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NEWS
IN THIS ISSUE &
Eagle rants (3), Founders’ Day Ball (5), Two-year budget (9)
OPINION
(
Staff editorial, Shapiro column (6), Letters to the Editor (7)
SCENE
‘The Adjustment Bureau’ (13), ‘Orpheus Descending’ (14), Sex Wonks (16)
SPORTS
Men’s basketball, Women’s basketball (20), Women’s lacrosse (19)
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1. Changing male culture to defend against violence 2. Eagle rants 3. Forcible sex offense occurs on Tenley 4. Letts, Centennial sixth floors vandalized 5. AU behind on black enrollment
CORRECTIONS In “AU behind on black enrollment,” the first sentence misstated that AU’s fall 2010 undergraduate population of students identifying themselves as black is roughly 9 percent lower than the 2009 national college average. AU’s fall 2010 undergraduate population of students identifying themselves as black is roughly 9 percentage points lower than the 2009 national college average.
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All submissions become the property of The Eagle. Unsigned letters will not be published. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters and columns may be published in print or online. Letters and columns are the opinion of the writer and not the newspaper. !"
The Eagle has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, call the editor in chief at (202) 8851402 or e-mail editor@theeagleonline.com.
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““AmericanU founders day is a huge success. A beautiful event.” @AMZayfert, Feb. 26 “Friday night at an Acapella concert. #onlyatAU #AmericanU” @mckeeverfever92, Feb. 25 “On this day in 1893, Benjamin Harrison signed An Act to incorporate #AmericanU. Today is our Founder’s Day. Happy 118th birthday #AU! @AUhistory, Feb. 24 “hey @AmericanU just had a 45 min #BBM convo with 2 other students about the #CR. How #WONK is that? @Mhandverger, Feb. 24 “#AmericanU dance team has ‘whip my hair’ in its repetoire. #GWU First Ladies have sparklier costumes though. #GWBB” @byersalex, Feb. 23
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TUESDAY 1
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SUNDAY 6
The Legacies of America’s First Ladies: A Conference 1 - 8 p.m. WHERE: Katzen Arts Center WHAT: White House staff, historians, journalists, curators and authors will discuss the contributions first ladies have made toward promoting change. CONTACT: kpu@american. edu
Iran, the United States and the Middle East’s Changing Balance of Power 4 - 5:15 p.m. WHERE: : MGC 245 WHAT: Professor Hillary Mann Leverett, former director for Iran, Afghanistan and Persian Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council, will discuss the impact of recent events in the Middle East on Iran’s regional influence. CONTACT: Eric Fillinger at usfp@american.edu
Economics, Politics and Violence in Contemporary Mexico 8:30 - 4:30 p.m. WHERE: MGC 5 WHAT: Leading experts will present their research on contemporary Mexico’s economics, politics, society and violence. The workshop will include a keynote address by the Mexican ambassador to the U.S., Arturo Sarukhán. CONTACT: Andrea Mesa at amesa@american.edu
Negotiation Project Presentation and Simulation 2 - 5 p.m. WHERE: School of International Service Beacon Conference Room WHAT: American University Negotiation Project (AUNP) is a forum for those interested in practicing and improving their negotiation skills. CONTACT: Trace Main at tm7399a@ student.american.edu.
Patriot League Women’s Basketball Quarterfinals 2 - 4 p.m. WHERE: Bender Arena WHAT: The AU’s women’s basketball team will take on the Holy Cross Crusaders in a quarterfinals game. CONTACT: Kathryn Tortorici at tortorici@american.edu
Linn Meyers and Nicole Cohen 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. WHERE: Katzen Museum Third Floor Exhibition WHAT: Linn Meyers responds to the architecture of the museum by covering the walls with flowing, repetitive, geometric lines. Nicole Cohen creates an evocative new installation using video and sculpture to engage audiences. CONTACT: aumuseum@ american.edu
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EAGLE RANTS Want an answer to your rant? E-mail your queries to our advice bloggers at compass@ theeagleonline.com. ! I know it’s something that happens to everyone, but I got so drunk I was sick Friday night, and I’m so, so SO embarrassed. ! I want someone to post something about me on LikeALittle. As it is, though, I have no public or private crushes.
!
The rats are back in town!
TDR pineapple makes my day everyday. But I haven’t seen it recently and I miss it. Sassy’s slackin’ :( !
! What if one day, when your “watching someone’s stuff in
the library,” someone actually tries to take it? ! If you’re going to pay with your Eaglebucks, then take the damn card out of your stupid lanyard before you give it to me. I’m sure you think the holder that only covers half of the card is super cool because it lets you swipe without having to take the card out, but goddamn I don’t want to have to deal with your keys, Smartrip, charms and whatever the fuck else you have on there jignling around and getting in the way of me swiping your card when I have a line out the door. -Spiteful Dav worker
ATTENTION ALL OTHER AU LEAP DAY BABIES: Let’s find each other and commiserate about not having a birthday this year...and !
about how annoying it gets to be asked when you celebrate your birthday. Sincerely, Almost 4 3/4! ! I dress a little nicer, and hang around campus a little more often just hoping that someone will write about me on “http://likealittle.com/ ”likealittle.com EDITOR’S NOTE: I think the key to getting noticed it wear something noticeable and unique. Like a bright red Holden Caulfield-style hunting hat.
Dear professor, Your obvious bias and lessthan-firm grasp of English make me dread doing your assignments - especially when you expect us to agree with everything you say. At least
CLASSIFIEDS get your TA to proofread your emails, presentations, and syllabus. Sincerely, Giving you zeroes on your evaluation Dear Kid giving me evil looks @ the library... I’ve been here since 8:45 a.m. .... I am not leaving all of my stuff to get stolen so I can go eat lunch ... Sorry that my napkin is making too much noise ... !
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UPTOWN DELI 7905 Norfolk Ave Bethesda MD 20814 301-961-5787 www.uptowndelibethesda.com AU Students receive a free 16oz soda with a valid student ID and purchase of any sandwich over $5.99 Offer good through 1-31-11 Not combined with any other offers. Must show valid ID
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AU grad student on smoking: ‘No ifs, ands or butts’ By ANNA SCALAMOGNA Eagle Staff Writer
Courtesy of THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
AU STEPS UP — Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, center left, and General Tasker H. Bliss, center, greet incoming students at a convocation ceremony.
1917: AU offers campus to Army Corps for training, chemical testing This story is the rst in a series investigating World War I-era chemical weapons and equipment buried under AU’s campus and in the Spring Valley neighborhood. By SYLVIA CARIGNAN Eagle Staff Writer
In April 1917, just days after the United States declared war on Germany, AU’s president wrote a letter to the White House. “To his Excellency, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States,” AU President Benjamin Leighton wrote. “I am authorized to extend to the United States Government the use of 92 acres of land lying within the District and composing the campus of the University ... for such purpose as the Government may desire. The campus may be used either for a camping ground for troops, for gardening and raising products for the Army, or for such other purpose as you may elect.” The U.S. Secretary of War accepted Leighton’s offer. By that summer, there were 2,100 U.S. Army soldiers and officers stationed and ready for training at “Camp American University,” with thousands more to come. The new tenants transformed the campus. Before their arrival, the only structures on campus were the College of Histo-
ry, now known as Hurst Hall, and a half-finished McKinley Building. But over several months, the soldiers’ khaki tents and officers’ wooden barracks filled the quad. AU’s campus became a small city, with a hospital, horse stable, post office, shoe shop, tailor shop and deli. The AU newspaper, The Courier, reported the dramatic change of scenery in July 1917. “The change from a wooded and grass-covered expanse with the white marble fronts of University buildings showing through the green of the trees, to a busy and bustling tent and board city of several thousand soldiers, before whose onslaught every particle of grass has been turned to well-trodden dirt and clay, is startling and incongruous,” the newspaper said. The U.S. government also built a Young Men’s Christian Association office on campus. The YMCA provided soldiers and officers with a weekly schedule for religious services and entertainment. Every Thursday night, the soldiers gathered in the am-
phitheater — known to them as the “Auditorium in the Grove” — for a stage performance by actors from D.C. Between 3,000 and 4,000 soldiers and civilians attended these performances every week, according to The Courier. But the soldiers didn’t spend all their time in the “Auditorium in the Grove.” Officers regularly sent them on eight-mile practice marches up and down Massachusetts Avenue, which would take hours to complete. They practiced marching formations and had bayonet practice in the fields on the South side of campus to train for the trench warfare on the battlefields of France. “The American University is doing its duty, first in peace, now in war,” The Courier wrote in October 1917. “And when peace returns, once more the scholarly duties will replace the martial trappings.” Although students seemed to welcome the Army at first, they soon worried about the University’s well-being. “What more can the !
see RAB on page 9
President Neil Kerwin might find 1,000 cigarette butts on his doorstep soon. The butts are a present from Noah Jacobs, a graduate film student who has been advocating for the enforcement of smoke-free areas on campus since last year. Jacobs is now collecting cigarette butts in hopes of drawing more attention to this lack of enforcement. Jacobs began collecting cigarette butts last week outside of Mary Graydon Center and already has between 400 and 500 butts. He said he collected 207 butts in a single day. Once he hits 1,000 he will deliver them to the President’s Office Building. Currently, students are asked not to smoke within 25 feet of buildings on campus where signs are posted.
But enforcement of these areas continues to be a source of confusion. Punishments for smoking in these areas can result in Student Conduct Code penalties, according to Director of Sustainability Chris O’Brien. O’Brien said the lack of enforcement is due to the culture on campus and would improve if enough people discouraged smokers. Jacobs says smokers just laugh in his face when he asks them to stop smoking in supposed smoke-free areas. “I believe it undermines the integrity of the University to have a policy printed on doors that you don’t enforce,” Jacobs said. O’Brien wrote a draft of a new smoking policy over a year ago. The policy asks for a smoke-free campus within three years. Currently, the President’s
Council is sitting on the policy, according to O’Brien. The policy should be discussed at the council’s meeting this month, according to Jacobs. Public Safety Chief Michael McNair said Public Safety does not have the resources to enforce a smoking policy, The Eagle previously reported. “They spent $600,000 on a Wonk campaign, but can’t extend the minimal resources to enforce smoking areas?” Jacobs said. For now, Jacobs continues to collect the cigarettes, waiting to hit the 1,000-butt mark. “I’ll be gone in May,” Jacobs said. “I don’t want to have to pass a torch on.” ascalamogna@ theeagleonline.com
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We are seeking men and women between the ages of 21 and 60 to study whether a medication for smoking cessation (CHANTIX™) may affect drinking (NIH Study #08-AA-0137). Volunteers should be healthy and drug-free. There are no charges for study related tests and evaluations. Qualified subjects will be reimbursed for their participation. The study lasts nine weeks and requires five outpatient and one overnight visits at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda MD. For more details, call 301-496-7500
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D.C. student governments make noise about new law By LINDSEY ANDERSON Eagle Staff Writer
LAURA BECK / THE EAGLE
PAINTING THE TOWN — Students dance the night away at the Founders’ Day Ball at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Feb. 26.
