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STUDENT LIFE
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 VOLUME 129, NO. 23
Off-campus housing race speeds up BY JEREMY ROGOFF CONTRIBUTING REPORTER For students who haven’t yet signed an apartment lease for next year, it may be too late. Many of the surrounding neighborhoods with apartments that are typically rented by Washington University students are fi lling up faster than expected. Mostly by word-of-mouth, sophomores and juniors have discovered that neighborhood apartments are fi lling up as much as a year in advance of their move-in dates. To even have a chance at their top choices, students have been forced to pick their living mates and sign their leases for next year less than a month into this semester. “There are more kids today going abroad in the spring who need to figure out their housing for next year,” said local realtor Tom Maloney, who leases all of his apartments to University undergraduates. “By the time they get back, they know the apartments will be gone.” Maloney has noticed this trend over the past few years, as studying abroad in the spring semester has gained popularity. In recent years, Maloney has noticed that almost all housing in the area is gone by October. While the University guarantees housing for all four years, many rising juniors and seniors venture off the South 40 and into surround-
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2007
ing apartment areas in search of independence and lower living costs. “I think people are anxious to be adults,” said Kathryn O’Malley, a junior who already signed lease papers with Maloney for a Washington Avenue apartment next fall. Earlier this month, O’Malley and her roommate for next year both paid $800 deposits to ensure they would get their second choice apartment. O’Malley said that in September, she and her roommate were surprised to fi nd that their fi rst choice apartment had already been taken. “I didn’t realize it,” O’Malley said of the early housing rush, but her senior friends informed her that the time to secure living for next year was this semester. Shyamali Choudhury, a junior who just signed for an apartment on University Drive, began looking for offcampus apartments with her two roommates in September. She said that they thought they had started the process early on, but soon realized that many of the buildings that they were looking at on Washington Avenue were already fi lling up. “When we signed the lease for our apartment a couple of weeks ago, all of the other apartments in our building were already fi lled,” said Choudhury. “We actually did it just in the knick of time.” Natalie Jarecki, a senior
See HOUSING, page 3
SIMPSONS DID IT
Students petition to erase carbon footprint
JOY WANG | STUDENT LIFE
Members of Green Action, Wash. U.’s student group dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues, gather signatures Tuesday morning at the Underpass on the South 40. The purpose of the petition is to demonstrate community support for an increase in Wash. U.’s carbon neutrality.
BY SAM GUZIK SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Nearly 1,000 students signed onto a Green Action petition yesterday calling for
Fair trade hits the catwalk BY JOSH HANTZ NEWS EDITOR
LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE
Mike Reiss, one of the original writers and producers of “The Simpsons,” spoke in Graham Chapel on Monday night. Reiss’ speech, titled “The Simpsons Family Values,” was sponsored by the Jewish Student Union. Reiss discussed details of the show’s production, shared his own experiences in show business and screened clips from a number of his cartoons.
Voted ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ Get your Red and Green spirit ready as women’s volleyball scores a first seed ranking for the UAA finals. Sports, Page 4
While living on the wages of Nike sweatshop workers in Indonesia, the producers of the movie “Sweat” lost 40 pounds. Their movie, which compiles stories and information from primary sources, will be screened tonight by Students for Fair Trade and Amnesty International to promote awareness of fair trade. “The point of the documentary is that buying from companies like Nike perpetuates human rights abuses,” said sophomore Nikki Spencer, copresident of Amnesty International. “Buying [products] from a second-hand dealer or trading with people doesn’t perpetuate their economic benefit.” Fair trade refers to the idea of ensuring fair payment for producers, while taking into consideration social and environmental factors. The fair trade logo on a product is a guarantee of these terms. Spencer knows that there are companies with fair trade conditions who do not have the logo, but she hopes that these companies will make this information readily available. With this in mind, the
University-wide carbon neutrality and greater sustainability efforts on campus. The Green Action drive is part of a yearlong effort to raise awareness about envi-
ronmental issues and to educate students about how they can help make a contribution to sustainability efforts. “We want to build this up so we can have a large part of
the student body behind this movement,” said junior Lee Cordova, president of Green Action. “To be in the position where all we need to do is educate is a lot better than needing to change people’s minds.” The Green Action effort comes as the University is beginning to undertake an assessment of its “carbon footprint”—the net amount of carbon consumed—and energy usage. In addition to calling for individual commitments to energy-conscious lifestyle, the petition calls upon the University to “commit to 100 percent carbon neutrality through reliance on renewable, clean energy sources and a substantial cutback on energy consumption.” Carbon neutrality refers to the ability of an individual or an institution to offset its carbon emissions so that there is no net contribution of carbon dioxide to the environment. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, have been linked to global warming. While the Green Action petition calls for a specific decrease in the amount of carbon emissions, the University has avoided giving any indication about what level of
See GREEN ACTION, page 3
Sophomore wins national tennis title BY BRITTANY BERNACCHI SPORTS REPORTER Sophomore John Watts triumphed at the Division III Wilson/ITA Nationals Small College Championships on Saturday. With his win, Watts made history, becoming the Bears’ first individual winner of a national tennis championship. “It was a really close match and I was relieved to win,” said Watts. “It feels great to win a match like this.” Juniors Charlie Cutler and Chris Hoeland placed third in the doubles tournament, wrapping up an incredible weekend for Washington University’s men’s tennis team. “John, Chris and Charlie push their other teammates,” said Head Coach Roger Foll-
students are also hosting a clothing swap, in which students can trade unwanted clothes with each other rather than buy new ones from a company. A few fair trade clothing stores, including Ploughsharing Crafts on the Loop, are also allowing students to model clothing to help sell the idea. Junior Julia Baskin, president of Students for Fair Trade, noted that fair trade clothes look similar to regular ones, though they have a
Film may be your cup of tea Embark on a journey to the Indian countryside and read about the Wes Anderson flick “The Darjeeling Limited.” Cadenza, Page 8
mar. “They have taken losses in practice, which says just how deep this team is.” Upon arriving at the ITA Championship, the most important tournament of the fall season, it was clear that the tournament had a unique atmosphere, featuring a small field with only one representative from each region, very different from the much larger spring national championships. “[The tournament felt] more like a junior tournament, which is when you go only with the coach and a few other players,” said Hoeland. However, the biggest effect on the atmosphere was the amplified intensity of the matches. Watts, Cutler and Hoeland all played opponents from Gus-
more earthy and hand-made feel since they are not massproduced. “Half the reason these companies [create fair-trade clothes] is because they believe in the values they promote,” said Baskin. The night is part of series of social action programs, including the recent Indigenous Awareness Week and next Tuesday’s Ethics of Food. For the former, students considered the treatment of American Indians and how it led to problems with pov-
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tavus Adolphus College in their final matches, which is a team from Wash. U.’s region. This further increased the pressure of their final matches. “Regional matches are always really important and hyped up,” said Cutler. Watts responded to the tournament’s pressure by shutting down Mikey Lim of ClaremontMudd-Scripps with a 6-0, 6-2 win in the semi-finals. After this resounding win, Watts’ game plan was to stay calm for the championship match. “I just tried to treat it the same as any other match. Don’t let it get to your head that it’s the big match,” said Watts. Watts’ beginning of the first set of his championship match was rocky.
