The Blitz!

SCAN Benefit Concert at McFadden's in Foggy Bottom

2005-07-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

On Saturday August 6, Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia will hold a benefit concert at McFadden's, located at 2401 Pennsylvania Ave, NW (just blocks from the Foggy Bottom-GWU metro stop).

Enjoy live music from 9:00 to 10:30 p.m., provided by Adelyn, a local band scheduled to play on the Warped Tour this summer.

There will be a cover of $10 at the door with half of the proceeds going directly to support SCAN's efforts to prevent child abuse. For more information, visit www.scanva.org.

Fall Brings Bevy of Tasty New Restaurants to District's Neighborhoods

2005-07-18T21:03:00.000-04:00

Rasika
Entrepreneur Ashok Bajaj built a reputation by operating some of Washington, DC's finest restaurants, including Bombay Club, The Oval Room and 701 Restaurant. This Fall, he expands his culinary empire with another venue, Rasika. Located in the booming Penn Quarter neighborhood, the eatery will specialize in Indian tawa (griddle) and sigri (barbeque) cooking styles. The name itself means "flavors" and customers can expect an impressive variety of Indian spices and combinations.

Zengo
After a successful opening in Denver in 2004, chef/owner Richard Sandoval will open his second Zengo restaurant in Washington, DC. Literally meaning "give or take" in Japanese, menu items pair Sandoval's Latin culinary background with the Asian specialties to create mixes such as whole black grouper with ancho chile dust and sweet 'n sour sauce. The new restaurant promises to complement the cuisine with a tempting selection of mojitos and margaritas. The fusion restaurant will open in Downtown's Gallery Place this September.

Dino
Gather a group of friends for authentic Italian food and wine at Dino (3435 Connecticut Avenue, NW), a new restaurant by Dean Gold. The restaurant is styled after the cafes and eateries Gold and his wife visited in Italy, and even includes Italian and family art from their personal collection. Chef Johnny Neilsen cooks up rustic dishes from Venice and Southern Tuscany (Montaclino) including lots of crostini and cicchetti (Venetian snacks), an assortment of pastas, grilled and rotisserie meats and fresh seafood. These menu items, made from only the freshest ingredients, range in price from $1.75 to $18. Diners can also enjoy a fine selection of Italian and American wines with more than 120 selections for less than $60. The 104-seat venue opens July 6, serving dinner from 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesday).
(Source:Washington.org)

Win Guerrilla Film Fest Tickets

2005-07-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

GW's Lisner Auditorium (730 21st Street, NW) has several pairs of tickets to the upcoming Guerrilla Film Fest that they are giving away. Two unique sets of movies will be screened on Saturday, July 16 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets to either event allow you to enter the Reception and Art Exhibition which takes place between 8:00 p.m. and 12 midnight.

To enter the contest for free tickets, e-mail your name, e-mail address and preferred show time (7:00 or 9:30 p.m.) to cgraci@gwu.edu before NOON on Friday, July 15. Winners will be contacted on Friday afternoon.

For more information on Lisner and the Film Fest, visit www.lisner.org.

Lock and Combination Singles Party at Club Five

2005-07-13T23:42:00.000-04:00

This Friday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m., Club Five (1214 18th street, NW) will present a "Lock and Combination" party. A new twist to the classic "Lock and Key" parties, Lock and Combination events are designed to make interactive social experiences a little more challenging and last a little bit longer.

Here is how it works. Upon arriving at the club, all female attendees are given a padlock that is opened only by combination. Each male is given one combination. The trick is matching up the combination with the lock.

This is a fabulous way to meet many other young professionals, perhaps even your soul mate. Prizes will be awarded to those who find matches early in each round. Happy hour drink specials will also be available.

The party will take place on one of Washington's best outdoor rooftop decks. There will be a private DJ and bar as well. After the party, there will be dancing throughout the entire evening in the nightclub.

Suggested Attire: No sneakers or baseball caps.
Cost: $20.00 if you purchase tickets by Friday, July 15 @ 5:00 p.m.

For detailed information or to purchase tickets, call 301.519.8030 or visit www.thingstodoDC.com.

15 ria's Jamie Leeds Opens Hank's Oyster Bar

2005-07-05T21:00:00.000-04:00

Chef Jamie Leeds built a fan base by serving up tasty comfort food at the Washington Terrace Hotel's 15 ria, but now she is expanding her horizons and opening her own restaurant, Hank's Oyster Bar. Although the restaurant's menu does keep some of her old favorites, such as popcorn shrimp, calamari and molasses-braised short ribs, she adds new fare to the mix: lobster rolls, fish and chips, clam chowder and griddled crab cakes, among others. The restaurant also features a raw bar with fresh oysters, clams and ceviche, plus a "small but powerful" beverage list. Located at 1624 Q Street, NW, the 65-seat venue and is open for dinner Wednesday through Monday from 5:30 to 11:00 p.m., and for brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. For more information call 202.462.HANK or visit www.hanksdc.com.
(Source:Washington.org)

The Reviews:

The Washington Post

The Washington Times

The Intowner

DC Circulator en Route

2005-07-02T09:54:00.000-04:00

The long-awaited launch of the DC Circulator, the city's newest transit service, is set for Sunday, July 10. The Circulator's two initial routes link Union Station with the Washington Convention Center and Georgetown via K Street, and the Convention Center to the SW waterfront through Downtown along 7th and 9th Streets. The service will operate seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., providing high quality transportation to city museums, entertainment venues, memorials, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, offices and residences. Metro customers will be able to use their transfers and Smart Cards for the $1 fare.

"We heard people saying that they often bypass certain areas of town because these areas are difficult and expensive to access," said DDOT Director Dan Tangherlini. "The Circulator will tie the city together by providing high quality, inexpensive transportation to city museums, entertainment venues, memorials, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, offices and residences."

"Whether residents use it to run an errand, or conventioneers ride across town for lunch, the Circulator will provide a tremendous economic boost to the city," said Rich Bradley, president of DC Surface Transit Inc. and executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID).

Circulator buses will be easily recognizable on the street -- with a distinctive red, yellow and gray design, these 29 Belgian-made buses feature three street-level doors, low floors and large windows. The multiple doors will allow passengers to enter and exit quickly. There will be 24 buses in service with five buses in reserve.

For a route map and other information, visit www.dccirculator.com.
(Source: DowntownDC.org)

Balducci's to Open Supermarket in Penn Quarter

2005-06-20T09:33:00.000-04:00

Earlier this month, Madison Retail Group announced that it had completed a lease for a Balducci's specialty food store in Downtown. "This is the first true grocer to open or even commit to a presence in Downtown in [more than] 20 years. There are a few specialty stores, but Balducci's provides full service and convenience that will help to complete this neighborhood as a 'great place to live and work' and be a solid asset for the Penn Quarter and all of Downtown," according to Eric Rubin, Partner, Madison Retail Group.

The company has committed to open a 21,000 square foot upscale supermarket in The Jefferson at Penn Quarter, a mixed-use project containing 428 residential condominiums and Woolly Mammoth Theatre's 250-seat performance space. It will be the first large-scale specialty food market to open in Downtown. The site includes 52 dedicated parking spaces for Balducci's which is slated to open in the late winter or early spring of 2006.

Madison Retail Group is noted for working with restaurateurs and retailers to bring new places and faces to Downtown DC, most recently Aveda Institute, Ann Taylor Loft, Washington Sports, Lucky Strike and Coup De Foudre, to name a few.
(Source:DowntownDC.org)

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Beer

2005-06-16T12:39:00.000-04:00

DC's biggest Independence Day celebration kicks off Friday, July 1 from 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Black Rooster, Porters, Mackey's, Five, The Bottom Line, Vida, Recessions, Tequila Grill, Madhatter, Recessions, The Front Page, 4th Estate, Sign of the Whale, Singapore Bistro and Rumors are all participating in the 10th Annual Midtown Bar Tour, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Beer!"

The event, sponsored by Lindy Promotions, DC101, and Budweiser, is holding registration from 5:00 - 10:00 p.m. at Mackey's (1823 L Street, NW), with the first 500 people receiving special giveaways.

The cost is $10 with 2 cans of food or $13 without, with all food to benefit Food & Friends. You must be 21 to participate; enjoy drink specials and no cover at participating bars until midnight.

Spies on Screen: Battle of Algiers

2005-06-14T13:08:00.000-04:00

Algeria, 1957. Insurgency, bombings and a military presence from abroad. Join Burton L. Gerber, who served 39 years as an operations officer in the CIA and was Chief of Station in three Communist countries, for a special screening as the International Spy Museum presents "Spies on Screen: Battle of Algiers."

The brutally realistic 1965 depiction of the struggle between French soldiers and Algerian Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) terrorists in Algeria's fight for independence will be screened at the Museum, located at 800 F Street, NW, on Wednesday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m.

Gerber will draw upon his own experience to provide insight into how the French reaction to the FLN echoes the challenges that the U.S. faces in the war on terrorism and insurgency in Iraq and what this means for an intelligence officer faced with these issues.

Tickets are $15 (or $12 for members of The Spy Ring), and advance registration is required. Tickets are non-refundable and do not include admission to the International Spy Museum. To register, call the Museum at 202.393.7798, order online at ticketmaster.com or purchase tickets in person at the Ticket Office inside the 9th Street entrance. To infiltrate The Spy Ring, the Spy Museum's membership program, visit spymuseum.org or call 866.SPYMUSEUM.

Mantis is a Slice of Satori

2005-06-13T00:07:00.000-04:00

Written by Josh Pastor for Greenlight Washington Blitz!

MANTIS
1847 Columbia Road, NW
Washington, DC
202.667.2400

This first thing you'll notice when you visit Mantis is the smart, seductive ambiance that manifests in everything from the ultra-modern furniture to the abstract photography on the wall.

But Mantis requires further description: large windows span the breadth of each street-facing wall, offering a glimpse of the neon bustle of Adams Morgan's nightlife; sophisticated drop lights hang from the ceiling, reflecting off the impeccably shiny veneer of the bar. And, above all, a large bronze statue of the Buddha sits in a lotus position above the top-shelf booze, adding a taste of intrigue.

"The Buddha statue is hot," says Sophia, a Washington accountant. But she quickly changes her mind. "No -- it's tight." According to Sophia, Mantis is the only lounge in the area that continually attracts new faces, providing a chance to meet new friends. "[Mantis] is a hidden surprise in Adams Morgan," she says.

For Samira, a local auctioneer, it's the food that keeps her coming back. "I come to eat sticky rice and to get into a little bit of trouble," she says with a wink. She doesn't elaborate on the trouble, but says the salmon is the best thing on the menu.

Downstairs, there's a second lounge that doesn't know whether it's a dance room or a North African hookah shop. Low couches line the back wall, lit by flickering tea candles and the ubiquitous glow of modern lamps. A DJ booth sits in the back with archives of delicious downtempo records, waiting for the master in-house spinsters to blend their usual magic.

"There's something about being here that makes you feel like you're in the prime of your life," says Anya, the current successor to the goddess Aphrodite. Anya's comments are easily corroborated by watching the free-spirited patrons carouse with martini-laden tongues, their wit and beauty exposing the raison d'etre of Mantis.

"It's a playground for the young and the privileged," says Emad, a media analyst from Palestine. "It's very laid back, and the owners are friendly. When they get to know you, it's like a little Adams Morgan 'Cheers'." But how does it stack up against the other long-running Adams Morgan institutions? "I like it better than Blue or Left Bank," says Emad with a firm nod.

The head bartender, Roul, is quite possibly the best in the trade (he also has an uncanny resemblance to the Buddha statue). But be careful; although his "Oranj" Martinis taste divine, they are packed with near-hallucinogenic qualities that will leave you groping the medicine cabinet for acetaminophen the following morning.

If style, intrigue, and beauty are what you're after, give Mantis a try. And if the pricey bar tab makes you second guess a return visit, keep in mind: this is a neighborhood lounge -- the more you come, the more likely you are to enjoy the "perks" of being a regular.

The Hours:
Sunday - Thursday || 5:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Friday - Saturday || 5:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m.

Summer Cinema at The National Theatre

2005-06-03T00:31:00.000-04:00

As a tribute to the new baseball club here in DC, the National Theatre is playing ball with nine classic baseball films as part of their 2005 Summer Cinema Season. For three Mondays each in June, July and August, the Helen Hayes Gallery at National Theatre (located at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW), will host a 6:30 p.m. screening of such films as "Pride of the Yankees," "The Natural" and "A League of Their Own."

Tickets are free, but distributed to those in line only, 30 minutes prior to showtime. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-seated basis. For more information, call 202.783.3372 or visit www.nationaltheatre.org.

Monday, June 6 || FIELD OF DREAMS
Starring Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster and Ray Liotta.

Monday, June 13 || THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES
Starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Babe Ruth and Walter Brennan.

Monday, June 20 || COBB
Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Wuhl and Lolita Davidovich.

Monday, July 11 || THE NATURAL
Starring Robert Redford, Glenn Close and Robert Duvall.

Monday, July 18 || SOUL OF THE GAME
Starring Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson, Blair Underwood and Edward Herrmann.

Monday, July 25 || A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Starring Geena Davis, Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna and Tom Hanks.

Monday, August 1 || EIGHT MEN OUT
Starring John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, Christopher Lloyd, John Mahoney and Studs Terkel.

Monday, August 8 || BULL DURHAM
Starring Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins.

Monday, August 15 || THE ROOKIE
Starring Dennis Quaid and Rachael Griffiths, with a cameo by Jim Morris.

Note: No peanuts, popcorn, Cracker Jacks, hot dogs, lemonade or other food or drink is allowed in the Helen Hayes Ball Park.

News from Downtown DC Restaurants

2005-05-30T21:16:00.000-04:00

Cafe Atlantico (405 8th Street, NW) sets aside the month of June to mark its 15th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the nuevo latino landmark restaurant in Penn Quarter will feature four main events including a "Best of Cafe Atlantico" wine tasting, an anniversary wine dinner with Almaviva, a celebrity guest chef dinner and an art auction and Latino dim sum brunch. The first event, the Cata De Vinos, a South American wine tasting, takes place on Tuesday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. The all-inclusive cost of the wine tasting will be $120 per person and guaranteed reservations are required. Call 202.393.0812 for more details or visit www.cafeatlanticodc.com.

Signatures Restaurant (801 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW) announces its half-priced Sushi Tuesday Evenings, available at the bar or on the outdoor terrace by the bar. Includes Sushi Chef Tu Soe's signature rolls. For more information, call 202.628.5900 or visit www.signatures-dc.com.

The Grand Hyatt Washington (1000 H Street, NW) hosts the Monthly Wine Series at Butlers' Lounge on Thursday, June 9, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., featuring a Merryvale Wine Tasting. Savor the finest wines from Merryvale Vineyards and enjoy a delicious selection of extraordinary contemporary fusion cuisine created by Chef de Cuisine Matt Campbell. Reservations are recommended and the cost is $55 per person. For reservations, call 202.637.4735.

The Grand Hyatt Washington is also sponsoring a blood drive on Wednesday, June 29, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Burnham-Latrobe Room. Call 202.637.4954 to schedule your appointment.

Join Food & Friends on Monday, June 13th at 6:00 p.m., for the 15th Anniversary of Chef's Best! Chef's Best will again bring together the brightest culinary talents in Washington as over 60 chefs will dazzle guests with their unique culinary skills and delectable menu items. This distinguished list includes prominent downtown Washington chef Cesare Lanfranconi of Ristorante Tosca. Food & Friends will pay tribute that evening to all the chefs with a champagne toast in recognition of the 15th anniversary of the event. For tickets please call Stacy at 202.269.6883 or visit www.foodandfriends.org/chefsbest2005.

The event will be held at the Hilton Washington, located at 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW. All proceeds benefit Food & Friends, the only organization in the Washington Metropolitan area providing home-delivered meals, groceries and nutrition counseling to people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses.
(Source:DowntownDC.org)

Toledo Lounge is Off-Beat Fun in Adams Morgan

2005-05-26T12:32:00.000-04:00

Written by Josh Pastor for Greenlight Washington Blitz!

TOLEDO LOUNGE
2435 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC
202.986.5416

Sitting at the bar of the Toledo Lounge, I am nearly fooled into believing that a mating pair from the great American counter-culture somehow survived the past two and a half decades of Yuppiedom to create a small, but thriving off-beat population.

I am surrounded by remnants of a once-thriving Americana: Mobil's iconic red Pegasus hangs on the wall behind me; a cutout of a gunslinger brandishes a heroic smile and a six-piece; a pie-tin mobile droops from the ceiling above. There is even a jackalope or two.

But a closer look reveals that Toledo Lounge is not some cutesy throwback to American innocence. Lewd napkin art checkers the bar mirror, detailing the anatomy of excited lunatics; a tip bucket sits below the napkin collage with a sticker that warns me to "Tip, you bastard."

The patrons are friendly and like to talk. I soon discover that everyone is in love with the bartender, Nelinda. Her default expression carries a certain zeal, as though she's always on the verge of saying something brilliant. An enthusiastic theater actor, Nelinda jokes about using the Stanislavsky method to shoo drunks out the door after last call. "I emit from my diaphragm," she tells me.

Someone at the bar asks Nelinda about her ideal acting role. "I think a transgendered Richard III would be an interesting twist," she says with a laugh.

Toledo Lounge offers many opportunities to enjoy the savory banter of young professionals who come to escape the endemic Eighteenth Street smarm. And although no one will say they come just for the food, I will openly admit my persistent cravings for Toledo's $6.95 bacon chedder melt with a side of spicy fries.

"This place is honest, unpretentious and doesn't attempt to promise more than it delivers," says Alex, a Scottish journalist. "I think the other bars attract far less interesting people and are full of pretension and twaddle."

Be advised: customers should plan their visits carefully. On weekends, students from Virginia and Maryland swarm this watering hole, turning the bar into a standing-room-only venue.

"That's why I come on Mondays," says Elisha, a local theater actor. "It's a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy the $2.00 happy hour."

For Randy, a local engineer, it's the attractive wait staff that keeps him coming back. "The music's great," he says, bobbing his head to Hendrix's Voodoo Chile. "But the waitress is hot! I'm going to give her this tonight." He slides a book of matches my way with a note written under the flap in blue print: I WANT TO KISS YOU AND BUY YOU THINGS, it says.

If you're in the mood for some fun in Adams Morgan, but you don't feel like dressing to the nines and posing as a veteran Washington socialite, let the staff and regulars at Toledo Lounge show you a good time. And if your visit conjures a streak of creativity, try contributing to the salacious napkin art while you're there.

The Hours:
Friday - Saturday || 6:00 p.m - 3:00 a.m.
Sunday - Thursday || 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

The Specials:
Mon, Tues & Wed: $2.00 Draughts from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sun: 1/2 Price Burgers
Mon: 1/2 Price Appetizers
Tue: 1/2 Price Chicken Sandwiches
Wed: 1/2 Price Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and "Lounge Dogs"

After Hours at Jumbo Slice Pizza

2005-05-17T17:14:00.000-04:00

Written by Josh Pastor for Greenlight Washington Blitz!

JUMBO SLICE
2341 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC

In a city where consensus is as elusive as the ivory-billed woodpecker, there is one claim that rings true from the quiet whispers on the Metro to the deep folds of the blogosphere: nothing tops Jumbo Slice Pizza after last call.

When the bars close, Adams Morgan fills with a mass migration of footloose revelers who are unable to stay, and do not want to go home. Lucky for them there is Jumbo Slice -- a small sanctuary in the fray where nocturnal thrill-seekers can drag the night out a moment longer while consuming slices of pizza large enough to register on air traffic control's radar. No joke, folks. If a Jumbo Slice were hurled into the sky above Washington, it might just trigger the evacuation of the White House and Capitol Building. They are monsters. Big fellas. But for $4.50 a slice, a person can soak up some of the liquid abuse they have endured throughout the night, and maybe, just maybe, stave off a devilish hangover.

Jumbo Slice (located at 2341 18th Street, NW) is not your typical pizzeria. Throbbing trance beats blare from the entrance. Six disco balls throw scattered light into the crowd. Beautiful, inebriated people loiter in expensive clothes as though auditioning for the next season of Bravo's Project Runway. It is a raver's wild fantasy: music, lasers, beauty and... pizza.

Do not be fooled. There are several pizza vendors along Eighteenth Street that claim to have jumbo slices. But none have achieved the level of notoriety as the pizzeria on Eighteenth and Belmont.

"Size matters," says Mr. Khan, the owner of Jumbo Slice. He smiles wolfishly and nods toward the line that trails out the door. "They like them big; our slices are the biggest."

When the night manager, Alberto, came up with the idea of the laser lights and the loud music, Khan embraced the gimmick.

"Now we cater to partygoers. People come in a dancing mood, we let them continue."

This claim is well echoed by Khan's patrons, who sight both the size of the slices and the music as principle attractions.

"We only came because of the music," says Lena, a student from Virginia. "They take the bar scene and throw it right back in there." She tears a corner off her pizza, careful not to spill down the front of her dress. "Besides, it's fun to watch drunk people with pizza falling off their plate."

Much can be said for the flamboyant atmosphere and the throngs of partygoers who spill out into the street with their cheesy morsels. But how does the pizza taste?

"It’s almost like having sex," says Scott, a White House intern. "You wake up full, you wake up satisfied." Scott has another reason for coming tonight: several friends are visiting him from out of town, and he wants to divulge the secrets of D.C. life. "If you don’t actually eat at Jumbo Slice," he tells them, "you're not a native Washingtonian."

Whatever the case may be, if you find yourself stumbling down Eighteenth Street in Adams Morgan wondering how the universe will regard you the following morning, take my advice: a Jumbo Slice may just save your soul.

(Author's note: Alberto the night manager is known to jump the counter at a moment's notice to "dance with the ladies." If this occurs, don't worry -- it's all part of the show).

Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 20th

2005-05-16T10:55:00.000-04:00

Thousands of area cyclists will celebrate bicycling as a clean and fun form of transportation at Bike to Work Day 2005. This year's event will take place on Friday, May 20th at locations around the Washington region. Register HERE.

"Pit stops," located throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia, will offer breakfast, entertainment, dynamic speakers and chances to win bicycles and other prizes. Some of the event's sponsors include Bicycling.com, Bike to Work Week, City Bikes, and DC Lottery.

Don't know how to ride there? WABA volunteers will be leading "commuter convoys" from across the area to downtown, DC. Each convoy leader is an experienced bicycle commuter that can assist you with safe riding and equipment tips as well as the best route to your destination.

For more than 30 years, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) has been promoting bicycling as a healthy and sustainable means of transportation by advocating for better riding conditions in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. For more information, visit www.waba.org.

Pit Stop Rallies

DC: Freedom Plaza at 14th and Penn, NW

Maryland: Bethesda, Bowie, College Park, Frederick, La Plata, North Bethesda, Rockville (Brick Courthouse), Rockville (Falls Grove Transportation Center), Silver Spring (Discovery Communications)

Virginia: Alexandria, Arlington, Dulles (AOL Campus), Vienna, Leesburg, Reston, Sterling and Fairfax

Isamu Noguchi: Master Sculptor at The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn

2005-05-12T09:24:00.000-04:00

Written by Nicole Dorman for Greenlight Washington Blitz!

The Hirshhorn Museum, co-organized with the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, hosted the first Isamu Noguchi exhibit in over thirty years focusing on his sculptures from February 10 through May 8, 2005. Noguchi was the son of a Japanese poet and an American writer, whose works of art are poetic in feeling and industrialized in form as a designer, sculptor and architect.

The exhibit put on display 55 sculptures and 25 works on paper including pieces rarely seen. Using unusual materials such as paper, string, magnesite, chrome, plastic and electric lights, he creates sculptures that hang on walls, are suspended from wire, recline on the floor and stand upright.

The seven surviving "Lunar" works, which have never been shown publicly before, radiated lights through terra cotta shapes attached to the ceiling and walls in a dimly lit room. "This Tortured Earth" and "Night Land," sculptures symbolizing the artist's experience with his voluntary imprisonment in a Japanese-American internment camp in 1942, is well worth a look, along with "Monument to Heroes," a sculpture constructed of human bones. The last section of the exhibit, symbolizing the last two decades of his life, was a breathtaking display of the artist's sculptures constructed with pink, white, black, green and yellow stones that he acquired from his trips to Greece, France, Portugal, Sweden and Japan.

Noguchi, the master sculptor, was engaged by lived space, the space of human experience and hope.

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden located at Independence Avenue and Seventh Street, SW continuously hosts various exhibitions such as their Visual Music exhibition from June 23 - September 11, 2005. The gallery is free to the public and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Hirshhorn online.

When the Sun Goes Down...

2005-05-10T15:22:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of the Arlington Convention & Visitors Service

The joke in Arlington, Virginia used to be that if you were looking for nightlife, go across the river to Georgetown. Even just 10 years ago Arlington had a reputation as a place where the sidewalks rolled up after 5 o'clock. No longer. Due in large part to the transformation of Clarendon, Arlington has become an after-five destination not only for those who live and work here, but also for others throughout the Washington area. Even on a rainy, cold weekday night, a visitor to Clarendon will find large crowds dining at the neighborhood's homegrown restaurants, like Faccia Luna and Clarendon Grill, and crowding the many bars and clubs to catch the latest up-and-coming band.

One such club is IOTA, so named for its size -- it had a capacity of less than 60 people when it first opened in 1994, though it has since expanded. Now it has become known as the place where promising musicians play before moving on to bigger venues. Norah Jones, John Mayer, and Jack Johnson are just a few names who played at IOTA before they hit it big.

If the bustling nightlife is a surprise for those new to Arlington, get ready for an even bigger one: Arlington's thriving arts scene. Arlington is home to more than 500 individual artists and 50 arts organizations, including theater companies such as Signature Theatre and Teatro de la Luna, artist studios, dance companies like Bowen McCauly, and musical groups and events like the Rosslyn Jazz Festival. It is one of the few communities of its size to have its own symphony orchestra and opera company.

While Arlington's nightlife and arts scene occupy the evening hours, the county's abundance of recreational opportunities and tourist attractions easily fills the days. With 1,100 acres of parks and open space, the outdoors is very accessible. This open space includes 36 miles of walking and biking trails plus an additional 53 miles of bike routes. The avid cyclist can enjoy seven self-guided tours, including a 23-mile Arlington history tour.

Fore more information on Arlington, visit www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com.

You're in Hog Heaven at Old Glory in Georgetown

2005-05-06T15:56:00.000-04:00

Written by Derek Grosso for Greenlight Washington Blitz!

OLD GLORY
3139 M Street, NW
Washington, DC
www.oldglorybbq.com

I'm sorry to spoil the surprise if you've never been to Old Glory, but the first thing they do when you are seated at your table is slam a huge stamp on the table as a welcome to customers. BAM!!! The bald eagle, a symbol of American pride, is your first taste of what a great place this is to eat. The menu includes everything from baby back ribs and charbroiled burgers to pulled pork and jerk chicken. It's a wonderful establishment for family, friends, and fun.

Located at about the center of Georgetown, at 3139 M Street, Old Glory has been frequented by locals and tourists in search of a great barbecue meal. The interior is always full of people and chatter. There are two floors and in fair weather, an outdoor deck -- the only one in Georgetown I am told. Once you walk through the doors, you are greeted warmly and start to feel like a "country boy." Following this, you can chow down like one too, with your choice of a number of entrees that would satisfy Paul Bunyan. I really love the biscuits and cornbread -- served with peach butter and made with real corn. Their burgers are filling and well prepared, the chicken can be dry at times, and the side dishes are all-American. From mashed potatoes to corn-on-the-cob to succotash, you're in hog heaven.

But what would a trip to Old Glory be without sampling, or should I say indulging in, their unbelievable ribs? Eight varieties of sauces grace your table. And you'll need them because these ribs are big. Beware of getting a seat in the back near the fire pit. Not only is it extremely hot, but you'll have waiters moving back and forth every time you take a bite. Additionally, there is usually a wait to get seated since it is so popular and seating is fairly limited. Tops is usually 30 - 45 minutes. That's not too bad though, since the location is great for walking around. Oh, and you get a Tootsie roll pop with your check. My fellow Americans, it's worth it.

Cuisine: All-American, BBQ
Mood: Friendly
Dress: Casual
Meals Served: Lunch and Dinner
Price per Entree: $7.95 - $19.95
Outdoor deck, Sunday brunch, Old Glory Bourbon Club

Going "All In" with Lou Krieger

2005-05-03T00:11:00.000-04:00

GREENLIGHT WASHINGTON BLITZ! INTERVIEW
by Derek Grosso

Lou Krieger is the volunteer host of the College Poker Championship, a professional poker player, columnist for several poker and gaming magazines, and author of seven books including "Poker For Dummies."

Where were you born and where do you currently reside?
I live in Palm Desert, California, but I was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up there and in New London, CT.

Please walk us through a day in your life.
My life is different depending on my writing schedule. Once I know when I have to deliver the manuscript of a new book, I set a writing schedule and try to get my work done before the due date. I don't ever want to blow a due date with a publisher. There are lots of talented writers out there, but I make it a point to deliver what's expected of me on time, and I think one reason why I get a lot of writing assignments is because I'm prompt and have a reputation for professionalism, and that's very important to me.

How did you get started in poker?
I learned poker at the age of seven, while standing at my father's side during the weekly Thursday night game held at the Krieger kitchen table in the blue-collar Brooklyn neighborhood where we resided. My natural abilities helped keep my head above water during the high school and college poker games.

It wasn't until my first visit to Las Vegas that I took poker seriously. I didn't like Las Vegas at first. Blackjack was boring, and I knew the odds were against the players shooting dice or playing any of the other table games. Then I discovered a poker table tucked into a small corner of the Desert Inn where we were staying. I bought into a low-limit seven-card stud game and managed--with a good deal of luck--to break even. While playing stud, I noticed out of the corner of my eye another game that looked to be a lot more fun. It was Texas Hold'em.

I left the stud game, watched the Hold'em game for about thirty minutes, and sat down to play. One hour and $100 later, I was hooked. I didn't mind losing. It was the first time I played the game. I expected to lose. But I didn't like feeling like a dummy, so I bought every book on poker that I could find.

I studied. I played. I studied and played some more. Before long I was playing and winning regularly, and I haven't had a losing year since I began keeping records.

How does it feel to be the host of the College Poker Championship?
I'm pleased and honored. I firmly believe that poker teaches a lot of life lessons too, such as dealing with issues of uncertainty, cost/benefit analysis, negotiating skills, the ability to read people... the list goes on and on. And I can recall my own days as a college student. Like most students today, I had too little money and would have relished a chance to play in an event that offered scholarship money at no cost to the player. As an adult, I was happy to find a poker-specific mechanism for charitable giving.

