VOICE the georgetown
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Georgetown University’s Weekly Newsmagazine Since 1969 w October 28, 2010 w Volume 43, Issue 11 w georgetownvoice.com
2 the georgetown voice
october 28, 2010
comments of the week
ADVERTISE WITH THE VOICE!
“Glad to see the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. Just hope they weren’t any of the kids I interviewed…” —Former Alum,“More on this morning’s evacuation, meth lab in Harbin”
“As a young alum/grad student it makes me sad that I can’t help these kids out besides my very very minimal annual donation, but someday I hope I will be able to because everyone deserves a chance to enjoy Georgetown like I did.” —08 Alum, “Striking out on their own: First-generation college students at Georgetown”
“You want to talk architectural “afterbirth”?: I post that Village C is the most abominably ugly building on campus. Discuss.” —Anonymous,“Ugly edifice of evil of praiseworthy beacon of learning?”
“So a fund that was supposed to secure the future of Georgetown activities instead gets spent over the next couple of years to provide a brief and unsustainable bump in funding. This has the self-gratifying impulses of the current Senate administration written all over it. Do these guys ever do anything other than have catfights and spend our tuition money?”
Your ad? It could go here. Contact business@georgetownvoice.com
—Demosthenes, “GUSA announces Student Activity Fee reform”
Talk Back
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Voice Crossword “Wordy Folk’” by Mary Cass
ACROSS 1. Religious group 5. Driveway material 8. With 16-across, genre of music that usually fea tures the first words of 19-,
31-, 39-, and 54-across 12. Physically fit 13. Not on time 14. Sunrise direction 15. Extinct New Zealand birds 16. See 8-across
answers at georgetownvoice.com
18. Imitates 19. Symphony member 22. Offshore 23. Out of one’s mind 25. Harvest 28. Muscle connector 31. Oh! Susanna lyrics 35. Taper 37. Dam on the Nile 38. Currency abbr. 39. “Legends of Rock” video game 44. Montezuma was one 45. With the stroke of ___ (2 wrds.) 46. Bewitch 50. Sailing vessel 54. Nonsense 57. Presidential “no” 60. Look after 61. Tsp. or tbsp., for example 62. Demonic 63. Law school entrance exam 64. Some Protestants (abbr.) 65. Be disposed (to) 66. D-Day craft 67. Taking care of business
DOWN 1. Brazilian dance 2. WWII torpedo vessel 3. Reunion group 4. Mosaic tile 5. Actress Reid 6. Video game pioneer 7. Pine sap 8. Allen Ginsberg, etc. 9. Once around the track 10. Kings of Leon’s “___ Somebody” 11. Aliens 13. Lawyer’s abbreviation 17. AOL aliases 20. Normandy city 21. Not challenging 24. Boredom 26. Open a crack 27. Elegant 29. Some M.I.T. grads 30. Marry 31. TV’s Rainbow ___ 32. Be in the red 33. First capital of Japan
get wordy.
34. Alphabetical sequence 35. DC and MD’s neighbor 36. Slangy conjunction 40. Increased by an X factor? 41. Exotic berry 42. Superlative suffix 43. Neither here not there 47. Doctors 48. Access Hollywood’s Nancy 49. Like English pronuncia tion in most of England 51. Body of water 52. Giraffe cousin 53. Attention-getting whisper 55. Coup d’___ 56. Bar regular 57. Animal doc 58. Adam’s mate 59. Archaic can material
help us write crosswords. contact crossword@georgetownvoice.com
editorial
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VOICE the georgetown
Volume 43.11 October 28, 2010 Editor-in-Chief: Juliana Brint Managing Editor: Molly Redden Editor-at-Large: Tim Shine Director of Technology: Alexander Pon Blog Editor: Chris Heller News Editor: Cole Stangler Sports Editor: Nick Berti Feature Editor: Sean Quigley Cover Editor: Holly Ormseth Leisure Editor: Brendan Baumgardner Voices Editor: Keaton Hoffman Photo Editor: Jackson Perry Design Editors: Megan Berard, Ishita Kohli Literary Editor: James McGrory Crossword Editor: Mary Cass Assistant Blog Editors: Geoffrey Bible, Julie Patterson Assistant News Editors: Emma Forster, Holly Tao Assistant Cover Editor: Marc Fichera Assistant Leisure Editors: Nico Dodd, Leigh Finnegan Assistant Photo Editors: Max Blodgett, Matthew Funk
Associate Editor: Iris Kim Staff Writers:
Thaddeus Bell, Akshay Bhatia, Tom Bosco, Kara Brandeisky, Matthew Collins, Matthew Decker, John Flanagan, Kate Imel, Satinder Kaur, Matt Kerwin, Sadaf Qureshi, Rob Sapunor, Abby Sherburne, Keenan Timko, Imani Tate, Mark Waterman, J. Galen Weber
Staff Photographers:
Helen Burton, Julianne Deno, Lexie Herman, Hilary Nakasone, Seun Oyewole, Audrey Wilson
Staff Designers:
Richa Goyal, Catherine Johnson, Lauren MacGuidwin, Michelle Pliskin, Amber Ren
Copy Chief: Matt Kerwin
Copy Editors: Emily Hessler, Tori Jovanovski, Claire McDaniel, Kim Tay
Editorial Board Chair: Hunter Kaplan Editorial Board:
Gavin Bade, Kara Brandeisky, Ethan Chess, Jackson Perry, Eric Pilch, Molly Redden, J. Galen Weber
Head of Business: Eric Pilch
THE WRONG KIND OF DOUGH
Aramark cooks up healthy profits, but lousy food Aramark, Georgetown’s dining services provider, has sacrificed both quality and variety to achieve cost savings for itself, a fact that is plain from student responses to the ongoing Campus Dining Survey. The Campus Dining Survey, available online and on Facebook, provides a comprehensive and damning picture of how students currently view their dining options. For example, of the 690 students that had completed the survey as of Wednesday night, only eight percent were “happy with Leo’s.” With the average cost of a Georgetown meal plan topping $10 per meal, students are clearly unhappy with the value they are receiving for their money. Meal plans are often misaligned with students’ needs and healthy options can be hard to find. When the University renegotiates its contract with Aramark, administrators must hold the company accountable to its students’ needs or seek competing offers from other companies who can.
Domestic, year-long: $38 Domestic, semester-long: $27 International, year-long: $52 International, semester-long: $43 Mailing Address:
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Newsroom: (202) 687-6780 Fax: (202) 687-6763 E-Mail: editor@georgetownvoice.com Advertising: business@georgetownvoice.com Web Site: georgetownvoice.com The opinions expressed in the Georgetown Voice do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University, unless specifically stated. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the Editorial Board. Columns, advertisements, cartoons and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or the General Board of the Georgetown Voice. The University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression of its student editors. The Georgetown Voice is produced in the Georgetown Voice office and composed on Macintosh computers using the Adobe InDesign publishing system and is printed by Silver Communications. All materials copyright the Georgetown Voice. All rights reserved.
On this week’s cover ... The Food of Leo’s Photo Graphic: Holly Ormseth
Georgetown’s current meal plan options often don’t fit with student’s eating habits. With no happy medium between the 14 meals per week plan and the 24 meals per week plan, many students find they are wasting their money on too many meals or surviving on too few. The fact that students must eat their meals during designated blocks and cannot enter the dining hall twice during the same dining period guarantees that few will use all of their meals in a given week. Because of Aramark’s all-youcan-eat policy, any entry into Leo’s counts as an entire meal even if a student only wants to eat a single piece of fruit. At other universities, students have access to an incredible variety of dining options and services not available at Georgetown. At Boston University, where Aramark also provides dining services, students have the choice to pay for an entire meal or spend fewer ‘Dining Dollars’ to pay for individual items like made-to-order sandwiches. BU also offers over 50 vegan meal options,
a salad bar that includes locally-sourced and organic vegetables, and freshly-baked bread. For all these additional options, BU’s 14 meals per week plan costs only $92 more per semester than the comparable plan currently available at Georgetown. Aramark provides avenues for students to offer constructive criticism of its services, but students often do not know the appropriate avenues to voice their concerns. Groups, like the Georgetown Gastronomes, who work closely with Aramark to communicate student dining input, should receive more promotion from Georgetown Dining Services. Georgetown should use these results to pressure Aramark to commit to increasing the quality of Leo’s by introducing food options and services available at other universities. Administrators and students have a unique opportunity to affect change before Georgetown signs a long-term contract condemning its students to another five years of a barely mediocre dining experience, and we must proactively take advantage of it!
A FIRING OFFENSE
Alarming errors in University’s DMT response
Early Saturday morning, residents of Harbin Hall woke to the sounds of Department of Public Safety and Metropolitan Police Department officers shouting and pounding on their doors. Authorities had found a dimethyltryptamine lab, which contained several highly flammable and explosive chemicals needed to produce the illegal drug, in a room on the ninth floor. No alarms had sounded when officers tried to activate the building’s fire alarms, so officers had no choice but to knock on more than two hundred individual doors on nine floors to ensure that students and staff were safely out of the building. Georgetown must ensure that its existing emergency systems function in crisis. “Redundant means of evacuation” may not be enough to ensure students’ safety during the next emergency. Malfunctioning fire alarms are a serious threat to student
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safety. Students living in residence halls are especially susceptible to fire-related emergencies because of the close proximity of living quarters. According to Todd Olson, Vice President for Student Affairs, Harbin’s fire alarm passed inspection the week before Saturday’s emergency and has since passed inspection again—but that news is cold comfort since University officials have also admitted that the fire alarm’s “audible portion” did not function on Saturday. The University should investigate, find, and correct the source of the malfunction immediately. Georgetown must also look at why inspections did not detect the glitch. The University also made a critical misstep by not using the HOYAlert system to relay information to Georgetown students. Early rumors suggested the lab was producing methamphetamine, a more volatile and dangerous drug than DMT. These
views persisted for hours because there were no official communications from the University until seven hours after the evacuation took place. Instead, students relied on other news sources for information, which was often inaccurate. MPD officers added to the confusion by allowing students to re-enter the building before it was deemed safe by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The University should have communicated with its students much sooner to prevent the atmosphere of panic and confusion that spread across Georgetown’s campus on Saturday. The University needs to clearly define what steps it will take to make certain the chaos of last Saturday’s events does not accompany the next emergency. Better testing and planning, not an actual emergency, should be what reveals defects and mistakes in Georgetown’s emergency systems.
$1.9 MILLION PIZZA PARTY?
