Pepperdine Graphic Print Edition 2.16.22 by The Pepperdine Graphic

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PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC MEDIA

Volume XLIII, Issue 15 | February 16, 2012 | pepperdine-graphic.com

» Read more about James Conole’s unique commitment to rugby. SPORTS B10

Alcohol Awareness Week

International Programs tackles issue of abuse This weekend’s International Programs orientation will prepare students to face environments of relaxed alcohol restrictions and potential for alcohol abuse. »See DRINKING, A4

MALLORY CUMMINS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

$15k SGA resolution tabled By ASHLEY THURMOND NEWS ASSISTANT

SGA President Mimi Rothfus brought forward a resolution Wednesday calling for a $15,000 contribution to Housing and Resident Life’s upcoming projects. This amount of money included in the resolution is for renovations and possible upgrades coming next year for the Lovernich common area, and possibly new Towers exercise rooms. The resolution was tabled for further discussion at next week’s meeting. The amount proposed constitutes more than one-third of SGA’s remaining budget. “This is a lot of money, but it would really mean a lot in the grand scheme of things,” Rothfus said. With $41,042.01 left in the SGA annual budget, this resolution’s passing or rejection could lead to drastic changes for SGA and campus life. SGA still has more class events and other policy initiatives to possibly fund in the upcoming weeks. Rothfus was open to hearing amendments to the resolution from other senators after reading the policy’s details. The conversation surrounded concerns about exactly what the money would be used for. Rothfus contended that the amount in which SGA contributed to HRL would signal how much the housing project changes truly mean to SGA as an organization. The senate members agreed to give $10,000 of the $15,000, if the resolution passes, to HRL for “bare bones” renovations. Bare bones consists of new carpet, new furniture and the repainting of the new Lovernich common area, according to Rothfus. “This is a large part of our budget, but could be good spending,” Vice President of Finance Jessica Thompson said. Last semester SGA gave HRL $2,000 toward common space in Lovernich. The discussion that evolved after the resolution’s introduction soon spiraled into a debate on what constituents would want most from the new HRL efforts. Since only $10,000 of the funding

INDEX DPS Reports..A2 Calendar........A2 Editorial..........A6 Horoscopes....B7 Sports............B10

has been earmarked for specific use, the SGA members discussed the remainder of funding suggested in the resolution. The $10,000 is for the preliminary moving of Special Programs and the creation of the Lovernich common area. Discussions then began on what the remaining $5,000 would fund. Sophomore Keb Doak emphasized that collected student surveys showed data on student’s concerns with gym facilities and the lack of exercise space. He thus advocated that the student’s wishes be fulfilled by making the exercise rooms the first priority. Doak also noted that a hot tub would serve a smaller portion of the student body, as it would only be available to so many at once. Junior Senator Patrick Moan offered a few opposing ideas. Moan said he believes the gym could become obsolete fairly quickly. The Towers gym rooms would be exclusively for juniors and seniors living on campus, and other members pointed out that the newer Campus Life plans have detailed new exercise space for athletes and non-athlete students. “I find this amount acceptable because this is long-lasting,” junior Senator Jordan Womack said. “This [HRL project] will probably impact student life for the next 20-plus years.” Womack also emphasized that SGA has spent a significant amount of money on single class events this year, whereas the resolution in question will ultimately affect a majority of the student body. “I see this as what SGA should be focusing on funding wise,” he said. HRL expressed that a contribution from the SGA was needed and could help assist in more renovations with the housing projects. The new housing changes and advancements have been SGA initiatives for the past couple of years. Rothfus offered to amend the resolution by adding a line to specify what the extra $7,000 would go to directly once received by HRL.



$17,000 total

$5,000 still under discussion

$10,000 agreed on for ‘bare bones’ renovations, if resolution passes

$2,000 allocated last semester Home Improvement: SGA gave HRL $2,000 last semester toward the new common area in Lovernich, and an additional $15,000 is now being discussed.

Graduate School of Education and Psychology Student Government and Seaver Theatre Faculty release statements in support of the Reach OUT recognition effort. GSEP Diversity Council afﬁrms support for inclusivity. By AUBREY HOEPPNER NEWS EDITOR

The Seaver administration’s decision not to grant official club status to LGBT group Reach OUT has fallen under scrutiny with several Pepperdine institutions. The Graduate School of Education and Psychology Diversity Council, GSEP Psy.D. Student Government Association and the Seaver Theatre faculty have all issued statements questioning and, in some cases, opposing the policy. Most recently, the Seaver Theatre faculty released a statement via Facebook yesterday in support of Reach OUT, reading, “The creation of an official LGBT alliance on our campus will foster a safer and more tolerant environment for all members of the University community.” The Theatre faculty declined to comment on the statement. In an email to students and faculty, the GSEP Diversity Council affirmed its commitment to preparing students to work with diverse populations and cited professional standards the school is obligated to follow. “Our view is that the University’s decision runs counter to the best practices and professional standards that GSEP strives to uphold,” the Diversity Council said in the statement, which was dated Jan. 25 but was sent to faculty, staff, students and alumni nearly two weeks later. In December, Seaver administrators reached a decision not to grant official club recognition to Reach OUT, due to conflict with the University’s stance on sexual relationships. Reach OUT has since launched a Change.org petition calling for a repeal of the decision. The petition garnered more than 7,000 signatures and received extensive media coverage. GSEP Associate Dean Robert DeMayo, who sits on the Diversity Council, explained that the statement came out of a desire to clarify their position on the issue and affirm a commitment to an inclusive environment in response to questions that had come from the school’s community. “Our Diversity Council was concerned about the specific

»See REACH OUT, A4

ashley.thurmond@pepperdine.edu

The Times, They Are A’Changing The staff ed explores the ways Pepperdine has changed, as seen in last week’s Chapel led by A.J. Hawks.

Potential SGA Housing Expenditures

GSEP groups voice support for Reach OUT

»PERSPECTIVES, A6

Bringing Down the “House” A peek into the rapidly growing underground of House music.

» L&A, B1

The Waves of Malibu Fri. 1.5 ft @15s

Sat. 2.5 ft @14s

Sun. 4 ft @15s

Mon. 2.5 ft @14s

magicseaweed.com

NEWS

A2 Graphic

February 16, 2012

Namaste in School

NATHAN STRINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Student apathy gets a bad rap

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSH CURRIE

Child’s pose: Freshman Grace Whittle volunteers with Yogacore, teaching Yoga to kids at the Westside Children’s Center in Culver City.

DPS REPORTS Weekly update from the Department of Public Safety 2/7/12 12:08 a.m. Incident – Security/Safety Check Location: Stotsenberg Track Lot Summary: A single vehicle traffic accident; a student DPS employee reported rolling over a university vehicle after swerving to avoid hitting a deer. Major damage was reported. 2/7/12 10:56 p.m. Incidents – Suspicious Person Location: Thornton Administration Center Summary: A Public Safety officer responded to a report of a disruptive student. The student left the area prior to the Public Safety officer’s arrival. 2/7/12 7:30 p.m. Administrative – Information Only Location: Public Safety Office Summary: A staff member reported that they received threatening messages from his girlfriend’s ex-husband. 2/10/12 8:54 p.m. Traffic Related – Traffic Accident, Injury Location: Seaver Drive Booth Summary: Vehicle vs. vehicle traffic collision. One driver reported experiencing head trauma and was transported to a nearby hospital by McCormick Ambulance. Moderate damage was reported. 2/10/12 9:02 p.m. Crimes – Larceny/Theft Grand Theft of Property Location: Rockwell Towers Dorm Summary: A student reported their laptop, iPhone, cash and three chargers were stolen from their unsecured dorm room. 2/10/12 1:39 p.m. Crimes – Larceny/Petty Theft Location: Tyler Campus Center Summary: A student reported that an unattended university-issued iPad was stolen from the cafeteria. 2/12/12 6:34 p.m. Departmental – Busy with Misc. Situation Location: Upsilon Lot Summary: An off-campus event promoter placed flyers on the windshields with adhesive, leaving an adhesive residue on the windshields of several vehicles. Public Safety contacted the promoter and explained the no soliciting policy. The person was also warned for trespassing on private property.

News of the WORLD Sudan peace treaty signed

The governments of Sudan and South Sudan signed a non-agression pact last Saturday with each side agreeing to respect the other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The agreement ends months of violence after South Sudan split from the north in July 2011. Disagreements about the two nations’ shared oil infrastructure still remain.

China limits foreign television

Chinese officials at the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television have introduced new regulation banning the broadcast of foreign shows during prime time hours, limiting the 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. open only to local programming. The rule primarily affects media from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand.

Saudi journalist deported

Hamza Kashgari, a 23-year-old Saudi journalist was apprehended in the Malaysia capital, Kuala Lumpur, and deported to Saudi Arabia to face charges of apostasy for a tweet critical of the prophet Muhammad. Amnesty International warns that he could face the death penalty if convicted.

Rome ends plans for Olympics

The Italian government announced that, considering the poor economic climate, it would not be able to finance the event and would thus drop its bid for Rome to be the host city. Doha, Qatar, Instanbul, Turkey, Tokyo, Japan and Baku, Azerbaijan are still in contention for the 2020 summer games. Reports compiled from BBC

Around the ’BU Settlement in Gibson case

A settlement was reached on Tuesday regarding one deputy’s lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. James Mee, the officer who arrested Mel Gibson for speeding on PCH nearly six years ago, filed a lawsuit claiming that his superiors mistreated him and overlooked him for various job positions because Mee did not go along with treating Gibson with preferential treatment.

Shane’s mother seeks justice

Ellen Shane, a Malibu resident, is out for justice. Every day, Shane attended the trial of Sina Khankhanian, the man who was behind the wheel of the vehicle which struck and killed her 13-year-old daughter Emily in 2010. The trial ended with a hung jury. On Monday an opinion piece published by the Huffington Post quotes Shane’s question “Where’s the justice for my daughter?”

Democrats back Butler

State Assembly candidate Betsy Butler was backed by the California Democratic Party this weekend in San Diego. Out of 85 possible delegate votes, Butler received 62. “This was not just a victory for me, it was a victory for their [LA Democrats] passion and dedication to the work we have done together,” said Butler.

Opponents appeal lagoon

An appeal was filed Tuesday in an attempt to overturn the state’s plan to modify the Malibu Lagoon. Those appealing the project say it will harm the water and that marine species will die. Reports compiled from Malibu Patch

I’m proud to go to a school where so many people seem not to care. At Pepperdine, there are social justice folks, Campus Ministry people and Jumpstarters. Recently, the debate over Reach OUT recognition has gotten even more people talking. But there are a lot of people who aren’t saying or doing anything. They may seem apathetic, but they’re not. Remember the SGA elections last fall? No sophomores and no seniors ran for senate seats. Remember how women were going to vote on a name for the eatery in the HAWC? It’s called the HAWC Café now. Remember how the athletics department gives away free stuff for attendance at games? A moderate turn out is still an event worthy of coverage in the Graphic. All these things are evidence of the great number of students uninvolved in campus life. This is not apathy. It is caring about things not programmed by Pepperdine, and it’s commendable. These seemingly apathetic people are skeptical and realistic. Sophomores and seniors, at least, don’t really believe student government does that much. Last fall, they decided they weren’t going to waste their time sitting on committees, even for a paycheck. Or, better yet, they couldn’t be bothered to vote. If they are who I think they are, they probably don’t know that no one ran for these positions and aren’t reading this article because they have better things to do. Again, it’s not that they’re doing nothing. Everyone is always doing something whether they like it or not. Simply because that something isn’t expressed in campus activity doesn’t make it lesser than. Besides, withdrawal from and even ignorance of school goings on is praiseworthy. This is an acceptance of the way things are. If you’re not bothered that much by things around campus, why do anything about them? Unlike those frustrated and busy people we all know, these seemingly apathetic folks are well enough just where they are. Instead of constantly striving to perfect everything around them, they abide imperfection and live their own lives regardless. Simply because these individuals aren’t organized and vocal doesn’t mean they’re callous and cowardly. They may care about other things more (imagine: issues more important than campus politics) or they’re evaluating what they should care about at all. These are honest positions that clever leaders have recognized. In 1969, Nixon gave a speech about the “silent majority” of Americans, those who weren’t publicly protesting the Vietnam War or sharing their views at all. He appealed to their realism over the idealism of the “vocal minority” in achieving “peace with honor” to end the war. Time magazine declared Middle America, or the silent majority, Man of the Year in 1970. Taking this recognition in stride, only 47 percent of eligible voters showed up in the 1970 midterm elections. I find that figure encouraging. That tells me that 53 percent of Americans didn’t care who won the elections. If they found out who won, it wouldn’t make or break their day. They probably spent their days working, eating and watching TV with their families. Perhaps they even actually talked to them. They had come to peace with what they reasonably could and could not do, and they were content. Then as now, the vocal minority would have you believe you must be loud and proud to be a contributing member of society. This is not so. There are subtle, even silent ways to add value. The silent majority at Pepperdine have more time to spend with the people right in front of them, perhaps even befriending their roommates. They can also afford to explore Malibu and LA in a non-task oriented, do-or-die senior year bucket list fashion. They may even have time to read, write or draw for pleasure. Plus, the beauty of staying out of things most of the time is that people actually pay attention to you when you get involved — if you do. 

nathan.stringer@pepperdine.edu

CALENDAR Spring Career Fair noon Mullin Town Square Smothers

Living Passionately: Living Out Your Faith Through Service 1 p.m. TBD

Multicultural Theatre Project Experience 5 p.m. Elkins

A Night of Spoken Word 8 p.m. Fireside Room

Christian Eyes on a Muslim World 5 p.m. Weisman Museum

NEWS

February 16, 2012

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSHUA GRAY

Flying high : Joshua Gray founded a non-profit almost a year ago.

Housing on Campus HRL has 720 total beds available to seniors and juniors. For next year, 646 beds are already ﬁlled, and there are 55 juniors who still need to pick their housing.

