isa’s international journey • amnesty international event • memphis • and more inside
volume xciii, no. 8 • november 7, 2013 | clarkscarlet.tumblr.com |
Eco-conscious Grouplove takes the stage
the.clark.scarlet
Caged Wisdom Amnesty International chapter addresses the prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay
Lots of energy at a green concert By Matt Emmer living arts editor
By Jenna Lewis This year, ROCU brought Reverb’s Campus Consciousness Tour, featuring Saints of Valory, The Knocks, and headliners Grouplove, to Clark for the annual Fall Concert . The show, housed in Clark’s historic Atwood Hall, brought nearly 700 students together for an evening of music. Adam Gardner of the band Guster founded Reverb, the organization that orchestrates the Campus Consciousness Tour every semester. His inspiration for the tour came after he realized that there existed an appalling gap between his band’s environmental values and the wasteful realities of touring. Reverb works with major touring acts to make them more ecofriendly. The organization pairs bands with local grassroots orga-
scarlet staff
photo by matt emmer
nizations to create meaningful collaborations that foster advocacy and activism among the band’s fan base. According Ariel Ganem-Rosen, an intern for Student Leadership and Programing, “The purpose of
this is to engage fans to take environmental action among fans. Clarkies always want to challenge convention and we’re finding a way continued on page 12
This Wednesday, the Green was transformed from a place of Frisbeeplaying, hookah smoking, and sunbathing to a demonstration zone. “We’re taking action on the human rights abuses taking place at Guantanamo Bay,” said first-year James Patin. The Clark chapter of Amnesty International ran a campaign to raise awareness about the abhorrent situation in the heavily contested prison center Guantanamo Bay. The scene consisted of three Amnesty members (Chyna Dixon, Brendan Simons, and Christiane Wiercimok) sitting in small cages, where they would remain for five hours, from 12 - 5 p.m. The members, portraying actual Guantanamo prisoners, had no access to food or water, and were dressed in scant orange
jumpsuits. Passersby could donate money to either a “bail” or “jail” bowl. Donations to the “bail” pile gave the volunteers blankets and jackets, as well as a chance to be released from the cages early; donating to the “jail” bowl revoked the blankets given to volunteers. In order to free the volunteers from their cages, the “bail” bowl fund needed to reach $50. However, with every donation to the “jail” bowl, the amount of money needed to release the volunteers would increase. Money collected in these bowls will contribute towards future Amnesty conferences. Guantanamo Bay has come under a great deal of international scrutiny over the last several years. As an extraterritorial jurisdiction of the United States, prisoner treatment continued on page 4
2 | news
The Scarlet
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
UPCOMING EVENTS
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLARK UNIVERSITY [ Thursday, November 7 ]
CONTACT scarlet@clarku.edu | clarkscarlet.tumblr.com
EDITORS Editor-In-Chief: Jeremy Levine Layout Editor: Rose Gallogly Web Editor: Pooja Patel News Editor: Sarah Cramer Opinions Editor: Keitaro Okura Living Arts Editor: Matt Emmer Sports Editor: Brian Kane Community Correspondent: Claire Tierney Photo Editor: Anna Spack
Chabad on Campus asks Why Am I Always Hungry? Prouty Conference Room, 4th Floor Room 402 at 7:00 p.m. New Play Festival: Apartment #416 - Michelson Theatre, Little Center at 7:30 p.m. [ Friday, November 8 ] Counterpoints’ Jambeezy: Space Jam - The Grind at 7:00 p.m. New Play Festival: A Fine Romance - Michelson Theatre, Little Center, at 7:30 p.m. [ Saturday, November 9 ] GWLT Cabin Work Day - Departing at 11:30 a.m. (contact the Outing Club) Women’s Swimming & Diving vs. Wellesley College - Kneller, 1:00 p.m.
SCARLET STAFF Ethan Giles Hannah Rosenblum Jenna Lewis Jonah Naghi Maria Rotelli Ronald Gerber Scott Levine Senegal Carty Tyler Terriault Will Heikes Alicja Ganacarz Fileona Dkhar
Zendikar/Worldwake Draft - Grace Conference Room 2:00 p.m. Shenanigans!: THE BUBBLE THAT DIDN’T POP - Little Center at 7:00 p.m. New Play Festival: Apartment #416 - Michelson Theatre, Little Center at 7:30 p.m. [ Sunday, November 10 ] Outing Club Hike of Walden Pond - Walden Pond at 11:30 a.m. Clark Quidditch vs. Brandeis - Granger Field at 1:00 p.m. Peasants Draft - Lurie Conference Room at 2:00 p.m. Coffee for a Cause Giveaway - Red Square at 01:00 p.m.
CCN CORRESPONDENT Ethan Goldstein
[ Monday, November 11 ]
LAYOUT STAFF
Lunar New Year Celebration General Interest Meeting - Sackler 121 at 08:00 p.m.
Cami Ferreol Hannah Jaffe Rachel Orlomoski
PHOTO STAFF Cora Torton Jonathan Edelman Nainika Grover
[ Tuesday, November 12 ] Men’s Swimming & Diving vs. Ted Mullin Hour of Power - Kneller, 5:00 p.m. [ Wednesday, November 13 ] New Play Festival: Guy Code - Michelson Theatre, Little Center at 7:30 p.m. [ Thursday, November 14 ] Kavi Ade - The Grind at 7:00 p.m. New Play Festival: When There’s Nothing Left To Burn Michelson Theatre, Little Center at 7:30 p.m.
