The Justice, September 13, 2011 issue

ARTS Page 19

FORUM Analyzing the anniversary 12

GUSTER CONCERT

SPORTS Soccer teams fall on road 16 The Independent Student Newspaper

the

of

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

Justice

Volume LXIV, Number 3

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

DINING SERVICES

Dining workers, Aramark stuck at impasse

9/II/II

By DAFNA FINE JUSTICE EDITOR

■ The workers will continue to

work under the old contact until a new one is negotiated and agreed upon by both sides.

By HILLEL BUECHLER JUSTICE EDITOR

Contract negotiations between Aramark and Dining Services workers are at an impasse over health insurance coverage, according to Dana Simon, the organizing director of Unite HERE Local 26, the union that represents the roughly 125 unionized Dining Services workers.

In an interview with the Justice, Simon said, “The biggest problem for the food and services workers throughout the summer and right now is that Aramark wants to … diminish the health insurance benefits to the workers.”

Last May, Aramark and Dining Services workers began formal negotiations to establish a new 5-year contract before the old one expired on June 30. According to Simon, Dining Services workers have since continued to operate under the terms of the old contract and said that the old contract “will continue to cover the workers until a new one is negotiated.”

Director of Dining Services Aaron Bennos wrote in an email to the Justice that he could not “comment on specifics regarding contract negotiations, as they are confidential.”

Bennos, an Aramark representative, further wrote, “We [the Aramark representatives] continue to bargain in good faith and hope to reach a new agreement soon.”

In an email to the Brandeis Labor Coalition listserv, club administrator Dara Rosenkrantz ’12 urged club members to attend a Tuesday meeting with Harry Grill, a Unite HERE representative, to learn more details about the negotiations and “so that we can

See DINING, 5 ☛

Across the nation, people sat glued to their televisions in shock as the country transformed in a matter of seconds.

Hundreds of then-Brandeis students gathered around a small television in the Usdan Student Center to watch as the World Trade Center came down.

“Because so many of our students have Northeastern roots and because the attacks happened in New York and Washington, it just seemed like there was an additional intensity to it here,” Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer, who watched the twin towers collapse with the rest of the Brandeis community, said of the atmosphere on campus on Sept. 11, 2001.

That afternoon at 2 p.m., a shocked Brandeis community came together again in front of the Goldfarb Library, where then-University President Jehuda Reinharz and the University chaplains spoke about the events of the morning.

While neighboring Bentley College cancelled classes and Harvard University made its classes optional, Reinharz made a controversial decision not to cancel classes, a decision also made by Tufts University, Boston University and Boston College. “I just felt this is not a time for students to be alone,” Reinharz said, according to the Sept.

14, 2001 issue of the Justice.

The administration worked to seek out students who lost someone in the attack and offer help in any way possible, according to Sawyer, who met with two students who lost family that day.

“One was a young man, a freshman who had just gotten here. My memory is that he was a single child and his fa-

ther worked in the World Trade Center. … I met with him and he told me he was going home. … I remember him telling me with his father gone, most likely, his mother would need him and want him there, and he wouldn’t be coming back. And he didn’t,” Sawyer said.

Another student, a first-year from Long Island, lost her brother, who had just started work as a stock broker in the World Trade Center at the time. While Sawyer recalls only meeting the two students who lost immediate family members, he said many others knew at least one person who was killed in the attack.

Community advisors stationed themselves throughout the dorms to be available to students, and first-year community advisors walked up and down the halls to check on their students.

Students signed a “petition for responsible action,” which was sent to then-President George W. Bush and Massachusetts Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, and Waltham Group held a blood drive so students could contribute to the relief efforts. A few BEMCo members left school immediately to travel to Ground Zero and find a way to help.

“I distinctly remember one of them walking in and just saying, … ‘We’re leaving Brandeis and going down there. I don’t when we’ll be back and what they’ll let us do, but we’re going down as EMTs, and we’re going to try to do something,’” Sawyer recalled.

And while the administration was briefly concerned that issues might arise for the Muslim population on campus, ultimately, “This is Brandeis,” Saywer explained. “Those students told me there was never any issue. …

See FEATURES, 8

☛

ADMINISTRATION

Lawrence launches new strategic planning process ■ Lawrence says that the

University will have a “fully developed and approved plan” by December 2012.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

University President Frederick Lawrence announced at Thursday’s faculty meeting that the University would begin to formulate a strategic plan to outline plans for the future of Brandeis.

“This plan will guide me as I set a direction for Brandeis and provide a framework for decision-making

for the next five years and beyond,” wrote Lawrence in a campuswide email announcing the planning process to the Brandeis community.

Lawrence anticipates that the University “will have an agreed-upon framework for a strategic plan by the end of the academic year, with a fully developed and approved plan in place

by December, 2012.”

Lawrence announced at the faculty meeting that the University has hired a consulting firm to assist in this process.

“Brandeis has retained Cambridge Concord Associates of Cambridge and one of its principals, Elaine C. Kuttner, as consultants. CCA has a

demonstrated track record in guiding universities as they develop and execute successful strategic plans and is committed to tailoring a process that best suits the unique needs of Brandeis,” wrote Lawrence in his email.

The next step, according to Lawrence, will be to establish a Strategic Planning Committee, “which will manage the process and ensure all campus communities are engaged.”

Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 said in an interview with the Justice that Lawrence has made it clear to him that at least one student will be on the Strategic Planning

Committee.

“I’m going to make sure that students are involved. I am going to make sure that students are on that committee. And I’m going to see what else I can do. … It’s a conversation with President Lawrence. I know he is open to the conversation,” said Rosen.

Rosen added that there would be a Student Advisory Committee to guide any students who sit on the official Strategic Planning Committee.

Lawrence has placed an emphasis on developing a strategic plan since his inauguration in January 2010.

When Lawrence appointed

See PLAN, 5 ☛

Palestinian statehood

Home warriors

Senate meeting

Makovsky and al-Omari examined the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at an event last Sunday.

 The volleyball team didn’t drop a set en route to winning the Brandeis Invitational.

 The Union Senate changed the time of its meeting in order to adhere to its bylaws.

FEATURES 7 For tips or info e-mail editor@thejustice.org

Waltham, Mass.

Let your voice be heard!

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

INDEX

SPORTS 16 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 6

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

COMMENTARY

11

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

2

TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS AP BRIEF Book tells story of Lawrence mill worker who prompted labor laws LAWRENCE, Mass.—It was a secret in Frank Palumbo Jr.’s family that he could no longer keep inside.

His grandmother was Carmela Teoli, who in 1911 was a 14-year-old working in the city’s mills. One day, her hair became entangled in a machine and it ripped her hair and scalp from her head. She spent 7 months in the hospital.

But shortly after the great Strike of 1912 began, Carmela went before Congress and told the story of her accident. It was her testimony that prompted sweeping changes in child labor laws in the United States.

“I’m very proud of her integrity, her honesty and courage to go to Washington and to tell the nation and the world what was happening here, not for her own benefit or to get rich, but to stop what was going on here,” Palumbo said.

But the details of Teoli’s life have been a mystery as she made her own son keep her story a solemn secret.

But now her grandson has written the book Through Carmela’s Eyes, which tells the story of Teoli based on her own diaries and letters. Palumbo’s book will be published next year in time for the 100th anniversary of the Strike of 1912, also known as the “Bread and Roses” strike.

Palumbo spoke about the book at the Bread and Roses Festival. He is currently thumbing through historical photographs of the strike and workers at the Lawrence History Center that he also hopes to include in the book. The strike began after 20,000 workers walked out of the mills when their wages and work hours were reduced. The strike ended on March 14, 1912 when workers received wage increases and overtime pay.

Testifying before Congress was not easy for the Teoli family. Palumbo said the family’s home was fire-bombed, and his great-grandfather was beaten by those who wanted to discourage him from sending his daughter to Washington D.C. “Thinking about a little kid, her innocence and having her think like an adult must have weighed so heavy on her,” Palumbo said.

While in Washington, President William Taft’s wife, Helen, took Teoli to the White House to ease her fears.

“She gave her confidence. She was terrified because she thought she was going to be killed when she came back,” Palumbo said. “This is the reason why it was kept a secret in my family.”

Palumbo was 14 when he first learned about his grandmother’s history. He recalls how he was sent to his room to finish his homework when his late father, Frank Palumbo Sr., received a telephone call, which made the older man uneasy.

“I tiptoed downstairs, and I heard my father saying there was nothing to say about his mother. He looked like a ghost coming to dinner,” Palumbo said.

Palumbo’s father had made a solemn promise to Teoli to never talk about her story. At a function the father and son were catering in 1978, Palumbo asked his father, who was skinning the excess fat off a chicken, why he did not write a book about Teoli. His father put the knife down and reminded his son about the vow of silence.

“But if you want to write the book, you can, because you didn’t promise anybody to keep the secret,” Frank Palumbo Sr. told his son. “You just have to wait until I’m gone.”

In 2007, the elder Palumbo became sick. Before he died, he gave his son Teoli’s diaries, letters she exchanged with her husband in Italy, newspaper articles about the strike and other correspondence.

That’s when Frank Palumbo Jr. began to write. Palumbo said the book will set the record straight on several facts such as how his grandmother did not speak broken English and how she had to clean bed pans and floors to pay for her 7-month hospital stay.

“This is no longer a secret,” Palumbo said. “I’m passing down the legacy to my children so when they pick up the book they can see what [Teoli] did for Lawrence.”

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS n An article in Features implied that Sam Sisakhti MA ’07 had received a bachelor’s degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. In fact, he received a master’s degree from the International Business School. (Aug. 30, pg. 8) n A teaser in Sports misspelled the surname of a women’s soccer player. The midfielder’s name is Sapir Edalati ’15, not Sapir Edalti. (Sept. 6, pg. 16) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.

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

POLICE LOG Medical Emergency

Sept. 6—A party reported intentionally overdosing on prescription medication. University Police and BEMCo responded and transported the party to the Newton-Wellesley hospital. Appropriate University staff were advised on the incident by University police.

Sept. 7—A party reported having a possible allergic reaction in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. University Police and BEMCo responded and transported the party to the Newton-Wellesley hospital for further care.

Sept. 10—A caller reported an intoxicated party in the men’s bathroom in Sherman Function Hall who was “not feeling well.”

University Police and BEMCo responded and treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Sept. 10—A caller reported an intoxicated party in the hallway of Sherman Function Hall.

University Police and BEMCo responded and transported the

party to the Newton-Wellesley hospital for further care.

Sept. 11—An intoxicated party was reported in Reitman Residence Hall and University Police and BEMCo responded.

The party was transported via ambulance to the NewtonWellesley hospital for further care.

Sept. 11—A party in Gordon Residence Hall was intoxicated and agitated, prompting University Police and BEMCo to respond. The party was transported to the Newton-Wellesley hospital for further care.

Traffic Disturbance

Sept. 7—A vehicle struck another vehicle in Hassenfeld Lot causing damage. No injuries were reported, and University Police compiled a report on the incident.

Sept. 8—BEMCo received a report of a bicyclist struck by a vehicle on Prospect St. in Waltham. The Waltham Police Department arrived on-scene to take a report, and University

Police advised the WPD of the incident.

Sept. 8—A BranVan was struck by another vehicle at the intersection of Highland and South Streets. Waltham Police and University Police responded on-scene and compiled a report on the accident.

Sept. 9—A party reported that another car struck his car in Theater Lot. University Police responded on-scene and called a towing company to remove the car which struck the party’s vehicle, which was left without its parking brake engaged.

Sept. 9—University Police responded to a report of a minor accident involving a parked vehicle in Hassenfeld Lot. Both vehicles received minor damage and both owners were onscene. The parties agreed that no further action would be necessary.

Larceny

Sept. 7—A staff member of the Student Events office reported that the Brandeis ori-

entation banner was stolen from the main entrance of the University. University Police compiled a report and reviewed CCTV for any relevant footage.

Miscellaneous

Sept. 5—University police served a party with a restraining order at Stoneman and compiled a report on the incident.

Sept. 7—A complaint of people smoking within 30 feet of a building was reported near Cable Residence Hall. One party smoking at the scene was advised.

Sept. 9—A party reported a suspicious unattended black briefcase placed at the wheel well of a vehicle in Science Lot. University Police responded to investigate but found nothing upon searching the area.

Sept. 9—University Police received a report of a raccoon in Cholmondeley’s. Upon the police’s arrival, the raccoon was gone.

—compiled by Marielle Temkin

AP BRIEFS Irene stirs interest in utilities legislation BOSTON—Unhappiness with how Massachusetts utilities responded to Irene-caused power outages has revived interest in legislation that makes creating municipal electric utilities easier.

The Boston Globe reports that proponents think Irene could finally prompt action on the bill. The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands statewide, and many were in the dark for days. Supporters say municipal utilities would give local officials more control in an emergency.

The bill would give state regulators more authority to set prices and require sales.

Utilitie companies question whether a community agency can better serve customers. They also say they’re concerned regulators would set unfair prices for their assets.

Obama’s uncle leaves Massachusetts jail

JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

Gathering on the Great Lawn University President Frederick Lawrence greets and chats with students at the Great Lawn BBQ, which took place Sunday afternoon outside the Shapiro Campus Center. The barbecue offered free food and featured an an area for students to commemorate 9/11.

BOSTON—Federal immigration officials say President Barack Obama’s uncle has been released from a Massachusetts jail 2 weeks after being arrested on a drunk driving charge.

Onyango Obama was detained on allegations he violated an order to return to his native Kenya years ago.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Brian Halle says he was released Thursday and was ordered to regularly check in with the agency.

People who live in the same Framingham home as Obama and workers at a liquor store where he was a valued employee tell The Boston Globe they do not know where he is. His lawyer, Margaret Wong, will not comment.

Obama is the half brother of the president’s late father. He was ordered to leave the U.S. nearly 2 decades ago.

He was arrested in Framingham on Aug. 24 on the drunk driving count.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Summer internship workshop

Learn about the various sources of University funding to support your unpaid summer internship. Hear from representatives of the Sorensen Fellowship, World of Work (WOW), Rapaporte Grant and Segal Program. This event is sponsored by the Hiatt Career Center. Today from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex Atrium.

When Hope Ends in Slavery

Founding Executive Director of ATZUM —Task Force on Human Trafficking and Rabbi Levi Lauer will discuss the efforts being made to end human trafficking in Israel.

A question-and-answer session will follow and light refreshments will be provided. This event is presented by the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies and the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life. Today from 7 to 9 p.m. in Rapaporte Treasure Hall.

Grant writing workshop

Prof. Charles Golden (ANTH) will offer

information for anthropology graduate students interested in applying for grants including Javits, National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Wenner Gren and Fulbright. Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in Shapiro Campus Center 314.

Study abroad fair

Learn about the many opportunities to study abroad during the academic year or summer while earning credit toward a Brandeis degree. Thirty-seven programs and overseas universities will be in attendance.

Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. in Levin Ballroom.

Jewish and Muslim women speak

Jan Feldman’s Citizenship, Feminism, and Faith: Jewish and Muslim Women Reclaim Their Rights is the first book to examine religious feminist activists in Israel, the United States and Kuwait. Join Islamic law specialist Zainab Alwani and author Jan Feldman for a discussion of the creative strategies these women employ to balance their desire for gender equality with their commitment to traditional religious observance. Thurs-

day from 7 to 9 p.m. in the WSRC lecture hall.

Campus recruiting and B.hired workshop

In order to participate in Hiatt’s recruiting opportunities, students must complete three requirements. Attending this workshop will fulfill one of the requirements. During the workshop, students will learn about the other campus recruiting requirements and how to effectively use the B.hired job and internship database as a valuable resource during a job and internship search. Friday from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Career Center.

Women/Mujeres Taking Power

What does it take for women to advance toward equality in their homes, neighborhoods, countries and in the world? Come engage in conversation with Rosa Elena Bello about reducing violence against women, empowering women through literacy, and improving weomen’s health in San Juan del Sur. Refreshments will be served. Cosponsored by AHORA, Girl Effect, Heller Gender Working Group, Positive Foundations and the Vagina Club. Monday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex Atrium.

THE JUSTICE

STUDENT UNION

Senate changes meeting date due to constitutional concerns

■ Student Union President

Herbie Rosen ’12 had originally planned for the first Senate meeting, which will consist of 3 or 4 senators, to occur after fall elections.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

The Student Union Senate will hold its first meeting of the academic year on Thursday at 10 p.m. in order to avoid violating the Student Union Bylaws, said Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 in an interview with the Justice, a change from the originally planned meeting scheduled for Sept. 25.

Prior to yesterday evening, Rosen and Student Union Vice President Gloria Park ’13 said in separate interviews with the Justice that the first Senate meeting was scheduled to follow the Student Union elections scheduled for Sept. 22.

According to Section 2 Article V of the Student Union Bylaws, which is posted on the Student Union website, “Meetings of the Senate shall be held at least once every ten academic days during the Spring and Fall Semesters.”

There are 23 elected Senate posi-

tions, only four of which are currently filled, according to Park.

When originally asked about the bylaws yesterday afternoon, Rosen said that there would be no Senate meeting until Sept. 25 because the “Senate is meant to represent the student body, or at least get as many facets as possible, … and they can’t get anything done with just four senators. They can’t vote on clubs, they can’t recognize, they can’t charter.”

Rosen added that the Constitution can be “flexible” and said “I think as my job as a Student Union president, yes I have a constitution, … but I also need to best represent the student body. We are not going to waste our time in something that won’t yield a result.”

Later yesterday evening, Rosen said in a statement to the Justice that “at least three of the elected members of the Senate will be meeting on Thursday at 10 p.m. in the Student Union office. Gloria Park, vice president, will be there as well.”

“Originally, it had been decided between myself and the executive board that the Senate wouldn’t meet until the 25th, after the elections when we have a full seat,” said Rosen last night.

Rosen and Park originally both cited the lack of a quorum of senators as a reason for not holding the Senate meeting within the first 10

academic days of the semester.

Rosen explained that in the past, he has interpreted a quorum “as the majority of possible positions, which in our current state we only have four that have been filled,” he said. That would mean that a quorum would require 12 senators out of the 23 possible senate positions.

However, Rosen recognized yesterday night that a quorum could also be considered a majority of the four students who currently hold the elected Senate positions.

“Our goal is to efficiently serve the student body and originally we didn’t think four members would get much work done but at [by] least having the senate meeting, [and] following the constitution, we are covering all the bases and just make sure we can start off the year without bumps,” said Rosen.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, Rosen and Park expressed doubt that a four-person Senate would be effective.

“Having four senators sit in a meeting for the sake of having the senate meeting would be pointless in my opinion,” said Park yesterday afternoon. “If there are four senators at the Senate meeting, I wouldn’t say that really speaks for the entire student voice. I think it’s best to wait until the entire student body elects the quad senators so that everybody

can have a meeting together.”

Similarly, originally Rosen said of a meeting of four senators, “It doesn’t make sense for four senators to vote on behalf of an entire senate. … Four people can’t decide the future of a body that has yet to be filled.”

Senator-at-Large Shekeyla Caldwell ’14 said that she is serving as the interim executive senator because one was not elected last semester.

