation of your “chill day.� 4. Regularly switch between subjects when studying so you don’t get burned out or tired of one specific topic. It’ll keep you alert and attentive.

with Kristin Janeiro It’s getting to be that time of year again. The air is turning crisp, the leaves are changing colors and cozy sweaters are finding their way out of the backs of dresser drawers. Fall is my favorite time of the year, not just because I get to break out my boots or because the weather is perfect for running outside, but also because the season calls for a menu of delicious comfort food. Nothing beats walking out of the slight autumnal chill and sitting down to a hot, nostalgiainducing meal. So grab a few friends and enjoy my recipe for hearty chicken pot pie. Just be sure to save some room for a traditional fall dessert — caramel apples!

Chicken Pot Pie 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup frozen peas 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 garlic cloves 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 unbaked pie crusts, 9 inch, round Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine carrots, peas, celery and cubed chicken in a saucepan and cover with water.

Serves 4. Cost per person: $5.00 Caramel Apples 4 red apples 1 bag caramels 2 tbsp.tablespoons milk 4 Popsicle sticks Combine caramels and milk in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until smooth. Insert Popsicle sticks into the apples. Hold apples by the stick and submerge in caramel while using a spoon to evenly cover the apple. Allow excess caramel to drip off before placing the apple on a buttered surface. Allow apples to chill for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4. Cost per person: $2.00

Free Tickets for Mason Students! :LQG 6\PSKRQ\ ZLWK )DLUID[ :LQG 6\PSKRQ\ 2FWREHU DW S P DGXOWV VWXGHQWV VHQLRUV &+ /LPLWHG )UHH 6WXGHQW 7LFNHWV $YDLODEOH 1RZ

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Broadside

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Opinion Monday, October 17, 2011

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief

Monika Joshi, Managing Editor Jared Barrale, Copy Chief Justin Lalputan, News Editor Ahsan Zaman, Asst. News Editor Jeff Giorgi, Opinion Editor Allison Smith, Asst. Opinion Editor Erin Powell, Style Editor Becca Noris, Asst. Style Editor Cody Norman, Sports Editor Pat Carroll, Asst. Sports Editor Stephen Kline, Photography Editor

Thumbs up to Mason Madness. That’s how you kick off a season.

Benjamin Shaffer, Copy Editor Xavia Warner, Copy Editor Jacquelyn Rioux, Copy Editor Lauren Ransom, Designer Michelle Buser, Designer Sana Bhatti, Designer Dylan Hares, Staff Reporter John Powell, Collegiate Athletics Liaison Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Adviser David Carroll, Tech Adviser

Thumbs up to Parents Weekend. The staggering amount of people on campus showed just how much parents really cared.

Thumbs down to construction on 495. Maybe at some point in the next 50 years we won’t be able to say that.

The letters, columns and views expressed on this page are solely those of the writers. They do not reflect the views of Broadside or its staff, unless otherwise noted.

Thumbs down to Occupy Wall Street. Well, I mean I’m sure someone feels that way.

Broadside is a weekly publication printed each Monday for the George Mason University and surrounding Fairfax community. The editors at Broadside have exclusive authority over the content that is published. There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the editorin-chief should be notified at the information given above. Broadside is a free publication. Limit one copy per person. Each additional copy is 25 cents.

© 2011 by Broadside. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor-in-chief.

Le Reader Rage

The World Has Me Down It’s Hard To Write When Everything is Bleak I feel u n i n S spired this week. E Sure, the N world is I filled with O tons of R Opinion events Editor w o r t h writing about — Occupy Wall Street, the death of Steve Jobs, heck even the newest episode of “South Park” provided witty commentary that might be worth tackling — but I’m just not feeling it. Perhaps that’s because I’m far enough into the semester that I’m starting to feel burned out. Or, maybe it’s because writing about all the things wrong in this world on a weekly basis is just exhausting. This whole year, starting back in January, has just been like one long wak-

JEFF GIORGI

ing nightmare for the world and I think looks like more of the same. TwentyI’m just starting to become numb to it somethings demanding change and reform. Such a large movement based all. Earthquakes, crooked politicians, around such a small demographic. Why the slaughter of 77 people in Norway: At are we so divided? Religion, race, sexuality: It’s like some point, how can you not just choose we’re not meant to be a to put up a wall? I united people. We crefeel like we should Earthquakes, ated a world designed to honestly be gathercrooked politicians, segregate and now we ing supplies and the slaughter of 77 just resign ourselves to building bomb shelpeople in Norway: ters, so sad and dark fight over ending the At some point how disputes we’ve created. are the times we live can you not just But what are you in. choose to put up a going to do? Personally, I know I’m wall? I’m probably just going coming across as a Debbie Downer, but to keep going through it’s just how I’ve the motions, doing my best to not let the uglibeen feeling. I look at the protests going on in ness of the world overtake me. If that means just spending some of New York, and now D.C. and Norfolk, and just wonder what, if any, impact they my days on the couch with a case of beer will have. I feel like I should be excited and some video games — where I’ll unby the prospect of change, but it just doubtedly hear more racially and sexu-

‘Occupy’ is Far From United Amidst the Protests, No Voice Stands Out Allison smith s e n i o

Got a rage comic you want published in Broadside? Email opinion@broadsideonline.com

Don’t Miss an Issue! Check out Broadside each Monday. Distribution points include: Johnson Center Enterprise Hall Starbucks Robinson A Innovation Hall Student Union Building I Student Union Building II

r

Asst. Opinion Editor

McPherson Square in downtown D.C. was alive last weekend with protest signs and angry chants as more than 100 people took part in the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations spreading throughout the country. The edges of one end of the park were scattered with sleeping bags, blankets and cardboard signs, and the main sidewalk was complete with an information table, food supplies and a “take one, leave one” cigarette box. Most of the protesters gathered on the grass where organized “assembly meeting” speakers shouted scheduled times for various workshops about talking to the media and handling the police. The group would creepily repeat what another speaker was saying line-byline, and then shake their hands in the air in unison when they agreed with a speaker. But aside from the unorthodox collective mentality, their message was in no way unified. I was pleased to see veterans and military person-

nel in uniform holding antiwar signs. It brought back memories of the days when the antiwar movement actually existed. There were signs about everything from advocating free health care to demanding jobs and better pay. Some simply claimed they were the “99 percent” — the group that is not part of the wealthiest 1 percent — and wanted to end capitalism all together. I was surprised at how anti-government many of them were, but then demanded so many things from

