It seems like the Lecture Fund has decided not to bring new speakers to campus this semester; instead, Georgetown is hosting encore performances of past, minor hits. How else to explain their heavyweight guests thus far this year: Bill Richardson (who spoke last year) and Christopher Hitchens (who rocks and all, but lives in D.C. and spoke two years ago)?

I have neither the desire nor the chops to pursue a beef with Hitchens (people who do always come to bad ends), but Richardson’s an easily-punctured puffball of bad ideas. Being gay is a choice? He supports the balanced budget amendment? This isn’t the kind of speaker that students are begging to be see reprised.

The situation is made worse by the hype they built around the Richardson announcement. In the last two days I was told by many Lecture Fundamentalists that a major presidential candidate was coming to speak. I don’t expect the top tier Democrats to come, but anyone is more interesting than someone we’ve already seen. Mike Gravel would be great, and you know he doesn’t have anything else going on. [Ed. note: No one wants to see Mike Gravel, either.]
-Will Sommer, blog editor

Flickr photo from VictoryNH

Coach Thompson announced yesterday that freshman Chris Wright, a 6-1 guard, broke his foot while playing pick-up basketball and will miss the early part of the season. No additional details of the snafu have been released by the team, but the incident is likely to be overshadowed by Thompson signing a six-year contract extension for an estimated $900,000 a year, quelling fears that the big guy might leave the Hilltop for greener pastures… filled with money.

Hope Chris looks good in plaster.

-Clare Malone, Sports Editor

Metropolitan Police arrested Georgetown student Phillip Cooney Wednesday in connection with an anti-gay hate crime, according to police chief Kathy Lanier.

According to the MSNBC article, on the September 9th a gang of men yelling homophobic insults attacked a man on 36th Street. The victim checked Facebook, found Phillip’s profile, and thought his attacker and Phillip had more than a passing resemblance. Looks like that annoying guy you know who won’t get a Facebook account because he says it’ll limit his career prospects was right, if indirectly.

The real question is, if Phillip’s guilty, who were his gay-bashing cronies? I doubt a Georgetown student would cruise Washington for homophobic partners-in-crime, so other Hoyas would seem like natural accomplices. If all his friends have alibis, Tucker Carlson has a history with this sort of thing.

Phillip’s either gone underground with his Facebook account or deleted it. I guess not all Georgetown students have the guts to thumb their noses at police on social networks.

-Will Sommer, blog editor

The Special Collections staff on the fifth floor of Lauinger Library, especially Lynn Conway the Georgetown archivist, was an invaluable help in researching this week’s feature (providing newspaper clippings, old yearbooks, and other relevant artifacts). Staff members are very knowledgeable and more than willing to help out a student in need. Here’s more information on the hours of operation and resources available in the Special Collections.

-Anthony Francavilla, Feature Editor

It’s homecoming weekend, when alumni and students alike revel in Georgetown traditions like Jack the Bulldog, the Fight Song and of course Georgetown’s glorious football tradition.  What, you didn’t know about the powerhouse Hoyas Hilltoppers?  Tony Francavilla digs into Georgetown’s past to tell the tale of the Great Gilroy and Georgetown’s must successful season.

Also from this week’s magazine:

-DPS carrying mace and batons should be a reality by next year, reports Crystal Chung.

-The speech is over, but the debate definitely isn’t: the ed board weighs in on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s appearance at Columbia (let dictators choke on their own words), while Or Skolnik offers a well-reasoned counterargument.

-Jheanelle Brown, communications director for the GU NAACP, responds to the Jena 6 controversy and the viewpoint expressed in this column from the Hoya.

-Sara Carothers reports on a unique performance lined up for the Davis Center, and GU student Joshua DeMinter’s innovative response to the Black Atlantic Project.

-Thinking of wandering away from the tailgate long enough to catch this year’s homecoming game?  Phil Perry looks at how the Hoyas and Cornell stack up.

And so much more in the magazine and on our website.   Until next week, you keep on writing us letters and we’ll keep on bringing the news.

