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By SARAH RUDNICK Eagle Staff Writer
ZOMBIE CULTURE
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the EAGLE 252 Mary Graydon Center 4400 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 Newsroom: 202-885-1402 Advertising: 202-885-1414, x3 Fax: 202-885-1428 E-mail: editor@theeagleonline.com Classifieds: adbox@theeagleonline.com
VOLUME 84 n ISSUE 29
More try for law, master’s degrees
BURIED SECRETS
How the undead can teach us to resist a thoughtless society
JANUARY 21, 2010
Courtesy of MCT CAMPUS
AID IN CRISIS — The AU community is making an effort to help the victims of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti on Tuesday, Jan. 12. As many as 200,000 people may have been killed in the earthquake and large parts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, were destroyed.
AU races to aid Haiti By JULIA RYAN Eagle Staff Writer In the wake of Haiti’s devastating earthquake last week, the AU community is coming out in support and organizing numerous events and fundraisers to benefit the victims of the disaster. Haiti experienced a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Jan. 12, which destroyed much of the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Between 50,000 and 200,000 people were killed in the quake, according to The Washington Post. The U.S. military plans to send at least 10,000 troops to the country, and President Barack Obama has pledged $100 million in initial earthquake relief funds, according to the Post President Neil Kerwin addressed AU’s response to the crisis in a memo sent to the AU community on Jan. 15. At least a dozen Haitian students and several faculty and staff members at AU have been
affected by the earthquake, according to the memo. The administration will do everything it can to help students affected by the earthquake, said Kerwin’s Chief of Staff David Taylor. “Almost every school and college at AU has helped out its own students affected by the earthquake,” Taylor said. “We’re trying to remind everyone that we have students at AU from Haiti, and we are trying to make it known to those Haitian students that AU is here to help you.” Taylor said the administration will continue to update AU’s Web site with more information about where AU students can go to get more information or to donate money to the earthquake victims. “In a time like this, people are hungry for information,” Taylor said. “We’re hoping to give people an outlet to help out and be informed on a local, national and international level.”
Sabri Ben Achour, a reporter at AU-owned public radio station WAMU 88.5, arrived in Port-auPrince this week aboard the USNS Comfort and is keeping listeners updated on the situation. According to Kay Summers, WAMU’s director of Marketing and Communications, Achour arranged the trip himself. Summers said Achour will pay particular attention to how the crisis affects D.C. “His reports will have a local angle because, in addition to reporting on the crisis, Achour will be looking for Haitians with relatives living in D.C.,” Summers said. AU students also found ways to lend a hand and spread information about the quake. Josh Linder, a junior in the School of International Service, recently established an AU chapter of the Global Haiti Initiative. According to Linder, the club was started over a year ago by his friend at Florida State University to pro-
mote awareness for Haiti’s development issues. Linder had been slowly working on establishing an AU chapter for some time, but the earthquake inspired him to get things going more quickly. Though the AU chapter of the Global Haiti Initiative has not yet been officially recognized on campus, Linder said he plans to expand the group in the near future. “I am still looking for creative and passionate individuals who would like to make difference and be a part of something great,” Linder said. Naisha Silva, a sophomore in the Kogod School of Business and the president of the AU student group Caribbean Circle, said her group is also very involved in AU’s relief efforts for the Haitian earthquake victims. Silva and her fellow members have had a vested interest in this cause from the start because of their connections to Haiti. n
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The number of enrolled graduate students has increased, according to AU’s Academic Data Reference Book, making it part of a nationwide surge of applicants in a struggling job market. All across the country, interest in graduate programs and law schools has spiked due to the economic recession. The reference book indicates that from 2002 to spring 2009 the number of AU part- and full-time graduate students, including masters and doctorate, have increased from 3,507 to 3,789 students — about a 9 percent boost. Curiosity in a graduate degree from the School of Communication has particularly increased among recent college graduates, according to the Director of Graduate Admissions for SOC Sharmeen Ahsan-Bracciale. While the journalism program is “not at the same level of popularity as it was a few years ago,” there has been a lot of interest in the public communications degree, Ahsan-Bracciale said. Regarding the School of Public Affairs, the recent election of President Obama has ignited a fresh interest in government work, Ahsan-Bracciale said. However, from fall 2006 to spring 2009, the Washington College of Law’s number of enrolled students dropped almost 10 percent — from 1,529 to 1,455, according to the reference book. Although the WCL enrollment numbers have not grown, the number of Americans taking the Law School Admissions Test rose 20 percent this October from October 2008, according to a report in the New York Times. The recession did have an n
see GRAD SCHOOLon page 4
AUTO program H&D reconsiders lottery stalls, revamps By ETHAN KLAPPER Eagle Staff Writer
By CHARLIE SZOLD Eagle Staff Writer In his freshman year Seth Cutter, then-future president of the Student Government, took a trip with the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program. Two AUTO vans, filled with students, were driving to a campsite in Maryland when one of the vans broke down, stranding half of the group. “In retrospect, it highlighted the issues with AUTO,” Cutter said. “The users didn’t know who to call if it broke down, and there was confusion at the university about who was liable to go get the van.” Eventually, the second van doubled back and picked up the stranded students. Someone from the university retrieved the van for repairs the next day. After years of similar stories — of students being left stranded in dangerous areas, of vans breaking down mid-trip, of inconsistent service from SG officials — the program was suspended at the end of last semester in an attempt to allow SG officials and administrators to fix the AUTO program. The suspension is temporary and vans will hopefully be available as soon as the end of January, but AU bureaucracy could hold up the reintroduction of AUTO, according to
MacCracken. “I know that the drafts of the policies will be ready on our end,” he said. “When you’re at AU, you seem to sprint a 100 meters so you can wait for a few days to run again. That’s kind of what we’re dealing with right now, and it’s unfortunate.” Ultimately, the decision to suspend the program rested with AUTO Commissioner Nicholas Russotto, although he was in close consultation with other SG officials, including MacCracken, Student Activities Adviser Jarrod MacNeil and Director of Risk Management Tony Newman. “We all agreed that the program needed serious rehabilitation to continue functioning,” Russotto said in an e-mail. “I had their full support in my decision.” When Russotto was first appointed AUTO commissioner, he was struck by the amount of work needed. “New policies needed to be drafted, vans needed to be sent to maintenance, the [online reservation system] AgileFleet was clotted with reservations from years past that had never been appropriately cleared out,” he said. “Shutting down the program seemed to be the only option.” MacCracken, Russotto and other administration officials are hoping to mitigate future problems by writing n
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Housing and Dining Programs may drop an experimental plan to give students who sign an 11 1/2 month lease priority for Nebraska Hall in next month’s housing lottery, the department’s executive director, Chris Moody, said Tuesday. Students seeking an 11 1/2 month lease for AU’s block of apartments in the Berkshire apartments will still receive priority in the lottery. Additionally, Housing and Dining will still offer the 11 1/2 month leases for Nebraska, but with no priority in the lottery, Moody said. “The goal of the 11 1/2 month lease is to see if we can rent more units at the Berks,” he said. This potential change in plans comes after Housing and Dining announced major changes to on-campus housing that will begin with the fall 2010 semester. The spots in the Berks and Nebraska are among 400 that are reserved for upperclassmen, who will now have to participate in a lottery to receive space. A final decision about the plan will be made by Feb. 1, according to Moody. “We’re having conversations within our staff,” he said. Student Government President Andy MacCracken said he is glad Moody is considering the change. “I think in general, this 11 1/2 month lease — and having priority
in the lottery — is just not favorable to students,” he said. “People who can afford to have that lease have a distinct advantage in the lottery.” More students should have been consulted by Housing and Dining Programs to help decide where to move housing for certain student groups, MacCracken said Sunday. Speaking at a joint meeting of the Undergraduate Senate’s Campus Life and Programming and Students Rights Committees, he said he did not expect all of the changes to the housing plan to happen at once. “I’m surprised by the fact that they went ahead and made those decisions at the same time, in terms of changing where people could live, making Letts all freshman housing and moving Hughes to being all honors [by the fall of 2011],” he said. “… I think that could have had more of a campus dialogue involved.” At the meeting, MacCracken offered more direct criticism of the plan than he had in the past. Shortly after the new plan was announced to resident students via e-mail on Jan. 4, MacCracken responded to questions on the “Loyal Opposition to American University’s New Stance on Student Housing” Facebook group. “I don’t defend or represent [Housing and Dining’s] decision, but only wish to help more people understand the effort that went behind [the recent changes],” he wrote. “I will do all I can to make this process as inclusive and helpful for any upperclassmen wish-
ing to return to AU housing or who want to go find off-campus housing.” But in an interview Tuesday, MacCracken said that his attitude about the plan really had not changed. “Even in my discussions with Chris [Moody] and [Vice President of Campus Life] Dr. [Gail] Hanson when all this was going down, I raised concern about the issues of moving people around on campus,” he said. Kent Hiebel, a member of the Student Honors Board and the SG’s director of communications, said that the board was creating a survey to distribute to the honors community about the changes. He said there were concerns that the honors community would become “too isolated.” The goal of the meeting was to discuss ideas for legislation that Seth Rosenstein, class of 2012 senator and chair of the Campus Life and Programming Committee, hopes to bring to the full Senate within a few weeks. But, Rosenstein said, Housing and Dining is going forward with the plan, and the SG is limited in scope with what they can do. “I realize we can’t change things,” he said. “But perhaps we can propose things in addition to what’s already been planned such as incentives, or something along those lines, something that can make the transition easier for those students who are affected.” Absent from the lightly attended meeting were Moody, who said he n
see HOUSING on page 2
the EAGLE
JANUARY 21, 2010
news 2
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Al Jazeera English D.C. Launch 6 - 8 p.m. WHERE: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. N.W. METRO: U St./African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (yellow and green lines) INFO: Avi Lewis, the co-host of Al Jazeera English’s news program “Fault Lines,” invites audience members and Al Jazeera English newscasters to discuss the state of the world one year into the Obama presidency. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-787-5277.
Haiti Benefit Concert 8 p.m. WHERE: Iota Club & Café, 2832 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, Va. METRO: Clarendon (orange line) INFO: Dozens of local performers raise money for Red Cross relief efforts, including Brother Shamus, Tom McBride, Taylor Carson, the Walkaways and No Second Troy. COST: $10 CONTACT: For more information, call 703-522-8340.
Author Event: Greg Kats 1 p.m. WHERE: Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W. METRO: L1 or L2 bus from Van Ness (red line) INFO: Kats details his extensive analysis of “green community development” and green initiatives by faithbased organizations. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-364-1919.