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
news | 3
The Scarlet/News It’s just a bike, skip, and a jump to healthy living
ISA’s International Journey
WalkBike Worcester works to make streets safe for all modes of transportation
Continuing and expanding a growing tradition
By Jenna Caskie scarlet staff
WalkBike Worcester is a working group of the Worcester Food & Active Living Policy Council that promotes a healthy lifestyle in a way that keeps those in the Worcester community safe from the dangers of biking or walking in a large urban environment. Karin Valentine Goins is the co-founder of WalkBike Worcester, as well as a public healthcare activist who moved to Worcester in the 1990s. Since then, she has done much more than just made this city her new home. Upon coming to Worcester, Goins decided to start the group after discovering that there was barely anything in the Worcester community that promoted this type of healthy and safe living. After changing the name of the group from “Active Transportation Work Group” to “WalkBike Worcester”, a more fun and exciting name, it took off. The main goal of the group is to work to improve local policies involving the ability to walk and bike safely. Another goal is to convince the town of Worcester to
courtesy of fileona dkhar
By Jonah Naghi scarlet staff
courtesy of worcesterfoodandactiveliving.files.wordpress.com
make all roads “complete roads”, an approach that encourages the reengineering of roads while being conscious that other people and other modes of transportation share the road with vehicles. Worcester’s current roads, which are wide and unpainted, encourage drivers to speed, making driving, walking, and biking unsafe.
Making the streets more accommodating to pedestrians and bikers will in turn make traveling by vehicle safer, lowering of the number of yearly accidents that occur in Worcester. While the first goal of Walkbike Worcester is continued on page 5
International Journey is an annual event hosted by The International Students Association (ISA) that seeks to “Brighten your mind, expand your cultural understanding, explore a variety of tastes, and appreciate the diversity of the Clark Campus,” according to their Facebook event. This year’s event was titled International Journey: The Illumination. Staying true to its name, the week-long event opened with a lantern ceremony
at the Goddard Grotto on the cold evening of Sunday, November 3. Bright lights from LED light strings and lanterns were spread all over the grotto. With guitar music and singing in the background, students designed their own lanterns and wrote down wishes. ISA President Aksheya Sridhar has been a member of the club since her freshmen year and remembers when International Journey only consisted of one event. “In the past three years,” she explains, “it’s expanded into a week-long [affair], continued on page 4
The Scarlet
4 | news
International Journey cont. continued from page 3
basically conversing with different workshops. Each year, it keeps expanding and expanding.” From Sunday to Thursday, there were multiple events each day. Each event focused on a different topic that added to our cultural awareness. On Monday, for example, there was a screening of a documentary about Indian life in Worcester over the last 50 years. ISA enlisted many Clark professors to give intriguing lectures. In Monday’s Storytelling As A Medical Intervention In The African Immigrant And Refugee Populations In Worcester, Professor Marianne Sarkis discussed her experiences with the African immigrants and refugees in the Worcester community. In Between Satellites And Sidewalks: Planning The Gateway Cities
november 7, 2013
Amnesty International cont.
Of Massachusetts, another lecture on Monday, Professor Ramón Borges-Mendéz gave students an understanding of the planning and development of Massachusetts. He also explained his research on urban and regional economic development, discussing immigration, governance, nonprofits, and institutional development. Coming off the themes of immigration and refugees that settled in Worcester, Tuesday’s The World In Worcester Art Show looked into the experiences of people settling in Worcester, exploring the themes of transition, discovery, homesickness, and nostalgia through works of art. Wednesday, the busiest day of the week, saw six events occurring throughout the night. In Journeys: Migration Diasporas, And
continued from page 3
continued on page 5 courtesy of jenna lewis
continued from page 1
Got a news tip, or opinion you want heard? Send an email to scarlet@clarku.edu
laws are not upheld in the same manner as in domestic prisons. The issue of prisoner abuse has been addressed upon three separate occasions by the Supreme Court, who ruled in all cases that prisoner treatment in Guantanamo Bay was unlawful. Amnesty International is concerned primarily with the human rights abuses famously observed at the detention center, specifically accusations of torture, prisoner abuse. Amnesty aims to shut down Guantanamo Bay, although they advocate an apolitical stance. They assert that the abuse at Guantanamo Bay defies the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Earlier this year, 16 inmates at Guantanamo went on a hunger strike
to protest their abusive treatment and unfair trials (or lack thereof), among other issues. The protesters were then force-fed against their will. “That kind of thing is still going on today,” says Patin.“It’s apparently stopped, but no one has gone on record saying that. Amnesty originally started in the ‘60’s, working on Prisoners of Conscience, so this issue hits close to home for them.” The United States has never ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture, proposed by the U.N. in 1984. Because of this, the U.N. is unable to examine Guantanamo for its alleged abuses. “Guantanamo exists as a kind of black hole. It’s outside of US law, but people are being tortured, we have evidence of that. A lot of these people aren’t terrorists; they’ve been falsely accused. Torture
is never acceptable, especially when you’ve never done anything wrong,” says sophomore Miranda Weinstein, a member of Amnesty International. The issue is becoming increasingly pressing as Congress nears 2014. The proposed National Defense Bill will address, among other issues of national defense, the state of affairs at Guantanamo Bay. Amnesty International has created a petition, addressed to four members of Congress, to call for the immediate close of the facility. “We don’t want this to continue happening. We want to raise awareness and make Guantanamo close,” says Weinstein. Amnesty International meets in the UC every Thursday at 8 p.m.
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
International Journey cont. continued from page 4
Experience, Dr. Parminder Bhachu discussed the experiences of diasporas and immigrants in Worcester, and how their transition helped shape their new concepts, ideas, and values. On the other hand, Routes, Roots, And Rootedness: What It Means To Be Home In Worcester, with Professor Melissa Butler, discussed the meaning of being at ‘home’ in Worcester. Her discussion last year on religious diversity in Worcester was the most attended workshop during International Journey. Religious Identities On Campus, co-sponsored by Hillel, discussed religious identity at Clark and in Worcester. Perhaps one of the deeper and more interactive events, Commodification And Consumption Of Ethnic Cultures In Global And Local
Contexts, a roundtable discussion with Professor Huang, went over how different practices integrate intercultural interactions and understanding. International students thought about the conceptions of race and ethnicity, and how these conceptions change the way they understand those terms. American students looked at how their interactions with international students changed their understanding of race and ethnicity. Journey ended Thursday night with the Food Fair in Tilton. The Food Fair offered students a chance to sample traditional dishes from a wide variety of countries and regions. All the food was cooked by student volunteers. Overall, ISA’s International Journey offers valuable insight into, not only external cultures, but to those present right here in Worcester too.
