Articles by: jdavis15

 

• Bullying Regulations Go Too Far

  Editorials October 24, 2011 at 7:38 pm Comments are Disabled

  Earlier this year New Jersey enacted the toughest anti-bullying law in the country. The aptly named Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights was put in place after the death of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi. It also stemmed from a handful of other high profile bullying-related incidents across the country. While instances of this type of harassment are tragic, they absolutely do not require an across-the-board government solution. According to the New Jersey law, “Each school must designate an anti-bullying specialist to investigate complaints; each district must, in turn, have an anti-bullying coordinator; and the State Education Department will evaluate every effort, posting grades on its website. Superintendents said that educators who failed to comply could lose their licenses.” The added costs to this government overreach are putting already financially stressed school districts in dire straits. As a result, in East Hanover, New Jersey, lunch-line bullies can be reported to the police anonymously through a Crime Stoppers hotline. Additionally, localities must appoint a safety team to review bullying complaints. Administrators and teachers have to attend training seminars and children must attend workshops and put up with posters, programs, and cheesy role-playing exercises to increase awareness. These overreaching regulations teach kids to snitch on […]

   

• The Princess Who Quit Disney

  Editorials October 24, 2011 at 7:37 pm Comments are Disabled

  Everything changes when we see a handsome man. Sitting on the subway, staring out of the window into the fleeting darkness. We take a second longer to look, hopeful that he might glance our way and smile. Then, the entire ride and our happiness is solely based on whether or not he looks over, smiles and thinks of some cute line to introduce himself. It’s quite sad, actually. A woman’s life almost revolves around this chance of meeting the hopeful bachelor who wants to be in a committed relationship and will one day want to settle down, have children and be wealthy enough to have a pool in his backyard. And where exactly is this okay? Yup: in the fairy tales we grew up reading and the movies we become old watching. So, you’re at the local coffeehouse reading the paper as your attention slowly fades and enters another dimension where only he exists. You feign amusement in the paper just to show that you’re engaging enough to pique his interest. He finishes his cup, attention directed to the keystrokes of his laptop, and then he quickly gets up to leave, as if he was never there, a figment of […]

   

• Letter to the Editor: Mason to Metro Needs Work

  Editorials October 24, 2011 at 7:37 pm Comments are Disabled

  I applaud Mason’s past efforts to encourage public transportation by providing, and then fortifying, shuttle bus service to the Vienna Metro. Unfortunately, a recent decision was made to route all Mason-to-Metro shuttles through campus congestion from the Mason Inn to Rappahannock. This decision has, in effect, thrown Mason’s public transportation commuters “under the bus”; the very people who are part of the solution to vehicular traffic on campus end up suffering the most. (Should it really have to take commuters an extra 45 minutes to get home whenever there’s “an event” on campus?) We all know that the key to successful public transportation is efficiency. A direct route from Rappahannock to the Metro is common sense. The current quagmire is not. The Mason community can do better. Sincerely, Jim Lepore Professor

   

• Follow These Tips to Keep Your Hair Looking Fresh

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:36 pm Comments are Disabled

  Over the course of centuries, the roles and ambitions of women around the globe have changed drastically. However, the one thing that has remained consistent throughout time has been the undying love women have for their hair. Dating back to ancient times, women of all ages have spent great amounts of time formulating concoctions that will make their hair look healthy, strong, shiny and, of course, better than everyone else’s. For women, these strands of fiber are not just another feature of their anatomy; they are an expression of their personality and a characteristic that defines their style to the world. Women today are willing to spend a fortune on their hair, even if a particular treatment damages it or contains hazardous chemicals. Last year alone, women around the world spent close to $1 billion on hair services and products. Type: Before you start forming your hair care regimens, you must first be fully aware of your hair type and know whether it’s curly, straight, frizzy, chemically treated or heat damaged. You should also know how your hair behaves when it is exposed to water, color, heat, humidity and different types of styling products. This knowledge will prevent you from […]

   
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  Clothing Line Promotes Awareness of Climate Change

  News1 October 24, 2011 at 7:35 pm Comments are Disabled

  Over the past century alone the global temperature has risen by one full degree Fahrenheit. To illustrate the implications of rising temperatures, we may note that during the last ice age the average global temperature was only nine degrees lower than it is now. Many people do not realize the negative effects of their lifestyles on the environment. Scientists generally agree that without proper education leading to widespread awareness and behavioral change, the Earth may become uninhabitable. As a reaction to this global climate change, Estee Seward created the “conscientious apparel line” Sunburned Clothing. Seward grew up in D.C. and at 21 moved to Manhattan to work for fashion designer Betsey Johnson. Four years later, Seward was back in the nation’s capital booking a comedy club. As the comedy scene became more centered in Hollywood, Seward moved to the west coast to work as a personal assistant for comedian Bill Maher, the host of “Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time.” Working with Maher, she had many opportunities to learn about different causes. Having always been involved with fashion and comedy, Seward wanted her clothing line to present the idea of global warming through a comedic light. Her concept of lightly portraying […]

