February 3, 2011 issue

The Chronicle T h e i n d e p e n d e n t d a i ly at D u k e U n i v e r s i t y

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 89

www.dukechronicle.com

80 DUKE BACK ON TRACK

DSG bylaws allow write-in candidates

UMD 62

by Joanna Lichter THE CHRONICLE

Smith and Singler combine for 43 points

by Patricia Lee THE CHRONICLE

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — It was a crucial victory for No. 5 Duke— a decisive 80-62 win in enemy territory that quashed any ideas of another early February downturn.

Coming off a painful 93-78 loss to St. John’s on the road Sunday, the Blue Devils (20-2, 7-1 in the ACC) looked like an entirely different team in the Comcast Center last night. Led by the stellar performances of seniors Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, Duke avoided another road disappointment and put a stranglehold on the top of the ACC standings.

“It was important for us to play again….

The last game we played was an embarrassing loss,” Singler said. “To come on the road again and then win was a big thing for this team.”

Despite taking sophomore center Jordan Williams’s best punches in the opening minutes, Duke surged ahead with a 13-4 run halfway through the first period.

3-pointers from Tyler Thornton, Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry stretched the Blue Devils’ advantage to 15.

The Terrapins (14-8, 4-4) ended the half on a 7-0 run of their own, however, and

courtney douglas/The Chronicle

Nolan Smith dropped 21 to help Duke defeat the Terrapins in College Park, Md. last night. The Blue Devils bounced back from their lopsided loss to St. John’s on Sunday with the win.

Cliff Tucker’s layup just before the buzzer brought the home team back into the game. They now stood down just 40-33.

Smith and Singler, however, made sure Maryland wouldn’t get any closer.

The duo scored 26 points in the second half, and along with the efforts of the Duke bench, allowed the Blue Devils to earn a signature road victory. Altogether,

Smith added 21 points and went 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.

“At the end, Nolan really handled everything well,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We’re obviously very pleased with our effort tonight. I think we played our best game since Kyrie got hurt.”

By running as write-in candidates, students who were not selected as finalists by the Young Trustee Nominating Committee can seek election to the prestigious position.

Last Saturday, the YTNC selected seniors Matt Davis, Ben Getson and Michelle Sohn as finalists for the election after a two-step process consisting of a review of applications and interviews. But Duke Student Government bylaws permit write-in candidates to campaign for office provided they follow the same rules as qualified candidates, though they may not receive funding for their campaign.

Write-in candidates, which include senior and Young Trustee semi-finalist Brooke Kingsland, are bound in their campaigns by normal election rules, and therefore they are qualified to receive endorsements, DSG Attorney General Ryan Clark, a junior, wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. Although he does not have voting power, Clark chairs the Board of Elections, which consists of seven undergraduate voting members and will oversee the election. Campaigning for the Young Trustee election began Tuesday, however, the Board of Elections is still trying to fill two of its positions. Applications are not due until Friday.

“I don’t think we should eliminate the possibility for a write-in,” said DSG Executive Vice President Pete Schork, a junior

See m. basketball on page 8 See yt on page 4

Devil’s Bistro struggles with complaints of inconsistency

by Matt Barnett THE CHRONICLE

Nine months after it opened on Central Campus, the Devil’s Bistro is receiving mixed reviews.

The Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee met last Monday in a nearly empty Devil’s Bistro to review the venue. Even after a wait of up to 25 minutes, there was significant confusion with the members’ meals and some did not receive what they ordered.

“Right now you’re seeing what may be called struggles of a bistro in distress,” said DUSDAC co-Chair Alex Klein, a senior. “This gives us an idea of staffing issues and food service and timing issues. It took way too long to get food today.”

Devil’s Bistro sous chef and former personal chef to Diana Ross, Sean Sanford emphasized the strength of the menu to DUSDAC. “We’re putting out menus with a wide spread of everything and then we have the steak and potatoes as well,” Sanford said. “We can adjust to whatever [students’] needs may

DP brings Merce Cunningham Dance Company to DPAC, recess page 4

be. We don’t have too many items that do not do well.”

As they ate, DUSDAC critiqued the venue’s tough meat and slow service. Despite the criticism, Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst said that financially, the restaurant has exceeded administrative expectations.

Wulforst also attributed inconsistent service to the restaurant’s concept.

“It’s a little bit different of a business model from Plate & Pitchfork,” Wulforst said.

Darrell Brown, general manager and executive chef at Devil’s Bistro, agreed that the venue has been doing well and added that many of DUSDAC’s complaints have already been addressed.

Brown said the bistro is in the process of transitioning to a system where employees run the food, as opposed to the previous pick-up system.

“We have these rings right here on the table,” said See bistro on page 5

Duke restricts travel to Egypt in light of riots, Page 4

faith robertson/The Chronicle

Despite efforts to become Central Campus’ dining hot spot, the Devil’s Bistro has received mixed reviews on its quality and service.

ONTHERECORD

“Students will be using this to go around the law, with potential legal penalties.”

­—DSG ACS Senator Ben Bergmann on DukePie. See story page 3

2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 the chronicle

worldandnation onschedule...

Reporting on Obama’s White House: 2.0 Sanford 04, 5:30-7p.m.

Listen to a White House correspondent discuss his reporting experience.

on the

Modern Cinemas of the Middle East:”Port of Memory” White 107, 7-9p.m.

The film follows the director’s family story after they evacuate their home in Ajami.

4331

FRIDAY:

4136

Duke President’s Forum Perkins 217, 7-8p.m.

President Brodhead along with Larry Moneta and Sue Wasiolek will engage the student body in a discussion of campus life.

web

“Faculty at Duke have already begun using 3-D videos as an instructional tool. The additional dimension allows videos to convey depth, essential for certain learning material.“Most people think of 3-D as movies where things pop out and scare you.

But it’s not a gimmick if you’re using the technology to elucidate something you can’t see without that depth,” said Center for Instructional Technology consultant Randy Riddle.

— From The Chronicle News Blog bigblog.chronicleblogs.com

Linda Davidson/The Washington Post

Anti - Mubarak and Pro - Mubarak protestors clashed Wednesday in Tahir Square located in downtown Cairo. Demonstrations took a violent turn after protestors took to throwing rocks and other projectiles. Some Mubarak supporters rode into the square riding camels and horses while beating the opposition with clubs and rods. Hundreds are thought to be wounded in the fighting.

“

TODAY:

The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.

— Emile Zola

”

TODAY IN HISTORY

1967: ”Purple Haze” recorded

by Jimi Hendrix

Teen birth rate decline Yemeni president leaving continues with record low office after term ends WASHINGTON — The long decline in teen births, which had stalled for two years, seems to be back on track, federal health officials announced Wednesday.

The teen birth rate declined 8 percent between 2007 and 2009, hitting a historic low of 39.1 births per 1,000 teens ages 15 to 19, according to a new analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics.

Moreover, the rates fell significantly for teens in all age groups and all racial and ethnic groups, pushing the rate for each age group and for nearly all race and ethnic groups to the lowest levels ever reported, according to the analysis.

The new statistics confirm the government’s preliminary analysis of the national data that was released in December.

That showed the birth rate had dropped 6 percent between 2008 and 2009 -- the second year in a row that the birthrate among teens fell.

off the

wire...

ADEN, Yemen — President Ali Abdullah Saleh, moving to head off the kind of unrest roiling Egypt and Tunisia, announced Wednesday that he would not run for office when his term ends in 2013 or anoint his son as his successor.

He also appealed to Yemen’s opposition parties to call off a demonstration planned in the capital, Sanaa, on Thursday.

“I present these concessions in the interests of the country,” Saleh said of his pledge.“The interests of the country come before our personal interests.”

Saleh, 64, a vital U.S. ally in the war on terrorism, made the statement to Yemen’s parliament, a senior council of leaders and members of the military, which has remained staunchly loyal to him. “No extension, no inheritance, no resetting the clock,” he said, referring to a proposal by his ruling party to change the Middle Eastern nation’s constitutional term limits.

Coptic Christians in Egypt fear persecution

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the chronicle

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 | 3

Neuroscience DukePie to provide file-sharing service major gains in popularity Duke Student Government

by Anna Koelsch THE CHRONICLE

Duke Student Government approved funding for a peer-to-peer file-sharing service at its meeting Wednesday night.

Vice President for Student Affairs Gurdane Bhutani, a sophomore, said the service—called DukePie—will be a way for students and faculty to share files without consuming an excessive amount of the University’s bandwidth. DukePie, which was originally proposed at last week’s meeting, was granted $2,265 from the legislative discretionary fund.

The decision passed by a 20-10 vote, though not without controversy. Many senators questioned the service’s legality, emphasizing that DSG should not approve a service that could be used to share music or movie files illegally instead of academic files.

“It is kind of big deal for DSG to be endorsing something that will be principally used not to share Microsoft Word [documents] and material from class, but music and movies,” said senior Ben Bergmann, an athletics and campus services senator. “Students will be using this to go around the law, with potential legal penalties.”

Bergmann added that DSG should get the administration’s explicit approval before implementing the service.

