The Justice, April 20, 2010

ARTS PAGE 20

FORUM Increase candidate exposure 11

‘BEE’ BUZZ

FEATURES Twins discuss their college experiences 7 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Volume LXII, Number 24

Waltham, Mass.

REPORT ON FUNDRAISING RELEASED

ADMINISTRATION

Reinharz to lead Mandel Foundation ■ University President

Jehuda Reinharz will also continue to be involved in one of Brandeis’ institutes.

By NASHRAH RAHMAN JUSTICE EDITOR

After Jehuda Reinharz steps down as president of Brandeis, he will become president and CEO of the Mandel Foundation, “an internationally recognized charity that provides leadership to non-profits in the United States and Israel,” according to an April 14 campuswide e-mail from Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully. In addition to his commitments to the Mandel Foundation, Reinharz will also serve as director of Brandeis’ Tauber Institute for the Study of European

Jewry.

Reinharz, who has served on the Mandel Foundation Board of Trustees since 2005, said in an interview with the Justice, “My interest and my passions are totally in sync with what [the Mandel Foundation] does.” He elaborated that he was particularly interested in the foundation’s projects on “leadership development, its work in the Jewish world [and] its work in urban renewal.”

Morton L. Mandel, foundation chairman and chief executive officer, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, “[Reinharz] has been an active Trustee of the Mandel Foundation for many years. We have known President Reinharz in his capacity as President and greatly admire his leadership qualities.” Mandel also wrote that he will continue as chairman indefinitely once Reinharz

See PRESIDENT, 6 ☛

TECHNOLOGY

LTS initiatives proposed ■ One of the proposals

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

entails switching Bmail to a hosted portion of Google’s e-mail service.

DONATION EFFORTS: Prof. Jordan Pollack (COSI) spoke at last week’s faculty meeting about the University’s alumni base.

By CLARE CHURCHILL-SEDER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Alumni pool to increase ■ A Faculty committee

reported that alumni contributed 17.7 percent of total funds raised in 2009.

By MIRANDA NEUBAUER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

It will take Brandeis another 25 years to have a pool of alumni comparable to that of older private universities that can rely on more alumni for fundraising, according to an initial report by the Faculty Development Advisory Committee that highlights both the successes and challenges of the Office of Development and Fundraising.

Committee member Prof. Jordan Pollack (COSI) presented the report at last Thursday’s faculty meeting.

“While our fundraising from alum-

ni has gradually increased. […] We are still heavily dependent on gifts from non-alumni ‘friends’,” the report states. At other older universities, the largest share of giving comes from alumni and in particular alumni bequests. At Brandeis, the average age of an alumnus is young at 42, the report notes, and the first graduating classes were comparatively small.

“An analysis of our alumni database suggests that it will take up to 25 more years for us to have a pool of alumni comparable to other universities our size,” the report states. The report also notes that there has been an upward trend in the amount of money raised from alumni, with their contributions making up 17.7 percent of the total funds raised in 2009, compared to 1.3 percent in 1975.

For this reason, the University is more dependent on friends of the University who are not alumni,

according to the report. “Most friends who become donors view Brandeis as a critical Jewish institution for America. There is concern amongst faculty that the friends of the university represent a narrow range of the Jewish community and have imposed their priorities on the University,” the report states.

“However, there appears to be substantial diversity amongst the friends of the University, geographically and otherwise, and much of their funding supports general university activities.”

In his presentation, Pollack emphasized that the Office of Development had been very successful at raising funds, noting that the annual amount raised has increased from $24 million in fiscal 1995 to $90 million in fiscal 2008 and $78 million in fiscal 2009 after the economic

The budget for fiscal 2011, passed at the March 23 Board of Trustees meeting, predicts an estimated savings of $90,000 to be generated through large-scale Library and Technology Services initiatives such as switching to an entirely wireless network, ceasing distribution of room phones, re-evaluating the

necessity of desktop computer clusters and making Bmail a hosted portion of Gmail, Google’s e-mail service.

In the face of the economic crisis last spring, LTS took the opportunity to carry out a review of all its services and develop a strategic plan for the years 2010 through 2014, said Deputy Chief Information Officer and University Librarian Susan Wawrzaszek in an interview with the Justice. As LTS dealt with budget cuts and staff reductions, the program began the strategic review to determine which services and resources were essential to supporting the University and how LTS

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PASSION PIT HEADLINING SPRINGFEST ALSO PLAYING: STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO, CHIDDY BANG, MAN MAN

ARTS 21

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Dear SSIS

Hoops for Haiti

Howard Dean

■ SSIS weighs in on frequently asked questions about condoms.

■ The Brandeis community came together for Hoops for Haiti on Thursday.

■ The former presidential candidate spoke to students about politics.

FEATURES 9 For tips or info call Let your voice be heard!

Submit letters to the editor online (781) 736-6397 at www.thejusticeonline.com

INDEX

SPORTS 14 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 7

OPINION POLICE LOG

11 2

NEWS 3 COPYRIGHT 2010 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Call for home delivery.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS AP BRIEF

POLICE LOG

Early apple blossom triggers fears of killer frost

Medical Emergency

BOSTON (AP)—Frank Whittemore has been growing fruit for a lifetime and can’t ever remember a year when the buds started peeking out on his 30,000 apple trees so early in the spring. And that’s what has him worried.

“We’re just praying that we don’t get some really, really cold weather over the next few weeks,” said Whittemore, 85, co-owner of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, N.H. “It would be a disaster for us.”

While most residents of the Northeast were enjoying the recent spate of warm weather, apple growers fretted about an unprecedented early bloom that could leave the nascent fruit vulnerable to a dangerous cold snap. And farmers around the country fear that other fruits, including cherries, blueberries and plums, could also fall victim to frost.

Orchard managers and fruit experts said a balmy early spring—the mercury climbed to a record-shattering 92 degrees in parts of New England on April 7—combined with an early snow melt and heavy rains in March has trees blossoming two to three weeks ahead of schedule on average.

That leaves plenty of time on the calendar for the region’s notoriously unpredictable weather to strike back with a killer freeze.

And it’s not just apples that are at risk. Peaches and plums that generally blossom slightly ahead of apples are also off to a much faster start this season. Even blueberries, just starting their growth cycle, could be susceptible to cold.

A hard frost is not uncommon in New England in the last two weeks of April and not unheard of in early May. Experts say a drop in temperature to 28 degrees could damage 10 percent of the crop and a drop of a few more degrees could damage up to 90 percent of the crop. The stakes are high: The six New England states combined produced 182 million pounds of apples commercially in 2008, the last year for which the United States Department of Agriculture had final statistics.

Stephen Wood, owner of Poverty Lane Orchards and Farnum Hill Ciders in Lebanon, N.H., said another danger of a protracted spring is that it could leave the blossoming fruit more vulnerable to bacterial diseases, such as one called fire blight, that are normally less of a concern to growers in New England.

Northeast farmers aren’t the only ones worrying. The unusually warm weather also had some apple and cherry trees in Michigan blossoming about three weeks earlier than normal. Warm weather in February also led to an early bloom in cherry and pear orchards in the Northwest.

“The odds of having subfreezing temperatures are much greater right now than they would be in the first week of May when we would more typically be in bloom,” said Jon Clements, a fruit expert at University of Massachusetts Extension who remains cautiously optimistic that the crop will survive without major damage.

If that is the case, the accelerated growing cycle could inevitably lead to an earlier harvest. Strawberries, peaches and early-season apples could be a week to 10 days earlier, Clements said, and juicy McIntosh apples may be ready for picking as early as Labor Day, he said.

Growers are quick to point out, however, that Mother Nature often has a way of evening things out. A cooler summer, for example, would slow things back down and put the harvest back on a more typical schedule.

April 12—An ambulance transported a party to the NewtonWellesley Hospital for a voluntary psychological examination upon request from the Golding Health Center staff. University police assisted the transportation of the party.

April 12—University police received a call from the Sherman dining hall that a staff-member got some grease in her eye.

BEMCo and University Police responded, and the party was treated by BEMCo with a signed refusal for further care.

April 12—University Police received a call that a male student had collapsed in pain. BEMCo and University Police responded, and the party was treated by BEMCo with a signed refusal for further care.

April 13—A caller reported that a party was hit in the head with a

softball at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The party was conscious but feeling nauseous. The party was transported by an ambulance to NewtonWellesley Hospital.

April 14—An ambulance transported a party to the NewtonWellesley Hospital upon request from the Mailman House.

April 15—The Waltham Police Department received a 911 call from a female student feeling sick in the Goldfarb Library. The Waltham Fire Department and an ambulance were dispatched. University Police and BEMCo responded, and the party was treated on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

April 17—Several students at the Main Entrance reported that their friend was suffering from alcohol-related problems. University Police notified an ambulance, and the party was treated and

transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Larceny April 13—A party from Rosenthal East reported that his bike was stolen. University Police compiled a report on the theft.

April 14—A party at the Rabb Graduate School reported the theft of money from an office at the Graybiel lab. University Police compiled a report on the theft.

April 14—University Police told three individuals to leave the premises of the Usdan Student Center for trying to sneak into an event without tickets.

Vandalism April 17—University Police were notified of vandalism at the front entrance door at 567 South Street, where the glass was bro-

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@ brandeis.edu.

theJustice The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor in chief office hours will be held Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m.

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Miscellaneous April 14—A report was compiled by the University Police in reference to an e-mail statement that posters were being covered on a common walkway by other posters in the Rabb Graduate School.

—Compiled by Fiona Lockyer

5k run raises $550 for Haiti and Invisible Children

An article in Arts misspelled a surname. The director of “Eulogy” is Michael J. Gomes, not Michael J. Gomez. (Apr. 13, p. 22)

An article in Arts incorrectly identified the opera Madame Butterfly as a spin-off of the musical Miss Saigon. Miss Saigon is actually a spin-off of Madame Butterfly. (Apr. 13, p. 19)

April 14—University Police compiled a report of harassing emails received by a reporting party in off-campus housing.

April 15 —Administrative staff at Bernstein-Marcus reported a persistent salesman. They did not wish to file a report with the University Police.

SENATE LOG

A photograph in the Arts fashion spread misidentified a student. The student in the upper-left photograph in the fashion spread is William Lodge II ’13, not David Roble ’13. (Apr. 13, p. 21)

An article in Arts identified The Forsaken Road as an upcoming BTV show, but it will actually be a movie screened on BTV. (Apr. 13, p. 19)

Harassment

Disturbance

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

An article in Arts stated that the film Still Alive was created over Passover Break. It was created between March 19 to 21. (Apr. 13, p.19)

ken. University Police compiled a report and advised the Facilities Department to make repairs.

YOSEF SCHAFFEL/the Justice

Promoting human rights Mohamed A. Yahya, founder and executive director of DAMANGA Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, spoke at an event last Tuesday. Yahya discussed the conditions in the conflict-torn Darfur.

At its meeting on Sunday night, the Student Union Senate passed a bylaw amendment stating that “No candidate [for Student Union office] may use his/her prerogatives as a listserv administrator to solicit votes on behalf of his/her own campaign.” Senator for the Class of 2011 Michael Newborn, who introduced the amendment, said that the issue had arisen during the campaign for associate justice of the Student Judiciary but did not elaborate.

Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11 reported that he is helping President-elect Daniel Acheampong ’11 transition into his role as president. He told the Senate that the first two issues Acheampong will face are likely to be related to parking and dining.

He said that the Student Union is still working with University administration to “iron out” changes being made to parking policy.

He did say that sophomore parking will not be eliminated until at least the 2011 to 2012 academic school year because the current first-year class came in with the expectation of having access to parking as sophomores.

He also said that the results of the MarketMatch program, which Aramark is participating in, will be released shortly.

The Senate approved a money resolution to fund Midnight Buffet, which, according to Senator for the Class of 2010 Amy Mandel, will include a greater variety of food this year. Mandel said that food available at the buffet will include pizza, kosher and non-kosher Chinese food, tacos, chips, dip and kosher and non-kosher sorbet.

Senator for the Class of 2012 Mark Trilling reported that efforts to finish a halfpainted mural in the Castle have been halted because there is a rule against murals on campus according to Director of Community Living Jeremy Leiferman.

Senator for the Class of 2011 Jenna Rubin said that she is working with Director of Executive Affairs Sofya Bronshvayg ’11 to create an award for student leaders on campus, but the project is still in the planning stages.

The Senate briefly discussed ideas as to how to better manage and keep track of Senate finances. Ideas proposed include an Excel spreadsheet, a Senate liaison to the treasurer’s office or the establishment of an assistant treasurer position to oversee the Senate’s finances.

— Harry Shipps

ANNOUNCEMENTS Social Justice and Social Policy in the Obama Era The Heller School for Social Policy and Management’s Public Policy Lecture Series featuring Robert Kuttner, co-founder and co-editor of the American Prospect and a Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow, will give a lecture on social issues during the Obama presidency. The lecture is sponsored by the Heller Master of Public Policyin Social Policy Program. Today from noon to 2 p.m. in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall.

Independent Interdisciplinary Major Information Session The coordinator of IIMs and IIM Undergraduate Department Represenative Dana Opas ’10, who designed her IIM in Forensic Psychology, will be leading an information session for interested students. An IIM reception for all IIM students and their advisers will follow. Prospective IIM majors who attend the information session are

welcome to eat and talk with those who have gone through the process. Today from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Art Gallery.

Conquering the First Year of Law School For students planning on attending law school, this one-hour workshop featuring Nancy Waggner will de-mystify the firstyear experience and explain how it differs from undergraduate education. Suggestions and tips will be offered. It is geared toward seniors, but all are welcome. Tomorrow from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Hiatt Career Center.

What's the Deal with the New Israel Fund?

J Street U is hosting a discussion on the New Israel Fund. The New England Regional Director of the NIF discuss media attacks on human rights groups in Israel. The activies and goals of the NIF will also be discussed.Wednesday from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. in

the Ridgewood A Commons.

Waltham Group Blood Drive Come to the last drive of the semester and give blood! Students who gave blood at the February drive are still eligible to donate. Students who cannot give blood should consider volunteering for the drive.

For more information, e-mail Nate Rosenblum at nbrose1@brandeis.edu. Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. in Sherman Function Hall.

‘Doctors’ Diaries’ Doctors’ Diaries, a PBS special that followed seven students through Harvard Medical School from their first day to their last day of medical school, will be shown and followed by comments and a questionand-answer session with Dr. Lydia Siegel, a 2003 graduate of the University of California Medical School. Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. in Pollack Auditorium.

THE JUSTICE

ONGOING RENOVATIONS

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

3

Dean addresses students ■ Former Governor Howard

Dean spoke to students about multiculturalism at an event held last week.

By ROCKY REICHMAN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

NEW SPACES: The University is currently conducting a survey to decide how open space created by the demolition of the Friedland and Kalman buildings will be used.

New landscaping ideas proposed ■ The Brandeis community

will vote on what will replace the empty space in the Science Complex area.

By BRIAN FROMM JUSTICE EDITOR

The Office of Capital Projects is currently surveying the Brandeis community to get input on how best to use the empty space created by last semester’s demolition of the Friedland Science Building and the demolition of the Kalman Science Building, which will mark the completion of Phase 1 of the Science Complex Renewal Project, according to the Capital Projects website.

Phase 1, which the Capital Projects website states includes the construction of the Shapiro Science Center and the demolition of Friedland and Kalman, will be completed “very shortly,” said Vice President for Campus Operations Mark Collins in an interview with the Justice. Vice President for Capital Projects Dan Feldman said in an interview with the Justice that most of Kalman should be removed by the end of May and that the rest should be removed during the summer. Collins explained that any approved plan will be completed after the removal of Kalman is finished. Collins

also said he expects the interim landscaping project to be finished by the end of the summer.

Phase 2 of the Renewal Project, which comprises a plan to construct new science buildings on the site, has been indefinitely postponed by University President Jehuda Reinharz due to budgetary constraints, said Feldman. The landscaping projects were proposed to fill the empty space left by the demolished buildings in the interim between Phases 1 and 2 created by the postponement.

Collins said, “I think we’re a couple of years, minimally, away from Phase 2, … and I would say it could be longer.”

According to the Capital Projects website, the future landscaping includes a looped road on which a fire truck could turn around, as mandated

by Waltham Fire Department regulations; a tree nursery; and one of three options under consideration, which include the creation of sand volleyball courts, a four-season garden and a hybrid of the two. The website also contains a link to a survey asking which of the three options people prefer.

An e-mail to the Brandeis community sent Friday afternoon by Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Apfel and Provost Marty Krauss explained, “Following the removal of Kalman, the

final step will be to heal the landscape wounds, with a further goal of creating ... a usable space that can be enjoyed by the entire Brandeis community.”

Feldman explained in an interview with the Justice that the University solicited plans for the space from the Science Complex Renewal Project’s landscape architect, Landworks Studio, “but then we also felt like the community might have all kinds of ideas about how this space should be used.”

Feldman said Capital Projects released the survey to open a discussion with the community. Capital Projects will be collecting input for a few more weeks, and depending on the feedback the department receives, additional changes may be made to the plans, he said. He said the volleyball court proposal was inspired by a similar landscaping display in Harvard University’s biology quad.

Since he did not check the survey over the weekend, he said that he could not yet provide any examples of further student suggestions on alternate uses for the space.

Collins said he appreciated “that there is an effort … to try and include the community” in the decision on what to do with the space in the interim but that he was upset that none of the three options on the survey included mention of additional campus parking space.

He added, “I think that these three options are possibilities, but I’m optimistic that the feedback from faculty, staff and students will allow for the reopening … of a discussion regarding parking.”

However, according to Feldman, “A fundamental principle of the campus master plan is to foster a much more pedestrian-friendly environment. …

President Reinharz said very firmly that he did not want to see a new parking lot introduced [in that space].”

Feldman agreed that some handicap and visitor parking spaces should be added to the plan, but Collins said that is “frankly not enough.”

Collins said, “I was surprised that there wasn’t an opportunity for people to necessarily suggest parking within the survey.” He explained, “My goal is to not turn [the entire space] into a parking lot. My goal is to have some material amount of parking, … some tastefully done parking blended in amongst the rest of the stuff that’s up there.”

Simona Dalin ’11 said of the project, “I like the ideas. I especially like the third [hybrid option], … but I think that the volleyball courts should actually be something like a blacktop that’s more multipurpose. … Why do we have to copy Harvard?”

Harrison Bannett ’11 added, “I think it’s a good idea to have something there

STUDENT UNION

Polls for second-round elections open Thursday ■ Thirty-six students will be

competing for 17 open positions in the Student Union elections.

By FIONA LOCKYER JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The second round of Student Union elections, in which students will vote for the posts for class senators among other positions, will take place this Thursday starting at midnight.

Apart from voting for the senators for the Classes of 2011, 2012 and 2013, students will also be voting for five Student Judiciary positions, two senator at-large positions and one racial minority senator position.

Two positions remain unfilled from last week’s first-round voting, including the junior representative to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the racial minority Finance board member, which will be included in Thursday’s round-two elections.

In the first round of elections that took place last week, Daniel Acheampong ’11 won the position of Student Union president. Shirel Guez ’12 wonthe seat for vice president. Herbie

Rosen ’12 will serve in the position of secretary, and Akash Vadalia ’12 will serve as Treasurer. Supreetha Gubbala ’12 won for the junior representative to the Board of Trustees and Savannah Pearlman ’12 for junior representative to the Alumni Association.

Sidak Pannu ’12, Jessica Preis ’13, and Makensley Lordeus ’11 won seats on the Finance Board.

The candidates for the Student Judiciary are Deena Glucksman ’11, Miriam Strauss ’12, Jessica Granville ’12, Rasheedat Azeez ’13, Judah Marans ’11, Alex Norris ’11, J.V. Souffrant ’13,and Matthew Kriegsman ’11.

Kriegsman and Souffrant both ran for president in last week’s round one elections.

Running to be senator for the class of 2011 are Abraham Berin, Ryan Fanning and Michael Newborn. Candidates to be senator for the class of 2012 are Daniel Gutman, Abby Kulawitz, Liya Kahan and Mark Trilling. Candidates for the Senator of the Class of 2013 are Todd Kirkland, Joshua Hoffman-Senn, Jessica Christian, Boris Osipov, David Fisch and Seo Young (Gloria) Park.

Running for the senator-at-large positions are Victoria Bae ’13, Abdul Aziz Sohail ’13, Ruben Abergel ’13, Beneva

Davies ’13, Sarah G. Kim ’13 and Justin Carlisle ’13.

Running for F-Board racial minority member are Bo-Reum Lee ’13, Kerwin Vega ’11, and Gabriela Castellanos ’13.

Candidates for the Racial Minority Senator are Leslyn Hayes ’13 and Jesse Vasquez ’13. The candidate for the Representative to the University Curriculum Committee is Usman Hameedi ’12.

Candidates to fill the remaining FBoard position are Rachael Koehler ’13, Julia Blanter ’13 and Alexander Aquino ’13.

Acheampong said that he found the student turnout for this week’s elections “incredible, because from my experiences I haven’t seen so many people running for election.”

“Everybody is challenging someone,” Acheampong said, “There will be no easy races.”

Carlisle for senator-at-large, said that he is running because he “see[s] a lot of things at Brandeis that require attention and an impartial ear,” and he is not “coming in thinking about Union bureaucracy.”

Sarah G. Kim, running for the same positon, said “If I am elected, my major goals are to extend the library hours and the [Provisions on Demand Market and Einstein Bros. Bagels hours]

on the weekends,” she wrote in an email to the Justice.