When asked how she felt about the fact that there have been no meetings this semester, Caldwell said in an interview with the Justice, before the meeting was rescheduled, “It is difficult because I want to help clubs but I can’t because the seats in the Senate have not been filled as they should be.”

“We as a Union are working our best to encourage student participation in the Union because of the effect that it has on our ability to better the campus,” added Caldwell.

After the Thursday meeting was scheduled, Caldwell wrote in an email to the Justice, “The Student Union is excited to have this Senate meeting kick off the new academic year. I know we will see some outstanding work from our current and future senators.”

—Alana Abramson contributed reporting.

ADMINISTRATION

Provost strengthens advisory council ■ Goldstein expanded his

faculty cabinet by using his appointment power to add faculty to the UAC.

By SARA DEJENE JUSTICE EDITOR

Provost Steve Goldstein ’78 and Chair of the Faculty Senate Prof.

Timothy Hickey (COSI) presented a pilot plan to increase faculty representation on the University Advisory Council during last Thursday’s faculty meeting.

According to the Faculty Handbook, which can be found on the Faculty Senate’s website, the provost appoints six faculty members to the UAC which provides advice to the provost concerning appointments and reappointments of academic officers and whether to launch or terminate departments, programs or other “academic units.” In addition, the UAC can provide advice on separate matters such as academic policies, university research and education development, organization and the University budget if requested to do so by the administration, as well as help draft legislation.

Goldstein said that the pilot plan would expand the UAC to include six original members appointed by the provost, as well as the chairs of the four school councils, the chairs of the University Budget and Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid Committees and 13 members of the faculty cabinet, which would be a subset of the UAC. At the meeting, Goldstein said that he wanted to bring together faculty and the administration, “empower” the UAC and give it a “more central role” in the University while staying in accordance with the Faculty Handbook.

“Coming in as a new provost, ... it seemed like a good time to make sure we had strong faculty representation on [the council],” said Goldstein in a phone interview with the Justice.

According to Hickey during the faculty meeting, if the pilot plan was successful, legislation would be introduced in the spring to permanently expand the UAC. According to Goldstein, the pilot plan will also indicate if the struc-

JON EDELSTEIN/the Justice

FACULTY ENGAGEMENT: Provost Goldstein spoke at his first faculty meeting Thursday following his appointment over the summer. ture of the an expanded UAC should be altered in any way before legislation is proposed.

At the faculty meeting, Goldstein answered questions and discussed concerns raised by faculty members.

One concern addressed was the impact the appointed committee

would have on elected bodies in the Senate. Goldstein stated that the expansion of the UAC is not meant to undermine other committees on the Senate.

Goldstein said that he felt that the faculty members were not involved enough and that the purpose of the UAC was to provide him with a con-

sultative resource.

“There are standing committees and ad hoc committees that evaluate various aspects of the institution,” said Goldstein. “This [council] will provide, I think, a strong place to bring the results of those evaluations to try and and take the information and move forward.”

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

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STUDENT LIFE

New class size raises housing questions ■ Community Living is not

yet sure what impact the increase in first-years will have on future housing.

By ALANA ABRAMSON JUSTICE EDITOR

The expansion of the first-year class has resulted in an increased amount of students residing in lofted triples, double rooms that are converted so that three students can live there instead of two, Senior Director of Community Living Jeremy Leiferman wrote in an email to the Justice.

The Class of 2015 consists of approximately 864 students, with 108 midyears enrolling in January, totaling 972 students, Vice President of Students and Enrollment Keenyn McFarlane wrote in an email to the Justice.

In comparison, McFarlane wrote that 869 students enrolled for the Class of 2014, with 761 students enrolled in the fall semester and 108 enrolled in January.

Dean of Admissions Mark Spencer explained in a phone interview with the Justice that the decision to increase class size stemmed from the economic downturn in 2009.

He said the University would maintain this goal of enrolling 855 students for the Class of 2016.

There are 75 lofted triple rooms this year that house a total of 225 first-year students, Leiferman wrote.

This number represents an increase from last year, when, according to Leiferman, there were 30 lofted triples, with 90 students living in them.

This conversion of a double room into a lofted triple is, however, will not affect the midyear class. Leiferman wrote that the members of the midyear class will live in the Village in place of the students going abroad in the spring.

“At this point, it looks like there will be just slightly greater than 100 midyears arriving this January,” he wrote.

“Those students will be assigned to spaces in the Village vacated by students going abroad in the spring,” he continued, adding, “we do not anticipate needing to assign midyears to lofted triple rooms for this spring.”

Currently, first-years and sophomores are guaranteed housing, but not the junior and senior classes.

Leiferman emphasized that this policy would not change with the increased size of the firstyear class, but noted that “the increased number of sophomores next year will likely result in fewer beds for juniors and seniors.”

“We have not yet set up designations for [the academic year] 2012-13, but there will definitely be a higher need for sophomore housing for next year given the increased numbers. Sophomores are still guaranteed housing.”

According to Leiferman, the Department of Community Living will begin working on the housing arrangements for the 2012-2013 year in the next few weeks.

“We are not yet sure of the specific impact that the increased number of sophomores will have,” he explained.

When asked if the expanded number of triples had yielded complaints, Leiferman responded that the DCL had not received “any complaints, per se.”

“We do [recognize] that living in a triple is not an easy situation and requires a little more effort on the students behalf to manage a tighter space and additional relationships,” he wrote.

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

STUDENT LIFE

SEPT. 11: TEN YEARS LATER

Sustainability fund proposal newly revised ■ A proposal to install

micro wind turbines, which was changed for financial and environmental reasons, will now fund solar-powered lights instead.

By ERICA COOPERBERG JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The Brandeis Sustainability Fund microturbine proposal, one of five projects approved and implemented this past academic year, has been altered due to financial and environmental issues, according to Brandeis Sustainability Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal ’03, in an interview with the Justice.

The BSF is a “grant-making fund for Brandeis sustainability project supported by a $15 a year undergraduate student fee,” according to the BSF Annual Report from 2010-2011. The 20102011 academic year marked the program’s inaugural year for distributing grants.

The decision to change Dorian Williams’ ’13 original proposal from installing micro wind turbines to solar-power lights was made after further research into the actual implementation of the project, said Cohen-Rosenthal.

“The vendor didn’t give enough information at the beginning stages [of discussing the project] of the real financial payback from the system,” she explained. “We realized it wasn’t a good choice.”

The solar power is a “better fit for the campus,” according to the Annual Report, and CohenRosenthal said that it has also led to a “great partnership” between the BSF and Brandeis Facilities Services. “Brandeis wanted to replace the lighting poles around campus with more efficient ones, but the additional cost to do solar wasn’t affordable,” she said.

The two organizations joined together to cover the expense; facilities paid for the new poles and the BSF paid for the solar component. The seven solarpowered lights were installed along the entrance to campus over the summer.

As a result of the challenges that occurred during the implementation process, CohenRosenthal said that changes have

been made to the BSF Constitution.

“There will be more steps in the process,” she said. “For example, if a project involves an outside vendor, we want more firm information earlier in the process so that things … can be worked out before we allocate the money.”

The Greener Residence Hall project, which centers around using worm composting, is “going great,” according to CohenRosenthal, although right now one set of the worms and one vermiculture bin is not in its intended location.

Due to Tropical Storm Irene, both sets are currently in Deroy Residence Hall on the community living floor.

Cohen-Rosenthal said that the set intended for Village B should be transported there by the end of the week.

This pilot green-living floor in Deroy was a “great result of the project,” said Cohen-Rosenthal.

The 20 students living on the hall are part of the Common Cause Community “Thinking Green,” and as a part of which they are “committed to doing sustainability and environmental projects.”

The Smart Meters project, proposed by Sam Porter ’14, is intended to “monitor electricity consumption” in various buildings around campus in order to “curb consumption,” according to the Annual Report.

They have been installed in all of the buildings in Massell Residence Quad, the Village and in the Shapiro Campus Center.

Although the dashboards were all functioning over the summer, Cohen-Rosenthal said that currently three are not working properly due to a “server error,” but they will hopefully be operational by next week.

Cohen-Rosenthal explained that the concept for the project is built on the idea that information begets change. “It’s been proven that when people have access to information, they change their behavior.”

With the Smart Meters, students can track in realtime how much energy and electricity is being used in each of the buildings in which they have been installed.

The other two projects, DeisBikes 2.0 and Oh the Things We’ll Grow!, both require “constant student involvement,” said CohenRosenthal, but have been going smoothly.

YIFAN HE/the Justice

POINTS OF VIEW: From left to right, Prof. Daniel Kryder (POL), adjunct Lecturer Isabella Jean, Michael Perloff ’12 and Prof. Kanan Makya (IMES) offered different perspectives on the events of Sept. 11 and the effect it had on their communities and generations.

Panel reflects on impact of 9/11 ■ The four-member panel

discussed differing responses to the attack, national unity and international relations.

By DANIELLE GROSS JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life hosted a panel event titled “9/11: How It Has Changed Our Thinking” in the Shapiro Campus Center Art Gallery this past Wednesday. Four panelists discussed the implications and effects that September 11, 2001 had on the world, America, the Brandeis community and each individual touched by the catastrophe. The timing of this event fell near the tenth anniversary of the tragedy and was one of the activities at Brandeis commemorating the historic day.

Vice President for Global Affairs Daniel Terris was the moderator for the event. The panel consisted of Prof. Kanan Makiya (IMES), Fulbright scholar Prof. Daniel Kryder (POL), international peacebuilding and development consultant Isabella Jean and Eli J. Segal Citizen Leadership Fellow Michael Perloff ’12.

At the start of the function, Terris announced that although it is important to remember the events of that day, “The event today is not for memory alone, but for reflection and thinking ... to see how we feel on fundamental issues that have come up since this day.”

Questions were asked of the

panel and then discussed before the audience asked their own questions. The concept of unity, differing responses to the attacks and the notion of a lost opportunity for America to gain international relationships were discussed.

Kryder originally introduced the idea of lost opportunities for America, which was also discussed by the other panelists. Kryder’s point was that in a time where America should have been working on their international relations and engaging in communication with the rest of the world, Americans instead looked inside themselves and came out with a sense of patriotism.

In one answer, Kryder discussed how people’s fears have risen and fallen since 9/11. He also added that “there is a paradox behind this process: the more successful the American National Security State is in protecting us, the less fearful we are, even though the threats may still be there. We begin to grow complacent within ourselves.”

While he noted how important the feelings of togetherness and pride are, he also mentioned that America could have strengthened its relationship with other countries.

The panelists each offered a different perspective based on their own personal experiences. Perloff spoke from the point of view of a generation raised not in fear, but in bewilderment of the event, while Makiya discussed the issue from the perspective of an Iraqi citizen.

Jean discussed the physical effects such as hate crimes and wars since that day, and Kryder answered each question from the perspective

of a political scientist.

After Terris was done asking his questions of the panelists, the floor was opened to take questions and comments from the audience.

Sarah Fahmy ’14 asked, “What positives can we say came out of the attacks and events that took place on September 11?”

Perloff was the first to answer, discussing how it made even the most stubborn members of his generation grateful to soldiers. “There is this overwhelming sense of gratitude to soldiers which is dangerous in some ways; it often leads to a willingness to challenge, which allows us to let them get away with being negligent and unfair to civilians. At the same time though, the gratitude we express has instilled in many of us a respect for service and those who serve our country,” he said.

After the event, Barbara Stark ’12 noted that she was happy to be in attendance. She appreciated the openness of the panel when it came to such a serious topic and appreciated them being honest and explaining their differing opinions.

Stark’s only wish was that there had been more time for the event.

“I wish they had discussed more with everything that’s occurred now. We haven’t really discussed the future. We discussed the past and everything that happened with 9/11, what brought about 9/11,” she said. “It would have been interesting to hear opinions, like what do we do now? What do we do now that we’re in this huge deficit? What positive things can we do in the future, we never discussed that.”

FACULTY

Prof Hill to speak at conference on women’s advancement ■ The conference will also

feature Gloria Steinem, Maureen Dowd, Charles Ogletree and Louise Slaughter.

By JONATHAN EPSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) will be the keynote speaker at “Sex, Power and Speaking Truth: Anita Hill 20 Years Later,” a 1-day conference in New York City reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the confirmation hearings of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and analyzing current challenges facing women and minorities in the workplace.

The conference is being organized

by Letty Cottin Pogrebin ’59, a feminist activist and founding editor of Ms. Magazine, and Kathleen Peratis ’04, who is a founder of J

Street, an advocacy group on Israeli politics, and the chair of the sexual harassment practice group at the New York law firm Outten and Golden LLP. The Women and Gender Studies Program is one of the event’s cosponsors.

Hill stated that the conference would focus on the progress that women have made in the workplace since 1991, and what can be achieved in the near future. “A lot has happened since then in terms of women’s political advancement, women in the workplace, a lot of [sexual harassment] policies have been made,” she said in an interview with the Justice.

“We’ve had a chance really as a society to look at the issue of sexual harassment and really try to understand it, that kind of behavior and the harm that it does.”

The conference “represents a chance for a lot of really smart

people to think not only about what the last 20 years have meant, but what we need to do to keep moving forward on issues, on gender equality as well as racial equality,” Hill said.

Speakers at the event will include feminist author Gloria Steinem, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree and New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter.

In an interview with the Justice, Peratis said she seeks to use the confirmation hearings as a teachable moment. “I hope to introduce a whole new generation of young people, young women in particular, but young men also, to the drama and the transformational moment that older women like me experienced 20 years ago,” said Peratis. “There was before Anita Hill, and there was after Anita Hill.

So I’d like younger people to kind of get in touch with how significant

this was in making their world.”

Hill said the conference wouldn’t be focused on the confirmation hearings. “We need to understand what the event was, and people need to have a good picture of that, but the program is designed for us to really look forward, to look at the present and the future,” she said.

Pogrebin expressed in an interview with the Justice a desire for Hill to “join the pantheon of our heroes,” and praised her for maintaining grace and dignity during the 1991 confirmation hearings. She said she hopes this conference will spur a younger generation to act in solidarity and organize for an issue, such as equal pay or sexual harassment of restaurant workers.

Pogrebin said that Brandeis inspired her passion for activism.

“I was raised to be a girl until I got to Brandeis, … where I was taken seriously as a person with an

intellect and opinions.”

She said Former Profs. Abraham Maslow (PSYC) and Max Lerner (AMST), classmate Abbie Hoffman ’59 and former University President Abram Sachar were major influences in her life.

Pogrebin explained that her activism is “part of the heritage that was inculcated in me about Justice Brandeis, about the Jewish ethical imperative, about the ethos of not standing by when things are wrong.”

Peratis similarly cited Judaism and its “values of justice and loving kindness and the responsibility to pursue them” as the source of her dedication to helping other people.

The conference will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Hunter College in New York City. Hunter College was chosen as the site for the conference because a similar conference was held there in April 1992, according to Pogrebin.

THE JUSTICE

PLAN: Goldstein to play a major role in planning CONTINUED FROM 1 Provost Steve Goldstein to that role, he said that Goldstein would have an important part in the planning process.

Lawrence said in a June interview with the Justice, “One of the most important goals for Steve is that he will play a very important leadership role in the strategic planning process that will begin even this summer and continue on through into the fall as we begin to plan the next steps for Brandeis.”

Goldstein also emphasized the role of a strategic plan for the University’s future. “I think where we are is excellent, where we’ve come in 60 years is impressive, and where we can go is hard to fathom, and so I think the strategic plan is crucial to charting the right course for the next 5 to 10 years, and so I am enthusiastic about being involved in that with all levels of the institution,” he said in a June interview with the Justice.

At the faculty meeting, Goldstein said he needs suggestions from faculty in order to “set the stage, to frame the

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

5

JOBS IN JUSTICE

discourse, to formulate the strategic questions, that by [responding to these suggestions] we will design the next 3 to 5 years.” Goldstein added that this is about looking at what the next 60 years “ought to be.” He described it as a transition from adolescence into adulthood for the University.

This portrayal of a strategic plan follows Lawrence’s Aug. 17 email to the Brandeis community. In the email, he noted his goal to expand Brandeis as a global liberal arts university, his recent summer trip to Israel his upcoming trip to India, and the faculty symposia that were held the week of his inauguration.

At the September faculty meeting, Prof. Aida Wong (FA), a faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, reported that at the previous board meeting, “Lawrence introduced an interactive format of discussion.”

The board divided into several breakout sessions and discussed—in groups of 6 or 7—the priorities of the University. “The board didn’t want to be left out of this very exciting time in the University’s history,” said Wong.

DINING: Sides do not agree on health care CONTINUED FROM 1

advocate for fair policies at the place we call home about 8 months out of the year.”

According to Simon, the main point of contention between Aramark and the unionized workers concerns which specific health insurance package will cover the workers under a new contract.

“They [the representatives of Aramark] are proposing to move from one health plan that is provided by Tufts [Health Plan] to a different health plan that is provided by Tufts but that has dramatically, dramatically lower levels of coverage. When you say lower levels of coverage, the other way to say it is dramatically higher costs for the workers,” stated Simon.

Simon said that the union offered Aramark what he called a “rational alternative,” a health insurance plan from Unite HERE’s health insurance trust fund that would “decrease Ara-

mark’s costs significantly and provide an even higher level of benefits than the workers are currently getting with their current plan.”

In a interview with the Justice, Julie Richards, the head shop steward of the unionized Dining Services workers and also a cashier in the Usdan Café, echoed Simon’s concern about the issue of health insurance coverage.

“We love working [at Brandeis], you know. But we also need to have the insurance, you know. It’s all about the insurance, I think. ... It’s coming together on a few other things, but the insurance they’re holding back on, which makes everyone kind of worried,” said Richards.

According to Simon, “We’re hopeful that Aramark is going to to come to the table ready to agree to something that people can agree to that does not involve taking away their heath insurance or worsening their health insurance.”

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

CAREER FORUM: Prof. David Cunningham (SOC) spoke about how one can pursue a career in social justice while at Brandeis.

Alumni and professor discuss social justice ■ The forum provided

opportunities for students to network with alumni with careers in social justice.

TRADITIONS

By SHANI ABRAMOWITZ JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice

A meal of celebration Students prepare free food for the Korean Student Association Chuseok, which took place last Sunday.

The University along with the Hiatt Career Center and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management hosted the SoJust Leadership Forum last Tuesday in the Hassenfeld Conference center in Upper Sherman.

The forum, titled “Journeys in Social Justice, Beyond Brandeis,” was designed to encourage students to pursue careers in social justice and utilize resources that are largely available to them at Brandeis.

Prof. David Cunningham (SOC) opened the program with a few remarks on what it means to pursue social justice during one’s career at Brandeis and far beyond it as well.

Cunningham also spoke about what the event was essentially designed to accomplish, saying that the SoJust forum was crafted to sustainably connect current and former University students in their efforts to work toward careers in social justice in the nonprofit and private sector worlds.

Following Cunningham’s opening remarks, the panel began the informal question-and-answer segment of the evening.

