AMERICAN AT WAR PAGE 5
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Students in Japan safe after disasters
Flag pole damaged by crane during green roof installation By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writer
A crane damaged the flag pole on the Quad while installing a green roof on the Mary Graydon Center March 5. AU is currently working with insurance agencies to determine if the pole should be repaired or replaced, according to William Suter, director of Facilities Management. The owner of the crane has acknowledged the compa-
ny’s fault, Suter said. A crane’s cables snagged the pole, Suter said. He doesn’t know a timeframe for when the flag pole will be repaired or replaced. The American flag did not sustain any damage in the incident, according to Lt. Rima Sifri of the Department of Public Safety. The flag is in Public Safety’s possession until the pole is fixed or replaced sdazio@theeagleonline.com
By RACHEL KARAS Eagle Staff Writer
Courtesy of EMILY CURLEY
UP ON THE ROOF — DC Greenworks Executive Director Peter Ensign, right, and staff member Erik Vollmerhousen install pre-vegetated trays on the roof of the Mary Graydon Center.
MGC, Ward green roofs will ‘pay for themselves,’ AU says By RACHEL KARAS Eagle Staff Writer
ETHAN KLAPPER / THE EAGLE
FLAG-LESS — The Quad’s flag pole was damaged over spring break. AU officials are not sure if the pole will be replaced or repaired.
Green roofs are being installed on four roofs on the Mary Graydon Center and the entire upper roof of the Ward Circle Building, according to Chris O’Brien, director of Sustainability. Four other AU buildings have green roofs: the Media Production Center, the Katzen Arts Center, the School of International Service and the Kogod School of Business, according to O’Brien. Mary Graydon and Ward were also chosen to receive the latest green roofs because of their durability and
size, which reduces the cost of the projects per square foot, O’Brien said. “The existing roof structure is new enough that we can add this new layer of living material without worrying about replacing the roof any time soon,” he said. “If it was being replaced, we’d have to replace the vegetative material as well … it wouldn’t make any sense.” The installation began March 5 with a kick-off event hosted by the D.C. Green Building Council’s National Capital Region Chapter and DC Greenworks. The roofing will continue through Earth Week, April 17 to April 23. The AU com-
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munity will have the opportunity to help plant on and complete the roofs during Earth Week. Community Service Coalition Director Stephen Bronskill estimated 50 students and staff volunteered over the course of spring break to clear the roofs and plant vegetation. “It’s a unique and cool idea, especially in cities where there’s not a lot of green space,” said Freshman Tyler Sadonis who helped out with the effort. Living roofs, which include grass, flowers and plants, have a variety of benefits, according to O’Brien. Green ! see GREEN on page 8
No AU students abroad in Japan were harmed by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami there on March 11, nor are they in immediate danger from the damaged nuclear reactors, according to Associate Director of Media Relations Maralee Csellar. Four students are studying abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo and all are accounted for. Six students studying with the School of International Service’s Dual Undergraduate Degree Program at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto did not feel the earthquake, according to Ethan Merritt, AU Abroad senior adviser. “There are no plans to evacuate the students,” Merritt said. “We’re basically seeing how things develop and staying in touch.” AU officials have been in contact with officials at Waseda and Ritsumeikan and also contacted students via e-mail and Facebook to ensure their safety. AU Alumni Relations is working to identify and contact AU alumni in Japan, according to an e-mail sent out by President Neil Kerwin. !
see JAPAN on page 8
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NEWS
IN THIS ISSUE
Eagle rants (3), Sky Lounge (5), Estate planning (8), Tom Smith legal fees (9)
OPINION
& )
Staff editorials, Shapiro column (6), Letters to the Editor (7)
SCENE
Adept or Inept (10), WVAU reviews (12), Calendar (13)
SPORTS
Women’s basketball, National’s preview (16), NFL lockout (15)
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CORRECTIONS In “Bender Library will add outlets during renovation,” it was incorrectly implied that the library was certain to increase the numbers of e-readers available. In fact, the library is considering increasing the number of e-readers. In “1917: AU volunteers campus to Army Corps for training, chemical testing,” the headline misstated that AU volunteered the campus to the Army Corps of Engineers instead of the U.S. Army. In “Undergraduate tuition increases at lowest rate in 15 years,” incorrect figures for graduate and Washington College of Law tuition increases were provided to The Eagle. Washington College of Law and graduate tuition, excluding the Kogod School of Business program, will increase by 3.8 percent each year, according to Senior Budget Officer Tom Ingold. In “AKA celebrates 35th anniversary with current, founding sisters,” the headline misstated the age of AU’s Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. chapter and incorrectly implied that the entire organization celebrated its founding. In fact, AU’s Lambda Zeta chapter of AKA celebrated its 34th anniversary. AKA’s international regional director and 1988 School of Communication graduate Evelyn Sample-Oates’ name was also misspelled. In “Employees feel same parking frustrations as students,” an incorrect figure for yearly faculty and staff parking was stated. Instead of $500 per year, the correct figure is $835 per year.
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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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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
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“Not enjoying watching the @PatriotLeague Championship on @ ESPN when @AmericanU is not in it. Sigh. At least it is in HD.” @Joe_Vidulich, March 11 “@AmericanU OH GOD STOP WITH THE WONKS #firstworldproblems #auproblems” @two_dollarbill, March 11 “I love when the @AmericanU gym is super empty.” @alinahimam, March 11 “We all know @AmericanU used to be officially known as The American University, but did you know thy used to abbreve it TAU as instead of AU?” @AnthsGilms, March 8 “Wooo Hooo! We Passed $30k! Keep all the good work! And @ AmericanU if your laying in the sun. Don’t forget the sunscreen!” @RelayForLife_AU, March 8
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TUESDAY 15
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Harriet Beecher Stowe Colloquium 5 - 7:30 p.m. WHERE: East Quad Building Lounge WHAT: William B. Allen will discuss the works of Harriet Beecher Stowe and the moral imperative of constitutionalism. CONTACT: govt@american. edu
Digital Voting in the U.S. 12:30 - 2 p.m. WHERE: Ward 201 WHAT: Government Ph.D. candidate Alicia Prevost will lecture on the use of digital voting in the U.S. CONTACT: Diane Singerman at dsinger@american. edu
Gasland Film Screening 5:30 - 8 p.m. WHERE: Wechsler Theater (Mary Graydon Center 315) WHAT: In “Gasland,” Josh Fox embarks on a crosscountry odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination about the drilling technology of “fracking,” or hydraulic fracturing. Fox will take questions after the screening. CONTACT: Angelica Das at das@american.edu
Savages and Throwbacks 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Butler Board Room WHAT: The Department of Philosophy and Religion will present a Foucauldian genealogy of racism in the 20th century. CONTACT: philrel@american.edu
Mindfulness in Education Conference 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. WHERE: School of International Service Founder’s Room WHAT: This event will explore the uses of the power of the mind to improve one’s education. CONTACT: Heather Kuchman at kuchman@ american.edu
Faculty Case Competition Judge Reception 3 - 4:35 p.m. WHERE: Kogod School of Business Harris Lounge WHAT: A reception following Kogod’s 2011 faculty case competition will give judges and students the opportunity to network. CONTACT: bizundergrad@ 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. To the person who complained about their roommate with loud music when you are considerate and wear headphones: I SWEAR I COULD HAVE WROTE THAT. I feel the same way. Can we form a support group? My roommate sees me with headphones on and continues to jack up the music higher. WTF. !
AU Housing, I walked into the bathroom today to hear the sound of a shower running. But the sound was different, and suddenly, I knew. Turning on the shower water, !
horror gripped my body as the new, low-flow shower head produced a few measly drops of water. And I was expected to shower in it. So AU, if you expect your students to still smell good when they shower in the equivalent of a cup of water slowly being poured out, you are mistaken. I want to take care of the environment, but my bodily needs (like adequate shower water) come first. A Clean AU Student (for now.) ! To the ranter who wants fish and chips at AU, I couldn’t agree more. I want to WONK that fried cod for all it’s worth.
To everyone who hates TDR, try living on campus over Spring Break, when there’s no food place open on
campus whatsoever (not even McDonalds) after 7 p.m. I, for one, can’t wait for TDR to reopen. WONK like an Eagle, into the future ... !
! To “I’m so tired of smokers polluting my lungs with poison,” where do you get off? Yeah there are a lot of rude smokers on campus, but when I smoke, I try my best to avoid blowing smoke in peoples’ faces and I always stay as far away from building doors as I can. There are rules in place telling smokers to stay away from buildings, so why don’t you complain to Public Safety instead of taking it out on us?
!
! I’M SO GLAD OTHER PEOPLE WERE UPSET AT THE “PANEL” WITH
CLASSIFIEDS MICHELLE RHEE. But they weren’t AU undergrads. Ugh, thank goodness ... ! I don’t know why the shuttle runs so beautifully during spring break when there’s such a limited population to enjoy it. ! Oh hey schedule of classes. Why don’t you have any of the Graphic Design courses up for next fall? Can you fix this soon? I would really like to start planning my schedule. Please and Thank you, A GDES Major
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ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE
KERWIN’S REIGN CONTINUES — The Board of Trustees extended AU President Neil Kerwin’s contract through 2017. Kerwin is AU’s first alumnus president.
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A Panera Bread restaurant will move into the vacant building on the corner of Albemarle and Wisconsin avenues, between the Tenleytown-AU Metro station and Payless ShoeSource store. The building, located at 4501 Wisconsin Ave., is new and has never had a tenant before, according to George Pedas, vice president of Circle Management, the company that owns the building. Pedas has been working with Panera to open a branch there for about six months, he said. Construction was completed about a year ago.
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By ZACHARY COHEN
Neil Kerwin will serve as AU president for five more years. The Board of Trustees extended Kerwin’s contract until 2017. His current term began in 2007 and ends in the summer of 2012. Board Chairman Gary Abramson said a contract renewal is usually offered to presidents who receive excellent evaluations from the previous year’s assessment. “The renewal represents the Board of Trustees’ confidence in the progress and direction of the institution under his leadership,” Abramson said. AU has maintained a healthy and steady enrollment, remained financially stable during an economic crisis and successfully implemented the first two years of the Strategic Plan under Kerwin’s leadership, according to AU spokeswoman Camille Lepre.
Kerwin said he is pleased with the Board’s decision to extend his presidency at AU. “I’m very happy, personally,” Kerwin said. “It’s great to think I’ll end my career here.” Kerwin anticipates he will teach at AU after completing his second term of presidency, but he said he is not opposed to serving as president again. “My expectation is that it would be best for the institution to hire another person, but you never say never,” Kerwin said. Vice President of Finance Don Myers said the Board of Trustees will decide Kerwin’s salary at its next meeting in May. Kerwin said he attributes his success as president to his colleagues and the student body. “When a president succeeds, or when a president fails, they don’t usually do it alone,” he said.
! Kerwin is AU’s first alumnus president. He graduated with a political science degree in 1971. ! Kerwin began teaching in the School of Public Affairs’ Department of Public Administration in 1975. He served as the dean of SPA from 1988 until 1997, when he became AU’s provost. ! Kerwin served as provost until he became interim president from Aug. 24, 2005 to Sept. 1, 2007, after former AU President Benjamin Ladner was fired for misusing University funds. ! Kerwin made $760,774, including base compensation, deferred compensation and health benefits in 2008, according to Internal Revenue Service forms. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in November 2009 that Kerwin’s compensation was $1.4 million in 2007, though his salary was less than $600,000.
Eagle Staff Writer
Panera Bread to open in Tenleytown
NEIL KERWIN
Strong leadership leads to Kerwin contract extension By PAIGE JONES
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1918: Army creates ‘Hell Fire Battalion’ Sky Lounge no to test deadly weapons at Camp AU longer open to all By SYLVIA CARIGNAN Eagle Staff Writer
This story is the second in a series investigating World War I-era chemical weapons and equipment buried under AU’s campus and in the Spring Valley neighborhood. The Mary Graydon Center once housed the U.S. government’s largest chemical warfare research lab. The lab, then known as the New Chemical Research building, was part of the U.S. Army’s Chemical Warfare Service branch. The entire campus made up one of the world’s largest chemical warfare research labs. The service began research at AU in 1917, in response to the Germans’ use of chlorine and tear gas against English and Russian soldiers at the beginning of World War I. Thousands of governmentemployed chemists developed defensive and offensive materials, all on AU’s campus. The U.S. government constructed more than a hundred buildings on its new property, in-
cluding in MGC. The service manufactured smoke screens, gas bombs, “flaming guns,” projectiles filled with explosive and incendiary material and many more types of weapons, AU’s newspaper, The Courier, said in an October 1918 issue. The Boston Transcript, a daily Massachusetts newspaper, said such cruel weapons were unusual for the American military. “The American preference would incline toward the use of a gas that would stupefy and not kill or poison, but the Germans have set the pace and the practical officers of the Army realize that their fire must be fought with hotter fire,” according to a October 1918 Courier reprint of a Boston Transcript story. About 100,000 engineers were trained at AU during World War I. The Chemical Warfare Service taught these men to use deadly inventions and defensive equipment on the battlefield. The men learned how to use gas masks, a cutting-edge invention that would later help the U.S. and its allies.
The Boston Transcript wrote an account of the war preparations taking place at AU. “If His Satanic Majesty [Satan] happened to drop around at the American University training camp to-day, he would see the ‘Hell Fire Battalion’ at work and might blush with envy,” The Transcript wrote. The “Hell Fire Battalion” was officially named the “Gas and Flame Regiment,” the first of its kind and one of Camp American University’s specialties. A local newspaper, The Baltimore Evening Star, visited the campus in 1918. “Gas and flame fighting is a new wrinkle in the American Army, but the ‘Hell Fire Battalion’ has taken to it as the duck takes to water,” The Evening Star wrote. “It offers more possibilities of adventure and action than any other branch of the service.” A member of the Gas and Flame Regiment, Lieutenant Thomas Jabine, wrote about his experience in a letter he sent home. “Our regiment is growing larger every day and the 30th Engineers ‘Gas and Flame’ is
going to be an outfit that will make a reputation for itself,” Jabine wrote in November 1917. “I think I was fortunate enough to get in and glad I decided just when I did.” Jabine and half of the first Gas and Flame regiment were shipped to Europe on Christmas Day, 1917. After training with British soldiers, they traveled to the front lines in France where they fought off German attacks. The Boston Transcript said the American and British forces put on “shows” of their chemical weapon expertise, but suffered very real injuries. “Their risks were real enough to result in three or four casualties from machine-gun or shell-fire and 14 or 15 more from gas, even before they had pulled off any ‘shows,’” historian James Thayer Addison wrote in 1919. But, according to one Army engineer, what the “Hell Fire Battalion” left behind at AU was even more deadly than the Germans’ chemical weapons. See the third part of this series in The Eagle’s March 22 issue. news@theeagleonline.com
Courtesy of UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
DIGGING DEEP — The Gas and Flame Regiment, also known as the “Hell Fire Battalion,” was trained in trench warfare and chemical weapons. The regiment fought off German attacks in France.
student groups Letts 6 residents to pay $7 to $8 for last semester’s vandalism By LEIGH GIANGRECO Eagle Staff Writer
Student groups cannot reserve the Letts Sky Lounge anymore, after it sustained nearly $5,000 worth of damage last semester, according to Housing and Dining Programs officials. With the exception of internal hall organizations like the Letts Hall Council or University College groups housed in the building, other student groups must use alternate spaces such as the Letts or Leonard Formal Lounges, according to Paul Brown, assistant director of Learning Communities and Assessment. This shouldn’t have a large effect on student groups, Brown said, because few groups used the space previously. Sixth floor Letts Hall residents will only have to pay $7 to $8 each for the damage, Brown said. Letts 6 residents were originally going to be charged about $50 toward damaged carpet and furniture, according to Jennifer Baron, the resident director of Letts, Clark and Roper Halls. RAs discovered the damage Dec. 15 when they were checking the building before closing it for winter break. While any student group could meet in the Sky Lounge if they reserve the space beforehand, Letts 6 residents said those groups often moved into the floor lounges as well. But organizations couldn’t reserve the space during finals time, when the incident occurred, Baron said. Following students’ protests that a $50 fine per Letts 6 resident was unfair, Housing and Dining lowered the amount each
resident will have to pay by calculating what the cost would be for Letts 6 residents if the damage fine had been spread throughout all Letts Hall residents. “A solution we came up with was to instead of charging you the $50 for this, the other option is to charge the whole hall, which we thought that might be unfair to the other people on the other floors who might ask ‘Why are we paying for it when it’s on the sixth floor?’” Brown said. The remainder of the damages will be covered by leftover money in the Housing and Dining’s budget, he said. Brown and Student Government Senator-at-Large Joe Wisniewski said they weighed the positive and negative aspects of vandalism policies that other schools use, including adding a fee at the beginning of the academic year to cover vandalism. One student raised the concern that paying for vandalism up front might encourage students to vandalize property in the dorms later on. “[Adding a preemptive vandalism fee] raises your housing rates by a few hundred dollars,” Brown said. “[The current] system, at least we only charge for what actually happens, so you probably end up paying less.” Brown said Housing and Dining is open to feedback about vandalism fees and students should e-mail housinganddiningprograms@american.edu. lgiangreco@ theeagleonline.com
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Most politically active campus?
AU students miss golden opportunity for experience by forgoing SG, class council positions for internships That time of year is quickly approaching — flowers start blooming, birds are chirping, and we are all about to be inundated with posters, Facebook groups and campaign swag. Yes, ‘tis the season for Student Government elections! As of now, there are 36 positions up for election, and a whopping 12 of them have candidates officially running. We find that number appalling — for a school that is supposedly the most politically active in the nation, it seems that AU students couldn’t care less about their own politics. There’s still time to enter the arena and we highly encourage students that have any interest in learning the political ropes to run as write-in candidates. Although SG is known
for its potential to be a bureaucratic nightmare (remember last year’s elections?), it also offers many benefits to those students who dream of one day entering the big kids’ politics league on Capitol Hill. Students have the potential to gain more hands-on, practical experience working in the SG than as a general office grunt on the Hill. For those tentative souls that shy away from red tape extravaganzas, class councils are a great way to get involved without the drama and bureaucracy that come handin-hand with executive positions. Either route you choose, these options pose great opportunities. For those positions with candidates, the level of competition varies dramatically.
Immigrant language barriers no reason for disdain SMARTER THAN I LOOK
CONOR SHAPIRO You’re starving. You walk briskly to grab a sandwich at Subway to satisfy your craving. You’ve got less than 10 minutes to request extra tomatoes, endure the disorganized queue for the toaster and scour the rack below for spicy Doritos. You’re antsy. Unfortunately, the last thing you need is unfolding before your eyes
as another customer fumbles clumsily for exact change. Or so you think. A new employee enters the equation, and much to your chagrin, he doesn’t speak English. You point to the banana peppers futilely but the message gets lost in translation. Your patience hits its threshold. You storm off without your extra tomatoes and oil and vinegar in place of your typical salt and pepper. Bleh. Immigrants come to our country, take our jobs and have the audacity to refuse to learn our language. This pervasive sentiment captures a large chunk of the typical Joe’s
Some candidates have opposition, such as the six students competing to become the next Nate Bronstein. Others are woefully unopposed, as it appears that no one desires to fill Ed Levandoski’s shoes next year (a difficult proposition, we admit). While we welcome the enthusiastic competition for the presidential position, we’re disappointed that this is the second year in a row that a candidate is running for comptroller unopposed. This position is vitally important to the operation of the SG, and it’s wrong to deprive the student body of choice. Despite its importance, the position itself is not limited to those with genius financial minds or dedicated business studies. Levandoski, the cur-
rent comptroller, is a CLEG major. He’s been very effective even without a business school background. So before you rule out your chances at an executive position, know that the major requirements are hard work and dedication, not necessarily a strictly relative educational field. It is a poor showing on the student body’s part that only one-third of SG election positions have candidates. Many of us come to this city looking to make a difference, whether it be through politics or other disciplines. If you want to have a say in what goes on here at AU, step up to the plate — get involved in the SG or class councils.
hostility toward immigrants. Many immigrants, documented or not, do not have the resources or the time to adequately learn English. But that’s pure (although accurate) speculation. Surely there are copious resources to learn — assuming they want to, right? The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials points out, “ … while large numbers of newcomers have tremendous motivation to learn English, ESL providers lack the funding to meet the demand for instruction.” The NALEO Education Fund published an eye-opening study detailing many challenges eager immigrants face. But forget facts. Let’s Fox Newsify the argument, saying they’re all lazy and complacent and get away with speaking Spanish solely because they can. This is patently false, but humor me. Who suffers the most? The
immigrants. If they don’t dedicate the numerous hours it takes to learn English, they stunt their employment options — generally the primary impetus for moving to begin with — relegating them to low wage jobs. Many of these jobs preserve the price of goods at inexpensive rates. With the paltry wages many immigrants earn, those finger-wagging consumers save money everyday. Or take a more self-centered approach. If all immigrants learned English, wouldn’t your typical English-only speaking American dread it? Do you really want to compete with bilingual applicants for the same job? In this economy? The minor inconveniences we face attributed to language barriers should move us to empathy or humility instead of impatience or disdain. Many immigrants endured years of poverty, coming to America
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AU e-mails about estate planning will turn away young donors Recent grads shouldn’t have AU breathing down their necks about death
Imagine a time after you graduate from this illustrious institution. After graduation you receive an e-mail from AU with the subject line: “American University Estate Planning Update.” Sounds odd, right? AU alumni young and old received just such an e-mail recently from the University, asking them to keep AU in mind when planning their estates. Although the objective of the e-mail was educational, it’s a bit macabre for the University to be sending 22-year-old grads estate-planning emails.
Though some of the recipients of this e-mail may actually be considering planning their estates or doing so in the not-so-distant future, most 2010 grads have no estate to speak of. Targeting recent grads for estate planning is almost comical because most are probably still paying off debts incurred at this very university. In the future, we hope the University uses a lighter touch and simply asks for some small donations. Maybe even tailor the e-mails to an audience younger than 70 years of age.
seeking economic mobility. Yet, too often the thanks they receive is haughty disgust or ethnocentrism when they deserve a helping hand or a smile. But I’ll spare you the be-agood-person shtick. You have a right to play hardball. If you frequent establishments where you encounter persistent language barriers — be a quintessential capitalistic American. Take your dollars elsewhere. There are no scarcities of shops or services in America that can satisfactorily provide for English speakers. We’re far from a monolithic culture. Our diversity is admired across the world. The allure and beauty of America is in its freedoms. I love that we have Chinatowns where much of the bargaining is done in Mandarin. I love that I can travel to communities in the Southwest that speak entirely in Spanish. I cherish
that Americans can be any ethnicity, speak any language and practice any religion or none at all. It’s nothing short of an irrational fear to expect Spanish to supplant English as the dominant language in America, no more than we’ll all become homosexual if we legalize gay marriage. The rubbish of rich people scapegoating immigrants needs to stop. We’re all beneficiaries of the hard work of immigrant workers. Whether or not they speak the language we do doesn’t make their existence any less valuable than our own. It’s past time for these people to garner the appreciation and respect they’ve earned. Conor Shapiro is a graduate student in the School of International Service and a liberal columnist. edpage@theeagleonline.com
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WI responds: Group will Women’s Initiative stymies continue working for debate on campus expanded resources In a history class I took, it was decided that President Jimmy Carter failed to get re-elected because he told the American people the truth, even when they didn’t want to hear it. That same phenomenon happened to Alex Knepper last year, which led to him resigning from The Eagle. His piece was harsh, provocative and true. He pointed out an ugly truth with what happens when some people go to par-
Shapiro’s article coincided with the group’s views, whereas Mr. Knepper’s article did not. It’s difficult to argue on campus for equality in dialogue when WI shouts down any who disagree with their opinion. For instance, look at the debate on the Women’s Resource Center in fall 2009. The WRC was going to be a physical space on campus for women, with a paid staff member. Never mind
cal of statistics. Anecdotal evidence is not sufficient support for a claim. The outrage should not be against Mr. Knepper and his column for telling the ugly truth, but against those who support witch burning for those they disagree with. If the WI truly cared about starting a dialogue about these very important issues they would have tried to engage Mr. Knepper in conversation rather than condemn-
The outrage should not be against Mr. Knepper and his column for telling the ugly truth, but against those who support witch burning for those they disagree with.
ties. They’re looking to get drunk and very often are looking to hook up. Stating it upset a lot of people on campus and in the area, with members of the AU community calling for his dismissal as well as the resignation of The Eagle’s editors. In the Feb. 22 issue of The Eagle, Conor Shapiro wrote another column on rape. And nothing was said. There was no yelling, or screaming or calls for his dismissal. Why? Because he supported the viewpoints and arguments of the feminist movement and more importantly, Women’s Initiative. WI is by far the most powerful student group on campus — unsurprising, considering the demographics of AU. As it stands, Mr.
that it was a redundant office, providing services that were already provided by the Student Health Center, Public Safety and the Counseling Center — if you were against it, you didn’t support women. Never mind that the group that really needed that space, veterans, were only given an online Web page listing resources. The WRC needed to be built and it needed a paid staff member to support the majority of the student population. So when Mr. Shapiro writes his articles, he is in the clear, being on the right side of WI. I don’t discount what happened to his sister — it’s a tragedy — but as any good scientist, political or otherwise, knows, one must be criti-
ing the article. WI doesn’t denounce Mr. Shapiro’s article because it feeds into their interests. Rather than condemning honest conversation just because it doesn’t agree with a feminist worldview, WI should appreciate the viewpoints of authors with varied experiences. It would be no surprise if Mr. Shapiro, knowing the power WI has on campus, would play it safe by pandering to them. He’s seen what can happen if you challenge WI’s preconceived notions with intellectual honesty: You become a pariah, a marked man on campus, simply for telling the truth. Robert Ruszczyk is a junior in the School of Public Affairs.
Women’s Initiative is currently and always will be in support of extended services on campus for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Sexual assault and domestic violence impact people regardless of their gender, and everyone deserves to go to a party without fear of sexual assault. Women’s Initiative will continue to be in support of everyone’s right to live a life free of fear, and we will continue to refuse to trivialize or to ignore the experiences of our fellow students. Some of the resources available for students on campus can be found at http://www.american.edu/ sexualassault. The site offers information for survivors, friends, and family to address the many questions that may follow an assault. Off campus resources are also available for students through the D.C. Rape Crisis Center ( http : / / w w w. d c rc c . org )
and the Washington Hospital SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Program. What is most important in this situation is that survivors are aware of the resources available and are able to utilize these resources to take the necessary steps to heal. Finally, rather than accept the false choice of either resources for women or resources for veterans, we choose to only accept a campus community that is safe and empowering for all people, civilians and veterans alike. We hope the AU community will join us this year as we create a safe space for all survivors at Take Back the Night. It will be held on Monday, April 11th at 8 p.m. in the Amphitheater. Quinn Pregliasco and Victoria Bosselman Director and Deputy Director of Women’s Initiative
TRENDING TOPICS to a Panera in Tenleytown! We do, however, extend our sympathies to the Friendship Heights location — you’ve been good to us all these years.
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to Ward Café and the Mud Box for no longer accepting credit or debit cards — those of us that get our caffeine fix when we’re out of cash and EagleBucks are now screwed.
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to the official return of spring next weekend! The temperatures are climbing, the birds are chirping in the mornings and the outdoor seating at Chef Geoff ’s is returning — life is good.
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to spring break being much shorter than we all need. Next up: the term paper crunch.
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to Girl Scout cookies. Little Brownie Bakers has a cookie stand finder on their website — extremely useful to those of us looking for our Thin Mint and Tagalong fixes.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ONLINE AT THEEAGLEONLINE.COM
EAGLE’S NEXT GREAT RANTER
Prompt: Yea or Nay on Campus Plan? Welcome back from what was hopefully an enjoyable (but unfortunately brief) respite from classes and schoolwork. The Eagle would like to congratulate Emi Ruff-Wilkinson on taking the top slot in our first round of “The Eagle’s Next Great Ranter” contest! Douglas Bell and Ian Urriola also made it to the next round. With three contestants left, we present our next challenge/topic of debate: AU’s Campus Plan. While it may not be the most contentious issue out there, it’s one that will affect AU students, mostly those in the years down the road. We want contestants opinion on the following: Should the Campus Plan be important to AU students now, or not? Should the neighborhoods/surrounding communities allow for AU’s planned expansion, or not? Entries must be no longer than 400 words. (And we mean exactly 400 words. Any extras will be cut off swiftly and brutally.) Space is limited, and writers must be able to make well-reasoned arguments within word limits. Best of luck to our remaining candidates, and look for this next round of entries next issue!
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This summer,
start building your future. Learn More. 617-353-0556 bu.edu/summer/internship
Boston University Summer Study Internship Program May 23–August 12, 2011
Earn 10 credits in coursework and gain on-the-job experience in an internship, choosing from nine academic tracks.
Mudbox, Ward Café no longer accept credit, debit cards By RACHEL KARAS Eagle Staff Writer
The Mudbox and Ward Café will no longer be taking credit or debit cards beginning today, according to owner Tom Gera. Gera hopes to reduce his overhead costs by eliminating credit card company fees, which amount to thousands of dollars a month, he said. The average transaction costs $2 to $3, for which Gera pays a fee of around 60 cents per purchase, causing the business to lose money. “If you buy a $1 candy bar and give me a credit card, I lose money,” he said. “Especially in the library where one latte costs around $1.50 or $2, I pay 60 or 70 cents per transaction.” The Mudbox and Ward Café will serve as trial runs to gauge reaction to and profitability of operating without a credit/debit system. If Gera believes the deci-
sion was successful, he said he might expand the policy to Megabytes and the Katzen Café, which he also owns. Gera said he believes the lowered cost to his businesses will allow them to maintain a high standard of customer service. “Our prices of Starbucks coffee are cheaper than outside prices and we want to keep it that way,” he said. “It’s about personal care.” Both vendors will continue to accept cash and EagleBucks, which Gera said is practical, since 90 percent of his customers are students who tend to use EagleBucks rather than credit cards. “There will be a few customers who will complain, but if I make most of the customers happy, that’s what matters,” he said. “I think I can change people’s behavior and bring people on board with this.” rkaras@theeagleonline.com
• Arts & Culture • Business & Management • Communication • Graphic & Web Design •Health Sciences & Policy • International Studies • Politics, Public Policy & Law • Psychology & Social Policy •Self-Designed
AU asks for future donations in estate planning e-mail to alumni By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writer
AU sent its first charitable estate planning eNewsletter to alumni and other community members as part of a new effort to engage alumni with their alma mater. The e-mail, sent March 9, was designed to educate graduates on how estate planning can enhance their own individual financial futures, as well as AU’s, according to Emily LaClair, assistant director of Planned Giving. Alumni, including the class of 2010, as well as faculty, staff, other supporters of AU and local residents received the email. “We know that this is a long way off, but it’s something you should be thinking about,” LaClair said of students who recently graduated. But for students who are still looking for jobs, they can donate their time in the form of volunteering at AU, LaClair said. “Every little bit helps,” she said.
Steve Dalton, a 2010 School of Public Affairs graduate, said while the idea of asking alumni to donate to AU is a good one, he believes age groups should have been targeted separately. “I haven’t begun any sort of estate planning,” he said. “It doesn’t look good. Estate planning is about death.” Dalton said he was asked to donate $20.10 soon after his May 2010 graduation. “I think that is an appropriate way for someone around my age [to donate],” he said. LaClair added that alumni should remember they can still use the Career Center. “I think that it’s important to remember that after graduation, AU remains a resource for you,” she said. Other donor initiatives AU began its “50/50 Challenge” on March 11, a new social media-based fundraising effort targeted at young alumni, according to Casey Jacobs, director of Annual Giving. The challenge is to get 2,500 alumni to donate — 50 a day for 50 days — as part of a Stra-
tegic Plan goal to increase the number of alumni donors 12 percent by 2013. More than 150 people had donated by Monday afternoon, Jacobs said. The campaign is on track to meet its goal, she said. Jacobs said one of the largest groups of growing alumni are recent graduates — and AU understands that these students still have a lot of financial obligations. “It’s any amount,” Jacobs said. “You don’t need to give a large gift to really benefit the University.” AU has Facebook ads and is working on a video to target these young alumni, Jacobs said. This fiscal year’s goal is to have 10,500 alumni donate to AU, she said. Currently 8,000 alumni have donated during this fiscal year, which ends April 30. Last fiscal year, about 10,000 alumni gave to AU, Jacobs said. sdazio@theeagleonline.com
! from GREEN on page 1 roofs in the area mainly help protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by slowing polluted stormwater from running into Rock Creek and then the bay. They also make buildings more energy-efficient and create habitats for animals. The green spaces on the MGC roofs will provide personal benefits as well, by being visible from offices, classrooms and conference rooms in the building. O’Brien said studies have shown that people’s productivity and well-being increase when they have a view of nature from their window. Green roof materials are relatively inexpensive, costing around $15 per square foot or $165,000 overall, before subtracting financial incentives. “It’s small steps, but it’s something,” Bronskill said. “It’s really cool that AU has decided to invest in this.” The roofing projects have both short and long-term financial incentives, since adding a green roof can help extend the existing roof’s life, according to O’Brien. “A roof that might have lasted 30 years will now last 50 years,” O’Brien said. “We expect the projects to pay for themselves over time.” AU contracts its green roofing work through DC Greenworks, a non-profit organization that buys and installs sustainable materials. At more than 11,000 square feet, the projects on MGC and Ward are the largest DC Greenworks will have ever completed, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
rkaras@theeagleonline.com from JAPAN on page 1 Merritt said the largest issues right now are limited communication due to downed telephone lines, as well as problems with public transportation and traffic. “Waseda has not sustained significant damage,” Merritt said. “Not much damage or injuries were reported from Tokyo in general … students were shaken up but are all fine.” With a death toll of nearly 2,000 that is expected to increase dramatically, Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the disaster the nation’s worst crisis since World War II. !
rkaras@theeagleonline.com
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Tom Smith spends $3,000 on legal fees By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writer
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Tom Smith spent $3,000 of his own money during the November elections, mostly on legal fees, according to D.C. Office of Campaign Finance documents. Smith ran for ANC seat 3D 02, which covers the North side of AU’s campus and local neighborhoods, against writein candidate and AU freshman Tyler Sadonis. Smith filed two formal complaints against Sadonis, the A Voice 4 U campaign and its public relations firm, Eagle Communications, that alleged multiple campaign finance violations and that Sadonis was ineligible for election in October. An Office of Campaign Finance hearing found several campaign finance violations occurred, but all charges were
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dismissed. Smith’s finances Smith said he was “forced” to hire an attorney to get advice on D.C. election law. “Our election system here is fraught with potential for abuse,” he said. He received $450 in donations and spent $3,527.05 between Aug. 4, 2010 and Nov. 2, 2010. He spent $3,077.05 of his own money on legal fees and some campaign fliers and signs, he said. This is Smith’s third term on the ANC. Smith said he never received donations or hired an attorney for his previous races. A Voice 4 U finances The AV4U campaign raised $909 in donations for both Sadonis’ and freshman Deon Jones’ campaigns. Jones ran for ANC seat 3D 07 as a write-in candidate and
won. Sadonis’ campaign raised $604.00 and spent $541.36. Jones’ campaign raised $305 and spent $301.90. The money was spent on the AV4U website, business cards, fliers and the $500 Eagle Communications fee. AV4U Finance Director Ed Levandoski said less money was raised and spent on Jones’ seat because it was uncontested. The remaining $65.74 is held by AV4U, which is now considered a principal campaign committee, and is currently being used to pay for the group’s website, Levandoski said. The group hasn’t decided what to do with the funds in the future. As a principal campaign committee, AV4U exists outside of individual candidates and can keep the money. If surplus money were held in an individual candidate’s name, he or she would have to use it to pay off debts, return to donors, expend it to his or her political party or donate it to charity. sdazio@theeagleonline.com
Study in the most exciting, vibrant city on Earth.
Campus Store to see floor renovations By KATE FROEHLICH Eagle Staff Writer
The Campus Store will undergo renovations to the clothing section, eFollett book pickup and registers, according to Store Manager Kristi Cole. Follett plans to make “general upgrades” as part of their contract, completely financed by the company. Follett Higher Education Group, which runs eFollett online bookstores nationwide, has been contracted with AU for over 10 years and pays commissions back to the University, according to David Courter, director of Auxiliary Services. The plans include expanding the selling floor for clothing, creating a permanent space for Web orders and moving the
Undergraduate Courses:
The Student Government election season began yesterday, with 24 of the 36 positions empty on the ballot. Candidates, both write-in and official, are now allowed to campaign until 8:59 a.m. on March 22.
Graduate Programs: wMasters in Middle Eastern History wMasters in Conict Resolution and Mediation wTESOL –Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
www.telavivuniv.org
kfroehlich@ theeagleonline.com
First violation occurs on Facebook By ZACHARY COHEN
wMiddle East Studies wFine Arts Studies wManagement & Economics wLife Sciences
struction and delays,” she said. While no money will come from AU’s budget to finance the renovations, AU will still play a role in the redesign process, Cole said. No concrete plans have been created and the actual cost of the renovations is not known yet. “During the time when they’re developing the plan, we have meetings and discussions about what they want to achieve,” Courter said. “We’re the landlord. It’s still our building.” Currently, about 50 percent of textbook sales are done online, so one of the store’s biggest gains will be the eFollett space, according to Cole.
SG campaigning begins with new election regulations
Tel Aviv University Study Abroad Program
registers so customers can move throughout the store more easily, Cole said. Currently, the store wants to move registers to what is now the children’s clothing area in the front of the store. “The extra filling space will be great,” Cole said. “We can spread the clothing section out a little more and create a better shopping area.” Cole said fall is the busiest time for the store, so revamping the area would likely be worked around that time frame. It has not been determined when the renovations will be done, but Cole said that it is “usually done in sections,” so the store will remain open throughout construction. “It would promote a negative image if customers have to deal with con-
Eagle Staff Writers
First violation Joseph Schulte, a candidate for SG president, committed the first violation of the election regulations by posting on his Facebook page his intention to run, according to Board of Elections Chair Dan Lewis. SG secretary candidate Kevin Sutherland reported the infraction. The infraction was minor, and Schulte was issued a warning, Lewis said. The post was deleted the same day it was published. Schulte said he posted the in-
formation before he was aware of election regulations. “Rookie mistake on my part,” he said. Learning from last year SG Board of Elections regulations changed last semester, as a result of several problems last academic year, according to former Board of Elections Chair Anthony Dunham, who is running for president this semester and was chair of the Board when the regulations were changed. More rules were added to better outline the endorsement process, Lewis said. Last year, there were issues regarding endorsements of presidential candidates Nate Bronstein and Nirvana Habash when individuals not officially working for the respective campaigns endorsed the candidates. Additional clarifications were added that distinguish
between campaign staff and campaign supporters, according to the new regulations. There was an issue during last year’s elections because there were no alternatives for punishments beyond barring candidates from the ballot, according to Dunham. “Looking back to when I was chair of the Board of Elections, I helped to write those rules so as to ensure a fair election process,” Dunham said. Lewis said the Board of Elections is confident this year’s elections will go more smoothly because of close collaboration between various SG officials internally, the Board of Elections and Student Activities. “We’re not going to have a catastrophe like last year,” Lewis said. Staff writer Marie Zoglo contributed to this report. news@theeagleonline.com
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Courtesy of BECKY MEZZANOTTE
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION — Professor Menke-Fish’s TV Studio and Production class poses for a group picture at NBC Washington’s headquarters after a meeting with NBC executives. The class pitched 19 pilot ideas for a Web series at the meeting.
AU TV Studio class explores D.C. talent in NBC Web series Students produce NBC Web show ‘Adept or Inept’ By HOAI-TRAN BUI Eagle Staff Writer
Instead of attending an hour-long lecture or discussion once a week, AU Professor Sarah MenkeFish has her TV Studio Production class spend their time filming an episode for their NBC Web show, “Adept or Inept.” “Producing the show is our entire class time,” said Carter Gibson, a junior in the School of Communication. “If anything, we spend much more time out of the classroom than I have in my other classes.” The Web show started as a class project assigned
by Menke-Fish in the second week of school. All students were required to pitch ideas for a 17-episode Web series to NBC Washington. The students pitched 19 pilot ideas to NBC executives, four of which came into creation, and only one of which was picked by NBC to run on their website. “They loved all of our ideas,” Gibson said. “They made only a few tweaks to the show, like making it a little shorter and having an online interactive component. They let us be very creative.” Ultimately, NBC chose “Adept or Inept,” created by
SOC junior Carlie Huberman. The show explores people’s talents in the D.C. area and shows them teaching that talent to another person. Viewers then vote online on whether that person was “adept” or “inept.” Students take turns choosing the activities or talents that would be showcased on the show. “Our goal is off-campus activities,” Huberman said. She emphasized the focus on more “obscure” activities. Production of the show is a collaborative process, with all students rotating jobs — one week working the camera, or another week doing public relations — allowing students to gain experience in all areas of TV production. “We’ve produced four ep-
isodes so far this semester — so far so good,” MenkeFish said in an e-mail. “The real challenge is for each episode to get stronger. The only way that occurs, since students switch jobs with every show, is for each student to be completely honest in the analysis of each episode and of his or her work in each episode.” While many students were learning these skills for the first time, this was not Menke-Fish’s first collaboration with NBC Washington. She encouraged many of her prior classes to work with NBC as well, resulting in three original projects in the past few years, one of which includes last year’s Flavortones, where students produced musical food reviews. “None of us have done
TV before, and Professor Menke-Fish’s class taught us a lot of real-world experience,” Huberman said. “We got to meet with major players in NBC. We learned about promoting and how to get connections.” Menke-Fish provided the connections and helps with the technical components, but that’s as far as she goes, preferring to give students full rein of their shows. “I give the students certain parameters before the students pitch their ideas,” Menke-Fish said. “The stories have to have a shelf life, and appeal to the demographic that we’re aiming for 18-35 year-olds.” “She’s always been very clear that we own the show legally and we can do whatever we want with it,” Carter said. “It is our show and
she makes that very clear.” Menke-Fish’s teaching method and her inclination to give students more responsibility invited real world comparisons from students. Gibson described the class as “more like an internship than like a class, and I did not anticipate it.” “The class is very projectoriented,” Huberman said, “But I’ve gotten used to it.” Video clips and advertisements on the TV monitors have piqued student curiosity about the show. “My friends have seen it up on the monitors and recognized that I was part of it,” Huberman said. “I was really happy and really excited. It’s just an awesome experience.” hbui@theeagleonline.com
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MOVIE REVIEW
MOVIE REVIEW
Limitless
Rango Grade: A By TRAVIS MCKAY-ROBERTS
Eagle Contributing Writer
Courtesy of UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Grade: C+ Scene Says: Brilliantly lmed but ultimately shallow By GEOFFREY BEEBE
Eagle Contributing Writer If someone has ever suggested that life is “mind over matter,” then that same person would probably like “Limitless.” Edward “Eddie” Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a down-on-his-luck writer whose girlfriend dumps him as he laments over his ex-wife. Ever watch a movie and wonder when you’re going to be fed the hook? Right about the time where one should wonder if caring about Eddie is worthwhile, in comes Vernon (Johnny Whitworth), Eddie’s ex-brother-in-law. Vernon offers the promise of this drug nicknamed ‘NZT,’ which allows the user to access 100 percent of their brain, rather than the normal 20 percent. In between the time “Limitless” starts and the time Eddie takes his first NZT, the film is in muted blue tones. Everything is drab, and nothing looks exciting, even for New York City. When NZT
takes effect, it feels like a lighting technician was finally invited to the set. It’s as though people simply wander through life until this drug takes effect, and then suddenly everything becomes clear. Within a day, Eddie cleans his shabby apartment and makes major headway in his book, thus impressing his editor and leading to a succession of fortunate events. Shady fortune comes across Eddie’s path, and he obtains a long-term supply of NZT, thus ensuring the hook of the movie. Eddie borrows money from a bookie, then buys stocks that make him some serious capital. Eddie even makes good with his then-estranged girlfriend. This earns Eddie the attention of Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro), a powerful owner of an energy company. Carl is planning a merger with another company and Eddie — when on NZT — is a formidable resource to tap. For Eddie, the money he’ll earn from the merger will facilitate
his end-goals, which are not apparent until the end of “Limitless.” The film is quite compelling, and director Neil Burger (“The Lucky Ones,” “The Illusionist”) creates an atmosphere where characters are believable. On top of that, viewers will care about the characters. De Niro once again proves that he can sell any movie. Once he’s introduced, his presence is felt even when he’s off-screen. The film’s ending is quite satisfying. The film is intended to make people consider what they can do if they apply themselves. Perhaps that is something that people should take to heart, although perhaps not. This is cinema for pure escapism. When watching “Limitless,” sit back and let the movie take you for a ride. thescene@theeagleonline. com
For years, Johnny Depp has made a living out of playing a lone, unconventional hero with plenty of quirks and oddities. In his newest movie, his character is a sheriff who has all these characteristics dropped in the middle of the Wild West. However, this newest movie is one where he doesn’t make an appearance at all. Instead, he lends his voice to the title character in the CG-animated movie “Rango,” a film directed and produced by Gore Verbinski. Though Depp is the main draw of the movie, the rest of the cast is just as star-studded. Other vocal talents include Isla Fisher as Beans, Abigail Bresilin as Priscilla, Alfred Molina as Roadkill, Bill Nighy
as Rattlesnake Jack and Ned Beatty as the mayor of the aptly-named town of Dirt. The film’s plot is as colorful as the cast. “Rango” tells the story of a lonely chameleon, half-crazed with occasional delusions of grandeur who lives in a terrarium where he acts out dramas with the help of a busted-up Barbie and a wind-up fish. Then suddenly, the car that contains his terrarium spins out of control, sending Rango spinning across a dusty Nevada highway. As he wanders across the desert, directed by Roadkill and accompanied by a mariachi band of Mexican owls, he comes across the town of Dirt. The remainder of the movie takes place in and around Dirt, where Rango experiences a genre-crossing, hallucinogenic escapade of newfound purpose and lost identity. The movie is quirky, weird, and unlike any animated movie before. Once you see a char-
acter called The Man With No Name giving life advice to a chameleon in a Hawaiian shirt, you know that you’re in a very strange place. Verbinski is an expert filmmaker — the movie never feels out of control, or stranger than it should. The characters seem human, even though they’re not (moles, mice and crows abound), and the dialogue is just campy enough to bring you back to the Westerns your Dad made you sit through as a child. The movie takes an occasional dark turn but never for the worse. “Rango” has the rare distinction of appealing to adults and children. It’s the kind of cartoon you might not want to take your five-yearold brother to, but a cartoon you and your Dad will love. “Rango” is now playing in theaters everywhere. thescene@theeagleonline. com
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Lykke Li — “Wounded Rhymes”
Audience howls approval for Arena Stage performance
(Atlantic/LL)
By MADELINE WOLFSON
WVAU REVIEWS Every other week The Eagle asks the assistant music directors and DJs at WVAU what they’re listening to. Here’s what they recommend. Check out WVAU.org to listen.
If the spooky cover art is any clue, Lykke Li’s sophomore effort seems a bit on the dark side. Like in “Youth Novels,” Li spins an LP about love, lust and the like, but she adds sadness and loneliness to that mix of vulnerability. Though there definitely is enough gloom to go around in each song, there is also a glimmer of shielded optimism — that this is only a dark chapter, but not the end of the story. The minimalist instrumentals of “Youth Novels” are largely absent here, allowing Li to expand her sound to something approaching a mini-avant-garde orchestra. Where this album will lead to next is a bit of a mystery. Will her third LP be light, happy and eardrum-damagingly loud? Time will tell, but “Wounded Rhymes” is a major clue to stay along to find out. Listen if you like: The xx, El Perro Del Mar, Bat for Lashes Recommended Tracks: 3, 4, 6, 7
— Allison Porambo
J Mascis — “Several Shades Of Why” (Sub Pop) Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis has spent over two decades deafening audiences with notoriously loud guitar performances, so the fact that “Several Shades Of Why” is a hushed and primarily acoustic affair might come as a surprise to some. The album’s sonic palette is comprised of a gently strummed six-string, Mascis’ vulnerable voice and a few fuzzy guitar fills thrown in for good measure. This stripped-down aesthetic provides a strong foundation for his emotive lyricism. Unlike 1996’s similarly unplugged “Martin + Me,” this isn’t just a collection of Dinosaur-esque songs played on acoustic guitars — this is uncharted territory for Mascis, and it’s a testament to his supreme talent that he can pull it off so well. Listen if you like: Jerry Garcia, David Lowery, Dinosaur Jr. Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 5, 7
— Peter Gill
J. Rocc — “Some Cold Rock Stuf” (Stones Throw) J. Rocc is not to be confused with Jay Rock, J. Cole, J-Live and whoever else seems to be drawn to the 10th letter of the alphabet. Co-founder of The World Famous Beat Junkies, Rocc is one of those silent legends in the DJ world. With his mile-long resume, it feels almost unnatural to call “Some Cold Rock Stuf ” which is all original hip-hop instrumentals, a debut album,. The drums carry the album through the different moods, from old school to lo-fi to jazz and back. This is the type of music that would play at one of those parties where everyone is just a little bit cooler than you, and you’re not exactly sure how or why you’re there, but you’re glad that you are. Accompanying the album is one of three mystery discs, all of which have the same label and no tracklist. Listen if you like: J Dilla, Madlib, Cut Chemist Recommended tracks: 1, 5, 7, 10
— Kevin Kunitake
… And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead — “Tao of The Dead” (Richter Scale) On their seventh studio album, Austin’s …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of the Dead return with a stripped down album that might be their most accessible yet. Sticking to the tried and true formula of quiet-loud-quiet, “Tao of the Dead” exhibits the epitome of self-indulgence in a concept album. With rumbling guitars that spontaneously burst into what can only semi-ironically be called epic riffs, “Tao of the Dead” manages to blend progressive rock with gentler melodies, creating a more listenable album than Trail of the Dead is usually known for. Listen if you like: Queens of the Stone Age, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Rush Recommended Tracks: 2, 4, 6
— Nico Chapin
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Eagle Staff Writer
Far too often modern theater focuses on the spectacle — the lights, set, sound effects and other budget breaking elements of razzle-dazzle — in an attempt to woo an audience. But when all of the set changes, and the flashing lights and ornate costumes are gone, only true talent can really move an audience. One of the greatest challenges a show faces is how to move an audience with the sheer talent of the actors and directors. When this succeeds the payoff and power of the show is always far greater. Arena Stage’s fearless production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” proves that raw talent alone trumps bells and whistles. Superb directing, plus four outstanding actors, and one of the wittiest, razor sharp scripts in the last century amount to three and a half hours of hilarious, horrifying and heart wrenching theater. The play, written by American playwright Edward Albee in 1962, exists in a world steeped in academia. It begins at 2 a.m. in the home of the dysfunctional middle aged couple George and Martha, who are deeply entrenched in years of venomous verbal games and attempts to humiliate one another. This pair is soon joined by a younger couple, Nick and Honey, and the four characters embark on a drunken night of mind games, wit, lust and cruelty as the realities they reveal become increasingly warped. Arena Stage’s production, impeccably directed by Pam McKinnon, stars acting veterans Amy Morton and Tracy Letts as the iconic Martha and George. Both are nothing short of mesmerizing. Letts owns the sharp words of George and earns the majority of the laughs, and Mor-
ton embodies Martha in a performance that’s simultaneously raw, sloppy and perfect. The pair fascinated the audience as they explored the darkest corners of Albee’s characters. Honey, played by Carrie Coons, and Nick, played by Madison Dirks, hold themselves well as they share the stage with the two Tony Award winners. The show is undoubtedly long, however it flies by and simultaneously kept the audiences laughing, horrified, and stunned. Not one minute passes in which the audience is not transfixed by the searing energy, vitality and pulsing production. And at each intermission one could hear sighs of frustration, as the audience was unwilling to depart from the shows’ momentum for the 15-minute breaks. Perhaps the two greatest successes, of which there were many, is the disturbing amount of comedy the play generates at the expense of the four characters, and the humanity that the two senior actors find within the cruelty of the play. But the audience is laughing at the all too realistic debasing of human beings getting pushed to their limits. More than a couple of times, the audience would cackle at a stinging insult to George’s masculinity then catch themselves realizing their own capacity for cruelty. But despite the disturbing nature of these wretched characters, they are played with compassion, and the audience falls in love, or maybe in pity, with the leads, who perpetuate their own hell. If you see any show this spring, make it “Virginia Woolf,” a ferocious show that gets everything right. No fog machines necessary. mwolfson@theeagleonline. com
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We Deliver Monday — Thursday 25% off for AU students (with valid ID) after 8:30 every night
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Art-rock girl group Warpaint to battle the beat at Black Cat By MAEVE McDERMOTT Eagle Staff Writer
Warpaint, an all-female indie rock quartet hailing from Los Angeles, are playing the Black Cat mainstage Saturday, April 2 at 9 p.m. At first glance, Warpaint seemed just like all the other indie girl bands that have recently debuted over the past year or two. But the art-rock quartet have been around since 2004, and released their released their debut EP, “Exquisite Corpse,” in 2008. The EP was mixed by guitarist, former Red Hot Chili Peppers member and Warpaint fan John Frusciante. After a lineup change and a tour opening for The xx, the ladies of Warpaint were signed to Rough Trade Records and released their critically acclaimed debut album, “The Fool,” in October last year. Warpaint’s meticulous attention to detail is immediately present in “The Fool,” a by-product
of the ladies’ less-thanrushed recording process of the album. In terms of the band’s sound, Warpaint may be made up of four females, but a stereotypical “girl group” it certainly is not. It’s tempting to automatically associate Warpaint with other new, Phil Spector-esque girl bands that have emerged over the past year, in somewhat of a fad. However, the quartet’s sound is nothing like the noise-pop of rising groups like Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and Best Coast. There’s no sign of guitar fuzz or pining lyrics about infatuation on “The Fool” — instead, all that is replaced by ghostly instrumentation and Emily Kokal’s fragile vocals, which bear a striking similarity to those of Cat Power. Warpaint is commonly grouped into a strange sub-genre called “desertrock,” but the band’s carefully crafted dream-pop is the last thing from sunny.
Warpaint’s spooky sound may be absent of many striking melodies, yet is still complex and distinctive, and makes evident the ladies’ ears for detail. The trend of garage-rock girl groups may still be on the rise, but Warpaint’s subtle and excellent first album is a welcome change from the unsophisticated sound of other popular girl bands. As if Warpaint’s acclaimed releases aren’t enough to persuade, the group has toured extensively over the last few years, and has slowly become known for their captivating live shows. Be sure to catch Warpaint, playing with British electronic band PVT and American couple Family Band, at the Black Cat. mmcdermott@ theeagleonline.com
SCENE CALENDAR WEDNESDAY 16
THURSDAY 17
Toomorrow 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 to obscure, off-beat films both new and old. “Toomorrow” is a musical about an endangered alien species that believes music will save them. COST: Free ($2.00 suggested donation) CONTACT: www.wpfs.org
Personal Che 8 p.m. WHERE: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. METRO: Rosslyn (blue/orange lines) WHAT: Rather than following the short life of the well-known revolutionary, “Personal Che” covers the many myths and legends that permeate more than 12 countries, from Hong Kong rebels to German neo-Nazis. COST: $6 CONTACT: www.artisphere.com
Black Dog Prowl 8 p.m. WHERE: Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE METRO: Union Station (red line) WHAT: Black Dog Prowl is a local four-piece blues-rock band that formed in 2009. Chute and Force Major will join them at the Rock and Roll Hotel. COST: $10 CONTACT: www.rockandrollhoteldc. com
FRIDAY 18
SATURDAY 19
SUNDAY 20
Charlyne Yi 9:30 p.m. WHERE: Arlington Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Va. METRO: Pentagon City (blue line). Short cab drive away from Pentagon City. WHAT: Actress and comedian Charlyne Yi (“Knocked Up,” “Paper Heart”) is performing her brand of eccentric, stoner stand-up comedy at the Arlington Drafthouse for two nights. COST: $20 CONTACT: www.arlingtondrafthouse. com
Sulu DC 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. METRO: Rosslyn (blue/orange lines) WHAT: Sulu DC is an underground network made up of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders living in the District. They host a monthly performance that features poetry, music and theater. COST: $10 CONTACT: www.artisphere.com
C2YN (Countdown to Yuri’s Night All day WHERE: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. METRO: Rosslyn (blue/orange lines) WHAT: Curated by Jared Davis and with a collaborative effort from 19 artists, “C2YN” celebrates the 50th anniversary of the flight of Yuri Gagarin by exploring the concept of spaceflight in both history and science fiction. COST: Free CONTACT: www.artisphere.com
MONDAY 21 Tres Mountains 8 p.m. WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green line) WHAT: Tres Mountains, or Tres Mts. for short, is a Seattle-based rock band made up of members from Pearl Jam, King’s X and The Fastbacks. They’re joined by Gull at the Black Cat. COST: $20 CONTACT: www.blackcatdc.com
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It’s not just good, it’s scrumdiddlyumptious! By MEREDITH MEDOWAY The Incubator
The other day, my friend and I were walking through the aisles of CVS — as many American University students are prone to do — and were delighted to find a bit of nostalgic heaven sitting humbly upon the shelf: A Willy Wonka Scrumdiddlyumptious Bar. I don’t know about you, but whenever I see a Wonka product I immediately imagine myself immersed in the world of the great Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory: entering the wrought iron gates, drinking (but not falling in) the chocolate fountain, riding through a
I don’t know about you, but whenever I see a Wonka product I immediately imagine myself immersed in the world of the great Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory
chocolate river and traveling on the Glass Elevator, going “sideways and slantways and longways and backways … and squareways and front ways and any other ways you can think of.” And of course, I’m eating the most delicious chocolate bar to ever grace the planet. As expected, our less-magical, store-bought Wonka candy came about after the beloved novel occupied our bookshelves and the classic film graced our screens. And really, what a business move — a guaranteed hit. Who wouldn’t want to experience an Everlasting Gobstopper? Of course, we know that
deep down what we take to be a Wonka product is nothing like the real deal. But, like when we watch the movie, we suspend belief for a short period and relish the sweet treat, imagining it comes from the real Wonka Factory and is delivered by an Oompah Loompa. The movie had such a powerful impact that the fictional brand, Société des Produits Nestle S.A.’s candy brand Wonka of Vevey, Switzerland, came to life. The original movie’s producer, David Wolper, initiated the creation. He discovered that Quaker Oats wanted to start a candy bar line. It gave $2,800,000 to make the bar. After complications with the chocolate formula, Quaker stopped manufacturing the product. Then, in 1980, a family-owned company in Chicago named Breaker Confections evolved into Willy Wonka Brands and then into the Willy Wonka Candy Factory. However, Nestle bought the company in 1988 and absorbed its popular candies, adding more to this day. Wonka brand originally only offered a few products like the chocolate bar and Everlasting Gobstoppers, but the company has largely expanded. Today, on the Wonka website (wonka. com), you can find oldies like Nerds, Everlasting Gobstoppers and Laffy Taffy along with new inventions such as the “Wonka Exceptionals” chocolate bars, Kazoozles and Gummies. I guess knowing all the technicalities takes the fun away … I encourage you to indulge your fancy and simply picture that magical factory whenever you bite into a scrumptious (or scrumdiddlyumptious, to be exact) Wonka candy product. Go on and engage your inner child — don’t worry, I won’t tell. blogs@theeagleonline.com
).
Two weeks in ... I’m still alive By KEVIN ESPINOSA The Incubator
SANTIAGO, Chile — I have now been in Santiago for nearly two weeks. I have adapted really well to the city. I have been very surprised by how easy it is to navigate around Santiago despite the six million inhabitants. The weather has been very hot and sunny, which is a welcome contrast from the polar winds of the frozen tundra that is Chicago. However, in Chile, air conditioning is virtually nonexistent, so it can be pretty stuffy (especially on the Metro!) during the day. I have done quite a bit of traveling throughout the city. Last week a group of friends and I visited Cerro San Cristóbal, a hill from which one can see all of Santiago. We took a funicular up to the top, choosing convenience and comfort instead of physical activity (which may have been a bad decision in retrospect, given the amount of bread, cake, gelato and butter that I have been consuming). At the top of the hill is a sanctuary to the Virgin Mary (there is a huge statue of her)
where the pope gave mass in 1984 (while an anti-Pinochet demonstration down below was ruthlessly suppressed by the police). In this post you’ll see a view of Santiago from the top of Cerro San Cristóbal, and you may be able to appreciate just how darn big the city is. We had our cóctel de bienvenida (“welcome cocktail”) yesterday and it was delightfully awkward. We students were not quite sure if we were supposed to be socializing with each other or with our Chilean parents. I think I did a good job balancing the two, and I was able to meet many of my classmates’ parents. It was really interesting to finally meet my friends’ family members after hearing so many stories about them. My parents proved to be a hit among my friends. I must say that I have been surprised at how easy it is to engage my host family in conversation about basically anything. For example, I watch a silly reality show called “Año 0”, which simulates a group of people who have survived a nuclear holocaust and have to start their lives from scratch (though for the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust the world is still fairly well developed
and plants appear to be edible) every night at 11 p.m. with my host father. However, I was submitted to a lengthy interrogation about my views of the Pinochet dictatorship (and the Museo de la Memoria that we visited last week). I diplomatically answered that since I am not Chilean, nor did I live through that time period, I felt that I could not provide an intelligent opinion on the subject. Thankfully, my host parents seemed to accept this answer as satisfactory and proceeded to tell me their views on Pinochet. Because my host parents are so pro-Piñera (who is the first right-wing president in Chile since Pinochet), I suspected that they were probably pinochetistas (followers of Pinochet). My host parents expressed their approval of the military coup that overthrew democratically elected Marxist leader Salvador Allende in 1973 (with the covert aid of the CIA), as they said that things were spiraling out of control during the three years that Allende was in power (19701973). However, they both expressed their disapproval of Pinochet’s staying in power for 17 years: they both thought he
should have left power after a few years in office. I guess this means that this subject is really multifaceted and nuanced. As I stated in a previous post, many Chileans revile Pinochet for suppressing human rights (forced disappearances, torture, executions, prohibition of political parties), yet many praise him for restoring order in Chile following three years of chaotic Marxist rule and view Pinochet as modernizing Chile’s economy. Indeed, through a maintenance of economic policies implemented under Pinochet, Chile has remained one of the strongest and most stable economies in Latin America (compared to Argentina, which has struggled economically in the past decade and is apparently on the brink of another economic collapse). Our orientation activities officially concluded today, but our program has organized a trip to the cities of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar for us. We leave tomorrow and return on Sunday. Stay tuned to hear all about my adventures along the Chilean coast! blogs@theeagleonline.com
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NFL lockout will have major repercussions beyond the gridiron By SAMANTHA RAPHELSON
Eagle Contributing Writer The NFL has officially locked out the players after failing to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement after the old one expired last Friday. The NFL Players Association dissolved and is now going the litigation route in order to achieve what they deem is a fair share of the $9 billion in revenue the NFL makes every year. In the meantime, it is uncertain whether or not there will be a football season at all
in 2011 because under a lockout, the players are no longer under contract. Therefore, the players’ health insurance was terminated, they are no longer allowed in team facilities and can not have any contact with team staff. With football being the most popular sport in this country, what will happen if the season is canceled? Traditions suspended Come late August, if players have not reported to training camp, football fans will have reason to sweat. Since the NFL is the highest grossing sport and the most popular in the
nation, there will be uproar if it is canceled for one season. Americans get through their long work week knowing there will be football on Sunday and Monday night. It is how we make it through the long, bitter winter. On Thanksgiving, the tradition of kicking back with stuffed bellies and watching the football games will be interrupted. What will people do with themselves? Being from Philadelphia, I know that people need their Eagles football, and when they don’t have it, I am almost positive there will be rioting in the city streets. What can I say? We need our football to survive.
