Editorials

• The Carouser Report: Fear and Loathing on Main St.

  Editorials September 24, 2012 at 3:25 pm Comments are Disabled

  The quintessential party  is played out weekly for a host of onlookers who take pride in knowing the age-old traditions of college.  Rarely seen are the nights when these characters, with their admiration for booze, go searching for an answer to life’s question at the bottom of a bottle. It was late afternoon. My associate and I were sitting on the patio of a local dive bar drinking rum and cracking peanuts, intermittently ordering wine spritzers to keep the buzz running strong. The bar seemed a safe distance from the burdens and monotony of education that plagues those who have neither left youth nor entered adulthood. Our journey began when two middle-aged women, who had been knocking back tequila shots with gusto, approached us.  A conversation began, but was abruptly interrupted when one of them leaned over and asked if we knew where the party was. On a Tuesday night?  I gave her the number to the local Party City. I felt it was time we kick it into fourth gear as we ordered another round.  Within an hour, we were no longer adhering to social norms. I began spreading gibberish throughout the bar about two female undercover cops who […]

   

• Forever Up and Coming Is Not Such a Bad Thing

  Editorials September 24, 2012 at 2:56 pm Comments are Disabled

  Being “there” implies complacency. It implies that students, staff, faculty and administration are content with what this institution has become. And it suggests that Mason, a university based solely upon the principal of innovation, has nothing left to innovate. On Monday, The U.S. News and World Report compiled its data and released to the public its fifth annual list of the best universities. The criteria focused on universities that are making the most promising changes in the area of academics, faculty and student life and, after claiming the No. 1 spot in 2011, Mason was pinned as the No. 1 up-and-coming university in the nation. It may seem off-base and out-of-touch to consistently refer to any institution as up-and-coming. It seems natural that, at some point, the university would finally arrive at its intended destination and graduate to a list of more stagnant universities. Not a chance. An old Hindu proverb states, “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is being superior to your previous self.” It would be an incredible honor for Mason to frequently top the list of up-and-coming universities for the rest of the institution’s existence. Such an honor denotes […]

   
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  Proud to be an American

  9/11 Commemorative Issue, Editorials, Special Issues September 16, 2012 at 2:14 pm Comments are Disabled

  A robed figure of Libertas, Roman goddess of freedom, stands tall in New York Harbor. Dedicated in 1886 by the people of France, Libertas bears a torch upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence: July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet as this statue, the Statue of Liberty, serves as a representation of the American culture and welcomes immigrants arriving from abroad. But what does it mean to be an American? As you stand atop the hill, watching the guard pace back and forth with such precision as he guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the skyline of Washington D.C. faintly peers through the trees. More than 400,000 headstones mark our nation’s fallen heroes, lying in the forefront of the nation’s capital. Pausing for a moment to pay my respects to my great-grandfather, Captain James E. Herbert, I was overcome by the sacrifice made by each of these young men and women. Each of the headstones, markers that stretched across the 624-acre mass of rolling hills, signified the true cost of our nation’s greatest quality. Freedom is not free. Freedom comes at the significant cost of the more than 400,000 people […]

   

• Green Colleen: Red, White & Chew

  9/11 Commemorative Issue, Editorials, Special Issues September 16, 2012 at 2:12 pm Comments are Disabled

  When I was in fourth grade, I was confused beyond belief as to why terrorists had attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon, killing thousands of innocent people. In my naivety, I had failed to grasp the concept of the word terrorist, one that my young ears had never heard before. Unfortunately, I learned more than I ever should have about the evils of the world as a ten year old on that terrible day. As a resident of Northern Virginia and the descendent of veterans on both sides of my family, being patriotic and recognizing the sacrifice made by millions of Americans, both civilian and enlisted, for their country, is one of my greatest duties. Politics aside, I couldn’t agree more with President Obama’s encouragement for all Americans to go out and volunteer to recognize the 9/11 attacks and honor the victims. Though I was young, I remember being amazed as the whole country pulled itself together and became united as neighbors, friends and family reached out to help and support one another in the wake of the attack. That mentality has fallen by the wayside over the past 11 years, but this Tuesday, take a moment to remember […]

   

• The Carouser Report: All-American Collegiate Beer Review

  9/11 Commemorative Issue, Editorials, Special Issues September 16, 2012 at 2:08 pm Comments are Disabled

  ‘Merica. We love our beer. Nowhere is this more apparent than college campuses across this great nation.  From Juneau, Alaska to Tallahassee Florida and everywhere in between, college partiers are pounding cases of these great American beers.  They want it cheap, chuggable, and easy to forget the next morning. Below are the top five most All-American collegiate beers for your drinking pleasure.   Natural Light: 4.2 % ABV The most iconic of all collegiate beers, Natural Light, also called “Nattie” is first up on the list. If you’ve never beer bonged one of these suckers, you’ve most likely never been to college. Introduced in 1977, this beer been knocking partiers-goers out ever since.  Part of the Anheuser-Busch Family, the empty carcasses of this great beer are sure to be found at every college party. Drinkability: There is a reason college kids love this beer so much. You can drink a ton of it and never feel full. There isn’t much to say in terms of taste. Long gulps from your garden house will yield the same flavor. Cost: It doesn’t get much cheaper than Natural Light. If your scour your couch, car, and piggy bank for some extra change, you […]