Stand-up Comedy: Robert Klein 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Birchmere Music Hall, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va. METRO: Braddock Road (blue and yellow lines) INFO: New York native Robert Klein brings his comedy tour to the Birchmere Music Hall. COST: $35 CONTACT: For more information, call 703-549-7500.
Exhibit: “Since Darwin — The Evolution of Evolution” 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily WHERE: National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W. METRO: Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines) INFO: The museum celebrates the father of evolution’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his groundbreaking work, “The Origin of Species,” with an examination of the role Darwin’s theories have played in unifying the biological sciences. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-633-1000.
Open Rehearsal — American Ballet Theatre 1:30 p.m. WHERE: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. N.W. METRO: Foggy Bottom-GWU (blue and orange lines) INFO: Get an inside look at the preparation that goes into a ballet production. COST: $12 CONTACT: For more information, call 202-467-4600.
THE QUICK TAKE Reading this may or may not make you more informed about your surroundings. Unbeknownst to many, in 1998 D.C. voters did some college students a solid by approving a referendum legalizing medical marijuana. Congress blocked the bill from taking effect until last year, and now the D.C. Council is trying to shepherd through a bill approving the necessary logistics to establish pot-dispensaries in the District. While details still need to be worked out — such as what exactly ‘medical’ means — it seems the bill has the votes needed to pass, according to the DCist, a D.C.-focused blog. If it does pass, D.C. would become the 15th jurisdiction in the U.S. to allow medical marijuana, but only the sixth jurisdiction to actually dispense the herb. Since marijuana is so difficult to acquire at AU, this news is sure to be rejoiced by THChounds. D.C. now has the three things every semi-well-adjusted, yet nerdy high schooler could ever dream of: politics, members of the opposite (or same) sex and legalized drug usage. Down at George Washington University, the party has started early. The school received 20,475 applications, a 3 percent increase from last year, according to the GW Hatchet. Despite the increase in applications, GW will admit the same number of applicants as always, leading to a higher selectivity percentage. Preliminary research by The Eagle shows that those students lucky enough to get into GW will pay much more money for an education comparatively similar to the one students get at AU. Really horrendous news for lovers of free Internet content — The New York Times, the top-rated newspaper-owned news site, has announced it will start charging for content on its Web site. Using a “metered” model, which allows users a specific number of free reads a month before charging for content, will “create a second revenue stream and preserve its robust advertising business,” according to a press release from the Times. These so-called paywalls are
gaining in popularity. Rupert Murdoch of Fox News fame announced last year that he would begin instituting paywalls for content on his news Web sites. The popular Hulu.com, a Web site which streams new T.V. shows, will also be switching to a paid model as soon as this year. Whether crafty college students will abide by these flimsy restrictions is yet to be seen. Speaking of flimsy walls, the White House gate-crashing Salahi couple appeared before a House subcommittee Wednesday. The couple pleaded the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions. In an interview with the Loudoun Times-Mirror last week, Tareq Salahi said the committee hearing would be “truly ... a historic moment. Not since the 1950s has Congress held hearings of such a historic nature.” Since 1950, Congress has held hearings on ‘un-historic’ things such as President Richard Nixon’s misconduct in the White House, the CIA’s dirty tricks during the 60s and 70s, President Bill Clinton’s penchant for young interns and the 9/11 attacks on the United States. The Salahi’s are insane, but not nearly as insane as the decision to strike pork from Salsa’s menu over winter break. That pork was delicious, possibly nutritious and cheaper than Chipotle. The Quick Take demands to know why pork was removed from the menu. What have they done for me lately? Students in the Washington Semester Program partnered with some local organizations to help clean up trash that was accumulating around Tenleytown. Ten students, led by Professor Katharine Kravetz, helped 30 other volunteers in picking up over 35 bags of trash. If you, or your group, have done anything for anyone lately, let The Eagle know with a quick e-mail detailing who you are and what you have done. We’ll publish the best every Thursday in this section. Send pictures along too, if you’re feeling fancy. -CHARLIE SZOLD
METRO BRIEF MARRIAGE REFERENDUM DENIED The people of the District do not have the right to put gay marriage up to a voters’ referendum in D.C., according to a Superior Court ruling by Judge Judith N. Macaluso. So far three rulings - two from the Board of Elections and Ethics and one, most recently, from the Superior court - have said such a referendum would violate the Human Rights Act of 1977, which aims to halt discrimination against minority groups. Bishop Harry Jackson, a pastor at Hope Christian Church, and his attorneys plan to appeal the decision and take the case to a higher court, according to The Washington Post. Sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and Director of AU Democrats for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Maggie Campbell said she hopes the courts will continue to rule against the referendum. “Having seen the devastating results of a successful people’s referendum against marriage equality, I am hopeful that the people of Washington will not have to fight that battle,” Campbell said. “Any popular vote on human rights is unfair and wrong; our representatives are elected to make decisions in our best interest and I believe they have done exactly that in this situation.” A previous 1995 case in the district, Dean v. District of Columbia, allowed a ban on marriage to stand, concluding that it did not violate the Human Rights Act. But so far, this previous decision has not acted as a precedent for the more recent rulings. Congress is currently undergoing a 30-day review of the marriage equality bill. If the bill passes through Congress it will go into immediate effect according to Mafara Hobson, director of the Office of Communications for Mayor Adrian Fenty. -ASHLEY DEJEAN n
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had plans for the holiday weekend, and Courtney Klamar, president of the Residence Hall Association. The SG could help suggest ideas to Housing and Dining based on the discussions that took place at the meeting, MacCracken said. “Just the very process of dis-
cussing it, I think we’re doing a good job of just trying to figure out things that might not have been approached by Housing and Dining,” he said. You can reach this staff writer at eklapper@theeagleonline.com.
PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE
ROASTING AWAY THE DAY — In the coming months, the Davenport Coffee Lounge will move to a new location in the soon-to-be-finished School of International Service building. Some customers and employees of the cafe said they are worried this upgraded locale will not have the same character.
Changes brew for Dav By ALLIE MOONEY Eagle Contributing Writer The Davenport Coffee Lounge, or the Dav, as it is referred to by many of its loyal customers, is set to move to the new School of International Service building from its current location at the end of the spring semester. Rebecca Regan, the manager of the lounge, said moving will help the Dav maintain its connection with SIS when the school moves to the new building. “The Davenport has always been associated with SIS,” she said. “It’s been a haven for students. It’s always been a symbol. I think they wanted to keep it connected with the school.” However, the move is raising some questions by customers and staff about whether the ambiance of the Dav can be replicated in the new space. The Dav’s marble coffee tables were once the altar of the Methodist church which previously used the space, and the door is reminiscent of its past as the entranceway to the
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down official policies for the first time. MacCracken hopes that publishing an actual policy manual — which does not yet exist — will make transitions between SG administrations and commissioners smoother, leading to less controversy on the personnel side of the AUTO program. Russotto listed other changes and improvements to the AUTO program. Monetary punishments will be charged to those who break AUTO policy; the billing system will now be by the hour, not by the mile, and vans will be cleaned and fixed. Garmin GPS may also be available for rent. The temporary shutdown has left many clubs seeking alternatives for how to continue functioning without vans. Donald Curtis, the coordinator of Operations and Programs at the Community Service Center, said that many service organizations, such as DC Reads and Facilitating Leadership in Youth are struggling to get to where they need to go. The Center is now relying on one van and Metro to transport students. “We have multiple sites for the or-
church. Jane Dempsey, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences who says she visits the Dav three to four times a week, said she is concerned about the move. She said she visits the coffee lounge for the atmosphere. “It would be nice to keep the old, used-bookstore feel,” she said. As for maintaining the atmosphere, Regan said there are plans to take the map, historic tables and some of the books to the new location. She added that the employees are also hoping the door will be taken over, but obstacles such as the sheer weight threatens whether that will became a reality. Carolyn Wilson, a senior in CAS and the School of Public Affairs, said she is indifferent to the move. “I don’t come to the Dav often because there’s no place to sit,” she said. “We would be losing the historical basis of the Davenport being an old location since it was a Methodist Church. It’s kind of sad, but if the new Dav is bigger that would be
a positive.” Regan said an improvement of the Dav in its new location is more seating space. “The new place is going to be more efficient with simple stuff like the line,” she said. “There’s going to be two entrances, an entrance from SIS and one from outside. There’s going be outdoor patio space, which will provide more seating but we don’t want a big space.” Alexandra Langton, a barista at the Dav, said the new location will be able to better serve customers. “We’ll be able have space to grind our own beans and sell coffee by pound,” she said, an option not available in the current location. About 20 to 25 people will be able to be seated in the new lounge, according to Regan. There will also be new coffee-making equipment, including a new espresso machine. “There’s going to be much more space as far as individual seats go for people to sit down but the space itself will be able to hold relatively the same amount of people,” Regan said.
The new Dav location will also be taking on some of the eco-friendly qualities typified by the new SIS building, she said. “A really cool thing is that the water that’s going to be circulated through our espresso machine and our coffee brewer is all going to be solar heated,” Regan said. The power will be provided by one of the many solar panels on the roof of the building, one of which is exclusively for the Dav.” The new location is expected to be fully operational by this summer. While there will be some changes, those in control of planning out the new lounge recognize the important elements that keep AU students coming back. “We’re going to keep it as much like this Davenport as we can,” Reagan said. “It’s still going to be student run, and be hopefully the same feel. It’s what we’re going for.”
ganizations,” he said. “Some of them need the [Community Service Center] van at the same time on the same night. It’s frustrating.” In response to the continuing problems with AUTO, some club members and AU students have wondered whether it would be better for students if the administration took a larger role in running the program. Cutter said that there are pros and cons to both sides. “From a student perspective, as a user, having dedicated staff would really streamline the process,” he said. “But the program also gives invaluable experience to students in running a business.” Russotto agreed that greater administration control would eliminate time delay and “missed connections.” However, “AUTO is a branch of the Student Government and I think that, with much more staff oversight, the risk is run of making it an ‘administration’ program with student advisory, rather than vice versa.” AUTO already works within the framework of the administration. The policies are written by the SG but must be approved by the Office
of Risk Management since the vans and other assets belong to the university, according to MacCracken. SG Treasurer Alan Chang said part of the problem was the SG’s decision to allow club sports to use the van, overextending the program and burdening the vans. MacCracken and Cutter both said the problems with AUTO are nothing new.
