Carter Discusses His Term as President

Former President and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jimmy Carter spoke about his new book, White House Diaries, Monday evening at the Lincoln Theatre on U Street. The event, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, was originally scheduled to occur on September 29^th at Lisner Auditorium, but Carter fell ill and postponed the trip.

Carter discussed his opinions on domestic and global events including the construction of the Panama Canal, the Iranian hostage crisis, and the Camp David negotiations. Carter stated he does not regret any decisions he made as president. Carter also explained his opinions on Obama’s presidency, the ongoing talks to ratify the START treaty, and the ongoing energy crisis.

Speaking about the current polarization of political parties, Carter said he feels the divide has led to policy gridlock among other policy-halting schemes. Carter expressed that he was fortunate to have a Republican leadership in Congress during his presidency that was willing to work toward bipartisanship. Obama, Carter claims, does not have this luxury.

Following the event, Carter signed copies of his new book. On Tuesday morning, Carter continued his D.C. trip with a book signing event at the bookstore Politics and Prose.

Student Response to Bed Bugs

The GW student body response to the, first rumors and now confirmed cases of bed bugs in the university's dorms has been varied. Despite the recent cases of dorm rooms with bed bug problems GW senior Molly Eames, who lives in South Hall, does not seem particularly concerned. "I don't really have any thoughts on bed bugs," she responded to questions. However, she did go on to say that she had read about the issue in the Hatchet.

Others have expressed more concern, even as far back as three weeks ago, before the October 31st Jon Stewart-lead "Rally to Restore Sanity." One GW student was overheard citing bed bugs being brought in by New Yorkers as one reason he would not be attending the event.

Before declining to say more an American Pest Control representative who was contacted stated that the call about bed bugs is "one that [they] field all the time every day," and that there is an "increased awareness of them [bed bugs] but also more cases."

While there are undoubtedly cases of bed bugs, most students spoken to for this article shared Molly Eames' relative unconcern. Joe Pacheco, a sophomore who lives in Munson said he has heard that bed bugs are not very harmful, just irritating. He did, however, express annoyance with the university for the existence of the bed bugs at dorms here in the first place: "I think they should really do a better job of making sure our dorms are pest free."

"A Chorus Line" debuts in Pelham Theater

It’s a rough life for the chorus and those who dream big. This is the premise of James Kirkwood’s A Chorus Line directed by Future Planet Productions’ Melissa Passarelli.

At first, it was a usual chorus audition, with a group of buzzing actors, dancers and singers hoping and praying that they could have the opportunity to be seen one more time on stage. After an elimination process, the narrative turns into a web of personal stories when the director challenges every person auditioning to “open up” and talk.

The stories range from awkward pre-teen incidents, to heartbreak and broken dreams. In this string of united stories, the dancers find much more than their own reason to perform, but faith in their similar aspirations, beliefs, fears and dreams.

A Chorus Line “is a show that anyone who has ever done anything for love can relate to,” said director Melissa Passarelli. “Everyone who sees it will laugh and cry.”

A Chorus Line is playing in the Pelham Theater on:

Thursday, November 18th at 7:30pm

Friday, November 19th at 7 and 10pm

Saturday, November 20th at 7 and 10pm

Experts Discuss Israeli-Palestinian Solutions, Future Plans

Three senior international experts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict visited the Elliott School Monday, discussing current issues between the two parties and solutions to resolve the situation.


Former Ambassador John McDonald, discussed his work with Israeli and Palestinian experts in resolving water conflicts, urging leaders to “listen and treat each other as equals.”

“The only way to resolve a conflict is to sit down face-to-face and talk about it,” the former ambassador explained.

Ghaith al-Omari, the advocacy director at the American Task Force on Palestine, urged pro-Palestinian voices to “play by the rules of the game” and “work within the system.”

He stated that both sides need to stop approaching the issue as if it’s a zero-sum game, “where a gain for one side, is the loss for another.”

Chris Tucker, a board member at Friends of the Arc, a development project aimed at enhancing the prospects for a future Palestinian state, emphasized the need for a sustainable state as population continues to grow.

His group plans to construct the infrastructure necessary to support a 21^st century economy in the West Bank and Gaza by erecting new train and bus routes, allowing greater mobility.

“There will be no peace until we lay down the plans for prosperity,” Tucker said.

