Um, so why are we partying in Lauinger?

My fellow students,

These are sobering times at Georgetown. After the first weekend, campus is full of stories of write-ups and broken up parties. This is not the Georgetown I left in the Fall.

You heard the new alcohol policy here first. Well, perhaps you didn't, but it was up on the blog pretty quickly. After being announced in campus newspapers, the administration has yet to make public the full details of the plan. VP of Student Safety Todd Olson just sent out an email regarding party registration, to start October 1. For more information, see our previous post: New Alcohol Policy.

In spite of not making all of the details public, RAs are enforcing the rules of which we know not. For example, last night a house, in which all residents and guests were over the age of 21 was written up for having a beer pong table: now not allowed and classified under "Alcohol Paraphernalia."

Students are tolerating the ubiquitous party breakups, hoping that the administration is attempting to make a strong first impression, and then slacken as the year continues.

One may wonder as to the origin of these various rules. All were part of last year's new policy process and open for discussion, however student outrage/dissent was focused on the infamous keg ban and overlooked these minor but essential parts of parties.

There is one refuge for parties on campus; naturally it is Lauinger Library. A usual hotspot of the Georgetown party scene (for those needing to evacuate their bowels...), The Joseph P. Lauinger Library, named after alumni and Vietnam War hero (his name is on the Memorial), will now be dubbed "Club Lau."

Hott.

Its been so long

. . . since last we posted. The frenzy of the summer/schoolyear transition is upon us, and OAs are EVERYWHERE shouting the fight song. Not that we don't enjoy a little Holy Cross/Princeton- bashing every now and again, if you need a musical break as much as we do, check out a (brief) musical tour of DC, complete with mp3s, here.

Completely Useless Vocab:

Slip some of these words into conversation to impress your friends or get the girl of your dreams:*

Camouflush: (n.) The unnecessary flushing of a public restroom toilet to mask embarrassing bodily sounds.

Deltiologist: (n.) One who collects postcards

Elecelleration: (n.) The mistaken notion that the more you press an elevator button the faster it will arrive

Lopelooker: (n.) One who pauses to watch their envelope fall into the mailbox before leaving

Passhole: (n.) The person who has been driving slowly for miles but speeds up the minute one tries to get ahead of him.

*The G Spot takes no responsibility for the loss of friends and/or prospective significant-others due to the use of the above vocab words.

The New Alcohol Policy

We're not sure that the University has announced the new alcohol policy yet, but The G Spot discovered a copy and thinks the entire student body should know their new limits prior to the year starting.

There have been several major changes to the alcohol policy which could catch festive Hoyas unawares.

1. No Alcohol Paraphernalia - This includes everything from beer pong (beirut, whatever...) tables to empty handles on display. But note that if the occupants of an apartment are over 21, they are allowed two (2) empty handles on display. Any more would be excessive. This also leads to the debate, what constitutes a beer pong/beirut table? As we know well, many beer pong tables are simply wiped off to become breakfast or dinner tables. What was agreed upon is that any tables caught mid-game are write-up-able. Also, there are certain tables where their purpose is just not in doubt (in the table to the right the cup spaces are marked by Georgetown 'G's - G spots, if you will).


2. Party Registration - will actually be enforced this year. Any person wanting to host a party will be required to attend Party Training. Though a good thought by the University to help students regulate their own parties, the training will hardly ever pay off. The size and composition of a party is rarely decided by the hosts. Also, RAs (which will now be present for Henle, Village A, Village B) will have to patrol registered parties throughout the night. This is supposed to be a friendly encounter, the RA just stopping by to check up on things. Yay. Don't worry, though; when this was announced to the new RAs, many cringed, not wanting to interrupt the festivities.
3. Beer Funnels - Ah, this last vestige of primitive alcoholic fun will too be disseminated by the new regulations. Beer funnels are not allowed for anyone in University housing. The rules are unclear as to if funnels and plastic tubing, as separate entities, are treated differently...

Being written up three times due to the aforementioned sanctions is grounds for housing probation or suspension. Aw...shit. Be aware, be vigilant. And separate the funnel from the tubing.

Thoughts? Add a comment to this post; it's quick, easy, and if you need it to be, anonymous.

