V o l u m e I V, N u m b e r V
Celebrating The Precious Human Tapestry
September 25, 2009
Justice Brandeis of the Peace
PHOTOS BY Max Shay/The Hoot
MEDITATIONS: Members of Sangha, a non-denominational Buddhist club, discuss the Peace of Mind event, an activity for Monday’s International Day of Peace.
BY MAXWELL PRICE Contributor
Peace is a very Brandeisian ideal. Founded in the aftermath of and partially in response to the atrocities of World War II, the university had peacemaking on its mind from the outset. Over sixty years later, the university carries that torch proudly, through such organizations as the Student Peace Alliance (which two years ago hosted a national conference), STAND (anti-genocide coalition), and the Peace, Conflict, and Coexistence Studies (PAX) program. On Monday, Brandeis celebrated the International Day of Peace, proving once again that we don’t find anything particularly funny about peace, love, and understanding. The United Nations established September 21 as the International Day of Peace in 1981 as a way of drawing attention to the need for concerted action in pursuit of the elusive ideal. Brandeis latched onto this commemoration and has celebrated it for several years. Monday’s main events included Peace of Mind, a gathering in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium to help develop inner peace, and Nonviolence Training, the first in a series of sessions intended to teach Kingian non-violence strategies (as in Martin Luther King, Jr.). Both events focused on practical, hands-on methods for promoting harmony and compassion in a time where such initiatives are sorely needed. Peace of Mind, put on by Sangha, a non-denominational Buddhist community and the PAX program, gave students a forum to express their beliefs about how to transform the world by transforming ourselves. Students took turns sharing inspiring quotes, personal reflections, and stories. Reverend Walter Cuenin, Coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy,
addressed the group with sanguine words on the power individuals have in promoting peace, and Alex Kern, Protestant chaplain, led the assembled in a song. Professor Gordie Fellman, head of the PAX Department, shared some words about the international and historical implications for this day, offering Gen. MacChrystal’s plea for more troops in Afghanistan as an example of the challenges to peace in our time. Yet the event maintained a decidedly apolitical tone, emphasizing instead the spiritual and interpersonal aspects of peacebuilding. “I hope that people don’t think of International Day of Peace as some idealistic time for all the hippies to come on stage and preach peace,” explained Miriam von Guggenberg ’10, “but I hope it is a day that triggered a compassionate and/or thought of gratitude in each person who walked through the bustling Shapiro Campus Atrium." “It is my hope,” said Jessica Stearns ’10, one of the organizers of Peace of Mind, “that people took away from these events a different definition of peace. Peace as a practice. As something you do, not something you believe in.” The Nonviolence Training, organized by the Student Peace Alliance, took a different approach in pursuit of the same ends. Members of SPA attended a nonviolence certification program last year and decided to use their skills to educate the Brandeis community about principles and concrete methods of
nonviolence. This session included breakout groups and hypothetical scenarios to help students understand ways of tackling real-life campus issues. “The objective of this exercise was to provide participants perspective on how a community can become empowered to face conflict in a constructive and nonviolent manner,” explained Ned Crowley ’10. The turnout for both events was modest, but the general acceptance of and interest in peace sparked by the day’s events demonstrated that Brandeis is still full of a bunch of peaceniks. And that’s not such a bad thing.
“It is my hope that people took away from these events a different definition of peace. Peace as a practice. As something you do, not something you believe in.” - Jessica Stearns ‘10
Diverse City 9
September 25, 2009
VOICES The Helmand Restaurant: Comfort cuisine with an Afghani flavor BY AMI SPIWAK
Special to Diverse City
Cuisine: Afghan Meals Served: Dinner Address: 143 First Street, Cambridge, MA Location: Minutes walking from CambridgeSide Galleria Mall Transportation: Take T Green line to Lechmere Station Reservations: Recommended Phone: 617-492-4646 Prices: $15-$25 Credit Cards: Accepts Major Credit Cards Conveniently located just a few blocks away from the CambridgeSide Galleria mall, The Helmand Restaurant serves Afghani food in an elegant atmosphere that conjures images of your grandmother’s living room—if you’re grandmother happens to be from Afghanistan. The moment you step in, you notice that the dining area is laid out differently than that of most other restaurants. All the tables are located in a single room that is free of columns, walls, or any other sort of spatial dividers—a feature that creates an intimate dining experience. With this unique layout, every table has an unobstructed view of everyone else in the restaurant. As for the decoration, the cheerful yellowish walls are peppered with knickknacks and framed photographs that evoke scenes and landscapes of traditional Afghani life. Large and strikingly beautiful Persian rugs lay under most tables, and a wood-fired brick oven near the entrance constantly churns out artisanal bread. The
PHOTO from Internet Source
wine list is extensive, and the bottles are kept in an exquisite dark-wood wine rack that is both classy and unassuming. But my favorite part has to be the fireplace: flaming wooden logs crackle and pop during the winter, which adds coziness to an already warm ambience. The food, with its mix of Middle Eastern, Indian, and Afghani influences, is absolutely delicious. Relying heavily on typically Asian spices like cardamom, cumin, and a variety of curries, the seasonings are phenomenal. And although the menu is a bit limited in its variety, the relatively short list of plates means that each one has practically become a specialty. Customer favorites include the lamb and
the “Afghani raviolis”, and for those vegetarian diners out there, fear not because Helmand has plenty of options. I also highly suggest the eggplant dishes, and make sure not to miss the mouthwatering desserts. To start, you might try the pan-fried spiced eggplant that’s baked with fresh tomatoes and then served on a garlic-andmint yogurt sauce, or Aushak, "Afghan ravioli" filled with leeks or potatoes and buried under a sauce of either meat or split peas and carrots. Main courses include grilled meats, poultry, and fish, plus several versions of what Americans would call stew. But lamb is king. Try the Lamb Lawand,
for example, which consists of sautéed chunks of leg of lamb in a thick yogurt sauce that more closely resembles curry, accompanied with sautéed spinach and seasoned rice. For dessert, definitely try the Afghan version of baklava. Overall, Helmand serves Afghani comfort food in what is by no means your typical mom-and-pop diner (although pop is sometimes there). The service varies considerably between visits and it could be more attentive, but with food this good, that's a minor quibble. If you want to eat something different this weekend and don’t want to put that deep of a dent in your wallet, head over to The Helmand Restaurant in Cambridge.
Be a doll, make some dal (and smoky tomato soup) SIMPLE DAL AND RICE 1. Put onto boil: yellow split peas with 4 cups of water,
BY ANNA JURSIK Staff
What do you do with excess tomatoes? They spoil so quickly, but this time of year it’s tempting to buy them in bulk. This week’s meal is easy to throw together in an hour or two, and, more importantly, features fresh tomatoes. Even though the soup and dal share a main ingredient, you can serve them together. They compliment each other nicely; the tomatoes take on a distinct character in each dish. The soup doesn’t contain any dairy products, but it’s still filling and full of flavor. It freezes nicely, but if you plan on storing it in a communal fridge, guard it well! The dal and rice dish will satisfy even the most dedicated carnivore in your life. If you double the recipe, your leftovers are great cold for lunch.
PHOTOS BY Anna Jursik/The Hoot
1 cup yellow split peas 1 cup dry brown rice 4 cloves garlic 1 large or 2 small onions 3 large tomatoes 1 tablespoon fresh basil 3 cups fresh spinach 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons curry powder
rice with 2 cups of water. Simmer the peas for 30 minutes and the rice for about an hour. 2. While the dry ingredients are cooking, mince the garlic and basil. Chop the onions, tomatoes, and spinach. 3. As soon as the split peas are tender and the rice is fluffy, heat the olive oil and cumin seeds in a large, non-stick pan. Let fry for about 30 seconds, then add the onion and garlic. Cook over high heat until the onions are brown and fragrant. 4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomatoes, basil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and curry powder. When the tomatoes are soft, usually after 4-5 minutes, add the spinach. 5. After about a minute, the spinach should start to wilt. Stir in the rice and lentils, and turn the heat to low. Simmer for a few minutes and serve warm.
SMOKY TOMATO SOUP 1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. 5 pounds fresh tomatoes ½ cup olive oil 2 large onions 6 cloves garlic 1 bunch fresh basil 2 teaspoons paprika salt and red pepper flakes to taste
2. Wash and quarter the tomatoes. Chop the onions and mince the garlic. Spread over two cookie sheets and drizzle with the olive oil. 3. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until the tomatoes start the brown and the onions caramelize. 4. Let the vegetables sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are cool enough to handle. Tear or chop the basil into small pieces. 5. Fill a blender about ½ full with the roasted tomato mixture and some of the basil pieces. Add about 1 cup of warm water. Puree, then pour the soup into a huge bowl or pot. 6. Repeat until all the vegetables are blended. Stir in the paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes. Taste test! Adjust seasonings, heat, and eat!
10 Diverse City
September 25, 2009
CHORUS
Chef serves up some killer rhymes in new album BY DANIELLE GEWURZ Editor
The hip-hop world received its “Chinese Democracy” this month, when Raekwon finally released the followup to his debut album, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II.” The return of a Wu-Tang member is not only appreciated, but the album itself is a triumph and a Wu-Tang Clan reunion, packed with guest spots. The album, first announced in 2005, features executive production from RZA, as well as work from the now-deceased J Dilla and Dr. Dre, though none of the production is especially groundbreaking. It’s Dre who struggles the most to fit in, his tracks sounding far too clean and neat compared to the rest of the production. But that’s irrelevant, because Raekwon and associates are in top form. Wu-Tang’s style has always been far more organized and composed than, say, Lil Wayne, and after “The Blueprint 3” turned out to be less than classic, here’s an album that lives up to its promise as a sequel to one of rap’s best and most beloved albums. Much like the original “Only Built For Cuban Linx” Ghostface is the most frequent guest, although every remaining Wu-Tang member except U-God makes an appearance and there’s also work from, among others, Jadakiss and Styles P. Ghostface Killah remains in top form, playing off Raekwon as well as the two did on Raekwon’s debut. The difference here is that Raekwon walks away from a majority of these tracks the clear champion, having honed his verses to sharp points. Raekwon’s talent is in evocative narratives, and while he hasn’t quite got coke rap down, his broader focus greatly benefits the album, which feels slightly bloated at 22 tracks but is worth the listen.
PHOTO from Internet Source
The album isn’t quite a concept album, but it’s a loose narrative about drug dealing, criminal enterprise, and street life that Raekwon navigates with ease and insouciance. Masta Killa sums up the numerous threads in “Kiss the Ring;” “Now he's an old Mafia don, from back when/He managed to survive the game, ducking fame… Ya'll rap cats had your last win, toast the kings.” On “We Will Rob You,” Slick Rick shows up for the hook’s obvious Queen bite, appreciated though a bit of a waste of an
MC who pioneered some of the narrative style that’s proved to be Wu-Tang Clan’s trademark. Raekwon mourns the passing of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, sampling “Brooklyn Zoo” and humanizing a man who seemed larger than life and far too comic. There’s something deeply moving in Raekwon’s simple honesty about their friendship, a respect that extends far beyond any bluster or mafia narratives and feels intensely revealing of both men. Clipse see their trademark coke rap style
Not aMUSEd: “The Resistance” album disappoints BY SAMANTHA SHOKIN Editor
For years I have been drowning my thoughts to the sound of Mathew Bellamy’s stirring yet poetic conspiracy theories. When feeling particularly riveted, I would play “Apocalypse Please” on a loop, or, if I felt like starting a revolution that day, I would blast “Stockholm Syndrome” through my speakers at full force. So when I first heard that my favorite band, the multi-award winning English rock group Muse, was coming out with a new album, well—to say I was merely excited would be a tremendous understatement. Muse has always stood out from the crowd with a unique sound that blends alternative rock, electronica, and classical music. Their sweeping overtures, “apocalyptic” melodies and generally epic pieces established a worldwide fan base that now runs in the millions. Their latest album, The Resistance, was released on Sept. 7. I listened through the album and was left unsatisfied. The “epic” sound that I had known and loved before was absent and replaced by songs that sound poppy, radiofriendly, and geared towards an audience that appreciates catchiness as opposed to originality and soul-wrenching brilliance. A few songs on the album sound like corny Muse imitations. There are only two half-decent songs that I would listen to more than once. “Uprising,” which was released as a teaser prior to the album, is kind of catchy and foot-tapping but the lyrics are lame, repetitive, and unprofound. “Undisclosed Desires” is the same story.
