F R I D A Y FEB. 18, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 53
Cold 40° / 27° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m
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STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
Freshman Class Council in need of mentoring, supervision, SU decides By David Tabor Contributing Editor
KWUR Week is coming up, and we’ve got you covered with all the details of the festivities. Find out who will be here and when in Cadenza.
Student Union has advised that the Freshman Class Council undergo mentoring sessions and additional supervision in response to a dearth of programming last semester. The council, a slate of five Student Union officers elected to represent Washington University’s class of 2008, has been unresponsive to business contact and has failed to attend meetings organized to discuss their lack of programming. The Freshman Class Council (FCC) is responsible for organizing class-wide events and manage Student Union funds allocated for that purpose. Student Union Vice President Pamela Bookbinder, a junior, acknowledged that FCC members had missed previous meetings of the Joint Class Council, a group composed of all four class councils. Bookbinder, whose responsibilities as Student Union vice president include chairing the Joint Class Council, explained that she now meets with the FCC separately before Joint Class Council meetings to provide them with more direct supervision. Senate Speaker Marc Bridge, a senior, described a feeling of “general frustration” with the situation. “I think it’s disappointing that
the freshman class hasn’t had the chance to experience the quality programming that other classes have had available to them,” said Bridge. Since being elected in October 2004, the FCC has organized one activity for the class of 2008, a rockclimbing event last fall that was co-sponsored with the Junior Class Council. Although the FCC has contributed to Joint Class Council events, such as Red Alert functions, it has yet to sponsor an event independent of other class councils. “When you first get elected freshman year, there’s a lot of stuff to figure out. There’s a lot of stuff that coming in as a freshman you don’t know about,” said Freshman Class Internal Vice President Stephanie Purisch. “By this point we really know what’s going on. That was the biggest thing last semester, coming in, not knowing all the ins and outs of how Student Union worked. It should be a lot better this semester.” Bill Woodward, faculty advisor to the FCC, has served as an advisor to several freshman councils in previous years, and he acknowledged that this year’s group had been slower to take advantage of the support structure offered to them. “It’s not typical to have had re
2004-2005 Freshman Class Council
President Yisrael Katz
Internal Vice President Stephanie Purisch
Treasurer Samantha Sacks
External Vice President Charlie Howard
Secretary Jared Caplan
See FRESHMAN COUNCIL, page 3
PAGE 8 Matt Simonton revisits Sunday’s Grammy Awards in his “Sonic Reduction” column in today’s Cadenza. Let’s just say he’s not a fan of the Grammys at all.
PAGE 7 The new “University Center”: First it was on.
Schaal named to top science post
Beat poet Williams slams GC
Biking for Break
By Aaron Seligman Forum Editor
By Elizabeth Lewis Contributing Reporter Members of the National Academy of Sciences elected Dr. Barbara A. Schaal, Spencer T. Olin Professor of Biology in Arts and Sciences, as v ice - presi dent of the Acade my. Serving a fou r -yea r term starting July 1, she will be the first female vice president of the Academy. “To be elected to WUSTL.EDU the National Barbara A. Schaal Academy Spencer T. Olin Professor is one of of Biology the highest honors that could be given to any scientist,” said Ralph Quatrano, chairman of
DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE
Freshman Sam Gaynor bikes at the South 40 Fitness Center. Many students are hitting the gym in an effort to get in shape before Spring Break.
New York slam poet Saul Williams brought together the beats of hiphop and poetry when he spoke to a packed Graham Chapel about the relationship between them. At Wednesday’s Assembly Series lecture, Williams delivered an exposition entitled “The Connection Between Hip-Hop and Poetry,” though he focused mostly on the creative process of writing poems. He defined himself as a poet first and a hip-hop artist second, admitting that while he respects more “gangster” lyricists, he prefers content that explores an artist’s vulnerability—something he said most MC’s will never show. “The difference between an MC and a poet is that an MC has to act like he knows, while a poet admits ‘I don’t know’ and tries to figure it out,” said Williams, who has gained popularity from his recent CD releases and film appearances. In just over an hour Williams delivered four of his poems, on subjects varying from black identity
See SCHAAL, page 3
Then it was off. Then it was back on.
EPSC Building garners environmental certification By Helen Rhee Staff Reporter
Now it’s back off? “What is going on?” asks the Editorial Board in Forum.
PAGE 4 INDEX News Forum Sports Cadenza
1-3 4 5 5-8
The University’s Earth and Planetary Sciences Building was recently certified as one of only two buildings in metropolitan St. Louis to meet a variety of environment-friendly and sustainable design protocols. The U.S. Green Building Council declared the building a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure, making it the first building on campus to be LEED certified, and joining it with the Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise in St. Louis County as the only two such buildings in the area. “The receipt of a LEED certification is very important because it shows the difference in terms of minimizing the detrimental impacts of buildings on the environment,” said Dr. Raymond Arvidson, James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and chair
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of Earth and Planetary Science. LEED buildings are judged based on five areas of sustainable design: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. The new Earth and Planetary Science Building is equipped with environment-friendly rugs, sustainable tiles, and an efficient HVAC system. It is also located close to public transportation provided by the MetroLink and is surrounded by native plants which are accustomed to the climate and don’t need to be watered. “The energy cost associated with our campus is high,” said Arvidson. “We need to do everything to minimize the energy expenditure even if it means renovating the old buildings or building new ones. Therefore, the certification by LEED is a very good thing.” Thomas Harry Simmons, director of
One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building St. Louis, MO 63130
DAVID BRODY| STUDENT LIFE
The Earth and Planetary Sciences Building was certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building.
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News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2005
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James Wang named USA Today Academic All Star James Wang, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, was recently named to the USA Today’s 2005 All-USA College Academic Team. USA Today noted his accomplishments in biology research, which include creating transgenic mice to study the genetic roots of nervous system deficiencies. He is also a Goldwater Scholar, a violinist, and member of the University symphony orchestra as well as treasurer of the ArtSci Council.
the WUrld
“She’s Hideous,” musical by WU alum, to be performed tonight
AIDS show to promote HIV awareness, education
“She’s Hideous,” an original one-act musical written and composed by Washington University alumnus Eric Dienstfrey, will be presented tonight at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum. The musical, which includes six original songs, details the life of a 1920s expressionist painter combating artist’s block and his encounter with Wanda, a deformed woman who becomes the painter’s muse. Dienstfrey, who graduated from the University last spring, wrote the show as a senior project and is the show’s director and pianist. The show’s performance is co-sponsored by the Department of Music in Arts & Sciences and the Kemper Art Museum’s Inside Out Loud: Women’s Health in Contemporary Art.
STAFF/FACULTY PROFILE
Compiled by Angela Markle and Sarah Kliff
HIV Outreach, Prevention & Education will foster awareness of HIV/AIDS tomorrow night during a variety show in Steinberg Hall. Participating student groups include WU Style (Step), the Stereotypes, the CD Players, and others. Proceeds from the Artistic Interpretation Designed to Stimulate (AIDS) Show, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will be donated to the AIDS Foundation of St. Louis. The show is a collaboration with the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness’ Sex Week and the Kemper Art Museum’s exhibition Inside Out Loud.
Andrew Rehfeld Assistant Professor, Political Science
Originally from:
Midwest home to highest rate of binge drinking in nation According to a recent government study about binge drinking in the U.S., the Midwest ranks the highest, while Utah, Oregon, and the Deep South rank the lowest. North Dakota took the prize for most binge drinking: there, citizens as young as 12 years old engage in the harmful habit, which the study defi ned as drinking five or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month. A related study conducted last September reported that almost a quarter of U.S. residents had at one time or another engaged in binges. The study also addressed illicit drug use in residents aged twelve and older; Utah ranked lowest in that portion of the study as well, while Alaska had the most use at 12 percent. Other high-ranking states, such as Oregon, Colorado, and others, have laws that allow marijuana to be grown and obtained for medicinal purposes.
