Damn, UVM bares it all

Life Is Good Column

Life is good at the naked bike ride.

Move out mayhem

Eco-Rep Column

In the past, move out day has been a total disaster. 

Couches left with mysterious stains on the Redstone green, moldy fridges dumped in dorm hallways and stacks upon stacks of ramen noodle packages abandoned in trash rooms are all too common images.

Sharing a steady stock of stems and stalks

Consider buying a CSA this summer? Here's a list of the many CSA options in Burlington.

Food trucks make for moveable feast

The Bite

In most towns you can find at least one food truck or cart; usually it’s a dirty-water hot dog stand or an over-priced ice cream truck. But Burlington has a surprising number of diverse food trucks and carts.

Funky threads for all your vintage desires

With rap duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performing in town this week, it seemed appropriate that the Cynic would take a look at one of Burlington’s own thrift stores that, until recently, existed above Ken’s Pizza. 

Study abroad: a how to

The Broad View

After going abroad herself, Buckles gives the tutorial for studying out of the country.

UVM shares secrets

Student-made confession page blows up

After creating the Facebook page, "UVM Confessions," students have posted more than seven thousand secrets.

Ink shops and you: where to get tatted

Burly Grind

So, you want to get a tattoo. You have the drawing in mind and know a couple of friends who got tattoos in Burlington, but you still don’t know where to go, or what you’re really looking for in a tattoo shop. 

A slice of paradise dished by Glammas

WRUV has two veritable treasure troves of sass and questionable wisdom in the form of the Glammas: DJ Honey aka Clara Flaherty, and Mama Bear aka Kylie Schulze. 

Breakfast delivery service

Students already planning out their munchie meals for this Saturday are likely finding themselves out of luck when it comes to breakfast.

Knee injury sparks filming inspiration

Everyone knows UVM’s freeskiing team is talented through watching their various edits, yet many are unaware of the filming behind the scenes. First year, Steve Marshall, had his big debut this winter as the UVM Freeskiing Team’s videographer.

Feel good movies

Check out this list of the Top 10 movies to watch on the upcoming 4/20 holiday.

A new skate park for Burlington

After years of conversation, Burlington looks to a future with a new skate park.

Connor Daley: man behind the emails

While he sends out countless emails, only a lucky few know SGA President, Connor Daley.

Slushy shredding

Tommy's Column

I’ve got my glasses on and the snapback hat to follow. Just a hoodie and shorts under the snow pants. It’s springtime on the hill again, my favorite time of the year.

Five dollar burger sizzles up

The Bite

Five dollar burger night for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike at Ri-Ra's Irish Pub.

Listen to the kids

Eco-Rep Column

Two of UVM's Eco-reps were asked to teach students of Charlotte Central School about their program. They ended up learning more than they taught.

Studying abroad gets wild with NOLS

A look at an exciting alternative to the traditional study abroad semester.

Dobra expansion unveiled Saturday

Bite

An inside look on Dobra Tea and their current expansion. 

Burlington Segways tours roll over city

The newly found company, Burlington Segways, establishes a presence on the waterfront and hopes to be on campus.

Burly places worth a longboard cruise

Life is Good

Sudekum dishes the scoop on the most exciting places to longboard in Burlington city limits.

Smoking ban debate hazy

For those who feel like they’re having déjà vu, the threat of a tobacco ban is not news.

Folk meets punk in Yoshi’s Island

Duo named DJs of the Month of March with their Indie beats

WRUV DJs praised for hard work, winning DJs of the Month.

Hanging on by a rope tow

T-Bar Films wants to put three ski areas back on the map

In a tough environmental and economic climate, T-Bar films is waging a campaign to save small ski hills. 

Let Burlington release your endorphins

Results from a 2011 Gallup poll named Burlington one of the nation’s happiest cities, one small act

I was on the clock. I had five minutes to make it through the Atrium to make it to class on time. It was the Friday afternoon of a taxing week. Naturally, I looked and felt like death was upon me. The only thing that kept me going was the sun shining and the thought of a weekend within reach. 