Bhutani said he had met with a lawyer regarding DukePie’s legality who expressed no objections to the service. Bhutani added that he is planning to meet with Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta later in the week.

“I sort of reject the notion that we have to get the permission from a grown-up to do something,” Bhutani said. “Whenever we approve [allocating] money, we’re always taking a risk. There’s a chance that it will be a total dud.”

He added that the University of Connecticut and Cornell University host services similar to DukePie.

In other business: The Senate voted unanimously put a referendum on the Young Trustee ballot to merge Campus Council with DSG. The Young Trustee election is Feb. 15.

DSG also unanimously approved a resolution supporting pro-democracy protesters in Egypt.

tyler seuc/The Chronicle

VP for Student Affairs Gurdane Bhutani discusses DukePie, a file-sharing service, which DSG approved funding for at its meeting Wednesday.

D E LL

E C N

CA

Sophomore Alexandra Swain, a senator for Durham and regional affairs, asked if this proposal had any connection to a Jan. 31 e-mail Moneta sent regarding illegal downloading and file-sharing. “[We asked and] Moneta said... ‘No, we’re required to do this by law,’” Bhutani said. He added that Moneta’s e-mail applied to internet-based file-sharing, not a peerto-peer file-sharing service like DukePie.

by Tolu Lawal THE CHRONICLE

Duke students have neuroscience on the brain.

Since becoming a major in Fall 2009, the neuroscience major has rapidly expanded in popularity. Although just 11 students graduated last year with the major, there are currently 119 neuroscience majors at Duke, Leonard White, associate director of undergraduate studies in neuroscience, wrote in a Jan. 31 e-mail.

The newly constructed major, housed in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, serves as a comprehensive extension to the pre-existing concentration in psychology and biology in neuroscience that had been in existence for more than 20 years, said Christina Williams, director of undergraduate studies in neuroscience. The program added almost a dozen courses in the last year alone, she noted.

“We are delighted, but not surprised, by the interest and enthusiasm of Duke students for the study of neuroscience,” Williams wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. “I think students sense the tremendous enthusiasm of the participating faculty, and see the vast opportunities to get involved in neuroscience research. The DIBS website lists 125 research active Duke faculty members interested in Neuroscience over 50 of whom indicate their interest in having undergraduates in their labs. Of this group, over 30 faculty are teaching undergraduate courses.”

The budding major provides a broad survey of the field of neuroscience and includes coursework in cellular and molecular neurobiology as well as brain and behavior. The program requires seven co-requisitites for a bachelor’s in science degree and six for a bachelor’s in arts degree— ranging from courses in chemistry to mathematics and See neuroscience on page 4

4 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 the chronicle

news in brief Ostrom lecture postponed Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom’s lecture scheduled for this afternoon is postponed due to inclement weather in Indiana.

Ostrom, the first female to win the Nobel Prize in Economics, was set to deliver her speech, “Updating the Theory of Collective Action and the Environment,” in Love Auditorium at 6 p.m. Information regarding the event’s rescheduling has not yet been released, a Duke news release noted.

Ostrom received the Nobel Prize in 2009 for her study of economic governance, specifically the study of the “sustainable long-term management of common pool resources such as forests, fisheries, oil fields and groundwater basin,” according to the release.

The laureate planned to focus the lecture on her argument for a polycentric approach to resource management, with emphasis on the importance of local stakeholders’ involvement in oversight decisions. Ostrom’s work has challenged the theory that resources should be privatized or controlled by central authorities to prevent ecosystem collapse, the release noted.

ITOC votes to restrict travel to Egypt Due to political turmoil in Egypt that has resulted in widespread violence, the International Travel Oversight Committee voted to restrict travel to the country, Duke announced Wednesday.

The restriction will be reviewed Feb. 28, considering guidance from the University’s travel insurance provider as well as governmental warnings and advisories, a Duke news release noted.

Undergraduates cannot travel to Egypt using Duke funds or credit without the committee’s approval.

Graduate and professional students must register their travel and sign a high-risk travel release form.

“Given the difficulties that Duke travelers experienced when trying to leave Egypt... we were forced to look at our ability to assist future travelers to the country,” Christy Michels, Duke international travel policy administrator, said in the release. “ We are unsure of our ability to aid them once they are there and felt a restriction was in order for the time being.”

—from staff reports

Neuroscience from page 3

yt from page 1

physics for both—out of its 10 required courses.

“Neuroscience is a complex disciplinary subject,” White said. “Success in this field for an undergraduate major requires background studies in a variety of natural sciences and quantitative approaches to the study of life systems.”

The courses are rigorous because they are designed to provide sufficient knowledge for students who choose to pursue graduate degrees in the field, Williams said.

This requires a firm background in science and quantitative subjects, she added.

With more than 100 declared majors, the neuroscience program could become the second largest pure natural science major behind biology if it continues to grow at this rate, Williams said. The program is adjusting to both increased interest and more students coming to Duke with strong foundations in the sciences.

Although many students will pursue graduate school after completing the major, Williams said the program’s growth is due in part to its interdisciplinary nature. She noted that the major provides a broad foundation in neuroscience that can be applied to a great number of career fields.

The major can be applied to law, social sciences, arts, humanities, public policy and even business and economics, White said.

Andrea Mihic, a sophomore majoring in economics, is taking the introductory neuroscience course NEUROSCI 101: “Biological Basis of Behavior,” said in a Jan. 31 e-mail that she enjoyed the versatility of neuroscience in understanding human decision making, which can be applied to her major.

“Economic models leave room for questions—they don’t explain the irrationalities we witness in the markets every day,” she said. “Neuroeconomics, on the other hand, could get there.”

Despite the program’s successes, Williams said there is room for further improvement. Administrators will consider changes to the curriculum to enhance the undergraduate experience, but there are not plans for dramatic alterations. For example, a new laboratory course that will focus on cell molecular and systems neuroscience will be offered on a limited-seat basis next Spring.

who has played an advising role during the process. “[If there is] enough grassroots support for a candidate to bypass the formal selection process.... I don’t know any bylaw change would be necessary except maybe to strengthen the provision for what happens when there is a write-in candidate.”

One of the eight semi-finalists selected by the YTNC is currently campaigning despite not being chosen as a finalist. Although her name will not appear on the ballot, Kingsland is campaigning for Young Trustee as a write-in candidate.

She said she considered running as a write-in candidate even before the YTNC selected the official finalists and has created a Facebook page and website to spread the news about her platform.

“Multiple people either individually or collectively approached me to start a write-in campaign,” Kingsland said. “I felt overwhelming support from the beginning.”

The participation of a write-in candidate could potentially complicate the electoral process. For example, Schork said it is unclear if a misspelling of a write-in candidate’s name would count toward his or her vote total, adding that the decision lies with the Board of Elections.

It is also currently unclear whether Kingsland— or write in candidates in general—will be able to participate in the upcoming Young Trustee public debate since there are no provisions for this case, Schork said.

“That’s actually something we haven’t decided,” he said. “I would say, most likely no because [write-in candidates don’t] have a formal candidacy.... It’s something we’ll have to talk about and decide.”

Despite potential complications, Schork said Kingsland’s write-in campaign has played out “exactly as intended” by the DSG bylaws.

YTNC Chair Christine Larson, a sophomore, declined to comment Wednesday on Kingsland’s campaign and how it may affect the legitimacy of the YTNC. She said she would meet with Kingsland before commenting.

Go to Berlin and see Istanbul Duke in Berlin goes to Turkey: Summer, Fall & Spring

german.duke.edu/duke-in-berlin

the chronicle

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 | 5

bistro from page 1 Brown in an interview Tuesday. “We’re going to try to go away from the budget system and go towards a system where we’re going to be able to control the tempo of the food by running it ourselves.”

Brown was also quick to point out that DUSDAC’s experience with tough meat was an anomaly.

“As soon as I heard that, I went back to my distributor, and I had them pull that lot,” Brown said. “We also did a blind testing here at the restaurant to ensure that

that was a one off—something that’s not a regularity here.”

Like DUSDAC, students generally have mixed feelings about the Bistro.

For some students, sub-par meals undermine the strength of the menu’s variety.

Central Campus resident Ari Bar-Mashiah, a junior, said although he appreciates the venue’s selection, inconsistency in the quality of the food is disappointing.

“The food is really hit or miss, which kind of threw me off,” Bar-Mashiah said. “I don’t like that when I go to Devil’s Bistro it’s like a gamble on whatever I’m choosing to eat.”

Many students living on Central, includ-

No one left behind

audrey adu-appiah/The Chronicle

Laura Palmer Noone, former president and CEO of the University of Pheonix, spoke Wednesday in the Sanford School of Public Policy as part of a series that challenges traditional ideas in higher education.

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ing Bar-Mashiah, said they go because of the convenience. The restaurant’s distance from East and West Campuses presents an obstacle to many students, but Wulforst said the varied demographic of the bistro’s clientele is unexpected.

“Most of them are West Campus residents, which is surprising to me,” he said. “They’re meeting Central Campus residents—probably 20 percent are freshmen.”

Some freshmen said they would like to go but have not because of the inconvenience.

“I go to West Campus eateries because I am often already on West,” said freshman Glenn Rivkees. “I am never on Central, and it’s too out of the way to merit a trip, especially when it involves a C-2.”