“I was talking to one of my predecessors about 10 years removed and were lamenting the same problems about AUTO,” MacCracken said. “The problems have been there for a long time.”
You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this staff writer at cszold@theeagleonline.com.
Megabytes Café Now Introducing….!!
Falafel sandwich Comes With: Tzatziki Sauce, Onion, Tomato, Parsley
Next to Chevy Chase Bank (In the Tunnel)
EDITORIAL
JANUARY 21, 2010
JOE WENNER n Editorial Page Editor EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com
JEN CALANTONE n Editor in Chief Editor@TheEagleOnline.com
Think blue, act red THE STONE TABLET
ISAAC STONE During his trip to Copenhagen last month, President Barack Obama was not able to achieve all he had hoped. Instead of a legally binding contract, the outcome was a nonbinding agreement to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050. Yet the president was optimistic. “This is a classic example of a situation where if we just waited ... then we would not make any progress,” he said. This is typical Obama. Throughout his first year in office and his presidential campaign, he highlighted compromise. But instead of talking to the other side — Republicans — Obama could give some advice to his fellow Democrats. The Democratic Party is notorious for being — pardon my bluntness — stubborn as a mule. Ironically, this is also the party that takes pride in its broadmindedness. Yet Democrats have been unable to move forward with legislation because of infighting. In politics, it is rare to get 100 percent of what you want. However much one needs to compromise though, a partial victory is always better than no victory at all. Obama understands this. Republicans understand this. Congressional Democrats — for the most part — simply don’t get it. Take the 2009 health care debates. The Democrats had a perfect opportunity to push the most important piece of progressive health legislation since the Social Security Act of 1965. What should have evoked a painless consensus among Democratic interests — not to mention millions of uninsured Americans — exploded into a free-for-all of bickering and overwrought party politics. In one corner were the Blue Dog Democrats, unhappy with the amount of spending. On the other were the left-wing single-payer supporters, determined to achieve the health care system of Canada and
Great Britain. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a recipient of major insurance industry donations, basically wrote an entirely new bill. After a series of compromise revisions, progressives were even more unhappy and, in an effort spearheaded by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, threatened to “kill the bill.” Now compare this to congressional arguments regarding the invasion of Iraq during President Bush’s first term. Surely conservative Republicans thought the military strategy too weak. Surely moderate Republicans cautioned against the invasion and expressed their views openly and loudly. No. The Republicans — and most of the Democrats for that matter — stood solidly behind their president. The same was true during the health care debates, when Republicans all marched in lockstep with the party line against universal health care. Ironically, they rarely challenged any actual legislation; the opposition mainly consisted of shouting key phrases such as “death panels” and “socialism,” with no agenda other than to provide a roadblock for Obama. But it is impossible to deny their effect; the Democrats had to consistently water-down the bill, yet when the house vote finally came in November, only one Republican representative — Louisiana’s Joseph Cao — voted “yes.” An open exchange of ideas is always a good idea, as formalized in our system of checks and balances. Yet with the new year having just started and midterm elections being only months away, it is important for the Democratic Party to become a stronger, more resolute political entity. If they wish to see their party successful in the coming years, they should not fall back on their divisiveness but instead revert to the united spirit that carried Obama to the White House. Isaac Stone is a sophomore in the School of International Service and the College of Arts and Sciences and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
Surviving the zombies IMPORTANCE OF IGNORANCE
IAN HOSKING How do you kill a zombie? “Shoot it in the head,” says my roommate. Faced with armies of the undead, he is surprisingly calm. And why shouldn’t he be? Zombieism, it would seem, has become a part of this American life. Today’s college student has grown up surrounded by stories of post-apocalyptic survivors waging impromptu war against lifeless hordes. The zombie menace is alive and well in the dorm rooms of America, and its popularity is a sign that our generation might just have a fighting chance as it enters a near thoughtless society. Fundamental to the zombie genre is the ubiquitous failure of authority. The zombies attack because the planners erred, the politicians blundered, and the police were simply overrun by waves of the kidney-chewing horrors. Abandoned by the protectors meant to shield him from harm, the common man is left to rely on himself. Heroism versus the zombie hordes is made of resilience, determination, ingenuity and intelligence pitted against an endless sea of unthinking monsters. Fans of the genre have always witnessed these virtues on the screen, and now video games have made this experience a personal one. Like my roommate, an entire generation of game-players and movie-goers know that when the dead walk the earth, they are their own best hope for survival. That millions of young Americans are ready for the zombie apocalypse bodes well for the future. Even more frightening than decomposing ghouls out for blood is the endless tide of mindless legislation clawing at We The People. Insisting that we must be protected from ourselves, the powerful have saddled us all with nanny-like laws ranging from the obscene (an expensive and deadly War on Drugs)
to the obese (absurd bans of trans fats and even salt). There are quite literally millions of these behavior controls, and they only make us more thoughtless by the day. This is the true threat we as a generation face: the grinding, bureaucratic elimination of our ability to think independently. Cheese cannot be called Swiss without holes of a specific diameter, according to the FDA, and the FCC will not allow certain naughty words to be heard on broadcast television. Marriage, gay or straight, is somehow the business of white-haired Senators, and now the District of Columbia has decided to put a tax on shopping bags. No one is allowed to decide what to eat, think or do for themselves. Our generation has been told that it must be kept safe from itself. The authorities, infamous for their failure to defend against the undead, attack the individual with a more malicious contagion than any virus: paternalism. Convinced that free individuals are incapable of making good decisions for themselves, they have removed that ability from all of the people. This is not a matter of a single issue or even a single ideology. If a life is defined by the choices each person makes, we are all in danger of losing the ability to shape our own lives. As college students struggling already to discover who we are, this is unacceptable. When free will, for better or worse, is taken away, we become little more than zombies ourselves. It is the great fortune of our generation that we have been raised to fight zombieism in all its forms. Like the screen heroes of apocalypses past, our hope to live on as free and thinking people rests on our ability to reject failed authority and determine our own destinies. The best weapon against this real-life zombification is BRAAAAIIINNNS. Ian Hosking is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs the College of Arts and Sciences and an ignorant columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@ theeagleonline.com.
Driven to the edge
JOE CORCORAN / THE EAGLE
With the AUTO program in shambles, Commissioner Nicholas Russotto has decided to briefly suspend operations. The Eagle applauds the move as a step in the right direction. What started as an innovative and much-needed student program has now become the embodiment of administrative mismanagement. While AUTO’s fleet might have impressed in years past, what remains is an ill-equipped flock of vans in desperate need of repairs and modern niceties such as GPS systems. Many AU students tell horror stories of vans breaking down and feeling helpless, leaving riders stranded on the shoulder of the Beltway. Clearly, improvements should have stood out to Student Government officials. Yet some leadership has been lackluster. In less than one year, there have been three AUTO commissioners, two of which have tendered their resignations early. This lack of continuity, coupled with mounting troubles had pushed the AUTO program to the epitome of dysfunction. But before the program can meet its seemingly inevita-
ble, messy end, SG President Andy MacCracken and AUTO Commissioner Nicholas Russotto have utilized the only viable option: pressing the pause button. By indefinitely suspending AUTO operations, the SG has begun to take the steps necessary to repair a vital institution. While past administrations have idled as AUTO continued to fall into disarray, MacCracken and Russotto should be commended for their initiative. They have inherited a broken program, but rather than continue to pass it along to successive SG administrations, they intend to — at the least — make AUTO functional again. This temporary stop on activity is the right move. Only a pause in operations will allow for the needed changes to occur. All vans can now receive needed repairs at once. Moreover, Russotto plans to form an AUTO man-
ual, outlining the proper actions to be taken in the case of an accident or other situations that may arise. When these issues — in addition to payment and reservation concerns — are resolved, AU will have the efficient program its students deserve. More than simply addressing the superficial problems with AUTO, the SG needs to fix the management of the system. Consistent neglect of the program by past AUTO commissioners has proven that AUTO cannot be effectively run by the SG alone. When it comes to the future of the program, The Eagle believes that MacCracken and Russotto should seek to forge an extensive SG-AU administration partnership — perhaps through the specific hiring of an AUTO administrator. If not, the program will be run in a similar manner as it has in the past. And doing the same thing while expecting a differ-
ent outcome is the definition of insanity. It is regrettable that so many student activities dependent on AUTO for transportation must now scramble to continue operating as normal. And perhaps better notification from SG officials would have been beneficial. Still, this angst caused by a temporary suspension in AUTO operations highlights the ultimate importance of this program. If AUTO had simply been allowed to continue its ugly fall, AU and its student groups would have been left with a permanent lack of usable transportation. Therefore, The Eagle praises Russotto and MacCracken’s decision to momentarily halt AUTO. We encourage them to further work with the AU administration in order to completely and competently strengthen this program so crucial to university students.
Answering the call for aid As the world remains captivated by the immense suffering in Haiti, AU students have wasted no time in organizing their own relief efforts. Though the Haitian earthquake struck thousands of miles from AU, its effects have rippled through the campus community and incited an especially strong showing of support among students. The Caribbean Circle Club has already organized various aid events, including a clothing and food drive, and the yetunrecognized AU chapter of the Global Haiti Initiative, though in its infancy, has also pledged additional support.
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The students and organizations responsible for orchestrating these advances should be commended for their initiative and drive to improve the lives of those struck by this terrible tragedy. During the coming days and weeks, students should stay attuned to practical ways in which they can help — both within and outside of the AU community. The D.C. area is also laden with opportunities for students to help out, often in less typically
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thought-of ways. These options are copious if students keep their eyes and ears open. Consider going to a “concert for a cause.” Think about texting “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross. There are plenty of ways they may offer assistance without necessarily donating clothes or running a food drive. These events can be fun, especially if they become social outings. The most important thing to remember is this: the next few
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weeks will be full of opportunities to offer assistance, but given the nature of the crisis and the lack of infrastructure in Haiti, recovery will be more of an odyssey than a sonnet. Campus community members should do their best to maintain their support past the point of daily news headlines and continue to donate their time and effort when the opportunities arise in the future.
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JANUARY 21, 2010
news 4
Green MBA proposed By SARAH PARNASS Eagle Staff Writer The Kogod Council voted Tuesday in favor of establishing a new graduate degree program in sustainability management, marking a milestone in creating such a program at AU. The Master of Science in Sustainability Management program would prepare graduate students at the business school to create environmentally and socially sound business practices, according to Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Kogod School of Business Kathleen Getz. The Coca-Cola Company’s concerns about conserving water while maintaining a financially profitable product is an example of where this degree could help in the real world, according to Director of the Kogod Center for Career Development Arlene Hill. The 36-credit program would require four business courses, two science courses, two policy courses and one interdisciplinary systems course, Getz said. The new degree program still requires further approval before being incorporated into the curriculum, including that of the provost and the Board of Trustees, according to Getz.
Getz led the promotion of this program along with faculty members from each school at AU because graduate students in the proposed program would have to take courses in all schools. Kogod Dean Richard Durand said he was enthusiastic about the program. “We think by putting this all together — the international perspective, the communication perspective, the science perspective and the business perspective and public policy — we’ll have a pretty interesting … certainly highly differentiated program,” Durand said. Kogod was not the first school to consider a sustainability program. The Columbia School of Continuing Education at Columbia University also added a Master of Science in Sustainability Management degree to their curriculum in November 2009, according to The Columbia Spectator. Columbia’s program is also based on a 36-credit system with studies including public policy and environmental science, but it does not include a communications aspect, according to the university’s Web site. Based on her knowledge of career development, Hill said she recognized the potential for sustainability-focused positions in
the future business world. A graduate from this degree program would be able to balance environmental concerns and profitability, according to Hill. “Ultimately, companies will not necessarily want to go and do something that is sort of sustainable unless there’s an economic motive,” Hill said. “And why I think our sustainability degree will be so good is it’s looking at this business problem with that lens … I think that to not look at sustainability is to be very shortsighted.” First-year Master of Business Administration student at Kogod Chimwemwe Ngwenya said anything related to sustainability would be a good step for the school to take. “I think it’s in the business world that a lot of decisions get made, so if [leaders of industry] could be made to focus on sustainability and issues like that, it would go a bit further,” Ngwenya said. Getz anticipated that graduate students could begin the new master’s program in the fall of 2010. You can reach this staff writer at sparnass@theeagleonline.com.
KELSEY DICKEY / THE EAGLE
BOOK WORM — University Librarian Bill Mayer, a self-proclaimed Grateful Dead fan, ushered in many projects and changes to Bender Library, including the reconstruction of the first floor, the installation of security cameras and a new double-sided printing policy.
‘Dead head’ brings Bender Library to life By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Contributing Writer
Courtesy of THE USACE
WHAT LIES BENEATH — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently unearthed a 75mm artillery shell next to the Public Safety building. The shell was found beneath a concrete slab four feet under the building’s lower entrance. President Neil Kerwin’s Chief of Staff David Taylor said the operation is “low probability.” This means that the dig will be conducted without any vapor or blast containment structures.
More ammo unearthed By CHRISTOPHER COTTRELL Eagle Staff Writer The Army Corps of Engineers unearthed more munitions debris next to the Public Safety building during this winter break. On Jan. 4, workers found a single 75mm round buried four feet underneath a concrete slab that they had removed in front of the building’s lower entrance, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Dan Noble. Although heavily corroded and empty, the projectile was still largely intact. Noble said the round was a “closed cavity item,” or had an internal space that was totally sealed off. Such items undergo an X-ray and, if determined to be empty, a subsequent destruction process eliminating potential trace chemicals. David Taylor, President Neil Kerwin’s chief of staff, confirmed that the operation around Public Safety remains “low probability,” meaning it will be conducted without a vapor or blast containment structure in place and without a safety boundary established. Noble’s team decided to investigate under the pathway leading to the lower entrance after initial investigations in the area revealed high levels of metals in the soil, he said. Noble also mentioned that the
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impact on the decision of Ladan Nekoomaram, a graduate student in SOC, to go back to school, she said. After graduating from DePauw University in 2009, she decided she would go back to school immediately to learn the skills she thought she needed to be a journalist. “I graduated in a time where the economy was really bad and I figured it would be hard to get a job in a failing industry,” Nekoomaram said. “I figured the best bet for now would be to hold off looking for a job and getting a masters in a town where I want to work.” The economy acted as a catalyst for her decision, but regardless she would have pur-
Corps had consulted the university administration to determine a time period that would be appropriate. Safety regulations require the Public Safety building to have at least two open entrances, and the ongoing “Lot 18” investigation, the area under construction behind the building, forced workers to wait until the back entrance was made accessible before they could continue out front. Since the onset of its “Lot 18” investigation, the Corps has uncovered “tons and tons” of debris, according to Noble. This has included everything from inconsequential laboratory glassware to a bottle of lewisite, a blister agent with an LD50, or median lethal dose, that is 100 times more potent than regular chemical agent mustard. Kent Slowinski, a community activist and former Restoration Advisory Board member, said recent work conducted by the Army Corps indicates a likelihood that the debris field around the Public Safety building extends underneath the building, because debris from the AU Experimental Station has been found behind and in front of it. Most of the debris items, however, have been regarded as harmless scraps, Noble said. At previous RAB meetings, Noble has said one option for the Corps to investigate underneath the Public Safety building would
sued a master’s degree eventually, she said. The numbers of applicants are not yet in for the current semester, according to the Director of Graduate Admissions in the School of International Service Amanda Taylor. It is difficult to say whether there has been a dramatic change during the latest semesters, as the application deadline just recently passed, she said. However, Taylor is not concerned about a shortage of applicants, as AU’s SIS graduate program is the most applied-to in the United States, she said. “I think I can definitely say we have a strong interest in SIS,” she said. Although it’s difficult to say whether changes in applicant
be a technique called horizontal drilling, which would allow the Corps to remove cylindrical soil samples from the earth under the building without disturbing the structure. Skeptics of this method have raised concerns at previous RAB meetings that the risk of the Corps potentially missing something is too high. Slowinski said he thought this type of drilling would be dangerous, especially if there were more munitions below the building. “First of all, you’re sampling blind,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re going to run into.” But Noble added that his team wants to finish all the digging around the building before commencing any further phases of their investigation. Taylor confirmed that the operation is “winding down,” but that debris collection is ongoing. Noble also dismissed any apprehension one might have about drilling horizontally under the building. “If we thought there was that kind of a hazard, we wouldn’t do horizontal drilling,” he said. “Based on everything we’ve found in the debris areas around the building ... we feel confident that we can drill through it.” You can reach this staff writer at ccottrell@theeagleonline.com.
numbers have varied due to the economy, they were distinctly amplified after 9/11, according to Taylor. Since then, more individuals have wanted to get involved in international service, and graduate degrees have become more crucial to the profession. Additionally, there have recently been individuals with finance degrees looking to apply themselves in a broader, international level, Taylor observed. “Our applications look healthy for the fall,” Taylor said. You can reach this staff writer at srudnick@theeagleonline.com.
When University Librarian Bill Mayer reads his daughter bedtime stories, she doesn’t tell him she wants to follow in his footsteps. Instead, 8-year-old Colby wants to be an AU cheerleader. “That means listening to Miley Cyrus and listening to Taylor Swift,” Mayer laughed. When he’s not singing along to Cyrus and Swift, Mayer serves as the University Librarian, a job he defines as full of meetings, phone calls, fundraising and relationship building. Since his 2007 arrival at AU, Mayer has led several changes and projects. Recent renovations to the library include the completion of the first floor construction, with new Reference and Circulation desks. Other programs include the culture and community series with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Jewish studies program and “Literary Lunchtimes” with the Master of Fine Arts program. Mayer has also instituted half-price double-sided printing that just took effect, where one double-sided sheet will cost 15 cents.
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“Numerous members of Caribbean Circle have been affected by the earthquake, both directly and indirectly,” Silva said. “I myself, as a Haitian-American, have been directly affected by the earthquake. I have seen streets that I used to drive through as a little girl sunk in debris. A palace that once stood strong, crumble into pieces, and faces, once shining with joy, now overshadowed with despair.”
Also, as a crime deterrent, security cameras were installed over winter break in areas of high traffic. A crime wave in fall 2008, when 14 laptops were stolen, prompted the camera installation, according to Mayer. New audio/video equipment was recently installed in the Mudbox for movie and gaming nights, he said. Mayer’s own audio preferences, however, include the Grateful Dead. The California native owns a recording of every concert the band ever played. “They are a major part of the fabric of my life,” he said. “I enjoyed their music, and I enjoyed the travels that I would go out on while following them around. I saw more parts of the country thanks to them than I would have otherwise.” Travel is a large part of Mayer’s life — he previously lived in California, upstate New York, Seattle, D.C., Colorado, parts of Europe and the Boston area. It was in Boston that Mayer found his love for libraries, as he, like his daughter, did not have library aspirations as a child. “I got into libraries honestly because I’d moved to Boston to be with my wife and I needed a job,” Mayer
said. He previously worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology library. It was there he discovered an “incredible feeling of value that would occur when I would connect people who needed information with what they needed.” Mayer received his Master of Library Science from Boston’s Simmons College. This love for libraries brought him to AU in 2007, and to his favorite Bender Library haunt: the lobby’s information desk. “That’s where you get to see everybody coming and going,” he said. “There are times where I like to just stand out there and see what’s happening.” Watching students, faculty and community members enter the building leads Mayer to compare the library to a university kitchen, as “everybody ends up here eventually.” But Mayer always ends his days with his daughter. Colby’s current favorite book is “The Cricket in Times Square” by George Selden.
Caribbean Circle will spend the entire spring 2010 semester helping victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The group is sponsoring a clothing and supplies drive starting on Jan. 20. Members of the group will be setting up donation boxes throughout campus for students to donate what they can. Today Caribbean Circle will be hosting a “Teach-In” at which AU faculty and students will have the opportunity to discuss the social, political and economic impact of the earthquake in Haiti.
Silva said she hopes the AU community will continue to support the victims of the earthquake in Haiti as they try to recover. “In this time of struggle we share not only this tragic experience, but more importantly, we share the comfort of hope - a hope inspired by the continuous efforts to rebuild Haiti,” Silva said.
You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this staff writer at jryan@theeagleonline.com.