Hameedi is running to be the representative to the University Curriculum Committee. “I want to give Brandeis students more options and opportunities to explore their academic interests,” Hameedi wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

Castellanos, current treasurer of AHORA!, is running for the racial minority F-Board position. “I was inspired to run for this position because I am very passionate about equality and representation,” she said.

Thursday’s election will once again use the instant runoff voting system, which premiered in the first round of Student Union elections last Tuesday.

Current Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11 wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that although there were no technical difficulties during the first use of the instant runoff voting system, “there need to be more rules created about Write-in candidates and Abstain to have the Instant Runoff system come to fruition.” He explained that he hopes next year’s Student Union will address these concerns. Acheampong said, “we’re going to try our best to come up with a long-lasting solution to fix the instant runoff voting system.”

Last Thursday, the former governor of Vermont, presidential candidate and chairman of the Democratic National Committee Dr. Howard Dean visited campus. The event took place in the Levin Ballroom and was organized by Brandeis Democrats Vice President Justin Backal-Balik ’10. The event was sponsored by the Brandeis Democrats, Democracy For America, Gen Ed Now and the Activist Resource Center.

“As the former chair of Students for Obama, I wanted to bring Dean to emphasize that the election of 2008 was only a beginning,” said Backal-Balik in an e-mail to the Justice after the event.

Dean dedicated the majority of his time to speaking about young people and comparing their experiences to both the achievements and mistakes of his own generation.

“Your generation is the first multicultural generation in the history of America,” said Dean in his speech. “Your generation grew up with lots of different kinds of people.

We believed in a different world, but we didn’t live in a different world.

You live in the world that we envisioned.”

In an interview with the Justice before his speech, Dean said he and his campaign supporters learned Internet strategies “by watching you do all those things.” Dean explained in his speech that technologies like Meetup, as well as modern tools like YouTube and Facebook, were not originally created for politics but were later adapted for campaigns.

Differences between cultures matter to the youth of today, according to Dean. “Differences matter more to us than they do to you ... You are truly a multicultural generation.

You have friends who are openly gay. … In fact, LGBT issues is actually the civil- rights issue of your generation.”

Dean dedicated time to speak about the problems he thought his conservative Republican friends faced, saying, “As long as the Republican M.O. is to point fingers at immigrants, Hispanics, people of color, gay people, those are your friends, those are you. And if somebody's pointing a finger at your friend trying to demonize him in order to win, you are never going to vote for him. They have no chance.”

Dean also discussed parent-child relationships in his speech, saying, “There’s not the confrontation, there’s sort of a mutual agreement. I think our kids are more willing to listen to us, and I think the reason for that’s because we’re more willing to listen to our kids. And respect is reciprocal.”

In the interview before the event, Dean rated Obama’s performance so far. “I think the last six or seven weeks before the health care debate, he was fantastic. The first year was pretty rocky: There were a lot of mistakes that were made, a lot of assumptions, but in the end of the day he got what he had to get done.”

When asked by the Justice why there are so many doctors in Congress, Dean responded “I wouldn’t know.” He went on to point out that “Most of the doctors in Congress, unfortunately, are right-wing Republicans, so I think they function and think differently than people like me.”

Throughout his speech, Dean stressed to students the importance of being politically active.

“We can’t tune out, as Gov. Dean said,” noted Backal-Balik in an email to the Justice, “and with the midterm elections approaching, I think that’s a message that needs to be heard, not just on this campus but across the country.”

THE JUSTICE

STUDENT LIFE

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

FACULTY

Fund info session Professors receive recognition is unsuccessful ■ The awards, which

■ The proposed fund would

provide financial support for sustainability projects on the Brandeis campus.

By ALANA ABRAMSON JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

No students attended last Thursday’s information session about the constitutional amendment regarding the implementation of a Sustainability Fund that will add $15.00 annually to the current Student Activities Fee. According to the amendment proposal, the Brandeis Sustainability Fund “provides financial support for Brandeis undergraduate students willing to undertake projects to improve Brandeis’s environmental sustainability.”

If approved, the amendment would also result in a Sustainability Fund Board, a secured organization that would allocate funding for student projects. Three representatives from Students for Environmental Action brought the proposal with the 10 mandatory signatures from senators to the April 11 Student Union Senate meeting, and the student body will vote on the amendment on April 26.

In an interview with the Justice, Matthew Schmidt ’11, a former SEA president, attributed the lack of turnout to the fact that SEA did not sufficiently publicize the meeting.

He explained that there would be another information session on April 22 and that members of SEA would be tabling in the Usdan Student Center and dormstorming to explain the nuances of the amendment and garner student turnout.

“When we get going, I expect we will have a big turnout at the vote,

5

and I am fairly confident we will be successful,” he said.

Hannah Saltman ’12, the current president of SEA, added that “next week would be a campuswide push.”

Schmidt said that he was not particularly concerned or offended about the lack of turnout—SEA had simply wanted to provide a forum for students to voice their opinions.

Schmidt also said he did not expect a large amount of controversy over the amendment and raised concerns that students might not understand the amendment in its entirety.

“Misinformation is the greatest cause of anger,” he said, explaining that while students might have fundamental problems with the concept of a sustainability fund, a lot of the people potentially upset can simply harbor preconceived notions.

Senator for the Class of 2012 Abby Kulawitz, who provided one of the necessary 10 senatorial signatures that allowed the amendment to be voted on, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice said that the students’ approval of the amendment would result from their ability to understand it.

“We need to understand that the money is open to any undergraduate students who want to promote sustainability. Further, we need to understand that the fee is separate from SEA. If students understand the fund, I am hopeful that it will pass.”

Kulawitz also wrote that she supported the amendment because she believes a sustainability fund is an efficient method of increasing environmental activism.

“The amendment allows students to execute projects towards energy efficiency, waste management—allin-all, towards a more sustainable Brandeis,” she wrote.

recognized excellence in teaching and mentoring, were presented last week.

By HARRY SHIPPS JUSTICE EDITOR

The Lerman-Neubauer ’69 Prize for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring, the Michael L. Walzer ’56 Award for Teaching and the Louis Dembitz Brandeis Prize for Excellence in Teaching were presented at last week’s faculty meeting. The awards were given to Profs. Elizabeth Ferry (ANTH), Maura Jane Farrelly (AMST) and Melissa Kosinski-Collins (BIOL), respectively.

The awards, which recognize excellence in teaching, mentorship and scholarship, were the first for all three professors. Recipients are nominated by students, and the Committee for the Support of Teaching makes the final decisions about the winners. The Lerman-Neubauer Prize carries a stipend of $5,000, and the other two awards include stipends of $1,000.

Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe, who presented the awards, said during the presentation that the Lerman-Neubauer Prize requires “its recipient to be not just an exceptional teacher but also one who has had a significant impact on students’ lives as a mentor, adviser and friend.” Previous recipients of the award include Profs. David Rakowski (MUS) and Ann Koloski-Ostrow (CLAS).

In an interview with the Justice, Ferry said, “Teaching is very important to me, and it’s something that I think a lot about, … and it’s wonderful to know that when you try hard at something and think a lot about it that people feel like you are doing a good job.”

“Professor Ferry is committed, compassionate, enthusiastic and an excellent example of the quintessential Brandeis professor who engages

with all her students and invests herself wholly in her classes,” wrote a student who nominated Ferry. Another student said simply, “She has consistently proved to be the best professor I have ever had.”

In her interview, Ferry said that if every student in her class could walk out having learned one thing, she hopes that they will “not just accept what different sources or different people say but think about it as critically … and fairly as possible.”

Jaffe said during the presentation that the Michael L. Walzer ’56 Award for Teaching is “given every year to a tenure-track faculty member who combines scholarship with inspired teaching.” Past winners include Profs. Peter Kalb (FA) and Wendy Cadge (SOC).

Quotes from students who nominated Farrelly included, “An openminded, intellectually adventurous professor, Maura Jane Farrelly tops my list of favorite professors,” and “She has opened my eyes to so many issues in the world that I otherwise would not have been exposed to and has subsequently made me a more informed citizen. In the classroom, Prof. Farrelly strives to push her students to think past the obvious.”

In an e-mail to the Justice, Farrelly wrote that one of her favorite parts of teaching at Brandeis is that the students at Brandeis “actually THINK about what they have read and challenge the ideas they encounter in the readings.” She added that in the classroom, she likes to ask “questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. I had some marvelous instructors in college who taught this way, and it just kind of rubbed off on me.”

Kosinski-Collins, who joined the Brandeis faculty in 2006, joined former winners Profs. Bruce Foxman (CHEM) and Marya Levenson (EDU), among others, as the recipient of the Louis Dembitz Brandeis Prize for Excellence in Teaching.

In an e-mail to the Justice, Kosinski-Collins wrote, “My classes are

usually a combination of discussion and lecture. … I constantly pose questions (some of which have no straightforward answer) to my students. I often have them read articles on Ferry sometimes controversial topics and ask them to talk about them in class.”

A student who nominated Kosinski-Collins wrote, “Melissa is without exception the best teacher I have ever had. She not only cares about her students, but cares about her teaching.”

Another student wrote, “She is so passionate about the subject of Biology that it instills the same passion in the stuFarrelly dents she teaches.” In her email, Kosinski-Collins wrote of receiving the award, “I couldn’t imagine a bigger honor. Just the fact that my students appreciate and care about me enough to nominate me for this award is amazing.”

Along with these three awards, Prof. Eric Olsen (Heller) was presented with a teaching award; Prof. Lorraine Klerman (Heller) received an award for her Kosinski-Collins mentorship, and Profs. Edward Bayone and Alfonso Canella (IBS) were presented with awards for their teaching. Prof. Allan Keiler (MUS) was given the Dean of Arts and Sciences Mentoring Award.

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THE JUSTICE

PRESIDENT: Mandel selects Reinharz

ISRAELI REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

CONTINUED FROM 1 becomes the foundation’s president and CEO. Mandel did not comment on the number of applicants who were also considered for the position.

The foundation is funding the construction of the Mandel Center for the Humanities, which will open this fall, according to the campuswide email. The e-mail also states that the foundation has “supported the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education; fellowships in humanities, English and American literature; and chairs in Jewish education.” Mandel’s wife, Barbara, has served on the Brandeis Board of Trustees since 2005.

Commenting on whether the partnership between the University and the foundation will deepen, Reinharz said, “A lot depends on what kind of projects we might be able to do together. If [the projects] fit with the foundation’s goals, that certainly would be the case.”

“The Mandel Foundation’s connection is with Brandeis University, and we expect the relationship to continue,” Mandel wrote in his email.

“My commitment has been to the University [and will be] to [the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry for the next few years, … and because the foundation has agreed to open an office in Boston, which is where I will be, it makes it easier for me to manage both tasks,” Reinharz said.

Currently, the Mandel Foundation has offices located in Cleveland, Ohio and in Israel.

Reinharz announced his intention to resign in a Sept. 24 e-mail to the Brandeis community. He will remain president until a successor has been chosen or until June 30, 2011, according to a Sept. 24 University press release.

Member of the Presidential Search Committee Prof. Gina Turrigiano (BIOL) said at last Thursday’s faculty meeting that the committee has received more than 80 nominations for the post of Brandeis president. Turrigiano added that the committee will soon begin a “highly confidential process with more formal interviews.”

—Miranda Neubauer contributed reporting.

LTS: Brandeis to switch e-mail client to Google CONTINUED FROM 1

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

Commemorating fallen soldiers David Wayne ’12 speaks at an event that occured yesterday in honor of Yom Hazikaron, the memorial day honoring all Israeli soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

REPORT: Nonalumni provide most of donations CONTINUED FROM 1 downturn. “That’s a remarkable feat; it’s almost miraculous,” he said during his presentation.

While the report states that fiscal 2009 marks “a modest decrease from the prior two years, our sense is that it represents an extraordinary achievement” because the previous year included two one-time large gifts, including the first gift from an alumnus of over $10 million.

The report explains that the Office of Development raises money for different purposes: for the annual funds—funds the university can directly use—as well as for a campaign to improve the University’s long-term position. Direct mail, the Phonathon and online giving account for about a quarter of annual fund money raised. Those three methods experienced a decline last year, with the report noting that the call completion rate for the Phonathon declined from 18 to 16 percent, most likely because of the advent of caller ID devices that can screen Phonathon calls. For the multi-year campaign, the goal is $1.2 billion with a total of $851.1 million raised so far.

Donors can restrict their gifts for specific purposes, the report states, “and there has been a growth in funding for centers and institutes that deal with issues of interest to the Jewish community.” The report goes on to say that some of this funding was in support of “long standing university priorities” and that of the $851.1 million, only 6.4 percent have been dedicated to such centers and institutes. The report goes on to state that “much of the unrestricted bequests received by the University … are received from Jewish sources who are cultivated by mechanisms

such as the Brandeis National Committee and the Sachar Society,” which recognizes individuals who indicate Brandeis is in their wills.

The report notes that “contrary to what some believe, Development does not determine how funds are allocated,” a task that instead is the responsibility of senior administrators who direct strategic planning. Of the $78 million raised in 2009, 44 percent went into current-use funds, about one-fifth went into capital projects, one-fifth into the endowment and another fifth represented sponsored programs from corporations or foundations.

The report suggests that faculty can aid Development as it faces budgetary challenges by assisting with outreach to their students, particularly those who the office believes have the potential to make donations but have not yet done so. In an interview with the Justice, Pollack pointed out that “alumni are only part of the story—the question of how faculty form relationships with friends is still an open questions.”

The committee formed last spring as a cooperation between the Faculty Senate and the Office of Development and conducted many meetings with Development staff to learn how the office works.

“I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding in the faculty about the Development function [such as] why is the department so large when all of our other departments are so small?”

Pollack said in the interview. “I think what we learned through the process was that it’s an appropriate size … and that [due to budget cuts], it could be counterproductive to reduce the number of frontline development officers.”

The report states that Development

is the third-largest administrative department on campus with 77 staff members. Because its budget was reduced by 7.5 percent in fiscal 2009, the office faced some cutbacks, according to the report.

As a result, Development has reduced the number of alumni events, particularly off-campus, and increased its use of electronic communications with alumni while reducing expenses for print materials. It has also reduced budgets for donor cultivation and recognition, as well as travel and has eliminated professional development activities, in addition to increasing fees for and reducing the operating expenses of reunion events. The report also cites a study by the consulting firm Eduventures that identified Brandeis as the most efficient university in terms of the ratio of fundraising staff to money raised.

“We were very pleased with the Faculty Development Advisory Committee’s report and look forward to working with the committee in the future,” Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Nancy Winship wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. “A strong working relationship between our office and the faculty is vital for helping Brandeis reach its fundraising potential.”

“The endowment has tripled from when [Jehuda Reinharz] became president,” Pollack stated, growing from $200 million in 1995 to $700 million in 2008.

“It’s all very positive, but the outlook is a little bleaker,” he added, referencing the recession, the presidential search, the cuts to the Office of Development and “poaching” of some senior development staff from other organizations. “We have a very hard act to follow.”

could provide those services most efficiently. Though the strategic plan was released last June, and LTS has specific plans for cost cutting improvements, Wawrzaszek said she considers the review an ongoing discussion and that LTS is always looking for community input.

Wawrzaszek said that the most immediate cost-saving change LTS will implement is switching from the locally hosted Bmail and calendar service to hosting through Google.

She explained that the change will save money because the University will no longer have to pay for associated services like spam filters or staff maintenance fees.

One of the changes LTS has been considering seriously is moving the University toward a Wi-Fi-only network in the residence halls, according to Wawrzaszek. The campus “computing infrastructure is getting old and as a matter of course it’s due for renewal, … and now is the time to really upgrade,” Wawrzaszek said.

She added that because of the challenge of cost-cutting, LTS had to look at the problem creatively. “The wireless network is no longer an auxiliary network,” but rather the primary network for students, said Wawrzaszek. She added that this means that the wireless network needs to be strengthened regardless of any other plans, and as a result, eliminating the wired network in dorms would not reduce network functionality or dependability. She also said that through surveys, it has become clear that “about 98 percent of students come to Brandeis with laptops.” So it would be imperative for the wireless network to be available in all locations on campus and “students could of course do things like stream videos from LATTE over the wireless network,” she said.

The upgrade would avoid the costs of updating the ethernet network in dorms and would reduce energy costs. “Because the wired network takes a lot of electrical components” and uses energy even when computers are not plugged in, “cost savings would come from energy savings,” said Wawrzaszek.

Yoni Bronstein ’13 said about the proposed change to the network, “I don’t think any wireless network is foolproof, so I think the ethernet should stick around.” LTS employee Dan Willey ’12 said he thought the change from a wired to wireless network would be “possible, but it would probably be a very expensive process.”

LTS is also looking into diminishing the distribution of room phones.

She cited the fact that almost every Brandeis student has a cell phone as a main reason to stop distributing

the phones.

Furthermore, Wawrzaszek said she knows many students hardly use the phones, and like the wired network, they use a substantial amount of energy even without being used.

She said that between removing the phone hardware and the wired network infrastructure in dorms, about $200,000 in energy costs could be saved.

A third consideration of LTS as it evaluates the campus computing infrastructure is the usefulness of public computing clusters.

Wawrzaszek said that LTS understands that students do not always want to carry their laptops around.

Though the cost-cutting opportunities of reducing desktop clusters are apparent, there are no plans as of now to change any of the desktop clusters by the fall, said Wawrzaszek.

Wawrzaszek and others from LTS brought these proposals to the Student Union to solicit student input in March and were met with “a variety of opinions,” Wawrzaszek said. Some students were concerned about the reliability of a wirelessonly network, but there was more controversy over decreased phone distribution.

Senator for the Class of 2010 Michael Weil said at the Senate meeting at which LTS presented the proposals that he saw the phone as a wonderful resource and used it all the time. In contrast, Mark Trilling ’12, senator for Castle Quad, said at the meeting that he has almost never used the phone and knew very few people who did. Amy Mandel ’10, senator for the Foster Mods, added that there is little cell phone service in the Mods and therefore the phones are essential.

One change that will be apparent to students in the fall is an increase in the Goldfarb Library hours, said Wawrzaszek. The plan is for Goldfarb Library to stay open after midnight along with the Farber Green Room. Though this change will not reduce costs, it will be implemented because of student demand, said Wawrzaszek.

Prof. David Hackett Fischer (HIST) participated in a discussion about the general direction of the Brandeis Library at last Thursday’s faculty meeting. Fischer stressed the importance of having a scholarly library, said “I am very concerned about the library; it’s slipping in many ways. Something’s gone amiss with our library.” Fischer did not respond despite repeated requests for comment.

—Miranda Neubauer contributed reporting.

THE JUSTICE

just

features

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

7

VERBATIM | Napoleon Bonaparte Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

ON THIS DAY...

FUN FACT

In 1986, professional basketball player Michael Jordan set an all-time record for points in an NBA playoff game with 63 against the Boston Celtics.

Sesame seeds were so prized during the Middle Ages that in some parts of the world they were worth their weight in gold.

ROZI LEVI/the Justice

SISTER, SISTER: Ruthy and Jacklyn Dabah ’11, above, discussed what made them both decide to come to the same college. Mara and Ilyana Rosenberg ’12, left, talked about what it’s like going to school and participating in the same activities together as twins.

ROZI LEVI/the Justice

Seeing double Twins on campus discuss their unique college experiences

By DEBORAH SALMON JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Walking from one end of campus to the other can be a long trek, forcing students to pass heavily congested areas such as the Goldfarb Library, the Usdan Student Center and the Shapiro Campus Center. Day after day, you might start to recognize the nameless faces you pass as their presence becomes a part of your daily routine.

However, there might be that one person whom you just keep seeing. It seems as though you see this person twice as much as anyone else on campus. Why? Brandeis is filled with twins. Vice President of Student Enrollment Jean Eddy says that in all 10 years she’s been at Brandeis, she’s seen at least one set of twins per class.

As for the University’s stance on twin admissions, Eddy says, “While we are aware that a student may have a twin applying, we really do review each application based on the merits of that individual student.” In other words, the University recognizes twins but does not give them an advantage or disadvantage because of that fact.

Some of the twins at Brandeis ended up at school together by chance, while others consciously decided to go to school together.

Annie and Julia Livit ’13 hail from the state of Pennsylvania. Both are of similar height and body type and have straight brown hair, but even though they share a physical appearance, they are actually fraternal twins. Yet their strong bond led them to not only apply to the same colleges but also to ultimately decide to room together. When talking to the twins, their

complementary personalities become obvious.

One begins a sentence and the other immediately jumps in to finish it. So it was not surprising when Julia explained their college decision by saying, “If a school only accepted one, we ruled it out.” Annie continued, saying, “There’s no better thing than going to school with your family.”

The Livits live in a triple with one other roommate, Maya Tydykov ’13.

Maya says all three of them decided to live together because they had spoken on Facebook during the housing selection process, and she liked the fact that they shared a similar Russian heritage. The fact that they were twins didn’t have a major role in Maya’s decision to live with them. Maya says that at the very beginning, she “had trouble [distinguishing] them and avoided calling them by their names, but it soon became clear they were very different.” Now she says, “The best part about living with them is they are so close that they barely fight.”

Annie says they are very content with this situation because it allows “independence, but at the end of the day it’s better. You do your own thing and then you go to your best friend at night.” Some hobbies the twins have are related to their different areas of interest. Julia is an avid dancer, and she is involved with popular campus dance groups such as Adagio and Hooked on Tap. In contrast, Annie is involved in intramural sports such as volleyball and tennis.