Rivkees noted, however, that he has heard good things about the Bistro and would like to try it in the future.

Attracting customers to the Bistro will be partly be the responsibility of advertis-

ing, Wulforst said, adding that financial constraints and a limited budget will force the bistro to focus on low-cost solutions.

“Spending money on Chronicle advertisements may not be as effective as Facebook, Twitter and table tents,” Wulforst said. “[The bistro] can advertise, but they have a limited budget.”

Some students think the Bistro might face a significant challenge in increasing its customer base.

DUSDAC member, Helen Zhang, a junior, said she was so unimpressed with the tofu dish she ordered, that she planned to eat again on West after the meeting concluded. Although she lives across the street, Zhang added that she rarely eats at the Devil’s Bistro.

“If I wanted food [off of West Campus], I’d go to a restaurant,” Zhang said. “Chipotle is right up the street. I’m not enticed enough to come here.”

6 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 the chronicle

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Recess

volume 13 issue 19 february 3, 2011

CHINESE NEW YEAR.

Merce Cunningham As part of Legacy Tour, Duke Performances hosts Merce Cunningham Dance Company at DPAC

CENTER

special to The chronicle

jazz loft

exhibit of photos and audio from the Jazz Loft opens

page 3

the mechanic

Statham is back, and it’s not to fix cars

page 6

ty segall

young garage-rocker crafts some big, sludgy tunes

page 6

recess

theSANDBOX. Rush can be a stressful time. No one wants to end up like that kid who didn’t get a bid to Slytherin and ended up going Ravenclaw, then couldn’t kick his nasty smokeless tobacco-and-black tar heroin habit.

Their fears, though, are unfounded.

These days, freshmen call most of the shots. Frats think of rush like a chugging competition—the more gravy you can stomach, the better. But if humbling yourself to a group of impressionable freshmen isn’t your thing, money—in the form of beers, prostitutes or skydiving trips—works too. Who says you can’t buy friends?

Of course, there’s a certain irony to all these upperclassmen competing for the affection of freshmen, especially when they’ll turn around and start pledging as soon as it’s all over. Like Hillel House holding a shellfish-themed party, but not having anyone to buy the booze because it’s the Sabbath. Hopefully that last sentence doesn’t get me kicked off my birthright trip.

Plus, Duke’s got an especially fratty reputation to uphold. If we aren’t rank-

ing our sexual conquests via slide show (bonus points for Aussie accents) or writing e-mails objectifying women (Helen Keller included), we’re probably returning videotapes. At least that’s what Caitlin Flanagan told me, though I wouldn’t trust her to drive the C1 either.

But let’s face it. Duke doesn’t have the frattiest student body in the world, and we’re forced to do a fair amount of posing to convince our potential brothers. Take the former chess prodigy fist pumping on top of the bar—quite the image. Or the bro with the pronounced lisp. Come on dude. We’re both rational people, and you know there’s no th in “frat star.”

Of course, if you aren’t persuasive in person, take to dem internetz. Says here on CollegeACB that Epsilon Chi Phi is trending way down, but the next post said that was cleeeearly Key Three pretending to be Larry Moneta pretending to be Kyrie Irving. Apparently he wanted to pledge too, but was worried all the candy would ruin his figure.

—Ross Green

[recesseditors] frats we wish we could pledge Kevin Lincoln.........................................................................................................GQ Lisa Du...................................................................................................................JET Ross Green............................................................................................................P4K Andrew O’Rourke...............................................................................................PXR Sanette Tanaka...................................................................................................DSPC Nate Glencer....................................................................................................PWILD Lindsey Rupp.........................................................................LRupp wants a pledge

February 3, 2011

[DUKE HORIZONTAL]

Page 2

I frequently win “Never Have I Ever.” Or lose, depending on one’s interpretation of the game’s point.

It’s never really been made clear to me whether the winner is the participant who puts down their fingers the quickest or has the most standing at the end, but maybe winning is subject to one’s personal views on morality. I feel the same way about drinking games that penalize the loser by making them consume additional alcoholic beverages. Isn’t everyone really a winner?

On the flipside, I’m notoriously ungifted in thinking up possible behaviors or situations that I have not partaken in. I dislike the annoyingly impossible, “Never have I ever received a blow job” and other gender specific experiences. In the interest of keeping the scenarios within the realm of plausibility and away from digust, I tend to automatically refrain from enumerating the obvious “never evers” on my list. I’ve never hooked up with a married man, never had sex in front of an audience and never used a ball gag. If it involves scatology, it’s a never (which I hope merits a resounding “duh”), and I’ve never worked at a strip club (triple duh). That being said, there are a few notable and perhaps more surprising items that have never been checked off my sexual to-do list.

First, I’ve never slept with a virgin. I didn’t take advantage of the ample virgin meatmarket during my high school years, and I stuck to the older and experienced end of the sexual spectrum as a freshman, a time when I could have picked a virgin off easily. Several of my friends have made a habit of bedding the inexperienced, amassing v-card collections five or six strong. I imagine the ego-boost must be appeal-

ing, as well as the ability to permanently alter a young man’s sexual fate. Regrettably, as the cougar lifestyle has never held any particular appeal (I’ve also never hooked up with someone younger), it seems I’ll never have the opportunity to judge this experience for myself.

In my time at Duke, I’ve also never had any romantic encounters with an independent male. I stress that I never consciously made this decision or actively vetted against non-Greeks.

Sometimes my friends suggest that I write a column ranking IFC organizations in order of sexual ability, but I’ve actually never done any particular amount of damage on an entire social group and my sample size is far too small.

Also, given recent scandals, I’d like to stay away from case-by-case comparison. That being said, focusing on fraternity membership in the process of sexual selection seems a little bit like the Pokemon strategy of “GOTTA CATCH ‘EM ALL.” Maybe it’s time to actually start acknowledging those graduate students that annoyingly take over my booth at Alivia’s.

Importantly, I’ve never had a threesome.

In high school, my best friend and I made a pact to never have a threesome together which followed us to college and remains intact to this day. In case you were wondering, we’ve never received any invitations, but the fact that one of us was blonde and the other brunette seemed like a natural path towards temptation in the minds of two 17-year-olds.

I’ve never had sex on a beach (I’m antisand). I’ve never participated in a wet t- shirt contest. I’ve never had cyber sex (definitely a never that I hope stays that way). I’ve also never gone skydiving, gotten a tattoo or run a marathon. In hindsight, I’m a bit more boring than a sex columnist might be expected to be. Then again, never say never right?

Brooke Hartley is a Trinity senior.

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recess

February 3, 2011

Page 3

The Jazz Loft Project opens at Nasher

by Brian Contratto THE CHRONICLE

Opened last night at the Nasher Museum of Art, The Jazz Loft Project: W. Eugene Smith in New York City, 1957-1965 is a remarkably realized recreation of a space and time.

The period left an indelible mark on American consciousness. Political tumultuousness coexisted alongside a golden age of jazz, and post-war documentary photography was burgeoning. Photojournalists like W. Eugene Smith rendered scenes both poignant and inelegant, contributing greatly to the national memory of a special era.

In 1955, Smith left Life magazine, and two years later he began a nine-year residence in a rundown five-story loft building, 821 6th Ave., nestled in a quiet, neglected area of Manhattan between the garment and flower districts.

His goal was to document the jazz music and bohemian culture of the era, a task he accomplished prodigiously— more than 40,000 photographs taken and 4,000 hours of audio recorded.

It’s with similar zeal that writer Sam Stephenson, director of the Jazz Loft Project at the Center for Documentary Studies, approached the ambitious task of listening to and cataloguing the entirety of Smith’s material; The Jazz Loft Project, which Stephenson co-curates with Courtney ReidEaton, exhibitions director at CDS, is a distillation of over a decade’s work.

Dan Partridge, a research associate for CDS, pored over the photographs and audio footage for years. The work of Patridge and his colleagues has already yielded a radio series and book, yet Partridge said he still doesn’t feel the possibilities of discovery have been exhausted. “[The Jazz Loft Project] really gives you a sense of that time period, and also of Smith’s place in it,” Partridge said.

“It’s so expansive you feel you could keep going with it, do another radio series, another book.”

In fact, there are still 900 hours of audio yet to be listened to. Still, the Nasher collection does feel immersive and is as close as a gallery exhibit can come to comprehensiveness. The display includes a plentiful range of blackand-white photographs, original recording equipment, copies of Life magazine and listening stations to stop and absorb the sounds through headphones.

The candid photos are voyeuristic, showing through a splintered windowpane a bird’s-eye view of street sweepers, traveling salesmen and drunks passing below. Ambient recordings of some of the jazz recordings play from overhead, in an effort to recreate the experience of stumbling upon the loft from the streets of Manhattan.

Among those who did “stumble” into the loft: veritable giants like Alice Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. Several tuned pianos available for impromptu jam sessions and plentiful space attracted legendary musicians and their

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maddie lieberberg/The Chronicle

Encompassing more than 40,000 photographs and 4,000 hours of recorded audio, the Jazz Loft Project at the Center for Documentary Studies has resulted in a book and an exhibit, now on display at the Nasher Museum of Art. contemporaries of more modest talents alike, Partridge said.