2011-2012

Freshman teaches Vegas teens to ‘FLY’

Graphic

34% empty

2012-2013

10% empty

DATA FROM BRIAN DAWSON

By IAN MCDONALD

living in a different city can be difficult, but Gray believes by focusing on social media and creEmpowerment is the name of ation of materials, he can keep the game for freshman Business Foundation FLY running, even major Joshua Gray, who started while away from home. Once and runs his own non-profit orga- this school year is over, he plans nization called Foundation FLY, on using the summer to assess dedicated to providing encour- the strengths of the organization agement and inspirational ma- so far and plan events and operaterials to teens in his hometown tions for the coming year. “I plan on going to London, of Las Vegas, Nev. Last March, Gray started putting together so this summer will be imporhis organization with its mission tant for getting everything set up to provide an outlet for positive while I’m gone,” Gray said. This venture is in its beginmessages aimed at students ages ning stages now, only halfway 8 to 18. “I really just want to encour- through its first year. Gray wants age and uplift teens and let them to expand in the coming years, know that they have a future and especially after he graduates and they can achieve their dreams,” can devote himself full-time to its operation. “Right now, it’s a lot Gray said. Foundation FLY works of low-key communication. I’d through three programs and fo- like to expand to mass commucuses on three issues facing stu- nication like billboards and larger events.” dents. First, the A major organization pro“I tried to put a component of duces empowerlot of my own Foundation ment cards and experiences FLY’s growth other inspirational and expansion materials they disinto the stories is community tribute at schools to connect with involvement, and youth events. the kids.” including teachThe second pro—Joshua Gray ers, administragram, known as Freshman tors and church FLY Read, goes to and community elementary schools and reads inspirational stories, leaders. “I’m definitely learning about written by Gray himself. ways to change for next year and “I tried to put a lot of my own experiences into the stories to how to better impact the comconnect with the kids,” Gray said. munity,” Gray said. “It’s low-key The third program involves an right now, but in the coming extensive social media campaign, years I want to expand and get disseminating positive material even more of the community inthrough Facebook, Twitter, a blog volved.” Gray especially hopes to get and an online video series. “Cyber-bullying is a big thing more participation from the acnow, and that’s what I want the tual students being helped by the social media side to address,” programs. “As you grow up, you get out Gray said. Using the Las Vegas schools’ of the loop of what it’s like to be trimester system, Gray decided to a teen, so it’s important to keep focus each third of the school year teens involved inspiring other on a different area of empower- teens,” Gray said. Gray is majoring in business ment. To start the school year, the organization stresses educational administration to gain the skills achievement. Continuing in the necessary for running a large second trimester, the emphasis is non-profit organization. Gray on style, encouraging kids to find plans on using his skills to creself-confidence in their own tastes ate even more ways to reach kids and life decisions. The theme of and grow Foundation FLY to the the third trimester, toward the point where it can open new opend of the year, is that of goals erations in Los Angeles before and empowering students to moving to other areas of the west dream big, and to find success in coast, and then going national. Gray wants to be able to someday accomplishment. Together, Gray hopes these turn his organization into a mewill help to inspire teens and dia empire of inspirational books, lead to increased self-betterment, music and videos available to a higher self-confidence and de- wide audience. “I want to expand this to the creased bullying. heights that God has planned and “I was bullied as a teen — I’ve been there, and kids need to have faith that it can soar,” Gray know that they need to keep go- said. ing and not give up,” Gray said. ian.mcdonald@pepperdine.edu Running a non-profit while ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

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ICC alters allocation process for student clubs seeking funds By ANDREW KASSELMANN NEWS ASSISTANT

For the spring semester, the Inter Club Council (ICC) redesigned the procedure for allocating funds to clubs. The resulting change involved the formation of a new Funding Committee primarily intended to ensure that the money was used well, according to ICC President Danielle Byrd, a senior. Last year, there were weekly meetings where an allotment of $5,000 was given out, Byrd said. Representatives from all 85 ICC-member clubs could attend and vote on which clubs would receive money. The reality was that clubs would really only attend when they wanted money, and all of the proposals would pass because the voters just wanted to get their money and get out. “Last year, people were not really committed,” Byrd said. Another problem with the way the fund allocation process worked last year was a result of how requests were sub-

mitted to the council, according to Vice President of Finance Geoff Plourde. “The funding process rewarded people for early submission instead of the merits of their proposal,” Plourde said. The new Funding Committee, which allocates money on a weekly basis, is comprised of one representative from every club category. There are a total of seven voting representatives as well as Plourde, the Vice President of Development, Gabbi Wilson, and the Vice President of Operations, Devon Walker. Byrd runs the meetings, and as a result, is a non-voting member. The representatives were chosen by application, Byrd said. The Funding Committee also looks at every request that is brought up each week. As a result, the meetings usually last around two hours instead of the 30 minutes that were spent on the meetings last year. “This year, people actually spend a lot more time talking,” Byrd said. “The students on the committee really care about

what is going on and the changes that were made have been really good.” Byrd said the new meetings are much more effective in allocating funds well, and the changes have been met with a positive response from the representatives, too. “I think the changes overall are good,” said Nduka Nwankwo, committee representative. “They have helped the allocation process to function better. One problem that I see is that sometimes, with fewer people, one person can easily sway the opinions of other members, and it is sometimes more difficult than it needs to be to get funding passed.” The changes put in place this semester will be reviewed in order to see if others should be made for the future, Plourde said. “Overall we want ICC to be a catalyst for collaboration between clubs rather than just the place that hands out money,” he said. 

andrew.kasselmann@pepperdine.edu

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NEWS

A4 Graphic

February 16, 2012

Drinking: IP faces prospect of alcohol abuse By Mariella Rudi News Assistant

With the first of two mandatory International Programs (IP) orientations taking place this Saturday, directors and faculty are scrambling to prepare students in the 2012–2013 academic year programs for the alcohol-culture shock many will experience. Alcohol abuse is a prime issue that program directors agree can be averted with onset guidance. Alcohol Awareness Week ends this Friday, and in case prospective students going abroad overlooked it, they’ll be briefed on the subject soon enough. Plans for the orientation are still in its finishing stages, and Jeff Hamilton, director of IP admissions and student affairs, said they’ve revamped the orientation from previous years. The goal is to get students to drink responsibly, but the definitive approach to this has yet to be decided, Hamilton said. “We are aware that alcohol is part of the culture and the students will be exposed to it,” Hamilton said. “Our hope is that they are exposed to it through how the culture intended it to be used. But that goes the same with experiencing the food or the art or the landscape; we want them to take it in context.” Sophomore Meredith Nelson re-

turned to campus this January following a semester in Heidelberg and feels indifferent to the shift in alcohol policy and culture. She said that because alcohol had become the norm, she and her classmates did not have any issues with it. Of course, there were the few who took advantage of the opportunity to say hello and good-bye to unchecked drinking. But since her homecoming, Nelson hasn’t touched alcohol nor feels the need to. “The first week some students feel outside of a cage, therefore they abuse,” Director of the Buenos Aires (BA) program Dr. Rafael De Sanzo wrote in an email. “After living with local families and experiencing the social drinking habit from local students ... they learn how to enjoy alcohol within their journey.” De Sanzo wrote that the BA program is a completely different experience from that of Pepperdine, and the students there, being adults, have much more freedom. Dr. Carolyn Vos Strache, program director of the London program, relies on alcohol awareness training for incoming students rather than planning for the punishment of alcohol offenders. Their program, “Mind the Limit,” which encourages students to drink responsibly, was recently presented to the American

Association of Study Abroad Programs Association. Faculty and RAs, who have been known to go to pubs and clubs with students, encourage students to limit drinks to a healthy amount per night. “Our alcohol abuse numbers in London are below the 10 percent — which would be four per semester for violations,” Vos Strache wrote. “We usually have 1 to 2 per semester. Thus far in 2012, we have had zero. We think the training is having an effect on developing effective decision making regarding alcohol consumption.” Both the London and Buenos Aires directors agree the programs do not oppose drinking, just drunks. New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the 18 to 24-year-old age bracket boasts the most binge drinkers. Regular binges and their intensity — averaging 9.3 drinks — were highest in young adults. The CDC notes most people who binge drink are not alcohol dependent, but what happens when the age group is put into an academic setting, in a foreign country? A 2010 University of Washington study published in the “Psychology of Addictive Behaviors” found that U.S. college students more than double their alcohol consumption while studying

abroad. The study suggests studying abroad can present a high-risk situation involving drinking. It’s undecided whether the study is reflective of IP. The average drinking habits went from having four drinks a week to eight. Those in the study under 21 increased their drinking by almost 170 percent. Most students in IP are under 21. “This is one of the things I feel especially bad about, and if those studies hold true, then Europeans may be getting the sense that young Americans can’t hold their liquor or they don’t know their limits,” said Dr. Paul Contino, a 2008 summer and inbound Florence faculty member. “Europeans don’t drink to excess. They drink because it’s part of the social fabric of having a meal together and enjoying company.” Contino told the story of Saint Augustine of Hippo’s mother Saint Monica who quit drinking altogether once she started liking the taste of it too much. He also related to the Italian phrase “bella forma,” or good form, to explain how Europeans generally conduct themselves. The freedom found within the international programs is a stark contrast to the dry campus rules of Malibu and may surprise freshmen preparing to go

abroad, an issue that comes up in the IP interview. Some students said they were taken aback by the exhaustive focus on drinking during the tense interview — a ritual that includes dressing formally and preparing heavily. “It was half the interview where he talked about alcohol and drugs and basically asked if we had ever tried alcohol and drugs,” freshman Kaelyn Lark, admitted to the London program’s spring semester, recalled of her interview. “We all obviously said, ‘No,’ and then he asked if it was because of the Christian mission here. He then explained the reasoning behind his questions: a lot of students have experienced [alcohol abuse] in the past when of they come back. That’s why they take it so seriously,” The average legal drinking age at the IP countries is 18 or older. Most Pepperdine students enroll in IP as sophomores. According to Frommer’s Travel Guides, the countries that IP inhabit have “no liquor laws worth worrying about.” One in four full-time college students in that year faced alcohol abuse or dependence, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. g

mariella.rudi-lopez@pepperdine.edu

Beach activities ruling clarified, previous ban lifted By Whitney Irick News Assistant

The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors issued a statement Tuesday clarifying the controversial ball- and Frisbee-throwing ordinance passed last week. With the ordinance, the LA County (LAC) Board of Supervisors had banned Frisbees, balls and several other beach games for the entire summer. The statement explained, however, that the decision ought to actually increase safe, legal beach activities. According to the statement, “The new ordinance lifts a decades-old, all-out ban on playing

football, Frisbee and other ball on the beach.” The decades-old ban actually prohibited the playing of ball completely. It threatened violators with a $1,000 fine. But officials say the ordinance was seldom enforced and a citation for a rule violation has never been written. Many beachgoers were oblivious that any such ordinance was ever in existence. The new ordinance applies only to county beaches during the summer months. Los Angeles County beaches attract 50 to 70 million visitors a year and county officials are concerned about keeping people safe. “The purpose was to actually create some guidelines so that more of these activities [ball playing]

could occur,” said Carol Baker, the board’s media contact. For practical reasons, the ordinance needed to be issued as a safety precaution. For example, said Baker, it would not be appropriate to play a game of beach football when a 3-year-old’s birthday party was taking place 10 feet away. But, if the beach is not too packed, beachgoers can ask for permission from the lifeguard to partake in a game of Frisbee or beach ball activity. Beachgoers are allowed to throw a Frisbee or football on LA County beaches — but only during off-peak beach season. However, for public safety reasons, lifeguards retain the authority to stop a

game. If the violator does not comply, the lifeguard can issue a citation during summer months. County officials say past injuries have been reported. If the ball-playing code is violated, there are three stages of punishment. For a first violation, the violator must pay a fine not exceeding $100. For a second violation within one year, the violator must pay a fine not exceeding $200. For each additional violation within one year, the violator must pay a fine not exceeding $500. During a press conference, county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said Frisbee and ball playing are OK as long as people play safely. g

whitney.irick@pepperdine.edu

NEWS

February 16, 2012

Reach OUT: Faculty clash with officials From A1

impact of the decision to deny the Reach OUT group sponsorship as well as the broader implications for what that was communicating to our community and the community external to the university about Pepperdine’s perspective on diversity and our perspective on issues of relevance to the LGBT community,” DeMayo said. DeMayo was clear that the Diversity Council’s statement does not represent an administrative position. He said he does not believe the GSEP administration has taken an official stance on Reach OUT. Furthermore, the Psy.D. Student Government Association, representing psychology graduate students, passed a resolution Feb. 9 firmly opposing the decision on Reach OUT. “We believe that the denial of recognition of Reach OUT as an official student organization demonstrates marginalization and prejudice towards the LGBTQ Community, which could lead to negative outcomes to the students’ quality of life, mental health and well-being,” the resolution said. “I think that everyone on SGA, when the decision came out, we all had the same feeling like this isn’t something that we can stand behind,” said first-year representative and committee steering member Via Strong. The writers of the resolution applied American Psychological Association Ethics Code, which states that psychologists are to be aware of and respect differences based on gender identity and sexual orientation and are not allow biases based on these or other personal differences interfere with their professional work. “Going out into the community from a school that has been getting publicity as being not gay-friendly, that has an impact on future careers,” Strong said. “We need our future clients to feel like we are being nonjudgmental.” The Ethics Code calls for psychologists to affirm their commitment to it if an organization with which they are affiliated presents a demand in conflict with the Ethics Code’s principles. The resolution also emphasized the psychology students’ commitment to deepening their understand-

Scholars to explore sacred space By aShley thurMOnd News AssistANt

ing of LGBT students’ situation: “As trainees in psychology, we also strive to understand the effects of stigma and marginalization on lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.” It cited psychological studies that have found effects of social mistreatment of LGBT individuals to be detrimental to their mental health. The resolution called for recognition of Reach OUT as an official student group, and it was distributed to Seaver and GSEP administrators as well as Inter Club Council with hopes of beginning dialogue with Seaver administrators, Strong said. The Diversity Council said in its email that it has brought its concerns before Pepperdine administration and plans “to work with the University to create a more inclusive and affirming learning environment for all.” DeMayo said he believes dialogue will ensue among the schools of Pepperdine, but there has been no official discussion yet. Seaver Dean of Students Mark Davis said he anticipates continuing conversation promoted by the Building Bridges committee, which has been holding meetings for a year and a half with administrators, students leaders and members from the LGBT community. “I’m grateful that people within the Pepperdine community feel comfortable expressing their viewpoints,” Davis said. “This gives us an opportunity to put into practice the ‘convicted civility’ that Dr. Richard Mouw recently shared with us at the Veritas Forum on how to hold to your convictions while treating others with gentleness and respect.” GSEP does not have a sexual relationships statement akin to that found in the Seaver Student Handbook. “I think that the view is more that that’s not something that we see as relevant to our educational mission with the adult population of learners that we are working with,” DeMayo said. “I think there’s a difference between the mission of Seaver college in that regard, in terms of being a place primarily geared with young adults who are often having their first experience of living away from their families.”

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aubrey.hoeppner@pepperdine.edu

Beginning Friday, the International Studies and Languages Division and the Glazer Institute are hosting a weekendlong symposium, “Surveying Sacred Space: An Interdisciplinary, Interfaith Symposium.” The event will provide an opportunity for scholars and professors across the nation to discuss the significance and differences associated with religious spaces. The symposium will be filled with interfaith dialogue on faith traditions of sacred space. According to Professor David Simonowitz, Pepperdine’s Middle East specialist, sacred space includes geographical landscapes, physical building structures, shrines, and many other religiously affiliated places, items and routines. “Interfaith dialogue has never been done here at Pepperdine on this big of a scale before,” senior Sabena Virani said. “There will be a refreshing perspective shown to Pepperdine students.” Virani is just one of the numerous scholars who will be presenting at this weekend’s two-day symposium. Virani’s topic focuses on social networking as related to sacred space and the global affect social networking has had. Virani has been conducting research over the past few months and has gained an expertise in Facebook and Twitter. “I will be evaluating the bridge be-

tween how social networking applies to the religious sector,” Virani said. “This includes how religious communities are portrayed online to the rest of the world.” Passionate scholars such as Virani will take on timely topics such as these, as well as more historical viewpoints regarding sacred space. “How one creates sacred space can inform the way we conceive our religious community,” Simonowitz said. “Sacred space serves as a place for different religious communities to collect and express their national identity.” Simonowitz “We will exISL Professor plore and address questions such as, what do these spaces mean to the people who patronize them, what is the significance?” This open forum will allow all participants to discuss the elements of sacred space all around the world, primarily in the Abrahamic religions. “We want participants to come and engage in these questions,” Simonowitz said. “Here we will work to understand the dynamics of interfaith issues.” The panel of experts and researchers will deal with questions regarding religious pilgrimages, holy lands, buildings and shrines, many of which are not universally recognized.