The plan is estimated to cost approximately $9.4 billion and create 160 thousand jobs each year for the first five years.

Google Docs Coming to Cell Phones, iPad

The increasingly popular application suite Google Docs is continuing its rapid pace of change today, this time expanding outwards onto a new platform: your phone.

The web-based office software, most famous for its ability to allow multiple users to edit documents in real time, will release an improved version of the site in the coming days to allow users on the iPhone, iPad, and Android phones to use the suite on the go.  Google is also looking into expanding access to platforms such as Research in Motion's Blackberry.

While users have been able to access Google Docs on their phones for some time, this new iteration adds full-fledged editing capability, including the ability to collaborate in real time with other users.  Just as on a desktop or laptop, text will magically appear on screen as others type; however, editing will be limited to documents and spreadsheets only.

To try out the new features, simply go to docs.google.com on a supported device.  Following Google custom, the update will not be rolled out to all users at once; those who cannot access the new features should try again in the coming weeks.

Look after the break for a video from Google highlighting the new features.

Megabus to Expand DC Service

Popular discount bus carrier Megabus announced Tuesday that it will designate Washington, DC as its fifth travel hub, increasing by 10 the number of destinations district residents can travel to directly.

Beginning on December 15th, direct tickets to Boston, MA; Charlotte, VA; Hampton, VA; Harrisburg, PA; Knoxville, TN; Pittsburgh, PA; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Richmond, VA; and Toronto, Ontario will be available.  With the newly-added destinations, DC residents will be able to travel directly to 13 cities in the eastern US and Canada.

In a press release, Megabus President Dale Mosler expressed hope that the appeal of low-cost bus service would increase in a down economy.  To celebrate the expansion, the company is also offering 10,000 free tickets to and from the new cities between December 15th and January 15th.

The Washington Post also reports that Megabus will be changing  its DC pickup and drop-off station in the near future. Its current location, the large parking lot off of New York Avenue and Mt. Vernon Square, is slated for redevelopment.  A new site has not yet been selected.

Pierluisi Speaks About PR Statehood

On Monday, the GW Puerto Rico Statehood Student Association (PRSSA) hosted their annual kickoff event with Pedro Pierluisi, a GW Law alumnus. Pierluisi is the nonvoting delegate in the House of Representatives for Puerto Rico. About 100 students and members of the community attended the hour long speaking event.

Speaking about efforts to make Puerto Rico the 51^st state, Pierluisi noted that Puerto Rico would receive increased amounts of aid from the federal government which in turn would raise their standard of living. In turn, the United States would gain land off its coast and would prove its modern effort to embrace culture.

Congressman Pierluisi stated four specific options in order for the United States to take action on its territory. Pierluisi introduced HR 2499, the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2010, on May 19, 2009, which presented the four options to the House. The bill has 181 cosponsors.

On DC statehood, Pierluisi said he supports a bill introduced by DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. To see Pierluisi’s remarks, see below:

A Guide to Spending Thanksgiving in the District

Spending Thanksgiving in Washington? Here are some events going on in the city that you don't want to miss...

MOUNT VERNON BY CANDLELIGHT

Tour the candle-lit home of George Washington and learn about his holiday traditions. Interact with 18th century costume actors, including Mrs. Washington who will hand out her holiday cooking recipes. Sample fresh homemade chocolate prepared over the open fire during the Christmas caroling and the hot apple cider with fresh baked cookies given when you leave. Tours are Friday to Sunday from 5:00-8:30, tickets are $20.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART EXHIBITION

Sixty rare color prints and hand-colored variations by the renowned Edvard Munch are on special display at the National Gallery of Art in an exhibit titled "Master Prints." Admission is free.

JOFFREY BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER

A Kennedy Center tradition, this annual performance conceived and directed by Robert Joffrey is set to Tchaikozsky's famous score. Tickets are $29-$150.

The GW Crime Log

From the week of November 9-15:

Nov. 11: Threats -- Health & Wellness Center -- A staff member reported having a verbal altercation with another staff member. The case has been closed and referred to the department.

Nov. 11: Destruction -- GSEHD Building -- A staff member of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development building reported that his office window had been broken by a baseball going through it. The case has been closed, as there are no suspects or witnesses.

