F R I D A Y MAR. 18, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 60
Ptly. Cldy. 60° / 38° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m
INSIDE
STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
Slam dunk contest coming to AC By Justin Davidson Sports Editor March Madness is here in full force, and as many NCAA and sports fans know, this year’s Final Four will be held right here in St. Louis. What many might not know, however, is that this year’s 17th Annual Mountain Dew College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shooting Contest is being hosted by Washington University in the University Field House on March 31. This premier event brings together college basketball’s top three-point shooters and slam dunk artists from the nation’s best men’s and women’s programs to the Final Four host city to show off their skills in what has come to be regarded as the tip-off of Final Four weekend and a foundation of ESPN’s Final Four programming.
Graduating soon? Worried that your major will be useless come the end of May? Check out today’s Cadenza, which reminds you that even an English major can become an astronaut.
PAGE 8 Cadenza reviews Interpol’s recent concert at the Pageant.
PAGE 7 “Who is that guy?” she asks. Her friend: “Oh, it’s that asshole Brian Schroeder. This is what happens when you use your powers as a Forum editor at Student Life for evil, Brian writes in today’s Forum section.
PAGE 4 WEATHER FORECAST
Sunday High: 54º | Low: 33º Partly Cloudy
Monday High: 56º | Low: 35º Partly Cloudy
INDEX News Sports Forum Cadenza
n Sister Hazel tapped as
opening act for April 29 concert By Liz Neukirch Senior News Editor EMILY TOBIAS | STUDENT LIFE
Students need not guess at this year’s Spring WILD headliner any longer. At Happy Hour yesterday Team 31 Productions announced the twice Grammy-nominated Robert Randolph and the Family Band as the main act for WILD on April 29 in Brookings Quadrangle. Sister Hazel will be one of two opening acts; the second opener will be announced next week. “We researched every single band we’ve ever heard of,” said sophomore Scott Abrahams, Team 31 co-president and WILD co-chair, of selecting this spring’s WILD headliner. “Out of 147 reviews we read, every single person who’s ever seen them said it was their favorite performance ever. It’s the most unreal thing.” Composed of Robert Randolph and cousins Danyel Morgan and Marcus Randolph along with Jason Crosby, Robert Randolph and the Family Band (RRFB) have released two CDs, “Live at the Wetlands” and “Unclassified.” On tour, they have opened for such artists as Eric Clapton and the Dave Matthews Band, as well as playing with O.A.R., whose lead singer Marc Roberge once commended RRFB for its “love, energy and soul.” RRFB performed for the 2004 Grammy Awards and have also been showcased on such late-night favorites as the Conan O’Brien Show, Late Night with David Letterman and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Their single “I Need More Love” was used in the National Basketball Association’s “I Love This Game” commercials. However, despite this acclaim, many University students are not familiar with the band. “I have no idea, really, who they are,” said senior Louis Baer. “It’s fine. It sounded good. I liked the song [that Team 31 played at Happy Hour].” Sister Hazel received a more favorable response. “I was excited to hear that Sister Hazel was coming… it reminds me of late grade school, early high school music that I used to listen to,” said senior Dan Mullenix.
1-2 3 4 5-8
Grad student Caleb Wibbenmeyer and senior James McAnally chat at Happy Hour yesterday, where Team 31 members made the official announcement of WILD’s bands. Wibbenmeyer and McAnally also enjoyed green beer and festivities in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Composed of vocalist/guitarist Ken Block, guitarist/vocalist Andrew Copeland, lead guitarist Ryan Newell, bassist Jeff Beres and drummer Mark Trojanowski, Sister Hazel released its selftitled debut in 1994 before finding more success with their sophomore album, “Somewhere More Familiar,” in 1997. The single “All for You” topped the alternative and pop charts that summer, helping the album reach Gold status in sales. The group released its fifth album, a double- CD set entitled “Live Live,” in August 2004. “We think they are a fun band that puts on a good show, and people know their music,” Abrahams said. The day’s activities before the musical performances will include games, eating contests and Second Stage, which features performances by Washington University student musical groups. Abrahams said that while no activities have been finalized, Team 31 is looking into “Sumo suits,” a barbecue outside and an “Orbitron” carnival ride. A Twinkie-eating contest, he noted, is “almost guaranteed.” Students who attend this year’s festivities may also be able to buy such merchandise as WILD rain ponchos and inflatable chairs, which Abrahams said Team 31 is considering selling because “couches aren’t going over very well.” The alcohol policy at WILD will be the same as last year, with of-age students allowed one sixpack of beer each. Admission to WILD is free for everyone with a valid Washington University ID, and students are allowed to buy one guest ticket each for twenty dollars at the Edison Theatre Box Office. EMILY TOBIAS | STUDENT LIFE
news@studlife.com
Robert Randolph and his eponymously-titled band will headline April’s WILD.