I wondered how an individual could truly be free if the state could forcibly demand him to submit to such a society at gunpoint and have no freedom to make choices for himself. that same government as if it were God. One self-described socialist I spoke to claimed that we would achieve true freedom if only we could all have free education and health care handed to us by the government. His love for European-style socialism ran so deep that he apparently didn’t have time to think about the impending Euro and debt crisis ravaging Greece and many other European countries, brought on by the very

Want to share your opinion? Submit your letter to the editor or artwork to: opinion@broadsideonline.com

Note: Letters to the editor are welcome and are printed on the basis of space, quality and timeliness. All submissions are the property of Broadside and may be edited for brevity, clarity and grammar. Material containing libel, racial slurs, personal attacks or obscenities may be edited or rejected. The author’s name, class year (and/or title where appropriate), major and daytime phone number must be included for verification of authenticity. The deadline for submission is Thursday by 10 p.m.

same idealistic policies he was advocating. I wondered how an individual could truly be free if the state could forcibly demand him to submit to such an ideology at gunpoint and have no freedom to make choices for himself. Apart from the rather incoherent arguments I encountered, the issue that bugged me the most came from those demanding the government to forgive their student loans. Now, I actually happen to have a hefty amount in student loans, but I have never once asked the state to take money from another individual to give to me because I made a poor choice. People forget that they were in no way forced to take on debt. There are literally thousands of schools in the U.S., from in-state schools with resident tuition to community colleges. It is simply irresponsible to go to an unaffordable school and expect someone else to pay it back. So while I agree with the protesters that our current political system is far from “by the people, for the people,” putting more power into the hands of government leads to less personal freedom and more state control. The more personal choices the individual makes, the better. Otherwise we run the risk of losing our rights altogether and submitting to a system no one wants.

Editorial Board: Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief Monika Joshi, Managing Editor Jared Barrale, Copy Chief Jeffrey Giorgi, Opinion Editor

ally based verbal assaults — then so be it. I suppose that’s something to be grateful for, a way to escape reality. I don’t know, maybe it’s just the gloomy weather that’s been perpetually hovering around our campus since the semester started. Or maybe it’s just the increasing workload of my classes, but I’m simply feeling bleak this week. Just look at the stories in this week’s section. There’s a story about us arming criminals, a story about horrible parenting and even one about a famous musician referring to our president as Hitler. How are you not supposed to just shake your head in dismay at all of that? With luck, next week I’ll be out of this slump I seem to have fallen into. After all, “Arkham City” comes out Tuesday and I’m really excited about that. To add to that, I hope that between now and next week, I won’t have to read another story about a kid who was bullied to the brink of suicide.

Student Government Monthly Welcome back to another edition of Student Government Monthly. During October, SG will be busy hosting numerous events for both the student body and our surrounding communities. On Thursday, following the Senate meeting, SG members will walk with administrators and university staff throughout campus at night searching for any unlit areas, problematic features and safety hazards. A compiled report will be presented to administration for necessary changes. This is an annual tradition that SG undertakes to maintain a safe and friendly campus environment. Moving forward to the next week, Oct. 23 to 30, SG will be holding three big events, starting with the AIDS Walk Kickoff on Oct. 25. The event will be held on the Johnson Center North Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include giveaways, free food, performances and, most importantly, guest speakers who will be presenting educational statistics to help educate George Mason University about the AIDS pandemic. SG hopes this event inspires students to participate and walk with our own Mason team at the AIDS Walk on Oct. 29 in Washington, D.C. For more information regarding the AIDS Walk please visit aidswalkwashington.org. Two days later, on Oct. 27, SG will be teaming up with Virginia21, a non-partisan, non-profit lobbying organization focused on higher education issues, in a statewide campaign called “What’s Your Number?” This campaign highlights the problem of student loan debt by educating students

All unsigned staff editorials are written to represent the view of the Broadside staff, a diverse set of opinions determined by the members of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, columns, artwork and other commentaries strictly represent the opinions of the authors and do not represent the official opinion of the newspaper.

about how much debt they are taking out, as well as demanding more funding for financial aid. The event on Oct. 27 will be held on the SUB 1 Quad from noon to 3 p.m. At the event, SG members will be talking to Mason students to hear their personal stories regarding student debt. Additionally, there will be computers set up for students to sign a petition that will be presented in a news release, sent to Governor Bob McDonnell, and brought forth to the Virginia State Assembly by Virginia21 in November. If Mason students want to get a head start, the petition can be signed at virginia21.org/whatsyournumber. Remember to sign it! Student debt is an integral part of American collegiate life. Please share your story with us, and make your voices heard to our state elected officials up for reelection on Nov. 8. Finally, to conclude the month of October, SG will be continuing the tradition of Witch Watch. This year, Witch Watch will be held on Oct. 30 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Hampton Roads area near Rappahannock Parking Deck. Witch Watch is an SG initiative that brings together the Mason and Fairfax communities. Parents from the community bring their children to Mason's Fairfax campus to trick-or-treat and engage in other fun activities at various tables displayed by Mason organizations and offices. If any student organizations would still like to sign up for a table at “Witch Watch,” or would like to learn any further information about SG, please visit our website at sg.gmu.edu.

