The Justice, October 20, 2009

ARTS PAGE 19

SPORTS Women’s soccer milestones 16

BIG LOVE

FORUM Avoiding apathy on health care 11 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

the

OF

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY SINCE 1949

Justice www.theJusticeOnline.com

Volume LXII, Number 8

Waltham, Mass.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

TECHNICAL ADVICE

ADMINISTRATION

Grinberg selected for JBS manager position ■ Alyssa Grinberg will meet

Justice Brandeis Semester committee members during her first week at work.

By HARRY SHIPPS JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Alyssa Grinberg, the former senior assistant director and admissions and outreach representative at the International Honors Program with the School for International Training in Vermont, has been selected to fill the position of Justice Brandeis Semester manager, according to Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid.

Van Der Meid said that after the conclusion of the interview process for the position, which included meetings with several constituent groups including faculty and students, “[Grinberg] was the strongest candidate.”

Grinberg began work yesterday,

and Van Der Meid said that her first week at Brandeis would consist of an orientation during which she will meet with the JBS committee, Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11 and the student representatives from the JBS committee.

She will also meet with some of the “key players” from the faculty and administrative JBS committee, such as co-chairs of the faculty JBS committee Profs. Tim Hickey (COSI) and Sacha Nelson (BIOL), Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Elaine Wong and Director of the Hiatt Career Center Joe Dupont in order to get the “lay of the land, understand the players,” Van Der Meid said.

Grinberg was unavailable for comment by press time.

The Brandeis employment Web site lists the responsibilities of the JBS manager, which include “managing the logistics of the program, including developing publicity, the application process, budget monitoring, logistical arrangements for students and faculty, and the implementation of the program evalua-

tion rubric.”

Dupont said that the JBS manager would be responsible for creating deadlines for students to apply to any approved JBS programs for summer 2010.

Dupont said, however, that the JBS committee anticipates having both an early and regular application deadline.

He added that he expected at least a minimal list of frequently asked questions about the JBS programs to be up on the JBS Web site by the end of this week, a sentiment echoed by both Wong and Van Der Meid.

Van Der Meid said that Grinberg is very qualified to handle the task of marketing the JBS programs and disseminating information about them to students and other groups because “one of her roles at the International Honors Progam was actually in charge in marketing and external relations, so this is her background.”

When asked what he was looking for Grinberg to accomplish, Hogan

See JBS, 7 ☛

ROSE ART MUSEUM

Discovery process begins in lawsuit ■ The process will allow

parties in the lawsuit to access all documents pertaining to the museum.

By ALANA ABRAMSON JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The first hearing for the lawsuit concerning the Rose Art Museum took place last Tuesday, during which Judge Jeremy A. Stahlin ruled that the plaintiffs had legal standing to proceed with their case and begin the discovery process.

The attorney general has also obtained a civil investigative demand to investigate all University documents pertaining to the Rose, Edward T. Dangel, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview with the Justice.

Emily LaGrassa, the communications director for Attorney General Martha Coakley, wrote in an Oct. 13 e-mail to the Justice that Stahlin has allowed the plaintiffs to remain a part of the lawsuit in order to show that “their gifts to the Rose should

be returned to them under theories known as equitable reversion and fraud.”

The lawsuit, filed on July 27 by Rose overseers Jonathan Lee, Meryl Rose and Lois Foster, seeks to maintain the Rose collection by stating that the University’s decision to close it and sell its paintings would violate museum ethical codes.

The lawsuit also states that the University’s decision violates its commitment to the Rose family to maintain the museum solely as a public museum.

Two trial dates were set at the hearing for June 29 and July 1, 2010, LaGrassa wrote in her Oct. 13 email.

LaGrassa confirmed in an e-mail to the Justice that the attorney general’s office requested and received a civil investigative demand at the hearing on Tuesday, which opened the office’s official investigation into the University’s possible sale of art.

LaGrassa wrote that Brandeis is cooperating with this investigation and that she could not comment further.

Lee explained last week after the hearing that such an investigation enabled the attorney general’s office to obtain all documents pertaining to the Rose and that the University would have to contact the office to give them a minimum of 30 days’ notice before selling art.

Dangel said that he considers this investigation a significant event in the case.

“This indicates that the attorney general is becoming significantly involved in determining whether or not there have been any breaches of trust or whether any breaches of trust are planned,” he said.

Dangel had filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent the University from selling art on Sept. 22.

Lee said that Stahlin had imposed a limited preliminary injunction prohibiting the University only from selling art provided by the plaintiffs.

Dangel declined to comment on the limited injunction, emphasizing that he did not want to put too much stock in anything decided at the

See ROSE, 7 ☛

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: Computer help is one of the services that may be outsourced.

Outsourcing option considered for LTS

■ Members of the senior

management team at LTS have said that the possibility of outsourcing is unlikely.

By LIZ POSNER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Library and Technology Service’s recent strategic plan for 2010 to 2014, a review of the costs and values of the various services offered by LTS, mentions further outsourcing as a way to reduce costs, although members of the LTS senior management team have since said that this possibility is unlikely.

LTS service that may be outsourced include Computer Help, Database Administration and Student and Faculty Administrative Systems Support, as stated in the report.

LTS has already outsourced jobs including book cataloguing, building wiring and book purchasing to the cable operator Comcast. These types

of jobs involve routine processing work, whereas LTS has reserved its more technical roles for in-house staff. In 2000, for example, LTS used outsourced labor to deliver cable television to student dorm rooms, according to Hanson.

However, Vice President and Vice Provost for Libraries and Information Technology Perry Hanson and Chief University Librarian Susan Wawrzaszek believe it is unlikely that any more jobs in LTS will be outsourced.

“There’s no guarantee that outsourcing saves money,” said Hanson.

“It’s an issue of looking at the most cost-effective way to provide services to the University, so we’re looking to see whether we really need to own the service or whether outsourcing makes more sense,” said Wawrzaszek.

LTS releases a strategic plan every five years. The senior management team, including Hanson and

See LTS, 7 ☛

Student activism

Volleyball falls in UAA

University garden

■ Student activists contemplate the legacies of the 1960s.

■ The volleyball team dropped to seventh place in the conference standings after four straight losses.

■ The Brandeis Patchwork Garden broke ground last Sunday.

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

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

INDEX

SPORTS 14 ARTS

17

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 9

OPINION POLICE LOG

11 2

SPORTS LETTERS

NEWS 5 16 11

COPYRIGHT 2009 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Call for home delivery.

2

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS AP BRIEF

POLICE LOG

Massachusetts Senate candidates file first campaign finance reports

Medical Emergency

BOSTON—Candidates vying for the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Edward Kennedy filed their first campaign finance reports Thursday, giving voters a peak at early donors in the special election.

Attorney General Martha Coakley led the pack with $2.1 million in contributions, followed by fellow Democrat and City Year founder Alan Khazei with $1.12 million in donations for the reporting period that ended Sept. 30.

U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, also a Democrat, collected $343,037, leaving him with $1.17 million cash on hand as of Oct. 1, including money from his existing federal account.

Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca pulled in $203,250 in contributions but poured $1.8 million of his own money into the campaign to help fund a raft of television ads meant to introduce the political newcomer to Massachusetts voters.

Pagliuca reported spending $1.37 million as of the end of September.

Neither Coakley, Capuano nor Khazei contributed their own money to their campaign, aides said.

Coakley’s husband contributed $2,400.

Money from state campaign accounts cannot be transferred to a federal account, meaning candidates other than Capuano had to start fundraising from scratch.

Coakley’s earlier fundraising lead is a reflection in part of her being the first candidate to formally enter the race. She began October with $1.95 million in cash left in her campaign account.

She also benefited from the support of the fundraising group EMILY’s List, which raises money for pro-abortion rights female candidates.

The group collected $152,291 for Coakley.

Coakley said the vast majority of the money she raised, about 80 percent, came from Massachusetts residents, while less than 2 percent came from political action committees. Most of the donations came in contributions of $100 or less, the campaign said.

Contributors to Coakley’s office included about two dozen employees of the Attorney General’s office.

By comparison, nearly half of Khazei’s donors hailed from outside Massachusetts, according to the campaign, which also said that 52 percent of donors contributed $100 or less. He began October with more than $1 million left on hand.

Among Khazei’s donors was television writer and director J.J. Abrams, who created the shows Lost and Alias. He gave $4,800.

Khazei has said he won’t take money from political action committees.

Among donors to Pagliuca’s campaign were former Celtics great and the team’s current president of basketball operations, Danny Ainge, who gave $2,400, and NBA Commissioner David Stern, who gave $2,300.

On the Republican side, state Sen. Scott Brown of Wrentham reported contributions of $169,066 as of the end of September, with $149,712 cash left on hand as of Oct. 1.

Canton Selectman Bob Burr, also seeking the GOP nomination, said he didn’t need to file a campaign report because he hadn’t raised or spent the threshold of $5,000 before the end of September.

Party primaries are Dec. 8.

Oct. 12—A party in North Quad reported that a female party was experiencing a panic attack and having difficulty breathing. University Police and BEMCo responded, and the party was treated on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Oct. 12—A party in the Usdan Student Center reported that a male party had dislocated his left shoulder. University Police and BEMCo responded. BEMCo requested an ambulance. An ambulance and the Waltham Fire Department arrived on-scene.

The party was treated on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Oct. 12—A party in Massell Quad requested BEMCo for a wellness check. BEMCo treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Oct. 13—University Police received a call from a student who had hit her head and wanted to

be checked by BEMCo. University Police and BEMCo responded. BEMCo requested an ambulance, and the party was transported to the NewtonWellesley Hospital.

Oct. 16—University Police received a call from the Waltham Police Department that it had received a report of a person who had suffered a head injury from a fall at the Usdan Student Center. BEMCo, the Waltham Fire Department and the Waltham Police Department responded.

The patient was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and all units cleared the area.

Oct. 16—A party at the Charles River Apartments reported that a female party had ingested a Class D substance.

University Police and BEMCo responded, and the party was transported via ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Oct. 18—A female party was found passed out along the road-

way behind the public safety complex. BEMCo was notified and the intoxicated party was transported via ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Oct. 18—A party in Rosenthal Quad reported that she had pain in her abdomen and numbness in her lower leg. University Police and BEMCo responded. The party was treated on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Traffic Oct. 13—A University Police cruiser was rear-ended on South Street. There was no damage to either car and neither party reported any injuries.

Miscellaneous Oct. 12—University Police found an individual smoking marijuana in the Charles River Apartments. University Police requested the community development coordinator on duty, who will press judicial charges.

Effort begun to bring clubs into line with Mass law

An article in News last week misstated the age and experience of Brandeis women’s softball head coach Jessica Johnson. Johnson was 30 years old when she was hired, not 28, and she is currently in her fourth season as head coach, not her third. (Oct. 13, p. 1) A photo in Sports last week was misrepresented. The photo is a picture, not a photo illustration. (Oct. 13, p. 13)

Two articles in Sports last week were attributed to the wrong writers. Jeffrey Boxer wrote the article titled “Squads race at NE Open,” and Max Goldstein wrote the article titled “Team falls to Rochester,” not the other way around. (Oct. 13, p. 13 and 14) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@ brandeis.edu.

theJustice The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor in chief office hours will be held Friday from 10 a.m. to noon in the Justice office this week. Editor in chief office hours are usually held every Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m.

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SENATE LOG

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

A photo caption in Sports last week misspelled the name of a Brandeis alumnus. The alumnus’ name is Nelson Figueroa, not Nelson Figeuro. (Oct. 13, p. 13)

Oct. 12—A community advisor at 567 South St. informed University Police that a student had come to apartment 14 in order to smoke marijuana; when the student was asked to leave, he broke the rear exterior door facing the parking lot. The community advisor reported this matter to the community development cooridnator on call, who informed the trade person helper. The trade person helper was able to fix the door. No drugs were found, and no further action was taken by University Police.

Oct. 13—University Police received a report of possible smoke in the Brown Social Science Center. There was exterior welding taking place, and smoke entered the basement. The welding company was notified, and the building was ventilated. There was no damage, and all units cleared.

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

Giving Life Students donated blood at the Waltham Group Blood Drive, sponsored by the American Red Cross, last Tuesday and Wednesday. Some students also registered with DKMS America as bone marrow donors.

Director of Student Activities Stephanie Grimes spoke about the role of the Student Activities department. She said that in November and December, Student Activities will be spearheading an assessment of its work with student leaders, such as club leaders and members of the Student Union, and asking for feedback about what could help student leaders.

A major issue, on which Student Activities is working in conjunction with the Student Union, is getting student clubs to complete the Anti-Hazing Policy form, which is required for any organization under Massachusetts law. Grimes said that, as of last Friday, 160 clubs had completed the form, but 115 clubs listed on myBrandeis had not.

Sofya Bronshvayg ’11, director of executive affairs, said that she is working with Student Activities on using storage space in East Quad and the Shapiro Campus Center and compiling an accurate inventory of stored materials.

Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11 said that Student Union members of the Presidential Search Committee will be chosen next week. He is currently working on facilitating discussion between Greek organizations at Brandeis and the administration, an effort he said is “pointing in the direction of a better system than we have now.”

Vice President Amanda Hecker ’10 said that the Executive Board had discussed issues of overcrowding, specifically in Usdan cafeteria, at their most recent meeting.

The Union voted to charter the Coed Volleyball Club, which has been recognized for two years and was hoping to get chartered in order to purchase new balls and enter competitive tournaments.

The Union voted down a bylaw amendment that would have allowed chartered clubs the right to have graduate students as officers.

Senator for the Class of 2010 Jaclyn Saffir said that she planned to speak to Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer because the University has run out of flu vaccinations again.

—Harry Shipps

ANNOUNCEMENTS “Talk to an Iraqi”: Journalist Hyder Hamza Iraqi journalist Hyder Hamza, who lived through the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 and covered many of the major events during the U.S. occupation before emigrating to the U.S., will discuss his personal journey talking about the war with Americans along with his thoughts about and pictures of the conflict in his country. The speaker is the inaugural event of the Social Justice Leadership Series.

Today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Rapaporte Treasure Hall. For more information, speak to Lindsay Markel at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism.

‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell’ Coexistence International will screen the documentary film Pray the Devil Back to Hell (2008) about a group of women in Liberia who were instrumental in bringing peace to their country after decades of civil war. The documentary chronicles the history of this inter-

faith women’s movement amid intense violence and poverty and shares the stories of its leaders. The Liberian women’s peace movement provides an example of the power and resilience of grassroots activism. One of the film’s protagonists, Liberian journalist Janet Johnson Bryant will respond to questions at the conclusion of the film. Wednesday, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wasserman Cinematheque.

For more information, e-mail Jessica Berns at jberns@brandeis.edu.

Human Rights in Burma: Exiled Burmese Monks of the 2007 Saffron Revolution Three Burmese Monks (U Agga, U Gawsita, and U Pyinya Zawta) with refugee status in Utica, N.Y. will speak at Brandeis about their experience with the human rights crisis in Burma and their struggles during the 2007 Saffron Revolution. The event is co-sponsored by the Southeast Asian Club. Wednesday, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the International Lounge in the Usdan Student Center.

Getting Into Law School: An Expert’s Perspective Students who plan on applying to law school can come listen to law school admissions consultant and author of How to Get Into the Top Law Schools Richard Montauk break down the application process. Montauk will also discuss the various options available for financing a career in law and the admission criteria for top law schools.

The event is sponsored by the Brandeis PreLaw Society. Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Intercultural Center Multipurpose Room.

Coffee with the President Students and their families can join President Jehuda Reinharz and Senior Vice President Jean Eddy as they give a presentation addressing the institution and the future of Brandeis. There will be a late breakfast following the presentation. Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon in the Levin Ballroom.

THE JUSTICE

CONSTRUCTION

Allocation of space in Mandel under discussion ■ The Schusterman Center

is the only confirmed occupant of the new Mandel Humanities Center.

By MIRANDA NEUBAUER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

Humanities department chairs met with Provost Marty Krauss and Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe to discuss the allocation of space in the new Mandel Center for the Humanities last Wednesday.

The meeting was an opportunity for the administration to discuss with the humanities chairs “what our thinking is about the process for identifying potential occupants for the building and to review with them what the original conception was for this building that excited the donor,” Krauss said. She added that “the proposal [regarding the concept of the building] that was submitted to Mr. Mandel was not just for the humanities.” “It was for the humanities and the social sciences,” she said.

Chair of the Humanities Council Prof. Stephen Dowden (GRALL) said that nothing was decided upon at the meeting.

One certain occupant of the new building is the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, which received a gift of approximately $5 million to move into the new Mandel Center from the Schusterman family, who funded the construction of an additional section of the building, the Center’s director, Prof.

Ilan Troen (NEJS), said. Currently the Center is located in two offices in the Lown School of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.

Troen said, “We don’t have offices for visiting faculty; [they] are scattered from Anthropology to Political Science.

[A center] is a place where people can come together. We have no such place.”

He recalled that Lynn Schusterman came to the Center’s offices and said, “Is this the Schusterman Center?”

The Mandel Foundation funded the construction of the building with $20 million. Construction on the Center began this past June, and the building is scheduled to open next fall, according to Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French in an Aug. 24 campuswide e-mail.

Krauss explained that the motivation behind the Center was to create a physical space to encourage deeper scholarship and research into many

topics that are of interest to the humanities and social sciences in a building not defined by departments.

Mandel “loved that idea,” she said.

“What he didn’t love was the name that we gave it initially in the proposal. It was very long.” The original proposal from the University had called it the Center for Integrated Research and Teaching in the Humanities and Social Sciences, she said.

Shortening it to the Mandel Center for the Humanities “is in some ways a misnomer because it’s not just for the humanities as narrowly defined, but rather a broader conception of the humanities and social sciences,” Krauss said. She added that the “conception now is that on the Brandeis campus the building should serve those members of the humanities and social sciences, all of them, that have a potential interest in the mission of the Center.”

Going forward from this idea, Krauss said, “The second task now is to go through a process to identify what combination of people and entities within the building would best exemplify the purpose of the building.”

“The humanities chairs are really strongly interested that [the center] have only humanities, but humanities in the broadest sense,” Dowden said.

“A formulation people are using is humanities and the humanistic social sciences, and everybody is in full agreement on this. That would not include, in my personal view, any kind of nonhumanistic centers or nonhumanistic programs.”

Dowden said that there had been no decision as to whether there would be a process through which departments or entities could make suggestions for the use of the space. He said that he had proposed to the provost that she form a panel of people in the humanities to consult about the issue.

He explained that “the problem is that the humanities cuts across departments—some departments, like mine, that are pure humanities—[but] there are some departments like American Studies that’s kind of humanities and kind of social science.”

Dowden added that “it’s not just a question of what is humanities and what isn’t. It’s a question of what entities would work well together as a group.” He also said that Krauss “is under a lot of pressure from other quarters, too,” adding that the provost has control over all space on campus.

At the meeting, “clearly people felt like they needed more information.

They were hearing bits of information

and [the meeting] was a good opportunity to clarify where we stand right now,” Krauss said.

She added that she has spoken with several units on campus prior to the meeting “about their interest in potentially moving into the building” and has received positive feedback from them. Krauss declined to specify which departments she had spoken to.

Because of other space needs on campus, she said, one of first duties was to engage in preliminary discussions to see if there “were ways in which [the new Mandel] building can help solve some persistent problems” with regard to space that she needed to address “consistent with the purpose of this building.”

Krauss said that she engaged in those preliminary discussions with the aim of “still retaining a lot of unassigned space in the building.”

She added that she thought “it was [her] exploration of those [space] issues that caused some concern as if there wasn’t going to be a more open process about who would go into the building, and that’s what we tried to clarify [at the meeting]. Yes, there will be a more open process.”

Krauss said she did not think there would be a new panel or committee to assist in the decision making. She suggested that the steering committee for the Mandel Center, whose current main goal is the center’s programming, could play a role. She said she anticipated reaching more definite decisions in six weeks to two months.

“Space is always a very contentious issue. It’s always emotional and a difficult issue, so I understand why people can get concerned that they don’t know enough and they want to know more, so we will try and provide lots more information,” Krauss said.

With 30 faculty offices, the Mandel Center would open up more opportunities with regard to space, she said.

“It will allow for reconfigurations for some people; it will allow for some people to move from less than ideal space into ideal space, so it will give us a little more flexibility,” she said.

Prof. James Mandrell (ROMS) said that he was disappointed with the outcome of the meeting.