The panel consisted of Yaser

Robles ’03, substitute lecturer of Social Sciences at Bronx Community College; Andrew Slack ’02, executive director of the Harry Potter Alliance; Rosaline Salifu MA/SID ’11, a former program manager for the Social Investment Fund in Ghana; Maicharia Lytle, executive director of Lift Boston; and David Warren ’85, director of education for the Anti-Defamation League.

Several questions were posed to the panelists, ranging from their personal experiences at Brandeis to the immense difficulty they faced when trying to plan their ultimate or ideal careers in social justice.

When asked to describe his journey from Brandeis to his current position as director of education for the Anti-Defamation League, Warren spoke about how his initial academic comforts were not necessarily the right skills to depend on.

“Back when I was in school, internship and practicum opportunities weren’t what they are now, so I really had a very linear path,” Warren said. “I was a Politics major here, and I really had a sense all the way through that, based on what I perceived to be my skill set over time, and after a number of different experiences and opportunities, I came to discover skills I never thought I’d be exercising.”

In an email to the Justice, Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12, who helped promote and plan the

forum, wrote, “Members from the Hiatt Career Center, Ethics Center, and the Schuster Institute [for Investigative Journalism] wanted to put more emphasis on the social justice that Brandeis is known for.

What better way than to invite Brandeis alumni who have pursued a social justice route in their professional lives after Brandeis?”

“I think the main goal was to get a conversation going on what students could do with social justice outside of school.

It was also a networking event, and we created a nice atmosphere to fulfill both goals,” Rosen wrote.

In an interview with the Justice, Haley Orlofsky ’14 spoke about how the informal Q-and-A with the panelists inspired her to pursue her dream of working toward a career in social justice.

“Personally, I’ve always had a passion for social justice and I’m still learning and trying to figure out what direction I want to go in,” said Orlofsky, “And it’s refreshing to hear from people and know that it’s okay to not know 100 percent how to do it, but that all the experiences along the way are what help you achieve that,” she said.

When asked why she attended the event, Caroline Duchin ’13, spoke about the resourcefulness of the event.

“I hope from this event to gain more of an idea of what people do in general, related to social justice at Brandeis and afterward,” she said in an interview with the Justice.

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THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

VERBATIM | JOSEPH ADDISON Friendship improves happiness and abates misery by doubling our joys and dividing our grief.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 2001, civilian aircraft traffic resumed in the U.S. after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Every second, over 7,000 CocaCola products are consumed.

JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

ADVOCATING COEXISTENCE: Ghaith al-Omari (right) discussed UN recognition of a Palestinian state at an event sponsored by the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies held in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.

Turning

conflict into

coexistence JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

NOTABLE SPEAKER: David Makovsky, Ziegler distinguished fellow, spoke as well.

JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

CAPTIVATED CROWD: Attendees learned about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Makovsky and al-Omari examined the possibility of a Palestinian state By tess raser justice editor

Noam Chomsky, Tzipi Livni, Heddy Epstein, Avi Dector and Michael Oren have all spoken at Brandeis on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and inspired protests and strong responses from the student body. However, the semester’s first speakers on the conflict brought a message of coexistence that invited students to approach the discourse with civility.

The event, “UN Recognition of Palestinian Statehood: A New Dawn or Another Debacle,” was led by David Makovsky and Ghaith al-Omari and was sponsored by the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies last Wednesday. Prof. Ilan Troen (NEJS) and Prof.

Shai Feldman (POL) brought the speakers to campus.

Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow and the director of the Washington Institute’s Project on the Middle East Peace Process. The institute’s mission is “to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East,” according to its website. Makovsky, an adjunct lecturer at Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, is a published author on the topic of the Middle East and is also an experienced journalist, according to the Schusterman Center’s website.

His partner, al-Omari, is the executive director at the American Task Force in Palestine, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to advocating that it is in the American national interest to promote an end to the conflict in the Middle East through a negotiated agreement that provides for two states —Israel and Palestine—to live side by side in peace and security,” according to its website. Al-Omari also has been director of the International Relations Department in the Office of the Palestinian President and an advisor to former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

Makovsky and al-Omari have been traveling to college campuses across the country to speak about the Palestinian government’s decision to go to the United Nations this month to request statehood, which, if granted, will result in Israel illegally occupying land.

Troen, director of the Schusterman Center, introduced the event held in Hassenfeld Conference Center by say-

ing, “We are here to [question] why [the resolution] has gathered such support.” He made a continued effort to remind students that the event was not an occasion for “casting a ballot but [for] learning.”

Makovksy and al-Omari discussed the importance of having both Palestinian and Israeli states.

“You don’t have a strong Palestine by tearing down Israel, and you don’t have a strong Israel by tearing down Palestine,” Makovksy said, emphasizing the United States’ role in this process.

Al-Omari presented the question of whether or not the U.S. should be responsible for any possible reactions that could happen the day after the vote and acknowledged that, after the statehood vote, the U.S. could potentially react to public anger, as there is a strong American national interest in the results.

“I think that we [want to] go through the array of options for Palestinians at the United Nations, but … we are more concerned with how the issue is handled the day after. It could turn into a very violent, contentious situation,” Makovsky said on the U.S.’s role and on the role of his colleagues and himself. However, alOmari stated in an interview with the Justice that they are relatively confident in the U.S.’s foreign policy.

“We will find a compromise … to ensure [Israeli security as well as Palestinian].” The problem, according to al-Omari, will come if policy makers and politicians respond emotionally to the conflict. Both speakers found this to be counterproductive in the discourse surrounding the conflict in the Middle East and noted that this, unfortunately, was seen most on college campuses. “[Students] should be ahead of the curve. We’ve visited over 25 campuses, and sadly they tend to be much more behind the curve and not looking for solutions but looking to point fingers,” Makovsky said in an interview with the Justice. Makovsky’s and al-Omari’s ultimate message to campuses is the importance of productive, civil discourse. “[We’re] trying to focus on what counts, which is coexistence,” Makovsky said. The speakers then noted that at practically every university they have gone to, students were separated on the issue and oftentimes

resorted to using polemics and arguments for their respective sides based on emotions and a desire to change history.

“It’s not a question of history. We cannot really negotiate history. The past is the past, and we each have our own narratives,” al-Omari said.

Al-Omari affirmed the importance of narratives in the conflict with his claim that the conflict is about lives instead of primarily about land, but he also revealed the negative effects of reliance on personal narratives in the contentious conversation.

“We feel that there are many politicians out there who want to do the right things but are afraid … that they will get [negative responses] because emotions are so high,” he said.

Encountering students passionate about the topic, al-Omari and Makovsky find that university students need to look for solutions that give Palestinians the justice they need and Israelis the security they need. “We believe that there are pragmatic solutions,” said Makovsky.

Students from groups such as the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace were all represented at the event with open ears and minds. Hopefully, the event marks the beginning of a year of open dialogue and civil discourse surrounding the conflict. Ashraf Hussein ’12, who found the event “hopeful and promising,” shares Makovsky and alOmari’s general view of the conflict.

“At the end of the day, actions have to be taken. [A] Palestinian independent state has to be established next to the Jewish state, and the two nations need to coexist.”

“I hope that this [event] foreshadows the rest of the year,” Sarah Geller ’13 of BIPAC said, who sees herself as having moderate views and would like to see this event set the groundwork for progressive, civil discussions.

Makovsky and al-Omari hope that students walked away from the event realizing that the discourse is not as contentious as college students want it to be or try to make it, instead they hope that students realize, “Wow, coexistence. That’s doable,” Makovsky said.

“This is not pie in the sky, and that’s our goal: … that college students be beyond the curve,” he said.

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

BROOKE ISMACH/Justice File Photo

“You want to believe that things are going to be the same, but you can’t see how they are going to be.”

Elizabeth Fischer ’05

“9/11 is what happened to us.

9/12 and every day thereafter is how we respond to it.”

President Lawrence

10 years

COPING WITH THEIR GRIEF: The Brandeis community gathered to mourn together on Sept. 11, 2001 after hearing the shocking news that the twin towers were just attacked by terrorists.

2819 lives

8

HISTORIC NEWS: Hundred

9/11

then & now

JANEY ZITOMER/the Justice

9/11 RESPONSE: President Lawrence spoke at the Sunday event about community actions in the aftermath of 9/11.

JANEY ZITOMER/the Ju

A COMFORTING COMMUNITY: Brandeis students mourn the Sept. 11, 2001 attack a decade late

THE JUSTICE

Justice File Photo

ds of Brandeis students crowded around a small television on campus in 2001 to watch the live national coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

Justice File Photo

SHOCK: A Brandeis student sits in disbelief of the day’s events.

Community commemorates terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 CONTINUED FROM 1 They were just as upset as anybody, and we were almost self-embarrassed that it had even crossed our mind,” he said.

With the nation in panic and a country on a high-security alert, the senior administration met on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 with a large agenda of serious decisions to discuss.

Frantic parents sent emails to the school, and many proposed shutting things down.

“Obviously, Brandeis is a very high-profile university. We have a lot of Jews [and] international students. [It’s] a microcosm of everyone from everywhere,” Director of Public Safety Edward Callahan said in an interview with Justice.

Though the University worked to keep things calm and somewhat normal on campus, important measures were taken to tighten security at Brandeis as most of the country began to reevaluate its security. The University created a crisis communication team in addition to improving the campus notification systems, which resulted in the external siren system on campus today.

A checkpoint at the main entrance moni-

ustice

er.

tored all traffic and pedestrians entering campus, staffed around the clock by Waltham police officers and Brandeis public safety officers. Callahan received updates from the Department of Homeland Security and trained Brandeis staff to be building captains who would know what to do in an emergency.

Many of the security messages that go out on campus today are a result of the events 10 years ago.

“It was a tough day to get through. Not just the day, but the weeks, the months, the years afterwards. … We were in a time period when people would report suspicious packages because they were afraid of mail bombings. …

It was a tumultuous time,” Callahan said.

A decade later, this past Sunday, hundreds of Brandeis students gathered around the heart-shaped Chapels Pond in an event coordinated by the Interfaith Chaplaincy and the Student Union to remember the day in 2001.

“Historians all around the world called 9/11 a defining moment. A day which would define our generation. How we acted, how we thought, how we believed, all in the aftermath of September 2001,” Herbie Rosen ’12 said in the opening speech of the event.

Muslim, Jewish and Christian students, unable to grasp the enormity of the historic tragedy at the time when the World Trade Center came down, sat huddled together on Sunday. No less confused by the events of 2001, they were marked by a sense of purpose as adults.

“9/11 is what happened to us. 9/12 and every day thereafter is how we respond to it,” University President Frederick Lawrence said at the event, remarking on the loss of national innocence on 9/11. His parents’ generation experienced a similar loss on Dec. 7, 1941 with the attack on Pearl Harbor and in his own generation on Nov. 22, 1963 with the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he said.

Unable to ever return to Sept. 10, 2001, Lawrence stressed the importance of our actions in the aftermath, both as part of society and the smaller Brandeis community.

“It’s an incredible community, and we cannot waste it. In our small campus of 3,000-something students, we have proven time and time again that we shall be here in support of one another, no matter what the circumstances may be,” Rosen said of the chance to act together.

TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice

COMING TOGETHER: The Brandeis community gathered on Sunday at Chapels Pond to memorialize the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

“Consider what your contribution might be while appreciating the opportunity and fortune to be here as a community.”

Echoing the sentiments of Rosen and Lawrence, Rawda Aljawhary ’13 and Rachel Downs ’13 presented Brandeis with an interfaith challenge posed by President Barack Obama to 2,000 colleges and universities across the country to do a year of interfaith service. “Sept. 11 can be a day that reminds us of divisions. … As Brandeis students, this is not how we face tragedy,” Aljawhary said. Along with 200 other schools, Brandeis is planning a year of interfaith dialogue and programs to create understanding of the diversity on campus.

Following the vigil, students celebrated the importance of community at a barbecue cosponsored by the Department of Student Activities and Chabad at Brandeis.

“I think that with all the challenges we’ve talked about [which] are real and [that] we have, that we can take enormous pride as a society and as a campus in how we’ve responded,” Lawrence said.

—Andrew Wingens contributed reporting.

ASHLEY LAU/the Justice

LOOKING FORWARD: Rev. Alex Kern gave a message of hope and peace.

9

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TUESDAY, September 13, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

Justice Justice

the the

Established 1949, Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Established 1949

Emily Kraus, Editor in Chief Nashrah Rahman, Managing Editor Brian N. Blumenthal, Production Editor Hillel Buechler, Deputy Editor Alana Abramson, Rebecca Blady, Rebecca Klein, Asher Krell, Tess Raser and Robyn Spector, Associate Editors Sara Dejene and Andrew Wingens, News Editors Dafna Fine, Features Editor Eitan Cooper, Forum Editor Jeffrey Boxer, Sports Editor Wei-Huan Chen and Ariel Kay, Arts Editors Yosef Schaffel and Tali Smookler, Photography Editors Nan Pang, Acting Layout Editor Marielle Temkin, Copy Editor Cody Yudkoff, Advertising Editor

Ten years later, we remember On the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, this editorial board remembers the 2,977 innocent men and women whose lives were taken in the deadly attacks. On that fateful morning, people all over the world were challenged by a completely altered reality. Witnesses to the explosions and their aftermath experienced a tremor of unease, as their lives were temporarily derailed. But on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy, our thoughts are primarily with the tens of thousands of family members and friends who were directly and indirectly affected, and whose lives are more than just derailed; they will never be the same again.

We also remember the 6,240 fatalities and the 45,170 men and women who have been wounded—the majority of whom were between the ages of 18-23— as a result of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan conducted over the past 10 years. As we pursue our undergradu-

Tragedy affected thousands ate degrees and enter the most adventurous stage of our lives, thousands of Americans our age are still waging two wars more than 6,000 miles away.

Their dedication and self-sacrifice are unmatched, and we are indebted to them.

The 10th anniversary of the attacks is cause for individual introspection and communal reflection. And as many speakers noted at Sunday’s memorial ceremony at the Chapels Pond area, the anniversary can be used as an opportunity for a deep sense of empowerment and tolerance.

However, even though the 10th anniversary of the tragedy is significant, the number of years passed is just that: a number. For the families and friends of victims directly affected, and for others who were indirectly affected, the 11th anniversary of the attacks will be no different than the 10th.

Transportation concerns As the semester begins, we encourage the administration, the Student Union and the Department of Public Safety to reconsider the efficiency of transportation from campus to Boston. For many students, Brandeis’ close proximity to Boston is a major draw. As the Brandeis admissions website boasts: “Getting downtown is a breeze.” However, many students are well aware that this is not the case. Shuttle service is infrequent on the weekends, and the commuter rail is neither especially convenient nor cheap. If the University wishes to continue to use Boston as a selling point for incoming students, it should consider expanding options for students to access the city on the weekends, especially given the shifts in the dynamic of residential life on campus.

It is particularly important that the University reassess its transportation policy now, because fewer students have access to their own methods of transportation.

This year marks the first time sophomores have been prohibited from parking cars on campus. This means that many sophomores who previously had the option to explore different parts of Waltham, Boston and other local areas on the weekends are no longer able to do so via car. Because many campus locations, including many dining facilities and the libraries, are closed on Saturday and Sunday mornings, having a car proved quite useful for those who wanted to get an earlier breakfast or simply needed to get an earlier start on the weekend.

Now that students can neither access campus resources nor leave campus for whatever reason on weekend mornings, their options have become much more limited, reinforcing the need for more transportation provided by the University.

As stated earlier, the commuter rail, which costs roughly $9 roundtrip, is not the most ideal option for students who would love to explore Boston but are constrained by budgetary concerns.

Increase service to Boston Consequently, it cannot be deemed an automatic alternative option for students when the shuttle is not running as frequently as they would like it to.

The free shuttle service Brandeis offers is a tremendous incentive to experience the rich opportunities provided by a city; without it, some may choose not to go at all.

A potential solution to this is a weekend shuttle to Riverside Station. The station is approximately a 7-minute drive from campus via I-95. From Riverside, students can take the MBTA Green Line, which costs less than $2 and allows students to access the various stops the train makes en route to downtown Boston. Boston and its suburbs provide a vast array of opportunity, whether it be artistic, historical or cultural, and Brandeis students should be given ample opportunity to benefit from them.

Regardless of whether this solution is feasible, we also encourage Public Safety to consider scheduling more Boston shuttle loops in the morning over weekends and also making BranVans available before noon for those who are interested in getting to Waltham earlier. This will allow students who wish to start their day earlier to do so. In particular, first-years and sophomores, who cannot keep cars on campus, will be able to more easily access other places in Waltham and Boston. Having more BranVans and Crystal Shuttles on weekend mornings will alleviate the frustration some students have with staying on a quiet, inactive campus early on the weekends.

Due to the lack of frequent and efficient transportation to Boston, it is now far more difficult for more students to get into the city. Nine miles is not a far distance to travel, but if the University wants its students to have access to the art, entertainment and cosmopolitan culture that Boston has to offer, it must consider altering the system in place.

NASHRAH RAHMAN/the Justice

LGBTQ patients aren’t any different Aaron

Fried Free Thought

OP-BOX Quote of the Week “Never stop pushing yourself. You ultimately control how far you take your talent.”

—Robert St. Laurence ’11 on nabbing a starring role in the New Repertory Theatre’s production of ‘RENT’ (See Arts, page 21.)

Brandeis Talks Back Given the fact that I am very liberal regarding social issues, I often find myself agreeing with gay-rights activists when they argue that homosexuals ought to have the same rights and privileges as anyone else. After all, if we are truly able to associate freely in this country, is it anyone’s business what two consenting adults do behind closed doors? That being said, many activist movements begin with a just cause, but as they gain ground, their mission tends to creep into areas it was not originally intended to­­—and in many cases, does not belong.

A recent Huffington Post article takes the position that medical schools do not properly teach their students how to deal with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer patients. To be frank, the article was very disappointing. I had been expecting some sort of 1980s-esque outrage in which certain religious groups refused to acknowledge LGBTQ’s patients as anything except “divine retribution” or some similar nonsense. Instead, I was met with what can be described as a complaint simply for its own sake. The article cited several surveys that showed a supposed dearth of training for medical students in order to deal with LGBTQ patients. While I do think that it is very important for doctors to be well aware of the types of patients they may encounter, I’m slightly perplexed as to why it would take a special type of training to prepare a physician to deal with LGBTQ patients.

If, theoretically, half of the LGBTQ population was missing a kidney, I’d agree with the complaint and help encourage medical schools to spend more time teaching their students how to properly care for that. But the simple fact is that there is no medical condition that arises directly as a result a person’s sexual orientation. This, of course, means that any time spent discussing anatomy, physiology and diseases to the entire population.

It is important for your physician to know whether or not you are sexually active so they can be properly aware of the sexually transmitted diseases that you are at risk for. This is true for everyone—straight, gay, bisexual, or otherwise. However, it is not necessary for your doctor to know with whom you have been sexually active, as the bacteria and viruses that cause venereal diseases do not know, nor do they particularly care, what your sexual orientation is. The only sexually transmitted disease to ever be closely linked to sexual orientation was HIV, which was wrongly believed by many to be caused by homosexuality. By now, of course, virologists have shown us that this is not the case and that HIV can infect anyone with whom it comes into contact. The way I see it, doctors already spend too little time with patients, and their time would be better spent worrying about what is wrong with their patients’ bodies rather than whom they share them with.

