The Eagle -- March 4, 2010

TRUE BLUES Richard Gere and Wesley Snipes join forces in cop drama “Brooklyn’s Finest.”

SCENE page 5

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NEWS SEEING GREEN A look into the environmentally friendly produce being sold at AU page 4

EDITORIAL

AU cuts back Super Loop shuttle route Eagle Staff Writer

Alex Knepper argues that AU should bring ROTC back to campus page 3

SCENE CANDYLAND Fairfax, Va., takes a page from Willy Wonka this weekend page 7

AU will be making changes to the shuttle routes next Monday, including an increased number of shuttle runs between the Tenleytown-AU Metro stop and main campus on weekends and an almost complete elimination of the Super Loop.

AU shuttle buses will run directly between main campus and the Metro after 8 p.m. on weeknights and weekends, according to Mark Feist, assistant director of Facilities Management. The Super Loop will now only run after 6:30 p.m. on holidays and when school is not in session.

Only one bus will run directly to and from the Washington College of Law and the Metro after 10:30 p.m. on night and weekends. Two buses will run directly from the Washington College of Law to main campus until 10:30 p.m. during the week, according to Feist.

These changes to the AU shuttle system were implemented in response to student feedback about the shuttle system and the Super Loop in particular, he said.

“We heard from students that the Super Loop was an inconvenience late in the evening when they were trying to get to main campus — the shuttle bus would drop them off in front of Katzen,” Feist said. “The Super Loop is really most useful when ridership is at its lowest.”

Student Government President Andy MacCracken held town hallstyle meetings last October to address student concerns about the shuttle changes implemented at the beginning of last semester.

MacCracken told The Eagle he is pleased with the new AU shuttle route changes, but he would have liked to have seen these changes sooner.

“I wish this would have been able to happen sooner — and that was the plan — but obviously there were complications with the snowstorm that Facilities Management had to deal with,” MacCracken said. “But [these changes] address the concerns that we brought up during the town hall meetings last October. Better late than never.”

There are many more projects being developed to make improvements to the shuttle system. In the near future n

WARD CIRCLE CAR CRASH

KELSEY DICKEY / THE EAGLE

A white van allegedly swerved across a yellow line, smashing into this Jeep Cherokee and sending it into a tree.

There were two potential injuries, according to a D.C. Fire Department official. Go online for more.

see SHUTTLE on page 4

CERF fundraising raises controversy

By ALLIE MOONEY Eagle Contributing Writer

SPORTS MOVING ON AU men’s basketball advances to next round of PL Tournament page 8

LADIES FIRST Ten reasons why AU should care about the women’s basketball team page 8

TODAY’S WEATHER

HI 44° LO 30° Unremarkable wind and some clouds

SATURDAY HI 51°

LO 32°

the EAGLE 252 Mary Graydon Center 4400 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 Newsroom: 202-885-1402 Advertising: 202-885-1414, x3 Fax: 202-885-1428 E-mail: editor@theeagleonline.com Classifieds: adbox@theeagleonline.com

KRISTEN POWELL / THE EAGLE

THE ENERGY CYCLE — Debate over whether student activity fees should be used to support CERF has led to contentious Undergraduate Senate sessions. CERF is a ‘revolving’ fund, meaning that money saved through energy produced by renewable sources will be used to buy more renewable energy generators, such as wind turbines or solar panels. the students’ feelings on funding for personally.” erendum onto a ballot: two-thirds green energy and especially CERF,” In the wake of the failed referen- of the Senate can vote for it to be he said. “We should find out how dum, Antanasio and supporters are placed, or 10 percent of the understudents felt about it. I didn’t think trying to petition the referendum graduate population can petition it was appropriate to make any deci- onto the ballot. for the referendum. sions like that without asking them There are two ways to get a refAntanasio’s petition garnered

761 signatures. The petition must be submitted to Student Activities for the names to be checked for legitimacy.

Forrest Young, senator of the class of 2012, opposes the referendum. “[The] referendum [is] about raising a $10 fee on top of the student activity fees that students currently pay,” he said. “Activity fees are for programming and for clubs and organizations. It’s not to support free initiatives.”

Some senators hope CERF will become more independent of the SG in the future.

“We’ve done enough,” Young said. “We’ve said that we support CERF. We’ve done as much as we can for them. I’m wondering when is it their turn to do what they told us they would do.”

SG President Andy MacCracken supports putting the question on the ballot.

“There are issues that are too big for the Undergraduate Senate to decide,” he said. “I would like to see what the students say before anyone potentially raises their student activity fees.”

Steve Dalton, senator of the class of 2012, also opposes the referendum.

“People should be able to donate n

see CERF on page 2

Student Hill interns Students fill housing spots; evaluate experiences demand was overestimated Eagle Staff Writer

HI 45° n LO 28°

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The Undergraduate Senate failed to put a referendum on the ballot that would have asked students if they supported increasing student activity fees to support the Clean Energy Revolving Fund.

The proposed referendum would appear on the spring 2010 ballot and would ask: “Do you support increasing student fees by $10.00 for one academic year to the Clean Energy Revolving Fund?”

CERF is a program created by the SG in an effort to make AU more carbon-neutral. Under the program, donations would be made to purchase renewable energy products such as solar panels or wind turbines. The energy costs saved by the renewable energy would be put back into CERF to support further projects, The Eagle previously reported.

The referendum would help the SG gain a better idea of the campuswide willingness to raise student activity fees in support of clean energy. However, if the referendum received over 50 percent of the vote, it would not guarantee that fees would be raised.

Brett Atanasio, senator for the class of 2013, wrote and proposed the bill with the purpose to “re-gauge

By TAMAR HALLERMAN

FRIDAY

VOLUME 84 n ISSUE 39

HAPPY SPRING BREAK: The Eagle will not publish over break. Normal publication will resume on Thursday, March 18.

By JULIA RYAN

ROTC AND AU

MARCH 4, 2010

It’s 8 a.m. on a bone-chilling late January day and a cluster of student interns hug the platform of the Tenleytown-AU Metro station.

It is here where AU’s Capitol Hill interns start their day, with a copy of The Washington Post in hand and red intern badge, dubbed “the scarlet letter” by many smug locals, dangling from their neck. As the train approaches, they settle in for the hour-long journey to Capitol Hill for another day of answering phone calls and responding to constituent mail. “[Interning on Capitol Hill] is something that’s emblematic of the internship experience that the

general public has about being in Washington, D.C.,” says Christopher Hughes, an internship adviser for students at the School of Public Affairs.

Every season, students flood D.C. for mostly unpaid internships with their congressmen and senators. The blog “Spotted: D.C. [Summer] Interns,” said it best when it defined the “dreaded” summer intern season as a time when “interns swarm in like the eighth plague of Egypt (or the cicadas of 2004).”

With a high turnover rate, a relative abundance of positions and often times menial assigned tasks, what makes Capitol Hill internships special in a city where its seems like n

see INTERNS on page 2

By NICOLE GLASS Eagle Staff Writer Despite projections that there would be a serious lack of oncampus housing for people who desired it, everyone who participated in the lottery Wednesday through Friday last week was able to get housing.

This was partly because not everyone who signed up for the lottery actually participated, according to Chris Moody, executive director of Housing and Dining Programs.

A total of 540 rising juniors and seniors completed the online housing application by the Feb. 12 deadline, Moody said. All of

these students received a random lottery number and were able to participate in the housing lottery last week.

“Every student who attended the housing lottery or who designated Housing and Dining Programs as their proxy was able to secure a space for next fall,” Moody said.

Results of the process are still being recorded, and once sophomores have completed the online room selection process, data will be available about the process, according to Moody.

Stephanie Eichmann, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, had number 370 in the lot-

tery, which was in the “red zone” — the most unlikely category to get on-campus housing. In an email, Housing and Dining told students with lottery numbers over 200 they may not receive housing unless they were intending to room with someone in the green or yellow zone.

Eichmann said she was discouraged and did not plan to attend the lottery because of her number. A friend convinced her to go and she managed to secure a space in the AU-rented Berkshire Apartments.

“I think the biggest problem with the lottery was they made it n

see HOUSING on page 2

the EAGLE

MARCH 4, 2010

news 2

THURS 4

FRI 5

SAT 6

SUN 7

MON 8

TUES 9

Film – “Film ist … a Girl and a Gun” 8 p.m.

WHERE: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden METRO: L’Enfant Plaza (blue, orange, green and yellow lines) INFO: A film that explores the role of men, women, love, sex and violence in early films.

COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-633-1000.

Performance – “Grande Fete de la Francophonie” 7 – 11 p.m.

WHERE: The French Embassy, 4101 Reservoir Rd. N.W. METRO: Rosslyn (blue and orange lines) INFO: A performance by Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys kicks off Francophonie 2010 – a celebration of French-speaking countries.

COST: $30 CONTACT: For more information, call 202-944-6090.

Author Event – Michaele Weissman 1 – 3 p.m.

WHERE: Broad Branch Market, 5608 Broad Branch Rd. N.W. METRO: Friendship Heights (red line) INFO: Weissman, author of “God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee” talks and tastes at this food and cook book author series.

COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-249-8551.

Festival – Matsuri: A Midwinter Japanese Festival 1 – 7 p.m.

WHERE: Textile Museum, 2320 S St. N.W. METRO: Dupont Circle (red line) INFO: Learn how to make origami, participate in a chopstick challenge and taste Asian cuisine.

COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-667-0441.

Concert – Jenny Owen Youngs 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Iota Club and Café, 2832 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, Va. METRO: Clarendon (orange line) INFO: Youngs’ album “Transmitter Failure” combines perky with pottymouth.

COST: $12 CONTACT: For more information, call 703-522-8340.

Movie – “A Foreign Affair” 9:05 p.m.

WHERE: American Film Institute, Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd. Silver Spring, Md. METRO: Silver Spring (red line) INFO: AFI Silver finishes its screenings of Jean Arthur films with “A Foreign Affair.”

COST: $10 CONTACT: For more information, call 301-495-6720.

SG BRIEF

POLICE

CURRENT SG PRESIDENT WILL NOT SEEK SECOND TERM After nearly a year as the face of the Student Government, President Andy MacCracken hopes to take on a new government job: as an intern on Capitol Hill.

MacCracken, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, announced his decision not to seek a second term as SG president on Tuesday, March 2, The Eagle previously reported.

With projects like the student Metro discount and Clean Energy Revolving Fund still in the formative stages, MacCracken said he worries about their progress. However, he plans to keep some level of involvement even after his term ends.

“I think both of [the projects] are very fragile right now,” he said.

But MacCracken is confident in whoever his successor may be.

“I wouldn’t step away if I didn’t think that someone else ... would be able to handle it,” he said. “Regardless of who comes in ... I’ll trust that, and work with the incoming administration as much as they need me to or want me to.”

Elections for the SG president and other executive positions for the 20102011 school year are scheduled to take place March 23 and 24. MacCracken’s successor will begin the transition process April 25, and his term officially ends May 1.

Check online for a full list of candidates for executive SG positions.

-JEN CALANTONE

METRO BRIEF

BLOTTER

FEB 24 The Department of Public Safety responded to a report of an injured person in the sixth floor females’ bathroom in Leonard Hall and escorted her to the Student Health Center.

A smoke detector activated a fire alarm in the first floor staff lounge of Bender Library. Burnt toast was discovered in a toaster in a lounge.

No smoke or fire was observed in the library.

A student’s wallet was taken from an exam room in the Health Center while the student was in a restroom across the hall.

