Thursday, March 10, 2016

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 29

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

Senior awarded Luce Scholarship Roose ’09.5 discusses

making it as writer today

Evan Silver ’16 to live in Asia for a year, learn new language, observe Eastern theater traditions

Novelist, journalist, TV producer talks new media in journalism, advice for aspiring writers

By KATHERINE LUO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This February, Evan Silver ’16 was chosen from a pool of 162 nominees and 45 finalists as one of 18 Luce Scholars.

The Luce Scholars Program every year seeks to recognize potential leaders who have an interest in Asian culture but no extensive exposure to it, barring those who study disciplines relating to Asia or who have lived or studied there from being named as one of the organization’s scholars. The program provides stipends, intensive language training and the opportunity to travel abroad for a year.

Silver, who studies literary arts and playwriting, was interested in the Luce Scholarship in particular because of its openness. “It was more about having a meaningful cultural experience than about making some kind of career

By M.C. NANDA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF EVAN SILVER

Evan Silver ’16 was one of 18 recipients of the Luce Scholarship. After several interviews, Silver was selected to study theater for a year in Asia. stepping stone,” Silver said. “There are some unbelievably rich performance traditions all throughout Asia, so this fellowship kind of screamed out at me as a unique opportunity to broaden my horizons — to try something different.”

The process to receive the fellowship is multi-tiered, starting with an internal university application. The university then nominates students to go on to the national competition, where they » See SCHOLARSHIP, page 3

Author and television producer Kevin Roose ’09.5 spoke about his experiences in media and journalism Wednesday at Brown/RISD Hillel. As part of the emerging writers portion of the Great Nonfiction Writers Series, the talk, titled, “How to Write Nonfiction on the Internet Without Hating Yourself,” was addressed to aspiring writers.

Roose’s talk focused on the expansion of new media in journalism. He gave advice to students trying to make it in what he described as an “incredible, bizarre time in American media.”

He defined the challenges facing young writers in new media as a competition with “everything on your

phone,” from “your friend’s snap stories” to “Kanye West’s twitter feed.”

Roose published the first of his two novels, “The Unlikely Disciple,” while a senior at Brown. “Young Money,” the second, came out in 2014. Roose now works as a news director at Fusion and as co-host and producer of Fusion’s “Real Future,” a television series about new media technology and the future.

Roose’s resume also includes stints as a New York Magazine technology columnist and business reporter for the New York Times. He touched on these experiences in his talk, sharing some of the challenges he has faced in the first several years of his career as a writer and blogger for a variety of outlets.

“I really hope I can be helpful. I made a lot of mistakes early in my career, and I wish someone with the experience had talked with me,” he said.

“The fact that he was offering so much advice to young writers who want to get jobs in new media — which is where » See ROOSE, page 2

Taubman poll finds Trump, Clinton lead in R.I. Poll surveyed 600 registered voters, found high unfavorable ratings among frontrunners

By SHAWN YOUNG STAFF WRITER

The Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy released two public opinion polls Feb. 25 about the 2016 Rhode Island presidential primaries, which will take place April 26. The polls found that Hillary Clinton holds a nine-point lead over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-VT, and Donald Trump leads the Republican candidates by 18 points or more.

The results reflect the opinions of 600 likely Rhode Island primary voters, resulting in a margin of error of four points. The polls were conducted Feb. 17-20 and Feb. 22-23, the latter period of which took place after the Nevada Democratic Caucus and the South Carolina Republican Primary.

The polls showed an eight point gain to Clinton at a cost to Sanders, as the senator led 48 percent to Clinton’s 41 in the first poll but trailed 49-40 in the second. In both polls, 11 percent of Democratic voters were undecided.

In addition, Clinton gained support from black voters making under $75,000 per year and voters under the

INSIDE

age of 30, though Sanders still leads the latter group by a significant margin.

Clinton’s lead in the second poll can be attributed to the fact that she won Nevada’s Democratic Caucus, said Elena Saltzman ’16, co-president of Brown Students for Hillary. Because the state shares a similar demographic to the country, it “reassured voters,” she said.

Clinton has also been fighting for issues that affect vulnerable populations her entire life, and voters “are becoming more cognizant of that,” said Emma Dickson ’16, co-president of Brown Students for Hillary.

But Roro Oshobe ’19, a coordinator for Brown University Students for Bernie, said the media has created and perpetuates a narrative that Sanders can’t win the general election. “If people knew more about where Bernie stands, then more people would vote for him,” Oshobe added.

On the opposite side of the aisle, Trump continues to hold a comfortable lead among Republicans. In the second poll, Trump stood at 43 percent, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, received 25 percent, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio 14 percent, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, 10 percent and Ben Carson 3 percent.