First South Asian Awareness Week wraps up Contributing Reporter
High: 51º | Low: 31º Partly Cloudy
See SLAM DUNK, page 3
‘Family Band’ to headline WILD
By Shweta Murthi
Saturday
The start of Final Four action is Saturday, April 2 at the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis—but before it’s time to knuckle down and see who will be crowned the 2005 NCAA National Champion, all-star collegiate athletes will get to demonstrate their artistic and athletic prowess
at Washington University. The University was chosen as the host of the event for a number of reasons, according to T.J. Shelton, the Assistant Director of Athletics. “Wash U. was chosen due to the great facility we have here at the A.C., and especially the great environment that the Field House fosters,” said Shelton. “For the extent of the size of the event we needed, and for the great family-friendly environment, it was a great choice. Also, the past Presidential Debates hosted here have proved that we are able to host such an event.” In the past, participants in the event have included a slew of current NBA All-Stars and professionals. Freddie Jones of Oregon University, who won the 2004 NBA Slam Dunk Competition, was an alumnus of the NCAA version of the
The first South Asian Awareness Week combined culture and diverse programming to bring attention to and promote South Asian solidarity while raising money for victims of the recent tsunami. Over the past week, Ashoka, Atma, the Muslim Students Association and the Social Justice Center have joined forces in providing a wide variety of events. Junior Satyam Khanna, head of social awareness for Ashoka, felt that it was important to show different facets of the South Asian community. “We want to promote solidarity between the South Asian community, so it’s not just the Muslims and Hindus and Indians and Pakistan-
STUDENT LIFE
is,” said Khanna. “We want them to have a common identity.” This year’s theme, “Unity through Diversity,” has been showcased through various speakers, movie screenings and cultural events. Tuesday’s kickoff event was a success according to sophomore Amish Desai, head of philanthropy for the Indian student association Ashoka. The event provided samples of South Asian food, free henna art, and a lecture by Religious Studies professor Jerome Bauer on “What is South Asia.” Desai as impressed with attendence at the week’s first event. “The turnout was great, it was a lot more than we expected. There were about 50 people for our first event,” said Desai. “We also want to get across the
One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building St. Louis, MO 63130
idea that Ashoka is able to talk about more serious issues. This is the first time we’re doing something like this. We want something more substantive such as talking about Partition and other events,” said Khanna. Desai added that in the past, Ashoka has been known primarily for the Diwali performances, and now wants to show it can “put on something more substantial.” “We’re just really trying to promote discussion at Wash U,” Desai said. SAAW will conclude today with a lecture by Dr. Vijay Prashad, an assistant professor of international studies at Trinity College in Connecticut. Prashad returns to the University after last year’s successful talk during Campus Week
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of Dialogue. Following the talk, a Raas/Garba dance marathon will fundraise for the tsunami victims. Prashad will speak tonight at 7 p.m. in May Auditorium. Khanna was upbeat about the week’s outcome, pleased not only with attendence but also with the diverse population this week’s events have attracted. “We were surprised that there were actually a lot of non-South Asian people at our first event, which is good, because we don’t want discussion to be just among [South Asian] people,” said Khanna. “We want it to include several different groups.”
Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com
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Please Recycle
2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com
FRIDAY | MARCH 18, 2005
NATIONAL
CAMPUS BRIEF Mosaic Whispers brings Splash of Color to campus this weekend Splash of Color 2005, presented by Mosaic Whispers, will take place March 18 and 19 in Graham Chapel at 7:30 p.m. Joining them will be Mama’s Pot Roast and two groups from the University of Illinois, No Strings Attached and The Other Guys. The Greenleafs and the Amateurs will be performing Friday and the Pikers and After Dark will be singing on Saturday. Tickets can be obtained in Mallinckrodt from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Wohl from 5-7 p.m, or at the door. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults.
the WUrld Compiled by Laura Geggel
LOCAL St. Louis ranked among most technological metropolitan areas
Student Life is accepting applications for next year’s staff. Interested?