Killing Time Online 101

If a half hour per week of Entourage is not a fix for the Hollywood insider that lives inside of you, try ew.com. Sure ew.com is available to the masses, but it's fairly detailed write-up of deals in the works as well as entertainment that's already been produced. The TV Watch writers (who review each week's episode of TV's best shows) are obsessive about reading comments. Write something insightful and they'll probably cite you in their next post.
Without the site's help you might miss out on shows like "Fat March": a group of obese people trek from Boston to DC, and each win $100,000 if they all cross the finish line. Best to stay in tune with these developments.

Calm like a bomb

The only thing worse than yesterday's 102 degree weather was being stuck in long Metro lines on the Red Line due to suspicious packages. Thankfully, your correspondent was not. Dupont Circle, Woodley Park and Cleveland Park stations were all closed during the hottest commute of the year. While it is becoming routine to have bomb scares and threats in this quintessential terrorist target, there are steps the Metro Area Transit Authority can take to assure a quicker and safer commute, no matter how many cardboard boxes are forgotten on the train.

A cost-effective solution is to buy a robotic bomb-exploder for each station. Automatic External Defibrillators have become standard for medical emergencies; WMATA should take the next step and put safety in the hands of the people as well. Locked inside a glass box, the bomb-exploders would be available for use whenever a suspicious package is found. And of course, commuters would use them for good, never for evil. There are positive externalities of incorporating bomb-exploders as a standard. Current Metro employees are notorious for not caring about the Metro. I sympathize, because such a job cannot be exciting and holds little satisfaction. Now add "blowing up shit" to the job description and watch productivity, and bad-assedness, improve.

How to be a real person: Saving Your Money the Smart Way

So you got a job mostly to keep up with your social life, but somehow managed to save a little. While you may be content letting that money sit in you Chevy Chase checking account, think again. Even if you aren't raking in tons of dough, it might be a good idea to check into a high yield savings account.

Most banks are perfectly content to let your hard-earned savings collect dust instead of interest, but that doesn't mean you should be. Setting up a high yield account is a quick and easy way to earn up to 5.3 % interest (***according to current rates... they change, you see). It's also much easier than dealing with complicated money market accounts or constraining CDs (Certificates of Deposits).

So if you're not quite up to playing the markets or picking out mutual funds, check out the online savings accounts like Emigrant Direct or research the best rates for yourself on BankRate.com. The APY (Annual Percent Yield) is what really concerns you on these ratings. Online banks eliminate the overhead of other "brick and mortar" institutions, allowing them to hike interest rates well above the traditional bank's reach. Interest is still compounded daily, and credited monthly, just like your home bank.

Make sure there isn't a minimum or any limits on the number of times you can transfer funds per month. These online savings accounts can link directly to your original checking account for easy transfers.

Don't let the cobwebs cover you cash stash.



Disclaimer: The G Spot is not affiliated with any banks, nor does it take responsibility for losses that may be incurred by following its suggestions. Research wisely.

Getting a degree in International Studies?

. . . knowing the location of the nearest IHOP is a requirement for graduation. Actually, you'll probably need to know this just to maintain credibility as a college student at all.

Previously, this had a required prerequisite course of Map of the Modern World - and even that may not have been enough. I've heard of not one, but two sketchy bus routes winding as much as an hour into the wilds of Virginia in search of boysenberry-syrup goodness.

But no longer.

The G Spot is proud to present: How to Get to the Nearest IHOP
1. Take the GUTS bus to Rosslyn
2. Take the orange line to Ballston
3. IHOP is right outside of the Metro stop

Not at home in DC? The IHOP Locator is in order.

Thoughts on Shots (Round Three)

Crime story comparisons seem truly de rigeur among urbanites everywhere - friends at school in bad neighborhoods brag about midday muggings on the quad - and DC is no exception to the rule of horrific one-upmanship.

At a dinner party on Capitol Hill the other night, the winning story was none of the several muggings and home invasions rattled off. It wasn't really even successful. . .

A group of residents were having a small gathering on a neighborhood porch with wine, cheese, fine spirits, and all of the necessary trappings of mildly pretentious good living in early evening when a man walked up to a porch, directed a gun at one of the attendees' heads, and demanded money from everyone. Pretty typical. Until the party-goers invited their assailant up for a drink, calmly, and repeatedly. He finally accepted one. Then he accepted another. And another. And another. And another. Twenty minutes later, the now-sloppy gunman was crying and requesting comforting hugs before he apologized and went on his way.