   

• The Carouser Report: Work Hard, Play Harder

  Editorials September 16, 2012 at 1:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  The last rays of summer sun are finally fading into the western sky. It’s about that time when college kids begin trading in their swimsuits and wine coolers for books, pizza, and light beer. The silence that lulled over the campus’s landscape will now be replaced with the beats of party music and clinking of beer bottles. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back; it’s party time. With my decision to take on this column, I may have become a martyr for the cause. All dreams of a respective writing career are most likely out the window. But as a weekly reader of this publication, I felt it was time for serious assessment as to how the collegiate booze culture could be properly represented. All it took was a visit to the newly elected Editor in Chief, asking if he had any space for a party writer on his staff. With some reluctance, and a fair warning, I was given this column. Perhaps you are wondering what qualifications one needs for such a prestigious job. To begin with, one must have plenty of practical experience within the college culture. This can be attained with a six year college career, and a goal […]

   

• Green Colleen: A Cheap and Easy Solution to Your Scheduling Woes

  Editorials September 16, 2012 at 1:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  Each year, as soon as the school year begins, a black hole slowly opens up in my life. Almost instantaneously money and time disappear, and my living space shrinks down to a fraction of the space that I’m used to at my parents house. This time, I’m coming in as a junior, halfway done with college. The thought is as equally terrifying as it is thrilling, and I like to think that in my time at Mason so far, I’ve learned a few tricks and tips to make college living a little easier. Cooking, and eating, are a passion of mine. Though I’m currently living in a dorm with a kitchen, I’ve also got some great recipes for easy homemade microwave meals. Grocery bills can add up quickly when you move into a room with a kitchen, so I’ll also share some of my favorite recipes and menus for cheap and quick dorm eating. I love recycling and up-cycling to turn old or unwanted things into something new and exciting. It’s also a great way to save money and have fun getting creative and crafty. I’m a firm believer in making your space your own, so I’ve completed several D.I.Y. […]

   

• Newly Released MobileMason Delivers Useful Information

  Editorials September 16, 2012 at 1:51 pm Comments are Disabled

  When I first downloaded the new MobileMason app on my iPhone a few days ago, it is safe to say I was a little hesitant. More than once, I’ve downloaded applications that I thought were going to be extremely handy, then been disappointed when the design and follow through of the application just wasn’t there. MobileMason, on the other hand, has landed a new spot on the first page of my applications, right next to my text messages, so that I can check it frequently to keep up with all of the exciting interactive features. My favorite feature is definitely the map section, which features interactive campus maps for Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington. The great part about the MobileMason maps is that you can type in any building that you’re trying to find and the application will give you a detailed map with distance and approximated walking time. For freshmen, visitors and people like me who get lost on a regular basis, this feature will be a lifesaver. Having Blackboard integrated into the application is one of the biggest reasons why I’ll be using MobileMason every day. My professors are constantly changing assignments and adding things to their courses, […]

   

• It Gets Better, Freshmen

  Editorials September 16, 2012 at 1:47 pm Comments are Disabled

  It was three years ago, nearly to the week, that I turned off Rt. 123 and made my first move toward the independent life of a college freshman. I was excited, yet terrified, for what the next four years had in store for me. Like many of you, I was moving into a crowded, uninviting room with someone I had never met and I was unsure about the prospect of living with a complete stranger. You might be experiencing some of these feelings right now. They are completely natural. Within a week of enduring this new life, I was ready to tap out. I was trapped within the walls of my cinderblock room and was forced to listen to my roommate convince his girlfriend that she did, in fact, love his big, voluptuous rooster. I was forced to shimmy my way around dirty clothes and piles of trash when entering and exiting my room. And I was forced to sit and smell the stench that reeked throughout our room. I do not do well with starting conversations, so it was an increasingly difficult task for me to develop friendships. That was it. I was ready to pack up my things […]

   

• The Buffet Rule: Good Politics, Bad Policy

  Editorials April 23, 2012 at 3:14 pm 2 comments

  President Barack Obama’s proposed “Buffett Rule,” which would impose a minimum 30 percent tax rate on individuals earning $1 million or more  a year certainly makes for good politics. It capitalizes on the envy, resentment and visceral anger that is so often aimed at the richest members of our society. But if there’s anything I’ve learned as a student of political economy, it’s that good politics almost invariably equals bad economics. The Buffett Rule is no exception. First, let’s talk about the idea that rich people aren’t paying their “fair share” of taxes. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the richest 1 percent of Americans face an average tax rate of 29.5 percent and pay 28 percent of all federal taxes. Meanwhile, the bottom 40 percent of American households have averaged a federal income tax rate below zero since 2000, according to The Atlantic. The fact is that rich people pay a lot of taxes. Nonetheless, there persists a widespread belief that they still aren’t paying enough. Much of the confusion in this respect stems from Warren Buffett’s proclamation that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary, who, for the record, earns somewhere between $200,000 and $500,000 annually, […]