That is not to say that future doctors should not be aware of a segment of our population’s habits and culture. Just as medical students are taught that certain cultures view eye contact as a sign of disrespect, they should also be told about the LGBTQ community. For example, budding doctors should be well aware that LGBTQ patients are more likely to be depressed and have a drug or alcohol dependency.

They should also be aware that the reasons behind this likely stem from those patients not being accepted by their friends, family and peers. This is all a part of ensuring that young doctors have a reassuring and understanding bedside manner— something that medical schools already teach. According to the article, the average medical school spent 3.43 hours discussing homosexuality; I think that is more than enough time to explain the psychiatric risks within a certain population to intelligent medical students who, in this day and age, are probably quite aware of it anyway.

Doctors are always told to “do no harm.” The Huffington Post article expresses concern that homosexual patients will be indirectly harmed because of homophobia in the medical establishment. In fact, they mentioned that homosexual patients are twice as likely to avoid medical care as a result. This cannot be corrected in a medical school classroom, but rather in everyday life. Medical students can be taught to be respectful of their LGBTQ patients and their issues, but every individual needs to learn to be tolerant of those who may be different. Lessons like this start at home with family, or in a conversation among friends—they should not need to be learned in a classroom.

What do you remember the most from September 11, 2001?

Matt Eames ’13 “I remember coming home from school and the conversation we had in the car. And I didn’t understand what was going on.”

Vicky Negus ’12 “Sitting in homeroom in 6th grade, and everybody watched TV, and we didn’t have class the entire day.”

Andrew Lee ’15 “Well, I was in 6th grade. I remember the TV captured the plane crashing into the tower.”

Sadye Sagov ’13 “I remember I was in 5th grade. My teacher’s hand was shaking really badly, and she kept doing all the addition wrong, and we didn’t know why.”

—Compiled by Rebecca Klein Photos by Tess Raser/ the Justice

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, September 13, 2011

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Allow collegiate athletes to have sponsors

By Jeffrey Boxer JUSTICE editor

For the 2010-2011 season, the Ohio State University football team took in more than $50 million in revenue for the university. Former head coach Jim Tressel made $3.5 million in salary for the 2010 calendar year, yet the school still turned an eight-digit profit off of the team.

The Buckeyes finished last season with a 12-1 record and a victory in a prestigious bowl game (before Ohio State’s entire season was forfeited because of NCAA violations). The university, Tressel and even the water boys, ticket salesmen and food vendors profited from the Buckeyes’ successful season. So why didn’t the players?

The question of whether or not athletes deserve to be paid has haunted collegiate sports for years. Many have argued that they should be, citing the millions that many universities take in in revenue and the countless hours lost to practices, workouts and travelling to games that could otherwise have been spent earning an income. Others have argued against paying student athletes, arguing that amateurism is an important part of the collegiate game, that many athletes receive athletic scholarships and that it would wreak havoc on the athletics departments for the many schools that don’t profit from their athletic programs.

The short answer is that they’re both right.

While it’s unfair that athletes work incredibly long hours without compensation, collegiate athletics are amateur by nature. Student athletes have every right to turn professional at any time, and though leagues such as the National Football League and the National Basketball Association may have minimum age requirements for competing, there are numerous semipro and international leagues that do not.

But more importantly, there is no fair way to pay college athletes. If Ohio State decided to start paying its football team, wouldn’t the Buckeyes’ cross country team also deserve to be paid? And if Ohio State’s cross country team is paid, then shouldn’t Georgetown University’s? Or Brandeis’, for that matter? How much would athletes be paid, and who would pay them?

Title IX issues of equitable pay for men and women would arise, and universities across the country would be forced to drastically cut their academic programs. No truly viable solution to these issues has been proposed, and it’s hard to imagine that one will ever be constructed.

But there is another solution to the issue that has the potential to satisfy both sides: letting athletes earn money on the side. Right now, college athletes are allowed to have certain jobs, but they are limited in the amount of pay that they can receive per semester, and

ARIELLE SHORR/the Justice

they are not allowed to profit off of their image in any way, shape or form.

To me, this is ludicrous. Ohio State earned millions in ticket sales based on former starquarterback Terrell Pryor’s image and performance last season. So why is Pryor not allowed to see any of the profit?

Current rules allowed Pryor to work a few hours a week at the local 7/11, but he isn’t allowed to be sponsored, get paid for appearances at local events or receive any kind of benefits for his spectacular on-field performance.

Why not let Pryor earn money in any way that he can?

Petty rule violations by Pryor and his teammates last season, such as receiving free tattoos, led to Tressel’s resignation and caused

the university to forfeit its entire season. If small financial gains were no longer rule violations, the Buckeyes’ season would not have been forfeited, and Tressel would likely still have his job.

This solution could potentially satisfy all sides of the equation. Popular athletes would earn their share of the pie, but, unlike if they were forced to pay athletes, athletics departments would not be forced to close up shop, and top schools would not enter into bidding wars for star recruits. The NCAA would save millions of dollars and countless headaches that have resulted from minor financial infractions.

It would also deal with the problem of how much athletes deserve to be paid, which

would in essence be tied to their performance.

If Gatorade wants to sponsor Pryor, then they should be allowed to do so. If Pryor’s former offensive lineman could sell autographs and old jerseys for a few hundred dollars each, then so be it.

If that means that John Doe, Ohio State’s middling cross-country runner, doesn’t earn any money during his time at the university, then frankly, that’s life.

This solution is far from perfect, but the NCAA is a far from perfect institution. The debate over how to compensate college athletes will continue until a solution is finally worked out.

But in the meantime, let’s let athletes try to earn their keep.

Avoid negative prevalence of “lower education” Hannah

Goldberg Everything Illuminated This week, Michael Morris, professor of psychology at the University of New Haven, published an article in Inside Higher Ed titled “Lower Education.”

In his article, Morris vented his current grievances concerning the prevalence of college graduates who, it seems, did not learn the most rudimentary skills inherent to a substantial college career.

The author attributes the blame to professors. He calls upon the trend that, due to increasingly aggressive students who more and more expect to receive an “A” for simply putting forth effort, professors are coerced to inflate the grades of their students in order to maintain their own positive reputation as teachers—thus permitting subpar students to attain college degrees.

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However, I believe that this trend of ill-prepared college graduates is not a symptom of the professor’s unfortunate position.

Instead, it’s more a symptom of a ruthlessly competitive career market that requires job applicants to have a college degree that may be unrelated to their desired job and also provides a financial incentive for universities to lower their requirements when accepting students.

It is disappointing that many job applicants may find it necessary to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a college degree simply to be noticed by employers.

We now live in a world where the education requirements, even for retail jobs, are artificially and unnecessarily high because a college degree is now considered a standard component of education and job-preparedness.

Morris’ article explains that lower-tier universities have opened up their doors to students who, in ordinary circumstances, might not consider a college career. These universities are not necessarily looking for the best and the brightest students. They are more than happy to accept the tuition of any student, ignoring the fact that some of these students are simply not endowed with the

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self-motivation or study skills that are absolutely essential to not only participate in college classes, but to succeed.

It is irresponsible and unethical for these universities to advertise themselves to students who are not in the position to benefit from the service provided by the university as, historically, many of these students will drop out, even in spite of lowered academic expectations, because they were not prepared to manage any sort of college work. Further, it is a disservice to students if the university were to lower academic standards in order to placate students?

Such students should understand that high school—not college—is the place to learn the grammar and basic math and reading skills that are necessary and practical in the “real world.”

Though these fundamental skills may be required for most jobs, they are also implied prerequisites for almost any college course.

It would be of better use for these students to hire a tutor to review high school material before enrolling in a university.

As a result of these unprepared students desperately seeking the opportunity to learn the skills they glossed over in high school,

The Staff

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

frustrated professors at these universities are appeasing students by lowering the expectations of their courses, thus allowing students who have not accomplished the intended goals of their major to graduate.

This problem may boil down to the following advice: It is unwise for unprepared high school graduates to spend their time and money at a university with low expectations of their students.

Even at the most elite schools, college is entirely what one makes of it, and it requires a tremendous amount of self-assurance and motivation—both of which are difficult to muster when one lacks the basic academic skills taught during high school.

Regardless of the standards required by a professor to pass a course, if a student lacks either of these two qualities, they will not attain the success from their college degree that their diploma implies.

Job applicants looking to become more competitive should try to find creative, nonacademic ways to bolster their résumés—perhaps by pursuing a unique experience that stands out to employers before enrolling in a university that is in need of sincere concern for its students.

Editorial Assistants Forum: Shafaq Hasan Sports: Adam Rabinowitz Staff Senior Writers: Josh Asen, Max Goldstein Senior Illustrator: Rishika Assomull News: Shani Abramowitz Features: Dave Benger, Rocky Reichman Forum: Aaron Fried, Hannah Goldberg, Diego Medrano, Liz Posner, Sara Shahanaghi, Leah Smith, Elizabeth Stoker, Naomi Volk Sports: Julian Cardillo, Jonathan Epstein, Jacob Lurie, Adam Rabinowitz, Natalie Shushan, Jonathan Steinberg Arts: Aaron Berke, Alex DeSilva, Leah Igdalsky, Olivia Leiter, Amy Melser, Leanne Ortbals, Bryan Prywes, Mara Sassoon

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TUESDAY, September 13, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

FORUM SEPTEMBER 11, 2011: ANALYSIS

Separate politics, tragedy Leah

smith In a word

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? It’s the question of the decade, and everyone has an answer.

For some, the memory is more poignant than for others. But still, everyone knows. Just like everyone in our parents’ and grandparents’ generations knows where they were when John F. Kennedy was assassinated or when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Yet 10 years later, it seems like fewer and fewer people are choosing to recall those memories. On Sunday, while those of us who were deeply affected by Sept.

11 grieved, the rest of campus seemed to go on like nothing was amiss.

It disturbed me that so many people seemed to have forgotten what this Sunday symbolized.

But, in a small way, I was happy to see that for so many people, the memory of Sept. 11 no longer disrupts their lives. What disturbs me much more is the number of people I have encountered to whom Sept. 11 has become a joke.

In the days leading up to the 10th anniversary, I heard more than a few tasteless jokes about Sept. 11. On one occasion, someone suggested that, as a memorial, we build two towers out of blocks and then throw toy planes at them.

On another occasion, people were speculating as to what the Sept. 11 roll that appears on a local sushi menu might entail. One person suggested that the rolls were stacked and as they were being delivered a toy plane was thrown at them. Another person suggested that they were served on fire.

My visceral response to these jokes is rage. I lived through Sept.

11. I witnessed horrors that I can barely comprehend, and which still affect me to this day. The fact that the events of Sept. 11—which for me are still occurring—have become a joke is more than I can bear.

Worse, I have no recourse. If I were to ask for the jokes to stop, I would be reprimanded as having no sense of humor. If I were to explain what happened to me on that day, I would become a social downer.

Yet, as I think about it more, I begin to understand. Of course some humor, no matter how inappropriate, is the only way of coping with grief. But I think that the problem is more complicated than that.

“

We need to separate the events of Sept. 11 from the politics that surround it.

In the 10 years since the Sept.

11 attacks occurred, the events of that day have ceased being a tragedy in their own right.

Instead, they have become a political platform. For former President George Bush, Sept. 11 was an attack on freedom and democracy, and the perfect reason to go to war in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Regardless of whether or not Bush had other reasons for war, Sept.

11 was his platform, and no one dared argue against retribution.

For President Barack Obama, Sept. 11 has been the underlying reason not only to continue the war in Afghanistan, but also to step it up. And when Osama bin Laden was finally killed in May

under Obama’s orders and direction, it was the memory of Sept. 11 that caused his poll ratings to rise sharply.

Sept. 11 has also been used to wage some more local battles. In 2010, when a Muslim community center was proposed at a site two blocks from Ground Zero, Sept.

11 was once again at the forefront of the arguments both for, and against it.

When I think about Sept. 11 as the political platform it has become, even I want to joke about it.

It’s absurd that an event that happened 10 years ago is still coming to bear on things like this war that so many of us are against, and a community center that, had it been built quietly, no one would have even noticed.

What’s more absurd is that we are letting our anger, frustration and disenchantment with all these politics obscure our memories about that day. Rather than thinking of tragedy and grief when someone says Sept. 11, we think of politics, war and foreign policy. We need to separate the events of Sept. 11 from the politics that surround it. It sounds impossible, but if we cannot, it will continue to divide us. If we cannot, it is a detriment to the memories of the 3,000 that perished that day and the thousands more that will perish in the coming years from related health issues.

If we cannot separate the harrowing day that was Sept. 11 from the politics, it will be impossible for the survivors to overcome and to heal. If we cannot separate Sept.

11 the day from Sept. 11 the political platform, than the people that committed these atrocities have effectively won.

So now, I beseech you not to stop joking about Sept. 11, but rather to remember it as a tragedy in its own right—not as a foundation upon which to build or break political gains.

Fearful emotions after Sept. 11 attack hinder us Shafaq

hasan into the fire

I can still remember being enthralled as I watched replay after replay of the crash. As if I could ever forget the images of stunned New Yorkers stumbling out of a dustcoated lower Manhattan. At 9 years old I ran through the gamut of emotions every American experienced in the days following the attack. United we stood in our grief, determined to use these volatile emotions to fight the terrorism that had invaded our homes.

But in the wake of the 10-year anniversary of the attack, it seems these powerful emotions have only inhibited us. Instead of inspiring the motivation to effectively seek out the perpetrators, our hubris led us into a poorly conceived war, and our fear superseded our right to privacy. Had we separated our grief from our decision making, we could have avoided 10 years of useless war and civil liberties violations.

Now, this may seem incredibly insensitive. Our country was attacked, and they hadn’t targeted politicians or other public officials. According to New York Magazine, 20 percent of Americans knew someone hurt or killed on 9/11. With an attack so personal, emotions would inevitably play a part in our reaction. But couldn’t we use our anger as an impetus to make deliberate and competent decisions?

No, because emotions almost never influence good decision making, as evidenced by the Iraq War. Less than 2 years after the attack, we invested hundreds of thousands of soldiers, billions of dollars and, unbeknownst then, the next 10 years to

searching for nonexistent weapons of mass destruction under the guise of combating terrorism.

We were the strongest nation in the world and we suffered a massive terrorist attack for which we could do little but watch and curb the damage in the aftermath. In response, the administration felt the need to reassert itself through a rushed invasion devoting seemingly inexhaustible resources and manpower. Ten years later, the effort may still require further long-term support and funding.

While the pride that led us into war was detrimental, the fear that developed after 9/11 actually facilitated a level of caution that decreased the possibility of future attacks. While these safety concerns are relevant, in the last 10 years, we’ve seen the slow and deliberate erosion of our privacy rights for national security without considerable resistance from the American people. Though there are legitimate reasons to look through a duffel bag with suspicious material, asking a 95-year-old woman to remove her diaper at a Florida airport to conduct a thorough body search is representative of our overly cavalier attitude toward privacy. While 80 percent of Americans in 2002 were unperturbed by infringements on their privacy, 10 years later, an Associated Press poll indicates that only 23 percent approve of government surveillance of phone calls or emails.

The emotions that arise from Sept.

11 every year are nearly always as vivid as they were that day 10 years ago. Whereas the nation has been slowly moving on, the impact of the decisions made right after the attack are still reverberating today.

Though these mistakes have become part of the changed world following the attacks, they don’t have to be. By opposing the administration’s abusive use of intelligence against its citizens and protesting the war we can work to correct our 10-year-old mistakes.

Cosmetic surgery for students contradicts values

By Philip Gallagher JUSTICE Staff WRITER

During the summer, I learned that a friend of mine had scheduled an appointment with a plastic surgeon to learn more about rhinoplasties, also known as nose jobs. This surprised me. There was nothing visibly wrong with my friend’s nose, and I did not see her as an individual who might consider plastic surgery at such a young age. For the most part, I had believed plastic surgery to be for individuals in a midlife crisis or for individuals who had been severely injured or maimed.

It turns out that my earlier belief was very wrong. According to a Sept. 7 article in The Huffington Post by Vivian Diller, many high school students are choosing to undergo cosmetic surgery, often with the goal of socially preparing themselves for college. While boys are looking at otoplasties, or ear jobs, girls are considering breast augmentation or rhinoplasties.

The article also cites data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, which states that 15 percent of all cosmetic surgery procedures in 2010 were performed on patients under 21. Patients under 18 require parental consent, but it is likely that any patient under 21 would require some financial assistance to undergo elective surgery, which would mean a very significant degree of parental involvement in the decision.

This information is shocking.

Many of these students likely undergo cosmetic procedures prior to entering their first year of college, with the expectation that a new look

will make them more appealing to their classmates. The article from The Huffington Post described students who underwent surgery during the summer before college.

The timing allowed them to have the surgery completed in time for freshman year and avoid judgment from their high school peers who would recognize the alteration. In these students’ minds, entering college without a straightened nose or smaller ears would hinder their ability to fit in and make friends.

However, this method of preparation seems to be logically backwards. College is a time for students to find friends who accept them as they are, both physically and emotionally. With these friends, students can feel confident in their own social group and with themselves. By undergoing cosmetic procedures, students do not learn to be comfortable with their appearance and instead develop the belief that one must look a certain way in order to be socially accepted. It also brings up the question of whether these new friends would have accepted the student had he or she not had surgery. Ideally, the friends that one chooses would accept him or her regardless.

At Brandeis, we should do our best to foster a community in which students don’t feel inferior to others because of how they look. Recently, I learned of an unusual incident that contradicts this mentality.

During Orientation, my friend who was an Orientation Leader was approached by a member of a sorority. The sorority member asked for the name of one specific girl in my friend’s AIDE group with the intent of recruiting this girl to the soror-

SARA WEININGER/the Justice

ity. My friend later told me how disturbed she was by the sorority’s action, mentioning that she believed the girl could only have been recruited so early in the year on the basis of her physical appearance.

Although this type of behavior is rare at Brandeis, it is an effective representation of the judgments that we should seek to avoid. Furthermore, it indicates that Brandeis does have room to improve itself in

this capacity.

Taking action to change our behavior is critical. To create this change, we must confirm for ourselves that we look beyond someone’s physical appearance when we make social decisions. Such a confirmation involves reflection about how we go about choosing our friends and how we make judgments about others. I am confident that the Brandeis student body is

capable of this.

The frenzy of cosmetic surgery is an alarming trend that suggests a shift in personal values. Physical appearance is becoming more highly valued than personality and talent.

I imagine that most people would claim to believe that “looks aren’t everything” in a person. Now is the time to definitively act on those words.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, September 13, 2011

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SPORTS

VBALL: Judges perfect at home CONTINUED FROM 16 kills. Bernaiche once again set the pace for the defense, leading the team with 19 digs.

Looking to end their two-game losing streak heading into the Brandeis Invitational, the Judges started the tournament by sweeping Babson College with scores of 25-18, 26-24 and 2519. Brandeis had trouble pulling away from the Beavers at the beginning of the first set, holding on to a slim 1312 lead. However, Brandeis then proceeded to go on an 8-1 run to pull away for a 25-18 win. The second set was the most thrilling, going into overtime.

