The Eagle — Feb. 1, 2010

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EDITORIAL

By SARAH RUDNICK Eagle Staff Writer AU fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa has been charged with multiple recruitment and rushing violations by the Inter-Fraternity Council and will stand in front of the standards committee for a hearing in the near future, according to a statement released by the IFC to The Eagle.

The IFC passed an updated constitution and bylaws last semester providing rules for the recruitment process and sanctions for violating them, according to the statement released by the IFC on Saturday. PSK

has been charged with six violations: distributing alcohol during a recruitment event, holding an alternative event during another fraternity’s rush time, holding and distributing alcohol at a recruitment event not recognized by the university, breaching social function guidelines, posting unauthorized flyers and for conduct “unbecoming a fraternal organization.” “[PSK] is charged with violating these rules on numerous occasions, effectively tainting their recruitment process and the potential new members who were involved with it,” the statement reads.

The IFC will assemble a standards committee — which will serve as a judicial committee — to hear the case, which could happen as early as Wednesday, IFC Public Relations Chair Adam Tager said. If proven guilty, the committee will recommend sanctions, according to the statement.

“Phi Sig has been brought to our judicial board and one of the punishments that can be levied on them is losing a pledge class,” President of the IFC Seth Gilroy said. “There is potential for that to happen.”

The IFC has also criticized the fraternity for having what it deemed

By NICOLE GLASS Eagle Staff Writer

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SCENE MISS AMERICA AU graduate Jen Corey takes a top ten spot in Miss America pageant

Hoffman catches ups and downs of love in ‘Last Station’

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THE HOLE CALLED HADES? — Some are speculating that these glass jugs (bottom) are the ones seen in the photo (top). Sgt. Maurer is seen burying what is thought to be mustard gas in this 1918 photo.

Only half the 20 students in the School of Public Affairs’ public financial management program in Haiti have been accounted for since the earthquake, and the program’s facilities have been destroyed, according to William LeoGrande, dean of SPA. The students enrolled in the program are all Haitian, most of them young, entry-level employees of the Central Bank and other government industries, LeoGrande said.

“We’re still trying to get in touch with the students — we haven’t heard from all of them yet,” he said. “And we fear that one or more of them may have

Eagle Contributing Writer

SPORTS

By CHRISTOPHER COTTRELL

1,000 CLUB

The Army Corps of Engineers unearthed three broken glass jugs on Monday, Jan. 25 at their “Pit 3” investigation at 4825 Glenbrook Rd. N.W., a Corps spokesman told The Eagle.

The find has generated questions as to whether a long soughtafter munitions cache, known as the “Sgt. Maurer burial pit,” has finally been located.

An environmental specialist for the District Department of the Environment’s Toxic Substance division, Dr. Richard Albright, told The Eagle that rumors of the munitions cache have been based on aerial photography and World War I-era photos depicting Army Sergeant C. W. Maurer standing amid approximately 30 glass jugs similar to the ones found last Monday and possibly filled with the chemical agent mustard.

A hand-written caption on the back of one of the photos identifies the pictured jugs to be filled with “mustard.” Maurer wrote that he was burying the jugs in “Death Valley,” in this “hole called Hades,” according to Albright.

Albright said nine or 10 photos exist in all, some of which show sheds in the background that are known to have been used as toxic chemical storage facilities.

When Albright and a colleague from the Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center obtained copies of Maurer’s photos in 1997, they analyzed them along with old aerial photography and determined the pit’s location to be somewhere within the 4825 Glenbrook Rd.

Kirk passes career milestone in win over Lafayette page 8

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as inappropriate rush T-shirts. The council received several complaints from sororities and the AU community about the shirts’ derogatory nature, Tager said.

“Since this is an ongoing judicial review, there is some confidentiality surrounding exactly what happened.

I don’t want to specifically say what the shirts said, because they do not represent greek life values,” Tager said.

At an IFC meeting held on Jan. 20, Director of Greek Life Curtis Burrill said the T-shirts read “’Don’t feed the sorority girls, Phi Sigma Kappa’s campus beautification.’” As a general

standard, if mothers would not be comfortable reading it, it should not be on a rush T-shirt, he said.

“It’s not really the image we want to be portraying,” he said of the PSK shirt.

Upon inquiry, PSK President Mike Kaufman released the following statement to The Eagle: “We have not received any notification on these charges through official IFC or University channels at this time so therefore at this time we have no comment.”

You can reach this staff writer at srudnick@theeagleonline.com.

been lost in the quake. We know some of our students lost family members. We’ve been in touch with about half of [the students] at this point.”

Originally, the idea for the program came from a faculty member who had worked at the Haitian Central Bank, which was interested in an advanced learning program for its younger employees, LeoGrande said. The bank was looking for a public financial management program, prompting faculty from both AU and the Haitian Central Bank to start the program. The year-long program consists of six courses and is worth about half of a master’s degree, according to LeoGrande.

When the earthquake struck, about six of the eight courses in public financial management had

been completed. Regardless of the destruction in Haiti, the program will be finished, possibly in another location, LeoGrande said.

“We’d be prepared to provide the final part of the program in the Dominican Republic or perhaps somewhere in the United States, like in Miami,” he said. “I have colleagues in various universities in Miami that I’m sure would be happy to provide the space to finish the program.”

Mackenrood Lacour, a student enrolled in the program, who works for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Telecommunications in Haiti, said it is more important than ever to be educated in Haiti right now and to complete the program. n

see HAITI on page 2

Unearthed jugs Undergrad Senate votes to might point to uphold MacCracken veto larger arms cache

By ALLIE MOONEY

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SPA program in Haiti suffers serious loss

Alex Knepper claims campus activists selfishly exploit the victim.

LAST STOP

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Frat faces IFC allegations

SELF-PITY SCHOOL

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FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Eagle Staff Writer

N.W. property.

This analysis played a central role in convincing the Army Corps to pursue further investigations in Spring Valley, Albright said.

Corps spokesman Clem Gaines said he could not speculate if the recent find was actually part of a larger cache.

“The answer is we really don’t know,” he said. “We could have [found it], or it could have been someplace else.”

An initial analysis revealed no chemical traces on the jugs, which will be treated as normal glassware debris, according to Gaines.

“We have always said that attempting to name a pit the ‘Sgt. Maurer pit’ is a difficult task,” he added. “It could be Pit 1, 2 or 3, or it could be a pit that over the years has been demolished by all the development in the Glenbrook Road area.”

Pits 1 and 2 refer to past Army Corps investigations at 4801 Glenbrook Rd. N.W. — across the street from the 4825 property.

But Albright believes that during World War I, the Army used the area as a larger disposal pit for laboratory and munitions debris rather than just a pit for the glass jugs, and that most of the debris has not been found.

“I don’t think they got hauled away,” he said. “I think that the bulk of that pit [the workers] didn’t get to.”

He said it is likely the construction workers who erected the building at 4825 Glenbrook Rd. ran into World War I-era glassware but reburied it underneath or beside the house’s founn

see DIG on page 2

The Undergraduate Senate voted 11-7-1 to sustain Student Government President Andy MacCracken’s veto of the recent Clean Energy Revolving Fund bill on Sunday. The veto will allow the Senate to re-draft the bill, enabling the SG the freedom to express support for the fund.

CERF is an account created under the Office of Finance, that will work towards funding renewable energy projects on campus. The savings accumulated through these projects will then revolve back into the fund, creating a self-supporting

financial account that will enable the university to achieve its sustainability goals.

The bill passed last week and sponsored by Senator for the Class of 2010 Steve Dalton, proposed “no money from any student account can go into the Clean Energy Revolving Fund.” This means that SG would be powerless to contribute any money to the fund, whether through Student Activity fees or reallocated money from surplus.

Brett Atanasio, senator for the class of 2013, said he supported MacCracken’s veto. “[The new bill] is removing the CERF legislation of its teeth,” he said.

“Without it [CERF] doesn’t have any authority, it doesn’t do anything.”

For this reason, MacCracken chose to veto the bill.

“I believe everyone supports [CERF],” he said. “But I do believe that this was passed in haste last week and didn’t get the proper second look to make sure that every single line in here did what we want it to do.”

After debate was repeatedly extended, MacCracken and the Undergraduate Senate will have a second chance to draft the new CERF bill.

You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.

AUTO takes test drive with new rules, repairs

By CHARLIE SZOLD Eagle Staff Writer The AUTO program, which was temporarily halted at the end of last semester, was re-launched today, according to Student Government executives.

The program, which usually provides nine vans to student clubs and organizations, will only offer four vans from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The remaining vans will be brought into operation in the future after more changes are made to the program.

“I really do think the program is going to be improved,” SG President Andy MacCracken said.

“These are not short-term fixes; these will be viable solutions to the sustainability of the program.”

AUTO was temporarily taken

out of commission after AUTO Commissioner Nicholas Russotto decided, in consultation with administration and SG officials, that the program needed a serious overhaul. Concerns had been raised beforehand about the safety of the vans, unclear channels of communication and the billing system, The Eagle previously reported.

In response to AUTO’s failings, Russotto, SG Treasurer Alan Chang and MacCracken drafted an AUTO program manual, changed the billing process from a mileage-based charge to an hourly fee and reworked the certification process.

Previously, it cost 30 cents per mile to rent an AUTO van — barely enough to cover gas, according to Chang. Students renting vans

will now be charged $3 per hour.

Drivers who have maintained a clean record for over a semester’s worth of use will be charged $2 per hour. The charge increases to $5 an hour after violations of the AUTO policy.

“This is to encourage organizations to use safer drivers, that have a good record instead of just getting anyone to drive for them,” Chang said.

The certification process will also be changed to emphasize a driving test over a written test.

Previously, to become a certified AUTO driver there would sometimes be a video shown, sometimes not; sometimes there would be a driving test, sometimes not, Chang said. The process will now be standardized. Every n

see AUTO on page 4

the EAGLE

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

news 2

SOC prof assesses State of the Union

By TAMAR HALLERMAN Eagle Staff Writer

KELSEY DICKEY / THE EAGLE

BAG IT UP — A new 5-cent fee on each disposable bag shoppers take during checkout was implemented throughout the District on Jan. 1. The “Skip the Bag, Save the River” campaign was implemented by the D.C. government and the Anacostia River Protection Fund to cut down on the amount of plastic used in the District.

Bag tax leaves District shoppers with arms full

By NICOLE FEDERICA Eagle Contributing Writer After making a second semester visit to CVS, AU freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences Claire Stapleton said her initial reaction to being told she would be charged five cents for every plastic shopping bag included a few phases.

First, Stapleton reacted with confusion. Why did she have to pay for plastic bags? Confusion was followed by irritation as she attempted to carry loose items out of the store, fumbling shampoo bottles, a gallon of milk, and other dorm essentials.

As of Jan. 1, the D.C. government and the Anacostia River Protection Fund started the “Skip the Bag, Save the River” campaign to encourage residents and students to cut down on disposable bag use through taxation. If shoppers choose to carry items out in paper or plastic, they must “contribute” 5 cents for every bag used, according to the D.C. gov-

ernment’s Web site.

While Stapleton thinks the bag tax is inconvenient, she also understands the importance in helping the environment, she said.

“Personally, I think it is a nuisance more than anything. I’m all for saving the environment but it simply comes down to changing our habits and remembering to bring a bag every time we go shopping,” Stapleton said.

The manager of CVS, who said she was not at liberty to disclose her name or answer questions, said she saw a drastic change in the amount that people buy and how often they shop. Few were willing to give in to the 5-cent tax, she said.

On the AU shuttle, Stapleton said she was not the only student holding a selection of items in her lap. Many held an assortment of grocery items and essentials, including CAS freshman Daniel Goldman, who said he believes the tax to be a bit ridiculous.

“I think we should be able to carry our food in bags at our convenience.