In fact, it’s the unextraordinary music, historical nobodies and tidbits of cultural milieu captured on the recordings—a recording of a radio show that allowed Southerners to voice opinions for and against African-American civil rights, for instance—that really embody the essence of the Project.

Trevor Schoonmaker, curator of contemporary art at the Nasher, said CDS is well suited to offer this historical perspective.

“They’re the experts. They’re the scholars. We’re helping [CDS] by amplifying what they do,” Schoonmaker said.

“It’s a perfect partnership—a step away from conceptual fine art.”

Fittingly, The Jazz Loft Project is the labor of love by documentarians, not jazz aficionados.

“If we made a record of any building from that time period, it would have been almost as important,” Stephenson said. “That they happened to be playing jazz and include important people is almost a bonus.”

Stephenson’s words reflect the extraordinary, of-themoment quality that gave electricity to the original Jazz Loft and now the exhibition. That its contents comprise documents of and produced by individuals from such disparate social backgrounds—black and white, photographer and musician, renowned and unknown—speaks to the interfusion of the time, something that the Jazz Loft epitomized.

Stephenson calls the multimedia project “a biography of a building”—but it’s a biography of American people as well “That’s pre-Civil Rights, during a certain post-war honeymoon before the country got so divided politically,” Stephenson said. “It’s before people started moving out to the suburbs; a real moment when you could move to New York and get an apartment for $20 a month and you could make it. You rarely have access to the ordinary banal moments that make up a huge majority of our world history.”

The Jazz Loft Project runs through July 10, 2011 at the Nasher Museum of Art.

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February 3, 2011

MERCE CUNNINGHAM

For Legacy Tour, DP hosts Mer

by Michaela Dwyer THE CHRONICLE

What do we talk about these days when we talk about dancing? The perceived authenticity of Natalie Portman’s pirouettes in Black Swan? Seasonal fallout from countless productions of The Nutcracker?

How about the work of a monumental choreographer who influenced all of these scenarios by changing our very perceptions of movement and contemporary art?

This Friday and Saturday, Duke Performances will bring the legendary Merce Cunningham Dance Company, founded in 1953 by modern dance choreographer Merce Cunningham, to the Durham Performing Arts Center for what will be the company’s final performance in North Carolina. The 14-member ensemble will perform three pieces: Sounddance (1975), Duets (1980) and BIPED (1999). Come the end of 2011, the company will dissolve permanently after two years of touring about 40 cities—as stipulated by the Legacy Plan left behind by Cunningham when he passed away July 26, 2009, at age 90. The last show will take place December 31, 2011, in New York City.

“I can barely imagine a more productive 60 years of art-making,” Director of Duke Performances Aaron Greenwald said. “This is a really big deal.”

Big enough to merit its own spot on Duke Performances’ 2010-2011 lineup, which is otherwise split into thematically organized series. Alongside “Inventors,” “Witnesses,” “The Sanctified” and others stands “Merce,” singular and unabashed—rather representative of the visionary company that grew out of his work with musician John Cage and avant-garde artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns at Black Mountain College in the early 1950s.

“It was important for Duke Performances to take on and to structure a season around this—an intersection of American folk art and American avant-garde and the experimental,” Greenwald said. “Merce engaged all those things.”

The engagement began at Black Mountain College, an experimental institution located near Asheville, N.C. Now famous among scholars, archivists and arts aficionados, the institution remains somewhat unknown, as its doors remained open only from 1933 to 1957. Its concentrated community of innovators reckoned with both traditionalists and early modernists by treating art instruction and practice as vital to a true liberal arts education. Many of the students and professors moved on to different venues to play key roles in other artistic movements, such as the Beats of the later 1950s and the downtown art scene in New York City that took on several iterations throughout the ’60s and ’70s.

Cunningham came to Black Mountain in 1953 after a six-year soloist stint with the Martha Graham Dance Company—another group spawned from an iconoclast of modern dance. Cunningham, however, wished to diverge from Graham’s prac-

tices. He did so by abstracting typical perfor dances a prescribed “role” within a represen turn observes and easily understands the act tance of establishing independence among e “Cunningham wanted to create open stru ticipate in the story-making of the performa about whom,” said Thomas DeFrantz, profe Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

At Black Mountain, this sort of radical exp of “happenings,” theatrical performances sta would later become his life partner. Centra standing of the element of chance—somethin compositions and not yet explored in the rec terview during the 1980s with English compo Cunningham described one of these “happen and several colleagues, including Rauschen what we did. That is, I danced around throu with aisles between. It was a kind of agreed-up things would take place. There was no connec at this could make. All these things were separ different way so that they would see or hear s The ideas reflected in Cunningham’s stat of dance and performance developed. Cunni ing movement and sound—in effect, allowin another. From this practice emerged consci accommodated “chance” occurrences and n became ingrained in the newly formed Merce moved to New York after forming at Black Mo Barbara Dickinson, director of undergrad for the Duke Dance Program, recalls taking c young dancer in New York during the 1960s a “I loved his company and his choreograph ing and you’re attuned to sound and music n ally begin to sense how your moving and the s other times contrast. It’s a fascinating kinetic From this period onward, the company’s s ished. Cunningham’s interest in collaboratin movement scores spread to new media techn singular choreographer up until the day he d “Unlike a lot of artists who make their best

February 3, 2011

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DUKE PERFORMANCES

rce Cunningham Company

rmance structure in which the dancer ntative narrative, and the audience in tion. Cunningham stressed the imporeach performer. uctures that allowed audiences to parance, without telling us what to think essor in theater, arts and dance at the

perimentation began to take the form aged by Cunningham and Cage, who al to the performances was an underng just beginning to figure into Cage’s cent advent of modern dance. In an inoser and musicologist Peter Dickinson, nings” that took place between himself nberg and Cage: “We each simply did ugh the public, which sat in the center pon length of time during which these ction other than what anybody looking rate, and everybody was sitting facing a something in a different way.” tement became significant as his styles ingham pioneered the idea of separatng the two to act independently of one ious, self-directed movement that still new aesthetic possibilities. These ideas e Cunningham Dance Company, which ountain in the 1950s. duate studies and professor of practice classes at the Cunningham Studio as a and early ’70s. hy,” Dickinson said. “When you’re dancnot written for you as a dancer, you resound might seem to coordinate and at c enrichment of what you’re doing.” sense of experimentation further flourng with visual and musical artists on his nologies, and he remained prolific as a died. t and most definitive work early in their

Page 5

careers, it’s my sense that Merce [as he grew older] gained a better hold on technology and more sophisticated tools,” Greenwald said. “One could argue that much of his essential work was made later in his life.”

One example of this work is BIPED, which will be performed as part of the company’s Durham program. Along with Cunningham’s stylistic trademarks—quick directional changes paired with intensely controlled body movements—the piece features live motion-capture imagery projected onto a front scrim. As Cunningham became less capable of moving at the speed of his younger dancers, he grew increasingly fascinated by these types of technologies—as well as the computer program DanceForms, an electronic movement notation system.

Robert Swinston, a former company member who is now the company’s director of choreography, discussed these technologies, yet also stressed the importance of preserving the older work in which Cunningham himself danced. From this effort an educational workshop called History Matters was created during Cunningham’s lifetime. Duke will present a version of this archival program tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Reynolds Industries Theater.

“I actually started [History Matters] to enlighten our own students because they didn’t have the background and history of Cunningham and Cage,” Swinston said.

“I wanted to show footage of Merce actually dancing so that they knew that Merce was a great dancer. I wanted to do that while Merce was [still living].”

In conjunction with company archivist David Vaughan, Swinston’s efforts to preserve Cunningham’s material are especially timely. Come December, the full company directly trained by Cunningham will no longer exist, and the works will be licensed to other dance companies, and then set on and interpreted by other bodies and artistic visions.

“Now, it will be up to emerging artists to take Cunningham’s legacy and make something new of it, something that will inspire audiences in the future,” DeFrantz said.

Before this happens, however, the Durham community has the unique opportunity to experience Cunningham’s vibrant conceptual history one last time.

“If people haven’t had this experience, they should have it,” Swinston said. “It’s not going to exist in the same manner anymore. If they don’t see it, they’re missing out. It’s a must.”

Merce Cunningham Dance Company will perform Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at www.dpacnc.com.

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February 3, 2011

ty segall melted goner records

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the mechanic dir. simon west cbs films

eeeEE

Covert operations, rapid gun fire, hand-tohand combat and steely post-takedown glares are not exactly uncharted territory for Jason Statham, star of blockbuster action films like The Transporter and The Expendables.

The British-born actor’s newest film, The Mechanic—a remake of the 1972 original—is slightly more than sheer bloodlust, however, as it chronicles not just assassinations but also the apparent detail and strategy behind it. The Mechanic tells the story of a hitman with a pseudo-conscience who, after killing someone close to him, takes on a student in a somewhat reluctant attempt at redemption.