JANUARY 21, 2010
THE EAGLE'S ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION
By OLIVIA STITILIS Eagle Staff Writer Local Washington, D.C. restaurants, venues and artists are wasting no time working toward aiding the victims of the recent Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti. Though one might associate humanitarian aid efforts only with organizations such
as UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross, more and more, the arts are making significant contributions to the direst of disasters around the world. From benefit concerts to restaurants and venues donating a portion of their profits to causes such as Hurricane Katrina relief or Barack Obama’s election campaign, it is without a doubt that the arts have morphed into one of the most prominent and most successful means of fundraising. Running every Wednesday through Feb. 10, the Lincoln Theatre on U Street will present “To Haiti with Love.” This special series will showcase performances orchestrated by the Young Haitian Professionals. The events will range from
those featuring visual arts and poets, as well as artists of all genres. According to The Washington Post, “the first event features African jazz singer Loide, funky keyboardist Federico Pena, West African group Farafina Kan, and hip-hop DJs Iwah and Cam Jus.” Admission to the events is a $20 donation and performances run every week from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. However, if dining out is more your forte, don’t fret: many of D.C.’s most acclaimed and exciting restaurants are donating a portion of their proceeds to the Red Cross. Through Feb. 19, restaurant owner Ashok Bajaj’s local eateries (including 701, Ardeo and Bardeo, Bibiana, the Bombay Club, the Oval Room and Rasika), will donate $1 to the Red
Cross for certain entrees and appetizers, according to the Post. These aren’t just any entrees, either. Chinatown’s 701 is offering the special donation whenever a customer orders the king crab salad and grilled branzino dish. Looking for something a little fancier? Look no further than The Oval Room located downtown near the Farragut West Metro stop. The Oval Room will donate for every order of roasted baby beets and butter poached lobster. Let’s not forget about all the D.C. music venues offering special deals and promotions to benefit Haiti. Even if you missed Wale’s special performance on Monday night at the 9:30 club, there are still plenty of opportunities to make a difference at some of your favorite spots this
coming month. However, the 9:30 club’s generosity certainly set the bar high — not only did 100 percent of the $20 ticket proceeds go to Yele (Wyclef Jean’s organization) and Partners in Health, all staff members gave up their wages for the day to contribute to the cause. There are even several ways to donate from you home through the arts. Houston-based artist Bobby Moon is donating all the proceeds from his new single, “Swagger,” to the Pan American Development Foundation, a non-profit group that aids developing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. You can buy the single on iTunes. U Street’s venue the Black Cat will also hold a benefit night on Saturday, Feb. 6. The event will feature
Te n n i s System, the State Department and Nunchucks. Tickets will cost $10, and the venue will donate all proceeds. You can reach this staff writer at ostitilis@theeagleonline.com.
HAITI AFTERMATH
Photo by LAURENCE KESTERSON
Photo by LAURENCE KESTERSON
Photo by LAURENCE KESTERSON
STAYING TOGETHER (FOR THE KIDS) — The 7.0 earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12 has shown both the terror of such a fearsome natural disaster, but also the heart of international generosity in the face of adversity. A number of charity organizations have been formed to help alleviate the suffering of the victims, as well as the continued support of established charities such as the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. Despite the horrific number of deaths, authorities have still found small moments of hope in the sea of despair as they continue to find survivors after more than a week trapped in the rubble of Port-au-Prince.
District ‘Funk’ fundraises for quake victims By STEPHANIE JAAR Eagle Contributing Writer
Courtesy of MCT CAMPUS
HIP-HOP FOR A CAUSE — Wyclef Jean’s charity, Yele Haiti, has been under investigation after some discrepancies were found in its financial records. Jean’s charity was one of two different organizations benefiting from DMV for Haiti, a concert event bringing together several of D.C.’s best hip-hop artists.
Hip-hop heroes join for Haiti By MICHAEL WILLIAM RICHARDSON Eagle Staff Writer It seems perfectly appropriate that on a day often set aside for service and helping one’s fellow man, some of the most prominent names in D.C.’s hip-hop community would come together to help defend those people who received so little mercy. And so it was on this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day that some of D.C.’s popular and transcendent rap and hip-hop acts took the stage at the 9:30 club to raise money for the people of Haiti, who are still searching for the dead after a massive 7.0 earthquake outside the capital of Port-au-Prince.
Wale, D.C.’s big breakout artist of the last couple years, headlined D.C./Maryland/Virgina for Haiti after playing two sold-out shows at the 9:30 club earlier this year. But before he took the stage at the end of the night, a train of local artists preceded, each giving a small set. Tabi Bonney, D.C. Don Juan, Phil Ade, XO, Kingpen Slim, K-Beta, Que, Black Cobain, Bear Witnez and others played while supported by a number of local disc jockeys. Tabi performed a blistering rendition of “The Pocket,” while the only woman on stage, Paula Campbell, who is posed to blow up nationally, belted out a few songs with a voice perfectly suited for R&B radio. D.C.
Don Juan’s “Looky Looky” brought the energy in the room to a crest, but the most appreciation was of course given to Wale, who was the main draw for most listeners. Sticking mostly to tracks from his debut LP, “Attention Deficit,” he cycled though his most popular tracks in a full-length set that sated the needs of his biggest local fans. But DMV for Haiti was not exclusively about the music. Interspersed between sets were speakers from relief organizations, the HipHop Caucus and a special appearance by Ward 5 councilman Harry Thomas, Jr., who appealed to the people of D.C. for further generosity for the people of Haiti. Scenes
from the wreckage flashed across a projector behind the stage throughout the night. During the sets, a local painter laid oils on a canvas, painting a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. interspersed with imagery of the Haiti disaster and later did an impromptu picture of Wale as he played his set. These paintings were then auctioned off, bringing in $600 and $1200 respectively, allowing a couple of deep-pocketed hip-hop fans to donate directly and get a piece to put over the fireplace. DMV for Haiti was organized in less than a week by a number of activists, entrepreneurs, promoters and other organizers. Traced back n
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Over the past week, anyone who has turned on the television has seen the horrific and heartbreaking images and videos coming from the devastated country of Haiti. The impoverished Caribbean state was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Jan. 12, leaving millions of Haitians without shelter, food, water and other everyday essentials. After the news poured out of media outlets, the first thought that came to so many people’s mind was, “What can I do to help?” Now, some of D.C.’s most talented electronic dance music producers and disc jockeys are coming together to find a way for young people to support relief efforts in Haiti, all while having fun. This Sunday, Fort Knox Recordings and Blisspop are hosting the “Funkin’ 4 Haiti” benefit event at Modern in Georgetown. All proceeds collected at the door will be donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross. A minimum donation of $10 is required, but partygoers are encouraged to give more toward the cause. In addition to the door collection, Modern will also aid in the donations by giving a portion of their income from Sun-
day night’s bar sales to the Red Cross. The disc jockeys on hand will make sure this is a fundraiser to remember, and the lineup includes the local A-list talents of the duo Nadastrom, consisting of District natives Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom, Fort Knox Five, Will Eastman and Stylus Chris, a D.C. disc jockey who fans have witnessed performing at Modern in Georgetown every Friday night — something Chris has been doing for the past seven years. Fort Knox Five, the band behind the record label co-sponsoring the benefit, are known throughout the District for their local funk. They have released several singles, including “Radio Free D.C.” and “The Brazilian Hipster.” “Funkin’ 4 Haiti” will take place on Jan. 24 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Modern (located at 3287 M St. N.W. in Georgetown). Guests must be 21 and over in order to gain admission, and most importantly shouldn’t forget their donation. Though $10 is the suggested donation, attendees are welcome to give more in return for a night of the District’s best talents.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
the EAGLE
JANUARY 21, 2010
the scene 6
Hoffman adapts Tolstoy in ‘Station’ By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer
Courtesy of SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
LAST STOP — In Michael Hoffman’s latest film, he set out to accurately portray the last year in the life of famed Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy. It’s more than just a biopic, but rather a story about love and loss. Seen through the eyes of those who adored and lived with Tolstoy, “The Last Station” is an in-depth look at marriage and life.
What do George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Downey, Jr. all have in common? (That is, besides fame, fortune and eternal good looks.) They have all worked with multifaceted director Michael Hoffman. Known for transcending different genres and conquering nearly all of them, Hoffman has made comedies, dramas and even the odd Shakespeare film adaptation usually reserved for Kenneth Branagh. Naturally, Hoffman’s next step was to make a film about Leo Tolstoy. “The Last Station,” based on the novel of the same name by Jay Parini, focuses on the tumultuous last year in the life of influential Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy. In addition to directing the film, Hoffman wrote the screenplay and had a hand in choosing the actors. Christopher Plummer (“Up,” “Syriana”) dons a white beard and plays a convincing Tolstoy, while Helen Mirren (“The Queen”) plays his melodramatic and meddling wife, Sofya. Overseeing the situation is their twitchy but kind live-in student, Valentin Bulgakov (played by a bright-eyed James McAvoy) and Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti), Tolstoy’s number one fan and confidante. As of yet, the film has been nominated for two Golden Globe and Screen Actors’ Guild awards, a fact that Hoffman embraces. He also feels anxious about this, considering the film almost didn’t get picked up for American distribution. Yet, for a director who’s made many Oscarnominated films such as “Restoration” and “One Fine Day,” Hoffman can’t honestly feel too surprised. “I believe in the performances
Third time’s a charm for Jack By KATRINA CASINO Eagle Staff Writer
Photo by KELLY SWIFT
JACK OF ALL TRADES — Andrew McMahon is out to prove that he can conquer pretty much anything. After overcoming leukemia and starting a new band, Jack’s Mannequin is coming to 9:30 club on March 3.
