Student Life | September 28, 2007

STAFF EDITORIAL | ONE TOT, TWO TOT, RED TOT, BLUE TOT | SEE FORUM, PAGE 4

STUDENT LIFE

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 129, NO. 15

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

New WILD policies cause mixed reactions

Hosts of ‘08 Pres. debates to be announced

BY MARK DUDLEY CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE

Students fill the Quad during last year’s Spring W.I.L.D. This year’s W.I.L.D., set for Saturday night, will feature DJ Unk and headliner Lupe Fiasco.

BY EDWARD LAZZARIN CONTRIBUTING REPORTER This Saturday at W.I.L.D., some students will be able to actually walk in and lie down, as the name suggests, but no one will be able to walk in and take photos. The annual concert has recently undergone various changes, which have been met with both excited and lukewarm responses.

For this semester’s W.I.L.D., Team 31 is bringing couches back to the Quad, as well as placing a ban on still cameras. New inflatable couches, subsidized by the Campus Bookstore, will be available for all attendees to use on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“The problem is that there’s like eight [couches], so like 20 people will have a great time,” said Team 31 Co-chair Pehr Hovey. “It’ll be something fun and we’re trying it out. If it goes over well, we might do more couches.”

While attendees have been allowed for years to bring their own couches in compliance with the deadline and rules outlined on W.I.L.D.’s Web site, the tradition has petered out. The vast majority of students interviewed were unaware of this privilege, though a fair portion knew it had been done in past years.

While students were initially excited about the inflatable couches provided by Team 31,

they expressed disappointment at the limited number of couches provided.

“How are you supposed to get a seat at one?” asked sophomore Fiona Turett.

“I think there’ll be people piling on them which would be kind of interesting considering they’re inflatable and not very strong,” said junior Aarthi Arunachalam.

Along with the inflatable couches, the other new change causing concern is the ban on still cameras at this semester’s W.I.L.D., by request of headliner Lupe Fiasco. It is uncertain whether this policy will apply next semester as well.

“We were told no cameras at

all, and that comes from Lupe Fiasco, because the headliner gets to dictate that,” said Hovey.

Students were generally disappointed with this policy.

“That’s kind of ridiculous.

I want to take photos with my friends,” said senior Joe Karasek.

“That sucks,” said freshman Kelson Hedderich. “But we have to respect Mr. Fiasco’s rights.”

Other new additions to W.I.L.D. include a fourth act and an extended opening act. The opener, Kid Beyond, a San Francisco-based beatboxer, will be playing for one hour rather than the usual half-hour.

By the end of next month, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) will announce the four host institutions for the 2008 Presidential Debates.

Washington University, which hosted debates in 1992, 2000 and 2004, is one of nineteen institutions in contention.

“We have expressed great enthusiasm for hosting a presidential debate,” said Rob Wild, assistant to the Chancellor. “It is a great honor to be in the running for such an important national event.”

The Commission, a bipartisan organization charged with selecting the host locations for presidential debates, has selected the University four times since 1992—more than any other institution. The 1996 debate, which was awarded to the University, was later cancelled.

Two main factors—logistical feasibility and host integration—influenced the Commission’s decision. Issues of logistical feasibility necessitate established telecommunications centers, access to major transportation hubs and sufficient space to hold the event.

This summer, members of the Commission came to the University to inspect whether or not the University can fulfill these requirements.

“We put our best foot forward to accommodate every request of the Commission,” said Wild.

The proposed debate site, the Athletic Complex, has many systems in place to host such an event. Phone lines and telecommunications wiring are permanently installed into the center, as well as plans for converting the gymnasium into a fully functioning debate hall. The Athletic Complex has hosted previous debates at the

University.

In addition, recent campus improvements, such as the construction of new buildings and parking facilities, and the incorporation of MetroLink have greatly increased the accessibility of the University.

“We are hopeful that these improvements will be a great addition to our campus infrastructure,” said Wild.

Should the University be selected, student life will change during the time around the debate—media, political figures, protestors, supporters and curious spectators from all over the world will be present on campus. Wild, however, remains optimistic about this effect.

“A challenge will be [to adjust] this impact, but the feeling is that the benefits to the students, as well as the faculty, outweigh the short-term costs of the event,” he said.

These benefits will offer a real-life educational experience to students, faculty and staff.

“Hosting a presidential debate would give the students a first-hand look at what encompasses an election campaign,” said Melanie Springer, assistant professor of political science and an expert on American voting behavior. “Having the debate is a way to make us all feel closer to a national moment.”

In addition to simply bringing the election to the University, the debates will help students gain a wider perspective on the political process as a whole.

“Young people are all too often disenfranchised by national politics,” said junior Adam Schneider. “This [will be] our chance to let the nation know that we at Washington University are enthused by political

See DEBATES, page 2

PANDA BEAR CAPTURED

See WILD, page 2

Students add to Burns documentary

BY JOHN SCOTT CONTRIBUTING REPORTER Today’s college students, and most Americans, have never experienced anything approaching World War II. Now, with the help of some Washington University students, a Ken Burns documentary featuring stories from those who experienced World War II could provide valuable insight into how all Americans were impacted by the war.

The documentary, titled “The War,” is currently airing on PBS. The documentary focuses on how the war affected four American towns. As part of the documentary, Burns asked people to submit stories about their World War II experiences. Burns, a three-time Emmy award-winning documentary producer, is most famous for his Emmy award-winning “The Civil War.” The response was much greater than anticipated. According to Barbara Liebmann, administrative assistant at the Center for the Humanities, the University was contacted by St. Louis Public Television, KETC, to see if students would be interested in helping with the project and examining accounts.

“People were sending in so much information that they needed help from the students to sort out what would be actual experiences,” said Liebmann.

The History department and the Program in Film and Media Studies both had students interested in examining the submissions. By examining these submissions, the students are helping preserve the record of a critical time in American and world history.

Senior Traci Horner, one of the students working on the project, said that the concept of the project is very interesting because it collects personal histories before they are lost forever.

“The idea I think that Ken Burns had was he heard some statistic that so many World War II veterans are dying every day, and that statistic inspired him, so he started [the project] and everyone realized that it’s important to get these people’s voices and get their stories recorded in some form or another,” said Horner.

Horner, a history major, said that she was contacted by the History department about an internship associated with “The War.” She is working with KETC

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to sort through the submitted documents.

“We’re getting letters, books, interviews and oral histories that people have written down and are sending in. It’s basically all types of media,” said Horner.

Horner has gone through various types of documents ranging from a memoir to a pamphlet, both written by people who lived during the war. According to Horner, recorded phone conversations and television interviews are also included in the collection of primary documents.

All of the documents that Horner deals with are from people with some sort of connection to the St. Louis area. According to Horner, St. Louis has received a third of all submissions.

In addition to Horner and the other students from the University, students from St. Louis University are also helping with the project, and there are people working all over the country to examine the documents. Horner said that her aunt is working on the same project in Houston, Texas.

“Everyone has their story and it’s really special to the individual people and they want to be heard. Everything is being col-

lected and sent to the Missouri Historical Society after we deal with it, so it’s still going to be on record,” said Horner.

According to Horner, some of the documents include personal letters written to people serving during the war. She said that it was unexpected that people would be willing to share such personal accounts.

“That’s a really personal thing that someone is willing to share,” said Horner. “It’s been a shock to the people who work there. They didn’t expect so many people to want to talk about it. I’ve read a story from a person from Greece who watched his village get burned when he was ten.”

Horner said that she had not been interested specifically in World War II history, nor had she done much with it personally before this project.

