Sept. 15, 2011 issue

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

The Chronicle

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 16

WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM

HDRL finds Obama promotes Jobs Act in Triangle asbestos in Central apts.

by Ashley Mooney THE CHRONICLE

There’s a small threat lying above residents of Central Campus.

Ceiling materials in Central apartments contain trace amount of asbestos, according to an email from Housing, Dining and Residence Life sent to residents Aug. 27. HDRL noted that the presence of asbestos is minimal and is common among most facilities constructed in the 1970s.

“Provided the ceiling is not intentionally disrupted or allowed to enter a state of disrepair, there is no danger,” Joe Gonzalez, associate dean for residence life, wrote in an email Wednesday.

HDRL has advised students to avoid disrupting apartment ceilings and report any needed repairs immediately in order to prevent any potential health risk.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used commonly in materials for building construction, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It is a known carcinogen, posing particular cancer risks when high concentrations are inhaled over long periods of time.

In low concentrations and with minimal exposure, however, it poses a very low health risk.

Sophomore Chris Waybill said he and SEE ASBESTOS ON PAGE 5

MELISSA YEO AND JULIA MAY/THE CHRONICLE

President Barack Obama speaks in front of a large crowd in Reynolds Coliseum on the campus of N.C. State Wednesday morning.

by Lauren Carroll, Yeshwanth Kandimalla and Michael Shammas THE CHRONICLE

In his latest push to create jobs, the president is talking straight to the people.

President Barack Obama promoted the American Jobs Act in a public speech at North Carolina State University’s Reynolds Coliseum Wednesday. After presenting the act to a joint session of Congress last week, Obama traveled to the Triangle to inform the public about the legislation and his plan for job creation. The American Jobs Act comes as Obama faces declining approval ratings and the upcoming 2012 election.

“I came to talk about how America can get back to a place where we’re creating good middle class jobs again,” Obama said. “Jobs that pay well, jobs that offer some security, jobs that are available for... young people.”

During his visit, Obama also visited WestStar Precision, a small manufacturing company based in Apex, N.C. This is the president’s second visit to the Triangle in the last five months—Obama visited Cree, Inc. in June.

In his remarks, Obama highlighted several key components of the plan, such as more government incentives to hire new SEE OBAMA ON PAGE 6

Study shows AlcoholEdu only has temporary benefits

by Michael Lee THE CHRONICLE

GARY SHENG/THE CHRONICLE

Freshmen who complete AlcoholEdu revert to former drinking habits by Spring, a new study shows.

A new study has found that AlcoholEdu does work, but by Spring, freshmen are back to their old drinking habits.

After completing the online alcohol education course AlcoholEdu for College, freshmen significantly reduced binge drinking during the Fall semester. But by the Spring semester, these effects had subsided, and students who had taken the course would drink at similar rates to those who had not, according to a July study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. The study observed 30 universities across the U.S., surveying students about their habits and decisions made while intoxicated.

Duke uses the two-part AlcoholEdu curriculum for incoming freshmen, as part of more than 500 campuses nationwide.

“No one would ever describe AlcoholEdu as a silver bullet, certainly, but I think the context is really the critical point,” said Brandon

Busteed, Trinity ’99, founder and president of Outside the Classroom, the company that developed AlcoholEdu. “Although the headlines on this study tend to be ‘[AlcoholEdu] didn’t last past the first semester,’ the bigger news is that a nationally controlled study showed that it did last for a semester.”

He said the temporary effects of the study were to be expected, considering the brevity of the program.

“It’s only a two to a two-and-a-half hour program,” Busteed said. “For someone to actually think that a really brief intervention program is going to last for years and years is not a reasonable or realistic expectation.”

Tom Szigethy, associate dean and director of the Duke Student Wellness Center, similarly noted certain limitations in the format of AlcoholEdu. “I think with any program like that, nothing is necessarily going to be a permanent SEE ALCOHOLEDU ON PAGE 6

ONTHERECORD

Buy back into Duke football, Page 7

“We think it’s healthy for each house to have some representation...”

—Dean Joe Gonzales on the house model. See story page 3

How the War on Terror has affected law, Page 4

2 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

THE CHRONICLE

worldandnation

Right wing opposes inexpensive flag salute

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A seemingly innocuous piece of bipartisan legislation that would provide an inexpensive, flag-draped patriotic gesture is drawing right-wing opposition because the honor would go to federal civilian employees.

The legislation would authorize the presentation of American flags at the funerals of federal workers killed in the line of duty, much like is done for members of the military. It was expected to pass easily when it was scheduled for a vote in the House last week.

“Every year, federal civilian employees are killed at home and abroad doing their duty for our nation,” said Rep. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y., a sponsor of the bill. “The American flag embodies the values of our nation that these individuals worked to uphold. This legislation would provide a modest, but significant, benefit in honor of these dedicated individuals who sacrificed on our behalf.”

“

onschedule at Duke...

Interviewing Skills and Strategies Workshop Career Center, 6-7p.m.

A counselor will present interviewing tips and strategies, and what to expect from an initial interview.

Americans question jobs US officials downplay plan, Obama less popular Afghan embassy attack WASHINGTON, D.C. — A majority of Americans don’t believe President Barack Obama’s $447 billion jobs plan will help lower the unemployment rate, skepticism he must overcome as he presses Congress for action and positions himself for re- election.

KABUL, Afghanistan — The top U.S. officials in Afghanistan sought on Wednesday to portray the deadly and sustained 20hour attack on the U.S. Embassy and other targets as evidence that Afghanistan’s security forces are increasingly competent and that the Taliban is on the defensive.

Exhibition Opening and Curator Talk Nasher Museum of Art, 7-8p.m.

Curators talk about the exhibition, “The Deconstructive Impulse: Women Artists Reconfigure the Signs of Power, 1973-1991.”

The Paper Hat Game Schaefer Theater, 8-9p.m.

The production focuses on its hero, Scotty, and life in the city. Tickets cost $10, or $5 for students and senior citizens.

TODAY IN HISTORY 1935: Nuremberg race laws imposed.

on the

calendar

Independence Day

“Jon Goldstein, executive director of communications and marketing at the Duke Alumni Association, said it makes sense that Apple would look to Duke graduates for its top leadership positions.

‘It’s great for Duke, and I think it’ll be great for Apple,’ he said. ” — From The Chronicle’s News Blog bigblog.dukechronicle.com

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Software Freedom Day International

International Day of Peace NIKKI KAHN/THE WASHINGTON POST

Chief stonemason Joe Alonso inspects the Washington National Cathedral. The earthquake last month caused some damage to the cathedral. One four-ton section of a pinnacle and several finials, the pieces on top of the pinnacles, fell onto the roof of the cathedral’s 301-ft. tall central tower.

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Annual Volunteer Fair

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Bryan Center Schaefer Mall, 12-30p.m.

The 33rd Volunteer Fair, done in collaboration with the Volunteer Center of Durham, will connect Duke students with area nonprofits.

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— Robert Brault

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*Offer valid on inventory contracts written between 9/1/2011 and 10/31/2011. Offer subject to change or termination at any time and without notice. M/I Homes will pay all allowable closing costs excluding pre paids up to the 3% contribution limits.

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United Nations

Cochabamba Local Festival Bolivia

THE CHRONICLE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 | 3

DUKE STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Admins stand behind house model at Senate meeting

by Danielle Muoio THE CHRONICLE

Although some students question the future success of the house model, administrators believe it will inspire camaraderie.

Upon transition to the house model in Fall 2012, residential life at Duke is making major shifts—including the introduction of 75 individual houses across West and Central Campuses and the reduction of block sizes from 12 to six students, said Joe Gonzalez, associate dean for residence life, before the Duke Student Government Senate at its meeting Wednesday night.

Forty-three houses will belong to selective living groups, including fraternities and other groups, Gonzalez said, noting that the current number of groups who have residential sections is 26.

The remaining houses in the model will be unaffiliated. Independent students and students who choose to block will be randomly assigned to any non-selective house, Gonzalez said, adding that students will have the right to remain in the same house for their last three years under a right-of-return policy. Each house will have residents representing the sophomore through senior class, a decision Gonzalez said was healthy and necessary to foster a true sense of house community.

The distinction between an unaffiliated house and selective house will be minimal, Gonzalez said, adding that independent houses will be able to host parties.

“One of my dreams for this house model is that 10 years from now when alumni meet each other, they will ask [about each other’s house while they were upperclassmen],” Gonzales said.

He added that students will not necessarily be restricted to only living in one house for three years.

“People aren’t going to be handcuffed to their house,” Gonzalez said. “If they want to move to another house there will be a process to facilitate that.”

The hope is that the new system will create a positive experience that students will not want to leave, he said, adding that the addition of paint colors and signs to designate houses from each other will create a strong community among the students in a given house.

Vice President for Student Life Ebonie Simpson, a senior, asked Gonzalez if he had considered disabled students when developing the house model.

Gonzales said dealing with disabled students will be a challenge because not all houses will be equally accessible, but noted that the issue is on the administration’s radar.

Senator for Student Life Caroline Hall, a sophomore, said she questioned that the house model could succeed, given that the University operated under a house model until 2002 when it switched to the current quadrangle model.

SEE DSG ON PAGE 6

Kenan-Biddle Grants available for Inter-Institutional Student Projects

IRINA DANESCU/THE CHRONICLE

Majority whip of the N.C. House of Representatives Ruth Samuelson speaks Wednesday in Sanford.

State rep. attributes gridlock to ‘distrust and confusion’

by Yueran Zhang THE CHRONICLE

North Carolina’s current gridlocked political landscape has the potential to come to a consensus, said State Rep. Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg, at a University forum Wednesday.

Samuelson discussed her first six months as the majority whip in the N.C. House of Representatives, using her experiences to help address the current stalemate in the state General Assemblies. The event was part of the speaker series “Gridlock: Can Our System Address America’s Big Prob-

If you are interested in learning more about the Kenan-Biddle Partnership, please visit www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/kenan-biddle.

SEE GRIDLOCK ON PAGE 5

Duke University Chapel

Organ Recitals 2011-12 DAVID ARCUS Sunday, September 18 2:30 & 5:00 p.m.

