Jimmy Fallon Live on WRGW

Jimmy Fallon will be calling WRGW this Monday, May 2 at 11:40 a.m. for a live interview. Former News In Depth co-hosts Jesse Regis and Jared Pliner will talk to the Late Night host about his new book Thank You Notes, among other topics. Tune into the special WRGW News presentation at www.gwradio.com by clicking "Listen Live" or find us on iTunes Radio under College/University as WRGW District Radio.

GW Men's Basketball Coach Karl Hobbs Departs

Under uncertain circumstances, Karl Hobbs is leaving his position as head coach of the GW Men's Basketball team.

Around 4pm this afternoon, social media exploded with the news that Hobbs had either stepped down or been removed from his coaching position. From students to seasoned college sports writers, the story is still varied as to whether Hobbs was fired or chose to resign from the post. This news comes just days after the appointment of Patrick Nero to replace Jack Kvancz as GW's Athletic Director. One of Hobbs's last public appearances was as an attendee at a forum hosted by WRGW District Radio two weeks ago, a discussion with Kvancz and veteran sportswriter John Feinstein.

Tune in and CALL IN: (202) 994-9749 as WRGW Sports discusses Hobbs's tenure at GW, the circumstances of his departure, and the future of GW Men's Basketball.

Go to GWRadio.com to listen live

International Monetary Fund Meeting Disrupts Student Life

Last weekend, the International Monetary Fund held a meeting with the World Bank.

The IMF’s International Monetary and Financial Committee attended the meeting, as well as the IMF and World Bank’s Development Committee. It had implications for the world and came to conclusions that can be found here: http://www.imf.org/external/np/cm/2011/041611a.htm

The IMF is located about 1 block off campus creating part of the “in the middle of it all” atmosphere at GWU, however, it also means the implications of closing down many streets surrounding the building. Some students happen to find this extremely irritating. Most students, especially near Thurston and Potomac, agreed that it made getting around rather difficult. Because of the closed down street, taxies were harder to find. On top of this, some streets were also blocked and one could not walk on them.

These implications can cause difficulties on the specific days of the meetings, however, these difficulties come at a good cause for the world.

Ann Coulter Speaks to GW Amid Controversy

Famed conservative political and social commentator Ann Coulter, best known for her outspoken conservatism and frequent political incorrectness, visited George Washington University Wednesday where she spoke in Funger Hall at the invitation of the GW Young America’s Foundation and GW College Republicans. The crowd, which failed to fill the lecture hall, consisted primarily of members of the College Republicans and Young America’s Foundation.

Coulter began by addressing the issue of raising taxes on the wealthy.  Stating that the effects of tax increases are counter-productive and actually lead to decreases in government net revenue, she further declared that Democrats in the U.S. Congress and President Obama support raising taxes on the wealthy not for the benefit of the poor, but to for the sole benefit of the U.S. government.

After her early statements regarding fiscal policy, however, Coulter’s remarks quickly became controversial. Combining a series jokes with more serious remarks, Coulter drew laughter from the audience as she addressed topics ranging from health care reform to foreign policy.

On the issue of U.S. health care policy, Coulter noted that President Obama “is a moderate-in Kenya,” further claiming that the U.S. government “can’t keep Mexicans out of Laredo, but it can keep a State farm agent out of Ohio."

Flash Floods Disrupt Classes

A GW InfoMail released minutes ago indicates that classes in Ross Hall have been canceled as a byproduct of flash foods in the District.

PEPCO, an electric service provider for the tri-state area, turned off electrical power feeds to Ross Hall due to flooding over the banks of the Potomac River. All classes located in Ross Hall have been canceled for today and this evening. The Himmelfarb Library has also been closed.

The InfoMail states that PEPCO has no estimated restoration time yet.

The flash flood warnings issued by the U.S. Meteorological Service for the District have been anything but routine this afternoon. The InfoMail noted that the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station has also flooded, but remains open. No word yet on what effect this is having on service at that station.

The Georgetown neighborhood is also seeing substantial flooding. The Hoya, Georgetown University's student newspaper, reports that Washington Harbour Shopping Plaza (more commonly known as the Georgetown Waterfront) is currently under multiple feet of water. The levee separating the area from the Potomac broke this morning. Buildings in the area have been evacuated.