“There are different ways that sacred space is looked at in different religions,” Simonowitz said. “Sacred space is also looked at differently within one religion.” Multiple papers will be dealing with sacred space in a diverse set of contexts such as ancient polytheistic times, Byzantine Christian times, present relations in the United States and more. “I love diving into topics that haven’t been pioneered so much, especially when it is relevant to my life and the life of other Pepperdine students,” Virani said. Examples of both tremendous conflict and cooperation, known as shared admiration, will be further explored. According to Simonowitz, sacred space can be an instrument and means of communication between and within religions. He is looking forward to participants engaging in this idea plotting possible solutions to some of the issues. “Whether it’s a building that’s purpose-built, or a space that’s been determined, it governs the nature of the encounter of the Other,” Simonowitz said. “Differences play out in religious space.” The symposium begins Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the Hahn Fireside Room. The first day of discussion will end at 5:30 p.m., but will continue on Saturday at 9 a.m. in CCB 140. “Anyone can come check it out and see what an impact it can have,” Virani said. “You will definitely learn more about the world.” g

ashley.thurmond@pepperdine.edu

‘Bravo’ for alumna wedding planner By MelOdy chenG stAFF wRiteR

Pepperdine alumna Kristin Banta dedicated her adult life to helping couples make the most important day of their lives unique. Banta has taken her wedding planning profession to a new level with a recent foray into television. On Valentine’s Day, Banta starred in “The Ring Leader,” a TV special on Bravo about how she helps a couple bring their dreams to life. The TV special showcased Banta’s out-of-the-box style. She seeks out inspiring factors that will distinguish couples’ weddings from the norm. “I want to show the less traditional point of view. That is what the show is all about. I want to share the less traditional, artistic and unique side. That is what represents my brand,” Banta said. Banta hopes the TV special will be turned into a series. Banta said she finds wedding planning beautiful and enjoyable. “I love to be behind the scene and enjoy watching the events develop and the space transform. I look toward surprise and like to

keep the guests guessing,” she said. She constantly looks for something special for each wedding, be it an unexpected venue, an extra tall wedding cake or a different texture or feeling to fit the happy couple. Banta didn’t always want to be a wedding planner. Graduating from Seaver College in 1994, she majored in theatre arts and worked on stage and behind the scenes. She understood lighting and the art of making a venue beautiful. She planned on working behind Banta the scenes for the Wedding Planner music world until someone suggested she should plan a wedding. Using these aesthetic and event-planning skills, the first wedding that she planned became a success. “If I feel like I don’t connect with traditional weddings; I can’t be the only person,” Banta said. With that idea in mind, the Kristin

Banta brand started. The life of a wedding planner isn’t what the movies always show. “There is no typical day,” Banta said. Each day, Banta and her staff are crafting a vision with clients, location scouting or pouring over color swatches and fabric samples. Sometimes what is supposed to be planned for a day gets completely thrown out and the new “plan” is completely spontaneous. Banta emphasized the amount of work goes into PR and advertising as well. The Kristin Banta brand is constantly submitting weddings to publications. The brand needs to share the image that they have for weddings out to the public. Banta recognized that oftentimes, couples get too caught up in the wedding and not enough in the marriage. She advised future brides and grooms to keep the deeper meaning of the wedding in mind. “Whatever age, it is important to know who you are. This celebration is rooted in something much greater. Uphold in the greatest sense the idea of marriage and what it represents.” g

yayin.cheng@pepperdine.edu

Caf implements new ticket order system By Whitney irick News AssistANt

In an effort to improve efficiency, Sodexo recently implemented a new ticket ordering system in the Waves Cafe. As Sodexo perfects the system, it will eventually expand to the School of Law Cafe and Drescher Cafe. Until recently, guests verbally told the chef their order and stood by until the order was completed. Now, guests fill out a ticket, place it in a basket and wait until their name is called. “Our ultimate goal is to serve you, our guests, faster and more accurately. As we received feedback and analyzed the grill and flat top operations, we determined as an organization to implement this ticket ordering system to improve our efficiency. As part of our study we observed our guests constantly repeating their orders to our line chefs, which reduced our ability to handle multiple requests and serve our guests in a timely manner,” said Sarah Dhillon, marketing manager of Sodexo Dining Services. Students seem to be resistant to the changes. “The cafeteria changes are really time consuming. Even though I get here first, a couple students might get their order before me. I think it’s a little disorganized,” said freshman Brandon Page.

MALLORY CUMMINS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Flat Top secret: A Waves Cafe cook hands over an order from the new do-it-yourself menu.

Sodexo understands that changes take getting used to, but they are confident that in time, both guests and staff will become more at ease and familiar with the process. And as guests and staff become more comfortable, they expect the system will increase accuracy, speed of service and overall satisfaction. The ticket ordering system has expanded from the flat top to the grill. As opposed to guests waiting for their names to be called, buzzers have been integrated into the system so that guests are paged when

their order is ready. In addition, a variety of meal choices will be added including artisan pizzas, featuring homemade pizza dough and sauce and gourmet burgers and buns. Further changes may be coming in the future, as the cafeteria receives technological upgrades. At other locations across the country, Sodexo utilizes touch screen ordering technology called Food on Demand. “We would love to bring this type of technology to Pepperdine and may do so in the future when Waves Cafe is remodeled,”

Dhillon said. Sodexo is open to feedback, both positive and negative. After reviewing guests’ feedback, they added additional options to the ordering ticket. “We are continuously evaluating our services internally and through the feedback of others, and trying to make changes whenever possible or necessary to meet the needs of our guests,” Dhillon said.

whitney.irick@pepperdine.edu

PERSPECTIVES February 16, 2012

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MADISON LEONARD PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

Shallow sorrow undermines genuine loss Don’t get me wrong, mourning together is a natural human behavior. And like any other music-appreciating person, I get chills hearing Houston’s voice float through “I Will Always Love You.” But blowing up the proportion of yet another fallen star’s burnout only chips away at society’s emotional integrity. If you managed to miss the millions of Facebook statuses, Tweets, news updates and frown-face texts last weekend, allow me to enlighten you on the latest and greatest tragedy. The Queen of the Night herself, Whitney Houston, has died. Sufficiently conditioned by my soul ballad-loving mother, I was naturally saddened to hear of Houston’s passing. Yet, I was in no way shocked. The only thing that shocked me was the tsunami-sized wake that her death seemed to create. Haven’t we all heard this story before? I assure you, we have. In fact, our society seems to have some kind of grim history of musicians and movie stars dying at unseasonable ages. Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, John Belushi, Anna Nicole Smith, Brittany Murphy, Heath Ledger and countless others all died before the age of 45 due to alcohol and drug abuse. We’ve even established the “27 Club” around an elite group of musicians, all of whom died at the age of 27 from drug abuse. Notable members include Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. To me, there’s nothing mysterious about premature deaths when you consider the noxious concoctions of drugs found in their systems — up to 14 different prescription and illegal drugs in some cases, like Elvis Presley. It’s also not mysterious that we generate brouhaha every time one of these revered public figures falls to mortality. Our society loves anything grand, the massive successes and the massive calamities. The saying, “misery loves company,” is certainly proven true as we continually wail over these celebrity deaths. But, why? If the hellish health habits and ludicrous lifestyles of these celebrities point inevitably to early, yet still tragic, deaths, why are we continually thrown off guard when the obituaries hit the stands? Because we love the drama. We all fan the flames of rising one-hit wonders until they are established hits, tune out for a while, and then return wholehearted and misty-eyed when the lifetime tributes are playing on loop. This obsession is our own version of the gladiator games. As frenzied audience members, we are only too aware of the raucous lifestyles of the famous (thank you, People magazine). Of course, there is tragedy in any death, and that’s exactly the problem. Why do we care more about Whitney Houston dying than the sweet old couple down the street? Whitney and her fellow fame claimers monopolize the grief market because it makes good news, and we are the happy consumers. We would rather share in the superficial, disconnected emotions associated with celebrities than actually suffer in real life. Ask yourself: Did I ever spend time worrying about [insert celebrity]’s drug/ alcohol problem before his/her actual death? If the answer is no, then you probably didn’t have a genuine emotional connection. And most of us don’t. There’s certainly not enough real sentiment to shake these revered celebrities out of their drunken and drugged stupor. We can, and should, appreciate the talents that we absorb and enjoy through our extensive entertainment industry. But at some point, we need to realize the petty depth of our mourning and either care enough to bring these celebrities out of their circling death spirals or start pouring ourselves into something real. 

madison.leonard@pepperdine.edu

EMILY BRANCH / ART EDITOR

STAFF EDITORIAL

Pepperdine climate changing, students control the destiny We haven’t heard this much campus chatter about Chapel in a long time. Well, at least not this much positive chatter. Last week, Pepperdine hosted a Wednesday morning convocation speaker who was not only a student, senior A.J. Hawks, but one who openly shared his homosexuality and the struggle which precluded that admission for some time. Now pause for a moment and consider this: Just 15 short years ago, Pepperdine hosted a convocation speaker who proposed that homosexuality could be healed. According to a news article in the Sept. 25, 1997 issue of the Graphic, clinical psychologist Joseph Nicolosi advocated reparative therapy to diminish unwanted homosexuality as a part of the Moral Compass special lecture series. To be perfectly clear, the University did not bring Dr. Nicolosi to campus in 1997 to promote his viewpoint, but rather to “promote inquiry and discussion into a controversial moral and social issue,” according to the Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Development Mark Davis. In 1997, Nicolosi said homosexuals are basically “heterosexuals with a homosexual problem,” the result of “a defective gene” — a linguistic choice that made 2012 psychology majors in our newsroom cringe. Naturally, his message was received with a few raised eyebrows. Some students saw it as just another viewpoint in the discussion. Some said that regardless of contention of his beliefs, he was trying to offer his help to those who are unhappy, a goal that is not itself nefarious. Others said they were

outraged at his generalizations, ignorance and dismissive demeanor. Just 15 years later, last week’s speaker, Hawks, used his story to advocate a radical authenticity with one another that the Christian community and the Pepperdine community lack. This certainly does not begin or end with homosexuality; it’s any issue which isolates a student who fears its revelation will trade secrecy and shame for rejection and judgment — cutting, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, shattered families, depression. Instead of risking vulnerability, the average Pepperdine student turns to purpose-service-leadership abuse. We build fortresses of perfect grades, endless volunteering and crippling humility, surrounding our protective parapets with moats of physical attractiveness just for good measure. Inside, we’re breaking. The message, in short: ask, tell. To be clear, again, our argument here does not pertain to LGBT issues, nor is it that you should stop complaining about Wednesday morning convo. We write this to show you that the ethos of Pepperdine is changing, and its core values need not be abandoned for that to occur. Pepperdine remains a place of Christian values and biblical mission, and last week’s Chapel is but one example of how the discourse which defines our Pepperdine culture has evolved within that context. And so it follows that Hawks’ message, though drastically different from anything preached from the Firestone Fieldhouse stage before, was rooted in Scripture. Regardless of the zeitgeist, we think Pepperdine would say that

song remains the same. What a difference 15 years can make in the discourses taking place. And the campus chatter after Chapel last Wednesday proves that people noticed. We’ve rarely seen so many students stop playing Words with Friends and earnestly discuss the points raised in a Wednesday morning Chapel. On a very, very general level, Nicolosi and Hawks spoke from some common ground — there are people among us who quietly hurt, and we need to do a better job of helping. Their approaches are as polarizing as the very existence of Lana Del Rey, yet in both cases, people are talking and they enjoy the freedom to hold opposing views if they so choose. Pepperdine proved that it’s willing to walk the walk regarding the discussion of salient social issues at a private institution. It’s also exceedingly easy to get wrapped up in administrative policy regarding such issues. The reality is that life continues regardless. While we respect the decisions of our administration, we know that what really defines the climate of our institution is the way we use our minds and the way that we treat one another, and this is something of which we are in complete control. Hawks’ message and the context from which he spoke is a testament to the influence we all have as freethinking individuals. The ethos of Pepperdine can only extend as far as the collection of individuals that make up this wonderful place, so the ability to reflect, to change and to grow is ultimately on the way we think and the things we do.

FACE OFF

“Is it more important for administration to reﬂect changes in student culture, or to maintain the school’s founding principles?” LIZ ARTHUR Junior STUDENT CULTURE: “I think that there are times when, in order to continue to exemplify Jesus’ true message of faith and love, change is not only advisable but absolutely essential. Change has always been a part of Christian history; Christ forced his followers to change their perspective time and time again, and always in favor of love over judgment.”

NATALEE ALLENBAUGH Senior FOUNDING PRINCIPLES: “While student culture should be considered, the founding principles should carry more weight in the decision making process because those are the principles that the entire student body and all of the alums knew about and agreed to abide by when committing to attend the university. They are also the principles that donors agreed to support when making their generous donations. Any deviation from this may jeopardize these funds and thereby aﬀect many students’ abilities to pay.”

Executive Editor Sonya Singh Managing Editor Jessica Abu-Ghattas Creative Director Alexa Stoczko News Editor Aubrey Hoeppner Associate News Editor Ian McDonald News Assistants Whitney Irick Andrew Kasselmann Mariella Rudi Ashley Thurmond Sports Editor Narine Adamova Assistant Sports Editor Alysha Tsuji Sports Assistants Mariana Lizarzaburu DeAnJilo Platt-Friday Andy de Burgh Sidley Perspectives Editor Madison Leonard Assistant Perspectives Editor Grace Stearns Life & Arts Editor Edgar Hernandez Assistant Life & Arts Editor Benjamin Kryder Life & Arts Assistants Caneel Anthony Sarah Racker Section Designers Amy Cummins Mallory Cummins Nikki Torriente Garrison Wright Photo Editor Meagan McCarty Photo Assistant Rachel Miller Art Editor Emily Branch Assistant Art Editor James Chung Copy Editors Breanne DeMore Sienna Jackson Lindsay Jakows Kristina McClendon Brooklin Nash Online Managing Editor Al Lai Online Content Editor Kayla Ferguson Online Photo Editor Rebecca Herron PGM President Scott Lawrence Director of Student Journalism Elizabeth Smith Assistant Director of Journalism Courtenay Stallings

Mission Statement: The Graphic is an editorially independent weekly student newspaper for the greater Pepperdine community. It serves the community with news, opinion, contemporary information and a public forum for discussion. The Graphic strengthens students for purpose, service and leadership by developing their skills in writing, editing and publication production, by providing a vehicle to integrate and implement their liberal arts education, and by developing students’ critical thinking through independent editorial judgment. The Graphic participates in Pepperdine’s Christian mission and affirmations, especially the pursuit of truth, excellence and freedom in a context of public service. Although the Graphic reports about Pepperdine University and coordinates with curricula in journalism and other disciplines, it is a student and not a University publication. Views expressed are diverse and, of course, do not correspond to all views of any University board, administration, faculty, staff, student or other constituency.

February 16, 2012

PERSPECTIVES

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Life is like an underwear drawer The blind leading the blind

Sexiled roommates should take spirited revenge GRACE STEARNS

ASSISTANT PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

Dear Grace, My roommate is in a serious relationship. And by serious, I mean he and his girlfriend think it’s OK to sleep in our room three nights a week. How do I tell them this is not cool? Do I just go in there when I’m ready to sleep? Do I install a new dead bolt? Help! Sincerely, Sexiled Pose this same question elsewhere and you might receive a well thought out answer about being a mature adult and making compromises. Indeed these are both commendable approaches that might lead to healthy communication between you two. Hooray for acting like a grown-up. I, on the other hand, take the road less traveled. The road, I should say, of passive aggression. It’s normal for every pair of roommates to work out a simple sock-onthe-door system for those special moments where it may not be entirely opportune to have a third party enter the room unannounced. Regardless, there comes a point when, sock or not, two people live in that room and two people should have equal use of it at peak hours. Of course, you could sit down with your roommate and talk about your feeling when receiving a text while summiting the hill on Upper Dorm Road that says, “Hey, umm, can you knock when you come back?” Let’s be real, even my Puritanical mother could identify that as a euphemism for “don’t come in unless you’re prepared to deal with the irreparable psychological consequences of what lies beyond that door.” And honestly, where’s the fun in mature confrontation, anyway? Nay, situations like this call for psychological warfare of the sixth-grade variety. Irrational pranks, theft and gossip are much easier to push off on someone else should the time for confrontation finally come. A failed attempt at reasonable discussion only means indefinite, unavoidable awkwardness and tension. If called out on childish antics? Deny, deny, deny. How could any trifling prank result in revenge proportional to the emotional anxiety you’ve suffered having had to sleep on the couch in your common room? One must be crafty. For example, next time your roommate hops in the shower, slide on over to his side of the room and slip his key off that cute, orange Pepperdine lanyard. Shove it in your pocket and wait for the text, maybe six hours later, from your frantic roommate and his girlfriend, locked out until you return. Text back casually, noting how busy you are but offering to stop by the room to help out. Rush heroically to their aid, whip out your own key, and act nonchalant as the three of you walk in together. Toss your stuff on your bed, sprawl out on the floor, and watch as they shift in discomfort before seeking privacy elsewhere. Hold on to his key as long as possible and return when necessary. Wait four days and repeat. You might also consider doing what you can to make your living quarters entirely unbearable for the lovebirds. This may translate to hoarding unwashed dishes on your desk, mounting unsavory posters on the wall or even planting dead bugs and clumps of hair in your roommate’s sheets. There is an endless variety of options, all of which will most likely culminate in his girlfriend marching self righteously from the room. These actions may not alert your roommate directly to the source of your angst, but how satisfying will it be to watch his constant confusion at the discovery of such mysterious mood killers? Perhaps the roommate will be so distraught that he will resort to sleeping in his significant other’s dorm room, solving your problem far more effectively than a chat with your RA might have. Sure, you’re reduced to living in squalor, but the satisfaction of revenge is far more potent than the stench of intentionally planted rotting laundry. 

grace.stearns@pepperdine.edu

SAVANNAH GARRETT STAFF WRITER

They call me “Old Faithful.” It’s the kind of person that I am. My friends tuck me away in the back corner of the middle drawer — easily accessible, yet easily hidden. Clearly, they’re embarrassed of me or don’t think that much of me. I am never there, or invited to be there, when they are having fun because they don’t need me then. At that point, when they are having the time of their lives, they are satisfied with whom they have around them. Naturally, I have things to do and other friends to hang out with, but I would like to be there (sometimes). I am only dragged out when no one else is willing to play. I am stuck with the gross jobs. I am the “Granny Panty” of friends. I am worn on long flights and ugly days, as a last resort. By definition, a granny panty is one Victoria calls every time

someone tells her secrets or the one Betsey calls every time she has found a new Johnson. We are the ones to be pushed to the side and treated as second-rate friends, except in a moment of need. As a granny panty I recognize my kind, and thus I bond with others who are similar to myself. We form a friendship based on the fact that we are both pitiable. We are overcompensating for our own insecurities and hype our friendship up to such great heights that others see us as the cool group of friends, the lacy thongs. The tables are now turned and my friendship creates an air of exclusivity. Now, my gang of granny panties is able to choose who is a member of our new band of sexy ladies; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Naturally, this does not satisfy me. I know it should. I should count my blessings and be thankful for the great gals I have in my life. But, in the back of my mind I know I am still someone’s icky undergarments. I am tired of being the granny panty. I am tired of only being called to pick up a certain friend when she

is skizzered on the corner of Hollywood and Vine. I am so over being called to “hang out” only when her other friends have ditched her. I want to be invited to go clubbing and shopping. I want to be pulled out of the drawer first, with the pretty lacy things. Not crinkled in the corner — waiting for her next messy breakup. But at the very least, I can recognize myself as a granny panty; I am not in denial. I acknowledge that my group of friends and I initially bonded over the fact that we were frequently ditched, or kicked to the curb. I am not a naive lady who looks blankly in the mirror trying to convince herself, “she would so be there for me,” because she wouldn’t. So what’s a girl to do? Firstly, understand that people will use you, if you let them. Second, acknowledge that it is OK not to be best friends with everyone. And lastly, go through all 1,200 of your Facebook “friends” and ask yourself what makes each one of those people unique and beautiful. If you cannot think of a reason why your “friends” are unique or

beautiful, and if you cannot remember who they are, delete them. Or at least acknowledge that they are not your real friends (this method can also be applied to your phone contacts and followers on Twitter). My grandfather always told me, “Baby, the best thing about friends is that you choose them.” Thus, if you give someone the privilege to be your friend and they treat you like a second-rate citizen, let them go. Have the courage to find new friends, and band together with people who love and respect you. We are all unique and have things to offer in a friendship and to ourselves. There are boy-shorts who are secure in their femininity and embrace the appeal of androgyny. And even my personal favorite, the lacy “cheekies” are a blend of support, beauty and rationality. No matter the style, everyone can embrace his or her own individual flair and purpose in a relationship. Individuals and roles change and grow, so who cares if you are a granny panty? Find those people that will make you feel lacy and fabulous. 

savannah.garrett@pepperdine.edu

Interracial dating paints love with new colors BREANNA GRIGSBY STAFF WRITER

According to a 2011 Gallup poll, 97 percent of Americans of all races, ages 18 to 37 accept interracial dating, while only 61 percent of Americans age 70 and over accept it. Despite the apparent amiability among younger adults, there seems to be a difference between accepting interracial dating and actually taking part in it. “I think many like the idea, yet would never do it themselves,” freshman Jacklyn Maza said. Crossing the generational divide, the disapproval grows. As some students explained, many parents and especially grandparents seem opposed to the concept. Seaver freshman Adeline McKinley agreed that the reason many people choose not to date interracially is because it “is a concern of their parents.” “How others view a couple definitely plays a role in the relationship,” Maza stated. Parents play a big role in a relationship even when the couple is of the same race. While perhaps a bit dramatized for the silver screen, the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is an example of parents being intolerant to intercultural dating. The strong differences in culture and background can make the atmosphere of a relationship even more strained. “One big factor is culture,” freshman Rosa Zhang said. “For me, being raised in a rather traditional Chinese family, my parents want me to marry an Asian, but I don’t.” Other students enjoy more relaxed family expectations when it comes to dating. Emir Kumova, a freshman international student, stated that his parents would accept him dating a girl from another race, and he wouldn’t worry about their acceptance. To him, the color, look and background of a girl are not factors in whether or not they would date. For Kumova, it’s about “the personality and the person’s actions toward you.” When going deeper into the issue of interracial dating, another issue emerges. One can observe that there are significantly fewer black women dating white men than there are black men dating white women. Some relate this imbalance to the lingering historic significance of black female slaves who were often physically and sexually abused by their white masters. Irys Watson, a California native, told Black College Wire that the reason she wouldn’t date a white man was that he “might try to be a ‘master’ over her.” Many black women, especially on this campus, do not hold this prevailing negative sentiment. “It doesn’t matter about race or color,” freshman Jamille Lockhart said. “It’s about personality.”

JAMES CHUNG/ASSISTANT ART EDITOR

Conversations held about this subject amongst black women reveal that many would not mind, and some would actually like, the experience of dating a man outside of their race. “I feel as though there is a stigma to dating interracially toward black men but the same isn’t felt if black women were to do it,” senior Jamie Murkey said. One of the issues with interracial dating is that some black women find a problem with black men dating white women, but the same isn’t felt by black men. This could be related to the fact that more black men date interracially than do their female counterparts. “TV and movies, like ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman,’ help continue the stereotype in society that black women are loud and angry,” asserted freshman Brittany Tate. “Sometimes it makes it harder for us to attract men outside of our race because this is all they’ve seen, when in actuality every woman is different. I was raised in a family where we don’t discriminate against skin color. As long as the man loves the Lord, loves me and we’re happy, ethnicity doesn’t matter.” But the main issue surrounding interracial dating may not even be the different skin colors. Worries of cultural differences seem to pervade this issue even more than skin color does, although the issue of skin color is usually the more

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor must bear the writerʼs name, signature, class standing, major, address and phone number. Letters must be fewer than 300 words and will be edited for syntax, grammar and brevity. Letters can be mailed to student publications or emailed to graphic@pepperdine.edu.

publicized issue in the debate of interracial dating. “Reasons why people would be opposed to interracial dating could be because of the difficulty of adjusting to the cultural differences of each other,” freshman Raymon Griggs said. This issue of culture seems to be more of an issue than the color of skin. “Especially in America where we have become so intermixed,” stated Doug Tyson, a Pepperdine graduate student. “Even if the relationship didn’t work out, I would have learned something, at least from a cultural standpoint,” Maza stated. Many hold the belief that the cultural learning experience that comes from an interracial relationship is unmatchable. Everyone should open up their cultural horizons, if they are to be a successful part of society. Interracial dating is a great way to expand these horizons. “I think interracial dating exposes you to other people’s cultures and makes you aware of other races’ customs and traditions,” freshman Danny Chang said. “Though there are challenges such as public perception, as sad as that is, the benefits outweigh the costs.” While some social stigmas may persist, it seems that Pepperdine students are beginning to open up to love of every color. 

breanna.grigsby@pepperdine.edu

CONTACT US Graphic Pepperdine University 24255 Paciﬁc Coast Hwy. Malibu, CA 90263 310-506-4311 graphic@pepperdine.edu graphicadvertising@pepperdine.edu

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February 16, 2012

Prayer Furnace ﬁlls Stauffer with faith By ANDREW KASSELMANN NEWS ASSISTANT

Prayer and worship filled Stauffer Chapel for 50-straight hours last week. Beginning last Thursday, Feb. 9, at 10 p.m., Pepperdine students joined together in a 50-hour Prayer Furnace starting Thursday evening and ending at midnight on Saturday, Feb. 11. “The 50-hour Prayer Furnace at Pepperdine actually ties in to a bigger picture,” said junior Sarah Hutchinson, who helped lead the event. “In Southern California, universities are coming together in nonstop prayer and worship through the entire month of February. Each campus has a different block of time dedicated to continuous praise. There are even 24/7 houses of prayer springing up across the country, including one in Hollywood.” The SoCal prayer month is led by an organization called Movement 133. They feel that God is going to begin a revival in the U.S. starting on the West Coast that will move eastward, according to junior Brandon Davie, who also helped lead the event. Other schools that have joined Pepperdine in the event are Biola, Azusa Pacific and USC. “The focus of the 50 hours of prayer was to love God by giving of our time,” Hutchinson said. “We wanted this event to be about our campus seeking God above all else.” The organizers of the Prayer Furnace asked anyone who wanted to lead prayer or worship to sign up for a 90-minute slot to make sure the entire 50 hours were covered in prayer and worship. With the initial setup in place, the 50 hours went smoothly. People came to pray and worship throughout the whole day and night, whether they had signed up to lead or not, according to Hutchinson.

“Even at Four in the morning, we were still going strong,” Hutchinson said. “I felt strangely energized by those early-morning shifts.” “The 50-Hour Prayer Furnace was incredible,” Davie said. “I was only able to go for a few 90 minute time slots during the 50 hours, but people were playing guitar and praying in the wee hours of the morning, through the day and all the way through the night. About 40 people attended the kickoff on Thursday night, and there were numbers varying between two and 20 people for the rest of the 50 hours.” Hutchinson was a prayer leader for some of the time slots throughout the event. As a prayer leader, she spent a fair amount of time praying for written requests from a prayer bowl. “There were many prayers for hurting loved ones and for healing, but also people wanting more out of their relationship with God, wanting to trust more, to have more faith, to know how to love and have stronger relationships, prayers for unity on our campus, prayers for God to touch the depressed. It was like getting a glimpse at the soul of Pepperdine. The prayers were raw and real,” Hutchinson said. Davie said that it is not really for him to say whether or not the event went well, but he does know that God pulled together a lot of things at the last minute to help the Prayer Furnace along. The Celebration Chapel group decided to leave their sound system up on Thursday night for use in worship, and people decided to sign up at the last minute for worship and prayer slots early in the morning that were not filled, allowing the praise to keep going for the full 50 hours, he said. If it is God’s will, the event will happen again, Davie said. If the event were to happen again, he would like to focus more on advertising to increase student awareness, and also to try to get more staff and faculty

involved to make it more of a campus-wide event. “God was definitely moving through the event and I am excited to see the revival that He will bring to our campus through the time that we spent seeking Him,” Davie said.  andrew .kasselmann @pepperdine. edu

Spirited Away: Students worship in Stauffer Chapel during the 50-hour Prayer Furnace last weekend.

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LIFE & ARTS February 16, 2012

HOUSE THE HISTORY OF

Take a look at the appeal behind House Music, from its origins back in the ‘80s to its infusion in mainstream pop. By CANEEL ANTHONY

LIFE & ARTS ASSISTANT

DGAR

HERNANDEZ

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

oming from the electronic music genre, dubstep’s older twiceremoved cousin House Music, has a long history of experimentation that has brought it to the mainstream. With current popular DJs like David Guetta and Avicii, House Music has established itself as a club staple. A genre that encompasses many subgenres, the original House Music was born in Chicago during the early 80s. A descendant of disco, the underground scene welcomed a deeper more synthesized sound with one intention — to bring people together and make them dance. The underground culture welcomed people of all races and sexual orientation, which attributed to its popularity. Two nightclubs in particular, The Warehouse in Chicago and Paradise Garage in New York, were pivotal to the origins of what later became House and Garage music.

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LIFE & ARTS

B2 Graphic BRITT KIDD STAFF WRITER

Color can make or break moods

In primary school many of us were introduced to the seven colors of the rainbow as good old ROYGBIV (in case you need a friendly reminder – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). It’s debatable how many shades of these seven basic colors the human eye actually can see, but according to colormatters.com, we can see seven million colors. Seven million is such an overwhelming number of different hues. But what on Earth do these different colors mean? Does each color have a special significance? Why does this pertain to my life? Most people have probably been asked the dumb icebreaker question, “what’s your favorite color?” numerous times. Typically, I don’t give my response much thought and blurt out the first color that sounds appealing at that moment in time. However, at that very moment when I decided to tell everyone in my G.E. course that my favorite color was macaroni and cheese orange, some studies agree that my odd choice was a reflection of my mood at the time. In Suzy Chiazzari’s “The Complete Book of Color,” colors can play a role in creating our mood and we often pick colors based upon the mood we are in or want to be in. A 2010 study published in “The BMC Medical Research Methodology” also suggests that people tend to select colors to describe their certain moods. According to the study, happy people preferred the color yellow while depressed or anxious ones associated their mood with the color gray. At Pepperdine, whenever the sun is shining and we experience summerlike forecasts in the middle of winter, faculty and students generally seem to be cheerful and joyous. Everyone talks about how “blessed” they are to enjoy the beautiful and colorful conditions and smiles beam from many faces. However, when the sun goes away and everything is gray, moods tend to be a little drearier, and it isn’t uncommon to hear many complaints around campus. If it is a drearier day outside, you don’t have to dress the part by covering up in gray, black and dark blue. Lift your mood and the moods around you by adding some bright colorful accents to your wardrobe. Bright colors, such as orange, represent life, vitality, energy and happiness. According to Freshome.com, some ancient cultures used the color orange to increase energy levels. If you are feeling a little low on the energy, use it as an excuse to represent the Pepperdine color and add some orange to your apparel. In addition to colors having an effect on different moods, Catherine Ponder’s book, “The Secret Healing of the Ages,” suggests that different colors have different meanings according to ancient color symbology. According to Ponder, light and bright colors tend to please the subconscious mind. In ancient color symbology, the color blue is appealing to the subconscious mind because it represents intellectual or other mental accomplishments. Other studies have shown that it conveys productivity and reliability. The next time you pick out school supplies, opt for the blue binder and notebook to stimulate your intellectual mind. Or wear blue on a test day, when you need to be productive, or even to a job interview. Also in Ponder’s section about ancient color symbology, the colors pink or rose convey harmony and love in one’s life, while bright pink can aid in awakening your emotional nature to the possibilities of love. With Valentine’s Day spirit still lingering in the air, it’s no wonder why rosy pinks are the signature colors of the lovey-dovey holiday. If your subconscious has been snoozing and inattentive to the possibilities of love, give it a wake up call by adding some bright pink and other shades of the hue to your life. Although certain colors may have different meanings or affect people’s moods differently, colors and brightness definitely can play an active role in representing one’s emotional state. So the next time you pick out your wardrobe for the day, let the color reflect your mood or change your mood to reflect the color. Or, the next time someone asks you, “what’s your favorite color” answer with the first color the pops into your mind. Don’t choose the color, let the color choose you and see if it represents your current state. 

brittany.kidd@pepperdine.edu

February 16, 2012

‘Mole’ takes dinner to new level By EDGAR HERNANDEZ LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