See WATTS, page 4
erty, depression and alcoholism. They also discussed the rights of indigenous groups in Latin and South America. Additionally, Amnesty International will soon host a former worker from a Gap sweatshop in the Mariana Islands to speak about her efforts to unionize workers before being forced out of the company. “The current theme is different products around the world that we take for grant-
See FAIR TRADE, page 2
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Senior News Editor / Sam Guzik / news@studlife.com
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: Julia Jay, Brian Krigsher, Jeff Lesser, Stephanie Spera 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.
WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
Engineers discover links between brain and heart development BY KAT ZHAO CONTRIBUTING REPORTER Two engineering professors have joined forces to investigate mental disorders stemming from developmental deformities. This unlikely duo, comprised of Larry Taber, professor of biomedical engineering, and Philip Bayly, professor of mechanical engineering, delved into collaborative research on the mechanics of how the brain and heart fold to form connections. Their research on the brain and heart’s folding mechanisms during embryonic development, funded by the National Science Foundation, could allow for a greater understanding of a series of mental illnesses and heart abnormalities. Many studies have shown that mental illnesses such as autism, schizophrenia and a rare brain fold formation disorder called lissencephaly are also associated with folding deformities. The implications are the same for heart looping. “[Heart] looping is so critical, because that’s how the heart creates its pattern and compartments,” said Taber. Critical is a word both researchers used to describe the processes of brain and heart development, not only for normal function but also for sustaining an organism’s life itself. “The pattern and shaping of the brain deeply affects how we think and behave,” said Bayly. “This clearly has to do with a mechanical process in the way the brain changes shape and folds. And these same mechanisms are also reproducible in brains across many species.” “Before you can prevent abnormalities or fix them, you need to know what causes them,” said Taber. Taber’s specialty lies in the heart, with more than 10 years of research on embry-
COURTESY OF WUSTL IMAGES
Professors Larry A. Taber (left) and Phillip V. Bayly (right) work together in an effort to understand the development of both the brain and the heart. onic heart development in chickens under his belt. Bayly’s original field of study was mechanical engineering, but over the past five years, he has begun to apply his engineering expertise to studying brain development and brain deformities from sports or automobile injuries. “I was working on heart development, and he was working on brain injuries and deformation,” said Taber. “We are both looking at the mechanism behind the two biological processes, although he and I are essentially mechanical engineers.” “This is relatively new, be-
cause brain and heart development have typically been studied by neuroscientists or biologists,” said Bayly. “Dr. Taber is one of the best researchers and engineers in the area. Naturally, when I began looking into brain development, he was the person to talk to.” Taber and Bayly reasoned that the body uses a certain set of similar mechanisms to perform all its processes of growth and development. However, each organ or system integrates these mechanisms differently. “The heart bends very early in the embryo when it’s just a tube—this is called looping,” said Taber. “And
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many other things in the embryo bend in this way, perhaps using similar mechanisms.” Taber’s study on the chicken heart revealed many of the processes through which the heart becomes its normal folded shape. The chicken heart, though smaller, has nearly the same structure as the human heart. “It starts out as a straight tube, but within 15 hours, bends into a C-shape almost always to the right side of the embryo,” said Taber. “This is the point when the heart begins to beat.” Even small abnormalities in looping can lead to later congenital heart defects, the number one birth defect. In the United States, approximately 25,000 babies per year are born with these defects, with many cases due to abnormal looping. “The fundamental problems are mechanics, and that’s our specialty, but we do often have to ask the biologists and neuroscientists in other departments and at the [School of Medicine], because part of what we do is their specialty,” said Bayly. “This is such a great place to do this kind of research, because we have some of the most excellent researchers in the world here,” he said. “Things are just starting to fall into place.”
FAIR TRADE v FROM PAGE 1 ed that are totally abusive of the local population,” said Spencer. “The list goes on and on. It seemed to be something that kept coming up.” Baskin became involved with Students for Fair Trade during her freshman year when she worked on getting the Washington University campus to switch from Starbucks coffee to Kaldi’s. She felt that the message has continued to spread and is gaining momentum. “I’m getting so much more feedback this year from people telling me that it’s really important that we’re doing something like this,” she said. “And I’ve heard a lot more people talking about the issue of fair trade lately.” Baskin also recognizes the influence that college students can have on fair trade issues. “We have huge consumer power and we’re buying all the time,” she said. “I think people will really grab onto the idea that they can make a positive change.” The fashion show hits the runway at 7 p.m. at Ursa’s Stageside. Other companies modeling their products include Boutique Chartreuse, the first organic boutique store in the Midwest; an Ethiopian fair trade company run by a student’s mother; and other local stores.
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Senior News Editor / Sam Guzik / news@studlife.com
WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
HOUSING v FROM PAGE 1 who is currently living on Washington Avenue, has noticed that her apartment has been in high demand. “Within the last three weeks, we have had many people come see our apartment. It is already leased for next year,” she said. Junior Matthew Denny, after being told by friends that realtor offices were open for business, threw himself into the off-campus race in the middle of September. “Within 10 minutes I had to decide where I was living and who I was living with,” said Denny, who landed a threeperson suite on Kingsbury. The housing rush “caught a lot of us off guard,” said Denny, but he and his suite mates wanted the “added freedom, a kitchen and the closeness to the loop” that the Kingsbury apartments offer. The timetable for off-campus living differs entirely from the on-campus living schedule, a point that could confuse upperclassmen and may ultimately keep them from moving off campus. Though more students are choosing next year’s housing earlier in the year, the office of Residential Life hasn’t seen a trend toward more upperclassmen migrating off campus. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of upperclassmen staying on campus,” said Justin Carroll, vice chancellor of students, a direct result of a variety of housing options now offered by the University including Greenway, Rosedale and University Drive apartments. Carroll added that any students who choose to live off campus sacrifice their spots in the on-campus housing lottery for the remainder of their four years. Juniors may fi nd it difficult to secure their top choices off campus, but options abound on campus. The University will offer an added building next year when the new “Village East” building, a 152-bed complex currently under construction behind the Millbrook apartments, opens its doors to residents in the fall semester.
STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
GREEN ACTION v FROM PAGE 1 net carbon usage it is striving for. “The University is not in a position yet to make a decision on what our greenhouse gas reduction commitments can be because, quite frankly, we haven’t even gone through the exercise of base lining what our greenhouse gas emissions are yet,” said Matthew Malten, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability. When he joined the University this summer, Malten explained that he would spend his fi rst year assessing the current sustainability situation on campus rather than taking immediate action. The petition drive currently underway is meant to show student support for this environmental initiative. “We really didn’t want to sit back and say that this was a year of planning,” said Cordova. “At the end of the year, we want to be in a position where [Malten] is saying ‘this is where the University is’ and with us saying ‘this is
what the students want.’” Green Action hopes that the show of student support will infl uence the University’s eventual decision to become fully carbon neutral. According to Malten, while the University will not yet commit to any proposals, after fi nishing its benchmarking it will create a strategic plan based on realistic estimates. To students who signed the petition, the Green Action campaign represents a way to express their support for environmental activism. “Its defi nitely a worthy goal,” said sophomore Tim Shaw. “As long as it’s actually feasible, I think this is something we should work toward.” “I believe in a balance between personal and institutional action,” said sophomore Elizabeth Murillo, an earth and planetary sciences major. “I would hope that this would inspire people because it is important to have large-scale action.”
A NEW VISION OF THE VAMPIRE COMES TO LIFE
COLUMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS A GHOST HOUSE PICTURES PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH DARK HORSE ENTERTAINMENT JOSH HARTNETT “30 DAYS OF NIGHT” MELISSA GEORGE DANNY HUSTON EXECUTIVE BEN FOSTER MARK BOONE JUNIOR MUSICBY BRIAN REITZELL PRODUCERSCO- CHLOE SMITH TED ADAMS PRODUCERS JOE DRAKE NATHAN KAHANE MIKE RICHARDSON AUBREY HENDERSON BASED ON THE IDW PUBLISHING COMIC BY STEVE NILES AND BEN TEMPLESMITH SCREENPLAY PRODUCED DIRECTED BY STEVE NILES AND STUART BEATTIE AND BRIAN NELSON BY SAM RAIMI ROB TAPERT BY DAVID SLADE 157 Umrath Hall * 120 Bixby Hall * 324 Lopata Hall (Coming Soon) careers@wustl.edu * www.careers.wustl.edu * (314) 935-5930
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Senior Sports Editor / Trisha Wolf / sports@studlife.com
STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
SPORTS
WATTS v FROM PAGE 1
VOLLEYBALL
WU 3 w EMORY 2
WU 3 w U ROCHESTER 0
WU 2 w NYU 0
WU 3 w BRANDEIS 1
Bears blitz through UAA opponents BY JOHANN QUA HIANSEN SPORTS REPORTER History was staring the Bears right in the eye as the Emory Eagles prepared to serve. The last time Washington University faced a nationally ranked top-ten team in a five game match, they lost to Juniata. The last time they had lost a match to a UAA foe was to Emory in 2005. The situation seemed dire as the Eagles had the fi rst opportunity to win the match at 14-13. But history did not repeat itself as Wash. U. fought back to narrowly beat Emory, the sixth best team in the nation, 16-14 in the fi nal set. The clean sweep of University of Rochester, New York University, Brandeis University and Emory University over the weekend, along with its earlier wins, places Wash. U. as the fi rst seed in the UAA Finals in November. Particularly impressive, the Red and Green have only lost four UAA matches in the 20-year history of the UAA. Lady Bear action saw the Red and Green wiping away NYU and Rochester in 3-0 sweeps. The Bears dropped the fi rst against Brandeis, coming back to win every remaining set by a margin of five points. Wash. U. has been constantly improving the middle hitter position since the beginning of the season, after losing last year’s starters. “We’re the biggest team on improvement,” said senior middle hitter Ellen Bruegge. “They [middle blockers] have stepped it up, making us more versatile.” “With Ellen Bruegge, Erin Albers, Nicole Penwill and Marya Kaminski there, it’s becoming a formidable part of our offensive and defensive systems,” said Head Coach Rich Luenemann. “As we head
[toward] the fi nal third of the season, it’s nice to see many aspects of our game clicking.” This weekend, the team really came together and the middle hitters shined. “Albers was a monster this weekend,” said Coach Rich Luenemann. The sophomore, with 14 kills out of 16 attempts, had an .812 attack percent setting a new individual match high in accuracy and a career high in kills against the University of Rochester. Her teammates had much to say about her outstanding performance. “Every time we were able to get the ball to her, she found a way to score,” said junior setter Audra Janak. “All she had to do was get the ball over the net for a kill,” added junior outside hitter Ali Crouch. “We all gave her a hard time about her only hitting error in the Rochester game.” Albers also had three solo blocks as well as four block assists in the game against Rochester, with 21 blocks in all. Albers received University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week Honors for her performance. In addition to Albers’ fantastic weekend, the team had another solid weekend. Outside hitter Nikki Morrison set the team high with 16 kills in a match while outside hitters Alli Alberts and Haleigh Spencer and Bruegge all had double-digit kill counts. Janak also came close to tying her career high in assists, missing the mark by only three, to contribute 55 assists against Brandeis. The fi fth-ranked Bears return to St. Louis to face the Division II University of Missouri-St. Louis Riverwomen tonight at 7 p.m. at UMSL.
LIONEL SOBEHART | STUDENT LIFE
Sophomore Erin Albers spikes the ball in a recent game against Juniata College. Albers had an impressive weekend and earned UAA Athlete of the Week Honors.