Future funding reform not a SAFE bet for GUSA The University owes its students $3 million, plus nine years’ interest. That’s the sum it promised to contribute to the Student Activity Fee Endowment in 2001. But it never did, and for the last 10 years, the Student Activities Fee Endowment has stagnated without its support. With that money, the endowment today would be much closer to maturing to the point where its interest would be a sustainable source of funding for student groups, thus eliminating the need for an annual fee. While the university reneged on its initial promise to kick start the fund, 10 years of Georgetown University Student Association leaders have also failed to hold administrators accountable for their actions. The current endowment, a mere $1.9 million, now has no chance of maturing for over 15 years. As GUSA senators renew their focus on funding reform,
they must learn from the University’s broken promises. The initial GUSA proposal for the SAFE assumed that Georgetown would contribute $3 million dollars. In the February 22, 2001 issue of the Voice, Chief Financial Officer for the University Provost Darryl Christmon said “I don’t think the Board had any reservations about it; [the donation] is a minor fee in our schedule.” Although the Board of Directors approved the proposal to donate $3 million of the University’s money, SAFE never received those funds. GUSA must put a sustainable system in place to ensure that Georgetown delivers on any future promises about contributing to student initiatives. Last week, GUSA announced that it had successfully secured the interest on the SAFE, which until recently the University had been returning to its own
general endowment. GUSA also proposed important steps to achieve the original goal of the endowment, including suggestions to allocate the entire Student Activities Fee to club funding. Moving forward, the system must ensure that students’ money is put to good use, rather than wasting away unchecked in a stagnant endowment. It is now clear that the SAFE will never receive the money Georgetown promised. The administration is partly to blame, since it did not deliver promised funds even after it formally approved the donation. In the future, whatever reforms GUSA does implement must be more sustainable. The funding reforms that emerge over the next year can work, but only if GUSA senators avoid the problems of mismanagement and inattention that doomed the SAFE to failure.
news
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Weekend drug bust in Harbin by Emma Forster Two of the three students arrested on Saturday for possession of and intent to manufacture and distribute the hallucinogenic drug Dimethyltryptamine appeared in U.S. District Court for arraignment on Wednesday. Georgetown student Charles Smith (COL‘14) and University of Richmond freshman John Perrone were released into the custody of their parents and allowed to return home to Massachusetts. Smith and Perrone must reside at their family addresses under strict curfew and electronic monitoring, and either enroll in school or obtain full-time employment until their next hearing on Jan. 24. According to federal drug codes, Perrone and Smith face penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines of $1 million. Smith’s roommate, John Roma-
no (COL’14) was originally arrested along with Smith and Perrone, but was released by authorities on Monday after the charges against him were dropped. According to a Metropolitan Police Department report, a Department of Public Safety officer saw a student outside Harbin Hall smoking K2. K2 is a close chemical analog of the active ingredient in marijuana but is legal in the District of Columbia and under federal law. When questioned, the student admitted to having obtained it from Harbin room 926. When police searched the room, they found drug paraphernalia and hazardous material, as well as five small pill capsules containing suspected DMT, an illegal, hallucinogenic drug that causes sensory distortions and changes in mood and thought processes. An additional search of Perrone’s car revealed
MAX BLODGETT
MPD evacuated Harbin Hall and arrested several students on Saturday.
empty capsules with traces of suspected DMT. Based on their searches, MPD arrested Smith, Perrone, and Romano and evacuated staff and approximately 400 freshman residents from Harbin Hall. Harbin residents were concerned that they experienced so much chaos only two months into their Georgetown careers. Asked to describe her reaction to Saturday’s events, Ariel Tabachnik (COL’14) was succinct. “Three letters: WTF,” she said. One freshman who knew the arrested students had more to say. “Charlie is a really nice, outgoing kid. He’s very sociable. [Smith and Romano] did have a reputation for … like, not DMT necessarily but, you know, weed mostly,” fellow Harbin 9 resident Jay Tabaniag (COL’14) said. “There really wasn’t anything that would make me suspicious of them other than their reputation. But we didn’t know they went this hard.” University spokesperson Julie Green-Bataille explained that the University “will take appropriate and prompt action related to these cases under our code of student conduct, which remains a confidential process consistent with our educational mission.” Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson is the most high ranking University administrator to comment on Saturday’s events. President DeGioia has yet to address the University community about the situation.
october 28, 2010
Harbin resident arrested by Cole Stangler On Tuesday night, just two days after the Metropolitan Police Department made its first drug-related arrest on Georgetown’s campus since 2005, another resident of Harbin Hall, Kelly Baltazar (COL ’14), was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Baltazar was arrested on Tuesday after the Department of Public Safety notified members of the Narcotics and Special Investigations Division of MPD that she was “selling marijuana on the Georgetown campus,” according to a police report. MPD found a “green weed like substance which was field tested and yielded a positive reaction for the presence of THC.” University spokesperson Julie Green Bataille said that Baltazar’s arrest was unrelated to the Saturday morning arrests of Charles Smith (SFS ’14), John Romano (COL ’14), and University of Richmond student John Peronne, which also took place in Harbin Hall. Romano has been released and will not face charges. “We are actively working with MPD to understand if there are any connections, but at this time believe they are unrelated incidents,” Bataille wrote in an email. Bataille said that “many people have been working longer shifts than usual in order to address recent events,” but would not confirm whether DPS had made any policy changes since Saturday’s incident.
DPS has not typically worked with MPD to address drug-related incidents on campus. Joseph Smith, Georgetown’s associate director of Public Safety, wrote in an email last February that the majority of drug incidents are handled by DPS and adjudicated to the Office of Student Conduct. Before this week, there had been a total of four drug-related arrests since 2003. When she was arraigned on Wednesday afternoon at the D.C. Superior Court, she pled not guilty to charges of unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and the sale of drug paraphernalia. She was released from custody and advised to undergo drug testing and treatment. Brian Heberlig, Baltazar’s lawyer, said that she will be meeting with the head of the University’s student disciplinary board on Friday. According to the Student Code of Conduct, possession of a controlled substance is a Category B violation, and intent to distribute a controlled substance is a Category C violation. Category C violations typically result in suspension or expulsion from the University. Baltazar’s next hearing will be held on November 19 at D.C. Superior Court. Both charges, which are misdemeanors, are punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or a prison term of up to six months.
New five-year faculty salary plan awaits approval by Cole Stangler In January 2011, Georgetown professors will likely see a 1.5 percent increase in their salaries as part of the new five-year faculty salary plan proposed by the Main Campus Planning Committee in early October. The plan’s enactment is dependent on approval from the Provost and the Board of Directors. Last spring, the Main Campus Planning Committee, which reports to the Provost and Board of Directors, proposed no salary increases for faculty and staff for fiscal year 2011. The proposed 1.5 percent increase will be the first wage increase since a partial increase in January 2010. That partial increase was less than the Univeristy’s previous commitment of a 2.5 percent target rate above inflation. In January 2009,
President DeGioia announced that the target, set in 2008, would not be met due to the the financial crisis. “I think the general feeling is in the current climate, people were not expecting an increase in January,” Professor Robert Cumby said. Cumby and Faculty Senate President Wayne Davis presented the new plan to the Main Campus Planning Committee earlier this semester. ”Given the times, people are pretty pleased that the University is making a commitment to pay competitive salaries.” Provost James O’Donnell and the Board of Directors must approve the five-year salary plan for fiscal years 2012 to 2016, before it takes effect. Provost O’Donnell said they will do so “in a very small number of weeks.” The plan does not make any commitments to a target rate
above inflation, but it does provide salary increases to promoted professors, and establishes a new system to distribute merit-based increases for scholarship. Associate Professor of Theology Julia Lamm said that she and other professors remain skeptical about how the University will determine merit-based increases. “Most faculty aren’t thrilled about the merit process,” Lamm said. “It stresses quantity and most people in most departments don’t want to get into the battle of quantity of scholarship.” Lamm said that professors in certain subfields might not release as much work as others, and that she is worried that the University’s process is insufficient at judging the quality of that work. O’Donnell said he was confident
that the new plan adequately addresses those concerns with a newly established faculty committee to review each department’s merit-based increases. In the past, each department made merit-based reward decisions independently. “Are you pushing for quality? Are you pushing for quantity? You’d like a lot of both as a matter of fact, “O’Donnell said. “So how do you judge that somebody is doing the best work they’re capable of doing? It finally comes down to almost a personal judgment case by case. That’s one reason why we have a faculty-driven process.” Lamm, who has been teaching at Georgetown since 1989, said that the plan still does not adequately address the issue of salary compression for longer serving faculty members. She said that base salaries in the past
were significantly lower than they are currently, but longer serving faculty members still receive the same incremental increases as more recent hires—including boosts in salary from promotions or merit-based increases. “I don’t want to fault my faculty colleagues because they have limited funds,” Lamm said. “The question really has to be put to the higher administration and how they allocate money.” O’Donnell said that the current plan aims to strike a balance between addressing salary compression and the average salary. He said in the long run, returning to an above-inflation rate increase will ensure that Georgetown attracts the best faculty in the nation. “We think having the best faculty is the single most important thing we do,” O’Donnell said.
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the georgetown voice 5
Jewish students search for new rabbi ZipCars at Georgetown? by Mark Waterman While Georgetown’s Rabbi Harold White officially retired from his full-time position at the University at the end of last spring semester, the process of finding his replacement is just getting started. On Wednesday, Andrew Levine (COL ’11) and Merav Levkowitz (SFS ’11) held an open house at the Jewish Community house on 36th Street and invited students to come and share their opinions on the ongoing search for White’s replacement. White was the first rabbi ever to be appointed to a full-time ministry position in a Catholic university and he served as the Senior Jewish Chaplain for 41 years. White performed a difficult job with enormous skill, Levine said, and made important contributions to interfaith dialogue on campus by making himself available to students. “The new rabbi is going to have a lot of work to do to live up to his legacy,” Levine said. White also played an integral role in the establishment of the Program for Jewish Civilization, which was founded in 2003. Levine and Levkowitz are the two student members of the University search committee that will eventually choose the new rabbi. The group will meet for the first time in early November, Levine said.
“The search committee … [is focused on] listening to the student point of view,” said Levine, who was nominated to the committee by the Jewish Student Association. “They’re doing an excellent job in that capacity.” While student input is important, the hiring of a new rabbi is a decision that will eventually come from the higher levels of the administration. “It’s a major hiring decision, and it’s being treated like one,” said Levine. Levine estimates that eight to 12 percent of Georgetown students are Jewish. According to Levine, Jewish students at the University come from many different Jewish religious traditions and have a wide variety of opinions on what type of rabbi they would be comfortable having at Georgetown. Roughly 10 students came to Wednesday’s open house to offer their thoughts about the selection
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
Rabbi White led GU’s Jewish community for 41 years before his recent retirement.
