EarthFest [What You Missed]

This past Saturday was EarthFest a large scale event on campus with low attendance. The event, promoting Earth Day and conservation went off on a very nice day, complete with sun and fairly good weather.

I was there filming for ConnectMason, so if you saw the guy with the big camera, that was me.

There were great performances by Colin Healy and the Jetskis, Shapiro, The Speaks, Square Trio, Everyone But Pete, BOB, and Mambo Sauce

The event's activity highlight was an organic pie-eating contest along with a few stands and vendors all along the SUB1 Quad center-walkway.

The event was also notable for its speakers. First came the enthusiastic Gerry Connolly, whose speech was short. However, it was notable in that (and I don't think anyone was listening, otherwise there would have been some serious discomfort) Connolly essentially stated that any damage to the environment caused by Bush was was Nader's fault, because it was Nader who gave Bush the election in Florida.

Next came Nader himself, a bitter ghost of a man. He appeared after lurking in the corner and signing books and took the podium to talk about his standard fare. He had a spooky bit about how our lives are being taken over by screens and that we all spent too much time on our cell phones. As I said, the guy looked and sounded like a creep.

Thankfully the aged Nader was both preceded and followed by some great music by local bands. The event was worthwhile to attend if only for their great performances.

Here's the slideshow I built for ConnectMason for some photos from me and another student and some of the music.

EarthFest and Admissions [Photos]

There was plenty to do this weekend, but the two biggest events were the sunny EarthFest (except for Nader's perpetually gloomy disposition) and the hundreds of accepted students who pushed through the rain into Sunday's admissions event. Oh, and it was Passover too.

EarthFest [Sponsors]

The event of the day is EarthFest, running from 2 to 10 p.m. in the SUB1 Quad.

This event, supporting the planet during Earth Week, includes plenty of green activities to salve your conscience while you up the noise pollution with a line-up of good music, including:

Colin Healy and the Jetskis

Shapiro

The Speaks

Square Trio

Everyone But Pete

BOB

Mambo Sauce

Oh, and don't forget, Ralph Nader is showing up to have his say too.

Join the Facebook group!

Interested in making your event a sponsored event? You get a blog post and a special notation on our blog's Google Calendar! Contact us, and see your name in the GMU Round-up.

Weekend Round-up: Bringing Music to the Earth

By Student Media Freelancer Aram Zucker-Scharff, GMU Event Roundup

This weekend's biggest event is EarthFest, but that's not the only music on campus for the next three days. As the semester comes to an end, you have the opportunity to hear some of Mason's finest music majors and their professors perform in their student recitals. Look below to see the ones on-campus.  While on the subject of student creations: don't forget the Uber Film Festival, on the Cinema Series this weekend.

Friday (Apr. 18)

• Amanda Cook Plays Flute [Music] - 3 p.m. @ Harris Theatre - Student Amanda Cook is playing for free, support her and take some time out of the day to stop by this student recital.


• Gospel According to the Simpsons [Campus Ministries] - 3 p.m. @ JC 3rd Floor, Room C - The GMU Lutherans watch another episode of the Simpsons to discuss. Bring your lunch, a copy of the book is not required.


• Baseball v. James Madison [Athletics] - 3 to 5 p.m. @ Spuhler Field - Mason students free with an ID. Root for our team as they go toe to toe, or bat to bat, with JMU.


• Uber Film Festival [Cinema] - 6 and 9 p.m. @ JC Cinema - Mason's student film festival. Students enter twenty minute short films to be judged by professors and peers. Creative Mason students stand out in this event, it is not to be missed. If you miss it tonight, check it out Saturday night.


• Candid Yak [Lit] - 8 to 10 p.m. @ Prose House, Fairfax - Normally I wouldn't line up an off-campus event, but Prose House isn't too far, and I am a sucker for literary events. Candid Yak is the student reading series for Mason's MFA Creative Writing students. If you have the time to check it out, it should be a good time.


• Spring Concert [Dance] - 8 to 10 p.m. @ Harris Theatre - See Mason students perform! If you miss it Friday, same time Saturday.