Andrew McMahon has the power to be in several places at once. Simultaneously a pop-punk piano man, an inspirational leukemia survivor and the object of many 14-year-old girls’ desires, McMahon is taking his show on the road again before settling down to record his third studio album for his solo project, Jack’s Mannequin. Originally the frontman for piano rock band Something Corporate, McMahon founded Jack’s Mannequin as a side project for his more personal stories. Fans of the band are hoping that the third time’s a charm with Jack’s, as their first album, “Everything in Transit,” was released just months after McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and their sophomore release, “The Glass Passenger,” also faced a series of delays in 2009. While his work with Something Corporate focused more on reckless fun and teenage heartbreak, McMahon’s solo break represented a more mature and developed side of the singer-songwriter. Dealing with more serious themes like a changing home and body, “Everything in Transit” and “The Glass Passenger” seem more like a narrative of McMahon’s journey to hell and back and a tribute to his resilience and the loyalty of his fans. This spring, McMahon plans to follow his tour with a trip to the studio to record the band’s third album, which he hopes to release in the fall. Until then, though, the band is concentrating on putting together their live show. Joined by guitarist Bobby Anderson, bassist Jonathan Sullivan and drummer Jay McMillan, McMahon’s reputation as a performer precedes him. Famous for being unable to sit in his seat — even
while at the piano bench — McMahon brings as much energy to the Jack’s shows as he did back in his Something Corporate days. This is partially because the frontman’s swagger, flare and continuous, genuine gratitude keep audiences invested. This is also because when they go to a Jack’s Mannequin show, they mean it — and not just in the screaming 12-year-old girl way (although 12-year-old girls do tend to be present at the shows). Fans at any Jack’s show will range from everyone in your high school and their mothers (literally) to college students trying to have a good time at the 9:30 club to diehard Something Corporate fans dying for a taste of McMahon’s earlier work. And no matter who you are or why you’re there, McMahon delivers. More than just a punky, smirking boy trying to have fun, McMahon also showcases his quieter side, revisiting old piano ballads like “Cavanaugh Park.” His new work also provides for added drama, per the seven-minute “Caves,” an epic and dizzying tale of drowning in and surfacing from terminal hopelessness. Severe personal affliction aside, though, what really keeps McMahon’s audiences so invested is his undying gratitude to his fans. Often musicians who achieve such star status give performances that are little more than going through the motions to fill overpriced seats, but not McMahon. Grateful for his every day and his every fan, McMahon is not just a performer — he is a survivor. Jack’s Mannequin will be in the District on Wednesday, March 3 when they play the 9:30 club with opening acts fun., Vedera and Sunday’s Roulette. You can reach this writer at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.
very much,” Hoffman said in an interview with The Eagle. “Helen [Mirren] and Chris [Plummer] had the kind of chemistry you dream of in a romantic comedy. They portrayed marriage at a stage you don’t see much in film.” Still, Hoffman doesn’t feel as though the film is about romance, but rather about the gap between love and romance and the way we all idealize it. “It’s a tragic comedy, because it’s about love in the real world that we all have to deal with in our lives,” he said. “We’re all imperfect and we have to practice with our imperfect love.” Hoffman was first inspired by the novel of the same name but had no intention of making a film about it. For those who have read the book and are going to see the movie, the director warns that his adaptation of the book is different. The novel itself focuses on all aspects of Tolstoy’s last year, such as politics, family, religion and love, all while having six different character viewpoints. Hoffman chose to focus on love and in turn focus on one person: Valentin. “I had fun writing all of the characters, but I really loved Valentin,” Hoffman said. “He really lines up, and we inhabit his world and emotion in his writing.” With the young and talented McAvoy as Valentin, it’s easy to see what makes him so likeable. Paired with Plummer and Mirren, it seems like a dream for Hoffman to work with this cast of actors. Although he did not specifically request it for these characters, all the main actors had a background in theater, a quality Hoffman found essential for this film in particular. “We were all here to tell a story
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to a single Tweet on Twitter by Yodit Gebreyes of talkofdc.com, the project snowballed, picking up the support of a large number of people, some of whom have family or friends still in Haiti. It started as a small event at Busboys & Poets, but as more supporters appeared, it became clear that a concert would do the most to bring in donations. In a press release, Gebreyes explained her passion about the disaster. “Never before have I felt like I needed to do something to help,” she said. “After watching the news and seeing images of people who have lost everything, I knew that it was our duty as mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, citizens, human beings to do the right thing and get involved.” The concert benefited both Wyclef Jean’s charity Yele Haiti as well as the Partners in Health Organization. The 9:30 club donated its space and the wages of its workers for the night, allowing donations to go as far as possible without worrying about administrative costs. There is, of course, a precedent to this kind of wide-reaching philanthropy among the hip-hop community. After Hurricane Katrina, some of the most outspoken support for the victims came from rappers and artists. Many have been especially vocal about the crisis in Darfur and other international crises. Rappers donated their time and money to relief funds all over the country, as they are doing now for a different humanitarian disaster. Wyclef
— everyone had an obligation,” Hoffman said. “All of the actors were so good on that level, just so sophisticated because they come from theater. As an actor myself, I wouldn’t want a role written for me. I would want a challenge and a fascinating person.” To say that Tolstoy was a fascinating person is a large understatement, a fact that Hoffman was well aware of when doing research for the film. Aside from reading the Parini novel, he also read diaries kept by those who followed Tolstoy. Keeping diaries was a surprisingly frequent hobby of people in that time, especially for those who cared to become believers in Tolstoy’s line of faith and philosophy. For any director seeking to accurately describe a historical figure, multiple diaries and excess material to work with can make filmmaking that much richer. In this case, it helped Hoffman to make a film that was less a biopic and more of a real film. “Biopics too often are incidents strung together, and you justify it because it’s the things that happen to a famous person; there’s no story behind it,” Hoffman said. “It’s just a great story about mediocrity, which creates an interesting problem.” Considering all the accolades the film has received from both audiences and critics, it’s clear that Hoffman made more than just a biopic. “I find a story I love and work to create an atmosphere,” Hoffman said. “Tolstoy’s life was something that showed me how to write about my own life.” “The Last Station” opens in D.C. theaters on Feb. 5. You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.
Jean, a Haitian native, was one of the first respondents to the disaster, though his charity has recently been accused of indiscretions in handling funds. Hip-hop blogs such as thacorner.net and allhiphop.com provided up-to-the-minute updates on the Haiti earthquake, becoming as reliable a source for information as the most prominent news organizations. Similar concerts are planned across the country, giving people opportunities to engage with their local artists and directly contribute aid. But the most satisfactory aspect of the night was a sense of city solidarity. Contrasted with the imagery and the talk of disaster, the artists were clearly having fun, happy to play for a packed audience that may not have shown up under different circumstances. For once it seemed a D.C. audience was showing their city’s artists some much needed attention and respect. When each rapper called for the people of the metro area to make noise, it was clear that everyone there was a little bit more proud of the city that they normally take advantage of. And when Wale belts out “Chillin,” essentially a ballad to the streets he grew up on, it becomes less a pop song than a city’s outsider philosophy. It makes sense that a disaster in a country people think too little about would bring D.C. together, if only for one night, in support of natives and outsiders. You can reach this staff writer at mrichardson@theeagleonline.com.
RANT YOUR HEART OUT. Check out more Eagle Rants and submit your own at rants.theeagleonline.com
EAGLE RANTS *@#!3*%! Dear freshman girls with long distance boyfriends: break it off already. It’s not going to work out. This advice will save you countless cell phone minutes, and will save me having to listen to your conversations when I am in the stairwell or the laundry room. A Republican winning in Mass. is a lot like the Red Sox winning the
World Series. It upsets the natural order of things and doesn’t happen all that often.
Dear boys, STOP WEARING SKIN TIGHT PANTS!!!
What type of fish do you serve with peanut butter? Jellyfish!
Wearing fake glasses does not make you cool. It makes you a BIGGER LOSER.
To my tall blond neighbor, I think you’re beautiful.
I wish my academic adviser would care some more.
Dear AU, why is my average class size 35!!! When participation is required but there are too many people in the class to let me participate my grade suffers!! To the girl who won’t shut up in my otherwise awesome class: no one but you cares about your internship on the Hill! Stop talking about it! It’s
not relevant at all! (I do, however, admire your ability to mention it every time you open your mouth. Which is all the time.) Did no one on this campus ever learn how to flush a toilet?! I feel like every other time I walk into a bathroom stall someone forgot to flush. IT’S NOT THAT HARD TO REMEMBER.
I’m glad that cult has stopped meeting in the Hughes formal lounge. Did they all drink poison Flavor Aid, or did they ride off in to space on the tail of a comet? My New Years resolution: avoid falling for the gay boys. Oh wait, I go to AU. Fail. (P.S. I’m a boy.)
7
CLASSIFIEDS
JANUARY 21, 2010
KUSHAN DOSHI n Business Manager 202.885.3593
‘Jetpacks’ take off this season
CLASSIFIEDS SITTERS WANTED
By YOHANA DESTA
$12 or more per hour. Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.student-sitters.com
Eagle Staff Writer
LOOKING FOR A CAREGIVER Warm, loving family looking for after-school care for 6 year old girl in exchange for a private, comfortable apartment complete with bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom and private entrance in the family’s home. Prefer a grad student (education major a plus) who could start work around 3 pm and finish by 7 pm or earlier most evenings. Duties would include transportation to and from after school activities (car provided during work hours), preparing basic meals for the child, and providing a stimulating environment for a growing mind. The home is located in the Palisades, near Sibley hospital, on the D6 bus line. Contact: aschers@gunet.georgetown.edu
FREE WASHINGTON GUIDE FOR SINGLES No cost or obligation. Visit www.washingtondcforsingles.com.
TEXTBOOKS Bought and sold, new & used, online buybacks. Buy, sell, rent at cheapbooks.com. 260-399-6111 EspaĂąol 212-380-1763, urdu/hindi/punjabi/ 713429-4981, see site for other support lines.
If you watch TV or play video games, you’ve probably heard Cage the Elephant’s catchy, blues-tinted single “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.� The Bowling, Ky. natives released their self-titled debut album in late 2008, but are finally feeling the love. With their song playing in commercials all the time and their videos getting streamed, Cage the Elephant is finally going on a headlining tour this winter all over the United States. With their blend of blues, alt-rock and post-punk influences, Cage the Elephant has a little bit of everything without losing their own identity. If you dig retro, fuzzy garage rock, clever guitar solos and lyrics that tell a story, you will no doubt love Cage the Elephant. You can catch them at 9:30 club on Feb. 25. But if music with a cause is something you’re searching for, you might want to check out the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel on Jan. 31. Like many music venues around
the world, the Hotel is hosting a benefit concert with all of the proceeds going directly to help Haiti. Featuring Honor by August, Todd Wright and Michaela Thurlow, the concert only costs $12. All three artists are D.C. natives making waves in the music industry. Honor by August got their big break after winning a battle of the bands contest that enabled them to open for Bon Jovi. With their blend of feel-good rock, sensitive lyrics and soulful lead vocals, Honor by August is the quintessential modern rock band. Todd Wright is the artist you should focus on for more of a pop feel. He’s blended Jack Johnson-esque melodies with power-pop synths; if anything, the techno sound simply adds to the mellow quality of his music. All in all, the combination of heart-felt rock and acoustic ballads make for a wonderful way to spend the evening and help give to a good cause. Some people tend to enjoy something more on the hardcore side. Those people should look no further
than The Used. Since breaking onto the alt-rock scene back in 2002, The Used has come out with four albums, two of which have been certified gold. With their hard-hitting slam rock and the screaming vocals of Bert McCracken, it’s easy to see why The Used has become a staple for alternative rock fans. With their recently released album, “Artwork�, the band are out on tour for the next few months. And chances are, if you’re a fan of The Used, you’re also familiar with their opening band, metalcore group, Atreyu. The night is almost guaranteed to be full of head-banging, moshing and ear-splitting rock and roll, so hurry up and get your ticket. They’ll be performing at 9:30 club on Feb. 17. Some may see The Used as too mainstream. To tap into the indie sensibilities of bands, check out We Were Promised Jetpacks and Bad Veins. WWPJ, a Glasgow, Scotlandbased band came out with their first album just last summer, the mournful and catchy, “These Four Walls.� Their songs are thick with heavy
Scottish accents, electric guitar riffs and thoughtful lyrics. Although the band has crafted their own sound, for those looking for any kind of comparison, they can be likened to The Verve or the Sunshine Underground. Comprised of Adam Thompson on vocals, Michael Palmer on guitar, Darren Lackie on drums and Sean Smith on bass, WWPJ is a fun band with serious tunes. Rounding out the night, Bad Veins is a techno indie duo made up of Benjamin Davis and Sebastien Schultz. With their warm lyrics and infectious rhythms, Bad Veins — who will perform at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Feb. 13 — are reminiscent of the Killers blended with soft-but-moody 80s techno. Already gathering accolades from the likes of Rolling Stone and Spin magazine, Bad Veins is the new indie-pop duo with music that actually lives up to the hype. You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.