After successfully using the stove last week, I thought I would try cooking something that had a high level of difficulty as well as risk. Something that could kill you if not done correctly — mole. No, not an actual mole like that velvety-furred mammal with large powerful paws made for digging, but mole, the sauce commonly used in Mexican cuisine. Chicken, like other meat products, comes with a level of risk. This risk can be avoided if the chicken is treated appropriately. This does not mean that you have to make sure that the chicken was able to roam free in a 30-acre farm and that she had friends. It simply means that the process between getting the chicken from the freezer aisle in the grocery store to your mouth has to be a mindful one. If not handled properly, chicken can give you salmonella. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1,027,561 people got salmonella in the U.S. during 2011. Out of that number, it estimates that 378 died. My basic math skills tell me that .037 percent of people that got salmonella died last year. Although a small percentage, I’d rather not run the risk. If salmonella doesn’t kill you, it’ll at least put you out of commission for a few days. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most people experience diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 8 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Additional effects may include chills, headache, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms usually go away within four to seven days. I invited some friends over for some quality dinner time — an early Valentine’s Day treat (you’re welcome). I warned them about the dangers of salmonella and did everything short of getting them to sign a waiver clearing me from legal responsibility if anything happened to them after eating the chicken. Unlike Pepperdine warning us about the SAC, I warned my friends about salmonella. I went to the grocery store to get the things I needed for this meal and

some shampoo. How much chicken you want to make is really up to you. Since I was going to feed at least four people I went with one of those precut thighs and legs packets. I also got one bag of rice, a can of tomato sauce, an onion, some garlic, a lime, some asparagus and a container of mole from my favorite aisle. Making this meal was a threepart process. First I started with the chicken. The chicken has to be cooked first. To cook it, boil a pot of water. Throw a fifth of the onion and some salt in the water. How much salt you put is really up to your taste. I’ve always seen my mother pour salt into her cupped hand from a large container. When I asked her how she knew how much salt to put, she simply responded, “you just eyeball it.” And eyeball it I did! Or at least I tried. Either way, I didn’t get any complaints about the chicken being too salty or not having enough salt. Before you put the chicken in the pot you have to rinse it. This is where salmonella happens. On top of this you have to be careful about where you put the raw chicken and what it comes in contact with. If you use a knife to cut chicken, don’t use the knife to cut anything else until you wash it. When you put the chicken on the cutting board, wash it before you put anything else on it. Whenever you touch raw chicken with your bare hands, wash your hands right after. All these things prevent the cross-contamination of other foods and salmonella. Once the water starts to boil, you gently put in however much chicken you plan on eating. Cover the pot, but not completely because it’ll cause a riot in the kitchen, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes pass, check the chicken with a fork. If the fork goes in smoothly, it means the chicken is ready. If ever in doubt, go for overcooked chicken instead of undercooked. Undercooked chicken can also cause salmonella. Once the chicken is ready, take it out of the pot, and let it sit on some kind of container. This is where the fun with mole begins. When I told my friends I was making mole, one of them thought I was going to do it from scratch. Here’s a note on the history of mole and why I didn’t make it from scratch.

EDGAR HERNANDEZ / LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Mexican cuisine: Complement your chicken in mole with rice and asparagus.

Mole originated in the three states of Mexico: Puebla, Oaxaca and Tlaxcala. Depending on what state you come from, mole will have anywhere between 26 to over 30 different ingredients (chili peppers, pepper, achiote, clove, anise, tomatoes, garlic, sesame seeds, etc.). All of the ingredients are roasted and ground into a fine powder or paste. This process is hard. Allegedly, it can take up to a day. The powder or paste is then mixed with water until it turns into a very thick sauce. The mole container that you can buy at the store is a paste. You simply put it in a pan or pot, add water (more water than paste) and stir it until it reaches a sauce-like substance. Once I had achieved that, I added the cooked chicken, made sure to cover it all in the mole and just let it sit there for a few minutes before turning the flame off. It is relatively simple to make the accompanying rice. Start with a tablespoon of butter in a pot. Add some thin slices of onion and a piece of garlic. Once that looks a little transparent, add the rice. Stir it, otherwise it will burn and stick to the bottom, until the rice loses it color. Then add a can of tomato sauce. Keep stirring for a little more, then add one and a half cup of water. Put a lid on it, and let it sit there until the water evaporates. If the rice is chewy once all the water has evaporated, add more water until the rice has the texture of some other rice

you’ve eaten before. For the accompanying asparagus, put a tablespoon of butter on a pan before adding the asparagus. Then add half a lime to the pan and simply cook the asparagus. Lastly, something that my mother does that adds a lot of flavor to the meal is onion marinated in lime juice. Simply cut some thin slices of onion, put them in a container and squeeze a lime over it and a little bit of salt. When you eat this with the mole, the stark contrast of the two (mole is typically a bit on the sweeter side, and lime and onion — well, lime and onion are just not) makes the whole experience a lot more flavorful. It’s been more than 72 hours and we have not experienced diarrhea, abdominal cramps or a fever, which leads me to call this dinner a success!



edgar.hernandez@pepperdine.edu

Ingredients: Chicken 1 Onion 2 tablespoons of mole Doña Maria 3 cups of water 1 cup of rice 1 piece of garlic 1 can of tomato sauce Asparagus 1 tablespoon of butter 1 lime

Break bread daily at Belgian restaurant By ALIZABETH BLUMENFELD STAFF WRITER

The sensational Le Pain Quotidien has finally arrived in The Commons Calabasas. I first discovered this Belgian farmhouse-style restaurant in London during my experience abroad. It is the perfect, cozy nook for both young and old to study, sip on a perfectly frothed cappuccino or meet friends. Le Pain Quotidien is a French phrase meaning “the daily bread.” It began in 1990 as an artisanal bakery in Belgium. At the time, the chef and owner Alain Coumont began with a simple menu of fresh local organic breads, salads and sandwiches. He wished to bring better quality bread to the people of his hometown in Brussels. Coumont began hand mixing his own organic stone-ground flour, water and salt into the familiar loaves of his childhood. Today, there are more than 100 Le Pain Quotidien cafes in 15 countries. Each store offers a similar rustic feel with the same furniture and architecture used in each. Reclaimed wood and recycled Gypsum are used in the construction of all of Coumont’s restaurants. I have now been to four Le Pain Quotidiens in London, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Calabasas, and can personally attest each store offers the same charming and unhurried service, decor and earthy cuisine. Walking into Calabasas Le Pain Quotidien, I was greeted with the authentic feel each restaurant offers. The first similarity I noticed is the signature communal table in the heart of the restaurant. It allows friends and diners to come together and break bread. Another commonality is the large chalkboard that lists the seasonal items. The menu consists of the highest quality and mostly organic ingredients that are delicately selected and assembled in the kitchen. There is also a growing list of vegan and gluten-free dishes, which taste equally exceptional. Specialty jams and chocolate spreads are also provided on each table to spread on the artisanal breads. If you are a Nutella fan, just wait until you have a taste of one of Le Pain’s chocolaty spreads. The sweet rich fluffy spread melts in your

COURTESY OF DAILY NEWS

A community meal: The quaint ensemble and large tables makes this cozy joint the perfect place for a big group.

mouth, like a cloud of chocolate and pralines. Before opening my menu, I decided on the Harvest Cranberry Porridge listed on the seasonal chalkboard. The porridge contains warm faro simmered with almond milk, pecans, walnuts and cranberries topped with fresh strawberries. The warmth from the bowl comforts your heart and soul with each spoonful. The other menu items include fantastic salads, soups, tartines, omelets, organic free-range meats and decadent desserts. For my drink, I selected another seasonal item, the chai latte. Le Pain Quotidien offers a variety of milks including cow, soy and almond milk for your choosing. After deciding on almond milk, the

waitress delivered a freshly steamed drink to my booth in a fantastic fishbowl mug. The spiciness of the chai paired with the soft nuttiness from the milk makes for the ultimate tea beverage. The mochachino is equally delicious and by far the best chocolaty coffee drink I have ever tasted. Watch out Starbucks and Coffee Bean. Next time you are at The Commons in Calabasas or want a Belgian inspired meal, be sure to dine at Le Pain Quotidien. The kind staff and tasty bites will make your experience quite enjoyable and leave you feeling comforted with a satisfied appetite. 

alizabeth.blumenfeld@pepperdine.edu

LIFE & ARTS

February 16, 2012

Graphic

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRADLEY GRIFFIN

Stealing the show: Lauren Rideau as Ana, Josh Alexander as Charles, Bela Comerford as Matilde, Charlotte Ubben as Virginia and Katie McDonough as Lane perform under Britt Hennemuth in ‘The Clean House.’

Senior thesis ﬁnishes strong under time crunch By SARAH RACKER LIFE & ARTS ASSISTANT

Four weeks to produce, direct and assemble. A minimal $250 budget. A production crew of six. Challenge accepted. For his senior thesis, directing major Britt Hennemuth produced and directed the play “The Clean House,” an absurdist comedy written by Sarah Ruhl. The play was entirely student-run, and played in Pepperdine’s Mini Theatre (PLC 112) Feb. 9 through 11. Despite the challenges listed above, Hennemuth claimed the production actually went very smoothly in the four-week time crunch. With the average directing major having about three months to produce his or her thesis, the short production time was actually a luxury instead of a hindrance. “I was guaranteed the students, professors and time slots that I needed, so we were never working odd hours or conflicting with other people’s

schedules,” Hennemuth said. The play is about the story of a Brazilian woman who comes to America after her parents have died in order to make a life for herself, and with the dream of becoming a famous comedian. For the time being however, the woman, Matilde, is cleaning a family’s house to earn money. While working for them, she discovers that the husband, Charles, is cheating on his wife, Lane, with an Argentinian woman, Ana. Drama ensues with the four, including Lane’s sister, Virginia. and by the end, the characters have come full circle, through a period of acceptance and discovery. The cast was comprised of Isabela Comerford (Matilde), Katharine McDonough (Lane), Charlotte Ubben (Virginia), Joshua Alexander (Charles) and Lauren Rideau (Ana). “The cast was really great,” Hennemuth said. “They were always prepared ahead of schedule and gave me a whole new perspective on the play. It was a great collaborative process.” The cast was confirmed the week before finals last semester with a single read-through before

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the holidays, and then when classes resumed this January, the cast and crew had four weeks to bring everything together by opening night last Friday. Hennemuth was guided by Pepperdine Associate Professor of Theatre Brad Griffin and the technical director for the production was Assistant Professor of Theatre JD Sargent. Hennemuth also had five students assisting him with the set, sound and lighting, but the visions and creativity behind the production came entirely from Hennemuth himself. “I read through 40 odd some plays last fall and I kept coming back to ‘The Clean House,’” said Hennemuth. “By November it was the obvious choice.” Working in Pepperdine’s Mini Theatre posed another challenge to the crew. In the original Broadway production, the set includes a huge apartment structure and a balcony that essentially comes out of nowhere. Working in the tiny blackbox theatre of PLC 112, this obviously wouldn’t be possible. So, Hennemuth had to get creative,

substituting a platform for the balcony and using projections to tell some of the story. “Some of the best feedback that I received was that the play made great use of the space, which was something that we as a team were aiming for,” said Hennemuth. The play was a great success, with Thursday and Saturday night’s shows completely sold out and being standing room only. “It was great to get people’s reactions, because although the play is very conversational, it’s ideas are naturally profound,” Hennemuth added. Despite the challenges of producing and organizing a play almost single-handedly, Hennemuth was pleased with the results. “It was a really smooth process, and I was really lucky with the cast that I got, everyone was perfect for their roles and it moved quickly and worked well,” Hennemuth said.



sarah.racker@pepperdine.edu

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LIFE & ARTS

B4 Graphic JOSH DOWNS STAFF WRITER

My life on the Z-list: Black HAWC down

It is with great pride that I claim relationships with the sandbar piano (at which I have wept more times than I’ve clipped my toenails over the course of my life), that third plateau on the way up the Towers/ CCB stairs (on which I spent a solid two minutes every morning my sophomore year, waving politely to passerbys, praying that I would not vomit on them), and the sneaky trail that connects Peppers to the HAWC (on which I was more prone to slipping and falling than a newly born deer ice-skating on a giant cube of butter). While there are many nooks and crannies on campus that mean different things to different people, the one that meant the most to a lot of people was the HAWC. This haven existed as a late night escape to many and was just raunchy enough to make it seem like an extension of your dorm rooms, not a destination at some fancy restaurant like Applebees. You could smell the indifference of the recently post-adolescent HAWC worker from the AMB. Once you got in the door, you had a plethora of things to roll your eyes at: the huge bearded guy loudly banging on the piano upstairs, the pervasive smell of a hot-pocket that you were certain was first tested as a WMD or the only working TV on campus and its endearing proximity to the epicenter of on-campus indoor sports. There was a sense of camaraderie in this place. There was no guilt for wanting a full meal at 1:52 a.m., because the frozen brick food you were purchasing would, after being cooked in the Microwave of Indiscernible Power would certainly either give you diarrhea or make sure you wouldn’t taste a meal for a week by burning the entire surface area of your tongue. You didn’t care that they only stocked three of the worst salads because, in the end, you knew that you probably should have planned ahead and gone to the Caf or, heaven forbid, gone grocery shopping. You knew that everyone had a communal understanding that this place was for the weak, and you LOVED IT. WELCOME HOME. Well, it happened again. You went away for the summer, only to return home and find out that your once quirky and homely mother has received implants and can’t hug you anymore. The HAWC betrayed us. Here is a list of my grievances: No. 1 From the moment you (attempt to) walk into the new building, you can tell you are unwanted. Upon any brief human touch, both of the “handicap accessible” doors open outward, leaving you with a forehead bruise and brief glance of embarrassed confusion as you walk up the stairs. No. 2 What was once an escape from acquaintances that you spent 12 hours avoiding is now a collection of people from every social circle with which you have ever associated yourself. No. 3 That building needs a piano. No. 4 The bathrooms used to be far away, creating a soothing and healthy disassociation between “this” and “that.” Now you must receive permission and excusal from 20 people (already uneasy about standing so close to it) to get to the door. No. 5 With a selection that looks like the west half of a Trader Joes, it would be nice if they had at least one edible flavor of chip. I always get excited when they find another human to govern the mini Ralph’s (usually meaning I can get something edible in less than two hours), but, for some reason, they only carry “jerky,” “salad,” and “chip” flavored chips. I didn’t even know they made “Sushi Chex-Mix.” 6. The food presentation is sketch. If they’re going to serve me four completely frozen pieces of ravioli smothered in weekold alfredo, why try to disguise it with a black, semi-presentational plastic plate and a sprig of parsley? They really need to take off those Chef Boyardee costumes and admit that they’re just microwaving the food (just like we used to). 7. If they have another diet soda shortage, I’m transferring. I drank a regular Pepsi out of panic last week and woke up in a ditch near PCH. I’m not saying I need the old HAWC back. The new generation can have their new, fake and fancy mom. Heck, my teddy-bear Benjamin never even saw the old one. I would simply like to pay tribute to a place that welcomed all, bruised none, and burnt some. May we never forget. 

joshua.downs@pepperdine.edu

February 16, 2012

House: subgenres branch out From B1

The style in New York was more down-tempo, which went on to become a founding pillar for dubstep, while the style in Chicago was more upbeat, giving birth to House Music. DJ Frankie Knuckles set the stage for House Music during his days at The Warehouse, which was primarily visited by black men looking for disco music. Around the time that Knuckles left The Warehouse, DJ Ron Hardy, a key player in the gay club scene, arrived at The Music Box. Hardy’s raw rhythms became the signature of House Music and transformed the Chicago sound, making The Music Box an inspirational place for DJs and producers. For most DJs during this time, the goal was to create music that people would dance to at clubs and parties, leaving records aside. However, without radio, House music would never have gained such massive popularity. In order to bring their sound to a wider public, DJs began to play late-night sets on the radio station WBMX, so that even those who would have never stepped inside a club could hear their music. As the House movement gained momentum, it began to branch out. Subgenres such as Deep House and Acid House emerged through different musical influences. In New York and New Jersey, the music heard in clubs could retrace its origins to R&B, with a greater emphasis on soulful instrumentals and vocals. Combined with the electronic