Contact us! Broadside George Mason University Mailstop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: 703-993-2950 Fax: 703-993-2948

Broadside

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Monday, October 17, 2011

A Manifesto For Occupy Wall Street Protestors Need to Unite Under A Common Banner

Ethan Vaughn Guest Columnist As the Occupy Wall Street protests stretch into their fourth week, an initially inattentive media is asking just what the demonstrators hope to accomplish. The movement hasn’t exactly provided an answer. “It doesn’t matter what you’re protesting,” The New York Times reported one leader saying. “Just protest.” It does matter what they’re protesting, though. It matters a lot. Occupy Wall Street is acting as a voice for longsimmering anguish. Unless they want it to end there, it isn’t enough to “just protest.” They need to organize. They need to mobilize. They need to express a set of ideas and get candidates for political office behind them. They need to do this by next year’s elections. The protesters could effect real political change, as the Tea Party has, but only if they can show the world what they stand for. They should begin by committing to these beliefs: •That all citizens are entitled to affordable, quality health care. •That all qualified individuals are entitled to a free or heavily subsidized higher education. •That our elderly, whom we rightly respect and cherish, deserve an ample pension in their golden

years. •That government can and should be a force for •That a free market is essential to fostering in- good. •That freedom from religion is just as important novation but that an unfettered free market threatens as freedom of religion. the central tenets of democracy. •That theological beliefs are unacceptable influ•That the profit motive is a great thing but should be divorced from such human rights as edu- ences in the formulation of policy. cation, health care and due process. •That privatized prisons by their very nature in•That economic opportunity incurs economic centivize conviction and lead to skewed justice. •That rehabilitation must be favored over incarresponsibility, and that those who have benefited the most from a liberal economic system are obliged to ceration wherever possible. give the most back. •That the undeniable rights •That social services confer enjoyed by corporations in no We must mold ourway give them equal standing economic liberty upon citizens by selves into a nation with people. freeing them from the threat of sudthat no longer val•That all workers are entiden catastrophe and that higher ues vague notions of tled to a living wage. taxes are an acceptable cost for the economic freedom attainment of that liberty. •That all workers have an above the concrete •That America is a faith of huunassailable right to unionize. reality of economic manity that embraces all colors, •That we will never accept, well-being. as our Tea Party contemporaries genders, orientations and ages have stated they would, leaving equally. •That we have a crucial duty to the uninsured, or anyone else, to care for the environment in which die in the streets. we live. •That cruelty as a national ideology is doomed •That in order to protect our planet and to avert to failure. •That the sanctity of the citizen and the citizen’s economic disaster when fossil fuels run out, we must make alternative energy a crux of our economic poli- well-being is paramount. •That our decisions must always be governed by cies right now. •That the current cry for “small government” compassion and a profound caring for our fellow amounts to nothing less than the abdication by the man. state of its fundamental responsibilities. The question is one of values. We must mold

ourselves into a nation that no longer values vague notions of economic freedom above the concrete reality of economic well-being. We must be a nation that no longer values the bottom line above the health of its citizens. We must be a nation that no longer accords multinational corporations the same rights, by force of law, that it accords to living, breathing people. We must be a nation in which moralistic notions of “personal responsibility,” however strongly held, become moot at the sight of a fellow human being in need. We must be a nation in which dissent is applauded, not beaten down with pepper spray and batons. The building blocks for a real (and desperately needed) reform movement are there. Certainly the raw emotion is there, and that’s a good start. It’s only a start, though. In figuring out why, protesters should look to the Tea Party, which, while instructive of the political muscle to be had from fury, is also instructive of that fury’s limits. The Tea Party remains a major force in American politics today not because its members were angry but because its driving pathos was funneled into a defined political agenda on whose precepts a slate of candidates mobilized, vigorously campaigned and eventually elected into office. The Tea Party seeks to upset the system by acting from within it. Occupy Wall Street should take note. If it fails to do that, it will fail to matter at all.

The Real Fast and Furious A Lot Worse Than the Vin Diesel Flick Another week, another scandal for s the Obama administration. While the e Operation Fast and n Furious controversy did not first come to i light last week, revelao tions have culminated Opinion to the point where r Columnist heads are about to roll. As negligent as the Solyndra scandal is, it pales in comparison to this gun-running operation. Make no mistake, complicity in this affair and consequent cover-up is tantamount to being an accessory to murder. In January 2010, a combination of law enforcement personnel from the DOJ, ATF and DEA to the IRS, ICE and FBI ran an undercover operation to selling traced guns to Mexican drug cartel leaders. Unfortunately, the operation was so badly

Alan Moore

bungled that it resulted in the U.S. government representatives who are investigating Fast and Fuarming vicious criminals, who used some 2,000 rious learned that DOJ Inspector General Cynthia high powered guns to wreck havoc in their criminal Schnedar “compromised their investigators’ ability enterprises. to get to the truth and potentially prosecute those responsible for selling thouAmong the many mistakes was the fact that ATF agents in sands of weapons to the MexiAs is true with most can drug cartels.” Schnedar Mexico were left in the dark scandals, someabout the operation. ATF offiallegedly obstructed justice by times it isn’t the act turning over secret recordings cials then lied to those agents, itself that causes implicating government officials claiming the program had ended the situation to eswhen, in reality, it wouldn’t end to those same officials being incalate; it’s the vestigated. for several more months. This resulted in many of these guns disSadly, that’s just the tip of cover-up. appearing, only to reappear at the iceberg. The person who may fall on crime scenes later. So far, the use his sword for this is Attorney of these guns in at least 200 murGeneral Eric Holder. His stateders in Mexico and 11 crimes in the U.S., including the murder of Border Patrol ments to Congress thus far have been suspicious Agent Brian Terry, has been confirmed. and contradictory. There are serious questions as As is true with most scandals, sometimes it to what he knew, when he knew it and what mateisn’t the act itself that causes the situation to esca- rials he may still have in his possession which could late; it’s the cover-up. Last month, congressional prove he perjured himself. Rep. Darrell Issa, chair-

man of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, slapped him with a subpoena last week in hopes of clarifying his conflicting testimonies. President Obama claims he knew nothing about Fast and Furious. His actions though, seem to indicate otherwise. His much-heralded economic stimulus plan set aside $10 million for the operations (you thought that money was just for job creation, didn’t you?) and he specifically mentioned “gun tracing and gun enforcement policies” during a press conference in Mexico City in April 2009. Finding out what he knew about the operation could become very enlightening. This scandal is unraveling faster than a cheap suit. Sadly, when we are left with an administration so incompetent and amateurish, we can expect these types of things. President Obama has been flirting with disaster his whole presidency. Don’t be surprised if Fast and Furious contributes to his ultimate downfall.