So, what is the moral of this story? Where DOPS, Metro, mace, and menacing male friends have failed, alchohol succeeded. I'm just waiting for Georgetown to begin plying us with the alcohol with which to ply any attackers . . .

Thoughts on Shots (Part Deux)

A recently-released CDC Morbidity and Mortality report shows that teenage binge-drinkers in the U.S. prefer liquor to beer, as it is easier for them to obtain (from parents) and conceal (from parents). Class of oh-eleven, if you are reading this, know that if such binge-drinking occurs (as it should), do so with beer, not liquor. The Beast is much easier on your wallet.

Thoughts on Shots

I am finally protected against the various frightening diseases I would probably have contracted while abroad, and I wanted to recommend the place I went to get vaccinated. It's called Passport Health and they have an office at 2021 K Street, Suite 310, not too far from DuPont Circle. Basically the process was completely streamlined. I didn't have to check in, they just called my name into the waiting room literally seconds after I arrived. They have a booklet specifically for each country, which a nurse went through with me page by page. The office was straightforward about the cost and did not push for superfluous, expensive shots. There's an office fee of $45 for the first visit only, and they give you a detailed receipt to send to the insurance company, if you can get the shots covered. As Hoyas are often found studying in and travelling to exotic destinations, I thought this might be useful.

--

OIP would do well to find the g-spot

How should I phrase a letter to a professor who has most likely forgotten that she agreed to fill out a study abroad evaluation for me? I have a certain talent for apologizing in an effective, sincere way, but I have no idea how to gently tell someone when she has probably made a mistake. Should I assume that she remembers agreeing to do this, and just wants to wait until closer to the due date to fill out the form? Too Pollyanna-ish a view, and therefore risky. Alternatively I could remind her why I needed it done early and go through the logistics, assuming that she still cares. This whole letter is going to take on a terribly assuming tone if she has no memory of who I am, but I don't want to offend her by assuming she needs to be reminded. Can I discretely insert a picture and a seating chart with my usual desk highlighted?

The truth is, the evaluation form is too short to be meaingful but still a logistical hassle for professors who could be doing more valuable things, like writing full recommendations for students who actually need to prove something. Recommendations should be optional for non-competitive programs -- a useful tool for students who think that their letter grades do not reflect their actual academic potential. If OIP moves quickly on this initiative, I may not have to mail this letter at all.

Changes Afoot at the City Paper

The New York Times is, for the first time in its history shrinking to the physical size of, say, USA Today, losing some of its swollen width and coverage, if none of its swollen ego.

Rupert Murdoch has just purchased the Wall Street Journal, heralding a new and thrilling era in dry reporting on futures.

And now that I've filled you in . . . I want you to forget all of this mostly useless information. The upheavals in newspaper publishing most vital to the Hilltop are certainly those underway at our own City Paper.

First, however, an introduction to the Washington City Paper seems in order. Available at the Leavey Center as well as at the odd Starbucks, buzzing hotspot, or streetcorner, the paper is an independent weekly publication associated with the Chicago Reader. It is also probably the paper best suited to college students, and those who still wish they were - recent cover stories include tips on screwing your landlord, a sentiment clearly popular here at the G Spot.

The features are better yet: a weekly roundup of suits against the city, the News of the Weird, invaluable schedules of all the imaginable goings on, and - my favorite - Savage Love. This last is the syndicated sex-advice column of the only man I'd really trust to locate the G Spot without fail, Dan Savage, and if you really can't be bothered to leave your computer to pick up the paper, you should still check it out here. From the way that this summary has veered wildly into the realm of adoring review, its probably pretty obvious how much I enjoy it, and equally unnecessary to formally recommend it to you . . .

That said, there is (possibly) trouble brewing in paradise - or if not trouble, advertising increases. The once truly independent paper and its Chicagoan counterpart were purchased by the Creative Loafing group in late July. The group already owns papers in four mid-sized U.S. cities and there is some speculation that with this most recent purchase, it is looking to challenge the Village Voice empire, which is basically the Goliath of the indie newspaper world. Come to think of it, the Goliath of the indie newspaper world would probably not look very Goliath-like at all.