The Judges could not capitalize on multiple set points, but thanks to kills

by Fischer and Hood, Brandeis pulled out the win. By the third set, the Judges jumped out to a big lead, cruising to a 25-19 win and a 3-0 sweep.

Hood once again stepped up for the Judges, racking up 11 kills and four digs. Berens contributed six kills, while Bernaiche led the team in digs with 12. Einhorn added 21 assists to pace the team.

Still reeling from their Sept. 3 loss to Western Connecticut State University, the Judges were swept last Tues-

ON THE MOVE

day by Wellesley by scores of 25-14, 25-21 and 25-17. The Blue took control of the first set from the opening serve as they jumped ahead 5-0 and never relinquished the lead.

Einhorn noted that the team’s youth would lead to many similararly tough learning experiences.

“We are a really young team,” she said. “This year is a building year for all of us, but we are all still working on getting to know each other and how everyone plays.”

Still, the captain was impressed with the way that the team stepped up over the weekend.

“I think that everyone on the team has contributed a lot in terms of leadership,” she said. “Volleyball is a very vocal sport; everyone is always talking when we play and getting into huddles. I am so proud of everyone for stepping up and taking different responsibilities.”

The team ends its home stand tomorrow night against Endicott College at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Judges will travel to Colby-Sawyer College for a doubleheader, taking on Emmanuel College and then ColbySawyer.

MSOCCER: Team picks up first loss CONTINUED FROM 16 6-yard box. That happens sometimes. We had good chances in the second half and didn’t capitalize on them. And the team that dominates in the middle third of the field is going to win, and we didn’t win it.”

The Cougars are one of the few Massachusetts-based teams that gives Brandeis much trouble.

Since 2005, the Judges are 2-3-2 against Clark. But in the same time frame, the Judges have a dominant 34-18-5 record against other Massachusetts teams. Brandeis will try to regroup after Saturday’s loss tomorrow night as they play host to another Massachusetts team,

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in its home opener. Brandeis defeated WPI 4-1 in their previous meeting in September 2010.

“WPI will be similar to Clark— very direct and aggressive,” finished Coven. “They’re a very big team, and they’re going to come at us and be physical and try to win the middle third of field. They’ll go forward and try and get behind us.”

“I think we have the leadership to come out and learn from our mistakes. It’s our first home game and we play better at home. Hopefully, we’ll have a good crowd, and we certainly have the ability to turn it around.”

ALEX MARGOLIS/Justice File Photo

ON THE BALL: Midfielder/forward Alyssa Fenenbock ’15 dribbles during a 2-0 home win against the MIT Engineers on Sept. 3.

WSOCCER: After strong start to season, team can’t find the net at Bridgewater CONTINUED FROM 16 much easier.”

Although the squad dropped such a close game, Theodore said that the team was pleased with how they have fared during the first three matches of the season.

“We have been playing some real-

ly great soccer, and hopefully with each game and practice we increase our level of play so by the time UAA competition comes around, we are ready to make a strong run that will help us get an NCAA bid,” said Theodore.

Still, Dallamora said that the

team has plenty of room to improve.

“We needed to play better defense, not allow the crosses and defend better than we did,” she said.

The Judges are next in action at home against Bridgewater State University. They take on the Bears tomorrow at 7 p.m.

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THE JUSTICE

jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS Men’s Soccer UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Points

Not including Monday’s games UAA Conference Overall

W L D W L D Pct. Case 0 0 0 4 0 0 1.000 WashU 0 0 0 4 0 0 1.000 Chicago 0 0 0 3 1 0 .750 Rochester 0 0 0 3 1 0 .750 JUDGES 0 0 0 2 1 0 .667 Carnegie 0 0 0 1 2 1 .375 Emory 0 0 0 1 3 0 .250 NYU 0 0 0 0 2 1 .167

Three players are tied for the team lead in points with four.

Player Pts Kyle Feather 4 Steve Keuchkarian 4 Sam Ocel 4 three tied with 3

Shots

●

TUESDAY, September 13, 2011

15

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Hood kills the start of rookie campaign

Three players are tied for the team lead in shots with eight.

Player Shots Joe Eisenbies 8 Alexander Farr 8 Lee Russo 8 two tied with 7

UPCOMING GAMES Wednesday vs WPI; Monday, Sept. 19, vs MIT; Saturday, Sept. 24 at Babson

WOMen’s Soccer UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS

Not including Monday’s games

Points

UAA Conference

W L D W L Rochester 0 0 0 4 0 WashU 0 0 0 4 0 NYU 0 0 0 3 0 Case 0 0 0 3 0 Emory 0 0 0 3 0 Chicago 0 0 0 4 1 JUDGES 0 0 0 2 1 Carnegie 0 0 0 2 2

Mary Shimko ’14 leads the team in points with four.

Player AVG Mary Shimko 4 Mimi Theodore 3 Sapir Edalati 2 Hilary Andrews 1

Overall D Pct. 0 1.000 0 1.000 0 1.000 1 .875 1 .875 0 .800 0 .667 0 .500

UPCOMING GAMES Today vs. Bridgewater St.; Thursday at Roger Williams; Saturday at Bowdoin

Shots Sapir Edalati ’15 and Alanna Torre ’12 lead in shots taken.

Player Shots Sapir Edalati 7 Alanna Torre 7 Hilary Andrews 6 two tied with 4

VOLLEYBALL UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Kills

Not including Monday’s games UAA Conference Overall

W L W L Pct. WashU 0 0 10 0 1.000 Chicago 0 0 9 0 1.000 Emory 0 0 7 1 .875 Case 0 0 7 2 .778 JUDGES 0 0 5 2 .714 Rochester 0 0 5 2 .714 NYU 0 0 5 3 .625 Carnegie 0 0 4 5 .444

UPCOMING GAMES Wednesday vs Endicott; Saturday at Colby-Sawyer vs. Emmanuel and Colby-Sawyer

Liz Hood ’15 leads the team in digs so far this year with 75.

Player Pts Liz Hood 75 Si-Si Hensley 42 Lauren Berens 34 Becca Fischer 33

Digs Elsie Bernaiche ’15 leads the team in digs this year with 100.

Player AVG Elsie Bernaiche 100 Susan Sun 37 Si-Si Hensley 35 two tied with 31

cross cOuntry UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Open New England Championships at Franklin Park

■ Outside hitter Liz Hood

’15 is leading the volleyball team in kills in her first season with the Judges.

By jacob lurie

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s results from Sept. 1 meet vs Southern Maine)

Saturday, Sept. 24 at the UMass Dartmouth Shriner’s Invitational

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

SPIKE CITY: Outside hitter Liz Hood ’15 goes up for a spike in a win against Rhode Island College last Saturday afternoon.

RUNNER TIME Miriam Stulin 15:42 Kate Warwick 15:52 Amelia Lundkvist 16:55 Victoria Sanford 16:56 Monique Girard 17:02 Kristi Pisarik 17:03

JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Last Saturday, rookie outside hitter Liz Hood ’15 put on a remarkable performance at the Brandeis Invitational. In the volleyball team’s final match of the tournament, Hood pounded a career-high 18 kills against Rhode Island College to help Brandeis finish 3-0 at the tournament and improve to 5-2 overall.

The Albuquerque Academy graduate is proving to be a great

asset for the Judges. She has averaged just over 3 1/2 kills in the first seven matches of the season, giving her the highest kills per set ratio on the team. Hood also leads the team in total kills (75), points (80) and points per set (3.8).

The adjustment has been smooth, she explains, because the team has been extremely supportive.

“I really like the team, and I feel like we have great team chemistry,” she said. “I feel like that adds a lot to enjoying the game and playing well.”

Hood believes that the team’s strong team bond helps them perform better on the court.

“I think we all enjoy each other’s company. It’s easy to go to practice and want to work hard. I enjoy go-

ing to practice—I actually look forward to it every day. And [I look forward to] games too. Traveling as a team is fun because we all get along.”

When a rookie enjoys the game so much that she’s looking forward to every practice, it’s clear why she’s having so much success during her first season. But while the team has been successful so far this season, Hood recognizes that there is a lot of work left to be done.

“I think we need to keep working together as a team,” she said. “Our coach [Michelle Kim] really helps us out and she’s always thinking about what’s best for the team and how we can get better during practice. I think we’ll keep improving from here.”

SOCCER brief Three games into the Klinsmann regime, US men’s soccer still searching for prolific goal scorer Jürgen Klinsmann is slowly getting the U.S. men’s soccer team to be more aggressive. In his first few weeks as head coach, the U.S. Soccer Federation has already accepted his requests to increase focus on developing young players and convincing players with dual citizenship to play for the U.S. In regard to tactic, Klinsmann has set the U.S. team up in an exciting 4-3-3 formation, which focuses on creating chances and maintaining possession.

So it’s ironic that, despite all this forward thinking, the U.S. national team is still lacking forwards. In Klinsmann’s first three games as head coach, the U.S. has compiled an 0-2-1 record and has scored just once. And while these games have shown that the U.S. is on its way to vastly improving its possession

game, it’s clear that the national team is in dire need of a goal scorer.

Landon Donovan, the U.S.’s alltime leader in goals scored, has been a key figure for the national team in the last decade. But Klinsmann is looking to use Donovan as a playmaker rather than as a striker.

Edson Buddle, Juan Agudelo and Jozy Altidore have all been featured as forwards in Klinsmann’s first three games, but none have made much of an offensive impact while on the field. So which player will step in to score the goals?

It’s a question that has haunted the national team for too long. With many of America’s goal-scoring greats aging or retiring, finding scorers has easily been one of the national team’s toughest challenges. But Major League Soccer is help-

ing cultivate new offensive talent for the national team.

One possible option is San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris “Wondo” Wondolowski, the reigning MLS scoring champion. Prior to his 18-goal season last year, Wondo had only scored seven times over a 5-year career. He has continued to maintain his form this year, currently ranked fifth among scorers with nine goals. Wondo has not scored in his five appearances with the national team, but he could be a viable option for Klinsmann going forward.

Another possibility is forward Charlie Davies, who is currently rebuilding his career with D.C. United after being involved in a lifethreatening car accident in 2010.

Davies is actually with D.C. on loan

from French club Sochaux, but he could return to France at the end of the season. Unlike Wondolowski, Davies has scored four times for the national team. He also was a fixture up front for the U.S. squad before his car accident, and likely would have made the World Cup squad if he hadn’t been injured. Even after the accident, Davies nearly made the World Cup team, but he has seen little international action for the U.S. since.

Even Agudelo, who Klinsmann has used off the bench in each of his first three games, is a viable option. The 18-year-old New York Red Bulls forward personifies many of the qualities characteristic of a good forward: creativity, drive and precision. Agudelo has scored twice in 12 national team games, and has

shown flashes of brilliance. His productivity is expected to increase as he ages and develops.

Klinsmann has a slew of friendlies in the next 7 months to experiment with players before World Cup qualification starts in June. Players like Wondolowski and Davies could earn their keep in the Klinsmann regime should he call them to the national team.

But Klinsmann might want to start experimenting with forwards sooner rather than later. Otherwise, his offense may remain stagnant past the start of qualification.

An offensive style will help, but Klinsmann neads the correct pieces in play for the results to shine through.

—Julian Cardillo

just

Sports

Page 16

BUMP, SET, SPIKE Outside hitter Liz Hood ’15 leads the volleyball team in points and kills in the first few weeks of her Brandeis career, p. 15.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Waltham, Mass.

men’s soccer

volleyball

Judges sweep at home tourney Squad

falters in road defeat

■ The volleyball team

rolled through the Brandeis Invitational, going 3-0 without dropping a set.

By ADAM RABINOWITZ JUSTICE editorial assistant

Last weekend, the volleyball team clinched the Brandeis Invitational in convincing fashion, sweeping all three of its opponents. With a 5-2 record, the Judges looked like a completely different team than the one that was defeated by Wellesley College last Tuesday night in straight sets.

Captain and setter Yael Einhorn ’14 said that she was impressed with the team’s turnaround following two straight losses.

“Last week we struggled with a lot of injuries and were moving people in and out of positions they weren’t used to,” she said. “This weekend everyone came back, and we played together as a team and were able to pull out three wins.”

The girls sealed the championship in their final match of the Invitational, dominating Rhode Island College by scores of 25-12, 25-15 and 25-18 last Saturday. The Judges notched the first point in the opening set and never looked back. The team was paced by outside hitter Liz Hood ’15, who nailed an impressive 10 kills in the first set alone. Brandeis jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second set, and, with RIC threatening to close in, Einhorn reeled off five consecutive service aces to clinch the set. The biggest challenge for the Judges came in the third set as they let a 7-point lead shrink down to 2. Only up 14-12, coach Michelle Kim called a time-out, and the team then pulled it together, only allowing 6 more points as the Judges earned the sweep of RIC. Hood finished the day with a careerhigh 18 kills, an impressive total, especially for a rookie. Einhorn finished the day with 25 assists and also contributed six service aces. Libero Elsie Bernaiche ’15 led the team with 19 digs while middle blocker Becca Fischer ’13 chipped in another six kills.

Brandeis ended play last Friday by finishing off Bates College in straight sets, 25-22, 25-14 and 25-21. The Judges were slow out of the gate in the first set, allowing the Bobcats to narrow the gap to 20-19, but Bernaiche sealed the set with 4-straight service points, leading to a 25-22 win. For the next two sets, the Judges seized control of the match for good.

Hood led the team in kills with 11.

Middle blocker Lauren Berens ’13 finished the match with seven kills and three blocks, while Fischer added six

See VBALL, 13 ☛

■ The men’s soccer team

controlled the ball for much of the game, but couldn’t find the net.

By JULIAN CARDILLO JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

half. Senior Jenelle Jahoda hit a cross into the box in the 59th minute that was headed home by Moscardelli. The Judges, however, did not fold and kept pushing. Midfielder Sapir Edalati ’15 recorded three shots in the final 21 minutes, but Springfield junior goalie Erin Greenstein had five second-half saves and an altogether impressive outing.

“Springfield’s goalie was really good; she was aggressive and really controlled her box, especially during corner kicks,” Theodore said.

“When we had an offensive threat, we did not challenge her much; a lot of our shots were right at her or over the goal, making her job that

The men’s soccer team outshot and outplayed Clark University last Saturday but couldn’t put the ball in the net and conceded a 1-0 road loss. A second-half strike from freshman forward Josh Demers gave Clark a lead they would not relinquish, handing Brandeis its first loss of the season.

“I feel like there was a lack of concentration when we were on the ball, and we seemed to get frustrated,” said defender Matt Brondoli ’14. “We couldn’t win balls in the midfield, and usually our three central midfielders are better in the air. But [Clark] worked harder and we didn’t win anything.”

Clark played a mostly passive game, moving the ball around midfield and breaking up plays that Brandeis tried to create.

Clark wasn’t particularly offensive, either, only shooting seven times throughout the match.

But Clark got its goal in the 49th minute, with Demers finishing a cross from the left flank by freshman Gianluca Ranallo for his first goal of the season.

“They only had two opportunities to threaten, and [on] one of them they scored,” said coach Mike Coven. “They broke us down in the middle third of the field. And on the goal they scored, we really broke down in back.”

The Judges were impressive in their opening two matches, downing both Fitchburg State College and Keene State College by 5-0 score lines. But both of those games were played on wide-open fields compared to the narrow, short field at Clark. The Judges had also not played a game since their opening weekend, as their match last Wednesday at ColbySawyer College was postponed due to inclement weather.

“I think if we had played ColbySawyer midweek, we would have had some momentum that would have come though this weekend, and that would have helped,” added Brondoli.

Despite not playing a game for 7 days and competing on an unorthodox, narrow field, the Judges did create a few chances to score.

Brandeis forced five saves out of Clark junior goalkeeper Ryan King, who stopped the Judges’ best bid to level the game in the final minutes of the second half of play.

In the 87th minute, midfielder Sam Ocel ’13 found himself with space at the top of the 6-yard box and fired a point-blank shot at King. King made a reaction save and parried the chance away, preserving the shutout and keeping his team ahead.

“There were sitters on the 2-yard line,” added Coven. “They had opportunities to finish in the

See WSOCCER, 13 ☛

See MSOCCER, 13 ☛

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

UP FOR THE BLOCK: Rookie outside hitters Vicki Karkantis ’15 (left) and Shemira Pennyman ’15 guard the net against RIC.

women’s soccer

Newly ranked team drops game at Springfield ■ The nationally ranked No.

18 women’s soccer team fell 2-0 to Springfield College on the road last Saturday, the team’s first loss this season.

By MAX GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

The women’s soccer team, ranked No. 18 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, put its new ranking in danger as the Judges suffered their first defeat of the season at Springfield College last Saturday, falling 2-0. Despite similar numbers in shots, corners

saves and possession, Brandeis found itself on the losing side of the match.

“I actually think we controlled most of the game despite a couple breakdowns,” midfielder Mimi Theodore ’12 said. “We played some great soccer [for] the first 20 minutes of the game and controlled a majority of the second. We just could not seem to find the back of net despite some great efforts.”

The Judges came out flat and were outshot by Springfield 7-1 in the first half. Springfield’s first goal came in the 26th minute, when senior forward and captain Katie Mantie lifted a shot over goalie Francine Kofinas ’13. She was assisted by her cocaptain, senior

Jackie Moscardelli. The Judges were still in the game thanks to three first-half saves by Kofinas, but Brandeis did not produce a first-half shot on goal.

In the second half, Brandeis came out shooting but simply could not find the back of the net despite taking 10 shots, including two from forward Hilary Andrews ’14 and another two from midfielder Mary Shimko ’14.

“We did find the goal but did not finish well; their goalkeeper had a great game,” coach Denise Dallamora said. “It was very evenly matched, but that is what the score line showed.”

Instead, it was Springfield who added the sole goal of the second

just

S T R A

‘The Wedding Tzinger’

September 13, 2011

24-Hour Musical:

Singing along with

p. 19

p. 20 Photos: Robyn Spector and Tali Smookler/the Justice. Design: Robyn Spector/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, September 13, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

19

■ Fall concert preview

19

■ Guster profile

19

JustArts profiles the lineup for Student Events’ biggest gig of the semester, featuring bands Guster and Jukebox the Ghost.

Who exactly is Guster? The band, which was formed at Tufts University in the early ’90s, has 20 years of experience rocking out.

■ ‘Straw Dogs’

20

■ 24-Hour Musical

20

■ Kevin Hurley performance

21

The remake of the controversial ’70s film was shown on campus Thursday. Director Rod Lurie spoke with viewers afterward.

The Hillel Theater Group presented ‘The Wedding Tzinger’ Sunday. The entire production was created in a 24-hour period.

Comedian and hypnotist Kevin Hurley got inside the minds of Brandeis students Saturday.

■ Robert St. Laurence profile

21

Ever wanted to meet a celebrity? You may have already. Alumnus Robert St. Laurence ’11 is starring in a new production of ‘RENT’ this month.

■ Lydians String Quartet concert 22 The Lydians performed their first concert of the semester, a celebration of Irving Fine’s music featuring guest pianist Ya-Fei Chuang.