“I’ve kind of shied away from it because I felt it was a topic that everyone covered, but now I’m realizing why everyone covers it,” she said.

Horner said that it is important to listen to the stories because others can relate to them.

“It’s really cool to hear these

See BURNS, page 2

Good eats in trendy Clayton Looking for fancy dining on a budget? Our Stepping Out team takes you on a bistro adventure at Pomme Café & Wine Bar. Scene, Page 8

SCOTT BRESSLER | STUDENT LIFE

Members of KARL Improv capture and escort a wild panda that was loose on campus on Thursday. The group was advertising their improv comedy show Thursday night.

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STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

STUDENT LIFE One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building Saint Louis, MO 63130-4899 News: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938 e-mail: editor@studlife.com www.studlife.com Copyright 2007 Editor in Chief: Erin Fults Executive Editor: David Brody Managing Editors: Shweta Murthi, Mallory Wilder Senior News Editor: Sam Guzik Senior Forum Editor: Nathan Everly Senior Cadenza Editor: Brian Stitt Senior Scene Editor: Felicia Baskin Senior Sports Editor: Trisha Wolf Senior Photo Editor: David Hartstein Senior Graphics Editor: Rachel Harris News Editors: Josh Hantz, David Song, Andrea Winter Forum Editors: Tess Croner, Jill Strominger, Christian Sherden, Dennis Sweeney Cadenza Editors: Elizabeth Ochoa, David Kaminsky, Cecilia Razak, Michelle Stein Scene Editors: Lana Goldsmith, Indu Chandrasekhar Sports Editors: Andrei Berman, Unaiz Kabani, Allie Wieczorek Photo Editors: Lucy Moore, Lionel Sobehart, Jenny Shao Online Editor: Scott Bressler Design Chief: Anna Dinndorf Copy Chiefs: Willie Mendelson, Indu Chandrasekhar Copy Editors: Shamima Hossain, Julia Jay, Elyse Kallen, Allison Kong, Brian Krigsher, Hannah Schwartz Designers: Jamie Reed, Kate Ehrlich, Kim Yeh, Dennis Sweeney, Susan Hall, Liz Klein, Zoe Scharf, Niki Dankner, Brittany Meyer, Alyssa Anzalone-Newman, Sophia Agapova, Evan Freedman General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Advertising Manager: Sara Judd Copyright 2007 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713.

Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@studlife.com for more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy. The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions.

If you’d like to place an ad, please contact the Advertising Department at (314) 935-6713.

If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.

FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

Cornerstone receives Pulse $100,000 NSF grant

Compiled by Josh Hantz

BY DAVID SONG NEWS EDITOR The Center for Advanced Learning at Washington University, also known as Cornerstone, recently received a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant will go toward research that will aid disability resources in helping University students participate in the Peer-Led Team Learning program (PLTL).

“It is a grant that we were awarded to provide additional support to students enrolled in PLTL who have attention deficit disorders and learning disorders,” explained Christine Street, assistant director of disability resources at Cornerstone, who developed the grant. “It was an outgrowth with what we see in our office and it was just appropriate to meet the needs of the student population.”

Cornerstone offers PLTL sessions for large lecture-based classes, including calculus, chemistry and physics classes.

During these sessions, students meet in small groups to collectively solve problems of the kind they will later see on tests. Sessions are led by an undergraduate student who has already completed and performed well in the course.

According to Street, there are 300 students registered with Cornerstone’s disability resources office. About 80 percent of those students have attention deficit disorders, learning disor-

BURNS v FROM PAGE 1 people’s stories because they were our age when these events happened. I feel like we can relate to it and it’s cool to have this intergenerational connection,” she said.

“We were talking today about the magnitude of World War II and it was such a group effort on such a large scale that it is hard to conceptualize. The closest thing I can think of is when September 11th happened. Everyone has a story of where they were.”

However, Patel also noted that in order to aid students who have, for example, attention deficit disorder, PLTL would have to see some changes.

“Along the lines PLTL is set up now, it would take a bit of work to be adapted,” said Patel. “It works really well now, but it’s going to take adjustment because the point of PLTL is to go beyond the simple material in classes, and puts more emphasis on the group. I feel like the training now would have to be refined— I’m pretty sure you couldn’t use the same system right now.”

On the direction of the NSFfunded research on PLTL, Street hoped that other universities would be able to benefit from the information obtained.

“It’s a great opportunity for all of our students and we hope that what we learn from this project is to see how students are served at Wash. U. and other elite institutions across the country,” said Street.

For University students without learning disabilities, PLTL remains a generally useful resource for students—especially freshmen—who may find the content of some of their classes challenging.

Lana Hompluem, a freshman who attends PLTL sessions for General Chemistry and Calculus II, recently took her first calculus exam.

“I did well on it because of PLTL, because it’s a smaller group in which you get specialized attention, and you get to practice doing problems,” said Hompluem. “The problems are usually more difficult than the ones in the book or WebWork, and it’s good to be exposed to them.”

ders or both.

“We will be giving the peer leaders additional information and training to meet the needs of the students,” said Street. “We are also employing a learning specialist, David Parker, who will be instrumental in implementing all aspects of the grant.”

However, Cornerstone’s plans to address learning disabilities in PLTL are still being implemented. Part of the grant money will go toward giving the PLTL leaders additional training and instruction.

“We’re in the process of finalizing our literature review and curriculum…and were just awarded the grant so we haven’t started with the peer leaders yet,” said Street. “We will be training the peer leaders on issues of attention disorders and learning disorders, and how students can be intelligent—and in fact brilliant—yet still have problems with time management and organization. We will also be training the peer leaders with strategies and instruction, and that is how to help students improve executive function skills.”

Hiten Patel, a junior who leads a PLTL group for General Chemistry, explained his thoughts about the PLTL system and its current method of teaching students with disabilities. Patel suggested that, in most cases, PLTL could be useful to students.

“The general experience with PLTL has been completely positive,” said Patel. “I was in PLTL before I became a leader, and the group dynamics are helpful.

For chemistry, physics and math it works very well, but not with some other subjects. I feel that it’d be really compatible with the grant as well.”

Friday, September 28

Campus-wide Career Fair Put on your best suit and visit the campus-wide career fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Athletic Complex. Sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers, the fair is open to all majors looking for jobs and internships.

Local Laughs: CPC Comedy Night The Washington University Campus Programming Council hosts a Night of Comedy in Graham Chapel from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. featuring the hilarious stylings of Eric Andre, Michelle Buteau, Dan Adhoot and Jo Koy. The four comedians have performed together several times before at various locations. The event is free with a University ID.

Saturday, September 29 Moon Festival: Just as Wild For anyone looking for an alternative to W.I.L.D., the Chinese Students Association along with several other groups is hosting the annual Moon Festival on the Swamp from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event will have food, performances and much more.

Sunday, September 30 Barbecue The Downtown Dutchtown Blues & BunFest at Meramec Street and Virginia Avenue from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. promises a full day of great hamburgers and other grilled goods. Five taste tickets go for $10.

Flicks at the Fox The Fox Theatre goes retro with showings of the 1925 silent version of “The Phantom of the Opera” at 1 p.m., “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” at 3 p.m., and “Chicago” at 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 per show, and parking is free.

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DEBATES v FROM PAGE 1 debate.”

For now, the CPD’s decision remains a waiting game.

Yet many continue to wonder whether the University has provided incentives towards favorable selection.

In a statement to the public, the CPD insists that their selection process “looks strictly into the production of the event,” emphasizing that “it’s not like the Olympics.”