Playing Dress Up “Where’s My Sexy Red Lipstick?!” Hala Numan Opinion Columnist Can we buy sexy? Can we simply blanket our insecurities and sell our sexy? We can paint our faces every morning, drown our clothes in perfume and dress ostentatiously, but strip it all away and we’re rough-skinned little girls with no heart. Isn’t the purpose of performing all these circus acts to compensate for the lack of confidence and hide our physical “flaws”? All the clown makeup and big hair is supposed to make up for the lack of self-love; unfortunately, it’s not that easy. I was at work earlier today and I saw a shirt with a provocative picture of the infamous Marilyn Monroe plastered on it. I’ve always felt a slight sourness

from the mention of her name. She simply exuded no one could choke out of her. Why? Because she be“whore.” Then it dawned on me lieved in herself and her beauty. She that I was mistaken. She’s just like knew that all the makeup in the Sexy comes from most women: She had a natural world can’t make up for a nasty selfappreciating your image. beauty, wore an extensive amount of makeup and was the epitome Perhaps we can’t buy sexy or repetitive mistakes; of desirability when it came to sell it, but there’s a way to acquire maybe it’s the fact men, or at least she aspired to be possession of it: Be it. Sexy comes that you can’t stop that way. But Monroe was a sad, from appreciating your repetitive answering his calls mistakes; maybe it’s the fact that lonely girl who battled depresor eating chocolate sion, loved reading novels and you can’t stop answering his calls or ice cream. poetry, and spent a lot of time in eating chocolate ice cream. But when you start accepting your flaws deep thought. She was and still is an icon for sexuality. Even though in all their glory instead of punishshe was hiding under layers of aring yourself, you’ll begin to live in a tificiality, she exuded an air of confidence; an air that positive light; a light that shines on the admirable as-

pects of your unique self. So wear glamorous makeup, glittering clothes and those sexy red pumps, but believe that your sexiness comes from the way you carry yourself. It’s the very way you smack your lips and sway down the street. It’s about wearing clothes that tightly hug your curves regardless of your weight. Sexy is being the intelligent woman who comments in a political debate with wit. Sexy is giving to people from what little you may have. Remember, there is something absolutely lovely about all of us and, trust me, it can't be found in a tube of lipstick.

Corrections -In the Oct. 3 issue, Antonieta Rico was listed as the writer of “Illegal Downloading a Growing Problem at Mason.” The writer was actually Ahsan Zaman.

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Poor Taste And Poor Judgement From Williams Jr. Writing A Song To Justify His Words Just Makes Him Look More Ignorant

“This country sure as hell been goin’ down S the drain/ We know o what we need/ We p know who to blame/ h United Socialist States o of America/ How do ya m like that name?/ I'll o keep the USA and y’all r Opinion e can keep the change.â€? Columnist In the words of Hank Williams Jr.’s new song, “Keep the Change,â€? Obama is an awful lot like Hitler if Boehner is a lot like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And before someone freaks out and says, “It was only an analogy. Chill out!â€? I’m going to retort that I fully understand the deďŹ nition of an analogy and how it compares two things that are otherwise dissimilar. What I don’t understand is how someone so well-accustomed to constant transparency concerning the things that he says can be so stupid when it comes to being accountable for his actions.

William Rose

We all have free speech, but if I represent ESPN they’re as oored as the Catholic Church was when and compare the president of the U.S. to the most it found out that the world is round. I don’t see why hated man in all of history, I should expect to quickly people have to reinforce (often misinformed) stereolose my aďŹƒliation: How could anytypes of U.S. presidents such as one with such a controversial opinBill Clinton the player, George And Hank Williams W. Bush the imbecile or Obama ion not see that one coming? Jr. can use Songs and analogies like these the Kenyan socialist Muslim. whatever analogies reinforce a bizarre kind of ignorance We’re like sheep being he’d like, but it’s in America and it’s worrisome to me guided by the loudest, but not important to that so many opinions are driven by the most informed, shepherd. remember that We have no interest in facts and blatantly misinformed resources. some of his Look at the birth certiďŹ cate incident it seems that no one in America analogies, though and the fact that a vast majority of is willing to be held accountable he may think they the Tea Party believes global warmfor his actions. Bush can’t coning is untrue. These are things that cede the economic squeeze he’s are clever, make put on us, Obama can’t concede we will look back on when we’re 30 him seem just a the fact that he’s dropped many and will have to explain to our chillittle bit stupid to dren through paradigms of ignoof his promises and apparently everyone else. rance that no longer exist. I hope Hank Williams Jr. can’t concede that the disbelief in global warming what he should have thought before he compared the president and a Democratic president’s domestic birth are shocking to my kids. I hope that to Hitler. That’s one of the biggest problems in our

country: No one takes responsibility for their actions. Everything quickly becomes “a black problem� or “a Muslim problem� or “a problem because of Republicans,� and absolutely zero progress is made. But we have an American problem, and when we go about singing our poorly written country songs blaring “The United Socialist States of America,� it’s embarrassing, very embarrassing. And Hank Williams Jr. can use whatever analogies he’d like, but it’s important to remember that some of his analogies, though he may think they are clever, make him seem just a little bit stupid to everyone else. So he shouldn’t freak out and say the media twisted his words when, in fact, ESPN may just not want to be represented by such poor taste. Pointless arguments about false assumptions — whether a president’s country of birth or his true political intentions — are only exacerbated when people like Williams create an analogy in poor taste and write a song about it. How much more ignorant can you be?

