Beverage/Fast Food Industry Bands Together to Fight DC Soda Tax

TThe DC City-Council is currently considering placing a tax on soda, a tax to the tune of 1 cent per oz. So a 20 ounce Sprite will now cost $1.89 as opposed to $1.69 at my local 711. The revenues from the tax will be put toward a program to serve more fresh fruit and vegetables in school lunches in DC public schools. I think this tax is a good idea. Not only is a childhood obesity a enormous problem in this country, school lunches and soda, are two of the largest contributing factors. This plan will lessen one and increase the other. It's not only for kids, I drink way too much soda as it is. If this doesn't get me to cut down I will suffer the consequences, less money, but feel better that it is working to improve health and society.

The food and beverage industry strongly disagree. This would hurt soft drink sales in the district. I was about to say "drastically" but I learned never underestimate America's addiction to unhealthy food and drinks. So lets just go with "hurt sales." The group the formed No DC Beverage Tax has launched an ad campaign in both new and traditional media outlets against the tax. They claim now is not the time for new taxes and that this will have

the greatest impact on those who can least afford it – hard-working, low- and middle-income families, elderly residents and those living on fixed incomes.

The first thing I'd like to ask is what does this group feel is the right time for a unhealthy food or beverage tax? Do they think we should wait until everyone has Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease or just the people who cant afford healthcare? This tax is burdensome, yes, but necessary.

Soft drink companies have had vending machines with sugary drinks in schools for years, now it is time to pay society back for that.

GWU Monumental Celebration Draws Low Crowd

Every year GWU hosts a large and often lavish party for its graduating class called Monumental Celebration. It is held in Union Station, is black-tie, and for students, families and friends. In 2008 there were 2,000 people there, this year only 900. Why? Tickets are $45 for students and $55 for guests and there is a cash bar! With attendance going down like this, why does GW continue to charge so much?

I think its an excellent idea to have a big party everyone can go to, to meet each others friends and families. My parents asked to meet everyone. However, GW gives you 6 tickets to graduation so they expect you to have that many people in town. One student = $45. Plus 6 x $55 = $330. Grand total = $375 for an event with a cash bar on graduation weekend. Also, since students will want to go out without parents afterwards most likely, spending almost 400 bucks on a cocktail hour seems unimaginable.

In the midst of a recession, I don't think it was right for GW to charge to so much. Give people a place to go and dress up but foot the bill! GW students pay for every single thing they do and they pay a lot. It is not out of line for GW to make its "Monumental Celebration" something a little more affordable. I did not go because of its price and the fact that my friends were not going, because of its price. Its a cycle that GW caused and will cause the event to fail again if GW does not fix this.

First Lady Speaks at GWU 2010 Commencement

Yesterday on the National Mall in front of the Capitol over 25,000 people attended the George Washington University Commencement ceremony. With over 2,500 different kind of students graduating it was quite a scene.

While the focal point was obviously the students, it was Mrs. Obama's challenge and speech that is garnering so much news attention. Earlier this year, Obama challenged the GW community to log 100,000 of DC-based community service, in return she would speak at commencement. The GW community logged over 160,000 hours, and as she said she "is a woman of her word." She spoke, at great length, about the praise she received from the recipients of the service as well as studying abroad and broadening horizons.

GWU required students to show up for Secret Service security screening at 7:30 AM. Lets just say certain students were a bit rowdy as sleep had apparently not been a priority the night before but the event went off seamlessly. By the end the chattering and moving around definitely increased as students had been there for going on 5 hours but the excitement was in the air. Even after graduating the day or two before students were still thrilled to be there and see Mrs. Obama speak.

As a proud member of the GWU Columbian College of Arts and Sciences 2010 graduating class, I can say I enjoyed commencement, especially Mrs. Obama's speech and am glad I don't ever have to do it again!

On a more personal note, if you go to the last picture of the GW Hatchet slideshow, my face is partially blocked but I am the guy in the center in black sunglasses.

Zero Year Reunion!

And the celebrating continues...now that every one is done with classes why night celebrate one more night this week? Join the rest of the senior class at Nick's Riverside Grille on the Georgetown waterfront for a fun filled night.

If you have not given your senior class gift, shame on you! But if not, be sure to stop by the Senior Class Gift table to give your give and receive two free drinks on us! Congratulations to all graduating seniors!

Program Board has been contacted...

Taylor Swift for Fall Fest 2010! has more than 750 GW supporters! And more than 200 have signed the petition to have Taylor perform at Fall Fest!

Tim Miller (Director of Student Activities Center), Wesley Callahan (Program Board Executive Chair), and Daniel Reef (Program Board Concert Chair) have all been contacted about the effort and asked for an official response to the campaign.

Have you voiced your support yet? Sign the petition!!

We Want Taylor!!

Support for Taylor Swift for the 2010 Fall Fest concert at GW has reached more than 300 supporters on Facebook!

Colonials definitely want to see her up on stage!

Do you? Sign the petition, and the closer you'll be to singing "Fearless" on University Yard!

We voice support, not opposition

"We want SmarTrip on our GWorld Cards" was launched shortly after the University announced the release of a new GWorld. According to an anonymous comment made on our blogpost on Monday, this may mean that we are protesting without giving the administration enough time to accommodate change. The blogger posted:

Why is everyone assuming the administration is completely ignoring the possibility of SmarTrip integration?

None of our official campaign statements have accused GWU of ignoring the possibility of incorporating SmarTrip technology. Rather, we made our proposal after the university first announced the new GWorld because we sensed that the university was already considering this possibility. We therefore felt that the time was ripe to gather support for this initiative within the GWU community.

If the administration is considering implementing our proposal, the time to show our support is now. Let's encourage them to transform dialogue into reality.

Please join our cause, and sign the petition to express your support for a SmarTrip technology on GWorld.