Computer Troubles?
“I was losing really badly in the first set, 5-1, but I won the next three games. So I felt pretty confident [after that],” he said. Those three wins helped swing the momentum Watts’ way, and his following sets were decisive 6-2 and 6-3 wins. “I changed a couple things, and I tried to be more patient in the second and third set,” he said. He won with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 record over Andy Bryan. His altered game strategy allowed him to make Wash. U. history in his victory. Despite Cutler and Hoeland’s loss in the semi-finals, the duo responded very well in the third place match to finish this season on a strong note. “We needed to bounce back and stay focused on the third place match. Just take it one match at a time,” said Hoeland. The duo finished their season strongly with a nail-biting 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 win over Charlie Paukert and Bryan of Gustavus Adolphus College to place third in the nation. “[It was a] little bittersweet,” said Hoeland. “We ended our fall season with a win, but we didn’t get first, which is always our goal.” “Gustavus Adolphus College is known across the country as a really good doubles team, so beating them felt really good. Especially beating them by so close,” added Cutler. “It was nice to end [the fall season] on a good note. I felt relieved to end it in a positive way.” Though the team faces a competitive lull until next semester, the most important tournament of the year is still to come. “We now have higher expectations,” said Follmar. “We won’t surprise anyone” May’s NCAA Championships, with a strong emphasis on the team as a whole, loom on the horizon and, judging by the performances this weekend, Wash. U.’s men’s tennis team will definitely stand out. “[We want to] look to the spring season,” said Cutler, “and hopefully win more national titles—singles, doubles and team.”
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WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Christian Sherden ctsherde@artsci.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.
FORUM FLASHBACK
Mandatory health insurance needs to be reevaluated Here’s a flashback to a staff editorial run on August 30, 2006. Student Life still holds to these opinions. Our University is one of but three nation-wide that includes a health insurance product as part of tuition costs. In effect, we are able to make the bold and noble-sounding statement that every one of our students has adequate access to health care, a goal this staff considers very worthwhile. But why is such a policy so rare? Among schools that monitor the health insurance status of their students, standard policy is to require students to purchase a health insurance policy from the school unless they can prove they are covered elsewhere. Because the typical American undergraduate is covered by a parent’s insurance plan, most are not required to purchase insurance from their school. Washington University, California Institute of Technology, and Howard University are the three schools that do not allow students to decline the university’s coverage. When a student is already insured through a
parent, that student has two insurance plans that are often redundant. In effect, they pay twice for one product. When the University enacted this policy in 2001, they forwarded arguments that hold significant merit. Many of them still do. But, nonetheless, arguments against this policy are strong enough that they deserve attention—the mandatory health insurance policy needs to be reviewed. In 2000 and 2001, the University formed a multidisciplinary committee to study students’ access to medical service, an inquiry that eventually resulted in a move to the current policy. According to Dr. Alan Glass, director of Student Health Services, the study found that 75 percent of the student body was either uninsured or had only minimal, inadequate insurance. With the goal of ensuring 100 percent coverage, the committee examined several options, including the typical policy of allowing students to opt out of a University-provided insurance plan. They found that this could allow some students to become uninsured
during the school year and leave others underinsured. Moreover, the cost of providing an insurance policy to an entire student body is much lower, per student, than if the policy was optional. We pay an annual Student Health fee of $679, whereas typical fees at peer schools range between $100 and $200. The difference is the cost of our insurance. So all students pay about $400 a year for insurance. According to Dr. Glass, if the ability to opt out were included, those who still chose to buy insurance from the school would pay roughly $1,200 to $1,500 per year for a similar product. In sum, things work out well for those that need insurance, and not so well for those that already have it. At Washington University, most students already have insurance through their parents. And when parents have complained about the lack of an opt-out option, they have been told that the goal of 100 percent coverage trumps their concerns. A mandatory insurance policy makes sense for schools with a primarily poor, unin-
sured population, as well as for those with many foreign students who lack insurance through their parents. Not coincidentally, Howard and Cal Tech provide respective examples. But our school fits neither case. Consider peer institutions with similar academic and fi nancial resources—Brown, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Emory. All have similar academic profi les and target many of the same students. Yet among our closest peers, none have a mandatory insurance policy. In fact, only three schools out of thousands have chosen such a policy. The time has come for us to ask why. What of students who would opt-out by citing a minimal policy that fails to protect them? Then we ought to review what sorts of policies qualify a student to opt out. In any case, there are means of addressing the problems with an opt-out policy, and they are worth investigating. The issue merits debate, and debatable pretense should not be enough to justify double charging many students.
SAM WASHBURN | EDITORIAL CARTOON
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Use public education to solve drug abuse problems Dear Editor: When it comes to drugs, mandatory minimum prison sentences have done little other than turn the alleged land of the free into the world’s biggest jailer. If harsh penalties deterred illegal drug use, the goal of a “drug- free” America would have been achieved decades
ago. Instead of adding to what is already the highest incarceration rate in the world, we should be funding cost-effective drug treatment. The drug war is a cure that is worse than the disease. Drug prohibition finances organized crime at home and terrorism abroad, which is then used to justify
increased drug war spending. It’s time to end this madness and instead treat substance abuse, legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is. Thanks to public education efforts, tobacco use has declined considerably in recent years. Apparently mandatory minimum sentences, civil
Wednesday: Jill Strominger Friday: Tess Croner jlstromi@artsci.wustl.edu tacroner@wustl.edu
asset forfeiture, random drug testing and racial profiling are not necessarily the most cost-effective means of discouraging unhealthy choices.