Duke Chapel Free admission

The Kenan-Biddle Partnership, funded by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, is now receiving grant proposals from Duke and UNC students for projects designed to enhance the intellectual life at both universities by strengthening established or encouraging new collaborations.

Preference will be given to proposals made jointly by students from each institution. Project proposals must include a student or students who serve as the project initiator. Proposals should be designed to stimulate collaborative arts, sciences and humanities projects between the two universities. The proposal should be specific about the activities and duties the participants would undertake and must include at least one public exhibition, presentation or performance.

lems?” sponsored by the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Clarity, consensus and courage are the necessary elements for a successful legislature, Samuelson said, noting that partylines and lack of experience are preventing these values from flourishing. “[Representatives] have things that they will not tell to the speaker or the leader—a third of them have never been [on such positions],” she said. “They have no trust among each other, even within the Republicans.”

David Arcus is the Associate University Organist and Chapel Organist at Duke, as well as the Divinity School Organist and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Sacred Music. He opens this year’s Organ Recital Series on the Brombaugh organ in the Memorial Chapel with music by South and Central German composers, including Schlick, Hassler, Erbach, Muffat, Kerll, Froberger, Poglietti, Pachelbel, and Bach. This program will be presented at 2:30 p.m. and again at 5:00 p.m.

Organ Recitals 2011-12

DUKE UNIVERSITY CHAPEL ◆ SUNDAYS AT 5:00 PM October 16, 2011 November 13, 2011 January 29, 2012 February 26, 2012 March 18, 2012

Wilma Jensen Andrew Unsworth David Arcus Dongho Lee Robert Parkins

4 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

THE CHRONICLE

Panel discusses legal aftermath of the War on Terror

by Taylor Turkeltaub THE CHRONICLE

Complex wars generate complexities in law, and America’s War on Terror is no exception.

Duke Law School hosted a panel of four legal experts yesterday to discuss how the legal landscape of the War on Terror has evolved since the attacks of September 11. The panel addressed a crowd of mostly law students on the variety legal and judicial issues that have arisen as a result of the government’s prosecution of the War on Terror.

Curtis Bradley, a professor of law and public policy studies, initiated the discussion with a comparison of policies during the Bush and Obama administrations.

“The continuity of the Bush and Obama administrations [is surprising], especially when you take into account the rhetoric during the last election,” Bradley said. “The Obama administration has been more aggressive in the war model, most notably through predator drone attacks [on terrorists],” However, he said, Obama has differed from Bush’s policies in his opposition to torture techniques, such as waterboarding.

Charles Dunlap Jr., visiting professor of the practice of law, and executive director of the Center in Law, Ethics and National Security, discussed the ramifications on the American psyche of the American use of torture in the War on Terror.

“42 percent of Americans are ashamed

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of the [United States’s] image in the War on Terror,” he said. “Even today [Abu Ghraib] is brought up in the Middle East.”

That kind of emotional reaction can be a major agent in policy change. For instance, because of the media sensation over civilian deaths by airstrike, Stanley McChrystal, thencommander of the Joint Special Operation Command, placed heavy restrictions on airstrikes—and as a result, civilian deaths caused by airstrike decreased. Total civilian deaths, however, increased after the restrictions were put in place. Dunlap uses this example to then tell the law students in the audience “you have to understand the facts, if you want to be a national security lawyer.”

Mary Dudziak, visiting professor of law and

American legal history, then spoke on the importance of knowing how law and information work in order to begin to understand the war.

“You won’t be able to write about this era, unless you learn about law... and get the sense of confusion between law and security,” Dudziak said.

To finish off the panel’s commentary, Neil Siegel, professor of law and political science, spoke about the American judiciary in relation to the War on Terror.

“The courts have been... palpably modest,” he said, “but not at all aggressive.”

Siegel cited the indefinite detaining of prisoners of war as an example of an issue about which the courts have been rather meek in taking a stand.

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CAPS STRESS MANAGEMENT SERIES This 3-session CAPS Workshop offers helpful information to help you understand stress and learn to manage it to your advantage.

Monday September 19 The Body of Stress: Understanding the Physiology and Psychology of Stress Monday September 26 I Think I’m Stressed: How Your Thinking Style Relates to Stress Monday October 3 Feeling Overwhelmed

by Stress All workshops in this series will run from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Room 217 Page Building Visit the CAPS Website for More Information and to Register http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/caps

SOPHIA DURAND/THE CHRONICLE

Law professors Mary Dudziak, Charles Dunlap and Curtis Bradley, along with Niel Siegel, discuss the effect the War on Terror has had on the legal landscape in the Duke Law School Wednesday.

THE CHRONICLE

GRIDLOCK from page 3 Samuelson is the first female to hold the position of majority whip in the state House and began her career in political service in 1999. She later won a seat on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, after spending much of her professional life involved in community affairs.

Don Taylor, assistant professor of public policy and co-sponsor of the speaker series, said Samuelson has a unique perspective given her role as the first Republican majority whip in more than a century.

“The N.C. General Assembly is completely controlled... by the Republican Party for the first time since 1892,” Taylor wrote in an email Monday. “So it is interesting to hear her perspective.”

When the Republicans took control of the House in 2010, Samuelson was appointed majority whip because of her diverse professional and personal experiences, as well as her ability to bring people together—a talent she said was largely the result of her family’s influence.

Samuelson said her family played an important role in her decision to become involved in politics. Under her mother’s influence, Samuelson began to challenge the status quo by action, to give help to those who were in need and to listen to people holding different opinions with respect. Her father meanwhile encouraged her to ask questions and think critically.

During her speech, Samuelson emphasized comprehension and rational compromise as two steps in achieving what should be government’s goal—consensus. She added that in her experience as majority whip, she has often had to act as mediator between House members, attempting to understand both sides and encouraging respectful conversations.

“Although people understand the definitions of words others use, they do not understand what others mean,” she said. “When we have difficulty in language and cannot understand each other, how can consensus come?”

She noted, however, that the N.C. House will face this kind of conflict long into the future, though noted mediation can help negate any long-standing, negative effects.

After her speech, Samuelson answered various ques-

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 | 5

tions from the audience, including some regarding abortion and gay marriage. She noted that when answering difficult questions, state legislators have to pay attention to the unique circumstances in North Carolina and foresee the long-term consequences.

In response to a question regarding compromise between Republicans and Democrats, Samuelson said communicating with her mother, who is a liberal Democrat, serves as example of bipartisan compromise. Although their standings are not the same, there are a lot of values shared between Republicans and Democrats.

Harrison Gilbert, a second-year masters student at Sanford, said he was not satisfied with Samuelson’s political solutions.

“She tends to narrow broad political topics into technical issues,” Gilbert said, adding that she also brought unique perspectives as a female political leader.

Although he disagrees with her politically, first-year Sanford student Chris Marsicano said Samuelson was inspirational.

“With a respectful attitude, we can find that the gridlock is not entirely a gridlock,” Marsicano said.

Visit dukechronicle.com

ASBESTOS from page 1 his roommate, sophomore Andrew Murray, were worried at first, but did not think it would be much of a problem in their apartment.

“I was worried that there was asbestos in the ceiling, but I guess as long as I’m not shooting anything at my ceiling, I should be fine,” Murray said. “It’s probably too expensive to fix that kind of problem in all of the apartments, so what can you do about it?”

Regarding asbestos management, Gonzalez said HDRL abates the materials when necessary but in this case has decided to leave the materials untouched due to the low health risk.

“Since there is no [health] risk if the ceilings are well maintained, we have pursued that direction,” he said. “It is a more common practice to leave asbestos in place in older structures and some argue more risk is caused by removing it if levels are extremely low, which is the case on Central.”

Some students living on Central said that though they were initially concerned about the asbestos traces in ceilings, the notification that levels were low greatly minimized health fears.

“It says in the email that there’s minimal health risk, so I’m not too concerned,” said junior Alexandra Swain.

Although most students have not directly encountered the asbestos in their apartments, residents in InCube—a selective living group located on Central—noticed bubbly residue on a common room ceiling.

After reporting the incident to HDRL, the substance was identified as one releasing asbestos into the air, said InCube member Tito Bohrt, a junior.

HDRL tested the air for asbestos, and the levels were well below the legal limit, Bohrt said, adding that though levels were low, the common room was closed off and renovated.

“I think Duke learned a lot by having [to] renovate the commons,” Bohrt said. “We hoped that it would be faster and more efficient, since we haven’t had our common room for two weeks, but we aren’t worried about it.”

Aside from being frustrated about not having a common room, Bohrt noted that he was ultimately happy with Duke’s response.

“It was kind of annoying that they kicked us out, but we understand that it was to keep us healthy,” he said.

Sunday, Sept.18th

InterFaith Food Shuttle A truck will be parked in front of Duke Chapel from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Support the BackPack Buddies Program, which sends a backpack full of food home with hungry children (6 balanced meals and 2 healthy snacks).

Please bring nonperishable food donations - “single serving” sized meats and stews, breakfast items, packaged noodles, canned vegetables and fruit, 100% juice boxes, shelf stable boxed unflavored milk, and healthy snacks.

Cash donations welcome! $30 provides a child a backpack filled with nutritious food each weekend for a month. Over 800 children are enrolled in BackPack Buddies at 24 sites in 7 counties, but over 100,000 children are eligible. You can even donate a new backpack. Your help will make a difference.

Please do not bring sugary cereals or snacks such as pop-tarts and cookies, Spam and Vienna sausages, candy, juice pouches, soft-top applesauce, fruit, Jello or fish.

6 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

OBAMA from page 1 workers, increased funding for infrastructure improvements, more investment in education and tax cuts for the middle class. The bill would not add to the national debt but instead would be paid for in full through closing tax loopholes for larger corporations and high-income individuals.

The packed Coliseum lacked air conditioning, causing at least six audience members to faint. Despite the heat, the crowd was largely receptive to the proposal, applauding and cheering throughout the event.

Joe Veedock, an unemployed engineer who attended the speech, said he supports Obama and his bill, despite not voting for him in the 2008 election. He added that Obama’s message often gets lost in heated criticism from the opposition, but he has faith that this bill can be passed.

“Obama seems like a man of action,

ALCOHOLEDU from page 1 fix unless people incorporate it into their own way of looking at life,” Szigethy said.

Despite the temporary nature of the program, Busteed emphasized the effectiveness of its timing.

“The majority of alcohol poisoning happens freshman year,” he said. “The fact that we were able to develop an effective intervention program before they arrive on campus for the riskiest semester is significant.”

Duke has used AlcoholEdu since the program’s creation 10 years ago, Szigethy said. However, he said he did not know whether the findings of the study were present on campus.

“We don’t have any campus-wide survey data that lands in the Spring semester,” he said. “So there’s really no way to say either way.”

Some students expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the program.

“Realistically, I could see AlcoholEdu having a short-term effect at best,” freshman Anna Lamb said. “I learned whatever facts it told me for the first few days after I took that course

THE CHRONICLE

but he gets trapped having to defend himself,” Veedock said. “I think people are just going to get louder and louder until Congress gets it right.”

In order to create jobs, Obama said businesses need an economic boost— something the act would provide by cutting payroll taxes and offering tax incentives for hiring new employees, among other measures. Small businesses could also benefit from the bill, such as WestStar Precision, and approximately 175,000 other small businesses in the state. “[What WestStar does] is what a lot of companies here in the Research Triangle do so well,” he said. “They hire smart people, they give them the best technology [and] they create something of lasting value. And that’s how this country built a strong and growing economy and a strong, expanding middle class... and that’s what we’ve got to get back to.”

The legislation also includes a separate payroll tax cut for the middle class.

The typical working family in North Carolina would receive $1,300 in tax cuts next year if the bill passes, he said.

The president also expressed concerns about cuts to education, specifically the budget shortfalls that are forcing school boards to lay off teachers in North Carolina. “[Cuts to education are] unfair to our kids, it undermines their future—it has to stop,” he said. “If we want our kids ready for college, ready for careers in the 21st century, tell Congress to pass the American Jobs Act and put teachers back in the classroom where they belong.”

The proposed legislation, Obama said, would help protect the jobs of up to 13,000 North Carolina teachers, cops and firefighters. It would also increase Pell Grants, he added, and make student loans more affordable.

Obama addressed his opposition’s claims that he is pushing the bill for political gain. He also noted that Americans should not have to wait 14 months for a

online, but then I just forgot about it because it didn’t really leave a lasting impression.”

Freshman Sean Frith agreed with the study’s findings.

“I guess [AlcoholEdu] made me a little more aware of risky practices,” he said. “But I think by second semester people are going to dismiss what they learned and just form their own drinking practices.”

Busteed recommended supplementing his company’s curriculum with a number of different measures on campus to ensure responsible behavior past the first semester.

“Have a broader environmental campaign that includes stricter enforcement, clearer policies, working with local bars and restaurants to make sure they’re serving responsibly—a long list that includes legal and policy measures,” Busteed said.

The Duke Student Wellness Center has made efforts toward this “environmental campaign” at Duke.

“We developed the ‘Note to Self’ ad campaign about two years ago,” Szigethy said. “We also met with Shooters a couple years back to talk with them about different prevention strategies. And we’ve also reached out to businesses concerning the

Durham Discount Card.”

The Durham TRY Discount Card, given to freshmen during orientation week, lists emergency numbers and the symptoms of alcohol poisoning and provides students with discounts at local vendors. Szigethy cited alcohol-free events during the Last Day of Classes celebrations, such as the Duke Chapel climb and the party monitor program, as other measures the Wellness Center has taken.

He said the Wellness Center plans to develop a new campaign to address common practices of pregaming before social gatherings.

“Students who encounter the negative consequences of drinking have typically been pregaming,” Szigethy said. “That’s usually the one commonality. We’re trying to get more information on the pregaming phenomenon so we can begin to explain its risk factors to students in the future.”

Busteed said he does not plan to make any specific changes to AlcoholEdu in light of the study’s new findings.

“We are always making tweaks and improvements,” he said. “But this study doesn’t alter anything we’re doing. It reinforces what we’re doing.”

remedy, despite arguments by his political opponents that this discussion should wait until after the 2012 election.

“Give me a win? Give me a break– that’s exactly why folks are fed up with Washington,” he said. “This isn’t about giving me a win.... This is about giving the American people a win.”

NCSU freshman Tevin Holley said he supports the bill, adding that he plans to encourage his congressional representatives to pass it. “[The speech] gave me a much better understanding of the issue,” Holley said. “I’ll do whatever I need to do to get it passed.”

Sophomore Taylor Imperiale, a member of Duke College Republicans who did not attend the speech Wednesday, said he does not support the bill because he believes it will increase federal spending.

“I think that this was campaigning,” he said. “North Carolina is a huge battleground state... so the Obama campaign’s decision to have this speech here was definitely a political decision.”

DSG from page 3 Gonzales said the shift from the house model to quadrangle model years ago was mainly the result of how to best integrate an all-freshman East Campus into the residential system. He noted that more thought has been put into this transition now in order to give students the resources they need to be comfortable with this new model.

In other business: DSG President Pete Schork, a senior, said that the first Football Gameday had mixed reviews, noting that some students did not respond well to the transition from Tailgate to the new event. Schork said he hopes the event will move to the Main West Quadrangle with free food and potentially free alcohol for those of age, however the timeline for that is unclear. Plans for future Football Gamedays are not yet set in stone, Schork said, adding that there will not be drastic changes for Homecoming.

Recess

volume 13 issue 3 september 15, 2011

...BUT ON THURSDAY

Feminism t

r A d n A The Deconstructive Impulse examines gender roles through multimedia

PAGE 3

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

glass

production borrows artfully from Williams, Salinger

PAGE 6

the drums

sophomore LP a likable effort despite occasional lapses

CENTER

contagion

a promising take on biodisaster lacks depth

PAGE 7

recess

theSANDBOX. “Open up a beer. Go play a video game.”

As a college-age male (or female), you probably don’t associate imperatives like these—as quotidian as their components may be to you—with pianos, synthesizers and up-and-coming blonde bombshells. That’s okay, it’s not a habit many of us have gotten into in the past.

But if you’re not doing it by now, then you need to do yourself a favor.

You probably haven’t heard Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” yet. If that’s the case, then put down this paper, navigate away from this website and pull up the song—preferably with its grainy music video—on Youtube. “Blue Jeans” isn’t half bad, either.

Don’t worry, you won’t have any trouble finding Del Rey online, although you may have to wade through lots— and I mean lots, especially for an artist with a total of two singles to her name— of short clips and modeling shots to find

the videos. You may find this slightly annoying. Then again, as a college-age male (or female), you may not.

Lana Del Rey, apparently, is like that, full of seeming contradictions: the daughter of a wealthy businessman who lives in a trailer park, listing Britney Spears next to Nina Simone under “Influences” on Facebook and describing her genre as both “Hollywood pop” and “sad core.” With the help of her newfound label, she essentially erased all trace of a failed attempt at pop stardom and opted instead for widespread underground recognition. And, on the aforementioned “Video Games,” she makes herself out to be more or less the stereotypical coolest girlfriend ever, before mentioning that she’s more or less ignored as such.

So, you should check her out. As a college-age male (or female), you’ll probably be glad you did.

—Chris Bassil

[recesseditors] if we were internet memes Ross Green.......................................................................classhic-style smokin’, bro Maggie Love...................................................................................dasss rayyyycesssss Michaela Dwyer..........................................................................not antoine dodson Brian Contratto..........................................................................leave britney alone!

Chris Bassil......................................................................reporter w/ bug in mouth Josh Stillman.............................................................too much nitrous after dentist Chelsea Pieroni......................................................................................keyboard cat Sanette Tanaka.............................................................put da team on my back, do

September 15, 2011

[EDITOR’S NOTE]

PAGE 2

A couple weeks ago, I was involved in in a semi-serious car acc cident and my less-than-trusty Honda H Civic was deemed, in c claims adjustor parlance, a “total ta loss.” Wrecks like this can be tr traumatic events for the people in involved, but not so in my case: I wasn’t injured, the collision w the other driver’s fault and I was d didn’t have any sort of emotional a attachment to my totaled vehicle.

I was in a rental car the next day and a bought a new car two weeks later: case closed, for all practical, la transportation-related tr purposes.

One thing I did lose, at least in th rental car-bound interim, was the the th use of an auxiliary input jack.

On a list of the best innovations in the history of car radios, aux-in jacks rate pretty highly—with a $5 cord, you can play your iPod (or Zune, but, really?) through your car stereo without any of the static or channel-shifting you experience with an FM transmitter. Aux-in jacks became increasingly common in cars made after 2007, and had removed, for me, any reason to ever bother with radio stations. Why bother, when I could choose from the entirety of my own carefully curated music collection instead?

I was wrong about that, and in retrospect, I think I have a vague idea why. My rental car was a black Chrysler 300C, and if you’re familiar with the model, you can imagine the non-sequitur of this car, with Sirius/XM’s Shade 45 hip-hop station on blast, piloted by a white kid wearing neon faux-Wayfarers. That’s what I did for the last two weeks, and I enjoyed listening to music in a car more than any time in recent memory. There’s a certain joy to hearing someone

else, anyone else, putting on a song that you would have picked yourself. Maybe it’s the surprise; maybe it’s a feeling of community with anyone else listening to the same station. Maybe it’s simply that a song you like, any song you like, stands out relative to most of what’s played on the radio: by contrast, my own iPod spits out a hit parade so relentlessly that the serotonin rush of hearing a favorite song is dulled by hearing all of those songs, in a row, on repeat.

Most likely, it’s some combination of the three. But my time with the 300C, which has sadly come to an end, was a reminder of the importance of context in hearing music.

An economist looks at the advent of iTunes, and Spotify and Hulkshare and tastemaking music blogs with endless streams of mp3s, and see enormous utility gains: look at all this music you have access to now, he would say, compared to the very recent past. And the very fact that you listen to so much of it shows how much better off you are thanks to these innovations; otherwise, you’d still find new music on the radio.