Over 25,000 students at more than 2,000 college campuses are playing this game through CPC. Any words of wisdom for those looking to follow in your footsteps?
It depends on which set of footsteps they want to follow. For those looking to play poker for a living, take it easy and make sure you are adequately bankrolled for the limits you intend to play. Even if you're a great player, poker has a lot of short term variance along the road to establishing a long-term winning record. Many players go broke because they play in games too big for their bankroll. If you're going to play for a living, be adequately financed and make sure you can beat the games you want to play in. If you want to write for a living, there are more writing opportunities today than ever before, and you can thank the Internet and blogs and online 'zines for all of this. Just write all the time, journalize your life and events, read all you can about writing, and make sure you get the grammar, syntax, spelling, and usage down pat, so that editors respect your efforts, see you as a professional, and be more inclined to give you an opportunity. Build a writing portfolio and never stop writing or reading.

What do you think of the recent exposure and popularity of poker games like Texas Hold 'Em?
I think the interest and exposure in poker is terrific, because it's helping create a new generation of poker players, many of whom will stick with the game for their entire lifetimes. I do think that the intense interest in Texas hold'em is rendering some of the other versions of poker redundant, and that's too bad. Variety in poker, as in most things, is the spice of life.

Do you have a favorite or interesting card story you would like to share?
When I was writing my first book, I had dinner one evening in London with Al Alvarez, who is one of my literary heroes as well as the author of "The Biggest Game in Town." The advice he gave me was that if I really wanted to write a poker book, go ahead and do it. But, he also said that one could not expect to make much money writing about poker. That was back in 1995, and Al was 100 percent correct, until the poker boom hit in 2003.

You pen a column for Card Player magazine and you've written numerous books, such as The Poker Player's Bible and Poker for Dummies. How does that "book advice" differ from hard-knock "table lessons?"
Well, just to set the record straight, I recently left Card Player to write for Bluff Magazine, Fifth Street Magazine, Canadian Poker Player, Midwest Gaming and Travel, and Woman Poker Player. It's important to realize that any student of poker needs to play and to read books, and to think about how the lessons in a book comport with what's transpired over the card table. By that process, we convert knowledge in to know-how. Neither book learning nor experience is enough of a teacher; one needs to study, play, think, and repeat that iterative cycle forever.

Do you have someone who is/was a mentor for you in your career or life?
I have three real role models, but they're not poker players. One is a poet: William Butler Yeats. The other two are Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin.

What is your favorite preflop hand?
A pocket pair of aces. What else?

What is your favorite hand before the river, and how can players avoid the pitfalls that usually burn them (with a would-be winning hand) at this point in the game?
It's tough to answer this in a vacuum. At the river, I want a hand I can bet into someone I know to have the second best hand, so I get called, or even raised, and can then make even more money. Any hidden hand, such as top set is usually sufficient.

Favorite city?
Just for hanging around in? I love Dublin, London, Vienna, New York, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas. I also love Galway, not so much because of the city itself, but I'm a lover of traditional Irish music, and Galway is ground zero for Celtic music. Also, my wife Deirdre was born in Sligo -- another Celtic music Mecca -- which isn't all that far away.

Favorite gambling city or place to play poker?
I love to play poker at the old Horseshoe in Vegas, and am looking forward to playing at Steve Wynn's new hotel the next time I'm in Las Vegas.

Favorite casino?
I don't really have a favorite casino because I don't play casino games. The only game I play in a casino is poker. Having said that, I like the Golden Nugget and the Bellagio in Vegas.

Favorite restaurant?
Tyler's. It's a funky little hamburger place in Palm Springs, right on the Plaza. They're well known for their sliders (baby, silver-dollar sized hamburgers) and for the fact that you can occasionally see Warren Buffett and Bill Gates having lunch there. Imagine that, the two wealthiest guys in the world, scarfing down burgers in a place where lunch for two won't ever be more than $25!

Favorite website?
I'll immodestly direct you to my own website, www.loukrieger.com, or to my blog, www.loukrieger.blogspot.com, but as to not sound self-serving, I love www.refdesk.com and www.royalvegaspoker.com.

Favorite word?
All those Yiddish, Italian, and a few Irish expressions I learned when my mom agreed to let me stay up late at age 7 and watch my dad's poker game. I had to take a vow never to repeat those words in mixed company until I was old enough to have said, "I learned them in the army."

Favorite getaway?
Laguna Beach... a 90 minute drive from Palm Desert.

Favorite sports team?
LA Kings (I'm a big hockey fan), the LA Dodgers, and any two teams playing college or professional lacrosse.

Most recent book read or movie seen?
I'm in the midst of Dan Harrington's book, "Harrington on Hold'em," and I also read Theo Dorgan's magnificent "Sailing For Home."

What newspaper(s) did you read this morning?
I read the news online.

I would like a lifetime subscription to __________ magazine.
I'm not much of a magazine reader, but any poker magazines would do, as well as a subscription to the New Yorker.

Historic figure you would most like to meet, living or dead?
Either Yeats, Franklin or Jefferson.

Who would you like to see run for President?
Larry Elder, a libertarian with a small "L" radio commentator.

You're in a time machine that can take you to one place. Where do you go?
Far, far into the future. I want to see how well humanity does at reaching its potential.

If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?
Oh, I'd be writing. There's no doubt about that.

Most important life lesson?
Ninety percent of success is just showing up! Just keep coming, exert more force than the resistance you encounter, and you'll probably succeed.

When is the best time to go "all in?"
When you know you have the best of it -- if you are called.

Any other words of advice you would care to impart?
In poker, as in life, be opportunistic: If the shoe fits, steal it.

Go ahead and give us a plug for anything you would like.
I'd like to plug Royal Vegas Poker, where I play and invite everyone who reads this to come join me in the Wednesday evening, 8:00 PM EST "Play the Expert" tournament. If you KO me or any of the other experts, you can win a $50 bounty, a T-shirt, and a book -- if the expert you KO is also an author.

If any readers are interested in my books, just go to www.loukrieger.com, click on the "books" tab, and then on the "contents" section of each book that seems aimed at you.

I'd also like to invite all your readers to play in the 2006 College Poker Championships, at www.collegepokerchampionship.com.

"Take Note" of The Well-Sung Players

2005-04-29T17:42:00.000-04:00

The Well-Sung Players, a community group dedicated to exploring spontaneous musical theater, will perform "Take Note" at the DC Arts Center. Show dates are April 29 & 30 and May 13, 14, 20 & 21, all at 7:30 p.m. The group promises an evening of musical scenes, games and a spontaneous musical, all based on audience suggestions.

The DC Arts Center is located at 2438 18th Street, NW, between Belmont and Columbia Roads, in Adams Morgan. The nearest metro stations are Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. Commercial parking is also available on 18th Street and Belmont Road.

Tickets are $10 for general admission or $8 for DCAC members. For reservations, contact DCAC at 202.462.7833. More infomation can also be found online at www.wellsung.com.

University Students Compete in the College Poker Championship

2005-04-26T15:10:00.000-04:00

The 2nd Annual College Poker Championship, a free online tournament available to registered college, university and graduate students worldwide, is coming to an end for 2005. May 8th is the final day for students from around the world to register and compete for the title of the World's Best College No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker Player. Right now, more than 25,000 students from more than 2,300 campuses are battling it out for the title and their share of the $135,000 prize pool.

Local students from Georgetown (30 students), George Washington (31), and American University (18) are competing for the chance to win donations to their favorite charities and receive scholarships to further their academic endeavors.

May 1 & May 8, 2005 - 4pm EST – Final Weekly Tournaments: These are the final three events for students to compete and advance to the semifinals.

May 15, 2005 4pm EST – The Semifinal Tournament: Only students who have qualified in the previous competitions will be able to participate, the top 20 percent will move on to the Final Table.

May 22, 2005 4pm EST – The Final Table: The Champion will be awarded a $41,000 academic scholarship. Contestants placing in the top ten will earn a $1,000 donation to be awarded to the charity or organization of their choice. Players placing 2-10 will share a $53,300 scholarship prize pool. Players placing 11-80 will share a prize pool of $15,500 of scholarship awards.

To qualify for the Semifinal Tournament, students need to register online and participate in one of the remaining weekly tournaments held each Sunday through May 8th. There is no fee to participate in the tournament and the top 10 percent each week advance to the semifinals.

Stay tuned for the GWBlitz! interview with Lou Krieger, the College Poker Championship host, professional poker player, and author of seven books including "Poker For Dummies."

Spirit of Washington Celebrates National Cherry Blossom Festival with Fireworks Cruise

2005-04-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

A combination of royalty and fireworks blossomed onboard the Spirit of Washington II yesterday to mark the Cherry Blossom National Festival. Cruise guests watched the Cherry Blossom Fireworks from the Potomac River, while helping preserve the beauty of the trees for years in the future. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the National Park Service Cherry Tree Endowment Fund, which is used to help provide upkeep and replacement of the cherry trees in the district.

Additionally, Spirit is offering a special cruise for the public on April 8th from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., to meet the participants in the Cherry Blossom Princess program. Boarding begins at 11:30 p.m. and a lunch buffet will be served. The participants onboard have traveled from all over the world to participate in the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

"We're not only celebrating the cherry blossom festival with a fireworks cruise, but helping protect and preserve the trees' delicate beauty," said Sal Naso, regional director for Spirit's operations in Washington D.C. and Virginia. "We want our passengers and the visitors to the area to continue to enjoy the annual magic of the blooming of the cherry blossoms."

Spirit Cruises is the largest harbor cruise company in the United States, and operates a fleet of 13 luxury dining ships in six American port cities: Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia and Norfolk, Va. In addition to its Spirit vessels, it operates Bateaux New York, a luxury glass dining yacht; Elite Yacht Charters, which are private charter vessels; and the Annabel Lee, a replica paddlewheel showboat. Spirit Cruises is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. For more information, visit Spirit Cruises online.

Find a Nightclub That's Right for You

2005-04-01T22:12:00.000-05:00

Founder of popular RateMyProfessors.com website launches new service

SUNNYVALE, California -- Tired of nightclubs that are too boring, too expensive, or too loud? Tired of weak drinks and surly service? Tired of waiting in line while the doorman's buddies get VIP treatment? Want to find a club that fits you? If so, a new website for rating nightclubs, ClubRatingZ.com, will save you from wasting time in clubs that aren't right for you. The site allows users to rate nightclubs on five attributes: music, place (location and facility), vibe (people and atmosphere), drinks and value. Users can write short comments about their experiences in the clubs as well.

ClubRatingZ.com was founded by internet entrepreneurs John Swapceinski and Bob Nicholson.

"People are constantly looking for recommendations for good clubs," stated Nicholson. "We decided the time was right for club patrons to talk to one another and share their experiences."

ClubRatingZ.com president John Swapceinski is also the founder of RateMyProfessors.com, America's largest college professor rating site, and a co-founder of RateMDs.com and RateMyTeachers.com.

"The tremendous popularity of RateMyProfessors has demonstrated the unmet demand for ratings and reviews, for all sorts of services," said Swapceinski. "We think the nightclub market is a great fit for online ratings."

Visitors to the site can praise or pan nightclubs and bars by leaving ratings and comments. They can check out other clubs by reading the comments left by previous visitors. The site is also useful for club owners and managers, who can find out what their customers really think about their clubs. ClubRatingZ.com is free of charge to all users.

Don't Mess with Texas

2002-12-11T22:05:00.000-05:00

Written by Michael Berman for GWBlitz.com

GW Falls After Impressive Showing Against No. 2 Texas

Beating the #2-ranked team in the nation isn't an easy thing to accomplish, so it came as no surprise that the Colonials fell to #2 ranked Texas 100-92 in the opening round of this year's BB&T Classic at the MCI Center. What came as a surprise is how GW stuck with the Longhorns the entire game, even having opportunities to come out victorious in what was the first ever match-up between these two schools.

Led by senior Chris Monroe's team-high 26 points, the Colonials were able to penetrate and get the ball inside repeatedly on the Longhorns defense, leading to many easy baskets.

"We really felt that our perimeter guys could really beat them off the dribble and...because they play so aggressive on the defensive end we thought we had opportunities to penetrate," said Coach Karl Hobbs of the team's ability to penetrate.

Sophomore T.J. Thompson had his best game of the season, scoring 24 points along with 6 assists as he continuously drove to the basket, drawing fouls on numerous occasions.

"I was just basically taking what the defense gave me. Coach had told me to be a little more aggressive but the lanes were just there and I was just taking what they were giving me," said Thompson of his performance and ability to drive to the basket seemingly at will.

The teams battled back and forth for the early part of the first half before, with the game tied at 26, the Colonials went on a five-minute 12-4 run, to gain their largest lead of the day at 38-30. The lead was shrunk to just two at the half as the Longhorns went on a 12-7 run to close the gap, with sophomore standout T.J. Ford scoring seven of his sixteen points during that stretch.

Texas quickly took the lead in the second half but could never pull away, only being able to increase the lead to seven points against a scrappy Colonials team. GW was able to cut the lead down to two at the 5:21 mark of the second half after a T.J. Thompson lay-up, followed by Chris Monroe converting all three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt.

That was the closest the Colonials would get as the Longhorns would go on a 13-6 run led by junior James Thomas, who dominated the Colonials in the second half in the post and on the boards, with 9 points during that stretch. Thomas scored a team-high 26 points and grabbed 10 boards for his fourth straight game with a double-double.

"He is a terrific basketball player and he really understands what he is and he understands that his job is to rebound, set screens and to post up and dunk the basketball and that is exactly what he did," said Coach Hobbs of the big man's performance.

In the end Coach Hobbs believes that Texas' experience was the difference. "When it got down to about that six minute mark they really executed, they really got the shot that they wanted. As for us, we still struggled a little bit in some of our execution and I thought that the youth of our team sort of showed up a little bit," said Coach Hobbs of the Colonials' youth and inexperience in going against top teams like Texas.

With #8 Maryland being upset by Notre Dame, 79-67, in the second game of the BB&T Classic, the stage was set for the first match-up between GW and their cross-town rivals since 2000, in which the Terrapins defeated the Colonials, 71-63, in the Championship game of that year's BB&T Classic.

GW Vibes Livens Students with Voices and Talent

2002-12-09T22:14:00.000-05:00

Written by Mandy Volper for GWBlitz.com

The GW Vibes, a co-ed a cappella group, performed in the Marvin Center this past Saturday in order to "provide the GW community with an entertaining co-ed a cappella music and to enhance the overall availability of performance/cultural opportunities on campus."

The concert began with an introduction of each of the singers to familiarize the audience with the performers. The first song was an outstanding rendition of the infamous "Cecila" by Simon and Garfunkel. The energy and excitement that was conveyed to the crowd, from the group's interpretation of "Cecila," prepared the audience for the vigor and passion that was present throughout the show.

The GW Vibes compensated for the missing instruments, which is the nature of a cappella, because of the talent present among the singers. The group, especially member Ben Barringer, used his voice as a bass and baritone, otherwise known as the vocal percussion.

According to freshman Lauren Barett, the GW Vibes concert "was an outstanding performance, which demonstrates only some of the many talents that exist among the GW student body. The singers did a great job at connecting with the audience and creating a comfortable atmosphere."

One of the most impressive aspects of the concert was the diversity of the songs chosen. Ani Difranco, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael Jackson and Four Non-blondes are only a few of the eclectic selections that were re-enacted. The variety of the songs displays the groups' ability to sing in many ranges and styles, giving further evidence of the obvious talent that exists among group members. One of the highlights of the show was watching two of the singers demonstrate their own dance moves to their rendition of The Jackson Five's "ABC." Their dance, which was surprisingly similar to the original, enlivened the audience and brought many smiles and fits of laughter.

All in all, the concert was a major success, leaving audience members impressed by the professionalism that the GW Vibes demonstrated. The GW Vibes presented audience members with a lively and entertaining show, which was definitely worth the three dollars.

Hot, Cajun and Dirty South Soul: Taste Test DC's Cajun and Southern Soul Restaurants

2002-12-05T17:41:00.000-05:00

Written by Andrea Canino for GWBlitz.com

Cajun food is born out of the French Louisiana culture and is famous among the spice-lovers and the Mardi Gras-party-goers everywhere. Cajun/Creole cooking is known for its "overkill" of cayenne pepper, file (sassafras) power and spicy sauces. Yes, of course, Cajun food is the proud owner of cooking with crawfish (or crayfish for the Northeasterners) and jambalaya. If you are not used to spicy food, you might as well ask the waiter to bring you a gallon of water to set next to your plate.

Here are a few Cajun restaurants in the area that are accessible by Metro, cab or foot (the bus, if you don't want to walk):

Bardia's New Orleans Café
2412 18th Street, NW
How to get there: Cab it or take the H1 Brookland bus from Foggy Bottom Metro Station to 18 Street and Columbia Road, NW. It's a short walk from there.
Go when: You're broke.

B. Smith’s
50 Massachusetts Ave, NE
Union Station
(202) 289-6188
How to get there: Get on the Red Line to Glenmont. Get off at Union Station.
Go when: It’s pay day.

West 24
1250 24th Street, NW
(202)331-1100
How to get there: Walk (It’s not that far) or take the H1 Brookland bus from Foggy Bottom Metro Station to New Hampshire Avenue and M Street.
Go when: You’re parents just sent you money and cleared your credit card bill.

Cajun meets Southern South:
Heart and Soul Cafe
801 Pennsylvania Ave, SE
How to get there: Take the Orange Line to New Carrolton or the Blue Line to Addison Road. Get off at Eastern Market and walk a few blocks.
Go when: You’re broke.

Balanced Talent Leaves NFL Playoff Bids Anyone's Guess

2002-12-04T22:07:00.000-05:00

Written by Josh Kaye for GWBlitz.com

The NFL is in perfect harmony. Any team can beat any other team in any given week. Gone are dynasties and in is one of the most balanced professional leagues ever. With so many teams having similar records it can be hard to sort out the playoff picture. With 12 weeks down, here is my best effort to do so:

NFC

The Tampa Bay Bucs asserted their claim as the league's best by beating the Green Bay Packers in week 12. They moved to 9-2 after a dominating performance over Green Bay. It is hard not to place them as the NFC's best. The Bucs cannot let up though. Their division, the NFC South, is among the league's toughest divisions. The 7-3-1 Falcons and 7-4 Saints are in line to take that title should the Bucs falter.

Green Bay, despite their defeat by Tampa Bay, is the most comfortable first place team in the league. They sit at 8-3 and have a 5 game lead over the 3-8 Lions, Vikings and Bears. The Eagles and 49ers each hold two game leads in their divisions.

AFC

Five teams share the conferences best record at 7-4, with Pittsburgh right below them at 6-4-1. However, few would argue that of those teams, the Oakland Raiders have been the most impressive. In week 12, Oakland won another game easily, amassing 520 total yards and posting 41 points on the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite looking good, the Raiders have their hands full in the tough AFC West. The Broncos and Chargers, both of whom lost in week 12 are tied with the Raiders at 7-4. The Dolphins and Colts hold slim one game leads in their respective divisions.

Power Rankings

Throw records out the window. Here is a look at how the team's stack up from 1 to 32. As a reference point, records are given in parentheses.

1. Oakland Raiders (7-4)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-2)
3. Denver Broncos (7-4)
4. Green Bay Packers (8-3)
5. Miami Dolphins (7-4)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (7-4)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4-1)
8. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
9. Atlanta Falcons (7-3-1)
10. New York Jets (6-5)
11. Indianapolis Colts (7-4)
12. New England Patriots (6-5)
13. New Orleans Saints (7-4)
14. Tennessee Titans (6-5)
15. St. Louis Rams (5-6)
16. San Diego Chargers (7-4)
17. Kansas City Chiefs (5-6)
18. Buffalo Bills (5-6)
19. New York Giants (6-5)
20. Washington Redskins (5-6)
21. Cleveland Browns (6-5)
22. Seattle Seahawks (4-7)
23. Baltimore Ravens (5-6)
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-6)
25. Minnesota Vikings (3-8)
26. Chicago Bears (3-8)
27. Arizona Cardinals (4-7)
28. Detroit Lions (3-8)
29. Houston Texans (3-8)
30. Dallas Cowboys (4-7)
31. Carolina Panthers (3-8)
32. Cincinnati Bengals (1-10)

Pentelovitch Elected IFC President

2002-12-04T21:58:00.000-05:00

Interviewed by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

GWBlitz! had the opportunity to speak with newly elected Inter-Fraternity Council President, Norm Pentelovitch.

What were some of the main problems within the IFC or in Greek organizations this past year?
We needed to raise rush numbers. We achieved this, in part, through strong Greek participation during Colonial Inauguration 2002, advertising and publicity. We had a few judicial issues, and because we did not have a functional judicial Board at the time, we could not resolve these internal problems. This semester, we will have a functional judicial board, and we will be able to handle these issues.

What are some of your ideas for this upcoming year as new president of the IFC?
I would like to take a slightly different approach to the recruitment process. This may be changed by having a different event on the first day of recruitment in order to garner more enthusiasm and to promote more equality among all of the fraternities.

How do you plan to deal with the onslaught of new fraternities trying to get chartered at GW, such as Alpha Epsilon Pi? Is this positive or harmful to the structure of fraternal order?
We have not made any decisions with regards to Alpha Epsilon Pi or any other off-campus fraternity. These new possible Greek options are not necessarily a good or a bad thing, but rather something that we will be considering in the near future. I do not believe that these new possible options are harmful to the existing structure of the Greek system at GW.

With the new Greek townhouses, to be completed Fall 2003, what are some of the fears, anticipated problems and goals that you have with Townhouse Row?
I think that our only fears about the townhouses are that they are ready in time and that there is a healthy balance between independence by the chapters and regulation by the University. There was a good deal of negotiation by many parties regarding the townhouses, with some issues still needing to be resolved. Initially it will be very important for each chapter to be on their best fraternal behavior towards both the University and towards other chapters. Our goal is to be able to allow each chapter in the townhouses to retain their individuality and uniqueness and to also be able to coexist with the seven other chapters that will be residing there. I would like to establish a "Greek Row Council," with members of houses in the Row to have a voice with the IFC. This will all come down the road, once the chapters that are going to be in houses are established.

How do you plan to respond to the problem of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related "busts" within fraternities?
As I mentioned before, we will have a judicial board set up right away. However, alcohol consumption and University Police Department actions against Greek organizations have always been an issue that the IFC feels strongly about. The IFC is designed to allow self-governance of the Greek community. I don't believe that there has been a particular increase in the amount of "busts" lately, however, if such issues happen, I would like to think that we will deal with them fairly and with regards as to what is best for both that chapter, and the system as a whole.

How did your involvement in your fraternity bring you to run for this position?
As a brother of Kappa Sigma, I have always been very proud to be a member of a Greek organization on campus. I always wanted to find a way that I could help or give back to a system that has given so much to me. Since I was heavily involved in my chapter and because I wanted to help improve the Greek system as a whole, the IFC seemed to be the best way for me to help the whole Greek system out.

How has your involvement in the IFC impacted your experience as an undergraduate?
It has been a great experience serving on the IFC board this past year for publicity, and I'm anticipating another great year. I have learned a lot about how the administration at GW is run, which I otherwise might not have. I have learned about all the trials and tribulations that are involved with having to make decisions that affect a large group of students. Also, I believe that I am gaining leadership skills and experience and also learning much more about the Greek system as a whole at GW than I ever thought possible.

Avoiding the Herd: Holiday Shopping Made Easy

2002-12-04T17:35:00.000-05:00

Written by Gina Anderson for GWBlitz.com

Shopping Tips to Beat the Rush

It's Christmas time again, and you know what that means boys and girls? Shopping time. Everyone has looked slightly over their shoulders at fellow shoppers to see if they got the last mohair sweater, but what is really important is to know how to beat the holiday shopping crowd, which can range from soccer moms to those dangerous herds of hockey dads. Beginning this month, along with the sports fanatic parents out to get a good bargain, there will be sales people standing everywhere in department stores trying to make a commission. You'll have to wear a plastic bubble to resist all of the perfume coming at you. Don't let those other shoppers bum-rush you, take control. Here's how:

The Sunday before you take your shopping trip, get the Sunday edition of The Washington Post and take out all of the sales paper and find the items that you want that are on sale. Avoid going into the store and doing what the herds do: lollygagging while tending to snotty, whining little children. Be prepared, and don't be a victim to the sales person's bad sales tactics. Get in and get out!

Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. This environment is not for nice people who think that it's cute to go shopping in stiletto Gucci boots; you will get stepped on! Also, cell phones should be a necessary tool to use only in emergencies such as ways to ignore the sales person that continues to talk to you even though you are talking on the cell phone to someone else or as a weapon against children who have seemed to have lost their parents and want to tag along with you.

Don't bring friends. Friends are a bad idea, first because you will a) overspend on yourself rather than others and b) he/she will find some way to annoy you by taking too long one store or c) You're working on a schedule that your friends might totally be oblivious to!

Avoid department stores, hell, avoid malls altogether. Your gifts will never be unique no matter how "far out" you think your gift idea is. Save mall gifts for things like designer items that you can't get anywhere else.

Don't forget to shop on-line. There are plenty of great gifts on-line, such as on-line bookstores. On-line catalogs usually have unpublished sale items or discounted clothes at ridiculously cheap rates. Again, the advantage here is avoiding long lines, free gift wrap and not having to carry heavy things on the plane where you'll have to pay for having all the extra weight or end up smashing the gift or damaging the wrapping job you spent part of your study time preparing.

Also, try shopping at a little known boutique or try going to Eastern Market where you can find all sorts of hand made items, exotic goods, great prints and fresh flowers. Many of the vendors from Eastern Market, however, have set up shop at GWU's new "Farmer's Market," which means you don't have to go far for the goods.

Where the herds will be:

Pentagon City Mall -- No matter how much anyone tries to avoid this place, they can't help but marvel at four floors of utter, brainless, nonsensical architecture of a shopper's paradise. If you insist on bumping into the herders, travel by metro on the Blue line to the "Pentagon City" stop.

Georgetown -- The rules from above do not apply to this shopping experience. If you're just looking to blind people with your bling bling jewelry, then fine, just do it! But you have been warned, these herders mean serious business here, you could get ran over by a Chevy Suburban driving-cell phone carrying- rich kid from the hills of Georgetown University or worse yet, you could run into a diplomat's wife, who has total and utter diplomatic immunity and get into scuffle over who got the last Prada bag. You might escape with just having to wear an eye patch. (Take the Georgetown shuttle near the metro or just schlep it.)

Union Station -- Remember those kids I told you about with their herd parents? Well, this is just them 10 years from now, roaming the mall, the food court, blocking up entrances to stores, and cat calling at passersby. You're not even safe going to the movies here, you might get gum on the bottom of your shoes or get wet paper balls thrown at you from two flights up. (Metro: Orange/Blue Line to Metro Center and Red Line to Union Station).

Mazza Gallerie -- This mall isn't that bad. There's also a movie theater and a number of other stores outside the mall on the strip. (Metro: Orange/Blue Line to Metro Center and Red Line to Friendship Heights).

Ballston Mall -- This mall is not that crowded and the food court is awesome! (Metro: Blue Line to Ballston-MU).

As for the little known places, check out Eastern Market on Saturday mornings, Metro Center (which is more than just a transfer station, there's a shopper's paradise above ground) or go to a really big place that's really far away, carpool to Tyson's Corner or Potomac Mills. So, to reiterate, don't fall victim to the herds, develop a plan of action and walk like you're on a warpath. No one will bother you, and you'll emerge from the shopping battlefield unharmed by the salespeople.

Gifts to Enhance a Person's Fitness

2002-12-04T17:34:00.000-05:00

Written by Staff for The Orange County Register and GWBlitz.com

Gifts that help enhance a person's fitness often have long-lasting benefits if the presents are carefully selected. A fitness-related gift definitely sends a message that you care about his or her well being. Here are some ideas:

A sports massage. Most athletic or active people I know relish the thought of a massage to relax the sore spots and minor aches. Get your recipient a gift certificate for an hour's session from a local day spa. If the recipient already has a preferred massage therapist, then contact that therapist.

A gift subscription to Cooking Light magazine. This is one of my perennial favorite gift suggestions. Proper nutrition is an important part of any physically active person's quest for better health.

A gift subscription to a magazine on his or her favorite athletic activity. Make sure to check discreetly that he or she doesn't already have the subscription.

Moisture-management sports clothing. These are clothes that move sweat away from skin and onto the surface where it evaporates quickly, keeping the wearer dry. Include a gift receipt in case the clothes aren't the right size.

A gift certificate for a pair of athletic shoes. You can get this at athletic-shoe specialty stores.

Exercise videos. This requires sleuthing. Check out what types of workouts your recipient likes to do at home before buying.

A sports watch. Choose one that suits your recipient's personality. Is he or she a gadget geek or one who wants a simple no-bells-and-whistles version?

An outdoors skin-care package. Get a small sports bag and fill it with the following: a large-size sports sunscreen with SPF 30, a lightweight sports cap, a soothing bath gel, body moisturizer, a bath mitt, facial moisturizer, spa rubber/plastic sandals and a small sports towel. These products are available at drug and department stores in a range of prices.

An active vacation. For something more extravagant, choose a weekend or several days you can spend together or a solo rejuvenation trip for your recipient. You can select from several approaches: Choose the destination and book the details later after discussing choices with the recipient. Or you can choose everything if you're familiar with your recipient's preferences, allowing room for flexibility to change plans later. Some destination spas and resorts can help you map out specific activities. Try to alternate days of activity and relaxation so he or she comes back feeling energized, not exhausted.

A consultation series with a registered dietician who specializes in sports nutrition. Contact the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionists, a group of the American Dietetic Association at (719) 395-9271 or send e-mail to scan@nutrifit.org for a sports dietician near you. This is good for the amateur competitive athlete who wants to take his nutrition and performance to the next level and needs help fine-tuning his or her eating habits.

Finding Your Way to the French Quarter

2002-12-04T17:32:00.000-05:00

Written by Mandy Volper for GWBlitz.com

Mardi Gras in December? Mardi Gras may not have changed from its traditional March bash, but if you are planning on attending the events, this is a great time to start booking tickets and making arrangements for a weekend of non-stop partying. Many travel companies are offering special closeout vacation deals that can include hotel accommodations, airfare and transportation from the airport to your hotel. Some deals include extra entertainment deals, including a cruise on a steamboat with live jazz performances from Travelocity. If you're willing to rough it for a few nights you can get bargain deals at hotels for $59, but you may also end up paying $300 a night for a hotel. Keep in mind, however, that traveling for Mardi Gras is more expensive than a trip one weekend to New Orleans.

After you have booked your trip and as March 4 draws closer, keep in mind some tips about how to maximize your fun down south. While attending a parade, do not to bend over to pick up a doubloon or strand of beads that the float riders throw. People will tackle you to the ground just to recover these infamous beads. But, do place your foot on the beads and when the float passes calmly pick it up. Do not throw things at the float riders, but do hold on tightly to a string of beads you jointly catch with someone until one person must eventually give in. To entice the float riders to throw goodies your way, do not be afraid to yell, "Throw me something, mister."