I shouldn’t have to remember to bring a canvas bag every time I want to buy something,” Goldman said.

Drew Veysey, environmental policy adviser to Student Government President Andy MacCracken, said he believes the tax makes real behavioral differences.

“It shows how well something like this works; it reincorporates some responsibility,” Veysey said. “People are not even paying for the entire cost of the bag when they pay the five cents, and it is one-one hundredth of the cost the plastic bag has on the environment and society.”

The United States is not the only country doing this, Veysey said.

“Many other countries tax their plastic bags in hopes to have the same positive results we’ve seen here,” he said.

You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.

NASA astronaut discusses privatized space missions

By HOWIE PERLMAN Eagle Staff Writer The federal government is taking steps towards relinquishing control it has traditionally held over manned spaceflights, according to Paul Lockhart, a NASA astronaut who flew two missions to the International Space Station.

Lockhart, who spoke Jan. 27 at a Kennedy Political Union event, said he is expecting that President Barack Obama’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2011 — released today — will contain funds for the development of commercial operations to carry astronauts into space.

“The Obama administration is embarking on a path of shifting the responsibility for launching humans into space from the government to the commercial sector of our society,” Lockhart said. “There isn’t a good or a bad element to this possible shift, just a reorienting of who has the responsibility and the accountability for getting human bodies off the ground, into space and

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from HAITI on page 1

in Haiti right now and to complete the program.

“I have a very strong determination to complete this program regardless of the location,” he said in an e-mail. “It is my belief that the SPA program in Haiti is now more important than ever. As the country goes through a painful new start, new policies must be defined to rebuild in a more sustainable way. A large number of able professionals will be needed for a long time to complete this task.”

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glassware but reburied it underneath or beside the house’s foundation.

“They probably buried them in the deepest part of the pit,” he said, adding that while it is possible the contractors hauled away all the glassware they recovered, it is highly unlikely.

“I kind of think that quantity would’ve caused some real serious problems,” he said. “Some worker somewhere would’ve been over-

bringing them back safely.”

Obama has proposed to funnel $6 billion towards private spaceflight development in the proposed budget, according to The New York Times.

The private sector has a long way to go before any company would be able to safely transport humans into space and back for the types of advanced missions NASA has conducted, according to Lockhart. No private sector entity has ever coordinated a mission on its own involving a craft traveling at the velocity necessary to either maintain orbit around Earth or escape that orbit, he said.

SpaceShipOne, the first and only commercially-owned manned spacecraft to have left Earth’s atmosphere (it returned safely) had a maximum velocity of around 2,500 miles per hour, according to aerospace-technology.com.

The velocity required to maintain an orbit around Earth and safely dock with the International Space Station is around 18,000 miles per hour, Lockhart said. The velocity

needed to escape Earth’s gravitational field is around 25,000 miles per hour, according to a statement from NASA. Jeff Leicy, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, said he agrees with Lockhart that before NASA sends a mission to Mars or other parts of the solar system, it should send another mission to the Moon to hone the skills needed to send humans to other worlds. This is especially the case since the last lunar landing took place in 1972, almost 40 years ago.

“What the colonel said is absolutely true and necessary in my mind; you need to take the smaller steps first to be able to reach those eventual, long-term goals,” Leicy said. “There can’t be just a straight jump from Earth to Mars.”

Visit www.theeagleonline.com to check out an exclusive interview with Lockhart.

Although Lacour wants to finish the program, he said he is not confident that all the other students will.

“I couldn’t speak on behalf of all participants,” he said. “We have all been affected by the terrible events that occurred, but some have suffered more than others, and decisions may differ.”

LeoGrande said that AU would probably provide money for housing.

“We would have to raise the money for that,” he said. “And we haven’t gotten to that point yet, but

if it means we need to devote some scholarship funds to that, I think the AU community would be willing to make some contributions in that direction.”

It is important for participants to receive support from AU in order to maintain good levels of performance, according to Lacour.

“We are determined not to let this tragedy prevent us from completing it,” LeoGrande said.

come, and you’d have dead bodies following the truck.”

Over the course of their Pit 3 investigation, the Corps has found debris ranging from harmless glassware to intact bottles filled with mustard agent and lewisite.

“When we do our operations, we want to find these materials,” Gaines said. “We expect to find debris, and our mission is to investigate, remediate and remove or clean up any debris left over from [Department of

Defense] activities.”

Albright conveyed his sympathies to AU, which volunteered its campus to be used as an experimental station for the Army’s chemical corps during World War I. “They tried to do the patriotic thing in 1917, and now I’m sure they’re still ruing that decision,” he said.

You can reach this staff writer at hperlman@theeagleonline.com.

You can reach this staff writer at nglass@theeagleonline.com.

You can reach this staff writer at ccottrell@theeagleonline.com.

Adjunct Professor Robert Lehrman teaches speechwriting in the School of Communication. He worked as a speechwriter for many Democratic political figures, most notably former Vice President and presidential candidate Al Gore. Lehrman recently penned the book “The Political Speechwriter’s Companion.” He also wrote a State of the Union response in 1989 when George H.W. Bush was president.

Q: Was Obama’s State of the Union address successful?

A: Yes, except for people hostile to him. It was compelling only at times, but remember, it’s hard to make a speech compelling when you have to tick off a billion proposals one after the other. And he should have shortened it. Seventy minutes is too long unless you’re Fidel Castro.

As for success? He needed to do three balancing acts: one, admit blame to mollify the disappointed but remind us of success; two, refocus on the issues — like jobs — that sent Scott Brown to the Senate, but show that he hasn’t given up on the issues that got him to the White House and three, show people we don’t just have a cerebral president but a likeable one. I think he did all three.

Q: How effective was he at getting his message across?

A: Well, what was his message? In the narrow sense, you might say it was that the econo-

my and jobs come first. He made that clear from the start. But the larger issue was this: that he has faith we can recover. Some people compare that message to Reagan’s, especially in 1982, but actually every president expresses faith in the future. It’s a job requirement ... Not original, but pretty effective, I thought.

Q: In his speech, Obama made jabs at the Republican leadership as well as the recent Federal Election Commission v. Citizens United Supreme Court case.

Do you think he was being too aggressive?

A: Absolutely not. These are important issues and people in the chamber are grown-ups.

They can take it. Obama was right to make the argument — and remember, he wasn’t just the editor of the Harvard Law Review, he taught law for ten years. He doesn’t just have some adviser briefing him; he’s an expert. But I’ll tell you one thing I can’t understand: the criticism of [Justice Samuel] Alito for mouthing “not true.” I don’t like Alito’s opinion, but he took great care in reaching it. What’s wrong with a small, civil response about a huge issue after the president had just attacked him before 40 million people? I don’t get it.

Q: Since Obama spent the vast majority of his speech talking about jobs and/or the economy, do you think we can gauge this as a turning point in his presidency?

A: This moment might be — but not the speech. He’ll get a bump in the polls from this

speech. But people will judge him by his acts, not his words.

Q: Compared to his recent rhetoric, health care was only mentioned for a relatively small fraction of the speech. What can we take from that editorial position?

A: First, that he sees voters want him to focus on jobs. Second, that he hasn’t given up on it. Third, that he doesn’t want to lock himself into some concrete promise about it, this soon after Massachusetts. All sensible.

Q: ... As for Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s Republican response?

I once wrote one of those. It made me realize there’s not a single time in a president’s term where he goes head to head with the other side. That’s too bad and not necessary. They do it in England. Once a week the prime minister goes over to the House of Commons and takes questions. No moderator, they just argue back and forth. You can actually see the real arguments — and whether they know things ... Why can’t we have that here?

You can reach this staff writer at thallerman@theeagleonline.com.

MON 1

TUES27 2 THU

WED 3

Performance - Drag Show 8:30 - 10:30 p.m.

WHERE: Mary Graydon Center 2 INFO: The Drag Show, hosted by Women’s Initiative, Queers and Allies and Eagle Nights, will feature songs, dancing and other talents by local drag queens.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Riley Fujisaki at eaglenights@ausg.org.

Workshops - Finding and Funding International Volunteer Experiences 6 - 8 p.m.

WHERE: School of International Service Lounge INFO: This workshop launches the SIS Career Week, sponsored by the Career Center and SIS. CONTACT: For more information and to RSVP, e-mail John Charles at charles@american.edu or call 202885-1810.

Lecture - Cartoonist Rights 8 - 10 p.m.

WHERE: Ward Circle 2 INFO: This KPU event, co-sponsored

by The Eagle, is a discussion of the freedom of speech and its influence on cartoonists and their rights.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Will Hubbard at kpu@ausg. org.

THURS 4

FRI 5

SAT 6

Clubs - Spring Involvement Fair 2 - 5 p.m.

WHERE: Mary Graydon Center 4 INFO: Clubs and organizations will be promoting their groups and future events at the Spring Involvement Fair, hosted by Student Activities.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Student Activities at activities@american.edu or call 202-885-3390.

Exhibit - “Robert Devers: Cult of the Hand, Alan Feltus and Lani Irwin: Personal Interiors” 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

WHERE: Katzen Arts Center, third floor INFO: Cult of the Hand is an exhibit featuring paintings, ceramics and installations inspired by maiolica glaze painting. Personal Interiors focuses on two-dimensional art featuring a figure in still, intimate spaces.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail the AU Museum at aumuseum@american.edu or call 202885-1300.

Event - Kogod Case Competition 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

WHERE: Mary Graydon Center 1 INFO: The annual Kogod School of Business Case Competition features student teams competing with proposals for improvement of a company, judged by outside professionals.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Tracey Landers at kogodcasecomp@american.edu or call 202-885-1982.

Megabytes Café Now Introducing….!! Sandwiches.!!

Nova lox Steak & Cheese Reuben Turkey Avocado Prepared on your choice of White, Whole Wheat, Rye bread.

Next to Chevy Chase Bank (In the Tunnel)

EDITORIAL

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

JOE WENNER n Editorial Page Editor EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com

JEN CALANTONE n Editor in Chief Editor@TheEagleOnline.com

AU: A campus of victims?

ON THE OTHER HAND

ALEX KNEPPER Hearing the complaints of college students, one might imagine himself to have wandered into the ghetto. Now, it may be confusing at first glance to think that one of the most expensive universities in the country harbors anyone other than the luckiest 20-year-olds on Earth — or, in their own words, the most “privileged” - but this is silly talk. To understand the collective psyche of university political culture, one has to realize that one walks among the oppressed, the damned, the downtrodden.

Most of us who have managed to remain grounded in something resembling sanity are familiar with someone who walked into college a political moderate and emerged as a radical one a year later. It’s inevitable, really. From the second the freshman stumbles onto campus, he is introduced to a million and one reasons why he should feel slighted by fate. The mild-mannered DLC Democrat is transformed into a postmodern radical once he learns that the world is out to get him; the mainstream liberal woman becomes a “radical queer feminist” once she understands that she is about to get raped (if not physically, metaphorically). The vicious offenders at hand - The Man? - are everyone and no one; the problem is “institutional,” not anyone’s fault in particular. (Huh?) For some reason inexplicable by standard logic, people want to be victims. When I explain the statistical fallacies of feminist grievances, one would think that this would be a relief to the activists. Well, it’s not.

Example: It is objectively incorrect to claim that women make 25 cents fewer than men for the same work.

It is not a “debate.” One side is correct, and the other side is incorrect.

The figure at hand is obtained by

averaging the annual incomes of all men and comparing the result to the average income of all women, the problems of which should be obvious to anyone who has ever taken STAT-202 — or has a functioning brain. The proper response to such a revelation should be: “Oh, I didn’t realize that. Thank you for clearing that misconception up.”

Right?

Alas, that would remove the impetus to march. One must understand that campus activists are not fighting for social justice, but for ice cream socials. Campus activists stand for the interests of campus activists, not of the oppressed.