This is where what’s called “revealed preference theory” breaks down. The economist in the paragraph above is correct, in some respects, and no one longs for the days when music spread via record stores and FM frequencies. And, admittedly, Sirius/XM is not the same as FM radio, though mostly because Eminem has some sort of corporate tie-in with the former. But there’s something pernicious about all this choice—it allows us to listen to whatever we want in any context.

And in so doing, it makes what we want less worth wanting. Would my favorite track in the Shade 45 rotation, “N****s in Paris,” rattle the trunk nearly as hard via iPod playlist?

The answer, I’ve found, is no.

—Ross Green

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September 15, 2011

PAGE 3

Nasher exhibit puts gender roles in context

by Michaela Dwyer At Duke, and at colleges and universities nationwide, there seem to be more and more student-led discussions surrounding gender and its relation to power dynamics.

Does the media objectify men as much as women? Is feminism necessarily political?

Does feminism even still exist in the 21st century?

The new exhibition at the Nasher Museum of Art, The Deconstructive Impulse: Women Artists Reconfigure the Signs of Power, 19731991, would contend that it does. Featuring print, painting, video, installation and photographic works by 21 artists and one artists’ collaborative, The Deconstructive Impulse examines how a specific generation of women artists reoriented the art world and prevailing structures of social and cultural power.

“This was the voice, this was the time when women’s voices were just being heard in the art world,” said Sarah Schroth, Nancy Hanks Senior Curator at the Nasher Museum and an adjunct associate professor in the department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies. “[Art] is a very maledominated field, and especially was [in the 1970s and 1980s].”

In a break with previous artistic models, contemporary art in the latter half of the 20th century shifted toward postmodern visual representation. Artists both female and male utilized new mediums and nontraditional exhibition spaces to experiment with form and style. Much of their material responded directly to the growing presence of the media.

“This was the beginning of the time when there was this explosion of imagery,” Schroth said. “The marketing and advertising agencies were using visual material in order to convince the consumer to buy; the politician was convincing the voter to vote for him using imagery.”

These artists used this philosophy to “deconstruct” symbols of power, creating the academic and philosophical discourse of postmodernism. These artistic efforts are often viewed without the lens of gender, representing works from this period as

non-feminist and apolitical in the gender sphere.

The Deconstructive Impulse, however, turns this idea on its head. The exhibition’s primary contention is that women artists, underrepresented and undervalued in the 1970s and 1980s art scene, used postmodern techniques to generate an original critique of power mechanisms and gender bias in popular culture.

“I think the artwork in the exhibition really shows how complicated the relationships among gender, feminism, and visual culture are,” Kimberly Lamm, assistant professor in the Women’s Studies program, wrote in an email. “It seems like for the most part [these women artists] are interested in finding mediums and materials that suit the arguments they want to make, rather than the other way around.”

The exhibition reflects the various strategies women artists used to make such arguments. No matter the form, their overall philosophy upheld deconstructivism as a means to create anew.

“Essentially, [desconstructivism] is the reassembling and recontextualizing of something,” Schroth said. “[These artists] would take the mass media as their jumping off point.”

In the exhibition, the manifestation of these ideas runs the gamut from the abstract to the literal. Deborah Kass’s 1991 painting “Before and Happily Ever After” deals with issues of physical beauty, female ambition and the exploitative effects of the “male gaze.”

Jenny Holzer and Barbara Kruger, famous for their artworks incorporating textual literalism, each have pieces in the show. Excerpts from Holzer’s 1977-79 “Truisms” contain statements such as “Abuse of power should come as no surprise” and “Romantic love was invented to manipulate women.” A 1982 photographic work from Kruger features a woman obscured by a widely brimmed hat, accompanied by the statement “I am your reservoir of poses.”

The works in the exhibition—organized by themes like media, masquerade and appropriation—aim to subvert both the

male artistic and socio-cultural paradigms through caustic wit and, at times, shock value.

“The Deconstructive Impulse is funny, smart and weird in the best sense, and therefore asks its viewers to encounter ideas and have experiences that are unsettling,” Lamm said. “These strange encounters are really important for feminism because the assumption that feminism is something that is familiar and happened in the past is quite pervasive.”

The Nasher’s decision to mount The Deconstructive Impulse emphasizes its commitment to representing diverse exhibitions and crafting educational engagements to demonstrate their relevance to modern audiences.

“We’re a teaching museum,” Manager of Marketing and Communications Wendy Hower Livingston said. “The Nasher is intent on showing works of art that a wide variety of audiences can relate to. We want to see ourselves in the art. [That’s why we showcase] artists of color, women artists and young or overlooked artists.”

Schroth noted that the typical viewer didn’t need to grow up during the 1970s

SOPHIA DURAND/THE CHRONICLE

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SEE WOMEN ARTISTS ON PAGE 6

The Deconstructive Impulse revisits and recontextualizes the works of female artists from the ’70s and ’80s.

CAT’S CRADLE 300 E. Main St. Carrboro

or 1980s to appreciate the importance of the exhibition.

“I was doing graduate work in art history in the 1970s, so all these women are like heroes to me. They were the first ones to break through the male-dominated art world in a big way,” Schroth said. “But I don’t think you have to have grown up then to be moved by them and what they’re saying.”

As part of the exhibit, the Nasher will screen artist Lynn Hershman Leeson’s 2010 film Women Art Revolution. The museum will also host the Guerrilla Girls artist collaborative, who will discuss their trademark posters and billboards exposing gender imbalance in the art community.

The philosophy espoused by the Guerrilla Girls hits home the fact that the art world—and society in general—has a long way to go in terms of gender equality. As definitions of feminism become increasingly nuanced, The Deconstructive Impulse urges a reconsideration of the work that got us to this point.

“Now we’re in a period where [I think],

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September 15, 2011

girls

FATHER, SON, HOLY GHOST TRUE PANTHER

It’s difficult to discuss Girls without mentioningg th in thee ba back ckst stor oryy of ffro ront ntma man n Ch Chri rist stop ophe herr Ow Owen enss.

Raised by a single mother as a member of the extremist cult Children of God, Owens never spent a single day inside a classroom. Instead, before escaping to the States, he earned moneyy pe p rformingg religgious folk songs on the streets of Europe. At age 25, Owens met bassist Chet White in San Francisco and together they released Girls’ critically acclaimed first album.

Father, Son, Holy Ghostt references and draws energy from fr om O Owe wens ns’ un unus usua uall up upbr brin ingi ging ng.. Th Thee ho holy ly ttri rini nity ty albu al bum m ti titl tlee al allu lude dess to O Owe wens ns’ es estr tran ange ged d re reli ligi gios osit ityy, a theme further established by periodic choir ensembles and funereal organs. There’s also a streetperformer quality about Girls’ sophomore album, mome mo ment ntss wh wher eree Ow Owen enss si sing ngss as if if to an an au audi dien ence ce of of three of four.

Compared to Album, Girls’ first LP, this album trades peppiness for pain, appetite for ache. Gone aree th ar thee Ca Cali lifo forn rnia ian n hi high gh sch schoo ooll cr crus ushe hess of “Gh Ghos ostt Mouth” th” and d “S “Summerti time.”” If If th there is a leit itmotif tif in i Father, Son, Holy Ghost, it is lovesickness. “Love, it’s just a song,” Owens croons, a lament of the brevity of passion. The distant mother of “My Ma,” the downhearted sib sibli ling ngss of “Fo Forg rgiv iven enes ess” s and and the the dej dejec ecte ted d no nost stal algi giaa

of “Jamie Marie”— each exposes a beau be auti tifu full so sore reness unfelt in Girls’ previous releases.

Girl Gi rlss co cont ntin inue to make retro sound both immediately recognizable and strangely new ne w. “Ho Hone neyy Bu Bunn nny” y would ld be a Bea B ch h Boys B surfer hit if not for its slowed- down bridge. The other single, “Vomit,” takes psych hed deli lic rockk and d add dds a gospell choir. “Die” transitions from hellish punk guitar riffs to Pink Floyd atmospherics. The album forays into the last half-century of pop music, reworking triied d formulas. l Th Through hout, t Owens’’ wound ded d voice defines and distinguishes Girls’ sound from its rock predecessors. What beautiful fortune if his songs continue to echo down hollow streets, through open windows, toward unwitting ears.

—Da — Dan n Fi Fish shma man n

The Week in (Music) Review

PHOTOS SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

September 15, 2011

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PAGE 5

the dr ums PORTAMENTO UNIVERSAL

Thee Sm Th Smit iths hs aare re b bon onaa fi fide de rroc ockk he hero roes es tto o a ce cert rtai ain n class of music listener—Morrissey’s wry observations and an d ob obli liqu quee na narr rrat ativ ives es sser erve ved d as tthe he ttex extb tboo ookk fo forr a generation of young songwriters better at nailing down the image than his writing.

The Drums produce a very different kind of song than the Smiths,, but their likeness to Morrisseyy’s characte ac terr ty type pe ((do dork rkyy, aatt ttra ract ctiv ivee, o ove verl rlyy em emot otiv ive) e) iiss ea easi sily ly identifiable in 2011. Drums frontman Jonathan Pierce fulfills this retro aesthetic with panache. His onstage charisma—deliberately awkward dance moves and a Wi Will llia iams msbu burg rg war wardr drob obe— e—wa wass ce cert rtai ain n to res reson onat atee with a new breed of music fan who learned Morrissey through Belle & Sebastian.

So, even as a young band with just one EP under th heir i bellts, Th The Drums D were unsurpriising i major j lal bell candid didates t iin early l 20 2010 10. It did didn’t ’t hurtt th thatt thatt release, Summertime!, ! contained three of their best songs to date. “I Felt Stupid,” “Let’s Go Surfing” and “Submarine” are expertly crafted, capturing a vibrant spiritedness constituted by familiar melodies tied to simple, yearning lyrics. Their self-titled full-length debut, released last year on Uniiversall, sh howed d siimil ilar strength t ths but introduced ballads to Pierce’s repe re pert rtoi oire re.

Portamentoo runs the gamut of Pierce’s songwriting strengths and weaknesses: snippets off ob bservati tion and d shad sh adow owss of emo emotion best convey head-over-heels v u l n e r a b i l i t y.

Thee Th open op enin ing g

track trac k ex exhi hibi bits ts tthi hiss la latt tter er q qua uali lity ty, as P Pie ierc rcee tr trie iess to make a daring moral proclamation: “I believe that when wh en w wee di diee, w wee di die/ e/ S So o le lett me llov ovee yo you u to toni nigh ghtt.”

The imagery of “Blue Shadows,” where Pierce recalls “blue stripes around your ankle,” gives endearing perspective into his emerging sexuality. Homoromantic imaggeryy and subtext are pr p esent in some of the Drum Dr ums’ s b bes estt tr trac acks ks;; “IIf He L Lik ikes es IItt, L Let et H Him im D Do o It,” one of Portamento’s strongest songs, advises, “dim the lights and let him do it,” while the music cops a creepy, New Order atmosphere. But other moments are a bit too to o el elem emen enta tary ry-m -mem emoi oirr, suc such h as “Pl Plea ease se Don Don’tt Lea Leave ve,” a song whose chorus matches its name, and lacks the strong melodies needed to overcome the cliché.

Pierce’s vocal affectations (including his portamento)) are cruciiall ffor injec j ting i personali lity iinto thi his well ll-tre t ad d sound, d butt th thiis ellementt iis abse b ntt ffrom much of the teenage balladry that comprises the album’s second half. The music’s down-tempo jangle and slouchy rhythm belie the band’s name, and the murky homogeneity is at odds with the their highly danceable live shows.

In the past decade, these weirdly stylish performances would ld have h found d a home amid id a specif ifiic hipster scene in the UK. Now that it’s welcomed by a larg la rger er aaud udie ienc ncee, iit’ t s go good od tto o se seee th thee ba band nd ccap apit ital aliz izin ingg on their identity instead of forcing evolution. But the melodies just aren’t strong enough, even when the performance and posturing is spot on. Unabashed sincerity is admirable nonetheless, and falls in line with ith a new kkiind d off punkk eth thos thatt can ttrace iitts lliineage ea ge bac backk to dan dance ce pop pop duo duo the the Tou Tough gh All Allia ianc ncee. So So while most detractors will move on to a newer buzz, you wouldn’t be faulted for anticipating The Drums’ next release.

—B Briian Contratt t tto

st. vincent STRANGE MERCY 4AD

Like a multiracial student, St. Vincent would have trouble chec ch ecki king ng off off her her pro prope perr ca catt egory on a SAT test. Her third LP, Strange Mercy, is hard to box: Art rock? Orchestral pop?

Indi In die? e? Her Her lyr lyric ical al app appro roac ach h is even reminiscent of American folk in its deceptive simplicity.

With her multi-layered album opener, “Chloe in the Afte ternoo oon,,” St.. Vi V nccen e t, also o known as Annie Clark, sets the tone for a genre-bending album. Light, angelic choral voices are foiled by bursts of roug ro ugh h el elec ectr tric ic gui guita tarr, wit with h St St. Vincent’s clear, feminine voice layered in between. St. Vincent demonstrates her knack for using simple instruments in compllex ways, creati ting a riich h, if overwhelming, panoply of sound that screeches to a halt after a disorienting two minutes ut es aand nd 5555 se seco cond nds. s.

Which isn’t to say that Strange Mercyy is, in its entirety, too amoprhous to be enjoyable. “Cruel” has a more recognizable rock vibe vi be, wh whil ilee “D Dil ilet etta tant nte” e iiss pa parrticularly catchy—St. Vincent’s

sweet, controlled voice carries the tune through a maze of ele elect ctri ricc gu guit itar ar con conto tort rtio ions ns.

Some songs, such as “Cheerleader,” are also intensely personal: “I’ve played dumb/ When Wh en I kne knew w be bett tter er/ / Tr Trie ied d so hard/ Just to be clever.”

The title track, which expresses gentle, even maternal, melancholy, conveys a clear e ot em otionaal co coun u te terp pointt to thee surrounding songs. Her lilting voice features prominently, interrupted only by a pining instrumental break midway. She deli de live vers rs ffoo ood d fo forr th thou ough ghtt in a sort of thesis summarizing the tug and pull between her demure demeanor and confrontational guitar: “Oh little one, I’d I’ d tell ll you good d news tth hatt I don’t believe/ If it would help you sleep/ Strange mercy.”

Strange Mercy’s unabashed alte al tern rnat ativ iven enes esss ca caus uses es ssom omee discomfort, but the carefully crafted tension between the sounds and words yields an engaging and immersive album.

—Ca Cait itlilin n Mo Moyl yles es

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PAGE 6

WOMEN ARTISTS from page 3 what happened to feminism?” Schroth said. “[This exhibition] is really good for the Duke students because we just take for granted that women will go into careers.

It wasn’t taken for granted back then. Everything that we do rests on the shoulders of this generation of feminists. I think you can’t talk about any art—male or female— today that doesn’t stand on their shoulders in some way.”

SOPHIA DURAND/THE CHRONICLE

September 15, 2011

Glass melds literary influences

by Jake Stanley THE CHRONICLE

The program for Glass, Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern’s newest play, explains that it is an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ classic mid-century drama The Glass Menagerie, with scenes from J.D. Salinger’s novels Franny and Zooey and The Catcher in the Rye woven into the plot.

Attention, literary purists: Glass is a collage, a mashup. And it is perhaps more challenging and entertaining than any of these individual stories.

The play takes as its main subject the Wingfield family: neurotic, Southern-bred mother Amanda, the repressed artist son Tom and the daughter Laura, a sweet, crippled introvert.

Most of Menagerie’s original narrative is intact in Glass. Amanda wishes for Laura to find a husband, while Tom dreams of freedom from the dull warehouse work he sloughs through to support the family. The climax of the play comes when Jim O’Connor, Laura’s adolescent crush, calls at the Wingfield apartment for dinner.

The acting by the four-person cast is compelling, particularly Jane Holding’s portrayal of Amanda. Holding is convincing as the overly attentive, nostalgic mother to a daughter (played by the talented Jennifer Evans) who, in her early twenties, still withdraws to her childhood bedroom to listen to the records left behind by the absent Mr. Wingfield.

The elements of Salinger are concentrated in two scenes: the comical bathroom conversation between mother and son from Franny and Zooey and Holden Caulfield’s famous monologue where he states his only ambition, which is to be a body catching a

body coming through the rye.

Since the two male protagonists of the Salinger stories more or less mirror the moping dreamer of Tom Wingfield, these scenes do not disrupt the unfolding of Menagerie’s plot. Rather, they add depth to Tom’s character while imbuing him with a strong creative identity. In the original, Tom plans to run away from home to join the Merchant Marines. In Glass, the mashup of Tom, Zooey and Holden unveils Tom’s plan to abscond to New York and pursue his writing. Another type of adventure, but one that would appeal to the original Tom. Glass adds several clever elements that update Menagerie for modern viewers. For instance, the cozy configuration of Common Ground Theatre allows the actors to hold ‘private’ conversations in an actual car, driven through the parking lot to a transparent screen at the stage’s rear—an uncommon set piece, even in contempo-

rary theater.

Director Jay O’Berski also makes intriguing characterization choices, like dressing Tom in drag, or showing Laura pleasure herself with an electric toothbrush. Somehow, these tweaks seem natural. A family broken by incompatible desires and cursed by fate: there’s reason to believe they would be idiosyncratic oddballs.

On the whole, the success of Glass comes from the devastating polarity of intimacy and distance that color these family tales. One almost wonders if Williams and Salinger actually wrote them together, cramped in a small bedroom, surrounded by dusty books and miniature glass animals.

Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern’s Glass will play at Common Ground Theatre Sept.

15-17 and 22-24 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 18 at 2 p.m.

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

O’Bersky’s production gracefully and innovatively integrates its literary forebears Salinger and Williams.

ON VIEW THIS FALL

BECOMING: Photographs from the Wedge Collection

THE DECONSTRUCTIVE IMPULSE: Women Artists Reconfigure the Signs of Power, 1973-1991 www.nasher.duke.edu | 919.684.5135

Carrie Mae Weems, Untitled (woman and daughter with makeup) from Untitled (Kitchen Table Series) (detail), 1990. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy of The Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; Purchased through the Harry Shafer Fisher 1966 Memorial Fund. Another photograph from this series appears in the concurrent exhibition Becoming: Photographs from the Wedge Collection.

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September 15, 2011

PAGE 7

September 18 Raleigh Amphitheater

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

drive

contagion

DIR. STEPHEN SODERBERGH WARNER BROS. PICTURES

DIR. NICOLAS WINDING REFN FILM DISTRICT

After Gwyneth Paltrow, an Academy Award winning actress who has starred in over 40 films, is killed off by a mysterious virus in the opening minutes of Contagion, it becomes clear that the film is not just another biological disaster movie. From the beginning, Contagion sets forth a dark atmosphere and abruptly—yet artistically—introduces the motif of the swift finality of death.

Suddenly, numerous characters emerge: among them, an anti-government journalist (Jude Law), a doctor from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Lawrence Fishburne) and an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer working with the infected (Kate Winslet). Each receives only a limited amount of screen time and, for a while, the death toll increases exponentially as the movie unfolds like a prequel to I Am Legend. Upon discovery of a supposed cure, however, Contagion shifts from a display of deadly epidemic to an exploration of a society’s deterioration through fear and rumor-mongering. Compassion and understanding fall to anarchy and desperation, as pharmacies are robbed and people are murdered in the hunt for the “magic drug.�

Unfortunately, though, the film’s effort to take on the decomposition of society—as well as human nature itself—is harmed by the flatness of its many characters. It’s not that the acting isn’t noteworthy—it is—but rather that the actors themselves have little to work with: instead of pitying the deaths of Contagion’s characters, the audience is left pitying the theft of its characters’ development. As a result, the motif of quick, unforgiving death unwittingly detracts from the movie. Furthermore, meditations on nepotism and hypocrisy, as well as hidden character pasts, end up feeling neither unexpected nor interesting. For a time, Damon’s character seems like an antidote to this. He struggles with issues of fidelity, loss and societal collapse on a large scale, despite his immunity to the MEV-1 virus.

But the depth of the character, even in conjunction with Damon’s stellar performance, is not enough. He remains stranded on the periphery of the plotline, and none of the more pertinent characters demonstrate any comparable level of development.

In the end, Contagion is too crowded. It strives to examine the intricacies of the human condition, but its characters are simply too numerous to cultivate any true sense of complexity. Contagion unfolds evenly and with sound acting, but it fails to leave the lasting impact at which it hints. —Duncan Dodson

Nicolas Winding Refn doesn’t want to be misunderstood.

Throughout Drive, his 2011 homage to everything from 1980’s LA noir to David Lynch’s Lost Highway, Refn subverts his standard moviegoer’s expectations: car chase scenes seem intentionally unimpressive, logical next steps go untaken and would-be femme fatales, well, aren’t. Because Drive, as Refn takes great pains to make clear, isn’t about any of those things.

The obvious question: if Drive is none of those things, then what is it?

It’s the rare film that shows rather than tells: most of Gosling’s relationship with supporting female actress Carey Mulligan, which more or less drives the entire film, is developed without the use of dialogue. Instead, Refn keeps the two inside Gosling’s car for much of the early portion of the film, situating his shots from the back, passenger and driver’s seats and employing a soundtrack of ’80s nostalgia to evoke emotion in his viewer. The effect is powerful: not only does Refn establish a believable connection between the two, but by keeping the camera inside the car for so long, he includes the viewer in the relationship, as well. We feel what Gosling feels when Mulligan finally takes his hand atop the stick shift. As a result, we genuinely care about Mulligan too, and understand the lengths to which he eventually goes to protect her.

Refn eliminates dialogue in other areas, too, and in general slows down a film which at first glance would be about fast cars and little else. The brutal violence, a holdover from earlier films like his Pusher trilogy, is more than just gore: accompanied by brooding, silent codas, they are moments of discomfort which again bring us into the room with Gosling. Refn brings us a crime film which is finally about a character, rather than the blood and money that he touches.

Again, Refn doesn’t want to be misunderstood. If, in the end, his viewers pay attention, he won’t be. —Chris Bassil

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PAGE 8

recess

September 15, 2011

Hopscotch showcases wide array of talent

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

Wayne Coyne (and his scarf) of the Flaming Lips performed at the Raleigh City Plaza on Saturday night.

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout of Guided by Voices chose Hopscotch as the last date of their reunion tour.

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

Twin Shadow frontman George Lewis Jr. brought his dreamy, nostalgic bedroom pop to Lincoln Theater.

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

Orchestral Chapel Hill-based folkies Lost in the Trees played Saturday night at Raleigh’s Fletcher Opera Hall.

34th Annual Volunteer Fair DO GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY!

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 12:00-3:00 pm Schaefer Mall, Bryan Center Meet with representatives from Durham non-profit agencies, schools, and Duke student service groups to learn how you can get involved.

For more information, call (919) 684-4377 or visit our website http://csc.civic.duke.edu/main and click on programs and services

Sports

>> INSIDE

The Chronicle

ONLINE

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

The Blue Devils prepare for a midweek game against College of Charleston. PAGE 8 One Boston College player the Blue Devils should have their eyes on Saturday.

www.dukechroniclesports.com

FOOTBALL

Now is not the time to Eagles present easier sell on Duke football test for Blue Devils Duke football is not a campus-wide laughingstock.

The Duke quidditch team is a campus laughingstock. Larry Moneta is a campus laughingstock. People who take 8:30 a.m. classes are laughingstocks.

It’s okay to point and laugh at those people. They’ve essenAndy tially brought it on themselves.

But not the Blue Devils. Yes, they are 0-2. I believe, though, that this rough start is not going to define their season. I still see a team that will go on to have a decent year.

If you don’t buy that, here are three reasons why you should:

Moore

1. Duke needs to heal Right now, the Blue Devils’ top two running backs are hurt. Josh Snead, the explosive sophomore who saw major game action last year as a true freshman, and Desmond Scott, the every-down back and returning starter, both didn’t play against the Cardinal. They’re expected to return soon, however, which will give running back Juwan Thompson some help, and Duke will have the best rushing offense it’s had in years.

There’s another injury, though, that, when corrected, will really put the Blue Devils in good shape. It concerns Will Snyderwine.

I, and many others, watched with creeping horror Saturday as the preseason SEE MOORE ON PAGE 8

TYLER SEUC/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Once Desmond Scott returns from injury, Moore writes, the Blue Devils will sport a much-improved offense.

thisweekinthepolls

by Michael Baker THE CHRONICLE

When Duke and Boston College met last year, the Eagles narrowly escaped Wallace Wade Stadium with a 21-16 victory. Led by a stout defense, Boston College ended up losing in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and finished the season 7-6.

This Saturday Duke travels to Chestnut Hill, Mass., for its ACC opener, where it will look for its first win against an Eagles team also facing a disappointing start to the season. After a tough loss to Northwestern, Boston College got blown out by Central Florida, 30-3.

Led by sophomore quarterback Chase Rettig, the Eagles’ offense has struggled to consistently move the ball and score in the redzone. Their offense ranks last in the ACC, averaging 10 points and 298 yards per game. Turnovers and injuries at key positions are the sources of many of its woes.

Rettig has also thrown three costly interceptions and no touchdowns this season.

Accuracy has remained a weak point for Rettig, who completed just 51 percent of his passes last year and threw for six touchdowns and nine interceptions. In his first game this season, Rettig was 24for-44 for 375 yards with one interception.

Against Central Florida, he was 10-for-23 and threw for 70 yards with two picks.

Duke generated pressure in the first half last week, recording two sacks against a strong Stanford front line, and it will look to do more of the same this week.

“As you saw last week, we put pressure on Stanford’s offensive line and quarterback Andrew Luck,” defensive end Kenny Anunike said. “It shouldn’t be anything different this week. If anything, we’ll amp it up.”

If Anunike and the Blue Devil pass rush can hit Rettig, receivers Colin Larmond, Bobby Swigert and Alex Amidon will have to make plays. Receiver and cocaptain Ifeanyi Momah, who will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, will be difficult to replace. In the opener, Momah had eight catches for 157 yards.

Rettig may receive some support, though, if ACC preseason player of the year Montel Harris is able to return this SEE SCOUTING ON PAGE 8

Boston College

EAGLES Record: 0-2 PPG RUSH/G PASS/G TD FG-FGA SACKS-YDS

BC 10.0 80.5 217.5 2 2-4 2-7

OPP 27.0 231.0 192.0 6 4-4 6-35

All-American linebacker Luke Kuechly is the lone bright spot on a Boston College team that faces a precipitous drop off after last season’s 7-6 finish. The Eagles had just 114 total yards against UCF last week.

DAN SCHEIRER II/THE CHRONICLE

Johnny Williams and the Duke secondary will have a much easier time this week against the Eagles.

8 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

MOORE from page 7 second team All-American missed kick after kick. Had Snyderwine been infected with Rick Ankiel or Chuck Knoblauch syndrome, I wondered, in which normally-accurate athletes suddenly lose the ability to do a simple task? Or perhaps, had a group of small space aliens—let’s call them the Monstars—kidnapped Snyderwine and zapped him of his talents for an intergalactic kicking contest?

No. It turns out that Snyderwine has an injured right foot, which he aggravated again on Saturday. It’s not his fault he’s struggling—the guy is hurt.

And when he, Scott and Snead recover, Duke will be a much better team.

2. Duke competed with Stanford The 44-14 score was rough, and Andrew Luck’s 290 yards passing and four touchdowns were painful. But what everyone seems to have already forgotten is that the Blue Devils could have been down only one point at the half.

Duke’s defense gave the Stanford offense major trouble moving the chains throughout the first 30 minutes. Safety Matt Daniels, the captain of the defense, went toe-totoe with Luck, exposing the quarterback’s flaws and predicting several times where he was going to throw. And who can forget Lee Butler and Johnny Williams making Luck look silly with 4:38 left in the first half, picking off the future No. 1 NFL draft pick and taking it 76 yards to the house?

After that play, ESPN’s entire family of networks flashed an upset alert that Stanford was only up three as the first half neared its close. A friend of mine tweeted, “Do you believe in miracles?”

I did, after Cutcliffe’s gutsy next play call. The coach gave Snyderwine the go-

THE CHRONICLE

ahead to kick it onside, and the Blue Devils pounced on the ball. After a replay showed the kick had barely crossed the 10-yard threshold, the momentum was very clearly in Duke’s favor. The improbable upset looked plausible.

Of course, it didn’t stay that way. The Cardinal got hot in the second half, and they ran up a final score which betrayed none of those early Duke successes.

But the Blue Devils should still be encouraged by what they pulled off against such a highly-ranked team— they were nowhere near that competitive during last year’s Wallace Wade Beatdown against Alabama. When running back Juwan Thompson said Saturday, “We should have won this game,” it didn’t sound that ridiculous.

3. Three straight wins are on the table This weekend, Duke travels to Boston College to face a team that is struggling mightily. The Eagles are 0-2 and have looked pretty terrible in their two losses. Luke Kuechly aside, they don’t have many game-breaking players. And their quarterback, Chase Retting, is coming off a game in which he went 10-for-23 for 70 yards and two picks.

This is an eminently-winnable game.

The Blue Devils then host Tulane for the homecoming contest. The Green Wave is 1-1, and just lost to Tulsa by 28.

This should be another win.

Then, Duke travels to Florida International. This one will be a bit trickier, but if Duke’s passing defense is able to contain Wesley Carroll and, more importantly, T.Y. Hilton, the team has more than a puncher’s chance.

Duke is better than 0-2. The next few weeks will show it.

SCOUTING from page 7

fromstaffreports

week. After sitting out for two weeks with a knee injury, his return would be a much-needed injection of offense. Duke head coach David Cutcliffe praises Harris as “the best back in the conference.”

Harris is only 1,002 yards away from being the all-time ACC leader in rushing yards. After breaking out as a sophomore with 1,457 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, he had another great year in 2010, rushing for 1,243 yards and eight touchdowns despite nagging injuries during the season. Cutcliffe conceded that the Eagles are “more effective running the football if they’re more balanced.”

Boston College’s strength lies in its defense. The Eagles’ defense, 2010’s best in the nation against the run, has underperformed, largely due to injuries to both the secondary and defensive line. Boston College should benefit from the return of senior safety and captain Donnie Fletcher, a member of the Bednarik watch list.

“Certainly they’re going to be a top10 defense,” Duke quarterback Sean Renfree said. “They’re one of the best defenses I’ve seen.”

He and his coach went on to praise linebacker Luke Kuechly as “probably the best in the country.”

Kuechly led the nation in total and solo tackles as a sophomore and is a unanimous first-team All-American this year. He picked up where he left off in 2010 during the Eagles’ opener, earning ACC linebacker of the week honors. If the Blue Devils are going to move the ball effectively, their offensive line will have to know where Kuechly is at all times.

Women’s soccer faces final nonconference opponent The No. 5 Blue Devils (7-1) will take on College of Charleston tonight at 7 p.m. in Koskinen Stadium in the program’s final game before ACC play.

The Cougars (4-3) split a pair of games last weekend, losing 3-2 in two overtimes to Cincinnati and sneaking by Old Dominion 2-1.

Freshman Kelly Cobb, whose two goals and four assists last weekend at the Duke/ Nike Invitational earned her player of the week honors from TopDrawerSoccer.com and Soccer America, will lead Duke’s offense against a College of Charleston backline that has surrendered just nine goals this season.

Women’s lacrosse, rowing make offseason hires Amanda Barnes has been hired as an assistant coach, the women’s lacrosse program announced Monday. She will focus on working with the defense and goaltenders, her specialty throughout her career.

Barnes was a goaltender for four years at North Carolina before graduating in 2008. She spent two years at Ohio State before coaching last season for Boston University, where she coached freshman goaltender Christina Sheridan to the America East All-Rookie team.

Kathleen Hagglund will serve as recruiting coordinator and assist the varsity rowing squad, the program released today.

Hagglund has been in the coaching ranks since graduating from Louisville in 2008. She has assisted the Cardinals for three seasons since her graduation after a year of coaching at St. Lawrence.

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MEETINGS DUKE IN FRANCE/EDUCO INFO SESSION: Learn more about this semester and academic-year program on Thursday, September 15, at 5pm in 305 Languages. All majors are welcome. Hundreds of courses are available in most disciplines.

Spring 2012 deadline: October 1. See global.duke.edu/geo or call 684-2174 for more information.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 | 9

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The Chronicle what we did instead of the career fair: snooze: .......................................................................nick, esther, kt schmooze: ................................................................ nickyle, sanette inhaled asbestos #centralproblems: .......................overthemooney already in demand:................................................................... drew not talking with kerrie: ....................................................... ctcusack presidential stuff: ...............................................eliza, kenzie, chelc networking: ...................................................................melly, jaems recovering from the plague: ................................................... cchen Barb Starbuck makes the big bucks: ........................................ Barb

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The Independent Daily at Duke University

The Chronicle

10 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Int’l expansion should focus on people Duke’s global expansion its people, and internationalizahas always managed to unsettle tion ought put their education while it inspires. A more global at front and center. reach promises diversity and The Global Leader Scholarthe extension of the Univer- ship’s ability to attract outstandsity’s educational mission. But ing candidates stands to bencountervailing efit more than anxieties attend the recipient. editorial international Winners will expansion—especially as ef- bring unique experiences and forts abroad become paradig- diversity to stateside Duke. The matically corporate. scholarship can protect this This gives us more reason value by limiting awards to only to take heart in Duke School of a few recipients—this will help Law’s recent announcement of generate the prestige needed the Global Leader Scholarship, to attract the best students. a new program that provides The most persuasive arfull tuition for one Chinese law gument for the Duke brand student. The decidedly person- will always be its people, and al bent of the program stands the Global Leader Scholarin marked contrast to the in- ship stands to attach the Duke creasingly pecuniary logic of name to outstanding alumni. internationalization at Duke. The program’s forerunner— This is a good thing—Duke’s the Richard M. Nixon Scholgreatest resource will always be arship—provides a notable

“

Duke really needs to up its game--we don’t have the Ivy halo to cling on to if we slip out of the top 10.

—“TrueBlue” commenting on the story “University responds to dip in US News ranking.”

See more at www.dukechronicle.com.

LETTERS POLICY The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for purposes of identification, phone number and local address.

Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns.

The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.

example: Gao Xiqing, Law ’86, who serves as the vice chairman, president and chief investment officer of the China Investment Corporation and sits on the University Board of Trustees. Eminent alumni like Gao lend Duke a magnetism not reproducible with other forms of brand building.

Finally, we should not downplay the financial upside of the scholarship program. Scholarship programs cost little to commit to; if the program fails to do what it sets out to do, it can be cut without a fuss.

We wish that the program’s commitment to people and education would radiate across Duke’s experiments in internationalization. It stands in marked contrast, for instance, to much of the logic behind Duke Kunshan University,

which has increasingly focused on student enrollment and tuition dollars, even as the campus’ academic strategy remains vaguely sketched. That DKU will likely open its doors by offering the Masters in Management Studies degree—a program we have long criticized for unduly prioritizing revenues—underlines this focus. Financial reasons ought to have major force in discussions of international expansion, but academic excellence should always have priority.

Corporatization is not a Duke invention. Opportunistic educators, like the superstar professors who founded the now infamous, for-profit New College of the Humanities in London, are increasingly looking to cash in on prestige.

We do not maintain that

scholarship programs should trump brick-and-mortar international expansions; large-scale expansion can accomplish things that smaller programs cannot. But we cannot let more deeply held values get lost in the shuffle. Even while we expand into China, Duke’s undergraduate admissions has not extended its need-blind policies to international undergraduate applicants. We cannot know how many Gao Xiqings have passed on attending Duke for this reason, but we wonder whether a China campus will make up for their loss.

The Duke School of Law should be commended for the creation of the Global Leader Scholarship. The program embodies values that ought to extend across Duke’s global programs.

Be like Brian

onlinecomment

Est. 1905

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B

rian will annoy you with his enthusiasm. He Replacing the old subsidized system, GoPass is essenwill irritate you with his optimism. tially a free bus pass providing access to the regional But, Brian is exactly the kind of person transportation network (DATA , TTA, CAT and CDuke needs to get this climate neuTran) to students and those faculty trality thing done. and staff with offices on or adjacent Brian Williams (not the one from to Duke’s Durham campus.

NBC), is the transportation demand According to Brian, under the old management coordinator at Duke program, approximately 600 to 700 Parking and Transportation (DPT). people used public transportation He has only been on the job for a and had a partially subsidized pass. year, but he is making progress.

Since the new GoPass program was The 2009 Climate Action Plan announced, roughly 4,500 Dukies liz bloomhardt have claimed their GoPass—a plastic (CAP) laid out the challenge.

According to the CAP, transportaswipe card tied to your Duke unique green devil tion accounts for approximately 23 ID. Of those new card holders, Brian percent of Duke’s baseline greenreported that about 1,500 have used house gas (GHG) footprint. Commuters contribute their card to access the public transit network at least about 52 percent, while air travel (43 percent) and once. However, more analysis of ridership patterns the campus fleet (5 percent) make up the rest. and improved usage rates will be required before Brian’s focus is on alternative transportation. It’s the program can be called a true success. Regardhis job to create the right incentives and implement less, the initial enthusiasm is impressive. programs that entice commuters and residential stuIn addition to the new and modified programs, dents to move from high impact modes of transpor- older programs, like the free Bull City Connector tation (the single occupant vehicle (SOV)) to lower bus between Duke and Durham, carpool permits impact modes of transport like carpooling, vanpool- and the bike commuter program are also still availing, public transit, bikes or walking. able and building momentum.

This month’s Green Devil Challenge is on point Changes in culture can be difficult and can take a in urging the Duke community to “Get Electrified” long time to manifest themselves. So when Brian reand to engage the latest batch of Brian’s alternative ported that the number of carpool permit and bike transportation options including WeCar, GoPass and commuter applications is much higher than last year the not yet arrived hybrid articulating busses which and creating a backlog at the DPT offices, my first are slated to start service later this semester. response was nearly an enthusiastic fist pump.

First, WeCar: WeCar is the new ZipCar-only-better Unfortunately, I also know the flip side this backlog (according to Brian) program run by Enterprise, implies: it’s the frustration and confusion that comes and yes, they will come pick you up for extended from interacting with an over worked and stressed rentals—on campus! out DPT staff. Barriers get erected, communication WeCar ratchets up the sex appeal of campus car- breaks down, assumptions are made, progress is stuntsharing programs with four Chevrolet Volts. These ed, groups feel alienated ... you get the idea. plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are touted to be the So, we might all agree that good communication, most fuel-efficient compact car sold in the U.S. They clear information and useful resources are excelwill travel approximately 35 miles (which is sufficient lent, although non-trivial goals going forward now for most local trips) on a full charge before engag- that a good foundation of alternative transportation ing the gasoline engine. Just remember to plug it in options has been constructed. Good thing Brian is when you return—sharing is caring, after all! confident he can meet the challenge. In fact, he has An Enterprise representative who was checking already started with targeted in-person outreach, acup on the Volts, which reside just outside the Bryan cess maps for well served housing locations in DurCenter, told me the usage on the vehicles has been ham, maps of bike facilities on campus and inforgood and steadily growing, as has membership in mational how-to videos. And there’s so much more the WeCar program itself, which arrived on campus to come.

Aug. 15, 2011.

Lest you think I place too much faith in one man, Although the program appears to be on track to I dare you to meet Brian. His infectious optimism duplicate and hopefully expand on the success of for positive change will rub off and leaving you humits predecessor, ZipCar, the reduction of SOVs and ming: “Always look on the bright side of life …”

SOV trips on campus as a result of either program See, we can all be like Brian. is unclear.

The second exciting edition to the alternative Liz Bloomhardt is a fifth-year graduate student in mechantransportation arsenal is the new GoPass program. ical engineering. Her column runs every other Thursday.

THE CHRONICLE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 | 11

commentaries

Writing on the wall

Don’t be an idiot

alking through the city of Buenos Aires, you can’t pacity for violence. When the public commissions it, aphelp but notice, splashed across every supermar- preciates it or even doesn’t mind its presence as much, ket, government building and national monu- graffiti can no longer be defined by the way it unexpectment, the bright scrawls of graffiti from edly trespasses on day-to-day urban life. the brushes and spray cans of a thousand Graffiti’s medium is more than spray paint unknown artists. Long decried as vandaland stencils—the graffiti-ist’s devices also ism and urban visual noise, graffiti has been include the violence of intruding where praised in recent years by many in the art he or she is not wanted. community, rebranded as “street art” and Finally, graffiti is an anonymous medefended as a necessary medium of free dium. Anonymity is especially important expression. when considering graffiti’s political funcEarlier this year, the Museum of Contion.

In being detached from the artist’s maggie lafalce identity, temporary Art in Los Angeles sponsored graffiti’s message is universalized; “Art in the Streets,” a popular, if somewhat southern highlander it doesn’t represent the opinion of an indicontroversial, exhibition on the history of vidual but of the collective. Graffiti evokes graffiti. MOCA’s exhibition could be considered the of- a romantic image of a vigilante activist, a member of the ficial stamp on the gradual acceptance of graffiti by the city’s underbelly who is everyone and no one at the same art world, which arguably began in 1983 with graffiti’s first time. That painted scrawl is not a slogan from an artist with major museum exhibition in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. a name, a face and identifiable prejudices but a measure of The British street artist Bansky, possibly the most famous the city’s pulse. commercial graffiti-ist today, has sold his works for hunWhen political graffiti’s message is explicitly violent in dreds of thousands of dollars at Sotheby’s. its content, such as when it contains a threat issued to a speAs with many great artistic movements—from impres- cific politician (Ex-President George W. Bush is a frequent sionism to surrealism—graffiti’s entrance into popular cul- recipient of threats in Buenos Aires graffiti), anonymity tural followed an adoption by elite art institutions. With the can alter the way we perceive the message’s violence. new popularity of artists like Bansky, museum exhibits in Consider Brazilian artist Gil Vicente. At the 29th São cities around the world and high profile commissions by Paulo International Biennial last year, Vicente displayed corporations such as Time Inc., graffiti has received new 9 charcoal drawings. Each depicted the artist assassinatpublic interest, if not complete tolerance. ing one of 9 world leaders, including Queen Elizabeth II, The conventional definition of graffiti as simple vandal- Pope Benedict XVI and, of course, George W. Bush. Public ism has been challenged; the public and art critics alike are shock, and in many cases outrage, ensued, and the Order now trying to decide if graffiti constitutes art, vandalism or of Attorneys of Brazil demanded the images be removed, some hybrid of the two. claiming they encouraged violent crime.

The is-it-art-or-vandalism question has been around for Why do Gil Vicente’s works shock us? Maybe we are some time, and personally, I find it rather pointless. Graffiti disturbed by his lack of anonymity. Vicente’s pieces are all is not art or vandalism, but art accomplished through the about the artist. His realistic self-portrait is the focal point of act of vandalism. But more on that later. What is impor- each drawing, and the violence depicted is dependent on tant about the art-vandalism debate is that its very existence Vicente’s personal frustrations with his victims. The threat indicates a shift towards mainstream culture’s adoption of of violence feels personal, and thus all the more real. graffiti.

Graffiti, on the other hand, sees a complete removal of This incorporation of graffiti into popular culture has the artist. Its separation from a clear identity also constirepercussions for arguably one of the most important func- tutes a separation from responsibility. There is no one to tions of graffiti: its role in the expression of political dissent. take responsibility for the violence, so the threat feels someGraffiti seems an especially appropriate medium for po- what distant. The violence of graffiti does not stem from a litical dissent. For one, it is on public display. Excluding com- personal and prejudiced threat, but from a community’s mercialized exceptions like Bansky (who, you could argue, collective frustrations with the status quo. can no longer be considered a graffiti-ist), graffiti’s audience Graffiti’s place in urban culture is changing. The mediis not limited to the museum-going crowd. Its unique inclu- um has been increasingly institutionalized in the art world, sivity calls to mind Diego Rivera and the public murals of and as a result, graffiti-ists have seen growing public sup1920’s Mexico, and its public forum makes graffiti a rather port and real financial benefits. However, these “successes” democratic form of expression. are undermining the power of graffiti as a subversive and Secondly, graffiti implies violence. Creating graffiti is destructive means of expression. an act of vandalism, inherently violent and with an end— whether explicit or not—of destruction. You could claim Maggie LaFalce is a Trinity junior and is currently studying political dissent seeks the same end by the same means. abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her column runs every other But with growing popularity, graffiti begins to lose its ca- Thursday.

or a school that prides itself on its commitment to civic engagement (or at the very least its commitment to branding itself based on those projects), I see far too many idiots at Duke.

Now, before anyone takes the wrong kind of offense, let me clarify what I mean by idiot by delving into its Greek etymology. Coming from “idios,” meaning private or personal, an idiot in Athenian democracy was one who was concerned ahmad jitan mainly with private affairs. This indecent family man was opposed to a citizen (or “politês”) who, according to Aristotle, was distinguished by being involved in the political process. An idiot would rather concern himself with his own selfish interests than deliberate with others for the good of the “polis.”

It’s easier to distinguish an idiot in a direct democracy like Athens. An idiot would not spend that much time in the agora and had poor judgment regarding public matters. Or possibly, he just didn’t participate in the many opportunities for consensus building. In our modern liberal democracies, however, idiots are a little harder to identify. On our campus, a student can be involved in several organizations, maybe even one that claims to represent and advocate for the entire student body, and still be an idiot. A student can vote, but vote idiotically. A student can even go halfway across the world on an all-expenses paid trip and return a global idiot.

We live in a world where these various activities are done in the mindset of seeking personal gain, rather than the public good. It’s a condition that isn’t that surprising in a society where so much emphasis is placed on the individual and his or her ability to succeed. A shift away from idiocy requires a radical shift in values as well as a change in the way in which we engage with our communities. Instead of asking ourselves “How can I best position myself for what I would like to do?” we should start asking ourselves “How can I best serve the needs of my community?” Ideally, the answer to the latter question should inform the former.

There are times where Duke proves that it has an engaged and critical student body and a healthy civil society. For instance, when Duke administrators decided they could no longer support the unsafe environment known as Tailgate, students responded in a way reminiscent of the Arab Spring youth. They gathered in forums, both online and off, to discuss the issue.

They planned ways of collectively expressing their discontent.

It’s a public issue that many students informed themselves of and are still discussing to this day. It’s refreshing to know that we still have a sense of what’s important: our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness in the form of unhealthy drinking habits.

I don’t want to be unfair. I don’t think Duke students are completely idiotic. I think we have plenty of democratic spirit; we like to gather in groups and discuss and revel and feel like we have an effect on our surroundings. I just think we’re way too into ourselves.

We will be less idiotic when we mature a bit and realize that even if Tailgate may have been fun, it really was an unsafe environment that was nearly impossible to regulate. Or when we stop being infatuated by all the exotic places Duke students get to visit and start asking critically what we’re actually accomplishing in going there. Or when we take a step back and start asking pointed questions of our administration and their decision-making processes. And above all, when we can challenge ourselves to do something for others, even if there’s no immediate personal gain in store.

Despite all of the exciting statistics and brochures with smiling faces, we should really question our commitment to civic engagement. Is working on a community housing project once a month or spending a single summer in some developing area of the world the same lifelong commitment we place in our own personal development? Just as we continuously strive towards personal success we should constantly be cooperating with others to address the collective challenges we face.

We are blessed that, even if they are not perfect, many of the structures that facilitate this sort of cooperation already exist on this campus: free association in the form of student groups, multiple means of communication, access to knowledge, ease of transportation, public spaces, freedom of expression, etc. As students, we should cultivate the kind of character that embodies a genuine commitment to the well-being of our communities.

Though the constitution of Athens differs from our own and though our citizens may have different duties or opportunities for civil service, I would still regard our idiots the same way that Pericles does in his Funeral Oration: not as unambitious as they are useless.

W

lettertotheeditor House model update Following several years of discussion, a group of undergraduate students, administrators and faculty was charged 18 months ago with envisioning a new residential system for Duke. We’re calling it the house model in deference to a system with a rich history at Duke, but in fact it’s a reinvigoration and reinvention of that system. From the start we have operated with two principles in mind: creating an equitable system for all students, whether or not they affiliate with SLGs, and creating a greater sense of community.

This has not been an easy process; we have major architectural constraints, study abroad patterns that are severely unbalanced between Fall and Spring semesters and concerns among SLGs about moving not long after a reshuffle several years ago. We recognize that no system we design will be perfect, but we remain confident that we can build a residential system to be proud of.

Here are some major milestones.

• Duke Student Government is sponsoring an open forum on the house model on Tuesday, Sept.

20 at 8 p.m.—location to be announced.

• Housing, Dining and Residence Life needs to hear from student groups who wish to apply for new housing by Friday, Sept. 30.

• We have already been in contact with Panhel-

lenic organizations; we have been meeting with them since the Spring term and met last week with all the sorority presidents and their sophomore and junior class representatives. We have contingency plans in place to respond to their applications; we are most willing to entertain requests from all Panhellenic groups, or from a subset. That is up to the sororities.

• Once we have a complete list of SLGs requesting housing, we expect to make random assignments in October. Groups that wish to stay on or move to Central will have the opportunity to express that preference.

• The design for the new Room Picks process is nearing completion, and the process will occur on the same calendar as it always has in the Spring semester—January through March.

• For unaffiliated students, we expect to hold open forums in October and November to answer questions about this new model.

We expect the house model blog to go live next week. Content will evolve but will include a frequently asked questions tab. As you submit questions through the website, we will add information to respond to those questions.

Sincerely, Donna Lisker and Joe Gonzalez. co-chairs of the House Model Committee

F

Ahmad Jitan is a Trinity junior. His column runs every other Thursday.

12 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

THE CHRONICLE