Making eye contact with the parade riders can't hurt your chances of getting beads either. For the overly daring female, flashing male float riders may also leave you with beads if not only a good story to tell your friends who stayed at home. Cars are not allowed near the French Quarter during Mardi Gras, so be prepared to do a lot of walking. Use common sense when walking the streets of New Orleans, especially after dark. People are allowed to drink on the streets in New Orleans. However, you must use "geaux" cups (plastic cups). Glass and cans are not allowed on the streets for safety reasons. It also can be a difficult task finding clean bathrooms, so try to plan ahead. But never resort to urinating on the street; it just might land you trading in your hotel bed for a cot in a jail cell. Remember that Mardi Gras is solely for the purpose of fun so if you decide to go, let loose and live a little. As Mark Twain wrote in Life on the Mississippi, "[Mardi Gras] is a thing that could hardly exist in the practical North...For the soul of it is the romantic, not the funny and the grotesque." Take away the romantic mysteries, the kings and knights and big-sounding titles, and Mardi Gras would die down there in the South.

Boogie Down with New Orleans R&B

2002-12-04T17:29:00.000-05:00

Written by Helly Schtevie for GWBlitz.com

If top 40 hits have you down, perhaps it's time to delve into our nation's musical past for entertainment.

The 1940s and '50s were a revolutionary time for the history of contemporary American music, and New Orleans was the great city where a lot of these developments occurred. A new sound emerged that was instrumental to the birth of rock 'n' roll and most forms of characteristically black music today. With origins in both secular folk music of the rural African American musician and big band swing, R&B arrived fast and popularly.

For some classic hits, check out Fats Domino. His boogie woogie sound produced a string of steady nationwide hits, making him the most popular musician to come out of this scene.

Any rhythm and blues collection that does not include Little Richard is incomplete. His electrifying vocals and frenzied piano playing characterize his influential sound.

Lloyd Price topped the charts many times over with his rock 'n' roll and pop slanted sound. Other essential artists to check out are Huey 'Piano' Smith and His Clowns, Professor Longhair, David Bartholomew, Earl Palmer, and Smiley Lewis.

Next time you feel unsatisfied with your music collection, instead of purchasing the newest release, give this genre another chance.

Tufts University Wins Raas Chaos Title

2002-11-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

Written by Andrea Canino for GWBlitz.com

Universities nationwide compete for the prestigious raas dance title

Tufts University won the title of Raas Chaos 2002 Champions Saturday night at the Raas Chaos competition in Lisner Auditorium. Georgetown University's performers proudly accepted the title as runners up.

"We did not expect this," said one of the dancers of Tufts University's all-female performing group. "We all said that we were just going to go and do our best."

Tufts, Georgetown, George Washington, and New York NASHA universities and University of Maryland at College Park all took over the stage as they smiled and sung to the music while dancing the raas at this event, which was presented by GW's South Asian Society. New York University NASHA's all-female group entertained the audience during the intermission act and Penn Dhamaka's boys ended the night with their mix-dance, which included a "cameo" of Austin Powers and his theme song.

Raas is a traditional dance of music, colorful costumes performed during the Hindu Gujarati festival of Navratri. Men and women dance together and hit together dandiya, or sticks, to the beat of the lively music. The brightly colored and detailed costumes and jewelry enliven the dance so that even if you cannot understand the lyrics of the Hindi songs, you can appreciate not only the culture, but talent and effort that is put into the amazing, "chaotic" performance by the students.

"The music was great and the costumes are beautiful. The event was an enjoyable and interesting look at another culture," said Charlene Powell, a junior at the George Washington University. "GW's performance was great. It's unfortunate that they lost."

The champions of the competition win the grand prize of $1,250 and the champion title and the runners up receive $750. Universities within the United States will attend the competition every year to try to dance their way to the honorable title.

This was the second time that the annual competition took place. If you have not taken advantage of witnessing such an amazing and culturally diverse event, you need to take the time to do so.

Bhangra Blowout, another dance competition, will take place next semester. This will be a great opportunity to get to know about the dances and to familiarize yourself with GW's South Asian Society their commitment to the awareness of South Asian culture.

Related Sites
Raas Chaos
Bhangra Blowout

FREE Tickets to see Analyze That

2002-11-20T17:48:00.000-05:00

GWBlitz! is giving away tickets to the Tuesday, December 3rd screening of the upcoming movie, "Analyze That." Starring: Billy Crystal, Robert DeNiro, and Lisa Kudrow.

The advance screening will be at Pentagon City. Take the METRO to the Pentagon City stop.

All you need to do to get your free tickets (two per person) is stop by the GW Blitz! office, Marvin Center 415 or check out our bulletin board on the 4th floor and pick them up!

Tickets are limited and are on a first come, first serve basis.

About The Movie

Mob boss Paul Vitti (ROBERT DE NIRO) is nearing the end of his term in Sing Sing, and the FBI agents monitoring him are baffled. Day after day they watch as New York's most notorious gangland figure walks around his cell in a semi-catatonic stupor, occasionally breaking into songs from West Side Story.

Is Vitti having a nervous breakdown because of recent threats on his life by a rival Family or is his odd behavior merely a foxy ploy to get him sprung from jail early? The FBI isn't sure and neither is his former psychotherapist Ben Sobel (BILLY CRYSTAL), who gets called in to consult on the case.

The last time Sobel treated Vitti he tried to get to the source of his debilitating anxiety attacks, but barely scratched the surface. It will take time to examine the demons still lurking in Vitti's mind and help put him on the straight and narrow -- time that Sobel doesn't want to give. Not to Vitti. Not now.

Truth is, Sobel has problems of his own. His father has just died, plunging him into an identity crisis in both his personal and professional lives. Furthermore, he knows his wife Laura (LISA KUDROW) will be furious if he allows the unpredictable Vitti back into their lives.

But when Vitti is granted a conditional release into Sobel's custody, becoming his patient again and -- even worse -- his houseguest, the reluctant psychiatrist finds that he has no choice. In order to get peace back in his life he must help the troubled gangster sort out his psyche, find gainful employment and go straight.

The good news is that Vitti finally appears to be sincere about taking the cure. And Sobel really wants to believe him.

But how can he be sure when guys like Lou The Wrench keep showing up?

Opening Date: Friday, December 6, 2002

Fraternity and Sorority Host "Where's the Love?"

2002-11-20T17:27:00.000-05:00

Written by Helly Schtevie for GWBlitz.com

Students discuss gender issues at forum

Alpha Phi Alpha Incorporated Nu Beta Chapter and Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated Mu Beta Chapter teamed up to co-sponsor "Where's the Love?" last night. Members of both organizations attended this open discussion forum at the Marvin Center.

Delta Sigma Theta President, Jewel Baltimore, described the event as a "progression of positive relationships in the black community between men and women."

Attendees were encouraged to be "candid and open" with their responses, and all had a chance to have their say on a variety of gender-related issues that the black community faces.

The forum included discussion regarding questions posed to the attendees and responses to relevant video clips and readings. Topics included male-female relation issues such as dating and chivalry on campus.

The women in the audience far outnumbered the men, but the students were able to have a constructive discussion.

If you missed your chance to speak your mind, you will have another opportunity at a follow up to this event next semester.

Winners of Mr and Miss All-Around Campus 2002

2002-11-14T17:56:00.000-05:00

The new Mr and Miss All-Around Campus are: Edward Van Leer and Blythe Purdin

Miss All-Around Campus...Runners Up
Sheryl Jaffe
Christy Odom
Taryn Shaberg

Mr. All-Around Campus...Runners Up
Brett Kaplan
Kevin McKeon
Ari Mittleman
Danny Tobias

Be sure to check GWBlitz.com for a complete article about the event on Monday!

Emo Fever With Emocapella

2002-11-13T17:46:00.000-05:00

Written by Joanne Philippeaux for GWBlitz.com

Guy meets girl. Guy likes girl. Girl likes guy, and then dumps him. It's the story of woe as told through the pipes of GW's all male a capella group, Emocapella.

These guys epitomize the downs of relationships in their grunge rock selections. Singing their hearts out to the public, these 13 males deliver it with style and emotion in ways only explained by the rawness of the human voice alone.

"Emocapella is thirteen guys at this point, who sing songs that are by men and that are labeled "emo", said junior and co-founder Eric Denman.

"Emo was originally a sub-genre of punk, whose songs are generally about relationships, and usually the guys getting screwed...not in a good way," he said.

Its start was simple. Juniors Eric Denman and Dan Riesser discussed the idea, and got some guys together and just started rehearsing last fall. Because there is a lack of a knowledgeable fan base who embrace the emo sound, the audience is pretty much mixed. Between those who know the songs, or those who just know the guys, the crowd can range from people who like emo, or those who like a capella in general.

"We started with several people who participated in band, so they had musical experience, but not necessarily that much singing experience," Denman said, who himself is familiar with the piano.

The thematic boundaries of the group's performances are pretty much strict and forward: guys done wrong by their female counterparts.

Denman says, "Either your girlfriend left you, you don't have one, or she's too far away, or any number of heartbreaking things, that's what a lot of the songs go into."

November 23, 2002 will mark the group's first musical performance as an exclusive act. "Stand Alone," will be taking place in the Marvin Center Amphitheatre Ballroom on the third floor at 9:30 p.m. The playlist will include a wide range of songs including, The Alkaline Trio's "Enjoy Your Day," Jimmy Eat World's "No Sensitivity," a little Dashboard Confessional, as well as the "Mr. T Experience."

Come out and witness them sing, cry and laugh as Emocapella will entice the crowd with a full playlist of eleven serenades of the heartbroken.

"We're actually going to go all out and do the full eleven or twelve songs, so it should be good," said Denman. "And don't forget to go the website."

National Residence Hall Honorary Awards

2002-11-13T11:12:00.000-05:00

The National Residence Hall Honorary proudly announces the "Of the Month" Award winners for the Month of October, 2002!!

Community Facilitator of the Month:
Jessica Hammers of Penn House, nominated by Josh Hartman for her outstanding work to build a community in a hall where due to building constraints it is sometimes very hard. She is a sophomore who is a CF for students her own age but she has been able to overcome this obstacle and create a wonderful learning and living environment! Keep up the good work Jessica!

Community of the Month:
Elections and Campaign Strategies Living and Learning Community, nominated by Barry Cardin, had an exciting month in October. They listened to speakers, went to Connecticut to campaign (and made a huge difference) in a house race and as a weekly activity watch, "The West Wing" each Wednesday as a group. Congratulations to Barry and his residents!

Spotlight of the Month:
Mary Mai and the Mount Vernon Staff, nominated by Nicole Brigandi, for their outstanding commitment to the community surrounding the Mount Vernon Campus. During the month of October, Mary helped to coordinate and plan a wonderful campus and community Halloween event that was attended by around 100 local children! Congrats to MVC!

Social Program of the Month:
Late Night with the President, nominated by Jen Knox, was one of the most successful events of the year thus far. Attended by nearly 500 freshman and numerous administrators this unique event was more than anyone anticipated. The residence halls were full of pride and spirit while engaging in a rare conversation with the university president. Congrats to the organizers and of course, Lafayette Hall, the big winners!

Educational Program of the Month:
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, nominated by Brian Hamluk, was a week dedicated to making students on GW's campus aware of the issues concerning Alcohol through fun and educational activities like speakers, a Mocktail night and Kegs on Kogan. This proved to be a huge success and well deserving of recognition! Congrats to CADE and everyone who helped to organize this event!

Thank you to all who submitted OTM nominations! Keep it up! Want to submit for November? E-mail nrhh@gwu.edu to find out how!

Bush Speaks at GW on Minority Housing

2002-10-16T17:21:00.000-04:00

Public and private sectors called on to commit to minority homeownership

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

"An ownership society is a compassionate society," said President George W. Bush yesterday in the Jack Morton Auditorium. "We want every American to be able to own their own home."

Yesterday afternoon in the School of Media and Public Affairs, President Bush hosted a White House conference calling for a commitment to expanding minority and low-income homeownership.

"There is an ownership gap," said Bush. "Two-thirds of all Americans own their homes, yet we have a problem here in America because fewer than half of the Hispanics and half the African Americans own their home.

"That's a homeownership gap," he continued. "It's a gap that we've got to work together to close for the good of our country, for the sake of a more hopeful future. We've got to work to knock down the barriers that have created this gap."

The goal was clear. According to Bush's "Homeownership Challenge," 5.5 million additional minority families will own their own home by the end of this decade. If and when this goal is achieved, according to Bush, minority homeowners will stimulate an additional $256 billion in benefits to the housing sector of the U.S. economy.

To meet this goal, The Blueprint for the American Dream Partnership was created, made up of private and nonprofit organizations to help Bush's administration. In Bush's speech, he listed four areas that must be addressed in order to achieve his goal.

First, people buying homes need to be educated in the home buying process. Little information is available for minority home buyers, who are often coming from another country and encounter language barriers or are not helped with the complexities of the process.

Second, the supply of affordable homes must be increased. Affordable housing in inner-city neighborhoods is scarce, where single family affordable housing credit is a problem.

Third, more home financing options for lower income Americans must be offered. Bush encouraged the private sector to play a role in this process and to help these home owners make payments.

"We have the ability to have dreams financed," said Bush.

Fourth, Bush encouraged the federal government to provide more closing cost assistance and down payment. In a program called "The American Dream Down Payment Fund," the government has already set out to help 200,000 families to make payment on their homes over five years.

"We should be a nation of owners," said Bush. "Owning something is freedom. Owners have more interest in the neighborhood, take more pride and have something to pass on to their sons and daughters."

Before Bush's address, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez introduced two families who shared their stories about attaining homeownership.

"We now have our own part of the American dream now," said Mr. Horton of Little Rock, Arkansas, who went from living in a shelter to homeowning. "I never imagined what we could do."

"The message is clear," said Bush, who called for a commitment from the housing industry. "We need to close the minority homeownership gap. When we do this, our communities and economy will be the strongest."

Revamping EMeRG

2002-10-16T17:18:00.000-04:00

Written by Annie Blinkoff for GWBlitz.com

EMeRG, GW's on campus Emergency Medical Service, has gone through very impressive changes to ensure that the students, faculty and staff of the University are able to be transported to the hospital efficiently in case of a medical emergency.

These changes include an increased number of staff, more hours and a new Quick Response Vehicle.

"We respond to emergencies and transport [patients] to the ER," said Kelly Schirmer, EMeRG's public relations supervisor. "In the case of patients who may want to go to Student Health, we can release them and also give them a ride to Student Health."

EMeRG is located in the Marvin Center Garage and can be reached by dialing 4-6111 from any University phone. EMeRG is GW's 911 system; the staff are all trained EMTs and paramedics.

This semester, 65 members are involved in EMeRG's management team and 30 more members are expected to join by the end of the year. Being well staffed allows EMeRG now to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as opposed to the previous years when it ran from 7 p.m. - 3 a.m.

Schirmer believes that "being in service during the day allows us to respond to the calls of GW students, faculty and staff, who populate campus during these hours."

EMeRG EMT, Janell Alexander said, "Now that we are 24/7, we can get there [the scene] in less than five minutes."

For the patient and for members of the GW community, Alexander said that "it's just a comfort that someone is going to be there."

Getting to the scene quickly, efficiently and with large equipment is now possible with EMeRG's new Quick Response Vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe. The QRV can carry ambulance equipment like high concentration oxygen cylinders, backboards and the stair chair that are too large to fit on the medically equipped bicycles. The traditional EMeRG medically equipped bikes are still being used when large equipment is not necessary. As of yet, patients are not transported in the vehicle, but EMeRG members like Alexander hope that soon it will be used for that purpose.

EMeRG is co-sponsored by the University Department of Emergency Medicine and the University Police Department.

In the past, if the weather was poor, Alexander explained, "the police would swing by and pick us up," but now with the new QRV, EMeRG does not have to rely completely on UPD; the staff can just drive to the scene.

"This sounds like an improvement that will actually work to benefit the students," said Sophomore Nicole Brigandi in hearing of EMeRG's new features. "It will be interesting to see how it compares to other improved systems on campus."

EMeRG is already showing how respected it is as an Emergency Medical Service, for this year the organization was chosen to be the host of the 10th Annual National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation Conference which will be held in February 2003.

Members of EMeRG as well as UPD (who helped EMeRG obtain their new QRV) are actively working to ensure the safety of the GW community. Now, in the case of any emergency, each student can be confident that help will arrive within minutes.

GWBlitz! presents the 2nd Annual Mr. and Miss All-Around Campus

2002-10-09T11:18:00.000-04:00

About the Event...

Event Title
The Crowning of Mr. and Miss All-Around Campus

Description of Contest
Beginning on October 9, and running until November 14, 2002, GWBlitz! is hosting a contest to see who is the "campus big shot." We want to know who our readers feel best represent the titles of Mr. and Miss All-Around Campus.

From October 9 through 26, a nomination form was available online at GWBlitz.com for contest submissions. Following this nomination period, interviews are being conducted and profiles of the top nominees announced. On November 6, these profiles will be available online and in print for GWBlitz! readers to vote in their top choices.

The three males and females who receive the most votes will be awarded prizes and trophies at the Crowning ceremony during halftime of the November 14th Men's Basketball game in the Smith Center. The number one winners will be crowned by the reigning Mr. and Miss All-Around Campus at the ceremony and presented with the grand prizes. The names of the contest winners will be available online after the November 14th event.

"The GWBlitz! Special" at Zero's Subs

2002-10-08T11:24:00.000-04:00

GWBlitz! and Zero's Subs have teamed up to help satisfy your appetite. During the month of October at Zero's Subs, ask for "The GWBlitz! Special" and get two personal pizzas for only $4.99!

Then exercise your right to vote. Select from the menu items below your choice for next month's special. You will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a FREE PIZZA from Zero's. One pizza will be awarded per week. Winners will be selected at random and their names will be posted online as notification.

You may only vote once per week. Voting for more than one of each will disqualify your online vote and only members of the GW student community with a valid GWorld card are eligible to win.

VOTE FOR NOVEMBER'S GWBLITZ! SPECIAL

GRINDER

TURKEY AND CHEESE

MEATBALL AND CHEESE

COSMO VEGETARIAN

PERSONAL PIZZA

SANDWICH WRAP

Name*
E-mail*
Phone Number*

* All fields are required in order to be eligible for the free pizza. Your information will ONLY be used to contact you if you have won and to verify you are a GW student.

And visit Zero's Subs Online at www.zeros.com.

The GWBlitz! Special is available for pick-up only to members of The George Washington University community who display a valid GWorld card. This deal and contest is in conjunction with the 1015 20th Street location only. Offer and contest ends November 1, 2002.

Bring it Back to DC!

2002-10-02T11:39:00.000-04:00

Part Three of Three

Written by Michael Berman for GWBlitz.com

No other city vying for a relocated team has the strengths to match that of Washington, DC. DC is the eighth largest television market in the country, yet the only city in the top eighteen markets not to have a professional baseball team. The Washington Metropolitan area also has the fifth highest population in the country with 4.7 million citizens. Baltimore has 2.4 million people in its Metropolitan area, which is more than the mean of the current 30 MLB city metro populations. This number is easily more than enough to allow for a successful DC baseball team, which can consistently generate revenue and fan support and interest.

As an outsider, it seems that Washingtonians, who are in search of a baseball team, are just Orioles fans by geographical default. After all, do you ever see anyone wearing an Orioles shirt on the streets of DC? Baltimore and Washington are two separate markets with two separate sets of fans. The success of the Ravens and Redskins is a perfect example of how two teams just forty miles apart can both thrive. Washington is also number one in household income, making it a perfect place for any owner to gorge the fans and assist in lightening their wallets by the time they leave the ballpark. In 1998, 22 million people visited DC and spent 5.9 million dollars on tourism but none of that was spent on watching Major League Baseball. Most importantly, DC is the only city with a stadium already in place that can be ready for baseball in 2003 while a new state of the art stadium is also being built.

Major League Baseball must take advantage of and utilize the assets that baseball in the DC area would have by moving the Expos here as soon as possible. Just imagine going to a baseball game on a warm summer evening or in the heat of a pennant race in September or even on a brisk fall evening watching another Fall Classic. To myself and all those baseball fans in the DC area, it would not get any better than that.

"Red" Auerbach Classic Enters its 8th Year

2002-10-02T01:26:00.000-04:00

Former Celtics Coach continues to lend his name to GW Thanksgiving Tourney

Written by Jason Lipschultz for GWBlitz.com

On Thanksgiving weekend, GW will host its annual "Red" Auerbach Colonial Classic Tournament for the eighth year.

In the history of the tournament, named after the famous Colonial alumnus, Arnold "Red" Auerbach, GW has won every time and every game played as part of it, according to GW Sports Information Director, Brad Bower.

Undoubtedly the most well renowned and accomplished athlete to graduate from GW, Auerbach earned his distinct reputation as an aggressive and demanding coach upon leaving GW in 1940. He is best known for developing one of the most dominant franchises in professional sports history, the Boston Celtics.

According to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (www.hoophall.com), Auerbach began his coaching career in 1946 with the Washington Capitals. From 1959 to 1966, Auerbach led the Celtics to eight straight NBA Championships, a streak not yet surpassed.

At his retirement, he was the first NBA coach to win 1,000 games. Furthermore, his 1,037-548 overall coaching record ranked him the best of all time.

Leading Boston to 99 playoff victories, something few coaches have matched, Auerbach was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1965. Just five years later, he was named the NBA's 25th Anniversary All-Time Team Coach.

Throughout his years as a basketball coach, Auerbach received many other distinct and distinguished honors. Each year, the tournament held at GW named in his honor commemorates the man and his accomplishments.

The winning team receives a trophy as a nice finishing touch every year. At the end of the tournament, "Red" usually will come down out of the stands to help present the award, noted Bower.

This year will be no different, as GW hosts the tournament from Friday, November 29 through Saturday, November 30 at the Smith Center.

Daleo Elected to Metro Alliance

2002-10-02T01:10:00.000-04:00

Student Association EVP to represent GW in city-wide collegiate alliance

Written by Stacey Mittin for GWBlitz.com

Executive Vice President Eric Daleo was elected Vice Chairman of the Metropolitan University Student Alliance (MUSA) last week.

His election will enable The George Washington University to obtain a second vote when representing the District of Columbia metropolitan area. He is the first student to hold this type of leadership position.

"I only get out what I put in," said Daleo.

And, he is willing to put in much effort to influence the D.C. area.

The MUSA consists of GW, American, Catholic, George Mason, UDC, Gallaudet, Marymount, Georgetown and Trinity College. The chair of the organization is Samantha Reherman of The American University Student Confederation.

Daleo's ceremonial role includes one extra meeting per month along with regular meetings to get his points across to the surrounding community.

The junior, a major in history, wants to advocate reduced metro fare cards, parking discrimination and shift the focus of the Metropolitan Police Department from targeting alcohol abuse to crime, sexual assault and other problems directly on campus.

As executive vice president of the Student Association, he gets the opportunity to work with 27 different senators.

"I get a chance to bring everyone together under one banner," explained Daleo.

This makes the position worthwhile to him.

Recently, he has successfully attempted to get speakers to attend the bi-monthly Senate meetings at GW.

"I would like to have the D.C. mayor speak, and my new MUSA position only helps me in my efforts," he said. "I never set out to be executive vice president of GW, it just fell into place."

Daleo's undergraduate political career began when he was elected to Thurston Hall Council. He originally decided to run because he was upset that his mail was not being sent to him on time. He went from Thurston Hall Council to the Dining Services Commission and then to the Senate.

"I do not know if politics are in my future, but I definitely want to be a voice like I am as executive vice president, said Daleo.

Daleo encourages all GW students to attend the SA meetings, which are held every other Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Marvin Center. At the last meeting, a record-breaking among of legislation was introduced. In addition, students can log on to the senate website at www.senate.gwu.edu for more information.

An Interview with Madeleine Albright

2002-10-01T01:41:00.000-04:00

GWBlitz! was able to snag two minutes with former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, after the September edition of the Kalb Report.

After being whisked into the elevator by her security detail, we were able to ask former Secretary Albright about September 11, her feelings about that day and the feelings among our generation.

The interview was brief, but certainly informative.

GWBlitz!: How do you feel that the general atmosphere among youth in the United States is different than it was before September 11, 2001?
Secretary Albright: I think youth are more fearful since that day. It is going to be one of the defining moments of their generation; a day they will remember forever.

GWBlitz!: What would you tell young people who are disenchanted with the goverment and United States politics since September 11th?
Secretary Albright: I would encourage them to participate in the system. They should go out and vote. Nothing can be changed without their vote.

Madeleine Albright was Secretary of State under the Clinton Administration. She was the first female Secretary of State and the highest ranking woman ever in the United States Government.

Breaking News Briefs from around the District

2002-09-30T11:31:00.000-04:00

Compiled by Sai Pradhan for GWBlitz.com

FBI: Polygraph Test Could Be Skewed In Levy Suspect

The suspect who passed a polygraph test when questioned about Chandra Levy's murder is once more under FBI scrutiny after details of the test were revealed. According to investigators in the case, the polygraph test was conducted by a Spanish speaking interpreter instead of by a bilingual, as it should. Investigators believe that this may have caused erroneous results. The suspect in question is Ingmar A. Guandique, 21, who has been convicted of assaulting two other women in Rock Creek Park before Levy's body was found on May 22.

Five Potential Sites Picked For A Baseball Stadium

One of five sites picked by city consultants could attract a Major League baseball team to DC. The Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, the area east of Mt. Vernon Square, the areas north and south of Union Station, and an area near the Anacostia waterfront are the five spots that could potentially host a team.

West Nile Could Be Volatile In D.C.

Health officials are warning DC residents, especially the elderly and the sick, to take precautions against West Nile Virus caused by mosquitoes in the area. People are warned not to overreact unnecessarily, but to be aware of the danger that the disease could potentially cause. The Washington area is more susceptible to breeding the virus due to the climate as mosquitoes tend to thrive in hot and moist conditions. Officials advise people to wear mosquito repellent when outdoors.

Senate To Agree On Energy Legislation

In an effort to be more self-sufficient in oil, the United States Senate is close to passing a bill on energy. Analysts say that should the bill pass, there will only be a minute change in the status quo.

The bill is supported by the White House and includes new requirements for sport utility vehicles. These requirements could prove ineffective since concessions are also to be given to the manufacturers. Some Democrats are saying that such requirements will indirectly cause many in the automobile industry to lose their jobs.

Another argument set forth by environmentalists say that previous provisions made in 1992 of a similar act did not work since the ethanol based fuel required for the "dual fuel" vehicles that were manufactured is not readily available. Most Republicans in Congress want to urge more energy production as opposed to conservation and support drilling in Alaska in order to do this.

Your Neighborhood Barbershop

2002-09-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

Written by Gina Anderson for GWBlitz.com

Ice Cube comes back hard with this new flick. His last attempt at movie-making, Next Friday, didn't exactly make the critics scream for an encore, but it certainly made a hiccup at the box office (translation: he banked close to $60 million).

This time, Ice Cube gives mainstream audiences a look at an urban barber shop in Chicago. Cube isn't the only super star rapper in the flick. Eve, playing Terri, also known as "the pit bull in a skirt," steals some of his shine in her second movie role.

Calvin (Ice Cube) inherited his father's struggling barber shop and runs into financial difficulties. He is forced to sell the shop to a loan shark, but soon realizes he's made a mistake; the barber shop is a community necessity. The movie shows how barber shops are not only places where men come to get their hair cut, but also places to meet others, for men (and some women) in the neighborhood and in this movie, they also are outlets for entertainment by the likes of Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer).

Barbershop is good at showing the differences people have living together in an urban setting. Isaac (Troy Garity) is a white guy seeking to get some respect as a barber in a shop where most of the customers are black. Jimmy (Sean Patrick Thomas, from Save the Last Dance) is the college-educated barber who thinks that he's above everyone else, especially Ricky (Michael Ealy), the ex-con trying to make his life better. J.D. (Anthony Anderson) and his side-kick, Lester (Keith David) steal the show as the highly unsuccessful ATM thieves.

In this movie, you'll get what you came for, a jolly good time and a new perspective of your neighborhood barber shop. The all-star cast plays well off of each other, and although the underlying message is heart-warming, you won't feel like Ice Cube completely punked out. Go ahead, spend a few bucks on this one, it couldn't hurt. It also doesn't hurt that it's directed by Tim Story, the king of music video directing.

Intramural Sports Crowns First Two Champions of the Year

2002-09-25T17:07:00.000-04:00

Written by Jon Broska for GWBlitz.com

Although school has only been back in session for a couple of weeks, intramural sports is already in full swing. The first two IM tournaments have crowned champions.

In the indoor soccer preseason tournament, Strike Force defeated Team Matt Lockheed 8-1 to capture the coveted Intramural Championship T-Shirts. Strike Force used a potent scoring attack and stingy defense to outscore their opponents 31-1 during the tournament.

This past weekend the singles tennis tournament took center stage. In the men's draw, Laurence Buencamino showed no mercy to his opponents and defeated Nils Olsen 6-1 in the finals on Sunday. The women's draw was equally competitive, with Lanna Walsh defeating Sarah Brechbill 6-1 in the Final.

Still craving more intramural sports? While the flag football and indoor soccer seasons have already started, there's still plenty left on the horizon. September 30 is the last day to sign up for the singles billiards tournament, and the doubles tennis league and ultimate indoor soccer league deadlines follow the week after.

It's time to get off your couch and get on the court with GW intramural sports this fall!

Farmers Come to the City

2002-09-20T17:16:00.000-04:00

Written by Noelle Valentino for GWBlitz.com

On October 23, Kogan Plaza will transform from the center of our metropolitan campus to a rural market place.

The George Washington University will be hosting the first Farmer's Market in Foggy Bottom history. The University has asked about 40 farmers and artisans from the Washington, DC area to participate in this event. All of the items being sold will be either homemade or home grown.

"The idea is to sell things that are not usually available in an urban setting to GWU students and faculty as well as to Foggy Bottom residents," explained market manager and chairman of the market, Senior Josh Singer.

If the market is successful, Singer hopes to make it a monthly event. There is also discussion about making the farmer's market a non-profit organization dedicated to giving back to the community.

"I feel that the Farmer's Market will build community between students and local residents," said Singer. "I eventually intend to donate all proceeds to a local cause."

To help put his vision into reality, Josh Singer visited local farmers' markets to attract vendors to our campus as well as to obtain ideas for our own market. He plans to create a country atmosphere with accents such as candy apples, hay bales and scarecrows. All of the merchandise and food sold at the Farmers Market will be under twenty dollars.

"The idea is if students only have $5 in their wallet, they will still be able to purchase some fresh fruit and perhaps a wall hanging for their room," said Singer.

Students will also be able to use their GWorld cards at select University sponsored booths, such as those manned by Aramark. The event has the full approval of President Trachtenberg, who is, according to Singer, looking forward to seeing this new edition to our campus. Advertisement for the event will be extensive, ranging from on campus flyers to an ad in the Washington Post. Recently elected Mayor Williams has also been invited to this historical event.

"It is the first Farmers Market created by students in the DC area," Singer announced with pride. Singer has been open to student suggestion about what types of wares should be sold as well as how the event should be organized. He is also looking for about 25 volunteers to help with all aspects of the event. Some farmers have also expressed the desire to hire students to help them work the booths for the day.

For further information about how to get involved please contact the GW Farmer's Market Manager at jsingrr@gwu.edu. The first market will be held on Wednesday October 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Kogan Plaza.

