Broadside: Issue 10

Broadside Would Like to Thank Both the Current and Veteran Members of the United States Armed Forces

Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012 Volume 89 Issue 10 BroadsideOnline.com

@MasonBroadside Like us: Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

Student Discovers New Black Hole

While studying for his PhD concentrated in astrophysics, a Mason student discovers minisupermassive black hole PAGE 7

Almunus Publishes WWII Book

Author Angela Panayotopulos’s first novel takes readers to a unique story set in Greece during World War II PAGE 11

STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

Okoloji, Mason Earn First Ever Win Over UVA Believe. That is the men’s basketball team motto for this season. Each player wears a bracelet with the word believe written on it.

The Patriots believed as they opened their season Friday with a 63-59 win over Virginia at the Patriot Center. It was their first ever win over Virginia in school history.

The bracelets, given by coach Hewitt, represent their belief in each other and as a team for this season.

“He [Coach Hewitt] said I believe in you guys. I fell like we can do a lot of great things with this team. I’ve been through a lot of teams and for him to say that shows he really believes in us,” Anali Okoloji said, the transfer student from Seton Hall. “We belong here. We have to prove to people that we belong here. Even though we’re a CAA team, we are actually one of the better teams in the country. That is what I think.”

In front of a sold out crowd, junior guard Bryon Allen drained the go ahead three with only a minute left in regulation as the shot clock expired.

Allen, who finished with 13 points, was also responsible for an early steal that electrified the crowd and got Mason off to a fast 5-0 run to start to the game. Marko Gujanici, a much talked about freshman, finished the night with six points and seven rebounds including a beautiful pass

to Johnny Williams for one of his three assists. Sherrod Wright led the team with 15 points and showed why he was a preseason All-CAA pick.

Playing in his first game as a Patriot, Anali Okoloji showed passion and strong play throughout the night.

The 6’8” sophomore contributed eight points and four rebounds in the winning effort.

CONTINUED PAGE 16

Underwater Hockey Competes in London

Mason’s club underwater hockey team places fifth in a tournament in London PAGE 19

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News

Vice Presidential Candidate for University Life to Make Public Presentation Students and faculty are invited to attend a public presentation by Timothy Quinnan, the candidate for the position of Vice President for University Life at Mason.

Quinnan will be expected to present and discuss his vision for University Life across Mason, including its effect on both students and faculty alike.

Those in attendance are encouraged to bring their own questions to ask Quinnan. His role as Vice President of University Life would bring another new voice to the Mason Community that would influence the future of what it means to be a student at Mason.

The presentation will be held the Johnson Center Cinema on Nov. 13 from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to Visit Mason Secretary Timothy Geithner is scheduled to visit Mason and speak on the topic of Financial Crises.

Geithner’s distinctive experience at the Treasury and the New York Federal Reserve over the past six years gives him the ability to speak on the topic.

Students and faculty alike are encouraged to attend. The event has been constructed to resemble a forum rather than a presentation to make it open to more questions and answers.

A Mason ID is required for admission to the event that will be held in the Johnson Center Cinema on Nov. 14 at 4:30 p.m.

Peer Empowerment Program Hosts “Midnight Breezes”

Veteran’s Day Rememberance Wall

STEPHEN KLINE /BROADSIDE

The Veteran’s Day Rememberance Wall, located in the North Plaza, serves as a way for students to leave notes commerating veterans personal to them. The eight-feet tall wall was erected last week and will be taken down on Monday.

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turnovers by the men’s basketball team during Friday’s game versus UVA, down from last year’s average of 15.2

Hosted by the Peer Empowerment Program at Mason, Midnight Breezes is an opportunity for Mason students and local acts to showcase their talents.

Focused in the areas of poetry, music, dance and spoken word, Midnight Breezes is meant to be an evening spent displaying several artistic outlets of the Mason community.

Students are invited to either participate or watch.

The event is set for Nov. 15 from 7:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. in Dewberry Hall located in the Johnson Center.

Those with questions can contact the Peer Empowerment Program at (703) 993-2380.

Mason Pan-Hellenic Council Hosts Awareness Night Hosted by Mason’s National Pan-Hellenic Council, “Pause for the Cause: Awareness Night” is a night of support and education for a variety of different causes that effect students and their families.

Causes that the awareness night plans to cover include gang violence, suicide, breast and testicular cancer, violence against women, AIDS and drunk driving.

The awareness night operates under the premise that, although not all students are impacted by all of these issues, most are effected by at least one.

The event is to be hosted in the Ballroom located in The Hub. The event begins at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14.

News

Broadside

Nov.10, 12,2012 2012 Sept.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Everyday Should Be Veterans Day As the cold weather begins to set in, students have begun setting their sights on the Thanksgiving break that is rapidly approaching. Others look forward to the winter holiday season or simply an extended break from the tedious and mundane college class schedule.

No matter in which category you reside, this a time of gratitude and a season of giving. It is an occasion of celebration, and an opportunity to show appreciation for those who have given everything for the well being of this great nation: the United States Armed Forces.

While Memorial Day is appropriately set aside to honor our fallen heroes, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, Veterans Day is intended to honor all of our military veterans – including the nearly 23 million living men and women – who have dedicated their lives to service.

Unfortunately, oftentimes, the mention of veterans

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brings about connotations of warriors. It promotes images of barbarians, instead of figures of service and sacrifice.

As Hurricane Sandy inflicted destruction across the East Coast, members of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard gathered at March Air Reserve Base in California, preparing to trek more than 3,000 miles to assist their fellow Americans.

The Navy sent amphibious ships to the shores of New York and New Jersey, delivering Marines, soldiers and members of the Coast Guard to help with the rescue of storm victims and the rebuilding of ravaged areas.

Being in the military is not only about sacrifice in the form of war, but it is a commitment to excellence.

It is a commitment to service.

We must always remember veterans who have given their lives for us long after the stopped wearing their military uniforms, after their

CODY NORMAN/BROADSIDE

service obligations expired and their love of country endured. But we must also remember those military heroes, both living and perished, who have provided years of service to citizens of the United States.

These young men and women have made incredible sacrifices – sacrifices that should not just be honored on Veterans Day, but that should be remembered and reflected upon every single day. It is because of heroes like my father, Master Sergeant Kevin Norman, my grandfathers, Senior Master Sergeant Michael Herbert and Gaines Norman, and my great grandfather, Chief Petty Officer Albert Credle, that we maintain our freedom.

It is because of men and women like them that we are able to live free and prosper in this great nation.

To our veterans, sometimes all that is needed is a simple “thank you.”

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

SATURDAY

Student Summit on Global Education Johnson Center, West Lounge 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Open Forum with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Johnson Center, Cinema 4:30 p.m.

VA Election Debriefing with Kaine and Allen Campaign Reps Arlington Campus, Founders Hall, Auditorium 1 - 2 p.m.

Mathematical Sciences Colloquium with Patricia Hersh and Howard Cohl Planetary Hall, Room 242 3 - 4:20 p.m.

Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show The Hub, Ballroom 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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Broadside

Nov. 12, Sept.

10,2012 2012

News

Election Night Proves Importance of Northern Virginia The Fairfax campus was bustling on Nov. 6 as the country lined up to vote in the next president of the United States.

Mason’s polling place, which was established last year, reported 1,598 voters and Student Government’s exit polls showed favor to incumbent Barack Obama over Mitt Romney. The Virginia Board of Elections later confirmed that the Mason precinct went to Obama.

Each election cycle, the focus is on several key swing-states to set the standard and determine the outcome of the race. Virginia, especially Fairfax County, was under high scrutiny as the votes came in and the Electoral College votes were shifted to either side.

The Mason voting precinct, which originally pulled in so few voters that its creation was questioned, had a surprising number of voters use the polling place in University Hall, after only approximately 400 were expected.

“Having an on-campus voting precinct is a unique opportunity for Mason Students,” said Donald Garrett, an election officer for the Mason precinct and a junior. “It allows for us to show our feelings on a particular issue or candidate without having our opinion diluted by other nearby voters. Also, it adds to our designation as a residential campus.

People who choose to live on-campus have a precinct that is an additional amenity to campus life.”

Preliminary figures reported 1,187 votes for Obama and 354 for Romney.

The amendments to the Virginia

Constitution and bonds for public safety, libraries, parks and storm drains all received a majority vote at the Mason precinct.

On election night, the Office of Student Media put together a panel of student journalists to discuss electoral college results, interview other students and discuss major issues in the election. The panel included Shane Smith from Mason Votes, Reuben Jones from Connect2Mason, Colleen Wilson from Broadside, Storm Paglia from WGMU and John Hill from WGMU. From 8 – 11 p.m., the panel was broadcasted on Connect2Mason.com and Mason Cable Network’s channel 231. Interviews from students watching the results around campus were livestreamed onto the show and special guests were brought on for interviews.

Student Government president Alex Williams was brought on to discuss the exit-poll student government conducted outside of the Mason polling precinct.

The poll sampled every fifth voter, a total of 263. 116 voters refused participation in the survey, giving the project a complete total of 379. Of the voters surveyed: - Barack Obama: 207 - Mitt Romney: 45 - Other: 11 - Gary Johnson: 4 - Jill Stein: 1 - Unspecified: 6 The poll then further broke down the voter demographics into race, gender and student status. 225 of the 263

surveyed were on campus students and 18 were non-students. Women voters outnumbered men 149 to 103, the majority of the female voters going to Obama.

The disparity between voter race was also high between the two candidates. Of Romney’s 45 votes, 42 were Caucasian, two were African American and one was Asian. Obama’s voters filled out every racial category: Caucasian, Latino, Middle Eastern, Indian, African American, Asian, Native American and other.