Rubio made the most significant gain, picking up 11 points between polls.

Trump’s popularity among Republicans can be explained by the populist » See TAUBMAN, page 2

BAYLOR KNOBLOCH / HERALD

DAEBAK, named after the Korean word for awesome, is a K-Pop dance group. Its first stand-alone show will include six sets of about three choreographed songs each and will be held Friday in Salomon 101 at 8 p.m.

Campus K-Pop group to headline first show Audition-free group’s first standalone performance to showcase common KPop choreography

By JENNIFER SHOOK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Instead of the typical drawl of an economics or psychology lecture, a fun and fresh medley of some of Korean pop’s biggest hits will fill Salomon 101 from 8 to 9 p.m.

Friday.

ARTS & CULTURE

DAEBAK, Brown’s K-Pop dance association, will be performing its own hour-long show for the first time in its three-year history as a group.

The group has performed in numerous larger shows such as the Korean Culture Show, but Friday’s free show — titled “Into the New World” — will be its first performance as the central attraction. The show will also feature a Brown breakdancing group, Ground Breakin’.

“I’m looking forward to having a show we can call our own,” said DAEBAK co-chair Jenzel Espares ’16.

“People do recognize who we are on campus, but it’s mainly through other

events.”

DAEBAK, a name that comes from the Korean word for “awesome,” was founded in fall 2013 by current co-chairs An Truong ’17 and Emma Herold ’17. Truong and Herold endeavored to form an open and audition-free dance group of students interested in Korea’s famously bubbly music.

“People usually come in mainly with an interest in K-Pop,” Espares said, adding that the group’s leaders aim to “foster that interest into (a) dance style” amenable to members.

DAEBAK mimics the » See K-POP, page 4

WEATHER

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

NEWS U. announces First Readings book, Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s ‘My Beloved World’

ARTS & CULTURE Ben Marcus MFA’91 reads from latest novel ‘The Grow-Light Blues,’ as part of campus visit

COMMENTARY Rowland ’17: Take fourth class as opportunity to broaden intellectual horizons

COMMENTARY Johnson ’19: In lieu of toxic liberal self-righteousness, treat disagreements respectfully

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Sotomayor’s memoir chosen as First Reading Incoming class will read ‘My Beloved World,’ recounting Supreme Court Justice’s life

By CATHERINE WALKER-JACKS STAFF WRITER

Members of the incoming class of 2020 will read “My Beloved World,” a memoir written by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, as their First Readings text, said Dean of the College Maud Mandel.

The goal of the First Readings program is “to give all incoming students a collective first engagement with the kinds of intellectual conversations they are going to have on campus,” Mandel said.

“My Beloved World” was chosen by the First Readings Committee after a months-long selection process that began in the fall. Students were given the opportunity to nominate texts and to provide feedback throughout the process.

To be selected as a First Readings text, eligible books should provide “a rich learning experience” for the incoming class that encourages “reflection on the self and society defined

broadly,” Mandel said. They should also be of “high intellectual merit and have a strong ethical compass.”

“It’s not just a good book. It’s a good book that we hope is speaking at a number of levels to students before they come to Brown,” Mandel said. She expects that the book will be a great source of discussion for the incoming students.

In the memoir, Sotomayor recounts her journey from a Bronx, New York housing project to the federal bench.

In 2009, she became the first Hispanic person to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. “It’s a story of a first-gen, low-income child of immigrants who went through a path that is both moving and revealing in many ways about our society,” Mandel said.

In addition to reflecting on her life, Sotomayor also discusses “some of the key issues of our time,” like criminal justice reform and affirmative action, Mandel said.

The First Readings program was established in 2007. Since becoming Dean of the College in July 2014, Mandel said she has made changes to the selection process for texts to include more community engagement.

Last year Mandel established the First Readings Committee to “draw on

the expertise of colleagues from across the University,” she said. This year, it was composed of several faculty members across disciplines, as well as two undergraduate student representatives: Andrea Wistuba Behrens ’16 and Timothy Ittner ’18.

“We all collaborate really well, and it brings a really great diversity of experiences and perspectives into the committee room,” Ittner said. “We can all bring our own strengths from our various disciplines and our styles of learning.”

“It’s been a great way to reimagine the First Readings Program,” Wistuba Behrens said.

Ittner and Wistuba Behrens also said they were thrilled about the selection of “My Beloved World.”

“It’s so particularly salient for our current Brown University,” Wistuba Behrens said. The book allows students who come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to see what impact they can potentially have on the world, she added.

Over the summer, members of the class of 2020 will be instructed to read “My Beloved World” and write a letter of reflection to their seminar advisors.