Top-secret laptop goes amiss A laptop created by the military contractor Space and Naval Warfare Systems, based in San Diego, has gone missing recently. The laptop, which contained top-secret information about border protection, disappeared from the Imperial Beach Border Patrol station sometime in the last month. Officials are flustered over the loss of this laptop, as they already feel that borders, as well as long seacoasts, are too unprotected as is. The laptop was essentially a prototype for a new surveillance system, and naval intelligence fears that it will become even harder to control who crosses the borders. Agents who work at the Imperial Beach Border Patrol station are currently being questioned about how the laptop could have disappeared. Although there are worries about the repercussions of losing the laptop, officials don’t foresee too many dire consequences; rather, they plan on regrouping and solving any issues that arise.
I’m from the Mid-Atlantic East, having spent equal parts of my childhood in Atlantic City, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; and Baltimore, MD.
Did you attend college and/or job training? Where?
INTERNATIONAL
Yes. I received my BA from the University of Rochester. And I received my job training at the University of Chicago.
What was your mascot? In a fight, who would win—the mascot from your alma matter or the Wash U Bear?
Coal mine blast kills over 200 An explosion in a coal mine killed over 200 people this week in the city of Fuxin, China. The gas explosion, which occurred 250 meters below the surface, left miners stranded underground for hours. One miner was rescued Tuesday afternoon, but 203 others were less fortunate. Coal mine explosions have not been uncommon in China, despite a campaign to increase safety. Rescuers were unable to arrive early due to weather delays and ice on the roads. Over 6,000 miners have died in incidents like this in the last year alone. Although the number of deaths this year is lower than in years past, it still exceeds the United States’ mining death toll 100 times. The Chinese government is currently attempting to improve conditions in the mines, but fatalities remain high. In places like Fuxin, the coal mines have existed for so long that miners must now dig deep underground to fi nd coal seams, as a result greatly increasing the risk of methane explosions.
Rochester had an insect as its mascot—the “deadly” Yellow Jacket. If it had poisonous venom, as I always imagined it must, it would win. Unless, of course, Jose Canseco got to the bear fi rst.
What brought you to Wash U? The opportunity to do my research here was unparalleled among my other options. Similarly, the students were very impressive
What is your favorite book? I don’t have one. But limiting to fiction, here are a few. First, Mark Twain’s, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” because it is a poignant and unfl inching tale of the unseen costs of “progress”. Second, Joyce Carol Oats, “Black Water,” because of its tragic portrayal of power and powerlessness. And anything by Saul Bellow because his main characters— Jewish, neurotic, intellectual, men—tend to speak to me.
Something interesting that many people donʼt know about you is...? I play guitar and sing in a band.
—compiled by John Hewitt
LOCAL State legislature considers abstinence-only sex education The Missouri legislature opened debate on a new sex education bill that would allow public schools to teach sex education without mentioning contraception. The legislation, introduced by Representative Cynthia Davis, would eliminate the current statute requiring public schools to discuss the benefits and side effects of contraception, including condoms. The abstinenceonly legislation has run into objections from both legislators and students, who participated in Wednesday’s open debate. Students offered testimony in favor of contraceptive education as a way to trust students and inform them about different options. Davis, who represents O’Fallon, has also fi led a bill that would require schools to use textbooks that explain that evolution is a scientific theory that has “generated controversy.”
Local bride courts record number of bridesmaids at City Museum Over a hundred extravagantly dressed women (and a few beribboned men as well) flocked to the City Museum Monday to act as bridesmaids for Laura Tolley and Fred Brown, who were attempting to break the Guinness World Record for most bridesmaids. Although Guinness has not yet released its decision, the Monday event seemed to crush the old record of 79. A total of 103 people showed up wearing the requisite dresses to help the soon-to-be newlyweds reach their goal. The wedding went off without a hitch, despite live news coverage and, of course, the confusion of 103 bridesmaids wandering around.
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FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2005
STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
3
FRESHMAN COUNCIL n FROM PAGE 1
WILLIAMS n FROM PAGE 1
Several of the freshmen denied knowledge of the ally one program,” said Woodward. He explained that both he and members of the meeting. “I don’t even know what that was, so I feel like mayJoint Class Council work actively to help freshman executives learn how to navigate the event-planning be we were not well informed about it,” said Purisch. Freshman Class President Yisrabureaucracy. el Katz also said he was unaware of “People are looking for them to be the meeting, although Bookbinder more accountable than they had been,” had sent multiple reminders via said Woodward. e-mail and spoken to several FCC This year’s FCC has had a number of members in person. planned events cancelled or delayed due Yet even as they acknowledged to unanticipated difficulties. In the fall the situation, both Bookbinder and they were forced to scrap plans for a class Woodward avoided making a negapoker night upon realizing that cash tive assessment of the FCC. prizes violate Student Union policy. Plans Woodward said that if the freshfor a cash giveaway—in which students men planned more events for the were to pop balloons and keep any cash spring in addition to the one they inside—fell through for the same reason. -Mark Bridge, speaker of the planned in the fall, he would find “There’s been a structure in place to their work acceptable. have class councils learn,” said Bridge, Student Union Senate Freshmen council members describing the series of people available say they’ve mastered the learning to give advice on planning to freshman leaders. “They have people who are willing to talk to curve and are deep into planning events for this sethem, and it’s disappointing that they haven’t taken mester. “This semester we are having a ton of stuff,” said advantage of that.” In fact, all four class councils planned to meet for Purisch. She mentioned a ski trip next week, a Final a mentoring session last semester—presidents with Four basketball party in Ursa’s and efforts to plan presidents, secretaries with secretaries, etc. None of a mixer with St. Louis University students. “We now have a cabinet with committees, so things are getting the freshman officers showed up. “The purpose of the mentoring session was to have done a lot more.” all the people in one position come together and tell the freshmen what they were supposed to do,” said Sophomore Class Treasurer Jason Lewis. “They did news@studlife.com not show up to the meeting.”
and mainstream hip-hop to his daughter and post-9/11 America. He also took questions from aspiring poets and explained his own writing style and inspirations. Williams’ use of hip-hop as a vehicle for delivering a different message was exactly why the Social Justice Center decided to invite Williams to speak. Senior Rajya Karipineni said that Williams was an effective messenger because though he didn’t speak about youth culture, he uses words in a way that can reach young people. “He promotes a vision of social justice that eradicates inequality where people feel included,” Karipineni said. Williams has a long history in the slam poetry community, starting with becoming the Grand Slam Champion in 1996 at the Nuyorican Poet’s Café in New York City. Since then, he has appeared in the 1998 film “Slam,” released three CDs, and written several books. Williams offered advice to the hopeful poets in attendance, suggesting that good writing comes from good reading. He made an analogy to eating a healthy diet, stating that a good poet will feed himself inspiration. Williams noted that several of his poems took years to write and often changed when personal or world events provided him with new perspectives. Senior Trecia Buckner admitted that though she came to see Williams mostly because she was taking Intro to Public Speaking, she was very impressed. She found his poems captivating because they were so fast and commanded attention. “Everything he said was an eye-opener,” Buckner said. Williams’ appearance drew a crowd not only from campus but also the surrounding community. Joey Fowler, a junior at Patonville High School and recent winner of a slam poetry contest at the Red Sea, agreed with Williams’ views on mainstream hip-hop. “Most rappers won’t say they’re wrong, because they play to the masses, and everyone wants someone telling them where to go and what to do,” said Fowler. Fowler also drew a crowd himself when he recited one of his own poems for Williams after the speech. Teens from Maplewood High School attended the speech as part of the Success Center program and were equally captivated by Williams. Reggie Shabers, 15, an avid Nelly fan, claimed Williams “was way sicker than Nelly.” His friend Daryl Davis, 16, agreed. “It was cool, because he spoke the truth,” David said.
