STUDENT LIFE
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSIT Y IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 East Coast Express is shady bordering on criminal, says one alum. Peer advising and Ariel Sharon are also under fire. See Forum. Page 6.
Women’s basketball is tearing up the UAA conference, upending Rochester and Carnegie Mellon over the weekend. Page 5.
VOLUME 127, NO. 47
The U.S. faces an energy crisis—we feel it here as WU raises tuition due to energy costs. How can we combat this? Page 7.
In today’s back-page feature, Cadenza moves beyond indie to take a look at the most popular music on the world scene. See Page 10.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006
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University Center plans move forward By Randy Lubin Contributing Reporter With many of the smaller details beginning to fall into place, plans are progressing for the new University Center, which is slated for completion in the summer of 2009. The latest developments include a tentative layout of the interior areas and distribution of space to the various groups that will occupy the building. The new Center will span approximately 90,000 square feet and occupy the location where Prince Hall currently stands. It will be home to myriad groups and multi-purpose spaces. Jill Carnaghi, assistant vice chancellor for students, described three of the spatial
zones in the plans for the new building. “The western [zone] on the first and second floor is Campus Life: it will be student groups, Student Union, student programming groups, community service, the Rodriguez program, and Greek Life…the middle part is a lot of common area where students can lounge, hang out, eat, and then the southeast pod is the Career Center,” said Carnaghi. David Ross, Freshman Class Council president, was enthusiastic about the plans and felt that the Student Union (SU) space in the new Center will be an improvement over their current space. “I like [the new space that Student Union will re-
ceive] because it will be easy to organize, especially when planning events,” said Ross. “It will be better when everything is consolidated.” Ross identified problems with the current setup in which class council executives keep their files and information in their own rooms because there is no central office. In the current setup, only SU’s executive officers have their own offices. The University Center’s third floor will consist of student media groups, including Student Life, W UTV and KW UR, as well as facilities for the Arts & Sciences graduate school. Although plans for the exact location of facilities for graduate students within
the new Center are tentative, according to James McLeod, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, accommodating undergraduate and graduate students in the same building makes sense. “We want the University Center to be welcoming to all of our students—undergraduates and graduates,” said McLeod. “We want faculty and staff to be comfortable coming in and using the space, relaxing there, eating there, meeting there… Undergraduates have a special relationship with campus, which is different [from that of graduate students]. They [undergraduates] live on campus, and this is their home, and we recognize that. But the University Center should be for everyone.”
Not all groups are happy with the current space that has been assigned to them. One specific concern mentioned by Chris Grabau, coordinator of student media groups, was W UTV and KW UR’s need for soundproof studios. According to Grabau, the plans for the Center are still in their infancy, and the architects want to work with the students to alleviate any concerns. “I think it’s been encouraging to see the groups actually inserting their own input into what they want to see in the building and being articulate as to what their needs are,” said Grabau. In addition to the indoor spaces, Carnaghi is enthusiastic about the building’s ex-
terior design and its relation to the outdoor environment. There will be a new quadrangle in the northeast corner, where the University Center is adjacent to Umrath. Part of the quadrangle will have seating for students to eat or socialize. Eateries will fill a large segment of the first floor. The administration is planning several different food areas which will replace the food court in Mallinckrodt. The new dining area will have multiple eating stations in one area, a bistro in another, and a café in a third area. The food court will seat approximately 450 students, 100 more than Mallinckrodt
See UNIVERSITY CENTER, page 4
Key card tracking surprises students
A VISIT FROM THE TIN...ER, ALUMINUM MAN
By Austen Faggen Contributing Reporter
GEORGE GENNIS | STUDENT LIFE
Sophomore Tim Ingalls sits with one of the “can people” in Bowles Plaza yesterday. About a half dozen of these aluminum can people can be found around Bowles Plaza with recycling information written on them as part of Recyclemania 2006, a competition among 50 colleges that began January 29. As noted on this little guy’s stomach, the University has placed last in the competition for the past three years.
When informed that the new key card system records the times that students enter their rooms, most students living in Shepley House—one of the dorms where the new key card system is installed— were surprised. Just like students’ University identification card, the new key card locks, which are currently installed in the Millbrook Apartments, Village Houses 9 and 10, and Shepley, Gregg and Wheeler Houses, record the times and buildings that students enter. Almost 89 percent of the 30 students surveyed informally by Student Life had no idea their key cards could record their comings and goings. Fifty-two percent of students surveyed would prefer a regular key to the key card that they have. And over 81 percent of students surveyed would want the Washington University Police Department
(WUPD) to have a master key so that they could easily gain access to their rooms in the case of an emergency. WUPD has no such existing universal key or key card. The existing protocol is to break doors down, should an emergency arise in which entering a locked room is necessary. Unlike the University identification cards, the information recorded by the new key cards is stored at ResLife, not by the Facilities Office. Police Chief Don Strom insists that if WUPD ever attempts to access the records from the new key card system, it will need to adhere to the same “strict guidelines” that are in place for accessing other records. WUPD may only access such information when it is needed for a serious investigation. Although the records made by the University’s identification cards have helped to resolve investigations over the years,
See KEY CARDS, page 4
Engineers’ Vertigo dance floor to light up Contemporary Art Museum on Thursday By Troy Rumans Staff Reporter This Thursday, students will be able to see a Washington University creation at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis as well as test it out. The Vertigo dance floor, the feature attraction at the Engineering School’s annual dance party last fall, will be making its second appearance as part of a monthly cocktail party held by the museum designed to foster appreciation of the arts for the Y generation. “We saw it in the [St. Louis Post] Dispatch, and it looks really fun and really exciting, and we’re looking forward to bringing it here,” said Jennifer Gaby, director of public relations for the museum. “When I talk to my colleagues about the dance floor, everybody is really thrilled to have something of that magnitude here. It’s going to be an exciting night.” Gaby noted that the cocktail parties have succeeded in bringing a wide range of people to the museum. She hopes that the inclusion of the dance floor this month will make Wash. U.
students interested in attending. “It’s been huge. We’ve had up to 750 people come here per event,” said Gaby. “It’s culturally diverse, age diverse, income diverse...it’s a very eclectic crowd. You see young professionals, students, artists, people from all walks of life that are in their 20s and 30s that come out for either a happy hour after work, a way to have a good time, or to see exhibits that they couldn’t see otherwise.” Construction of the dance floor itself was a daunting task led by the University’s members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Spanning over 100 square feet, the floor has 512 unique “pixels” which light up to produce the color of the floor. Each pixel can make any one of 4,096 different shades of color. “We built the floor during the months of September to November 2005,” said sophomore Pehr Hovey, president of the IEEE. “It took more than 30 students and a few professors, 60-plus people, hours to construct...We had ‘solder’ parties in our student lounge where kids hung out and
helped work on the project.” The dance floor is based on a similar one designed by MIT students, with a few notable improvements. The Wash. U. adaptation allows for the user to create a list of animations, scrolling text messages, and control the dance floor over the Internet. The University’s chapter of the IEEE focuses on doing projects aimed at getting students involved and interested in hands-on engineering. Hovey plans on making further improvements to the dance floor, as well as bringing other projects to the University campus. “IEEE is working on a new design for the dance floor concept that will make many improvements over the original, such as increased portability and more rugged construction,” said Hovey. “Our second project this semester is an arcade machine, built from scratch.” The dance floor will be on display throughout the cocktail party from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, with DJ Randall Roberts spinning. Entrance is free, but guests must be 21 to attend.
RACHIT PATEL | STUDENT LIFE ARCHIVES
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) dance floor, seen here at the Vertigo dance this past fall, will be part of a Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis event on Thursday.