The metropolitan area of St. Louis ranks No. 35 out of 127 metro areas nationwide for its technology, according to a study recently published by Popular Science magazine. The areas in which St. Louis was graded on technology were transportation, medical, jobs, education, connected citizenry and energy. St. Louis received its highest ranking in the transportation category at No. 8, which measured the amount of mass transit and alternative fueling stations in the city. The other rankings for the city include education at No. 11, high-technology job opportunities at No. 45, energy at No. 68, connect citizenry at No. 112 and No. 116 for medical technology.
E-mail Margaret Bauer at editor@studlife.com.
Defaulted student loans decreasing There are more students receiving college loans and fewer defaulting on them, according to the Missouri Department of Higher Education. The Federal Family Education Loan program, which includes Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students and Federal Consolidation Loans made by private institutions, reported that 3.73 percent of students defaulted on their loans between Oct. 1, 2002 and Sept. 30, 2003, which is a 4.53 percent decrease of loans defaulted from the year before. Out of 28,320 students, only 1,056 defaulted their loans. When the Missouri Department of Higher Education began its loan program four years ago, the default rate was more than 10 percent. Now defaults are between 0 and 8 percent.
Bush to nominate Wolfowitz for World Bank president President Bush announced this week that he plans to nominate Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy secretary of defense and a strong advocate of the war in Iraq, as the next president of the World Bank. Previously, Wolfowitz worked as an American ambassador to Indonesia and held the position of dean at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Wolfowitz’s nomination garnered mixed responses. President Jacques Chirac of France said that he would evaluate Wolfowitz’s candidacy in terms of the bank’s mission, while William Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, wholeheartedly supported the new candidacy, according to the New York Times. The current head of the World Bank, the Australian-born James Wolfensohn, has been president of the bank for the past ten years.
No experience necessary.
presents a guide to places of worship in the WU community
Religious Directory For advertising information, call (314) 935-6713 or email advertising@studlife.com
CSC GIVE A MAN
The Catholic Student Center at Washington University
HOLY WEEK MASS SCHEDULE
A FISH
MARCH 20 PALM SUNDAY MASS
MARCH 25 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE
11 am and 9 pm at the Catholic Student Center
7 pm in Graham Chapel
FOR A DAY.
MARCH 24 HOLY THURSDAY MASS
MARCH 26 EASTER VIGIL MASS
7 pm at the Catholic Student Center
7 pm in Graham Chapel
AND HE EATS
TEACH A MAN
TO FISH AND HE EATS FOR
MARCH 27 EASTER SUNDAY MASS 11 am in Graham Chapel (there will be no 9 pm Mass)
A LIFETIME. TEACH A MAN
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TO CALL
All Saints Catholic Church
JIMMY JOHN’S
Corner of Westgate & Clemens (One block North of the Loop)
AND HE NEVER
Young Adult Mass Sunday 6pm
HAS TO GET OFF THE
COUCH.
Sunday Morning Mass 8am & 10:45am
(314) 721-6403 Wash U Students and Staff Welcome!
Shabbat at Hillel (Reform, Conservative & Orthodox)
6:45 p.m. - Kosher Dinner Cost: $9.50 points or cash $8.50 pts. or cash w/Kosher meal plan
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with the Catholic Student Center Community
MARCH 25 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE 7 pm in Graham Chapel MARCH 26 EASTER VIGIL MASS 7 pm in Graham Chapel MARCH 27 EASTER SUNDAY MASS 11 am in Graham Chapel (there will be no 9 pm Mass) 6352 Forsyth Blvd 314-935-9191 • www.washucsc.org
Fridays, 5:45 p.m. - Services
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Celebrate Holy Week and Easter
RSVP required by Noon each Wed. washukosher@hotmail.com - 935-7098 6300 Forsyth Blvd. (314) 935-9040 hillel@restech.wustl.edu www.stlouishillel.org
Learning, Loving, Living in the Spirit of Christ
www.lcmstl.org Lutheran Campus Ministry
LCM
7019 Forsyth Blvd St. Louis, MO 63105 863.8140 lcm@restech.wustl.edu
AFFIRMING HUMAN WORTH The Ethical Society is a community of people united in the belief that an ethical life creates a more just, loving and sustainable world for all. Join us on Sunday mornings for the 9:45 Forum and 11:00 Platform Address. Children's Sunday School meets 10am-noon Ethical Society of St. Louis (1/4 mile west of the Galleria) 9001 Clayton Rd. (314) 991-0955 www.ethicalstl.org
A church you can relate to...