• Live Music [EFF] - 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. @ JC Atrium - This should be a live music slot for EFF, but I'm not sure what is happening, the website still has this session marked as TBA.

 

Saturday (Apr. 19)

• Baseball v. James Madison [Athletics] -2 p.m. @ Spuhler Field - Mason students free with an ID. Root for our team as they go toe to toe, or bat to bat, with JMU.


• Spring Ball v. Radford [Athletics] - 2 p.m. @ Robinson Field - Mason's footballers take on Radford in this week's big game.


• EarthFest [Student Media] - 1 to 10 p.m. @ SUB1 Quad - The biggest event this weekend, EarthFest brings you plenty of good music, free stuff, and Ralph Nader. This event may be 'unsafe at any speed,' but it lets your inner-Earth show through. Check it out. 


• Steak Night at Ciao Hall [Dining] - 4:30 to 8 p.m. @ Ciao Hall - For those of you Ciao Hall aficionados, tonight is the night you eat real meat! 


• Gamma Phi Beta Casino Night [Greek] - 7 to 10 p.m. @ Bistro - This is your opportunity to gamble on campus all night long, and no matter what happens, everyone wins. Money from the event goes to the charities Campfire USA and Children's Hospital. Even better, there's a chance at the grand prize - an 8gig iPod Touch.

 

Sunday (Apr. 20)

• Yard Fest 2008 [Admissions] - 1 to 4 p.m. @ SUB1 Quad - Spring Preview meets Student Orgs. Come to support your student groups, leave with free stuff.


• Chamber Music [Music] - 3 to 5 p.m. @ Harris Theatre - Free to students, the music department brings you the GMU Chamber Ensembles for a great set of music.


• Second Night Passover Seder [Jewish] - 6 to 8 p.m. @ SUB2 Ballroom - Celebrate Passover with Hillel! Now is the time to check out what Passover food can be beyond the matzah. Don't forget to RSVP right away.


• Katara Wright Plays Viola [Music] - 6 p.m. @ Concert Hall, Grand Tier III - Student Katara Wright is playing for free, support her and take some time out of the day to stop by this student recital.


• Faculty Artist Series [Music] - 7 p.m. @ Harris Theatre - Anna Balakerskaia and Friends play for all at Harris Theatre. Check out this faculty performance. 


• Jesse Guessford Faculty Recital [Music] - 8 p.m. @ JC Cinema - Jesse Guessford shows off his composition to all. Stop by and lend an ear. 

WGMU Rocks the Bistro [Sponsors]

Today's event of note is WGMU Rocks the Bistro. Mason's radio station brings local performers and more to JC's Bistro.

Students should check out the event and be prepared to rock hard.

Join the Facebook group!

Interested in making your event a sponsored event? You get a blog post and a special notation on our blog's Google Calendar! Contact us, and see your name in the GMU Round-up.

GMU Mid-Week Roundup: Elections Week (4/15 - 4/16)

By Student Media Freelancer Aram Zucker-Scharff, from GMU Events Round-Up.

The highlight of this week is the student government election. But just because you must finally pick a candidate (Don't forget to check your e-mail for the link to vote!) doesn't mean you can't be having fun as well.

 

Tuesday (Apr. 15)

• Innovations - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. @ Dewberry Hall - The Innovations celebration returns to showcase the best and the brightest at George Mason University.


• Résumé Clinic [Arlington] - 3 to 4:30 p.m. @ Truland Building, Room 530 - The Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution brings Arlington students the opportunity to polish those résumés.


• Research Workshop I [Writing Center] - 3 to 4:30 p.m. @ Robinson Hall, Room A114 - "How to Evaluate, Document, and Cite Sources." Got some free time? This workshop will get you in-shape for those end-of-the-semester essays.


• Sophia Bass Performs [Tuesday Jams] - 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. @ JC Jazzman's Café - This Indie/Acoustic/Pop singer, born in Fairfax, Va., is an original composer with experience in Classical, Jazz, and Latin composition.  "Sophia Bass won First Place for Rock and Second Place for Pop in the 2007 Mid Atlantic Song Contest by the Songwriters Association of Washington." Her tunes are soft but strong, and full of melody. But don't take my word for it, check out her MySpace page.