2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
Senior News Editors / Kristin McGrath and Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
STUDENT LIFE One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building Saint Louis, MO 63130-4899 News: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938 email: editor@studlife.com www.studlife.com Copyright 2006 Editor in Chief: Margaret Bauer Associate Editor: Liz Neukirch Managing Editor: David Tabor Senior News Editors: Kristin McGrath, Liz Neukirch Senior Forum Editor: Molly Antos Senior Cadenza Editor: Laura Vilines Senior Scene Editor: Sarah Baicker Senior Sports Editor: Justin Davidson Senior Photo Editor: David Brody News Editors: Mandy Silver, Caroline Wekselbaum Forum Editors: Daniel Milstein, Jeff Stepp, Matt Shapiro, Joshua Trein Cadenza Editors: Adam Summerville, Jordan Deam, Robbie Gross Scene Editors: Sarah Klein, Erin Fults Sports Editor:Joe Ciolli Photo Editors: David Hartstein, Pam Buzzetta, Meghan Luecke Online Editor: Dan Daranciang Design Chief: Laura McLean Copy Editors: Allie McKay, Nina Perlman, Kelly Donahue, Erin Fults, Rebecca Emshwiller, hannah draper, Julian Beattie, Mallory Wilder Designers: Ellen Lo, Anna Dinndorf, Jamie Reed, Andy Gavinski, Elizabeth Kaufman, Kate Ehrlich General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Advertising Manager: Sara Judd Copyright 2006 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713. Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@ studlife.com for more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy. The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions. If you’d like to place an ad, please contact the Advertising Department at (314) 935-6713. If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.
LOCAL St. Louis may outlaw 10-speaker cars Cars with more than 10 speakers could become illegal within St. Louis city limits if Mayor Slay signs an ordinance that was approved by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen last Friday. The legislation would make it illegal to “possess or operate� cars like the Lexus LS sedan, which offers an 11-speaker system.
Introduced by Alderman Craig Schmid to prevent loud music on highways, the ordinance authorizes police to seize a car upon learning it has more than 10 speakers and to hold it until it is “no longer necessary for prosecution.â€? The owner must then pay towing fees and ďŹ nes before the car is released.
Police beat suspect following car chase Images of four police officers kicking and punching a suspect who had been pushed to the ground shocked television viewers on Monday night. As of Tuesday, the FBI had responded to allegations of police brutality and began to investigate the possible violations of the suspect’s civil rights. The officers, one from St. Louis and three from Maplewood, had responded to a report at 7:01 a.m. about a suspicious van at the QuikTrip located on Big Bend. The suspect, Edmon
Burns, 33, then drove off, leading to a car chase on Kingshighway and Martin Luther King Drive. After the officers managed to box in the van, Burns fled his vehicle, and the officers pursued him on foot. The broadcasted images show the officers pushing Burns to the ground and beating him for several seconds before escorting him to a patrol car. Paramedics treated Burns at the scene. He is now being held at the St. Louis Justice Center.
DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE
Bono, lead singer of U2, kisses Coretta Scott King after receiving a humanitarian award from The King Center on Jan. 17, 2004 in Atlanta, Ga. King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., died in her sleep on Monday.
NATIONAL Alito sworn in as the 110th Supreme Court justice After being confirmed by the Senate in a 58-42 vote, Samuel Alito was sworn in as the 110th Supreme Court justice Tuesday—a day after a failed attempt by some Democratic senators to block his nomination. Alito, who has been both praised and criticized for his conservative judicial views, will replace retiring
swing justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Justice Alito received four votes from Democrats: Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. He will be formally sworn into office at a ceremony in the White House today.
POLICE BEAT Wednesday, Jan. 25 4:02 a.m. WARRANT/ARR E S T— A N H E U S E R- B U S C H HALL—Upon arrival for a disturbance call, a record check indicated several outstanding warrants. Warrants were verified and subject was arrested. Disposition: Cleared by arrest. Thursday, Jan. 26 1:36 p.m. LARCENY/ THEFT—MCMILLEN LAB— Cell phone and watch stolen from complainant’s desk. Loss: $625. Disposition: pending. 5:06 p.m. LARCENY/ THEFT—ELIOT HOUSE— Complainant reported the theft of Microsoft Xbox from common area of suite between Dec.
23 and Jan. 15. $200. Disposition: ing.
Value: Pend-
Friday, Jan. 27 2:13 a.m. PUBLIC INTOXICATION—SOUTH 40—Intoxicated subject was observed urinating in public. Subject was detained by officers for additional offenses. Disposition: Referred to JA. 10:34 a.m. THEFT UNDER $500—PRINCE HALL—A staff member reports the theft of a coat rack from a copy room (room 116) in Prince hall. The item, which had just been purchased, was taken between 1 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26. Disposition: Pending Saturday, Jan. 28
Coretta Scott King dies at 78 Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., died on Monday at age 78. In failing health since a stroke and a heart attack last August, Mrs. King was admitted to a holistic hospital in Mexico last Thursday. Mrs. King worked alongside her husband throughout his career as a civil rights leader. After her husband’s assassination in 1968, Mrs. King continued advocating non-violent social change toward racial equality, founding the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for NonViolent Social Change in Atlanta and signing legislation to establish
a national holiday in her husband’s name. In 1985, Mrs. King was arrested for leading sit-in protests against South African racial segregation that inspired nationwide demonstrations against apartheid and later shaped President Reagan’s policies regarding South Africa. During her life, she received honorary degrees from Princeton University and Bates College. Flags are ying at half-staff in Georgia, and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has offered to have her body lie in state at the capitol building in Atlanta.
12:54 a.m. DRUG OFFENSE/POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE— SNOW WAY DRIVE—Subject arrested for possessing controlled substance. Disposition: Cleared by arrest. Monday, Jan. 30 12:48 p.m. PARKING V I O L AT I O N — M I L L B RO O K GARAGE—Officer assisted Transportation Dept. with a vehicle displaying a fraudulent permit. Disposition: Cleared. 5:08 p.m. PROPERTY FOUND—WOHL CENTER— Bon AppÊtit Management turned in a bag of marijuana that had been found. No suspects. Substance will be released to St. Louis County Lab for destruction. Disposition: Cleared.
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NOMINATIONS REQUESTED FOR
HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS Nominations for Honorary Degree Recipients for the May 2007 Commencement are being sought by the Honorary Degree Committee. The committee that recommends degree recipients is composed of students, faculty, administrators and Trustees. It will meet this April to consider nominations. Candidates should be distinguished men and women who have made outstanding contributions to their fields or served Washington University and the St. Louis community in an outstanding way. Nominations, with a brief biography should be sent to:
HONORARY DEGREE COMMITTEE Box 1081 or email to: hswitzer@wustl.edu
DEADLINE: Friday, March 17, 2006
Senior News Editors / Kristin McGrath and Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
Children’s Studies minor launches this semester By Helen Rhee Staff Reporter Students interested in studying childhood now have the opportunity to register for the new children’s studies minor, which was launched at the beginning of this semester. “Children are [an] interesting class of people because they are a class of people who don’t have full rights legally,” said Dr. Gerald Early, the director of the Center for Humanities and a co-founder of the program. Others who collaborated in the planning of the program include Associate Professor of Psychology Desiree White and Associate Professor of Education Margaret Finders. All study children in their respective disciplines, so each had something unique to offer. The interdisciplinary minor offers students the opportunity to take a wide variety of courses relating to children. Departments participating in the minor include education, English, history, psychology, African-American studies, and American culture studies. Although the program has been in the planning stages for a while, the minor was officially announced last November at an event fea-
turing leading children’s literature expert Anita Silvey, who wrote “100 Best Books for Children” (2004). “The program was something that was a couple years in the making. It was meant to be an interdisciplinary look at how various fields study children and childhood,” said Early. “So it was meant to bring together disciplines of education, history, English. Those are the major fields, but we even have courses in anthropology and political science.” Students who wish to register for the Children’s Studies minor are required to take 15 units of course credit from various departments. One course must be the introduction to the Children’s Studies, which will be offered for the first time next fall, although students can pre-register for the course beginning in April. According to Dr. Early, the introductory level course will be taught by a number of professors and experts from different fields. Each week, there will be a new speaker who will discuss the way he or she studies children. Early suggested that the minor will be especially useful for students who are interested in pursuing child psychology or for students studying education who
might want to become teachers. Early also mentioned other fields that Children’s Studies might complement, including African-American history. “For those students who want to go into the history of African Americans, these are fields where there is more emphasis on race and gender,” said Early. “[The] Children’s Studies minor can give a person an opportunity to study how people are affected according to how old you are in the culture of African-Americans. I would think for instance with all the interest in Islamic Studies, it would be very helpful for us to have [a] better understanding of childhood in Islamic societies, such as how children are raised.” Some of the courses included in the minor are “Introduction to Psychology,” “Children & Censorship: What We Permit Children to Read and Why,” “Education, Childhood, and Society,” “History of the Golden Age of Children’s Literature,” and “Developmental Psychology,” among others. More information on the new minor can be found at the Center’s website, cenhum. a rtsci.w ust l.edu/ch i ld rensstudies-minor.htm.
