daily herald the Brown
vol. cxxii, no. 81
INSIDE
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Botin Scholars Campus hosts Latin American public service program Page 3
Talk ‘TED-ish’ Biology lab projects showcased in lecture series
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Bears draw Men’s soccer ties in doubleovertime against Fairfield today
tomorrow
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since 1891
friday, october 5, 2012
football
Bears vie for Governor’s Cup this weekend By Lindor Qunaj Sports Editor
After taking down the Georgetown Hoyas 37-10 in a homecoming battle last weekend, the Bears prepare to travel south again for another road game. But Saturday’s trip will be much shorter, as Bruno will face in-state rival University of Rhode Island in Kingston for the Governor’s Cup. Having lost their first four games of the season, the Rams (0-4) will be looking to finally get a victory in the record books. The Bears (2-1, 0-1 Ivy), on the other hand, will fight to remain undefeated in non-conference play and continue building momentum for their return to Ivy League play Oct. 13. This weekend’s match-up represents the 97th game in the intrastate series that began back in 1909 — one in which the Bears hold a historical advantage, with an overall record of 68-26-2. “This is the one time you can play
a game and have an instant reward,” Head Coach Phil Estes said. “It’s not just about pride. There’s an actual trophy that we’d like to keep here in Providence.” Despite URI’s 0-4 start, the Bears said they are gearing up for a competitive game. “You can’t just look at their record and say they’re not a good football team,” Estes said. “You also have to look at their opponents.” The Rams have fallen to Monmouth University, Villanova University, James Madison and Bowling Green State University by an average of 27.8 points this year. Quarterback Patrick Donnelly ’13 echoed a similar sentiment. “You hear they’re 0-4, and you think you have an idea of what kind of team you’re going up against,” he said. “But then you see them on film. They’ve just played four very good teams … by no means are we taking them lightly.” Donnelly spoke / / Cup page 4
emily gilbert / herald
Patrick Donnelly ’13, above, will lead the Bruno offense against the University of Rhode Island in a battle for the Governor’s Cup.
Grad student illustrates math thesis through dance Series By Sarah Perelman Contributing Writer
Imagine walking in a straight line on a torus, a bagel-like geometric shape. It would be possible to go through the hole and end up where you started, walk around the perimeter and end up back at the beginning, or to walk in spirals and zig-zags. These are the surfaces that serve as the subject of thesis research for Diana Davis GS, who is studying in the Department of Mathematics. But for Davis, writing a thesis on these surfaces was not enough. “My research is so visual, so I thought I could do a really good job making it into a dance,” Davis said. When a friend of Davis’ told her
science & Research
about the annual “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest, sponsored by the journal Science and TEDx, Davis thought it was a perfect opportunity to “show what math research is,” she said. Many people have the misconception that math research is looking up formulas in books, when really it involves questions and solving a puzzle without a known outcome, she said. Submissions for the contest were due Monday, and contest winners will be announced by the middle of the month. The path of a person walking on a bagel could be recorded by tracking which edge of the bagel the person hits with each pass. Davis’ interests lie in what would happen to this sequence of edges if the bagel were to be twisted, chopped up and glued back together, she said. “People figured out what happens (to these sequences) for the octagon, so I
suggested she try this for other shapes,” said Professor of Mathematics Richard Schwartz, Davis’ PhD adviser. Davis’ research expanded these findings to show that when the double pentagon — a shape made by two pentagons sharing a common edge — is sheared in vertical lines and reassembled, the original pattern can be obtained by using rules of substitution, he said. The substitution works like a code — the act of shearing the double pentagon encrypts the pattern, and Davis’ theorem explains how to decode the encrypted pattern and restore the original sequence. Davis proved this substitution rule works for many more shapes than just the double pentagon, including one shape comprising a long sequence of polygons strung together, Schwartz said. Davis’ video features a dancer leaping across a double pentagon, and
Davis said she would love to expand her video in the future to include additional shapes. The dancer in the video is Libby Stein ’15, who took the section of MATH 0180: “Intermediate Calculus” taught by Davis last year. Davis came to one of Stein’s dance performances when she was in her class and later contacted Stein to see if she would be interested in working on the video, Stein said. The video was filmed in the organ room of Sayles Hall last April. Davis set the stage by placing a picture of a double pentagon made out of butcher paper on the floor and hanging a camera suspended from the ceiling. Stein improvised a dance across the double pentagon, though she was constantly interrupted by tour groups coming into the room.
U. improves preparatory care for study abroad By Katie Lamb Contributing Writer
Students planning to study abroad will now receive additional support from the University to help them in their medical preparations. Health Services and the Office of International Programs coordinated to improve treatment checklists and expand the orientation program for students prior to their time abroad. The most recent changes “were more internal,” said Edward Wheeler, director of Health Services. The treatment set checklist, which reminds medical providers of everything they need to address before a student goes abroad, was initiated last year and has since been improved, Wheeler said. The treatment set can be accessed by providers through Health Services’ electronic medical records and allows providers to select which vaccinations, medications and areas of
advice apply to the specific region to which a student is planning to travel, Wheeler said. The system primarily serves to fully inform students of “what’s safe, and what isn’t safe,” as well as helping Health Services to stay on track with appointments, Wheeler said. After working with a provider, students are given educational packets that pertain to the regions in which they will be living. They also receive a card that allows them to access a video about health during their time abroad, Wheeler said. The new online system has been particularly helpful in scheduling tuberculosis testing, he added. Students must undergo tuberculosis testing before and after traveling to a country where the disease is prevalent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The new online system “tracks when the post-travel TB / / Health page 2
herald file photo
New initiatives from Health Service and the Office of International Programs will offer students increased support prior to studying abroad.
