Articles by: jdavis15

 

• The Real Fast and Furious

  News1 October 19, 2011 at 3:42 pm Comments are Disabled

  Another week, another scandal for the Obama administration. While the Operation Fast and Furious controversy did not first come to light last week, revelations have culminated to the point where heads are about to roll. As negligent as the Solyndra scandal is, it pales in comparison to this gun-running operation. Make no mistake, complicity in this affair and consequent cover-up is tantamount to being an accessory to murder. In January 2010, a combination of law enforcement personnel from the DOJ, ATF and DEA to the IRS, ICE and FBI ran an undercover operation to selling traced guns to Mexican drug cartel leaders. Unfortunately, the operation was so badly bungled that it resulted in the U.S. government arming vicious criminals, who used some 2,000 high powered guns to wreck havoc in their criminal enterprises. Among the many mistakes was the fact that ATF agents in Mexico were left in the dark about the operation. ATF officials then lied to those agents, claiming the program had ended when, in reality, it wouldn’t end for several more months. This resulted in many of these guns disappearing, only to reappear at crime scenes later. So far, the use of these guns in at least […]

   

• A Manifesto For Occupy Wall Street

  Editorials October 19, 2011 at 3:42 pm Comments are Disabled

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

   

• Student Government Monthly

  Editorials October 19, 2011 at 3:41 pm Comments are Disabled

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

   

• ‘Occupy’ is Far From United

  Editorials October 19, 2011 at 3:40 pm Comments are Disabled

  McPherson Square in downtown D.C. was alive last weekend with protest signs and angry chants as more than 100 people took part in the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations spreading throughout the country. The edges of one end of the park were scattered with sleeping bags, blankets and cardboard signs, and the main sidewalk was complete with an information table, food supplies and a “take one, leave one” cigarette box. Most of the protesters gathered on the grass where organized “assembly meeting” speakers shouted scheduled times for various workshops about talking to the media and handling the police. The group would creepily repeat what another speaker was saying line-by-line, and then shake their hands in the air in unison when they agreed with a speaker. But aside from the unorthodox collective mentality, their message was in no way unified. I was pleased to see veterans and military personnel in uniform holding anti-war signs. It brought back memories of the days when the antiwar movement actually existed. There were signs about everything from advocating free health care to demanding jobs and better pay. Some simply claimed they were the “99 percent” — the group that is not part of the wealthiest 1 […]

   

• The World Has Me Down

  Editorials October 19, 2011 at 3:40 pm Comments are Disabled

  I feel uninspired this week. Sure, the world is filled with tons of events worth writing about — Occupy Wall Street, the death of Steve Jobs, heck even the newest episode of “South Park” provided witty commentary that might be worth tackling — but I’m just not feeling it. Perhaps that’s because I’m far enough into the semester that I’m starting to feel burned out. Or, maybe it’s because writing about all the things wrong in this world on a weekly basis is just exhausting. This whole year, starting back in January, has just been like one long waking nightmare for the world and I think I’m just starting to become numb to it all. Earthquakes, crooked politicians, the slaughter of 77 people in Norway: At some point, how can you not just choose to put up a wall? I feel like we should honestly be gathering supplies and building bomb shelters, so sad and dark are the times we live in. I know I’m coming across as a Debbie Downer, but it’s just how I’ve been feeling. I look at the protests going on in New York, and now D.C. and Norfolk, and just wonder what, if any, impact […]

   

• Cheap Eats with Kristin Janeiro

  Lifestyle October 19, 2011 at 3:39 pm Comments are Disabled

  It’s getting to be that time of year again. The air is turning crisp, the leaves are changing colors and cozy sweaters are finding their way out of the backs of dresser drawers. Fall is my favorite time of the year, not just because I get to break out my boots or because the weather is perfect for running outside, but also because the season calls for a menu of delicious comfort food. Nothing beats walking out of the slight autumnal chill and sitting down to a hot, nostalgia-inducing meal. So grab a few friends and enjoy my recipe for hearty chicken pot pie. Just be sure to save some room for a traditional fall dessert — caramel apples! Chicken Pot Pie 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup frozen peas 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 garlic cloves 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 unbaked pie crusts, 9 inch, round Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine carrots, peas, celery and cubed chicken in a saucepan and […]