The poll also asked voters who they selected to fill the Virginia Senate seat.

Overall, 150 people voted for Democrat Tim Kaine and 39 for George Allen. 63 voters said other or did not specify their senate vote.

The election night panel also brought on Janelle Germanos, a member of the Mason Vote Mob, who brought a tandem bicycle to campus to remind students to get out and vote.

Mason Vote Mob spent weeks before the election spreading their enthusiasm and reminding students to register to vote and make it to the polls on election day. The group also produced a parody video of “Gangam Style” to encourage students to vote.

Shortly after 11 p.m., major news networks began projecting that Obama had won reelection, which was met with raucous cheering from students watching the results in the Johnson Center.

STORY BY COLLEEN WILSON

#MASONTWEETSTHEELECTION

# # #

“Democracy is going strong in Fairfax. Long lines to vote and it’s not even 7 (there goes my workout).” - President Angel Cabrera 6:53 A.M.

“CNN just said that Fairfax County might be the determining factor in the election.

SNAPS. #hometurf” - Becca Marshall, Mason Senior.

2:27 P.M.

“At the end of the day, I’m just glad to say I was able to take part in round two of Obama #4moreyears” - Jalen Sherald, Mason Sophomore 11:43 P.M.

# # #

“In my class of 160, NO ONE thinks Romney is likely to win. Woah. #election2012” - Mason Professor Peter Mandaville 1:34 P.M.

“CBS News’ Wyatt Andrews reports live NOW from my alma mater @GeorgeMasonU which will be included in 2night’s election coverage Proud of #GMU.” - Mason Alumn Alex Romano 6:34 P.M. “Mitt Romney has still not conceded the race but all major networks have called the race saying @BarackObama has won re-election #GMUVotes” - Student Organization MasonVotes 12:18 A.M.

JENNY KRASHIN/BROADSIDE

News

Broadside

Nov.10, 12,2012 2012 Sept.

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Mason’s Psychological Counseling Tips for Coping with Program Awarded Prestigious Grant Stress and Crisis With finals coming, CAPS has some helpful tips for handing your stress.

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Reach out and make contact with others Express your feelings appropriately; keep a journal to help in the process Maintain your usual schedule as much as you can Eat regular balanced meals even if you don’t feel hungry Exercise or participate in some regular physical activity Delay major decisions or changes in your life

Mason’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) recently received a $306,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The grant, which will be distributed over the course of three years, aims to aid in spreading the availability of suicide awareness tactics.

As stated on SAMHSA’s website, SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

According to Leslie Geer, Clinical Social Worker at CAPS, Mason initially applied for the grant in the spring of 2011 and received it in August 2012. “[The grant] is designed to enhance services to students who have a behavioral health issue that puts them at greater risk for suicide,” Geer said.

The grant is funded under the Garret Lee Smith Memorial Act, a bill passed in 2004 to aid youth suicide prevention programs.

Mason was one of 18 schools nationwide that received the grant and one of two schools in Virginia.

William and Mary was the other Virginia school to receive the grant; both are the first schools in Virginia to receive this funding.

Suicide is a persisting problem at most colleges and universities in America.

Man on the Street “I was really happy that Obama got reelected because I couldn’t vote for him his first term, but I really supported him then. I think he’ll do more things with four more years.”

- Freshman Katie Ledford

“I waited three hours to vote for Obama, and then when I got home, I kept going on the news every hour to check the results.”

- Freshman Ann Nguyen

Mason believes in taking the necessary steps to extinguish this problem.

Mason has already taken initiative to raise suicide awareness, so this grant will allow CAPS to improve those programs and reach a wider group of students.

“We want to build a community at Mason of both faculty, staff and students who are able to talk about mental health issues and issues related to suicide,” Geer said.

This grant will allow Mason to reach out to a broader community as well.

“We will be engaged in a mental health awareness campaign, providing additional opportunities for the Mason community to become gatekeepers through our two-hour training, Mason Cares, and providing access to additional online trainings related to recognizing and responding to student distress and mental health issues,” Geer said.

Active Minds is a student organization at Mason which addresses the mental health needs of students.

Geer said this organization will be an integral part in implementing the initiatives and reaching out to students.

Stephen Self, a freshman at Mason, is a member of the Active Minds club and is currently researching the effects of suicide prevention for his freshman Honors 110 research paper.

He believes this grant will greatly aid

students dealing with such issues.

“In the U.S., suicide is one of the top leading causes of death for college students. It is very possible that students have their first mental health issues after moving away and entering a new environment. I think the university has a great chance to advocate for these students and take a lead in prevention,” Self said.

One program the grant will aid is the Mason Cares program, a training session that teaches how to become a gatekeeper.

A gatekeeper is someone who can recognize signs of suicide in potential victims and take the necessary steps to prevent such actions. This program could be the most integral part of Mason’s preventative steps.

“Gatekeeper training has been shown to be effective in strengthening community trust and relationships,” Self said.

“Active Minds works to destigmatize the act of reaching out for mental help.

It would be great if Active Minds and others continue to send the message that recognizing risk factors is the crux of prevention, and putting one’s trust in a gatekeeper is beneficial, with proven results.”

STORY BY EVAN PETSCHKE

What is your opinion on the outcome of the presidential election?

“A lot of people who voted for one side or the other were very uneducated and didn’t look for the facts and just went based off of advertiesments they saw on TV or YouTube.” - Sophomore Jacob Wilcox

“I’m really excited and happy about the outcome.

I’m really proud of George Mason. The JC kind of lit up when we found out Obama was reelected. I voted for Obama.” - Senior Elizabeth McDougal

“I’m from Saudi Arabia, and I’ve been here for nine months, but I was so excited because it was the first time for me to see two candidates running to be the president.

I couldn’t vote for anyone, but I really wanted Obama to win. - Freshman Abdulrahman Taieb

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Nov. 12, Sept.

10,2012 2012

News

Mason in the News “It doesn’t look like we had a 2008-level turnout. I’m certain about that. There was some waning of interest in voting. I don’t see this election as some kind of wholesale collapse of turnout, either.”

-- Mason Professor and voting expert Michael McDonald said to USA Today about the level of voter turnout in the 2012 election versus that of the 2008 election.

“It’s those thirty second ads you can’t get rid of.”

-- Trejon McGee, Mason Freshman said to the Los Angeles Times about how the Presidential campaign really infiltrated student life through ads before Youtube and Hulu videos.

“The presence or absence of a degree should not be the controlling variable, but on the other hand, people who are in charge of education policy should have experience of having a solid education.”

-- Robert Smith, Associate Professor at the George Mason Graduate School of Education, said to the Washington Post on the relevancy of needing a college degree to serve on a school board.

“Kaine ran as a centrist, in fact he ran to the right of the top of the ticket.

That has been the formula for success for Democratic candidates in Virginia.”

-- Mark Rozell, Professor of Public Policy at Mason, said to the Washington Post on how Democratic candidate Tim Kaine was able to defeat Republican candidate George Allen for a Virginia Senate seat,

MENASA Program Helps Mason Students Create Global Connections Imagine a place where college students from all across the globe could come together and discuss prominent international issues. Everyone’s opinion would be heard and no specific ideology would dominate.

Fortunately, this is not just a dream world. Real college students from universities around the world are having these discussions.

Founded just last year, MENASA, an abbreviation for Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering young leaders across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and the United States.

Sabith Khan, a Ph.D. student studying public policy at Virginia Tech, is the founder and executive director of MENASA. He earned his undergraduate degree at Syracuse University, where he developed the idea for the organization.

A national student conference at Syracuse and a fundraising project for Pakistan inspired Khan to create dialogue between Middle Eastern and American students.

In addition, Syracuse has a large international population, so many students and professors had global connections that aided in the founding of the organization.

The way the program works is that students hold video conferences called Global Visioning Summits with partnering universities from other countries via Skype.

Participants are given the topic weeks in advance to prepare for the discussion.

“We assume students in America know what’s going on here,” Khan said.

They are also given readings about

what is going on in the partnering nation so they can be well-versed on the issues at hand.

A moderator facilitates the discussions and makes sure the students are staying on topic.

Other than that, the dialogue is completely student-run. MENASA is a program that attracts students who exhibit leadership qualities and further develop those skills..

“It’s for people who are planning to engage and learn from others as well as people who have these skills and want to bring them to the table,” Khan said.

Antonio Reyes, a fourth year student at Mason studying management, is the campus representative for MENASA. His job is to notify the academic departments so they can then send mass emails to their listservs and reach students all at once. Reyes is also in charge of creating fliers to promote MENASA’s events.

“Most of the students [who] come to the summits are global affairs and government and international politics students,” Reyes said.

Studies have shown that about half of the population in MENASA is between the ages of 25-35. These young people are the ones whom the organization targets.

“In a way, we want to create networking, exchange ideas and help find solutions that they can apply and solve problems in their own communities,” Reyes said.

Andrew Yewell, the program coordinator for MENASA, describes the organization as a network of like-minded individuals that is interested in finding common ground and learning about the issues.

Yewell is a graduate of Princeton University, where he majored in comparative politics with a certificate in Middle Eastern studies.

His role in the organization is to work between both parties and make sure everything is running properly.

He also has the task of coming up with new program ideas. MENASA’s next initiative is to hold teleconferences to bring leaders together for intellectual exchange.

As of now, there are three universities in the United States that have MENASA programs: Syracuse University, George Washington University and George Mason University.

“We’re working on expanding our footprint,” Yewell said.

There have been three summits in the past year, two that partnered with India and one with Morocco.