UNDER THE BIG SIGN

Olympics or not, hosting a debate would mean big things at the University for students like sophomore William Osberghaus.

“The opportunity to attend a presidential debate on campus would be one of the highlights of my undergraduate career,” said Osberghaus. “If the University is selected, I plan to alter my study abroad plans so I can be on campus next fall.”

W.I.L.D. v FROM PAGE 1 there for people as a reward for helping us out.”

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The fourth act, the Sugarhill Gang, an old school hip-hop act from New York City, was added to the show only recently. The group’s addition to the bill represents the first time W.I.L.D. has had at least four performers since spring of 2006.

Many students were excited about the Sugarhill Gang’s addition to W.I.L.D., despite some who were not familiar with the group at all.

“I love the Sugarhill [Gang],” said freshman Grant Wilborn.

“I listened to it with my parents when I was growing up, so I was excited to hear that [they will be performing], but a lot of my friends have been asking, ‘Who are the Sugarhill Gang?’”

Other students, like freshman Joel Cohen, felt that the Sugarhill Gang’s performance would expose students to a style of music that they may end up liking.

“I can’t say I dislike the idea of exposing [students] to something new they’ve never heard, because I think a lot of people will end up liking them,” said Cohen.

“People might be up front more excited about somebody they know, but they’re going to go anyway, and if somebody they don’t know turns out being amazing, you could turn all these people on to good music,” said senior Josh Feinstein.

As with every year, volunteers are welcome to show up unannounced between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. until closing on Saturday.

“Just show up and say, ‘Hey.’ People who help out for a decent amount of time get a T-shirt and pass,” said Hovey. “But also we have a little area next to the mixing tent...that gives you a little bit of a lift above the crowd. We stash some drinks and pizza

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

FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

3

SPORTS

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Bears with nine games down, nine to go v Women’s soccer remains unbeaten at halfway mark

BY TRISHA WOLF SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR Wednesday began with 14 undefeated teams in Division III women’s soccer. It ended with 13.

Washington University’s 5th-ranked squad garnered its ninth victory of the season Wednesday night, beating cross-town rival Webster University 3-0 to drop the Gorloks to 8-1 on the season. More impressively, the Bears have now won 23 straight regular season games, with their last loss coming over a year ago.

Playing like the second half team it has been all year, the Bears failed to fi nd the net in the fi rst stanza. Despite dominating play and outshooting Webster 15-1, nothing went the Bears’ way. Webster’s sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Kozeny recorded seven saves in the half, though Wash. U. did its part to ease her job with several shots going right to her.

Junior defender Shirey Lane made some the half’s best

plays, running the ball nearly the length of the field in the 31st minute before a single Webster player challenged her and cutting off another player two minutes later, preventing a possible one-on-one situation at the Red and Green goal.

“It takes a while for us to get going,” said Head Coach Wendy Dillinger of her team’s fi rst half performance. “We play with more urgency in the second [half].”

As had been the situation in five of their earlier games this season, the second half began scoreless. With their perfect record on the line, the Bears stepped up their play. Sophomore forward Caryn Rosoff scored the eventual game winner in the 56th minute after Kozeny deflected Lane’s shot to Rosoff’s foot.

“We make it not to get scored on or lose at home,” said Lane.

“It becomes a mental game when the score is 0-0 at the half,” added Rosoff. “We stepped it up.”

Webster fought hard, and

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freshman Megan Neiderschulte almost tied up the game, taking a point-blank shot in the 81st minute. Senior keeper Carrie Sear was there for the impressive save.

The tide of the game completely turned in the 83rd minute. Webster was whistled for the foul. Sophomore defender Libby Held took the kick from just beyond midfield. At the goal, Rosoff headed the ball into the net, giving the Bears an insurance goal.

“She not only anchors our defense but starts our offense with her foot,” said Dillinger of Held’s impressive leg.

With that goal, Webster’s team began to break down.

Using only 15 players over the course of the game compared with Wash. U.’s 24, the fresher legs won the battle.

Less than fi ve minutes later, sophomore midfielder Becca Heymann headed in another goal on a cross from senior Marin McCarthy.

Neiderschulte gave it one last shot on a breakaway, but back goalie Amanda Boe made the save, giving the Bears their sixth shut-out of the year.

“Scoring two goals in the last minute says a lot,” said Lane. “We don’t quit.”

With this win, the team’s thoughts turn to UAA conference play. This portion of the season begins Sunday when the Bears face Carnegie Mellon at noon on Francis Field.

“We were both undefeated and someone does [go] home with a loss,” said Held, referring to how this game prepares them for UAA play. “We can get out all of the kinks.”

A different kind of consulting firm

LILY SCHORR | STUDENT LIFE

Sophomore Caryn Rosoff fights for the ball in the women’s soccer game against Webster Wednesday night.

Fall Lectures at the Saint Louis Art Museum Thursday, Oct. 4 7:00 pm

One of the leading artists working in the United States today, Simpson challenges perceptions of identity through provocative combinations of photography and text and also film and language. Simpson will discuss issues of race, gender, and identity with Shaw, author of Portraits of a People: Picturing African Americans in the Nineteenth Century.

Friday, Oct. 12 7:00 pm

Join Penny to explore important early European artworks from the Saint Louis Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The annual Dorismae Friedman lecture is supported by the Dorismae Friedman Docent Enrichment Fund, which was created by Harvey Friedman to honor his wife, a longtime docent, and is dedicated to docent education at the Museum

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Thursday, Nov. 1 6:00 pm

10th Anniversary Nelson I. Wu Lecture: Cultural Memory and Regional Pride in China’s Western Gardens Jerome Silbergeld, P. Y. and Kinmay W. Tang Professor of Chinese Art History, Princeton University, and Director, Tang Center, Princeton University Most of what is known about China’s great garden-building history comes from private scholar gardens in the south and imperial gardens in the north. Silbergeld sheds new light on Chinese garden design when he explores the little-known tradition of landscape architecture from Sichuan in the southwest. The 10th annual Nelson I. Wu lecture on Asian art and culture, which honors the memory of the late Dr. Wu, is jointly sponsored by the Saint Louis Art Museum and Washington University in St. Louis.

Lectures are FREE and held in the Museum Auditorium

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4

Senior Forum Editor / Nathan Everly / forum@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

FORUM STAFF EDITORIAL

But what has happened? We don’t know.

Where did all the taters go?

Sweet potato fries are well and fi ne, But we want tots! We’ll stand in line!

Tater tots are great, are grand, The tastiest grease in Danforth land.

You can eat them while you study, You can eat them with a buddy.

You can eat them when you’re drunk.

But Bon Appetit says they’re junk?

“These tots have trans fats, and this is bad.”

They tell us this; it makes us sad.

“No more trans fats at this school.”

But it’s these tots that make us drool!

At 44 grand, we pay big bucks, But no tots? That really sucks.

Bon Appetit says trans fats must go.

They make you chubby, make you slow.

We agree—these fats are bad.

You should not eat them in your pad.

Cut fat out, take it away.

With trans fats, we will not play.

Thank you Carmody for cutting the grease, But one suggestion to keep the peace— Find us tots and bring them back.

Buy them, buy them, by the sack!

Search for them high, search for them low.

Find healthy tots—please go, go, go!

Trans fat free’s the way to be, So we’ll try to wait patiently.

But do not wipe them from the menu At every campus eating venue.

French fries, Boscos, chicken tenders— We need tots from other vendors!

Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Christian Sherden ctsherde@artsci.wustl.edu

Wednesday: Jill Strominger Friday: Tess Croner jlstromi@artsci.wustl.edu tacroner@wustl.edu

To ensure that we have time to fully evaluate your submissions, guest columns should be e-mailed to the next issue’s editor or forwarded to forum@studlife.com by no later than 5 p.m. two days before publication. Late pieces will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

We welcome your submissions and thank you for your consideration.

A completely original critique of “The Media”

Hot for tots There’s one thing we like lots and lots, We like lots of tater tots.

We can eat them in our classes, Or while sitting on our—backsides.

We used to eat them here and there, We used to get them everywhere.

CC fryer—ketchup please!

Village Grill, with grilled cheese.

FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

BY ALTIN SILA SENIOR STAFF COLUMNIST

I

can’t seem to stay away from the media. No, there aren’t photographers following me around to see whose car I bash with an umbrella at a gas station (at least not yet).

I mean that despite my disdain for CNN, MSNBC, FOX News and many of the online news sites, I’m consistently drawn to them. I can’t help but feel the need to understand what goes on in the rest of the world, so I fl ip to cable news when there isn’t a Seinfeld re-run on, and I click on those alluring headlines on Yahoo! News when I’ve looked at all the photos of the same person on Facebook that I can handle for one day.

Yet, I get so annoyed and sometimes disgusted by the latest trends in media that I need to get my thoughts out.

And since I never hear anyone else complaining about the media, I’ve decided to use this medium to rant and rave about a few of the trends that really get under my skin.

First and foremost deals with the scary obsession with celebrities. Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, Nicole Ritchie, Lindsay Lohan, Owen Wilson and of course, Paris Hilton have all been subjects of this sick obsession within the last year alone, and I’m sure I left some off of the list.

It hasn’t been said before, so I’ll say it fi rst: It’s gotten out of control. The Paris Hilton debacle last summer

was the pinnacle of the sickness—particularly the helicopters over her house as she got into the police car. It’s gotten beyond simply what celebrities do; now, literally nothing is being reported.

A few weeks ago, I saw the following headline on the front page of Yahoo! News: “Mary-Kate refuses to smile for paparazzi.” Really? That’s a front-page headline? I guess there weren’t any wars or government corruption to report on, so they had to put something there. (I’m a sucker, too, though; I clicked it).

The obsession with celebrities has also been extended toward exaggerating or even manufacturing controversies and then forcing celebrities to apologize in front of cameras. Don Imus, if you remember, the very relevant fake cowboy radio host, had his career ended after he called the Rutgers Women’s Basketball Team “nappy headed hos” in an odd attempt to be funny.

One of the players even tried to sue him for slander and defamation (thankfully, The King of All Media is safe on satellite radio). Isaiah Washington of Grey’s Anatomy was fi red and condemned after a pretty innocuous statement at the Golden Globes. Rosie O’Donnell was fi red and then forced to apologize after her argument with Elisabeth Hasselbeck on The View. And now, O.J. Simpson has again found himself unfairly in the cross-hairs of the media.

Can the poor guy ever catch a break?

Cable news’ recent discovery of the Internet, and particularly YouTube, has been almost equally bad. Shows now dedicate entire segments to showing the most popular videos on YouTube and what the bloggers are talking about. They literally have someone surf the Internet on live television. I’m entertained by YouTube as much as the next person, but can I watch TV for more than 30 seconds without hearing about it? The train wreck that was the CNN-YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate should have been cause to remove YouTube permanently from cable news.

I like watching political debates between journalists, politicians, pundits and party leaders, but why does it need to be so formulaic? I saw one of the shows announce a debate with “a blogger from the left” and “one from the right” a little while ago. The two bloggers (who each obviously had great credentials) were set in front of corresponding blue and red backgrounds and argued with the usual babble that’s heard day in and day out. It usually goes something like this: “George Bush is Adolf Hitler. He is worse than Osama Bin Laden and if Democrats don’t impeach him tomorrow, the world will soon end.” And then, “You hate America. You hate freedom. George Bush is the commander-in-chief and if he isn’t allowed to do

whatever he wants then the terrorists win and the world will soon end.” And so on. It’s no wonder that half of the country doesn’t vote.

Next on my list: the ridiculous dramatization of every single event. I think the new hot profession to be in is cable news crisis logo design. Each network has its own logo for whatever the latest story is. Whether it’s the word “Paris” behind grey bars, “Iran” written using the Iranian flag or “Iraq” written in cracked lettering, there seems to be no limit to how stories can be graphically represented. By far, the most tasteless graphic I saw was after the shootings at Virginia Tech this past spring. One of the news channels took the VT logo and put bullet holes in it. Real classy, guys.

Finally, I can’t stand when the media discusses itself.

They actually have the gall to go from discussing Anna Nicole’s baby to discussing whether the media has “gone too far.” It’s as if each pundit, channel, blogger, or columnist thinks that they’re separate from the rest of the media. I mean, how many more times can I read the same tired diatribe about the media by some columnist with no other idea for what to write his or her column on?

Whoops! I gotta go. I’m missing The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.

Altin is a senior in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at asila@wustl.edu.

Surprise!

RACHEL TEPPER & KARL IMPROV | EDITORIAL CARTOON

S

Correction: In the September 26 column, “Let’s Get Cooking,” Nathan Everly was incorrectly credited as the author. The column was actually written by Dennis Sweeney.

Student Life regrets the error.

orry for messing with defi nitely or at least probably, the cliché, but surprises I’m not going to be a tropical can really fi ll up your field biologist. I don’t think I’m life. There are just so cut from the right stock. First many of them. Good surof all, I’m a chick with a severe prises—winning lotto tickets, mosquito allergy. I’m also a secret admirers and toasty suburban girl who likes her days in mid-December—and creature comforts. And I’m a bad surprises—parking tickets, social person who needs more stalkers and bugs in your than lizards for company. Not salad. These jolts of joy and looking good for a life in the horror are what keep us on tropics. our toes. In fact, they keep us I spent the entire sumtiptoeing through mer sorting grass and life, hoping to step counting seeds in an up, trying to avoid ecology lab. Go ahead, stepping right in it. you try it. I’ll spoil the And sometimes you surprise and tell you surprise yourself, that you will end up and these can be questioning whether the biggest, scariest you have the focus and shockers of them all. the patience to follow Like, hey, your life much of anything to Tess Croner its rightful end. Maybe is not fi lling up with surprises the way those virtues come with you expected. more experience (or Coming to college I was better projects). But, surprise! I pretty damn certain I had the discovered I was not totally off next 10, 20, 30 years of my base. I have not lost the interlife all mapped out. Or at least est or passion or curiosity that I had a rough sketch. I was led me to pursue the scientist’s all set to be a tropical field life. I just may have to channel biologist, trekking through my energies in some new and the Amazon and sleeping possibly more realistic ways. in a canvas tent. I would be So here I am, halfway married to some like-minded through college and shocked guy—someone more than to fi nd myself stumbling over willing to accommodate all old ideas like, the more you my exotic plans and share my learn, the less you know. And bug-ridden tent. My days would the more you understand the be fi lled with careful observaworld around you, the harder tion, methodical note taking it can be to decide your place and midday leopard wrestling. in it. Or not. The surprises just Well, surprise! My career map keep on coming. As for me, I’ll needs to be re-googled. keep looking for my tent boy.

I guess that’s what a little education will do to you: strip Tess is a junior in Arts & you down, crush your plans Sciences and a Forum editor. and leave you wondering She can be reached via e-mail at whether to rebuild. Maybe, or forum@studlife.com.

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Student Life welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed submissions from readers.

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Once an article has been published on www.studlife.com, our Web site, it will remain there permanently. We do not remove articles from the site, nor do we remove authors’ names from articles already published on the Web, unless an agreement was reached prior to July 1, 2005.

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Editor in Chief: Erin Fults Executive Editor: David Brody Managing Editors: Shweta Murthi, Mallory Wilder Senior News Editor: Sam Guzik Senior Photo Editor: David Hartstein Senior Sports Editor: Trisha Wolf

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FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

5

The politics of ideology

BY SARA REMEDIOS STAFF COLUMNIST

I

was doing the reading just now for my Cold War class (taught by Professor Knapp—highly recommended) and I could not stop laughing. The people in Hilltop (I’m sitting just outside) are probably judging me severely, but reading NSC-68, a document that basically outlines U.S. attitude and policy in the Cold War from 1952 on, is nothing if not entertaining. At least for a Cold War-obsessed political science nerd.

I’ll explain: NSC-68 is the document that defi ned the U.S.S.R. as a serious threat due to ideology and capability and set forth a case for a) spreading American ideology around the world, and b) massive military buildup. The basic premise was that, in the short term, we should hold threats at bay with guns, and wage a huge “this is why we’re the best” campaign to ensure long-term security. That’s the gist.

In and of itself it’s not funny so much as it is pragmatic, or at least appropriate, for the time period. And yet in the context of modern politics, from the perspective of a jaded and cynical liberal who grew up inside the beltway among politicians and their kids, there really are no words.

Why? Because the philosophy spelled out so clearly, so compellingly, so intuitively in NSC-68 has (ironically like communism itself) left a legacy that essentially gets all of the fi ner points completely backwards. Oh American politics, how I love/hate thee.

What I mean by this backwardness, what makes me laugh but really isn’t even a little bit funny, is, in short, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the “War on Terror.” Also Haiti and the “banana republics” and God knows what else, but for the moment let’s look at the Middle East and Central Asia.

The basic American philosophy is still, as it should

be, that we’re right. Freedom is the best, democracy equals freedom, and we have both— let’s share! Okay, but um, Iraq?

We went in with force to compel freedom. Isn’t that a little counter-intuitive?

Rousseau said we should “force men to be free,” but he meant freedom at birth by burdening them with civil liberties and obligations, not by blowing up their houses and then handing over cash to start small businesses among the debris. I’m not saying that there was freedom under Saddam Hussein, or that Iraq was where I was planning my next vacation, but going into a culture that our government obviously didn’t really understand with guns blazing doesn’t strike me as the best way to get people to agree with us. “Hey, you shot my brother, husband and second cousin twice removed, but it’s all good. I love the Beach Boys!”

It’s probably not going to happen.

What actually happens is that we create our own worst enemies by assuming that we’re right from the get-go, purely because we have a super strong military and are, in fact, a hyper-power. We have it backwards, as I said: we built up our military and instead of using it to hold threats at bay while we showed by example and benevolence that democracy can work, we used it to force other governments to put on the pretense that they agree. Meanwhile, our use of force has given ammunition to others who already hated us that we’re heinous despots, helping cement (though absolutely not justifying) radical beliefs. It’s also alienated others who may have been inclined to work with us under different circumstances.

And so we have the “War on Terror.” We have villages where children are taken from their homes and sent to terrorist training camps because that’s where they’ll be fed, and instead of offering alternatives and cutting off the steady

TEMU BROWN | STUDENT LIFE

supply of new fundamentalists, we’re torturing whomever we suspect. Instead of going in with humanitarian aid and leaving the impression that we’re good people who want to help and don’t deserve to be terrorized, we’re trying to con-

vince people that we’re good and want to help after we’ve spent a few months shooting at—terrorizing!—them. We’re doing it backwards.

It’s not the Cold War anymore, but it is the Cold War’s hangover. The world’s changed

but the rhetoric, though corrupted, has not: “spread freedom, ensure liberty” is still spewed forth from every politician discussing foreign policy. The only difference is that now we don’t believe them.

Guns don’t win wars on ideology; only better ideology can do that.

Sara is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at saremedi@wustl.edu.

Superman that ho

BY NANDAN PRASAD STAFF COLUMNIST

I

know a lot of people love “Crank That” by Soulja Boy. Everyone’s heard it in the past month, whether it is at parties, club meetings or barbeques. It’s everywhere.

Even I can’t resist trying to learn the dance so I can join my friends in “crankin’ that.”

But every time I dance to the song or snap my fi ngers to the beat, I feel a huge pang of guilt for what I feel is my tacit approval of the song’s offensive lyrics, more specifically, the continued use of the word ‘ho’ to refer to a woman.

Lyrics that use the words “hos” and “b----” as synonyms for women continue to be an embodiment of a disgraceful aspect of our society. That aspect is the complacency with the continued degradation and objectification of women in the mainstream hip-hop

industry.

Now I know that the Don Imus controversy in April partly addressed this issue.

The media went crazy, Al Sharpton and Jess Jackson did more protesting, the NAACP denounced degrading lyrics again, some music producers met to discuss a solution, and everyone held hands and said that the degradation of women is not tolerable.

And where are we five months later?

Everyone on campus knows how to “superman that ho.”

50-Cent gets front-page status on Ruckus, despite failing to clean up his music, evidenced by his new song “I Get Money,” in which he states, “I got rid of my old b----, now I got new hos.” At least two of the artists performing tomorrow at W.I.L.D. have used the word “ho” in at least one of their songs.

And now as a society we ask ourselves, are we truly committed to eradicating degrading lyrics from all forms of hip-hop and rap? As always, in accordance with human nature, (most of) our voices say yes while our actions say no.

Now granted, Congress is having hearings on the issue, but do we really need the government to have to tell us that degrading women is bad? We as a society should be taking this burden upon ourselves, and so far we are all failing miserably.

As for those who argue, “you’re taking these lyrics too seriously, it’s just music,” I’m sorry to say you’re wrong.

Our complacency with degrading lyrics has effects beyond the dance floor. It entrenches the use of those words in everyday life and gradually desensitizes society

to degradation based on gender.

For example, two weeks ago my residential college held its annual college council elections. One particularly competitive race was between a male and a female. The male (or those campaigning

“Do we really need the goverment to have to tell us that degrading women is bad?” for him) put up campaign signs that encouraged voters to endorse him “before hos,” a play off of the popular phrase “bros before hos.” A few people found the clever play on words hilarious, some even saying that it was OK because it was meant to be

funny. I found it disgusting. I also found it disgusting how so few people seemed bothered or offended. An amusing play on words is no excuse to allow the use of degrading words, especially when they refer to a specific person.

The fact that this even happened, that so few people reacted, and that this candidate ended up winning the election (despite supposedly being docked half his votes as a penalty for ‘negative campaigning’) shows in part the effect of degrading hip-hop lyrics on our society. The less we act against degradation in hip-hop, the more we accept its existence and then we begin to tolerate and allow it within our own community.

So what’s the solution?

Stop listening to degrading songs. Check the song lyrics before purchasing them on iTunes. Stop buying the CD’s

and stop going to the concerts.

I know that even getting one person to completely stop listening to degrading music is an improbable outcome of this article, but it is important to always remember that the music industry is ultimately money driven, and every one of our dollars is a way of voting for what we want. So far, most of our society has shown that we will pay money for a good beat regardless of offensive lyrics. Therefore, it is up to each of us to stop endorsing the continued sexism and to promote music that is not guided by objectifying women. Otherwise, the more money we pay for trash, the more trash we get.