—Robert Sharpe Policy Analyst at Common Sense for Drug Policy
Wash. U. needs more AsianAmerican and Ethnic Studies BY JEROME BAUER OP-ED SUBMISSION
I
read with interest Nathan Everly’s article, “Why doesn’t Wash. U. have more low-income students?” (Student Life, 9/19/07). I agree wholeheartedly. I challenge the University to improve its record, and to address better the needs and interests of its working class and immigrant students and faculty. Can anyone of limited means really afford to learn or teach here? How can we hope to compete with community colleges and Bible colleges, which charge low tuition, or no tuition at all? How can an upscale secular university such as Washington University respect the cultural values of its working class and immigrant students, many of whom are more traditional, and more religious, than most of its faculty and students? When I was a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Oriental Studies, I helped mediate a dispute over our name. Many AsianAmerican students were offended by our allegedly racist and “Orientalist” name, but what they really wanted was more Asian-American studies courses. They seemed to feel that we were an ethnic studies program with an offensive name, and if we only changed this we could better meet their needs. Some administrators apparently attempted to exploit this misunderstanding for their own purposes, to close down a department perceived to be too research-oriented and too little concerned with bringing in grant money. This was all done in the name of Edward Said and progressive values. We graduate students rallied to the defense of our teachers, who were always accessible to graduate students, and committed to graduate teaching. We negotiated a name change, to “Asian and Middle Eastern Studies,” and, more significantly, we read every Asian-American publication, and listened to the concerns of our student critics. They wanted role models. They wanted to discover their ethnic identity, and they wanted us to help them to do it. In response, we helped to organize an Asian-American Studies Program, for undergraduates, and we graduate students and faculty in the department formerly known as Oriental Studies were left in peace to do our research. What has this to do with Washington University? Last year, students petitioned to support a popular teacher of African American studies. In past years, students have petitioned to support popular teachers of gender studies and religious studies. Last year students petitioned to put teaching before research, even as many faculty who do just that had their positions eliminated. What do all these cases have in common? Ethnic studies, women and gender studies and religious studies all help col-
lege students to defi ne their identity: ethnic, sexual and spiritual. Identity formation is, and ought to be, one of the chief functions of an American college. Students have a right to complain when their courses, and teachers, do not help them to discover who they are, where they come from, what it all means and where they are going. Immigrants, children of immigrants and the sons and daughters of the working class have very different needs and perspectives than the sons and daughters of privilege. Better representation of immigrant and working class students and faculty would add to the diversity of our community and enrich the educational experience of all. Why should some spiritualities, for example Pentecostal-
“Perhaps we should have an Asian American studies program, and more courses on acculturation and immigrant experience, and the experience of workers and peasants. ” ism, Fundamentalism or traditional Catholicism, be stereotyped and looked down upon, while upscale spiritualities, for example [post]-modernist [post]-Protestantism, theosophy/anthroposophy or perennial philosophy, be given more academic respect? Perhaps the discipline of Religious Studies is biased towards the latter, as many have argued. If so, maybe we should listen to all our students, and let them determine the needs of our Religious Studies program. Perhaps we should listen to the needs of our Hindu students and have more Hindu-friendly courses. Perhaps we should have an AsianAmerican studies program, more courses on acculturation and immigrant experience and the experience of workers and peasants. Perhaps we should have a truly interdisciplinary and inclusive Ethnic and Civilizational Studies program, to coordinate all these efforts. Perhaps the College, and University College, should have more autonomy, so that their mission will no longer be subordinate to the mission of a graduate or professional school, or a national security agenda. Perhaps we should replace a selectively enforced “neutrality policy” with a “pluralism policy,” to give our students more choice in the fulfi llment of all their requirements. Perhaps we should bring back the Ethics and Values requirement, for our own sake and the sake of our community. Jerome taught Religious Studies at Washington University from 1999-2007. He can be reached via e-mail at jhbauer@sbcglobal.net.
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WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
7
The facts about global warming BY MARTINE WISOTSKY, LEE CORDOVA AND LISA SKULTETY OP-ED SUBMISSION
W
e in Green Action understand that there exists much confusion about the true nature of global warming. What exactly is it? Is it real? There is confl icting information out there and it can be hard sift out the truth. That is why we are writing this series of articles to help educate the Washington University community. So what exactly is global warming? The majority consensus among scientists is that increased levels of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, known as greenhouse gases, are causing the earth to warm. The February 2007 report produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a panel of hundreds of expert climate scientists from around the world formed by the World Meteorological Organiza-
tion and the United Nations Environment Programme, said that global warming is “unequivocal.” Since 1900 the average temperature of the Earth has risen 1.4 degrees. While this may seem like a small change, according to the National Academy of Sciences it the largest change in the last 2,000 years. Furthermore, about 1 degree of that increase occurred in the last 30 years. What causes global warming? The greenhouse effect is a natural process that occurs because greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and raise the temperature of the Earth’s surface. Without this effect, the planet would lose too much of the sun’s heat and be too cold. However, over the 20th century there has been a dramatic increase in GHG emissions and therefore an increase in temperature. While other factors are involved in the normal pattern of climate change, GHGs are
the largest factor. Human activities since the Industrial Revolution have produced an enormous increase in GHGs. Higher levels of CO2 are mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and changes in land use, such as deforestation; methane and nitrous oxide increases are mainly due to agriculture. The IPCC report from May 2007 states that GHG emissions have increased 70 percent from 1970 to 2004, a period of only 34 years. In the United States we get 85 percent of our energy for uses like electricity and transportation from fossil fuels, which means we are responsible for a huge amount of the GHGs being released. What are the effects of global warming? The evidence of warming can be seen in increases in the average temperature of the air and the ocean, melting snow and ice and rising of the average sea level. Changing sea temperatures make
storms more intense and frequent. Pests and invasive species thrive on the warmer climate and have already destroyed millions of acres of forest and taken over hundreds of lakes because of the unnatural temperatures. Many of these effects can be seen today and scientists hold dire predictions of the future, including an increase of extreme weather, floods and droughts, reduced water quality and crop failure. How we do know this warming isn’t natural? Many people claim that the current warming is simply part of the earth’s natural cycles of warming and cooling, and that there is no cause for concern. Unfortunately, this is probably not true. The IPCC report states that the warming that has occurred since the mid-20th century is “very likely” due to increases in human-produced GHGs, and computer models assuming natural sources of warming cannot explain the trends observed in the last 30 years.