STUDENT INCHES NEARER TO ANC SEAT

FEB 25

Sami Green — an AU student attempting to fill an empty Advisory Neighborhood Commission spot — is only four signatures away from completing her petition for the seat.

By early this morning, she anticipates having more than the 25 signatures required by the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics.

Green needs those 25 signatures from D.C. residents in single-member district ANC3E07 to fulfill the petition’s requirements. After she has collected the signatures, Green must submit the form to the BOEE, which determines if the petition’s signatures are valid.

If the BOEE confirms the signatures, Green must then wait a month to see if anyone challenges her for the seat. If no one does, she will be made commissioner for that single-member district.

The district’s boundaries cover all of the South side dorms and a few residential streets next to AU’s campus. For years, the seat has sat empty because residents were unable to find enough voters to sign the necessary petition.

This is Green’s fourth attempt at collecting the necessary signatures. The previous three attempts were derailed by procedural holdups and the inability to find enough registered voters. Green led a voting drive at AU and registered 23 students, giving her enough potential signatures to complete the petition.

ANCs deal with issues in the neighborhood, including zoning regulations, liquor licenses and traffic issues. ANC3E deals specifically with the ongoing Army Corps of Engineers’ dig for World War I-era chemical weapons in Spring Valley, complaints about AU students and the debate over the university’s Campus Plan.

If everything proceeds as planned for Green, she will be seated as commissioner by April. Since the election cycle begins the month afterwards, she will only serve as commissioner for one meeting. Green plans to go abroad next year, so she will not petition for the seat again, although she hopes another student will take the spot.

“Ultimately, regardless of how long I get to serve, it will benefit the community,” she said. “Just getting someone on the ANC proves that the university and students are dedicated to forging a very positive relationship with the neighbors.”

-CHARLIE SZOLD

A resident reported prescription

CAMPUS BRIEF AU PARTNERS WITH SMITHSONIAN FOR SERIES OF EVENTS AU and Smithsonian Associates — the membership organization of the Smithsonian Institution — formed a partnership recently to hold a series of six events April 15 to 29.

The upcoming programs include a panel on the future of museums, a musical event, a biologist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author interview, a discussion with several White House correspondents, a look into the Center for Environment Filmmaking Director and School of Communication Professor Chris Palmer’s book, “Shooting in the Wild” and a jazz performance, according to AU’s Web site.

Jacqueline Corbett, a former Smithsonian employee and the director of communications for the School of Public Affairs, said the collaboration has been in the works for about a year and the programs will “run the gamut of the interests of both the Smithsonian and AU.” “I think everyone is thrilled about working with the Smithsonian,” she said.

“It’s a great institution, our nation’s cultural treasury, and we’re lucky to be in the same city and share so many of the same interests and values.”

The Smithsonian Associates were looking to engage with AU and the surrounding community to help fulfill the Smithsonian’s overall mission of reaching out to the academic communities, according to Christine Cimino, public affairs director for Smithsonian Associates.

A limited number of free tickets will be available for the AU community, with more information in about a month, according to Corbett.

Tickets are on sale now at www.residentassociates.org. Prices vary by event.

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to CERF if they want to,” he said.

“Should all students be forced to contribute to CERF? I say no. I say it should be voluntary. “ The CERF legislation says all funds are to be voluntary donations.

However, CERF needs to raise at least 100,00 dollars to become self-sufficient, according to MacCracken.

CERF, though created by the SG, is a separate entity from the organization.

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from INTERNS on page 1

every other student majors in political science and harbors the same desire to work in government?

In the book he co-wrote, “Congress and Its Members,” Walter Oleszek, an AU adjunct professor and Congressional Research Service specialist, writes that the average House representative has about 15 full-time staff members and a budget of $1.2 million to pay their salaries. However, as the expectations for congressmen constantly grow, members need as much help as they can get and unpaid interns are sometimes the perfect solution.

Congressional intern duties vary by office, but generally the position includes some degree of clerical work.

Reading and drafting letters to constituents, answering calls, running materials to different offices and giving tours of the Capitol building are all standard tasks.

Susey Davis, an AU sophomore double-majoring in political science and economics, is over a month into her internship with Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo. She says she was initially surprised by the amount of “grunt work” she was expected to complete.

“You kind of first expect to be a

medication stolen from her room in Letts Hall.

and Facilities Management were notified.

An ambulance transported a sick student, accompanied by her roommate, from Mary Graydon Center to a local hospital.

FEB 28

A resident assistant in Centennial Hall followed the odor of marijuana to a room. Two occupants in the room advised the RA they had been smoking marijuana a few minutes earlier. The occupants gave a small bag of suspected marijuana and a pipe to a resident director. The RD gave the items to DPS. DPS tested the suspected marijuana. The results were positive.

FEB 26 A student reported Japanese currency taken from her room in Centennial. The currency had been locked in a suitcase. The door to the room is sometimes left unlocked.

A window above a door in the Katzen Arts Center shattered as someone entered. Inclement weather is believed to be the cause. Aramark

DPS responded to McDowell Hall and met with the victim of an assault that occurred near the Tenley Campus shuttle stop. The victim had walked from an establishment to the Tenley shuttle stop near Congressional Hall to be picked up by friends to return to the main campus. Two friends arrived at 2:40 a.m.

As the victim entered the vehicle, an unidentified suspect approached and called the victim a derogatory term. The victim exited the vehicle and walked toward the suspect. The suspect assaulted the victim. The friends put the victim back in the vehicle and drove to the main campus.

The D.C. Fire Department and the Metropolitan Police Department responded. The victim signed a medical refusal form.

DPS responded to a report of a sick person in Letts. The individual signed a medical refusal form.

MARCH 1

DCFD transported a sick person from the sixth floor of Centennial to a local hospital.

DCFD transported a sick person from the McDowell lobby to a local hospital.

DPS responded to a report of a trash can fire outside of the McKinley Building and extinguished a cup which was burning inside the can.

There were no reports of damage to the trashcan.

DPS discovered a bottom panel of an exterior wall broken outside of the Katzen Arts Center. Tracks on the ground appeared to suggest some type of heavy equipment had been in the area.

MARCH 2 A student placed his computer behind his chair in a classroom in the School of International Service building and later discovered it missing. No personal or sensitive information was stored on the laptop.

Young believes it should be treated and funded separately from SG. “Clubs are under-funded right now,” he said. “So, if we start raising fees for other organizations that aren’t SG-related, I think all the clubs that are SG-related are going to be like, ‘Hey, you’ll raise a 10 dollar fee for a club that isn’t SG-related but you won’t raise fees for us?’”

The largest obstacle facing the CERF debate and the referendum is the administration itself, Atanasio said. Both Atanasio and Young

cited a similar referendum in 2006 that found 71 percent of AU’s student body supported increased fees to support green energy. No policies or additional fees were ever adopted from the referendum.

Young said that despite the debate, the administration is free to act however it sees fit.

“When it comes right down to it, [the SG advocates] for policy,” he said. “For the policy to change, it has to be an administration decision to do this.”

Atanasio agreed on this subject.

“Only time can tell what is going to happen with CERF,” he said.

“Quite honestly the SG can yell and scream until we’re blue in the face about raising student fees. Even if 100 percent of the student body said they wanted activity fees raised for CERF ... the administration can still say no.

There are no guarantees. Only time will tell.”

major part of it [the legislative process], but you’re not” Davis says.

“You’re doing the small things, which do help in the long run. You’re making sure the congressman is using his time in more appropriate matters, but it’s stuff that can be done by a secretary.”

Hughes, who himself interned with Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., while in college, says it is a misconception that all Capitol Hill interns do is lick envelopes and staple papers together.

He argues they are substantive since many students get to work on policy issues and attend hearings, which can become stepping stones to a future in government and policymaking.

“It’s pretty safe to say that you pretty much do need to have at least one Hill internship if you want to work on [Capitol Hill] because it is such a competitive thing to get a job there,” Hughes says.

Montgomery College student Raquel Halsey was interning for former Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., for two months when she was promoted to the position of staff assistant. Despite her 12-hour workdays, she recommends students work on Capitol Hill.

“Just making the connections that I made have continued to help me

grow professionally,” says Halsey, 23, who is now employed at a non-profit that works with foster children.

“Even though there were long hours and some days were really hard, it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had professionally,” she says.

While Hughes has no concrete figures about how many AU students have previously or are currently interning on Capitol Hill, it is one of the most popular types of internships, especially among political science majors, according to Hughes.

Jackie Frederick, a senior political science major at AU, is part of that statistic. She has been making the long trek to the Rayburn House Office Building for more than three years, first as an intern then as fellow for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. Since she started working for Ros-Lehtinen on and off as a high school sophomore in her home district of Miami, Frederick says her experience has been invaluable. In the unique position of openly being a Democrat in a Republican office, she says one of the most important lessons she has learned is respecting other people’s views.

“What you try to do is take away your personal opinions and just do the job,” Frederick says.

Halsey says dealing with constitu-

ents taught her a similar lesson.

“It’s not your job to agree or disagree,” she says. “It’s your job to just listen.”

Ultimately, Davis says she understands the value of her work since she eventually wants to become an elected official.

“It’s all part of the political process,” she says. “I do realize that’s necessary if I ever wanted to campaign.”

Until she was promoted to the position of fellow two years ago, Frederick performed typical intern duties.

The transition was a big step, Frederick explains, because it both deepened her research skills and policy knowledge while cementing her desire to work on Capitol Hill as a staffer after she graduates in the spring. Fellows, while not on the payroll, follow a legislative aide and help research a specific legislative area — in Frederick’s case, medical care issues.

Frederick says she would love to work for Ros-Lehtinen after she graduates. “[Interning on Capitol Hill] is your one step into the door,” she says.

“Once you’re inside, the Hill is very loyal.”

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

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

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-STEFANIE DAZIO

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sound like no one was going to get a room,” Eichmann said.

“They claimed that anyone over number 200 was in the red zone, but when I went with my ticket I had the opportunity to move anywhere but Nebraska Hall.”

Eichmann said she thinks everyone who participated in the lottery may have secured a room because many discouraged students did not attend.

“I think a lot of people who wanted a room assumed they weren’t going to get one and never showed up to the lottery,” she said.

Most students were able to secure housing in the groups they wanted to be in. Some groups of four students who wanted to be in Nebraska Hall together were not able to secure a room there, Moody said. Instead, they may have chosen to split into groups of two and live in the Berkshire Apartments, he said.

Dan Lincoln, a sophomore in the School of International Service and creator of the Facebook group “Loyal Opposition to American University’s New Stance on Student Housing,” is going abroad in the fall but applied for a housing lottery num-

ber in case he were to change his mind. He got ticket number 180, but he did not attend the lottery.

“I feel as if the university is trying to do the best it can under extenuating [housing] circumstances,” Lincoln said. “Since deciding on going abroad, I feel removed from the process since I found out that the university is going to guarantee housing and give preference to returning abroad students in spring 2011.”

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

Falafel sandwich Comes With: Tzatziki Sauce, Onion, Tomato, Parsley

Next to Chevy Chase Bank (In the Tunnel)

EDITORIAL

MARCH 4, 2010

JOE WENNER n Editorial Page Editor EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com

JEN CALANTONE n Editor in Chief Editor@TheEagleOnline.com

It’s time to lift AU’s ROTC ban ON THE OTHER HAND

ALEX KNEPPER This week’s column was difficult to write. Not because of the content, of course - but because of what I had to leave out. I could have written this column about the Women’s Initiative’s new venture, the “Vagina Men” campaign (can I start a “Penis Women” countercampaign?). But alas, I’ve spilled too much ink whining about feminist follies; this column, instead, will address something of actual consequence.