Television Ignores Black Culture Networks Need To Embrace All Aspects Of History And Not Rely On Stereotypes With the arrival of the new television s lineup a few weeks ago came a slew of new e shows that eased their n way into my viewing queue. One that partici ularly caught my eye o was ABC’s historical STYLE r drama “Pan Am,â€? which EDITOR follows the lives of stewardesses and airline pilots during the iconic era of ight in the 1960s. Hoping it would be somewhat similar to the airline nostalgia found in the ďŹ lm, “Catch Me If You Can,â€? I tuned in. Not surprisingly, the show glamorized the innocuous, joyful escapades of the characters, devoid of any major worries, including small quips of romance and mystery along the way. The thing that did surprise me was the complete lack of blacks portrayed, except for a few extras in the background.

ERIN POWELL

Flipping around on other TV channels, I realized forget or ignore it altogether because it’s over and “in that most major network shows (excluding law and the past.â€? criminal genres), are void of any central black charThe problem is that it’s not over. Sure, blacks are acters, especially in historical ďŹ ctreated signiďŹ cantly better than Personally, I would they were a century or even 50 tion. For some shows such as “The years ago. But racism is still presTudors,â€? it’s more understandable, love to see televiseeing as the slave trade hadn’t ent in today’s world. Our actions sion dramas based happened at full-scale yet. However in the past are still very much a on the Underground for others, the opportunity is obvipart of who we are as a society and Railroad, the Civil show how far we’ve come. To igously there to include black culture Rights Era or the nore black culture or characters is and society. beginning of the to ignore an important part of Networks, producers and blues and jazz scriptwriters often fear backlash America’s history. It’s like only getmovement. from viewers regarding the polititing one piece of the puzzle. It probably wouldn’t be PC to show cal correctness of minority characblatant discrimination or racial viters, so regularly they avoid olence, but we still need to know including them at all. In addition, most of America probably doesn’t want to remember that it happened. These cultural barriers shaped how horribly blacks were treated, essentially from the prominent leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and beginning of our society. To them, the cultural aspect helped society realize the dierence between right is shameful and embarrassing, and they would rather and wrong.

The shows that do represent aspects of black culture are mostly comedic sitcoms, which rely heavily on the use of inaccurate black stereotypes and language (think “House of Payne�). One of the only accurate examples that comes to mind is the CW’s “Everybody Hates Chris,� which described what growing up in the 1980s was like as seen through the eyes of an average, middle-class black kid. Personally, I would love to see television dramas based on the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights Era or the beginning of the blues and jazz movement. Other minority groups have great opportunities to be represented as well, such as Native Americans, Hispanics and bi-racial folk, especially since in 2009 minority groups made up 35 percent of the U.S. and over 50 percent of the population in four states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. America’s television networks need to stop decorating the past. There’s always another side to each story.

How Do You Spell Google? M-O-N-O-P-O-L-Y Allison smith s e n i o r

Asst. Opinion Editor

Google was recently on trial for potentially owning two-thirds of the cyber market. Ken Auletta’s “Googled: The End of the World as We Know Itâ€? was an accurate premonition of the heat Google is now receiving for monopolizing the web. Just last June, the Federal Trade Commission began investigating the web monster to see if it’s been promoting its own products in searches and whether its behavior has been legally sound. The government has developed concerns that the search engine has become the threat that Auletta warned it could be in his book. Auletta described the two faces of Google; the possible violation of antitrust law has shined a spotlight on the more nasty one. Last month Google Chairman Eric Schmidt testiďŹ ed in front of the Senate, claiming that the company has yet to abuse a dominant business position and is therefore not violating any speciďŹ c law. He also said that Microsoft’s search engine, Bing, has been having an inux of traďŹƒc and Google’s per-

ceived dominance. Schmidt did admit, however, that his company is teetering on the border of a monopoly, but it wouldn’t matter either way because monopolies are legal. I do like how Auletta’s book discussed both pros and cons of the company, but wished he had focused more on the cons. We are already aware of how individuals,

Google is public for the most part, but the secrecy that lies behind how they “accidentallyâ€? determine what is featured is currently under interrogation and should be monitored (to an extent; I still support a free market) to ensure that there is no inter-web domination. small businesses and giant corporations have beneďŹ ted from Google, so I was hoping for him to put Google’s business ventures under more scrutiny. I know they’ve been on a hiring rampage and creating so many jobs for individuals in the IT ďŹ eld, but I’m

curious if, after further study, we could have found a deďŹ nite correlation between Google’s expansion and the current U.S. employment issue. It was fascinating to learn that Google’s searching algorithms are conďŹ dential, which made me question the purity of their success. Auletta was a bit frosty in his own skepticism concerning the company, which was only heightened by co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s unwillingness to be interviewed. Page and Brin’s interviewdodging has proven, thus far, to be a savvy move since they’ve been put on trial and penalized for nothing. However, there does seem to be a correlation with the monstrosity of Microsoft that made the competition cower in fear years ago. But Schmidt claimed that they had learned their lessons from the familiar incident. Google is public for the most part, but the secrecy that lies behind how they “randomlyâ€? determine what is featured is currently under interrogation and should be monitored (to an extent; I still support a free market) to ensure that there is no Internet domination. Google’s empire will continue to perpetuate aďŹƒliated businesses, but they are walking a ďŹ ne, legal line and might require regulation in the near future.

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Sports

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The minute that the VCU Rams men’s soccer team scored their game-winning goal against No. 18 Mason on Saturday night.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Mason Madness: Sights From the Night Mason’s annual basketball tip-off, Mason Madness, drew a record crowd. The event, which coincides with Family Weekend, saw more than 3,000 people attend. Other events during Family Weekend included a performance by comedian Wanda Sykes and a dinner that was attended by President Alan Merten.

