Student Life | February 1, 2008 by Student Life

STAFF EDITORIAL | RESCOLLEGE ROUND IS FLAWED | SEE FORUM, PAGE 4

STUDENT LIFE

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 129, NO. 49

SU to fund College Dems protest of Gonzales BY PERRY STEIN NEWS EDITOR After exchanging heated dialogue until past 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning, a majority of the 16 present treasury members voted to approve the College Democrats’ appeal and help fund their protest against Alberto Gonzales, whose upcoming speech on campus will be partially funded by Student Union. Much of the controversy within the Treasury stems from what some members view as the inherent contradiction of inviting Gonzales to campus and then enabling another student group to protest his policies. “It will make us look foolish on a national scale, though I support the Democrats’ right to protest,” said senior John Ablan, a budget committee member. The College Democrats originally appealed for $3,605.63. However, the treasury voted to give the student group $636.74 for supplies. Included in the original proposal were food for the protesters and T-shirts that would have potentially said “Waterboarding: Not just for fascist dictators anymore.” The group had intended to use the shirts as a way to identify protestors as Washington

STAFF REPORTER Washington University hired almost 30 new professors in the College of Arts & Sciences last year. A search for new faculty is underway in the School of Engineering, and several other University departments are seeking new members. All potential candidates face a long and highly competitive selection process. University departments announce available positions about one year before the appointment is set to begin. Professors who lead the search for new faculty post notices of openings on the Internet and in academic journals. Depending on the needs of their department, these search committees also contact other professors and graduate school advisors. Thomas Sattig, an assistant professor in the department of philosophy, taught at UCLA and Tulane University before coming to the University in 2007. He was motivated by the strength of the department. “I learned about the opening from Jobs for Philosophers, the central publication for philosophy in the U.S.,” said Sattig. “My sense was that everyone was working on making an already very good department a really great one.” Charly Coleman, an assistant professor in the department of history, discovered that a tenure-track position was available by using the H-Net Job Guide, an

Chabad looks to enhance Birthright experience v Newly funded program will provide

post-Birthright programming BY CAMILLE FISHER CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

COURTESY OF SCOTT ROBERTSON | INDEPENDENT FLORIDA ALLIGATOR

A protestor dressed as a prisoner interrupts former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ speech in the Phillips Center of Performing Arts at the University of Florida at Gainesville on Nov. 19, 2007. On Wednesday night, the Treasury granted funding to the College Democrats for a protest of Gonzales’ speech; College Democrats has stated that their protest will not disrupt the event. University students for security purposes. In the approved appeal, Treasury did not allocate money for the group to purchase shirts or food. “We’re just happy to have Treasury support and have Student Union backing of our protest. We’re happy treasury

As departments grow, faculty selection remains competitive BY GREGG RE

WWW.STUDLIFE.COM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008

online resource for historians. Applicants for faculty positions—from the College of Arts & Sciences to the School of Engineering—require a résumé, cover letter, at least three academic references and recommendations and samples of scholarly writings and research. Then come the interviews. “I was asked to meet members of the search committee in early January at the annual meeting of the American Historical Association,” said Coleman. “I spent several tense weeks waiting to learn whether I would progress to the penultimate stage of the hiring process, the campus visit.” Applicants who are invited to visit campus spend several days exploring the campus and discussing their research interests with potential coworkers. Sattig, who was also interviewed at a major academic convention, described the campus visit as an important factor in his decision to attend the University. “It became clear quickly that the department and indeed the University on the whole currently have a lot of momentum,” said Sattig. Coleman was also busy during his 48-hour visit to campus. He gave a lecture, led a discussion about teaching in the Interdisciplinary Project in the Humanities and met with his potential coworkers. Though the University competes with other top schools for these elite applicants, the selec-

See FACULTY, page 2

recognizes the importance of what we’re doing,” said College Democrats Treasurer Eric Reif. “We asked for a third of what treasury approved for Alberto Gonzales, so we are a little disappointed that they didn’t approve our number when they so blatantly improved the other

number.” During the meeting, Reif and College Democrats President Ben Guthorn said that they and the 500 anticipated participants are not protesting Gonzales speaking on campus, but rather

See PROTEST, page 2

ACTOR FROM ‘THE WEST WING’ STUMPS FOR OBAMA

EITAN HOCHESTER | STUDENT LIFE

Dulé Hill, who played Charlie Young on NBC’s “The West Wing,” spoke on Thursday at Kayak’s Coffee on Skinker Boulevard to support Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

See BIRTHRIGHT, page 2

SU hopes to eliminate cardio fee for next year BY BEN SALES NEWS EDITOR Student Union (SU) will place a clause on the ballot this coming March approving block funding to eliminate the cardio fee and improve the weight room in the Athletic Complex (AC). “Our ultimate goal, the long term goal would be to do a complete revamping of the athletic facilities available to the athletes and students,” said SU Senator Eric Gradel, a senior. “The University does not place a big enough emphasis on its ﬁtness

facilities.” By eliminating the cardio fee, SU hopes to take one obstacle away from students wishing to stay ﬁt on campus. Improvement of the weight room is directed toward the same goal, and SU President Neil Patel is also working to keep the AC open longer. “One of our goals when we were campaigning [last year] was to improve ﬁtness facilities on campus,” said Patel, a senior. “[We had] three goals: to improve equipment, reduce or eliminate cardio fees and to extend the

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It is estimated that one in three young American Jews will go on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip, according to Rabbi Hershey Novack of Chabad on Campus. With a $10,000 grant from a private philanthropic foundation, Novack will establish postBirthright Israel programs, with the mission of empowering, “Birthright Israel participants to advance their engagement with Israel and Judaism upon their return to campus.” Birthright trips run throughout the year, often timed for University break, and come in dozens of variations; several campus organizations lead Birthright trips including Chabad on Campus and Hillel. Participants can choose between everything from hiking to meeting Israeli soldiers. All trips include visits to historical sites and extensive touring of the country. “Having been to Israel, I do feel I can relate a bit more when I read about it in the news,” said

senior Zachary Steinert-Threkeld. “I was at the Golan Heights, drove through the West Bank, went to the Western Wall [and] went to the Holocaust Museum.” But to Rabbi Novack, there’s a catch in the organization of the program. “The great flaw of the trip is inherent to its being a trip,” said Novack. “When participants come back to America, the question is, what does the American-Jewish enterprise provide to allow these young adults to express their sense of Jewish identity and ongoing Israel involvement?” Taglit-Birthright Israel aims to strengthen worldwide Jewish solidarity, and Novack said he thinks it should not stop once students return to campus. “I don’t believe the American-Jewish community has fully reaped the benefits of the sense of heightened Jewish identity and Jewish awareness that students gain from the trip,” said Novack. The project that Chabad on Campus is undertaking is not the first of its kind nationally, but it will be the first follow up program available at the University. “I think it would be a great opportunity to continue the questions and dialogue about what is going on in the State of Israel and the Middle East because those issues have been opened up from visiting Israel,” said senior Laelle Busch. Busch added that because the question is by definition an open-ended dialogue, there are no easy clear-cut answers, and there should be no conclusion to the conversation. Novack has yet to design his post-Birthright program, but he knows its general shape. Upon return from Israel, fellow Jewish students will greet Birthright Israel participants and help participants translate their experiences to the United States. In the upcoming weeks, Rabbi Novack plans to hire University students who understand and support the mission of Birthright Israel as Peer Fellows.

