Articles by: sonya hudson
 

  • Causing mass Hysteria

    Lifestyle April 5, 2010 at 12:59 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Evan Benton, Staff Writer Let me take you back nearly 30 years to the era of the much underappreciated and misunderstood glam-metal genre. Its heyday lay between the glitzy, extravagant and unapologetic years of 1981 and 1989, characterized by titans like Great White, Cinderella, Winger, Firehouse and L.A. Guns. This was a time of rampant androgyny, of tight spandex pants and their essential bulges. This was the golden age of Mötley Crüe, of Poison, of Warrant, who combined are responsible for truckloads of Jack Daniels passed through their collective veins, crates of cocaine passed through their naval cavities and tens of thousands of groupies just plain passed around. This was a time of men, a time of giants. And in terms of popularity, no band was more gigantic than Def Leppard, legendary libertines of the stage and multi-platinum recording artists. Already a household name and relative icon of the age thanks to 1983’s Pyromania and almost constant MTV coverage, Def Leppard took nearly four years on hiatus before producing their next album. In 1984 the band had to overcome a debilitating setback that would have ultimately destroyed a lesser group — the loss of drummer Rick Allen’s left arm […]

     
  • Mason gets last laugh: Lafferty provides Mason with a crucial hit and run

    Sports March 29, 2010 at 1:02 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor George Mason University softball Head Coach Joe Verbanic made a gutsy move in the fifth inning as he waved in freshman first baseman Emily Lafferty to give the Patriots an insurance run. That run proved to be the eventual game-winning run as Mason held off the James Madison Dukes 6-5 on Saturday afternoon at the George Mason Softball Complex, after losing the matinee game 5-0 in the conference opener. Despite losing three straight, the Dukes still came into the game as the favored team. After the Saturday split, Mason moved to 8-10 on the season while the Dukes went to 14-17. Dukes freshman starting pitcher Cara Stecher threw the second complete game shutout of her career, striking out three batters. Sophomore designated hitter Casey Mansfield had a perfect 3-for-3 day with three RBIs, putting the game away with a two-run single in the sixth inning. The Patriots, on the other hand, struggled to bring in a run, having a runner reach third base in each of the first six innings. Mason loaded the bases with two outs and came up empty-handed. “We were a little anxious at the plate, swinging a little bit early […]

     
  • Gaining the spotlight: Mason Special Olympics seeks to gain recognition

    Sports March 29, 2010 at 1:01 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Fernanda Bartels, Staff Writer Some people may have seen the George Mason University Learning Into Future Environments (LIFE) Special Olympics program teams playing during halftime of basketball and soccer games. But only a few people know about the program and its success over the years. The Mason Special Olympics program started six years ago within the LIFE Program. Mason LIFE is a four-year program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The LIFE Program has been in existence since 2001. The curriculum of the program covers a wide range of courses, from communication skills such as reading and writing to interacting and socializing with others. Mason LIFE’s four-year curriculum includes fitness and sports-related courses. Although the Mason LIFE curriculum introduces its students to the world of sports, the Special Olympics program has a different approach. The students enter the world of competitive sports, where team work and companionship lead to success on the court. “Special Olympics is their only avenue into sports, and [for] teaching them self reliance and camaraderie,” said Head Coach Leo Alonso, one of the three coaches of the Special Olympics program. By strengthening friendships and building character, the Special Olympics program has grown over the […]

     
  • A rollercoaster finish: Baseball team’s rally falls short against the Dukes

    Sports March 29, 2010 at 1:00 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Cody Norman, Staff Writer The George Mason University baseball team scored 10 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and forced extra innings in the first of a three-game set against the rival James Madison Dukes, but the Patriots were unable to complete the comeback, losing 21-16 on Friday night at Spuhler Field. The Patriots kicked off Colonial Athletic Association play on Friday afternoon, with a wild start and finish as the two teams combined for 37 runs and 42 hits. “That was one for the books,” said Head Coach Bill Brown. “I’ve never seen that before.” JMU took a comfortable 12-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning before a 10-run frame knotted the contest at 12 apiece. Junior right fielder Shane Davis led off the inning with a single before senior catcher Josh Steinberg brought him home with a double to right-center field. Mason then loaded the bases for sophomore second baseman Brig Tison, who belted his first homerun of the season and closed the gap to 12-7. The Patriots scored another run and reloaded the bases on three walks and a hit by pitch when Steinberg stepped to the plate and crushed a fastball […]

     
  • Sports in a minute: Postgame recaps and athletic news at Mason

    Sports March 29, 2010 at 12:58 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor and Cody Norman, Staff Writer Streak Snapped at Six Entering Tuesday afternoon’s contest against the Richmond Spiders, the George Mason University baseball team posted six consecutive victories dating back to their March 2 loss at the hands of the Spiders. A solo homerun from senior shortstop Ryan Soares followed by a two-out RBI single by senior third baseman Mark Hill gave the Patriots an early advantage, but a fourth-inning homerun off the bat of Billy Barber knotted the game at 2 apiece. Richmond took the lead for good. Phil Ruzbarsky led off the fifth inning with a solo homerun against sophomore pitcher Ryan Pfaeffle. Soares, sophomore center fielder Jeremy Haas, junior first baseman Dan Palumbo and senior designated hitter Josh Steinberg each recorded at least two hits for the Patriots, but the team stranded a total of 11 runners on base. Pfaeffle took the loss and fell to 1-3 on the season while Richmond’s Jared Bard picked up the win in relief, and Barber earned his third save of the season. Bison Stampede Over Patriots in Doubleheader The George Mason University softball team took the field against the Howard Bison on Wednesday afternoon for […]