To that competitive end, changes have already been made to the Reader - including the outsourcing of production and consolidation of material. Changes to the City Paper can't be far behind.

The final verdict on the changes? David Bowie would be proud . . . and I'll probably be happy just so long as the Suit Yourself column continues to make DC politics seem nearly as corrupt as Marion Barry has managed to. Though the curmudgeon in me will still have to object on principle, of course.

Upon My Return from Vittles Run No. 2 of the Day . . .

Darnall elevators, midmorning.

Girl 1: So we're going to Safeway tonight, right?
Girl 2: Yeah, but I'm hungry now. We should probably drink some tea to fill up.
Girl 1: Ugh. You should never go grocery shopping hungry. You'll just buy a ton of food.
Girl 2: You're right. Tea isn't enough. We should have a little spinach.

Second-Guessing Study Abroad

In 53 days (I just counted) I embark on my journey to the illustrious Great Britain, land of bad teeth and dry pastries. My future began to take shape just under a year ago when I attended a mandatory "meeting of interest" for my designated program in September of my sophomore year. September. Sophomore year. Jesus Christ. This so-called meeting of interest created an unstoppable momentum that leads me to where I am now: 53 days from studying abroad for an entire year in Great Britain. Two weeks after the meeting, I was choosing potential courses of study and writing essays on how each course would further my overall academic goal for a program I had yet to be accepted into. For which I had yet to apply to! The wheels kept turning and I got swept away with it. To take time for considering whether this is what I wanted would come later when deadlines weren't nipping at my heels.

Now I'm at Georgetown for the summer clinging to familiarities and memories as if I'll never come back. While I know that the opportunity to study abroad at a top world university is an immense privilege, I can't help be feel like I was pushed into it all without the opportunity to really consider my options. It feels similar to the decision to attend college, not really a decision at all. With approximately 50% of Hoyas also choosing to study abroad, I assumed I would be one of them and now I'm trapped in a current that sends me off for an entire year. "Are you excited???" I reply a obligatory, "Yeah." And I am, but I'm also scared and nervous. OIP doesn't prepare you for the toll that studying abroad takes on relationships with girlfriends or boyfriends or even friends.

The OIP has many flaws, as we've discussed before, but I'd say rushing students onto a seemingly irreversible course to study abroad is among its worst. It might be criminally cheesy to discuss issues of leaving boyfriends or girlfriends or being homesick for Georgetown at an information session, but maybe it's what we need. It might be what I need. I'm not sure... cynics have complaints, not solutions. "Cheers."

Boutique Government Relations Firm Seeks "Lloyd"

Yet another Entourage – Craiglist list connection, this time not leading to any furry lovin’ (...unless you want it to). If you are an organized, gay, Asian fashionista seeking employment, check out this post: Boutique Government Relations Firm Seeks "Lloyd".

We're not even going to comment on Lloyd's invasion into the D.C. employment scene; We'll leave that to you.

Crooked Landlords:101

It’s a Hoya rite of passage to leave the (dis)comforts of on-campus housing for the freedom of a townhouse in Burleith or West Georgetown. And while being free from DoPS and resident directors is a major bonus, Hoyas often realize that landlords aren’t much of a step up.

Georgetown landlords are notorious for screwing over student tenants. It’s a fact of life. You sign the lease and the landlord takes your soul (or at least your down payment... good luck getting that back). For some reason, these property owners feel that it is perfectly acceptable to rob poor students dry.

What seems unfair to me is the number of people who pay a sizeable down payment and then never see a dime of it returned when their lease is up. My guess is that the big bad landlord thinks that stupid college kids won’t know to fight it. Translation: an easy buck.

Luckily for us, there are a few select students fighting their way through the legal system as I write this...fighting not so much for the money but to show the cash-hungry owners that they can’t always get away with it.

Here’s some good advice for those who plan on signing a lease in the near future. Remember that a lease is a binding legal contract, but certain clauses that often appear in our leases just aren’t so legal.



“Tenant will pay all attorney and court fees”—No way. That’s up to the judge to decide.

“Waiver of duty to repair”—Nice try, Slick. The landlord can never ask for the tenants to pay for maintenance or upkeep of housing codes.