highlights missile crisis By alexander blum contributing writer
The Armageddon Letters, a series of short films, graphic novels and podcasts, are being released throughout October in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis. The multimedia project is web-based and is designed to appeal to a broad audience, exposing them to the realities of the 1962 crisis. Serving as producer and creator of the project’s media elements is Koji Masutani ’05. The project’s coordinators have tried to ensure that the 20 short films combine both entertainment and education, Masutani said. Half of these films will be in live action, while the other half will be virtually animated. The project is being produced and funded by the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Canada. Masutani said his motives are “completely issuedriven,” as there is no expected profit from the project. Two former Brown faculty members are also involved in the Armageddon Letters. Masutani said that James Blight and Janet Lang, former professors of international relations, are both “experts on foreign policy crises.” Blight has dedicated the past 25 years of his life to examining the Cuban missile crisis. Both Blight and Lang worked with Masutani at Brown in 2005 to produce the film “Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived.” “Koji convinced us that the next step was … / / Series page 2
Arts & Culture
2 campus news c alendar Today
oct. 5
6 P.m.
ToMORROW
Oct. 6
11 a.m. Storytime
Brown Bookstore
Brown Bookstore 7 p.m.
Concert of Contemporary Music
WaterFire
Granoff Center
Downtown
menu SHARPE REFECTORY
VERNEy-WOOLLEY DINING HALL
LUNCH Vegan Oven Roasted Tofu, Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich, Italian Vegetable Saute, Vegan Tofu Hot Dogs
Breaded Chicken Fingers, Vegan Nuggets, Vegan Three Bean Casserole, Enchilada Bar, Cajun Apple Cake
DINNER Vegetarian Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina, Italian Chicken Parmesan, Salmone Alla Griglia, Pumpkin Tofu Cheesecake
Cheese Ravioli with Pink Vodka Sauce, Grilled Chicken Caesar, Tofu Cheesecake with Strawberries
Sudoku
For third year, U. hosts Latino scholars By Molly Schulson Contributing Writer
Susan Kushner Resnick Reading 8 p.m.
the brown daily herald friday, october 5, 2012
Forty college students from Latin America and Puerto Rico arrived at Brown Oct. 1 to kick off the two-month Botin Scholars program, which brings students to the University for a week before they head to Spain for the duration of the program. This is the third consecutive year that the Watson Institute for International Studies and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies partnered with Fundacion Botin of Spain to host the students. “The goal is to create a network of Latin American leaders who are dedicated to public service,” said Geoffrey Kirkman ’91, associate director of the Watson Institute and international advancement officer. “It’s a long-term project trying to plant the seeds of leadership and public service.” While on campus, the students attend lectures by a range of speakers, including former leaders of Latin American countries and Brown faculty members. Topics of conversation include politics of democracy and development, Latin America and the global financial crisis. Scholars also engage in leadership activities and team building
/ / Health page 1
Crossword
test is advised and sends a reminder to the patient,” Wheeler said. The Office of International Programs has also expanded mandatory orientations for students planning to study abroad to better explain “levels of responsibility” when living in a foreign country, said Kendall Brostuen, director of international programs and associate dean of the College. Being as safe and secure as possible will allow them to “get the most out of the experience,” he added. “Don’t do things you would never dream of doing here,” Brostuen said. “It can be tempting because you’re in a very different place, but you’re a little more vulnerable too.” Some of the changes were implemented because Health Services and the OIP found that “it takes a lot of time to prepare someone,” Wheeler said. “It’s been a priority to expand the orientation and information,” said Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services,
/ / Series page 1 a transmedia project,” Lang said, adding, “as far as we can tell, ours is the
exercises, Kirkman said. The students also traveled around Rhode Island this week, visiting the Rhode Island State House and the Haffenreffer Estate in Bristol, R.I. “It’s a very intense week here at Brown, and we’re throwing a lot of information at them,” Kirkman said. Brown introduces the scholars to concepts of democracy, leadership and public service that can guide them when they continue their work in Spain, he said. The University was chosen to host the scholars during the first week because “when all of the puzzle pieces were put together, it was the best option,” said Rafael Monjo, representative for Fundacion Botin. The scholars come from top universities in Puerto Rico as well as Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay. “There were almost 2,000 applicants for 40 spots,” Kirkman said. “We identified the top candidates of the best universities of Latin America.” The program tries to create good balances between gender, field of study and geography when selecting scholars. “Most importantly, we look for evidence of a commitment to public
service,” Kirkman said. Though the scholars stay at the Biltmore Hotel, they still have opportunities to interact with Brown students. “We have Brown students that serve as liaisons for the Latin American students. They show the visitors the student side of Providence and the University,” Kirkman said. A majority of meals are eaten at the Sharpe Refectory, and scholars have some free time to roam around campus. “So far, the program has been great … it has been more than we could ever imagine,” Monjo said. Scholars were given flip video cameras to create blog entries about what they learned throughout the day. Every night, videos are submitted on the Global Conversation website. Throughout the program, the Latin American students work on projects relating to a specific subject of their choice. The scholars will head to Spain this weekend, where they will continue to work on their projects, meet public service figures and visit places such as the Spanish Congress and the European Parliament in Brussels.
