The Justice, March 15, 2011 issue

ARTS Page 23

FORUM Free speech rights 12

‘PAUL’ & PALS

SPORTS Selig named All-American 16 The Independent Student Newspaper

the

of

B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9

Justice

Volume LXIII, Number 22

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

ACADEMICS

A THOUGHTFUL MONOLOGUE

Faculty votes to modify the pass/fail rules ■ The new policy requires

that P grades be a C- and above, but one pass/fail can now be used for a core requirement.

By TYLER BELANGA JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Beginning in the fall 2011 semester, undergraduates will be able to take certain University-required courses pass/fail, according to Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe. The proposal, which was approved at the March 10 faculty meeting, will allow students to take classes that satisfy non-Western, quantitative reasoning and school distribution requirements to cover their final grade with a P if so desired.

According to the motion ap-

proved at the March 10 faculty meeting, students will not be able to fulfill the oral communication and writing intensive requirements. They also will not be able to fulfill the University Writing Seminar or the final semester of the language requirement with a class whose grade is covered with a P under the new pass/fail program.

In an interview with the Justice, Jaffe said that many students have recently voiced their desire to change the current policy and to allow a university requirement to be taken pass/fail. According to Jaffe, many faculty members felt that it would encourage students to be more exploratory and take bigger risks in terms of what classes they chose, particularly for their distribution requirements. There was also some concern on the part of

Waltham, Mass.

HILARY HEYISON/the Justice

‘The Vagina Monologues’ The women of the Vagina Club performed solo and group performance art pieces which featured various female sexual experiences, varying from the humorous to the serious.

See Arts, p. 19.

See PASS/FAIL, 5 ☛

campus life

ADMINISTRATION

Committee forms to find new dean

■ A committee of five

professors and one student will search to replace Jaffe after 8 years in his position.

By ERICA COOPERBURG JUSTICE contributing WRITER

According to a March 8 campuswide e-mail from Provost Marty Krauss, a search committee for the next dean of Arts and Sciences has been formed and will begin the process of searching for someone to take over the position shortly.

The committee will be looking for a successor for the current Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe. Having served in the position for a 5-year term, which was

then renewed for an additional 3 years, Jaffe believes that it is “time to get someone new with fresh ideas.”

Krauss wrote in her campuswide e-mail that the committee consists of nine members, primarily faculty and administrators: Profs. Robin Feuer Miller (GRALL), Peter Conrad (SOC), Sarah Lamb (ANTH), Eve Marder (NPSY), Charles McClendon (FA), Dean of Career Services at the Hiatt Career Center Joseph Du Pont, Assistant Vice President of the Office of Budget and Planning Kris McKeigue and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Ph.D. candidate Daniel Schwartz. One undergraduate, Gabrielle Kaplan ’13, is

See SEARCH, 5 ☛

Hillel votes against JVP inclusion ■ Jewish Voice for Peace

will not be recognized under the Hillel umbrella of Jewish groups on campus.

By sara dejene JUSTICE editorial assistant

The Brandeis Hillel has decided not to include the Brandeis chapter of the Jewish Voice for Peace as a member group under its umbrella, according to a March 9 JVP press release.

According to the Executive Director of Hillel Brandeis Larry Sternberg in an interview with the Justice, the Hillel Brandeis 11- member student board found that JVP’s overall views on Israel conflicted with their own.

In an interview with the Justice, Brandeis Hillel President Andrea Wexler ’11 said that Hillel supports Israel being a “Jewish, democratic state with definable borders.” When asked how JVP’s views on Israel differed from those of Hillel’s, Stern-

berg said that JVP members expressed that they believe that Israel should be a democratic state with Jewish values.

In an e-mail to the Justice, Behrendt wrote “JVP supports Israel’s right to security, sovereignty, and self-determination, and to remain a democratic state based on Jewish values.”

According to its website, the JVP is a national Jewish activist organization that supports peace between Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East.

Wexler said that before making the decision, the student board reviewed the JVP’s constitution and past activities and consulted guidelines set forth by the international Hillel organization, which can be found on its website.

According to the JVP press release, the group was denied Hillel membership as a group because of its support of boycotts of Israeli goods produced in settlements in the West Bank. The settlements, according to co-founder of JVP Liza Behrendt ’11, are a violation of international law which the

See JVP, 5 ☛

Welcome to Edinburgh

Sweet Florida swing

Japan response

Claire Arkin ’12 finds unique character in Edinburgh, Scotland.

 The baseball and softball teams left Florida last week with four wins apiece.

 University resources reach out to students after the natural disaster last week.

FEATURES 9 For tips or info call (781) 736-6397

JVP refuses to support by consuming goods made there.

According to the guidelines on the International Hillel’s website, Hillel does not partner with groups that “[support] boycott of, divestment from, or sanctions against the State of Israel.”

In a phone interview with the Justice, Jeff Rubin, associate vice president of communications at the global Hillel organization, said that any boycott of Israeli products is considered anti-Israel, regardless of where in Israel the products are made.

In a follow-up e-mail to the Justice, Rubin said that the JVP “falls outside of [international Hillel] guidelines for acceptable partners.”

Behrendt said that she was “disappointed” with Hillel’s decision to not accept the JVP as a member group.

“This was an excellent opportunity for dialogue and growth,” said Behrendt. “[The decision] was a real letdown.”

Behrendt added in a follow-up email that she believes that the guide-

Let your voice be heard!

Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org

INDEX

SPORTS 16 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 7

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

COMMENTARY

11

News 3 COPYRIGHT 2011 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Email managing@thejustice.org for home delivery.

2

TUESDAY, March 15, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS POLICE LOG

SENATE LOG

Union solicits housing concerns Student Union Secretary Herbie Rosen ’12 reported to the Senate that he is working on a committee to help organize the Inaugural Ball that will be held on Saturday April 2 at 8:30 p.m.

Rosen added that the Student Union is organizing a table in the Shapiro Campus Center where students can voice their opinions about the housing lottery system.

Students will be able to record themselves or type their thoughts about the housing system today from 3 to 8 p.m. The Student Union will then compile the student responses and relay them to the administration.

Director of Communications Andrea Ortega ’13 reported that the Student Union has a new website administrator, and the Student Union website has been redesigned.

The Student Union will also release a new newsletter featuring Student Union projects and events.

A Senator said that the Village Provisions On Demand Market is scheduled to open March 28.

Senator for North Quad Shekeyla Caldwell ’14 reported that over 100 students have so far signed up for the Take Your Professor to Lunch program.

Medical Emergency

Mar. 8—Staff from the Psychological Counseling Center requested a transport to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for a psychological evaluation from the Foster Mods.

Mar. 8—A party reported a student having an asthma attack in the Shiffman Humanities Center.

BEMCo responded and the party was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Mar. 9—A staff member sustained a knee injury in Stoneman.

BEMCo treated the party onscene with a signed refusal for further care.

Mar. 9—A party in the Charles River Residences reported that he woke up and his eye was red.

BEMCo treated the party on-scene and transported the party to the Health Center.

BRIEF Mar. 12—A party reported an 18-year-old female having an allergic reaction in the Usdan Student Center.

BEMCo responded and the party was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Mar. 13—A 19-year-old male with a history of heart problems fell unconscious near the Faculty Club.

BEMCo treated the party on-scene, and the party was transported to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

Larceny

Mar. 7—A student reported that her iPhone 4 was stolen after she left it unattended in the Sachar International Center for 2 hours.

Mar. 7—A student reported that her cell phone was stolen out of her coat while she was in the Foster Mods.

Mar. 7—A visitor reported

that his cell phone was stolen while he was playing basketball in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center.

Mar. 8—A party reported property stolen from the Foster Mods.

Miscellaneous

Mar. 7—A party reported that he was harassed by his exgirlfriend at the Charles River Apartments.

Mar. 13—A community advisor reported a bong in plain view in Shapiro Residence Hall.

The Community Development Coordinator and University Police confiscated a bong and a small plastic bag of marijuana.

A judicial referral was composed.

—compiled by Andrew Wingens

—Andrew Wingens

AP BRIEF

Massachusetts regulators create new standards for utility mergers

BOSTON—Massachusetts regulators are adopting a new standard for approving utility mergers by requiring companies prove the merger will help the state meet its goal of increasing its reliance on renewable energy sources and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The decision Thursday by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities is seen as a boon for the Cape Wind project because it puts increased pressure on utilities seeking mergers to purchase energy from renewable sources like wind and solar power.

Cape Wind, the nation’s first offshore wind farm, is still trying to find a buyer for half its power.

The department’s decision will apply to the proposed merger of NStar with Hartford, Conn.-based Northeast Utilities, which would create the largest utility in New England with 3.5 million electric and gas customers in three states.

The companies need the department’s approval before moving forward with the merger.

In its ruling, the department cited two laws passed by state lawmakers and signed by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008, the Green Communities Act and the Global Warming Solutions Act. NStar and Northeast Utilities argued against the move, saying the department should not tinker with a standard of review that has proven to be sound public policy and has been consistently applied for at least 60 years.

The companies also argued that the change in the standard of review would unlawfully constrain mergers and that nothing in the Green Communities Act or the Global Warming Solutions Act grants the department the authority to change the standard in such a sweeping manner.

NStar spokeswoman Caroline Allen said that the company is confident that the merger with Northeast Utilities will meet the new standard.

The decision could press NStar and Northeast Utilities into buying Cape Wind energy.

Cape Wind agreed last year to a 15-year deal to sell the first half of its energy produced to National Grid starting at 18.7 cents per kilowatt-hour and increasing 3.5 percent annually.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS nAn article in News misspelled the writer’s surname.

She is Allyson Cartter, not Allyson Carter. (March 8, pg. 3) nAn article in Arts misspelled the writer’s given name.

She is Karla Alvidrez, not Kayla Alvidrez. (March 8, pg.

21) nAn article in News, “Academic services to offer research grants” misstated the Academic Service Coordinator of Fellowships given name. She is Meredith Monaghan, not Michelle Monaghan. (March 8, pg. 5) nAn article in Features was unclear about room selection dates. Selection for study abroad housing begins on March 15 while all other housing selections begin on March 21. (March 8, pg. 8) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail editor@ thejustice.org.

Justice

the

editor@thejustice.org news@thejustice.org forum@thejustice.org features@thejustice.org sports@thejustice.org arts@thejustice.org ads@thejustice.org photos@thejustice.org managing@thejustice.org

Students enjoy stressbusting

Student Events sponsored a stressbusting event on Friday in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium at which students enjoyed chocolate “dirt,” an oxygen bar, free airbrushed T-shirts, water bottles and massages.

The Justice Brandeis University Mailstop 214 P.O. Box 549110 Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: (781) 736-3750

The Office of Communications plans to unveil a redesigned Brandeis homepage sometime next month, Associate Vice President for Communications Bill Burger said in an interview with the Justice.

The current website has used the same infrastructure since 2007, although it has changed in appearance since then, according to Burger.

Burger said that the Office of Communications decided to redesign the homepage to keep up with and take advantage of new Web capabilities, such as video clips and spotlight sections where different areas of the Brandeis community will be highlighted.

The redesigned website utilizes 30 percent more screen space by using a wider design, according to Burger.

Moreover, the website has more similarities to the BrandeisNOW and Brandeis Magazine websites.

“The Web has really moved to a wider format,” Burger said. “It allows you to do much more.”

“We had a few goals with this project,” Burger said. “One was to improve the look and the aesthetic appeal of the site, to make it look more modern. We wanted to, where we could, improve or clarify some of the navigation, and we wanted to make room for more content from more places within the University ... to really find more places to showcase of what goes on at Brandeis.”

The Office of Communications is responsible for the different content on the website. However, the Office of Communications did work with a Cambridge-based design firm, OHO Interactive, to redesign the site. The firm was also used in the redesign for both the BrandeisNOW and the Brandeis Magazine sites, which were both launched in the fall.

“What we’re trying to do is align things a little bit more from a design standpoint, so when you go from site to site, there’s a little bit more similarity.”

The redesign will be announced through the BrandeisNOW e-mail that all students and staff receive weekly.

According to Burger, the homepage redesign was guided by a committee of faculty, staff and students.

Two students who did not have prior webdesign experience, Jordan Warsoff ’11 and Karan Ravji ’11, were appointed to the committee.

According to Warsoff, the committee began meeting at the end of last semester.

“It’s a fantastic update to our homepage, it looks a lot cleaner and nicer. … It’s more useful, I cannot only see a prospective student coming to the website and being able to learn about Brandeis very easily but faculty, staff and current students can use it as a great navigational portal of information,” Warsoff said.

Warsaw further explained that the new website will be dynamic. “The news section will be constantly updating as well as the events,” he said, “It’s almost like a collage of Brandeis.”

—Fiona Lockyer

ANNOUNCEMENTS Brandeis Global China Connection

Brandeis Global China Connection hosts a panel of students who have recently returned from studying abroad in China and are excited to share their experiences living and working in China. Today from 6 to 8 p.m. in South Campus Commons.

Job search strategies in a tight market

www.thejustice.org

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 are held Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Justice office.

Editor News Forum Features Sports Arts Ads Photos Managing

JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

University to release a redesigned homepage

This workshop will answer your questions about how to start the process of finding full time jobs. It will provide specific steps on how to decide what to look for, where and when to search and who to talk with. You will leave with resources to begin your research and the job search process.

Tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Career Center.

‘Our Bodies Ourselves’ turns 40

Paula Doress-Worters, co-founder/coauthor of Our Bodies Ourselves, tells how OBOS began with small groups and classes became a best selling book in the United States and then traveled around the world thanks to translators/adapters on every continent. Learn how you can help current participants from many countries come to

Boston to be part of the upcoming 40th anniversary of Our Bodies Ourselves on Oct. 1.

Thursday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Womens Studies Research Center Lecture Hall.

a better treatment of aggregate flexibility.

Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. in Abelson-BassYalem 333.

Thirsty Thursday

The Hiatt Career Center is proud to present a dynamic opportunity for you and other students to schedule a practice interview to enhance your preparation to speak with employers and to interview for internships, full-time jobs, fellowships and graduate schools. Reserve your space now. This a unique opportunity to practice an interview and to obtain important feedback so you can improve for actual interviews and professional networking events! Friday from 9 a.m. to noon in the Hiatt Career Center.

Take a break from classes or homework, and come to The Stein for Thirsty Thursday!

There will be free bar snacks, kosher food, drinks and, for those older than 21, free beer and red and white wine while supplies last.

Brought to you by Student Events. For students, by students. Thursday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in The Stein.

Physics seminar

Meredith Betterton of the University of Colorado, Boulder will describe her work studying minimal system of sticky cylinders using Monte Carlo simulations and theory. The phase diagrams are similar to those of chromonic liquid crystals, with an isotropic-nematic-columnar triple point.

The location of the triple is sensitive to the monomer aspect ratio. The analytic theory shows improvement compared to previous theory in quantitatively the I-N transition for relatively stiff aggregates but requires

Practice interviews: Andrew Pollard

Tea Party Nation founder and CEO speaks

Judson Phillips, founder and CEO of the Tea Party Nation, will be speaking about liberty and conservatism from the perspective of an active national figure in the Tea Party Movement. His presence is meant to open the dialogue between all members of the Brandeis community and provide new insight into this novel political movement.

Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. in Golding 110.

THE JUSTICE

STUDY ABROAD

hold fundraising events for victims of the tsunami.

By nashrah rahman JUSTICE editor

Brandeis students studying abroad in Japan were not harmed in the 8.9-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck the country last Friday, wrote University administrators, in e-mail interviews with the Justice.

Three undergraduate students who are studying abroad in the city of Kyoto on Honshu Island “are not effected by the quake and tsunami, which was centered up North near the city of Sendai,” Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

International Business School Senior Associate Director of Communications Matthew Parillo wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that three students from the IBS were planning to study in Japan, but that he believes there are currently no IBS students in Japan.

One IBS student—who was planning to study at Keio University in Minato, Tokyo and was in the country when the events took place—has since left Japan. Of the other two IBS students who were planning on studying in Japan, Parillo wrote that one of the students “e-mailed on behalf of himself and his fellow student, who we believe are currently outside of Japan, as they are now deciding whether or not to move forward with their plans.”

Shawn Richardson ’12, one of the undergraduate students studying abroad in Japan, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, “I am studying abroad in Kyoto, which is about as far away from the affected areas (primarily the city of Sendai) as Boston would be from Washington, D.C. While some people reported feeling a slight vibration, I didn’t even get that much. Certainly, life in Kyoto continues as normal, without any major disruption.”

Van Der Meid wrote in his e-mail that students have been approved to study abroad in Japan this fall and the spring of next year. “It is too soon to tell if the programs will run or if there will need to be alternate arrangements made. We will continue to monitor this,” he wrote.

As part of their program, IBS students can elect to study abroad for a semester with the IBS serving as their “home institution,” Parillo wrote in

his e-mail. He also wrote, “It [will remain] too early to speculate on any guidelines or decisions that pertain to future study abroad opportunities in Japan until more information becomes available.”

Director of the International Students and Scholars Office David Elwell said in an interview with the Justice that there are 16 international students—nine undergraduates and seven graduate students—from Japan studying at Brandeis.

Elwell said that the ISSO sent a letter to the international community, offering its assistance. He also said that personal e-mails were sent out to international students from Japan, “letting them know the ISSO is available, [while] also making sure to identify separately that there are these other resources on campus that they can reach out to.”

Elwell said that the ISSO had heard back from many students who are trying to communicate with their families in Japan. “That’s one of the things that’s really key, to make sure you’re reaching out and really helping with that process,” he said.

In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, the Student Union, Graduate Student Association and student clubs such as Brandeis Asian American Students Association and the Japanese Students Association are planning to collaborate on holding events that respond to the natural disasters.

JSA Co-President Nan Pang ’13 said in an interview with the Justice that JSA is going to fundraise by selling “Pray for Japan” bracelets.

Pang said that the proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross.

JSA Co-President Angela Liao ’13 also has been in communication with the other clubs and has expressed interest in planning a fundraising event in collaboration with them.

Student Union President Daniel Acheampong ’11 said in an interview with the Justice that he has been in communication with GSA and the student clubs and intends to meet with them this Wednesday to discuss a “strategic way to help out.”

Chiaki Fujiwara ’11, an international student from Tokyo, said that she approached JSA, Japanese professors and the Intercultural Center about holding a fundraising event.

—Fiona Lockyer contributed reporting.

Editor’s note: Nan Pang ’13 is an editorial assistant for the Justice.

TUESDAY, march 15, 2011

3

WORM COMPOSTING IN DORMS

Study abroad students are safe in Japan ■ Student clubs plan to

●

PHOTO COURTESY OF CECELIA WATKINS

WORMS WELCOME: Cecelia Watkins ’11 placed 1,000 worms in vermiculture bins in the kitchens of the Village 2A and Deroy 2.

BSF makes progress on proposals ■ The BSF approved five

student projects which are either being implemented or will be in the near future.

By Andrew Wingens JUSTICE Editorial assistant

On Friday, five Brandeis Sustainability Fund projects that were initiated last semester to promote environmental sustainability moved forward as 1,000 worms arrived on campus and were placed on the second floors of Village Residence Hall A and Deroy Residence Hall.

The BSF is an approved Student Union project which adds $15 per year to the Student Activities Fee and funds student projects that improve sustainability at Brandeis, according to a Dec. 7, 2010 Justice article.

As part of an initiative approved and funded by the BSF, worm composting bins—otherwise known as vermiculture bins—are now located in Village 2A and Deroy 2 kitchens, according to Brandeis Sustainability Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal ’03.

The vermiculture bins project is one of five proposals that the BSF board accepted last November, according to the December article.

Cecelia Watkins ’11 proposed the vermiculture bins for a projected $271, according to the December article.

The final cost of the project, however, only totaled $222, said Watkins in an e-mail to the Justice.

The extra funds will be held in the

BSF account and can be applied to future BSF projects, explained CohenRosenthal in an interview with the Justice.

According to Watkins, the worms will begin “munching away at the food scraps and turning our waste into nutrient rich compost,” and in just over 2 months, the compost can be used in the organic garden located near Deroy.

Cohen-Rosenthal also indicated that the remaining four BSF initiatives are making progress.

“SmartMeters” was a $26,000 proposal submitted by Samuel Porter ’14 that would implement a system called the Building Dashboard Network in order to monitor energy consumption and water usage in five residence halls. Four meters will be installed in Massell Quad dorms and one in the Village, according to the December article According to Cohen-Rosenthal, the University signed a contract with Lucid Design Group, which is working to program the “SmartMeters” system by the end of this semester and have them fully operational by next semester.

When the system is functional, students will be able to access energy and water consumption information online as well as on a kiosk in the Shapiro Campus Center, said CohenRosenthal.

The BSF board also approved an $8,000 proposal from Dorian Williams ’13 to install a microturbine on campus to generate wind energy. The microturbine will be placed on top of a light pole, and although Cohen-

Rosenthal said that the specific location has not yet been chosen, the turbine will likely replace a broken light pole.

The University will provide funding for the cost of a light pole, while the BSF will provide additional funding to attach the microturbine. Deerpath Energy will provide the microturbine, said Cohen-Rosenthal.

The “’DeisBikes 2.0: Semester-Long Bike Rentals for Brandeis Students” proposal for $12,175 planned to offer semester-long bike rentals for a fee of $50, in addition to creating a studentrun bike shop, according to the December article.

Jesse Stettin ‘13, who proposed the project, said in an e-mail to the Justice that the program ordered 40 Trek 700 bicycles, 35 of which will be used for the semester-long rental program while five will be added to ’DeisBikes daily rentals.

The money granted to ’DeisBikes by the BSF will also be used toward the purchase of a bike rack and tools for the student-run bike shop, which will be staffed by student volunteers and located in the basement of Gordon Residence Hall, said Stettin.

The BSF also approved a $550 initiative by Linda Li ’13 called “Oh the Things We’ll Grow!”

Because it is the inaugural year that the BSF has implemented student projects, Cohen-Rosenthal has noticed ways to make the process more efficient moving forward, she said in an interview with the Justice.

—Eitan Cooper and Emily Kraus contributed reporting.

student life

Greek leaders meet with deans of Student Life ■ Greek organizations want

to open a discussion about Greek life at Brandeis.

By Andrew wingens JUSTICE editorial assistant

Leaders of Greek organizations met twice with Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer and Assistant Dean of Student Life Maggie Balch to open lines of communication between the Greek organizations and the Brandeis community, President of Zeta Beta Tau Daniel Gutman ’12 said in a group interview of Greek leaders with the Justice.