Discussions of the memoir will take place during orientation.

EMMA JERZYK / HERALD

» TAUBMAN, from page 1 movement sweeping through the party, said James Morone, director of the Taubman Center. Trump is mobilizing voters in record turnouts and redefining the GOP’s platform, such that “we may be seeing something in the Republican Party that echoes for a generation,” he added.

The poll also found that the leading candidates in each party tended to be rated as more unfavorable. In the second poll, Clinton received a favorable/ unfavorable rating of 49 percent/46 percent while Sanders posted a rating of 56 percent/37 percent. Meanwhile, in both polls, Trump had the second highest unfavorable rating among Republicans

» ROOSE, from page 1 they’re going to find them — was so new and fantastic,” said Elizabeth Taylor, co-director of the nonfiction writing program and senior lecturer in English.

On returning to campus, Roose reflected on his experience at Brown. He praised the school for being “so unbelievably useful” to him as a writer. “I got so much wonderful support from the professors here in the English department.”

at 63 percent and the third highest favorable rating at 32 percent.

Saltzman and Dickson attributed Clinton’s lower favorable rating to two possible factors: Clinton has been in the national spotlight for much longer than Sanders, and Republicans tend to focus their attacks on her.

The high unfavorable ratings among the candidates indicate that the presidential race is still fluid, Morone said.

The poll numbers are subject to change given recent developments, such as the results of Super Tuesdays one and two, Super Saturday and the suspension of Jeb Bush’s and Carson’s respective campaigns, he added.

“Fasten your seat belts — it’s going to be a bumpy ride,” Morone said.

“It’s great that he can come and reinvigorate us,” said Gus Esselstyn ’17, who attended the event. Roose’s words could make students “feel better about our future as writers,” he added.

Roose ended his speech with a list of 10 commandments for writers hoping to get a career in journalism, the last of which was a quote from his mentor and fellow Brown alum A.J. Jacobs ’90. “If you don’t say yes to the adventures, you’ll have a boring life.”

NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Science & Research Roundup

BY KATE TALERICO, NEWS EDITOR

Computer vision technology aids in classification of leaves Though the vein structures of leaves may help identify plants, botanists seldom refer to them due to the difficulty involved in deciphering their variations. But in a study released this month, researchers found that computer vision and artificial intelligence technology can assist botanists in classifying leaves according to their vein structures.

The paper, co-authored by Thomas Serre, assistant professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences, was released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Computers learned to discern certain types of leaves by shape and vein pattern based on an initial set of 7,600 digital images of plants that had been chemically enhanced to emphasize their veins.

The software easily distinguished among relevant patterns — the algorithms sorted new leaves into their taxonomic family with 70 percent accuracy and into their order with roughly 60 percent accuracy. In a University press release, the study’s lead author, Peter Wilf of Pennsylvania State University, said that the software’s ability to identify family and order is “an incredible achievement.”

Algorithm tracks how cells move Researchers who study cancer and autoimmune disorders may benefit from a new technique developed by a team of University scientists who found a way to track cell movements within the body.

In the past, scientists hoping to study cell movement used a technique called traction force microscopy. In this method, as cells move through an artificial space — a 2D surface or a 3D gel — researchers capture images that they can then use to calculate any forces the cells generate as they move. Still, for researchers to conduct calculations, they must know mechanical qualities such as the stiffness of the artificial environment.

Now, through a process called “mean deformation,” scientists can make these calculations without having to know the mechanical properties of an artificial environment, thus allowing them to test the movement of cells on surfaces that better mimic the human body, said Christian Franck, assistant professor of engineering, in a University press release.

Franck said that he and his colleagues plan to release the software that powers the technology for free online so that other researchers may use the technique by uploading their own 3D images.

IVF cited for high twin birth rate but could also reduce it In vitro fertilization has often been credited with the record-high rate of twin births in the United States. But earlier this month, Eli Adashi, a professor of medical science at the Alpert Medical School, argued that IVF could play a role in lowering the rate to more natural levels.

Twin births may come with complications such as preterm births and low birth weight, which is why many physicians consider IVF’s artificial contribution to the rising rate of twin births problematic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a record high of 33.9 twin births per 1,000 live births in 2014.

With the steep cost associated with IVF, mothers and doctors aspire to have the invasive method of fertility assistance work on the first try.

Doctors implant more than one embryo into a mother, with the hope that if one dies, others will survive.

This, Adashi said, is where the solution lies. To reduce twin births, he argues, states should advocate insurance coverage of IVF transfers of only a single egg.