Vineyard Church Sundays at 10 am in the Esquire Theater 6706 Clayton Rd. For more info call (314)221-4823 or www.stlvineyard.com
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Sports Editor / Mary Bruce / sports@studlife.com
FRIDAY | MARCH 18,2005
PORTS S • COMPILED AND EDITED BY MARY BRUCE, JUSTIN DAVIDSON AND HARRY KANG • DESIGNED BY CAMILA SALVISBERG
STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
3
WOMEN’S TENNIS Last Meet: The Bears defeated 20th -ranked California Lutheran by the score of 6-3. Team Notes: The Bears took four out of the six singles matches and two out of the three doubles matches to take home the victory. The doubles tandem of sisters senior Kacie and freshman Ashley Cook won 9-7. Junior Lauren Zwick overcame a tough 2nd set loss in a tiebreak to beat her opponent in three sets. NEXT MEET: The Bears will travel to California Lutheran University on Monday, March 7. National Ranking: 16
MEN’S TENNIS Last Meet: The men’s squad defeated Pomona-Pitzer by the score of 6-3 on Saturday. Team Notes: The Bears took five out of the six singles matches and one out of the three doubles matches to clinch their victory over PomonaPitzer. Freshman Charlie Howard played in both the singles and the doubles, notching victories in each match. NEXT MEET: The Bears will host Graceland University on Saturday, March 19 at 1:00 p.m. National Ranking: 13
Senior Kacie Cook and her doubles partner, freshman Ashley Cook, won their match against California Lutheran.
BASEBALL
SOFTBALL
Last Game: Wash U. 11, Case Western Reserve 1
Last Games: Wash U. 8, Rochester 0 and Wash U. 4, Emory 0
Team Notes: The Bears captured the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship for the first time since 2002. The Bears’ team ERA for the six-game Championship series was a superb 2.20 as compared to the opponents’ team ERA of 8.44. The Bears also collectively batted an outstanding .338 batting average. Sophomore Andy Shields batted 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored. Five Bears recorded multiple hits in the effort.
Team Notes: The Bears captured the University Athletic Association (UAA) championships for the second straight season. Senior pitcher Victoria Ramsey was credited with the win. She pitched 18.1 innings and went 4-0 for the duration of the championships.
Did You Know: The Bears have now won the last three games by the 10-run mercy rule. Next Game: The Bears host the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday, March 19 at noon. Junior Ari Rosenthal follows through on his shot.
bearsports.wustl.edu
Did You Know: Dating back to 2003, the Bears have won 19 consecutive UAA games. Next Game: The Bears are slated to play against Clarke College in St. Louis on Saturday, March 19. National Ranking: Unranked
bearsports.wustl.edu
Baseball has successful spring break By Andrew Nackman Contributing Reporter The Washington University baseball team has come out of the gate red-hot. Heading into their spring Florida trip, the team had compiled a 4-2 record, playing all six games at home. In Florida they competed in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships and won five out of six games to win the UAA competition, their first outright title and third overall. Now 9-3, the team is rolling and ready to get into the thick of their schedule, which continues on Saturday with a home doubleheader against the Milwaukee School of Engineering at noon. Particularly impressive about the team’s successful start this season has been their ability to win games regardless of their winning tactics. They won their first four games by one run each. These wins included a tenth inning victory over Fontbonne, late inning comebacks against Webster University and Eureka College, as well as a hard-fought victory over Cornell College thanks to ju-
nior catcher Alan Germano’s game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning. In the UAA Championships, played in Sanford, Fla. from March 11-15, not only did the team take five out of six games but four of their wins came by at least nine runs, proving that they also demonstrate the ability to blow teams out. After dropping the opener 5-2 to the University of Rochester, the team defeated Brandeis 101 and Emory 4-3, followed by three consecutive victories via the 10-run mercy rule over Rochester, Brandeis and Case Western. Washington University shared the UAA title with Brandeis and Emory in 2003 and with Emory in 1995, but this is the first year in which the team has won the title outright. The team statistics from the tournament are equally impressive. As a squad they managed to bat .338 while holding their opponents to a combined .257 batting average. The pitching staff compiled a 2.20 ERA while their opponents’ team ERA was 8.44. Individually, senior Dan Rieck led the team at the UAA Championships with a .440 batting average, two home runs, 10 runs batted in, and seven runs scored. Sophomore centerfielder Andy Shields also submitted a strong performance, batting .353 with two home runs, six runs batted in, and eight runs scored. He also pitched a complete game in the 4-3 victory over Emory, compiling five strikeouts in the process. Other pitching stars included sophomore Dan McPheeters, who pitched a team-high 15 innings, including the Championshipclinching complete game victory over Case Western. Senior co-captain Jason Ortwerth also stepped up, holding Brandeis to 1 run over nine innings in a 10-1 victory. Another good sign has been the play of the team’s top newcomers. Junior third baseman Sam Hahn is batting .386 on the season, while junior outfielder Jim Haley is hitting .378 and junior first basemen Bryan Brown has maintained a .340 average. Team co-captain and starting shortstop junior Ryan Corning credits the entire team’s dedication and their receptiveness towards each other as reasons for the fast start. “We are hungry and come ready to play everyday. The team is more tight-knit [than last year] and everybody really gets along and loves playing beside one another,” he said. “The team has meshed well, and the different styles of each player compliment one another.” But the road ahead will not be easy for the team. Winning the UAA title was the team’s first main goal; the next is to win more than 30 games (which would be a school record) and receive a bid to the NCAA Division III tournament at the end of the season. Knox College, Depauw University and Illinois Wesleyan University are always strong teams and are expected to be tough again this season. But if their performance at the UAA Championships is any indication, the team can achieve its goals as long as they continue to play hard and work together. As Corning said, “We hope it’s the start of something big. Coach [Lessmann] stresses that we can only play one inning and one game at a time. So we try to win each inning and thus each game and if we do that, then the rest will take care of itself.”
