PIRATE SONG ‘Pirate Radio’ plays tribute to the way that rock ‘n’ roll brings people together SCENE page 5
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EDITORIAL
New AU frats seek charters By SARAH RUDNICK Eagle Staff Writer Greek life is continuing to expand on AU’s campus with fraternities Tau Kappa Epsilon, Zeta Psi and professional fraternity Delta Phi Epsilon seeking to be chartered. Students will try to form new chapters when they do not find what they seek in other fraternities, according to Coordinator of Greek Life Curtis P. Burrill. “It’s a vastly different experience starting an organization than it is becoming a part of an existing organization,” he said. “Every organization has their own little identity and people identify with like things — it’s just how we function as hu-
man beings. So, if they don’t find one they identify with, why not start their own?” The AU community’s strong interest in international studies is what prompted the beginning of the professional Foreign Service fraternity Delta Phi Epsilon, according to DPE President William J. Hubbard, a junior in the School of International Service. “The one thing that always struck me about AU was people would always say, ‘What’s your major?’ Someone would respond, ‘SIS,’ and then the person would respond with, ‘Of course it is, everybody at AU is SIS,’” Hubbard said. DPE is currently working with Student Activities to find the best
place for it on campus, he said. Tau Kappa Epsilon — also known as “Teke” — was started when a small group of AU students did not find exactly what they were looking for during rush, according to Corey Lim, president of TKE and a junior in the Kogod School of Business. “We had kind of a core group of guys that I was friends with … and we really didn’t feel a great connection to a majority of a chapter here,” he said. “So we decided well, if we don’t feel any commitment to a fraternity here, we can do something else. We can bring something that we like.” One of the reasons AU is seeing more fraternities instead of sororities is the way they’re organized on a
A campus-wide ban would help make AU more eco-friendly page 3
CLEP exams can replace AU gen eds
SCENE HEARTSTRINGS
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MIDLIFE CRISIS Greg Gerilado’s comedy CD does not impress page 7
By SARAH RUDNICK KELSEY DICKEY / THE EAGLE
ANYONE? ANYONE? — A panel including adjunct professor Sean Peterson, right, and D.C. Youth Power Network founder James Pearlstein, second from left, discussed the problems with D.C.’s Public Schools on Nov. 11.
Panel highlights shortfalls of DCPS By JULIA RYAN Eagle Staff Writer
SPORTS STATEMENT WIN Women’s basketball dominates in exhibition opener page 8
TODAY’S WEATHER
HI 50° LO 46° Rainy and windy - up to half an inch of rain FRIDAY HI 54° n LO 49°
Linking the salaries of D.C. public school teachers to the standardized test scores of their students is highly detrimental and fosters a test-driven learning environment, according to panelists at the “Savage Inequalities: A Close Look at D.C. Public Schools” event. The panel, held Nov. 10, focused on the current status and conditions of DCPS and what can be done to change those conditions. The panel started off with a Time magazine video entitled “Can She Save Our Schools?” about conditions in D.C. public schools and the recent work of
By SARAH PARNASS Eagle Staff Writer
HI 60° n LO 49°
The planned Women’s Resource Center has ignited some debate on campus about the need for such a center. On one side, students argue that the center will fill a void in the administration, the responsibility for which has previously fallen on a paid Student Government official and several volunteer student activists, namely the staff of Women’s Initiative. In opposition, others point out that this costly expenditure will, in some cases, create services that are already available on campus.
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D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Rhee was appointed chancellor of D.C.’s 144 public schools by Mayor Adrian Fenty in June 2007. In the two years that Rhee has been chancellor she has worked to institute changes to the DCPS system. She has shut down 23 schools and fired over 100 workers from the DCPS administration. She also fired 270 teachers and 36 principals, a move that sparked controversy and outrage among D.C. teachers. However, Rhee says in an interview in the video that she thinks she has made positive changes to the D.C. school system. She says that she has continued support from Mayor Fenty and that scores on stan-
dardized tests have risen eight to 11 percent in elementary and high schools. Panelist James Pearlstein, the founder and executive director of the D.C. Youth Power Network, said that on a recent visit to a school in Southeast he was “struck by how joyless the teaching was.” He said standardized testing makes students disinterested and discourages them from being creative. Sarah Otto, an English teacher at Anacostia High School, argued that standardized testing boxes students into one way of thinking and pushes the notion that school is just about numbers and answers. The moments that students remember most n
see DCPS on page 4
Campus debates need for women’s center
SATURDAY
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national level, according to Burrill. “For a sorority to come onto campus there’s a huge process in place,” he said. “They’re very, very structured. They have rules and everything in place for many, many, many things, whereas the men are a little bit looser in terms of how chapters can expand and such.” However, he said it is still difficult and a lot of work to for a fraternity to become chartered. “Typically it takes two or three years to become a chapter,” Burrill said. Zeta Psi became a colony on campus this summer, but may lose its place with amendments to the AU Interfraternity Council’s Constitution, which would ban two colonies
from existing simultaneously. ZP, which became a colony after TKE, is uncertain about its future, according to ZP President Matt Carnovale, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences. It would be strange for the constitution to become effective immediately rather than [in the future], Carnovale said, but he wants to continue working with AU and is willing to “wait in line.” The IFC is scheduled to vote on this amendment next week. It is unclear if the amendment would de-colonize ZP or whether the new rule would only apply to new colonies in future years. One of the more difficult aspects n
see FRATS on page 4
College Board tests offer cheap credit options
BANNING SMOKING
D.C. theater exposes the heart behind the Vietnam War
NOVEMBER 12, 2009 VOLUME 84 n ISSUE 23
THOSE IN FAVOR Former WI directors met with current WI staff Nov. 9 to discuss the debate on campus. Vanessa Mueller, former director of WI, whose term ended in spring 2008, led the meeting. Mueller said one of the main benefits the WRC would offer is a paid professional staffer to be available to students with personal concerns. “For example, one of the big issues our year was a lot of the [work study employees] were reporting awkward situations bordering on sexual harassment, and it was a
concern because we didn’t know who we should be reporting it to,” she said. “Greek life has a person. Athletics has a person. [The Office of Multicultural Affairs] has a person. GLBTA has a person. ... There’s a clearly delineated person of contact in every one of these situations except this one.” Mueller also recounted incidents in which students reported sexual assault to her as the WI director, though she had no formal training in rape-crisis counseling. “[Victims] show up at your office at two in the morning because you’re there all the time,” Mueller n
see CENTER on page 4
Eagle Staff Writer Many AU students have never heard of the College Level Examination Program — a College Board-administered test that can accelerate education at a lower price. The tests, more commonly referred to as CLEP exams, are catered to students who feel they have already mastered the material they would have to cover at their university. Students who take the exams have generally acquired their college-level knowledge from independent studies, advanced high school courses and on-the-job training and cul-
tural pursuits, according to CollegeBoard.com. The cost per credit hour at AU is $1,148. Therefore, if students pass a CLEP exam — which carries a $72 price tag — in place of a three-hour credit course, they will save $3,372. The exams cover 32 topics, according to CollegeBoard. com, but AU only accepts five of them as replacements for general education courses, according to Jamie J. Wyatt, assistant director of General Education. These subjects include American government, general chemistry, introduction to macroeconomics, introduction to microeconomics and introduction to sociology. The only CLEP testing center at a D.C. college is the Catholic University of America, according to the College Board Web site. Students must achieve a score of 75 out of 80 or higher in order to obtain the general education credit, according to the “Exam n
see CLEP on page 4
Field hockey advances to round of 16 By JIMMY HASCUP Eagle Contributing Writer For the sixth time in seven years, the AU Field Hockey team will be playing in the NCAA Tournament, after defeating Lock Haven University for the second consecutive time 2-1 in the play-in game on Tuesday afternoon at Jacobs Field. Although the 0-0 score for the majority of the first half resembled the score from last year’s match, AU controlled the play and time of possession. The Eagles had seven shots in the period, with five penalty corners but was unable to capitalize on any of its chances because of the goaltending by LHU’s Erin Terreson, who made four saves. With 34 seconds remaining in the half, AU’s Anne-Meike De Wiljes finally got a shot by Terreson. She converted on a penalty corner from point blank range with a hard shot to the right side giving AU a 10 advantage. LHU had one shot on goal in the period and no penalty corners as the AU defense, led by De Wiljes. The Eagles withstood every LHU attack and continuously sustained the pressure in opponents’ zone. AU’s leading scorer, junior
Christine Fingerhuth, added to her season totals with a goal 11 minutes into the second half. She swept her shot at the top of the circle past the LHU goalkeeper, for a 2-0 AU lead. “I received the ball at the top of the top of the defense from Rachel Carney,” Fingerhuth said. “And I saw that I had space to pull right, so I pulled right, saw the space and tried to hit the far post and it worked out really well.” Despite the early goal for AU, Lock Haven came out in the second period with renewed energy, engaging their offense more in the AU end. LHU managed the ball more than they had in the early stages of the game, earning a penalty corner and five shots. Less than five minutes after AU’s goal, LHU cut their deficit in half, scoring off a rebound at the right post. “I thought about calling timeout — the tempo of the match had changed about 10 minutes before they scored, and I was very worried about that, but we got a goal in that period and I thought the pressure was really on them,” AU Coach Steve Jennings said. “I just kind of evaluated how we were handling that mentally and psychologically, n
see FIELD HOCKEY on page 8
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NOVEMBER 12, 2009
news 2
THURS 12
FRI 13 THU 27
SAT 14
SUN 15
MON 16
TUES 17
Meet the Artist: Yinka Shonibare 7 p.m. WHERE: Hirschorn Garden and Sculpture Garden METRO: L’Enfant Plaza (yellow and green lines) INFO: The Nigerian artist, who currently has an exhibit on display at the Museum of African Art, discusses his life and career. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-633-1000.
Play: “Of Mice and Men” 8 p.m. WHERE: Church Street Theater, 1742 Church St. N.W. METRO: Dupont Circle (red line) INFO: The Keegan Theatre takes on the John Steinbeck classic about the dreams and struggles of two farmhands in 1930s California. COST: $25 CONTACT: For more information, call 703-892-0202.
Author Event: Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins 3 p.m. WHERE: Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W. METRO: L1 or L2 bus from Van Ness (red line) INFO: The authors will be discussing their new book, “Dance of Days,” about the D.C. underground punk scene of the 1980s and ‘90s. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-364-1919.
Museum Shop Around 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. WHERE: The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike METRO: Grosvenor-Strathmore (red line) INFO: Shop for your holiday gifts from the collections of 15 Washington-area museum shops. COST: $8 CONTACT: For more information, call 301-581-5100.
Exhibit: Faces of the Frontier 11:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. WHERE: National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets N.W. METRO: Gallery Place-Chinatown (red, yellow and green lines) INFO: This collection presents photographic portraits of the American West from 1845-1924. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 202-633-1000.