The next Global Visioning Summit will take place on Sat., Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. on Mason’s campus. T he exact location is to be announced.

Freedom of speech will be the topic of discussion, and the University of Morocco will be the partnering school.

So far, 15-20 Mason students have committed to participating in the event, but there is still room for about 20 more students.

Contact Antonio Reyes at jreyesmo@ gmu.edu for more information about the Global Visioning Summit this Saturday.

For more information about MENASA in general, visit the blog at www.menasaworld.com or www.indiegogo.com for their fundraising campaign.

STORY BY JESSICA SMITH

News

Broadside

Nov.10, 12,2012 2012 Sept.

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Mason Student Discovers Mini-Supermassive Blackhole Washington, D.C., may be the political center of the United States, but Mason provides its students with numerous opportunities that extend beyond the government.

Take, for example, Nathan Secrest. The second-year graduate student, who is currently working toward his PhD in physics with a concentration in astrophysics, discovered a miniature supermassive black hole in the NGC 4178 galaxy while conducting research for the School of Physics, Astronomy and Computation, otherwise known as SPACS. That may not sound like a big deal to someone who cannot tell his brown dwarfs from his red giants, but within the scientific community, it can have major repercussions.

“The reason why this discovery is significant is because of the size of the SMBH and the galaxy it is hosted by,” Secrest said in an e-mail. “[We] do not know very much about intermediate mass black holes. How are they formed? What percentage of the total black holes in the universe do they comprise? Also, NGC 4178 is a bulgeless spiral galaxy. This is important because the larger SMBH masses have been found to correlate very tightly with the properties of their host galaxy bulges,” said Secrest.

At first glance, this information seems too complicated for most to understand but Secrest is able to bring clarity to the importance of the subject.

“Generally speaking, the larger the host bulge, the larger the nuclear black hole. We therefore think that there is a deep relationship between the formation of SMBHs and the evolution of their host galaxies,” said Secrest.

Secrest discovered the black hole with the

STEPHEN KLINE /BROADSIDE

Resources like the telescope on Mason’s campus allow for more opportunties for research and development across many different types of science fields. assistance of his research advisor, Dr. Shobital Satyapal, and a team of collaborators including Mario Gliozzi, Teddy Cheung, Torsten Boeker and Anil Seth.

This group had deduced the presence of an active galactic nucleus in NGC 4178 based on infrared observations by Mason technology.

Secrest himself later verified these results using data from high-energy X-rays. Their findings are described in the July 1, 2012 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.

SPACS offers students undergraduate degrees in physics, astronomy and computational and data sciences as well as numerous

graduate degrees.

Research covers a wide variety of scientific topics, from astronomy and climate change to particle physics and computational fluid dynamics.

Undergraduates usually commence on research projects as a part of class assignments, but frequently, they end up continuing with their research after the end of the semester.

Students are able to continue working closely with faculty members and use a variety of instruments, including data from the Hubble Space Telescope and other

state-of-the-art resources.

In addition to research projects, students can also participate in Work Study programs, assistantships and internships both on campus and in the D.C. area.

“The research that is conducted in SPACS is almost always published in scientific journals and presented at national and international conferences,” said Michael E. Summers, Director of SPACS and professor of planetary science and astronomy.

“So the work has a direct impact on the scientific community. But the indirect impacts are just as important. The students we train here are the next generation of scientists and scientific leaders,” said Summers. “They will carry on their research after graduation, or at least take the skill sets they develop here, to their careers in academia, research laboratories, government agencies and other centers of scholarship.”

Still, aside from prestigious career opportunities, SPACS – like many programs at Mason – simply provides a way for students to pursue the things that they are most passionate about.

“I think the primary appeal of the subject for me is the sense of perspective it endows,” said Secrest, on his interest in astronomy.

“The universe is an unbelievably huge, mindbogglingly weird place. It’s a stage where the most abstract intricacies of existence play out; where every permutation not expressly forbidden by mathematics is realized in some way. We are living in a time where the deepest truths of existence are beginning to reveal themselves.”

STORY BY AMY WOOSLEY

FREE TICKETS FOR MASON STUDENTS! THE VISION SERIES Innocent Until Nominated: Fixing the Presidential Appointments Process Jim Pfiffner, speaker Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. Free CA ADJUNCT ART FACULTY EXHIBITION November 5-30. Free FG JAZZ 4 JUSTICE November 9 at 8 p.m. $20 adu., $15 stu./sen.

1 Free Ticket per ID Avail. NOW

MASON SYMPHONIC BAND & PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE November 12 at 8 p.m. $10 adu., $5 stu./sen. CA 1 Free Ticket per ID Avail. NOW

FAIRFAX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA November 17 at 8 p.m. $25, $45, $55 CH 1 Free Ticket per ID Avail. Nov. 6

THE VISION SERIES: Using Our Heads: Preventing Concussion in Youth Sport Shane Caswell, speaker Nov. 12 at 7.30 p.m. Free HC

AQUILA THEATRE Cyrano de Bergerac November 17 at 8 p.m. $24, $32, $40 HC 2 Free Tickets per ID Avail. Nov. 6

MASON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA November 14 at 8 p.m. $10 adu., $5 stu./sen. HC KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS® WITH 2 Free Tickets per ID Avail. Nov. 6 JEFFREY SIEGEL Claude Debussy – Clair de Lune MASON DANCE COMPANY - Fall Concert November 15 – 17 at 8 p.m. November 16 at 2 p.m. and Beyond November 18 at 7 p.m. $19, $30, $38 CA $15 adu., $10 stu./fac. HT 2 Free Tickets per ID Avail. Nov. 6 1 Free Ticket per ID Avail. Nov. 6

CHANTICLEER - A Chanticleer Christmas November 24 at 8 pm $24, $40, $48 CA November 25 at 4 p.m. $32, $40, $48 HC 2 Free Tickets per ID Avail. Nov. 13

ZAHIRA KAHN, PHOTOGRAPHER November 26 – December 7 Free 123

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SHAOLIN WARRIORS - Voices of the Masters November 9 at 8 p.m. $32, $40, $48 HC November 10 at 8 p.m., November 11 at 4 p.m. $24, $40, $48 CA 2 Free Tickets per ID Avail. NOW 123 Gallery 123: Johnson Center FG Fine Art Gallery CA Center for the Arts HC Hylton Center HT Harris Theatre

703-993-8888 or cfa.gmu.edu/students

Center for the Arts

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7 0 3 - 9 9 3 - 7 7 5 9 o r h y l t o n c e n t e r. o r g / s t u d e n t s

Hylton Performing Arts Center PRINCE WILLIAM

Nov. 12, 2012

Broadside

The Carouser Report: The Wino Revolution OPINION

I love wine. Correction: I love super crappy wine. I am realizing this as I read the headline of the Huffington Post: The Rocky Mountain High just got a whole lot higher. “God, I love America,” I laugh to myself as I guzzle down my sixth glass of the evening. I swirl the reddish nectar around in the glass and begin to float off into that deep introspective space your mind sometimes takes you to, especially when you’ve been drinking too much wine.

As I wander off, I begin to ponder what place wine holds in relation to the college booze culture. Beer has obviously made a name for itself, there is no denying that. But it has always been a drink consumed in large quantities. Even liquor, the most rotten and foul of all booze, is cherished by many. But wine is something different altogether. It represents a change in drinking etiquette.

We have taken the bourgeois aspect out of wine drinking and replaced it with our beastly binge drinking instincts.

We are heathen gods when it comes to downing wine. Have you ever witnessed a round of slap the bag? It’s barbaric: slapping the bladder of wine, while sucking on the nipple like baby animals. We consume the liquid as if it were milk.

You don’t even have to know what a cabernet sauvignon or shiraz is. College kids have simplified it: red or white. Have you ever actually acknowledged the variety you

are purchasing at your local quickie mart? I would imagine you haven’t. As long as it was the biggest, cheapest bottle you could find, you put it in the cart.

Jack Kerouac knew all too well where this was headed. “A wine alcoholic is worse than a whiskey alcoholic,” he wrote. Once a drinker gets hooked on wine, there is no going back.

The sinful fruity beverage has been adapted to fit our needs, and it does this with ease.

The days of drinking repression are over. Our generation has begun to reject the common practices of elegant drinking mannerisms. No longer shall we subject ourselves to the four ounces of sweet nectar and then limit ourselves for the remainder of the evening. No more will we pinch the stems of impractical crystal glassware with our index finger and thumb. Rather we’d like our glasses filled to the top, please. Garcon, fill them to the brim and keep ‘em coming.

Cheers!

EDITORIAL BY

DUSTIN POST

Entertainment

Green Colleen As the weather gets colder and the suns starts setting earlier each day, I find myself craving something warm and hearty for dinner at night. Spending time creating elaborate baked dinners isn’t always an option, but with these lasagna cups, I have a warm and filling meal with minimal prep time. The wonton wrappers replace the pasta and eliminate the need for boiling noodles. The best part about these individual servings of lasagna is that they are easy to share or save to reheat and bring along for lunch the next day. Plus, everything is cuter when it’s miniature.

I’m not a meat eater, but it would be easy to brown some ground beef or turkey and layer that in as part of the cups.

The wonton wrappers are simply a square dough used in Asian cooking. They’re widely available at grocery stores. I found mine in the refrigerated produce section at the Giant in University Mall.

To put the cups together, lightly grease the cups of a muffin tin, then push one square wonton wrapper into each. The corners will fold and stick out over the cup, which will give the edges a nice crispy crunch.