Students get hands-on with the MySci program By Andrea Strand Contributing Reporter Since September 2005, local K-2 schoolteachers have been delighted to present their students with a field trip waiting just outside their classrooms. It’s called the MySci Investigation Station, a mobile science lab funded by the Monsanto Fund. Its development was a cooperative effort of Washington University, the St. Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the St. Louis Science Center. Washington University art students helped design both its interior and exterior, carefully collaborating with
biology experts to ensure its accuracy. Each section of the vehicle contains a different hands-on exhibit that allow elementary school students to discover the parts of a tree; learn about prairies, oceans, and deserts; or study plant animal specimens under a microscope. The Investigation Station also includes a replica of a Missouri cave, complete with stalactites, stalagmites, insects, and rocks waiting to be discovered by small scientists. Washington University’s Director of Science Outreach Victoria May has been working with others to make the Investigation Station a real-
ity since January 2004 and says she is very pleased with the results. “We want to encourage students to develop an early interest in science,” said May. “To that end, another goal of the program is “to encourage teachers to go the extra mile to do science projects [with their students]. They are often not confident enough in certain fields . . . [but] are more excited to do something if they know the material really well.” In addition to a four-day visit at each school, teachers are first provided with curriculum books and in-class
See MYSCI, page 4
For more information please call the Army ROTC Department at 314-935-5521, 5537 or 5546. You may also visit our web-site at rotc.wustl.edu
STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
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4 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
Senior News Editors / Kristin McGrath and Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com
KEY CARDS v FROM PAGE 1
UNIVERSITY CENTER v FROM PAGE 1 holds. The bistro will offer additional outdoor seating, as well as waited dining. It will also serve alcohol, including wine and beer. Carnaghi described the first-floor eating area as very open, while at the same time having different zones. This would allow students seeking a quiet area to find their own private space, whereas other students can find a more energetic, public space near the food court. According to Carnaghi, one of the distinguishing aspects of the University Center will be the reduction of individual group offices. Whereas many student organizations currently
have their own offices and meeting areas, the University Center will have group meeting rooms which will be available for use by all groups in addition to individual offices. These common spaces include a business center in which students will be able to fax documents, make copies, and print flyers. There will also be a “project room” on the second floor where groups can make banners or engage in other creative activities. Carnaghi emphasized the value of a system in which students who come to the area looking for one organization can discover a
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
different one that they may not have known about otherwise. After workers demolish Prince Hall this summer, work will commence on the parking garage beneath the Center. The parking garage, which is scheduled to be completed before construction on the Center begins, will have a capacity of about 400 cars. Two stairwells and an elevator will lead from the garage up to the first floor. Additionally, there will be a tunnel connecting the underground garage with Mallinckrodt so that food services can still use the Mallinckrodt service en-
trance. In addition to providing much-needed parking spaces, the garage will provide a location in which visitors can park and be closer to the center of campus than the current lots allow. Only the super-seniors of the current freshman class, however, will be able to enjoy the University Center’s benefits—construction is not slated for completion until the summer of 2009. Construction on the underground garage is scheduled to commence this summer, while construction on the Center itself is slated to begin in the summer of 2007.
ing to May. Principal of Old Bonhomme Elementary Cheryl Kirchgessner was delighted with the lab, which visited her school in November. “The hands-on science lessons that culminated with visits to the Investigation Station were an incredible opportunity for our students to experience high-quality science instruction in fun and interactive ways,” said Kirchgessner. She added that parents and younger siblings of students at Old Bonhomme Elementary School also had the chance to visit the lab
and “were impressed with the whole experience.” To date, the Investigation Station is booked through the end of this school year and plans are already in motion to have a second mobile lab roll out to elementary schools next December. Also on the agenda are tentative plans to let college students at Washington University take a tour of the vehicle on campus. “To see something come together that was just a dream...is fascinating,” said May. “It has been a wonderful experience.”
MYSCI v FROM PAGE 3 MEGHAN LUECKE | STUDENT LIFE
Freshman Matt Odenwald uses his door’s card swipe card lock to get into his room in Koenig House on Monday. the Department has not yet needed to access the key card system’s records. Despite most students’ wishes that the University had explained more fully the recording function of the key cards, most students are okay with the system’s recording information and would want the information to be released to police if an investigation was in full swing. Owing to ResLife’s seemingly improved response times, Scott Wagganer, director of facilities and services for ResLife, is proud of the system’s success. “It seems like it’s really working out well,” said Wagganer. In fact, Wagganer noted that the University’s system has become “a model for other Universities” interested in making the switch from traditional keys to the key card. Although a handful of students have been locked out because of dying batteries or malfunctioning key cards, most students have only had problems with the new key card system after misplac-
ing the card themselves. The vast majority of all students who have been locked out, regardless of the cause, have regained access to their rooms within a few hours. Yet the informal survey conducted suggests that a majority of students (52 percent) are still dissatisfied by the key cards and would prefer a key. Thirty-seven percent surveyed are satisfied; 11 percent are indifferent. Most students are still unacquainted with the card locks’ warning system, which communicates error messages to trained technicians, should the lock malfunction. Of students surveyed, 61.5 percent were not sure what they should do if a warning light were to flash on their lock. (They should contact ResLife or their RA.) Students also complain that the doors now auto-lock— there is no way to keep the doors unlocked when they are closed—and wish the new key cards could be combined with the University identification cards.
learning materials related to each exhibit. “We even provide suggested experiments and seeds for the kids to grow their own plants,” said May. “The teachers love it.” What is the kids’ favorite part? “They love the microscopes and the viewing area because they can be independent, and you see all these little scientists working, just enthralled,” said May with a smile. Others prefer the intrigue of the cave. “There is a slide on it and the kids get to wear little hats with lights on
them and slide down,” said May. The Investigation Station has been a success, especially in under-served St. Louis-area school districts such as Wellston, Riverview Gardens, University City, and Ladue. “For qualifying school districts, visits [from the MySci Investigation Station] are free,” said May, adding that 75 percent of the mobile lab’s visits are to these and four other under-served districts. The other 25 percent of the visits are available to other schools on a “first come, first served” basis, accord-
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WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
SPORTS
STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
IN BRIEF: The No. 3-ranked women’s basketball squad upended UAA rivals Rochester and Carnegie Mellon this past weekend, 73-49 and 74-36. The team now stands atop the UAA conference with a 6-1 record and 16-2 overall record.
Two wins put women’s hoops atop UAA standings; team eyes NCAAs By Carrie Jarka Sports Reporter Despite the injuries suffered by several key members of the women’s basketball team and the loss last weekend to University Athletic Association (UAA) rival NYU, the No. 3-ranked squad was able to defeat UAA opponents University of Rochester and Carnegie Mellon University this past weekend. “In my opinion, the Brandeis game was pivotal. The loss to NYU hurt, but we rebounded well,” said head coach Nancy Fahey. The Bears not only rebounded well, they made a statement, defeating No. 24 Rochester, 73-49. With an injury to junior Rebecca Parker in last Sunday’s game against Brandeis, freshman Jaimie McFarlin got the start. “Opponents don’t care what year you are. The freshmen have stepped up; they have to help the others,” said Fahey. The seniors were not to be outdone, however. Seniors Danielle Beehler, Kelly Manning, and Katie Benson all scored in double-digits. Beehler led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Manning and Benson each added another 15 points. Junior Sarah Schell also had a big night with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Shooting over 45 percent from the field, the Bears held the Yellow Jackets to 23 percent from the floor while collecting 12 steals. “With the absence of Parker, we had a combination of people step up. We never try to replace people. We let everyone be who they are. We gathered the troops, and be-
ing successful only makes us stronger,” said Fahey. The Bears started out falling behind in the early minutes of the game before scoring 21 unanswered points. They never looked back, taking a 35-21 halftime lead and the eventual victory. Unfortunately for the Tartans of Carnegie Mellon, the Bears continued to show off their abilities by doubling the Tartans’ point total on Sunday, 74-36. “Teams key in on Beehler and Manning and they can’t stop them both in the same night,” explained Fahey. “We are a committee, not individuals. The experience is showing.” The experience showed, indeed, with all three seniors once again scoring in doubledigits. Beehler led all scorers with 20 points, while Manning and Benson each added 11. The defense was tough for the second game in a row, holding the Tartans to 21 percent from the field with 15 steals. Nevertheless, the difference in the game was on the glass; the Bears out-rebounded the Tartans by the wide margin of 51-38. The Bears now sit atop the UAA conference at 6-1 (16-2 overall). No. 12 NYU, who defeated the Bears the previous weekend, was defeated by Emory University this weekend, dropping them seven spots in the national rankings. With seven games remaining in conference play, the Bears are in a position to win the conference for the ninth consecutive season and move on to the NCAA tournament. “This conference is tough, everyone knows it. They are confident and ready to take care of business. They have
UPCOMING GAMES AND EVENTS FRIDAY, FEB. 3 Men’s Basketball at Carnegie Mellon University 8 p.m. Pittsburgh, Pa. Women’s Basketball at Carnegie Mellon University 6 p.m. Pittsburgh, Pa.