Roland Mesnier Builds a Gingerbread House 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. WHERE: Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Alexandria, Va. METRO: Franconia-Springfield (blue line) INFO: Kick off the holiday season by watching former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier build a gingerbread house in the shape of Mount Vernon. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call 703-780-2000.
THE QUICK TAKE We get some pretty sweet speakers up here in our cozy, Northwest corner university. Last week, the College Democrats booked Alaskan Senator Mark Begich, following the College Republicans’ hosting of former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and CEO of Kellogg Company (of Frosted Flakes’ fame) Carlos Gutierrez. But George Washington University one-upped us with former vice president/presidential candidate/climate change salesperson Al Gore, who spoke there Nov. 5. Then, they hooked the first and second ladies of the United States for Veterans Day. But fear not — our College Democrats came through again and have lined up Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., to speak next Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the University Club. Down at Georgetown University, a series of verbal and physical assaults targeting certain sexual orientations has set the campus community on edge. According to The Hoya, there have been four assaults — two physical and two verbal — directed at members
of the LGBT community. The Washington City Paper made a splash last Thursday after they exposed private garbage companies in D.C. for mixing recyclables and trash. According to the paper, many trucks — which service all apartment complexes over two stories — simply toss both together and haul the whole trash heap to dump, never to be sorted. D.C. recycles only 24 percent of its trash, compared to cities like San Francisco and Dallas which “hover near the 50 percent mark,” according to the Paper. Meanwhile, over at the National Zoo, a little deer ignorantly jumped into THE LION’S DEN. No, this is not figurative. The deer actually hopped into the den and, after a short chase, was mauled beyond recovery. The zookeepers euthanized the poor thing. No word on whether this proves or disproves the theory of evolution. Speaking of God ... AU Rationalists and Atheists will be hosting its semi-annual “Flying Spaghetti Dinner,” where, according to President Matt Bulger, there will be “a lot of spaghetti.”
POLICE The event will be held in the McDowell Formal Lounge Nov. 17 from 9 -11 p.m. Bill Maher’s “Religulous” will also be shown. The spaghetti comes from Maggiano’s and is completely free, so be sure to eat the atheists out of house and home. In D.C. hip hop news, Wale — pronounced more like the cute robot and less like the sea creature — recently released his first mainstream album, “Attention Deficit.” Rappers from the District, Maryland and Virginia (also known as the “DMV”) have high hopes for their go-go spouting poster boy. So how’d it go? Well, not so well, according to The Washington Post. However, the CD does boast one hot single featuring Lady Gaga called “Chillin.’” And if you find the need to chill in D.C. this Friday, be sure not to miss Guapo’s. Doors open at 10 p.m. and close at 2 a.m. Don’t forget to check your coat and dignity at the door. -CHARLIE SZOLD
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BARRY LAW is... faculty focused on you Professor Patrick E. Tolan, Jr., founder and faculty advisor to Barry Law’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, encourages his students to serve the community. “One of the most fundamental skills we, as professors, can provide our future attorneys is compassion. This is a skill that cannot easily be taught in the classroom, but is quickly developed as they help those who are less fortunate.”
Patrick E. Tolan, Jr. Associate Professor of Law
Real world experiences • Intimate learning environment Dynamic, accessible faculty • ABA accredited • Orlando, Florida
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BLOTTER
NOV. 4 A five-page document was found on a desk in the main lobby of the Media Production Center. The document is an unorganized presentation of ideas about possible government involvement in conspiracies. The Department of Public Safety took custody of the document. NOV. 7 DPS responded to a report of a group of individuals throwing eggs from a roof at passing students. Upon arrival, DPS saw two individuals running from the area. The individuals claimed they saw friends throwing eggs from the roof and decided to leave the campus.
to the sixth floor lounge. When the resident director questioned the individuals, they denied being involved in the incident. The individuals gave varying and conflicting accounts as to their current affiliation with AU. Eventually, it was determined the individuals were AU students. Facilities
Management was notified. NOV. 10 A steam leak in a basement steam room in the Mary Graydon Center activated a fire alarm. Facilities Management responded to the scene.
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NOV. 8 A resident director reported that a fire extinguisher was thrown from a sixth floor sky lounge of Letts Hall and landed on the roof area above the entrance to the building. Two individuals were seen leaving the lounge immediately after the extinguisher landed on the ledge. Several students told the resident director they saw the individuals remove an extinguisher from the fourth floor and proceed
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EDITORIAL
NOVEMBER 12, 2009
GRAHAM VYSE n Editorial Page Editor EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com
JEN CALANTONE n Editor in Chief Editor@TheEagleOnline.com
Trashing celebs: indication of a cruel culture LEFT TURN HERE
NICK FIELD America used to be a society of admirers. We used to look up to athletes, actors, politicians, writers and artists. They used to be given great respect. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. We have fallen into a vicious — I think detrimental — cycle wherein we systemically destroy famous people to make ourselves feel better. It is a sad side effect of our culture today that this is scarcely mentioned by those who suffer from it, because of how well off they really are. So let me, a college student with thousands of dollars of debt, say it for them. Our society has become mean, spiteful and even in some ways, disgraceful. There are many facets of this but I want to focus on the two main ones, the way we treat celebrities and reality shows. First, celebrities used to be treated as gods, and while that wasn’t exactly a good thing, look at what we do to them now. Magazine upon magazine, blog upon blog, snoops on and stalks these people so that they can’t go anywhere without being photographed and/or harassed. This phenomenon is becoming deeply embedded and accepted in our media culture. There is now even a daily syndicated show on FOX created by the popular paparazzi Web site TMZ. What’s worse is this process often follows an ugly cycle of putting people on a podium and knocking them off. I call it the “Britney Spears Cycle.” First, you build the person up into a superstar. Then, you tear them down. You push and push and push them, until they make fools out of themselves. And finally, just before their career, and perhaps their life, is about to bot-
tom-out, you love them again, so you won’t have any guilt over the torture you just put them through. What a cruel way to treat people; imagine what it must be like for other countries to witness this American phenomenon. This isn’t limited to celebrities, either. This foundation of hate has been used to build the gigantic reality show monopoly that has taken over TV. All reality show producers look for as many contestants who are clearly mentally unstable as they can, and then let them loose and push them to their breaking point. Entertainment has become watching an emotional meltdown, a bitter fight, a screaming match. And it’s not like scripted television or film — there’s no real point or lesson or food for thought contained in reality shows. You’re only meant to hate who they want you to hate, laugh at who they want you to laugh at, and put-down who they want you to put-down. My question then is: Why do we always have to tear people down? Why do people buy tabloid magazines that harass famous people? Is it so we can feel better about ourselves? And if it is, is this any way to live? Why not, instead of tearing others down, we build ourselves up. I know it’s not easy out there — our economy’s a mess, unemployment is at a high, and real progress has faced an uphill battle all year long. I’m also not saying satire and humor are bad things; I love them. But this hate, this viciousness, which is at the base of this behavior, is not good for us as a society. So I propose this: that we collectively stop buying these magazines, stop reading these Web sites, stop watching these TV shows and put that time, money and effort towards something productive. Or we can all buy Snuggies, whatever works. Nick Field is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@ theeagleonline.com.
AU should be a smoke-free university THAT AMERICAN LIFE
ERIN CADY Life is good inside the AU bubble. We have our own idyllic world here in the suburbs of D.C., secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city and yet close enough to still be a part of it. Just walking onto the quad before an early morning class is enough to make any student realize what an oasis we have here. To be able to have an arboretum as our campus is an incredible privilege. However, it has become clear that far too many students do not recognize this. If you look closer at the flowerbeds, bushes or bases of tree trunks around campus, you’ll notice cigarette butts littering the ground. In fact, take a look at the LA Quad and the steps of Ward while you’re at it. There are cigarette butts everywhere. This isn’t just littering, it is detracting from the natural environment that is AU. And that’s not okay with me. I was shocked in my first few days on campus by how many students smoke cigarettes. Walking into or out of any building on campus, you’re greeted by a cloud of smoke that follows you until you’re either well into the building or far from the smokers’ perch. Where I’m from — outside of Philly — smoking just isn’t that prevalent. In fact, it’s more of an anomaly than it is a rule. A smoker who lights up outside of the Wawa or Ice House in my town is far more likely to get a couple of angry looks than they are to find another smoker looking for a light. So, to come
to American and be greeted by a cloud of noxious, cancer-causing fumes whenever I leave my dorm, get out of class or go to dinner at TDR, is just not okay with me. I have made a personal choice not to smoke because I have no desire to die prematurely from any one of the numerous cancers that smoking causes. As much as I respect smokers’ personal rights, I just don’t think that their right to smoke should outweigh my right to breathe clean, fresh, carcinogenfree air. This is why AU should implement a smoking ban on campus grounds. Now, I don’t propose that we ban smoking completely on AU property, like it has been done for all Pennsylvania public schools. A specific area (or areas) should be designated for smokers who want to light up on campus. However, these areas should be well out of the way of the quad, dorm entrances and class buildings, so that those who choose not to smoke will not be affected by those who do. Hopefully this policy will help wean AU students away from cigarettes. Seriously, though, to all of the smokers out there, pick up a paper — from the 1960s. Everyone knows that smoking kills. It’s time to be responsible for your own health. AU has free smoking cessation programs for students, faculty and staff. Take advantage of this resource. Hopefully, one day there won’t be any smokers. Until then, a smoking ban would keep us all healthy and preserve our campus’ natural environment. A smoking ban: it’s green; it’s progressive; it’s totally AU. Erin Cady is a freshman in the School of Public Affairs and an AU Affairs columnist for The Eagle. You can reach her at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
JOE CORCORAN / THE EAGLE
Touting tests worth taking
College Board’s College Level Examination Program lets high school and college students take tests that can count for college credit. AU should give credit for more of them. Most students have never heard of the College Level Examination Program. But every student should know about them. CLEP tests are exams administered by College Board that allow access to an accelerated education at a lower price. Students can take them in high school or at the college level. Many colleges, including AU, accept some of these tests as replacements for courses. Students can pay $72 to take a CLEP test in, say, general chemistry, prove proficiency in the subject and forego a grueling, semesterlong classroom experience. As
LETTER TO THE EDITOR AU should support local food On Sept. 29, as many of you may already know, was the Eat Local Challenge at TDR during lunch. All of the food served came from a 150-mile radius of AU. I hope you all enjoyed the amazing smells and flavors. It was truly delicious, more nutritious, and TDR was more vibrant that day. In Omnivores Dilemma, Michael Pollan takes Wendell Berry’s quote, “eating is an agricultural act,” a step further to say that “[eating] is also an ecological and political act.” As a community of passionate learners, we have the responsibility to be questioning where our food comes from and what we are putting into our bodies. We cannot afford to be complacent and eat what ever we please. We must escape this mindset and begin to understand that our selection of foods not only shapes our health, but affects the ecology of the planet. Best said by Wendell Berry, “We have lived by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives,
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The Eagle reports, students can save an average of $3,372 per course. How’s that for a bargain? The only questions worth asking about these exams are why they aren’t better publicized and why they aren’t more widely utilized. At $1,148 each, credits are awfully expensive at this university. CLEP tests provide a huge opportunity for savings. Students who do well on them free up space in their schedules to take courses they otherwise would not have taken. This may seem like a trivial point to make, but imagine
the number of extra electives students could fit in by taking CLEP tests for general education credit. Plus, imagine how much smaller general education class size would be if more students got credit through CLEP tests. Students might get more personalized attention from professors. AU currently gives course credit for good scores on five different CLEP tests — American government, general chemistry, introduction to macroeconomics, introduction to microeconomics and introduction to sociology. The
university should drastically expand the number of tests it accepts. Meanwhile, students should seek more information about the tests and certainly pass it on to their younger siblings. One final point: College Board should publicize the heck out of this. Not since AP and IB tests were introduced has there been a better way to get advance college credit and save huge amounts of money. In these tough economic times, the College Level Examination Program is a great deal for students.
so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption that what is good for the world will be good for us.” Eating locally solves an array of problems that have exacerbated our current situation (desertification due to commodity crops, rising CO2 levels to name a few). By building tight relationships with nearby farmers we are making a closer connection with our local ecology. A farmer’s use of fertilizers, pesticides, hormones and antibiotics; his treatment of workers, how he plants and many other practices will be visible to customers. It will raise questions like: “Do I really want to be buying something that comes from destructive practices that directly affect the water my family drinks or the well-being of employees, my neighbors? The customers’ purchasing power can push the farmer to become more accountable. The distance from our sources of food allows us to be ignorant to where it’s coming from and what its effects are on the local community. Food grown locally bypasses the large amounts of greenhouse gases due to flying/trucking food long distances. It doesn’t need to be preserved through refrigeration, chemical preservatives or
the wrapping up of products in endless amounts of plastic for the transportation process. While having local food in TDR for one day is great and we should applaud Bon Appétit efforts towards a more sustainable menu, we must be eating locally everyday. We must push Bon Appétit to be transparent about where the food in TDR comes from. Although they neatly explain the different ways producing the food, (for example for beef they list 5 categories: industrial farming, Antibiotics, Natural, Organic, U.S Grass fed) they do not include the sources of the food they purchase. Transparency and information is core because we must know what the effects of our actions are so we can take a more responsible role. We should know where Bon Appétit is purchasing their produce. We must seriously engage in efforts to build closer relationships with local farmers and efforts to be growing our food on campus. We must also question why we have chains such as McDonalds and Subway on campus and why we are selling such unhealthy products as Coca-Cola and others. These big companies support unsustainable practices and are much harder to make ac-
countable for their actions. We must know the paths our foods take to get to us and what their actual costs are. We must question why food that is grown locally with less of an impact to the planet costs more than food that travels far distances, has a large input of fossil fuels and destroys the earth. Paul Hawken puts what we are doing to the earth simply: “At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product.” With AU’s large community, it is a mystery why we aren’t supporting a larger community garden, which could serve both as learning hub for growing our own food (a cost beneficial practice, an ecologically friendly one, and one that we all must engage in, in a future of peak oil and a tipping point of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere), and a way to stop wasting money on things we can do and should be doing ourselves. The fact that we aren’t composting yet on campus shows that we have a long way to go. But we must remain hopeful, roll up our sleeves and act now.
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NOVEMBER 12, 2009
College students shrug off need for H1N1 vaccine By NICOLE GLASS Eagle Staff Writer Though college-age people are one of the most susceptible groups for contracting the H1N1 virus, some AU students do not believe the vaccination for it is necessary. Seven out of ten people in the 18to-29 age group said they did not plan to heed warnings to get vaccinated, a Washington Post-ABC poll found. Sixty-two percent of those in the 30to-64 group and 53 percent of those in the 65-plus age group said they would skip the vaccine. At AU, some students are more concerned about the risks of swine flu than others. Carol Foster, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, said she had flu-like symptoms and may have already had the H1N1 virus, so she will not get the vaccine. However, she will be more careful in the future, she said. “I am always very cautious of getting sick, but this year especially, I make sure to wash my hands and stay away from sick people,” Foster said. “I really love the Purell dispensers everywhere.” The Student Health Center is working with the D.C. Department of Health to become a vaccination site for the H1N1 virus, according to the Health Center’s Web site. The vaccine
will arrive between mid-November and December and will first be given to students who are pregnant or younger than 24-years-old. Deep Master, a senior in SPA, said he plans to get the vaccine and thinks the risk of contracting the swine flu is serious. “I plan to get the vaccine since this is the worst flu season ever and I don’t want to take any chances,” he said. “I have been more careful by washing my hands since the swine flu has occurred, as the symptoms of the flu are very dangerous.” College students jaywalk, consume large amounts of energy drinks, hold back on sleep and are around students with swine flu, the Post wrote last week. The Post questioned the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon from George Washington University at their fraternity house, and found that the students do not worry about the swine flu. Some said they do not need it, others do not think it is any riskier than many of their other behaviors — like texting while driving or jaywalking. Seventeen AU students and eight faculty and staff have reported flu-like symptoms during the week ending Nov. 6. The SHC does not test for the H1N1 virus. You can reach this staff writer at nglass@theeagleonline.com.
Libertarians trek to Philly, decry gov’t THE POLITICAL SCOOP
By GRAHAM VYSE Eagle Staff Writer PHILADELPHIA — Libertarians are a diverse bunch. Some of them wish they could abolish government entirely. Others just want its power reduced. But what unites them is their shared belief that the state should be substantially smaller and do drastically less. Here at AU, the libertarians have a club. AU Students For Liberty is a small operation. I’m told that fewer than 20 students attend regular meetings or events. Still, there are few diehards, most of whom I met this past weekend when I traveled with AUSFL to the 2009 Students For Liberty MidAtlantic Conference. The event took place at Drexel University, smack dab in the middle of the Cradle of Liberty itself — Philadelphia. The journey I took there and back again is something I won’t forget soon. It taught me about an alternative governing philosophy, but it also gave me a glimpse at what it’s like to be part of a political counterculture. Our odyssey began last Friday with a Chinatown bus ride. On the way from D.C. to Philly, I got a primer on libertarian philosophy and policy from a few members of AUSFL. For two hours, I asked hundreds of questions and took furious notes. The young libertarians explained their core principles of nonaggression and self-ownership. They argued that taxation is slavery. They dismissed the entire idea of slicing up the economic pie, saying the solution is simply to make that pie bigger. Throughout the conversation, I had several realizations about libertarians. First, many of them don’t love Ron Paul. True libertarians want government out of their lives in every respect, so they don’t understand Paul’s pro-life stance or his opposition to gay marriage. They say the state shouldn’t be involved in any of this. Second, libertarians disagree amongst themselves — a lot. In fact, it seems to me, based on my little exposure, that there is greater diversity of thought within the libertarian movement than within the conservative or progressive movements. There is a great libertarian debate over just how tiny government should be. A few of them like public education, but most don’t. Many think the government should run the justice system, the military and the police force, but some don’t. As I learned talking to AU and Drexel students at a mixer late Friday night, there are two main camps within the libertarian movement: the minarchists and the anarcho-capitalists or anarchists. The former advocate extremely limited government. The latter, at least ideally, prefer no government at all.
Learning about anarcho-capitalism shocked me, as I imagine it would shock many people. Certainly, I am familiar with the argument that limited government means more freedom. I get it. It’s compelling. I can conceive of a scenario in which America reverts to the traditions of the Founding generation and structures government simply to provide justice, defense, security and maybe a limited form of welfare. That transformation, which is what minarchists want, would be radical, but it could happen. What I found unbelievable was that anarcho-capitalists think the Founders’ government was way too big. They have so much faith in capitalism, so much faith in free exchange, that they literally wish for a world where markets make the rules. They philosophically and practically think the state is a problem. Its abolishment, they argue, is the rational endgame of the liberty movement. These are radical views. They fly in the face of the Founders’ intent. They’re outside the mainstream of American politics. I think they’re insane and an overwhelming majority of Americans — nearly everyone — would reject them outright. The students I talked to know this. They’ve faced reality. None of them wear rose-colored glasses. The minarchists understand government will always be bigger than they’d like and the anarcho-capitalists know they’ll never have the government-free society of their dreams. At Saturday’s conference, the students and the speakers made mention of these realities. The presenters — college professors, organization leaders and authors — spoke of setting small goals and pushing for incremental change. I left the conference early, but I stayed long enough to get the gist. I saw Irena Schneider, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, give an impassioned speech in her capacity as Mid-Atlantic Director. I saw Eagle columnist Alex Knepper realize he was the moderate in the room. And most importantly, I saw a group of earnest political activists enjoying each other’s company, which is always cool. The Students For Liberty may have unconventional views about government, but they’re well within the mainstream as far as how to have a good time. I hardly knew any of them before last weekend, but everyone was accommodating and appreciative of an Eagle writer tagging along. I had many personal firsts last weekend. I made my first visit to Philly. I ate my first Philly Cheesesteak. And for the first, and likely last time, I saw an apartment full of libertarians sing “Don’t Stop Believing” at the top of their lungs. “...Some will win, some will lose/ Some were born to sing the blues.” Sounds like libertarian economics to me. You can reach this staff writer at gvyse@theeagleonline.com.
