Broadside October 3, 2011 Issue by Student Media George Mason University

A World-Wide First Mason is the only university in the world to host an official branch of the Cochrane Collaboration. NEWS • Page 3

<<A Day in the Life of a Soccer Player

Change of Season Calls for Change in Fashion

We spent a day with freshman Midfielder Verneri Valimaa. Check it out.

Find out what some of the most fashionable students on campus are wearing. STYLE • Page 5

SPORTS • Page 9

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper www.broadsideonline.com

October 3, 2011

Volume 88 Issue 5

John Carlos to Visit Mason

A Military-Friendly School

G.I. Jobs Magazine Recognizes Mason Initiatives

Former Olympic Athlete to Attend Documentary Viewing

Janelle Germanos Broadside Correspondent

Pat Carroll Asst. Sports Editor At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos made a remarkable stance against racial inequality. The respective 200-meter gold and bronze medal winners held their black-gloved fists high in protest of the treatment that blacks received in the U.S. Nearly 43 years later, the moment in time is still relevant and considered one of the most courageous and significant moments in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Currently, Smith and Carlos spend their days talking with people about their experiences and spreading their messages of racial equality. Carlos and Dave Zirin — a sportswriter and radio personality who has co-written an autobiography with Carlos titled “The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World” — will be at George Mason University tonight at 6 p.m. in the Johnson Center Cinema. “[The book], traces [Carlos’] life from his upbringing in Harlem up to the Olympics and beyond,” said Zirin. During the event they will be viewing the documentary, “Not Just a Game,” and speaking about their new book. Based on Zirin's bestselling book “The People's History of Sports in the United States,” the documentary argues that American sports have long been at the center of some of the major political debates and struggles of the past century. Zirin has authored a handful of other books on sports and politics, writes for SLAM, the Progressive, and the Nation magazines, and is well-researched in the field. He also hosts an XM show called Edge of Sports Radio. In the autobiography, Carlos and Zirin detail the many hardships and triumphs that Carlos

See CARLOS, Page 10

Photo by Jake McLernon

Photo by Megan Ekhami

Cadet Staﬀ Sgt. Stephen Arakelian (top) and George Mason University ROTC cadets (bottom) train on campus. Mason has been recognized for its excellent relationship with ROTC cadets and military services.

Experiencing Culture Through Dance Salsa Club Looks to Increase Presence on Campus Monika Joshi Managing Editor Hips swayed to a Latino beat as feet swiftly tapped the hardwood floor of the Johnson Center Studio Tuesday night. “Right, left, right, tap, five, six, seven,” a novice couple repeated in unison under their breath in an attempt to stay coordinated. “One thing I’ll tell you about Cuban salsa is that we’re down!” said Jim Lepore, the club’s faculty adviser, as he explained the seven basic steps of the dance. “It’s low!” Just like every other week, the Azucar George Mason University Salsa Club and its prospective members had come together for a two-hour lesson. This week, the group was learning rueda, a form of salsa that is danced in a circle and involves switching partners. “The key to partnering is stay close to your partner and keep tight elbows,” said Lepore as he demonstrated rueda with one of the more experienced female dancers. The salsa club, now in its seventh year, allows students to come together through the medium of a social dance. “The demographics reflect the salsa community at large,” Lepore said. “There’s usually a core Latino population, but that sits somewhere under 50 percent. The rest are made up of people who love dancing and they come

from all diﬀerent ethnicities and backgrounds.”

saw your salsa guys performing out in such and such place,’” Lepore said. “I’d be like, ‘Really?’ I didn’t even know about it!” A Sweet Start The club’s membership “There’s usually a core The club originated has declined in recent years, from a set of informal salsa but Club President ChrisLatino populaion, but tine Gonzales said she is gatherings held by a group that sits somewhere looking to rejuvenate its visof students and Lepore, under 50 percent. The who currently teaches ibility and possibly even form an organized Latin Afro-Cuban and Afrorest are made up of Latino dance at Mason. dance team on campus by people who love dancthe end of the school year. The name “Azucar”, the ing and come from all According to Gonzales, Spanish word for “sugar,” different ethnicities was a stage expression the weekly workshops curused by Celia Cruze, a rently attract about 20-30 and backgrounds.” renowned performer people. This year, the class is being taught by Stracy known as the “Queen of -Jim Lepore, Azucar FacDiaz, a professional dancer Salsa.” It was chosen as the ulty Adviser and stuntwoman who has club name by the founders made numerous TV and to represent the “vibrance and liveliness of salsa,” ﬁlm appearances. said Lepore, who has been “I decided in order to raise the caliber of the class with the club since its inwe should have an instrucception. In 2005, alumnus Cesar Vence took the tor unlike any other Azucar has ever had,” club to its highest point, with 60 paying Gonzales said. members and classes being held twice a week. The group even performed at halftime during Connecting Through Dance As the ﬁrst hour of the workshop a Wizard’s game at the Verizon Center. “I would be walking across campus and See SALSA CLUB, Page 5 run into a colleague who would say, ‘Hey, I

George Mason University provides a variety of services and programs on campus that are dedicated to ensure student success. This has been recognized by G.I. Jobs magazine, which recently named Mason a Military Friendly School for the third year in a row. “It is important that a school knows and recognizes its military population,” said Aaron Emery, the military transition coordinator at the Office of Military Services, a subset within the Office of Admissions. “Specifically, ‘military friendly’ means that we are providing many services that are helpful to the military population.” “We are here to advocate for military students,” Emery said. “We are interested in how to make a military student successful at Mason.” Emery said that other universities are struggling to become as military friendly as Mason, often because their administrative bureaucracy gets in the way. “Some schools just focus on admissions and credit-transferring, or just one side of the process,” Emery said. “But there is no one, cookie-cutter answer.” In fact, other universities often call Mason to praise its programs and seek advice upon seeing the success that military students and Military Services experience. “Other universities sometimes struggle with how to set up this type of program,” Emery said. “You have to know how your school works. No one size fits.” Colleges often are unable to take advantage of the benefits that are offered to military students, Emery said . G.I. Jobs magazine, which targets military personnel making the transition from military to civilian life, reviewed over 8,000 schools before composing the list. The magazine judges schools on specific criteria which it then divides into four different categories that account for a certain percentage of the overall score. These categories include programs and policies, financial commitment, and suc-

cess in recruiting military students. Military Services was essential in making Mason military friendly. “Because all of us here working in the office have experience, we are able to help put everything together for the students that come in here,” Emery said. “It is easier to be successful here because we have all of the components: Mason, the military and the Department of Veteran Affairs.” Emery said that there is no simple answer when it comes to ensuring success for a military student. “It is important that the school knows its own population,” Emery said. “Because we are part of admissions, we are able to deal with all the necessary relationships involved in the college process.” Included in this process of helping military students adjust to college life are several programs created by Military Services. Among these include Battle Buddies, which matches up new military students with junior or senior students who serve as mentors. “We match up students based on major, and if possible on branch of service,” Emery said. The program, which just recently launched, helps to aid military students at Mason with different aspects of their education. “It provides a comfort to military students,” Emery said. “I don’t know of any other schools that have a program like this.” Other programs include the Military Alliance Program, which helps to bridge the gap between the military students and the rest of the community. “It touches on sensitive things that most people wouldn’t really think about,” Emery said. Upcoming events include Mason Honors the Military, which will take place Nov. 1 to Nov. 15 to observe Veterans Day. As Mason continues its military friendly programs and services, it is important to note that there are resources available that will help ensure success for life. “We want students to be successful at Mason and beyond,” Emery said.

Mason Bids Farewell to Ricci Heishman

Computer Science Professor Dies of Cancer Justin Lalputan News Editor George Mason University bids farewell to Ricci Heishman, a research professor who passed away Sept. 25 due to cancer. According to an email sent by Sanjeev Setia, chair of the Department of Computer Science, to his students after his death, Heishman spent 20 years in the Navy before spending 10 years at the NOVA campus in Manassas where he was the assistant dean of computer science and information technology. He joined Mason in 2008 after obtaining his Ph.D. in information technology. Many students at Mason, however, are most familiar with Heishman because he taught CS 112 and CS 211, two classes that are required for computer science majors and others involved in engineering, as well as a computer ethics class. “Heishman is the only reason I paid attention in that class, and I got an A,” said junior computer

Ricci Heishman

science major Connor Payne, who took 112 with Heishman his freshman year. Many of Heishman’s colleagues also had positive things to say about him. “Ric touched all of us during his all-too-brief stay in our department. We will miss him deeply,” said Setia. Pearl Wang, associate chair of the Department of Computer Science, described Heishman as very

See HEISHMAN, Page 3

Broadside

News

The number of years that Professor Ricci Heishman spent as a faculty member at Mason before he passed away last Monday

Monday, October 3, 2011

Event Calendar Monday, Oct. 3 Film Screening and Book Signing Johnson Center, Cinema 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 4 Hispanic Heritage Month: What It Is to D.R.E.A.M. Student Union Building I, Room 3B 6 p.m. Turn Off the Violence Week: Take Back the Night Johnson Center, North Plaza 7:30 – 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 5 ISO Standards Day Mason Enterprise Center 9:30 a.m. Computer Science Lecture: The Whoosh Moment Research Hall, Room 163 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6 Invisible Children: Screening of the “Tony” Documentary Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall 7 – 10 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 7 The Goddess Diaries Harris Theatre 7:30 p.m. Live @ Pilot House Pilot House 8 –- 10 p.m.

