STAFF EDITORIAL | ON THE ENGINEERING SCHOOL CONTROVERSY | SEE FORUM, PAGE 4
STUDENT LIFE
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 129, NO. 61
WWW.STUDLIFE.COM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2008
Sophomore brightens campus with a colorful bounce
Quadrangle enacts new approach to maintenance BY PERRY STEIN NEWS EDITOR
MATT LANTER | STUDENT LIFE
Morgan Grossman-McKee finds the key to spreading joy, interest and excitement in brightly-colored bouncy balls. Displaying some of them outside Brookings Hall, Grossman-Mckee hopes giving these nostalgic rubber toys to people will inspire high spirits. BY ANN JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER He can be found in public spaces, greeting strangers and offering a little bit of joy to those who will lend him an ear. However, sophomore Morgan Grossman-McKee is no preacher, politician or philosopher—he gives out bouncy balls. This math and economics double major simply believes “life is not random enough” and says he enjoys handing out roughly one-inch-wide, brightlycolored spheres of pure fun. In carrying out his mission,
Grossman-McKee has resurrected a vending-machine favorite for many a stranger and University student, in all its childhood glory. Apparently the rules for enjoying the childhood staple change as an adult. No toy withdrawal or sibling rivalry is necessary to enjoy a good bouncy ball. For enthusiasts like GrossmanMcKee, they are available on the Internet, in every color and style. In 10th grade he realized he could get the balls on the Internet and increase his childhood bouncy ball collection exponentially. But his excitement for
thousand-ball bags, at only 10 cents a ball, left him with more rubber trinkets than a single person can do anything with. So he set out to share his childhood love with others. He hit the streets and passed them out to individuals, families and anybody who didn’t seem too frightened. “It helps to give to groups; they are less intimidated—it can be a less threatening situation,” said Grossman-McKee. He even used his collection for intellectual purposes in a high school senior project on the physics of the bouncy ball.
It is easier to pass them out at the University than at home, he conceded, because people here know he is a student and not a random man wandering around. Last year he handed out bouncy balls at Ursa’s on Wednesday nights, but because he lives off campus now, Olin Library and Hilltop Café have become his target areas. “Ursa’s was better because people were hanging out instead of working,” said Grossman-McKee. In the library, he explained, people are not usually
See BOUNCE, page 2
Student site makes cramming easier BY TEDDY WHITE NEWS MANAGER A group of Washington University students are revolutionizing education with the recent launch of their new Web site, Schoology. Schoology provides an online venue where students can share class notes, help each other with classes through online tutoring and make money at the same time. When students join Schoology’s system of virtual education, they have the ability to download the class notes that others have posted on the Web site for free. To provide incentive for students to upload their notes, 90 percent of the Schoology advertising revenue will be distributed to the contributors. “No one is going to post their notes if they are not getting compensated,” said Jeremy Friedman, one of the four juniors who founded the Web site. Schoology uses an algorithm that takes a number of different factors into consideration, including the number of times that a posting of notes is viewed, to determine the distribution of compen-
sation. The notes are rated by readers on a fi ve-star scale, which, according to Friedman, “forces people to upload legitimate, quality notes.” Friedman conceived Schoology’s concept in March 2007, and up to its official launch this past Tuesday, the site has been constantly revised and improved with the help of cofounders Greg Mervine, Ryan Hwang and Tim Trinidad. “We’ve remade the site so many times, each time weeding out components to make it simpler to use,” said Trinidad. Schoology also offers an innovative system of online tutoring, whereby students can sign up to tutor others in various subjects for a self-selected rate that is paid by the minute. Students can contact the tutors through the Web site’s chat system. Past customers rate tutors and customers then decide whether the tutor will provide a worthwhile service. “Students can get a feel for what the tutor knows,” said Hwang. “They can ask basic questions to see if the tutor is really an expert in what they say.”
“I’m Henry VIII I am, I am...” Cadenza reviews “The Other Boleyn Girl,” a medieval chick flick starring everyone’s favorite British king. Cadenza, Page 3
Users of Schoology can add money to a prepaid account, which can be used to pay for tutoring services. The account balance is automatically transferred by the minute to the tutor’s account at the rate that the customer agrees to pay. The customer can end the tutoring session at any time after the fi rst minute so that no additional funds are transferred. Individual tutoring sessions can also be merged together into large group sessions. There are already more than 100 registered tutors available on the Web site, and the founders are pursuing the services of professional
tutors as well. The educational service capabilities of Schoology are not limited to tutoring. Students can use the “job request” feature that allows them to request help for a specific task including math problems and proofreading papers. Another user can provide the job request for a set price, whereupon the customer has the ability to ask for clarifications before either accepting or declining the help. Schoology’s founders credit Burchan Bayazit, professor of computer science and engineering, for helping
See SCHOOLOGY, page 2
COURTESY OF RYAN HWANG
Obama, McCain, Clinton, Oh my! Looking for the latest news from the campaign trail? Want to know how the parties are bashing themselves today? Check out our blogs on blogs.studlife.com
Although situated in a prime location for Washington University off-campus residence, many Quadrangle Housing apartments are almost 100 years old and in need of renovation and maintenance repairs. Receiving significantly more maintenance requests than Residential Life housing, Quadrangle Housing will enact a new policy on April 1 stating that all maintenance requests will be addressed within 72 hours. “We think the residents that we have deserve that kind of service. We want to make sure we address it to make sure that nothing is falling through the cracks,” said Ralph Thaman, executive vice president and general manager of Quadrangle. Established by the University, Quadrangle Housing is a nonprofit corporation that owns and manages off-campus apartments for student and faculty housing. Quadrangle is independent of Residential Life and its residents receive no Residential Life services. Quadrangle owns over 1,200 apartment units. With this many residents, Thaman said that there will be some who are not satisfied with the maintenance service included in their rent. Junior Katie Seidler said that when her oven in her Quadrangle apartment on Pershing Avenue needed repair, it was fixed in a timely fashion. “When I moved in I did actually ask about the age of the appliances and was told that they were old, but I was ensured that maintenance was covered and they would take care of everything,” said Seidler. “They did it in a very timely fashion.” Seidler, however, said that she had trouble after she requested
maintenance for a larger project, the broken pilot of her water heater. “Maintenance is really the thing that I would complain about, and the quality of work is really not the issue; it’s about the followthrough,” said Seidler. “The issue is communication in terms of follow-through. Sometimes there are projects that aren’t just a one-shot deal. You have to keep pestering them.” Junior Stephen Hmiel, who lives in a different building on Pershing Avenue said that he has experienced similar maintenance issues. He had been missing a window in his apartment since he moved in mid-August. He said that he placed numerous maintenance requests and encountered obstacles until maintenance removed a window from an unoccupied apartment two floors above and installed it in his apartment in the beginning of February. Hmiel also had an issue over winter break when the building lock of his front door broke. “It took them over a week to fix that, which I thought was a glaring error since it was a security issue,” he said. Despite these instances, the most recent survey of Quadrangle Housing residents stated that none of the participants cited any current or ongoing maintenance problems. Thaman said that because of the age of the apartments, maintenance issues are expected. “We have more maintenance calls than you would expect because of the older buildings,” said Thaman. “It certainly is different than Residential Life. Residential Life is primarily in the South 40 which is basically new buildings.” According to Thaman, a customer service area receives the
See QUADRANGLE, page 2
Concealed carry garners student support nationwide BY KAT ZHAO STAFF REPORTER In light of the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University (NIU), students across the nation have assembled in support of policies for concealed carry of guns on college campuses. The group known as Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) has garnered more than 18,000 members, becoming the largest non-profit student organization advocating the right to carry concealed guns for safety and security reasons. Some Washington University students, like College Libertarians President Mitchell Port, identify with SCCC’s goals. Port sees support for concealed carry in the Second Amendment. “The right to bear arms is a fundamental right, and being
INSIDE: Cadenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
able to protect yourself is extremely important,” said Port. The state of Missouri grants concealed carry licenses, but the University prohibits carrying firearms on its campus, except in the case of licensed police officers of the Washington University Police Department. “Basically, as a private university, [the University] can set its own rules,” said Port. “We think it would be better, and we encourage [the administration] to consider concealed carry.” According to a description on SCCC’s Facebook page, students comprise 90 percent of SCCC’s membership while parents, faculty and others make up the remaining 10 percent. “When we started, it was pretty much just a group on
See CONCEALED, page 2
NEWSROOM PHONE 314-935-5995 ADVERTISING PHONE 314-935-6713 E-MAIL US editor@studlife.com
2
Senior News Editor / Sam Guzik / news@studlife.com
STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
Pulse
STUDENT LIFE One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building Saint Louis, MO 63130-4899
Friday, February 29 “Leap into Linus� Concert Join the Linus Foundation for “Leap into Linus,� a concert by Melvin Turnage, a local Motown artist, at Lumen from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Formal dress is recommended; age 21+.