“The issue really is that the administration isn’t clear, and they haven’t been open and frank with us about what they’re trying to do, and there’s a disagreement between what they’re calling the building and what they’re now saying that they want to with the space,” Mandrell said.

ADMINISTRATION

Twenty faculty to run for seats ■ The faculty nominees will

run for the two faculty seats reserved on the presidential search committee.

By NASHRAH RAHMAN JUSTICE EDITOR

Twenty faculty nominees out of 33 different candidates are willing to run for the two seats reserved for faculty on the Presidential Search Committee, according to Chair of the Faculty Senate Prof. Sabine Von Mering (GRALL).

Interviews for membership to the Student Advisory Committee, which will provide the Search Committee with student feedback, are also under way and are expected to be completed by the end of this week, said Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11, one of three people conducting the interviews.

Union Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees Heddy BenAtar ’11 and Union Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees Jonathan Kane ’10 are also interviewing student candidates.

University President Jehuda Reinharz announced his intention to resign in a Sept. 24 campuswide email.

Reinharz will remain president until a new president has been selected or until June 30, 2011, according to a Sept. 24 University press release.

Board of Trustee members and faculty will be on the Presidential Search Committee, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Malcolm Sherman told the Justice on Oct. 6.

Sherman also said that he hopes to form the Presidential Search Committee in time for the Oct. 28 Board meeting.

Sherman was out of the country and could not be reached for comment by press time.

Von Mering said that the Faculty Senate received 110 nominations for 33 candidates, and after contacting the candidates, 20 of the nominees were “able and willing to serve.”

The Senate and Faculty Representatives voted to rank the 20 candidates at a meeting last Thursday, Von Mering wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

She declined to disclose the names of faculty nominees until negotiations are over.

“We want faculty to search on the Committee … who are nationally recognized for their scholarly work.

We need people who really understand and know Brandeis well,” Von Mering said.

Von Mering said that final faculty candidates for the Search Committee will be selected after negotiations with Sherman about increasing the number of faculty on the Committee are completed.

Von Mering said that, in keeping with how other universities form presidential search committees, she hopes that 40 percent of Brandeis’ Presidential Search Committee will be comprised of faculty members.

The Senate is researching the ways in which past presidential searches have been conducted at Brandeis and at other educational institutions in order to convince the Board to increase the faculty ratio on the Committee, Von Mering said.

Hogan declined to disclose the number of applications received for membership to the student advisory committee.

In a Oct. 7 e-mail to the student body, Hogan wrote that the advisory committee will include six to 10 students and said in an Oct. 15 interview with the Justice that its members may meet once every week.

Student candidates have been interviewed for up to 10 minutes on what they hope to contribute to the Advisory Committee and what they want to see in the next University president, Hogan said.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

3

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

Serving others The Clubs-in-Service fair that took place last night encouraged service and nonservice clubs to get involved in community service in the greater Waltham area.

CONSTRUCTION

Two offices will move to Bernstein Marcus ■ The renovations for the

move to Bernstein-Marcus are expected to cost less than $150,000.

By MIRANDA NEUBAUER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

The Office of the Arts and the Office of Human Resources will receive new space in the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center at the end of this semester in the area previously occupied by the Admissions Office, which is now located in the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Admissions Center, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French wrote in a campuswide e-mail Thursday.

Currently the Office of the Arts occupies space in the Slosberg Music Center and the Office of Human Resources rents space in Stony Brook Office Park on Turner Street. The decision to rellocate the two offices was made by President Jehuda Reinharz with input from Provost Marty Krauss and French, Vice President for Capital Projects Dan Feldman wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. The renovations are expected to cost less than $150,000, he wrote.

The Office of the Arts began in 2003 through a two-year grant, Director Scott Edmiston explained in an interview with the Justice. He explained that the purpose of the Office of the Arts is to integrate the arts into the life of the University and to increase participation in arts programming.

At that time, it was not clear if the Office would have a short-term consulting role or exist as a long-term office.

For this reason, he said, there was no ideal space for it.

Initially, it was part of the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, “but I really wanted to be with the community, and so the Music department was kind enough to give up their music library,” Edmiston said. The Music department moved its library to the Goldfarb library.

“It was kind of perceived as a temporary thing that I was being housed in the music library,” Edmiston said.

After the grant ran out in 2005, he said, the University decided to have a permanent Office of the Arts as a result of the efficient work done by the Office. The Office also received money to hire Program Administrator Ingrid Schorr. At that point, the Music department also had to give up a practice room in the Slosberg Music Center so that Schorr could have an office space, he said.

“I loved being here in the music building, and I will miss hearing the

students practice, but ultimately this was a short-term solution that needed to be addressed—the Music department should have this space back, students need practice room,” Edmiston said. said. He added that he had expressed interest in a more permanent space to the administration about a year ago.

“Gaining extra practice space in Slosberg is imperative, and while the addition of a single practice room helps, it is by no means a solution to the problem,” Aimée Birnbaum ’10, a Music major in the performance track, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

Of the four practice rooms located downstairs in Slosberg, she wrote, one is consistently used for private lessons. “The situation is extremely inconvenient because if you need to use a practice room while classes are being held, there are only three available,” Birnbaum wrote.

The move will allow HR to be more accessible to the Brandeis community, Vice President for HR and Employee Relations Scot Bemis said.

Bemis said that HR moved to Turner Street in summer 2007 from the Gryzmish Center because there were few areas for confidential conversations and more space was needed for additional staff members.

“Although [Turner Street] is easily accessible [by] the shuttle there, and we expanded our hours to allow people to come before or after work, … we still heard an occasional grumble that ‘it was so much easier when you were up on campus to just walk over there during lunch,’” Bemis said.

The move “puts us back in the midst of campus,” he said. “It’s also easier for us to keep a pulse on the community, to gauge morale. You get so much from just being able to walk around and talking with [staff members] in passing. … We lose that a bit being down there.”

“It’s important to me to stay on lower campus because I do interact with Music department, the Theater department, the Rose Art Museum, the Fine Arts department, Student Activities, the Undergraduate Theater Collective and I interact with the administration as well,” Edmiston said.

In addition to two offices, Edmiston said he would have access to more meeting space in the new location.

“Even though [Bernstein-Marcus] is not a building necessarily heavily trafficked by students, we hope that students will stop by … and talk to us about what’s going on campus and how we can be of help to them in keeping the arts prominent in the University’s identity.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAY KRANEN OF WIKIPEDIA CREATIVE COMMONS

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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BRANDEIS AGRICULTURE

STUDENT LIFE

Rooms to be labeled as green ■ Students must complete at

least 10 of the 20 measures listed on the Green Room Web site to be certified.

By EMILY KRAUS JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The Certified Green Room program, a part of the Campus Sustainability Initiative that recognizes students who pledge to take environmentally friendly measures in their rooms, was launched Oct. 9, according to Sustainability Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal ’03 in an interview with the Justice.

Students who register on the Green Room Web site must commit to practice at least 10 of the 20 measures in order to get their rooms certified. The items that students can select are divided into five categories: energy, food, waste, laundry and “get involved.”

Around 100 students have signed up to register their rooms as Green Rooms, Cohen-Rosenthal said.

The Green Room program is an effort to bring more awareness to campus about sustainability ahead of a planned program in November that will challenge students to lower their energy usage, said Cohen-Rosenthal.

The Campus Sustainability Initiative was also involved with the Climate Action Plan’s release on Sept. 15. The plan, which pledges to lower the University’s carbon emissions, was an inspiration for the Green Room program, according to Cohen-Rosenthal, because it discusses the importance of lowering energy consumption.

“Over the next five years, we want to see a 5-percent reduction from students’ energy use, and we had researched that with a sustained effort like this, that would be doable,” said Cohen-Rosenthal.

“Obviously we would love everyone to have a Green Room,” said CohenRosenthal.

She continued, “That is probably some time off, so we are just working on educating the community about different steps and trying to make those things simple and easy to do.”

Students registering for certification must pledge to do things such as use fluorescent light bulbs, practice good recycling habits and keep bottled water out of their rooms.

Eco-rep Aka Kovacikova ’11 said that eco-reps were involved in compiling the criteria for a Certified Green Room.

“The eco-reps are students who are paid to do peer education about energy conservation and recycling in their quads,” said Cohen-Rosenthal.

“We found things that students are already doing and using things that they could be doing, and we kind of compiled a list and went from there. We wanted to make it really accessible for students,” Kovacikova said.

At this point, there is no set system to ensure that registered rooms adhere to the Green Room standards, according to Hannah Saltman ’12, the vice president of Students for Environmental Action.

“Depending on how many people sign up we may have some sort of check-in point in a few months, but I think since the program is just starting, we haven’t hammered out those details just yet,” said Saltman.

“I think the idea is to keep on the people who sign up, to keep on inspiring them to do more green stuff. … We’re not going to follow up in a kind of a Big Brother way, [but in] more of an inspirational way,” said Cohen-Rosenthal.

She also said that the program would be beneficial financially to both students and the University. “A lot of actions on the list are things that would save students money, like not owning a car, or would save the University money, like keeping your windows closed when the heat is on,” said CohenRosenthal.

Saltman said that while the eco-reps are the students who will be most involved with the day-to-day workings of the program, SEA is working to educate students about the program and other sustainability initiatives on campus.

—Harry Shipps and Nashrah Rahman contributed reporting

AMY MELSER/the Justice

SOWING SEEDS: Members of the Brandeis community worked through the rain last Sunday to plant the fruits and vegetables in the new Brandeis Patchwork Garden.

Class plants sustainable garden ■ The official Brandeis

Patchwork Garden will grow lettuce and cherries along with other produce.

By ERIN DONIGER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The official Brandeis Patchwork Garden, organized by Prof. Laura Goldin’s (AMST) “Greening the Ivory Tower” class, broke ground on Sunday. The rain took a toll on the expected student attendance but didn’t halt the progress.

The garden aims to improve sustainability at the University and in the greater community, class member Sarit Luban ’11 said in an interview with the Justice before the event.

“Long-term, we really want to branch out to as much of the community as we can. … Hopefully there will be ways for us to have

partnerships with Aramark and sell food to [Cholmondeley’s in the future]. For now, we are planning on it just being a co-op system,” Luban said.

The project started Sunday with the planting of Swiss chard, lettuce, raspberries, blackberries, black raspberries and Nanking cherries. More bushes and strawberry plants have been donated and are on their way for spring, said class member Ellen Abramowitz ’11.

“We will have hazel nut bushes and strawberry plants donated later this season for the spring by Beth Lowe, a local landscape architect and permaculture specialist,” Abramowitz wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. The garden also makes use of dining hall composite waste from an earlier greening class project, Luban said.

Although the Student Union Senate rejected an Emergency Senate Money Resolution of $445 brought

by the Dining Services Committee at the Oct. 11 Senate meeting, the garden ultimately received some funding from the Natural Living Club and the Union Finance Board to help move the project along.

Student Union Treasurer Daniel Acheampong ’11 wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, “The Finance Board decided to help the initiative because the project is sustainable and beneficial for the Brandeis community. It does not only support Brandeis’ mission to move towards a more eco-friendly environment, but it also educates students on ways to maintain the beauty of this campus. Thus, after we analyzed the request, we granted the club $600 in a general grant to execute the initiative.”

Goldin said in a phone interview with the Justice that she doesn’t expect any additional significant expenses once the garden is built; the initial costs of cold frames, railroad ties and construction of the

beds have been covered.

Assuming the garden does well, her planned summer Justice Brandeis Semester “Environmental Health and Justice” students will help keep the garden going this summer. The students may work in partnership with Healthy Waltham, which helps Waltham youth and families improve health status, and might bring in Waltham youth to “work alongside us as we tend the garden,” Goldin said in the phone interview.

Regarding future Garden projects, Abramowitz said, “We still have fencing materials we want to put up and there are some other things we want to do, so maybe we will try again to have another outside event even though the weather is getting colder. ...We might have some indoor events too, maybe a first picking chard festival.”

—Anya Bergman contributed reporting

RESEARCH

Professor discovers only known vegetarian spider ■ The discovery “changes

long-held perceptions about the way organisms can make their living.”

By AARON SADOWSKY JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Prof. Eric J. Olson (Heller) discovered the world’s first vegetarian spider, Bagheera kiplingi, while working with a research team from Earthwatch in Costa Rica. Olson’s article on his discovery of the vegetarian spider in June 2001 was published Oct. 13.

There are around 40,000 different species of spiders, and all were believed to be meat-eaters until the discovery of the vegetarian spider, according to the Boston Globe. Olson wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the spider belongs to Salticidae, the largest spider family in the world.

“It is rare in the career of a field biologist to see something truly extraordinary, that changes long-held perceptions about the ways organisms can make their living. I feel very fortunate to have played a part in expanding our understanding of natural history in this way,” Olson wrote.

Olson wrote that spiders belonging to Salticidae do not build webs to catch their prey but instead stalk and pounce on their prey. “They can jump very fast, but not really very far (couple of inches maybe),” he wrote.

Bagheera kiplingi is “light tan with dark brown blocthes [sic] on its abdomen (for the female) but the male adult includes some dark green and in some light looks somewhat metallic,” Olson wrote.

The research that Olson was conducting in Costa Rica had the Earthwatch volunteers observing ants living on the acacia tree. While the volunteers were conducting the research, they noticed a spider on the tree and brought the information to Olson.

According the Earthwatch Web site, the organization “is a diverse community of scientists, educators, students, businesspeople, and resolute explorers who work together to get the fullest benefit from scientific expeditions.”

However, a few days later another volunteer saw the spider on the tree.

Olson went to the tree and saw the spider being chased by the ants. According to the Boston Globe, Olson observed the spider grab the tree food

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID JORDAN

NEW HERBIVORE: The discovery of Bagheera kiplingi was published Oct. 13. and run off.

In an e-mail to the Justice, Prof. Dan Perlman (BIOL) wrote, “Eric Olson is a superb ecologist and teacher—and also a highly observant natural historian. Although thousands of tropical ecology students and professors have looked at ant-acacias over the decades, it took the keen observational skills of Eric Olson to see what others had missed: a plant-eating spider. He and his colleagues, with this single observation, have changed our views of a major group of organisms.”

“This shows how theory can be a

wonderful guide when you are doing applied research but one always has to be willing to challenge the legitimacy of your underlying assumptions. As a Dean I am thrilled to have Professor Olson teaching at Heller,” wrote Lisa Lynch, dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, in an e-mail to the Justice.

Regarding his future work, Olson wrote that he will continue teaching at Brandeis and organizing an invasive plant task force that cleans up harmful plants in Newton’s parks and along the Charles River.

If you have an interest in theater, consider writing for the Arts section of theJustice. the

Justice is looking for writers to both preview and review shows.

E-mail artseditors@yahoo.com for more information.

THE JUSTICE

JBS: Grinberg fills manager position CONTINUED FROM 1 said, “Ultimately, it’s an experiential academic program, so the manager will be in charge of making sure everything works well … and also making sure that the faculty needs of having information of how to run and how to propose JBSs and students need on logistics and what they will get out of the JBS will be met.”

Wong said that 10 proposals for JBS programs in summer 2010 are still in the approval process.

The proposals would be reviewed “first by the JBS selection committee, and then they need final approval by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and then [Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe] is also addressing other matters having to do with all the funding and all that,” said Wong.

Wong added that at least some approved programs would be posted on the Web site very soon, although not before next week, because the UCC meeting is not until Thursday.

Dupont, a co-chair of the JBS committee, said that the committee is very excited about the proposals that have been submitted, but it is not a foregone conclusion

that all 10 proposals will be approved.

Dupont said that, moving forward, the JBS committee has several responsibilities including “ensuring that we have really dynamic programs that are attractive to students and … engaging the student body and [working] with the Student Union and others to make sure that we are marketing these properly and building enthusiasm for them.”

Dupont said that outreach included everything from posting things on the JBS Web site to appearing before classes and the Student Union. “It’s not going to be one thing; it’s going to be a combination of things,” said Dupont.

Wong said that the JBS committee wants to ensure that the program is a success.

“Once the proposals are all offered it will be up to the students to really decide, in a way, how many of them will be run this summer. If only two students apply to a program, we won’t run it,” she said.

Wong added that the JBS committee has said all along it would like to see a minimum of eight students in any given JBS and that some can accommodate as many as 25.

ROSE: Discovery process to advance after ruling CONTINUED FROM 1 hearing.

“I won’t get involved with whether I am pleased or displeased.

It is now a question of the case proceeding at an appropriate rate,” he said.

Judith Sizer, the University’s legal counsel, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the Judge’s decision regarding the plaintiffs’ donations to the museum was not an injunction on the University.

The probate judge has dismissed the plaintiffs’ entire case except as to their own gifts.

The court ruled that the plaintiffs may not “seek redress as to funds and/or works of art donated to the Rose Art Museum and/or Brandeis University by others,” Sizer wrote.

Sizer explained that Thomas Reilly, the University's lawyer for the case, is drafting a stipulation, an agreement between attorneys that simplifies or shortens the litigation, that reflects the University’s willingness to comply with Stahlin’s ruling regarding the plaintiffs’ assets in the museum.

The stipulation also provides the attorney general with ample notice before selling artwork, Sizer wrote in her e-mail.

Dangel explained that the case will now enter the “discovery process,” in which each side requests documents and information they deem relevant from the other side.

He said he is currently working on the necessary paperwork for this procedure.

The process is scheduled to close on March 15, 2010, and there will be a hearing on Dec. 2 to discuss the scope of the process.

“I anticipate my requests will be broader than what the University wants,” said Dangel.

Fred Hopengarten, an attorney and relative of the Rose family, told the Justice in a phone interview that Reilly sought to restrict the plaintiffs’ access to documents at the hearing.

Hopengarten said that the University requested that the plaintiffs only obtain documents pertaining to the particular gifts they provided to the museum.

Hopengarten said that Stahlin denied that request, explaining that the rules of civil procedure permit a broader discovery.

“The University apparently fears

the thread of knowledge,” said Hopengarten.

Of the three plaintiffs, Meryl Rose and Lee donated $45,000 and $43,880, respectively Sizer wrote.

“Neither Meryl Rose nor Jonathan Lee have donated any works of art to Brandeis,” she wrote.

Plaintiff Lois Foster’s late husband donated several pieces of artwork to the museum, Sizer wrote.

Sizer wrote in an Aug. 24 e-mail to the Justice that the University has been reviewing all museumrelated documents since last December and has consequently restricted access to them until that review is completed.

She subsequently wrote that the plaintiffs’ discovery requests should not impede this review.

Reilly said after the hearing that the University’s role in the discovery process was dependent upon the plaintiffs’ requests.

“We have to see what comes,” he said.

Sizer wrote that the plaintiffs “will be provided with documents consistent with the rules governing discovery as to their remaining claims.”

Hopengarten had previously attempted to access the archives in an effort to obtain a copy of the 1969 trust agreement between Abraham Sachar and Edward Rose.

A letter from Abraham Sachar to Edward Rose that accompanied and referred to the trust agreement was incorporated into the lawsuit.

In that letter, Sachar writes that Edward Rose and his wife, Bertha, have “made a magnificent art facility available and … are providing permanent maintenance and support.”

According to Hopengarten, the University stated at the hearing that they had been unable to find the trust.

Dangel said he was surprised by the University’s inability to find the trust, but he did not hold Brandeis accountable.

Sizer explained that Edward and Bertha Rose established a number of trusts in addition to their wills, and the University was not provided with copies of every trust.

She wrote that the University provided the plaintiffs with the 1974 trust, which Dangel confirmed he had received.

—Nashrah Rahman contributed reporting

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

POLITICAL CLIMATE: Last Thursday, Dan Meridor discussed the status of Israel in light of the advent of nuclear weaponry in Iran.

Meridor focuses on peace ■ The Israeli Deputy Prime

Minister discussed the current political climate in the Middle East.

By AARON SADOWSKY JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor gave a talk titled “Israel in the Changing Middle East,” discussing the hiatus of the IsraeliPalestinian dialogues and the advent of nuclear weaponry in Iran in Rapaporte Treasure Hall last Thursday.

The event was co-sponsored by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies and the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies.

Meridor attained his current, primary position as Deputy Prime Minister of Israel under the 32nd government in the 18th Knesset on March 31, 2009 but has had a seat in the Knesset since its 11th term,

which began Aug. 13, 1984.

Israel has built a strong presence in the Middle East, Meridor said, adding that its strength also instilled fear in Palestinians and the Arab leaders of neighboring countries.