For more events and activities, check out: today.gmu.edu

Sept. 27

Sept. 26

POLICE FILES Larceny Starbucks Complainant stated he left is cell phone on a table outside of Starbucks. When he returned the phone was missing. (27/Feliciano) Hit and Run Patriot Circle and Rappahannock Complainant stated that their vehicle was struck by another vehicle that fled the scene. (44/Somerville) Vehicle Accident Rappahannock Parking Deck Vehicle 1 was traveling south exiting the deck on the lower level when it struck Vehicle 2 that was traveling west through the deck. Driver of Vehicle 1 was charged with Failing to Pay Full Time and Attention. Damage estimated at $10,000. (40/Ross)) Medical Assist Patriot Circle EMS arrived and transported a patron to Fairfax Hospital after striking their head. (34/Ganley, K)

Sept. 29

Sept. 28

Theft From Building Patriot Center Subject reported that her purse was stolen from the Patriot Center on 09/27/2011. (53/Colson) Vehicle Accident Roanoke River Road / Po River Vehicle #1 was making a left turn into Lot K from Roanoke River Road and was hit by Vehicle #2. Damage estimated at $3000.00 (12/Ly) Medical Assist Brunswick Hall EMS responded and transported the patient to Fair Oaks Hospital after complaining of feeling ill. (31/Stampfel) IntimidationMotor Vehicle Accident, Driving Under the Influence 2nd Offense Within 5 Years and Refusal University Dr. / Rapidan River Ln. Sean Callison, 23 (non-GMU) of Clifton, VA was arrested for the above offenses and was transported to Fairfax ADC where he was held until sober on a $2,000 secured bond. (38/Rourke) Medical Assist Tidewater Hall EMS responded and transported the patient to Fair Oaks Hospital after skate boarding injury. (39/OrtizDuran)

Police Files are taken verbatim from www.gmu.edu/police. Broadside does not make any changes to public records.

Former Mason Student, Veteran Finds Purpose in Volunteer Work Double Amputee Helps Raise Money for Military Community

Antonieta Rico Staff Writer Mark Little has no time for self-pity. A roadside bomb in Iraq severed both his legs below the knee, but the former George Mason University student plays ice hockey, swims, skis, runs and basically does everything that a person with two missing legs is not supposed to do. His latest quest involves performing physical exploits for charity. Little was part of a team at his gym, CrossFit Liberation in Lorton, Va., that helped raise more than $19,000 for the 2011 Fight Gone Bad 6 CrossFit fundraiser. One of the charities benefiting from the worldwide event was the Special Operations Warrior Foundation which helps the special operations military community. For the fundraiser, Little, along with other former military members, performed a CrossFit workout wearing military gear including a ballistic vest with plates. Little said wearing the extra gear makes the workout harder and helps honor military personnel killed in action or wounded. “We are reminding everybody, even our civilian friends who are [working out] with us, that this is what we are doing it for,” Little said. “It’s the guys [who] wear the uniform, [who] put on the kit, and literally wear this burden every day while they are deployed. The weight on their shoulders isn’t just figurative, it’s literal.” Little said that during his workouts he wears shorts, which bare his prosthetic legs, to inspire others. “It’s my way of showing that ‘Hey, we get hurt … but we are not going to just crawl under a rock when we get back,’” Little said. He could have done that after the Sept. 7, 2007, incident that took his legs. Little remembers the day the bomb exploded through his Humvee; it was the third time he had been hit by a bomb during his patrols in Iraq. Little said he was sliding off the seat of his Humvee and realized he couldn’t push himself back up because his legs were gone. He had to reach with his arms to pull himself up. But Little said that he never had a moment of indulging in self-pity.

Photo courtesy of Mark Little

Mark Little plays with the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program. Little, a former Maston student, lost both his legs below the knee from a roadside bomb in Iraq. “I really don’t think I ever felt sorry for myself,” Little said. “I felt really bad that I left my troops. That’s what I have regrets about.” Little said that a lot of people ask how he can stay positive, be happy and smile all the time, but he says that that is just the type of person he is. “I was always laughing and smiling. That was my demeanor anyway — always had the positive outlook,” Little said. He also credits fellow wounded service members with helping him stay the same. He said there were always people helping him navigate his way as a double amputee. One gunnery sergeant showed him prosthetic roller blade legs, and another service member taught him how to set up his snowboard and his boots for his prosthetics. “That’s what we do for each other, us wounded guys. We show each other the way,” he said. There is one thing, though, that made Little stop for a moment and miss his legs. It was the ﬁve-toe “gorilla shoes” that a lot of people are wearing.

“That is something that I would love to experience,” Little said. “The huge things don’t matter to me. It’s just something tiny like that.” But Little doesn’t dwell on those moments. He is already working on his next challenge, running the 2011 Tri-State Tough Mudder course in New Jersey in November. “I choose to be happy and have fun, versus be sad and sit around,” Little said. Little raises money on a continuing basis for the military community. He says that he feels compelled to help service members. “It’s my duty still to give back to soldiers [who] are doing the job,” Little said. Two other charities he is involved in are the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program and the 46th Special Forces Company (Airborne) Association. The USA Warriors is a rehabilitative program that gets wounded military personnel playing ice hockey. The USA Warriors will play the George Mason University ice hockey team on Nov. 12 at the Prince William Ice Center in Woodbridge, Va.

Mason Takes Back the Night

Organizers Hope to Maintain Annual Success of Event Ahsan Zaman Asst. News Editor Every year at George Mason University, students, faculty and staﬀ come together to participate in “Take Back the Night,” a rally against sexual assault. This year, “Take Back the Night” will happen on Oct. 4 during Turn Oﬀ the Violence Week. “‘Take Back the Night’ is a rally against sexual assault and domestic abuse,” said Mabinty Quarshie, president of the Feminist Student Organization. “We like to do it in October because October is also Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Awareness Month and we usually partner up with Sexual Assault Services and they have been a huge help. This year is the 21st consecutive year that we have done ‘Take Back the Night.’” According to Quarshie, organizing and planning of “Take Back the Night” started last July. There are many student organiza-

tions and on-campus service organizations hosting the event, including Sexual Assault Services and the Office of Housing and Residence Life. “The Office of Housing and Residence Life have been extremely helpful. They are buying the T-shirts for us,” Quarshie said. In an effort to promote the event, posters and flyers will be hung up around campus. A Facebook event has been created to get the word out to as many people as possible and there are also advertisements on the LCD screens in the Johnson Center. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the JC North Plaza. From 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., glow sticks and T-shirts will be given out, followed by speeches and performances by people taking part in the event. Afterwards there will be a march around campus which will end at Patriots Lounge, Quarshie said. “During the rally there will be candles and they will be lighted while people speak, and Greek life is getting that for us,” Quarshie

said. “During the event we are trying to have a Twitter live feed where people can tweet during the event and our resident director Tom Dicato should be in charge of the tweeting.” At the end of the march, pizza will be provided for rally participants. ”We hope we can get a lot of people. The more the merrier,” Quarshie said. Quarshie said 78 percent of the people who are sexually assaulted know the person who assaulted them. “These aren’t strangers. These are people that are a part of their lives,” Quarshie said. “I want people to know that sexual assault is not something that happens on ‘Law & Order: SVU.’ It is something that aﬀects people’s lives.” “It especially aﬀects college campuses because our age group has the highest rate for sexual assault,” Quarshie said. “There are a lot of cases that are going unreported and people aren’t being brought to justice. People are still getting away with it, and I think

that as college students we need to know how to protect ourselves.” “People need to be educated about it,” said Quarshie, speaking speciﬁcally about sexual assault. “There should be workshops or activities or more events that don’t have to be the same thing as ‘Take Back the Night’ but there needs to be more awareness on our campus.” “If you remain silent about it, it just keeps on going and aﬀecting people’s lives and no one talks about it and nothing gets done. But when we start talking about it, when we start bringing it into public space, that’s the way we start making a change,” Quarshie said. “Take Back the Night” is exactly what Mason needs to increase awareness of sexual assault, Quarshie said. “I really hope that people can come if they are not in class. I hope they can come and check it out, and hopefully they take something valuable away from ‘Take Back the Night.’”

Mason Universal Auxiliary Enterprises Report to be Released on AE Green Program in Early October Colleen Wilson Broadside Correspondent George Mason University’s Auxiliary Enterprises plans to release their report on the AE Green program for campus-wide sustainability eﬀorts in early October. Dan Waxman, assistant to the executive director of retail operations in Auxiliary Enterprises, is overseeing the movement to make Mason a greener campus. “I work as an environmental consultant with each of the areas around campus to track and guide their actions and help set goals,” Waxman said. “Our mission is to sustain auxiliary enterprises at GMU. At AE Green we’re focused on the big picture and how we can help the campus and students out

best.” The program began in 2008 as the Oﬃce of University Services’ sustainability projects, and originally focused on just Mason Dining and Print Services. The program has since grown, doubling in size from last year to include 23 departments and services. Funding for the program comes from within the department and from grant money. “Some of the programs don’t require much funding and actually end up being cost saving,” Waxman said. The Mason Child Development Center has been a focus area for the program. A garden planted on-site is now a Certiﬁed Wildlife Habitat through the National

Wildlife Federation, and serves as a learning and working environment for all ages. “We have 2-, 3-, 4-year-olds out working in the garden. It’s a great service learning project,” Waxman said. A marketing campaign to help spread the word about AE Green will launch soon after the report goes live to increase awareness and visibility, as well as to highlight the achievements of the program so far. At the campus bookstore, located in the Johnson Center, efforts to become more sustainable include e-books and eco-friendly products. Students will even be able to purchase graduation gowns made of recycled plastic bottles. Eﬀorts to make Mason Din-

ing more sustainable led to an increase in local food use, as well as increases in vegetarian and vegan options. So far 568, 771 meals have been served with biodegradable service wear. “We’re always looking for help,” Waxman said, “any students who are interested can shoot me an email. It’s an exciting time; we’re growing and help is appreciated.” Waxman hopes to expand the program even further. “It’s a growing campus, so there is lots of potential for growth. Eventually I’d love to be able to have environmental education workshops become a part of the program as well,” Waxman said.