UVM meets Miami

Columnist goes to Ultra, survives

It’s the end of March again and Miami prepared itself well for the world-famous Miami music week. A full week of electronic music concerts, pool parties hosted by DJ’s like Tommy Trash, Avicii and, of course, the grand finale of Ultra Music Festival.

Make a difference and take ENVS187

Eco-Reps Column

At UVM, students have the opportunity to make a difference in more ways than one.

Reel talk with a catfish

Why Chas Truslow spends his entire day collecting snowboarding edits

http://snowboarding.transworld.net/Chas Truslow really likes snowboarding videos. But where most enthusiasts might stick to just watching them, this Champlain College senior went beyond that— and transformed a compulsive interest into a blog with a devoted following.

Sharing is caring

CarShare Vermont gives students an easy and affordable transportation alternative. 

Alum greets film industry with fresh project

Out of Burlington and into Los Angeles, Will Trowbridge is trying to tell a story about Hollywood

For those who have watched HBO’s The Wire, fans know that its sense of gritty drama and realism reel viewers in with an iron grip. 

Catholic Center Tackles Sex

As casual sex has become the norm on college campuses, long gone are the days of “going steady” and engaging in monogamous relationships.

Tommy's Column

As UVM students we face a great challenge every single day. A decision harder to make than when David fought Goliath, except this time there’s no slingshot. 

Mirabelle's Cafe: breakfast worth waking for

  Usually when my alarm goes off at 7:30 in the morning I blindly turn it off and roll over.  But this day was different. I remembered why I had set my alarm for such an ungodly hour. I wasn’t awake to crawl to work or class, I was up early so I could go out to breakfast with friends.

DJ plays beats fresher than peaches

Senior Julia Petras, known to WRUV listeners as DJ Peaches, is bubbly, easy to talk to and listens to more genres of music than you probably even know existed, including fusion, international fusion, ambient, post-rock and RPM  (which pretty much encompasses all subgenres of electronic). 

Tinder sets fire

App sparks more than flame between interested seekers

A popular dating application from tech incubator Hatch Labs aims to limit rejection while helping singles break the ice. 

UVM union recognizes activists

From teaching English to Somalian refugees to fighting sexism through UVM’s Women’s Center, five students were awarded scholarship money for their academics and commitment to social and economic justice.

Vibes with a cause

Vermont's Cider Magazine names ONE over ZERO best band of 2012

A band whose members range from a free-wheeling RV adventurer to a Senegalese French professor may seem as discordant as that time Jimi Hendrix opened for The Monkees on their 1967 tour. 

Eco Reps Column

As of January 1st 2013, flat and flavorless bottled water was banned from being sold on the UVM campus. Us environmentalists have watched with smiles on their faces as water bottles have disappeared from shelves and vending machines all over campus.

Mild, spicy and not too pricey

Tiny Thai and Pho Hong, Burlington's two better known Asian eateries, are compared and contrasted.

Tuesday's night of the living Dead

A look at last week's Dead Set at Nectar's

Club Metronome is the perfect place for an event like Dead Set Tuesdays. 

Bean scene gets a double shot

A spoonful of sugar makes the Marché coffee go down, but if you’re in the mood for something more than a cup of Green Mountain French Vanilla, Uncommon Grounds and Muddy Waters are worthwhile destinations.

Love is good

Valentine’s day. Singles awareness day. Buying chocolates for your man. Eating a pint of “chocolate therapy” while watching “50 First Dates.” Hiring the Top Cats to perform “My Girl” in a cappella. Repeating James Blunt’s “Your Beautiful” on your iPod. 

Hey baby, wanna spork?

Steph, an Eco-rep, discusses the availability of our newest sustainable food option-the spork.

The weather outside is weather

Our wild weather is touched upon, with some recognition that this is what we signed up for.

Weekend wanderings

Tommy highlights the all too familiar weekend downtown wanderings

Mascara Militia's mountainous mark

In a sport typically dominated by men, the Mascara Militia is taking over one mountain at a time. 