WalkBike Worcester cont. continued from page 3
safety, by pursuing that goal, it also promotes a healthy lifestyle. Progress is being made. The Worcester City Council recently announced its support for a bill to make streets more active-friendly. Although it is difficult to reengineer streets, particularly in an urban setting like Worcester, it is certainly possible. There are high hopes that the group will eventually be able to break from its status of being a working group and become an
independent, nonprofit, organization. Also, with the group continuing to grow, it will be able to host more events to promote its cause in the future, and be able to reach out to a larger, more varied, and diverse assortment of individuals. For those interested in learning more or potentially getting involved with this organization, WalkBike Worcester holds monthly meetings from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the NU Café located at 335 Chandler Street. This month’s meeting will be on Wednesday, November 20.
news | 5
The Scarlet
6 | news
november 7, 2013
CLARKIE of the WEEK Scarlet: Have you been able to get a lot of people to join Irish Step? Tasha: There are a lot of people who are interested, but it’s really hard to get people to continually show up to class, so sometimes it goes through slow periods. This year is actually a lot better [than last year] because there are a lot more people. Last year there were three people teaching it, but two of them went abroad so I was alone. But now the three of us are here [again] and there are two freshmen who know to do it too. There are also two other girls we taught who know how to do it now. So we have a much bigger group to work with. It’s slowly expanding and I’m hopeful.
courtesy of tasha orzeck-byrnes
Tasha Orzeck-Byrnes Tasha is a junior from Brooklyn double majoring in Psychology and English. She is involved in many different groups on campus and also enjoys reading and making crafts in her free time. Tasha talked to us about her many activities and interests.
Scarlet: What activities are you involved in on campus? Tasha: I’m the director [and founder] of The Irish Step Dancing Club and the director of TOPICS. I’m on the Undergraduate Academic Board of Student Council, I’m in Book Club, I work part-time for admissions, and I’m the Event Coordinator of Psi Chi [the Psychology Honors Society]. Scarlet: What made you decide to start an Irish Step club at Clark? Tasha: I’ve been doing Irish Step since I was little and really loved it, so I wanted to do it here. One of my friends freshman year knew somebody who also knew how to do it, so he put us in contact with each other and we started dancing together once a week. We decided we wanted to start a club, so [last year] we did.
Scarlet: What is TOPICS and what does the club do? Tasha: TOPICS talks about issues pertaining to sexual assault, dating violence, and rape culture. We [also] talk about how sexism is pervasive and hidden in our society. Scarlet: Do you have discussions? Tasha: Yeah. We have discussions every week. It’s really nice because we always have two discussion topics that two of our E-Board members bring in, but we also really want to get to know our members so we have icebreakers and check in every week. Everyone is welcome to bring in experiences they want to discuss or articles they read or anything they’re interested in, which I really like. I think it’s nice to have a specific place you can go to ask questions about what happened to you or your friends. We also have events, which are fun. Scarlet: What kinds of events? Tasha: We had a screening a few weeks ago of the documentary Brave Miss World. Hillel and Choices co-sponsored it. It was a great [film] and I’m really glad we got to do that. It’s good to talk
about rape because it happens, and talking about it helps people understand why it happens and that it does happen. I think that’s important. Scarlet: What kinds of books do you read in Book Club? Tasha: A lot of time we read short stories or really short books because we’re all busy with school. The selection is good because we read books from different cultures and with different writing styles. It’s really interesting and fun. It’s really chill too; you just sit on couches and talk with people about this interesting short story you read and what you thought about it. Scarlet: What is Psi Chi? Tasha: Psi Chi is the Psych Honors Society at Clark. It’s for Psych majors who have good academic standing and who have completed most of their major [requirements]. It hosts events for Psych students. We just had a forum on what classes to take next semester. Scarlet: What does the Undergraduate Academic Board of Student Council do? Tasha: It’s a combination of administrators, professors, and students, which I really like because it feels like there is a voice from every group. I feel like I’m getting an inside look because they talk about curriculum changes, portfolio requirements, and stuff like that. Scarlet: What do you do for admissions? Tasha: I eat lunch with prospective students. They’re super fun and interesting. There are so many interesting people who are applying to Clark and I like getting to know who’s applying and what they’re like. Scarlet: Do you have any other hobbies or interests? Tasha: I really like to read. I also like
by Anna Spack
to draw; I make picture books for my friends and family – that’s my favorite thing to do. I also have a bead loom. Scarlet: What’s that? Tasha: It’s for making really intricate beaded bracelets. I’m really into that. I also like to bake and I’m getting into cooking too. I make some pretty awesome caramelized onions. Scarlet: Yum! What’s your favorite thing to bake? Tasha: My two top favorites are banana chocolate chip muffins and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I can bake them by heart. Scarlet: Any fun facts about yourself? Tasha: I’m trying to learn how to play the drums. I did step in high school, and I’ve always been into rhythmic activity – step was very rhythmic and drum-like. My brother, my sister, and my dad are chipping in to buy me a drum set this winter for Christmas. Also, everyone in my [immediate] family has red or blonde hair except me. I’m like a weird brown-haired anomaly. Scarlet: What is your favorite spot on campus? Tasha: There’s a table that I always go to in the Caf that’s on the corner of the upper part. I always do my work there. You can look out at everybody. I just sit there for hours doing work or just doing nothing. You just sit there and some friends come say hi, and then you read a little, and then another friend will come sit with you. I feel like I’m just watching the world. Scarlet: Is there anything else you would like to add? Tasha: Thank you for interviewing me! Thanks for the interview, Tasha! Be sure to like TOPICS on Facebook!