Assistant Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams also attended the first meeting with the Greek leaders but not the second, said Adams in an interview with the Justice.

Sawyer wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, “Twice this year [the dean and associate deans of Student Life] have been invited to meetings by

leaders of fraternities and sororities.”

“Their agenda items have included conversations about their desire to be more involved in campus activities including both philanthropic and social,” he wrote.

According to the 2010-2011 Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook Appendix B, “Exclusive or secret societies are inconsistent with the principles of openness to which the University is committed. Therefore, social fraternities and sororities, in particular, are neither recognized nor permitted to hold activities on campus or use University facilities.”

The leaders of fraternities and sororities stressed that they are not seeking official recognition from the University.

“Our primary goal as unified Greek leaders is to open discussion about Greek organizations making a positive contribution on campus through social events, philanthropic initiatives and a general sense of school pride,” wrote Gutman in an

e-mail to the Justice.

Due to the fact that the University does not recognize fraternities and sororities, Greek organizations cannot attach their names or their letters to events that are held on campus.

For example, President of Phi Kappa Psi Marc Eder ’12 explained in the group interview, “Last year, Phi Kappa Psi tried to host a 5-kilometer in conjunction with the Student Union, and [as a result Phi Kappa Psi] received a warning from the dean of Student Life, as did the Student Union.”

President of Sigma Delta Tau Jaclyn Lewis ’12 noted that there is “a lot of bad stigma surrounding Greek life” and that the Greek community is trying to “break down those barriers.”

Sawyer wrote in a separate e-mail to the Justice that “the ideas and suggestions are earnest and well developed.”

Sawyer added that although he

has had interaction with the Greek community over the past 25 years, “meetings with Greek organization leaders all in one room, and hearing concise and focused goals with a rational vision is new over the last couple of years.”

Greek organizations have grown substantially at Brandeis over the past few years, according to Eder and Gutman. For example, there are currently 373 Brandeis students involved in a Greek organization, which is about 11 percent of the undergraduate population, said Gutman.

Co-President of the Greek Awareness Council Brett Byron ’13 added that Greek organizations have gained about 100 new members in the past 2 years.

President of Delta Phi Epsilon Marisa Tashman ’12 noted in the group interview that the recent meetings between the Greek organizations have served to unite the different fraternities and sororities,

allowing them to work together.

“One of the best things that has come out of this is all the Greek organizations working together, especially the leaders, which is something that I don’t think has really happened before,” said Gutman.

Currently, the Division of Student Life is working “to explore appropriate ways for [the Greek organizations] to develop more visibility and more involvement with the campus community within the current limitations regarding chartering and recognition,” according to Sawyer’s e-mail President of Alpha Delta Phi Nick Petrocchi ’12, however, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he was unsure about the effectiveness of the recent meetings.

“Greek life reached out to the deans; the administration did not reach out to us, [thus not] indicating some newfound respect or desire to incorporate Greek into Brandeis,” Petrocchi wrote.

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TUESDAY, march 15, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

construction

PANELISTS DISCUSS RELIGION

Rose Art Museum to undergo renovations ■ The entrance and the

interior of the museum will be updated in time for its 50th anniversary in the fall.

By jillian wagner JUSTICE editor

The Rose Art Museum will undergo major renovations beginning in early June to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the building and improve the environmental conditions within the museum, Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research Dan Feldman said in an interview with the Justice.

The renovations are scheduled to take place through the last week of August in preparation for the museum’s upcoming 50th anniversary, which will be celebrated in the fall, according to Feldman.

Director of Museum Operations Roy Dawes explained that the Rose galleries will be closed from midApril through late September, but the Lois Foster Wing galleries will remain open into June and will be accessible via the side door of the Foster wing.

The total cost of the renovations is expected to be $1.7 million, Feldman clarified in a follow-up e-mail to the Justice. The renovations are being funded by a donation made by Gerald S. and Sandra Fineberg, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully.

The donation was made in 2002, Gully wrote, but the project was put on hold until recently.

Feldman explained that since the University has been involved in many capital projects spanning several years, including the Mandel Center for the Humanities, the Shapiro Science Complex, the Shapiro Admissions Center and the three Ridgewood Residence Halls, it would have been too much to undertake renovations to the museum until those other projects were complete.

Feldman described the renovations that will be made to the museum, and said, “We are being as respectful as we can of the original architecture.”

The glass curtain wall that currently forms the front of the museum will be replaced with more energy-efficient glass, but the most noticeable change to the exterior of the building will be the new glass-enclosed vestibule entrance. Feldman explained that it will look somewhat like a glass box inserted into the glass wall.

This change, which is typically how similar buildings are constructed today, he said, will allow for better insulation and will better maintain interior conditions.

Upon entering the museum, there will be a new reception desk to the left and a new coatroom to the right, Feldman said. He explained that visitors will no longer be facing the glass-block wall. “You’ll see the mu-

seum spreading out in front of you, rather than having to walk around the wall,” he said. These renovations satisfy what he said was one of the highest priorities of the project: to improve the “entry experience,” he said.

Dawes said, “One of my biggest concerns is that [museum visitors] are comfortable when they come in and that they’re comfortable walking around.” Dawes said he is looking forward to the new “friendly environment” of the entrance to the museum, “an important aesthetic change,” he called it, so that all the galleries are visible upon entering, especially since he referred to the entrance as one of his “biggest pet peeves over the years.”

Most of the renovations, however, will be done to the interior of the museum. According to Feldman, these include replacing the floors and ceilings of the museum, as well as installing new high-efficiency LED lights to replace the current lighting. Feldman said a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system will be installed to replace the existing system, which largely dates from the opening of the museum in 1961. The new HVAC system will significantly improve the environmental conditions of the museum.

Additionally, the railing around the main ceremonial staircase is being replaced with a new system of glass panels “that will actually be quite beautiful,” Feldman said. “In addition to the vestibule, [the new railing] will be a very striking difference from what people are used to now,” he added.

Finally, the pond on the lower level of the museum will be removed, which will help maintain better interior conditions for the artwork, Dawes said.

Feldman explained that a new seating and display area will possibly be located where the pond is now.

“We’re working with museum staff now to enable them to utilize the new space to its fullest potential,” he said.

“I feel very positive about it,” Dawes said. “Obviously we’ve been through a significant challenge over the last couple of years,” Dawes said, referring to the ongoing controversy following the University’s January 2009 announcement that the Board of Trustees voted to close the museum, a decision that was later reversed, though the Rose remained an issue of controversy.

“But it heartens me to see the University moving forward with renovations. … I feel very positive for the future of the museum. This is another step in the right direction,” he said.

Improving and enhancing some of the museum’s systems and structural components is “a good way to honor the 50th anniversary,” Dawes said.

“It’s a positive sign to see the galleries being renovated. We will put together some type of exhibit that’s going to reflect the history of the museum,” he added.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

Looking Back and Looking Forward Brandeis Profs. Chandler Rosenberger (SOC) and Ilan Troen (NEJS) and Dartmouth Prof. Susannah Heschel participate in a symposium titled “Religion and the Quest to Contain Violence.” The event was presented by author James Carroll to mark his publication of Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern World.

student life

Group holds meal plan vote ■ The Justice League

held a campaign to gauge student opinion on possible University policy changes.

By fiona lockyer and shani abramowitz JUSTICE contributing writers

The Justice League, a student-run organization that focuses on improving the shared commitment of campus community through more student involvement, distributed ballots in students’ mailboxes yesterday to gauge interest in what can be changed about the University after holding an informative event this past Sunday afternoon.

According to the Justice League’s website, the group coordinates student events focused around students “standing up for their rights, standing up for Social Justice, and standing up for a Brandeis that inspires them.”

The campaign was marketed with a main slogan, “Your Mailbox Misses You,” printed over humorous pictures around campus.

“The flyers were all over campus, and I was just really curious to see what it was all about. I was also intrigued with the amount of excitement

and involvement that all the members seemed to have,” Danielle Gross ’14 said in an interview with the Justice after attending the event.

The informational event focused primarily on improving the meal plans, implementing point-dollar parity and giving students a voice through committees formed on campus, the areas that the ballot listed.

During discussions, the event’s coordinator, Sahar Massachi ’11 said, “The meal plan is clearly a rip-off.

We’re allowed to have a say in more things than just the food. We live here, this is our university, and we want the best for it.”

In an interview with the Justice after the event, Massachi said that this event has been in the making for several years. He explained that during the recent budget crisis, the endowment shrank, causing the University to create committees to plan for its fiscal future. Rather than uniting the students for a common cause, Massachi explained, the administration decided to keep students in the dark. He said that, as a result of student protest, the administration agreed to appoint students to committees on academic structuring.

He pointed out that the largest of these committees only had one nonvoting student representative—the

president of the Student Union. “Now, there’s one student on each committee,” Massachi said.

In an interview with the Justice, Shea Reister ’11, who helped with the mailbox ballot initiative, said that “the bigger picture is what students want, and it’s not just these tiny steps.”

“It shouldn’t be considered a privilege that students have a say in how their university runs,” said Katherine Alexander ’12, another student who helped to plan yesterday’s event.

Yesterday, the ballots placed in mailboxes asked students whether they thought “we should have a pointdollar parity,” in which a dollar in points would equal a dollar in cash; whether Aramark should “have to compete with other companies for our business,” instead of having an automatically renewed contract; or whether they thought “students should select two voting reps for every big committee, like the Presidential Search Committee, or Brandeis 20/20.” According to the ballot, the Justice League will “hand-deliver [the ballots] to [University President Frederick Lawrence].”

According to Alexander, the voting will continue through next week.

—Robyn Spector contributed r eporting.

campus speaker

Student groups honor 100th annual International Women’s Day ■ The proceeds from the

ticket sales will go to a hospital and refugee camp in Somalia.

By allyson cartter and maria alkhasova JUSTICE contributing WRITERs

Scott Seibold of the Global Poverty Project gave a presentation about ending extreme poverty titled “1.4 Billion Reasons” hosted last Wednesday by Positive Foundations and the Girl Effect to honor the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. Seibold became involved in the Global Poverty Project after spending time as a primary school teacher and a medical assistant in Ethiopia. According to the organization’s website, the Global Poverty Project is a worldwide organization whose objective is to eradicate extreme poverty as part of the United Nations’ Millennium Devel-

opmental Goals, a set of anti-poverty targets outlined in 2000. The organization, the website states, is not aiming to solicit donations but toworks primarily to promote awarenesss through education of concrete actions that people can take to achieve this main goal.

The event, which was held in Sherman Function Hall, fell 1 day after the official International Women’s Day, a recognized holiday in several Asian, African, Eastern European and Caribbean countries.

Seibold was introduced by Prof. Sarita Bhalotra (Heller), who spoke about the value of women and the importance of recognizing their role in the workforce, family life and the continuation of the human race. The need for International Women’s Day, Bhalotra said, illustrates women’s underrepresentation and devaluation in society.

Bhalotra reiterated the mission of the Girl Effect, which is to provide women with the financial support for education and health care so that

they can then improve their communities by ending the cycle of extreme poverty. One method, microfinance, is a “classic example of when you empower women and give them charge of some of the financial and economic resources there is a more equitable distribution of what they want to use … to improve the lives of those around them,” she said.

Seibold began his presentation by stating that the organization’s goal is to “help the poor to help themselves.”

Eradicating extreme poverty is “more than just about money,” he said; it is about providing long-term access to food, water, healthcare, education and jobs, he continued.

Of the eight MDGs created by the UN to be achieved by 2015, Seibold said that the categories needing the most improvement are maternal health and reducing child mortality. Improvement in these areas would serve as a catalyst for ultimately achieving all eight MDGs.

The presentation focused on tangible solutions to extreme poverty, citing countries such as South Korea and Ghana, in which investments in education, government infrastructure and manufacturing industry have decreased the percentage of people living below the poverty line.

This result can be recreated in other countries by targeting three primary obstacles: corruption, lack of resources and poor international trade, Seibold said.

According to his presentation, lowering the percentage of people living in poverty has been shown to reduce conflict, minimize the effects of climate change and lessen the spread of disease.

The proceeds from the event’s ticket sales will go toward Dr. Hawa Abdi’s Hospital and Refugee Camp in Somalia, where they will “benefit medical and nutritional treatment for women and help literacy and education for women and children in the hospital,”

said Aditya Sanyal ’13, president of Positive Foundations, in an interview with the Justice.

Each semester the club “pick[s] one Millennium Development Goal and just run[s] with it,” said Positive Foundations member Rohan Bhatia ’14 in an interview with the Justice; this semester PF is supporting the MDG of promoting maternal health.

PF Director of Policy Kate Alexander ’12 said in an interview with the Justice that Seibold’s presentation made “the problem [of extreme poverty] seem much more manageable.”

Supreetha Gubbala ’12, president of the Girl Effect, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the goal in bringing Seibold to campus was to “provide a much more insightful look at the fifth millennium goal of maternal health to make students understand that this problem does not stand upon its own legs, but on those provided by extreme poverty and situations that are created due to those circumstances.”

THE JUSTICE

CONTINUED FROM 1

LYDIA EMMADOUILIOU/the Justice

MICROFINANCE: The panel, hosted by the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, explained the use of microfinance.

Heller School offers event on microfinance microfinance addressed how to help fund community efforts in developing nations.

By SHANI ABRAMOWITZ JUSTICE contributing WRITER

The Women's and Gender Studies Program hosted a conference to discuss microfinance and its effects on communities at the “Microfinance: Does It Work?” panel discussion that took place in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management Thursday evening.

Microfinance refers to the involvement of non-governmental organizations or corporations such as Americans for Community Cooperation in Other Nations International and Oxfam America that provide small amounts of capital to individuals seeking to develop their own profit-generating businesses in small, developing countries.

Microfinance, specifically microsavings, targets these groups to give them the opportunity to rebuild their communities and households and to establish self-sustaining financial programs.

Panelists from ACCION International, a worldwide microlending

firm; Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization; WORTH, a women’s empowerment program which has been launched in 10 countries in Africa and Asia; and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University came together to discuss the effects of microfinance and microlending on developing communites and how to properly implement the two programs.

In an interview with the Justice, Roy Jacobowitz, managing director of external affairs for ACCION International, described microfinance as “providing a broad range of financial services at a reasonable price, in a convenient manner, with dignity for the clients, all over the world.”

Jacobowitz noted that the financial services provided include various kinds of credit, savings, access to insurance and convenient payment systems.

It is “essentially the broad range of services that any household needs in order to manage its risk and accumulate assets.”

In an interview with the Justice, Mei-Mei Akwai Ellerman, event coordinator and a resident scholar at the Women’s Studies Research center, described why she felt it was appropriate to hold such an event

at this time.

“It’s so timely because, from a historical point of view, we are now facing such global issues—issues of poverty, issues of climate change.

Issues that are affecting those who are already the poorest people in the world,” she said.

Each panelist however, noted that microfinance is not a “panacea” for the issue of poverty. Ellerman said, “We have to find other systems, but in the meantime by true microfinance and true microsavings, we are affecting hundreds and hundreds of thousands of poor.”

In an interview with the Justice after the event, Alex Patch ’14 said, “I definitely found the information to be very informative. I never thought about the extent [to which] loans are crucial for many people in their daily lives.”

In an interview with the Justice shortly after the event, Pamela Kimkung (GRAD), a student in the Heller School’s Sustainable International Development program ,said, “Although microfinance, in whatever form, is a very good idea and can go a long way in improving households, and to a large extent communities, there are specific contexts in which its practicability may be challenged.”

JVP: Hillel says that it would like to collaborate with JVP in the future CONTINUED FROM 1 lines set forth by Hillel promote a “blind support of Israel.”

“Either you support all of Israel’s policies or you oppose [Israel],” she said.

Behrendt said she believes that the guidelines set by the global Hillel organization state that member groups must support all policies set by the government in order to be considered supportive of Israel.

However, Rubin said that Hillel does not reject a group if it does not agree with some of Israel's policies and according to the international Hillel’s guidelines, it “strives to create an inclusive, pluralistic community where students can discuss matters of interest and/or concern

about Israel and the Jewish people in a civil manner.”

Wexler said that the student board consulted only the guidelines and Hillel Brandeis staff, but that the student board also supports and holds the same views on Israel, as do the guidelines set by the international Hillel organization.

According to Sternberg, he was contacted by the global Hillel organization. “They noted with approval that the students had referenced the guidelines,” said Sternberg.

Wexler said that although Hillel does not recognize the JVP, she would still like to work with its members in the future by co-sponsoring events and promoting discussion between the JVP and Hillel groups.

TUESDAY, march 15, 2011

5

PASS/FAIL: New proposed policy passes first vote

HELPING DEVELOPING NATIONS

■ The panel event on

●

Rubin also said that groups excluded from Hillel membership are not barred from Hillel activities and that he encourages discourse between such groups and Hillel.

Wexler also said that any students, whether or not they belong to a certain group, are welcome within Hillel to exchange ideas and hold discussions about issues regarding Israel.

Sternberg said that although Hillel endorses any events sponsored by member groups, any group has the opportunity to work with Hillel to sponsor on-campus events, including JVP. Behrendt said that she had not yet confirmed what the JVP is planning to do in the near future or if it will be in contact with Hillel.

faculty members that students may not work as hard in a required class taken on a pass/fail basis.

“I think there is an underlying tension in that, for some students, it’s definitely true that pass/fail allows them to stretch themselves and allows them to take risks that they would not otherwise take,” said Jaffe.

Jaffe continued to say, “I think some faculty were concerned that it sends the signal that we don’t take the requirements seriously if you can satisfy them taking a course pass/fail.”

Ultimately, the majority of faculty members were convinced that most students are participating seriously in the classes that they take pass/ fail. Thus, it was a reasonable compromise to allow students to take one required class per semester on a pass/fail basis, according to Jaffe.

“The vast majority of faculty felt that, given the theory of the pass/ fail system that we have here, which is that students are using it to explore, [students] are still working for good grades in most cases,” said Jaffe. He added, however, that there was a serious debate on the issue, and that it did not pass unanimously. Usman Hameedi ‘12, junior representative to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he is excited about what these policy changes will bring to the Brandeis community.

“I think it will encourage Brandeis students to explore disciplines that they normally would shy away from. Ultimately, a liberal arts education should enable one to appreciate knowledge whether or not it coincides with an individual’s desired concentration.” wrote Hameedi.

Hameedi explained that this particular set of proposals has been debated over since spring 2010, and it

is only now that they are finally being voted on. According to an April 25, 2010 Justice article, the Faculty Senate originally approved the proposal by the Student Union to allow one university-required course to be taken pass/fail, but a vote on the issue was postponed until this year due to concerns about its implementation. Although the UCC has considered pass/fail issues in the past, there has been no other recent legislation, according to Hameedi.

Hameedi, who began serving on the UCC in spring 2010, stated that the UCC’s work on this proposal is now essentially done, and they are awaiting a faculty vote on a second part of the motion. Currently, students are required only to receive a D in a class taken pass/fail to enable them to cover the grade with a P. The second part of the motion proposes that the minimum grade be raised from a D to a C- for all classes taken pass/fail. This proposal will be voted on at the next faculty meeting on April 14, and Hameedi believes that it is very likely to pass.

Rejected at the latest faculty meeting was a proposal to give professors the knowledge of which students are taking a class pass/fail.

According to Jaffe, many faculty members felt that this might help alleviate some of the concerns a professor might have when he or she notices a student who is performing at a low level in a class, as poor grades could simply be attributed to a poor effort when a student is taking a class pass/fail. After dialogue between faculty members and the UCC however, it was decided that the rules would not be changed because the vast majority of students at Brandeis are still working to receive good grades in classes they are taking pass/fail.

—Fiona Lockyer contributed reporting.

SEARCH: Internal search will be held CONTINUED FROM 1

also serving on the committee. “As the only undergrad, … it’s my responsibility to try to assess what the majority of students are feeling and give that input to the rest of the committee,” Kaplan said in an interview with the Justice.

An internal search will be conducted to assist the process of filling the position, said Miller, the committee chair, in an interview with the Justice.

This means, according to Miller, that the committee will “seek nominations for the position from the faculty with the goal of appointing someone as dean who is already a member of the Brandeis faculty.”

This contrasts with the search for the new provost, which is currently under way and is utilizing the aid of an outside search firm. With the use of an internal search, the process “will be able to move along more rapidly,” said Miller.

As of press time, the search process had not yet begun, Miller said, but the committee was “trying to schedule [their first meeting] as soon as possible.” According to Miller it is important for this meeting to include University President Frederick Lawrence and Provost Marty Krauss to discuss how the committee can best “build a team that can really work together.”

Miller said that once the search is under way, the committee’s first steps will be collecting nomina-

tions for the position and interviewing candidates.

Although the search for the new provost is still under way, Miller said that it would be “tremendously helpful” if the committee knew who was going to hold this position because the two decisions go handin-hand, as they are both integral parts of Brandeis’ administration.

The committee will be “trying to build a senior administrative team that [is] balance[d] and represents different areas in the University,” and the knowledge of the new provost would assist in creating the most effective team, said Miller said.

Jaffe’s achievements at the University include the creation of new opportunities for undergraduates, such as research internships, experiential learning practicum and the Justice Brandeis Semester, yet he says that there is still much to be done.

“I think it’s an ongoing challenge to reach our goal of being a place where [the] faculty [is] engaged in world class research, but at the same time making sure that undergrads have the kind of individual attention that we think is the hallmark of a Brandeis education.”

Jaffe offered general advice for the new dean: “Spend as much of your time as you can listening, and relatively little talking. … There’s a lot to learn, but that … makes it fun.”

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Enjoy meeting interesting people?

Like hearing their stories?

If so, write for the Features section of the Justice!

To write for Features or for more information, contact Dafna Fine at features@thejustice.org.

just

features

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, March 15, 2011

7

VERBATIM | OSCAR WILDE Man is least himself when he talks in his own person.

Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after his first trip to the Americas.

Cows give more milk when they listen to music.

Exploring ethics PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DEBRA FRIEDMANN/the Justice. PHOTOS BY JANEY ZITOMER and HILARY HEYISON/the Justice.

AN ETHICAL AGENDA: Members Yuan Yao ’11, Anna Khandros ’11, Tenzing Sherpa ’12 and Beneva Davies ’13 (from left) of the Ethics Center Leadership Council sat down together to discuss the work of the council.