PHOTO from Internet Source
“United States of Eurasia” is more Museesque in that it has a bit of that grandiose sound I’d expect. It gradually builds to a climax in typical Muse fashion, but then falls flat and is basically unmemorable. The last three songs on the album are part of an “Exogenesis Symphony” that has the makings of an epic piece, but they feel somehow schmaltzy, dramatized and artificial. It is all hype with pointless execution, and will be vastly unappreciated by Muse
fans that want pulsing guitar riffs but are met instead by fluttery piano concertos. It was completely unnecessary to devote a fourth of the album to this. I’m pretty disappointed. The hype for this album was blown way out of proportion, just like many of the songs build up to a lot of fluff with no meaning. I am going to go grumble about this in my room to some real tunage: Black Holes and Revelations (their 2006 album, no less).
brought down to earth in “Pyrex Vision” where Raekwon destroys the conventional rap narrative of crack as easily, skillfully, and quickly made by explicitly detailing the process of producing it: “Trying to form a rock up and double it…All I see is white stuff, suds in it/It’s on, get the baking soda, dump it.” This attention to detail, the verse style, is what makes this a worthy follow-up, even if it’s not a classic. “House of Flying Daggers” is a classic posse cut, opening the album with a menacing chorus equaled by the strings and stomp in “Cold Outside.” But the Ghostface/Raekwon interplay is at its peak in “Penitentiary,” one of many notable Ghostface lines on the album. Ghostface’s best moment is truly “Gihad,” where he describes having sex with a friend’s girlfriend with “Pyrex in one hand, large amount of grams and it rocked up/ And she pregnant, my little man got her knocked up.” Though it may not sound it, it’s in fact one of the most lighthearted moments on the album (and it still ends with someone pulling a gun out). But that’s Raekwon and Ghostface’s MO: finding the details, both sad and humorous, in what otherwise might be a far too familiar crime-mob rap. It’s worthwhile to remember that “Only Built For Cuban Linx” almost singlehandedly brought about this mob/Mafioso, New York centric drug empire that Jay-Z, Nas, and others have continued to explore. Because it’s a narrative style so commonplace now, “Cuban Linx Pt 2” obviously lacks the same impact, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a worthy sequel. It’s an album whose incessant delays are clearly a function of Raekwon the Chef ’s willingness to keep returning to the kitchen to adjust the seasoning levels. Thankfully, the dish turned out quite well.