“Combining a direct path to IVF with the judicious use of superovulation/IUI should go a long way toward curtailing the national twin birth rate,” Adashi wrote in his editorial, which was published in the March volume of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

TIMOTHY MUELLER-HARDER / HERALD

The Student Wellness Board, a committee to begin service in fall 2016, will handle matters related to Counseling and Psychological Services, Student and Employee Accessibility Services, Title IX policy and Health Services.

UCS greenlights new committee Student Wellness Board to replace Admissions, Student Services committee in fall 2016

By MATTHEW JARRELL STAFF WRITER

The Undergraduate Council of Students unanimously approved a resolution that will create a new committee called the Student Wellness Board for the 2016-17 school year at its general body meeting Wednesday.

The committee will oversee UCS affairs relating to Counseling and Psychological Services, Student and Employee Accessibility Services, Health Services and Title IX policy, according to the draft resolution submitted for the general body vote.

The Student Wellness Board will replace the Admissions and Student Services committee. Matters not related to student wellness that currently fall within the jurisdiction of Admissions and Student Services will be divided among the remaining committees once Admissions and Student Services is replaced.

For example, issues related to student services, such as the mailroom and Brown IDs, will move to the Campus Life committee, and admissionsrelated responsibilities will move to the renamed Academic Affairs committee, formerly known as Academic and Administrative Affairs.

» SCHOLARSHIP, from page 1 undergo several rounds of interviews.

Finalists are called back for a final stage of interviewing, which Silver referred to as “a wild process.”

“There were six interviews in one day, with fascinating, interesting people on a panel,” Silver said. At the finalist stage, Silver also had the chance to meet fellow applicants, many of whom he found extremely impressive. “Everyone I spoke to had a plan to change the world, except for me,” Silver said. But come February, Silver was notified that he had been chosen to be part of the Luce Scholars class of 2016-2017.

The news was surprising and exciting to Silver, who decided to apply earlier this year after considering several other fellowships. “I really didn’t think I was going to get it,” Silver said. “I’m super thrilled, and I feel so lucky.”

His mom also expressed her support, posting a status on Facebook when she heard the news. “She congratulated me on finding a way to be self-unemployed,” Silver said. “‘Self-unemployed — with pizzazz.’”

What set Silver apart may have been

UCS President Sazzy Gourley ’16 cited the council’s increasing work in this area over the past three years as the reason for the change. He said that the admissions component of the committee was originally conceived as a result of the University’s non-need blind admissions policy for domestic students, which has since been reversed.

“We felt it would be effective to have a Student Wellness Committee so that there are more entry points for students to work on projects in those areas,” Gourley said.

Gourley also noted the overlap between the work of Admissions and Student Services and that of the other committees as a reason for the change.

“It can be nebulous where Student Services ends and Campus Life begins,” he said.

Other approved changes to UCS internal structure include the addition of a technology director to the Management Board. This director will be in charge of overseeing the Bear Bucks service, printing, student WiFi and other matters formerly under the domain of Admissions and Student Services.

Committee chairs will also have the opportunity to select vice-chairs. “This will give people a chance to become more deeply involved in the process, and will make sure that chairs have the support they need,” said UCS Vice President Alana Bhatla ’16.

A final change allows for an amendment process to the UCS Code and grants the parliamentarian, currently

Austin Lessin ’19, a Herald sales associate, authorization to make corrections and technical changes, according to the draft resolution.

UCS also approved a resolution enabling the appointment of 38 undergraduates to 19 University committees, culminating the appointments process that solicited a pool of 155 applications from 110 students.

“This year, we’ve been building strong relationships with the student appointees to advocate for specific changes,” Gourley said. “It’s encouraging to see that some of that outreach has led to this increase in applications.”

Lastly, the council categorized several student groups. Brown University Animal Assisted Therapy, Students for Responsible Policies in Yemen, Brown/ RISD Lovecraft & Welcome to Night Vale Fan Club, Brown Innovation for Health, Jews of Mixed Identity and Sabrosura: Brown Latin Band were approved as Category One groups; Bridge to a Brighter Future Brown Chapter, Save the Children and Brown University’s Mantanya’s Hope Club were approved as Category S groups, and the Brown University Pre-Veterinary Organization was approved as a Category Two group.

UCS will host the annual State of Brown address by President Christina Paxson P’19 next Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Building for Environmental Research and Teaching 130. The event will include a lengthy Q&A session open to the entire student body.

his humility and awareness of the world around him, said Associate Dean of the College for Fellowships Linda Dunleavy.

She noted Silver’s openness and genuine intentions as qualities that made him a particularly outstanding applicant.

“Evan was pretty much a dream candidate,” Dunleavy said. “He has a clear sense of where he’s going and the kind of work he wants to do, yet he’s also genuinely open and curious and willing to take himself out of his comfort zone.”