Copyright 2008
General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Advertising Manager: Sara Judd Copyright 2008 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.
PIE IN THE FACE
Compiled by Ben Sales
News: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938 e-mail: editor@studlife.com www.studlife.com 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: Shamima Hossain, Allison Kong, 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
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 29, 2008
Budweiser Sports Trivia Championship Come to the Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave. in St. Louis, at 7 p.m. for the 5th Annual Sports Trivia Championship presented by Budwiser.
Saturday, March 1 LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE
Relay For Life Walk toward a cure at Relay For Life, from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. at Francis Field. The Octopus Project Head to the Gargoyle at 8 p.m. to see the Octopus Project, a rock and pop band.
Sunday, March 2 Pelican, featuring- Black Cobra and Earthly Trance Go to the Gargoyle from 7 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. for a concert by Pelican, also featuring Black Cobra and Earthly Trance.
BOUNCE v FROM PAGE 1 in the mood for a silly toy. Most people think he is observing them and recording data about how they react to him. While this is far from the truth, Grossman-McKee is sympathetic. “You expect that if you give something, you want something in return,� said Grossman-McKee. But people need not be afraid of him: He advises people to consider his actions as “purely rational.� Rather, one should think “this kid derives some kind of happiness from doing this, so there he goes.� He surely expects others will enjoy bouncy balls too, but does not take his analysis far. “I hope it makes other people happy too, but there’s nothing deep going on. I have very low expectations,� he said. Grossman-McKee said he wants students who see him around campus to consider him an uninterested party. Students are free to take or leave any one of his frosty or smiley-face bouncy balls. Anyone who remembers the days when nothing was sweeter than a gigantic bounce past the parents will appreciate Grossman-McKee’s attempt to recreate such youthful excitement. For the more interested, he has plenty of
15% DISCOUNT for WU students & faculty on all auto repairs Can not be combined with other offers.
Foreign & Domestic Auto Repair FREE SHUTTLE TO CAMPUS
STEVENSON'S HI-POINTE
advice ranging from how to encase a bouncy ball in dry ice to the best kinds of bounces. “My dream is to replicate the Sony Bravia commercial,â€? said Grossman-McKee. The commercial is titled “Balls,â€? and ďŹ lms millions of bouncy balls shot from air cannons bounding down a hilly San Francisco street. If this dream is realized, Grossman-McKee will pursue a new bouncy-ball project in the future. If that project outdoes giving bouncy-balls away by the handful, Grossman-McKee might one day be recruiting other bouncy ball fans in Hilltop or Olin Library.
Senior Ben Kay throws a pie in Dean Chris Kroeger’s face at Cheap Lunch Wednesday afternoon in Lopata Hall. The event marked the conclusion of the EnCouncil Penny Wars, an event aimed at fundraising for Relay For Life. EnCouncil announced that Penny Wars raised $150 to support Relay For Life.
SCHOOLOGY v FROM PAGE 1 them develop a search system that can scan the context of the posted articles for an accurate match, similar to a search that is conducted on Google. Bayazit also helped the students develop a feature on
ate a collaborative environment, where people can come together to help each other learn,� said Friedman. “We are excited to enter the world of digital education, and are encouraged by the possibilities.�
the site called “Whiteboarding.� Described by founders as a “virtual blackboard,� Whiteboarding allows a tutor to draw visual diagrams on the Web site that are instantly viewed by the customer. “Schoology aims to cre-
QUADRANGLE v FROM PAGE 1 maintenance calls for the Quadrangle Housing residents and determines whether they are emergencies. If not, a work order is written and maintenance takes the order. “A lot of it has to do how important and how critical the work order is,â€? said Thaman. “We always take care of emergencies immediately.â€? The new 72-hour policy, which will be implemented on April 1, will attempt to address and ďŹ x all problems within the time frame. If it is not possible to ďŹ x the issue within 72 hours,
large apartment and its proximity to campus. “It’s great to be off campus but still be that close. The apartments themselves are really nice. They are really beautiful apartments,� she said. Thaman said Quadrangle is constantly renovating and improving its buildings. “We provide an excellent service to students and we really like when students live with us and choose us as our housing options,� said Thaman. “Anything we can do to make the student life better, we will do.�
Quadrangle will inform the resident of the problem and give them a schedule of when it will be ďŹ xed. While Hmiel said he is unsure if the corporation will be able to adhere to this policy, he hopes that communication within maintenance improves. “Really as a whole the company is grossly inefďŹ cient and they need to get their act together because it’s difďŹ cult being angry at nice people,â€? said Hmiel. Seidler said that despite her experience, she still enjoyed living in Quadrangle because of her
CONCEALED v FROM PAGE 1 Facebook to get like-minded individuals together. Since then, we’ve had a nationwide protest, with the second one being planned for [this coming] April,â€? said Stephen Feltoon, Midwest regional director for the group and a graduate of Miami University in Ohio. According to Feltoon, 36 states grant concealed carry licenses to those “qualiďŹ ed. â€? To qualify, the license carrier must meet several requirements including age, criminal history and freedom from drug addiction. Many of the states also have a method checking mental health databases. Despite the large number of states providing licenses for concealed carry, few colleges in those states permit licensees to do so on campuses. “The rules vary by state. In Virginia, [concealed carry] is legal. Virginia law says
that each individual university can create their own policy. Most prohibit ďŹ rearms,â€? said Feltoon. SCCC said it would like to see that changed. The group advocates the right of anyone with a valid license to carry a concealed handgun on any college campus in a state that permits concealed carry in public. “Right now, we’re trying to work with state legislators that support favorable legislation,â€? said Feltoon. Port does not however, believe the University would ever support sanctioning concealed carry at the University due to the administration and the student population. “If they tried or did enact it, there would be a large outcry against it. Even if it had gotten past the administration, the stu-
dent response to it would make it have to change and go back to not allowing it at all,� he said. The College Libertarians plan to host an informational event for students to learn more about the arguments behind reduced gun control. “Wash. U. is primarily a liberal school. Students don’t hear the other side of the issue,� said Port. “A lot of the statistics that I’ve looked at have shown that it is actually safer when people do have the ability to carry weapons. A lot of times people who do have guns are able to stop crimes or protect themselves.� Samuel Fuqua, a sophomore at NIU and the provisional campus leader for SCCC, agrees with Port’s position. “Statistically, more guns haven’t meant more violence,� he
said. “The idea is that if we allow students to protect themselves on campus, there will be lower crime rate on campus, because concealed carry states have lowered crime rates.� Fuqua doubts that gun control changes will be made on the NIU campus anytime soon since the state of Illinois prohibits concealed carry. However, he believes many students at NIU are beginning to support the possibility. “From what I’ve heard, it’s been very pro concealed carry. I haven’t talked to everyone about it, but it seemed like there are a lot of people who would like to see concealed carry on campus,� he said. Currently, 13 states are considering legislation that would permit concealed carry on college campuses.
“Serving our community honestly for over 60 years.�
314-647-5005 Mon-Fri 7:30a-6:00p Call Alan for Appointment
981 S. Skinker at Clayton Rd.
Making g n i h t y r e v e easier. ™
yourADVENTURE yourBIRTHRIGHT
ourGIFT
(0% 46/%":4 03 13&3&26*4*5& /0/&
your* photo here?
From your mobile phone, text DUMMIES to 24474 to save $$ and win big! Visit your college bookstore or dummies.comÂŽ to ďŹ nd out more! Standard text message rates apply.
Taglit-Birthright Israel provides free, ten-day trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26. Register now at
WWW.BIRTHRIGHTISRAEL.COM
6RXWK RQ %LJ %HQG /HIW RQ /DFOHGH 6WDWLRQ (DVW RQ :HEHU WR 9DOFRXU :HEHU ZZZ URRIWRS RUJ
Senior Cadenza Editor / Brian Stitt / cadenza@studlife.com
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 29, 2008
STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
3
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
“The Other Boleyn Girl:� A standard slice of court intrigue BY SHA SHA LU
and marries and crowns Anne. At times, the ďŹ lm skips from scene to scene as if only to advance the plot; by the second hour, it becomes clear that the writers were trying to cover as much of the book as possible, with the result that everything is passable but nothing is spectacular. Nevertheless, for fans of the Tudor Age, “The Other Boleyn Girlâ€? provides a window into a truly chaotic period of English history, one in which the King’s romantic whims became entwined with state policy. Do not let this review give the impression that the ďŹ lm is less than mediocre. It is an entertaining picture and an intriguing sketch of the Tudor court in its own right. The observant viewer will also ďŹ nd that half the cast of minor characters from “Atonementâ€? is in this movie. Unfortunately, for a tale with such potential and actors of this caliber, the sophistication and intensity one would expect are simply not there.