“They have people who are willing to talk to them, and it’s disappointing that they haven’t taken advantage of that.”
SCHAAL n FROM PAGE 1 the Department of Biology. “What Barbara has accomplished in her short time [at Washington University] has not only been achieving the recognition of her peers… they also feel highly of her leadership abilities.” As Quatrano explains, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is the “highest-profile scientific group in the nation, in terms of its contributions to science.” The Academy has almost 2,000 members nationally, and more than 190 have been awarded the Nobel Prize. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and issues more than 200 reports each year on subjects such as astronomy and the environment. As vice president of the Academy, some of Schaal’s duties will consist of being on the governing council of the National Research Council as well as heading the Frontiers of Science Program, an annual symposium which brings together some of the best young scientists in the nation. She said she will also work on any special projects that arise, while letting go of “ many activities outside of Washington University.” This will not be Schaal’s first major leadership role; she is the former president of both the Botanical Society of America and the Society for the Study of Evolution. She was elected into the Academy in 1999 for her research on the evolutionary process within plant populations, and her most recent research consists of studying the genetic diversity of landrace rice in Southeast Asia. “Just getting into the academy can take many decades, and membership is limited,” Schaal said, explaining why she may be the first woman awarded this particular honor. “Most scientists are not members of
the Academy. Thirty years ago, women were just beginning to be hired in large numbers at universities.” Quatrano echoed these sentiments, saying Schaal’s election “reflects a long-overdue recognition of [women’s] leadership roles not only at the Academy but at all types of institutions in science in the United States.” The honor also has other positive implications, such as reflecting well on the University at large. “Great faculty members are the basis of great universities,” said Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. “Professor Barbara Schaal has been a leading biologist, and her leadership role at the National Academy of Sciences will certainly reflect her visibility and impact. Washington University is fortunate to have her as a leading contributor here, and her leadership role will lift our visibility as an institution associated with great scientists.” Wrighton also believes that faculty members like Schaal will elevate the University’s prestige by attracting great students. Schaal attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and graduated in 1969 with honors in biology. She then went on to Yale and received a master’s degree in 1971 and a doctorate in 1974. She has served as a faculty member at both the University of Houston and Ohio State University, and was chair of Washington University’s biology department from 1993 to 1997.
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EPS n FROM PAGE 1 University facilities, is one of the first people who suggested the idea of constructing the new EPS building based on LEED guidelines. “I got it rolling, EPS loved the idea, and [many in the administration] bought into it right away,” says Simmons. “It seemed to me we just had do it in a building with the words ‘earth’ and ‘planetary’ in its title.” Simmons added that they had initially planned to include the Department of Environmental Studies in the building, but that department currently remains in Busch Laboratory. “Since we, the faculty, love the Earth, we worked with the board of trustees to ensure that the design would be environmentally friendly,” said Arvidson about the proposal process. Simmons noted that the EPS building will set a precedent for all future building projects on the campus. The University will apply principles inherent in LEED guidelines, but will not necessarily apply for LEED certification. Jared O. Heming, the president of Green Givens, Jared O. Heming, president that brings a group of Green Givens together students interested in environ menta l ly susta i nable a rc h itect u re, expressed hope that the new LEED certification would push forward the environmental initiative plan launched at the University’s Sesquicentennial celebration. “LEED certification is a step in the right direction for the University,” said Heming. “It gives the school direction in terms of building in the future.”
“LEED certification is a step in the right direction for the University... in terms of building in the future.”
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FORUM
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2005
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STAFF EDITORIAL
What happened to the University Center?
A
lmost a month ago, Student Life reported that Washington University had received approval from the Board of Trustees to resume planning for a new student center on campus. After delaying action on ideas for the center for over seven years, the University was to have begun exploring plans for a center west of Mallinckrodt, where the parking lot and sunken area by Prince Hall currently exist. Instead, the University is delaying the project yet again. This time, the excuse is that they need time to design a new parking area before
starting on the center itself. Jill Carnaghi, assistant vice chancellor for students, and Jim McLeod, vice chancellor for students, say that an economic downturn forced the University to cut back on planning and that they had other priorities. McLeod noted that there is no timeline in place for the center, because the University needs to fi rst design a new parking structure for the area. While they are considering an underground parking structure, there are no real plans in the works. Interestingly enough, several other schools, none of which have re-
cently raised $1.55 billion in capital, were able to renovate their student centers during this same economic downturn. Wartburg College, Purdue University, Alabama, Arizona State, and many others introduced brandnew or renovated student centers in 2004, according to Bulletin of the Association of College Unions International. Few of these centers are especially complicated. What they all include are many multi-purpose areas for student meetings, study areas, television and entertainment lounges, game rooms, and wireless internet
access throughout. These centers have become central parts of campus, where students can hang out in the evenings and on weekends, as well as serving many practical purposes during the week. While the University has the Wohl Center and Mallinckrodt, even combined we still lack a true student union. Outside of the food services, students do not come to either location for extended periods of time. There is no doubt the University has many building priorities, and it is unfortunate that a new student center does not seem to be one of them.
Ray Charles’ genius needs company
TEMU BROWN | EDITORIAL CARTOON
By Nick Loyal Op-ed Submission
A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Sex is no game Dear Editor: How many AIDS infections have been contracted through casual sex (including safe sex where the condom broke) because society says sex is just a game? How many sexual assaults have happened because the perpetrator thought, “sex is no big deal, so surely she doesn’t mean ‘no’ to a little fun?” Trivializing sex has long-term consequences, so I hope Student Life will consider that before its Sex Week issue next year.
We want mail! Send your thoughts to letters @studlife.com
- Bryan Kirchoff University College
wards season is a strange time. Not a strange time like puberty is a strange time, but more like a why-is-Bjork-wearing-a-swan strange time. ‘Tis the only time of year when people remember the Hollywood Foreign Press exists, when Billy Crystal gets a paycheck and when people (for whatever reason) listen to fashion advice from a mother/ daughter team that holds the current world record for cumulative facelifts. But as much as we love seeing our favorites triumph, it’s time to look at one glaring problem in the system. Last Sunday, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences held its 47th ceremony awarding achievement in music excellence. Of the 107 categories up for awards, only 11 were presented in prime time. Some might say this is because nobody cares who won for Best Country Instrumental Performance, but others think differently. Award shows, particularly the Grammys and Oscars, are institutions that are buried so deep in nostalgia that they can’t bear true witness to the art that is happening around them. Each of these ceremonies annually lengthens their three-hour-plus broadcasts by bloating them with tributes, lifetime achievement awards and honorariums. These usually step aside for the major awards and performances of the night, but last Sunday this was not the case. No one will ever doubt the genius or courage of Ray Charles, the man who overcame adversity to show the world how music should truly have been seen. The fact remains, though, that his untimely death and the subsequent release of his biopic should not give him precedence as an artist. On Sunday, Charles won the awards for Record and Album of the Year with a mediocre song off of a mediocre album. Had Charles not passed, his work would easily have been eclipsed by the music of Green Day or Kanye West, both of whom had a much greater effect on
popular music in 2004 than Charles did. Plus, it’s not like the man never got any recognition. Going into last Sunday’s ceremony, Charles had received twelve Grammys over a career that lasted 50 years. To put that in perspective, neither Tupac nor Biggie received a Grammy in the year following their deaths. For one, this could be a by-product of the fall to the right that American media has taken. In a time where a Bud Light commercial that makes fun of Janet Jackson can’t be shown at the Super Bowl because of shame, it makes sense that fi lm and music are all turning towards Charles. Here is a man who overcame adversity, they say. Never mind the fact that he was a heroin addict for a good chunk of his life: the man was blind! And anyone who made record companies and radio stations dizzy with anger towards a blind fellow has to be better than some punks singing about politics or a producer rapping about religion. Right? This is the problem with heralding anyone following their death. No man with any sense of morals is going to insult the character of one who has already passed. As a result, the deceased’s work becomes the stuff of legend, his faults are glossed over and he’s placed in a nice video montage. Ray Charles was a man who deserves to be remembered as a genius, but rather than continue heaping praise on him, try something else. Recognize those in the present who have the potential to be like Charles was in the past. Recognize the innovators, the risk-takers and those who throw art out whether we like it or not. These are the people from our generation who will be remembered. Until then, though, go to Mallinckrodt and look at the faces of those who watched Ray Charles play. If he could see them, I’m sure they’d be all the awards he’d ever need. Nick is a freshman in the School of Engineering. He can be reached via e-mail at nal1@cec.wustl.edu.