The Week in Fun: Know Your City THURS 21
FRI 22 THU 27
SAT 23
SUN 24
MON 25
TUES 26
We Are Scientists 8 p.m. WHERE: The Black Cat, 1811 14th St. N.W. METRO: U Street/Cardozo (yellow and green lines) INFO: Witty alt-rockers from New York take the stage with opener Uninhabitable Mansions to give the District a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll. COST: $15 in advance, $17 at the door CONTACT: For more information, call the Black Cat at 202-667-4490.
Capitol Steps 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. METRO: Federal Triangle (orange and blue lines) INFO: Former Congressional employees perform hilarious satire in the form of song. COST: $30 CONTACT: For more information, visit the International Trade Center Web site at www.itcdc.com.
Reefer Madness 8 p.m. WHERE: Gunston Theater One 2700 South Lang Street Arlington, VA METRO: Crystal City (yellow and blue lines) INFO: A raucous musical adaptation of the classic 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film of the same name. COST: $15 CONTACT: For more information, visit the Dominion Stage Web site at www.dominionstage.org.
Funkin’ 4 Haiti 9 p.m. WHERE: Modern 3287 M Street N.W. METRO: Dupont Circle (red line) INFO: For Knox Recordings and Blisspop present a special benefit event to support relief efforts in Haiti. All proceeds go to the International Red Cross. COST: $10 minimum donation CONTACT: For more information, visit www.modern-dc.com.
Social Media Breakfast 8 a.m. WHERE: Teaism 800 Connecticut Ave. N.W. METRO: Archives-Navy MemorialPenn Quarter (green and yellow lines) INFO: This event, which has already found success in 37 cities, invites college students to breakfast to network with members of the social media community. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, visit www.socialmediaclub.org.
Dialogues in Mexican Photography 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. WHERE: Cultural Institute of Mexico, 2829 16th St. N.W. METRO: Woodley Park-Zoo / Adams Morgan (red line) INFO: This exhibit, which is running until the end of the month, features a collection of photos from five contemporary photographers working in Mexico. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call the Cultural Institute at (202) 728-1628.
Old acts take new approach in ever-changing industry By MAGGIE HOLLANDER
own hand.� While there is certainly risk involved in the move to independence, in some ways it is safer than staying on a label. Although Rooney began opening for groups similar to their own style, later years featured the band on tour with such acts as Kelly Clarkson and the Jonas Brothers. “We really like headlining, then we can bring out bands that we like and play to our crowd,� Brower said of their touring history. “There was a couple funny tours on the last cycle and part of that was being on a major and having pressure ... ‘take this tour and we’ll put out the record’ type stuff ... we’re not going to do anymore tours of that nature.� But once bands make the move to independence, they are required to take on the responsibilities of a record label, such as creating their own publicity. “We had a Web site early on when that wasn’t really a thing bands necessarily did that much,� Brower said. He said the new Web site (at the same address, rooney-band.com) is a product of a partnership with Miranda Harke, the longtime runner of Rooney fan site, mastedonia. com. Harke, who said she jumped at the chance to help the band with the official Web site, has been a fan
Eagle Staff Writer “Anyone studying music business?� asked Robert Schwartzman, lead singer of the band Rooney, to a packed club one cold Boston night in December. Several shouts from college students in the midst of finals responded in the affirmative. Schwartzman paused, smiling at the crowd before continuing on to say, “You should switch majors.� While Schwartzman went on to take back his previous statement and call it a “new and exciting time in music,� his general sentiments are echoed by his band’s experience. Rooney, a five-piece group hailing from sunny California, signed a recording contract with Geffen Records in the early 2000s, but the band recently parted ways with the major label to venture out on their own again. Ned Brower, drummer and backup singer for the band, shared his thoughts on the separation in an interview with The Eagle. “It was cool for us being on a major for us while we did it, and Geffen provided us with a lot of opportunities and things but they also provided us with some setbacks, so I think we feel like we’re excited to kind of get back to where we started,� Brower said. “It’s kind of exciting to sink or swim by your
Courtesy of BIG HASSLE
DO-IT-YOURSELF — California-based rock band Rooney have decided to take matters into their own hands. After coming out with two albums on a major label, the band have decided to go independent for their next album, called “Wild Things.� Also taking the DIY approach is Adam Young, also known as Owl City. After writing and producing the hit “Fireflies,� Owl City is showing the music world that you can create your own success.
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since early 2003. In addition to her site, she also heads up the Rooney Street Team, which she described in an Eagle interview as â&#x20AC;&#x153;grassrootsâ&#x20AC;? promotion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like [independence is] a positive move for the band, especially with the way the music industry is headed,â&#x20AC;? Harke said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Internet is such a powerful marketing tool ... you can do yourself what only the major labels used to be able to do.â&#x20AC;? This is an especially crucial time for the band, as they are on the cusp of releasing their first fulllength record without the help of a major label. With what she called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;strong online following,â&#x20AC;? Harke said she is confident in the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abilities to capture the attention of listeners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next little while leading up to the album release will be all about fine-tuning the online presence and making it as strong as possible,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That will be the most important thing.â&#x20AC;? Rooney is just one example of a growing trend in the music industry. As more and more bands are left unsigned, dropped or separated from the major labels, the success of independents begins to rise. And with programs like Autotune, the music label giants are able to pick the artists who fit the mold theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for and make them
sound however they want. Such technological advances also make it easier for bands like Rooney to make a record on their own. But while Rooney is on a quest for independence, newcomers are harnessing these tools, as well as the power of the Internet, in the hopes of landing a contract with a major record label. A perfect example of the other side of this issue is Adam Young, better known to the masses as the popular pop/alternative band, Owl City. Young, who suffered from insomnia, took to making music in his parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; basement late at night â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an upstart story that has been paraded over the radio as his single, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fireflies,â&#x20AC;? climbs the music charts. In an interview with The Eagle, Young discussed his sudden fame and the Internetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in his discovery and success. Signed to Universal Records in early 2009, Young could have never predicted the effect the Web would have on both his life and his music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I owe a lot of my success to the Internet and social networks like Myspace,â&#x20AC;? Young said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never expected Owl City to gain the success and attention it has, and I owe a great deal of it to Myspace and the word spreading online virally.â&#x20AC;?
For Young, everything is still new and shiny, and nothing is to be taken for granted on this wild ride. A self-described â&#x20AC;&#x153;shy guy from Minnesota,â&#x20AC;? he called the video shoot for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Firefliesâ&#x20AC;? a â&#x20AC;&#x153;brand new experience.â&#x20AC;? When asked what he enjoys most about performing live, he simply replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I kind of love it all.â&#x20AC;? Owl City, who will perform to a sold-out Ramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Head Live on Jan. 29 and is returning to the D.C. area to play D.A.R. Constitution Hall on April 22, continues to utilize the Internet to build support. Since face-to-face contact with fans is limited to meet and greets while on tour, Young tries â&#x20AC;&#x153;to stay as connected as possible with Myspace, Facebook, Twitter â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all the social networking sites.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a huge blessing to be able to connect with fans in such a progressive way,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because ... the Internet is the new ... TV. Or radio. Or something sweet like that.â&#x20AC;? At opposite ends of the music business spectrum in many ways, the difference between Rooney and Owl City can not only be seen, but also heard. Owl Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ocean Eyesâ&#x20AC;? utilizes all the tools that a computer can offer, creating ear-pleasing music filled with little beeps, vocal alterations and other unidentifiable
sources. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meteor Shower,â&#x20AC;? a song that Young said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;says a lot about who I am and what I believe in a few words,â&#x20AC;? unfortunately loses some of its beauty to such conventions. Rooney, however, has taken all the bells and whistles of modern recording and the standards held by major record labels and tossed them aside, revealing a glimpse at the past while looking towards the future. Their EP, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wild One,â&#x20AC;? is a taste at what their new album, to be released in early 2010, will sound like: a polished band loosening up, revealing harmonies and instrumental skill galore. While Rooney and Owl City are just two bands out there right now, they each provide a glimpse into the future of music as a new year begins. The Internet allows bands to be more available to the world than ever before, but whether that leads to signing a record deal with a major label or building a following and going independent is hard to predict. One thing is certain: the music industry is changing rapidly. To keep up, key players on both the creative and the business sides of the industry will need to adapt to the new conditions or fall behind their peers. You can reach this staff writer at mhollander@theeagleonline.com.
8
SPORTS
JANUARY 21, 2010
ANDREW TOMLINSON n Sports Editor 202.885.1404
Men enjoy Sunday win By TOM SCHAD Eagle Contributing Writer After a season-long six game road trip, the AU men’s basketball team came home and dominated Colgate University 73-63 before a packed Bender Arena on Sunday. Stephen Lumpkins scored in double digits for the fifth consecutive game, finishing with a team-
Men’s Basketball AU: Colgate:
73 63
Washington, D.C.
high 19 points, five boards and four blocks. Vlad Moldoveanu tallied 16 points and seven rebounds, while junior Steve Luptak exploded for a career-high 18 points. The Eagles, now 1-2 in Patriot League play, got the crowd into it early with their first points coming from a Lumpkins dunk. A few quick points by Moldoveanu and sophomore Simon McCor-
mack allowed AU to quickly seize a six-point lead, though Colgate responded with a series of great plays by Yaw Gyawu and Ben Johnson. In his first minutes on the floor, Luptak soon made his presence known as he drained a three and finished a beautiful scoop at the rim. The Red Raiders would not allow AU to fully seize the momentum however, and the first half turned into a back and forth affair. When all was said and done, the Eagles entered the locker room with a slim three point deficit. The second half was lopsided in the Eagles favor. AU made over 60 percent of their shots in the second period, while also holding Colgate to 34 percent. Lumpkins, a player whom AU Coach Jeff Jones praised as the team’s “catalyst” was key in the paint on both ends of the court. In fact, it was his dunk with 2:25 remaining that again set off the Bender crowd and all but sealed an AU victory. “He’s been working really hard to just be more efficient and make his opportunities count,” Jones said. “When he does that, it makes life easier for everyone else.”