If I had $1.9 million... Last fall, some Georgetown University Student Association senators made an alarming discovery: they were short an expected $8.2 million in student funds. Every year, students pay a $100 Student Activities Fee, but we only use half of it every year to provide approximately $315,000 in club funding. Ever since the student activity fee was created in 2001, the other half of the fee has gone into the Georgetown Student Activities Fee Endowment, a section of the larger University endowment. GUSA’s hope was that by around 2011, that endowment would reach about $10 million and GUSA could fund student activities with the interest alone, eliminating the need for the student fee. But a number of things went wrong. Most importantly, University administrators never came
process. One of those was Lili Bayer (SFS ’13), who also currently serves on the board of the JSA. “The number one thing I’m looking for is a rabbi who can relate to students and work well with students,” Bayer said. At the end of last year, students were allowed to interview the candidates for the position of interim rabbi, which was ultimately given to Rabbi Bruce Aft. “I think it’s a really wise decision on the administration’s part, on Campus Ministry’s part more specifically, to involve the students,” Bayer said. “We’re really glad our voices are being heard.” Asked about how Jewish students find a niche at a nominally Catholic and predominantly Christian university, Levine emphasized the importance of the full-time rabbi. “I wouldn’t say that [having a full-time rabbi] is everything, but it’s almost everything,” Levine said.
through with the $3 million they had promised to contribute. No one from GUSA noticed anything was amiss until last year’s senators checked in on the fund and found— whoops!—it only had $1.8 million. Since then, the fund has grown to $1.9 million, but the senators estimate it will still take us until 2027 to reach $10 million. The Finance and Appropriations Committee has proposed we change course and begin diverting the full $100 to current funding, effectively doubling our club funding to an estimated $650,000. This idea has the potential to drastically improve campus life. But FinApp has only begun discussion on the more interesting question: what are we going to do with the $1.9 million? Our most pressing need is student space. Without a student union, there are few public places
to socialize where other people aren’t trying to study. Students are constantly circling Lau looking for a place to sit. Once the science building is completed, Sellinger Lounge will become a walkway. Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson has said a student union in New South is a “priority” in the
Saxa Politica by Kara Brandeisky A bi-weekly column on campus news and politics
2010 Campus Plan, and GUSA Vice President Jason Kluger (MSB ‘11) said he has been lobbying for the center on behalf of students. But the last cost estimate for the New South Student Center was $30 million, and it will take years to build. Furthermore, in last year’s Student Space Working Group report detailing student frustrations with student space, a plurality of students surveyed said they wished Healy
by Stephen Hylas This week, Georgetown University Student Association President Calen Angert (MSB ’11) and Vice President Jason Kluger (MSB ’11) announced that they are searching for ways to fulfill one of their campaign promises to bring ZipCars to Georgetown’s Main Campus for students 18 and over. Georgetown University has offered two ZipCars at the Law Center since 2004 to students, faculty, and staff who are 21 and over. Currently, there are no ZipCars located on the Main Campus. Angert said that the University administration supports the expansion of the service on campus and that it is included as a goal in the 2010 Campus Plan. The main obstacle is obtaining parking spots somewhere on the neighborhood’s densely packed streets. He added that the University is still looking for creative ways to get around the long waiting list for parking spots. Georgetown may seek off-campus students and residents in Burleith and West Georgetown willing to rent out spots to ZipCar at competitive prices. The number of spots that become available would depend on the number
were the center of student life. Tellingly, the students said the current center of student life is Lauinger. So here’s my pipe dream: let’s lobby for student space in Healy. Healy is the symbol of our heritage. We should have student ownership over some of that space. We could put a small-scale study lounge in the basement with tables, desks, cozy chairs, and even electrical outlets. Student Space Working Group member Fitz Lufkin (COL ’11), one of the students who helped compile the report, assured me this isn’t too crazy a wish. “There’s historical precedent for student space in Healy dating back to when the building was constructed,” Lufkin said. But coaxing administrators out of their offices, he added, will not be easy. “You’re going to run into opposition from the people down there. Healy’s a nice place. I want my office down there too … [But] $2 million is a pretty big carrot.”
of residents who are willing to participate, as well as ZipCar’s preferences. Angert said that the GUSA executive is trying to find an adequate number of spots. Once the spots are secure, more concrete negotiations with ZipCar can proceed. Angert believes that the arrangement will be beneficial for residential neighbors as well. “When you have one car that’s shared among 50 people, it’s less likely that any of those people are going to be bringing cars themselves,” Angert said. “If anything, [the service] is taking cars off campus.” ANC Commissioner Aaron Golds (COL ’11) thought the proposal would be uncontroversial among neighborhood residents as long as the cars use private parking, not street parking. “If the proposal were to remove public spaces, then I can see a public outcry, but as long as the cars are parked legally in private spaces it doesn’t matter what any neighbors say, and I doubt any will raise a big fuss,” Golds said. “The main issue is tenants have to make sure their leases allow for them to give their space to ZipCar.” The Burleith Citizens Association could not be reached for comment.
Lufkin warned that a lot of big student space improvements would be very expensive. But he said some students have discussed leveraging the $1.9 million by running a match donation campaign among alumni. While the current FinApp members seem highly competent, we can’t say the same for all the GUSA senators who came before, or the ones who will come after. We’ve also learned the hard way that we can’t trust the administration to keep its’ promises. So this time, rather than putting money away for the future, let’s build something. If we build something tangible, future students will be able to enjoy it too, and it’ll be harder to tear down. We forgot about this fund for a decade. Let’s spend the money while we still remember we have it. Nothing’s too crazy for Kara. Email her at kbrandeisky@georgetownvoice.com
sports
6 the georgetown voice
october 28, 2010
Cross Country ready to chase Big East crown by Daniel Kellner Georgetown men’s and women’s cross country teams have both more than justified their top25 preseason rankings over the course of this season. So this weekend, when the teams head to Syracuse, N. Y. for the Big East Championships, the chase will be on. Both squads are expected to finish among the leaders after very promising performances at Pre-Nationals this past weekend. Led by sophomore Emily Jones’ fifth-place finish and top-20 performances from junior Emily Infeld and senior Renee Tomlin, the women finished first in the field of 40 teams. Freshman Madeline Chambers and sophomore Kristen Kasper also placed 29th and 35th respectively, rounding out the Hoyas commanding performance. Ranked 11th overall in the preseason, the team’s strong showing has moved them up to No. 5 in the nation, and made them one of the favorites for the weekend’s Big East clash. Men’s cross country also showed massive potential at PreNationals, placing sixth out of 36 teams. Senior Ayalew Taye led the way, finishing 14th overall in the eight-kilometer race. T.C. Lumbar, also a senior, and sophomore Andrew Springer finished 27th and 28th respectively. The men are ranked No. 21 heading into this weekend’s championships, up one spot after their impressive performance at Pre-Nationals. The Hoyas owe their strong showing to the rigorous workouts they underwent to prepare for these races. Taye said his weekly workout—which has not changed much since last summer—has him weight training and running about 80 miles per week. While that sounds like a
daunting workout, for Taye and his teammates, it’s routine. “Over the long-term, it’s about training—what kind of workouts you’re doing, preparing for the physical demands of the race,” Patrick Henner, director of both the men’s and women’s teams, said. “There’s a lot of physiology involved.” Cross country demands more of its athletes than stamina, though, and the Hoyas focus on maintaining mental strength as well. “People just think you are out there and you run, but there’s a lot to it like any other sport,” said Taye. “You really have to know your surroundings when you run [and] who you should be competing against. … Coaches will say you’ve got to go out and get a top10 or top-5, and you have to be in that spot.” Executing this game plan is not merely about being the fastest runner, but also the smartest runner. Henner pointed out that it is essential for runners to be aware of their surroundings, maintain composure throughout the race, and approach the race one kilometer at a time. “Its an 8K race, so if you’re at the 3K you can’t be thinking about the 8K, you have to be thinking about those next thousand meters to get to the 4K mark,” Henner said. “Just like in basketball or football, if it’s the second quarter, you’ve got to be concentrating on the next play, not what’s going to happen in the fourth quarter.” The men’s and women’s teams, both well-coached and disciplined in these central principles, could be among the top teams in this weekend’s Big East field, though neither is the clearcut favorite. The women will find an extremely difficult challenge in No. 1 Villanova, the defending
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Ayalew Taye is looking to break away from the pack in Syracuse.
national champion. As hosts, No. 8 Syracuse will also pose a significant threat to the Hoyas. But Georgetown is glad to play the role of the underdog. “We’re a team coming in who got fourth at the Big East last year. Villanova is the number one team in the country and the defending national champions so the pressure is 100 percent on them,” women’s coach Chris Miltenberg said. “We’re the team that’s coming after everybody and I think that’s the fun and exciting spot to be in.” Likewise, the men will be the second-highest ranked team in the field, but they’re behind the host, No. 17 Syracuse, who Henner has called the clear fa-
vorites. Having finished first or second in the Big East Championships eight out of the last ten years, the pressure is on Georgetown to produce similar results this year. But with Notre Dame, Louisville, and Villanova all ranked in the top 30, a top finish may be tough to repeat. Beyond the important conference test this weekend, both teams admitted to having their sights set on the national championships. “The Big East is definitely a big meet, and it’s exciting, and we obviously want to do well,” Infeld said. “But I think that at the same time, we keep it in perspective. The end of the season is more where our goals are.”
Even the coaches, who are usually careful not to look past the challenge at hand, said that placing in Nationals is the benchmark for a successful season, even though the Big East title is typically one of the nation’s top conferences. “The Big East is very important for Georgetown but it’s not the end-all be-all either,” said Coach Henner. “We’re looking at the national scene. … We know we have one of the very best teams in the country.” Nevertheless, a Big East title would be a welcome addition to the trophy case as the Hoyas progress towards their ultimate goal of a national title.
the Sports Sermon “It’s kinky and freaky, but it’s not illegal. ... They don’t keep you out of the Hall of Fame for being freaky.”—Charles Barkley on Brett Favre. where you go to school. And you still have time to jump on the bandwagon without being labeled a fair-weather fan. Once you’re at a game, it won’t matter if you don’t understand how the sport is played. Hockey’s simple rules make it easy to pick up and it’s not hard to get into the game at one of the most underrated venues in sports, the Verizon Center. The entire arena is a sea of Capitals
were going to dominate because of the home ice advanThe last couple of weeks tage (however my team came before the college basketball out victorious, of course). season tips off is a tough time The other professional for Georgetown sports fans. teams in the District don’t The long wait is almost over, measure up to the Caps. The but we still need something Wizards have a bright future, to fill our sports appetite behaving drafted John Wall, fore Jack eats his first box. a player who should proLuckily, the most entervide some excitement on the taining professional sports court, but the team is still a team in D.C. is back in town— few years away from being the Washington Capitals. a contender. The Nationals’ Now I know what season has been Pete Rose Central you’re thinking. over since SepHockey? Really? tember, and with Da bettin’ line Yes, D.C. Hockey Stephen StrasDookies Margin is the best way to burg recoverHoyas get your sports fix. (favorites) ing from Tommy (underdogs) (duh!) Last season, John Surgery, Harbin the Capitals went there won’t be Snitches MPD into the playoffs Stewart Best day ever much incentive Lupe as the best team to make the trek Antlers Fall Classic down to NationBeard in the league but were suddenly eliminated in Red as fans are encouraged als Park until the spring of the first round. This is some- to wear red to games by the 2012. The Redskins might be thing Hoya fans can relate “Rock the Red” slogan. The the biggest competition in to. The Capitals are back in campaign was started a cou- town, especially since they prime form and have gotten ple years ago when the team are in the hunt for the NFC off to a 6-3 start. You are guar- changed its colors from black, East title, but the expensive anteed to see a great team at blue and gold. Just imagine ticket prices will cut deep the Verizon Center. As long as you’re at a Georgetown gray- into your alcohol fund. they have the league’s most out—except that gray is a What better way to ease dynamic offense, headed by bright, in-your-face red. midterm stress than by Alex Ovechkin there will nevMy freshman year, I went watching the most exciting er be a shortage of goals. to game one of the playoffs hockey player in the league If hockey isn’t your sport, when the Capitals played my in sea of red maniacs? If there is no better time to get home-town Rangers. I have you go to one game, you’ll into it. Most people haven’t never felt more out of place be hooked for the rest of the developed a liking for a local than I did walking through the season. You better hop on the hockey team before college sea of red in my blue Rangers bandwagon now, before it’s anyway, so it’s acceptable jersey! Before the game even too late. I’d hate to have to to root for team in the city started, I thought the Caps say I told you so.
by Nick Berti
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Hoyas saving best for last by Abby Sherburne On Sunday, fueled by a large home crowd, the Georgetown women’s soccer team played an emotional match against No. 4 Notre Dame (151-2) for their final game of the regular season. The match resulted in a tie, bringing the Hoyas’ regular season record to 13-5-1 overall and 7-3-1 in the Big East. It was the perfect time for Georgetown to play an elite team in the conference, with the Big East Tournament coming up. “I think it definitely showed that we’re a good team that can play with anyone in the country,” head coach Dave Nolan said. The game got off to a slow start—the first goal wasn’t scored until the 73rd minute when a penalty shot by Melissa Henderson put the Fighting Irish on the board. But, unwilling to let the Hoyas’ season end
in defeat, junior forward Camille Trujillo stepped up like she has all season and scored to tie the game in the last five minutes of regulation play. The Hoyas played off the intensity from the clutch goal for the remainder of regulation and both overtime periods, narrowly missing out on opportunities to capitalize and win the game. Nolan said the crowd of almost 2,000 fans gave the team a boost during the game. “I thought the crowd was a great factor for us, you know. We had kids on the field who didn’t come off,” Nolan said. “They were running on emotion.” Intensity will be a big factor this Sunday, when the Hoyas play against the University of South Florida for the ten-team Big East Tournament quarterfinals. Georgetown beat the Bulls (11-4-3) in early October, winning 3-1 after coming back from an early USF goal. But
JULIANNE DENO
Ingrid Wells led the team in points this season, with eight goals and 10 assists.
