The Eagle — April 12, 2010

NET NEUTRALITY SXSW film comments on the threats to privacy in the age of social networking.

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American University's independent student voice since 1925

the EAGLE WWW.THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

NEWS FOOTLOOSE Students shed shoes for awareness campaign page 2

EDITORIAL

FOOD SOLUTIONS Michael Stubel calls for sensible food choices in urban areas page 3

SCENE PUNK ROCK PRINCESS Dakota Fanning plays a girl gone wild in ‘The Runaways’ page 5

By JULIA RYAN Eagle Staff Writer Board of Trustees Chairman Gary Abramson promised transparency and a better connection between students and administrators at the Board of Trustees dinner last Thursday in the Mudbox of Bender Library.

The Trustees’ dinner was open to all AU students and was advertised through listings on Today@AU. Students had the opportunity to have personal discussions with top administrators on issues like AU’s connection to D.C. and student engagement.

Student Trustee Seth Cutter, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, organized the event. While student leaders usually have an annual dinner with the president’s cabinet and other members of the AU administration, this was the first time that the Board of Trustees has ever held a dinner open to all AU students.

Over 42 people attended the dinner, including 16 undergraduate students, five graduate students and three law students, according to Cutter. Six of the 28 members of the Board of Trustees were in atten-

dance in addition to seven senior members of the administration and AU President Neil Kerwin.

Some students came with specific issues to discuss with the administrators and board members.

Lyndsea Arikian, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of International Service, is a D.C. Reads team leader who heard about the Trustees dinner through an e-mail from one of her supervisors.

AU needs to work on its outreach to the D.C. community and should provide students with more incentives to do service here and abroad, Arikian said.

“The D.C. Reads and Alternative Break programs are really great, but AU needs to make it more accessible for students to do service,” she said.

AU also needs better outreach to prospective students in the D.C. area, particularly high school students in the Southeast, Arikian said.

She recently attended a college fair at a high school in that quadrant and saw every D.C. college was represented except AU. Other students at the dinner focused on more campus-centered n

see BOARD on page 2

JONATHAN WHITEHEAD / THE EAGLE

Arabic Dept. alters credits, course time

By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writer The Arabic department recently increased the number of credits, course time and faculty for its courses, according to Ana Serra, the chair of the Language and Foreign Studies Department.

The move was designed to better compete with other university Arabic programs and better prepare students to speak fluently both in and out of the

classroom.

“The number of enrollments in Arabic has been growing exponentially in the past few years,” Serra said.

Elementary and intermediate language courses are currently worth four credits and advanced courses worth three. Wednesday class sessions currently run for 50 minutes.

This fall, the elementary and intermediate levels will be five credits with 100-minute Wednesday sessions or 250 minutes per week. The advanced

level will be four credits with 50-minute Wednesday sessions.

These changes are a direct result of student feedback. Many have returned from study abroad programs in Arabic-speaking countries and said they were not prepared to speak there, according to Serra.

“I put myself in my students’ shoes, and I understand that it’s sort of inconvenient for you to have to devote so much time and devote so many of your credits ... but it’s like, ‘OK, do you

By ANNA SCALAMOGNA Eagle Contributing Writer

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NEW NATS Nationals head into 2010 season with some new faces

PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE

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WELCOME HOME — University Architect Jerry Gager said the Nebraska Parking Lot is one of many locations under consideration for the expansion of AU’s housing options. Tenley Campus is another possibility.

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University plans to add 1,000 beds, expand housing options

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want to learn Arabic?’” Serra said.

This summer the Arabic department will begin intensive courses during which classes will meet four days a week. The elementary and intermediate levels will gain eight credits by meeting for three hours per day over nine weeks. The advanced topics level will meet for three hours and 15 minutes over six weeks to earn six credits.

“It’s a lot of credits, but you knock out two semesters,” Serra said. “Language in general is best when it’s

learned with a lot of intensity, with a lot of exposure — Arabic in particular. So the summer is a good time [for students] to do it, not when [they are] doing a zillion other things and taking a zillion other courses.”

Georgetown University offers a competitive Arabic program where students take classes four times a week for six credits, Serra said.

“In order to catch up with other n

see ARABIC on page 4

EcoSense, AU look to remove bottled water from campus

Women’s lax drops second game in a row

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BON APPÉTIT — At a Board of Trustees-sponsored event, six Trustees and seven administrators sat down to dinner with 24 students in Bender Library Thursday. Vice President for Campus Life Gail Hanson, right, spoke about campus issues with students in the Mudbox.

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APRIL 12, 2010

By ETHAN KLAPPER Eagle Staff Writer AU is in the planning stages of a major construction project to dramatically increase the number of beds in the on-campus housing inventory.

Overall, the goal is to add 1,000 new beds, said Chris Moody, the executive director of Housing and Dining Programs. That number comes from a study conducted last year by an outside planning firm, The Eagle previously reported.

While it is still early in the phase — actual plans for the project are not anticipated until the end of the summer — a number of sites are being considered, said University Architect Jerry Gager.

“I think it’s fairly certain that we’re going to be using the Nebraska Parking Lot site to accommodate a portion of our need,” he said. “Very good possibility that a Nebraska Hall addi-

tion will be part of the plan.”

Other possible sites include land by the President’s Office Building, the area behind Letts Hall known as the “quadriplex” and Tenley Campus, Gager said.

It is still too early to tell how many buildings will be constructed or modified during this project. If the project stays on schedule, the first buildings should open by the fall of 2013, Moody said.

But what is known is the type of housing that will likely be built.

“Any housing that gets added, we’ve requested to be more suite- and apartment-style living,” he said.

AU currently has a very high ratio of double rooms to suites and apartments, and he hopes to bring that down, Moody said.

Gager called the combination of adding 1,000 new beds as part of suites or apartments — which require more room than traditional double

rooms — a “challenge.”

“I think we have the land area to do some good architectural designs,” he said. “It’s a matter of what the exact numbers are and whatever the exact design is.”

The plans will have to pass through a number of regulatory bodies, including the D.C. Zoning Commission and the Advisory Neighborhood Commission, Gager said.

The university has no cost estimates for the project yet, he said.

“Total costs would include any common areas and auxiliary spaces that are not yet programmed,” Gager said. “There are a lot of variables that will change over time and therefore the total cost is difficult to estimate.”

The rise in construction comes at a time of high demand for housing.

Too many first-year students were assigned triple rooms, with the number rising each year, Moody said. Space n

see HOUSING on page 4

The Office of Sustainability and EcoSense are working to reduce the amount of bottled water used on campus and to encourage the AU community to drink more tap water.

They are developing a plan to replace water coolers in offices with water filters and bottled water with water fountains and other sources of tap water at events, according to Director of Sustainability Chris O’Brien.

EcoSense President Jennifer Jones started a petition in November asking the administration and faculty to reduce the use of bottled water.

The petition — which currently has 103 signatures — encourages the university to end the sale of bottled water and encourage people to drink tap water.

“If we don’t invest in the [tap water] system now, we’ll have problems in the future,” Jones said. “We need to invest for the system to keep being funded.”

Jones said the petition was more of a personal pledge for students and a way for them to make an individual decision to switch to tap water.

Bottled water is not tested at the shelf and can contain different contaminants from plastic bottles, according to Jones. She also said a large amount of greenhouse gases are released in the production and transportation of the bottles.

Bottled water production wastes water in the process and most singleserve bottled water containers are discarded and end up in landfills, O’Brien said.

A number of offices have already switched to filtered tap water including the Department of Public Safety, Facilities Management and the Office of Campus Life, O’Brien said. The Office of Sustainability plans to reach out to offices still using water coolers over the summer.

The Public Safety office installed filters in fall 2009. Since then, the office has eliminated the purchase of 504 five-gallon water coolers and now saves $81.68 per month on average, according to a case study done by the Office of Sustainability.

The switch to filters could potentially cost some smaller offices more money, O’Brien said. These offices can also decide to share filtering systems with neighboring offices.

Taste and the stereotype of D.C. tap water quality are some of the biggest challenges in getting people to reduce their use of bottled water, according to both Jones and O’Brien.

D.C. tap water already meets Environmental Protection Agency safety standards, and water at AU is tested again at the tap, O’Brien said.

“We had one person in my office who was concerned about us making the switch, but when we installed the water filter she said she never thought tap water could taste so good,” O’Brien said.

Campus Beautification Day on April 6 was a water bottle-free event.

Water was provided to volunteers from water coolers instead of from individual single-serving bottles of water.

Bottled water will continue to be sold at the Eagle’s Nest and the Block Express. O’Brien said the possibility of removing bottled water is being discussed now, but no decisions have been reached yet.

According to CampusProgress. org, a project of the Center for American Progress, seven colleges or universities have completely banned bottled water from campus, including the Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Portland.

Nearly 30 more schools have campaigns to reduce their bottled water usage.

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

the EAGLE

APRIL 12, 2010

news 2

Students bare feet for TOMS

By MEG FOWLER Eagle Staff Writer Last Thursday, AU students walked barefoot from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and back in order to participate in “One Day Without Shoes,” a global event sponsored

by TOMS Shoes.

TOMS Shoes encouraged groups to walk at least mile with no shoes in order to raise awareness about the impact that a pair of shoes can have in a child’s life, according to the TOMS Web site.

Over 250,000 people participated in 1,600 events all across the globe, according to the site.

TOMS is a shoe company that donates one pair of shoes to children across the world for every pair bought.

Among those who walked were about 20 AU and Catholic University of America students who met at 5:00 p.m. to walk the 1.8-mile trek.

Lauren Simpson, a sophomore in the School of International Service and the Kogod School of Business, founded AU’s campus group for TOMS after Blake Mycoskie, the founder of the company, came to speak at AU

last semester. Simpson contacted CUA to organize last week’s event because campus clubs across the country were participating in the awareness day.

“I decided to plan a walk down on the Mall because we’re in such a unique place to have this happen,” Simpson said. “We were down at the monument, and ... [passers-by] were really interested in why we were barefoot, and that’s exactly what TOMS’ objective is.”

Maura Bainbridge, a freshman in SIS who participated in the walk, estimated that the group stopped about 10 times to talk to at least 100 people who were curious about what they were doing.