NFL does not play in 2011. It is inevitable that college football will be in the spotlight, and the NCAA will have no choice but to add a playoff system to make up for the Super Bowl. However, there are many negatives to college football becoming more popular. Without the NFL, college football’s revenues would jump, which seems unfair in a sport where players are unpaid. It is almost an exploitation of college players when the revenue jumps and they never see a check. On a positive note, a college football playoff has been discussed for years and I don’t think anyone would be unhappy if it was added.
College football will be forced to add playoffs The current Bowl Championship Series will not be enough to sustain football fans if the
NHL and NBA revenues would increase Let’s be honest, the NBA is only fun to watch if you are a fan of the Heat, Celtics or Lak-
ers. Other than that, it can be frustrating to watch your team struggle to take down the powerhouses. Being a 76ers fan, I would know. However, with the absence of football in the winter, it is obvious that people will crave professional sports. Not just the NBA, but the NHL revenues as well could see huge increases. Although the NHL is one of the lowest grossing sports, I believe that if there is nothing else to watch, it could become more popular. I myself am not a big hockey fan. I rarely turn on the Flyers game (except as much as I do not want to admit it, I was a fair-weather fan last year during their quest for the Stanley Cup). But honestly, if I do not have football to look forward to over the weekend, I would force myself to become more absorbed in the NHL
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and NBA. It is just a fact of life that Americans need pro sports, especially in the absence of their favorite. Americans see sports as an escape from politics and the pressures of everyday life. The NFL has to understand that suspending the fans’ heart and soul will come with many consequences. But good things can come out of the bad. The NFL lockout could help give the other winter sports the attention they deserve. It could also break up the monopoly the NFL has over the sports market. People need to step back and realize that it is only one season, or part of the season. I hope we’ll be able to get over it. But for right now, let’s just enjoy baseball, because it is the Great American Pastime.
CHARLIE DAVIES Forward #9
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Nationals look to fill void left by Dunn By ERIC SALTZMAN
Eagle Contributing Writer
RACHEL DEVOR / EAGLE FILE PHOTO
JUST SHORT — Ebony Edwards dribbles past a Lafayette defender from a game earlier this season. The AU women started strong against Navy but faded in the second half. The women’s basketball team is now winless in four appearances in the Patriot League final.
Women’s basketball knocked out by Navy in Patriot League tournament nal By TYLER TOMEA Eagle Staff Writer
The Navy Midshipmen rallied from a 30-18 halftime deficit to defeat the AU women’s basketball team 4740 Saturday and capture its first Patriot League title in program history. Freshman Jade Geif, who was named conference Rookie of the Year during the regular season, registered a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds on her way to being named Tournament MVP. Nicole Ryan scored 12 points for the Eagles, who are now winless in four appearances in the Patriot League final. From the start, the Eagles looked as if they were destined to make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. AU scored the game’s first eight points and led 11-3 after the first media
timeout. After absorbing the opening blow from the Eagles, the Midshipmen scored the game’s next five points. Consecutive layups from Geif followed a free throw by Alix Membreno to cut the AU lead to 11-8. But Navy could break no further into the Eagles’ advantage during the opening half, as AU maintained at least a four-point cushion over the next eight minutes. With less than one minute to go in the first half and her team leading 24-18, First Team All-Patriot League selection Liz Leer hit two three-pointers to put her team up 30-18 at halftime. The back-to-back threepointers put AU at six for 12 from beyond the arc in the first half. The Eagles shot 44 percent from the field. The Midshipmen struggled to find any rhythm offensively, as they were
33 percent from the field and made only one of their seven attempts from threepoint range in the opening 20 minutes. Over the final 5:33 of the first half, Navy turned the ball over four times, missed all five of its shots and missed its only free-throw attempt. As if the teams switched roles, it was Navy making all its shots to open the second half and AU struggling to find any offensive success. Just five minutes into the second half, an Erin Edwards jumper capped a 14-2 Midshipmen run and erased the Eagles’ 12-point halftime advantage. Navy’s first lead of the game came with 13:21 to play, when two Geif free throws put the Midshipmen up 34-32. With the momentum shifting, AU responded with a 7-0 run. A jumper by Ebony Edwards followed a Lisa
Strack layup to put the Eagles up 36-34. Ryan then hit her fourth three-pointer of the night to give AU a 39-34 lead with 8:44 remaining. With a conference championship now eight minutes away, the Eagles’ offense went cold at the worst possible time. AU scored just one point over the game’s final eight minutes (a free throw by Ashley Yencho), and was outscored 13-1 down the stretch. Navy pulled away for good with 2:40 left to play, when Membreno followed an Audrey Bauer three-pointer with a triple of her own to put the Midshipmen up 4539. The Eagles missed their final nine shots, allowing Navy to pick up the 47-40 victory and earn the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. ttomea@theeagleonline. com
With just over two weeks until the start of the 2011 MLB regular season, let’s take a look at the Washington Nationals’ players who are looking to lead their team to its first winning season since Nationals Park was built in 2005. Perhaps the two most talked about names this offseason were Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth. Obviously, the Nationals thought that Werth was worth a lot, as they signed the 31-year-old to a sevenyear, $126 million deal. As my esteemed colleague Tyler Tomea pointed out in January, if you’re a Nationals fan, you’re probably wondering why your team just spent $126 million on a player who averages 25 home runs, 85 RBIs and bats .272. If you’re Werth, you get a lot of money. Looking at Harper, he isn’t likely to crack the opening day roster and isn’t even assured of getting a “cup of coffee” in the big leagues as a late-season call-up. Even though Harper has tremendous power, he needs to learn the ins and outs of facing big league pitching. Sticking with the outfield, the Nationals should have a somewhat competent outfield going into 2011. Werth is going to play right field, while Nyjer Morgan plays center, and Roger Bernadina plays left. Morgan, who is more known for his temper than his playing, flashes the athleticism to make a few highlight reel plays in the outfield. As a hitter, Morgan’s strength is mostly in the speed department, as he posted 34 stolen bases in 2010. The best word to describe Bernadina would be raw. He has the athleticism to play any position in the outfield. He hasn’t been able to put it all together for a successful season. The Nats brought in ex-Royals outfielder Rick Ankiel, who can play both
corner outfield positions, as well as provide some offense off the bench. The star of the Nationals continues to be Ryan Zimmerman. Fans should expect nothing less than an all-star performance from Zimmerman. He projects to be the Nats leader in every offensive category excluding steals, and a 30-home run season could be in the works. Perhaps the National most poised to breakout is shortstop Ian Desmond. But like many other Nationals, Desmond needs to refine his game, as his 34 errors in 2010 are not going to sit well with any manager. To Desmond’s left will be Danny Espinosa. He only played in 28 games last season, but he made them count, hitting six home runs and driving in 15 runs. First base will be manned by another Adam, just not Adam Dunn, as Adam LaRoche was signed this offseason to fill the hole left by Dunn’s departure. While LaRoche does not possess the power Dunn has, he is still capable offensively and should hit around 25 homers and could flirt with 90 RBIs. Defensively, LaRoche is a minor upgrade over Dunn. The most heated battle throughout spring training has to be at catcher. Ivan Rodriguez is no longer the answer, and having a 39-yearold behind the plate is never a good thing. The likely backup is Jesus Flores, who won’t be a defensive or offensive liability, but isn’t great. Flores is the likely stopgap until Wilson Ramos is ready. Ramos and Flores are fairly equal in offensive capability, but Ramos is certainly better defensively. The big thing for Ramos to learn is how to be a better receiver and call a better game. There is obvious talent on the Nationals this year, the only question is whether these talented pieces will fall into place. sports@theeagleonline.com