The relationship between elite assassin Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) and his vengeful, eager and often erratic apprentice Steve McKenna (Ben Foster) sprouts out of one of Bishop’s kills: his own mentor, Harry McKenna (Donald Sutherland), Steve’s father. The mentor-mentee relationship plays a significant role in the film, and its cycle is interrupted by a twist at the end. The connection between former victim and current student makes for an obvious conflict down the line, but as Bishop strives to repay his

inherent debt to Steve and relay his knowledge, the culture of assassination becomes more intriguing than the conflicts encountered.

With one of the most telling lines of the movie, Dean (Tony Goldwyn), Bishop’s boss, says, “The killer who grew a conscience; I’d call that a breach of professional ethics.” In a world where “mechanic” is code for assassin and various “assignments” are posted on a Craigslist-like site under “Mechanic Needed,” it’s not difficult for the audience to begin to view Bishop’s profession with his same cold and calculated attitude. In fact, for most of the film, Bishop is characterized by apathetic efficiency and competence. At times though, the audience receives a glimpse into his vulnerability and of a self-awareness that is, if not moral, at least rational. After a betrayal by his employer, however, Bishop appears more conflicted by the code which “played him so easily” more than the actual wrongdoing.

As the film progresses, it is evident that there is more at stake here than simply taking the next assignment. It is a battle to outwit, outsmart and outrun those who chase you—friend or foe. The mantra “VICTORY IS PREPARATION” is embossed not only on Harry’s gun, but on the film itself.

—Nicole Kyle

Following the untimely death of Memphis icon Jay Reatard, SoCal garage-rocker Ty Segall has more than once been pegged as a sort of spiritual replacement. But if Reatard’s brand of pummeling punk was like a flock of angry birds, Segall’s second release on legendary Memphis label Goner Records, Melted, is more like a brontosaurus stuck in a tar pit.

Melted takes the classic garage archetype—wailing, guitar-heavy anthems about girls and getting drunk—and, instead of pushing the speedometer past 100 like Reatard would’ve, mires the tracks in aural sludge. Riffs are fuzzed out until they’re blurry, and Segall’s voice, which is powerful and clear in its own right—dude can actually sing, hardly a given in punk— frays at the edges.

Tracks like “Melted” and the pounding

“Imaginary Person” subvert Segall’s voice even further; on the former, words are buried and incomprehensible, and on the latter his singing becomes a blunt-force caterwaul. But make no mistake, there are tunes underneath this thickness, and Melted bulges with hooks and melody. Like Reatard, Segall’s charisma and presence carries the day, but the real precedent here is the Sonics. (“The Sonics! The Sonics!”)

Aside from the tunes, Segall’s versatility elevates Melted above standard lo-fi fare.

“Mrs.” injects a dose of the blues into a grunge-leaning drone—“‘Cause I hurt my woman/I killed her there today/Oh Mississippi, Mississippi River/Won’t you send me on my way,” Segall sort of sneers, sort of begs—and lachrymose closer “Alone” distinguishes itself with a measured, deliberate tempo.

After Melted, it really doesn’t matter if Segall’s star is rising in the wake of Reatard or on a trajectory of its own. Bottom line is, it’s rising. ­—Kevin Lincoln

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February 3, 2011

deerhoof

deerhoof vs. evil polyvinyl

eeeeE

In the battle of Deerhoof vs. Evil, their 11th studio album, the art-rock quartet again challenges pop conventions with convincing results. Wrought with signature dark tones, layered guitars and unorthodox song structures, the album serves as yet another uncompromising showcase of Deerhoof’s diverse talents.

Plinking synths give way to an infectious guitar riff on opener “Qui Dorm, Només Somia,” before an abrupt rhythm shift brings the focus to Satomi Matsuzaki’s mesmerizing vocals, while “No One Asked to Dance” contrasts flamenco guitars with processed synth sounds. This instrumental dynamism is representative of Deerhoof vs. Evil as a whole—a playful but demanding original, characterized by nothing so much as unpredictability.

Beyond their generally idiosyncratic style, there are some classic Deerhoof signifiers here. “Behold a Marvel in the Darkness” and “Super Duper Rescue Heads!” both

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lean heavily on simplistic, repetitive lyrics, the former pitting its hook—“What is this thing called love?”—against John Dieterich’s bombastic guitar. The latter, with its irresistibly haunting melody, is the album’s most accessible track and hints at Deerhoof’s potential as a more pop-oriented entity.

The album, then, serves not as a war on evil but a study in dualities: dissonance and harmony, acoustics and electronics, pop music immediacy and avante-garde experimentalism. This last contrast is probably the most crucial—Deerhoof’s aesthetic is shaped to a large extent by their unwillingness to subvert their unique tendencies, but those tendencies can be disruptive to the cohesion of their work. While a Deerhoof that acquiesced to verse-chorus-verse formulae would be nowhere near as interesting, it would also be considerably less frustrating.

That said, Deerhoof vs. Evil provides evidence that experimental music can be both hard-hitting and intricate, intentionally dissonant and smartly designed; in their battle against evil, Deerhoof is decidedly victorious.

-—­Gracie Lynne

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February 9–13 Black Watch – National Theatre of Scotland 16 Blues at the Crossroads: The Robert Johnson Centennial Concerts 18 Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz 22–24 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 28 Nicola Benedetti, violin

March 1–2 iD – Cirque Éloize 3 Leon Fleisher, piano 17–18 The Andersen Project – Ex Machina 29–30 Nederlands Dans Theater Showing at UNC’s Memorial Hall.

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February 3, 2011

NASHER MUSEUM OF ART AT DUKE UNIVERSITY

Final Weeks – On view through February 6 Nasher Museum members get free admission, free audio guides and 10% discounts in the store and café.

The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl is made possible by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Major support is provided by Marilyn M. Arthur, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Duke University’s Council for the Arts, the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, Charles Weinraub and Emily Kass, E. Blake Byrne, Barbra and Andrew Rothschild, Christen and Derek Wilson, and the Graduate Liberal Studies program at Duke University. This program is supported in part, by public funds from the Netherlands Cultural Services. Additional support is provided by Dr. and Mrs. Robert F. Allen, Catherine Karmel, Peggy and John Murray, Francine and Benson Pilloff, Caroline and Arthur Rogers, Olympia Stone and Sims Preston, Angela O. Terry, Richard Tigner, Nancy Palmer Wardropper, Peter Lange and Lori Leachman, Lauren and Neill Goslin and Merge Records.

IMAGE: Jeroen Diepenmaat, Pour des dents d’un blanc éclatant et saines, 2005. Record players, vinyl records, taxidermied birds, and sound. Dimensions variable. © Jeroen Diepenmaat. Image courtesy of the artist.

www.nasher.duke.edu/therecord | 919-684-5135

Sports

>> ONLINE

The Chronicle

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

The Duke men’s basketball team is in talks to play the Chinese national team next semester, two University officials confirmed to The Chronicle yesterday

www.dukechroniclesports.com

men’s basketball

football

Starting Thornton pays off Cutcliffe picks up 20 players in new class No. 1 punter among recruits

by Tom Gieryn THE CHRONICLE

courtney douglas/The Chronicle

Playing a career-high 28 minutes, freshman Tyler Thornton led an efficient offense that clinically dismantled an overmatched Maryland squad.

by Nicholas Schwartz THE CHRONICLE

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Over the past few weeks, much banter over the season prospects of the Blue Devils has been centered around the play of senior captains Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. After suffering two losses in which it seemed the offense was too Smith and Singlercentric, Wednesday night’s surgical performance against Maryland proved that as long as the two seniors are in the right position, Duke has a shot to win every game.

It was once the duty of freshman guard Kyrie Irving, but for the foreseeable future, it’s Tyler Thornton’s responsibility to make that happen.

Head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s decision to start the freshman point guard in perhaps the most hostile environment in the nation may have turned some heads, but Thornton’s effect on the Blue Devil offense was plain to see against the Terrapins. With Smith at his natural shooting guard position, opposing defenses are forced

to guard out to both wings, leaving open shots for both post players and perimeter shooters.

“We wanted to start the game where Nolan could go everywhere,” Krzyzewski said. “It produces a different dynamic than just keeping [Smith] up top, and there are more opportunities for everyone to score.”

With Smith in better scoring positions than if he were forced to initiate the offense himself, the Maryland native scored 21 points in just 28 minutes. More importantly, Smith’s ability to stretch the defense negated Maryland head coach Gary Williams’s ability to double-team Singler, who had a dominant performance in the second half.

Just three days removed from a rather ordinary 7-for17 shooting performance against St. John’s, Singler torched the Terrapins Wednesday. The senior capitalized on defensive mismatches in the first minutes of the scond period, scoring 11 consecutive points.

It’ll be months before Duke takes the field for a game at Wallace Wade Stadium, but head coach David Cutcliffe said that Wednesday may have been the most important day of the college football year.

The Blue Devils added 20 new players to their program on National Signing Day, as high school players across the country faxed their official letters of intent to the college programs where they’ll suit up next season.

Cutcliffe praised his recruiting class for its achievements on and off the field.

“Their grade-point averages, their commitment to their communities and their schools are unlike anything as a group that I’ve seen,” he said, “And their performance on the field is phenomenal.”