Meridor also touched upon the reluctance of Arab leaders to come to terms with the sovereignty of Israel.

According to Meridor, the Palestinians and their allies in the Middle East are threatened by how advanced Israel has become over the course of its modern existence as a sovereign nation.

Israel has added a second layer to the “battlefield” outside of the normal “regular army” arena, he said.

He said that the Palestinians had been fighting against Israel in the normal layer until they explored the avenues of nuclear weaponry and guerilla warfare.

The more extreme battlefield layer is nuclear warfare, which Meridor said Iran and Syria had already created.

However, Meridor stressed the

appeal of the efficiency and effectiveness of the decentralized nature of guerilla warfare to the Palestinians by citing the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as an example of successful guerilla warfare.

Meridor also expressed his optimism of resuming the IsraeliPalestinian dialogue, which has been nonexistent for some time, as evidenced by his response to a question, asked by Sarah Geller ’13 regarding the Israeli perspective of America’s influence, past and present, on the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue.

He said he is confident that under the Obama administration, America would be more supportive of Israel’s efforts to promote peace, stating, “We belong to that camp that is headed by America.”

Heddy Ben-Atar ’11, who attended the event, said that she enjoyed Meridor’s speech.

She said that she liked Meridor’s “commitment to peace and a commitment to Israel moving forward in a peace process.”

LTS: Outsourcing considered in the wake of library strategic plan CONTINUED FROM 1 Wawrzaszek, began reviewing finances in January when it learned of new budget constraints. It presented a first draft of the document in May to the LTS Advisory Committee, made up of faculty, staff and student representatives. In June, they submitted a final version to the senior administration, according to Hanson.

The plan, which was released in June, takes into account the current financial crisis and the University’s increased budget constraints. The senior management team intended to cut costs by making the recommendations included in the plan.

During two phases of reorganization, one in January and another in June, the senior management team at LTS reviewed each “core service” offered.

The core services available through LTS include Computer Help and Library Operations.

Each evaluation included a costrisk-benefit summary for its respective services.

The plan’s authors directly addressed their concerns over budgetary constraints.

The plan states, “We shall seek all and any ways of reducing operational costs.”

In constructing the plan, LTS also took into account recent developments in computing and information

availability, according to Hanson.

The challenge LTS faces, the plan states, “is to determine the most costeffective way of providing technology resources without compromising security of data and information or stifling creative use of new technologies.”

Also included in the plan is a summary of reductions LTS has made since 2008, including a 14-percent reduction in operating expenditures and a 16-percent reduction in staff.

LTS currently employs 98 people, as opposed to 117 last July, according to the plan. These job losses include employees who quit or were laid off when the University reduced its staff last January.

“We feel fairly secure [about our positions in LTS], but one never knows,” said LTS employee Ani Hovsepian. “[Staff reductions] are certainly an unpleasant thing; you worry about your colleagues and feel bad for them, but you feel lucky that you’ve stayed on.”

The next step for LTS is to meet with its advisory committee again to review the plan post-publication.

“This is a strategic planning process, so it’s ongoing,” said Hanson. “By presenting this plan, we are saying what we think is important to Brandeis.”

“This plan is meant to be a conversation, a transparent process with community,” said Wawrzaszek.

Key LTS Facts 1,209,000 physical books are managed by LTS staff for the Brandeis community.

89,000 physical LTS resources (books, videos, CDs) were checked out to Brandeis community members in fiscal 2009.

11,000 problems were fixed by Help Desk and Computer Repair Shop staff in fiscal 2009.

300 information resource databases are managed by LTS staff.

400,000 e-mail messages are sent every day from external e-mail addresses to Brandeis users.

Courtesy of Library and Technology Services

THE JUSTICE

just

features

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

9

VERBATIM | Mark Twain Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

ON THIS DAY...

FUN FACT

In 1951, U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed an act officially ending the war with Germany.

Wite-Out was invented by the mother of former Monkee Mike Nesmith.

The evolution of activism Today’s activists have learned from the ’60s

By ABBY KULAWITZ JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At the time, my friend Leah Hartman ’12 had already lived in East for about a month. But for some reason, at 11 p.m. on a school night, she wanted to explore. And for some reason, she took me with her. We walked down one of East’s many staircases and opened a door that led to the basement of Hassenfeld Hall. To me it looked like a regular basement, filled with cardboard boxes and dust. But to Hartman it looked much different. It was prime real estate—a perfect headquarters for the Activist Resource Center. Hartman had unearthed the perfect place to revive Brandeis’ spirit of activism—a legacy rooted in the upheaval of the 1960s.

Hartman, a member of the Brandeis Labor Coalition and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, is one of the Brandeis students working to revive ARC. The Center will increase communication among more than 30 activist organizations at Brandeis, serving as a pipeline between clubs.

Hartman says that ARC will also “be a source of centralized information, like how to start a club, how to get it chartered and how to reserve rooms.”

There is also a social element to ARC; as Annie Hodges ’11, a member of Democracy for America, says, “We have so many people on campus who are awesome and passionate. I don’t know why we don’t all talk.”

Students today recognize that activism has always been central to the Brandeis psyche. Says Hartman, “We are not starting from scratch. Everything builds on what came before it.”

Brandeis’ legacy as an activist institution stems from pivotal events that occured during the 1960s. From Jan. 8 to 18, 1969, student protestors occupied Ford Hall, a campus building that was demolished in 2000, and presented the administration with 10 non-negotiable demands, such as better minority representation on campus. About a year later, in the spring of 1970, Brandeis students established the National Strike Information Center. The Center developed in response to Students for a Democratic Society leader Tom Hayden’s call for a national protest against the incarceration of several Black Panthers. Protesters were subsequently directed toward the Brandeis University Strike Center, thus making the University a hub of activism.

Despite the legendary significance of the Ford Hall takeover, some students would prefer to see more focus on current activist concerns. When asked about the Brandeis of the 1960s, DFA member Liza Behrendt ’11, coordinator of last April’s DFA-co-sponsored Bill Ayers visit, responded, “We talk about it too much. It does very little to inspire activism today.” Hodges, once “infatuated with the 1960s,” admits, “I have learned that it is not good to be stuck in the past. I am appreciative of their work, and I am also aware of their flaws. We have to stay relevant.” Years after Brandeis students protested the Vietnam War and the gentrification of the South and West Ends of Boston, current students have their own issues to face: Hodges says, “DFA works on whatever campaigns are relevant.

Right now health care is on the tip of everyone’s tongue.” Behrendt also touched upon Palestinian rights and recent protests against the G-20, a powerful group of financial leaders from 20

international economies.

Alumni who attended Brandeis during the 1960s are somewhat divided over the significance of the Ford Hall takeover. Elliot Frank ’70, once a member of the Student Strike Committee and now a high school biology teacher, supported the Ford Hall takeover by participating in sit-ins in the Bernstein-Marcus Administration center.

Yet Frank is hesitant to glorify the protests the way that others have, remembering the excitement as well as the fears. Asked to reflect upon his involvement in the protests, Frank says, “Sensible people had nothing to do with it. I wasn’t sensible. It all makes great stories, but what nobody tells you is how incredibly anxiety-provoking this was—How many nights people worried about what the hell they were doing, if they were in fact doing the right bloody thing at all.” Years later, Frank questions the impact of his actions during the protests: “Did they have a positive effect? Damned if I know. I’m not sure if we did anything useful, if the thrill of it all was remotely worth it.”

Some alumni believe that accounts of the takeover give Brandeis a somewhat distorted reputation as a radical institution. As Bill Callahan ’69, once a member of the Student Strike Committee, explains, “The Ford Hall takeover gave the school an exaggerated reputation compared to lots of other campuses. Brandeis was really just another liberal campus with a reasonably competent core of New Left organizers.” Although Callahan feels that “it’s kind of hard to overglorify a decade that gave us the Voting Rights Act, decent popular music and the modern women’s movement,” he also says that “the 1966 to 1970 student left was a small piece of a big picture. It was way too self-obsessed at the time, and that obsession continues for a lot of people who should have gotten over it long ago.”

Yet other alumni value the 1960s Brandeis protests as a pinnacle in American political history. Ricardo Millett ’68, a graduate student during the Ford Hall upheaval, was chosen to read students’ demands of the administration. “I feel most definitely connected to the 1960s,” he says. “The decade opened a moral compass. It was the formation of Jeffersonian democracy, calling America to live up to its principles.” Of the notion that the takeover has been glorified and its realities obscured, Millett says he refuses “to have anyone characterize it as poppycock or radicalism.”

Today’s activists see the 1960s less as a model for imitation than as a series of errors and achievements to learn from. Says Lev Hirschhorn ’11, a member of DFA, “It is our responsibility as activists to build on the successes and learn from the mistakes. We do not live in the 1960s; we live in the 2000s. We must adapt our strategies to fit within the times.” Sahar Massachi ’11, creator of a blog about Brandeis called Innermost Parts, values the achievements of all Brandeis alumni activists: “There are Brandeis alumni who graduated in 2000 who are doing great things—just like Brandeis alumni who graduated in 1969. You have to look at the entire spectrum of the century.”

Hartman agrees with Massachi: “I love the idea of taking over a building.

I love it. But I don’t think that’s the way to affect change now.” I couldn’t help but notice the tie-dye shirt peeking through her black cardigan.

The faces of activism, then and now

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

REAL ESTATE: One night in East Quad, Leah Hartman ’12 found a potential headquarters for the Activist Resource Center .

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

THE INFAMOUS TAKEOVER: From Jan. 8 to 18, 1969, about 70 student protestors occupied the former student center Ford Hall and presented the administration with 10 non-negotiable demands. The demands revolved around improving minority representation on campus. Soon after the student takeover, most of the demands were met. In 2000, Ford Hall was demolished in order to make room for the Shapiro Campus Center.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

10

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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THE JUSTICE

the Justice Established 1949

Brandeis University

HANNAH L. KIRSCH, Editor in Chief J OANNA SCHORR, Senior Editor ANDREA FINEMAN, Managing Editor ANYA B ERGMAN and SHANA D. LEBOWITZ, Associate Editors NASHRAH RAHMAN, News Editor REBECCA KLEIN, Features Editor REBECCA B LADY, Forum Editor IAN CUTLER, Sports Editor SARAH BAYER, Arts Editor JULIAN AGIN -LIEBES and MAX B REITSTEIN MATZA, Photography Editors B RIAN N. B LUMENTHAL, Layout Editor B RIAN FROMM, Copy Editor B RAD STERN, Advertising Editor

Keep center humanities-focused As Provost Marty Krauss, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe and humanities program chairs begin discussing how to allocate the space in the new Mandel Humanities Center, we encourage those responsible for making the decision to continue to act within Morton L. Mandel’s vision for a space for scholarship and research in a building not defined by departments.

The building, originally intended to be named the Center for Integrated Research and Teaching in the Humanities and Social Sciences, will serve as a place for studying “humanities in the broadest sense,” as Prof.

Stephen Dowden (GRALL) put it. In this spirit, the provost’s panel will consider various departments that do not fall under the category of humanities but still promote humanistic approaches to their disciplines as potential occupants of the center.

Unlike centers that were designed to accommodate one segment of academia, the Mandel Humanities Center can unite departments from the sciences, social sciences and humanities in a cooperative environment. This is an excellent opportunity for professors from different departments to assemble in one space, thus inviting students and scholars to get involved in a multitude of academic fields under one roof.

We urge the provost’s committee not to stray from the donor’s initial intention in funding this building. When the project was announced in fall 2007, Mr. Jaffe explained the project’s overarching goal: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to design a building to do what we want it to do.

It’s really a blank slate, mostly, which we can design to really foster the large mission of the school of humanities …

Respect Mandel’s intentions and the social sciences.”

At the same time, we remind the University that despite the broad definition of humanities that the building encompasses and the wide range of opportunities that accompany this definition, the University should still emphasize the distinctions among the sciences, social sciences and the humanities. While we regard the new humanities building with respect, we still expect individual disciplines to receive in-depth educational attention.

Chair of the Womens’ and Gender Studies department and Professor in Hispanic Studies James Mandrell brought up an important point. “By calling it the Mandel Humanities Center, [the administration] is indicating that it’s something that apparently it’s not supposed to be. ... There’s a disagreement between what they’re calling the building and what they’re now saying that they want to do with the space,” he said, referring to the debate over whether to include offices for disciplines, such as Environmental Studies, and that skew closer to the sciences, that are located in another area of campus entirely.

While this editorial board applauds the dean’s emphasis on interdisciplinary study as well as the simplification of the building’s name from its original version, we agree that the Mandel Humanities Center will best serve the University if it prioritizes humanities-based departments. Providing a place for in-depth study of the humanities and avoiding diverting students of other disciplines away from their central areas of study downcampus is best for all.

Off-campus survey worthwhile Last Friday, Brandeis students who live off campus received an e-mail from Associate Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer asking about their motivations for choosing off-campus housing. Dean Sawyer’s e-mail serves as the first step toward a necessary evaluation of student housing options.

Although this year’s campus housing situation is unique—a result of the new requirements for living in the Village and the completion of the new Ridgewood Quad—the University should have polled students about their living situations earlier than last week. For the past several years, the number of available rooms on campus has remained smaller than the number of students who participate in the housing lottery. And while the University has renovated several residence areas, other campus housing has remained unappealing to many students.

Dean Sawyer was wise to ask students for feedback specifically on why they chose not to live in the Charles River Apartments. The Charles River Apartments are relatively far from the main part of campus, yet many students who desire distance between their housing and campus opt to live elsewhere. Surveying students on their views on the Charles River Apartments will yield feedback that will help the University decide how to address the issues of the run-down

Poll not taken soon enough Charles River Apartments.

The survey will also give students a chance to voice their opinion on other negative aspects of on-campus housing, including campus dining. Living in many campus residence halls obligates students to register for a meal plan. Off-campus students may let the University know that they find meal plans too expensive or dining options limited. Once the University receives information about which aspects of campus life students dislike, it can address these aspects accordingly.

In the future, we encourage greater communication between the University and off-campus students on the topic of campus living. Dean Sawyer and other University administrators should make sure to poll all students on a regular basis about their housing preferences but particularly those who felt strongly enough about on-campus housing issues to leave.

The University will know about problems with campus housing and be prepared to resolve them almost as soon as they appear.

At the same time, we advise students who received Dean Sawyer’s e-mail last week to respond candidly; there is no better source of information about students’ qualms with on-campus housing than feedback from students living off campus.

A. ELI TUKACHINSKY/the Justice

Lessons of balloon boy

OP-BOX Quote of the Week

Rebecca

BLADY MAELSTRÖM

Times like these make me want to build my own hot air balloon, ascend to the ends of the atmosphere and broadcast the following message to the world (or at least to my university): “Everybody, just slow down!”

I confess my first reaction to seeing the footage of a weather balloon drifting away into the damning Colorado skies was devastation. I was terrified—for the little boy, for his family, for the authorities going to great pains to rescue him. Indeed, I was captivated by the possibility of this unconvetional tragedy. My thoughts were totally preoccupied with what the situation’s outcome could possibly be—and, of course the ramifications for the future of balloon travel at large. I had jumped headfirst into the story because it was just a good story.

It’s sad, isn’t it? These human interest stories have a dangerous power to mesmerize audiences all too quickly. Even more dangerous is the power these stories have over reporters: As Brian Dickerson, a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, cleverly paraphrased the theoretical conversation, “No, wait— it’s a weather balloon! With a terrified 6-year-old on board!”

“Really? Do we know that?” “Who cares? We’ve got live video!”

This all came to an embarrassing finish with the shortest sequence of six words to ever become a YouTube sensation: “We did it for a show.” And Falcon Heene’s daddy’s failed attempt at promoting his made-for-reality-TV family is about to cost them, big time.

This all seems to be a classic case of jumping to conclusions and a refusal to seek the truth beyond the surface. As a journalism student, I could pinpoint the media’s error on an ideological level: Grabbing the story because of the immense number of viewers it would attract and the large commercial interest this increased viewership would generate is technically not the way a news network should handle its budget. In an ideal world, media outlets would report the news in all its truth, regardless of the potential for sensationalism.

But such is not the case, and media outlets, run like businesses, must make money. And although I accept the unfortunate reality that a news network cannot avoid the occasional sensational piece in order to maintain a steady consumer base, I remain unsatisfied. Why? Well, simply put, I’m disappointed.

There are a lot of wacky characters in America, and yet I had to devote my time and energy on these for an entire weekend because the media said so. And the entire story ended up being a hoax. Had news networks simply slowed their excitement and investigated just a bit further into the Heenes’ background (and maybe questioned the fact that Falcon’s father oddly chose to call Channel 9 News before the police), this troubling scenario could have been averted, the media would look just a little less foolish and everyone would learn a valuable lesson in not bypassing thinking in favor of immediate action.

The lessons of the “balloon boy” fiasco extend beyond the media. The hasty manner in which the Falcon phenomenon soon turned into a massive scandal is all too similar to certain tendencies to act too fast at our own University. The closing of the Rose Art Museum followed an eerily similar pattern as balloon boy: a plot to shut down the museum generated radical reactions and ended up being overturned by an excess of negative press, causing the Board of Trustees to question their initial decision. But of course, that’s in the past. You’d think Mr. Heene would have taken a hint from Brandeis.

Even the University’s decision to expand the first-year class by 4 percent represents a rather hasty move. The scheme exploded as it became evident that the University failed to consider how to accommodate the extra students in the existing physical space. Overcrowded dining halls, an imminent housing shortage and rising student-to-professor ratios inconvenience Brandeis’ most vital consumers: its students, who only want a liberal arts education at a small, tight-knit university.

Furthermore, consider balloon boy’s implications for overachieverism. As the elder Heene must have gathered at this point as he prepares to accept the charges filed against him for conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and attempting to influence a public servant, it’s just not worth it to superimpose your most fantastic desires on reality.

Likewise, that sixth class, that eighth club and that second part-time job could be pushing it. Think before rewriting your résumé, or like the Heene family, you may not get too far.

Take a lesson from Falcon Heene and the massive media screwup. Slow down; assess your strategy and its costs and benefits. The means are equally as important as the ends.

Otherwise, beware: Things may balloon out of control.

“It is our responsibility as activists to build on the successes and learn from the mistakes. We do not live in the 1960s; we live in the 2000s. We must adapt our strategies to fit within the times.”

—Lev Hirschhorn ’11, a member of Democracy for America, on student activism at Brandeis (See Features, page 9).

Brandeis Talks Back How do you plan to take advantage of the new garden planted behind Renfield?

JACOB AGI ’12 “I plan on taking earlymorning strolls through it.”

LARA HIRSCHLER ’12 “I didn’t know there was a new garden being planted behind Renfield, but I think it’s a great idea to make campus look better.”

MARIANNE SPECKER ’12 “It’s good for the school to be environmentally friendly.”

PAUL GALE ’12 “Honestly, I’m not going to utilize it myself, but I know my earth-loving vegan friends are going to enjoy it.”

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

11

A SECONDHAND VEXATION

READER COMMENTARY Reasons for canceling LBS misled To the Editor: We would like to address several inaccuracies in the Oct. 13 article referring to the suspension of the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship program.

It is inaccurate for Dean of Financial Services Peter Giumette to say, “Interest in the program was not enough to justify its continuation” or “We have, frankly, in the past struggled to come up with the number of recipients that we had earmarked for each year. ... I don’t think the quality of the applicant was what they were looking for.” The “they” in the last sentence is the Lydian String Quartet. We have administered the program since its inception. In the first two years the scholarship (then called Student Ensemble in Residence Program) amounted to about 25 percent of tuition. We attracted some fine players in the first two years (2003 to 2004).

In the third year our chosen students went elsewhere, so the SERP scholarship was not awarded. A full-tuition scholarship—renamed the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship—was instituted in 2005, and from then on we have had many inquiries, many very talented applicants and conservatory-level recipients.

The buzz about the pioneering scholarship has grown stronger, and the students who have won the scholarship are stellar. There has been absolutely no flagging in the talent level or interest from our point of view. The last three LBS ensembles have been a trio, a quartet and most recently a quintet. And as the Justice’s editorial speculates, talent among the recipients hasn’t meant that they weren’t also in need of financial aid. We who make our livings in the arts are, alas, used to being the first to be downsized when there is an economic downturn.

The University has had to make many unfortunate budgetary choices, but it is to no one’s advantage to misrepresent the reasons for the discontinuation of a prestigious scholarship. We sincerely hope that the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship will be reinstated because of the value it affords the University, the Music department and the students.