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
By Sarah Cramer
Man makes beer run on lawn mower
Alligator found in Chicago airport
Now faces drunk driving charges
2-foot-long creature somehow placed under an escalator
(Huffington Post) - In nearby Kennebunk, Maine, convenience store employees refused to sell beer to 51-year-old Tony Caulder when he apparently showed up to the store intoxicated. When the employees went outside to make sure he wasn’t getting into a car, they saw him riding off in a lawn mower. The police stopped Caulder a short while later on the road and charged him with driving under the influence.
(Los Angeles Times) - Tineka Walker, a security guard at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, received the shocking alert on Monday, November 4, that an alligator had been spotted beneath an escalator. While it remains unclear how the alligator ended up there, a spokesman for the Chicago Herpetological Society pointed out that “Some human being [must have] physically carried it there and put it there. It’s not big enough to operate automatic doors.” The alligator was suffering from the cold weather and a calcium deficiency, and has been placed in the care of the society. It will be put in a reptile park after undergoing rehab.
Oregon middle school football coach insists on holding team party at Hooters
New season of The Walking Dead marked with Tokyo zombie parade
Fired for his refusal to change venue
1,000 students take to the streets as zombies
(Miami Herald) - After a few complaints from families, Athletic Director for the Corbett School District Jean-Paul Soulagnet asked coach, Randy Burbach, to move the post-season awards party to a more appropriate location. Burbach vehemently disagreed with Soulagnet’s decision that Hooter’s does not send the right message to the young athletes. Despite being fired, Burbach told reporters that he was standing up for what he believed in.
(Mirror) - In what was actually a stunt orchestrated by Fox International to promote the newest season of their hit show, The Walking Dead, a group of “zombie” students marched through Tokyo’s streets on Halloween. Participants dressed in bloody clothes and wore zombie makeup, bringing the show to life and frightening onlookers. Former sumo wrestler turned pro-wrestler, Chad Rowan, led the parade of the walking dead.
news editor
Drunken men take llama from circus for the night Chronicle their night with the llama on Twitter (NBC) - In Bordeaux, France, a llama named Serge went where probably no llama has gone before: on the tram. After wandering drunkenly into a traveling circus, five French men decided to take Serge out on the town with them. Throughout the night, they posted a series of photos of themselves with the llama in different places and poses. Their escapades ended when the tram operator noticed the llama, and notified the authorities. Serge is now back with the circus.
news | 7
The Scarlet
8 | opinions
november 7, 2013
The Scarlet/Opinions The opinions enumerated in this section represent those of the author and the author alone. They do not reflect the opinions of the editorial board, The Scarlet, or Clark University.
Concussion malfunction Despite attempts, problem remains fluid
By Jeremy Levine editor-in-editor
courtesy of media.komonews.com
By Ethan Giles contributing writer
The NFL has a concussion problem, and it’s getting worse. Although they were able to settle the lawsuits filed by former players, it is clear that the fundamental issue of concussions will continue to plague us.
It may seem evident that when large men run at full speed head first into each other it might hurt their brain, but science is now showing us exactly how bad the damage is. We can no longer deny reality: countless former NFL players are experiencing dementia and brain damage as young as fifty years old.
The NFL must tackle two issues when addressing concussions: how to settle lawsuits filed by former NFL athletes that were lied to, and how to manage the current NFL athletes. There is no denying that the continued on page 9
I just realized that I don’t know anything about Borneo. Over 18 million people live in Borneo. I don’t know about the food they eat or the politics they believe in or the clothes they wear or the kind of books they like. Heck, I don’t even know if they like books. They might be an island of book-hating people. I shudder at the very idea. The point is that there’s a lot of stuff in the world that we’re never going to understand. Even a quick romp through Borneo’s Wikipedia page isn’t going to give you anything close to an understanding of the typical Bornean. Clark is a small school. After spending some time here, you start recognizing people. There goes the guy with the weird mustache. There’s the kid who does photography and rides bikes. That kid is on Shenanigans. Or maybe Clark Bars. She does something. And then you have your friends. You can rattle off their roommates, their major, their clubs, their jobs, maybe potential careers. If you’re really close, maybe you know their grandparent’s name, or a couple of charmingly embarrassing early childhood stories. But there are probably no more than five people at this school that you actually know. Like seriously understand. Someone who you could sit down and talk to and actually know how the words that are about to come out of your mouth will affect them, because you just GET them Building these kinds of relationships takes a huge amount of time and emotional energy, which is why none of us have too many of them. But they’re important. They’re so important. They, unlike pretty much any class or club or job that you have, are worth every last shred of that time and effort. In a class, you can skip a reading or two and really be fine. But if you skip out on an opportunity to get to know a friend, to take a serious and long glance at their soul, you’ll miss something that you’re never getting back. You can’t get an extension on that kind of thing. And there’s no finish line. There’s no grade or deadline or big event. There’s just the two of you.