I’ll drink to that, and so will Bogart G
iven the recent dialogue concerning drinking (spawned in part by the Greek-wide ban on alcohol at parties), I’ve done some thinking, which is something that I try to not do too much of. Instead of trying to address all of society’s problems with drinking at one time, I started at the beginning. The most basic question is “Why do we drink?” Since I don’t care much for other people I switched the question to “Why do I drink?” and ran with it. It turns out I like drinking because drinking is fun. Big surprise, no? Humor me for a while. I’ve had a hard time fi nding modern-day examples of people who like drinking and will admit it. On our campus a lot of people like to drink and some people like to drink a lot, but very few people will publicly admit to liking to drink. I had to look back in history to fi nd my role models and it turns out that there were quite a few of them. Somewhere in the societal void that exists between the end of the 70’s and the beginning of the 80’s one of society’s most revered institutions died a very untimely death. The institution of which I speak is the drinking society. To
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be fair, people still drink, but it seems to have become un-P.C. to drink for the sake of drinking. Granted, there are many things wrong with alcohol, but there are also many things wrong with recreational drugs, and yet people still continue to use them. OK, bad example. Since the founding of MADD in 1980, alcohol and the people who love it have been demonized to the point where even convicted bestophiliacs shun our company. Before all this, however, some of America’s greatest men were boozehounds and I’d like to introduce you all to them. One of my personal heros is notorious boozehound Humphrey Bogart. It has been said that, in addition to being one of the greatest actors to grace the silver screen, he was one of the greatest drinkers to ever step up to a bar. According to him, the
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whole world was three drinks behind; I tend to agree with him. The drinking intelligentsia who flocked to him were hard-drinking, quick with their wits and some of the most creative people in America at the time. His drinking rarely, if ever, interfered with his professional life; but, then again, his professional life rarely if ever interfered with his drinking. According to Bogart, the hallmark of a good drinker was “he can get absolutely stiff and the fellow next to him doesn’t know it. You had to handle it, it shouldn’t handle you.” There are more than a few of you out there who could stand to learn something from Bogart, myself included. One of Bogart’s defi ning characteristics was the people he surrounded himself with. Sure they drank a lot, but they did it with style. The vast majority of the time they handled their booze just as a good drinker should. Bogart only had one brush with the law, which involved a giant stuffed panda and a gangster, and the case was eventually dropped. They somehow knew where to draw the line between good, oldfashioned drunken fun and actual trouble. To honor this historic group, which eventu-
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ally dubbed themselves “The Holmby Hills Ratpack,” I propose a rebirth, nay a full out renaissance, rejuvenation and revival of the drinking club. We won’t gather under any other pretense than of drinking and having fun. “Rats are very well behaved,” Bogart explained, but they were also up “for staying up late and drinking lots of booze.” Ergo, frat boys and drunken freshmen girls need not apply. Teetotalers be warned, my group and I are as quick with our wits as you are to judge, so step away unless you want to get hurt. In closing, I love getting fan mail and am now accepting applications to our little group. Instead of a résumé, bring along your favorite bottle of alcohol and over the course of the evening we will learn all about you that we need to know. If we like you, we’ll extend an invitation to repeat the evening. “I don’t trust a bastard who doesn’t drink,” Bogart was fond of saying. “They’re afraid of revealing their true selves.” Brian is a senior in the Olin School of Business and a Forum Edtior for Student Life. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.
Copyright 2005 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.
Sports & Cadenza Editors / Mary Bruce & Matt Simonton / sports@studlife.com & cadenza@studlife.com
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2005
PORTS S • COMPILED AND EDITED BY MARY BRUCE, JUSTIN DAVIDSON AND HARRY KANG • DESIGNED BY CAMILA SALVISBERG
STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
5
MEN’S BASKETBALL Last Game: Wash. U. 83, Case Western Reserve University 63 Team Notes: The Bears were 10 for 37 from beyond the arc, break-
ing a school record for most three-pointers attempted in a single game. Four Bears were in the double-digits in scoring. Freshman Troy Ruths came off the bench and scored 11 points. Senior Rob Keller led the way with 17 points and seven rebounds. The Bears recorded a total of eight blocks in the contest. Did You Know? The 37 three-point field goal attempts also broke
the University Athletic Association (UAA) record previously set by University of Chicago. Next Game: Wash. U. vs. Carnegie Mellon University at home on
Friday Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. The game will be aired on Charter Cable Channel 3 at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19.
UAA STANDINGS Conference Carnegie Mellon Rochester Brandeis Chicago Wash. U. Emory NYU Case Western
Overall L PCT.
W
L
PCT.
W
7
3
.700
15
5
.750
10
1
.909
19
3
.864
5
6
.455
12
10
.545
6
5
.545
10
12
.455
6
5
.545
14
8
.636
5
6
.455
14
8
.636
3
8
.273
13
9
.591
1
9
.100
5
16
.238
National Ranking: Unranked
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Last Game: Wash. U. 76, Case Western Reserve University 62 Team Notes: Senior center Hallie Hutchens notched 21 points and
14 rebounds to lead the Bears to victory over Case Western University. The victory vaulted the Bears into a tie for first place in the UAA as Brandeis fell to Rochester. Forward Danielle Beehler helped the cause with 18 points and six rebounds to complement Hutchens in the paint. Senior guard Kelly Manning had three steals, creating opportunities for the team to score. Did You Know? Senior center Hallie Hutchens became the eighth
Bear to move into the 1,000-point club. Next Game: Wash. U. vs. Carnegie Mellon University at home on Fri-
day, Feb. 18th at 6:00 p.m. The game will be aired on Charter Cable Channel 3 at 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19.
UAA STANDINGS Conference Brandeis Wash. U. NYU Chicago Rochester Case Western Emory Carnegie Mellon
Overall L PCT.
W
L
PCT.
W
8
3
.727
18
3
.857
8
3
.727
18
4
.818
7
4
.636
17
5
.773
7
4
.636
14
8
.636
6
5
.545
14
8
.636
4
6
.400
9
11
.450
3
8
.273
7
13
.350
0
10
.000
4
17
.190
National Ranking: 13
CHRIS MITCHELL | WU PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES
Senior Hallie Hutchens has been awarded the title of University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week and was named to the D3hoops.com National Team of the Week. With two free throws against Case Western Reserve, Hutchens joined the 1,000point club on Feb. 16. She is pictured here with Head Coach Nancy Fahey.
