Articles by: skline

 

• Volition – What is It?

  Lifestyle February 6, 2012 at 4:05 pm Comments are Disabled

  For anyone who has ever considered the prospect of publishing a piece of writing, be it a poem, a short story or an essay, even entertaining the thought can be daunting and induce feelings of stress and anxiety. But, thanks to Volition magazine, much of that strain can be alleviated. Volition is a literary magazine for George Mason University students who are interested in publishing their written work. Originally established in 1996 as Apathy, the journal has remained relatively small and underground in terms of literary journals on campus. “Pretty much since my freshman year, it’s been like a maximum of five people working at a time,” said Volition Co-Editor Kathy Morgenegg, a junior double majoring in Russian and creative writing. “It’s always been a really small magazine.” Volition Co-Editor Hannah Wing, a junior biology major, can attest to that as well. “A lot of our staff has graduated, especially last year.” However, they are hoping to change that this year given the number of goals they’ve set for themselves, including the redesign of the journal’s logo, the biannual cover contest and the ever-popular open-mic night which will be held at a tentative time in mid to late February. One […]

   

• Climate Change is Here to Stay

  Editorials February 6, 2012 at 4:04 pm Comments are Disabled

  Scientists believe that there are only three possible causes of global warming: the sun, the Earth’s reflectivity and the emission of greenhouse gases. After careful consideration of the past, it is simple to see that the skyrocketing level of greenhouse gas emissions is where the majority of the problem lies. Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius, with knowledge that carbon dioxide traps heat, was the first person to introduce the idea of global warming in 1896. Just as Arrhenius expected they would, humans have been burning fossil fuels at escalating rates over the past century, adding to the inescapable future of a warmer planet. The consumption of fossil fuels is not the sole reason for climate change, but combined with deforestation and other human-related acts, a life-altering combo has been met. Despite the popularity of the theory of global warming, one must realize that recent temperature changes do not necessarily entail rising mercury in all instances. According to a 2011–12 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report, temperatures were predicted to be warmer for the east coast, whereas the west coast was expected to experience unprecedented lows. Nevertheless, as each day goes by, we are learning that weather conditions can defy expectations and […]

   

• Cuban Embargo Does Not Help Anyone

  Editorials February 6, 2012 at 4:04 pm Comments are Disabled

  There’s a great quote by the comedian W.C. Fields that goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.” In the weeks leading up to the Florida primary, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum heaped praise on the Cuban embargo and criticized President Barack Obama for loosening some of its restrictions. In my opinion, they are being damn fools. When the embargo was implemented in 1960, the idea was that it would catalyze Fidel Castro’s overthrow by weakening Cuba’s economy and thereby stimulating populist discontent. Although the Cuban embargo has spanned more than half a century, it has categorically failed to achieve its stated goal of fomenting a democratic revolution. While the policy has certainly succeeded in exacerbating Cuba’s economic hardships, it has done nothing to weaken the Castro regime or incite a populist revolution. If anything, the policy has strengthened Castro’s regime by increasing the Cuban people’s dependence on the regime’s welfare state and by providing Cuba’s government with a convenient scapegoat for the failure of its centrally planned economy to generate material wealth. To quote Brink Lindsey, a former senior fellow at the Cato Institute, […]

   

• Security is an Illusion, so Speak Up

  Editorials February 6, 2012 at 4:03 pm Comments are Disabled

  When I turned 18, this is exactly what used to float aggressively through my mind: “So, I’m 18! Big deal! Everything is still going to be the same.” People expect freedom, but I don’t think of freedom the same way others do. Freedom is not prancing around in a mini skirt and halter top, intoxicated and ping-ponging from guy to guy. Freedom at any age is being more aware of your surroundings and being more positively influential. You may say that I shouldn’t think turning 18 means being a positive role model, but we all have things within us that need mending and fixing, and if we’re not honest with ourselves, then who will be? If we can’t do ourselves that favor, then forget about fixing and mending; you’ll be better off dreaming. I remember being on the metro bus as a child when a couple of ladies said something to me that I was too tiny to comprehend. “When you lie, you’re only lying to yourself.” I looked at them with a dumbfounded expression and had to pretend that they weren’t completely crazy — Mom always told me to be considerate of people’s emotions. I thought about what the […]

   

• What Does Post-Nuclear World Look Like?

  Editorials February 6, 2012 at 4:03 pm Comments are Disabled

  I woke up at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday so that I could get to Quantico on time. I was invited to a conference on the club of nuclear powers, specifically concerning which members were willing to either prevent or aid in the proliferation of weapons of mass detruction. The conference, which took place at U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico and was hosted by Marine Corps University, was opened by Maj. Gen Thomas Murray, president of MCU. The keynote speaker who followed was Gen. Susan Desjardins, director of strategic planning of the Air Mobility Command within the U.S. Air Force. After her captivating speech, I was left with only one question: what are the future implications of a changing nuclear climate in relation to her policies of deterrence? As the youngest person in attendance, I wanted to make sure I thought out my question and spoke clearly. Before I asked, I confirmed that she was, in fact, the head authority on the subject. I proceeded to pass along a question which I’ve been asked by many skeptics before but worded it in a slightly more appropriate, contextual manner: “Because the United States has committed to pursuance of a world free of […]