Not a sports fan? Don’t know (or care) who Eli Manning or Tom Brady are? You can still have fun on Sunday. Read Scene, Page 8

hours of the AC. The goal of the block funding proposal is to achieve all three goals and get the funding in place.” Patel added that he expects the proposition to pass. “I feel conﬁdent that this will get a lot of attention,” he said. “I’ll try my best to get it passed. We have a lot of support. We have the support of athletes on campus.” In that vein, Gradel noted that students who care about this issue will make sure to vote when the time comes. “I plan on putting a lot of

INSIDE: Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Cadenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

hours into advertising and campaigning on behalf of the proposal,” he said. “We don’t need a majority of all students. We need a majority of people who have voted. The people that vote care about this. That will probably push the vote in favor of the proposal.” The proposal, according to Patel, is one of the ﬁrst steps of a longer process to initiate general improvement of the ﬁtness options available at the University.

See CARDIO FEE, page 2

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Friday, February 1 John McCain speech Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain is set to speak at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport today at 2 p.m.

Copyright 2008 Editor in Chief: Erin Fults Executive Editor: David Brody Managing Editors: Shweta Murthi, Mallory Wilder Senior News Editor: Sam Guzik Senior Forum Editor: Nathan Everly Senior Cadenza Editor: Brian Stitt Senior Scene Editor: Meghan Luecke Senior Sports Editor: Trisha Wolf Senior Photo Editor: David Hartstein Senior Graphics Editor: Rachel Harris News Editors: Perry Stein, Ben Sales, Puneet Kollipara News Manager: Teddy White Forum Editors: Altin Sila, Jill Strominger, Christian Sherden, Dennis Sweeney Cadenza Editors: Elizabeth Ochoa, David Kaminsky, Cecilia Razak, Michelle Stein Scene Editors: Lana Goldsmith, Kate Gallagher Sports Editors: Johann Qua Hiansen, Unaiz Kabani, Josh Goldman Photo Editors: Lucy Moore, Lionel Sobehart, Jenny Shao Online Editor: Scott Bressler Design Chief: Anna Dinndorf Design Editors: Dennis Sweeney, Zoe Scharf, Brittany Meyer Copy Chief: Brian Krigsher Copy Editors: Jonathan Baude, Kat Zhao Designers: Jamie Reed, Kate Ehrlich, Kim Yeh, Susan Hall, Liz Klein, Niki Dankner, Alyssa Anzalone-Newman, Sophia Agapova, Evan Freedman, Chris Maury, Courtney LeGates, Mia Feitel, Joe Rigodanzo General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Advertising Manager: Sara Judd Copyright 2007 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.

Black Anthology at Edison The annual Black Anthology is tonight and Saturday at 7 p.m at Edison Theatre. The play’s entrance fee is $8 for students and $10 general admission.

Saturday, February 2 Mardi Gras Parade As a part of St. Louis’s annual Mardi Gras festival, the Lumiere Place Grand Parade will be today from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. from Downtown to Soulard. Tickets are not required to attend the parade. Barack Obama speech Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama is set to speak at the Edward Jones Dome today at 9 p.m. Admission is free; attendants are encouraged to RSVP online at http://missouri.barackobama.com.

Sunday, February 3

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

PROTEST v FROM PAGE 1 the immoral actions—including unauthorized torturing—that he supervised while in ofﬁce. “We have no intention of interrupting Mr. Gonzales or blockading the building. We will not be preventing him from speaking,” said Reif. “We are not protesting Gonzales being here, but we are protesting the things that he did unauthorized as attorney general.” Although Student Union President Neil Patel did not vote at the treasury meeting, he was present and said that he supported funding the College Democrats’ protest “I’m in support of this,” he said. “There is a lot of nuance present in this appeal, and that excites me. We are not endorsing another group. We are empowering it. It will not make us look foolish. He will be expecting protestors.” With Wash. U. Police Department approval and logistics pending, the College Democrats

plan to have a week of discussion and sign making that will culminate with a march from the South 40 to the 560 building where Gonzales will be speaking at that time. The students will then peacefully protest while he speaks. Despite the Democrats’ assurance that they will not be protesting the fact that the former attorney general is on campus, some members of the Treasury were still wary of the fact that the money will be used to protest a speaker that they invited to campus. “I am not sure how I feel about funding a protest that is protesting a guest at our campus,” said William Osberghaus, Student Group Activities Committee chair. The Treasury funded approximately $10,000 of the event out of a total of $35,000. In defense, Guthorn mentioned the possibility that Gonzales has been making the col-

lege campus circuit to help fund his exorbitant legal fees. “Technically, Student Union is funding the legal fees of Alberto Gonzales,” he said. The Treasury said that it approved the funding to bring Gonzales to campus in order to generate political discussion among students. “We are not funding something that is anti-event,” said Budget Committee Member David Cohen. “I am impressed with the amount of discussion that has already happened about this on campus.” Reif said that in his speech, Gonzales will probably not mention any of the torturing or other controversies that occurred under his leadership in ofﬁce. Even so, he feels the need to speak out. “If we stand silently on the day he speaks, then his voice will be the only one that will be heard and our voice will be nonexistent,” said Reif.

BIRTHRIGHT v FROM PAGE 1

Hillary Clinton speech Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband, Former President Bill Clinton, will be coming to St. Louis today. Details are still pending. Visit http://www.hillaryclinton. com/hq/missouri/ for more information.

FACULTY v FROM PAGE 1 tion process does not rely on elaborate inducements or extra incentives to attract new faculty members. Instead, search committees emphasize the academic reputation of the University and its faculty. “The University has little need for extraordinary measures to attract faculty,” said Coleman. “It is a highly well-regarded institution and my encounters with the faculty convinced me that I would ﬁnd it a rewarding place to work.” The University also provides funds to help candidates relocate to St. Louis, and, more importantly, appropriates a signiﬁcant research budget to pay for books, computers and other necessities. Jeff Catalano, an assistant professor in the department of earth and planetary sciences, noted that the University’s com-

pensation package was superior to that of other offers he received. “I can say that they offered a better package than public universities that had made me job offers,” he said. Catalano was not required to teach during his ﬁrst semester of employment to help ease his transition to the University. He is also allowed to take another semester off after his third year as he prepares to gain tenure and continue his research. Sattig said his experience at the University has been pleasant. “So far, all promises have been kept,” he said. “That is, the students are as good as my colleagues claimed they were, the research conditions are highly conducive, and the department continues to hire at both senior and junior level.”

COURTESY OF ELLIYAHU MELLOULE | YOKNEAM COMMUNITY PHOTOGRAPHER

Washington University graduates and undergraduates volunteering at a day school for recent immigrants to Israel on a Birthright trip through Taglit. The school, located in the in the Yokneam/Meggido region, has been paired with St. Louis by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the St. Louis Jewish Federation. According to its Web site, trips through Taglit-Birthright Israel intend to “diminish the growing division between Israel and Jewish communities around the world; to strengthen the sense of solidarity among world Jewry; and to strengthen partici-

pants’ personal Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people.” In less than a decade, the Birthright Israel Foundation and partners have sent over 120,000 young Jews from around the world for a 10-day trip to Israel,

all expenses paid. The only requirements are that individuals must be Jewish, between the ages of 18 and 26 and have never lived in or visited the country with a peer-group since age 12.