Broadside

News

Monday, October 3, 2011 | 3

Alumni Weekend Step-Off Benefits Black Scholars Endowment

Far Left: Students and alumni representing the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Fraternities and Sororities held the Step-Oﬀ Saturday night as part of their Alumni Weekend. The winning Step-Oﬀ team for the fraternities was Phi Beta Sigma. Center: The event featured a performance by the award-winning step show team “Shades of You” and Cold Beasts from Herdon High School, pictured here. The other guest performing group was Urbanknowlogy 101. Above: Competing step teams, which included alumni, were judged on their performances by a panel throughout the audience. Winning for the sororities was Delta Sigma Theta.

Cochrane Collaboration for Policy Establishes GMU Branch Mason is First University in World to Host Cochrane Collaboration for Policy Justin Lalputan News Editor George Mason University is now home to a branch of the Cochrane Collaboration, making it the first university in the world to be so. The mission of the Cochrane Collaboration College for Policy at George Mason University is to bring the highest rigor of evidence into U.S. policy on health care and social policy, according to Catherine Gallagher, director of the center. “In other words, we’re giving scientific evidence to lawmakers on issues they’re considering,” Gallagher said. The Cochrane Collaboration has existed since 1993 internationally, and has grown to be the gold standard in evidence of effectiveness. Cochrane is an interna-

tional, nonprofit collaboration that generates information on health care and social issue decision-making by utilizing a process of systematic review. Cochrane is present in 113 nations and has roughly 30,000 contributors working as authors and systematic reviewers. Cochrane wanted to establish a presence in the U. S. While they are leaders around the world in providing information, their presence was lacking in the U.S. policy arena, which as Gallagher notes, tends to be more value judgments than evidence and rationality judgments. “It’s harder to get traction in the U.S. policy arena,” Gallagher said. Gallagher came to Mason in 1999 and, has since, specialized in health care for persons involved in the justice system, such as prison inmates. She decided that the global organization on information

concerning the issue was disorganized and that the Cochrane Collaboration could help with systematizing and networking. Over the course of two years and a rigorous peer-review process, Gallagher helped to establish the justice-health field in the Cochrane Collaboration. Since she is a professor at Mason, Cochrane began to see Mason as a viable base of operations in the U.S. This encompasses issues such as the effectiveness of scared straight programs, the DARE program implemented in school systems and cognitive behavioral interventions for adolescent law offenders. The Cochrane Collaboration does not necessarily conduct all of the clinical trials needed, said Joel Censer, a research technician. They mostly synthesize large

clinical trials and obtain information. This is known as systematic review and is a high-rigor, quantitative system of analysis. “[Systematic review is] complicated in its technique, but simple in its outcome,” Gallagher said. The College for Policy generally works at the federal level of government, and works with state representatives to the federal government. Mason is somewhat of a test case for the Cochrane Collaboration to see if the center here can get the right information into the right hands, at the right time. “You can generate tons of information and it can just sit there, even if it has very real implications for everyone’s lives,” Gallagher said. The College for Policy is set to have a major impact on campus and beyond, de-

Image Courtesy of Sheri VanBranken

spite the fact that it is barely two weeks old. “We don’t even have our real furniture yet, and we have people knocking on our door all day long because we have a tremendous capacity in this faculty to be both policy-relevant and rigorous in our evidence around issues of health and social policy,” Gallagher said. “It’s taking off faster than we would have ever believed and people are very excited about it.”

Mason Pays Tribute To CS Professor HEISHMAN, from front supportive of his students, and also that he was a role model to many of them. “We have a lot of undergraduate teaching assistants,” Wang said, “and the majority of them have said that the reason they got involved in all this was Dr. Heishman.” “He was a kind person, very dedicated, organized in a nice way ... an organized person who made working with him much easier,” said Zoran Duric, a professor of

computer science at Mason. “When he told you that he would do something, it was as good as done.” Duric was Heishman’s professor while he was a graduate student at Mason, and Heishman was his second Ph.D. student. “He lived in Clarke County which is close to Front Royal,” Duric said. “He sort of built a house on a mountain, literally.” “He liked the outdoors,” Duric said, “He grew up in that area.” According to Duric, after

Heishman’s time in the Navy, he got a master’s degree at American University and built a house in Clarke County. “A lot of his life was organized around the house and the place that he lived.” “It was a great pleasure to work with him; he was a nice and kind person. … We joked that he was a poet at heart. He will be missed,” Duric said. Students and faculty that wish to pay their last respects to the professor can do so today at Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal, Va.

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Illegal Downloading a Growing Problem at Mason Approximately 750 Infringement Notices Issued in Spring Semester Antonieta Rico Broadside Reporter Illegal downloading of content at George Mason University is becoming a major issue for students. Claudia Holland, head of the Copyright Resources OďŹ&#x192;ce at Mason, is a registered copyright agent who is designated to receive copyright infringement notices from anyone, including students and enforcement groups. When students log into UAC Wireless on Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Internet connection, â&#x20AC;&#x153;they agree to abide by the statements and the responsible use of computing which includes copyright,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The trend has been over the past 20 years or so since the advent of the Internet that people who own content have gotten much more concerned about how their material is distributed,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The infringement notices that we receive from the content industry have increased quite a bit.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of the enforcement groups that contact us represent artists. There are different groups that represent and probably are paid by that member, who is an artist or creator of some sort to act on their behalf to identify infringing content and stop it,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have bots [that] go out and search the Internet the same way that people are using peer-topeer ďŹ le-sharing software. These bots then look for content; they may look for a speciďŹ c song or movie, or they may have a whole list of content that they look for.â&#x20AC;? If an individual from Mason is accused of downloading content illegally, enforcement groups send a form letter to Hollandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oďŹ&#x192;ce which contains information that says that someone on Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus has downloaded content without permission. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My oďŹ&#x192;ce receives these notices, [and] we then forward that information to Network Operations here on campus,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have people who are physically looking at the computer logs to compare the information that is provided by the enforcement agency with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the computer log. They then send us back a name and an email address.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order for the notice to come to us, [the students] have to be on the Mason system,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. When a student is accused of illegally downloading content for the ďŹ rst time, the person receives a notice from Mason. The second time a student is accused of illegally downloading content, another letter is sent out to the student. The student is required to meet with Holland

Strike One: A letter is sent to someone suspected of illegally downloading ďŹ les.

Man on the Street Do you think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dangerous to download illegal ďŹ les using Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Internet connection?

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Out: A fourth oďŹ&#x20AC;ense could land suspected downloaders in court. Strike Two: A second letter is sent, and the suspected pirate must meet with campus RIAA rep.

Strike Three: Suspected downloader must write 10-page paper on downloading, case is referred to OďŹ&#x192;ce of Student Conduct.

within ďŹ ve business days or they risk being blocked from Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s network. The student is also required to sign a statement that says he agrees to delete the illegally downloaded content from his computer. The third time a student is accused of illegally downloading content, Holland sends the case directly to the OďŹ&#x192;ce of Stu-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The infringement notices that we receive from the content industry have increased quite a bit.â&#x20AC;? -Claudia Holland, Head of Mason Copyright Resource Office

dent Conduct. The student is required to write a 10-page paper about illegal downloading, and in some instances the student may be required to meet with a conduct board about the issue. Enforcement groups may take the student in question to court, and the student may be sued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have never had an individual sued that I know of. We never share the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information with anyone outside the university,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. When asked

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like we have to log in using our username and password so by doing that they can track it, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; t think it is safe. They can track it and if they catch you illegally downloading and they wish to take further action they can because they know who is logging in and whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downloaded it.â&#x20AC;? David Mathew Freshman Psychology

Graphic by Lauren Ransom

about repeat oďŹ&#x20AC;enders, Holland said â&#x20AC;&#x153;they remove the content that is infringing but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remove the other content.â&#x20AC;? A student can expect his or her internal education record to be aďŹ&#x20AC;ected if he gets caught for illegally downloading content. Downloading things on the Internet can lead to malware, spyware and Trojan viruses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There [are] so many other ways to listen to or watch content. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t download it. Just stream it or pay for it,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For [the] last spring semester, over the course of January through May, we received about 750 infringement notices, which includes repeat oďŹ&#x20AC;enders and ďŹ rsttimers,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our campus is much more forgiving of using peer-to-peer ďŹ le sharing and downloading content illegally than other universities. Some universities you get cut oďŹ&#x20AC; from the network the ďŹ rst time you get an infringement regardless of whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re guilty or not and it costs you 50 bucks to get the network back,â&#x20AC;? Holland said. Holland said that students need to think about the consequences of their actions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a community here and the community has to abide by rules whether you agree with them or not.â&#x20AC;? Holland also said that students should â&#x20AC;&#x153;think about consequences beyond the immediate gratiďŹ cation of downloading the music, song, or TV show or whatever you want right then, because you can probably watch it or listen to it streaming.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, I think it would be easier to check it since itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a public system rather than if you were using a private Internet connection. So I think wherever you are, not just Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connection, if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a public system you are going to get caught eventually.â&#x20AC;? Eliza Fenech Sophomore Psychology

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had a roommate that got caught and got word from the deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office asking what he was doing and why. I guess I am a little bit careful about what I download and not only just music but I guess movies and things like that; I guess thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the major thing he got caught for was movies.â&#x20AC;? Jerry Jones Senior Information Technology â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably easier to get caught on Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Internet service because all of our stuff is connected to Mason and if they felt for any reason that we were doing something illegal, they could tell the police or trace it back to us. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely more dangerous than doing it in the comfort of your own home.â&#x20AC;? Krystal Moore Sophomore Communication

Photos by Gregory Connolly

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Broadside

Style

The total number of studio albums in Blink-182’s discography.