sports@studlife.com bearsports.wustl.edu
With the help of sophomore Andy Shields, the Bears baseball team won the UAA Championships over break in Sanford, Fl.
SLAM DUNK n FROM PAGE 1 Dunk contest in 2002. Other participants from the past include Kyle Korver (Creighton), Isaiah Rider (UNLV), Nick Van Exel (Cincinnati), Felipe Lopez (St. John’s), Gary Payton (Oregon State), Kendall Gill (Illinois), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona), Eddie Jones (Temple), Steve Nash (Santa Clara) and Dan Dickau (Gonzaga). Since the NCAA Tournament is currently in process, however, the contestants have not yet been finalized. “As teams lose,” Shelton explained, “They’ll invite more players to compete. Although there are still some players that have been invited, it’s not all complete yet. Once a team is knocked out, any player that is believed to be deserving to be invited, is. The final roster won’t be finalized until days before the event.” Although not confirmed yet, WU’s own senior basketball star Anthony Hollins was nominated to take part in the slam dunk competition. “I’m honored just to even be considered to take part in an event when I can be considered one of them, especially coming from a D -III school. Having that chance to play side by side with the best in the nation just makes me feel really good. I’m very honored,” said Hollins. As is true with the NBA Slam Dunk Competition, the NCAA spectacular is also judged by a number of celebrities who are tied in some way to the Final Four host city. In the past four years alone, Michael Vick, Evander Holyfield, Peyton Manning, Dick Schaap, Kenyon Martin, Bob Huggins, Randy Moss, Wade Boggs, Deuce McAllister, Aaron Brooks and Baron Davis have all acted as celebrity slam dunk judges. This year’s lineup of celebrity judges includes St. Louis Rams All-Stars Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt as well as former NBA player Spud Webb. Needless to say, many students—athletes and non-athletes alike—are looking forward to the event and the pinnacle of March Madness. “It’s all pretty exciting. They’re really fun events, especially with the guys you watch on TV all the time. I know a few guys on the team will be working the event, and I’d love to go and watch it myself. It’s great for our school, and from what the coaches say, it will a great environment and one in which I look forward to watching,” said senior guard Rob Keller. Senior guard Kelly Manning, the University Athletic Association’s Player of the Year, is very proud and excited that the University will be hosting the event. “It would definitely be exciting to watch, especially from a player’s perspective, to compare the talent and caliber of Division I athletes while sitting right up there watching it live,” said Manning. “We’re obviously not a D -I school, but we’re obviously up there to be hosting the event, irrelevant of our D -III status. Maybe when these D -I players walk into our gym, they can maybe get a sense of what it’s like to play D -III ball and what we’re all about, as well as see all of our accomplishments when they see all our banners hanging from the ceiling.” Sophomore Cristina Fernandez, an avid NCAA fan, was ecstatic after finding out that the competition will be at the Fieldhouse. “I think it’s awesome,” said Fernandez. “I’m surprised Wash U’s actually hosting it considering the lack of sports enthusiasm on our campus, but hopefully it’ll give b-ball fans on this campus a chance to actually get in on some of the NCAA excitement first hand. I really can’t believe Wash U has the balls to host this, but my night isn’t so bad anymore! I’ll definitely be there—good times!” The high-flying and electrifying event will be held at the University Field House on Thursday, March 31 from 6:30 -8: 30 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.). Tickets can be purchased at the Edison Theatre Box Office, online at metrotix.com, or charged by phone (314) 534-1111. Tickets are $10 adults / $8 students with an ID.
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4 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
Forum Editor / Roman Goldstein / forum@studlife.com
FORUM
FRIDAY | MARCH 18, 2005
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Write a letter to the editor letters@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039 Submit an opinion column forum@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039
STAFF EDITORIAL
Politicos need to butt out of academia T
he Chronicle of Higher Education reported yesterday that the American Civil Liberties Union filed a Freedom of Information Action request “for records about what it described as the federal government’s policy of excluding foreign scholars who have criticized United States policies.” The ACLU alleges that the government denied visas to a Harvard divinity professor because of her role in Nicaragua’s Sandinista movement, as well as a Muslim Notre Dame professor and 61 Cuban academics who wanted to attend a U.S. conference. In other parts of the country, too, academic freedom faces grave threats from the government. Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill that forbids professors from teaching controversial matters and demands that they incorporate dissenting opinions into
their classroom discussion. Politicians in Colorado, meanwhile, are mulling the fate of controversial University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill, who compared World Trade Center workers to a Nazi officer. The governor of Colorado wants to fire him, overriding the sacred academic institution that safeguards academic freedom: tenure. Though the Ohio legislature seems worried that liberal professors are indoctrinating the feeble minds of impressionable students, nothing could be farther from the truth. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 65 percent of high school seniors went to college in 2002, up from 51 percent in 1983. Though our citizens are increasingly college-educated, the results of the last few national elections hardly reveal that the country is moving to the left. Regarding Churchill, the politicians
need to stay out of the University of Colorado’s affairs. As the censure of Harvard President Larry Summers last
In academia, the opposite of progress is Congress.
week shows, the school is well able to take care of itself, including reining in and denouncing those views it finds wrong, inflammatory or morally objectionable. Academia is not an industry in need of more government oversight because of a history of mismanagement, unlike the accounting sector. Free academic inquiry with peer review has
an admirable record of accomplishment and progress in all areas of Western knowledge, from philosophy to quantum field theory. When the powers-that-be interfere with free inquiry, they stall human progress. That’s what happened when the Catholic Church made Galileo recant what he knew to be true: that the earth orbits the sun, not vice versa. And had England’s Parliament been the arbiter of truth in the 19th century, Darwin’s monumental discovery that species evolve over time would have been lost to humanity. Censoring ideas because of their unpopularity or subversiveness has failed for thousands of years, since Socrates; why haven’t today’s politicians learned this? In academia, the opposite of progress is Congress.
Selling out for the right reasons O
JOHNNY CHANG | EDITORIAL CARTOON
ne of the side effects of writing for Student Life is having people know you when you have no idea who they are. I’ve met countless people at parties who have very strong opinions of me without actually knowing me. At a party last semester a group of girls who didn’t really know each other suddenly bonded over the common hatred for the guy standing in the corner. That guy was me, and the very mention of my name resulted in a chorus of “That guy is Brian Schroeder (pronouncing my name like the “Peanuts” character)? I know him. He’s an asshole!” One girl ventured over and asked if I indeed was Brian Schroeder. When people mispronounce my name it’s a good indicator that they don’t really know me, so I braced for the worst. After telling me what happened, she decided to get to know me and after an hour of conversation she decided that I wasn’t as evil as her friends made me out to be. After we parted I realized that maybe I’m using my power as a Forum editor for evil instead of good. I promptly forgot my resolution to start using my powers for good and that was that. Another side effect of working for the paper is dealing with people who want help in getting something published. Usually it’s an announcement about their student group. I try to help, but it’s really out of my sphere of control. Due to space constraints and priorities of the other editors, their information usually isn’t published. I feel bad because, even though I don’t have control, I feel I’m letting them down. Eventually, I put two and two together and came up with a solution that could benefit everyone. I’d use my column to say good things about people and their groups and maybe girls would stop hating me. So here it goes: Brian is now pimping student groups and other things of interest for the benefit of the greater Wash U population. On Wednesday, March 23, Jive will be performing a show at Graham Chapel. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $5. You can purchase the tickets before the show during tabling sessions or you can purchase them at the door on the night of the show. Dem Boyz, After Dark, the Pikers and some group named 1v4 Style or something will be there. I’m not quite sure because my suitemate’s girlfriend wrote this information on a paper towel with a Sharpie so the words bled a little bit. In addition, Meredith also wrote “I (heart picture) U!!!”, which is really nice of her because I’m the kind of guy only a mother could love. I highly recommend going to this show. I saw Jive dance once during a basketball game and they are actually very good. The girls are also really cute, if you’re into that sort of thing, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone. Alright, next is shout-out numero dos. Last night I went to see a special screening of “The Ring: 2” down at this crazy movie theater called Moolah. Moolah isn’t your traditional movie-going experience. It’s downtown on Lindell in the old Mason’s building and looks totally sweet on the inside. Instead of movie seats there are crazy leather couches. Instead of crappy, overpriced condiments, there is a very classy bar. The bartender there doesn’t card and knows how to make over 80 martinis. You can actually drink inside the theatre. This theater is part of the St. Louis Cinema group and is a great alternative to the megaplex. It also combines three of my favorite things: moving pictures, alcohol and occult architecture. Also, “The Ring: 2” was pretty damn cool. I hadn’t seen the first one but I have been told that the second is better. It goes into great detail and explains the story behind that freaky wet chick that lives in a well and kills people who watch crappy home videos. So there you have it. Two things that I promise won’t suck. Hopefully you’ve learned something from today’s article and don’t hate me for it. In this day and age, where partisan reporting is poisoning the good name of journalism, it’s hard to break through the barriers separating us. If cute dancing girls, martinis and scary movies can’t do that, then I don’t know what will. Enjoy your weekend, everyone.
Brian Schroeder
We need a Miss Wash U pageant By Crystal Bickoff Op-ed Submission Since the Mr. Wash U pageant took place just before Spring Break, and because I love to procrastinate during midterms, I thought it would be really fun to write an opinion article about the lack of a Miss Wash U contest. All you feminists out there who are already shouting out in protest because you think that beauty pageants in general promote the objectification of women and should be completely eliminated in this country, read on and see my side. First, the entire premise that we can have a show to choose the “hottest” guy on this campus while we refuse to do the same for the women is entirely hypocritical. If you are going to complain about how the pageant demeans and degrades women, why is it okay to do the same for men? If we take this opinion, why would we not say that objectification of all humans is wrong? Is it really okay with you that men can walk up and down a runway stripping to the sounds of “I’m too sexy”?
A pageant for males is the exact same thing as a pageant for females, besides the fact that you don’t see breasts in a bikini top. In fact, it’s even less classy than the women’s pageants. While the women wear sophisticated clothing, sing or play an instrument for their talent and answer thought-provoking questions, the men treat it as some kind of striptease to see who is the “hottest.” I, however, do not see anything wrong with men’s or women’s beauty contests. Why do we all have to take such a serious attitude about everything at this university? Why can’t we see Mr. Wash U or a theoretical Miss Wash U for what they are? A fun, amusing event that is actually for a good cause. (In the case of Mr. Wash U, the cause is City Faces, which teaches art to at-risk children as an alternative to them spending their time fighting or doing drugs). Why not have a Miss Wash U contest and donate the money to a women’s shelter or the St. Louis County school system or anything we want? Clearly, the Mr. Wash U pageant does not actually pick the “best-looking” boy on this
campus, because, obviously, not every goodlooking boy applies to be a part of it. But the mere fact that it isn’t really a serious event, like it is at many state universities, actually makes it so much better! It is a relaxed atmosphere that is focused on helping the community. To not have a Miss Wash U pageant because certain people think that it is inappropriate or degrading to women means that we are looking in the wrong direction. By taking this attitude, we are in effect strengthening the inequalities between men and women and ignoring a potentially very successful philanthropy event. As students of Washington University, both men and women, we should all examine exactly why we don’t have a Miss Wash U pageant and determine if the stubbornness and inflexibility of old opinions really is worth not having this great event. Crystal is a senior in the School of Business. She is can be reached via e-mail at bickoffc@wustl.edu.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Consistent AP policy needed Dear Editor: Re: “How much AP credit should we credit?” [Mar. 16, 2005]. I can understand Melissa Miller’s concerns for equal treatment in the class registration process, but I disagree. Someone who is more qualified for higher-level classes should be allowed to register for them earlier. Not all credit brought in from high school is AP credit. As an Architecture student with credits from two AP courses and a slew of previous college classes, I am limited to 15 credits (even
STUDENT LIFE Editor in Chief Associate Editor Senior News Editor Senior Forum Editor Senior Cadenza Editor Senior Scene Editor Senior Sports Editor
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though I had over 30 from being dually enrolled in high school and college), and receive no registration benefits at all. I also came from a public high school with very few AP courses available, but I attended night school for two years to challenge myself and get a better education (accumulating 24 college credits). While I am sure that helped me get into Wash U (a reward in itself), it does not seem quite right that I am of the same standing as a freshman that did not take any college credit. In order to get into classes
I am qualified to take as a result of my previous experience, I have to petition and get special permission from the professor, because not all my classes show up on my record and I am not of the correct class standing. Miller brings up a very important question, though, that should be further addressed: Why is there such disparity between schools’ policies?