Waiver of liability (meaning the Landlord takes no financial responsibility in the event of damage or events requiring insurance)—False. Especially not if caused by negligence on their part.

“Waiver of right to a trial by jury”—Not happening. Although some contracts can force binding mediation, a lease in DC cannot.



Basically, there are a lot of scum-bag landlords out there waiting to take advantage of the naive Georgetown student. Don’t be that Hoya. Play it smart and make sure you back all your claims and leases so your landlord knows that you mean business, and keep the G Spot posted on how that works out for you.

Recess! ... postponed

When I came to Georgetown, I wanted an internship on the Hill. But I soon became lazy, and the prospect of a long metro ride was too daunting for me to leave my room. Therefore I blog.

Today, to make up for my past sloth, I did take the Capitol tour. And you know what? I wasn't impressed. Government kinda sucks.

Though the statues of dead Americans are rather impressive (especially look for the statue of King Kameamea, seen at right, who is, one might remark, quite gilded), all anyone goes to see is the House in session. And in session it was. Ish.

Today was supposed to be the last day before August recess (think 3rd-grade Ted Kennedy being beaten at tetherball by a demonic pre-pubescent Hillary), disputes in the House over a malfunctional voting machine caused the session to spill over until tomorrow. When my tour group finally entered the Gallery of the House, we were witness to a fight nearly as spectacular as the fabled Lincoln-Douglass or The Devil and Daniel Webster conflicts.

Instead though, a Republican "gentleman from Michigan" sought to end the frivolity that is our representative republic and go home. Upon his motion, many bald Democrats (and several haired ones) strongly voiced their "Nays."

And then it was time to go home. For me at least; Congress has at best another day.

Interning ... on M St.

As a Georgetown student, there's some pressure to intern. Joe Hoya asks, "What are you doing this summer?" Jane Hoya responds, "Oh, I'm interning." Good answer. It's the only answer to give, if you ask me, with the exceptions of a.) traveling or b.) doing a summer program/taking summer classes. Notice that these exceptions require a few grand of your parents money. Are you purposely sabotaging your resume? Just working retail or just working at a camp doesn't seem to cut it anymore, because Harvard Law isn't impressed that you managed to sell a $300 winter coat in July. Should they be... just a little?

I'm one of many Hoyas straddling the line of interning and working retail. When people ask me what I'm doing this summer, I tell them I'm interning and working retail... to pay the rent. Always say to pay the rent. Don't leave that out. The internship is supposed to be the glamorous foray into white collar work while retail is the blue collar labor you're going to college to avoid. It's almost scary for me to say it... but I think in retrospect, I enjoyed the retail more. And no, it wasn't the people (I work alone). I just liked it more. I could wear comfortable clothes and walk around when I felt like it and was surrounded by stimulating, brightly-colored clothes. It's possible that I'm overly cynical to think that fellow Hoyas frown upon retail, but it's true that to just work retail for the summer casts an ominous shadow on your future as a real person in the real world. Even so, I'm happy with my time on the (in)famous M Street. "Have a nice day."

G-UNIT

Of all my neurotic fears (earwigs, botulism, and zombies to name a few), being held-up at knife/gunpoint while walking home from East Campus at night is looking to be one of the more legitimate ones. Carrying a decoy wallet around is getting pretty annoying, so I've compiled a list of possible solutions to Georgetown's security dilemma.

Vigilantism
Georgetown University Neighborhood Intervention Task-force would be an elite security team run by students who are brave enough to volunteer. GUNIT would patrol the campus at night in groups of two, armed with bear mace and full body armor. Sniper units would be stationed on the rooftops of Village A, LXR, Healy Hall, Henle Village, and St. Mary's Hall to provide cover for ground units with rubber bullets. GUNIT would also provide walk-alongs and armored transport for people who can't wait for 45 minutes on hold with Safe Rides. I'm currently researching D.C.'s statutes regarding citizen arrest procedures but GUNIT would probably just end up temporarily detaining suspects until DPS or Metro can arrive on scene. I'm also entertaining the idea of a K-9 unit.

Security Cameras
It shouldn't be too hard to have a few security cameras in strategic locations around campus, especially considering certain areas seem especially prone to crime *cough* Lauinger steps *cough*. This might also help DPS reconstruct crimes while they canvas the area with negative results.

Bear Traps
Everywhere.