Twice a week, campus ROTC recruits have to wake up early in the morning to engage in physical training, which will prepare them for their eventual deployment. This task would normally be performed on campus, but our esteemed student government has exiled them to Georgetown. The explanation is thus: AU’s official code prohibits funding to any discriminatory organization. And with the military’s official “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy still in place, alas, what are we to do but ban the presence of the U.S. military?

Leaving aside the fact that the U.S. military has done more to make the world safe for gay people than any do-gooder college activist, let me state emphatically that yes, the military’s policy is asinine.

Every civilized country on Earth allows for openly gay soldiers, and it’s a shame that our own military has been slow on the uptake. But it makes little sense to punish our perfectly honorable campus recruits for a policy they have nothing to do with. The only people punished by the student government’s policy are our recruits—most of whom oppose “don’t ask, don’t tell,” anyway.

Really, it is a perfect testament to the fact that the student government is filled with kids playing politician that they think that they’re “sending a message to Washing-

ton” this way. Washington’s not listening. Those of you in the Student Government ought to figure out what everyone else on campus knows: you’re not important. Leave our recruits alone and get back to doing what you’re supposed to be doing. Some of you, with your inflated egos, might actually get to be members of Congress one day.

Right now, you’re just college kids in a student government. Stop trying to send the Defense Department a statement.

Fascinatingly enough, there actually is something that the SG could do about anti-gay campus culture that falls within their proper purview. If it really wants to cut off funding to campus organizations that promote anti-gay policies, I’ve found one that objectively violates this policy: Students for Justice In Palestine.

This week has been “Israel Apartheid Week” on campuses across the country. Groups such as AU’s own Students for Justice In Palestine have taken part in smear campaigns against the—well, I guess I’m supposed to call it the “Zionist entity” this week—instead standing up for a government that is about as friendly to gays as your humble columnist is to feminists.

But I have yet to hear a senator propose cutting off funding to Students for Justice In Palestine, despite the fact that there is only one country in the Middle East where gay men can serve openly: Israel.

Try holding a gay pride parade in “Palestine” and see if you can get two feet before your life is endangered. There is simply no comparison between the policies of the two governments toward gays.

I’m not saying that the U.S. military’s policy is fair. I’m just saying that if the student government is going to banish the army from campus, we ought to banish Students for Justice In Palestine, too.

Also Women’s Initiative.

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.

Advice for Dems: let the others talk UNSOLICITED ADVICE

ALEX PRIEST Democrats aren’t doing half bad right now. So far 2010 actually isn’t looking nearly as dire as it was just after pseudo-Republican Scott Brown won the Kennedy seat in Massachusetts.

If Democrats keep up the hard work and continue to ignore tea partiers—radical conservatives and ultra-liberals like they have been—they might just survive this year. Nevertheless, here’s a little advice.

Dear Democratic Strategists, You’re doing alright. Behind all the tea party crazy talk and “Washington is broken” nonsense, the news cycle seems to be trending your way.

Predicting the news cycle is a difficult thing to do. Sometimes it’s rough for Democrats, sometimes it hits the GOP where it really hurts.

This is supposed to be a rough year for Democrats. President Barack Obama’s policies haven’t sailed through as smoothly as we hoped. Hardly anyone’s happy with Congress, and it consists mostly of Democrats. So it’s all bad news for the Democratic Party, right?

I’m not so sure. Look at the news from Tuesday just this week, for example.

The leading headline in the Wall Street Journal was “Deal Near on Banking Rules,” one of the Democrats’ key policy items. Point for us.

Let’s look at others. “Tea Party Holds Risks for GOP.” Minus one for Republicans.

“Fed Void Clears Path for Obama,” “Manufacturing Shows Strength,” “Bailout Update: AIG’s repayment means U.S. is close to getting back half of its IOUs.” Point, point, point for Democrats.

And then there’s darling Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., holding up unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.

“One Senator Holds Up Bill, in New Level of Gridlock,” proclaims the WSJ. And then Tuesday eve-

ning: “Deal Reached to End Senator’s Holdout.” Point.

“Well that’s just one paper!” conservatives might protest (never mind the fact that the Wall Street Journal typically leans right). Sure, but The Washington Post’s headlines tell the same story.

Oh, and see that cover story in the Metro section? It exposes Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia as the hypocrite he is, lobbying for education funding from the Recovery Act he’s been lobbying against since last year. Point.

So the media momentum has shifted left a bit. But we can’t just sit back and be passive, can we? “We can’t let Republicans control the agenda and the message!” say paranoid political strategists on the left.

Well, maybe not completely. But lately they’ve done a good job digging themselves into a hole without your help, Democrats.

So, let ‘em talk.

The Tea Party is a joke. Every time Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck opens their mouth, people ridicule them across the political spectrum. Ron Paul? Not much of a threat when the Republican establishment still loathes him. Let them talk.

The “Party of No” is still just saying “no,” as evidenced by Bunning’s ignorant protest of the unemployment bill. If all the public hears is “no,” let ‘em talk.

Finally, the stimulus bill is working, the economy continues to improve and Obama is working hard to find solutions to our debt problem.

Meanwhile, Republicans continue to pan his economic proposals, as if they weren’t going home to hypocritically take credit for the stimulus. Let ‘em talk; it’s only hurting them.

So Democrats, for now I think you should just ride the wave. Let the Republicans screw up their own messaging—you just focus on getting things done. The people will notice.

You act, let them talk.

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

The referendum, the right move An impressive petition drive should ensure that students get to vote on a referendum dealing with potential methods of CERF funding. Now, policy can be formed the right way.

Razor-thin voting majorities, rejected referenda and student petitions: the debate over the adoption of funding measures for AU’s Clean Energy Revolving Fund has again dominated the activities of Student Government. Unfortunately, our student representatives initially missed a valuable opportunity to clarify student views on this issue that has caused such controversy. Nevertheless, the door for student input remains tentatively open, thanks to last-minute efforts of a particular SG Senator.

Last Sunday, the Undergraduate Senate failed to assemble the twothirds majority needed to place a referendum on the next election ballot.

This would have asked students to answer the following question: “Do you support increasing annual student fees by $10.00 to fund the Clean Energy Revolving Fund?” Despite its rejection in a 10-9 vote, several sena-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The harms of a university-subsidized student Metro discount I am disappointed to see that in the March 1 staff editorial, “This Metro trip: Courtesy of AU?” the staff of The Eagle wishes to obtain a desired WMATA transit discount through the means of a subsidy from the university’s funds.

As we all should know, money just doesn’t come out of thin air.

If a subsidy were to come from WMATA, they would just be offering a lower rate, cutting into their profits but not actually supplying more than a meager amount of money to apply the subsidy. I understand that WMATA cannot do this though, given their trouble finances, among other things.

But should AU ever decide to subsidize student transit, the school would need the money to come from somewhere in order to provide the funds—real mon-

the EAGLE American University’s Independent Student Voice MISSION The Eagle, a student-run newspaper at the American University, serves the student readership by reporting news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Eagle strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

SUBMISSION AND EDITORIAL POLICIES • Send letters and guest columns to: Editorial Page Editor, The Eagle, 252 Mary Graydon Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20016 or EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com. Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Thursday before the Monday publication, should be typed and must include the writer's name, year, school and telephone number.

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tors remained committed to obtaining the opinion of the students they represent.

Within days, Senator Brett Atanasio produced a petition aimed at securing the referendum’s place on the ballot. In less than four days, he managed to collect the needed 700 signatures — totaling 761 at press time. His efforts and dedication should be commended. If the funding of CERF was to be solved in a truly undisputed manner, this student referendum needed to be on the upcoming SG ballot.

At the most basic level, the referendum embodies the SG’s intended purpose as an organization: to identify student input and act upon it.

The question at hand is whether activity fees from all AU students should be used to jumpstart CERF, or if donations to the fund would be voluntary only. If any policy requires student input before it is made, it is a

policy that affects our own money.

Moreover, there is a serious need for student input in regards to CERF. Many proponents of a universal raise in student activities point to a 2006 referendum in which 72 percent of AU students said they would be in favor of raising student fees $10 to support green energy initiatives.

Certainly, these results are impressive. Yet every student polled in this 2006 referendum has since graduated or moved on from AU. Thus far, senators on both sides of the issue have purported their views based on assumptions and estimates of AU’s collective opinion on CERF. An updated and accurate representation of student views is needed, hence the new referendum.

At the same time, The Eagle understands the motives of the senators who voted down the referendum.

These dissenting votes were inspired by an aversion to the university-wide

increase in the student activities fee.

Echoing the sentiments of these senators, The Eagle has previously editorialized that student should not be compelled to donate to CERF through a further increase in fees.

This paper’s views aside, the importance of student input must be recognized in this issue. With more than enough signatures collected, one must assume that Atanasio’s efforts will give the referendum a place on the ballot. Regardless of its outcome, this is the only way the SG can handle CERF’s funding in a completely legitimate manner. If student representatives want to truly live up to their namesake, the results of the referendum must guide SG’s CERF policy.

So contact a senator, research the details of CERF and make an informed decision on the referendum.

The process is there for us, so let’s use it.

ey. Where would the money come from and how would AU work to make up that lost cost? The same way any business would: raising prices somewhere. So, in theory, we can all pay $100 less a year to ride the Metro, but we can make up for it in paying an extra $100 a year in tuition.

Of course those who travel the most would benefit from this, but those who don’t travel daily would lose money. The vast majority of students would be losers.

I’m very pro-student discount— but not from AU.

Most recently, AU Rationalists and Atheists put up posters for their first general meeting, and within a day or two, most if not all the posters were torn down from dorm announcement boards and other sites. It’s our understanding that AURA has been forced to put up with this intolerance on several occasions. And while AURA is not a faith group, they are a student group based on a well-defined worldview, which I believe is something to be respected.

A member of Students for Justice in Palestine has recently informed me that they have had similar experiences with disappearing posters.

This is not so different from the stories we’ve heard of an individual following another student from a faith group and challenging his beliefs endlessly with derogatory terms and accusations.

It’s not so different from disrespectful messages and swastikas drawn in spaces shortly before a sacred service is set to take place.

I believe there is a hidden tension on this campus, a weed of disrespect. I like to think that most people are respectful here, and yet repeatedly I see grown adults being intolerant, self-righteous or downright obnoxious. I do not think that we all have to get along or agree, but there is absolutely no good reason for the level of mutual disrespect that we witness, whether it’s between individuals or groups with different worldviews or political beliefs.

Interfaith Council plans to continue to help students, staff and faculty bridge their differences to reach mutual respect and appreciation. We have already informed AU’s chaplains of our concerns, and we are ready to help mediate any conflicts between individuals or groups.

I can be contacted personally at al3281a@student.american.edu.

Justin Bloodgood Class of 2013 Interfaith Council calls for campus-wide tolerance AU’s Interfaith Council has noticed a disturbing trend lately.

Various student organizations have been targeted for their worldviews or social action, we assume by individuals or by other groups.

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the EAGLE

MARCH 4, 2010

news 4

Farmer’s vegetables fresh but selling slowly

ALLEN ON THE ISSUES

By ANGELA MODANY Eagle Contributing Writer

AARON BERKOVICH / THE EAGLE

George Allen, former governor and senator from Virginia, spoke to AU students Wednesday night. The AU College Republicans sponsored his visit, which involved a speech and question-and-answer session.

With the help of EcoSense and AU faculty members, the Community Supported Agriculture program began selling farm shares on campus on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Two shares have been sold at AU so far, with several more sales in process, according to Allan Balliett, who owns a farm in West Virginia.