Mix in the dash of salt and pepper with the ricotta cheese and spoon a dollop into each cup, leaving half of the mixture for later. Top with half of the tomato sauce, and the meat, if you desire. Sprinkle each cup with shredded mozzarella cheese. Layer on another wonton wrapper and repeat the pattern.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top layer is crunchy and melted.

OPINION

8

Wonton Lasagna Cups

Ingredients: -24 pack of wonton wrappers -1 ½ cup ricotta cheese (whole or skim milk is fine) -Salt and pepper to taste -1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese -1 cup tomato sauce

EDITORIAL BY

COLLEEN WILSON

Transition Resource Center in Search of Committed Peer Advisors

Seemingly against her will, Taren Henry was required to enroll in University 100 during the fall semester of year freshman year.

Henry was in a class full of other athletes, many of whom were coming off morning practice and wanted to do nothing but sleep. “[University 100] was a required class for us, unfortunately,” Henry said. “At least that’s how it felt at first.”

To Henry’s surprise, Michelle Davis, the course instructor, and David Bier, the peer advisor, made the class extremely interactive and took the opportunity to get to know each student as an individual.

“We all became a little family,” Henry said.

“I still see some of the people who are still here and we all call each other by our ice breaker names.”

After just one year running track, Henry made the decision to leave the team and pursue other interests on campus. Unlike many other athletes who give up their respective sports, Henry stayed at Mason and used her newfound friends from University 100 to

land a job in the Office of Student Involvement, where she is currently the Public Relations Director of Program Board.

“I never wanted to leave Mason,” Henry said. “But, as far as finding something to do next, University 100 really helped with that.”

As part of the University 100 course, the Transition Resource Center is currently looking for peer advisors like Bier that will help impact the lives of next fall’s freshmen students.

The opportunity allows students to network throughout the university community by developing relationships with various offices throughout campus. It forces students to strengthen public speaking skills and improve small-group leadership while serving as an integral part of a freshman students’ first year of college experience.

University 100 is centered around topics that give freshman students some insight into how to make their college experience safe and productive. It focuses on teaching students to manage their finances and budget their time, all while making the transition to a campus of

more than 35,000 students.

“By having a student in there, it gives all students someone to talk to who is there age,” Bier said.

To help ease the transition, peer advisors such as Bier give students another outlet from whom they may seek advice about the many issues surrounding first-year students.

“I still see David around,” Henry said. “He’s a good friend. I know if I ever needed anything, he would be right there to help me.”

As an active student at Mason, Bier takes pride in knowing that he played a role in the successes of many of the students in University 100.

“You get a great sense of accomplishment knowing that you’re helping university retain students,” Bier said. “But you also get a sense of pride knowing you’ve somehow enhanced the college experience of your students.”

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

To learn more about what it means to be a peer advisor attend one of the upcoming information sessions: Monday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.

Eisenhower Hall, Multipurpose Room Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 12:30 p.m.

SUB I, Room 3311 Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m.

The Hub, Room 1 (Third Floor) Thursday, Nov. 15 at 3:30 p.m.

SUB I, Room 3A Tuesday Nov. 27 at 10 a.m.

Johnson Center, Room A Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 1 p.m.

SUB I, Room 3311

Entertainment

Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012

Mason Alumnus Angela Panayotopulos Publishes Novel Set in Greece During World War Two experience, Panayotopulos truly began to embrace her Greek background. She and a friend started the Greek Club as a way to teach people about Greek culture and dance.

“I always happy to

Obviously, war in Greece is something that has been written about before. But I always feel like you can put a new spin on old material. be a Greek American,” Panayotopulos said. “But, at Mason, I was able to celebrate it more.”

After earning her undergraduate degree in English, Panayotopulos returned to Mason to achieve a Master’s degree in Creative Writing.

Through that time, she worked to produce her novel The Art of War.

Despite her familiarity with the American lifestyle, Panayotopulos opted to pursue a more mysterious focus and immersed herself into Greek history.

“The more I started digging into it, the more fascinated I became,” Panayotopulos said.

As the novel progressed, it became a story about a life than can at once be Heaven and Hell. It is set on the island of Mythaki where three ethnicities – a Nazi discriminated for his principles, an artist who is haunted by her craft and a rebel soldier who corrupts a village with his madness – and is a story about the power of love and brutality of war.

“Obviously, war in Greece is something that has been written about before,” Panayotopulos said. “But I always feel like you can put a new spin on old material.”

Panayotopulos sets herself apart by interweaving an array of characters with varying backgrounds who bond over a common fear: World War II. “Some of the characters are inspired by people I talked

to,” Panayotopulos said.

“Some of the other characters are inspired by my friends. I always feel closer to my characters if I base them off of real people.”

Her Greek-themed novel draws from the memories of real World War II survivors while integrating themes from Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, but was intended for the American audience.

Panayotopulos, who moved to Greece with her family two years ago, hopes to translate her work into Greek in order to target the Greek population. She is in the process of setting up a digital book tour and continues to take the lessons of diversity she learned from Mason and apply them to her life overseas.

“Being a Greek American in America is different than being a Greek American living in Greece,” Panayotopulos said. “No matter what, though, you still have this cultural imprint that sticks with you wherever you go.”

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

Mason Prepares for Eleventh Annual CAA Blood Challenge, Aims to Collect 1,200 Pints of Blood Student-athletes at Mason take significant pride in giving back to the community.

Ashley Argyros, Vice President of the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee, and her teammates on the women’s lacrosse team are extremely active members of the community. The team attends or hosts one charitable event per month and has raised money for breast cancer research, ALS research and will soon be involved in a charitable effort for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

“We do a lot of community service,” Argyros said.

“We normally do at least

one event every month. But being involved in something on campus and within our conference, it’s something that is closer to our hearts.

Our team is supporting our conference which, in turn, is supporting people who are in need of blood around the country.”

As a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Argyros will volunteer several hours of her time to help out at the CAA Blood Challenge on Monday, Nov. 12 in the Johnson Center.

Aside from donating her own blood, Argyros will be tasked with the duty of setting up the

event and serving as an extra pair of hands for the nurses.

The CAA Blood Challenge is celebrating its eleventh year this fall. Over the past 10 years, the challenge has produced 26,819 pints of blood and saved more than 80,000 lives across the nation.

“They’re in such dire need for people to donate blood right now because of Hurricane Sandy,” Argyros said.

In last year’s challenge, the Patriots finished in second place with over 1,000 units of blood collected. To claim and beat Delaware this year, Mason will need to

collect more than 1,200 units between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Monday.

“We are such a big, strong conference and everyone wants to be the best,” Argyros said. “Who doesn’t want to say they were the best at anything?”

All off-campus donors will receive free parking in Lot K. Anyone who participates in the event will receive free food and an “Are You My Type?” T-shirt.

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

Help Wanted

CLASSIFIEDS

A Greek American, Angela Panayotopulos was inspired by her cultural roots and began piecing together a story about war in Greece while enrolled in a creative writing course at Mason.

She became so immersed in the topic that, during the course, the brief story became so convoluted with information that her peers began suggesting that she turn her work into a novel.

“There was just so much going on,” Panayotopulos said. “Most of the class said, ‘Whoa! This isn’t a story; it should be a book.’ So I said, ‘Okay, then let it be a book.’”

Born to parents who are 100 percent Greek, Panayotopulos always got a blend of Greece and American culture growing up.

With that unique background, she became very inquisitive about the world around her and developed a curiosity for all types of people. “[Mason] was my first choice because of the diversity,” Panayotopulos said.

“You can really live out your cultural diversity there.”

Early in her college

9

High-end Optometry office in Pentagon City and DC has immediate opening for F/T & P/T reception/optical sales and managerial positions. Must be energetic, personable, self-motivated, detail oriented and posses time management skills.

No experience necessary, but preferred. Salary commensurable based on candidate experience and education. Willing to train the right candidate.

Please respond with resume to n_bindal@hotmail.com. www.avisualaffair.com Advertise in the Broadside Newspaper now!!

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10

Nov. 12, 2012

Broadside

Entertainment

Mason Takes LEAD on Sandy Relief Efforts in Student’s Hometown Incredible winds ravaged the area of Ocean Township. Trees and power lines crashed Just as the storm began to take form, a neighbor’s tree crashed through the roof of Jordan White’s home in Monmouth County, New Jersey and created a large hole in the ceiling, allowing rain to pour directly into the house.

When Hurricane Sandy began pushing its way up the shoreline in the Northeast United States, winds broke the sand dunes and eliminated any hope of isolating the devastation on the beach. In short time, sands covered the streets in Ocean Township and blocked much of the drainage systems in the surrounding area. As a result, White’s home, along with many others in the area, were severely flooded from the storm.

“It’s just a house, so it can be replaced,” said White, a leadership consultant in the LEAD Office. “Everyone in the house is okay. The hardest part for me is the town.”

To add insult to injury, White’s family regained power just in time to lose it as a result of the more recent snowstorm that further devastated the area. White’s family, like many others in the area, is currently living in a house that contains several inches of snow.

Still, White remains thankful that her family is safe. Many of the areas that she frequents during the summer, though, did not enjoy the same fate. While she maintains that everything she lost within her house can be replaced, but holds tightly to the memories of her town that will never be the same.

The drive will take place until Thursday, Nov. 15. The L-Team will be delivering the donations directly to St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Ocean, New Jersey. All items can be delivered directly to the LEAD Office (The Hub, Room 2400) anytime between 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

“When you have a house fire, you can go to your best friend’s house and seek comfort and support,” White said. “But when it’s the whole town, it’s not just memories in the house. It’s every memory.”

To help the people in and around Ocean Township, the L-Team and LEAD Office organized a collection drive that will run through Nov. 15 to directly help the community in need.