They seem happy with their living situation and call themselves best friends. However, for next year the Livit twins have decided to share a double room in East. They feel like they have met many new people and gained experiences in

their first year, yet they are still most comfortable when sharing the same living space.

The Livit twins feel that their sibling connection is too special to break, but some twins ended up at Brandeis together unintentionally.

Ruthy and Jacklyn Dabah ’11, who have big eyes and long, dark hair, go to Brandeis together, although they were also content with the idea of going to separate schools.

“We applied to some of the same schools but also applied to other schools separately. In the end, Brandeis was the first choice for both us and we were okay with coming together,” says Jacklyn. “If nothing else, having a twin on campus is like having a little bit of home here at Brandeis.”

Nevertheless, unlike the Livit twins, the Dabahs decided it would be best not to room together.

“Both freshman and sophomore years, we lived in the same dorm building but in different rooms. We enjoyed living close to each other but not being roommates,” says Ruthy.

Since they have the same group of friends, they still see each other regularly. Also, they are both involved in B’yachad, the Israeli dance group on campus, as well as Adagio. Both are members of the Brandeis Chabad Board. Still, another approach the twins use in order to see each other is to take at least one class together per semester. Since they have similar academic focuses, this is not a problem: Jacklyn is majoring in Psychology with minors in Teacher Education and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, and Ruthy is majoring in Judaic Studies and Education Studies with a minor in Teacher Education.

A close friend of the twins’, Nicole Milhem ’13, describes them “as two independent people who

pursue separate interests and support each other along the way.” Aside from a mole over Jacklyns left eyebrow, they have an almost identical physical appearance. Their personalities, though, differ. Nicole explains that “Ruthy is typically seen as the goofier twin, while Jacky is a little more reserved.”

Aidan and Dotan Horowitz ’12 are twins who claim to spend 90 percent of every day together.

Aidan and Dotan spend a lot of time together because they have the same friends and are both members of the a capella group VoiceMale. In addition, they will be playing the brothers Mario and Luigi in the upcoming musical, Super Mario Brothers.

When asked about how much tme the brothers spend together, Dotan says, “It’s not always by choice. We just have many of the same interests and are part of the same groups.”

Although the Horowitz twins take many of the same classes, Aidan says that they “try not to sit next to each other in class.” He adds, “Being one entity is very frustrating; people constantly call us the twins, the boys, and it’s really frustrating.

I want to be known as my own person.”

Mara and Ilyana Rosenberg ’12, two identical twins with curly auburn hair who come from Portland, Ore. also view having a twin on campus as a positive thing.

“There are many benefits about having my twin on campus that I fail to recognize just because this is the life I am used to,” says Mara.

“The best part about having my twin with me at school is that it has led to some great conversations and hilarious situations,” Ilyana adds.

—Abby Kulawitz contributed reporting.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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DEAR SSIS

Solving the condom conundrum

ROBYN SPECTOR/Justice file photo

SEX ADVISERS: Sasha Farfel ’10, left, Jeremy Frisch ’10 and the rest of the Student Sexuality Information Service members are available to answer any questions about sex that the Brandeis community may have.

Dear SSIS, There are so many different kinds of condoms available! Which one is the best and the safest?

Sincerely, Curious in Cable Dear Curious, It can definitely be overwhelming to navigate the colorful packaging and catchy slogans in the condom aisle at the drugstore. Fortunately, the many different options available allow for everyone to find the condom that works best for him or her. But before we discuss the multitude of options, it’s important to review basic condom safety.

The Center for Disease Control must test all condoms before they are sold. This standardized testing ensures that all condoms, when used correctly, are 97 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Condoms are the only form of contraception that protect against both pregnancy and STIs. In order to use a condom correctly, it is helpful to remember a few steps: 1. Check the expiration date before use.

2. Hold the condom up to the light and feel for a pocket of air to make sure the package is sealed and has no holes.

3. Open the condom packaging (no teeth or scissors, please).

4. Hold the tip of the condom in order to prevent the formation of air bubbles and to decrease the risk of breakage.

5. Make sure to roll the condom all the way down to the base of the phallus to prevent the spread of STIs. 6. Add extra lubrication. (The FDA says if you don’t use additional lube while using a condom, you’re actually using it incorrectly!)

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, we can explore the many different condom options available.

There is no “best” when talking about condoms or lube: It all comes down to personal preference and which con-

Student Sexuality Information Service answers your frequently asked questions about condoms

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

ENDLESS CHOICES: SSIS offers several different condom options, as well as different lubricants and sex advice for students. dom and lube work best for you.

Most condoms are made of latex.

However, up to 8 percent of the population is sensitive or allergic to latex.

Fortunately, companies such as LifeStyles manufacture alternative condoms called SKYN that are made from polyisoprene, which is just as safe and effective as latex condoms are.

The world of condoms has expanded far beyond the standard tubular latex you may remember from health class. Condoms come in all shapes and sizes. Some condoms are made to specifically stimulate certain parts of the body during penetrative sex.

For instance, Durex High Sensation condoms are ribbed at the base, mak-

ing them ideal for clitoral stimulation, while One Pleasure Plus condoms have a ribbed bulb at the top of the condom for increased penis head stimulation.

Beyond 7 Studded have over one thousand tiny studs on the outside of the condom that are designed to increase stimulation for the person being penetrated. (These condoms are

not recommended for anal play, as they can increase the risk of microtears.)

A common controversy when it comes to condoms is the thick-versusthin debate. Are thinner condoms more likely to break and therefore less safe? Does using a thicker condom make sex less pleasurable? Studies have shown that thinner condoms like Kimono Microthin and Beyond 7 Sheerlon are less likely to break because less latex creates less friction.

Friction is the number one reason condoms break. Thicker condoms like LifeStyels XL and LifeStyles Dual Pleasure create increased friction in a safe way, which some people find increases sensation. Using additional lube, like the FDA says, will help decrease breakage of both thick and thin condoms. There is no such thing as using too much lube!

Just like condoms, there is no “best” in lube. There are two types of lube: silicone and water-based. Silicone-based lube is much slicker and is waterproof. Water-based lube can feel more natural and can be reactivated up to three times by just spritzing a little more water. It is important to avoid oil-based lubricants, as they can actually break down the latex and cause the condom to pop. Applying lube to both the outside of the condom and the inside of the tip of the condom can help increase pleasure for both partners.

Finding the best condom for you can be a satisfying sexual adventure, since there are so many different options to try. If you are interested in exploring the options that we just talked about, do your own research or ask an SSIS counselor. Thanks for writing in, and happy hunting!

Sincerely, SSIS

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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THE JUSTICE

the Justice Established 1949

Brandeis University

HANNAH L. KIRSCH, Editor in Chief J OANNA SCHORR, Senior Editor B RIAN FROMM, Deputy Editor REBECCA B LADY, Managing Editor ANYA B ERGMAN, ANDREA FINEMAN, SHANA D. LEBOWITZ and MAX B REITSTEIN MATZA, Associate Editors NASHRAH RAHMAN and HARRY SHIPPS, News Editors REBECCA KLEIN, Features Editor HILLEL B UECHLER, Forum Editor J OSH ASEN, Sports Editor SARAH BAYER, Arts Editor ASHER KRELL and ROBYN SPECTOR, Photography Editors B RIAN N. B LUMENTHAL, Layout Editor EMILY KRAUS, Copy Editor B RAD STERN, Advertising Editor

Rework “green fee” amendment On April 26, the student body will vote on an amendment to the Student Union Constitution that, if passed, would establish and secure the Brandeis Sustainability Fund Board, a board that would distribute funding for environmental efforts on campus.

It would also enact a $7.50-persemester fee to support the board.

We support placing greater emphasis on environmental responsibility.

However, in its current form, the amendment is flawed.

This board questions the wisdom of charging students extra money to create a new annual pool of nearly $50,000 in order to fund an untested system.

It would be more appropriate that the students promoting this amendment first solicit concrete, grant-style proposals so that the student body can be aware of how this money would be used prior to casting votes in favor of this innovation. We are consistently dismayed at the ill-thought-out spending patterns of the Student Union, an institution that handles even larger amounts of money, and without any current proposals to speak of, we are unwilling to support this measure. For example, the Facebook event “Vote To Create the Brandeis Sustainability Fund” includes among its several possible projects a “Green themed Pachanga.” At best, such a venture would be a poor use of such funds. The event page also proposes several more viable ideas such as “Energy efficiency upgrades” like “light sensors” and

Board should be tested first “LED street lamps” that would help increase campus environmental sustainability, but even those ideas are vague in cost and practicality.

In an e-mail to the Justice, Hannah Saltman ’12, one the amendment’s sponsors, wrote that according to administrators the University’s payment system on sage cannot handle optional payments and will not be able to do so for at least two years.

However, we think that any fee for this proposed board should be optional, at least until the board proves itself to be a successful venture following several active semesters. We also urge the University to update the current tuition payment system to allow for optional payments in order to accommodate a fairer way to spearhead this type of board, allowing hesitant students to opt out of paying such a fee.

Similarly, we cannot see sufficient reason to amend the Constitution to include the Brandeis Sustainability Board as a secured organization. The board does not yet exist as a recognized or chartered organization, so labeling it as “fundamental to the mission of the university,” as secured organizations are now described, is a rather hasty characterization.

The larger principle behind this amendment is correct, but the amendment in its current form is flawed. It should be repaired and voted on in a revised form.

Union: Seize chance to improve The Justice congratulates all the winners of last Tuesday’s first round of Student Union elections, especially President-elect Daniel Acheampong ’11. The student government’s activity is an important part of student life at Brandeis, so it is crucial that the Union is properly and effectively run.

We are excited by the potential of the incoming Union, and we hope that with a new Union administration comes a renewed enthusiasm for effecting positive change. We ask that the Union look to update the proposed constitutional amendments that had received a large positive vote by the student body in the recent Constitutional Review Committee voting but not the supermajority needed to pass. Specifically, we are hopeful that the incoming Union pursue reforming the Senate, including the possible splitting of the Senate into an Assembly and a Club Support Board in a way that appeases those who voted down the original amendment.

On a separate note, past Union governments have committed serious errors that could have been avoided if the relevant members had been more familiar with Union protocol. We hope to see the incoming Union members avoid such missteps by acquainting themselves with the Union Constitution and its amendments and bylaws. We specifically caution Secretary-elect Herbie Rosen ’12 that he make sure he is particularly wellversed in the Union’s regulations and restrictions, as the secretary position has in recent years found itself in a negative spotlight far too many times.

New board, new opportunity The new Union can also continue the positive momentum of the treasury’s smooth transition into the Student Union Management System by listening to the feedback clubs have given about SUMS and updating the system accordingly. We ask that Treasurerelect Akash Vadalia ’12 and his assistant treasurers take their newly constitutionally mandated training seriously, because they will find themselves responsible for over $1 million.

Mr. Vadalia should be sure to use his president as a valuable mentor, as Mr. Acheampong is presently finishing his term as a successful treasurer.

Though this board extended its endorsement to a different presidential candidate last week, we stand behind our new president as members of the student body, which elected Mr. Acheampong by an overwhelming majority. We are hopeful that Mr. Acheampong will make good on his campaign promises, which included talk of changing the structure of the Union Senate, advocating student rights and improving student-faculty relations and Union transparency. We also suggest that Mr. Acheampong look to implement the good ideas of other presidential candidates as well as his original ones.

Each year’s Union elections bring new potential for improvement and accomplishment. This board requests that all incoming Union members take that charge seriously and live up to the responsibilities entrusted to them by the Brandeis students.

A. ELI TUKACHINSKY/the Justice

Mind your morals in the academia market Rebecca

BLADY MAELSTRÖM

OP-BOX Quote of the Week “There is no such thing as using ‘too much’ lube!”

—Student Sexuality Information Services regarding sexual advice for Brandeis students (See Features, page 9).

Brandeis Talks Back I don’t generally take issue with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but I fear the government could use some criticism. Why? Our dearly beloved state did something shocking, albeit forgotten, that I’d like to point out in light of an intensifying business-based state of mind here at Brandeis. Between fiscal 2008 and fiscal 2010, Massachusetts cut state support for higher education by 37 percent, according to Nancy Folbre’s Feb. 15 post on The New York Times’ Economix blog.

This may not be the newest development in Massachusetts politics, but it’s probably one worth bringing up as high school students across the country decide where and whether to go to college. This cut, according to Folbre, has inspired a new plan at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst “to reward individual departments that attract more out-of-state majors.”

Well, usually, as far as I know, academic departments certainly have every right to earn rewards—for things like research, teaching and service that contribute to their university’s core academic mission. While universities do need to run on some sort of business model in order to pay expenses, it seems particularly risky to publicly jeopardize academic integrity in order to appeal to a greater number of students, like UMass-Amherst Chancellor Robert Holub publicly stated in the March 29 issue of BusinessWest, the business journal of Western Massachusetts. “His goal has a focus on attracting out-of-state students, whose tuition money stays on campus, rather than state students’ payments, which are filtered into the state revenue stream,” states the article. This initiative has received a significant amount of criticism from the UMass campus because of both the cost as well as the university’s method of going about attracting a larger student population.

I have to empathize with the concerned students at UMass.

It’s a bit disconcerting to reflect on your university’s marketing strategy. You worked so hard flaunting your talents, after all—watching your administration reduce your educational experiences into empty catchphrases and buzzwords in order to sound attractive simply isn’t that gratifying; in fact, it frequently borders on being insulting. Of course, I can’t pretend that universities shouldn’t have marketing strategies and should rely exclusively on their ability to appeal intellectually to the best-fit students (although that would be ideal). They need to advertise themselves somehow; wonderful, bright, committed high school seniors don’t magically file applications by chance. Truthfully, though, the amount of energy and funds devoted to marketing—especially a public campaign like UMass’—justifiably disturbs students.

Economix points to the University of Phoenix, a for-profit institution that offers online education, as an example of a school that invests nearly a quarter of its budget in marketing and recruitment, while its six-year graduation rate averages at an embarrassingly low 33 percent. “State universities have begun to imitate this model, emphasizing recruitment more than retention,” says Folbre. At this point, I find it increasingly difficult to trust the concept of a university marketing campaign. How, in good conscience, could you respect an academic institution that makes increased tuition dollars a priority at the expense of keeping students content with their education?

Now, Brandeis is neither a state university nor a for-profit institution, so our university may remain clear from controversy to this degree—at least at the beginning. This year’s simultaneous increase in applications and SAT scores probably indicate that our own marketing strategy, as much as we’d like to avoid thinking about it, functions fairly well out there.

However, despite these heartwarming new statistics, Brandeis remains vulnerable to certain measures that universities may take in order to make their campuses more attractive. For example, while money spent on dressing up a snazzylooking new facility for a brochure may seem like a good option, funds should really go toward improving things like student advising or course availability. Additionally, adding more students without adding more faculty and staff risks courses being filled too quickly for the students who need these courses to graduate on time. (Hey, this sounds familiar...)

While substantial problems with university marketing do exist on the administrative end, a caveat goes to prospective students as well. Enticing advertisements will arrive in your mailboxes, but you are responsible for making wise decisions.

It’s up to you to make the most of your purchase.

How do you feel about the changes to LTS, including switching to all-wireless Internet and getting rid of room phones?

DANI CARRUS ’11 “I’m slightly upset about my room phone, because it’s really awesomely cool and beautiful. But I’m excited to surf the Web wirelessly.”

JOHNNY WILSON ’13 “I like the all-wireless thing.

I never saw the need for a room phone anyway, truthfully.”

KEVIN YIM ’10 “The room phones are really useful because they give you a medium other than Internet to communicate with people.”

AZIZ SOHAIL ’13 “I think we need to have room phones because we don’t get cell phone coverage on this campus.”

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

11

Grant Union candidates more public exposure Avi

SNYDER VOICE OF REASON

As the 2010 American election season comes upon us, I am reminded of the tremendous candidate overexposure that has become a hallmark of the electoral process in this country. Election cycles in the United States last well over a year, and not a stone is left unturned after the pre-election candidate-vetting process in the media. As ridiculous as this kind of overexposure can get, it speaks a great deal about our electoral process that citizens really get a chance to know candidates before an election.

Thank God that what we complain about in America is that we know our candidates too well.

Brandeis politics is a completely different story. I have often heard students complain about the lack of transparency in the Union, and the Union elections were no different.

With the exception of a few posters strewn about campus, each carrying virtually identical platitudes about why I should cast my vote for this or that candidate, there was little information about the candidates readily available.

The candidates for the Student Union’s Executive and Finance Boards got virtually no exposure to the student body in the time before the election.

There were no organized debates or town hall-style meetings with all the candidates for Union President or any other office. No e-mails were sent out to the student body with the platforms of any of the candidates.

Truth be told, when I went online to vote in the elections, I was shocked at how many people there were running whose names I had never seen before. While the Justice did publish an article with quotes from interviews with the presidential candidates on the day of the election (Union polls open for elections, April 13), no complete interviews of each candidate were even published prior to election day. No in-depth interviews were

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

FORUMS FORSAKEN: The absence of formal gatherings for Union candidates to address voters may be detrimental to elections. conducted with campus radio or television stations either. This lack of exposure is at least in part due to that fact that, according the Union’s bylaws, candidates need only be given five days to campaign prior to balloting.

In terms of getting the names and ideas of the many candidates for the Union’s Executive Board, the onus in Union elections is placed entirely on the candidates themselves. It is certainly true that in any election, be it for president of the United States or president of the Brandeis Student Union, the candidates for any office will be largely responsible for getting their names out to the electorate.

However, more institutionalized methods of achieving candidate exposure are necessary on college campuses. All the candidates for office have busy class schedules, and they have to balance academics, social lives and their campaigns.

Furthermore, Facebook groups and websites can’t ensure adequate exposure the way campus newspapers and debates could. To expect every candidate to have the time and resources to put him or herself out there in a meaningful way is simply unrealistic.

The result of this lack of formal mechanisms for candidate exposure to the student body is that election results can become skewed.

The candidates are simply never put on a level playing field. If there were a town hall meeting held with all the candidates for, at the very least, Union president and vice president, then any student who wished to be informed would be able to hear the ideas of every candidate and pose questions to each of them. If the election season were made longer and campus newspapers were to publish full interviews with each of the candidates for Union president, a large portion of the student body would be informed

about who was running and what each of them stood for. That is the kind of vetting of candidates that ought to go on before we the students choose who will represent us to the administration for the next academic year.

Instead, what happens in Union elections is that people are only aware of the candidates who take the time to go dorm—or dining hall— storming.

By the time students get to the polls, they will likely vote for one of the few candidates whose faces they recognize or who introduced himself in person rather than the candidate who shares their visions for the University. At worst, people simply vote for their friends because they already know who they are.

I am not the only one who feels that I did not get adequate exposure to the candidates for the Union eboard. In an interview with the Justice regarding whether he felt

he had adequate exposure to the student body in the time before the election, former Union presidential candidate Sahar Massachi ’11 responded with a resounding, “Not at all.” Nipun Marwaha ’12, a candidate for Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees, who got to know the student body by dormstorming and personally passing out fliers around the campus, expressed similar sentiments in a separate interview with the Justice.

All this being said, the strongest reason to have more transparency and exposure of candidates throughout the election process is that, as I alluded to earlier, students don’t know which projects the Union is pursuing or what the roles of each member of the e-board are.

And we can’t demand openness from the Union if there was no openness from the people we elected to the Union during the election cycle.

The University has always prided itself on being an activist campus.

Through protests and activism, its students have taken part in the democratic process of the country at large.

There is no reason why such a student body shouldn’t be able to take part in the democratic process at our own university. But that can only happen if the Union elections are carried out in a more transparent manner and the candidates are given more exposure.

I will close with the words of Matt Kriegsman ’11, one of the candidates who ran for Union president, in an interview with the Justice after the election.

He said, “Considering that our campus is small, we ought to make something like a campaign election accessible to all students. That could ideally include some type of town hall or debate style setting where all of our views could be articulated to the Brandeis students. There is no reason why that type of informative questioning should only remain to the editorial staff of the Justice or of The Hoot.

Think about it; that type of transparency is truly Brandeis.”

These words capture the gist of my argument very well. For they show that candidates are willing to receive greater exposure, and that we just need to afford them the chance.

Don’t restrict campus religious groups’ choice of leaders Leah

SMITH IN A WORD

In the United States, a country whose history is fraught with all kinds of discrimination, the value of nondiscrimination is important but also a sensitive issue. In order to amend the wrongs of the past and prevent wrongs in the futre, our government goes to great lengths to protect groups and individuals from discrimination, although such measures sometimes conflict with the realities of our society.

Of course, our government is not the only institution that sees nondiscrimination as an ideal.

Colleges across the country strive to protect their students, faculty and staff from discrimination as well. Some colleges are also trying to reconcile wrongs of the past, but many simply see nondiscrimination as an ideal social state that should be achieved and maintained

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in order to preserve amity and tolerance on campus.

Cornell University is one of these many colleges. Like at Brandeis, student groups at Cornell must abide by nondiscrimination rules in order to receive recognition and university funding.

However, according to an Inside Higher Ed article printed April 7, the student assembly of Cornell has drafted policies that would oblige religious student organizations to allow anyone to hold leadership positions regardless of their religious practices or religious values.