OFF CAMPUS

23

■ ‘Adventure Time’

23

The Cartoon Network hit recently released a special, gender-swapping episode.

CALENDAR

Interview

Student artists explore gender in exhibition

by Shelly Shore

There’s something about a murder trial that just intrigues the American public. Researchers have studied the phenomenon of courtroom obsessions, but so far they seem undecided about whether it’s cultural interest or just plain schadenfreude—a funny German word that means taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.

It’s all well and good to see the public taking an interest in the country’s legal system, especially with high-profile cases like this summer’s Casey Anthony trial, the verdict of which resulted in a flurry of activity on Twitter. But apparently, our obsession with public trials can also hamper the legal process.

This week, jury selection began for the manslaughter trial of Conrad Murphy, the physician who may or may not have given Michael Jackson an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and then failed to notice that Jackson had stopped breathing. After 2 years of work, the trial is finally beginning to get underway—but they’ve hit a snag.

One of the requirements for jury selection in the United States is that the jury must be as impartial as possible. If there is an apparent bias in a potential juror, either the prosecutor or the defense has the right to object to that person’s selection.

Unfortunately, in many high-profile cases, especially those involving death, many potential jurors already have background knowledge of what they believe to be the “facts” of the case, which could have already given them ideas about whether the defendant is guilty or not.

On Thursday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor introduced 160 potential jurors to the defendant and asked whether they could serve on a trial lasting 25 court days. Then he asked if there was anyone in the room who had not already heard about the case.

 Nera Lerner ’12 spent the summer curating Brandeis’ latest art show. The exhibit combines her interest in gender politics and artistic expression.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

BAD MEDICINE: Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murphy, has been charged with manslaughter.

Not a single hand went up.

Judge Pastor was not surprised. “We didn’t expect you’d been living under a rock,” he said. “Or that you made a pit stop from Mars.”

Despite their prior knowledge of the case, some jurors indicated they were available to serve.

But the question remains: What is newspaper and tabloid coverage of legal matters—before those matters go to trial—doing to our legal system? Should high-profile murder cases be kept out of the news so that potential jurors have the ability to remain impartial?

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus

ON-CAMPUS EVENTS Colin Channer reading

Writer in Residence Colin Channer reads from his work at his first public Brandeis event. Channer, a Jamaican writer, has published two full-length novels, Waiting in Vain and Satisfy My Soul, both named after Bob Marley lyrics.

Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Epstein building of the Women’s Studies Research Center.

‘Floors and Ceilings’ closing reception

Student art exhibit “Floors and Ceilings,” which ran from late last semester through the summer, is drawing to a close. You can still see the pieces, created by nine graduate and undergraduate students, through Sept. 23. At the reception, artists will interact with viewers and answer questions about their work. The exhibit focuses on issues of gender identity in a variety of different media. Food and drinks will be served.

Thursday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Kisnick gallery of the Women’s Studies Research Center.

Brandeis Theater department costume sale

Students can come stock up on clothing, accessories, hats and masks that have been made by the Brandeis theater department’s costume shop. Everything from classic period pieces to funky or trendy styles will be on sale.

Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Spingold Theater Main Stage.

Hootenanny with Pesky J. Nixon

Pesky J. Nixon and Brandeis a cappella groups perform a collage of classical, folk and bluegrass tunes in this special one-time collaboration. The brothers from New England exude a musical authenticity and mirth on stages up and down the East Coast.

Drawing influences from contemporary urban balladeers, southern bluegrass and New England’s local folk scene, Pesky J. Nixon, also known as “PJN,” creates an invting and challenging atmosphere for audiences. Compelling harmonies and narratives rein in disparate instrumentation including zydeco-style accordion, virtuosic mandolin, a variety of tribal percussion and myriad string instrumentation.

With rich harmonies and musical versatility, PJN brings infectious energy and stage banter to the stage.

Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall. $20 for the public, $15 for Brandeis community and seniors and $5 for students. Free with SCA pass.

All-arts celebration

Students, faculty and staff come together to kick off the current season of arts at Brandeis.

Representatives from the School of Creative Arts and the Undergraduate Theater Collective will gather for an evening of food, drink, live music and prize giveaways.

Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. outside of the Slosberg Music Center. The rain location is Ridgewood A Commons.

PAINTING BY MATTHEW GROGAN/Courtesy of the Women’s Studies Research Center

EXPRESS YOURSELF: “Floors and Ceilings,” an art exhibit in the Women’s Studies Research Center, is holding its closing reception this week. The show houses the first student-produced work shown at the WGRC.

Opening reception: New Work from Abroad and Home

Senior Fine Arts students present their latest work at the newest student art exhibit on campus. Pieces by postbaccalaureate artists will also be on display at the Dreitzer Gallery in Spingold Theater.

Sept. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Goldman Schwartz Art Center and the Dreitzer Gallery in the Spingold Theater Center.

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS Christian Scott concert

The modern trumpeter first began playing music at the age of 12. Today, he combines rock, R & B and modern jazz influences in his shows. Scott released his first major-label CD, Rewind That, for which he was nominated for a Grammy, in 2006.

Saturday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. at The Center for Arts in Natick, located at 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass. Tickets are $25 for 1 day and $40 for both days.

New England Comic Con 2011 Wizard World Convention

Thousands of pop culture nerds gather together to learn about the latest in movies, television, video games, comics and more at the New England Comic Con 2011.

Saturday, Sept. 17 to Sunday, Sept. 18 at the Hynes Convention Center, located at 900 Boylston St., Boston. Tickets are $24 for students.

‘RENT’

The New Repertory Theater puts on the award-winning musical about down-and-out artists struggling on the Lower East Side of New York in the 1980s. Brandeis alumnus Robert St. Laurence ’11 is featured in the role of

Roger, a depressed guitarist who discovers the love of his life in a drug-addled stripper named Mimi, Eve Kagan. See related article on page 21.

Running until Sept. 25 at the Arsenal Center of the Arts located at 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, Mass. Tickets start around $30.

Enrique Iglesias concert

The chart-topping Latino singer will kick off his 20-city tour in Boston late September. Iglesias will be joined by collaborators Pitbull and Prince Royce and will perform such hits as “I Like It” and “Tonight.”

Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at TD Garden, located at 100 Legends Way, Boston. Tickets are $35 to $100.

James Van Praagh talk

Praagh, a noted medium, or communicator with the dead, presents his skills to a live audience in this spiritual performance. Praagh asserts that he can “feel the emotions and personalities of the deceased,” and he provides access to the thoughts and feelings of the dead to those still on earth.

Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Wilbur Theater, located at 246 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets are $40 to $50.

‘Big River’

Big River is a musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s classic novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The show confronts the racist notions of the late 19th-century South through a friendship between two runaways: one a young boy, the other an escaped slave. Country-pop musician Roger Miller composed folky, bluesy music for the production.

Running until Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Lyric Stage Company, located at 140 Clarendon St., Boston. Tickets are $25 to $53.

JustArts sat down with Nera Lerner ’12, the assistant curator of “Floors and Ceilings,” a student art exhibition hosted by the Women’s Studies Research Center. The show features the works of nine graduate and undergraduate student artists and focuses on gender expression and identity, often within the confines of the “floors” and “ceilings” of our society.

JustArts: How did you become the curator for “Floors and Ceilings”?

Nera Lerner: Last spring Michele L’Heureux [WSRC’s Curator of the Arts] started contacting the Fine Arts department to see if there were students who would be able to curate a show with feminist themes surrounding a larger global theme for student art at Brandeis, which is something the Women’s Studies Research Center has never done before. And based on recommendations, interviews, etc. they picked me to be in what functions as a fellowship-type position, where I came up with the theme and all the different elements of the show, and then we put it together.

JA: How do you see your own feelings about gender impact the way you ran the show?

NL: I think a lot of what I’m personally interested in is the space of gender in an artist’s work.

A piece could be male- or female-centric, but it could also be both or neither. This was something that I was looking for a lot, especially in selecting the work. That’s the message I’m most interested in, that in-between. To varying extents that was successful. I’m happy that people are seeing a different dialogue.

JA: What was it like having the show run through the summer?

NL: The summer involves a pretty different dynamic than the other shows at Brandeis because most of the people who come to view it aren’t Brandeis students. Because of that, the feedback is really different, especially with student artists.

A lot of their work is more experimental, so you see the response from an older viewing public to be more curious about the less traditional pieces or definitely very uncomfortable with them. I’m really excited that now a lot of students are back, and they’re seeing the work and their interaction.

It’s more exciting to see your friends’ work than it is to try to figure out what an art student is coming up with and how that’s related to feminism and everything else. A lot of people would get it in a really amazing way, and others wouldn’t. That’s kind of what we expected and what we were looking for.

JA: Do you have a favorite piece in the show?

NL: I love all the pieces. I think one specific piece that’s really cool is by a postbaccalaureate that finished last year, her name is Milcah Basel. It’s a white piece that goes out like a papiermâché sculpture. I think it’s really interesting because it invites anyone who goes to the show to interact with it at their comfort level. An aspect of the piece is that you can climb into the bottom of it, and then you’re completely enveloped in this white monster. Bassel has this really interesting approach to what she defines to be feminist art, and it’s about being involved in something rather than having to surround it and walk around it and observe it in a hierarchical manner. She has a really cool approach to all that stuff. Then there’s another really cool piece by Matthew Grogan that’s offsite, at South Street across from the Village. At the Women’s Studies Research Center there’s a map and a floor plan of what it looks like.

It’s on what used to be the site of a woman’s house who used to live here before Brandeis existed.

Matt has an entire history related to the piece. It’s an interesting piece about campus history that I don’t think many people know about, and now it’s the concrete production sight for Brandeis, which is weird.

JA: What is planned for the closing reception on Thursday?

NL: The closing reception is an opportunity for the student artists that are still here to come and talk about their work and if people have questions to interact with them. The show officially closes on Sept. 23, and before then Milcah will be coming back to talk more extensively about her work. Other than that the reception serves as a reminder that this is the last hurrah for the show and that people should still come and see it.

JA: Do you plan on being involved in other art shows this year? What about after you graduate?

NL: I’m double-majoring in Art History and Economics, so I’m interested in how economics affects the art world at different levels. I’m spearheading the student committee for the Rose Art Museum, so I’ve been doing a lot of work related to the Museum. In terms of shows, that’s still up in the air. I might be organizing something in the library.

—Ariel Kay

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

ON CAMPUS FALL CONCERT PREVIEW

Guster to take the stage at fall concert ■ Guster will headline

Student Events’ fall concert on Sept. 24 with opener Jukebox the Ghost.

By wei-huan chen JUSTICE editor

Indie-pop band Guster will be gracing the Brandeis stage— breezy melodies, keytar/disco ball antics and all—on Sept. 24 in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center with opener Jukebox the Ghost, Student Events announced at noon last Friday.

Formed in 1991 at Tufts University, the band solidified itself in the alternative-rock scene after releasing its first album, Parachute, in 1994. Since then, Guster has toured internationally and released five more studio albums, including last year’s Easy Wonderful.

Guster comes to the University hot off the trail of a summer tour that included a performance at Boston’s Bank of America Pavilion on Aug. 12. Guster last appeared at Brandeis in 2002 for that year’s spring concert.

Tickets for the event will be available at the Shapiro Campus Center box office in the Shapiro Campus Center starting today.

Tickets will cost $10 for the first week of presale. After that, tickets will cost $15 for students and $20 for off-campus guests.

“It’ll be a phenomenal show,” said Director of Concerts for Student Events Bryan Flatt ’12.

“Guster’s name has been brought to Student Events as an artist that many students would want to have on campus in past years. When we discussed which genre or artist to bring to campus, we kept coming back to Guster as the best choice.”

The band consists of lead singer Ryan Miller, guitarist and vocalist Adam Gardner, drummer Brian Rosenworcel and bassist and instrumentalist Luke Reynolds.

In describing the band’s music, Miller said in an interview with the Grand Rapids Press that

PHOTO COURTESY OF GUSTER

IT’S ABOUT TIME: Guster’s appearance at Brandeis on Sept. 24 at the Shapiro Gym promises to be an eccentric showcase of floating melodies and rolling rhythms.

Guster has been “associated with Barenaked Ladies, Maroon 5, John Mayer. We’ve toured with Luna and Ben Folds. We have a musical kinship with Wilco and The Shins.

We lie in this world that’s in the middle of what’s considered indie rock and may be considered mainstream.”

Opener Jukebox the Ghost is a three-man rock band based in Philadelphia that draws influenc-

es from Ben Folds Five, Billy Joel, Elton John and Jack’s Mannequin.

Formed on the campus of George Washington University in 2003, the band began touring full time in 2006 and released its first album, Live and Let Ghosts, in 2008. Jukebox the Ghost’s latest album, 2010’s Everything Under the Sun, received an A- rating from pop-culture site A.V. Club.

In the moments before Student

Events announced the fall concert headliner last week, a crowd of students assembled at the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium, waiting for the name of the band. Students jokingly shouted for Justin Bieber and and Selena Gomez but displayed enthusiasm when Guster’s name was announced.

“I don’t really know them,” said Elise Sobotka ’15 in reaction to the announcement. “But it’s made me

want to check out their music.”

In previous years, Student Events has brought Regina Spektor, Third Eye Blind, Nas, Ben Folds and OK Go to campus for the fall concert.

“It’ll be a great opportunity for Brandeis alumni to come back because many graduated students had requested for Guster to come here before. So I’m looking forward to that,” said Flatt.

An “underground” band ascends to stardom ■ Alt/indie-pop band

Guster is known for its wide instrumentation, quirky live shows and dedicated fans.

By louis polisson JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Guster will be returning to Brandeis for the first time in 9 years for this year’s fall concert. The band formed at Tufts University in 1991, when guitarists and vocalists Adam Gardner and Ryan Miller and percussionist Brian Rosenworcel met during their freshman orientation.

Since that fateful day, the highly talented band has become an important and popular group in the alternative and indie rock world, performing extensively across the country and around the world.

Guster has released six studio albums to date. The band remained relatively underground after the release of their first two full-length albums, Parachute (1991) and Goldfly (1997).

Guster achieved mainstream success with the release of their third album, Lost and Gone Forever (1999), which included the popular singles “Barrel of a Gun” and “Fa Fa.” Since then, they have continued to grow in popularity. Their most recent album, Easy Wonderful, was released in 2010 to positive reviews, receiving four out of five stars from Allmusic reviewers, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and reaching No. 2 on Billboard’s Alternative Al-

PHOTO COURTESY OF GUSTER

HEAD CASE: Guster’s latest album, ‘Easy Wonderful,’ reached the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s Alternative Albums chart. bums chart.

Guster has a large and varied fan base, making them an excellent choice for Brandeis’ fall concert.

Their sound usually stays within most alternative, indie pop and rock tendencies but uses a wide range of instrumentation, including violin, banjo, ukulele and trumpet, in addition to guitar, keyboards, bass and

drums.

Along with their impressive instrumental skills, the band’s vocal talent is a force to be reckoned with.

Gardner was a member of the popular all-male a cappella group, the Tufts Beelzebubs, which was recently featured on the television shows The Sing-Off and Glee. Guster’s live performances are renowned for

their high level of musicianship, as well as for their unique and subtle humor.

Rosenworcel adds to Guster’s distinctive sound by playing his drum set with only his hands during some live performances. The band’s tight vocal harmonies and unique percussion sounds have become two of its trademarks. The band members

also rotate instruments, both in the studio and during live performances, highlighting the musicians’ multi-instrumentalist abilities.

With regard to its live shows, the band is perhaps most famous for its quirky live traditions. These traditions include “Airport Song,” after which audience members sometimes throw ping-pong balls at the stage as a reference or homage to the studio recording, in which listeners can hear a table tennis game going on in the background.

Guster is well known for maintaining a close relationship with its fans, often meeting and chatting with fans and signing autographs after shows. The band’s humility and personable nature allow its members to connect with their fans in a way that not many other bands can.

Many Brandeis students have been longtime devoted fans of the band. Adam Lapetina ’12 said of the band, “I’ve seen them twice, and they always put on a very good show, always with a few surprises.

They have a very good sense of humor toward their music and their stage presence.”

The concert promises to be a great one, from the band’s remarkable vocal talent and musicianship to their unusual, yet fun, live concerts.

Guster will perform on Sept. 24 in Shapiro Gym in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Tickets for the concert will be available at the Shapiro Campus Center box office.

Be sure to pick up your tickets early for this concert! It’s not going to be one to miss.

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TUESDAY, September 13, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

theater

‘The Wedding Tzinger’ rocks for a day ■ The 24-Hour Musical, ‘The

Wedding Tzinger,’ featured great performances despite a short amount of preparation.

By AARON BERKE JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The 24-Hour Musical is a once-ayear presentation cosponsored by Hillel Theater Group and Tympanium Euphorium. The whole atmosphere of the event is so engaging that the show itself tends to get a bit lost in all the ruckus. This year’s show, The Wedding Singer—or “Tzinger,” to avoid the lawsuits—is an unusual choice.

Producer Iyvon Edebiri ’13 “proposed it for the fall Tymp show but it wasn’t chosen. When I wanted to produce the 24-Hour Musical, I was told that it was The Wedding Singer and I freaked out!”

The show is not very well known— was anyone else completely unaware that the Adam Sandler flick was also a musical?—but it can certainly be appreciated for its lighthearted tone and romantic sensibilities. However, if I were to review the show in and of itself, my stance would be far more critical. I find the plot to be boring and tepid, the characters dull and the story progression instantly predictable. But again, the “show” is not the point of this 24-hour extravaganza. What matters is the effort that went into it, and the heart and soul of every cast and crew member was fully absorbed in the production.

The Wedding Tzinger centers around the titular performer, Robbie Hart (Jason Dick ’14), who at the beginning of the show is abandoned by his fiancée Linda (Jackie Theoharis ’14) at the altar, leaving the jilted Robert less than inclined to continue singing at other people’s weddings. Meanwhile, his earnest waitress friend, Julia (Rachel Benjamin ’14), is about to be married to the arrogant business tycoon Glenn Guglia (Yoni Bronstein ’13).

Eventually, Julia and Robbie realize they are meant to be together, despite the complications posed by Glenn and Linda. Also along for the ride are Robbie’s bandmates Sammy (Zane Relethford ’13) and George (Yoni Battat ’13), as well as Robbie’s sprightly hipster grandmother Rosie (Briana Bensenouci ’12).

It was a massive ensemble cast, and each actor performed his or her part admirably. It’s hard to mention any

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

LOVE ME DO: Robbie Hart (Jason Dick ’14) struggles to romance his friend Julia (Rachel Benjamin ’14) after he is left at the altar. particular standouts, since everyone complemented each other so thoroughly. I did particularly enjoy Bronstein’s delightfully slimy portrayal of Glen and Herbie Rosen ’12 carrying a gigantic cell phone (the funniest inside joke of the show). Rosen was essentially playing the cell phone itself (he had four other minor roles in the show), a great gag reference to the first cell phones of the ’90s. But, as previously stated, it’s hard to pull particular standouts, and that’s only logical: For a production that needs so many people, it’s only sensible that they would each gel off of each other in equal measures;

no one person could have been removed and left the show intact.