Remembering 9/11: A Reuters Pictorial Tribute

2002-09-03T22:12:00.000-04:00

Photo Tribute
September 9-13
Marvin Center, room 101
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Reuters Photographer and the Global Head of News
tell their story on Wednesday, September 18
Marvin Center Grand Ballroom
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sponsored by:

The George Washington University

GWBlitz!

The GW Hatchet

Reuters

The School of Media and Public Affairs

Juggling your time

2002-09-03T17:11:00.000-04:00

Written by Dr. Charles N. Toftoy for GWBlitz.com

You've got to be a good juggler--with your time. Poor time management leads to frustration, anxiety, and even near panic. Let's avoid the time crunch dilemma by changing our way of doing things. Here's one way: the 80/20 principle.

The minority of your efforts usually lead to a majority of the results(the 80/20 principle).In other words, 80% of your results come from 20% of effort. You can be a more effective and happier student by applying the 80/20 rule.

What you have to do is prioritize the most important things that you need to get done(the 20%) and let the rest(80%) slide. For example, when you read a text, first read the summary or conclusion(always),then the introduction, skip along picking up some key points and you're done(the 20%).Move on. If you have time later on read the entire text in detail. As a student you can apply this to everything.

Another example, list 20 tasks that you have to do(a quiz tomorrow, paper due in 2 days, community service group meeting, telephone home, basketball game, etc.). Now prioritize those tasks, from one to twenty. The top four (the 20%) are the ones you should focus on. If you live by this rule , it will change your life.

Some other ways to save time:

1) Gracefully say NO-use legitimate reasons but respectfully decline. You don't have to be overly involved your freshman year-that's a myth. There's ample time to join clubs and take on leadership positions. You need to pay attention to your studies.
2) Don't let paperwork pile up. Good motto: Do it or dump it!
3) Set deadlines or you dither away your time.
4) Prioritize your important tasks (remember 80/20).
5) Make up a daily "to-do" list where d=do, c=call, e=errand.
6) Plan out your week. Monthly planning is too far in advance to plan in detail. Daily does not provide enough lead time to get important things done. Weekly is best.
7) Do one thing at a time.
8) Keep off mailing and email junk lists.
9) Cut your time on cruising the Internet.
10) Keep re-ordering your priorities day-to-day.

In summary, win back your time. Don't forget the old saying,"If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there".

Lewis Black Comedy Show to Kick Off Welcome Week

2002-08-15T17:29:00.000-04:00

Written by Samantha Siegel for GWBlitz.com

Lewis Black will be live at The Smith Center on August 31st at 10:00 p.m. to perform during GW's Welcome Week Program.

No matter the stupidity, the illogic or the injustice, Lewis Black, the most indignant, exasperated man in America, will find it and tell us about it. We laugh until our organs ache and it-the stupid, illogical or unjust-loses a little power. It's all in the telling, and Black, who basks in his weekly "Back in Black" segment on "The Daily Show" as the most acerbic of commentators, is a great storyteller.

Born and raised on the Eastern seaboard and educated at Yale, his gifts for storytelling led him to a career as an actor and playwright. Stage work took him all over the country, and included a stint as head of a repertory company that reclaimed a derelict theatre in the wilds of Colorado and brought original plays to a grateful audience.

Upon his return to the nearly-as-wild wilds of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, Black ran the West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theatre Bar for eight years, where he continued to write, produce and perform as well as showcase new talent. It was his work there that brought him to the attention of critics and audiences throughout the city, and soon, to larger, more famous stages. He now rules the roost at the biggest clubs in the country and is one of the most sought-after headliners on the college circuit.

He continues to act, working in film-schedules and patience permitting-like Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Jacob's Ladder" and "The Night We Never Met." In television, he has guest-starred on "Homicide," "Law and Order" and "Mad About You." And he devotes time to the legitimate theater, spending summers among rapt students at the Williamstown Theater Festival.

In the scarce amount of free time Black has left, he gives back to both the theater community and the community at large. He works diligently with the 52nd Street Project as a professional mentor teaching inner-city kids in Hell's Kitchen how to act in and write original plays. Black is also an ardent fundraiser for several scholarship programs, including the William Foeller Scholarship at the Williamstown Theater Festival, and he is actively involved in raising awareness and funding for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

While scripts arrive regularly on his oft-ignored doorstep, Black's focus for what he insists was a hugely disappointing turn-of-the millennium is comedy. He is developing a new series, in which he will star, for Castle Rock Entertainment, and, along with his Tuesday night harangues on "The Daily Show," he appears regularly on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

Black makes his home in Manhattan and spends his free time trying to find the perfect spot for his latest acquisition, an American Comedy Award for "Viewers' Choice Stand-Up Comic."

John Mayer Headlines Welcome Week in Labor Day Concert

2002-08-06T17:13:00.000-04:00

Written by Samantha Siegel for GWBlitz.com

The Smith Center will welcome John Mayer, live in concert, on September 2 at 9:00 p.m. as part of GW's Welcome Week Program.

Enthusiasm is contagious and that's why songwriters with a genuine, obvious passion for their craft can't help but attract an audience. John Mayer has earned a legion of devoted fans in and around his adopted hometown of Atlanta, where he moved in 1998 after a stint at Boston's Berklee College of Music. His creative songwriting and warm stage presence establish him as a formidable musical force, and the smoky swagger of his voice at once evokes Sting, Dave Matthews and Jakob Dylan.

Mayer grew up in Connecticut listening to pop radio until, at age 13, he discovered blues music when a neighbor gave him a Stevie Ray Vaughan tape. Mayer picked up a guitar, and within two years he was performing at local blues bars stunning audiences with his mature playing. But he soon realized that the world of guitar virtuosity was not for him. "There's this really distracting glory in wanting to be the best guitar player because all that really is, is copying somebody, seeing who can play 'Sky Is Crying' better than the next guy," Mayer says. "I wanted to be listenable and play tunes that other people could play but not the way I play them."

Mayer dedicated himself to developing his songwriting skills, toning down the guitar pyrotechnics in favor of memorable melodies and distinctive rhythmic textures. At 19 he enrolled at Berklee but realized in a matter of months that he was more interested in playing music than studying it. "It was a great learning experience, but not because of class," he laughs. A friend from Atlanta convinced him to head south, and Mayer soon became a regular at such Atlanta songwriters' nightspots as Eddie's Attic. In 1999 he released Inside Wants Out, an album consisting mostly of solo acoustic renditions of his energetic, earnest songs, as well as several tracks recorded with a full band.

The local press soon discovered Mayer and sang his praises. "This young man knows how to captivate a crowd with his six-string guitar and honest lyrics," wrote Atlanta CitySearch. In a review of Mayer's showcase at the Cotton Club, Georgia Tech's Technique wrote, "No gimmicks, no fancy showmanship, nothing between him and the crowd except a three-foot drop off the edge of the stage – and if he had fallen, they surely would have picked him up and put him right back on the stool. A performer who can inspire that sort of respect is someone to be reckoned with."

Mayer's passion for songwriting is immediately evident. "The very nature of standing in front of a mic with a guitar that's in tune, the millions of songs that could happen at that moment - I love that!" he says. "The best feeling that I will ever have in my life is just walking, just being, the night that I finish a song."

In March 2000 Mayer headed to Austin, Texas, to perform at the prestigious South By Southwest music conference and afterwards was courted by several record labels, eventually signing with Aware/Columbia Records. He began recording his major label debut in the fall with producer John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, Ben Folds Five). The new album, entitled Room For Squares, is a full-band electric effort. Mayer was joined in the studio by bassist David LaBruyere, (who also accompanies him on the road), as well as drummer Nir Zidkiyahu (Genesis, Alana Davis). Mayer recently met with legendary producer Jack Joseph Puig (Eric Clapton, Weezer, The Black Crowes) at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles. They remixed seven songs, including the single, "No Such Thing." Also included on the re-released CD is a brand new track which was recorded with producer John Alagia entitled "3 x 5." It's the dedication to his songs that inspires Mayer to keep writing. "When you hear a great song, you trace it back to who the singer is," he says. "When you can offer people that piece of you, that's what keeps them listening to you."

Staff

2002-07-30T21:33:00.000-04:00

FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER
Derek Grosso

GENERAL MANAGER
Etta Jane Pagani

MANAGING EDITOR
Sarah Mechum

EDITORS
Gina Anderson, Amy Becker, Jane Black, Andrea Canino, Sal Cardoni, Sarah Cohen, Mike DeFusco, Brittany Fromholz, Josh Gayl, Britt Godshalk, Amanda Hill, Aaron Lewis, Jason Lipschultz

DIRECTORS
Marisa Annunziato, Laura Berman, Lauren Cycyk, Paul Graham, Matt Johnston, Kevin Lavin, Jason Leblang, Rachel Olin, Adam Perlish, Adam Tanker

CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Christian Berle, Michael Berman, Annie Blinkoff, Genevieve Bryne, Jared Cohen, Lynn Ducoff, Christine Fallara, Briana Fichtner, Diana Finegold, Ramiro Gonzalez, Cassie Good, Paul Stone-Jansen, Shaina Jones, Tyler Karu, Josh Kaye, Shira Lazinger, Michael Leibsohn, Noah Levenson, Adam Lurie, Josh Lurie, Laura Makransky, Malvika Malhotra, Colin McGee, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Mark Milazzo, Marcus Mrowka, Carrie Oken, Joanne Philippeaux, Sai Pradhan, Abbey Rathweg, Helly Schtevie, Stuart Schwartzapfel, Shael Sokolowski, Dr. Charles N. Toftoy, Michael Vidikan, Mandy Volper, Charles Vundla, Kate Williams

Colonial Frisbee Looks Toward the Future

2002-06-16T17:18:00.000-04:00

Written by Jason Lipschultz for GWBlitz.com

Despite a tough end to their season, the GW men's ultimate frisbee team kept their heads high after completing their run at the National Championship. Although the team faced stiff competition and a disappointing performance, the mere fact that they were given the opportunity to compete in the tournament was more than enough to secure the team's pride and motivation for next season.

In Spokane, Washington, the 14th ranked Colonials fell to all five teams they faced during the three-day tournament.

Given the team's humble beginnings just five years ago to have qualified for the tournament by finishing second in the Regionals held at the end of the year was a tremendous accomplishment for such a young group of athletes.

"Even though we didn't win any games, no one's upset," said President Ed Van Leer.

The team looks to next year as another head-turner, with a potentially more successful turnout at nationals.

Although the women's team did not advance to nationals this season, look to next year for continued improvement and hopefully a shot at the tournament.

GW Sports “Picks to Click” and Teams to Watch

2002-06-16T16:22:00.000-04:00

Written by Jason Lipschultz for GWBlitz.com

With another season of GW sports just around the corner, it is important both to those new and old to the University to have a basic knowledge of GW's promising sports teams and players for the coming year.

Although basketball and, to a lesser extent, baseball, are often thought by many to be The George Washington University's only major sports, a deeper look into Colonial athletics reveals something more.

While basketball is undoubtedly GW's most popular and followed sport, just a brief look around is all it takes to realize GW actually offers many more varsity sports than one may have originally thought. Fortunately for students, they are full of fairly talented teams and athletes.

Thus, the following Colonial teams and players (in no specific order) are sure to surprise you and the critics alike, deny all odds against them, and finish their respective seasons victoriously. Well, at the very least, they should keep you entertained watching them.

Men's basketball has always been a favorite at GW, more due to the thrill, which comes from watching a game in the intimate and often tightly packed Smith Center, than the team's record. This season, which marks head coach Karl Hobbs second season with the Colonials after recently replacing former head coach Tom Penders, should prove no different.

An experienced coach, with an impressive career record, particularly at his previous school, the University of Connecticut, where he finished with a nearly 80% victory rate, Hobbs will be looking to improve upon GW's unimpressive12-16 finish last season.

Helping him accomplish this goal will be senior guard, Chris Monroe. Hailing from Hyattsville, MD, Monroe was a member of the second team All-Atlantic 10 last season. Finishing last season with a respectable 43% field goal average and 76% from the free throw line, Monroe remains a definite all-American candidate for the coming year.

His skill level, ability to perform, and strong presence on the basketball court make him the Colonial's clear leader this year.

Balancing out Monroe's experience will be incoming freshman Omar Williams. A Philadelphia native from Celestial Prep, Williams is thought by many to be GW's best and most heralded recruit ever. He has been rated in most of the country's recruiting magazines as a top 80 talent.

GW's ability to recruit Williams is most likely due to Hobbs' recruiting experience and ability, which he largely developed during his years at UCONN.

Led by head coach Joe McKeown, the GW women's basketball looks to increase its recognition on campus and awareness among students and faculty members. As a contrast to the men's team, the women have finished quite well in the past two seasons, but have often had trouble increasing game attendance, especially at home.

Coming off an impressive 21-9 overall finish last year, with a 15-1 conference record, the women's team will undoubtedly improve its tournament chances and attendance level.

Senior guard Cathy Joens from Irvine, CA, and senior small forward Erica Lawrence from Nyack, NY are GW's most promising players this coming season. Last year, Joens made the first team All-Atlantic 10, whose strong rebounding and solid defensive skills will complement Lawrence's notable quickness and ball-handling ability.

Recently finishing its most winning season at 42-23 with a 6-4 loss to Navy in the NCAA Sub-Regional tournament, Colonial baseball has a lot of hard work ahead to build upon this historic season.

With the collegiate careers of seven GW seniors over, head coach Tom Walter must already begin preparing for next season, as far away as it may seem to be, if he plans on leading his team toward a season anywhere as victorious as this last one.

Sophomore pitcher Justin Orenduff will surely be an essential component of Walter's plans for the coming season. In just his first collegiate season, Orenduff finished with an impressive 10-2 record, and a very low 1.68 ERA, especially considering his lack of experience at the college level.

With three years to go in his college career, Orenduff looks to be a highly promising player, ensuring the team's chances for continued success.

With a look at GW's top three teams, a well-rounded Colonial fan must still be aware of a couple other teams, which should keep things somewhat interesting as well.

Deciding just which teams have earned the right to fall into this category takes a bit of looking around. After doing so, these teams became fairly clear. Again, they are in no specific order, as doing so would probably be impossible.

Although they have not received much coverage, the women's water polo team (17-10) actually has quite a lot of which to be proud.

They recently completed their most successful season ever in their time at GW, finishing second in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Southern Division, and eighth overall in the Eastern Championships.

Additional promising news came for GW sophomore Mia Fabian and junior Ashley Pyka, as they were named last season to the second team of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division All-Conference team.

Another team to watch is men's tennis. Led by head coach Tom Hawkins, the team finished second last season in the Verizon A-10 Men's Tennis Championship.

Additionally, junior Matt Hane and sophomore Matt Treadgold were recently named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Hane was further named the A-10's Most Outstanding performer. This combination of Hane and Treadgold will certainly lead the Colonials to another successful season.

As a final note, GW will begin competing in intercollegiate varsity softball and squash during the 2002-03 school year. Just last month, GW chose Leslie Moore as the softball team's head coach. When this edition went to print, no head coach was yet chosen for the squash team.

There you have it. Our "Picks to Click" for GW sports for the coming year. While nobody can guarantee it will be one of success or victory, at the very least, the teams mentioned should keep GW fans entertained, and hopefully satisfied.

Former Sports Editor Sal Cardoni contributed to this article.

Third Annual Wall of Fame Ceremony held in Hippodrome

2002-05-16T23:10:00.000-04:00

Written by Mike DeFusco for GWBlitz.com

Most GW students have ventured up to the fifth floor of the Marvin Center to indulge in a hamburger or a round of bowling. However, many just walk past the one hundred caricatures lining the walls around the Hippodrome. These colorful autographed images celebrate GW students and staff members who have made significant contributions to campus life.

According to the Marvin Center Governing Board, “The Wall of Fame in meant to not only recognize those students who have occupied formal leadership positions or have received service awards but also to call to mind those GW students, staff and faculty who have contributed to the quality of student life at The George Washington University.”

Students feel very proud being recognized for their efforts, and view the Wall of Fame as a significant, but more laid back and enjoyable tribute. According to Natalia Walter, a Neighbor’s Project Core member who received the award last year, “It’s a fun honor and since it’s a caricature it’s here for all students to see.”

This year’s ceremony was held on May 2 in the Hippodrome. The list of twenty-nine recipients ranged from Vice-President of Student and Academic Support Services Dr. Robert A. Chernak to Student Association President Roger Kapoor and Program Board Chair / PAF Alicia O’Neil to GWBlitz! Founder and Publisher Derek Grosso.

Since the award is a cartoon of the recipient engaged in the act that they were selected for, the recipients found it entertaining to view their colorful representations.

According to ’02 recipient Stacey Markman, “I think the caricature resembles me – but it’s definitely not exact.” Markman, who garnered 1,200 hours of community service, suggests that all students get involved.

“Everybody is just really welcome, you need to just go and make your face known,” Markman said.

The faces that hang in the Hippodrome may only be made of paper and ink, but they constantly remind us to ever seek to strive for our best.

With five floors, the Marvin Center has more than enough room for your achievement to be recognized on the Wall of Fame.

Students, Faculty and Staff Honored with 2002 GW Award

2002-05-16T13:23:00.000-04:00

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

While it is only characteristic that a student, faculty or staff member contributes to the university community, it is a rare individual who makes an impact so outstanding that it will exist long after they are gone. This year, the Joint Committee of Faculty and Students will present the George Washington Award to six distinguished members of the university for their lasting contributions.

The two student recipients of the award, Roger Kapoor and Jason Cohen, have spent their undergraduate careers at GW reaching out to their peers. In addition, they have made an impact beyond the campus boundaries.

As if a 3.87 grade point average isn’t an accomplishment in itself, Kapoor, who is one of eight students in GW’s 7-year B.A./M.D. program, served as president of the Student Association this past year. Kapoor was also recently honored as a member of USA Today’s All-Academic Team. His commitment to making a difference in the community is evidenced by his work with the American Relief Foundation, a non-profit organization that he founded, for which he currently raises money.

Graduating senior Jason Cohen took on the enormous project of transforming the university’s radio station into a learning tool for the community in 1998. As general manager of WRGW, Cohen worked with a staff of his peers to breathe life and energy back into the airwaves. Among his achievements, Cohen brought “GW Presents Capital Jazz” to the station, a radio program produced in conjunction with the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the Duke Ellington School for Arts, and the Smithsonian Associates Program.

The university also honors two faculty members. Due to their dedication to academic integrity, Joel W. Cook and Edward A. Caress are this year’s faculty recipients.

As associate dean of the School of Business and Public Management and associate professor of strategic management, Joel Cook combines classroom learning with the outside world through initiatives such as the GW Paris Study Center and leadership conferences. Linda Christensen, Director of Administration and Special Programs for SBPM, nominated Cook on behalf of alumni, parents, students, administrators, and recruiters.

In her nomination, Christensen stated, “Enrollment in SBPM Undergraduate Programs has risen dramatically since Dean Cook’s arrival in 1998 and retention in the undergraduate programs remains high. It should be stated that ranking of the program has improved and GW’s undergraduate business program is now 44th in US News & World Report rankings.”

Cook’s nomination letter went on to list his active involvement in university programs, such as the Undergraduate Programs Advisory Council, JOBS (Junior Options for Business Success), and the SBPM Honors Program Task Force, all of which he helped to create.

As executive associate dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of chemistry, Edward Caress has served as an advisor to students, staff and faculty. His contributions extend far beyond the teacher’s desk, as he has also served as co-chair of the University Task Force on Sexual Harassment and representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. For over thirty years, Caress has been an integral part of the Columbian College and larger community.

Almost around the clock, the staff of the university turns the gears, ensuring that students and professors have the best resources possible.

Truyen Pham, the reason why thousands of students and faculty are able to use the Internet as a resource and tool, is one of two staff recipients of the GW Award. As senior information systems engineer of Information Systems and Services, Pham is responsible for connecting the needed hardware to computer labs, classrooms, and residence halls across campus.

On September 11th, a day when fear shook the mental well-being of every person on campus, the director of the University Counseling Center, Diane DePalma, made certain that every student had a source of emotional support. Immediately, DePalma worked tirelessly to make sure students on both campuses were able to seek counseling at any time.

“I was totally surprised and it was very unexpected. I feel very honored because there are so many individuals on campus deserving of this award,” said DePalma.

The GW Award will be given at the commencement ceremony on the Ellipse on May 19th.

Inspirational Administrator Ruth Simmons to Headline Commencement Ceremony

2002-05-16T13:14:00.000-04:00

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

On Sunday May 19th, over 4,200 graduates of the class of 2002 will listen to the words of keynote speaker Ruth J. Simmons on the Ellipse. After hearing her speak, each and every graduate will undoubtedly feel more courage and motivation in pursuing their life dreams.

Simmons, who made history by becoming the first African-American to lead an Ivy League institution, began what would be a life full of challenging boundaries when she was still a student.

While an undergraduate in the 1960s, during the heart of the civil rights movement in the United States, Simmons was inspired to go beyond the role set by society for a black woman.

In 1966, while watching the civil rights movement unfold on a classroom television, Simmons realized that her mind was no different than the other students in the classroom. She knew that she was capable of doing anything. Simmons believed that women could pursue careers in many fields and could assume leadership positions.

Simmons began her educational career at Dillard University in New Orleans, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1967. She continued on to earn her master’s degree from Harvard University in 1970 and her doctorate, also at Harvard, three years later in romance languages and literatures.

Although her teaching career began in the south and on the west coast, she returned east in 1983 to take over the position of director of African-American studies, and eventually dean of the faculty at Princeton University.

In 1995, Simmons took her passion for improving women’s higher education to Smith University where she established the first engineering program at a United States all-female school.

Simmons is the recipient of many awards and recognition, including the Fulbright, Danforth, and DAAD fellowships, the Association of Black Princeton Alumni Distinguished Service Award, and Dillard University’s Distinguished Service Award.

University Marshall, Jill Kasle, precisely captured why Simmons was the perfect fit for this year’s ceremony and someone whom graduates could learn from.

“It is so easy at GW and in DC, a politically obsessed university and city, to get seduced by politics and think politics is the only field or profession in which a person has anything worthwhile to tell the graduates. That simply is not true,” said Kasle. “Choosing Simmons, particularly in a year of intense global turmoil, emphasizes the eternal values that transcend politics. Not only is the university inviting graduates to reflect on what they have learned in their four years at GW, but if we have done our job right, students have been taught to enhance their analytical skills and communication abilities. They were taught to separate truth from illusion and eternal from fad.”

A panel of speakers who will also receive honorary degrees from the University are NFL All-Pro Defensive Back Darrell Green, Chairman and CEO of AT&T Wireless John D. Zeglis, historian and author Lois Green Schwoerer and former NTSB Chair Jim Hall.

Traveling Flat Stanley Meets Fame, Treasure and Fortune

2002-05-06T16:54:00.000-04:00

Written by Jackie Fludd for GWBlitz.com

New Teaching Tool A Hit with Young Students

Florence Harper's first grade students at Burrville Elementary School in North East Washington D.C. are using a unique learning aid in their curriculum. His name is Flat Stanley, and he is being used around the world to teach kindergarten through third graders everything from geography to e-mail.

Harper has been participating in the Flat Stanley Project with her first grade students for the past four years. She discovered the program while simply surfing the Internet and said it caught her attention because of all it had to offer her students.

"It integrates a lot of subjects," Harper said. "It involves journal writing, creative writing, social studies, and even math."

The Flat Stanley Project, which is becoming a favorite of elementary school teachers everywhere, is based on the children's book, "Flat Stanley," by Jeff Brown. In the book, Stanley Lambchop is squashed flat by a falling bulletin board. His two-dimensional state allows him to do incredible things such as mail himself to California to visit a friend.

In 1995, third grade teacher Dale Hubert of Ontario, Canada, adapted the book into a project for his students. Students make paper Flat Stanleys and then send e-mails to other classes, friends, or family members outside the area arranging for Stanley's visit. Each student sends a letter along with their Stanley, and the person receiving the Flat Stanley keeps a journal of his activities and takes pictures of him doing fun and interesting things in the area. As the "Stanleys" are returned to their classes, students chart the locations they have visited on a map and learn about those places through the journals and class discussions.

Hubert, who won the 2000-2001 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence, said he never expected the Flat Stanley Project to take off the way it has.

"At the time, I was hoping I could persuade nine or ten other teachers to become involved," Hubert said in an e-mail interview. "At the moment there are over 1,500 classes from schools around the world."

The Flat Stanley Project, which is now supported by the Education Network of Ontario, has been incorporated into the curricula of school systems worldwide, including Japan, South Africa, India, and Australia. In an age of globalization, where knowledge about other nations is becoming increasingly important, Flat Stanley is helping elementary school students understand and appreciate geographic and cultural differences.

Lisa-Helen Shapiro, first grade teacher at Washington Grove Elementary in Gaithersburg, MD, said her goal is to get a class outside of the United States to correspond with her first graders.

"Its a great pen-pal type thing and a great way to teach multiculturalism," Shapiro said.

On the official Flat Stanley Project website, Hubert has included photos of all the places that Stanley has visited: Flat Stanley at the White House, the Taj Mahal, and orbiting the Earth aboard the Space Shuttle "Discovery" are just a few of the places these young students never dreamed their paper friends would travel.

Not only has Stanley been globe-trotting, but he has been rubbing elbows and posing for pictures with celebrities and political figures. Flat Stanleys from Harper's class have sat at the news desk with NBC 4's Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler and spent the day with talk show host Montel Williams.

"Montel Williams really got involved in it with us," said Harper. "He sent us a journal entry and took Stanley to the gym."

The adventures did not end there. In March 2002, Flat Stanley traveled aboard Air Force One with Secretary of State Colin Powell and President George W. Bush for the President's trip to Texas, Mexico, Peru, and El Salvador. According to Hubert, Colin Powell, a longtime supporter of education and community service, enjoyed traveling with Stanley and insisted that their photo together be put on the Flat Stanley Project website.

Parents are also taking an interest in the Flat Stanley Project.

"Parents really get involved," said Harper, who has had some of her students' parents take Stanley to work with them at the FBI. "And the kids are loving it. Everyone waits to see where their Stanley went and what he did. When I walk in the classroom and I have an envelope in my hand the students get very excited because they know a Flat Stanley has arrived or returned."

Fore more information, visit The Flat Stanley Project Online.

Individual Saucing

2002-05-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

Written by Sal "Mr. Namstrops" Cardoni for GWBlitz.com

Grab that stool and recline that Lazy-Boy, it’s Roast Time, fellas. Tonight’s man of the hour is the greatest man I know.

He’s a 24-hour Godfather and the schnoz ain’t why. Every waking moment is his daughter’s wedding day for any and all who’ve ever asked a favor. Never a refusal, not a hint of Sorry, I’m busy.

The cousin of a high school friend he hasn’t seen since their ten-year reunion could use a hand moving? OK, but only if I rent the U-HAUL and put together the boxes!

His Hoya-Annoya daughter is in a tiff and asks to come home right now at midnight? Sure, I’ll be in Philly in two hours. Just let me get dressed first.

Blame the bagel/fruit/flower basket delivery dudes for his home’s doorbell being pushed more than President Bush’s internal “Huh?” button. Thanks for the favor, I owe you one, says a card. Thanks for the kind thought. You’re the best, reads another. Every so often, quantity beats quality.

With a work ethic that’s two parts farmer, three parts coal-miner, and one part Clinton, he’s up ‘n’ at ‘em each morning at the butt-crack’s butt-crack.

So, in truth, his rags-to-riches story is very believable because you can’t tell, not by his dress, and certainly not by his chillin demeanor. ‘Cause he still jogs in those Rocky gray sweats he picked up at an Army/Navy store sidewalk sale during the Ford administration when he was a budding cigar factory floor gopher turned PENDOT menial. Yet that’s his law firm inside the building he built from scratch, the same facade he pays homage to his roots with. In plain sight for every passer-by to see, he and his cousin honored their upbringings with a bronze plaque engraved: “To our parents, the cornerstones of our lives…”

Not Will Hunting sharp, but close, not Dalai Lama calm, but more, the greatest’s Glossary Cardinals long ago excommunicated ‘I’ from his lexicon. He’s genuinely humble and now probably more pissed than embarrassed this piece ever went to print. To that I’d tell him – Tough!

This roast is a toast that is most overdue — even more than the Red Sox.

A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man, rasped Vito Corleone to a sitting Johnny Fontane. Rest assured, the Don needn’t ponder going to the mattresses over the authenticity of this great one. To and for his family, he’s J-Lo real.

Sunday soccer games in Fast and Furious sideways rain, two hours from home with his son on the sidelines? Cal Ripken attendance.

Sent that same lad to Florence two falls ago. That’s sacrifice, mainly when the only actual vacation he’s taken since Bush declared war, um, #41’s Gulf War, was to Florida a month ago because the mind and energy of his Aunt finally caught up to her 89 years. Of course, he went without her asking. Of course, she was grateful.

When that son retired his Jordan’s at 16, epiphanizing the league wasn’t exactly drafting 5’9” 140 lb. no-chippers who couldn’t jump over the second coat of paint on the foul line, the greatest just nodded. He didn’t regret Rodmaning rebounds after work and on weekends during the Summer of Stockton, when the son was convinced the NBA and not the SAT was his ticket to tomorrow.

Not enough coaches for that Saturday night 11-year old indoor soccer league at the YMCA?

Knowing the game like Fat Bastard knows Jenny Craig, the greatest still volunteered. Throw-ins are one-handed, right?

On the vernal equinox he missed a game, his grounds were Eagle Scoutish. Like his feeble father needed a shave. Like Mr. Arthur, it is spent the rainy weekend with his mother and she now needed someone to pry open her med bottles. Like Mrs. Wilkie needed anything.

Ah yes, Mrs. Wilkie, so sweet and kind and old and senile. For six years he was her one-man nursing home, minding her paperwork, bringing her home for Christmas Eve dinners, moving her from hi-rise to hi-rise, visiting her every afternoon so she’d remember to take her pills. Then she passed and he, his wife, his daughter and scores of nobody else came to say goodbye.

Now, a decade later, he might remember that first meeting with Mrs. Wilkie. He thinking she was Mrs. Wilkie, his Aunt, his mother’s sister, sitting in the lobby waiting to see him. Only later he did find that she accidentally sauntered into his office that day because she was a little lost, a lot crazy, and with no family or at least none who cared.

Or maybe it was chance and not fate she found him. But what’s fact is that he made her a little less lost, a little less crazy, and definitely a lot more loved.

No obligation, no pity from the greatest, just doing because not taking care of a complete and utterly helpless eighty-something who doubled as a complete and utterly unfamiliar stranger would have been out-of-character for the greatest. He doesn’t know another way.

Chance has, however, been the exception. The greatest makes important decisions the way Phil Jackson makes White House visits. Take his greatest, the one born on a warm June day in ’75.

It’s said behind every great man there’s a great woman. Except that behind this great lad, there’s a better woman, a wife and mother who’s more Richard Cheney than the Dick himself, making every crucial decision no one knows, hears, or reads about, taking and asking for zero credit.