“The most valuable part was telling other people about it.”

Bainbridge said. “People weren’t familiar with the whole idea. The best experience for me was letting other people know.”

Chipotle contacted Simpson in order to donate free chips, salsa and guacamole for participants of TOMS’ day without shoes.

AU and CUA students gave extra food to passers-by while they told them about the objectives of TOMS, Bainbridge said.

Simpson also walked shoeless

for the whole day, in addition to the Mall walk.

“You can choose to go barefoot for 10 minutes, one class, for an hour, for all day — whatever fits your needs,” she said. “The point is just to do it.”

Simpson took her usual eightminute walk from her apartment to AU for her morning class barefoot.

“It really raises awareness for me about how basic of a need it is for these kids,” she said. “A lot of kids can’t go to school because they don’t have shoes, and I can walk around at a private university without my shoes, and no one gives me a second notice because of the situation that I’m in and because of the privilege that we get in this country.”

Simpson also said that going barefoot all day heightened her sense of her surroundings because the terrain was sometimes painful. She had a large blister on the bottom of her foot to show for her day without shoes, but she said that people often face far worse consequences for going barefoot.

Some children contract a disease called podoconiosis, a form of elephantiasis, by walking on volcanic soil, she said. The dis-

EcoSense volunteers in District-wide clean up

By NICOLE GLASS Eagle Staff Writer Members from AU’s EcoSense spent their Saturday picking up trash for the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, an annual event that has removed three million tons of trash since 1954, according to an event press release.

The cleanup, hosted by the Ferguson Foundation, took place along the Potomac River throughout D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The Potomac River provides 80 percent of the D.C. area’s drinking water. Last year, 291 tons of trash was removed during the annual cleanup, according to the press release.

This year’s cleanup was the 22nd annual effort to reduce litter in the Potomac River. The event was organized by the Ferguson Foundation, a non-profit with the mission to “provide experiences that encourage connections between people, the natural environment, farming and the cultural heritage of the Potomac River Watershed,” according to the Foundation’s Web site.

Brian Perry, a spokesperson for the Foundation, said cleanup of the Potomac River took place at 250 different locations on Saturday. There are many sites where cleanups are going on all year, but trash is picked up simultaneously at all of the sites only once a year.

The trash has been counted from approximately 21 percent of Saturday’s

locations. Preliminary reporting of these cleanup sites indicate that more than 60,000 plastic beverage containers and a total of almost 60 tons of trash were removed, as well as 14,033 plastic bags and 10,508 cigarette butts. Results for the other 79 percent of the sites are still being calculated, Perry said.

“It was great — there were school kids; there were families out there; there were workers from the Alice Ferguson Foundation,” Perry said.

“There’s actually somebody who flew all the way from England just to be here yesterday.”

Jennifer Jones, sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and President of EcoSense at AU, said five AU students from EcoSense went to the cleanup at Glover-Archbold Park.

Jones said she found some interesting items during the cleanup.

“The most interesting thing we found was a cover for the top of a city light post,” she said. “We also found a mattress and a shopping cart. There were tons of cans, bottles and bags.

Some of the trash was 15 years old and half-buried.”

Perry said that someone found a toilet during the cleanup.

“We had a little 6-year-old kid who found a full toilet,” he said. “When he found the toilet he yelled, ‘Mommy, mommy, look — I found a potty!’”

Jones was among about 75 other volunteers at the park, she said. Students from Georgetown University and George Washington University were there too, as well as volunteers

from the neighborhood community.

Stephen Bronskill, a freshman in the School of Pubic Affairs, is community service director for EcoSense and College Democrats and one of the founders of AU’s new Community Service Coalition. EcoSense was the primary organizer for AU students’ participation, but the AU Community Service Coalition also organized AU student attendance, Bronskill said.

Nine major campus organizations have joined the Coalition since its inception since February, including the Class of 2013, AU Students for Better Education, the AU Community Service Center, College Democrats, Eagles for D.C., EcoSense, School of Public Affairs Leadership, the SPA Council and the Student Honors Board. Student Government, College Republicans, Honors 101 and the Residence Hall Association will join the organization in the coming weeks, Bronskill said.

Bronskill said he enjoyed taking part in the cleanup on Saturday because students from a number of AU campus organizations worked together.

“The event, itself, was a blast and showed that AU is at its best when it serves others,” he said. “After making new friends, spending a day outside and helping out in the community, I can’t wait for future community service events.”

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

Satirical pundit awards ‘Harding’ prize for apologies

By HOWIE PERLMAN Eagle Staff Writer Martin Eisenstadt, a satirical character who has claimed to be a political pundit and an adviser to John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, made yet another appearance on the political scene Thursday night at a Kennedy Political Union event.

Eitan Gorlin, the filmmaker who portrays Eisenstadt, and fellow filmmaker Dan Mirvish have been principally responsible for furthering the Eisenstadt mythos.

They premiered an annual award series at the KPU event known as the Harding Prize, which recognizes people who have made the best apologies of the year in their fields.

“You have to be careful to use the apology to get whatever message you need to get across,” Gorlin said in an exclusive interview with The Eagle. “People are going to be looking at that apology, so if you need to plug something, if you need to insinuate something, it’s always good to change the subject.

There are all kinds of tricks.”

Gorlin and Mirvish uploaded a series of videos featuring the fictitious Eisenstadt on YouTube that collectively received thousands of views.

They also took photos of the Eisenstadt character interacting with numerous political celebrities, such as former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, IConn., and Karl Rove, the former

senior adviser to President George W. Bush.

At one point, Eisenstadt came forward and said he was the one responsible for leaking information from the McCain campaign that Sarah Palin, the Republican Party’s 2008 vice presidential nominee, did not know that Africa was a continent. Various news outlets, including MSNBC, quoted Eisenstadt on this information.

In November 2008, The New York Times published an article identifying Eisenstadt as a creation of Gorlin and Mirvish.

Gorlin said the Eisenstadt character claims to be one of the country’s premiere apology crafters and that the art of crafting apologies “seems to be a real Washington sport.”

The award — as well as Eisenstadt’s purported policy think tank, the Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy — is named for Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States who was in office from 1921 to 1923.

Gorlin said the fallacious institute honors a president who is generally considered by historians as among the worst, and that his namesake is appropriate for the prize. Harding once delivered an apology of his own.

“I am not fit for [the presidency],” Harding said. “And never should have been here.”

Gorlin delivered the awards as his alter-ego Eisenstadt while Mirvish filmed the event.

Eisenstadt awarded the Harding

Prize for best apology on Twitter to Adam Carolla, who was a co-host of The Man Show on the Comedy Central television channel. Carolla earned the prize for his apology to both Manny Pacquiao, the World Boxing Organization’s champion in the Welterweight division, and to residents of Pacquiao’s home country of the Philippines for offensive comments he made on his podcast, “The Adam Carolla Podcast Show.”

Eisenstadt said the apology was notorious because Carolla used the time to plug his podcast.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel won the Harding Prize in Politics for his apology about calling some liberal Democrat activists “f***ing retarded.”

This apology was noteworthy because Emanuel apologized for using the word “retarded” but not for swearing. He made a direct appeal to Special Olympics Chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver, while his use of the swear word was barely addressed.

Among the other Harding Prize winners were Tiger Woods for his apology for his extramarital affairs and recording artist Usher for his apology to recording artist Chris Brown.

The next KPU event, which will be held today from 8:15 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. in Bender Arena, will feature the three generals who served as chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2007.

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

ease is fully preventable if the children wear shoes.

“So if they had one pair, they could avoid getting a life-debilitating disease,” Simpson said.

“It really wasn’t bad,” she said.

“It’s to raise awareness about the necessity for shoes for kids ... and the difference that one pair of shoes can make in a child’s life and to take that day to walk in someone else’s shoes — or the lack of.”

Simpson and Bainbridge like TOMS because of its one for one model, in which a free pair of shoes is given to a child in need for every pair of new shoes bought.

“They’re a for-profit business with a not-for-profit approach,” Simpson said. “What TOMS has done is taken this corporation ... and given them this humanitarian goal ... As a business student and someone who has always been into community organizing and things like that, that’s really what is the most important about the organization to me.”

Besides, Simpson said, “I love the shoes.”

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

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be overwhelming.

“We are a medium-sized institution that wants to be everything to everybody,” Golden said.

“We’re still finding our voice and finding out who we are. Once we figure that out we’re primed to be a great institution.”

One of the most widely discussed topics at the dinner was a perceived lack of student engagement and school spirit at AU. Abramson said this issue can be fixed if students focus less on themselves and more on what’s going on at AU. Students are always eager to take the opportunities offered to them in downtown D.C., but if everyone is focused on advancing themselves no one can focus on strengthening the AU community, Abramson said.

He added that he wants students to feel like they can come to the administration at any time if they have concerns about the school.

“I hope students will get the feeling that the board and the administration are accessible and that we really want to hear about their experiences and how to make AU better,” he said.

The Board of Trustees will be holding an open forum today at 5 p.m. in Ward 2.

from BOARD on page 1

issues.

Jennifer Jones, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences and the president of EcoSense, discussed clean energy and sustainability initiatives at AU. Jones said she wants the administration to give more recognition to the good work that students have done to make AU more eco-friendly.

“Students at AU are doing a lot of really great things for the environment, and it’s important that the trustees know about that,” Jones said.

Jones also hopes that the administration will support students in future environmental initiatives like the implementation of the Clean Energy Revolving Fund program, she said.

Many of the students present at the dinner were graduating seniors who wanted to share their experiences at AU and give feedback on what can be improved.

Chris Golden, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, said he was glad he had the opportunity to share his thoughts on his AU experience before graduation.

AU’s biggest weakness, Golden said, is also its greatest strength. The school has a wide variety of academic programs and student organizations, but sometimes that wide variety can

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

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EDITORIAL

APRIL 12, 2010

JOE WENNER n Editorial Page Editor EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com

JEN CALANTONE n Editor in Chief Editor@TheEagleOnline.com

Healthy food and its urban problem GIVE ME LIBERTY

MICHAEL STUBEL The lack of access to healthy and affordable food is not a problem unique to Third World countries. Millions of Americans live in impoverished urban communities without the luxury of a supermarket that others may take for granted. These areas, sometimes called “food deserts,” present limited choices in the way of nutritious food options for their residents.