Keeping the faith When the playoffs began a few weeks ago, I thought the Yankees had no shot of winning the World Series. To my chagrin, and to the delight of the majority of people who root against the Evil Empire, I was right. But last Friday, when the Rangers mercifully finished manhandling the Yankees, I was anything but ready to accept my team’s fate. Despite their suffering throughout what had to be one of the most lopsided American League Championship Series to go to six games, somehow, I believed that the Yankees could turn it around until the final out. I was that delusional, despite having already admitted to myself that this team was too flawed
to have a shot. All it took to erase weeks and months of warning signs were three games against the Twins. To paraphrase former NFL head coach and Coors Light pitchman Denny Green, the Yankees were who I thought they were, and I let them off the hook. And while most will revel in the disappointment of a defeated Yankees fan, this is hardly the first time I, or any sports fan for that matter, got caught up in the fervor of false hope. In fact, I remember something similar happening with a certain college basketball team last March. It’s all too easy to let a spurt of success overshadow a season’s worth of hard-learned realism. That’s why Georgetown’s near-miss Big East Championship run last season was enough to push memories of losses to the likes of Rutgers to the
Nolan said that doesn’t mean much for the outcome of Sunday’s game. “It was a tough fight,” Nolan said. “It’s sometimes hard to beat a team twice in a season.” The Hoyas will have to use a mix of unselfish play, tournament momentum, and crowd energy to keep their focus on the game, especially since the Bulls are entering the tournament on a four-game winning streak. Their victories this season also include West Virginia, who they kept scoreless into a double-overtime draw. Meanwhile, Georgetown lost to the Mountaineers 3-0 on Oct. 17. But the Hoyas have the advantage of playing on their home field, Trujillo said. Sunday’s competition will take place on North Kehoe Field, where the Hoyas hope another large turnout will help them repeat their early season win. “I think we’ll do well in the tournament,” Trujillo said. “We just have to keep practicing tough.” With a No. 2 seed, the women had a bye for early tournament games this week, giving them a chance to get some much-needed rest. If the Hoyas are victorious against the Bulls on Sunday, they will probably face Marquette in the semi-finals. The Golden Eagles are the best team in the Big East, with an 11-0 conference record. Earlier in the season, the Hoyas suffered a close loss to Marquette (14-3-2), and the Golden Eagles have continued to improve their game. If the Hoyas make it to the semifinals, they could be in for a real battle—but for now, the team is just focused on getting there. back of our minds as they headed into the NCAA Tournament. I was there in New York last March, and even after the devastation of Da’Sean Butler’s basket, I still thought that Hoya squad could go deep in the Dance. Firing on all cylinders, with all that talent, Georgetown was surely destined for at least the Sweet 16.
Backdoor Cuts by Tim Shine
a rotating column on sports But I was also in Providence a week later, and I spent the long trip home thinking what an idiot I was for forgetting how many times that the team had underperformed against lowly opponents. I couldn’t help but get caught up in the recent success. It’s hard for
the georgetown voice 7
Soccer set for grand finale by Adam Rosenfeld Yesterday, the Georgetown men’s soccer team took to North Kehoe field in an attempt to win their ninth straight game. Unfortunately, the skies turned dark and unleashed a downpour that postponed the game for 24 hours. When the Hoyas return to the field today, they will have a chance to win the Big East Blue division regular season championship, the program’s first in 16 years. Beating the University of Connecticut will not be easy, as the Huskies are currently ranked No. 6 in the country. Georgetown is 8-13-2 alltime against UConn, including a 1-0 loss last year in Storrs, Conn. UConn’s greatest strength is their defense. This season, the Huskies have only allowed one goal in Big East play, with four goals against in total on the season. “They don’t concede goals,” Wiese said. “They’re as athletic and talented as any team in the country, and they have an outstanding goalkeeper.” While UConn has historically had Georgetown’s number, there can be no denying the fact that the Hoyas have momentum on their side. Last Saturday, the Hoyas won their eighth straight game and fifth straight conference match with a 6-2 drubbing of Marquette. In Saturday’s game, the Hoyas fell behind the Golden Eagles early as a result of a careless own-goal. George-
any passionate fan not to, because there’s really no other way to make rooting for your team bearable. Sports fandom is predicated on false hope. The problem is that at the end of the season there can only be one champion; everyone else ends up a loser. At some point, most fans have to come to accept the cognitive dissonance of believing this is the year your team can win it all even though the odds are so stacked against you. That realization hardly needs to interfere with our enjoyment of sports. By accepting the near impossibility of winning a championship, I’m actually able to appreciate the smaller victories even more. Sure, Georgetown hoops couldn’t win it all, but neither could hundreds of other teams, and they didn’t get to enjoy beating Butler and Duke. Of course, the difference between false
town was able to right the ship, however, and they took a 2-1 lead into the half thanks to goals from sophomores Andy Riemer and Ian Christianson. Although Marquette was able to balance the score early in the second half, an offensive explosion propelled Georgetown to an easy victory. Goals by Christianson, freshman Steve Neumann, and senior Chandler Diggs within twenty minutes secured a 6-2 victory for the Hoyas. Today’s game will almost certainly prove to be more difficult, although this team has come out strong when it has mattered most this season. If winning the Big East regular season title isn’t motivation enough, today’s game is Senior Day. This game will be the last regular season home game for the stellar senior class of 2011. The seniors make up 11 players on the current roster, including goaltender Matthew Brutto, midfielder Seth C’deBaca and forward Jose Calchao, all of whom have been vital to the team’s success this year. Coach Wiese and the rest of the team desperately want to send this class off on a very high note. “They’re my first recruiting class here and it’s going to be a sad day,” Wiese said. “But they’ve had a special four years, and hopefully they can have an extremely special senior year.” Georgetown will try to claim the Big East Blue Division championship today on North Kehoe field at 2 p.m.
hope and the real thing only becomes clear in hindsight. It will be a while before my confidence in this year’s Hoya squad reveals itself as legitimate or not. Still, I know that cutting down the nets in April is a long shot, to say the least. Right now, though, it’s football season, and I think enough games have been played that I can start to draw some conclusions. Clearly, 2010 has already made me an expert in false hope, but my favorite team, the Jets, could go all the way this year. A much improved quarterback, the same solid core on defense, and the best record in the NFL—nothing delusional about that. At least that’s what I tell myself. Think the Hoyas are going all the way this year? Get help from Tim at tshine@georgetownvoice.com
feature
8 the georgetown voice
october 28, 2010
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georgetownvoice.com
the georgetown voice 9
In poor taste: GU dining By Eric Pilch When current Georgetown senior Tory Pratt (SFS ‘11) arrived on campus in the fall of her freshman year, she was shocked at the quality of the food she encountered in Leo J. O’Donovan Hall, the only dining hall on campus. Having grown up in a family that emphasized healthy eating and home-cooked meals, Pratt had trouble adjusting to the dining situation on campus. “Freshman year I came here—and I’m from a background where my mother cooked every night—and I lost 15 pounds on Leo’s,” Pratt said. “I don’t know if that was nutrition or the fact that I couldn’t eat the food because it wasn’t tasty.” All freshmen and sophomores who live on campus are required to purchase meal plans, but Pratt says she was so dissatisfied with Leo’s that she has not eaten there since her freshman year. And it seems that she is not alone in her sentiments. Dissatisfaction about campus dining is widespread among students, particularly among members of the Georgetown Gastronomes, a group dedicated to food appreciation and the promotion of food culture at Georgetown. A recent online survey conducted by the group, to which more than 700 students responded via Facebook and email, shows broad and deep discontent about the dining options available at Georgetown. Chief among students’ complaints are the relative lack of quality and variety of on-campus food options. “I do not trust the quality of anything that I am served there and can’t even begin to think of the nasty things that are actually in the food that Leo’s is serving,” one respondent wrote. “If you want to eat healthy like I do, then you only have a few choices, which gets boring after a few days, let alone a few years.” Only eight percent of respondents indicated that they
were “happy with Leo’s.” When asked to rate the “variety of food at Leo’s,” only 5 students selected “great” from the list of five options, and only 25 percent of students chose the positive options of “great” or “good enough.” A majority of students chose the options “decent,” “lacking,” or “boring.” “It gets repetitive, especial-
at Epicurean as opposed to the $11+ breakdown of a per meal at Leo’s,” one respondent wrote. “I basically only go to Leo’s because it is required of me.” Pratt’s disenchantment with campus dining led her to join the Gastronomes during her freshman year. “We’re hoping that people become more aware of what they eat, and they work towards
MATT FUNK
Tastes like chicken? The carving station offers fresher meat options. other member of the Gastronomes, explained that Leo’s management has been receptive to constructive student feedback, but actually accomplishing meaningful change is difficult. The blame may lie with the company behind Leo’s, a corporation that is gaining notoriety for its resistance to change—especially the kind that may eat into some of its profits—and
At least it’s not as ugly as Lau: Leo’s has been norovirus-free since late 2008. ly by this time in the semester,” Andrew Coflan (COL ‘11) said. “I feel like they cut corners by using the same ingredients or using lower-quality ingredients.” Concerns about quality and variety are compounded by the high cost of a Leo’s meal plan. From the $2,234 meal plan that provides 24 meals per week to the $635 45-meal block plan, the average cost of a meal at Leo’s is $10.40. “As a sophomore who lives in Henle, it is more economical for me to pay $8-$9 per meal
making better diets for themselves, and that there are better options on campus,” Pratt said. The group is also active in the Georgetown Food Board, a committee that meets monthly and provides students with an oppurtunity to give feedback about the dining options available on campus. A few constructive changes have already come out of the meetings, such as a small area available for students who require a gluten-free diet, but Gastronomes members are still unsatisfied. Austin Yoder (COL ‘11), an-
MATT FUNK
competition. That company is the Aramark Corporation, which has provided dining services for Leo’s since 2008. Aramark, which also supplies dining services to over 600 other colleges and employs over 250,000 people nationwide, has been beset by complaints about food quality. The company has also come under fire in the past for improper labor and business practices, although it has tried to boost its public image in recent years. According to Leo’s Food and Production Manager Jo-
seph Tubman, all Aramark employees, including Leo’s staffers, are explicitly forbidden to talk to the press, and all communications are routed through the company’s corporate office, making it highly difficult to discuss labor relations and treatment at Georgetown. But several employees said anonymously that they wished they could speak more openly, and that they had experienced superior work environments at other companies. Aramark maintains that it provides competitive wages and benefits and encourages personal and professional development. “Aramark is committed to conducting our business as a socially responsible organization,” Director of Aramark Communications Karen Cutler wrote in an email. In the fall of 1998, Yale University contracted food services to Aramark in hopes of controlling the rising costs of food preparation and improving food quality. But according to the archives of the Yale Daily News, Aramark was found to be “dramatically lowering the amount it spends on meal production and cutting key foods from the menu—while charging Yale more for its services than it has ever paid before.” The company also intended to cut the average cost of meal production for each student at Yale from $2.50 to $2.20. Yale’s relationship with Aramark ended in 2008, officially because Yale dining services had reached a point where they could provide food for students without a large corporate partner. But the Yale Daily News reported that the company’s management had led to a deterioration in food quality. Current Yale freshman Somin Lee—who was on an Aramark meal plan at her high school, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics—said she thought Yale’s new dining services were an im-
provement over Aramark’s. “I was on Aramark for the past two years [in high school], and it was definitely not that great,” Lee explained. “Yale dining is a lot better.” Yale is not the only place where relations between Aramark and a university community have soured. A series of unusual events that occured in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh suggest that the corporation is prone to anticompetitive impulses. At Carnegie Mellon, Aramark felt threatened by the presence of food trucks next to campus, current George Mason University Professor and former Carnegie Mellon graduate student Maksim Tsvetovat said. “At CMU and Pitt, the food truck culture flourished for years,” Tsvetovat explained. “Aramark was providing overpriced, dry burgers, fried chicken, and other typical cafeteria fare. The only people that went there were undergrads with prepaid meal plans.” Aramark eventually sued Carnegie Mellon for violating its exclusive vending agreements, a lawsuit that was dismissed because the trucks were parked on public property. At Pitt, the company pressured the University to buy out the block of property where the vendors were parked, although the City of Pittsburgh eventually turned it into a park where vendors were given parking access.