SWIMMING & DIVING
TRACK & FIELD
Last Meet: In the UAA Championships, the women’s squad finished
in second place and the men’s squad finished in fourth place.
Last Meet: Both the women’s squad and the men’s squad finished first at the Illinois College Invitational.
Team Notes: Freshman Meredith Nordbrock spearheaded the
Team Notes: In the mile race on the men’s side, juniors Greg Reindl
Bears’ charge in multiple events as she finished the weekend with four individual titles, among other contributions. She completely stole the show and was awarded accolades including UAA Women’s Swimmer of the Meet and UAA Women’s Rookie of the Year. On the men’s side, juniors Eric Triebe and Michael Slavik placed third and fourth respectively, qualifying them for the NCAA “B” cuts.
and Brennan Bonner finished second and third, respectively. Junior David Skiba contributed by finishing third overall in the 55-meter dash. Juniors Karl Zelik and Drew Martin finished first in the long jump and the shot put, respectively. In the 200-meter dash on the women’s side, juniors Laura Ehret, Leah Sabin and freshman Danielle Wadlington finished first, second and third, respectively. Sophomore Delaina Martin broke the school record in the weight throw.
Next Meet: The Midwest Invitational and the Drury Invitational dur-
ing the weekend of Feb. 18-19. Next Meet: Wash. U. at the UAA Indoor Championships in Manhattan,
New York on Feb. 25-26.
Arthur Miller remembered By Edmund Fruchter Contributing Reporter
ALL REAL NUMBERS
Pulitzer Prize winner Arthur Miller died late last week of heart failure. At 89, he leaves behind a body of work that reshaped the face of American drama. Born Arthur Asher Miller in New York City on Oct. 17, 1915 to Jewish parents of Polish extraction, Miller began writing plays while attending the University of Michigan. Because of a sports-related injury, he was rejected from military service in World War II. In 1947, his play “All My Sons” opened to critical acclaim, but Miller would hit his stride in 1949 with “Death of a Salesman,” a simple story about an American family crushed under the wheels of industry. Willy Loman, Miller’s salesman, has come to embody the aged Everyman struggling in a world in which he can no longer live. It is a defining meditation on the American dream and the tragic steps taken to grasp it. Miller’s “The Crucible,” a play about the Salem witch trials, grew from the anti-communist hysteria that defined the McCarthy era. Miller, under investigation by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee, was found guilty of contempt of Congress when he refused to provide the identities of members of a writing circle with which he had been involved. The U.S. Court of Ap-
peals later overturned the conviction. Elia Kazan, who directed “Salesman” and other prominent plays of that era, gave testimony to the committee, resulting in the severing of ties with Miller. Of his marriages, Miller’s short-lived union with Marilyn Monroe was the subject of myriad news stories. He would come to address it in his own plays, on his own terms. Miller’s daughter, Rebecca Miller, is married to Daniel Day-Lewis, who starred in a film adaptation of “The Crucible.” She is fast becoming a relevant filmmaker, having written and directed the art-house favorite “Personal Velocity.” Like many playwrights, his later works never quite matched the force of his earlier works. Much of his new material was produced abroad with great success, but with the changing landscape of modern Broadway, his work never quite achieved the audiences it deserved. Successful revivals of “The Crucible” and “Death of a Salesman” played to packed houses, solidifying his place as a master of American drama. Over his career, Arthur Miller challenged audiences to re-evaluate their lives and work, their politics and alliances. For his valiant defiance in the face of tyranny and his words that articulated the strength of family, love and the cost of happiness, he will be remembered as a defining character in the history of the theatre.
By David Freeman
The Flipside of Pop Culture By Tyler Weaver
The ‘Million Dollar’ manifesto WARNING. Alright, look. If you haven’t yet seen Clint Eastwood’s excellent “Million Dollar Baby,” you should. Until then, however, don’t read this column. I can’t stand spoiling movies for people, but the topic at hand requires I refer in detail to intense plot developments within the fi lm, and so it’s on you to save yourself the suspense and me the guilt by not reading further. Come on back once you’ve seen the fl ick, though. There’s a lot of press flying around of late regarding “Million Dollar Baby,” much of it regarding its avalanching Oscar prowess. The acclaim is well-deserved; I’d rather see “Sideways” take home a boatload, but “Baby” is defi nitely a masterful, powerful piece of fi lmmaking. Which, of course, makes it all the more tragic that it has in recent weeks become a most absurd target for ultra-conservative, Christ-swinging criticism. Michael Medved and Rush Limbaugh, commentative champions in their own minds, have come out swinging against what they perceive as a none-too-subtle piece of Hollywood propaganda, designed chiefly to manipulate its audience into becoming weeping, overwhelmed supporters of euthanasia. The Academy Award reception for “Baby” (as well as that for foreign fi lm “The Sea Inside”), Medved wrote in USA Today, “suggests that if Hollywood ever gets around to making ‘The Jack Kevorkian Story,’ it, too, would become an automatic candidate for major awards.” Medved also objected, as he told TV’s Bill O’Reilly, that “the assisted suicide theme is totally one-sided. Unlike a fi lm that I liked, ‘Dead Man Walking,’ which dealt with the death penalty and you saw both sides, and both sides were argued, this is totally over to one side, where assisted suicide, euthanasia, is a good thing. In fact, it is described by the narrator of the fi lm as a heroic act….” I can ignore the fact that Medved appears to have forgotten a major character within the fi lm—a Catholic priest—who counsels Clint Eastwood against participating in any suicide, and also that Eastwood’s character himself is racked with guilt that clearly will not dissipate in any foreseeable post-narrative future. I can even overlook his ludicrous suggestion that “The Passion of the Christ,” a flaming dirigible of turgid cinematic guilt if ever one existed, should have received “Baby”’s many nominations, because “Christ” is “a far more popular fi lm with the general public.” (I suppose at the Acadamedved Awards, “Christ” takes top prize in a squeaker over “National Treasure” and “Meet the Fockers.”) What truly bothers me about this brand of insane prosylatizing is how neatly it paints a complex artistic portrait into some red/blue corner, ascribing to it preachiness that is not there, undermining characters who make difficult (to say the least) decisions. When Eastwood lets a flow of lethal adrenaline leak into Hilary Swank’s IV, it isn’t a moment of triumph, it is one of tragedy. The character in question gets her wish, but that wish isn’t one we’re encouraged (or discouraged) from accepting. Eastwood leaves, abandoning his home and job, with nary a word of farewell to his best friend; that friend (Morgan Freeman) reflects that the act was right, and proper, but it’s clear that its perpetrator will never forgive himself. Man, I’ll tell you, that’s one potent recipe for liberal persuasion. (“The basic glamour of two enormously attractive stars,” so says Medved, “Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood—makes their involvement in assisted suicide by defi nition glamorous.” I won’t boil it down to details of what Medved considers enormously attractive, but I will maintain that the sight of blood seeping down Swank’s paralyzed neck didn’t exactly stoke my glamour fi res.) What this whole argument really amounts to is the classic trope of “hitching your wagon to a star.” Loudmouthed blowhard needs a way to further political agenda, loudmouthed blowhard picks acclaimed fl ick from Hall of Fame American auteur. Loudmouthed blowhard ignores movie about the “Wings” guy cheating on his fiancée; loudmouthed blowhard also lets slide “Ray,” where the music legend womanizes and shoots up his way to fame. Blowhard waits to see what Oscar likes the best, and wrings hands with glee when they pick something that, through some twisted lens, can prove true the immortal “movies=commies” razor. Blowhard wrecks the facts, and only proves true that his words aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. Hell, even O’Reilly disagreed.