Photo by Stephen Kline

Photo by Stephen Kline

Photo by Stephen Kline

Scherrens on the Call Senior VP Makes Tough Decisions on and off the Field Pat Carroll Asst. Sports Editor In the world of sports, which is filled with pageantry, spectacle and uncertainty, the referees are the select few who maintain order — or at least attempt to. They are faced with difficult decisions in every game that they call and are always subjected to extreme scrutiny. George Mason University’s Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens has taken the bulk of the scrutiny in his 21 years as a Division I NCAA football official. “Sports have always been a big part of my life,” Scherrens said. “I played sports through high school but wasn’t good enough to play any sports in college. A neighbor officiated sports and he got me interested in it. And once I started, I got hooked on it.” Scherrens began officiating basketball and football in a career that has spanned 30 years. “The progression from 8- and 10-year-olds, through junior high, JV, high school was about eight years or so, and then I worked Division III for a few years before Division I,” Scherrens said. “You’ve got to work your way up and, to be honest, you’ve got to be lucky. Somebody’s got to see you and like the way you officiate and then you get a break and that’s up to you.” Scherrens caught his break in 1990 when he started in Division I. After his start in the Big East Conference, he has been calling games in Conference USA for the past 13 years as a head linesman. In that role, he is responsible for ruling false starts, offsides, neutral zone infractions, forward progress on running plays, pass interference and fumbles around the line of scrimmage. “As head linesman, I listen to the coach the whole game,” Scherrens said. “I’m on the sideline and

I’m on the line of scrimmage. So I’ve got the coach telling me throughout the game everything he likes and doesn’t like about the way we’re officiating.” In the offseason, referees undergo training clinics run by a supervisor who has been an NFL official for at least 30 years and his assembled staff of current NFL officials. There is a combination of off-field training in the classroom and on-field training, where the trainers walk through plays and the different coverages that they want in different scenarios. “There is a lot of film review. The NCAA puts together film review and the NFL puts together film review. The instructor will tell you what he likes or doesn’t like,” Scherrens said. “You have to have thick skin because every play is evaluated by someone in the press box. So there’s an evaluator for every game and that evaluator on Saturday or Sunday sends the DVD with all his comments to an off-the-field evaluator. Every official gets graded. On Tuesday or Wednesday you get an email with your grade. Friday you review the previous week’s game and how to do better in the future.” The typical week of an NCAA referee is standard except for on the weekend. On Sunday, after the game, each official puts all of their comments in about calls that they made, so when the grader grades the game he has access to the comments. On Friday afternoon, a crew of seven officials flies to the city where the game will be taking place and must arrive between 5 and 6 p.m. The crew works together for the entire season. That night, the crew will do a pregame overview where they talk about

See SCHERRENS, Page 11

Photo by John Powell

Photo by Gopi Raghu

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Photo by Stephen Kline

Are the risks of Red Bull Worth the Wings? Mason Athletes Aware of the Risks of Liquid Energy James Ho Photo by John Powell

Rookie Striker Hungry for Success Liz Hodges Overcomes Adversity to Help Patriots

John Powell Collegiate Athletics Liaison For a high school soccer player, a serious leg injury can be career ending. Scholarships can fly out the window. Offers themselves can disintegrate faster than they appeared. And if they ever recover, they may only be a shadow of their former selves. But when Liz Hodges tore her ACL she found a vote of confidence in the head coach from just up the street. Diane Drake had been looking at the young forward since her early days at South County High School in Lorton, Va. and gave Hodges her first vote of confidence after the injury. “She was actually at the game where I got hurt,” Hodges said. “Instantly I knew I wanted to go here because she emailed me from her blackberry on her way home asking how I was doing, if I was okay.” Usually injuries like that are hard to come back from. They have ended college careers and killed professional hopes for some. Hodges wanted nothing more to get on the field, though, to play for someone who had apparently limitless confidence in her scoring power. “Whenever I watched her play, she was always scoring goals,” Drake said. “Unorthodox goals, too, that other girls couldn’t get

their hips around.” The college game is quicker, Little did Hodges know, Drake moves that worked in high had her own source to see what school fail at the next level and the young forward could accom- old injuries often find a way to plish. Her club coach in high rear their ugly head. Because she school was actually the former is so close to her old stomping head coach at Mason in another grounds, homesickness is the era of women’s soccer. only thing that cannot affect her. “Her club coach used to be the Her learning curve did not show head coach here,” Drake said. as much as it has for other play“We had a chat about it. He said ers. this kid is very similar to [former “I don’t know if I wasn’t confiMason forward] Rachel Wiggins; dent enough or not ready, but she’s got that same ability to hold not used to the college level,” and possess Hodges said. the ball.” “Preseason “She came in immediShe knew helped me a ately, hitting her zone her coach was lot, practicing and finding her stuff.” still involved with the girls in the college and knowing process, but the level of ex-Diane Drake, Head Coach, clearly was not pectancy.” Women’s Soccer aware of the And she has extent. It cerheld herself to tainly aided that exthe decision Drake had to make pectancy, not because of a team regarding the forward. requirement, but because of a “My coach knew a lot of the true love for the game, a love that college coaches, too, so he would may not have been realized until talk to them,” Hodges said. “My it was not fulfilled. coach was a college coach, so I “Before, I didn’t like running think he knew a lot about the very much,” Hodges said, “but college process.” after I tore my ACL and I couldn’t Hodges referenced the fact run on it for very long, I just that her club coach was a former wanted to run and play soccer.” college coach, but her focus was The injury was a learning exless on the means of her recruit- perience for how to deal with ment and more on how it pre- that stress, and even in her studpared her for college. She is a ies, she uses it as motivation. In freshman; generally there is a an era of student athletes majorlearning curve. ing in sports management ,

Hodges majors in kinesiology, the study of human movement. “I tore my ACL and I went through physical therapy,” she said. “I saw what at they did and thought it would be something I was interested in. And I like science and biology and that kind of thing.” Of course there are high expectations for Hodges, but there are expectations for the whole class. “The class is very talented, very deep, very hard-working,” said Drake, who is not going to let any of them off easy. “They’re no-nonsense, they’re soccer junkies. They’re a great recruiting class; I’m expecting a lot from them.” But Hodges has emerged as a clear leader on the field in her young career. Everyone around the team knows she will be a fixture on the stat sheet until she leaves. “She has been even better than I expected her first year,” Drake said. “I though maybe with the injury coming off, maybe her second year she’s providing minutes, but no. She came in immediately, hitting her zone and finding her stuff.” The women return to action Friday night at 6 p.m., when they take on the Delaware Blue Hens at George Mason Stadium.