SATURDAY, FEB. 4 Track and Field Titan Open— Bloomington, Ill. Hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University
SUNDAY, FEB. 5 Men’s Basketball at University of Rochester Noon; Rochester, NY
JASON HUBERT | STUDENT LIFE
Freshman Shanna-Lei Dacanay halts to look for a pass as a Carnegie Mellon player rushes in to cover Dacanay. The women trounced Carnegie with more than double their score, finishing at 74-36. They also claimed a sound defeat of 73-49 over University of Rochester last weekend. resolve and control,” said Fahey. Beehler was named the UAA Player of the Week for the second straight week for her performances over the weekend. She averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while shooting .609 from the field. She tallied her seventh
5
double-double of the season (20 points, 11 rebounds) in a 73-49 win against then-No. 23 Rochester. On Sunday, Beehler netted 20 more points, her sixth 20-plus point game of the season. For the season, she is averaging 16.6 points, good for third in UAA standings, and 7.9 rebounds per
game, while shooting a UAAbest .600 (120-of-200) from the floor. The No. 3-ranked Bears will go on the road this weekend to face Carnegie Mellon and Rochester once again before returning for their two remaining regular season home games.
Women’s Basketball at University of Rochester 2 p.m. Rochester, NY
THURS.-SAT., FEB. 9-11 Swimming and Diving UAA Championships— Atlanta, Ga. Hosted by Emory University
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6 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
Senior Forum Editor / Molly Antos / forum@studlife.com
FORUM
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Jeff Stepp Wednesday: Daniel Milstein Friday: Joshua Trein jsstepp@wustl.edu daniel.milstein@wustl.edu jctrein@wustl.edu To ensure that we have time to fully evaluate your submissions, guest columns should be e-mailed to the next issue’s editor or forwarded to forum@studlife.com by no later than 5 p.m. two days before publication. Late pieces will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We welcome your submissions, and thank you for your consideration.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Peer advising’s utility questionable A
mong the many support systems that Washington University advertises for incoming students, in addition to academic advisers, major advisers, minor advisers, resident advisers, the Career Center, Cornerstone and the Writing Center, is the peer advising program. As every student who has been a freshman here knows, at the beginning of freshman year, each student is assigned a peer adviser, who holds program-
ming for him/her and a small group of other freshmen during the academic year. Sadly, this program frequently does not live up to expectations, and its questionable financial accountability should bring the program under further scrutiny. Often, peer advisers seem to disappear after the first event or two, leaving students who were counting on their availability high and dry. Our thought: if the adviser doesn’t
want to spend time with freshmen that badly, perhaps she shouldn’t have signed up for the program in the first place. But then, part of the problem is that freshmen, overwhelmed by all the activities on campus, often become overinvolved, as University students are apt to do, and become difficult to get ahold of for peer advising programs. Others just aren’t that interested. Given those issues, the way the program is funded
is unusual at best. A former peer adviser reports that each adviser is allotted a certain amount of money for each student that attends an event. Yet the only proof an advisor must provide to show that those students attend events in order to receive reimbursement for a program is a list of the students who were in attendance. Cynical readers might note that this might make it easy to receive additional funding for a program just by saying all stu-
dents were in attendance—an occurrence that seems unlikely for a peer adviser program, especially as the year goes on. This former peer adviser also noted that even the best peer advisers get, at most, 60 percent of their assigned students to attend any given event. It seems that freshmen are voting with their feet. These results suggest that with all the layers of support available here, perhaps the peer advising program is overkill. With so many
different places for students to turn to if they need help, an upperclassman who they barely know and see perhaps once or twice a month is probably low on the list of resources for the average freshman. Either the program should be fi xed so that advisers hold interesting programming with legit financial accountability, or the funding for the program should be assimilated into another of the many resources provided to new students.
RACHEL TEPPER | EDITORIAL CARTOON
Correction: In our Jan. 25 staff editorial, “‘Bon Appétit Asian’ fare unsatisfying,” we incorrectly stated that Bon Appétit’s Asian Concept in the Mallinckrodt Food Court does not carry crab rangoon. In fact, the Asian Concept stand has plentiful crab rangoon. Student Life regrets the error.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
From a Jewish perspective, Sharon still criminal Dear Editor: As for the recent articles about Ariel Sharon: As a leader in the Wash. U. Jewish community, I’d like to make clear that from a Jewish perspective, I think Ariel Sharon is a war criminal. Anyone who promotes and uses violence as a solution to conflicts is morally wrong. I cannot condone a political leader who sees the destruction of families’ homes and the aerial bombing of villages as reasonable means to achieve any ends. In my tradition, human life is the highest value. For this reason, I can never excuse the killing of others. In the Judaism I know, the morality of the means must match the morality of the ends. The question here is not whether people such as Sharon commit crimes in war, the real question is whether there is such thing as a war that is not a crime. -Matt Adler Class of 2008
Sharon article filled with inaccuracies Dear Editor: I just wanted to say how
shocked I am that Student Life printed the “Sharon is a war criminal” article. I have decided not to write an op-ed piece in response because I think Ben Yungher said it all and did a fantastic job at responding to the obvious lies and propaganda that were spread. Student Life should be ashamed of themselves for printing an article with so many clear factual and historical fallacies (which could easily have been researched to check for accuracy). This is libel and the newspaper itself is accountable and responsible for it. -Dana Schwarz Class of 2008
Keep politics and finances separate Dear Editor: While reading Bill Maas’ op-ed (Jan. 30), I couldn’t help but nod along to some of his points. I know plenty of people on campus who would not be attending Wash. U. if not for some sort of financial aid from the University, including myself. I also know people who pay their own cell phone bills, buy their own cloth-
ing and pay for gas and insurance on their cars. I am fortunate that my parents do still provide me with the funds for necessary items, though I am responsible for paying for entertainment. I do not have a credit card whose bill gets sent to Daddy, and believe me when I say that I suffer the financial losses of every single parking ticket I get on this WUPD ridden campus. I know that I will probably not be financially independent after graduation, but hope that I do not have to turn to my parents Loewenberg-style in order to pay an electric bill that I blew on an overpriced tank top. BUT—and this is one huge but—I had to stop dead in my tracks when Maas referred to the “bleeding-heart liberals on campus who exhibit [the] qualities” of financially dependent brats. He is entitled to his political beliefs, and though I disagree with his, it does not excuse dragging politics into what otherwise would have been a well-written article about the flip side of “True Life.” Maas should be reminded that there are members of every political party that have more money than they could ever need, and that one’s political view does not determine how much “allowance” their parents give them. -Laura Wilson Class of 2007
East Coast Express failed to fulfull its contract Dear Editor: I am writing to complain about East Coast Express, a Washington University-sponsored student-run company that does summer storage. I graduated from Washington University in May of 2003. As I did every summer in college, I stored my belongings with East Coast Express. My belongings consist of approximately three big brown boxes and one maroon hardcover luggage. I’ve been their customer since the summer of 2000 and I trusted them to take care of my storage items properly. I signed the contract and paid the bill in full before I left St. Louis. The agreement is that the items will be shipped to me after summer. I went to China for the summer and moved to San Francisco, Calif. in November of 2003. And immediately I contacted East Coast Express both by e-mail and phone to ask them to send my storage items to my permanent
address in California. I was shocked when I couldn’t get a hold of anyone in the company. I called the headquarter of the company, which was in Florida, and they claimed that the East Coast Express on Wash. U. campus is no longer owned by them. Then I tried the office of the East Coast Express on campus and always got the voicemail. They never called or wrote me back until the beginning of 2004, at which point I was very frustrated but was happy they fi nally called back. I don’t remember the caller’s name but he said he would send my storage items out promptly after I gave him my address. I never received the storage items. And East Coast Express disappeared again. I tried my best to keep calling and e-mailing them. But with a job that requires at least 50 hours a week and preparation for the LSAT on the side, the continuous effort was very tiresome. In 2005, I fi nally called Julie Thorton at the Office of Student Activities, hoping she could help me contact East Coast Express and fi nd out what happened to my stuff. Julie gave me the phone number of Brian Clary, one of the chief officers for East Coast Express. I of course contacted
him many times and left him numerous voicemails. Nor surprisingly, Brian never called me back. Until this day, I have not been able to talk to him on the phone. I talked to Julie again at the beginning of 2006 and she informed me that my stuff has been liquidated because East Coast Express supposedly didn’t have my current address. I am extremely frustrated by this event. I am a customer and had paid for my storage items. I am also proactive in seeking out the company every chance I get. East Coast Express failed to fulfi ll its obligation under contract. I can’t believe a University-sponsored student-run company can just dump a customer’s property so callously and without consequence. As I mentioned to Julie on the phone, most of my belongings hold sentimental value and they are now lost forever. I don’t think it’s too much to ask if I demand appropriate compensation for this loss. Also I would like the University to take action against East Coast Express so they don’t cheat other customers in the way they cheated me. -Rui Di Class of 2003
YOUR VOICE: LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMNS
OUR VOICE: EDITORIAL BOARD
OUR WEB POLICY
Student Life welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed submissions from readers.