news 4
Speaker tells Iraq’s story By ALLIE MEYER Eagle Contributing Writer Iraq is more than violence and destruction, and is instead a nation with rich history, said the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States. Ambassador Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaida’ie spoke to students at AU about Western views of Iraq, Iraq’s history and what the future of the country might look like in the Battelle-Tompkins Atrium, Nov. 9. In 2006, Sumaida’ie became the first Iraqi ambassador to the United States in 16 years. Sumaida’ie spent time discussing the common misconceptions about Iraq. “You mention Iraq to anyone and the picture conjured is one of violence, trouble and destruction,” he said. “But Iraq is not about that; it is much more rich and civilized in the broadest sense of the term.” It is wrong to blame people with misconceptions because they have often only seen Iraq through the military lens, Sumaida’ie said. Iraq has been in trouble, and that is not a misconception, but it should not be the only view and Iraq is growing out of its difficulties, he said. Iraq has been called the “cradle of civilization” and has always had a very elaborate structure of social behavior, Sumaida’ie said. The
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said. “I think it’s very easy if it hasn’t happened to you to say, ‘oh there’s no need for this center.’ I can tell you there’s a need for this center here.” The center would also ideally provide a resource library and advocacy for female professors in ensuring equal consideration for tenure, according to Mueller. Mueller said that she, personally, had begun to set aside $100 from each of her paychecks for the Women’s Resource Center. “I’ve put [the money] in a fund,” Mueller said. “... And it will stay there until I have something to donate it to ... I think that there are very few students and very few groups who have been so dedicated to one single thing for so long on this campus. And when it comes true I will happily earmark this money over to the center.” Current SG President Andy MacCracken also spoke in favor of the WRC. “Women’s resource centers have been introduced on campuses across the country,” MacCracken said. “We’re actually pretty far behind on that curve ... You look at the data, and it’s very clear that women have some issues that tend to gravitate towards that gender ... a women’s resource center would aim to address those needs by creating a place to go
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and learn from most are never from when they are being tested, she said. Otto also said she was frustrated with the fact that teachers have to constantly struggle to communicate with the DCPS administration. “We’re being told that things are happening, that they are making real changes, but that’s not what I see every day,” Otto said. “As a teacher, I feel like I’m screaming into the wind. There’s no one listening and I’m close to giving up.” Stephanie Williams, the critical response team leader for Rhee, disagreed with Otto and said standardized testing helps schools understand how students are progressing. “I don’t think standardized tests are the end-all, be-all of assessing students,” Williams said. “But there needs to be some mea-
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of creating the TKE colony was convincing other fraternities they wouldn’t impede upon their own success, according to Lim. “[Some brothers may feel] n
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Equivalencies” undergraduate advising document. Once students have submitted their scores, the exams are forwarded to their corresponding departments for review, Wyatt said. The department faculty members then decide if the test was rigorous enough to prove the students have a firm handle on the material, thus exempting them from taking the course. “It takes motivation and focus to prepare for a CLEP exam. Many students would prefer not to take an examination without formal instruction,” Executive Director of CLEP Ariel Foster
country’s long and detailed history is unrivaled by many other countries, he said. “Some people say in America, 100 years is a long time and in Europe, 100 miles is a long way but in Iraq neither is true,” he said. Sumaida’ie told the story of a statue of a Sumerian king he has in his office to explain politics in Iraq. There are inscriptions on the front and back of the statue. On the front are positive inscriptions and words to the gods and on the back are warnings and dire messages. When the statue stood in a temple, people would only be able to see the back of the statue. He related it to politics, explaining that politicians often speak one way to some people and another way to others. Some people are given the positive encouraging words while others are simply warned and berated. “The total picture [of Iraq] is of a very sophisticated and complex society layered with thoughts and ideas,” he said. Sumaida’ie said that despite having gone through very difficult times. Iraq is not the subtotal of its history but merely an aberration. Iraqis have a vast knowledge of their country’s history, and their pride in Iraq is very strong. “Ask any Iraqi, and you will find that he or she is the bearer of this torch which has been alight for thousands and thousands of
years,” he said. Even though hard times have arisen for Iraq, they have been overcome, Sumaida’ie said. Through that, Iraq has the ability to be open to the world and serve as a pioneer in terms of human thought and culture, he said. Saddam Hussein had been a main contributor in the turmoil of the country, Sumaida’ie said. “During Saddam, everything regressed,” he said. However, The future of Iraq is looking bright, according to Sumaida’ie. “I’m an optimistic person,” he said. “We are going through a really tough time; we are overburdened by problems created by Saddam, but despite that there is a resiliency in Iraq that is unmatched. I see Iraq in five years way ahead of where it is now. Far on the way to recovery and reconstruction.” In order to achieve that goal, several factors are needed, including banishing the extremists and continuing to receive help from friends, Sumaida’ie said. “America must not abandon us now,” he said. “Americans are helping us recover.” While some Iraqis view Americans with mixed feelings, it is only because their views of the United States have been learned the same way Americans have learned of Iraq. They, too, have seen the United States through the military
scope, and thus many shape their opinions from that aspect. In an exclusive interview with The Eagle after the event, Sumaida’ie discussed the recent approved vote in Iraq and the similarities between college students in the United States and Iraq. Sumaida’ie wants college students from the U.S. to learn about Iraq and to understand how much historical information about Iraq is clouded because of the conflict. “Iraq is a multi-faced society,” he said. “It should not be thought of in unidimensional terms. It is a very rich country in every sense.” In order to help U.S. students bridge the gap with students in Iraq, Sumaida’ie said that “the common ground can be summed up in one word: curiosity.” In terms of the recent approval for a national vote, Sumaida’ie commented that the road is now paved for the elections to take place in peace and harmony. “This means a lot for Iraq and for the U.S.” he said. According to Sumaida’ie, it means that for Iraqis there is no longer a worry about breaching the constitution and for Americans, there is now a greater chance for withdrawal of troops taking place on time.
[for those needs].”
room there’s a label that says if you’ve been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed you can call a certain number, you can call Public Safety, you can call your boss, you can call the Counseling Center ... Overall, I just don’t think it’s necessary, and I think it’s a waste of funding.”
students often feel uncomfortable reporting sexual assault and other issues to the Student Health Center or Counseling Center and that the WRC would offer a “safe place for students to come for information and referrals.” It then addresses the fact that under the Cleary Act, AU reported only one sexual assault in the 2005-2006 school year, going on to say that student interest in such events as the Take Back the Night campaign demonstrate an ongoing desire to “address those sexual assaults that do not occur on campus or occur on other university campuses” outside the limits of the Cleary Act. The voting to include funding for the WRC in the fiscal year 20102011 budget passed in 2008, according to MacCracken. “That all happened before my term started,” MacCracken said. “My job now, as I see it, is to identify a space [for the WRC] and make sure that there’s follow-through and not just that it gets done, but that it gets done in the right way.” Mueller said that funding for the center would take effect in May 2010 and that she hoped the facility would be ready for students next fall.
THOSE OPPOSED Robert Ruszczyk, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, said he would not support the creation of a women’s resource center as it is currently proposed. “Mostly, it’s because from what I’ve seen the people who are setting up the WRC are aiming for it to be only a women’s resource center,” Ruszczyk said. “It’s not opened up to the general student body, and the amount of money that is being spent on it can be spent elsewhere.” Though the voices of the opposition exist on campus, the movement against the WRC is largely fragmented in comparison with the consolidated voice of the WI. Ruszczyk attributed the lack of organization to fear of being mislabeled by opponents. “If we organize against it, we’re labeled sexist and chauvinistic when we’re really not,” Ruszczyk said. Zach Lancet, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said he felt the WRC would not offer anything new to students at AU. “We already have a lot of resource centers all around campus, and it seems like we’re just throwing money at these problems, not even defining what is actually going to go on there,” Lancet said. “In every bath-
HOW IT HAPPENED Former SG President Joseph F. Vidulich, Mueller and former SG Chief of Staff Joseph Pavel first put forth a formal proposal for the women’s center in September 2007. This proposal cites the goals of the center as services and programming that fall under the four categories of “Support, Empowerment, Education and Advocacy.” It references three-pages worth of other institutions with similar centers, including two Patriot League institutions. The proposal also relates the creation of a women’s center to the mission statement of the Office of Campus Life. The proposal listed a few reasons why the resource center was necessary. First, it suggests that the wellattended programming put on by WI in the past could be further improved “if there were university-employed professionals who could focus exclusively on these tasks.” Next, it highlights the interest in a center demonstrated previously by both students and faculty. It then says that
You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this staff writer at sparnass@theeagleonline.com.
sure of accountability and some way of proving that the kids are learning.” Some members of the panel argued that D.C. schools are actually on an upswing and that the D.C. public school administration is doing a lot to help students. Williams praised the chancellor’s establishment of an Office of Youth Engagement. This office has a number of programs such as the Incarceration Program, which helps young adults recently released from prison transition back to school life, Williams said. Panelist Sean Peterson, a former DCPS teacher who is currently an adjunct professor at AU, supported Williams’ positive outlook for D.C. schools by pointing out the improving conditions in some aspects of D.C. schools. There were over 300 suspensions in D.C. public middle schools last year, but only 75 suspensions this year, Peterson said. The panel also discussed where
blame should lie for the current state of the D.C. public school system. Peterson said the extra work placed on D.C. teachers to compensate for the failing school system is unfair. However, he said teachers should continue to have high expectations for their students and for themselves as teachers. Williams did say DCPS teachers are not being paid enough for the extra effort they have to make in struggling schools but that having to do extra work is to be expected and is part of any profession. Pearlstein put blame directly on the DCPS administration. He argued that “the farther away a person gets from the students, the more they get paid.” He also said the D.C. public school administration needs to do more to understand students on a personal level. Peerry Ferrara, a freshman in the School of Communication,
said that while she enjoyed the panel, she felt that more could have been said about the black community. “There really wasn’t a discussion about black issues, like where we come from, where we are today and how this ties into D.C. public schools,” Ferrara said. In D.C., 79 percent of students in public school are black. She also said she felt that Williams and Peterson were not qualified enough to speak about the struggles of DCPS students. “They seem to come from this big bureaucracy — they wore suits and had facts but they didn’t really seem to have a good grasp of what is going on for D.C. public school students,” Ferrara said. Black Student Alliance, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority hosted the panel.
threatened — it’s going to decrease membership, it’s already hard enough to get members — but factually, if you add Greek life to a campus, it spurs growth,” he said.
However, totally eliminating greek rivalry is probably an impossible undertaking. “At some level, there is going to be friendly competition, and that’s just because you believe you’re a
part of an organization, and you like to believe that it’s the best,” Lim said.
said. “In short, they are ‘not for everyone.’” CLEP was established in 1967, according to Foster, and despite any financial and logistical benefits the exams may offer students, they are not well known among the AU student body. Questions about CLEP exams almost never reach Wyatt. “As long as I’ve been in this office, I’ve never gotten any articulation about a CLEP exam,” she said. In addition to testing students, College Board offers free CLEP exams to Active Duty and Reserve military personnel. Military veterans may also seek reimbursement from exam fees,
according to the College Board Web site. The exam also appeals to working adults who want to obtain a degree, international students who wish to demonstrate their knowledge overseas and people changing careers. Kristianna George, a freshman in the Kogod School of Business, said she is not familiar with the CLEP exams and would have been interested in taking them in order to save money. “I’ve heard about them, but I don’t really know what they are and I’ve never taken them,” she said. Kelsey Cadden, a sophomore in the School of International Service and the School of Public
Affairs, said she had heard of getting course credits for Advanced Placement and SAT II examinations, but never for CLEP. However, she said if she had known about them, she might have tried taking one for physics, a class she currently enrolled in but also took in high school. “I think AU students like to take classes for their major instead of [general education courses] which have nothing to do with what they’re studying,” Cadden said.
You can reach this staff writer at jryan@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this staff writer at srudnick@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this staff writer at srudnick@theeagleonline.com.