Fall Fashion at Mason Kara Allen Broadside Correspondent

Imagine that every time you left your house, you knew you would run into someone important or inﬂuential. Would it change the way you dress? Would you pay more attention to your appearance? If you ran into a potential employer, based on your wardrobe alone, do you think you would be hired? Like it or not, we are judged by the way we present ourselves to the world and it takes just as much time to dress well as it does to dress sloppily. This week, I went in search of style on campus. These three ladies had great looks all the way thorough. Hopefully, knowing that someone could be watching you might inﬂuence a change in what you put on in the morning.

Abbesi Akhamie Senior Communication

Maria Iftikhar Sophomore Biology What Inspires Your Style? Nothing really, I just enjoy putting outfits together. Favorite Designers? None Which Fall Trends Will You Be Wearing? Animals prints, tall riding boots Favorite Color? Orange, but I never wear it

Tamara Harrison Senior Psychology

What Inspires Your Style? I watch E! News and their style segments. I also read Marie Claire magazine. Favorite Designers? Christian Siriano, Koto (prints) Which Falls Trends Are You Going To Wear? Stylish scarves, jeans with Goth style boots, stud earrings Favorite Color? Green

What Inspires Your Style? I am very conservative and I love equestrian and country style. Favorite Designers? Ralph Lauren What Trends Are You Wearing This Fall? Tall boots tucked into jeans/pants Favorite Colors? Orange/tangerine/red

So You Think You Can Salsa?

NeighborHoods

Habana Village 1834 Columbia Road NW Washington, DC (202) 462-6310 La Rosa Nautica 2922 Annadale Road Falls Church, VA (301) 963-9297 The Salsa Room 2619 Columbia Pike Arlington, VA 22204 (703) 685-0790 Bravo! Bravo! 1001 Connecticut Ave Washington, D.C. (202) 223-5330

Blink’s Grown Up — Have You? Jeff Giorgi Opinion Editor Blink-182 was one of those bands that helped pave the way for where my musical interests would go. They opened the flood gates and exposed to me bands like New Found Glory, NOFX, AFI and the countless others. When I pushed play on Blink’s new album, “Neighborhoods,” I knew the band that helped shape me was no more — but that doesn’t mean the one that showed up in their place is terrible. When the band members parted ways in 2004, my heart sank. You could literally hear the melancholy on their last single “Not Now.” Since that time we’ve had two albums from the Tom DeLonge lead Angels & Airwaves, as well as one album from Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker’s +44. I’m a fan of both bands for separate reasons, which is probably why I don’t hate what they’ve put out since teaming back up. This isn’t Blink-182 anymore; this is +44 with A&A doing a collaboration. DeLonge’s voice is still ghostly and carries the echo that has become synonymous with A&A. The music is edgier and more erratic, which was all over +44’s album. Just listen to the first single, “Up All Night.” You’ll hear exactly what I’m talking about and that’s pretty much how it goes for the rest of the record. You’re not going to find any songs like “All The Small Things”

or “Dammit” here. But I get it. These aren’t the same guys they were ten years ago when I was an angst-ridden teen jamming out to them. Likewise, I’m also not that same kid anymore. People change, they grow up. But as fans we’re so reluctant to change. I feel like if you just put those 16-year-old-self expectations away and just listen to the album, you’re going to realize that Blink isn’t making music for kids anymore. They’re making it for the kids who grew up with them. They’re making music for everyone who’s just as lost, late in life as they are themselves. As I scroll through my iTunes, I realize that out of all the bands I grew up with, only about five still make music and only two of them still make good music. I was so nervous and excited when Blink finally announced their new album, and as I listen to it for the fourth time, my nerves have all but dissipated. All I’m left with now is excitement. I hope this is just the first in a line of new albums from my very first punk rock heroes. Long live Blink-182. Grade: B+ Spotlight tracks: Up All Night, Heart’s All Gone, Kaleidoscope

Latin Palace 509 South Broadway Baltimore, MD (410) 522-6700

Photo by Stephen Kline

Faculty Adviser Jim Lepore demonstrates ruenda, a form of salsa performed in a group. The Azucar GMU Salsa Club holds a workshop weekly in the Johnson Center Dance Studio.

Lucky Bar 1221 Connecticut Ave NW Washington,DC 20036 (202) 331-3733

Club Focus: Azucar GMU Salsa Club SALSA CLUB, from Front comes to a close, the studio becomes more vibrant and the dancers begin to gain swiftness. “I don’t consider myself a dancer,” said senior biology major Omari Sims, who has been attending the workshops since his freshman year at Mason. “Dancing isn’t really the essence of who I am. For me, it’s all about having fun and meeting people.”

Christine Heintz, a junior global affairs major, was looking to connect with other salsa dancers when she came to Mason from Hawaii two years ago. She was introduced to the dance at a restaurant where she worked in Hawaii. “When I dance salsa I feel like I'm in my own world,” said Heintz. “For that moment, you connect with your dance partner and it's like no one else is on the dance floor but you two.

Not having any prior formal training in salsa, Heintz said attending the workshops has helped improve her styling and footwork. Aside from the weekly workshops, Azucar members sometimes go dancing at salsa clubs in the area or even break out into dance in the JC. “We just drop our bags and books, have a quick salsa dance, then continue on walking to our class,” Heinz said. “It's a good stress reliever for us.”

Man on the Street “I don’t plan on buying one because I always lose rings, so the most I would ever spend on one is $15.” Rheal Radwany Sophomore Chinese and Economics

The weekly workshops, held 6-8p.m. on Tuesdays, are free for students and $5 for community members. For more information on the club, visit the Azucar GMU Salsa Club Facebook page or email azucargmu@gmail.com.

Will you get a class ring? “Yeah, I will buy one. They’re cute and it’s something to remember.” Lily Odoi Junior Biology

Broadside

Style

Fall Fashion Show Students Make a Statement

Kaitlyn Reitz Broadside Correspondent Mini Personal Pizza Ingredients: 1 bag of pizza cheese (mozzarella, provolone) 1 can of tomato sauce 1 bag of Arnold Sandwich Thins mushrooms red peppers Directions: 1. Take one Sandwich Thin and split it apart. 2. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of sauce onto each slice of bread and spread it out 3. Add a handfull of cheese to each slice 4. Chop red peppers and mushrooms up into small pieces and add on top Bake Time: Microwave: Cook it in the microwave for about 1–2 minutes or until cheese is melted Toaster Oven: Toast on high or bake at 350 degrees° for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted. This recipe is simple, fast and can be customized to your own tastes.

Delta Sigma Pi held their 2011 "Dress for Success” Fashion Show in Dewberry Hall. Members of the student body, including Omar Ali (left) and Yusuf Ezzat (right), participated and showed oﬀ the latest trends. Photos by Dakota Cunningham

Deal Brakers What Makes Love Turn Sour

Ryan Weisser Sex Columnist When I first came to George Mason University as a freshman, I was as single as you could get. I went to parties with my girls, had nights in and then the inevitable first date popped up. I never really dated back home. It was more like this guy takes me to a dinner and movie, holds my hand and then, if we both liked each other enough, we became boyfriend-girlfriend. College is different, though. Single gals can go out with three different guys in two weeks and keep going out with them. That is, until they find the deal breaker. The deal breaker is the thing that you absolutely cannot stand about the other person which leads to the “It’s not you, it’s me” breakup line (or lie, depending on how you take it). For some people, such as myself, it’s kissing. If you’re a bad kisser then you can just forget about it.

I don’t care if you’re sweet and charming, or humorous and handsome; if you kiss me in a way that leaves spit or bruises on my face, or if you have a tongue that just intrudes upon my mouth’s personal space by darting in and out, then I’m sorry. I just can’t deal with that. There’s also the pretty boy. You know, the guy who can’t get too much of himself and competes with your beauty. This may seem conceited, but the girls out there know what I’m talking about. It’s frustrating to go out with a guy who checks himself out in the store windows just as much as you do. Then, God forbid, there’s the guy who is just a plain jerk. He says whatever the heck he wants, but comes off as a little bit confident and witty, so we give him a chance. After all, confidence is sexy and wit can sometimes be even sexier. But sooner or later, his “confidence” comes off as cockiness and his “wit” seems sleazy.

Hey, it may be shallow to label these guys and break things oﬀ because of their deal-breaking habits, but as young women in college with so much ahead of us, we can do so much better than a tongue-thruster, a pretty boy and a conceited player. I’m positive that I’m not the only girl on campus who feels this way. And the really frustrating thing about this campus is that those deal-breaker guys seem to be everywhere. Just everywhere! You’d think on such a diverse campus with thousands of commuters, out-of-state students and international students that there would be plenty of eligible bachelors who could step up their game and be the perfect potential boyfriend. But nope. Not here. Unfortunately, ladies, we’ve got to dig on this campus to ﬁnd a keeper. It’s a shame, but it seems that all the deal breakers are ready for some action that we just can’t handle.

Odds Are You’ll Enjoy 50/50 Sometimes When You See the End, You Realize You’ve Just Begun Jeff Giorgi Opinion Editor Anyone who read my review of “Abduction” last week knows that I absolutely loved the movie “Drive.” I thought it was well-written, did an amazing amount with very little and it just seemed to buck the norm that had become the Hollywood standard of the action film. In much the same way “50/50” takes the “dramady” genre and kind of turns it on its head. I’ll let you guys know right up front though that I’m torn between “Drive” and “50/50” for my favorite film of the year thus far. Starring Joseph GordonLevitt and Seth Rogen, who turns in a rather reeled-in performance considering what he is typically known for, the movie shows what happens when JGL’s character learns he has cancer and has a 50/50 shot of surviving. The thing about this movie is

that it’s genuinely funny but never reaches for laughs. Even more impressive though is just how genuine the entire thing feels. You truly feel like these two people have been close friends for a long time and that Seth Rogen’s character is very invested in his friend’s well-being. Some of my favorite bits of the film, however, revolve around the relationship between JGL and his mother played by the alwaysamazing Angelica Huston (“The Addams Family”). Maybe it’s because all I could think the whole time was, “This is exactly how my mother would react.” But again, that just further illustrates this movie’s strength. Never once did I question the rationality of the film or the characters within it, even when having cancer is used as a tool to get laid. This is the kind of film that, if you allow yourself to get im-

mersed in it, will have you finding yourself with a tear or two (I’m trying to save my masculinity here) and then before they’ve even had time to dry, you’re already laughing again. If not at next years Oscars then certainly by the next one, Joseph Gordon-Levitt will undoubtedly win an award for best male performance. And to think, it wasn’t too long ago that he was Tommy on “3rd Rock From The Sun.” “50/50” is the movie’s title, but there shouldn’t be any odds betting against you going to see it. Worth every ounce of your hard earned money.