adding that Health Services and the OIP are “doing their part to make sure they are advancing in our goal.” The OIP has also been working extensively with the Office of Insurance and Risk to provide all students with both medical insurance and emergency assistance plans, Brostuen said. Five years ago, the office began using International SOS, a travel assistance plan that offers more comprehensive support for students in emergency situations. The program supports students who need to evacuate from a region due to political unrest or who require medical transport after sustaining serious injury, Brostuen said. International SOS is important for student support because a problem can occur “anywhere, anytime, not just in office hours,” Brostuen said. The OIP is working to implement additional safety precautions this year, Brostuen said. Currently, OIP encourages students to enter their travel information on International SOS’s tracking system, but the office is working on integrating the track-
ing system with OIP’s information “for one additional layer of support,” Brostuen said Another new focus for the office has been tracking and supporting students who may be abroad through programs other than those offered through OIP. “We’re sending a lot of students abroad, the majority still for a semester or academic year, but a growing number in the summer,” Brostuen said. “More and more students are also going abroad for activities that may not be credit-bearing but are still very valuable.” Students traveling without OIP affiliation are being supported by the OIP through Sojourn Abroad registration, whose website allows students traveling for shorter periods of time to enter their information, including emergency contacts and the department or organization they are traveling with, to help the office track them. “If something happens, we get the call,” Brostuen said. “We want to be in the best position to help.”
first transmedia project (on the crisis) in academia.” Masutani said a central goal is to present the topic in a manner that “the
kid skateboarding on Thayer can understand.” Masutani said that some of the films will connect to pop culture, specifically involving Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. The project uses different media forms to “create as many access points as possible,” Masutani said. Each format is supposed to give a more in-depth understanding of the legitimate risk of nuclear disaster during the early 1960s. Though the films advocate against nuclear weapons, they emphasize that nuclear Armageddon is possible, even if such an event is unwanted by both sides. This counterintuitive truth is important to understanding the crisis in its entirety, Masutani said. Lang said she hopes the project will show “how dangerous” the missile crisis was, adding “we’d like our viewers and readers to make the connection to the present.”
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science & research 3
the brown daily herald friday, october 5, 2012
Colloquium explores ‘TED-ish’ talks discuss bio lab projects Korean film theory By Christian Petroske Contributing Writer
By brittany nieves contributing writer
Four scholars who specialize in Korean film and media participated in a colloquium this Monday titled “Film Theory and National Publics in Divided Korea.” Michelle Cho, postdoctoral fellow in international humanities, organized the colloquium as a follow-up to a large international conference last week at the University of Michigan. “I really wanted to frame a conversation for Brown as well,” Cho said. The “Film Aesthetics, Colonial Resistance, National Ideology” panel included speakers Moonim Baek, associate professor at Yonsei University, and Steven Chung, assistant professor in the East Asian Studies Department at Princeton University. Baek’s discussion pertained to cinematic discourses of the early 1940s, and Chung’s discussion focused on enlightenment modality and the politics of aesthetics. These earlier parts of the colloquium looked at film as a critical object of commercial, cultural and political importance. In her description of Im Hwa, a significant literary critic of the Korean colonial period, Moonim Baek spoke of Hwa’s efforts to position cinema from the former Korean state of Choson in the Greater East Asian sphere. He tried to “preserve its artistic aspects as autonomous from
Arts & Culture
industrialization and propagandization,” she said. “The films were spaced to work out some of the challenges or problems that people have toward modernization, and the dismantling of traditional ways — about gender, the relationship between the individual and the state,” Cho said. “Since film is a modern medium, and it is based on technology that is imported to Korea from the Japanese colonial experience, it is already this kind of complicated multi-layered form.” The second portion of the colloquium included speakers Sunah Kim, a research professor at Dankook University’s Institute for Korean Culture and Technology, and Travis Workman, an assistant professor of Korean literature, culture and media at the University of Minnesota. Their panel was “North Korea’s Cinematic State — Two Perspectives.” This portion contained clips from Korean films such as “A Wild Fire Spread Out All Over the World” and “On the Way to Growth.” This panel focused on the literature of Kim Jong Il as it related to Korean film, as well as how cinema was used to mold society. “Because there are few events on campus that center on Korea or the cultural studies of Korea, I am hoping that this event would add to the array of the activities that are held on campus that highlight these different areas,” Cho said. “I really wanted to take the opportunity to bring the public and students and scholars into conversation.”
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The biology department held the first of its “TED-ish” talks Wednesday, as a group of professors helped “get the word out” about the revolutionary projects taking place in the University’s biology labs, said Marjorie Thompson ’74 PhD’79 P’02 P’07 P’09 P’12 P’14 P’16, associate dean of biological sciences. Though not affiliated with TED, the talks use a similar format to promote undergraduate excitement for the study of biology on campus. On Wednesday, the topic was stem cells. Associate Professor of Biology Richard Freiman began with an explanation of the different types of stem cells a nd where they can be found in the body — anywhere from your kneecap to your face. Freiman took the audience through the whole history of stem cell research, from the first cloned frog to Dolly, the first cloned sheep, to modern-day attempts to grow human organs. In 2007, Kyoto University Professor Shinya Yamanaka discovered a method to turn any cell into a pluripotent stem cell, making it possible to inject cheek cells into another area of the body, where they will differentiate. Assistant Professor of Biology Eric Darling spoke next on the course of his current stem-cell research at Brown. Darling is using “cell-poking” techniques to tell the difference between variations of stem cells. He gets his stem cells from the fat waste of liposuction treatments, a particularly rich source of the cells, he said. “We have a lot of fat in this country. Who wouldn’t want to come in, get a little liposuction, and get your knee fixed? Two-fer!” Darling said. The department is planning additional “TED-ish” talks throughout the semester.
dave deckey / herald
Associate Professor of Biology Richard Freiman and Assistant Professor of Biology Eric Darling spoke at the first “TED-ish” talk Wednesday.