When the small convenience store down the street becomes the main source for household groceries, families typically pay higher prices even in the absence of essential fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Moreover, economic conditions in some poor neighborhoods foster the dominance of fast-food restaurants. The demand for their speedy service, tasty products and relatively cheap prices is strong.

Unfortunately, a steady diet of burgers and fries only hastens the slide to obesity and increases the risk of diabetes.

How can we possibly address these issues? How can we encourage people to make better choices with their time and their health?

The roadblocks ahead are immense. Real estate prices in the areas in question swell the cost of doing business. On a broader level, the Farm Bill legislation, amended every five years, essentially determines what products consumers may access on a large scale. Constantly subsidized and overproduced foods, such as corn, soybeans, wheat and rice, provide crucial ingredients for a number of highly processed items crowding America’s store shelves.

We must fashion a wholesale change in the way the government engages the food industry, starting with more subsidies for fruits and vegetables. This measure will give producers the incentive to boost their supply and eventually drive down the cost of these healthier items. Such a shift in policy would serve as a constructive model in helping consumers help themselves.

In 2008, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance banning the construction of new fastfood restaurants in a low-income ward. In fact, a number of cities and towns have instituted similar laws in recent years. Food zoning, however, is not the right answer to the dilemma presented here. Preaching the importance of exercise or a moderate diet is perfectly worthwhile (even banning trans fats has its merits), but actively prohibiting certain businesses from poor communities is divisive and counterproductive; it is a heavy-handed tactic that does not bolster food choices and ignores the jobs these restaurants bring to the neighborhood.

Conversely, New York City offers a more effective and less intrusive means to encourage development and lure new businesses to food deserts. An array of zoning law adjustments and tax credits has been established for grocery stores that carry a significant amount of fresh dairy, meats and produce. Granting developers the room to work under normally tight building restrictions and giving tax exemptions for approved stores can diversify options for the poor and diminish the travel time once required to reach distant supermarkets.

Another avenue to improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy foods in urban areas is the growth of community-supported agriculture and community gardens. Community-supported agriculture builds partnerships between area farms and poor communities. Farms deliver produce to neighborhoods that purchase a portion of the crops at the beginning of a growing season as a collective group. Community gardens bring opportunities for environmental education, fresh produce and aesthetically pleasing landscapes.

Pragmatic ideas and grassroots level changes are out there. It’s time we enact them to fight the widespread problems of obesity, diabetes and limited healthy food choices in poor urban areas.

Michael Stubel is a junior in the School of Public Affairs and the School of Communication and a moderate Republican columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline. com.

EAGLE *@#!

RANTS 3*%!

- Can’t believe I have to keep saying this but: LADIES, LEARN HOW TO FLUSH A TOILET. I encounter un-flushed stalls at least once a day, which is way, way too often.

- Hey Eagle, remember that time that Pi Kapp threw a historic philanthropic event benefiting wounded veterans and people with disabilities? No? That’s because you didn’t cover it.

- I’m way cooler than 97 percent of this school. And I’m not that cool.

- The Gen Ed program is a joke.

I don’t want to pay $50,000 a year for a bunch of classes I don’t even want to take. It’s my money, LET ME CHOOSE HOW TO SPEND IT!!!!!

- The stairwell leading up from TDR is yet another example of AU slobbiness - the floor and the quad are not your personal trashcans so please don’t drop your mint wrappers wherever you please.

- Hey people posting countdowns to summer on your Facebook statuses ... yes, I love summer, too, but those numbers remind me I have n days to finish everything including my capstone so quick giving me small heart attacks. Kthx.

- I’m personally tired of hearing about Alex Knepper. I can’t respect someone who writes articles that no one can understand because they’re so swamped with incorrectly used, unnecessarily large words just for self-aggrandizement and attention. The only article I’ve ever read by him was his most recent, and let me tell you, I would not have looked twice at that poorly-written slop if it hadn’t been so hyped up. Alex Knepper, I don’t know you, but I think you should get over yourself :) - There is so much sexual tension between us it’s ridiculous. I

know you feel it too, and we both know we can’t do anything about it anymore!!!! Ugh. - Why is my boyfriend never around? Oh yeah, he’s pledging a fraternity. I want him back, please.

- I’m tired of all of the self-important Greeks.

- Why have I never realized the hotness of tall girls? Those legs...

- You are a BFD. Yeah, I just Biden-ed you.

- Smokers .... please throw away your cig butts ... just because you’re free to smoke, doesn’t mean your free to trash the front of MGC and the LA Quad ... what if everybody threw their trash out on the front step? Thanks.

- Screw the lack of legitimacy in this school. It’s always “we feel this” and “we feel that.” I’ve got an idea... maybe use the fact that this a school known for POLITICAL SCIENCE and use logical reasoning skills - thus meaning you should go by FACTS. Assholes.

Love, a law and society major who doesn’t know where is $40k is going - My 12 fans suited me very well in the heat crisis of 2010. Also, glad I had to turn the key in my own room to turn on my air conditioning. God, I can’t wait to move offcampus.

- Keep the rants if they help your traffic, pitch them if they don’t.

EDITOR’S NOTE: They help traffic.

- We should be able to rant in pictorial form.

- It’s sick. Unhealthy. Driving me crazy. Stupid, romantic-comedy craziness. But it’s real. It’s you.

And I hate it. MAKE IT STOP so I can resume my life!

- You should definitely publish rants more often!!!

- I am finally happy with how I look. I am hot, and damn proud.

Insecure no more :)

Courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

Engaging trustees and students

Last Thursday, AU’s Board of Trustees held an open dinner to listen to student concerns.

These type of events should continue in an effort to mold a concrete AU identity.

For the first time in its history, AU’s Board of Trustees held an open dinner in Bender Library’s Mudbox last week. In this admirable display of transparency, students were invited to discuss issues facing AU with the individuals who can actually implement solutions.

This transparency was not a one-time event either, as an open forum with the Trustees is scheduled for Monday at 5 p.m.

Should promising events like this continue to be held, the Board of Trustees has the opportunity to integrate AU together as a closer community.

The Eagle hopes that the Board of Trustees earnestly listened to student concerns at this event, as opposed to simply us-

ing it as a perfunctory gesture.

While it did take our student trustee Seth Cutter to instigate plans for these events, it is encouraging that his fellow trustees embraced his suggestions.

Initial reports seem to indicate that this open dinner accomplished its preliminary goal: producing some significant dialogue between students and the administration. Numerous topics were discussed, including CERF, volunteer opportunities and the general sustainability of our school. Even though specific solutions to these concerns were not raised, these discussions should serve as an important first step in the process of tailoring the practices of AU to its students.

Ironically, one subject discussed was AU’s apparent lack of student engagement within the university community. Although the Mudbox was filled with students eager to meet with their trustees, the fact of the matter is that there is often a tangible sense of indifference among AU students concerning the actual happenings of our university. To be sure, recent events have demonstrated that when provoked, AU students can passionately voice their beliefs. However, a consistent output of this vigor is needed if the Board of Trustees is to comprehend the collective views of the AU student body.

Moving forward, we encourage everyone to attend the Trustees’ open forum in Ward 2 this

Monday. If the Trustees are to get an accurate impression of student views, a wide sample of students must be present. Nevertheless, this diversity of opinion cannot be achieved if we demonstrate an apathetic attitude toward the administration’s attempts to gauge our opinions.

The continual search for AU’s identity requires effort from both sides of the spectrum. Administrators must show genuine interest in the desires of the students they manage. To their credit, the Board of Trustees has begun to demonstrate this awareness through their open dinner and open forum. Now, it is our turn as students to take advantage of this opportunity to voice our concerns.

Banning bottled water?

EcoSense should continue reducing bottled water on campus, but a ban is unnecessary.

The campus-wide discussion about the Clean Energy Revolving Fund referendum brought to light a variety of student opinions regarding environmental policy and sustainability on campus. While the electoral victor was ultimately clear, it was also evident from the responses on the issue that the presence of passionate feelings existed in students both for and against. Preliminary signs suggest that some university group’s consideration of eradicating bottled water use on campus — as opposed to their reasonable efforts to reduce its use — may provoke a similarly polarizing response.

Proponents of the proposal argue that eliminating the use of bottled water will benefit the environment by reducing postproduct waste, oil consumption

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(it takes petroleum to produce plastic bottles) and energy usage.

These are admirable goals, and it’s hard to find anyone reasonable who doesn’t respect the desire to preserve the planet for posterity.

While each of these arguments is valid on some scale, and there are assuredly more sustainable alternatives, there remain compelling reasons to resist bottled water bans on campus.

The first is that students, as members of an economically free society, should be able to purchase any product they so choose within the bounds of the law. It’s not right to restrict students’ consumption choices in this way, especially when there’s nothing being said regarding the removal of less healthy substitutes. Why isn’t EcoSense arguing for the removal of Coke, least three elected staff members. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight during Editorial Board meetings each Sunday and Wednesday. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer.

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Red Bull, Gatorade or anything else that comes in a bottle or a can?

The answer is because such a limitation of students’ choices within a free market and a free society are inherently misguided, regardless of the motivation.

If the argument is that bottled water isn’t priced appropriately to minimize harmful environmental externalities, that’s another issue.

Should EcoSense attack this inefficiency of the sale of bottled water, its actions would be appropriate.

Instead of focusing its efforts on removing bottled water from the Eagle’s Nest and campus events, EcoSense should continue focusing on changing the cultural attitude on campus about sustainability. Promoting personal responsibility should naturally resolve the issue. If more students Special Projects Editor Sports Editor Assistant Editorial Page Editor

Tamar Hallerman Andrew Tomlinson Sam Lindauer

choose to use reusable bottles and buy fewer bottles of water, less water will be supplied and stocked.

Similarly, if campus infrastructure adapts toward the promotion of this goal, community actions will change further. Consider the success of the Perch’s “bring your own mug” model or the success of the Dav’s “bring your own mug” discount. These initiatives are influential, but at the same time preserve student’s economic rights.