Out of the seven to 12 applicants that the University reviews annually, it only selects two candidates to continue onto the regional and national levels.

“I think they’re just looking for someone who wants to put themselves out there,” Silver said. Having also studied abroad in London last year, he is well-adapted to taking on new experiences. From “couch surfing” to hitchhiking to talking to strangers on the street, Silver is more than willing to rely on others and be vulnerable to his surroundings. “I like taking risks,” Silver said. “I like saying yes to the unknown.

That’s a small thing that makes a huge difference.”

Silver hopes that his experiences

abroad will help him expand his knowledge in theater studies and develop a broader worldview. “My artistic and performance training has been primarily Western, and that’s been rewarding and great, but I’ve been largely unexposed to Eastern traditions,” he said.

Though he does not yet know which country he will be assigned to, Silver has indicated interest in the islands of Java and Bali in Indonesia. Initially, Silver considered Japan as well but cited language as a limiting factor. While Silver, who only speaks English and Spanish, would have to learn his host country’s language from scratch, he believes Javanese or Indonesian would be easier to learn than Japanese.

The Luce Foundation will provide Silver with a two-month total immersion program before departing to his assigned country.

Despite the language barrier and his limited experience with Asia, Silver is eager to see what kind of opportunities await him. “This is a really unique fellowship,” Silver said. “I would recommend it to people who want to have a new experience that will challenge them and provide new perspectives.”

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

» K-POP, from page 1 choreographed moves often seen in Korean pop music, a genre in which music videos are produced for each song. The group’s main choreographers, Espares and E-board members Michelle Kwon ’17, Sung Hee Han ’17 and Jesamine Dyus ’16 learn the choreography of selected songs and then demonstrate it to the group’s general body in a workshop-style rehearsal, Espares said.

To stay true to its inclusive mission statement, DAEBAK holds rehearsals that vary between these larger workshop-style performances and smaller sessions meant to prepare the core group of performers. The group then strings together these choreographed dances into sets of approximately three songs.

Friday’s performance will consist of approximately six of these individual sets. Throughout the show, GBX will take the stage for its own performances and allow DAEBAK dancers to take a breath before returning to the stage.

Espares and Truong said DAEBAK members had been wanting to put together their own show for a while, but it was not until this year that group members felt they were adequately organized and had enough material to put together their own freestanding

show.

“Watching other dance groups on campus have their own shows … we were inspired to have something of our own,” Truong said.

DAEBAK’s E-board — its first as an organization — has been planning the spring show since early last semester. The group has tapered off its other performances gradually in order to focus on mapping out rehearsals for an hour-long spring show, Espares said.

The Asia/Asian American Heritage Series provided DAEBAK with funding, said Kristine Mar ’18, a programmer for the series. The E-board also received money from the KoreanAmerican Students Association in order to make the show more professional, adding lighting and costuming.

Truong hopes the success of Friday’s show will lead to more freestanding performances in the future.

Eventually, the group hopes to host an hour-long show annually.

More performances, though, will have no bearing on DAEBAK’s audition-free policy.

“What we do as a group is to foster this interest in K-Pop,” Espares said. “I hope that DAEBAK continues to keep generating this space for people and also maintain this sort of open atmosphere in which anyone can dance if they want to.”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

MARIANNA MCMURDOCK / HERALD

Novelist Ben Marcus MFA’91 read from his latest novel “The Grow-Light Blues” Wednesday in the McCormack Family Theater. Marcus was on campus as part of an interview for a position in the Department of Literary Arts.

Marcus MFA’91 reads from latest work Reading of ‘The GrowLight Blues’ coincides with Department of Literary Arts faculty search

By GABRIELLA REYES STAFF WRITER

Novelist Ben Marcus MFA’91 explored themes of health, vulnerability and technology’s dark side while reading his work “The Grow-Light Blues” for an intimate and enthusiastic audience in the McCormack Family Theater Wednesday. The story follows a man who works at a technology research and development firm and is the test subject of an experiment to see if humans can absorb nutrients through light and forgo eating.

“The whole thing stank of opt out.

Self-knowledge was for the dead, they said,” Marcus read aloud from his short story. “People don’t like themselves enough to have to deal with other

people with feelings so similar to their own. It makes them feel less special.”

Marcus described his experience writing the novel. Audience members noted his affinity for neologism and rare ability to bring conventionalseeming stories to unusual places during the question-and-answer session following the reading.

“I reached this point of delusion that anyone reaches when writing and thought the evil tech company’s plot was actually plausible — at least long enough for me to write the story,” Marcus said.

Marcus’ reading was part of the Spring 2016 Contemporary Writers Reading Series sponsored by the Department of Literary Arts. It also capped off a day spent on campus as part of an interview for a faculty position in the department, said Assistant Director of Literary Arts Gale Nelson.

Marcus, who has been a member of the Columbia faculty since 2000, has received literary honors including the

Berlin Prize Fellowship and an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

“Candidates are people identified by the search committee as worth close review for the possibility of being hired (as a fiction professor) to teach at Brown,” Nelson said.

This particular readings series, which tends to be “well-attended,” is held in conjunction with searches for faculty members, Nelson added.

Students, faculty and community members alike came to hear Marcus read.

“I came because I’m a big fan and decided to do my dissertation on Marcus,” said Charles Kay, a community member who attended the reading and found “The Grow-Light Blues” to be “simultaneously hilarious and heart-wrenching.”

Marcus’ “writing is singular and prescient, and he does things not a lot of other contemporary writers are doing,” Kay added.

TODAY

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 • PAGE 5

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p r o c r a s t i n at i o n s tat i o n

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Pizza: Na’cho Pizza, Spicy Five Cheese & Garlic, BBQ Bam Bam Make Your Own Pasta Station JOSIAH’S

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sudoku

ELI WHITE / HERALD

On an unusually warm March day, students soak up the sun on the Main Green. As midterm season enters full swing, students see the weather as a brief respite from the Rock and other dreary study spaces.

Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

RELEASE DATE– Thursday, March 10, 2016

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Aboveboard 6 Triumphant cries 10 Hurdle for a jr.

14 Lose some ground 15 Berry rich in antioxidants 16 “Pygmalion” author 17 *Star of Comedy Central’s “Insomniac” 19 Sleek, in car talk 20 Best replacement?

21 Exercises, in a way 23 Daily Planet VIP 25 Insensitive 26 “The Good Wife” field 29 Man cave fixture 32 Caller in a mask 35 Get up 37 Dupe 38 “bye 4 now” 39 Praise 40 Big letters in home security 41 Islamic decree 42 “Of __ curls on calmed brows”: E.B. Browning 43 City where Perry’s flagship Niagara is exhibited 44 “Which is to say ... ” 45 Viewed 46 1988 Oscar winner for Best Picture 48 Bread for Reubens 49 Roasting aid 51 Shutter piece 53 Smooches 57 Justice Kagan 60 Snack with a Thins variety 61 *Home business?

64 Layer on a wall 65 Not again?

66 Mall map symbol 67 Press supplies 68 Got up 69 “I rock!”

DOWN 1 Spearheaded 2 Big Band and Swing

3 C-SPAN subject 4 Often unreachable goal 5 Fragrant hybrid blooms 6 Bean topper?

7 Didn’t have to putt on 8 Angel hair topper 9 10-Down feature 10 Item in a fivesection Bible book 11 *Popular cosmetic moisturizer 12 Boomer advocacy group 13 Ark units 18 Tidy cut 22 Lexus GX, e.g.

24 Exotic vacation 26 Lures for anglers?

27 Its capital is Oranjestad 28 *Leonardo DiCaprio feature 30 “The Kiss” sculptor 31 Symbols on poles 33 Classic hit that begins “And now, the end is near” 34 Control tower concern

36 Lad 38 Highland cap 41 Ultimate authority ... or what’s hidden in the answers to starred clues 43 Issue an embarrassing retraction 46 2016 Olympics city 47 On the safer side

50 Maps out 52 Aquarium fish 53 Point sets, in math 54 One is often used in the rough 55 Ball game 56 Santa’s burden 58 __ a one 59 Tiny energy source 62 Finch creator 63 Woolly mom

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

“She congratulated me on finding a way to be selfunemployed. Self-unemployed — with pizzazz.”

— Evan Silver ’16

See scholarship on page 1.

CORRECTIONS An article in Monday’s Herald (“Zoabi talks future of Palestinians in Israel,” March 7) stated that the panelists spoke about the “intertwined histories of Israel and Palestine.” In fact, they spoke about Palestinians in Israel.

Due to an editing error, an article in Tuesday’s Herald (“Dining services undergoes external audit of allergy practices,” March 8) stated that Andrews Commons is a nut-free dining hall. In fact, it is not.

An article in Wednesday’s Herald (“Alums’ reactions to campus activism divided,” March 9) stated that Amber Oliver ’97 said activism during her time on campus seemed to come from small, homogeneous groups of minority students. In fact, she said the efforts came from small groups representing minority students. Also, the article originally stated that Jo’Nella Queen Ellerbe ’15 referred to a die-in held last year on campus as having been attended “in equal numbers by both people of color and white students.” In fact, the die-in was organized and attended predominantly by people of color, though some white students did participate. The Herald regrets the errors.

xwordeditor@aol.com

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Ron Zwigenberg — Global Hibakusha 4:00 P.M. Watson Institute

James Merrill: “Greece, Greek and the Greeks” 5:30 P.M. Maddock Alumni Center

One Drop of Love 7:00 P.M. George Houston Bass Performing Arts Center

Text-a-Toastie 8:00 P.M. Anywhere on campus

TOMORROW Kira Nam GreeneAmerican Feast All Day Sarah Doyle Women’s Center

Kaffeestunde (German Coffee Hour) 3:00 P.M. Hope Street 190

Inscripted Earth 3:30 P.M. Ashamu Dance Studio

Gallery Opening: “Hurt People Hurt People” 5:00 P.M. Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Students for Justice in Palestine hummus boycott To the Editor: Thanks for the article, “Hummus options added after SJP protest,” March 8. As a Mizrahi Jew, it was enlightening to read that “‘(my) ancestors have been eating hummus, (and) they have been eating hummus for their whole lives.’” This came as a shock, mostly because I don’t remember tasting the stuff until I arrived on Brown’s campus almost 20 years ago when hummus was seen as the trendy alternative to spaghetti and meatballs.

This Mizrahi Jew is empathetic to the plight of Palestinians in Israel.

The conflict is deep-seeded and traces itself back to long before daily college newspapers and computers (but

maybe not hummus?). So I can understand boycotting Israeli products … but why single out hummus? Does SJP boycott other, likely more impactful products that were manufactured or invented in Israel, like Pampers diapers and Victoria’s Secret undergarments, or SMS-enabled devices (like your iPhone) and computers with anti-virus protection (software developed in Israel)?

We all know there’s no easy solution to the Middle East conflict.

However, let me try bridging the two parties by agreeing on one simple fact: Nutella is a much better spreadable snack.

Jeff Mizrahi ’01

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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Enlightenment and economics LAINIE ROWLAND opinions editor

I always laugh at the idea of taking a “fourth class” — the idea that three of the courses we take relate to our concentration and the fourth is “just for fun.” I understand the principle behind the phrase, but the wording is peculiar. Is a course outside of your discipline less important? Given that we sought out the disciplinary breadth afforded by the open curriculum, “fourth classes” are more like “first classes” ­­— without them, the Brown education simply wouldn’t be as unique as we like to believe it is.

Shopping period, the time to choose “fourth classes,” is long past, but the inescapability of midterms makes this a perfect time to reflect on our choices, good or bad.

I took a different approach to the “fourth class” dilemma this semester, and it’s been a surprisingly interesting experience. I’m enrolled in ECON1710: “Investments I,” a class outside my concentration and career path. It doesn’t exactly fit the bill of the typical exploratory, low-stakes class that people tend to use to di-

versify their course portfolio. But as far as fourth classes go, it’s an excellent choice. It has exposed me to new frameworks and ideas and has allowed me to rethink the value of coursework in traditionally more career-focused disciplines.

My education provides me with various lenses through which to see the world. As we know, Brown students have an annoying habit of critically analyzing everything that passes

elasticity is all-encompassing. In fact, it is particularly valuable to understand financial markets given both their outsized role in the world and the outsized role our Brown peers will, in all likelihood, play in them.

Being able to make sense of these institutions and instruments is crucial to understanding global patterns, modes of thought and analytical frameworks. It’s a stretch to call Investments a humanities class, but

I’m not saying the framework it provides us is correct (i.e., the idea of rational actors, a focus on profit maximization, belief in the market, etc.).

But it’s not inherently less valuable than any other discipline. For those who whole-heartedly reject capitalism and have so far assumed that I’m a sell-out in disguise: I challenge you to explain how to go about problematizing something without understanding the gears and forces driv-

Intellectual elasticity is all-encompassing. In fact, it is particularly valuable to understand financial markets given both their outsized role in the world and the outsized role our Brown peers will, in all likelihood, play in them. under our noses. For example, when I watch the news, I place events in historical context, dissect the language used by pundits and wonder about the changing role of media. All this is in addition to my public policy training to consider the policy implications of issues. This intellectual multitasking is at the core of the open curriculum and is not inherent to only certain disciplines. Intellectual

it’s certainly applicable to the ideals of a liberal education. In that sense, it’s not fundamentally different from other “fourth classes” and provides a similar mental exercise. It provides me with a new lens, one which helps decode some of the world’s most powerful entities.

In addition, a holistic understanding of the world is impossible without a basic knowledge of economics.

ing it.