Keep watching WRGW News for updates on the impact of this severe weather on the District and on GW's campus.

Stress Management

Finals are approaching and stress is on every student’s mind. Whether one needs to keep a specific grade or pull their grade up immensely, many students are stressed for finals.

There are many ways to deal with stress and the University is here to help. Tips and events are provided for students to learn to relieve their stress and stay calm.

The University Counseling Center offers academic support services for students seeking to learn how to better utilize certain skill sets as well as learn where they need improvement. The UCC academic support services website can be found at this link: http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/AcademicSupportServices/

The UCC also offers an academic progress group to teach students how to become better motivated.

For more tips on stress students can also access the academic success center at http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/asc/

This website offers advice on everything from stress management to grades and even all the way to how to become better motivated.

A few other stress management tips are:

• Get a good night's rest.

• Eat healthily.

• Listen to your favorite music.

• Exercise.

• Participate in a sport or engage in fun activity.

• Plan out your time and prioritize.

• Talk to a friend about your problems, don't hold it in.

• Get a massage.

• Take a nap.

• Take a warm bath.

• Read a book or watch TV.

Book Release with Professor Michael Yahuda

Wearing a striped gray suit and a red tie, Professor Michael Yahuda transformed room 505 in the Elliott School into a time machine. With a British accent and a slightly muffled tone, Yahuda described Chinese-Japanese-American relations spanning the 1940s to mid 1990s to celebrate the release of the third edition to his textbook “The International Politics of the Asia Pacific.”

Yahuda retired from the London School of Economics in 2003 after 30 years of teaching. He later came to George Washington University in 2008 as a visiting scholar for the Sigur Center for Asian Studies. The Sigur Center hosted the book release event on Tuesday in the Elliott School of International Affairs. Along with the President of the Sigur Center and a small audience, there was an atmosphere of academic excitement.

Following the introduction, Yahuda began to discuss the challenges and successes within the Asian Pacific amongst struggles for independence and civil war. He explained the main premise of the book is to “show under what circumstances a junction of local, global, and legal affairs and how they interacted with each other.”

Within the hour and fifteen minutes, Yahuda touched on domestic affairs, the spread of globalization, AIPEC, and China’s current economic model and how it affects the world market. A history lesson mixed with personal research, anecdotes, and jokes, Yahuda gave an informative presentation that gave the audience a scholarly perspective on Asian affairs.

Indian Venue Opens in J Street

Those who have been to J Street over the past week may have noticed a chef giving out free samples of Indian food from a small table near the H Street entrance during the lunchtime rush. While J Street has had special events this semester such as the "Meet the Dietitian Program," this one was different. This tasting was to preview the new Indian venue, The White Peacock.

Starting on Monday, the White Peacock opened for a trial period in a more permanent spot, at the Burrito del Rey station. The trial will run for two weeks while Sodexo management assesses student response. During the trial, The White Peacock will be serving food from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Burrito del Rey will serve its Mexican fare from 3 p.m. through 9 p.m.

The White Peacock serves traditional Indian cuisine such as Tandoori Chicken and Na'an bread while incorporating Vegetarian options into its menu. An entree portion is priced at $5.99, which is the same price as entrees at other J Street venues such as Burrito del Rey, Little Italy and Charlie Chiangs Kwai.

More changes could come for J Street in the future as the university readies plans to renovate the first floor of the Marvin Center. The upcoming renovation, which will remove the staircase in the center of J Street, will provide more floor space in the eatery and could mean further changes to venues. The university is also looking to keep J Street competitive in the face of new eateries opening in "The Avenue" complex on I Street.

Religion Department Hosts Julie Galambush

This past Monday marked the annual Abbie Ziffren Memorial Lecture series, where the George Washington University Religion Department welcomed Julie Galambush. The event, held at Marvin Center Room 309, was filled to the brink with more than 60 attendees, many of whom sat on the floor.

Galambush, the Associate Professor of Religious Studies at The College of William and Mary, gave a lecture entitled “The New Testament: Jewish or Anti-Jewish?”. Raised as a Catholic but now an observant Jew, Galambush wrote the 2007 book “The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus,” which is intended for Jews and Christians alike.