4 sports friday
the brown daily herald friday, october 5, 2012
M. Soccer Nine years later, site of Bears draw against Fairfield at home nightclub fire memorialized By Alexandra Conway Sports Staff Writer
By Maggie Livingstone Contributing Writer
Raymond Villanova, owner of the property that formerly housed the Station Nightclub in West Warwick, voluntarily signed the land’s deed over to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation Sept. 28. The nightclub burned down in 2003 after pyrotechnics ignited the building, killing 96 people and injuring hundreds more. For the past nine years, the West Warwick site housed a makeshift memorial to loved ones lost in the fire. The Station Fire Memorial Foundation, a fund started shortly after the incident, has long pursued the creation of a more permanent memorial dedicated to victims and survivors. According to the foundation’s website, its goal is to “not only build, but maintain an eventual memorial that will remain for hundreds of years to come.” The local community and the victims’ families have pressured the West Warwick government to acquire the land since the fire, and West Warwick Town Council President Angelo Padula said he and the town council manager tried to act as mediators between the property owners and the victims’ families and survivors. But “there was litigation that wasn’t settled,” he said. West Warwick had no legal claim to the land, though the council was approached by a member of the commu-
city & state
nity about a year ago with the possibility of taking the land by eminent domain, Padula said. But the members of the town council were not comfortable with forcibly seizing the land from the Villanovas, Padula said. The case appeared temporarily stalled, but in mid-September, Gov. Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14 P’17 and House Speaker Gordon Fox, D-Providence, announced the possibility of the state taking action via eminent domain. Only 11 days after the announcement, Villanova donated the land to the families of the victims. The Station Fire Memorial Foundation plans to raise approximately $5 million to build the memorial, which will be spent on construction and maintaining the property. Russo said the foundation has raised $100,000 thus far. Gina Russo, president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation and a survivor of the fire, said persistence was key to finally reaching the ultimate goal. “I’ve been the president for two years, and when the board first met, we said it would be us,” she said. “We’re gonna fight for it.” Russo sustained burns on nearly 40 percent of her body and lost her fiance in the fire. The Villanovas’ donation came as a relief for Russo, other survivors and families of victims. “We think they were waiting for the right people to come to build a memorial properly,” Russo said. “We’re extremely excited.”
The men’s soccer team, which jumped up to 19th in this week’s national soccer poll, battled Fairfield University to a 0-0 double overtime draw Tuesday evening at Stevenson Field. Head Coach Patrick Laughlin called it “a rematch from last year’s tournament game,” in which the Bears edged past the Stags by one goal to move on to the second round of the NCAA championships. Bruno (8-1-1, 1-0-0 Ivy League) and Fairfield (4-4-1) came into Tuesday’s rainy game prepared for a tough match. “I thought it was a hard-fought game and we were a bit unlucky to finish one of our many chances, but Fairfield is a good team and they fought hard,” said Voltaire Escalona ’14. The Bears got off to a slow start as Fairfield edged Bruno in shots in the first 45 minutes of play. After the break, Bruno came back into the second half with renewed energy and outshot Fairfield by a staggering 15-1. “The first half was pretty even,” Laughlin said. “Both teams were playing well, but in the second half we really turned it on.” The Bears’ offense rallied and took control of the ball in the second half of the game. Midfielder Kevin Gavey ’13 led Bruno’s offense with seven shots, including four on goal. Forwards Escalona and Ben Maurey ’15 were also key players in the Bears’ attack with
emily gilbert / herald
The Bears battled Fairfield University Tuesday in a 0-0 double overtime draw at Stevenson Field. four and three shots, respectively. “We got off to a somewhat slow start, but by the second half and into overtime we had the majority of the control of both possession and chances,” said Alex Markes ’15. Though the Bears were on the offensive for the majority of the half, Fairfield’s defense held firm. The Stags’ defenders were successful in clearing the ball off the line and their goalkeeper, Michael O’Keeffe, who played for New Zealand’s 2012 Olympic soccer team, recorded 10 saves. “The game was only close because we did not put away our opportunities,” Markes said. “If we had even gotten one goal in, the structure of the game would have changed because they would not have been able to sit back defending and waiting to counterattack.” Bruno put a great deal of offensive pressure on Fairfield’s defense, but the Stags continued to shut down each of the Bears’ opportunities. In the first overtime period, Bruno held attacking control with four shots, three of which were on goal. But in the second
overtime period, Fairfield was able to threaten in the second overtime period, registering two shots. Overall, the Bears said they were a little disappointed in the result and felt the game just barely fell out of reach. “We were able to create a lot of chances, especially in the second half and overtime, but we just couldn’t find the back of the net,” said co-captain Eric Robertson ’13. “It was good to get a result and a shutout, but it was a game we could have won.” Markes said the team considers this game a “wake-up call” as it shifts its focus to this weekend’s Ivy match-up against Princeton. “We are still not there yet as a team,” he said. “I expect a more focused mindset at practice this week as we prepare to fix some of our mistakes and come out strong away at Princeton.” With Bruno’s recent jump in the national rankings, the Tigers will be hungry to defeat the Bears on their home field, but Escalona said the team is “excited and committed to taking all three points.”
/ / Cup page 1
In particular, Bruno had some penalty flag woes in their game against the Hoyas, drawing eight penalties for 79 yards — more than the 62 they racked up in their first two games combined. “We made a lot of stupid mistakes and weren’t executing to our potential,” Donnelly said. But the team is working on refining its game and playing mistake-free football in the coming weeks, he said. In last year’s URI match-up, the Bears defeated the Rams 35-21 in Brown Stadium’s second-ever night game. Gov. Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14 was in attendance to present the ceremonial cup as a strong crowd of 10,231 cheered on the squad. “We treat each week as its own separate season,” Donnelly said. “We went to D.C. and took care of business, and we’re going to try to do that again.” And if they do, the Governor’s Cup will stick around College Hill for another year.
highly of the Rams’ defense in particular, explaining that URI had “very good athletes on defense” that brought a lot of speed and size up front. “If we’re disciplined enough, we’ll be fine,” he said. “If not, we’ll be burned.” On offense, the Rams “run a lot of schemes, a lot of motions, and they do a lot of things with unbalanced lines,” Estes said. “It’s a lot of smoke and mirrors.” With 363 yards of total offense and a complete shutout of the Hoyas in the second half, the Bears had what appeared to be a solid showing on both offense and defense in the nation’s capital last week. But Estes said the team shouldn’t be “patting itself on the back,” since it still has a lot to improve on. “Miscues, offsides, holding calls,” Estes said. “We’ve got a lot that we still have to clean up to be a very good football team.”
sports friday 5
the brown daily herald friday, october 5, 2012
/ / Khan page 8
Picks from Ivy League Sports Writers
blockbuster when it came out, and you had to be the first one there to see it. Then you watched it again just to say that you did, but now you’re just waiting for something new. Even if something new is some foreign film that you promised your girlfriend you would watch when it won an Oscar or something, and now it’s finally here, but you’ve been dumped since then, and the very mention of that film is a waking reminder of the one that broke your heart. So yeah: Come on O’s!
The Brown Daily Herald
Columbia Daily Spectator
The Cornell Daily Sun
The Daily Princetonian
The Dartmouth
The Harvard Crimson
Yale Daily News
Dartmouth. “Dartmouth will regain its momentum from the start of the season and push through Yale’s poorlyranked defense.“
Dartmouth. “Yale’s had a rough start to the season, and Dartmouth might be able to kick ‘em while they’re down.”
Dartmouth. “Yale defense looks exploitable. “
Dartmouth. “Looks like Tony Reno might take a little while to get settled; the Bulldogs have allowed about twice as many points as the league average.”
Dartmouth. “Big Green offense builds off of a strong second half against Penn and takes advantage of the Ivy League’s worst defense. Dartmouth 31–Yale 16.”
Dartmouth. “Yale’s been outscored by an average of 31 points in its last two games. Hard to pick the Bulldogs over anyone at this point.”
Yale. “The Elis will reverse their first half woes and pick up the first Ivy win of the Tony Reno era.”
Cornell. “This very close game will come down to whether Jeff Mathews can throw better than Treavor Scales can run. And with the Crimson’s pass defense allowing more yards per game than any other team in the Ivy League, Cornell will slide by with a narrow victory.”
Harvard. “This might be the Ivy Championship game. As much as I’d like to pick Cornell and Jeff Mathews’ arm, I’m just not sure the Big Red’s defense is ready. “
Harvard. “Although the Cornell defense will allow fewer than the 41 points it did last season, too many question marks surround the Red to overcome the champion Crimson who is rolling so far in 2012.”
Harvard. “Jeff Mathews vs. Harvard’s defense might be the most interesting matchup of the season — more interesting than the other side, because Harvard should score plenty.”
Harvard. “Harvard’s balanced offense will give them the advantage in this matchup of the League’s best. Harvard 28- Cornell 18”
Harvard. “In a matchup pitting the two best offenses in the Ivy League, Harvard’s defense gives it the slight upper hand. But make no mistake — Jeff Mathews could put up huge numbers against an iffy Crimson secondary.”
Cornell. “Mathews is the topranked passer and the Crimson are the worst pass defense in the Ancient Eight. The advantage goes to Big Red as they upset Harvard on the road.”
Editors/Writers Jake Comer and
Myles Simmons
Quintin Schwab
Kevin Whitaker
Brett Drucker and Noah Reichblum
Bobby Samuels
Charles Condro
Pick Accuracy
75% (3/4)
75% (3/4)
75% (3/4)
25% (1/4)
75% (3/4)
50% (2/4)
Dartmouth vs. Yale Total Votes Dartmouth: 6 Yale: 1
Cornell vs. Harvard Total Votes Cornell: 2 Harvard: 5
“Moneyball II,” featuring Bob Saget as namesake Melvin If it hasn’t become apparent yet, I’m in love with Billy Beane. I’ve basically named my second child already (Billyna if it’s a girl). It’s been a very successful year already for Billy, what with the A’s winning the West and Brad Pitt’s portrayal of Beane in the critically acclaimed “Moneyball.” But I feel it’s my duty to remind everyone of the credit Billy deserves for the success of his A’s. Looking back, this season for the A’s has been just as screen-worthy as the 2002 one. Sequel! Happy October, everyone! Enjoy the playoffs. Baseball is in the air! But so are other things, so get your flu shots.
Lindor Qunaj 75% (3/4)
athlete of the week
Michael Yules ’14 helps Bruno win 37-10 over Hoyas By Caleb Miller Contributing Writer
With five tackles and two sacks against Georgetown University last Saturday, defensive end Michael Yules ’14 let the inspiration of his football coaches and his family shine through. Throughout his football career, the South Dartmouth, Mass., native has not strayed too far from home. From Moses Brown High School to Brown Stadium, Yules has brought his homegrown talent to the Bears’ defensive line. His performance last weekend, which included two crucial hits in a first quarter goal-line stand, helped power Bruno to a 37-10 victory over the Hoyas and earned Yules Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. For his stout work anchoring the Bruno defense, Yules has been chosen as The Herald’s Athlete of the Week. The Herald: How did you get started in football? Yules: I played football when I was in sixth grade for the first time, but then I quit after that season. I transferred to Moses Brown for ninth grade, and I didn’t play football then either, but I had a couple friends who were on the team. I went out to one of the J.V. games on Monday, and one of the coaches saw me on the sideline and asked me what I was doing not playing football. So I showed up to practice the next day. What is it like playing right down the street from your high school?