They are asking for donations of nonperishable food and beverage items, blankets, gloves, toiletries and a variety of other necessities that will be delivered to St. George Greek Orthodox Church in White’s hometown on Nov. 17. “[The support from Mason] is incredible,” White said. “It’s amazing to see how much can come together in such little time after something like that happens.”

When the L-Team and other members of the LEAD Office make the 225-mile trek, White will be driving one of the vans and returning to her hometown for the first time since the devastation. While, naturally, she anticipates the trip being difficult, White is looking forward to the opportunity to return home and bring some light to an otherwise devastated area.

“It’s going to be really nice seeing my family,” White said. “I’m really anxious to go up and be there.”

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

The town is in desperate need of the following items: - New socks (all sizes) - New underwear (all sizes) - Toiletries - Feminine Hygiene Products - Baby food - Diapers (Size 3-5) - Non-perishable food items (canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned meats, tuna, mac and cheese, crackers, cereal, granola bars, pasta, pasta sauce, fruit cups, pop tarts, rice, sugar, flour, etc.)

- Beverages (bottled water, juice boxes, shelf stable milk, etc) - New blankets - New gloves (all sizes)

Entertainment

Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012

11

Broadside Twitter Share your thoughts about Mason and Broadside with us on Twitter and follow along for this week’s news at @MasonBroadside

University Life PWC @gmuulpwc

@MasonBroadside ULifePW is now on twitter! Please re-tweet us to help spread the word! We’ll update this acct w/ future PWC event info #gmu

Anna @AnnaTummarello

Shout out to @MasonBroadside for publishing articles from students/ alumni affected by Sandy. Many ppl don’t realize profound destruction

A Trip to the Eastern Market OPINION

Dream of the ancient cities of the Middle East, and chances are, you will picture large extravagant palaces, curved, domed architecture and the occasional flying carpet. Think Aladdin! But the clearest image that will come to mind is that of an open air market. Located in the center of town, it is filled with the hustle and bustle of merchants peddling their wares, elders swapping stories and people browsing and bargaining for goods.

Believe it or not, Eastern Market, located in Washington DC, is just this kind of market place. It contains all of the hustle and bustle of an open air trading bazaar, yet it is suitably integrated into its Southeast DC neighborhood. At this sprawling marketplace, come enjoy fresh food, snacks, art work and music while experiencing a unique slice of DC culture. The heart of the market is located on 7th St SE between North Carolina Ave SE and C St SE. On the weekends, the street is closed to traffic and vendors set up tables one after the other under shaded awnings to peddle their wares. Of particular interest, keep an eye out for Anthony Reddix and his giraffes, woven from strips of aluminum cans. Expect to see elaborate paintings, intricate carvings, and detailed weavings for sale. Prices are generally fixed and not open for negotiation. Don’t be surprised if you run into musicians playing on the street corners. I heard a fantastic blues guitarist and an energetic saxophone/ clarinet jazz duo.

Food and fresh produce can be found inside of the large Eastern Market building, which serves as an indoor market place.

Fresh produce, pastries, seafood, cheese, and an unusual selection of meat and poultry is offered here. When I say unusual, I am referring to the pig ears, feet and stomachs I saw in one booth! Chicken feet can also be bought here too.

The stores, shops and restaurants located along 7th St also contribute to the unique atmosphere of Eastern Market. There are plenty of places to eat, enjoy a cup of coffee

and grab a beer, as well as some unique shops that bring the flea market tradition indoors.

“Clothes Encounters of a Second Kind” is a women’s consignment store that sells high quality, used clothing. It was hopping when I poked my head in! “Capitol Hill Books” is a quirky, used book store that is worth visiting if for no other reason than to admire its floor-to-ceiling stacks of books upon books!

This place is crammed with a wide variety of titles, including a foreign language section in the bathroom and a cooking section in the kitchen.

With the exception of Monday, Eastern Market is open every day of the week (TuesFri 7 a.m.- 7 p.m., Sat 7 a.m.- 6 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.). Every Tuesday features a farmer’s market from 3 p.m.- 7 p.m. Eastern Market is at its biggest and best on Saturday and Sunday when it hosts its outdoor flea market, and this is the best time to visit.

Getting There and Away from Campus: Metro: After taking the Mason to Metro bus to the Vienna Metro, hop on a train headed in the direction of New Carrolton. From there, it’s a straight shot down the orange line until you reach the Eastern Market Metro stop, and Eastern Market is located several blocks away from there. A round trip will cost you around $10 and take you about an hour and a half from campus.

Driving: Eastern Market is about a 35 minute drive from campus. Metered and unmetered parking is available beside the street, but finding a space is hit or miss.

Experience all of the energy and excitement of an outdoor trading market right here in Washington, DC. Eastern Market offers fresh food, intricate crafts, music, culture and a great way to spend a weekend day.

Jason Zheng @jzheng7

“For every 2.3 jokes told about Romney 1 is told about Obama” @ MasonBroadside #mademyday

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The class you need starts next week.

And the next week.

And the one after that.

Graduate on time from your own school with courses from ours.

Learn how at

phoenix.edu/transferclass

EDITORIAL BY

ROBERTINO BOGART

*Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. **To receive this offer, you must enroll by 12/31/12, but you may begin classes anytime between enrollment and 3/31/13. University of Phoenix is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (ncahlc.org). College credit granted by University of Phoenix. For information about University of Phoenix accreditations and licensures, please visit our website. While widely available, all courses and programs may not be available in all locations and in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.

Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012

Cody Norman, Editor-in-Chief

cnorman2@masonlive.gmu.edu

Colleen Wilson, Managing Editor Stephen Kline, Photography and Design Editor Elise Baker, Editorials Editor Aaron Locke, News Editor Alexandra Sudak, Assistant News Editor Niki Papadogiannakis, Entertainment Editor Bryan Dombrowski, Sports Editor Jennifer Miller, Assistant Sports Editor Sae Rynn Kwon, Copy Editor Michelle Minnich, Copy Editor Manny Alfaro, Cartoonist Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Advisor Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager David Carroll, Associate Director Broadside is a weekly publication printed each Monday for George Mason University and its 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.

Broadside is on Twitter Follow along at @MasonBroadside for the latest news and notes around Mason

Last Monday morn, I stumbled across the three critical responses to Emily Bartone’s article “Recreational Sex Culture Infiltrates College Relationship Scene.” The letters, written by Katri Haas, Janelle Germanos of Patriots for Choice, and Jason Von Kundra of the Feminist Student Organization respectively, spoke harshly of Bartone’s article, decrying her critical evaluation of casual sex on campus.

Absent in their denunciations was any mention that Bartone’s chief source for her statements was Dr. Michael Anderson, professor of Psychology of Intimate Relationships. In other words, Bartone had a source with an academic background on the topic; none of the three letters specifically disputes the credentials of Dr. Anderson, who is the one who says much of what Haas, Germanos, and Von Kundra take issue with. Further, none of the letters offer academic sources such as credentialed psychologists to counter Anderson.

Instead, Haas wrote that a woman can be a good person and have casual sex, Germanos denounced Bartone’s article as ‘self-righteous’, and Von Kundra demanded that Broadside send a formal apology to various groups for running the piece. All three letters made the valid point that Bartone’s work should not have been put in the Entertainment section. All three critics did not believe that the risks of casual

OPINION

Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

Editorials

Letters Responding to Bartone’s Article Ignored Research on Casual Sex

Binders by Manny Alfaro

12

sex were sufficient to warrant the words of either Bartone or her chief source, Dr. Anderson.

Presumably, the critics also do not believe Langstrom and Hanson (2006), Swedish researchers who surveyed 2,500 residents of the Scandinavian nation. They found that those who engaged in “impersonal sex” were more likely to have substance abuse problems, relationship issues, and poorer relationships.

In her letter, Haas denounced the tone of Bartone’s article, calling it a harmful work that advanced “slutshame.” Haas wrote that there should be no ignominy for women who engage in casual sex. “I’m not haunted by my sexual choices,” writes Haas. Yet, Haas’ opinion is in the minority. According to a study by Owen et al (2008) of 800 college students, only 24% of women surveyed specifically identified their hookup experiences as positive.

Writing for the monthly women’s magazine Marie Claire, Colleen Oakley told readers about harmful effects on relationships that come from casual sex.

“Trust is elusive. You don’t learn how to trust someone; you don’t learn how to treat someone in a caring way,” wrote Oakley. “And I think if you don’t get to practice those things, it’s going to be harder down the road to have a successful relationship or marriage.”

While Oakley hesitated to fully

condemn casual sex, she did speak of much needed caution.

“I think in our rush to condone or not be seen as disapproving of young women’s independence — which I’m very much in favor of — we have gone too far in the opposite direction,” wrote Oakley.

Indeed, as the letter by Germanos hails the new age of sexual freedom, there is no mention of the growing cost.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2006 to 2007 syphilis infections increased by 15.2 percent and on average there are 6.2 million new diagnoses of HPV among American women every year.

While the letters written in response to Bartone’s article were not wholly without merit, they opted for their own reasons to ignore the research that led the direction of not only Bartone’s article but other works on the modern campus life issue. For all their statements that caution and responsibility can exist, the critics ironically ignored information that could lead a more informed decision.

EDITORIAL BY

MICHAEL GRYBOWSKI

Editorials Broadside a joke it doesn't work, because it depicts a willful abuse of one's body. Ha ha? Or, let's take a look at our friend's "boozography", laughable if not for the fact that this is a clear landmark on the road to alcoholism.