Athlete of the Week: Quarterback Jack Langley Olivia Karegeannes Staff Writer In football, the quarterback is often seen as the star of the team. Senior quarterback Jack Langley, known by friends as “Quarterback Jack” or “Simple Jack” by his teammates — a “Tropic Thunder” reference — has been on the George Mason University club football team since his freshman year. Now that his final season is upon him, there is still much this quarterback hopes to achieve. Fans can’t help but feel excited when watching Langley and his teammates play. Mason’s football team may only be a club team, but the energy is still elec-

tric and thriving in the stands, which are always filled at every home game by fans blazing school spirit. Langley’s biggest supporters can be found holding signs that read “Marry Me Quarterback Jack!” — ironically by most of his male friends — or “Lets go #14!”. The spotlight doesn’t only shine on him, though. “This team, the players and coaches, make it fun every day for me,” Langley said. “Not only do we have a variety of very skilled athletes, but great guys who have extraordinary camaraderie, a great sense of humor and pride.” Being the leader of the team isn’t always easy. “Some negatives would include being hit, hard, by

250-plus-pound defenders, being the first to blame when things go wrong, and being the one held responsible for almost everything the team does,” Langley said. However, Langley said, “I love all these things. I love being the leader, I love the responsibility, and I love the mental and strategic aspect of the game”. In his final season, Langley hopes to achieve a great feet with the team: winning a Seaboard Conference Championship. “Since the team’s inception in ‘93 we have competed in a small conference of four teams, including Valley Forge, Williamson Tech, Stevens Tech, and ourselves,” Langley said. “If we beat Stevens this season, and

they beat Valley Forge later in the season, we will win the Conference — so my goal is set on beating Stevens.” Winning or losing the Seaboard Conference Championship ideally won’t be the end of Langley’s football career with Mason. “This is my final year playing on the team, but I’ve talked to the coaches about possibly joining the coaching staff as a quarterbacks coach after I graduate,” Langley said. “If that doesn’t work out, I’ll be that really loud guy in the stands at all the games next year.”

After 21 Years in Division I, Scherrens Knows College Football SCHERRENS, from 10 anything they’ve heard about the teams that they’re going to have the next day, and then go over all the review and evaluation from the previous week. Saturday is game day. “We have to get to the game site three hours before the game starts. The only thing good about it is we get a police escort, which means we get there quick, but we’re also there three hours,” Scherrens said. “That probably is the worst time of the week because you can prepare for the game but there’s also some dead time there.” Officials are paid by the game. In addition, their living and travel expenses are covered. Balancing his life as a senior VP and an NCAA official can be difficult, and the countless hours of refreshing and traveling to games can take a toll on him and his family. “Officiating football to some

extent is a stress reliever because Cowboys Stadium. “There is no better feeling in for those hours during the game, you can only have your mind on football officiating than walking off the field one thing,” he knowing said. “For those “There is no better that you just three hours all feeling in football offiowned that the stress of the job here at g a m e ,” ciating than walking Scherrens Mason is put off the field knowing said. “You aside and all the that you just owned made the stress of your that game. You made calls that personal life is put aside.” had to be the calls that had to be In his 21-year made. The made. The biggest accareer as a Divibiggest accolade you can get is colade you sion I official, that nobody noticed can get is Scherrens has had the opportuthat nobody you.” nity to officiate in noticed you. some of the most On a per-Maurice Scherrens, Senior sonal note, revered college there is no football venues, Vice President better feelmost notably ing after [I] “The Big House” at Michigan, Notre Dame Sta- change and get dressed and go dium and Ohio Stadium. He has back to the hotel room to have also called 10 bowl games, most my wife Sandy there and my kids recently last season’s Cotton Bowl and be able to talk about the between LSU and Texas A&M in game. It’s a drain on them, too.

That combination of A, knowing you did a good job and B, being able to share it with family. That’s probably the two biggest things.” Scherrens’ wife, Sandy, is the VP of University Life and has been supportive of him thoroughout his career. “Morrie’s football is really a family thing,” she said. “It’s even now all in the family. Our daughter, Gen, refs flag football and our son, Dylan, is reffing basketball for young kids. It’s also given me a new appreciation for how stressful officiating is.” The role of the official is to call a fair game and to go unnoticed. Without their presence, sports would be incomplete. “People who really know the sport know how dedicated the officials are and how objective and neutral and fair they attempt to be in officiating a game,” Scherrens said. “I’m glad I got involved with it and I’m glad I kept it in balance.”

Broadside Correspondent Red Bull gives you wings. At least that’s what the commercials say. As endorsed by celebrity sponsors Rickie Fowler, Sebastian Vettel and Travis Rice, who support the effects caused by the controversial drink, it gives you the energy to succeed. George Mason University athletes, however, are well aware of the risks that come with drinking Red Bull and other energy drinks. The most common and popular stimulant found in energy drinks is caffeine, but most drinks also contain other harmful energy-inducing ingredients that can cause a variety of negative nutritional, physical and psychological effects. According to Theresa Logan, the sports dietitian for the Center for Sports Performance at Mason, the ingredients in energy drinks stimulate the central nervous system, increase mental acuity, blood pressure and heart rate, as well as cause dental erosion and dehydration. “For a student athlete, consuming energy drinks throughout the day creates a jittery feeling, upset stomach and insomnia,” Logan said. “This situation cascades into poor diet and sleep habits and sudden energy crashes.” On average, a student athlete can lose approximately three liters of fluid per day through exercise, and by adding energy drinks to their daily diet, they put themselves at risk for dehydration, over exertion, fatigue and poor performance, Logan said. The NCAA bans some stimulants found in energy drinks, but has not yet banned caffeine intake in small quantities. Caffeine is on its restricted substance list, meaning that the NCAA does set a limit on student athlete intake. Believe it or not, the amount of caffeine in an 8-ounce can of Red Bull is simi-