Next Issue: The Thing

Broadside

Opinion Monday, October 3, 2011

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief

Monika Joshi, Managing Editor Jared Barrale, Copy Chief Justin Lalputan, News Editor Ahsan Zaman, Asst. News Editor Jeff Giorgi, Opinion Editor Allison Smith, Asst. Opinion Editor Erin Powell, Style Editor Becca Noris, Asst. Style Editor Cody Norman, Sports Editor Pat Carroll, Asst. Sports Editor Stephen Kline, Photography Editor

Thumbs up to Halloween finally being less than a month away. You know what that means: Time to party it up.

Benjamin Shaffer, Copy Editor Xavia Warner, Copy Editor Jacquelyn Rioux, Copy Editor Lauren Ransom, Designer Michelle Buser, Designer Sana Bhatti, Designer Dylan Hares, Staff Reporter John Powell, Staff Reporter Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Adviser David Carroll, Tech Adviser

Thumbs up to Mason popping up all over the Internet because of Stephen King reading a passage from his new book.

Thumbs down to Listeria. Now I can’t eat cantaloupe? Oh, the humanity! Thumbs down to the multitude of papers assigned over the past few weeks. There’s not enough time in the day for this.

The letters, columns and views expressed on this page are solely those of the writers. They do not reﬂect the views of Broadside or its staff, unless otherwise noted. Broadside is a weekly publication printed each Monday for the George Mason University and surrounding Fairfax community. The editors at Broadside have exclusive authority over the content that is published. There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the editorin-chief should be notiﬁed at the information given above. Broadside is a free publication. Limit one copy per person. Each additional copy is 25 cents.

Where’s the Pride?

We Are Patriots, Remember That!

Le Reader Rage S E N I O R

JEFF GIORGI

Opinion

Editor I got an email this week about buying a school ring, which led to a question forming in my head: Do people actually still buy those things? And just as a train of thoughts tends to do, my mind raced to other scholastic memorabilia like letterman jackets and on to school spirit in general. It’s just not looking good. When I was in high school, I was a varsity wrestler and my letterman jacket, with my varsity letter on it, was one of my most prized possessions. Call me crazy or cliche, but wearing that jacket helped me walk a little taller and added a little pep in my step. As a kid with a ton of confidence issues, it was like wearing a superhero costume. It gave me strength that I didn’t know I had. Then there was the ring dance. I’ve asked around and it

turns out most people have no who want the discount they can clue what the heck I’m talking get in the Johnson Center. In fact, about when I say “ring dance.” I’ll go so far as to say that if it wasOnce again, when I was 16 years n’t for our basketball team, George old, the ring dance was a big deal. Mason University would have next And I’m not coming across as too to no pride. When I first moved up here, I biased or just talking about the traditions at my school. It was a was so excited to finally be a part big deal to every school I knew of something big again, to finally that existed in Virginia. What understand what it meant to be happened? part of a big university. As it turned out, I have no doubt that though, several I have no doubt that people informed reunions will reunions will soon me that no one resoon be a be a thing of the thing of the ally cares about past. After all, what what happens at past. After will you have to say all, what will Mason. They told to people that you me things like: “It’s you have to haven’t already told a commuter say to people them on Facebook, that you school,” “everyone just comes for haven’t alTwitter or any other their classes,” ready told social media site? them on “Mason doesn’t really push spirit or Fa ce b o o k , Twitter or any camaraderie.” I other social was slightly upset by these new revemedia site? lations. I know, I Iquickly learned that all that know: I’m in college now. That’s true, but does that mean that was just a misconception. The pride has to go out the window? truth is that it’s all here; you just Fridays are supposed to be spirit have to want to be a part of it. It’s days, but the only people I see put- just like anything else in this ting on green or gold are the ones world. You get from it what you

put into it. I spent my first few months here believing what those people had told me and it was a pretty miserable experience. Then one day, I just said “eff it” and found a way to get involved. School spirit and tradition isn’t dead; some people just don’t care anymore. That’s still a pretty sad thing to me. I’ve loved my time here as a Patriot and when it’s time for me to leave, I’ll proudly slap that alumni bumper sticker on the back of my car. I miss the days when everyone felt the way I do about being at school. Yeah, it’s tough work being here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be proud to be here, too. We might not be the Hokies or the Cavaliers, but to we bring are theup Patriots, I wanted again dammit. Be proud. what I talked about last week. Mitchell Wilson, an 11-year-old kid with muscular dystrophy, was bullied to death. It all started over an iPhone 4. I just wanted to say that this is the worst I’ve heard so far. If you thought last week I was just being preachy, then this should prove just how bad it is. Wilson put a plastic bag over his head and duct taped it shut around his neck because he would have rather died than face the bully again. This is the world we live in.

The Next Watergate Why Has Obama’s Administration Consistently Given Money to Failing Companies? Alan Moore S E N I O R

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Opinion

Columnist

In 2009, the Department of Energy loaned $535 million in taxpayer money to Solyndra LLC, a solar panel manufacturer and former flagship for green energy. After running into major financial problems in late 2010, the company filed for bankruptcy this September. So how does such an unstable company receive over half a billion dollars from the federal government? As the story unfolds, it’s looking more and more like the Obama administration knew the risks associated with Solyndra and yet, still pushed the loan through with devious intentions. In front of a congressional committee, Solyndra executives refused to testify and pled the Fifth Amendment. You don’t plead the Fifth if you’ve done nothing nefarious; you only in-

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voke that right to avoid incrimi- out to be correct. In January 2009 Solyndra nating yourself. There is clearly something sinister going on here. was denied a loan by officials The Los Angeles Times now from the Bush administration as reports that even Treasury Secre- the Department of Energy’s tary Timothy Geithner, the poster credit committee voted unaniboy for incompetence in this ad- mously against the loan. Someministration, time after the Obama adminexpressed istration took concern over The Obama adminis- over the loan awarding tration either deswas miraculoans to companies like lously reconsidperately wants ered and Solyndra. green energy to be approved. They T h e viable or they are Times discovhave now comengaging in pay-tomitted over $17 ered an interplay crony nal battle billion in loan capitalism. guarantees to 30 between key companies administra tion officials working on reover whether newable energy. the loan program for green en- There is no telling whether those ergy initiatives was too risky. A other loans were properly vetted. In another revelation, a now- public internal memo showed that Geithner, along with Washington Post investigation Chief Economic Advisor Larry has found emails from the White Summers and Chief of Staff to House indicating that Obama’s the Vice President Ron Klain political operatives rushed fedwarned that these loan guaran- eral reviewers in order to hurry a tees needed a more stringent re- photo op for Vice President Biden view. They even predicted that at the company’s new factory. Solyndra would run out of capital ABC News reports that dein September 2011, which turned spite the administration’s knowl-

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All unsigned staff editorials are written to represent the view of the Broadside staff, a diverse set of opinions determined by the members of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, columns, artwork and other commentaries strictly represent the opinions of the authors and do not represent the ofﬁcial opinion of the newspaper.

edge that Solyndra was heading towards bankruptcy, they continued to say that the company was doing well until the day they declared bankruptcy. Shamefully, they agreed to restructure the loan so that the first, and probably only, $75 million in repayments would go to private investors, not taxpayers. The biggest recipient of that loan repayment? George Kaiser, a major Obama fundraiser. The Obama administration either desperately wants green energy to be viable or they are engaging in pay-to-play crony capitalism. As a result they were willing to gamble away $535 million of your money on a risky venture out of neglect, incompetence or to pay back political favors. Sadly, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Prepare for more revelations to snowball in the coming weeks and months. If the administration is shown to have been complicit in illegal activity, then the scandal could rock the upper echelons of our federal government. Let the Watergate comparisons begin.

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Monday, October 3, 2011

ere Is No ‘I’ In ‘We e People’ We Move Nowhere in This World Without Each Other William Rose S o p h o m o r e