Editorials are written by the Forum editors and reflect the consensus of the editorial board. The editorial board operates independently of the newsroom.
Once an article has been published on www.studlife.com, our Web site, it will remain there permanently. We do not remove articles from the site, nor do we remove authors’ names from articles already published on the Web, unless an agreement was reached prior to July 1, 2005.
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Why do we do this? Because Google and other search engines cache our Web site on a regular basis. Our thought is this: once an article has been published online, it’s too late to take back. It is irrevocably part of the public sphere. As such, removing an article from our site would serve no purpose.
Senior Forum Editor / Molly Antos / forum@studlife.com
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
7
Student Life hates religion, Clinton, Wash. U. W
ever-increasingly stalkere all already ish Web site. Then, in the know that Stufifth paragraph, when the dent Life loves to author is starting to fully hate pretty much everything (especially facts). delve into the world of fake Facebook accounts, she Just read all the past letters drops this bombshell: to the editors for a “Clearly, fictional full, extensive list. characters and states It’s time to add do not actually attend another group to this fine institution.” the list: religious God’s not a state (alpeople. though I have heard It doesn’t matthat Pat Robertson is ter what religion, trying to petition the or even how Alabama government religious. The only Daniel Milstein to change the state’s thing that matname to Jesusland), ters is that they so that must mean… believe in God. If God’s a fictional character! you do, then StudLife hates The author, Felicia you (in the unlikely fact Baskin, does specifically that we didn’t before). This refer to God specifically fact is exposed in Monday’s as a “religious figure” in article, “Alternate identities the paragraph before. But abound on the Facebook.” the “fictional character” The article starts by exoverarching generalization plaining how God is on the
does not include anything about real things, except for states. Further, Jesus Christ also has his own account, and he’s been dead for years, so it must be an alternate identity. As most religious people will tell you, both God and Jesus are indeed real. So is the implication that as far as StudLife is concerned, religious figures aren’t real? As someone who doesn’t really buy into religion, I have to say, I had never been more proud of being a member of this fine newspaper. That is, until, I had my weekly revelation. Bill Clinton is also on the Facebook. I’m pretty sure Clinton doesn’t go here. He might have one at Yale or Oxford, but I’m not sure how he would go about obtaining a Wash. U. e-mail
address, needed for a Wash. U. Facebook account. That means it must be an alternate identity and like God, Clinton is either a fictional character or a state. God and I don’t really get along, but I like Papa Bill. Among other real people that are likely alternate identities on the Facebook at Wash. U.: former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, General George Patton, John Kerry, Chuck Norris and Chancellor Wrighton (who is mentioned in the article). I always had a feeling Chancellor Wrighton was a robot, but StudLife doesn’t even think that Chuck Norris is real? I think I might have to quit. (For those who got excited after reading that, I’m sorry, but much like the rest of this column, that was a joke. Sorry for getting your
Staff Columnist
S
ubsumed by more recent geopolitical news—elections in Bolivia, Canada and Palestine, crisis in Georgia, and Bush’s State of the Union—is a trend, a collection of slightly disparate events, which are much more subtle, momentous and dangerous for the U.S. As America concerns itself with more noticeable happenings, it has been ignoring the most pertinent of all: the increasing danger its hedonistic energy policy poses to its national interests. At the same time, by helping maintain inflated energy prices, whether consciously or not, America indirectly supports some of its greatest enemies. I am referring to the new energy system, where the price of a barrel of oil ($69) has tripled in three years and the price of natural gas has doubled in the last year. As a result, it has become prohibitively expensive to buy a gallon of gas or, more pertinent to students, heat a university. Everyone feels the effects: airlines, soccer moms, anyone who drives and students who have to pay more for tuition to keep the school warm. As most of America’s energy supply is imported, the higher price of energy represents an enormous wealth transfer abroad. And it is who this wealth is going to, countries like Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, that should worry Washington. Here is how Washington should see it: each barrel of oil bought from Saudi Arabia is only postponing the moment when that country must confront its structural imbalances or risk collapse; each dollar sent to Iran could be another dollar spent on a nuclear program seen as threatening; each shipment of natural gas from Russia is more power for Putin to shut down civil society; and each barrel of oil sold by Venezuela is more capital for Hugo Chavez
to win influence and spread anti-Americanism. The longer Americans support higher energy prices, the greater, and more problematic, these problems become. When oil runs out, Saudi Arabia will have no economy, and it is almost axiomatic that poverty breeds terrorism. In three years, Iran could have nuclear weapons. In five years, Russia might have no democracy. In 10 years, Chavez may be the new Castro. As long as energy prices remain unprecedently high, these trends will continue, and America will continue to, inadvertently, support regimes counter-productive to its own interest. For an administration devoted to spreading democracy and freedom, this policy represents a suppression of those ideals. No energy producing country of any magnitude—save Norway, Qatar and Canada—is a friend of America’s. (Russia is the exception, though that relationship is built more on Bush-Putin than strategic interests.) Moreover,
the massive infusion of wealth through energy into these countries (over half of the government of Venezuela’s revenue is from energy exports) allows the pernicious continuation of governments which should not be viable. Though Hugo Chavez enjoys support from a large swath of the population, his government is built on a 25 percent election turnout and dirty election tactics. The same is true for Iran and Russia, and Saudi Arabia does not hold national elections; the House of Saud maintains power through a variety of opaque methods. Obviously it would be insane to instantaneously reduce America’s energy demands by not driving, never turning on the lights and not warming one’s living quarters. But there are certain things that we, as world citizens and Washington University students, can do. Starting in the dorm, one should not leave lights on when not in the room, leave a computer running unattended for long stretches of time, or have the window open
and her friends “don’t take Facebook that seriously.” This is immediately after an anecdote about how one of her friends decided to look through course listings to find classes that her alternate identity would enjoy. That seems to be taking the account pretty seriously to me. A person can “not take Facebook seriously” while being incredibly detailed and serious about a Facebook account? That seems perfectly plausible, since the account is fake, but the dichotomy is still a little odd. At least it’s pertaining to an actual fictional character. Daniel is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences and a Forum editor. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife. com.