whom he beheaded. The ďŹ lm provides a glimpse of this turbulent era spanning from the late stages of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon to his marriage to Anne Boleyn to her execution, through the eyes of Mary. Given an uninspired script, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman manage to deliver relatively convincing performances of the two rival sisters. Through no fault of her own, Johansson’s plain and naĂŻve Mary inevitably becomes outshined by Portman’s shrewd and calculating Anne. Portman’s ability to switch between the ambitious social climber and a queen humbled by fear for her life is impressive. In fact, the ďŹ lm’s most profound moment occurs near the end when she kneels down trembling with terror, awaiting certain death. (Apologies for the spoiler but Anne Boleyn’s death is old news by now.) As for Henry VIII, though some may complain about Erik Bana’s lack of resemblance to the king, he adequately brings out the vanity and ďŹ ckleness of a ruler who was, for better or worse, a superstar of his time. Perhaps the ďŹ lm’s greatest weakness is its frequent and abrupt time shifts. These lapses detract from the story’s credibility and leave little room to explore the dynamics of court and the relationships between characters. Within minutes, Henry falls in love with Anne, divorces his queen
CADENZA REPORTER Capitalizing on America’s love affair with English period pieces, Hollywood once again journeys back in time with an intriguing yet unexceptional adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s best-selling novel, “The Other Boleyn Girl.â€? From a long line of Tudor dramatizations, this latest installment has all the necessary ingredients for a gripping adaption: a beautiful A-list cast, a twisted plotline of court intrigue, and an era which lends easily to stunning costumes and sets. Nevertheless, the ďŹ lm just manages to surpass the maturity level of a highly-stylized chick  ick. “The Other Boleyn Girlâ€? has neither the immediacy and epic scope of Cate Blanchett’s “Elizabeth,â€? the wit and poetry of “Shakespeare In Love,â€? nor the intricate political scheming of Showtime’s sensational, if not oversexed, “The Tudors.â€? There is no single element that feels particularly lacking, but rather a combination of second-rate dialogue, clichĂŠd portrayals slightly reminiscent of daytime soaps, and a certain lack of subtlety in the telling of the story. “The Other Boleyn Girlâ€? refers to Mary Boleyn, the commonly-overlooked sister of Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII’s famous second wife
The Other Boleyn Girl Rating: â˜…â˜…â˜…âœŹâœŠ Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Erik Bana Directed by: Justin Chadwick Release Date: February 29, 2008
Free movies: new release style BY BRIAN STITT SENIOR CADENZA EDITOR
Free movies are back. Well, kind of. See, we can no longer print the listings for the movies the University is showing due to some legal FBI-warning-type business. But there are still free movies to be had out there, people, and we’re here to tell you about them, although not with the regularity we once were able to. Today, Filmboard offers you the chance to see one of six movies, absolutely free. Just stop by the clocktower on the South 40 with your student ID and you can pick up a free ticket to go to any movie showing at the Galleria. You have to provide your own transportation but the MetroLink goes right there, so no excuses. And moreover, there’s something to please everyone at the movies Friday night. Check out these selections. Semi-Pro (For “Funny or Die� devotees) Showing at: 7:15, 9:30 Will Ferrell does it again, (and again), but for those who love his joke-based, improv-heavy style of comedy, there’s no substitute. The story of an underdog basketball team in the 1970s trying to make it in the big leagues does sound a lot like a mash up of Ferrell’s entire body of work, but, quite frankly, with his flabby frame and curly hair, he’s got the funniest body in Hollywood.
Penelope (For those who liked Christina Ricci in “Casper� and nothing else)
Diary of the Dead (For Zombiephiles)
Showing at: 6:30, 8:40
Returning to his old bag once more, horror legend and zombie innovator George Romero (“Night of the Living Dead�), has made another zombie movie to join the already chock-full canon. This time he goes for a “Cloverfield�/ �Blair Witch Project� documentary feel, following a bunch of filmmaking college kids stuck in a hellish reality with only their camera lens separating them from the walking dead. Sounds a little tired, but there’s a reason Romero is a legend. I give him once last chance.
This fanciful movie about a pignosed rich girl coming to terms with her outward appearance and facing the world for the first time sounds like a heartwarming, crowd-pleaser for all ages. Now, it has been sitting on a shelf somewhere for quite some time (IMDb.com still has it listed as a 2006 release) suggesting that somebody involved doesn’t like it. But with the dreamy, Oscarsnubbed James McAvoy along for the ride, who could resist.
Showing at: 7:30, 9:45
There Will Be Blood (For those who trust Cadenza with their movie choices) Showing at: 6:15, 9:30
Also playing:
Jumper (For all the 14-year-olds at Wash. U.) Showing at: 7:10, 9:20 The Spiderwick Chronicles (For children’s lit. lovers who hate to read) Showing at: 6:30, 8:50
07"5*0/4
QSFTFOUT
3VTI )BQQZ )PVS )BWF EJOOFS BOE B TIPX GPS POMZ 3VTI )BQQZ )PVS JODMVEFT QJ[[B ESJOLT BOE B UJDLFU UP TFF
$PJT$Ă?JN %BODF
,OPUT
'SJEBZ 'FCSVBSZ
3VTI )BQQZ )PVS TUBSUT BU Q N PO 'SJEBZ 'FCSVBSZ JO UIF (BSHPZMF
hR_e ^`cV Via`dfcV0
uld se sho ea e phra r d i r o You rate th ver� O t illus d All t You a o “Re ’ve G and te e � W d ora “ e ver incorp e o C som uld sho Life in d Stu . y wa
Student Life Calendar Contest Attn: Individuals, groups, and departments of the Wash U community
AcZkVd
ea n id it a care m b e tak t su Jus we’ll your g d an reatin of c cept. con
*Stu
e t Lif den
has
>R D f_
un eb
th
ove ny c
$250 cash or $500 of free ads in StudLife more Exposure!
red DRe
) #!! Y cT d E fV
j _UR
concept in the calendar
URj
Vd VU_
URj
EY f
Rj cdU
E-mail a description of your proposal
Rj fc U
Rj 7cZU
to contest@studlife.com by
"
March 5, 2008. Official rules: www.studlife.com/contestrules
)
H
(
>`
'
URj
"%
"#
#
#"
""
#!
"!
#*
"*
*
#)
")
#(
"(
#'
"'
8F BDDFQU $BNQVT $BSET 3FHVMBS 4UVEFOU 3VTI UJDLFUT HP PO TBMF 'SJEBZ 'FCSVBSZ ! B N
##
"$
$
5JDLFUT GPS 3VTI )BQQZ )PVS XJMM CF PO TBMF 8FEOFTEBZ 'FCSVBSZ 5IVSTEBZ 'FCSVBSZ GSPN B N UP Q N POMZ
DBTI DIFDL DSFEJU DBSET
"&
& %
5JDLFUT GPS 3VTI )BQQZ )PVS BSF MJNJUFE UP UIF mSTU TUVEFOUT
&EJTPO 5IFBUSF #PY 0ĂśDF MPDBUFE JO .BMMJODLSPEU $FOUFS
#& #%
X X X F E J T P OU I F BU SF X V T U M F E V
4
Senior Forum Editor / Nathan Everly / forum@studlife.com
STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
FORUM
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 29, 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
On the aftermath of the Sansalone controversy
W
hen Mary Sansalone was first named the dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, no one could have predicted that her tenure would be swamped with controversy. Indeed, everyone upon her arrival applauded her selection. She was a highly respected professional who had previously worked at Cornell University and New York University, and she now held a prominent leadership position within a field that was historically underrepresented by women. Yet no one could have also foreseen that fewer than two years after she accepted the position, she would announce her decision to step down at the end of this school year. But after beginning her tenure by introducing a series of sweeping changes designed to modernize the engineering school, this is exactly what Sansalone has done. It is a testament to her influence that she was able to accomplish so much in such a short span of time, but complaints and petitions from
students, faculty and alumni over her managerial style and alleged lack of communication with other groups dogged her for the majority of her tenure. The hallmark of Dean Sansalone’s tenure, her “Plan for Excellence” initiative, sought to expand and modernize the engineering school with an aggressive list of changes. The Department of Civil Engineering with the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering were slated to merge together to create the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Structural Engineering. Three new engineering buildings covering 500,000 square feet of space would be constructed. The undergraduate aerospace engineering major would be eliminated in part because of recommendations from industry experts that an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering followed by a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering would provide a better route for professional training in the field. Several research initiatives would be funded which focused
A reflection on St. Louis BY MICHAEL MORGAN STAFF COLUMNIST
L