—The Lydian String Quartet Daniel Stepner, Judith Eissenberg, Mary Ruth Ray and Joshua Gordon

Musical talent plays important role To the Editor: As a Leonard Bernstein scholar, I was disturbed to read the content and justification for the scholarship’s suspension. Dean of Financial Services Peter Giumette notes that one of the main reasons for the scholarship’s suspension was that the quality of musicians applying for the scholarship was simply not high enough.

And yet, most of the LBS scholars were accepted and even offered scholarship to music conservatories. Many of the scholars chose this university because it offered an opportunity to pursue music at a high level as well as other subjects.

Many LBS scholars would not have attended Brandeis if this scholarship had not been offered.

The LBS scholarship acknowledges musical talent in students who have also achieved academic excellence, as they must also be accepted to the University. Each chamber group is coached by the Lydian String Quartet and spends four years together, growing musically and in other respects. All scholars are also required to complete at least a minor in Music and maintain a 3.0 GPA, thus contributing both to the Music department and to general Brandeis life.

While the necessity to reconsider scholarship awards is understandable considering the hard economic times, it seems that the complete suspension of this scholarship indicates that Brandeis is placing the quality of arts on campus, music in particular, at a very low value. I believe that the suspension of the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship is a huge loss to the arts at Brandeis and to the entire campus. After all, part of a “liberal arts” education in which Brandeis prides itself is the “arts.”

—Emily Gelb ’11

Sullivan case reflects badly on Univ In response to your article “MCAD approves Sullivan lawsuit” (News, Oct. 13): Some of the best lessons I learned at Brandeis involved how we live and take care of our community. I met my best friends at Brandeis, including my husband, and I had some of the most spectacular faculty who believed in us as stars of the future. What an amazing environment to be in. It seems that Brandeis is in a different place than the university I graduated from. Many of the changes seem appropriate with the changing times. However, dignity, compassion and ethics are not old-fashioned and should not be replaced with coldness.

—Jen Schoen ’93

Write to us

The Justice welcomes letters to the editor responding to published material. Please submit letters through our Web site at www.thejusticeonline.com. Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted. 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 op-ed submissions that have been submitted to other publications. Op-ed submissions of general interest to the University community—that do not respond explicitly to articles printed in the Justice—are also welcome and should be limited to 800 words.

All submissions are due Friday at 5 p.m.

RISHIKA ASSOMULL/the Justice

Smokers, respect the passers-by

By EITAN COOPER JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Just a few days ago, during Intro to Anthropology, I learned about a culture whose members drink semen. They believe that the bodily fluid makes them stronger, so they are sure to begin consumption at a young age. I sat in class, somewhat puzzled but strangely fascinated.

Before coming to Brandeis, this practice may have seemed utterly incomprehensible. But sitting in class the other day, I realized that I have learned a great deal about tolerance this semester. I can accept people who live thousands of miles away and have a completely different diet.

My newfound tolerance even extends to our own culture. For example, I have always been taught that smoking is bad for you. It kills your lungs. It clogs your arteries. It gives you cancer.

I’ve seen lots of commercials and ads. I’ve had health class every year since sixth grade. And my mother. But just like the semen-ingesting culture, I have learned to accept the fact that people have different practices. I can accept smoking as valid. Because really, we all have our own unhealthful practices, and we all make our own choices. I happen not to smoke and don’t plan on starting, but on the other hand, I eat incredibly unhealthful foods and rarely exercise.

Before I continue, let’s be clear that no one should criticize a smoker for smoking. It’s not our place, and often, it may be hypocritical to do

so.

But there’s one thing that I cannot ever tolerate. There is one thing that we can, and should criticize: secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke causes many of the same diseases that actual smoking does. I’m not going to get into the gory details, but suffice to say that it’s really, really unhealthy. And it smells bad.

There is one place on campus where I, as well as many other students, find secondhand smoke to be a huge problem. Anyone who takes a class in North Academic Quad has experienced the dreadful walk on the path between the Usdan Student Center and the Goldfarb Library. For some reason, a great number of smokers at Brandeis have chosen this spot to exhale during the busiest traffic hours of the day.

So what can be done about this? I turned to the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook to check on our school’s official policy regarding smoking. After searching online, I found that rule 5.1 states that students may not smoke within 30 feet of the entrance to a building: “Those who use any tobacco products must show respect for the community, and are expected to comply with reasonable requests from other members of the community regarding their exposure to second hand smoke.”

But really, as I read about how one is to actually enforce this rule, I realized that this cute handbook carries little weight. Good job to whoever wrote it; it is very comprehensive and contains an enormous amount of detail. But in order to report someone for an offense, there is

a stack of paperwork to fill out and as many meetings to attend. So basically, the handbook is unenforceable on a practical level.

But it’s more than just an inability to punish.

Really, most student handbooks are unenforceable because from my experience, students always seem to act the way they deem acceptable, and any rules and restrictions are of little concern. High school and college handbooks theoretically have the students’ best interests in mind when they write their policies. But smoking on campus brings to light one aspect of a greater point: People don’t follow school rulebooks because they have common sense.

And that’s totally OK. Sometimes rulebooks contain rules that are totally obvious. Take rule 6.2, for instance, which says: “A student is expected and required to respect, maintain, and care for the property of others.” And sometimes rule books are simply ridiculous, like rule 5.3, which says, “No student under the legal drinking age of 21 is allowed to possess or consume alcoholic beverages on campus.”

What this comes down to is a humble request: All we can do is ask for some respect. Smokers, you are free to smoke. You can even do it within 30 feet of the entrance to a building. Anyone who tries to stop you from doing that is just plain stupid. But please, please do not smoke in such densely populated areas and at such busy times during the day.

For the sake of our own time, we are not going to hold the rules over your head. All we can do is ask you to show some decency.

The costs of college students’ apathy toward health care Ethan

MERMELSTEIN MIND OVER MADNESS

My favorite idealist, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, proposed in his Oct. 8 column, “If Congress fails to pass comprehensive health reform this year, its members should surrender health insurance in proportion with the American population that is uninsured.”

He argues that the excellent coverage provided to each member of Congress and their respective families creates a “lulling effect,” which detaches them from the urgency of the issue at hand. A randomly selected, proportional removal of their insurance could help put Congress in better touch with an issue that is a matter of life and death for a significant portion of Americans.

If, for congressmen, insurance has this sort of “lulling effect,” then being a student in college seems to have a coma/hibernation effect when it comes to the health care debate.

For several years following the United States’ 2003 invasion of Iraq, college students were popularly deemed politically dispassionate and apathetic. This was mainly because, compared to its historical parallel of Vietnam, there was (and still is) a noticeable absence of large-scale student protest over the war. The world’s perception of college-age students changed during the 2008 election as it was reminded of the potential power of the demographic’s collective voice. For the first time in history, our nation saw an electoral outcome heavily determined by the youth’s substantial “rocking” of the vote, both in turnout and campaigning.

Fast-forward to today: The college-age population, which less than a year ago was electrified with excitement, seems to be taking a long break from activism—perhaps the worst-timed

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Fine Print

break possible. Although the lack of fierce debate over the invasion of Iraq is embarrassing, the argument that the war doesn’t have much bearing on the everyday lives of Americans because of the lack of a draft is an unfortunate excuse. It is impossible to make any such excuse for apathy when it comes to health care reform. Though Brandeis requires that each of its students is insured, the moment we graduate from here, health care will be our own problem. By the time that happens, though (assuming our government doesn’t become completely incapacitated), the debate will be over with or without the input of the college-age demographic. For example, Kristof’s Sept. 12 column follows the tragic story of Nikki White, a young girl who “had systemic lupus erythematosus, a chronic inflammatory disease that was diagnosed when she was 21 and gradually left her too sick to work. And once she lost her job, she lost her health insurance.”

As someone who has been doing his best to follow the debate from within the bubble of the university setting—which is especially challenging in a place that never seems to have nearly enough nationally syndicated newspapers for those students interested—it seems that, similar to the 2008 election, the health care debate is often on the verge of being hijacked by special interest groups, spreading fallacious information intended to influence opinions through fear. Just this past weekend, Obama assailed insurance companies for their deplorable attempts at stifling the debate: “They’re flooding Capitol Hill with lobbyists and campaign contributions. And they’re funding studies designed to mislead the American people. … It’s smoke and mirrors. It’s bogus,” he said this Saturday, in the White House’s weekly address to the nation.

For some reason, during the 2008 election, young people largely seemed to be able to differentiate between outrageous lies and serious discussion. But because of the absence of young voices in the health care discussion, the

The Staff For information on joining the Justice, write to justeditor@ brandeis.edu.

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS NEWS: Harry Shipps FORUM: Hillel Buechler SPORTS: Josh Asen PHOTOS: Asher Krell, Robyn Spector COPY: Emily Kraus

crucial role of dissecting and inspecting the validity of rhetoric on all sides has been almost entirely left up to Americans’ two favorite anchormen—Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert (aside from most newspapers and radio).

While they’re doing this job quite admirably, most of the intricacies of health care reform are inaccessible to even fierce followers of politics. Unlike the election, which attracted sexy, non-expert celebrities because issues could be discussed in broad, sweeping terms, the debate over health care reform is being fought over technicalities found within thousands of pages filled with unsexy legal and medical jargon.

The lack of thorough understanding on the issues leaves the American people especially susceptible to fear tactics employed by those against any sort of progress.

Interest and involvement in the discussion over health care reform is not only imperative for levelheaded college students for practical reasons. Our participation should be equally rooted in a moral obligation. Kristof’s column points to a recent peer-reviewed article in the American Journal of Public Health which links 45,000 American deaths a year to a lack of health coverage: “The collapse of health reform would be a political and policy failure, but it would also be a profound moral failure.

Periodically, there are political questions that are fundamentally moral, including slavery in the 19th century and civil rights battles in the 1950s and ’60s. In the same way, allowing tens of thousands of Americans to die each year because they are uninsured is not simply unwise and unfortunate. It is also wrong—a moral blot on a great nation.”

Health care reform is one of those rare issues in our country’s history where the essence of the discussion is between right and wrong. To use the ever-poignant words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (which were aptly often heard from the president this past election season), the power of our collective voice on the issue of health care needs to be heard loudly and clearly because of the “fierce urgency of now.”

STAFF Senior Writers: Miranda Neubauer, Melissa Siegel Senior Photographer: Rebecca Ney Senior Illustrator: A. Eli Tukachinsky News/Features Staff: Alana Abramson, Erin Doniger, Reina Guerrero, Ruth Orbach, Liz Posner Forum: David Litvak, Zachary Matusheski, Ethan Mermelstein Arts: Wei-Huan Chen, Marianna Faynshteyn, Amy Melser, Daniel Orkin, Alex Pagan, Bryan Prywes, Justine Root, Ben Serby, Shelly Shore Photography: Genevieve Armstrong, Maegan Bautista, Jaxson Dermer, Nathaniel Freedman, Paula Hoekstra, Shaefali Shandilya Sports: Jeffrey Boxer, Max Goldstein, Jonathan Steinberg Copy: Ariel Adams, Danielle Berger, Jacob Chatinover, Lauren Paris, Joyce Wang Illustrations: Rishika Assomull, Stacy Handler Layout: Debra Friedmann, Karen Hu, Kathryn Marable, Nan Pang

Attention, sports enthusiasts!

If you enjoy watching sports more than playing them, write for the Justice Sports section!

Cover the exciting details of Brandeis sports games and events.

For more information, e-mail Ian Cutler at ianc@brandeis.edu.

Do you want to share your bright ideas with the Brandeis community?

The Forum section wants to hear your opinions.

E-mail Rebecca Blady at rblady@brandeis.edu.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

13

SPORTS GOLF

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Team struggles at NYU

Judges conclude fall season at NEWITT Championships

■ The golf team finished

10th out of 12 teams in a rain-shortened event in New York last weekend.

By JOSH ASEN JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Another wet weekend in the Northeast prevented the golf team from redeeming itself after a rough first round at the New York University/Manhattanville Golf Classic in Mamaroneck, N.Y. last weekend as play was suspended after day one because of the weather. The team finished tied for 10th out of 12 teams with a 36-over-par 326 in its only round last Saturday.

Skidmore College finished in first with an eight-over-par 296, 18 shots better than second-place finisher the University of Rochester.

Charles Sacks ’11 was the Judges’ top golfer, tying for ninth with an individual score of three-over-par 75.

Sacks finished eight strokes behind Skidmore senior Chris DeJohn, who was the only player who finished under par with a four-under-par 68.

Coach Bill Shipman was pleased with Sacks’ performance during the game. “[Sacks] played very well,” Shipman said. “His putter was working really well for him yesterday. He made a few birdies and [made] only a couple of mistakes. ... He has been playing well and putting very well.”

Sacks was happy with his putting, saying that it saved him on several holes.

“I had 28 putts, which is a good number for putts,” he said. “I just had trouble hitting greens. I had only seven greens, so my short game really saved me. My putting pretty much carried me through the day. I felt like I managed the course pretty well.”

The Judges’ next-best score came from Aaron Cusato ’12, who finished with a nine-over-par 81. “[Cusato] played pretty well, too,” Shipman added. “He hit the ball generally well. He was going along really well. He had a bad break on the ninth hole, which cost him a triple bogey. Had he managed to par the hole, he would have had a pretty good score.”

Cusato thought that the ninth hole hurt his chances of placing higher in the round.

“I wasn’t hitting the ball very well, but I was scrambling well and keeping myself in the tournament,” Cusato said. “I got to the ninth hole, which is a par three, and I made a seven on it, a quadruple bogey, and that threw out my chances of putting up a good number.”

Scott Beaulac ’12, who led the Judges Oct. 11 at the Nichols Invitational in Worcester, Mass., finished with a 10-over-par 82. Lee Bloom ’10 completed the round with a 14-over-par 86 while Dan Goldsmith ’11 rounded out the Brandeis scores with an 19-over-par 90.

Shipman said that his team needs to cut down on committing costly errors on the golf course.

“Our guys need to putt a little better,” he said. “We need to avoid the big holes, the double and triple bogeys. They can turn a good score into a mediocre score.”

“We need to keep it together and prevent the doubles and triples and quads from your score,” Sacks added. “If we keep it out of our scorecards, it makes it much easier to score. I just hope we can do better.

Hopefully, the weather holds off and we can play better.”

Cusato would like for his teammates to disregard their poor performances and focus on the next round.

“I think we need to forget about this round,” Cusato said. “We are a much better team than how we played yesterday. We can’t dwell on it because we don’t have much time to really work on anything before our next tournament. We have to put it behind us and just go out with a fresh start.”

The Judges start their final fall season tournament today at the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championships in Brewster, Mass. The team’s next scheduled event is the University Athletic Association Championship in Rochester, N.Y. on April 25, 2010, in what could be the team’s last UAA Championships.

The University plans to suspend the team as a varsity program at the conclusion of the spring season.

■ The women’s tennis team

sent four pairings to the NEWITT Championships last weekend.

By JONATHAN STEINBERG JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Even with No. 1 singles and doubles player Rachel Rosman ’11 out with a fractured right ankle, the Judges were able to record six strong wins in tournament play last weekend at the New England Women’s Intercollegiate Tennis Tournament, the last tournament of the fall.

This tournament, co-organized and directed by coach Ben Lamanna, was updated this season to include a feature that most other tournaments lack.

Each school can enter a specified number of teams into the tournament, with each team consisting of two players. Each school can have its top pairs play in the A-flight bracket and its lower-ranked pairs play in the B-flight bracket.

Tournament play matches pairs of teams that play one doubles match and two singles matches; the team that wins at least two out of three matches moves on to the next round.

The Brandeis squad sent four teams to compete at the NEWITT Championships, which took place at both Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. and Smith College in Northampton, Mass. The first team of Faith Broderick ’13, who moved up in place of Rosman, and partner Mackenzie Gallegos ’11 opened with a match against Middlebury College’s fourth team.

In the doubles match, the team fell to a strong Middlebury duo, but in singles play both Broderick and Gallegos recorded wins and sent the Brandeis team to the second round of the A-flight. In the second round, they lost to Williams

College’s first team 3-0 despite a hard effort and were eliminated from the bracket.

In the B-flight, the Judges entered teams two, three and four.

The second team of co-captain Ariana Sanai ’10 and Nina Levine ’12 played their way into the quarterfinals before being knocked out.

With a bye in the round of 64, the team was able to prepare and scout their round of 32 opponent, Colby College’s fourth team.

“

I think how well we did in our dual matches will give us good momentum into our spring matches.

FAITH BRODERICK ’13

The Judges took the match 2-1 and moved on to the round of 16 to face Wheaton College’s second team. In that match, the teams split in singles play and fought their way to victory in the doubles match.

Playing outside in the cold and windy weather, the Judges’ team went down 5-2 in the superset before coming back to win the match 8-5, which at that point put them up one match to none, but proved to be the decider after the singles split.

The second team did not advance, losing 3-0 in the round of 16 to Amherst College’s seventh team.

“They did well,” Lamanna said of the doubles match against Wheaton. “It was a good win. They were down big, but they stormed back to win it.”

Lamanna also commended Sanai for her play.

“She showed us what she’s made of,” he said. “She’s super competitive and she’s a real battler, and on the court she’s a real leader for this team.”

Also in B-flight play was Brandeis’ third team of co-captain Emily Weisberger ’10 and Sarah Richman ’12, who battled for a round of 64 victory over Curry College’s fourth team 3-0. They went on to lose 2-1 to Babson College’s third team in the round of 32.

The women’s fourth team, consisting of Jesse Begelfer ’12 and Davida Judelson ’12, closed out Bflight action with a 3-0 loss to host Mount Holyoke College’s fourth team.

In consolation play, the Judges also recorded two wins, along with one loss. The loss came in the Aflight consolation, where the duo of Broderick and Gallegos lost 2-1 to Williams College’s third team.

In the B-flight consolation, the Judges’ fourth team of Judelson and Begelfer won 3-0 over Suffolk University’s fourth team and in the second round consolation bracket, the Judge’s third team of Weisberger and Richman defeated Springfield College’s fourth team by a score of 3-0.

With the NEWITT Championships in the books, the Judges head into the offseason after an impressive fall season. The squad went 3-0 in dual match play, losing only one out of a total of 27 sets.

Broderick, who was a key component of the team, expressed her satisfaction with the fall results and looked forward to a strong spring season.

“I think how well we did in our dual matches will give us good momentum into out spring matches,” Broderick said.

“As long as we keep up our conditioning, we’ll be fine,” she added.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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THE JUSTICE

SPORTS

WSOCCER: Judges led by Theodore’s offensive streak

MOVING DOWN

CONTINUED FROM 16 eighth goal of the season after scoring just three all of last year. It also gave her a team-high 20 points on the season after having just eight last season.

“One thing that was big [in the second half] was that their goalkeeper kept dropping the ball in the first half, so we made sure at halftime we told the girls they needed to focus on following up any shots. So any shots that we took from the outside we needed players to follow up on the keeper if she drops it, and I think we just put a lot of pressure on their defense and we put a lot of pressure on their goalkeeper, and that’s what enabled us to score,” O’Malley said.

Emory got a late goal from senior midfielder Olivia Lezanski in the 81st minute, but Brandeis was able to hold on for the win.

Midfielder/defender Alanna Torre ’12 also returned for both games after injuring her knee last weekend against Rochester.

Last Friday, the Judges tied Carnegie Mellon 1-1. Theodore

scoring her sixth goal of the season in the 66th minute on a one-on-one, but the Tartans struck back just under two minutes later in the 68th minute when sophomore midfielder Elsa Wu scored off a deflection in the box.

The Judges had four shots in the extra sessions and Carnegie Mellon had three, but neither team was able to put another ball in the net.

“It was just one of those games [in which] we had a lot of shots on goal, the ball would bounce around in the box, and we just couldn’t knock into it,” O’Malley added. “I think one thing we tell the kids every game is they need to play for 90 minutes, they can’t have a mental breakdown. … They need to stay focused the whole game, and I think that the goal that [Carnegie Mellon] scored was one of our mental breakdowns. We kind of got a little casual and we got a little too composed and lost a little bit and that’s how they [Carnegie Mellon] got through.”

Brandeis next plays at Bowdoin College Thursday at 3 p.m.