Even the greatest’s vices are nices. The Yanks. Seinfeld. Chocolate dusted rice pudding. Colarusso’s gnocchi.

The greatest isn’t all action. His words — few and far between — ring true with the force of, well, one of his actions. Everything in moderation. Two wrongs don’t make a right. It’s how you react. Patience is a virtue.

I once asked the greatest the worth of helping others the way he does. To see the expressions on their faces, that’s all the thanks I need or want, is what he said.

Well, shucks, I’d sacrifice anything and everything to be with him this very moment.

Mostly because he deserves it more than anyone I know.

Mostly because I’m Curious George interested in seeing the expression on his face as he finishes “Individual Saucing,” a title that makes sense to few besides the greatest man I know and his grateful, lucky son.

Right Dad?

The Rhythm of a Drummer

2002-04-24T17:06:00.000-04:00

Written by Josh Douglas for GWBlitz.com

GW Music Instructor Shares his Lifelong Passion

It is one in the morning and Ricky Loza is finding his groove. He plays his drum set for another two hours before sleep. Music is his life.

In his time, Loza has played at the White House and met political icons such as Al Gore and Henry Kissinger. He has played with musical greats such as Tito Puente, Buddy Rich, and Max Roach. He has performed at numerous festivals, and he plays two or three gigs every week. But the most pleasure, Loza claims, comes from teaching at The George Washington University.

"I love to teach," said Loza, a jazz percussion instructor. "I feel very happy when a student has never sat at the drums, and some of them then become really good. I realize that I did something good for young people."

Loza grew up in El Salvador in a musical family. When he was young, he played with the family's Marimba band in the small city where he lived. When Loza was four years old, his father, an accomplished drummer, decided Loza would also play the drums.

"I became a natural musician," said Loza, in understandable, but broken English. "My father taught me how to play, listen, and have respect for both good and bad musicians."

Loza came to the United States when he was 30 years old, stopping at various cities to showcase his musical talent. He excelled in Latin beats, yet he really wanted to learn American jazz music. His biggest challenge as a musician, he said, was to learn jazz technique and acquire the skills to play with other musicians.

But Loza's most difficult challenge as a person was much more significant.

"I knew no English when I came to the United States," he explained. "I joined an English language school for six months when I first got here. This country really opened the door for me when I learned the language."

Although famous in El Salvador, Loza decided to pursue his career in the United States. He still returns to El Salvador twice a year to perform for his Salvadoran fans.

"At the time I moved here, I was making more money in El Salvador then I could have in the U.S.," he said. "I was regularly featured in El Salvador newspapers. But I wanted to try different music, different work. All of the places here are the best for music. These past 33 years have been the best part of my life."

During those 33 years, Loza has not only performed for politicians, but also celebrities. He has continued to produce albums, totaling 19 CDs. Loza has traveled to many countries to perform, and has appeared in two movies. But he says playing with Tito Puente, the great timbales player, was one of his proudest moments as a musician.

"I played with Tito in 1974 in New York, and we became friends since then," said Loza. "We played together again in 1996 when I brought him to GW to teach my students for a day."

Indeed, while Loza accomplished much in his career, he still says teaching is the best part of his life as a drummer.

"I love to give back to young people," said Loza.

Loza's students have a deep appreciation for Loza and his passion for teaching.

"Ricky taught me to be a leader on the drums," said Jason Blank, a senior timbales player who took lessons with Loza for two years. "He showed me how to analyze beats and think while I am playing."

Loza also teaches respect for the origins of the music his students perform.

"Ricky has helped me understand Latin music, especially where it comes from and the culture behind it," said Chris Guarin, a junior trumpet player in Los Gringos, GW's Latin Band which Loza co-directs with Dave Marsh, a local bass player and GW professor.

"Ricky's style is a fusion of the best music from North and South America," described Marsh. "He demonstrates a respect for this music, which he imparts to his students. Ricky really cares about his students, and his students really care about the music they are playing."

Loza said that he has also learned from his students how to be a better instructor.

"I use a lot of therapy when I teach," said Loza. "It is most difficult when a student doesn't think they can do it, doesn't think they can master a beat. I have learned several techniques to deal with these types of situations."

Loza is contently able to claim that he has accomplished most of his goals, both in his career and in his life as a drummer.

"I supported my brothers and sisters from drumming," remembered Loza. "And I made a good living myself. I got everything I wanted playing the drums. I have been very lucky."

A Roaring Good Time at The Lion

2002-03-11T01:43:00.000-05:00

Written by Derek Grosso for GWBlitz.com

Whether you refer to it as Lindy’s or The Lion, the neighborhood corner bar officially known as Lindy’s Red Lion has been a staple in both the Foggy Bottom and George Washington University communities for almost three decades.

Located at 2040 I Street, next to Tower Records and Cone E. Island Ice Cream, the establishment is both a restaurant and a pub. The Lion is divided into a downstairs carryout, known as Lindy’s Bon Apetit, and the pub and grill upstairs. The pub has a full bar with ten drafts; the grill, twenty-four different types of burgers and a full menu of subs, soups and sides.

The most popular menu item, according to Manager Dan Loventhal, is their burger. It’s a treat for local residents, tourists and students alike. “We serve a lot of regulars who live here in Foggy Bottom, but a significant percentage of our customers are from GW,” says Loventhal. “We’re fortunate to cater to the neighborhood.”

The neighborhood, which Loventhal refers to, includes GW students, faculty and staff, GW Hospital staff, 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue employees, World Bank and IFC employees, members of the State Department… the list goes on.

The Lion? It offers a little bit of everything for everyone in the neighborhood.

The bar is open from 11am until 2am Sundays through Thursdays, and until 3am Fridays and Saturdays, with Happy Hour from 4 - 7pm. Every night after midnight, the kitchen is closed and The Lion holds late night for the over 21 crowd. Those without ID are turned away.

Among the variety of burger toppings are the Burl Ives (a double burger topped with a grilled hot dog, BBQ sauce, and pickle chips), the Texas Wildcatter (a spicy jalapeno sirloin patty), and Capitol Punishment (green peppers, hot red peppers, and ground black pepper). On certain Sundays, the Lion will offer a half-price burger special, a favorite of any student on a college budget.

Not a burger lover? Lindy’s Bon Apetit serves breakfast from 8 – 11am Mondays through Fridays and 11am – 1pm on weekends. The breakfast menu offers eggs, bacon, muffins, French toast, pancakes and more. For lunch or dinner, try a 9” individual pizza, a tuna melt, hot roast beef, a Reuben (corned beef), or a “Buffalo Bill” (chicken tenders dipped in hot wings sauce with bleu cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a Kaiser roll). With so many options for food, Lindy’s has been nicknamed “The Best Little Carryout in Washington.”

“The history of the menu items began downstairs,” says Loventhal. The history of The Lion, however, goes back over a century.

The 2000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue is historically known as “Red Lion Row,” and the restaurant used to be located in the center, where Kinkead’s is now. The current townhouse at 2040 I St., is over 100 years old and was previously operated by a relative of the current owners.

Owner Linda “Lindy” Adams and her parents have been operating the downstairs carry-out for about 25 years, and purchased the upstairs portion of the building about eight or nine years ago, says Loventhal. Before that, the upstairs was known as Diamond Lil’s, after Lindy’s aunt.

The Lion is now surrounded by the “Shops at 2000 Penn,” a strip mall of offices, restaurants and interior shops, owned by GW and designed utilizing the facades of the historic townhouses along I Street. The Lion, however, is the only building in the complex that is not owned by the university.

Through the years, The Lion has had its share of famous visitors as well. Tales of politicians, newspaper columnists, and celebrities flow through the pub like beer from the taps.

Ronald Reagan used to order burgers here. So did Gerald Ford and his son, according to some of the regulars. A photo of Robert Kennedy hangs on the wall stating, “The best burger I ever had. Love, Bobby.” Although he can’t verify it, Loventhal says that there have been numerous sightings of Kurt Vonnegut, the most recent of which was about a year and a half ago. Even the St. Paulie’s Girl has made an appearance at the Lion.

The Lion has been around for some pretty large events in Washington as well. Most recently were the IMF/World Bank meeting protests in April 2000. The Lion was the only restaurant open in the local area.

“A lot was going on right here and over by the Gap. We sold out of veggie burgers in about twelve hours… by the end of the weekend we ran out of everything,” Loventhal remembers. “The protesters were happy and we were happy to be here to serve them.”

Speaking of serving, in addition to the burgers and brews, The Lion also aims to give back to the community. Currently the staff is raising money for the DC Chapter of the Special Olympics by selling clovers at a $1 a piece.

“It’s our chosen charity,” says daytime bartender and GW alumnus, Seth Pruss. For a dollar donation, you can purchase a paper clover on the wall in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Pruss has been working at The Lion for almost two years, with nine months experience as a bartender. “You really get to know your customers here,” says Pruss. “Some people come in to drink their beer and others to spill their hearts.” He has had his share of stories involving customers too, including the mother of the head of security for the band Phish. “I was actually playing a Phish album when she came in. I talked to her for about half an hour. Another time, a woman came in with about three or four other senior citizens. She must have been about 85 or 90 years old,” recalls Pruss. “She just looked up and around, and told me this used to be her house.”

Again, The Lion offers a little bit of everything for everyone in the neighborhood.

So what is the staff drink of choice?

“Definitely Newcastle,” says Sasha Breger, a GW senior. Breger has been a waitress at The Lion for eleven months and will graduate from GW in May.

How about the favorite for students?

“It’s sad to say, but most come in to order Bud Light,” laments Pruss.

Pruss says that it is definitely an older crowd at the bar, and a majority of the regulars are 20 years older than he is. Still, students seem to enjoy the mixed company, as does the staff.

“Most importantly,” says Loventhal, “are the staff and the atmosphere. That’s why it’s a neighborhood pub.”

As such, The Lion continues to remain a favorite place among GW students, faculty and staff to eat, drink, and be merry.

Society of Professional Journalists' 2001 Mark of Excellence Awards

2002-02-22T11:46:00.000-05:00

Our Awards: Best Student Magazine (Published more than once a year) | Online Sports Reporting | Best All-Around Online Student Magazine

NEWSPAPERS
Editorial Writing
1st Place — Mark Slagle, The Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2nd Place — Staff, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
3rd Place — Kate Hartig, The Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Editorial Cartooning
1st Place — Nate Beeler, The Eagle, American University
2nd Place — Nate Beeler, The Eagle, American University

General Column Writing
1st Place — Laura Sahramaa, The Cavalier Daily, University of Virginia
2nd Place — Lacy Hall, The Marlin Chronicle, Virginia Wesleyan College
3rd Place (tie) — Drew Holland, The GW Hatchet, George Washington University
3rd Place (tie) — Mike Morris, The Towerlight, Towson University, Towson
Honorable Mention — April Bethea, The Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sports Column Writing
1st Place — Adam S. Reisinger, The Towerlight, Towson University
2nd Place — Brandon Bickerstaff, District Chronicles, Howard University
3rd Place — Patrick Stevens, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park

Spot News Reporting
1st Place — Etan Horowitz and Staff, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
2nd Place — Lindsay Marti and Richard Sakshaug, The Breeze, James Madison University
3rd Place — Lauren B. Anderson, Kelli D. Esters and John-John Williams IV, District Chronicles, Howard University

General News Reporting
1st Place — Eric Campbell, Francine Greenberg, Amanda Karr and Justin Paprocki, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
2nd Place — Etan Horowitz, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
3rd Place — Robert F. Patrick, Capital News Service, University of Maryland at College Park

In-Depth Reporting
1st Place — Elizabeth Cogan, Arheun Kim, Laurent Thomet, Greg Lamm, Robert F. Patrick, Jennifer Larson and Kate Alexander, Capital News Service, University of Maryland at College Park
2nd Place — Marc Schanz, Spectator Magazine, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
3rd Place — Josh Korr, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
Honorable Mention — Lizzie Breyer, Dan Thigpen, Karey Wutkowski, and Stephanie Horvath, The Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Honorable Mention — Raymond Lee Flandez, Hattie Brown, Tom LoBianco and Sylvie Ellen, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park

Feature Writing
1st Place — Catherine Matacic, Byline, University of Maryland at College Park
2nd Place (tie) — Andy Symonds, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
2nd Place (tie) — Jennifer Surface, The Breeze, James Madison University
3rd Place (tie) — Catherine Matacic, Hamilton (Ohio) Journal-News, University of Maryland at College Park
3rd Place (tie) — Kristyn Peck, Capital News Service, University of Maryland at College Park

Sports Writing
1st Place — Brandon M. Bickerstaff, District Chronicles, Howard University
2nd Place — Eric Brandner, The Towerlight, Towson University
3rd Place (tie) — Patrick Stevens, The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
3rd Place (tie) — Adam S. Reisinger, The Towerlight, Towson University

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (Published at least five days a week)
1st Place — The Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2nd Place — The Diamondback, University of Maryland at College Park
3rd Place — The Cavalier Daily, John A. Clark, Editor, and Sam Le, Managing Editor, University of Virginia

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (Published 2-4 days a week)
1st Place — The Breeze, James Madison University
2nd Place — The Towerlight, Jennifer Hykes, Editor in Chief, Towson University

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (Published less than twice a week)
1st Place — Old Gold and Black, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem
2nd Place — Campus Echo, Ed Boyce and Mike Williams, North Carolina Central University
3rd Place — The Bullet, Ryan Hamm, Editor in Chief, Mary Washington College

MAGAZINES
Non-Fiction Article
No awards given.

Best Student Magazine (Published once a year)
1st Place — CURIO, James Madison University

Best Student Magazine (Published more than once a year)
1st Place — Blue & White, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2nd Place — Black Ink, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
3rd Place — GWBlitz, George Washington University

ONLINE
Online Spot News Reporting
1st Place — Jason Steinhardt, Jason Safdie and Kate Stepan, www.gwhatchet.com, George Washington University

Online General News Reporting
No awards given.

Online Feature Reporting
1st Place — Kim Harris, “Maryland Newsline”, University of Maryland at College Park

Online In-Depth Reporting
1st Place — Amy Silva, “Maryland Newsline”, Capital News Service, University of Maryland at College Park
2nd Place — Sonia Kumar, Kim Harris and Kathleen Johnston Jarboe, “Maryland Newsline”, Capital News Service, University of Maryland at College Park
3rd Place — Sonia Kumar, Matt Schoch and Kate Springle, “Maryland Newsline”, Capital News Service, University of Maryland at College Park

Online Sports Reporting
1st Place — Adam S. Reisinger, www.thetowerlight.com, Towson University
2nd Place — Sal Cardoni and Ramiro Gonzalez, www.gwblitz.com, George Washington University

Online Opinion and Commentary
1st Place — Adam S. Reisinger, www.thetowerlight.com, Towson University

Best All-Around Online Student Newspaper (affiliated with a student newspaper)
1st Place — www.thebreeze.org, James Madison University

Best All-Around Online Student Magazine (affiliated with a student magazine)
1st Place — www.gwblitz.com, George Washington University

Best All-Around Online Student Broadcast Station (affiliated)
1st Place — www.carolinaweek.org, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Best All-Around Independent Student Publication
No awards given.

Rams' Greatest Accomplishment Maintaining Their Super Bowl Team of 1999

2002-01-29T01:19:00.000-05:00

Written by Noah Levenson for GWBlitz.com

In this day and age of free agency, impatient owners and the pressure of winning right away, the Rams have something unique developing. After Dick Vermeil resurrected the franchise to a Super Bowl victory in 1999 the Rams have remained in the class of NFL elite. They have been in 2-Super Bowls in three years and have been to the playoffs in three straight seasons. Last year they were the pre-season favorites, but their defense just couldn't stop anyone. This year with Lovie Smith, previously a former defensive coach of the Buccaneers, the Rams' defense is not something to overlook. Add the already explosive Rams' offense, with complex formations and individual pro-bowlers and St. Loius of 2001 may be even better than in '99.

If the Rams win on Sunday then they will be on the verge of a dynasty. Such a term is very hard to use in today's sports world because of the ever changing in and out players. But, the Rams have all their big names signed for the long run. The Denver Broncos competed for the title for three years; the same amount of time the Rams' have also been a favored contender. I wouldn't call the Broncos a dynasty, despite winning two titles in a row because of John Elway's retirement.

A problem with the Rams is their quarterback situation. If Warner's ribs get hurt and he has to leave the game, then Jamie Martin enters the game. Even though the Rams have the best receivers in the league and the best running back in Marshall Faulk, it does not look good to have a back-up quarterback who the team does not trust. Of course the back-up quarterback does not determine if a team can become a dynasty or not, but look at the past dynasties and their back up quarterbacks.

In the middle of the Steelers dynasty, they had Neil Graff and Mike Kruczek backing up Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw. The 1987 San Francisco 49ers had Steve Young, who we now know to be one of the best ever quarterbacks. It certainly helped that the team knew he would take over when Joe Montana left and that he learned from the best. The Buffalo Bills lost four Super Bowls in a row, but they were a dynasty. How many teams can say they even went to four Super Bowls? In the 1990 season, Frank Reich backed up soon to be Canton bound Jim Kelly.

The point is the back-up quarterback does not matter when making a dynasty, but in the a game that defines what teams qualify for dynasty status, the back-up better be able to step it up. (Think Doug Williams coming in for the injured Jay Schroeder in 1988 for the Redskins.) Especially this year, with the different injuries and pain Warner is playing through, the Rams have to make sure Jamie Martin can step it up.

The most amazing thing about the Rams has been their ability to keep all their main figures in their Super Bowl run under contract for the long term. The more teams win now, it seems the more they lose their players. As we see now this is not the case for the Rams and this might just be the beginning of a long run to becoming one of the NFL's greatest dynasties.

U-Mass Runs Away From GW – Again

2002-01-24T13:55:00.000-05:00

Written by Sal Cardoni for GWBlitz.com

U-Mass 73, GW 60

The pattern was eerily, even cookie-cutter, similar.

Its beginning was the same, as was its end.

Its middle was a run only a point less and a margin of victory only three shy.

Its bottom line was that GW still has not won an Atlantic-10 conference game away from Foggy Bottom, falling to U-Mass 73-60 Wednesday night in Amherst.

Five three-pointers fueled a 25 to 5 Minutemen run that spanned both halves; last January at the Mullins Center, U-Mass went on a similar half-spanning 26 to 5 run to defeat GW 76-60.

On this night, GW lead 20-16 with 3:51 left in the first half before U-Mass’ Shannon Crooks made consecutive three-pointers and freshman Kyle Wilson another as the home white went to the half ahead 25-20.

The start of the second half was no better for the Colonials. A Micah Brand (17 points, 10 rebounds) dunk and another Crooks (14 points) three meant that GW trailed by at least sixteen points, 41-25, for the third consecutive game.

In losing twice last week, GW trailed Xavier by seventeen and St. Joseph’s by twenty-two, respectively.

Slowly, though, the Colonials crept back into the game. And just as slowly, U-Mass increased its lead.

Down 49-35 halfway though the second stanza, GW outscored the Minutemen 10-1 over three minutes to pull within five points, 50-45, with just under eight minutes left in the game. During the run, Chris Monroe, who led GW with 24 points, connected on a three-pointer and Jaason Smith (12 points, 7 rebounds) made a lay-up.

But, a Brand lay-up and two Kitwana Rhymer free throws stretched the U-Mass lead back to nine points; GW would get no closer than seven the rest of the way.

In consecutive games, GW has allowed their opponent to shoot 80% from the floor after halftime; tonight, U-Mass shot 14 for 19 and Saturday afternoon, St. Joseph’s shot 18 for 21.

Poor Shooting Dooms Colonials

2002-01-18T17:59:00.000-05:00

Written by Sal Cardoni for GWBlitz.com

Xavier 71, GW 63

(WASHINGTON, DC) – GW outscored Xavier over the final thirty-seven minutes Thursday night at the Smith Center.

But the Colonials spotted the Musketeers a touchdown, extra point and field goal over the game’s first three minutes and could not recover as Xavier won at the Smith Center for the second consecutive year, 71-63.

"The difference in the game was allowing them to start the game 10-0,” said GW head coach Karl Hobbs. “From that point on, it changed our whole game plan.”

Chris Monroe dominated the second half, scoring 25 of his game-high 32 points. Tamal Forchion scored a career-high 17 points on a bevy of baseline and foul-line jumpers.

“He (Monroe) lit us up. I mean – shit – I don’t know what to say,” said a smiling, head-shaking Xavier point guard Lionel Chalmers (8 points, 9 assists) on Monroe’s second half outburst.

"I don't know how many points he had at halftime,” said senior forward Kevin Frey (13 points, 11 rebounds). “But later on I look up at the scoreboard and he has 25. They're knocking on the door. He took it over in the second half. I have to give him credit. Without him on the floor playing the way he was...he gave them a shot tonight to win the game.”

Monroe and Forchion combined for 49 of 63 points and 17 of 20 made shots for a Colonial team that shot only 35% from the floor and an even worse 20% from behind the arc. Jaason Smith (5 points) and Marquin Chandler (2 points) were the only other Colonials to score from the field. Guards Greg Collucci, T.J. Thompson, and Darnell Miller combined to shoot 0 for 13 from the floor; they also accounted for 9 of GW’s 15 turnovers.

“He’s a freshman. He just had an off night. I don’t think I destroyed him,” said Chalmers on his match-up with freshman Thompson.

Said Hobbs on Xavier’s stifling defense, one that disrupted the Colonial offensive rhythm all game long: "You have to give credit where credit's due. We were defended; there were guys out there guarding us. There's a reason why T.J. Thompson went 0 for 8.”

During Xavier’s 10-0 run to begin the game, Romain Sato drilled a pair of right wing three-pointers in between lay-ups by David West and Chalmers. West, the reigning Atlantic-10 player of the year, was stifled by the Colonial defense all game and fouled out with 4:36 left in the game. The 6’9” junior entered the game averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds, but was limited by Forchion and Smith to just 12 points and 7 rebounds. He also committed a game-high 7 turnovers.

Sato, a 6’5” muscular sophomore plagued by foul trouble all game, scored 23 points in 24-minutes, two on a play Hobbs called a “back-breaker.” With GW on the cusp of another monumental comeback – down just seven points, 65-58, with two minutes left in the game – Sato rebounded his own missed foul shot, floated a runner over the outstretched hand of a Colonial defender.

Forchion swished a foul line jumper nine seconds into the second half, cutting Xavier’s eight-point halftime lead to six, 33-27. GW would get no closer, though not for a lack of sufficient chances.

First, though, things got worse.

Slowly and methodically, the Musketeers’ lead swelled from six, 37-31 at the 17:54 mark, to seventeen, 49-32 at the 13:25 mark of the second stanza. West accounted for six points during the 12-1 spurt.

Customarily, GW came charging back.

Chalmers buried a one-legged, running floater to give Xavier its largest lead, 55-37.

Then Monroe simply took over the game, scoring fourteen of GW’s next nineteen points; the first six on consecutive three-pointers, the last three on a beautiful, double-crossover, three-head fake and-one driving lay-up to draw GW to within eight points, 64-56, with three minutes left in the game.

During Monroe’s run, the Colonials had three chances to make the contest a two-possession game. And with the largest and most rambunctious student crowd of the season aching for the home buff to give them something to go bonkers over, the Colonials capitalized on none of three consecutive wide-open three-point attempts that would have cut the Xavier lead from eight to five.

But while Monroe missed his two and Thompson his one, Sato didn’t, burying a left corner three with four minutes left, stretching the Xavier lead to 62-51. After the shot, Sato turned to the student section and, with his right-fore finger over his lip, mimicked for the standing undergrads to grow quiet. Appropriately, the students didn’t listen. So Sato then removed the scream and clap from the voices and hands of the entire Smith Center less than two minutes later with his game-ending rebound and deuce.

Despite GW’s poor shooting night, Hobbs reminded reporters after the game that it is impossible for him to be “disappointed” when his players don’t make shots.

“I'm very proud of my team because we didn't have a bad effort night,” said Hobbs. “In the game of basketball, there's going to be nights when you can't make your shots, there's going to be nights when the ball doesn't go in, there's going to be nights when you dribble off your foot. But you can't have a bad-effort night. You ask if I'm disappointed that the guys didn't make shots. That happens in the game of basketball.”

Weird Wide Web: Websites that will make you laugh out loud

2002-01-14T23:03:00.000-05:00

Written by Cassie Good for GWBlitz.com

The Onion
www.theonion.com

Okay, if you haven’t heard of The Onion, you are in for a great surprise. This publication mocks current new events with ridiculous headlines such as "Report: U.S. Must Reduce Dependence On Foreign Turmoil" or "Taco Bell Launches New 'Morning After' Burrito."

The website also has a special entertainment section called "The Onion A.V. Club." And of course, there is the Onion Store. The store features apparel, mugs, bumper stickers, posters and recordings. The posters and some t-shirts feature the front page of various issues of the Onion. Some of the shirts have short phrases like "I just love corporations!" or simply "You are dumb."

The Human Clock
www.humanclock.com

If you like to have an accurate clock up on your computer screen, why not one with photographs of the time? Or even better, with photos of people holding home-made signs saying what time it is? You get the idea. It's a quirky, clever site with some very creative ways of showing what time it is.

Miss Abigail
www.missabigail.com

Miss Abigail dishes out "timeless advice" from antiquated advice books and advertisements. One book she quotes advises readers "Do not breathe through the mouth; this is one of the offices for which Nature gave you a nose."

Miss Abigail uses quotes from manner books to answer questions supposedly sent in by visitors to the site. For example, she responds to a teenage girl asking how to make it bearable to write letters with this quote: "The secret of it is hidden in no mystery ~ it is simply to converse on paper, instead of by word of mouth.

To illustrate: if a person is before you, you narrate the incidents of a marriage, or a death, or of any circumstance of interest. Now, if the person were so deaf as to not be able to hear a word, what would you do? Why, seize a pencil or pen and write out just what you would have told them by words. That very writing would be a delightful letter!"

Joke Wallpaper
www.jokewallpaper.com

If you've gotten bored of your computer's wallpaper and have a good sense of humor, you may want to visit this site. There are nine free designs and over 300 others that cost $2 a piece to download. The free options are quite good. One is a mock movie poster from the Lion King announcing "Bill Clinton is the 'Lyin' King."

Muffin Films
www.muffinfilms.com

UCLA animation student Amy Winfrey has created an entertaining series of short films starring... muffins! The idea is strange but the twelve films are clever and well done, not to mention funny. The muffins in these films can talk and sometimes even eat humans. In "The Muffin Tree," a girl discovers a tree with muffins growing on it. The story is told in typical fairy tale style, but so the ending is a bit of a surprise. The moral of the story? "Never talk to muffin trees."

Weird Wide Web is an ongoing column online and in print written by various GWBlitz! staff members on wacky, oddball, and just plain weird websites.

Manning the Voice

2002-01-14T17:55:00.000-05:00

Written by Sal "Mr. Namstrops" Cardoni for GWBlitz.com

“The weirdest thing I ever saw involved me,” says the man behind the voice.

Both man and voice have seen their fair share, so that’s saying a lot. Games and parades. Pandemonium and annual intra-military squabbling. As many quarters and halves and innings as you can count. Mostly at DC sporting events. All over the last four decades.

Together, they attended the GW homecoming football game in ’64. Teamed up for several scores of Redskins contests. Even played backup for some Oriole galas in the early eighties. ’89 and ’01 saw voice and man get downright bushy at the Presidential Inaugural Parades. Played Oz at the Army-Navy game in ’98. And don’t forget that Washington Senator gig from yestercentury.

If you’ve never heard of Phil Hochberg, the man, that’s O.K. You’ve probably just heard Phil Hochberg, the voice.

“Vaaal Brown for three!” “Maar Keen Chandler for two.” “Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise and greet your Geooorge Washington University Colonials!” And for the geritolics, “…coached by Bob Tallent…” or “Mike Brown scoring on the play. Brown scoring on the play.”

Save the ’80-’81 season when the man lured the voice into Cole Field House only to yank it back just as quickly, “Lefty [Dreisell] and I didn’t see eye to eye,” the only regular resonation heard at a GW men’s basketball game since 1977 has come from the lungs of one Mr. Phil Hochberg. It’s a voice that’s been there, said that. RFK, the Smith Center, Memorial Stadium, Pennsylvania Avenue. Riggins and Rypien. Rogers, Shawta and Nip. Ripken. Richard Milhouse Nixon. The voice is clean and distinguishable from loud speakers, more so when it’s sitting next to you.

Still, if the man had its way, the voice would be doing something different, though not entirely.

In the late 1950s, Hochberg and his voice left Wilson High School in Northwest DC and ended up — upstate New York, that is — at Syracuse University.

“When I went up there I had visions of being a play-by-play sports announcer,” says the man. “But some of my classmates, even at that age, showed me that I didn’t have the talent for it.”

Those classmates? Just your average, run-of-the-mill undergrads named Marv Albert, Ted Koppell, Dick Stockton, and Hank Greenwald, formerly the public address announcer for the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.

“These guys were so obviously talented, I quickly became aware that doing play-by-play was not going to be my strength.”

Then came the early sixties — a crossroads in the life of the man and the voice. Sports or law. Law or sports. Both?

“When I graduated law school, there weren’t lawyers who specialized in the sports area. But, for me, there’s a certain synergy between the two. As it turns out, most of my clients are in the sportsfield.” Attorney Hochberg tells folk he has, “a typical Washington practice with atypical clients.”

The clients?

Oh, you know, the usual: Mr. Jones, Mrs. Smith…and the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, NASCAR, and the Master’s Tournament.

So the man returned home from New York to earn his All-Everything Degree from GW Law School. At around the same time, 1962, the voice began doing the Press Box Announcing at Redskins games. The man’s still a lawyer and the ‘Skins liked the voice so much they asked it to stick around for a while. Thirty-eight years constitutes a while, right? On October 21, at halftime of a game at FedEx Field vs. the Carolina Panthers, Hochberg, the voice, was inducted into the Redskins Hall of Fame/Ring of Stars. He’s the only non-player/coach/owner ever bestowed such honor. Not bad for the voice of a man who thought his classmates were a wee bit better.

For most, that halftime ceremony was probably the first time they laid eyes on Hochberg, the man. “Public address announcing is a study in anonymity…a disembodied voice, especially at football and baseball games,” says the man about the voice.

Which Colonials players have been the least anonymous in the last 24 years?

“I’d put Mike Brown and [Yegor] Mescheriakov at the forwards. Shawnta [Rogers] and Kwame Evans at the guards.”

The man’s man in the middle? “[Alexander] Kuhl, no, wait, make that [Yinka] Dare.”

And the 40-minute sweat-fests these players played in?

“If you were to ask me how many games I could recall, it would be very few in number. Just so many games,” says the man, when asked to pick his favorite Colonial contest.

“The fans came pouring out of the stands when the President was here.” Not the President of the VFW, of the United States. Not just any game. The game. Then President Bill Clinton was one of 5000 plus witnesses that stood, watched, and did nothing to stop GW from taking down then-No. 1 ranked Massachusetts in 1996.