NOVEMBER 12, 2009
THE EAGLE'S ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION
Fiasco gives ‘people’ voice at GWU By OLIVIA HARRINGTON Eagle Contributing Writer A spotlight cascades upon the stage revealing a single figure in its wake. A hush falls on the crowd as the man brings the microphone to his pursed lips. “If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people, they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow ... I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail. We’ve been in jail for 400 years.” The words fall heavy onto a room in captivated silence. The figure steps back, removes the cap shielding his eyes, to reveal what isn’t the 6-foot-4 1966 Heavy Weight Champion. Instead it’s 5’8” Lupe Fiasco dawning thickrimmed black glasses and a plaid brown shirt. But as the words of Muhammad Ali resonate throughout the room, it is clear that history isn’t just being heard, but made. As Fiasco exited the stage he was met by a roar of applause from the over 200 students who had crammed into George Washington University’s Jack Morton Auditorium to watch history come to life. This wasn’t the rapper and three-time Grammy nominee’s typical concert tour. Instead, Nov. 9 marked the second stop on the College Tour to promote the new film “The People Speak,” in which he co-stars. Along with filmmaker Chris Moore, Fiasco sought to endorse a film that takes a unique look at the intersection of America’s past, present and future. “The People Speak” is a documentary featuring readings of historical documents, letters and diaries of those both famous and forgotten whose actions shaped the face of the nation. From the letters of Eugene Debbs or the speeches made by Malcolm X, to the haunting lyrics of Billie Holiday or the angry pleas of Cindy Sheehan
— these stories and many more are reawakened through performances by celebrities like Matt Damon, Marisa Tomei, Bob Dylan, Morgan Freeman and numerous others, including Fiasco’s performance of Ali’s speech. The film was inspired by historian and executive producer Howard Zinn’s book, “A People’s History of the United States.” A response to the self-proclaimed classically onesided presentation of American history, Zinn sought to provide a narrative for voices often marginalized and ignored. Since its release in 1980, the book has sold over one million copies and spawned a collection of photographic essays, a graphic novel and a textual version adopted for younger readers. Wellknown throughout the academic world, Zinn, a professor himself, has found his book appearing on syllabi across the nation. However, Zinn’s constant support for the importance of dissent has certainly made him and his writings the target for its undertaking. The organization Accuracy in Media called “A People’s History” a “hate-America book,” while Rick Shenkman stated that Zinn’s ideas made him a “danger” to the American people. The film could not escape unscathed from such controversy, something Moore addresses quite openly. Yet, while the film faced hesitant and precarious sponsors, it was not the absence of support that most challenged Moore, but rather the absence of explanation. “One of the saddest things is that people don’t talk about the things they care about because they are afraid it will offend someone,” Moore said. “Political correctness has taken over the situation ... The thing that is dangerous and insidious about this is that you can’t fight it if they don’t say it.” Yet, any fear of censorship befalling the night’s event was dispelled within the first few minutes.
OLIVIA HARRINGTON / THE EAGLE
SPEAK OUT — On Nov. 9, Lupe Fiasco joined executive producer Chris Moore and author and producer Howard Zinn to discuss a new documentary, “The People Speak.” The film, which will air Dec. 13 on the History Channel, features footage of readings by Americans who shaped America. When questions arose about a possible liberal bias throughout the film, Fiasco calmly raised his hand and said, “I don’t support Obama.” It would not be the last comment to stir emotion within the audience. Fiasco further explained, “The biggest budget is the defense budget, the military budget. The biggest budget we have isn’t the life budget. It’s the death budget — which I just
can’t agree with.” As the night wore on, the event continued to manifest the film’s tagline, “Democracy is not a spectator sport,” by involving and even challenging members of the audience. “Is there a problem?” Fiasco asked a student. “Yes? What are you doing about it?” Moore, while vowing to help youth empowerment, reverberated the same call
‘Radio’ glorifies rock in UK By ALLIE MEYER Eagle Contributing Writer
PIRATE RADIO
A
When Richard Curtis’ newest film “Pirate Radio” opens, the music has already begun, and one is immediately catapulted back to 1966, right in the middle of one of the most historically mind-blowing decades of rock ‘n’ roll. In this ensemble comedy, an eclectic group of deejays of every age and size inhabit Radio Rock, a pirate radio ship docked just outside British jurisdiction in the North Sea, broadcasting rock ‘n’ roll all day and night. Based on the true story of pirate radio and the insuppressible love between people and pop music, “Pirate Radio” makes quite an impact. Accompanying the crew of disk jockeys is Felicity (Katherine Parkinson), an openly-gay cook, Quentin (Bill Nighy) the station owner and ship captain whose godson Carl (Tom Sturridge) has recently come aboard the ship. In the same vein as “Almost Famous,” Carl is surrounded by sex, drugs and life-changing music, and his coming-of-age story is a main plot point throughout the film. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays The Count, the only American aboard the ship and most renowned DJ until Gavin (Rhys Ifans), a sexy, drugged-up British version of him, comes back to reclaim his title. Other DJs include Simon (Chris O’Dowd), a lovelorn man with a huge heart, Angus (Rhys Darby), a native from New Zealand whose insecurities and inability to swim make him a ridiculous character and Mark (Tom Wisdom), who rarely speaks yet is wildly adored by all the female fans. “I wanted to get that sense of several megalomaniacs living together in one flat — like if you took Leno and Letterman and Conan and made them live and eat and do everything together,” Curtis, also the writer of “Notting Hill,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Love Actually,” said in an interview with The Eagle. The sense of community the audience sees in the movie may have been purely acting at first, but by
for individual action. “What is the last thing anyone in this room did where in their mind they were like, ‘I’m not going to accomplish this in my lifetime? This thing isn’t going to be fixed while I’m alive, yet I’m still going to get arrested today because someday someone will [benefit].’” “The People Speak” will air Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. on the History Chan-
ISTANBUL, TURKEY By WILLIAM F. ZEMAN Eagle Staff Writer
Courtesy of ALEX BAILEY
the end of the filming of the movie, Curtis said it had become quite real. “It was a really interesting dynamic,” he said. “Tom [Sturridge] said coming onto the boat [in real life] was similar to his role in the movie.” Due to the musical nature of the film, there is rarely a break from the onslaught of songs, but the lineup of new and old classics makes one wish for even more. Cream, Duffy, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys and The Supremes are only a couple of the bands that made the cut for the movie. The movie embodies the ‘60s as a whole, serving as a reminder of how music of that time period has influenced culture today. “If there’s a motto for the movie it would be ‘God gave pop music to you,’” Curtis said. The importance of music is also illustrated by The Count when he declares, “All over the world, young men and young women will always dream dreams and put those dreams into song.”
The movie rotates between shots of those on Radio Rock to clips of people in Britain who adore the music. From young kids who slip the radio under their pillows at night to older couples sitting together over dinner and listening, each has a connection to the music and the truly unique disk jockeys. Pirate Radio reached over 25 million people during its run, which was about half the British population. There is always trouble in paradise, however, and as the crew of Radio Rock enjoy the “best days of their lives,” the government minister Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh) and his sidekick Twatt (Jack Davenport) are busy looking for a way to shut down the station. Though their attempts are often thwarted, they add another comedic element to the film. Whether it is schoolgirls dancing on their beds to The Kinks or the group of ladies convening in the parlor and listening to The Box Tops, the theme of music bringing people together is inescapable
in “Pirate Radio.” Curtis explained that this is juxtaposed against today’s culture where everyone has their headphones in and pop music has become much more private. “People make playlists for themselves now,” he said. “They don’t listen to albums with their friends. The only time people are really hearing music [in groups] is when they watch movies. Festivals are becoming more popular now [which is reminiscent of] that excitement of sharing music on a huge scale.” This movie is for people who want a good laugh, people who love rock ‘n’ roll, people who want to fall in love with crazy characters, people who want a good cry, people who love to see stories of rebellion, people who want to reminisce and so many more. “I hope this movie makes people feel great,” Curtis said. “Pirate Radio” opens in theaters everywhere Nov. 13. You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
In Istanbul, studies of the past are history CROSS-CULTURAL DISPATCH
MUSIC PIRATES — Bill Nighy and Emma Thompson (above) are among the all-star cast of “Pirate Radio,” coming to theaters Nov. 13. The movie follows the lives of DJs who broadcast music from a boat just off British water-
nel, but this isn’t a case of tuning in and tuning out. “You have a voice,” Fiasco said. “This is it, this is your history. And it goes beyond history. History is a limited title, because it’s right now. History is being made in this moment.”
These thoughts haven’t raced through my head since grade school. I know this one. Come on — I just learned this. It’s on the tip of my tongue. Why can’t I remember? I glance around the classroom. The Turkish students seem used to this. One’s muttering a mnemonic. Another’s writing, then erasing, then writing again, wearing through his test sheet with each pencil swipe. My eyes catch with Cassie — one of the few other Americans studying at Koç Üniversitisi in Istanbul. Her face shows the same desperate confusion as mine. “What the F?” she mouths. “Dates?” For a moment, we share a panicked unity. Then she turns her glance back to her paper. The professor paces by, checking on us like Mrs. Snyder would in second grade. I lower my gaze back to my paper, returning my thoughts to Justinian. Or, more accurately, to his death. My problem? I don’t remember what year that was. I could write a whole essay about Justinian the Great. I could discuss his myriad accomplishments. He rebuilt Constantinople after the Nika Riots burned the city down. He constructed the Hagia Sofia (Greek for “Church of Holy Wisdom”) and topped it with Christendom’s largest dome. He tried to
rebuild Rome’s Empire, his soldiers even marching on Rome itself. I could put a whole discourse together just on Justinian’s death. It ended what historians call “The Early Byzantine Period” or, as it’s more romantically known, “The Golden Age of Byzantium.” Scholarly debate still rages over why the Empire began its decline after Justinian’s death. Some historians say the Empire became too reliant on autocratic leadership, and that Justinian’s nephew, Justin II, couldn’t pick up the reigns. Others point to the huge debts Justinian racked up expanding the Empire, enlarging the army, and building things like the Hagia Sofia. In other words, I know who Justinian is. I can explain why he matters. In an AU history exam, I’d be halfway through my blue book. But there’s no blue book on my desk. There’s a single paper, with a single blank spot, and the professor’s admonishment to use “dates.” She’s even underlined the word. Twice. I know this one. Is it 563? 623? It’s definitely after 500 — he hasn’t taken the throne yet. And 650? The Hagia Sofia’s older than that, isn’t it? I’m getting closer. I know this one. But I don’t. I grimace, scrawling my answer: “Justinian’s Death: c. 600” A fine ballpark figure for a firstdraft essay. But for this test? It’s not going to suffice. I mentally subtract two points from my possible score and move on. A few days after my Istanbul history brain-freeze (and after I’ve Googled Justinian’s death — it’s 565, by the way) I have lunch with Hilal Eryilmaz, a chemistry student at Koç, as well as one of the school’s few scholarship students. Eryilmaz has never understood why I study history. When we first met, I tried to explain history’s allure. The study of man’s inherent drama, the understanding of why things are the way they are — I told n
see HISTORY on page 6
the EAGLE
NOVEMBER 12, 2009
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Millan ‘stars’ in her new solo project Indie singer goes folk on latest album By KATRINA CASINO Eagle Staff Writer Amy Millan doesn’t want to disappoint you — she said so herself. The singer, best known for her work with Canadian indie powerhouses Stars and Broken Social Scene, wrapped up her fall tour right here in the District when she took her ethereal country-folk act to DC 9 this past Sunday, Nov. 8. Touring to promote her latest release, “Masters Of The Burial,” Millan hopes that fans expecting more of the same dreamy indie pop will be receptive to her solo sound. Although long-time listeners of Stars and Broken Social Scene may be inclined to believe that Millan is taking her work in a new and unexpected direction, the songstress is unsurprised by her path. “I didn’t grow up in the world of pop music,” Millan explained in an interview with The Eagle. “I grew up playing guitar in a room full of guys with guitars and banjos. It’s not hard, it’s just how I write music by myself.” Crediting ‘90s alterna-folk sensation Beck with inspiring her to bring country to the mainstream, Millan succeeded in pleasing her
Courtesy of NORMAN WONG
FLYING SOLO — Indie rock sensation Amy Millan takes her sound in a new direction with her solo project’s second release “Masters of the Burial.” Although she is best known for her work in Montreal-based band Stars, Millan’s solo work marks a return to her country folk roots.
fans. Playing to a packed bar, she quietly serenaded the crowd with an arsenal of love songs. Before kicking off her 15-song set, she admitted to the audience, “I’m a lucky girl, I don’t know why I sing such sad songs.” It’s that sadness that separates Millan from other acts. Talented as she and her band may be — and that is, indeed, absurdly talented — one can only get so far with complicated fingerpicking and mournful slide guitars. For this act, it’s about the depth of feeling behind her lyrics. Millan’s signature soft vocals have a lovely, dream-like quality to them — sweet without being saccharine. The intent behind her words is clear: it’s a true belief in love. When asked for her answer to those critics who claim the love song is dead, Millan responded, “Go to Ireland.” “They don’t care if it’s something they’ve seen before, as long as it’s genuine and from the heart. It only creates love, and love is going to save everyone,” she said. And when she said love, she of course meant the country-folk kind of love — the kind that’s about whiskey, home and heartbreak. Wrapping her words in two-part harmonies, Millan and her band, consisting variably of acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, stand-up bass and trombone, stayed true to their roots with “Ruby Ii,” a song whose lyrics include “Got lips like an ocean and skin like the rain/Whole lot of whiskey and wine and propane.”
Millan’s lyrics are consistently heavy with metaphors and are rescued from kitschiness by the
“Millan’s signature soft vocals have a lovely, dream-like quality to them — she’s sweet without being saccharine.” genuineness of her demeanor. Millan engaged in charming rambling and interaction with the audience between each song. From enlightening the audience to her life’s philosophy (“The only reason it’s okay to die is because today, we’re alive”) to expressing her desire to give every member of the audience a kiss to granting forgiveness and understanding to Monica Lewinsky, Millan formed a tight bond with her audience, even admitting that they all seemed like family. Other highlights from the set included “Skinny Boy” and “Run for Me.” The former was a stirring change of pace from the lolling country Millan and her band produced for most of the night. With an almost-blaring bass line and rousing acoustic strumming, “Skinny Boy” showed off Millan’s
bolder side, allowing her to explore the stronger places within her voice. “Run for Me” featured a cleanly distorted electric guitar whose heaviness contrasted amiably with the fragility of Millan’s voice. “I started playing cover songs because I wanted to sing them every night,” Millan said in regards to her choice to cover Jenny Whiteley’s “Baby” and the Death Cab for Cutie classic “I Will Follow You Into the Dark.” She continued, “I wanted to lose myself in their melodies.” Although she also joked about passing other artists’ songs off as her own, Millan infused her style so strongly upon the songs that even the Death Cab tune seemed her own under the twangy, upbeat manner with which she played it. “Be nice to yourselves, be soft on yourselves,” Millan counseled the audience before launching into the last song of her encore, “Bury This.” Sorry to leave such an affectionately attentive audience but grateful to be temporarily rid of the woes of touring, Millan proved herself an artist with true heart. “I’m just trying to make people feel things and feel not alone,” she said. You can reach this staff writer at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.
The Week in Fun: Know Your City MON 12
TUES 13 THU 27
WED 14
THURS 15
FRI 16
SAT 17
Dance: Step Afrika 8 p.m. WHERE: Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, University Boulevard and Stadium Drive METRO: College Park- UMD (green line) INFO: The high-energy, percussive dance group performs an anniversary program featuring some of the company’s most celebrated works. COST: $37 CONTACT: For more information, call the Performing Arts Center at 301-405-2787.
Slumberland Records 20th Anniversary Party 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. N.W. METRO: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (yellow and green lines) INFO: The influential, original indiepop label originally based in D.C. celebrates 20 years in business. Featuring performances by the Crystal Stilts, Brown Recluse the Ropers and many others. COST: $15 CONTACT: For more information, call the Black Cat at 202-667-4490.
Artist Event: Bastani and Branding 6-9 p.m. WHERE: The Fridge, 516 Eighth St. S.E. METRO: Eastern Market (orange and blue lines) INFO: Pooneh Maghazehe, one of the artists on display for the exhibit “I RAN Home (In America),” shows the process of creating her unique art (which consists of branding meat) and offers up Persian ice cream. COST: $5 CONTACT: For more information, call The Fridge at 202-664-4151.
Poetry Event: Sunday Kind of Love 4 p.m. WHERE: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. N.W. METRO: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (yellow and green lines) INFO: Tara Betts and Luis Alberto Ambroggio present their poetry through translator Yvette Neisser Moreno. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call Busboys and Poets at 202-3877638.
Music: All-American Rejects 8 p.m. WHERE: George Mason University Patriot Center, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Va. METRO: Vienna-Fairfax/GMU (orange line) INFO: The pop-punk band performs at the Patriot Center with Taking Back Sunday. COST: $35 CONTACT: For more information, call the box office at 202-397-7328.
Exhibit: Sound Kapital- Beijing’s Music Underground 11 a.m.-6 p.m. WHERE: Govinda Gallery, 1227 34th St. N.W. METRO: 36 Bus from Friendship Heights (red line) INFO: Matthew Niederhauser presents photos of the burgeoning alternative music scene in China. COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call the Govinda Gallery at 202333-1180.
Coming out captured in theaters THROUGH THE LENS
DONNY T. SHELDON Next to terrorism, swine flu and our economic recession, nothing terrifies the average American more than some dude-on-dude action. Next week, two films — one, a big studio stint and the other, a low-budget indie — that cannon-balled into the shallow pool of gay film will be released on DVD. Director Lynn Shelton’s “Humpday” chronicles the tumultuous reunion of college buds Ben and Andrew after a decade of sporadic contact. Ben has settled down in a quiet neighborhood in Seattle., with his wife Anna, while Andrew has maintained his bad-boy persona, gallivanting around the globe working on art projects. When the two reunite they revert back to their old macho competitions, which leads to a drunken pledge to shoot an amateur porn film together for a local erotic art festival. It’s vague as to whether either man has feelings for the other, but “Humpday” boldly posits the question that would make most heterosexual men squirm: is sex yet another com-
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from HISTORY on page 5
her I found these things fascinating. I couldn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t study history. “That stuff is interesting,” she said. “But I don’t like remembering dates.” At the time, I found the response incomprehensible. History was no longer about dates, I said. It was about social movements, understanding the development and impulses of man. The dates — even a lot of the names — were, by definition, trivial. Now, with my first Koç history
petition men secretly yearn for in their friendships with other men? “Humpday” doesn’t seek to answer this question, but slingshots it in the viewer’s face, daring you to consider all the questions that stem from whatever answer you come up with. The film’s most poignant moment arrives the night before the shoot when Ben tells Andrew about a sexual attraction he had to a video store clerk. The revelation is tender and awkward, leading Andrew to suspect Ben might have a little thing for dudes after all. These fleeting moments of tension break an inordinate amount of ground in the realm of contemporary buddy, bromantic comedy, for Shelton erects an atmosphere for straight men to discuss the deeply taboo topic of the gay crush. When it came time to shoot the porn film in a sterile, humdrum hotel room, it didn’t matter to me if Andrew and Ben honored the dare. It mattered, though, to a couple behind me, who left midway through the film with a disgruntled, “Well, if they’re not gonna do it, whatever!” I then realized why a lot of these people saw “Humpday” to begin with: to watch two straight dudes bone. To those looking for heterosexual men getting down, I suggest you search the Internet, because it does not happen here in “Humpday,” save for a klutzy kiss. The power of the film ironically resides in this resilience
to showcasing graphic sex, which is almost an afterthought compared to the expansive homoerotic subtext at work. “Humpday” fearlessly opens a can of worms that society has sealed shut for decades. I wouldn’t say that the film answers or resolves anything, but it audaciously shoves them to the cinematic forefront for future films to tackle, including the controversial comedy “Brüno.” I never thought that I’d label Sacha Baron Cohen, the English actor/comedian of “Borat” fame, a gay rights activist. Yet, after his latest laugh riot, “Brüno,” it’s difficult to do otherwise. I wouldn’t exactly put him on a pedestal anywhere near Harvey Milk, but in terms of cinematic trailblazers, his gusto is unparalleled. In the film, Baron Cohen stars as the titular character Brüno, a flamboyant Austrian fashionista who moves to America and ventures on a series of self-reinvention projects to tame his unabashed personality — his homosexuality, in particular. Each adventure, albeit hilarious, exposes the shoddy foundation of society’s artificial tolerance toward gays. Baron Cohen reveals a disturbing vision that suggests a great discrepancy between how liberal Americans how describe themselves and which attitudes they actually exhibit. “Brüno” takes off where “Humpday” left off by turning the tension dial up
to unimaginable extents, from being knighted “queer” by Ron Paul after a botched attempt at making a sex tape to trotting around a Westboro “God Hates Fags” Baptist Church picketing with his lover in BSDM garb — leash and all. The key to unlocking the social implications of the film is discovering what makes you uncomfortable; Brüno gives you plenty of options. Fisting? Anal bleaching? Google with caution, but pick your poison. Baron Cohen exploits the viewer’s anxieties regarding gay sex in such a scathingly provocative manner that I can’t consider him anything but courageous. During the film, I witnessed disgusted patrons exiting the theater, especially after a scene involving anal sex and champagne bottles. As I watched these visibly uncomfortable people flee the theater, I wondered if they would’ve left equally raunchy — yet straight — cinematic fare like “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” or “The Hangover.” I’d wager they wouldn’t. Through unapologetically vulgar means, Baron Cohen unearths mainstream audiences’ fears of gay culture and questions just how tolerant you are. You may not like what Baron Cohen’s madhouse mirror reflects, but that’s not his problem. It’s yours.
test behind me, Eyilmaz is reminding me that, in Turkey, history is still very much about dates. “In Turkey, history classes ... are just facts,” she said. “If you want to think logically, critically ... that’s what calculus classes are for. Or science classes.” Eyilmaz tells me that at universities like Koç, the intellectuals of academia — the critical thinkers, the brightest and best — aren’t studying the Humanities. Here, she says, they’re studying chemistry, biology, engineering or
(I shudder) math. However annoying this may be for me, it makes sense. Turkey is still a growing country. Its economy is still developing, its financial skyscrapers still being built. When John Adams was visiting the French Court during the Revolution, he was criticized for being unable to intellectually discuss the “finer things” like music and art. He responded: “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My
sons ought to study ... navigation, commerce and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music ... and porcelain.” Intellectual study of history is in the second of those categories — maybe even the third. But math and science? Those are the things Turkey is learning now. No wonder that’s where the thinking students have flocked.
“THE SEQUEL IMPROVES ON EVERYTHING THAT MADE THE FIRST FILM GREAT.” - Ryan McLelland, AINTITCOOLNEWS
“TERRIFIC ACTION & WITTY! SLY PERFORMANCES BY ALL.” - Jeffrey Lyons, KNBC (LA)/“LYONS DEN” RADIO
You can reach this columnist at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
You can reach this columnist at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS OR THEBOONDOCKSAINTSII.COM FOR THEATER LOCATIONS
the EAGLE
NOVEMBER 12, 2009
Giraldo’s humor only worth time on YouTube By NATALIE KIRKPATRICK Eagle Staff Writer MIDLIFE VICES
Play shows ‘heart’ of war in Vietnam By NATALIE KIRKPATRICK
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If Comedy Central-affiliated comedian Greg Giraldo was aiming to offend every demographic possible, he has done so in his recent comedy CD “Midlife Vices.” Just rolling through his track list is an introduction to those he plans to attack, including fat kids, people who are homeless, old, female, Chinese, handicapped, gay, asthmatic or Puerto Rican — emphasis on the female. Newly-divorced former drug addict Giraldo indulges in a number of slightly (yes, slightly) humorous tirades in his June 2009 New York City Union Square Theater performance. According to Giraldo’s Web site, he has previously done work on Comedy Central’s “Root of All Evil” and “The Gong Show” in addition to appearing on multiple “Comedy Central” celebrity roasts. Maybe Giraldo should stick to that type of late night comedy — bringing his type of humor out in the light of day is just flat out distasteful. Recording his performance in NYC lent itself to the introductory section on jokes for New Yorkers, because in New York, there are parades nearly every weekend in the summer, creating traffic jams throughout the city. Giraldo’s choice of focus was the Puerto Rican Day Parade, which he claims offered empowering messages to women like, “You’re never too fat to wear a tube top.” The snippets that are appropriate enough to be repeated to friends without being pummeled for offending mass groups of people aren’t worth the time spent on the whole disc. Giraldo touches on a lot of recently controversial subjects such as stem cell research, the economy, athletes and steroids and gay marriage. He discussed homosexuality and how he doesn’t believe it’s a choice, just as his attraction to women isn’t a choice. “I don’t choose it,” Giraldo says on the CD. “I happen to be attracted to women. It sucks, but I don’t choose it. Every 10 years or so I have to give all of my shit away and start from scratch,” he said, referring to his divorce. Giraldo’s bits are amusing if one enjoys laughing at others’ expense, but
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Eagle Staff Writer
Courtesy of FRANK MICELOTTO
ON THE FENCE — Though several tracks on Comedy Central’s Greg Giraldo show that he is capable of being truly funny, the joker seems torn between good, inoffensive humor and distasteful jokes. not funny enough to spawn audible laughter — unless discussing which animals would be fun to have sex with forces you to laugh (Koalas? Kangaroos? Let’s talk about it for three minutes in great depth — Giraldo does). His bit on the female anatomy is revolting. When he describes his thoughts the first time he saw a nude woman, it makes one want to shut off the disc. Though that part is contained in the first half of Giraldo’s set and the second half of his performance proved to be better than the first, it still does not warrant the purchase of the entire CD. Some of Giraldo’s comedy is somewhat entertaining, specifically a track entitled “Texting/Technology/Wall Punching,” which almost produces audible laughter when he grapples with new rainwater windshield sensor technology in cars. Apparently we’re
too lazy to twist the windshield wiper stick, but we can still text and drive. This routine is worth a listen — but just find it on YouTube. Giraldo proves that he is capable of clean, inoffensive humor when he finds a Jamaican man asleep in the dead center of his audience in the middle of his performance. He then mocks the man and tells a funny anecdote from his trips to Jamaica. It’s the kind of humor one can get from sarcastic friends after a family vacation. Though some of Giraldo’s material is funny, don’t waste time or money picking up this CD. Finding the best of his skits on YouTube or searching blogs for his highest-rated routines is a better option — it’s just not worth the purchase. You can reach this staff writer at thescene@theagleonline.com.
The American Century Theater’s performance of Shirley Lauro’s “A Piece of My Heart” exposes the human story that is typically left unexplored when telling the war element of Vietnam. Seven outstanding actors portray the truth about life in Vietnam, as depicted in oral histories told by 26 out of approximately 1,500 American women who recounted their experiences as civilian humanitarians, nurses and entertainers in Southeast Asia, in a play compiled by Keith Walker. Crafting plays about war can be quite difficult, as political biases are hard to ignore and keeping with the facts can be difficult. “A Piece of My Heart” tells the truth about these women’s experiences in Vietnam and their return to the United States, showing the good, the bad and the ugly. “A Piece of My Heart” highlights the real lives of women in Vietnam and not just the glory of volunteering. Vietnam is a war that society doesn’t want to talk about and the play does a good job of showing both the positive and negative aspects of the war while avoiding a political stance. Overall, the play educates. Stories from Holocaust survivors of World War II and experi-
ences of slaves in the Civil War have been heard, but the stories of women who volunteered in Vietnam are ones shockingly untold until now. While all seven actors in “A Piece Of My Heart” had individual story lines, the other six acted as the outside characters in the others’ stories; no one character was stagnant or uninvolved throughout the play. The characters were aware of each others’ storylines and contributed to the personal connection in their histories. When one was in tears or in outrage, the others looked on and interacted, not maintaining their independent character. All actors had the unbelievable ability to change the inflection in their voice, the way they carried themselves and even break out into song. These performers are not just actors; they are talented singers, role players and dancers. The play was certainly not a comedy, but the hypocrisy of reality versus impressions led equally to laughter, tears and outrage. One character remembers when she was told to buy nice bras and panties because once she got to Vietnam trudging around in the dirt, she would forget what sex she was. The beginning of the play shows the eagerness of the women to help others, as well as their thoughts on Vietnam, up through the installation of the Vietnam Memorial and
the war’s aftermath. The set, props and costume changes are all scarce and the costume changes are minimal, yet they offer a maximum output. The effect of using simple camouflage green and blood red are astoundingly powerful. Music was used as a transition with careful attention to content and context. Mary Jo, a southern performer who was sent to Vietnam to entertain the troops, acted as an onstage musical element, always keeping her guitar by her side. Having her on stage as musical accompaniment kept the audience involved in what was happening. During larger transitions, like before and after intermission, relevant music from the ‘60s played, including the Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye and Janis Joplin. Since the performance moved from Virginia to the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church on Massachusetts Avenue, the show will run until Nov. 21. The venue offers a personal and intimate connection to these actors and the stories of the amazing women they represent. “A Piece of My Heart” is a performance that should not be missed. You can reach this staff writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
Debut author shows promise, lacks clarity By SHAILYN TAVELLA Eagle Contributing Writer In Joseph Riippi’s first novel “Do Something,” three characters struggle to find truth and happiness in their own dark cave of reality. Like in Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” reality is an individual realization and must be experienced by doing something. The way Riippi partitions the book, rotating in literary style and voice between three characters — an institutionalized literary critic, a rape victim and a playwright — makes his novel a quick and easy read. The book does not have much of a plot. Instead, the characters are waiting for some kind of unattainable happiness in their reality; it is a reflection of past events and an existential journey for something different and happy in their lives. One of the most confusing parts of this novel is that the setting constantly changes. Not only do the three characters live in different cities, but individually, they are constantly changing locations. The character most defined by this constant motion is a rape victim whose defining mark and only permanent thing in her life is a starfish tattoo. She is also the strongest character and the one who, despite
her difficulties and changing locations, has the most mature view of life. As a result, she tries to provide aid for her mentally-distressed stepbrother, Eddie. Eddie is the most undefined character in the novel. Riippi uses excerpts from a series of notebooks to display Eddie, but these notebooks are filled with quotations from philosophers and random imagery, not any substantial plot or personal realizations. This differs from the defined Martin, a playwright moving to Seattle. Martin is a floundering character; every time he makes a move to gain happiness in his life, he is met with an obstacle. What connects all of these characters is at times hard to see, but they all struggle for the same basic human principle of happiness in an age where it is hard to obtain. Riippi uses the philosophies of Tolstoy, Nietzsche and Plato, even quoting these men directly. He takes their thoughts, but puts an emphasis on current issues facing the modern world. The characters are not shaped by these modern issues but, living in a world full of fear, confusion and doubt, make their struggle for inner truth even harder to come by. Modern issues such as 9/11 and Obama’s presidency are referenced. For the characters in Riippi’s novel, Obama’s election represents hope, and “hope is the only thing that makes us
do anything, and doing something is the only way to happiness.” Riippi has a talent expressing deep relatable thoughts — some of which leave chills because they are so true — but his dialogue lacks this truth and effect. It is forced and unrefined, making the characters less relatable and more like mirages of human nature. The young, independent publishing company, Ampersand Books, published its first novel by this young, independent author Riippi, but his inexperience shows. “Do Something” is like a piece from a college literary journal, with unprocessed thoughts and undeveloped characters. Riippi has the qualities and techniques that it takes to be a great writer, but he still has maturing to do. During a reading at Busboys and Poets, Riippi struggled to explain his motivation or inspiration for his novel. Like a good writer, Riippi allowed the book to write itself, but he still seemed to be searching for why and what happened. “Do Something” is a great Metro read that is captivating and entertaining, but it leaves one with a feeling that there needs to be more — like the title itself, this book needs to “do something” more. You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
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8
SPORTS
NOVEMBER 12, 2009
ANDREW TOMLINSON n Sports Editor 202.885.1404
Tale of left tackle will please all football fans By ELLIOT JEFFORDS Eagle Contributing Writer THE BLIND SIDE
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John Lee Hancock’s new film, “The Blind Side,” tells the inspiring true story of Michael Oher, the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie starting left tackle. For those who do not know of Oher (played by Quinton Aaron), he grew up in Memphis, Tenn., where the Touhy family took him into their home. Michael attended a Catholic high school, where he learned to play football. After developing a very impressive skill set, Oher was recruited by NCAA powerhouses and eventually made his way to the NFL as the 23rd overall pick in the 2009 draft. The movie opens with a clip of the night Joe Theismann had his career ended by Lawrence Taylor, one of the most vicious blind side tackles in NFL history. The movie then jumps to Memphis where we find Oher being accepted into a highly competitive and prestigious Catholic high school, despite a very poor academic record. As the story progresses, the teachers discuss Oher’s resilience. It is not until Leigh Anne Touhy, played by Sandra Bullock, offers Oher a place to stay that the viewer gets a sense of Oher’s personality. Oher is a very
PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE
OH SO SWEET — Emily Stovicek and Rachel Carney, top, and Christine Fingerhuth, bottom, celebrate their 2-1 win over Loch Haven University. The victory gives AU its set straight bid to the NCAA Tournament round of 16. They will face the University of Maryland on Saturday in College Park. AU fell to UMD 3-0 during the regular season.