CARDIO FEE v FROM PAGE 1 “My ultimate goal is to be part of the plans to create the foundation for the next fitness complex,” he said. “With that we’ll have a major improvement. Right now my goal is to get the wheels in motion for the longterm goal. Right now this is a pretty successful solution.” Gradel sees this as a first step because it will prompt the administration to invest more in fitness equipment. “The real purpose of the block funding proposal is not a simple fix solution,” he said. “This is the first step in a long line of fixes. The block funding proposal will send a message to the administration. As students, we care about athletic facilities. We care so much about athletic facilities that we’re willing to put our money where our mouths are and begin paying for the changes we want to see.” The administration did assist with this proposal and will probably match whatever money SU allocates to the AC next year. “What the [administration] needs from us is to show that there’s ample student support,” said Patel. “We felt that the block funding proposal was a way we could impact the administra-

tion. But they’ve been listening to us and making us a partner in the process.” The proposal comes in response to a poll, sent out by SU Senator Matt Goldstein, surveying students regarding their concerns about the AC. “We had a general sense that students were very unhappy about the fee and the equipment,” said Patel. “The poll helps us support that. We had a great response rate.” Gradel said that Goldstein, who is currently studying abroad, was the driving force behind this initiative. “He takes all the credit for this project,” said Gradel. “This is all his idea. There are a lot of people in the senate that are involved.” Gradel added that the initiative shifts the focus of the SU budget from funding for individual student groups to allocations toward bigger campus projects. “Treasury does a good job of allocating money but senate would like to see money allocated to bigger projects, bigger concerns,” he said. “Anyone can appeal for money but more often than not it’s student groups. What about campus projects

that no student group can take responsibility for?” But Patel said that the budget will be more than ample for this project. “The SU budget will increase pretty dramatically next year,” he said. “The numbers we’re looking at are 20 to 30 thousand for the proposal. It’s not a signiﬁcant amount per student.” In terms of general goals, Gradel believes that the improved AC will not only provide for current students, but will also attract more prospective freshmen to the University. “It makes our campus look that much more appealing to prospective students,” said Gradel. “It’s a crucial factor in the decisions people make. It’s important to students that young people our age have access to facilities that are on par with our peer institutions.” Patel added that it encourages a healthy lifestyle on campus. “One of the most important things to be successful in an academic and social setting is to have a healthy mind and a healthy body,” he said. “It’s one of the components of creating a healthy college experience.”

NOMINATIONS REQUESTED FOR HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS Nominations for Honorary Degree Recipients for the May 2009 Commencement are being sought by the Honorary Degree Committee. This committee is composed of students, faculty, administrators and Trustees and 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 by e-mail to: Ida_Early@wustl.edu

IN THEATRES EVERYWHERE FEBRUARY 1

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2008.

Senior Sports Editor / Trisha Wolf / sports@studlife.com

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

SPORTS BASKETBALL

Basketball Bears travel east BY JOHANN QUA HIANSEN SPORTS EDITOR The Bears remain in the thick of UAA conference play as they travel to Rochester, N.Y. and then to Pittsburgh, Pa. this weekend. The top-ranked men’s team (14-2, 5-0 UAA) looks to build upon its 12-game winning streak, which was capped by an emotional come-from-behind 71-69 win over then No. 2 Brandeis University. Washington University had only 1:39 left to erase a seven-point deficit. Forward junior Tyler Nading started the rally with a trip to the charity stripe, converting one of two shots. Seconds later, center senior Troy Ruths, who was UAA Athlete of the Week, penetrated into the paint and made a layup. With high defensive pressure, sophomore forward Cameron Smith stole the ball on the ensuing Brandeis’ possession. The Bears missed a shot from behind the arc, but Troy Ruths was there for the rebound, making a threepoint play that cut Brandeis’ lead to one with only 29.3 seconds left to go. Ruths pulled through

with yet another three-point game-winning play. The Judges didn’t quit, but their lastsecond three-point attempt failed. The points placed Ruths sixth on the all-time Wash. U. scoring list with 1,450. Ruths is now only 18 points away from grabbing a share of fifth on the list. The Red and Green currently lead the UAA in assists and in three-point shooting with at least one trey in the past 265 games. Third-ranked University of Rochester (15-1, 4-1 UAA) has historically been a tough team, producing some of the most exciting games in UAA history against Wash. U. Rochester was unbeaten until Jan. 25 when they were upset by Emory University in an 81-76 overtime thriller. Seven of the last 10 contests between the Yellowjackets and the Bears were decided by five or fewer points. “We respect Rochester very much,” said co-captain Nading. “We know they are a very, very capable team.” The Bears lost their last match, played a year ago, against the Yellowjackets by five points. “I have personally never

won there in my experience at Wash. U,” said Nading. “This will be a good one to go out and get.” The game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. (EST) in the Louis Alexander Palestra. The Bears will also play Carnegie Mellon University (11-5, 1-4 UAA) on Sunday, with tip off at noon EST in the Skibo Gymnasium. Lady Bears Looking to Bounce Back The Lady Bears (12-4, 4-1 UAA), who saw their sevengame victory streak halted at Brandeis will look to restart their winning ways against the No. 10 University of Rochester Yellowjackets (15-1, 5-0 UAA) at 6 p.m. EST Friday night. After this contest, they will wrap up their road trip by turning their attention toward the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans (7-9, 0-5 UAA) on Sunday at 2 p.m. EST. The Bears have not lost to Carnegie Mellon since the 1992-1993 season. Wash. U. had an emotional 66-60 win over arch rival and then eighth-ranked New York University last Friday. On Sun-

day, the Red and Green suffered a 66-48 setback against Brandeis University as shots did not fall. The Bears shot 25 percent throughout the game and sent the Judges to the free-throw line 28 times. Brandeis took advantage of the charity shots and the poor shooting with 17 free throws and an unanswered 15-point run in the second period. The Bears have been working extremely hard at practice to correct the mistakes that were made last weekend. “We have a philosophy,” said Head Coach Nancy Fahey. “When you get beat, you have to make that push you forward. I know they’ll compete on Friday night.” Wash. U. holds a 34-7 alltime record against Rochester entering into the game. The Bears swept the Yellowjackets last season. However, the University of Rochester, which is first in the UAA, rides a 13-game winning streak after a 75-70 win against Case Western Reserve University last weekend. “We’re all very excited,” said sophomore forward Janice Evans. “We’re ready to come back.”

LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE

Senior Troy Ruths goes in for a layup during the Jan. 18 match against Emory. The men’s basketball team hopes to build on its 12-game winning streak from the games in Rochester, NY and Pittsburgh, Pa. this weekend.

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STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

FORUM

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Christian Sherden Wednesday: Jillian Strominger Friday: Altin Sila ctsherde@artsci.wustl.edu jlstromi@artsci.wustl.edu asila@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

Reform the residential college system E

very year near the end of February, when Washington University housing deadlines come around, students who want to continue living on the South 40 are faced with a choice: attempt to get housing in the initial residential college round and have a better chance of predicting what your housing will be, or wait until the second general round and have access to a greater variety of dorms and living partners. Students encounter two major problems in their confrontation with the residential college round. Their ﬁrst question is: What if I want to room with friends from other residential colleges? Students cannot participate in the residential college housing round on the South 40 unless all of their potential living partners already live in the same residential college. Their second question is: What if I want to live in a dif-

ferent style dorm than the ones in my residential college? For example, what if I live in Ruby or Umrath this year, but rather than living in the six-person suites in Hitzeman, Hurd or Myers, I would like to live in a new dorm my sophomore year? I would have to wait until the general round, after people already take a large number of rooms in that residential college. Cheryl Stephens, one of the associate directors of Residential Life, has heard the same concerns from students over the multiple housing rounds on the South 40. She says that Residential Life will be making changes in this year’s residential college round to try to respond to these concerns. To address those students who would like to live with friends from other residential colleges, Residential Life will lower the percentage of rooms that can ﬁll up during the resi-

dential college round. Instead of allowing nearly 80 percent of rooms to fill up in this initial round, Residential Life plans to cap the first round at only 60 percent. That means 40 percent of rooms will be left for those in the general round, mostly composed of students who want to live with friends from other residential colleges. And in response to the desire of some students to live next year in dormitories outside of their residential college, Residential Life will be allowing students from traditional residential colleges (old dorms) to sign up in the residential college round for certain floors in modern residential colleges (new dorms), so that students have the option of changing the style of their housing even within the residential college round. Residential Life is correct in recognizing these student concerns about the complicated