Nandan is a freshman in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at nprasad@artsci.wustl.edu.

A guide to anonymous facebook stalking

BY BOB ZHENG STAFF COLUMNIST

I

was somewhat uneasy about writing my fi rst column, considering I have no writing skills and my knowledge of current events is limited to the fact that our current president’s name is the same as a colloquisum for female pubic hair. So for inspiration, I decided to pick up a copy of Student Life.

After a few minutes of frustration upon not fi nding any comics or Sudokus, I turned to the Forum section. Within this section, I found an article thatprovided me with the inspiration I was desperately seeking.

This article showed me exactly what I had hoped to see. With his forcefully lofty diction, awkward sense of humor and uninspired subject matter, the article’s author artfully proved that he had the personality of a pile of burning tires. If stuff like this can get published, then I can at least get thrown

into the “maybe” pile.

Why a guide to Facebook stalking? Well, I fi rmly and fundamentally believe that every guy should at least get to second base with a girl before getting rejected due to the unbearable greasiness of his hair, and Facebook stalking is easily the best way to meet those girls. Also, the more of my readership I get laid, the greater my amassed following will be when I take over Student Life coup d’etat style and turn it into an anti-Semitic coloring book (who loves irony?).

Back in the golden days of courting, a young man would meet a young woman at the royal courtyard in the moonlit glow of the autumn nights, singing her sonnets of affection and presenting her with beautiful tokens of love before having a three-way with her and her chamber-pot cleaning lady and never calling her back (or never sending her messengers again, whatever they did

back then).

Fortunately, those sappy days are over and courting is done through the most productivity inducing entity in the history of, well, history: Facebook. With Facebook, you can meet hundreds of honeys in a matter of minutes without maintaining even passable hygiene, all from the comfort of your Cheeto-encrusted keyboard.

So to begin, exit out of your game of World of Warcraft. Use Firefox as a Web browser and open up Facebook. Login or, if you are not a student, make a Hotmail address and create a profi le. Proceed to search through the lists of Wash. U. females, using the advanced fi ltering options to narrow your field of view to a certain group of desirables (man, if only weight was one of the variables you could fi lter).

Now comes to the challenging part: hottie spotting.

See, despite what all modern neurological sciences have

proved, females are clever, and are masters at optical manipulation. Nowadays, the ugliest girl can turn herself into a vixen with the proper lighting and camera angles.

Luckily, these fake foxes aren’t too difficult to weed out. Below are the most common tricks to watch for: 1. Tilted down self-taken pictures. This angle is perfect for covering up a second or third chin, as well as strategically maximizing the cleavage to non-cleavage surface area ratio within the picture. If you don’t believe me, put on a tank top, take a camera, tilt it down towards yourself, squeeze your chest together and take a picture. Chances are if you’re the type of guy who needs a guide like this, the picture will show you spotting at least a C cup.

2. Group photos. If an ugly girl takes a group photo with a bunch of hot friends, contrary to popular belief, the girl will actually look better than if she were just sitting there all by

herself. Make sure not to completely ignore a picture like this, because she’ll probably be in the picture with other potential stalk-ees, allowing for combination stalking. Score.

3. Black and white photos.

This is a big giveaway of a potential brown-bagger. Black and white photos can make even the ugliest troll look like an “I’d hit that”-test passing troll. Black and white hides discolorations and blemishes such as pizza-face acne, hideous birthmarks, unibrows and facial scars from third-degree burns.

4. A profi le picture of something other than themselves.

Most girls that do this usually consider themselves unique through a lack of vanity and superficiality, but in actuality these “unique” girls are probably ugly women’s studies majors. But if that stuff turns you on, it’s cool I guess. It’s better than a foot fetish (not by much).

If the profi le picture is not

revealing enough, feel free to snoop through the other pictures she has on her Facebook (don’t feel guilty about this, the reason girls have so many pictures on Facebook is that they secretly enjoy being hit on by unscrupulous guys). Once you’ve narrowed the pool down to a potential few, use the new tab feature to compare their pictures side to side. After consulting with all of your male friends, friendly acquaintances and academic advisors (fi nally they’re good for something), choose one lucky female to be your new crush and tell everyone you can (besides the crush) so you can claim her for your own.

Oh, and you should probably try to remember her name and write it down somewhere, because it might come in handy down the line.

Bob Zheng is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at byzheng@ artsci.wustl.edu.

6

Senior Scene Editor / Felicia Baskin / scene@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

Stepping

BY BROOKE SCHACHNER AND ERIC BIERMAN SCENE REPORTERS For fine dining in St. Louis, look no further than Pomme in downtown Clayton. The small bistro boasts an ever-changing, tastebud-tempting menu and an extensive wine list. But at almost $60 a person, Pomme is most likely reserved for dinner with parents or important dates.

Lucky for cheap (yet discerning) college students

Out

like us, last year Pomme owner/chef Bryan Carr opened the more affordable Pomme Café and Wine Bar just two doors down from the original restaurant.

The café’s ambiance could not be better: small, dimly lit and very warm, it boasts an exposed brick wall and a very large chalkboard that lists the day’s specials.

There is also a patio outside for daytime meals and warm nights. On the side of the restaurant, a beautiful bar invites patrons to

sample a vast array of wines.

Needless to say, the vibe is decidedly more European than Midwestern.

You truly can’t tell the difference between the original Pomme and the more wallet-friendly café version.

Well, that is, until the check arrives.

After we chose our table, we were given a drink list and our menus. In addition to wines by the glass, carafe and bottle, you can order wine by the 3 oz. glass, which permits you to sample

ERIC BIERMAN | STUDENT LIFE

Instead of the pricey parent restaurant, Pomme, try the Cafe & Wine Bar—more Pomme for your pocket.

FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

Pomme Café and Wine Bar 44 North Central Avenue Clayton, MO 63105

a variety of offerings.

In addition to the various alcoholic beverages, the café offers teas, coffees, smoothies and juices.

The menu is relatively simple, with a selection of sandwiches, one dish with chicken, one with steak, and pastas.

However, rather than being detrimental to the success of the restaurant, the uncomplicated menu adds to the establishment’s charm.

All the ingredients are top notch and the plates are as tasty as they are classic.

Sides include a hummus plate, marinated olives and house-made potato chips, which were some of the best we had ever eaten. In addition to the chips, we started off our meal with a salad and vinaigrette dressing that was light and succulent.

For the main course, we had a pasta dish and a chicken dish. The pasta was served in a pesto sauce with fresh Parmesan and roasted red peppers. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned just as well. We would have preferred if the plate had come with some bread, but overall the dish was excellent. Also, the portion was very large for an entrée that only cost 11 dollars.

The chicken dish was delicious, too. It was served with mixed vegetables, potatoes and mushrooms, all cooked in a sauce that

Rating:

★★★★✬

complemented the mushrooms perfectly. While this dish’s serving size was not as large as the pasta’s, it was so well-prepared that we would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to go to Pomme Café in the future.

We didn’t sample any of the sandwiches, but we did notice that Pomme Café offers a variety that spans from a simple grilled cheese to a hot dog to a more “refined” turkey and avocado.

Also on the menu are two tartines, which are openfaced sandwiches. These included apple with brie and prosciutto with roasted pepper. Dishes like the tartines show the range of

the Pomme Café menu and showcase its ability to put a distinctive touch on even the most generic of dishes.