*** At Georgetown, the convenience of a Leo’s plan is enough to make many students overlook the high cost of each meal. “It’s a pain in the ass that for as much as every meal ev-
MATT FUNK
Happy to be here: Flavors of Home is popular among students. ery day costs, I could eat out,” Coflan said. “I did the calculations freshman year and realized this is a rip off. But I have a million things to do and it’s definitely a convenience thing.” Outside of its convenience, the fact that almost all underclassmen have Leo’s plans makes the dining hall a kind of social hub. Mary Kate Robbett (COL ’11), said that she was willing to pay for a meal plan because she’s able to meet new people and keep in touch with friends by eating at Leo’s regularly. Students with meal plans also have the option of taking prepackaged sandwiches, salads, and side items at Grab & Go, an express meal service. Although many survey respondents praised its convenience, many also complained about Grab & Go’s lack of freshness and variety. “Grab & Go is a dying horse,” one respondent wrote. “Please give it medicine or buy a new horse and put Grab & Go out of its misery.” Madelaine Collins (COL ‘13), said that though she has a Leo’s plan, she almost never eats in the dining hall, instead using items from Grab & Go to prepare food in her dorm room. “I’m a big proponent of microwaving things. Even though I don’t have a kitchen, I know how to make eggs in the microwave,” Collins said. Another area of concern for Georgetown students was Leo’s accommodation of students with alternative diets, a group that accounts for about 20 percent of the survey’s respondents. In 2007 and 2008, Georgetown was voted one of the nation’s top vegetarianfriendly campuses by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but only seven percent of the Gastronomes survey’s respondents expressed a positive view of Leo’s accommodation of students following vegetarian, vegan, kosher, and nut-free diets.
Vegetarian respondents expressed a desire for more healthy options, and complained that most Leo’s offereings are heavy on carbohydrates and salt. The Gastronomes realize that students want to see improvements at Leo’s, but they caution that significant change is difficult to accomplish. “We want to start with baby steps, improving the options and the quality of the food,” Ryan Bellmore (COL ‘14), a Gastronomes member said. “We need better heat lamps. I don’t like cold food!” [Disclosure: Bellmore is a contributor to Vox Populi, the Voice’s blog.] Another primary complaint that students raised in the Gastronomes survey is Aramark’s monopoly on campus dining. Perhaps because the few food carts in D.C. are stationed downtown and far away from Georgetown students, Aramark’s monopoly has not been challenged during its two-year tenure as the University’s food provider. But the legal battles the company fought against Pitt and Carnegie Mellon suggest that Aramark will not tolerate any attempts at dining reform that impact its bottom line. Still, the broadly critical response to the Gastronomes survey indicates that students want the food service provided by Aramark to improve. While Georgetown’s relationship with Aramark has been free of any public problems, the company’s treatment of several other university clients is unsettling. The members of Gastronomes believe that the best way to improve students’ dining experience is by encouraging them to make the most of what Leo’s offers. “Change at Leo’s is slow,” Pratt said. “We are about making students see how they can work with what they’ve got. And Leo’s, for most students, is what they’ve got.”
MATT FUNK
Mixing it up: The new salad bar provides a healthier, tastier option.
CAROLINE COTTO (COL ‘14)
RYAN BELLMORE (COL ‘14)
leisure
10 the georgetown voice
october 28, 2010
Who’s up for a little Gross Indecency? by Claire Ferguson
This week, Oscar Wilde is on trial in the Black Box Theater. From Thursday, Oct. 28 to Saturday, Nov. 6, Georgetown’s Nomadic Theatre is staging Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, a play by Moisés Kaufman that portrays the Victorian playwright’s prosecution for homosexual acts with an aristocrat’s son. Kaufman brilliantly weaves firsthand accounts, memoirs, legal documents, and Wilde’s own texts to fabricate his courtroom drama. Given such an intimate view of the proceedings, the audience feels like court spectators, members of the press, jurors and defendants as the play unfolds. This connection to the trial is intensified by the stylized, minimal set design. The stage is sparsely decorated with straightbacked chairs and mobile platforms that obscure the boundary between the audience and the performers. The platforms allow for shifting and movement on the set, and director Danny Rivera (COL ’11) uses the differences in distances and elevations between the actors to reflect power dynam-
ics. The moving platforms are effective during scenes that involve dialogue, but in some instances, the shifts seem like contrived attempts to give movement to an otherwise static scene.
and his vulnerability to show through. Ryan Merlini’s (COL ’14) young Lord Alfred Douglas, Wilde’s muse and lover, is a little rough but very genuine, although there is a great moment in the
The grossest indecency of all? Only one chair. Seriously guys, who planned this nonsense? The minimal approach to set design is balanced nicely by the broad but believable range of emotions demonstrated by the play’s lead actors. Shawn Summers (COL ’12) vibrantly portrays the persecuted Oscar Wilde. He is particularly good at embodying the aloof, droll attitude of the poet, but also in allowing for cracks in that façade to appear
play when we glimpse the manipulative, self-serving side of the young man. Sarah Robbins (SFS ’12) as attorney Carson adds wit and interest to her cross-examination of Wilde. Other light moments include a hilarious depiction of Queen Victoria, the appearance of a raucous prostitute, and the testimony of Wilde’s young lovers.
tory. With a broad assortment of pieces that span centuries, cultures, and mediums, the collection is at once aesthetically pleasing and harrowingly informative The exhibit is organized chronologically, so viewers begin in Africa and follow slaves across the Middle Passage into America. It then tracks the progress of African-Americans through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s, and concludes with the modern day. The tale is sometimes unsettling, but ends on an uplifting, celebratory note. Gayle Hubbard’s “First Vote,” an 1867 illustration from Harper’s Weekly, embodies a sense of hope in a turbulent time. In the drawing, proud African-American men wait in line to exercise their newlyearned right to vote, while a white tallyman looks on contemptuously. The American flag, which hangs above the
voting booth and spans the top of the drawing, evokes American pride and patriotism even in the modern-day viewer. Equally powerful, though very different in medium and message, is “A Slave Carrying Her Fate in Her Hands.” Crinkled and yellowed with age, the framed letter is surprisingly legible despite being written in 1854. The letter, carried by a slave named Frances and written by her owner, details the transfer of Frances’ ownership from its writer to its recipient. An accompanying plaque explains that while Frances delivered this letter, she had no knowledge that she was being sold and separated from her family. Seeing the actual, handwritten letter makes the tragedy of the event all the more real. Moving forward, the “Freedom Struggles” section of the exhibit displays artifacts from the Civil Rights Movement.
Kinseys preserve culture by Shay Oyewole At the center of the Kinsey Collection lies a stone. It is no larger than a brick, it is weathered with age, and it seems like it could have come from anywhere. But once you know the history of the stone, it’s significance becomes profound. It was taken from the wall of a “Slave House” on Goree Island, near Senegal, where 18th century men, women, and children began their devastating journey across the Middle Passage into slavery in the Western Hemisphere. Partially an art exhibit and partially an accumulation of artifacts, “The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey” is on display now through May 1 at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The Kinseys began collecting as a means to learn more about their African-American heritage and to help preserve their his-
Nomadic has great material to work with in Kaufman’s 1997 play. Early in the play, it becomes clear that Oscar Wilde the man is not truly the focus of the trial. What is really the subject for debate is art,
HILARY NAKASONE
the relationship between art and morality, and the role of art in the Victorian society. Can art be good and evil? The prosecution of a homosexual artist for his “deviant” acts is not a comment on Victorian England’s sexual mores. Rather, it is a statement that forces the audience to consider whether excellent art absolves its artist of “disdainful” personal qualities.
Rivera’s interpretation tackles all these heady topics, and he works to make sure that the superb text of the play shines through. The production is simple, predominantly relying on the original narration, monologue, and dialogue, with little physical action between. In his director’s note, Rivera encourages the audience to listen closely to appreciate each character’s nuanced stance on the play’s central issues. Unfortunately, Rivera’s reliance on period accents to differentiate characters was problematic. It is very difficult to expect each actor to successfully switch between Victorian-era accents based on regional and class origins, and their struggle to do so draws attention away from the script. It is rare to find an enjoyable, engaging play that also adeptly raises moral, political, and philosophical questions. Nomadic achieves that goal with Gross Indecency, a play that entertains while forcing its audience to reconsider the relationships between art, morality, and sexuality. Wilde himself would be proud.
With hands that big, how did he manage to tie that tie? One of the more notable pieces is a large white picket sign with the words “Honor King: End Racism” written defiantly in black marker. Such signs were common in the marches following Martin Luther King’s assassination, and provide a powerful example of the politically charged atmosphere of the time.
THE KINSEY COLLECTION
The Kinsey Collection provides a cross-section of AfricanAmerican culture that is both emotional and informative. More than mere works of art, the exhibit’s treasures speak volumes about the larger story of American development, and the profound influence that African-Americans have had on that development.