Balliett runs the program, which allows students to receive a bag of fresh produce once a week after buying a share in his farm. He grows a variety of different produce in an environmentally-safe manner and then delivers that produce to the shareholders.

Balliett was surprised that so few shares have been paid for so far.

Sales will continue until the shares are sold out, he said.

Money raised by shares fund the CSA so that he doesn’t have to take out loans for the farm, Balliett said.

Amy Farr, the health promotion manager in Human Resources, helped advertise for the CSA on campus.

Farr used targeted e-mails, Today@AU newsletters, AUPedia, the electronic billboard in the tunnel and the plasma TVs in Mary Graydon Center to advertise for the program, she said. The CSA opportunity was also listed in a letter to faculty and staff about what programs are happening on campus.

Julie Munro, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, is in charge of promoting the CSA on campus through EcoSense. She and other EcoSense members have been promoting the program at environmentally-themed campus events.

“We figured this was the best audience to reach out to,” Munro said.

Students who buy shares in the CSA have several options regarding the size and price of the share.

A full share is $600, a single-person full share is $425 and a single share

for nine weeks starting in the fall is $225, according to Balliett.

Balliett’s CSA program is not the only one in the D.C. area. Kate Sparks-Auclair runs Green Fence Farm with her husband in Greenville, Va., which has a CSA program. The Green Fence Farm CSA delivers to Capitol Hill and Northwest D.C. Sparks-Aclair said that last year she doubled the number of shares available from the year before and still sold out in 10 days.

“We’ve only been doing a CSA for two years now, but I definitely think interest is growing,” she said.

“Overall, I think people are becoming much more aware of what’s in the food they eat,” Sparks-Auclair said.

Shares can be purchased at the CSA’s Web site, www.freshandlocalcsa.com.

Seniors will give new furniture for SIS patio

Gay marriage bill goes into effect

By BROOKES MAY

By HELEN KILLEEN

Eagle Contributing Writer From a 9/11 memorial to a painted elephant to lamppost banners, every senior class leaves its mark on campus.

This year, the Class of 2010 will raise money to buy furnishings for the patio that will be located outside the new School of International Service building.

The furniture — including chairs, tables and umbrellas — will try to create the feel of an outdoor cafe, according to Senior Class Adviser Andrew Toczydlowski.

“The funds will cover a little bit of everything for the patio,” Tocydlowski said. “It’s a great choice of a gift; it will be a fun and comfortable place to be.”

The senior class set the fundraising goal at $20,000, which Toczydlowski says is on par with past senior class fundraising goals.

“We try to combine the senior

n

from SHUTTLE on page 1

the AU shuttles will be outfitted with a GPS system to help students locate shuttle buses, Feist said.

Students will be able to log on to a Web site to see where AU shuttles are and see estimates of what times shuttles will be arriving at each stop.

The GPS project is still in its beginning stages, and Facilities Management has not yet determined when the system would be in place, Feist said.

class gift with existing university projects that don’t have funding,” said Toczydlowski. “Obviously, we keep our budget in mind — we can’t choose a project that costs $5 million.

This project is realistically something the seniors can make happen.”

The senior class has raised nearly $1,000 after launching their fundraising campaign at the end of January, according to Director of Development for Annual Giving Casey Jacobs.

The patio will be accessible through the coffee shop in the new building, according to Jacobs.

The décor will be selected and purchased by the Office of Facilities Management who will keep the building’s high level of sustainability in mind, he said.

“The amount of seating and the expense of the décor will depend on how much the seniors raise,” Jacobs said.

The 2010 class officers tossed around other ideas such as an elec-

tronic jukebox in the Tavern. They ultimately decided, with the help of other on-campus departments including SIS, that this project made the most sense for the university.

“The new [SIS] building will serve as a physical symbol of the school’s tradition of global service, and innovative initiatives and the outdoor patio will be at the heart of it all,” the 2010 officers said in an e-mail to the senior class.

Donations are collected at senior class events such as the kickoff event held at the restaurant/bar Ireland’s Four Fields. At the event seniors were encouraged to make a donation of $20.10. Donations may also be made through the “AnewAU Campaign” where a drop-down box lets donors specify that their money will go to the Class of 2010 Senior Class Gift.

Facilities Management will also be working to make more visible signs to designate every shuttle stop along the shuttle routes, MacCracken said. These signs would not only benefit the AU community but also prospective AU students, he said.

“I have talked to prospective students and parents, and they have had difficulty with getting off the Metro and knowing where the shuttle stop is,” MacCracken said. “They know it’s supposed to be there but unless the shuttle is sitting there with the

AU logo on it, they’re not going to know that it picks up right there because there’s no sign there.”

Facilities Management will be working with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the D.C. city government in the coming months to address the signage issues and implement new changes, MacCracken said.

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

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

Eagle Contributing Writer Same-sex marriage became legal within D.C. yesterday after Congress’ designated review period ended.

Since Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 last December, the bill has been in a mandatory period of Congressional review.

During the review period, a group led by Bishop Harry Jackson, a pastor at Hope Christian Church in D.C., fought to block the legislation, The Eagle previously reported. The group proposed that the bill should go to a ballot referendum, leaving the question of same-sex marriage up to a popular vote throughout the District.

A referendum on same-sex marriage would have violated the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, a bill that prohibits popular votes on issues having to do with minority civil rights, including questions of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Midterm elections could determine whether political opposition to same-sex marriage within the District has ended, according to Matt Bruno, program director at AU’s GLBTA Resource Center.

“The election of more social conservatives to the Democratic Party could mean more backlash,” Bruno said.

Professor in the School of Public Affairs and Chevy Chase

Town Councilmember David Lublin said that loopholes in past legislation have allowed Congress to coerce D.C. to submit to

“It’s a symbolic victory, but ... Our main goal should be combating homophobia.”

– Diego Halpern Freshman, SIS

its desires before. Should Congress decide in the coming years to force the repeal of the D.C. Marriage Equality Amendment Act, it could simply withhold funding, he said.

“Congress could condition funding in D.C. for the repeal of the law ... it’s the same method that was used to enforce the drinking age nationwide,” Lublin said.

This initial period of legalization could act to quell fears that same-sex marriage might act to undermine societal values, according to Sara Bendoraitis, director of the GLBTA Resource Center.

“For the folks who truly believe that the world will end, this will be proof to the contrary,” Bendoraitis said. “[GLBT indi-

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

viduals] are just regular folks.”

Some worry that too much focus has been placed on campaigning for the right to marriage.

“It’s a symbolic victory, but it really didn’t do anything,” said Diego Halpern, a freshman in the School of International Service. “Our main goal should be combating homophobia.”

Regardless of the long-term implications of legalization, gay marriage in the District has set off a chain of events in the District and the surrounding counties.

Estimates on marriage-related spending ranged from $45 to $22 million, The Eagle previously reported. Newer estimates anticipate even greater economic benefit to the District due to pending same-sex weddings.

Mark Guenther, executive director of the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, told the Northwest Current that about 14,000 same-sex weddings are likely to take place in the District over the next three years, and $52.2 million can be expected to flow into the District from nuptial spending.

The first same-sex weddings are expected to begin next Tuesday because it takes three business days for marriage license to be processed.

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

MARCH 4, 2010

THE EAGLE'S ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

‘Bernarda’ cast bring down Katzen ‘house’

By ALEXANDRA LANGTON Eagle Contributing Writer

Courtesy of PHILLIP V. CARUSO

BLUE MAN GROUP — In his film focusing on the lives of police officers, director Antoine Fuqua sets out to explore the nuances of morality in a dangerous and powerful profession. Featuring a diverse of Hollywood bigshots, such as Richard Gere (pictured above), Wesley Snipes, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle, the film provides a grittier look at cop drama.

The weekend of Feb. 25 brought great success to AU’s theater department as they introduced four sold-out performances of Federico Garcia Lorca’s “The House of Bernarda Alba.”

Originally written in Spanish, the AU rendition was translated

by Emily Mann and directed by Puerto Rican native Javier Rivera, an alumnus who received his BA in theater and education.

However, a degree in theater is not the only achievement that Rivera has to boast; the success of the recent play speaks volumes of his cultural and artistic contributions.

Set on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, the play portrays a family ruled by their mother, Bernarda Alba, after the death of the patriarch. The performance presents a different mood than “Romeo and Juliet,” which the department presented earlier this year. Though both are tragedies, “The House of Bernarda Alba” poses a theme distinct from the devastation of young love. The daughters of Bernarda Alba are secluded after their mother imposes an eight-year mourning period on them following their father’s death. The topics of oppression of women and Spanish tradition parallel the regime of Francisco Franco, the rising dictator during the time the play

was written.

The emphasis on female issues is obvious. The presentation is made up of entirely female characters. Men are only present as off-stage references. Leeanna Rubin, who plays Bernarda Alba, delivers a convincing performance of the controlling matriarch and brings the audience into the world of 20th century Spain.

The performance puts the viewers directly in the Alba house-

“The tension on stage ... spread to the audience, which made the drama even more gripping in the intimate theater.” hold. Additionally, the small cast of only twelve actors contributes to the intimacy of the play and creates the illusion that the viewer is confined in the house just like the Alba daughters.

The small theater also added to the tone of the play, which School of Communication sophomore Kayla Fenner described as dark and intimate.

“The play was really dark, lit-

erally and figuratively,” Fenner said. “You could definitely feel the tension between the family, especially because the audience was so close to the actors.”

The tension on stage did indeed spread to the audience, which made the drama even more gripping in the intimate theater. In fact, the performance was consistent with Lorca’s original intention to create a dark atmosphere. In doing so, Lorca hoped to create a parallel to the darkness of the social condition in Spain. Rivera recreates Lorca’s image perfectly and provides insight into his world.

While the historical context of Franco’s Spain is distinct from Washington, D.C., today, the topics of oppression still exist in the 21st century. The audience recognized this theme and the setting and environment created in “The House of Bernarda Alba.”

Both worked together to give the viewer a sense of a scope outside modern reality. Although the play finished its performances at Katzen on Saturday, Feb. 27, the impact of the performance very much resounds in those who saw it. While the play portrayed a house divided, the response of the audience was united with satisfaction. ¡Bien hechos!

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

Fuqua studies police culture in ‘Brooklyn’ Leno returns to late night BROOKLYN’S FINEST

B-

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer There are good cops and there are bad cops. But there are also those rare cops who are good with a bad streak.

Director Antoine Fuqua has mastered the delicate balance of bad men who make good cops, which he displays in his cop thriller, “Brooklyn’s Finest.”

The film takes place during one week in Brooklyn, focusing on three cops all dealing with major moral dilemmas. The film’s major theme — one Fuqua is not a stranger to — is defying authority.

“I’ve always been with the underdog,” Fuqua said in an interview with The Eagle. “I grew up loving gangster films like the original ‘Scarface’ and ‘Public Enemy,’ so I definitely relate my films to questioning authority.”

The film starts by focusing on Richard Gere’s character as aging officer Eddie Dugan. Dugan is apathetic and uncaring, to the point where he hardly wants to get up in the morning to go finish up his last few days of cop work. After years on the force, Dugan has nothing to show for it. All he does is pay for prostitutes, deal unsympathetically with the rookies he still has to train and count down the few days until his retirement.

Gere plays the character as onedimensionally as possible, with barely any emotion. That might be a problem, but the character is so pathetic that Gere’s acting is convincing and appropriate. However, Dugan doesn’t evoke emotion in the same way as Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle’s do.