If EcoSense wants to effectively promote environmental sustainability and reduce bottled water consumption, perhaps it should consider the sale of reusable bottles to benefit the CERF program.

Protecting the environment is a personal responsibility and should be treated as such.

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the EAGLE

APRIL 12, 2010

news 4

MON 12

TUES 13 THU 27

WED 14

THURS 15

FRI 16

SAT 17

Panel: Exploration of Educational Inequalities 8:10 - 9:30 p.m.

WHERE: Mary Graydon Center 5 INFO: Teach For America, the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program and the Latin American Students Organization present a special event aimed to inform AU students about educational inequities here in D.C. and across the country.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Blair Ufer, ufer@american. edu.

Speaker: Cora Weiss 11:00 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.

WHERE: MGC 247 INFO: Cora Weiss is the president of the Hague Appeal for Peace and a well-known peace activist. In the early ‘60s, she became the cofounder of Women Strike for Peace, which contributed to the end of nuclear testing in the atmosphere.

CONTACT: For more information, call the School of International Service at 202-885-1600.

Fiction Reading with Kermit Moyer 8 - 10 p.m.

WHERE: SIS Lounge INFO: Kermit Moyer is author of “The Chester Chronicles,” a collection of stories that first appeared in the Hudson Review. He is also the author of “Tumbling,” which was described as “impeccable” and hailed as “a work of ringing authenticity” in the New York Times Book Review.

CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Cathy Johnson at lit@american.edu.

Panel: Gentrification in D.C. 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Ward 4 INFO: This panel discussion will provide a historical analysis of the socioeconomic and racial landscape of D.C.’s neighborhoods. Key players in of the issue in the D.C. community will discuss the benefits and detriments of urban development.

CONTACT: For more information, email the SPA Leadership Program at leadership@american.edu.

Muslims Gone “Wild” Comedy Show 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Amphitheater INFO: The comedy show revolves around the daily lives and personal experiences of Muslims.

CONTACT: For more information, email Berchem Yeman at berch.171@ gmail.com.

Hawaii Club Luau 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Main quad INFO: The Hawaii Club provides a cultural showcase and Hawaiian food on the quad.

CONTACT: For more information, email the Hawaii Club at au-hawaiiclub@googlegroups.com.

Heavy-hitting public figures descend on AU Governor already generating buzz for 2016

‘Most dangerous man’ dealt Nixon huge blow

Gov. Jack Markell, D-Del., will be speaking today at 6 p.m. in Ward 1.

A co-founder of FleetCall, which turned into Nextel Communications, Markell has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the “national stage” by 2016, according to The Washington Post.

Markell was an underdog for the 2008 governor race but was able to secure the Democratic nomination against then Lt. Governor John Carney who had the endorsement of the current governor and the State Democratic Party. He eventually received 67.5 percent of the vote in the general election.

Since then, he has balanced Delaware’s budget during difficult economic times, helped bring new jobs to the state and expanded rights for gays and lesbians with new non-discrimination legislation, according to the events Facebook page.

The College Democrats and the Roosevelt Institute are sponsoring the event.

Daniel Ellsberg, who rose to national prominence as the man who leaked the infamous Pentagon Papers, will screen a documentary based on his experiences, entitled “The Most Dangerous Man in America,” Wednesday, at 7 p.m. in the Wechsler Theater.

Ellsberg was a defense analyst for RAND Corporation, a government-funded research firm, when he leaked thousands of pages of classified documents to The New York Times. The documents exposed secrets of the Vietnam War and led to public uproar and possibly hastened the end of the war.

The event, co-hosted by the School of Communication, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Affairs, will be moderated by Professor James Thurber from SPA’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.

COURTESY OF COLLEGE DEMOCRATS

CHUCK KENNEDY/ MCT

HELLO THERE — The College Democrats and the Roosevelt Institute are co-hosting a speech by Gov. Jack Markell, D-Del., today in Ward 1.

WHY’D HE DO IT? — Ellsberg will be speaking this Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Wechsler Theater. The theater only holds 100 people so get there early for a seat.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT BRIEF REATH WINS ELECTION FOR SPEAKER OF SG SENATE Undergraduate Senator Eric Reath was elected Speaker of the Senate at the meeting on Sunday.

Eleven senators voted for Reath while his opponents, former Speaker Anthony Dunham and current Parliamentarian Douglas Bell, received three votes each.

Reath is the fourth speaker to serve this year, taking over for acting-Speaker Class of 2010 Sen. Steve Dalton was filling in for Amanda Merkwae, after she resigned from the position on March 28. Merkwae left the post as a result of the Student Government’s controversial handling of Nirvana Habash’s presidential campaign.

Reath said he is excited to take on the job for the rest of the semester and next year.

“I’m honored to serve as speaker,” Reath said. “I take pride in being able to serve in the Undergraduate Senate.”

Distinguish yourself

-JULIA RYAN

n

from ARABIC on page 1

universities that have a level of intensity in Arabic to be able to bring their students to a level of proficiency, we’ve had to raise that number of credits and contact hours,” she said.

Erez Naaman, a Harvard University graduate, will join the faculty in the fall as the language’s first tenure-track professor.

Naaman will teach an Arab and Islamic course as well as an ad-

n

from HOUSING on page 1

for upperclassmen was recently assigned by lottery for the first time in years.

In the near future, two new residence halls — with about 140 beds overall — will come online. Clark and Roper Halls, currently office space, are

vanced Arabic course and topics courses as an assistant professor.

Ideally, the same changes will happen in the Chinese, Japanese and Russian language departments, Serra said.

“At this point, we don’t have the necessary faculty support to do that,” she said. “We want to offer our students classes that are taught by qualified professors, and we don’t yet have enough of those professors to provide that

many contact hours, those many classes.”

Chinese, Japanese and Russian are currently five credits at the elementary and intermediate levels.

Elementary Korean also has five credits. However, Russian, Japanese and Chinese are only three credits at the advanced level.

set to be converted to residential space and will be ready for occupancy in October and August, respectively, The Eagle previously reported. The two buildings will exclusively house freshmen.

The housing expansion is part of a larger campus plan for the next 10

years that is currently under development. The university is expected to submit the plan to the Zoning Commission this summer, according to the AU Web site.

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

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

THE INCUBATOR

Washington King’s College London Reception Professor Peter Heather will be delivering a lecture on: ‘Globalisation and the Fall of Rome’.

Assistant Professor Bill Davies will also be delivering a seminar.

Find out more about studying at King’s College London and discover what it is like to be a student in the KK. Ceet with staù" alumni and our current Student Union President.

Date: Tuesday 20 April 2010 Time: 18:00 Location: The British ;mbassy" 3100 Massachusetts Ave NW Please RSVP to adam.m.farley@kcl.ac.uk before Friday 16 April 2010.

AN OFFSHOOT OF THE EAGLE

www.kcl.ac.uk/usa

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APRIL 12, 2010

THE EAGLE'S ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

Grilling secrets bring out taste for barbecues CHEF’S SECRETS

WILL KOPER

Courtesy of CINETIC RIGHTS MANAGEMENT

ERASERHEAD — Two films from South by Southwest, “Crying with Laughter” and “Erasing David,” offer very different takes on the modern condition. The comedian of “Crying” must go to great lengths to cover up a misdeed, while the subject of the documentary “Erasing David” tries to disappear completely from the world.

Scottish film comes to SXSW

By ANTOANETA TILEVA Eagle Contributing Writer

CRYING WITH LAUGHTER

A-

ERASING DAVID

C-

“Crying With Laughter” and “Erasing David,” two films featured in the SXSW Film Festival films by the FilmBuff company, lie on completely different sides of the movie spectrum.

Scottish film “Crying With Laughter” is an interesting cross between a dark psychological thriller/drama and a biopic on the stand-up comedy scene. Ne’er-do-well comedian Joey Frisk’s life is a precarious balancing act between gigs and nightly backstage debauchery. In the midst of all this, he also has a 6-year-old daughter, an ex-wife fed up with his antics and a landlord tired of not receiving his rent. As if Joey doesn’t have enough on his hands already, he runs into Frank, an old schoolmate of his,

who happens to be in the audience one night. That is when things take a dramatic turn for the worse and go from chaotic to dangerous, kidnapping included. Frank is determined to drag Joey into a past that may or may not have occurred and has a vendetta he plans to see through.

Director Justin Molotnikov’s cinematography of beautiful Edinburgh is excellent, as is his use of a comedy routine as the narrative tool for telling the story. Malcolm Shields plays Joey with the perfect mixture of blustery bravado and goofy vulnerability.

Even though the dark and violent element of the film comes out as a bit of a surprise, it is not so far-fetched as to be implausible. The plot is not melodramatic and while this is far from a comedy, there are enough lighthearted moments to interject the dark ones. The film is novel and refreshing in both the plot and genrebending.

“Erasing David,” a documentary about our very imperiled privacy in the information age, has a good premise but awful execution. Director David Bond decides to go on the run and see if he can “take himself off the grid,” hiring a top private se-

curity firm to track him down. The film essentially follows three storylines: Bond’s quest to find out just how much information there is about him in various databases [public and otherwise], the efforts of the private investigators to find him and his own “in hiding” travel diary.

The stronger parts of the film are Bond’s narration of just how much information there is out there about him — including every car trip he has made into London, for example.

A huge caveat is that the movie is set in the United Kingdom, and Bond is actually able to write to various companies and agencies and request they send to him all the information they have of him — a very unlikely scenario in the United States.

Bond’s interviews with people who have suffered due to “mistaken identity” scenarios where their names appear in databases are quite compelling and scary. His own travelogue, however, is hokey at best and inane at worst. He makes so many “mistakes” and leaves so many trails behind that it is almost as though he is not even trying to hide. He checks his e-mail, answers his cell phone and puts untorn travel documents in the trash.

The efforts of the private investigators are also not particularly impressive — Bond goes to visit his parents, a place they rather obviously assume he would go. It seems like neither Bond nor the private investigators are trying very hard. How often does rummaging through trash actually lead to important clues? Every time, apparently, according to “Erasing David.”

The movie is important in bringing to light how difficult, if not impossible, it is to maintain any sense of privacy in the age of surveillance and readily available information on any one of us. But it also brings up the important point that sometimes we are the ones who should monitor how much information we are making publicly available, be it on social networking sites or other means. It would have been much more interesting if Bond had interviewed more privacy experts with more insightful information, rather than platitudes most people already know or borderline hysteric doom-and-gloom commentary.

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

Arctic Monkeys melt hearts in Baltimore

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer If there is any city that can truly handle the rock prowess of the Arctic Monkeys, it’s Baltimore. The Brit rockers slammed the city with a flurry of trip-hop and fast indie rock at Maryland’s answer to the 9:30 club, Rams Head Live!

The psychedelic San Francisco natives Sleepy Sun opened the show. The band were a trip back in time to 1969, complete with harmonicas, maracas and peyote-influenced dance moves.

All six members played their instruments as though there was nothing else that mattered, swaying and squeezing their eyes shut. The lead singer sang

with a clear treble reminiscent of Grace Slick, hippie chick extraordinaire of ‘60s band Jefferson Airplane.

The band played songs called “Sleepy Son,” “White Dove” and “Red/Black,” that were all five or six minutes long and each encapsulated a trippy, sundrenched vibe that were both moody and uplifting.

On the downside, each of their songs was an attempt to recapture a sound, like the trippy riff to Parliament’s “Maggot Brain,” as well as Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” Aside from the copycat song style, Sleepy Sun created a peaceful mood, leaving the crowd swaying and tapping their feet to the captivating rhythm. But the crowd came for

something more aggressive, which was delivered as soon as the Arctic Monkeys came onstage.

After dropping their debut album in 2006, the scrappy and youthful “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What’s I’m Not,” Arctic Monkeys concerts have become known for transforming audiences into dancing, moshing and jumping fans. But with the turn their last album “Humbug” took, it was interesting to find out how they were going to balance their new, matured sound with their playful and witty songs of albums past.

The band — made up of Alex Turner on lead guitar and vocals, Jaime Cook on guitar, Matt Helders on drums and Nick O’Malley on bass

— opened with “Dance Little Liar,” a spooky single from their latest album.

Turner crooned into the mic while Helders bashed on the drum kit. Fans swayed back and forth to the song, ready for the concert to unfold.

As soon as that was over, the Monkeys jammed right into a frenzied rendition of “Brianstorm,” a song about a cool lad named Brian who wears ties with his t-shirts. Baltimore fans went wild, moshing and crowd-surfing to the riotous rock song. It became pandemonium and, in fitting style, the next song was another bass-heavy rock single called “This House Is A Circus.”

The lights flashed like thunder on the stage and the audience matched the n

see ARCTIC on page 7

I recently attended a cookout where the hostess was having a little bit of trouble with the grill.

“You’re a man,” she said. “Fix it.”

Well, yes, I am a man. I also happen to be a borderline pyromaniac and an avid carnivore, so yes, I was able to start a nice little fire and have burgers and dogs cooking faster than you can say “George Foreman.”

But man or woman, vegetarian or carnivore, there’s no reason why everyone shouldn’t be able to enjoy the age-old miracle that we call fire.

Of course, modern technology, namely propane, has made grilling with charcoal seem kind of old-fashioned, but the fact is that charcoal grills are way cheaper, the food tastes better and it isn’t that hard to do with a little practice and these helpful hints.

Use hardwood charcoal. This may be more of a personal preference, but I think it’s worth mentioning. Which would you rather have flavoring your food though — pieces of real wood or a bunch of dust that’s been mixed with petroleum products and molded into artificial-looking “briquettes?”

Be sure to use enough. The secret to most grilling, or any other cooking for that matter, is lots of heat. Figure out how big a cooking surface you need (in most cases that means the whole area of the grill), and then pour out enough charcoal to cover that area in a two-to-three-inch layer.

Start with a mound. You have to let the charcoal burn for a bit before you can cook with it. A nice tall pile will help the charcoal burn evenly without wasting any heat.

Let it burn. You want red-hot coals with white ash on the outside. Don’t even think about trying to grill if any

of the charcoal is still black.

Go topless. Simple grilling takes a lot of heat, and although it may seem counterintuitive, the grill gets hotter if you leave the lid off. The reason: oxygen. The lid may trap heat in, but it also keeps oxygen out. Leaving the lid off lets your charcoal breathe and allows it to burn faster and hotter.

Buy a chimney starter. This $15 gadget takes most of the guesswork out of the hardest part of charcoal grilling: getting the fire started. Just dump the charcoal in the top, put a sheet of newspaper in the bottom, light it up, let it burn and dump it into the grill. It may cost a little more than a bottle of lighter fluid, but after you use it a couple of times, you’ll wonder how you lived without it.

Now that you know how to start a fire, the next question is what to grill.

Aside from the obvious choices of burgers, dogs, steaks and chops, any fish that isn’t too flaky (like swordfish, bluefish and tuna) will work. So will any vegetable that’s not too small to fall through the grates. Some of my favorites include asparagus, corn, yellow squash, zucchini and potatoes.

No matter what you grill, the steps will generally be the same: Cut it up and precook it if necessary. I usually slice zucchini and squash lengthwise into 1/8-to-1/4inch strips. I boil potatoes and thicker asparagus stalks before I grill them.

For the potatoes, I generally slice them into 1/2-inch rounds and boil them until they fall off a fork without sticking to it. For asparagus, I basically drop them in boiling water and take them out when they turn green.

Toss the pieces with oil and seasoning. I use a large mixing bowl and aim for a light coating of oil (as if I were putting dressing on a salad) and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Add sturdier herbs (like rosemary, sage and thyme) and any spices at this point if you so desire (see previous columns for ideas and suggestions).

Arrange them on the grill. If you’re grilling a lot of stuff, start at the top n

see GRILL on page 7

Stewart, Fanning play punk icons in wild ‘Runaways’

By NISA SANDERS Eagle Contributing Writer

THE RUNAWAYS

B+

Based on Cherie Currie’s autobiography “Neon Angels,” the film “The Runaways” tells the story of the formation of the first all-girl rock ‘n’ roll band to reach worldwide success, The Runaways.

The film mainly focuses on Cherie Currie, the lead singer, and Joan Jett, the creator and guitarist of the band.

The opening scene of the film quickly grabs the viewer’s attention. The viewer is emerged into the 1970s through the authentic apparel, cars and locations, but also into the lives of two young teen girls who are craving to be something more. Jett is a wild girl with a guitar who is tired of not being taken seriously, and 15-year-old Currie dreams of rocking the stage like Bowie someday. Jett decides to take action by telling androgynous, small-time band manager Tom Fowley that she wants to start an all-girl rock band. Fowley pairs Jett up with Lita Ford, a drummer, and shortly after Currie enters the picture. Currie goes from being booed off the stage of her high school talent show to becoming the front woman of The Runaways. The five-girl line-up — Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, Micki Steele, Lita Ford and Jackie Fox — hit the road touring the United States and Japan. But many complications arise: Currie cannot balance fame and her dysfunctional family, and jealousy and Fowley’s antics dismantle the band.

The actors’ performances

are quite frankly what make the film. Kristen Stewart is perfect as Joan Jett. Her real life, nervous demeanor aids in the portrayal of her character, an independent rocker chick who is unsure of herself. The always-versatile Dakota Fanning makes you believe she is Cherie Currie, a young girl trying to be a woman. But it is Michael Shannon’s performance as Tom Fowley that steals the show. His portrayal of a crazy manger who makes money by exploiting the talent of these young girls is authentic.

“The Runaways” is a wild ride of fame, youth, self-destruction and determination, but leaves the viewer wanting more. First-time film director Floria Sigismondi tells their story in an intriguing way because she makes the movie very reminiscent of previous innovative and edgy music videos. Her film tackles major themes such as drug abuse, alcoholism and teen angst in a graceful, artistic manner that gives a clear message: fame is not for everybody.

“The Runaways” falls short in the areas of character development and lack of substantial dialogue. A viewer wants to know more about the backgrounds of essential characters like Joan Jett and Tom Fowley. Luckily, Sigismondi’s refreshing cast makes up for what was not written on the page and really makes what’s on screen count. Nonetheless, the film provides a general overview of the rise and fall of The Runaways that is entertaining and telling.

“The Runaways” is now playing in select D.C. theaters.

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

the EAGLE

APRIL 12, 2010

the scene 6

Titus bring new ideas to concept LP ON THE RECORD

RYAN TANNER-READ When Titus Andronicus blew up in 2008, it was their lo-fi sound and literary references that endeared this New Jersey five-piece to hipsters of all stripes. They seemed like a decidedly cool band to like, and their off-kilter personalities and underground status made them an instant notch in the belt of indie kids everywhere.

With their new album “Monitor,” the band have become something decidedly different. Rather than a lit/hipster-rock band in the mold of so many others, Titus Andronicus have junked that lo-fi sound for a big, polished concept album. What is that concept?

The title of the album refers to the

famous iron-clad warship Monitor, and the band claims that the piece is supposed to tell the story of the American Civil War. With song titles like “A More Perfect Union” and “The Battle of Hampton Roads,” and guest vocalists providing voices to read the words of important figures of the time — like some History Channel documentary — it seems that way on the surface.

Yet, the concept of this concept album is a lot more than that. On first listen, it’s clear that there are many other ideas circulating in this big, loud maelstrom. In the most recent issue of Spin Magazine, the band say the album conflates the battlegrounds of the Civil War with the losing battle to make love work in our modern world.

Sure, this kind of sounds ridiculous when you first hear it, but the more you listen to the album, the more you really think Titus are onto something.

By the third or fourth listen, you are thoroughly convinced that love is in fact just like the Civil War, thank you very much.

Still, any attempt to really explain why that is will be met with frustration because this is not a concept album in the sense that we might generally think of the term. Good luck discerning any kind of real story from the whole thing (as you can with the messy “Hazards of Love,” the Decemberists’ most recent effort).

Instead, it might be wise to borrow a musical theater term to describe what exactly this is that Titus have created. Rather than calling this a concept album, one might think of it instead as a song cycle that is shaped by the idea of the Civil War (though it is certainly better than the atrocious and almost nonsensical Civil War song cycle Frank Wildhorn had going at Ford’s Theatre last year).

Ultimately this is an album of ideas.

Of course, we typically think of an album of ideas as something political.

Then again, try to remember the last time you listened to a political album and it actually convinced you of anything. My guess is that it probably has never happened. If you’re a dyed-in-

the-wool liberal, a Tea Party anthem is not going to convince you to give up on Obama, and the same is true for conservatives.

Rather than anything like this, Titus Andronicus make the humble claim that the past is relevant to our present. The sound is immediate. The topic is approaching 150 years old, but when the punk guitar squalls give way to the voices of Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln, it only seems natural. In fact, it’s hard not to feel inspired by the thing even though it stubbornly refuses to tell you what you ought to be inspired to do exactly.

In the end, that’s the beauty of this album. It does what the best art ought to do. It gets you thinking, but it doesn’t tell you what to think. I guarantee that if you listen to this album with someone else and then talk about what exactly it’s saying, you will have very different ideas. Other artists ought to take notice.

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

Courtesy of LIGHTS

BRIGHT LIGHTS — Despite having a voice similar to a young girl, Canadian singer-songwriter LIGHTS has vocal power that helps her stand out. Her most original trait, however, is her love of sci-fi, which comes through in her songs.

LIGHTS brings nerd cred to sci-fi indie-pop

By MAGGIE HOLLANDER Eagle Contributing Writer For Canadian singer-songwriter LIGHTS, the boundary between reality and fantasy is flexible. A lover of “World of Warcraft” and all things sci-fi, the 23-year-old artist has a tattoo of a ray gun on her stomach and is ready to conquer the world — with music.

In an interview with The Eagle, the fast-talking LIGHTS discussed all the factors that make her such a unique artist. According to LIGHTS, her love of the science fiction genre has given the tiny singer the freedom to dream big.

“I think initially it impacts me as a person, in the mind frame that anything is possible,” LIGHTS said. “You know, as an artist more than a songwriter, the worst thing that could happen to you is being trapped in this box of the way things have to be. So sci-fi’s really freeing in that way, where anything is pos-

“I’m unashamed, I’m unabashedly into the things that I’m into... and I do it because I’m passionate about it.”

– LIGHTS

Courtesy of FILMFEST DC

HIP CHICKS — Filmfest DC, the District’s international film festival, kicks off Thursday in various theaters across the city. The 10-day festival features films from all over the world and encompasses different genres and themes including movies about social justice, Italian cinema and a section on short films.

D.C. film festival brings international flair

By OLIVIA STITILIS Eagle Staff Writer Starting April 15, the 24th annual Filmfest DC will bring culture en masse to the District, with over 80 premieres of international films taking place in theaters across the city.

Filmfest DC, Washington, D.C.’s international film festival, will run for 10 days through April 25, and in addition to the films, the festival will spotlight over 20 international producers and directors who will hold discussions and sit on panels discussing their films, according to the festival’s Web site.

“Since its inception in 1987, Filmfest DC has become one of Washington’s major cultural events, enhancing the artistic profile of the nation’s capital both domestically and internationally,” a festival press release said. “Filmfest DC is a District-wide event, bringing together the city’s major cultural institutions in a spirit of

cooperation and celebration.”

Filmfest DC will take place at various theaters throughout the District, including Regal Cinema Gallery Place, The Avalon Theatre, The Goethe-Institut Washington and Landmark’s E Street Cinema, with opening night at AMC Mazza Gallerie.

“Over the years, Filmfest DC has introduced hundreds of international films to the District of Columbia and scores of filmmakers have shared their insights with us,” Festival Director Tony Gittens said in a Filmfest DC press release. “This year, you will find many of our films are lighthearted and humorous, which is much needed in these difficult times.”

Some particularly noteworthy films include “Hipsters” and “Soul Kitchen.” “Hipsters,” a musical based in Russia, will be shown on the festival’s opening night. “‘Hipsters’ has been described as ‘Swing Kids’ meets ‘Hairspray,’ bursting with razzle, dazzle and

rhythm. The music and the dancing in the film are spectacular, “beautifully and intricately choreographed and bursting with color,” according to the festival’s Web site.

“Soul Kitchen” opens on the closing night of Filmfest DC and tells the story of Zinos, a restaurant owner who decides to add an aphrodisiac to some of the menus desserts when his restaurant is facing failure, and the changes that follow that choice.

The festival will also have certain themes and highlight films of particular geographic regions.

“Bel Cinema!” will feature new Italian films such as “I am Love” and “Puccini and the Girl,” as well as have discussions with directors like Paulo Benvenuti and Paulo Baroni. Other themes include “Justice Matters,” which focuses on films involving social justice issues. The theme “Short Cuts” highlights eight short films.

The festival features a vast array of international films with

such a selection that even the pickiest of viewers should find something to their liking. Anthony Kakoyannis, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he thinks Filmfest DC looks like fun, and he plans to try to see at least one film.

“There are so many films that look really interesting, and with showings at so many different nearby theatres I’m sure I will be able to get a chance to check it out,” he said.

Tickets for the screenings are $10 with the exception of opening night, which is $40 as it includes the cost of the after-party.

Tickets for the shows can be purchased online at tickets.com or at theaters an hour before each screening. For more information, as well as a complete listing of all screenings and corresponding events, visit www.filmfestdc.org.

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

sible.”

LIGHTS has embraced her passion to the fullest. Not only does she have a fan guild in “War of Warcraft,” a social network that not many artists have taken advantage of, she has her own semi-animated comic alter ego.

“Audio Quest,” which began as LIGHTS’ twist on a simple bio for a press kit years ago, linked the singer with Marvel’s Tom Coker, and together the two created a series of semi-animated web comics.

The comic centers on Captain Lights, described by LIGHTS herself as an “intergalactic vigilante who carries a laser gun” as she searches for music to save the universe.

With side projects like this, it’s not hard to figure out what makes LIGHTS special.

“I just do what I love and I think there’s nothing I feel I can’t do if I wanna do it,” she said.

“I’m unashamed, I’m unabashedly into the things that I’m into — whether it’s sci-fi or comics or electro music — and I do it because I’m passionate about it.

And if you ask me, that’s what everyone should do.”

The influence of LIGHTS’ sci-fi passions on her music is clear from her debut album, “The Listening.” Every track sounds as though it could be the soundtrack to a fantasy movie or TV show, and not coincidentally

provide the background music for “Audio Quest.”

Her voice has a similar sound to that of a very young girl, with power to make it stand out. Each song is full of sound, from guitar to keyboard to that odd combination of two instruments, the keytar. Yet there is softness to LIGHTS’ music that comes from that girlish voice, so full of hope and the wide-eyed innocence of someone who still believes in other worlds.

Standouts include “Quiet” and “Pretend,” which truly embrace all that is LIGHTS. But her true power as a vocalist comes through on “Face Up,” “February Air” and “Ice,” and it becomes clear that behind that youthful sound is a uniquely talented woman in her twenties.

The similarities to her touring partner, Owl City, are evident in many of the songs — especially the title track, which gives the listener an idea of what Owl City would sound like as a girl.

The two artists — who have been on tour together on and off since January — have had a smooth ride thus far according to LIGHTS. “It’s awesome because [Owl City’s], you know, on the brink of success,” she said. “Well he is, now, experiencing some awesome success with his music and thusly the shows are selling out every night. So I’m gonna play for thousands of people every night who actually love electropop. It’s been really comfortable and fun, and the sound is great and I’m getting better at what I do every day.”

High on LIGHTS’ list of dream tour mates is MUTEMATH, who will be at AU opening for 30 Seconds to Mars towards the end of April.

“I mean, it’s really smart halfelectro half-alternative rock pop music,” she said. “And actually, fun fact: [Paul Meany, frontman of MUTEMATH] plays the keytar too, and there are not very many people that can really play keytar with grace and without it being strict. If you looked up ‘keytar’ on Wikipedia, a picture of him comes up and a picture of me comes up. I think that’d be a really cool tour.”

No matter what direction her passions may lead her next, LIGHTS made it clear that the music always comes first.

“I’m interested in a lot of things, and I put a lot of stuff out there, but at the core of it everything that I do is because I love to make music and it’s only to make the music that much better,” she said. “I will always, always, always try to make sure that there is, at the core of it, good music for you to listen to.”

LIGHTS will be opening for Owl City at a sold-out concert April 22 at Constitution Hall in D.C. You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 12, 2010

7

KUSHAN DOSHI n Business Manager 202.885.3593

CLASSIFIED GARDEN HELP WANTED Once a week for 2 hours at $15/hour. Call 202.363.5229.

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from ARCTIC on page 5

mood felt throughout the venue.

Next was the cheery riff rock “Still Take You Home.” The haunting western-vibed song “Potion Approaching” quickly overtook the show.

The concert continued to slow down with the equally eerie and romantic new single “Joining the Dots,” another song from “Humbug.” The song was sad and slow, but exciting for fans since the song was just released last month, and was performed with electric guitars rather than acoustic. After playing more songs from “Humbug” like “Crying Lighting” and “My Propeller,” the guys decided to speed things up again with the drum-heavy “The View From the Afternoon.”

This was followed by their very first number one song, “I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor,” an infectious pop number full of Turner’s goofy but witty lyrics. Fans sang along to the words while pushing each other, jumping up and down and spinning around on the dancefloor. Turner’s voice was strong and loud, streaked with his punkish Sheffield accent, while Helders banged away at his kit with a look of vengeance on his face. Cook and O’Malley walked

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from GRILL on page 5

corner and work from left to right, row by row until you reach the bottom. Leave at least 1/2 inch of space between each piece.

By the time you have everything arranged, it’s probably time to go back and flip each piece, working in the same order that you laid it down. When you’ve flipped everything, you can go back to the beginning and start taking them off in the same order.

Add any other flavorings.

Sometimes you’ll want a squeeze of lemon or a dash of vinegar to bring it together. You can also

around the stage, sometimes jamming face to face with Helders and Turner.

One of the standout songs of the concert was the trip-hop power jam “Pretty Visitors.” Turner took off his guitar, grabbed the mic and launched into the rap-style lyrics of the song. The song combined fast rhythms with a slow, organfilled chorus. It captured the violent mood of the night with Turner singing, “All the pretty visitors came and waved their arms/and cast the shadow of a snake pit on the wall.”