The argument has been made many times that a Brown degree is great preparation for a career in finance. I want to explicitly point out that this is not my argument, nor do I see it as an implication of my argument. Rather, I don’t understand why the common interpretation of what a liberal arts degree should look like is in contrast with the perceived value

of “pre-professional” disciplines. I’m not pre-professional. I’m barely even pre-amateur. But I’ve found that such classes have added a dimension to how I read the world. Of course, it’s also problematic to learn these things without placing them in greater context than their application to managing hedge funds. But that’s for another column.

The phenomenon I describe is nothing new. The earliest I can personally trace it is third grade, when I remember being very frustrated by the process of learning script. I knew full well that my teacher was lying about adults demanding script letters. I asked: Why should I learn something I won’t need to use? It goes without saying that this question was naive and unenlightened.

In answering the question now as a college junior, my argument turns my elementary-level utilitarianism upside-down. My commitment to learning something that’s immensely practical for a purpose other than its pragmatic application serves to prove my point.

Lainie Rowland ’17 can be reached at lainie_rowland@brown.edu.

Political conviction or self-righteousness?

GRACE JOHNSON staff columnist

A memorable line from the Democratic debate in Flint, Michigan Sunday came from Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-VT: “Democrats are not always right.” That truth should be acknowledged more often than it is, especially in our contentious political climate. Bernie’s assertion is important because even though his politics are deemed radical, he can clearly differentiate between conviction and self-righteousness.

Some Bernie supporters who claim they will not vote at all if Hillary Clinton wins the nomination could learn from his message.

Just as Bernie does not cling to the party as a flawless source of information and support, his supporters should not cling to one candidate as the only means of success. The election is much bigger than one candidate or the other. According to a recent Guardian article, more Democratic support would have allowed Obama to make more progress on liberal causes during his presidency. Those who purposefully silence their voice by not voting this year punish the marginalized who feel they have no voice.

Self-righteousness occurs both within parties and within the greater two-party divide.

On the conservative side, the Grand Old Party’s name itself points to historic self-celebra-

tion. And it is not difficult to find entitled attitudes and harsh language toward Democratic candidates in the Republican debates. It is also not difficult to see that American exceptionalism is supported by Republicans’ unabashed focus on the individual. But the Republican focus on the individual is often translated as uncompassionate and greedy in liberal speech.

This stereotype shows that self-righteousness is not limited to conservatives. Generalizations, cheap jokes and harsh judgments, no matter the conviction behind them, are abundant in liberal culture. From both sides, it is

Democratic, then I assumed our views lined up without considering the nuances and complexities of politics. I made sweeping generalizations and unfair, though funny, jokes about “those Republicans.”

Most students at Brown are, in fact, liberal.

A Herald poll last semester showed 68.6 percent of students intended to vote for a Democratic candidate and only 6.8 percent intended to vote for a Republican candidate. But the expectation that people are liberal with the implicit justification of superiority is toxic.

Bringing that attitude home over winter

Liberal self-righteousness is just as distasteful as conservative self-righteousness.

easy to perpetuate the political divide. It is easy to generalize a party and its platform without understanding how that further broadens the chasm, destroying the chances of a bridge being built.

At Brown, it seems automatic to assume everyone is liberal. Looking back at my political discussions so far at Brown, I have fallen into the many traps of hypocrisy. Often, I assumed people were Democratic before starting a conversation. And if it was made clear they were

break was just as destructive. Sarcastic political comments alienated me from my more moderate or conservative friends, and I was sending a negative message about Brown’s liberal environment and even about the progressive movement. The most effective way to gain support and followers of a cause is most definitely not through pretentious and unconstructive criticism. Liberal self-righteousness is just as distasteful as conservative self-righteousness. It is entirely possible to be passion-

ate about a value, a policy or a cause and criticize an opponent with tact and accuracy.

Congressman Elijah Cummings, D-MD, spoke at Brown Tuesday and emphasized a message of respect and awareness. His political agenda does not present itself as the morally superior option but seeks to promote passion, humility, equality and grace. He argued that we need to respect constituents and politicians in order to reaffirm their existence and dignity. Cummings’s transparency is a quality both to admire in a politician and to mimic in our own conversations.

Cummings referred to respect in politics, which means thoughtfully considering the validity of different views. As Bernie correctly pointed out: Democrats are not always right. Thinking critically is an important part of thinking maturely and involves questioning the source of an argument, even if that means reconsidering your own sources and affiliations. There is a naïveté in believing a source to be infallible, so approach them all with a respectful skepticism. Every person has her own subjective opinions and personal motivations, and those should be carefully analyzed regardless of their label. And when we disagree, we should do so respectfully.

Grace Johnson ’19 is a member of Brown Students for Bernie and can be reached at grace_johnson@brown.edu.