   

• Johnson Center Blues

  Editorials February 6, 2012 at 4:02 pm Comments are Disabled

  You know what really grinds my gears? The Johnson Center. It is an utter pit of misery due to a chaotic combination of the people, the noise, the people, the copious amounts of trash strewn about, the people, the weird games constantly being played and did I mention the people? It has got to be one of the worst places on campus. First, let’s talk about the extreme noise level. Why is it always so high? The excessive volume makes it almost impossible to accomplish anything. There are always at least three kinds of people in your immediate vicinity who contribute to this issue. The first sort is the people who feel the need to share multiple YouTube videos with anyone and everyone possible. These people seem to never have invested in a pair of earphones like a normal person and apparently love Britney Spears, farm animals and old Dragon Ball Z video clips. The second kind of people are closely related to the first. They’re the ones who listen to their music at full volume and also seemingly have never heard of earphones. This means that you get to listen to every word and note of every song of […]

   

• Want Sauce with That?

  Lifestyle February 6, 2012 at 3:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  Bored of the limited and unimaginative music Pandora offers you? Tired of spending hours on end finding the newest and best music? Well, I’m here to pass the sauce. Founder of saucewiththat.com, Kayvon Nik asks our generation, would you like something really awesome to go with your uninspired life? Saucewiththat.com is the one-stop shop for all things dance, dub-step, house and even moombahton. Nik, a business information technology major at Virginia Tech, got together with his friends and realized that their love for music should be shared with the world. “Before, when I heard an awesome song, I was only able to share it with a limited amount of people,” Nik said. “I listen to music all day, and now I want to share the best of it with the world.” What’s up with the sauce? Aiming to create a positive environment, where modern-day electronic maestros can come together and share their love for music, saucewiththat.com tracks down all types of dance music, sharing album art, informative descriptions of each song and the song file itself. Sound clips range from a fist-pumping three minutes to blood-rushing, electrifying hourlong podcasts. “Where innovation is tradition.” Sound familiar, George Mason University? Nik and […]

   
• 

  Baird Delivers Flawless Anthem

  Sports February 6, 2012 at 3:33 pm Comments are Disabled

  With almost 9,800 pairs of eyes pointed his way, Jordan Baird, junior music major and walk-on for George Mason University’s basketball team, opened the Homecoming game with the national anthem. Baird first started singing before kindergarten, taking after his mother and older brother. Basketball was another inherited talent; Baird’s father and brother both played. He is the first in his family to play at the college level. After high school, Baird didn’t immediately follow up on his basketball career after a deal with Shenandoah University fell through. However, he did end up as a walk-on for the Mason team, which he calls a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “We know our place as walk-ons, but just because you know your place doesn’t mean you can’t strive for something more,” Baird said. “I’m always working hard in practice, and you never know when they might need us and might put us in, so you just have to keep on working hard. Overall it’s just been an awesome experience. The guys are great.” After landing a record deal last summer Baird released his single “Grateful.” When basketball season started, he had to choose between music and basketball. “Choosing between music and basketball was a decision […]

   

• OHRL Nixes Room Retention, Group Priority

  News1 January 30, 2012 at 10:12 pm Comments are Disabled

  The Office of Housing and Residence Life has made changes to the housing selection process which includes the elimination of room retention, priority for groups and a new $300 security deposit. OHRL is doing these things to reduce uncertainty in the housing selection process. This year, those with the least amount of credits will be given priority in housing selection. This is designed to give underclassmen a better chance at living on campus, said Jen Frank, assistant director of Housing Services. At an information session Thursday, some were concerned that this threatens senior privilege. “We do acknowledge that some portion of seniors will be on the Guaranteed Waiting List from the start of the process,” Frank said. “We really think that the older students are more suited to deal with that ambiguity of being on the wait list.” Those seniors will still be guaranteed housing on campus, just maybe not in the location of their choice. Students also will no longer be able to retain the same housing they have now, but instead will reenter the housing pool each year. Another change is that group applicants will be given priority over individuals in the housing selection.  “[Students] spend all their […]

   

• BOV Talks Korea Branch, Athletics

  News1 January 30, 2012 at 10:08 pm Comments are Disabled

  The George Mason University Board of Visitors met Wednesday to discuss and update several endeavors that the university is currently undertaking. One of the most important items presented at the meeting was an update on Mason’s efforts to establish a branch in Songdo, South Korea’s Incheon Free Economic Zone. According to the Songdo Task Force, Mason has not finalized the plans for the foreign branch because it has not received a post-five-year financial analysis from its Korean partners. There is still hope amongst administration officials that the information can be gathered in time for a tentative March 2013 opening of the Songdo branch. Another major talking point of the meeting was the budget for Mason’s athletic program. In a PowerPoint presented in part by Thomas O’Connor at the meeting, it was stated that only two percent of Mason’s budget goes toward athletics. This means that of the $858.9 million that Mason has at its disposal, athletics receives only $17.4 million. It was also stated that Mason’s athletic program is not self sustaining; fully 75 percent of the combined athletic program’s revenue is generated through student fees, according to the PowerPoint. The collaboration between Mason and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute […]