02-04-05 full

F R I D A Y FEB. 4, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 47

Warm 55° / 37° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m

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

INSIDE

Boot the Bell? Survey will help decide eatery’s fate n Upcoming survey’s hopes to “to determine whether . . .

Taco Bell should be removed from Mallinckrodt”

By David Tabor Contributing Editor

Fine arts in the springtime: Laura Vilines takes you on a guided tour through St. Louis’ best springtime artistic events in today’s Cadenza.

EMILY TOBIAS | STUDENT LIFE

Joann Watson (left) takes an order at the Taco Bell in Mallinckrodt. SU plans to survey students and ask if they want to see the Bell stay in the Food Court.

Ninety-nine cent tacos may go down south if students continue their complaints against Taco Bell’s business practices.

The Student Union Food Committee will conduct an e-mail survey of some Washington University students within the next two weeks to determine dining preferences. A strong response against Taco Bell could prompt the chain’s removal from Mallinckrodt’s Food Court.

“The goal of the food survey is twofold: to determine whether or not there is a legitimate and overwhelming feeling on campus that Taco Bell should be removed from Mallinckrodt, and to determine what food preferences people have in general,” said sophomore Jeff Zove, Food Committee chair.

The Food Committee is jointly sponsored by Student Union and the Congress of the South 40 and works with administrators from Bon Appétit and Dining Services to assess revisions to eating fa-

For whom does “Used” save? Not Brian Schroeder, according to his column in Forum.

By Laura Geggel Staff Reporter

PAGE 4 LAURENT ZABULON | KRT CAMPUS

Pope John Paul II meets with French President Jacques Chirac in France late last year. Recently the Vatican announced that the Pope is expected to make a full recovery.

PAGE 4

See TACO BELL, page 3

A cappella groups head for nationals

PAGE 8

Less sex = better sex? You won’t find this in any math class, but Roman Goldstein says it’s an equation that adds up.

cilities on campus. Bon Appétit, the catering company that manages campus dining, has pledged to strongly consider the Food Committee survey results in deciding whether Taco Bell should be retained.

“If the survey determines that a substantial percentage of students are dissatisfied with Taco Bell, Bon Appétit would then seek alternatives according to student preferences,” said Zove, who has been working with Bon Appétit to organize the survey.

Kathy Carmody, general manager of Bon Appé tit, reported that Taco Bell is currently the second most popular location in the Food Court, accounting for 19.6 percent of “product moved.” Only the “Pasta and Pizza” section is more successful.

The survey will be sent by e-mail to 1000 randomly selected students, made up of 250 from each class. Zove said that the committee had determined that 200 responses would provide an accurate sam

Pope recovering after flu scare

By Liz Neukirch Senior News Editor Though Pope John Paul II may have to spend up to a week in the hospital to recover from a respiratory infection, the Vatican has reported he is in stable condition.

The infection led him to cancel appointments early this week, the fi rst time he has had to do so since an intestinal ailment in September 2003. In general, the Pope’s health has been steady in recent months.

Father Gary Braun, director of Washington University’s Catholic Student Center, said that while the Vatican generally tries not to alarm the public, they seem to be speaking frankly on the Pope’s recent bout of illness.

“He’s such an international figure… that affects millions and millions of people, both Catholic and non-Catholic. My feeling is that they’re not holding back any information, especially if they said he was stabilized. When

you’re than old, people can get alarmed quickly,” Braun said.

He also noted that this Pope is of particular importance to this generation of college students.

“He’s the only Pope they’ve ever known,” he said, referring to Pope John Paul the II’s 27 years as head of the Catholic Church. “It is pretty momentous when a large percent of the population has only known one Pope.”

He has also been the fi rst world figure to publicly apologize for the “historic sins of the Church,” Braun noted.

Students at the Catholic Student Center will pray for the Pope this weekend as they do at every mass.

The 84-year old Pope is expected to deliver his regular Sunday address this weekend from the window of Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic hospital.

Two University a cappella groups, After Dark and Mosaic Whispers, will be heading to the first round of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella competition this Saturday. The groups will contend with a cappella groups from universities around the Midwest for the divisional title.

“It’s exciting to be going,” said sophomore Aaron Lewis of the Mosaic Whispers, “We’ve worked pretty hard to get our songs to a point where we’re happy with them.”

For the Whispers, a trip to the international competition is quickly becoming a tradition.

They have qualified for the first round for three consecutive years and in 2001 became the first Washington University singing group to make it to the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Regional Competition by placing first in the division.

After Dark has also qualified and will join the Whispers this Saturday at the division competition, hosted at the University of Illinois. After Dark will be competing in their first ICCA contest since the a cappella group started in 2001.

“We’ve never actually done this before,” said the group’s coordinator, senior Bryan Loyal.

“We’re really feeling it out and seeing how the process works… the ICCA is the big one. It’s like the NCAA basketball tournament for a cappella.”

Loyal explained that After Dark has been working toward the competition since the beginning of the school year.

“We had auditions finished by the middle of September,” said Loyal. “As soon as we had our new people in, we started going through our new material.”

Ryan Lahey, a sophomore in After Dark, said that his group’s song selections may have contrib

news@studlife.com

See A CAPPELLA, page 3

Endowment return totals 18.2 percent last year

By Lissy Reiman and Doug Main Student Life Staff

Euripides and Nelly make for strange Greek bedfellows, says Robbie Gross in Cadenza.

PAGE 7 INDEX News Forum Sports Cadenza

1-3 4 5 7-8

Last year Washington University’s endowment saw an increase of approximately $500 million. It earned a net total return of 18.2 percent during the fiscal year, bringing the endowment’s total market value to over $4 billion. This places it 13th among endowments across the country.

“Nothing bad can come from having a large endowment,” said Barbara Feiner, vice chancellor of finance. “Not only does it increase the prestige of the school, but it also affects what the school can do for its students.”

The positive return is welcome after three years during which the endowments of most collegiate institutions, including the University, lost money. Endowment money comes from individual and business donors, who typically designate the money for a specific purpose, be it

STUDENT LIFE

a professorship, a scholarship or a special program. Endowment profit can then be spent by the University in accordance with donor specifications. Recent gains have helped the University add 165 new endowed professorships as well as many scholarships.

Endowment money is re-invested by around 80 managers that the University hires, ranging from employees in Bank of America to much smaller investment firms.

“We’ve been relatively happy with our managers,” said Feiner.

As she explains, the endowment covers 11 percent of the University’s total operating budget. At the same time, tuition revenues cover around 60 percent of the budget of undergraduate schools on the Hilltop Campus, meaning increases in endowment do very little to offset tuition increases.

See ENDOWMENT, page 3

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BRIAN SOTAK | STUDENT LIFE

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2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

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FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 2005

NATIONAL

the WUrld

Business students get to the heart of the game: commercials On Super Bowl Sunday, a group of business students will cut through the fluff and get straight to the best part of game day: commercials. Students, faculty and local advertising professionals will rank the high-dollar advertisements and announce “The Bad, the Good and the Great” ads of the afternoon to judge whether the companies’ fi nished products were worthy of the millions they spent for air time.

The panel will screen the game at 5 p.m. in the Knight Center dining hall. Judges will look for ads that are unique, memorable and effective.

Compiled by Sarah Kliff, Rachel Streitfeld and Angela Markle

LOCAL

First chair of anthro dies at age 89 John W. Bennett, Ph.D., founder and fi rst chair of the Department of Anthropology, died Feb. 1 in St. Louis. He was 89.

Bennett, along with several other professors, formed the Department of Anthropology in 1967. He chaired the new department for 20 years before being named a Distinguished Anthropologist in Residence in 1987. During his time at the University, Bennett studied archaeology, sociology, East Asian studies, government and academic services, and ecological and agrarian development.

In 1989 Bennett received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Anthropological Association for his contributions to theory and praxis. Late in his life, he published a book of photographs and memories of the Japanese reconstruction following WWII titled “Japan 1948-1951: A Personal and Professional Memoir.”

Catholic speaker to discuss Bible’s teachings on the body Christopher West, an expert on Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body, will deliver a speech titled “God, Sex and the Meaning of Life” at 7 p.m. today at the Catholic Student Center. West has advised the Archbishop of Denver, Colo. on the Bible’s teachings on marriage and sexuality.

West is the author of two books, “Good News About Sex and Marriage” and “John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.” His speech on sex, marriage and the theology of the body is sponsored by the Catholic Student Union.

New “porn tax” legislation may run adult industry out of Missouri Porn-mongers across the state may pay a hefty fi ne for their sinful habits if a Missouri lawmaker gets his way.

Senator Matt Bartle, R-Kansas City, wants to force adult entertainment out of the state by imposing heavy fi nes on both businesses and consumers of sexual materials. Legislation currently in the state Senate would impose a 20 percent tax on the revenue of such businesses as well as charge a $5 fee for any person entering their doors.

In recent years, both sexually-oriented billboards and young strippers have been banished by the state. The current legislation would affect as many as 1000 Missouri businesses, possibly including mainstream book and video stores that carry adult titles.

Men defraud St. Louis investors through eBay scam Two men were found guilty Wednesday for defrauding investors in the St. Louis area by informing them that eBay was about to buy their startup company, Bidbay.com.

Former Oregon Congressman Wester Cooley and businessman George Tannous worked in association with a man known as John Montgomery, who was later discovered to be De Elroy Beeler, a man who was convicted several years ago in California on 11 counts of loan fraud.

The three men sold faulty stock even though their company had been forbidden by federal regulators to sell shares to the public. Cooley has a long history of lying to his Oregon constituents, but he claimed during the trial that multiple strokes had erased his memory of the past 15 years.

House members working to overturn military recruitment ruling Members of the House of Representatives are strongly urging the Bush administration to quash a November court decision that allowed universities to ban military recruitment on campus. Several law schools, including those at Harvard and Yale, objected to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, saying it discriminated against homosexuals. With its decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit overturned the decade-old Solomon Amendment, which forced colleges to accept military recruiters on their campuses.

Proponents of the Congressional resolution say universities are doing the military a great disservice in refusing recruiters and ask that the administration “aggressively” combat the ruling.

President to discuss State of the Union topics in five states After delivering his State of the Union address Wednesday night, President Bush began a five-state tour to discuss issues raised in the speech, particularly those regarding Social Security. Bush outlined his vision of a revised Social Security system which would allow the possibility of adding private accounts to the program, potentially limiting benefits for wealthy retirees and increasing the age of retirement. His proposal of a possible limit on future retirement benefits has already raised concerns among both lobbying groups and Democrats. Bush will visit North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Arkansas and Florida to discuss his plans in a series of town hall forums.

Corporate jet skids out of control during takeoff A corporate jet skidded out of control at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport on Wednesday, hurtling across a sixlane highway, hitting two cars and crashing into a warehouse. All 11 passengers from the plane and about 10 people from the scene were hospitalized, but no one was killed. The plane had been commissioned by Kelso & Co., a New York investment fi rm, to transport company guests and employees to Chicago. Although the plane had not been de-iced, other planes had taken off earlier with no problems. Investigators hope that discussions with the pilots will help clear up the mystery behind the crash.

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News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 2005

Computer errors lead to incorrect grades n Administrators say all

erroneous grades were in Writing I and have been caught and corrected

By Mandy Silver Contributing Reporter Students enrolled in Writing I recently received an e-mail indicating that errors were discovered in the calculation and recording of their grades. In the e-mail, English Department Chair David Lawton indicated that a small number of students in the Fall 2004 sections of the course were affected.

The electronic miscalculation was first identified when several students checked their final grades and found they were slightly inaccurate. The error, which initially appeared to be quite large, in reality made little numerical difference. Lawton explained that numbers aside, such an error is cause for concern.

After a two-day review of all grades, only 15 borderline cases required adjustment. The department spoke with and apologized to each

student affected.

“It was one of the most alarming things I’ve been told in a while,” said Lawton. “It was of little consequence except you need to be able to trust your grades and so do departments. We take the matter of grading very seriously, and wanted to make absolutely certain that the grades awarded were as instructors had intended.”

Anita Hagerman, an instructor in the English department, found that the faculty responded appropriately to the mistakes.

“At every level, I think the people concerned have handled the problem wonderfully well, and as a result the glitch has been corrected quickly, effectively and generously,” said Hagerman. “Moreover, they’ve been forthcoming and open about the situation, something they didn’t have to be. What could have been a fairly difficult situation simply isn’t.”

Although the English department has resolved the Writing I problem, the cause of the Telesis malfunction is still under investigation. At this point, administrators know that the electronic errors were a result of an incorrect calculation done by the Telesis program. The calculation used a straight average

of students’ grades rather than the correct weighted averages specified in the Writing I syllabus. Administrators do not know why the electronic grade book system defaulted to unweighted averages and whether this was a consequence of program error or programmer error.

In an effort to avoid similar problems in the future, Lawton said that the English department is implementing a new grading system for the spring semester while more diagnostic tools are built into Telesis.

“The new system is that we are going to go back to doing it all by hand,” said Lawton. “We’re going to do what we’ve done in the past, so that we are certain that the grades are accurate.”

Of the 64 courses using the grade book feature of Telesis, Writing I was the only course that had problems.

Two other courses used the same grading calculation as the English department; however, Dennis Martin, a dean in Arts & Sciences, said that further investigation into those two courses verified that those grades were correct.

news@studlife.com

WUPD offers improved bike locks

EMILY TOBIAS | STUDENT LIFE

After receiving alerts from students regarding the compromised security of Kryptonite bike locks, the Washington University Police Department is now offering a supply of upgraded locks to students.

Security concerns arose when students found Internet information explaining how to “pick” the KryptoLok. Kyrptonite has since upgraded their locks to a flat key locking mechanism, which is more resistant to “picking.” The new locks are now available through the WUPD “lease/purchase” bike lock program, which allows students to rent bike locks for a deposit of $20. Students who own KryptoLoks outside of the WUPD program can contact Kryptonite to receive a free upgraded bike lock by e-mailing the company at kryptonite@irco.com.

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

Catholic Student Center & Catholic Student Union Friday, February 4 "God, Sex and the Meaning of Life" Christopher West, nationally known speaker, discusses Christianity's teaching on sex and marriage. Check our website for more info.

7-9pm at the Catholic Student Center. All are welcome. (Sponsored by Student Union and CSU).

Sunday, February 6 Superbowl Sunday Mass in Graham We will have ONE MASS: 11am in GRAHAM Chapel. As part of Catholic Spirit Week, CSU invites you to bring a friend and a canned good (to be donated to an area food pantry) for 'Soup'erbowl Sunday!

Wednesday, February 9: Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday Masses will be held at the CSC at 12:05pm and 5:30pm (followed by free soup dinner). An Ashes Service will be held on the Medical campus at 5:15pm at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Catholic Student Center • 6352 Forsyth Blvd 935-9191 • www.washucsc.org AFFIRMING HUMAN WORTH

All Saints Catholic Church Corner of Westgate & Clemens (One block North of the Loop)

Young Adult Mass Sunday 6pm Sunday Morning Mass 8am & 10:45am

Catholic Student Center ...a “home away from home” tostudy, relax and pray...

Everyone is welcome!

Sunday Mass: 11am & 9pm 6352 Forsyth • 935-9191 www.washucsc.org

(314) 721-6403 Wash U Students and Staff Welcome!

Shabbat at Hillel Fridays, 5:45 p.m. - Services (Reform, Conservative & Orthodox)

6:45 p.m. - Kosher Dinner Cost: $9.50 points or cash $8.50 pts. or cash w/Kosher meal plan RSVP required by Noon each Wed. washukosher@hotmail.com - 935-7098

Learning, Loving, Living in the Spirit of Christ

www.lcmstl.org Lutheran Campus Ministry

6300 Forsyth Blvd.

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LCM

7019 Forsyth Blvd St. Louis, MO 63105 863.8140 lcm@restech.wustl.edu

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.

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

3

ENDOWMENT n FROM PAGE 1 Colleges’ endowments did well across the board in 2004, due to strong markets at home and abroad.

According to a report by The Chronicle of Higher Education, about 73 percent of colleges in the country do not pursue socially responsible criteria, up from 61.4 percent in 2001. Socially responsible criteria are defined as avoiding investments in companies that sell or market tobacco and alcohol and companies with questionable child labor laws or environmental practices. As Feiner admits, the University is among this percentage, leaving investment choices to the discretion of the individual managers.

Decreases in “responsible” investment among colleges have sparked concern among some, prompting the formation of advocacy groups such as the Responsible Endowments Coalition, which now boasts a membership of some 35 colleges nation-wide.

news@studlife.com

A CAPPELLA n FROM PAGE 1 uted to their qualification for the divisional tournament.

“We diversified the type of music that we sing and we sing a lot more challenging music now than we have in the past.

It’s the little details that count,” Lahey said.

To qualify for the competition, applicants must send in three unmixed songs from their repertoire by the beginning of October. Once accepted, the groups have a short time in competition to show off their skills.

“We have to get on stage, perform, transition between songs and get off in twelve minutes,” said Lewis.

The first-place winner of this round goes on to compete at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the regional competition, and, if again successful, to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts for the nationals in New York at the end of April.

Each group usually practices between 6-8 hours a week but have started to put in more hours as the divisional competition draws near.

“We’ve added extra rehearsals,” Lewis said about the Whispers’ schedule.

The Whispers had a brush with national fame earlier this year, when they had the opportunity to sing on MSNBC during the second Presidential Debate. Chris Mathews, the host of MSNBC’s “Hardball,” heard them harmonize at an event for Alumni & Development Co-Founders’ Day and invited the group to sing on his show during the debate coverage.

Even after the group’s previous successes, Lewis says that the Mosaic Whispers do not have any specific goals for this competition.

“We’re not going into it with any expectations,” Lewis said.

“It’s not so much that you’re competing against other groups.

[The judges] give your group individual criticism, which really helps.”

Lahey is looking to have a good time as his a cappella group embarks on a new experience. He says that After Dark “would like to do well, but since it’s our first year, we want to have fun with the music.”

news@studlife.com

TACO BELL n FROM PAGE 1 pling to draw a conclusion from.

A decision to remove Taco Bell would have to be made by late February or early March, Zove said, because time would be needed to install a new food station.

Zove also explained that while the survey would attempt to assess what alternatives students might prefer, the choice of what restaurant would replace Taco Bell would be subject to other concerns as well, such as the selection of bids extended for the location.

The survey comes amid growing controversy over Taco Bell’s business practices, both on campus and nationally.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a group of Florida farm workers, called for a national boycott of Taco Bell in 2001 to protest what they have called violations of the human rights of farm workers who harvest the tomatoes that Taco Bell uses.

The Student Worker Alliance, an on-campus political activism group, supports the national boycott against Taco Bell and has called for removal of the Taco Bell from Mallinckrodt.

“The Student Worker Alliance strongly feels that Washington University should not conduct business relations with companies, such as Taco Bell, that have a proven track record of poor labor practices,” states the Student Worker Alliance on their Web site.

Similar organizations at other colleges have been successful in forcing the closure of several Taco Bell locations, most recently at Portland State and Notre Dame Universities.

Washington University junior Elliot Darvick said he would be “more than disappointed” if Taco Bell were kicked off campus.

“The school has questionable labor practices in general… I don’t want to trivialize [SWA’s] argument, I just like Taco Bell a lot,” he said.

Other students expressed similar sentiments.

“I like Taco Bell, so I would be upset,” said sophomore Alexander Mueller. “It would depend on what they put in.”

Mueller noted that an Arby’s would quiet his disappointment.

In a 2004 press release, Yum! Brands, parent corporation of Taco Bell, asserted that Taco Bell buys the smallest amount of Florida tomatoes of any national fast food restaurant company and that all of its national competitors buy significantly more. Yum! Brands also argued that any resolution, including the one-cent per pound price increase for tomatoes argued for by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, should be implemented across the industry rather than targeted at Taco Bell.

Students with suggestions or concerns regarding Taco Bell or other food-related issues can contact the Food Committee at food@su.wustl.edu.

news@studlife.com

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

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Vineyard Church Sundays at 10 am in the Esquire Theater 6706 Clayton Rd. For more info call (314)221-4823 or www.stlvineyard.com

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4 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Forum Editor / Roman Goldstein / forum@studlife.com

FORUM T

he add/drop deadline for classes is now safely behind us. Happen what may, students are essentially locked into their classes for the semester.

Just realized that you should have taken that class that’ll never be offered again in your time here? Tough. Just learned that your professor’s quizzes or exams are unfair? Too bad. Come to think of it, “safe” really isn’t the right word to describe a now captive audience.

There’s no easy solution to not having signed up for a class; it would require an administrative exception. Getting out of a class isn’t as bad; students can withdraw from a course until April 11, though it produces a conspicuous ‘W’ on the transcript. Needless to say, employers and grad schools don’t like quitters, so too

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 2005

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Write a letter to the editor letters@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039 Submit an opinion column forum@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039

STAFF EDITORIAL

Delay drop dates

many ‘W’s look bad.

As arbitrary as the deadlines seem, there is logic behind them, according to Delores Kennedy, associate dean for Arts and Sciences.

The deadline to drop classes is a day after the deadline to add classes so students have time to realize that they’ve been pulled from a waitlist and drop the class, if needed. Why have the add/drop/change deadlines about 15 days into the semester? Kennedy explained that registering for a new class much further in the semester than that would make it impossible for a student to catch up to the rest of the class.

Also, the deadline to make a class pass/fail is much earlier than the deadline to take a class for a grade to discourage students from having an easy exit to a semester spent slacking off;

conversely, if a student performs well in a risky or difficult class after originally making it passfail, the transcript can reflect that success.

While the logic is there, there are competing considerations that outweigh the current rationale. For example, many subsections aren’t finalized until the second week of classes, giving students too few days to change subsections and otherwise optimize their schedule.

As for needing to catch up after a late registration, that’s the student’s problem. Advisers may discourage it, but students should be able to decide what is in their best interest. Furthermore, extra time would allow students to take a quiz or complete another graded assignment to better assess whether they’re prepared for the course or not.

As Student Union Senators Jeff Waldman and Christie Norrick found, most of Washington University’s peer institutions allow 30 days to add, drop and change classes. While jumping on the bandwagon isn’t necessarily a good reason to do anything, if a 30-day registration deadline were as problematic as Arts & Sciences believes, nearly all of Wash U’s rivals wouldn’t be using it.

Waldman and Norrick presented their proposal to push back registration deadlines last Wednesday to Senate. Yet Kennedy said on Tuesday that she hadn’t discussed the matter with them recently, citing registration deadlines as merely “an ongoing concern.” That’s too bad, since they have a solid proposal that could benefit the student body.

American social bonding

BRIAN SOTAK | EDITORIAL CARTOON

By Nick Loyal Staff Columnist

T

Used saves?

T

he beginning of every semester is always so full of hope and wonder. Hope for the coming semester and wonder as to how the hell the campus bookstore managed to rip us off yet again for so much farking money. This year I did what the cartoon character on the posters told me to do and I bought used books from “my” bookstore because “Used Saves!”

After looking at my receipt I began to question the validity of this statement. Eventually, I realized that he was pulling some very tricky grammatical shenanigans.

“Used Saves!” is what those in the advertising industry call a “faulty comparison.”

Not only are we unsure as to what “used” saves, we’re not even sure for whom “used” is saving. The short answer is that it is not saving any money and it is certainly not saving any money for me.

Normally I buy all the books I need from the bookstore, trying to purchase used books when I can, and put them on the credit card and don’t really give much thought to it. Back in high school I had to buy my own books so I quickly became numb to their outrageous prices. At least my high school bought the books back for a decent amount and we usually weren’t forced to purchase new editions. By now I just don’t even bother

looking at the total price. That is, until this past semester.

For five semesters, not including my year abroad, I trusted the bookstore when they said “Used Saves” and that they try to obtain a competitive price for their books. This semester I am taking a literature course that required me to purchase 11 short novels and collections that we would read over the semester. I was able to purchase most of them used so I felt that I had done well. After looking at my total bill I was amazed to see that I was still charged a very significant amount of money, considering I had borrowed most textbooks and only purchased one actual textbook-workbook combination. It turns out, loyal readers, that used does not save at all. Let’s examine the evidence.

“Elective Affinities” by Goethe costs $10.95 new and $9.75 used. “The Marquise

Brian Schroeder

See USED SAVES, page 5

Why do we need more orgasms?

A

major thrust of Susan Stiritz’s talk last Tuesday was that women need to have more orgasms. It’s somehow bad that most women don’t have orgasms on a regular basis. Stiritz is an avowed feminist, and she surely believes that feminism should support more female orgasms. I’m sad that she seems to think this way, because it truly is capitulation to the male understanding of sex, which treats orgasm as sex’s ultimate goal.

What’s so important about an orgasm, anyway? As Stiritz noted, orgasms only total about 10 hours of your entire life. There are a million other things to do in life than come. Granted, sex is part of what it means to be human, but to elevate it to the importance Stiritz did does a disservice to the rest of our humanity. Is getting off really our most pressing concern?

Look, I’m not against sexual education, or teaching kids the facts of life. I haven’t the slightest problem with premarital sex, homosexual sex, group sex or any kind of

STUDENT LIFE Editor in Chief Associate Editor Senior News Editor Senior Forum Editor Senior Cadenza Editor Senior Scene Editor Senior Sports Editor

Jonathan Greenberger Cory Schneider Liz Neukirch Roman Goldstein Matt Simonton Sarah Ulrey Mary Bruce

sex between consenting adults, really. But we need to question equating frequency of orgasms and sexual experiences with quality of sex life.

Let me speak from personal experience.

Having sex twice or three times a day didn’t make the sex better. It didn’t make me any happier than when I was having sex once a day. Having a steady partner didn’t make me happier than having several, and vice versa. In fact, as the frequency of having sex decreased, the quality of each sexual experience generally increased. Too much sex desensitized me, making it increasingly difficult to be satisfied.

This idea may seem counterintuitive,

Roman Goldstein

See ORGASMS, page 5

Senior Graphics Editors Brian Sotak, Emily Tobias News Editors Doug Main, Sarah Kliff Contributing Editors Erin Harkless, Rachel Streitfeld, Forum Editors Cadenza Editors Scene Editors Sports Staff

his Sunday, America will celebrate its one true national holiday. It’s a day when beer stands tall as the national beverage, when ads connecting strippers to Reeboks finally make sense and when Terry Bradshaw’s head shines like a beacon in the night for all to see. This day, friends, is Super Bowl Sunday—and it may be the most important day in the world. With the amount of recent global turmoil, this could be seen as a grandiose claim, but for 60 minutes on Sunday (stretched into four hours by the good people at Budweiser and Visa), America will come together to watch overpaid gladiators kick each others’ asses. And it will be good.

The Super Bowl is, and probably always will be, America’s defining sporting event. You could make an argument for the World Series, the NBA finals or even the Daytona 500, but do we give any of those events Roman numerals? No. The Super Bowl is a testosterone-filled giant in a sea of ants, and with the utter death of hockey and the continual disappointment of pro hoops, the event on Sunday should act as a defibrillator for a nation that is in desperate need of a distraction.

How important is the Super Bowl to America? Let’s put it this way: last year, CBS estimated that 143.6 million people watched the Panthers and Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII. To contrast that, 121 million people voted in the November Election. If they were smart, they’d figure out some way to combine the two.

Everyone gets up at the two minute warning anyway—why not choose a new government while you pour a bowl of Doritos? Plus, in our post-Janet Jackson world, the chances of any of the young’uns catching a sight of anything more disturbing than the Eagles’ defensive line

is pretty much zip.

There really will be something for everyone to look for in Jacksonville on Sunday. The sports enthusiasts will watch a battle of a highpowered offense and a brilliant defense. Those who shun athletics will watch for new commercials that cost more than most pension plans and my mom will watch simply because if she doesn’t my dad will start yelling and probably end up breaking the TV. And for those of you who can’t get enough of old guys talking about a game that has passed them by, pre-game coverage has been going straight for about a fortnight now.

The joy of the Super Bowl is that it can bring people together in ways few other things can.

No matter what Boston says, there aren’t 143.6 million Eagle and Pat fans in this country.

People watch to have a good time, people watch to get closer to their friends and people watch so that they can shamelessly throw back beers at 3:00 p.m. In an age when your floor rises in civil war when someone suggests going to Center Court for dinner, it’s good to know that on Sunday the level of opposition to changing the channel will be so high that you’ll be able to go half a day without touching a remote.

The final match of the FIFA World Cup is consistently the most watched sporting event in the world. But I highly doubt that a big chunk of that number comes from folks in the lower 48. On Sunday afternoon, America will experience the 39th occurrence of its flagship athletic spectacle. Bonds will be shared, beer will be spilled and there will most likely be another stupid E-Trade commercial involving a monkey; but most importantly, there will be football. And it will be good.

Nick is a freshman in the School of Engineering. He can be reached via e-mail at nal1@cec.wustl.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Get the facts on Taco Bell Dear Editor: Re: “Boot the Bell,” [Jan. 31, 2005].

It is clear that the author, Jacob Gerber, did not present the facts in a fair light. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has been demanding that Taco Bell force its suppliers to pay its workers an additional penny per pound of tomatoes picked. On May 20, 2004, Taco Bell, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, issued an official press release in response to the boycott, stating, “Taco Bell actually is paying 11 cents more per pound of tomatoes today than it did when the CIW started its boycott against the company in 2000. The actual cost increase far exceeds the 1-cent per pound increase the CIW has sought for three years.”

The statistics from Mr. Gerber’s article are outdated, and in fact, Taco Bell has done much more to solve the issue. More information is available regarding Yum! Brand’s responses to the tomato issue at www.tacobell.com. It is imperative that students have all the facts from both sides when determining whether or not to retain Taco Bell on campus.

In addition, Gerber has grossly misrepresented the sentiments of Steve Hoffner (who ironically has not been responsible for Dining Services since December and is now executive vice president of Quadrangle Housing). In the meetings I had with Hoffner and Bon Appétit, it was determined that there should be a large random survey in which students would have input on whether or not Taco Bell’s contract would be renewed, and rightly so.

Stating that Hoffner has “made it very clear that he has no concern for the Immokalee workers” is an outright lie. Dining Services supports the Student Worker Alliance’s campaign to improve working conditions for the Immokalee workers. However, it should be the students, paying thousands of dollars for food, who determine whether Taco Bell stays or goes based on their personal food preferences and accurate facts of the tomato issue.

Photo Editors David Brody, Pam Buzzetta Online Editor Margaret Bauer Copy Editors Kelly Donahue, Allie McKay,

David Tabor Daniel Milstein, Brian Schroeder, Aaron Seligman, Justin Ward Designers Laura Vilines, Tyler Weaver Sarah Baicker, Kristen McGrath Justin Davidson, Harry Kang, General Manager Dan Novack Ad Manager

Nina Perlman, Shannon Petry, TJ Plunk, Jonathon Repinecz Anna Dinndorf, George Lai, Ellen Lo, Laura McLean, Jamie Reed, Camila Salvisberg Andrew O’Dell Christopher Kiggins

If you have any input on the Taco Bell issue that you would like to share with the Food Committee, you can email food@su.wustl.edu.

-Jeff Zove Chair, Student Union Senate Food Committee

We’re not to blame for our privilege Dear Editor: Re: “Confessions of the private school graduate” [Feb. 2, 2005].

Daniel Milstein’s “privie guilt” is a softer way of labeling upper class-white-heterosexual-able-etc.-male guilt. I think it is important to remember that we, as individuals, are not responsible for the system, or the history of colonialism, or America, or our parents’ privileges and opportunities. Therefore, we should regard each other as individuals, not pillars of an institution.

Just as we should not judge people’s personalities based on their parents’ income, if we are comparatively privileged we should not feel burdened with guilt. You are no more responsible for your parents’ income than the next person, regardless of trust funds, new cars, private schools and so forth. Guilt doesn’t get anyone anywhere, and though it’s a logical response of emotion, it’s not the most logical conclusion to draw from the realities of life.

To move things forward, and in order to overcome the (not necessarily deserved) image of the entitled spoiled brat, those of us with privilege (which includes everyone at the University) must show through our actions a commitment to social justice and equality.

-Samantha White Class of 2007

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Sports Editor / Mary Bruce / sports@studlife.com

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 2005

PORTS S • COMPILED AND EDITED BY MARY BRUCE, JUSTIN DAVIDSON AND HARRY KANG • DESIGNED BY CAMILA SALVISBERG

FEATURED GAME

Women’s track and field breaks records while winning Engineer Invitational Last weekend, the WU women’s track and field team won the Engineer Invitational at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind. Sophomore Delaina Martin deserves high praise for breaking the University’s record in both shot put and weight throw. Martin, who just started throwing the weight last season, landed her record-breaking toss with a one-turn throw, although she is working on perfecting her two-turn throws in practice. Impressive performances also came from junior Leah Sabin, who took home the title in the 200 -meter dash and the triple jump.

The men’s abilities were proven by junior Karl Zelik, who won the triple jump, and senior Lance Moen, who won the 800 and led his teammates to victory in the 1,600 relay.

In addition to the success of the veteran players, freshman additions to the squads proved their strength and competitive edge. Freshmen Marcus Woods and Doug Beattie finished second and third in the 200 meter. Woods polished off his successful debut by leading his squad to victory in the 1,600 -meter relay.

On the women’s team, freshmen Abbey Hartman and Megan Willie took home second and third in the 800 meter. Another freshman, Cristina Garmendia, placed third in the 800 meter.

Tomorrow, the Bears travel to compete in the Titan Open at Illinois Wesleyan University.

-Mary Bruce

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UAA STANDINGS Conference

Last Game: Wash U 55, New York University 63 Team Notes: The women’s game this Friday against New York University will be delay televised through Charter TV Cable Channel 3. The game is scheduled to be televised at 10 p.m. on Saturday. The game is also scheduled to re-air on Wednesday, Feb. 9th at 10:30 p.m.

Chicago Brandeis NYU Wash U Did You Know: The Bears are ranked 11th in the nation, but are only tied for 2nd in the University Athletic Association (UAA). The level of competition in the UAA Rochester speaks for itself.

Case Western Emory Next Game: Wash U. hosts New York University on Friday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m.

Carnegie Melon

Sophomore Delaina Martin broke two WU records.

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National Ranking: No. 11

SWIMMING & DIVING

TRACK & FIELD

Last Meet: Women’s squad finished in first place (of seven teams) at the WU Invitational at Millstone Pool and the men’s squad finished third.

Last Meet: The women finished first in the Engineer Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind. Team Notes: Sophomore Delaina Martin of women’s track and field was recently awarded the UAA Athlete of the Week honors. At the Engineer Invitational, she broke two school records in the weight throw and the shot put. She also provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Team Notes: In the latest CollegeSwimming.com rankings, the women’s squad ranked 2nd overall and the men’s squad ranked 8th overall.

Next Meet: UAA Championships on Feb. 10-12 in Chicago, Ill.

Next Meet: Wash U. at the Titan Open, hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University on Feb. 5th.

MEN’S BASKETBALL Last Game: Wash U 88, New York University 68 Team Notes: Today’s men’s game will be televised through Charter TV Cable Channel 3. This game is scheduled to air at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning. The game will also be re-aired on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 10 p.m.

Did You Know: The Bears are currently tied for third place in the UAA. Next Game: Wash U hosts New York University, Friday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.

National Ranking: Unranked

UAA STANDINGS Conference

Junior Leah Sabin won two events at the Invitational.

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

Carnegie Mellon Rochester Brandeis Chicago Wash U Emory NYU Case

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WU PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES

Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams will compete in the Titan Open on Feb. 5.

USED SAVES n FROM PAGE 4 of O -” by Heinrich von Kleist is $13.00 new and $9.75 used. “Mother Courage and her Children” by Bertolt Brecht is $6.95 new and $5.25 used. Georg Buechner’s “Complete Plays, Lenz, and Other Writings” is $14.00 new and $9.75 used. Gunter Grass’ “Cat and Mouse” is $13.00 new and $9.75 used.

Considering that I had to tear off the stickers and wipe off the black marker that covered the MSRP for each of the books, I don’t think that the bookstore wanted me to know this when I bought each of these books used. When I looked on Amazon.com, the exact same editions of the books were sometimes cheaper than the used editions I had purchased at the bookstore. I have no idea how much over the MSRP the bookstore charges for these editions when they are new, but I do know that the very well managed used bookstore I go to in Kansas City has practically brand new used books for more than half of their MSRP. Kind of makes you wonder how hard the bookstore is working to save us money, doesn’t it?

The lamest excuse that I hear for why things are expensive at Wash U is “overhead” and “convenience.” The rest of the world

seems to deal with overhead well, so why can’t our bookstore? Either they’re not smart enough to operate a successful business or they’re evil and enjoy ripping the students off. Take your pick, but until something changes around here they’re both pretty bad excuses for what they are doing.

My advice for students is to make a concerted effort to buy books from anywhere but the campus bookstore. You wont need most of your books for the first week, and most novels won’t be needed for weeks or even months. I’ve always wondered how much “used saves” and it turns out that in the end I’m getting screwed. Even if it is just a few dollars per book, it’s worth it to me to take my business somewhere else and let the free hand of the market reach back like a pimp and slap whoever it is who has to inflate the prices of the books just to make an “honest” living.

Brian is a senior in the School of Business and a Forum Editor. He can be reached via e-mail at schroederb@wustl.edu.

ORGASMS n FROM PAGE 4 but it isn’t new. Jewish law, for example, mandates a two-week period every month where husband and wife don’t even touch to enhance the quality of the couple’s sex life, according to an article by Rabbi Manis Freidman on Chabad.org. Just think of how great the sex would be if you had two weeks to build up desire.

Strictly in terms of maximizing physical pleasure, then, we should limit sex, not multiply it like mating rabbits. Throwing mental pleasure or satisfaction into the mix tilts the scales even further. I’ve largely abstained from sex in the last year, and I’ve been quite happy for it. It’s such a psychological relief to not obsess over getting laid or getting off; I’ve been able to find better uses for my energy in my schoolwork, my hobbies and my friends. As a hedonist, I’m much better off with less sex.

Another point of Stiritz’s that troubled me was her call for more masturbation— self-love, as she called it. Our egos are big enough, thank you. We sure as heck don’t need more self-love on this campus and in this country. And if masturbation truly does provide a more powerful orgasm than intercourse for women, and if orgasm is our focus, then why have intercourse at all?

Indeed, why have any sort of coupled sex? It would be more efficient and pleasurable to do it yourself.

Call me old-fashioned, but couple (or even group) sex is a necessary part of life.

It’s not about emotional intimacy, because sex doesn’t need that. It’s not about physical pleasure, because you can get yourself off

easily enough. Sex is about establishing a basic relationship of human reciprocity. In its most developed forms, that includes emotion, commitment and the like. But even in a one-night stand, the partners are pooling their respective talents for mutual benefit.

As a hedonist, I’m much better off with less sex.

I submit that unsatisfying sex is mainly the result of selfishness on the part of at least one of the partners, medical and psychological problems notwithstanding.

Do we need sex ed? Absolutely. Bring on the contraceptive literature, the human anatomy textbooks and Masters and Johnson.

Get people comfortable with the idea and help them overcome the socially induced shame. But don’t treat sex as a value-free activity. If the value of sex is pleasure, then be honest and comprehensive in the utility calculations. And if the value of sex is human contact, then maybe we should encourage more orgasms, but only those caused by partners.

Roman is a senior in Arts & Sciences and the Senior Forum Editor. He can be reached via e-mail at rgoldstein@studlife.com.

6 STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 2005

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Your Horoscope for Friday, February 4, 2005

By Linda C. Black, Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (02-04-05). With the right team, you’ll accomplish great things this year. Choose honest folks with pure hearts and big imaginations. They’ll provide the enthusiasm and you’ll provide the plan.