Brandeis students examine social justice through a global lens The Ethics Center Leadership Council is a pilot program of the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life in which six undergraduates build communities of Brandeisians around one of the three focus areas of the Ethics Center: peacebuilding and the arts, international justice and human rights and issues of ethics and public life.

The ECLC, which began operating early spring 2011, was developed to make the resources of the Ethics Center more known and accessible to Brandeis undergraduates. The Ethics Center works to develop effective responses to conflict and injustice by offering innovative approaches to coexistence, strengthening the work of international courts and encouraging ethical practice in civic and professional life. Through the depth and breadth of its mission, the Ethics Center contributes significantly to an international lens of the rich social justice mission that characterizes Brandeis.

The following articles were written by the different members of the Ethics Center Leadership Club to highlight the three focus areas of the group.

International Justice and Human Rights

By Kate Alexander and Tenzing Sherpa Special to the justice

International justice and human rights have grown out of centuries of international relations and conventions, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which are meant to provide basic human dignities to each and every

individual. Other conventions came from a need in international politics to limit the damages of warfare or create a predictable international environment for trade.

International justice, then, isn’t just about conventions signed and promises made by states to each other—it’s about the promises that nations made to us, their citizens, and about paving the way to a more just and peaceful world.

After World War II, world leaders promised that “never again” would we, as a global community, allow genocide to happen. Yet we see genocide and various other crimes

committed during the Nazi regime persist in all areas of the world. In order for the international community to make good on the post-WWII promise of “never again,” international courts and conventions must limit the damages of warfare and become part of our public discourse and, from those discussions and increased awareness, be strengthened.

The work the Ethics Center does to highlight the roles of international rule of law and human rights in our interconnected world is critical to our understanding of international politics and the global community.

The Center’s monthly publication,

International Justice in the News, pulls from a variety of sources to highlight recent developments in international justice and provides discussion topics for the recently ECLC-created International Law Interest Group.

This group was developed to discuss and develop the interests of students in international law, whether that interest is in international law as a hobby or as a potential career, and plans to debate and discuss issues including current events in international law and politics, international institutions, and global economics.

Ethics and Public Life

By Beneva Davies and Rachel Gillette Special to the justice

Public life relates to issues in the public sector, but it is able to take many forms. As ambassadors for the Ethics Center on Public Life, the ECLC is seeking to enhance crucial aspects of public life on campus: Interclub coordination and leadership, greater depth and longevity to programming and general ethical questioning.

The ECLC sees strong leadership not only as an ethical responsibility, but as a tool that can lead to greater involvement in the public arena. The Community of Leaders project will seek to encourage thought on leadership with current and future club leaders to augment quality on-campus leadership. If individuals can make an educated choice about their leadership capacities, then engagement will be heightened and more meaningful, leading to a more fulfilling public life on campus. Furthermore, the ECLC aims to encourage greater interclub coordination as a means of broadening topics and audiences.

At the beginning of this semester, the ECLC identified depth and longevity to programming as a category that could be improved on campus. There are a multitude of socially-minded, community-driven, internationallyaware clubs on campus, that host interesting and important but often onetime events that may or may not have a lasting effect of building awareness.

In addition to encouraging interclub coordination, as an attempt to broaden audiences, the ECLC hopes to create more pre-event and post-event discussions, or opportunities for learning.

JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

COUNCIL: Rachel Gillette ’11, Anna Khandros ’11, Kate Alexander ’12, Yuan Yao ’11 (top from left), Tenzing Sherpa ’12 and Beneva Davies ’13 (bottom) make up the group.

Peacebuilding and Its Connection to the Arts

By Anna Khandros and Yuan Yao Special to the justice

Art in many forms has existed for almost as long as humans have walked the planet. It is an integral part of how people express their opinions and communicate with each other, and it has the power to touch people’s understanding across language and societal barriers. The Peacebuilding and the Arts Program within the International Center for

ethics, focuses on how arts and cultural traditions can be used to create connections, reconcile differences and ultimately contribute to peace.

As Anna Khandros ’11 wrote in her second ECLC blog post on a weekly blog dealing with arts and peace building along with other focus areas of ethical dialogue, art can inform us about injustice, inspire us to take action, provoke us to speak out and restore our sense of inner peace.

Furthermore, art can be a safe space for truth-telling, testimony, and taking responsibility and can bring together individuals from opposing sides of any conflict in a set-

ting that helps to create empathy. All of these are necessary components of peacebuilding, which in itself is a creative process.

Globally, the arts are often used in conflict resolution and especially reconciliation, everywhere from Cambodia to Australia to Israel and the Palestinian Territories to Argentina. Brandeis’ own Acting Together project, which the ECLC is involved with, documents the work of creative artists and cultural workers from these and other regions around the world. The project includes published case studies and a documentary, Acting Together on the World Stage, which will be screened on

campus in April.

The ECLC helps to coordinate events and promote awareness of important ethical questions related to the arts and peace building, and the aforementioned issues. The ultimate goal is to foster a community where students feel comfortable participating in events and initiating and joining in discussions. In times of economic struggles, it’s often easy to question the usefulness of the arts.

The ECLC hopes to bring arts to a more prominent discussion position where it can be recognized as a powerful way to resolve conflicts and enrich the perspectives of community members.

8

TUESDAY, march 15, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

Taking the

crown CENTER STAGE: Julia Reich ’14 took the stage to display her winning sash after she was named Miss Teen Maine-World in 2010.

Julia Reich ’14 currently holds the crown for Miss Teen Maine-World By rachel miller JUSTICE contributing WRITER

According to Brandeis’ report card on collegeprowler.com, a website that assigns grades to different aspects of different universities, female Brandeisians received an unimpressive grade of B- for attractiveness, friendliness, conscientiousness, athleticism and intelligence, among other characteristics. Clearly, the survey that resulted in this unbecoming grade was conducted before Miss Teen Maine-World stepped her stiletto-clad foot onto our campus.

Julia Reich ’14, who is planning on majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology, is a member of the equestrian team, a member of the Kappa Beta Gamma sorority and a volunteer for Teaching in Public Schools, just to name a few of her many activities.

Reich began her path into the world of beauty pageants in Belgrade, Maine.

Along with the advent of the Miss Congeniality popularity during her childhood, Reich felt compelled to compete in Belgrade’s Miss Fourth of July local beauty pageant. While her mother was originally reluctant, Reich patiently waited.

“And then I turned 18, and I said, ‘OK, I’m going to do it, it’s fine, you’re 18 and can make your own decisions,’” she says. Luckily, her mother approves of her decision and is even excited and happy to see her daughter take the stage.

“Once I started, I got hooked. … It’s

fun. I like getting dolled up. … It’s fun to decide how to do my hair [and] accessories. … Evening gowns are fantastic. .... And you get the crown,” she admits with girlish excitement. Reich can be described as a girly girl, although she is very down-to-earth.

“I’m very happy to wear my rubber boots in the rain ... [and] no makeup,” she says.

Reich’s first pageant was Miss Teen Maine USA, and although she didn’t win, she continued on to take her crown during the Miss Teen MaineWorld pageant in 2010, which is part of the new, up-and-coming pageant system. This pageant system consists of competitions which are broken up into four categories instead of the usual three. In addition to the standard interview, swimsuit and evening gown portions, the Miss Teen World pageant also takes poise and personality into consideration.

Reich recently competed for Miss Boston at the local pageant for Miss Massachusetts in the American system. This pageant takes into consideration an interview, the evening gown, lifestyle and fitness along with the contestant’s talent. Singing is Reich’s talent of choice, particularly the Broadway genre.

“So that’s a new, exciting part. …

For Miss Boston, I sang ‘A Change in Me’ from Beauty and the Beast,” Reich says. Reich is in favor of the additional talent component to the competition because the competitors get the chance

to show that they are really working toward a goal with their unique talents.

Since the young age of 6, Reich has graced audiences with her stage presence. Although she may be used to performing, she says, “I still get nervous before I get on stage. … Are there going to be people cheering?”

Training for the pageants begins months in advance. In preparation for the pageants, Reich says, “I walk in heels a lot. … [I’m] very careful about the hills, … and for talent I take voice lessons in Waltham once a week, just for 30 minutes. … Maybe I’ll sing for half an hour to an hour every day just to keep my vocal chords warm and so I don’t lose any range, … and I try to spend an hour at the gym every other day, because every day is just not going to happen,” Reich says.

Part of the interview portion of the pageant is based on current events.

Preparing for this aspect can be challenging for Reich. “We live in a bubble here, [it’s] kind of hard to follow things,” she says.

However, luckily for Reich she can get help from “Crowning Touch,” a mother-daughter team that began when Maria Neves, mother of past pageant competitor Michelle Neves Hantman, recognized the demand for pageant assistance. Neves and her daughter coach contestants in preparation for the interview by ensuring that the young women are knowledgeable regarding current events; the coaches also assist with wardrobe.

HOME-STATE PRIDE: Julia Reich ’14 represented Maine in a sparkling evening gown.

One of the main components of the pageants is the promotion of a platform, where each contestant endorses an organization or goal of her choice.

Reich is working with the National Education Association’s Read Across America, an annual program that encourages and motivates children to read.

“I loved reading as a kid, and I noticed once I got to high school, kids stopped reading. Our literacy levels have dropped a lot,” Reich says.

Reich ran read-a-thons with her mother when she was in fifth grade until ninth at Belgrade Central School and Messalonskee Middle School in order to motivate children to read. She also raised money for public schools and public libraries. “They just don’t get enough funding,” Reich says.

You wonder, how does Reich fit it all in? “Being at school, it’s a lot harder trying to fit everything in. … I do not have much free time. I’m pretty busy.

I like to be pretty busy. If I were to win a local title here, or even go to states, I would cut back on something, and it’s not my school work. School is not going to go first,” she says.

The key for Reich is trying not to get too overstressed. When asked what some of the greatest challenges of competing are, Reich says, “Making sure everyone listens when you’re there, because if girls just start talking over each other, ... It takes twice as long to get things done. … it’s just generally helping each other out during rehears-

als, backstage, if someone needs their gown zipped, … it’s not going to hurt you to be nice to someone. A lot of girls are in their own world and are like, ‘I don’t really care about you.’”

What may seem like a challenge to some titleholders is the pressure of upholding a certain image and portraying themselves in the best light.

However, Reich’s kindness, intuitiveness and confidence ensure that this challenge can be overcome relatively easily and naturally.

As a result of the pageants, Reich says people notice how she has changed. “My grandmother loves that I’m doing pageants. She says, ‘You carry yourself so much better.’” Reich also feels she has definitely improved her public-speaking skills.

In addition to improved and acquired skills, one of Reich’s favorite perks to winning is getting the crown.

She also feels that doing appearances at events is a great way to meet people, make connections and act as a role model for younger girls. When traveling, the winners wear their sashes on the plane and proudly carry their crowns. “Everyone stops you. They let you through security, through the VIP line,” she says.

While Reich loves to compete, she says, “I don’t want to be Miss Maine for the rest of my life. I want to continue for a while, … but I can’t get too focused that I lose sight of school.”

So, collegeprowler.com, would you like to reconsider?

♦ Photos courtesy of Julia Reich

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, March 15, 2011

9

WORLDVIEW: SCOTLAND

Welcome to

Edinburgh

CAPTURING SCOTLAND: Claire Arkin ’12 explored the charm of Edinburgh in various places, including a hill called Arthur’s seat which overlooks the city, as well as a small Victorian street that houses Scottish shops.

Claire Arkin ’12 finds unique character in Edinburgh, Scotland

By CLAIRE ARKIN SPECIAL TO THE JUSTICE

This article is the first of a new series that will feature articles from Brandeis students studying abroad in various countries around the world.

I stepped off the airport bus into the center of the city, and the first thing I saw (and heard, very loudly) was a bagpipe. Seizing on this stereotypically endearing Scottish tradition, a stout, balding man clad in a kilt and kneesocks in September had decided to wring some coins from tourist passersby by loudly bleating the Scottish national anthem on the deafening instrument in front of a McDonald’s.

Welcome to Edinburgh.

As I braced myself for a very long—(and very loud)—sojourn in this quirky little city, little did I know that a sarcastic, self-effacing Jersey girl could feel so at home in a place full of men in skirts. Before arriving in Edinburgh, I’d romanticized my upcoming study abroad experience to the extent that when I thought of it, I was filled with rosy images of magnificent stone buildings, lush greenery and rough-tongued locals (a sort hybrid between Braveheart and Trainspotting).

Instead, I discovered a city whose charm lay not only in its legacy but in its oddities. I live in East Newington Place, a University housing development conveniently located next to a graveyard and a coffin and hearse warehouse, so that we can be constantly reminded of our own mortality. This slightly off-putting backdrop to our humble abode is a strangely fitting symbol of our time at East Newington Place—As opposed to our decaying neighbors,

the four of us living in flat 4, building 5, more than at any other time we can remember, feel very much alive.

It all started with one Parisian, one Marseillese, one Milanese and one New Jerseyite. Clemence grew up in a suburb of Paris, and although none of us would admit it, we were all slightly intimidated by her sultry cat eyes and Parisian poise. Then there’s Juliette, our charismatic thespian whose dramatic hand gestures and soulful shower serenades were instantly endearing. Giulia is our little Italian charmer. We like to joke that her blood is made of tomato sauce and her veins of spaghetti, but we all know that there is much more to Giulia than that.

And then there is me, the wideeyed member of Britain’s ex-colony, tiptoeing into European territory like an elephant in pointe shoes. I remember my first encounter with the girls, all three of them clad in tailored peacoats and high-heeled boots, each with a cigarette dangling carelessly from between their fingers to dot the “i” of a perfectly constructed image.

I approached them cautiously, an apologetic American eager to break the unflattering stereotype branded upon her—to warm herself in the glow of their European grandeur. At first it seemed as though we were from different planets, let alone different countries. But on closer inspection, we found that we were more similar than we could imagine.

We were all artists, idealists, dreamers, thinkers, gourmets, jokers, fun-lovers, rebels, eccentrics, lovers and life-lovers.

We all were here for similar reasons: curiosity, discontent, intro-

spection, boredom, fantasies, fears, hopes, escape, escape, escape.

We each burst into Edinburgh like conquistadors, eager to chart out a territory of our own, a life truly of our own. Little did we know, Edinburgh had a stronger personality than the four of us combined. The scrappy Southend of Edinburgh, where East Newington Place is located, is the leading lady of my walk to Edinburgh University every morning, demanding constant attention from the greedy eyes of its audience, those of yours truly.

Firstly, you must always say hello to the temperamental neighborhood cat, Haggis, who will be waiting for you on the windshield of a Volkswagen Bug, staring with contempt at funeral-home workers carting a new shipment of coffins into the warehouse opposite.

Next comes the bus stop in which a queue is forming of pallid, blearyeyed commuters and, occasionally, a woman with bright-red hair who is a compulsive whistler.

Up next the stationary shop that has its store window inexplicably filled with porcelain figurines of ferrets in various outfits: ballerina ferret, World War II fighter pilot ferret, two pornographically intertwined amorous ferrets. It is at this point that you may hear the sound of smashing bottles and, without much trouble, will be able to locate the source of the commotion—a wild-eyed, gray-haired man with very few teeth, furious about the local pub not being open yet. It is 10 a.m.

There are a few other stand-out characters in this daily performance: the bearded man clad in a purple velvet suit and Indiana Jones-type hat with peacock feath-

ers poking out; an old woman with green hair, lace-up combat boots and 1990s emo leather, complete with the choke collar and studded belt; and the muscular shirtless man with cornrows that brush the bottom of his back, to name a few.

Did I mention that the Scots love to dress up? And, of course, the streets are peopled with Edinburgh’s notorious “little old ladies” who flock to Marks and Spencers on Sundays for tea, as well as the infamous “men in skirts,” who flock to the local pub.

All of a sudden, your nose alerts you to the fact that you are getting close to the local fishmongers, and with slight trepidation, you glance into the store window to see its workers with little white hats perched jauntily over their foreheads, carelessly arranging a collection of the most gruesomely ugly fish you have ever seen. Deciding to stop off at the local café, you take a cursory look at the wallpaper of flyers: A women’s anarchist knitting group is advertised next to an event called “Psychedelic Ceilidh,” a form of square dancing and one of the most fun things to do on a night out in Edinburgh.

To combat the dreariness of the weather, the locals of Edinburgh do their best to be the most vibrant and intriguing of people, as well as the friendliest. Even a misanthropic Brandeisian like myself has been able to meet people, whenever and wherever.

There’s Joel, the barrista and resident riddle-master at Black Medicine café, who tosses plates up in the air because it helps him think.

Ronny, an avid book collector who owns one of the best used bookshops in Edinburgh, is working on a book about the history of human

conception of outer space and has been looking for the first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird for over 2 decades. Rory, an environmental engineer and lover of German 1930s singing groups, works part time in a shop that sells locally produced bath and body products because he likes the smell.

Yet among this cast of characters, places and things that will never cease to amaze, the most important of them are my fellow friends, flatmates, runaways, confessors and partners in crime. Subsisting on cigarettes, crisp packets and bottles of wine, our unlikely foursome has sifted through the grab bag that is Edinburgh and come across a world of unpredictability, fascination, love and immense beauty. In our little Ikea-furnished, plasterwalled apartment next to a cemetery, we have found a new, albeit unlikely, home.

Our brush-ins with Edinburgh have been both thrilling and more than a little surprising: the whiskyfueled nights at the jazz bar; seeing Scottish actors impersonate Russian Jews in Fiddler on the Roof; attempting to share the United Kingdom’s passion for tea, as well as Scotland’s unpredictable hail storms in March; and the night I got a black eye, Clemence got a stalker, Giulia got bangs and Juliette got a lesbian tango dancer.

Like Edinburgh, we have embraced our various quirks, oddities and idiosyncrasies—our own differences, as well as each other’s.

Smelly fish, bottles of whiskey (well, any type of alcohol for that matter), men in dreadlocks, tea, anarchists, knitting and black eyes will always transport us to this magical place where we are learning to be ourselves.

♦ Photos courtesy of Claire Arkin

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TUESDAY, March 15, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

Justice Justice

the the

Established 1949, Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Established 1949

Brian Fromm, Editor in Chief Rebecca Blady, Managing Editor Brian N. Blumenthal, Production Editor Emily Kraus, Deputy Editor Ian Cutler, Asher Krell, Nashrah Rahman, Robyn Spector and Jillian Wagner, Associate Editors Fiona Lockyer, News Editor Dafna Fine, Features Editor Eitan Cooper, Forum Editor Jeffrey Boxer, Sports Editor Wei-Huan Chen, Arts Editor Yosef Schaffel and Tali Smookler, Acting Photography Editors Debra Friedmann, Layout Editor Marielle Temkin, Copy Editor Cody Yudkoff, Advertising Editor

Support Japan tsunami victims Last Friday, an earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, killing thousands of people brought harm to hundreds of thousands, and caused what has become a nuclear crisis. In light of this tragedy, this board extends its condolences and sympathy to those affected and encourages the members of the Brandeis community to come together to aid those in need of help.

According to Angela Liao ’13, the copresident of the Japanese Student Association, several groups on campus have expressed interest in fundraising events; those involved are planning on meeting this week. This board com-

Continue mobilization of aid mends the timely efforts of these groups and applauds the manner in which they are coming together to mobilize aid efforts on campus.

The spirit of compassion and activism on campus in response to the disasters in Haiti and Pakistan led to impressive results, and we are confident that this most recent movement can have similar effects. We encourage students, faculty and staff to do what they can to aid this effort, and we extend our thanks to those who have already taken the initiative to do so.

Hillel correct in asserting values

Last week, the executive board of Hillel at Brandeis voted to reject a bid from the Brandeis chapter of the Jewish Voice for Peace to become a Hillel member group. According to Brandeis Hillel President Andrea Wexler ’11, the decision reached by Brandeis Hillel was in accordance with the guidelines set forth by International Hillel. While the decision reached by Hillel board has been a source of controversy, this board believes that Brandeis Hillel was correct in asserting its values in line with the global Hillel community.

We do recognize, however, that Hillel’s decision may cause many students to feel as though their views are not welcome in Hillel, and we encourage those involved in the discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to work toward alleviating this problem by engaging in dialogue and mediation among different groups on campus.

According to the international Hillel website, “Hillel seeks to inspire every Jewish student to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life.” In attempting to engage every Jew on campus, Hillel encompasses a wide range of religious and political viewpoints as part of its guidelines. This is a necessary cause, as individuals seek diverse paths to Jewish identity.

As International Hillel and its Brandeis chapter see it, Israel must always play a central role in this process.

According to the International Hillel website, “Israel advocacy and education is … an opportunity to engage in conversation with students about themselves as Jews and as members of the Jewish people.” Even though an array of political and religious views are represented under the Brandeis Hillel umbrella— such as those of the Brandeis Zionist Alliance, the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee and J Street U—Hillel perceives certain views as harmful to Israel in a Jewish cultural, political and religious context. Specifically, Hillel will not endorse the support of boycott, divestment and sanctions of settlement products, the support of which JVP has welcomed through its co-sponsorship of various events on campus. Because Hillel determined JVP’s principles to conflict with Hillel’s claim to the centrality of Israel as part of religious identity, we believe that Brandeis Hillel’s decision to avoid association with such a group was legitimate.

However, in drawing the line where it does, Hillel made a Jewish group

Continue discourse on Israel on campus feel marginalized because they do not conform to a standardized view of Israel. As JVP Co-founder Lev Hirschhorn ’11 told the Boston Globe, “We feel like we deserve a seat at the Jewish communal table, … but there is a sense that dissent on the question of Israel is not really acceptable, which is really unfortunate.”

Brandeis Hillel has expressed that even though JVP was denied membership under the Hillel name, its group members are still welcome and encouraged—as all students on campus are—to participate in any and all events offered

by Hillel. This board hopes that their sentiment is meant sincerely.

We also believe that, although Brandeis Hillel has rejected JVP as a member group, JVP should not cease its participation in dialogue under the Hillel umbrella. JVP has successfully worked to obtain recognition as a club under the Student Union; we commend them on their progress, and we are glad that the Student Union has given this club a place in the Brandeis community.

While the members of JVP may feel ostracized given that their organization is not welcome within the Hillel community, this board urges the members of JVP to pursue participation in Hillel on an individual level. This can only strengthen Hillel in adding to a multiplicity of voices.

JVP and Hillel could also look to other methods of fostering productive discourse, such as the creation of and participation in forums that represent a diversity of views regarding the conflict in the Middle East. For example, in the wake of Operation Cast Lead, students at Tufts University created the New Initiative for Middle East Peace.