Opinion

Columnist

Nothing really inflamed me this week — but then again, I’ve had a pretty busy week. Between school and athletics, it can be tough to catch up on current events. I haven’t watched any presidential debates recently and haven’t given much thought concerning Michael Jackson’s death trial. I haven’t, this week, pondered the best way to relieve our country from its deficits nor have I disagreed with any peers or professors. (As you might be able to tell by now, I do disagree with everyone pretty often.) I did, however, notice a quote on a friend’s Facebook wall. It was a quote by Elizabeth Warren, a candidate running against Scott Brown in the U.S. Senate and it read: “There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there — good for you! “But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest

of us paid to educate. You were safe in your often-overlooked fact: As Ms. Warren said, factory because of police forces and fire no one got there alone. I, you, we paid for forces [sic] that the rest of us paid for. You those roads on which the goods you made didn’t have to worry that marauding bands were transported. As American citizens, would come and seize everything at your we’ve paid for the public schools that edufactory, and hire someone to protect cated your workers and we’ve sustained the against this, because of the work the rest police force that you trust to protect your of us did. Now look, you built a factory and investments. it turned into someThe preceding statething terrific, or a great ments are fact, not opinWe have to make a idea — God bless. Keep ion. The opinion in her commitment to statement is that it’s part a big hunk of it. stray away from of our “underlying social “But part of the greed and closedcontract” that you pay underlying social conmindedness, those tract is you take a hunk forward for the next socithings hurt people of that and pay forward ety. And that may well be are in no way projust an opinion, but it’s for the next kid who ductive. one that relates to the socomes along.” It’s important that cial contract that this quote is presented Hobbes, Locke and in its entirety because Rousseau emphasized in it’s a simple fact that everyone should not their most famous, most influential writonly know, but comprehend. I do com- ings. It is an opinion that should be shared mend someone who starts a small busi- by the vast majority of society, and I ness. And if it grows into a larger business, wholeheartedly believe that we as Ameriwell, that’s the beauty of capitalism and cans can be good people but it’s a choice that’s certainly part of the reason that we have to make. Fukuyama praised it as the victor of the We have to make a commitment to Cold War. We compete and we play the stray away from greed and closed-mindedmarkets. That’s just a simple fact and that ness; those things hurt people and are in will likely always be how we operate in the no way productive. We need to envision a U.S. future in which we put forward the things But it’s pivotal to remember one we didn’t have. We need to ensure that our

children will see better days. We need to make sure our grandchildren’s businesses will have roads on which they transport their ambitions and the education to act as a foundation to turn those ambitions into innovations. The simple fact is that we can’t sit around pouting that we’re in a recession and might go into a double-dip while neglecting future generations. We spend billions a week in Afghanistan but blame welfare recipients. Get real. We listen to our politicians whine about “Obamacare” while they are given a similar form of health care. The simple fact is that too many Americans just bitch about everything that inconveniences them. There are the people who swear on their lives that they’ll never live for another person, nor will they ask another person to live for them — or whatever that hateful Russian woman said — but there are also people who recognize that “Atlas Shrugged” really isn’t that good of a book. So which are you going to do? Live your life in a way that proves fruitful for all? Or are you going to sit on your backside and preach “Atlas Shrugged”? And if you are going to preach Ayn Rand, then you better stop using the roads, military, police force, schools, fire and social services that “We the People” pay for.

e Hollywood Persuasion Mainstream Sexism Is Leading Girls to Hurt Themselves For Beauty Persuasion is a means of soS cial influence o used to affect p attitudes and h beliefs. When o m persuasion o permeates ASST. STYLE r thinking, e EDITOR people adjust opinions, ideas, attitudes and then actions. This concept has been studied in depth for decades. Persuasion enables peace treaties, compels individuals to take part in everything from safe sex to wearing seatbelts and now, more than ever, it is planting images of the way in which people, women in particular, should look in order to receive maximum approval. Approval, after all, is the most basic criterion in molding how people think, and subsequently how they behave. According to Malcolm Gladwell, author of “The Tipping Point,” mass media has become viral. In other words, the images and information that are constantly bombarding an audience become settled opinions, creating the norm. Generally, viral marketing has been linked to wordof-mouth and to the Internet. It successfully provides a means of expanding brand awareness, duplicating ideas and spreading ideals to a broader audience. As you sit back in your La-Z-Boy and turn on the television, you are exposing yourself to advertisements, television shows and movies. With one flick of the remote, you are setting yourself up to be persuaded whether you realize it or not. Typically, people realize that advertise-

BECCA NORRIS

ments are attempting to persuade con- coiffed, precisely made up and manicured sumers to purchase certain products. But idealizations? television shows and movies aren’t generSince the 1920s, it has become acceptally regarded as forms of persuasion. After able for women to reveal increasingly more all, “it’s just a story.” But exposure to these skin. Perhaps women feel the need to exprograms has definite effects on values and pose themselves because they feel like ideals and, therefore, on one’s level of self- that’s the only way to capture male attenconfidence and consciousness as a tion and to steer men away from staring at prospective purchaser. the impossible perfection that Hollywood Take “Transformers” for example. The portrays. trilogy gained some favorable reviews, and This obsession with image inevitably became the talk of the town. leads to disconThe images and But has anyone taken the tent. In 2011, 91 time to point out how women percent of college information that are are being exploited? The first females attempted constantly and second movies star to diet and bombarding an Megan Fox who, in 2007 and anorexia is now audience become 2009 when the first two ranked as the third settled opinions, movies were released, was most-common creating the norm. voted “sexiest woman alive” chronic illness by FHM and Maxim. Then, in among female the third film, Rosie Huntadolescents. The ington-Whiteley was the star mortality rate asand she was ranked “sexiest sociated with woman alive” in 2011, although Shia anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than Labeouf, the protagonist of the film, has the death rate associated with all causes of never been among the top 10 “sexiest men.” death for females 15 to 24 four years old. Why is it necessary to have beautiful Meanwhile, men compose only 10 to 15 women, perfectly sculpted and airbrushed, percent of all anorexia nervosa cases. and only average-looking men in a film Movies and television shows alone do about a comic? There’s only one answer: a great deal of harm to the self-confidence Sex sells, primarily if women are the ones of women, and when we consider the adwho are sexually exposed. ditional media of magazines and billAverage-looking men watching this boards, we begin to become conscious of a film find hope — whether they acknowl- landscape rife with anxiety-generating, imedge it or not — that they too can score a possible embodiments. Not only do hot babe. Kudos to those whose confi- “grown up” women constantly think they dence levels and hormones are boosted need to be more skinny and pretty, school throughout the film. Contrastingly, does girls have also been infected by these ideas anyone think about how women’s levels of — and not only those in high school. self-confidence may fall as a result of ob- Forty-two percent of first- to third-grade serving impossibly sculpted, carefully girls want to be thinner; sixty-nine percent

of girls in fifth to 12th grade reported that magazine pictures influenced their idea of a perfect body shape; and 47 percent of girls in fifth to 12th grade reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine pictures. Some people may think that it is farfetched to state that women are exploited in mass media while men are not. In response to that idea, one must examine the film industry over the past decade to see how few are the movies that do not exploit women. This will be an extremely difficult task considering that even chick flicks now have female nudity. Is exposure necessary to make a film popular? I say such exposure is demeaning. If women generally feel they need to expose themselves in order to be rewarded with cheers of approval, then our society is especially troubling, for it appears that women have become primarily objects of erotic spectacle. Men are not, for they are the spectators and the audience for which films are made. In an article by Robert Gass and John Seiter, which trumpets the benefits of persuasion, it is stated that very little of the good that we see in the world could be accomplished without persuasion. However, persuasion in the mass media has a powerful and compelling ability to alter the way in which people see themselves, which may be good for the short term goals of profitable capitalism, but potentially damaging to our bodies and minds. The solution ultimately will be for an enlightened citizenry to find direction within themselves rather than from the manipulation the media insistently offers.

Obama’s Tonal Switch Creates Controversy Was the Associated Press’s Speech Transcription Rascist? Allison smith s e n i o r Ooooh, the Associated Press is in troooouuble. Apparently, they’re a bunch of racists! Their recap of President Obama’s address to the Congressional Black Caucus on Sept. 24 sparked quite the controversy. Politico’s recap of the event was much more PC and pushed the AP interpretation into a negative spotlight. “Take off your bedroom slippers. Put on your marching

shoes,” Obama said, according to the AP transcription. “Shake it off. Stop complainin’. Stop grumblin’. Stop cryin’. We are going to press on. We have work to do.” Mirroring the dialectic tones of the speech, AP dropped the “g” and added an apostrophe. Politico published the cleaned-up version instead. Some folks are now in a tizzy about the way Obama’s diction was written up by the AP. First off, I understand tone change and appealing to your audience, but if anyone is sending the message here, it’s Obama. Now we all know he’s not being condescending, but if he felt so inclined to speak that way to better identify with the CBC, then he’s the one drawing the racial line. In a CNBC broadcast, black author Karen Hunter, voiced her opinion about the publication.

She had taken offense at the matter and thought that the AP’s reporting was most certainly racist. The journalist-turned-professor said that she teaches her journal-

I understand tone change and appealing to your audience, but if anyone is sending the message here, it’s Obama.

ism students to clean up their interviews so as not to make people seem ignorant, and that the AP should have, too. I don’t think she realized that by making that statement she was giving an underhanded jab to the president. It

almost sounded like Hunter was implying that the speech should have been cleaned up so Obama didn’t sound ignorant. Hmm. What she failed to take into account is that he deliberately spoke that way. In his defense, I think it actually goes better with the tone of the speech and appropriately matched the way in which it was delivered. Columbia University lecturer John McWhorter, who is also black, thinks it was absolutely appropriate for the AP to print Obama’s words the way they did. He said he couldn’t understand “why we would hide the code-switching in print,” and that it’s a talent of Obama’s to be able to tone-change based on varying environments. McWhorter then expressed his wishes that we have the same pride in this particular type of dialect that we did 10 years ago.

Has anyone figured out that this tone could be correctly used for another audience? Southerners — white, black, green, purple, whoever — speak with more slang. In “Huckleberry Finn,” did characters of both ethnicities not have accents? The only reason white nominees sometimes try to avoid slang in their speeches is that some already have southern accents; if they let any more colloquialisms slip in, then we wouldn’t be able to understand them. Either way, I do not think the AP should be receiving flak for bringing life into a story. It was accurate and gave the piece some personality. I’m sure if Obama saw the way they captured his speech, he’d laugh and say, “That’s wassup.”