‘Uggs are ugly!’ Yeah, I said it
Energy independence and national security By Zachary Steinert-Threlkeld
hopes up.) The most incredible item learned from that article is that, according to StudLife, Wash. U. isn’t even real! Mentioned prominently in the article, there is a Facebook account for Washington University. But there is nothing saying that colleges have alternate identities. This is more ambiguous, though. Wash. U. may not be a fictional character—it may very well be a state. It is pretty big, and many people do not leave the Wash. U. bubble until growing up and either getting a car or moving off campus, or as it perhaps should be known, out of state. One thing that Student Life does not hate is irony. The article quotes Blair McNamara, creator of the God account, saying that she
in the middle of winter. On campus, one can recycle (especially plastic) as much as much possible, pressure the administration to turn off the library lights after closing time, demand that all new buildings be as energy efficient as Earth & Planetary Sciences, or, most important, insist that the administration modernize its heating facilities, which are woefully inefficient. The new energy system pervades every facet of Americans’ lifestyle and directly or indirectly influences much of the news. It requires a lifestyle change at all levels; this, however, does not mean a decrease in lifestyle quality. It is in everyone’s long term interest, Washington’s and Washington University’s, to wean ourselves from this system. Steve Forbes likes to say, “With all thy getting, get understanding.” I say, with all thy getting, get independent. Zachary is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at zsteiner@artsci.wustl. edu.
RACHEL TEPPER | STUDENT LIFE
By Anna Dinndorf Staff Columnist
M
y observations over this winter season have led me to conclude that the female student population of Washington University is divided into two distinct groups: those who wear Ugg boots and those who do not. I am of the opinion that you can tell a lot about a person by the kind of shoes they wear, especially when that person is a woman. A stereotype, popularized by Sarah Jessica Parker’s shoeobsessed character on “Sex and the City,” is not entirely unfounded: women love shoes. I admit, I am a part of this collective fashion fetish, but I also don’t consider myself particularly girly, as the shoe-loving female stereotype often suggests. I also do not wear Uggs. Over breakfast this morning, my friend told me about how sometimes when she is bored at work, she looks at the shoes of every girl who walks by and judges them for them. While this may sound upon first hearing like a terrible thing to do, further reflection leads to the fact that this is something many people do, whether they realize it or not. Whether we like it or not, we judge other people by their outward appearances, and in my opinion a woman’s shoes tell a lot more about her than almost anything else about her appearance. The women who wear Uggs tend to be highly fashion-conscious. Uggs, whether truly reflecting their wearer’s personalities, give an impression of femininity and a hint of prissiness. How did a sheepskin boot meant for keeping feet warm in extreme cold and traipsing around in the snow become
such a fashion statement? The answer: a brand name and a $150 price tag. On shoe Web site Zappos.com, a pair of Ugg Essential Short boots cost $143.95. Right next to it is a pair of nearly identical Gabriella Rocha Koalas for $45.95. On average, Ugg brand boots cost $164 and all other brands listed on Zappos.com under the “Fleece-lined boots” category cost $83, nearly half as much as Uggs. The conclusion? Part of the appeal of Uggs is their “designer” image. Their higher price means that not everyone can buy them, which makes the wearer seem hipper and wealthier. Uggs as a concept are not entirely a bad idea. A trendy boot that is warm as well unites two often competing forces: warmth and fashion. However, the Ugg is often abused. I have seen three major ways of wearing them: respectably and understatedly underneath jeans or other pants, proudly displayed with jeans tucked into them, or (horrifyingly) garishly paired with the infernal miniskirt. It is abuses such as the Ugg-and-miniskirt combo that helped to bring about the often-made pun “Uggs are ugly.” Uggs on their own are not particularly repulsive. However, variants like boots covered with long faux fur or with puff balls dangling off of them, or misguided outfit construction make the average consumer such as myself lose respect for the Ugg brand. And while some people do know how to do them right, I can’t help but think whenever I see someone wearing Uggs, “Oh. She’s one of them.” Anna is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at anna. dinndorf@wustl.edu.
State of the Union: never the whole truth By Jill Strominger Staff Columnist
I
t is amazing how perfectly well the United States appears every January when president after president delivers the uplifting, hopeful, reassuring State of the Union address. The economy is always good and always improving, the country is safe and secure, everyone has a job that pays them sufficiently well and Americans can ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after by re-electing the party giving the address. Rather than honestly conveying the actual state of the union, these addresses have become propaganda devices that do little to tell Americans about the realities
facing their country. When the president does attempt to address a serious issue, the Congress drowns out the grave state of the affair with applause that makes the issue seem to already be solved, even when the government has spent little time or has no workable solutions to the problem. In 1930, Herbert Hoover painted the Great Depression as minimal and less concerning than previous depressions, noting that “our major financial and industrial institutions have come through the storm unimpaired” and that “our country is today stronger and richer in resources, in equipment, in skill, than ever in its history” as if these simple facts mitigated the country’s devastating economic condition. A few
weeks after the address the government announced that between four and five million Americans were without a job. In 1943, Franklin D. Roosevelt said that “if the security of the individual citizen, or the family, should become a subject of national debate, the country knows where I stand.” To achieve this security, the United States placed more than 100,000 citizens in internment camps where many of them died. The State of the Union address fails to mention these camps but instead apologizes for extra paperwork some citizens may have to fill out as a result of America fighting a war. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower related to the country that “The great economic strength of our
democracy has developed in an atmosphere of freedom. The character of our people resists artificial and arbitrary controls of any kind” and “the safety of America and the trust of the people alike demand that the personnel of the federal government be loyal in their motives and reliable in the discharge of their duties.” While Eisenhower spoke these words, Senator Joseph McCarthy stifled any type of dissent from his policies, clearly disallowing the discourse regarding economic policy to be truly free. The address makes no mention of the internal communist scares that dominated this era. In 2002 our president told us through his State of the Union address that our nation has “rallied a
great coalition, captured, arrested and rid the world of thousands of terrorists, destroyed Afghanistan’s terrorist training camps, saved a people from starvation and freed a country from brutal oppression. [Applause.] The American flag flies again over our embassy in Kabul. Terrorists who once occupied Afghanistan now occupy cells at Guantanamo Bay. (Applause.) And terrorist leaders who urged followers to sacrifice their lives are running for their own. [Applause.]” In 2006, the United States’ coalition consists primarily of the United States, Tony Blair and Poland. The CIA recently confirmed Osama Bin Laden’s voice was the voice speaking to the world Jan. 19, warning the United States that Al Qaeda was
planning more terrorist attacks on the United States; people continue to starve, and nobody claps when they hear the words Guantanamo Bay. The State of the Union does little to discuss in realistic light the policies and problems that exist within our borders. Instead, the political party in power uses the free media time to give the nation a great story about its political achievements and provide people with the unrealistic perception that the government really knows how to solve all the nation’s problems. Take last night’s address without any salt. Jill is a freshman in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at jlstromi@artsci. wustl.edu.
8 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
Senior Cadenza Editor / Laura Vilines / cadenza@studlife.com
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
THEATRE REVIEW
CONCERT PREVIEW
moe.
‘Ipi Zombi?’: a true story By Robbie Gross Theatre Editor “This is a true story,” the narrator of the Performing Arts Department’s latest production “Ipi Zombi?” reminds us again and again. A South African play written by a white man (Brett Bailey) about a black community and for a Western audience, “Ipi Zombi?” (translated as “Where are the zombies?”) announces itself as so different as to be incredible. Indeed, there are few plays like it. The drama runs only an hour long, spastically transforming itself from drama to musical, dance theatre to game show. The result is a sufficiently difficult performance, one more befuddling than challenging. The basic plot is simple enough. A bus full of school children crashes, and when one of the injured boys mentions the possibility of a superstitious cause, the town’s reactionary students begin a witch hunt. This kind of theatrical social hysteria
has its precursor, of course. The great Western witch hunt play, Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” has already been written. Quite aware of this development, Bailey and the production’s director, Pushkar Sharma, want to give us something new, different and altogether “non-Western.” Unfortunately, the play fails exactly where it intends to succeed. While the “The Crucible” is a sustained effort, slowly building up tension and meaning, “Ipi Zombi?” takes a rather perverse pride in its informality. Literally and figuratively, the play jumps around all too much. Instead of maintaining the intensity of its dramatic moments—and there are more than several—Bailey’s play and Sharma’s direction take us through one exceedingly unexpected turn after another. Right when we become drawn into the immense severity of the plot, the tone shifts. The palpable terror of the student gang quickly morphs into a game show. Suddenly, a feminized devil
appears onstage, seductively playing games with the audience. Soon thereafter, the actors are doing a show tune. The pace is too fast and the tone too uneven; the audience, meanwhile, is left out to dry. While the idea may be to force a passive audience into activity by throwing them curveballs and upsetting their sense of rhythm and dramatic development, in practice we get something quite different. More confused than uncomfortable, more exhausted than tense, viewers of “Ipi Zombi?” will feel little different about the play’s themes after the play than they did before it. That the play never truly takes off is a shame, if only because there are many outstanding moments, the effects of Sharma’s often compelling production. Several actors, in particular, stand out. Chauncy Thomas proves to be the production’s most valuable performer, taking on multiple roles, multiple genders and multiple costumes in a truly fi ne display of artistic
versatility. Shewan E. Howard, a 2001 graduate, is perhaps the biggest surprise. As the leader of the student gang, his onstage ferocity—aided by a body that has surely spent some time in a weight room—is unmatched by anything to come through the PAD in years. Monica O’Malley is equally impressive in the sheer force of her performance. As one of the victims accused of witchcraft, her dying scene is of high cinematic quality. Finally, Cory Coleman deserves credit as the play’s narrator. Her commentary, especially in the play’s closing minutes, gives the performance’s jaggedness some direction and shape. As for Sharma, the director’s effort should not go unmentioned. Faced with limited resources—one can only imagine a production in which the African dance and song were delivered by actors seriously trained in African dance and song—and an exceptionally difficult script, he still manages to
By Andrea Fine Cadenza Reporter
COURTESY OF ERIC WOOLSEY
deliver a production that at least follows through on its promise to be different from the traditional sort of theatre. The direction falls short only because the director’s ambition in choosing the play was perhaps too great. Hopefully, the next play that this talented director—still only an undergraduate—chooses will be a bit more digestible.