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
opinions | 9
Concussion cont. continued from page 8
NFL lied to its players about the effects of concussions. The PBS Documentary “A League of Denial” and a book with the same name by an ESPN staffer and his brother reveals just how much the NFL knew and intentionally hid from the players.In fact, the book and the documentary were linked until the NFL pressured ESPN to disassociate itself with PBS. The league let the players bash their heads in, all the while knowing what would happen to them years later. So what should the NFL do now? To start, free counseling should be provided to all players as soon as they leave the league. Medical personnel should determine whether players suffered brain damage during their playing career as soon as possible so that they can have the best care provided for them. Head trauma has caused too many suicides of former NFL players (Junior Seau and Dave Duerson are the two prime examples of this), and the league cannot let this trend continue. The League also has to be forthright about its knowledge of concussions. While the NFL has finally admitted the link between concussions and brain trauma, it has not been as open as it could be. PBS reached out to the NFL to talk about concussions in “A League of Denial,” but the league declined. The NFL should be promoting science and communicating the facts so that everyone knows the risks that players face. The NFL is failing its former employees by not helping them adjust to life after the league, making sure they are mentally healthy after leaving the league. How the league should handle its current players is a much harder question. How can the NFL keep football physical while keeping the players safe? There’s no question the league has to do something to limit the concussions, but the hard hits players are taking are in some ways essential to the game. As a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, those hits were essential moments in my childhood. Whenever
I got bored or distracted from homework I youtubed “Brian Dawkins hardest hits” or watched Sheldon Brown decking Reggie Bush on a loop. Hard hits always excite, even in the college level, as demonstrated by the reaction to Jadeveon Clowney’s takedown of Michigan running back Vincent Smith in last year’s Outback Bowl. The first thing the league must do is make all the players sign a waiver to ensure they are aware of the possible consequences of concussions. Some jobs are naturally dangerous, and the people in those jobs should be aware of the risk. Second, the league must actively promote player safety. Yes, they claim to care about it, but that concern comes secondary to what makes them money. Thursday Night Football should either be cancelled or only played after both teams have had a bye, as asking players to play with only three days of rest is ridiculous (and negatively impacts the quality of football play). They should continue discouraging hits that blatantly cause concussions, but they should not go too far. Throwing a flag or fining a player for clearly targeting the head of an opposing player is one thing, but concussions do naturally occur in football. While mitigating kickoffs do lower the odds of a concussion, the kickoff is a natural play in a game and should not be removed. The NFL is in a tough position because it must simultaneously support former players, keep the game entertaining, and keep current players safe. If the league does not take the proper steps, football as we know it could die out. More and more parents are refusing to let their children play the sport due to a fear of brain injury. Former Superbowl MVP Kurt Warner said that if he had sons he would not let them play football. Unfortunately, had the league been open about what it knew about concussions years ago, it may not be in the position it is now. The NFL dug its grave; if they do not change their ways, it might have to lay in it.
Dear Sigmund, I’ve been going to the fitness center to work out a lot lately. I’ve always heard that working out is really good for you, but my friends have started telling me that I’m going too often. Is there such a thing as working out too much? Staying Fit
Dear Staying Fit, First off, let me say congratulations for being active and exercising; sometimes working out is very difficult to schedule into our daily routines. Now, the two questions in my mind are: How often are you working out? How long are you working out for? The answers to these questions can help determine if your new exercise habits are a bit too much. If you find yourself heading to the Fitness Center seven days a week, and are staying there for over two hours, then perhaps you are spending a bit too much time at the gym. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week. This breaks down to about 30 minutes of exercising, five days per week. Some experts also recommend incorporating two days of strength training into these 75 – 150 minutes of exercising per week. It’s important to understand though that this is just an average, and depending on your lifestyle these numbers can go up or down. If you have never been into exercising and
this is a new activity for you, don’t overdo it – start off slow and work your way up. If you are an athlete who is used to working out, then you will probably be on the higher end of these numbers. Another thing to take into consideration is why you are exercising so much. Is it because you want to start being healthy? Do you want to lose weight? Or maybe because you don’t want to do homework? The reasons behind the workouts can play a big role into the concept of “too much exercise.” If you have noticed that your workouts are cutting into other responsibilities, you may have to adjust the amount of time you spend at the gym in order to fulfill your other obligations. So if you’re still wondering whether you are exercising too much, there are some signs that should be taken as red flags: fatigue or insomnia; diminished appetite; decreased exercise performance; disinterest in exercise; difficulty in maintaining your workout routine; sudden mood changes; delayed recovery time between workouts; prolonged injuries. If you have noticed any of these things, you need to cut back on your exercising and start giving your body time to rest. Without proper rest, you can be harming rather than helping yourself. Overall, it’s great that you are taking care of yourself; just make sure you aren’t going overboard. Take everything into consideration and develop an exercise regimen that works for you, your schedule, and your goals. Sigmund
If you have a question for Sigmund, email SigmundSays@clarku.edu, and keep checking to see if your question appears in a future column. Please remember that the advice given here is not meant to act as, or replace, therapy or emergency care.
10 | living arts
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
The Scarlet/Living Arts It’s cool because it’s in space Good for an action movie, but the fun stops there “Declaring” is like your twenty-second birthdayGood job. Good for you.
by Tyler Terriault
Sometimes I have weird flashbacks to Euphoria and dance in the caf Girl in my Psych class got the date wrong. I kept mute. I’m such a monster. A new commitment brings the promise of challenge and the curse of work
rating: courtesy of collider.com
By Jeremy Levine editor-in-chief
Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card’s young adult science fiction novel, has been heralded by critics and even earned a spot on one of Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels list. Still the book has its sour points. Some parts are slow, some things aren’t explained as thoroughly as they should be, the description is a
little lousy, and suspension of disbelief is tricky in terms of many of the characters’ ages. Ender’s Game, though, the new film from Gavin Hood, has very few of the problems that plagued the book. It’s basically never slow, and the characters seem older (although their ages are never stated outright). It definitely isn’t a perfect film. It just has issues that the book doesn’t. First, the positives. Ender’s Game is definitely, no questions asked, the
most visually beautiful film I have ever seen. Every inch of the school, battle rooms, battle simulator, and even the almost-alien Earth is flatout striking. The zero-gravity scenes are almost nauseating in their wonkiness, and the climactic battle is actually convincing. Watching the commanders in this sequence, even with their overabundance of touch screens, is beautiful. If you are thinking about seeing this movie because