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“One leg, Jim. Count ‘em. One.”—Muppet Treasure Island
the georgetown voice 11
Freud had a sweet beard, too What would prep do? by Nico Dodd Considering the kind of notoriety that Zach Galifianakis has gained since The Hangover, it wouldn’t be surprising if his next couple of features were half-assed moneymakers with sub-par supporting casts. But It’s Kind of a Funny Story is not that kind of film. This is a relatable and refreshingly quirky tale of growing up that deals with teen depression and anxiety in a more realistic way than most comingof-age stories. The film is based on New York Press columnist Ned Vizzini’s novel, which was inspired by his own experiences in a psychiatric ward. It begins with 16-year-old Craig (Keir Gilchrist), checking into the emergency room after experiencing suicidal thoughts. The hospital’s teen ward is under renovation, so he is placed in its adult psychiatric ward among a cuddly, motley crew of patients. Parts of this film explore how different people respond to a loved one suffering from depression. Craig’s mother is supportive, while his father’s sole concern is how it will affect his schoolwork. Some of his friends are sympathetic, while others are insensitive. It’s an honest depiction of the wide range of relationships that characterize teenage life.
As a tightly wound overachiever at a competitive high school, Craig is just as conflicted as any of the confused youth in Dead Poets Society or The Breakfast Club, but his struggle is more nuanced. He stops taking Zoloft because he feels like he doesn’t need it. He reaches out for help, but then withdraws. Gilchrist gives Craig an awkward earnestness as he struggles to become stable without completely derailing his normal life, channeling Michael Cera without the self-deprecation. The heavy tone of the film is curbed in part by Craig’s psychward mentor, Bobby (Galifianakis). Bobby has had an extended stay at the ward, and his serious emotional and personal problems help Craig put his more trivial academic situation in perspective. It’s a role that lends itself well to Galifianakis’s disarmingly off-kilter brand of comedy, but also grants him the opportunity to show his breadth of
Looks like the standards have really dropped for Zach’s wolf pack.
A different kind of bar food
It’s Monday morning. You roll out of bed at 10 a.m., go to your 10:15 class, another one at 11:40, and then head to a club meeting. And, oh yeah, there’s an essay that you need to write and submit by 3 p.m. There’s no time for breakfast, or even a stop at Leo’s for a quick lunch. So you truck it over to Vittles. Many of us will reach for a protein bar that we can shove in our mouth as a replacement for a meal while you sprint to class. But will it tide you over until the next break in your day, or is just a glorified candy bar? The answer may depend on what exactly you select. Though most bars boast high amounts of protein as a sell-
ability in a more dramatic role—a challenge he admirably rises to. Although Craig is apprehensive about the other patients in the ward, they are more eccentric and off-the-wall than menacing. Even Craig’s love interest, Noelle (Emma Roberts) is not given much psychological depth. As Craig whiles away his mandatory five days in the ward, the audience gets a good sense of his captivity. The white walls and the rigidly-structured activities remind us that this is a completely alien setting for the teen. But at the same time, the more Craig tries to talk his way out of his own issues, the more he is forced to confront them. A solid movie, It’s Kind of a Funny Story also boasts a killer soundtrack featuring indie rockers Broken Social Scene. And while its more cutesy moments occasionally clash with the more serious one, it leaves you feeling good and forces you to put that C- in perspective.
ing point, Consumer Reports claims you should check for the source of the protein on the label. The protein should be derived from high-quality sources like milk (which sometimes appears on the label as ‘whey of casein’), egg, or soy, and not from sources like collagen or gelatin. Collagen is found in the flesh and connective tissue of mammals, and gelatin is just a special form of collagen. These are poor sources of protein because they do not contain all of the essential amino acids that our bodies require. If you know it’s going to be a while before your next meal, fiber is your friend. Look for bars that have more than five
IMDB
grams of fiber, because that’s the stuff that will keep you full longer. The downside? Fiber tastes like cardboard, and manufacturers compensate by jacking up the sugar comment. Keep an eye out for this.
Rub Some Dirt on It by Sadaf Qureshi
a bi-weekly column about health At the same time, it can be hard to keep track of what you’re putting in your body when the packaging deliberately lies to you. According to ConsumerLab.com, which does independent product testing, only one out of the 12 protein bars that they tested met all of the claims made on the label, and half of all bars exceeded
by Matthew Decker Even if you haven’t heard of the College Prepster, if you go to Georgetown you’re familiar with her style. College Prepster is a blog run by Carly Heitlinger (MSB ’12), a junior with a passion for sharing her love of all things preppy with the world. Snapshots of the Rugby storefront, Lilly Pulitzer dresses, and pictures of the crew team all make the blog— for better or for worse—extra Georgetown-y. This fall, Heitlinger expanded from blog posts to books with her self-published work, The Freshman 50. The book—which is available as an e-book—is composed of various anecdotes and pieces of advice for incoming college freshman told by the Carrie Bradshaw-esque big sister you never had. The lessons range from dorm life to hookups, and delve into academics with advice for coping with a challenging college curriculum. Others caution against unfortunate freshman faux-pas, like being the creepy guy who friends the entire class on Facebook before setting foot on campus. If you are looking for the details on the wild side of college, this is certainly not the place to look. The goody-twoshoes tone of the book is best suited for readers who are like the carbohydrate content listed on the nutrition panel. Many of the protein bar companies do not include glycerin in their carbohydrate count, even though the United States Food and Drug Administration has categorized it as a carb. Glycerin is what gives a lot of these bars their super sweet taste, and keeps them moist. Bars that did pass ConsumerLabs labeling tests were Balance Bars, GeniSoy Soy Protein bars and Met-Rx Food bars—unfortunately for Georgetown students, the Corp doesn’t stock any of these. Even the bars that do meet all of these requirements should be eaten in moderation, and should not make up the core of your diet. Simple, unprocessed foods tend to
Heitlinger herself: preppy girls at elite universities with big aspirations. Much of the advice is Georgetown-centric, and may not apply to students entering a different-style college, like state schools, community colleges, or any place outside the northeast. Her advice overlooks the typically frugal college student. Though she clearly means well, her counsel often comes off as snobby and knowit-all-ish. Not every student can afford to dine at D.C.’s finest restaurants, to take a cab to the metro, or to own two (yes, two) Burberry jackets that they just can’t live without. While the book isn’t a riveting read for someone who has already been there, it does offer some sound, if occasionally overly responsible, advice for incoming freshmen. Heitlinger suffered through the indignity of freshman year so you won’t have to—which is unfortunate. After all, most of the fun of freshman year was figuring out what the hell to do with all your newfound freedom. But, while she certainly won’t be breaking any stereotypes about the preppy crowd at Georgetown, Heitlinger ’s willingness to laugh at herself and serve as the crash test dummy to guide you through those embarrassing freshman moments in The Freshman 50 is admirable.
be better for you and make it easier to keep track of what you’re putting in your body. Apples, peanut butter, or a cup of yogurt are all healthier alternatives that you can pick up for about the same price. Plus, you can almost always find at least one of these items at an on campus location. If you know you’re not going to have time for a real meal, a protein bar is not the worst option. But if you find yourself devouring the things by the box, you should take a play out of Cookie Monster ’s book—no matter how much you love the things, they have to be a “sometimes food.” Do you have a serious protein bar habbit? Tell Sadaf about it at squreshi@georgetownvoice.com
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C r i t i c a l V o i ces
N*E*R*D, Nothing, Interscope Records Originally a side project of the production duo The Neptunes, N*E*R*D gained notoriety for blending beat-making prowess with heavy rock influences. Over their last four albums, however, the band has gravitated away from rock and toward a more danceable sound. This parallels the path that The Neptunes have followed, shifting their focus from working with hip-hop acts like The Clipse, Jay-Z, and Mystikal to more pop artists like Justin Timberlake, Sean Paul, and Shakira. The increased exposure to mainstream pop has taken its toll on N*E*R*D, who’s newest album, Nothing, reeks of recycled radio hits. Rather than rapping over the beat, N*E*R*D frontman Pharrell now seems more comfortable singing about dance clubs and sweaty
nightlife—even though he claims on the group’s website that he “[doesn’t] sing sexy shit, but sing about real shit in a sexy way.” The track “I Wanna Jam” sounds like a poor man’s Gnarls Barkley, and features such asinine lyrics as, “I came to jam tonight, and I came to party, I came to jam tonight, life makes me horny.” “I’ve Seen The Light/Inside the Clouds” also sounds oddly familiar. With a high-pitched, harmonious chorus and Halloween-esque saxophone beat, it too feels like it was lifted straight out of a Gnarls Barkley track. Pharrell and Co. also clearly hope to mimic the Black Eyed Peas’ model for success. In late 2009, Pharrell added singer Rhea to the band, a move reminiscent of the Black Eyed Peas’ 2003 addition of Fergie. The N*E*R*D-Rhea combination didn’t pan out, however. She was kicked out of the group in early 2010, making room for female guest vocalist Nelly Furtado on the Nothing’s first single “Hot-n-Fun.” It’s got a bouncy baseline and an infectious hook, but like the rest of the album, it’s lyrically vacuous. What’s most disappointing about Nothing isn’t the triviality of the music, but the lack of individuality. N*E*R*D has prided itself on bending genre conventions to create its own sound that is unconvention-
Enough cable to hang itself
One evening this summer, my father came home to a disturbing scene: I was sprawled on my couch in front of the television, eating cereal out of the box and too dazed to notice that he’d entered the house. Looking at the screen, he was startled to see high-heeled, tight-dress-clad women lined up on a football field like contestants in a dog show. He stomached only a minute of what I informed him was Ochocinco: the Ultimate Catch before he declared, “That’s it, we’re throwing out the television.” A few years ago, I would have jumped to TV’s defense. But times have changed, and now the wealth of online alternatives has called cable’s relevance into question. In 2005, if you got hooked on Weeds, you needed premium cable. That meant paying for 500plus channels—which include a
lot of foreign language stations and shopping networks, and a shitload of I Love Lucy reruns. These days, you’ve got alternatives, and not just the download variety which melts your hard drive into a steaming pile of spyware. Online rental services have made TV-on-DVD easy to appreciate. Netflix is leading the charge with a growing instant-viewing selection and a virtually unlimited supply of DVDs delivered to your mailbox. It’s a glorious step in the direction of complete reclusiveness—add groceries delivered by Peapod, and you’ll never have to leave home again. Beyond Netflix, there’s a plethora of cheap and legal ways to get your idiot box fix on the Internet. Hulu is good, but it only has shows from affiliated networks, and you wind up with a weird mix of material
al and challenging. Nothing is the complete opposite of that principle. The band has put together a series of tracks that sound exactly like what you already hear every Friday and Saturday night at Village A parties. The album is decent, danceable, but completely predictable. Voice’s Choices: “I’ve Seen the Light/Inside the Clouds,” “Victory” —Akshay Bhatia
Diplo, Blow Your Head, Volume 1: Diplo Presents Dubstep, Mad Decent Adam Wentz, better known as DJ Diplodicus or Diplo, has made a career out of combining the freshest and most exotic styles of dance music from all over the world into his own brand of danceable party music. He has experimented with hybrid genres like favela-funk and electro-house. He crafted some (Only a few episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but the entirety of Cannibal: the Musical? What?). But you can augment that with iTunes, and even Amazon has made individual TV episodes available for download. Two bucks a pop is a bit pricey if you’re on a single-day,
Warming Glow by Leigh Finnegan
a bi-weekly column about television full-season Mad Men binge, but for the occasional episode it’s reasonable—especially considering that over a year, a premium cable package can cost more than a grand. But before you rip out your cable box, I will say that the boob tube has qualities that the Internet just can’t replicate. Commercials, for one. I may be alone in feeling this, but there are some
