Broadside
The Led Balloon That Flew
|Keith Moon, the legendary drummer of The Who, is infamously quoted for once saying that the up-and-coming heavy rock band formed by Jimmy Page, then known as The New Yardbirds, would go over like a led balloon with crowds.
Moon couldn’t have been more off, making one of the worst predictions about a band since Decca Recording Co. rejected The Beatles in 1962 because they thought guitar music was on its way out of being included in main stream music.
Mardi Gras Madness
|Whether you call it Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras, everyone knows that the day before the Lenten season is reserved for some of the most outlandish festivities. George Mason University is looking to honor this ritual.
Homecoming Week is upon us once again and it’s bringing with it the traditions, music and spirit of Bourbon Street. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras, an idea inspired by the student Program Board’s slogan “Unmasque Your Spirit.”
Monday 2/15
Mardi Gras Madness 12:30 p.m. JC Atrium
The Holiday for Lovers Isn’t Sweet for Everyone
|It’s that time of the year again, so take out your wallets and get ready for some love!
Originally cherished as a day where one could express his or her love and affection toward a companion through exchanging confectionery and picking out flowers, the Valentine’s Day we know has since been remodeled.
Finding Humor in the Everyday; The Comedy Central Star Talks with Broadside About Inspiration, his Comedic Father and his Future
|When interviewing Demetri Martin, I expected the conversation to be punctuated by a series of humorous one-liners. Like some gifted word genius, he would magically sum up questions with clever single sentences, I would be gloriously entertained listening to my favorite comedian and it would be awesome.
After reality set in, I quickly realized that Martin’s answers were elaborate and eloquently explained, fitting for a comedian whose observational comedy includes word play like palindromes and paraprosdokians.
Mason Community Prevails Through Record Snowstorms
|The past few days have been a test for everyone in the Washington, D.C. region; the consequence of over three feet of snow has made achieving normal, everyday activities very challenging.
You have all been inconvenienced by the inclement weather, but somehow you have survived, and during this process have made us all very proud of the Mason family. You have stepped up in these most difficult of times.
The Non-Issue of ‘Climategate’ and The Real Issue of Climate Change
|I was initially annoyed by Alan Moore’s recent piece on the opinion page in Broadside; I’m now thankful for the opportunity to set the record straight. After thoroughly refuting the baseless claims he made in his last piece about climate change that appeared in Broadside, I can’t pass up the chance to further educate Mr. Moore on the truth about climate
change and the so-called “Climategate” scandal.
Teen Pregnancy on the Rise; Statistics Shock Citizens
|Last week, I was browsing the Internet when I came across an article that was talking about teenage pregnancy. Apparently the rate of pregnancy is on the rise again, despite a decreasing trend in the past couple of years.
Citizens and officials have become concerned with the statistics, and now, debates about what should or shouldn’t be taught in the classroom are raging once again.
Meat: Love It Or Hate It; The Conscience of a Meat EaterPosted
|Personally, I love eating meat. I am a full-on carnivore and I love it. But the more I discover about the process of how that slab of beef gets in front of me, the more I want to just stop listening.
In December, I made myself listen. I went to a book reading by Jonathan Safran Foer about his book, Eating Animals. I haphazardly did not review what his new book was about; I just knew I liked his older fiction books and I liked him as an author, so I went.
The Obamateur Hour; The State of the Union Address Falls Flat
|Pundits and government officials alike touted President Obama’s State of the Union address prior to its delivery as an opportunity to hit “reset” on the fledgling administration that has consistently been under fire. Not only did Obama fail miserably in that regard, but he continued the incendiary tactics and partisan rancor that sickens Americans on both sides of the aisle.
It’s Never About Weather; Ignoring Global Warming Will Not Solve It
|Discussing anything even remotely related to climate change these days is a frustrating endeavor. If it’s not someone shouting, “the weather’s getting colder, so what the scientists say must be wrong,” or “it’s all just a conspiracy,” then it’s some other form of hatred.
It’s always a question about what one can do, how things are either being done out of proportion or not being done enough.
The lack of consensus on the issue alone is a sore selling point — as is the frustrating branding and marketing of it by both those for and against it.