multiple housing rounds on the South 40 and trying to address them. But these concerns require a more drastic solution than tweaking of numbers and opening of certain ﬂoors to students from other residential colleges. The residential college system is supposed to establish traditions and inspire pride in students over their multiple years living on the South 40, creating a living experience that is more than just a place to sleep. It is supposed to involve faculty members in student residential life and to give students a consolidated unit from which to base their involvement. But the reality is that the residential college system limits students more than it frees them. Its proposed beneﬁts are executed less successfully than its undesirable elements. While pride is a valuable thing in a residential situation, it is generally most widespread in fresh-

man dormitories, which would exist as consolidated wholes even with the residential college system. Post freshman year, the system begins to promote exclusivity and isolation. It seems to say that once you have made friends within your freshman dormitory, you can close yourself off to other friendships and remain in what becomes a homogeneous environment. The system gives a marked disadvantage to those students whose core friend base is outside of their residential college. It seems to only approve of intra-residential college interaction by making those with different groups of friends feel out of the loop. Diversity is a main goal at Wash. U., for the administration, for Residential Life and for students. Diversity is not just racial, sexual, religious and socioeconomic. It is also the ability to eliminate exclusive social groups. The residential college

We’re all “special”

THE CLASSIC JOHNNY CHANG | EDITORIAL CARTOON

BY ZACHARY STEINERT-THRELKELD STAFF COLUMNIST

This Johnny Chang cartoon was originally published in Student Life on April 21, 2006.

To vote or not to vote? There is no question BY BRIAN PRICE STAFF COLUMNIST

lthough neither of my parents are senators, and I can’t say that I was literally born holding a silver spoon in my hand, Creedence Clearwater Revival could accurately characterize me as a “Fortunate Son.” I grew up in suburbia, in a milieu of such comfort and amiability that if you didn’t know any better, you’d think your television had sucked you right up into Pleasantville. Yes, Atlanta was nearly perfect, save for one little thing: It was Republican territory. Now, in case you’re shaking your head and thinking, “Sheesh, more political propaganda. Let’s see what’s in Sports,” let me tell you that this isn’t about who you should vote for and why. In fact, I’m not even going to say which

candidate I support or tell you in a few paragraphs why I support them and why you should too, because honestly, if I can change your mind that easily then I should probably switch to pre-med so I can become a spin doctor. No, all I’m going to do is tell you a story. It was November 2006, and the great state of Georgia was in the midst of a heated gubernatorial race. Republican incumbent Sonny Perdue was seeking reelection, and for the first time in my life I was part of the multitude that would determine if he got a second term. Now, beyond the embarrassment of having a governor named Sonny (no offense to Sonny Bono or anyone else named Sonny seeking public office), I also opposed Perdue for his stance on race (opposing the removal of a Confederate symbol from the state flag and

saying that Georgia needn’t issue a public apology for practicing slavery) and several questionable land purchases which I believed signiﬁed a penchant for corruption. Those of you who aren’t particularly interested in Georgia politics (and I certainly wouldn’t blame you if you’re not) might only remember Perdue for his public prayer for rain on the steps of the state capitol. Wouldn’t you have loved to have a man like this as your governor? I didn’t, but the opposition wasn’t much better. Mark Taylor, or “The Big Guy” as he was often called, was a pretty uncharismatic ﬁgure who had numerous background issues of his own. Besides, everyone and their grandmother knew that he didn’t stand a chance of winning. I wasn’t much for supporting something I couldn’t consider a worthwhile cause,

and all the negative campaigning between Perdue and Taylor only hastened my gradual disinterest in the race. A few days before the election, I happened to mention in the presence of one of my teachers that I wasn’t going to vote because I just didn’t think it was worth it. He took offense at my remark, and promptly lectured me about how voting is not just a right, but a responsibility as well. After some time pondering this, I came to the conclusion that voting is in fact an obligation as much as it is a luxury. Sure enough, I went to the polls one November morning and made my voice heard. There are similarities between the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election and this year’s presidential race. There are and will be people who

See PRICE, page 5

system is a severe hindrance to social diversity. By promoting continuous living situations, it promotes homogeneous, strictly deﬁned social groups. It is important for students to have a heterogeneous social experience, and one way for that to come about is to live with a far more random group of people, instead of the same people they lived with the year before. Residential Life, where it tries to promote community really just allows a socially passive, homogeneous exclusivity to develop among students living on the South 40. The residential college idea is not working as it should. It would be more beneﬁcial to students—even if the residential colleges remained nominally and theoretically linked—if the residential college round were eliminated so that the general round was the main mode of acquiring housing on the South 40.

long with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, add fame. Andy Warhol fi rst stated, in 1968, that in the future, everyone would have 15 minutes of fame, a cute allusion to the thennovel power of television to broadcast to a general audience. Said tongue-in-cheek, his witticism rings more true every year. We live in a society where people expect to excel at whatever they do, receive praise for their work and have importance on a national scale. I do not know enough about how childrearing practices have changed over the decades, but they are certainly indulgent today. Everyone who plays little league sports receives a plaque or trophy, parents constantly remind their children how special they are, and students feel entitled to good grades and teachers fear giving anything else. As kids, we are all exceptional. Of course, when everyone is exceptional, no one is, but no one wants to burst the bubble. Not only do we want to be astronauts, baseball players or the president, we also expect that to happen. College’s primary purpose, then, is to set us in our place, a job even more important at elite schools like ours, where everyone was a “superstar” in high school, than at most universities. As students compete for a fi xed amount of Latin honors, leadership positions and jobs, the real world intrudes on our childhood fantasy. Grade curves do an excellent job of this. We learn that not all of us are geniuses, amazing athletes, young poet laureates or students able to outwit teachers. Though grade infl ation negates this leveling effect to an extent by giving too many people a 3.5, employers and graduate schools fi nish the job. Not everyone can be at Goldman Sachs, the State

Department or Harvard Law. Unfortunately, college appears to represent the exception to our right to exceptionality. Moreover, two recent phenomena have made us expect, more than ever, to become famous: reality television and YouTube. Reality television gives everyone the opportunity to live at a national scale and make one’s face known to a national audience. Whereas actors and actresses require some modicum of skill and luck, reality television constantly races to the bottom. As we become inured to increasing levels of outbursts, disgusting feats, and stupidity, we expect higher levels of it. This gives us people forming primitive island societies (“Survivor”), being buried in insects (“Fear Factor”), revealing incriminating truths in front of those who they will hurt (“Moment of Truth”), comparing intelligence to that of a ﬁ fth grader (“Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”) or letting anonymous men rank their bodies (“Battle of the Bods”). Of course, anyone can try out for these shows, and the lucky ones are those deemed craziest, most disgusting, stupidest, or hottest by the producers, which the contestants clearly do not mind. After all, if you are the lowest common denominator, you get the reward: your face on television and a chance at a big cash prize. Whereas television executives can pretend to maintain some modicum of decency and taste, any base standards still left are irrelevant on YouTube. “Broadcast Yourself,” YouTube’s motto, makes its goal clear: with only an Internet connection, anyone can make an attempt at celebrity. Have a deep voice and can convince people you are a poet? Then you are Tay Zonday, and you get a Dr. Pepper commercial after 14 million people watch your YouTube video. Do you and your friends lip sync

See STEINERT, page 5

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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 / Nathan Everly / forum@studlife.com

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

The persistent gap between the West and the modern world

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

View from abroad: Redefining yourself while studying abroad BY DAVE SHAPIRO

BY NANDAN PRASAD STAFF COLUMNIST Last week, CNN had a field day over a set of emails that claimed Barack Obama was Muslim. In an article titled “Obama battles Muslim rumor head-on,” they reported Obama as describing the e-mails as “dirty tricks” and part of a “systematic political strategy.” While the article is not explicitly anti-Islamic, to me it is clearly religiously biased. The title of the article portrays “being Muslim” as a bad thing. Why is being Muslim a “rumor” Obama must “battle,” when any rational person would merely have to “clarify?” If a presidential candidate has to defend himself or herself against being Muslim, it shows how Muslims are not fully tolerated within our political system. Not only was being Muslim disgustingly used as a political attack by the person behind these e-mails, but CNN caused further damage by acknowledging and labeling it as a rumor, in effect recognizing that being Muslim is somewhat unacceptable. And let’s not forget the “accusations” by Fox News that Obama attended a madrassa in his youth. CNN, in debunking the so-called myth, stated in an article, “Allegations that Sen. Barack Obama was educated in a radical Muslim school known as a ‘madrassa’ are not accurate.” The problem is, madrassa, contrary to popular yet ignorant belief, is an Arabic word for any type of school, secular or religious. Moreover, CNN continues to use words like “allegations” to describe such issues, which is similar to the language used to address those under scrutiny for political scandals. At this point, I’m not even going to take the time to criticize Fox News about the original report.