The organization holds events that are sponsored by nearly every group on campus that deals, in some way, with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In addition to these advocacy groups, Hillel at Tufts frequently sponsors events held by NIMEP. It would be to everyone’s benefit if Brandeis Hillel participated in a similar forum on this campus.

Brandeis Hillel should not be condemned for making the decision it did.

At the same time, members of JVP should remain part of campus discourse.

This board hopes that, moving forward, the Middle East discussion on campus can be facilitated in a productive and respectful manner.

A. ELI TUKACHINSKY/the Justice

Sexual education can aid liberal arts

By Diego Medrano JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

According to the Daily Northwestern, John Michael Bailey, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University for over 20 years, has come under fire for an explicit sexual demonstration that occurred at an optional post-lecture event.

Bailey’s class is known for being sexually explicit and for having optional post-class events in which the material discussed in class is further elaborated on by way of reallife examples. The events have included Q-and-A sessions with a swinging couple, transsexual performers, convicted sex offenders and others. The class on kinky sex and female ejaculation was followed by an hour-long Q-and-A session with an expert and his guest in which they used a sex toy to demonstrate female arousal for 5 to 10 minutes. The students were warned repeatedly that the event would be graphic and was not a required portion of the class.

Since the event, local and national news organizations have picked up the story. Some students and faculty both inside and outside the Northwestern community have labeled the act as inappropriate with some calling for disciplinary measures against. Bailey. Northwestern University President Morton Shapiro even commented, “I am troubled and disappointed by what occurred. ... I feel it represented extremely poor judgment on the part of our faculty member.” Bailey has since apologized numerous times for damaging the reputation of the school, but not for the act itself.

Any outrage caused by Bailey’s demonstration is wholly unjustified. In-class demonstrations of this sort are indicative of a university and a professor that respect the maturity of their students. When attending a university, students should not expect parenting on what is and is not appropriate. The same way a student population would be outraged at filters that limit access to certain web content like pornography or explicit violence, students should be outraged if demonstrations like Bailey’s were banned from campus.

The point of a liberal arts education is to broaden the mind and, in theory, provide students with a broad enough set of tools to succeed in society. We shouldn’t limit ourselves to certain topics because of social norms.

Inherently, the liberal arts should create an environment where no stone is left unturned and the interests of all are given equal opportunity for exploration. If sexual education isn’t your thing, don’t go. But the basis for liberal arts is, “Maybe if I do go to that science lecture, I’ll discover an interest I never knew I had.”

Those who call the act perverse and inappropriate would have benefited most from the lecture. Understanding cannot be achieved through avoidance. If they had sat through the lecture with an open mind and came out of it with the same opinions, I would value their judgment much more than if they made judgment calls without ever having opened themselves up to learning. In short, the best way to tear something apart is to arm yourself with as much knowledge and experience on the topic as possible.

Thinking back on some of the best classes I have taken, they were characterized not only by the professors but also by the varying opinions in the class. An important component of the liberal arts is bringing people from different areas, upbringings and beliefs together to learn from each other’s experiences. In the same way that learning about poverty in a room with students on full-tuition scholarships and those who can handily afford to pay their entire tuition leads to the most thorough and representative discussions, learning about sexual crimes from sex offenders provides the biggest opportunity for understanding the topic from multiple perspectives.

Likewise, sexual acts like these cannot be fully explored by way of PowerPoints and lectures. This is college and we have earned the right to choose our education. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is never a bad thing. Building an intelligent student body is not about ensuring that everyone excels at math, science, history and writing. While those are surely important, intelligence takes many forms.

The ability to have an open mind about subjects that make us uncomfortable is as important as our studies of conventional subjects.

Furthermore, sexual education is an underdeveloped part of our understanding. All too often, sex is the elephant in the room. Creating a culture where anything can be discussed thoroughly, without fear of judgment, benefits everyone in a community. It starts by forcing ourselves out of our comfort zones.

OP-BOX Quote of the Week “We like to joke that her blood is made of tomato sauce and her veins of spaghetti.”

—Claire Arkin ’12 on her Italian flatmate in Scotland.

(See Features, Page 9)

Brandeis Talks Back New! Brandeis Talks Back is now online in video format at www.thejustice.org

How do you feel about the presence of Greek life on campus?

Joey Baum ’14 “I feel that it is an asset that contributes greatly to our community.”

Simone Shapiro ’14 “It’s fantastic.”

Violeta Soued ’13 “It’s not very noticeable.”

Ian Price ’11 “I’ve never really cared about Greek life.”

—Compiled by Eitan Cooper Photos by Yosef Schaffel/ the Justice

THE JUSTICE

READER COMMENTARY Humanist club requires initiative In response to your article “Atheists on campus require support” (Forum, March 8): When I came to Brandeis last semester, I had just left Orthodox Judaism and was specifically looking to be active in the Brandeis Humanists.

It turned out that the club was about to peter out. Several of us managed to arrange a movie night and a trip to Harvard University to hear [author] Sam Harris speak there. Unfortunately, those events seemed to be the last I have heard the Humanist Club arranged. The Brandeis Humanists need people to arrange weekly club meetings so that future events can be arranged.

I think once somebody takes the initiative to do that, the Humanists will be able to build a strong campus presence. After all, other humanist clubs at colleges around Boston have been able to foster strong communities while promoting reason and spirituality (as well as challenging faith-based concepts).

—Baruch Pelta (GRAD)

Editorial comments disappointing To the Editor: Due to the selective quotation of Boston University: Students for Justice in Palestine’s letter to BU: Students for Israel—the topic of Elizabeth Stoker’s column—we at BU-SJP believe it worthwhile for Brandeis’ campus audience to hear from us directly. BU-SJP wrote a carefully crafted and principled response to BUSI, outlining why we rejected BUSI’s call for a discussion and dialogue and chose instead to resort to building a mock apartheid wall. The basic point is: We are far past the point of debate and discussion. In the 1980s, when campus activism ignited over [then-President Ronald] Reagan’s continued support for the white apartheid regime in South Africa, no one would have thought, much less suggested, that anti-apartheid activists stop their demonstrations on campus and sit down with white racists to evaluate the merits of the apartheid regime. However, we at SJP are being asked to do this exact thing here. BUSI’s willingness to debate and discuss the Israel-Palestine issue is a ruse–not unlike the ‘peace process’ to which we have all been ‘committed’ for 17 long years. It is a stalling tactic designed to ensure that Israel remains immune from criticism on campus and, therefore, allowed to continue its occupation and expropriation of the West Bank and Gaza. We at BUSJP have made a moral and tactical calculation not to take part in the ruse to divert campus attention from the real issues at stake. Nevertheless, BUSJP are willing to have a forum to discuss and debate these issues provided that BUSI take a stand for the legitimate political and human rights of the Palestinians and act in accordance with such a stance by opposing the now 4-decadeold Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

We wait anxiously for BUSI to take up our offer and stand on the right side of history. Until then, we at BUSJP will continue to agitate on campus for an end to Israel’s apartheid and occupation regime, without the hindrance of a never-ending dialogue.

—Tyler Cullis The writer is a member of Boston University Students for Justice in Palestine.

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TUESDAY, MArch 15, 2011

Don’t prevent students from voting

11

Naomi

VOLK Et cetera

It seems like no matter where you look during election season, you’re going to find some newscaster or political pundit worrying about low voter turnout. A solution for our democracy, then, would be to increase voter participation.

And yet, republicans in the New Hampshire state legislature are trying to decrease voter participation among college students.

According to the Washington Post, “New Hampshire House Republicans are pushing for new laws that would prohibit many college students from voting in the state—and effectively keep some from voting at all.” Why, you may ask, are these politicians urging a decrease in participation among new voters? The New Hampshire Speaker of the House William O’Brien was quoted as saying that college students “vote too liberal[ly]” and that “they just vote with their feelings.”

Now, aside from the outrage I feel as a politically active college student, it astounds me that Republicans in the New Hampshire House are condemning college students for voting with their hearts. After all, isn’t that what everyone does? I would guess that most people aren’t going to vote against their interests. No, most people, no matter how old they are, vote for issues that hit close to home—whether it be taxes, jobs, Medicare, what have you. The fact that college students vote with their feelings shouldn’t be seen as an anomaly—especially because politicians themselves endorse such pathos.

In 2007, Newsweek published an article talking about the use of emotions in the 2008 election. In the piece, political psychologist Drew Western said that “In politics, the emotions that really sway voters are hate, hope and fear or anxiety.”

Western wasn’t talking about college students; he was talking about voters in general. And it really doesn’t matter which side is doing the fear mongering; what matters is that candidates do it and that all voters respond emotionally, regardless of how much life experience O’Brien thinks they lack. In effect, politicians in New Hampshire are condemning in college students what they hope for in other voters. Politicians want people to vote with their feelings; otherwise those same politicians wouldn’t use emotional language to appeal to voters. However, politicians have a problem with such emotional voting if it seems to counter the politicians’ own interests.

Unfortunately, New Hampshire isn’t alone in its effort. The Washington Post reported that “The measures in New Hampshire are among dozens of voting-related bills being pushed by newly empowered Republican state lawmakers across the country.” In Wisconsin, a photo-ID bill would severely limit the voting rights of college students. According to the Washington Post,

STACY HANDLER/the Justice

“a photo-ID bill backed by the state’s new GOP majority would not permit voters to use schoolissued student cards. The measure would allow for [the use of] other IDs, such as passports, but opponents say thousands of students who do not have Wisconsin driver’s licenses or passports would face unfair hurdles that would keep many of them from voting.”

That means that if a student from Massachusetts were to attend the University of Wisconsin, he or she would be unable to vote in the Wisconsin election—any voting would have to be done through the student’s home state. What kind of a country are we living in? What happened to the 15th Amendment? The 19th Amendment? I’m pretty sure that the Constitution guarantees the right to vote for all eligible American citizens.

Denying that right to college students seems completely unconstitutional. Or do we need another amendment—one prohibiting the denial of the right to vote to anyone on the basis of age, so long as they are over 18? And exactly what harm would using a school ID pose to the voting process if the point is, as the proponents of such a law say it is, to ensure fair voting practices? If the measure is designed to make sure the people who are voting are really who they say they are, then why wouldn’t a school ID do just that? In reality,

it is the very implicit discrimination in the ID law that would make voting unfair—counterintuitive to the supposed goals of the legislation.

In fact, charges alleging unconstitutionality have been made. If Wisconsin were to implement its photo-ID bill, the Washington Post reports that it would have to spend $2.7 million a year to avoid charges of a poll tax. The Washington Post also said that a “court ruling … declared part of Georgia’s ID law unconstitutional because people lacking IDs would have to pay for cards themselves—creating, in effect, a poll tax.” According to the 24th Amendment, no citizen of the United States can be denied the right to vote on the basis of a poll tax. The proponents of the photo-ID bill are creating unfair voting conditions that are in direct violation of the Constitution.

No matter what the political reason for denying the right to vote may be, it comes down to the fact that preventing a demographic of eligible citizens from voting is just plain wrong. According to Newsweek, voter turnout in “2010 beat the previous record-low year of 2006, when only 9 percent of Democrats came out to choose their party’s midterm standard bearers.” With constant complaint about low voter turnout, it seems counterintuitive and wrong to withhold the vote from those in college.

Hillel decision reflects a significant divergance in viewpoints

By Sarah Geller and Tamar Schneck Special to the justice

The case for Brandeis Hillel to reject Brandeis Jewish Voice for Peace as a group recognized by Hillel last week has not been fully understood.

While some people see Hillel’s decision as an absolute rejection of JVP from the “communal table of dialogue,” Hillel’s decision articulates that Hillel and JVP—both national organizations—do not befit each other.

A major point of contention between the two campus groups is their basic vision for the Israeli state. In their response to JVP, Hillel recognizes Israel as “a Jewish and Democratic state with secure and recognizable borders;” while JVP, according to their application to Hillel, “supports Israel as a democratic state in Eretz Yisrael based on Jewish values.” Although this difference may seem slight and technical, it means a great deal. JVP’s vision of Israel is ambiguous at best, in fact they do not even specify what character Israel would have in the future.

There are many different values that can be considered Jewish. For example, the prohibitions against killing and robbery are both in the Ten Commandments. Is recognizing that Israel outlaws murder sufficient enough for be-

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Letters should not exceed 300 words, and may be edited for space, style, grammar, spelling, libel and clarity, and must relate to material published in the Justice. Letters from off-campus sources should include location. The Justice does not print letters to the editor and oped submissions that have been submitted to other publications.

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ing “based in Jewish values”? Since the United States outlaws robbery, is the United States “based in Jewish values”? Clearly being “based in Jewish values” is too broad to be relevant.

This nebulous connection to Judaism is not how Hillel envisions the Jewish state—their connection between the country and Judaism is much different. To Hillel at Brandeis, Israel must be a democratic state and homeland of the Jewish nation, a vision developed from 3,000 years of history, culture and religion. Judaism is not just a value Israel evokes; it is its ethos.

Denying Israel of its Jewish statehood as the democratic, Jewish state of Israel, denies Israel of its identity.

Based on the fact that these organizations have such irreconcilable differences on a fundamental issue, it is evident that JVP’s mission is incompatible with Hillel’s.

Another important factor is their dissent over the validity of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. According to Brandeis Hillel President Andrea Wexler ’11, both International Hillel and Brandeis Hillel oppose BDS because “the BDS movement is antithetical to principles of academic freedom and discourages freedom of speech.” Brandeis JVP, in accordance with the national organization,

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argues that they do not directly support the BDS movement but support targeted boycotts of companies benefiting strictly from the settlements..

However, their actions contradict their words.

According to its website, national JVP supports “divestment from and boycotts of companies … providing materials or labor for settlements, or producing military or other equipment.” This is an unrealistic claim, as Israeli companies are not in one geographic location and are connected throughout the country and territories.

For example, one of National JVP’s suggested companies to divest from is Motorola, an international phone company that the majority of Israelis use, regardless of whether or not they live in disputed territories.

Additionally, JVP’s events last semester imply support of the BDS movement. It hosted Alice Rothschild and Noam Chomsky, both known BDS supporters, to divulge their views. It seems that targeted boycott of the settlements and divestment is simply an excuse for complete boycott and divestment. The events of last semester, in addition to Brandeis JVP’s connection to National JVP, indicate a direct contradiction of Hillel’s position regarding Israel and the BDS movement.

It is important to note that while Hillel’s rejec-

The Staff

For information on joining the Justice, write to editor@ thejustice.org.

tion of JVP as a member group is a clear statement to Hillel’s commitment to Israel, it is not a rejection of pluralism. Exclusion from the umbrella organization of Hillel does not exclude JVP from campus activity or dialogue regarding the issue. Brandeis Hillel does welcome a wide range of political views regarding Israel, as demonstrated by its other member groups such as the Brandeis Zionist Alliance, J Street U and the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Yet, those three member groups align with Hillel’s national guidelines. As Wexler explained to JVP, “While your relationship with the national JVP may not mirror our own [with International Hillel], we do consider your association with the national JVP to reflect an orientation regarding Israel which is not consistent with Hillel’s guidelines.”

We must recognize, though, that even though JVP was rejected from Hillel, it is already included in dialogue fostered by Hillel as indicated by their activities this and last semester—all occurring despite unaffiliation with Hillel. We hope that a continuous dialogue with JVP—whether it be within a Hillel framework or not—can be continued.

Editor’s note: Sarah Geller is president of BIPAC and Tamar Schneck is vice president of BZA.

Editorial Assistants News: Sara Dejene, Andrew Wingens Arts: Emily Salloway Layout: Nan Pang Staff Senior Writer: Josh Asen Senior Illustrators: Rishika Assomull, A. Eli Tukachinsky News: Tyler Belanga, Daniel Heinrich Features: Dave Benger, Rocky Reichman, Deborah Salmon Forum: Hannah Goldberg, Shafaq Hasan, Rebecca Kellogg, Diego Medrano Ethan Mermelstein, Liz Posner, Sara Shahanaghi Leah Smith, Avi Snyder, Elizabeth Stoker, Naomi Volk Sports: Julian Cardillo, Jonathan Epstein, Max Goldstein, Sam Liang, Jacob Lurie, Adam Rabinowitz, Natalie Shushan, Jonathan Steinberg

Arts: Taylor Baker, Aaron Berke, Eric Chow, Alex DeSilva, Leah Igdalsky Elly Kalfus, Olivia Leiter, Morgan Manley, Amy Melser, Douglas Moore, Alex Pagan, Bryan Prywes, Sujin Shin, Shelly Shore Photography: Lydia Emmanouilidou, Morgan Fine, Nathaniel Freedman, Rachel Gordon, Hilary Heyison, Davida Judelson, Joshua Linton, Alex Margolis, Maya Shemtov, Diana Wang, David Yun, Janey Zitomer Copy: Taylor Baker, Rebecca Brooks, Allyson Cartter, Jacob Chatinover, Hilary Cheney, Erica Cooperberg, Philip Gallagher, Ariel Glickman, Patricia Greene, Celine Hacobian, Rachel Herman, Liana Johnson, Mailinh Phan-Nguyen, Maya RiserKositsky, Mara Sassoon, Dan Willey, Amanda Winn Layout: Nadav Havivi, Denny Poliferno Illustrations: Stacy Handler, Ari Tretin Ads: Nicholas Violette

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TUESDAY, march 15, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

FORUM THE WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH AND THE SUPREME COURT’S VERDICT

SARA WEININGER/the Justice

IN FAVOR

Preserve free speech rights in all situations

By Aaron Fried

JUSTICE Contributing WRITER

A few months ago, members of the hate group known as the Westboro Baptist Church came here to protest our community’s acceptance of homosexuals and Jews. The group’s inflammatory and bigoted message incensed many members of our community, which motivated our response—a program called “Celebrate Brandeis” in which we reaffirmed our values of tolerance and diversity. Unfortunately, the WBC’s mission includes more than reminding college students that ignorant people still exist.

The WBC first gained media attention through their protests of the funerals of soldiers who died overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They claimed that God was killing the soldiers because America is too tolerant of gays, and they advertised their views with picket signs reading “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” The father of Matthew Snyder, a fallen marine, was so offended by these protests that he took Fred Phelps, the leader of the WBC, to court.

According to the Supreme Court’s opinion published on its website, Snyder’s suit claimed that the church was guilty of “intentional infliction of emotional distress, intrusion upon seclusion, and civil conspiracy,” and Snyder was awarded millions in monetary damages.

However, Phelps appealed, claiming that the decision was excessive and in violation of the protections afforded by the First Amendment.

The Fourth Circuit Court reversed the decision, agreeing that the WBC’s message is protected under the First Amendment. Eventually, the case made its way to the Supreme Court, where, on March 2, the Court voted in an eight-to-one decision upholding the WBC’s right to free speech.

While I find the vitriol that Phelps and his so-called “church” spew to be vile and despicable, I cannot help but agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to defend them under the First Amendment. There is no doubt that any tolerant member of society would be shocked and appalled by the actions and words

of the WBC. However, just because their speech is disgusting does not mean it ought to be curtailed.

The concept of free speech means that those with ideas, regardless of what they are and whom they may offend, can express those ideas without fear of legal recourse. To limit legalized speech to speech that is not considered offensive is a dan-

“

Just because their speech is disgusting does not mean it ought to be curtailed. gerous precedent indeed.

The idea of emotionally disturbing speech is often used to capture the attention of an audience.

Organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

frequently use images or descriptions of dead or abused animals to offend our sensibilities and rouse an emotional response. Though it is plainly obvious that arguing for the humane treatment for animals is far more acceptable than preaching that America is doomed because we accept those whom God supposedly hates, there is no doubt that the delivery of some animal advocacy groups’ messages has the capacity to offend.

The case also touched upon how the funeral-goers claimed to be a captive audience. The Court ruled this invalid because the picketers were far enough away that Snyder, the soldier’s father, could barely see the tops of the signs or hear the protestors’ shouts from where he was.

Again, albeit the WBC protesting at a military funeral for a soldier who sacrificed his life for his country is nauseatingly infuriating, that is not a justification for deeming their protests criminal activity. Picketing in such a manner that the target audience will be forced to come across the protests is commonplace

in our society. For example, unions on strike picket in front of factories in order to force those who enter the factory cross the picket line and thus hear the protesters’ message.

Such protests are also protected under the right to free assembly that is stated in the First Amendment. As long as these assemblies remain peaceful, as enraging and provocative as their tone may be, they should receive equal protection under the law.

Though the Court has ruled in a manner that is against most of our emotional desires to see these racist homophobes dried of all of their assets and thrown behind bars for their egregious actions, we ought to take comfort in the fact that if our justice system will protect this sort of speech, then the First Amendment is alive and well. Instead of being discouraged that groups like the WBC can continue to spread their hatred, we, as Americans and Brandeisians, are also free to voice our opinions and should continue to stand united and resolute in the face of that hatred.

IN OPPOSITION

Verdict lacked an application of ethical values

By Tien Le JUSTICE Contributing WRITER

Expressing oneself is both a freedom and a privilege of living in a democratic society. A functioning democracy protects our rights during moments in which we feel our freedoms are violated. For instance, protecting free speech requires us to preserve that freedom for every individual and accept all forms of speech, regardless of their popularity.

Yet if we protect all forms of speech under blind justice, we may never understand the importance of protecting our minds and bodies from speech that defiles human dignity. When applied to unpopular or hateful sentiments, free speech can become difficult to uphold in practice.

The Westboro Baptist Church is an organization known for its opposition to homosexuality and religious and ethnic groups. Picketing military funerals is one of the group’s controversial protest activities. After members of the WBC protested at the funeral of U.S. Marine Matthew Snyder, his father, Albert Snyder, filed a lawsuit against the

WBC and its leader, Fred Phelps, for an invasion of privacy and the intentional infliction of emotional distress. The case reached the Supreme Court and was heard on Oct. 6, 2010.

The Supreme Court’s decision over the WBC ruled that the First Amendment was applicable to the organization’s right to protest. The legality of the case, as well as the organization’s negative behavior, has drawn broad attention from the public, both from those who support the decision and those who reject it.

Although there is legal justification to rule in favor of the WBC, there are reasons for supporting Snyder that one must take into account.

The funeral of a fallen soldier is a private and religious occasion. It is a place of respect and remembrance for the life of a human being, one that deserves protection from disturbance by the government.