The recruiting class isn’t studded with stars according to the major recruiting services. Scout.com didn’t rank any of Duke’s recruits higher than three stars, and ESPN gave just one four-star grade to a Duke signee. Still, Cutcliffe is confident in the players he’s locked up.

“I truly don’t pay a lot of attention to [the star rankings],” he said. “There are great football players that never have a star by their names. It’s just too enormous­—the country’s too big for anybody to be that accurate.”

The coaching staff is also pleased with the geographic breakdown of both their new class and existing program.

They are making significant inroads with local talent, as they add five more players from North Carolina to a team that already has 23 local products, up from just eight when Cutcliffe took over the program. As for the 15 recruits See recruits on page 8

See analysis on page 8

women’s basketball

DUKE vs MIAMI

THURSDAY • 7 p.m. • CAMERON

Duke looks to recover tonight

by Jeff Scholl THE CHRONICLE

The Blue Devils may still be reeling from their 36-point loss against Connecticut Monday night, but there is no rest for the weary in the heart of conference play. Duke now faces another stiff test, this time from a ranked opponent in the top tier of the ACC. The No. 3 Blue Devils will look to put the embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Huskies behind them when they host No. 18 Miami tonight at 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Hurricanes (20-2, 6-1 in the ACC) are off to one of their best starts in school history, having strung together 17 consecutive victories over a period stretching from November to Jan. 24.

The prolific scoring duo of juniors Riquna Williams

and Shenise Johnson is largely responsible for Miami’s success to date. Williams averages 21.4 points per game— good for 11th-best in the nation—and Johnson isn’t far behind, putting up 19.3 points per contest. Sophomore forward Morgan Stroman gives the Hurricanes an active inside presence, leading the team with 7.8 rebounds per game, and sophomore guard Stefanie Yderstrom provides Miami with another viable threat from 3-point range alongside Williams.

But the Hurricanes will need to find a way to compensate for their lack of size down low if they want to have any chance of pulling off the upset over the Blue Devils (20-1, 6-0).

See w. basketball on page 8

chase olivieri/The Chronicle

Head coach David Cutcliffe raved about his recruiting class yesterday, calling it “unlike anything as a group I’ve ever seen.”

8 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 the chronicle

m. basketball from page 1 Singler led the team with 22 points on 10-for-15 shooting, including 11 consecutive points in the second half.

In the process, the senior forward passed former San Antonio Spurs player Danny Ferry, becoming the fifth alltime leading scorer in Duke history.

Another player that made a huge impact in the Comcast Center for Duke was sophomore center Mason Plumlee, who went 6-for-7 from the field and amassed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Plumlee also played the most minutes of any player Wednesday night with 36, two more than Singler.

Plumlee’s one-handed dunk with 8:22 remaining in the second half ended an 8-0 run by the Terrapins, and served as a turning point for the rest of the game.

“I really think it was Mason’s best game at Duke…. When we had a five-point lead, that dunk along the baseline was huge,” Krzyzewski said. “The Plumlees got some big offensive rebounds in the first half and kicked them out for threes. We made a lot of tough plays, and I think they did

w. basketball from page 7 The Hurricanes were brutalized on the boards in their only conference loss to Florida State, as the Seminoles outrebounded Miami 41-22. Duke centers Krystal Thomas and Allison Vernerey, who both stand at 6-foot-5, have a three-inch height advantage over Miami’s tallest starter.

The Blue Devils also rank third in the ACC in offensive boards per game, while Miami ranks dead last in the conference in rebounding. Given Duke’s recent shooting struggles from beyond the arc—with the exception of the Clemson game—the team may look to the post early tonight.

Before the Blue Devils concentrate on their specific game plan, however, they must ensure they are ready to compete after their effort on the court was called into

analysis from page 7 “Singler in the second half really hurt us when he got loose after we had made a little bit of a run,” Williams said.

One of Singler’s biggest plays of the game, however, didn’t result in points on the board. It was a drawn charge from Singler on a slashing Terrell Stoglin drive that quelled Maryland’s momentum, killing a 6-0 run that had put the Terrapins down only seven.

Invigorated by their captain’s selfless play, Duke’s sharpshooters responded with a 10-3 run of their own. Two 3-pointers from Andre Dawkins and a double-clutch driving layup from Smith broke the game open and gave the Blue Devils a 10-point lead with just under six minutes to play.

“They got loud a couple times, and then we were able to make our runs right back and get them back quiet,” Smith

too. They played hard, and it was really a heck of a game.”

With Thornton handling the ball for the Blue Devils, Maryland head coach Gary Williams employed a fullcourt press to try and create turnovers. Though the strategy worked initially, Krzyzewski’s adjustments led to Duke only committing two turnovers in the second half, and only eight for the entire game.

“We did a great job beating their press and just being poised,” Smith said. “Kyle did a great job taking the ball in, and Mason was just a receiver of all those passes looking over the top, and he did a great job being poised and getting it back to a guard.”

But the Blue Devils’ starters weren’t the only ones instrumental to the team’s victory last night. The bench contributed 22 points, including crucial threes from guards Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins. The duo combined for nine of Duke’s points during its 13-4 run in the middle of the first half. “[Seth] and Andre were 5-for-9 from three, and those five were all big shots,” Krzyzewski said. “Andre’s two threes in the second half were unbelievably big, and they were probably the difference makers for us.” question Monday against the Huskies.

“I’m not so driven by the outcome, because the outcome was never in question here,” head coach Joanne P. McCallie said after the Connecticut game. “I am upset about the process and the fight—we had no fight.”

Fortunately for Duke, Cameron Indoor Stadium seems to bring out the best in the Blue Devils. They have won their last two homes games by a combined total of 92 points and they forced 36 turnovers in their 92-37 demolition of Clemson Jan. 26. Tough defense has been one of Duke’s hallmarks this season, and if the Blue Devils combine this defensive intensity with lessons learned from the Connecticut loss—the importance of making the extra pass, good shot selection and competing from start to finish—then they will be in prime position to retain the top spot in the ACC. said. “That was just something we had to do on the road.”

Although Thornton’s play was far from flawless—he coughed up four turnovers and often looked helpless against Maryland’s fullcourt trap—the freshman managed to handle one of the ACC’s sternest road tests in just his first career start. Thornton’s emergence also bodes well for both Mason and Miles Plumlee, who collectively had 15 points and 16 rebounds against one of the best forwards in the conference, Terrapin sophomore Jordan Williams.

“We wanted to go into Mason right away,” Krzyzewski said. “The very first play we went right to him and he ended up scoring. I really think it was Mason’s best game at Duke, and he played well for 36 minutes.”

That strong play, though, might not have been possible without a certain freshman point guard.

Want to discuss the major campus issues of gender, accessibility, sexuality and our social culture with President Brodhead, Larry Moneta, Sue Wasiolek, and Steve Nowicki?

Then come to Perkins 217 at 7pm Thursday February 3!

E-mail the questions you want answered to dukepresidentsforum@gmail.com

recruits from page 7 from outside of North Carolina, Cutcliffe was happy to say that they come from 10 different states, calling this a testament to broadened recruiting efforts and the nationwide appeal of Duke.

Cutcliffe was also proud that 19 of his 20 signees have been verbally committed to Duke since the summer.

“They’ve been pulled and tugged at over and over again by many schools,” he said. “Yet 19 of the 20 made only one official visit, and that was to Duke. That’s being committed.”

That 20th recruit was something of a signing-day surprise for the Blue Devils: 6-foot-5, 246-pound tight end David Reeves waited until the deadline to choose Duke over offers from strong programs like Georgia Tech and Mississippi State and whispers of interest from Auburn.

The 20-man class has talent on both sides of the ball, but according to many experts, the headliner of the class will appear on special teams.

Will Monday, a 6-foot-4 placekicker and punter, was ranked as the No. 1 punter in his class by Scout.com.

He was the MVP of his Georgia high school team his senior year before being named to the under-19 U.S. national team.

Duke didn’t sign a quarterback or a running back this year, which is unusual, but Cutcliffe said the Blue Devils didn’t intend to add players at either of those positions.

“The theme on offense really was up front,” he said. “We knew we needed to have a tremendous year with the offensive front. We feel much better about where we’re headed in that regard.”

Five offensive linemen committed to the Blue Devils, and four of them ranked in the top 100 nationally at their positions according to Scout.

The other major need according to Cutcliffe was on defense, where Duke was aggressive at all positions, bringing in three defensive linemen, four linebackers and three defensive backs. The defensive class is highlighted by 6-foot-7, 250-pound defensive lineman Sam Marshall, speedy defensive backs Jared Boyd and Tim Burton and linebacker Kyler Brown, the younger—but bigger—brother of current Duke linebacker Kelby Brown.

“This is when you start surging and hopefully building this [program],” Cutcliffe said. “You’re trying to look at this and not let anything be an accident.”