Nov. 13: Harassment -- South Hall -- A male student stated that he had received an explicit image on his phone from a student whom he previously had a no contact order against. The case has been closed and referred to SJS.

Nov. 13: DUI [Driving Under the Influence] -- Off Campus -- Officers of the GW Police Department observed an accident involving a GW shuttle bus (i.e. the Vern Express) on Whitehurst Freeway. The driver of the bus stated that the driver of the other vehicle had rear-ended the bus. Upon arrival, the Metropolitan Police Department requested that GWPD administer a breathalyzer for the driver of the other vehicle. The case has been closed and referred to MPD.

Nov. 13: Theft II -- Off Campus -- A female student reported that she had lost her phone at an off-campus club, and that she had been contacted by a male subject, unaffiliated with GW, requesting money in exchange for the phone. GWPD advised the complainant not to meet up with the subject. The case has been closed and referred to MPD.

Nov. 14: Theft II -- Thurston Hall -- A student, who had left her clothes in the washing machine, reported the clothes missing after an extended absence. The case has been closed, as there are no suspects or witnesses.

Nov. 15: Shoplifting [Theft II] - Mitchell Hall 7Eleven -- A subject unaffiliated with GW grabbed some food items and left without paying. The subject was identified by GW Police officers in the surrounding area and arrested. The case was closed upon arrest.

Look for GWPD's Crime Log on WRGWNews.com every week!  

Bob Dylan Plays Smith Center

Folk legend Bob Dylan performed in front of a sold-out Smith Center this Saturday night. The set list included songs from throughout his extensive recording history, including 1965’s Highway 61 Revisited up to Modern Times, the musician’s 2006 effort.

Admirers of all ages filled the crowd. The backstage entrance was packed with fans trying to send the folk icon bouquets and other gifts. One excited fan screamed, “I’ll give anybody here $1,000 cash to get me a handshake with Bob Dylan.”

At 69 years old, Dylan can still put on a show. The veteran performer rifled through 16 songs, including a two song encore, in under two hours, playing harmonica, guitar and keyboard.

His gravelly voice lends itself well to the blues. He sounds like a man with his share of stories, and it adds to the Dylan mystique. Classics like “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” and “Ballad of a Thin Man” received different arrangements, while others such as “Just Like A Woman” remained pretty faithful to the recorded version.

The audience shouted along to the chorus of a rousing rendition of show closer “Like A Rolling Stone.” After his set, Dylan took a few moments to salute the audience, hands pointed in the air, as they gave him a jubilant sendoff.

-Joseph Rabinowitz

Sarah Vowell at Lisner Tomorrow Night

The writer and frequent NPR contributor Sarah Vowell will be performing at GW's Lisner auditorium Saturday night at 8pm. There are still tickets available for her reading, which will include a question and answer period at the end and a book-signing in the lobby after that.

Vowell's work includes the bestselling books The Wordy Shipmates and Assassination Vacation. On NPR she mostly contributes to This American Life, much like author David Sedaris, with whom she shares a comedic and sharp observational style.

Tickets to this and other Lisner auditorium shows have been on sale for months, many since before the beginning of the school year. So far only very big-name draws, such as David Sedaris, have managed to sell out beforehand.

Vowell has a new book coming out in spring of next year that is reportedly titled Unfamiliar Fishes. The Lisner Auditorium website reported at first that she would be reading essays from that work, but have since issued a correction explaining that she does not plan to read from this unpublished material.

Falling Whistles speaks to GW students about child warfare

Falling Whistles, an advocacy group focused on conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, spoke to a group of college students from GW and around the area on Thursday about new initiatives in protecting Congolese citizens from the devastation of conflict resources.

The presentation, keynoted by James Stein, surrounded the story of children who were forced to fight in Congo’s ongoing civil war.

“More people have died in the war over Congo’s resources than any conflict since World War 2,” Stein said.  “When you buy a laptop or iPhone, do you really want that on your conscience?”

He noted that the history of resources in Africa has left hundreds of millions dead and a severely lagging regional economy.

“How is it that one of the most naturally rich countries in the world is being torn apart?” he asked.

With the focus on children, Stein noted that those who are too small to carry a gun are equipped with a whistle and “sent to the front lines to die.”

Thus the name Falling Whistles has taken its name.

