Archive for September, 2011

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  FROM THE VAULT: Jagged Little Pill

  Lifestyle September 26, 2011 at 8:06 pm Comments are Disabled

  It is common knowledge to anyone who has been listening to music since before the turn of the millennium that the ‘90s was the era of the rebellious, alternative rock band. It is also common knowledge, though, that music has not been the same since. As swiftly as alternative rock made it to the charts, it faded into the distant memories of the 20th Century as the new millennium brought more upbeat, up-tempo music. While the likes of Nirvana, Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers will always reign as supreme kings of the ’90s, there was one woman who shook things up and inserted herself as the queen of rock. Perhaps as one of the most drastic surprises of the ‘90s, Alanis Morissette rocked the world with her now-classic album “Jagged Little Pill.” Filled with enough angst to satiate the emotional needs of just about everyone who been through a sour relationship, “Jagged Little Pill” is a rock phenomenon unmatched by any album of any female rock artist since. With the radio today being so saturated with heavy synth beats, auto-tune and techno rhythms, “Jagged Little Pill” is a touch of authenticity that cannot go unnoticed. But while the […]

   
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  Cheap Eats

  Lifestyle September 26, 2011 at 8:04 pm Comments are Disabled

  Those of us residing in the dorms know that living away from home is simply fantastic. There are no parents to get on our cases, no horrific commutes to campus — unless you want to count getting past those crossing guards — and let’s not forget the sweet, sweet freedom. But with life’s ups come its downs. On campus there are no mothers to help out with our laundry, and because our fathers are not the ones mowing the grass outside our windows at ungodly hours of the morning, we can’t tell them to knock it off. On top of this we are cognizant of the distinct lack of delicious home-cooked meals. After enough turkey sandwiches and instant noodle cups, heading home for a weekend starts to look pretty appealing. But don’t go packing your overnight bag just yet. With this recipe for meatloaf and mashed potatoes, you can be transported home without going through the 30-minute ordeal of detaching yourself from your mother’s embrace when trying to leave. Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons of the ketchup. Transport mixture to a loaf pan. Brush the top of the loaf with the remaining ketchup. Bake […]

   

• Skateboarding Is Not a Crime

  Lifestyle September 26, 2011 at 8:02 pm Comments are Disabled

  When the office asked me to review “Abduction,” I begrudgingly gritted my teeth and decided to bear it. If I want to do this for a living, I’m going to have to sit through a few turkeys from time to time. But let me tell you, not only is “Abduction” not a winner, it makes every loser (I use the term for film, not people) appear Oscar-worthy in comparison. In wrestling, there is a term called a “push.” It’s when they give a young, up-and-comer a chance to go up against a top-biller to see how he does. It’s your chance to thrust yourself from a supporting role to superstardom. Clearly, that’s what Lionsgate attempted to do by casting Sigourney Weaver and Alfred Molina alongside Taylor Lautner. Unfortunately, it does nothing to bolster the young werewolf’s career. Instead, it just makes me wonder if it’s hard to find work in Hollywood nowadays. I’m going to be honest with all of you: Forty-five minutes into the movie I couldn’t take it anymore. This is not a good movie. I even checked Rotten Tomatoes where it currently sits at a 3 percent rotten score, so clearly I’m not alone in my loathing. […]

   
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  Red Hot Chili Peppers Are Back With New Album

  Lifestyle September 26, 2011 at 8:01 pm Comments are Disabled

  For band that has lost their lead guitarist for the second time in its lifespan, the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ first album in five years, “I’m With You,” could start no other way: in chaos. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to be taking it so well this time around. The lead track, “Monarchy of Roses,” opens with muddy guitar work and thundering drums — like what the apocalypse would probably sound like. Lead singer Anthony Kiedis grumbles behind vocal distortion and then before you know it, we’re back to the usual RHCP circa “Stadium Arcadium” like nothing happened. The nostalgia lasts a solid 30 seconds through the chorus before we go back to the hectic verses, as if the song can’t decide what it wants to sound like. The lead track ends without leaving much of an impression — something not indicative of an album well-put-together. It’s not unreasonable to expect the album to hook me in from the get-go, and “I’m With You” does it for the wrong reasons. The second track makes it painfully obvious that not only is RHCP’s world-famous bassist Flea commanding the band’s lead instrument, but that the new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer still has no idea […]

   

• Movies Distort the Reality of Meeting Your Significant Other’s Parents

  Lifestyle September 26, 2011 at 7:59 pm Comments are Disabled

  Let’s just assume that by this point everybody has seen “Meet the Parents,” “Meet the Fockers” or “Little Fockers.” This trilogy of sorts puts a strong emphasis on that special moment when significant others must meet the parents or family for the first time. In the movies this moment is heavily dramatized, with the parents’ seriousness or eccentricities played up for great effect. The fact of the matter is, the media almost never depicts parents whose personalities lie in the middle, in the normal-human-being range. Rather, producers take it to the extreme in order to accentuate the hilarity of this first meeting and, in effect, compel viewers to loosen up and laugh a little, while at the same time instilling in them the sense that meeting the parents should be a feared event. What one must realize is that movies — comedies in particular — are just a canvas painted with humor in order to bring about riotous laughs. Scenes from movies typically do not reflect reality. Therefore, when it comes time for you to meet the parents, remember these key things: How much do you value an ally? Both parents contribute a great deal to the way in which […]