     
  • Powell's Playbook: Living in my own field of dreams

    Sports March 29, 2010 at 12:56 pm Comments are Disabled

    By John Powell, Asst. Sports Editor So baseball season is finally in full swing. And softball season is too for that matter. As much as I love sports in general, as well as George Mason University Patriots basketball, I have to say that baseball is my passion. I have been playing the sport since I was in fifth grade, since I saw my first baseball game. I went to Atlanta for a school competition and found myself in Turner Field, the home of the big league team, decked out in a new home Braves jersey and ready to learn about what would become my team. I brought the game back home with me and played on those teams that we all remember when there was no competition; we were all playing for fun. Then, I hit middle school and played for my high school’s junior varsity team, where I learned how to play third base. Aside from all the sexual jokes that come with playing baseball with a team of prepubescent teenagers (don’t worry, this is not “In Bed with Billy”), I loved the team. My best memories come from the game: the late-night workouts at the gym, the early-morning […]

     
  • Mason athlete highlights: Luke Hancock

    Sports March 29, 2010 at 12:55 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Accaiya Evans, Broadside Correspondent As the regular season has come to an end, it is evident that freshman forward Luke Hancock has been a vital addition to the George Mason University men’s basketball team. After posting great numbers coming off the bench, Hancock looks to be a major force in the upcoming Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Hancock played in all 32 games of the regular season and started in only three games. However, his sixth-man role play has been a great asset to the success of the Patriots conference play this season. Off the bench, Hancock leads the freshmen averaging 23 minutes per game, fifth highest on the team. Hancock was named one of the top 25 freshmen by Basketball Prospectus in January and earned his spot on the CAA All-Rookie Team. His contribution of 7.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game has been the determining factor in the team’s margin of victory. Hancock achieved season highs with 15 points against the the George Washington Colonials in early December and grabbed nine rebounds in a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Puerto Rico Tip-off Tournament in November. With his great court vision, Hancock has been one […]

     
  • Will the real Bon Jovi please stand up?

    Lifestyle March 29, 2010 at 12:48 pm Comments are Disabled

    By Evan Benton, Staff Writer Jon Bon Jovi is perhaps most responsible for ushering in the short-lived but ridiculously popular hair metal genre in the mid – late ’80s. While that may not be the greatest compliment in this day and age, it’s nevertheless a fantastic personal achievement. Bon Jovi represented the genre with his long, teased-out hair, his pretty-boy looks, his unstoppable voice and his shameless mane of golden chest hair. He and his namesake band left Sayreville, N.J. and took the entire world by storm with their second album, 1986’s Slippery When Wet. With “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” and the Mason Nation’s unofficial anthem “Livin’ on a Prayer” on the record, it went diamond-certified with 12 million copies sold and to this day holds the record for number of weeks spent at #1 on the Billboard charts by a rock band. That’s right: combined with later albums, this makes Bon Jovi one of the most successful American bands ever. But that’s not even the most important part of Bon Jovi’s legacy. With the winning smile and hairy man-chest of its lead singer, Bon Jovi was an MTV favorite, and each of the […]

     
  • Letters to the editor

    Editorials March 25, 2010 at 10:30 am Comments are Disabled

    Don’t give space to Alan Moore I am extremely disappointed by the recent opinion piece in Broadside by Alan Moore, “Rebuttal to Climategate Response.” Quite frankly, the back-and-forth between Alan Moore and Colin Bennett is getting tiresome. Alan Moore writes some ridiculous piece with no basis in fact and Colin Bennett responds, thoroughly refuting Moore’s claims by correctly citing verifiable information. Moore then follows up with a piece that is more fantastical than the first. Once again, Bennett responds with a well written piece that completely debunks Moore’s claims. So Moore responds by writing a piece that is so absurd that it would be laughable were it not so offensive. In fact, Moore’s most recent rants serve to do nothing other than highlight the fact that he is apparently completely ignorant of any facts about climate change. I understand that Mr. Moore has the right to express his opinion, but Broadside also has the right to refuse to run his nonsense. I would like to see Broadside publish more information about how climate change is going to affect George Mason University and what our school is doing about it. I know that the Office of Sustainability has been hard at […]

     
  • Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli defends recent letter

    Editorials March 25, 2010 at 10:25 am Comments are Disabled

    By Kn Cuccinelli, Virginia Attorney General RICHMOND (March 19, 2010) Recently, the George Mason University community heard about my recommendation to Virginia’s public colleges and universities regarding the inclusion of sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policy statements. The issue has created some confusion for the public, so as your attorney general, I wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight. The attorney general is the attorney for the Commonwealth of Virginia and its agencies. Each day, more than two hundred attorneys and staff work in my office to provide advice and legal counsel to state agencies on issues from transportation to health care and public safety to education. Part of our job is to advise client agencies that inadvertently might be doing something the law does not give them the power to do. Shortly after becoming attorney general, I received inquiries about whether or not sexual orientation could be included as a protected class in the non-discrimination policies of our state colleges and universities. A subsequent review of the law and of the opinions of at least five of my predecessors — both Democrats and Republicans — demonstrated that any decision regarding the creation of a new protected […]