XCOUNTRY: Both squads prepare for Team loses four consecutive UAA Championships REBECCA NEY/Justice File Photo

KNOCKED DOWN: Middle blocker Nicole Smith ’11 goes for a kill in the team’s last win against Keene State Collelge Oct. 10.

matches in conference play ■ The volleyball team

struggled in UAA play with four losses at the New York University round robin tournament last weekend.

By JOSH ASEN JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

In four games against University Athletic Association opponents New York University, Emory University, University of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon University, the volleyball team captured only one set, finishing 0-4 in the NYU round-robin tournament last weekend.

The losses put the Judges at 1-7 in UAA play for the season, dropping them to seventh place in the conference.

Coach Michelle Kim thought that despite their losses, the team showed great effort.

“It was a frustrating weekend for us,” Kim said. “Our players worked hard, but we couldn’t put the ball away. As far as the effort and everything like that, I thought the effort was given, but we couldn’t execute and therefore couldn’t win the game.”

In their last game of the roundrobin last Sunday, NYU swept the Judges 25-18, 25-19, 25-22. Outside hitter Paige Blasco ’11 led the team with 16 digs, while middle blocker Becca Fischer ’13 tied her career best with five block assists. “[Fischer] has made improvements,” Kim said. “She is a firstyear, so she is learning a lot as the season goes on. She is playing a lot as a freshman, so she is kind of learning as she goes. She asks a lot

of questions to do what she needs to do to improve, and she works on it.

She is someone who hopefully keeps on improving.”

Earlier in the day, the Judges faced the third-ranked and defending national champion Emory University Eagles. The Judges were swept again by a score of 25-14, 25-17, 25-18.

Kim recognized the difficulties in facing a team as talented as Emory.

“They have talented athletes and execute very well,” Kim stated.

“They have players who can put the ball away. They frustrate our team because their defense is very good, they block very well, they get a lot of digs, and they convert their digs into kills.”

“

Honestly, I don’t even want to think about this past weekend. It was just a rough weekend.

NICOLE SMITH ’11

Despite the lack of offense in the match, outside hitter/middle blocker Bridget McAllister ’10 had a team-leading 12 digs. Her threeblock assists let her tie for the team lead with middle blocker Nicole Smith ’11.

In their second game on Saturday,

the Judges were defeated by the University of Chicago in four sets by a score of 25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 26-24. It was the only match in which the Judges won a set.

Blasco registered a team-leading 13 kills while the defense recorded 14 blocks, with Smith leading the way with three solo blocks and four assists.

In their first match of the round robin last Saturday, the Judges fell to Carnegie Mellon 3-0 by a score of 27-25, 25-23, 25-18. Despite the loss, Blasco registered a double-double with a team-leading 18 kills and 14 digs.

Abby Blasco ’11 also recorded a double-double with 27 assists and 14 digs against the Tartans.

Overall, the Judges were very unpleased with their play.

“Honestly, I don’t even want to think about this past weekend,” Smith said. “It was just a rough weekend.”

Kim still wants her team to stay positive and work hard in practice in order to achieve future success.

“We need to learn from our past experiences this past weekend playing against high-level teams and learn to keep chipping away and keep working hard,” Kim said. “If we focus on the little things and the techniques we work on in practice, and kind of focusing on the little things, I think we can come back and play into our form.”

The team continues its season Friday, where they will participate in the Hall of Fame Tournament at Smith College.

The Judges own the fifth seed in the tournament and will open against fourth-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

CONTINUED FROM 16 26 minutes. Will Collins ’10 was the third Brandeis men’s runner to set a personal record and was also the third Judge to cross the finish line to earn 63rd place.

Collins finished with a time of 26:09.4.

Other notable men’s times included a 66th-place finish by Zack Schwartz ’11 in 26:13.7 and a 93rd-place finish by Alex Hulse ’12 in 26:44.9.

Anastos said the team’s strong outing did not surprise him, despite the intentional absence of some of the squad’s top runners.

“We have a lot of depth on our team, and everyone on the team is really consistent, so we knew going into it we could do well,” he said.

Both the men’s and women’s teams come into the UAA Championships ranked in the top

30 as of last week’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association rankings. The men moved up three slots from the previous week’s rankings to 24th in the nation, while the women’s team dropped 12 places to 29th in the nation.

The new men’s rankings will be released later today, and the new women’s rankings will come out tomorrow and reflect last weekend’s results.

Entering the Albany Invitational both the men’s and women’s teams were fourth among UAA squads in the national rankings.

Both teams will next compete at the UAA Championships, hosted by Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio Oct. 31.

The teams will then compete at the NCAA Division III Regional Championships Nov. 14.

THE JUSTICE ● TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

AP BRIEFS

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Melissa Gorenkoff ’10

New York Knicks top Maccabi Tel Aviv 106-91 after bizarre delay

■ The women’s soccer forward earned her record-breaking 24th career assist and led the team to a 1-0-1 mark in two UAA games last weekend.

Despite scoring only three goals this season after scoring eight last year, forward Melissa Gorenkoff ’10 has found another way to make her presence known on the field.

Last weekend her strong play put her in the record books as she set the school’s all-time record with 24 career assists, surpassing Kelly Vaughan ’88, in the team’s 4-2 win at Emory University.

Gorenkoff, though, was quick to point out how others helped her achieve this feat.

“It was very exciting,” Gorenkoff said of her reaction to her record-setting performance. “I’m very happy, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of my teammates.”

Gorenkoff also scored her third goal of the season against the Eagles. Her assistant coach, Kerry O’Malley, thinks this game could lead to even stronger games in the future.

“I definitely think it was good for her [Gorenkoff’s] confidence,” O’Malley said after the game against Emory. “She has been marked a lot during the past few games. A lot of times coaches will doubleteam her, so it’s difficult for her to get goals, so I think it was very rewarding for her and for us.”

More milestones may be in the cards for Gorenkoff, as she is now tied for seventh place in school history on the career points list with 70 and 10th in team history with 23 career goals.

Last season, Gorenkoff tied for the team lead in goals with eight goals and had team highs in assists (nine) and points (25).

Judging numbers

21

years that the women’s soccer career assists record stood until forward Melissa Gorenkoff ’10 notched her 24th career assist last Sunday in the team’s 4-2 win over Emory University to surpass the record held by Kelly Vaughn ’88.

2

women’s cross country runners in the top 30 at the University at Albany Invitational last Saturday.

Marie Lemay ’11 finished in 18th place while Hannah Lindholm ’11 finished in 30th place out of 193 runners.

7

conference losses for the volleyball team this season to put them in seventh place in the regular season University Athletic Association standings after the Judges lost four straight UAA matches last weekend.

13

th-place finish for men’s cross country runner Dan Anastos ’11 out of 189 runners at the University at Albany Invitational last Saturday.

Anastos had the highest ranking out of all of the Brandeis runners present.

3

top-10 finishes for golfer Charles Sacks ’11 this season after he finished ninth at the New York University/Manhattanville Invitational last Saturday.

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/Justice File Photo

NEW RECORD: Forward Melissa Gorenkoff ’10 dribbles against Nazareth College Sept. 6.

She also was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England Tournament Most Valuable Player last year after scoring four goals and two assists in three games as the

Judges won the tournament title for the second year in a row.

This season, Gorenkoff is third on the team with 12 points.

—Melissa Siegel

UAA STANDINGS Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Not including Monday’s games

Not including Monday’s games

UAA Conference WL T Carnegie 4 0 0 Rochester 3 1 0 Chicago 3 1 0 Washington 2 2 0 Emory 1 2 1 JUDGES 1 3 0 New York 0 2 2 Case 0 3 1

UAA Conference W LT Washington 3 0 1 Rochester 3 10 Chicago 2 11 Case 2 20 Carnegie 1 12 JUDGES 1 21 Emory 0 22 New York 0 31

W 13 9 9 8 9 4 4 6

L 1 1 2 3 3 8 7 6

Overall T Pct. 0 .929 2 .833 2 .769 3 .679 1 .731 1 .346 2 .385 3 .500

W 10 9 10 7 6 7 4 8

L 2 2 2 5 5 4 3 5

T 1 2 1 2 2 3 5 1

Overall Pct. .808 .769 .808 .571 .538 .607 .542 .607

TEAM LEADERS MSoccer (points)

WSoccer (points)

Forward Alex Farr ’12 leads the Judges with 12 points this season.

Forward Mimi Theodore ’12 leads the team with 20 points this year.

Player Alex Farr Matt Peabody Corey Bradley Sam Ocel Luke Teece

Player Mimi Theodore Tiffany Pacheco Melissa Gorenkoff Sofia Vallone Two tied with...

Points 12 10 7 6 3

Points 20 18 12 9 5

Volleyball (kills)

Volleyball (digs)

Outside hitter Paige Blasco ’11 leads the Judges with 289 kills.

Outside hitter Paige Blasco ’11 leads the team with 249 digs.

Player Paige Blasco Piera Carfagno Nicole Smith Bridget McAllister Becca Fischer

Player Paige Blasco Anna Homitsky Bridget McAllister Abby Blasco Piera Carfagno

Kills 289 182 162 142 101

Digs 249 238 234 230 211

UPCOMING GAME OF THE WEEK Women’s Soccer at Bowdoin College The Judges look to take down the Polar Bears on the road Thursday at 3 p.m.

250

career wins for women’s soccer coach Denise Dellamora.

She picked up the milestone victory last Sunday in a 4-2 win at Emory.

15

Coming off two straight solid performances in two University Athletic Association road games, the women’s soccer team will travel to nonconference foe Bowdoin College to conclude its longest road trip of the season.

The Judges defeated Emory University 4-2 last Sunday and tied Carnegie Mellon University last

Friday in the first two games of the road trip to improve to 7-4-3 on the season.

Bowdoin is 6-5-0 this year but has a 34-0 record at home. The team is led by sophomore forward and Massachusetts native Ellery Gould, who has 12 goals in 11 games, including three game-winning goals this season.

NEW YORK—NBA or Europe, regular referees or replacements, the rules are the same: Two technical fouls is an automatic ejection, and anyone ejected must leave the floor.

Maccabi Tel Aviv wanted a pass on that rule last Sunday.

The New York Knicks’ 106-91 victory over the Euroleague team featured a bizarre delay in the third quarter when the visiting coach refused to leave after he was ejected.

The game was halted for about eight minutes when Pini Gershon continued to linger near Maccabi’s bench—a delay that included a rabbi trying to intervene by asking the NBA’s replacement referees calling the game to allow Gershon to stay.

“I explained that this is not a regular game, and the kids are watching, and [it’s] important that there will be peace and forgive him,” Rabbi Yitchak Dovid Grossman said of his discussions with the officials. “If you forgive him, I can speak to the children and say, ‘You also forgive. If you have a fight, you forgive.’ But he says this is the law, that you must obey.”

Gershon eventually left after a lengthy discussion with the referees, his assistant coaches and NBA security personnel. A security official said Gershon told them he didn’t care if the game was stopped before he eventually agreed to leave.

“He likes the crowd, the crowd likes him very much,” Maccabi’s Yaniv Green said. “They’re coming to the game to see him even more than they’re coming to see us. He’s quite a character, like you saw today.”

Nate Robinson scored 19 points, and David Lee added 14 points and 12 rebounds for New York.

Former Michigan State player Alan Anderson scored 20 points for Maccabi Tel Aviv. D’or Fischer added 19 points and 16 rebounds.

Apparently frustrated by the officiating, Maccabi picked up four technical fouls, including two on Gershon in a 53-second span of the third quarter.

Strangely, the second came after he screamed at official Ben Taylor in front of his bench following an offensive foul called on the Knicks’ Al Harrington.

With fans chanting “Macc-ab-i!”, Gershon didn’t seem to be listening to any of the basketball officials.

Once the appeal from Grossman, founder and dean of the world’s largest orphanage, Migdal Ohr, failed, Gershon finally exited.

“I’ve never experienced that before, but, I mean, there’s a first time for everything I guess,” said Robinson, who approached the Maccabi bench in an attempt to figure out what was happening.

A Maccabi official said Gershon would not comment, and the NBA is not allowing the replacement officials to comment during the preseason. The regular staff is locked out during a labor dispute.

Wilson Chandler and Harrington, back after missing the last game with a knee injury, each scored 11 points for the Knicks, who also beat the Israeli team in a 2007 exhibition. Maccabi visits the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.

The 2007 game drew the largest crowd for an exhibition at Madison Square Garden. That was a night contest; this game began at 1 p.m., a more convenient time for Maccabi’s fans overseas, but it left the upper section of seats empty.

Maccabi’s roster featured Maciej Lampe, a secondround pick of the Knicks in 2003.

He was traded early the next year to Phoenix, where he would later play for Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, in the deal for Stephon Marbury. Lampe finished with 14 points.

Darko Milicic didn’t play for the Knicks in the second half due to an upset stomach.

Florida, Alabama, Texas, Boise State and Cincinati sit atop BCS NEW YORK—Florida, Alabama and Texas hold the top three spots in the first Bowl Championship Series standings and control their fates in the national championship race.

The Gators (.988) are in first, just ahead of the Crimson Tide (.952). Texas (.891) is third.

Boise State (.808) is fourth, but the Broncos still seem to be a long shot to play for a national championship.

Florida is No. 1 in the two polls used by the BCS—the USA Today coaches’ poll and Harris poll—and rated highest by the computers. The polls make up two-thirds of a BCS grade and a compilation of six computer ratings accounts for the other third.

Alabama is second in all the components. Texas is third in the two polls and sixth in the computer ratings.

With the strength of their remaining schedules, the Gators, Tide and Longhorns just need to win out to reach the BCS title game on Jan. 7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., according to BCS analyst Jerry Palm.

Alabama and Florida would play each other in the Southeastern Conference championship game if each remains undefeated.

While the top teams in the standings are in good position, history is not on their side.

In the first 11 years of the BCS, the top two teams in the first standings have reached the title game once.

Texas and Southern California did it in 2005 season.

Overall, 10 of the 22 teams that were ranked first or second in the first standings made it all the way to the championship game.

That would seem to be good news for unbeaten Boise State, but the Broncos have other problems.

“The national championship is not realistic for them,” Palm said. “They’re going to get passed. Their support in the polls is eroding each week.”

Poll points, not rankings, are used in the BCS formula. Boise State lost 17 points in the coaches’ poll despite moving up a spot to No. 5 this week.

Palm said fifth-place Cincinnati, sixth-place Iowa, both unbeaten, and seventh-place Southern California, which has lost a game, are all in position to pass the Broncos if they keep winning because those three teams play tougher schedules the rest of the way.

just

Sports

Page 16

ROUGH TIMES The golf team finished in 10th place out of 12 teams in its latest tournament last Saturday, p. 13.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Waltham, Mass.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

CROSS COUNTRY

Two milestones highlight UAA win

Runners register top times

■ Women’s soccer coach

Denise Dallamora won her 250th game last Sunday at Emory University, while forward Melissa Gorenkoff ’10 broke a school record.

By MELISSA SIEGEL JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

After struggling to score despite a number of shots in its last few games, the women’s soccer team once again found itself tied 1-1 in its University Athletic Association game against Emory University last Sunday at the end of the first half despite outshooting the Eagles 16-4 in that span.

“We’ve been working on shooting a lot and working on our attack over the past week, so the girls were pretty focused on that,” assistant coach Kerry O’Malley said. “We had a lot of opportunities in the first half [and] we outshot them 16-4, so we were getting after them, [but] we just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. Once we got our second goal the rest just kept on coming.”

But in the 58th minute Judges midfielder Mimi Theodore ’12 scored her seventh goal of the season on a header to give the team a 21 lead, the first of three goals in a 10minute span for the Judges to help them pull away for a 4-2 win.

The victory was the Judges’ first in UAA play this season.

Brandeis is now 7-4-3, 1-2-1 in the UAA after tying Carnegie Mellon University 1-1 in double overtime

last Friday night.

The win marked two other milestones for the Judges. Head coach Denise Dallamora became the 16th coach in Division III women’s soccer history to win her 250th game, while forward Melissa Gorenkoff ’10 set the school’s all-time assist record with 24, surpassing Kelly Vaughan ’88.

The win also handed Emory its first home loss in 27 games. Its last loss came Oct. 27, 2006 against the University of Rochester.

Brandeis struck first early against Emory, when forward Tiffany Pacheco ’11 scored in the fourth minute off of Gorenkoff’s record-breaking assist. But the Eagles came back to tie it up later in the half with a header goal by Eagles sophomore forward Caroline Coates off a deflection from a corner kick.

“We pretty much controlled the first half. Our girls were really focused,” O’Malley said. “They came out with a lot of intensity and a lot of composure, but we had a breakdown in the back, and Emory scored a goal—it was kind of bobbling around in the box, the ball was.”

After Theodore’s goal gave the Judges’ the 2-1 lead, the team put the game away with two quick goals in less than three minutes.

Gorenkoff added to her historic day with an unassisted goal in the 65th minute to put the Judges up 3-1.

Then in the 67th minute, Theodore struck again, scoring off a free kick off of rookie defender Stevie Phillis’ ’13 second assist of the year. The goal was Theodore’s team-leading

See WSOCCER, 14 ☛

MEN’S SOCCER

Judges drop two at Carnegie and Emory ■ The men’s soccer team

was shut out at two of the toughest teams in the conference last weekend.

By MAX GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Through the first three games of the men’s soccer team’s longest road trip of the season, the Judges are still without a win entering the final game of the four-game stretch tomorrow night at Springfield College.

The Judges lost at University Athletic Association opponents Emory University and No. 9 Carnegie Mellon University last weekend, as well as at Babson College last Tuesday.

The losses dropped the Judges to 48-1 overall and 1-3 in the UAA and was their fourth consecutive loss overall Last Sunday at Emory, Brandeis dropped a 3-0 decision as the Eagles improved to 9-3-1 and 1-2-1 UAA. Coach Mike Coven was not impressed with how his team played against Emory.

“We went into [the] game fairly optimistic, and we didn’t play well at all and ended up making bad defensive plays, some lackluster play. I’m very disappointed in some of my players’ game,” Coven said.

The Judges trailed early on in the game, as Emory sophomore midfielder Zack Samuels stole the ball at midfield and sprinted past the Brandeis defenders to score in the 34th minute.

The second goal came in the closing seconds of the first half, as junior forward Michael Scannapieco put it in off of a pass from sophomore midfielder Nico Dalton.

The final goal came from Emory junior co-captain and defenseman Jake Graetz in the 54th minute on a penalty kick.

Brandeis had only two shots on goal in the loss, both of which came from forward Alexander Farr ’11.

The loss was especially dispiriting, as the team came off a strong defensive performance in a 1-0 loss against Carnegie Mellon last Friday.

Carnegie Mellon senior midfielder Ryan Browne scored on an assist from junior forward Pat Lutz for the only goal of the game. Brandeis goalkeeper Matt Lynch ’11 tied a careerhigh eight saves, but that was not enough for the team. “[Lynch] is coming off a streak of solid performances, including a seven save effort against [No. 7 University of Rochester],” Coven said. “He played really well against Carnegie Mellon. He’s starting to

ASHER KRELL/Justice File Photo

DOWNFIELD: Forward Corey Bradley ’10 passes the ball against Wheaton College Sept. 26. The team has lost four in a row. come into his own. I think the team is letting him down a bit in front of him,” Despite the lack of offense, Coven thought his defense played exceptionally well.

“We played relatively well against them. They scored 8 minutes into the game [but] we played them well, very

well, almost even,” Coven said.

The team began the week with a 3-2 loss at Babson, The Judges scored first with a goal from Farr in the sixth minute when he stole a pass from a Babson defender deep in Babson’s zone, and put it in for the easy goal.

Babson quickly responded in the 23rd minute with a goal from rookie

midfielder Eric Anderson. Anderson scored again three minutes later, putting in a rebound from his own shot.

The game was later tied but broken again by Anderson, who scored his third goal of the day for Babson in the 61st minute.

The Judges’ game at Springfield starts tomorrow at 7 p.m.

■ Three men’s cross

country runners and all six women’s runners recorded personal bests at the University at Albany Invitational last Saturday.

By IAN CUTLER and MAX GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITERS

Going into their final meet before the University Athletic Association Championships, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams rested some of their top runners at the University at Albany Invitational last Saturday.

Despite this, the teams still managed to pull off top-10 finishes.

The men’s team took ninth place while the women’s team took eighth out of 24 Division I, II and III schools to go into the championship season on a strong note.