ALBUM REVIEWS
Portugal.The Man: ‘Waiter: You Vultures!’ By Adam Summerville Movie Editor Despite their complete lack of respect for the standard laws of English punctuation, Portugal. The Man’s first release is interesting and shows a lot of promise. The band is comprised of former members of Anatomy of a Ghost and sounds something like a cross between current prog stars The Mars Volta and Thursday, ever popular amongst the emo crowd. Lyrics that make no sense, interesting instrumentation, falsetto combined with relatively standard song structure, guitars that are comprehensible by standard humans and a slightly whiny emo tinge define Portugal. The Man. The songs are pretty good for the most part, starting off strong with “How The Leopard Got Its Spots” and “Gold Fronts.” Both combine indie-esque rock with some electronic flair and the odd hip-hop beat, making for some very interesting songs. The trouble is that all the songs are essentially the exact same
thing, despite being unlike most other muscians’ work. This general problem plagues most of the songs on the album, save “Waiter” and “Kill Me. The King.” “Waiter” is kept at a whisper for most of the song, and the tension builds in a crescendo to the very end. While such dynamics are common in many realms of music, they are often forgotten in rock music. On the other hand, “Kill Me. The King” is the rockingest song on the album, with catchy guitar riffs and driving drums and a caterwauling reminiscent of Hot Hot Heat. There are a couple songs that try to be too quirky and experimental and just wind up failing entirely, and while they are few and far between, they entirely ruin the flow of the album. For people looking for a fix of indie rock to tide them over until the upcoming Flaming Lips album, there are worse places to look than “Waiter: You Vultures!” It is a bit more ambitious than the band is able to handle, but there are some interesting songs to be found, and with time the band could definitely become something very worthwhile.
Portugal. The Man “Waiter: You Vultures!” Grade: ★★★✬✩ Songs to Download: “How The Leopard Got Its Spots,” “Gold Fronts,” “Waiter,” “Kill Me. The King” For fans of: Anatomy of a Ghost, The Mars Volta, The Flaming Lips
Tony Hussle: ‘Sexy Freaky Electric’ Tony Hussle “Sexy Freaky Electric” Grade: ★★★★✩ Songs to Download: “Come Again,” “In This House” For fans of: D’Angelo, Prince Bottom line: Shows a lot of promise—looking forward to more from him.
By Brian Stitt Cadenza Reporter Tony Hussle, while generally unknown to the public, has been hailed by some in the music industry as a musical genius. On the fi rst track of his fi rst EP, his mother provides us with this information on a track where she describes how her son started playing piano in the church choir at the age of three. Self-promotion aside, Hussle, born Anthony Pearver, delivers a solid set of six songs, mixing the soul vibes of Al Green with a raw sexuality and instrumentation in debt to Prince. And like the Purple One, he has no problem putting his lyrics out on the line—especially in the fi rst song, “Come Again,” in which he tells his bedmate to come back for another round: “After your body shakes/ we’re gonna take a break.” With his tongue sliding back and forth from cheek to cheek, Tony Hussle gives us
‘Prince of Persia’
May 4, 1471
The Lancastrian Army is defeated Long ago in 1471, the War of the Roses flared in Britain, and the Battle of Tewkesbury ended the fi rst phase of this bloody struggle. On this noteworthy day, Edward IV and his compatriots defeated an entire Lancastrian Army and killed Edward, Prince of Wales. By coincidence, more historical confl ict occurred on this date, as even longer ago, another war in a galaxy far, far away concluded its hostilities in its Endor theatre. May the fourth be with you.
-David Freeman, Cadenza Reporter
JASON ANDERSON
moe. Sat., Feb. 4, 8 p.m. at The Pageant: tickets available at the box office
VIDEO GAME REVIEW
On this date:
FRESHMAN FIFTEEN
a smooth, sexy slow jam with enough wit to keep us interested. The rest of the EP plays out like an ode to the greats of R&B and soul, but with such a stagnant feel in the genre these days, it almost feels daring. Unfortunately, Hussle keeps everything at a slow boil when the heat desperately needs to be turned up. All of his songs are slow and sensual, and while his lyrical topics range from women dictating the pace of a relationship in “Wait” and “She’s a Virgin Too” to building a better relationship in “In this House,” he never strays from sex as his main theme. This is nothing we haven’t heard before, but Tony Hussle is a talented individual, serving as performer, songwriter and producer, and he defi antly deserves a listen. He describes his perfect woman as being “thicker than a pot of cold grits,” and sometimes his album resembles just that. Heat them up and throw on some salt, and I’ll be back for seconds.
This Saturday, Feb. 4, The Pageant hosts moe., a band thriving on its combination of unpredictability and familiarity. The group formed in 1991 and has been widely known in the jam-band scene for years. The breakup of Phish placed an even brighter spotlight on moe. and increased it devoted following of “moe. rons.” The band’s five members, Rob Derhak (bass and vocals), Al Schnier (guitar, vocals, keyboard), Chuck Garvey (guitar), Vinnie Amico (drums) and Jim Loughlin (percussion), truly utilize their range of instrumental talent. The upbeat, islandlike sound heard in songs such as “Buster” and the conversely harder rock developed in “Meat” verify that moe. effectively incorporates a variety of styles in their jams, which last from five to 45 minutes. When it comes to lyrics, however, moe.’s choruses tend to be recognizable and catchy. But this seemingly pop quality only adds to the positive atmosphere as fans consistently sing along. Chances are that even strangers to moe. can learn their effective lyrics within the time allotted for a song, allowing for varying levels of moe.-showgoers to add to the enthusiastic nature of Saturday’s crowd. Listeners’ impulsive dance style, which involves loosely moving to the music however one pleases, further adds to the total energy of the mass. A moe. concert is a place of release, a place to alleviate tension that may have resurfaced with the onset of school. The beauty of the jam band is the overall environment of spontaneity, a description applicable to its stage presence as well. From chugging beers in the middle of a song to including a drum solo by a young boy titled “mayor of moe. ville,” moe. has been known to induce a good time both onstage and off, always playing a unique show. For more information about moe., visit their Web site at www.moe.org and check out the “wmoe radio” feature that allows visitors to listen to a selected group of songs for free.