• SHADYA [Project Nur] [Arlington] - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. @ Truland Building, Room 555 - "Muslim Girl, Israeli Citizen, World Karate Champion." Director Ron Westler's movie about Israeli Arab Shadya Zoabi's coming-of-age. Concludes with a dialogue on the challenges that Arab Feminists face, moderated by Manar Fawakhry.


• WGMU Rocks the Bistro [Student Media] - 9 to 11 p.m. @ Bistro - WGMU, Mason's radio station, brings local performers to you in this third installment of Rocks the Bistro.

 

Wednesday (Apr. 16)

• VT Memorial and Ribbon Ceremony [SGA] - 7 to 9 a.m. @ George Mason Statue/SUB1 Quad/North Plaza - April 16 is the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting. Student Government is leading a number of remembrance events on Wednesday, starting at the George Mason statue and eventually spreading out to the North Plaza and SUB1 Quad.


• Tire Inflation Day - 7:30 to 10 a.m. @ Research I on York River Road - Have your car tires checked for pressure and wear and let TireVan technicians perform the necessary patches. This event is open to all faculty, staff and students.


• Virginia Tech Remembrance [SGA] - 12 p.m. @ JC Atrium - This event will feature speakers President Alan Merten and SG President Drew Shelnutt. It will also have a moment of silence and an opportunity to sign a pledge against violence.


• Film: Kite Runner [PW] - 12 to 5 p.m. @ Verizon Auditorium - Prince William presents the film Kite Runner. Free popcorn!


• Research Workshop II [Writing Center] - 12:30 to 2 p.m. @ Robinson Hall, Room A114 - "Summarizing, Quoting and Paraphrasing" Got some free time? This second workshop will also get you in-shape for those end-of-the-semester essays.


• Softball - Mason v. Georgetown [Athletics] - 3 p.m. @ George Mason Stadium - "Game 1 of a doubleheader. $5; $2; Mason students free w/ID."


• Softball - Mason v. Georgetown [Athletics] - 5 p.m. @ George Mason Stadium - "Game 2 of a doubleheader. $5; $2; Mason students free w/ID."


• Mason Modern Music Ensemble [Music] - 8 p.m. @ Concert Hall Grand Tier III - M3E performs modern music for the masses.

 

Thursday (Apr. 16)

• College Republicans v. College Democrat [SA] - 12 to 1:30 p.m. @ JC Atrium - The CDs and the CRs face off over the War in Iraq, Illegal Immigration, Taxes, United Nations, Social Issues, Healthcare and Gun Control.


• Research Workshop III [Writing Center] - 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. @ Robinson Hall, Room A114 - "Making your Research Paper Flow." Got some free time? This third workshop will also get you in-shape for those end-of-the-semester essays.


• The Three Villages of the Hidden Fortress [Cinema Series] [Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month]- 6 p.m. @ JC Cinema - Free to students, check out Akira Kurosawa's award winning story of two greedy peasants, a princess and a general. You may recognize elements of the plot, as George Lucas cited it as an inspiration for Star Wars.


• Grad Student Social [PW] - 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. @ Bull Run Hall Atrium, 2nd Floor - Join fellow Grad Students at Prince William.


• Search for Chametz [Jewish] - 7 p.m. @ SUB1 - "A campus-wide scavenger hunt and free pizza." The Jewish Student Association kicks off the Passover season by taking the traditional hunt for leavened bread and taking it campus wide.


• CSI Night [AdJ] - 7:20 p.m. @ SUBII, Room 5 - "Experience the reality of crime scene investigation through graphic presentations of cases and lab equipment by Fairfax County Police Detectives." Sounds good enough to skip SPIKE's regular CSI mini-marathons.


• Spring Concert [Dance] - 8 to 10 p.m. @ Harris Theatre - See Mason's students dance.


• Margot at the Wedding [Cinema Series] - 9 p.m. @ JC Cinema - No joke, the plot keyword for this movie on IMDB is "Bare Breasts." Beyond that the plot is apparently about a wedding and family secrets. Notable actors include Nicole Kidman and Jack Black.