Each of the women’s team’s six runners who competed at the meet set new personal records, and the two top-30 finishes of classmates Marie Lemay ’11 and Hannah Lindholm ’11 led the team. Lemay finished the course in 18 minutes, 21.0 seconds to take 18th place overall, while Lindholm took 30th place with a time of 18:39.6.

“We’re really excited for UAAs and Regionals. We have a much better team than we’ve had the last two years,” Lindholm said.

“This meet last year, I was at least 1 minute slower, and if you look at every person [who ran at the meet], it’s pretty much the same. It shows what a great program we have [and how coach John Evans] helps us use the potential we came in with.”

Ally Connolly ’10 was not far off their pace, as she completed the course just four seconds after Lindholm in 18:43.0, good for 37th place.

Each Brandeis women’s runner was also in the top 100 at the event. Erin Bisceglia ’12 was the fourth Brandeis women’s runner to cross the finish line at 19:00.4, while Emily Owen ’11 was fifth with a time of 19:12.3. Bisceglia and Owen finished in 58th and 69th place, respectively. Jess Gard ’10 rounded out the pack with a 99th-place finish in 20:09.3.

On the men’s side, three runners posted new personal bests in the 8,000-meter course. Dan Anastos ’11 turned in the best score of his collegiate career and led the Judges with a 13th-place finish out of a total of 189 runners. Anastos finished the course in 25:26.8, putting him 54 seconds behind the course champion, SUNY Plattsburgh junior Mike Heymann, who took the event in 24:32.6.

Anastos said he thought his performance could propel him to improve in the near future.

“It was a lot of fun. [I] just executed the plan coach set out for me, and it worked really well,” he said. “It was definitely a confidence booster.”

Ben Bray ’11 was the second finisher for the Judges and finished 40th overall. Bray finished the course in a personal-best time of 25:52.1, the first time he has completed a race in less than

See XCOUNTRY, 14 ☛

just

S T R

October 20, 2009

A

BET brings ‘Big Love’ p. 19

Photos: Genevieve Armstrong and Bryan Prywes/the Justice. Design: Julian Agin-Liebes and Robyn Spector/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

18-20

■ ‘Big Love’ 19 Brandeis Ensemble Theater’s staging of a play by Charles L. Mee had mixed results.

■ Obbini Tumbao 19 The Afro-Cuban music duo spoke to justArts ahead of the band’s residency next week.

■ Family friendly Boston 20 JustArts writers recommended their favorite local attractions for Fall Fest weekend.

20 ■ Daniel Harris Hillel employee Dan Levine spoke to justArts about his eclectic indie rock solo project.

OFF CAMPUS

21-24

21 ■ ‘Sleep No More’ American Repertory Theatre’s Macbeth adaptation was haunting but at times confusing.

21 ■ ‘Venture Brothers’ The show’s season premiere was clever.

22 ■ Múm and Sin Fang Bous Andrea Fineman interviewed the Icelandic bands before their upcoming show in Boston.

22 ■ ‘Sainthood’ Pop Muse Brad Stern branches out into rock music with the new Tegan and Sara album.

23 ■ ‘An Education’ The movie had a thoughtful take on the ’60s.

23 ■ ‘Paranormal Activity’ The movie’s unconventional publicity campaign led to a record-breaking debut.

CALENDAR

INTERVIEW

by Shelly Shore

It seemed like Lindsay Lohan was doing well for a while. She had a fairly stable relationship, was off drugs and had a few television and film roles. Apparently, it was all too good to last.

Lohan’s been back to her partying ways the last few months and was due in court on Friday to describe her progress following her 2007 DUI case. (She was arrested for driving under the influence and agreed to a plea bargain that included probation, time in a treatment program and community service.) When Lindsay arrived over an hour and a half late for her hearing on Friday, Judge Marsha N. Revel added another year to her probation sentence.

Lohan’s lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, explained to the judge that Lindsay’s “violation of parole” had been a miscommunication.

Lindsay apparently failed to notify instructors of her alcohol management class that she attends as part of her probation that she would return to the class after she left the country for work.

Revel understood the miscommunication but warned Lohan, “I ordered you into court today because I wanted to speak to you directly. I don’t want to get any more notices again, no warrants … where you’re thumbing your nose at the court.” Revel ordered Lohan to get court approval prior to leaving Los Angeles again and warned that any future failure to comply with the terms of her probation could lead to jail time. However, she also told the actress, “I’m rooting for you to successfully complete your probation.”

While Lohan seems to have gotten off easy, her father, Michael Lohan, thinks there should have been more serious consequences. “I’ve just gotten off the phone with the judge and I’m not happy,” he told RadarOnline.com on Saturday. “She needs to put my daughter in

Fields on art law and Deis ■ Via e-mail, Adrienne Fields ’00 told justArts about her job in the field of intellectual property law and described how her Art History major prepared her for that career.

NICK UT/The Associated Press

LEGAL LOHAN: Starlet Lindsay Lohan reacts to courtroom proceedings during Friday’s hearing. rehab. How could that judge let her just walk into court and walk right back out?” He continued, “I hate to speak out publicly like this about Lindsay, but it’s for all the parents and the teens out there. I’ve seen what it’s done.”

Michael doesn’t have many fans left due to his previous statements bashing his daughter’s behavior and his off-color comments about her sexual orientation, but he might have a point here. Lindsay gets to keep walking around free in Los Angeles, but is that really the best thing for her? Only time will tell.

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus

Sho’ah Voices This performance of music and text created in various concentration camps during the Holocaust is presented by the Vocal Arts Exchange. Soprano Angelynne Hinson and actors Joel Colodner and Alexandra Borrie will perform followed by a group discussion.

Today from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Epstein Lecture Hall.

Film Screening: ‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell’ Coexistence International will present the documentary film Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which chronicles the efforts of Liberian women to put an end to the devastating civil war in their country. Journalist Janet Johnson-Bryant, one of the film’s protagonists, will be on hand to answer questions after the screening.

Tomorrow from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. in the Wasserman Cinematheque.

Open Class with Obbini Tumbao Resident music group Obbini Tumbao will participate in an open class about the culture and musical traditions of Cuba in a session hosted by the HISP 104B and HISP 34A classes. The class will be conducted in Spanish.

Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Obbini Tumbao Dance Set at the Atrium As part of their residency, Obbini Tumbao will offer a preview of its Saturday concert.

All are invited to attend and practice rumba, mambo or salsa. The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Music and the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance.

Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

JORGE LUIS MAGANA/The Associated Press

VIVA CUBA: In a scene from the 1999 documentary ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ directed by Wim Wenders, Havana jazz singer Ibrahim Ferrer (left) performs at a concert in the United States. movie about an old man and a young boy who fly away in a house tethered to balloons as part of its Fall Film Series.

Thursday through Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. in Olin-Sang Auditorium.

Open Class with Obbini Tumbao The ensemble teaches about Cuban jazz and dance music in a session hosted by the MUS 35A “Freedom and Convention” class.

Friday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Student Events and the Chocolate Factory Attendees of this chocolate festival will get a chance to judge the best chocolate recipe prepared by Brandeisians then sample chocolates from around the world as well as those from Boston and Waltham. The event will also feature a chocolate fountain along with fruit and snacks for dipping.

Thursday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Sherman Function Hall.

Afro-Cuban Rhythms Workshop

Film Screening: ‘Up’

Film Screening: ‘Buena Vista Social Club’

Student Events will screen this animated

This 1999 documentary tells the story of

WHAT’S ON?

Obbini Tumbao bandleaders Rebecca Cline and Anita Quinto conduct a workshop on Afro-Cuban rhythms. Attendees are invited to bring their own drums or to borrow them from the band. RSVP to eissenbe@ brandeis.edu Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

musicians in Cuba who performed regularly at a legendary Havana jazz club in the 1940s then reunited 50 years later to record an album and perform a concert in the United States. Prof. Fernando Rosenberg (HISP) will introduce the movie.

Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Fall Fest Variety Show Students and parents are invited to see a production featuring a variety of talented Brandeis performers, ranging from a cappella groups to dance ensembles.

Saturday from 8 to 11 p.m. in the Levin Ballroom.

World Music Series: Obbini Tumbao As a capstone to its MusicUnitesUS residency, the Boston-based ensemble will perform a concert of its unique music, which combines folkloric and popular Cuban music with North American jazz.

Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

JustArts: How did you come to choose Brandeis?

Adrienne Fields: Brandeis proved to have a strong liberal arts program, a close proximity to Boston, and access to many cultural activities on and off campus. Brandeis was a perfect setting for me to indulge in as much Art History and French studies as I could possibly fit into my course schedule. The serenity of the campus provided a relaxed climate for studying and socializing. I am reassured every day that I chose well because I greatly value my undergraduate education as well as my husband and the many close friends whom I met during my time at Brandeis.

JA: Can you think of any on-campus experiences you had that helped you come to the decision to go into the field you’re in now?

AF: I had interned in the Visitor Services department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art prior to entering my freshman year at Brandeis. ... I was inspired by the art and became determined to pursue a concentration in Art History at Brandeis. Within the first semester of my freshman year, my professors opened my eyes and taught me how to analyze and appreciate the depth of art. I remember looking forward to class because I could not wait to hear what my professors would explain next. I spent time during the weekends exploring the collections of the museums in Boston and New York looking at examples of the art that I had been learning about. My pure love of art and depth of understanding which developed at Brandeis propelled me to continue my studies at Chrisitie’s Education in New York from where I received an M.A. in Connoisseurship and Art Market Studies.

JA: Can you tell us about Artists’ Rights Society and your role as Associate Counsel?

AF: Artists Rights Society is a collective rights management organization that licenses and protects the intellectual property rights of visual artists (e.g., painters, sculptors, and architects) and their estates. ... Among the artists whose rights we represent are: Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, René Magritte, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Jenny Holzer, Bruce Nauman and Damien Hirst, just to name a few. Essentially, the renowned artists whom I studied and admired while at Brandeis are now the artists whose intellectual property rights I license and protect on a daily basis. As Associate Counsel, I am able to help artists and estates to maximize the value of their intellectual property and, in some cases, to defend the legacy of artists. I achieve these goals through effective licensing and zealous countering of illicit uses of our members’ works of art. ... I greatly value working at ARS and having the knowledge and skills necessary to help artists, who might not otherwise obtain legal advice, maintain their desired level of control and protect their artistic creations.

JA: Do you have any advice for students looking to go into the art law field?

AF: It is important that students seeking to practice art law keep an open mind when entering law school and applying for internships and employment positions. I suggest that the student determine which area of law is preferable (e.g., copyright, trusts and estates, etc.) and then try to apply to positions that may involve art. Even if employment in an arts organization, museum, or law firm with clients in the art world is unavailable immediately after law school there are often opportunities for attorneys to get involved in the art world. For example, attorneys interested in donating their time may participate in Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts programs which benefit artists and arts professionals.

—Andrea Fineman

Top 10s for the week ending Oct. 20

Box Office

College Radio

Billboard

WBRS

1. Where the Wild Things Are 2. Law Abiding Citizen 3. Paranormal Activity 4. Couples Retreat 5. The Stepfather 6. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 7. Zombieland 8. Toy Story 9. Surrogates 10. The Invention of Lying

1. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs 2. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug 3. Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk 4. Why? – Eskimo Snow 5. Compilation – Everything Goes Wrong 6. Dodos – Time to Die 7. Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall 8. Sea Wolf – White Water, White Bloom 9. Wild Beasts – Two Dancers 10. Raveonettes – In and Out of Control

1. Michael Buble – Crazy Love 2. Kiss – Sonic Boom 3. Toby Keith – American Ride 4. Barbra Streisand – Love is the Answer 5. Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3 6. Luke Bryan – Doin’ My Thing 7. Mariah Carey – Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel 8. Miley Cyrus – The Time of Our Lives (EP) 9. Backstreet Boys – This Is Us 10. Breaking Benjamin – Dear Agony

1. Lady Gaga – “Poker Face” 2. Metric – “Sick Muse” 3. Abe Vigoda – “Wild Heart” 4. Akron/Family – “River” 5. Alesha Dixon – “The Boy Does Nothing” 6. All-American Rejects – “Gives You Hell” 7. Amb – “Stand Up” 8. Andrew Jackson – “Peep the Concept” 9. Animal Collective – “My Girls” 10. Arctic Monkeys – “Dangerous Animals”

Album information provided by Billboard Magazine. Box office information provided by Yahoo!Movies. Radio charts provided by CMJ.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

19

ON CAMPUS THEATER

‘Big Love’ proves unconquerable ■ The attempts by Brandeis Ensemble Theater actors to make sense of a choppy script sometimes fell flat, though the set was exquisite.

By SUJIN SHIN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As I walked out of the Carl J. Shapiro Theater Thursday night after watching Big Love by Charles L. Mee, I felt awkward. Stretched out. As if I were unsure of whether I should have laughed there or not, whether I should have taken that line so seriously or not, whether I even enjoyed myself or not. Reflecting with a few friends afterward in the Einstein Bros. Bagels, I came to realize why I felt so awkward: It was because of the nature of the play.

These characters are searching for happiness while immersed in the tension of deciding whether to be independent people or women contracted by marriage to men (and vice versa). This agitated search for identity and love is represented within all aspects of the performance-driven, almost avant-garde play, but it is unclear whether this helps the production reach its full potential or not.

The first thing that struck me when I walked into the theater was the beautifully structured stage.

Swimming in an artistically textured oceanic blue, it’s calming and takes your imagination to the countries of the Mediterranean, in which the play is set. But in contrast to the colors, the patterns took me by surprise as well. The background, painted in stark blue and white stripes radiating from a blue center, reminds me of the flag that the Japanese adopted as their fight symbol during World War II. The columns, though now crumbling and destroyed, are reminiscent of the architecture of the Romans, who were,

at one point, the undefeated conquerors of the entire known world.

Everything about this stage screams “power,” and the possession of power and control over one’s life remained a significant symbol throughout the play.

The plot is based on another play written by the Greek dramatist Aeschylus and called The Suppliant Woman. Fifty brides and 50 grooms are to be married to each other. Not one of them has a say in whether or not she wants to be wed. So the brides run away. The grooms chase after. They meet in Italy, where the brides hatch a plan to escape their fates. It’s a dramatic story into which Mee decides to spin his own thread. In my opinion, the humorous one-liners work. But writing dramatic monologues that require the actors to roll around and leap over things and slam the floor with their fists—it’s just not tasteful.

The performances of the actors were rather stiff and timid in general—unfortunate afflictions suffered by opening-night performers and younger thespians—but there were some flashes of greatness that brightened the general atmosphere.

Rachel Kelmenson ’13 brought tenderness to the role of the Mother but also easily slipped into the flamboyant and shallow character of Eleanor—she was one of the only performers of the night who didn’t seem like she was “acting.” Rachel Garbus ’13 and Dan Katz ’13 both gave fiery antithetical monologues that provided welcome, unrestrained moments of emotion and passion on the stage. However, during the scenes in which trios of only male or female actors deliver raucous and rhythmically-driven rants about the other sex, the timidity of their previous performances made these sudden changes in mood seem ridiculously overexaggerated.

The play made a mockery of the obsessions that people tend to adopt while on the search for love. But the ending message was warmly philos-

GENEVIEVE ARMSTRONG/the Justice

BRIDE WARS: From left to right, Rachel Garbus ’13, Rachel Copel ’11 and Lynda Bachman ’10 play reluctant brides in ‘Big Love.’ ophized on stage by Kelmenson and aided by a hilariously exaggerated, but still quite gentle, fairy-like presence by Giordano (Nati Peleg ’13).

The message was a good one about

temperance and only loving for the sake of love. If Mee had decided to take his own final word in the writing of Big Love maybe it wouldn’t have seemed so strangely discon-

nected and blocky. But all in all, it was a valiant and respectable effort made by the Brandeis Ensemble Theater, worth watching and worth pondering.

MUSIC

Obbini Tumbao to take up residency this week ■ Brandeis provides fertile

ground for cultural exchange as the Boston-based jazz band brings its unique AfroCuban sound to campus.

By SARAH BAYER and AMY MELSER JUSTICE STAFF WRITERS

Obbini Tumbao, an Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble based in Boston, is taking up artistic residency at Brandeis from Oct. 21 to 24 for this semester’s MusicUnitesUS series.

From salsa dance workshops to anthropology classes about native music and culture, the band will participate in a wide range of oncampus events designed to immerse the campus in Cuban culture.

The choice of Obbini Tumbao promises to be quite a treat for the Brandeis community.

Boston Phoenix readers named the band “Best World Music Act” in 2006, and a Boston Globe reviewer compared the group’s eclectic style to “if Mambo Kings Pancho Sanchez and Tito Puente got together to jam with Herb Alpert and Ry Cooder of the Buena Vista Social Club.” The band’s Slosberg performance follows recent gigs at such prominent Boston-area venues as Ryles Jazz Club and Regattabar.

The rise to local prominence comes only five years after bandleaders and Berklee School of Music alumnae Rebecca Cline and Anita Quinto first decided to collaborate while they were traveling in

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAWNA KELLEY

SEVEN SALSEROS: MusicUnitesUS ensemble Obbini Tumbao was founded in 2004 by Berklee School of Music grads Rebecca Cline (front, left) and Anita Quinto (front, right).

Venezuela. In an e-mail interview with the Justice, Cline explained, “One afternoon, after a hike up the Avila (a mountain that borders the city of Caracas), we dreamed up the idea of playing songs together that we both liked and that offered an alternative to the routine.” Cline says she and Quinto were originally inspired by such Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians as jazz trumpeter Félix Chappotín, timba band Los Van Van, bandleader Eddie Palmieri and salsa singer Cheo Feliciano.

The two now perform backed by an ensemble that includes bongo, vocals, keyboard, bass and trombone.

Cline explained the meaning of her

band’s name: The word obbini means woman in the Yoruban language, which is native to parts of modern-day Nigeria and Benin, while tumbao is Caribbean Spanish slang that “refers to the basic rhythm performed on the bass, piano, or congas. Depending on context, it can also be used to mean mojo, groove or swing.”

Throughout the week, Obbini Tumbao will be a visible presence on campus, offering everyone the chance to dance or jam along with the band’s music. Says Prof. Judith Eissenberg (MUS), who was responsible for planning the residency, “I love the workshops, where we get to actually participate in the tradition

the musicians bring.” Students will get a chance to learn the basics of Latin dance on Wednesday when the Salsa y Control Dance Company arrives on campus to prepare the community for Obbini Tumbao’s Thursday afternoon dance set in Shapiro Atrium. The band will also lead a drum circle on Friday to teach Afro-Cuban rhythms.

There is also a series of open classes planned, including one occurring Friday from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall, when the band and the ANTH 185B: “CrossCultural Art and Aesthetics” class “will talk about the connection between spiritual tradition and this music,” Eissenberg said. She added,

“I think religion and music are such powerful expressive cultural expressions, and they so often intersect.” Cline says she hopes to bring to Brandeis “a hands-on perspective on sociological issues discussed in class.”

But Eissenberg and bandleader Rebecca Cline agree that the highlight of the residency is sure to be the Saturday night concert in the Slosberg Recital Hall. “After attending all the events, it adds up to so much on stage,” says Eissenberg.

Summing up her vision of the residency, Eissenberg predicts Obbini Tumbao will provide “Celebration.

Virtuosity. A sense of play. Pride.

Intimacy. Energy.”

20

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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THE JUSTICE

MUSIC

FALL FEST WEEKEND

Hillel rep doubles as an indie rocker

■ In his free time, Dan

Levine works on his solo project, Daniel Harris.

RISHIKA ASSOMULL/the Justice

Plan a family escape to town for Fall Fest ■ The Boston area offers extensive opportunities for arts enjoyment this week.

By SARAH BAYER, MARIANNA FAYNSHTEYN and WEI-SUM LI JUSTICE STAFF WRITERS

There’s plenty going on here at Brandeis this Fall Fest weekend, but if your parents are visiting from out of town, it would be a shame for them to leave without experiencing some of what the Boston-area arts scene has to offer. We’ve compiled some of our favorite things to do, whether you come from a family of foodies, bookworms or art connoisseurs.

The new exhibit at the Rose Art Museum won’t be open in time for your relatives’ arrival on campus, but if you’re looking for a dose of modern art, check out the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Currently on view is the exhibit “Damián Ortega: Do It Yourself,” a retrospective of photographs, sculptures, videos and installations by the prominent Mexican artist Damián Ortega. The ICA is conveniently located near both the Turnpike and the T (Hynes/ICA stop on the Green line) and is steps away from the shopping and restaurant hub of Newbury Street. Also this weekend, the ICA plays host to circuslike dance performances by Elizabeth Streb’s modern dance troupe as they defy gravity in “STREB: Grave.” For more information, check the ICA’s Web site at www.icaboston.org.