The concert came to a close soon after that, with the echoey love ballad “505.” But after relentless chanting from the audience, the band came back out to perform their classic and melodic “Fluorescent Adolescent,” and the thunderous riff number “The Nettles,” which they elongated for guitar solos, Turner and Helders face to face, jamming out. To end the show, Helders kicked over his drum set, pumped his fists in the air and walked off the stage — like a rock star should — topping off a smashing show with a literal bang.

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

add any more delicate herbs like parsley, cilantro or basil at this point.

Meat is much trickier to cook, and I don’t have any real insight other than to trust your instincts, and when in doubt, cut it open and take a look. If it’s not done the way you like it, keep grilling.

There’s no way to become a grill master without practicing, but it looks like this weather will give you plenty of chances if you’re so inclined. So go play with fire — you know you want to.

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

Courtesy of DREAMWORKS ANIMATION, LLC

THE NEVERENDING STORY— This summer, moviegoers expect a number of sequels to blockbusters of seasons past. Among the most anticipated is “Iron Man 2,” but the films feature more than just superheroes. Other returning characters include Shrek and Carrie Bradshaw.

Summer starts sequel season

By LAUREN LINHARD Eagle Contributing Writer Comic book lovers, superhero nerds and regular citizens who secretly dream of possessing superpowers have been preparing for the premiere of “Iron Man 2” since the release of “Iron Man” in 2008.

Embracing his bad boy reputation, Robert Downey Jr. played Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy, perfectly. Of course, when it came time to save the world — as often happens in superhero films — Downey suited up as Iron Man. Armed with wit, determination and a host of high-tech arsenals, this superhero won the girl and saved the day through scientific brilliance rather than mysterious powers.

In “Iron Man 2,” the public is aware of Tony Stark’s dual life as Iron Man. Though the government, the public and the press are after him to share the genius suit with the military, Stark refuses to be separated from it. And good thing he does, or he’d have no chance against his new energy-powered enemy, Whiplash.

One of the biggest controversies involving the second film was the casting change from Terrence How-

Photo by MATTHEW WORDEN

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM — D.C.’s own Hirshhorn museum brought underground art to the mainstream this past Friday night with their event, Hirshhorn After Hours, which combined modern art with a party feel.

High life meets night life at Hirshhorn after-dark event

By MICHAEL W. RICHARDSON Eagle Staff Writer Modern art may need a facelift to get some popular appeal, but the Hirshhorn has a pretty good idea of how to pack people in to see some of their groundbreaking works. But the Hirshhorn After Hours, their semiannual party, was an event less about the art and more about the people who art seeks to affect.

The event combined the underground and post-modern art the Corcoran is known for with a party atmosphere featuring entertainment and a bar. The result was a cross between a night out and an afternoon in — the quiet pondering of the museum itself, and the revelers outside talking over loud music.

The Hirshhorn opened its hallways until late in the night, allowing visitors to see the many exhibits they had booked for the show. Curators gave talks on the Colorforms exhibit, a survey on the use of color in post-war artwork. The collection was culled from the entire Hirshhorn, featuring sculpture, paintings and other visual pieces in all media. It served as a good introduction to modern art, considering how visually grabbing the pieces were and the simple significance attached to color.

A lecture was also featured on the work of Josef Albers, the German artist whose Bauhaus-influenced work was a defining force in abstract art.

Alber’s concentric squares and use of shapes can be seen in the work of famous figures like Mark Rothko, whose works were on display in the lower level.

Other featured works included Directions by John Gerrard, which focuses on the desolate outreaches of America. The videos are composed digitally like real-time landscapes, where if observers wait long enough, night will turn into day and vice versa.

Patrons strolled though the museum quietly while the real party went on outside in the pavilion. Around the fountain at the center of the open space was a DJ stand and dance floor.

Renowned New York artist Bill Shannon occupied the dance floor with his dance troupe The Step Fenz.

Shannon’s unique routine — sliding around the floor with the use of skateboards and specialized crutches — provided a different take on street dance, and visitors crammed around the stage to see him perform. Shannon also had a sculpture on display in the pavilion made up of eight video screens projecting videos of various dances and stock video. The installa-

tion was on loan just for the night, but it didn’t draw nearly as many observers as the dance performance itself.

DJ “The Wizard Brian Coxx” provided the music, keeping a constant stream of house music for the dancers to perform to. These dances were filmed and then edited in real time by visual artist VJ Glych. His work, which consisted of footage of the dancing, was run through several filters and projected behind the performers.

Though there was little dancing to be seen, guests milled around the open space and mingled. The age group skewed to the late 20s and early 30s crowd, but there was enough variety in the attendees to keep the interactions fresh. Tables were set around a central fountain where groups of men and women shouted at each other to be overheard by the beat of the DJ. The Hirshhorn managed to put together an event that brought together the high tastes of modern art with the more base pleasures of a particularly hip party. The museum puts these events on multiple times a year, so if you’re looking for a unique night out in the coming months, keep an eye out for their next show.

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

ard, who played Colonel Rhodey (the soon-to-be War Machine), to Don Cheadle. It’s always risky when a film changes a main character actor, but Cheadle is extremely talented, showing his talent in a wide variety of films including “Hotel Rwanda,” “Ocean’s 11” and “Reign Over Me.” The original “Iron Man” film grossed over one million dollars opening weekend and played on more than 4,000 screens across the United States. Fans can only hope that “Iron Man 2” meets the expectations “Iron Man” set two years ago when it opens in theaters May 7.

This upcoming summer movie season is turning into the season of sequels in general and superheroes aren’t the only ones making a repeated appearance on the big screen.

Tony Stark will be joined by a giant green ogre, Carrie Bradshaw in her fabulous heels, warring vampires and werewolves and tiny talking toys. The month of May offers audiences the fairy tale land of Far, Far Away in “Shrek Forever After” and the fabulous escapades of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha in “Sex and the City 2.” The summer continues with Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” and “Eclipse: The Twilight Saga” in

June. And, obviously, the summer would not be complete without a random 3-D film, “Step-Up 3-D,” coming out in August — bet you didn’t see that coming.

So will these sequels be any good?

Though the original movie in a series may have been amazing, it doesn’t mean that the ones following it will rise to the same level of excellence.

Some chick flicks instantly come to mind, like “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous” or “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde.”

Can’t remember them? There’s a reason why. Then there are the blockbusters like “Ocean’s Twelve” or “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” that flopped regardless of their huge fan base. It’s almost too painful to think about “The Mummy Returns” and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.”

Once in a long while, though, you come across a sequel or series that lives up to the first film. Such a film is rare and deserves credit where it is due. When Peter Jackson brought the epic “Lord of the Rings Trilogy” to movie theaters all over the world, fans flocked to midnight premieres and stood in ticket lines for hours.

The best part: each movie was ac-

tually worth it. Audiences had the same response when “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” provided the first taste of Hogwarts. Dressed in capes and armed with wands and popcorn, audiences remained enchanted with “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” With the first installment of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” coming out in November, the Potter hype remains high.

But as far as awesome sequels go, there is no denying the Batman sequel “The Dark Knight.” The film can boast of the sadistic performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker, beautifully dramatic cinematography and flawless inclusion of new heroes and villains. Truly an unforgettable film, “The Dark Knight” holds the boxoffice record for the largest opening weekend of all time (previously held by “Spider-Man 3”).

So will this summer of sequels fail to impress or will filmgoers come back for more? Here’s to hoping the summer of sequels is worth each $10 ticket.

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

8

SPORTS

APRIL 12, 2010

ANDREW TOMLINSON n Sports Editor 202.885.1404

Admiration for Woods should be limited to golf course SIDELINE SCHOLAR

BEN LASKY

PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE

BREAKAWAY — Midfielder Emma Larkin tries to break away from a Lehigh player during a game earlier in the season. The Eagles lost to Virginia Tech by a score of 17-12. This loss dropped the Eagles’ record to 5-9 overall on the season. AU will face Davidson College on April 18 at home.

Lax drops second straight

By MIKE DEFABO Eagle Contributing Writer The AU lacrosse team dropped their second game in a row by a score of 17-12 at Virginia Tech on Saturday in Blacksburg, Va. Senior midfielder Amanda Makoid led AU with four goals and an assist in the contest. Senior attacker Lisa Schaaf matched her career high of four points with two goals and two assists. Despite their best efforts, the Eagles fell short against the Hokies.

Virginia Tech jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first five goals of the game and nine of the first 10. AU fought back and scored six straight goals before the end of the first half. The scores came from sophomore midfielder Emily Stankiewicz, Makoid, Em-

ily Burton and from Schaaf. The score stood at 9-5 heading into the half.

After the intermission, AU scored two times in the first two

AU’s Chiara Speziale scored her 18th of the season from a free position shot... minutes to make the score 9-7.

Makoid scored at the 28:16 mark

and freshman Burton found the back of the net 15 seconds later.

However, the Hokies scored three unanswered goals to expand their lead to 12-7. Two of the three goals came from freshman attacker Julia Heaps who finished the day with a total of three scores.

The other goal came from sophomore attacker, Morgan Widlake.

The Eagles fought back for a second time, scoring three of the next four. Sam Marshall scored her 12th goal of the season at 22:58. Virginia Tech picked up yet another goal from Heaps. Then AU’s Chiara Speziale scored her 18th of the season from a free position shot, as did Brit Ferguson for her fourth of the year.

AU trailed 13-10 before the Hokies went on another run, scoring four goals, two more from

Widlake and two from junior Caitlyn Wier, in the next 11 minutes. Widlake led all players with six goals in the game.

AU added two late goals from Maeve Koch and Makoid, which were their fifth and 29th goals on the season, respectively. But the deficit proved to be too much to overcome. The loss to Virginia Tech dropped the Eagles overall record to 5-9 on the season.

The Eagles are back in action on Sunday, April 18 for their final home game of the season.

They take on the Davidson College Wildcats who have an overall record of 6-7. After Davidson, AU will finish out the season visiting College of the Holy Cross.