It is therefore difficult to bear the sudden appearance of parishioners from the WBC. They are known to carry large, antagonizing posters while singing protest songs. This loud environment is a deliberate means to inflict pain upon the

existent sorrow of the mourners.

The confrontational presence of the WBC is an interference on the family’s ability to mourn and show religious respect to the deceased.

Showing proper grievance and respect becomes difficult while internalizing hate channeled from an external source.

“

Should free speech allow a forum that is open to hate?

There should be a rational means to properly commemorate the deceased and preserve peace throughout the service. State and federal regulations should act in the family’s best interest to protect their privacy and emotional security.

Moreover, a funeral protest is an exploitation of a family’s private emotional distress. For the duration of the funeral, the property

on which the ceremony is held becomes a privately used domain.

Unless stated, public access to the funeral of a soldier is undoubtedly limited to those who were invited or were close with the deceased. Attendees of the funeral would naturally assume that privacy needs to be respected. A funeral protest would be a violation of the mourners’ privacy.

I cannot accept a funeral as a proper forum for the formal declaration of a group’s beliefs. Normally, we think of a funeral as an event to commemorate the particular individual who passed away and not as an event for public use. It seems as though the WBC has used every military funeral as a chance to verbally attack or privately harass the deceased for the individual’s orientation. This is by no means a protest but rather a public display of discrimination. Moreover, funerals do not capture the broad audience that a protest is expected to provide Although the First Amendment allows us to share our opinions in a democratic society, should free speech allow a forum that is open to hate? We express ourselves through an unlimited array of media, wheth-

er it is through the Internet, our papers or our own opinions. The WBC can indeed make a public case for their beliefs just as any American has the right to do.

However, they have argued for their anti-gay beliefs at the funerals of American soldiers, a delicate setting that demands respect and morality.

Overall, Snyder’s legal battle against the WBC was a struggle for empathy. As would any individual, Snyder defended his emotions when an event challenged the nature of his conscience. He sought compensation for a personal loss that was ultimately propelled by an intuitive search for justice.

Maintaining the framework of our democracy comes with both a legal application of the law and a humanistic approach to society. Although the Supreme Court upheld an accurate interpretation of the First Amendment, they should, perhaps, also consider preserving the ethical values by which we live. The WBC constitutes the tiniest fraction of our nation. The court case acts as a reminder of the freedoms and righteous causes that we truly value in our society.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2011

13

SPORTS

Cardillo, Mack lead fencers at Regional meet ■ Julian Cardillo ’14 and

Leah Mack ’14 finished seventh and 10th at regionals to lead Brandeis.

By JOSH ASEN JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

Foil Julian Cardillo ’14 was the only member of the either Brandeis fencing squad to qualify for the NCAA Championships after competing in the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY last Sunday.

Cardillo, who was named Fencer of the Year in the Northeast Fencing Conference March 1 after posting a record of 24-1 on the year, finished seventh among the 32 foil fencers despite the fact that he came into the day as the ninth seed. To qualify for nationals, a fencer in the Northeast region must finish in the top eight in their weapon category.

“To be able to pull such a great result and be able go to Nationals is pretty unreal,” Cardillo said. “I know that Brandeis doesn’t have a lot of [first-years] who qualify on a regular basis, so I’m happy to put a spot in history for myself and for Brandeis.”

Coach Bill Shipman said that he was pleased with how Cardillo performed against the tough competition he faced from premier fencing schools such as St. John’s University and Harvard University, noting that he was aware of Cardillo’s realistic chances of qualifying.

“We knew he had a shot at [qualifying for nationals],” Shipman said.

“He had a good season and was seeded pretty high. He showed a lot of composure and confidence in his fencing today.”

While Cardillo will move on to nationals, which takes place from March 24 to the 27th at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, the eight other men’s fencers who qualified for regionals at Vassar concluded their seasons last Sunday.

“We were hopeful a couple seniors would make it [to nationals], but they didn’t quite pull it off,” Shipman said.

In saber, captain Adam Austin ’11 finished 13th out of 34 fencers in the group, concluding his career at

Brandeis. “[Austin] had a pretty good day but didn’t quite make the final round,” Shipman said. “He had a couple bad breaks. … It was a little disappointing for a guy who worked so hard for 4 years.”

While Austin finished 13th, sabers Jon Rollock ’11 and Mark Borreliz ’14 placed 15th and 28th, respectively. Épée Alex Powell ’12 placed 12th in the épée standings, while Mike Zook ’13 recorded a 29th-place finish among the 36 fencers. Harry Kaufer ’13, the final épée fencer for the men’s team, placed 32nd. Sean Norton ’12 also competed in foil with Cardillo, and he finished 31st overall.

Although nobody qualified on the women’s squad for nationals, saber Zoe Messinger ’13 thought the team performed admirably against their opponents.

“I feel like today we had a very good day,” Messinger said. “I feel like all the girls fenced their best. We all pulled through and fenced really strong. Although none of us made it to the NCAAs, I think we fenced strong enough to give the Brandeis team a good [representation] for the end of the year.”

On the women’s team, épée Leah Mack ’14 finished 10th overall among 49 épée fencers, proving to be the best ranking for any women’s fencer from Brandeis. Emma Larkin ’14 finished 11 spots behind Mack, while Kristin Ha ’14 finished 38th overall.

Foil Vikki Nunley ’13, an NFC AllStar selection, recorded a 16th-place finish in foil. Hallie Frank ’14 was the only other women’s fencer to compete in foil, where she finished 32nd overall.

In saber, Messinger and captain/ NFC All-Star Anna Hanley ’11 placed 17th and 22nd, respectively, out of 38 fencers, while Kayla Cronin ’14 finished in 38th.

Overall, Cardillo saw great effort and motivation from everyone on both squads, making for a successful day of fencing.

“The effort was there,” Cardillo said. “The cheering was there. We had a lot of motivation, and at the end of the day, everything worked out in a good way for us.”

Editor’s note: Julian Cardillo ’14 is a Sports staff writer for the Justice.

TENNIS: Teams ace local competitions CONTINUED FROM 16 third slot for the Judges’ other loss.

Jordan, Ezra Bernstein ’11 and Adam Brown ’14 picked up their matches, sealing the win for the Judges.

While noting that the men had room for improvement, Lamanna said that he was pleased with the team’s performance.

“Overall, the men had a pretty good weekend,” he said.

“We have the pieces and we’re doing really well,” White added.

The women’s team also shut out Connecticut College, winning 9-0.

The doubles teams cruised through the contest, and all six singles positions won their matches in straight sets.

Against Middlebury, however, the No. 30 Judges faltered against the No. 12 Panthers, falling 8-1. The lone victory for the Judges was in the third doubles position, where the tandem of Roberta Bergstein ’14 and Alexa Katz ’14 won 8-4.

“They’re doing a great job,” Lamanna said of the rookie tandem.

“It’s scary to put two freshman at doubles, but they complement each other pretty well. [Bersgstein] is explosive, and [Katz] has a really good serve. So far, they’ve been pretty fearless. That was a good win for them.”

Overall, Lamanna said that the team did a good job of keeping things close against Middlebury but just wasn’t able to pull out the wins.

“There were some close matches, but we only had 1 point,” he said. “We were at their place and they were aggressive, and we had a tough time.”

Last Wednesday, the Judges cruised past Bentley, defeating the Falcons 9-0. Brandeis got off to a fast start with Rachel Rosman ’11 and Faith Broderick ’13 easily winning the first doubles spot. Brandeis never looked back, and handed Bentley its first loss of the season.

—Natalie Shushan contributed reporting.

FLAMETHROWER

DAVID SHEPPARD-BRICK/Justice File Photo

RING ’EM UP: Dylan Britton ’13 has racked up 12 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings pitched so far this season for the baseball team.

BASEBALL: Judges head north with winning record CONTINUED FROM 16 12-inning, 7-6 victory over the University of Rochester. Dylan Britton ’13 pitched six innings of one-run ball. By the seventh inning, it looked like a low-scoring affair, the only run coming from a RBI single by catcher/ outfielder Kenny Destremps ’12. In the next three innings, however, the teams combined for 11 runs. RBI singles by Schwartz and Deshler in addition to a few key errors at the top of the ninth inning pushed the game into extra innings tied at 6. It was a stalemate until first baseman Eric Rosenberg ’11 hit a single into center in the 12th, notching the game-winner for the Judges. Brian Ing ’14 stepped up and pitched three innings of shutout ball in extra innings to secure the 7-6 victory.

However, the Judges did not start off well in their slate of UAA games, getting blown out 11-3 by Emory. pitcher Mike Swerdloff ’13 was hit hard in his start, giving up nine runs, though only

four were earned. He lasted five and two-thirds innings. The Judges tied the game at 2 in the third inning on RBI singles by Deshler and outfielder Zach Malis ’12. From there, Emory tagged the Judges’ pitching staff for nine runs, with the Judges scoring just once the rest of the way.

In non-conference action, Brandeis won a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Mount Saint Mary College. The pitching was nearly flawless, with Colin Markel ’14 providing four strong innings to start the game. From there, Alex Tynan ’12 pitched one and twothirds innings to secure his second win of the season, with Swerdloff earning his first save. It was a classic pitcher’s duel between the two teams until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Rosenberg belted an RBI triple and Malis knocked in another runner to take a 2-0 lead. The Judges never relinquished the lead, and won 3-2.

In their first game of the week, the Brandeis offense exploded for 12 runs

against Drew University to win the game by a score of 12-6. Ing started for the Judges, but only lasted an inning, giving up 2 runs on two hits. McGrath and Jessie Link ’13 then combined for six strong innings, allowing one run each. Link earned the victory for the Judges. Brandeis immediately tacked four runs on the scoreboard, thanks in large part to a two-run triple by Deshler. The Judges ran away with the game in the third inning, puting together four more runs.

Reflecting on the tournament, Schwartz thinks the team has room for improvement heading into the next part of its season. “What we’re lacking right now is consistency,” he said. “We have to cut down the mental mistakes and focus for all nine innings. This tournament definitely showed we have the potential to win a lot of games in the next few months.”

The Judges will play just one game this week, on Thursday at Bridgewater State University.

SOFTBALL: Nolan leads squad at UAAs CONTINUED FROM 16 Last Thursday’s game against Case was a thriller, as the Judges put up three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win 9-6. Brandeis was down 3-0 by the end of the first inning, only to come back in the second with 5 runs. The sixth run came in the third inning, when center fielder Lauren Porcaro ’12 got an infield single, stole second, reached third on a bunt and then came home on a passed ball. But Case chipped away at the Judges’ lead and eventually tied the game in the top of the sixth on a single from junior designated hitter Lauren Wolz. The next frame, Judges shortstop Brittany Grimm ’12 doubled to center and scored on an error on a ball hit by center fielder Carly Schmand ’11. Left fielder Maxie Hirshler ’12 doubled, and then two batters later Marianne Specker ’12 singled in two more runs to give the Judges some insurance. Grimm went 3-4 with two runs scored.

“It’s just a matter of playing to the final out, and giving our all, and it shows the fight that we have when we come back and win these close

games,” Cagar said of the game.

In their first UAA tournament game, the Judges were down 5-1 to Rochester in the fifth inning before scoring eight runs in the sixth inning to defeat the YellowJackets 9-5. The Judges managed to load the bases on a hit batter and two walks before shortstop Lauren Porcaro ‘12 drove the first run home with a grounder to short. Grimm drove another run in on an error at third base to make the score 5-3. A fielder’s choice from Schmand scored another run before a two-run game-winning double from designated hitter Marianne Specker ’12 put Brandeis up 7-5. The Judges added two more runs on RBI singles from third baseman Danielle Lavallee ’11 and Samantha Gajewski ’12.

Brandeis played their first three games in Clermont, Fla. against nonconference teams. In their final nonconference game, Brandeis fell 8-5 to Monmouth College. The score was tied at 4 going into the final inning, but Monmouth drove in four runs, taking an 8-4 lead into the final halfinning. Brandeis managed to score

one run in the final frame, but could not mount a comeback, and lost the game 8-5.

The squad fared batter in their second game, against Thiel College, winning 10-2. The Judges’ bats exploded for five runs in the first inning, starting with a leadoff triple from Grimm. The Judges rallied again in the sixth inning for five more runs, and Nolan allowed two runs on just five hits and seven strikeouts for the complete game win in her first collegiate game.

The team lost their first game 6-1 to DeSales University last Monday.

Its only RBI came in the fifth inning when Schmand doubled home outfielder Casey Ducinski ‘13, who had walked and then stole second.

Brandeis only managed three hits during the first game.

“We had a couple of tough losses; we’re not 100 percent happy unless we are undefeated; I think we’re still trying to work out the kinks, come together as a team. Just trying to get a win,” said Cagar.

The team plays a doubleheader at Clark University on Saturday.

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THE JUSTICE

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Julian Cardillo ’14

0 3 2 3 10

hits allowed by rookie softball pitcher Melissa Nolan ’14 in her start last Sunday against Case Western Reserve University. It was the first Brandeis no-hitter in nearly 2 years.

doubles victories for the team of Roberta Bergstein ’14 and Alexa Katz ’14, including the women’s tennis team’s lone win against Middlebury College.

nd-place finish for Grayce Selig ’11 in the 1-mile run at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships last weekend.

wins for the men’s tennis team on the week. The squad is now 5-3 after going 3-1 this week.

th-place finish by épée Leah Mack ’14 at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships last Sunday.

15

Can We Kick It?, Patchworkers win intramural basketball leagues The Intramural Basketball season finished up last Tuesday night with two exciting championship games in Auerbach Arena.

In the women’s game, the No. 2 seed Can We Kick It? avenged their only loss of the season by defeating topranked The Birds, 29-20. Team captain Mimi Theodore ’12 led the way for the champs with 10 points, including 2 baskets from downtown. Team captain Londyn Graham ’11 led all players with 12 points in a losing effort.

The men’s championship game featured the No. 2 seed Team Kobe battling against the fourth-seeded Patchworkers. Captain Stephen Keuchkarian ’11 led a balanced attack with 17 points as Team Kobe pulled away midway through the second half and never looked back, winning the championship by a score of 59-48. Dave Aquilino ’12 and John Weldon (GRAD) also reached double figures for Team Kobe with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Assistant men’s basketball coach Dan Holbrook scored a game-high 18 points for the Patchworkers, but no other teammate had more than two field goals.

seventh at regionals last weekend, earning him a trip to the NCAAs on March 24 at The Ohio State University.

Judging numbers

TUESDAY, March 15, 2011

Intramural Brief

■ The first-year foil finished

Foil Julian Cardillo ’14 qualified for the NCAA Championships last weekend, the only member of the fencing team to do so.

Cardillo finished seventh at regionals last weekend, where the top eight finishers qualify. Cardillo, who came into the meet ranked ninth, said that he was thrilled with the results.

“I’m so happy with myself, and I fenced my absolute best today,” he said. “I had the jitters going into it. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Cardillo also said that it took a bit of luck for him to qualify.

“I’m kind of fortunate because New England and the Northeast have the toughest qualifying divisions, so they let eight people qualify, so that’s an advantage for me,” he said.

Cardillo was named the Northeast Fencing Conference Fencer of the Year this season after finishing with a 24-1 record this season. He also was named the University Athletic Association Fencer of the Week for the week ending Feb. 27 for his performance at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference championships, where he finished 10-0.

Cardillo said that he is excited about his chances at nationals and thinks that he has the chance to perform well at the tournament.

“If I fenced the way I fenced today, I’ll do really well,” he said. “Honestly, I want to fence my best. … I want to be realistic. I have the potential to do very well. … When nationals come, I’m going to try my hardest to fence my best. I’m very

●

—Courtesy of the IM Sports Staff

AP Brief NFL labor negotiations break off, leaving league’s future in jeopardy

MICHAEL TURESKI/SportsPix

confident good things will happen.”

Coach Bill Shipman agreed, saying that he was confident that Cardillo would excel at nationals.

“He’s an excellent competitor and I’m sure he’ll do a great job at [the] Ohio State

[University],” Shipman said. ­—Jeffrey Boxer Josh Asen contributed reporting.

Editor’s note: Julian Cardillo ’14 is a Sports staff writer for the Justice.

UAA STANDINGS Baseball

Softball

UAA Conference Overall

W L W L Pct. Emory 12 2 22 5 .815 Case 11 3 20 5 .800 WashU 7 7 13 12 .520 JUDGES 7 7 10 15 .400 Rochester 6 8 19 9 .679 Chicago 5 9 9 16 .360

UAA Conference

W L Emory 5 0 WashU 3 1 Rochester 3 3 JUDGES 3 3 Chicago 0 0 Case 0 7

Not including Monday’s games

Not including Monday’s games Overall W L T Pct. 20 0 0 .889 7 4 1 .815 5 4 0 .778 4 5 0 .520 0 0 0 .480 2 11 0 .480

TEAM LEADERS Baseball (batting average)

Softball (batting average)

Chris Ferro ’13 leads the team with a .380 batting average this season.

Samantha Gajewski ’12 leads the team with a .379 batting average.

Player AVG Chris Ferro .380 Tony Deshler .340 Eric Rosenberg .327 Nick Cortese .298 Kenny Destremps .294 Zach Malis .292 Andrew Cohen .281

Player PPG Samantha Gajewski .379 Danielle Lavallee .333 Marianne Specker .320 Brittany Grimm .282 Carly Schmand .267 Leah McWilliams .238 two tied with .200

Baseball (earned run average)

Softball (runs)

Colin Markel ’14 leads the team with a 2.77 ERA this season.

Leah McWilliams ’14 leads the team with seven runs scored this season.

Player ERA Colin Markel 2.77 John McGrath 2.81 Pat Nicholson 3.21 Brian Ing 3.60 Stefan Weiss 4.15

Player Runs Leah McWilliams 7 Brittany Grimm 6 Lauren Porcaro 6 Carly Schmand 6 two tied with 5

UPCOMING GAME TO WATCH Two doubleheaders on the road for softball The softball team hits the road to take on Clark and Emerson this weekend.

The softball team will play four games in 2 days this weekend, traveling to Clark University on Saturday before taking on Emerson College on Sunday.

Last season, Brandeis won all four of its games against the two schools, with the four games played at Brandeis.

Last season, though, the softball team

finished with a 29-9-1 record, while the team has struggled to a 4-7 record so far this year.

This weekend’s games will also be the squad’s first games in Massachusetts, as the team spent last week competing in the University Athletic Association Tournament in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Unable to decide how to divvy up $9 billion a year, NFL owners and players put the country’s most popular sport in limbo last Friday by breaking off labor negotiations hours before their contract expired.

The union decertified, and 10 players, including Most Valuable Player quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, sued the owners in federal court, putting the NFL on a path to its first work stoppage since 1987.

Despite two extensions to the collective bargaining agreement during 16 days of talks overseen by a federal mediator and previous months of stop-and-start negotiating, the sides could not agree on a new deal. As of Friday evening, the league said it hadn’t decided whether to lock out the players, who, meanwhile, went to court to request an injunction to block such a move.

As was clear all along, the dispute came down to money.

In the end, it appeared the sides were about $185 million apart on how much owners should get up front each season for certain operating expenses before splitting the rest of the revenues with players—a far cry from the $1 billion that separated the sides for so long.

But the NFL Players Association refused to budge any further without getting detailed financial information for each team.

“I would dare any one of you to pull out any economic indicator that would suggest that the National Football League is falling on hard times,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said. “The last 14 days, the National Football League has said, ‘Trust us.’ But when it came time for verification, they told us it was none of our business.”

By dissolving and announcing that it no longer represents the players in collective bargaining, the union cleared the way for class-action lawsuits against the NFL, which opted out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2008. The antitrust suit, forever to be known as Brady et al. vs. National Football League et al., attacked the league’s policies on the draft, salary cap and free-agent restrictions, such as franchise-player tags.

The court fights could eventually threaten the 2011 season for a league whose past two Super Bowls ranked as the two most-watched programs in United States television history. The last time NFL games were lost to a work stoppage was when the players went on strike 24 years ago, leading to games with replacement players.

“This obviously is a very disappointing day for all of us.

I’ve been here for the better part of 2 weeks now, and essentially ... the union’s position on the core economic issues has not changed one iota,” New York Giants owner John Mara said. “One thing that became painfully apparent to me during this period was that their objective was to go the litigation route.”

The NFLPA also decertified in 1989. Antitrust lawsuits by players led to a new CBA in 1993 that included free agency, and the union formed again that year.

The sides met from 10 a.m. until about 4 p.m. Friday, discussing a new proposal by the owners. When the possibility of a third extension to the CBA was raised, the union said it first wanted assurances it would get 10 years of audited financial information.

“I will tell you this: Any business where two partners don’t trust each other, any business where one party says, ‘You need to do X, Y and Z because I told you,’ is a business that is not only not run well, it is a business that can never be as successful as it can be,” Smith said.

At 4:45 p.m. last Friday, Smith and the union’s negotiators left the mediator’s office. About 15 minutes later, the union decertified.

“No one is happy where we are now,” NFL lead negotiator Jeff Pash said. “I think we know where the [union’s] commitment was. It was a commitment to litigate all along.”

A league statement added, “the union left a very good deal on the table.”

Mediator George Cohen, who kept a lid on public comments from both sides for much of the last three weeks, said “no useful purpose would be served by requesting the parties to continue the mediation process at this time.”

But the public acrimony that arose Thursday night seeped into Friday.

When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Pash, Mara and owners Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers emerged from Cohen’s office shortly after 5 p.m., they sounded hopeful that negotiations would resume soon.

“We’re discouraged, we’re frustrated, we’re disappointed, but we are not giving up. We know that this will be resolved in the negotiation process,” Pash said. “We will be prepared to come back here any time the union is ready.”

just

Sports

Page 16

FANTASTIC FROSH

Julian Cardillo ’14 qualified for Nationals after a strong showing at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, p. 15.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Track and field

Selig runs to second at Nationals

baseball

ACING THE SERVE

Judges finish 4-3 in Florida ■ The baseball team went

■ Grayce Selig ’11 finished

4-3 on its second trip through Florida, including 2-3 in UAA competition.

second in the 1-mile run at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships.

By adam rabinowitz

By jonathan epstein

JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Grayce Selig ’11, Brandeis’ lone competitor at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships last weekend, finished second in the 1-mile run, the best finish by a Brandeis women’s competitor at the event since 2006. Selig narrowly missed winning the mile, as she finished only 1.01 seconds behind Randelle Boots ’13 of Wellesley College.

Selig settled for second and another All-American accolade, finishing in 4 minutes, 58.47 seconds.