Magic Hat: Brew Story

Walking into the Magic Hat brewery is like entering Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Only 10 minutes away from campus, the Magic Hat brewery has become a tourist destination and part of Burlington culture. 

Local entrepreneurs live the Wild Life

Directly next to the Kountry Kart Deli and one short walk up the stairs reveals a sticker-ridden door bearing the name Wild Life. 

Fiji house ranks in top 30

Brobible's rankings of top 30 Fraternity houses in the country lands UVM's Fiji at #30.

Small foundations to radio stations

Duino Duende and Radio Bean, and how they came to be.  Coverage on local Burlington radio station, The Radiator 105.9 FM.

Militia madness

Further preview on the coming feature based on Burlington's own Mascara Militia

Blowing at Bern: earning a degree in class

At Tito Gross’ glass blowing school at the Bern Gallery, anyone can learn the art of glass blowing. 

The Bern Gallery, located at 135 Main St., has offered glass blowing lessons since 2001, but it was approved by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation to allow qualified Vermonters to apply for grants that would pay the cost of lessons four years ago. 

Goodness goes on

  Well guys, we did it. With stakes as high as they come, we disproved the outdated Mayan calendar and are now looking toward the interminable future. Whether you followed the Mayan’s prediction religiously, or thought it was a better joke than UVM’s tuition hike, its occurrence shouldn’t be taken as lightly as the amount of snow we’ve been getting.

Mission Militia

Teaser on upcoming coverage for Burlington's own Mascara Militia

Skiing, Saving

Insight on Bolton Valley's deals for the coming month

Local, aspiring comedians called to open mic night

  For any aspiring comedians, or anyone who thinks they’re funny but don’t get the recognition from their friends, Levity is the place to be tonight at 8. It will be an open mic event from 8:30-11:30, with local and amateur comedians alike stopping by to share their material.

Montreal hosting annual winter, summer festivals

  While it’s too late to book a reservation for UVM’s SnowJam 2013, don’t feel left out if you haven’t done so.   It’s nice to go to Montreal and actually have a reason to do so outside of the infatuation with drinking legally, and here are some events to mark on your calendar that will allow you to do so: This is the biggest month for Montreal happenings during the school year.

“U.N. Me” spotlights flaws

Ami Horowitz began his career as an investment banker, but his first love was politics. Keeping an eye on international relations, specifically those within the United Nations, Horowitz decided to bring his stance to the public eye, resulting in his film “U.N. Me.”

The points problem and some savoury solutions

Let’s be honest, at this point in the semester we could all use a couple dozen more points. Upon swiping our cards we do everything in our power to avoid making eye contact with the green numbers appearing on the screen, accompanied by that fateful word: low. 

Tiny canvas, vast expression

Trevor Hall wears his necklaces. So do Mac Miller, Tayyib Ali and the occasional UVM undergraduate. 

Junior Charlie Hudson is the driving force behind Charlie Like the River, a line of necklaces featuring a small wooden square with a hand-painted print. Described as a “micro canvas” by lifestyle blog NDGmag, Hudson’s designs have been worn on the necks of fellow students and artists alike since he began designing in the fall of 2010.

Bike users unite

UVM’s first annual Bike Summit was held Nov. 2 to raise awareness about bike visibility on campus. The Bike Users Group (BUG) had an open discussion for all bike users to share ideas about how to improve bicycle life on campus.

UVM was awarded the bronze medal from the League of American Bicyclists in 2011. This group evaluates universities around the country in order to improve the quality of bicycling in America. 

Find your hidden abs

This is not your typical ‘how to get six-pack abs’ article.

Instead of trying to convince you that the newest exercise fad is the ultimate solution for developing a six-pack, I plan to bring it back to the basics.

UVM business stays local

Growing Vermont uses sustainable practices

Growing Vermont, a student run store in the Davis Center, offers a wide representation of Vermont-based vendors aiming to keep their products local.