6 STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS
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ANNOUNCING --SUMMER HELP -Apartment leasing/ clerical, or maintenance/ clean-up/fix-up for W.U. area apartment management company. 725 -5757. HELP WANTED: MAKE $75 taking surveys online. www.GetPaidToThink.com MAKE MONEY TAKING online surveys. Earn $10 $125 for surveys. Earn $25 - $250 for focus groups. Visit www.cash4students. com/mowu PART-TIME MATH TUTOR wanted. Math degree (Bachelors or Masters). 8-10 hours/week. Available Wed. afternoons & Saturday mornings. Child-friendly. Call 314863-2266 anytime. TIRED OF WAITING tables or working retail? Come gain real world experience working for the largest student business on campus--Student Life. We’re looking for a few good people to work in the business & advertising office. Send your resume to: advertising@studlife.com to apply or for more details. WANT WEEKENDS AND EVENINGS off? Summer day camp located in St. Louis seeks counselors for the following activities: sports, outdoor recreation, arts & crafts, cheerleading, performing arts, first grade and kindergarten. Contact Kashanna at 314-878-1883 or kluttrell@ andrewsacademy.com
3 BEDROOM 1.5 BATH APARTMENT. Half block from RED line shuttle. Many amenities! For more info www.homeandapartmentre ntals.com Tom 314.409.2733 CLAYTON, U. CITY Loop, CWE and Dogtown. Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms. Quiet buildings. $350 -$750. Call 725 -5757.
ROOMMATE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY. Off Midland & Tulane. Walking distance to Wash U on greenline shuttle route. Spacious Spanish style split house. Hardwood floors, fireplace, fully furnished, brand new appliances. Cheap utilities. Male or Female. $400. Contact me on 314-973-8932 or qboyle @hotmail.com.
HOUSE ON THE HILL! 5108 Bischoff Ave. 3BR, 2.5BA, 2 car garage. Great location! $199,900. Call 249-7253 for more information.
JUST THE FACTS. FIND out what we mean by 2 out of 3. www.justthefacts.wustl.edu.
FREE: FRESHWATER FISH: 4 Rasboras, 3 Corydoras, 2 Otocinclus, 1 male Betta. SALE: Two 2.5 gal. tanks ($10) and ne 10 gal tank w/stand ($40). All with lids, plants, decor. Call or email for info: 314- 479-5051 or viverettem @wustl.edu SONY VAIO COMPUTER, 2.40 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB HD, DVD-RW/CD-RW, $350. 17” Sony LCD monitor, new, $300. rltaylor@wustl.edu
AUTOS ‘99 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF WOLFSBURG (black): premium audio, alloy wheels, keyless entry, dual airbags, excellent condition, 55,700 miles. $6200. Call Matt 4773490 or mjeans@yahoo.com
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DELUXE 3-BEDROOM CONDO, Brekenridge, CO. Deluxe 3-bedroom unit, loft, 6 beds, full kitchen/bar. Steps from main liftlines and town. To inquire, 516 - 410 -2626 (Jesse Minc). Dates March 5th-12th. SPRING BREAK 2005 WITH STS, America’s #1 Student Tour Operator. Hiring campus reps. Call for group discounts. Info/ Reservations 1-800 - 6484849 www.ststravel.com.
Your Horoscope for Friday, February 18, 2005 By Linda C. Black, Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (02-18-05). A rather volatile romantic relationship can become solid and steady. This requires commitment and a choice to curtail other adventures. Follow your heart. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 7. Conditions are changing. You’ll feel less aggressive, more sensitive for a few weeks. Don’t be alarmed, it’s a natural part of the learning process. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 7. The Sun’s going into Pisces and for you, that’s a wonderful thing. Your social life should be fabulous for the next several weeks. Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 7. Just when you’re at the top of your game, the level of difficulty increases. Show
you can handle the responsibility and you’ll be well rewarded. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is an 8. Conditions are changing quite noticeably, in your favor. Celebrate this weekend with a trip to a favorite place. The nearer you can get to a lot of water, the better. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is an 8. You’re going into a more pensive phase. Old memories may stir you to make choices other than you would normally. This is good. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6. You’ve been working your fingers to the bone for the past few weeks. By now you should realize you can’t do everything by yourself. Get help. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 7. For the next four weeks, you can become more creative than before. It’ll take some trial and error, so don’t dismay if it takes a while. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 7. For the
next several weeks, love will be easy to find. Start with a conversation about philosophy. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7. Home and family are the focus of your attention this next phase. Start by planning your next investment to make your place more comfortable. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 6 For the next several weeks, you’ll find it easier to concentrate. Make the most of this opportunity, and learn something useful.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8. For the next several weeks, you’ll find more money coming your way. The challenge will be to hold onto it. Be smart enough to stay rich. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7. Your confidence is growing as conditions change. Trust your own natural knowing against others’ arguments.
Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2005
STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
7
MOVIE REVIEW
'Constantine': Hell on earth means hell in the movie theater
Sonic Reduction By Matt Simonton
At times she delivers her lines in a way that would be consistent with her character only if other things were happening around her. The chemistry between the two leads is sorely lacking, and at points where the chemistry is most crucial it dips into the nega-
By Adam Summerville Contributing Reporter
Comic book movies are becoming a regular occurrence. Some have been excellent films (“Ghost World,” “Road to Perdition”), some have been entertaining blockbusters (“Spiderman,” “XMen”) and others have ranged from mediocre (“HellBoy”) to just Constantine bad (“The Punisher”). However, there is one final category, and it is the most disappointing of all. These are films that started their Directed by: Francis Lawrence lives as stories full of imagination and intrigue, only to be taken Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Djimon by Hollywood and stripped of all but their most basic elements Hounsou, Shia LaBeouf and then reconstituted into a mess of elements without cohesion or any of the original charm (“The League of Extraordinary Grade: D Gentlemen”). Unfortunately for everyone, “Constantine” falls Final word: Keanu can’t “whoa” his way out of into this category. this one. “Constantine,” vaguely adapted from the “Hellblazer” comic Opens today in theaters. book series, follows the adventures of John Constantine, an occult detective of sorts. Constantine was born with the ability to see demons; however, throughout the movie we are never sure if what we are shown is what only he sees or what everyone sees. tive range and actually detracts from other scenes. The special effects are also surprisingly weak in the most Constantine uses his ability to return the legions of hell to their proper place there in hopes of claiming a spot in Heaven. Constan- crucial area in a movie about a man fighting demons—i.e. the tine lives with the knowledge that this is his only path to Heaven. demons. They look like action figures being moved around by a This plot could have made a decent movie in the proper hands. kid, and even if they did not look and move like lumps of plastic, Unfortunately, this movie heavy-handedly stumbles around this they would still be lackluster. They either look like decomposing premise for two hours. Major plot points are never explained, and bodies or rejects from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is not characters are to say that killed off after the movie is saying barely entirely devoid ten lines. Thus of any interthe audience est. Some of cannot be exthe effects pected to care and art design about their unare visually timely deaths. compelling. Whole sections The vision of of the movie Hell is particushould never larly well done. have been alThere are also lowed to exist some humorby the writer, ous moments, the producers, most coming the director, from Keanu the actors, Reeves. the editors If you and any other are a devout number of Christian or a untold people follower of the involved with “ H e l l b l a ze r ” the movie. series, stay As far as away from this the actors’ perCOURTESY PHOTO movie because formances go, you will be Keanu Reeves “No, man, you don’t have to pay me. I’ll kick Keanu Reeves’ ass for free!” The cast of “Constantine.” disgusted. Even puts in just about the best performance he has ever managed. However, this only if you are a fan of both Keanu Reeves and quasi-biblical bastardmeans that the audience is not forced to suffer through another izations of the battle between good and evil, I still urge you to “Whoa!” Mr. Reeves is still incapable of showing what would nor- stay away from this movie until you can rent it with a group of mally be considered human emotions. He even has trouble creat- similarly minded people so that you only waste $5 total and not ing a believable cough. Rachel Weisz is in particularly poor form. $5 apiece.