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 9. They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It’s good if you know where you’re going, though, and head in the right direction.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 4. You’re going on your shopping trip pretty well prepared, but don’t get stuck in a rut. Be quick to grab a better deal, if you find one.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 10. Everything seems possible, and that’s part of the magic involved in making

dreams come true. Get specific, and get help.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 4. You have talents you haven’t even tapped yet. Use them to beautify your home and impress even yourself.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 9 You may feel like things are moving fast, but that’s a matter of perspective.

Others may think it’s about time you made up your mind.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 4. Looks like a flurry of activity at your house. Stay in control as much as possible, or at least steer the chaos the way you want.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 9. You’re already cute, but you can learn to be even cuter. This is really going to be a lesson you enjoy.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 5. Hurry to gather up all the loot, but don’t get reckless with it. If you’re not

careful, you’ll lose it all just as fast as you got it.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is an 8. Push a little harder to get the research done. Ask the pertinent questions, and a few impertinent ones.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 4. You’re under pressure, but that’s good. You work well in those conditions. It makes it a lot easier for you to make decisions.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8. You’re being urged to try something you’ve never done before. And you don’t have to do it alone. In fact, it’s best if you don’t.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 5. Luck has nothing to do with it. You’re achieving more now through skill.

Some of it comes from other people. Bring it all together. (c) 2005, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC. Distributed by Knight Ridder-Tribune Information Services.

Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 2005

STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA

7

Fistfuls of dollars

MOVIE REVIEW

By Jordan Deam In the weeks following “Million Dollar Baby”’s opening, casual moviegoers and critics alike have had to grapple with the same question: How do you talk about this movie without spoiling it for the uninitiated? Save for one vocal group of detractors (whose name I can’t even reveal without a “spoiler” warning attached), audiences are struggling to maintain a level of silence about the movie’s crucial plot developments without letting the possibility for dialogue slip away entirely.

It might sound like the cover-up for a Shyamalan-esque revelation in the last few minutes of the movie, a devilishly simple secret that changes the context of the entire story preceding it. In truth, it’s less a clever twist and more a U-turn, or even more appropriately, a head-on collision that leaves the viewer with the better part of an hour to sort through the aftermath.

And while this development might occasionally show hints of the architectural artifice that have crept into Shyamalan’s latest fi lms, “Million Dollar Baby” remains one of the most affecting movies I’ve seen in years.

The movie is centered around two characters, Maggie “Mo Cuishle” Fitzgerald (expertly played

by Hilary Swank) and her reluctant trainer, Frankie Dunn (played by Eastwood). Maggie, a perpetually youthful 30-year-old, comes to Frankie’s gym by way of a white-trash southwestern Missouri town to pursue an unlikely career in boxing, relentlessly petitioning Frankie for his training. Frankie, on the other hand, is a portrait of elderly regret who seems crippled by his past mistakes. As Maggie’s ability increases, so does Frankie’s confidence, both in her and in himself.

What begins as a coach-to-athlete relationship slowly becomes a father-daughter bond, as the movie rather heavy-handedly alludes to at various points. Of course it’s only a matter of time before the pair encounter their fi rst “obstacles” (to put it lightly) on their way to the top.

These obstacles, however, would be nothing more than contrivances if the characters involved weren’t so genuine and likable. Swank again succeeds in portraying a character who effortlessly breaks traditional gender boundaries. She is exceptionally driven without being aggressive, vulnerable without being weak. No matter how many fights she wins, she remains

Despite Maggie’s optimism, “Million Dola perpetual underdog in the eyes of the viewer, making the expertly framed fight sequences lar Baby” does not end with the unqualified all the more exhilarating and, simultaneously, triumph of many of its contemporaries in the hard to watch. As her opponents become bigger genre; the viewer might leave the theater feeling and tougher, the viewer becomes more aware of that Eastwood threw a few too many punches the reasons for Frankie’s hesitation and dogged the audience’s way. But these mild offenses are insistence that Maggie “protect herself at all forgivable considering the movie’s resounding successes: It goes beyond mere choreography times.”

In stark contrast to Maggie’s cheery ambition, and paints a portrait of youth and regret that is Frankie is a cautious spectator who must balance tragically sympathetic. the risks with their potential rewards when he picks her fights. He is wary of the weighty responsibility that he has toward Maggie, but his desire for her happiness remains an overriding motivation in his decisions. Eddie “Scrap” Dupris (played rather typically by a wise, world-weary Morgan Freeman) is a reminder of the consequences of managerial failure; after Scrap loses sight in his right eye in a “hellacious” 16-round beating, Frankie silently carries the burden for the “The sad thing is, Clint, I still look better than you.” Clint Eastwood and remainder of their friendship.

Euripides and Nelly make for strange Greek bedfellows

By Robbie Gross The concept that Greek Tragedy has intrinsic value is evidenced, first and foremost, by its surviving the tests of time. The themes of Tragedy are so universal, many have claimed, that not only are they still relevant today, but that in some cases they are more relevant today than ever before (take Freud’s Oedipus). Euripides’ “Trojan Women” is one of those dramas. Advertised by the Performing Arts Department as one of the greatest antiwar dramas of all time, director Ron Himes’ production is indeed quite shocking in its ambition.

Recordings and modern music are heard over the loudspeakers; the anachronistic role of the Greek chorus is replaced by a hip-hop-oriented rapping troop; and the setting, in the ruins of Troy, includes a certain pole that is used in a way far more familiar to late-night East St. Louis clubs than a n cient A si a

Minor.

“The Trojan Women” itself is indeed highly timeless. The action takes place in a day sometime between the fall of Troy and the Greek departure. With the city’s men dead, the women are being held together as the Greek leaders decide which woman they will take as a spoil of war. Euripides follows the fate of the royal Trojan family: the former queen Hecuba (Lindsay Brill), her daughter Cassandra (Laura Harrison) and her daughter-in-law Andromache (Ann Marie Mohr). The majority of the script consists in one form or another of the women mourning the past and fearing the future. Their pain is a largely visceral experience, and the first half of the play does a fine job of conveying the complete devastation of life. Rarely does modern drama call for twenty-odd women to scream and cry for over an hour onstage.

Euripides did, however, and the young actresses all do serviceable jobs at portraying such intense grief and terror. Their voices shriek in piercing dirges. Their fists beat the floor with melancholy. Mohr and Harrison particularly stand out as two women mad with grief and ready for vengeance.

Brill, while far more effective in comedic roles, nonetheless does an adequate job as the shell-shocked Hecuba, perhaps the very antithesis of comedy.

The production takes certain risks that many other directors wouldn’t consider; Himes and costume designer Bonnie Kruger take every opportunity they can to give the drama contemporary significance, though never explicitly. Are the Greek guards who wear sunglasses over their camouflaged faces, carry machine guns and laugh as they taunt, molest and rape the women meant to remind us of Abu Ghraib? Are the shrieking Trojan women meant to remind us of Muslim women?

The play never manifests answers to these questions, though it is clear that Himes has succeeded when these questions become

inevitably asked throughout the play.

Where Himes fails is in the risks he takes to pull the play away from its relation to war. His direction of Helen (Jenny Lichtenberg) is particularly curious. One of the central questions in the play is the relationship between the Trojan women’s pain and Helen’s guilt—culminating in a rhetorical sparring match between Helen and Hecuba over that very question. In Himes’ production, Helen becomes a far less grayish figure—at once guilty of wrongdoing but never solely to blame for all the pain caused—and more a cheap caricature. Tastefully omnipresent in the first half, her entrance in the second sends the play down a bizarre path that takes away from its power. Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” is played several times to accompany her movements, serving awkwardly as a professional wrestler’s “entrance music” but without the ring or screaming stadium.

Her lust and seductive power are symbolized by a pole dancing routine that simply falls flat. The concept may not be absurd, but the tone is so different that it becomes jarring without profundity. The message, perhaps having something to do with the objectification of women seen through the lens of modern day rap songs and videos, fails to come through. From this scene on the play stutters to its conclusion. Lost in a 180-degree change in tone, the chorus, once distraught in their sadness, suddenly become a comedic peanut gallery, finger-wagging with metaphorical “No you di’ints” as Hecuba seemingly defeats Helen in the debate.

Himes, throughout his career at the Black Repertory Company and at Wash U, has never been afraid to take risks. The rather substantial risks he takes in “The Trojan Women” have the unfortunate effect of rendering the drama hit-or-miss.