Q&A with

DJ Ecos House DJ Eduard Cos spoke about his ﬁrst experiences with music and his views on the current House scene. Graphic: What made you interested in becoming a House DJ? Eduard Cos (DJ Ecos): I first became interested in alternative rock music and jazz. I started playing drums my freshman year in high school. I had a rock band for about five years, and while I was listening to new styles of music that involved drumming, such as Drum & Bass, I became more familiar with all types of electronica music. Since I had a music background with playing live, recording and other technicalities, and I loved going to

drum sound, this style eventually became known as Deep House. The New York and New Jersey sound led to a transformation that focused on the actual song itself. On the other hand, DJ collaboration Phuture and Ron Hardy were playing with a Roland TB-303 bassline machine. The squelching noises combined with a deep repetitive drum sound led to Acid House. These are just two examples of the many different subgenres that broke out of the original sound in Chicago. House Music even snuck into the top pop charts in the late 80s and early 90s with artists like Madonna (“Express Yourself ”) and C+C Music Factory (“Gonna Make You Sweat”). The 90s continued to be a time of experimentation and the development of new sounds and subgenres. In fact, in 1991 DJ Justin Berkmann created a nightclub solely devoted to the House movement – London’s Ministry of Sound. This club went on to become an international symbol of electronic music and a brand of music labels that include annual compilations of EDM hits. At the end of the ’90s the influential and widely popular progressive House emerged with artists including Daft Punk and Basement Jaxx. The 2000’s saw the development of Progressive House to the extent that it became the most predominant subgenre in the popular club scene. With the rise of the subgenre came the rise of DJs like Swedish House Mafia, deadmau5 and Afrojack. House is still bumping in clubs clubs, DJ-ing came very natural. House music was just the genre that suited me the most, and the one I enjoyed the most at the time, to play in a club. G: In what ways would you say House is different from other electronic music genres? EC: I would say house music itself is a very broad genre. It has many sub-genres. What people confuse is Techno, Trance, House and Dance. What they all have in common, and a reason why many people confuse them, is the bass-drum beat, which is very symmetrical in a strict 4/4 measure and on every beat. There are definitely differences in the instruments included in each genre but is sometimes very hard to explain in words. G: What types of House do you play, and what makes it different from other types of House? I mostly play Deep House and Tech House and rarely some Minimal, Dub Techno and Progressive House. Deep House is usually more mid to slower tempo, has many acoustic sounds, and groovy bassline, warm and doesn’t usually have vocals. Tech House, as the

MEAGAN MCCARTY / PHOTO EDITOR

Pump up the tunes: Junior Eduard Cos demonstrates some equipment DJs use.

all around the world. From artists like Ron Hardy to Avicii, what has remained prevalent is the deep rhythmic 4/4 sound. Its continual evolution has allowed it to stay at the front

name says, combines House and Techno, which is a little more upbeat than Deep House. Sometimes it’s more monotone and has less melodic variation. Also percussion and drum groove play a more important role. G: How did you start spinning? What venues have you played at? EC: I started playing with music back home in Romania somewhere around junior-senior year in high school. I played more commercial House, Top-40 type of music, in the beginning until I got into more underground music. It started as a hobby and not for money, and it is still like that today. I only play underground house, no more commercial, because I lost my affinity towards it. I stay within my genre because that is where I have the most experience, versatility and knowledge. Most of the venues I played are in Romania, from more underground clubs to pool and beach parties. In the U.S. I have a once a month gig at Moonshadows in Malibu. I have played in Hollywood as well, but not very regularly.

of club culture and make it one of the most recognized and popular dance genres of the world. 



caneel.anthony@pepperdine.edu

edgar.hernandez@pepperdine.edu

G: What do you think about the growing popularity of House, and the number of people who are trying to become DJs? EC: I think Dub Step, Electro House and Trance grew in the last four years. When I got to Pepperdine, people didn’t know at all about those styles. I think even though House and Techno first started in the U.S., they are not as popular as in Europe. One artist that tried and succeeded in bringing electronic music to the U.S. is David Guetta. He plays very commercial dance/house, but it definitely is a step towards other electronica. I think everyone is welcome to be a DJ, and now with technology and laptops, actual mixing is a lot easier. That is why there is a huge increase in DJs. There are too many DJs out there who think they know how to DJ because they press three buttons, but is not only about that. Getting the crowd to dance and having an individual style are very important things. So I advise anyone that wants to start playing that they play the style they love most.

Become a master of relationships By BENJAMIN KRYDER

ASSISTANT LIFE & ARTS EDITOR

Almost 80 years ago, a man by the name of Dale Carnegie wrote a book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” Still today, the work is widely read and understood as one of the most insightful books concerning interpersonal relationships. Inspired by the widespread appeal, I have decided to write a sequel, curtailed to meet the specifications of the Pepperdine community. So here goes the first installment of, “How to Win Friends and Influence People at Pepperdine.” Today, we will be exploring one of the most common interactions at Pepperdine, the “stop and chat.” How you handle the stop and chat will determine your standing on campus as either a scummy social pariah or a golden god of social manipulation. For those of you who don’t know, a “stop and chat” is a situation in which you are walking toward some destination when suddenly you are confronted with the possibility of having to stop en route and chat with

somebody. Now, as a general rule, I look down wherever I walk to avoid all stop and chats as I think they are the bane of human interaction. But if you are worried about public perception, then here are some tips on how to expedite the process. Personally, I’ve tried everything — iPods, cigarettes, significant periods of time without bathing, but the fact remains that some people will stop to chat regardless of what you do. First, you need to catch their attention right off the bat from a considerable distance. The longer you wait, the more control you are putting in the hands of another person, and soon enough, you’re having a 20-minute conversation about God-knows-what. Now, in getting their attention, I like to throw up the peace sign. Clearly, it demonstrates your inherent coolness and gives you the option to keep on chugging or to stop for a quick word. I’m going to assume that since you’re walking somewhere, you’re not looking to play catch-up, so I recommend just stating a fact about the other person or the current state of affairs. It is

really important that you don’t try to get too fancy and deviate from strict factual statements. You might catch yourself in a real corner. For example, Person X is walking towards me. Damn — eye contact. OK, you can do this. With your most authentic attempt at a smile, turn and say “Hey! You’re wearing a purple blouse!” or “This Malibu wind is killing me!” Either one of those is going to do the trick. You see, you have now acknowledged their presence, made a coherent statement, and you should be set up to keep moving right along. Now, generally speaking, your comment should be specific enough as to not warrant any sort of response. On the occasion that they decide to add a rejoinder like, “So how’s your semester going?” I just look to my watch and say, “Oh no! I got to get to the TCC in five minutes.” Don’t worry. Nobody knows what exactly the TCC is, and you’re sure to be absolved from any further interaction. There are times when an extended “stop and chat” looks simply un-

avoidable. Say you’re walking down lower dorm road and you see a gaggle of laypersons you wish to avoid. One commonly overlooked facet of Pepperdine’s campus is the unexplored land through which you can travel. Just because the roads are paved doesn’t mean they are the only means of viable transportation. Perhaps you just bite the bullet and surrender to a half-hour conversation-turned-prayer circle, but I’d recommend taking the road less traveled. In this case, you quickly dart right behind Banowsky. You’ll have to trek some rocky terrain and forge your way through a few deciduous forests, but it sure as hell beats talking to those people. In fact, the only interaction you’ll have to worry about is squeezing by that pack of deer on your way by Pengilly. Now I’m sure there are some people reading this that might be thinking, “Wow, that’s a little dark and twisted all just to avoid a few little words.” To this point, I concede, and I respond by begging you to stop driving me to such exhaustive lengths to avoid you. 

benjamin.kryder@pepperdine.edu

I i

e e

LIFE & ARTS

February 16, 2012

Graphic

Gym Class Heros, Mat Kearny to perform “The Queen and I” and “Cookie Jar.” The Student Programming Board is able to put on the concert this year because of the student activity fee increase, unlike the last few years when the lack of funds meant the spring concert was either small or nonexistent. The concert will take place on Saturday, March 31 in Alumni Park. The tickets are on sale now for $10 in the HAWC with a stupaige.weslaski@pepperdine.edu dent ID.

By PAIGE WESLASKI STAFF WRITER

The Pepperdine Student Programming Board made a big announcement to the student body last Thursday: Mat Kearney and the Gym Class Heroes will be performing at the upcoming Spring concert. The announcement generated a positive response from Seaver students, and those who attended the reveal party in the Sandbar seemed satisfied with the decision. Lauren Pitre, a Pepperdine sophomore, said “the Board did a great job, they couldn’t have picked better artists.” Amelia Huckins, the concert planner for the student board, said they “chose Mat Kearney and the Gym Class Heroes after thinking a lot about who

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the students would like to see as well as taking their budget and calendar into consideration.” Huckins said that planning a large concert like this takes a lot of time, and that she started the search for artists in the first month of school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GYM CLASS HEROES

The concert planning process is a long one, though, and the concert was not finalized until very recently. They chose the artists because they would satisfy different musical tastes. Mat Kearney, who has had four top 20

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAT KEARNEY

hits in his career, is a folk-rock singer; his latest hit is “Hey Mama.” The Gym Class Heroes, whose members originally met in a ninth grade gym class, are in the hip-hop genre. Famous Gym Class Heroes singles include “Stereo Hearts,”

Tickets are available now $10 in the HAWC with student ID

INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM TO OPEN MINDS. HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE TO OPEN DOORS. SONYA SINGH / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

New Tunes: Singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson (right) and bandmate Allie Moss serenade the crowd.

Ingrid Michaelson plays intimate set at the Grove By SONYA SINGH EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Ingrid Michaelson should be careful what she wishes for, or she’ll end up with more Justin Bieber journals. When the popular singer-songwriter treated fans to an intimate, in-store performance at the Barnes & Noble at the Grove in Los Angeles on Saturday, a group of teenage girls presented her with a journal bearing the tween icon’s image after she joked (?) about coveting one when she walked past them in the store. These exchanges are what many have come to expect from the goodhumored Michaelson at her live shows. After all, many people know her for cutesy commercial ditties like “The Way I Am,” “Be OK” and “Maybe.” These sweet, TV- and radio-friendly tracks have snuggled into your head and heart over the last few years. These songs are charming, well written and delightful to crowds both young and old, but they belie the uncertainty and suffering which pervade many an Ingrid track. I’ve seen some folks, unfamiliar with her whole catalogue, shift on their feet when she launches into a live cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” for example. With the Jan. 24 release of her latest studio album, “Human Again,” she remains true to her niche of deeply pained yet hopeful introspection. This time, though, is different. This time, she’s all grown up. “I kind of always feel like the little sister at the older sister’s slumber party,” said Michaelson to Billboard. “I either want to be a little older or maybe the older sister.” Michaelson and her manager, Lynn Grossman, acknowledge that early commercial success helped launch the career of the Staten Island native. But they knew it was time, as Billboard put it, to “ditch the kitsch in an effort to showcase a bolder, more mature side.” “She wanted to move beyond perceptions of her fitting perfectly into the singer/songwriter or the ukulele-based, perfect-musicto-sell-a-product genres,” said Grossman to Billboard. She discovered Michaelson on MySpace in 2006. “On ‘Human Again,’ the egg is cracked and she’s poking her head out into a new world.” And so it goes that the days of her light, commercial-friendly tunes are past. I’d argue that this darker, more mature side has been there since the days of her first album “Girls and Boys,” though it has been overshadowed for years. Her newest tracks were produced by David Kahne, the producer behind the likes of Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks. She played a handful of these new tracks Saturday. While this show was acoustic, the album is, in a word, lush. Layers upon layers of strings dipped in a light coat of strings fill many of the songs, giving the record a rich, overflowing feel. This new style and production is particularly stunning on the album’s first single, “Ghost,” as well as “End of the World.” However, I found myself grateful for the change of pace when an orchestral stretch gave way to the traditional piano-guitar-percussion formula on tracks like “Ribbons,” one

OUR UNIQUE COMBINATION OF WORLD-CLASS CURRICULUM AND UNRIVALED REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE PREPARES YOU TO

UNLOCK HUMAN POTENTIAL PHOTO COURTESY OF INGRID MICHAELSON

of the best, most lyrically clever (and angriest) songs on the record. The polish of “Human Again” deviates from the trademark exposure and immediate detail that pervaded even her rock-tinged tracks in the past. She does return to her nuanced storytelling in the simple, beautiful “How We Love.” I’m warming up to the new feel quite a bit, though I still find myself drawn to tracks in which we hear echoes of her earlier work. Tracks like “Keep Warm” show the lyrical originality and soaring melodies which first made her shine years ago. Unlike her albums years ago, there’s nothing particularly “cute” about “Human Again” — and I think that’s just how she wants it. “I want to put on some high heels instead of Converse,” Michaelson said to Billboard. No matter what Michaelson releases, there are a few aspects of her work that will remain absolutely bulletproof through any reinvention of her sound. Primarily, this girl could record a reggae cover of “Who Let the Dogs Out?” and the elasticity and texture of her voice would still be angelic. Her voice deftly keeps the album grounded in the presence of some serious orchestral muscle. Secondly, metaphors love Michaelson. She repays them by using her enviable knack to build songs around them. Again, “Ghost” is a shining example, as is “Palm of Your Hand.” Thirdly, seeing her live proves that the extent of her musical talent is rivaled only by the size of her heart. It’s no wonder that her listeners are so fervent in their support. Now selling out venues the size Florence + the Machine sells out, Michaelson earned her first taste of fame with an Old Navy sweater ad when she was 26, subsequently having her music featured in more commercials and a variety of popular television shows like “Scrubs,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Bones.” It was only a matter of time before she was opening for the Dave Matthews Band and singing at the White House. Hers is an incredible story of success, of a talented artist taking a notable turn toward adulthood. And now, she’s free to gush about that transition in her Justin Bieber journal. Did you miss the LA show last week? Don’t hit yourself like that — you can catch Michaelson with a full band at the Wiltern sonya.singh@pepperdine.edu this April. 

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LIFE & ARTS

B6 Graphic

February 16, 2012

Rogue Wave

By BEN HOLCOMB STAFF WRITER

How to ‘rule’ the gym I don’t honestly think anyone enjoys working out, but nevertheless the student body here at Pepperdine makes a commendable effort to stay in shape. People run on the track, swim laps in the pool and even do yoga out on alumni park (do people actually do this?). But the most popular form of physical exertion here on campus is hitting the gym; and by gym, I mean the glorified closet underneath our basketball court. The Pepperdine student weight room, accessible to all 3,600 of us, is a fine 5’ by 200’ facility capable of housing as many as six students at one time, so long as they don’t workout the same muscles. Want to run on the treadmill? They’ve got two (although you’ll have to join the waiting list –– it’s nearing 2 months at the moment). Despite all of its fantastic capabilities, the weight room does have some setbacks. Timing is everything when it comes to getting swoll. If you want to get your workout done in a relatively quick manner, be sure to show up before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m.. Otherwise, the entire facility is shoulder to shoulder from one wall to the next. It should be noted that President Andrew K. Benton is working diligently, but you’d think for $50,000 a year each dorm room would come with its own treadmill and personal trainer; I don’t think that’s asking too much. But physical limitations aside, the gym’s biggest problems are not in what comprises it but more so who inhabits it during open hours. You guys, when it comes to weight room etiquette, we all need to get our acts together. The situation isn’t ideal as it is, and it takes a lot of us (read: me) quite a bit of convincing to get down there in the first place. So, let us work together to ease the pain of this entirely too common human interaction by following the Official Student Weight Room Conduct Constitution of 2012: No. 1 Don’t check out your abs in the full-length mirrors. No Exceptions! Come on guys, what are we doing? This would seem obvious, but you would be shocked how common of an occurrence this is. Yes, I understand that mirrors running down both sides of the facility can be tempting, but there are other people around, and that’s just ... odd. After all, if they’re there before, and you’re working out, chances are they haven’t gone away. No. 2 Try to keep the volume to a minimum. Again, we all see how much you’re lifting. There’s no need to scream like you’re passing a kidney stone after every rep. It’s unnecessary, and ultimately frightening. No one wants to work out thinking the person next to them just got shot or is dying every five seconds. A quick rule of thumb –– others can hear you through the music blasting from their headphones, you’re too loud. No. 3 Do not wear anything that shows off your nipples. Speaking to guys here: cut offs can be nice, what with their range of motion and cooling capabilities, but when your nipples start to show, you end up just wearing a glorified rag. I know we’re on the irreversible path to everyone walking around nude by 2025, but it’s still 2012, and modesty, though on life-support, is still alive. No. 4 The weight room is not the place to meet and/or flirt with a girl. It may sound good in theory, but bringing a girl on a “mini-date” to the bench press makes me feel like a third-wheel two machines away, and nobody likes to feel like dead weight. No. 5 Don’t set up a tent on one machine. We’ve only got about five of them down there, so this one’s pivotal to getting people in and out. We all want the same thing, and that’s to get the hell out of the weight room as quickly as we can to resume clogging arteries at the HAWC. I’m not speaking from a soapbox here, you guys. I use the gym just like everyone else; but I’m just trying to stave off a heart attack later down the line. I think that’s a noble goal we should all strive for. Let’s drop all the complications in between, keep the above rules in mind, and return the weight room to its previous glory. (Note: Did such a time ever exist?) 

william.holcomb@pepperdine.edu

COURTESY OF CBS FILMS

Suspense: Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a young lawyer, attempts to solve the mystery behind the dying children in the village.