From clothing to food and arts and crafts to jewelry, the store uses a model of sustainable community-based economic development through educational partnerships

PostSecret visits UVM

Speaker says secrets may bring us together

Frank Warren, founder of PostSecret, welcomed a sold-out crowd inside the Ira Allen Chapel and dealt with issues from suicide to SAT scores. 

Warren founded PostSecret in November of 2004 while roaming the streets near his home in Washington, D.C and asking people to share their secrets.

Vox opposes ‘40 Days For Life’ in campaign

Anti-abortion supporters have been protesting outside of abortion clinics as part of the 40 Days For Life campaign since Sept. 26.

The demonstrations have spurred responses on-campus from Vox, the UVM chapter of the Planned Parenthood students’ group dedicated to educating the UVM community about reproductive justice. 

Salary important in running Eco-Reps

The most recent farmers’ market on campus, an event coordinated and planned by Eco-Reps, was dampened slightly when a member of the SGA began to interrogate a young Eco-Rep about the value of her job on campus.

He questioned whether she thought she should get paid to carry out her Eco-Rep duties and implied that a volunteer program could provide the University with similar services, sans the paycheck.

It's your voice, vote and decide

Has it really been almost four years? It’s true – it is almost time to dust off the “I voted” stickers and proudly stick them back on your chests, backpacks, hats and mason jars.

More than 37 percent of the people sitting around you in the library, buying lunch from the Marketplace and walking beside you to class who could vote did not in the 2008 election.

‘Rancing’ races to Burlington

Supporters against bullying join running and dancing

Rance like no one is watching and rance to your own beat: that is the motto of Rancing Revolution, a social movement that uses rancing, a combination of running and dancing, to bring awareness to bullying.

The rancing movement was started at the College of William and Mary by Kailee Brickner-McDonald, director of the Dewey House for Civic Engagement, to spread her message about anti-bullying in an unconventional way.

Top 10 Costumes

1.“We are going as Phil and Lil from the Rugrats.” – juniors Kaitlyn DeAngelis and Rachel Haab.

2. “My friends and I are putting a twist on the Spice Girls costume: I am going as Paprika Spice.” – senior Sarah Pietryka.

AWARA grapples with little interest

White students make up about 85 percent of the UVM population, according to the Princeton Review’s website. Aspiring White Anti-Racist Allies (AWARA) hopes to provide some insight into that statistic.

AWARA is a group dedicated to raising awareness about racism, specifically around issues of whiteness and white privilege. They hope to provide a space for students to talk about these issues. Their first meeting was Oct. 17 at the ALANA Student Center on campus. 

Students question their rights

Dealing with a noise violation or roommate dispute were only two of the many topics covered at the Student Rights and Responsibilities Fair Oct. 2.  

The Inter-Residence Association (IRA) set up a panel of representatives in Living/Learning aiming for a mellow and approachable environment for students.

Workshop teaches students bragging might be beneficial

Career Services helps seniors’ job search strategy

Graduation is coming up for seniors and trying to launch a career may be challenging.
That is why Career Services, a resource located in Living/Learning, helps seniors each fall with a series of events and functions geared toward approaching the professional world in the right manner and gaining exposure to its realities.

Kiss that hangover goodbye

The alarm sounds. Your head throbs and stomach turns. Let the Sunday morning hangover commence. Keep calm: there is a cure that’s more effective than Advil, Tylenol and Ibuprofen combined.
Find your hiking boots, Nalgene, car — or someone who has one — and head east to the famous Mount Mansfield.

Eco-Ware makes cents

Next time you eat your favorite campus meal — a flat wrap from New World Tortilla, a burger at Brennan’s or Charlie’s falafel — consider the amount of waste that is produced from your lunch’s packaging.
Although most of the to-go containers Dining Services uses are either recyclable or compostable, we can do one better — remove the waste produced from the system altogether.

The legacy of Patrick Gym

Every winter as temperatures drop and snowdrifts pile several feet high, the Gutterson Field House and Patrick Gym’s capacity overflows with energized hockey fans. 

The tradition of hockey games, which started in 1963, long before the Naked Bike Ride or SpringFest, has been a staple in the University’s history. However, as the student population has increased and top-notch facilities become significant in athlete recruitment, the University is weighing proposals for a new facility.