It’s really a blessing and an honor. I used to eat lunch with some of my friends outside and we could see the practice fields from where we were sitting and see some of the practices, so it’s always been a dream. Do you keep in touch with your old coaches from Moses Brown? I do. Those guys are probably the second biggest inspiration to me next to my little brother. They always inspired me to be the best that I could. They would always be able to do what we were doing at practice better than we could, so it was kind of an inspiration to watch them, even though they were older and retired, be able to kick our butts. Do they come to watch you play at Brown? Yeah, they’ll text me before the games, and they like to come to the games. Does your brother play football? Yeah, at Stanford. Do you and your brother have a competitive relationship? My brother is my hero. He’s the guy that I’ve always looked up to even though he’s younger. We feed off of each other. We would work out together, we run sprints together. Part of the big reason I came to Brown was to be around him and watch him grow up and go through his senior and junior football seasons. I wouldn’t say competition — I would
say motivation. What’s your favorite part about playing defensive line? I like to think it’s kind of the foundation of the defense. It’s a lot of responsibility, and I honestly like the feeling of walking away from a game or practice and being beat-up and sore knowing that we worked as a unit and were a closeknit group of guys. We go through a lot together. If you could play any other position, what would it be? It’s probably kind of cliched, but everyone always wants to be quarterback. tom sullivan / Herald
Do you have any rituals before games? I am a very superstitious man. Before games, I usually do the same exact thing. The group of guys that play D-line has our own ritual before games.
Defensive end Michael Yules ’14 was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at Georgetown last Saturday. What’s your way of celebrating after a win? I like to unwind and relax. There’s
comics
Cashew Apples | Will Ruehle
Join the Club | Simon Henriques
always college football on at night, and it’s hard not to think about the game, but I try to get my mind off it as much as I can.
6 diamonds & coal diamonds & Coal
the brown daily herald friday, october 5, 2012
Editorial cartoon b y lo r e n f u lto n
A diamond to the first-year who said of the brothers featured in “Sons of Providence,” “They each had immense passion for what they were doing, even if it didn’t follow social norms.” That’s what we told our parents after they watched our final performance for TAPS 1281Q: “Introduction to Dance Studies: Sex, Death and Endurance.” Too bad they didn’t respect our passion. Coal to the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, whose recommendations to reforming the Economic Development Council included renaming it the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation. That level of change sounds as revolutionary — and effective — as renaming the Sharpe Refectory’s “Tastes of the World” station “Chef ’s Corner.” A diamond to new senior VP for advancement Patricia Watson, who said she likes to “try things and do things and experience things” in reference to a kayak she bought this summer. Maybe that’s a risque activity up in Ithaca, but at Brown, we recommend she try heading over to Sex Power God. A cubic zirconia to Digital Production Services photographer Lindsay Elgin, who said of setting up a photo shoot in the John Hay Library, “Climbing up on tables is not something I do every day.” Well, then. You’ve shattered all of our fantasies about what goes on in the dark recesses of the school’s libraries. A diamond to the Brown Divest Coal Campaign, which is requesting the University divest from certain coal companies — even though neither they nor the University knows whether we are actually investing in any of them. We thought about giving you coal, but we wouldn’t want to give you a reason to protest our investments. Coal to Jill Harris, managing director of strategic initiatives at the Drug Policy Alliance, who said, “Everybody in this country takes drugs. My friends put their dog on Prozac.” We’ve heard dogs prefer Zoloft. A cubic zirconia laden with pity for Professor of Religious Studies Harold Roth, a member of the Faculty Executive Committee who said the group is looking for ways to incentivize participation in faculty governance. We suggest free Nice Slice pizza and the chance to write hilarious jokes once a week. It works for us. Coal to Koji Masutani ’05, the media producer of the Armageddon Letters, a series of short films, graphics novels and podcasts, some of which will connect to Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber so that “the kid skateboarding on Thayer can understand.” As rampant Beliebers, The Herald takes offense at the gross oversimplification of his music.
le t ter
U. should examine coal investments To the Editor: We find it hard to believe that the vice president for finance could be unsure about the University’s investments in the 15 filthiest coal companies (“Coal campaign presses U. to divest fossil fuel investments,” Oct. 3). We again call upon the University to publically divest from
coal and to commit to not reinvesting in the future. The coal industry threatens our health and the integrity of our biosphere. With a problem of this magnitude, we cannot afford to be uncertain about where our University is investing its money. Natalie Asalgado ’16 and Daniel Sherrell ’13.5
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— Assistant Professor of Biology Eric Darling See ted-ish on page 2.