Still, the production hits more than it misses. Euripides’ career just might have a few more thousands of years left after all.

CD REVIEWS

Bright Eyes through different colored lenses

By Robbie Gross and Matt Simonton There might be good reason for the sincere comparisons between Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Bob Dylan. While Dylan’s stature has likely been recalled thousands of times in relation to “singer-songwriters,” Oberst may just be one of those few worthy candidates. His youth and talent (at 24 he’s been in the indie rock scene for over 10 years) coupled with a devoted fan base have generated a shocking amount of mainstream media attention for his latest set of albums, released together a la Nelly’s “Sweat” and “Suit.”

In “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” Oberst applies the same cryptic lyrical style that has characterized his previous albums, while significantly stripping down the instrumentation. Gone are the cast of brass and string players, the “drunk” and “country” choirs that have characterized some of his previous records. “I’m Wide Awake” features little more than Oberst, his guitar and Emmylou Harris’ wonderful backup vocals. The album’s folksiness

is a departure, but its melodies are often quite beautiful. Its quintessential song, “Old Soul Song (For the New World Order),” serves as a unitary example of what Oberst tries to do throughout the album.

The sweet instrumentation is juxtaposed with Oberst’s increasingly shaky vocals and bizarre yet imaginative similes. “Just when I get so lonesome I can’t speak, I see some flowers on a hillside like a wall of new TVs,” he sings. In “Another Travelin’ Song” he strings together several images more than reminiscent of Dylan’s “A Hard Rains’s A-Gonna Fall,” singing, “I dream a prostituted child touching an old man in a fast food crown. I dreamt the ship as sinking there were people screaming all around.”

The softness of the album is strange given his previous work, but “I’m Wide Awake” easily manages to oscillate effortlessly between folk and alt-country, between sweet instrumentals and perfectly unsettling lyrics. Yet, while Oberst may remind us of Dylan, his approach will

Bright Eyes Digital Ash in a Digital Urn Saddle Creek Records For fans of: The Flaming Lips, Björk Grade: C+ Final word: A few treasures among the digital trash.

Download these tracks: “Arc of Time,” “Hit the Switch”

Bright Eyes I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning Saddle Creek Records For fans of: Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams Grade: B+ Final word: Bright Eyes do Dylan, with good results.

Download these tracks: “Old Soul Song,” “Another Travelin’ Song,” “Road to Joy”

forever be asymptotic. The album lacks an anthemic tone, a lyricism and melody that will render it unforgettable. Such a criticism does demand already high expectations of Oberst—expectations that at such a tender age he may yet fulfi ll.

The other album, “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn,” has been misleadingly labeled the more “experimental” of the two. True, the band replaces hand-played instruments with synths, drum machines and electronic atmospherics, but the songs are basically Bright Eyes rock tunes gone robotic.

That being said, they’re just not as strong a set as “I’m Wide Awake.” Many plod along without much direction, like “Take It Easy (Love Nothing),” which features the Postal Service’s Jimmy Tamborello on programming. Similarly boring is “Theme to Piñata,” with enough sickening, doeeyed sweetness to make it as cheesy as that chalupa I had for lunch. “If you could just crack the shell open, I think inside you would fi nd something sweet,” croons Oberst in a particularly retch-worthy line.

Half the time, though, Bright Eyes don’t do anything so egregious—they just don’t do much of anything at all. “I’m Wide Awake” invites the listener in for a revelatory back porch conversation; “Digital Ash” dumps out the trash and asks you to pay attention. Chances are you won’t remember the last third of the album at all.

Luckily, there are a few worthwhile numbers packed into the opening moments.

“Gold Mine Gutted” is all Flaming Lips expansiveness with its big, booming drum beats. “Arc of Time” treads the strange but enjoyable territory between Paul Simon and George Michael, and generally lifts the album’s spirits. And if you want emotion without annoying histrionics, “Hit the Switch” delves deep into Oberst’s drinking problems and general alienation.

It’s impressive when anyone releases two albums at once. Unfortunately, Oberst reiterates the point made by Nelly, R. Kelly and Nick Cave that quantity doesn’t always mean quality. And in his case, the quality is so lopsided you’d swear he threw “Digital Ash” together just for the spectacle.

Stick with “I’m Wide Awake” and get to know a songwriter that might not equal Dylan, but has a lot of fun trying.

Hilary Swank in “Million Dollar Baby.”

Million Dollar Baby Directed by: Clint Eastwood Starring: Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman Grade: AFinal word: A shockingly captivating story that occasionally borders on the manipulative.

Now playing at: The Chase Park Plaza

The Flipside of Pop Culture

By Tyler Weaver

Dear Paul: I should probably begin by noting that, for years now, I’ve been among the most avid defenders of both your work and personal status. Yeah, when I fi rst fell in love with the Beatles (like most of us do at some point), I harbored the usual John fi xation—he’s funny, he’s biting, sarcastic, the whole spiel. With the onset of post-adolescent maturity, though, I came to really appreciate your place in the Fab Four and grow increasingly intolerant of the many people who paint you as some kind of low-rent expert in sop.

“John only made two great solo albums,” I’ll say, “and also, y’know, beat up on his wife to vent the frustration that came with her controlling his existence.” You, meanwhile, crafted immensely enjoyable pop music long after the group broke up, alternating your admitted misfi res with great stuff like “Ram” or “Band on the Run.” And while John was throwing around the room whatever mistress Yoko picked out for that year, you were building a family, becoming—if not a continuing legend—an excellent man.

Regardless. This Sunday you’re shouldering the gaudy responsibility that is the Super Bowl halftime show.

You may recall (just maybe) a slight flap over last year’s performance, and so people are looking your way for a performance that’s predictable and tame. “Wholesome McCartney,” one sport website puts it, in contrast to—sigh— ”wardrobe malfunction.” I’m sure a lot of people will be looking for classics: “Hey Jude,” “All My Loving” and their ilk, with perhaps a rollicking solo hit like “Jet” thrown in for completism.

I gotta admit, man, I’m a little bit scared. For years you’ve reworked your image into that of the aging, amiable rocker; the goofi ness factor’s toned down a bit (no more racial-divide-bridging duets with famous black pop stars), as has the devotion to animal rights. Remarried, re-energized, making music in the enjoyable, rather than classic, realm, all the while battling the constant accusations that the Beatles were really just John and The Haircuts. This hasn’t changed the way people think of “Paul,” though, and this weekend’s big show is proving yet another example of the populist bent that undercuts your past greatness. For millions of people the planet across, you’ll be essaying your way through onetime glory, and if you do throw a new song in there, no one will bother to listen. Why bother, really? Football’s not a McCartney-like sport, anyway; it’s not that you can’t play rock, it’s that you’re not too big on intensity. It’s not really a match for the ages.

You’re going to take the stage, though, so I’ll accept that. No “Freedom,” though, please. No medleys of Beatle hits, engineered to squeeze as much out of the limited time space that you have. When the lights come up as the second quarter ends, you should just play music—not even the Beatles, necessarily, or even noted work from your years alone. The best albums you’ve released since ‘82 were both fi lled with perfect rock covers, showcasing a knack for classics (“Be Bop A Lula,” “She Said Yeah”) played with energy and love. It’d be nice to hear “I Saw Her Standing There,” but why cater to the crowd? You’ve been doing that for 30 years, and if anyone’s earned the right to play whatever they damn well please, it’s you. We don’t need one more rendition of “Let It Be,” because nothing’s gonna top the original. I mean, it’s “Let It Be.” Why not show the people who remember what you did the things that even now you still can do?

Play some killer bass. Rip through forgotten album tracks, like “Run Devil Run.” The best moment of your recent tour was when you strummed, in tribute to John, “Tug of War”’s heartbreaking “Here Today,” and then gave George’s “Something” a sprightly run-through on ukulele.

You tried new things, and it worked. I’m not saying you should enlist a deejay (although a Cute One run-through of “Get Back” might be interesting), but you should give the crowd a surprise. Don’t remind them why they should love you; prove why they should love you more.