There are several engaging songs in the show, beginning with the opening number “It’s Your Wedding Day.” There are also such enjoyable pieces as “Someday When it’s Me” and “The Casualty of Love.” Then there was Bronstein’s spotlight song, “It’s All About the Green,” which is a fun little medley, and “If I Told You,” which was touchingly performed by the sweetvoiced duo of Dick and Benjamin.

The most unfortunate mishap of the show was during its final number, the reprise of “It’s Your Wedding Day,”

which seemed to suffer from mumbling singers or malfunctioning microphones, I couldn’t tell which. But such mishaps are to be expected with only a day to prepare, and the audience was quite engaged regardless. In fact, the audience loved it more whenever there was a microphone glitch or a curtain that took too long to drop—the techies took gleeful advantage of this by throwing themselves on the stage in ridiculous poses during extended blackouts—the mistakes are all part of the fun.

The cast and crew would tend to agree: “With [the 24-Hour Musical], the

energy from the audience is incredible because they’re all so expectant,” says Sarah Pace ’13 (Cindy Lauper), “You get this big adrenaline rush and you go out there and you mess up your moves and your songs, everyone laughs and its great.”

This kind of energy took hold of everyone involved, including actors like Pace and even reaching so far as the techies.

“It’s definitely a lot of work, but they were really well organized,” says Zack Thal ’14, a member of the tech crew.

“They knew exactly what lights they wanted where, there was no guesswork. … They prepare for the craziness of the 24-Hour Musical.”

This kind of organization is evident, and is especially impressive considering the short length of time everyone has to prepare. In order to make this situation easier, the direction was split three ways between Aliza Sebert ’12, Jeremy Weinberg ’12 and Abigail Clarke ’12. This was done in order to ensure maximum attention was given to each aspect of the show (and to prevent them all from going insane).

“We split up the scenes pretty evenly,” says Clarke. “Each of us has one or two big numbers with full cast members, and then we each have a couple smaller scenes.”

This seems like a good way to handle the situation, though some of the cast admit that despite all the fun, the process really can be a bit daunting.

“I find it a very enjoyable process, but I will admit at times it is quite frustrating,” comments Sophie Golomb ’13 (Twinkie Girl) “It’s supposed to be all fun and games, but then you’re like, ‘But wait, I have to go in front of people! So I have to take this somewhat seriously.’”

In the end it is clear that these daunting challenges proved worthwhile.

Sebert, in reference to the actors, comments, “I hardly told them anything, and they did exactly what I had in mind and even more—and they did that over and over again in 24 hours.

That’s why the show worked so well, because the people who were acting had so much creativity. They just had fun and went crazy and they blew me away. I’m just so proud.”

As she should be—every cast and crew member brought his or her utmost devotion to this show. The result is a wholehearted and engaging performance that proves why the 24-Hour Musical is such an essential part of the Brandeis experience.

film

Director Lurie shows his version of ‘Straw Dogs’ ■ ‘Straw Dogs’ first

premiered in the 1970s. Now, a new director tackles this controversial cult film.

By BRYAN FLATT JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Last Thursday, Academy Awardnominated director Rod Lurie, came to Brandeis as a part of this years’ film series, sponsored by the Edie and Lew Wasserman Fund and the Film, Television and Interactive Media Program, to screen and answer questions about his newest film Straw Dogs, the remake of Sam Peckinpah’s 1971 cult classic.

Walking into Wasserman Cinematheque at 7 p.m., I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Unlike many remakes I have watched over the years, at the time of the screening, I had never seen the original version.

I had read about the controversy surrounding the 1971 Dustin Hoffman original—the raw characters, the misogyny and, most notably, the harrowing scenes of violence and rape—but Wikipedia could only prepare me for the film to a certain degree.

Viewers beware: Straw Dogs is not an easy film to sit through.

From its first sound—a bullet shot in the forest—it draws you in. From the 50-minute mark, it grabs you by the throat and drags you along, not letting go until the 110th minute as the credits begin to roll.

Straw Dogs is a film about tensions. It begins with a violent act.

A dying deer, a maniacal laugh over a fallen life. It quickly cuts to a vintage Jaguar containing a welldressed Hollywood couple speeding down the highway. David and Amy, played by James Marsden and Kate Bosworth, respectively, are that posh Hollywood couple (he a screenwriter, she an actress). They are traveling to Amy’s hometown in the Deep South so that David can find the peace and quiet he needs to complete his latest script, a movie about Stalingrad. As they pull into town they meet Charlie (played brilliantly by True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgård), a brawny, tough handyman and Amy’s ex-boyfriend, and his group of fellow “straw dogs”— David’s term for those who peaked during their time on the high school football team and are now lost and without direction.

Charlie and his posse of not-somerry men view David as a privileged outsider while David struggles to relate to a society built on pillars from a different world than his—high school football, hunting, lax work life and staunch religion.

As the differences between this world and the one he is used to become more and more apparent, old demons arise and conflict boils over into a set of unforgiving climaxes, including one hard-to-digest rape scene.

The synopsis does the film no justice.

Beyond the story exists a film that is filled with vivid imagery, realistic characters, chilling scores and haunting cinematography.

In a unique question-and-answer

DAVID YUN/the Justice

‘STRAW’ MAN: Prof. Alice Kelikian (HIST) and Lurie discuss the director’s latest film. session following the special prescreening, Lurie opened up about some of the techniques employed in his cinematic process. Through the conversation, moderated by Prof.

Alice Kelikian (HIST), the audience learned about the ways in which Lurie made this remake his own unique version, the subtexts of his cinematic decisions and his personal philosophies on life, gender and violence.

“When we first announced this movie, I got a lot of s--- from a lot of anonymous comments on the Internet,” Lurie told the crowd, “I started to question whether I should make the film.” “But,” he continued, “it

was a ‘from-the-gut movie.’… I was at a party with Dusty [Dustin Hoffman—the lead in Peckinpah’s 1971 original] and he said to me, ‘Why don’t you make it your own?’ … He gave me his blessing.”

What resulted is, in some ways, a very similar film to Peckinpah’s original and in many ways quite different. Placing the film in the South—a location Lurie believes to be “a great place to shoot [with] a great smell and look … but also a place that one can believe would be conditioned to violence—poverty stricken, reliant on the violent sport of football, hunting and church listening to a violent god” —sets a

different tonal perspective for the viewer than the subtleness of the England countryside in the original.

This version also takes a bit of a different perspective on the controversial topics of women and gender.

While the original placed a lot of the onus on Amy (Susan George) for her rape, Lurie’s version shows Bosworth’s struggle and the deep physical and emotional impact it has on her. Despite seeming like an impossible task, Lurie was determined to make Straw Dogs “more feministoriented.” Though I wouldn’t necessarily call Straw Dogs femalefriendly, it does have nuances of feminism—specifically, a moment during the nail-biting final scene during which the audience erupted into applause.

The complex characters and the extraordinary circumstances they are placed into are what make the film so intriguing. “It is not as simple as good triumphs over evil,” Lurie explained. “Every character is flawed. It is a story of how people’s principles can destroy them; it is not a black-and-white film.”

As David explains about Stalingrad in the film’s first few minutes, Straw Dogs is a “universal tale of survival.” Through all of its edgy glory, we want to know if, in an allegory that fits almost too perfectly, David can take on Goliath—Charlie and his buddies.

The result may not be perfection, or the “genius of Peckinpah” as Lurie put it, but if nothing else, Straw Dogs is a well-made, controversial film that will leave you thinking about its subject matter days later.

THE JUSTICE

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theater

Alum bursts onto Boston theater scene ■ Robert St. Laurence ’11

followed his passions and nabbed a starring role in New Repertory Theatre’s ‘RENT.’ By leanne ortbals JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

For Brandeis alumnus Robert St. Laurence ’11, choosing between applying to graduate school to study cognitive science or pursuing a career in theater meant choosing between a practical life and an artistic one. Though St. Laurence studied both Psychology and Theater Arts at Brandeis, he followed his heart after graduation to start a profession as an actor. Only a few months after commencement, St. Laurence appeared as Roger in the New Repertory Theatre’s production of RENT, Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning rock opera. The show opened this past week at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, Mass. and runs through Sept. 25.

RENT, based on Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, is set in the Lower East Side of New York City in the late 1980s. It follows the story of roommates Mark, a filmmaker, and Roger, a musician, and the friendships and hardships they share with fellow artists. The musical explores living with AIDS, falling in love and fighting for life. RENT debuted on Broadway in 1996 and ran for 12 years before closing in 2008.

St. Laurence adds RENT to the impressive list of productions in which he has performed, including Brandeis Theater Company’s Sunday in the Park with George, Dog Sees God and Saturday Night as well as Undergraduate Theatre Collective’s The Last Five Years and City of Angels. He has also performed regionally in the Huntington Theatre’s The Steward of Christendom and Dead End, Emerson Stage’s The Little Prince, Wheelock Family Theatre’s Once Upon a Mattress and The Jungle Book and North Shore Music Theatre’s Carousel.

St. Laurence responded to an open call for New Rep’s 2011-2012 season, after which he was called back to audition for RENT. Because he’d never seen the show, St. Laurence walked into the audition unsure of what to expect. “I was called in to sing for Mark, so I contacted a friend to tell me about the character,” said St. Laurence. “When I arrived at the audition, without even hearing my Mark, the director and choreographer decided they want-

ANDREW BRILLIANT/Brilliant Pictures

ONSTAGE ROMANCE: Roger, played by St. Laurence ’11, delivers a romantic speech to Mimi, played by Eve Kagan. ed to hear me sing Roger, so I had to scramble to learn the part. The curveball was a real gift, allowing me to let go and have fun with the audition.”

With just 3 weeks until the show opened, St. Laurence jumped into an intensive rehearsal process. “We rehearsed for 35 to 40 hours each week. The schedule was flexible, allowing us to spend time on the most difficult sections, and yet extremely rigid due to the time crunch. The rehearsal process has been challenging, trying to digest such heavy material so quickly. But it brought

the cast and crew together, and it’s been great to come to work every day with a great group of dedicated actors.”

Joining St. Laurence in the cast are John Ambrosino as Mark, Aimee Doherty as Maureen, Eve Kagan as Mimi, Robin Long as Joanne, Maurice E. Parent as Tom Collins and Nick Sulfaro as Angel. The show is directed by Benjamin Evett.

Though St. Laurence hadn’t worked with Evett or any of the cast members before, he did have a couple familiar faces to turn to. “I worked with the music director, Todd Gor-

don, on Sunday in the Park with George at Brandeis. And the choreographer [Kelli Edwards] was my dance teacher in high school.”

“I am so privileged to work with such a talented cast of experienced actors,” added St. Laurence. “Just watching them every day teaches me ways to approach a project. My Mimi is a joy to work with. She gives 100 percent in sound check and 150 percent in every rehearsal and performance. She’s so open and available on stage, it makes my job of connecting with her easy. I hope to be as fearless an actor someday.”

To help him get into the zone before each performance, St. Laurence tries to relax and take a few minutes to himself. “I like to focus in on what I have to do and run through motivations and emotional states as a way to get into character.”

Though St. Laurence didn’t connect with RENT right away, his focus has helped him discover new sides to Roger with each performance. St. Laurence has continued to work on his character even after the show’s opening. He explained, “I don’t feel done yet. All the pieces are in place, but I still find new things every night. That’s generally how I am with my productions. A performance is never set or completed until the final curtain.

“There are so many beautiful and relevant messages in RENT, but the one I hang onto each night is the idea that one must live life while they have it and how difficult it is for some to make that step into a place of openness and acceptance of the loved ones that surround them.”

While St. Laurence strives to continue his work as an actor, he looks toward an uncertain future. “I have no idea what theatrical endeavors will present themselves. For all I know this could be the last, and I treat it as such. I’ve started work as a faculty member in the performing arts department of Milton Academy, so at the very least, I’ll be able to share my love of theatre with a new generation of actors.”

St. Laurence’s success postBrandeis doesn’t only include his role in RENT. He joined the Boston Musical Theater, an ensemble that “specializes in cabarets featuring the American songbook,” explained St. Laurence. “The quartet performs twice each year at different venues in the Boston area. This November will be my second performance with them. I’ve also joined a troupe that specializes in educational theater, traveling to schools to perform and conduct seminars on bullying and relationship violence.”

St. Laurence attributes his success to his time at Brandeis: “The structure of the theater community and curriculum at Brandeis is one that encourages students to take charge of their own education. We were given the opportunities and resources, but pulling the lessons from them was up to us.”

With that in mind, St. Laurence offered advice to aspiring actors at Brandeis, “Never stop pushing yourself. You ultimately control how far you take your talent.”

For ticketing and show information, visit www.newrep.org.

performance

Comedic hypnotist Hurley entrances students ■ Kevin Hurley wowed crowds

by hypnotizing students on the stage at the Levin Ballroom on last Saturday evening.

By olivia leiter JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

It can be hard to relax in today’s society. We live in a technology age in which we are constantly flooded with information from Twitter and Facebook while we try to multitask and operate on hectic schedules. This is especially true for college students who are trying to balance everything—school, work, friendships, relationships, sleep, etc. Comedic hypnotist Kevin Hurley explained, “It is important to stop and focus on a few things—just as important as going to the gym and doing cardio.”

On Saturday night, a crowd of about 80 students came to Levin Ballroom to see Hurley’s show. A group of participants went on stage and closed their eyes as Hurley set up a variety of imaginary situations. At one point, Hurley convinced participants that they were so cold they were shivering. At another, he convinced participants that they were holding their favorite animal.

Later on, Hurley scattered napkins around the stage and told participants that they won hundreds of dollars.

Hurley made audience members laugh as participants crawled, danced and jumped around stage, completely im-

mersed in these bizarre scenarios. I thought it was especially fascinating to watch people get hypnotized. For a little over an hour I observed a group of students, most of whom I had never met in person, being transported into an entirely different world. These students were engrossed in this surreal microcosm—this other state of consciousness—and I did not even know most of their names.

Hypnosis is a kind of meditation.

While it can be stressful trying to navigate our way through an infinite flow of choices, hypnosis allows one to think calmly and clearly. “It is a state of relaxation, a state of super consciousness,” Hurley explained. “Some people do it for a power nap—they feel rejuvenated afterwards.”

“Hypnosis empowers you to take action,” he said. In other words, hypnosis is a technique that separates the necessary from the unnecessary; it makes you focus on the essentials and tune out everything that stops you from acting. Most people actually use hypnosis for phobias, chronic pains and addictions. Hurley explained that hypnosis is a “holistic approach.” Hypnosis helps patients both psychologically and psychologically. Hurley has actually made several audio CDs that address specific problems and coach people through them.

Hurley went on to remind us that there are no real dangers to hypnosis: “You are always in control. You don’t do something that you are not comfortable with. There is no real danger, un-

DAVID YUN/the Justice

DREAMERS: Hypnotism can get people to act in unusual ways, even in public. Above, students are in a trance onstage. less you are afraid of success.” Hurley explained that there is even such a thing as “self-hypnosis.” Without having a hypnotist or someone to guide them, patients can use the same techniques on themselves. Hurley himself practices relaxation exercises when he is traveling on planes.

Hurley then talked a little bit about how he got involved in hypnosis. Hurley had been interested in comedic hypnosis since he was young and had thought to himself, “Wouldn’t it be funny if someone did that?” Hurley said, “I was always an instigator, and I was always into magic and psychology,” Hurley said.

He learned his craft from worldrenowned hypnotist Ormond McGill.

When Hurley found out McGill would be at a clinic in Las Vegas, he jumped at the opportunity to meet him. Since then, Hurley has spent the past 10 years touring all over the United States. He has performed for Justin Timberlake, Tom Petty, Nine Inch Nails, Bill Clinton and several NFL Teams.

Although this was Hurley’s first time performing at Brandeis, over half of his shows are for college students.

Hurley finds that there is always a great response at colleges. “College students are open to try. Many people are relaxed onstage,” Hurley explained.

“While everyone has the potential to be hypnotized, some people are more suggestive than others; it’s all about their attitude.”

What I enjoyed most about Hurley’s show was that it allowed me to take a break from my own daily problems.

Even though I was not on stage getting hypnotized, I was in a stress-free atmosphere that was extremely conducive to relaxation. I did not worry about my upcoming paper or reflect on past experiences. Rather, for a brief period, I stepped back and separated myself from the chaos of my thoughts.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the whole world could experience hypnosis?

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THE JUSTICE

music

Quartet honors Irving Fine at Slosberg ■ Brandeis’ Lydian String

Quartet gave an evocative performance last Saturday with pianist Ya-Fei Chuang.

By felicia kuperwaser JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Saturday, members of Brandeis’ Lydian String Quartet began their new season with a program titled Music for 2, 3 and 4 Honoring Irving Fine. It was the first in a series of commemorative events at Brandeishonoring the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. Irving Fine (19141962) helped to develop the School of Creative Arts at Brandeis, acted as head of the Council for the Creative Arts and was an innovative and wellrespected composer. His inventive musical style is an excellent model for the Lydians in addition to Brandeis’ approach to art: new artistic takes on standard musical ideas, as well as making art and finding beauty in unconventional ways. His influence still pervades every part of the music department at Brandeis, and this program proved a perfect tribute to his memory.

The evening opened with Fine’s “Fantasia for String Trio,” a threemovement work performed by Lydian members and Brandeis Music Profs.

Daniel Stepner, violin; Mary Ruth Ray, viola; and Joshua Gordon, cello.

The piece began with a simple but evocative viola melody that drew in the audience with its somber beauty.

Ray played with a distinct care and elegance, tending to each note individually with an inquisitive and yearning quality. The melody developed very naturally, as if Ray was evolving it right then and there. Stepner joined in soon thereafter, followed by Gordon, and the three began their exploration of different musical dimensions: harmony, texture and rhythm, among others. Fine used all of these musical components to create drama, tending to each element individually.

Segments were separated by stark, though brief, moments of silence, as if Fine was resetting the music and exploring a different area. Around each corner of the piece was a new idea that the players approached with vigor and curiosity. If two instruments agreed in any one dimension, the third would often enter and create tension in another dimension, which forced the audience to consider each element individually.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

QUICK MOVEMENTS: The Lydian String Quartet celebrated the 50th anniversary of Irving Fine’s death with duets, trios and quartets.

The relationship between the three instruments was particularly notable.

The viola played an important role, acting as a sort of anchor for the piece, often beginning or ending a section with a solo melody. The viola plays in a middle register and typically functions in a string trio as just that—the instrument in between the violin and cello. Fine leads with the viola, and in so doing, deconstructs some of the hierarchy that defines the architecture of so many classical works. As per usual, the Lydians took a piece full of innovative, musical exploration and made it their own beautiful creation, while still accessible to the audience.

All interesting elements aside, it was beautiful music, accentuated with rich, earthy sonorities in the cello’s part, provocative and abrupt rhythmic changes and a stimulating quality that prepared the audience for the piece that followed.