FH gets second straight NCAA bid n
from FIELD HOCKEY on page 1
and we looked like we were all right so I just let it roll and kept playing.” The offense had more chances to add an insurance goal in the latter half of the game with two penalty corners, but one went wide of the net and the other was kicked aside by the Lock Haven keeper. For the remainder of the game, AU’s defense quieted the LHU offense, preventing them from getting any open looks in front of the net. LHU had eight shots in the contest, but
only two on goal. AU will square-off against undefeated University of Maryland in College Park on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. AU lost to Maryland 3-0 earlier in the season. Regardless of the opponent, Jennings remains confident. “At the end of the day, we have one of the best teams in the country, and I think we’ve shown that throughout the year,” Jennings said. “We’ve played some of the toughest teams right down to the wire, and so what we have to do is
be able take care of the little extra things inside our own circle and the attacking circle to be able to get [the win].” Since 2003 AU has never advanced past the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In that span they have also played UMD twice in tournament play, with two shutout losses. Last year’s squad lost to Wake Forest University in the first round of the tournament 7-1. You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
compassionate, gentle person despite his enormous figure, 6 foot 4 inches at 309 pounds. Touhy’s and Oher’s relationship becomes more central to the story and for the first half of the movie, there are very few actual football scenes. After working with his teachers, who have slowly warmed up to Oher, despite his initial resistance, he achieves a C grade average and becomes eligible to participate in athletics. At long last, the movie shifts direction from melodrama to sports film. The scenes switch dramatically, as Oher is slowly taught proper football techniques and skills. He has trouble conceptualizing these skills until Leigh Anne steps in and relates football to protecting his family, something to which Oher can understand. It is not until his first game that Oher gets some attention. After Oher’s friend and brotherfigure, S.J. Touhy, sends a video of Oher’s first game, he is placed into a high school all-star game. Impressive would be an understatement to describe how he played. At this point, he has scouts trying to recruit him — so much that some recruiters even visited him at his house in Memphis. The recruitment process is hilarious, as schools lay it all on the line for Oher in their offers. The coaches each make cameo appearances, and they are all on the appropriate team at the time the story takes place. It is fun to
see Nick Saban recruiting for LSU, Lou Holtz at South Carolina, Tommy Tupperville at Auburn and Houston Nut at Arkansas. Despite all of the attention, the process really came down to two schools for Oher: Tennessee and Ole Miss. Oher ended up choosing Ole Miss, the Touhy’s alma mater and a school with which they were active boosters. This choice came under scrutiny by the NCAA, who thought the Touhy’s took Oher under his roof in order to get him to play at Ole Miss. Following an NCAA investigation, this was proven not to be the case. Even though it had a slow beginning and a few liberties were taken in telling the story of Oher’s rough history, the movie is well-made. The biggest surprises probably come from Bullock and Tim McGraw who play the Touhys. Each play the role of Southern-family stereotypes very well. Their compassion and love for Oher comes through clearly. If you are either looking for a touching story of overcoming tragedy and achieving triumph or a good old fashion Southern football story, this movie has both, and it will please most any type of taste in movies. So get the friends together and go check out “The Blind Side.” You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
Women dominate Va. Wesleyan in opener By TOM SCHAD Eagle Contributing Writer The AU women’s basketball team kicked off the 2009-2010 season in convincing fashion over the weekend, dismantling Virginia Wesleyan College 98-34 in an exhibition game at Bender Arena. Five Eagles scored double-digit points on the afternoon and every player but one recorded at least four rebounds. It was a balanced performance with AU excelling at both ends of the floor. Junior forward Liz Leer led the Eagles with 22 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks, while fellow upperclassmen Ohemaa Nyanin chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds of her own. AU came out firing on all cylinders in the first half, jumping out to an 18-2 lead in the game’s first five minutes. Their crisp, high-tempo style of play proved to be overwhelming for the Division III Marlins. AU’s lead increased with each passing tick of the clock. Strong defense translated to easy layups for the home team
on multiple occasions. Coupled with a poised half-court offense and comfortable possession in the low post, AU shot 66 percent from the field in the first half and went to the locker room up by 39 points. Unfortunately for Virginia Wesleyan, the second half didn’t provide much of a change and the Eagles continued to dominate on both ends of the floor. Leer and Nyanin helped AU explode out of half time to open up a 50-point lead with 16:26 remaining in the second half. What led to success in the first half proved to be just as effective in the second and the Eagles eventually cruised to a 98-34 victory. Sophomore guard Ebony Edwards had a strong performance for AU as she recorded nine points, three boards and two assists in the second half alone. Despite the fact that the Marlins are a division three team, AU looked strong across the board in almost every aspect of the game. The Eagles finished with statistical advantages in points off turnovers, second chance points, bench points and shooting
percentage. The most important stat is that the Eagles absolutely owned the paint, outrebounding the Marlins by 30 and outscoring them in the paint by 52. AU returns both of its top scorers, Leer and fellow junior Michelle Kirk, to the starting lineup after a 19-12 season last year and a crushing loss in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. Many predict the team to bounce back this year, despite not being picked to win the Patriot League. Head Coach Matt Corkery wants the team to get back to basics this year. He has stressed defensive play and easy paint points throughout practice this year. He is 19-12 in his tenure at AU. The Eagles next game is against cross-town rival Howard University on Friday at 7 p.m. It is the team’s first non-exhibition game of the year. AU faced the Bison last year and defeated them 77-50 in Bender Arena. You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
Men even exhibition record AU wrestling By BEN LASKY
Eagle Contributing Writer The AU Men’s basketball team pulled their exhibition record to 11 with a win over Catholic University Cardinals 70-64 on Sunday. The Eagles had a 12-point advantage going into halftime and never gave up the lead. Catholic closed the deficit to four early in the second half. Sophomore center Stephen Lumpkins had a game high 21 points and completed a double double with 10 rebounds for the Eagles. On top of his double double, he had four assists, three blocks and two steals. Freshman point guard Daniel Munoz also chipped in with 15
points, including eight free throws in the last minute. He also had one steal and one rebound. However, Munoz had two turnovers and no assists on the night. The Eagles were relieved to come back with a strong game after a loss to Randolph-Macon on Tuesday. “We had fewer guys that had the deer in the headlights look,” said Head coach Jeff Jones. Jones said that Lumpkins is the central focus of the offense this coming season. “We always want to have an offensive focus. The last couple of years that focus was Garrison Carr and we had everybody playing off the sets we had,” Jones said. “This
year we want Stephen Lumpkins to be that focus. We want him to get a lot more touches.” Jones has already seen improvement in Lumpkins through two exhibition games. “You can see a difference in him,” Jones said. “With all the work he put in over the summer, he had a very good preseason. Now he can really look me eye to eye, whereas last year he looked at me out of the side of his eye.” After six members of last year’s back-to-back Patriot Championship team graduated, the team must look elsewhere for production. “It’s a lot different than last year,” Lumpkins said. “Last year we had all those seniors, and I was
coming off the bench. We weren’t really looking to throw the ball inside. Last year we shot a lot more threes.” The Eagles begin the regular season on Friday, in an away game against St. Francis. St. Francis is in a similar situation as AU, as they also lost five seniors after last season. Jones said he does not see a change coming to the starting lineup and said that he will most likely go with the same starters that he went with on Sunday. That said, he said he would not rule out any last minute changes. You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
W. basketball signs 3 recruits By ANDREW TOMLINSON Eagle Staff Writer Head Coach Matt Corkery announced that AU has signed three recruits to the 2010-11 roster Wednesday. Sarah Kiely, Brooke Forsythe and Alexis Dobbs have committed to the Eagles during the early signing period. They are the first recruits to sign a letter of intent to play for the basketball team this season. All three have been recruited for their individual abilities, as well as for what they bring to the
team. Kiely is 6 feet tall and, according to Corkery, is the most all-around player of the three, with good defensive instincts and a good perimeter shot. “There are not many players out there that have the versatility that Sarah has,” Corkery told AU Athletics. “Sarah has great athleticism and will thrive in our uptempo style of play.” Forsythe is a 6-foot-2 center that averaged 15 points, 8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in her senior season at Cloverleaf High School in Lodi, Ohio. Corkery said that she brings a combi-
nation of size, strength and mobility to the squad. He went on to tell AU Athletics that he will be looking for her to add new dimension to the post game. The final recruit is Alexis Dobbs. She is a 5-foot-6 guard from Berea, Ohio. While attending Hathaway Brown High School, she was named First Team AllDistrict, First Team All-Private School and First Team All-Area Northeast Ohio. She is also her high schools’ all-time assist and steals leader. “Alexis is an energy player with the ability to push the tempo on
offense and create pressure on defense,” Corkery told AU Athletics. “She will be a leader on the floor from day one.” The women’s basketball team went to the National Invitation Tournament last year, where they fell to James Madison University 61-59 in the first round. AU opens its season at Howard University on Friday. The Eagles won their exhibition opener over Virginia Wesleyan College 98-34 on Sunday. You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.
victorious in Clarion Open By ANDREW TOMLINSON Eagle Staff Writer AU wrestling was victorious at the Clarion Open over the weekend, with three of their athletes placing in the top two for their weight class. AU junior Steve Fittery defeated Penn State University’s Jame Vollrath in the finals by a score of 13-4. He was a perfect 5-0 on the day at 157 pounds. He also took down Josh Fitch of Lehigh University, Issac Fagbuyi of American International University, Scott Sechler of Bucknell University and Hadley Harrison of Clarion University. To go along with Fittery’s win, Sophomore Thomas Williams went 3-1 in the tournament. Williams finished second for his weight class, weighing in at 133 pounds. He defeated Devin Cook of Clarion, Sean Brown of University at Buffalo and Brandon Sansom of Washington and Jefferson University. His only blemish came when AU fell to
conference rival Jordan Thome of the Army Academy 3-1. Senior Mingo Grant was the only other Eagle to finish on the podium of the event. Weighing in at 285 pounds, Mingo went 4-1 on the day. His victories featured wins over Carl Bucholz of Rutgers University and Devin Cook of Clarion. He fell in the finals by a score of 8-4 of Daniel Craig of Lock Haven University. The victory does not count toward their overall record, as it was an exhibition tournament. The red, white and blue will open up their regular reason November 15th at the ACC Challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C. AU has had at least one All-American wrestler every season since 2004. Wrestling has AU’s only National Championship in school history. Alumus Josh Glenn claimed the title in 2007, defeating Kurt Backes of Iowa State. You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.