DPS Upgrade
DPS officers might not be afraid to patrol places like Lauinger steps or Prospect street if they had some form of self-defense on them like Mace or a police baton. The incident in the Fall of last year where several DPS officers were assaulted was disgraceful. If DPS officers are expected to keep us safe, they need to be able to do something to criminals besides sit on them until Metro arrives. I'm not proposing giving them guns but non-lethal weapons seem to be the only solution if DPS officers are expected to defend students against armed robbers. DPS has the legal right to arrest someone through the power vested in them through Metro, so I think they should have some force to back up that threat. I'm not going to go on for too long complaining about DPS since there's a new head of Public Safety; I'll give him some time to get DPS' act together before starting a petition for upgraded DPS officers.

Let me know what you guys think. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Shit's Getting Real

Okay, so maybe it's nothing like last summer's 14 murders in 13 days, but yesterday's DPS Public Safety Alert is beginning to freak me out again. I have been scared of the Library steps ever since my first weekend at Georgetown, when I first noticed the creepy owl sitting in the tree. And the Steps have betrayed their country on more than one occasion, most notably being where Confederate troops were able to breach the walls and clear out the Union barracks on campus (don't believe the first part, I made that up).

So I wasn't too surprised to hear of three student interns getting mugged there. But the Steps, however sinister they are, are a part of campus and should be a safe haven for Hoyas...and even the non-GU interns here over the summer. Though it seems simple, many such incidents could be avoided with more lighting on campus. That back side of Lauinger is one dark place.

The G Spot urges all Georgetown students to use the buddy system, everywhere.

OIP: Office of Inept Programs

For many Hoyas, Study Abroad has been written in our destiny since we showed up for NSO. Approximately 50% of Georgetown students will go abroad during their four year stint on the hilltop. With numbers like these, you would expect our overseas studies departments would be world class. You would be wrong. Luckily even OIP's shortcomings can't ruin it for you. I had the most amazingly experiences on my semester south of the border, but the OIP had little to do with my overall satisfaction.

My journey, like every one’s, began in the OIP resource center, poring over thick binders of poorly organized, useless information. The limitations on study abroad sites quickly produce a road block more formidable than the Great Wall of China. To add insult to injury, this is the point where you realize that “direct matriculation” does not mean you will be paying your host university’s tuition. Oh no. You still get to pay for the full $17,000 even though the University of Tanzania charges other students a whopping $500 per semester. Sound fair to you?

So you grin and bear it, you finish the application process which seems a little stressful at the time, but it’s okay. You’re done, right? Wrong again, amigo. Once you’re accepted, it’s time to prep for the trip, go to completely useless pre-departure orientations and then receive out-of-date information on visa requirements, etc. When the sheet says, “Only requires a DC background check,” it really means “This country needs to know everything you’ve ever done, including your pre-school grades (they accept nothing less than a crocodile in sharing), so go get an FBI background check like yesterday.” True story.

Your semester begins and you love the people there, everything is so new and amazing, but then you have to register for classes. Don’t expect help from the OIP when you’re confused. Instead, expect to e-mail your adviser only to find that they’re out of the country for the next two weeks. So basically, you’re on your own, suck it up.

The moral of the story is that the OIP is in need of some major reforms. Georgetown is a school renowned for the SFS and linguistic programs, yet our overseas programs are complicated, expensive and limited by bureaucracy. My closing advice: buy a big bottle of ibuprofen, because the OIP is one big pain in the…lederhosen.

Grimace and buy it

eFollett announced yesterday that textbooks are available for purchase. A cursory check shows that not all classes are accounted for, but the vast majority of books are up in the Leavey Center.

Here's a sample comparison of some of Georgetown's staple classes. Let's see how the Bookstore compares to Amazon:

Principles of MicroEconomics:
Parkin has come out with two new editions since I took that class. Must be a lot changin in the turbulent world of micro econ. The 8th Edition is $127 at the Bookstore, and a close $125 on Amazon. In the end, it's all about preferences.

Intro to IR:
While without larger textbooks, the government and history professors are known to require many smaller books (some of which sit the semester idly by) for a larger bill. GOVT-006-01 wants 4 books, totaling $181 used at the Bookstore, but $173 *new* on Amazon. How does this fit into constructivist theory? No one cares.