ast Thursday, the Sophomore Honorary put on a lecture given by Wash. U. Architecture Professor Bob Hansman. Bob has been working at Wash. U. since 1990 and started an organization called City Faces in the early 1990s that is almost completely funded by the campus event “Mr. Wash. U.” The organization works out of a former food pantry in the Clinton-Peabody projects on 14th street in downtown St. Louis and gives young children an opportunity to get out of their homes and off the streets to enjoy inspirational company provided by Bob, Wash. U. students and past members of City Faces while working on self-portraits and other art projects. Bob’s speech was one of the most intense rhetorical roller coasters I have ever been on in my life. Armed simply with two slide projectors and his own unbelievable life experiences, in two hours he opened my eyes to the harsh reality of the world outside of the Wash. U. bubble. In a whirlwind of life stories that focus on almost 40 children, Bob communicates the urgency of racial and social issues in the city of St. Louis. After explaining the founding of the organization, which was created in an attempt to purge himself from guilt for leaving behind the rapidly decaying area of St. Louis known as “McRee-Town,” Bob took on the challenge to start a summer art program for the children facing the torrential adversity of living in the projects. As each slide clicked, more young faces were introduced and pieces of their amazing art showed unbelievable talent. However, midway through the presentation, almost like a based-on-a-true-story Hol-
lywood heartstring-tugger, everything came crashing down. Soon each click of the projector showed another child who was dead because of illness or violence. A life spent behind bars due to grand theft auto, assault, drug dealing or worse; the stakes rose higher and higher. Painful anecdotes about how these children, living 10 miles away from the most wealthy institution in the state of Missouri, cannot afford to eat everyday; how they are selling drugs on the streets before puberty; and how this one man has done everything but martyred himself in order to try and help these children. Finally, the second to last slide showed a piece of art done by a nine-year-old who came into City Faces. At the bottom of the paper was her face, with a line splitting the page in two. On the left side her face was colored in with a purple crayon to show tears running down her face. Above her head were dilapidated buildings, guns firing and a man dying on the street with blood pouring out of his chest; the caption read: “This is life for us now.” On the right side of the picture, her face was colored brown with a smile, the sun radiating above her head and a young girl jumping rope; the caption read: “This is what we want but don’t know how to make it that way.” With his final click, the slides switched. On the left side was a picture of the 14th street projects; on the right side was a picture of Brookings Hall here at Wash. U. A gasp slipped my lips and, I’m not exaggerating, my breathing stopped. Pictures say a thousand words—this picture showed my whole life. Enjoying the jumprope sunshine of my privileged life, perpetuated by my attendance here at Wash. U.—I, like almost
on applying engineering techniques to solving problems in poverty, energy, health care and the environment. A host of new faculty would be hired to strengthen the resources of every engineering department and decrease the studentto-faculty ratio. And Writing 1, the introductory English composition course taught to every student in the College of Arts & Sciences, would become a graduation requirement for all engineering students. We supported the “Plan for Excellence” immediately after it was announced, and we continue to believe that it contains the right measures for further growth within the engineering school. Though some members within the School of Engineering disagreed with certain aspects of Dean Sansalone’s plan, few would argue that it was not ambitious. And perhaps this is part of the reason why her tenure encountered so much resistance. Her plans to trim department budgets and eliminate adjunct faculty positions without fully communicating
her intentions alienated many of the school’s faculty members, and culminated in a petition calling for her removal; 29 tenured engineering professors signed this petition and another 14 tenured professors verbally supported it. Similar failures to communicate with students also led to widespread opposition to her policies. A resolution passed by the General Body of the Engineering Student Council proposed changes to fix perceived deficiencies in the engineering school. Among them, the resolution pointed out a failure to communicate among students, faculty and the administration as a result of “a lack of mutual trust and respect,” a series of program and personnel cuts which had damaged the engineering school’s reputation, and a series of changes to faculty, curriculum and degree programs which had led to “the academic careers and professional training of students...[being] jeopardized.” And finally, an alumni petition that called for the Board of Trustees to intervene in the
Sansalone controversy and stated, “I plan to withhold any financial contributions to the University until action is taken,” garnered 422 signatures. It should be noted that the Chancellor did not act on the faculty petition after a review of the charges by an independent faculty panel, yet Sansalone’s resignation was announced shortly after the alumni petition was delivered to the Board of Trustees. Clearly there were very heated disagreements over the direction that Dean Sansalone has taken the engineering school. But what has struck us the most about this controversy has been the divisive tone surrounding the entire debate. The resolution passed by the General Body of the Engineering Student Council, which highlighted “a lack of mutual trust and respect” in the engineering school, was an all too common indication that many people felt the dialogue between parties within the school was either spurious or nonexistent. Hopefully this will change.
And with the search on for a new dean for the engineering school soon to be underway, the opportunity for change now exists. But let’s remember that Dean Sansalone’s work is unfinished. The new dean will be just as focused as Sansalone was on ensuring the future of the engineering school. And part of this process will necessarily involve making the difficult decision of determining whether the school should continue on with the “Plan for Excellence” along with Sansalone’s other policies or whether they should be altered. Whoever assumes this role, one of his or her first tasks should be to mend the many relationships with students and faculty that this controversy damaged. Additionally, we hope that students and faculty will both have meaningful input into the future of the engineering school. If the end of this controversy has taught us one thing, it’s that while the controversy itself may have lost its figurehead, many of the issues it touched upon have yet to be completely resolved.
RACHEL TEPPER | EDITORIAL CARTOON
every Wash. U. student, has never known what life is like on the left side of that picture. The least I can do is try and give back through bettering myself, educating myself on the real issues and sharing that knowledge with others. From my count, there were about 55 people in Graham Chapel to hear the talk. It is easy to say we are too busy, or we are too hungover, or we are too disinterested to attend a lecture about the truth of St. Louis, or do other activities to actively give back to the community. But the reality is that St. Louis is a part of our lives; it is a part of our institution. It is part of the official name of our school and it is a part of the school’s identity whether the administrators, the faculty, or we, the students, like it or not. It is hard to remove ourselves from our comfort zone; it is terrifying and painful. But that does not mean it is not worth the risk. One learns
the most whenever he or she is uncomfortable. This is a lesson that time has taught me again and again. I do not write this editorial to criticize. College is four years of soul searching and transience buffered by $40,000 dollars of tuition—I understand that. But if we are really here to better educate ourselves, there is an amazing opportunity that cannot be quantified by credits, or GPA, or standardized test scores. It is the environment that surrounds us; it is the city of St. Louis. I encourage everyone who reads this to speak to faculty members, other students, campus workers, and owners and employees of local businesses to try and better understand the city that, whether or not we like it, we are a part of, and is a part of us. Michael is a senior in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at mlmorgan@artsci.wustl.edu.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
In defense of Junior Class Council Dear Editor: In response to last Monday’s staff editorial, “Class councils need more work,” the Junior Class Council has chosen to spend its funds wisely by taking much time to research, organize and execute our events. We have been working since the beginning of the year with the Career Center and the Junior Jumpstart committee to plan a successful event in the spring. We have also organized “Junior Java” and have completed the design
for class T-shirts which will be available at the Junior Java event. We believe that the class shirts and Junior Java events will help promote class unity while also providing the class with opportunities to learn more about their options after they complete their undergraduate education. -David Ross President of the Junior Class Council
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.
Letters to the Editor One Brookings Drive #1039 St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
News: (314) 935-5995 Fax: (314) 935-5938 e-mail: letters@studlife.com
All submissions must include the writer’s name, class, address and phone number for verification. Student Life reserves the right to edit all letters for style, length, libel considerations and grammar. Letters should be no longer than 350 words in length. Readers may also submit longer articles of up to 750 words as guest columns. Student Life reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column.