-Mike Stewart, Managing Editor

Georgetown’s crew team might be getting help in its long-running battle for a boathouse on the Potomac from the longest serving member of Congress. City Paper writer Mike DeBonis (Voice alum, natch) says Representative John Dingell of Michigan’s investigation into the Washington Canoe Club, a boathouse opponent, is making some people suspect Georgetown’s involved.

Dingell, who got both a bachelor’s and a law degree from Georgetown, sent the Canoe Club a letter accusing it of being a private club on federal land. Four other clubs on federal land have higher membership fees, though, and have not been contacted by Dingell.

It’s unclear whether Dingell is trying to knock out a boathouse opponent or is really dedicated to universal canoe access. What is clear, though, is that the Canoe Club is pretty dingy on the outside. Maybe the interior is palatial, but these pictures say more “unloved campsite” than “hall of privilege.”

-Will Sommer, blog editor

Was anyone surprised to discover that, once again, our esteemed student government experienced electoral technical difficulties last night?

“Due to unforeseen technical problems, the GUSA Senate online voting system was not functioning last night. The site is now back up and voting is live. In the wake of the outage, voting is extended until Wednesday, September 26 at 9 PM.”

I’m not sure if GUSA, UIS, or the Election Commission is at fault here, but it doesn’t really matter. Voter turnout — and for that matter, candidate turnout (my “district” was uncontested) — is low enough already, and every botched election turns a few more people off of the campus democratic process. GUSA made a big play to be taken seriously last year with their successful anti-keg ban advocacy, but if they hope to be a respected organization, these election glitches need to stop.

-Anna Bank, Editorial Board Chair

-Will Sommer, blog editor

My infatuation with Mike Jones began in 2005 when “Who is Mike Jones?” was released. I was mesmerized by his self-promotion, narcissism (2-8-1-3-3-0-8-0-0-fo’, anyone?), generic beats, poor enunciation (those pesky grills) and unabashed reliance on the “they used to…now they…” formula for rhymes. Time passed, though, and like all good things my affair with Mike Jones came to an end.

A week ago, I was wandering through the music blogosphere [ed. note: a.k.a. surfing Destiny’s Child message boards] when I stumbled upon “Turning Headz,” Mike Jones’ new single. I don’t want to sound irrationally exuberant, so I’ll just say this: “Turning Headz” is the best hip-hop song of 2007, if not the best hip-hop song ever, for a few simple reasons.

1. Mike Jones’ name is the first thing you’ll hear. It just feels so right.
2. The hook sounds like it came straight from Linkin Park.
3. You can practically hear the lyrics smashing against the grill of whoever sings the chorus (”Every time I hit the corner I be turnin’ headz.”)
4. Mike Jones keeps up with technological trends. He still raps his cellphone number like in 2005, but also gives his fans another way to contact him: “Myspace/Mike Jones/Hit your boy up on the low.” Way to stay current.
5. I’ve always loved the “They used to…now they…” formula as epitomized by “Back then they didn’t want me, now I’m hot they all up on me.” He achieves the pinnacle of the art in “Turning Headz” when he raps “They used to laugh at my belly now they want to rub/on my belly every Sunday to get in my flub.”
6. After letting loose one of the freshest rhymes I’ve ever heard, Mike Jones seems to realize how good it is. So he repeats it: Mike Jones’ flub x2.

But don’t take my word for it. Listen for yourself (courtesy Zshare).

-Sam Sweeney, Senior Writer

Late but never out of date, it’s your weekly issue round-up.

- The feature sends Sam Sweeney and Clare Malone out to find Georgetown’s quirkiest professor’s—can you say “Beer me that Wordsworth?”

- Relentless reporters Juliana Brint and Crystal Chung continue to explore Metro’s party watchlist and new arrest policy; who knew it was unconstitutional? The ACLU.

- Phil Perry, the original man vs. wild, plunges into Georgetown’s weekly tail gate to hang out with an old lady. Hi-jinks ensue.

- “Our Moment” boardmembers make the case for giving students in the college a chance to get a certificate in international development.

- The Eds page still wants more transparency from the powers that be as they remake the alcohol policy, and they aren’t having any of Petraeus’ bullshit about the Iraq war.

- I’d like you to have some decent wine. Is that so bad?

- Tim Fernholz, Editor in Chief