Piñatas are constantly being constructed to hit: smash them and your guilt gets relieved! Feminists march for “a world without rape” because they know — as well as everyone who witnesses their march — that a world without rape is impossible. But this assures that their club — and their grievances — will never perish. The war against human nature doesn’t end. (On second thought, concealed-carry laws would assure that rape becomes at least improbable, but feminists hate guns, the one Great Equalizer of the sexes).

Little gets done for people who have real problems. More money is spent on gaudy drag shows and the Vagina Monologues than on education — the one thing that can actually improve people’s lives.

The rationalizations that they make — “it raises awareness!” — are as cynical as they are transparent. I might — might! – have a modicum of respect for them if they just came out and admitted that this is a giant charade to allow them to immerse themselves in identity-based subcultures. That’s no great evil in itself. But please, please, let’s stop this patronizing nonsense about “social justice” being the impetus behind the recreation.

Alex Knepper is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and a classical liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.

Angry press, stalled agenda UNSOLICITED ADVICE

ALEX PRIEST After a stinging loss in Massachusetts, miserable polling and everlower expectations for the November midterm elections, there has been plenty of advice going around for Democrats. Last week, I counted no less than five such articles and editorials in Sunday’s Washington Post.

Miraculously, President Barack Obama seems to be changing the game. His State of the Union address, high-speed rail announcement and “question time” at the GOP retreat were three powerful wins in a row for him and for the Democratic party.

But not all is well and good. To fully recover from the recent tailspin of negative coverage, one person in particular needs to straighten up.

The Obama administration’s main spokesman for the press, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, simply hasn’t been doing his job well. I’ve got some tips.

Dear Mr. Gibbs, Quit pissing off the press. Sound complicated? It’s not.

It’s no secret the Obama White House has been getting more and more negative coverage by the press in recent days. Sure, there’s a lot of bad news being steered in your direction, but a press that gets along well with the press secretary might be a bit more inclined to break bad news more gently.

The press isn’t irritated with President Obama himself. Nor are they against his policies. Many journalists, statistically speaking, lean left anyway. In fact, I’m sure they quite like him as a person, too. According to a poll from late December, 58 percent of all Americans hold a favorable opinion of him personally.

This is all about the communicator. That’s you, Mr. Gibbs. You’re getting on their nerves, and because of that, you’re failing at your job to communicate White House policy

effectively. Two weeks ago Dana Milbank at the Washington Post wrote a scathing column criticizing your “usual mix of wisecracks of insults,” your “glib Gibbs gibes,” and referring to you as “smart-alecky” and “combative.” Not good.

Then the weekend after that, liberal MSNBC news and radio host Ed Schultz told the nation about an unpleasant encounter with you. He told you that you were “full of sh-t”, and then you dropped the f-bomb right back.

Now you’re saying Mr. Schultz was misleading viewers in order to “get viewers to watch his show.” Not cool, Mr. Gibbs. Not cool at all.

There are three things you need to do to get out of the White House Press Corps’ doghouse.

First, quit being so political.

You’re the press secretary. Yes, you should defend the administration, but you’re not campaigning anymore. Give them the news, answer the questions and spin as necessary.

Don’t campaign — you already work in the White House; you can worry about re-election next year. Focus on your message, not everyone else’s.

Secondly, chillax. Not every question is an attack on Obama, and if you keep snapping at the media, they aren’t going to be nice to you in their columns that they write in newspapers with far more readers than this one.

Finally, give the press the respect they deserve. These people are keeping you relevant. And for the most part, they’re also being nice to the Obama administration; in 2009 they gave you the most balanced coverage in history, about 49 percent positive and 51 percent negative, according to the Center for Media and Public Affairs. If you want anything close to that in 2010, you’d better shape up.

Your bad attitude only results in one thing and that’s more columns like this. Obama’s doing a nice job recovering — don’t ruin it for him.

Alex Priest is a junior in the School of Communication and Kogod School of Business and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.

Courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

Rushing for a sanction?

With the IFC bringing multiple allegations against the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, administrators are presented with a delicate opportunity to further legitimize greek life.

In a total of six allegations, the Inter-Fraternity Council has directed regulatory attention toward AU fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa, and in doing so, has become even further involved in shaping the already dynamic greek scene on campus. The charges against PSK stem from its practices during the ongoing fraternity rush process — most essentially PSK has been accused of tainting their recruitment process through various alcohol and conduct infractions, including behavior “unbecoming of a fraternal organization,” according to an IFC statement.

There has also been considerable controversy over shirts created by the fraternity to promote its fall rush. According to Director of Greek Life Curtis Burrill these shirts read, “Don’t feed the sorority

LETTER TO THE EDITOR MacCracken’s veto of SG CERF legislation draws praise I have gone abroad this semester, and can’t usually keep abreast of campus affairs. But, one astounding thing which did manage to flash across my radar was a recent bill passed by the Undergraduate Senate on Jan. 24th. Entitled “A Bill to Express Support for an Appropriate Clean Energy Revolving Fund,” this bill actually served to undermine the long-term effectiveness of the Clean Energy Revolving Fund (CERF) because it precludes even a discussion of green fees or student government contributions down the line. CERF was designed to bring clean energy to this university in order to reduce our environmental impact, and in doing so, to realize the vision of AU as a leading institution for sustainability. This exact goal is articulated in the American Col-

the EAGLE

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girls, Phi Sigma Kappa’s campus beautification.” Potential consequences and sanctions include the loss of a spring rush class if an IFC committee finds the fraternity guilty of the charges.

There are several disparate issues here worthy of individual address. Some will object to the IFC’s intervention regarding the fraternity’s rush shirts, referencing the members’ right to express themselves as they see fit. These objectors overlook the fact that while greek organizations on campus are private institutions, they are still under the jurisdiction of the university and are subject to the rules and regulations established by its administrators. The university cannot and should not implicitly support material that many find extremely of-

fensive, especially given that the shirt’s message directly contradicts the messages disseminated by positive university programming, such as endeavors to promote a positive body image. The shirt’s slogan is tasteless and insensitive and its creation most certainly warrants the designation of conduct “unbecoming of a fraternal organization.”

The IFC’s desire to further legitimize and solidify greek life as a community structure dedicated to more than partying is certainly laudable. Attitudes are easily passed from older members to younger ones, and it behooves the IFC to protect the impressions and ideals of those just entering greek life. That said, the administration should be careful not to be overzealous in the implementation of his

plans to reform greek life on campus. If we’re to be honest, we should admit as a campus community that alcohol violations and violations of recruitment policy happen regardless of whether they are caught and prosecuted by university administrators.

These administrators should be careful not to be so harsh on existing organizations as to push these activities underground, where potentially more serious infractions can occur. A universal atmosphere of understanding and acceptance on the parts of the members involved would do much to facilitate campus functionality. For the IFC, that might mean being judicious in its implementation of discipline. For PSK, that might mean being more sensitive.

lege and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment to which we became party in 2007 thanks to the hard work of EcoSense and forward thinking vision of our President Neil Kerwin. Fulfillment of the ACUPCC is further enshrined in the Strategic Plan adopted the following year. This same principle is echoed all around campus with signs boasting that The American Dream is Green. Ultimately, this act violates our university’s core ethos – “Ideas into Action. Action into Service.” In order to make our university the leading institution which it aspires to be, we need a strong CERF. For this reason, I applaud SG President MacCracken’s veto of the bill. I further applaud the Undergraduate Senate for having ears and eyes open enough to realize their folly in passing the legislation last week, and deciding to uphold SG President Andy MacCracken’s veto in yesterday’s session. Clean energy is the way of the future. A strong, effective CERF will make AU a leader in re-

alizing that future.

Each of the above referenced documents is available for reference on EcoSense’s new Web site at auecosense.com.

national leader in the movement to create a more sustainable society.

In 2006, a resounding 71 percent of AU students in a university-wide referendum expressed support for clean energy on campus. The Undergraduate Senate heard the voices of AU students and delivered promising to write a new pro-CERF bill allowing SG to fundraise for clean energy on campus. These efforts should be commended but pressure on student leaders should not stop until meaningful steps are taken to make AU more environmentally friendly.

Together through Student Government, campus organizations and students concerned about the environment, we can make AU a carbon neutral campus, lead the way in clean energy innovation and invest in a sustainable future.

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The Undergraduate Senate took AU in the right direction when it sustained SG President Andy MacCracken’s veto of the Appropriate Clean Energy Revolving Fund bill on Jan. 31.

The CERF promises to be one of the most exciting and beneficial community initiatives enacted in years, and the Senate had passed legislation in the previous session that would effectively prohibit student government from participating in the program. MacCracken was right to veto this measure and the Senate deserves credit for working to invest in clean energy, lower our campus carbon footprint and make AU a

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the EAGLE

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

news 4

Admissions sees 12 percent jump in applications

By ANNA SCALAMOGNA Eagle Contributing Writer

KELLY BARRETT / THE EAGLE

THE JUNGLE — AU students flocked to Bon Appétit’s presentation on sustainable and socially responsible buying practices in the food industry.

East Coast Fellow Carolina Fojo spoke for nearly an hour before gourmet appetizers, such as sushi and quiche, were served.

Bon Appétit tells all Local food a priority for company

By SARAH PARNASS Eagle Staff Writer Slavery still exists in the United States today, and 10 percent of those slaves come from the agricultural industry, according to Bon Appétit East Coast Fellow Carolina Fojo.

Fojo revealed this and other facts about the food industry while simultaneously touting Bon Appétit’s efforts at socially responsible

buying practices to a room filled with AU students Thursday, Jan. 28.

Bon Appétit, which caters to such businesses as Google and Yahoo, also works for AU and other college campuses throughout the U.S., according to Fojo.

Bon Appétit advertised the presentation as the “story behind the food.” It consisted of a PowerPoint with pictures of lush vegetables, talking points about sustainability, potentially unsafe practices in the food industry and promotion of what the company has done to combat these hazards.

Fojo also touched on the benefits of locally-grown food, commercial salmon farming, the livestock and poultry industries, climate change and the plight of farmhands.

Fojo identified farm workers’

rights as the concern dearest to her heart and important to her employer, as well.

“For Bon Appétit, the farm worker issue is at the top of our plate,” Fojo said.

In the United States, 10,000 or more people participate in forced labor at any time, according to the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley.

Jennifer Jones, president of EcoSense, said she invited Fojo to speak at the university on Thursday.

The room in the Mary Graydon Center reserved for the presentation was filled with students.

Bodies lined the room, leaning on counters and against the glass walls.

Jones said she was happy with the turnout and thought Bon Ap-

Mind the gap: pay extra 10 cents for Metro ride

By MEG FOWLER Eagle Staff Writer The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s board of directors approved a decision Thursday to add 10 cents to current Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess fares in order to generate $9.6 million to help close its $40 million budget gap.

The board made the decision to increase fares instead of cutting back on services because it received written feedback from 596 D.C. residents who said they mostly preferred the fare increase, according to a statement from WMATA. Students are already broke and WMATA’s decision to increase fares for Metrorail and Metrobus access March 1 through June 30 this year will be hard for them, School of Public Affairs junior Alexandra Lilley said.

This decision could negatively affect some students, according to Washington College of Law student Abre Conner. Conner uses the Metrorail to commute from

Shady Grove every day, which costs her approximately $9 daily, she said.

“The 10-cent increase is going to even possibly make me think of alternative ways to get to school because it’s already expensive enough as it is,” Conner said. “For them to increase their prices and for us to not really see where the money is going ... is detrimental.”

While Lilley only uses the Metrorail once or twice per week, she said that a 10-cent increase could add up.

“I guess it’s not going to have a huge effect until you look at it from a yearly perspective instead of a daily perspective,” she said.

“But every little bit helps when you’re a student.”