Fads: Friends or foes? BY ANDREA FISHMAN Special to DiverseCity
Although fads in literature, style, music and so on traverse across boundaries, allowing for at least one set of shared interests, these fads may or may not be viewed as homogenizing the varied trends that are supposed to be the hallmark of any culture or sub-culture. To be persuaded into a fad of literature and faux pop-culture, let’s say into the books and movies of the popular Twilight series, is to believe that it is necessary to be a part of the craze and that one must relish in it. While not completely bashing the vampire-science fiction fad that is known as Twilight and other such literary and cinematic “eye-candy” for the masses, it is still necessary to realize that the historical notions of vampires have been twisted into a sensational world that masses feel they must try to escape into. Most importantly, literary fads, more often than not, prove to be ever-changing and tied down to present trends. Therefore, I must ask why the youth and subsequent generations continually jump on the bandwagon rather than decide what novels and interests are more stationary and time-worthy for the individual. Fads in style and music are also ever-changing and “keeping up” with the times may deter one’s own journey to self-discovery through his or her own unique stylistic and musical tastes. While these fads are out there and can be the friends to many looking for a way to fit-in and stay in-tuned to the popular youth culture of the times, I believe they are foes to the individual trying to steer away from the mainstream and simply be their fad-less selves.
Diverse City 12
September 25, 2009
ENDNOTE Ask the Queer Resource Center! Who wears the pants? BY RACHAEL BARR
Do you have questions about gender, sexuality, diversity, or acceptance? Would you like anonymous advice from friendly peer counselors? Check out the Queer Resource Center, the educational branch of Triskelion, the Brandeis LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual/ ally) group. We provide free, confidential peer counseling to people of all identities, in Shapiro Campus Center room 328, Mondays through Fridays form 1 to 5 PM. Now you can have your questions answered anonymously in print! Submit a question to “Ask the QRC” at qrc@brandeis.edu. Put “Hoot” in the subject line, and you’ll see your question addressed anonymously in next week’s paper! Dear QRC,
Dear QRC,
Is it true that gay people have a smaller hypothalamus?
So is gender neutral housing a new thing? How does this affect my life here at ‘Deis?
Sincerely, Biologically Bamboozled Experiments and tests have been performed, mostly on men, over the course of many years in an attempt to discern a biological difference between homosexual and heterosexual people. For example, three researchers named Swaab, LeVay, and Allen have investigated the differences in the hypothalamus between homosexual and heterosexual men. They each came to differing conclusions, and the medical community has yet to make a definitive statement on the issue. If you want more information, you can check out the AllPsych journal’s article called “Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture” online at http:// allpsych.com/journal/homosexuality.html. It is important to note that these studies looked at the difference between homosexual and heterosexual people, not any other members of the queer community. Moreover, these studies represent a single hypothesis of biological difference between homosexual and heterosexual people. The results so far haven’t shown convincing evidence, but even if an answer was found to this particular question, there are other topics within the connection of biology and sexuality to be studied. The implications of these studies are perhaps more complex than the question itself, as it brings up debates of nature vs. nurture, choice, equality, and human rights. Love, The QRC
Sincerely, Hesitantly Housed While some other schools have had Gender Neutral Housing for a while, it is a new thing for Brandeis. This is actually the first year we’ve had it! Gender Neutral Housing is essentially gender blind. Living in Gender Neutral Housing means that your gender is not declared to Community Living. Here’s how it works: GNH exists only on sophomore housing and above and is available by request on certain floors. You can contact the Department of Community Living for a map of which buildings and floors contain gender neutral areas. If you would like Gender Neutral Housing, you can request it. Brandeis will not force anyone into a living situation they don’t want, and as such Gender Neutral Housing will affect your life only to the degree that you want it to! Love, The QRC Dear QRC, A lot of my friends are gay and I want them to know I support them. What’s the best way for me to do this? Enthusiastic Ally There are several ways to be a good ally! Some include stepping in when offensive language is used, not assuming people’s sexuality and/or gender identity/expression, and always refraining from labeling someone until they tell you the term they prefer. Of course, with friends you can ask them about ways you can be more accepting and supportive of their sexuality! Remember, not everyone will want or need the same things; the most supportive thing you can do is be available! Love, The QRC