The subtle ignorant language used by major news sources seems like nothing when compared to comments made by John McCain and Fred Thompson at the Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina on Jan. 10. John McCain, in response to Ron Paul’s advocating of increasing trade as a way to increase global security, said, “I’m not interested in trading with Al-Qaeda. All they want to trade is burkas. I don’t want to travel with them. They like oneway tickets.” First of all, Ron Paul said nothing of trading with terrorists or Al-Qaeda. Paul was discussing trading with Arab nations in general, which McCain decided to equate with trading with a terrorist organization. Moreover, McCain seems to suggest that a terrorist organization is only interested in trading cloaks worn by Muslim women. It may be a joke, yes, but it is still disturbing. Fred Thompson, in addressing a confrontation in the Persian Gulf between the United States Navy and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG), stated, “I think one more step and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they’re looking forward to seeing.” Thompson was referring to the promises of virgins made by Islamic terrorist organizations to suicide bombers. Thompson makes a clear generalization by equating such suicide bombers with the IRG, a gross oversimplification which contributes to our ignorance about distinctions between Muslims. The words used by the presidential candidates and major news sources are reflective of a much larger trend in politics and the media that continues to degrade and disrespect Muslims. While there are no explicit words that denounce those of Islamic faith, and while I do not believe any of these people are Islamo-

STAFF COLUMNIST

CHRISTINE GARVEY | STUDENT LIFE

phobic, the language that is used to describe Islam and those who are Muslim continues to carry negative connotations. At this point, it may seem that I’m just whining about sporadic incidents of anti-Islamic language. But even something as subtle as our language and rhetoric has immense effects and consequences in a world where Muslims are playing a growing part. Islam is the second largest and fastest growing religion in the world. Millions of Muslims reside within the United States. Muslims will determine the future of Iraq and Afghanistan and have the capability of eliminating the influence of organizations such as Al-Qaeda. Yet, our government continues to struggle to connect with Muslims, even more so in the wake of the War on Terror. We always hear about our government begging for moderate Muslims to speak out against radical Islamists

and to join the United States in our struggle against AlQaeda. Any rational person would then assume that if our government truly cared about garnering the support and respect of moderate Muslims, they would be especially careful about the language they use when discussing Islam. But this doesn’t seem to be the case. People like David Horowitz go around preaching about “Islamofascism” while expecting moderate Muslims to speak out in support of the West, and when that support doesn’t come, they seem perplexed. CNN, John McCain and Fred Thompson are not anti-Islamic, but their language shows us why we are continuing to fail so miserably in truly connecting with the people of the Middle East. Nandan is a freshman in Arts & Sciences and staff columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at nprasad@artsci. wustl.edu.

The Internet: The best thing to ever happen to free speech

’m not a regular viewer of Bill O’Reilly’s program on Fox News, but I’ll admit that I tune in every now and then. During these times, I’ve noticed a recurring theme: no, not the yelling, cutting off of microphones or refusal to hear anyone else’s opinion, but O’Reilly’s condemnation of the Internet as one of the major problems facing the United States. Altin O’Reilly’s reasoning is that because there are no standards on the Internet for what can and cannot be posted, “propaganda and deceit [have] a permanent mass market home.” He holds that this leads to the spreading of false reports as being factual and obscures the truth from the American public. In a sense, O’Reilly is cor-

rect; the Internet does have the extraordinarily negative effect of being a vehicle for the spread of fallacies being presented as truths. Often, the ease with which false news can be created actually causes people to believe what they read online. Anyone can post anything on the Internet for others to read. However, this very fact is what makes the Internet arguably the most important Sila invention for free speech in history. The Internet, I believe, is the Great Equalizer. Everyone (at least in this country) has equal access to it and equal opportunity to express any opinion. It allows for direct expression of opinion, without any ﬁ lter. Sometimes that can be a bad thing, though. For example, can we please limit the mindless politi-

PRICE v FROM PAGE 4 feel no candidate is worth their vote. Maybe Fred Thompson, Dennis Kucinich or another of the myriad dropouts was “your guy,” and now you’re feeling like it isn’t worth participating in your state’s primary (if it hasn’t already happened). Or maybe your candidate is still around but doesn’t end up getting his or her party’s nomination. What then? You vote, that’s what. If, of course, extenuating circumstances preclude your making it to the polls, well, that’s a different story. But here at Washington University, that’s quite unlikely, especially if you live on the South 40 and need only walk to the nearby Wohl Center to cast your ballot. Fortunately, there are enough candidates now that you should be able to ﬁnd at least one who in some way resembles your vision of an

American president. In November it might even be more difﬁcult, and in fact voting for the “lesser of two evils” might be the best option for you. Nevertheless, I implore everyone to make a choice, because especially here in a swing state like Missouri, every vote counts. Like my teacher said, it is our responsibility as the citizens of this nation to choose the person we want to lead us for the next four or eight years. The worst that can happen is that we look back in a few years and realize that our decision was the wrong one. Still, as far as I’m concerned, the wrong decision is always better than no decision at all. Brian is a freshman in Arts & Sciences and a staff columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at brprice@artsci.wustl.edu.

cal discussions via YouTube video comments? But in all, it allows a truly free exchange of ideas. Furthermore, the freedom of the Internet provides a real check against the growing concentration of media ownership in the United States. Many people do not realize that nearly all of their forms of media are controlled by a select few corporations. ABC, ESPN, CBS, CNN, Time Magazine, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, NBC and many others are controlled by only five corporations. The Internet serves to break up that consolidation, refusing to allow a select few with extraordinary amounts of money, power and influence to fi lter the news and opinions people can receive. And what would the alternatives be? What would O’Reilly prefer? Perhaps all Internet postings could

be regulated and be forced to pass speciﬁc standards before being put online. But who would devise these standards and enforce them? Why should that group have so much power? This is essentially the purpose of free speech. Yes, a signiﬁcant downside is that unpopular, unsupported or incorrect views may be spread, but the free marketplace of ideas is in itself a check against that, by allowing fallacies to be corrected. Freedom of speech (and the Internet) ensures that no view can be suppressed by another. Sure, the Internet has its fair share of problems (I’ll save those for a future column), but I’ll gladly accept them in exchange for true freedom. Altin is a senior in Arts & Sciences and Forum Editor. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