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10 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 the chronicle commentaries

Brodhead should take a stand on campus life This week, undergradu- noteworthy contrast in the ates will have rare access to way they approached issues two leaders who have shaped surrounding campus life. campus life at Duke for the Early in her tenure Keopast 18 years. hane directed changes that Tonight, President Rich- still shape the Duke social ard Brodhead is scheduled to scene today. East Campus participate in became the exThe President’s clusive domain editorial Forum on Camof freshmen, pus Life, an event organized fraternities were forced off

by Duke Student Government the Main West quadrangle and Duke Honor Council that and kegs were effectively will allow students to question banished from campus. the president about a string of “We’re coming into a difembarrassing high-profile in- ferent sort of phase where cidents that afflicted the Uni- everything is not defined versity last semester. by drinking or basketball or Incidentally, Brodhead’s fraternities,” William Chafe, predecessor Nan Keohane will outgoing dean of the facalso appear on campus Friday ulty of arts and sciences, told to deliver a talk titled “What Towerview on Keohane’s deMakes a Good Leader.” parture from Duke in 2004.

The scheduling of these Few would agree that such two events may be coinci- a phase is upon us today. One dental, but Duke’s two most semester after conversations recent presidents form a about the University were

“

”

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sion such as this that students seek the wisdom of presidential leadership to offer clarity in the form of straightforward opinion.

Brodhead should therefore ditch the administrative party line that classifies these events as the product of an overpublicized minority. Instead he should tackle them head on with specific references—to Karen Owen, to Tailgate, to greek life and the party scene. Abstract language will do little to assuage students’ concerns.

Undergraduates have rightly taken the lead by organizing this forum, but their university lives are short. At this point, the president must direct us.

“I find it hard to accept the viewpoint... that the only place we can stand comfortably as presidents is on some neutral middle ground,” Nan Keohane

wrote in a 2003 op-ed published in The Chronicle of Higher Education. “[If] ‘moral authority’ is never used by those who can speak for the university, then in what sense is there any moral authority at all?”

Although his personality may appear passive or lacking in moral authority when operating at the helm of a research university, Brodhead is truly a master of the seminar setting. This atmosphere should be replicated at tonight’s event.

Undergraduate students deserve a president who will offer candid responses to their questions, demonstrate that he understands their perspectives and show the University its way forward.

Eliza French recused herself from this editorial due to her involvement with Duke Honor Council.

Did they really say that?

onlinecomment

The Chronicle should continue to report on local matters such as this. Duke students should have a firm understanding of the issues that drive their community, both on and off campus.

dominated by topics including offensive fraternity e-mails, the cancellation of Tailgate and the salacious PowerPoint created by Karen Owen, Trinity ’10, many undergraduate students are questioning what kind of phase Duke is in.

Brodhead’s only response has come in the form of a November e-mail urging students to address “a series of incidents that, at least to a distant public, made the most boorish student conduct seem typical of Duke.” This characterization overlooks the fact that far from being a reaction confined to the distant public, many undergraduates themselves have begun to question whether their University is truly defined by such events. Representativeness aside, these incidents have real consequences.

It is in a situation of confu-

A

llow me to be an elitist for a second. Well, ball program, as I would think to include “The to be fair, there’s a decent chance you’ve Lost Symbol” into my academic sphere. You been allowing that for a lot longer with- can use this as an example of taking potshots, out knowing it, but before you judge this little if you like. A film course should be taken be“plog” (print blog…I like to keep cause you want to engage in the up with the lingo) too harshly, tell academic interpretation of film me if you disagree with the foland its medium, not because it lowing statement: One of the best fulfills an ALP or someone said distinctions between high school it was easy. And, if you loved and Duke is not taking classes with film or literature, you wouldn’t students less academically inclined care about a midterm. than you. It’s a very political way of Now I’d be lying if I said I’ve saying it, but you know what I’m never Sporcled my way through talking about. Here at Duke, we david rothschild a lecture, but there should be enjoy the opportunity to be sur- no one said otherwise a base level expectation. Your rounded not only by amazing facclassmates should be interested ulty, but also some of the brightest in digging into the topic at hand and most inquisitive students in the world…for and displaying an inquisitiveness and desire for the most part. exploration beyond the level of your average Don’t call me a snob and drop the paper; high schooler. And in discussion-based courses, you haven’t finished your subpar “Camper,” which are the best opportunity to roll your eyes and you don’t want to look like you’re eating at a kid—outside of the jerk in the front row of alone. orgo asking about points back on his A- —can I So, who here has ever rolled their eyes at not expect a true intellectual experience? the kid across the room in class? Consciously And there’s more to that than doing asor subconsciously, I’m sure you have. What I’m signed readings, raising your hand in class or getting at isn’t some little in-joke where all us even getting a good grade. I’d say at least 90% “smart” kids get to laugh about the “dumb” of my classes have been full of amazingly intelliones because that just isn’t the case. Everyone gent “out-of-the-box thinkers,” where even the here is smart. Moreover, my current class rank- one comment made by the bro in the back coring would likely place me in the less desirable ner with the flat brim and “DMB Concert Tour” of those two categories. However, I’m not talk- tee is insightful. It’s this engagement that has ing about smart or dumb, or GPAs (if only Med made my academic experience so inspiring.

Schools wouldn’t either), I’m talking about the However, every now and then I hear stories differences in commitment to the pursuit of or come across a class where students are in it a higher intellectual community. I’m talking clearly to fill a requirement or have no interabout the girl in film class who asks “does any- est in the material, with no knowledge of how one here even watch ‘Grey’s Anatomy?’” or the to approach the topic intellectually, and throw kid whose most pressing question to a Pulitzer out duds like, “But if his parties are so popuPrize winning novelist is, “Is there, like, a syl- lar, why doesn’t Gatbsy have any friends at his labus? Cuz I wanna know what the midterm’s funeral?” gonna be like.” They’re not less smart, but So while you might be thinking that you they’re not engaging in the academic process overhear enough mental masturbation from of discussion. drunk pubpol majors telling you about their It’s not a question of intellect; it’s a question Ayn Rand theories, at least there’s a genuine of intellectual curiosity and interest in the sub- desire and passion to go beyond the textbook ject matter. When your writing professor asks and think critically. Maybe the kid you just about your favorite novels and what you like rolled your eyes at doesn’t care about docuabout the literature and the language, should mentary films, or maybe he’s just a moron with you bring in your John Grisham or your fave great test-taking skills. Who knows? I just don’t Gossip Girl book? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve think it’s wrong to expect all of my Duke peers read plenty of airport novels, and I even bore to be prepared to critically engage in any class reading the latest Dan Brown book without just they take. plugging in the formula. Despite this, I’d as soon take Tyler Perry as an example of a great David Rothschild is a Trinity Junior. His column director, or Duke as an example of a great foot- runs every other Thursday.

the chronicle

commentaries

The Chronicle will accept endorsements for write-in candidates for Young Trustee provided groups meet with all other candidates and abide by the student organization endorsement policy outlined in Tuesday’s paper. Groups are not required to invite write-in candidates to endorsement meetings to endorse one of the official candidates for Young Trustee.

Rethinking China: their numbers, our values Shortly after coming into office, President Obama are often interested in jobs created and jobs lost, declared that U.S.-China relations would “shape the exchange rates and tax rates, tariffs and test scores.

21st century.” We have all heard the story: In the These have been the cause of a great deal of angst span of only three decades, hundreds in the United States: Most Americans of millions of Chinese have been lifted have come to believe that we don’t out of poverty, and in the coming destack up with the Chinese. President cades we should expect hundreds of Obama expressed as much in his State millions of more to join them. China’s of the Union address, calling China’s resurgence is truly monumental. That challenge “our generation’s Sputnik it will one day surpass the United States moment” and highlighting the need and once again assume its historical for major investments in green techplace as the world’s greatest power is nology and education, investments paul horak almost a foregone conclusion. that will help the U.S. in “winning the the road ahead It shouldn’t be. Every great power future.” seeks a challenger, and the United Contrary to the beliefs of many poliStates has had several. First it was the Soviet Union ticians, though, the United States and China are not and more recently Japan. Both showed great prom- two titans engaged in a great battle for future domiise but in the end the long-term economic or mili- nance. The 21st century should not be all about the tary viability of their challenges was not as great as United States versus China as the 20th was about the had been imagined In the late 1980s, it was fully ex- United States versus the Soviet Union. The United pected that Japan would surpass the United States States does need to take its domestic problems seriin total output by 2010, but in that year Japan relin- ously, something that will not be easy given its politiquished its second-place status for third, not first. It cal climate. But it should relieve itself of the notion was ousted by China—is the United States next? that those problems are due to China’s rise—they Possibly. When we look at the numbers it even are merely highlighted by it. Next to platinum, even seems likely. China is not Japan: it has ten times gold seems ordinary. If we choose to let this kind as many people as its island neighbor, roughly 1.3 of Cold War thinking guide our future, then it is billion to 130 million. So, despite having nearly already lost. equivalent GDPs, Chinese workers are one-tenth Instead, we should look to build upon the greatas productive as Japanese workers. When you com- est product to come out of the Cold War—a liberal pare Chinese and American workers you find that democratic order that promotes values that AmeriChinese workers only need to be one-fourth as pro- cans and billions of others have come to treasure. ductive as their American counterparts to one day China is at a stage in its development where numreach equivalency with the United States. Playing bers trump values, where human rights are offered the numbers game seems to favor China. up on the altar of industrial development and ecoBut are we looking at the right numbers? The an- nomic growth. This will not always be the case. swer is probably not. GDP is a fine measure of eco“The last 30 years of China was about economic nomic growth and gravitas, but it fails to capture reform,” said Zhang Xin, the chief executive of Beiquality of life. For that, we need to look at GDP-per- jing’s largest real estate developer, SOHO China, in capita: the level of output “per-head.” The United a January 26 DealBook blog post about the World States has a GDP-per-capita of $47,400 compared to Economic Forum. “The next 30 years will have to be China’s $7,400—more than six times greater. If, as is about social reform.” predicted, China surpasses the United States in total It is time to rethink China. Numbers alone mean output by 2030, given current estimates, each Ameri- little. We often let our imaginations turn little difcan will still have nearly four times as many dollars to ferences into big problems. In this game, the United spend as their Chinese counterparts. China’s “win” States and China are mutual winners or mutual loswill be something of a Pyrrhic victory, with the cost ers. Imagine the combined power of their numbers being a shock to the Chinese political order. and our values—that is a force worth working for.