   

• Overcoming Procrastination

  Lifestyle October 19, 2011 at 3:37 pm Comments are Disabled

  The average college student starts the morning by hitting the snooze button and occasionally skipping class. They end it watching late night TV or chatting on Facebook instead of doing homework. Dilettantes in the ways of laziness during high school, most students are experts in the field by the time they reach college. Last-minute rushes to the Johnson Center Library to print out a paper or trying to scout out an available computer on campus are just some of the consequences of putting off work until the last second. However, there are many helpful tips to fend off temptation and avoid getting sucked into the downward spiral that is procrastination. 1. Start your homework by doing the least-daunting task. The piece of work that you’re looking forward to the most will be the one that will get your mind focused the fastest. 2. Write out four to five tasks that you want to complete for each day of the week, and reward yourself if you meet a day’s worth of tasks. 3. Designate a relaxation day. You’ll start to work harder throughout the week in anticipation of your “chill day.” 4. Regularly switch between subjects when studying so you don’t […]

   
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  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Lives on Through the Internet

  Lifestyle October 19, 2011 at 3:37 pm Comments are Disabled

  For many die-hard Harry Potter fans, July 15, 2011, was a bittersweet day. As they gathered in long lines and waited to be seated in a movie theater, the reminiscing began. Just about 14 years ago, “the boy who lived” started to win his way into the hearts of millions through the words of author J.K Rowling and the mega-hit movies. As fans sat in the theater at midnight, a nostalgic feeling took over. Were Harry Potter and his story essentially over? Was Harry’s time really gone? Not if J.K. Rowling had anything to do with it. The billionaire author wanted to keep the dream alive and have Harry live on for his fans, even though the series and movies have reached their endpoint. With the help of Sony, Rowling launched Pottermore, an interactive website based on the Harry Potter series, which helped satisfy the craving of the many fans who wanted more after the series and movies were finished. Pottermore is only open to selective beta users at the moment, but will go public at the end of October. The website will offer digital audio books and e-books for purchase through the online Pottermore Shop, along with new information […]

   

• Drake Concert Canceled

  Lifestyle October 19, 2011 at 3:35 pm Comments are Disabled

  The fall concert is an integral part of the George Mason University experience. In years past, Mason has hosted such great acts as Kid Cudi, Taking Back Sunday, the All American Rejects and OneRepublic. As of last week, the concert for the fall 2011 semester was to be no exception. The one and only Drake was slated to take the Patriot Center stage on Nov. 15, much to the excitement of the Mason community. Already a stop on his tour, the Office of Student Involvement worked with Live Nation to purchase discount student tickets for the fall concert instead of booking a similar, separate act. Student Involvement had 900 discount tickets available to sell to the student body on Oct. 7. Lines began early in the morning that Friday and after the doors opened at 10 a.m., it only took two and a half hours for all 900 tickets to be sold. It wasn’t a week later that a member of Student Involvement posted on the wall of the Facebook event that Drake had cancelled the show. While some are concerned about the $35 they spent on the seats, what’s most disconcerting is what’s going to happen to the long-established […]

   
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  The Thing is back

  Lifestyle October 19, 2011 at 3:34 pm Comments are Disabled

  In the time leading up to the release of “The Thing,” my biggest fear was that the movie would abandon all of the tense isolation and fear that the John Carpenter version was remembered for, and instead just deliver a glossy CGI monster-fest. Reading all the advance reviews, you’d think that my fears would have been confirmed. Truth is they were, but they also weren’t at the same time. Anyone who’s seen the Capenter’s take has an idea of what they’re getting themselves into with this prequel/remake. Scientists uncover an alien specimen capable of shape-shifting into any organism it wants to. When your setting for a film is Antarctica and you have no idea who is human and who isn’t, obviously suspense and tension build. And that’s why the movie wasn’t a loss for me. Despite the abundance of CGI in the movie, especially during the last act, I was still on edge just wondering what was going to happen next. That being said, all I wanted to do after I finished watching the prequel was go home and re-watch the Carpenter version. The truth is that there’s nothing in this updated film that really compares to the it, and […]