Under the current nondiscrimination clause of the Cornell Student Assembly, student organizations are only prohibited from discriminating “on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, gender, citizenship, sexual orientation, or age when determining its membership.”

The clause makes no mention of leadership or of religious practice, and it was generally understood that religious organizations could choose leadership based upon one’s religious values and practices.

However, the amended nondiscrim-

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ination clause makes specific reference to nondiscrimination for religious practice, and has been extended to include “voting for, seeking, and holding positions.” within the organization.

Understandably so, some of the religious groups were a little peeved by this revised nondiscrimination policy. Of course, there is something to be said for nondiscrimination, but it seems rather unrealistic and impractical to ask religious groups to allow anyone to hold a leadership position regardless of that person’s practices.

Students should, and do, have the right to practice any religion they choose. In addition, members of a particular faith should, and do, have the right to form groups based upon that faith. In order to protect students’ rights to practice religion freely, the leadership of religious groups needs to be exempt from nondiscrimination rules. A religious group cannot properly adhere to its religion if the group’s leaders are not of that religion, do not understand the central tenets of the religion and do not align themselves with the particular values of

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that religion. The same idea might apply to a political group or any other group that is based around a particular set of beliefs and ideologies. If the leader does not share the beliefs and ideologies that the organization is based upon, he or she cannot properly govern the organization.

Furthermore, withholding funds and recognition from campus religious groups because they are “discriminatory” is highly unreasonable.

On the national scale, no one could reasonably deny recognition or the use of public space to say, a church group because the said group refused to allow nonChristians to hold leadership positions. Asking the group to allow a non-Christian, or someone whose practices were not aligned with Christianity to do something, is a request that probably wouldn’t even be taken seriously. True, a church is different from a campus religious group in that it is funded on private initiative, but the reality is the same. A church is meant for Christians to practice Christianity, and Christian leaders are needed in

order to do so. Campus religious groups might be supported by university funds, but they serve the same purpose and should not be treated any differently.

Our country, and consequently, the colleges and universities of our country have made great efforts to build upon the principles of tolerance and nondiscrimination. But the fact remains that campus religious groups are formed to serve a specific population of students, namely the students belonging to that particular religion.

Ideally, these religious groups should be welcoming to general members of all religions, especially in order to foster greater religious tolerance.

However, religious groups cannot be expected to open their leadership positions to students outside their religion. Doing so could potentially harm students’ ability to practice their religion of choice. And perhaps denying funding, recognition or the use of university space to religious groups that want to keep to their faith could be seen as a form of discrimination of its own.

Matt Lawrence, Ethan Mermelstein, Liz Posner, Leah Smith, Avi Snyder Sports: Quincy Auger, Jeffrey Boxer, Trevor Cohen, Max Goldstein, Jonathan Steinberg Arts: Rebecca Brooks, Wei-Huan Chen, Alex DeSilva, Julia Jerusalmi, Elly Kalfus, Morgan Manley, Daniel Orkin, Alex Pagan, Bryan Prywes, Justine Root, Ben Serby, Sujin Shin, Shelly Shore Photography: Genevieve Armstrong, Amy Bissaillon, Maegan Bautista, Jessica Christian, Jaxson Dermer, STAFF Nathaniel Freedman, Davida Judelson, Rozi Levi, Mansi Luo, Yosef Schaffel, Shaefali Shandilya, Tali Smookler Senior Writers: Miranda Neubauer, Melissa Siegel Senior Photographers: Julian Agin-Liebes, David Sheppard- Copy: Danielle Berger, Rebecca Brooks, Jacob Chatinover, Hilary Cheney, Jenn Craig, Camille Dolfen, Ariel Glickman, Brick Patricia Greene, Rachel Herman, Liana Johnson, Daniella Senior Copy Editor: Joyce Wang Kohlhagen, Mailinh Phan-Nguyen, Zane Relethford, Marielle Senior Illustrator: A. Eli Tukachinsky Temkin, Amanda Winn, Liat Zabludovsky News: Clare Churchill-Seder, Erin Doniger Illustrations: Rishika Assomull, Stacy Handler Features: Deborah Salmon Layout: Nadav Havivi, Hilary Heyison, Nan Pang Forum: Hannah Goldberg, Rebecca Kellogg,

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS NEWS: Alana Abramson, Fiona Lockyer FEATURES: Tess Raser FORUM: Eitan Cooper ARTS: Bryan Flatt LAYOUT: Debra Friedmann ADS: Cody Yudkoff

12

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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THE JUSTICE

FORUM

Require students to fill out course evaluation forms

LONDON CALLING

Eitan

COOPER DOWN TO BUSINESS

RISHIKA ASSOMULL/the Justice

New midyear option will benefit campus Rebecca

KELLOGG SOUND AND FURY

Recently, the University announced that in fall 2014 it will be implementing a new option for midyear students: the possibility to go abroad to London for the fall semester when the student would typically be waiting to begin his or her college experience while his or her classmates have already embarked upon theirs.

This plan has come under a considerable amount of fire; indeed, the Justice editorial board even discussed and criticized the new program in an April 13 editorial. I, on the other hand, believe that there are multiple factors which would make this plan a very attractive offer indeed for potential midyear students.

The first and most obvious point in favor of supporting this program is that going to London for a semester would be a significantly more enticing option for students eager to begin their college careers when juxtaposed with the typical courses of action taken by incoming midyears: sitting at home, working at a minimum-wage job, taking classes at another university and so on.

A common irritation to midyears is that those students who start school in the fall are earlier exposed to the new experiences of college life, and a program like this could make the pill of waiting a semester significantly easier to swallow.

Also, I believe that a plan like this would make Brandeis itself seem much more appealing both to midyears and the population at large.

The appeal of this program to prospective students offered

midyear admission is obvious: Not only would it offer an exciting alternative to waiting at home for their college experiences to “really” start, but it would also go far in making these valued students feel truly wanted and even cherished by Brandeis before they even arrive here.

I also believe, however, that programs such as this one would benefit our entire community, even if not directly. Unique programs such as this one further increase the prestige and reputation of our university as a whole, as opportunities such as this allow Brandeis to further earn its reputation as a worldclass university.

Yet it is not only our prestige that would benefit: I think that our student body as a whole could be positively affected, since it would allow more students would bring back the knowledge and increased perspective which they will have gained from this type of rich, rewarding experience.

Third, I do not believe that the opportunity to go to London for their first fall semester would hinder the ability of the new midyears to bond with each other and with the rest of their class. Every midyear comes to Brandeis in the spring having had unique experiences in the preceding semester; each one brings different stories to share.

Yet, in spite of this, midyears still manage to form a very tight-knit community. I don’t believe that having some of the midyears spend a semester together before all of them come to Brandeis would hinder the formation of these special bonds.

Indeed, such an experience could very well positively impact the midyears’ acclimation to Brandeis: Those who choose to take advantage of this opportunity will have already survived a semester of real college life with some of their future classmates. This will most

likely make those who went feel more confident about their college experience, as they already know that they can handle the work and that they will definitely have friends when they finally arrive at Brandeis.

This aura of confidence could also spread to the midyear students who opted not to go to London.

After all, it is much easier to be confident in a situation when those around you are sure of themselves as well.

Fourth and finally, I believe that it could be beneficial for all students—not just midyears—to go abroad early on in their college careers, as doing this would eliminate some of the factors which worry students concerning study abroad.

For one, there is the issue of leaving a much-loved community, especially the friends contained within.

A study abroad program taking place as early as possible in a student’s career would afford that student the possibility to go abroad without the fear of losing friends or re-acclimating to Brandeis.

Secondly, this program could have academic benefits as well, especially when it comes to the stressful issue of completing a major. The beginning of a student’s college career is, for most, a relatively carefree time of learning about his or herself and exploring a wider range of academic interests—an environment that I believe a trip abroad would correspond with perfectly.

It may seem strange for a school such as Brandeis, which prides itself on its small, tight-knit community, to consider breaking up a small segment of that treasured community.

As hard as it may be, however, the potential benefits of this program for both the midyears and our university as a whole tremendously outweigh any potential negative effects.

I have a really hard time planning ahead. Sometimes, I plan out my entire week in incredible detail, budgeting every minute of every day. Ultimately, though, these schedules are epic failures; I end up in an even more unproductive state than when I started.

Luckily for me, it was in the midst of one of my highly unproductive spells when I received the unsettling news that it’s that time of year again: preregistration.

How in the world was I supposed to think about next semester, when I can hardly think about what I will be having for dinner tonight?

Luckily, Brandeis provides us with a plethora of resources to successfully navigate the important preregistration process. We have access to past course syllabi, course evaluations, sage’s degree audit and the wise counsel of fellow classmates. These resources are among the true benefits of attending a small liberal arts school that is really focused on the success of its undergraduate population.

However, as fortunate as we are to have the resources we do, they are far from perfect. The process of properly researching courses for preregistration can be stressful and cumbersome, and this can be attributed to faults in the system. The Office of the Provost and the Student Union—the two bodies that help manage the Course Evaluation Guide—can do an even better job in writing, presenting and managing it.

Before getting into the nitty gritty details of what can streamline the process (and risk putting you to sleep), it’s important to put this issue in perspective. Because if preregistration wasn’t valuable, this whole article would be a waste of space. The suggestions that follow aren’t just a laundry list of demands; rather, they are real problems that Brandeis students should take to heart.

Enrolling in classes a semester early does a few things, including (but not limited to) aiding departments in seeing what courses interest students and helping students seriously plan their course load (instead of throwing it together haphazardly at the beginning of a semester). But perhaps more importantly, in light of recent fiscal problems at our university, preregistration helps show Brandeis that those small courses that seem to be financial burdens are worth keeping— if enough students sign up.

Having said all that, what follows are a few suggestions to ease the preregistration process and make it far less stressful.

For starters, the website has to be less hidden. While I cannot generalize for the entire student body, I would venture to guess that a sizeable number of students have not laid eyes on the course evaluation guide. In order to access the website, one would have to know that it is conveniently hidden in the bottom right corner of the Union website.

Or alternatively, one would have to know to search (exactly) “Brandeis course evaluations” on Google (which doesn’t even take you directly to the Course Evaluation Guide).

Instead, the course evaluations website should be linked directly to LATTE, where everything else relating to our courses is found (I

would say it’s a fair bet that traffic on the LATTE website is much heavier than on the Union’s website). This would gain greater publicity for the guide and conveniently place it on the same website where syllabi are found, thus making it easier to bounce between syllabi and course reviews.

Secondly, course evaluations should be mandatory for every class. That is to say, in order to receive credit for any of courses, we should have to complete an evaluation. The completion rate last semester was an abysmal 57 percent, but it should have been 100 percent. There is absolutely no excuse why students should remove themselves from this highly important process. When students choose to not evaluate their courses, which evidently occurs quite often, it hurts the entire student body as well as faculty who try to better plan for courses offered in the future.

Additionally, faculty members are often nominated for awards based on reviews written in the course evaluations. By not filling out course reviews for that amazing class you took, you may be depriving your professor of his or her well-earned award. The reviews suffer because they do not express a broad opinion, and the guide suffers as a whole because it is incomplete.

Let’s be honest with ourselves here: While course reviews may involve some work, most students’ choice not to do them has nothing to do with lack of time.

The reason people do not evaluate their courses is sheer laziness.

While the raffle that the Course Evaluation Committee organizes is creative (every student who completes his evaluations is entered into a raffle to win an iPod, among other items), it does not provide enough of an incentive (don’t most of us have iPods anyway?).

If, however, we were obligated to evaluate our courses in order to receive credit, we would (maybe grudgingly) fill out the reviews and thereby benefit the entire Brandeis community.

Finally, midsemester evaluations should also be mandatory and incorporated into the overall review for a course. Many professors in large introductory lectures often offer questionnaires that seek to improve the quality of teaching. While there are no statistics kept on how many students fill out midsemester questionnaires—let alone how many classes actually offer them—I would venture to say that very few students complete them.

These questionnaires, though, may be even more valuable than the standard course evaluations: They actually can affect our own classes, not just give advice to future students. In short, it wouldn’t hinder our already busy lives to fill out brief course reviews twice in one semester.

Teachers should be obligated to offer them, and students should have to fill them out.

I need not dwell on the value of course evaluations; many who take registration for classes seriously consult the online guide.

The information provided can significantly affect course decisions.

It gives students who know nothing about a professor a basic idea of what to expect, as well as information about the class itself and the workload. While the points above may seem too technical and unnecessary, they would go a long way toward perfecting the invaluable guide and, ultimately, our education.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

13

SPORTS SWINGING AWAY

GOLF

Team competes in invitationals ■ The golf team tied for

seventh and finished third in two invitationals they competed in last week.

By MAX GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The Brandeis golf team tied for seventh place in the Wildcat Spring Invitational at Johnson and Wales College last weekend after finishing third at the Western New England College Invitational on Thursday.

On Saturday, the top three finishers for Brandeis, Charles Sacks ’11, Aaron Cusato ’12 and Lee Bloom ’10 each ended the first day with a 13-over-par 84.

Scott Beaulac ’12 finished with a 16-over-par 87 while Kyle Managan ’12 finished with a 17over-par 88. The team ended the day tied for tenth.

The next day was an improvement for the team, as it finished seventh in the standings. Sacks led the squad, shooting a threeover-par 74 on the second day to finish 17th overall.

Cuasto tied for 30th after shooting a seven-over-par 78 on the second day.

Bloom improved his score by four shots and finished tied for 38th, while Beaulac tied for 50th and hit six fewer shots on the second day than the first day.

Managan was the only one who did not improve his score on the second day, finishing with an 18over-par 89. He tied for 64th.

Coach Bill Shipman thought the poor weather played a small role in the team’s performance.

“The conditions were difficult, it was cold, windy, a bit rainy, which is always a distraction, although it didn’t bother [some] teams as much as some of the other teams. They need to be mentally tougher,” said Coach Shipman.

Even despite the conditions, Sacks was pleased with the team’s improvements on the second day of play.

“We played pretty badly on the first day, but we had that 25-stroke improvement. We’re still able to try better, we’re trying to peak for next weekend at the University [Athletic Association Championship],” said Sacks.

He also commented on his struggles on the first two holes, saying that his score could have been even better.

“I opened up with a double and triple bogey; my numbers would have been lower if I had those back,” Sacks said.

On Thursday, the team finished in third at the Western New England College Invitational at the Veterans Golf Course in Springfield, Mass.

The team finished overall with a 26-over-par 314, placing third, just eight strokes behind winner Babson College.

This marked the third time this season the team finished third.

The streaking Sacks led the team and finished third overall at the tournament with a three-overpar 75, three strokes behind the winner, sophomore Joe Young of Babson.

“That was a good score; not an easy golf course, fairly narrow,” Shipman said. “[Sacks is] driving it particularly well. He’s a good driver and generally a good putter. As long as he hits the ball in the fairway, he’s in good shape.”

“I shot four birdies for the day and kept out of trouble for the day.

I was pretty consistent,” said Sacks Cusato finished three strokes behind Sacks and in eighth with a six-over-par 78, and Bloom shot a seven-over-par 79 to place 13th.

Beaulac and Managan finished with a 10-over-par 82, tying for 30th.

Sacks thought the team performed well, emphasizing the need to limit mistakes on the golf course.

“The course wasn’t super-hard, and the weather was real nice,” said Sacks. “The key is not making big mistakes as a team, and as long as I can keep the big mistakes out, I can keep that number low.”

The team also defeated competitors, such as Salem State University, who it had trouble with in the past.

“We finished ahead of Salem State. [It was] really the first time I ever remember finishing ahead of them, and we beat Nichols College, which we haven’t beaten in recent memory, so that was really nice,” said Shipman.

The team will first play in the Worcester State Tournament on Tuesday, and they will then play in the UAA Championships at Rochester University, starting on Sunday and going through Tuesday.

Shipman believes the team will be ready in time to compete in the UAAs. “I think we played a significant amount,” he said. “We should be ready. All five of our players have significant experience. They’ve all been around; playing the UAAs is a lot of pressure. It’s a very strong competition. Hopefully they will get past that and enjoy the tournament.”

ASHER KRELL/Justice File Photo

AT BAT: Shortstop Sean O’Hare ’12 hits in the baseball team’s 11-4 loss to Wentworth Institute of Technology on March 24.

BASEBALL: Squad breaks losing streak in win over Babson College CONTINUED FROM 16 played catcher in the game, put two on for Posch, who delivered with a single to score Chu and put Brandeis within one run. With runners at the corners and first baseman Eric Rosenberg ’11 at the plate, Lambert flashed the sign for a double hit-and-run. The play turned into a double steal when a pitch out of the strike zone escaped Rosenberg’s reach but was salvaged when Posch induced a rundown between first and second base, allowing Ferro to score from third and tie the game.

“That’s definitely something we’ve practiced before, the double hit-and-run,” said Posch.

“[Rosenberg swung] threw it, so in that situation I’m supposed to stop and try to get in a rundown and try to let that run score. That definitely was a good play; it worked.”

In the sixth inning, a sacrifice fly by center fielder Tony Deshler ’11 scored pinch-runner Nick Cortese ’13 from third to give Brandeis the lead. A seventh-inning rally added four insurance runs, including a three-run homer by Malis, but six runs were all Brzozowski needed to secure a long-awaited Brandeis win.

“It feels good,” said Brzozowski of the victory. “My senior year’s been a little disappointing for me, personally. I haven’t been pitching as well as I thought I would be, but … back up north I’m starting to pick it up,

so hopefully I’ll just build off that and try to win every time I go out there.”

On Thursday, the Judges lost 8-7 to Johnson and Wales University, in which a five-run Brandeis comeback capped by a game-tying grand slam from shortstop Sean O’Hare ’12 wasn’t enought as a solo walk-off home run won it for the Wildcats.

Before the loss to Johnson and Wales, the team suffered a 12-4 defeat to Worcester State University. The team hit a seasonhigh three home runs on the day, coming from Ferro, Deshler and Rosenberg.

The Judges play today at home, taking on Amherst College, which has a record of 13-9 on the season.

SOFTBALL: Judges win TRACK: Selig ’11 sets school record both doubleheaders CONTINUED FROM 16

CONTINUED FROM 16 capitalized on the mistake with a two-run homer, her 37th RBI of the season and ninth home run.

Emily Vaillette ’10 once again served as a rock for the Judges with her 12th victory of the season.

Vaillette notched six strike outs and allowed only four hits in the first six innings of the game. Vaillette allowed only four Wesleyan players on-base.

Going into the seventh inning, Brandeis swung into action. Ross ledoff the inning with a solo home run to increase the lead to three.

Ross’ hit was followed by a string of run-scoring plays including a tworun single by Specker, an RBI by Korp on a fielder’s choice and a sac-

rifice fly by Cagar. Second baseman/catcher Megan DeNubila ’12 sealed the game with an RBI double to right-center.

On Wednesday, the Judges defeated Wheaton in a doubleheader with scores of 9-1 and 11-4.

Berg was the star for the Judges in the two games, going 5-5 with two home runs, six RBIs and five runs scored. "[Berg] has been a solid number [number] four [hitter] at the plate all year,” Johnson said. “And she’s good at not being too hungry at the plate. Whether it's to poke one in or knock one out 250 [feet] ... she can do it all.”

The Judges’ next play Eastern Connecticut State University in a doubleheader at home on Thursday.

were Sam Donovan ’11, Jake Newfield ’13 and Raymond Chen ’10, who finished seventh, eleventh and twenty-first, respectively.

Several other Brandeis runners won their events. In women’s field, Capano finished first in the triple jump with a distance of 10.94 meters.

Capano also finished second in the long jump with a distance of 4.92 meters.

Evans commented on Capano’s consistency over the course of the year.

“Capano has been great all year.

She’s consistently been at the front of the field and she showed it again this weekend,” Evans said.

Suzanne Bernier ’10 also secured a first-place finish for the Judges, winning the high jump with a height of 1.59 meters Parenteau fin-

ished third in the event.

The final first-place finish for the women was in the 4x100 meter relay race. The group of Brittany Bell ’13, Capano, Farrington and Michelle Gellman ’11 won the meet with a time of 51.02.

“It’s a young group, but they’re doing well and should be competitive at UAAs next week,” Evans said.

Capano also commented on the team’s need for improvement.

“Our time two weeks ago was better, and we need to work on handoffs, but we have made great progress and should be very competitive next weekend,” Capano added.

Also grabbing a first-place finish for the Judges was Mingkai Lin ’12, who won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 58.54 seconds.

“He’s only been running hurdles for a few weeks and hasn’t run

many races, but he has looked pretty goood so far,” Evans said.

Kayley Wolf ’12 took second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.46 seconds. Desiree Murphy ’10 finished second in the women’s discus with a distance of 32.11 meters.

In men’s field, Charlie Pino ’12 placed third in the long jump with a distance of 5.71 meters.

The men’s short distance runners also placed several competitors in the top 10. Mik Kern ’13 finished third in the 800-meter race, while Will Collins ’10 placed seventh in the event.

In the men’s 400, Aaron Udel ’10 finished sixth, and Josh HoffmanSenn ’13 finished seventh.

The team’s next meet will be this weekend, where it will compete in the University Athletic Association Championships at Washington University in St. Louis.

14

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

●

THE JUSTICE

SPORTS

Brandeis comes to the court Students and faculty faced off for charity in Hoops for Haiti.

By MELISSA SIEGEL JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

In the biggest upset since the 1980 Miracle on Ice, the Brandeis University faculty/staff team defeated the student team 37-31 at the Hoops for Haiti fundraiser Thursday night.