Luptak, who has not been a high-scorer this season, bucketed 18 points on Sunday for his highest total of the year. “Our post players were doing a great job of kicking the ball out [to the perimeter]. We were really focusing on getting it down low in the second half, and [Colgate] was just leaving us open,” Luptak said. “It’s my job to knock down the shots and luckily I did that today.” AU’s defense also played a major role in the victory, as the Red Raiders shot only 38 percent over the course of the game. The efforts of McCormack, Joe Hill and others held Colgate’s Kyle Roemer, currently the second leading scorer in the Patriot League, to only 12 points from the floor. “We competed all game today and everyone was ready to take the extra step and close out the game,” Luptak said. “We did all the little things to win.” AU played all 40 minutes with a confident swagger and Jones echoed some optimism after the game. “We’ve been telling our team to have fun, be excited. We’re losing some games and nobody wants to
lose, but it could be worse,” Jones said. “We want to win and we need to work towards that, but the process itself has to be fun.” Next up for the Eagles is a much anticipated matchup at West Point as they take on the Army Black Knights this Wednesday. “With a young team, a win can be kind of a stepping stone, but we’ve already talked in the locker room about how hard it is to play at West Point and how tough Army’s experienced players are,” said Jones. “It’s going to be a dogfight.” The win over Colgate puts American right in the thick of things in the Patriot League; AU is now in a five-way tie for fourth place. You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com. PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE
DRIVING THE RIM — AU brings the ball up the court in their 73-63 win before a full Bender Arena on Sunday. It puts them in a four way tie for fourth place in the Patriot League standings. They play Holy Cross for their Phil Bender event Saturday.
Coming clean too late SIDELINE SCHOLAR
SAM LINDAUER Mark McGwire admitted to taking steroids last week. This is about as shocking as waking up and finding that grass is still green. Apparently McGwire has decided to act like, for lack of a better term, the bigger man in this whole situation. Reaction to his admission has been mixed, as expected. However, no one should let the slugger’s candid interview with Bob Costas lead them to believe his coming clean was anything more than totally self-serving. As the new hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, McGwire had no choice but to speak the truth, since the media would hound him constantly if he were to do otherwise. By now McGwire has also likely realized that his Hall of Fame chances are pretty much shot. There is no question that his previous opportunities at being elected have been rejected because of his suspected, and now confirmed, steroid use. He stands at eighth on the all-time home runs list, a position that would normally be an instant ticket to Cooperstown. With this admission, there is a cer-
tain air of desperation emanating from the once great slugger. McGwire has clearly found that the best way to go as a former PED user is to just admit it. Players like Andy Pettite and Alex Rodriguez have come clean and for the most part, weathered the storm. The reason why this will not work for McGwire is because he had his chance in 2005. During his infamous Congressional testimony, he famously said he was not there to talk about the past and avoided his connections with performance enhancing drugs at all costs. If there was ever a time to gain goodwill with people around baseball, it was then. But his concern with being vilified was the major factor in the direction he went in. McGwire had a chance to make a grand statement about the entire steroids era in baseball. Of all people, he would know about the steroids era, since he played in it from the very beginning to the end. His popularity put him in a position to speak out and be heard on the issue and maybe explain why the problem ran so rampant. Of course it is unfair to put the steroids era solely on the performance enhanced shoulders of McGwire. There are many guilty parties, not just players. One of the only former players to be completely candid is Jose Canseco, who is not such a model citizen. Maybe McGwire could have been the less sleazy alternative to Canseco when
it came to former users shedding light on the era. But now it is too late for all of that. In his interview with Costas, McGwire seemed genuinely regretful of his past decisions to use PEDs. That said, the question is whether his regret is because he is sorry for what some people consider to be cheating, or that his image in baseball is forever tarnished. If there is a silver lining in all of this, it’s that he did the right thing, albeit a little late. This may also be the final big steroids confession baseball may have (barring a burst of candor from a certain Giants outfielder). The game has clearly taken steps forward with its drug policy, and it does seem like the game is cleaner for the most part. The days of hulking sluggers like Ken Caminiti, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and McGwire seem to be a distant past. Unfortunately, Mark McGwire has successfully dug himself into a hole he will never be able to escape. He will never be in the Hall of Fame. His power numbers will never be considered legitimate. His historic 1998 home run race will never be remembered with the same fondness. Now and forever, he will be the guy who did not want to talk about the past until it was too late. You can reach this staff writer at slindauer@theeagleonline.com.
Caps fly to the top PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE
PROTECTING THE BALL — AU controls the basketball in their win over Colgate. With the commanding victory, they moved into sole possession of the Patriot League lead.
Women topple Raiders BY TYLER TOMEA Eagle Contributing Writer Behind a strong effort from Michelle Kirk and a solid secondhalf performance, the AU women’s basketball team defeated the Colgate Raiders 80-58 last Sunday and notched their fourth consecutive victory. Kirk, a junior forward, filled up the stat sheet in the win. She finished with 26 points, six rebounds,
Women’s Basketball AU: Colgate:
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Hamilton, N.Y.
four assists, four steals and one block. Kirk averages over 20 points per game, a record that tops the Patriot League. AU wasted no time in jumping out in front, as they led 10-0 before Colgate Head Coach Pamela Bass called a timeout. The Raiders regained their composure and trailed 16-12 with 10 minutes remaining
in the first half. The Eagles then went on a 135 run to extend their lead, capped by one of Kirk’s three triples on the night. AU led 33-23 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half before the Raiders went on a run of their own to cut the deficit before halftime. Kelly Korkowski finished off a Colgate 7-0 run with a jumper to bring the Raiders within three. After a layup by Raven Harris and two free throws by Kirk put the Eagles up seven, Colgate’s Kendra Brim’s layup as the half expired put AU’s halftime lead at 37-32. Kirk had 13 first half points for the Eagles, while Liz Leer and Raven Harris tallied eight and six, respectively. Candice Green led Colgate with nine points at the half. Just like they did in the first half, the Eagles started off the second half firing on all cylinders. Five points by Liz Leer, two by Ohemaa Nyanin and three by Ebony Edwards highlighted a 10-3 AU run that pushed the Eagles lead to 4735. The Eagles continued to extend their lead and a three-pointer by Lisa Strack put the AU lead at 5538 with 15 minutes remaining.
The two teams would go back and forth, with the lead standing at 17 with 6:49 to play. A three-pointer by Edwards continued AU’s second half dominance and gave the Eagles their largest lead at 75-51. AU coasted to an 80-58 victory, as they outscored Colgate 43-26 in the second half. In addition to Kirk’s great performance, two AU starters finished in double figures. Leer added 13 points to go along with seven rebounds and three blocks. Edwards chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. Katie Garman led Colgate with 11 points. The win improves the Eagles to 10-7 on the season and 3-0 in the PL, good for sole possession of first place in the conference. This is the first time AU has started off 3-0 in the league since the 2002-03 season. The loss drops Colgate to 6-11 overall and 1-2 in PL play. AU’s next game will be at Bender Arena this Wednesday against Army. Army is 2-1 in the conference and 8-9 overall. You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
CAPITAL SPOTLIGHT
ANDREW TOMLINSON Calling Wednesday’s win over the Detroit Red Wings a big one would be an understatement, because in reality the victory may be one that pushes the Washington Capitals to the next level and to a place where only the best of the best will be able to beat them. Despite giving up 46 shots, despite having only 23 and despite being down 2-1, the Caps rallied to take down the defending Western Conference Champions with two goals in a 46-second span. It all seems insignificant on paper, as all it does is give Washington two points in the standings, but it may give the team the confidence necessary to finish one of their hardest three game stretches of the year. On Sunday, they defeated their rival, the Philadelphia Flyers, and tonight they will faceoff against their archnemesis, the Pittsburgh Penguins. A win against Detroit was not necessary, but it was significant. Sure the extra win helps keep Washington in the top spot of the Eastern Conference, but they showed themselves that they can play with the league’s elite. Detroit has been dubbed by many as the most successful franchise of the last 15 years and the Capitals came from behind
to beat them despite being outplayed. Not only that, but they did it without a strong effort from their three best players (Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom). While tonight’s game is much like the one against Detroit, not crucial to win, a victory would make the Caps the team to beat in the NHL. They would have beaten the Flyers, who are one of the hottest NHL teams right now, the defending Western Conference Champion Red Wings and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. They would also have an 8-1-1 record in the past 10 games — one of their best stretches all season. Success like that sets up a team
A win against Detroit was not necessary, but it was significant. nicely for the second half of the year. Hockey is a game of momentum. If a good team can stay confident down the stretch, then they are poised for a strong playoff run. Washington could be that team, but they have got to beat Pittsburgh first. Being humbled before the Olympic Break is not always a bad thing. A loss can force a team to look at
its flaws. Washington is clearly not perfect and they certainly aren’t a bad team, but they, like any team, could always improve. It is better for a team to discover their flaws now than during the first or second round of the playoffs. Around the same time last year the Caps went through a mid-year swoon and Head Coach Bruce Boudreau said the same thing. It seemed to pay off, as the team improved on what they did the year before and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. It brings to light the final reason why these three games are so important to Washington. All three games have shown a different style of play from the team. Sunday showed the high-powered offense, Tuesday showcased the ability to come from behind. Tonight should show how Washington plays against a team that is almost identical to them. To beat Pittsburgh, despite their current struggles, it is going to take resilience and determination. Even though it isn’t crucial, and it most likely won’t have any effect on Washington’s postseason seeding a victory tonight in Pittsburgh will show the Caps have yet again improved from the year before. That resilience and determination wasn’t there last year and the team lost in the second round to the Penguins. A win tonight may be a sign the trifecta of play styles needed to win the Stanley Cup is something Washington has finally mastered. You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.