Student Government Director of Student Community Relations Sami Green said the fare increase would be a big problem for AU students because Tenleytown is outside of the main part of the District.

“We all use it all the time ...

It’s a little bit frustrating because ... it does take us a little bit lon-

ger and more money to get where we want to go,” Green said. “[The SG] recognizes the need for it to be easier for students to be able to use public transportation because of parking problems and problems we have had with cars on campus.”

Shalia Sakona, a senior in SPA and the College of Arts and Sciences, works three to four days per week at the Spy Museum near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop and takes the bus the other days of the week to school from Glover Park, she said.

Sakona said she did not think that 10 cents would be noticeable, and she prefers that to decreased services.

“Not a single member of this Board wants to increase fares or decrease service,” Chairman of the Board Peter Benjamin said in a statement released by WMATA. “But we need to take this temporary action to balance the budget this year.”

You can reach this writer at mfowler@theeagleonline.com.

EAGLE RANTS *@#!3*%!

The Centennivator makes living on campus worthwhile.

To those of you in my philosophy class who glare at me every time I wear my letters - GET OVER YOURSELF! I have a 3.8, volunteer and intern. Stop pegging me in a little box and mind your own East Coast/hipster/pot smoking - self!

To the guy in my stats class who looks like a blonde Robert Pattinson ... dont worry, you are much more attractive than him.

What’s with all the copycat Jersey Shore parties? Everyone just had to copy Pi Kapp. @AU hipsters

protip: don’t complain about greek life and then come to our parties. So inauthentic. Go drink PBR in your Berkshire apartment.

HW assignment for every member of CASJ: Write a two page single spaced essay examining both the commercial and production history of your outfits. Which fashion companies are profiting off of you?

How did their advertising campaigns cause you to purchase their product? How and where were your clothes manufactured, step by step?

One inch margins and size 12 font.

Use citations. E-mail your papers to CASJKOGOD@hotmail.com.

Why it’s hard not to hate on greek life: When you’re together,

all you talk about is either getting drunk or apparently meaningless sorority/frat bureaucracy. To us, all you care about is greek life and parties. You’re always together, so it’s hard to get to know you. You were the cool kids in HS, we were not (yes, petty). The fact that you can afford to pay for friends and connections makes non-rich people feel alienated.

It drives me CRAZY that so many people appear to have nothing to do but drink, play video games and try to get into one another’s pants. Isn’t this supposed to be an institution of higher learning? And why am I the only one with homework?!

SEE MORE RANTS ONLINE!

pétit was “doing great” in their efforts to go green. However, unsustainable sugars were not mentioned in the presentation.

“That might be something they could work on in the future,” Jones said. “Perhaps they already have some sort of program, I’m not sure.

Continuing to be an innovator in that field would be awesome.”

After Fojo’s speech, she invited students to dine on hors d’oeuvres, including wild-caught salmon, sushi, tomato fondue with mozzarella and crostini. Reusable glasses had been set out for beverages.

There was not a plastic bottle of water in sight.

You can reach this staff writer at sparnass@theeagleonline.com.

n

from AUTO on page 1

driver must see a 30-minute video, take a 20-minute driving exam and pass a short written test.

In addition to these changes, fines will now be enforced more diligently. “[Sometimes] vans get damaged and then the organizations or the drivers driving at the time don’t really suffer any financial repercussions to help better themselves at driving,” Chang said. “The fines are there to make people aware that there are things to watch out for when using the vans and that they are responsible for the state of the

AU received 16,800 applications for admission in the fall 2010 semester, an increase of 12 percent from last year, according to Greg Grauman, acting director of the Office of Admissions.

The university is part of a larger trend in the D.C. area in which colleges and universities received an increased number of undergraduate applications this year, according to college admission offices and college Web sites.

The surge in undergraduate applications is partially due to current students’ positive feedback about their schools and families’ desire to choose from multiple options of financial aid packages, according to admissions officers at both AU and the Catholic University of America.

Applying to more schools allows students the opportunity to see what schools can offer them financially, according to CUA Dean of University Admissions Christine Mica.

Graduate and law schools also received more applications for economic reasons this year from college graduates unwilling to enter the job market due to the recession, The Eagle previously reported.

Though AU has not decided how many applicants it will admit for fall 2010, last year’s acceptance rate was 53 percent, according to Grauman.

At AU approximately 93 percent of need is met for financial aid. Last year the average aid package was $33,429, according to the College Board Web site. The total estimated cost of attendance was $47,386, according to AU’s Office of Admissions.

Grauman said he believes that the increase in applicants to AU is not just due to the economy, but also the result of positive experiences by current undergraduate students and the excitement of liv-

vans.”

The rest of the AUTO fleet will be made available once scheduled maintenance is completed on the out-of-commission vans.

Furthermore, Risk Management must approve the proposed manual before the program becomes fully operational.

The manual has been submitted to the administration and is awaiting approval by Student Activities and Risk Management.

Tony Newman, the director of Risk Management, refused to comment when contacted by The Eagle. “[We want to] make sure that they look like vans and not war vehicles,” Chang said. “We don’t

ing in D.C., he said.

“Our current students are sharing their positive experiences with friends and former classmates, who in turn are choosing to apply,” Grauman said. “It is an exciting time to be in Washington, D.C., and prospective students know that if they enroll at AU, they will be at the heart of the action.”

CUA saw an even larger increase in applicants this year. Although the application deadline is not until February, they’ve already seen a 30.9 percent increase over last year, according to Mica.

“Families are eager to review financial aid and have as many options as possible before committing to college this year,” Mica said.

CUA was voted a “best buy” university by Fiske Guide to Colleges in 2009 and by WiseChoice, an online college guide. Fiske, a company that produces a series of college guides, designates “best buy” schools based on the quality of academics relative to the cost of tuition.

At The George Washington University applications are up 3 percent, and at John Hopkins University they have increased 13 percent this year, according to The Washington Post.

GWU was ranked third in the country for its “average amount of need-based aid” by the U.S. News and World Report’s magazine, “2009 America’s Best Colleges.”

Need-based aid refers to money awarded to students based on their financial situation, not merit.

At GWU for the 2009-2010 academic year, the average financial aid package for full-time undergraduates is $35,780, and the average need-based scholarship or grant for full-time undergraduates is $22,321, according to a 2009 GWU press release. The estimated total cost of attendance at GWU is $55,625.

You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.

have a set date for that because we are largely dependent on how soon we can get [AU workers] to fully repair them.”

Until the whole fleet is back in commission, priority will be given to clubs that fall under the direction of Student Activities.

Organizations that are not under the Student Activities umbrella, such as intramural sports teams, will not be given priority.

You can reach this staff writer at cszold@theeagleonline.com.

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

THE EAGLE'S ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

Photos by VERONIKA K.

ICE ICE, BABY — The addition of The Fridge to D.C.’s art community brings a unique new venue to the District. The open, industrial space brings a distinct aesthetic that enhances the art held within. The graffiti-inspired pieces result from a combination of both experienced artists and newcomers joining together to make one work. The space also offers classes that expand upon its unique flavors of urban art.

‘Fridge’ warms up D.C. art scene

By BALKIS AWAN Eagle Contributing Writer

With a name like The Fridge, one would assume a cold, uninviting vibe from the events held at the venue. However, this Capitol Hill art space is quite the opposite.

After visiting the gallery to attend their Sunday workshops, it is easy to warm up to The Fridge.

Walking in, it is hard to know exactly what to expect. The group’s most recent workshops, sponsored by a non-profit organization dedicated to spreading the arts through different interactive and participatory programs called Albus Cavus,

were both graffiti-inspired. The workshops are an amazing display of artistic skill. Some of the artists appear to be regulars, and their work and relationships with the staff show it.

Though visitors who are not so experienced as artists may feel nervous, the kind staff and tight-knit community quickly make you feel right at home. At the start of the workshop, attendees went around in a circle and stated their names, and soon after engaged in a group activity. Artists began taking turns painting a large sheet of paper in order to demonstrate wheat-pasting. Artists of all ages took their turn at the paper; some were as

young as 11-years-old; others were well into adulthood.

Each person then got to make their own work of art on the paper created by the workshop, and afterward took liberty with paint rollers and pasted them onto a free standing wood wall. All artistic skills were on display, from beginners to practiced artists. D.C. female graffiti artist Decoy led the workshop, her energy and insight bringing both fun and inspiration to the workshop attendees.

Workshop participants were just as enthusiastic the next Sunday, learning about graffiti style and lettering. Each chose their own tag names, and through the guid-

Band brawls take fight to new venue: the Web SCENESTER SPOTLIGHT

MAGGIE HOLLANDER In middle school, many students learn that a fight can take place without any face-to-face confrontation. It becomes a war of words, snide comments and notes passed to others. Now some members of the music industry have taken passive-aggressive fights to a whole new level with the help of the Internet.

My fascination with the subject of Internet brawls started a couple of weeks ago. Sure, I’d noticed the occasional non-confrontational catfight between celebrities in the tabloids, but nothing that caught my attention the way a piece on absolutepunk.net did.

It all began with a concert preview. Bill Chenevert, a reporter for Philadelphia Weekly, wrote a short paragraph in late December announcing an upcoming concert for the Starting Line. But rather than just simply mentioning the event, Chenevert began the piece “It’s hard not to root against local boys who’ve ‘made it’ ... unless it’s a band like the Starting Line.” The reporter continued the critique of the band, going as far as to say their music is an “insufferable brand of whine” and called them the “obnoxious, angsty teenagers” of emo.

A bit harsh for less than 150 words, no?

While most bands blow off such bad reviews as the cost of being in the music business, singer and bassist Kenny Vasoli decided not to take such insults sitting down. He took to the Internet, criticizing Chenevert for his “low blows” and saying the shows mentioned in the piece gave the members of the band “an indescribable feeling of joy, one that I’m sure Mr. Chenevert will never experience in his pathetic excuse of a career.” After going on to make one or two other rather crude comments, Vasoli finished off the post with a succinct “I win.”

Vasoli’s response caused fans to descend upon the online version

of Chenevert’s article. A couple days later, another writer for PW, Michael Alan Goldberg, posted his response to the nonsense on his blog.

Although intending to quell the fire, Goldberg’s blog wasn’t exactly unbiased. Protecting his colleague, Goldberg said he agrees with Chenevert’s general analysis on the Starting Line’s music and chastised Vasoli for his “immature crybaby” response. But his real problem with the whole situation was the response of the band’s fans. After angrily criticizing the commenters, he ended his post by saying that “based on their comments and reactions, Starting Line fans really are dipshits.”

It was just recently that I came across a story involving Franz Ferdinand that ended very differently than the Starting Line/ Philadelphia Weekly conflict. The conflict began when frontman Alex Kapranos took to Twitter to vent about the fact that one of the band’s songs was being used on a McDonald’s Web site. The site, www.latenightmcdonalds.com, features music videos from artists such as the Fray and Incubus as well as Franz Ferdinand. Apparently, Sony approved the use of the song without the band’s consent.

Kapranos, using many words that The Eagle would rather not print, redirected his initial rage at the restaurant to the label.

“The psychopathic corporation I am pissed off with is Sony who owns Epic who release our records in America,” Kapranos tweeted.

“But not really surprised.”

Eventually, the singer calmed down and joked that his real reason for being angry is that he “had a sponsorship deal with White Castle on the cards which is now totally scuppered.”

But this tiff didn’t end there.

Now, we as Americans, or maybe human beings in general, like to butt in where we don’t belong and give unwarranted advice on situations that do not involve us. It is, simply put, how we do.

Scott Austin, CEO of Authentik Artists and blogger, composed a post entitled “Open Letter to Franz Ferdinand.” The blog began by criticizing the band’s wish to have indie cred despite being on a major label. Austin continued on, lecturing the musicians on com-

plaining while making millions of dollars and only wanting to look “cool” for their fans.

“You are ungrateful and twofaced,” Austin wrote, telling them to “have the ‘cred’ and take the hard road, or the money and keep your mouth shut.” Finally, Austin finished off by declaring that “now is not the time for millionaire rock stars to cry woe is me.”

Kapranos did not take this lightly. His response started off politely, explaining that his complaint centered on the lack of choice the band had in the use of their song. Kapranos then went insult by insult through Austin’s blog post and countered them, saying that it was “uncool” of him to tweet without thinking first, but that’s all it was. Finally, he finished off the letter by NOT calling Austin a “pathetic bile-ridden resentful poisonous ignorant yellow-livered inarticulate morally-suspect avaricious failed-corporate-wannabe.” All in all, the response was surprisingly kind and straightforward.

However, Austin decided not to let it end there. While he asked non-sarcastically to be friends, he couldn’t let go of a few minor details and wants to “parry and joust just a bit more.” Luckily, rather than continuing on the fight unnecessarily, his blog in response to that band’s letter was more of a long-winded apology by a guy who always needs to get in the last word.

The moral of these stories?

Well, there are a couple morals.

Number one: Watch what you say on the Internet. Unlike an angry phone call or conversation, what’s tweeted or texted or emailed is in print. This means it’s easily copied and forwarded and commented on.

Number two: Be the bigger man (or woman). Seriously, let it go. If someone seriously attacks you and bases their argument on false facts, you can write a letter in response and not sink to their level.

Number three: Get over it. Just make music. Or write. Or produce.

Or do whatever it is that you do.

The music business drama is fun for maybe a day but it forces the actual music to take a backseat. n

see BRAWLS on page 6

ance of another local graffiti artist, Ultra, learned basic lettering styles as well as shading. Having help in a hands-on environment made the workshop completely worthwhile, allowing each person to learn a lot about their own skills, as well as the skills and techniques of others artists, both local and non-local.

The space itself is pretty eyecatching — not what you’d expect from an art gallery advertised in the Capitol Hill area. It possesses an industrial and raw look, from the plain white walls to the raw wood details, that give the gallery an edge one would never expect from the District. Work from a recent art show remained on the wall

— drawings and paintings alike.

It was small, but that only added to its charm. For those planning to visit the Fridge anytime in the very near future, they have several events coming up. You can access their calendar via their Web site, www.thefridgedc.com. They also have a flickr page that anyone can access at http://www.flickr.com/ photos/thefridgedc.

Their stream, which is constantly being updated, features all the fun people have had at past workshops and events. Next Saturday, Feb. 6, they have a show opening titled “Empty Time,” with the reception starting at 8 p.m. The show “celebrates the quiet moments of

idle numbness and self-indulgence, in which time is not killed, but savored,” according to the Fridge’s Web site. Artists included hail from all over the country, from California to Pennsylvania. The show closes March 3, so make sure to check it out before then.

The Fridge is located within walking distance of the Eastern Market Metro station. Bring a friend for an alternative, creative and cheap way to spend a weekend.

You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.

AU alumna scores top 10 pageant spot

By SARAH PARNASS Eagle Staff Writer An AU alumna from the class of 2009 was a top ten finalist in the Miss America Pageant Saturday night.

College of Arts and Sciences graduate Jen Corey competed against contestants from all 50 states as well as the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico in the Las Vegas pageant.

Corey won the Miss District of Columbia title in July 2009, just two months after graduating from AU. That title enabled her to compete for the 2010 Miss America crown.

A panel of judges including singer Brooke White and conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh chose 11 of the remaining 15 semifinalists. Another three were chosen by viewer votes.

“All pageantry aside, I want authenticity, a real girl,” White said during the contest.

The judges selected Corey as one of those 11.

Finally, the competitors themselves chose the 15th semifinalist. It was the first time in pageant history contestants had been asked to do so, according to host Mario Lopez. The girls chose Miss Oregon CC Barber, who erupted in tears but did not progress beyond the next round of judging.

During the pageant, Corey stood above much of her competition as one of the tallest girls on stage. She strutted down the catwalk with vigorous swinging of the hips during the swimsuit competition and graced the stage in a beautiful, floor-length black gown during the evening wear competition.

“Trying on [and] practicing in the dress and the swimsuit,” are the keys to avoiding “wardrobe malfunctions,” Corey said.

It was during the talent competition that Corey’s individuality shined through. Only one other contestant chose opera as her talent. n

see PAGEANT on page 6

Courtesy of MISS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION

HERE SHE COMES — AU alumna Jen Corey beat out 42 of her fellow contestants to place in the top 10 in the 2010 Miss America pageant.

Corey is a 2009 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences.

the EAGLE

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

the scene 6

Love burns out at ‘Last’

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer

THE LAST STATION

A-

With an all-star cast featuring the likes of Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, Paul Giamatti and James McAvoy, “The Last Station” was bound to be the stuff of indie film magic. Directed by Michael Hoffman (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”), “The Last Station” focuses on the final year in the life of famed Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Based on the Jay Parini novel of the same name, “Station” takes on the most difficult aspect in Tolstoy’s life at the time: his relationship with his erratic wife, Sofya (Mirren). While it ties together Tolstoy’s politics and philosophy, the film mainly deals with love and how it cannot always be an idyllic romance; it’s about learning how keep romance alive when the love starts to falter.

The film is seen through the eyes of Valentin Bulgakov (McAvoy), a nervous but kind-hearted student who comes to live with Tolstoy and learn about his philosophy. Bulgakov is a loyal follower of Tolstoyan ethics and wants to become a devout disciple of his principles on life and love.

Prior to that, he was taught under Vladimir Chertkov (Giamatti), Tolstoy’s best friend and dearest admirer.

Chertkov sends him to live with Tolstoy with instructions to write about everything he sees and learns in a diary.

At the time, it seemed as though everyone around Tolstoy kept a diary, documenting the life of the gifted philosopher. In addition, there was a constant camera crew outside of Tolstoy’s bucolic mansion, always snapping pictures of him and his family.

Chertkov was obsessed with keeping the memory of Tolstoy alive long

after he passed away, so he allowed people to take pictures and instructed everyone, even Tolstoy himself, to keep a diary. An additional instruction Chertkov gives to Bulgakov is to stay celibate; he felt that it would make matters worse should Valentin become involved with any women of the household like former students had done. Eager to please, Bulgakov agrees and sets off to live with Tolstoy and his wife, Sofya.

Upon meeting everyone, Tolstoy’s delicate relationship with his wife is revealed. Mirren masterfully plays Sofya, who carefully balances her loving side with her neurotic tendencies. As the film progresses, it is clear Tolstoy is struggling between living a life of simplicity and dealing with his wife’s wishes for money and extravagance.

Sofya is supremely against every one of Tolstoy’s friends, especially those who want him to give everything up and live a life of solitude. Throughout the film, we see their relationship become strained and twisted, mostly due to Sofya’s melodramatic nature and dislike for anyone who fawns over her husband; she even despises her own daughter, Sasha. It is in this way that the film depicts love in a stage that is not often seen.

After so many years of whirlwind romance, how does a couple keep the flame alive when there are so many factors pulling them apart? Sofya wishes for Tolstoy to write a will and give the rights to his works to his family, while his friends push him to give his rights to the public in order to preserve his legacy as a man who catered to the needs of the people by sharing his philosophy of love.

Meanwhile, Bulgakov has personal struggles following Tolstoy’s philosophy. After meeting Masha (Kerry Condon), a caretaker who lives in the home, she and Bulgakov start to fall in love. It’s a parallel that director Hoffman draws between young romance and love when it is near its final stage.

Fans anticipate return of CoCo to late night TV WEEKLY BOOB TUBE

MAISIE HOOPER The battle for “The Tonight Show” host spot is far more entertaining than any VH1 reality series.

Jay Leno became host of “The Tonight Show” 17 years ago, succeeding Johnny Carson. Last May, Conan O’Brien took Leno’s spot as late-night funny man.

Initially, Conan’s ratings were below Leno’s. When a new host takes over a show, ratings are expected to be low for the first year and a half. Conan was taken off air after seven months.

Five years ago, NBC promised Jay Leno’s job to Conan.

Leno would explore options on an original show while “The Tonight Show” became “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.” “Saturday Night Live” alum Jimmy Fallon was pulled in to take over “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” which aired after Leno’s “Tonight Show.”

As Conan pulled his weight on “The Tonight Show,” Leno was given a primetime show on NBC that was virtually the same as his previous program. The hour long “Jay Leno Show” aired at 10 p.m. With weak guests and low ratings, the show tanked; Leno’s audience never followed him to primetime. NBC thought the best way to help Leno was airing his show at O’Brien’s 11:35 slot, and push Conan back a half hour.

We like Conan’s comedy because it’s crisp, and he never has to stoop low to get a laugh.

However, when the network threatened to push Conan out of his own spot, the claws came out. Conan issued a statement saying he would not leave his 11:35 time slot to “participate in [the network’s] destruction.”

NBC was faced with the choice of keeping Conan on “The Tonight Show” at 11:35, or letting him go and having Leno return as the host. The network acted on instinct, as Leno was a successful host of “The Tonight

STEPHAN RABOLD / SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

ALL ABOARD — “The Last Station” is an impressive look into the tumultuous love life of Leo Tolstoy. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jay Parini, the film follows the story of Tolstoy’s followers and family.

Amidst all the drama going on at home, Bulgakov still remains loyal to Tolstoy, but starts to develop his own feelings about love from what he sees in the home.

In what might be Hoffman’s most poignant piece, “The Last Station” is an excruciating look at love and all its conflicts. The fact that it was based on Tolstoy’s life makes it all the more

dramatic, and evident that even the most loving of people must suffer to make a relationship work. It is a painfully real film that challenges the idea that love does not necessarily conquer all.

You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.

NGA shows off French art gems

Courtesy of NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

FRENCH SEAS — A couple with an excellent eye for up-and-coming artists, Chester and Maud Dale, donated their personal collection to the NGA.

By ALI GOLDSTEIN Eagle Staff Writer The National Gallery of Art’s latest exhibit, “Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection,” sounds like the title of an art history survey course. In contrast to a typical exhibit that showcases the work of a single artist or movement, the NGA’s undertaking sweeps through periods, artists and styles of French art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

What’s remarkable considering the scope and diversity of the exhibit is that

the masterpieces all share the same thread: they were purchased and collected by the American couple Chester and Maud Dale. This exhibit features 83 of the more than 300 works donated to the NGA by the Dales, pulled from the Gallery’s permanent collection for the duration of the exhibit. Most of the works in this exhibit are both famous and familiar, making what’s compelling about this exhibit not what’s on display, but rather how it’s displayed.

Linking such a wide range of works — from Picasso’s blue period to Mary Cassat’s affectionate portraiture

— highlights the eye of the beholder.

We are made to see through the eyes of Maud and Chester Dale to discover what they found beautiful in the works by these artists they championed. Organizing an exhibit according to the sensibilities of such a famous art collecting couple makes the viewer of the art — typically a fleeting role we step into when we stand before a work — the actual subject of the exhibit.

Chester Dale was a businessman who made it big on Wall Street during the 1920s. A passionate man, he focused his energies on his incredible art collection. With his wife Maud, herself an artist with a keen eye for budding talent, Dale prodigiously collected 19th and 20th century French art, including some of the most iconic modern artworks. In the exhibit’s accompanying publication, photographs of the Dales’ New York apartment show the couple’s walls covered in modern art.

From Dale’s first acquisition, Matisse’s “Plumed Hat,” the couple came to play a crucial role in championing modern artists. Many of the artists they supported hadn’t yet achieved widespread contemporary acclaim.

Matisse, for example, was still considered something of a revolutionary when the Dales first started collecting his work. Upon Dale’s death in 1962, he bequeathed his art collection to the NGA, completely transforming the Gallery’s French art collection.

Curator Kimberly Jones worked to achieve thematic unity in the exhibit’s presentation of the Dale couple’s prolific collection. Portraits of women

dominate one wall and portraits of men another. Nearly an entire room is devoted to landscapes. Taking such iconic works out of their traditional context and arranging them thematically is truly powerful. It becomes clear how the artistic contemporaries interacted and how they responded to similar changes in society and their physical surroundings.

An art museum’s typical insistence on grouping works of one artist together gives the impression that the artists worked in isolation. In this exhibit, however, placement allows for new connections. Situating George Bellow’s “Blue Morning,” next to Monet’s “The Houses of Parliament, Sunset,” highlights the sensation of the artists’ experiments with light and color.

In total, 32 artists are represented in this exhibit, which is just a taste of the Gallery’s complete collection of Dale’s bequest. Seeing all these masterpieces side-by-side makes it hard to imagine the art world without the Chester Dale couple. The exhibit draws attention to the critical relationship between business and art, especially relevant amid today’s economic reality. Where would Matisse be, after all, if Dale had decided to collect automobiles instead?

This new exhibit lets us see works anew, through the eyes of a couple that truly loved art. The exhibit, “From Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection,” will be on display through July 31.

n

In a new gown — this one sweeping and deep blue — Corey sang the aria “O Mio Babbino Caro” from Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi.”

Corey, who studied vocal performance at AU, has performed on stage before. She worked for the National Opera this year, when she was not enduring weekly mock interviews and daily fitness training. Despite her touching performance on Saturday, both she and Miss Texas — the only other opera singer in the semi-finals — were eliminated following that round.

Prior to running for Miss D.C. during her sophomore year at AU, Corey had never competed in a pageant, she said.

Corey said her voice professor and musician-in-residence at AU, Linda Allison, encouraged her to audition.

“I never really thought anything was going to happen with it,” Corey said. “I went because I thought it would be a fun audition.”

For the Miss America Pageant, each contestant was re-

You can reach this staff writer at agoldstein@theeagleonline.com.

Author’s death leaves behind legacy

By MICHAEL W. RICHARDSON Eagle Staff Writer J.D. Salinger, master of the short story and patron saint of disaffected teenagers, passed away last week at the age of 91. From the time he published the short story “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” he was almost instantly added to the canon of American literature — a new, distinct voice that sought insight into the urban ennui of youth and the young at heart. He would go on to put out a body of work that was both incredibly brief and incredibly influential.

Writers have been rushing to praise him, calling him the most important American writer since Hemingway or even Mark Twain, and those men and women may have a case. Critic Louis Menand wrote in the New Yorker earlier in the decade about how rewrites of “The Catcher in the Rye” had become “a literary genre all its own,” citing such highly respected work as Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” and the work of Hunter S. Thomspson. It is doubtful that modern literature would be the same without the notorious recluse. We may not have had the same John Updike, Philip Roth or other chronicles of post-war America.

Of course, Salinger’s influence did not just spread over the literature of

the 20th and 21st centuries. His work has become a pop culture touchstone, becoming easy shorthand for teenage alienation and an insatiable need to create. So if one must mourn the loss of a great writer, it might hurt less to go back and enjoy the piece of pop that he inspired.

Salinger was famously antagonistic against the film industry (even writing in “The Catcher in the Rye,” “If there’s one thing I hate, it’s the movies. Don’t even mention them to me.” It’s a perfect summary of the author’s own feelings.)

His estate was fiercely protective of his work, denying any number of possible adaptations of his work. Even with big names like Marlon Brando pushing to make a movie version of “The Catcher in The Rye,” there was no give from the author. But that didn’t mean that Holden was kept from the big screen.

If one wants to see a film version of Salinger’s characters, a quick peruse of Wes Anderson’s film catalogue is all one needs. The Max Fisher of “Rushmore” is Holden in reverse. He’s much more socially extroverted, and sees his private school as a sanctuary rather than a prison, but his social alienation is sucked right out of Salinger’s tale.

The Glass family — the protagonists of much of Salinger’s short fiction — were the direct inspiration for “The Royal Tenenbaums,” but the mixture

of support and disappointment family can provide shoot through Anderson’s entire catalogue.

While it might be a stretch to say that any film that includes an angsty teenager is homage to Salinger, there are many films that use his rye humor as an integral part of their teenage disillusionment. His books have become visual shorthand — show a character carrying a copy of “The Catcher in the Rye,” and we generally have an idea of what’s going on in their head.

The music community had a similar relationship with the author. While never as contentious as his relationship with the film industry, the man who shunned pop culture must have had mixed feelings about his creations being co-opted for songs. That being said, some truly great music has been inspired by Salinger’s work.

Working backwards, “Catcher in the Rye” by Guns N’ Roses, off of “Chinese Democracy,” is a song about the most heinous event associated with the author’s work, the murder of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman. Chapman claimed the book was his biggest inspiration, and that Lennon deserved death because he was one of the “phonies” that Holden decried. That traumatic event has been captured in all media, but Axl Rose’s intricate ballad captures a mix of anger and sadness

that reflects both the assassination and the anti-hero of Salinger’s book.

Other musical acts, from the Jonas Brothers to the Offspring, have used his characters as direct inspirations.

Green Day’s “Who Wrote Holden Caulfield” is a tribute to literature’s biggest punk icon. On the other side of the rock spectrum, Belle & Sebastian’s “La Pastie de la Bourgeoisie” is about a young bookish girl losing herself in “The Catcher in the Rye” and looking for a boy like Holden to call her own.

Even Billy Joel calls out Holden Caulfield as a generation-defining icon in “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (is there a greater honor?).

His ghosts remain on television.

Who is our newest icon of youth rebellion if not Bart Simpson? Could the claustrophobic ennui of “Mad Men” be traced right back to Salinger’s short fiction? Matt Weiner, the creator of “Mad Men,” said he read Salinger as a way to hit the mannerisms of the ‘60s as accurately as possible. But it wasn’t just the mannerisms of a certain decade that was Salinger’s skill. He is so influential because he was able to tap into a sense of youth that everybody still searches for, in the world of pop culture and beyond.

You can reach this staff writer at mrichardson@theeagleonline.com.

from PAGEANT on page 5

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from BRAWLS on page 5

The music needs to be the center of attention, or you’re not being an artist; you’re being Britney Spears.

In the end, this is really just a rant about a bunch of other people’s rants. But as entertaining as Internet brawls are to watch,

Show” for over 15 years.

It was NBC’s mistake to doubt Conan. He and side kick Andy Richter are a different breed of comedy, a type of funny that makes you feel good about yourself. Conan’s comedy is riskier than Leno’s, so the payoff is bigger if it’s funny enough; Leno is much safer. On “Late Night,” Conan took viewers around the world to visit O’Brien castle in Ireland and to Helsinki to meet Finland’s female president who bears a striking resemblance to the ginger comedian. In time, Conan’s ratings would have risen, but NBC was too antsy to let something new come to fruition.

When Conan heard the news, he organized a spectacle of final shows, each costing NBC a ton of money. On his last Wednesday show, O’Brien bought a Bugatti Veyron, the world’s most expensive car, and dressed it in mouse ears. He also featured the Rolling Stone’s “Satisfaction” on the show, a song that is quite expensive to license. Whether dressing up in a pimp costume or kicking the network in the gut, Conan will do anything for his audience. Conan’s final show featured an array of celebrity friends including Tom Hanks, Will Ferrell and Steve Carell.

10.3 million viewers tuned in to watch Conan say goodbye, sweet ratings that NBC will never taste again.

As viewers, we feel a tinge of guilt that Conan wasn’t given his deserved time. Do we watch Leno retake his old show or do we switch to Letterman? And what kind of world do we live in if Jimmy Fallon has a late night show and Conan O’Brien doesn’t? There’s talk of FOX picking up Conan, which he’ll probably accept, as the man is too hilarious to not be on television. As part of his contract with NBC, Conan cannot appear on television for seven months.

Until then, Conan fans, we must turn to Hulu to get our fill. Tune in to FOX next season, where Conan will hopefully be waiting. I can assure you, he won’t disappoint.

You can reach this columnist at thescene@theeagleonline.com.

quired to raise $500 for the Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving children’s hospitals. This year, Corey raised over $12,000, placing her second among other contestants, according to the Miss D.C. Web site. That, in addition to the funds she accumulated for the charity during her time in the state competitions, brings her to a total of just under $20,000 raised in three years, she said.

Corey also worked with D.C. Goodwill as part of her platform on recycling. The campaign was called “Let’s Talk Trash.” A video of Corey demonstrating a unique way to go green by teaming up with Goodwill Fashionista, Gillian Kirkpatrick, can be found on The Eagle’s news blog at www.theeagleonline.com/ newswire/.

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron won the pageant. Cameron also sang during the talent portion of the competition, but her piece came from the movie “Dreamgirls.”

You can reach this staff writer at sparnass@theeagleonline.com.

perhaps it is time for grown men and women in the music business to learn to vent on the phone to their friends and not trade insults via the World Wide Web. The Internet is clogged up enough as it is.

You can reach this staff writer at mhollander@theeagleonline.com.

Check out The Scene’s LOST blog for insights on the show’s final season.

theeagleonline.com/ behindthescene

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CLASSIFIEDS

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

KUSHAN DOSHI n Business Manager 202.885.3593

Band stop 9:30 show

Cultural bias colors lens of Turk history

By WILLIAM F. ZEMAN

with a critical mind, but as Atatßrk’s successes were listed to me continuously, as I passed his statue multiple times on my school and work commutes, as his picture gazed at me from every shop’s wall, as his quotes littered the day’s conversation — it was hard not to be convinced. While I may not have become a Kemalist, my remarks about Atatßrk were almost entirely laudatory. What I conceived of Atatßrk, my conceptions, like those of the Turks I lived with, were positive.

Now, I am no longer in Turkey.

I have moved to Cairo. Once again, Mustafa Kemal began my introduction to a new culture.

As other American students and I joined some locals for dinner along the Nile, conversation flowed. As I ate, an Egyptian named Ahmed engaged me. “You don’t speak Arabic?â€? he said. I shook my head. Ahmed mentioned that Turkish and Arabic shared many words and I agreed, adding there had been more before AtatĂźrk reformed the language. “AtatĂźrk,â€? Ahmed said loudly. “That guy was a dick.â€? As I looked around, momentarily thinking Turkish police would descend any second, Ahmed told me his view of Mustafa Kemal.

Once upon a time, there was a military dictator named Mustafa Kemal. After throwing out foreign occupiers, he refused to relinquish power to his land’s hereditary ruler, and instead abolished the sultan’s throne and a caliphate sacred since Islam’s dawn. Because Mustafa Kemal hated God and all believers, he banned the fez. He banned Islam’s sacred law, instead importing a cheap French substitute unsuited to Muslims. Because he hated Arabic, the call to prayer was changed to Turkish.

Drunk on power, he went about trying to make his new kingdom resemble the Europe he so desperately loved. The alphabet was changed.

Western-style dress was adopted, and traditional styles banned. Women were not allowed to cover themselves.

Mustafa Kemal turned his back on his Muslim brothers, caring about no people’s welfare but his own and that of his mistresses. Finally, he foisted upon himself the title “AtatĂźrk.â€?

Neither of these stories is historically accurate, both impacted terribly by cultural bias. But they serve as reminders that this region, often considered monolithic from afar, remains a realm of diverse opinions, values and beliefs.

CROSS-CULTURAL DISPATCH

CAIRO Once upon a time, a man named Mustafa Kemal decided to make his people westernized. After winning a war of independence, driving out foreign invaders and abolishing a corrupt sultanate and outdated Caliphate, he went further. Using his position as head of the army, as well as his personal popularity stemming from his military victories, he began transforming every aspect of his country’s society.