Just around the corner from the ICA at Back Bay Convention Center, comic book fans are sure to enjoy Boston Comic Con from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The $10 daily admission fee gets you access to illustrators from Marvel and DC Comics, many of whom have Boston roots. Honored guests include Tim Sale, who has offered unique takes on Batman and Super-

man in his dramatic shadowy style, and Herb Trimpe, co-creator of the X-Man Wolverine. Find out more at www.bostoncomiccon.com.

Those who prefer the written to the illustrated word should attend the Boston Book Festival this Saturday in Copley Square. For information about the festival, which will feature such speakers as actress Alicia Silverstone, The Daily Show comedian John Hodgman and Nobel laureate author Orhan Pamuk, visit the festival’s Web site at www.bostonbookfest.org.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s pre-eminent arts institution, has numerous exhibits on display including two related to Mexican art, in case you didn’t get your fix at the ICA: “Vida y Drama: Modern Mexican Prints” and the photography exhibit “Viva Mexico!

Edward Weston and His Contemporaries.” Egyptophiles shouldn’t miss “The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC,” featuring newly restored, never-before-displayed relics from the tomb of a Middle Kingdom governor. The MFA also plays host to the Boston Palestine Film Festival this weekend. Saturday’s screening is The Dupes, a 1972 film about three Palestinian refugees trying to make their way from Iraq to Kuwait during the 1950s. For more information, visit www.mfa.org.

Movie buffs will love Harvard Square’s Brattle Theatre, a popular indie film center housed in the same building as the Middle Eastern coffeehouse Café Algiers. Friday and Saturday the Brattle will host the Boston Bike Film Festival from 7 to 11 p.m. The festival, which will raise funds for local cycling advocacy groups, features short films, animations and feature-length documentaries. Details and tickets are available at www. bostonbikefilmfest.org. On Sunday, the Brattle will present its “Boston Noir” series, in honor of the recently released short story collection by the same name. For a complete schedule

of events, check out www. brattlefilm.org.

Just blocks away in Cambridge, Harvard University’s Carpenter Center is an important local landmark as the only North American building designed by the pioneering architect Le Corbusier. The center has a new exhibit titled “ACT UP New York: Activism, Art, and the AIDS Crisis, 1987-1993.” Commemorating the 20th birthday of the AIDS advocacy group ACT UP New York and the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, curators have compiled visual media including posters, stickers and videos related to the emerging AIDS epidemic as activists tried to destroy the social stigma against those diagnosed with the disease.

If you’re looking to unwind after such an emotionally charged exhibit, you can’t beat Veggie Planet for a cheerful but politically correct meal. The vegetarian restaurant serves up innovative pizzas that are no less filling for their lack of meat and also makes the recipes available on a heaping portion of rice. In the evenings starting at 8 p.m., the restaurant hosts concerts by Club Passim, a folk and jazz cultural center.

For those with an appreciation for geography, the Mapparium at Mary Baker Eddy library in Boston comes highly recommended. At this one-ofa-kind attraction, visitors can walk across a 30-foot glass bridge through a three-story painted glass model of the globe, with national boundaries drawn as they appeared in 1935 when the structure was built. The library is also near Newbury Street and is accessible by the Green Line from the Symphony, Prudential and Hynes/ICA stops.

Whether your family’s tastes skew toward the classical or the offbeat, there’s lots to see and do off campus.

Fall Fest weekend is a great opportunity to venture into new parts of town and check out all the city has to offer.

Many Brandeis students know Dan Levine as the guy who tables in the Usdan Student Center for a free trip to Israel. Others know him as a musician who occasionally performs at Cholmondeley’s. Now 25, Levine has been recording music since high school.

His solo project under the name Daniel Harris began two years ago when he started working for Hillel at Brandeis. Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Levine—a self-described “verbose creature”—for a lengthy interview in his office on campus. What follows are excerpts in which he discusses his career, his influences and his guiding musical principles.

JustArts: How long have you been gigging and recording music?

Dan Levine: I started playing open mic in high school [in Monroe, N.Y.] with my best friend, Matt. We were always writing, but we also did a lot of covers, and we’d book gigs at local coffee shops, birthday parties, that kind of stuff. Funny enough, our first band was Hillel, because we were obsessed with the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers, and their original guitarist was named Hillel Slovak. Later on we threw in a drummer, and then our friend Ryan joined us, and we changed the name to Ethan’s House of Pancakes. Then by the end of senior year of high school, my friend called us up asking to start a band. I was like, “Sure, I’m always ready to start a band.” He’s like, “Alright, we have a gig in two weeks, at the House of Blues in Cambridge!”

JA: That was your first gig?

DL: Our first gig as a band, yeah. We ended up playing as Family Junction.

Our first two gigs were at the original House of Blues in Harvard Square. We started off as an acoustic trio. We got up there and did a six-minute version of the humpty dance and a weird vocal jam based on the word “iocane.” We were into very weird stuff. Family Junction then progressed and started taking cues from Frank Zappa, and then Phish, then Radiohead and Saltn-Pepa.

JA: What inspired your 2007 album, This is so much better than Elton John?

DL: This is where my solo career really started to gain more full-length momentum, and there was a lot more time put into it. There’s a magazine up in Portsmouth, N.H. called The Wire, and in the winter of ’06 they... were challenging everybody, in the month of February, to write and record an album. I helped a friend of mine do it that year, and it was a lot of fun. I decided to do it over my entire February break in ’07, just before I started this job. ... I did everything on a Tascam four-track cassette recorder and plugged all of my pedals in. Everything that you hear on that album was done 100-percent live, in one shot with no overdubs.

JA: Your EP Faarminals, Aarminals, and Nick Nolte is less straightforward than either Elton John or your more recent album, Thirty-Two Bit Isn’t Really Eight Bits Better.

DL: Those tracks came from loops that I created. I’ve been really into that kind of ambient sound ever since the fall of ’04 when I got my first loop sta-

tion. That summer I learned that it’s not just about chord progressions; it’s not just about having an A section, then a B section, return to the A section. That’s when I really started to paint with sound. To me, that EP is a painting.

JA: Given that characterization, it would seem that your albums are thematic.

DL: Thelonious Monk’s theory on recording an album was that you should be able to do it in one or two takes, completely live, because you are really able to capture a personal zeitgeist. That’s the way I create my albums: They are very specific to where I was at the time. What’s different about Thirty-Two Bit is that it was recorded over an 18-month period, unlike my other stuff.

JA: It seems like that album is also a lot more polished. “San Jose,” for instance, is pretty complex.

DL: That song began with a poem that my girlfriend wrote at the time.

Everything just came out. I didn’t have to think about anything—it was very visceral and very heartfelt. When I finished that I was very proud. I really felt like all of my musical education from the time that my dad showed me how to use a turntable as a kid to the moment that I recorded it came out in that song.

JA: Sometimes when I listen to your music, I find myself laughing. Is there an element of comedy that goes into the writing of your songs?

DL: [Laughter] Absolutely. My whole life I’ve been a big fan of satire.

My uncle is a political cartoonist who is incredibly cynical and dark, and the musicians I’ve tended to gravitate towards tend to have a misanthropic element to them. Satire isn’t always meant to be funny; it should also point out the vice and folly of society—but satire can be brutally hilarious sometimes.

JA: Who do you see as your biggest influences?

DL: Frank Zappa is a huge influence on me, specifically the album Weasels Rip My Flesh. The way he goes from intense tribal beats to performance art to a highly composed orchestral piece, genre-hopping left and right, all the while very much in touch with his environment, is very inspiring to me. …

Recently, though, I’ve been listening a lot to Charles Manson Sings.

JA: Wait, you mean the murderer Charles Manson?

DL: [Laughter] Yeah, it’s really good!

JA: You say that you managed to play your way out of a potential arrest for “protesting” in Washington, D.C. What happened?

DL: Well, I was playing my song, ... and a police officer came over to me and told me that I had to stop, because I was protesting. I begged her to let me sing one more song, a love song. I told her: “I don’t want to protest, I just want to profess my love for you.” She kind of looked at me funny, and said, “All right.” So I sang “A Song For You” from Thirty-Two Bit. Then I put my guitar away, packed up my stuff, whipped out a kazoo and hummed my way back down the steps.

Daniel Harris will perform this Saturday at 7 p.m. at Church of Boston ($10). Visit his Web site at http://www.myspace.com/ danielhmusic.

—Ben Serby

GENEVIEVE ARMSTRONG/the Justice

LEVINE’S SCENE: Dan Levine plays a show sponsored by Punk, Rock n’ Roll Club.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

21

OFF CAMPUS THEATER

ART’s ‘Sleep’ is deep, disorienting ■ Cambridge’s American Repertory Theatre took over an abandoned high school for its mystical, meandering adaptation of ‘Macbeth.’

By JOYCE WANG JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Whenever I stayed late into the evening for extracurricular activities in high school, there was something about being in a vacant building at night that made the whole affair feel illicit: the narrow, empty hallways; the classrooms devoid of students; the lack of voices in the air. Imagine that feeling, only amplified by the atmosphere of a high school abandoned for decades and a veritable multiroom art installation created by a set designer with an obsession for minutiae. This is what the American Repertory Theater, collaborating with the British company Punchdrunk, has created for its production Sleep No More.

Combining themes from Macbeth and the ambience of a Hitchcock thriller and using the Old Lincoln School in Brookline as the perfect set location, director Diane Paulus has created an immersive, nonlinear theater experience that engages viewers completely.

First, theatergoers are carefully shepherded into the building at 20minute intervals to control the flow of people. Luckily, you can wait in Manderley, a 1930s London bar created specially for the production, complete with swanky cocktails and schmaltzy lounge singers. Once your number is called—you’re given a Manderley-labeled playing card when you enter—a tuxedoed man will escort you to the elevator and proceed to randomly drop off the participants on different floors. Do note that this is a participatory exercise: You’re commanded to stay silent and don a white face mask while in the building, and then you’re left to explore the rooms and follow the actors around as they enact various scenes.

The price of admission ($15 through student rush) is worth it for the sets alone. Each floor has been completely transformed into an eerie

amalgamation of visual, aural and even olfactory elements. One room is filled with stuffed animals, animal models and animal skins with a complete directory of its contents written on the blackboard. Another recreates the inside of a barn with scented hay on the floor and an actor who plays cards with participants and offers drinks to the winners.

Other rooms lushly recreate royal chambers, including tiny details like a two-tiered rack holding dozens of small silver crosses, old letters, drawers that actually open, books from the era and numerous other oddities. Perhaps the most impressive is a cavernous stage hall redecorated with mobile and fragrant pine trees. The walls have large stone statues of religious figures recessed into individual alcoves. However, everything is still contained within the framework of an abandoned high school, meaning there are still lockers and long hallways, and sometimes you’ll see a curiously modern sign juxtaposed against a sink filled with old-fashioned toiletries.

Initially I was concerned that this would be some of kind of creepy haunted house—the rooms are simply left for you to explore, with no narration or explanation, and the music is tense enough to keep you on edge. Everyone wanders around in masks, anonymous, and the lighting is so subtle and dramatic that although most of the time you remain half-hidden, the brief instances of illumination are startling. Even a simple act like opening a door becomes menacing when a stranger’s mask can be seen only through a dirty, translucent window, and the timing is fortuitous enough that you face him during a particularly sudden crescendo.

Of course, Sleep No More offers more than an extraordinary set—once you’ve explored the rooms for a while, you can start following specific characters around and thus get some semblance of a story. Unfortunately, this is where the production does not succeed quite so well. Now, I’ve studied Macbeth, and I still had difficulty figuring out who was who and what exactly was happening. In the first scene I watched, an extremely pregnant woman rushed around madly, lying down and then getting back up again to

STEPHEN DOBBIE AND LINDSAY NOLIN/American Repertory Theatre

LADY IN RED: Hecate (Careena Melia) and Malcolm (Hector Harkness) interact on the minutely detailed set of ‘Sleep No More.’ roll a black cylindrical container in her hands obsessively. She was then engaged by the man whom I took (correctly) to be Macbeth—thus, I assumed she was Lady Macbeth, especially because she seemed so frantic.

The pair performed a kind of violent dance together that was fluid yet forceful; they scaled the cabinets that lined the wall and, in a particularly impressive sequence, balanced precariously atop the narrow shelves while weaving above, below and next to one another. However, I never figured out who that pregnant woman was. Lady Macbeth was actually another actress who engaged in a similar dance with Macbeth in a subsequent sequence, where their passion for each other was more explicit.

While performing, the actors rushed across the room, disregarding where audience members were; this resulted in many startled audience members jumping out of the way. However, participants were allowed an unusually close vantage point because they could stand very

close to the actors while they performed—oftentimes, less than a foot away—and the anonymity of the white masks made it more comfortable to truly stare at the actors.

Whenever the actors moved from room to room—and they did this quite often—it would cause a flurry of people to move, lemming-like, in their wake. Although you could follow different actors, central events generally had some kind of rising musical cue, and people would rush to a specific room to observe.

The actors were always physically engaging. However, I was often not sure what they were doing. Most of the time they were silent, and though the rare spoken dialogue sometimes clarified who the character was, it never indicated anything beyond what body language and music could have. Of course, because of the nature of the production, several storylines had to happen at the same time, and I probably missed some scenes with other actors in other rooms. Even by the end, I had difficulty distinguishing

the characters who were not a) Macbeth, b) Lady Macbeth, c) dead or d) a woman who represented the witches.

However, I don’t think the experience was supposed to be linear or to even make sense, necessarily—the important part was a complete immersion in the world, and in this aspect the production succeeded admirably. I gave up trying to take notes because the experience was so overwhelming; when I re-emerged downstairs in Manderley nearly three hours after my arrival, I felt disoriented and confused but still in thrall. I spent the next hour puzzling over what had happened to me, because that’s what this production is: an imposition on your senses that whisks you into an alternate universe.

The Old Lincoln School is located at 194 Boylston Street, available by public transit (T stop—Green line “D” to Brooklyn Village). There is also a nearby parking garage. Performance dates are from Oct. 8, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2010.

TELEVISION

Venture boys return with new look, bodyguard ■ The ‘Venture Brothers’

season premiere wove deadon jokes into a dizzying plot, rewarding its loyal audience.

By ALEX DESILVA JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A pill-popping former boy adventurer. His two sons who act like they’re in a 1960s sitcom (and have been cloned at least 14 times). A supervillain obsessed with butterflies and his manly-voiced wife. A violent former spy. A “likeable pedophile” (to paraphrase the show’s creators).

Having this laundry list of freaks on Comedy Central’s Adult Swim last night can only mean one thing: Venture Brothers, one of the best shows on television, has returned for its fourth season. At its core, the show could be described as a messed-up Johnny Quest, but it’s so far from that that I think I’d need the entire article just to describe it. Despite this, I’m going to give the uninitiated members of Team Venture an explanation of what the show is and what makes it so great. But be warned: Everything after this is one gigantic spoiler. There, you’ve been warned; proceed with caution.

The show focuses on the Venture family and its interactions with its villains and allies. There’s Dr. Ven-

ture, a scientist who had a childhood that mirrored Johnny Quest’s. We see the toll that childhood took on him, now a bitter 40-something who has driven his late father’s scientific legacy into the ground. His aloofness can be seen in how his sons Hank and Dean turned out. The neglect by their father coupled with their lifestyle has left them acting like the Hardy Boys, only with less human contact. Their lifestyle leaves them “death prone” in the words of Dr. Venture, and they have been cloned multiple times. They’re protected by Brock Samson, a spy who is terrifyingly good at finding ways to kill the thousands of faceless henchmen that the Ventures’ enemies throw at them. Many of these henchmen come from the Monarch, a supervillain who bases himself around monarch butterflies and torments the Ventures with his wife, Dr. Mrs. The Monarch (formerly Dr. Girlfriend). They have what seems like a bottomless supply of henchmen, but the two mainstays are the übernerdy 21 and the Ray Romanosoundalike 24. Finally, we have Sgt. Hatred, a military centered villain who is trying to overcome his pedophilia while menacing the Ventures. The third season finale ends with Brock quitting his bodyguard job, Sgt. Hatred applying for Brock’s former position, Dr. Venture’s clone lab destroyed, and 24 being beheaded

by an explosion, all on the Ventures’ front lawn.

The episode starts off with this scene as Brock takes in the aftermath of the explosion. We are then treated to a montage of Brock going through medical treatment by government doctors before the scene cuts to a longer-haired Hank, a slightly (I mean seventh-grade tier) bewhiskered Dean, and Sgt. Hatred, who is now the Venture’s new bodyguard. They’re all arguing over “killing Hitler,” with Dean protesting that Hitler is the best friend he’s ever had. You need a minute to take in just what’s going on, a fact that applies to much of the episode.

It quickly becomes obvious that Jackson Publik and Doc Hammer, creators of the show, have decided to take a very different method of telling the story. I’m going to admit that I was very confused by the nonlinear narrative at first, but it actually works. The narrative skips around between different chronological points that will leave you wondering what’s going on many times.

But if you stay with it, everything eventually falls into place and makes sense. It feels kind of like a Quentin Tarantino movie, leaving you to fill in some of the empty places in the plot. It’s different, but it’s also the only way they could have packed so much information and plot into one episode.

Chronologically, the episode spans a few months, in which we see quite a bit of development in the Venture boys. The series has gotten more and more character-driven with each season, and it’s good to finally see the title characters becoming a bit deeper after almost becoming secondary characters. The fact that the clone lab is gone means that there is no longer a fallback for when the boys are killed, meaning that the brothers must now live without their “safety net,” as Dr. Venture described it (he’s developed a very casual attitude towards his sons’ mortality). Hank, saddened by Brock’s departure, grows more rebellious and resentful towards Sgt. Hatred, while Dean becomes (somehow) even more emotional, becoming extremely attached to a dog that just happens to house the soul of Hitler. This doesn’t seem like much, but the brothers had been somewhat one-dimensional throughout the series, and seeing these changes leaves me curious to just how much their characters will develop.

Despite the changes to the characters and the story, much of the show remains the same. Publik and Hammer write dialogue that is full of pop culture references and quick one-liners that stick in your head for weeks. The voice actors are great as always, especially Patrick Warburton as Brock (Puddy from Seinfeld).

The next episode will feature Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman in the amazing early ’90s Batman: The Animated Series, as a superhero. If you’re not excited by that, you’re obviously not part of Venture Brothers’ target audience.

All in all, this was a good start to the season. The episode’s nonlinear story arc got pretty confusing at times, but everything connects. This is the kind of show where some things become clear after you’ve had some time to take it all in or have watched it again, so by now I’m pretty used to some confusion. Despite this, I thought it was good see what happened to the characters after the events of season three, and for the most part, this episode didn’t disappoint. It also answered some lingering question but raised many that will probably dominate much of season four. I’m really curious to see how the changes and new plot points will play out and am ready for the rest of the season despite seeing the season premiere only a few hours ago. I think that is what a good season premiere should do, and this one succeeded amazingly. I can only tell returning Venture fans that it looks like things will only get better from here. There’s going to be a lot happening. As for those who haven’t seen it yet: Buy the DVDs, get caught up, then jump into season four. You won’t be disappointed.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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THE JUSTICE

TEGAN AND SARA

PAMELA LITTKY/Warner Bros. Records

SISTER ACT: Canadian rockers Tegan and Sara Quin, who perform under the name Tegan and Sara, deal with issues from their upbringing and romantic pasts on their sixth album ‘Sainthood,’ which debuts next week.

‘Sainthood’ exorcises sisters’ demons Brad

STERN POP MUSE

I am, by no means, a rock music aficionado. And by “rock,” I mean anything primarily driven by the sound of a guitar. As a friend of mine joked, let’s face it: If it doesn’t have an electronic hand-clap, I’m sort of at a loss.

That isn’t to say that I dislike anything that isn’t easily characterized by how squeaky the synthesizers sound. Take for instance, Tegan and Sara, a band that has always served as a strong exception in my music catalog. Be it their cutting, urgent

lyrics or unbelievably catchy choruses, I’ve always had a soft spot for their indie-pop, alt-folk, whateveryou-want-to-call-it sort of sound.