This role is the second time Fuqua has worked with Hawke. The first time

is in the Oscar-winning film “Training Day” with Hawke as a rookie under training of Denzel Washington’s crazy veteran police officer. Since then, Fuqua has been a fan and the two had mutual feelings about working in this film. Hawke plays Sal, a married man with four kids and twins on the way.

Sal is struggling to make ends meet as a police officer who conducts home raids of drug dealers. His character is miserable, obsessed with the idea of moving his family to a bigger home.

Out of desperation, he begins stealing money from dealers, under the guise of doing honorable cop work. Hawke plays the cop marvelously; his gravelly voice and constantly furrowed brow draw concern from the audience. The moviegoer is completely immersed in his pain and desperation, sometimes even justifying his crazy actions.

The next best performance comes from Don Cheadle. He plays Detective Clarence “Tango” Butler, an undercover cop who is having a hard time keeping up his act. He buddies up with Caz, a drug dealer who saved his life at one point, played by Wesley Snipes. Tango is struggling as he tries to persuade others of his status as a drug dealer, while at the same time trying to get reassigned so that he no longer has to do undercover work.

Cheadle is excellently cast as this character, despite the fact that his accent is an awkward cross between hood and nasally Brooklynite. While Hawke is the star of the film, Cheadle’s character and his situation add tension, underlining the theme of defying authority, which Fuqua has a knack for lacing into his films.

Fuqua certainly has a wide range of films to portray his theme of defying authority, such as “Training Day,” “Tears of the Sun” and “Shooter.”

However, “Brooklyn’s Finest” is only

his second film to really look in depth at the situations that cops have to deal with. In addition, it’s his first time working with Wesley Snipes, who tentatively returned to film last year.

“I had some reservations,” Snipes said in an interview with The Eagle.

“But Antoine persuaded me, and anyways we’ve been trying to work together for ten years.”

The role of Caz, a smooth drug dealer who was recently released from prison, is not unlike some of Snipes’ previous characters. Even so, Snipes said that though drug dealers are not a new role to play, he still likes to work hard to get into character.

“I like to draw from the real world,” he said. “I’m legitimate. I take pictures and colors and fill my rooms with them so it can filter into my subconscious. Then I see if the cats who really live that life can believe me, and the rest falls into place.”

Snipes pulls it off well, but his character really does not mean as much as the cops, whom Fuqua focuses on.

“They’re human,” Fuqua said.

“Cops protect you and take a sacred oath, like priests, but they make no money at all. Plus, they don’t get checked psychologically enough, even though they see the worst in mankind.”

While it seems like he’s in awe of the police, he’s mostly just intrigued by their situation. Directors have long been making cop films, but none have been able to do it quite like Fuqua.

“Life’s a matter of choice,” he said.

“And they made the choice to serve the greater calling to run towards a bullet.”

“Brooklyn’s Finest” hits theaters March 5.

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

as if there was no CoCo Jay Leno takes back former time slot with same routine SCENESTER SPOTLIGHT

SAM LINDAUER Jay Leno returned to his 11:35 timeslot and hosting duties of The Tonight Show on Monday night. It was like he never left.

The show started with a parody of The Wizard of Oz, acting as though Leno’s time off was just a horrible dream. Kevin Eubanks was there; Ross the Intern was there; Jon Menendez decided to return, and for some reason Betty White showed up to because she was clearly available.

After the cold opening, Jay walked out to a legion of cheering fans on a redesigned set (the only noticeable change to The Tonight Show). After his signature high-fives for a few lucky fans (you see, Leno is a man of the people) he went into his typical monologue, which only made one real allusion to the fact that he was not host of the show for the last few months.

“I’m your host — at least for now,” he said. Of course, there

was no mention of that other guy who sat at the big desk for a short time.

Speaking of the big desk, Leno took the new gig as an opportunity for a new bit, “The Great Desk Search,” where he goes to random people’s homes and looks at their desks to see which would be good for Jay to sit behind.

What could be funnier than Jay Leno going into your home, talking about your desks and perhaps making fun of your family? Well, everything it seems. After watching the painfully forced bit where D-List celebs like Randy Jackson and Adam Carolla show up to “test” out the new desks, one has to wonder how long Leno can keep this bit going. Then again, he has managed to keep doing Jay-Walking for about two decades.

After the break, Leno introduced his first guest, Jamie Foxx, by showing a montage of his film work. This is usually reserved for someone receiving a lifetime achievement award. It’s just too bad they left out Foxx’s brilliant work in “Stealth” and “Booty Call.” Foxx came out with a huge amount of energy and led the crowd in irritating chants like “When I say ‘Welcome’ you say ‘Back’” and got everyone to do one of America’s most shameful creations, The Wave. Foxx did what he was clearly brought on the show to do: talk about how great it was that Jay was back hosting The Tonight Show. When Foxx calmed down, he was harm-

lessly charming but managed to shill for the network by mentioning how much he enjoyed the Olympics. Foxx also reminded everyone that the red head was no longer hosting by talking about his love for Kirstie Alley.

After Foxx, Olympic gold medal-winner Lindsey Vonn came out to talk about the Olympics (as seen on NBC). Being an athlete and not an actor or comedian, no one expects Vonn to really get the crowd going — and she didn’t. This is why there is a host. In situations like this, when someone not particularly interesting to talk to is a guest, the host needs to pull some laughs out.

Leno failed here; the interview was disappointingly bland. Leno sounded more like Bob Costas than a comedian — something that should be left to Costas.

The show ended unceremoniously with a Brad Paisley performance. It was great if you really love Brad Paisley. Overall, there was really nothing special about Leno’s return to the Tonight Show. He looks as if he never left the post as the show’s host. For anyone who enjoyed him before, there’s no need to worry — nothing has changed. Those who thought that Leno’s return may bring restructuring or something fresh to the show should look elsewhere. Jay Leno is back — and he’s the same as ever.

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

‘Hurt Locker,’ ‘Basterds’ poised to overtake fan favorite THROUGH THE LENS

DONNY T. SHELDON I know that I’ve written about the Academy Awards over several of my columns, but I can’t stop. I can’t help it. The Oscars are the Super Bowl for movie geeks. Instead of the playoffs we have the Golden Globes and various Guild awards. After following the race, I’m happy that the awards season is coming to an end, but questions still remain before the big night — namely

who will take the top prize.

Before delving into the Best Picture race, which is perhaps the most competitive of the past decade, it’s important to knock off the films that don’t stand a chance — the “you’re lucky to be nominated” entries, if you will. First off the list is “The Blind Side.” Without any other nomination apart from Best Actress, this film doesn’t stand a chance. Sandra Bullock will, regrettably, garner “The Blind Side” its sole Oscar victory.

The wise, clean-cut British film “An Education” will not pose a threat here, either. With only a few scattered critics’ awards under its belt, the film doesn’t stand a chance against its stronger competitors. “A Serious Man,” “District 9” and “Up” all won critics’ praise

— and audience support for the latter two — yet without Best Director or any acting nominations to speak of, it’s going to be a battle for the top honor.

Earlier in the year, critics and entertainment industry bloggers all knighted “Precious” and “Up in the Air” as the frontrunners in the race. Although “Precious” and “Up in the Air” have made very strong showing throughout the awards season, their victories have surfaced in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay categories, respectively.

Now this is where things get murky.

Any of the three remaining films, “The Hurt Locker,” “Avatar” and “Inglourious Basterds” are all plausible winners.

Logistically speaking, “The Hurt Locker” has won nearly every critics award

for Best Picture, as well as the Producers and Directors Guild Awards.

In terms of financial success, which plays a larger part in the race than you’d think, “Avatar” is, well, “Avatar.”

Back in 2005 when “Crash” surprised everyone and took the Best Ensemble Cast award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, upsetting “Brokeback Mountain,” and won the top prize at the Oscars, the SAG award has come to pack quite a punch in the race. This is largely because actors constitute the largest demographic of the Academy voting body. When Quentin Tarantino’s Nazihuntin’ circus “Inglourious Basterds” won the award a few weeks ago, I got to wondering if history was about to repeat itself, “Basterds” being “Crash” and “Hurt Locker” being “Brokeback.”

Although I’m definitely rooting for “The Hurt Locker” to upset James Cameron’s stupid sellout of a film (yeah, I said it), a “Basterds” win would be fantastic — a sensational twist, and a film that merits such an accolade. As long as it’s not “Avatar.”

I know I’m in the minority here, but now, two months after I took the plunge to Pandora like everyone else, I’m profoundly indifferent. Sure, the visual effects were astounding and unlike anything I’ve seen before (and it should damn well be with that astronomical budget), but those aren’t grounds for bestowing the film a Best Picture Oscar — especially because the film is essentially a cheap rip-off of “Pocahontas” with atrocious acting and a script that felt written by a feral

child hocked up on Adderall.

In the end, I think along with Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow), Best Actor (Jeff Bridges), Best Supporting Actress (Mo’Nique), Best Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz), this year, the right nominee will triumph — that nominee for Best Picture being “The Hurt Locker.” With its revolutionary guerrilla filmmaking methods and its dual timeless and timely message, “The Hurt Locker” achieves on a shoestring budget what “Avatar” achieves (in the broad public’s opinion, certainly not mine) with a budget of over $200 million more. Nothin’ green about that, now is there, Mr. Cameron?

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

the EAGLE

MARCH 4, 2010

the scene 6

Titus, Elizabeth pen complex new albums works simply because of its seeming novelty. The variety of different genres — everything from alternative rock to reggae — that Greenwood incorporates and pays homage to should be reason enough to listen to it in and of itself. Instead the album is just one long plateau that may be enjoyable and easy-going for some, and boring and inanimate for others. — STEPHAN CHO Citizen Cope “The RainWater LP�

RainWater Recordings THE RAINWATER LP

C+

ous or emotional. Listening to slower songs like “Rainiest Day of Summer� makes it seem as if it’s in her character to come off as strong when she’s actually very vulnerable and lonely. The erratic interplay of these songs is never jarring because they show an authenticity to Elizabeth that is always heartfelt. “Taller Children� is a lot of fun to listen to because it’s a genuine glimpse into the humanity of Elizabeth herself. There’s a song for every mood that is always passionate and never rusty. Just listen to it — it’s simply enchanting. — S.C.

Sounds like: Adam Duritz meets Aqualung The new LP by Clarence Greenwood, better known as Citizen Cope, is a self-produced effort to get in touch with his music on a more personal level.

Released by his own label, RainWater Recordings, the album is commendable for being thoughtful, pithy and almost intentionally wishy-washy. But while it does score some brownie points for having heart and for showing off Greenwood’s versatility, it isn’t enough to redeem its overall dullness and poorly contrived intonations throughout.

Take, for example, one of the more typical tracks, “Lifeline.�

Between the strained lyrical imagery and the crooning, monotonous rhythm, Greenwood is only able to skim the surface of bare emotion. There’s too much wavering from tempo to tempo for any proper build up. Then, there are songs like “A Father’s Son� and “Off the Ground� that may seem wilder and more flavorful, but eventually just zip by with little effect. The songs have their moments here and there, but they’re interspersed with far too many trifles to make them noticeable in the slightest.

There is certainly a new depth to this Citizen Cope that makes his production more polished, more hard-hitting than previous

The songs are just too stodgy and never make any initiative to go beyond the starting point. To prove this, most of the tracks on the album sound almost entirely alike. It tries to maintain this pseudo-effervescent quality that gets tired too early. Opening the album with “Austin’s Birthday� at least a good choice to set the mood — not because the song has any merit but because it at least has an introduction that stands out in comparison to the others.

It’s hard to really put a critical focus on an album that feels like it either tried too hard or didn’t try hard enough. If this debut full-length LP is any indication of how The Burning Hotels will continue to write their music, then it’s probably best to avoid them altogether. — S.C.

chose a weird time to test the limits of punk rock song structure and lyrical depth.

The move toward longer running times is the most instantly recognizable change between “The Monitor� and Titus’ last album, “The Airing of Grievances.� The band shift into new movements and tempos at least twice in every epic-length song, turning what could be an album of dirges into an exercise in build and release. Ambient drones blow up into dual guitar solos and fast

“[The Monitor] is a grower and an extra-long album — it’s what you’ll be listening to in

Elizabeth & the Catapult “Taller Children�

Verve Music Group TALLER CHILDREN

solo into the end of an otherwise hard song. The two shortest, fastest tracks, “Titus Andronicus Forever� and “...And Ever� don’t make enough of a shift and end up sounding like standard, unchanging hardcore beats against the rest of the album’s experimentation. Things rock on the band’s time and when they want to take it slow, they trust you to give them enough space to try things out.

Some things haven’t changed: Stickles still sings the fast songs like he’s going to die before the album ends and the slow songs like he worries that he’s going to live 50 years after he stops serving a purpose. When Stickles focuses his anger on specific targets, his rants hit, but when he takes on a blind “us against them� struggle in the album’s middle, he loses a heavy chunk of his edge.

Still, that’s the most rewarding aspect of “The Monitor:� every time Titus Andronicus play like a Black Flag cover band or turn a great three minute song into a dull five minute one, they take a three second break and move onto a new track that re-contextualizes its predecessor as its introduction. It’s a grower and an extralong album — it’s what you’ll still be listening to in December. — ALEX RUDOLPH

December.�

A-

Sounds like: Regina Spektor playing for The Hush Sound What makes “Taller Children�

by New York City-based indie rock band Elizabeth & The Catapult such a great album isn’t its charming simplicity, but the fact that it’s so unaware of just that.

Elizabeth has a strong quality in both her vocal range and the characteristic of her songs that is so wonderfully understated it makes you want to keep listening just to catch it. She’s able to play off fierce as playful, sappy as romantic.

Right from the opening track “Momma’s Boy,� a folky send-off to a mysterious and presumably needy ex-lover, Elizabeth isn’t abashed about telling it like it is by showing an independence that will stick for most of the album.

The song is the perfect balance of charismatic pep talk and spiteful break-up, getting her message across without being too seri-

songs about getting drunk hit brick walls at their midpoints, becoming melancholy songs about blacking out.

This is where the album deviates from punk rock for the better.

The hard guitars and galloping drums from the first album are still around, but the band aren’t afraid to slip a heart-felt bagpipe

The Burning Hotels “Novels�

Summit Entertainment NOVELS

D+

Sounds like: The Bravery except even more boring From its ambiguously morbid cover art to its consistently shallow and meaningless lyrics of unrequited love, “Novels� by The Burning Hotels sounds like it’s trying too hard to live up to an alternative-indie rock archetype.

The band, based in Fort Worth, Texas, does little to inject their songs with original panache, driving through with each hook of generic guitar riffs and clichÊd chorus lines. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, because it can work with some effort. But there’s really nothing special about this album save some nice production values.

Titus Andronicus “The Monitor�

XL Recordings THE MONITOR

A

Sounds like: Billy Bragg falling off the wagon On Titus Andronicus’ new album, “The Monitor,� lead singer Patrick Stickles spends a 14minute-long finale deriding every aspect of his personality. It’s an honest and personal conclusion to the record, but it’s also a strange one; it tails an hour-long song cycle about the Civil War and its relation to modern attitudes. If Stickles wasn’t confident in his strength going in, he sure

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CLASSIFIEDS

MARCH 4, 2010

KUSHAN DOSHI n Business Manager 202.885.3593

CLASSIFIED

Fairfax gets a taste of culture

SITTERS WANTED

By OLIVIA STITILIS Eagle Staff Writer

$12 or more per hour.

Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.student-sitters.com

Photo by ALANA HILL

STAGE ART — At the Intersections Art Festival, artists of all types, such as hip-hop dance troupe DCypher (above), come together to put D.C.’s creative side on display.

Chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

A weekend of chocolate. Got your attention? I thought so. Whether you consider yourself a chocolate fanatic or just one out of the millions slightly obsessed with the sweet, do not miss out on The Chocolate Lovers Festival.

On March 6 and 7, the City of Fairfax, Va., the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Fairfax Coalition, the Downtown Fairfax Merchants Association and George Mason University will put together the 18th annual festival dedicated to nothing but chocolate.

According to the Chocolate Lovers Festival’s Web site, “the purpose of the festival is to draw visitors to Old Town Fairfax, to encourage community participation and to foster cooperation among the city government, the business community and local residents.”

In the past the festival has been held the first full weekend

in February, but was rescheduled this year due to snow and inclement weather. The theme of the festival is to unite people around their love for the sweet and draw visitors from near and far.

Two events that promise to be particularly worthy and definitely delicious at this year’s festival are the Chocolate Challenge and Taste of Chocolate.

The Chocolate Challenge, which is sponsored by the Independence Day Celebration Committee, runs both Saturday and Sunday and is located at the SPACE in Old Town Plaza.

The event will feature numerous chocolate cakes as well as “artwork” made entirely out of chocolate.

In addition to a silent auction — where visitors can bid on chocolate creations such as donated cakes — there will also be a rousing competition with many categories for both professionals and amateurs to compete in. The competition is no laughing matter, as competitors come from all around looking to be victorious.

“This year’s celebrity judges

for this event are Norman R. Davis and Zane Beg of The Sweet Life in Annandale, Va., who have appeared on multiple Food Network challenges; Michael Hensley of Victoria’s Cakery in the City of Fairfax; and City of Fairfax Mayor Robert F. Lederer,” according to the festival’s Web site.

This event is sure to be a mustsee not only for the amazing creations that will be crafted, but also for the delicious samplings that are sure to come as well.

The Taste of Chocolate event also runs both Saturday and Sunday and will have an even greater range of chocolate samplings.

Treats will hail from local bakeries and shops and will include everything from cakes to fudge, brownies to ice cream.

Also noteworthy is the fact that every year the festival chooses a charitable organization to donate a portion of their proceeds to. Organizations interested can fill out an application in the preceding September and October. This year’s recipient is the Independence Day Celebration Committee, which works to

put on annual Independence Day activities and historical events every summer in Fairfax.

Lauren Powell, a freshman in the School of International Service, said that the Chocolate Lovers Festival looked like a really fun time.

“First, I love chocolate so I would come just for the samples, but also it seems like there will be some really impressive creations,” she said. “I usually only think of chocolate as something to eat, so it will be interesting to see how it can be made into art as well.”

Most of the events at the festival are free, yet a few are ticketed with a ticket cost ranging from $1 to $7. The festival will take place at various locations throughout Old Town Fairfax and it offers a shuttle service taking those visitors without cars to the different spots throughout the weekend.

For more information, visit the event’s Web site at http://www. chocolatefestival.net/.

es were able to control prices, which forces farmers to rely on help from the government in order to survive.

This power structure explains why poverty and obesity often go hand-in-hand in America. One example of this is how the poorest families are encouraged to eat free and reduced-price school lunches. Therefore, it makes sense to focus on the National School Lunch Program as one of the most significant causes of childhood obesity in America.

Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, recently provided evidence for this with a study where she found that students who ate public school lunch gained more weight after starting school than students who brown bagged their lunches.

Students who ate school lunches consumed between 40 and 120 more calories a day, which doesn’t seem like such a big deal — until you multiply that number by 180 days.

I decided to investigate the lunch menus at three local public elementary schools. I figure if you see one public school’s lunch menu, you’ve seen them all, because they are all subject to the same guidelines, requirements and subsidies. However, in an effort to be more comprehensive, I looked at the lunch menus of elementary schools in three local school districts: Montgomery County and the District of Columbia. Around the time I started kindergarten, Adam Sandler released his classic musical tale of hoagies and grinders, navy beans, meatloaf sandwiches and sloppy Joes. Surely those days have passed, right?

All three school lunch menus I looked at feature the same foods they did 17 years ago: pizza, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, cheese steak pockets — the gang’s all there. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Fairfax and Montgomery both offer meat alternatives — veggie burgers and meatless “chik’n” nuggets from Morningstar Farms (which is owned by Kellogg’s, an industrial food producer, and the

reason why you’re now throwing your arms up and saying, “Well, for crying out loud, what CAN I eat?!”). D.C.’s menu appears nutritionally inferior compared to the other two. For example, I saw more fried foods than baked in the D.C. schools, and every day featured meat, no doubt filled with plenty of growth hormones.

I can’t help but think that has a lot to do with D.C.’s lunch price being over $1 cheaper than Fairfax and Montgomery Counties’ $2.65.

I decided to also look at the lunch menu of a local private school: the Sidwell Friends School, that Sasha and Malia Obama attend. The Obamas have come under fire for sending their daughters to a private school to the tune of just under $30,000 per child per year,

Appetit. How can we extend this nutritious food to public schools as well?

Obama’s campaign mentions two actions to improve public school lunches: reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act and doubling the number of schools participating in the Healthier U.S. School Challenge. In my opinion, both of these measures would be akin to putting a Band-Aid on this problem without actually dealing with the cause of it.

Reforming our farming policies would actually help us to do this. If the USDA incentivized biodiversity instead of monoculture commodity crops, it would encourage farmers to grow more fruits and vegetables, and help to end our obsession with highfructose corn syrup and processed foods created using corn and soy surpluses. We should also move away from free trade agricultural policies, which encourage agribusinesses to buy crops from countries with poor environmental standards and labor conditions, and move more toward food sovereignty and local, domestic farmer support.

Cafeterias at schools and other institutions could also be funded and provided infrastructure to allow them to purchase foods from regional farmers. These initiatives would pave the way for healthier, more sustainable food for America’s children and help to combat the obesity epidemic throughout the country, even in the poorest areas. Some experts are saying that, for the first time in history, parents in this country will live longer lives than their children due to obesity-related illness. Let’s prove those experts wrong.

I understand all of these overwhelming facts offer little advice about what we can do on a personal level to help combat this crisis. Next time, I’ll wrap up this series by looking at ways we can use our power as consumers to take back our food and our health.

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

‘Intersections’ Improve cafeteria food for healthier kids showcases D.C. arts’ diversity WHOLISTIC HEALTH

By IAN NYANIN Eagle Contributing Writer As most urbanites know, a city is more than just a location on a map or a collection of skyscrapers and street vendors. Every metropolis is a living, breathing, organism in its own right, comprised of its own unique culture.

The District is no different. There is much more to the city than the politics up on the Hill and the manicured perfection of Georgetown. There is a wealth of diversity and artistic talent that lies beneath the surface and it is not any less legitimate for that fact.

The Intersections Art Festival, a new endeavor from the Atlas Performing Center, aims to display and fuse both of these aspects. Taking place during the weekends between Feb. 19 and March 7, the festival has brought together a wide range of performers and artists and them the freedom to express themselves.

Diversity in all senses is truly a main focus of the festival. Performers represent all age groups, ethnicities and artistic pursuits. There is also a strong emphasis placed on audience interaction, a number of workshops and question-and-answer sessions being offered.

The event features a long and impressive list of attractions. Shows range from two local children’s choirs performing together to the hip-hop troupe DCypher DC and the hilarious, cutting-edge storytelling of SpeakeasyDC: Wetbacks, Aliens and Towelheads. As a whole, the festival offers exhibitions in dance, theater, music and film, as well as the visual and literary arts.

“Each of us is on our own journey.