you want to see a book that you love come to life visually, then go see it. After this, though, is when things get tricky. Books and movies are not the same. You can’t tell the exact same story in a movie as you can in a book, simply by virtue of the differences between mediums. The visuals are by far this film’s strong point, but Card’s sensory detail is nothing to write home about. By the same token, lots of stuff had to be moved around in order to put Ender’s Game on the big screen, but Hood just didn’t make all the right choices. First, he sort of forgot about Ender. Ender’s Game (the book) is a story about a young kid who finds himself in the center of a crazy space
war. It isn’t about the crazy space war. It’s about the kid. There are brief exchanges between a couple of commanders about the larger war effort, but even most of those directly concern Ender. In the film, much more time is spent focused on the war. The movie also misses Ender’s progression as a leader. This is the key point of the story: taking a kid that has a lot of brains and understands strategy and turning him into a leader that his peers (and the readers) can believe in. In the movie, he all of a sudden becomes a brilliant commander. Key parts of the book (his time spent in continued on page 13
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
A night with the Jersey devil Topaz Jones comes to Clark
living arts | 11
Hope, change, and musical theatre A commentary on Memphis By Ethan Goldstein scarlet staff
courtesy of byulocal.com
By Ronald Gerber scarlet staff
In 1968, Clark University played host to one of the most revered performers of all time, Jimi Hendrix. Everyone who was present for New Jersey hip-hop artist Topaz Jones’ performance in the Grind on Thursday, October 31, witnessed the same level of raw, youthful, earnest talent that graced Atwood Hall 45 years ago. I arrived at the Grind about an hour and a half earlier than Jones was scheduled to come on. The crowd was small, but already rowdy. Sticking through a decidedly uninspired opening set from DJ Teddy Roxpin, and an almost painfully dull experience with rappers Ninety-Nine, D Dand, Volition, Grits and Moshadee, proved
to be the toughest part of the evening. When Topaz Jones, clad in an AC/DC t-shirt and sporting a bandana wrapped around wild, long strands of hair, finally emerged and energetically jumped onto the stage the restless audience responded immediately. To anyone who might have been put off by his appearance, Jones’ rock-and-roll attire was soon explained by the presentation of his decidedly retro musical style. Instantly noticeable was the fact that he was was backed up by a live band, complete with guitar, bass, drums, and synthesizer. This is an unusual choice for an independent, up-andcoming solo artist in any genre, let alone in rap. The band too dresses as if from another era, and is impressively tight and adept at playing the descending, soulful, distorted riffs
that mark most of Jones’ tracks. Indeed, Topaz seems to be in line with the recent trend in popular music- exemplified by artists like Daft Punk- toward an alternative revival of funk and soul music, a fusion of 1970’s-style music and newer, predominantly electronic-dominated formats. Jones’ role as not only a rapper, but as a bandleader, contributes to his overwhelming charisma. He evidently thrives on live sound, and the show had an prevailing sense of spontaneity even if the setlist was planned. After starting out with a few older tracks, Topaz moved on to what he termed the “new s***” (including the fantastically melodic and frenetic new song “Coping Mechanism”), which provided the continued on page 13
Memphis, the 2010 Tony Awardwinning musical that recently played at the Hanover Theatre, has nothing to say. A thoroughly enjoyable bit of Broadway fluff, Memphis premiered in 2009, a year that it seems trapped in. Technically speaking, the story is a period piece set in the early 1950s, as a white DJ, Huey Calhoun, attempts to popularize the then-taboo genres of R&B and Rock among white audiences, all while wooing nightclub singer Felicia Farell. But it’s a euphoria towards civil rights issues that makes the piece feel dated far more so than its music, a series of fun, upbeat, 50s and 60s early rock pastiches that have been lovingly updated with modern instrumentation and stylings. Indeed, there’s little to argue with in terms of the show’s musical quality, as composer David Bryan of Bon Jovi clearly wrote this as a loving tribute to his influences and favorite artists. But the love the writers (Bryan and librettist Joe DiPietro) have for their subject seems to often get in the way of the script, a frequentlyunfocused mess that literally gives the show’s moral as “Colored folk sing like white people can’t” and backs this up with several very painful cliches endemic to civil rights era pieces. It’s bad enough that the show’s protagonist is white (a problem in many works about African Americans that seem to shove them into supporting roles), or that the main emotional journey comes from his mother, who gives the aforementioned moral at the start of a song called “Change Don’t Come Easy”, a paean to white people sitting around enjoying black music as a substitute for actually work-
ing to fix racism – the white mother even has the gall to accuse the black nightclub owner of intolerance! But the show seems to go out of its way to trivialize the brutality and discrimination faced by African Americans as a way of bolstering its celebratory attitude, when in reality all this does is make the show’s joyous tone feel far less deserved a stark contrast to The Butler, which gave a stunning tribute to progress only after showing just what was at stake. Memphis’ dramatic lynchpin happens at the end of its first act, when Huey and Felicia kiss, only to then be attacked by racist thugs. In better hands, this could have been a powerful, sobering counterpoint to the happy music that had thus far carried the show. But here, the scene of the attack is cut short and instead we are treated to an act one finale in which the once-mute Gator rouses from his silence to deliver the painfully boring faux-gospel number “Say A Prayer”, which goes “Say a prayer that change is a comin’ / Say a prayer that hope is ‘round the bend”. What a blast from the past! Perhaps when the show premiered, words like “hope” and “change” felt relevant, and hadn’t yet lost all their meaning. But even when I first saw Memphis in 2010, I saw this as the writers taking the easy way out, giving a condescending portrayal of African Americans as little more than spectators to their own battles, devoid of anger and agency, able to put on a show for white audiences, but not able to fight for themselves. Instead, they do the backup vocals while the fighting, both physical and metaphorical, is left to pasty continued on page 12
12 | living arts
The Scarlet
Memphis cont.
november 7, 2013
Grouplove cont. continued from page 1
courtesy of thehanovertheatre.org
continued from page 11
prophet Huey. The show could have had more to say, if only the writers let it. There are bursts of insight scattered throughout the show about issues of race versus class: the impoverished, uneducated Huey is forced to rely on a black janitor to read for him, and the relatively well-off Felicia, upon entering his house, exclaims, “I always thought white folks’ homes were nicer than black folks’ homes”. Had this theme been explored it could have been a fascinating direction for the show to take; instead, there were more glorious dance numbers. Compare Hairspray, an earlier show set in a similar time period that also centered on a white outsider’s
love of black music at the dawn of the civil rights era. Both protagonists even have to teach their mothers to boogie. But Hairspray made its point through the slyly brilliant device of comparing racial discrimination to discrimination based on one’s body type, and positioning its hero as a victim of appearance-based discrimination herself, a clever mechanism with a message that feels needed and relevant even today. But Memphis’ attempts at modern relevance begin and end with a reference to interracial marriage laws as a matter of marriage equality, forcefully drawing a parallel between midcentury civil rights and modern gay rights. Handled properly, the right to love whomever one wants should be able to stand on its own without forced, anachronistic language. Instead of making any real
point, Memphis just preaches to the choir – is anyone at a Broadway show really going to take a stand for interracial marriage laws or Perry Como music? None of this stops Memphis from being a fun show, either in 2009 or 2013. But perhaps in 2009 it was easier to forgive the show’s excesses. Portrayals of issues pertaining to African Americans no longer require white protagonists to lead the way, and agency and a focus on real-world issues have replaced the platitudes of hope and change that once lead to all those naïve announcements of a post-racial America. Lead primarily by films, popular media about racial issues is growing up in a serious way. Change may not come easy, but it only comes if you’re willing to push the envelope, not just wait around and hope.