‘The Woman in Black’ promises to terrify “The Woman in Black”

By JOHN HAYS STAFF WRITER

If you know anything about horror movies, you know that there are A LOT of bad ones out there. Some of the titles that make their way into the local Redbox, such as “Zombie Strippers” and “Killer Klowns from Outer Space,” are absolutely baffling. It makes a person wonder what kind of people are out there producing these films. The reason this phenomenon exists is because horror films are, for the most part, the cheapest types of movies to produce, therefore more of them are made. On top of that, the “bad horror film” has basically become its own sub-genre. With movies like “Piranha 3D,” people

Overview Release Date Feb. 3

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer

Director

James Watkins

Runtime

1 hr. 35 min.

flock to see these films purely for the novelty of it. Recently, it seems that the horror market is being saturated with films that rely on blood and gore to gross the audience out rather than spending the time to create drama and suspense that leaves a sense of terror in the viewer far after the film is over. Luckily, with “The Woman in Black,” we have a back-to-the-basics haunted house story accomplished with class and poise. “The Woman in Black” tells the story of a young lawyer, played by Daniel Radcliffe, who is sent to a village to gather and sort the affairs of a recently deceased local. While there, he quickly realizes he is not welcome when young children in the town begin to die one by one immediately following his first sighting of a mysterious woman. While the film does not reinvent the genre in any way, it does its job of scaring the ba-gee-bees out of you. The film is one that leaves much of the horror to the viewer’s imagination. Relying on mysterious sounds and slight ominous movements, the suspense leaves time for the viewer to create every horrible scenario in their head before anything even happens. This approach can be difficult to accom-

CBS Films

plish, but when done well is much more terrifying than watching someone get slashed to pieces. That being said, “The Woman in Black” still utilizes the quick loud music cues and in-your-face scare tactics found in many horror films. One thing I personally am not a fan of in horror films is the use of CGI. It creates an instant separation from the film and reminds the audience that what they are watching is not real. While this is not a huge problem in the film, it is fairly obvious that many of the instances in which ghosts appear are accomplished through the use of CGI. When these effects are done practically, it is far scarier and creates an extra sense of realism for the audience. These flaws/choices in the film are miniscule, however. Many are probably wondering about Radcliffe’s performance or as many know him, Harry Potter. Uncertain whether or not it would be possible to separate Radcliffe from his overpowering former alter ego, it was difficult to believe his character from the outset of the film. Radcliffe gives a mature performance and was able to break free of his boyhood chains. Radcliffe’s performance did seem a bit empty and hollow at times, with no real

Rated: PG-13

expression of emotion on his face the entire film. Even while being terrorized by ghosts trapped inside a haunted house, he never seemed scared. The film is beautifully shot and incorporates stunning cinematography, especially in reference to the landscapes that the film was able to utilize. The quality of the film widens the scope of the movie, and it is definitely acceptable, undeserving of an immediate toss into the world of hastily made horrors. The opening scenes of the film harken back to a poetically chilling Stanley Kubrickian sequence, which is definitely not a bad thing. While the rest of the film does not necessarily retain this style, from the first scene the audience can see they are watching quality work. While “The Woman in Black” will not go down in history, or be nominated for any Oscars, it will do what it was made to do: entertain and scare, and it does those things quite well. The film does fall victim to a flimsy plot and ancient scare tactics, but all in all if your looking for a quality horror film that focuses on suspense rather than shock value, you will not be disappointed with “The Woman in Black.” john.hays@pepperdine.edu

By HANNA HOUGLUM STAFF WRITER

Canadian indie rock band, Islands, released their fourth full-length album “A Sleep & A Forgetting” on Tuesday. Still maintaining that “Islands sound,” this 11-track LP shows lead vocalist Nick Thornburn permeating each and every song with a personal reflection. This gives the album a fresh, strong emotional sense that was not developed in Islands’ previous releases. Each song on the album covers topics of dreams, forgetfulness, memories and loss. This paired up with being released on Valentine’s Day makes the album the perfect gift for somebody who has found himself alone or dealing with a breakup. It touches on all the bases through calming beats and folk inspired sounds. Released through Anti-Records, “A Sleep & A Forgetting” is the work of Thornburn and fellow members Evan Gordon, Geordie Gordon and Aaron Harris. This foursome put together this 37 minute slight whisper of an album that has the ability to be simple background study music or the emotional accompaniment for a

long drive home. Opening up the album with Thornburn pleading for somebody to open their door and let him in on the first track “In A Dream (It Seemed Real),” Islands captures listeners right away. The slight whisking of the snare drum paired up with slight guitar riffs and airy vocals carries the listener away into the rhythm. The album’s first single, “This Is Not A Song,” fills the albums track two slot. This piano-heavy, break-up, love-is-gone ballad is perfect for the first song on any mixed C.D. for an ex-lover. With a slight hint of Keane sounds mixed with a bit of John Mayeresque melodies this track definitely is a song in spite of its title. The third song, “Never Go Solo,” takes the piano playing on this album to the next level. It is very apparent that Thornburn has chosen the piano to be his instrument of choice for this LP. This song speeds up the tempo and the energy of the album that appeared to be going of into a hole of depression for the first few songs there. The lyrics still flow with the whole break-up, sadness, love is no more vibe of the album but at least with this song the listener is

8 p.m

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Chr 2-6 p

‘A Sleep & A Forgetting’ Islands

7 p.

-ANTI able to bob their head and maybe even clap their hands a bit. “Hallways” picks up the tempo of the album mixing in some percussion with the piano almost as if a handclap is the backbeat of the track. In a way it’s as if Thornburn was making a sarcastic joke about love with the down-and-out lyrics tied together with the upbeat tune like a musical oxymoron of sorts, and a good one at that. Islands mastered a feel-good sounding album with lyrics to accompany a broken heart. An album that catches a person looking for an easy listen as well as a person looking for some quality lyrics to tweet about an ex with. Though at times the album can seem rather mundane with the low-key beat, Islands by no means disappoints with this perfect Valentine’s Day album release. Even though the lyrics are much more emotional and relationship stabbing, Islands has kept their fresh sound alive with “A Sleep & A Forgetting” that is sure to please any fan.

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hanna.houglum@pepperdine.edu

(Con

COURTESY OF ISLANDS

Key Facts

8 p.

Band Members

Nicholas Thorburn Evan Gordon Geordie Gordon Aaron Harris

Genres

Indie Rock

Label -ANTI

Website

www.islandsforever.com

On Tour? Yes

LIFE & ARTS

February 16, 2012

Graphic

There are forty-three There are 43

DOWN

1 2

1 Perspectives editor 3 Won Iowa, “Urban” def. 5 Mass. Mormon 8 Born in America 9 The helicopter 10 Buried in Grant’s tomb 13 North of Cincinnati 15 Five-starred highwayman 16 Stated, singled 17 WWI president 19 Joel: “Blown away” 21 Lasagna lover 23 Lost in ‘00 25 The bodyguards 27 Presidential avenue 28 James, Pat 30 Failed at Reconstruction, ‘Nam 32 Not a crook, reindeer 33 Lil Wayne’s surname 34 Mt. in Alaska 36 Amy, Ansel (J & JQ) 37 Jingoistic Roosevelt 38 Lost in ‘04

6 7

11 12

15 16

19 20

24 25

29 30 31 33

36 37

AQUARIUS: Start saying “king me” after your comebacks. PISCES: Fridges aren’t just for food and magnets. ARIES: Libra thinks you’re hot stuff. TAURUS: Yeah, you’re the only one who sees that. GEMINI: Start carrying a crowbar and pair up with Virgo. CANCER: Don’t hang out in Pisces’s kitchen. LEO: Volume is inversely related to importance. VIRGO: Jumping Jacks are a threat, not an exercise.

LIBRA: Whistle at anything that moves.

See the pepperdine-graphic.com/life-arts for solutions to this week’s puzzle.

ACROSSACROSS 2 Purple ______ 2 Purple 4 Swift�??s first ______ name 6 Former Speaker, husband 4 Swift’s fi rst name 7 Not so luxury car 11 Will, 6Ben Former Speaker, husband 12 Texan OBGYN 7 Not so luxury car 14 The Gipper 18 First 11 in line Will, Ben 20 Memorialized in the round 12 Texan 22 Banana, lost in OBGYN �??96 24 On $20, in Miss. 26 The plane 29 Presidential branch 31 Luxury car 35 Lost in �??08 39 ____ Punk (bathtub bass) 40 Doctrinaire 41 Dropped the bomb 42 Dealing Roosevelt 43 Dam

Calendar Thursday, Feb. 16

The FountNhead 7 p.m. (Concert – Whisky a Go-Go)

Friday, Feb. 17

Ryan Adams 8 p.m. (Concert – Disney Concert Hall)

14 The GipperDOWN 35 Lost in ‘08 18 First in line1 Perspectives editor 39 ____ Punk (bathtub bass) 20 Memorialized in the round Doctrinaire def. 3 Won Iowa, �??Urban�?�40 Mormon 22 Banana, lost58 inMass. ‘96 41 Dropped the bomb Born in America The helicopter 24 On $20, in9Miss. 42 Dealing Roosevelt 10 Buried in Grant�??s tomb 26 The plane 13 North of Cincinnati 43 Dam Five-starred highwayman 29 Presidential15branch 16 Stated, singled 31 Luxury car 17 WWI president 19 Joel: �??Blown away�? 21 Lasagna lover 23 Lost in �??00 25 The bodyguards 27 Presidential avenue 28 James, Pat 30 Failed at Reconstruction, �??Nam 32 Not a crook, reindeer 33 Lil Wayne�??s surname 34 Mt. in Alaska 36 Amy (J & JQ) 37 Jingoistic Roosevelt 38 Lost in �??04

SCORPIO: If you need to tell Leo something, don’t. SAGITTARIUS: Try to get Aquarius to date his cousin. CAPRICORN: Taurus thinks you’re invisible. Exploit that.

g n i k par job of the week

Bad

This driver must come from a place where the proper way to park is by centering your car directly on a parking line. As as a general rule, we try to park between the two lines. Next time you’re walking down the road and see an awful parking job, take a photo and send it to us at graphic@pepperdine.edu.

Saturday, Feb. 18

Christopher Parkening Master Class 2-6 p.m. (Concert – Raitt Recital Hall)

Sunday, Feb. 19

Short Eyes 8 p.m. (Concert – Los Angeles Theatre Center)

Monday, Feb. 20

Gregory Rove 8 p.m. (Concert – Harvard & Stone)

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Sleigh Bells 8 p.m. (Concert – The Mayan)

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Ra Ra Riot 7 p.m. (Concert – El Rey Theater)

MEDIA >>

SOCIAL

highlight OF THE

WEEK

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERECE SCHAFFS

Meme fever has reached Pepperdine. No longer relegated to Tumblr, memes made by Pepperdine students have surfaced on Facebook as a group dedicated to these images.

SPORTS

Graphic

Rousseau leads by faith

February 16, 2012 »Men’s Volleyball

By ALYSHA TSUJI

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” The quote comes from the Bible, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. At first glance, it may appear to be verses that Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow would have written on his black eye black when he played University of Florida. Tebow continues to captivate America with his miraculous plays and public display of faith, but — while Tebow may have cited these verses at some point — it was actually women’s basketball head coach Julie Rousseau who discussed the passage with her team. Prior to the tip-off of the women’s basketball game against powerhouse BYU (21-4, 9-2) on Feb. 2, the team gathered in the locker room to listen to eighthyear coach Rousseau’s pre-game speech. “She gave us a reading in 2 Corinthians and that applied to what our team has been going through and how we can apply it not only to the game, but also to our lives,” senior forward Skye Barnett said. The Waves 12-10 this season and 7-4 within the conference ended up overcoming great odds and winning that game by a convincing 61-49 margin. “There are lots of lessons that can be learned from the Bible, such as how to not give up,” said Rousseau, former WNBA coach. “The BYU game was a huge example of that.” When the two teams met on Jan. 12, the Cougars dominated, taking over the game and running away with an easy 8056 victory. This time around, the Waves locked down on defense and experienced their own Tebow-time type of win. However, the squad didn’t wait until the fourth quarter to seal the victory, but instead snatched it away in the second half to cruise to the finish.

ALYSHA TSUJI / ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Driven by faith: Senior guard Jazmine Jackson scores two of her ten total points in the team’s win over BYU on Feb. 2.

Rousseau’s BYU pre-game speech was no anomaly, as she has been openly sharing her faith with her players for years. “When these girls [on the team] got here, they knew what they were getting in to,” Rousseau said. “They know me. It’s no surprise that I’m always referring to God’s word.” Rousseau leads by example, saying that she purposefully uses coaching as a means of ministering to her players. “She encourages us to attend church every Sunday,” junior guard Shay Cooney-Williams said. “We pray before every game and she also emails us scriptures. We bring up faith in a lot of situations during our team meetings as well.” While Rousseau also mentioned that she tries not to be “from the Bible all the time,” her intentions branch beyond that of an influential sports mentor, and even beyond an influential faith mentor. “Sports is a microcosm of life,” Rousseau said. “I want these young women to walk away from this program with more than just knowledge about sports.” However, Rousseau is not the only person part of the women’s basketball program that stands firm in her faith. One of her senior players, Barnett, also seamlessly combines her passions of faith and basketball, accord-

ing to teammate Cooney-Williams. “Skye really shows her faith in basketball,” Cooney-Williams said. “She writes scriptures on her arms for game days. She also leads prayer before every game. She is pretty strong in her faith, and has no problems showing it on the court and in the locker room.” Barnett responded to why she acts in the way that she does: “I do lead the team in prayer and I do it because God wants me to,” Barnett said. “And also because of the fact that I love to pray. It is something that gives me so much joy. I am honored to do it for the team, and I am so thankful that they let me pray for them.” Averaging seven points and five rebounds on the season, Barnett plays for more than solely her stats. Her attitude mirrors how Rousseau sees a bigger picture as she coaches the team. “When I am out there on the court, I am just playing for God,” Barnett said. “It is so easy and fun to do, because I know that the creator of the universe has my back, and that no matter how good or bad I play, or if we win or lose, his love for me will never change.”



alysha.tsuji@pepperdine.edu

ALYSHA TSUJI / ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Back on track: Junior outside hitter Maurice Taylor nails one of his team-high 26 kills. He played a large role in the team’s 3-2 win over Cal Baptist on Feb. 15.

Men’s volleyball ended its threegame losing streak with a 3-2 win over Cal Baptist in a non-conference match-up yesterday. What fans said they expected to be an easy win turned into a battle, but behind junior Maurice Torres’ team-high 26 kills and 12 digs, the Waves claimed the victory. The two teams traded points early on, and late into the first set, allowing the Lancers to take the set, 25-22. In the second set, Torres dominated, along with Freshman Josh Taylor who recorded 18 kills. At the end of the set, the Lancers tripped up with a service error to hand over the second set win to the Waves, 25-16.