Editor in Chief: Erin Fults Executive Editor: David Brody Managing Editors: Shweta Murthi, Mallory Wilder Senior News Editor: Sam Guzik Senior Photo Editor: David Hartstein
Senior Sports Editor: Trisha Wolf Senior Scene Editor: Meghan Luecke Senior Cadenza Editor: Brian Stitt Senior Forum Editor: Nathan Everly Forum Editors: Altin Sila, Jill Strominger, Dennis Sweeney, Christian Sherden
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 29, 2008
STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
5
Does the Jumping off the bandwagon: A Macbook Air different view on Alberto Gonzales signal the death of discs? BY CHARLIE BOHLEN STAFF COLUMNIST
I
RACHEL HARRIS | STUDENT LIFE
BY SARA REMEDIOS STAFF COLUMNIST
A
day late and a dollar short, but I still have something to say about the Alberto Gonzales visit—and backlash—last week. Let’s start with the basics: I am very liberal, am an ardent critic of basically everything about the Bush administration and have never at any time supported the war in Iraq or the use of torture and/or indefi nite detention of “enemy combatants” at Guantanamo. I am not, and have never been, a supporter in any kind of the Republican Party generally or Alberto Gonzales personally; in fact, watching the Congressional investigation over the summer along with the rest of the world, I thought he was kind of a joke. That said, I was genuinely impressed with Judge Gonzales last week, not only with the way he handled himself given how ridiculously unpopular he has become, but more so with his willingness to engage in debate with his critics. I was one of the twenty-some students to attend the Q&A session “for critics and skeptics” before the speech, and I have to tell you, the play that session got here in Student Life and by word-of-mouth on campus was, frankly, wrong. Perhaps the Judge did not answer questions as politically as we may have liked; perhaps he did not give in to the borderline-antagonistic pressure some of my peers tried to
exert on him; but that’s not to say that he didn’t answer candidly and frankly. He answered legally. When asked about the constitutionality of some of the policies in the PATRIOT Act, policies that he personally lobbied Congress to renew, the former Attorney General answered (and I paraphrase), “That law was passed because Congress feels that those tools are the best way to fight
“Fault me for naïveté if you want and say what you want about the speech itself (which, I’ll be the first to admit, was highly partisan and, in parts, highly fallacious), but I didn’t see anything partisan, immoral or evasive in the way Hon. Gonzales answered our questions.” the war on terror, and any questions regarding constitutionality can and should be brought before the Supreme Court.” When asked why the Bush administration has chosen to classify detainees as “enemy combatants” rather than “prisoners of war” given that
it has declared a “war” on terror, he answered with the legal defi nition of “prisoner of war,” a defi nition with criteria that detainees, not being associated with any legitimate state, simply do not meet. He further stipulated that the difference in label has not stopped the government from treating prisoners humanely. A student then went for the obvious follow-up, asking “What about waterboarding?” and proposing that CIA and Justice Department officials engaging in and/or supporting waterboarding should have to be water-boarded themselves. To this Hon. Gonzales answered, “What a lot of people don’t understand is that that’s already happening, there are military and Justice Department officials who have voluntarily undergone the procedure.” It was then pointed out that one Justice Department official who was waterboarded concluded and announced publicly his opinion that water-boarding is torture, to which the Judge responded, “If he did, he didn’t say it to me, and he should have.” Fault me for naïveté if you want and say what you want about the speech itself (which, I’ll be the fi rst to admit, was highly partisan and, in parts, highly fallacious), but I didn’t see anything partisan, immoral or evasive in the way Hon. Gonzales answered our questions. His answers were ideological, certainly, but they were framed with respect to the role and the responsibilities of a White
House counsel and/or a U.S. Attorney General. He didn’t offer moral judgments or admissions that policies are fundamentally “wrong,” but why would he? He wasn’t responsible for designing policies or casting moral judgment, he was responsible for casting legal judgment. Every question, without fail, found a well-developed and well-articulated legal answer. Anyone who went in looking for vindication, looking for a disgraced politician to admit that he was morally misguided and that the Democrats have had it right all along, walked away disappointed. But, honestly, anyone who went in with that kind of an attitude would have walked away with the same opinion either way, so then what’s the point? Alberto Gonzales was brought to campus to inspire political discourse, because he is a controversial former public official. (Note: PUBLIC official, not political official; PUBLIC figure, not political figure.) And to the extent that he came here, to the extent that he volunteered himself to defend his actions as the Attorney General, with respect to the obligations and responsibilities of that office, I think he did a pretty good job. I don’t agree with any of his political opinions and I probably never will, but at least I can respect the office. Sara is a junior in Arts & Sciences and a staff columnist. She can be reached via e-mail at saremedi@wustl.edu.
f Americans were asked to pick one company that embodies “the future,” Apple Corporation would no doubt be a popular choice. With its products, its brave media delivery services and its polished aesthetic, Apple simply feels like it is the company of tomorrow. While detractors may view this as a triumph of Apple’s public relations department rather than its research and development arm, even the most ardent Microsoft Vista fanatic must admit some credit is due. Or rather they would, if such a person existed. So when Apple announced the Macbook Air, its first foray into the super-slim laptop market, many were impressed but few were surprised as yet another forward-thinking Apple product looked ready to push the world a little closer to the next age. It sent the tech-media, still breathless with iPhone frenzy, into an appreciable fervor. The dust has since cleared, and the Macbook Air has emerged as something of an anomaly. Most see the Air to be nothing more than an impractical plaything for those with too much money to spend. While it’s svelte design is indeed striking, many have cited its opulent price (upwards of $1800 for the basic model), non-existent Ethernet port (you can adapt its single USB port), and downright dismaying lack of an internal optical drive as deal breakers. Of these grievances, the third flaw seems to be the greatest source of derision. Without a way to play CDs or DVDs (its much touted “remotedrive” system, which allows the Air to wirelessly enslave another computer’s optical drive, supports neither), the Air barely approaches the level of practicality found in much thicker computers (an external drive is offered, but it plugs into that same lonely USB port that the Ethernet adapter employs). So it is either the world’s thinnest computer or the world’s thickest PDA. With typical aplomb, Apple has marketed these weaknesses as strengths. The Air is a great buy when compared with its competitors. And in this Wi-Fi decade, an Ethernet port is an unnecessary hole. So far, we buy it. But with the decision to excise the optical disc (granted, most experts believe this technology is long past its heyday),
Apple sends a much more controversial message: like the floppy disc before it, the optical disc is on the way out. Welcome to Steve Jobs’ “disc-less” tomorrow. Before you scoff, consider this: try to remember the last disc you put in a Macintosh laptop that wasn’t a DVD. Now consider the success of Apple’s foray into video, with its TV and movie rentals, conveniently rolled out at around the same time as the Air. This has made iTunes the premier alternative to both DVD and CD. Don’t believe me? Consider who killed Sony’s Walkman. After all, the CD didn’t look really dead until Apple provided the masses with an easy-to-use MP3 player whose ubiquitous white earbuds now stand testament to its almost total dominance of music culture. And finally consider that the HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray war, which once promised to be a globe-consuming, million dollar conflict, has already crowned a winner, as Toshiba cuts its losses and leaves the field to Sony. While it is very possible that the market could never have supported both formats, it is equally possible that the dominion of the DVD (Blu-Ray or otherwise) is shrinking. The time may be right. If one company can ensure the DVD’s demise, fear the one that bears the bitten fruit. To be sure, Apple’s competitors would have to follow where the Air leads, which is not a given. Even after the iPhone singlehandedly remade the handset market in it’s own image, companies that see the logic in a business model built around nifty handsets may balk before completely opting out of disc-drives. A touch screen is a risky addition, but a disc-less machine is a downright leap of faith. In any case it will probably be a few years before bandwidth becomes cheap enough, and wireless widespread enough for the Internet to be a truly practical alternative to plastic plates. Apple itself has hardly made a dogma of “disclessness,” as all its other machines remain strictly optically integrated. But I loathe to relegate the Macbook Air to mere boutique item, if only out of sheer awe of Steve Jobs’ depthless innovative chutzpah. Call it a hunch, but I’m guessing the discless age is a whole lot closer than we think. Charlie is a freshman in Arts & Sciences and a staff columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at charliebohlen@ yahoo.com.