The game was close early on, but the turning point came at the end of the first half, when the faculty/staff team scored 5 straight points to turn a 9-8 deficit into a 13-9 halftime lead.

They would never trail again the rest of the way, leading by as many as 11 points late in the second half.

The student team then made a late run to get close but ultimately could not defeat the unstoppable faculty team.

The win was a shock, since the faculty/staff team was going up against a student team of all-stars, including former Student Union President Jason Gray ’10, current president Andy Hogan ’11, President-elect Daniel Acheampong ’11 and five members of the men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams.

The student team was also coached by men’s basketball for-

ward Christian Yemga ’11. In Yemga’s defense, he was coaching by himself, rather than with an assistant as Jacob Cohen (AMST), coach of the faculty/staff team, did.

From Cohen’s comments afterward, however, it seems that he did not take full advantage of his help on the sidelines.

“We had two coaches? Was there another coach besides me? …

[Director of Hiatt Services Joe DuPont] was going to be the new head coach, and then they demoted him and they gave him to me,” Cohen added.

The victory was even more remarkable after Assistant Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams appeared to suffer a devastating knee injury early in the first half.

Cohen then took a major risk and picked a completely random audience member to replace Adams in the game.

Little did he know this random audience member was men’s assistant basketball coach Eric McKoy, himself a former Division III varsity basketball player at Salem State College under men’s basketball coach Brian Meehan.

But in the end, the faculty/staff team did not even need him, as

DAVID SHEPPARD-BRICK/the Justice

HIGH FIVE: University President Jehuda Reinharz celebrates with a raffle winner.

Adams, in a performance reminiscent of Willis Reed in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, returned to the court a few minutes later and played the rest of the game.

Cohen commented on what he thought about the severity of Adams’ injury. “[Adams] was really hurt,” Cohen said. “I was worried. I thought he was going to have to stop talking, and that would have been an absolute tragedy.”

Indeed, Adams contributed not only with his play but also with his mouth. When he was not on the court (and often when he was), he spent his time both trash-talking the opposing team and giving coaching advice to Cohen.

This was heard by the entire gymnasium because the organizers chose to put a microphone on Adams for the entire game.

Much of Adams’ chatter included pleas for Cohen to remove Community Development Coordinator Michael Vella from the game when he kept missing shots.

Cohen, however, stuck to his guns and was rewarded at the end when Vella hit two key 2-point shots to help his team pull away.

“I think the students thought that miking me up would take away from the skills of my fellow teammates,” Adams said. “What they failed to realize is that we oftentimes practice with the Boston Celtics and the New York Yankees.

At the same time, it’s a little-known fact that the New York Yankees play basketball too. … [Vella] kept missing, and so we had to figure out a way to motivate him to make some shots, and so [talking] was my way. The discipline has to come from within; it shouldn’t be from outside in. We’re all in this together.”

The game also featured raffle giveaways during timeouts, including Red Sox tickets, “Hoops for Haiti” T-shirts and the best prize of all, a ride on University President Jehuda Reinharz’s Vespa scooter.

Despite featuring the worst offensive performance since the first half of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship game earlier this month, the event still raised enough money to put the total fundraising amount for the Brandeis Haiti Relief Effort above $15,000. The Brandeis Haiti Relief Effort is now just $10,000 away from its goal of raising $25,000 for Haiti by the end of the academic year.

Before the game it was also announced that the old furniture

DAVID SHEPPARD-BRICK/the Justice

IN THE AIR: Former Student Union President Jason Gray ’10 leaps for a basket. from the Charles River Apartments that will be renovated this summer will be donated to Haiti relief efforts.

“We were thrilled,” Nate Rosenblum ’10, one of the event’s organizers, said. “We had so much

fun; everybody seemed like they were having a great time. We had over 200 people. … We were just absolutely thrilled with the support here at Brandeis from students, staff, everybody that came out, all the volunteers. It was amazing.”

THE JUSTICE

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

10

runs scored on Sunday by the baseball team in its victory over Babson College.

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

39 RBIs with 10 games left. If she hits one more home run this season, she will have just the fourth 10 home-run season in school history, and her next RBI would be the fourth 40-RBI season in Brandeis history.

“To hit such success as only a freshman is a pretty humbling experience. ... It’s just really a great experience, and it’s been a great year so far,” she said.

—Melissa Siegel

UAA STANDINGS Baseball

Softball

Not including Monday’s games

Rochester Case Emory Washington JUDGES Chicago

UAA W L 4 1 4 2 3 2 1 4 1 4 0 0

Overall W L 24 4 23 15 17 19 17 12 9 18 13 10

Not including Monday’s games Overall UAA W L W L Emory 6 2 23 13 Washington 5 3 28 6 JUDGES 5 3 22 5 Rochester 4 4 17 12 Chicago 0 0 19 8 Case 0 8 8 30

TEAM LEADERS

3 2 1 6 45

shots over-par for Charles Sacks ’11 in the Western New England College Invitational on Wednesday. He tied for third place.

home runs hit by softball catcher/designated player Stacy Berg ’13 in the team’s two victories over Wheaton College on Wednesday.

st-place finish for Grayce Selig ’11 in the 1,500meter race at the Eric Loeschner Memorial Invitational at Fitchburg State College on Saturday.

th-place finish for the women’s tennis team at the University Athletic Association Tournament last week.

runs scored by the softball team in four victories last week.

15

Women’s tennis finishes in sixth place at the UAA Tournament

■ The catcher/designated player for the softball team hit two home runs and drove in 6 RBIs in a doubleheader against Wheaton College on Wednesday.

She had 10 RBIs for the week.

Judging numbers

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

VARSITY BRIEF

Stacy Berg ’13

Who says rookies need time to adjust?

Brandeis softball catcher/designated player Stacy Berg ’13 is bucking that idea in a big way in her first season of collegiate softball. Her offensive firepower helped the No. 20 Judges rebound from a loss at Bowdoin College last week to sweep doubleheaders against Wheaton College on Wednesday and Wesleyan University (Conn.) on Saturday.

In Wednesday’s games, Berg reached base in all eight of her plate appearances, going 5-5 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs. On Saturday, she continued her hot streak with another home run in the first game against Wesleyan, along with two hits and two RBIs in the second game as part of a 13-run first inning for the Judges.

“The first home run that I had was in our second game of the season, and I wasn’t really expecting it, especially that early,” Berg said. “And since then it’s just been surreal. I expected to do well in college, but I did not expect to do as well as I’ve been doing.”

Berg also commented on coach Jessica Johnson’s influence on her.

“I think my coach put a lot of faith in me [by] starting me off at the beginning of the season as [the] number-four batter, so I think that’s really given me the confidence to do really well and succeed.”

Berg is second on the team with a .410 batting average and is first on the team in slugging percentage, home runs and RBIs. She currently sits at nine home runs and

●

Baseball (hits)

Baseball (runs batted in)

Third baseman Tony Deshler ’11 leads the Judges with 35 hits.

Left fielder Chris Ferro ’13 leads Brandeis with 21 RBIs.

Player Tony Deshler Chris Ferro Sean O’Hare Artie Posch John Chu

Player Chris Ferro John O’Brion Artie Posch John Chu Tony Deshler

Hits 35 31 30 27 26

RBIs 21 15 14 13 11

Softball (hits)

Softball (runs batted in)

Third baseman Brittany Grimm ’12 leads Brandeis with 44 hits.

Catcher/designated player Stacy Berg ’13 leads the Judges with 39 RBIs.

Player Brittany Grimm Marianne Specker Stacey Berg Melisa Cagar Erin Ross

Player Stacy Berg Marianne Specker Erin Ross Brittany Grimm Two tied with...

Hits 44 36 34 31 29

RBIs 39 25 24 24 15

UPCOMING GAME OF THE WEEK Baseball vs. Amherst College today at 3:30 p.m.

The baseball team will face off against Amherst College today at Stein Diamond.

After having defeated Babson College 10-5 on Sunday, the baseball team will look to start a winning streak when it faces Amherst College today at 3:30 p.m. at Stein Diamond.

On April 27, 2009, the Judges traveled to Amherst and won the game by a score of 9-6. First baseman Drake Livada ’10 was the designated hitter that day, and he went 2-5 while driving in three runners.

Shortstop Sean O’Hare ’12 also had three hits and two RBIs in the win.

This year, Amherst is 13-9 and is 54 in the New England Small Colleges Athletic Conference.

Sophomore catcher Mike Samela leads the offensive attack for the Lord Jeffs. He has a team-leading .420 batting average and five home runs.

His 21 RBIs are also the most on the team.

Both senior second baseman Will Lawton and freshman third baseman Nolan Stewart lead Amherst with 31 hits.

In the University Athletic Association Tourament at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, the No. 28 women’s tennis team finished sixth after losing to Washington University in St. Louis 6-1 in the fifth-place matchup.

The Judges, who were ranked sixth in the tournament, began the match with an 8-5 win from the first doubles team of Rachel Rosman ’11 and Faith Broderick ’11.

The squad, however, failed to take any more points from the Bears for the rest of match. Sarah Richman ’12 and Mackenzie Gallegos ’11 fell 8-4 at second doubles, while Nina Levine ’12 and Ariana Sanai ’10 fell 8-5 at third doubles.

In singles action, Sanai, Gallegos and Richman fell in straight sets to their WashU opponents at third, fourth and sixth singles, respectively. The closest match of singles play was Rosman’s match at first singles.

Freshman Kate Klein won the match 6-5, 6-2.

Broderick’s match at second singles and Levine’s match at fifth singles were both called before completion.

Coach Ben Lamanna was pleased with the result of the tournament but knows the women have more to bring to the table.

“I think the girls are not satisfied by sixth place at the tournament and still have a little more to prove,” said Lamanna. “Senior day will be fun. It will be the last opportunity to see Ariana compete for us.”

Before the loss to WashU, the Judges defeated host Case 5-3.

In doubles play, Rosman and Broderick teamed up once again at first doubles and fended off three match points and a close tiebreaker set to win the match 9-8 (75) over Spartan freshmen Emily Pham and Erika Lim. Gallegos and Richman also teamed up again at second doubles but fell 8-5. At third doubles, Levine and Sanai teamed up in another tiebreaker match to win 9-8 (7-3).

At first singles, Rosman defeated Spartan freshman Samantha Lewis in straight sets to become Brandeis’ only double winner of the match. Gallegos put the Judges up 4-1 with her 6-3, 6-1 win at fourth singles.

The Spartans, refusing to give up, managed to close the gap to 4-3 with a pair of close three-set wins.

Broderick, despite taking the first set 6-2, was defeated at second singles in a comeback win from Lim. At third single, Pham defeated Sanai 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Even in the face of her loss, Coach Lamanna noted Sanai’s superb leadership.

“Ariana is kind of beaten up with a hurt shoulder, but she showed a lot of heart,” said Lamanna. “She’s a great leader, always fighting hard and expecting her teammates to follow her lead.”

With just the bottom of the Judges’ lineup left, Levine and Richman looked to clinch the match for Brandeis at fifth and sixth singles. Richman, who earlier this season had clinched a match against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, continued her clutch performance for the Judges by taking her match 6-3, 6-4.

To start the tournament, the team lost to Carnegie Mellon University 5-0 in a match that was stopped due to inclement weather.

The Judges dropped all three doubles matches.

Rosman and Broderick, who teamed up at first doubles, fell 8-5 to their opponents. Gallegos and Richman fell 83 at second doubles, while Levine and Sanai could only manage two games against Carnegie Mellon at third doubles.

“It’s incredibly hard to break that momentum,” said Lamanna, of being down 3-0 after doubles. “It takes something special to win that kind of match. We can’t do it to ourselves.”

In singles play, sophomore Laura Chen defeated Rosman at first singles by a score of 6-0, 6-2. Gallegos, facing Tartan sophomore Cze-Ja Tam at fourth doubles, managed only four games in a losing effort that clinched the match for Carnegie Mellon. The Judges left four matches unfinished, but at second singles, Broderick looked to be heading toward a match win with the score 6-4, 5-4 in her favor before being called.

Against Tufts University on Tuesday, the team lost 90. In doubles, Rosman and Broderick fell at first doubles. Richman and Gallegos failed to win a game at second doubles, and Levine and Sanai managed to win two games in a losing effort at third doubles.

In singles action, the Judges failed to take a single set from the Jumbos.

The women will face Trinity College (Conn.) in their season finale at the Reiger Tennis courts on April 24.

—Jonathan Steinberg

AP BRIEF New York Mets defeat St. Louis Cardinals in 20 innings The New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals played the longest game in the major leagues in two years on Saturday, with shortstop Jose Reyes’ sacrifice fly in the 20th inning making the difference in New York’s 2-1 victory.

Mets right fielder Jeff Francoeur also had a sacrifice fly for New York in the 19th inning, snapping a scoreless tie, but catcher Yadier Molina singled in first baseman Albert Pujols in the bottom half for the Cardinals.

Closer Francisco Rodriguez (1-0) got the win despite blowing the save in the 19th and starter Mike Pelfrey finished for his first career save.

The game included 19 pitchers and lasted 6 hours, 53 minutes.

Cardinals utilityman Joe Mather (0-1) became the first position player to lose a game since shortstop Josh Wilson for the San Diego Padres in a 9-6 setback in 18 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks June 7, 2009 according to STATS LLC.

just

Sports

Page 16

HOOPS FOR HAITI The faculty/staff squad defeated the student team 37-31 in the fundraiser on Thursday night, p. 14.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Waltham, Mass.

STAYING COMPOSED

BASEBALL

Judges end skid with win at Babson

TRACK & FIELD

Selig ’11 sets a new Brandeis record ■ Grayce Selig ’11 bested

Mariko Tanseey-Holbrook’s ’03 school record in the 1,500-meter run.

■ The baseball team broke

its seven-game losing streak by defeating Babson College 10-5 on Sunday.

By JEFFREY BOXER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

With 13 runs under their belts, the Judges continued the pounding in the second inning. Specker’s two-run homer combined with an RBI by outfielder Lara Hirschler ’12 rounded the Judges’ lead to 16-0.

Wesleyan responded in the third inning with four runs of its own.

The first three were the result of a walk and two singles to load the bases before senior left fielder Chrissy Bello singled to right field, scoring three. A wild pitch by Allie Mussen ’10 allowed the Cardinals to score their fourth run of the game.

Undeterred, the Judges responded with their 17th run of the game in the fourth. A sacrifice fly by Lavallee allowed Ross to cross the plate.

The unrelenting barrage of offense provided by the Judges resulted in a mercy rule call to end the contest in five innings.

Johnson credited the depth of the team for the Judges’ decisive victory.

“First and foremost, this team is really deep,” she said. “Our starting ten or so are incredibly talented, and there is not much difference between those starting ten and those behind them. ” The squad started the day strong in its first game against Wesleyan when an error by the Cardinals allowed Grimm to reach base. Berg

Grayce Selig ’11 set a school record in the women’s 1,500-meter run, leading a storm of Brandeis runners across the finish line at the Eric Loeschner Memorial Invitational at Fitchburg State College this weekend.

The women’s team finished in third at the meet, while the men grabbed fourth.

Selig’s time of 4 minutes, 33.91 seconds defeated Mariko TanseyHolbrook’s ’03 record of 4:35.56 set in 2002. “[It was a] phenomenal run by Selig” Coach John Evans said. “She really had an amazing meet today.”

Selig wasn’t Brandeis’ only top finisher in the 1,500-meter race.

Brandeis finished with seven of the top eight runners in the event, and all of the top five.

Finishing in a not-too-distant second was Beth Pisarik ’10, whose time of 4:38.32 was good enough to qualify her provisionally for the Division III NCAA Championships that will be held at the end of May. “[Pisarik] ran a great race as well.

It was really just a phenomenal job by both [Selig and Pisarik],” Evans said. “On the last lap, Selig and Pisarik had broken away and were just booking it. … They were strong all the way through,” Lucia Capano ’12 said.

Selig, Pisarik, and the rest of the team’s times were made even more impressive by the cold and wet weather, both of which are difficult conditions for runners.

“The conditions were cold and windy, but we got the times which was great. … For the most part, everyone had really good days,” Evans said.

Following Pisarik across the finish line were Erin Bisceglia ’12, Alyssa Pisarik ’12 and Marie Lemay ’11, who respectively finished third, fourth and fifth, with times of 4:45.19, 4:53.26 and 4:54.01.

Only a sixth-place finish by Worcester Polytechnic Institue freshman Vicky Hewey prevented Brandeis from grabbing the first seven places. Hannah Lindholm ’11 and Kate Warwick ’12 finished in seventh and eighth place, respectively.

The men’s results in the 1,500meter event were nearly as impressive as the women’s. Brandeis placed five runners in the top eleven spots, including three of the top five.

Leading the pack was Devon Holgate ’11, who finished first with a time of 4:00.89.

Marc Boutin ’12 was less than a second off of Holgate’s pace, grabbing third with at time of 4:01.74.

It was really close at the end with [Holgate] and [Boutin],” Capano said. “It came right down to the wire and Holgate just did a great job of holding off the Fitchburg State runner.”

Behind Holgate and Boutin was Chris Brown ’12, who finished fifth with a time of 4:02.58.

“Those three guys up front ran really good races,” Evans said.

Also competing for the Judges

See SOFTBALL, 13 ☛

See TRACK, 13 ☛

By TREVOR COHEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The timeworn proverb reads “All good things must come to an end,” but the Brandeis baseball team took solace in that sentiment on Sunday as they ended a demoralizing sevengame losing streak with a 10-5 win over Babson College The Judges, now 9-18 on the year, have had trouble matching strong pitching with good run support throughout the season, with the former increasingly lacking in Brandeis losses coming into the team’s recent drought.

But the Brandeis pitching and hitting rebounded on Sunday. Righthander Drew Brzozowski ’10 got the win, coming back from a five-run third inning to finish strongly and register his third complete game of the season. He gave up only two earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four.

“I thought I pitched well,” said Brzozowski. “Babson’s a good team, and I knew we had a chance to beat them.”

The win was both relieving and invigorating for a Brandeis team that has struggled for consistency this season.

“It feels great, especially the way that we played,” said third-base coach Brian Lambert. “The kids all played hard, and they all did exactly what they were supposed to do.

[Brzozowski] made a couple of mistakes early but then corrected for all of them later. It was a great allaround game for us.”

Brandeis opened the scoring first with three runs in the second on a sacrifice fly from left fielder Zach Malis ’12 and a two-run double from second baseman James Likis ’10.

Babson battled back with two runs off Brzozowski in the bottom of the second and three more in the third to take a 5-3 lead. All three third inning runs were unearned, as two errors set the stage for a couple of two-out RBI hits by the Beavers.

Brzozowski dug in after that, allowing just two more base runners over the next four innings to keep the Judges in the game and eventually secure the win.

“It just kind of shows that as bad as he pitches one inning, he’ll forget about it and then just start all over again,” said Lambert of Brzozowski’s ability to keep his composure on the mound.

“Drew’s been here for four years. … He’s obviously been in tough situations,” said catcher Artie Posch ’10, who filled the role of designated hitter on Sunday. “I think he just battled hard for us, and he knew that he needed to finish strong and keep us in it so we could score a few more runs for him and hopefully come out of there with the [win].”

The Judges began their battle back into the game in the fifth inning. A one-out double by third baseman Jon Chu ’12 and a single by left fielder Chris Ferro ’13, who

See BASEBALL, 13 ☛

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

AT THE PLATE: Second baseman Melisa Cagar ’11 bats in the softball team’s 11-4 victory against Wheaton College.

Team sweeps four games ■ The softball team

outscored its opponents 45-9 last week in four dominating victories.

By QUINCY AUGER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The No. 20 softball team’s winning ways continued on Saturday as they defeated Wesleyan University (Conn.) 8-0 and 17-4 in a doubleheader. With two wins over Wheaton College on Wednesday, the Judges improve their record to 22-5-1 overall on the season.

Catcher Erin Ross ’10 led the team in the doubleheader against Wesleyan, scoring three runs and going 6-7 with four RBIs. Coach Jessica Johnson noted Ross’ impressive performances against Wesleyan and Wheaton.

“She had a spectacular week, especially at the plate,” said Johnson. “When Erin is focused she can do it all: … lay a bunt or hit a home run.”

In the second game against Weselyan, the Judges dictated play.

Johnson’s squad, feeding off the momentum of its first victory, dominated the Cardinals as they batted through the order twice to knock in 13 runs off of 11 hits.

Catcher/designated player Stacy

Berg ’13, Ross, third baseman Brittany Grimm ’12 and right fielder Carly Schmand ’11 contributed two hits each in the first inning.

Second baseman Melisa Cagar ’11 recorded the first hit of the game to left field for a single before stealing second. With Cagar in scoring position, first baseman Marianne Specker ’12 walked. Grimm earned her first RBI of the game with a single to shortstop to bring Cagar home.

Third baseman Lauren Lavallee ’11 walked following a two-run single by Ross to load the bases.

Lauren Porcaro ’12 was then hit by a pitch to bring Berg home.

Schmand stepped to the plate to send the ball into left field for an RBI single, and shortstop Chelsea Korp ’10 exploited the Judges’ onbase positioning to add an RBI of her own off of a single to left field.

Two more runs would score off of a single by Specker.

A second steal of the inning by Cagar, advancing her to third, allowed Specker to steal second because of a throwing error by the Cardinals. Another hit by Grimm and a double by Berg brought in another pair of runs for the Judges.