Fair trade aims for justice

Burlington festival turns attention to growing movement for change

The Peace and Justice Center held a fair trade festival at Burlington City Hall on Sept. 29 to educate the community about the importance of supporting fair trade. 

Fair trade is an alternative way of trading based on the principles of economic and social justice. 

Students pitch judges for cash

UVM’s first ever business pitch competition was held Oct. 6 in the Davis Center by the School of Business Administration and awarded $3,000 to fund a student project.

The competition allowed four entrepreneur groups on campus to showcase their plans for creating a business or product to a panel of judges. 

Hike for Avi

Over 40 student clubs hike “Catamount Classic”

The entire Long Trail was hiked by over 40 separate student organizations in the first annual “Catamount Classic.”

 Hosted by the UVM Outing Club, this event happened on the weekend of Sept. 29-30. While the weather was cloudy and rainy in some parts of Vermont, groups joined in to support the cause.

Marijuana: new cancer stick?

If you are someone who believes that marijuana is relatively harmless, then you will want to hear what I recently learned at the UVM College of Medicine. 

During a lecture, Dr. Kelly Butnor, an associate professor of pathology, explained that marijuana does, in fact, increase one’s risk of developing lung cancer, stating, “Smoking a single joint of marijuana is as carcinogenic as smoking an entire pack of cigarettes.”

UVMers step up, strut at stiletto walk

H.O.P.E. Works, a group dedicated to ending all forms of sexual violence, sponsored Burlington’s first annual Stiletto Walk Sept. 29. The event started with the reasoning for name of the walk. Cathleen Wilson, executive director at H.O.P.E. Works, shared her thoughts.

Lofts: Visionary look or poor design?

Architect, co-owner explain exterior design after mixed reception

The exterior design of the newly built Redstone Lofts has raised questions and eyebrows across campus.  In a recent survey given to UVM students, 85 percent of respondents answered that the Redstone Lofts are “hideous.

Little Italy commemorated

The Vermont Italian Club (VIC) will host a festival at the Burlington City Hall Oct. 6 commemorating the Little Italy of Burlington’s past with Italian history, food and pride.

Ski pass diaries: where to shred

The barrage of ski and snowboard company stickers plastered onto everything and anything on campus can only mean that the hardest decision for UVM students is on the horizon: which pass should you get?

While Big Ten students have football and Ivy Leagues have academics, UVM students have the winter season: a three-month period dedicated to endless shralping, shredding or whatever you may want to call it.

Clean laundry goes green

Laundry. The very word can send students – myself included – into a state of dread at the thought of lugging their three-week-old pile of soiled and stained clothes down to the washing machines, especially for those of us living off-campus.

When I finally suck it up and drag my huge piles of laundry to my friend’s washer and dryer down the street, I make sure that I use minimal energy when washing my clothes.

Relaxation required

Mellow Mondays: remedy for stress

Mellow Mondays is a program by the Living Well center that offers free relaxation techniques to students.

Each Monday from 3-4 p.m. the workshop gives information about making healthy life choices, focusing on a student’s need for sleep and meditation.

Unique menu comes to Burlington

New restaurant promises to deliver variety of cultural cuisine

In less than a month, Esperanto, a restaurant from Saratoga Springs, will open its second location in Burlington to bring what head chef, Will Pouch, calls tasty and affordable food.

After 17 years of business in serving fast but fresh food, Pouch, the co-founder of Esperanto, saw the timing fit to spread his cuisine.

Bill McKibben stirs up change

Global warming examined

The atmosphere currently contains 392 parts per million of carbon dioxide a level. Bill McKibben, a renowned environmental journalist and founder of 350.org, hopes to change that. McKibben addressed a crowd of about 100 people at the Burlington Book Festival Sept. 22. He read from a draft of a book he said he intends to publish in the fall of next year and discussed the significance of climate change and the fossil fuel industry.