By Adam Summerville Movie Editor “Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones” continues the story of the impetuous, time-controlling prince. Previously, in “The Warrior Within,” he traveled the Island of Time, where he defeated the formidable Dahaka, an incarnation of Fate resulting from his temporal exploits in “The Sands of Time,” the fi rst game of this series. As the prince returns to his hometown of Babylon at the outset of “The Two Thrones,” he fi nds that his actions have brought devastation there that he must remedy. How surprising. The noteworthy and eponymous aspect of the game is the two versions of the prince: normal and dark. The cocksure prince from “Sands of Time” is back with his pithy one-liners that made him the heartthrob of gamers back in 2003, and that personality is contrasted with the Dark Prince, a malevolent sand monster whose thirst for carnage is reminiscent of the merciless prince of “Warrior
Within.” Combat with either prince is fluid and stylish, involving many dial-a-combos that will make short work of the various enemies. The chainlike daggertail weapon of the Dark Prince can be utilized for vicious attacks and even as a rappelling implement in the platformjumper parts of the game. A novelty for this iteration of the “Prince of Persia” series is speed kills. If you manage to sneak up on an enemy undetected, an interactive cutscene will result, during which (if you time the hits correctly) the prince will quickly slay the enemy in sleek ninja fashion. When he is not fighting myriad sand monsters, that wacky prince is always jumping around on the ruined façades of Persia. The platformjumper aspects are all intact from the previous games, including sword/curtain slides, wall jump after wall jump and the prince’s signature wall run. The developers of “Two Thrones” did their job well when designing the unique and sometimes difficult settings for the prince to frolic through. Gamers will
be frustrated, though, when at times an unexpected camera shift will send the prince leaping into a vast nothingness. Fortunately, the rewindtime power has returned to correct all of your errors of judgment. Story? There’s a story? Strap on your jumpin’ boots and slashin’ gloves, because that is what “The Two Thrones” is all about. There isn’t much new stuff in the game, but if you are a fan of this series, you won’t mind this well-polished retread.
Grade: ★★★★✩ Worth it for: often hilarious, melodramatic arguments between the prince and Dark Prince; speed kills The main drawback: You get the idea of the whole game quickly. Should be played by: “Prince of Persia” fans, time-control enthusiasts Final word: A standard entry in the “PoP” series with enough innovation to be fun.
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
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10 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
Senior Cadenza Editor / Laura Vilines / cadenza@studlife.com
CADEN Z A
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2006
n. a technically brilliant, sometimes improvised solo passage toward the close of a concerto, an exceptionally brilliant part of an artistic work
arts & entertainment
I-Tunes: Music from the international arena Part 1 of a series Music exists outside of indie rock and jam bands. Here at Cadenza, however, we often forget that, due to our overwhelming personal preference for the former. So in this new year, we have resolved to put our predilections to the side and to explore other musical stylings. We begin by leaving not only our personal preferences behind, but also the entire U. S. of A. What’s happening in the wide and diverse world music arena? We’re here to find out. We begin with the music of our almost-American “we don’t have to pay taxes” neighbors to the south and their punked-out friends in the East. We give you the reggaeton style of music and the music of the Asian Music Association.
Reggaeton By Pat Kennedy Cadenza Reporter If you haven’t heard of Reggaeton already, you are sure to in the near future. With hits like “Gasolina” having success in the States as well as internationally, this Latin hip-hop meld that originated over 10 years ago is now gaining an international audience. We turn to the resident expert on Reggaeton, Wash. U. student Daniel Pagan, to get some answers. Cadenza: So where exactly does Reggaeton originate? Pagan: It all started in Puerto Rico around ‘94. Back then it was called “underground,” and you could only fi nd a few CDs here or there. The tapes you could get had more basic sampling and beats on them, just rough cuts without the studio polish and more complexity of the songs put out today. Cadenza: How exactly would you describe the music’s style and sound? Pagan: It’s a combination of many infl uences. Mainly, it could be considered rap or hip hop, but there are strong infl uences of dancehall reggae, salsa and merengue
music. You’ll hear horn samples as well as conga drums on top of the strong bass of a hip hop beat. Also, about 95 percent of reggaeton is rapped in Spanish, although some English is starting to creep into the songs in recent years as it has gained popularity. Cadenza: Who are some of the style’s biggest, most well-known artists? Pagan: Probably the biggest names, or the fathers of reggaeton, are Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderón, and Don Omar. Daddy Yankee just signed with Interscope Records in August, and Calderón signed with Atlantic in June. These guys all performed together at the MTV Music Awards this year, and Daddy Yankee just had a huge hit with “Gasolina” on his album Barrio Fino. Also, the producers Luny Tunes have played a major role in creating the beats for all these guys and other artists. Cadenza: Where can you find this music? Pagan: You can fi nd the major albums at most record stores and they have a show on MTV2 now called “Rhythm and Reggaeton.” Also, reggaeton is starting to infl uence other popular artists like R. Kelly and Shakira, who did a reggaeton remix of her hit song “La Tortura.” It’s easy to fi nd today.
The AMA By Jordan Deam Music Editor The Asian Music Association is probably the best place on campus to fi nd the latest Eastern music. With a KWUR radio show in the works, karaoke nights, and an annual contest, the AMA is looking to bring all types of Eastern music to the forefront of the Wash. U. music scene. Below is an interview with Nelson Hui, last year’s AMA president and current “honorary member.” Hui: So obviously, because the culture is different, the music is going to be different, too. I feel like, at least within the Chinese music scene, a lot of it seems pretty homogenous: there’s not much of an indie scene going on. It’s all very mainstream. But, even so, it still sounds different than American music. I guess it’s mainly ballads and dance tracks in the Chinese music scene. I don’t know much about Korean, because I don’t listen to it, but Japanese music has more variety. It’s not as homogenous as Chinese music, I feel, and, even compared to American music; it’s different that way. But I guess I’m kind of into the indie scene in Japan, because I guess they’re not really motivated by monetary concerns, they’re just out there to produce whatever music they want to do, so... Cadenza: Do you listen to any popular music from Japan? Hui: I do, yeah. I guess my taste is pretty eclectic…as long as it sounds good. It’s not like, “It’s mainstream, so it sucks.” I think a lot of mainstream music in Japan is really good. I guess in any kind of music there’s obviously going to be shitty artists that release shitty music and then complain about how people don’t buy there albums…but one of the main differences between mainstream music here and in Japan is, in Japan, a
lot of the artists compose and write the lyrics themselves…well, they do everything themselves. Like, there’s Utada Hikaru… she actually debuted an album in the U.S. just last year in September, and so she arranges, composes, and writes lyrics to all of her songs, so she basically does everything, and she’s involved in producing the album. Cadenza: But she’s still considered a pop star? Hui: She is a pop star, most defi nitely. She’s probably one of the most popular ones there. It doesn’t sound really unique by Japanese standards, but when you compare it to music here, it’s still very different. In Japan, I feel like the most popular artists either write their own lyrics, compose their own music, or both. Of course…there’s this group called Morning Musume…it’s like a bunch of little girls jumping around, and a few of them sing, and the rest just kind of flop around on stage. They get pretty good sales for whatever reason, but if you listen to it, it’s complete garbage. But I feel like there’s going to be artists like that in any country, where, for whatever reason, they just happen to luck out. Usually, in general, most of the artists in Japan really need to have talent in order to succeed. Cadenza: Is there anything that really separates Chinese pop music from Japanese pop music, or are they pretty similar? Hui: They’re not similar at all. I feel like Chinese artists likewise do not compose their music most of the time, and they just rely on other composers, and…at least in the Hong Kong scene, the entertainment industry is based on looks
more than anything else. It almost seems like a disrespect to music, I feel, at least in the Hong Kong scene. If you try to listen to any Cantonese music, I think it’s quite apparent that a lot of it is garbage. They all sound so similar that it’s like anyone could have composed it. Cadenza: Can you talk about the AMA a little bit...like, is there any common ground in tastes that people share that kind of brings them together, or…how do you participate in the AMA? I know you’re the “honorary member” but… Hui: I guess the music at this point is mainly Chinese music because the AMA fi rst started off as the CMA, Chinese Music Association. When I became president, I wanted to expand it to incorporate more variety, so at this point it’s mainly Chinese music, and even so, people who are going to come to the
karaoke nights to sing anything…I guess they appreciate mainstream music more, you know? It is mainstream, so a lot of the population tends to appreciate that more than anything that sounds a bit more novel. Cadenza: So it might be less about the music than it is just coming together with your friends? Hui: I don’t think I would say that…a lot of people go there to sing with their friends. And last year, we actually had a singing contest that we hosted in May Auditorium. But I think the radio show is where we can actually broadcast a more diverse collection of music, but we’re kind of on break now. But hopefully the radio show will be up again [this] semester. That’s where we broadcast more variety of music to expose the Wash. U. community to.