to do this in an eco-friendly way.” Reverb set up an “eco village” in the Higgins University Center on Wednesday, bringing together a number of campus groups and giving them a media platform with which to communicate to the student body. This kind of mission resonates well with the Clark culture, which is both artistically expressive and actively engaged in social justice and environmental issues. Working so closely with Reverb allowed student activists to gain access and exposure to adult professionals who are passionate about some of the same things. At 7:30 p.m., students started trickling into Atwood Hall and finding seats for the evening festivities. Saints of Valory opened things up with a synth-infused blend of hipster indie pop. Their set included an uninspired cover of Lorde’s unexpected hit “Royals,” clearly hoping to recruit uninterested students. The band boasted an international membership, including a drummer from France and a lead singer from Rio de Janeiro. Their stage antics alluded to a self-congratulatory arena rock swagger that almost overruled the excellent musical performance. They were generally well-received by the audience, which grew significantly over the course of the set. Next up were the Knocks, an electronica duo from New York City. They got Clarkies on their feet and flooding the pit area in front of the stage. However, their constant lyrical invitations and betweensong banter urging the audience to dance became cloying and annoying to astute listeners. After a raging hour-long set,
the keyboards, percussion set-up, and tangled forests of wires were removed and roadies and volunteers began setting up for the main event, Grouplove. They set out multiple guitar stands with assorted guitars and twin Fender tweed amplifiers, outfitted with paisley psychedelic grill covers. After turning the house lights down, a lone drummer walked out to a dubstep backing track and began drumming along. One by one, the other band members came out, with lead singer Christian Zucconi perched behind a white keyboard. With long hair tucked under a black beanie and oversized white sunglasses, Zucconi resembled a post-modern Elton John. The band wove old songs with new, brining Clarkies on a musical star ride. Flashing streams of searing and pulsing light blared in cascading displays behind the band, creating a distinct party atmosphere. Grouplove’s music ranges from electrified campfire ramp ups to dark dub-oriented jams, a style germane to the average Clarkie music listener. However, their performance incorporated elements of Thurston Moore-esque noise experimentation that was unfamiliar to many casual listeners in the audience. In the 90-minute performance, the band enraptured the near-packed theater in a set that was both challenging and satisfying. The energy of the room during hits like “Colors” and the iPhone-promoting “Tongue Tied” was undeniable. While ticket sales were stalled enough to warrant a change in venue from the cavernous Kneller Center, most attendees seemed genuinely excited to take part in this special event.
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
living arts | 13
Ender’s Game cont. continued from page 10
the Rat Army, and most of his training with the Dragon Army, which is probably the most interesting part) were Completely Skipped. Not even glossed over in a below-average montage. Just entirely neglected. Since Ender’s Game is really a story about a character, and not about a war, shortchanging Ender puts the film into the “Save The Planet From Alien” genre, which the book definitely isn’t. The second big thing that I missed in the movie is Ender’s family. Ender’s relationship with his sister, Valentine, and brother, Peter, are crucial in a couple of Ender’s key introspective moments, and both were lost. We also lost a really fun subplot in which Valentine and Peter become world-renown political theorists under a couple of pseudonyms.
Topaz cont. continued from page 11
bulk of the set. Even with unfamiliar material, he held the audience in the palm of his hand. The small, uninterested part of the crowd disappeared after the first few songs, but the most fervent of Jones’ supporters stayed, not hesitating to jump in with handclaps and shouts when asked, and often when not. Despite the decidedly personal nature of much of Topaz’s music, particularly some of the “new s***,” the show never slipped into sombre or dour territory. There was a constant and overriding sense of positive energy and sheer enjoyment, amplified by the ever-smiling Jones him-
This omission takes out much of the story’s political focus, most of which is Cold War-related and forms a fascinating background for the story’s main events. This political atmosphere mirrors Ender’s insatiable desire to simultaneously know, love, and destroy his enemy, which is a lesson that is still applicable to modern viewers. So is it worth seeing Ender’s Game? Sort of. Honestly, I’d say it’s worth it just for the visuals. It’s an exciting action film. It can get pretty emotionally tense at points, just not in the same way as the book does. Basically, while it lacks the novel’s emotional arc, it’s still one of the deeper and more captivating space action movies out there. If you’re looking for an action film, go see it. But if you’re looking to see Ender’s heroic transformation unfold before you, you might be a little disappointed.
self engaging the audience with his sincerity and well-earned swagger. He took requests and talked directly to audience members several times, quickly building rapport. Some of the best moments of the night occurred when Jones was obviously most enjoying himself, doing fun covers like R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)”- which he happened to sing very well. The only possible complaint I can think of is that the set was a bit too short for such a talented young artist. I challenge Topaz to come back to Clark and try some more “new s***” out on us, whenever he has it. Some attendees came out of the Halloween show thinking of Topaz Jones as a force to be reckoned with, and he really is just that. He is a remarkable performer whose unique mixing of genres and styles and on-stage charisma make for what will foreseeably be an illustrious career.
Move forward with world-class graduate programs at Boston’s public research university.