It is not surprising that we put so much stock in numbers, especially when comparing China and the Paul Horak is a Trinity sophomore. His column runs United States. Beyond GDP and GDP-per-capita, we every other Thursday.

The Chronicle will be running endorsement letters for the 2011 Graduate Young Trustee election through Tuesday, Feb. 15. We will accept letters from any and all student organizations, so long as the groups adhere to the following guidelines: 1. Organizations must meet with all three candidates: Ali Saaem, Jennifer Snook and Joshua Makaron. Organizations may not endorse if they do not meet with the candidates or must note that candidates declined the opportunity to be endorsed or did not attend an endorsement meeting.

2. In the endorsement process, organizations must give equal speaking and question time to each candidate.

No candidate may receive more time than another.

3. Members of organizations who decide they want to participate in endorsements must remain in the room for every candidate’s appearance. Members may not leave and return, or arrive late. If they do so, they may not participate in endorsement voting.

4. The Chronicle trusts that members of organizations with significant personal or professional attachments or associations with candidates will remove themselves from the endorsement process.

5. If an organization then wishes to endorse candidates in a Chronicle letter, the president of the organization must e-mail chronicleletters@duke.edu. The e-mail must include an attached endorsement letter and the following statement: “I, the president of [organization name], certify that all required endorsement guidelines were followed in the formulation of this letter. I understand that failure to adhere to the guidelines undermines the election process, as well as the integrity of my organization and The Chronicle.”

There is no guarantee that any endorsement letters will be published. Letters may not exceed 325 words.

Please contact Eliza French at sef8@duke.edu with questions.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 | 11

Grace and art and Reynolds Price Over the past five decades, thousands of Duke students have probably shared my feeling that no one other than Reynolds Price could have enticed us to take a class about Milton. But it was well understood that, “Paradise Lost” notwithstanding, you’d learn about more than Milton in Price’s class.

After I was admitted to Duke, I read Price’s first novel, “A Long and Happy Life.” Even then, I knew that connor southard the comparisons to Faulkner dead poet were way off the mark.

Faulkner never came close to matching the grace and the knowing sympathy with which Price portrayed his characters. I’ve yet to encounter another writer—E.M. Forster or Virginia Woolf, maybe?— who combined such depth of insight with a gentleness that could humble even the most jaded reader.

Price was gentle in real life, too. His 1992 Founder’s Day Speech was fiery, and he didn’t mind handing out the occasional stern rebuke, usually when someone did something rude. But he never held his intellect and talents over our heads, never tried to make us feel stupid, vain or lazy just to prove a point. As much as he was known for criticizing the excesses of Duke students, he was also genuinely interested in what we thought and did. I remember a long class discussion about the kinds of things we talked about out of earshot of faculty—sex, politics, sex-politics? Did any of us, he once casually asked, ever have dreams about angels?

Price often used that kind of seemingly offhand question to corner you in a way that made it impossible for you to avoid learning something. When I first met with him in his office, his questions about the classes I was taking eventually led me to admit that I was writing a short story for another professor. I immediately felt embarrassed—it was a lousy story, nothing worth talking about.

If you’re young and want to write, you always want real, live, accomplished writers to approve of you. Price wasn’t a real, live, accomplished writer—he was a legendary one.

But Price insisted that I send my piece to him so that he could look at it. I did, and he did, though what I sent him was nothing more than a measly start to a badly maudlin story.

The next time I met with Price, he greeted me with six sheets of paper in hand—my story.

Price appeared ready to give me an honest, measured appraisal of some very bad work. My ego was not going to be having much fun. Price was smiling in a perfectly unironic way, which to me signaled that he wasn’t suffering any confusion—he knew what he was going to say.

I think I must have opened my mouth indecisively (I know my eyes were wide), because as I sat down next to him, Price’s smile broadened and became even more friendly. He looked at me in a way that said, Are you sure you want to talk about this? I was nervous, and it showed.

Price put down the papers, allowed me to acquit myself by telling the fib that the pages he had been holding were “just a sketch,” and my story never came up again in three or four later meetings.

I managed to avoid the specific insights into my story that day. I regret it: Price’s critiques would have been fantastically useful.

What I did take away, and what I’ll never forget was Price’s graceful step back from the brink of criticism. Price was anything but a pushover, but he didn’t want to persecute anyone for the simple act of trying, however feebly, to express an idea or create art.

At the same time, if I had asked him then to talk about my story, he would have told me exactly what he thought of it. If I wanted his actual, honest praise, I and so many others had discovered, I simply had to do better and get better.

Simple grace and ambitious expectations. In spite of the odds against it, the two apparently could exist side by side.

If you don’t want to take my word for it, read some of the other recently published remembrances of Price.

That Reynolds Price taught me, and others, such an uncommon lesson is not even close to being the only reason to celebrate him as a man. But it’s a good start to the list of reasons why we should celebrate him as a teacher.

Thanks, Reynolds.

Connor Southard is a Trinity junior. His column runs every Thursday.

12 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 the chronicle

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Black History Month Join us for upcoming Black History Month programming at the Mary Lou Williams Center, featuring the “Documentary & Dialogue” series, focused on varied topics of interest in the Black community. Wednesdays at 7pm at the MLWC.

Down to Earth Dinner Series

Also this month, The Brothers’ Advance, scheduled for February 4-5, and the Sisters’ Retreat on February 25-26.

Registration is available online through the MLWC website.

The Down to Earth Dinner Series offers students, faculty and staff a relaxed environment in which to build community connections, share diverse experiences, discuss research, and more in a friendly and open atmosphere. Tuesdays 6-7:30 pm.

studentaffairs.duke.edu/lgbt or follow us on twitter @mlwcenter

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Four Foundations of Mindfullness Meditation Mindfulness meditation can be an effective tool in helping you deal with the stressors of living and learning at Duke. The regular practice of meditation improves concentration, calms your minds, reduces anxiety and worry, and allows more space for joy and well being in your life.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Wednesdays, 5:15-6:30 pm, February 9, 16, 23rd and March 2.

Register at studentaffairs.duke.edu/caps

Balance Your Plate Looking for an easy way to make healthy and delicious food choices on campus?

Check out the “Balance Your Plate” program at The Great Hall and The Marketplace.

Follow the easy to read instructional signs located at various stations within the Great Hall and Marketplace for guidance, and you will be on your way to a healthier more energetic you. studentaffairs.duke.edu/studenthealth/balance-your-plate

studentaffairs.duke.edu/events Internship Spotlight Series: Medicine and Healthcare Information and inspiration to ignite your internship search.

2/3, 5-6 pm, Soc. Sci. 136 CLG Series: Become a faster more efficient reader 2/3, 5-6 pm, IHouse Fireside Chats Careers in Higher Ed for Ph.D. students, with President Brodhead 2/3, 5-6 pm, Perkins Rare Books

Sophomore Career Skills Series Knock-their-socks-off Interviewing Skills 2/3, 7-8 pm, McClendon 2nd floor media room Register: tinyurl.com/syecareer Global Cafe 2/4, 9-10 am, IHouse Jummah Prayers 2/4, 12:45 pm, York Room, Divinity School Library Internship Funding Program Information Session REQUIRED information session for competitive funding awards 2/4, 1:30-2:30 pm, Center for LGBT Life

First-Year Fridays Drop-in hours on East Campus 2/4, 1-3 pm, East Union South Balcony Fab Friday 2/4, 4-6 pm, Center for LGBT Life

Shabbat with Jewish Life at Duke

2/4, 6:15-8:15 pm, Freeman Center for Jewish Life RSVP REQUIRED. studentaffairs.duke.edu/jewishlife Monday Motivations: Culture Clash 2/7, 12:30-2 pm, Center for Multicultural Affairs Mondays with Ellen 2/7, 3-4 pm, Center for LGBT Life

Internship Search Workshop for Graduate Students 2/8, 4-5 pm, 201 Flowers

Internet + Interact Your internship search maximized

2/8, 4-5 pm, Smith Warehouse, Bay 6, B177 Down to Earth Dinner with Robin Kirk 2/8, 5:30-7 pm, Center for Multicultural Affairs