“With Falling Whistles, their only choice is to feign death or to face it,” Stein explained.  The group has sold over 25,000 whistles to support its cause with chapters in Los Angeles and Washington DC. The group focuses on small discussion circles and gatherings to spread its word focusing mainly on youth, specifically college students.

To learn more about Falling Whistles and the conflict in Congo, visit http://www.fallingwhistles.com. 

Westboro Baptist Church Comes to GW

Students swarmed on Washington Circle to counter-protest the controversial, gay-bashing Westboro Baptist Church’s picketing of GW early this morning.

The GW Patriot sponsored the event in response to claims made on the church’s website that “parents and teachers, including college professors, are responsible for raising a generation of God-hating heathens.”

The counter-protest received sizable support from the GW student community, with over 1,800 “attending” guests for the Patriot’s Facebook event. Though the initial Hatchet report estimated the actual crowd size at 200 attendees, Patriot writer and creator of the Facebook event, Dan Keylin, claimed there were as many as 350 protesters.

Four members of the Westboro congregation casually paced the outer rim of the George Washington University Hospital side of Washington Circle with their now famous “God Hates Fags” signs, while passionate students took to the Patriot’s designated protesting space, on the Northern half of the of the circle, with signs attacking the church members’ anti-gay sentiments. One protestor wandered the crowd dressed in a Jesus getup and held a “No I Don’t” sign to counter the Westboro slogan.

Despite the occasional cry of “You suck!” or “Go back to Kansas!” the crowd was relatively tame.

Westboro’s picketers smiled while flashing their signs to passing cars and zealous protesters. They even sang a version of pop star Lady Gaga’s single, “Telephone,” replacing the outspoken gay rights advocate’s words with their own lyrics.

The event ran without incident, ending with a raucous send off of "Na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye" as the church members left Washington Circle for their Veteran's Day protest at Arlington National Cemetery.

-Joseph Rabinowitz

National Press Club Hosts Annual Book Fair

On Tuesday evening, the National Press Club hosted its 33rd Annual Book Fair and Author’s Night at the Ballroom of the National Press Club building. Among the participating authors were Captain Chesley “Sully” B. Sullenberger, the ‘Miracle of the Hudson’ Pilot; former Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham; and authors of the New York Times bestseller Game Change, Mark Halperin and John Heilemann.

The event served as a fundraiser for The SEED Foundation, an organization that helps prepare students for a successful college experience at high-performing public schools in D.C. and Maryland. Specifically, the event raised money for books at the school library at SEED’s Maryland campus. Among the primary sponsors of the event were Amtrak and The Hill.

Diane Rehm, a radio talk show host on National Public Radio (NPR), chaired the event. Over ninety writers participated in signing books and speaking to readers during the three hour event. The books at the fundraiser were provided by Barnes and Noble Booksellers.

Cultural Immersion Exhibition Grand Opening in Smith 102

This Tuesday students flocked to Smith 102 to see the grand opening of the Cultural Immersion Exhibition. The exhibit is a part of the deans seminar “The Art of the Exhibition”, though the art put up was brought in from all over the art department, graduate and undergraduate students alike.

As implied by the title, the exhibit seeks to highlight art capturing another culture, thus presenting the blend of cultures in DC as a blend of cultures in the art. The art displayed comes from all over the world, ranging from pictures of Honduras at midnight to the art of middle school students in India. The art form similarly broad, having watercolor, photography, film, wood carving, and more.

As students came into the premier they were given guides to the art, with the artist’s statements of their work and the declaration of purpose of the exhibit. The room quickly filled with curious patrons soon the room stuffed with students looking over the art and eating the complimentary cultural food.

Before students left, they were invited to create a small piece of art for a greater collage, titled “What does culture mean to you”. All the works are put on the wall to illustrate the range of culture at GW. The exhibit is open until November 19th and GW students are invited to go explore it.

Rove Speaks At CR Event

Karl Rove, Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff under former President George W. Bush, told the College Republicans on Friday that this year's elections were a referendum from independent voters on current president Barack Obama's policies.

Rove spoke to the College Republicans at a private event held at the Jack Morton Auditorium about the results of Tuesday's midterm elections, and what they showed about the college-age demographic.