Staff
Ironically, when the pant sizes started to drop off, so did the amount of men in my life. I always used to dream I was skinny. My mom once told me, “Go for your dreams.” So I did. And here I am today. With this whole new wardrobe to accommodate my slightly smaller, yet not small enough, frame. But clothes, like men, are never what they seem to be. They usually look better on the rack. And that girl over there who looks so good in her pants I had to try them on? Yeah, she looks much better in them than I do. The clothes I pick out are always too small or too tight or too big or too short or, well, never too long. Let’s be honest here. But they are oftentimes too expensive or made of really cheap material or have been tried on so many times, they’ve lost all their appeal. (Just to be clear, I’m only partially talking about clothes now.) I always want the clothes every one else has: I want to keep up with the trends. But I am not a very trendy person. I’m more of a baseball hat, shorts, t-shirt, muscles…I mean, sorry. I was describing my clothes. I always like the ones that are never right for me. They either don’t fit, are completely out of style, or scream at the innocent passersby, “I’M TRYING TOO HARD TO FIT IN!” Which, of course, causes everyone in the near vicinity, clothes on and off the rack, to run away and lock their doors. I see the shirts and pants and big belts you’re supposed to be wearing, and the men you’re supposed to be wearing them with, splashed across magazines, taunting me. And I know I will never wear these clothes, nor will I ever see them in real life. What’s more is that the dress I’ve been saving up for since last winter is no longer worth the price. Or I’ve saved up so long, it’s now too cold out to wear it. Better yet, I seem to like to pay full price when the next day it goes on sale. I’m not saying I have bad luck, per se, I’m just saying that if I had to pick half empty or half full, I already spilled the glass on my new white shirt so I don’t know if it was empty or full. I just know it stains. We’ve all heard that old saying which claims that once we stop looking, the perfect pair of pants will come strolling along? Well, I can’t go into a store and just not look at the pants in the hopes that one will hop off the hanger and come charging down the aisle at me, screaming, “Wear me!” I have to look. I have to. It’s in my nature. If I do stop looking, it’s with the hyperawareness that I am ACTIVELY NOT LOOKING for that perfect pair of jeans while instead I look at everyone else’s jeans trying to convince myself that my jeans are waiting somewhere for me, hoping I’ll run into them in a dark alley or a check-out line. Instead, I find myself walking into every store, wondering if this store holds the
jeans I want and need, even though, as I said, I am not really looking for them. I create my own Catch-22 in which I still have no pants on and am not even supposed to be looking for any. When I’m not engulfed in not looking for the pants I’m looking for, I sometimes think of those pants that I know I outgrew that were itchy and tight PHOTO from Internet Source and unforgiving but seem to remember as comfortable and stylish and my favorite color. I remember the good times we had, the crotch holes we suffered together, the snow through which we traversed, the summer months that forced me to roll the cuffs…oh the good days! They start to outnumber the memories of the bad ones and now, to quote an appropriate book, “I just want my pants back.” This thinking has led me down the dangerous path of searching the lost and found, the trash, the bowels of my closet to find that pair of pants I’d decided long ago were no longer right for me in the hopes that they’ve either changed since I last saw them or that I was too hasty in getting rid of them. But once I find them, and put them on, the true memories come back, and I start to scratch and they squeeze in all the wrong places and I realize that they are far too critical. So once again, I am forced to ditch them. Once again, I did not really want my pants back. I think sometimes the idea of the perfect pair of pants is far more enticing than acquiring them or searching for them. I have perfectly good dresses, tights, shirts, skirts, leggings, and shorts to get me through at least another few months. And if that doesn’t work, hopefully Brandeis will have another “The Less You Wear” dance and I won’t have to worry about what I have on. Or don’t have on. Maybe those pants will find me somewhere, somehow. Until then, I guess I won’t be buttoning anything up, or down, anytime soon. In fact, maybe I’ll learn how to stop comparing what I have on to what others have. And by virtue of this, I can strip away my naked discomfort and clothe myself in the knowledge that someday my prince will come. And I’ll borrow his pants.
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