cacophonous collaborations with M.I.A., and orchestrated the grimy dancehall freak-out of Major Lazer. Now, with Blow Your Head, Volume 1: Diplo Presents Dubstep, Wentz has set his sights on the increasingly popular brand of British club music. Though dubstep’s wobbly, subterranean bass lines and skittering synthesizers have been crushing the eardrums of British clubbers for the better part of a decade, the genre is just beginning to gain ground stateside. Released through Diplo’s own label, Mad Decent, Blow Your Head attempts to capitalize on the genre’s burgeoning popularity in the States by bringing together a broad sampling of prominent dubstep releases in the past year. Those hoping to find a concise summary of essential moments in dubstep would do better to look elsewhere—Blow Your Head is much more interested in demonstrating the wide breadth of sounds within the genre. From the minimalist, wonky thump of early dubstep pioneer Benga to the post-Timbaland space-hop of Bristol wunderkind Joker, the disc does a better job of showcasing the genre’s sonic diversity than defining it. For the uninitiated, this is a good thing. These tracks constantly honor dubstep’s sonic forebearers, giving newbies a frame of reference that makes the genre easier to apcommercials that warrant the interruption for their entertainment value. Think of those wonderfully bizarre berries-andcream Skittles ads, or the adorable kid from last year’s Superbowl who told us to “keep your hands off my mama, keep your hands off my Doritos.” I’d rather them than Entourage any day. Many of us watch the game between the commercials, which leads me to television’s other main line of defense: live sports. The Internet is majorly lacking in free, or even cheap, live sports broadcasting. Of course, that’s what sports bars are for, and for football season and big games, that’s a pretty good option. But it can get impractical when it comes to sports that are played more than once a week, ultimately hitting both your wallet and your sobriety. The Internet falls short the most when it comes to good old-
preciate. Lead single “U Don’t Like Me,” draws a line between harder dubstep and the spastic aggression of the now-defunct crunk movement, resurrecting Lil’ Jon to scream over ferocious compressed drums and a ghostly synth line. Another track finds Skream—an enormous figure in dubstep—remixing Major Lazer’s 2009 hit “Hold the Line,” an important reference point for the Mad Decent audience. Hardcore fans of the genre won’t find much fresh material to get excited about—all but three of these tracks have already appeared elsewhere, and Diplo himself only produces two of them. But ever since “Paper Planes” catapulted him and M.I.A. into international stardom, Diplo has functioned more as a tastemaker than a musical innovator, using Mad Decent to promote groups like the trance rap collective from Alabama, Paper Route Gangstaz, and electro house duo Crookers. Blow Your Head is nothing more than one very influential man’s vision of the most exciting sounds in an exciting, expanding genre. For those with a decent subwoofer and an ear for bass-heavy beats, it’s a great place to start. Voice’s Choices: “Sweet Shop,” “Sunset,” “Hold On” —Sean Quigley fashioned channel-surfing. I’m as big a fan of trashy cable TV as the next person—in fact, I’m likely the bigger fan—but even I won’t devote my time trolling the Internet for Tool Academy like I do for The Wire. It’s good entertainment for when nothing else is on, but actively searching out bad television is a low that few are willing to hit. You may not be sacrificing quality, but if we eliminate channel-surfing, certain shows are destined to fall by the wayside. Even after this mini-sermon in defense of cable, however, I need to make a confession: In the months that I’ve been writing this column, my television has been sitting unplugged under my bed. Hey, I’m a poor college student—and Megavideo has a hell of a selection. Tell Leigh how much you’ll miss her late night programming at lfinnegan@georgetownvoice.com
fiction
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the georgetown voice 13
Shoshanna’s Ache Anastasia Baran
I
t was night, and Shoshanna was just a woman alone in bed until that clock struck midnight and she became a woman, twenty-nine years of age, whose tears were being sopped up by a pillow. Lying face down and clutching at the hollow heart hammering restlessly against her ribcage, she felt the loneliest she ever had. The imagined twinge in that overworked organ began to ache in earnest as the tears fell ever more profusely from her eyes. Wishing that she could physically reach in to hold her own barren heart together, Shoshanna heard its thin walls begin to crack. In that moment, it was as if she could feel the fissures as they formed, ominously threatening to shatter at last. For a few years now, this had been Shoshanna’s greatest fear, dying utterly alone in bed, having only ever had pathetic, unfinished dreams of what it’s like to be kissed, caressed, held, or loved. Often times this feeling has plagued her; she has a hole in her chest, a vulnerable soft spot aching to be filled, or just touched for a brief moment of eternity. So, Shoshanna had turned into that sad and bitter woman, the one watching love stories alone in her one bedroom apartment, silently resenting even her best friends for any trace of romance in their lives, plastering a fake smile on her face, masking her misery, at every engagement announcement. Shoshanna’s beauty had begun to wither, and with it, her chances for a fairy-tale ending, or any ending, for that matter. She was never okay with being alone, but kept telling herself that love would come … in another month, another year. And so many years ago, this periodic, excruciating ache began to torment Shoshanna. But she kept herself occupied with idealized men whose names she never even got the courage to ask for. At night Shoshanna used to dream of them, these breathing statues
made of bronze and marble. She would go into raptures at the mere thought of them. Truly, Shoshanna knew how to build gods from a fleshy, fickle foundation, gods who were so ominous and astonishing as to be entirely unapproachable. Her idle worship was destructive and the idols never responded to Shoshanna’s fruitless offerings. The truth is, one could burn the glistening shag of a thousand fatted calves, and it would reap no reward. She could kneel and pray for sweet release and pour enough libations to fill a dam, but somewhere in a ruined temple in Greece, Aphrodite would laugh unrestrainedly at her nonetheless. Entirely cut off, and bereft of any immortals at present, she was all too desperate by far. So, she wiped away the residual tears, turned over the damp pillow, and picked up the phone. Dialing a number she had acquired more than a year ago and kept around
for just such a desperate night as this, Shoshanna took a deep breath and raised the phone to her ear. With every unanswered ring, Shoshanna’s courage faltered more and more. She was ready to hang up, but was paralyzed by the sound of a male voice issuing forth from the speaker. Within, she cringed at the unmasked excitement in his voice, and was utterly repulsed by the prospect of a night in his arms, but she was lonely and hopeless, so she managed to cheerfully say: “See you soon,” before hanging up and entering into a full-fledged panic attack. You see, this sad and sorry woman had just called the only man who ever wanted her in any terms; he had even tried to convince her once that he was in love. But no matter how hard Shoshanna tried, she just couldn’t see herself with him, couldn’t bring herself to love him or want him as he deserved. Yes, he yearned for her, and she knew
marc fichera
it well but was totally unprepared to deal with the repercussions of so blatantly using him to assuage her longing for any intimacy. Is there anything less romantic, less advisable, than to give oneself up for the sake of the act? Shoshanna was doing just what she had so harshly judged others for doing: turning sex into a purely physical act, profaning it, as it were and she was ready to use another human without any regard for his feelings. No, this would not do, but the man was already on his way and she would have to occupy the night somehow. For a moment, Shoshanna let herself imagine a positive outcome. He would be beautiful, a proper idol for worship, and they’d have a whirlwind romance. But that wasn’t reality, couldn’t be reality, and Shoshanna knew that no matter how beautiful or how passionate the man about to ring her doorbell was, there would be no love that night, or on any night with that particular man. Perhaps there would be lust and the foolish fulfillment of age old needs, but no love. And that was not enough for her. Even with her heart about to shatter, Shoshanna could not bear the thought of this unwanted admirer’s touch being her first. So, when he arrived, the only man who had ever wanted her or been able to love Shoshanna, and certainly the only one available to her at present, Shoshanna did not hungrily consume his charming visage and adequate body. Offering only a cursory glance at his broodingly dark, but disconcertingly blood-shot eyes, Shoshanna smiled at her visitor, apologized, and gave him one long, slow kiss that was pure sweetness, entirely devoid of passion, for the inconvenience before locking her door behind him and returning to her now dry pillow, content to let the dull ache lull her to a sleep full of suddenly hopeful dreams in which mortals were the only actors.
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Globe warms up to green economy, U.S. left out in the cold by Gavin Bade America is losing its edge. Or at least, that’s what the experts would have us believe. From professors to politicians, nothing has gotten our educated crowd more hot and bothered for the past decade than the future of American economic power—except maybe for Christine O’Donnell’s views on masturbation. The Georgetown community is no exception. During Parent’s Weekend this month and the GAAP weekends last year, lectures on America’s competition issue have been standing-room-only. For all the interest in the dilemma, though, one potential solution has not received its fair share of attention—especially in relation to its feasibility and the potential it has to revive American ingenuity. This is the economic solution of environmental legislation, and it has the ability to incentivize the type of economic growth our nation needs to secure its place at the top. The United States stands to gain much more economically
from any global warming legislation than it will lose. Stimulating the growth of the environmental technology industry in America— which is lagging well behind other developed countries’ industries— will pay heavy dividends. The world is only going to demand more “green” technologies, and it will benefit us if they are made in America. An easy example is alternative energy transportation. As the world transitions from old and inefficient internal combustion, the demand for vehicles that run on electricity or hydrogen or have some sort of hybrid technology will skyrocket. If American firms are the ones producing such vehicles, they will rake in cash. If not, the money will go to the Europeans and Japanese. Too often, environmental goals and economic goals are described as mutually exclusive. This is a dreadfully flawed and incorrect view. Not only does meaningful environmental legislation—a tough cap-and-trade system or carbon tax—prepare American companies for huge new amounts of
demand, but it will also help pay for the inevitable environmental catastrophe that will face nations on a warming planet. It is tragically shortsighted for any nation to put off incentivizing the “green” economy. It is one of the surest investments in the economic and social wealth of the future citizens of any country. China seems to recognize this fact better than we do. Although they are building far too many coal and oil-driven power plants they have made sizeable investments in alternative energy as well. From 2007 to 2009, China’s share of the global wind energy market rose threefold. They are now the biggest growth market for wind energy in the world and currently produce more energy from alternative sources than America. First in solar power growth is not the United States either, but Germany, and Sweden takes the prize for biomass use. We’re lagging behind so many nations in one of the largest growing markets of the 21st century, that it’s no wonder that we are losing our
competitive edge. If our politicians really believe in American exceptionalism, they must begin to take the economic consequences of our environmental negligence more seriously. At a time when the U.S. is recovering from a serious global recession, the last thing we need is a host of other costs to deal with. As we see with many environmental mishaps—the flooding in Pakistan, intense hurricanes, the BP oil spill—the costs involved with extreme weather incidents and ecological accidents can be gigantic. Add that to the inevitability of rising sea levels as a result of climate change, and our nation will be saddled with huge, unplanned fiscal burdens, the likes of which we cannot hand\le. For these reasons, it is clear that ecologically conscious legislation is not only beneficial for the environment and for long-term American economic growth and competitiveness, but is essential for lasting budgetary responsibility as well. Conservatives claim that the sources of climate change are not
known or recognized by the scientific community, and that all actions to mitigate its effects are thus wasteful. However, they conveniently ignore that 82 percent of scientists polled by CNN believe that human activity is a direct cause of climate change. It is only empty rhetoric and rogue experimentation that supports their will to inhibit progress on environmental legislation, and their belligerence will only lead to degradation of this nation’s resources and boundless natural beauty while hampering it economically. It is time for those who doubt global warming to face the facts. It’s time for our government to help make this nation competitive again, as it has done so many times before. We need sanity and scientific consciousness on this issue more than ever before.