CD REVIEW
‘The Game’ drops names By Austin Thompson Contributing Reporter If 50 Cent is the Plato to Dr. Dre’s Socrates, then The Game is certainly Xenophon, the less talented protégé from a good family. The Game is well-aware of his rap pedigree, and he never forgets to give big ups to the man who made him a star—a search through his lyrics found Dr. Dre mentioned 34 times. However, the fact that The Game never hesitates to drop names doesn’t mean that he isn’t a hell of a rapper; he’s just playin’ the game. Flowing with beats better than any that have come out since Dre’s “2001,” The Game achieves lyrical perfection on tracks like “Westside Story” and “Higher.” The Game is at his best when he hits his beats perfectly, and at his worst when he lets the producers take the wheel. On the aforementioned “Higher,” The Game flatters this rap critic by threatening death for bad reviews in perfect harmony with a Dre beat: “Rap critics wanna converse, about this and that / Cuz red strings in this converse and this a Dre track / Keep jibberin
jabberin I’ll pull a .38 magnum / And get the clickin and clackin / Your homies will wanna know what happened.” This strategy falls short on “Dream,” however, a weak Kanye track featuring flagrant and repetitive sampling that leaves little room for The Game to express his creative abilities—but just enough to let him drop the names of Aaliyah, ‘Pac and every other recently dead artist. If it weren’t for the limited subject matter, constant namedropping and some shoddy tracks, this disc could have been a debut like the six others that he compares “The Documentary” to in the title track: In six successive lines, he mentions the rookie albums of Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop and Ice Cube. This amount of name dropping was only matched in Plato and Xenophon’s written conversations of Socrates. I’m afraid, however, that this album will never be studied in the Classics department.
The Game The Documentary Aftermath For fans of: Dr. Dre, 50 Cent Grade: B+ Final word: Worth a listen. Download these tracks: “Westside Story,” “Higher,” “Church for Thugs”
Hating the Grammys made easy! Well, it was another night of yawning and general non-fun in Grammyville, with the usual host of geezers, has-beens, pretty pop marionettes and Johnny-come-latelys accepting meaningless hunks of metal from a national academy of bureaucratic thumb-twiddlers who not only have lost any connection with true music, but actually attempt to force their vision of easily-digestible, adult-contemporary Starbucks noise on the unsuspecting masses. Okay, now I’ll tell you how I really feel. The Grammys have always been a joke. They’re not even on the level of the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards. Or the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Or even the Wydown Middle School Annual Talent Show, followed by a dance in the gymnasium. This is the ceremony that gave the 2000 Best Album award to fucking Steely Dan, for God’s sake. (Not that Steely Dan were particularly bad in their heyday, mind you, but they’ve been feeling all creaky in their joints for years now. I’d also like to take this opportunity to nominate Steely Dan as the whitest band in the history of music.) You could take easy shots at the Grammys and point out all the horrible acts they’ve rewarded in the past, most notably the decidedly untalented Milli Vanilli. But it’s not even that they have bad taste. They have no taste. They have a formula. Every year, someone will sweep his or her category. This year it was Alicia Keys, quite deservedly in most respects, following in the tradition of Norah Jones. An older artist who collaborates with younger musicians, resulting in an ideal stocking stuffer for your parents, will win a Grammy. See the late, great Ray Charles this year, and recall Carlos Santana from a few years back. And always, inevitably, as if ordained by divine fiat, U2 will win an award if they happen to put something out. Things could be a lot worse than “Vertigo,” but has anyone yet figured out why Bono starts the song with the Spanish equivalent of “One, two, three, fourteen”? And speaking of old rock standbys, did anyone hear Bruce Springsteen’s Best Solo Rock Performance-winning “Code of Silence” at any point during the year? Ever? Where did it come from? The man could improvise a song about his belly-button lint on a New Jersey sidewalk and still win an award. That’s the formulaic state to which this ceremony has been reduced. So, was there any justice, or at least a smidgeon of good taste or sound judgment at this year’s show? Admittedly, no one but Maroon 5 could have won the Best New Artist Award. Let’s hope they fare better than last year’s winner, Evanescence, whose single “Bring Me to Life” could easily be retitled “Bring Me Back to Life, Please, I’m Begging You” these days. On the topic of former Best New Artists, the aforementioned Alicia Keys was this year’s triple crown winner of sorts, taking home four Grammys and proving she’s no Natalie Imbruglia. And if you looked really hard, you might have seen Wilco nab one for “A Ghost is Born.” (Certain others on Cadenza staff might view this more as a travesty.) None of this can cancel out the fact that Ray Charles stole the show, even from beyond the grave. To be sure, the Genius had more talent in his left pinky fi nger than most of the acts present Sunday night. But if the point was to honor a recently deceased legend, the Grammys could have put together a video package, and we’d have all been satisfied. Instead, he won for “Here We Go Again,” a duet with Norah Jones, and his guest star-ridden album “Genius Loves Company.” Collaboration records are by nature indicative of artistic desperation, and check out that guest list to boot: Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, James Taylor—did someone raid my mother’s CD collection? (No offense, Mom, but they aren’t exactly “cutting edge.”) You’d think the Grammys would have some compunction about discovering new talent. Instead, it comes back to the Steely Dan question: Must we constantly be reminded of the old dinosaurs of the industry? What about Anthony Hamilton, Franz Ferdinand, Brian Wilson (a true rock ‘n’ roll stegasaurus if there ever was one, but “Smile” is a long-awaited masterwork), John Legend, Modest Mouse and Gavin DeGraw, all deserving of accolades? Don’t hold your breath. But if Elton John puts together a duets album next year featuring Harry Connick, Jr., Sting and Neil Diamond, you’ll know where to place your bets.
EDITOR’S PICK
‘Bloody Poetry’ to relive mythological summer By Laura Vilines Cadenza Editor In almost every freshman English class on campus, students are told the seemingly mythological tale of the creation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” On vacation with her lover, Percy Bysshe Shelley, as they spent the summer with Lord Byron and his mistress Claire Clairemont, Mary Shelley and many others become involved in writing their own gothic novels, which results in Mary’s own classic tale and another novel, which would later inspire Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The story of this mythological summer of free love and self-indulgence will be brought to the stage this weekend as the Performing Arts Department brings “Bloody Poetry” to the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theater. The play follows the two couples throughout the summer and the years that follow as they create both friendships and controversy and ponder
great concepts of utopian societies and a freethinking world. “Bloody Poetry” will be performed Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Edison Theatre Box Office or at the performance.
COURTESY PHOTO
Lee Osorio and Barrie Golden as Percy and Mary Shelley in “Bloody Poetry.”