Amy Knoblock ’11, from Keene State College, was third, 0.32 seconds behind Selig.

Selig said that the race was tight for most of the run.

“The first three-fourths of the race, everyone was all bunched up and close together,” she said. “Everyone was trying to get their spot.

With two laps to go everyone was still together and I was on the inside as planned. I was sitting in fourth or fifth for most of the race, but somehow the inside lane opened up with one lap to go and the field finally began to separate. I passed the girl in second on the home stretch on the final lap.”

Saturday was the third time that Selig garnered All-American honors in her career—she was an AllAmerican twice last year. At the 2010 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track Championships, she placed fourth in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:28.72. At the 2010 Indoor Championships, she was the anchor of a team that finished third in the distance medley relay. The last Brandeis woman to finish that well at the meet was Anat Benoun ’09, who finished second in the triple jump in 2006.

The meet was held at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

The track team’s next race will be the first of the outdoor season, on April 1 at the Princeton Sam Howell Distance Night in Ewing, NJ.

The baseball team embarked on its most difficult stretch of the season last week, competing in seven games in classic baseball weather in Sanford, Fla. Brandeis easily handled both of its non-conference opponents and went 2-3 in the University Athletic Association Tournament. It was a marked improvement over last year’s efforts, when the team went 1-4, losing all four games by at least six runs.

“I think we played some good games, some where our pitching was dominant and others where our situational hitting carried us,” shortstop Dominic Schwartz ’14 said. “Our team was able to contribute on both sides of the field and really displayed resilience during a tough stretch.”

In their last game of the weekend, the Judges admirably fought against a powerful Case Western Reserve University team but could not prevail, losing 8-4 to the Spartans. Pat Nicholson ’11 took the loss, surrendering four runs over five innings. RBI singles by outfielder Andrew Cohen ’13, third baseman Jon Chu ’12 and outfielder Nick Cortese ’13 put Brandeis

See BASEBALL, 13 ☛

Nolan no-hits Tennis excels in two Case at UAAs ALEX MARGOLIS/the Justice

ON TARGET: Adam Brown ’14 lines up a serve during the team’s win over Bentley.

meets against rivals tennis teams went 2-1 and 3-1 last week, respectively, dropping only to Middlebury.

By Jeffrey boxer JUSTICE editor

NATHANIEL FREEDMAN/Justice File Photo

within striking distance of overtaking Case after Nicholson settled down, but Case scored four more quick runs to put the game out of reach. Brandeis had immense difficulty handling Emory University in the tournament, ceding 12 runs last Saturday in their second loss of the week to the Eagles. Pitcher Colin Markel ’14, making his second start of the week, held up well against a potent Eagles offense until the fourth inning, when the Eagles started scoring in bunches.

Brandeis put together five runs in the second and third innings on just one hit, a two-run single by Schwartz. Leading 8-5 in the fifth inning, the Eagles’ pitching staff shut down the Brandeis offense and never looked back, tacking on four more runs for a 12-5 victory.

The Judges bested Washington University in St. Louis the day before with a 5-2 win. Once again, Brandeis relied on solid starting pitching, this time from John McGrath ’11. McGrath gave up just 1 earned run over seven and twothirds innings. The Judges kept the game tight, matching the Bears pitch for pitch, until Brandeis blew the game open with a four-run seventh inning. Chu and Cortese contributed RBI singles while Tony Deshler ’11 had a two-run double.

Nicholson locked down the save for Brandeis.

Brandeis earned its first UAA win of the season in a thrilling

softball

■ The men’s and women’s

FULL SPEED AHEAD: Grayce Selig ’11 had the women’s track team’s best finish at Indoor Nationals since April 2009.

Waltham, Mass.

The men’s and women’s tennis teams travelled to Middlebury, Vt. for a tournament last weekend, after hosting Bentley College earlier in the week. Both squads faired well, losing only to host Middlebury College on their way to 3-1 and 2-1 records, respectively. The men’s team is now 5-3 on the season, while the women’s team is 6-3.

The men’s team had three matches at Middlebury. They shut out Connecticut College 9-0 last Saturday night, winning every match against the Camels.

“It was pretty impressive,” coach Ben Lamanna said of the win. “We were really happy about that.”

Against Middlebury the night before, the men’s team struggled and dropped 8-1. Lamanna said that the team had trouble early, which made it difficult to bounce back.

“We had opportunities in doubles,

but it came down to a few loose service games and that set the whole tone,” he said. “Being down 3-0 after doubles is difficult. We feel that we have a good enough doubles team that we can beat anyone.”

Rookie Mike DeFeo ’14 said that Middlebury was a tough matchup for the Judges.

“Middlebury is a really well-trained team,” he said. “When you give them an inch they take full advantage of it.

A little loss of focus could cost us the match—and that’s exactly what happened.”

Against the State University of New York College at Oneonta the day before, the Judges won 8-1, dropping just a singles match. Led by the No. 17 doubles pair of Simon Miller ’11 and Nick White ’11, all three doubles pairs cruised to victories. Brandeis also grabbed the first four singles matches before Josh Jordan ’13 dropped the tiebreaker in the fifth singles spot.

Earlier in the week, the Judges hosted Bentley, defeating their rivals 7-2.

Miller and White struggled in the first doubles spot, but they were avenged by the second and third teams. Miller and White won their singles matches, but Steven Milo ’13 dropped in the

See TENNIS, 13 ☛

■ Rookie Melissa Nolan

’14 threw a no-hitter in her second career start for the softball team.

By max goldstein JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Brandeis rookie pitcher Melissa Nolan ’14 proved to be the Nolan Ryan of the University Athletic Association softball tournament last Sunday as she tossed a no-hitter in a 9-0 Judges win over Case Western Reserve University. The win snapped Brandeis’ three-game losing streak, and was a fantastic end to what had otherwise been a rough week for the Judges. “[Nolan] has done a great a job—it could be nerve-wracking, going out there for the first time in college, and she played great, I thought she did a great job, I think she’s done a great job,” said second baseman Melissa Cagar ’11.

Nolan is the first Brandeis pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Emily Vaillette ’10 threw one on April 2, 2009. She allowed just three base runners from two walks and an error. The Judges scored five runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and tacked on three more in the sixth.

The softball team played eight games in total on the week, finishing at 3-5, 2-3 in the UAA. The Judges struggled in the game before Nolan’s no-hitter, falling to the University of Rochester, which avenged an earlier loss to Brandeis with an 8-2 win.

The Judges failed to cash in on scoring opportunities as they loaded the bases in the first inning, and had runners on first and second base with one out in the second, but failed to score both times.

Brandeis also fell earlier last Saturday, dropping to No. 10 Emory 12-0. Emory scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Judges only managed two hits for the entire game, while conceding 10 to undefeated Emory. Pitcher Caroline Miller ’12 struggled throughout the day against one of the top offenses in the country, but she was not alone. Emory outscored its opponents 57-3 in UAA play throughout the week.

“I think we need to make sure that we [keep] the balance, making sure we compensate if one part, pitching or hitting, is not doing playing well, so if we are not hitting well, we have to pitch well and play good defense,” said Cagar.

See SOFTBALL, 13 ☛

just

ARTS Vaginas

March 15, 2011

speak out in

‘Monologues’

p. 19 Photos: Robyn Spector, Janey Zitomer and Hilary Heyison/the Justice. Design: Robyn Spector/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, march 15, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

19 - 20

■ ‘Vagina Monologues’ review 19 The Vagina Club put on its annual performance of ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ a play about the female body and pride in being a woman.

■ Simon Shaheen concert

19

■ Weekend in pictures

20

The world-renowned Palestinian composer and musician performed with his Arab fusion group Qantara last Saturday night in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

This weekend was full of on-campus events—here are some highlights as documented by the Justice photo staff.

OFF CAMPUS

21 - 23

■ ‘Asher Lev’ review

21

Brandeis Director of Office of the Arts Scott Edmiston directed ‘My Name is Asher Lev,’ based on Chaim Potok’s novel.

■ PAX East 2011

21

■ ‘Jane Eyre’ interview

22

■ ‘Paul’ interview

23

JustArts attended the largest video game conference on the east coast last weekend.

In an interview with justArts, the director and the star of ‘Jane Eyre’ dished the dirt on their new film, based on the classic novel.

JustArts talked to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost about their upcoming film, ‘Paul,’ concerning the adventures of two nerds and their alien friend, voiced by Seth Rogen.

CALENDAR

Interview

Asian-American Celebrations

by Shelly Shore

I’ll come right out and be honest: I love celebrity gossip. I know, brand new information, right? A gossip columnist liking gossip?

But it’s true. I love celebrity craziness. I love their completely unnecessary spending—for example, Will Smith chartered a private jet last week because the flight he was originally supposed to be on only had seats in coach—and their outrageous Twitter feuds, and I adore watching the fallout of breakdowns and breakups.

This week, The Observer ran an interesting story asking whether or not the media are fueling celebrity breakdowns, targeting Hollywood’s latest basket case, Charlie Sheen.

In the case of Charlie Sheen’s dismissal from Two and a Half Men and the subsequent formation of his Twitter empire, writers Mark Borkowski and Oliver James want to know, just who is exploiting whom?

The two writers took opposing views on the issue. Borkowski claimed, “If anyone is fueling Charlie Sheen’s breakdown, it is Charlie Sheen. Don’t blame the media. The media does what the media does, be it reporting from a war zone or scavenging among the celebrity hotspots of the world.”

In contrast, James wrote, “Sheen’s case is an extreme example of how the media peddle a toxic materialistic ideology. The (nearly all right-wing) media in America, and in this country too, have been only too happy to sell papers or broadcasting space by reporting his disturbance. But these stories only sell because people in the UK and US have become addicted to the media’s continuous recycling of materialist values…Sheen’s disturbance has been exacerbated by the media.

That he wants the coverage is one of his psychiatric symptoms. That we consume stories about him is a sign of just how sick our society has become.”

Both writers bring up decent points. The media has latched onto Charlie’s very public

 JustArts recently spoke with Nancy Nguyen ’13 about past APAHM events and the exciting SKINS Fashion Show, which is taking place this Saturday night at 8 p.m.

ANGELA GEORGE/Wikimedia Commons

OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS: Is the media to blame for Charlie Sheen’s downfall, or is it his own fault?

antics like the way I latch onto a soft, chewy cookie: with steadfast determination. Charlie Sheen is a public figure, and at the end of the day, he’s making a good deal of money off all of this craziness. But on the other hand, the more the media milks him, the more Charlie is going to provide.

What do you think? As the fabulous header of celebrity gossip blog OhNoTheyDidn’t says, “The celebrities are disposable; the gossip is priceless.” But are we turning real people into disposable commodities, entertaining ourselves at the cost of people’s [mental] health, or are the celebrities themselves digging their own graves?

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus

ON-CAMPUS EVENTS The Vagina Club presents...

To finish off the week of celebration of the female body, the Vagina Club is bringing Megan Andelloux, certified sexuality educator and board certified sexologist to host a workshop on female pleasure. A follow-up to last semester’s session on male pleasure, the night will be filled with important information, fun and tips.

Tonight at 8 p.m. in Golding Auditorium.

Tympanium Euphorium’s ‘Rent’

The rock opera that follows a group of friends as they struggle against poverty, HIV/ AIDS and making a living in New York City will be performed at Brandeis for the first time. The 1996 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, written and composed by Jonathan Larson, is a beautifully moving experience, and the songs are unlike those of many other musicals.

Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater. Tickets are $5 for the public and $3 for Brandeis students, staff and faculty.

BAASA’s SKINS Fashion Show

Brandeis Asian American Students Association presents the annual SKINS Fashion Show. The latest Asian-American designers’ clothing and accessories will be displayed on the runway by student models.

Friday at 7 p.m. in the Levin Ballroom.

WBRS presents Titus Andronicus

The New Jersey band Titus Andronicus will perform their energetic yet emotional music at a live concert in Cholmondeley’s.

Friday at 9 p.m. in Cholmondeley’s.

Comedian Joel Chasnoff

Stand-up comedian and author of The 188th Crybaby Brigade: A Skinny Jewish Kid from Chicago Fights Hezbollah is coming to speak at Hillel’s Shabbat dinner.

Friday at 9 p.m. in the Sherman Function Hall.

Chorus/vocal student opera scenes

Students in the University Chorus or otherwise enrolled in the study of vocal music will perform the greatest scenes of opera.

With arias, ensembles and scenes from The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel and more, the evening will be a time to support friends and hear great music.

Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Music career panel and networking night

Representatives from music-related industries, including some Brandeis alumni, will be presenting on their jobs and answering questions from students. Professionals in arts administration, composition, education and performance will be in attendance.

Wednesday, March 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the South Campus Commons.

ROBYN SPECTOR/Justice File Photo

SHOW SOME SKIN: Students dressed in clothing created by Asian-American designers will grace the runway in the Levin Ballroom, sponsored by Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, on Saturday night.

Cultural food gala

The Anthropology Club presents a night of food from around the world, in cooperation with Russian Club, Brandeis Zionist Alliance, Students for Environmental Action, Yiddish Club, African Dance Club and South Asian Students Association. The event is being funded by the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance and will feature presentations, dances and facts to accompany the delicious food.

Sunday, March 27 at 3 p.m. in the Intercultural Center.

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS Boston Restaurant Week

Popular restaurants in Boston are holding special discounts all week, including a $15 two-course lunch. The list of restaurants participating includes steakhouses, sushi, Italian, French, tapas and more.

Through Friday at 226 restaurants around Boston. See the list of restaurants at BostonUSA.com.

A.R.T.’s ‘The Trojan Women: A Love Story’

American Repertory Theatre in conjunction with Moscow Art Theater Institute for Advanced Theater Training brings this play directed by Scott Zigler and performed by the Institute’s graduating class. The play takes a close look at the battle of the sexes since the time of the fabled Trojan War. Loosely based on Vergil’s Aeneid, the show follows Aeneas on his journey to Dido’s Carthage.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Zero Church Street Performance Space, 0 Church St., Cambridge. Tickets are $10 for the general public, $5 for students and seniors, free for A.R.T. subscribers.

Dayramir & Habana enTRANCE concert

The Berklee College of Music student group is performing at the Museum of Fine Arts as part of the museum’s March Fiesta month, a celebration of Latin American heritage.

Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Shapiro Family Courtyard, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston. Tickets are free with the price of museum admission.

‘Hair the Musical’

The Tony Award winning show about young Americans struggling for peace and tranquility is coming to the Colonial Theater.

Featuring popular songs like “Aquarius,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” “Good Morning, Starshine” and “Easy to be Hard,” the show is fun for audience members.

March 22 through April 10. Showtimes and ticket prices vary. Boston Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., Boston.

College Fashionista campus tour Boston

Juicy Couture teamed up with College Fashionista, a website that shows the latest styles on college campuses across the country, to sponsor a night of discounted shopping in Boston.

Thursday, March 24 at Juicy Couture, 12 Newbury St., Boston.

Boston Ballet presents ‘Elo Experience’

A collection of original works by renowned choreography Jorma Elo, ‘Elo Experience’ uses energy and Baroque music that traces the choreographer’s journey over the last decade.

March 24 through April 3 at the Boston Ballet, 19 Clarendon St., Boston. Showtimes and ticket prices vary.

Nancy Nguyen, the official coordinator of the SKINS Fashion Show, a central event of Brandeis Asian American Students Association’s celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, talked a bit about the history of the events and this year’s 2011 SKINS Fashion Show, featuring clothing and accessories from Asian-American designers.

JustArts: Can you explain your role in organizing APAHM/SKINS? Nancy Nguyen: I am the official coordinator, which involves anything from contacting and meeting designers, organizing performers and volunteers, devising fundraising methods, having the final say on who models, what our advertising campaign will involve and keeping everything running smoothly until the show, but I get a lot of help from my model coordinators and BAASA [Executive] board.

JA: How long has APAHM been taking place at Brandeis and what are some of the events this year?

NN: BAASA first brought APAHM to Brandeis in 2004, and it’s only been getting better and better. This year, some APAHM events started out with a bang (literally) as the Opening Ceremony invited Genki Sparks, an all-female team of taiko drummers, and afterschoolspecial [a musical group popularized by Youtube] to commemorate the month-long celebration. Last Thursday, SASA hosted a Bollywood dance event where they taught attendees how to dance bollywood-style.

Some upcoming events include BC3’s Bubble Tea Night on March 22; SEAC’s Lion Dance and Skit performance, March 23; JSA’s Harumatsui, April 2; and BAASA’s Closing Ceremony on March 27.

JA: What is special about the SKINS Fashion Show?

NN: SKINS Fashion Show is one of APAHM’s biggest events, hosted by BAASA. Every SKINS show memorializes our pride of our Asian-American heritage in our American culture—with style. Especially now when Asian American designers are becoming more prominent in the fashion industry, here at Brandeis we’d like to capitalize on that success and make fellow students aware of this as well. The reason why we feature fellow Brandeis students of all ethnicities in exclusively Asian fashion designers clothing is to express the idea that Asian-American talent can, and does, appeal to a universal audience and to signify the integration of Asian and American cultures. Another reason SKINS is so important is because this is one way Asians are able to express the more creative, artistic side many people don’t typically associate Asians with. You know, most Asians are seen as, and often pressured to, science and math fields but there is so much more to us than just numbers and nerdiness.

JA: How do you decide which clothes and models get to be in the show?

NN: We generally try to showcase a wide variety of different styles Asian-American designers encompass. For example, this year we are featuring Shin Choi, Aey Hotarwaisaya, F.O.B. Clothing, Bensoni, and Kim’s Fashion. They’re all in different stages of their fashion careers and have different styles; Bensoni is an up-and-coming, edgy, feminine line whereas F.O.B. clothing is a local establishment catering to the young urbanites.

We try to get people who are really enthusiastic about participating, even if they have zero experience in modeling. Size isn’t a factor but shoes and attitude are required.

JA: What is different about this year’s show from other years?

NN: Well, this year is actually the first time that BAASA has really taken it up a notch to create an overall theme we want for the month. This year it’s “GenerAsian: The Transformation of the Asian American” to signify that our generation of Asian Americans is changing, that we are forming a new identity and meaning behind the word “generation.” With this theme, we intend to showcase different aspects of the Asian community. So for SKINS, we decided to embrace theme by promoting with ads that are life sized silhouettes in model poses all over campus. What we’re trying to express is how Asian Americans are coming out of the shadows and are ready to display their talents in the spotlight. Plus, the shadows are to keep that mysterious feeling to keep attendees guessing how it’ll all turn out ... You’ll just have to come to SKINS to find out.

JA: Can you talk a little bit about Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, to which the proceeds are going?

NN: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center is a organization we feel really exemplifies the meaning of APAHM. BCNC provides resources and services for the Asian immigrant and the Asian American community to integrate into the American society. BCNC helps prolong and promote the essence of APAHM, by serving as a local base of social and financial support for Asians and Asian Americans to make future contributions to America.

—Emily Salloway

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, march 15, 2011

19

ON CAMPUS FEMALE VOICES

HILARY HEYISON/the Justice

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

JANEY ZITOMER /the Justice

PROVOCATIVE THEATER: Actors from ‘The Vagina Monologues’ express different emotions concerning their bodies. The monologues were created after the author spoke to women of different races, religions and ages.

Brandeis women celebrate their bodies ■ Members of the Vagina

Club performed ‘The Vagina Monologues’ last weekend.

By ARIEL KAY JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Vagina. There are many euphemisms for it, but after seeing The Vagina Monologues performed this weekend in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater, I’ve learned a few more to add to my vocabulary.

Eighteen monologues were performed in all—some as solo pieces and some in groups of two or more.

The actors didn’t simply stand on stage and recite, as I had first thought they would. Each monologue was more like a performance art piece. There was dancing, movement, screams and whispers. Each solo and group performance had a different feel to it and exposed a different way that women view them-

selves and their vaginas.

There were stories of losing virginities, of women changing themselves for men, of learning to orgasm, of lesbian experiences, of domination and even of transgendered women who didn’t always have vaginas. There were also stories of birth, rape, abuse and fear. A common theme among the stories was that many women don’t actually like their vaginas. They’re hidden, they’re ugly and they aren’t talked about much. That was one of the reasons The Vagina Monologues was created: to teach women to understand and appreciate a thing that is so inherent about themselves and yet so often overlooked.

The Vagina Monologues was written by Eve Ensler to “celebrate the vagina” and premiered off-Broadway in 1996. Since then, individual monologues have been added and removed.

The play also inspired the creation of the V-Day Movement, which works to stop violence against women and

campaigns for pro-female legislature. The monologues are based on testimony from over 200 women interviewed by Ensler before she wrote the play. These women were of various races, ages, professions and lifestyles, and the resulting monologues are thus extremely diverse in viewpoint and content.

This performance, sponsored by the Vagina Club, opened with a monologue by director Asa Bhuiyan ’11 and coordinator Ashni Davé ’12.

The first speech, also performed by Bhuiyan, concerned a woman named Myriam, a Haitian women’s rights activist who died in the earthquake last year. Each season Ensler adds one new performance to The Vagina Monologues, usually about an issue currently facing women. This year, Myriam was honored in the show as a woman who worked to change legislature in her country and made it a safer, better and more equal place for females.

After the opening, the full cast of nearly 30 women appeared to introduce the show. Each actor had a character and each described what their vagina would wear and what it would say, if given the chance. These characterizations were often funny, sometimes sad and definitely relatable. The audience was predominately women, though individual men were sprinkled here and there.

After all, this is a show about women learning to love their lady parts for themselves, not for any further end.

Men weren’t necessarily the focus.

What impressed me most about this performance of the Monologues was how comprehensive it was.

Women of all colors, body types and backgrounds appeared on stage together. What they created was remarkable; the show was inspiring.

The individual monologues were funny or painful, depending on the subject, but as a single play they created an almost euphoric appreciation for

women and a desire to love our bodies and ourselves. These were stories of women taking back what belonged to them, shaking off what advertisers, mothers and general society had taught them. Instead, they embraced what made them women.

Living on a liberal campus, we forget that women aren’t always respected and seen equally. Beyond outright abuse or intolerance, women are still controlled by the ideas of what others think they should be and how they should act. Too many females give into these static definitions of beauty and femininity, often willingly or because they don’t know there are any other options.

The Vagina Monologues encourages women to look inside themselves and find what it is that gives them pleasure and happiness without reliance on anyone else. Hopefully the women in the audience have been inspired enough to try it for themselves.