His November 5 report on the "DC Horror Show" presents a useful "plan and direction" for partying in the "big city." That is, if your pre-gaming buddies are not, en route, transformed "into puke monsters, and everyone is stuck battling torrents of vomit."

There is a theme here, in all of these columns. Booze is king. Booze is home. It makes our lives. We rationalize it by mocking presidential elections, by putting down Mason which "just doesn't know how to party", by even appearing serious by criticizing the impersonal nature of the social media.

Yes, friends, booze is king. And so, vomiting your guts out is a small price to pay for this

Why Basketball is Better than Football OPINION

With the start of the winter season and the blustering cold weather rings the bells of not only the holiday season but also basketball season. This year, the NBA regular season began on Oct. 30th and I have to say, it couldn’t have came in a better time. I was sick of football already.

This sparked a thought in my mind; basketball is way better than football.

I know, I know. Not very many people are happy with this argument and deem that football is in fact the better sport and I am okay with that. Everyone is entitled to his or her own person opinions right? If you are on the edge of deciding which of the two sports are better, let me give you a hand and prove to you that basketball is in fact the better sport.

First reason, the games. As we all know, a football fan has to wait until Sunday or Monday to want only 16 games of their favorite team. On the other hand, in basketball, the NBA reason provides you with 82 games a year to watch your team.

Next, the Olympics. The basketball Dream Team. A team filled with all the best players of the NBA against countries around the world.

Unlike basketball, football has zero participation in the Olympics. Why is that? Because football is a sport only played professionally in the United States. Which brings me to my next point; popularity. Right behind soccer, basketball is the world’s most played and

most popular sport. The game is fast paced and easy for many people to follow.

“Basketball games are more enjoyable to watch than football because the sport is more entertaining and faced-paced. Players can dunk, alley-oop, shoot 3-pointers and much more. With basketball games, the score is usually close and players can actually keep track of the players on the court whereas in football, one team can dominate early on in the game,” said Tameem Aziz, biology major.

There aren’t as many stops as in football and definitely aren’t as many commercials.

Next, the players. Many of our legendary athletes come from the sport of basketball and let’s not go on without mentioning the name of the all time number one basketball player; Michael Jordan. Not only Michael Jordan, we have some pretty amazing basketball playing including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and many more. Overall, basketball players posses more athletic ability than football players.

They are faster and more agile.

See you at the next basketball game!

EDITORIAL BY

MARIAM WAQAR

life-defining experience.

Everyone likes jokes, and everyone wants relief from our hectic lives. And I am no teetotaller.

But the glorification of booze is no joke.

Unique to the tone of all other university activities and protests as published in Broadside, Mr. Post's comments are petulant and puerile. Laugh all you want - laugh at me - but this is a core group from which alcoholics will develop. When you are young, the distant future appears irrelevant. But organ systems in these bodies are already, silently, and more rapidly, deteriorating.

I consider the continuation of this column,

by Broadside, to be pandering. It is your one column whose excuse for publication "caters to the lower tastes or desires of others, or exploits their weaknesses" (American Heritage dictionary, pandering, www.

13

onelook.com ). Furthermore, it is no civic service or joke to trivialize the excessive use of alcohol, a widespread and crippling large healthcare cost in our society.

Broadside is catering to a population at risk for alcoholism, in the guise of free speech.

Broadside choose what it publishes. The popularity of "The Carouser Report" is not a sufficient indicator of ethical journalism.

Broadside does not print Nazi screeds or Islam bashing for good reason. A recent article in Broadside - Changing the Conversation on Mental Health" said things about students now which both you Broadside, and students, need to ponder. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death on college campuses, second only to alcohol.

Ronald S. Bashian, M.D., Adjunct faculty, Undergraduate Biology Program

Platforms vs. Party Labels It’s election season again, and, with the exception of the so-called “cyanics,” it seems as if everyone on campus is excited about one candidate or another.

In the amazing political model set up for our youth, Mason patriots are no exception as they steadfastly declare their allegiance to one of two parties.

While they sit on this conveyor belt, they spit out sound-bite ideas seen on the thirtysecond YouTube ads before they watched “Gangnam style” for the eightieth time. And, if they are superbly informed, they might be able to enlighten you with a sentence, verbatim, from each candidate’s Wikipedia page.

However, when did this so-called identification become a political ideology? Isn’t there something amiss with our society when we can garner an entire analysis out of person by whether or not a donkey or an elephant button adorns their backpack?

As citizens across the United States cast their vote this upcoming week, I can’t help but think how ineffective our civic grooming really is. Sitting with mom and pop watching the debate as eight-year-olds, we remember it being boring and mundane. And then, when we were fourteen, it was obviously the “cool” thing to support the outlier, like Nader or Paul. And now, our social circles in college affect us. Fraternities vote together, if your friends are conservative, so are you, and

OPINION

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I write once more, as an adjunct faculty member in the Undergraduate Biology Program, concerning about Broadside's column, "The Carouser Report."

Dustin Post did comment (10/1/12) on "carousing safely." However, if he considers me a "back door" agent, responding out of "permanent annoyance", he is mistaken. One doesn't have to be a student in their 20's to condemn drunken driving and its tragic consequences.

Statistics reflect real events happening to real people. Preventing the "horrific tragedy" of "hundreds" will still not restore a single life to victims of drunken driving.

Mr. Post's Oct. 29 column was titled "Home is Where the Booze is at." There aren't many fans of the late hyper-intense presidential ads. But is "looking into the depths of a used toilet" a commendable alternative? Even as

Nov. 12, 2012

don’t you dare think for yourself, because herd mentality is the safest bet! But there was a difference between then, and now. Before, we were rightly denied a vote because the general public acknowledged our immaturity. However, that immaturity is still well and alive within our college campus, but now we wield in our hands a sword that could either make or break this country.

I’m not saying that college students should be denied their right to vote. What I’m saying is that a real analysis of the candidates has to be considered. Looking past the party label is vital, and understanding the candidate’s record and values is of integral importance.

However, this editorial isn’t likely to change the minds of many, and this will continue to be the trend in years to come. To truly change our society for the better, we have to attack where we can still make a difference, in our K-12 schools. It’s a crazy idea, but in our 8th grade civics class, instead of learning about “Republican” and “Democratic” how about we teach “Ideology” and “Platform.”

Want to share your opinion?

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.

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.

EDITORIAL BY

MONA AHMED

Contact Us Broadside George Mason University Mailstop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone: 703.993.2950 cnorman2@gmu.edu

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Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012

How Did We Get So Alone?

OPINION

As a generation, we have become experts at institutionalized loneliness; we write about it, we cry about it, we talk about it. We are consumed by feeling that we will be alone forever. We tell ourselves over and over that we are not good enough for anyone, without defining what “good enough” even is. We intoxicate and drug ourselves in order to reach new highs only to fall down harder. We believe in true love yet do as much as possible to place ourselves in situations that are repellant against truth and honesty. But how did we get here?

Our awareness of divorce. In the years that we have been subject to the involvement to the media, we constantly hear about one big number: 50%. A number that reflects the percentage of marriages that ends in divorce.

Our awareness of this failure has made us prone to thinking that love is something that has a definable start and end, making all attempts at it fairly futile. Slowly, we begin to tell ourselves that if there is no one who would want to be with us for all time, that automatically translates to us being unable to breach the walls of our loneliness.

Our ownership over our hardships. The tribulations of youth used to be something to work through and to overcome. But instead, we see the bad things that have happened to us as the only truly individual or unique quality that we have. So we hold onto them, carrying them around with us, applying them with heavy hands into every relationship and experience we have, claiming that somehow they have an unyielding effect on our day to day lives. We hold onto the pain in order to feel special, but it does nothing but isolate ourselves from one another. We are in the game of pain, constantly trying to prove that our pain is somehow heavier and darker than everyone else’s.

cannot have. Film and media have done us a disservice by creating a romantic societal fabric of endless heartfelt climaxes that yield happy endings; it is those things that destroy the opportunities we have. Porn has made sex synonymous with disappointment; disappointing because it won’t be like it seems on your computer, and because we’re too afraid to do it because we might be disappointing. We are so caught up in what we want or we need that we fail to recognize the value in what we have.

Our desire for perfected imperfections.

We are the first to admit that we cannot be perfect. Our flaws make us individuals and we believe they deserve to be worshipped.

We want someone to be able to tell us what they can’t stand about us, but only the things that are preapproved by our own inner romantic dialogue. We want to yell, but never fight. We want to cry to be consoled. We want to roll our eyes to create the illusion that we annoy each other. We want to create false irregularities in order to appear like a couple that is balanced; not too much the same, not too much different.

Ultimately, we are our own worst enemies.

We are desperate to appear lost or troubled in order to attract someone to come fix us and lift us to the heights we subject our imaginations to. But it’s this self-constructed isolationism that has made us unconquerably alone.

EDITORIAL BY

AARON LOCKE

Our unrelentingly high hopes. We inundate ourselves with things we know we

Broadside will be taking a brief hiatus, our next issue will be Dec. 5

Editorials

Sports

Broadside

Women’s Ultimate Team Gains First Win

Nov. 12, 2012

15

Transformation of a Young Team

GMU HOCKEY CLUB WEBSITE

This past weekend, Mason’s Women’s Frisbee team had its first franchise win against Radford University with a final score of 7-4.

“It wasn’t only the first win, but the first game where we started to put all the pieces together,” Coach Wes Geisenberger said.

The club is only in its second semester, and this first win is a large step forward for the team.

“We are keeping up with one of the more developed teams in the nation. This win made me proud of all of the work my teammates are putting in on and off the field,” captain Katherine Boufford said.