Rove explained the results of Tuesday’s elections by providing statistics about the voting electorate, by ideology, age, and issues. Rove claimed that in the 2008 elections, the turnout among young voters aged 18 to 24 years old was 12 percent, while this past Tuesday, turnout for the same demographic was 11 percent. He also stated that more individuals from the 18-to-24-year-old age demographic voted Republican on Tuesday than in 2008.

A VIP meet-and-greet reception with Rove was held before the event for members of the College Republicans who had campaigned for local Republican candidates and volunteered with College Republicans' events throughout the last few months.

In a question and answer session moderated by the College Republicans Vice Chairman Will Frey, Rove reminisced on his years as a College Republican. He said it was a memorable experience where he traveled the country, meeting future legislators such as Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Rove campaigned throughout the South to become National Chairman of the College Republicans.

Rove promoted his book, Courage and Consequence, at the event by signing copies and often alluding to a few chapters during his speaking engagement.

Dominic Tierney Speaks to Elliot School about the American way of War

We love to fight, but we hate to clean up. This was the message derived from keynote speaker Dominic Tierney in his lecture on American thought on war surrounding his new book “How We Fight: Crusades, Quagmires and The American Way of War.” Tierney, a political science professor at Swarthmore College, described our addiction to regime change yet our disgust of nation building conflict.

Looking back at our “great wars” such as the Civil War, and World War 2, Tierney pointed out that, though multiples more people died, and there were many more civilian deaths, the United States found huge support for the troops. He contrasted this to our “dark wars” in countries such as Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines that led to massive public rejection and disgust. Why? Because, all of the ”dark wars” consisted of the United States attempt to implement democracy or, in other words, attempting to build nations. Tierney argued that Americans need a defined enemy and a clear plan, which becomes increasingly difficult when the enemy is the diplomatic target.

Former GWU President to Serve on Gray Transition Team

After an unsurprising victory in the DC mayoral election Tuesday, Mayor-Elect Vincent Gray unveiled his transition team today and included a name familiar to many GWU Students: Stephen Joel Trachtenberg.

Trachtenberg, the predecessor to current GWU president Steven Knapp, was selected alongside the president of the DC Chamber of Commerce, Barbara Lang, to advise the Mayor-Elect on issues of economic development. The pair were instructed to immediately address the District's soaring unemployment.

Trachtenberg, now 73, was the 15th president of the university from 1988 to 2007.

The 5th Avenue Deli: ‘Clean,’ ‘High Quality’ Food from a Friendly Face

A Lifelong Businessman Faces the Challenge of his Career Operating a Kosher Deli
“I was a businessman in my retirement,” said owner Fred Boldaji, “but they called me up and offered me a challenge.”

Three years ago the George Washington University didn’t have a kosher restaurant on campus. Even today, many students still don’t know the 5th Avenue Deli exists.

“Jewish kids come by and say ‘we didn’t know you were here,’” Boldaji explained.

But things are changing for the solely certified kosher restaurant on campus.

“We started off slow, but we’re doing better and better each month,” the owner stated.

The strategy is simple: if one person has a good experience, Jewish or not, kosher or not, he or she will come back.

Hundreds of Thousands Gather For "Rally to Restore Sanity"

Over two hundred thousand people gathered this Saturday at the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear", a rally hosted by John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. People came from all over the country to see the comedians put on a show in which they ribbed modern journalists and politicians while satirically arguing with each other. The show itself was apolitical, however, many political protesters demonstrated in the crowd and around the rally, especially at the Fox News truck.

Solid blocks of people stretched back along the national mall, far beyond the jumbo-trons set up for viewers. People at the back of the crowd were forced to strain their ears to try to hear the performance. GW freshmen Jim Crudele describes that he could "barely hear, from the distance and the ambulances that drove through the crowd every ten minutes". Even so, the crowd stood for hours listening to the hosts and various musical guests ranging from The Roots to Kid Rock.

The crowd, though mostly just normal audience members, was dotted with those dressed up or carrying signs. These people ranged from absurdest to political, with signs about tights not being pants and legalization of marijuana standings side by side. But as a whole, the event remained non-partisan with most costumes being just for fun.

As comical as the event was, it ended on a more serious note, with Stewart articulating the need for taking media with a grain of salt and embracing bipartisanship. After two more musical numbers, the crowd began to disperse, entertained, but sore after hours of standing crowded against each other to hear a message of sanity.