   
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  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:34 pm Comments are Disabled

  I was unable to attend the “Paranormal Activity 3” screening that happened in the Johnson Center, but from what I heard through the grapevine, everyone seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. And with an estimated record-breaking opening of $54 million, it’s safe to say that like me, the rest of the world enjoyed the newest installment in the trilogy. When I saw the first “Paranormal Activity” back in 2009, it was via the “Demand It” campaign that gained the movie it’s notoriety. The experience was perfect. No talking, no cell phones. The only noise came from the occasional scream, and the collective inhale that came every time a night sequence started. Then the second one came out and even though it had some good moments that made me jump — namely the cabinet scene, it already felt stagnant and stale. It really was almost like a pasted copy of the original, with too few original ideas. Not so with the third one, though I do think they’re going to have a hard time coming up with reasons to continually have a camera running during the events that are happening in whatever obvious sequel we’ll see next year. Seriously, the introduction of […]

   

• In the Quest to Look Good, Where Do We Draw the Line?

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:32 pm Comments are Disabled

  Last week I read a Cosmopolitan article that said women are bleaching their anuses. You didn’t misread, I promise. According to Cosmopolitan’s “The Scary New Butt Beauty Trend,” for $100 or more you can get “an acid applied to your freshly waxed anus and rubbed in.” And apparently ladies, for almost no extra charge, you can get your you-know-what bleached as well. Doesn’t that sound delightful? Women go through the already painful routine of waxing, tweezing, styling, manicures and pedicures, but I did not think that we had come to a point in society where we have to have our nether regions bleached in order to look sexy for a guy. Every time I roll up my hair in curlers and peel off one of those painful pore-strips, I have to think to myself, “Why am I putting myself in so much pain just get a guy to notice me?” I mean, could you imagine getting your anus bleached? I don’t even think it’s safe to use that chemical when I’m cleaning, let alone using it on my back side. Why in the world are women doing this to themselves? Do men really care if our buttholes are supposed to […]

   
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  America’s Next Top Model Tell-All

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:31 pm Comments are Disabled

  When I tried out for “America’s Next Top Model,” I had no idea how far I would go or what kind of connections I would make. To this day I don’t even really know why I tried out. I had never seen the show before and just happened to hear about the D.C. tryouts. I told my mom about them and she encouraged me to go and give it a try — after all, it would be a fun experience. What did I have to lose? To prepare for the tryouts, I filled out paperwork that featured a long series of questions. I printed a few photos I had lying around and included them in my application. Then I laid out my skinny jeans, a black T-shirt and my nose-bleed high heels to get ready for the next day. When I arrived at the tryouts, I was shocked to see a line wrapping around the entire venue. There were thousands of girls waiting to try to become “America’s next top model.” Nevertheless, I had come all this way, so I figured I’d give it a shot. When I finally reached the front of the line I was hurried to the […]

   

• Blogs, Online Magazines Have Made Fashion More Accessable to General Public

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:29 pm Comments are Disabled

  New technology has made the fashion industry much more accessible. The Internet is full of fashion blogs, online fashion magazines and stores that allow the public to get their fashion fix without ever having to leave the comfort of their homes. Fashion blogs have completely changed the face of fashion. Designers now have a new way to market their products and receive extra publicity from well-known bloggers who post pictures of their runway shows. New, up-and-coming designers have a platform to showcase their designs to the public, something that wouldn’t easily be done on their own. Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie and Rumi Neely of Fashiontoast, along with a handful of other bloggers, have now become front- row staples at New York Fashion Week. Why exactly are bloggers so popular? For one, they are able to reach the public with just one click, something that magazines aren’t able to do. Before a fashion show is even over, bloggers are posting pictures, videos or comments on the show. Before fashion blogs and online magazine content was created, the public would have to wait close to a month before they could get the same information in most magazines and newspapers. Each blogger’s […]

   
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  Breastival Returns to Entertain, Educate

  Lifestyle October 24, 2011 at 7:28 pm Comments are Disabled

  Every October, the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education hosts Breastival, an event which aims to educate students about breast cancer awareness with food, activities and prizes from various vendors and booths. This year, Breastival will be held on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Johnson Center North Plaza. It will be free and open to the public. In previous years, there have been popular games such as “Pin the Nipple on the Boob,” “Guess How Many Gumballs This Bra Can Hold,” “Breast of Show” and “Breast Fact Jeopardy.” As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, students learn about early detection and the warning signs of the deadly disease. They also learn how to promote awareness and healthy lifestyle habits for the future. Did You Know? •About one in eight American women will develop invasive breast cancer sometime during their lives. •Currently, there are about 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. •A woman’s risk of breast cancer doubles if she has a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Nevertheless, about 75 percent of diagnosed breast cancer cases are not hereditary. •Besides lung cancer, breast cancer death rates are higher than any other cancer […]