Why Hillary is losing: An (objective) view
S
ince Super Tuesday earlier this month, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has been slipping. Since Super Tuesday, Barack Obama has won 11 straight Democratic contests and has overtaken her in national polls. This campaign, which remains ongoing, will be studied for decades. Much of the study will focus on the difficulties that Hillary Clinton has faced in the campaign after Altin being the presumed Democratic nominee until the fi rst contest in Iowa. (In the sprit of fairness, I am a Barack Obama supporter and have been throughout his campaign, though I do not feel that my personal preferences cloud my ability to view the campaign process objectively). With that said, I believe there are several important factors that have contributed to Hillary Clinton’s recent losing streak. As overused of a claim it has become, Democratic voters’ desire for change has been a primary factor in Clinton’s losses. When I speak of “change”
I do not mean the optimistic, lofty and often unspecified change that Obama’s campaign promises; I am simply referring to different leadership in Washington. At the end of George W. Bush’s presidency, it will be a full 20 years of Bush and Clinton in the White House—and 28 if George H. W. Bush’s time as Vice President under Ronald Reagan is counted. This year, voters are weary of extending that streak to 32 or possibly 36 Sila years. Former President Clinton’s actions on the campaign trail on behalf of his wife—mocking Barack Obama, admonishing the media, making comments with racial undertones and yelling at members of the crowds at rallies—have only served to help solidify voters’ skepticism. Furthermore, the relentless and bitter attacks on Hillary Clinton made during the numerous Republican debates only helped remind voters of the extreme partisanship that ruled politics during her husband’s administration and has remained
through George W. Bush’s. Though Democratic voters see the 1990s as favorable and prosperous for the country, in 2008 they are looking to escape that bitter partisanship of the past and present. A major factor in Hillary’s loss in support has simply been frustration amongst voters. As time as gone on, more and more voters are expressing their desire for new leaders in the White House. Another (perhaps equally) important factor in Hillary’s losses has been reluctance among Democratic male voters to vote for a female candidate. While the gender gap in her support has been widely reported on, the reasons behind it have not been properly explored. That many men either outright refuse or feel discomfort in voting for a woman for president at this point in our history is a shame, but it is a fact. Some of this is a conscious refusal that can only be explained by pure sexism. However, much, if not most, of this reluctance is subconscious. This is the factor that is often overlooked in the analysis of this race. Many men
feel an immediate dislike for a powerful and strong woman like Hillary Clinton who is not satisfied with the gender roles of the past. They view her ability to put up a tough fight as either intimidating or simply unlikable. They perceive her strong self-defense (e.g. responding to the Obama campaign mailers in Ohio) as whining and complaining and her attacks on her opponents as pettiness. Should a male candidate make these same attacks and remarks, they would most certainly be viewed differently. This is unfortunate but true. It is a real explanation of her lack of support among men in the United States and has been a hurdle which she has had much trouble overcoming. Finally and pretty obviously, Barack Obama himself has been a major factor in her loss of support among voters and superdelegates. The simple fact that Barack Obama is her opponent in this race has made her campaign much more challenging. Despite their near congruence on the issues, many voters see Obama as the answer to their problem with the continued leadership
in Washington. Obama, in many ways, is the antithesis of Hillary Clinton in that he is a brand new face in Washington, without a long history of controversies and partisanship. He is also exciting voters; for the fi rst time in awhile, American voters are becoming optimistic and enthused about politics. In recent weeks, Hillary Clinton has attempted to win votes by criticizing and even mocking that optimism—a tough task that is only one of a series of poor political choices during her campaign. Perhaps she missed her best chance to serve as president in 2004. Four years ago, many voters were wishing that they could have their vote in the 2000 election back and were looking for a third Clinton term. They couldn’t fi nd satisfaction in the completely unspectacular John Kerry. The country was extraordinarily partisan with no desire to bridge any divides and George W. Bush won reelection. Hillary Clinton may have had a much better shot in 2004; there was no Barack Obama in the race and voters were looking for a redo election. This year,
though, voters are not looking for a redo; they are looking for something brand new. Hillary Clinton may be four years too late. However, I am a fi rm believer in Yogi Berra’s classic statement that, “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.” This campaign is not over, despite the media’s premature coronation of Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee for the general election in November. The factors for her losses of late are not overwhelming and can easily be overcome. With a win in Texas, Ohio, or both next week, she can again become the frontrunner in the race. Obama has been facing a recent backlash to his support, with many criticizing his campaign and his supporters. He may have peaked too early in the race, and it support could lessen. This contest is a lot closer than many would like to believe, but either way it goes, its study should keep us all busy for a long time. Altin is a senior in Arts & Sciences and a Forum editor. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.
6
Senior Sports Editor / Trisha Wolf / sports@studlife.com
STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 29, 2008
SPORTS
Solo senior Tibesar leads by example BY JOSHUA GOLDMAN SPORTS EDITOR At the end of this season, the Washington University basketball team will lose its only senior to graduation, co-captain Sarah Tibesar. She has been at Wash. U. for ďŹ ve years pursuing a dual degree. In May, she will receive a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an MBA This year marks her third as a member of the women’s basketball team. “I signed up for a PE racquetball class in fall semester of 2005 and was noticed for my height. The basketball coaches asked me if I’d like to try out for the team, and the rest is history. I consider it a very fortunate accident that I ended up playing basketball here,â€? said Tibesar. Though she began playing for Wash. U. as a junior, the 6-3 Tibesar was no stranger to the game. “I played on my ďŹ rst basketball team when I was in fourth grade, but I’d been watching games for years at that point. My two older brothers both played basketball when we were growing up, so I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t following at least one of their teams when I was little,â€? said Tibesar. She also played volleyball and was a member of the track and ďŹ eld team in high school. “I enjoy playing all kinds of sports for fun, but basketball has always been my favorite and the one that I’m most eager to put a
lot of effort into improving at,â€? she added. In three years at Washington University, Tibesar has averaged around 1.5 points per game and usually grabs a rebound or two. Tibesar leads by example. “She has a passion for the tradition of the program. Whatever role she has to do she understands,â€? said Head Coach Nancy Fahey. “The thing that’s going to hold [with me] is the number of times we sat in this gym and how many extra minutes she puts into her game. She comes in all the time.â€? Tibesar also helps keep team morale high, which is important in winning games. “She’s good at keeping her head up and being positive and really supportive no matter what’s going on,â€? added junior point guard Shanna-Lei Dacanay. “She really has a great sense of humor and knows how to make people laugh,â€? stated fellow co-captain Jill Brandt, a junior. “When she takes a charge, it just refuels the team and gets everyone else going.â€? Tibesar and the Lady Bears play their ďŹ nal regular season game Saturday against the University of Chicago. Both teams have a 10-3 UAA record, and the winner will claim the UAA title for the 2007-2008 season. The Maroons and the Bears last met on Jan. 12 in St. Louis to open UAA play, a game won by the Lady Bears 67-56.
SCOTT BRESSLER | STUDENT LIFE
Senior Sarah Tibesar is honored Sunday afternoon in the Athletic Complex as her parents, Jim and Cheryl Tibesar, look on. The team celebrated the graduation of Tibesar, the only senior on the team, before the women’s basketball game against NYU Sunday afternoon.
presents a guide to places of worship in the WU community
Religious Directory For advertising information, call (314) 935-6713 or email advertising@studlife.com
All Saints Catholic Church Come Celebrate with Us
Good Friday 7:30 pm The Passion of our Lord Veneration of the Cross Communion of the Pre-sanctified
Holy Saturday 8:00 pm Candlelight Service Blessing of the New Water Eucharist Easter Sunday 10:45 am Celebration of the Resurrection Renewal of Baptismal Promises
RECENT TOP PERFORMERS Troy Ruths Men’s basketball Directions: Corner of Westgate & Clemens (One block North of the Loop) (314) 721-6403
All Saints Catholic Church Corner of Westgate & Clemens (One block North of the Loop)
Come Feel the Warmth!
Sunday Worship 10:30am Wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here! 6501 Wydown - 314.721.5060 Right next to the South 40! www.firstcongregational.org
Lutheran Campus Ministry Learning, Loving, Living in the Spirit of Christ
Young Adult Mass Sunday 6pm
invites you to
Free Food Fridays Sunday Morning Mass 8am & 10:45am
6pm 7019 Forsyth Blvd.
(314) 721-6403 Wash U Students and Staff Welcome!
www.lcmstl.org
LCM
7019 Forsyth Blvd St. Louis, MO 63105 863.8140 lcm@sugroups.wustl.edu
INSPIRING ETHICAL LIVING The Ethical Society is a community of people united in the belief that an ethical life creates a more just, loving and sustainable world for all. Join us on Sunday mornings for the 9:45 Forum and 11:00 Platform Address. Children's Sunday School meets 10am-noon Ethical Society of St. Louis (1/4 mile west of the Galleria) 9001 Clayton Rd. (314) 991-0955 www.ethicalstl.org
Your Ad HERE Advertise your place of worship for $16 per week. Contact us to find out how!
314-935-6713
:DWHUPDQ DW 6NLQNHU
Masses at the CSC: Sundays: 11am & 9pm
Tuesdays at 5:15pm & Fridays at 11:15am www.
washucsc.org
6352 Forsyth ¡ 935-9191 Stop by any time to study, relax or pray!
The senior scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as he was honored on senior day as the team beat New York University 62-51 Sunday. With that stellar performance, he moved into second place on the career points list. He added 14 points and four assists as the team fell to Brandeis University 68-66 Friday.
Janice Evans Women’s basketball The sophomore notched a double-double with 14 points and a career high 13 rebounds en route to upsetting No. 24 Brandeis University Friday 74-56. She then recorded a career-high 19 points against NYU Sunday.
Angela Hartman Women’s track and field The senior recorded an NCAA provisional qualifying time en route to winning the 800-meter run at the Wartburg College Invitational over the weekend with a time of 2:16.70. This also set a Wash. U. season-best time in the event.
9DQ 6HUYLFH IURP 6KHSOH\ 'ULYH DW WKH &ORFN 7RZHU D P
&DVXDO :RUVKLS LQ &KDSHO D P &RQWHPSRUDU\ :RUVKLS D P &ODVVLF :RUVKLS LQ 6DQFWXDU\ D P
2XU GLYHUVH FRPPXQLW\ RI IDLWK ZHOFRPHV \RX
Catholic Student Center We’re here for YOU!
Congratulations to senior Troy Ruths of the men’s basketball team who was named ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-American Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. He was also named a ďŹ nalist for the Jostens Trophy, which rewards basketball ability, academic excellence and community service.
The winners of both the men’s and women’s basketball games Saturday will take the UAA titles and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Can’t go to Chicago to catch all of the action live? Go to http:// bearsports.wustl.edu to follow the teams via live status and Internet radio.