   
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  Prescription Drug Abuse on the Rise

  Lifestyle September 26, 2011 at 7:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, about half of all Americans now take at least one prescription drug. The slew of pharmaceutical commercials, media hype and the constant need of consumers and drug companies alike to find a cure for the smallest of health ailments has steered Americans into the vast prescription drug network. Although these medicinal advances have made it possible to curb disease and relieve those who suffer, in the wrong hands they can do the very opposite. Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications are the most-abused drugs by adolescents, second only to marijuana, as noted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Aspects of popular culture have made it acceptable for teens and college students to engage in this activity, even making it a trendy thing to do at parties and a spectacle for those watching. Depressants, opioids, stimulants, painkillers and narcotics are among the drugs used by students to lose weight, fit in, alter their personalities and get high. But prescription drug abuse isn’t just for the thrill seekers anymore. Increased academic pressure on students has made this illegal activity all too normal. Adderall, a stimulant used primarily to treat ADHD, is […]

   
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  Math Club Joins Physics Club to Combat Low Student Turnout

  News1 September 26, 2011 at 7:51 pm Comments are Disabled

  The Math Club has joined with the Physics Club after low enrollment made it difficult for officers to hold the clubs together. “Our goal is to provide students with a venue to pursue their interests in math and physics with their peers. We hope to connect students with opportunities in the field after they graduate, and raise awareness about math and physics in the community,” said Nick Chaung, the president of the club, The club offers an informal gathering for students to discuss relevant topics. “Anyone is welcome to stop by, we get a cross section of students from the science and math departments. Don’t feel intimidated, we have students of all levels,” said Chaung, a senior math major. Activities at the meetings vary from relaxed movie nights to talks from guest speakers in the field. “Our vice president works for a government agency so she arranged for a statistician to come speak to the club in October,” said Chaung. According to Chaung, many people do not know what kinds of careers students can go into after earning a degree in mathematics or physics. One of the club’s goals is to provide students with real-life connections and interactions with people […]

   
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  EAG and Office of Sustainability Partner Up for Green Fund

  News1 September 26, 2011 at 7:49 pm Comments are Disabled

  Three years in the making, the Patriot Green Fund is the product of the hard work and persistence of the George Mason University Environmental Action Group and the Office of Sustainability. It will fund projects with the goal of promoting environmental awareness and sustainability in the Mason community. Each year it will provide $80,000 to make upgrades to infrastructure that would reduce Mason’s impact on the environment. Another $20,000 will go toward projects with a focus on research. “The most exciting thing about it is that it’s been student-led,” said Mason Sustainability Fellow Dann Sklarew, a member of the PGF committee. One proposal would create a green roof for the School of Public Policy in the Arlington campus. Another would recycle food waste from Southside, for example, using leftover vegetable oil as bio-fuel. “The oil that our french fries are boiled in could be running our shuttles the next day,” Sklarew said. Even with overwhelming student support, the initial proposal was met with some resistance. The campaign for the PGF began in 2008 when some members of the EAG proposed having a Green Fee of $5 per semester for full-time students to fund sustainability efforts around school. It was based […]

   
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  Mason Professor to Receive Medal

  News1 September 26, 2011 at 7:46 pm Comments are Disabled

  Suzanne Smith, a professor of history at George Mason University, has been named a finalist for the Annual Library of Virginia Literary Award. The award is given to influential Virginian authors in the genres of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. “My overall interest as a professor is the history of black entrepreneurship and the history of how blacks engage in capitalism and business,” Smith said. Smith, who received her Ph.D. from Yale University in American Studies, is being recognized for her nonfiction book, “To Serve the Living: Funeral Directors and the African American Way of Death.” The award will be presented on Oct. 15 at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. “I have been told by the organizers that I will receive a medal for being in the top three,” Smith said. “The award is acknowledging the quality of my writing; my ability to tell the story of these funeral directors. Beyond it just being good history, I think it’s good history as well, but I think it’s acknowledging my skills as a storyteller, which is kind of exciting.” The book talks about black funeral directors who firmly supported the long struggle for freedom while fulfilling their duties of burying those […]

   

• Mason Gets C-Span Booknotes

  News1 September 26, 2011 at 7:44 pm Comments are Disabled

  George Mason University has acquired the complete collection of the 801 books discussed on C-SPAN’s popular television show “Booknotes,” which ran from 1989 to 2004. “Booknotes” was a successful show where host Brian Lamb, who also founded C-SPAN, would interview a different nonfiction author every week about their book. Mason acquired the books discussed on “Booknotes” through the initiative of John Zenelis, the university librarian. Zenelis said that his purpose in acquiring the “Booknotes” collection was to bring primary research materials to campus. He wanted to do this because he sensed that the “Booknotes” collection had historical value and represented a portion of intellectual history. “That’s what university libraries of our research level do,” Zenelis said. “They acquire primary materials that can be used for teaching, learning and research activities.” The collection did not cost Mason a single dollar; they were a gift from Brian Lamb and C-SPAN. Zenelis had been a regular viewer of the program and once Lamb announced that the program was coming to an end, he reached out to the host. “I decided that it would be worthwhile for me to explore, on behalf of the university, whether we could bring that collection here,” Zenelis said. […]