Orgo:
Are you one of those sophomore pre-meds that's gonna spend most of the year in the Pierce Reading Room? Then Wade's 6th Edition is right up your alley. Spend $203 at the Bookstore to buy it and the Solutions Manual used, or $133 for the same on Amazon. Oh, and do yourself a favor; don't buy the molecule model kit. You'll just spill it.

Finally, Calc II:
$116 at the Bookstore and $118 online ($64 used).

Overall, eFollett doesn't rip us off that badly with the larger textbooks. The deadly classes are the ones (like Middle East Civ I last fall) that require 7 different books, of which you are assigned 4 and read maybe 2.

What really kills the secondary market for books are the various editions with maybe 20 extra pages. Georgetown professors do a decent job letting their students buy previous editions (saving bank). But publishers need to be more sensitive to our needs. Hey, even at Georgetown some people can't afford all these $150 books. What would be more economical (for us...) is to buy the 5th edition of a book used, and buy an insert for the 6th or 7th edition. But my guess is that won't happen, unless we all band together and refuse to buy new editions. But I'm hardly an activist, and Georgetown students are reknowned for their peaceful riots.

Takeaway: See you at the Corp Book Coop.

It's not the generation gap

An eyewitness account of niche ignorance, in an elevator:

Middle-Aged Woman (to I-pod hipster): What are you listening to?
I-pod Hipster (without removing earbuds): The Who.
Middle-Aged Woman: No, what band are you listening to?
I-pod Hipster (Aware of trite irony): The Who.
Middle-Aged Woman: Oh is that the band? I can't keep up with all the new music these days. Must be the generation gap.

VirginFest...again

5 days, 10 hours, 27 minutes and 45 seconds until the start of the 2nd annual Virgin Music Festival, held at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course, begins. I went to the one last year, and all my feelings and emotions can be portrayed better by this picture of Flea than by any descriptive adjectives I could pull out my ass.

Yes, the crowd-enthralling performances of RHCP and The Who encouraged a Mr. Richard Branson to extend the Festival totwo days.

This year's weekend has somewhat of a reunion theme, as The Smashing Pumpkins and The Police, who have both played a few shows as of late, headline the performance along with The Beastie Boys. For a full line-up, check out www.virginfestival.com/2007/index.html. Oh, and if you didn't get enough of Fountains of Wayne at last year's GPB concert, you can find them again at noon on Saturday. I regret to inform ya'll, however, that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Wu-Tang Clan overlap on Sunday, on opposite sides of the Race Course.

It's all good though, because I'm only going for Regina Spektor. Hott.

Alright, tickets are still available on http://www.ticketmaster.com/, $175 for both days, $97.50 for single day. I'll see you up there.

The Myth of the Happy Hour Spreadsheet

To a Georgetown student who has never stayed over the summer, he or she would hardly recognize the campus for all of the different faces. The freshmen dorms are taken over by the only creatures less…experienced…than the class of 2011 will be in a few weeks time, and the upperclassmen accommodations are filled with foreign exchange programs and yes, the 11th plague that Moses never managed to squeeze unto Pharaoh, summer interns.

True, as a summer intern slash Georgetown student, I consider myself slightly above the interns from other schools, in a caste-system sort of way. I know my way around campus and don’t have to haggle with the private security guards because, frankly, they know me here. Yet there is one important document that remains out of my grasp simply because I think I know DC already.

The Happy Hour Spreadsheet is a myth passed down through the years, allegedly since 2003, detailing each happy hour in the city and each bar’s own drink specials. Such a matrix would surely enhance (and formalize) the long-standing Georgetown tradition of drinking throughout the afternoon. These poor eyes of mine have never set sight on such treasure, though whispers of its existence haunt my cubicle block. Perhaps an enlightened soul who knows of what I speak will forward The G Spot this spreadsheet, so that all of our readers may experience their happiest of hours in the District.

Have you found The G Spot?

The G Spot is a new way to find out what is happening here on the Hilltop, as well as what is going on nearby. In addition to commentaries of on-campus news and interviews of campus leaders, The G Spot keeps tab on events on and off campus. If you or your group would like to add an event or post an article, please email georgetownspot@gmail.com and we will set that up for you. Remember to check The G Spot often, as we are updated daily.

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