Gavin Bade is a freshman in the SFS. He gives China superiority in windmills, but the U.S. is ahead in consumption of Chinese goods.
Hailing from the Most Serene Republic of San Marino by Nick Berti Like many people my age, I have a grandfather who came to America through Ellis Island in search of a better life. Only he didn’t come from a big country like Italy, Ireland, or Russia as many other immigrants did. He traveled from a small country known as the Most Serence Republic of San Marino. I am a citizen of this tiny country, which is entirely surrounded by Italy, thanks to San Marino’s relaxed citizenship laws. In San Marino, citizenship is passed down from generation to generation no matter where you are born.
While being a citizen of such a small country has its perks, most people have no idea what country I am talking about when I bring it up in conversation. I’m sure 90 percent of you are scratching your heads right now. Usually the only people who do know about San Marino are students in the School of Foreign Service, and to them, it is often that stupid country that caused them to fail their Map of the Modern World test. But San Marino is actually one of the world’s hidden gems. San Marino is the oldest surviving sovereign state in the world. Its founding dates back to the
AMBER REN
The San Marino skyline is dominated by the three peaks of Monte Titano.
year 301 C.E. Written in 1600, San Marino’s constitution is the longest standing in the world. The country is only 24 square miles in size, about a third of the size of Washington, D.C. Its citizens aren’t cramped though, as there are only approximately 30,000 people residing in the European microstate. An additional 30,000 people, myself included, are citizens but don’t live within the republic’s borders. That is a major reason why it is so easy to retain citizenship—given San Marino’s population size, the government isn’t exactly in the position to reject people. How could a country so small hold on to its independence for hundreds of years? It wasn’t easy, and it definitely took a fair amount of luck. The closest call came during Napoleon’s conquest. When the French leader reached San Marino, his respect for the independent state trumped his ambition. Not only did he leave it in peace, he offered to form an alliance and give the state future assistance if necessary. So the republic that stood for so long continued to be prosperous. As a sign of their pride, the Three Towers of San Marino located at the three peaks of Monte Titano still light up every night. Not only is the country’s history unique, its government is one-of-a-kind as well. San
Marino is the only country in the world that has two heads of state—the Capitani Reggenti, or Captains Regent (San Marino’s native language is Italian, and its culture mimics that of its larger neighbor). With new Captains Regent elected every six months, though, the position is a mere figurehead—the 60-person Grand Council is primarily responsible for making and enacting laws. Up until this past year, I didn’t know much about this part of my heritage. I had visited San Marino a few times to reconnect with family, but I had never learned about its history— Hell will freeze over before San Marino makes its way into any Georgetown curriculum. I finally learned more about San Marino this summer on a threeweek trip sponsored by the government. I learned a lot on the trip, but the most significant experience for me was actually meeting other citizens of San Marino from the United States. People typically know others who share their nationality, but when a country only has around 60,000 citizens worldwide, it is pretty rare to find someone else who shares that common bond. After coming back from my trip, I realized how special my situation was. Although it’s nice to share your national heritage with others, I enjoy being dif-
ferent—even if that necessitates many five-minute conversations to explain what San Marino is. “You’re from where? Where is that? Isn’t San Marino a town in California?” “No. It’s a small landlocked country in Italy…but it’s not part of Italy.” Then I get tired of explaining. Once in a while my friends will compare me to Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries, but I don’t mind. Unfortunately San Marino has no kings or queens, so my dream of being a prince is squashed. However, my cousin was a Captain Regent 10 years ago, so if politics don’t work out for me in America, I know I can always be President somewhere else. It seems a little easier to win over 30,000 people than 350 million. Although San Marino doesn’t show up on most maps and its land mass is less than one percent of Rhode Island’s, I couldn’t be more proud of where I come from. I may not add to the diversity statistics here at Georgetown, but I think I bring something to the table in terms of diversity that all the other Italian Roman Catholics don’t.
Nick Berti is a junior in the MSB. He’s surprised that being inside Italy, San Marino has so few prime ministers who cheat on their wives.
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the georgetown voice
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E-reader, Kindle, and Nook, let me read my freaking book by Emma Forster When I read a really great book, “smaller, lighter, faster” are not the first words that come to mind. I don’t love my favorite stories because they come with high quality, built-in WiFi. In short, e-readers aren’t for me. My least favorite thing about e-readers is that in Kindle-land, all books are created equal. That’s great when you’re furtively reading Danielle Steele or L.A. Candy, but finish-
ing Infinite Jest just isn’t as impressive when you don’t have to lug around all 1079 pages of it for the three years it takes to read them. And how am I supposed to get hot French men to introduce themselves to me if they can’t tell I’m reading Du côté de chez Swann? There’s really only one way to start a conversation with someone who’s holding a Kindle—“What are you reading?” Meanwhile, when I sit down on the train next to someone reading The
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Paper beats screen, rock beats screen, and scissors beat screen. Don’t pick screen.
The healthy Danish? As is typical of the fall semester, last week I found myself facing a daunting pile of homework, impending deadlines, and to top it off, a poorlytimed bout of influenza. While that’s usually the final nail in the coffin for whatever paper I’m writing or test I’m studying for, this time I was not terribly upset about my illness, because I’m in Denmark, a country with free healthcare. While easy and affordable access to healthcare may be a huge issue in America, in the Kingdom of Denmark, all 5.5 million Danes have free, easy access to universal healthcare. My personal experience with their socialized medicine system was a breeze. I verified my residency in Denmark with a local health authority, a relatively quick and painless step
for foreigners, and then called a phone number on the back of the tourist health insurance card that he gave me. I was able to schedule an appointment the same day—not days down the line, as I had expected. I set one for the next day. I worried about getting to the office while sick, but I didn’t have to sweat that, either. My doctor’s office was literally right down the street from where I live, which is fairly typical under the Danish system. I only had to ride my bike for a minute in order to reach the office, where I swiped my Danish ID card at the front desk—no nasty paperwork to fill out— and waited just a few minutes before seeing my doctor. The doctor gave me a typical examination and asked me a few questions about how I was
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Picture of Dorian Gray, not only do I know that I want to talk to that person, I also have the chance for a witty introduction (“You look so good right now that you must be hiding your rapidly aging portrait somewhere in your attic.”) A lot of people speculate that e-readers could offer relief for students with too many textbooks. But last year, when my professor gave my Intro to Sociology class the option of using an online text or sending away for a free paper copy, 90 percent of the class opted to use the physical book. When I talked to my classmates about why we all opted for the paper text, the overall response was that students like to read a tangible book. We like to mark and dogear and highlight—it’s part of our learning process. I can also sell a textbook when I’ve finished the class. There are some books that, once I’ve finished them, I have no desire to look at ever again—getting some cash for them is the only thing that will ever redeem them. Furthermore most of the books you need for class, excluding the classics, aren’t even sold in e-reader formats. Your
feeling. I had a viral infection, so there wasn’t anything she could prescribe, but she gave me good advice for fighting the cold and asked me to come back in a few days if my condition did not improve. Denmark’s system is based on the principle that everyone in the country should have access to free health services—and from the looks of it, it’s cost effective. Based on rough numbers, in 2007, public and private
Carrying On by George D’Angelo A rotating column by Voice senior staffers
Danish healthcare expenditures constituted 9.7 percent of Denmark’s GDP, or about $2,785 per person. On the other hand, the United States spent roughly $7,439 per person on public and private healthcare in the same year, or 15.7 percent of GDP. Danes who can afford it are able to also enroll in private insurance plans. And if I’d had something seriously wrong with me, the general practitioner I saw would have recommended me to a specialist. In order to see a specialist one must first be
professors’ rants that were published and assigned out of selfindulgence are outside of an ereader’s content scope. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony (the three largest e-reader brands) favor the popular works of Stieg Larsson or whoever currently sits atop the bestseller list over works published by Georgetown academia. And even when the book is miraculously sold in the proper format, you still have to read it from a screen. If we can’t even stay focused enough to read past the first paragraph of our University emails, how are we supposed to read a 300page novel on a subject we care little about on a tiny screen? I understand that if you want to lighten your travel load or be more environmentally friendly or consolidate your Organic Chemistry textbook with your Gossip Girl books an e-reader is a logical purchase. But I don’t think that e-readers will ever replace books the way the mp3 has replaced CDs. There’s nothing sentimental about an electronic tablet the way a used copy of Catcher in the Rye—marked with notes and doodles from when I read it my freshman year of high school—
seen by a general practitioner, which keeps people who don’t really need expensive treatments from adding unnecessary costs. In general, specialists are more expensive than general practitioners, so when they’re unnecessary, it is best to leave them out of the cost equation. But the biggest difference is that while Americans primarily handle their care through private health insurers, Danes do not have a huge healthcare infrastructure to muddle through. Because the government is paying for the costs of healthcare, they have an incentive to keep their citizens healthy and keep costs down, while private insurance companies obviously have a direct incentive not to—every dollar they don’t shell out for treatment is a dollar that goes towards the bottom line. Public health expenditures are also larger in the United States because there are so many people who do not have insurance. Because Americans will often wait until their illnesses are severe before seeking treatment, they often wind up in emergency rooms, where local governments usually pick up the tab for the uninsured. And medical malpractice lawyers drive up the costs of insurance for everyone.
makes me think of more than just Holden’s hunting hat and the ducks. Remembering who I was when I scrawled “phony bologna” into the margin is a priceless sensation that no ebook can reproduce. And personally, my favorite thing about books is books. I like buying them, touching them, collecting them, and lining my bookshelves with them. They’re like trophies from the classes and intellectual trips I’ve taken. I understand that the electronic and paper formats are not mutually exclusive; there can be a peaceful co-existence of hardbacks, paperbacks, and lithiumbacks. However, it is time for our generation to take a stand on the future of reading. I hope that in our flashy, compact, convenience-driven society, the magic of reading isn’t lost in a mass-conversion to a technological format. As a college student, I say, “Give me paperback or give me death!”
Emma Forster is a sophomore in the College. She would endure a Dan Brown novel, if that’s what it would take to win your heart.
In spite of the fact that most students are still covered under their parents’ health insurance plans, this issue is relevant for us because we are the ones who will pay for today’s healthcare policy mistakes. Rising costs of healthcare in America will mean higher taxes and higher insurance premiums in the future. We need to continue to take steps forward to avoid future budget catastrophe, and looking at successful models abroad can help. Even though my experiences with Danish healthcare are limited, a cheaper system with a higher life expectancy should be a model for the broken American system. The Danes have found a way to make high quality, socialized healthcare work in a nonauthoritarian way and at a price that is way below that of our system. Even if universal healthcare seems like a far-off dream, we can make significant progress by studying the proven Danish model.
George D’Angelo is a junior in the MSB. He knows there’s something rotten in the state of Denmark, but its not the healthcare.
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