Ross’ second hit of the inning, a double to left-center, allowed Berg to reach home before Ross herself completed the circuit off a single by Schmand.

just

ARTS

April 20, 2010

‘Spelling Bee’ is all the buzz p. 20

Photos: Asher Krell/the Justice. Design: Max Breitstein Matza/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

●

THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

18-21

■ Michael Ian Black The comedian performed on campus.

19

■ Historical fiction Anita Diamant and Jennifer Gilmore ’92 spoke about their recent novels.

19

■ ‘Family Affair’ 20 The documentary will premiere next Monday.

■ ‘Spelling Bee’ 20 The Broadway musical came to Brandeis.

■ Marc Klionsky 20 Professors discussed the painter’s work.

■ University Chorus 21 Students sang a gospel and soul repertoire.

■ Drag Show 21 Students performed a gender-bending show.

OFF CAMPUS

22-24

22 ■ ‘Glee’ The comedy returned from a long hiatus.

22 ■ Rialto The Italian restaurant serves a tasty meal.

23 ■ Pop Muse Kate Nash’s album revealed a new sound.

23 ■ Dave Holland Quintet The noted jazz band played at Regattabar.

23 ■ Rory Albanese The ‘Daily Show’ producer spoke to justArts about his stand-up comedy career.

CALENDAR

INTERVIEW

by Shelly Shore

Well, Tiger Woods went to rehab, but his wife Elin Nordegren is still consulting divorce lawyers, according to E! News. Elin has not spent a single day (or night) with Tiger since he returned from sex rehab. She has not appeared at any public events, including Tiger’s re-entry into the golfing world at the Masters a few weeks ago. Since the publication of Tiger’s (“alleged,” but let’s be serious) affairs, she and her children, along with the kids’ nannies, have been living in a separate home close to the house she and Tiger shared in Orlando. Up until as late as March, rumors still swirled that Elin and Tiger might reconcile, but rumors that Tiger slept with their neighbor’s 21-year-old daughter apparently sealed the deal.

E! News learned this week that while Elin has been speaking with several lawyers about divorce possibilities in California and Florida, she will most likely file for divorce in Florida, where she and Tiger own multiple properties.

“Elin is over Tiger,” says a source close to Elin.

“Time to get her house in order.”

While their prenup reportedly gives Elin only $20 million if she stays in the marriage for 10 years (they married in 2004), her legal team is working on “sweetening the deal.” There are unconfirmed reports that Tiger offered her a revised prenup—$100 million total—to keep her happy and stable should they divorce. With the amount of assets between Tiger and Elin, and the addition of their two kids into the mix, it will likely take over a year for the divorce to go through. However, considering Tiger was the one who cheated, he’s likely to have to shell out big money in any divorce proceedings.

Most of the world is rooting for Elin, but some celebrities are siding with Tiger.

“Nobody is perfect, and everybody makes mis-

Bachman leads Waltham theater group ■ JustArts spoke with Lynda Bachman ’10 by e-mail about her theater work with members of the Waltham Boys and Girls Club, for which she received a Leonard Bernstein grant.

ANDREW BROWNBILL/The Associated Press

FAITHLESS: Tiger Woods’ marriage to model Elin Nordegren appears to be in shambles of late. takes,” rapper Snoop Dogg told a Los Angeles newspaper. “So let’s let him get his life back with his wife and move on.”

Tiger, however, is still trying to make amends. “This situation is my fault, and it’s obviously embarrassing to my family and me,” Woods, 33, said on his official website. “I’m human and I’m not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

In the immortal (if paraphrased) words of Rihanna: Tiger, we know you’re only sorry because you got caught.

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus

ON CAMPUS EVENTS Middle East Photo Gallery, Volume Two Join members of the Brandeis community as they share their experiences of various countries in the Middle East from home, vacation, study abroad and more. Students are welcome to provide insight into their personal travel experiences.

The exhibit closes today at 9 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Art Gallery.

Get Chai with the BZA Celebrate Israeli culture with the Brandeis Zionist Alliance at the Israel Independence Day carnival. There will be a moonbounce to jump on, cupcakes to eat, T-shirts to tie-dye and cookies to decorate. Along with the festivities, there will be Israeli dance performances and face painting to see the traditional, artistic side of Israeli culture. The event is co-sponsored by Hillel, Brandeis Orthodox Organization, Brandeis University Conservative Organization, BaRuch, J Street U, Birthright and Chabad among many other clubs and groups.

Today from 1 to 5 p.m. on the Great Lawn (rain location: Levin Ballroom).

Post-baccalaureate painting and sculpture exhibition Post-baccalaureate art students exhibit their recent work.

The exhibition is running between April 14 and May 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Dreitzer Gallery in Spingold Theater Center.

‘Notes in the Wall’ Manginah is celebrating the relelase of its newest album, Notes in the Wall, with an official release party this week. The CD, which was over a year in the making, will be playing and the group will be there, so you can see the faces behind the voices. The group will also be selling the CDs throughout the release party.

Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

Art Auction for Haiti The Brandeis Haiti Relief Fund Clubs Committee is hosting an art auction with all of the proceeds benefiting Haiti. Show up to check out great artwork made by Brandeis students and bid on it in support of a great cause.

Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the South Campus Commons.

Sundeis Film Festival 2010 The annual film festival kicks off this week with student screenings followed by the Brandeis premiere of Family Affair, a documentary that explores one family’s attempt to come to terms with an abusive parent.

The film, a 2010 Sundance Film Festival selection, will be followed by a question-andanswer session with its director, Chico Colvard. For more information about Colvard, see the article on p. 20.

Film screenings Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Family Affair premieres Monday at 7 p.m. All events take place in the Wasserman Cinematheque.

DAVID SHEPPARD-BRICK/Justice File Photo

PROUD PERFORMERS: The members of Manginah sing at an appearance in January. The group has two concerts this week as it celebrates the release of its new album, ‘Notes in the Wall.’

24-Hour Improvathon In a feat of endurance and comic genius, the improv comedy groups on campus will put on their annual 24-hour Improvathon. All the improv troupes on campus, including Crowd Control, False Advertising, TBA and Bad Grammer will be up on stage in some capacity performing. The groups will be also selling ‘kisses’, where for a $1 donation to Oxfam, you can choose any two improvisers to smooch each other on stage.

Friday to Saturday from 7 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Cholmondeley’s.

‘Super Mario Brothers, the Musical’ Brandeis Ensemble Theatre presents the world premiere of this musical, which was written, composed and directed by Doug Friedman ’10. The show brings together the beloved video game characters as Mario and Luigi attempt to rescue Peach with Yoshi’s help. Tickets cost $5.

Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater.

‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy—The Play’ Previously released in many media forms, the famous book, film and radio broadcast Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is now being brought to campus as a play. Written, acted, produced and directed by Brandeis students, the play is premiering for a twoshow engagement brought by the Brandeis Official Readers Guild. The story follows the slightly perplexed human Arthur Dent as he travels the universe and has out-of-theworld experiences while meeting a quirky cast of characters on the way.

Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in Schwartz Auditorium.

Manginah spring show Coming off of the fresh release of their newest album, Jewish a cappella group

Manginah will have its 2010 spring show on Sunday. The show will be themed “Super Sweet 16” to celebrate the 16 years of musicmaking the group has had over the years.

Manginah will sing many songs from its repertoire and even debut some brand-new songs. Tickets will be $4 for students and children and $7 for adults and will be on sale soon.

Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the International Lounge in the Usdan Student Center.

Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea with the Lydian String Quartet Featuring new pieces specifically written for this occasion, the performance incorporates both Western and traditional Korean instruments to represent the musical languages of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Bosnia, Cambodia, the Philippines and the U.S. The performance pairs Brandeis’ own Lydian String Quartet with the Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea, embracing the exciting program of Lydian’s Around the World in a String Quartet project.

Monday from 7 to 9:10 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

OFF CAMPUS EVENTS ‘Idomeneo, re di Creta’ Boston Lyric Opera stages a production of the opera that initiated Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s career—one that is rarely presented today. The passion-filled opera tells the story of Idomeneo, King of Crete (Jason Collins in his BLO debut), as he experiences the consequences of breaking a promise to the god Neptune. British conductor David Angus will make his Boston debut with this production.

Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., running through May 4 at the Citi Performing Arts Center, Shubert Theater in Boston.

JustArts: Can you describe this project a little more in detail?

Lynda Bachman ’10: I am working with participants at the Waltham Boys and Girls Club to write a new play that comes from their lives, experiences, and imaginations.

The plan is to work with these high school aged boys and girls twice a week from February to April. I guide them through the process, but all of the ideas, research, and writing is their own. We start with a specific theme, such as “home is where the heart is,” or “small things have great effects,” and we use this theme as the basis for our creative exploration and research. The play in the end may not look anything like the ideas we bring in at the beginning, but these ideas are the stepping stones for creative exploration. Through the creative process, the participants learn about the mechanics of writing and performing theater, in addition to gaining perspective on the art of collaboration and the trials of teamwork and communication. Hopefully, they will also walk away with a product they can be proud of, and a new work that the audience can enjoy.

JA: What are your majors or minors or other theater background?

LB: I am majoring in Theater Arts on the Theater Education track, and Sociology.

This project is my Senior Project for my theater major, and the idea actually came from a similar project I’ve done two times previously, at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, where I am the head of the theater arts program.

I’m extremely interested in the collaborative process, and the creation of new work through experimental and cooperative methods. The opportunity to do this with the Waltham Boys and Girls Club was an incredible bonus, because not only do I get to do what I love and create theater in an educational setting, but I get to provide arts programming to an incredible and appreciative organization while I’m at it.

JA: How did you get connected with the Waltham Boys and Girls Club? Did you already have a connection to them through Waltham Group or something?

LB: I connected with the Waltham Boys and Girls Club through Lucas Malo. When I was in the early stages of my project I was looking for a group of students to work with, and I reached out to various people around campus as resources, including Jen Cleary, my advisor, Audra Grady, who is the head of the Community and Experiential Learning program, and Lucas Malo, who runs Waltham Group. Lucas directed me towards the WBGC as an organization that has the student base I want to work with, and also has a need for additional programming. I emailed Jennifer Aldworth, the director of the WBGC, and she was really excited about my project proposal, so we met and it turned out to be a great match. I have never done any work with the WBGC before, I just sent them my idea, my résumé, and told them I wanted to help them out. They have fantastic facilities, they just needed somebody to come in with a project, and the time and energy to do it.

JA: Can you tell me more about the senior project for theater majors? Do all theater majors have to do one? Do many people do collaborative projects like this one?

LB: All theater majors have to do some sort of senior project or thesis as a requirement for the major. People do a whole range of things, and they usually reflect the individual’s particular focus or interest within the field. Lots of people collaborate on projects. Theater is not something that a single person can do in isolation—it requires a lot of minds and a lots of hands to make it happen. So sometimes one student may write a play as their senior thesis, and another student may stage manage that play and use that experience as part of their senior project. My project, although it is about the collaborative process, does not actually collaborate with many other theater majors. Some people create an entirely new work, while others may direct/act/design/stage manage a preexisting work that somehow embodies or reflects their educational pursuits from the last four years. It’s a very flexible system, and allows us, as majors, the opportunity to explore things we are interested in, in a deeper and more meaningful way.

—Andrea Fineman

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

19

ON CAMPUS COMEDY

FILM

‘State’ star takes stage for stand-up

‘Family’ visits Deis

■ Comedian Michael Ian

■ Chico Colvard spoke

Black teased students both in the audience in Levin Ballroom and backstage.

about ‘Family Affair,’ his movie that will screen at the Sundeis Film Festival.

By PAUL GALE JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This week, comedian Michael Ian Black visited Brandeis to perform stand-up as a part of Student Events’ Bronstein Week. Black, most famous for being a part of the groundbreaking MTV sketch comedy program The State and the stand-up trio Stella, as well as for his appearances on VH1’s I Love The … series, arrived fashionably late to our interview, donning noise-cancelling Bose headphones and a hint of orange in his otherwise jet-black hair. Escorted by Student Events to his “dressing room,” or the Alumni Lounge, with a luxurious puffy blue chair, Black, born Michael Ian Schwartz, delicately dined on a Usdan grilled chicken salad throughout the interview.

During the discussion, he exuded a soft but somewhat aggressive tone, especially when speaking of the recent cancellation of his latest project, Michael & Michael Have Issues, a half-hour sitcom costarring The State and Stella collaborator Michael Showalter. “I don’t think there were problems with Michael & Michael, to be honest. There were problems with the network. We took the fall for … Comedy Central’s [inability] to get anyone to watch their network. All the shows they put on there fail, and ours did better than a lot of them. It was exactly what we said it was going to be, and I think it was funny.”

Black spoke of his stand-up origins and process. “I was scared to do stand-up for a long time because it’s scary. I had been performing a lot, but I hadn’t done stand-up. It was challenging and scary, but now I’m blasé.”

When asked by another reporter how he comes up with material,

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/the Justice

JOKING AROUND: Comedian Michael Ian Black performs his stand-up routine as a part of Student Event’s Bronstein week Black curtly responded, “I just write it.”

“Although I sometimes draw on personal stuff, a lot of my stand-up is total bullshit,” he elaborated.

The reporter asked whether or not he caters his stand-up to different venues, to which he replied, “not really,” but the first 20 minutes of his act seemed to contradict that statement. In an act of beautiful, dangerous improvisation, Black valiantly destroyed several heck-

lers and referred to several articles in The Hoot, particularly poking fun at its famed “Sexcapades” column.

Unfortunately, the rest of his act seemed lackluster in comparison, confined to more general satirical points, like the racism of McDonald’s’ website. That being said, that first third was worth the price of admission, a highly subsidized $3.

When asked of his opinion about categorizing his talking head seg-

ments on VH1’s I Love The … series as his most famous work among today’s collegiate generation, Black seemed content with the truth: “Like any performer, I just feel like you’re just sort of lucky to stay relevant at all. You just want to keep going, and if you guys know me from that, that’s fine.”

“I didn’t anticipate doing comedy for a living, although I’m still surprised that’s what I do—even though I am hilarious.”

BOOKS

Gilmore and Diamant delve into the past ■ Notable authors Anita

Diamant and Jennifer Gilmore ’92 spoke about writing historical fiction.

By ELLY KALFUS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Authors find inspiration from all different kinds of media. For award-winning novelist and Brandeis aluma Jennifer Gilmore ’92, that inspiration came in the form of her grandmother’s diary. She was sorting through her grandmother’s possessions when she came across the diary, and upon leafing through it, she was struck by the thought that it could have been written by anyone of any generation. Taking that idea, she went on to write her first novel, Golden Country, released in 2006, which follows the saga of Jewish immigrants in New York through multiple generations.

On the other hand, bestselling author Anita Diamant’s motivation to write her latest novel, Day After Night, came from her experience on a trip to Israel, where she took a tour of the remnants of Holocaust detention centers. She recognized a story that needed to be told in the lives of people who escaped Atlit, a detention camp during which the British jailed Holocaust survivors going to Palestine. Her novel depicts four characters in similar situations, young women who have to create new lives for themselves after surviving the Holocaust and fleeing to Palestine. Diamant says she was inspired by Virginia Woolf’s feminist novel A Room of

One’s Own as well.

Both Jewish female novelists, Gilmore and Diamant came together on April 13 to discuss what goes into their writing in a panel titled “The Personal and the Political: Historical Fiction and the Jewish Experience.” The event, sponsored by the Creative Writing program and moderated by Prof.

John Plotz (ENG), featured each author reading an excerpt from her latest novel, speaking about her writing process and then answering audience questions. Although Gilmore and Diamant have each written so-called historical novels, including Gilmore’s latest book, Something Red, they differ in their opinions on what it means to write historical fiction.

Diamant was inspired by the history she encountered in Israel, but oddly enough, she doesn’t consider herself a historical novelist. Diamant is perhaps best known for her first novel, The Red Tent , a New York Times bestseller that is a retelling of Bible stories from the perspective of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter. However, despite the historical time periods that both of these novels are set in, Diamant refrains from categorizing herself as a historical novelist because she believes her novels are just as much about fictionalized stories as they are about the time periods during which they take place. In contrast, Gilmore believes that “all novels are historical to some extent,” since they record and reflect the views of the times. She pointed out that even if a book is written about the contemporary period, by the time it comes out it is no longer current, and so each book is a time

capsule from its era.

In her latest novel, Something Red, Gilmore tells the story of a boy who attends Brandeis in 1979 and becomes involved in social activism and the radical movement.

Gilmore pored over photographs from the period in order to maintain historical accuracy and capture the mood of the times correctly, paying great attention to detail.

When asked why she made the decision to name Brandeis as the protagonist’s college rather than simply implying its identity, she responded that the more specific a writer can get, the better, because readers relate to details. She believes that including details such as cultural references from the era or products that were popular at the time helps evoke a sense of the decade for the reader. Diamant agreed, even suggesting that as soon as the reader spots one factual inaccuracy in the book, his faith in the author’s credibility is destroyed and he cannot continue to believe the narrative. However, she also warns against overloading a novel with detail, in which case she says her editor tells her, “Your research is showing.”

Another issue the two authors addressed was that of the role of Judaism in their novels. Gilmore spoke to the Jewish theme in Something Red, saying that the Jewish experience is innately tied to political radicalism, and so it only made sense for her protagonist to discover his inner radical while at Brandeis. On the other hand, Diamant discussed the difficulty of writing a novel relating to the Holocaust because of the inherent issues

of discussing such a deeply emotional, disturbing event, especially one which took place so recently in history. She felt it was an issue she could tackle because, as she says, “I never learned what the Holocaust was. I knew what it was, like a table or a chair.” But rather than trying to tell a Holocaust survivor’s story, Diamant specified that in her book she tells four fictional characters’ stories, to which she hopes the eader can relate. “Characters should be possible, probable ... inevitable,” as Diamant said.

Both novelists presented themselves articulately and intelligently. They provided insightful words of wisdom—enough to convince people to purchase their books, which were sold at the end of the panel.

The panel, which was split between talking about their latest novels and the creative writing process, proved a success. Although some of the questions addressed to them were challenging or critical, they put great thought into each response and answered quite knowledgeably. On a closing note, they even managed to bring some light-hearted humor into the discussion. When discussing the hardship of writing a novel about such recent history, Diamant admitted that Gilmore’s latest novel was set in a more recent time period than hers, implying that it would be harder to maintain a sense of realism due to reader’s recollections of having lived through the 1980s. However, she laughingly pointed out that Gilmore’s struggle was nothing compared to hers because “the Holocaust trumps everything.”

Director Chico Colvard’s film Family Affair documents his family’s attempts to come to terms with his abusive father. The film was selected for this year’s Sundance Film Festival and will also screen in Wasserman Cinematheque on Monday as part of the Sundeis Film Festival.

JustArts: How did you decide to pursue this topic?

Chico Colvard: I always thought that it was possible, but it wasn’t until my first year out of law school that I began pursuing this project before I knew I was actually pursuing a project. I really was setting up an interview by being a lawyer with a camera and taking an anthropological perspective. I could use this device, this medium, to capture what I was witnessing—my sisters coming together and almost immediately falling back into these roles of little girls and blaming each other for things that were happening to them when they were five and 10 years old. I thought that if somehow I could capture it in a way that would allow them to objectively see what I was witnessing, then it would have a healing effect and it would bring all of us closer together and on a path towards recovery.

JA: At what point did you see there was potential for a film, and when did you decide to turn it into the film that it is today?

CC: It’s such a gradual process; we are talking about the course of eight years. In some ways, it is easy to imagine that because the film is getting some attention and now has a life out there in the world that it was sort of inevitable and it was all by design. But it really is a very organic process, and taking it from the original stages and not planning to make a film to having it premiere at Sundance and acquired

by Oprah is quite a journey. It’s one edit at a time, one adviser at a time, one conversation at a time, one contract being negotiated at a time. It’s all of those things, and it’s about embracing the ambiguities and embracing the questions that [I] don’t really have answers to. Until Sundance came along, I wasn’t quite sure if this film was going to have a life out there in the world. I can now say that I can call myself a filmmaker.

JA: What was it like for you to revisit these difficult moments from both a personal level and as a filmmaker?

CC: A lot of parts of it are really terrifying, but there is a lot of humor in the film. I learned along the way that humor really is a key component of what constitutes survival and resilience. There definitely were some good times getting together with my sisters and hanging out, and I tried to capture that, but there were some real frightening moments as well: when I found myself hiding behind the camera, using it as a buffer between me and having to deal head-on with some really scary issues. Part of it was I initially kept thinking that I was afraid of the response, the reaction that I might get for asking a question or when certain memories would unfold, but in time I realized that it was more about asking the questions than whether my mother would open the door or my father lashing out, and that took some courage but was also really liberating.

JA: What message that your film incorporates do you hope to impart onto the Brandeis community?

CC: Well, the key message of the film has to do with ... the issue of betrayal.

This is a story about being betrayed by parents, the person that we as children bestow so much trust in, faith in, and look to for guidance to keep them safe.

When they breach that trust it’s the ultimate betrayal. These people now find themselves as students and/or adults complacent in some degree, shielding and cloaking this person in a veil of normalcy when there is nothing normal about the relationship at all and they feel like they are stuck in this charade. This film, at a minimum, gives people permission to be courageous and talk about their own issues and family crises.

—Bryan Flatt

20

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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THE JUSTICE

THEATER

Audience spellbound at Tymp’s ‘Bee’ ■ Tympanium Euphorium’s

production of the Broadway musical provided a charming return to grade school.