lar to that of a small cup of coffee. Caffeine metabolism and excretion vary with an athlete’s size, so having a cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon may or may not show negative effects depending on the individual. None of the Mason sports teams have any bans on the consumption of energy drinks, but the student athletes are educated on health effects that result from consuming them. The Center for Sports Performance gives nutritional presentations every preseason to all of the athletes and coaches, educating them on what they should and shouldn’t be consuming, including permissible sports drinks and energy bars. Along with the collegiate level, both high school and professional programs have taken initiatives against energy drinks. Many state high school leagues especially discourage their consumption, and some, such as the Virginia High School League, have even banned them. In the professional ranks, both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros no longer provide energy drinks to their players and continue efforts to discourage them from drinking energy drinks on their own. Logan says water is the best way to hydrate for most types of activity; and for more intense exercise, sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade work great. If you do need a quick and easy way to energize yourself late in the day, Logan suggests trying to drink a 12-ounce cup of coffee with two or three pieces of dark chocolate. Current research supports the use of dark chocolate for cardiovascular health and exercise recovery. At the end of the day, Mason student athletes are given all of the proper tools and information they need to maximize their performance and maintain great health. It’s important to remember that energy doesn’t come in a bottle.

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Innovative Technologies seeking full time Jr. Web Developer with experience back coding in C# as well as experience in asp.net and java. Clearability required – work is for government contract. Good verbal and written communication. Up to $55,000 depending on experience with benefits. Applicants should send their resume to Jennifer Lightburn at jlightburn@iti-corp.com. ***PAID INTERNSHIP*** Marketing Retirement Services for Premiere Wealth Management Team Call Ed Ozben 703-821-2010

Miscellaneous

Responsible and reliable student with an excellent driving record is needed to pick two high schoolers from Bishop Ireton HS in Alexandria. Monday to Friday at 3:30pm. The job will also require dropping off to after-school activities in the area. $100 per week based on number of hours. Contact Pierre Kalonji at 202-640-3217. Help wanted for website. Looking for someone to re-evaulate the content. Please call Elizabeth at 202-468-1259 for more details.

Child Care Sitters Wanted. $12+/hour. Register free for jobs at student-sitters.com

Miscellaneous

中国学生 Go to web site http://www.mason-students.info

12

Broadside

| Cody Norman Sports Editor

Mason Madness Was One for the History Books

Two words: I’m mad. Crazy mad for the basketball season to finally get underway after the incredible performance put on by a variety of acts on Friday night. It was, by far, the best Mason Madness I have been a part of since 2009. The best introduction (see below); the best performances all the way down the line – from Urbanknowlogy to the Masonettes to Snap Boogie and Peter Rabbit; the most memorable display of coaching attire from Doc Hewitt; and the most phenomenal kickoff to the Mason basketball season.The party was rockin’ right from the start, as Doc Nix and the Green Machine performed an incredible brand of LMFAO’s hit Party Rock Anthem. Even the senior men’s and women’s basketball players came out to “shake that”

for the crowd of several thousand. (I must say, though, the women’s players showed much better in the dancing category. Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson had a whole lot of snap, but no boogie. Don’t believe me? Watch the video). Then, after all of the great entertainment, new Patriots’ coach Paul Hewitt won over the crowd by walking out of the tunnel dressed as the beloved director of the Green Machine, Doc Nix. In what was his first real Mason basketball-related activity in front of the home crowd, Hewitt stole the hearts of the Platoon with the gesture. The player introductions came to a close with Pearson, whose name inspired his teammates to drop to a knee and bow down to their senior leader. As the night progressed and the men took the floor for the most serious scrimmage I’ve

seen at Mason Madness, they provided the crowd with quite a bit to be excited about. It seems rather obvious that the Patriots’ strength will be in the painted area. The addition of Erik Copes along with an increase in minutes for Jonathan Arledge will only add to the dominance that existed with Morrison and Pearson last season. Morrison looks to have developed a few new post moves, as his footwork is significantly better than last season – presumably a compliment to assistant coach Roland Houston. Copes is a monster on the boards and has the body-type to dominate the interior alongside Morrison. However, dominant play from the interior will open up the outside for the youthful Patriot guard. Vaughn Gray looks like a promising young talent, as he showed the ability to run the

Editors’ Picks Cody Pat John Powell Norman Carroll Staff Writer Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor

Greg Connolly Editor-inChief

floor and play solid defense. Sherrod Wright, who will be returning from a shoulder injury that forced him to redshirt last season, looks like he could be the X-factor on the offensive side. And, perhaps most surprisingly, Vertrail Vaughns could be the prime beneficiary of a strong interior, as he has the ability to knock down shots from just about anywhere on the floor. I, for one, am expecting a significant contributing effort from Vaughns on a nightly basis. Thankfully, it is time for the Patriots to take their talents to the basketball floor. (That means stay off the dance floor, seniors. Please.). There is certainly a lot to be excited about, both on the floor and in the Green Machine. Less than a month until the party really starts rockin’, Patriots fans. Shake that.

Monika Justin Erin Powell Jeff Giorgi Lauren Jared Joshi Lalputan and Style Section Opinion Ransom Barrale Managing Ahsan Section Design Editor Copy Chief Editor Zaman News Section

SD @ NYJ

NYJ

SD

NYJ

SD

NYJ

SD

NYJ

PHI

NYJ

NYJ

WAS @ CAR

CAR

WAS

WAS

CAR

WAS

WAS

WAS

NE

WAS

WAS

ATL @ DET

ATL

DET

DET

ATL

ATL

DET

ATL

BAL

ATL

DET

CHI @ TB

CHI

CHI

CHI

TB

CHI

CHI

TB

CHI

CHI

TB

STL @ DAL

STL

DAL

DAL

STL

DAL

DAL

STL

DAL

STL

STL

Season Record

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10-8

9-9

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7-11

8-10

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10-8

10-8

9-9

TWEETS OF THE WEEK Each week we collect the best tweets by Mason athletes and compile them for your enjoyment.

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