Graduate Studies Showcase 2013
Wednesday, November 13 4 –7:30 p.m. Register today. www.umb.edu/gradshowcase
The Scarlet
14 | sports
november 7, 2013
The Scarlet/Sports COUGAR of the WEEK Janelle Pasternack
by Scott Levine
soccer
Fantasy Football Add/Drop for Week 10 By Ethan Giles scarlet staff
Senior Janelle Pasternack has been an integral part of Clark’s women’s Soccer team for four years. Her long career ended with a bang last Saturday when she netted two goals against Emerson.
courtesy of clarkathletics.com
Scarlet: How did it feel to end the season on such a high note? Janelle: It felt really good. I think getting the win felt a hundred times better than scoring both goals. We had a rough season, so it was nice to end on a really good note. Scarlet: What can you take away from this year, looking beyond the record? Janelle: Regardless of whatever the record is, or how many games we win or lose, being with my teammates for the entire season is always the most rewarding part of any season ever. Creating experiences on and off the field is way better than [thinking about] how many games you’ve won or lost. Scarlet: You’ve had an eventful four years on the soccer team. What were some highlights? Janelle: As a freshman, we won against Wheaton 1-0 in overtime, and I assisted on the goal.
That was so cool as a freshman and I still remember that because we haven’t beaten Wheaton again since then. Beating Babson in the first round of the tournament my sophomore year was really exciting because we got to go to the semifinals [in] Springfield. And that was really cool because we lost to them in the regular season. Scarlet: What are you going to miss most about being on the team? Janelle: Definitely my teammates. I won’t get to hang out with them every single day. I’m going to miss the competitiveness. College sports [have] a high competitive level, and I’m a very competitive person, so I’m definitely going to miss that because I’m not going to find that in any other league ever again. Scarlet: What will you do now to fuel that competitive fire? Janelle: I play in an adult co-ed
league in the offseason, so I’ll probably play in that for the rest of my life because I’m not going to just stop playing because the season’s over. Scarlet: Is this something that you thought about a lot this season? Janelle: I guess. I was obviously aware that it was my last season, so I just gave it everything that I could and put [in] as much hard work as my body possibly could. And it was my last season, so I just gave it everything I had. Scarlet: How does that make you feel? Janelle: Good. Proud of myself. It’s a good feeling to know that you’ve given everything you can, not just for yourself, but for the team as a collective to win.
ADD • Chris Ivory, RB, Jets: Well, I’m sorry. Earlier in the year I suggested dropping Chris Ivory. If you listened to me, I hate to say it, but it is time to pick him up again. In my defense, he looked terrible and the Jets were not giving him the ball. But now, Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has decided to run the ball and Ivory has dominated the Jets run game. Ivory is owned in 78% of espn.com leagues, 74% of nfl.com leagues, and 46% of all yahoo.com leagues. • Case Keenum, QB, Texans: After filling in for Matt Schaub, the University of Houston graduate has excelled in his home town. Over his past two games, Keenum has thrown for 631 yards as well as four touchdowns. Keenum is owned in only 1.8% of espn.com leagues, 1.5% of nfl.com leagues, and 12% of yahoo. com leagues. DROP • Bilal Powell, RB, Jets: As Sir Isaac Newton said, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. While Chris Ivory’s fantasy value soared, Powell’s has dropped like a rock; he has only rushed for 54 yards over his past three games. Time to let Powell go. • DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers: Williams is now part of a three running back tandem with Mike Tolbert and the now healthy Jonathan Stewart. It is safe to cut the once star running back. BUY LOW • Arian Foster, RB, Texans: If you are in the playoff chase and are willing to wait a couple weeks for Foster to heal, you can get good value for him, despite his current injury. SELL HIGH • Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers: While his numbers are not excellent, they are about to take a dip. Mario Manningham was just activated off of PUP, and Michael Crabtree was cleared to practice this week. Since these weapons are coming back, trade Boldin before it is too late.
The Scarlet
november 7, 2013
The Scarlet/Puzzles CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
copyright © 2013 crosswordsite.com ltd.
ACROSS
DOWN
1. Held by lease (9) 8. Overhead (5) 9. Room (5) 10. With ease (6) 12. Knocks lightly (4) 14. Person who lies (4) 15. Deceive (4,2) 17. The devil (5) 18. Post (5) 20. Observe with festivities (9)
2. Self-esteem (3) 3. Emitting a strong odour (6) 4. Flexible tube (4) 5. Act of leaking (7) 6. Member of a panel (9) 7. Person who conveys messages (9) 11. Surprise (7) 13. Roman general (6) 16. Leg joint (4) 19. Statute (3)
THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS IN NEXT ISSUE
puzzles | 15
The Scarlet
16 | puzzles
november 7, 2013
SOLUTIONS TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLES
Police Logs October 30th 8:22 - Remove vehicles. October 31st 10:54 - Male and female arguing on Downing Street. 20:18 - Flat tire.
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
compiled by Maria Rotelli
November 2nd 10:13 - Threatening phone calls being made to someone on Woodland Street. 19:06 - Door not secured on right hall in Wright Hall. November 3rd 16:26 - Young boy alone on Main Street. 22:32 - Open container of alcohol in Wright Hall. November 4th 16:39 - 5-6 kids skateboarding being loud and disturbing. This week University Police assisted with one car accident, one emergency call box alarm, one marijuana-related incident, two reports of suspicious persons, three complaints of loud parties, three motor vehicle stops, three reports of larceny, four various complaints, six fire alarms, nine calls for police escort, eleven calls to EMS, and worked with WPD three times.
SUDOKU SOLUTION
November 1st 19:03 - Cooking mishap in Dodd Hall. 00:00 - Male laid out.
what happens in The Scarlet office at 12:59 a.m. stays in the The Scarlet office... sort of “‘Florida’? How was ‘Florida’ misspelled? Flo Rida?” - Anna “It’s cool because it’s in space?” - Matt “Yeah.” - Jeremy “I’m game for that. ” - Matt “Are you Ender’s Game for that?” - Anna and Jeremy, in unison. “I just love going into people’s houses and causing a ruckus.” - Claire