MUSIC

Palestinian virtuoso inspires with Arabic music ■ The World Music Series

invited Arab-American musician Simon Shaheen to perform last Saturday.

By OLIVIA LEITER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The World Music Series brings internationally celebrated musicians to Brandeis and last Saturday, musician Simon Shaheen and his group, Qantara, came to the University and performed in the Slosberg Music Center. Qantara is composed of Shaheen on oud and violin, Bassam Saba on nay and flute, Najib Shaheen on ‘oud, Walid Zairi on double bass and Tareq Rantisi on percussion.

Shaheen is one of the most important and influential Arab musicians, performers and composers of his time.

Among his many achievements, Shaheen has served on the Presidential Committee at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and has released four albums: Saltanah (Water Lily Acoustics), Turaht (CMP), Taqasim (Lyrichord), and Shaheen: the Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab (Axiom). Most notably, he released Blue Flame (ARK21, 2001). To create this album, Shaheen led his Qantara on a journey through “the world of fusion music to discover the heart of the Middle East.” Shaheen explains “I want to create a world of music exceptionally satisfying to the ear and for the soul.” The Los Angeles Times

YOSEF SCHAFFEL/the Justice

MIDEAST CULTURE: Simon Shaheen, a renowned violinist and oud player, comes to Brandeis to share his love of Arab music. notes, “Simon Shaheen’s success in combining characteristics of Middle Eastern music, Western classical music, jazz and Latin rhythms into a gorgeous tapestry can be traced to his capacity to find their common threads.”

Prof. Judith Eissenberg (MUS) is the founder and director of MusicUnitesUS, a Brandeis program that “links the creative arts with academic inquiry in explorations of culture, history and tradition.” The program strives to “further the understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures through music. We believe that music is a common medium that can help

to unite diverse cultures in our own neighborhoods and transcend boundaries in the global community,” Eissenberg said.

Eissenberg writes in the concert pamphlet introduction that Shaheen’s “music is a journey, an exploration that becomes more elaborate and complex as it expands into an aural calligraphy that seems to go inward and outward at the same time. The artists in a concert of Arabic classical music invite us to feel tarab with them, a transcendent experience that is one of the goals of performance in this tradition.”

Before the concert began, there was a brief pre-concert talk led by Virginia Danielson, author of The Voice of Egypt: Umm Kulthum, Arabic Song, and Egyptian Society in the Twentieth Century. Danielson gave an overview on Shaheen and his music. She began by explaining that Shaheen is “not another world music performer. He is solely responsible for everything nonArabs know about Arab music.” Danielson went on to add that Shaheen has an “uncanny ability to connect to whatever student is in front of him” and that he “represents the very best of our diverse heritage. He is a true

virtuoso.” One of the amazing aspects of Shaheen’s musical ability, Danielson explained, is that the “longer he plays, the better he gets.” Danielson explained that when Qantara plays, the members of the group often “make it up as they go along. The piece will be shaped by the improvisations.”

Shaheen and Qantara started to perform soon after Danielson’s talk.

They opened with “Kahraman,” an instrumental dance which contains two parts of improvisation. They went on to play “Iraq,” an “Iraqi folk style melody,” then “Arboresque” and finally, “Dance Mediterranea,” a violincentered piece with a lot of rhythmic changes and improvisation. At all times, Shaheen, the virtuoso performer, was acutely aware of his audience. When the audience responded positively to a moment of improvisation, for example, Shaheen absorbed the energy and let that be the driving force behind the direction of the piece.

After a 15-minute intermission, the concert resumed. Shaheen and his group started with “Taqism,” a piece driven by spontaneous improvisation.

After, they performed “Samai Thaqil,” a four-part dance composition, “Breeze in Bisaan,” “Blue Flame,” and finally, an upbeat piece called “Waiving Sands.”

Each piece gradually progressed in tempo and liveliness and built up to a crescendo. The concert ended on a joyful, festive note, celebrating a world of culture and the sense of unity that music can bring.

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THE JUSTICE

Weekend in

pictures NATHANIEL FREEDMAN/the Justice

CHUM’S COFFEEHOUSE: Cholmondeley’s presented a night of music titled “Brandaroo,” featuring performances by music groups and bands. Performers included Brandeis student band No Way (guest singer above), indie band Big Fuzzy (with Anneke Reich ’13), Boston-based singer-songwriter Olivia Buntaine and Max Price ’11.

Photographers highlighted concert and dances

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

SHALL WE DANCE: The Ballroom Dance Team hosted the second annual Northeast Collegiate Dancesport Challenge, a competitive ballroom dance competition, last Saturday in the Levin Ballroom.

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

PERFECT PARTNERS: A couple dances elegantly at the ballroom dance competition on Saturday.

JOSH SPIRO/the Justice

GRACEFUL POSE: B’yachad choreographer Jennie Berger ’12 smiles during a dance performance.

DAVID YUN/the Justice

CULTURE AND COLOR: Israeli dance troupe B’yachad presented its spring show, titled “Musika Rox: Rhythms of the Middle East,” last Thursday in the Levin Ballroom. Professional Turkish dance group Collage Dance Ensemble (above) contributed to a diverse showcase of Middle Eastern culture and performing arts.

Capturing Portsmouth’s elusive Kate the Great stout Douglas

moore Innermost brew

My ’99 Kia pulled out of the dreary, cold New England sky and into the Portsmouth, N. H. parking garage at 8 a.m. on a Monday morning. As I exited the garage and turned the corner, I saw a line run all the way down the block. Men and women congregated, umbrellas opened, bundled up in coats, drinking coffee from the Starbucks down the street. Some of the hundreds of people had been there since midnight the night before and they stood first in line, proud of their brave accomplishment because the rain and wind had been howling for hours. Everyone was waiting for something—they were waiting for a beer.

The Portsmouth Brewery releases its Kate the Great Imperial Stout 1 day of the year.

The 9 kegs of it are gone within 6 hours. Takehome bottles make up the other half of the production and in years previous, were available for the first people in line. But this year, due to such high demand, the bottles were only available through a special scratch-ticket lottery.

Without a ticket, on tap was your only hope to taste Kate.

Kate the Great is one of the highest-rated beers on BeerAdvocate, and bottles of it routinely trade hands for hundreds of dollars. It is one of the most hyped beers in the world and is incredibly hard to come by. Your only surefire way to get a sample is a trip to Kate Day in March. Having never tried the beer, I woke up at 7 a.m. and made the 1-hour pilgrimage.

We got in line, enjoyed some coffee and scones, and waited in the cold, rainy March weather for the Brewery to open its doors.

Shop owners, unaware of the ensuing madness, were visibly frustrated by the number of people blocking their stores. How would you like it if crazy beer nuts camped out on your front door in a seemingly quiet town?

The town bell rang at 11 a.m. At that point,

the doors swung open and seating began. The line crept toward the brewery, and by 11:15 a.m., we had been admitted to Kate Day. We found a place in the downstairs lounge, ordered a warm-up beer and waited for the tapping to begin.

My warm-up beer was a Bottle Rocket Red, a nice hoppy, yet refreshing India Pale Ale. Citrusy and piney in flavor but not cloyingly bitter, it was a great way to start off the day. Before I could finish this, the countdown began.

At the count of one, the tap opened and Kate began flowing to the sound of cheers, and soon after this the bartender brought us our glasses. This was one of my most anticipated beers and I wondered if it would it live up to the hype, The beer poured dark black with a light brown head. Head retention was moderate; most of the foam was gone in about 15 minutes. Kate is brewed, and then part of the batch is aged on port-soaked oak chips. Head brewer and creator Todd Mott frequently tweaks his recipe year to year. Many around me were talking about previous vintages, and how they tasted in comparison to each other.

Having never tasted Kate before, I didn’t have

any background other than the knowledge of what a port-aged stout tasted like.

I smelled a mix of chocolate, raisins, and oak. It was exactly how I imagined. Tasting it gave more of the same—sweet chocolate, dark fruit balanced by the oak. This bitter backbone almost gave off a tobacco-like flavor that blended quite well. Some stouts boast very roasted flavors, this one did not; it allowed oak aging to do the job of bitterness. The mouthfeel was thick, not as silky as I hoped, but it still contributed favorably to the experience. Served on the cooler side, the beer was extremely drinkable for 10 percent plus alcohol content. As it warmed, boozy heat came through and the drinkability was decreased.

This beer was a sipper, not a bad thing, but I could really only find myself having a few at a time.

The conclusion: Portsmouth Kate the Great is a fantastic beer with a huge body and tons of flavor. Is it my favorite beer of all time? No, but it comes pretty close. I think some of the booziness makes it less palatable, but this is a minor point as a bit of age would take this off the beer. If you ever find the chance to try this beer, don’t ask questions and just do it.

THE JUSTICE

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OFF CAMPUS

Small ‘Lev’ cast leaves a great impact ■ Scott Edmiston—director of

the Office of the Arts and the director of ‘My Name is Asher Lev’—talked to justArts about the message of the play.

By sujin shin JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

My Name is Asher Lev, put on by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, is a story about hardship, grief, exhilaration, art and finding one’s identity in his own community. Following the trials and artistic growth of a Hasidic boy who grew up in a very traditional Jewish household, My Name is Asher Lev presents a dramatic and enthralling narrative about the sometimes contradictory dimensions of a person’s life in a sympathetic and meaningful light.

Asher’s struggle is one that is relatable to many who dare to become a part of the world of art that he tries to enter. JustArts had the chance to speak with Scott Edmiston, director of My Name is Asher Lev and director of the Office of the Arts at Brandeis.

When asked what attracted him to this particular play, he revealed his very intimate relationship with the story and themes of Asher Lev. “I understood what the play says about being different from the culture or family you were born into. As the title suggests, it’s a story about identity. From an early age, my awareness of being a creative person often made me feel like an outsider,” Edmiston wrote. “My dad wanted a son who would be a Pittsburgh Steeler, and instead I wanted to draw and make theater. My dreams and his dreams for me were very different. … To whom do you have the greatest responsibility? I found inspiration in [Asher]’s courage to be who he is—to own his name.”

The muse for Aaron Posner’s script of My Name is Asher Lev was Chaim Potok’s highly autobiographical novel of the same title. Asher, who from a very young age shows considerable artistic talent in his drawings and sketches, begins to grate at his father’s nerves when he spends time drawing rather than studying. His father is strictly against fostering Asher’s artistic abilities and voices this opinion quite frequently. His mother is more sympathetic to her budding artist son, though she is torn between her religion and husband and her love for Asher.

As the plot begins to thicken, its complicated emotional layers building like repeated paint strokes, we see the

MARK S. HOWARD/Lyric Stage Company Boston

MOTHER’S LOVE: Asher (Schuchman, right) is comforted by his mother (Gottlieb) after a terrible fight with his father (Colodner). painful struggles that plague Asher’s attempt to chase his dreams. In the end, he makes the decision to be true to himself, and the play concludes on a melancholic but hopeful chord.

A curious audience member who is not familiar with Hasidic tradition may be concerned about the culture that drives the events of this story. On this, Edmiston said, “I find that audiences have enough general knowledge about Hasidism that they understand

the circumstances. Some of the Yiddish words may be unfamiliar, but the acting makes the situation clear and recognizable, like with Shakespeare. I also think some mystery is enjoyable in a play and in art in general. … My friend Sylvia Fuks-Fried in the Tauber Institute at Brandeis gave me lots of advice and insights. And Zohar Fuller ’10, who was my assistant, helped make sure that we were accurate in our depictions and pronunciations.”

The play featured only three actors, but they composed a fantastic lineup of characters. Each actor slipped into another character’s skin on the turn of a dime but incredibly, not one of them felt contrived. Portraying Asher at all stages of his life—from a child barely out of toddlerhood to a fully mature adult—was the irrepressible Jason Shuchman. His high energy and ability to shift from innocent child to impassioned artist to candid narra-

tor was the thread that tied all of the 30 disparate scenes and characters together. Anne Gottlieb, the sole female actor and a resident scholar in Collaborative Theatre at the Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis, also flip-flopped between several characters in the show. However, it was her portrayal of Asher’s mother that drew the most sympathy and even a couple of tears from members of the audience.

Finally there was Joel Colodner, who played the series of older male characters in the show—most memorably Asher’s father, Rivkeh Lev, and Asher’s mentor, Jacob Kahn. He was veritably chameleonic in his portrayal of all his characters, shifting from stern father to forthright mentor to jovial uncle as effortlessly as one might change his or her clothes.

In addition to a moving and believable cast, the play presented inventive and visually striking methods of staging. Using lights and shadows outside of the traditional space, picture frames that rappel down from the ceiling and approximately 42 musical compositions punctuate each scene, the play itself became a series of artistic images.

Scene after scene, brought moments of incredible aesthetic beauty and poignancy. However, the staging and the nature of the venue occasionally clashed. The majority of the visuals were aimed toward the center section of the audience, even though there were two other sections oriented so that they were looking directly at the right and left sides of the stage. The patrons sitting on either side didn’t get the full effect of the intended image.

Slight instances of visual awkwardness aside, My Name is Asher Lev presents an experience that is both visually stunning and emotionally profound.

The themes at the crux of this play are universal: the search for personal identity, the struggle between desire and filial responsibility and the accepting of costs that accompany spiritual growth. These themes are familiar to many who attempt to chase their dreams. But why are they so resonant with us? Edmiston’s poignant thought sums up the answer to this question.

“One of the things Asher comes to learn is that great art is often achieved at a personal cost,” Edmiston said. “It can be both a blessing and a curse to be someone with vision, who dares to tell the truth. Asher calls his gift ‘demonic and divine. ... It is how I bring balance to the world.’ I guess you could say that directing plays is that for me.

It’s my way of bringing balance to the world.”

gaming

PAX East 2011 brings in crowds, industry reps ■ The Penny Arcade Expo

brought tens of thousands of attendees to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center last weekend.

By alex desilva and wei-huan chen JUSTICE STAFF WRITERs

Demo booths, console and PC tournaments, concerts, expert panels, celebrity appearances and tons and tons of fellow gamers: The Penny Arcade Expo East is quickly becoming the place to be for gamers and industry members alike. Besides providing hands-on demos of the biggest upcoming games, the convention was also an opportunity for the gaming community to network—be it for friends or for jobs—or to just geek out.

Since its 1988 beginning as a webcomic in a Spokane, Wash. apartment, Penny Arcade has grown to not only include the wildly popular comic but its own video game series; a charity called Child’s Play that donates games and toys to children’s hospitals around the world; and Penny Arcade Expo, an annual convention in Seattle that attracts thousands of fans and game companies and is one of the largest gaming events in the country. In fact, PAX became so large that last year an

offshoot convention was founded in Boston, titled PAX East.

Last year’s gathering at the Hynes Convention Center was only supposed to be a test run, but following the comic’s example, it outgrew its humble origins with 50,000 people attending the weekend-long event. This year the convention—held this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday—was moved to one of the largest convention centers in the Northeast, the Boston Convention and Expo Center. JustArts was able to attend PAX East on Saturday where fans, video-game makers, tabletop-game companies and musicians came together for what can only be described as one of gaming’s biggest parties.

In fact, party might be a more apt name than simply calling it a convention. The creators of Penny Arcade, Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, began PAX with the goal of creating a show that was, first and foremost, for the fans. This could be felt the minute you entered, as a sea of excited gamers greeted newcomers, many in costume, trying to figure out what to do first.

The main expo floor was the natural choice for many, where people sought out demos of upcoming video games or went to the tabletop area to play a game with their friends. The upper floors contained countless presentations on subjects that ranged

from talks on gaming culture, how to get into the industry and even how to be a “Geek Parent.” The upper levels also hosted concerts and game tournaments that reminded attendees that PAX is about fun more than anything else. The “fans first” mind-set was present in numerous little touches around the show, from stages where people could hold Rock Band jam sessions, to the hallway that was filled with beanbag chairs and reserved as a handheld gaming lounge.

That said, the gaming industry’s presence could still be felt. The expo floor was packed with developers and publishers offering previews of their newest games. Big name releases like Portal 2, Gears of War 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic and Nintendo’s upcoming 3DS system shared floor space with smaller outfits like The Behemoth and the local independent developers that occupied the Boston Indie Showcase area. The two most popular booths were probably for Portal 2 and the 3DS demo, both of which had lines that snaked around the displays, where fans would sometimes wait for more than an hour just to get a short look at future releases.

Here are our top three highlights from Saturday: Nintendo 3DS: Essentially a Nintendo DS with camera and 3D capabilities, Nintendo’s newest handheld

console didn’t quite impress me at its demo booth. Still, the next iteration of the bestselling console of all time has potential to truly change the way handheld games are played. In a similar vein to the iPhone 4, the 3DS boasts a camera facing toward the player and a camera facing out. After a few minutes of adjusting, the inward-facing camera captured my face and turned it into a funky-looking avatar for in-game use that I did not see demonstrated at the show. It wasn’t clear how this real-life photo differs in use from a Mii, which you can now create and share with other 3DS users. When used in conjunction with the front-facing camera, the handheld device can essentially sense which direction you’re holding it in, useful for games such as Pilotwings and Kid Icarus: Uprising, in which you control flight by tilting the system.

Alienware Exhibit: The PC gaming hardware company hosted an impressive caged area consisting of a game lounge, two game booths, two PC clusters and two sets of benches demonstrating its latest PC and peripheral products. The PC clusters and benches were used for mini-tournaments throughout the day for Portal 2, Team Fortress 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops, complete with prizes for the winners and an energetic commentator. It was exciting to see a game like Team Fortress 2 played live—each team of

eight stood in their respective clusters while high-definition TVs overhead highlighted top performances and the commentator announced the most notable plays (“A blue Scout is now taking point B—what will the Red team do?”). That’s not to say the hundreds of other representing companies on the floor didn’t also have amazing shows or giveaways at their stations: Nexon (demoing Vindictus and Dragon Next), Ubisoft (with its Microsoft Kinect title Child of Eden), Microsoft (with Gears of War 3) and the Boston Indie Showcase (featuring small-size game developers in the Boston area) all made an awesome appearance on the showfloow.

Various game demos and exhibits: Videos were shown for the highly anticipated L.A. Noire and Portal 2, both of which were housed under extravagant set pieces. A live demonstration of RAGE, an upcoming first-person shooter from id Software, wowed crowds with its action-packed vehicle combat sequences. Ska Studios demoed The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile (Xbox Live Arcade), a highly stylized and violent co-op beat ’em up.

And finally, an entire section of the center was dedicated to tabletop gaming, offering players the opportunity to trade and compete in games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.

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VICTORIAN ROMANCE

‘Jane Eyre’ remake impresses viewers ■ With its crisp camerawork,

solid acting and a classic story line, Fukunaga’s newest film is a must-see.

By AARON BERKE JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Jane Eyre is a stylish and impressively directed film based on the classic novel by Charlotte Brontë and adapted for the screen by Moira Buffini. Directed by Cary Fukunaga, in his American-movie debut, the film centers around Jane (Mia Wasikowska), a bright and strong-willed young girl. She is broke and homeless until the Rivers’ family, to whom she tells the story of her scattered and saddening past, takes her in.

This plunge into extended flashback sequences begins with her ill treatment at the hands of a cruel and wealthy aunt, Mrs. Creed (Sally Hawkins), who eventually disowns her and sends her off to Lowood School. She is treated poorly by the cruel headmaster, but she eventually makes a good friend in the form of young Helen Burns (Freya Parks).

Jane goes on to gain a good education and become a teacher. From there, Jane finds employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the mysterious and charming master of the house, Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender). The two become great friends and develop a relationship of discourse and equality, but they end up falling in love.

The center of the story’s action takes place around the couple, although their story is primarily told in flashbacks.

If the order of the events I’ve described here sounds fuzzy and ambiguous, that’s because they are. The film’s temporal shifts are especially confusing early on, when we switch between Jane as a child, Jane as governess and Jane as part of the Rivers’ family quite often. Anyone walking in a couple minutes late to the film would have absolutely no clue as to what is past, present or future. Luckily, these temporal changes decrease as the film progresses, and the bulk of the action focuses on Jane’s time at Thornfield Hall. Indeed, so much

LAURIE SPARHAM/Focus Features

CLASSIC LOVE: Sparks fly between Jane Eyre (Wasikowska) and Mr. Rochester (Fassbender) in a scene that gives visual depth to Charlotte Brontë’s famous couple. time is spent there that it’s easy to forget that the entire hour-plus sequence is a flashback, which we are only reminded of when the film resumes Jane’s stay with the Rivers’ family toward the end.

Despite these technical concerns, the film itself is riveting thanks to excellent direction and powerful performances. Wasikowska, an Australian-born actress who has given notable, strong performances in the television show In Treatment and most recently in Alice in Wonderland, adds another notch to her belt of strong female roles with her turn as Jane. She brings the perfect balance of intelligence, quiet resolve and curiosity to the role, giving an

incredible depth to her character, whose stealthy transgressions make up for the film’s occasionally slow pace. Wasikowska is only topped by Fassbender, who gives a phenomenally intense performance as Mr. Rochester.

His brooding inner conflicts and powerful charisma provide the perfect counterbalance to Jane’s reserved strength, and the pair’s relationship is a delight to watch unfold on screen. Some other noteworthy performances include Judi Dench as the kindly maid Mrs. Fairfax and Jamie Bell as the unsettling St. John Rivers.

The great acting is matched by Fukunaga’s phenomenal directing, who

turns the halls of Thornfield Hall into a majestic catalyst for the story’s emotional underpinnings. There is a ghost-like air surrounding the film’s events, leaving one with the feeling that an unholy spirit could come floating through the walls at any given moment. Of course this never happens, but this edge of unease prevents the film from becoming just another historical romance piece.

It’s remarkable how the character’s conflicts are inscribed within the walls of the castle, which envelopes an air of mystery and tension.

Mr. Rochester’s greatest secret is buried within the halls of his fortress and Fukunaga marvelously represents this secrecy through camera-

work that explores the vast, creeping halls of the castle and contrasts them with the sweeping, lonely hills of the lands surrounding Thornfield. The stylish direction is compounded by the fantastic cinematography, and I smell early Oscar buzz for cinematographer Adriano Goldman.

It’s never an easy job to adapt a classic masterpiece into a film—let alone one that’s already been made into a film no less than 27 times—but Fukunaga and his cast manage to leave their mark. With impressive directing and a great cast, Jane Eyre is a memorable modern take on a beloved classic that is sure to leave aficionados and newcomers alike satisfied.