Pomme Café and Wine Bar is an excellent addition to Clayton’s restaurant scene and it holds its own on North Central Avenue, a street that boasts some of the city’s best eateries.

The friendly and helpful staff makes the restaurant all the more appealing. Our waiter checked on us several times, and a number of others came to the table to ensure that we had the best possible dining experience.

We whole-heartedly give Pomme Café our seal of approval.

presents a guide to places of worship in the WU community

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Karen: 314-894-3080.

FRESHMEN: IF YOU want to eliminate drunk driving around WUSTL, you have time to spare, and you consider yourself a strong leader, email dmschlic@wustl.edu.

MAD SCIENCE INSTRUCTORS. Enthusiastic instructors needed to teach part-time (after-school, 2-4 days per week), FUN, hands-on science programs in elementary schools. MUST HAVE TRANSPORTATION. $25$27.50 per 1 hr class. Call 314-991-8000.

PART-TIME HELP wanted.

The Campus Store in Mallinckrodt Center is hiring part-time sales associates.

Evening/week end availability necessary. 10-15 hours per week. Apply in person or email rodneyj@bookstore. wustl.edu for more information.

SITTERS WANTED. AVERAGE $10 per hour. Register free for jobs near campus or home. http://www.studentsitters.com.

ST. LOUIS HILLEL. Phoneathon - $10/hour - 2 shifts.

10/7/07 - 10/11/07. Call Smadar 935-9044.

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WANTED: BABYSITTER FOR 9-year-old.

Babysitter needed on weekend eve- nings for a 9 year old girl in Located in the Creve Coeur area off Olive. Having your own transporation is a must. Please email mcseweltri@aol.com or call (314) 872-7191 if interested or for more information.

WASHU FAMILY NEEDS responsible student for occasional babysitting for 3 young boys. Must be all right with dogs and not allergic to cats. Having your own car is helpful but not necessary.

Salary negotiable.

Contact sherberg@wustl.edu or call 314-432-5532.

CLAYTON, U. CITY Loop, CWE and Dogtown. Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms.

Quiet buildings. $410-$900.

Visit us online at www.ByronCompany.com or call us at 725-5757.

LARGE SELECTION OF apartments throughout Saint Louis! Red Brick Management has apartments in University City, the Central West End, Richmond Heights, Doctown, Shaw, and Soulard. Find your space today! Please call (314) 361-7067 or visit us online at http://www. redbrickmanagement. com.

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

SPRING BREAK 2008. Sell Trips, Earn Cash, and Go Free. Call for group discounts. Best Deals guaranteed! For more information or to make reservations: call 800-648-4849 or email www.ststravel.com.

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STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

SCENE

HealthBeat Vitamins: Is too much of a good thing a bad thing?

D

octors and nutritionists alike enforce the idea that getting enough vitamins and minerals is extremely important for optimal health. However, what they often don’t emphasize enough is the importance of getting these nutrients from actual food. When taken in pill format, the vitamins are usually less effective due to Brooke poor absorption rates in the body.

Yet, it is still pretty simple to overdose on vitamins when they are taken in the pill form. In fact, overdose is the primary concern about oral supplements—and one that has been nearly disregarded in our “health-conscious” society. Ingesting too many vitamins can be extremely dangerous for one’s health.

Below, I have outlined some of the major vitamin supplements, their uses and their dangers.

The most popular vitamin of all has to be Vitamin C. For years, Vitamin C has been touted for its disease-fighting abilities and anti-oxidant properties. Health-aware Wash. U. students have been known to pop Vitamin C supplements like Emergen-C or Airborne into their water bottles, especially around fi nals time when it seems like everyone is getting sick.

Loyalists of these products beware—supplements like Airborne usually contain about 2,000mg of Vitamin C, which is well over the recommended 60mg your body should get in a day.

While Vitamin C is watersoluble and it won’t cause long-term damage, it turns out that consuming 2,000mg a day can actually cause diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps and headache.

Vitamin C normally functions as an antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals that damage cells, but if too much is taken in too frequently, it can act as a pro-oxidant and cause cellular damage.

Daily mega-doses of Vitamin C may also create a Vitamin C dependency that will have rebounding deficiency signs like bleeding gums, wounds that take a long time to heal and skin problems.

Vitamin B6, a watersoluble vitamin often taken under the presumption that it is a panacea, can also be dangerous when taken in

excess. Vitamin B6 has been advertised as an “energy booster” and overall “moodenhancer” and is often used to relieve headaches or lessen symptoms of depression.

Nonetheless, taking more than 250mg a day can cause irreversible nerve damage.

Another common supplement is zinc, particularly popular among young males. Zinc is often sold in Genkin “men’s health and wellness” packets, stamped with the claim that it can improve sexual prowess and strengthen immunity.

Unfortunately, much like the other vitamins, zinc can actually impair immunity and lower good cholesterol when too much is taken.

While water-soluble vitamins may be harmful, fatsoluble Vitamins like A and E are even more of a concern.

This is because fat-soluble vitamins are not excreted like water-soluble vitamins but are in fact stored in the liver. Overdosing on Vitamin A, which is often taken to improve the appearance of skin, can lead to headaches, hair loss, dry skin and bone and joint aches. Vitamin E is normally taken as a supplement to reduce the risk of heart disease, but when taken in surplus, it has similar effects on the body as Vitamin C and can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea.

So how much is too much, and how can we avoid overdoing it? My recommendation would be to steer clear of vitamin supplements with the exception of one multivitamin a day. No matter what you overhear or read online, it is rare that anyone needs extra Vitamin C, B6, zinc, A or E. If you think you should be taking more of any of these vitamins or are considering tampering with your dietary supplements, make sure to consult your physician. And remember: too much of a good thing can in fact become a very, very bad thing.

Brooke Genkin is a junior in the college of Arts & Sciences majoring in Anthropology with a concentration in Public Health studies. Information for her column is provided by experts at the Habif Health and Wellness Center and other sources.

COURTESY OF ERIC JENSEN

Formula SAE team members (from L to R) Joe Nelson, Jake Sparks and Matt Schweiker stand outside of the team trailer in Detroit, MI this past May.

BY SHAYNA MAKARON SCENE REPORTER

I

t’s been said that there’s something a little quirky about every Wash. U. student. Some of us love to salsa dance. Others prefer to don medieval attire and battle on the swamp. A select number of students—to put it simply— build cool things.

In recent years, the most publicized example of Wash.

U. students’ engineering handiwork has probably been the computer-controlled light display dance floor used for Vertigo, EnCouncil’s annual dance party. The floor debuted at EnCouncil’s 2005 function, but since then its technology has proven to be a bit clanky and cumbersome. A group of engineering students have taken on the project of Vertigo Dance Floor 2.0 in hopes of updating the floor’s technology.

Senior Greg Galloway, president of Wash. U.’s chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, noted that there have been several difficulties in getting the project rolling, such as a lack of knowhow and the limited free time of project participants. Still, after preliminary testing and the choice of new materials, the project should soon be on its way. New ideas include a high-density plastic that will be strong, clear and possibly waterproof to the point that it could be put under a pool.

Also, fresher sensor technology will allow for such activities as human pong, human Tetris and a floor that lights up as people

SCENE REPORTER

E

veryone knows it is a good idea to talk to someone about sex before having sex with that person. You need to make sure you are on the same page about what you both want to get out of it and about whether you see it as a casual act or an act of commitment. But before having this discussion, there are several things you need to think about on your own.