By HANNAH LEVINGER JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The spelling bee has never been funnier. Tympanium Euphorium’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a complete riot from start to finish. The plot is simple enough—six elementary school students from all over Putnam County gather in a gymnasium to battle for the title of County Spelling Champion—but the combination of a great script, hilarious acting, beautiful singing and superb directing made the show a phenomenon that should not have been missed.

Alex Davidson ’10 made his University Theatre Company directing debut with Spelling Bee. In his director’s note, he mentioned how important it is for him to have fun and excitement in theater, and he made that quite evident in his directing.

The production seemed effortless and well-rehearsed, making it a joy to watch.

The entire production fit together perfectly, and a good deal of that had to do with the skill of the musical direction. Mindy Cimini ’12 was both the musical director and the pianist for the show. The musicians were able to support the action onstage without ever detracting from it. The performance was clean and blended beautifully with the voices of the actors.

This was a highly talented cast of actors and singers. The actors were able to pass beyond acting and actually become the characters. All of the 20-or-so-year-old actors were completely believable as elementary school-aged children. In one case, it may have been slightly overdone: Julie Stein’s ’11 character had an overpowering lisp that made it difficult to understand her when she spoke, even though that may have been the intention. Nick Maletta’s ’13 song “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” was a stunning song with every note piercing the heart of the audience. Adam Levine ’11 sang about the embarrassment of having an uncontrollable erection in the

song “Chip’s Lament (My Unfortunate Erection).” He sang with realistic emotion and had everyone watching feeling his pain. I would say that the stand-out acting job of the performance was that of Jeremy Weinberg ’12. He played a homeschooled child named Leaf, and every single movement he made while onstage intensified the depth of his character.

One of the amazing aspects of the play was watching the actors change roles. Many of them played multiple and varied parts. Maletta and Weinberg slid seamlessly between playing their main roles and portraying two flamboyant gay men, while Levine made a brief appearance as Jesus.

This use of doubling, and the fact that it was done so well, made it obvious how talented the actors were. These abrupt appearances kept the audience perpetually on the edge of their seats.

Another great aspect of the play was the audience participation. Four members of the audience at every performance were pulled onto stage to participate as the additional spelling bee contestants. For the performance on Sunday at 2 p.m., the audience members were Prof. Harry Coiner (ECON), Carly Saada (a nineyear-old), Josh Basseches ’12 and Melanie Steinhardt ’13. The actors onstage were able to improvise around all of the audience members.

Herbie Rosen ’12, playing Vice Principal Douglas Panch, did a great job at making sassy comments off the cuff at Prof. Coiner, and economist jokes abounded.

The set on which the actors stood was simple yet evocative. Although sparse with only a set of bleachers, a judging table and a chair for the Comfort Counselor, it had the essential set pieces to make it clear that the play took place in a school gymnasium without adding visual distractions. In addition, there were little details on the walls of the auditorium that added to the elementary school ambience, like posters of art projects from a fourth grade class and juvenile science projects.

In my opinion, the play was a complete success. The directing of both actors and music coupled with an enthusiastic cast made every moment of the production a pleasure. I have rarely laughed that hard in my life, especially at something as trivial as a simple spelling bee.

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

LETTER LOVER: Julie Stein ’11 played Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere in ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.’

ART

Clashing identities connect in Klionsky’s art ■ Two Brandeis professors

discussed Marc Klionsky’s work, which explores Jewish experiences in Russia.

By REBECCA BLADY JUSTICE EDITOR

Julian Olidort ’11 coordinated a marvelous interdisciplinary presentation sponsored by the Brandeis Genesis Institute for Russian Jewry Sunday, April 18 titled “Painting the Face of Russian Jewry: The Art and Journey of Marc Klionsky.” The event featured his own grandfather, who created the mesmerizing, emotional paintings on display in Rapaporte Treasure Hall for the evening.

Klionsky’s presence in the room allowed for a wonderful degree of interaction between Olidort’s family and the Brandeis professors serving as presenters, giving the audience an insight into the affectionate relationship between Olidort and his grandfather, rooted in the dark history of the Holocaust yet strengthened by divine blessing and unswerving love.

With a beaming smile, Olidort, the evening’s master of ceremonies, began by introducing his grandfather, Marc Klionsky, who lived in Minsk, Belarus, at the time of World War II. Led by his father, Klionsky journeyed east with 200 fellow Jews and ended up alone in a city the Germans never reached. He found work

painting advertisements for movies and designing costumes for the theater and later studied at the National Academy of Fine Art in Leningrad, Russia. This, however, marked only the beginning of his career. The youngest artist ever exhibited at the Tretiakov National Gallery in Moscow, Klionsky painted works that reached exhibits throughout the Soviet Union, Europe, Israel, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand and became world-renowned for his portraits.

The event featured speakers Profs.

Antony Polonsky (NEJS) and Nancy Scott (FA). In an astoundingly rich address, Polonsky discussed the Russian-Jewish immigration experience.

When the Nazis invaded in 1941, nearly two million Soviet Jews began to immigrate to America and Palestine, bringing along experience in a socialist mindset. This set Russian Jews apart until the struggle for a Jewish state united Jews around the world. A cultural gap remains, Polonsky said, but Jews should focus on bridging it. “We are all part of Am Yisrael [the nation of Israel],” Polonsky concluded.

Scott gave a fascinating lecture about Klionsky’s art, drawing upon the extraordinary impact that the pain and difficulty of immigration tends to have on creative expression.

Scott focused on art created in the United States, as much of Klionsky’s work from his pre-New York era was lost or left behind in Europe. Among the most outstanding pieces presented was his 1975 surrealist paint-

ing Exodus, which displays a man’s face split in two with a woman’s body rising out, arms outstretched, with angel-like figures soaring out of her chest in a depiction of freedom of the unconscious mind. Scott also displayed Klionsky’s portrait of Golda Meir, painted on his first trip to Israel in 1976, and his 1995 portrait of Elie Wiesel, currently owned by Bar Ilan University in Israel.

“What am I? Am I Russian? Am I American? Am I a Jew?” Olidort asked as he reflected on what inspired him to organize the program.

“This, to me, was a chance to explore my personal identity through my personal background, and I thought my grandfather’s artwork would be an appropriate place to start.”

“There’s a special atmosphere here,” Klionsky told the Justice. “It’s nice because there is [a combination of] art and Jewish feeling.”

Klionsky’s wife, Irina, underscored the special role that Olidort’s family history plays in his life and the significance of the event to his family.

“He understood very well what’s going on in his grandmother’s and grandfather’s head. … It was very, very important to us that he did this.”

“It’s also very important for me to bring my grandfather to my generation, to let him see what is today’s youth and also the Russian Jewish youth, which had a very strong contingency here tonight,” Olidort said.

“So I was happy that he had that— and my grandma as well—to see where I am. I see where he’s coming from, and he sees where I’m going.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIAN OLIDORT

SPLIT SELF: Marc Klionsky’s 1975 painting “Exodus” was one of many shown at Sunday’s event, where Profs. Antony Polonsky (NEJS) and Nancy Scott (FA) spoke.

THE JUSTICE

Chorus concert serves up a soulful repertoire Chorus rousingly performed a range of genres, including gospel, soul and spiritual.

By ELLY KALFUS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

There usually aren’t any venues around Brandeis where you can go for some gospel music and a taste of early 19th-century R&B, or even some soul. However, that was not the case on April 17, when the Brandeis University Chorus put on a concert featuring poems and music from the Harlem Renaissance. In fact, the concert included a variety of songs and genres, from spirituals to Broadway show tunes to gospel.

With the entire University Chorus decked out in flowing black robes for the ladies and tuxedos for the men, Slosberg Recital Hall was transformed for a night into a combination church and jazz club with dimmed lights and a soothing feel.

Under the direction of Prof. James Olesen (MUS) and with fabulous piano accompanist Ben Cook, the Chorus shone as the music reached the audience’s ears.

The concert began with two rousing poems by James Weldon Johnson and Countee Cullen, performed

by Derek Strykowski ’10 and Kristina Birthisel ’13, respectively.

The performers recited their poems as if in response to one another and showed passion and emotion in their delivery. Following their poems, the entire chorus performed three rhythmic spirituals, with solos by sopranos Sarah Pace ’13 and Amelia Lavranchuk ’12. From the start, the spirituals felt full-bodied and strong, resonating through the auditorium with power. The piano accompaniment gave the songs a gospel-like feel combined with the image of the organ behind the singers, onstage. Sarah Pace sang beautifully in her solo, a call-andresponse section with the tenors and basses. The songs flowed so smoothly into one another that it was hard to differentiate between them, but the last song, “Holy Spirit, Don’t You Leave Me,” stood out because of the austere, religious quality the voices took on, and Lavranchuk’s high soprano solo provided a nice contrast to the hushed tones.

Each set of songs was prefaced by a selection of poems in order to provide a smooth segue from one genre to another, some with better results than others. The next series of poems, for instance, dealt with religion, and Emily Griffin’s ’10 dramatic performance of “The Creation-excerpt” provided a nice segue into three spiritual songs sung without piano accompaniment in a choir-like tone. The tenors and basses represented their sections beautifully in “My Lord, What a Morning,” singing out with more power than their numbers would suggest and engaging in a nice harmony with the sopranos and altos.

The two other spirituals, although performed well, felt too controlled, performed in a classical way; rather than allowing the singers to get into the groove of things, lacked feeling at times.

Fiona Lockyer ’13 reinvigorated the show with an emotional performance of Langston Hughes’ poem “Dream Variation,” leading into more jazzy songs representative of the Harlem Renaissance, such as “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” and “In a Sentimental Mood.” The second song, featuring the quartet of Katharine Pena ’12, Amy Englesberg ’12, Matt Lawrence ’10 and Matthew Cohen ’11, started quiet but then grew louder and more passionate as the entire Chorus joined in. The quartet brought feeling to the song by smiling and swaying to the rhythm, especially Englesberg.

After two poems about violence and hatred, Heller School for Social Policy and Management staff member Alexandra Rubington swept the stage with her rendition of “Summertime,” the famous jazz standard from the opera Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin. Gershwin composed the song in the 1930s in an attempt to create a spiritual in the style of African-American folk music. The effect is an operatic, high-pitched song that makes an emotional plea with the audience to continue believing. Rubington was a sight to behold as she showed such emotion while at the same time displaying her range and control of her voice, and the Chorus’ hushed support added to the song’s impact.

Although there were many wonderful performances, the highlight of the night was indisputably Nicholas A. Brown’s ’10 performance of “I Wasn’t Going to Tell Nobody,” the last song of the night.

Brown led the audience in clapping with the beat, an essential element to any good gospel song in my opinion, and expressed his emotions openly for all to see. The praise song sounded joyous and upbeat, and it became jazzier as it went on. Brown excelled in his singing, but it was his open exuberance and enthusiasm that took the song over the top, evoking big rounds of applause and ending the concert on a brilliant note.

The concert was a great mix of Harlem Renaissance poetry and songs with a good selection of both spiritual and jazzy music. Some songs didn’t capture the enthusiasm and spirit that their gospel nature intended, an artistic choice that resulted in perfect pronunciation but perhaps a bit too mechanical a performance. All in all, the show was a success, and my biggest complaint was the absence of the customary spread of food at the end of the show, a feature I have gotten used to and grown to expect from past concerts I have attended. However, the Chorus’ performance was terrific, and I walked away happy that most of my cravings had been satisfied.

Editor’s note: Fiona Lockyer is a Justice editorial assistant and Matt Lawrence is a Justice staff writer.

Passion Pit will headline SpringFest Students Events just released its lineup for SpringFest, which will take place on Sunday, May 2. The bands playing are Passion Pit, Chiddy Bang, Streetlight Manifesto and Man Man. Passion Pit is an electronic band from Cambridge, Massachusetts that formed in 2007. The band’s first major hit was “Sleepyhead,” which they released in 2008. In 2009, the band released its first full-length studio album, Manners.

Chiddy Bang signed a record deal in January and released its first single, “Opposite of Adults” in February. It sampled tracks by Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens and MGMT for its debut mixtape Swelly Express.

Streetlight Manifesto is a ska

band from New Jersey. It released its first album, Everything Goes Numb, in 2003. In summer 2009 the band went on the Warped Tour.

The band is collaborating on a multialbum cover songs project called 99 Songs of Revolution. The first volume in the series of albums came out in March.

Man Man is an experimental rock band from Philadelphia. The band is known for exuberant live performances in which band members often wear white outfits and war paint. In 2007, the band opened for Modest Mouse in several shows during a United States tour. The band released its third studio album, Rabbit Habits in 2008.

—Anya Bergman

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ASHER KRELL/the Justice

LADY IN RED: Michael Castellanos ’10 performs as Sasha LaBeija in his Lady Gaga-inspired act during this year’s Drag Show.

Drag Show gains momentum ■ Students poked fun at

gender norms in the annual drag show, which took place on Accepted Students Day.

By SUJIN SHIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

BRIEF

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

FIERCE TALENT

MUSIC

■ The Brandeis University

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As I sat in the Levin Ballroom waiting for the Drag Show to start, I didn’t know what to expect. Was it going to be some sort of drag fashion show? Would people be in drag and sing? Would there be a cappella groups in drag performing their songs? These questions ran through my head as I fidgeted in my seat, impatient and thinking about the mountain of homework and reading I had to complete afterward. Finally, the show started, and quite soon all thoughts of worrisome homework had slipped from my mind. The Drag Show was a raunchy and entertaining affair, shocking the whole audience into laughter more times than can be counted.

The show was hosted by a duo dressed in drag, Simon Zahn ’12 and Kaamila Mohamed ’11 (also known as Jessica and Derrell). There were four basic main acts that night: Derrell performed a rap song as Jessica danced with him; Jessica herself performed a solo lip-sync/dance to the song “Baby Got Front” by Jackie Beat, a parody of the famous song

“Baby Got Back” by Sir Mixalot; and finally, a group of girls dressed in drag performed a couple of songs, “If You’re Into It” (Mary Dunn ’12, Rachael Pass ’13, Leah Pearlstein ’12 and Aviva Paiste ’13), and “Business Time” (Paiste, Halee Brown ’13 and Mariah Henderson ’12) by the comedy folk duo The Flight of the Conchords from New Zealand. Every show had a “wow” aspect to it; the very fact that the performers were doing all of these sexual things onstage in drag was making me laugh and giggle nervously, but each act had a unique shocking factor. I commended their bravery, but to me one act stood out as the most impressive.

Michael Castellanos ’10, hereafter Sasha LaBeija, performed four songs by arguably the biggest and most popular pop star of the day, Lady Gaga. Incorporating some sound clips and the plotline of the hit movie series Kill Bill by the eccentric Quentin Tarantino, Sasha created a fluid connection between the two very different media of pop songs and hit films. I had some time to talk to her about the show.

JustArts: How did you think of what to perform? What did you do to come up with it?

Sasha LaBeija: I mean, I just like coming up with stories. So essentially, I knew that I wanted to do Lady Gaga because she’s kind of the hottest pop star out there right now.

Doing her would essentially allow me to do anything I wanted because

she’s so crazy.

JA: How did the Drag Show become a tradition for first-years? Do you think that some first-years might have been a bit shocked by the show?

SL: Not at all. I mean, I think it’s a great facet of the Brandeis community. It’s funny because it was so well attended, but I don’t think many people even know about it. I think there’s a sense of fun and a little bit of joust, joust in a sense of making fun of the fact that we’re having people come to see Brandeis, and an aspect of Brandeis that is not necessarily highlighted all the time.

And also, it’s just a fun show. So even if it’s a little off the beaten path, it’s still a nice, welcoming, warm environment and just a fun thing for them to see. And I think it’s been a tradition since before I got here.

JA: Was there something you wanted to tell people in the audience?

SL: I mean, I don’t think there is something inherently that I want to say or I want to prove, but I think that for one, I want people to come and have a good time. As a performer, that’s one of my main goals.

But also maybe, in a subtle way I guess, a message of acceptance, as hokey as that sounds, not to judge a book by its cover and not to take everything at face value.

Be sure to catch Sasha again at the Culture X show, where she will close the first act with a special original performance.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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THE JUSTICE

OFF CAMPUS FOOD

INVOLVED VOCALISTS

Rialto is good news for Harvard Square ■ Italian restaurant Rialto in

Harvard Square offers many sophisticated menu items and marvelous service.

By WEI-HUAN CHEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOX PRESSROOM

READY FOR A REUNION?: Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) experienced a number of abrupt changes to their relationship over the course of last week’s episode of ‘Glee,’ the first new installment in approximately four months.

‘Glee’ gets awaited return ■ A new episode of Fox’s

popular musical comedy aired after the show’s long midseason hiatus ended, providing new twists for its beloved characters.

By JULIA JERUSALMI JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

“Twelve more minutes!” It was a Tuesday night, and the countdown was on. As my friends and I piled into a crowded room to watch Fox’s hit musical comedy Glee , I imagined Gleeks around the world similarly waiting in excited anticipation after what had been a grueling four-month-long hiatus.

With its catchy songs, new romances and hysterical one-liners, Glee didn’t disappoint.

The episode kicked off with Rachel, Kurt and Mercedes striding through the halls sure of their rising social status after winning sectionals. However, after getting “slushied” moments later, it’s clear they aren’t as cool as they hoped.

Though fans may have been expecting drastic new plot twists to make up for the show’s long absence, not much has changed. Sue is reinstated as head Cheerio coach after blackmailing Principal Figgins by giving him roofies (only Sue Sylvester can make a drug that’s normally used for date rape hilarious); the glee club is still lame; and Sue still can’t stand Mr. Schuster’s hair (“Hey, buddy. Get a haircut? It looks awful”). Most importantly, after trying to overcome previous unsuccessful attempts at relationships, teachers Emma and Will and students Rachel and Finn

still aren’t together.

Though the relationships may have wilted as fast as they bloomed, have no fear, Gleeks: new love is on the horizon. After Rachel scares Finn away with her desperation and her cat calendar, she finds new love with dreamy Vocal Adrenaline star Jesse (played by former Spring Awakening cast member Jonathan Groff).

Though he may not be as adorably goonish as Finn, Jesse holds his own with his confident charm, wavy brown locks and powerful voice. When the glee club finds out that Rachel is dating the lead singer of their rival school, they become furious and insist that they’ll all quit unless she breaks up with him. Sue, hearing about this from her loyal cheerleader minions Savannah and Brittany, seizes the opportunity to take down the glee club and organizes an “Old Maids” club to scare Rachel into staying with Jesse. Not only does this gathering have Rachel running back into Jesse’s arms, it also allows Sue to do what she does best—whip out hysterical one-liners that are so malicious and inappropriate, all you can do is laugh.

Meanwhile, Santana and Brittany set their sights on Finn, and during their triple (yes, triple) date, they emerge as two of the funniest characters in the episode with lines like “Did you know that dolphins are just gay sharks?”

After his disastrous date Finn decides he wants Rachel back, but thankfully Rachel’s not having it.

It was great to finally see Rachel say no to Finn, and even though Jesse may not be the ideal boyfriend (Is he just using her to take down the glee club, or does he really like her?!), maybe a new crush is just the thing she needs to

tone down her desperation.

Idina Menzel makes a fabulous guest appearance as Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby Corcoran, and after a heated make-out session with Will, she ironically helps him realize that what he really needs is a break from women. At this point of the episode I literally had to hold myself back from shouting “DUH!” to the television. Of course Will needs to take a break from women.

He started a relationship with Emma practically days after he found out that his wife was lying to him about carrying his non existent child. Dude needs a breather.

Though Will has a lot of drama going on in his life, he manages to pull himself together and encourages the kids to say “Hello” to what will be a new and improved glee club.

This prompted many “Hello”— themed songs such as the Doors’ “Hello, I Love You,” sung by Finn; Lionel Richie’s “Hello,” sung as a duet by Rachel and Jesse; and lastly, the Beatles’ famous “Hello Goodbye,” sung by the entire Glee cast. Though all of the songs were great, my personal favorite was Rachel’s rendition of the classic break-up song “Gives You Hell” by the All-American Rejects. Her pitch-perfect voice and sassy attitude gave the song a whole new level of spunk.

The episode ended with plenty of cliffhangers to ensure that people will tune in next week (like that’s really necessary). Are Rachel and Finn going to get back together? Is Jesse really trying to take down the glee club? Will Mr. Schuster keep it in his pants for five minutes? All of these questions and more will be answered in next week’s sure to be epic Madonna-themed episode.

Gleeks … get excited. It’s officially back and better than ever.

To celebrate the end of Restaurant Week 2010, a couple of friends and I went to Rialto, a sophisticated Italian restaurant located in the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square.

The restaurant shares its space at the stylish hotel with other attractions such as the famous jazz club Regattabar; the restaurant Henrietta’s Table, famous for its organic and local offerings; and Noir, a chic 1940s-themed bar.

Entering the Charles Hotel, we immediately sensed an air of elegance that set it apart from the more college-oriented restaurants around Cambridge.

There are several things that separate Rialto from other high-end Italian restaurants. First, while it’s definitely ritzy, the environment is much louder and friendlier than you’d expect, and both the bar and the restaurant sections are marked by a good amount of chatter and laughter. Second, the bread is to be eaten on the tablecloth instead of a separate bread plate (a French custom) and is served with olive oil (which was garnished with rosemary) and sea salt. Third, there is an external section of the kitchen placed among the tables, where the chefs can be seen preparing the cold dishes. I watched one chef use a cutter to produce thin slices of prosciutto while preparing Parmesan cheese and pickled beets for one of the appetizers, finishing the plate off with some candied walnuts and placing it on the counter for the servers to carry away.