Facebook Is Your Life Is Facebook’s New Model About You or Investors Allison smith s e n i o r “Pimp My Ride” was a former MTV show hosted by rapper Xzibit. In each episode, Xzibit takes a lucky contestant’s beat-up clunker and completely rebuilds it — or “pimps” it. The finished product was then adorned with every gadget and upgrade possible. Whenever the car was re-introduced to its owner, Xzibit would slip a phrase that went something like: “Yo, dawg, I heard you like (fill in the blank), so I got you (fill in the blank with said like but in excessive quantities).” I found a comic with a picture of Xzibit with a caption over it reading “Yo, dawg, I heard you like Facebook, so we put a Facebook in the upper right of yo’ Facebook so you can Facebook while you Facebook.” So funny. So true. This Internet meme — a popular concept spread on the web — was calling attention to the everevolving applications of the social network. Creator Mark Zuckerburg has recently released a video letting us know what to expect with the coming changes so we’re not all flipping tables in rage and confusion. I plan on doing it regardless because I am set in my Facebooking ways. In his presentation, Zuckerburg explains what the new “ticker” and “timeline” features are and how to use them. The ticker will be a continuously updated mini-feed in the corner of your regular feed — refer to above joke — so you can choose what specific activities you want to see of your friends and family members and those you would prefer to not. The ticker provides even more status updates, confirmed friendships and breakup notifications. The timeline will be the newest model of the default profile and will be Facebook’s most extreme alteration. The page will be divided down the middle in a “this-to-that” fashion. There will be one status activity, life update or picture or video assigned to each side and will refresh as the owner of the profile adds anything. Facebook will automatically begin posting information already in your profile by using an algorithm determining the degree of relevance to choose the order. To put it in more of a scrapbook form, members are encouraged to add other events from their lives and information not previously included in their profiles. The timeline does allow you to regulate who can see what but the prodding to include more information seems a bit intrusive. I believe the motivation behind the prompting is so Facebook can gather more information for advertising companies from whom they profit by selling ad space, or creating a “subscribe” or “like” page. They can update these perpetual commercials causing new ads to appear in your newsfeed on a whim. Despite its sleazy-yet-valid business move, Facebook’s attempt to broaden social interaction could be hazardous. There have been multiple murders in Mexico just this month because people were using social media to warn about certain drug cartel lords. Facebook and other means of social media can be useful tools for networking, business, personal relationships, etc., but users make themselves vulnerable by not understanding how many other people they are exposing themselves to. There was little privacy on Facebook to begin with, but its new applications are taking it all away. I hope this is the last remodeling, but we know it won’t be. (Flips table).

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Time to Stop Worshipping at the Altar of Objectivism A More Utilitarian Approach Would Make For Better Tomorrow Nothing really inS flamed me E this week â&#x20AC;&#x201D; N but then I again, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve O had a pretty R busy week. Between STYLE school and EDITOR athletics, it can be tough to catch up on current events. I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t watched any presidential debates recently and havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t given much thought concerning Michael Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death trial. I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, this week, pondered the best way to relieve our country from its deficits nor have I disagreed with any peers or professors. (As you might be able to tell by now, I do disagree with everyone pretty often.) I did, however, notice a quote on a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Facebook wall. It was a quote by Elizabeth Warren, a candidate running against Scott Brown in the U.S. Senate and it read: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a

ERIN POWELL

factory out there â&#x20AC;&#x201D; good for you! â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces [sic] that the rest of us paid for. You didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did. Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; God bless. Keep a big hunk of it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that this quote is presented in its entirety because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a simple fact that everyone should not only know, but comprehend. I do commend someone who starts a small business. And if it grows into a larger business, well, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beauty of capitalism and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly part of the reason Fukuyama

praised it as the victor of the Cold War. We compete and we play the markets. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a simple fact and that will likely always be how we operate in the U.S. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pivotal to remember one often-overlooked fact: As Ms. Warren

I, you, we paid for those roads on which the goods you made were transported. As American citizens, we paid for the public schools that educated your workers. said, no one got there alone. I, you, we paid for those roads on which the goods you made were transported. As American citizens, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve paid for the public schools that educated your workers and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve sustained the police force that you trust to

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fact is that we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit around pouting that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a recession and might go into a double-dip while neglecting future generations. We spend billions a week in Afghanistan but blame welfare recipients. Get real. We listen to our politicians whine about â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obamacareâ&#x20AC;? while they are given a similar form of health care. The simple fact is that too many Americans just bitch about everything that inconveniences them. There are the people who swear on their lives that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never live for another person, nor will they ask another person to live for them â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or whatever that hateful Russian woman said â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but there are also people who recognize that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Atlas Shruggedâ&#x20AC;? really isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that good of a book. So which are you going to do? Live your life in a way that proves fruitful for all? Or are you going to sit on your backside and preach â&#x20AC;&#x153;Atlas Shruggedâ&#x20AC;?? And if you are going to preach Ayn Rand, then you better stop using the roads, military, police force, schools, fire and social services that â&#x20AC;&#x153;We the Peopleâ&#x20AC;? pay for.

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protect your investments. The preceding statements are fact, not opinion. The opinion in her statement is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of our â&#x20AC;&#x153;underlying social contractâ&#x20AC;? that you pay forward for the next society. And that may well be just an opinion, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one that relates to the social contract that Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau emphasized in their most famous, most influential writings. It is an opinion that should be shared by the vast majority of society, and I wholeheartedly believe that we as Americans can be good people but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a choice that we have to make. We have to make a commitment to stray away from greed and closed-mindedness; those things hurt people and are in no way productive. We need to envision a future in which we put forward the things we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have. We need to ensure that our children will see better days. We need to make sure our grandchildrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s businesses will have roads on which they transport their ambitions and the education to act as a foundation to turn those ambitions into innovations. The simple

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Sports

The minute that the VCU Rams men’s soccer team scored their game-winning goal against No. 18 Mason on Saturday night.

Monday, October 3, 2011

A Home Away From Home

Photos by John Powell

Freshman Verneri Valimaa eyes the ball during a game against the VCU Rams Saturday night. Mason lost the game 1-0.

Freshman Midfielder Has Found a New Family at Mason John Powell Staff Writer RICHMOND, Va. — When most freshmen walk on campus, their aim is to find new friends, find off-campus parties and overcome homesickness. When Verneri Valimaa, the Patriots’ midfielder, walked onto campus, he was met by a family that was already in place. That was, in fact, one of the reasons he chose to call George Mason Universtiy his home in September of his senior year in high school. While Mason’s assistant coach and main recruiter, Nick Carlin-Voigt, went all-in on Valimaa, it was not the Floridian’s only offer. He may be as good in class as he is on the field. He was staring down offers from the likes of Ivy League schools like Harvard and major conference schools like teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He was a member of the Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society while attending American Heritage Academy. The academy was ranked

ﬁrst for Mu Alpha Theta in private schools and second when private schools were thrown in to the mix. “Verneri was injured his sophomore year and ended up having a great senior year and being named Gatorade Player of the Year,” Carlin-Voigt said. “He’s a player that had ACC interest. He could’ve gone to Duke, could’ve gone to North Carolina. The thing that’s great about Verneri is that he’s an Ivy League student; [he] could’ve gone to Harvard, could’ve gone to UPenn.” To seal the deal, coach Greg Andrulis ﬂew down to the Sunshine State; he even gave Valimaa something special. Andrulis was a Major League Soccer coach before coming to Mason and has professional connections. Soccer is Valimaa’s life, and that fuels his desire to play after college, where Andrulis can help. “I had a great family visit when I went down and sometimes you click with people and it’s comfortable,” Andrulis said. “With kids nowadays making decisions so early, we’re not able to do that. But Verneri’s situation al-

lowed us to go in and have a home visit. If that was the deciding factor, I’m glad we did it.” Valimaa penned the deal in September so he would not have any distractions during the season. The respect that Andrulis had for Valimaa and his family by visiting before his senior year was rewarded with the early decision. Usually a 5-8 midﬁelder would need good ﬁnesse with the ball or incredibly agile feet, but Valimaa had something that set him apart, even beyond his work in the classroom. He had international experience. He worked with the U.S. Under-18 team, but when they snubbed him for the U20 games, he got another call to play for Finland in the U20 games during his senior year. Valimaa holds dual citizenship with Finland and the U.S., so he took the invitation to play across the pond. If that was not enough, he had a chance to play in the second half of the match against the U.S., which ended in a scoreless tie. “There’s always a lot of pride involved,” Valimaa said. “Here, it’s

representing your school, but there it’s representing your country. It’s a lot bigger.” Things did not get any more easy after coming to Mason; he has a tighter schedule than most. At least he and his roommate, fellow midfielder Timmy Mulgrew, have something to keep their minds stress-free. “He plays FIFA in the morning before class, in the middle of the day, after dinner,” Mulgrew said. “He loves to play FIFA. He loves to claim he’s the best player every to play.” For instance, on Thursdays, Valimaa wakes up at 8 a.m. for his class at 9 because, after all, he is still a student-athlete. Practice is at 11 a.m. and after watching film, the team moves to the field. Everyone works on similar parts to their game, scrimmaging for a half-hour or so to get game-speed practice in. “[Being a student-athlete] takes a lot. You have a lot of stuff going on, but going to practice is like a stress-reliever,” he said. “That 4-hour gap is just about soccer and I don’t really think about anything else.”

They do have mandatory study hours, which he goes to in the afternoon, but he gets all his homework done in that time so he can focus on what is really important to him. While most of the players start to roll out around 1 p.m. for class and others filter out after some position-specific work, Valimaa sticks around longer. On Thursday, he stayed for nearly an hour working with Carlin-Voigt on his finishing moves. “The coaches are great,” Valimaa said. “They’ll stay back whenever you want them too, whenever you need them. I don’t always ask them to stay with me, but when I do, they always help me out.” But for lunch, he shows his freshman colors. Only on campus for a month, he still eats at Southside every day. While Friday nights are usually considered the time that shuttles stop in front of the Hampton Roads residence halls, Valimaa would rather get prepared for Saturday, when the men’s team almost always has a game.