Stepner and Gordon finished the first half with Maurice Ravel’s “Sonata for Violin and Cello.” This was also an exploration of musical relationships but in a very different way than Fine’s piece. The cello and the violin acted as equal partners in creating

Ravel’s more luxurious, indulgent impressionistic music. Ravel is known for his innovation in instrumentation, and his almost compulsively equal distribution of thematic material between the cello and violin give the work a very playful quality—as if the two are playing as partners to make music together. Rather than accompanying the violin, which normally acts as the primary solo voice, the cello would introduce musical ideas that the violin would immediately mimic, and the parts would swap. The music itself was full of exciting syncopation, mysterious melody and rich texture.

Before the expressive and beautifully slow movement, “Lent,” Stepner and Gordon actually took a moment to close their eyes and refocus, signaling to the audience the upcoming change in the music, and out of that peaceful moment emerged a single melodic line that grew into the third movement. This moment allowed the audience to refocus after two movements that were so fluid and dramatic that it was easy to get lost. It bore the same furious, dramatic quality that emerged from Fine’s “Fantasia.”

It was clear that Stepner and Gor-

don were joking with each other, not just playing their parts, and thus the performance was much more engaging for the audience. Stepner stood for this piece and was so engaged in the music that at times his whole body moved along with the dramatic rhythms of the piece. It was clear, when the two bowed, that they had, perhaps, more fun than the audience in working together to create music, and their interactions during the piece were a critical part of the performance.

For the second half, the Lydians were joined by Ya-Fei Chuang, an internationally acclaimed and prizewinning pianist whose impressive credentials took up an entire page and a half of the program. Elegantly dressed, she walked deliberately and confidently out onto the stage.

Chuang addressed the audience personally before she began to play to indicate a change in the program, and her confident manner and ease engaged the audience immediately and throughout her playing as well. She played three short pieces for piano, also by Fine: “Hommage a Mozart,” “Koko’s Lullaby” and “Flamingo

Polka.” In the first, her own effortless performance captured the lyrical, playful quality of Mozart’s music to which Fine was paying homage.

“Koko’s Lullaby” was elegant and Chuang took liberties with the timing that made it sweet and beautiful, and the “Flamingo Polka” was a surreal, almost quirky and fun, end to this segment of the concert.

At this point, the three Lydian members joined Chuang for Gabriel Faure’s “Quartet No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 45.” Not only was it an opportunity for all of the musical forces to join for a more showy ending work, but it was also, in many ways, an appropriate culmination of many musical ideas explored throughout the evening. It began with a dramatic surge of melody, and only gained momentum from there, traveling through many different dramatic musical ideas.

The first movement, “Allegro molto moderator,” is characterized by slowly developing melodies, on top of rich, textured accompaniments, like fierce 16th notes and expressive arpeggios.

The second movement, “Scherzo: Allegro vivo,” had a distinct folk-like quality, with a more artistic, sophisticated expression of this more familiar sound, similar to Fine’s own “Hommage a Mozart.” The third movement, “Adagio,” featured some striking, mournful viola solos, reminiscent of Fine’s own use of the viola in the first work they performed. Ray created brilliant, sparkling phrases that captivated the audience with the sweet, mellow sound of the viola.

The movement was very expressive and picturesque, a sort of respite, and it came to a peaceful end. In the final movement, “Allegro molto,” the players held nothing back and ended the evening with passion and grace.

As opposed to the elements of earlier pieces, in which mounting tension was interrupted by silence or resolved unconventionally, these phrases grew and developed into lush musical moments that filled the hall with beauty.

The piece ended with a resolute, major cadence, whose force lingered and endured through the standing ovation that the players received.

As always, the Lydians’ energy and chemistry with one another and with the phenomenal guest pianist made the performance. They made complex music relatable and involving for the audience. With their complete and varied program, they introduced members of the Brandeis community to Fine’s musical and creative legacy that endures to this day.

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★★★★BRILLIANT.” – Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

“A TOTAL BLAST.” – Eric Kohn, indieWIRE

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“BOLD, DARING AND UNPREDICTABLE!” “IT’S THE FULL PACKAGE!”

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gaming

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TUESDAY, september 13, 2011

23

Revitalizing a masterpiece in ‘Portal 2’ ■ The sequel to Valve’s

first-person puzzler, ‘Portal,’ incorporates new characters and cooperative play.

By dan willey JUSTICE contributing writer

All the way back in 2007, Valve Corporation decided to reward console gamers with possibly the best value in the history of gaming with The Orange Box. Prior to this point, Valve’s wildly popular hit Half-Life had been available exclusively to PC gamers.

Valve more than rectified this with The Orange Box, combining five great titles into one retail package. While each game was great in its own right, one game stole the show. That game was Portal.

Portal was a completely original first-person puzzle game in which players found themselves attempting to navigate a series of test chambers using only a gun which can create two portals, allowing the player to pass through one and appear out of the other. This seemingly simple concept was incredibly addictive and led to surprisingly complex physics puzzles in which players had to take full advantage of the laws of gravity as well as their environment.

This game was well served by its inclusion of GLaDOS, who is voiced by Stephen Merchant—he collaborates with Ricky Gervais and works on The Office and Extras—the artificial intelligence responsible for creating and managing the series of test chambers you must complete. This character is possibly one of the most entertaining and hilarious I’ve ever encountered in a game, and her presence, along with the fantastic puzzles, made Portal an instant hit.

When Valve announced that they would be making a sequel to this innovative title, I was both excited and a little concerned. The original Portal could easily be completed in a couple of hours, and it wasn’t clear to me that its unique brand of narrative and gameplay could be sustained throughout a full-release game with a playtime of 15 to 20 hours. Fortunately, my concerns were misplaced as Portal 2 turned out to be the smash hit of this summer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VALVE CORPORATION

CREATIVE DEVICES: Besides playing as Chell, the protagonist from the original game, ‘Portal 2’ allows gamers to control two jubilant robots in a separate cooperative mode.

Once again, players find themselves in the role of silent protagonist Chell as she attempts to escape her imprisonment at Aperture Laboratories using her familiar portal gun while navigating a whole new set of test chambers. This game is not just more of the same, however, as players are introduced to two new characters.

The first, Wheatley, is another machine with aspirations of overthrowing GLaDOS. Cave Johnson, the second, is the late founder and CEO of Aperture Science, who is voiced by

J.K. Simmons, famous for numerous roles including Juno’s father in Juno and J. Jonah Jameson in the Spiderman trilogy. Both of these new additions possess all the character and humor of GLaDOS and make Portal 2’s story an unforgettable experience.

Portal 2 isn’t just about new characters and story, however, as gamers are presented with a whole new arsenal of environmental tools. This includes a series of three gels which can be moved around the test chamber with cleverly placed portals and

then used to enhance one’s leaping and running abilities or to create new surfaces on which to place portals.

All of these new mechanics fit in perfectly and greatly enhance Portal 2’s ability to remain entertaining over the course of its significantly greater length.

In the end, Portal 2 captures the essence of everything that its predecessor did right and recreates that magic while simultaneously expanding it to fit the confines of a standalone retail release. Those who loved Portal will

fall in love all over again with Portal 2, and those who didn’t care for the original won’t find much to change their minds. This is both Portal 2’s gift and its only downfall; it was a masterpiece of the puzzle genre, and Portal 2 perfects every aspect of that game, but for precisely this reason it lacks the originality and novelty of its precursor. Despite the fact that this game didn’t leave quite the magnitude of impression as the first, it is still my top candidate for game of the year to this point, and I give it a 9.5/10.

television

Psychedelic ‘Adventure Time’ swaps genders, battles evil ■ Cartoon Network’s Emmy-

nominated show pleased fans by switching the genders of all its characters.

By alex desilva JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time is kind of a weird show. Anyone who’s watched an episode can tell you that. Explaining the show is simple enough: 12-year-old Finn, the human, and his best friend and roommate, Jake the dog, spend their time going on adventures. Together, they fight evil, rescue princesses and generally explore the surreal Land of Ooo. But there must be something special there, because the show’s not only been a big hit among kids, but has been a runaway success among 20-somethings from the start, with a vast fandom online. After only a year and a half on the air, the show has been name-dropped by Tyler the Creator, nominated for two Emmys and featured both Andy Samberg and Neil Patrick Harris as guest voices. Considering it’s just started its third season in July, the show has done well for itself.

While it’s impossible to pin down what exactly draws so many people to Adventure Time, the setting itself is a good place to start. Ooo is a pastel-colored land where there’s a kingdom populated entirely by candy people, eldritch abominations lurk in abandoned subway tunnels and the world is littered with Zelda-style dungeons waiting to be explored. It’s bright and colorful enough to appeal to kids, but it has enough internal logic to keep the older crowd hooked. The surrealism of Ooo doesn’t come from a series of

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARTOON NETWORK

TURNING THE TABLES: Instead of Finn and Jake (above), the newest episode of ‘Adventure Time’ features Fionna and Cake. non sequiturs like the cartoons from the 1930s. The place has rules. There are reasons why things are the way they are, and the ruined skyscrapers and bit of modern technology suggest something happened to make Ooo the way it is. This is honestly part of the fun, along with the fact that the creator, Pendleton Ward, has obviously poured his heart and soul into making this show. His childhood love of Dungeons and Dragons and videogames are evident as Finn and Jake go off on adventures. This sensibility, coupled with Ward’s admitted love of writing “stupid things” are part of what make Adventure Time so much fun, and they show no signs of stopping anytime soon. Therefore, now is

the perfect time for newcomers to get involved, especially since they just aired their most-talked-about episode yet, “Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake.”

“Fionna and Cake” isn’t really a standard episode of Adventure Time; it’s actually a gender-swapped episode—meaning Finn is now Fionna, Jake the dog is Cake the cat, Princess Bubblegum is Prince Gumball (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris) and the Ice King is the Ice Queen. This episode has been the subject of a lot of hype, ever since character designer Natasha Allegri first created a one-page comic starring Fionna and Cake. From there, anticipation built as fans got more and more into fleshing out the story behind the

gender swapped characters. Eventually, Allegri announced that Cartoon Network would actually make an episode out of the characters, and fans rejoiced. The writers could have coasted on the hype alone and turned this into a novelty episode, but instead they decided to make one of the smartest, most self-aware episodes of Adventure Time yet. They found a way to appease the fans who had been flooding sites like Tumblr with their versions of Fionna and Cake without alienating the younger audience who’d be wondering why Finn was suddenly a girl. The episode itself turned out to be a commentary on the very nature of being a fan and investing so much feeling into these fictional characters, while

still being really funny.

The episode itself deviates pretty heavily from the Adventure Time norm, and not just because the characters are all completely different people. Instead of exploring some evil dungeon or saving partying bears from a monster’s stomach, Fionna spends most of the episode trying to figure out if Gumball wants her to go to a ball with him as a friend or as his girlfriend. Again, the writers somehow made this work: In the words of episode storyboarder Rebecca Sugar, if the episode was going to be about a date, it would be one with “swords and skulls and fighting!” They gave the fans what they wanted with the romance bits, but they never lost sight of what Fionna really is: a tough, capable girl who’s all about beating up evil.

This all becomes apparent in the end when Fionna, directly facing the screen, explains that she doesn’t want a boyfriend. She’s happy with who she is, and will know what she wants whenever it comes around.

Right then, she’s talking to the fans who invested so much emotion in the life of this fictional girl and her talking cat-friend. But it doesn’t really shame them. Once again, Sugar explains it best when she says it’s both “a jab at, but also a huge celebration of, being a fan, of allowing something completely ridiculous to make your heart tighten.” She knows what that’s like, and the rest of the people making Adventure Time do too, letting them make this so insightful, and, in its own weird way, almost profound.

Of course, since it is Adventure Time, the writers use the last minute or so to completely tear down any semblance of wisdom or maturity, because that’s also who they are, and the fans wouldn’t have it any other way.

24

TUESday, September 13, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE

TOP of the

ARTS ON VIEW

TRIVIA TIME 1. Which one of Alfred Hitchcock’s films won a Best Picture award?

2. Who was the 21st president of the United States?

3. What does the Greek prefix xeno- mean?

4. What was the name of the 1950s game show hosted by Groucho Marx?

5. What are the eight vegetables in V8 juice?

6. What was the peanut butter that “picky people pick”?

7. What was the religion of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania?

8. What were Frosty’s eyes made of in the children’s Christmas song?

9. John Steinbeck’s novel Sweet Thursday is a sequel to what earlier book?

10. Where is the mouth of the Mekong River located?

1. Rebecca 2. Chester Arthur 3. Strange or foreign 4. You Bet Your Life 5. Tomatoes, spinach, beets, carrots, celery, lettuce, parsley and watercress 6. Peter Pan Peanut Butter 7. He was a Quaker 8. Coal 9. Cannery Row 10. Vietnam

SHOWTIMES 9/16 – 9/22 The Help Fri-Sun: 1:20, 4:40, 8:00 Mon-Thurs: 2:50, 7:20 Midnight in Paris Fri-Sun: 1:40, 4:00, 6:30, 9:05 Mon-Thurs: 2:30, 5:00, 8:00 Our Idiot Brother Fri-Sun: 1:50, 4:10, 7:10, 9:25 Mon-Thurs: 2:40, 5:10, 8:10 The Guard Fri-Sun: 1:30, 3:50, 6:40, 9:10 Mon-Thurs: 2:20, 5:00, 7:50 Drive Fri-Sun: 1:10, 3:40, 7:00, 9:20 Mon-Thurs: 2:10, 4:50, 7:40 Contagion Fri-Sun: 1:00, 3:30, 6:50, 9:15 Mon-Thurs: 2:00, 4:50, 7:30

For additional showtimes, call (781) 893-2500 or check online.

The Embassy is located at 18 Pine Street in Waltham

CHARTS Top 10s for the week ending September 11 BOX OFFICE

1. Contagion 2. The Help 3. Warrior 4. The Debt 5. Colombiana 6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes 7. Shark Night 3-D 8. Apollo 18 9. Our Idiot Brother 10. Spy Kids: All the Time in the World

NYT BESTSELLERS

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

RED RIDGES: Staff photographer Joshua Linton ’14 took this photo in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in Utah. Moonrise and sunset occurred simaltaneously; he was able to capture both in one shot.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. — out a living 4. Macho type 9. Pigpen 12. Journal 13. Like a crone 14. Rage 15. 1999 Brad Pitt movie 17. Pistol 18. Gold, in Guadala-jara 19. Makes a crumbly mass of 21. Like some calves 24. Coin aperture 25. Japanese sash 26. Society newcomer 28. Tapestry 31. Carpeting 33. Poorly lit 35. Snitch 36. Group spirit 38. — -10 Conference 40. — glance 41. Ballet frill 43. By chance 45. Reflector 47. Gen. Lee’s grp.

48. Tokyo’s old name 49. About 5.88 trillion miles 54. Mountain 55. Painting support 56. Tear 57. Casual shirt 58. Colora-tion 59. Upper limb

Fiction 1. Kill Me if You Can — James Patterson and Marshall Karp 2. The Sookie Stackhouse Companion­ — Charlaine Harris 3. A Dance With Dragons — George R. R. Martin 4. A Trick of the Light — Louise Penny 5. Flash and Bones — Kathy Reichs Nonfiction 1. In My Time — Dick Cheney with Liz Cheney 2. A Stolen Life — Jaycee Dugard 3. Unbroken — Laura Hillenbrand 4. In the Garden of Beasts — Erik Larson 5. After America — Mark Stey

iTUNES

1. Adele — “Someone Like You” 2. Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera — “Moves Like Jagger” 3. Foster the People — “Pumped Up Kicks” 4. LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock — “Party Rock Anthem” 5. Rihanna — “Cheers (Drink to That)” 6. Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine —- “Stereo Hearts” 7. Lady Gaga — “Yoü and I” 8. Kelly Clarkson — “Mr. Know It All” 9. Cobra Starship feat. Sabi — “You Make Me Feel...”

10. Lady Antebellum — “Wanted You More”

BILLBOARD

DOWN 1. Sprite 2. Pond carp 3. Ovum 4. Odium 5. Wrote cryptograms, maybe 6. Wire measure 7. Graduates 8. Space cloud 9. Play music without preparation 10. Verifiable 11. Longings 16. Stolen 20. Category 21. Fairway warning 22. Touch

23. Dangerous place to walk 27. Marceau character 29. Choir voice 30. Bang the door 32. Tart 34. Moved to Sousa music 37. Some fur pieces 39. Rook 42. Dickens’ Mr. Heep 44. Aye canceler 45. Vegan’s no-no 46. Between jobs 50. Fed. purchasing org.

51. Historic period 52. Melody 53. Spinning stat

1. Lil Wayne — Tha Carter IV 2. Red Hot Chili Peppers — I’m With You 3. Adele — 21 4. Jay Z and Kanye West — Watch the Throne 5. David Guetta — Nothing But the Beat 6. Jake Owen — Barefoot Blue Jean Night 7. Beyoncé­— 4 8. Game — The R.E.D. Album 9. Barbra Streisand — What Matters Most 10. Various Artists — Now 39

Solution to last week’s crossword

Top of the Charts information provided

by Fandango, the New York Times, BillBoard.com, and Apple.com.

STAFF PLAYLIST

King Crossword Copyright 2011 King Features Synd, Inc.

STRANGE BUT TRUE  It was 20th-century American humorist Evan Esar who made the following extremely sage observation: “Anger is the feeling that makes your mouth work faster than your mind.”  The Ghirardelli company, now renowned worldwide for the fine chocolate it produces, originally was a purveyor of mustard and spices.  Frank Lloyd Wright was an unusually prolific architect. During the 70 years of his professional career, he designed a whopping 500 buildings.  Unless you’re employed in the publishing field, you might think that a typographical error is rather insignificant, something that only nitpickers worry about.

Typos, however, sometimes radically change the meaning of text. Take, for example, the 1631 edition of the Bible published by the royal printers in London. A word was left out of one of the Ten Commandments, resulting in the exhortation, “Thou shalt commit adultery.” This book is now known as the Wicked Bible or the Adulterous Bible. Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, the publishers responsible for the error, were fined 300 British

pounds, or about $54,000 in today’s currency.  In 1826, the eastern part of Texas declared its independence from the United States, calling itself the Republic of Fredonia. fYou might be surprised to learn that author Norman Mailer, best known for his novel The Naked and the Dead, majored in aeronautical engineering when he was in college.  If you’re an arachnophobe, you may not want to read the following tidbit: There are some species of spider that dine on fish—and catch them, too.  For reasons surpassing understanding, in 1845 the city of Boston made it mandatory to have a doctor’s prescription before taking a bath.

Thought for the Day: “A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.”

—Charles Evans Hughes

“Top of My Lungs”

By LEANNE ORTBALS Justice STAFF WRITER

I have a playlist for each one of my different moods. This is my “Nobody is around and I want to sing at the top of my lungs in the car” playlist.

THE LIST 1.“Edge of Glory”— Lady Gaga 2. “White Balloons” — Sick Puppies 3. “Closer to the Edge” — 30 Seconds to Mars 4. “Liar” — Revolution One 5. “So What I Lied” — Sick Puppies 6. “Club Can’t Handle Me” — Flo Rida 7. “Sing” — My Chemical Romance 8. “In the End” — Linkin Park 9. “Judas” — Lady Gaga 10. “Teenage Dream” — Katy Perry