“And when Mike King hit two foul shots with no time remaining [vs. Xavier in 1997 to force overtime where GW won by five], …boy, you talk about pressure.”

The television, or those tremendously long shorts running around in it, was the man’s biggest thrill as a Colonial fan.

1993. Seattle. Sweet Sixteen, NCAA Tournament. The Mike Jarvis-led Colonials were taking the best shots, both of ball and mouth, from Michigan’s Fab Five.

Eventually, the dumpster got too full and GW succumbed.

But to this day, “I still don’t like Chris Webber and Juwan Howard,” says the man. “Too much trash-talking…but, it was a real thrill to fight those guys to the wire.”

“Kuester, certainly Jarvis, and certainly not Gerry Gimbelstob” are the most gentlemanly of men he’s met over the years.

The biggest jerk?

“I wouldn’t call him a jerk, but the guy I get the biggest kick out of is John Chaney (Temple). Great coach. He gets so worked up that I just love when GW beats Temple.”

Speaking of greatness, who’d make voice’s shrine, its cathedral of names?

“P.A. announcers look for some little signature,” says the man about the voice.

“Paul Casanooova and J – J – H – ooo – ddock” are up there.

The former was an All-Star catcher for the Washington Senators of DC Stadium. The latter, a Colonial reserve from ’89 to ‘92.

“When the way you say a name sticks, when the fans announce it with you, you know you’ve scored,” says the man.

Voices are a funny breed. They’re family. Listening to each other is what they do.

“By the end of the game, he can barely talk, what’s it going to be like at the end of the season,” said Voice Hochberg about Voice Hobbs.

Then the man uses the voice to speak about the coach. “He’s so tense, every time he whistles, I’m turning my head because he’s getting my attention. But he certainly appears to be getting the maximum out of what he has. He doesn’t have much depth or much height. It gives us hope.”

After all that, after all those years, the oddest moment in this public address announcer’s world came when he was the one addressed.

“I was wearing glasses,” began the man’s recollection of the weirdest thing ever to happen to the voice. “It was around fifteen years ago. I had gotten my bi-focals. I wasn’t used to them and in the middle of the game, Joe Forte, the referee, blows his whistle, walks over to the scorer’s table and says, ‘Do you have a problem with the way I’m officiating tonight’s game?’”

Fan vs. Ref. Coach vs. Ref. Player vs. Ref. Mascot vs. Ref. But P.A. guy vs. Ref? Apparently referees hear, see – even confront – all beef, justified or not.

“I said ‘No! I just got these bi-focals and I can’t see’,” says the voice, now remembering and smirking. “I guess I was giving him all sorts of odd looks and truly, that’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen happen in a sporting event.”

“Then two years ago, I saw Forte at the NBA All-Star game in Oakland and asked him if he remembered me and that game. He said ‘yes’ and recalled coming over to ask what the hell was going on.” Remember this, then. Next time you hear the voice, look down, and see where it’s coming from. Realize it’s attached to a man.

They’re one in the same. Their name is Phil Hochberg and they’ll be talking to you soon.

GWU Sophomore Exposes Himself: Ross Smirnoff displays paintings in his Madison Hall gallery

2001-12-11T23:59:00.000-05:00

Written by Michael Leibsohn for GWBlitz.com

Ross Smirnoff says that painting is "the one pure freedom where no rules apply."

It is the potential of this freedom that Ross strives to maximize in his daily life, by sharing his work with others. At any time of the day, one can find friends and admirers of Ross in bustling room 701 in the otherwise rather peaceful Madison Hall. For it is here that Ross places his work on display for all to admire, or critique.

A 19-year-old Long Islander in his second year at GW, Ross is pursuing a major in Fine Arts, which is very uncommon for the mainstream GW population. He feels, however, that social and political consciousness is essential to self-expression.

All of Ross' paintings "are as open as the white canvas they start out on," leaving much interpretation to the eye of the beholder. Much of his work is abstract, with pieces ranging from self-portraits to large murals to black and white drawings.

Being a close friend of Ross, I have an unfair advantage. I can spend hours watching him paint and, afterwards, spend more hours talking with him about what his paintings symbolize.

But for those who simply stop by the room once a week to check out the new mural or revised painting, the simple attraction of aesthetic beauty and geometric complexity is enough. Ross likes having people come by the room to look at his paintings. How people feel is important to him.

Ross describes his style as being completely modern art, stating that, "the influences of the last century are so obvious."

He says that there is a certain edge to his paintings, and this is evident in the complex asymmetry and often chaotic color schemes of Ross' oil paintings.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Ross’ artwork is actually watching him at work.

Freshman Jason Mathews says of Ross, "I sit here and just watch this kid paint for hours."

It is true. One of the amazing things about this young artist is that he draws his inspiration wholly from his surroundings. What we see on the canvas is the expression of how Ross' surroundings appear to him and make him feel.

Okay, so the kid can paint; what’s the big deal?

On a campus of questionable diversity and therefore questionable cultural variation, Ross is providing an artistic center, which all students can share. By taking that which he does for himself, and making it something for the community, Ross creates a very friendly social atmosphere.

Sophomore Hannah Clark says that the gallery, as his friends call it, "gives a feeling of culture around the dorm."

Roommate Andrew Schwartz says, "I now see things differently, like day-to-day stuff."

When asked about future plans and a possible career in the art world, Ross replied that, "right now my only goal is to make paintings."

Certainly as long as he continues to draw from his surroundings, he will encounter no lack of material. One of the most unique features of Ross' work is its universality; everyone can relate in some way to his paintings.

Says sophomore Jeremy Dommu, "Every different person has a different interpretation."

Take it as you will.

Auntie Anne Discs, Wet Tile, and Other Random Observations

2001-12-11T01:19:00.000-05:00

Written by Sal "Mr. Namstrops" Cardoni GWBlitz.com

In no particular order (no whooping baloney Sal, they are random observations) here are some of what my eyes have heard and ears have seen during three plus years of aimless campus wandering and during twenty-one plus years of anal-attentive sports watching.

When reading, glancing, ignoring, or whatever it is you’re doing to my inked observations from the back corner of that class you’re now dozing off in, keep this caveat in mind: some are funny, or are supposed to be, and some aren’t, and aren’t supposed to be.

But here’s the rub, hot shots. These random observations are truly Magellan – they’re all over the map.

To ameliorate with the geography, I’ve grouped them into two categories.

Somewhat Closely Related to GW:

While George Washington, the President, was a "Colonel" at some point in his military ascension, the mascot of the school named after him is a "Colonial."
How students—my peers—confuse the two is beyond the reaches of my limited comprehension.

When's the last time Foggy Bottom was foggy?

Ever wonder if the buff in the uniform of the men's and women's basketball teams is really buff? I did, but this is finals week and I had to weigh investigating personal curiosity with writing a twenty-five pager. The quarter won out, but if you're engrossed, this should help. According to the dictionary that was sitting on my roommate's desk, "buff" is defined as, "pale light or moderate yellowish pink to yellow, including moderate orange yellow to light yellowish brown."

What’s up with the ebony, tar-coated squirrels that call DC home? And I always thought the skipper of that Exxon-Valdez tanker flask-steered his floating gas station into the shores of Alaska, not into Sequoia or Tony and Joe's.

What in the world was the University thinking when they installed bathroom tile outside Gelman Library? Rain, snow, hail—without fail—there’s always someone (me) who slips, but never falls, and embarrasses himself in front of the half dozen cancer stick tokers huddled close to the building.

Two years ago, the fifth floor of the Marvin Center was gutted; the Hippodrome, full of fast food, arcade games, pool tables, big screen televisions, and photographs of campus life, emerged. One afternoon, I took some time to look over each of the large, framed photographs and the small, placards describing each. And there it was — perfectly preserved behind glistening glass: the second happiest moment of my basketball life (the first being the pandemonium following my high school team's double overtime win that sent us to the 1997 Pennsylvania state championship game). Pure, unadulterated ecstasy looks like GW men's basketball player Albert Roma, about to snip a piece of the net from the Smith Center's west rim, hovering over thousands of giddy fans, minutes after the Colonial's dramatic victory over Xavier for the Atlantic-10 West Championship on February 27, 1999. Then my eyes moved a little lower—to the nameplate. I was disgusted—almost Nadered right on the spot. The plaque briefing one of the greatest victories in the history of GW sports was dead wrong. It read, and still does: GW 71, Xavier 69. But a two-point spread would have meant that if Shawnta Rogers hadn't hit that buzzer beating, dramatic three-pointer to win the game, GW would have lost. Wrong! I was there and as vividly as I can remember typing these words right now, I vividly remember thinking, "Ok, overtime, I can live with that." The final score was 77-74. Mr. Trachtenberg, Mr. Kvancz, please fix the problem!

Webmail, the University's Robert Downey Jr. e-mail system (It’s always fu#$ing up), got a face-lift on August 17, 2000. Another August and four more months have come and gone. So I ask you: Is it necessary to keep the "Welcome to the New Webmail" preamble on the opening page?

Did you notice that the Kogan Plaza clock now dongs the fight song every day at 6:00 pm?

Next time you're in the Smith Center, lie flat on the basketball court and have a buddy jump up and down in front of, not on, you. You'll notice, as I did, the court is bouncy—its give is about 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch. That explains why T.J. Thompson, who is six inches short of six feet, dunks at home like I still do on baskets in the shallow end of kiddie pools.

Am I the only person who gets keyed up when the letters "G" and "W" appear next to each other on SportsCenter’s ticker? Silly Sal, the "G" and the "W" stand for Game Winning, not George Washington!

Three years ago, the University upgraded the 6th floor of the library. It is spectacular—a striking improvement over the rest of the concrete explosion, 70's disaster. Yet the floor isn't perfect. A fault, a blip of great amusement, subsists. If you've got Bob Dole fall-off-the-stage jollity, plop your cloudy backside in the middle study section—the one peppered with tables and those big red sleeping-pill chairs. And then just wait. Near the back, a two-foot portion of the left side walkway is uneven. The floor incline is slight, but five minutes won't pass before a peer goes from unaware passer-by to horizontal carpet kisser.

If you have allergies or don't particularly take to thirty-year old dust drifts, stay away from the second to sixth floor steps in any Funger Hall stairwell. Ninety nine point nine percent of students with a class on a floor higher than the first take the elevator, so foot traffic hasn't plagued Norma and Morton Lee's stairwells since "Watergate" was more than an wavy concrete flag—hardened forever in the annuls of architectural ugliness—across the highway from Jay-Z Hall.

Not even remotely related to GW, yet often found via remote control:

Want to really mess with viewers and, especially, announcers of horse races? Buy and name your stud "And Down The Stretch They Come."

What would possess a radio sports announcer to say, "Did you see that?"

This isn't a 'pick on announcers column,' but I’ve got a little more beef, say, half a pound, with them. Why do baseball broadcasters persistently use the phrase "grand slam homerun?" It's redundantly redundant. The only grand slam in baseball is a homerun. Instead, say, "Mattingly hits a grand slam," or, "Leyritz connects on a bases-loaded homerun." Maybe even, "Sojo just ordered up the only reason Denny’s stays in business." Or, "Bernie sports-barred that one." Just don’t utter the most superfluously surplus phrase this side of "Michael Jordan shoots a lot."

It's not "besides the point," it's "beside the point," but that's all beside(s) the point.

The "It's in the hole," or its close cousin, "Get in the hole" screams that are regulars after each and every Tiger Woods tee shot must stop. Woods is his own adjective for good: "Woods is a Tiger golfer," "Tiger is a Woods player." But the bellows of these onlookers—proud wearers of "24 Hours in the Hospitality Tent" tees—come when his Chernobyled, half-inch swoosh is still more than three or four hundred plus yards from its temporary resting cavity.

Ever hear of the RBS? Probably not — I just made it up. It stands for Randy Brown Syndrome and it really bothers me. Randy Brown was more than just a backup guard on the Chicago Bulls second 3-peat teams from 1996 to 1998: he's the Che of scrub athletes — a prime example of timing and television gone awry. Brown loved the camera yet the relationship wasn't reciprocal. So after each Bulls series-clinching victory, Brown sought out Mr. Reciprocity, Michael Jordan. His ego needed a pat and Jordan's aura was the supplier. When winning a championship isn't enough to satisfy a lucky scrub's ego that he has to make his presence on a great team, with great players known to a jigamalillion strangers, the state of affairs of sport is truly sad.

Injuries are inevitable particulars of sport. And so when an athlete goes down, the rather large part of my brain that's convinced pure cinematic genius is spelled Dumb and Dumber wishes, only for a second, the injury is a herniated or pulled or injured disk. Then, if a sportscaster’s tongue is having an Auntie Anne's afternoon, a laugh or two (or ten) concerning "Shaquille O'Neal's herniated di&$" or "Jaromir Jagr's pulled di%#" might ensue.

DC Baseball Once Upon a Time

2001-12-10T13:26:00.000-05:00

Written by Colin McGee for GWBlitz.com

In 1971 the myth of Clark “the Old Fox” Griffith, the legend of Walter “Big Train” Johnson, and professional baseball died in Washington as the expansion Senators headed off for greener pastures in Texas.

Now with the original Senators franchise, the Minnesota Twins, on the chopping block called contraction, who’s up for returning the Twinkies to their rightful home?

The case for baseball to return to DC is strong. Bud Selig and his motley crew have determined it better to give up on at least two teams, likely the Twins and Montreal Expos.

However, the Player’s Association is opposed to seeing the number of roster spots available for its members shrink. Plus, contraction will become a sticking point in the upcoming labor talks to address the expiring collective bargaining agreement.

Baseball will likely be forced to move teams or face another crippling strike, such as the one of 1994, if an agreement is not reached.

Waiting with open arms for its original team, or the soon to be Ex-pos, is the largest city in America without a MLB franchise—alongside two northern Virginia counties included amongst the nation’s richest.

So the DC area has the requisite fan base and the one thing Bud Selig knows, as he has proven it’s not baseball, dollar bills.

Many think the move, in such a short time frame, is impossible. But remember the Seattle Pilots were bought by Selig’s father and moved to Milwaukee just as Spring Training wrapped up in 1970.

Following the Nats’ (as known to the Washington faithful) World Series win in 1924, Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis watched fans rejoicing on Pennsylvania Avenue and remarked, “Ancient Greeks and Romans must have had their games, and they must have reached peaks and then receded. I wonder if this is the peak for this game we love?”

Indeed that one shining moment will probably remain the lasting highlight for Washington baseball.

The union has filed grievances against the owner’s plan, and so the possibility of moving teams is still alive. However, a legal barrier to the Twins’ return was erected in Minnesota, as a judge ruled that the team must play their 2002 home schedule at the Metrodome.

And what about Florida, Tampa Bay, or Montreal? The young talent of the Marlins is the best opportunity to avoid the “first in war, first in peace, and last in the America League” embarrassment of old. Yet, a 1994 Florida Supreme Court ruling took away MLB’s antitrust exemption concerning franchise relocation.

So the lots are cast for the Expos and Vladimir Guerrero. Not so fast!

First, the Orioles and owner Peter Angelos claim territorial rights over DC, certainly not the O’s home. Additional interference stems from Angelos’ buddy-buddy relationship with Selig. This factor may tip balance for relocation in favor of Charlotte, Portland, or a potential Mexican team.

And so, after all is said and done the chances of professional ball returning to the shores of the Potomac remains slim. But as labor talks intensify and a new season of argument comes hope will do what it always does, spring eternal.

Soccer 2001 Round-up

2001-12-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

Warner, Pilkington Lead Colonial Kickers

Written by Colin McGee for GWBlitz.com

After receiving a beautiful grass-artificial turf composite field this year, Colonial soccer is no longer making bricks without straw.

Despite both the men’s and women’s campaigns ending without a postseason birth, the new pitch was only a part of this year and the hopeful outlook for the future of GW futbol.

The road was tough for the women’s team. The Colonials managed to finish only mid-pack in the A-10, going 5-6, and 8-10 overall.

Sophomore Christine O’Malley, who played every minute of every game, tended net and allowed 1.84 goals per game.

Coach Vogel must improve on the anemic defense for success in the next campaign. The opportunity to do so abounds, as sophomore Caite Terranova will return to anchor the defense alongside the likes of Molly Sunderdick, Pra Patamasucon, Sydney McCall, and Tessa Moehlmann.

The 2001 Colonial attack was headed by seniors Tiffany Williams and Erin Coppedge, and red shirt sophomore Kim Warner. The skilled Williams ended the season by scoring four goals in the final three games, including her first ever hat-trick against St. Bonaventure to garner A-10 player of the week honors.

She leaves GW tied for 20th on the all-time list in career points with 34, including a goal and two assists to upset then 10-4 UMass on Senior Day. Additionally, Coppedge found the nylon four times and finished with 3 assists.

Despite being hampered by quadricep and knee injuries, Warner led the Colonials in every major offensive category, finished 3rd in A-10 scoring, and was GW’s only representative on the all-Atlantic 10 team, earning second team honors.

The men, meanwhile, found roster spots for four on the all Atlantic-10 squads. Senior midfielder Michael Goldman, junior forward Matt Osborne, and sophomore Arnar Johannsson found their ways onto the Second Team.

Johannsson, who led the Colonials with 10 goals, including one in each of the final 6 contests, also won Rookie of the Year by topping all other A-10 first year players, with 22 points.

Coach George Lidster will be without Matt Pilkington next season, who led the team with 27 points and earned first team honors.

The squad finished 9-7 overall, 6-5 in conference, good enough for 5th place. However, GW fell a two full games short of qualifying for the A-10 finals.

On the bright side, the men took full advantage of their new home at Mount Vernon Campus posting an impressive 6-1 record.

The offense managed to outscore their opponents by just under a goal per game. Nick Parypinski minded net for the Colonials, saving 75% of the shots he faced. The return of Johannsson and Osborne should help bolster the Colonials back into top contention next year. Sophomore Eric Lund, who won in his only start, will tend net next season after allowing only 1 goal on 13 shots.

The men will have to find a way to win on the road after going 2-5 and 1-1 on neutral turf.

For both the women and men, hopes will be high for next season after flashes of brilliance this season.

University Professor Receives Award

2001-12-10T10:50:00.000-05:00

Dr. Amitai Etzioni honored for contributions toward understanding the American family

Written by Andrea Canino for GWBlitz.com

On November 13, GW University Professor of Sociology Dr. Amitai Etzioni was awarded with the Smithsonian Institute’s John P. McGovern Behavioral Science Award for his contributions toward helping understand the American family life. He also gave a lecture entitled “The Multicultural Family in America’s Future.”

Dr. Etzioni said it is an honor to be recognized, especially along with many world-renowned scholars.

“I was very pleased because we all work in the vineyards and days pass and you start to wonder if they are out there listening. It’s good to be recognized. I appreciate it. Usually I sit here and do my work...nobody comes knocking on my door. It’s nice to have somebody saying, ‘It’s good stuff’,” said Etzioni.

He later stated, “[This award is] also a very small payback to GW. They have been very good to me. Hopefully they will get some pleasure out of it.”

The John P. McGovern Behavioral Science Award is an establishment on the behalf of Dr. McGovern, a world-renowned humanitarian and allergist. Dr. McGovern created this fund and lecture series in order to commemorate scholars who have become distinguished leaders in the fields of science, literature, and humanities.

For the past 40 years, Dr. Etzioni has studied contemporary American society.

“I am interested in the breakdown of the family, decline in commitments people have to each other, the lack of connection, and the effect of the economy on our social-political life,” Etzioni said.

He chooses not to criticize, but study and observe issues that exist in society. “I’m a social scientist, so basically I’m studying things rather than criticizing. Yes, I am concerned about race relations. I am concerned about inequality,” he said.

His two recent publications discuss his thoughts on current issues in society. The Monochrome Society (Princeton University Press, April 2001) discusses the relationships between different ethnic groups. Next: The Road to the Good Society (New York: Basic Books, January 2001) gives information on what society needs to do next not only in terms of intercultural issues, but with topics such as the Internet and reducing the various types of inequalities people encounter.

Dr. Etzioni has made many contributions in his field and has received many honors and awards for his work, including his recent honor, the Sociological Practice Association’s Outstanding Contribution Award, and the James Wilbur Award for Extraordinary Contributions to the Appreciation and Advancement of Human Values in 1998.

He served as Senior Advisor for the White House from 1979-1980, president and founder of the International Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics from 1989-1990, and president of the American Sociological Association 1994-1995.

Before coming to GW, Dr. Etzioni worked at Columbia University for twenty years. He spent two years at Harvard Business school. In 1980, he began his career at GW as the university’s first University Professor and later became the director of the Institution of Communication Studies.

Since the beginning of his career, Dr. Etzioni has become a great scholar and leader of studying American society.

When asked if the world could look forward to more contributions in the future, Dr. Etzioni answered with a smile, “Who knows.”

Cloyd Heck Marvin: A Man Who Will Impact GW Forever

2001-12-10T10:49:00.001-05:00

Written by Laura Makransky for GWBlitz.com

Looking around the GW campus, you see numerous buildings, residence halls, and even landscaping. But did you ever stop to wonder how everything got here?

About seventy-five years ago, the buildings, landscaping, even the curriculum we have today, would not be here if it weren’t made possible by a man named Cloyd Heck Marvin.

Marvin was the 12th president of the University, serving a 32-year term, from 1927 until 1959. At the time, he was only 38 years old, making him the youngest president to serve. However, Marvin’s age did not cause him to lack experience.

A graduate of Findlay High School in Ohio, he attended Stanford University, but received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern California and his doctorate from Harvard. Marvin’s credentials before coming to GW included teaching college courses in economics, serving as a dean at the University of California, Los Angeles, and serving five years as President of University of Arizona.

Herbert Hoover, then Secretary of Commerce, recommended Marvin to the Board of Trustees, who willingly voted him in 1927.

Marvin immediately took on the task of reorganizing the University, which included providing adequate housing for residential students, determining a specific location for the University, setting up objectives, and making financial goals.

One of Marvin’s most challenging tasks was to reorganize the academic system.

In 1927, the University had only fourteen departments, all filled with part-time faculty. Over the years, he was able to add the departments of journalism, Slavic languages, anthropology, statistics, architecture, fine arts, and economics, each with a full-time faculty.

Encouraging social life among students, he allowed the establishment of fraternities and sororities on campus.

By 1930, the GW had received an accreditation by the Association of American Universities, who ranked the medical school as second in the United States, only to Harvard. This accreditation meant a great deal for the University, showing that it had worth and high standing.

During the Depression, Marvin skillfully increased GW by 26 percent, only raising tuition by 6 percent. In 1934, he built Gilbert Stuart Hall, designated that Woodhull House would be used for laboratories, established offices for the Department of Biology and Zoology, as well as administrative offices for the Registrar and dean of Columbian College, and added six classrooms.

During that same year, Mrs. Henry Alvah Strong donated $200,000 to build the first major dormitory unit, making GW a residential college.

By 1938, Marvin had built the Hall of Government and Alexander Graham Bell Hall, and in 1939, Lisner Library. The first building to be entirely devoted to a library was opened.

Marvin, who had a profound love of gardens, also established the University Yard and its numerous rose gardens.

Marvin’s hard work did not go unnoticed, as the May 29, 1954 issue of the Saturday Evening Post described “Dr. Marvin’s Genius Factory.”

“In his crowded portfolio, are plans to add two wings to the hospital, erect a great new law center and a block square engineering building, and to establish a patent, trademark and copyright foundation. More distantly contemplated is a project whereby Foggy Bottom—a wildness of tumbledown shacks and gas works lying between GW’s present boundaries and the Potomac River will be transformed into university playing fields.”

Two years later, Marvin kept his promise and built Tompkins Hall of Engineering.

In May 1957, Marvin asked the Board of Trustees to begin seeking a successor to him. On January 27, 1959, Marvin retired, with GW naming him President Emeritus of the University. Ten years later, he passed away.

One of Marvin’s many intentions was to build a university center for students, but he was never able to see things get underway for this.

Opening in February of 1970, President Lloyd H. Elliot said that it was only appropriate to name the University Center after Marvin.

During Marvin’s tenure, endowment increased nine-fold, faculty tripled in size, ten major buildings were built, the number of students doubled, and major renovations to academics were made. Moreover, Marvin’s wife donated a large amount to see that the center was built.

The February 14, 1980 issue of the Hatchet stated that Dorothy Betts Marvin was the principal donor of the University Center, giving $10.6 million dollars. In the dedication ceremony, Elliot announced that a 355-seat performing arts theater was to be named after her for her generous contributions.

In his years at GW, Marvin was a builder, dreamer, and planner. No other president had held office for such a long time. Marvin was able to guide GW through a major depression, foreign wars, and years of armed peace. Ultimately, he successfully achieved the task of building an outstanding university in the heart of Washington, DC.

Marvin Center Gets a New Look

2001-12-10T10:49:00.000-05:00

Written by Briana Fichtner for GWBlitz.com

Walking down 21st Street past the Marvin Center, you’ve probably noticed the large construction area and the addition that is going up. However, it seems that not many students know the specifics on these improvements at the Marvin Center.

The first phase of construction was the renovation of the current facilities. One by one, each floor was given many improvements. Many organizations were granted larger facilities including student organizations and Disability Support Services.

Michael Brown, Associate Director of Operations at the Marvin Center, said that although all floors underwent renovations, the 5th floor was the most improved. He commented that so far everyone seems to be, “happy with the finished product.”

He also noted, however, that with the renovations came some other issues that weren’t originally planned.

The renovation of the lobbies resulted in lighting problems, making it too dim for the new setup. Despite minor setbacks such as these, the construction has remained close to the original schedule.

Peter Konwerski, Executive Director of the Marvin Center and Student Activities Center, feels that the project is important for several reasons. First of all, it expands the capacity of the Marvin Center and renovates “in need” space.

The construction also increases and improves safety and security features, such as sprinklers and other fire safety systems.

Konwerski’s role has been to coordinate events in the Marvin Center around the construction. In this fashion, organizations and customers still benefit from the same level of service that they would experience without the construction.

This largely expensive undertaking has been financed in multiple ways. “Although part of the construction costs are paid by the University itself, much of the funding has come from development office gifts and grants,” Konwerski explained.

The renovations on the third floor were financed through a one million dollar grant. The goal of the grant was to renovate the third floor and create a conference center that can be used by students, faculty, and staff.

At this point, the renovation phase of the Marvin Center is complete and they are currently in the midst of the construction portion.

The construction is scheduled for completion in April 2002. The plans include an expanded Bookstore, a new ramp and elevators to provide more access to the ground floor, and a 2-story grand entrance. The plans also provide a new ballroom, so that student organizations will not have to go off-campus as much for formal functions.

Several projects will also be finished over the course of our upcoming winter break. You can look forward to seeing a new TicketMaster on the ground floor, as well as new tile floors in the first floor lobby and in the ballroom, and a refreshed floor in J Street.

Although the construction process has been in the planning stages for many years, Konwerski says the most visible part has been done in the past two to three years.

What we are currently seeing is the completion of the final stage of construction.

The Evolution of the Student Union

2001-12-10T10:48:00.000-05:00

Written by Kate Williams for GWBlitz.com

If you have been to the Marvin Center this semester then you have heard the construction.

This is because the Marvin Center is currently under phase two of renovations. Phase one included the entire basement floor, such as Jamba Juice, the Pulse, the WRGW studio, the computer lab and Provisions, as well as the repainting of floors two through five.

Chairman of the Marvin Center Governing Board Ben Getto says, “The original reason for the building renovation was to bring it up to building code and ADA compliance. When complete it will provide enhancements to select areas and systems of the building, and create an addition that includes a "Great Hall," a ballroom and additional bookstore sales area tucked within the current 21st Street entrance plaza.”

With the renovations to the Marvin Center will come great enhancements for student life. There will be a larger ballroom for social events as well as another amphitheater to use for speakers and presentations. As all GW students know, the Marvin Center is one of the most popular places on campus.

“The Marvin Center today has become the hub of student life,” says Getto.

Whether you’re meeting friends for coffee at Starbucks or hanging out at the Hippodrome, the Marvin Center plays a large role in the everyday lives of the GW students.

“Through its thirty plus years of operation, the Marvin Center has played a major role within campus life. As we look to the future, we can only envision a much greater role for the Marvin Center as we all eagerly await the completion of renovations,” Getto said.

The end of renovations and the grand opening of the new and improved Marvin Center are expected to be in April of 2002.

Columbia Plaza Resolution Passed

2001-12-10T10:45:00.001-05:00

RHA and SA pass identical resolutions to allow students back into housing selection

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

The Columbia Plaza resolution written by the Residence Hall Association passed unanimously on Monday, December 3. This will allow for students currently living in Columbia Plaza through the University to enter the housing lottery this year.

The resolution, sponsored by David Johnson, Columbia Plaza Liason and Housing Committee Chairperson, was brought to CLLC with a demand to immediately change a housing guideline. "A Resolution to Strongly Recommend to CLLC that Students who live in Columbia Plaza as a Result of Housing Selection 2001 be Automatically Eligible to Enter Housing Selection 2002," read the RHA in their resolution.

Many students who chose the Columbia Plaza housing offer believed that because they were receiving the option through Housing Selection and the Community Living and Learning Center it would be considered “on-campus.” Therefore, their decision would not disqualify them from entering Housing Selection 2002.

“It is ludicrous that the University thinks they can do this without the consent of the students or even making them aware,” said Noel Frame, President of the RHA. “The RHA felt very strongly that this was unfair and we were determined to help students rightfully get back onto campus if they chose to do so.”

As a result of the housing shortage for the current school year, one of the few options presented to students on the day of Housing Selection 2001 was to live in Columbia Plaza, an apartment building on Virginia Avenue. In the frenzy of Housing Selection 2001, these students were forced to make a quick decision about their housing situation with minimal information and unclear guidelines concerning rules set for returning to University housing.

Consequently, students chose the Columbia Plaza option for housing. Due to uncertainty about their housing situation throughout the Spring semester 2001, some students accepted the Columbia Plaza housing offer to be removed from the guaranteed waiting list.

To add to the belief of many students that Columbia Plaza would be University housing, CLLC advertised the Columbia Plaza option in official publications such as "The Guide to Housing Selection 2001" and "Home and Campus," which students refer to each year to help decide the best housing option. This gave students the notion that the option would be considered "on-campus" living.

Nowhere was it written or told to students that their decision to be placed in Columbia Plaza would make them ineligible for Housing Selection 2002.

Students chose the Columbia Plaza option without the full understanding of the provisions of the option, which Housing Services failed to make clear. Many of the provisions not presented to these students could negatively impact their academic and financial situation. Occupants are required to carpet 75% of the apartment's floor area and to sign a 12-month lease, but are not allowed to sublet when the apartment is not in use. This lease cannot be broken if a student studies abroad, has a leave of absence, or a permanent departure from the university, without paying a break-lease fee.

The Student Association unanimously passed an identical resolution on December 4.

"The RHA and SA have been working together in an effort to better serve students," said Frame. "We knew our resolution would be stronger if both the RHA and SA supported the effort."