On Oct. 27, the Canadian duo will debut its sixth studio album, Sainthood. Produced by Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, the man behind their 2007 release The Con, and Howard Redekopp, the man behind 2004’s So Jealous, the sisters sought to create a sound somewhere between the two albums, as suggested

by Tegan in an interview with MyMag: “I think the fan favorites in terms of records have been our last two. So we brought in the production teams from both and made a hybrid of sound.”

According to the duo’s press release, the album was “inspired by emotional longing and the quiet actions we hope may be noticed by the

objects of our affection. Sainthood is about obsession with romantic ideals.” As a result, the album feels more serious than the pair’s past efforts. It’s heavier emotionally and musically, utilizing jagged stitches of electronica (as with lead track “Arrow”) and jolting guitar riffs (“Hell”) to characterize the darker themes of the album, which at times is perhaps even a bit too mired in production.

Still characterized by sharp, repetitive choruses and driving bass lines, Sainthood is purely the stuff of Tegan and Sara, if not a bit more open to experimentation and electronic indulgence: The punk-esque rock of “Northshore” crashes in unexpectedly seven songs into the album only to be contrasted with the chilly, paced rhythm of “Night Watch!”, one of the two songs re-

portedly written about their parents.

Favorites include “The Ocean,” which tacks together a hastened drum beat with some of the album’s most poignant, breathless lyrics: “Stop crying to the ocean, stop crying over me, stop worrying over nothing, stop worrying over me. …

So, it’s been so long since you said, ‘Well, I know what I want, and what I want is right here with you.’” It’s affecting in the same way Tegan and Sara songs always seem to be.

The piano-marked, perhaps even disco-inspired “Alligator” is likewise irresistible, a hypnotizing array of twinkling bells, high hats and piano chords, while “The Cure” and “On Directing” offer nods to classic Tegan and Sara song construction and lyricism: “All I said to you, all I did for you seems so silly to me now,” Tegan fires off before

breaking into a lush chant of “Oh, oh oh!” from just above the speakers.

Rounding out the effort is the album’s gorgeous rallying closer, “Someday,” which meshes an overwhelming display of self-assurance in the face of a break-up (“Might do something I’d be proud of someday, mark my words I’m going to be something someday”), resulting in a palpable sense of uncertainty about the future, perhaps even denial (“I don’t want to know that you don’t want me, I don’t want to know what you’d do without me, I don’t want to know what I’ll be without you, I don’t want to know, I don’t want to know.”)

The result—as with the album as a whole—is nothing short of an emotional triumph, standing strong with some of the finer releases of the year.

MUSIC

Múm and Bous to evoke Iceland in Somerville Andrea

FINEMAN CONCERTGOER

This week, Somerville, Mass. is getting a taste of Iceland.

Experimental rock group Múm, along with Sin Fang Bous (aka Sindri Mar Sigfusson of the rock band Seabear), will make a stop at the Somerville Theater tomorrow night on what will be Sigfusson’s first trip to the U.S. Though the two groups may not seem perfectly matched—the experimental instrumentation and gentle, whispery singing Múm is known for being somewhat far afield from the folksy sound of Sindri’s band—Múm’s most recent album and Sigfusson’s solo album seem to converge stylistically. Unlike Múm’s 2002 album Finally We Are No One and 2007’s Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy, this year’s Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know has a much poppier sound. Conversely, Sin Fang Bous’s Clangour, released earlier this year, features more unusual

instrumentation than many of his songs with Seabear.

Both bands discussed their evolving styles with the Justice. When asked what the other members of Seabear thought about Sigfusson’s solo project, he said, “I think they like it. Soley is playing with me in the live Sin Fang band. We all have other music and art projects to keep us busy.”

Múm has seen something of a revolving door of performers since the group formed in 1998. Founding member Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason didn’t think the grouping and regrouping of collaborators was a defining factor in its changing style.

“Our friends and musicians have come and gone between every single album or tour we have ever made.

People may think this is something new to us, but it is the way we have always done it. This makes me believe that change is probably an integral part of our creativity, but it could possibly be the other way around,” he said.

As for the way the bands will sound tomorrow night, concertgoers can expect a fascinating show as Múm breaks out all the bells and whistles (literally) that make up its eccentric

sound. Of their menagerie of instruments, Smárason said, “Lugging around a heap of instruments is a drag, especially at airports, when the check-in people give you the evil eye and demand a ransom for overweight.

But we aren’t just a simple guitarbass-drums band, so we have to adapt, obviously. And after taking close to a ton of instruments by helicopter and boat to our lighthouse place [referring to the lighthouse on the northwest coast of Iceland where the group recorded Finally] a couple of times, other logistical problems seem very light in comparison.”

While Múm will continue on to tour Europe after its North America tour ends on Nov. 7, Sigfusson is looking forward to working on new projects.

“We just finished mixing the new Seabear album and that will come out early next year,” he said. “I’m currently recording a new Sin Fang album that will also come out next year. I’m also very excited for a new unnamed band I’m in. We’re writing the music for our first album these days.”

Múm and Sin Fang Bous will appear Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theater in Davis Square.

Tickets are $22.

SINDRI MAR/Morr Music

BOUS HITS BOSTON: Icelandic musician Sin Fang Bous, a member of the group Seabear, arrives in Boston this week as part of his first tour in the United States.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

23

FILM

‘Education’ is sophisticated study ■ The insightful new film, which is set in the suburbs of London during the 1960s, tells the true story of an Oxford-bound young woman’s love affair with a shady older man.

By MARIANNA FAYNSHTEYN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Sixteen is by no means the only age at which love affairs with older, charming (and sometimes even Jewish) men seem most exciting.

However, as even 16-year-olds probably know by now, they may be the most susceptible at that age.

It is a fact Miss Stubbs, played by Olivia Williams in the film An Education, seems acquainted with. An English teacher whose austere appearance seems the result of a youthfulness stolen and squandered, she attempts to relay this knowledge with penetrating glances through her thick-rimmed glasses to Jenny (Carey Mulligan), a standout, Oxfordbound student in her class. Despite her continual efforts, such as making ominous references to the older, crippled and unkind Mr. Rochester in classroom discussions of Jane Eyre to accompany the giddy chatter among schoolgirls, Miss Stubbs seems to understand that the obstacles she subtly though forcefully advises Jenny to avoid are those that Jenny will have to study on her own—an education, Miss Stubbs seems to understand, they will ultimately share.

An Education follows Jenny’s story, based on a memoir by Lynn Barber about her young life in the sleepy, serious town of Twickenham, England in the 1960s, which is jolted by the appearance of “wandering Jew” David (Peter Sarsgaard). Jenny’s overbearing father, played

by Alfred Molina, who provides his character with just the right amount of distasteful qualities so that a viewer’s capacity for forgiveness is not entirely lost, constantly steers her in the direction of their mutual academic aspirations, even presenting her with a Latin dictionary (a reminder of her worst subject) on her birthday.

Her “hobby” is the cello, as dictated by her father, though in actuality it is her passion. Her cello provides the opportunity for her to meet David, who drives by a rain-soaked Jenny after rehearsal. He offers what seems to be a gesture of the utmost gallantry, suggesting that he secure her cello in his car as she walks, since he himself announces that getting in a car with a stranger is unwise. It is in retrospect a keen proposition, as it is Jenny who eventually asks for admittance into the automobile amid further unpleasant exposure to the rain. David— older, Jewish and equipped with an uncanny ability to persuade people according to his suggestions and desires (coaxing Jenny’s protective parents under false pretenses on numerous occasions to allow their teenage daughter to accompany him on weekend adventures), supports his lavish lifestyle through lies, schemes and charm. Though initially un-

MARK MAINZ/The Associated Press

MOVIE MINDS: Novelist Nick Hornby (center) wrote the screenplay for ‘An Education,’ which was directed by Lone Scherfig (left) and starred Carey Mulligan (right). aware, Jenny eventually becomes acquainted with her love interest’s questionable ways, but she does not leave him.

The film, although a tale of misguided young love, is not a story of predator and prey or older con man and naïve schoolgirl—it depicts the conflicts between amounting to one’s destiny and the realization that the destiny arranged may not yield any desired results. When thrust into the office of the headmistress, played brilliantly though briefly by Emma Thompson, Jenny unleashes her frustrations with her post-Oxford prospects—an unsatisfied life not unlike the ones Cambridge graduate Miss Stubbs and the headmistress live. “There’s also public service,” the headmistress replies. With such a rigid direction that the best education can provide, Jenny’s thirst for another education (such as the one David procured from the “University of Life”) seems wholly justified.

One of the film’s greatest successes—there are plenty—is in the characterization of Jenny, which allows the audience to partially support the character’s poor decisions. Though inexperienced in love, she is not a docile female figure. It is clear that though she is not the first of David’s conquests, he has a sincere affection and love for her, a condition easily provoked by her intelligence and cleverness. However,

Jenny is not without a dash of snobbery and some unflattering qualities, the markers of a realistic character.

There is no moment that would incite an exasperated sigh or an irritated glance, reactions An Education avoids with the kind of ease other love stories of this nature seem to have.

Small gestures and subtlety drive the film. The exchanges between student and teacher, hopeful girl and experienced woman, are well-pronounced, though Jenny and Miss Stubbs’ conversations hardly exceed a handful of minutes. David’s justification of his scheming, “concerts, supper at restaurants, nights at the jazz club … don’t grow on trees,” echoes Jenny’s father’s own ruminations on the topic of money, but the eerie way in which the sentiments the men in her life share both contradict and support each other is captured by a simple look. Miss Stubbs’ own story is never revealed, the confession of Jenny’s father’s failings are told behind a closed door (his regret most heartbreakingly marked by the conciliatory tea and biscuits he leaves at the doorstep), and Jenny’s mother’s conflicting views to her father’s are never outright spoken—they are simply noted by sympathetic frowns.

Potentially An Education’s biggest achievement is the way in which every conflict and

every joyful event is checkered, rounding each development in the story with a layered commentary—though this is one that does not strive to provoke epiphanies or solve age-old questions, instead relishing its inability to do so. It is not simply that Jenny is 16 and her lover twice that. Yes, David is a con man, but he also happens to be in love. Jenny’s parents stifle her with their expectations, but it is clear that they have made ample sacrifices on her behalf.

Perhaps the film’s message, transmitted with no intended moralist agenda, is best captured in Jenny's attempt to make amends with the female educators she once shunned. Jenny turns to her headmistress stripped of the pride with which she originally entered her office, remarking to the stern school administrator, “You must think I’m a ruined woman.” Her headmistress responds with what initially appears to be a sympathetic glance, only to shake her head and say, “Oh no, you’re not a woman.”

When Jenny approaches Miss Stubbs—a woman whose empathy is still intact, unlike her superior’s—she rephrases the sentiment her headmistress dismisses, providing an epigram to describe the woeful lessons she learned outside the classroom, “I feel old,” she says, “though not wise.”

FILM

‘Paranormal’ ad campaign scaring up success ■ A new low-budget horror film has

reached record-breaking heights at the box office due to an inventive ad campaign that uses viral marketing.

By WEI HUAN CHEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

In 2007, an Israeli-born software programmer named Oren Peli decided to shoot a film in his own house using only three actors and a budget of just $11,000. He had no prior film experience and started making his movie with the help of his girlfriend and an old friend.

The inspiration to make the film came from the strange noises he heard during the nights in his new suburban house. Peli set up cameras around the house to observe what went on while he slept, and the idea turned into the premise for Paranormal Activity, a Blair Witch Project-style fright fest featuring a young couple haunted by a demon.

Now, the “found footage” supernatural thriller is gathering rave reviews and recordbreaking box office numbers. Two weeks ago, during the movie’s limited release, it grossed $7.1 million in 160 theaters for the Columbus Day weekend, jumping into the top five with the smallest number of theaters ever. This performance trumped Platoon’s 22-year-old record of a fourth-place finish playing in 174 theaters. Paranormal Activity even beat out

Toy Story/Toy Story 2 (3D), which, by comparison, screened in 1,752 theaters.

Ticket sales are not likely to slow down for a while, either. This weekend, Paramount Pictures expanded Paranormal Activity nationwide into 800 theaters, and the movie’s $20.2 million gross was the third-largest for the weekend. The studio is expected to broaden the movie to 2,000 screens on Oct. 23.

So how did an independent horror film shot by a first-time director and starring two noname actors manage to garner so much success in the mainstream movie industry? The answer is a remarkable story involving one of the most ingenious marketing schemes in recent history.

After Peli finished his movie, he began screening Paranormal Activity at film festivals such as Screamfest and Slamdances, but the movie was never picked up by a major distributor.

In 2008, however, Dreamworks picked up a DVD of the movie. The studio execs were so impressed with the film that they handed it to Steven Spielberg, who took it back to his Pacific Palisades estate to view. According to an article by the LA Times, Spielberg’s bedroom doors locked by themselves after he watched the DVD, forcing him to call a locksmith to get out. Spooked, Spielberg brought in the DVD the next day in a garbage bag, telling the studio that he loved the film despite the haunting incident.

Dreamworks intended to release the film that year, but an acquisition-related conflict

between Dreamworks and Paramount delayed Paranormal Activity’s release until this fall.

On Sept. 25, Paramount held midnight screenings in 13 different college towns. Then the buzz began. Twitter, Facebook and wordof-mouth carried the same message across the country: Paranormal Activity is really, really scary. The presence of the film on social networking sites was, in fact, part of Paramount’s marketing strategy of drumming up hype for a wider release. A team of Paramount reps began using sites like Twitter and Facebook to encourage people to “demand” the film on Eventful.com. If enough users in a town clicked “Demand it!” for Paranormal Activity, Paramount would bring the film to the area.

According to the ad campaign, it is “The Firstever Major Film Release Decided by You.” Paramount promised to roll out a wide release once the movie reached 1 million demands.

That goal was reached in only four days.

The movie’s Facebook page has over 70,000 fans, and its presence on Twitter is huge, as shown by twitter.com/tweetyourscream or searching for the phrase “Paranormal Activity.” Even Roger Ebert of the Chicago SunTimes tweeted: “low budget, no fancy f/x, but it’s surprising how scary ‘Paranormal Activity’ is.”

The Internet buzz on Paranormal Activity has reached viral status, much like its pseudopredecessor, The Blair Witch Project. Also a horror mockumentary, Blair Witch became an online phenomenon with the help of its Web site, www.blairwitch.com, which chronicles

real-life, supposedly supernatural disappearances and attacks. These films show how grassroots marketing works well with videotape-style horrors. But does the success of Paranormal Activity signify a trend moving toward digital means of advertising and distribution? Prof. Caren Irr (ENG), who teaches a ENG 50B: “American Independent Film,” argues that the startling success of Oren Peli’s movie may be difficult to replicate for other independent filmmakers.

“Now that production costs are much lower, especially for larger digital films, independent filmmakers face special hurdles when it comes to distribution and exhibition of their films,” she explained in an interview with the Justice. “Indie films will likely be distributed via cable and on-demand viewing,” she continued.

To bypass the expensive advertising process, low-budget indies will instead go directly to digital distribution sources like the Independent Film Channel rather than compete with big studios. Independent films focus on a niche audience, and it is very rare that one becomes a pop culture sensation like Paranormal Activity has. However, the movie shows that the “Twitter effect” can offer independent filmmakers a chance at a sleeper hit.

“The success the movie has attained already is beyond my wildest dreams,” Oren Peli said in an article on the New York Daily News.

You can see what the fuss is all about as Paramount widens its release on Paranormal Activity. The Landmark Embassy in Waltham will be playing it starting Oct. 23.

24

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009

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THE JUSTICE

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Lots of choices could make it difficult to select what is best for your needs. Avoid snap judgments. Take the time to check them all out to find the one that really meets your goals.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You could once again experience pressure from others who would like to see you move in another direction.

But heed your Bovine instincts to stay on your own path.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Taking charge of a project that seems to be about to stall or collapse altogether could be a challenge. But once everyone knows what you expect of him or her, things should go smoothly.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Avoid the pressures of the upcoming holiday period by setting a time right now to discuss how to divide up the responsibility of helping a loved one come through a difficult period.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) It’s not too early for all you Leonas and Leos to start making long-distance travel plans. The sooner you stop procrastinating and start deciding where, when and how you’re going, the better.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Someone you’ve known for years might disappoint you, or even make you feel you’ve been betrayed. But check the facts carefully before you make charges that could backfire on you.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A holiday plan might need to be revised to accommodate an unexpected complication. Come up with an alternative arrangement as soon as possible to avoid more problems down the line.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Don’t accept halfway explanations for a situation that requires full disclosure. The more you know ACROSS 1. Harvest 5. Crafty 8. One of Henry VIII’s Catherines 12. Shrek is one 13. Go like the wind 14. Hodgepodge 15. French fries, e.g.

17. Turnpike payment 18. Curvy letter 19. Scepter 20. Relieve 21. Trench 22. Sticky stuff 23. Take ten 26. Baby food 30. Blueprint 31. The whole shooting match 32. Nevada city 33. Whodunit 35. Make pigtails 36. Sphere 37. Luau staple 38. O’Neill’s specialty 41. Columnist Smith 42. Energy 45. Hindu royal 46. Grand view 48. Teensy bit 49. Superlative ending 50. Rainbow 51. Kelly or Rayburn 52. Personal question?

53. Prohibits DOWN 1. “Clue” weapon 2. Ids’ counterparts 3. The “A” in “A&E” 4. Pod occupant 5. “Phooey!”

6. Told a big one 7. “Of course”

now, the better able you will be to handle any complications that might arise.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) The cooperation you relied upon might not be easy to get. Maybe there’s an information gap. See if everyone understands the situation.

If not, be sure to offer a full explanation.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Problems caused by that recent workplace distraction should soon be easing, allowing you to resume working at a less frantic pace. That personal matter also begins to ease up.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Changing your mind about a job decision isn’t easy for the usually committed Aquarian. But once you check it out, you’ll find facts you didn't know before. And facts don’t lie.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your unique way of sizing up a situation gives you an edge in resolving that upsetting workplace problem. Stay on your current course regardless of any attempts to distract you.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are emotionally attuned to what’s going on around you, and you easily pick up on people’s needs.

BRANDEIS

Through the Lens

Solution to last issue’s crossword.

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

Wintry Discontent Sunday saw the arrival of snow to the Brandeis campus, an early onset of winter weather even by New England standards. The main

Sudoku

8. A little of everything, on Jeopardy!

9. Burn soother 10. Streamlet 11. Somersault 16. Silly Rabbit’s desired cereal 20. Weep loudly 21. Marceau forte 22. Cowboy’s sweetie 23. Spinning meas.

24. Tarzan portrayer Ron 25. Part of UNLV 26. Thickness 27. Meadow

28. Half of bi29. Chic, to Austin Powers 31. Wall St. wheeler-dealer 34. Mound stat 35. Long-popular clown 37. Mottled pony 38. Party pooper 39. Assess 40. In due time 41. Whip 42. Brazilian rubber 43. Eastern potentate 44. Just say no 46. Church seat 47. Eve, originally

King Crossword Copyright 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

■ It was Ogden Nash, well-loved American author of humorous poetry, who made the following sage observation: “The door of a bigoted mind opens outwards so that the only result of the pressure of facts upon it is to close it more snugly.”

Ham would not exist if it hadn’t been for a bet.

Bennett Cerf, Dr. Seuss’ editor, bet the author $50 that he couldn’t write a book using no more than 50 different words. Dr. Seuss used precisely 50 words, collecting the $50 and creating a classic at the same time.

■ The modern dishwasher was invented all the way back in 1889, and it’s no surprise that it was a woman, not a man, who came up with the labor-saving device. It is interesting to note, however, that it wasn’t her own labor Josephine Cochrane was saving when she invented the device: Mrs. Cochrane had servants to do the washing up. In fact, she wasn’t interested in saving labor at all—she was simply tired of the servants chipping the fine china.

■ You might be surprised to learn that about 29 percent of people who go to beauty spas are men.

■ You had more taste buds before you were born than you do now—more than you’ve had at any time in your life, in fact.

■ The beloved children’s book Green Eggs and

■ If your family is like most American households, you waste approximately $600 every year by throwing away unspoiled food.

■ The world’s tallest tree can be found in Redwood National Park, in California. The tree, known as Hyperion, stands nearly 380 feet tall.

Thought for the Day: “I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.” —President Harry S. Truman

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into each blank space so that every row, column and 3x3 square contains one of each digit.

Sudoku Copyright 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

path was deserted as students waited out the meteorological anomaly in their rooms. It was the perfect day to curl up with a cup of tea.