How do we stop global warming? It is clear that action needs to be taken to reduce our CO2 emissions. Switching away from fossil fuels to sources of clean, no-emission energy such as solar, wind and geothermal is a key step. While not enough on its own, planting trees and preventing them from being cut down is one way to mitigate CO2 emissions because plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere when they photosynthesize. Why should I care? The bottom line is that this is an issue that affects us all. Every human will be affected by climate change, including you. There are many actions you can take to reduce your environmental impact. (For starters, go to http://www. coopamerica.org/takeaction/ carbcutter/index.cfm and and take Co-Op America’s Carb Cutter Challenge.) To make a positive impact here at school, you can sign
the Green Action petition, which began circulating yesterday. It states that Wash. U. should be a carbon-neutral campus. That means that our CO2 emissions will be reduced as much as possible, and the rest will be offset through a system called carbon credits. The purchase of these credits funds research on renewable energy sources, thereby helping the progress of the renewable energy industry. At the end of the year, Green Action will submit the petition to the administration to let them know that we care about climate change and want Wash. U. to be carbon neutral. The petition also contains a pledge saying that the signees will take steps in their own lives to be environmentally responsible. Climate change is truly the challenge of our generation, and it is time for us all to make a difference and change the world. So act now! Martine, Lee and Lisa are all members of Green Action. They can be reached via e-mail at mwisotsky@gmail.com.
Bullying and psychological distress = violence? BY JOSHUA TODD CASSON OP-ED SUBMISSION
S
chool shootings have been all too common in poor, inner city areas for decades, but they only became a media sensation when they began to occur in white, middle class suburbs. Only then did the general public wonder why children would kill their fellow students and teachers. In 1996-1997, stories about school shootings by students in Washington, Alaska, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Oregon began to appear on the nightly news. On April 20, 1999, the Columbine shootings became the symbolic case study of psychologically troubled youth committing vicious murders in suburban schools across America. Many of the perpetrators had been bullied for years by their peers and many had been psychologically troubled. Bullying desensitizes all involved—the bullies, the targets, the witnesses—and makes it more likely that they may resort to violence to resolve their problems. The important question is whether bullying causes the psychological problems or whether it is the presence of psychological problems that leads kids to being bullied. A
strong case can be made that both contribute equally. In other words, psychologically troubled youth are more likely to be the targets of bullying; bullying also exacerbates the psychological problems of the targets and can even cause psychological problems in victims who did not have them before. Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold had both been bullied for years. They complained to the principal of their school, though many of their fellow classmates admitted that the bullying was not stopped or discouraged sufficiently to make their lives any easier. The shooter at Virginia Tech was also bullied in school and had psychiatric problems that were not being effectively treated. We need a mental health policy that (1) protects children who are victimized by bullies and teaches them and the bullies how to respect one another and interact in less destructive ways, and (2) ensures that troubled children and youth receive appropriate psychological treatment. Adolescent brain development is marked by immaturity of frontal lobe functions; as a result, adolescents often do not think of the consequences of their actions before they
do something they may later regret. It is up to the adults in a civilized society to protect those children who are most vulnerable to teasing (e.g., shy, withdrawn, mocked and gawky-looking kids), ensure that bullies are punished adequately and that bullying behavior does not persist. It does take a village to raise a child, and it is the responsibility of that village to ensure that all children follow the rules against bullying. It is in all our interests to prevent bullying before its future victims imitate the violent reprisals they have seen from other bullying victims in media reports. Shooters such as those at Columbine and Virginia Tech may have been victims once, but now, after becoming assailants themselves and then taking their own lives, they may be seen as heroes (or martyrs) to fellow troubled youth who also seek revenge on those who once harmed them. This may sound highly unlikely, but who would ever have thought that two “awkward” teenagers could have caused so much death and despair in Colorado in the first place? Joshua is a graduate student in the Brown School of Social Work. He can be reached via email at jxlot@aol.com.
Student Union environmental efforts deserve praise
Y
esterday, Student a scientific consensus on Union kicked off this, and the consequences an effort to urge would be dire if we were Washington Uniwrong. Humans may not be versity to cut its the only source of carbon emissions. greenhouse gases, In an era where but it’s undeniable it’s necessary to be that we’re heavy concerned about contributors at the the affects we’re very least. having on our cliWith so much at mate, it’s imperastake, it seems we tive to see activism have no choice but in the name of to start making environmentalism. Jill Strominger the changes the Consequently, it’s rest of the world refreshing to see has already begun SU take on this to make. This is type of issue. true even if you’re skeptical Student Union’s efforts of the science behind global feature a petition, eduwarming. If there’s even a cational information and chance that global warming a photo petition. For the is occurring, that we are photo petition, students contributing to it and that sign up to take a picture it will have the predicted with a sign showing their effects of weather patterns, support for cutting carbon. there’s a serious reason to These pictures will be hung change our lifestyles. And around campus to literally that doesn’t just mean that show the student support CEOs of large corporations for the measure. need to find ways to reduce We should follow Stucarbon emissions; individudent Union’s leadership and als need to help as well. press the administration Admittedly, decreasing to cut carbon emissions on our strain on the environcampus. It’s impossible to ment requires a lot of work. dismiss scientific claims It requires maintaining about climate change. We an everyday awareness of know for a fact that the how we could make better temperatures on the planet decisions, and this is difare increasing and we know ficult. It requires sacrifices. that increasing temperaThough those sacrifices are tures can negatively affect necessary in order to help weather patterns. Granted, the world at large, it’s oftenit’s possible that the earth times hard to recognize the might have some natural benefits at the time since way of recovering from clithey aren’t immediate or mate change, but there isn’t explicit. For this reason, it’s
particularly admirable that Student Union has decided to try to make a difference in changing Wash. U.’s environmental policies. Nobody would criticize Student Union if it didn’t attempt to take on the issue of global warming. After all, our own government has been very slow about dealing with this issue. But it’s good that Student Union did decide to take on this problem. The choices we make about whether to embrace or ignore the international call for environmental reform will have a tremendous affect on our individual futures as well as the future of the world. We may not be experiencing the effects of our environmental choices right now as college students, but we will at some point. We all have a moral obligation to try and limit our strain on the planet, and we should be attempting to fulfill that moral obligation even if our federal government will not provide any real guidance over how we should go about making a change. I therefore say hats off to Student Union for applying pressure to the Wash. U. administration to step up the School’s commitment to the environment. Jill is a junior in Arts & Sciences and a Forum editor. She can be reached via email at forum@studlife.com.