But as we travel, we reach crossroads — the points at which our journeys meet — launching the possibility that we will go in new directions as individuals, as a community, as a society,” Artistic Director Mary Hall Surface wrote on the festival’s Web site.

She also said the audience will experience a powerful understanding of how all these different arts come together.

“At Intersections, audiences will experience those dynamic junctures and discover the energy that is ignited when ways and worlds collide and coalesce through the power of the arts,” Hall wrote on the site.

This event is representative of both the past and future of H Street, where it is being held. Originally an affluent commercial center, it entered a period of decline after World War II and was not able to rebound after the 1968 riots. In this century, however, it has undergone a period of revitalization, during which it became a hub for arts and entertainment. The Atlas Performing Arts Center can be seen as the core of this new movement. While the resurgence has been very positive for the area, its history cannot be forgotten. Once a very ethnically diverse area of the city, the festival aims to carry that spirit into today.

This weekend will be the last one for the festival, but there are still many events lined up. They include a community read of a Raisin in the Sun hosted by the Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company and performances from the Joy of Motion Dance Center Youth Company. The musical styling of up-and-coming local singer Christylez Bacon is also part of the festival, along with the interactive exhibition Cultural DC Tourism: Tell Your H Street NE Stories.

Though only in its first year, the Intersections Festival has already done a great deal in furthering the rich cultural landscape of the city. It offers a unique experience to enjoy, appreciate and analyze the diversity that makes up the District and our nation. Though nearly impossible to take in all the events that span the three-weekend time period, by looking through the Festival’s events, audience members can become much more aware of all the city has to offer.

For more information on the Intersections Arts Festival, check out intersectionsdc.org.

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

KELLY BARRETT In my last column, I looked at the shortfalls of Michelle Obama’s new “Let’s Move” campaign to end childhood obesity and the problems it poses regarding body image issues. This week I’m going to use the campaign as a springboard into what I feel is an even more dire issue: what lies at the heart of the obesity problem — our broken food system.

Contrary to Michelle Obama’s laments in her video on the Let’s Move campaign’s Web site, parents aren’t struggling to feed their children healthy meals simply because they don’t have time to cook dinner. Americans (and, likewise, Americanizing nations) are becoming obese because our food system is in the hands of a few powerful corporations that produce sugary, fatty, processed foods that lack high nutritional standards but are cheap and therefore most appealing to consumers. People are now spending more of their income on medications to deal with obesity-related illness and less on wholesome food that would have prevented them from becoming ill to begin with.

The way I see it, when corporations like Tyson or Kraft say, “Jump!,” the USDA asks, “How high?” In fact, I used to blame the problems with our food system entirely on government agencies like the USDA. But after learning more and recently speaking with Kathy Dozer, a representative from the National Family Farm Coalition, I’ve learned it is not government subsidies of commodity crops like corn and soybeans (read: high fructose corn syrup, oils used in processed food and cheaper, caloricallydense livestock feed) that are really to blame. These commodity subsidies were only ever started because a few huge agribusiness-

“This power structure explains why poverty and obesity often go hand-in-hand...” while students in D.C. public schools struggle on all sorts of fronts. My suspicions were realized: Sidwell’s menu today features, “celery stuffed with cream cheese and raisins, chicken and broccoli Asian sauté, bok choy, steamed rice and local apple slices” — sounds healthier than pepperoni pizza and canned peaches. Can you smell the inequality?

I’m not knocking Sidwell or the Obamas. I would send my children to a private school too if I were them. We just need public schools to be able to offer quality food like private ones can. In fact, as AU students, we are also fortunate to attend a university whose dining program is run by one of the more sustainable, socially-conscious management companies in the country, Bon

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

The Week in Fun: Know Your City THURS 4

FRI 27 5 THU

SAT 6

SUN 7

MON 8

TUES 9

Unforgiven 9:10 p.m.

WHERE: AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md. METRO: Silver Spring (red line) INFO: Clint Eastwood proves himself as a marvel both in front of and behind the camera in what he claims as his last western. It’s a great note to go out on, as the film’s dark aesthetic neatly subverts the genre that made him a star in the first place.

COST: $10 CONTACT: For more information, call the AFI Silver Theatre at 301495-6720.

Rogue Wave 8 p.m.

WHERE: 9:30 club, 815 V St. N.W. METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green and yellow lines) INFO: Rogue Wave have continued to change their sound over and over with each new release, but it’s the band’s reverence for the sounds of rock ‘n’ roll’s storied past that keeps them sounding fresh while simultaneously positioning themselves in the canon of rock.

COST: $15 CONTACT: For more information, visit the 9:30 club’s Web site at www.930.com.

Bowling for Soup 9 p.m.

WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. N.W. METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green and yellow lines) INFO: Pop-punk will never die, at least not according to fans of Bowling for Soup and their compatriots.

The band’s career spans over 16 years, but they still bring the same brand of infectious energy to each show.

COST: $13 - $15 CONTACT: For more information, call Black Cat at 202-667-7960.

The Legacy of Segregation 4 p.m.

WHERE: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. N.W. METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green and yellow lines) INFO: A.C.T.O.R. (A Continuing Talk on Race) hosts this discussion on the legal battles that sought to end segregation. Author Rawn James, Jr. is the feature speaker and will be signing copies of his new book “ROOT AND BRANCH: Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall, and the Struggle to End Segregation.”

COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, visit Busboys and Poets’ Web site at www.busboysandpoets.com.

Extending The Book: The Art Of Extra-Illustration 8 p.m.

WHERE: Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 E Capitol St. S.E. METRO: Capitol South (blue and orange lines) INFO: While you may have never thought about adding your own illustrations, photographs and sketching to a book in order to enhance the experience, the practice goes back a long way. Come see this history of extra-illustration and the way it reflects a history of reading.

COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, visit The Birchmere’s Web site at www.birchmere.com.

Jane Austen: The Author, Her Legacy, and ... Sea Monsters?

6:45 p.m.

WHERE: S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr. S.W. METRO: Smithsonian (blue and orange lines) INFO: If you’ve enjoyed any of the various reworkings of Jane Austen’s classics, whether or not they include zombies, you’ll get a kick out of this discussion panel with Austen scholar Tara Wallace talking about the influential author.

COST: $15 with valid student ID CONTACT: For more information, visit the Smithsonian Resident Associates’ Web site at www.residentassociates.org.

8

SPORTS

MARCH 4, 2010

ANDREW TOMLINSON n Sports Editor 202.885.1404

AU squeaks out win at home Mariners to

By TOM SCHAD Eagle Contributing Writer Thanks to a legendary performance

by AU’s Stephen Lumpkins, the Eagles sunk the Navy Midshipmen and advanced to the Patriot League semifinals with a score of 62-60.

Lumpkins finished with a careerhigh 29 points and tied his career high of 15 rebounds en route to his eighth

Men’s Basketball AU: Navy:

62 60

Washington, D.C.

double-double of the season. Junior Nick Hendra also came up huge with 12 points and seven boards. In his last game with Navy, Chris Harris led the Midshipmen with 20 points in 39 minutes. The Eagles improved to 9-0 in the Patriot League Quarterfinals with the win.

“I told the guys that winning ugly is still winning,” Head Coach Jeff Jones said. “Obviously we kind of limped down the stretch, but we were able to make enough free throws and get enough stops [to win].”

The atmosphere inside Bender Arena was as electric as ever, but play on the court was sloppy early on. Both teams shot less than 30 percent from the field in the first 10 minutes, and only 15 total points were scored in

that span. Given the poor shooting, AU’s six offensive rebounds in the first half were pivotal.

“The big key to our success tonight was that we played outstanding defense,” Jones said. “Then we finished those defensive possessions by owning the defensive boards.”

Both teams attacked the rim in the first half, as Danny Munoz had a pair of athletic layups, and Navy junior O.J. Avworo had a nice reverse layup of his own. The momentum shifting play in the first half came with 12:37 remaining, as Lumpkins and Vlad Moldoveanu tipped the ball at least three times in a row before Lumpkins finally finished. The sophomore from California later made a beautiful touch pass to senior Matthew Wilson, who laid it in to give AU a 13-7 lead.

Junior Steve Luptak took a charge on Harris with 6:14 remaining in the half, but Navy returned the favor by immediately drawing a charge on Moldoveanu. Blocks and jump balls were prevalent and those who came to see tournament basketball were not disappointed by the energy in the first half. A late Harris three put a small dent in the AU lead, but the Eagles still went to the locker room up 26-21.

The second half started off with a bang—or, a Lumpkins dunk to be more precise. Navy’s Romeo Garcia and Avworo kept it close with a pair of layups before Hendra took the ball coast to coast and finished with an acrobatic lay in. Harris and sophomore Jordan Sugars each drained a three pointer and things began to heat up.

“It was a great game, [Navy] is a

very good team,” Moldoveanu said.

“They score a lot of points and their role players are very good also, so it was a tough game for us.”

The story of the game continued to be Lumpkins, who scored 20 points and eight rebounds in the second half alone. Lumpkins had multiple emphatic dunks in the period and a strong put back off his own miss which gave the Eagles a 44-40 lead. AU regained the momentum and Bender Arena went into a frenzy.

Chants of “Steve-en Lump-kins” echoed throughout the arena as another tip in gave the sophomore a new career-high. Four free throws with five minutes remaining extended the AU lead to double-digits, and a trip to the semifinals seemed all but secure.

Slowly but surely, the Midshipmen pulled themselves back into the game. AU had a 59-51 lead with 1:11 left in the game, but a combination of missed free throws and Navy threes cut the lead to one with nine seconds left. Danny Munoz hit one free throw to double the AU lead and Garcia missed a half-court shot.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking,” Lumpkins said after the game. “But we defended well even though we were missing free throws. A win is a win, and at this time of year you just have to do anything you can to win and move on.”

The Eagles held Navy to 37 percent shooting on the night and held the rebounding advantage 41-28. They also tripled Navy’s second chance points and scored twice as many points in the paint. However, Moldoveanu only

be dark horse in AL West SAM LINDAUER

PHILLIP OCHS/ THE EAGLE

DRIVING THE LANE — Junior Steve Luptak drives the lane during AU’s 62-60 win over Navy in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament last night. AU will move on to face Lehigh on the road Sunday. The Eagles lost both of their regular season meetings to Lehigh this year. made two layups in the game and finished with eight points.

Lehigh, Holy Cross and Lafayette also won Wednesday night to qualify for the semi-finals. Next up for American is a tough road game at top-seeded Lehigh Sunday night.

You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com

Reasons to watch AU women’s B-ball

By KATE GREUBEL Eagle Staff Writer March has arrived, and now it’s time for basketball teams across the country to lay it all on the line in the hopes of competing for national fame. For the AU women’s basketball team, the NCAA tournament is just three games away. This year’s team has more potential than ever before to clinch AU’s first women’s Patriot League Championship after finishing 13-1 in conference play, the best in school history.

Let’s take a look at a few of the many reasons the Eagles could soar through the Patriot League tournament and why AU should pay attention.

10: The Eagles earned an A+ in chemistry this season Both on and off the court, the Eagles have fun together. Although this might appear to be a trivial strength compared to statistical achievements, Assistant Coach Latonya Watson sees a change in team dynamics between last season and this one. She said it has helped generate wins this season.

The team’s bond will play a large factor in tournament games at the College of Holy Cross, because there will be a lack of red, white and blue in the stands. Watson said the team will persevere because of its unity, and the fact that they are each others’ biggest supporters.

9: Everything gets better with age The thriving AU women’s basketball program effectively hides the fact that all five coaching staff members have only been together for two seasons.