STEINERT v FROM PAGE 4 to bad songs while dancing? Then 20 million people might watch your video. In 1,000 years, when historians look back on our civilization, they might recognize August 24, 2007 as America’s nadir. On that day, Miss Teen South Carolina became famous for fulﬁ lling America’s favorite cliché, the dumb blonde. Her incoherent sentence about why Americans cannot ﬁ nd themselves on a map included such eloquent turns of phrase as “U.S. Americans… like, such as, as in … the Iraq and everywhere like such as …” in only 30 seconds. Twenty-two million Americans have viewed a clip of this performance on YouTube. For her embarrassing stupidity, Lauren Upton, as she is known, was inter-

viewed by People Magazine, was a featured guest on “The Today Show”, was invited to the MTV Video Music Awards and now models for Donald Trump. For not knowing English or having a single original thought, she became famous overnight. This is our society: we seek to be exceptional through our ignorance and baseness. If you are a brilliant physicist, a courageous lawyer or a selﬂess politician, you rarely merit attention. On the other hand, if you are a ditz or a jock, sexy or stupid, then you just might become famous. Zachary is a senior in Arts & Sciences and staff columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at zsteinert@gmail. com.

eporting back from the trenches of Oxford once again, it is your humble servant, Dave Shapiro. Apart from breaks, I am rarely able to leave Oxford. I was able to accompany the Labour Club on a trip to Parliament (a unique opportunity given that non-Britons are prohibited from visiting in-session Parliament). I went to a David Gray concert. I went to a castle about an hour or so away. I’ve been back and forth from the airport a few times. I arrived back at Keble College the other week to a topsyturvy room. My corridor mates had somehow gotten into my chamber and did a fair bit of damage. Most importantly, now residing on my wall is a toilet paper cross. It is certainly strange being one of the only Jews in this entire university. There is a sense of pride that comes with it—I guess you could say I’m the Jesse Jackson of the Jews. In that spirit, I deﬁ nitely encourage all Washington University students to spend a signiﬁcant amount of time in a place where they need to explain and justify their beliefs and behavior. I have learned a lot about myself and my faith (or lack thereof?) by being here. Not in the cliché way that people talk about, mind you, where I’m challenging myself to come up with answers. The initiative is almost entirely external. If you’re the type of person who fails at every sort of self-examination, be it because your ego is too large (as in my case) or too small, an extended academic stay abroad could be perfect for you. Being abroad can be a trying experience for politics buffs, but England has kept me

insulated from the right-wing ignorance that pervades much of America. One girl asked me if the Constitution mandated that presidential candidates be religious. It isn’t that people here are not religious—they just understand that religion is best in pure form, not corrupted by politics and our nation’s leaders. Additionally, for Britons, national health care is a given. It’s just something government provides for people, as natural as Giuliani calling universal healthcare “socialist” and referring to 9/11 incessantly. Arriving back at Oxford sparked interest in not only the religious and political, but also the personal. I was back to the old routine of fretting about the exchange rate. I had to start thinking about living arrangements for my senior year and what I would want to do over the summer. It’s almost my last year of college. At least I had four years. Most students here have three and then they’re off into the real world. How do I successfully complete the transition? I know it will work out in the end, but there are still problems. For one thing, I can’t make food. Is it OK to order out all the time? Thank God I probably have a few more years of higher education to read some cookbooks. Going abroad in that sense is like going to college twice; you get another re-do, another chance to redeﬁ ne yourself. Don’t give up on those opportunities. I miss you all. Finally, a British joke: What do you call sheep tied to a streetlamp in Wales? A leisure center! Dave is a junior in Arts & Sciences and staff columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at davidashapiro@verizon.net.

CORRECTIONS: An article in the Wednesday, Jan 30 issue (“University denies request for Obama visit”) incorrectly stated that students met with Vice Chancellor for Governmental Affairs Henry Weber. The students, in fact, met with Pam Lokken, the vice chancellor for governmental and community relations. The staff editorial on Wednesday, Jan 30 (“Reconsider Neutrality”) mistakenly said that the University, in conjunction with College Republicans, will be paying for former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ appearance. Student Union and the College Republicans are paying for the event. An op-ed submission by William Ronkoski on Wednesday (“Wash. U.: fair and balanced?”) stated that the University donated to the senatorial campaigns of Democrats Claire McCaskill (2006) and Jean Carnahan (2002). This is incorrect; the University does not contribute to political campaigns. Most likely the author saw information on individual donors who identify their employer as the University and misinterpreted the data. Student Life regrets these errors.

CLARIFICATIONS: Wednesday’s staff editorial discusses how Republican presidential candidate and former Governor Mike Huckabee spoke on campus on April 4, 2007. Gov. Huckabee was officially invited to campus on Jan 19, 2007 and then declared his candidacy on Jan 28. He was invited to talk about his book, “From Hope to Higher Ground,” which he did. William Ronkoski’s op-ed on Wednesday discussed Chelsea Clinton’s appearance at Kayak’s Coffee, a property owned by the University. Kayak’s leases the property from the University and as such has the right to use the space for its own purposes. These omissions should have been included in the paper.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

University hiding behind tax laws Dear Editor: The administration is lying again. No, not THAT administration. The Wrighton administration. The tax laws do not prohibit being a host to a candidate, provided that opportunity is offered equally

to all candidates. That is quite feasible, especially because the candidates are so busy it is unlikely many (or any) others would accept. —Jonathan Katz Professor of Physics

Senior Cadenza Editor / Brian Stitt / cadenza@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

n. a technically brilliant, sometimes improvised solo

CADEN Z A

passage toward the close of a concerto, an exceptionally brilliant part of an artistic work

arts & entertainment

MOVIE REVIEWS

Over whose dead body? Old Movies: The warped

New York of Abel Ferrara

BY CECILIA RAZAK MOVIE EDITOR

BY BRIAN STITT

I do recall making some sort of “I’ll see ‘Over Her Dead Body’ over mine” joke when I was first subjected to the trailer of this heinous romantic comedy. Unfortunately, my job is to brave the bad ones so you don’t have to and, frankly, this one wouldn’t have been any better posthumously. It’s not as if it is the worst film in cinematic history. It’s stultifyingly bad, it’s painful and it’s boring, but there are worse ways to spend your time in the theater. “Meet the Spartans” comes to mind. It’s not the film in general I take issue with (since, really, it’s too easy and not worth my time to criticize it) but with poor Paul Rudd, who used to be so respectable. Therefore, instead of a review proper, I’ve decided to direct this little bit of newsprint to Mr. Rudd, wherever he may be.

SENIOR CADENZA EDITOR

MCT

Lake Bell, from left, Eva Longoria, Jason Biggs and Lindsay Sloane arrive to the premiere of “Over Her Dead Body,” at the Arclight Theater in Los Angeles, California, Jan. 29, 2008. he feels have some value. And yet you’ve made “Over Her Dead Body.” A quick reference of your IMDb.com résumé reveals you are currently in pre-production on not one, but three, terrible romantic comedies. Paul, if you were here, I would roll up this newspaper and swipe you soundly in the nose with it. “Bad Paul Rudd!” I would shout and put you out on the porch. But since you are neither here nor four-legged, this verbal rolled newspaper must suffice. Please, since I esteem you so highly and will see your films until you’ve thoroughly convinced me to do otherwise, please stop with these trashy paycheck providers. We all have to live, I know, but must you do so so shamelessly? Couldn’t you have been in that nice movie about the man and his oil? What was wrong with that one? Give

Dear Mr. Rudd, wherever you may be: I know we all have rough times; I sympathize. It’s just that those hard times don’t usually come in the midst of good ones. Your good times were so entertaining and often witty and whip smart—remember the days of “Clueless,” “Anchorman” and “Knocked Up”? Yes, those were fine days. Recently, it looked as if you were about to hit your stride in earnest. Usually, when an actor is riding the warm draft of rising salaries and notoriety, he enjoys it and continues to make films

Daniel Day-Lewis a chance to phone in a sheepish performance for a romantic comedy. It’s his turn. Sincerely, Cadenza P.S. I did like the wedding scene in “Over Her Dead Body,” but only because the set was a replica of the church from “Heathers.” You weren’t in that one, were you?