RACHEL HARRIS | STUDENT LIFE
Me, apathy and WU BY WANDALYN SAVALA STAFF COLUMNIST
I
t’s time for a confession. It was me. I smeared “nigger” on the back of a fellow student’s window. Or it might as well have been me. For what’s the difference between inscribing it on a car window and using it casually in conversation? Yes. I say the word nigger. (In reality, I say “nigga” but, again, what’s the difference?) I refuse to rationalize my use of it because I know it’s wrong to say it. But neither will I make a public declaration and say I’ll stop using it from today onward, because I know I won’t. So what’s a semi-socially conscious student to do? I want to say a word’s just a word, but the English major in me knows better. Besides, we’ve all heard the arguments about meaning and usage. No need to beat a dead horse. The only solution I have is easy, yet oh so difficult, because it requires action. It requires us to break away from the easy camaraderie of individuals from the same background (whether the allure is fi nancial, ethnic, religious, etc.) and get uncomfortable. It requires us to stop alienating ourselves and to get to know new people. It requires us to cast aside our stereotypes and get to know the individual. For what’s the use of discontinuing the use of a word when we continue with the same behaviors that perpetuate the mindset behind the word anyway? And so I stepped on campus this fall with a mission: to have as diverse a group of friends as possible. In the fi rst few weeks, I succeeded. I sat with random people, visited random dorms and in general went out of my
way to get to know people from different backgrounds. Then Blavity got me. (You know, “black gravity.”) Slowly, but surely, I began to gravitate towards people who looked more like me. Slowly, but surely, I gave up trying to fi nd friends outside my race. I figured I made enough acquaintances-that-might-develop-intotrue-friendships during orientation to where it wasn’t necessary to keep putting myself out there. I rationalized. I became a hypocrite. And so did everyone else who made the same commitment in their fi rst few weeks, but gave up. Our desire for comfort, our desire for ease led us to stop trying. And our collective apathy (though we say otherwise) has resulted in a Wash. U. student body which is, for the most part, not receptive to mixing with others different from ourselves. But that’s not the worst of it. The worst part of our apathy is that because no one really cares, those who may still be optimistic are starting not to care as much too. I am one of those people. But then I heard the jokes. You know, the ones that start like this: “That’s something only (insert broad racial, ethnic, religious, etc. category here) do(es)…” I’ve heard them before. Who hasn’t? Coming to Wash. U., I thought jokes would be a bit more sophisticated than that. But then again, how can I expect others to have better taste in humor when I don’t? Too often, I have laughed along or made similar jokes. But at the same time, I find myself thinking, “This just isn’t right.” I know very well that a projected image—though funny—is not true most of the time. For every pigeonholing joke I’ve heard, I can think of at least two
examples of people who just don’t fit the stereotype. So, when someone smeared the word on a fellow student’s rear window, I knew the gulf dividing the races was going to get much wider. The joke is closer to what people actually think and believe. The true hate crime was not the one publicized in Student Life, but the one hardly mentioned at all because it’s so commonplace: self-segregation. Time and again, I’ve heard it grumbled about by various sections of the student body. I even wrote my fi rst article about it in the hopes of encouraging my fellow freshmen to break the trend. But alas, it seems only a few people heeded my advice. And so when the word was placed on the back window, I knew talking wouldn’t solve a thing. Only action—you know, actually making a concerted effort to step out of your comfort zone—would truly solve the problem. While readers may nod their heads, I ask you to think back. When was the last time you actually acted on your good intentions? Did you attend the multicultural leaders forum? Go to a Mixed meeting lately? Dropped in on an event at which you knew you wouldn’t quite blend? Neither have I. Not lately. I have become what I hoped I wouldn’t be: a hypocrite to a cause I hold dear to my heart. The time is now to change that. I challenge you to do the same. But then again, this is an article—more of the talk I despise. Maybe it would have been best if I had spent this time meeting new people. Wandalyn is a freshman in Arts & Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail atwesavala@ artsci.wustl.edu.
8
Senior Cadenza Editor / Brian Stitt / cadenza@studlife.com
STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
CADEN Z A
WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
n. a technically brilliant, sometimes improvised solo passage toward the close of a concerto, an exceptionally brilliant part of an artistic work
MOVIE REVIEW
arts & entertainment
ALBUM REVIEW
Anderson stays on track
Fiery Furnaces: ‘Widow City’ `The Darjeeling Limited’ a pleasure for fans BY MATT KARLAN
film’s glow because he keeps the formula intact. The humor is insipid yet clever while the colors stay soft and engaging. Anderson denouncers will not grow keen on him for these same reasons. Although he actually does try to broaden his audience with more physical humor, these attempts are futile. The writing remains too Andersonian. (He’s become such a cult figure; that word is permissible to use.) Characters are drawn quickly but with tiny illuminating features to color them. Trust again hovers as a looming central theme. This may have been the most humorous of Anderson’s films to date, partly because of his typical cheap setups. Points unnecessary to the story were aimlessly thrown in to lead into a gag. The brothers are often profound, but grow tiresome and corny. More impressive were their silences interrupted by succinct observations that deepen their characters, emphasizing that every syllable was methodically chosen. This can only be powerful with firstrate acting, which Anderson
CADENZA REPORTER One can almost tell before entering the local multiplex that “The Darjeeling Limited” will be an enjoyable experience—emphasis on the word experience. The film follows brothers Francis, Jack and Peter Whittman as they embark on a spiritual journey across India. Methods of transportation include a train that shares its name with the title of the film, a motorbike, a taxi, a pull-cart, another train and their minds. That last method is aided by strong doses of potent Indian cough syrup and painkillers, highly influential catalysts in many a spiritual awakening. Francis, the eldest, has organized the voyage in order to bring the three together after an epiphany resulting from his suicide attempt. With the other two brothers experiencing disturbing relationship issues, it makes one wonder how Wes Anderson made the film a successful comedy. Fans of Wes Anderson, director of such off-kilter pictures as “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic,” will bask in his latest