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taking sides 7
the brown daily herald friday, october 5, 2012
Is the United States the greatest country in the world? yes
no
culturalism and marginalization of certain groups, as well as violence like the world Zach ingber witnessed in Yugoslavia. I am not suggesta lack of internal strife in the United Opinions Columnist ing States, but differences here are usually policy-based and are assuaged by the common identity forged by the Constitution. Some people point to the United States’ Secondly, through the amendment prorelatively poor education rankings to sug- cess, the Constitution creates a framework gest that it is not the greatest country in the for change that ensures its relevance. The world. Others focus on the staggering rates arduous process frustrates many, but the auof obesity and lifestyle-induced conditions thors of the Constitution designed this prothat run rampant among Americans. Op- cedure so that the nation can be protected ponents might also use areas such as fis- from emotional whims. And for those who cal policy and environmental protection say that the Constitution perpetuated slavas talking points. But surely the barometer ery and the political subjugation of womto determine the “greatest country in the en, I agree — but that very same document world” has to be more nuanced and quali- proved flexible enough to be self-corrected. tative than educaDespite the tion statistics or the brevity of my arAmerica’s greatness, and gument, I have inamount of the budget allocated to dechosen what many people refer to as tentionally fense spending. not to address cerAmerica’s great- American exceptionalism, lies tain policy areas ness, and what such as tax strucin our Constitution. many people reture, foreign polifer to as American cy or immigration exceptionalism, laws. These arenas lies in our Constitution. The U.S. Consti- change from administration to administratution is the most comprehensive political tion, laws are constantly repealed and endocument ever to guide the governance acted and government structures cycle beof a country. While it goes without saying tween efficient and ineffective. Those who that being a liberal democracy should be disagree with me will often point to the a prerequisite for consideration of “great- shortcomings of American policy. But a est country in the world,” the Constitution bad policy can be replaced by a new politidistinguishes America from its democratic cian — this is the very essence of democracounterparts around the world. cy. The right to criticize specific policies, so First and foremost, the Constitution cre- deeply valued and fostered by the Constituates a civic nationalism unparalleled by any tion and the first amendment, does not deother country in the world. While European rail America’s position at the top but actualcountries sometimes rely on ethnicity and ly underpins America’s status as the greatest religion as the basis for nationalism, Ameri- country in the world. cans find pride in ideals such as separation of powers, checks and balances, rugged individualism and free speech. The ethnically charged nationalism, which is the norm Zach Ingber ’15 wants YOU — to send among European democracies, creates inyour thoughts to ternal tension that culminates in multizachary_ingber@brown.edu.
sive surveillance. Talking to the lucky Arab recipients of American freedom Katie Sola dimmed my optimism in our ability to it. But we are very good at exOpinions Columnist export porting prisoners overseas for torture in secret camps. I hate to bring it up, but we do also fund the Israeli state’s When considering this concept, two annexation of Palestinian land. Not to quotations spring to mind: “I believe mention our historic support of represin American exceptionalism, just as I sive regimes in Bahrain, Egypt and Saususpect that the Brits believe in British di Arabia. exceptionalism, and the Greeks believe I also see troubling trends of intolerin Greek exceptionalism,” President ance, hatred and religious lunacy in our Obama said on his 2009 overseas presi- society. Far-right and Christian condential trip. And the second: “Every day demnations of gay people and rape vicwe’re told that we live in the greatest tims form part of American discourse, country on earth. and homegrown And it’s always statterrorists attack ed as an undeniable Sikh temples and fact. … It’s startling abortion clinics. to realize that other Do you rememcountries have na- Every country believes its ber that warm, tionalistic slogans happy feeling we of their own, none own myths, thinks it is God’s got hearing Miof which are, ‘We’re chelle Obama talk own country. number two!’” writabout the greatten by the ever-elness of America? I oquent David Sefelt that at the 2012 daris. Olympic Opening Enough of the Ceremony. French comparative naspines tingle at the tionalisms. Where does the United Marseillaise, and my Quebecois friends States lead the world? Not in economics confidently assert that Montreal is the — the World Economic Forum down- capital of the world. Further east, Lebgraded us from first to fifth place in its anese boast that you can ski and swim Global Competitiveness Index. How in the same day, and many Israeli Jews about education? U.S. public schools believe themselves to live in a uniqueare in crisis, and its children rank sev- ly blessed state. My point is that every enth in literacy and 27th in math. Its country believes its own myths, thinks university education remains global- it is God’s own country — that’s how naly competitive, but American students tion-building works. Do not trust your who take out loans graduate owing an upsurge of warm patriotism as an indiaverage of $23,000. cator of America’s superiority. What of freedom, that glowing heart of American-ness? It seems to me that American civil liberties are shrinking Katie Sola ’14 is a dual citizen of the fast. The Patriot Act puts our “enviably” U.S. and the U.K. and loves both of her free nation under surprisingly extencountries.
Sola’s Rebuttal Zach Ingber ’15 writes that the U.S. Constitution proves American exceptionalism. It ensures American-ness is not defined by religious or ethnic identity, unlike “ethnically charged” European nationalisms. Of course, at the time of its creation, the Constitution only guaranteed the freedom and equality of white, Protestant men, so American nationalism was defined by race and faith from the beginning. Ingber points out that it later expanded to include members of different faiths, women and people of color. He argues that the Constitution includes a “framework for change,” and that this adaptability is another reason for American superiority. But America did not invent the democratic process, nor the creation and repeal of laws as a means of improving the nation, and it cannot claim uniqueness on those grounds. What’s more, European nationalism followed a similar developmental trajectory. For example, Britishness was once defined in terms of ethnicity and religion, though Catholics were tolerat-
ed during the reign of Elizabeth I when America was still the new world. Later, Britain successfully adapted to include other faiths and races into a multicultural society. Unlike America, the United Kingdom does not have a written document smugly guaranteeing all British citizen’s equal rights regardless of ethnicity and religion. But it also never had separate drinking fountains or the Ku Klux Klan, and it never needed Freedom Buses. No mosques were burned down during Ramadan — though one was in Joplin, Miss. Ingber dismisses consideration of “specific policy criticism” of obesity, education, the environment, immigration and taxation as a way of determining whether or not the United States is great. But I think it is illogical to say America is the greatest country in the world just because it has a lovely Constitution that says all sorts of inspiring things about freedom and equality and checks and balances. Phrasing is nothing without practice.
Ingber’s Rebuttal My opponent’s argument of nationalistic relativism disregards fundamental differences between countries and strikes me as naive. Despite the quote from Obama’s speech, it would be hard to argue that because Greeks believe in “Greek exceptionalism,” America and Greece sit in equal standing. My colleague makes a fair point about the Patriot Act impinging on civil liberties, but she fails to acknowledge the global context that prompted the law’s enactment. The United States is currently doing more than any other country in the world to fight Islamic fundamentalism, the world’s biggest threat to democracy. This movement is run by terrorists who purposely blur the line between combatant and civilian and use our own legal system against us. The argument is also filled with shameless plugs for Sola’s own political leanings. Criticisms of American support for Israel and American policies in the Arab world do not speak to whether or not America is the greatest nation — they simply reflect the political persuasions of the author. Furthermore, Sola points out high levels of intolerance in American society as if other democ-
racies do not experience extremism. In the aforementioned “exceptional” Greece, the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party now holds 18 seats in the Hellenic Parliament, while the English Defence League in Great Britain intimidates Muslims with violent street riots. And as I anticipated, she relies heavily on statistics to evaluate America. I could easily find an index where America ranked first, but instead I will respond to those included by my opponent. Our public education system is admittedly not the best, but statistics cannot capture the ingenuity fostered by our classrooms. And while we rank fifth in global competitiveness, my opponent fails to recognize that the four countries ahead of us — Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden and Finland — have neither the societal nor the geographical diversity that exists in the U.S. So let me end with a quote of my own. The scholar Robert Kagan once said, “The present world order — characterized by an unprecedented number of democratic nations, a greater global prosperity … than the world has ever known and a long peace among great powers — reflects American principles and preferences.”
daily herald sports friday the Brown
friday, october 5, 2012
MLB Playoff Preview: The O’s and A’s storm into October
By Daniyal Khan Contributing Writer
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or in a college bubble, or in any other sort of living space that can be likened metaphorically to any other secluded living space, you know that on Wednesday, the final day of the regular season, the Chicago Cubs walked-off against the Houston Ast … nah, I’m just kidding. As entertaining as it would be to talk about that baseball trivia goldmine of a game (last time a couple of 100 game losers faced off? 1962. The Cubbies were, naturally, involved in that one, too), I’ll spare you the torture. Instead, we’ll move on to the other side of the baseball spectrum. As we
transition from the failed spendthrifts to the overachievers, let’s take a moment and try to recall where we were June 30. I don’t remember either, but I do know where the Oakland Athletics were. They were 13 games behind the Texas Rangers and were just resigning themselves to their fate as the third best team in the American League West for another year. Or so we thought. Flash-forward to today, and those same Athletics are the number two seed in the American League playoffs. And the reward for sweeping the Rangers at home is a handful of dates with the 7th best team in the AL, the Detroit Tigers. Life right now could not possibly get better for Athletics Nation — San Jose notwithstanding. To be frank, I’ve been pretty into A’s Nation myself for the past week or so. All of a sudden, it seems everyone else is, too — glory hunters, meh. There’s no conflict of interest with the New
York Mets, and it’s easy to cheer for the underdog. Plus, there’s Billy Beane. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen more A’s games this season than most of the fans who were on hand to witness them clinch the West on Wednesday. To conclude the rant against fair-weather A’s fans, is it just me, or do you see more A’s merchandise being sported around campus these days? Crouching Tigers, Stolen Playoff Spot Why are the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs? The short answer is Miggy. Miguel Cabrera has had a historic season clinching the Triple Crown, and he has led the Tigers to the postseason. But that wasn’t exactly my question. What I want to know is why the Tigers are in the playoffs, instead of, say, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays or Los Angeles Angels. You obviously know why. It’s because they won the AL Central. Duh. But that’s my point. It bothers me im-
mensely that two teams with better records than the Tigers miss out on the playoffs, while the Tigers are sitting pretty, with a divisional series berth, no less. I mean, even the Rangers are playing the wildcard game, and they won five more games than the Tigers. Reform, Mr. Selig! This is unfair. Don’t Be Medlen with the Braves Another team that has a better record than the Tigers and is playing the wildcard game is the Atlanta Braves. (I don’t have a problem with this. Different leagues.) After missing out on the postseason last year, the Braves have been rewarded for their faith in their managerial staff with a sudden death game against the team that stole their playoff berth last season, the St. Louis Cardinals. And I don’t think it would surprise anyone if things go the Braves’ way this time around, especially if you look at the pitching matchup. The Braves have won all of Kris Medlen’s last 23 starts,
and that is some kind of streak. And as someone who has watched Medlen shut out the Mets on a couple of occasions this year, I would warn Cardinals fans of their imminent offensive failure. And a piece of advice — if that does happen, you can always #BlameBeltran. Rangers in the Wildcard Game F’Orioles? The last week or so hasn’t exactly gone as planned for the Texas Rangers. And if they don’t check themselves sooner rather than later, their road to the World Series will come to an abrupt, unceremonious end. Whoever wins their playoff game against the Baltimore Orioles will take on the New York Yankees in the divisional series, so I’m basing my rooting interest purely on which team will make that match-up more interesting. The fact is, “Rangers in Postseason” is like that movie your local theater runs for a couple of months — a / / Khan page 5