Professor Paul Duff, Associate Dean of CCAS for Undergraduate Studies, introduced the key note speaker. Galambush explored the original intentions of the historic authors of the New Testament and questioned whether the book was intended to be in its nature anti-Jewish, or if it has just been interpreted that way since the early centuries following Christ. Having concluded that the original disciples intended for the New Testament to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament, Galambush accepted questions for about half an hour.

Obama Presents Debt Reduction Plan at GWU

President Obama announced his plan to reduce the United State's national debt today to a crowd of dignitaries and students in GWU's Jack Morton Auditorium .  Titled "The Country We Believe In", the 45-minute speech outlined his proposal to combine both spending cuts and tax increases in an attempt to shave $4 trillion off of the national debt over the next twelve years.

The President first opened with some levity, joking that one reason he wanted to speak at GWU was to give students "one more reason to skip class."  Obama wasted no time, however, turning to the issue at hand, the national debt.

The White House has been at pains in recent days to underscore the "balance" of the President's proposal, and Obama quickly worked to establish a theme of duality that would endure throughout his speech.  Focusing first on the history of the role of government in the United States, Obama acknowledged that Americans were a self-reliant people "with a healthy skepticism of too much government."

However, the President contrasted this individuality with what he believed to be the interconnected nature of the American people.  Specifically citing the role of Social Security and Medicare, he asserted that "we would not be the great country we are today without those commitments."

BREAKING: Student found dead in City Hall

A male student was found dead in City Hall this afternoon.

According to statements from University officials, the student was found around 2 p.m. in his dorm room.  DC Police have been notified and are on the scene.

In a statement, President Knapp expressed sadness regarding the student's death and gave his condolences to the student's friends and family.  He said there was no reason at this time to believe the death was a result of a criminal act.

City Hall was under lockdown with no admittance to nonresidents for a portion of the afternoon, with UPD and MPD officers on the scene checking GWorlds and verifying residency for all building entrants.

More details will be released pending MPD investigation.

DC Mayor & GW Alumnus Vincent Gray Arrested

Politico.com is reporting that D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has been arrested at Capitol Hill while protesting the current budget deal proposed by House Republicans in Congress. Gray, a GW alumnus, was among a crowd of more than 200 protestors who gathered near the Hart Senate Office Building to oppose the deal. Other members of the D.C. City Council were also arrested.

President Barack Obama is expected to support the proposed budget deal publicly at a press conference at GW's own Jack Morton Auditorium on Wednesday.

To read more from Politico, click here. And stay tuned to WRGW District Radio for updates on the mayor's arrest, the budget talks, and the President's visit to the SMPA building on Wednesday.

Powell Reflects on Service, Life as Private Citizen

General Colin Powell, former United States Secretary of State under President Bush, addressed the Kennedy Political Union at American University’s Bender Arena Wednesday evening. Powell has been an open political critic since his time as secretary, working as a speaker for the Washington Speakers Bureau and endorsing Barack Obama for president in 2008.

The event started off with two members of Code Pink, a woman’s anti-war group, with signs stating “Real men make peace” and “Powell = War criminal”. The protestors were quickly escorted away by security. Powell brushed off the encounter saying that any protestor deserves to be heard if they want to have a civil discussion. “I learn so much about the issues in the country by doing speaking engagements like this,” Powell said.

When reflecting on his years as secretary, Powell jokingly said he misses the airplane and said he bought a Coorvette to compensate. Powell had the crowd laughing every several minutes, saying, “What’s a tweet? I’m too old to be a tweep,” when speaking on social media. Powell also said he “waits in line like everyone else” and gets patted down by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) when he travels.

On a more serious note, Powell said students should motivate themselves to make a difference in the world and their communities. “You’re expected to challenge ideas,” Powell said on the responsibilities of college students. Powell, a graduate of George Washington University, proudly touted his 2.0 grade point average but did not advocate students to perform the same. “It doesn’t matter where you start in life [but] it matters where you end.”

The program ended with Powell answering questions from students. One question regarded terrorism, to which Powell said confidently, “[Terrorists] cannot change who we are. We’re American’s. We’re not afraid.”

CORRECTION: Federal Work Study and the Government Shutdown

Earlier today, WRGW published a story discussing the potential effects of a government shutdown on GW students. This story erroneously reported that all students with Federal Work Study would be barred from working in the event of a government shutdown. In fact, only students who work for the federal government will be affected in most instances. Students working under FWS for the University or private organizations will not be affected unless their employer informs them otherwise. FWS students are advised to follow the instructions of the GWU Career Center and their respective employers for further guidance.