I say what I say out of love. You’re my favorite Beatle, man; that ain’t gonna change. You’ve got a wife, a new kid, and a family most might kill for. It’s time to grab back (and grab hard) the one thing that’s not there, that’s slipped away by fault of both yourself and senseless critics. Musical respect.

Oh. And please leave Ringo at home.

Much love, Tyler Weaver

8 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA

Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com

CADEN ZA te o ime

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 4, 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

t d i g n u i g r p r s u Yo ts in the r a e n fi By Laura Vilines

W

hen I fi rst arrived at Washington University three years ago, I felt certain that this new era of my life would be overflowing with a plethora of culturally enriching experiences; my visions of college were fi lled with Saturday afternoon trips to local art galleries, museum-hopping and Friday nights out to the ballet. I naturally assumed that a university populated with diverse and motivated undergrads from across the nation would also be a school of cultural education where I would learn everything I ever wanted to know about symphonies and modern art, a place where I could learn to be a chic and sophisticated young 20-something, or at least a “Sex and the City” Charlotte-wannabe.

However, shortly after arriving on campus freshman year, I began to realize that my visions of culturally enriching experiences differed slightly from the traditional college scene, and during my fi rst semester on campus, the most culturally stimulating experience I had was attending a fraternity toga party and catching the occasional a cappella concert with the rest of my freshman floor.

And while I now realize that these experiences have been equally as rewarding—since I now have a greater appreciation for the musical stylings of Nelly and the St. Lunatics and can challenge a room full of guys to a beer pong tournament—I still often long for an evening of cultural bliss. So for those of you who, like me, want to escape the toga party experience for at least one night, here are few suggestions that will be culturally enriching and pleasing to your college student-styled budget as well.

Culture Club

At the ballet Trips to the ballet can be rare experiences, due partially to a lack of opportunity and partially to the unavoidable strain they place on the pocketbook. Despite these obstacles, the ballet can be an extraordinary treat, and on Feb. 18 and 19, Dance St. Louis will present Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s Cinderella at the Fox Theatre, choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot. In an interesting interpretation of Prokofiev’s original score, Maillot modernizes the classical storybook ballet. In Maillot’s version, the elaborate sets and costumes have been stripped away and replaced with an aesthetic impression created by an interesting lighting design and an increased focus on the movement itself.

In addition, Maillot’s version features other more central changes; for example, Cinderella’s mother returns as the fairy godmother, and instead of featuring a glass slipper, Maillot simply spotlights the dancer’s glittered foot. Tickets can be purchased through the Dance St. Louis Web site at www.dancestlouis.org or through Metrotix.

Later this season, Dance St. Louis will bring Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to the stage as they perform classic pieces from Ailey’s spiritually driven repertoire. This company, whose roots are found in modern dance and African-American culture, will perform April 30 through May 2.

Tickets will go on sale later this season.

Music to your ears Artistic impressions Art is everywhere, especially in St. Louis, but if you’re not part of the “artsy” crowd, it can be difficult to fi nd out about the latest gallery openings and events. However, one extremely exciting opening is happening on close to campus; the St. Louis Art Museum will be re-opening its Asian Galleries on Thursday, Feb. 17 with a weekend-long celebration. The eight redesigned galleries feature 150 works from China, Korea, Japan and South Asia, ranging from ancient Chinese bronzes to abstract 20th century Japanese screens. The cost is free, and the galleries will feature many new acquisitions that have not been previously viewed by the public in St. Louis. For more information on gallery openings and events check out the Regional Arts Commission’s Cultural Calendar at www.art-stl.com/calendar.cfm.

Washington University’s Kemper Art Museum will continue to host the exhibition “Inside Out Loud: Visualizing Women’s Health in Contemporary Art” through April 24. Touting itself as the “fi rst significant survey of contemporary American art to explore critical issues related to women’s health,” the exhibit features various media, including paint, photography, video production and audio. For more information, see Flora Lerenman’s review below.

Like a natural woman?

The art of women’s health comes to the Kemper

By Flora Lerenman The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum currently features 51 provocative works of art by 30 different artists. The collection provides glimpses into the darker depths of womanhood and women’s health, with issues ranging from abuse and reproductive rights to breast cancer and beauty.

The exhibit makes the issues of female bodily insecurity and suffering painfully glaring. Some observers were more pained than others. At the opening on Jan. 21, I overheard a young woman say to her companion, “Why is everything here soooooooo depressing?” At fi rst, I was tempted to shake my head and think her silly for expecting to see something light and aesthetically pleasing from this women’s exhibit. As I fi nished my walk through the exhibit, however, I felt I had experienced a taste of the female agony of birth, cancer, fat, hair removal, eating disorders, domestic abuse, AIDS and identity crises.

The subtitle of the “Inside Out Loud” exhibit reads, “Visualizing Women’s Health in Contemporary Art,” and yet, I felt as if the joy of womanhood was somewhat absent, while the more shocking issues could be voiced by artists as “Out Loud” as they wanted. The exhibit does in

fact portray overwhelmingly heavy images, but the group of pamphleteers and the AIDS poster slogan of “Kissing Doesn’t Kill: Greed and Indifference Do” by Gran Fury signaled the more political purpose of the event.

The pieces, to some extent, have to grab attention from viewers by exposing the issues with raw pathos. And yet, I wondered if there were more triumphant pieces of women reveling in certain aspects of women’s health that were selectively left out of the exhibit. What about mothers giving birth in the water? Or a female body builder contorting beyond the norms? Or images of aging that aren’t reminiscent of anti-tobacco ads? I expected to see art that could empower a sense of beauty beyond images of women mutilating, starving and augmenting themselves to fit into the media’s ideal of perfection. But instead, I was met with a series of works that more resembled Jeanne Dunning’s “Blobs” series, in which huge mounds of fat are attached to various body parts. That is not to say that art with shock value isn’t as worthwhile as uplifting art, but by the time I watched a video of a woman guiltily shoveling food into her mouth on the little screen of a weight scale, I felt far too overwhelmed by the impending doom of living as a woman ‘til my

Since the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra declared a work stoppage on Jan. 3, all of the orchestra’s concerts have been cancelled until the management and the orchestra musicians can reach a fi nancial agreement. Despite this lack of professional local talent, there are still many opportunities to train your classical ear here in St. Louis. On Feb. 12, renowned celloist Maya Beiser will perform a concert entitled “World to Come” at Edison Theater. Incorporating visual elements as well as her own voice into the repertoire, Beiser truly stretches the possibilities of solo performance. Tickets for the concert can be purchased at the Edison Theater Box Office.

In addition, throughout the semester, there will be performances by the Washington University Symphony Orchestra and other University ensembles. Their fi rst performance will be held on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. in Graham Chapel. The cost is free, and the concert will showcase the music of Ravel and Vaughn Williams.

Gran Fury, “Kissing Doesn’t Kill: Greed and Indifference Do” (1989).

70s (if I can even make it that far without my female health getting in the way).

Surprisingly enough, only a few artists dealt with ethnic disparities in the American perception of universal beauty.

Kerry James Marshall’s “Beauty Examined” deals with notions of beauty in the African American community, and “O pe rc u lu m ,” a video piece

by Tran T. KimTrang, shows a surgical process to anglicize Asian eyes, but the vast majority of the art dealt with less specific and more general women’s issues.

Considered one of the top conceptual art-

ists today, French artist Orlan contributed two photographs of herself lying on a plastic surgeon’s table and obtaining implants—but these implants are not the ones donned by actresses and those deemed “beautiful” by pop culture. No, these are facial implants: two protruding bumps near her temples (which sparkled with a glittery shimmer at the opening). Orlan uses her own body as a canvas to question contemporary beauty ideals and refuses to sugarcoat the surgical images by editing out open skin flaps and pools of blood. I felt the pain of her Insides quite “Loud”-ly and graphically. As the old saying goes, “Pain is beauty,” and the exhibit quite reinforced it. As I left the gallery with my appetite unsurprisingly absent for a late dinner and my spirits slightly deflated, I still felt satisfied overall by the aims of “Inside Out Loud,” because increased awareness of women’s health may decrease the amount of pieces that are “sooooooooooo depressing” about women in a hundred years.

Hannah Wilke’s “Intra-Venus #4, February 19, 1992.”