Class offers fast meal ideas

Students nab new recipes

People from all over Burlington gathered on Sept. 19 at Healthy Living Market Cafe to gather ideas for nutritious dinners in a class called “Quick, Easy, Affordable and Delicious.”

To drink or not to drink

This article will debunk myths surrounding the caffeine content in commonly consumed beverages. Find out which caffeinated drinks will keep you awake for an all-nighter and which ones only pack a tiny punch.

UVM cribs: Redstone Apartment edition

Cynic gets up close and personal, takes peek inside student housing

With UVM’s newest housing addition, the Redstone Lofts, it might be easy to overlook what has been lying on the edge of campus for years — the Redstone Apartments.

The Cynic decided to take a tour of the complex and see what the interior was like.

Buff up your gym tactics

Are you new to UVM, or just new to working out at UVM’s fitness center?  Well, the Gucciardi Fitness and Recreation center is available to all UVM students.

Your UVM ID will grant you access to the weight room, resistance machinery, cardio equipment and indoor track.

Class questions climate

UVM’s new Climate Action Seminar: Responding to the New Normal, is an environmental science course introduced to promote education and awareness of climate change and extreme weather patterns that have begun to emerge with increasing regularity.

Faculty sponsors Amy Seidl and Cecilia Danks and seminar instructor Rachael Beddoe are using this seminar series to engage the community to face climate challenges that have become concerns of the present rather than of the future. 

Hop into The Pool

Website aids meetups

At The Pool is a new website designed to help connect like-minded people based on “pools” they enter — groups of people with similar interests. 

The program matches you with other users based on four criteria: location, history, interest and intent.  

Top 10 tips: a first-year's guide to UVM

Enviro-nerd finds beauty, practicality in composting

The word “compost” can often make the average person immediately cringe at the thought of rotting food scraps. 

The word may even be followed by other words such as “disgusting,” “smelly” or even — and perhaps the most feared by a compost enthusiast — “repulsive.”  

Students experience Olympics abroad

Trip overseas provides cultural exposure, first-hand look at London

London offered an eventful and dynamic summer for two UVM students who were there to see the Olympics in person. 

Junior Yolanda Ngarambe and senior Alex Judge met up in Ngarambe’s native country, Sweden, flew on Ryanair, which Judge dubbed “the cheapest airline in Europe,” and then made the short flight to the United Kingdom. 

Scan your finger: gym access granted

New vein reader uses infrared light to open fitness center turnstiles

Biometric finger scanners might be the new solution for students who frequently forget or lose their CATcards. 

Tim Lewis, associate director for campus recreation, thought of the idea when trying to find a way that would grant students access into buildings without having their CATcards.

Top 10: Reasons you’re excited for school

  1. “Being an RA will be really exciting. I love my staff and I am optimistic about the school year.” — Janis Lebron, junior 2. “I am excited to see all my friends again and take as much as I can out of my classes.” — Chris Fulton, junior 3. “My favorite part about coming back is reuniting with friends, wearing my backpack again and getting free popcorn at Brennan’s.

Health and Fitness: How to dodge sneaky trans fats

There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about dietary fats. 

It is common to hear someone claim he or she is avoiding fat in his or her diet in an attempt to be healthier, yet approximately 20 to 35 percent of one’s diet should consist of fats according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Fall for Paris: Becoming Parisienne chic

Paris. There are countless things that people might think of when they think of the French capital. 

Romance is definitely one. Rude French people, another. But what will always come to my mind when I think of Paris is the absolutely impeccable fashion of the Parisienne.

Alum talks Food Network

Recalls cooking at UVM

Melissa d’Arabian, UVM alumna and New York Times best-selling author, gives the Cynic the scoop on her first cookbook, cooking while at school and winning the fifth season of “The Next Food Network Star.”

Bear brings you there

Website shows downtown happenings

Thewherebear.com is a clear and concise website based in Burlington that informs students and community members about local restaurants, bars, clubs and events. 

In the fall of 2011 the idea flourished when self-employed graphic designer Catherine Lange, new to the area, wanted to know what was happening downtown. The website became a new project and a helpful tool in discovering Burlington.