8 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com
CADENZ A
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18, 2005
n. a technically brilliant sometimes improvised solo passage toward the close of a concerto, an exceptionally brilliant part of an artistic work
arts & entertainment
KWUR Week Kicks Off
The biggest week in music, KWUR Week, kicks off this Sunday, Feb. 20. Brought to you by KWUR DJs, the upcoming Week features free live shows from critically acclaimed trance, hiphop and rock acts including Dr. Surgeon, Scratch from The Roots and The Wrens. The shows are free to Wash U students with ID, and free pizza and refreshments will also be offered. This year’s KWUR Week promises to be bigger than the Weeks of the past due to the widespread popularity of the performers and the intense ad campaign of its DJs. KWUR Promotional Director Elliot Darvick started an advertising “blitz”: flyering, tabling at Mallinckrodt and creating an informational Web site, KWURweek.com. So far, Wash U students’ feedback for the shows has been enormous. Before the advertising campaign began, KWURweek.com tracked nearly 300 visitors. So get there early to ensure a space at the front and a chance at the refreshments. Darvick encourages, “Everyone go! There’ll be amazing acts in an intimate atmosphere, all offered to you for free. There’s no reason not to be there.” Here is a list of the acts performing this upcoming KWUR Week—come one, come all!
Featuring free shows from Scratch, The Wrens, and Dr. Surgeon By Susannah Cahalan and Matt Simonton
Dance Show:
DJ Surgeon Location: The U-Lounge / 609U Date: Sunday, Feb. 20 Time: 9 p.m. Free to Wash U Students with ID, $10 for everyone else
Hip-Hop Show:
Main Flow, Scratch
Location: The Gargoyle Date: Thursday, Feb. 24 Time: Doors @ 8 p.m. Free to Wash U Students with ID, $5 for everyone else
KWUR is also pleased to bring in Scratch and Main Flow for Thursday night’s show, two relatively underground hip-hop artists with incredible potential and a lot to prove. Scratch, the phenomenal beatboxer who got his start working with longtime hip-hop act the Roots, will no doubt blow you away with his oral imitations of record-scratching. If you’ve ever listened to a Roots track and thought you were hearing a sample or fancy turntable work, it was Scratch’s mouth. He can flawlessly impersonate vocal samples, bass lines, drum breaks and all the scratching that goes with them using only his yapper. Even for those who don’t particularly like hip-hop, it’s a mind-blowing process to watch. Main Flow is a Cincinatti-based MC with real vision and talent. He was a member of the little-known but locally loved group Mood, which also featured Hi-Tek, who went on to achieve greatness with Talib Kweli in Reflection Eternal. Kweli was just one of the guests on Main Flow’s 2004 release “Hip Hopulation,” which also featured guest appearances by Black Thought of the Roots, Raekwon and Killah Priest. Yoni Sarason, KWUR Hip-Hop Director couldn’t be more excited about Main Flow’s involvement: “Not many people have heard of Mood, but they were one of the most amazing things to come out of Cincinnati. Main Flow’s very much in the same vein as old-school Kweli. He’s not just talking about mainstream issues—for example, people talk about dying for hip-hop—but Main Flow asks whether they’re really prepared for that.” Sarason is also hoping to get Scratch and Main Flow onto the stage together for some freestyling. “We’d love to see the DJ start out playing the track for Main Flow, then have them drop out to reveal it was Scratch doing everything all along,” he says.
Ranked as one of the top 10 DJs in the world, DJ Surgeon crafts energetic techno and industrial music. His unusual talent for creating intricate, dark and danceable songs by bridging seemingly incoherent bits of loops and other sounds has made him an internationally known DJ. For the past four years, Surgeon only played outside the United States; now he brings his driving beats to Saint Louis at U-Lounge this Sunday. Hailing from the U.K., DJ Surgeon, aka Anthony Child, began his dynamic trance career with the “Surgeon E.P.” Several successful records later, most specifically on the popular trance label Counterbalance, gave Surgeon the momentum to gather an international reputation as a talented and unique DJ and producer. According to KWUR Dance Director Bob Stolzberg, Surgeon, who has mixed tracks for Mogwai, Faust and Coil, is the trance equivalent of the Beatles: “It’s really special that we got DJ Surgeon. He’s just one of those big acts that you never would expect to see here … I want to share him with my friends; he’s one of those few incredible people who do magical things.” Along with DJ Surgeon, DJs Rob F and Dan Dyfonix are also scheduled to perform. Rob F is the longest running DJ in St. Louis, boasting six albums over a 10-year period. Wash U’s own Dan Dyfonix, who works in the AV department, as Stolzberg describes is a “good ol’ Wash U guy, who happens to play incredible music.”
Hip-Hop Show:
Brother Ali Rock Show:
The Wrens
Location: The Gargoyle Date: Saturday, Feb. 26 Time: Doors @ 7 p.m. Free to Wash U Students with ID, $5 for everyone else
Some bands bust their asses and never get any respect. The Wrens worked hard, were forgotten and then came back with a vengeance, winning one for all the “little bands that could” out there. Their 2003 release “The Meadowlands” received a 91, the third highest composite score of the year, from Metacritic.com, which compiles ratings from all other Web sites. Only the White Stripes and a Led Zeppelin live album (which shouldn’t actually count) beat them out. The universal acclaim must have been a bit shocking for the New Jersey band, who recorded it in their basements in between dead-end jobs seven years after their fi rst album, 1996’s “Secausus.” “They’re just really honest, hardworking guys who love what they’re doing,” says KWUR Activities Director Scott Parton. “They proved it with all the shit they went through with their fi rst label.” The company in question was Grass Records, who had the “privilege” of discovering Creed. Rather than be molded to its record label’s vision (“We must create the next Creed!”), the Wrens got the hell out and now enjoy a relationship with Absolutely Kosher Records. “The Meadowlands” gave the formerly spastic band a chance to mellow out and vent the many problems they’d experienced in the interim, whether girls, jobs or life in general. The result is an album with incredibly catchy hooks but embittered lyrics, as on the positively chirpy “This Boys is Exhausted,” “Hopeless,” which builds on a repeated guitar line, and especially “Happy,” which is anything but and states, rather unpersuasively, “I wanted you / But I’m over that now / I’m over it!” Fans of bands like Spoon, the Shins and Death Cab for Cutie should be pleased with the Wrens on Saturday night. We’ll see you there.
Location: The Gargoyle Date: Friday, Feb. 25 Time: Doors @ 8 p.m. Free to Wash U Students with ID, $5 for everyone else Brother Ali should be bringing some true hip-hop expertise to campus on Friday night. The Minneapolis-based MC records for the Rhymesayers label, the home of such current rap luminaries as Atmosphere and MF Doom. After debuting in 2000 with the cassette-only release “Rights of Passage,” Ali toured relentlessly with acts like Guru, Mos Def, De La Soul and El-P, wowing audiences with his solid flow and explorations into themes ranging from parenthood to religion to good, old-fashioned hip-hop braggadocio. As Sarason says, “Brother Ali has the ability to step into the building, no matter where he is, and rock the show.” Greater success came in 2003 with his debut LP “Shadows on the Sun,” produced by Atmosphere member ANT. The record drew positive reviews from publications such as Pitchfork Media, but Sarason says his latest, the “Champion EP,” is even better: “It’s done so well. Ant is just incredible, sampling everything from Earth, Wind, and Fire to reggae songs. It’s great just to listen to the music, even though Ali is a great MC himself.” Those interested in checking out Ali’s work should listen to “Room With a View,” “Champion (Remix)” and the oddly titled “Forrest Whitaker.” Fans of Slug, Sage Francis and the Definitive Jux label should love it, and anyone who just wants to nod their heads to some great hip-hop while sipping cool refreshments should come on out. There are also several opening acts scheduled for the hip-hop shows, including Honors English, who were awarded the Riverfront Times’ Best Hip-Hop Artist award last year. Toy, a female MC, will be opening for Brother Ali. The point of bringing together such acts, says Sarason, is the hope that “people can come and enjoy themselves and be open-minded to people they’ve never heard before, to see what’s new in hip-hop and what’s real hip-hop, not the corporate, overproduced mainstream stuff. College is supposed to be about expanding horizons and experiencing new things.” We couldn’t agree more.