Watson said the coaching staff is trying to build a strong foundation for the program and that it is a major reason for their success this year.

The benefits of growing together last season have been enormous. One notable achievements is Head Coach Matt Corkery earning the title of Patriot League Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 13-1 conference record, tied for best in the league.

Along side their coaches, Watson said the players learned and matured because of last year’s fresh start.

“We are more veteran than we are young because our juniors and sophomores got a lot of playing experience last year,” Watson said. “They understand the system a lot more this year.”

One can only envision the future strength of the team after seeing the results of two seasons together.

8: The best offense is a good defense Despite the phrase being cliché, Corkery cannot stress enough that defense wins games. Luckily, his team has the one of the best defenses in the conference.

This season the Eagles led the Patriot League in blocked shots per game and ranked second in defensive rebounds per game, steals and a host of other statistics.

Corkery said defensive strength should never be overlooked and will play a dominant role in the tournament.

“We take pride in our defense,” Corkery said. “Late in the year if you can defend and if you can rebound I think you can win games.”

7: Stepping up to the line One thing often overlooked is the fact that free throws decide ball games.

Hanging on to win close games is not a problem for AU. The women are ranked 24th in the nation and lead the conference in free throw percentage with 75.1 percent.

When AU players get to the line, Corkery said they are confident and comfortable.

Stand out free throw shooters include junior Liz Leer, with a career 82.5 percent and Kirk with 79.4 percent.

6: Nobody has swagger like AU A winning conference record transformed the women’s team in one way that Corkery says cannot be taught: it has given his players confidence.

“I think we have a confident team, and when we step on the floor, we expect to do well,” Corkery said. “I don’t think you can place too high of value on that.”

Kirk believes the team’s confidence should not be confused with

arrogance. Rather, the women are prepared for their opponents.

“We are not overconfident,” Kirk said. “We are just ready to play.”

5: The deeper down the bench you go, the better it gets The Eagles unanimously agree that their depth sets them apart from competition.

“I think we have a number of people that can step up and be that third option,” Corkery said. “If we can get three players in double figures on any night, then I think we are tough to guard.”

Watson said players who come off the bench contribute at both ends of the court.

As starters pick up fouls in heated tournament contests, the team is confident that its bench will deliver its share of support.

4: Return of the masters Showing their teammates the ropes this season are seniors Ohema Nyanin and Nicole Ryan. The two athletes faced unique situations this season, with Nyanin returning from gap year and Ryan sitting out most of the season because of a torn Achilles tendon during non-conference play.

However, Corkery is quick to point to the leadership of the seniors both on and off the court.

Corkery said Nyanin acts as “kind of a mother goose for the team.” Despite taking a year off, Corkery said she returned strong.

Ryan has also exceeded expectations. Corkery and Watson have been impressed by her wisdom as a leader and her ability to relay information to teammates.

Although they play different roles on the team, Nyanin and Ryan’s contributions have not gone unnoticed on the scoreboard and in the hearts of their teammates. With one last shot at the Patriot League title, it is unlikely these two seniors will lose speed now.

3: AU’s personal Wonder Woman Standing tall at 6-foot-2, junior Liz Leer has proven to be double the trouble for AU opponents. On both the offensive and defensive ends, Leer has established herself as a threat.

also bolstered their bench with the signing of veteran Guerrero, who should provide some righthanded power off the bench.

Texas’ success hinges on young starters, which may not bode well for this season.

OVER THE WALL

Leer leads the Patriot League in blocked shots per game, and she holds the most blocked shots in AU history at 164. Leer’s teammates can count on her to deliver at the line and she is less than 100 buckets away from joining teammate Michelle Kirk in the 1000-point club.

Along with Kirk, Leer was named to the All-Patriot League First Team.

The honors mark the first time in program history that two studentathletes have been named to the Patriot League First Team.

2: She grabs nothing but net Junior Michelle Kirk is the driving force behind her team’s offense.

She was named the Patriot League Player of the Year and is part of AU’s elite list of female players who have scored over 1000 career points. On top of that, she leads the Patriot League with an average of 18.1 points per game.

Bouncing back from a self-professed disappointing freshman season, Kirk spent this year breaking school and Patriot League records.

She is now the most sought-after guard in the league and is sure to face extra defensive pressure during the tournament. Even with all of that, fans should still expect to see her name leading the team in points per game.

1: The great protectors The team only plays better as time goes on, especially when it is steadily ticking away in the second half.

AU is 15-1 when leading at halftime and has won all its games when they lead with five minutes left in the contest.

However, Corkery and Watson are quick to caution that tournament play is like starting a new season.

“It is more physical; it is more competitive, and there is a lot more on the line,” Corkery said. “It’s a whole different ball game.”

Season statistics reveal that the Eagles are effective at protecting their lead, and it is unlikely that the women will let their guard down in the tournament.

You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have dominated the American League West for the last few years, winning five of the last six AL West titles. Will they continue their dominance? Let’s take a look at the West and see.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Angels are still the team to beat in the AL West this season, but that’s not to say there aren’t some cracks in the armor of the reigning divisison champs. For the Angels, it looks as though the losses heavily outweigh the gains this offseason. The most notable names to come off the Angels’ payroll are starting pitcher John Lackey, infielder Chone Figgins and Designated Hitter Vlad Guerrero.

The Angels still have a fairly solid lineup based around Kendry Morales, who had a breakout season last year bashing 34 homers and driving in over 100 RBIs. Along with Morales, the team will bring back outfielders Juan Rivera and Torii Hunter. Both of them provide most of the team’s power along with newly-signed designated hitter, Hideki Matsui.

Los Angeles’ starting staff remains solid despite losing Lackey. They still have a capable top three in Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana. The bullpen is led by closer Brian Fuentes, who racked up a ton of saves last season, but blew a fair number of games. It will be interesting to see if the team can continue to be on top despite losing their key players.

Texas Rangers The Texas Rangers have made big strides in becoming a more complete team. In other words, they seem to have wised up to the fact that they can’t just hit their way to the top. The team is looking younger, and there is more of a focus on young starters that should help the team compete. Texas’ staff is made up of pitchers who are all under 30 years old. This is a good sign for the Rangers, who have spent years avoiding what separates playoff contenders from World Series contenders.

The calling card for the Rangers the last decade has been their offense. This year is no different, as they will field one of the most potent lineups in the AL. There is no shortage of power on the team since they have Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz making up the heart of their lineup. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and first baseman Chris Davis have shown some power but have had problems staying healthy and consistent.

Another bright spot in their lineup comes from the person who has almost no power, Elvis Andrus. The young shortstop finished second to A’s pitcher Andrew Bailey in the Rookie of the Year voting, as he displayed great defensive skills and a knack for stealing bases. Andrus should be a mainstay at shortstop for years to come. The Rangers have

Seattle Mariners The Mariners are the most improved team in the West, and one of the most improved teams in baseball thanks to Cliff Lee. The former Cy Young winner came over to the Mariners in the same blockbuster deal that sent Roy Halladay to the Phillies.

Lee gives Seattle a rotation to be feared in a short playoff series.

Their top two pitchers are Lee and Felix Hernandez, one of the best young pitchers in baseball.

It’s hard to believe Hernandez is still only 23-years-old.

Seattle’s back end of the rotation will not be as strong, with pitchers like Ian Snell. Those top starters better be as great as they have been in the past, because the lineup is very light on power.

This is a team that is more focused on speed and defense. The top of the order is stilled manned

by Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most complete players in the game.

Chone Figgins, who came over from the Angels, will likely follow him in the lineup. The two need to get on base in order for the Mariners to have a chance to score many runs, because the likes of Jose Lopez and an old Ken Griffey Jr. may not be enough to get it done. Regardless of how many home runs the Mariners are hitting this year, they should be an interesting team to watch, since they can make a run at the division.

Oakland Athletics Remember when everyone bought into “Billy-ball‚“ and the A’s were going to win the division with a miniscule payroll? Well, those days seem long gone. In typical Billy Beane fashion, the team is based around a young core of players who take their walks and have some power. But this year’s lineup looks particularly barren. The team will look to outfielder Jack Cust and Kurt Suzuki to provide the bulk of the club’s power. Keep in mind, both Suzuki and Cust hit under 30 home runs last season and drove in under 100 RBIs. This wouldn’t be such a problem if they had the staff to back it up, but they are simply too young and inexperienced to be able to shoulder the burden that is the A’s offense.

The team will look to Justin Duchscherer to be their ace, even though he did not pitch at all last season. Behind Duchscherer, the team will rely on young arms like lefties Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson. To give an idea of how far away from winning the division the A’s will be, the team leader in wins last season had just 11. The team’s main bright spot is their closer, Andrew Bailey, who took home Rookie of the Year honors. In order for him to do his job, they need to get him a lead and that may be difficult this season.

Prediction: Mariners in an upset. It’s scary to imagine how good that Hernandez-Lee combo could be.

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

AU-Navy B-ball rivalry could be key to growth of fan base HARDWOOD THOUGHTS

ANDREW TOMLINSON Rivalries in sports are developed overtime, with close, physical games and often-embarrassing blowouts. That is, unless the two teams have played each other tough all year and meet in the postseason, like AU and Navy did this year.

After a double overtime thriller in Annapolis, Md., the Midship-

men and AU met just seven days later. It was no regular season tilt this time, as it was a win-orgo-home situation. In the end, AU ran into the night victorious, while Navy snuck away, anxiously anticipating their next shot at AU. Watching the game, it was clear that both teams were not fond of each other. Elbows were thrown on almost every play, and players were often on the floor. Physicality is never a bad thing, but often it is an indicator of the extra emotion a game has.

Navy Head Coach Billy Lange best described history of the teams’ relationship when he said, “last years games literally came down to who had the ball last.”

AU Head Coach Jeff Jones did not necessarily agree with the statement, but he did say it has been a hard-fought rivalry. His team has won six straight over its conference rival and, as a result, he may see things differently than Lange. When a coach is looking at a situation from the winning end, it often looks like the rivalry is not as close as it actually is.

Perhaps more important than the rivalry itself, is what it means for the athletic community. Since AU made their miracle run to the NCAA Tournament two season ago, the attendance at games has slowly increased. Still, there has never been a game in Bender that is standing room only, but a solid

rivalry could change that.

There are few things fans enjoy more in sports than hating another team and fan base. Currently at AU, there is really no feeling of hatred towards another school.

That is, until now.

Last night’s game featured its fair share of Navy fans trying to drown out AU students, and the Navy band trying to outplay the AU band. Moments like that are what make college sports fun and can make a basketball game a can’t-miss event. Not only does it often provide spirited play on the court, but also it provides an atmosphere that cannot be recreated.

Earlier in the year, AU Athletic

Director Keith Gill said one of his goals was to create more spirit and a better sense of camaraderie among students. One of the ways he said that can happen is through the building of rivalries between schools. After last night’s game, Gill thinks the department is moving in the right direction.

“I think we have got proximity [to Navy],” Gill said about the rivalry between AU and Navy. “I think that there is certainly a rivalry and I think it is good and positive and brings out the best in both teams and institutions.”

Gill said that last night’s atmosphere was important to AU’s play.

“I think the crowd gave us good

energy,” Gill said. “I think they clearly were the sixth man and probably the seventh and eighth man as well.”

That’s what rivalries and fan bases come down to: helping their team win. A loud and intimidating fan base can sometimes push a home team over the edge and discourage a visiting one.

After AU’s game against Navy, it looks as if the school could be headed in the direction of having a solid fan base. Creating one of those happens when fans band together against a dreaded rival.

You can reach this writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com