JustArts speaks with Wasikowska and Fukunaga about their new film, ‘Jane Eyre’ Director Cary Fukunaga and star Mia Wasikowska team up to bring the latest version of Jane Eyre to the silver screen. As part of the press tour for the film, they stopped by the Liberty Hotel in Boston last week to speak with several reporters, including one from justArts.

With Jane Eyre, Fukunaga was tackling a film that had been made no fewer than 27 times before, and it was a daunting task. ”I was amazed there were so many versions of the film,” he said.

“I had done research [on the other movies, as well as Alfred Hitchcock’s] Rebecca, just to get a feel for the style of that world.

The movie [has been] made every 5 years if you average it out, and I have no doubt it will be made again. Why? It’s good storytelling, and at this point it’s classic.”

Similarly daunted by the task of starring in such a well-known story was Wasikowska, who had her own feelings about the numerous prior installments. “I didn’t watch any of them,” she said. “I was partially overwhelmed by how many there were, and I also didn’t know where to start. I didn’t want to be influenced by anything, even in a way that I didn’t realize. I was always aware of [the novel] but I hadn’t read it until I picked it up in the middle of 2009 ... I started reading it and I thought it was really incredible. I got in touch with my agent and asked her if there

LAURIE SPARHAM/Focus Features

NOT PLAIN JANE: Wasikowska, touched by the novel, was excited to portray a character to whom she could really relate.

was anything in development, and there wasn’t. It was about 2 months later that she sent me the script, and then I met [Fukunaga] and we went from there.”

Jane Eyre is shot largely in expansive, dark interiors, which meant that the camerawork had to be very naturalistic and included a lot of candlelight. “It’s only hard for the focus puller,” Fukunaga joked, commenting about the shooting process. “The camera’s often locked off and there’s a very ballet-like choreography to some of the camera movements, which require committing to a shot.

When you’re putting time in and your schedule’s compressed, there’s much more pressure to get it right the first time. In terms of candle lighting, it was about

being as naturalistic as possible, and not trying to make everything look over lit in a Hollywood movie kind of way. Keeping it raw and simple was the challenge.”

Wasikowska said, “the camera and the lighting [don’t] really ever restrict me,” Wasikowska commented on the film’s stylistic challenges. “I’m not aware of that stuff, but the costumes were a constraint. It was both a blessing and a curse because it was good to understand the oppression that women were under at the time and what that would feel like. [The costumes were] a metaphor for the whole society and the way that women were treated then, so that was useful.”

Fassbender plays the charming and mysterious Mr. Roches-

ter, whom Wasikowska greatly enjoyed working with. “He has the qualities of both being potentially dangerous and also really vulnerable and loving,” she said.

“So it’s the right mixture of excitement, fear and challenge. As an actor it’s so easy to work opposite him because you can completely believe it. He’s so natural, and there’s such an intensity that comes through his eyes.”

“Definitely the biggest challenge during rehearsals for me and [Fassbender] was we wanted to read it through as much as possible,” Wasikowska noted about the challenges of utilizing language to reflect the story’s 19th-century English setting. “[The language] is very ornate, poetic and unlike language that

we use today. Every word is so specific and there was a lot of decoding. [We had to read] it enough so that we felt comfortable,” she said.

“With original material or an original character, the audience is going to take it for what you give them,” Wasikowska noted about her experiences playing both original- and literaturebased characters, “But when you’re dealing with a character like Jane or Alice [in Wonderland], who are so well-known by people and so ingrained in people’s minds … there’s a bit more risk. You hope that people will accept your interpretation.”

For Fukunaga, one thing that was very important in filming Jane Eyre was keeping the tone consistent, which meant that certain alterations would have to be made to the novel, including the ending of it, which is a bit less resolved in the film. “I think to be consistent in the film there has to be a consistent tone, especially over as short a period as 2 hours,” he commented.

“So what I want to do is end it in a way that, for the people who know what happens, it’s great.

For the people who don’t know what’s going to happen, there’s still this [sense of] ‘what’s going to happen?’ that shouldn’t just be all buttoned up and answered for them. The story lives inside you after you’ve finished watching it.”

—Aaron Berke

THE JUSTICE

food

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FRIENDLY INVASION

Organic treats at Pulse Café

■ The affordable Davis Square

restaurant offers a huge selection of vegan and organic foods.

By leanne ortbals JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Choosing where to eat on a Saturday night is a daunting task. Add in any dietary considerations and the task grows exponentially harder. Specify the word vegan—defined by four major restrictions: no meat, no dairy, no eggs and no honey— and the task becomes almost impossible.

Out of the thousands of restaurants in Boston, only nine hits return as vegan-friendly on the search engine Yelp. Though many of my friends do not understand veganism, a select few agree to dine with me at vegan establishments, embracing these restaurants’ “weird” menus. In fact, one of those nine hits on Yelp, the Pulse Café, helped to convince one friend that vegan food is indeed delicious.

Nestled in Davis Square, the Pulse Café serves vegan diner-style food at its finest.

The menu offers patrons the chance to indulge in vegan comfort foods that are not often associated with stereotypical healthy fare. Items like chili cheese fries, grilled cheese and milkshakes let vegans enjoy a Saturday night out without ordering a salad stripped of half its ingredients. I loved the option to order any item from the menu, as the Pulse Café is 100 percent vegan and 75 percent organic. I nearly screamed with delight when I picked out the nachos— smothered in chili, cashew cheese, salsa, jalapeños, sour cream and guacamole.

A person unfamiliar with vegan fare may stare quizzically at the menu, wondering, “How can this be vegan?” My nachos, for example, came slathered with chili, which usually contains meat. The Pulse Café serves their nachos with a healthy, beanbased vegetarian chili that adds heartiness, protein and excellent flavor to the dish.

The cheese on the nachos is made from cashews, which are widely regarded as the goto ingredient for cream or cheese alternatives in the vegan world. The Pulse Café’s version of cashew cheese warmed my soul and added the perfect amount of creaminess to the dish. Combined with the flavor explosion provided by the salsa, jalapeños and guacamole, the nachos were perfect.

The secret behind the last topping on my nachos, the sour cream, even puzzled me, an experienced vegan diner. The flavor and texture were both impeccable and left my non-vegan friend raving that the sour cream was her favorite part of her meal. I felt shocked to find out that tofu is the base used in the creamy topping and was more astonished that my friend, who had previously declared her dislike of tofu, now declared it her favorite part of the dish. I love that the Pulse Café showcases these “weird vegan” ingredients, like tofu sour cream and dairy-free cheese, because it lets the non-vegans of the world enjoy a meal with foods they never would have tried before.

After licking my plate of nachos clean and conversing with my non-vegan friend about her newfound delight in vegan food, I didn’t think our dining experience could get any better. Then, dessert came. At first I was unsure of how to attack the gigantic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich on my plate, but once I figured out how to fit my mouth around the decadent dessert, I somehow managed to devour it. More accurately, I only managed to inhale half of it before my stomach refused to stretch anymore. The cookie part of the sandwich, both eggless and dairy-free, fulfilled every one of my requirements for the perfect cookie: moist, gooey, rich and impossible to say no to. The coconut milkbased ice cream slathered between the two cookies complemented the flavor and added a cool and refreshing element to the dessert.

After drooling over the fantastic menu and chowing down on satisfying food, my Saturday night was amazing, and it was all thanks to the Pulse Café. The casual and trendy ambiance of the restaurant and excellent service left me in a great mood after I forced myself to stop trying to fit the rest of my dessert into my stomach. Not only did I enjoy the meal, but I didn’t break the bank either. My nachos, dessert, tax and tip added up to only $15. I am now counting down the days until I can dine there again and I give the restaurant the thumbs up.

Whether you are vegan or not, you will love it.

DOUBLE NEGATIVE/Universal Pictures

INTERGALACTIC PALS: Graeme Willy, played by Simon Pegg (right), helps Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) escape from government agents who want to dissect his brain.

Sci-fi farce brings big laughs ■ ‘Paul’ is the story of an alien who

finds himself traveling with two British nerds on his quest to return home.

By ARIEL kAY JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the duo behind Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, are about to release a new film, Paul. Just as their previous two collaborations were tributes to the action and horror genres, respectively, Paul is Pegg and Frost’s homage to science-fiction films.

For Pegg and Frost, sci-fi holds a special place in their hearts. When discussing Paul at a roundtable interview last Tuesday, the pair continually referenced their own experiences with nerd culture, particularly their love of ’70s and ’80s era alien flicks such as E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Additionally, Pegg has appeared in the most-recent Star Trek film as Scotty (of “Beam me up” fame) and the British time-traveling series Doctor Who. As Pegg himself put it, “We’re geeky … and we always will be.”

That may be true, but it doesn’t mean that Frost and Pegg only make films requiring a fluency in Klingon to understand. In particular, Paul has a raunchy surface, but at its heart it is really a film about two buddies helping a friend out of a jam.

That friend just happens to be an alien the government has secretly been studying for the past 60 years. Paul (the alien, voiced by Seth Rogen) landed in America and has since been sharing his intergalactic knowledge with Washington, D.C., as well as influencing popular culture. The reason he looks so familiar is because he has intentionally guided our idea of what aliens should look like since he came to Earth. In one of the film’s cleverest moments, Paul is heard advising Steven Spielberg via telephone. The voice on the other end of the line? Spielberg himself.

Pegg and Frost had told Spielberg about Paul while on the set of their next film, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Apparently, the director was thrilled. “His eyes just lit up, and he said ‘I love it.’ Then he said, ‘Maybe I should be in it.’” Pegg and Frost were understandably delighted. “So we went away, wrote this scene, then we came back and said, ‘Are you gonna do it or what?’ We loved the idea of him literally phoning in a cameo,” laughed Pegg. “The irony was beautiful.”

Spielberg isn’t the only big name to make an appearance in Paul. Along with Pegg, Frost and Rogen, Sigourney Weaver (a mainstay of the scifi genre), Jason Bateman, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig also star. There are also additional cameos

by Blythe Danner and Jane Lynch. Paul is Frost and Pegg’s first movie to have a mostly American cast and director (Greg Mattola, who also helmed Superbad and Arrested Development) and the first to be set in the United States. Before filming, Frost and Pegg went on a road trip across the country to explore the film’s setting. “It was aweinspiring. … It’s an extraordinary landscape, and it’s vast and terrifying,” shared Frost “We said ‘wow’ more than we’ve ever said ‘wow’ before.”

The story of two Star Wars-loving Brits and an alien named Paul might not seem like material for a great movie at first, but Pegg and Frost have managed to create a film that is both hilarious and touching. Rogen was a key addition, and he has added his own comedic style to Paul and made him funnier than the character the writers had originally created. “Initially it was an older gent we had in mind when we thought of the character,” explained Pegg. “When we adjusted our mindsets to it being a younger actor, when Seth’s name came up it was like little sirens going off in our heads, because here was someone whose voice sounded quite old, but coming from the mouth of someone who was actually a lot younger than you think.” Rogen imbued Paul

with an old hippie, seen-it-all, laid back vibe that works well against Pegg and Frost’s characters, Graeme and Clive, who are initially both awkward and terrified.

The duo is traveling across the country on the way back from Comic-Con International via trailer when they meet Paul. The alien has just escaped the secret government facility where he has been living the past 60-odd years, because he has discovered that the scientists there want to cut up his body to study extra-terrestrial life forms. Clive and Graeme decide to give him a ride to safety. The three travelers eventually meet Ruth (Wiig), the daughter of a bible-thumper trailer park owner (Joe Lo Truglio). Meeting Paul challenges Ruth’s entire upbringing and slowly changes the way she perceives her world.

The relationships between these four characters form the heart of the film. Paul is filled with cute nods to science-fiction tropes and other references to popular culture. The film also works hard to justify its R-rating, but like other Rogen films, the characters’ vulgarity just makes them more likeable.

Like their characters in Paul, Frost and Pegg are best friends in real life. They constantly banter back and forth with one another, demonstrating their impressive improv skills. It almost sounded as though they were speaking in prewritten dialogue, always ready with a witty comeback or rebuke. The pair has worked together since they created Spaced, a show that debuted in 1999. After collaborating for over a decade, it’s clear that Pegg and Frost have not grown tired of one another.

Though the two have no future projects together lined up after Tintin, which is the third installment of their Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy with director Edgar Wright (of which Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are the first and second parts, respectively) I hope there will be another film at some point in the future.

film

Despite plot holes, ‘Rango’ lassos in audience ■ Gore Verbinski’s latest film, an

animated tale of a chameleon who saves a desert town, falls flat.

By Alexandria chum JUSTICE contributing WRITER

The return of the Western is finally here. First came the Coen brothers’ highly regarded True Grit, and this summer we’ll have the futuristic spin on Westerns by Jon Favreau (Iron Man) with the release of Cowboys and Aliens. Those films, along with Rango, makes it seem that Westerns will be back after the decline of the genre in the past 40 years. With its stylized sequences, quirky humor and plenty of stellar vocal work, Rango provides enough entertainment to present a refreshing look at animation. However, while Rango succeeds in these aspects, it fails to find a cohesive voice, sacrifices pacing of the plot at times and can’t seem to find the balance in tone.

The framing device for the movie is the usage of narration by a mariachi band of owls, telling the tale of this chameleon with big plans as an actor. Unfortunately for Rango, he’s stuck in a terrarium with a wind-up fish and a headless Barbie doll. That is, just until he finds himself out in the rustic, quiet town of Dirt, sent there by an old armadillo that is searching for his own peace of

mind. Through a series of hijinks, lies and sheer luck, Rango finds himself serving as the sheriff of Dirt, which is suffering from a drought and questionable leadership. Constantly finding himself confronted with the question of “Who am I?” Rango is forced to figure out what he wants out of his life. The plot relies heavily on references to other films—such as the meeting between the mayor and Rango, a visual match to a scene in Chinatown and also to another Western hero, Clint Eastwood. There is an allusion to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and even a nod to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which is another film starring Johnny Depp (who provides the voice of Rango).

Unexpectedly, screenwriter Jon Logan owes some of his clever dialogue to none other than William Shakespeare. In one scene, Rango recites lines from Hamlet and references other Shakespearian works. Logan also takes his characterization of the mayor of Dirt from It’s a Wonderful Life’s Mr. Potter. The plot is at times fractured, as though it doesn’t know what aspect of the storyline to focus on. Some of the minor details of the story just end unexpectedly or are not explored further, though they seem to be important to the characters’ development. Even the ending provides a resolution that still has some issues that need to be fixed. The overall tone was heavier than anticipated, and Logan, who wrote such

screenplays as The Aviator and Gladiator, borrowed some of the violence from his other works.

As a film marketed and produced by Nickelodeon, you wouldn’t expect the more adult content; some of it seemed inappropriate for children, even if accompanied by their parents.

For the first animated feature-length film released by Industrial Light and Magic, the visual effects studio under Lucasfilm—responsible for the CGI animation for all of Star Wars, Back to the Future and Indiana Jones films—managed to make the work look remarkably realistic while remaining true to standard animation rules.

There are long sequences that were reminiscent of the chase scenes from Star Wars, and the realism of the background settings reminded you of the greatness of ILM. The best part of the animation was, of course, the caricatured characterization of the animals in the film, visually striking as a mix between the Western character they are supposed to be and the animals they actually are, which included a bartending bullfrog who looks distinctively like Jabba the Hut. Rango does have a good heart, and Depp’s character has good intentions. While some of the magic is lost due to plot holes and lack of plot rhythm, the animation and quirky humor ultimately shine through. It is a flawed film, but overall Rango did a decent job telling the story of its Western hero.

24

TUESday, march 15, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE

TOP of the

ARTS ON VIEW

TRIVIA TIME 1. What is the first level of Girl Scouts?

2. Who was best known in the role of Alice Kramden in The Honeymooners?

3. What is the Latin name for iron?

4. Where is the pituitary gland located?

5. What is the dog’s name in the comic Dennis the Menace?

6. What product was advertised by the slogan “A little dab’ll do ya!”?

7. What is the Canadian province known by the abbreviation NB? 8. Who said, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”?

9. From which book in the Bible does the quote, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven,” come?

10. Who wrote the song “Diamonds and Rust”?

ANSWERS 1. Daisy 2. Audrey Meadows 3. Ferrum 4. Base of the brain 5. Ruff 6. Brylcreem 7. New Brunswick 8. William James 9. Ecclesiastes 10. Joan Baez

SHOWTIMES 3/14–3/17

The Fighter Mon-Thurs: 2:10, 4:50, 7:40 Cedar Rapids Mon-Thurs: 2:50, 5:10, 8:20 Battle: Los Angeles Mon-Thurs: 2:20, 5:00, 7:50 Limitless Mon-Thurs: 2:40, 5:10, 8:10 The King’s Speech Mon-Thurs: 2:00, 4:50, 7:30 The Adjustment Bureau Mon-Thurs: 2:30, 5:00, 8:00

Coming soon: Super 4/8 Hanna 4/8 The Greatest Movie Ever Sold 4/29

The Embassy is located at 18 Pine Street in Waltham

CHARTS Top 10s for the week ending March 14 BOX OFFICE

1. Rango 2. The Adjustment Bureau 3. Beastly 4. Hall Pass 5. Gnomeo and Juliet 6. Unknown 7. Just Go With It 8. The King’s Speech 9. I Am Number Four 10. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never

NYT BESTSELLERS Fiction 1. The Wise Man’s Fear – Patrick Rothfuss 2. Sing You Home – Jodi Picoult 3. River Marked – Patricia Briggs 4. Minding Frankie – Maeve Binchy 5. Treachery in Death – J. D. Robb ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA: Justice editor Robyn Spector ’13 snapped this close-up shot of a playful camel wearing a fuzzy plaid blanket while she was visiting the sizzling desert of Morocco.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Entreaty 5. Reverberate 9. Hope or Newhart 12. Skirt edges 13. Christmas refrain 14. Rhyming tribute 15. Instrument panel 17. Intention 18. Group of actors 19. Greene of Bonanza 21. City-related 24. Leave It to Beaver dad 25. Any moment now 26. Square dances 30. Greek vowel 31. Journal 32. “That feels so good” 33. Rump 35. Hodgepodge 36. Uses a shovel 37. Bracelet location, maybe 38. Throng 40. Timbuktu’s country 42. Blood-group letters 43. Go downhill, in a way 48. Keanu, in The Matrix 49. Albacore 50. Pleasant 51. P.E. venue 52. Remain 53. Cabbage salad

Nonfiction 1. Unbroken – Laura Hillenbrand 2. Blood, Bones, and Butter – Gabrielle Hamilton 3. Cleopatra – Stacy Schiff 4. In the Blink of an Eye – Michael Waltrip and Ellis Henican 5. Known and Unknown – Donald Rumsfeld

iTUNES

1. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull– “On the Floor” 2. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West –“E.T.” 3. Lady GaGa – “Born This Way” 4. Rihanna – “S&M” 5. Diddy-Dirty Money – “Coming Home” 6. Ke$ha –“Blow” 7. Britney Spears – “Till the World Ends” 8. P!nk –“F**kin’ Perfect” 9. Avril Lavigne –“What the Hell” 10. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”

BILLBOARD

DOWN 1. Third degree?

2. Meadow 3. Type squares 4. Garbage receptacle 5. Eve’s grandson 6. Layer of paint 7. That girl 8. Wife or mother, slangily 9. Monopoly property 10. Valhalla VIP 11. Everly Brothers’ “Let It — ­ ” 16. Prohibit 20. Acapulco gold 21. Secondhand 22. Memory method

23. Staff meeting site 24. Existed 26. Hastens 27. Rowing need 28. Hammer’s target 29. Oxford, e.g.

31. Literary condensations 34. Disencumber 35. Toppers for Whoppers 37. Priestly garment 38. Suspend 39. Do as you’re told 40. “— Lisa” 41. Vacationing 44. Wacko 45. Have a bug 46. Nipper’s co.

47. Morning moisture

1. Adele – 21 2. Marsha Ambrosius – Late Nights and Early Mornings 3. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More 4. Justin Beiber – Never Say Never (The Remixes) 5. Various Artists – Now 37 6. Dropkick Murphys – Going Out In Style 7. Aaron Lewis – Town Line (EP) 8. Justin Beiber – My World 2.0 9. Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops and Hooligans 10. P!nk – Greatest Hits...So Far!!!

Album information provided by Billboard Magazine. Box office information provided

by Fandango. iTunes top sellers provided by Apple.com. Bestellers list provided by The New York Times.

Solution to last week’s crossword

King Crossword Copyright 2011 King Features Synd, Inc.

STRANGE BUT TRUE  It was Kurt Vonnegut who made the following sage observation: “There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope they are organized along the lines of the Mafia.”  That cork you pulled out of your wine bottle was made from the bark of a tree. The cork oak has to grow for 25 years before any cork is harvested, and then it’s stripped only every 10 years thereafter.  If you can predict the future by watching the flight patterns of birds, you are engaging in ornithomancy.

parts of Italy as early as 2000 B.C.  In 1950, 70 percent of all the cars, buses and trucks in the world could be found in the United States.  According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average television screen in United States homes is growing by 1 inch every year.  It was Ambrose Bierce, in his Devil’s Dictionary, who defined “admiration” as “our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves.”

 The coldest place on earth is a place known only as Ridge A in Antarctica. The average winter temperature there is -94 degrees Farenheit.

 Ever wonder why magazine publisher Hugh Hefner chose a rabbit as the symbol of his Playboy magazine?

Evidently, when the mogul was a small boy, one of his treasured possessions was a blanket with bunnies all over it.

 According to recent archaeological research, the bikini is nothing new at all; evidence has been found that the popular two-piece beach garment was worn in

Thought for the Day: “I’ve done the calculation, and your chances of winning the lottery are identical whether you play or not.” —Fran Lebowitz

STAFF PLAYLIST

“Changing Tunes”

By SARA DEJENE

Justice EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

My music interests are always changing, and I love when people recommend a new artist for me to listen to.

This playlist will have probably changed by the time you will read this, but here are my all-time favorite songs right now.

THE LIST 1. “Paris, Tokyo” – Lupe Fiasco 2. “Radar Detector (Xaphoon Jones remix)” – Darwin Deez 3. “Undercover Martyn” – Two Door Cinema Club 4. “Dreamin’” – The Cool Kids 5. “Truth” – Chiddy Bang 6. “La Vie en Rose” – Edith Piaf 7. “The World Is Yours” – Nas 8. “Clair de Lune” – Debussy 9. “Little Secrets” – Passion Pit 10. “The Suburbs” – Arcade Fire