The Brandeis Hoot - 10/01/2010

VOL 7, NO. 15

OCTOBER 1, 2010

B R A N D E I S U N I V E R S I T Y ' S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

WA LT H A M , M A

Part three of The Hoot’s Financial Exposure series

Amid budget crisis, univ spent big on administrators

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

On June 23, 2009 the university announced it would suspend contributions to the retirement funds of its 5,181 employees for the entirety of fiscal year 2010.

The move, which saved the university $7.4 million, was deemed necessary to help close the thencalculated $8.9 million budget gap.

But while faculty and staff were planning to make due with less,

Visitors to audit value of Brandeis education

some of Brandeis’ top administrators were living off of pay raises greater than 10 percent between fiscal years 2009 and 2008, according to the university’s tax exemption forms from those years.

For example, in fiscal year 2008, university President Jehuda Reinharz received $405,209 in compensation. In fiscal year 2009, however, he received $523,546 in reportable compensation.

Then Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter B. French received $341,105 in fiscal year 2008 and $543,613 in fiscal

year 2009.

Andrew Gully, Brandeis’ senior vice president for communication, wrote in an e-mail to The Hoot that the increase in Reinharz’ salary was a result of his contract being renewed by the board of trustees in May 2008, one month before the beginning of fiscal year 2009.

As for French’s raise, Gully wrote, “Senior staff compensation reported on the form ... is approved by the Personnel, Compensation and Ethics Committee annually as recommended by the

president.”

While both French and Reinharz later announced that they would be undertaking a 10 percent pay cut to help with the fiscal year 2010, the cut would still leave each of their salaries far higher than those they received in fiscal year 2008.

Gully wrote that there were no “annual increases in fiscal year 2010” because all university salaries were frozen.

Reinharz’s salary is on par with salaries of presidents at universities that are similar in size and

Editor

See WABASH, p. 3

THIS WEEK:

See EXPOSURE, p. 4

Dainin selected as finalist for ‘Month at the Museum’ contest

BY NATHAN KOSKELA

The administrators of a study that measures the strength of liberal arts programs at schools around the country will visit Brandeis Wednesday to meet with students, faculty and senior university officials as part of their evaluation of the true value of a Brandeis education.

The roving team is from the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College, in Crawfordsville, Ind. “Wabash College studies the best practices in a liberal arts education, and measures if you’re getting your money’s worth,” Brandeis Provost Marty Krauss said.

The goal of the Brandeis hosting of the Center’s leaders is to “help students achieve” by ensuring the university is undertaking these best practices,” she said.

According to its website, the Wabash National Study is “a large-scale, longitudinal study to investigate critical factors that affect the outcomes of liberal arts education.”

The team of four assessment experts will meet with students to discuss their findings from Brandeis’ participation,

caliber to Brandeis. Larry Bacow, president of Tufts University, for example, earned $622,090 in fiscal year 2009, according to his university’s tax exemption forms for that year.

Gully would not specify how much future university president Frederick Lawrence will be compensated, writing “his compensation package is appropriate for Brandeis and in the context of a first-year university president in

PHOTO COURTSEY Alex Dainin/The Hoot

FINALIST: Alex Dainin ’11 will participate in a special program at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

BY EMMA CHAD-FRIEDMAN Special to The Hoot

Alex Dainin ’11 has been selected as one of five finalists to win a month-long stay at Chicago Museum of Science and Industry as part of its “Month at the Museum” contest.

If she wins, Danin will live at the museum and use social media and film to report on activity within the museum from Oct. 20 to Nov. 18.

Dainin applied for the contest in order to begin fulfilling her lifelong goal of showing the general public “how cool science is” if she wins.

“They want someone who can really translate [how cool the museum is] out into the world and be a window,” said Dainin, who is double majoring in biology and

Rose Art Preview

film at Brandeis.

The voting will take place online on the museum website on Monday and the winner will be announced Wednesday.

The voters learned about this contest from the various sources of coverage this contest has gotten. Dainin, specifically, has been interviewed by the local Chicago paper, the Huffington Post and Wired.com. The voters have access to each contestant’s photo, and excerpts from the application that the museum put on its website.

The panel of judges uses this vote to help make their decision as to who the winner will be.

Dainin said she does not know who the judges are. Dainin discovered the contest on a twitter link to the month at the museum page.

Arts , page 11

“I thought it was a perfect combination of science and film, so I had to apply,” she said.

Dainin, along with 1,500 contestants, sent in their applications on Aug. 11.

The applications consisted of an essay on why each contestant deserved to be chosen, a 60-second video clip, a head shot and a list of references.

After the contestants sent in their applications, the panel of judges called back Dainin, along with approximately 20 others, for phone interviews.

Two weeks later, the judges invited Dainin, and who she assumes were the other finalists, to Chicago for in-person interviews.

“It was really exciting because this was my first time in Chicago,” Dainin said.

The panel announced the five

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Who’s who in ??????????????????????? the Union ???????????????????????

Features, page 5 ???????????????????????

finalists the following Monday.

In the mean time, Dainin has begun thinking about what she will do about her classes if she does win.

Although Dainin has already completed her biology major, she still needs three more classes to complete her film major.

“I’ll have to work that out with individual professors … I’m still working on that,” she said. “I might have to find alternative due dates for papers.”

Although she still has some requirements to complete at Brandeis, Dainin has already begun envisioning her future goals and how she can use this opportunity at the museum to fulfill them.

She explained in her application that she wants to make science more comprehensible to people, more enjoyable.

“Many people assume that all scientists look like Einstein and spend their days memorizing the periodic table … I want to breakdown stereotypes and show people the reality of science, the fact that scientists are an incredibly diverse group filled with exciting and interesting people of all ages,” she wrote.

Even if this contest isn’t the place where Dainin can begin her work, Dainin has further aspirations to bridge the gap between science and ordinary people.

“My long-term goal is to have a science television show. I want to make science more accessible and interesting to the general public. I want to create a bridge between the scientific and general public.”

@TheBrandeisHoot.com Follow The Hoot’s series Financial Exposure on our website Twitter: http://twitter.com/thebrandeishoot Facebook: http://facebook.thebrandeishoot.com

NEWS

2 The Brandeis Hoot

October 1, 2010

Pianist describes life in Birthright founders discuss ‘giving’ music world post-sexual reassignment surgery

BY MORGANA RUSSINO Staff

Internationally renowned pianist Sara David Buechner spoke about her experiences as a pianist and as a transgendered woman at the seventh annual Eleanor Roosevelt Lecture in Rapaporte Treasure Hall on Tuesday.

Buechner, who was born and and lived as a boy, David, until her gender reassignment surgery in 1998, expressed feeling ill-equipped to talk about gender differences because she said they are not easily simplified and that everyone has their own story.

Still, she said that with her decision to become a female, she “lost all the privileges of the straight, male, white world,” but that she does not regret it.

Buechner said that men put up multiple masks of strength, power and achievement to fit society’s standards. Now, she can be who she feels she was always meant to be: Sara Buechner.

At the age of three, Buechner could already play her older brother’s sheet music on the piano without ever having studied it.

Once she began to take piano lessons, she learned Mozart and became so infatuated with the composer that her grandmother, an accomplished seamstress, made her a Mozart-like blouse, as well as a purple velvet jacket.

Buechner wore these items to school, completely naïve to the fact that some might consider this weird behavior for a young boy.

The pianist illustrates her childhood as a period that was strictly black and white, where there was no room for someone like her: someone in between the gender spectrum. During this time, she would visit art

museums with her mother.

Peter Paul Ruben’s portraits always struck her as beautiful and she expressed to her mother how she wanted to look like the women in the paintings. This did not seem abnormal to her at the time, but as she grew older, she understood that it might be to others.

The musician stated that the worst part of her adolescence was the lack of information. Her parents were typical parents of that time and never spoke about sex. As a result, Buechner became scared and ashamed that she did not identify with being a boy.

Buechner’s success as a musician was thriving and, at age 17, she attended her first year at the prestigious Julliard School in New York City. Buechner began to be well known in the classical music scene.

Still, her parents tried to help their son and sent her to multiple psychiatrists who tried to “fix” her and deduce what was “wrong” with her.

After years of ridicule and dealing with rejection and criticism, especially from the musical world, Buechner decided to finally do what she wanted to.

She traveled to Bangkok, where she had gender reassignment surgery and was given numerous hormone injections.

Today, Buechner is happily married to her partner in British Columbia. She is a music professor at the University of British Columbia and still regards Mozart with the same admiration she felt as a child.

The Department of Women’s and Gender Studies created the Eleanor Roosevelt Lecture Series in 2004 to honor the historical figure’s commitment to social justice. The former First Lady and U.N. Ambassador also served on Brandeis’ Board of Trustees for 13 years.

PHOTOS BY Max Shay/The Hoot

GIVING: Jewish philanthropists Charles Bronfman and Jeffery Solomon co-authored the book ‘The Art of Giving,’ which they discussed at the Heller Zimmer Forum Monday.

BY TRISHNA MITRA Staff

Charles Bronfman and Jeffery Solomon, co-authors of “The Art of Giving: Where the Soul Meets a Business Plan,” spoke Monday about philanthropy in today’s world.

Andrew Hahn, the director of the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy, mediated the discussion.

“The Art of Giving” describes philanthropy as a business, while addressing the major issues it faces. Essentially, it is a how-to guide to increase the effectiveness of philanthropic deeds.

Hahn asked Solomon to describe his most notable grantmaking initiative and what defines its effectiveness. As founding president of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies Inc., both Solomon and Bronfman support foundations in the United See GIVING, p. 4

Student admits to exposing himself inside Chapel

BY JON OSTROWSKY Editor

A Brandeis student notified Public Safety last Friday that he was responsible for exposing himself twice inside the Harlan Chapel. The Office of the Dean of Student Life is now responsible for handling the perpetrator, Ed Callahan, director of public safety said.

“A student came into our office and was remorseful for the incident[s],” Callahan said.

Witnesses had seen a naked man standing inside an empty Harlan Chapel on Aug. 26 and Sept. 20.

The student who turned him-

self in matched the description Student Life is handling the reof the suspect, provided to pub- sponse to the incident, however, lic safety after each incident, of Callahan said that Public Safety a “black male in his 20s with could decide to press criminal close-cropped hair.” charges through the Waltham In response to the incidents, Police Department. Callahan the university added uniformed and plain-clothes student came into our ofpatrol officers and actifice and was remorseful for vated electronic key card access to all three on- the incident[s].” campus chapels.

- Ed Callahan Public Safety has since removed some of the patrols and Callahan said it was said that the university has ad“reasonable” to believe that the vised and briefed Waltham Postudent who turned himself in lice throughout the different upwas the individual who exposed dates on the incident. himself inside the chapel.

Rick Sawyer, Vice President The Office of the Dean of for Student Affairs and Dean of

A

Student Life, would not elaborate on the details his office’s response, citing privacy restrictions.

“Matters between Brandeis and individual students are subject to specific laws respecting privacy, and our own sense of student rights in this community regarding possible disciplinary actions and/or matters of one’s health,” Sawyer wrote in a statement.

Any actions the Office of the Dean of Student Life takes will remain confidential, Callahan said.

Because the incident took place within the Brandeis community, Waltham Police did not

have a large role in the investigation. But Callahan said that “if [an incident] spills over into the Waltham community, it’s a joint investigation.”

Callahan explained that the university must remain sensitive to the seriousness of the incident, as well as how best to proceed, considering that it was a community member who committed the act. He added that the university decided to send out two campus-wide e-mails about the incidents directly after they occurred to keep community members informed.

“Every situation is serious.

That’s why we sent out the alert,” Callahan said.

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

NEWS

3

Sarna discusses General Grant and Jewish politics

BY LEAH FINKLEMAN Editor

Professor Jonathan Sarna (NEJS), a historian on American-Judaism, spoke to students and faculty this week about Jewish politics and President Ulysses S. Grant’s relationship with the American-Jewish community in the late 1860s.

The presentation, titled “The Beginnings of Jewish Politics in America: Jew, Ulysses S. Grant, and the 1868 Election,” came from a chapter in Sarna’s forthcoming book, “When Grant Expelled the Jews.”

In the presentation, Sarna highlighted General Orders #11, an official order from General Grant. Issued in 1862, during the Civil War, the order expelled Jews from the war zone. He explained that Grant’s goal was to decrease smuggling, but that President Lincoln revoked the act, so as not to punish an entire group because of a few sinners.

“Judaism was synonymous with smuggling ... it’s not a surprise that people would blame Jews, even though there were

larger economic forces at the time,” Sarna said.

He then related the decree to Grant’s 1868 run for president, one of the first instances of noticeable vocally Jewish political opinions.