The fez was banned, replaced

by Western hats. Islamic laws were banned, replaced with a French system of civil law. Power was vested in a parliament, whose authority to rule stemmed “from the sovereignty of the nation.â€? Plural marriages were banned. The call to prayer, which had echoed over the landscape for a millennia, was changed from its original Arabic to Turkish, the state’s vernacular. The Dervish lodges were banned. The holy relics of the Prophet were carefully placed in storage, away from prying eyes and fanatical pilgrims. Freedom of and from religion was established. Alphabets were changed, and last names were given to the people. Parliament gave the title “AtatĂźrkâ€? to Kemal, recognizing his importance in the new nation’s birth.

That creation may have been painful, with the removal of the nation’s religion a birth-pang hard to accept. But it was necessary, for from it emerged a new nation ready to take its place among the world’s great states. Indeed, no one could deny that Kemal’s reforms had been responsible for this great new beginning.

When I first arrived in Turkey, I knew little of Mustafa Kemal AtatĂźrk.

Time and again, friends, neighbors and random men told me variations on this story. Atatßrk created the nation. Atatßrk’s work had made Turkey the force it is today. Some of Atatßrk’s reforms may have been harsh, but no one could deny their need.

I like to think I heard these stories

Courtesy of OF MONTREAL

SHOW STOPPERS — Of Montreal are an Athens, Ga. band led by flamboyant frontman Kevin Barnes. The band sprung from the Elephant 6 collective in the 1990s. Since 1997, they have released nearly one album per year and are now touring to promote their next album, “False Priest/The Controller Sphere.�

By KATRINA CASINO Eagle Staff Writer Of Montreal are actually not from Montreal, but that’s the least shocking thing about them.

Of Montreal are also not a band comprised of leotard-clad men in farm animal masks, but anyone who watched them take the stage at the 9:30 club on Thursday, Jan. 28 could have been fooled. In what their set list referred to as “Animal Intro,� the psychedelic, synth-pop, gender-bending rockers entered to a frenzied audience after being introduced by what appeared to be a man-pig on the drums, a man-chicken on guitar and a three-piece-suit-wearing tiger screaming into the microphone. Let there be no mistake: Of Montreal are not just a show, they’re a spectacle.

It’s not that they need to be; it’s just that they are. Hailing from the same Elephant 6 col-

lective that produced true ‘90s indie greatness like Neutral Milk Hotel and Beulah, Of Montreal are by no means short on talent.

The band, led by perfectly butch/ femme frontman Kevin Barnes, have released one album nearly every year since 1997, and each work takes listeners through an epic experimental sojourn laced with escapist tendencies, hopping bass lines, surprisingly introspective lyrics and a flamboyance that results from what could only be blaring confidence — or insanity.

The band’s 9:30 set spanned the entirety of their lengthy career, but focused largely on their latest album, 2008’s “Skeletal Lamping.� “St. Exquisite’s Confessions� was theatrical, disturbing and vindicating all at once, which one could suppose was to be expected of any song that began with the line, “I’m so sick of sucking the dick of this cruel, cruel city.� The sultry guitar intro and the song’s

unique brand of angst were overshadowed by a political statement against the Catholic Church, which of course to Of Montreal consisted of a man dressed as a priest relentlessly attempting to touch a man dressed presumably as a little boy in an outer-space onesie before being retaliated against and beaten by the heavily-eyelinered Barnes and the pajama-ed man-child.

The theatrics continued in “Metal Finds Troll,� which seemed to be part song, part spoken word comedy routine about a crazy man and a beta fish. “Oslo in the Summertime� was released from its dirty, cadenced nonchalance and transformed into a frenetic, rave-like trance with no lights except for those that spotlighted men in tiny, flesh-colored underwear flexing, slow-motion fighting and lustily biting into apples. “She’s a Rejecter� was Of Montreal’s grand finale from 2007’s

You can reach this columnist at thescene@theeagleonline.com.

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You can reach this staff writer at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.

Plot dulls Gibson’s ‘Edge’

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?â&#x20AC;? As yet another gang of leotard-wearing men wheeled a massive wooden apparatus onto the stage, the five-piece band blared out their rock-pop shoutalong closer, which concluded with keyboardist Dottie Alexander seizing control of Barnesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guitar, as the singer climbed onto their giant prop only to be mockcrucified and carried off the stage by â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you guessed it â&#x20AC;&#x201D; men in leotards.

Usually an on-stage crucifixion would be considered a downer, but as Barnes has performed several similar stunts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including staging his own hanging â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the audience couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do anything but raucously demand an encoreslash-resurrection. And as we all know, nothing brings a lead singer back from the dead quite like a cheering crowd guided by an angry tiger making obscene hand gestures at other farm animals.

And because thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no encore like a shirtless encore, Of Montreal returned to the stage with Barnes half-stripped (presumably from the crucifixion) but still wearing his polka-dotted headscarf and skin-tight pink skinny jeans. The first song was â&#x20AC;&#x153;For Our Elegant Caste,â&#x20AC;? a reprise from â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skeletal Lamping,â&#x20AC;? but the true highlight was the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tribute to whom Barnes referred to as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;incredible, specialâ&#x20AC;? Michael Jackson in their cover of â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Want You Back.â&#x20AC;? Although the cover featured little variation from the original, Barnesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; falsetto served as the perfect pre-pubescent Jackson impression, as the band busted out the vintage party jam to end the night.

Unapologetically fanatical, somewhat offensive and always unpredictable, it is no surprise that Of Montreal have had such longevity and draws such rowdy and enthusiastic crowds to each show. Anyone who missed out on the festivities can hope for another tour coming up soon, as their new album, â&#x20AC;&#x153;False Priest/ The Controller Sphere,â&#x20AC;? drops in September of this year.

DARKNESS FALLS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Edge of Darknessâ&#x20AC;? marks Mel Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s re-entry into Hollywood as a father seeking justice after his daughter is killed. Despite a strong cast including Ray Winstone, the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plot loses the audience and fails to develop all the plot lines.

By BRYAN KOENIG Eagle Staff Writer

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EDGE OF DARKNESS

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His status as a human notwithstanding, a Mel Gibson-helmed thriller about a father seeking justice for the daughter who died in his arms sounds like an exciting idea. In practice, however, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Edge Of Darknessâ&#x20AC;? is a middling and fruitless mystery that takes itself far too seriously.

In trying to add filler and increase the seriousness of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Darkness,â&#x20AC;? director Martin Campbell produced a film afraid to edit itself. The better part of two very long hours involves whole scenes that seem to serve no purpose other than to stroke someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ego.

Plot points that are introduced and warrant further discussion are never satisfactorily addressed again, and whole subplots come and go under the audiencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nose for seemingly no reason other than to satisfy the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obsession with trying too hard.

Among the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most overdone labors is trying to find and define itself as a movie. Billed as

a conspiracy and revenge thriller, it is mostly a mystery, but also a drama that occasionally decides it wants to be a thriller, masquerading as a half-hearted conspiracy story.

Gibson plays Tom Craven, a Boston detective who watches his daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic) get gunned down. His ensuing investigation into her death and the company for which she worked leads him down the tried

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Edge of Darknessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; had everything going for it but ultimately failed to realize its own potential.â&#x20AC;? and, in this case, not-so-true path of government conspiracies and corporate cover-ups.

The film tries to be a thriller, occasionally bursting into gruesome violence that dissolves as quickly as it started. Interestingly enough, the few points of violence are too violent. Bullet holes gape and

blood gushes, and, while sometimes movies donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show enough gore, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Darknessâ&#x20AC;? shows too much for what it bills itself as. Instead of focusing on the violence and energy of the scene, the camera tends to linger on the wounded. When staring at the victims, one wonders if the makeup artists were bored and begged the director for permission to make the corpses a great deal more viscerally mutilated than they needed to be. Amid the gore, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Darknessâ&#x20AC;? loses itself once again, not playful enough to be satire, not nearly suspenseful enough to be horror and certainly far too full of its own seriousness to be comedy.

Featuring a decent cast â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including Ray Winstone as a government operative who crosses paths with Craven â&#x20AC;&#x201D; much of the character interaction feels forced.

Virtually everyone speaks in a Boston accent, and almost no one seems to know their character or their scenes past the most artificial level. Characters hug, reveal menace or express camaraderie, but rarely does it feel truly real.

Unfortunately, most of the two-hour film is not thriller, but instead supposedly dramatic mystery as Craven delves deeper and deeper into a world that becomes less clear and more boring as the film chugs ever-so-slowly along.

At the end, we think we know what happened, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care.

This is Campbellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second crack at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Edge of Darkness,â&#x20AC;? having directed a British series of the same name and virtually the exact same plot set in the United Kingdom back in 1985. A quarter-century later, very little of the core plot has changed and the achingly slow moving story has not aged well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Edge of Darknessâ&#x20AC;? had everything going for it but ultimately failed to realize its own potential.

The action is sparse, the admittedly capable cast moves along to a tedious plot and the sense of conspiracy and intrigue induces more headache than interest.

You can reach this staff writer at bkoenig@theeagleonline.com.

8

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

ANDREW TOMLINSON n Sports Editor 202.885.1404

AU stays perfect in PL

By TYLER TOMEA Eagle Contributing Writer Michelle Kirk became the 12th women’s basketball player at AU to join the 1,000 point club, while the Eagles defeated the Lafayette University Leopards 53-31 Saturday at Bender Arena.

The win was behind a recordsetting defensive effort as well as a balanced scoring attack.

Women’s Basketball AU: Lafayette:

53 31

Washington, D.C.

With 1:54 remaining in the first half, Kirk hit a three-pointer to push her over the 1,000-point plateau. Although Kirk was held to nine points in the game, her second lowest total of the season, AU Head Coach Matt Corkery recognized the magnitude of the achievement for the junior forward.

“I think it’s a great accomplishment,” Corkery said. “I’m very happy for her and very excited for her. Her versatility really gives her a lot of opportunities to score.”

Kirk said she was happy about the accomplishment, but she was more pleased with her team’s 7-0 start in conference play.

The Eagles held Lafayette to 31 points, setting a record for the fewest points allowed in program history. After scoring 18 points in the first half, the Leopards only managed 13 in the second. Sophomore guard Ebony Edwards had three steals as AU forced 20 turnovers in the game.

Junior forward Liz Leer scored 15 points to lead all scorers in the victory. Lisa Strack, a sophomore guard, added eight points, while senior center Ohemaa Nyanin chipped in with eight points and

10 rebounds. Every AU player in the regular rotation scored at least six points. In the loss, Elizabeth Virgin paced Lafayette with 12 points.

“I noticed at the half that our attempts were pretty balanced out,” Corkery said. “Sometimes you just have to find different ways to score.”

The game was hotly contested in the first half, as the Eagles led 1312 with 8:39 left and 17-16 three minutes later. AU gained some separation heading into the locker room, as an 11-2 run put the Eagles in front 28-18 at halftime.

Lafayette’s defense contained Kirk in the first half, limiting her to just four points on 1-4 shooting. This forced Leer, Nyanin and Strack to fill the void left by the Patriot League’s leading scorer. Leer led all first-half scorers with eight points, while Nyanin had six and Strack had five. LaKeisha Wright led the Leopards with six first half points.

In the opening half, AU shot 35 percent from the field on 1028 shooting. The Eagles were 7-9 from the free throw line, but only hit one of nine first-half triples.

Lafayette shot 38 percent from the field on 7-18 shooting, but had nine turnovers and shot under 50 percent from the line.

AU was in control throughout the second half, as the Eagles opened up a 38-23 lead with 11:25 remaining. The lead increased to 17 with 2:17 remaining and the Eagles cruised to their eighth consecutive victory.