We sincerely apologize for the mistake.

Religion Department Lecture Open to the Public

Associate Professor of Religious Studies at The College of William and Mary, Julie Galambush will be giving a lecture on the New Testament as part of the Abbie Ziffren Memorial Lecture series. This free event is open to the public and will be held at the Marvic Center room 309 from 05:15 PM - 07:00 PM on Monday, April 11th.
The Topic for the lecture on the topic of “The New Testament: Jewish or Anti-Jewish?” will include time for a Question and Answer session with the audience following the event. Galambush, who was raised Catholic but is now an observant Jew, wrote the 2007 book “The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus,” which is intended for Jews and Christians alike.

Libyan Ambassador Ali Aujali Speaks at GW Amid Controversy

Libyan Ambassador Ali Aujali spoke Monday at the Jack Morton Auditorium in the School of Media and Public Affairs. The moderately successful event was held by the International Affairs Society and open to the public. Mr. Aujali, who has been in the news since defecting from the Gaddhafi regime in February, stressed the desire of the Libyan people to live in freedom and peace, and explained his reasons for defecting from the regime in order to better serve the Libyan people. He further implored audience members to stand alongside the Libyan people through the crisis happening there now. His talk was cut short, however, at the behest of President Obama, whose administration just hours before the event was scheduled invited Mr. Aujali to attend a speech given by the President in Arlington Monday.

The event was moved forward, with Mr. Aujali abruptly exiting after his speech and having to cancel his participation in a Question and Answer session afterwards as well as a reception.

"Big Night, Big Jobs" DC Chefs Event

Four famous chefs from Washington came to the Jack Morton Auditorium in the School of Media and Public Affairs building Tuesday to discuss an array of issues ranging from sustainable healthy eating and the “Buy Local” food movement to planning menus and satisfying customer demands.

Attending the discussion were the famed José Andrés, the chef and owner of Washington’s Café Atlántico, Minibar by José Andrés, Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel, The Bazaar, José Andrés Catering with Ridgewells, China Poblano and é by José Andrés.; Todd Gray, the chef and owner of Equinox Restaurant and Todd Gray’s Watershed; Spike Mendelsohn, the chef and owner of Good Stuff Eatery and We, The Pizza; and Nora Pouillon, the chef and owner of Restaurant Nora, and a long-term advocate of healthy eating and local food sourcing. The discussion was moderated by Wahsington Post food columnist and independent food writer Jane Black.

The chefs discussed environmental and health issues pertaining to food production. The general consensus was that all things, including meat, should simply be taken in moderation. Chef Andrés noted that Americans should be eating less meat, but of a higher quality.

DC Census Results Hold GW Ramifications

Some may remember the University's campaign last Spring to get students to fill out U.S. Census forms. Though many students may not have seen the significance of the effort at the time, population data has a large effect on the District, as evidenced by the recently released Census 2010 data. Students have helped propel Washington DC's population to upwards of 600,000 people for the first time ever and GW's on campus population climbed to 20,000, up from 17,000 in 2000.

However, some of the most interesting insight gained from this data is that DC needs to redistrict. By law each of DC's eight wards must have roughly equal populations, plus or minus 5%. Currently Ward two, the home of GW, is too large, while Wards seven and eight, located mostly south of the Anacostia River, are too small. While the ideal ward size should be around 75,000 people, ward two has almost 80,000 residents.

The impending redistricting and shrinking of ward two may affect campus life in the future. As a result of redistricting, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) district lines will be redrawn. It is these commissions, which could most impact campus life. ANC's provide representation for their population to various parts of DC government, giving input on new laws and regulations.

Gray Proposes Doubling Circulator Fare

The DC Circulator System, best known for its cherry-red buses that ply the major thoroughfares of Washington, has been a unique success for a city plagued by transit problems, particularly below ground. For cash-strapped college students in particular, its $1 flat-fare for an unlimited number of rides has been particularly attractive, alongside a schedule that is considerably more frequent and reliably timely than most Metrobus routes. Since its creation in 2005, the system has been one of the few in the region to experience more ridership growth than cost increases.