Sarna explained that when Grant ran for president, American Jews were generally in agreement about which party was best for the country. Because Republicans were credited with the emancipation of African-Americans, Jews largely supported them.

However, Grant was the Republicans’ nominee, and the Jewish community did not forget his anti-Semitic decree. This led to the still relevant question of Jewish Americans’ allegiances to their country–which part of their identity would be more important, their nationality or their religion?

In the end, Grant’s presidency helped the Jewish community a great deal. Many were afraid that with the emancipation of African-Americans, Jews would become the nation’s new “oth-

er” community. Instead, during Grant’s presidency, anti-Semitism declined.

“Grant actually deserved better. In the United States, Jews moved from outsider to insider,” Sarna said. He described Grant’s transition from Haman to Mordechai, a reference to the story of Purim, in which Haman, the king’s advisor, plots to destroy the Jewish people, but Mordechai, a Jew, saves them.

“When Grant Expelled the Jews” will join several other books by Sarna, including “American Judaism: A History,” the 2004 winner of the National Jewish Book Award, and several other award-winning books.

The Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry and the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department sponsored the lecture.

It was part of the Jewish Studies Colloquium, an annual yearlong series of presentations of papers and books in progress by graduate students and faculty from Brandeis and other schools.

PHOTO BY Andrew Rauner/The Hoot

Wabash goup to visit Brandeis, talk to focus groups WABASH(from p. 1)

performed by surveys of the then-incoming class of 2012 twice during their first year in 2008.

The presentation will be held in the Art Gallery on the third floor of the Shapiro Campus Center and will be open to all students.

Some findings that will be presented include the percentages of Brandeis students who participate in co-curricular activities, and that participation’s effect on their studies; the average Brandeis student’s level of involvement in the social or political community; and Brandeisians’ study, discussion and intellectual habits.

The Wabash staff will take

further questions to be used for the “qualitative” part of their examinations now that they have processed this quantitative data, according to Krauss.

“They’ll probe the dimensions of the numerical findings to find qualitative data in addition,” she said, adding

that because both positive and negative reactions are “more extreme in focus groups,” there is that much more to learn should students make the effort to attend Wednesday.

The meeting seminars will be between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, including an

Because of students’ different perspectives, we expect there to be as varied and different reports between our students as between other universities - Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

hour’s dinner in the Sherman Dining Hall at 6 p.m.

Brandeis’ participation in the study was funded by an outside grant from the Davis Foundation, which had been active in promoting Brandeis’ liberal arts in the past.

Krauss said at the time it was believed that the Center’s findings would “more likely lead to positive change,” Krauss said.

The changes could be made not just in relation to other schools in the study, but because the study would allow the university’s academic leadership to learn things about Brandeis even it does not know.

“Because of students’ different perspectives, we expect there to be as varied and dif-

ferent reports between our students as between other universities,” Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan said.

The Wabash experts “will be digesting this to report out on what students are saying about Brandeis,” she said.

Krauss acknowledged that her office’s pre-arrival announcement underscored how crucial she believes student attendance and participation will be to the success of the study’s results.

“We’re really excited about doing as much as we can to make people aware,” she said, “because we really are working hard to have the best practices and the best education possible.”

4 NEWS

The Brandeis Hoot

SJ resolves dispute over Village senator

Bronfman, Solomon discuss ‘the art of giving’ GIVING (from p. 2)

BY NATHAN KOSKELLA Editor

The new class of Student Union senators will include successful write-in candidate Missy Skolnik ’12 of the Village, after a constitutional limitation initially appeared to bar her from the seat because she, like most upperclassmen living in the quad, is going abroad in the spring.

The Constitution mandates that candidates, to be eligible to run for an elected Union office, must be “studying on the Waltham campus for the entire period in which s/he will hold office.”

“I realized that I would not officially be able to run as a candidate for the seat,” Skolnik wrote in an e-mail to The Hoot.

“To me this meant two things: that I wouldn’t be able to be on the ballot and that it would be up to Village residents to choose freely and duly to write my name in as an alternative candidate.”

While the Union Constitution does impose this barrier for those wishing to be on the online ballot, Skolnik and Herbie Rosen, the Union secretary, agreed that it curiously did not require constant on-campus residency for a write-in campaign.

The Student Judiciary “agreed on the suggestion that nothing was stated in the Constitution in relation to write-in campaigns, so there was no clearcut answer as to what we must do,” Rosen, who as secretary is named by the Constitution as chief elections officer, wrote in an e-mail.

“I have decided that Missy will be taking the seat for Village Senator. My reasoning is [that] the Constitution does not directly state anything which would prevent her from taking the seat, as a write-in is not mentioned in its text.”

Rosen added that in any case, her “constituency also demonstrated that they want her for the seat, [even] with the knowledge that she will be going abroad next semester.”

That decision may reflect the fact that most Village residents go abroad for part of the year, but Skolnik said that she would “do everything in [her] power to [re]present immediate and long-term needs for all Village residents, including the sophomores in A House who will be there for the year’s entirety.”

She, while being successful in her write-in campaign, questioned the need or students to roundabout their own constitution.

“Why are we trying to limit the Senate to students who are not studying abroad?” Skolnik wrote.

“This system makes things very difficult, polarizing and disempowering.”

October 1, 2010

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

States, Canada and Israel that create programs to strengthen their knowledge and gratitude of their Jewish history and heritage.

Solomon said that their most notable grant-making initiative would be “Birthright,” which provides thousands of young Jews with the opportunity to go on a 10-day trip to Israel to build a connection with the country and the Jewish people.

The participants are then required to answer questions about the trip at the end of their 10 days to assess the program’s effectiveness, which Solomon says is crucial to its success.

The book also touches upon the dynamics between the donors, partners and the gift itself. Bronfman said that although there are 10 types of donors, ranging anywhere from the non-donor to the passive donor to the proactive donor, the motivation for a potential donor should be that to give “providing it touches his or her soul.”

Solomon believes that donors give to philanthropies when they care deeply about the organization to which they are giving and

that, if they do, they will continue to give to an organization. In this way, he said, the philanthropic can indeed make a difference.

“The gift,” he said, “becomes an evaluation of yourself.”

Bronfman also discussed nonprofit organizations or, as he calls them in his book, “the partners.”

“Giving money isn’t the hard part. The non-profits do the incredible work, the heavy lifting.

Donors need to remember that so they can work together,” he said.

Bronfman discussed the difference between “old” and “new” philanthropy, explaining that in old philanthropy, the granter serves the need of the grantee.

Today, the grantee serves the need of the granter, where they are no longer donors, but rather investors.

“First something should grab your soul before you can transform it into a business move,” Bronfman said.

Hahn ended the session by asking what advice was best for graduating Brandeis students.

“Don’t accept mediocrity,” Solomon said. “Excellence is the only way to advance your values.”

University pays for presidential housekeeper, health clubs for senior administrators EXPOSURE (from p. 1)

greater Boston.”

Chairman of the board of trustees Malcom Sherman said that compensation to Brandeis administrators is reviewed by “outside compensation consultants” and examined by the Board of trustees “to ensure that we are very much in line with peer institutions.”

“For the most part, we are around the 50th percentile–sometimes a little over, sometimes a little under–but basically in that range. Brandeis is a top-tier university and we want to attract and

retain highly talented individuals for these very demanding positions,” Sherman said.

Aside from Reinharz and French, the university spent more than $200,000 on salaries for nine additional employees in fiscal year 2009, three of whom were paid more than $300,000.

In fiscal year 2009, the university was suffering from a $10 million budget gap.

High salaries were not the only compensation afforded to top administrators. In fiscal year 2009, Reinharz received $196,333 in “deferred compensation” and $110,764

in nontaxable benefits, according to the tax exemption forms. Every senior administrator received at least $15,000 in deferred compensation in that fiscal year.

As president of Brandeis, Reinharz is required to live in the university-owned presidential residence in Newton. According to the tax exemption forms, the university also pays for a housekeeper to “maintain” the presidential residence, along with “routine maintenance, repairs, property taxes, insurance and utilities,” Gully wrote.

Gully did not know how much the university spends annually on the

presidential residence.

The university also “reimburses the president and certain senior managements for health/social club dues up to $1,000,” the form reads; however Gully wrote “President Reinharz does not receive payment for any social club memberships. He gets the $1,000 health benefit available to all senior officers.”

The university also reimburses officers and trustees for “normal business expenses incurred in connection with university businesses” if the officers and trustees present a receipt.

October 1, 2010

Herbie Rosen Herbie Rosen ’12 is a self-proclaimed laugher, people-watcher and “Harry Potter” fanatic who tries to live life to the fullest.

When attempting to describe himself in only a few sentences, he said, “I try to make the most out of every day. I laugh at least four times a day, and I’m really happy to be in the place that I am.” It is this infectious energy that contributes to the weekly e-mails he sends to the student body, for which he is most well-known.

Though he is self-conscious talking about himself for an extended period of time, Herbie was able to sit down and talk about what makes him one of the most recognizable people on campus. Between being Student Union secretary, on Core Committee for Orientation, and an active member of several groups on campus, everyone seems to know him, and few have anything negative to say about him.

Marc Eder ’12, a close friend of Herbie’s since living on the same hall during their first year at Brandeis, explained it perfectly. “It’s just because he’s Herbie, and he does everything. Also, Herbie is a pretty unique name, so people remember it.”

Besides Student Union “I want to be happy,” he and Core, he is a co-coordi- said. “That’s the biggest nator of Bran- thing. I’d like to change the deis Ensemble world somehow, but my Theatre, acting way, and I don’t know what in part of a series of one-act that is yet.” plays by Hillel - Herbie Rosen Theatre, in the improv group Crowd Control, learning to be a tour guide, and he goes to Hillel when he has the time.

Raised in Rochester, Minnesota, Herbie is full of Midwest pride, but loves living in Massachusetts. “Minnesota can be friendlier—no offense to the East Coast– but I just can’t stop smiling when I’m here. Brandeis is my home now,” he said, although he does miss one of his favorite restaurants, Noodles & Company, a popular Midwestern chain.

Herbie’s chosen superpower, pausing time to enjoy it, was very representative of his attempt to appreciate every moment. “The only reason I would want to go back and redo something is because it was so much fun,” he explained, after being unable to list any real regrets.

Despite being so involved, he Minnesota can be friend- still finds time lier—no offense to the East to do schoolCoast–but I just can’t stop work and hang out with friends. smiling when I’m here. “It sounds like a Brandeis is my home now. lot, but it isn’t,” he said. “When I have deadlines, - Herbie Rosen I know how to prioritize and get things done.”

After teaching himself to read with a Star Wars comic book, Herbie discovered “Harry Potter” and fell in love with the series. He has a shirt, “Waitlisted at Hogwarts,” and lived in the Castle as a sophomore to fulfill his dream, which was one reason that he chose Brandeis.

“I used to want to be a writer, but “Harry Potter” got written, and I don’t think I could top that,” he said. Now his dream job is Matt Lauer’s job, which would give him the opportunity to travel, meet new people and be a reporter.

“I want to be happy,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing.

I’d like to change the world somehow, but my way, and I don’t know what that is yet.”

FEATURES A closer look at at the ‘Harry Potter’-obsessed Union secretary The Brandeis Hoot 5

By Leah Finkelman, Editor

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

want to write for

Hoot Features? email eic@thebrandeis.hoot.com

6 FEATURES

The Brandeis Hoot

Mitchell Schwartz

Senator for Class of 2014

Dillon Harvey

Senator for Class of 2014

October 1, 2010

Alyssa Green

Rosby Kome-Mensah

Senator for TYP

Senator for Massell Quad

2014

2014

2014

Wayne, NJ

Medford, NY

St. Petersburg, FL

Accra, Ghana

Economics and Anthropology

Politics with Legal Studies minor

Sociology

Chemistry and Economics

I jumped out of a plane once.

Was an incredible dream-like experience. That being said, I don’t plan on doing it again.

For my senior trip, during the talent show portion, I performed the dance for “Bad Romance” by Lady GaGa. I had to do something big before I graduated.

2014

Dream job: Florist. I think flowers are fascinating, they’re living, mortal, physical art–arranging them in a way that almost anyone can enjoy is a true pleasure.

Superpower: Shapeshifter

SheKeyla Caldwell

Senator for North Quad

Most embarrassing moment: Being the lead singer for a rendition of “Respect” by Aretha Franklin in the fourth grade. Oh how naive I was.

Hero: Barack Obama and Lady Gaga

Miriam Halimi

Senator for Castle Quad

Dream job: Working with LGBTQ youth in south Florida. Empowering by education and workshops.

Most embarrassing moment: When my mom called me “muff” in front of my entire sixth grade class.

My family and friends are very important to me. I’m very confident and comfortable with who I am.

And I love meeting new people and learning from them.

Dream job: Pro Basketball Player in Spain. Doing the one thing I love the most (and getting PAID) for it whilst enjoying a different cultural experience is THE dream combination.

Scariest thing you’ve ever done: The anthrax scare. A terrible prank that landed me in the principal’s office.

That’s all I’ll say.

Albert Feldman

Elizabeth Fields

Senator for East Quad

Senator for Rosenthal Quad

2014

2013

2013

2013

Houston, TX

Brooklyn, NY

Worcester, MA

Dallas, TX

HSSP and Environmental Studies

English and Creative Writing

Politics My dream job would be to serve as president while working as a talk show host.

Neuroscience

Favorite thing to do at Brandeis: Scavenge around Farber 4 of the library to find oil paintings that are treasures from the 18th century.

I want to contribute to the Brandeis campus significantly, and I believe this position will give me the opportunity to make the changes I wish to see.

Dream date: Going skydiving to start the date off with excitement, then going to an art museum to quietly observe the aesthetics.

Superpower: To cure the world of all adversity.

Favorite moment: The present moment.

My favorite thing to do at Brandeis is sleep because I don’t do it often enough.

Superpower: I wish I could move things with my mind.

Biggest pet peeve: Unlocking locked doors, it’s just such an annoyance.

Most embarrassing moment: When I mistake people for my friends and say things that I shouldn’t to strangers.

I would love to be able to just wiggle my nose every time I want to get something done.

Why I ran for office: It honestly began when my friends teased me about my obsession with the missing letters in the Sherman Dining Hall sign. I decided one day that even the smallest of changes could make a large impact and that I had the ability and passion to make a difference.

Hero: The members of my family.

Missy Skolnik

Senator for Village Quad

Mark Levi

Senator for Ziv Quad

Anthony Rios

Tae Kim

Senator for Foster Mods

Senator for Grad

2012

2012

2011

2012

Harrington Park, NJ

Istanbul, Turkey

Deer Park, NY

Rutherford, NJ

HSSP I’d like to have the option to fly ... to Hawaii, the Caribbean, or even just up Rabb steps whenever I wanted–invisibly though, to avoid attention.

Most embarrassing moment: Hanging upside-down by my ankles in front of dozens of people on a trampoline on visiting day at my younger cousin’s day camp because the guy in charge didn’t buckle my harness properly.

Evyn Rabinowitz Off Campus Senator

Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey.

Went to a international high-school; thus assimilated.

Passionate about football (European).

day. I’ll leave it at that.

I’ve done some pretty strange things in my

Superpower: Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent.

Dream job: I’d like to be able to make a living off of being a stage actor. I get butterflies thinking about how awesome life would be.

Hero: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Superpower: I wish I could freestyle.

Dream job: International businessman.

Dream date: Pumpkin pie, coffee and a Coen brothers movie.

Jenna Rubin

Senior Rep to the UCC

Susan Paykin

I am just a guy who is trying to make something out of his life.

Most embarrassing moment: Almost drowning in a public swimming pool when I was in sixth grade.

Biggest pet peeve: People whining about things that cannot be changed.

Dream job: Professor. I think it has a great balance between personal and professional life.

Nicholas Polanco

BSF Representative

BSF Representative

2012

2011

2011

2013

Marlboro, NJ

Atlanta, GA

Oakland, NJ

Woodland Park, NJ

Economics I’m best at writing jingles.

Most embarrassing moment: I got pantsed in the third grade, and that was the time when kids were starting to wear boxers. I had a few pairs in my drawer, but I was sporting tighty-whiteys.

History, Politics I’d like to be able to move things with my mind.

Biggest pet peeve: People chewing with their mouth open/loudly.

The strangest/funniest/scariest thing you’ve ever done: I’ve been on a hot air balloon ride.

What is your dream date? Doing something new.

A recent high has been bungee jumping at the Long Qing Gorge outside of Beijing.

I was terrified out of my mind but told myself that if I could do this, I could do almost anything. The attendant ended up having to push me off the ledge.

Most embarrassing moment: I probably have one of these everyday.

PHOTOS COURTESY of the respective senators

My dream job would be becoming a marine biologist. I would travel the world following the migratory patterns of the orca.

Dream date: Mariah Carey circa 1995.

I get to go on stage and we sing a duet, possibly “Endless Love.”

Favorite thing to do at Brandeis: I thoroughly enjoy hanging out in Usdan for hours with my friends.

By Leah Finkelman, Editor

EDITORIAL

October 1, 2010

Hey, big spender

Established 2005 "To acquire wisdom, one must observe."

Ariel Wittenberg Editor in Chief Nathan Koskella News Editor Jon Ostrowsky News Editor Leah Finkelman Features Editor Bret Matthew Impressions Editor Kara Karter Sports Editor Kayla Dos Santos Arts, Etc. Editor Jodi Elkin Layout Editor Leah Lefkowitz Layout Editor Max Shay Photography Editor Vanessa Kerr Business Editor Savannah Pearlman Copy Editor Yael Katzwer Deputy Copy Editor Associate Editors Alex Schneider, Destiny D. Aquino Sean Fabery

FOUNDED BY

Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

SUBMISSION POLICIES The Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the general community. Preference is given to current or former community members. The Hoot reserves the right to edit any submissions for libel, grammar, punctuation, spelling and clarity. The Hoot is under no obligation to print any of the pieces submitted.

Letters in print will also appear on-line at www.thehoot.net.

The deadline for submitting letters is Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. All letters must be submitted electronically at www. thehoot.net. All letters must be from a valid e-mail address and include contact information for the author. Letters of length greater than 500 words may not be accepted.

The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.

The Hoot is a community student newspaper of Brandeis University. Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events.

Our mission is to give every community member a voice.

CORRECTIONS The Hoot incorrectly categorized a $48.7 million deficit on the university tax exemption forms as a budget gap in the article “Follow the money: A look into Brandeis expenses and revenues.”

Hoot Classifieds First post is free! thebrandeishoot.com /classifieds

The Brandeis Hoot 7

T

he recent global financial crisis forced families, businesses, governments and even academic institutions to make due with less. It required all of us to make difficult decisions. And Brandeis did the right thing when it froze university salaries and cut retirement funding for employees in fiscal year 2010.

Yet, while all employees were forced to suffer under this decision and academic programs were cut, little can explain how top administrators received large salary increases. University President Jehuda Reinharz received a 25 percent increase between fiscal years 2009 and 2008.

For an institution that models itself on social justice, what message does it send to employees who are laid off and students who lost their majors, when a raise more than $100,000 is giv-

en to its leader?

And why was it necessary for Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter B. French to receive a raise of more than $200,000?

Yes, Reinharz and French both chose to take a 10 percent pay cut in fiscal year 2010, but it still provided a significant net gain on their salaries from fiscal year 2008. The decision to take a cut was meaningless considering the amount of the raise the year before.

The fact that the university pays for Reinharz’ gym membership also requires an explanation. While we understand that it costs money to upkeep his university-owned home, (including the university-paid house attendant), we think he and all administrators should buy their own health club memberships.

We are not ignorant. We understand that administrators

and a university president must be paid competitive salaries because of the compensation they could receive at other colleges in the area. In fact, there are several universities in the Boston area that pay presidents more than Brandeis does.

But a financial crisis should force universities to take an initiative and realize what is essential and most important to the community.

That $200,000 raise to French’s salary could have been used to preserve academic departments that are being eliminated. Reinharz’ $100,000 could have saved the jobs of the more than 70 university staff members laid off last year.

It’s one thing to talk about social justice but it’s another to implement it into the university’s finance structure. Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference, but we will never know.

8 The Brandeis Hoot

ARTS, etc.

October 1, 2010

A night of hipsters, music and heartbreak At first, it was almost as if they Ben and I stood awkwardly were jokin Chums, eyeing the ratty but ing.

The comfortable looking couch. lead singer Overzealous, we had shown up st r u m me d to the concert hosted by Punk a few Rock and Roll Club when chords and doors opened at 9 p.m., half an wailed a hour before music was sched- bit before uled to play. I expected to see s t o p p i n g a combination of the various and facsorts of people I pass by every- ing the day on campus — from geeks back a bit to stoners to sorority girls— as if tunbut was surprised to see only ing his guihipsters. Many hipsters. tar.

This Hipsters boasting every hip mess of a accessory possible: beards, b e g i n n i ng plaid shirts, porno mustaches, offered a ripped skinny jeans, cigarettes, glimpse of a few beers. I scrutinized each what experson walking through the actly was door waiting for one of the to come. aforementioned “surprises” The band to enter, but was only met by c o n s i s t e d more overly apathetic faces. of one As a native New Yorker, it was synthesizalmost a relief to see so much e r - s l a s h - BRAVE LITTLE ABACUS: Featuring a lead singer with a nasal voice and a penguin-esque appearance (on right), unsightly facial hair and in- k e y b o a r d the band Brave Little Abacus did not impress along with the other opening acts of the Toro Y Moi concert. difference. However, with the player, one background music playing a guy doing mysterious things boardist becoming incredibly The microphone’s feedback, bit too loudly for actual con- on what could possibly by be invested in his playing, closing however, was an issue. At one versation, yet too softly for my another synthesizer while fac- his eyes and looking intense. point, one singer had to get the mind to completely wander, ing the back and simultaneTheir set consisted mostly microphone from the other beI was left wondering why I ously playing the bass, and one of noise and the 30-something cause it was impossible to use missed this pseudo-Williams- penguin-esque guy as the lead people in the audience awk- it without a piercing feedback burg scene to begin with. singer and guitarist. wardly standing. A few en- resulting. (A similar incident Upon further examination The singer in question was thusiasts bobbed their heads, occurred with Brave Little of those sitting at the coun- very nasal, and his sea-foam and a few even jumped up and Abacus, but it was really the ter, I realized that one of the blue shirt matched his guitar. down excitedly, but there was least of their problems.) With people there was in fact Chaz The synthesizer played numer- not much response otherwise. the heavy bass and percussion Bundick, who goes under the ous samples, usually sounding During the third song, sea- hitting hard, more people bestage name of Toro Y Moi, the like dialogue from a sitcom foam penguin announced that gan jumping and I even found musician I had diligently lis- while the singer played riffs the song was a cover and that myself bobbing my rhythmtened to all that day in prepa- and moaned into the micro- the audience could sing along less head. ration of the concert. I excit- phone in an unattractive way. if they so desired. I expected The strangest and most edly nudged Ben to point this In fact, the only words I could something along the lines of memorable part of their set, out as I realized the opening make out from any of their an ironic cover of ’90s Britney however, was the screen they band, Brave Little Abacus, was songs were “Christmas tree.” Spears in honor of the upcom- had put in place to the right about start.

My favorite part was the key- ing episode of Glee, or even of the drummer projecting “Billie Jean,” but was met with the video jockey’s mix of vidsome more unintelligible nasal eo clips. The clips came from many different things, from whining over more chords.

“It would be better if he hockey games to numerous pornographic depictions (girls didn’t sing,” Ben yelled to me.

Thankfully, there was only in bikinis wrestling), to the inone song following the cover, famous World Cup head-butt and soon enough we were met shot to video game scenes from once again with loud back- “Street Fighter” and “Crash Bandicoot Kart.” A combinaground music.

After debating whether or tion of these eclectic visual not to leave and play pool in- and aural sensations made the stead, Ben and I decided to set incredibly mesmerizing, as stay for the next band, Gold- I found myself unable to look en Girls. I was mildly disap- away from the screen.

By the time Golden Girls pointed to find that the band consisted of two guitarists- were done playing, Ben and I slash-vocalists, one bassist, felt much more content with one percussionist, one video our decision to go to the show. jockey and no Betty White. In fact, we finally sat on the One lead singer was incredibly decaying couch and Ben soon thin and had his knees sticking began falling asleep after out of jeans much tighter than mumbling about playing pool I could ever fit into whereas a bit. Yet, Toro Y Moi was the the other lead singer looked reason I came to the concert at comparatively normal, wear- all, and like hell I was going to ing a Knicks cap. They were leave before hearing Chaz sing on the ground floor with the “Talamak.”

Because Toro Y Moi was the video jockey working a Mac while the bassist and drummer headlining act, Chums got stayed on stage. Their sound crowded very quickly once was more of the punk rock and Golden Girls got off. The stage PHOTO BY Nafiz “Fizz” R. Ahmed/The Hoot roll sound that is to be expect- soon had Rudnick at the synth GOLDEN GIRLS: Although the band Golden Girls had more of a Punk Rock and ed of one of the club’s concerts. and two additional people,

BY CANDICE BAUTISTA Special to The Hoot

Roll sound, their set was plagued by microphone feedback.

PHOTO BY Nafiz “Fizz” R. Ahmed/The Hoot

one as acting drummer and the other as bassist, setting their equipment up. After a bit of technical difficulty and anxious restlessness from the crowd, I finally started hearing the opening notes to “Talamak.”

This, though, was a fake out, and we had to wait about 15 minutes before Ori Nevo ’11, head of Punk Rock and Roll, officially welcomed us to the concert and introduced Toro Y Moi. Once again, I heard the opening notes of “Talamak” playing, a welcome familiar tune.

Unfortunately, the bass and drums were way too loud for the song, and Rudnick’s voice was barely audible over the combination of drums, bass and noise from the audience.

Because Toro Y Moi is, lyingin-bed-and-thinking-aboutlife music, the song translated peculiarly when put into a loud crowded coffee shop with too much bass and percussion. In fact, it might even described as a disaster.

Although I tried to enjoy one of my favorite songs being played live, it was difficult with several people bouncing up and down, a tall guy with a camera obscuring my view of Chaz, and another guy eating tater tots to the right of me.

After an additional overly-loud song and my heart being broken to the sound of Rudnick’s falsetto, I nodded to Ben that pool was finally the right idea.

The song that I once thought was beautiful was transformed into a mess of cacophony and synth noises. I applauded their effort as Ben and I made our way through the crowd. Outside the castle, all that could be heard was drums and bass.

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

Images of Sukkot

ARTS, ETC.

9

by Ingrid Schulte

Birds of a feather: Turkeys make friendly neighbors

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

Some of you might have noticed that this year, Brandeis has some new residents. No, I’m not talking about the first-years, I’m talking about the wild turkeys.

While some people (including one of my roommates) might hate the velociraptor-esque fowls that now strut their stuff in the quads, turkeys have always been a part of my landscape.

Growing up, I wanted a puppy, but my brother’s allergies made it impossible. When I was bored— or just procrastinating—I would brainstorm dog names, for when I moved out after college. I wanted my pets to have strong, meaningful names. Names of characters in books—like Atticus or Natty Bumpo—that would be too scarring to name a child, but that could work for a golden retriever or maybe a Bernese mountain dog.

Then fate intervened. It was spring of my junior year of high school when turkey generation numero uno moved in.

They strutted across my lawn, eating the flowers, ruffling their feathers and ramming themselves

into parked cars when they saw their reflections. They were a pain for the neighbors, but for me, always looking for a procrastination excuse, they were fun.

That summer I re-read “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and suddenly the turkeys began reminding me of the book’s characters. There was Atticus, the strong alpha male who always led the pack; Scout and Jebm who always traveled in a pair no more than a foot apart; and Boo, the loner.

The turkeys became my pets.

Though I never fed them or touched them, I would run outside and take pictures of them whenever they were doing something particularly entertaining (usually running into cars), and I would worry when I didn’t see them for a few days.

I still wanted a dog, but watching the “To Kill a Mockingbird” generation, and the subsequent “Pride and Prejudice” generation (with Darcy, Bingley, Lizzie and Jane) worked to fill the void while I waited.

Until this year, my winters at Brandeis have been marred by a turkey-void. I would call home and ask my mom how they were doing and if she had seen them

recently. Sometimes she will text me pictures of them sitting on top of her car in the driveway.

This year, though I still call to check in on the latest turkey generation back home, I have Louis, Felix, Ruth, John Jay, Sonia and Sandra (who, at Brandeis, could only be named after Supreme Court Justices) to keep me company.

The other day, as I was describing Louis and Felix’s most recent movements to my roommate, she asked me why I feel “the need to name every animal on campus.” (Full disclosure: Aside from the turkeys, I have also named Charlie, the gopher that lives in the thicket between the upper and lower mods, and Franchetta, a pizza-loving squirrel who lived outside my Ziv last year.)

Richard Conniff, a wildlife

GRAPHIC BY Ariel Wittenberg/The Hoot

journalist who spends his days traveling to Costa Rica to observe spiders and Kenya to chase cheetahs, believes we instinctively watch other animals. It’s a residual effect of evolution—who

will be eaten for dinner tonight, me or you? Now that humans are separated from the natural world, going to zoos or bird-watching affirms our connection with nature, and gives us comfort.

10 ARTS ,ETC.

The Brandeis Hoot

October 1, 2010

Flu shot: facts, myths and why you should get one

BY GABBY KATZ Staff

Flu season always creeps up on us. We don’t even realize that we’re sniffling in class until we’re at the point that we can’t hear the teacher over the unanimous coughing of the lecture hall.

Even after incessantly Purell-ing our hands, the building combination of sleep deprivation and stress from classes makes us a target for getting sick and catching the latest ’deis bug. Worst of all, we usually shrug off these cold symptoms or mask them with Sudafed and Dayquil, hoping they will disappear soon.

This sometimes is OK, but what happens when you are suddenly hit with the flu? You are now quarantined; feel like death, are oinking and growing a piggy tail, and miles behind in school work. Swine ’09 was not a fun time and probably won’t be so great in 2010 either. What could you have done differently to prevent this?

Let’s be real, we’re most likely not going to be able to sleep more, reduce our stress about school work or drastically change our eating habits to a balanced diet. With this in mind, what is one realistic measure we could take to prevent the flu?

Oh right, the flu shot!

Love the Brandeis Health Center e-mails. But, what about all those things we hear like “you can get the flu from the flu shot,” “the flu shot does not actually prevent you from getting the flu,”

“you can be allergic to the flu shot,” or my favorite: “you don’t need a flu shot, because you’re probably not going to get the flu.” It is hard to sort out from what we hear as fact or myth, therefore I have provided you with quick and easy bullet-points from the Centers for Disease Control that highlight the reality about the flu shot in order to better help you make an informed decision about getting the shot.

MYTHS: • In order to be vaccinated for the flu, you need to get a flu shot via a scary needle.

Actually, there is an alternative vaccination in the form of a nasal spray made with live, weakened flu viruses that is approved for healthy people ages two to 49 and who are not pregnant.

• The flu shot can actually give you the flu.

Wrong again. The virus in the flu shot is inactivated so they can’t cause infection. Sometimes the immune system’s response can make people feel unwell for a few days but they don’t actually get the flu from the shot.

• I have the same likelihood of getting the flu with or without the shot.

False, according the National Institute of Health, college students are at increased risk initially for the flu due to close living quarters and this risk is increased even more without vaccination.

• The flu shot is too expensive

for my poor-man’s college student budget The flu shot only costs $20, which, when factoring the cost of Tamiflu, Sudafed, orange juice and a pounding headache, is well worth its price.

FACTS: • You can get the flu even if you get the flu shot.

Yup, this is true, and you might be wondering why you should get the shot if you can still get the virus. But people who get the flu after the shot usually get it because they were infected be-

fore they were innoculated, were infected with a different strain or have a weakened immune system. That being said, the vaccine can reduce the chances of getting the flu by 70 to 90 percent.

• There are other ways I can protect myself from the flu besides the vaccine.

Of course, by implementing good hygiene habits like covering your cough, washing your hands and not sharing drinks you can lower your risk of infection. However, you can’t trust the hygiene habits of your peers

GRAPHIC BY Ariel Wittenberg/The Hoot

to be up to par, so it’s best to get the shot too.

After reading all these facts and myths, I think there is a clear conclusion on what you should do during the flu season … .GET VACCINATED AS SOON AS YOU CAN! If you choose not to, that’s fine too, just don’t get me sick.

Tune in next week for more health tips and, as always, please send me an e-mail me at gkatz10@brandeis.edu with any health-related questions you may have.

A week in Arts: Taste of Korea, Taste of Waltham, Photo Fair and Lei Lang Photos of Korea, Waltham and Fair by Nafiz “Fizz” R. Ahmed and Lei Lang by Ingrid Schulte

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

ARTS, ETC.

11

‘Regarding Painting’ at The Rose

PHOTOS BY Max Shay/The Hoot

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

Dabney Hailey stands before a Roxy Paine painting in the Foster wing of the Rose Art Museum, explaining Paine’s painting method to some visitors. iPod in hand, she scans a barcode from a piece of paper, and the smartphone instantly brings up information on the artist.

“Voila!” says Hailey, explaining that Paine uses a computer-controlled machine to apply layers of paint to his canvas, creating the work PMU No. 10.

“Wow,” says Ingrid Schorr, program administrator for the university’s Office of the Arts, “I always thought of this piece as a sort of marshmellow fluff, but now I see it as more of a graph, it is way more methodical than I had thought.”

Having visitors rethink painting is just one of the objectives of “Regarding Painting,” one of two exhibits opening at The Rose on Oct. 7. Hailey, who joined the Rose staff in July as the museum’s new director of academic programing, curated “Regarding Painting,” which is being installed into the museum’s Foster Gallery as she explains Paine’s piece.

The exhibit, Hailey says is meant to make viewers “think about what painting is as an act and as a product.”

“It’s a basic idea, but one we don’t ask viewers to think about very often,” she said. “Some painters don’t want you to see their brush strokes, and that means something. For others, like de Kooning, he wants you to see these machismo brush strokes of his. They mean something too.”

The exhibit is loosely divided into four sections within the Foster wing, each focusing on different aspects of painting: The act of painting, the picture plane and the real, trauma as a subject and painting beyond paint.

In “trauma as a subject,” difficult subject-matter like the holocaust and the Spanish revolution is depicted.

“The idea of this portion of the exhibit is to show not just any subjectmatter, but the toughest subjectmatter and to explore the different ways of approaching the viewer with it,” Hailey said.

According to Hailey, a little over half of the paintings shown in “Regarding Painting” have been shown at The Rose in the past year. But some paintings have never been shown in the university’s collective memory.

“The Rose has an iconic collection, and you really can’t do a show here without including some of the really fa-

miliar pieces that are up all of the time,” Hailey explained.

“The student body is changing every four years, so even though some of these paintings were up last year, you have the first-year class, 25 percent of the student body, that has probably never seen these famous pieces before.”

Many of the pieces shown in “Regarding Painting” were shown in last year’s exhibit, “The Rose at Brandeis: Work from the collection.”

But though there are some repeats, Hailey said visitors will obtain an entirely new understanding of the pieces because the new exhibit has a different focus.

“Last year’s show was a smashing and spectacular overview, or a chronological survey, of what we have at The Rose. This isn’t that,” she said. “Some of these pieces could be up for 10 years in different exhibits and you would get a new understanding of them with every exhibit and every new context, they are just so dynamic.”

Schorr, who has been at the university since 2006, pointed out that because some of the paintings have not been displayed in a long time, the exhibit will still have a fresh feel.

“Some of these, I’ve never seen in real life before,” Schorr said standing before a Fritz Glarner painting in the “picture plane and the real” section of the Foster Gallery.

Next door, in the Rose gallary, paintings for “Waterways,” also opening Oct. 7 and also an exhibit that draws largely from the permanent collection, are leaning against the walls waiting to be hung.

Originally, “Waterways,” curated by Director of Museum Operations Roy Dawes, was supposed to be hung in the Foster gallery, while an exhibit “Atmospheric Conditions” was to be hung in the main Rose gallary.

But, after the three artists involved in “Atmospheric Conditions” canceled the exhibits in protest of the university’s refusal to make a legal committment to not sell the museum’s art, “Waterways” was moved into the main gallery and “Regarding Painting” was created.

Currently the state of the artworks in the exhibits is unclear. The university board of trustees made international headlines in January 2009 when it announced plans to sell pieces from the museum’s collection to gain revenue for the university.

While the board announced in late May that it was looking into non-sale options like renting the art, a lawsuit

brought against the university by three of the museum’s benefactors in order to legally prevent any sale of art, is set to go to trial in December.

The university announced Sept. 20 that it was searching for a new director of the museum, a post that has remained vacant since June 2009 when the university did not renew the contract of the museum’s then-director Michael Rush, who was particularly outspoken against the university’s plans for the museum.

But Hailey, who joined the museum this July because of its “brilliant collection” and despite its precarious future, said she is just looking forward.

Aside from some previously unseen paintings, “Regarding Painting” will also exhibit some new technology.

Ten to 20 of the paintings at the exhibit will be accompanied by bar-codes, which users with iPhones, iPod touches or Android phones can scan into a number of applications capable of reading 2-D barcodes, such as MobileTag, Neoreader, Barcode Scanner and Google Goggles.

Designed by graduate student Brandon White and Rose Art employees Brian Friedberg, Emily Leifer and Maarit Ostrow, these applications will bring visitors to a plethora of information about the painting they are viewing. Excerpts from interviews with the artist and pictures from the creative process are accesible via the smartphones.

The Rose also has iPod touches for museum-goers to rent out, and White wrote in an e-mail to The Hoot that The Rose is looking into creating “a single standalone application that is Rose-produced and Rose-curated.”

“It’s pretty groovy,” Hailey said.

Schorr said The Rose is one of the first museums to use smartphone technology in an exhibit, adding “if you saw these paintings anywhere else, you would not have the same understanding of them without this, so The Rose is still doing new things.”

Hailey agrees.

“The general tone around here pretty much falls with the Barry McGee piece in the corner over there,” Hailey says, pointing to a copper-colored painting that starts on one wall of the “painting beyond paint” portion of the exhibit and extends to another.

Across the copper, in white, dripping paint are the words “things are getting better.”

12 ARTS, ETC.

The Brandeis Hoot

October 1, 2010

For 14 seasons, I pick 14 stories

BY GORDY STILLMAN Staff

Oct. 6 marks the return of “South Park” with the second half of its 14th season. If you are at all interested in the show, but have either never gotten around to watching it or are just looking for some top episodes to see, look no further. I’ve chosen 14 episodes/stories (approximately one from each season) and included a short explanation of why they are must-watch episodes. All of these episodes (with one exception) are available for free online at www.

Southparkstudios.com.

Season one and two: “Cartman’s Mom is a Dirty Slut” and “Cartman’s Mom is Still a Dirty Slut.” The first episode in this pair was the finale of the first season. It raised the question who is Cartman’s father? Many men, it turns out, were potential fathers but the answer didn’t come till the next season with part two of the episode. And what a surprise it was. The plot twists alone were sometimes ridiculous, but the inability to settle in and get comfortable with the idea that someone was Cartman’s father made the comedy more effective.

Season two: “Terrance and Phillip in Not without my Anus.”

This episode is a must-watch for one reason. In honor of the show’s return to television for a second season, the creators put together an entire episode as an April Fool’s Joke. The entire episode features the show-withinthe-show “Terrance and Phillip.”

PHOTO FROM Internet Source

Season three: “Chinpokomon.”

Back in 1999 Pokemon was awesome. I know it, you know it, your first-year roommate knows it, even if he or she denies it.

This episode stabs at the craziness of trends. When the parents of “South Park” begin to notice that something sinister is going on under the surface of the trend, the Japanese toy company behind Chinpokomon resorts to some funny ego boosting tactics to distract the American parents. The solution to the Chinpokomon problem is both funny and a spot-on solution for fads in general.

Season four: “Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?” and “Probably.” In this two-part episode the children of South Park get caught up in their religion and decide to start their own church.

Meanwhile in Hell, Satan is caught in a love triangle between on-again off-again partner Saddam Hussein and a new guy. Satan basically steals the show with a plot that inspires pity for the dark lord.

Season five: “Osama bin Laden

Has Farty Pants.” Season five has many great episodes (see honorable mention below) but I feel I must mention the first episode to air after 9/11, in which the kids travel to Afghanistan and, by a chain of bizarre events, Cartman singlehandedly takes down bin Laden as though it is an episode of “Looney Toons.”

Another notable element of the episode is that it is one of the few where Cartman turns out to be the hero who saves the day.

Season six: “The Return of the Fellowship of the Rings to the Two Towers.” The boys loan a copy of “The Lord of the Rings” to Butters, but they accidentally give him a pornographic video instead and it becomes “precious” to all who watch it.

Season eight: “The Passion of the Jew.” Cartman sees “The Passion of the Christ” and begins to act like Hitler. Kyle gets the idea that Jews should apologize for killing Jesus while Stan and Kenny go to California torecover lost money.

Season 8: “Woodland Critter Christmas.” A Christmas story

in which we learn that Cartman can imagine the most evil beings in all fiction (to be proven later).

Season nine: “Trapped in the Closet.” Stan has an experience with Scientology and accidentally offends Tom Cruise.

Season 10: “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” The boys become obsessed with World of Warcraft and end up saving the “world” from an evil hacker with no social life.

Season 11: “Imaginationland 1-3.” This three-part episode is chock-full of references to imaginary characters; the most epic and obscure references can be found. It also cements Cartman’s creations as the most evil of all.

Additionally, this episode finally gives Butters a degree of prominence, making him not just the receiver of misfortune.

Season 12: “About Last Night …” Pokes fun at the 2008 presidential election and managed to incorporate McCain and Obama’s speeches as well as air the night after the election.

While the plot seems a bit improbable, the idea of the candi-

Arts Recommends

Not everyone has the time to pick up the latest books or see the latest films. Our editors make some recommendations that you can pick up at the nearest library.

Book Pick: ‘The Historian’

by Elizabeth Kostova

I know it may seem impossible, but a sophisticated vampire book has been published in the last 10 years. And no, its not “Twilight.” So do not let the word “vampire” scare you off. “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova combines history, mystery and a little bit of romance into a story that spans several generations of story tellers. In fact, that the novel revolves around a search for Vlad the Impaler, commonly named Dracula, does not come across as silly. Instead of relying on fantasy, Kostova wrote a creepy and engaging novel that does honor to Bram Stoker’s original story. -LL

Film Pick: ‘Crazy Heart’ (2009) I love Jeff Bridges. His turn as the Dude in “The Big Lebowski” is one of the funniest and memorable performances I’ve seen in film. In “Crazy Heart” Bridges is completely transformed as a burned-out country star trying to transform his music and his life. While a completely different role than the Dude, Bridges’ performance is just as memorable. His craggy features express the sadness of a man who has been worn down by life’s trials and disappointments. While “Crazy Heart” does not have much in terms of plot, it is an intimate portrait of a performer dealing with the aftermath of fame and the desire for creative expression. -KDS

PHOTOs FROM Internet Source

dates working together is itself hilarious.

Season 13: “Fishsticks.” After what Kanye did at the 2009 VMAs (this episode aired beforehand) this episode became required watching. The plot builds around a single joke and Kanye West’s over-the-top reaction to it. Aditiionaly, this episode focuses on Jimmy, an often overlooked character.

Season 14: “200” and “201.”

Comedy Central has made these the only episodes that are not legally available to watch. Trust me when I say that they were awesome. And if you don’t trust me, read my review in The Hoot archives.

Honorable Mention: “Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo,” “It Hits the Fan,” “Super Best Friends,” “Cartoon Wars (parts 1 and 2)” and “Go God Go (parts 1 and 12).”

There you have it, 14 stories for 14 seasons. Hopefully the second half of season 14 will continue this great tradition.

Only time will tell.

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

ARTS, ETC.

13

Celebration of excess and farming at the Big E

BY KAYLA DOS SANTOS Editor

The Big E is the corniest fair on the East Coast. And I love it. Every fall my family and I make the pilgrimage to West Springfield, Mass. for New England’s Eastern State Exposition.

Part carnival, part agricultural show-case and part food and booze binge, the Big E is a mixture of everything there is to love and hate about New England.

Everything about the Big E screams excess. This is especially true when it comes to its dining offerings. There are obscene amounts of almost every kind of unhealthy food imaginable. While there are the usual food items sold at carnivals, such as candy apples, popcorn and cotton candy, there are more unusual decadent snacks as well. A walk around the numerous vendors in the Midway and in the food court would make someone think that fried food had its own separate block on the food pyramid. There are fried snicker bars, pickles, chocolate-chip cookie dough balls, blooming onions, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Huge portions are offered virtually everywhere; in fact, the fair’s trademark dessert is a colossal cream puff that requires two hands (and probably two stomachs) to eat. Although I didn’t spot it for myself, there was a rumor, so disgusting that it could only be true, of a burger with two

doughnuts for buns. Welcome to New England.

Booze is also bountiful. At the food court there is a German beer stand and at the Italian Pavilion there is a martini bar sponsored

by V-One vodka. At the pavilion, a bartender with glazed eyes and a slow muffled way of talking made caramel apple, pomegranate and dirty martinis for the jacked-up price of $11. People drank from their small plastic cups while walking through the fair.

While some argue that our culture has become health-obsessed, one only has to smell the powdered sugar wafting from the mini-doughnut stand or slurp a day-glo colored slushy to realize that eating unhealthily and to excess is still an enormous problem confronting society. The Big E is perpetrating this by combining food with festival and social gatherings with over-consumption.

When the Big E began in the early 1900s, it was simply a way for local farmers to show and learn about innovations in agriculture. Although the greasy food and flashy carnival games have almost overshadowed the Big E’s original purpose, remnants of the fair’s beginnings can still be seen. The National Future Farmers of America organization has several events and demonstrations peppered throughout the fair, along with many other agricultural organizations. There are farm equipment demonstrations, livestock showings, North County

line dancers and Ox- pulling, as well as cheese and wine competitions. This celebration of local farmers and techniques is odd when viewed in the context of the processed and unnatural foods that have nearly taken over the fair. Yet this focus on agriculture is one of the reasons I enjoy the fair so much.

The other reason is the Avenue

GRAPHIC BY Ariel Wittenberg/The Hoot

of States. The six participating states, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, each have a replica of their original state houses, at the exposition.

Inside the state houses people can sample the culinary and cultural offerings of the state, such as Maine’s blueberries and wildlife, Vermont’s maple syrup and wool

products, and Massachusetts’ cranberries and history. Each state house is owned by its state in order to promote tourism.

The agricultural aspect and focus on the participating states are the main reasons why I attend the Big E. They keep it from being a binge-fest by highlighting what farmers and New England states contribute to America’s culture.

By Destiny D. Aquino, Editor Danish Beer Bread My favorite recipe from abroad!

A hearty, delicious, basic, bread recipe that’s quick and easy. Once you master this basic recipe, feel free to experiment by adding cheese and/or dried fruit for more variation.

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Sift dry ingredients. This step is really important. If you don’t have a collander, however, to sift with then use a table spoon to sprinkle the flour into a bowel one spoon at a time. If you just measure out the flour and pour it into a bowl, the bread will be hard.

3. Grease the pan. Just about any oven-safe dish will work, but a 9-by-13 inch disposable aluminum dish usually does the trick.

4. Add the beer to your dry ingredients. I would recommend that you use your favorite beer because different beers will give the bread slightly different tastes.

5. Dust your hands and working surface with flour before kneading the dough together so the dough does not stick.

Don’t knead for longer than a minute as you don’t want to overwork your dough. Just make sure the dough comes together so that you can get it in a basic loaf shape.

6. Put the loaf in the oven-safe pan and pour the melted butter over it.

7. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with sea salt or dried spices to your liking. Rosemary and basil work wonderfully, but salt gives you a lovely basic bread.

8. Bake for one hour and let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

9. Once cut, you can spread honey, butter, jam or, like the Danes, Nutella. After that, eat up!

Ingredients: 3 cups of all purpose flour 3 teaspoons of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 1/4 cup of sugar 1/2 cup of butter 1 12oz bottle or can of your favorite beer Optional Ingredients: Sea Salt Herbs Honey Jam Tools: Large mixing bowl collander Oven-safe pan

14 The Brandeis Hoot

IMPRESSIONS

October 1, 2010

Altered Consciousness

A new Earth

IsraeliPalestinian Double Standard

GRAPHIC BY Savannah Pearlman/The Hoot

BY SAM ALLEN

Special to The Hoot

During the past 10 to 15 years scientists have been using stateof-the-art telescopes to discover exoplanets, which are planets located in another solar system.

Until recently, only gas giants and other planets unsuitable for life had been found outside our solar system. However, a few days ago planetary astronomers from the Carnegie Institution of Washington and the University of California, Santa Cruz announced an amazing discovery: The first habitable, Earth-like exoplanet has been found, called Gliese 581 G. Gliese 581 G, which is located 20 light-years from Earth, is located within the Gliese 581 solar system’s goldilocks zone, where it is not too hot nor too cold for life to exist; instead it is just right.

The planet has a level of gravity extremely similar to Earth, and likely contains large amounts of water.

Furthermore, one of the leading astronomers on the discovery team has stated that part of the planet experiences constant “shirt-sleeve” weather.

The reason for this is because Gliese 581 G is tidally locked, which means that part of the planet never faces its sun, and experiences constant darkness where the temperature is 25 degrees below zero.

Another part of the planet always faces its sun, causing scorching temperatures around 160 degrees. However, there is a stretch of the planet between these two extremes, which experiences a constant sunrise where humans would likely be very comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts.

This discovery is monumental, and nobody should discount its meaning. In fact, one of the leading astronomers who discovered Gliese 581 G, Steven Vogt, was quoted as saying, “that chances for life on this planet are 100 percent.”

Even more astounding is what this could mean for the future of discovering more earth-like planets. According to calcula-

tions that Vogt and R. Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institution of Washington ran based on the new information provided by this discovery, they have figured that anywhere between one in five, to one in 10 solar systems in the universe have earth-like planets in their goldilocks zone. With the speed they made the discovery of Gliese 581 G, it is looking more and more likely that they are correct.

This, of course, means that humanity is far from alone, as there are 200 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, which translates to possibly up to 40 billion habitable planets in our galaxy alone.

Most people will look at this discovery with curiosity and quickly forget about it, however, the fact that humans are definitely not alone has major ramifications. The world’s major religions are going to have to come to grips with the fact that, during the next few decades, the proof against the myth of creationism is going to get even more overwhelming than it already is. In fact, the Vatican, usually not the most forward thinking religious hierarchy, has already said that they would baptize an alien if it asked.

The U..N has also considered the creation of an office that would be dedicated to dealing with the political ramifications of alien contact.

Brandeisians as well should definitely care about this unbelievable discovery. We are lucky to be in the ivory tower of academia where we can discuss topics others might find impractical.

When you get the chance, have a conversation with your friends about what the discovery of alien life might mean on a societal level.

Have a discussion about what contact with an extraterrestrial civilization might mean. As the leaders of tomorrow, we might have to deal with the enormous ramifications of discoveries such as those.

After all, at the rate humanity is going, getting that radio message from E.T. is no longer science fiction.

GRAPHIC COURTESY internet source/The Hoot

BY RICK ALTERBAUM Columnist

When analyzing the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and peace process, there is a gigantic double standard that is all too often overlooked: Why can thousands of Arabs currently live in Israel proper while no Jews would be allowed to even live in a future Palestinian state?

According to most supporters of the Palestinians, perhaps the biggest obstacle to Middle East peace is the settler movement in Judea and Samaria. The argument that is generally made is that peace cannot be reached if mostly-religiously-motivated Jews are entrenching the “occupation” of the “Palestinian territories.”

Why though are the settlers such a big issue? Why can’t the Palestinian Authority grant the Jews living under its jurisdiction citizenship in a future state? Why would Palestine have to be Jewless?

The answer is that many Palestinians do not recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish presence in the Middle East or the state that is a manifestation of Jewish nationalism and religious and historic pride. A recent ruling by a court under the Palestinian Authority stipulating that an Arab would be sentenced to death if he sold land to a Jew is reflective of this.

Also, the Palestinians’ political culture is so steeped in violence and hatred for Jews, as reflected by the blatantly anti-Semitic propaganda that is taught to children in their schools and broadcast in their media on a daily basis, that coexistence with them within a single state would be intolerable.

For example, Brahim Mudayris, a member of the Official Palestinian Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs said in a Friday sermon: “The Jews are Jews.

Their character and custom are

the corruption and destruction of this land. We keep warning you: the Jews are a cancer that spreads inside the body of the Islamic and Arab nation ...” (His sermon and other examples of Palestinian propaganda can be found online at http://palwatch.org).

Unfortunately, these facts are almost always ignored, and it is simply taken for granted by American, Arab and even some Israeli leaders that thousands of Jewish settlers would have to be uprooted from their homes to implement any “peace” agreement.

And yet, as displayed by Ariel Sharon’s disengagement from Gaza in 2005, such a withdrawal would only diminish Israel’s strategic depth and serve as a huge victory for the Palestinians, who would only demand further concessions from the Jewish state and be enticed to violence.

If world leaders like Barack Obama truly want to end the conflict, they have to challenge the Palestinians’ medieval mindset. Instead of pressuring Israel, as Obama has done relentlessly during his tenure in office, they should demand solid proof that the Palestinians are committed to a peaceful coexistence with the Jews in a state in Judea and Samaria.

While the Palestinians’ wish for a judenrein state remains, Israel grants approximately 1.5 million Arabs political representation, freedoms of expression, speech, assembly and press, the right to a fair trial, and the potential for great economic opportunity, even though these individuals form a potential fifth column and threaten Israel’s Jewish character. For instance, the fact that Israel allows insidious characters like Arab Haneen Zoabi, who boarded a flotilla headed to Gaza several months ago, a seat in the Knesset is testament to this.

However, this is evidently not enough for the Arabs, who demand, in any peace settlement, the so-called, “right of return” for

Palestinian refugees into Israel proper. That is, during the war for Israel’s independence, thousands of Arabs departed from their towns and villages because they did not want to live in a Jewish state, or were ordered out by the invading Arab armies, or were simply caught in the midst of a chaotic attempt to create another Holocaust after the first one ended three years prior. Since 1948, the governments of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and other neighboring countries have severely oppressed the refugees to pressure Israel to allow them to go back to their former homes.

The logic of the “right of return” is utterly absurd. The Arabs demand that Israel, and not the Palestinian Authority, accept what is now approximately four or five million Palestinians into its boundaries. Never mind that the Arabs created this issue.

Never mind that many refugees are very hostile to Israel because they blame it for their status.

Never mind that if Israel actually accepted these Palestinians, its Jewish character would vanish instantaneously. And never mind that the Arab governments themselves had, during the course of the twentieth century, created thousands of refugees by instituting pogroms against their Jewish populations and forcing them to flee from their homes.

Why should Israel be forced to take on millions of refugees when they already have their own homeland? Finally, the Palestinians were offered citizenship in Israel at its inception but chose to leave instead–they thus forfeited any “right of return.”

Thus, the demographic double standard between Israel and a future Palestinian state is indicative of the exceedingly high standards set for the Jews and the extremely low standards set for the Palestinians. Taken a step further, this dynamic reveals the futility and hypocrisy underlying the Middle East peace process.

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

IMPRESSIONS

15

Borde-nough

Sexcapades

The honeymoon: love or lust? The Democrats’

letdown gap

BY CHRIS BORDELON Columnist

GRAPHIC BY Ariel WIttenberg/The Hoot

BY SOPHIE REISE Columnist

How wary should we be of the honeymoon period in a relationship? I used to think that it was a good indicator of a long-term possibility–after all, if you didn’t really like each other, how could you spend so much time together? But maybe it’s something to think about that we possibly learn too much about each other too quickly.

Obviously, a huge part of the phase is lust and the inability to keep your hands off of one another. It’s exciting and powerful, and causes you to want to cloister yourselves from the world, and just explore each other. Whether getting together means you’re enjoying each other sexually for the first time, or just monogamously for the first time, it changes the dynamic in a sexual relationship.

Sexually, the honeymoon phase is almost the best part of any relationship. You’re hungry for one another, and you learn each other’s wants and needs in a fairly accelerated setting.

Likely, you have sex multiple times a day, until you can no longer maintain the pace. It’s almost as though you are in a daze.

Emotionally however, I wonder how good it really is. Without really being sure about the potential for longevity in the relationship, you dive into each other, spending every possible moment together. You learn about each other, and come to rely on one another, even if the relationship barely makes it beyond the first few weeks. Is it a good idea for us to put all of our eggs in one basket?

In college, relationships are

accelerated in an extraordinary way. Whereas in high school, or post college, you may see your significant other a few times a week, or maybe go on a date on the weekend, college is an environment where we are not held accountable for our actions in the same way. Getting into a relationship can be dangerous in the sense that you disappear at first. You sleep together every night and try to see each other during the day. Whether you go on dates or you always stay in, you are exposing yourself to the other person in a way that you never will at any other point in your life. Some people remove themselves from their friends and activities and risk being even more alone if the relationship ends. Being together for a month in college is the equivalent of being together for two or three months in the real world, simply considering time spent together.

So how can we make sure that we are in the right relationship before we fall in? While I’m just enjoying myself, and wonder-

ing if we’re really “taking things slowly,” my guy wants to know where I see our relationship going, what I want from it and just how invested he should get in case I decide that post-graduation we can’t really work together. We’re living in a dream world that is defined and confined by our fears about the future.

Those fears themselves spring from the very fact that the honeymoon phase is so intoxicating.

There is no promise that those feelings bubbling to the surface at that time will continue once the novelty and lust wear away.

So what can we do to make sure we are content? I don’t know that there’s one real answer. Every relationship is different and so there are no overarching rules, but maybe we can hope to be really open and honest with one another. If there are doubts, maybe it’s better not to fall in (although I’m definitely a proponent of taking the risk). It may be better to have loved and lost than never have loved at all, but it hurts like a bitch.

A huge part of the phase is lust and the inability to keep your hands off of one another.

Polls indicate that Democrats are less likely to vote on Nov. 2 than Republicans. But commentators have picked the wrong phrase—“enthusiasm gap”—to describe this phenomenon.

The gap between the parties has little to do with enthusiasm, a term which suggests an element of irrationality. What separates the parties is really a letdown gap. Democrats didn’t do what their backers elected them to do in 2008, while Republicans’ behavior in the minority satisfied their supporters.

Leading Democrats like the enthusiasm gap concept. It allows them to argue that projected Republican victories reflect problems with Democratic voters’ minds, rather than problems with the Democratic candidates.

Vice President Joe Biden said in a Sept. 15 interview that only Democrats’ own failure to “get in gear” or “get energized” will keep them from the polls.

Former President Bill Clinton concurred, telling National Public Radio’s Judy Woodruff on Sept. 22 that Democrats have only sentimental or irrational reasons for not voting, like “my anger, my apathy, my amnesia about who’s going to do what.”

Democratic leaders have no interest in admitting that their voters are dissatisfied rather than disoriented or disturbed.

But Democrats have good reasons to feel let down. First, in 2008, bad economic times helped the Democrats oust the Republicans. Democrats’ supporters, from the staunchest to the ficklest, elected them expecting them to restore prosperity.

That hasn’t happened, notwithstanding some academic economists’ accurate but practically meaningless recent observation that the recession ended last year. What voters expect is not an end to the shrinkage of the economy (and thus a technical end to the recession), but growth substantial enough to sustain and improve living standards.

Democratic voters didn’t get what they expected. By contrast, like the Democrats in 2008, Republicans this year stand at one removed from immediate responsibility for the economy.

The second part of the letdown gap stems from the parties’ treatment of their core supporters.

Both parties sometimes neglect them to appeal to independents.

But Democrats neglect their base more often and more selfdestructively than Republicans.

Democratic leaders scoff when Republicans appeal to their base.

Clinton described for Woodruff “very straightforward” Republican plans to repeal recent health care, student loan and

financial regulatory legislation, to privatize Social Security and Medicare, and to continue highspending, low-tax, high-deficit fiscal policies. “They want to do ... what they’ve wanted to do for 30 years,” he concluded.

Similarly, on Sept. 26, President Barack Obama accused Republicans of propounding “the same worn out philosophy,” and described a parade of Republican horribles like Clinton’s. But if Democrats want to close the letdown gap, they should ask themselves whether Republicans’ approach is so bad. Clinton and Obama think that the Republican Party’s problem is that it does what its core supporters want it to do.

Is that such a bad way to run a party?

Leading Democrats think so.

They’ve made their contempt for their base too explicit. Their core voters don’t lack enthusiasm; they lack good reasons to help a party that takes their votes for granted.

Although they received plenty of antiwar votes in 2008, the Democrats have become another war party. Obama’s announced end to combat in Iraq on Aug. 30 left tens of thousands of troops (and mercenaries added to offset some of the withdrawals) there indefinitely.

Obama finally scaled down troop numbers in Iraq only when he wanted more troops to send to Afghanistan. The Bush-appointed, Obama-backed political general in charge in Afghanistan, David Petraeus, suggested to ABC News on Sept.

14 that American troops will be there beyond 2020 and will leave only “at a pace that is determined by [unspecified] conditions.” Against that backdrop, Obama’s Aug. 30 speech seems like political cover for Congressional Democrats who needed something to say to voters tired of wasteful war.

The Democrats’ six-month old health care law has declined in popularity. The law, when it takes full effect in 2014, will assure health care providers of big money even in hard times, create inefficient captive markets for health insurers, undermine existing employment-based plans, and drive down the percentage of the cost of treatments that insurers pay.

Many Democratic voters sought a single-payer system or at least a public option. But their leaders snubbed them. Instead, they cut a deal with health insurers based on the electoral calendar. Insurers accepted some crowd-pleasing restrictions on their behavior that took effect on Sept. 23, weeks before the election. The law’s insurer-friendly components begin taking effect See LETDOWN, p. 16

16 IMPRESSIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

Book of Matthew

GOOD EATS: Cecelia Watkins '11 and Napoleon Lherisson '11 sort through vegetables from the Warner Farm CSA on Tuesday.

Sustainable eats, part two

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

BY BRET MATTHEW Editor

If you happened to brave the torrential downpour this past Tuesday to do some shopping at the Waltham Hannaford Supermarket, you may have caught a glimpse of me running around the produce section, weighing fruits and vegetables without buying anything. Don’t worry, I’m not crazy, and I wasn’t shoplifting. I was doing research for this column.

Just wanted to clear that up.

Every day for the past month, I have been eating locally grown produce. I have been able to do this because of a wise investment my roommate and I made at the beginning of the school year—we paid a total of $200 to become part of the Brandeis chapter of the Warner Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Every week for eight weeks we receive a box filled

with enough produce for two to three people, freshly picked from the Warner Farm in Sunderland, Mass.

Because of this, I have become much more interested in the debate regarding the pros and cons of the growing local food movement.

A few Google searches reveal that the debate is actually quite vibrant. Most of the arguments in favor have to do with quality.

Locally grown produce, supporters say, is fresher, more nutritious and tastes better than its massproduced, conventionally-grown counterparts. Those opposed argue that locally grown produce is an expensive, unnecessary option, and cite its smaller-scale production, which they call less efficient.

I can attest to the former arguments, having used my mediocre cooking skills to create delicious and healthy dishes with locally grown produce. But the price is-

sue piqued my curiosity. I believe more people should buy their produce locally, and I know that convincing those people to alter their buying habits for the sake of the environment and their bodies is already difficult enough. Getting them to do that, but asking them to spend more money, may be nearly impossible in this economy.

So, on Tuesday I decided to try a little experiment. I made a list of every item I had received in my CSA box that week and headed over to Hannaford. My goal was twofold: To find out what sort of locally grown options, if any, that Hannaford offered, and to determine whether a shopper could purchase the exact same produce that I had in my box for as much, or less, than the $25 my roommate and I had paid for it.

Hence the running around and weighing things.

I was not in the store long be-

HANNAFORD PRICES

Green leaf lettuce (1): $1.99 Broccoli (1): $1.99 Apples (3): $2.39 Corn (4): $2.36 Carrots (4): $1.49 Potatoes (2): $1.98 Onions (3): $2.51 Sugar Pumpkin (1): $5.94 Red pepper (1): $1.56 Pound of green beans (1): $1.99 Beets (11): $7.47 Small acorn squash (1): $.069 Large acorn squash (1): $5.07 Bag of mixed fresh herbs (1): $1.99 TOTAL: $39.47 PRICE OF CSA BOX: $25

October 1, 2010

fore receiving my first shock.

Having spent so much time reading about how so much of our food supply comes from countries all over the world, I expected most of the fruits and vegetables in the produce section to have originated in, say, Central and South America. But most of the signs for the items on my list (and most of the signs for items in the produce section, for that matter) had little blue stickers affixed next to the price tags that read: “Product of USA.” There was even one large sign in the middle of the section, prominently placed next to the piles of sweet yellow corn and sugar pumpkins, which declared that those two products had been grown on a farm in Lunenburg, Mass. as part of Hannaford’s “Close to Home” program.

In fact, the only items on my list that the store had not listed as originating in this country were red peppers (grown in Holland) and a bunch of mixed herbs (grown in Canada).

Not too shabby, right? Except that once I recovered from my shock, I realized that this kind of advertising, though probably effective, leaves much to be desired.

Since Hannaford only labeled two of its produce items as explicitly “locally grown,” it is probably a fair guess that most of the other items labeled “Product of USA” came from all over the country, or the store would have said otherwise. (California, America’s largest producer of agricultural goods, comes to mind). And while it is better to buy produce grown in this country than produce grown even farther away, the environmental impact can be huge regardless. America is a big place, and it can take a lot of energy to move products across it.

At that point, I assumed that the produce in the store was going to be cheaper than the produce in my box. After all, if Hannaford buys its produce in bulk from all

across the country, it must be getting the best deal, or why do it?

It not as if those items can’t grow locally. But then I tallied up my figures and had my second shock: It turned out that the total price of the equivalent store produce came to nearly $40. That’s $15 more than what my roommate and I pay, and our food is delivered to us just after being picked.

Jess Marsh, Warner Farm CSA and Market Manager, later wrote me an e-mail explaining why this could be the case. The “true cost” of locally grown produce is cheaper than that of conventional supermarkets, she wrote, because those supermarkets utilize “a huge network of expenses.

“There are middle men, large quantities of pesticides and fertilizers, shipping costs, and a general slew of expenses that come with farming in such an inefficient (though consumer efficient) way,” she continued. Marsh also added that part of the reason why locally grown produce earned a reputation for being expensive was because of farmer’s markets, which she called “inefficient and an unreliable way of making money.”

As a result, prices at the markets often had to be higher than those at supermarkets. CSA’s, however, get all of their money upfront, and are able to treat customers as “wholesale customers.”

So, while Hannaford may not be the worst offender when it comes to selling conventionally grown produce, it is not the best investment, either. During the summer months and the fall harvest, New England can support a whole range of crops that are harvested right here and can be bought fresh. The farther south one goes, the more this becomes true. So I advise you all to look into local produce options near your homes, especially good CSA’s. Hopefully, as the local food movement continues to grow, these options will become easier to access.

The Self Shelf

Five vaguely sane reasons why you should run a marathon

BY ALEX SELF Columnist

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are beginning to change color. A fall chill is in the air. And once again, I am about to drag myself into another season of training for the Cox Marathon in May. At this point, I am already starting to draw up a training plan that will guarantee I lose hours of sleep and a large part of my free time. People have all sorts of reactions when I tell them about my plans (my personal favorite being “Hope you win!”) but a surprising amount of people have asked me why I would put myself through such misery … especially when it is snowing out. So, without further ado, here are my top five reasons to run a marathon.

The first and most fundamental reason to run a marathon is the sense of accomplishment it brings about. There is nothing quite like

training for a feat like a marathon for hours and hours during several months and then having it all come to fruition. The sense of elation one feels after finishing the race more than makes up for the hardship of the training. And honestly, there are few better feelings of personal satisfaction than being able to say you have finished a marathon.

Secondly, training for a marathon gives you an excuse to exercise as well as a purpose in doing so. If you are already on a sports team, this is probably superfluous, but giving yourself a goal to work towards provides for a much more fulfilling exercise experience than sporadic workouts.

This is where the goal of training for the marathon comes in. As a first-year last year, I was lost in terms of my running schedule and I felt that the occasional run See GET OUT AND TRAIN, p. 17

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

IMPRESSIONS

17

‘Enthusiasm gap’ Get out and train for a marathon actually a letdown FIVE REASONS (from p. 16)

LETDOWN (from p. 15)

after Election Day. Democrats provided bailouts and soft loans to well-placed banks and corporations. They did not s h o w hard-luck individuals such compassion. Ordinar y people still face a Republican-crafted bankruptcy law that doesn’t absolve debtors of their debts. Democrats’ health care law will leave millions uninsured. It will cause some to lose employer-provided coverage. It will compel others to impoverish themselves to qualify for Medicaid, which pays a higher percentage of treatment costs than plans under the new law.

Democratic leaders preferred a temporary tax credit large

enough to fill a taxpayer’s gas tank a few times to an even modestly creative social program, thereby repeating Republicans’ “stimulus checks” under another name. Democratic leaders want oil companies to drill, baby, d r i l l up and d o w n t h e coasts, - n ot withstanding this summer’s BP disaster. After criticizing Bush’s deficits, Democrats produced larger ones.

In these circumstances, Democrats won’t vote for reasons having little to do with enthusiasm, sentiment or fancy.

Their party let them down.

Democrats might lose in 2010, but they might have to if their best supporters are ever to get their due from party leaders.

In these circumstances, Democrats won’t vote for reasons having little to do with enthusiasm, sentiment or fancy.

was rather pointless. By training for the marathon, I gave myself something to work towards.

Plus, if you are looking to persuade yourself to exercise, there is always the added incentive of not dying on race day.

A third reason to run a marathon is the sense of euphoria you get after a run. Running is like meditation insofar as all of your troubles fade away during and for a while after a run. In fact, when you run faster or longer than usual, you can experience a condition commonly referred to as “runners high,” which is a sense of absolute fulfillment and contentment that lasts for hours after a run.

The fourth reason in favor of a marathon is the fact that it will leave you in the best shape of your life. It is almost impossible to complete the training and the race itself without being in the best shape of your life. By race day, you will have more energy and be in better shape than ever before (except, possibly, those who are already deeply invested in sports).

Additionally, the training allows you to eat large meals without any danger of gaining weight–in fact,

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

you should eat more than you usually do for energy.

The final and best reason to run a marathon is, strangely enough, that it helps you stay sane. This may apply only to me but the routine and all the benefits listed above helped me balance my life last year.

Now you may be wondering how exactly running hundreds of miles can help you stay sane with all of the time commitments and work involved.

It is hard to explain but the process of training for a goal day after day provides a sense of comfort and fulfillment that can help you during even the most difficult parts of your life.

In terms of relieving stress during hard times, there is nothing better than a run. Indeed, I would often run and find that it restored me to equilibrium in terms of my emotional well-being.

All in all, you may not be convinced of the merits of running a marathon. After all, it is still running a marathon. It requires an unbelievable amount of time and effort. Yet I would recommend doing it at least once during your college career if you have the chance. College is the one place where you make your own

schedule and where taking a run at three in the morning (this did actually happen to me) is feasible (and, for the record, awesome). I would recommend planning your schedule accordingly if you do decide to run a marathon as it will be much more enjoyable that way.

Also, anyone can run a marathon. Whether you are in good or bad shape, young or old, short or tall, you can begin training for a marathon. In fact, the most fulfilling experience in running can be getting in shape with a goal like a marathon in mind.

Regardless of how convincing this article is, I hope that you will now understand the reasons behind running.

Finally, I could not write this article without a shout out to my friend, Jordi Goodman, who has been training for a Halloween marathon on Cape Cod since last spring–best of luck!

As you can see, we are not entirely insane when we decide to run a marathon.

Whether you are looking for a life changing experience, something to strive for or just good old fashioned exercise, running a marathon is a great idea that will bear fruit before, during and after the actual race.

SPORTS

18 The Brandeis Hoot

Mens tennis team struggles at ITAs

BY KARA KARTER Editor

It was a rough weekend for the Brandeis men’s tennis team.

The duo of Nick White ’11 and Simon Miller ’11 collected the Judges’ only doubles wins at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s northeast regional tournament. Looking to earn a berth in the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships in Mobile, Ala., they advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to the Amherst College pair of Wes Waterman ’12 and Moritz Koenig ’11.

White and Miller, the tournament’s top ranked team, had a successful opening two rounds.

They first routed Wheaton’s Harry Altman ’11 and Greg Poulin ’11 (8-1) before defeating Will Petrie ’12 and Dylan Page ’13 (8-5), a team from host Williams College.

Their run ended in the quarterfinals. The eighth-seeded pair of Waterman and Koenig bested White and Miller to the tune of an 8-5 final. After beating Brandeis, Waterman

October 1, 2010

JUDGE OF THE WEEK

and Koenig won their next two matches to take the doubles title.

Number 8 White earned a first round bye in singles play, but his second round draw of Bates College’s Tim Berg ’14 proved too much to handle, as the Brandeis senior fell 6-0, 6-1.

White, Steven Milo ’13 and Fred Rozenshteyn ’13 also competed on the singles side.

Rozenshteyn won his opening match, a 7-6(4), 6-4 defeat of Middlebury College junior David Farrah but proved unable to upset sixth-seed Matt Bettles ’13, of Bates. Rozenshteyn was downed in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

Bettles advanced to, and lost in, the finals.

Rozenshteyn and partner Ezra Bernstein ’11 as well as Milo and Dave Yovanoff ’13 were Brandeis’ other competitors in doubles play.

The Judges take a break from tournament battle to host the Coast Guard Academy (3-0) this Friday at 3 p.m. It is Brandeis’ first school-on-school match of the season. Last year, the Judges handily defeated Coast Guard 9-0.

Men’s soccer drops second straight

BY KARA KARTER Editor

It took two overtimes to do it, but the Beavers of Babson College felled the Brandeis men’s soccer team in a 2-1 final Saturday. It was the second straight loss for the Judges (6-2), who had opened the season by winning six straight games. The win gave Babson, the ninth-ranked team in New England, a total of seven wins in its first nine contests. The Beavers made it eight-out-often by defeating Keene State on Wednesday.

Eighth-ranked Brandeis was forced to play from behind just 15:14 into the affair. Off a long cross from the right side, Eric Anderson’s ’13 lunging shot low and inside the left post gave Babson the early 1-0 lead.

It took just more than 15 minutes for the Judges to even the score with a play that developed in the right corner. Evan Ersing ’12 lifted a ball towards Luke Teece ’12, positioned on the far side of the box. Teece’s header found the northeast corner of the net at the 30:22 mark. Ersing’s helper was his first point of the year while Teece’s strike was his team-high fifth goal of the season.

There would be no followup score for more than an hour of gameplay. Babson rang two

shots off the post in the scoreless second half, the latter of which came off a corner kick in the 53rd minute, but the combination of iron and Brandeis keeper Taylor Bracken ’11 kept Babson off the board. On route to a seven save performance, Bracken made three critical stops–one coming with less than five minutes left in regulation–in the second.

Bracken continued to keep the Judges afloat with his play in the first 10-minute overtime period.

A pair of sprawling saves stopped a series of chances from Babson’s Max Walker ’12, responsible for one of the earlier shots off the post.

The seemingly snake-bitten Walker found not man or iron but twine in the second overtime. Off of a failed clearing attempt, the Newton, Mass. native, alone on the left side, beat Bracken with a shot inside the right post at 102:54. The sudden death score gave Babson, which out-shot Brandeis by a 23-14 margin, the victory.

The Judges look to get back in the win column on Saturday with a home contest against conference rival Case Western Reserve (4-23). It is the Judges’ first University Athletic Association match of the season.

In 2009 UAA competition, the Judges finished with the seventh best record–ahead of Case–in the

Women’s soccer team extends winning streak to six games

BY KARA KARTER Editor

The Brandeis women’s soccer team hit the road for contests against Simmons and Wellesley colleges this week.

After pitching a pair of shutouts, the Judges, undefeated since a loss to MIT in the season opener, are now 7-1-1 on the season.

Brandeis, ranked 18th in the National College Soccer Coaches Association of America’s most recent Division III poll, was judged second best in New England.

It is the first time the team has earned a national ranking since the 2004 season.

Against Simmons (4-5-1) on Sunday, the Judges scored early and often on route to a 5-0 victory.

A total of four goals were scored in the game’s first six

minutes of play, including a pair of unassisted goals from University Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week, Sofia Vallone ’11.

Vallone potted the game’s first marker at 2:13. She collected an assist just 1:46 later as Mimi Theodores ‘12 headed in a rebound off the crossbar and a save from the Simmons keeper for her fourth tally of the season.

The first-half flurry continued as Tiffany Pacheco ’11 and Vallone scored eight seconds apart at the end of the sixth minute.

Rookie Annie Teece ’14 wrapped up the scoring with a shot off a corner kick–good for her first career goal–with 6:32 to play before intermission.

It was Vallone’s second straight contest with a two goal output, the third multi-goal game of her career. She leads all UAA scorers with eight goals this season.

Three days later, the Judges

bested Wellesley (4-4-1) in a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

First-year Hilary Andrews’ 37th minute score proved the game’s only offense.

Her original shot, off a long pass from Ellie Einhorn ’11, was stopped by Wellesley keeper Sarah Gray ’12, but the rebound found the back of the net for Andrews’ second goal of the season.

Francine Kofinas ’13 made eight saves in net–including a critical three stops at the start of the second half–to record the first solo shutout of her Brandeis career. For the game, the Judges outshot Wellesley 13-9.

Brandeis looks to stretch the streak to seven on Saturday, as the Judges open conference play with a home match against Case Western Reserve University (6-2-1).

In last season’s only meeting between the teams, Case defeated the Judges, 1-0.

October 1, 2010

The Brandeis Hoot

SPORTS

19

Major league baseball’s 2010 season The Major League Baseball season began in April, and is set to wrap up regular season play this weekend. Five months and 162 games later, here are some storylines that peaked our interest: Alex Rodriguez becomes the seventh player to gain entry into the 600 home run club with very little fanfare. The Yankee third baseman, who has admitted to steroid use, hit home run 599 on July 2. Thirteen days and 46 at-bats passed before, on Aug. 4, A-Rod smashed number 600. It came three years to the date after his 500th home run.

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Brandeis’ only alumnus to make it to the Major Leagues, Nelson Figueroa ’98 is Designated for Assignment by the Mets April 5. The Brandeis community tries to recover.

Cincinnati’s Aroldis Chapman seems primed to break the speed barrier. The Reds’ rookie pitcher threw the fastest pitch ever recorded on the Pitch/FX tracking system, a 105.1 mile-per-hour fastball last week. The lefty regularly throws at or faster than 100 mph, and did so on all 25 of his pitches in the Sept. 24 outing.

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Disappointment. Despite having made big offseason acquisitions, teams such as the Mets, Mariners and Red Sox failed to qualify for post-season play. Jason Bay, Chone Figgins and Adrian Beltre weren’t enough for these teams–each among the league’s top nine payrolls–that spent to no avail.

ESPN’s Buck Showalter moves from baseball analyst to skipper, as he takes over the managerial job in Baltimore. Before his arrival, the Orioles sat at 32-73. Since his tenure began on Aug. 3, the O’s have turned to winning and, as of Sept. 30, sport a 63-95 record. The Orioles have celebrated his arrival with, among other things, a Buck Showalter T-shirt night.

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Figueroa is claimed by the Philadelphia Phillies and added to their bullpen.

The Brandeis graduate posts a 3.46 Earned Run Average in 13 appearances for the Phillies, including a spot start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

George Steinbrenner passes away at his home in Tampa, Florida on July 13, the morning of the All-Star Game. Known as the “The Boss,” the Yankees owner, who oversaw seven world championships, is mourned around the league.

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No-no’s and perfecto’s. Though Joyce’s miscue prevented a perfect game, there were plenty to go around. The 2010 season featured three no-hitters (Colorado’s Ubaldo Jiminez, Arizona’s Edwin Jackson and Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza) and two perfect games (Oakland’s Dallas Braden and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay). The five hitless outings are the most tossed since the 1991 season’s seven.

Outdoor baseball. The Minnesota Twins said goodbye to the Metrodome with an open-air, opening-day win at the new Target Field. And there will be outdoor baseball in Minnesota, this October as the Twins celebrate clinching their second straight division title and sixth since 2002.

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Philadelphia designates Figueroa for assignment in late July. He is claimed by the Houston Astros and, after spending some time in the bullpen, becomes an end of season fixture in the team’s starting rotation. In all likelihood, he will finish the season with six wins.

Questionable fan behavior. In Seattle, an overjoyed teenage girl flailed excit ably after outfielder Ichiro Suzuki ran into her while chasing a foul fly. In Houston, a fan ducked out of the way of a foul ball, allowing it hit his girlfriend in the arm. In Philadelphia, a fan intentionally vomited on an 11-year-girl and her father. Come on now.

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Rookie sensations. Buster Posey has given the Giants offensive production from the catcher’s spot. His .311 average, 16 home runs and 64 RBI (as of Wednesday) put him among the team’s leaders. Others, such as Atlanta’s Jayson Heyward and Detroit’s Austin Jackson are helping to make up an undeniably strong rookie class.

Strasburg-mania. No, Strasburg is not just any rookie. Before being forced to end his season with a torn right UCL in August, the fireballing 22-year-old brought hope to Washington and crowds to wherever the last-place Nationals were playing.

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Ticket sales or lack thereof. Even if your team is doing well, it’s likely not selling tickets, as teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays have learned. With players Evan Longoria and David Price complaining about lack of fan support, the Rays gave away 20,000 tickets to Wednesday night’s home finale. Monday night, with a chance to clinch a playoff berth, the 36,973 capacity Tropicana Field drew only 12,446 fans.

Injuries. Dustin Pedroia, Justin Morneau, Josh Hamilton, Magglio Ordonez, Bay and seemingly the entire Phillies roster, as well as pitching studs the likes of Ben Sheets, Erik Bedard and Joe Nathan, all are missing a large part (if not all) of the 2010 campaign.

Injuries happen, but injuries to key pieces can kill a season.

Unequaled futility. The Arizona Diamondbacks set the all-time record for strikeouts in a season, whiffing more than 1,400 times. The old record of 1,399 belonged to the 2001 Milwaukee Brewers. The Pittsburgh Pirates registered their 18th consecutive losing season, the longest current streak in all of professional sports. They hit the century mark in losses for the first time since 2001.

Violent outbursts. In August, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez assaulted his girlfriend’s father in the Citi Field family room after a home loss to the Colorado Rockies. A day later, Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto began violently kicking opponents during a bench clearing brawl in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Cueto’s kicks gave Cardinal catcher Jason LaRue a concussion and forced the veteran into retirement.

Jim Joyce. Umpires like to do their jobs in anonymity. After his misjudged “safe” call on a Jason Donald grounder cost Detroit’s Armando Galarraga a perfect game June 2, the veteran ump was scorned by baseball and non-baseball watchers alike.

Joyce delivered a tearful apology and later earned applause from the Detroit crowd as he crouched behind the plate during Galarraga’s Sept. 10 start.

Wild, wild west. The National League West has remained tight all season, and will continue that way into the final weekend, as the rising Giants and fading Padres fight for the division crown. The second-place finisher will fight the Atlanta Braves for the rights to the NL’s WildCard berth.

Keen to see you again! For two teams who had gone years between postseason berths, 2010 was magic. The Reds won the National League Central and punched their first ticket to the postseason since 1995. The Texas Rangers took the American League West and will play playoff baseball for the first time since the 1999 season.

Xavier Nady’s Chicago Cubs extend their World Series title drought to 103 years. They miss the playoffs for a second straight season and finish with a disappointing sub-.500 winning percentage.

(The) lucky National League team to advance to the World Series will have home-field advantage in its quest for the title. For the first time since 1996, the All-Star Game went to the National League, ending a 13 game winless streak. The All-Star winner has earned home-field advantage in the World Series since 2003.

Yes, it’s the year of the pitcher. The three no-hitters and two perfect games are only part of it. Entering play Thursday, 16 starting pitchers touted an earned run average of under three. Last season, there were 11, the year before seven, and in 2007, just one, Jake Peavy.

Minor signings, major surprises. In January, Jim Thome signed an incentive laden $1.5 million deal with Minnesota. Though expected to play a minor role, the 40-year-old Thome leads the Twins with 25 home runs and has alleviated much of the hurt from the July loss of Morneau. Others, such as Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey and Astros starter Brett Myers, have put up impressive, if not spectacular, seasons.

Zero predictability. Arguably, most of this means nothing heading into the postseason. Eight teams, two leagues, one champion. It’s October. Let’s play ball.

Holy Bautista! Toronto rightfielder Jose Bautista leads all of baseball with 52 homers hit as of Wednesday. The veteran, whose previous career high was 16 home runs, now holds the Blue Jays’ single season record.

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20 The Brandeis Hoot

HOOT SCOOPS

October 1, 2010

Flood of support for Pakistan victims

BY DEBBY BRODSKY Special to The Hoot

A Brandeis organization held a Pakistan Relief Fund dinner Tuesday to raise money for victims of the flooding in Pakistan from seasonal monsoon rains, which began in the country July 26.

The dinner was a semiformal sit-down event, the dishes (rice, vegetables, daal and naan) were cooked in a kosher kitchend by Seema Anand, mother of Nikita Anand ’12, and the desserts were baked by Mary Brustal, mother of Alex Brustal ’10.

All proceeds will go to three separate charities; the International Rescue Committee, the International Development and Relief Foundation, and the House of Charity, said Anushka Aqil ’12, an organizer of the event.

The House of Charity was specifically chosen as a recipient because of its experience with disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. According to Abdul Aziz Sohail ’13, another organizer, proceeds will be used to supply “water cleaning tablets, protein tablets, medicine and shelter. However, the priority is food.”

According to statistics shared at the fundraiser, since the beginning of the floods, more than 2,000 people have been killed, and at least 21 million are injured or homeless, which exceeds the number of people affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake combined. Multiple Brandeis clubs, such as the Student Union, Project Nur, South Asian Student Association, the Muslim Student’s Association, the Interfaith Chaplaincy and Positive Foundations helped sponsored the

fundraiser.

Hyder Kazmi ’12, a third organizer of the fundraiser, said that “[Aqil] was the driving force behind the dinner at first. She sent out e-mails over the summer, and we had our first meeting as soon as we came back to campus.”

Kazmi and Sohail both could relate to the effects of the flooding on personal levels. “I was traveling [in Pakistan] last December,” Kazmi said. “You hear these stories, and it just hurts.”

“One in nine people were affected by the floods— that’s huge,” Sohail said.

“That’s when I realized the enormity, and I wanted to contribute to my country.”

The Pakistan Relief Fund aims to raise between $25,000 and $30,000 during the course of the year.

It is estimated that the total economic impact from the flooding is $43 billion. As a result, it is critical for the Pakistan Relief Fund to maintain its publicity around campus, to continue to raise money to donate to the Pakistani people, Sohail said.

The proceeds, which were a combination of the price of dinner and donations throughout the night, totaled more than $1,500.

According to Kazmi, “The media stops covering one thing when another big event happens.” As a result, he said the Pakistan Relief Fund’s role on campus will play a critical role in maintaining student awareness as Pakistan continues to recover.

The student organizers of the Pakistan Relief Fund responded quickly. Following the dinner Tuesday, the Relief Fund will hold a coffee house to be later in the semester, to continue to collect donations, and to promote awareness of the persisting struggles of the affected Pakistani people.

PHOTO BY Anthony Losquadro/The Hoot