SG masterpiece: Founders’ Day Ball goes off without hitch By MARIE ZOGLO Eagle Staff Writer
Students danced the night away under the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s marble statues on Feb. 26. More than 550 students attended this year’s Founders’ Day Ball. Fewer than 20 tickets were left unsold. In accordance with the ball’s theme of “an AU masterpiece,” the Corcoran was lit up with red, white and blue lights. Attendees seemed to love the downtown location. “The Washington Monument is right there,” said Alyssa Myers, a freshman in the School of International Service. “We’re in this really classy art gallery.” Three busses shuttled
students back and forth for free between campus and the Corcoran. Inside the event, students were served sushi, pita, hummus, stuffed grape leaves and mini sandwiches, as well as a variety of desserts. A bar served beer and wine for students 21 and older. Student Union Board Director Greg Cornell DJ’d first, followed by mashup artist E-603. “I really like the mashup style of music. I think there’s something in there for everyone,” said Jasmine Bostock, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “I like all the throwbacks to what was popular in like senior year of high school.” But the style raised a few eyebrows.
“He [E-603] should not be mashing up with Vanessa Carlton,” said Danielle Raso, a junior in SIS. “‘Windows to the Walls’ with Billy Joel? Not feeling it.” This year, only AU students were allowed to attend. “We wanted as many AU specific kids to be able to experience the event,” said Co-director Ben Schorr. “We wanted it to be an AU experience.” Students went all out to prepare for the black-tie event. “We got ready for six straight hours,” Myers said. “Lots of hair. Lots of makeup. Lots of confused guys.” The primping efforts paid off. Students could get their pictures taken for
free at the event. A promstyle photo booth was set up in the Corcoran, where students could get their pictures taken and then printed out within half an hour. At the end of the night, students were given a Founders’ Day picture frame to go with their free photos. Last year, the ball never happened due to a series of setbacks, including issues with weather, contracts, funding and staffing. “It’s sad that last year got canceled,” said Daniela Castaneda, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs. “It builds community and it’s a lot of fun.” mzoglo@theeagleonline. com
D.C. needs to clarify how the city’s new noise law will be executed and why it was created, a coalition of D.C. university student government presidents wrote in a letter to Mayor Vincent Gray on Feb. 24. In the letter, D.C. Student Alliance members say they are concerned with the severity of the punishment under the law and the vagueness of the term “unreasonable noise.” They also requested a meeting with Gray and his staff to discuss the issue further. The D.C. Student Alliance brings student governments of D.C. universities together to share ideas, collaborate on events and represent student interests in the District. The D.C. noise law, enacted Feb. 1, bans “unreasonably loud noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. that is likely to annoy or disturb one or more persons in their residences.” It does not define “unreasonably loud.” Violators can face up to a $500 fine or 90 days in jail. Many consider the new regulations to be aimed more at Georgetown neighborhoods, where students leave local bars, hang out in the streets and return to their houses throughout the area. Chair of the D.C. Student Alliance and University of the District of Columbia Student Government President Ben Marcus said the penalty doesn’t seem to match up with the crime, and the law could be applied inconsistently and in a biased way if it is left up to police discretion. If the D.C. Student Alliance does not hear from the mayor’s office in the next week or two, the group’s next actions would be more “visible,” Marcus said. AU Student Government President Nate Bronstein said the alliance would look
for support from businesses that may be affected by the law and from the consortium of D.C. universities. Bronstein and D.C. Student Alliance Executive Director Andy MacCracken, last year’s AUSG president, said the coalition is considering collaboration on a petition against the noise ordinance, launched by the college student advocacy organization D.C. Students Speak. “It’s one thing to have a letter signed by student presidents,” Bronstein said. “It’s another to have a petition.” MacCracken and Marcus both stressed the noise ordinance is a chance to start a broader conversation on how students interact with the city. “The city needs to look at this as an opportunity to work with students, to be involved in conversations that have a direct effect on their lives,” Marcus said. “We’re trying to build a relationship with the city where they see students as stakeholders in the city and not a transitional group that comes and goes every four years.” Other college towns, such as Gainesville, Fla., where the University of Florida is located, have more detailed noise ordinances, Marcus said. The Gainesville ordinance states why the law is necessary and includes definitions of noise, reasonable time and sound level, among others. The law permits different decibel limits depending on the time of day and the duration of the sound. Noise is measured with a sound level meter. University of Florida fraternities and sororities can also obtain five noise exemption permits: one each for the last Saturday of fall and spring rush, for the university homecoming and for two optional dates, according to Gainesville’s noise ordinance. landerson@theeagleonline. com
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Low tuition hike shows AU has priorities straight Freshmen, sophomores and juniors — rejoice! The University’s latest budget locks tuition increase rates for the next two years at the lowest level in 15 years. We applaud AU’s recognition of student concerns and its work toward keeping AU at least somewhat-almostmaybe affordable. Considering the toll the economic recession took on students and universities across the country, AU has weathered the storm admirably. AU’s first $1 billion budget demonstrates the University’s positive
growth and signals its firm financial footing. With these changes, AU will be at the lower end of the national average for tuition hikes — 3.8 percent vs. 4.3 percent. But even with the reasonable increase, AU’s tuition is still marching inexorably toward that frightening $50,000 mark. AU must continue to make good on its goal of giving more need-based aid. As the University continues to grow and develop structurally, it is imperative to remember to help those that make all this possible
Daily situations present harrowing dilemmas SMARTER THAN I LOOK
CONOR SHAPIRO Say you’re riding the Metro. You glance around scanning for a seat, anxious to rest your legs from a long day at work. Your eyes drift down to The Eagle, eager to get your rant fix for the week. Suddenly, the rants zoom up close and personal as a stranger bumps into you, sending the paper violently into your chest. You look
up angrily to reprimand the person, only to notice you’re witnessing an altercation that has nothing to do with you. The man was shoved. A fuming passenger begins yelling, chasing the man who bumped you with his fists raised ready to fight. Or say you’re going for a jog outside on a balmy afternoon. Justin Bieber kicks on your iPod as you approach a hill. You’re zoned in, ready to tackle the climb. You’re huffing and puffing by the end and you crouch down with your hands on your knees to catch your breath. As you turn to continue, you notice a woman dragging
AU’s rst $1 billion budget demonstrates the University’s positive growth and signals its rm nancial footing.
— the students (and/or their parents) that pay for these changes — by keeping reasonable. AU’s endowment is near the highest it has ever been and we look forward to increased aid and student investment in the coming years. However, we caution the University to remain focused on fiscal responsibility first. In today’s ever-changing global economy, we’ve seen how quickly seemingly sound financial footing can crumble. This University has gained respect among peer institutions and
students for weathering the recession without having to resort to layoffs or large tuition hikes. If AU stays committed to responsible growth, this University can continue to prosper well into the future. As we all hope to graduate from this fine institution in the near future, that’s a prospect every student should appreciate.
a dog on the sidewalk, the leash choking the puppy as it yelps in pain. The woman yanks forcefully as the bark becomes audible over the music. You look on disgusted and press pause on Beebs. She’s scolding the dog and in her fury, kicks it in the mouth. What do you do? Hopefully, you have never or will never encounter such a grotesque scenario. But you might. Odds are each one of us has been confronted with a similar dilemma at least a few times in our lives. We could each share a troubling anecdote about a schoolyard bully, sexual harassment, or violent parents whacking their child in public. Should we intervene? If so, to what extent? What’s the proper protocol? There’s no uniform answer. No simple one ei-
‘If I were in this situation, would I want someone to help me?’” Also, “Just distracting someone, saying something, checking in with a person can stop the momentum of something bad.” Other suggestions include the basics like calling the police. Practice makes perfect. For those who are naturally shy or timid, positive intervention may be the first place to start. Deliver a sincere compliment to a stranger. By getting out of our comfort zones, we can adapt and feel more at ease under tenser conditions. The world could certainly use more compliments anyhow. Some incidences can escalate quickly and if you intervene you may face personal harm. Speaking out may be righteous and admirable or it may be
unnecessary and imprudent. There’s always risk incurred in these circumstances. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But ... the Good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’” Your level of engagement is up to you. I’m not endorsing blanket intervention. But do take a stand for what you believe is right. Conor Shapiro is a graduate student in the School of International Service and a liberal columnist.
ther. At times, I’ve spoken out in defense of a stranger. Others times I didn’t. Sometimes I regretted my action or lack thereof. Other times I felt proud I was brave enough to interfere to potentially resolve a conflict. Obviously, each scenario is unique and can’t be completely anticipated. These events are spontaneous, and it’s impossible to ascertain precisely how you’d react under the intensity of the moment. However, it’s a good idea for us to begin asking these hypothetical questions so we’re more prepared when things happen. The Center for Women in Transition has a few tips. “In order to create a safer community, everyone can take steps to be an active bystander.” For example, “Ask yourself,
THE EAGLE’S NEXT GREAT RANTER STAY TUNED FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF RESULTS — COMING MARCH 15
edpage@theeagleonline. com
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Employees feel same parking frustrations as students As recently highlighted by The Eagle, parking has become a financial burden for the AU community. Many have resorted to creative measures, going extra lengths to find secret hiding spots to avoid ticketing. However, few of these tactics have proven successful. AU’s subcontracted employees find the parking issue equally frustrating, if not more so. In frequent tutoring sessions with Aramark workers,
ment and/or employment at American University.” Certainly, this policy has some merits, as it should come as no surprise that AU finds it necessary to get along with its neighbors. However, this policy is not known to all workers. In fact, the policy brochures available have not yet been fully translated into Spanish. Clearly, AU is enforcing policies and prices that are too burdensome for the workers’ paychecks.
Clearly, AU is enforcing policies and prices that are too burdensome for the workers’ paychecks. the exorbitant price of parking has been a prevalent topic of discussion. Many complained specifically about the high costs of on-campus parking and mentioned their dismay at finding tickets on their windows when they parked in the neighborhoods. Some even obtained permission to park at nearby churches, but were ticketed anyway under AU’s “Good Neighbor Policy.” AU’s Good Neighbor Policy states that “all members of the University Community including students, faculty, staff, visitors and guests – are required to park on campus and obtain a parking permit, purchase hourly/ daily parking using the Pay-As-You-Go machines, or to use public transportation. Compliance with the Good Neighbor Policy is a condition of enroll-
A majority of the Aramark employees have been with the University for 20 years. During their two decades of service they have watched the prices of parking permits more than double. Currently, the purchase of on-campus parking permits would account for 6 percent of their salaries. The evasive behavior of these workers, their ensuing ticketing under the Good Neighbor Policy, and the ever-increasing rates demonstrate the neoliberal nature of AU as an institution. Stated simply, neoliberal institutions tax the workers, not the profiteers. Under neoliberal policies, corporations thrive through deregulation. More significantly, neoliberalism criminalizes its victims, individualizing responsibility and blame. AU taxes its workers for working.
Unfortunately, public transportation is simply not feasible for many of these employees. To make the commute from their affordable neighborhoods, contracted employees must pay the same prices for parking as permanent faculty and staff whose salaries are more proportional to the rates. Because the institution is deregulated, prices will continue to go up. In 2002, the yearly price for faculty and staff was $500. Now, it is $1,440. It is unreasonable to expect the workers to be responsible for rates so variable and disproportional to their income, yet they are the ones punished with an incessant flow of ticketing. On the “Discover AU” page of our website, AU proclaims that “Our academic strengths are grounded in social responsibility and a commitment to cultural and intellectual diversity.” Although it is unlikely that AU will cease its operation as a business seeking profit any time soon, as students we must force our University to be more than a business. It is socially irresponsible for us to continue to promote “social justice” while exploiting our workers who represent a wealth of other cultures. We are not promoting them in any regard. Therefore, AU should consider it a professional and ethical responsibility to alter the parking policy and offer progressive, affordable rates. Catholic University offers progressive rates for its contracted employees so why can’t we? Emily Norton is a junior in the School of International Service.