Join us and rediscover the roots of our Catholic Faith during these holiest days of the Church year, March 20th through March 23rd
Holy Thursday 7:30 pm Washing of the Feet Procession with the Blessed Sacrament
It’s title time
UNION
Looking for a place to get involved?
AVENUE CHRISTIAN CHURCH DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
study – Sunday worship @ 10:45 – lunch 733 Union Blvd. (63108) in the CWE call 314.361.8844 for info. or rides www.union-avenue.org
David Chao Men’s swimming and diving The freshman was named UAA Rookie of the Year, following a second place in the 400-yard freestyle relay, a first place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay and fourth place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle.
John Watts Men’s tennis The sophomore and top-ranked singles player in Division III tennis went 5-1 at the Indoor championships over the weekend. He beat all of his opponents from DePauw University, University of California-Santa Cruz and Emory University in singles, while going 2-1 in doubles with freshman Isaac Stein. The team also upset second-ranked Emory University in the third place match.
STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 29, 2008
CLASSIFIEDS Line Ad Rates
FREE Classifieds
Classified ads are free to students, faculty and staff for personal use. To place your FREE 25-word ad, simply email us from your WU email account.
Rates listed below are for businesses or individuals not affiliated with WU.
Help Wanted For Rent Roommates Sublet Real Estate For Sale Automotive
Wanted Services Tickets Travel Spring Break Lost & Found Personals
Please check your ad carefully on the first day of publication and notify Student Life of any errors. We will only be responsible for the first day’s incorrect insertion.
FOR SALE: CLAYTON Condo at 921 South Hanley Road. Darling first floor condo, one bedroom, garage, and laundry. Great move in condition. $154,000. Margie Kerckhoff: 314-6167644. Coldwell Banker Gundaker (636-394-9300). HOME FOR SALE: Frontenac. Ladue Schools. 3-bedrooms, 2 1/2 bath Ranch, 1+ acre. Many updates. Hardwood floors. 2208 square feet. $499,000. 314-567-4702.
FOR SALE: HP F4180 Printer at $50. Like new. It comes with a web cam for free. Email kimy@wustl.edu if interested.
$5000 PAID EGG donors. +Expenses. Non-smokers, ages 19-29, SAT > 1100, ACT > 24, GPA > 3.0. Reply to: info@eggdonorcenter.com. A
2 pm Thurs. 2 pm Mon. 2 pm Tues.
Payment
Don’t forget to include a contact number so we can confirm pricing & payment! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
All classified ads must be prepaid prior to first insertion by credit card, cash or personal check. Checks should be made payable to
Phone: 314.935.6713 Prefer to speak with someone? Call us to place your ad by credit card! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
WU Student Media, Inc.
Fax: 314.935.5938
hR_e ^`cV Via`dfcV0
uld sho hrase a e e p or r id You rate th ver” O t illus d All t You a Go e R “ e and te e’v “W ered” rpora o v Co ld inc some u n o sh Life i d Stu . y a w
Student Life Classifieds
Student Life Calendar Contest Attn: Individuals, groups, and departments of the Wash U community
AcZkVd
ea n id re a t i a bm ec t su ’ll tak ur s u J we g yo and reatin of c cept. con
RENT
ent
d *Stu
Life
he
t has
ny bun
cov
ere
D f_
# Y T c
Rj VdU
_
HVU
Rj VdU
EY f
Rj cdU
ADVERTISE FOR FREE! Washington University students, staff, and faculty can place free classifieds in Student Life. Simply email your ad to classifieds@studlife. com from your Washington University email account. Your ad will run free of charge for up to six consecutive issues. Please limit all ads to thirty words.
view it at www.studlife.com
By The Mepham Group Level: 1
2
3
4
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
Solution to Wednesday’s puzzle
© 2008 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
2/29/08
March 5, 2008. Official rules: www.studlife.com/contestrules
(
URj
"&
&
"% ##
"$ "#
#"
""
#!
#*
"*
#)
")
#(
"(
an edition of Studlife
to contest@studlife.com by
'
*
Forget to grab
E-mail a description of your proposal
Rj fc U "
Ef
"!
Free for WU students, faculty & staff (Ad must be sent from your WU email account)
more Exposure!
Rj 7cZU
j _UR >`
#
Email: class
ads in StudLife
)
$
.com ifieds@studlife
$250 cash or $500 of free
d
%
ph: 935–6713
concept in the calendar
DRe
!!)
>R
ANNOUNCING
Sudoku
Mon. edition: Wed. edition: Fri. edition:
Don’t forget to include a contact number so we can confirm pricing & payment!
BABYSITTER WANTED: CLAYTON family needs babysitter for after-school care. Hours from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM everday. Please call 314-956-0524. EARN $800-$3200 a month to drive brand new cars with ads palced on them. www.AdCarClub.com. HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED: LAUNDRY and cleaning house. Hours and pay are flexible. Walking distance to campus. Please call Julie at 580-3338.
2 & 3 BEDROOM apartments. 2 bath. Full kitchen/appliances. Internet, see more www.homeandapartmentrentals.com 314-4092733
http://www.studlife.com
In order to be published, all ads must be placed and paid for by:
Email: classifieds@studlife.com
Terms & Conditions There is a 15-word minimum charge on all classified ads. The first three words (max. one line) are bold and capitalized. All ads will appear on studlife.com at no additional charge.
Deadlines
For the fastest and easiest service, place and pay for your ad online! Click on the “Classifieds” link on our website to get started!
1-5 issues: 50¢ per word, per issue 6-9 issues: 40¢ per word, per issue 10+ issues: 30¢ per word, per issue
Classifications
Placing Your Ad
7
#'
"'
#& #%
8
Senior Scene Editor / Meghan Luecke / scene@studlife.com
STUDENT LIFE | SCENE
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 29, 2008
SCENE
&
Pro-choice Pro-life Meet at the abortion clinic BY STEVE HARDY SCENE REPORTER
A
s a woman steps out of the Hope Clinic, Bill Gover implores her, “When you’re crying at night, don’t turn to the booze or the drugs. Turn to Jesus Christ.” The Illinois center provides abortions, and Gover is one of many protesters who come out every Saturday morning to demonstrate against the facility. He carries a large green and white “Jesus” sign and follows patients as they walk from their cars to the door of the clinic. Alongside the protesters, another group of people waits for patients to arrive. They are volunteer escorts, and their job is to get women who seek abortions at the clinic past the protesters safely and comfortably. Many of these volunteer escorts are Wash. U. students. The anti-abortion protesters have many colorful names for the volunteers. “They call us murderers and deathscorts,” says Hallie Marin, a senior who escorts at Hope Clinic. “They ask us why we hate little children.” Student volunteers have
experienced harrowing episodes of protesters following them, yelling at them, calling out insults and even trying to block their passage. Some of the protesters take pictures of clinic workers and volunteers and post them online so they can be identified easily. Senior Becca Widzer, co-president of Students for Choice and a three-year escort, has been posted on such a site, though she says nothing came of it. Widzer still remembers one protester’s sign that caught her attention when she first started volunteering. “It said ‘Abortion is the Next Holocaust,’” Widzer said. “It shocked me, and I thought, ‘How dare you!’” This past Saturday morning—at a time when protesters are typically out in force—Hope Clinic was relatively quiet and only a handful of demonstrators were out talking to the patients. One group merely stood by the door praying silently, with red tape over their mouths with the word “LIFE” written across it. A seminarian led one group of Catholics in praying the rosary. “We hope that the last thing that baby hears is a prayer,” said
MEGHAN LUECKE | STUDENT LIFE
Above: Pro-life advocates Bill Gover and John Bailiff demonstrate outside Hope Clinic in Granite City, IL on Feb. 23. Right: Demonstrators gives fetussized dolls to patients visiting Hope Clinic. Counselor and escort Debra Knox Diedermann says that the dolls often poorly represent the fetus at the claimed stage of development.
Stepping Barrister’s in Clayton 15 N. Meramec Clayton MO, 63105 314-862-0500 Price Range: $1-20
W
e stumbled upon Barrister’s in downtown Clayton just looking for a good cheeseburger. We soon realized that Barrister’s lives up to its motto: “Not your normal pub grub.” In addition to traditional pub food and 10 beers on tap, Barrister’s offers an extensive wine list with salads, pastas, fish and other dishes you would not expect at a bar. While it’s not a place we would necessarily recommend for drinks, Barrister’s provides a great place to get a burger, sandwich or even something more elaborate. The bar at Barrister’s caters to a few different sets of clientele. When we went early on a Tuesday evening, we saw a crowd of middle-aged men having drinks after work and discussing John Grisham and Tom Clancy. But on a Friday night, the crowd was decidedly younger, with mostly people in their late 20s and early 30s. We also noticed Barclay’s Premier League soccer standings on the wall and a Spanish soccer game playing on two televisions. Barrister’s shows many European soccer games, especially championship games on PayPer-View.