“He is very dedicated, keeps me focused a lot, too,” Mulgrew said. “Just his lifestyle, he loves the game.” Homesickness is not even an issue. He had to learn how to handle himself after playing on an international stage, not to say that his parents aren’t involved in his life. He talks to them often, calling his father before games, and they watch his matches online. “He always says the same thing, ‘just take the ball from the other team and give it to your friend,’” Valimaa said. He has family all around him, with his team and his support back home. The Patriots have been able to make big strides in their game this year, earning a No. 18 ranking just a few days ago. Unfortunately, they fell Saturday afternoon to the VCU Rams with a 0-1 ﬁnal score for their ﬁrst conference loss of the season. They will try to right the ship when Drexel comes to Fairfax Wedneday night for a 7 p.m. matchup.

Editors’ Picks Cody Pat John Powell Norman Carroll Staff Writer Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor

Greg Connolly Editor-inChief

Monika Justin Erin Powell Jeff Giorgi Lauren Jared Joshi Lalputan and Style Section Opinion Ransom Barrale Managing Ahsan Section Design Editor Copy Chief Editor Zaman News Section

PHI @ BUF

PHI

KC @ IND

IND

OAK @ HOU

HOU

OAK

HOU

OAK

HOU

NYJ @ NE

NYJ

TB @ SF

Season Record

7-6

9-4

7-6

5-8

7-6

6-7

7-6

9-4

Broadside

Sports and Politics to Unite in Monday’s Event

Ice Cold

Club Ice Hockey Schedule:

Oct. 14 9:40 p.m. vs. Radford Oct. 21 9:40 p.m. vs. VCU Oct. 28 11:00 p.m. @ William & Mary Oct. 29 4:00 p.m. @ Old Dominion

Photo by Matt Ricciardi The George Mason University club ice hockey team plays their ﬁrst game against Radford University at the Prince William Ice Center on Oct. 14.

Nov. 4 9:40 p.m. vs. VMI

Out of Spotlight, Mason Hockey Takes the Ice Olivia Karegeannes

Nov. 5 5:20 p.m. vs. Liberty Univ. Nov. 12 2:10 p.m. vs. USA Warriors Nov. 18 9:40 p.m. vs. William & Mary Dec. 2 11:00 p.m. @ Univ. of Maryland For a complete schedule, visit GeorgeMasonHockey.com

Broadside Correspondent Fall has arrived and it’s starting to show. Leaves are changing colors, there is a chill in the air and sports fanatics are dusting oﬀ their team colors. It is one of the most exciting times of the year in the sports industry: Football is kicking oﬀ, baseball is wrapping up, and the hockey season is set to be in full swing. Though George Mason University does not participate in all of these sports at the Division I level, the Patriots are, in some capacity, involved in all three of these sports. But what many students aren’t aware of is the Mason ice hockey club team. The team has been around since the ’90s but hasn’t received much attention since its founding. “Most of the Mason commu-

nity doesn’t know that we even exist,” said Ernest Capasso, the team’s general manager. “So we would just like for people to learn about the team and come out and see a game or two.” The team has some exciting games taking place throughout the fall semester including their ﬁrst home game at the Prince William Ice Center on Oct. 14 against Radford University. They will also be matched against some highly respected schools throughout the season such as the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute and the University of Maryland. Interestingly enough, though, their biggest rival is Northern Virginia Community College. “Our rival would be NOVA, as many of the local kids know each other on both teams and the fans know each other too,” said team president Dom Liberatore. “The atmosphere for those

is different than most.” As most hockey fans know, the atmosphere is electric. The NHL provides fans with an upclose view of a particularly violent sport in which fighting is not only allowed, it is encouraged. In the collegiate game, there are rules that forbid that sort of glass-pounding type of fighting, but the occasional body slam is permitted. The team will be providing giveaways for attendees at their first home game in Prince William and have planned to provide fans with a different type of treat on Nov. 12. They will be playing the USA Warriors, a league of wounded military veterans that will be playing to raise funds for the Fisher House that helps the families of soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

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Looking for a full time nanny in Fairfax for a 1 month old baby girl. Starting in late Oct. Mon-Fri 9-4. Please email molly.bossu@yahoo.com

Part-Time Sitter Wanted in Vienna Seeking a part-time sitter 10-15 hrs per week to care for our two boys ages 6 & 4 in Vienna. Hours are very flexible, but will include some evening and/or weekend hours. Need to be outgoing, have a clean driving record, and love to play. Pay is competitive. For more info, call 703.217.7616, or e-mail labmatta@gmail.com DSG Associates, Inc. is looking for 18-29 years old to participate in a paid online research study. A+ rating with BBB and member of MSPA Sign up online www.dsgai.com or call 800-462-8765. Free to sign up ***PAID INTERNSHIP*** Marketing Retirement Services for Premiere Wealth Management Team Call Ed Ozben 703-821-2010

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Seeking enthusiastic person to watch 11 year old boy after school in Vienna. Flexible schedule. Please call Wendy 973-479-8663

Child Care Sitters Wanted. $12+/hour. Register free for jobs at student-sitters.com

Miscellaneous INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS should visit gmu-international.info

Housing Professional females wanted. Three beautiful rooms for rent. Ideal for students doing internships in DC five min. walking distance from Vienna Metro 1 Large master bedroom, private bathroom, separated vanity outside of bathroom, beautiful hardwood floors, walk in closet, kitchen and laundry room to share. 2 other bedrooms to share, one bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. Please call 571 970 8187 or 703 268 5352

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Security Dispatcher / Admin Assistant Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm $12.00 / hr QUIET POSTS / GREAT ASSIGNMENTS FOR STUDENTS STUDYING

An after hours office environment that is very quiet and ideal for some studying or use of a personal laptop during slow periods. This position will handle light phone reception duties with some administrative work including monitoring an automated call in system, making scheduling entries and changes, and transferring call information to our operations staff. Additionally, you will assist in scheduling of officers making phone calls to available personnel to fill open shifts. Triton Security is one of the fastest growing elite security organizations in the region. Please send resume and cover letter to: mfingerhut@tritonsecurity.us. No phone calls, please. Triton Security, Inc. 3702 Pender Drive, Suite 220 Fairfax, VA 22030 Tritonsecurityinc.com

Responding to Adversity: Mason basketball has what it takes to win Cody Norman Sports Editor Just two weeks remain before the George Mason University basketball season kicks oﬀ with the beloved Mason Madness event and I, for one, am getting more and more excited by the day. So much uncertainty sur-

rounds our talented team with the well-documented changes having taken place this oﬀseason. The Patriots have gone from a shoo-in top-25 team to start the regular season, to a borderline NCAA tournament

CARLOS, from Front faced in his lifetime and explores what American society was like at the time of the protest and afterwards. Something that intrigues me is these two questions: Why did he risk so much privilege and glory and why do people still care in this young generation?” said Zirin. Both Zirin and Carlos have been in contact with each other in the past due to their similar interes sports. “I’ve done interviews and panels with Dr. Carlos and what was evident for me were the stories that he told were always interesting. He spoke about his life growing up in Harlem and his life after the stand and he is a very engaging speaker. I’d like to be a part of bringing his voice to an audience,” said Zirin. The event is one the first stops on the nationwide book tour for the October release of the book. Afterwards, Carlos and Zirin will open up a Q&A session. “I hope to tell John Carlos’ story qualified. .Yet, it is the uncertainty that excites me about this team. They respond to adversity as well as any group of guys I have ever seen. With or without Andre Cornelius, who will likely miss at least some time with felony larceny charges pending, the Patriots’ strength for the 201112 season will be in the painted area. Returning forwards Ryan Pearson, Mike Morrison and Jonathan Arledge, as well as newcomer Erik Copes, will have to control the basketball in order for this team to succeed. They will have to dominate the painted area; rebounding and scoring in volumes to make up for the lack of production from the backcourt. New assistant coach Roland Houston could be an outstanding hire in this regard, as he specializes in footwork and back-to-the-basket moves from solid big men. Sophomore guard and former West Virginia Mountaineers recruit Bryon Allen is likely projected to move into the starting rotation while freshman point guard Corey Edwards comes in as a highly touted prospect. Allen performs more as a scoring point guard, which can hinder his performance at times – but he has the ability to run the floor and distribute the basketball. Within Paul Hewitt’s system, he can excel as the quarterback to the Pa-

and teach people about the interconnectedness between sports and politics,” Zirin said. When she first heard of Carlos and Zirin’s book tour, Cynthia Fuchs jumped at the opportunity to sponsor the tour and have them speak at George Mason. Fuchs is the director of the Film & Media Studies program at George Mason and works in documentaries specifically. “Our paths crossed with our interests in sports and politics and our hope for change,” said Fuchs, who has been in contact with Zirin by email over the past year. “Sports and politics are always linked. No matter what people say,” Fuchs said. “What I hope to accomplish with the event is to help people remember a significant moment in sports history and to see and talk with John Carlos.” The event is sponsored by the Film & Media Studies and African & African American Studies Programs at George Mason. Admission is free. triot offense, keeping opposing defenses honest with his ability to knock down contested jump shots. Edwards is a much more polished basketball player at his position. He has the ability to distribute the basketball and create open shots for his teammates – the ideal, prototypical point guard who could very easily excel in the fastpaced system of new coach Paul Hewitt. The tandem of returning redshirt sophomore Sherrod Wright and incoming swingman Vaughn Gray could prove to be a potent combination. The two players complement each other extremely well, with Wright providing the offensive explosion and Gray holding the fort down on the defensive end. Vertrail Vaughns provides an extra and much-needed spark to the Patriot offense with his 3-point shooting ability and his late-season dedication to defense. His style of play is also one that could excel within Hewitt’s uptempo offensive schemes. Regardless, the loss of Cornelius may be felt earlier in the season, as the younger guys get acclimated to the collegiate game. But, at the end of the season, this team will be atop the conference leader board, playing for a chance to cut down the nets and hoist the trophy. Basketball season just cannot get here soon enough.

TWEETS OF THE WEEK Each week we collect the best tweets by Mason athletes and compile them for your enjoyment.

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with 22-year year wireless wireless svc svc agreement agreement on voice voice and minimum $15/mo da data ta plan plan required. required.

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