Farm runoff, pollution lead to dangerous D.C. water There always seems to be a new and chilling report on how dangerous the water in the D.C. is. Two months ago, scientists found cancer-causing carcinogens in the water and before that, lead. Should we be concerned about our drinking water, or are these reports false and just used to keep us on edge? To dive deeper into this question, it is necessary to expose the truth behind where our water actually comes from. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed includes D.C., New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and Virginia. Our watershed, the largest estuary in the U.S., is also the third largest dead zone in the country. The Chesapeake Bay’s dead zone is a result of the overabundance of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment. Consequently, the overabundance of these pollutants create algae blooms that block the necessary amount of oxygen it takes for marine life to survive. Today, the fishing industry struggles while millions of fish die from micro algae called pfiesteria that is caused from algae blooms. In addition, the oyster population is 2 percent of what it used to be, according to historical records. The main contributors of pollution in the Bay include farming industries, sewage treatment plants, factories, air pollution and urbanization. The main culprits are agricultural industries like chicken farms and pastures. When it rains, sewage flows from these farms into waterways and streams con-
necting into the bay and accounts for 40 percent of the nitrogen and 50 percent of the phosphorus in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. We are all a part of the problem as well. When we fail to pick up our dog’s excrement or use household products made of harmful chemicals, we are part of the reason that our water is contaminated. Also, when
We should be worried about what is in our water and we should care about the depletion of marine life in the Bay. many people drive cars that emit large amounts of carbon, they contribute to the 10 percent of the pollution of the Bay from air pollution. If more people pay heed to how consumption and modern lifestyles affects our environment, then more people would realize why our water is contaminated and why marine life is disappearing. Not only is this overabundance of pollutants costly
for the health of marine life, but it has a great impact on human health. In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that 10,000 homes in the D.C. were proven to have highnitrate levels in the water. High-nitrate levels can hinder the process of oxygen-intake and is especially dangerous for infants. These high levels can disrupt the mental development of infants and can threaten their intelligence levels. All of this sounds scary because it is scary. We should be worried about what is in our water and we should care about the depletion of marine life in the Bay. The contributors of pollution are surrounding us, and we too are culprits. Now that it is evident what is in our water and where it comes from, it is imperative that we do something about it and adjust our way of life. Marissa Kibler is a freshman in the School of Public Affairs and a member of the Chesapeake Bay Student Alliance. The Chesapeake Bay Student Alliance is an organization aimed at engaging students at American University and people in the local community to take part in community service events to help alleviate pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. If you have any interest in joining this organization, please contact Marissa Kibler at mk9990b@student. american.edu or find us on Facebook at Chesapeake Bay Student Alliance.
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The nal failure of the Bush Doctrine Egypt shows freedom is grown, not imposed LEFT TURN HERE
NICK FIELD Back in 2003, it must have been the dream of George W. Bush and his acolytes to see the scenes of revolution in a capital city of the Arab
Bush believed that freedom and democracy would only be possible in the Middle East if the Americans forcibly pushed it into the region. During this time, Bush asserted that “the defense of freedom requires the advance of freedom,” meaning specifically the military advance of freedom. For a variety of reasons then, Bush decided that Iraq would be the best test case and cherry-picked evidence of weap-
taking to the streets, Gandhi leading his people down the path of justice.” All of the revolutions Obama invoked, now including Egypt, were peaceful, internal revolutions for freedom and democracy. They prove that democracy, freedom, and justice must come from within, not from without, and that these rights are best won through peaceful protest, not overwhelming violence.
And now today in Cairo, we nally see that celebration in the recent Egyptian revolution, which ironically enough has proven to be the ofcial denunciation of the Bush Doctrine. world. These people believed that unilateral invasion of the heart of the region, Iraq, would bring spontaneous democratic revolutions throughout the Middle East. Instead, of course, the illfated Iraqi invasion became a massive quagmire and managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of making the Arab world hate America even more. The neoconservative fantasy ultimately went down in flames in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now today in Cairo, we finally see that celebration in the recent Egyptian revolution, which ironically enough has proven to be the official denunciation of the Bush Doctrine.
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ons of mass destruction to justify an invasion. Yet Bush couldn’t realize that one could never be free if their freedom was given to them by others. The nonviolent, homegrown overthrow of Hosni Mubarak has finally, conclusively proven Bush wrong. Only the Egyptian people themselves could decide and achieve their freedom. President Barack Obama, however, understands this fact and also understands that the best method to achieve freedom is with nonviolence. On the day Mubarak was forced from office, Obama compared the Egyptians to the “Germans tearing down a wall, Indonesian students
While this Egyptian revolution was sudden, it should not have been altogether unexpected. The Middle East Youth Initiative estimates that close to two-thirds of the Middle Eastern region is under the age of 30. The median age in Egypt, in fact, is only 24. As we saw in Iran in 2009 and today in Egypt, there is a whole new generation ready to take power in the Arab world, and the scenes in Cairo should make us all highly anticipative of what they can accomplish. Nick Field is a junior in the School of Public Affairs and a liberal columnist.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Students must work with SG Senate to fix ‘Boys Club’ After reading Ashley Dejean’s AWOL article, entitled “The Boys Club: Our Male-Dominated Student Government and Why it Matters,” it is my belief as an Undergraduate Senator (and I should note I speak only for myself ) that there is more that the Undergraduate Senate can do to address limited diversity in leadership positions. I firmly believe that the disproportionate number of males is an important problem that needs addressing. But, in order to solve this problem, we must focus on reaching out to the campus community. Last year, the Undergraduate Senate was tarnished by the cutting (though mostly failed) of Women’s Initiative’s funding, as well as a general disconnect with the student body. The students had little faith in our abilities, but we have worked to change this and we must continue to do so. The Senate has taken a twopronged approach to solving the problems of diversity and our reputation: a Senate Outreach Program and Senator Tim McBride’s diversity committee. Focusing on the past does
not do the Senate justice. This year, with new talent, we have improved beyond all expectations. The Sixth Undergraduate Senate has been the most productive and campus focused session yet. Not only have we dramatically advanced the Student Government’s internal procedures, but we have assisted in bringing back ROTC in wake of the long awaited repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” we are urging the Student Health Center to provide affordable options for STI testing, we distribute funding to the University’s most popular programming likethe Student Union Board and the Kennedy Political Union and the list goes on and on. As a freshman, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a senator. Unlike any other position in the SG, being a senator is literally a blank slate. It is what you make of it — I have taken my passion for outreach, communication, and for changing the status quo and ran with it in the Undergraduate Senate. There is nothing more empowering than seeing a problem on campus and having the ability to take
steps to fix it, and the Senate is the perfect place to get started. As we repair our reputation and begin discussions on diversity, I ask all students of AU to join us, regardless of your sex, race or creed. I would especially encourage women to join our ranks, as we have seen this is an underrepresented group in our Student Government. Come change the status quo and tackle the problems facing our university. If anything, the Senate needs you. In order to help make these changes, the Senate will soon begin our own outreach program to directly take part in a dialogue with you in the residence halls. The rest of my colleagues and I look forward to meeting you (with lots of free pizza) in your lounges. Tell us about your frustrations, put us on the spot, like Ashley Dejean and learn how to run for elections. Challenge us to become better, and I guarantee you, we will. Joe Wisniewski is a freshman in the School of Public Affairs and a Campus-atLarge Senator for the Undergraduate Senate.
TRENDING TOPICS to, uh, SPRING BREAK! No, most of us aren’t headed to the Caribbean or to Florida or to Cancun or whatever, but a home-cooked meal feels pretty good after consecutive all-nighters and fecacta midterms.
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to that random high school basketball game in Bender on Monday. Some of us were trying to park in Bender Garage only to be foiled. Tragedy.
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to Pete’s Apizza. Oh man, nothing like five steaming boxes of Pete’s Apizza to make a late Monday night Eagle production turn into a late Monday night pizza party. to the New York Mets. to the score from “The Social Network.” Check out “In Motion” and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ arrangement of “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”
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New, faster Wi-Fi Undergraduate tuition increases at network will cover lowest rate in 15 years campus by fall By PAIGE JONES Eagle Staff Writer
By GEOFFREY BEEBE
Eagle Contributing Writer The improved eaglesecure campus wireless network will replace EagleNet by the beginning of the fall semester as part of a wireless network upgrade. Currently, eaglesecure is not available across campus, including in the Ward Circle Building and outdoors. Eaglesecure, which is about three times faster than EagleNet, uses the most current wireless speed standard set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, according to Hassan Marvi, director of Network Operations. Marvi said EagleNet does not have adequate capacity or bandwidth to support an increasing number of wireless network users. “AU has begun to see 4,000 users of the wireless network each day,” Marvi said. There are 230 access points for EagleNet, according to Marvi. While an access point is designed to handle multiple users, 4,000 users on 230 access points slows connection and browsing speed. Eaglesecure will have 850 access points. The Office of Information Technology said there have been no major issues
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American University do for the United States Government that it has not done?” The Courier wrote. While AU provided housing for thousands of soldiers, its academics suffered. University lectures, which were open to the public, were “reduced to a minimum,” the Courier wrote. “Sentinels challenge every person who enters the grounds and buildings; even the offic-
with implementing eaglesecure so far. “[Those who can access eaglesecure] are very happy with the faster connection speed and improved reliability,” said Terry Fernandez, director of Customer Services and Support for the OIT. The two networks are operating on separate radio frequencies to prevent frequency interference, according to Fernandez. Once EagleNet is phased out, eaglesecure will run on both frequencies across campus, so everyone will be able to connect to the new network. If a laptop is capable of detecting the eaglesecure network, then the new network can be accessed. If anyone with a laptop cannot currently see eaglesecure, then it is not compatible with the computer’s settings and only operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency. These laptops will only see EagleNet until eaglesecure begins running on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequencies later this year, according to Marvi. news@theeagleonline. com
The Board of Trustees passed its first $1 billion budget for fiscal years 2012 and 2013, which includes a 3.8 percent increase in undergraduate tuition, the lowest rate of tuition growth in 15 years. Tuition will be $37,554 for the 2011-2012 school year and $38,982 for 20122013. Tuition for the current 2010-2011 academic year is $36,180. Vice Chairman Jeff Sine said the Board increased the tuition by a smaller rate to make AU more affordable to students and maintain AU’s educational reputation. “There’s a conscious attempt by administration to try to keep those rates as low as possible given the economy and given the fact that we want to still represent a great educational value,” Sine said. Washington College of Law and graduate tuition will increase by five percent each year.
Eagle Staff Writer
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Other budget plans The Board of Trustees
approved the budget’s $60 million to strategic plan initiatives, an increase of $20 million from the FY 20102011. These initiatives include increasing number of faculty, proceeding with the 2011 Campus Plan and increasing sustainability. Sine said using these funds to pursue specific strategic goals would allow AU to prosper. “Those are the numbers that led us to invest so the University continues to achieve the kind of momentum it already has, and even accelerate, but at the same time recognizes the need to remain affordable to as many people as possible,” Sine said. Vice President of Finance and Treasurer Don Myers said AU’s commitment to the strategic plan is “bold.” “Many organizations have strategic plans, but do not necessarily articulate the financial investment in this form for the general public,” Myers said. The University endowment increased by 14.6
percent from June 2010, an impressive amount from last year, according to Sine. In April 2010, the endowment was $360,635,000 according to AU’s 20092010 Annual Report, which would make the endowment approximately $413,287,710 today. “We’re nearly back to our all-time-high for endowment size today,” Sine said. The Campus Plan approval will allow AU administration continue forth with their plans for reconstruction with funds. “[The Campus Plan is] as bold as anything AU has done in history, and it’s a critical part of the academic progress to actually have the fiscal plan that lets all that happen,” Sine said. pjones@theeagleonline. com
AKA celebrates 35th anniversary with current, founding sisters By LAUREN LANDAU
ers of the University must show their passes.” Though the University’s academic research faltered, research on chemical weapons began to thrive on the campus grounds. See the second part of this series in The Eagle’s March 15 issue.
The national average tuition increase for private schools and universities is 4.5 percent for the 20102011 academic school, an increase from the 4.3 percent tuition increase in 2009-2010, according to the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. The average tuition at private colleges was $26,273 for the 2009-2010 academic year. AU’s 2009 tuition was $32,816 then. The residence hall fees will increase by 1 percent for the 2011-2012 academic year and 2 percent for the 2012-2013, a smaller growth than last year’s 6 percent. A double room in 20112012 will cost $4,554 per semester and $4,645 per semester in 2012-2013. A double occupancy room in Letts, McDowell, Leonard, Hughes and Anderson Halls currently cost $4,509 per semester for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Evelyn Sample-Oates, a 1988 graduate of the School of Communication and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. sister, said seeing today’s sisters made her return to AU feel like coming home. “It’s like déjà vu,” SampleOates said, AKA’s international regional director. “This was me 27 years ago.” Exactly 34 years after the Lambda Zeta Chapter of AKA was chartered at AU, about 50 AKA sisters, also known as sorors, returned to AU for dinner and speeches to reminisce and celebrate their chapter’s history. “They’re young enough to be our daughters, but they’re our sisters,” Sample-Oats said of
the current chapter members. Attendees included the five current chapter members, recent graduates, sisters from the 1980s and ‘90s and Soror Diane Johnson, one of the 19 founding members of Lambda Zeta Chapter. “You feel like a proud parent,” Johnson said. AKA Second Vice President Althea de Guzman spoke about Lambda Zeta’s history. “I feel so honored to be in the presence of the living history of this chapter,” she said. AKA sister and AU alumna Cherry Middleton Clipper said that it’s “wonderful” to return to AU and check on how her former chapter is doing. “We hope they keep going and stay strong,” Clipper said. “We want to make sure they keep the tradition going.”
AKA is dedicated to sisterhood and service, with an emphasis on the latter, de Guzman said. De Guzman said that she and her sisters perform monthly acts of community service, and that the older sorors often come to support their endeavors. “We’ll be holding a car wash and you can bet that every soror in the graduate chapter will bring their cars through in order to help us,” de Guzman said. Nancy Gaskins, Lambda Zeta Chapter’s graduate adviser, said the women of Lambda Zeta are qualified to carry on the traditions of AKA. “To me, they exemplify sisterhood at its best,” Gaskins said. Johnson and her line sisters
— those who go through the membership intake process together — made up the first Lambda Zeta line, which they called “Salongo.” Salongo is Zairian for, “We come together to create something beautiful out of love.” During her speech, SampleOates thanked the sisters of Lambda Zeta for staying true to the roadmap Salongo laid 34 years ago. AKA President Christine Edmond said that it’s wonderful that people from Lambda Zeta’s past could reunite with old friends and meet the current sisters. “They are the foundation of this chapter,” Edmond said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be here.” llandau@theeagleonline.com
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
ANA SANTOS CAMPUS BY TWILIGHT Bender Library lights up after the sunset on Feb. 28. Students look forward to the rest of the weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50-degree weather after a windy rainstorm Monday. Send submissions to photos@theeagleonline.com
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Across a broad spectrum of industries, we’ve seen the collapse of major companies in recent years due to a lack of accountability and responsibility. Companies such as Merck—a global healthcare leader helping people through its medicines, vaccines and consumer care, and animal health offerings—are working hard to protect and enhance the reputation of “The Corporation.” Hear Merck chairman Richard T. Clark (KSB ’70) discuss how the company—named among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2010—makes corporate social responsibility a vital part of its mission, values, and culture.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 4 P.M., KOGOD STUDENT LOUNGE RSVP TODAY AT KOGOD.AMERICAN.EDU/HEALTH. The Alan Meltzer CEO Leadership Speaker Series Student sponsors: Alpha Kappa Psi, Kogod Graduate Business Association, and Kogod Undergraduate Business Association EO/AA
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Faculty Senate will vote on add/drop period March 2 By PAIGE JONES Eagle Staff Writer
RACHEL DEVOR / THE EAGLE
SPICING IT UP — Terrace Dining Room Executive Chef Mary Soto prepares spicy black bean chili during a cooking demonstration for students on Feb. 24.
TDR chef Mary Soto caters to students By NICOLE GLASS Eagle Staff Writer
Although Mary Soto is a Terrace Dining Room chef by day, she spends her nights chowing down on microwaveable popcorn. “You wouldn’t believe what chefs eat,” said Soto, Bon Appétit’s executive chef at AU. She is sometimes known as “Chef Mary.” Soto held cooking lessons for students on Feb. 24, showing them how to cook like a chef in the dorms. Soto prepared spicy black bean chili, teaching students how to seed a jalapeño and a tomato, how to use a knife most effectively and how to sauté a dish. “When you first sauté, try not to be a culinary rock star,” she told students as she flipped vegetables in the pan. Soto’s cooking class was interactive, allowing students to taste the food and help sauté the ingredients. Soto’s first job as a chef was at the governor’s mansion in Florida. She later owned a restaurant in Baltimore. She said she never imagined herself working for a big corporation, but Bon Appétit changed her mind. “I loved what they stood for,” she said. “And basically I get to cook from scratch. I get to
do everything as if it was in a restaurant. It’s a chef-run company, so I still write the menus and I’m still a handson chef.” Soto said she often has problems keeping portions small when she’s off the clock. “I have a really hard time cooking for two,” she said. “It usually ends up being for 15 or something.” She said she cooks without a recipe, enjoying the improvisation of making new dishes. “That’s why I’m not a baker, because I never measure,” she said. Soto said her favorite part of working at TDR is interacting with students and knowing they enjoyed the food. She particularly loves having the flexibility to accommodate students with special needs and food allergies, to give them the same college food experience as other students. “[The best part is] being able to make them feel like they’re no different from anyone else, to cook for them and make their college experience just like everybody else’s,” she said. “Because when you have a restriction, some people feel like they can’t eat in TDR, and I know it’s a social place to be.” Soto denies being TDR’s “Sassy Chef,” the name signed
by the person who replies to students’ comment cards in TDR. “I can’t reveal who Sassy Chef is,” she said. “Sassy Chef will never be revealed.” nglass@theeagleonline.com
After strong student opposition, the Faculty Senate will consider asking the provost to keep the add/drop period at 10 days. The Senate originally voted to shorten the period from 10 days to seven during its Feb. 16 meeting. However, students asked the Faculty Senate to consider this and other proposals during the Feb. 23 meeting, including: ! Allowing two General Education courses to be taken pass/fail ! Allowing Freshman Forgiveness to apply to two courses, with the ability to retake any classes ! Allowing students to be waitlisted for more than one section of a class The Faculty Senate only dis-
1. She originally dreamed of being a doctor. 2. She grew up in Louisiana and loves southern food, like gumbo and frog legs. 3. Her Italian and Mexican grandmothers inspire her cooking. 4. She does not watch cooking shows. 5. She is not Sassy Chef.
Student Government Class of 2013 Senator Tim McBride said students are aware of the consequences of adding and dropping classes. “We are growing into adults,” McBride said. “We need to take more life choices unto ourselves and face the responsibilities that come with that.” Veteran Chair of AU Vets Roger Deming said he spoke for AU veterans when he asked the Senate to keep the add/drop period at 10 days. “We’re used to … sucking it up and dealing with it,” Deming said. “Unfortunately, I’d really not like to have the guys do that, especially after what some of them have been through.” pjones@theeagleonline.com
Bender Library will add outlets during renovation By ZACHARY COHEN Eagle Staff Writer
FIVE FACTS
cussed the add/drop period during the Feb. 23 meeting and will vote on the changes during the March 2 meeting. The final decision rests with the provost. Faculty senators were split over the add/drop period to allow students to “shop” for the right class. Larry Engel, a faculty senator and School of Communication professor, said the 10 days allow students to fall behind on work and restricts faculty. “If I’m going to lose five out of my 17 students and gain three more in the next week, it makes the faculty question why invest that kind of time in the first class,” Engel said. Faculty Senator and SOC Professor Lenny Steinhorn, however, believed limiting students’ time to find classes they enjoy is “punitive and controlling.”
Bender Library will have more electrical outlets over the next few months, as the building undergoes $350,000 in renovations. “We’ve clearly identified the needs the student body has,” said University Librarian Bill Mayer. Though plans for changing the “electrical grid” have not been finalized, Facilities Management and library staff will seek to decrease power consumption while maintaining light exposure and increasing outlet access, according to an e-mail from Lynne Feely, the assistant director of Facilities Management for Capital Renewal and Deferred Maintenance, and George Merchant, the University master electrician. “Every time a student enters the library and sits down, there should be an outlet there,” Mayer said. Currently, about one-third of the 1,200 seats in the library have access to an electrical
outlet. “When you come to the library, you’re really there to recharge in a number of ways,” Mayer said. New furniture in the basement and second and third floors will be upgraded over the next few months using funds from Academic Affairs. New treads, or pads that provide traction, will be installed in the front stairwell over spring break. Brighter lighting will follow later in the spring. Also during spring break, University Archives will be moved from the third floor to another part of the library to increase space. The reading room will be closed during this process. The graduate reading room on the third floor will also be renovated. New wireless network eaglesecure will also be available in the library by the summer, Mayer said. Technology upgrades The library’s number of ereaders will also be increased soon, Mayer said. The library currently circu-
lates four Kindles and eight Nooks, and they are all usually checked out. That initiative does have its obstacles. HarperCollins, a publishing company, announced on Feb. 25 that if an eBook is checked out 26 times through one library, that library would have to repurchase the eBook before it would be available for use again, Mayer said. This obstacle is indicative of “the bigger global problem of digital rights management.” “The ability to have an electronic book and make it more accessible to more people has been a huge challenge for libraries,” Mayer said. SPSS, an advanced statistics analysis software, will also be available on library computers. The software was previously available only in the Anderson Computing Complex. The library was originally built in the late 1970s and received major renovations to the first floor a year and a half ago. zcohen@theeagleonline.com
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IT IS WRITTEN — Matt Damon and Emily Blunt star in the new sci-fi romance directed by George Nolfi, who’s also responsible for some of Damon’s other hits including ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ and ‘Ocean’s Eleven.’ The film blends excellent on-screen chemistry between Damon and Blunt, as well as a solid storyline.
‘The Adjustment Bureau’ successfully blends romance, sci- Grade: A Scene Says: It’s no ‘Bourne Ultimatum,’ but it’s quite good. By ANTOANETA TILEVA Eagle Contributing Writer
Can one outrun one’s fate? “The Adjustment Bureau” answers that question quite literally. Based on the short story “The Adjustment Team,” by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, the film is a sci-fitinged romance not unlike “Gattaca” or “Code 46” in its ethos, and despite its
fairly grave subject matter, it is incredibly entertaining and captivating in its human angle. Matt Damon stars as rising political star David Norris, whose chance encounter with contemporary modern dancer Elise (Emily Blunt) sets him on an inexorable path. Elise’s character is instantly lovable — she is irreverent, ebullient and free-spirited.
David has a reputation for being a “loose cannon,” but under her influence, he loosens up instead. So, their romance blossoms until David encounters the men of the Adjustment Bureau, who tell him, “You peeked behind a curtain you weren’t supposed to know exists.” Apparently, it is not according to the “plan” for David and Elise to be together. Even though the plausibility of the level of ardor they have for each other from just a few encounters requires a leap of faith, both Damon and Blunt play their roles perfectly and their on-screen chemistry carries the storyline well. There are a couple of silly moments, such as
when David must be prevented from seeing Elise dance by the Adjustment Bureau because he will instantly fall in love with her if he does (gasp — he does). But these minor hiccups do not detract from the overall enjoyment of seeing their relationship grow. Director George Nolfi’s (“Ocean’s Eleven,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) portrayal of “The Adjustment Bureau” as fate’s company men is incredibly amusing. The use of corporate speak — e.g. the higher being is “The Chairman,” “angels” are “case officers,” “briefcases” are interventions — is clever and apt in building the mythology. The various adjustments,
calibrations and irregularities are very reminiscent of “a glitch in the Matrix” motifs and accessible to the viewer (no elaborate sci-fi mumbo jumbo here). The droll, Englishmenlike bureau men have serious jobs, but certainly have a sense of humor. The dapper bureau men are powerful but not omnipotent — as Harry, one of the bureau’s men who comes to David’s aid explains it’s all science. They have an interest in making sure humans do not screw up too much, but they cannot read their minds or observe everyone at all times and can only predict outcomes based on the percentages. Therein lies David and Elise’s out
— there is a margin for irregularities, chance and the big one, free will. “The Adjustment Bureau” is a thrilling film with just the right mix of sci-fi plot elements and a strong human story — it is clever and funny, without being overbearingly technical or requiring extreme suspension of disbelief. thescene@theeagleonline. com
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AU brings Tennessee Williams’ Fictional characters lesser-known work to the stage immortalized in statue form AU Department of Performing Arts faithfully stages ‘Orpheus Descending’ with AU alumnus By SETH ROSE
Eagle Contributing Writer The works of Tennessee Williams are known primarily for two things: a heavy Southern influence and deep, brooding themes concerning the nature of humanity. His less popular play, “Orpheus Descending,” certainly does not stray from these distinctive markings, and the production of the show put on by the AU Department of Performing Arts was able to do the play justice. Directed by CAS Director of Theatre Carl Menninger, the show was the department’s second offering of the year, providing a somber break after the irreverent Stephen Sondheim musical, “Company,” and before the Shakespearean play, “Measure for Measure.” The plot revolves around the arrival of Valentine Xavier, a classic drifter-musician character, to a small Southern town and his subsequent affair with dry-goods shop owner Lady Torrance. Suspicion among the townsfolk against Val rises before coming to a dramatic head near the end of the second act. “The concept of being on the outside, being an outsider, is just as relevant now in the wake of 9/11,” Menninger said in an interview with The Eagle. “And that is what the play is about: people seeing an outsider as threatening when he is really non-
threatening.” The first thing an audience member notices about “Orpheus” is also one of its strongest traits: the set. The action of the play never once moved from the aforementioned store, and it was meticulously recreated with individually labeled goods and pale plywood construction that perfectly invokes the archetypal image of the old-style, Southern general store. This is ultimately what “Orpheus” succeeded the best at: creating a living world. The set, lights, music and costumes worked together seamlessly to create an immensely convincing portrait of a southern town. The play deals heavily in themes of denial and repressed emotion in a society that does not allow free expression. Without a well-crafted backdrop to provide that society, none of those themes would come through at all. Of course, themes also need competent actors to be communicated, and once again “Orpheus” did not disappoint. AU senior and department staple Kelsea Edgerly gives a riveting performance as Lady, the tortured wife of the despicable Jabe Torrance, chillingly portrayed by AU junior Adi Stein. Aside from the occasional unrefined Southern accent, every member of the supporting cast played their roles well, which is important in a play that is
relatively heavy on ancillary characters. “Student actors have a willingness to experience this in a passionate and energizing way,” Menninger said. “It’s not just a job yet, they are driven solely by their passion and their desire to create and explore. There is a kind of newness to the process that I love.” The sole weak performance was unfortunately the character of Valentine Xavier, portrayed by 2005 AU alumnus Ryan Graham. Graham is certainly competent, but he lacked the onstage energy and ease of communication his castmates had mastered. The role of Valentine Xavier needs a certain threatening smoothness to work, and Graham’s often stilted delivery ensured that he never quite got to that point. This minor blemish was not enough to stop “Orpheus Descending” from being a production that achieves what so many fail to: entertainment and enlightenment. Performers told a classic story of a drifter who shakes up a small town, while managing to effortlessly weave Williams’ themes of freedom and vision and love into the plot. All those involved in the production make a world that can seem so foreign to us city-slickers feel as natural as being home onstage. thescene@theeagleonline. com
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LISTOPIA
MICHAEL W. RICHARDSON Detroit has officially decided that, bowing to pressure from a campaign of residents and outsiders, they will build a statue of Robocop in their fair city, thus ruining all the credibility the city built up with that Chrysler ad with Eminem. The metallic savior of the city, which in the film is portrayed as crumbling ruins (any joke here would be too easy), will be remembered forever as a reminder of what happens when a big corporation has too much power and tries to destroy your entire city (metaphor!). And thus, Detroit joins the pantheon of cities around the world that have honored fictional characters in immortal statue form. From high art to the lowest art, sometimes people get bored of generals and heads of state and just want a statue of Jack Sparrow or Captain Crunch. So here is my list of notable statues of fictional characters, so that you can go visit them and imagine what they might look like in the Louvre centuries from now, as art historians wonder about the aesthetic significance of Robocop’s gun-arms. Ignatius J. Reilly — New Orleans Reilly is the protagonist of John Kennedy Toole’s hilarious novel “A Confederacy of Dunces,” featuring a collection of bizarre and grotesques characters and set in New Orleans in the ’60s. Reilly himself is overeducated and under-motivated, earning money by selling hotdogs on the street while trying to break up his mother’s relationship with a policeman who previously harassed him. Even with its absurdist bent, it has been called one of the best depictions of the city, so it may not be that absurd to
place the character on Canal Street, trying to spot people so obviously inferior to him. Ralph Kramden — New York Outside of Port Authority you’ll find a statue to one of our culture’s finest wifebeaters, Ralph Kramden of “The Honeymooners.” Airing in a time when I assume threatening a loved one with physical violence was funny, Kramden’s famous phrase “One of these days, Pow! Right to the kisser!” is recognizable to even those who haven’t seen the show. Sherlock Holmes — London Everyone knows two things about Sherlock Holmes: He
From high art to the lowest art, sometimes people get bored of generals and heads of state and just want a statue of Jack Sparrow or Captain Crunch. never actually said “Elementary, my dear Watson,” and he really loved opiates. But England’s most famous gumshoe has earned his place in London’s heart all the same, after starring in nine novels and another dozen works all penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As one of the most famous characters from London outside of the Dickens canon, his stories shaped perceptions of the city as well as earned him a spot on Baker Street. Samantha Stevens — Salem, Mass. Salem, a town once known for burning innocent women as witches and is now known as the town where you can
pay to see someone pretend to burn innocent women as witches, was a little miffed at the idea of building a statue of “Bewitched” character Samantha Stevens, likely because she was never properly burned on the show. Townspeople felt that it trivialized history, and denounced the fact that it wouldn’t be made of wood. Marge Gunderson — Fargo, N.D. Though the film “Fargo” doesn’t actually have anything to do with the town, Fargo, N.D., erected the “Wood-Chip Marge” statue in their historical Fargo theatre. For any hardcore fans of the Coen Brothers’ film looking for the famous site in the movie but can’t find their way to Brainerd, this is still a great consolation prize. Peter Pan — Multiple countries Something about Peter Pan crosses cultural boundaries, because statues of the green boy who never grows up can be found all over the world. He has statues in London; Perth, Australia; Brussels; Camden, N.J.; and other locations. Pan is originally a Scottish creation by novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie. The Little Mermaid — Copenhagen Though we all know the Little Mermaid from the Disney movie, the character is a creation of Hans Christian Andersen, the beloved children’s writer and Denmark’s greatest literary hero. The statue has survived for the last century in Copenhagen’s bay area, where it sits in the middle distance and serves as a major tourist attraction. Though the Andersen original has the titular character essentially committing suicide, it’s still exciting for kids who have only been exposed to the Disney-fied version. mrichardson@ theeagleonline.com
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AU abroad student tastes wine, pasta under the Tuscan sun CROSS-CULTURAL DISPATCH
ROME, ITALY By KELLY HOLLIDAY Eagle Staff Writer
While living in Rome, I often find myself wishing that I had 10 sets of eyes. Even on my short walk to campus each morning, I’m nearly tripping over the cobblestones because my eyes have traveled to the nearest lemon-tree-adorned balcony or window display of Italian leather shoes. Last weekend I found myself wishing for multiple eyes once again. As I made my way through the Italian countryside to a wine tasting in Trequanda, Tuscany, I went into sensory overload as I tried to soak in the scenery around me. As the bus I was in passed tall Cypress trees perched on hillsides, crumbling stone houses and clusters of ivory sheep, I became excited for my first trip out of Rome. The Fattoria del Colle winery is nestled on a Tuscan hilltop, with spectacular views of Siena to the east and the wineries of Montalcino to the west. The winery was built in 1592 and boasts 23 acres of vineyards and olive groves. Donatella Cinelli Colombini inherited the farm from her ancestors, and today she runs the Fattoria with her family. As far as wineries go, Donatella’s is groundbreaking because it is the first to hire only female wine-makers. To this day, only women run the winery. Fattoria del Colle specializes in four types of red wine: Chianti Superiore, Cenerentola (which translates in English to “Cinderella”), Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino. In addition to wine, the Chianti and Siena region produces the best goat cheese because the grasses and herbs that grow
in the area give goat’s milk its distinct flavor. I’m not the biggest fan of reds, but I gave the wines a reluctant try since the Italians drink it like tap water. The group and I tasted the Chianti and the Brunello di Montalcino in the wine tasting, but my favorite was the Rosso di Montalcino, which we tasted at lunch. It isn’t too dry or acidic and is sweeter than the Chianti and Brunello. After the wine tasting we headed over to the Osteria di Donatella, where we were treated to a lesson in pasta making. The restaurant’s head chef taught us to make pichi, which is a spaghettilike pasta specific to the Tuscany region. After the demonstration we headed over to the dining area and indulged in a traditional Tuscan peasant’s lunch. For our first course, the antipasti, we were given a selection of salty prosciutto, salami freckled with peppercorns, slivers of mild pecorino cheese and classic bruschetta al pomodoro. For primi, our plates were piled high with pappardelle alla bolognese. With secondi came juicy roasted chicken thighs and legs and crispy potatoes with olive oil and rosemary. I have an unhealthy love for roast chicken, so at that point in the meal I was about to abandon my American life and run away with the chef. Then came the dessert course: a shortbread and strawberry jam tart. Delizioso! I love living in Rome, but there’s something about the Tuscan lifestyle that’s so appealing. Touring the winery was like stepping back into another century and another way of life, where everything is slower and savored. The trip was a much-needed escape from the daily hustle and bustle of Rome. I’ve already pulled a Liz Gilbert by coming to Rome, but I’m contemplating taking a leaf out of Frances Mayes’ book and moving to Tuscany! kholliday@theeagleonline. com
ANA SANTOS/ THE EAGLE
LIKE CLOCKWORK — Each study abroad program offers something different. Some are humbling, while others might challenge students academically.
Student gains perspective on downfalls of different study abroad experiences CROSS-CULTURAL DISPATCH
LONDON, ENGLAND By OLIVIA STITILIS Eagle Staff Writer
Though it has been statistically proven that traveling and living in any foreign country — be it Sweden or somewhere in the middle of the Sahara — will raise confidence levels, global perspective and even self-esteem, all study abroad programs are not created equal. So when a friend from home reached out to me recently about where he should choose to study abroad the coming fall semester, the first thing I asked him was what he wanted to get out of the experience. Study abroad generalizations are abundant. Want a humbling experience? Go to Africa or India. Looking to see breathtaking nature? Head to Australia or South America. Want a demanding academic experience? Apply to Oxford. Want to avoid the libraries of Europe and work
on your language skills instead? Investigate programs in Italy or Spain. Granted, these are sweeping generalizations, and relatively speaking you have the power to shape your abroad experience wherever you are. Yet the fact that these stereotypes are so prevalent and to some extent truthful, seems problematic. Can one study abroad program have it all — difficult academics, interactions with cultures and communities drastically different from those in the United States and amazing nightlife? And why does there have to be a definite choice between priorities? My year at the London School of Economics has been the most academically challenging year I’ve ever had. Beyond the transition to the British academic system, the level of work expected at the LSE, volume of required and supplementary reading and advanced discourse in my classes have been a refreshing and rewarding change of pace from previous years. I have been intellectually stimulated without a doubt. The way I approach papers, participate in classes and do
reading (just the fact that I now always do the reading) have drastically improved. Despite this, the LSE is also undoubtedly an epicenter of privilege. Though the cosmopolitan nature and high levels of self-assuredness of its students and faculty are impressive, it can also be frustrating. The LSE may boast about being one of the most international universities in the world with an incredibly diverse student body, but the diversity is largely geographic and not socioeconomic. Recently when discussing travel plans, a friend began telling me how worried he was about his trip to Greece in April. “I’m concerned that it might only be 65 degrees when I’m there,” he said, legitimately upset. Seriously? I also overheard another student commenting on how his connections to all the posh London nightclubs and free exclusive club services “have just been exhausting lately.” Again, I struggled to have much sympathy. Meanwhile a continent away, friends in Ghana and Kenya interact with native tribes who exist for over a week on less money than
what my LSE classmates spend on lunch. So while my academic experiences have been amazing, I can’t help feeling like something is missing. Maybe it’s humility, maybe it’s just an occasional, more down-to-earth interaction. Perhaps it’s true: You always want what you can’t have. Well, for the last four months of my study abroad experience, I’m vowing to strive to have it all. I want to see and experience the “real London” not just the best of London. I’m going to get involved volunteering in city homeless shelters and tutoring students who live outside of London. A friend who tutors in North London put it perfectly when she said, “To the 9 year olds I tutor in reading, whose families can’t pay their rent and are being evicted from their shabby apartments next to the prison, whether or not 16 LSE alumni have won Nobel Prizes really doesn’t matter.” A good lesson for LSE classmates: An ounce of modesty could have pounds of effect. ostitilis@theeagleonline. com
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National Gallery brings Venetian-themed exhibit to D.C. art community By ERIC LANGLOIS
Eagle Contributing Writer On the mezzanine level of the National Gallery’s East Building, a black Venetian gondola is posed in front of a scene of the Grand Canal, intended to transport the viewer back in time more than two centuries into the world of 18th Century Venice. This spring marks the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification and D.C. is celebrating with a citywide series of programs celebrating Italian culture past and present. This festival, called La Dolce DC, is being put on by Destination DC, in cooperation with the National Italian American Foundation and the Embassy of Italy. As the headlining piece of this festival, the Nation-
al Gallery of Art is hosting the exhibition, “Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals.” Venice is a captivating city, with its narrow avenues, bustling canals and myriad bridges that make it unique. Coupled with its artistic and cultural background (Leonardo Da Vinci is among its many historical residents), Venice’s unique appearance has made it a popular tourist destination today, and the same was true in the 18th century, as wellto-do travelers from Britain, France and elsewhere would swing through Venice on the Grand Tour and, as today, wanted to take a snapshot back with them. Enter the scene painters: men who would paint the vistas and back-corners of Venice for the wealthy. The famous scenes of the
Grand Canal and Saint Marks Square were recorded over and over by the painters in their vedute (view paintings). The foremost of these painters was Giovanni Antonio Canal, also known as Canaletto. Instead of focusing on Canaletto to the exclusion of all other artists, this exhibition is made up of a significant portion of works by other artists, including Canaletto’s nephew Bernardo Bellotto, and the last of the view painters, Francesco Guardi. The variety of artists provides juxtaposition between their different styles, as the use and reuse of similar scenes allows for the viewer to compare Canaletto to his competitors. Despite the reappearance of the Basilica di San Marco and the Rialto Bridge, the exhibit does not feel repetitive or forced. Similarly formatted paintings are placed together to allow easy stylistic comparison, and the beautiful vistas are broken up with bits of historical knowledge ranging from the practice
Renegade rap group delivers shock value with new single By STEPHAN CHO Eagle Staff Writer
A shadowy figure sits in the distance like Auguste Rodin’s “The Thinker” as an eerie but simple hip-hop beat starts playing amidst guttural mumblings. As the camera lens slowly zooms in and adjusts into focus, Tyler The Creator snaps out of his reverie as he opens with “I’m a fuckin’ walking paradox / No, I’m not.” The music video for “Yonkers” goes on to feature a jittery Tyler sending death threats to other artists, vomiting after eating a cockroach and finally committing suicide by tying a noose around his neck. With dark, aggressive lyrics, neardeadpan delivery and morbid imagery, the song — the first on his upcoming album “GOBLIN” — captures Tyler’s style. And at only 19 years old, Tyler The Creator has become one of the most interesting characters in hip-hop. He’s the leader of a hip-hop
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collective based in Los Angeles known as Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), made up entirely of teenagers such as himself. He produces his own music and directs his own music videos. He made his first live television performance early in February on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” with fellow Odd Future member Hodgy Beats to an excited crowd that shouted inside jokes such as “Swag” and “Free Earl.” He recently signed with XL Recordings and received a very public cosign from Kanye West when he tweeted about “Yonkers,” calling it the “video of 2011.” But it’s Tyler’s music that really makes him noteworthy. He’s obviously disgusted with the current state of hip-hop as he says in his opening track, “Bastard,” from his album of the same name: “I created O.F. ‘cause I feel we’re more talented than 40-year-old rappers talkin’ ‘bout Gucci.” His lyrics are offensive, funny and ultimately revealing — his hatred
for his father and his sexual fantasies seem to not only be common themes, but also the inspiration for his music. There’s a definite artistry in his songs that’s sure to be overlooked in favor of his ostensible anger and subject matter. Members of Odd Future have always had a heavy presence on the Internet. Tyler tweets constantly and even maintains both a Tumblr and a Formspring where he regularly communicates with fans. In the throes of success, it’s relieving to know that Tyler stays true to his roots. Despite his do-it-yourself work ethic and underground roots, he’s made multiple claims online and in his music that he can’t wait to “sell out” so he can buy a new house for his mother and win a Grammy. Keep track of Tyler and Odd Future because with youth and originality on their side, they just might become mainstream. scho@theeagleonline.com
of bull chasing (featured in a work by Cimaroli) to the ceremonial galley of the Venetian head of state, both of which appear several times throughout the exhibit. The exhibit, which spans two stories in the East Building of the National Gallery, also includes a demonstration of the Camera Obscura, an early camera which was used heavily by view painters, and a 14-minute documentary on Venetian view painting which runs con-
tinuously. To further capture the spirit of Venice, the entrance to the exhibit is guarded by a gondola, which used to belong to the American landscape painter Thomas Moran, on loan from the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News. “Canaletto and His Rivals” is not just for the artistically inclined. Even if the viewer has no interest in the differing styles of the view painters, there is the history of Venice, a city that has had more
than its share of fascinating citizens over the centuries, and beyond that there is Venice itself. “Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals” is on view through May 30 and is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. Admission is free. thescene@theeagleonline. com
Keeping the spark alive in long-distance relationships THE SEX WONKS
RYAN CARTER AND TARA CULP-RESSLER Maybe you and your high school girlfriend ended up going to different schools in different cities. Or maybe your boyfriend is spending a semester abroad. Maybe you graduated a year early and moved away. How do you make it work? Are long-distance relationships worth it in college? Separation anxiety A female senior in the School of Public Affairs did long-distance with her current boyfriend for six months while he was abroad, and has since reunited with him in D.C. A female senior in the College of Arts and Sciences is in a longdistance relationship with her boyfriend who attends another college. And a male junior in SPA tried and failed at longdistance as a freshman. All three students agree the physical distance between partners creates a huge obstacle in these types of relationships. “It’s important to try to keep it special and make sure it doesn’t fall into a rut when you’re not together,” the CAS ’11 female said. “It can get kind of mundane to just talk on the phone.” The SPA ’11 female agreed. “It’s hard to talk that much. You can talk about your day and what you did, but after awhile you’re struggling. And
you’re so horny that you almost exclusively want to talk about sex.” Personal touches can make all the difference when you’re missing your long distance partner. “My ex-girlfriend and I communicated by Facebook message and instant messaging, which was our downfall,” the SPA ’12 male said. “I was completely unaware that she wanted to see my face, hear my voice, read my handwriting, etc.” Long distance lovin’ So is it possible to keep your sex life steamy when you’re miles apart? You have to use technology in new ways, the SPA ’11 female explained. “We definitely made use of Skype, GChat and e-mail to make up for our lack of physical togetherness,” she said. “We told each other stories of what would happen in the future and we retold stories of things we had done to each other.” “I send my boyfriend pictures of myself in lingerie,” the CAS ’11 female said. “I’m careful to never include my face in the picture — it’s always from the neck down.” The SPA ’12 male used his laptop to make a video of a sexual encounter with his exgirlfriend. “It was literally the worst pornographic video ever,” he said. “It only showed hips, you couldn’t even see anyone’s junk, and lasted all of two minutes (that is, the video lasted all of two minutes, not myself — don’t jump to conclusions here). Still, having actual documentation of having had sex at one time in the
not-incredibly-distant past was enough to get me through my personal time, if you know what I’m saying.” Both females reiterated the importance of sex toys in their partners’ absences. “A vibrator is definitely a girl’s best friend when her boyfriend is away … I wouldn’t have survived without it!” the SPA ’11 female told me. “I use a vibrator while we have phone sex,” the CAS ’11 female said. “Usually my boyfriend will say what he would do to me if we were in person. He’ll ask what I would do to him, or he’ll ask me what I’m doing in the moment, if I’m touching myself or using my vibrator.” But is it worth it? For the SPA ’12 male, longdistance relationships aren’t worth it, especially during the beginning of college. “There’s just no reason to deny yourself — in the prime of your life, your sexual peak — the opportunity to enjoy other people’s bodies, their touch, their company, solely because at one point in your life, you experienced a high schooler’s notion of love,” he pointed out. The CAS ’11 female has a different perspective as an older student. “I met my boyfriend in college; it’s not high school love,” she said. “I’ve been at AU for a long time, in and out of relationships, and I can honestly say there’s no one here I would rather be with.” sexwonks@theeagleonline. com
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TUESDAY 1
We Deliver Monday — Thursday 25% off for AU students (with valid ID) after 8:30 every night
PETE’S NEW HAVEN STYLE PIZZA Columbia Heights 202-332-PETE (7383) Tenleytown-Friendship Heights 202-237-PETE (7383) Hours of Operation: 11AM-10PM Sunday-Thursday 11AM-11PM Friday & Saturday
Twin Shadow, Pains of Being Pure at Heart to play Black Cat By MAEVE McDERMOTT Eagle Staff Writer
D.C.’s spring concert calendar is shaping up to be impressive. The hip-hop and rap-heavy schedule of last fall has been supplanted in the coming months by a parade of indie rock shows, with larger acts scheduled to share District stages with newer buzz bands. Arguably the strongest show of the remainder of the school year is the doubleheader of new-wave disciples Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Twin Shadow, who visit the Black Cat on April 1. Both acts are highly-acclaimed newcomers to the world of independent music, drawing accolades for faithfully purveying ‘80s nostalgia at its finest. The charmingly sincere Brooklyn-based outfit Pains of Being Pure at Heart released their first self-titled LP in early 2009, immediately garnering masses of critical love for their refreshing contribution to indie’s miniature new-wave resurgence. Our generation’s musical counterpart to a John Hughes
movie, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart deftly reinterprets the same themes of quiet angst and yearning, and their nearly flawless indie-pop album set them apart from the pack of other ‘80s revivalists and “second-wavers.” The quintet recorded the dazzling five-song “Higher Than the Stars” EP in late 2009, and is touring to promote “Belong,” their second full-length album set for an April 9 release. For “Belong,” the band collaborated with Flood and Alan Moulder, famous producers most notably linked with the Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails. The album’s first singles “Heart in Your Heartbreak” and “Belong” are out now, and despite the production team’s work with alt-rock royalty, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s sound is thankfully still steeped in ‘80s sound. Compared to the expansive two-year career of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Twin Shadow is brand new to making music. The project of musician George Lewis, Jr., a Brooklynite by way of the Do-
minican Republic, Twin Shadow experienced a meteoric rise after his successful release of “Forget,” his first album heavily influenced by ‘80s-era new wave. Twin Shadow attracted the attention of Chris Taylor, the Grizzly Bear bassist/producer extraordinaire, who signed Lewis to his Terrible Records label and produced “Forget,” which was released in November 2010. “Forget” may not forge any new trails with its shimmering synth-pop, but the album’s sophisticated grooves and romantic themes have still attracted praise from critics and audiences alike. The April 1 new-wave union of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Twin Shadow is sure to sell out soon, so make sure to snag tickets for this remarkable show. Lovers of the ‘80s (and anyone else who has a vested interest in good music) shouldn’t miss this night of melancholy choruses and hazy guitars, delivered by two of the strongest acts in indie pop today. mmcdermott@ theeagleonline.com
SCENE CALENDAR WEDNESDAY 2
THURSDAY 3
The Blue Jean Monster 8 p.m. WHERE: The Passenger, 1021 7th St. NW METRO: Metro Center (red/blue/orange lines) WHAT: The Washington Psychotronic Film Society is a group of film lovers who offer weekly screenings of obscure, off-beat films both new and old. “The Blue Jean Monster” is a Hong Kong film directed by Kai Ming Lai about a police officer who comes back to life from an electricity bolt. COST: Free ($2.00 suggested donation) CONTACT: www.wpfs.org
Better Living Through Circuitry 8 p.m. WHERE: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. METRO: Rosslyn (blue/orange lines) WHAT: Movie night at the Artisphere presents a documentary that delves into the electronic dance movement of the 1990s. COST: $6 CONTACT: www.arlingtonarts.com
The Riverbreaks 8 p.m. WHERE: DC9, 1940 9th St. NW METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green/yellow lines) WHAT: The Riverbreaks are a local D.C. band with roots in North Carolina, bringing alternative rock with a southern twang. They’re joined by Paperhaus and The North Country. COST: $8 CONTACT: www.dcnine.com
FRIDAY 4
SATURDAY 5
SUNDAY 6
Eugene Mirman & Pretty Good Friends 8 p.m. WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green/yellow lines) WHAT: Comedian Eugene Mirman is touring a few Northeast cities with fellow entertainers Reggie Watts and Kumail Nanjiani as part of their “Pretty Good Friends” tour. COST: $15 CONTACT: www.blackcatdc.com
De Temps Antan 8 p.m. WHERE: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. METRO: Rosslyn (blue/orange lines) WHAT: De Temps Antan invites the audience for a night of singing and dancing as they explore the musical roots of Quebec. COST: $22 CONTACT: www.arlingtonarts.com
Dum Dum Girls 8 p.m. WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green/yellow lines) WHAT: California indie pop group Dum Dum Girls are joined mainstage by Minks and Dirty Beaches at the Black Cat. COST: $12 CONTACT: www.blackcatdc.com
MONDAY 7 Yelawolf 8 p.m. WHERE: Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE METRO: Union Station (red line) WHAT: Southern rapper Yelawolf is joined by his good friends CyHi Da Prynce and Kaimbr at the Rock and Roll Hotel. COST: $15 CONTACT: www.rockandrollhoteldc.com
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Sunsets, Roman ruins and protests: Oh my!
Fair, balanced and a government mouthpiece By CLAIRE RYCHLEWSKI The Incubator
It’s been a week of disillusionment for me. Public employees in Wisconsin are protesting the proposed budget cut that leaves them with fewer benefits and a weaker ability to unionize. The House of Representatives slashed $56 million in funding for Planned Parenthood, attempting to justify their actions with the thin excuse that citizens shouldn’t have to pay for things they don’t want. (Somehow we’re still funding Iraq and Afghanistan and big business bailouts, though). Both of these political episodes make me angry as a citizen. But we expect the government to disappoint us 98 percent of the time. What we don’t expect — or don’t realize — is the failure of the news media to report these disappointments. On Feb. 16, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a speech at George Washington University. She talked about supporting the free speech of protesters in the Middle East, with a particular regard to Internet freedom. Ray McGovern, an army officer veteran and former CIA analyst, silently protested her speech, standing up and turning his back to Clinton. The response? Security arrested McGovern for practicing his first amendment right — you know, the one that Clinton had just been encouraging. The Secretary of State didn’t bat an eye. Clinton continued her speech without even acknowledging what had just happened. The entire incident was a disgusting portrait of the flagrant hypocrisy that reigns in the United States. You might not have heard about this. That’s unfor-
tunately not surprising, considering neither The Washington Post nor The New York Times deemed it newsworthy enough to publish. Bloggers and other alternative news sources were quick to publish a recount, but mainstream press completely ignored the incident. Why? Because the news media is so immersed in the cozy world of Washington insider politics that they can no longer act as an independent institution. Major newspapers cater to government officials because they don’t want to bite the hand that feeds. A journalist’s job depends heavily on administrative sources and official quotes. No longer is the press a thinking, breathing establishment that scrutinizes and criticizes our leadership. Instead reporters become mouthpieces and editors become government-favored censors. As an aspiring young journalist, this first understanding of harsh reality tastes acrid on my tongue. As an idealistic college student (is there any other kind?) I don’t want to welcome the phrase “profit motive” to join or defeat the concepts of truth seeking and critical analysis. I don’t like how this feels, and yet I need to recognize these disheartening paradoxes in order to become a good journalist. I went back to the news stories archives for the Feb. 17 online edition of the Post, just to see what could have possibly taken precedence over reporting the events of the speech. I found this headline: “New Prince George’s Wegmans becoming a social hot spot.” blogs@theeagleonline.com
By SARAH PARNASS The Incubator
Courtesy of MR. T IN DC / FLICKR
Brunch in the District: Hot spots to enjoy an underrated meal By KATIE HANSON The Incubator
It may be strange to declare brunch as the best meal of the day, considering brunch is not a standard meal most people eat regularly. You may have it occasionally on the weekends, when you unintentionally sleep past 10:00 a.m., and you have no choice but to eat a combination of breakfast and lunch. But that’s what makes brunch so great, it’s a combination of two meals, and in some peoples’ cases, the two best meals. Everyone loves breakfast and a lot of people love lunch, and with brunch you can enjoy them together. To be honest, another reason why brunch is so great is because, well, you get to eat more because you’re combining two meals. That may just be my own philosophy, but I know I’m not the only one who thinks that way. You can have pancakes and eggs! Why not, you’re skipping lunch right? Or
you can have a sandwich plus hash browns and an omelet, why not? You skipped breakfast! You deserve it. We’re lucky too, because D.C. has an array of great places to enjoy brunch with a group of your friends. It’s the perfect meal to eat in a large group because brunch has to be long and drawn out, since it is a combination of two meals. It’s perfect for a lazy Saturday when you’d like to sleep late but still want to start the day with a delicious meal. A favorite brunch place of mine is Teaism in Dupont Circle. The place is usually crowded and the seating is limited, but despite this, Teaism is a causal place to enjoy your tea and delicious brunch options. My favorite is the French toast topped with pears, but the sourdough waffle and the cilantro eggs are equally delicious. But the shining star is the tea. You’re served you own small teapot, and there are so many options to chose from. The chai latte is my drink of choice, and it is absolute-
ly stellar here, especially paired with their salty oat cookie. The service is fast and the meal is relatively inexpensive. Another favorite of mine is Open City in Adams Morgan. During the warmer months, all the windows and doors are open, with lots of outdoor seating and a friendly atmosphere. The brunch options are delicious, and once again it’s an opportunity to have pancakes with your sandwich. The chai here is delicious and all their drink options are served with animal crackers (I’m a sucker for small touches like that). The wait may be long, but it’s definitely worth it. Other great brunch options include Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café, Luna Grill and Diner, Sunday Jazz Brunch at the Carlyle Suites Hotel, Founding Farmers, Logan Tavern and Busboys and Poets. blogs@theeagleonline.com
RABAT, Morocco — This weekend I found my own little piece of heaven in a place called “Moulay Idriss.” While visiting the Roman ruins in Volubilis the weekend before, my friends and I had spotted this tiny little city, nestled between mountains. On Thursday, we decided to follow our fancy and stay at Dar Zerhoune, a bed and breakfast run by an acquaintance of ours, for the weekend. The inn itself was largely a guest house, tucked into the back alleys of the city. Our host, Fayssal, met us at the city square, right where our taxi left off. To start off, he gave us a tour of the 450 year-old house: three bedrooms with two beds and a bathroom (including a shower with a brick floor) each, a traditional salon with a small library, a kitchen at our full disposal, a dining room that looks out on the first terrace and — up the last spiral staircase — yet another rooftop terrace with two couches. From there we could see Volubilis and the entire city. The only downside was the heat — or lack thereof. While it was fun and old-timey to use hot water bottles to warm our sheets, the rooms got so cold on the last night that our Nutella froze. Whoops. Our first night in Moulay Idriss we hit the one main street to find food, and boy did we find it. Fayssal led us to a roadside restaurant with the best kefta and chicken I had ever eaten. The meat was tender and thoroughly spiced, but not spicy. The onions, eggplant and other vegetables grilled with it only enhanced the flavor.