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

Five months ago, Tiger Woods was seen in the eyes of the public as simply the greatest golfer on the planet.

Since that time, it seems his face has appeared on TMZ more often than on ESPN. This weekend, the butt of everyone’s jokes since November finally made his return.

After Tiger Woods’ performance at The Masters, can all of this talk about his affairs stop?

Since November, people have heard constant reports on Woods’ personal life. Whether it be another woman coming out and saying she had an affair with him, his mother in law being taken to the hospital, or photos being taken of his children while they were attending school.

Enough already. Was what he did right? Absolutely not. Did his actions affect you or me? Nope.

Tiger Woods is a golfer. He’s not a teacher. He’s not a doctor. He does not have an obligation to be a role model for children and grandchildren despite what Augusta Chairman Billy Payne might think.

Woods has built up a squeaky clean image over the years. If you’ve bought into it, that’s your fault.

Though he has gained a reputation that would lead you to believe he was a faithful husband and someone that kids could look up to, he didn’t force anyone to believe it. If you chose to believe that Tiger was perfect, it was not his fault when you found out he wasn’t the Messiah that you thought he was. He tried to make you believe that he was that person, and you took the bait.

The public knows way too much about athletes today and celebrities in general for that matter. If this had taken place in the 1960s, we wouldn’t even know about Tiger’s infidelities.

Muhammad Ali may be the most respected athlete in American history. He has been married four times.

He cheated on his second wife with a woman named Veronica Porsche who he ended up marrying. He then divorced Porsche and married his current wife Yolanda Ali. Had you heard that before you read that last sentence? I’m sure not many heard about it back when it was going on either.

My father, like many kids who grew up in New York in the 50s and 60s idolized Mickey Mantle. He could hit the ball. He could play incredible defense in center field for the Yankees. Kids like my dad knew all this. They knew he was a 16-time AllStar. They knew he was a seven-time World Series champion. They knew he won the Triple Crown in ‘56.

What they did not know at the time was that Mantle was not the type of person they wanted to be at all. Mantle was an alcoholic. In 1995, Mantle had to have a liver transplant due to years of drinking. At a press conference, Mantle said, “don’t be like me.”

Today, with 24-hour news channels, more stories must be made. So the media is forced to find out just about everything there is to know about a celebrity’s personal life. Athletes and celebrities should not be role models for what children should grow up to be as people. If Tiger Woods keeps winning majors, all of this will be an afterthought. Just look at players who have admitted to taking steroids in baseball. A year after Alex Rodriguez admitted to using steroids, Yankee fans see him as a playoff hero. They’ve all but forgotten about the steroid thing. You can bet if Manny Ramirez has a big year for the Dodgers all will be forgiven.

The same can be said for Tiger.

If he wins one or two majors this year, he will go back to being loved.

Old Tiger fans will come back. New ones will be made. And the endorsement deals will continue to pay his bills.

Let’s just appreciate Tiger Woods for what he is. He’s not a model for children. He is the greatest athlete on the face of the earth. The sooner we realize this, the better.

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

Capitals season means Nationals start 2010 season nothing without Cup after much needed changes CAPITALS SPOTLIGHT

ANDREW TOMLINSON

Washington’s real season starts now Friday night was a historic moment for the Washington Capitals franchise. Too bad none of it will mean anything if the team is unable to capture the Stanley Cup. Fans that attended Friday’s largely meaningless game were treated to one of the most exciting goals of the season. No, it wasn’t Alexander Ovechkin skating around everyone and shooting from his knees over three defenders, but instead it was Ovechkin’s 50th goal of the season and Nicklas Backstrom’s 100th point of the year.

This makes the third year in a row, and fourth time in his career, that Ovechkin has scored 50 or more goals. Meanwhile, it was Backstrom’s first 100-point season of his career. It was the first time since 1988 that two players achieved those feats in the same game, let alone on the same goal.

It is a great story, but the stats will mean nothing to the players and their fans if they don’t at least make the Stanley Cup Finals. Next week will be the third time in the last three years that Washington was in the playoffs.

After bowing out to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round last season, fans are expecting improvement this year,

NATS WATCH and in reality, they want the cup to come home.

Washington has a record of 54-15-12 this season and has earned 120 points, the most since the Detroit Red Wings earned 124 in the 2005-2006 season. All of that winning has created some high expectations in the media and in Washington, D.C. There is no doubt that Washington can win it all, but the better question is will they?

Only three teams in the last decade have captured the league championship the same year they won the Presidents’ Trophy; the Red Wings did it twice and the Colorado Avalanche did it once. Of all the teams to win the Presidents’ Trophy, the ones who earned more than 120 points have never made it to the Cup finals.

Some may argue that having the best record in the league is an important accomplishment, and it is. However, it is doubtful that the same people who value this achievement can name the last five trophy winners. Most likely their answer will be no, with the exception of perhaps the 20072008 Detroit Red Wings who won the Cup. All this really means is that there is immense pressure on Head Coach Bruce Boudreau, the captain, Ovechkin and the rest of the team in the locker room. Will fans stop coming to games next year if the team doesn’t win the cup? No. That said, will there be backlash if Washington doesn’t bring home the hardware? Almost certainly.

General Manager George McPhee has assembled one of the most potent offenses in National Hockey League history. It would be a huge upset if Washington didn’t at least make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Not only that, but it would be the third season in a row that a team with arguably the best player in hockey, Ovechkin, one of the

best young centers in the NHL, Backstrom, and this season’s highest-scoring defenseman, Mike Green, failed to find success in the postseason.

Next week will mark the start of the regular season for Washington. In reality, the playoffs are what the Caps have worked towards all season. It is why the players don’t care about all of the regular season accolades; they want to win it all. Ovechkin made it blatantly clear after last season’s Game 7 loss to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins that getting to the playoffs to only fall short of the finals is unacceptable.

That intensity should be expected from Ovechkin and the rest of the Caps when they open up their postseason run against the Montreal Canadians. This team was built to win and from their mood and comments in the locker room over the last month, it is all they care about.

If the Caps are going to win it all, they must put the thought of all the accolades out of their mind. For Ovechkin and Backstrom, three 50-goal seasons in a row and a 100-point season will only look good when it is listed next to their name in the NHL Hall of Fame. For the Capitals, the Presidents’ Trophy will only be looked at as an accomplishment if they parade down Independence Avenue with it and the Cup at the same time.

This may sound a little harsh, but to put it into perspective, think of it this way: Fans and media members generally judge the successful teams by the number of banners that are hanging in the stadium’s rafters. Does a team get to hang a banner for winning the Presidents’ Trophy?

They don’t.

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

SAM LINDAUER The Washington Nationals have been wallowing at the bottom of the NL East for years and things are not looking much brighter at the start of the 2010 season. But this offseason, the Nats have made some changes that may keep them from dropping 100 games or, if they’re lucky, finish in fourth in the East.

One of the biggest decisions the Nationals made during spring training was to Ian Desmond at shortstop instead of former All-Star, Cristian Guzman.

The decision surprised some, but there were some questions as to whether Guzman’s throwing arm would be sufficient for playing at short. What made the decision easier is that Desmond, at 24, is young and in his short time up in the big leagues last year displayed some power and an ability to make tough plays in the field.

What Desmond has going for him is also what he has going against him-his youth. Sometimes Desmond is perceptible to having some miscues with the glove, but with experience he should only improve. If Desmond is able to continue to improve, the left side of the Nationals’ infield should be a constant source of production for years to come.

There is another young player the Nats had to make a decision about this offseason, and he’s a bit more popular than Desmond without ever playing a game. Of course, this player is none other than Stephen Strasburg, the number one overall pick in last year’s draft. After dazzling baseball fans with other-worldly stats with his college team, many thought it was a give that Strasburg would jump

right to the top of the Nationals’ rotation. After all, he is probably the best starter in the organization. But the Nationals are making fans wait (perhaps only until this summer) for the would-be savior to take the mound in the big leagues. The argument for bringing up Strasburg to start the season is pragmatic. Not only does it make sense to have the best pitcher actually playing games that matter in the big leagues, but the money the Nats would make off of this would be astronomical. Strasburg jerseys would fly off the racks as every Washington, D.C. sports fan knows this pitcher. In fact, every baseball fan in the country likely

Strasburg has not faced professional hitters in his life. A trip to AA will help him prepare ... knows about him. In addition to sales of Strasburg merchandise, which one can safely assume would outsell Craig Stammen jerseys, the Nationals would fill their seats. So why would they not bring him up? The rationale for putting him in the minors is two-fold. First, Strasburg has not faced professional hitters in his life. A trip to AA would help him prepare to face the best hitters on the planet. Second, the team will better be able to manage his pitch count without it hurting the team in any adverse way. The last thing the Nationals want is their future ace damaging his arm.

Besides drafting Strasburg, the Nationals were able to add a few players through free agency who can help the team move closer to respectability. To help bol-

ster their starting rotation, they added veteran starting pitcher Jason Marquis, who had previously pitched for the Colorado Rockies. Last season he won an impressive 15 games with an average 4.04 ERA. Marquis is currently slotted as the number two starter and should help the rotation which is incredibly inexperienced.

Moving to the bullpen, the Nationals signed closer Matt Capps in order to solidify the ninth inning. Sure, Capps will not have as many save opportunities as Jonathan Papelbon or Mariano Rivera, but he proved last year with the Pirates that he is an adequate option, as he saved 27 games in 32 opportunities. Capps had a rough spring training, but a player’s performance in March is not always the best indicator.

As of April 10, Capps has already saved each of the Nationals two wins in this young season. The importance of having a great closer cannot be underestimated and Capps is hoping to prove to fans that spring training was just a fluke.

Keeping with the theme of signing seasoned veterans to compliment the young players, the team signed on Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. It’s hard to believe, but Pudge has been in the majors for 20 seasons and, while he no longer is the powerhouse type player he once was, he gives the team a solid option to start every game until Jesus Flores is healthy.

Manager Jim Riggleman said that he was brought here to produce, not to be a teacher, though if he works with some of the younger players that would certainly be a bonus for the team. With the addition of Rodriguez and the other veterans, the Nationals have definitely improved, but don’t expect a serious playoff run for at least a few more years.

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