Students Celebrate Different Holidays in Various Ways

2001-12-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

Written by Anna Hall for The East Carolinian and GWBlitz.com

The holiday season is fast approaching and students are getting ready to celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Christmas.
Kwanzaa is a unique African-American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce and self-improvement. It is neither political nor religious and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas.

It is a time of reaffirming African-American people, their ancestors and culture. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits of the harvest" in the African language Kiswahili, has gained tremendous acceptance. Since its founding in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa has come to be observed by more than 18 million people worldwide.

The celebration is based on the Nguzo Saba, or the seven guiding principles, one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from December 26 - January 1. The seven principles are unity, self-determination, responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

People who celebrate Kwanzaa usually decorate their homes in an African motif, with black, red and green as dominating colors. The Kinara holds seven candles, each representing one of the seven principles, and should be the central focus of the room.

Gifts are given during Kwanzaa and creativity is greatly encouraged. Homemade gifts that are educational or artistic are exchanged on January 1st, the last day of Kwanzaa.

The Kwanzaa feast, or Karamu, is held on December 31st, and focuses on bringing people back to their African roots. The Karamu is a communal and cooperative effort. Ceremonies and cultural expressions are highly encouraged.

"Celebrating Kwanzaa gives me an opportunity to reconnect with my cultural heritage. The tradition takes you back and allows you to recall certain aspects with your family," said Lathan Turner, assistant vice chancellor for Intercultural Student Affairs.

Prior to the feast, an informative and entertaining program should be presented. Traditionally, the program involves welcoming, remembering, reassessment, recommitment and rejoicing, concluded by a farewell statement and a call for greater unity.

Hanukkah, which means "dedication," and is also referred to as "The Festival of Lights," is a Jewish holiday that begins on the Hebrew date of the 25th of Kislev and lasts eight days, through the 2nd of Tevet. This year it corresponds to December 22 - December 29.

Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Maccabees (led by Judah) over the Hellenistic Syrians in a revolt that took place around 165 B.C.

The victory in itself was considered a miracle, but Jewish legend gives an additional explanation for Hanukkah rituals. Once the temple Mount I Jerusalem had been reclaimed, the Temple had to be rededicated. According to legend, only one jar of sacramental oil, enough for one day, was found. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, thus the eight days of Hanukkah.

The most important ritual is the candle lighting. Jewish persons light candles in a special candleholder called a "menorah" or a "hanukkia." Each night, one more candle is added. The middle candle, called the "shamash," is used to light each of the other candles, and it is lit every night. Therefore, on the first night of Hanukkah, two candles are lit, and on the last night there are nine lit candles.

"Hanukkah is special because it's a time when all your family gets together and shares the holiday, and the eight days of presents," said Ilana Roby, a junior communications major.

It is traditional to eat foods fried in oil during Hanukkah. Some common foods are potato latkes and "sufganiot" (jelly doughnuts).

Another tradition is to play the dreidel game and to give children "gelt," or money.

The majority of our society celebrates Christmas, the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christians believe that God chose a virgin, Mary, to give birth to his son. They believe that Jesus was sent to teach people about God.

No one knows the exact date of his birth, but Christians observe his birth on December 25. Many Christians attend church on this day.

The story of Christmas comes chiefly from the gospel of St. Luke and St. Matthew in the New Testament of the Bible. According to Luke, an angel appeared to shepherds outside the town of Bethlehem and told them of Jesus' birth. Matthew tells how the wise men, called "Magi," followed a bright star that led them to Jesus.

During this season, people exchange gifts and decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, Christmas trees, wreaths and many kinds of ornaments. City streets sparkle with lights and people sing Christmas carols. During the weeks before Christmas, children write letters to Santa to tell him what toys they want to receive.

Christmas trees are the main attraction in most homes. Relatives and friends may join in trimming the tree with tinsel, lights and colored ornaments.

"My favorite part of Christmas is coming home from school and putting up decorations with my mom and sister," said junior, Melissa Tyndall.

Whatever you celebrate this holiday season, be sure that you are safe and it is enjoyable. Happy Holidays!

© The East Carolinian

‘Islam 101’ hosted by MSA

2001-12-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

Written by Abbey Rathweg for GWBlitz.com

GW students gathered in the Marvin Center Ballroom, Wednesday, November 28, to attend an event organized by the Muslim Student Association entitled ‘Islam 101.’ The MSA encouraged non-Muslim students to fast for the day and then to attend the evening’s iftar, the traditional break the fast dinner that Muslims partake in during Ramadan.

Leah Bannon, a GW freshman, fasted for the day.

“I just wanted to learn about Islam. I did not want misconceptions about Islam to shape my opinion about it,” said Bannon.

Ramadan is the month when Muslims believe that the Holy Qur’an was sent down from heaven, as a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation.

Ramadan is one of the “five pillars” of the Muslim faith. The others are a testimony of faith, prayer, charity, and the hajj.

The testimony of faith is the belief that a person accepts God as the supreme ruler and Mohammed as God’s final messenger.

Muslims pray five times a day and according to MSA President Fasih Siddiqui, believe that, “a person is closest to their Lord when they are in the prostrate position with their head on the ground.”

Charity is also a strong component of Islam. Muslims are required to give two and a half percent of their savings to charity each year.

One of the most important pillars is the traditional pilgrimage to Mecca called the Hajj. Each Muslim must make this journey once during his or her lifetime.

Ramadan is the pillar that is currently being observed. The speaker for the event was Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, the Muslim Chaplain at Howard University.

“Ramadan is a boot camp for the believers,” Johari said. “Ramadan was prescribed so that you might learn self-restraint.”

Johari stressed that one of the stereotypes of Ramadan is that it is only about starving yourself. He said that it has more to do with learning to understand what it is like to be someone who is hungry and does not have enough to eat, and who may want to steal, but restrains himself from doing so.

“The tradition of fasting in Islam has been preserved while it has been lost in Christianity,” Johari said.

President Siddiqui stressed the social and economic aspects of Ramadan. “It is a time of moral upliftment,” he said. “A person has to refrain from gossip and to restrain his anger.”

Siddiqui also spoke about the “blessing of inviting others,” reminding that charity is a strong component of Ramadan.

Each person in a family must contribute enough money to feed one person. In the Washington area this has been calculated to be eight dollars per person. For those who are elderly, pregnant, or traveling and are unable to fast, they are urged to feed a poor person.

Amna Arshad, a sophomore, spoke about her personal experience with her faith. She referred to Ramadan as a “training camp” and a “spiritual renewal.”

“It’s all about control,” she said. “Once you reach the age of puberty, everything becomes mandatory.”

Arshad started wearing hijab, the scarf that Muslim women wear to cover their hair, when she was sixteen. She said it was a voluntary decision. “It changes your entire outlook. You’re a walking symbol of your faith.”

“I find it liberating,” she proudly asserted.

Arshad also believes that people have given her more respect since she started wearing it.

She discussed the misconceptions about jihad, saying that it means a struggle and “speaking true words to an unjust ruler.” Arshad believes that a lot of people consider wearing hijab as a form of jihad. She feels that it is a way to struggle for her religion.

Arshad also addressed the stereotypes that are associated with Islamic women. She views Islam as “a liberating movement because before Islam arrived, men could have as many wives as they wanted.” The institution of Islam law changed that. She blames the media for the stereotypes that people have about Islam.

GW senior Mahwish Bajwa addressed the controversy over Islamic theocracies. She believes that “whenever there is oppression, there is unjust rule.”

“The Taliban ended up creating a police state, not an Islamic State,” said Bajwa. She believes that many Islamic fundamentalists “use religion to manipulate.”

“It’s a power trip. A corrupt Muslim politician is no different from another politician,” she said.

Birthright Israel Lacks Participants

2001-12-10T10:43:00.000-05:00

Terrorism and Violence Dissuade Many from Free Trip

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

The Birthright Israel founders embarked on an initial five year project to send 100,000 young adult Jews from all over the world to Israel. This venture began as a free gift in order to diminish the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities all around the world, and to strengthen the sense of solidarity between Israeli youth and Jewish communities throughout the world. Supporters of Birthright contribute in the hopes that the number of return visits to Israel will increase. They wish to promote the role of Israel as a powerful resource in Jewish learning.

Originally initiated by philanthropists Charles Bronfman and Michael Steinhardt, the Birthright Israel gift is courtesy of three equal partners. These partners include the people of Israel through their government, local Jewish communities around the world, and leading philanthropists.

The Birthright Israel gift is open to all Jewish young adults, ages 18-26, post high-school, who have not yet traveled to Israel before on a peer educational trip regardless of religious affiliation, community involvement or financial situation.

The Birthright founders believe that it is every Jewish person’s birthright to visit Israel in their lifetime.

To date, over 22,000 young adults have traveled to Israel for the first time on Birthright Israel trips.

Participants have come from the United States, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, South Africa, France, India, New Zealand, and Australia, among many other countries. All participants come from varied Jewish backgrounds. The GW Hillel has participated in the Birthright program since it began 3 years ago. In the first year, the GW Hillel sent 40 students on the trip. Due to the overwhelming numbers of students who applied, last year Hillel was able to offer 60 spots. This year, the number of openings has increased to 80.

However, the hundreds of applicants in last year’s pool quickly dropped out, as the events in Israel became more intense. After going through all of the waiting lists, Hillel was able to send 40 students.

As a result of the deteriorating situation in Israel, Hillel has had a hard time garnering interest from students. Of the 80 possible spots, only 40 students have committed thus far.

Most of the concern comes from parents and guardians who fear the terrorism and violence in several of the major cities, such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

However, many steps have been taken by the Israeli government and the Birthright program to ensure the safety of each student.

“The Israeli government is in constant contact with Birthright,” explained Simon Amiel, executive director of Hillel at GW.

“The government,” he continued, “would not consent to have students come to Israel if they thought there was any real grave danger. As is, Birthright has eliminated many areas from the trip, including the West Bank and the old city of Tel Aviv, which might pose a possible threat. Students are also explicitly told where they can and can’t go when they are given free time to explore.”

Sophomore Danny Tobias, one of the participants on this year’s Birthright trip, was initially met with disapproval from his parents when he decided he wanted to travel to Israel.

“My mother was very apprehensive,” recalled Tobias. “But I listed all the recent atrocities that have happened in our own country and tried to explain how terrorism can occur anywhere, and at anytime. I am very much looking forward to what is going to be an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget.”

Senior Elliot Golden, who was a participant in last winter’s trip, was satisfied with what he reaped from his experience, and did not feel significantly threatened.

“I was a very spiritual, Zionistic person going into the trip, and the experience definitely solidified my pre-existing views,” explained Golden. “It was very odd to see so many people carrying guns, but I never felt unsafe. I’ll go back after Israel takes care of the present situation and the United States helps to force the Palestinians to abandon terror.”

Golden said he would not want to return this year.

Amiel believes that the Birthright trip has been very successful in expanding the Jewish community here at GW and strengthening the support for Israel and peace.

“The Birthright program has given participants a new avenue of entrance to get involved with the Jewish community on campus once they get back to school,” said Amiel.

“Kids who wouldn’t have necessarily gotten involved because they didn’t know how or didn’t have the desire to are motivated to expand their knowledge and commitment to the Hillel on campus,” he said.

Sophomore Allison Kaplan has been to Israel several times and stresses the immeasurable benefit yielded by visiting one’s homeland.

“The Birthright Israel trip is an incredible opportunity to connect with one’s past. This opportunity does not discriminate against Jewish knowledge and identity, and really wants students to feel a connection to their heritage,” said Kaplan.

In the Spotlight: AIESEC

2001-12-10T01:31:00.000-05:00

Written by Joanne Philippeaux for GWBlitz.com

Originally a French acronym translated into "International Association for Students in Economic Commerce," AIESEC (pronounced "eye-sek") promotes the ease of occupational opportunities in the United States, as well as abroad in over eighty countries worldwide.

"We're a non-profit exchange organization that facilitates international job opportunities," states senior Candice Yee, President of AIESEC. Yee began her presidency with a three-year preface of committed membership and dedicated participation.

She continues, "The chapter was kind of minimal when we started; on resources and on capacity. There were about three members running the organization."

With that in mind, AIESEC’s achievements have been quite successful. The organization holds an accredited award stating their outstanding status as "Best Committee in the United States," in addition to other awards recognizing their international efforts and endeavors. With substantial growth from three to twenty-six trainees, the group has served as the main base and headquarters representing the entire Washington, D.C. area at The George Washington University.

Accommodating over eighty-five different countries and over seven hundred international cities, AIESEC's multitudinous services include a warm welcoming of international students, which starts at picking participants up directly at the airport.

While providing assistance in finding internships, aid in finding housing, and completing governmental paperwork for visas, AIESEC also provides a smooth transition into American culture. Events such as potluck dinners serve as a homelike atmosphere and community for newcomers. These are just a few hospitalities that reinforce the mission and agenda of the organization.

"Our mission is to contribute to the development of our countries and its people, with an overriding commitment to international cooperation and understanding," says Yee.

A prospectus encompassing a comprehensive business plan includes a bi-yearly national conference to determine critical outcomes for the year. These measures ensure the completion of yearly goals and projections for the organization as a whole in the United States.

"We promote globalization. We promote cultural understanding, and how to get there," says Yee. "This is the vision we established in 1996."

That vision entails the aspiration to become the best and largest exchange organization in the world. Big dreams and hopes are attainable with Yee's projections of concluding these goals by the year 2017. With supportive corporate sponsors and companies, AIESEC's flourishing recruitment of international students has demonstrated a polished professionalism and promising legacy.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for people to go abroad, and it's a fantastic opportunity for people to come here who wouldn't necessarily have the chance to come to America. Once everybody is settled in, we get everyone involved in the GW community," says Yee.

Future of Afghanistan Discussed by Leaders at GW

2001-12-07T10:44:00.000-05:00

Written by Carrie Oken for GWBlitz.com

GW's International Affairs Society hosted a panel discussion Thursday night in the Jack Morton Auditorium where the future of Afghanistan was the topic at hand.

The event, entitled: "Afghanistan: What's Next?" was especially relevant given the recent peace agreement reached in Bonn, Germany this week. The agreement, which provides provisions for a post-Taliban government in Afghanistan, was the main focus of Thursday's discussion.

Speaking on the panel were five experts on international affairs and foreign relations. They included: Dr. Quadir Amiryar, GW professor and founding member of the Central Asia Research & Development Center; Ambassador Karl Inderfurth, former Assistant Secretary of State of South Asian Affairs under President Clinton and GW professor; Ambassador Clovis Maksoud, Director of the Center for the Global South at American University; Arthur Helton, Director of Peace and Conflict studies for the Council on Foreign Relations; and Robert Templer, Asia Program Director for the International Crisis Group.

All the members of the panel agreed that the Bonn peace agreement was a step in the right direction for Afghanistan, but also felt that the war is still in its early stages. They warn officials and the public to reserve judgment. Dr. Amiriyar was the first to speak in praise of the agreement, but explained the importance of other countries in the rebuilding of Afghanistan.

"It is necessary that the international community pays attention to ensure that a failure of state doesn't occur," said Amiriyar.

Arthur Helton and Robert Templer agree that it is important for successful countries like the United States to aid in the rebuilding of Afghanistan. Templer is adamant about sending money and peacekeepers to the country. Living in Kabul when the first peace agreement was reached in 1992(before the Taliban), he saw almost immediate fighting break out over who was to gain power. He is cautious and remains skeptical about a lasting peace in Afghanistan, and urges the international community to give over the estimated $25 billion it will take to rebuild the state of Afghanistan and its rich culture.

"Nation building has always been thought of as evil, but it is something that the U.S. is very good at," said Templer.

He points to U.S. aid to Japan and Germany after World War II, aid that not only ensured the success of these countries, but also the security of the United States. Others disagree with Amiriyar and Templer.

Ambassador Inderfurth believes that success is up to the Afghans themselves, and that no country can help a new Afghanistan succeed if its people are dissatisfied.

"The agreement in Bonn is a remarkable achievement," said Inderfurth. "It is a sign that Afghanistan is moving away from twenty years of warfare into a clearer, brighter future."

Inderfurth praised the agreement for establishing a Ministry of Women, an organization the likes of which Afghanistan has never seen, and calls such a move,"encouraging".

Members of the panel differed on how Afghanistan should and will run their transition and permanent governments, but all agreed that the Taliban's days are numbered.

"The Taliban will have no place in the future of Afghanistan," said Indufar.

Still, panel members urge the public to wait and watch the new developments in Afghanistan's new government, as the situation continues to unfold.

"It will be an interesting next 48 hours," said Ambassador Maksoud.

Grade Inflation Makes Marks at Harvard

2001-11-30T10:43:00.000-05:00

Some professors say increasingly inflated grades reduce their institutions' validity and that the problem must be addressed

Written by Michael Davis for The Daily Tar Heel and GWBlitz.com

The findings of a report released last week by Harvard University stating that grade inflation is a problem at the institution are similar to the findings of a report released by UNC professors last year stating that the problem exists at UNC.
According to the report, half of all grades awarded to Harvard undergraduates are A's or A-'s.

The report adds that the humanities have the biggest problem with grade inflation, with A's and A-'s making up almost two-thirds of grades awarded in small humanities classes.

In a letter accompanying the report, Susan Pedersen, Harvard's dean of undergraduate education, said actions will be taken in the spring to correct this trend.

UNC economics Professor Boone Turchi said the report's findings indicate a problem that needs to be addressed by many universities, including UNC. Turchi brought the issue to the forefront at the University two years ago, saying inflated grades needed to be investigated.

The Faculty Council approved a resolution this fall requiring individual departments to monitor grade inflation and give annual reports to deans. An amendment to the resolution also required that the Educational Policy Committee collect information from those reports for the council.

Turchi said the Harvard report's findings will remind the faculty of the issue on the UNC's campus.

Harvey Mansfield, a Harvard government professor and the lead opponent of grade inflation, said the issue is a major epidemic at the university. "I think it's a scandal here at Harvard."

But he said grade inflation is not limited to Harvard and is especially prevalent in other private institutions.

Mansfield said in addition to the staggering percentage of A's and A-'s, more than 90 percent of students graduate with honors.

Mansfield said weighting grades by reporting the percentage of students who received each letter grade in the class on transcripts is one solution to the problem.

The system will retain a professor's sovereignty by not limiting the amount of a specific letter grade a professor can assign, he said.

But he said a curve system, while stripping grading freedom from individual professors, might be necessary in order to correct this trend.

Mansfield said grade inflation only flatters students while damaging the reputation of the university. "It's meant to be doing something nice, but it ends up really hurting people," he said.

Although he is still concerned about UNC's inflated grades, Turchi said grades are much higher at schools such as Harvard than at UNC. "It's schools like that that have the biggest problems."

He said inflation makes grades a worthless indicator of a student's academic success, and the best law schools take this into account when admitting students.

But Turchi also said grade inflation at institutions like Harvard can be partially attributed to economics.

He said that when parents pay for Ivy League educations, they expect their children to receive high grades.

He added that after high school -- where such students generally receive high grades -- they come to expect comparable scores on the collegiate level.

Turchi said, "Students aren't used to seeing anything less than (an A)."

© The Daily Tar Heel

Celebrities, Students, Educators, and Policy Makers Gather for AIDS Awareness Week

2001-11-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

Scott Wolf, Kim Webster address GW students

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

On Thursday, November 29, students, educators, policy makers, and celebrities met in the Marvin Center Amphitheater to discuss the world wide HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In a Town Hall meeting hosted by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and The George Washington University, hundreds of GW students and faculty filled every seat in support of AIDS awareness week.

Kate Shindle, winner of the 1998 Miss America beauty pageant and Today Show correspondent, moderated the event. One of the spokeswomen for "Caring for Kids 101," an organization that raises money for HIV/AIDS children, Shindle has raised more than $20,000 since 1998. Shindle began by putting into perspective for the audience the deadliness of the disease.

"Every day 1,600 children are infected with HIV/AIDS," said Shindle. "Since the attacks of September 11th alone, over 128,000 children have been infected. We must all take a step up and fight this deadly, yet preventable, disease."

Shindle asked each panelist a pre-constructed question pertaining to their own involvement in HIV/AIDS activism and alloted five minutes for an answer.

The first panelist Scott Evertz, director of the Office of National AIDS policy, was asked to give his overview of the AIDS pandemic. Evertz praised students for taking pro-active roles in the fight against AIDS.

"As a culture and a society we need to reach out to everyone," began Evertz. "As an organization we want to make sure that we reach out to everyone who is vulnerable. No matter who you are, we want to reach out with compassion and care for all. I congratulate GW students for their sense of spirit and activism. As a Foggy Bottom resident, I constantly see GW students who are out there and willing to help. You all can and need to be activists."

Actor and GW alum Scott Wolf was one of the biggest attractions of the event. Similarly to Evertz, Wolf felt overwhelmed by the sense of spirit and willingness of students and young people.

"I came here thinking that I was going to have to try and convince students to get involved and to open their eyes," explained Wolf. "However, I am amazed that college students are already so willing to help. I find this experience to be extremlely encouraging."

One of the speakers that GW students could relate to the most was HIV-positive college student Ben Banks from James Madison University. Banks contracted the disease at the age of seven through a blood transfusion he recieved to treat cancer. Banks learned of his infection in the tenth grade, after being cancer-free for ten years. Shindle asked Banks what his life has been like living with HIV/AIDS.

"The hardest thing for me has been dealing with telling my friends and fearing rejection from them," explained Banks. "After living with a secret for so long, I have learned the importance of having an open mind for accepting differences. Everyone has trials in life and I've learned that you need to have a positive attitude. If you have a negative attitude, life will be horrible."

Banks also stressed how wide spread AIDS is and for people to realize that anyone can be affected.

"AIDS does not discriminate," said Banks. "It is a global concern and it is important that everyone protects themselves."

Joel Goldman, HIV-positive spokesperson for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Foundation and director of the "Caring for Kids 101" program, talked about how his organization got started.

"After speaking at a few colleges and seeing how much money was donated just by students dropping their change into a bucket, I realized how much could be raised," said Goldman. "As a result, we are nearing $1 million after just two years of activism."

The first emotional display of the program came from The West Wing actress Kim Webster and her younger brother Ricky Webster, who is 12 years old and HIV positive. Shindle asked Kim to address her personal connection to AIDS and how it changed her outlook on life.

"I was a pretty ignorant teenager," described Webster, while letting tears stream down her face. "As soon as I found out that my brother was infected, I was knocked off of my high horse. I was scared of what might happen. I was scared of falling in love with a kid that might not make it. But Ricky has had 6 more years than the doctors originally thought." Kim also recalled how AIDS used to be a taboo subject that people only heard about on the television.

Ricky Webster attributed much of his strength to older sister, Kim. "My sister is a great role model," said Webster, while fighting back tears. "We are in this fight together."

Dr. Alan Goldstein, professor and chair of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department at GW was called upon to talk about how views of HIV/AIDS has evolved over the past twenty years.

"AIDS came on with a vengence in the 1980's," recalled Goldstein. "It was originally termed as a 'Gay disease,' and then a 'Haitian disease'."

Dr. Gary Simon, who worked with Goldstein in the early 1980's to try and figure out what the mysterious deadly virus was, recalled his first encounter with an AIDS patient.

"On August 9, 1981, I had an eighteen year old patient in the emergency room with a very unusual form of pneumonia," said Simon. "It was only in late 1983 when the virus was given a name did I realize this was my first AIDS patient in D.C."

Simon went on to explain how AIDS debilitates the body, and what medications have been developed.

"AIDS prevents the immune system from fighting infections and illnesses in the body," explained Simon. "In the 1980's medications that were used would eventually become resisted to by the body. In the mid 1990's, "cocktail drugs," which are a certain combination of medications that result in the ability to evade viral resistance helped patients who were bed-ridden get up to go to work again, which was incredible."

The last speaker, and second display of extreme emotion, came from Florence Ngobeni, AIDS counselor from Johannesburg, South Africa, who is HIV-positive and lost a child to AIDS. Ngobeni compared the life that AIDS sufferers have to face in Africa as opposed to the United States.

"Young girls who are infected in Africa don't have any chances or opportunties to live their lives or improve their situation. They cannot be educated or work. They are abused by their families and often kicked out of their homes," said Ngobeni.

After each panelist spoke, the audience was able to ask questions. One student asked Wolf to comment on the absence of condoms in sexually intimate scenes during the run of the hit television drama Party of Five, in which Wolf starred in.

"Being a show that many young persons watch and look to for advice on life, we have a responsibility not only to entertain, but a moral responsibility to set a good example for our audiences."

World AIDS Day, December 1, 2001, will mark the 20 years since the first HIV/AIDS diagnosis. The interactive panel discussion, which left not one person untouched and affected, not only highlighted the current state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but showed young people how they can truly make a difference through involvement, education, fundraising, and activism.

Tennessee Topples Colonials, 88-57

2001-11-28T10:42:00.000-05:00

Written by Sal Cardoni for GWBlitz.com

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- 4, 7, 14, and 20. 17, 22, 25, and 30.

These two sets of numbers were the GW deficits at the four official’s timeouts in the first and second half of Tuesday night’s game vs. the #2 ranked Tennessee Volunteers at the sold-out Smith Center.

What caused the Tennessee lead to grow, and consequently, the game to get out of hand for the #18 Colonials?

In a word: turnovers.

In another word: steals.

When a team wins by 31 points and that number isn’t more than the amount of turnovers they forced, it’s obvious what the lead of the game recap is – defense.

Tennessee had 23 team steals, GW had 33 turnovers, and save for a brief Colonial run early in the second half that cut the Volunteer lead to 11 points at 41-30, the game that brought a spotlight to Foggy Bottom was utterly dull, as the Volunteers lead for all but the first 90 seconds.

“This Tennessee team is phenomenal defensively. You can tell their focus is defense. When they gamble, they recover. Whey they turn you over, they just fly from every position. It’s hard to emulate that in practice. By the time you get back and matched-up, they’re drilling three’s. They’ve got all the answers,” said GW coach McKeown.

Tennessee coach Pat Summit was pleased with her team's defense: “A big stat for us was obviously the steals. But we also had 15 offensive rebounds in the second half, and only had 6 at halftime. I thought we did a better job in the second half of over-playing passing lanes. We switched from playing behind the post to fronting the post, which created at least 3 steals for us. I don’t know if depth was a factor or not, but I think that the pressure that we were able to put on their perimeter game consistently was very beneficial for us, as we started to generate easy transition points and lay-ups.”

Freshman Shyra Ely led five Tennessee players in double figures with 14 points as Tennessee stormed out of the gate to lead by 15, 38-23 at halftime in the opening game of their 8-game road trip.

“In the first half, we didn’t back down,” said McKeown. “At the beginning of the second half, I thought we had a nice flow to the game, we were under control, we were getting good shots, we weren’t turning the ball over. And then the barn door opened and they just came flying out. And they come at you in waves. That’s what we weren’t ready for. They just come at you with more and more and more. With 11 freshman and sophomores, we just weren’t ready for that kind of intensity and pressure.”

Despite the 31-point loss, McKeown felt the game showed his team, “how hard you have to play at that level.”

McKeown added, “Tennessee. They set the bar, basically. Teams like Tennessee and Connecticut just keep coming at you with so many players, they just wear you out.”

Cathy Joens, who was called a “Jackie Stiles type of player” by McKeown, made 4 of her 7 three-point attempts and lead the Colonials with 18 points.

“In practice, we worked on the pressure, but you can’t get that type of intensity in practice. Obviously, right now, they’re a better team than us. Individually, we match up with them, but as a team, they’re better,” said Joens.

Starting point guard Marsheik Witherspoon’s team-high 6 assists were overshadowed by her game-high 8 turnovers.

“We always had it in the back of our heads that we could win this home game. At the beginning we were right with them. Towards the middle of the first half, we started to shy away a bit. It’s just a learning experience for us. It’s nothing they did to beat us, I think we beat ourselves,” said Witherspoon.

Plagued by two early fouls, GW’s leading scorer Erica Lawrence, never found her rhythm and was limited to only 8 points on 3 of 7 shooting in 20 minutes.

On Lawrence’s foul trouble, Joens commented, “Those fouls hurt us a great deal. They scouted us very well and when she wasn’t in there, it hurt us. We would have had more offense if she didn’t have those fouls.”

On her match-up with the 6’5” Snow, Ugo commented, “Coach told me to just play her. I’m the first player that she played against of the same stature. I just tried what I had to do to stop her.”

Snow finished with 13 points and 9 rebounds.

“We want to dictate our own game, we don’t want other teams to dictate the game,” said senior center Michelle Snow on the Volunteer’s ability to force the Colonials into a running game.

“We knew that they wanted to play a slower tempo and we wanted to play more of an uptempo game,” said Alexandria, Va. native Kara Lawson, who finished with 10 points and 5 steals.

The Colonials, who fell to 1-2, next play Rice on Friday at 6:00pm in the Gene Hackerman Rice Invitational.

The Results are in for the Colonial Cabinet 2002

2001-11-28T10:41:00.001-05:00

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

Last Tuesday thirty congratulatory letters were excitedly opened by the new Colonial Cabinet 2002 members.

Each year hundreds of GW students compete to land a spot on the Colonial Cabinet. CI members spend their summers on campus welcoming each incoming class during the five different orientation sessions and can answer questions about GW classes and campus life. The CI staff represents a variety of majors, hometowns, interests, and undergraduate years.

Sophomore Ted Farley anticipates an incredible experience and hopes to show incoming freshman the many aspects of GW.

"I was completely flattered upon finding out I was selected," Farley exclaimed. "CI was something I knew I wanted to do since I came. I wasn't sure if GW was going to be the right school for me, but after my CI experience I knew I had picked the right school. I want to help the incoming students see what I do."

The Colonial Cabinet 2002, led by returning CI members Maggie Wilson and Josh Rothstein, includes: Sabrina Bells, Nick Lore, Barrie Gordon, Stephen Coppolino, Seema Mitta, Kate Cottrel, Josh Schimmerling, Sarah Venuto, Shannon Tobin, Danny Tobias, Gracie Lhee, Will Alexander, Orchid Liu, Josh Levine, Stephen Frank, Noa Biran, Joy Gendzel, Kristin Paulos, Alex Coonce, Ted Farley, Karl Crow, Adam Chandler, Mark Bernstein, Elizabeth Wilson, Isaiah Pickens, Carolina Saenz, Sarah Tobis, Jorge Hernandez, Matt Dolan, Amanda Eidshaug, and Craig Limeberry.

Sophomore Danny Tobias looks forward to working with an incredible group of people.

"I hope to make all the incoming freshman feel as welcome as I felt, and to contribute to my school," said Tobias. "I am also very excited to be working with an amazing group of kids."

Congratulations to the Colonial Cabinet 2002!

The Bible: Revisited by GW Professor

2001-11-28T10:41:00.000-05:00

Written by Carrie Oken for GWBlitz.com

Have you ever wondered about the Book of Revelation? Surely, with recent events, many people are starting to take a closer look at this infamous last book of the New Testament.

In this book nations wage war upon nations; famine, beasts and plagues take over the world; and the religious-minded compete with each other for God's favor.