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With trade deadline over, focus shifts to potential NBA playoff matchups By TYLER TOMEA Eagle Staff Writer
There is a player revolt in Detroit, Minn. has Eddy Curry, Darko Milicic and Sebastian Telfair on its roster and Baron Davis has been reunited with a coach he hates. I love the NBA trade deadline! But with the trade deadline in the rearview mirror and the playoffs getting closer, now is the perfect time to put together the postseason matchups I’m most looking forward to. Trail Blazers vs. Lakers (First round) LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby, Gerald Wallace, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, Brandon Roy and Andre Miller. When healthy, just let the strength of that rotation sink in for a little bit. Aldridge is playing at a top level right now, and the Blazers are working Roy back into playing shape. The key is what Wallace will add to the rotation, who Portland picked up in a trade with Charlotte as the Bobcats completed their impressive dismantling of last year’s playoff team in a matter of months. A Portland-Los Angeles first-round matchup would remind me of last year’s Lakers-Thunder series. Oklahoma City was younger than Portland, but both teams began to peak at the right times and no one wanted to face them come April. Now only if Portland had a center who spent more time on the court than he did taking pictures of himself … !
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up 17-13 with 7:45 left in the first half. After this run, the Eagles would hold onto the lead for the remainder of the game. The second half started off much better than the first for the Eagles, with an Anya jumper closely followed by a Leer layup off a steal by Ryan. The team was able to transition from a difficult offensive performance in the first half to the strong display they put forth in the second. “Our word for today was ‘finish’ and we started off a lit-
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Bulls vs. Knicks (First round) No matter what anyone says, Isiah Thomas was involved in last week’s Carmelo Anthony trade. There are some things I can be talked out of, but this is not one of them, as the 13player trade had his fingerprints all over it. Meanwhile, Chicago is on the precipice of becoming one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, a position the Knicks are a couple of years away from. But anytime New York is in the playoffs/relevant, it’s great for the league. And after a seven-year postseason drought, Madison Square Garden will be electric for a potential Bulls-Knicks playoff series. Just thinking of the matchups, storylines and crowd gets me excited. By the way, LeBron James had to have been thinking, “Wait a minute, that could have been me!” as Anthony was serenaded with chants of “‘Melo!” in his home debut last Wednesday. Spurs vs. Thunder (Second round) Tim Duncan is 34, Manu Ginobili is 33 and Tony Parker will be a free agent at the end of the year, meaning this could be San Antonio’s last legitimate shot at a title in the Duncan Era. Knowing this, Gregg Popovich has done a masterful job of limiting his star players’ minutes all season while gearing up for a playoff run. After putting a scare into the Lakers last year, is Oklahoma tle rocky in the first half and so we huddled together and were like ‘Guys, we’re better than this,’” Anya said. “Coach said just compose yourselves and finish plays and we’ll get the victory.” Navy also won on Saturday, which puts them as the top seed for the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh University also won its final game of the season, making it a three-way tie atop the Patriot League. Lehigh will be the tournament’s No. 2 seed. “I think the potential of this team is tremendous and our
City ready to make the jump? General Manager Sam Presti thinks so, as evidenced by his “we’re ready to win now” trade for Kendrick Perkins. It’s the classic example of a veteran, experienced team trying to hold off the new kids on the block for one more season before their window of opportunity slams shut. Celtics vs. Heat (Conference finals) If you’re Danny Ainge, anytime you have the opportunity to trade your starting center and break up a starting five that has never lost a playoff series, you just have to do it! Ainge’s move made Miami one of the winners at the trade deadline, despite the Heat not making a trade. Boston had the most complete team in the East and they had the one thing Miami lacked: size and toughness on the inside. With the Perkins trade, the playing field is infinitely more balanced. With the entire LeBron backlash this summer, it’s easy to forget that he’s the best player in the game. And now with Perkins out of the picture, it will free up dribble penetration for James and his teammates and not force them to settle for jumpers. Suddenly, the East just got a lot more interesting and this matchup has become a lot more even. Also, if the Celtics don’t make the NBA Finals, I’d like to announce my candidacy for the Boston GM position. Celtics vs. Lakers (NBA finals) Despite blatantly helping Los Angeles with the trade of Perkins (and Nate Robinson), these are the winners of the past two NBA titles. We need Boston-Los Angeles III. ttomea@theeagleonline.com opportunities to win the tournament are very, very good,” Corkery said. “We’ve proved through 14 games that we’re as good as anyone in the league, so now you just have to do it on that night.” AU will host the College of the Holy Cross in the quarterfinal game on Saturday, Mar. 5 at 2 p.m. in Bender Arena.
UMBC withstands comeback effort, defeats Eagles 13-10 By MARK NATALE
Eagle Contributing Writer The AU women’s lacrosse team fell to the University of Maryland - Baltimore County Retrievers 13-10 Saturday after failing to recover from a 10-5 deficit early in the second half. After losing 16-4 to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the season opener, the Eagles were able to bounce back against the George Washington Colonials with a 17-8 victory. Looking to carry momentum from their last win, the Eagles started strong early. Though Brit Ferguson was given a yellow card within the first minute of the game, AU was able to bounce back and clear the ball out of its defensive zone. AU and UMBC continued to battle it out in the middle of the field until the Eagles were able to force the ball into the Retrievers’ defensive zone. A foul by UMBC’s Kristen Bilney gave the Eagles a great opportunity, and Emily Burton followed an Emily Stankiewicz miss with
the first goal of the game. AU continued to squeeze the ball past the Retrievers in the first half. A few turnovers from their opponent gave the Eagles good scoring chances and gave AU a 3-0 lead just 10 minutes into the game. UMBC began to drive back hard, pushing three goals past a struggling Eagles’ defense in just three minutes. The Retrievers’ Ashley Stodter scored the first two goals and Madi Bell put the third one past AU’s keeper, Kaska Komosinski. The two teams began to trade scores, leaving the score tied at five a piece with 3:30 to play in the opening half. The UMBC attack didn’t let up, and the Retrieivers took a 7-5 lead at the end of the half. The second half brought more of the same. UMBC continued to pile on the goals against AU, and a Stodter goal early in the second half put the Retrievers up 10-5. Stodter was a key part of the UMBC attack, finishing the game with five goals. The Eagles were caught on their heels at the beginning
of the second half, as their attack struggled to drive towards the net in the opening minutes. Stankiewicz finally snapped the scoring drought with a hard drive towards the net to pull AU to within four at 10-6. The Eagles’ Samantha Marshall then scored to make it 10-7. UMBC’s Alicia Krause then won a free position shot and scored to extend the Retrievers’ lead to four. Stodter scored again and drew the game further away for the Eagles at 12-8. AU’s Lisa Schaaf hit a hot streak and was able to score two in a row within three minutes of one another. AU had hope for a comeback as it trailed 12-10 with just over 10 minutes to play. However, a final UMBC goal with five minutes to play put the game out of reach for the Eagles and resulted in the 13-10 final. AU will be on the road for its next game against the University of Richmond Spiders on Wednesday, Mar. 2 at 4 p.m. sports@theeagleonline.com
Name: Stephanie Anya Age: 19 Height: 6’2” Hometown: Germantown, Md. Grade/School: Sophomore/College of Arts and Sciences Position: Center Why did you decide to come to AU to play basketball? I like the family atmosphere. I like that there are really good academics and I like that I could contribute to the basketball program. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself working a great job, possibly being married and continuing to give back to my community. What is your best sports moment at AU? I had a lot last year when being a freshman and feeling like I was important to the team. And this year, I finally had confidence in myself, like I can help this team become Patriot League champion.
Photo credit: RACHEL DEVOR / THE EAGLE
GP
PPG
FG%
3PT%
FT%
RPG
APG
2009-10
31
1.4
28
-
41
2.5
-
2010-11
27
5.9
46.9
-
42.9
5.3
.6
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Brewer leads AU in double-overtime win over Lafayette
)* Women end regular season on high note By SAM RAPHELSON
Men’s basketball defeats Leopards 95 – 92 By ERIC SALTZMAN Eagle Staff Writer
RACHEL DEVOR / EAGLE FILE PHOTO
WORKING DOWN LOW — Junior forward Stephen Lumpkins goes up for two in a game from earlier this season. Lumpkins contributed 16 points in the Eagles’ 95-92 victory over Lafayette College on Feb. 26. The team will host Colgate University on March 2 in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament.
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STEPHANIE ANYA CENTER — #44
The Eagles ended their regular season with a double-overtime 95-92 victory against the Lafayette Leopards Saturday in Easton, Pa. AU finished the regular season at 21-8, marking the third 20-win season for the team under Jeff Jones. Troy Brewer turned in a phenomenal game, scoring eight of his season-high 28 points in the second overtime period. Brewer did most of his damage from beyond the arc, hitting five three-pointers on the afternoon. The Eagles started the game on a 5-0 run, but were behind 8-7 with 17:23 left in the half. AU regained the lead after a Vlad Moldoveanu score. The teams exchanged scores, with neither team holding a lead greater than five points. At the end of the first half, the game was tied at 35. The second half was similar to the first. Both teams exchanged scores with the Eagles holding onto a 52-51 lead midway through the period. With 4:39 remaining in the second half, the Eagles were down by four before Moldoveanu, Brewer and Stephen Lumpkins took over and scored AU’s last nine points of the half. Brewer hit a foul shot with 15 seconds left to tie the game at 67. The Leopards controlled the first overtime period, never trailing at any point and were up by four with 40 seconds left in the extra period. Brewer nailed another clutch three and Nick Hen-
dra hit both foul shots with two seconds left in the game to force a second overtime. The Eagles took an 82-81 lead with 3:25 in the second overtime and never looked back. The Leopards were not able to come back despite three three-pointers in the last 1:37 of the game. In addition to Brewer’s 28, Moldoveanu scored 30 points and collected eight rebounds while Lumpkins contributed 16 points. Nick Hendra had nine points and led the Eagles with six assists. The Leopards were led in scoring by Tony Johnson with 29 and Jared Mintz with 26. The Eagles were excellent from the free throw line, nailing 89 percent of their shots. The Eagles also shot 10-22 from three-point range. AU finished 56.5 percent from the field, while the Leopards shot 47 percent. The Leopards did force 13 AU turnovers. The Eagles finish the regular season with an 11-3 record against conference foes, marking the second time in program history AU has recorded 11 Patriot League victories. The Eagles regular season scoring leader was Moldoveanu, who recorded 19.5 points per game. Nick Hendra led the Eagles in steals with 26 and assists with 112. Lumpkins led the team with 35 blocks and eight rebounds per game. The Eagles have not lost a game against Lafayette since 2005. AU will host Colgate University in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Championship at Bender Arena Wednesday. sports@theeagleonline.com
Eagle Contributing Writer The AU women’s basketball team earned a share of the Patriot League regular season championship after an 8247 victory over the Lafayette Leopards on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles also honored seniors Liz Leer, Nicole Ryan and Ashley Yencho in “Senior Day” ceremonies. “It’s really a special day when you can honor your seniors and especially this group,” said AU Head Coach Matt Corkery. “They’ve accomplished so much and they’ve really brought a winning tradition to our team.” It was an exceptional offensive effort for the Eagles, as Leer played in her 123rd game at AU, a program record, and registered 21 points and nine rebounds. She also shot 3-3 from three-point range. Stephanie Anya and Sarah Kiely joined Leer in double figures, scoring 15 and 12 points, respectively. Lisa Strack also contributed a career-high nine assists, while Alexis Dobbs had six. The Eagles shot 54.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the three-point line. They also recorded 27 assists and eight steals while only allowing 13 turnovers. “It was great to get a win on Senior Night,” Leer said. “Walking away from this game I know that I’m leaving a program that’s going to keep this legacy going on, and continuing this tradition of working hard, and continuing to get better every year.” This success did not seem likely in the beginning of the first half, as the team struggled finishing plays. After a nice layup by Anya within the first minute of play, the Eagles did not regain the lead until under the 10-minute mark. A pair of Leer three-pointers spaced by an Anya layup put the Eagles !
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