The young team has struggled to recruit players and that was a major drawback to its season last spring.

More than half the team this semester is comprised of rookies, who are not just new to Mason Ultimate but to the sport entirely. Regardless of the fact that these players may be inexperienced, the extra bodies has phenomenally improved the team’s play.

“The key to getting the win against Radford was our defense. We executed our defense effectively and threw an intense zone which shut down the other team’s

options,” said Boufford.

With more recruits and legs for substitutions, Mason was able to stay fresh and maintain tight defense.

The game started with a grueling 20 minute point going to Radford. On average, points are less than or around five minutes.

Coaches Geisenberg and Tim Rusbasan moved the team to a zone defense due to the windy conditions and the girls never looked back.

Mason went on to have four break points in a row after tieing the game at 1-1. A break is when the team that starts a point on defense gets possession of the disc back and ends up scoring.

“It was my first official game with the throwasauruses. Everyone worked so hard, especially those who saw the beginnings of this team, so I was very honored to be able to share the first win with them,” Annika Rowson said.

The first franchise win for a team is always a big deal and when a team starts off with a winless season, motivation and determination can start draining. The Women’s Ultimate team has persevered and managed to reach that first significant milestone.

The girls have worked hard on the field but they would not have gotten here without

NATALIE GOODELL/WOMEN’S ULTIMATE FRISBEE

help from their dedicated coaching staff. The team was founded by Geisenberger, who also plays for the Men’s A team. He saw something that other schools had and Mason did not.

“There were girls in the past who were interested in playing Ultimate at Mason, but had no easy outlet to,” Geisenberger said.

Only one girl played for the coed Mason Ultimate team before the creation of a separate Women’s team a few years ago. She now plays for Scandal, a professional Ultimate team. For most girls, it was very hard to stick with the male players and a separate team really allowed them to work at their own pace and competition level. With their first win under their belt, a strong rookie class and a plan to continue expanding the program, Mason’s Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team is looking to make big strides in this coming spring season.

“Next semester, I expect that the newcomers will have more experience. This will lead to fewer drops, better throws and more wins. We are also expecting to recruit more in the spring,” Boufford said.

STORY BY BRYAN DOMBROWSKI

The clock strikes 11 p.m., and just as most Mason students are winding down their day and settling in for the night, the members of Mason’s men’s ice hockey club are just putting their blades on the ice for their regularly scheduled practice.

At the midpoint of their year, Mason’s hockey club and Coach Steve Hyjek are hoping their long nights pay off sooner rather than later.

“We had an aggressive, challenging preseason schedule – perhaps a bit too challenging. Our pre-season included five games against Division II opponents, and a game with a Division I team’s reserve squad,” Coach Hyjek said.

Mason’s preseason games have taken the team all throughout the mid-Atlantic, including a game in Pittsburgh against a prominent Division I school in Robert Morris University.

Additionally, they had a match against George Washington University that took place at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, the practice home of the Washington Capitals.

Last year, Mason started what it hopes will continue to be an annual tradition: the Commonwealth Cup. In this event, Mason squares off against Virginia Commonwealth University. Unfortunately, like last year, Mason was bested by VCU in a 4-2 game.

Mason let this year’s game, a game that Coach Hyjek described as a game the team really should have won, slip away from them.

Mason dominated the game at even strength, outscoring the Rams 2-0. It was Mason’s special teams unit that let them down. Not only did they let up two power play goals, but Mason also conceded two shorthanded goals in the loss.

Mason’s inconsistent preseason play has Coach Hyjek a little concerned that the team will affect their performance in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference.

“We have given away some conference games I think we should have won. So, we

need to hit our stride now as we work our way through the remaining two-thirds of our conference game schedule,” Coach Hyjek said.

Some of this inconsistent play could be attributed to Mason’s 12 new players on the roster for the season, which Coach Hyjek noted was far more than he had anticipated.

“We would like to, and need to, make more progress on the ice. We are playing a solid game when we are even strength. However, our special teams need improvement in both the powerplay and penalty kill. We have time to correct these issues but need to do so soon as the team has nine remaining BRHC league games to secure ourselves a playoff spot,” Coach Hyjek said.

The team is experiencing a transformation from last year’s club, and even with the 12 new players on the team, Coach Hyjek is not making any excuses for them. He is bearing the brunt of the lack of progress from Mason’s club.

“Honestly, we have not made the strides I had hoped for this year, but we have a great group of guys on our team. In the end, the responsibility rests with me to make us better this season and into the future. The buck has to stop with me,” Coach Hyjek said.

Even with the uneven start to the season, Coach Hyjek not only hopes but expects his team to turn its play around and return to the BRHC playoffs as it did last year, which was Mason’s first playoff appearance in eight years.

Ultimately though, it is the players who Coach Hyjek cares about most. “I expect our players to be the best representatives possible for their team and for Mason. They work pretty hard at it and the university should be proud to have them wearing Mason’s colors as their sport’s ambassadors.”

STORY BY HAU CHU

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Sports

MEGAN SHEA

Courtside Seats Postgame Show

with daniel zimmet and cody norman D This is how you’re supposed to come out to start a season. I hear a lot of people joking that we took Bowie State to the wire and we beat UVA in this fashion. I’m not sure how this quick transition works in two weeks

STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

Fueled by the Fans

Anali Okoloji Shines in Patriots Debut CONTINUED FROM FRONT Already one of the emotional leaders of the team, Okoloji tries to use his emotions to fire up his teammates and the fans.

“I’m just going to bring energy, it does not matter to me. If the crowd feeds off it, they feed off of it,” said Okoloji. “I just feel like as a unit we did really well.”

Okoloji credited the huge crowd present for the game for firing up the players.

“The atmosphere was amazing.

When we hit shots down the line in the game, you could hear the whole stadium kind of buzz and feel the floor shake. You knew it was a big thing, a big moment. The whole school witnessed us win,” the Brooklyn native said. “The whole Mason Nation being behind us is big. They feed off us and we feed off them, the energy that they bring to the game.”

Mason used its up-tempo

scheme to create open shots and easier opportunities. They struggled at times with rebounding and free throws but their shooting made up for it. Shooting 54.5 percent from the field, the Patriots also limited their turnovers to just ten.

Okoloji was not convinced the victory was in the bag until Bryon Allen made his two free throws with two seconds left, putting the Patriots up by four.

“I think a team like Virginia and those top-notch teams are used to people hitting big time shots.

They practice game situations like us,” said Okoloji. “That was clutch.

Those were big.”

Despite being such a huge win over an in-state rival, it is only one game. For a team with no seniors, they understand what they need to do.

“I tell our teammates to take it one game at a time, do not think

too far ahead. We got Virgin Islands: do not think about that.

Next we have Bucknell and after that we have Mercer. If we take it one game at a time, I think we’ll be a good team,” Okoloji said.

Okoloji believes the sky is the limit for this team heading into the rest of the season. “As long as everybody is on the same page and works hard together and nobody is trying to be selfish. The sky is the limit,” Okoloji said, who played 24 minutes against Virginia.

“If all of us have the same heart.

Every game I play I’ll have the same type of energy. If we’re on the same page with each other, we will win against any team.”

The Patriots will look to continue their momentum this Tuesday as they visit Bucknell followed by the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.

STORY BY JAMES ZEMBRISKI

C Obviously you can’t put too much weight in exhibition games but, on the same note, we played stellar.

The performance that we had against Bowie State was just subpar. It was kind of us going through the motions but, tonight, we came out with some incredible energy. The crowd was fantastic, a sold out crowd of 9,840 fans.

It was amazing. How many points do you think the crowd gave us tonight?

D Honestly, I’m giving all 63 to the crowd. I think the crowd played such a factor in this game, as they do in every game. They were up the whole time. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the chills as much as I did tonight. The pregame video that they played to get everyone hyped that ended in Sherrod’s shot that did it for me. I got the chills. It was done from there. I was hooked.

C I’m not sure I’m going quite as high as all 63. Coach Hewitt always mentions that 5, 6 or 7 points – something like that – he can attribute to the Green Machine and how great the Green Machine is. Of course, tonight they were fabulous. I don’t think I’m giving 63 points total to the crowd, but another 5 or 6 points for a total of 12 points or so, I think, is what the crowd gave us tonight in a four point victory.

D In all seriousness, I think you are right. It’s probably around 9 or 10 points. I think you really saw it when UVA was on the line. They got as loud as they could get at that point and

especially on the intentional foul, which was a little questionable from my standpoint. But he missed both free throws, which was huge for us. And then on Bryon Allen’s 3-pointers, you know how Mason fans throw the paper up? I thought it was raining paper from the rafters, that’s how much was coming down. That is where I really saw the crowd making an impact.

C Of course, Coach Cody, I like to step back and look at the defense and rebounding. To me, the crowd made the biggest impact on the defensive end in the full court press. We were down four points at one point early to mid-second half, and the crowd really took over and then the defense really took over. We got two consecutive steals, four straight points to tie the game back up and eventually take the lead using that momentum.

D Is this the best crowd you’ve seen since you’ve been here? I know that’s a blanket statement and I know that’s a tough question – I’m putting you on the spot – but is this the best crowd you’ve seen?

C It is certainly the best crowd I’ve seen on opening day. It rivals last year’s VCU game, but we’ve had some other great games here too.

D Well, the atmosphere has to rival the VCU game. You can’t imitate the effect that they had when Sherrod Wright hit that shot, but the general atmosphere was similar to the VCU game.

C The crowd was definitely loud, they were on their feet for 40 minutes tonight. They were absolutely phenomenal, so way to go Patriots.