The Waves began the third set with a 4-0 skid. Torres put an end to it with a kill (1-4), and tried to even the score, yet the Lancers laid it on heavy, 19-25. Lengthy rallies characterized the fourth set, and ultimately, it proved to be service errors that determined the winner. The Waves barely escaped to tie up the game. The men’s volleyball squad emerged with energy in the final set, and jumped out to a 12-7 lead. Torres slammed two consecutive serve aces to help the Waves gain the fifth set win, 15-10. Next, the team embarks on a four-game road trip, starting off against Stanford on Feb. 24.

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SPORTS

February 16, 2012

Graphic

CALL ‘EM AS WE SEE ‘EM Thoughts, reflections and predictions from our staff on the world of sports.

NARINE ADAMOVA

The NFL season just ended and the MLB season hasn’t begun yet. The only sport I can think to write about is the NBA, and the only athlete I can think of to write about is—who other than—Jeremy Lin. Last week, I’ll admit I was hopeful and doubtful that his streak would last, which is why I wrote about him— to capture the moment. But a buzzer beating three-pointer speaks for itself. Plus, a careerhigh 13 assisrts? He’s way better than Tebow.

MALLORY CUMMINS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Fresh Start: Pepperdine’s baseball team prepares to battle Oklahoma for a three-game series. The first game will start tomorrow.

Renewed optimism hits Waves By DEANJILO PLATT-FRIDAY SPORTS ASSISTANT

The baseball team opens its 73rd season, led by Head Coach Steve Rodriguez who is looking to learn and grow from the past few years. The Waves aim to return to their winning ways after experiencing their first back-to-back losing records in more than 30 years. With new freshmen joining the team and returning players providing retooled skills and refined confidence there is a good chance of success for the season. As Pepperdine’s red-shirt freshman outfielder Bryan Langlois acknowledges: “The team has worked hard this off season, and we are eager to get back to Pepperdine’s winning ways.” Langlois is part of a reconstructed Pepperdine roster that has brought some excitement and boasts a West Cost Conference leading incoming class, ranked No. 16 in the country according to Baseball America. This roster includes freshman Austin Davidson who will play shortstop for the team, and who, during the summer, played so exceptionally well, he was designated as a top MLB hitting prospect and the third best league prospect overall. In addition to Davidson, the strong Waves infield is led by second basemen and

All-WCC honoree junior Joe Sever who led the team last year in runs batted in (32), doubles (13), runs scored (30), and total bases reached (89). They will also bring back redshirt sophomore Sam Meyer who consistently led the team with a .289 batting average last season, and showed solid reliability as a slugger by batting .324 with runners in a scoring position. However, Rodriguez would admit the pitchers taking the mound this season bring along high expectations. Starting with the Waves match up tomorrow against NCAA tournament participant Oklahoma Sooners, the baseball team will be led by junior Jon Moscot. “We are expecting big things from [Moscot],” Rodriguez said. Another pitcher to look out for is sophomore Scott Frazier, who was the opening day starter last season and received the honor of being Rodriguez’s first-ever true freshman opening-day starter. Although Frazier was limited by injury last season, the games he was able to participate in were effective. In limited starts he earned WCC All-Freshman Team honors, after producing a 2-1 record with a 1.00 ERA and eight strikeouts. The importance of productive pitching this season for the Waves will be extremely important. It will help the

team fix what Rodriguez explains was the biggest trial for the team last season. “We were not finishing games and not focusing on the fundamentals [last season],” Rodriguez said. If the Waves are able to fix those issues they can be very productive this year, because after the three game series (Feb.17Feb.19) weekend against Oklahoma here at Eddy D. Field Stadium the next nine matchups will include only three NCAA tournament teams. These three include: the Kent State Flashes, the Fresno State Bulldogs, and the UC Irvine Anteaters. Of these teams, UC Irvine is the only teams to make it out of the regionals. This presents a big opportunity for the Waves to gain continuity as a team and become front-runners to begin the season. This can allow them to stand strong against tougher non-conference opponents such as the Texas A&M Aggies who were able to make it to the College World Series. Despite the on-campus high expectations, the outside media is not expecting much from the Waves as the preseason poll indicates that the Waves are expected to finish fifth in the conference. The Waves have the opportunity to shock a few of the doubters and reclaim some lost respect from the last few years. 

best decisions I’ve made during my time at Pepperdine.” Conole comes from what he described as a very loving and tight-knit family where he is the oldest of four: one brother and two younger sisters. At a young age, he saw his father traveling around as a preacher from church to church, aiming to bring stability and meaning to hundreds of peoples’ lives. However, this left Conole’s mother as a stay-at-home mom. Since he wasn’t able to spend as much time with his family, Conole’s father stepped away from preaching, started his own business and soon found himself enriched within a close family. These sacrifices, ideals and values lived out by his father are what Conole tries to incorporate in his own manner. “There is no doubt that my dad is my biggest role model. Everything he did and does is something I can look up to.” Conole admits that this became much more apparent when he left for college. “I never really realized how much of an influence he was until I came to Pepperdine. His unspeakable integrity and hard work ethic are things I try to incorporate with anything I do.” James’ father, Kirk Conole, is an avid fan of his son’s athleticism, making Saturday trips from San Diego as often as possible to see James play. “Life requires work ethic, commitment, stamina, maturity and honest hard work. James instills all these qualities in the classroom and on the pitch,” Mr. Conole said about his son. “More than anything else, I like to watch him play. James is one of the cleanest and hardest hitters so its fun to watch him tackle or level someone cleanly. It portrays

all the work he has put in the past few years,” he added. James’s accomplishments from high school to Pepperdine, from the football field to the rugby pitch have made his parents proud. “Everything he does on the field and on the sidelines makes his parents look good. His whole attitude illustrates how you win in life. Let’s just say James is one of those kids that I’d want my own son to be friends with,” his father said. Conole, however attributes the team’s recent success to the players commitment over the years. Conole said he realizes the impact the veteran players can have on the club. ” Conole plans to make his last season on the rugby team the best possible and he believes the club has all the necessary tools to do so. Last year, the Waves went 15-3-1 in the highly competitive Division II of the Southern California Rugby Football Union (SCRFU). On the team’ quest to the National Championship, it was crowned SCRFU Champions in its division, a No. 16 national ranking, and a birth to the Elite eight in the U.S. Rugby (USARFU) Collegiate National Championships. Beating Rice University in last year’s playoffs, a national contender, was a major highlight for the Waves. Even though they lost in the second round, the team has high expectations for the upcoming spring season. Conole has been one of the established captains and leaders of the team for the last three years. Last season he was tied for the most tries, seven, which is much like a touchdown in football. Conole had countless stories and memories of all his teammates but when asked

ALYSHA TSUJI

DEANJILO PLATT-FRIDAY

Rumor has it that the L.A. Lakers are interested in signing former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas, famously known for his gun incident with the team, presents opportunity for the L.A. Lakers to improve their subpar point guard performance this season. This is assuming Arenas can return to even a fraction of the form he was in with the Wizards. Nonetheless, the fact that the Lakers are even considering signing Agent Zero should be good news to Lakers fans. It shows that the team is not to naive to believe that this current roster can win a championship.

ASK A WAVE

If you could be any athlete for one day, who would it be?

deanjilo.patt-friday@pepperdine.edu

Conole: facing stronger squads From B10

Chelsea’ fans have some serious reasons to worry about the quality of their team’s play. The team has not just failed to live up to its pre-season expectations, but also provided Arsenal with an even bigger possibility to move up in the English Premiere League. As of now, Chelsea remained in the fifth place, getting ready to their major opponent, AC Milan.

“David Beckham, because he is hot.”

KRISTINE HILLIARD FRESHMAN SOCCER

“Trevor Hoffman, he was selected to the All-star team seven times.”

MICHAEL SWANNER SOPHOMORE BASEBALL

BREE IRVIN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Strong commitment: Conole, an MBA student returns for another season to help lead the rugby team to sucess.

about some standout players, he highlighted Dalton Egger. “Dalton is probably the best allaround player. He is always at practice, always working hard and always trying to get better. The realization that his last season is on the horizon fuels Conole for the upcoming spring season. “Knowing that this is my last year playing rugby for Pepperdine makes me pretty sad. I’ve had so much fun over the years playing and words can’t describe how great all these guys are.” Thus far, the Waves are 0-1-1 in league play, losing a close game to UCSD and tying with Cal State Fullerton. Next Saturday, they look forward to the task of tak-

ing on Cal State Long Beach. This April will mark Conole’s completion of the prestigious 5 year MBA program. After interning for Seaside Wealth Management in Carlsbad this past summer, James looks forward to starting his financial advising career at the same company. Not before finishing up his last season with the Rugby Club. “I am going to come out playing hard every game and do all I can to help us win and hopefully our hard work will lead us to a championship. It’ll be my last time doing playing so I have to make the most of it.



patrick.serleto@pepperdine.edu

“Mariano Rivera, he is the best closer of all time.”

“Derek Pitzer, he is my idol.”

SCOTT FRAZIER SOPHOMORE BASEBALL

ERIC KARCH SOPHOMORE BASEBALL

“Kobe Bryant, because he is rich.”

“Dwight Howard, for his shoulders.”

KATIE GALLANES SOPHOMORE SOCCER

MATT BROWN SENIOR WATER POLO

B10

SPORTS

February 16, 2012

»pepperdine-graphic.com/sports

Conole embodies Waves’ pride

DBS Report

By PATRICK SERLETO STAFF WRITER

For more than 50 years, the Pepperdine rugby team has been known for being one of the oldest clubs in the University’s history. A four-year-starter and a current MBA student James Conole has lead the team to recent success. Yet, Conole isn’t all about hurdling, breaking tackles or racking up points for the Waves. There is more to this player than his fierce stature, his ability to pound the ball up the pitch or even his intrepid behavior in the face of colossal opponents. Conole grew up in San Marcos, Calif., where rugby was the last thing on his mind. During his freshman year at Escondido High School, he tried out for the football team, which soon became a passion. It wasn’t until Conole came to Pepperdine that he stumbled upon the possibility of switching to rugby. “I was practically peer-pressured into trying out for the rugby team at the time by my friends,” says the 6-foot, 200-pound inside center. “Of course I had heard of the sport, but never saw myself playing it. Easily turned out to be one of the

ANDY BURGH SIDLEY

SPORTS ASSISTANT

Goodbye Mr. Capello, we won’t miss you

On Feb. 3, the English FA took a huge step in their fight against racism and stripped England captain John Terry (Terry has been accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand) of his captaincy. Very soon after, Capello came out and publicly stated his disapproval of the FA’s decision. This was a huge mistake; matters such as these should be discussed privately. This whole saga took a drastic turn when the England manager promptly resigned out of anger and frustration at the FA’s decision to take the England captaincy away from Terry. Capello’s proud nature could not allow for him to stay on the job after his choice of captain, John Terry, had the captain’s armband taken away by the FA for the second time under him. Capello’s decision to leave the England post is certainly a blessing in disguise. Capello has never looked comfortable as England’s manager. He was the highest paid international manager in soccer with a 6 million pound yearly salary (approx. $9.5 million). In fact, he shouldn’t have had the chance to resign, as he should have been promptly fired after England’s 2010 World Cup debacle which saw the Three Lions fail to beat Algeria, and lose to Germany 4-1. His managerial decisions during the World Cup were atrocious yet he somehow kept his job after the competition. His insistence on playing Wayne Rooney in every game of the tournament (when the Manchester United forward was clearly not in form), and his refusal to change his stoic, outdated 4-4-2 formation (which clearly did not work in any game) will go down as some of the worst decisions made in the history of the World Cup. Italian newspaper La Repubblica wrote an article on Capello following his resignation. In it, they spoke of Capello: “The English could not stand him any longer and he could not stand the English any more. A politically correct excuse was required to terminate a marriage which has never been consummated, and the Terry case, with its racist undertone, was perfect.” His character has also come into question when, in an interview, he praised General Franco, a Spanish dictator and general who oversaw the murder of thousands of innocent Spanish civilians. The fact that he thinks a player who has been charged with racist abuse deserves to captain a country in a major tournament brings up question about his morals and values. Capello can also barely speak English. With only a few months left to the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine, Capello deserted his team at the first opportunity. The fact of the matter is that Capello was never suited for the England position and his resignation should be celebrated among England fans across the world. In England’s upcoming friendly match with the Netherlands, Stuart Pearce will take charge of the Three Lions. Although he may not be the most experienced manager, England fans will surely appreciate his passion and hard-work ethic. The fact that he is English will certainly help. 

andrew.deburghsidley@pepperdine.edu

»See CONOLE, B9

BREE IRVIN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PGA TOUR features standout alumni By NARINE ADAMOVA SPORTS EDITOR

Some of the best golfers from all around the United States are now assembled in Pacific Palisades, Calif., for one of the biggest events in professional golf: the Northern Trust Open of the PGA TOUR that starts today. Among the competitors are two Pepperdine alumni Andy Walker and Jason Core, who both played a part in Pepperdine’s NCAA Championship victory in 1997. As a 1998 alum, Arizona native Andy Walker is a newcomer to the PGA TOUR event. Walker is mostly known for his participation in the golf reality show, “Big Break Ireland,” which is a reality television show where participants compete in skills competitions to test their golf skills. From the show, he learned how to compete with high-level athletes. “The show kind of sparked a light in me again and got the competitive juices flowing,” Walker said in a press conference. Walker hit his first golf ball at five years old, and since then he has progressed a long way in his golf career. Starting to play pro sports in 1999, he has gained over 30 victories in various countries around the world. He earned his experience through playing on the International level in South America, Europe and Africa. Despite his countless new

SCOREBOARD Womenʼs Basketball vs.

San Diego

Date

Feb. 11

Score

L, 56-46

Menʼs Basketball vs.

San Diego BYU

Date

Feb. 9 Feb. 11

Score

L, 70-57 L, 86-48

Record: 12-11

Record: 8-16 8-17

Menʼs Volleyball vs.

USC Cal Baptist

Date

Feb. 10 Feb. 15

Score

L, 3-0 W, 3-2

Record: 6-5 7-5

travels and experiences, Walker was still sure to mention winning the NCAA Championship the most exciting event of his Pepperdine experience. He is currently teaching full-time at the Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix, Az. For his college friend and tournament opponent from Southern California Jason Gore, the PGA TOUR is his first tournament of the year. Gore has played golf since he was fourteen years old. He made his way to Pepperdine by transferring from the University of Arizona. As a part of the Waves team, Gore took part in the team’s NCAA Division I Championship win in 1997. He progressed to pro sports within that same year. The Northern Trust Open, with the total purse of $6,500,000 and winning share of $1,188,000, is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf competitions in the country. Australian pro golfer Aaron Baddeley claimed first place last year. As an organization, the Northern Trust was founded 122 years ago in Chicago, Ill., and “is a leading global financial institution in providing investment management, asset and fund administration, fiduciary and banking solutions for corporations, institutions and affluent individuals worldwide,” according to the official website.

MARK ASHMAN / GOLF CHANNEL



Among the elite: Andy Walker graduated from Pepperdine in narine.adamova@pepperdine.edu 1998 and has gone on to a successful career in pro golf.

NEXT UP ... Thursday, Feb. 16

Saturday, Feb. 18

Friday, Feb. 17

Sunday, Feb. 19

Menʼs Basketball at Seattle at 7:10 p.m. Womenʼs Basketball at Gonzaga at 2 p.m. Womenʼs Basketball at Portland Baseball at Oklahoma at 1 p.m. at 7 p.m. Womenʼs Tennis at UC Irvine at 1:30 p.m. Track at UCSB/Westmont Baseball vs. Oklahoma at 2 p.m. Menʼs Tennis vs. Florida at 9 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 18

Menʼs Basketball

vs. Portland at 7 p.m.

Baseball vs. Oklahoma at 11 a.m. Menʼs Golf at Folino Invitational

Monday, Feb. 20

Menʼs Golf at Folino Invitational