But where did these ideas come from? This, among others, was the question of the night Tuesday, in the Marvin Center, for an event co-sponsored by the Department of Religion and the Judaic Studies Program.

Paul Duff, Associate Professor of Religion at GW, was on hand to discuss his new book, Who Rides the Beast?, which reinterprets Revelation, based on years of literary and historical research.

Many professors from the Department of Religion attended the event, which, according to Professor Marc Saperstein, was a tradition he started at Washington University in St. Louis. The professors had all read Duff's book and were allotted about ten minutes to say what they liked or disliked about it, posing questions to the author, and adding their own two cents based on what they teach and study here at GW.

Afterwards, Professor Duff had the chance to rebuke statements made by his colleagues and clarify points in his book.

"I love this book and I hate this book," said Professor Duff, regarding the new release. He has lived and breathed the Book of Revelation since he decided to study it for Who Rides the Beast?.

In his book, Duff takes on aspects of Revelation that not many scholars talk about, such as the role of women, prophecy, and the possible ulterior motives of John, the scribe who wrote the book.

Professors Dewey Wallace and Alfred Hiltebeitel praised Duff's decision to exemplify Jezebel, a female prophet who was treated very harshly in Revelation by John, leading to Duff's conclusion that John was an instrument of the early Christian Church, who chastised women in order to lessen their growing role in the growing religion.

The apocalyptic and sometimes disturbing images of Revelation were also a major discussion point at the event. Duff challenges the idea that the Book of Revelation was intended for use as a liturgical reading for churches, because of its intensity. Instead, he says that revelation contains these images in order to excite Christians and draw them into the church.

"John pulls out all the stops," said Duff.

According to Duff, around the time of Revelation's publication, Christianity was dwindling in Asia Minor. He contends that John wrote with such drama in order to scare and win over potential Christians in that region. Professor Dewey Wallace positively likened Duff's book to John Calvin's re-examination of Christianity in the sixteenth century.

According to Wallace, not many researchers have the courage or ability to challenge well-respected and sacred texts like the New Testament, the way that Duff has done.

"An important book is one that rearranges your opinion on the subject ever after, and this is what [Professor Duff] has done in his book," Wallace said.

Thanksgiving Travel Troubles Plague Student

2001-11-27T10:40:00.001-05:00

Innocent College Girl Suspect in Airport

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

The last few lingering days before I left for my Thanksgiving break, I was asked by several of my friends how I was going to get home. I was basically told that my parents did not love me and could care less if I was shattered into thousands of pieces, as the most popular response that I gathered was, “I wish I could take a plane, it would be so much faster. But my parents refuse to let me.”

My friends might have been right about their parents loving them more, but they were certainly wrong about air travel being the most efficient way to get to one’s holiday destination.

Step one of preparing for my trip began before I even kissed my filthy apartment goodbye: the look. The “I’m an innocent girl traveling home to see her dear grandmother for the holidays” kind of look. I braided my hair in pig tails, combed my bangs forward and strapped on the dusty overalls. Perfect. I gave new meaning to the term, “Teenie Bopper”.

A few hours later at baggage check-in, the friendly woman behind the computer stamped my boarding pass with a big, red “S”. She picked up the intercom and paged a frightening looking man with a unibrow and equally frightening search dogs to whisk me away into a search room for “special” passengers.

I was thoroughly poked and prodded, and had some highly personal items waved in front of the myriads of people in the airport. All I wanted to do was fly the friendly skies.

Before I boarded the plane, after managing to salvage a bit of my dignity, I asked the man at boarding what they possibly could want with an innocent, little young girl, such as myself? I even had braided pig tails, I added. He took one look at me, and contemptuously cackled with satisfaction that I met the exact mold of what would be considered suspicious.

I knew I should have gone for the rebellious bad girl look.

After a semi pleasant flight to Boston, filled with lots of re-circulated air and cardboard flavored snack mix, I thought that the worst was over. The GW student body was merely a bunch of scaredy-cats.

After five days enjoying my reduced status as a lowly couch potato who only moved to use the bathroom, I was anything but ready to delve back into the exciting world of endless college woes. Again at baggage claim, I was greeted with another glaring crimson “S” on my ticket. I threw my hands up in frustration. I was condemned to a life of looking suspicious and questionable.

However, this time, the metal wand would not stop screeching as it ran over my crotch area. Utterly embarrassed, and fearing what might have to be done next, I was relieved to find out that the metallic coating on the wrapper of my lactaid pills was causing this scene.

I was finally on the plane back to D.C., relieved that this ordeal would soon be a memory of the past. I had spoken too soon. I was violently jolted from side to side, and up and down. Just a slight weather pattern, the pilot soothed us. My fifty-one minute flight turned into a five hour nightmare, with a climax of having to re-fuel in Virginia.

With my hair sticking out in 97 different directions and 8 years taken off of my life span, I finally made it to the Reagan National baggage claim in under five pieces.

Aggravated?
Yes.

Aghast?
Most definitely.

Amtrak?
Sign me up.

Unnecessary warnings: Hyper-vigilance benefits the careless

2001-11-27T10:40:00.000-05:00

Written by Jon Wood for Ka Leo and GWBlitz.com

The proximate threat of bio-terrorism — compounded by the growing number of deaths ascribed to anthrax — has Americans up in arms and thinking twice before snacking on the mail. Expressions like "bleed out" and "airborne" have been inducted into our nation's vocabulary — twice if you count that movie about rollerblading.

In what many consider an appropriate response, the government has advanced initiatives that would alert postal employees to potential risks and post air marshals on planes (not on boats, mind you, as the job title suggests). Alternately, critics have argued that these measures compromise our civil liberties and exaggerate the likelihood of such threats. These individuals soon forget that America has long suffered the costs of its hyper-vigilance.

Americans are categorically perceived as a stupid, careless people; no stupider or more careless perhaps, than the rest of humanity, but its culture is perceived as evolving as such that stupid people set precedent. As a nation we are alone in our belief that the customer is always right, having long since replaced "give me liberty or give me death" with "give me extra pickles or give me my 52 cents back."

Perhaps it is not our vigilance, but rather a melange of stupidity and litigiousness that has engendered this state of hyperbolic awareness. Everyday we encounter a glut of warnings and preemptives: some necessary, most belaboring common sense. "Do not ingest!" "Keep out of reach of children!"

One might expect to see these warnings on, say, a tube of contents unspecified; however the same warnings tell us little about a tube of Aquafresh we don't already know. Most people who shop for toothpaste have plans that do not involve a light snack or letting the kids know when they're appreciated.

Behind every caveat stamped on a box of Melona Bars or set of steak knives we find one individual. These people will forever be remembered as the woman who spilled coffee on her lap while driving or the boy who ate all the buttons on his Playstation because they looked like little marshmallows.

And yet we hold everyone accountable but the careless individual, quick to invoke the legal equivalent of Domino's "30-minutes-or-less" deal. As one might expect, video game controls are now unwieldy and McDonald's coffee tastes like crap (I remember when it was hot but still tasted like crap).

We mistakenly infer that any product available to the public is harmless, irrespective of its intended use or application. It astounds me that in a culture as vulnerable and prone to injury as ours, we still have access to fire — that a child can accidentally burn down a house but is thwarted in his attempts to sneak another Flintstones' Chewable.

America must look like a nation of idiots. Where else in the world could one exchange the regular Happy Meal prize for a large, indigestible Frisbee without having to explain, "No, I mean my kid is really stupid. He swallowed seven of your eight Aladdin toys, and the last one he used to gouge out both his eyes."

In fact, most companies have made it their policy to offer easy and accessible alternatives with these very individuals in mind — but at what cost to the dignity of our nation at large? America's foundation is eroded with each new issue of Teen People, as if People magazine was that demanding a read to begin with.

Must we compromise the freedom of the many because of the risk that few might discover how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Ladies Speedstick? Does it not stand to reason that rather than shelter an entire population, we foolproof the fools themselves?

This will be no easy task however; Americans are comfortably ensconced in their beliefs, especially the stupid ones — consider those parents who go to absurd lengths to childproof every corner of their home so that baby can run around barefoot with no shirt on.

And so it seems that America must be protected from itself: terrorists can strike at any moment, but so can the urge to rent "A Knight's Tale."

© Ka Leo

CD Review: Pumpkins' album provides fans with greatest hits and then some

2001-11-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

Written by Parker Davidson for Red and Black and GWBlitz.com

The Smashing Pumpkins
"(Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins' Greatest Hits"
Grade: A-

There have been many albums of greatest hits coming out lately. True to its tradition, The Smashing Pumpkins give a little something extra with each new release.

Ranging from the psychedelic grunge days of "Gish" and on to the questionable ending of the band, "(Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins' Greatest Hits" is a compilation album that hits the highs and lows of the band.

As with The Cure's recent greatest hits album, "Rotten Apples" has two CDs in the package.

The first CD includes all of the singles during the band's 12-year career with two extra tracks -- "Real Love," an Internet-only release off the "Machina 2/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music" and the radio-friendly "Untitled."

The second CD titled "Judas O" is a sequel to 1994's "Pisces Iscariot." Like its predecessor, "Judas O" is full of b-sides and other rarities released or written after 1995.

"Why should I buy this album?" you may ask. If you are already a Smashing Pumpkins fan, you will love the collection of b-sides and rarities. If you enjoyed the Pumpkins' songs on the radio but hated the albums, then the first CD is perfect.

The first CD highlights with the lesser known songs like "Drown" and a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide." However, for longtime Pumpkins fans, there are several tracks clearly missing from the listing. How could they have missed a song like "Mayonnaise" or "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans?"

Overall, "Rotten Apples" is just another greatest hits album. Don't replace this CD for the other albums though. The real power of the Pumpkins is somewhere within those seven albums.

© Red and Black

PRN! Pushes for Third Senator

2001-11-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

Written by Jane Black for GWBlitz.com

At last Thursday’s Senate Association’s meeting a referendum was turned down 15-4-2, which if passed, would have approved a third Freshman Senator to represent the 2005 Freshman class.

The referendum was opposed by senators Fiona Conroy, Mira Brown, Bridget O’Brien, Johann Aakre, Jennifer Beppu, and two abstentions by, Phillip Robinson and Blake Newmark

Two Freshman Senators represent their class of over 2,000 freshman, an increase of over 450 students from last year’s freshman class. With the steep increase of additional students in the incoming class, SA members are currently in conflict over whether a third Senator needs to be immediately appointed.

Proportional Representation NOW!, an advocacy committee led by Senators Eric Daleo (CCAS) and Dan Moss (SBPM), and Executive Vice President Josh Singer, lead the support for the immediate installment of a third Senator. PRN! believes that freshman do not have enough of a voice on the Student Senate. The leaders of PRN! support the idea of proportional representation and ask that the SA president appoint an elections committee and schedule a vote on a referendum to create a third freshman senator before winter break.

“With an increase of over 450 freshman, this is something that should have been dealt with last year,” said sophomore Dan Moss, a founding member of PRN!. “The student government and administration knew that the acceptance rate was going to go up significantly. This is not a surprise to anyone. The problem is that no one took a pro-active role until now. The three of us have taken it upon ourselves to do something.”

The great increase of freshman has intensified the problems that already exist.

“The freshman are, now more than ever, feeling the crunch caused by a larger class,” said Moss.

Freshman are facing inadequate classroom seating, are being shut out of mandatory introductory classes, living in study lounges, and are not enjoying the benefits that past classes have, such as the historic Watergate room in HOVA, which has recently been converted to house students.

PRN! is trying to obtain 1900 signatures before winter break. Ten members of the SA are currently going around campus to try and get as many signatures as possible. Once these signatures are obtained, the SA can bring the vote to the student body. Although there is no deadline for the vote, PRN! aims to bring this issue to a vote as soon as possible.

Both Freshman Senators, Chris Pope and Drew Sindlinger, are supportive of PRN! and feel strongly that the freshman class would be better served with a third senator.

"I am strongly enthusiastic in regards to the issue of a third freshman senator because the Class of 2005, as well as every other GW student, should have equal representation in the Student Senate. Currently our class is not being proportionally represented,” said Pope. “A third Freshman Senator would provide yet another positive voice from our class and allow more freshman's concerns to be heard. It's not really a matter of how it would help, it is more a matter of it being completely necessary to our democratic system. It would be beneficial to have another freshman senator, especially if they were from Thurston or Mount Vernon, to bring yet another unique perspective to the Senate.”

Sindlinger, in addition to asserting the need for another senator, raised the issue that SA bylaws provide for this third position.

“I believe the addition of a new senate seat would prove to be very beneficial,” Sindlinger stated. “As with any class, school, or group, the ability to incorporate a new voice can do no harm as well as improve the communication between the students and the senate. Not to mention, the bylaws state that there is to be one senator for every 1000 students. Seeing that the freshman class has gone well beyond 2000 students, a new freshman senate seat should be created without question as soon as possible. The longer we wait to fill this proposed seat, the longer the freshman lack a voice.”

Senator Fiona Conroy (CCAS), who is a chief opponent to PRN!, is not against the induction of a third senator, but feels that adding a third senator now would not be beneficial.

"As a former freshman senator and a major proponent of freshman advocacy, I feel that it is quite evident that I would be in favor of a third freshman senator," Conroy explained. "However, I am questioning the timing and methodology behind PRN!'s efforts to create this third seat. Having completed an entire term as a freshman senator, I am qualified in saying that there is quite a bit of information to master, such as the bylaws and the legislative process, that one half of an already short Freshman Senate term is just not enough time in which to fulfill one's role as a Senator, or to gain anything from the experience for that matter. Furthermore, due to the logistical and time-sensitive dilemmas facing this referendum, chances are, it will be delayed until the Spring anyway, causing yet more issues."

Conroy also disagrees with the establishment of the PRN! committee.

"PRN! is an organization created for one purpose, which is allegedly to create proportional representation," said Conroy. "A slight oversight of PRN! is that 'proportional representation,' as defined, is based on votes, and freshman senators don't vote. Although I do understand the argument of having a third freshman voice on the Senate, I feel that that is something to be accomplished next year, when it wouldn't create so much controversy. The more we focus on the antics of PRN! and this referendum, the less we will get done as an organization. Instead of taking away the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Senate in favor of their own personal glory, I encourage the Executive Vice President and the Senators involved in PRN! to abandon their isolationist goals and work with the rest of our deliberative body to better the GW community."

Headlines from Around the Country

2001-11-26T10:39:00.000-05:00

Compiled by Staff for Red and Black and GWBlitz.com

Big bucks offered for smart sperm

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- An ad in the Palo Alto Daily News classified section is asking for a Stanford student to donate his sperm for artificial insemination.

A 33-year-old woman has placed the ad in the paper for the past two weeks.

The ad reads, "Stanford student wanted for sperm donor. $15K offered. Intelligent, good looking, over 6 ft. tall. No history of self or family addictions."

The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she wants a Stanford student because she assumes the student will have a high level of intelligence.

"Intellect is a given if they go to Stanford," she said. "And if I meet them and I like them, I'll choose them."

A Stanford sophomore athlete said he was excited to learn about the woman's offer.

The student already is a donor at the local sperm bank, which only pays $50 per donation.

"My thoughts were: 'If I'm going to do it anyway, I might as well get paid,' " he said.

The woman seeking a donor said she thought offering $15,000 would allow her to be selective.

"I figured $10,000 wasn't enough, but $15,000 was enough for me to be picky," she said.

So far, the woman has received 40 responses.

3 days of opposition by Penn for Peace

PHILADELPHIA -- Members of a student peace organization at the University of Pennsylvania spent three days and nights protesting the conflict in Afghanistan.

The students, members of Penn for Peace, camped out in a "tent city" in the middle of the College Green at the University of Pennsylvania.

The 40-member group said the purpose of its protest was to collect donations and discuss the humanitarian ramifications of the war against Afghanistan.

"We wanted to be a public and visible presence, 24 hours a day, that was available to answer and discuss any issues or collect donations (for our cause)," said Lincoln Ellis, a spokesman for Penn for Peace.

About 15 or 20 students occupied the tent city at any given time.

Hundreds injured after USC victory

LOS ANGELES -- Hundreds of students were trampled by fans or hit by officers after the University of Southern California's first shutout victory over the University of California at Los Angeles since 1947.

Students from 30 rows up rushed the field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum seconds after the game ended Saturday.

At least three people were injured and taken to the California Medical Center for treatment.

Witnesses reported that members of the Los Angeles Police Department and Coliseum event staff pushed and hit fans with batons.

"There was no crowd control," said Dylan Ambauen, a sophomore at USC who was taken to the hospital after being trampled by fans.

After the problems on the field continued for about 15 minutes, chants of "UCLA sucks" changed to "LAPD sucks."

-- Compiled by Mitchell Graham and Melanie Horton

Contributing: The Stanford Daily, The Daily Bruin and The Daily Trojan

© Red and Black

Runner-Up No Longer: Hot Boyz 34, Fifth Floor Fockers 33, 2 O.T.

2001-11-22T02:13:00.000-05:00

Written by Mark Milazzo for GWBlitz.com

In what will likely go down as the most exciting championship game in GW intramural sports history, the undefeated Hot Boyz overcame multiple deficits to defeat the similarly undefeated all-Freshman 5th Floor Fockers team.

Hot Boyz quarterback/wide receiver Brett Kaplan commented that the Fockers were “the best opponent we’ve ever faced (in three years of GW intramural flag football competition).”

The Hot Boyz, two-time football runner-ups, would not be denied in this game. After falling behind early 7-0, a Gary Bullard to Kaplan touchdown cut the lead to 7-6. The Hot Boyz conversion failed, and the Fockers took full advantage by scoring again and converting the extra point to push the eventual halftime lead to 14-6. Fockers QB Brett Laduzinsky made his job look easy, repeatedly connecting on big plays with star wide receivers Garrett Quillia and Chris Worthington throughout the game.

The Hot Boyz again answered back early in the second half, cutting the lead to 14-12 on a Brett Kaplan to Joe Cope touchdown pass. Again, they failed to get the conversion. The Hot Boyz defense, led by the intense pass rush of Alejandro Criado and Rikkesh Mohandoss, kept the Fockers at bay for much of the second half and allowed the Hot Boyz to keep the game relatively tight throughout. However, the Fockers punched in another score late in the second half to build a 20-12 lead. A huge conversion stop by the Hot Boyz kept the overall lead at one score.

The Hot Boyz, with no margin for error, drove the field and eventually scored on a Kaplan TD run to cut the lead to 20-18. Having no choice except to go for two, offensive linemen Reid Rosenthal hauled in a ten yard pass from Kaplan to tie the game at twenty and send it into overtime.

Again, the Fockers were relentless, scoring both a touchdown and conversion to build a 27-20 lead in the first overtime period. And again, the Hot Boyz answered, as Kaplan ran another score in and then connected with Bullard to square the game at twenty-seven and force a second overtime. Another Laduzinsky touchdown pass, his fifth of the day, pushed the lead to 33-27, but a failed conversion opened the door for the Hot Boyz. Kaplan fired a touchdown pass to Rosenthal and then hit Bullard with yet another conversion. A wild Hot Boyz celebration ensued after a hard-fought championship game.

The 5th Floor Fockers became the first all-freshmen team since the Hot Boyz in 1999 to advance all of the way to the football championship game. Expect the Fockers to be perennial playoff contenders for years to come. Counting the playoffs, the Hot Boyz completed a 10-0 season with Sunday’s victory.

Texas A&M 87, GW 63: Aggies Capitalize on 27 Colonial Turnovers

2001-11-20T02:11:00.000-05:00

Written by Sal Cardoni for GWBlitz.com

COLLEGE STATION, TX – Fueled by 11 three-pointers and 22 assists, Texas A&M extended an 11-point halftime lead to a 24-point runaway victory over GW Monday night.

For the Colonials, Chris Monroe’s game-high 9 turnovers overshadowed his game-high 23 points and team-high 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Monroe made 6 of 11 shots and 10 of 15 foul shots.

The Aggies never trailed and were paced by Bernard King’s 18 points on 4 of 7 three-point shots. Nick Anderson, a 6’6” sophomore forward had 14 points while Keith Bean, a 6’8” 260 lb. forward added 11 for the Aggies who won their season opener.

GW was atrocious from beyond the arc, missing 12 of 15 three-point shots. Sophomore Greg Collucci missed all six of his long-range attempts.

GW committed 19 first half turnovers, in route to 27 for the game, and trailed 43-32 at halftime. Only once in the second half did GW trim the Aggie lead below double digits, at 57-48 with 11:51 remaining.

The Colonials were also out-rebounded by Texas A&M, 40-24.

Senior Albert Roma was perfect from the free throw line and connected on 4 of 6 shots to score 12 for the Colonials.

GW falls to 1-2 on the young season and will return to action Friday night when the take on Binghamton at 8:00pm in the Red Auerbach Colonial Classic. The contest will be the first home game for the Colonials.

What I’m Thankful For

2001-11-20T02:09:00.000-05:00

Written by Andy Shotwell for BG News and GWBlitz.com

In the honor of Thanksgiving, I have chosen to abandon my usual column format. Instead of using this space for my usual griping and moaning about life, I've decided to try to be an optimist, if only for one column. After all, as much as life can piss me off at times, it remains monumentally more fulfilling than the alternative.

Although I am most thankful for my family and friends and so on and so forth, I'm pretty sure most of you, and here I mean the guys, would stop reading by about the second paragraph of heart-warming feel-good banter. So to stay in line with what my faithful readers have come to expect, I would like to share some of the less obvious things that I am thankful for.

First, I am thankful that I was born male. I don't have to worry about putting on make-up or how big my butt is, and my facial hair is socially acceptable. I will concede that the female body is much more aesthetically pleasing than say, my body (my body is proof that God has a sense of humor). But while I am in awe of the shroud of mystery that surrounds the female form, I prefer to have low-maintenance parts that are right there on the table in plain view. And let's not forget that I have no obligation to utter the word "love" unless it is used in conjunction with my favorite sports team. Other benefits include being able to fix the toilet without calling the plumber, being able to identify more car parts than the steering wheel and the air-freshener, and possessing the strength to open pickle jars at will. Yes, I am thankful that I am a guy.

I am also thankful for the guy who invented the nap. The nap may be the single greatest invention of all time. Life doesn't get much better than eating way too much, turning on a football game, and passing out in your favorite recliner. I also enjoy napping to movies I have seen about 8,000 times, like Ghostbusters or Office Space, because when you come to, you can still follow the storyline. I judge the quality of my naps by the size of the drool puddle on my shirtsleeves when I awake.

Hmm, what else? You know that running back on the Browns, Ben Gay? Yeah, I'm thankful I don't have his name. He should at least add an "E" to the back of his jersey or something. If I were Ben I'd be trying to avoid the football so I wouldn't have to hear my name over the loudspeaker. Junior high must have been hell for this guy. Although now that I think about it, there are worse names in sports. He could be named Dick Pole, like the Indians' pitching coach. Thankfully, my parents weren't hopped up on anything when they picked my name.

Next on my unfunny list of things I am thankful for is the Mr. Spots fire steak (man, I'm really stretching here). Have you tried this sandwich? It's like crack. My friends and I don't go to the bars to meet girls; we just use that as an excuse to eat Mr. Spots at 2 a.m.

Although I am also thankful for the entire line of Hostess products, the television debut of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and that little piece of plastic that makes it easier to unwrap new CDs. I would like to conclude this column before it gets any less funny than it already is (they can't all be gold). I have chosen to end a more personal note.

I am thankful for you, my dear readers. At the conclusion of my last article about inhaled spider confetti and swollen body parts I asked you to send your own tales of misfortune. You answered the call. I received numerous e-mails, many of which told stories even more pathetic than my own. In a twisted sort of way, hearing these stories actually made me feel better, almost thankful - thankful that I don't have your lives.

© BG News

A History of Mouthing Off

2001-11-20T02:08:00.000-05:00

Written by Art Chenoweth for The Vanguard and GWBlitz.com

My sainted grandmother often said, "The devil always finds something for idle hands to do." This probably is true. I cracked up when Jay Leno commented that when his bandleader, Kevin Eubanks, had a birthday party, out of his birthday cake popped a hand.

But if the devil puts idle hands to work, he also puts idle minds to work. Recently, when my mind found nothing significant to do, it dredged up what must rank as a trivial subject for pondering: the mouth.

Actually, this thought did not appear from somewhere out in the cosmos. It became stimulated by a magazine item I was reading, about how a supermodel learned to smile correctly. She said her smile had been embarrassingly deficient until a coach told her to open her mouth when she smiled. She tried it and found that her smile became instantly more beguiling.

I realized I tend to smile with my mouth closed. This possibly comes across as insincere, so I tried opening my mouth when I smile. Feels awkward. I am not sure it is generating any additional response from the smile recipient but I keep practicing. If it works for a supermodel, it might work for me.

On the other hand, there is nothing that makes a person, especially an older person, look more stupid than walking around with an open mouth produced by nothing more than a sagging jaw. Add a pair of glazed-over eyes and you've got a portrait of senile dementia.

From these inconsequential concerns, my roving mind drifted to a host of equally trivial matters. With Thanksgiving dinner just ahead, fortunately I will not have to be looking at any relatives who chew their food with open mouths. But the mouth can and does produce other effects I do not find attractive.

I have heard the old statement that a human's mouth has more germs than a dog's mouth. That may be true but I remember a medical doctor telling me, "Never kiss a dog." He said humans can get parasites from kissing dogs which can be fatal to humans, although dogs seem unaffected. That is okay by me. I have no desire to kiss a dog, or a cat either.

This leads my restless brain to that old French saying "Chacun a son gout." That is what the old lady is supposed to have said ("Each to his own taste") as she kissed the cow. I feel even less desire to kiss a cow than to kiss a dog or cat.

I start thinking about people who pierce their tongues. How do they keep those knobs from chipping their teeth? Last week, in one of my classes, a student told of a case she knew where a man had the front section of his tongue split into two halves. She said he was able to flip either side of the split tongue at will. This created, for the first time in my experience, a literal demonstration of that reputed American Indian complaint, "White man speak with forked tongue."

On and on my mind wandered through many mouths. The mouth has figured in a number of memorable American sayings. The tycoon Ted Turner, for many years was called "The Mouth of the South." A political figure was called "the mouth that roared," a play on the movie title, "The Mouse That Roared."

I also recall the term "mouthy" for someone who talks too much. How about, "Put your money where your mouth is," or that biting accusation, "motor mouth?"

A common black expression from the 1940s and 1950s was "brings a lot of mouth," meaning excessive talk. The harmonica, from the 1920s through the 1940s, was called the "mouth harp." They had a lot of funny names for things back then. One mouth-activated musical device was called a "jew's harp." I have no idea what this name became after political correctness set in. Actually, I haven't seen one of the gadgets for a long time.

"Chops" continues to appear as a name for one's musical technique, going back to the 1920s. This was originally a mouth term. It apparently got frequent use when applied to Louis Armstrong's lips and teeth when he played the trumpet. Eventually, "good chops" became applied to any good musical ability, whether it referred to the mouth or the fingers or whatever body part.

Political correctness also caught up with tooth replacements. What formerly were called "false teeth" became "dentures." George Washington had famous false teeth, possibly made of wood, possibly bone; the stories differ. This was supposedly one reason his portraits always showed him with his mouth closed, although biographers say he frequently remained quite terse in his conversation. (It is also reported that he almost never shook hands.)

My roving mind led me to wonder if there exist any good historical stories about the mouth, and I did find one about false teeth.

This reportedly happened to Edward Drinker Cope, who lived from 1840 to 1897. He worked as a paleontologist and collected a huge number of fossils from the western United States. Cope was a Quaker and declined to carry a gun, even though his explorations took him into areas occupied by hostile American Indians.

One time, the story goes, he found himself surrounded by Indians who evidently intended to murder him. He tried to distract them by removing and putting back his false teeth. The Indians became fascinated by this activity. They made him do it over and over and finally released him unharmed.

Following Cope's example, I like to believe I can release my mind unharmed from this brief flight into insignificant thinking.

© The Vanguard

JSA group Hamagshimim kicks off first Beit Cafe at Hillel

2001-11-19T02:10:00.001-05:00

Written by Shael Sokolowski for GWBlitz.com

Last night was the kick off of the first Beit Cafe (coffee house) event at Hillel, offered by the JSA student group, Hamagshimim.

Hamagshimim is the Zionist Student Association on campus. Their mission is to create a Zionist atmosphere on campus through cultural, educational, and political events related to Israel. Last night's event was led by Michael Plostock and Jen Wolchanisky.

Traditional coffee house refreshments were served in the candle-lit Hillel. Notable performances were given by GW's Jewish A cappella group, Zmirnotes, as well as the all-women group, The Pitches.

Freshman and Zmirnotes member, Rachel Sandler, related that, "It was really great to perform on campus, at Hillel, and to see so many people there supporting a cappella at GW."

The turnout was impressive and everyone seemed to have an enjoyable evening.

Freshman Sharon Samuel said she, "was really surprised to see the turnout that we got tonight. Everyone had a great time hanging out with people and listening to the two groups perform."

Alien Fireworks

2001-11-19T02:10:00.000-05:00

Written by Colin McGee for GWBlitz.com

Every now and again we are all lucky enough to witness an act of nature that truly drops our jaws and leaves us to gawk and make incomprehensible comments that convey our utter amazement. Stargazers descended upon the Mall at an ungodly Sunday morning hour for just one of those moments.

Braving the numbing cold, they dusted off the winter coats and hats to come and lay down on blankets before staring upwards in awe for the hour and a half peak of the Leonid meteor shower spectacle.

Green, yellow, and white flashes streaked the skies like fireflies on a summer night. The vibrancy of colors that crisscrossed the heavens astounded the crowd who broke the customary quietness of the early hours with 'whoa,' 'ooh,' and the ensuing 'aah.'

"They were spectacular. They kept coming, one after another," professed Nikhil Agarwal of the show, which was expected to peak shortly before 5:00am with an appearance rate of nearly 800 meteors per hour.

The Leonid flashes, named for the blazes that appear to spawn from the constellation Leo, are caused by the burning up of the particles left behind by the Temple-Tuttle Comet as it orbits the sun every 33 years on its 4.6 billion mile circuit.

Sunday morning the Earth passed through the dust cloud left behind by the 1766 comet. The remnants in the cloud heat up when they collide with the Earth's atmosphere. Most of the meteorites were merely the size of a grain of sand when they hit the planet's air at 150,000 miles per hour to provide the fireworks for those 60 miles below. However, in a case where size does matter, the more spectacular fireballs emanated from rocks ranging from pea to orange sized chunks.

"It was an extraordinary experience. Definitely worth staying up all night," exclaimed Mirka Tvaruzkova, who fought off sleep and the cold to come to the Mall.

The show was the largest since 1966 and nothing of the kind is expected to be seen again for nearly a century, making this a truly once in a lifetime experience.

The Leonids will likely go down as a meteor storm, a peak of more than 1,000 sightings in an hour, as NASA scientists in Hawaii reported a peak of 1,250 and Chinese reports claiming 2,000 per hour (which is still short of the storm predicted to reach into the 8,000's) in parts of Asia.

For those of you who missed out, the showers are expected to wind down until the 21st.