Over Her Dead Body Rating: ★✩✩✩✩ Starring: Eva Longoria Parker, Paul Rudd, Jason Biggs Directed by: Jeff Lowell

Move over, Martin Scorcese. Make way, Woody Allen. It’s high time we start appreciating New York City’s forgotten son. Abel Ferrara never achieved the fame of other artists who consistently use the Big Apple as a backdrop and, quite frankly, that’s pretty fair. He started out making gory exploitation movies like “Nine Lives of a Wet Pussy” and the cult classic “Driller Killer,” and while he moved on to more emotionally complicated movies, he kept enough elements of exploitation to scare away critics and audiences alike. He doesn’t make masterpieces, but Ferrara’s movies stick with you, even when you don’t want them to. Especially when you don’t want them to. His style is very simple but it is frank and unique. His movies aren’t for everybody, but he offers a view of New York and life not often seen in mainstream ﬁ lm.

Ms. 45 The story of a mute seamstress named Thana who, after being raped twice in one day, starts taking out her silent rage with a .45 caliber pistol. More than just trashy fun, “Ms. 45” stands as an early example of Ferrara’s ability to blend exploitation with an almost violently ambiguous moral compass. After Thana bludgeons her second attacker to death with an iron (wow, is it

brutal), actress Zoe Lund skillfully portrays a woman unraveling beneath the weight of the knowledge that she is powerless to avenge the crimes committed against her without resorting to violence. And while she does become consumed by this violence and ends up packing heat at a Halloween party in a sexy nun costume, the ﬁ lm does not wallow in its exploitative elements.

Bad Lieutenant Considered by most to be Ferrara’s best movie, “Bad Lieutenant” features one the bravest, most disturbing performances in Harvey Keitel’s career, a career fi lled with brave and disturbing performances. Keitel plays a cop whose drugaddictions and gambling are spiraling out of control. Often excruciating to watch, especially a scene during which Keitel forces two teenage girls driving in the city illegally to perform sexual favors for him, “Bad Lieutenant” is also a fascinating portrait of human darkness and a musing on a despicable character’s shot at redemption. Similar in many thematic ways to “There Will Be Blood” (without the scope or the class), this fi lm exemplifies Abel Ferrara’s willingness to point his camera at anything, without fl inching.

The Funeral Featuring an especially strong cast for such a small movie, “The Funeral” is a mob-themed ensemble piece starring Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Isabella Rossellini, Benicio Del Toro and Gretchen Mol. After their little brother is killed by a rival gangster, two gangsters must face the choices of the future and the mistakes of the past as their family comes in for the funeral. The movie focuses on the family aspects of the gangster lifestyle and the guilt that goes with it. Retaliation is inevitable, and yet a war will tear the family apart. A quiet movie and a very personal one, “The Funeral” shows that Abel Ferrara can abandon the seamier themes he’s known for and still craft an interesting movie.

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FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS

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Help Wanted For Rent Roommates Sublet Real Estate For Sale Automotive

A SUMMER UNLIKE ANY OTHER! CAMP CANADENSIS, a co-ed resident camp in the Pocono mountains of PA, seeks General bunk Counselors, Athletic, Waterfront, Outdoor Adventure and Art Specialists. Join our staff from around the US and abroad and have the experience of a lifetime! Good salary and travel allowance. Internships encouraged. We will be on campus Thursday, February 21. To schedule a meeting or for more info, call toll-free 800-832-8228, visit www.canadensis.com or email info@canadensis. com. EARN $800-$3200 a month to drive brand new cars with ads palced on them. Visit us online at www.AdCarClub.com. GRADUATE STUDENT WANTED to assist physically challenged undergraduate in exchange for free room & board near Danforth Campus. Couple of hours req. to help in morning & evening. Some strength and flexilbility in time required. If interested or for more information email gabeassist@ gmail.com GUITAR PLAYER WANTED: advanced palyer seeks someone to jam and teach me Jimi Hendrix songs, especially Little Wing. I am good enough, but too lazy for tab. Please call 314-7669945.

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LOCAL REAL ESTATE Company is looking for a Washington University student for part time employment showing apartments, managing properties, etc. Most properties are located near the University’s borders. Must be from St. Louis. If interested or for more information, please call 314.608.2692. MICROSOFT OFFICE LIVE Small Business Brand Ambassadors Needed. Network with your local business community. Get paid promoting a great brand and an amazing suite of free services while gaining real wold experience. Looking for four of Washington University’s best. Apply now. Go to www.repnation. com/office for more information or to apply! SITTERS WANTED. AVERAGE $10 per hour. Register free for jobs near campus or home. Visit us online at http://www.studentsitters.com for more information. TUTORING: $20 PER hour. Earn $20 per hour with Varsity Tutors, LLC, tutoring local high school students in calculus, chemistry, physics, etc. Please send resume and AP/SAT/ACT scores to info@VarsityTutors.com or call Michael at 314-422-2007. Visit us online at www.varsitytutors.com.

1-3 BEDROOMS, 2 Bathrooms beautiful apartments. Dishwasher, stained glass, hardwood floors. Close to WashU, behind Kayaks. Also available in the Loop. We are filling up NOW for the 2008-2009 school year! $1000-$1995. London Properties. 314.608.2692. 2 & 3 BEDROOM apartments. 2 bath. Full kitchen/appliances. Internet, see more www.homeandapartmentrentals.com 314-4092733 6031 WESTMINSTER: 3 BR, 1 BA. 2nd floor apartment in historic building. Completely rehabbed, central air, new kitchen, plumbing, and electric. Walk to Danforth Campus and Metrolink. 314.406.6682.

$5000 PAID EGG donors. +Expenses. Non-smokers, ages 19-29, SAT > 1100, ACT > 24, GPA > 3.0. Reply to: info@eggdonorcenter.com.

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STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

SCENE

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 1, 2008

Super Bowl Recipes B eer- Cheese

BY MEGHAN LUECKE

Super bowl for the disinclined

BY SHAYNA MAKARON SCENE REPORTER

his Sunday, approximately 100 million people worldwide will sit down for the most-watched television program of the year: the Super Bowl. It stands to reason that the majority of these viewers are Americans. After all, this annual occasion has practically earned the title of an honorary national holiday. For many Americans, the Super Bowl is one of the most anticipated events of the year. But then there are those who think “pigskin” must be something used to make pork rinds. If you are one of these people, there’s a good chance that you dread this day when you just can’t seem to get in on the fun. Well, this year, that is all going to end. So listen up, football-haters, because it’s time to learn how to enjoy the Super Bowl.

1. Pick a team.

Your best bet is to side with the one that most of your friends like, because there’s no reason for an untrue fan like yourself to cause controversy. This year, your two options are the Patriots and

the Giants. Lucky for you, red, white and blue attire is fitting for either team. Jerseys are too expensive to buy on a whim, but some nice eye black is always festive and intimidating. Everyone likes a good themed party.

2. Scream.

Even if you feel silly at first, you’ll really get into it—I promise. Scream when someone drops the ball (“You $%#&@ idiot!”), when someone runs really far (“Go baby, go!”) or just when everyone else is screaming. If you’ve decided to root for the Giants, you really only need to know the name Eli Manning, and for the Patriots, you’re good if you know Tom Brady. Be sure to yell at these men as if they can actually hear you and care what you think.

3. Eat!

The Super Bowl is one of the greatest consumption days of the year, featuring wings, nachos, chili, ribs, potato skins and, of course, beer. Student Life does not condone underage drinking, but for those of you who are of age, I would suggest leaving the Natty in the fridge and going with Budweiser. That way, you won’t regret your choice of beverage when you see all

the great Bud commercials, which brings me to…

4. Commercials.

Pay attention to these! Some of the best advertisements will be making their debut, and you don’t want to miss them. Besides, on Monday people will be talking more about the commercials than the actual game, anyway.