Since the right time to have sex with someone hinges a lot on each person’s own sexual attitudes and experiences, you need to make sure that you know yours well before trying to make a decision that involves somebody else.

First, consider the emotions that sex has brought up within you in the past. Has it made you feel more connected to the

speed

rock sock & roll

robots] and taking them apart,” said Cordova. “We had to tell the kids [our booth] was shut down for a couple hours because we had to cut another groove for the head joint or replace some of the rope.”

The robots’ mechanics can be broken down and understood even by those of us who didn’t get into this prestigious University for our knowledge of physics. In fact, after a stint at 2008’s Thurtene carnival, the new robots will be used in a children’s engineering exhibit at the St. Louis Science Center. The basic idea behind the machines is that you move a bar back and forth in order to control the pulley systems. In turn, these systems control the robotic arms. When you pull back on the cords, the robots’ arms extend to punch. In true Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em fashion, the head is spring-loaded when the chest plates are hit.

While the three talented engineers spent around 30 to 50 hours on the original project, it is estimated that the repairs (which include using metal cable, copper tubing for joints and structuring more accurate dimensions) should only take around 15 to 20 hours. Cordova explained that his Wash. U. education nicely complements the intense mechanical thought that went into creating the robots.

Wight and Watkins were both used to working with forces and torques as a result of their fields of study, but Cordova especially had some luck in the time of his classes and his creation.

“It is interesting because at the time I was taking the sopho-

COURTSEY OF LEE CORDOVA

Carnival-goers compete with the Rock ‘em Sock ‘em robots at Thurtene Carnival last spring. Sam Wright (in green shirt) and Matt Watkins (in gray shirt) ready the robots for battle.

§

BY NICOLLE NEULIST

walk on it.

Once it is finished, the Vertigo Dance Floor 2.0 will hopefully go on to be used at Vertigo, Dance Marathon and other community events. Galloway proposed that working on the Vertigo Dance Floor is an experience that could benefit any engineering student, regardless of specialty.

“It melds different schools of thought,” said Galloway. “Mechanical, electrical, computer engineering—there’s a lot of things involved. So it helps you learn a lot about not only your specific major but [also] how it relates to the other majors in the engineering school.”

Working with EnCouncil is certainly a great way for students to get involved in unique endeavors. Junior Lee Cordova, biomedical engineering major, has done several projects with EnCouncil in the past. Although the 8-foot duct tape beaver that he worked on for EnWeek 2006 was a tough act to follow, he considers his current project— life-sized “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em” robots—to be one of the greatest tasks he’s taken on while at Wash. U. Cordova is working with fellow juniors Sam Wight and Matt Watkins to recreate a sturdier version of the oversized toys they created for the Thurtene carnival last year. After excessive rocking and socking, it turned out that the rope and PVC plastic that comprised the innards of the robots were just not cutting it.

“The whole carnival was very stressful for the three of us because we were constantly [the

FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

Wash. U. ENGINEERS

8

more biomechanics class,” said Cordova. “I was learning about how forces act with arms and here I was, basically building an artificial arm.”

Senior Eric Jensen has found a similar synergy between his schoolwork and his extracurricular endeavors. As president of the Formula SAE Racing Team, Jensen leads a team of Wash. U. students in constructing and racing custom-built cars—cars that are so well-crafted they can go faster than a Corvette. He cites his Wash. U. education as an important resource for his work.

“As you progress [through] your years of schooling here, you find that it’s easier and easier to apply the things you learn in the classroom to practical, tactile knowledge,” said Jensen. “I’ll start designing something on the computer and then I can use the things I’ve learned math- and science-wise to analyze that part on the computer and then do everything by hand.”

Junior Matt Schweiker, the team’s suspension design specialist, agrees that merging his classroom studies with his outside interests has been a great experience. “[It’s] one of the most attractive aspects of the Formula Race Team,” said Schweiker.

The FSAE team is currently working on revamping the cars they used in last year’s competitions so that they can be used for new member training or hybrid competitions. Jensen and Schweiker work with a group of highly talented students.

The team’s main contributors include experts in alternative fuel research, engines and pedals, among others. With more than twenty members rounding out the team, FSAE participants hope to soon turn out a car every year rather than every two years like it has been in the past.

FSAE team members participate in competitions in May and August, but work on the cars spans a much wider time frame.

Despite time management issues and learning curve effects for the underclassmen, the team has experienced constant improvement. Schweiker noted that for many team members it seems that there is a sort of natural affinity for this kind of project.

“I think all of us have background experience with cars, or Legos, or some kind of erector set,” said Schweiker. “It all just kind of carried over into something a little more technical and high-powered.”

Let’s think about sex person that you slept with, or has it felt like one more fun thing to do without any real emotional effect? If sex does intensify your emotional connection with a person, then you need to assess whether you are confident that your partner is ready to deal with your strengthened feelings, and also whether he is planning to stay in the relationship for the foreseeable future. If your gut instinct tells you that you may become emotionally attached, you are probably not ready to have non-committed sex with him. This is less of a concern if sex does not appreciably intensify your feelings for someone else, but you need to remember to touch upon that issue with your partner, and make sure that you will not be awakening deep emotions that you are not ready, willing or able to deal with.

If you have never had sex

before, it would serve you best to approach sex as if it would strengthen your emotional connection to your partner.

There is absolutely no way to tell whether sex is emotional or purely physical for you until you try it. Making sure you are in an emotionally close and supportive relationship the fi rst time you have sex will give you the chance to figure out your reaction in the safest possible environment and avoid the risk of feeling emotionally attached to someone who was only seeking pure physical pleasure.

Another consideration to make involves your beliefs about sexual activity. Whether the beliefs stem from religion, morals, ethics or any other source important to you, beliefs often have a strong role in shaping sexual attitudes.

Ask yourself what your beliefs about sexual activity are and

ask yourself why your beliefs are the way they are. If your beliefs include a complete ban on sexual activity in your situation (for example, you are considering having sex with your girlfriend or boyfriend, yet you have beliefs that prohibit non-marital sex), ask yourself why you believe that sex is incorrect in your situation. Ask yourself if that reasoning makes sense to you. Ask yourself why you are thinking about sexual activity now, even though your beliefs advise otherwise.

Maybe you will realize that you are thinking about sex merely because your hormones are running wild. Or is it possible that your true beliefs about sex are different from what you thought they were or what you grew up with?

There is no right or wrong response to these questions as long as you reach your answer

through honest thought and self-evaluation.

Another inquiry to make before deciding to have sex is whether you are able to maturely face the potential consequences. Think about whether you feel comfortable talking to your potential sex partner about her sexual history. Think about whether you feel comfortable going to a doctor and getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

Think about whether you feel comfortable getting birth control or condoms and using them to protect yourself. If you are not comfortable doing all of these things, then it is probably best to wait to consider sex until you are comfortable.

If you are planning on engaging in sex acts that could result in pregnancy, think about what you would do if you got pregnant or made your partner pregnant. Thoughtfully consid-

ering potential problems and coming to reasoned opinions beforehand will be far easier and more pleasant than answering them in haste when you are caught in the heat of the moment, or if you later fi nd yourself staring pregnancy or disease in the face.

It almost seems strange to think so extensively on your own about sex, a thing that is often fun, spontaneous and shared with someone else. Yet, it is very important to do so.

Your reactions to sex will be different from anyone else’s reactions. Whether you are considering sex in a committed situation or a casual one, you’ll be a lot happier if you sort out your own feelings about sex before you have to take anyone else’s opinions into account. It will save you some stress and also may save you from getting talked into an uncomfortable situation.