Demonstrators gather outside of Hope Clinic to read the bible and pray the rosary together. after 40 million U.S. abortions were performed, 9/11 happened, followed by Hurricane Katrina. Last Saturday, he wondered aloud what will happen once 50 million abortions have been performed. “We’re dealing with spiritual warfare here,” Bailiff proclaimed. “When you shed innocent blood, it brings the wrath of the Lord on the nation.” Gover agreed, saying that women have become desensitized to abortion during the time he has demonstrated. “I see very few tears now. It’s like getting a tooth pulled.” Gover and other protesters will sometimes call out to the escorts as well as the patients. “The wicked walk hand-inhand!” he yelled. At volunteer training, escorts are repeatedly told not to speak to or even look at the demonstrators. They are also warned not to use each others’ names at the clinics. Widzer and Diedermann agree that demonstrators will constantly goad an escort whose name they know. The escorts are also trained to interact with women facing a variety of emotions, from fear to anger to denial. They are told to try to keep the women and their companions talking about mundane things like the weather so as not to upset them while trying to tune out the demonstrators. Additionally,
Out
Rating:
minutes’ drive from campus. Additionally, Barrister’s is just a short walk from the Clayton stop on the Metro. When the weather gets nice, walking from the South 40 would even be reasonable. The dining area—located past the nice, albeit small, bar—seemed a little too fancy for the venue vibe. It captured the theme of a pub with mirrors embossed with beer company logos and televisions playing sports, but the nice carpeting, cushioned seats and empty wine bottles lining the walls changed the feel. The menu does have some typical pub grub: wings, pizzas and a variety of burgers and sandwiches. However, Barrister’s menu also includes crab cakes, seafood, chicken Parmesan, five salads and more. For appetizers, the state fair onion rings are a must. A mountain of crispy, hot onion rings is served with delicious honey mustard and barbeque sauces. The portion is big enough for at least four people. Additionally, we would recommend the coconut shrimp. Delicately breaded and served with the same honey mustard sauce lauded above, they are perfect if you are looking for something a little different from generic pub food. For soups,
we tried the New England clam chowder, which was good although nothing to rave about. Their burgers are up to par with most any other pub’s. Halfpound patties, hand-formed and served on a toasted bun are served in a variety of ways. You can choose from an old-fashioned five ounce griddle burger, a veggie burger and the Maryland crab burger topped with smoked tomato sauce. The grilled chicken sandwich is another plate we loved. An exceptionally moist piece of grilled chicken is topped with provolone cheese and the house honey mustard sauce, all served on a toasted bun. The cedar plank roasted salmon is another delicious choice that comes with mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. Though there was an excess of tomato aioli, the salmon was cooked well and the mashed potatoes were excellent. For sides, diners can choose from house-made salt and vinegar chips, French fries, mashed potatoes and cole slaw. The cole slaw is exceptionally clean and the poppy seeds provided good texture and flavor. The salt and vinegar chips, while decent, were a little too thick. Overall, Barrister’s offers excellent pub food and a variety of other appetizing dishes. It’s a great place to dine with a group of friends close to campus.
the escorts are taught to try to dissuade patients from speaking with the demonstrators. They place themselves physically between the patients and the approaching protesters, who often give out the plastic babies, bibles and graphic fliers. In escort training, Diedermann tells the prospective escorts to expect some morbid signs and handouts. This past Saturday, one man did try to give women fliers with photos of dead, dismembered fetuses; other demonstrators tell patients about a fetus’ stages of development. Diedermann says that the fetuses on the handouts are frequently stillborns, not aborted babies. She tells prospective escorts that if a woman asks them if the demonstrators are telling the truth, their response should be, “They can say whatever they want.” Wash. U. students volunteer in other ways at local clinics as well. Senior Stephanie Sibilia works as a counselor at Planned Parenthood. “My role is to make sure that they understand the procedure and ensure that this is their decision,” said Sibilia. “I like to be a comfort, someone they can talk to without being judged.” But she warns against romanticizing her position, adding, “The clinics are not happy places. There is no sense of relief.” The guidebook provided
MEGHAN LUECKE | STUDENT LIFE
for escorts in training suggests that students “debrief” after a few hours of escorting by talking to a sympathetic friend or getting coffee with other volunteers. Escorts say volunteering can be exhausting and emotionally draining, and some volunteers fi nd that close friends and family members sometimes do not support their volunteering. Sibilia also found herself in a tricky situation with her own mother, who is a pro-life Catholic. “Initially, my mother was completely against it,” said Sibilia. “We didn’t talk about it for the fi rst year.” She says that since then, they have opened up communication and, though neither has converted the other, they better understand one another. Diedermann herself was raised Catholic. She says that when she hears peaceful protesters pray the Hail Mary or Our Father, it is actually a source of comfort for her. Two-year escort and Wash. U. junior Alyssa Pagliere said that there needs to be dialogue between pro-lifers and prochoicers. “I have friends who are actively pro-life, and I think that it’s good to have open discussion,” said Pagliere. “I don’t feel the need to be aggressive about it.”
§ Stop playing hard to get
★★★★✬
Located on North Meremec in BY BROOKE SCHACHNER AND ERIC Clayton, Barrister’s is just a few BIERMAN
SCENE REPORTERS
demonstrator Joe Schmidt. “It is a baby. It has fingernails, a beating heart,” said seminarian Brian Alford. “We’ll find an adoptive home or refer them to Project Rachel.” Project Rachel is a Catholic ministry which helps young, unwed and struggling mothers. Women are encouraged to go to them even after an abortion for counseling. This calm Saturday morning of fairly quiet protests was atypical, according to student volunteers and Debra Knox Diedermann, the Missouri clinic escort program coordinator for the national organization NARAL Pro-Choice America. Diedermann is also a counselor at Hope and trains new escorts at Wash. U. through Students for Choice. “I often see patients bawling because they’ve been so brutalized by protesters,” she told new volunteers at a recent training session. Diedermann says that St. Louis has a particularly violent history of pro-life and prochoice clashes. A clinic doctor in the area was kidnapped years ago by protesters, and some demonstrators were known to enter clinics and lie down on the floor during the 1980s. Legislature has been passed to restrict the areas where protesters may demonstrate. Demonstrators today use a variety of methods in their protests. John Bailiff hands out tiny plastic fetuses to women entering the Hope Clinic. He also reads from an annotated and heavily worn Bible. Bailiff said he started protesting on Sept. 8, 2001, and he feels a certain symbolism in the timing. He will tell you that
BY NICOLLE NEULIST SCENE COLUMNIST
P
laying hard to get is a tradition as old as dating itself. However, it’s not an honest way to approach trying to date someone new. Playing hard to get merely disguises your true desires and intentions. It can also get frustrating for whomever you are trying to flirt with. Some people may find it interesting and alluring for a short period of time, but it gets old quickly. Sooner rather than later, they might just get fed up. People most often justify and encourage playing hard to get by saying that no one is interested in dating a person who is waiting for them like a lost puppy dog. So, they reason, they need to feign an extremely busy schedule to imply that they have a lot of things going on in their life, and possibly even imply that many other people are interested in them. Someone who has nothing going on except one flirtation that they cling to is probably not a very alluring dating option, but trying to avoid looking that way by playing hard to get assumes that there is no grey area
between overly available and completely unavailable. Instead of using that game as a way to imply that there are interesting things going on in your life, tell the person in whom you’re interested about things that you’re up to. You don’t need a sneaky game to prove you’re worth knowing—because you are worth knowing. You don’t reach young adulthood without having some things that make you interesting. Work those things to your advantage. Talk about some of your interests and hobbies with them. Act confidently, be yourself, let them know what makes you unique. They’ll figure out that you’re a good catch a lot more quickly than they would if you strung them along by playing hard to get. If someone who you are interested in asks you out and you’re interested in going, go out with them if you’re free at the suggested time. If you’re not free, decline, but tell them that you’re interested in going out with them at some time when you are free. If you want to sound interesting, be open about what you’re up to that is keeping you busy during the first suggested time. It might start
up a good conversation. You can eradicate gameplaying from the other side as well. If you get the feeling that someone you are interested in is playing hard to get, encourage them not to do so. Start gently. Ask them when they are free to do something. Make it clear that you’re interested in going out with them; it is far more comfortable for them if you take away the opportunity for them to fear rejection. If they continue to drag their feet and it still looks like they are playing hard to get, call them on it. Tell them, in so many words, that you don’t appreciate that they’re playing hard to get. Tell them that you are trying to work around their schedule, but that you would appreciate if they would make time for you if they would like to go out, and to tell you if they don’t actually want to do anything. If you break the cycle of playing hard to get, your dating life will become significantly demystified. Instead of worrying about the right time to express your interest in someone or the right time for them to express their interest in you, you can focus on scheduling a date and seeing what happens.