5. Enter a pool.

It’s like betting on the game, except it’s completely by chance so you don’t actually need to know anything about football. If you win $50, you might just start to warm up to the game. As difficult as it may seem, and despite whatever past experience is telling you, you must believe that you can enjoy the Super Bowl. Think of pessimism and negativity as the stars of the opposing team, and root against them. Just imagine how good it’s going to feel to have clogged arteries, a sore throat and that coveted sense of belonging at the end of the night. If nothing else, you’ll have the right to guilt your friends into joining you for the premiere of the next season of America’s Next Top Model.

Pour the refried beans into a serving dish (preferably a wide glass casserole dish at least three inches deep). Shake the dish until the beans are evenly distributed in a smooth layer at the bottom. Carefully pour two-thirds of the salsa over the beans, spreading it out with a knife to make a neat layer. Next, dollop the sour cream as evenly as possible on top of the salsa layer. Continue to layer this way with more salsa and then guacamole. Finally, sprinkle cheddar cheese across the top. Pop the dish into the oven at 350˚ for about six minutes or into the microwave for a minute and a half (or until cheese is melted). Serve with chips.

Brian’s Pickelami Again, don’t think too much about this—just make it, and you’ll see the light. This supereasy appetizer is tasty and takes about thirty seconds to throw together. Ingredients: Salami, sliced Soft cream cheese Pickles Spread individual salami

Stepping BY KATE L. GALLAGHER SPECIAL FEATURES EDITOR

lackberry Café is a small restaurant not far from campus. The café is known for its Mediterranean-infused fare as well as its free wireless internet. When we arrived, the owner greeted my friends and me and took our orders. The menu

Out

is posted on a wall, and orders were taken as they would be at a place like Bread Co. The friendly owner appeared to be running a one-man show, taking orders and preparing the food all on his own. He explained that the café was originally located on Clayton Road but recently moved to Forsyth. My friend and I decided to

try the French soda, a drink made from carbonated water, ﬂavored syrup and half-andhalf. The owner asked, “Parlezvous français?” (Do you speak French?), and I responded, “Uh oui.” (I wasn’t lying. I took some in high school and at Wash. U.) He explained that he speaks four different languages and comes from a Greek-Egyptian background.

Blackberry Café offers a Mediterranean variety that includes homemade hummus.

KATE L. GALLAGHER | STUDENT LIFE

Blackberry Café 7351 Forsyth St. Louis, MO 63105 (314) 721-9300 Price Range: $10-20

So there you go: more evidence that the food is authentically Mediterranean. Now back to the French sodas. I decided to try the blackberry flavor (to go along with the Blackberry Café theme) and my friend went with strawberry. The whippedcream-topped sodas were smooth, creamy, fizzy and frothy. They weren’t too sweet, but they were still flavorful and refreshing. I would have to say that the strawberry flavor was better than the blackberry and colored a more fun, bright pink. Many other flavors are available as well, ranging from the fruity to the chocolaty. While we waited for our food to arrive, we enjoyed the pleasant ambience of the café. Paintings decorated the walls and soft, relaxing music played in the background. It was a quiet, comfortable atmosphere, making it a great place for a gathering with a few friends, a casual date or some studying. However, I wouldn’t recommend the restaurant for a big group. With its small size and only a few tables, the café provides more of an intimate atmosphere. Our food arrived in a timely manner. The homemade hummus appetizer was excellent. The chickpea dip intermixed

Soup

It’s sounds gr oss, but you’ be amazed. d A nd for thos till at a loss for how to e of you who are 21, don’t forg enjoy the Super Bowl? et the trad itiona l ru le: for ea Try out one of these ch beer you put into the soup recipes on game day and , d ri nk anothe r one on the you’ll fi nd yourself surrounded side. by eager fans of your cooking. Ingred ients: 1 ch icken bo Rainbow Layered Dip ui llon cube 1 med iu m-s ized brick OK, so don’t tell your footVelveeta chee se ball friends what it’s called— 1 teaspoon fl ou r just put it in front of them 2-3 wheat be ers (Sch la fly’ while they’re watching the s Hefeweizen works wel l) game, and it’ll disappear at an 1 potato astonishing rate. (Other chefs Water in the room will notice the cool color-layering effect.) Boil the pota to for a few m inutes or un ti l sl ightly so ftIngredients: ened, then d ice. Th row al l the 1 ½ cups refried beans ingred ients into a pot an d stir 1 ½ cups sour cream unti l smooth . Le 1 ½ cups guacamole (store- up to an hour t it cook for , add ing wat er bought or homemade) (or more beer ) as needed to 1 cup salsa, divided into perfect cons istency. Serv e it up hot! thirds 1 ½ cups grated cheddar -Courtesy of Eric Castillo and Adam H cheese ayes 2 bags tortilla chips

SENIOR SCENE EDITOR

Rating:

slices with cream cheese. Cut the pickles lengthwise then crosswise for bite-size pieces, then wrap each piece in a cheese-salami slice. Voila, Pickelami.

Pigs in a Blanket A miniature version of the classic, homey delight. Ingredients: Pre-made puff pastry (ﬁ nd it near cookie dough at the store) Mini hot dogs, or regular dogs cut into four pieces Pre-heat oven to 350˚, or as instructed on pastry package. Open the puff package (and savor that wonderful popping sound. I swear, it’s better than bubble wrap). If you can’t ﬁ nd mini hot dogs, slice regularsized dogs once lengthwise and once across to make four minidogs per regular one. Flavored mini-dogs are great if the store has them, but otherwise, you might want to sprinkle a little grated cheese on top. Next, wrap each dog into a triangle of puff pastry. Place them on a cookie sheet and cook for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown (watch ‘em carefully so they don’t burn!). Serve hot.

★★★★✩

garlic and lemon flavors with Mediterranean spices. Its natural flavor proved to be much better than the pre-packaged hummus that can be found at the store. The dip was served with warm, fresh pita bread, which was garnished with spices. The owner told me that the hummus has won awards consecutively for being the best hummus in St. Louis. While I couldn’t verify this after some Internet searching, I’ll hold him to his word because it tasted like awardwinning quality to me. Other enticing appetizers offered at the café include baba ghanouj (a dip similar to hummus, but made with eggplant), homemade spicy tomato zucchini soup and tabouli (a Lebanese dish made with bulgur wheat, parsley, lemon juice, tomatoes and Middle Eastern spices). We also tried the Mediterranean wrap, which the owner announced as one of the café’s specialties. The warm tomato basil tortilla shell was fi lled with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, feta cheese and a mix of black olives and hummus. The café also makes a special spicy tuna wrap. No offense to Wash. U. wraps, but Blackberry Café’s were unanimously voted to be tastier.

Finally, I ordered the traditional gyros sandwich. A homemade piece of pita bread was fi lled with thinly sliced Greek lamb meat and topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta cheese and Tzatziki sauce. The main ingredients in Tzatziki are yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and salt, which create a creamy, fresh-tasting white sauce. It added the perfect light flavor to the sandwich. Although some may shy away from lamb, the sandwich really was quite savory, delicious and fi lling. I think that anyone who has yet to taste a gyro should head over to Blackberry Café to give this one a try! The café has many other offerings, which I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to try on this fi rst visit. For one, the café serves breakfast from 7-11 a.m. daily. The breakfast menu includes several different types of omelets. In addition, the café serves a variety of desserts. These include cakes, muffi ns, cookies and baklava (a sweet Mediterranean pastry fi lled with walnuts and honey). So if you’re in the mood for a taste of the Mediterranean, head over to Blackberry Café for some good eats in a relaxing and pleasant environment. It’s open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to midnight.