During the game, the 14 offensive rebounds AU recorded allowed them to take 20 more shots than Lafayette.

AU will next travel to Bethlehem, Pa., for a key game this Saturday with the defending Patriot League champion Lehigh University Mountain Hawks. The Mountain Hawks are 6-1 in the league and 19-3 overall. Earlier in the year, the Eagles defeated Lehigh

Kirk 12th in AU history to score 1,000

By KATE GREUBEL Eagle Contributing Writer

PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE

HIGH SCORING — Michelle Kirk drives the lane during AU’s 53-31 win over Lafayette on Saturday. During the game Kirk scored her 1,000th career point, becoming the 12th player in AU history to accomplish the feat. With the win, AU improved to 7-0 in the Patriot League.

69-65 in overtime.

“I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to go on the road and play the defending Patriot League champion,” Corkery said. “It’s a road game and will obviously be a tough game.”

Saturday’s win improved the

Eagles’ record to 14-7 overall and 7-0 in the conference. The loss dropped Lafayette to 4-17 on the season and 2-5 in the league.

You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.

Michelle Kirk acted as if Saturday’s women’s basketball win over Lafayette University was just any other game. However, she had just scored over 1,000 points in her career, the 12th AU women’s basketball studentathlete to hit the elite milestone.

Kirk is a team player first and foremost.

“Obviously I’m happy about it, but we are 7-0 in leagues,” Kirk said. “[Our record] is a lot crazier, and I’m a lot more pumped about that.”

The junior from Painted Post, N.Y. entered Saturday’s game with 999 points, one point shy of the 1,000-point milestone. Solid, collapsing defense by the Lafayette Leopards deprived Kirk and her teammates of scoring opportunities for much of the first half. As a result, Kirk made contact with the basket for the first time with 1:54 to go in the first half, hitting a deep three. She finished out the game with nine points.

“She is a really talented player and a very opportunistic scorer,” AU Head Coach Matt Corkery said. “When our team is at its best on the offensive end, it’s a lot because of her being aggressive and taking good shoots.”

Kirk said her versatility and high shooting percentage come from hard work both during the season and the off-season.

As a freshman, Kirk did not receive as many minutes as she wanted. The experience prompted her to live on campus over the summer to grow as a player with

the help of the team’s strength coach, Jason Riddell.

“I think that in a lot of cases, disappointment is the biggest motivator and it really motivated me my freshman year,” Kirk said.

“I wasn’t happy with it, so it motivated me to just work all summer at my game. It wasn’t just minutes, it was how I played and I just wasn’t at that same level.”

Two years later, Kirk plays the role of team offensive leader and is looked to for consistent defense. Kirk said her teammates look to her to generate plays and scoring opportunities for others.

“It’s fun to play with her. We feed off each other well,” teammate Liz Leer said of Kirk. “To see her come out last year and this year and show what she can do and show what the Patriot League was missing her freshman year has been great.”

Also proud of Kirk are her parents, who make a five and a half hour trip from Painted Point to come to all of her games.

“They’re my biggest support system,” Kirk said. “They are my biggest fans.”

Now, halfway through conference play, with a 7-0 conference record, the AU women’s basketball team is playing with a target on its back. Kirk, with an average of 19.8 points per game and 1008 career points under her belt, is sure to face extra coverage.

Luckily Kirk, like many of her teammates, is an unselfish player, so there will always be someone open awaiting her pass.

You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.

Men upset Leopards on the road 76-66

By BEN LASKY Eagle Contributing Writer The AU men’s basketball team won in Easton, Pa. Saturday, beating the Lafayette Leopards 76-66.

AU got off to a quick start, hitting their first four shots of the game to take a 10-5 lead. The dominance would not continue, as Lafayette went on a 10-0 run to give the Leopards a 25-23 lead. The game remained close throughout the first half with AU leading 35-33 entering halftime.

Nick Hendra scored AU’s first eight points of the second half to give the Eagles a 43-38 lead. The Eagles still could not put Lafayette away, as Leopards forward Jared Mintz scored eight points to tie the game at 53. The eight points were part of an 11-2 Lafayette run.

On the next possession, however, AU guard Joe Hill drained a three to give the Eagles a 56-53 lead. Forward Stephen Lumpkins scored on AU’s next two possessions, extending the Eagles’ lead

to 60-55.

Lafayette got back within three points after guard Jeff Kari hit two free throws. On the next possession, Lumpkins hit a layup to put AU’s lead back at five with 2:49 left to go. A three from Vlad Moldoveanu with 1:04 left sealed the victory for the Eagles.

Moldoveanu led all scorers with 21 points. This comes after a 37 point performance against Navy on Wednesday, when he scored more than half of the Eagles’ points. He also recorded six

rebounds, one steal and one assist in 31 minutes of play on Saturday.

Moldoveanu is now averaging 20.2 points on the season.

Lumpkins came two rebounds short of recording his fourth double double of the season. He also had a career high five assists.

With the win, AU moves into second place in the Patriot League with a 4-3 record in conference play.

Part of the team’s recent success can be attributed to their better shooting percentage. In their last

two games, they were shooting over 50 percent, something they Men’s Basketball AU: Lafayette:

76 66

Easton, Pa.

struggled with earlier in the season. Saturday’s game also marked

the third straight game where AU had 20 or more assists.

AU’s next game will be at home against Lehigh on Feb. 6 at 2:00 p.m. Lehigh is 13-8 on the season with a 4-2 record in Patriot League play. The team is coming off a loss to Bucknell on Thursday. AU and Lehigh are currently tied for second place in the conference.

You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.

All-Star games add little to sporting world SIDELINE SCHOLAR TOM SCHAD Each year, the controversies surrounding All-Star games in professional sports are more interesting than the actual games themselves, leading to a rarely asked question: are all-star games worth playing at all?

As a kid, I remember genuinely looking forward to All-Star games just to see all of my favorite players on the field at once. When else do you get to see John Elway fake the handoff to Marshall Faulk before bombing it downfield to Keyshawn Johnson?

As I grew older, I discovered that sports aren’t all about superstars. What makes sports so exciting to watch is the energy a player puts into winning the contest, not the name on the back of his jersey.

Due to the fact that All-Star games

are usually meaningless, athletes have little incentive to put the same effort into them that they put into other games over the course of the season.

Major League Baseball recognized this problem and addressed it by awarding the winner of the AllStar game home field advantage in the World Series. While this has certainly made things a bit more exciting, it didn’t fix all the problems surrounding All-Star games.

Organizations still fear their stars will get pointlessly injured and try to discourage them from participating. Some are so cautious that they instruct the All-Star coaches to only play their players for a specific period of time over the course of the game.

This is of course assuming that a team’s star players even make the All-Star roster.

Every year, worthy players are left out of the festivities. This is in

part due to the absurd “fan vote” that leagues like using to pick allstars. In theory, the fans should have a say in who they want to see play in a game completely tailored to their enjoyment. In practice, undeserving has-beens like Allen Iverson are anointed starters.

The “who got snubbed” discussion after the release of every All-Star list is pointless and inane.

Players get snubbed and fans get unnecessarily upset about it every year, this year is no exception. Of course some quality players got snubbed in this year’s NBA AllStar Game because nobody wants to see benches twenty players deep.

All-Star games are designed to be fun for fans, but the stars’ apathy make them anything but. There are no furrowed brows of athletes trying to will their team to a championship like something out of a Gatorade commercial. Instead, you

see Peyton Manning lobbing some passes like he’s in the backyard and LeBron James strolling down the lane for a dunk because the other nine guys on the court know that’s what the fans want to see.

This apathetic attitude is best on display when it comes to the NFL Pro Bowl, which was played yesterday. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defied tradition and scheduled the game a week before the Super Bowl, as opposed to its usual slot a week afterwards.

While he claims to have his reasons for the switch, it seems like the commissioner is simply trying to get it over with already.

“We’re seeing a lot more attention on the Pro Bowl than we’ve ever had before,” Goodell said in South Florida last Thursday. “[The attention] in and of itself is a success.”

Unfortunately, the Pro Bowl is only receiving more attention be-

cause it has become the worst joke in professional sports. The Pro Bowl players on each conference champion squad, 14 in all, are exempt from playing in order to rest for the Super Bowl. Another 17 are not playing due to injury and countless others have reportedly turned down invitations to play.

The product of this madness has been laughable at best, with players like David Garrard (15 TD and 10 interceptions last season) supposedly “earning” Pro Bowl spots.

In “The Pro Bowl? Please,” Washington Post columnist Mike Wilbon said last week, “I wouldn’t even go to that if I was in Miami on Sunday afternoon with nothing to do.”

All of this leads to the conclusion that All-Star games, as a whole, have outlived their usefulness. Superstars, excluding those in baseball, could care less whether they win or lose because they have

no reason to have any feelings. For this reason, sports fans like myself would rather nap than watch a Pro Bowl featuring Vince Young.

When fans stop caring, the fan oriented nature of every All-Star game crumbles.

An easy solution would be to release the All-Star rosters, but don’t actually play a game. Essentially, this would be like the AllAmerican squads in college football. Players would receive all the honor of being named one of the best without the garbage of playing in a meaningless game. Either they need to do that or sports leagues need to give all parties some sort of incentive to get involved. Motivation has certainly improved the MLB All-Star game, now it’s time to carry this idea over to other sports.

You can reach this columnist at sports@theeagleonline.com.

Wrestling pins Binghamton behind Cannon

By MIKE DEFABO Eagle Contributing Writer AU senior wrestler Mike Cannon, whose major decision at 184 pounds tied him for second place on AU’s all-time wins list, led the Eagles to a 21-16 win over Binghamton University on Thursday, extending their win streak to five in a row.

The Eagles won six of their 10 matches and the first five of the meet. Jasen Borshoff, ranked 17th in the nation, picked up a major

decision at 125 pounds to start the meet, defeating Dan Riggi by a score of 17-6. Then, Thomas Williams and Jordan Lipp earned decisions at 133 pounds and 141 pounds respectively.

At 149 pounds Kyle Borshoff, ranked 12th in the nation, defeated Donnie Vinson by a score of 6-2. Meanwhile, Steve Fittery, ranked 3rd in the nation, earned his 19th straight victory, with a major decision at 157 pounds to bring the score to 17-10 in favor of AU. The Eagles dropped their next

two matches at 165 pounds and 174 pounds before Cannon took to the mat. The two-time All American earned a major decision by the score of 22-8 over Binghamton’s Matt Beretta.

Binghamton fought back with two wins in the 197-pound and heavyweight division, but AU held on for the victory 21-16.

Cannon’s win moved him into a tie with 2007 NCAA National Champion Josh Glenn for second place on AU’s all-time wins list.

“I honestly had no idea that I had moved into the number two

spot on the wins list,” Cannon told AU Athletics. “It’s a great accomplishment to have my name next to someone as famous in the sport of wrestling as Josh Glenn.

He is truly someone I look up to and aspire to be like.”

Though Cannon is proud of the accomplishment, he is focused on joining Glenn on more than just the wins list.

“There is still a lot of time left in the season, and I still have my eyes set on winning an NCAA national title and finishing with the most wins in AU history,”

Cannon said. “I feel like, if I can accomplish that then I will have completed what I set out to do five years ago when I walked on campus for the first time.”

The wins record is just one of many accomplishments for the 184-pounder this season. He claimed his fourth consecutive Keystone Classic title with a 9-0 major decision in November. His career record now stands at 11018 and 18-1 on the season.

Fellow grappler K. Borshoff has a shot to join Cannon among AU’s all-time best. His victory

Thursday moved him one win short of tying Bret Ruth and Mark Snuffin for fifth on the all-time wins list and improved his season record to 17-4.

The team victory bumped AU’s dual meet record above .500 to 76 on the season. They will look to add a pair of victories next Sunday when they take on George Mason and UNC on Sunday.

You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.