gets from his usual gang. Jason Schwartzman, who co-wrote the film, as Jack and Owen Wilson as Francis put in the same performance they do in all of Anderson’s works. That’s a compliment. Anjelica Huston and Bill Murray return for bit parts as well. The scene-stealer is Adrien Brody as the third brother Peter. If Anderson gives his film a thorough lookdown, Brody will soon be a member of his recurring dry-wit entourage. Where the writing droops, the direction keeps the film on the tracks. Wes Anderson has proven himself to be the opposite of Brett Ratner. Every onscreen action, even the smallest facial twitch, is choreographed precisely. Every single frame is composed with a stunning exactness to achieve his desired effect on a scene. The camera movement is playful and awkwardly overdone, meshing seamlessly with the storyline. The editing is quirky and nonsensical and suitable. And Anderson molds everything around the soundtrack, which steadies the film as its backbone. Natalie Portman stars with
Jason Schwartzman in a short companion work “Hotel Chevalier” that Anderson directed to be seen before the film. (It’s available free of charge on iTunes, so download it beforehand or else the experience will not be complete.) The acting and directing are exemplary. The writing is understated and Anderson’s best. The flaws of “The Darjeeling Limited” were made more conspicuous precisely because it follows this blunt masterpiece. The film’s storyline ultimately becomes lost in a sea of wonder and newfound lucidity. I would gladly purchase a ticket to travel along with “The Darjeeling Limited,” but would avoid the passengers and blissfully gaze out the window to admire the scenery. The Darjeeling Limited Rating: ★★★✩✩ Directed by: Wes Anderson Starring: Natalie Portman, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson
I WANT
BY REBECCA KATZ CADENZA REPORTER Indie music is generally predictable. The token indie group has a complete desire to steer away from “mainstream” by engaging in extreme introversion to become more fashionable. The unintelligible sounds, the whiny vocals and the mish-mosh of instrumentation often lend themselves to an admirable musical arrangement because of their uniquely chaotic quality. Such is not the case with the Fiery Furnaces; their newest (and sixth) album “Widow City” is a playful collection of 16 tracks, each uniquely unpredictable yet experimental with clever wordplay and original songwriting. Formed in New York in 2000, this brother-sister duo from Oak Park, Ill. has used the influence of advertisements from the backs of early seventies design magazines, cultural tidbits from independent community newspapers and various adventures with a Ouija board. The string, woodwind and brass sounds are all played by the brother (Matthew Friedberger) on a Chamberlin, a type of electro-mechanical keyboard. The sister (Eleanor Friedberger) provides most of the vocals. Hearing the epic nature of the songs can be truly remarkable; “Philadelphia Grand Jury” features a long bassoon section, “The Old Hag is Sleeping” has monkey and cow noises to mimic the sound of dawn (a dawn on a monkey farm perhaps…) and “Japanese Slippers” uses a train sound effect, fascinating fans of noisy rock, but maybe boring those who prefer pop. Perhaps the most intriguing track on the album is “Navy Nurse.” The Furnaces nod toward a Led Zeppelin sound with lively, loud electric guitars, drum-solos and a story-telling nature. Know-
ing that Matt is playing every instrument save the drums gives the song a Velvet Underground-esque sound and keeps us listening for the different chapters of the song’s story. “If there’s anything I’ve had enough of it’s today” chants Eleanor Friedberg; the seemingly disjointed musical phrases are held together by her intermingling vocals. Multiple instrumentals and musical excess make the album ostensibly unfocused, yet the impulsiveness of the sound keeps the listener interested and intrigued. “Restorative Beer” is the most likely single on this album, as it is most digestable. The conventional folk and blues merger presents a blend of organs, guitar solos and a hook (I know, right?). Eleanor allows Matt to flex his proverbial instrument muscle but still provides charming lyrics: “I knew I wanna restore the beer/to take my mind off these tears.” With nods to the classic rock sound of electric guitar and epic story-telling through melody, “Window City” ties the music of the past to the indie rock of the present. The album dips into the familiar sounds and techniques of a listeners’ repertoire and also provides a taste of innovation that we may not be prepared for, but to which we can certainly cock our heads to the side and say “oh!” The album could have been a bit shorter, cutting some of the swelling melodies and guitar solos. Yet, this lyrically rich, innovation-laced gesture to classic rock is laden with musical stories waiting to be told. Eager to see the Fiery Furnaces perform their magical novelty? Matt and Eleanor will be coming to our very own Blueberry Hill on Oct. 29 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15, and you must be 21 or older to attend.
Fiery Furnaces Widow City Rating: ★★★★✬ For fans of: Led Zeppelin, The New Pornographers Tracks to download: “Navy Nurse” and “Restorative Beer”
WU INTRAMURAL NEWS CONGRATULATIONS TO Rogues F.C. 7 on 7 Soccer Champions!!!
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WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007
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Fax: 314.935.5938 Don’t forget to include a contact number so we can confirm pricing & payment!
EXCELLENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. High return and minimal work. Perfect for busy college students. Contact Karen at 314-894-3080.
$1000-$1995 BEAUTIFUL 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartments. Dishwasher, stained glass, hardwood floors. Close to WashU right behind Kayks. We are filling up NOW for the 2008-2009 school year! 2-bedrooms also available. London Properties, LLC. 314-6082692. 1-BEDROOM APARTMENT! ONLY $470/month! Water, sewer, trash in luded. Low cost utilities. Near Highway 44, easy access to campus. Call 573999-7699 for more information. CLAYTON, U. CITY Loop, CWE and Dogtown. Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms. Quiet buildings. $410-$900. Visit us online at www.ByronCompany. com. or calls us at 314-7255757. THE CLARA APARTMENTS. Modern Highrise and Midrise apartments. 1 & 2 bedrooms from $525. Sky views, dishwasher, Central Air Conditioning, secured entry, gated parking. Call for Student Specials. 314-367-0445.
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SPRING SUBLET AVAILABLE: 5867 Nin Place (off Waterman, 3 BR/2 BA, laundry, off-street parking, big kitchen, spacious, wood floors, near WU, furnished. Contact mapierce@wustl. edu.
AUTOS VOLKWAGON PASSAT GLX Wagon. 2001 Dark Blue. Tan leather. Great car inside and out. 81K miles. $9100 PMBA ‘93 Russ: 314966-0946.
$5000 PAID EGG donors. + Expenses. Non-smokers, ages 19-29, SAT > 1100, ACT > 24, GPA > 3.0. Reply to: info@eggdonorcenter.com.
ANNOUNCING ADVERTISE FOR FREE! Washington University students, staff and faculty can place free classifieds under most classifications in Student Life. Sinply email your advertisement to classifieds@studlife.com from your Washington University email account. Your advertisement will run for up to six consecutive issues free of charge. Free advertising is for personal use only. Please limit all advertisements to thirty words.
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Sudoku
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By The Mepham Group Level: 1
2
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4
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
Solution to Monday’s puzzle
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WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 17, 2007