Sports

Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012

17

Mason Tops UVA in Home-Opener For the first time in Mason history, the Patriots knocked off big brother institution University of Virginia and improved to 28-19 in season openers. The crowd of 9.840 was the largest reported crowd in a home opener in program history as the Patriots recorded just their fourth ever victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference school.

Junior Bryon Allen (top left) drained a 3-pointer with less than a minute left to break a 57-all tie and then connected on a pair of free throws to seal the victory.

Redshirt junior Johnny Williams (top right) played the most minutes for Paul Hewitt’s Patriots, adding 11 points and three steals in his return from injury.

Classmate Sherrod Wright (left), a second team All-CAA preseason selection, led the team with 15 points and played a major role in Mason’s hot start.

Other notable performances were turned in by freshman Marko Gujanicic, who tallied six points and seven rebounds, and Anali Okoloji, who notched eight points and four rebounds in the victory.

The Patriots will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 13 as they travel to Bucknell for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

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Nov. 12, 2012

Broadside

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To some people, the idea of lifting is just a way of getting in shape, but to others it is a lifestyle. There is no lack of musclemen and women in the gyms at Mason and they are coming out to compete against one another. Mason will be holding its first ever Power Lift Competition on Nov. 17 at the RAC. Ethan Carter, Director of Fitness, mentioned the desire to have some type of lifting event and Steven Flutsch, Fitness Management Assistant, took it upon himself to create one.

“Ethan mentioned it and I decided to have the power lift competition because I never saw that type of event at Mason,” Flutsch said.

It may not be a national level competition, but it was not organized to be one. When Flutsch began planning the event, the aim was to get more people at Mason involved in the sport of powerlifting. He wants people to give it a try and see if it is something they would want to get involved in. It is a good way for people to get comfortable with competing.

For anyone who may not know, power lift competitions consist of three different exercises: bench, squat and deadlift. Competitors are given three attempts in

every exercise to lift as much as they can. However, do not think these competitors are just throwing weights around.

“There is definitely a strategy: you have to figure out where to start and where you want to end because if you can’t lift the weight you start at, you can’t go down from it. You can only add weight,” Flutsch said.

Competitors must do each of the exercises to a certain standard to have the amount of weight they are lifting count towards their final total amount. No one is going out there without training and knowing how to correctly do these exercises. They also need to know their best and worst exercises because in powerlifting, being weak in one area does not knock someone out of being able to be competitive. If competitors are lacking in one area, they need to figure out what other exercise they can push a little harder in, in order to maintain a competitive final score.

The actual competition is when all of the final weights from each competition are added together to determine the rankings. For this competition, there will be first, second and third places that will be awarded to women and men from each

weight class. There will also be awards given to the Best Lifter from men and women.

This award is determined by finding out which competitors are lifting the most pound for pound by taking the total weight lifted and factoring out the body weight of the competitors.

Currently, there are around fifteen people registered for the event and Flutsch hopes that more people will sign up for the event, including those who are not Mason students, but are members of the community. He is especially looking for more female competitors, since there are only three signed up at the moment.

“It’s been difficult trying to start something just through word of mouth and the flyers at the gym,” Flutsch said.

Flutsch does have high hopes for growing the powerlifting community in the future though. Once people compete this year, hopefully it will lead to more people being involved and the same competitors coming back for other power lift events held at Mason. So, years from now Mason may have a great powerlifting community that was all kicked off by this one event.

STORY BY JENNIFER MILLER

Broadside is on Twitter Follow along at @ MasonBroadside for the latest news and notes around Mason

Sports

Broadside

Nov. 12, 2012

19

Underwater Hockey Rookies Dive Deep in London Mason’s Underwater Hockey Club placed 5th in this year’s London Dolphins Underwater Hockey Halloween Tournament.

The event was a lower level tournament and Mason’s team used it as a way to continue to improve the new players’ skill set and make them more familiar with tournament style play. For most of the new comers, this was their second tournament.

“I was happy with our record 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 tie. Most importantly, however, I think newer players really learned a lot and got excited about next semester when we do most of our tournament travel,” said club President Dan Yocum. “You never know how a team with so many newer players are going to click, but I’d say that while we certainly were not perfect, we did well working as a team.”

One of the big changes that faced the Mason team was the pool variety. When the team practices at the Aquatic and Fitness center, their pool is 8 ft deep across the whole length. In London, the pools varied in depth from 4 to 12 ft and had steep slopes and drop offs.

“It was a really challenging pool to play in, but what stood out is that I could actually feel myself improving with the challenge of the pool,” said Hannah Kreider.

Yocum was pleased with all of his rookie players at London, but says Kreider was one of the most improved. During a game against the team’s rival, Michigan State University, Mason was trying to score in the deep end and the rookies executed a perfect play without any assistance from veteran players. Rey Molina made a breakaway towards the goal and was

picked up by a defender. Molina sent a pass to Rachel Eddows who took a shot on the goal, which was finished by Kreider.

“It is rare that in the deep water, you can have so many new people time their dives perfectly to make a play like that. It was their first goal of their careers,” said Yocum.

The relationship Mason has with MSU is a seriously competitive one that goes back a few seasons as they travel just as far and frequently. Not all the teams that Mason competes against are college teams: some are clubs, so playing against a really compatible college team like MSU usually leads to a great match.

When both teams brought a solid group of rookies and veterans, Yocum knew they would be having another close game.

Mason ended up winning on a goal scored in the final minutes of the game to edge out MSU 2-3. The adverse pool design did have a large impact on the game: aside from the varying depth, the steep slope between the two ends made for a constant uphill battle. However, pools come in all styles and no matter what it may be, the teams have to be able adapt their dive time and playing style to succeed.

Aside from working to improve as a team, each individual must have personal goals to focus on to help bring the team up.

“I made it a goal to become more comfortable with the game and playing against new people. We practice against the same people over and over so different playing styles are a challenge,” said Kreider.

After a weekend of six games came the final, fun and spirited classic between the USA and Canada. While it has no actual meaning

RACHEL EDDOWS/UNDERWATER HOCKEY

for national or world titles, it is still excellent competition for those looking for higher level play. This year Yocum, Chris Fischer and Phil Magness represented Mason and America in the pool. USA was the defending champion from last year’s contest but unfortunately lost 3 to 2 this year.

The team is done traveling as a group for the semester, but is very much looking forward to

their more competitive spring season. Their plan is to attend America’s Cup in Milwaukee, the Atlantic Coast Championships in Orlando and Nationals also in Milwaukee, amongst some other smaller tournaments.

STORY BY BRYAN DOMBROWSKI

Turkey Bowl Bringing Students Around the Field At Mason, Innovation is Tradition has become our official slogan in all that we do. We work towards the improvement of the university through our student government representatives and our close partnership with the faculty who hear our ideas and concerns. Once again, the students have spoken and helped create Mason’s first flag football tournament, the Turkey Bowl, with the help of Mason Recreation and the Intramural Office.

This innovative addition to the plentiful intramural events throughout the year came from the desire of the students, who are heavily active in intramural flag football. The competition is going to be intense as there are many teams that have already played against each other in the regular season for flag football.

“I have friends [who] have already participated in flag football intramurals and they are really excited for the event,” freshman Garrett Johnson said. “They are looking forward to the intense competition and recognition among the student body.”

There is a high turnout expected for the students, faculty and staff that are eligible to sign up and the students are excited to finally have a large, advertised tournament for flag football. They hope that the sport will gain more notoriety within the university, “I’m really excited for the tournament,” freshman Andrew Manzo said. “It is a great way for students to participate or cheer [for] their classmates.”

Much thought has gone into the event in terms of advertising and coordinating. The event coordinator, student Trent Houston, Assistant Director of Intramurals Paul Bazzano, and other members of the Intramural office have done extensive work including advertising on their website imsports.gmu.edu and displaying banners in the RAC, Skyline, and the AFC. They also have a team of “street students” who walk around campus handing out flyers and assistants who distribute flyers in the JC and North Plaza.

They have also been given permission to have table tents in student centers, the JC, the HUB and SUB 1.

The event will take place over two days, Nov. 17 from 2 to 9 p.m. and Nov. 18 from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Intramural Field #3. Any student, faculty or staff member can participate. Anyone can coordinate a team of seven players, or sign up as a free agent and either add on to a team needing a player or form teams of just free agents. There will be three or four teams per pool and the winner of each pool will play single elimination games until a winner is crowned.

The winners of this event will receive Turkey Bowl Championship T-shirts and school-wide recognition in numerous student media outlets. There are plenty of opportunities to watch this weekend in between the basketball game this Friday and other football games on TV. So come participate in the event or come and cheer on your classmates.

It is sure to be an entertaining way to start off Thanksgiving Break.

STORY BY JORDAN CONAHAN

Turkey Bowl Fast Facts Date: Nov. 17-18 Team Size: Seven players

Where: Intramural Field 3

Prizes: Turkey Bowl Champ T-shirts and recognition on campus

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MASON MASON MASON MASON MASON MASON MASON MASON Spaces are available for both

Freshmen and Upperclass students!

IMPORTANT DATES: October 15th

Spring General Waitlist application available. Apply early! We will begin making assignment oers in early November and continue on a rolling basis through the beginning of the Spring term.

November 25th

Deadline to submit an Agreement Release Request if you are graduating, withdrawing, or going on Study Away. You will need to move-out by December 20th at 12pm.

November 27th

Deadline to submit a Room Change Request for Fall 2012.

December 20th, 12pm All residences close for Winter Break.

January 18th, 10am

Residences reopen for Spring semester. New residents may move in.

Applications and more information available at:

housing.gmu.edu