Besides giving diners a chance to see the chefs at work, the kitchen island also allows servers to pick up non-entrée dishes without walking into the kitchen, saving them valuable time.

During Restaurant Week this year, dinners at all participating restaurants cost $33.10 without tax or gratuity (the total at Rialto came to be around $42 per person) and consisted of three courses. The first course had lighter items such a soup or salad, while the second boasted a selection of five mouth-watering entrées, after which there was a choice of three types of dessert. What I ended up ordering was heirloom bean soup for the first course, arctic char for the second and tangelo citrus sorbet for dessert.

The creamy and richly flavored heirloom bean soup impressed me right away, although I would have preferred the dish to be warmer.

The spring onions topped the soup

excellently, while the carrots provided a good contrast in texture. My dining partners enjoyed a variety of other light dishes, such as risotto with asparagus and the prosciutto appetizer plate I mentioned seeing the chef prepare.

In between the first and second courses, our waiter refilled our bread and water frequently. Seeing that I was taking notes, he kindly offered to give me a copy of the menu, which was an unexpected but considerate gesture. By the time the entrées arrived, our group of six had already had our bread refilled twice, a testament to the restaurant’s delicious bread and prompt service.

The arctic char, which is similar to salmon, was stunning. My friend described it as the best fish he had ever had, and I could hardly argue that the tender meat and salty, oily skin of the char wasn’t amazing.

The dish was served with pea sauce, pea tendrils, mushrooms and pine nuts, which complemented the fish perfectly in taste and texture. Another friend described his herbstuffed pork loin with asparagus and polenta as scrumptious.

The desserts, which followed quickly after we finished our second course, varied in richness. Those who ordered the chocolate espresso torta said the cake was extremely rich even without the cream, while my tangelo citrus sorbet was cold, light and refreshing. It tasted like real fruit and went great with the chocolate wafer and sauce.

As an overall experience, Rialto is unbeatable. Our waiter was patient, prompt and very friendly. Before he took our orders, he asked if we had any questions, without being rude in noticing that it was clearly our first time at the place.

He explained to us what risotto (slow cooked rice dish with broth and cheese) and semifreddo (ice cream or gelato) were and gave us a clear idea on how the dishes were prepared and how they would taste.

When one of my dining partners had water spilled onto her arctic char, he immediately noticed the situation and offered a re-plate. Her dish was replaced in less than five minutes.

The décor in Rialto gives the restaurant a calm and sophisticated ambience. White curtains and beige circular sofa seats around the tables give the place a classy yet unpretentious feel, while the window walls provide a beautiful view of Harvard Square. The restaurant was seated to a full house on Friday night, accommodating well over 100 sociable and well-dressed customers.

Although Rialto is not the typical choice for a college student, the food and experience is worth the onetime splurge. Make sure to call the restaurant in advance for a reservation, and be prepared for spend upwards of $50 for a many-course dinner.

Planning an arts event on campus?

Get it covered in justArts!

E-mail Sarah Bayer at artseditors@yahoo.com

THE JUSTICE

NICE NASH

By WEI-HUAN CHEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

SANG TAN/The Associated Press

KATE INNOVATES: Songstress Kate Nash revealed new musical influences on her latest album, ‘My Best Friend Is You.’

‘Best Friend’ brings benefits STERN POP MUSE

With My Best Friend Is You , it seems Kate Nash has decided to shy far, far away from the sweetly sung, Lily Allen-tinged ditties on her debut. Well, actually, there’s nothing too shy about it.

The 22-year-old’s effort, released on April 19, finds the English songstress dabbling in the territory of defiant riot grrrl rawrrr, complete with crashing drums, jagged guitar squeals and experimental, layered song construction.

Take, for instance, “I Just Love You More,” a slow-burning, building repetition of the same line: “I just love you more than … anything.” As the cymbals crash and dive deeper with each repetition, the singer slowly spirals into jittering cries and guttural yelps recalling the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O until she completely breaks down, unleashing wild cries of “Bah, bah, bah, bah, dah, dah, bah, bah!” It’s a briefly amazing moment—and, more importantly, an introduction to an entirely new side of Nash we’ve never heard before.

That’s not to say that there isn’t

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Regattabar hosts Holland’s quintet Holland Quintet confirmed their status as masters of jazz at Regattabar in Boston.

any trace of the sound that brought Nash her initial acclaim with 2007’s Made of Bricks. With songs like the catchy first track, “Paris,” and the album’s lead single, “Do Wah Doo,” Nash’s album blazes with the sunny piano melodies, hand claps and blaring horns that colored her first album.

Later on, with “I Hate Seagulls,” Nash closes her album in the same way she did her debut: a simple, melodious tune—occasionally silly and entirely heartfelt—which finds the singer cooing softly about all the things she hates (among them scabs and “rude, ignorant bastards”) but ultimately returning to the one thing she likes: “You’re so nice, and I’m in love with you.”

For the most part, however, Nash isn’t so sentimental on My Best Friend Is You. In fact, she’s as scathingly to-the-point and jealous as ever: “Kiss that girl and I will shrink up and I will die / And I will think of a thousand ways that I can hurt you, and you will never touch my hand,” she promises in the misleadingly sweet, twinkling chorus of “Kiss That Grrrl.”

While the singer’s musical influences may have matured in the past three years from Lily Allen to Bikini Kill, her lyrics still paint her as a young spirit—at times immature and often emotional— though now with more anger and

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

MUSIC

■ The musicians of the Dave

Brad

●

angst than ever before. Give “Mansion Song” 30 seconds and see if your eyes don’t nearly pop out of their sockets as Nash recites a caustic, damning monologue about women who allow themselves to be used. It’s a must-listen, but be warned—she’s pissed.

Then there’s “Don’t You Want To Share The Guilt,” which begins simply enough with a lonely guitar strum and some twinkling bells, the tempo building slowly as Nash narrates a sad, broken love story.

“I don’t know how more people don’t have mental health problems / Thinking is one of the most stressful things I’ve ever come across,” she suddenly begins to utter above the swinging beat, diving deeper and deeper into a rapidfire monologue about life. And dictionaries. And India and pyramids and swimming and shouting.

It’s dizzying but brilliant at the same time, a perfect representation of the very manic thoughts Nash claims she cannot control.

Nash’s newest release is for fans of riot grrrl sound and ’60s girlgroup pop (and quite the treat for fans of both). While I can’t guarantee that fans of her first record will take to My Best Friend Is You quite as kindly, there’s just enough of a hint of sugary sweet sprinkled in between the raging rawrrr of the album to please listeners of all types.

There’s a certain difficulty that arises when describing the experience of seeing great live jazz. Call it the “vibe,” the overall time-feel or some type of spiritual connection that the players make with each other when improvising. However you put it, there is an emotional, transcendental element of live jazz that can hardly be expressed in words.

A few words do come to mind, however, when I think of the Dave Holland Quintet’s performance last Friday at the Regattabar in Cambridge—words like startling, raw, innovative and dense. The moment the quintet came on stage, I instantly sensed the “vibe.” I felt this before they played any notes, when they had just picked up their instruments. Even when they were just warming up, the musicians handled their instruments like they were extra arms. It’s not every day I see people play horns who have spent the majority their lives acquainting themselves with them. Dave Holland, especially, manipulated his bass with a type of energy and wisdom that I had never seen before.

Holland was the bassist for Miles Davis in the trumpeter’s Bitches Brew era and has continued to rise in prominence in modern jazz fusion. He has played with an assortment of other big names in jazz, including Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Pat Metheny, Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock over the course of his five-decade career.

The Dave Holland Quintet, which consists of Holland, trombonist Robin Eubanks, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, drummer Nate Smith and tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, played a total of four sets last weekend, with 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday.

I caught the late set on Friday, and the venue was packed. The environment was sophisticated and friendly, and I could tell that everyone present had a deep respect for each member of the quintet. Rather than rows of seats, the Regattabar seats listeners at tables of four, so people may engage in casual conversation with each other or order food and drinks.

My friend and I sat near the front right next to Nelson’s vibraphones.

We soon realized that we had some of the best seats as we could carefully observe Nelson’s playing.

While accompanying other soloists, he’d use three or four mallets, but he would switch to two for his virtuosic solos. During one of his improvisations, he played so furiously that I felt like the mallets were flying out toward me. Every hit of the vibraphone was precise, yet unexpected enough in timing to keep the rhythm exciting.

The entire quintet was, in fact, characterized by this sense of rhythm that was simultaneously rock-solid and syncopated, which kept me on the edge of my seat. This is due in part to Holland’s love for odd meters and polyrhythmic figures. I lost track of the downbeat often if I did not count carefully, but Smith’s spectacular drumming and Holland’s ingenious bass lines kept my foot tapping. Eubanks gave an especially stellar solo in “Secret Garden” that demonstrated the group’s mastery of irregular rhythms, emphasizing select offbeats and creating an alternate groove within his solo.

The other horn player, Chris Potter, is an entirely different story. My friend referred to him as “John Coltrane on crack,” but his style is completely his own. I could see Coltrane’s “sheets of sound” quality in many of Potter’s ridiculously fast improvisations, but he uses a variety of other techniques that create excitement. The quintet ended the set with “Vicissitudes,” one of Potter’s compositions in which the saxophonist demonstrated a type of modern ferocity that was never found in jazz during Coltrane’s time.

He is, in my opinion, one of the best current jazz saxophonists in the world, a view shared by many others.

It wasn’t a specific solo or segment of the concert, however, that left me feeling dazed after seeing the Dave Holland Quintet. I do recall a few moments that stood out, such as when Dave Holland broke into a sizzling groove during one of his solos, but it was the combination of astounding rhythm and improvisation from each player that, to put it plainly, blew my mind.

Those who don’t usually listen to groups like the Dave Holland Quintet are missing out on a thrilling and constantly evolving form of music.

The modern jazz scene in Boston and Cambridge is huge. The Regattabar, which is located in the Charles Hotel at 1 Bennett St in Cambridge, features at least four shows a week, and tickets are generally only around $20. Next week begins the annual Jazz Week, when Boston will host tons of jazz artists from around the area from April 23 through May 2.

Performance schedules and more information can be found at www.jazzboston.org.

COMEDY

‘Daily Show’ producer Rory Albanese breaks into stand-up ■ Executive producer of ‘The

Daily Show’ Rory Albanese premiered his hilarious first stand-up special April 2.

By BRYAN FLATT JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Want to interview someone interesting? It was a few weeks ago when I was asked that question, and on a whim I said, “Of course.” Then, sitting at my desk, computer open, phone to my ear, I found myself in an open phone interview with a man whose name may not be the most known but whose work is watched by millions nightly. His name is Rory Albanese, and his claim to fame is his role as executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Now, many of you are probably wondering, as I did, “If he has such a big role in making The Daily Show, why would his name not be readily known?” It’s because he, along with just over 100 other em-

ployees whom viewers rarely see or hear, works from behind the scenes to make sure the show runs smoothly every single day it airs.

Usually a background player, Rory is getting his own personal comedy out to the public in the form of a 30-minute comedy special, his first televised stand-up act, which premiered April 2 on Comedy Central. The interview took place before his special aired, and I could instantly tell that he is very funny just from our short conversation. Between making fun of me for being Canadian and sharing his the secret to being funny on a bad day (cocaine and hookers), he imparted many anecdotes from his more than 10 years in the business: tales of growing up wanting to be a comedian and getting rough starts by bombing, bombing and bombing again before finding the recipe for success.

“I always knew I wanted to be a comedian since I was a kid,” Rory said, “I used to sit around in class making jokes, and when I found out that you could actually get paid to sit around and write jokes, there was no stop-

ping me. The only other profession I would think of being is the world’s greatest action star. A piece of advice for the future: If you set your back-up goals to be unattainable, you can’t help but achieve what you set out to do.”

While it sounds like the American dream job, like all things in life, comedy also takes some work. Once he got into comedy, Albanese realized that failure comes at you hard and fast and the only way to overcome it is to “just get up and do it. It’s never hard to try it and when you get older and have a little patience under your belt you might just succeed. It took me five to six years at The Daily Show of doing jobs that weren’t funny and creative, but if you do things well and stick to it you can go somewhere.”

With a successful job, he has won four Emmy awards during his time with The Daily Show. So why did he choose to pursue stand-up comedy?

“I love my job and I am in a good position, so stand-up is an outlet for things I want to say that I can approach from my point of view with

my voice. … It gives me an outlet to express my own stuff. It’s an exercise in staying sane for me [but] without having to hide behind the guarantee that Jon [Stewart] will take the idea and make it work.”

His work on The Daily Show is much different from his stand-up.

On the show, he and all the other writers have a daily meeting with Stewart in which funny ideas are drawn upon, with funny faces and sound bytes added later until the final product we see every night is shown. With Albanese’s own standup, even after 10 years of experience, you need to publicly fail to sculpt material into a solid set.

He recounts, “I did a show with Lewis Black at a club in New Jersey, and … [it] was the longest seven minutes of my life. Needless to say, I really bombed. After my set ended, I went backstage ready to apologize to Lewis and he was just sitting there laughing as hard as he could. I was like, ‘What are you laughing at? I just bombed out there!’ He said to me, ‘I know. You were supposed to.’

You are good at comedy when you

can go out and bomb a set and not really care because it is taken as a learning experience. If you bomb and still want to do stand-up, you have the disease. … It makes standup exciting. I went back to the club to face the toughest audience I ever had again before my special, and they really enjoyed it. That was how I knew I had something good.”

After seeing his special on Comedy Central, I realized how correct he was. The whole set was hilarious, with jokes ranging from American superiority to growing up on Long Island and the shame of never being a true New Yorker (but always feeling enough satisfaction that he isn’t from New Jersey). The first step in going from contributor to star is getting yourself out there, and if the special is any indication of what is to come, Albanese doesn’t have much to worry about—except for a group of angry Canadian, British and New Jersey natives throwing trash at his head. At the end of the day, it’s all fun and games, and as he said, “It’s comedy: The first step is to not take yourself too seriously.”

24

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

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THE JUSTICE

TOP of the

ARTS ON VIEW

TRIVIA TIME 1. The country of Belize is located in what part of the world?

2. In what country did the 1960 Sharpeville massacre occur?

3. In what city and state did poet Emily Dickinson live almost her entire life?

4. What part of the body does Bell’s palsy affect?

5. A strong, cool wind called the Mistral is associated with which country?

6. Which character on The Addams Family spoke the catchphrase “you rang?”

7. Which play’s title character was nicknamed “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”?

8. In the Disney movie Aladdin, how long was the genie inside the lamp before Aladdin released him?

CHARTS Top 10s for the week ending April 20 BOX OFFICE 1. How to Train Your Dragon 2. Kick-Ass 3. Date Night 4. Death at a Funeral 5. Clash of the Titans 6. The Last Song 7. Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? 8. Hot Tub Time Machine 9. Alice in Wonderland 10. The Bounty Hunter

WBRS

ARI TRETIN/the Justice

SHOE SHUFFLE: This pencil drawing, titled “Paint Puddles,” depicts illustrator Ari Tretin’s passion for all varieties of design. He has started a business painting sneakers, and he creates works of art on commission to hang on Brandeis students’ walls in their dorm rooms.

1. Central America 2. South Africa 3. Amherst, Mass.

4. The face 5. France 6. Lurch 7. Sweeney Todd 8. 10,000 years ANSWERS

CROSSWORD

SHOWTIMES 4/23 - 4/29 Kick-Ass Fri-Sun 1:10, 3:50, 6:50, 9:25 Mon-Thurs 2:10, 4:50, 7:50 The Runaways Fri-Sun 1:20, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30 Mon-Thurs 2:20, 5:00, 8:00 Clash of the Titans in 2D Fri-Sun 1:40, 4:20, 7:20, 9:40 Mon-Thurs 2:40, 5:00, 7:30 Greenberg Fri-Sun 1:30, 4:10, 7:10, 9:35 Mon-Thurs 2:30, 5:10, 8:10 The Ghost Writer Fri-Sun 1:00, 3:40, 6:30, 9:20 Mon-Thurs 2:00, 4:50, 7:40 Date Night Fri-Sun 1:50, 4:30, 6:40, 9:15 Mon-Thurs 2:50, 5:10, 8:20

The Embassy is located at 18 Pine Street in Waltham

ACROSS 1. Elevator man 5. Playground game 8. Uncertain 12. Rid of rind 13. Inseparable 14. Exposed 15. Egress 16. Atmosphere 17. Pedestal occupant 18. Drop from the will 20. Computer-to-phone links 22. Nourished 23. Nov. follower 24. Musical phrase 27. Pollution filter of a sort 32. Greek H 33. Vitamin stat 34. Fish eggs 35. MySpace rival 38. Without acting 39. Mess up 40. Type measures 42. Prophet whose donkey scolded him 45. Awkwardly stiff 49. Cowheaded goddess 50. Lawyers’ org.

52. Nibble 53. Biography 54. Solidify 55. Faris of Scary Movie 56. Back muscles, briefly 57. Squid squirt 58. Authentic DOWN 1. Newspaper page 2. Cab 3. Camera part 4. Ignite 5. Bidirectional 6. Blackbird 7. Bacterium 8. In the same place (Lat.) 9. Jack, e.g.

10. Gift-tag word 11. Longings 19. Lindbergh book

1. Ted Leo and The Pharmacists – “Ativan Eyes” 2. Yeasayer – “Ambling Alp” 3. Josiah Wolf – “Master Cleanse (California)” 4. The Radio Dept. – “Heaven’s On Fire” 5. Dum Dum Girls – “It Only Takes One Night” 6. Jonsi – “Go Do” 7. Beach House – “10 Mile Stereo” 8. Portugal. the Man – “Fantastic Pace” 9. Crystal Castles – “Celestica” 10. Twin Tigers – “Red Fox Run”

COLLEGE RADIO 1. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach 2. Broken Bells – Broken Bells 3. Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me 4. Hot Chip – One Life Stand 5. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor 6. Yeasayer – ODD BLOOD 7. Liars – Sisterworld 8. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks 9. Beach House – Teen Dream 10. Spoon – Transference

BILLBOARD

21. Praise in verse 24. Ump 25. Call — day 26. Nip/Tuck offering 28. Commotion 29. One-sided contest 30. Fa-la connector 31. Crucial 36. Obliterates 37. Support provider 38. Weather-map line 41. Criminal’s procedure (Abbr.)

42. Check 43. One side of the Urals 44. Creche trio 46. Eat in style 47. Sicilian spouter 48. Actress Patricia 51. Stiller or Stein

1. Justin Bieber – My World 2.0 2. Usher – Raymond V Raymond 3. Slash – Slash 4. Lady Antebellum – Need You Now 5. Various Artists – NOW 33 6. Monica – Still Standing 7. Lady Gaga – The Fame 8. Justin Bieber – My World (EP) 9. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah: Part Two: Return of the Ankh 10. Madonna – Sticky and Sweet Tour Album information provided by Billboard Magazine. Box office information provided by Yahoo! Movies. Radio charts provided by CMJ.

STAFF PLAYLIST

“Beyond Belief”

By FIONA LOCKYER

Solution to last issue’s crossword.

King Crossword Copyright 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

STRANGE BUT TRUE ■ It was beloved American comedian and actor Bob Hope who made the following sage observation: “People who throw kisses are hopelessly lazy.”

five other states. Long Island, New York even had designs on statehood at one time.

■ In the 19th century, ice accounted for more shipping than any other commodity except cotton.

■ Next time you’re in Tinseltown, remember that it is unlawful to herd more than 3,000 sheep at a time down Hollywood Boulevard.

■ In the naming of American states, there are quite a few that never quite made it. It’s interesting to speculate about the possibilities, though. For instance, if you currently reside in the state of Kentucky or parts of Tennessee, but for the whimsy of fate you could have been a Transylvanian. Some people once wanted to take parts of Texas and Oklahoma to create the great state of Texlahoma (perhaps displaying a slight lack of imagination). When the Mormon church settled out west, Brigham Young petitioned to have the state of Deseret created, and the land he suggested make up the state included present-day Utah, almost all of Nevada and Arizona, a sizable chunk of California and bits of

■ William Howard Taft, the 18th president of the United States, was a large man. Quite a large man. In fact, he was so large that his 300-pound bulk once got stuck in a White House bathtub, and he had to summon help to extricate himself.

■ The French town of Versailles was originally built solely to house the staff of the extravagant palace there.

Thought for the Day: “The telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat.

The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful.” —Kurt Vonnegut

JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Sometimes one song can inspire an entire playlist.

Elvis C o s t e l l o ’ s “Beyond Belief,” from his 1982 album Imperial Bedroom, is the inspiration for this week’s playlist. The tune, which features a prominent bass line, thought-provoking lyrics and a memorable chorus, is the perfect song to lend itself to a playlist.

THE LIST 1. Elvis Costello and the Attractions – “Beyond Belief” 2. Rilo Kiley– “Give a Little Love” 3. Phoenix – “Lost and Found” 4. Murder By Death – “Masters in Reverse Psychology” 5. Paper Rival – “The Family Ghost” 6. Steely Dan – “Bad Sneakers” 7. Death From Above 1979 – “Romantic Rights” 8. Led Zeppelin – “Ramble On” 9. … And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – “How Near How Far” 10. Grizzly Bear – “Southern Point”