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Brian is a senior in the Olin School of Business and a Forum Edtior for Student Life. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.
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Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com
FRIDAY | MARCH 18, 2005
CONCERT PREVIEW
STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
5
MOVIE CLASSIC
Altman’s “Secret Honor”
Guitar Wolf: The coolest band on Earth?
By Edmund Fruchter Contributing Reporter If Robert Altman had retired 15 years ago, he would have stood among giants. Fortunately, he still allows us a fi lm every now and then, but we have to wait, and we have little problem with that. “Secret Honor” is unlike any other Altman fi lm. Indeed, it may be unlike any other fi lm I have ever seen. It operates on a level of simplicity that not only approaches but ascends the Chekovian. Phillip Baker Hall stands alone and, for 90 minutes, embodies Richard Nixon with a demeanor so precise, he soon transcends the performance. It is a character so complex that we might have lifted it from the canon of Shakespeare, yet it is uniquely American and terrifying in its authenticity. With a gun, a bottle of Chivas Regal and a tape-recorder, Nixon begins a descent into fi re. He begins optimistically, speaking of his dreams for the American youth, breaking every now and then to inform his assistant, who will later listen to the tape, what and where to erase. On the wall hang portraits of Kissinger, Lincoln and various other presidents. At drunken, pitiful moments, he speaks to them. Secret Honor Then, as the layers begin to peel Directed by: Robert Altman back, we are greeted with the Nixon of Starring: Phillip Baker Hall folklore: drunkenly spitting vitriol in Released: 1984 all directions, cursing up a storm and shifting moods so randomly, we begin to re-evaluate the significance of an electoral landslide. He hits all the familiar topics (Kissinger, Deepthroat, the Kennedy family, childhood), but what we get is a different perspective than that of academics and historians. Phillip Baker Hall burns white hot, but at the moments when the focus turns to Nixon’s mother, he displays a combination of tenderness and regret, fear and eventual hatred. The look of the fi lm is slightly grainy and rugged, but such is the cost of shooting on straight 16mm fi lm. “Secret Honor” was fi lmed over several days while Altman was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, and almost every crew position was fi lled by a student. The low-budget look lends authenticity and roughness. As Nixon speaks into the tape recorder, he imagines that he is speaking before a court of law, and directs his statements with precision and eloquence, referring to himself in the third person as “my client.” The theory advanced by Altman’s Nixon is one of double-crosses and falsehoods that serve greater ideals and moral imperatives. Consider this soliloquy: “All right, your Honor, what did my client do? Well, I’ll tell you this—he took the hardest possible way. He chose to orchestrate the tapes like a great drama. He chose secret honor. Yeah, sure. Secret honor. And public shame.” In the end, Nixon goes out on a particularly savage note, which I cannot even begin to describe. But rest assured, it is a Nixon we have never seen, and, thanks to Altman, one we will never forget. It evokes terror and, dare I say it, sympathy for one of the great American villains of our or any other time.
“What do you mean you don’t have sake?!” Guitar Wolf promises to rock you this Wednesday at the Creepy Crawl. By Sherief Gaber Contributing Reporter Guitar Wolf is much cooler than me. Chances are they are also much cooler than you. I’ll keep score of how cool they are, just so you can get a sense. Guitar Wolf is a three-piece Japanese (+10 points) punk/ garage band (+20) who dress in black leather (+10), drink beer and smoke cigarettes (+10) and wear sunglasses, even in the dark (+5). The trio—Guitarwolf Seiji (+5), Drumwolf Toru (+5) and Basswolf Billy (+10, for alliteration)—is often described as “the loudest band on the planet” (+5). Guitar Wolf plays loud, fast, gritty rock ‘n’ roll inspired by the likes of The Ramones and Joan Jett at volumes designed to destroy expensive stereo equipment (+30). With album titles like “Rock ‘n’ Roll Etiquette” and song titles like “Kawasaki ZII750 Rock ‘n’ Roll” (+20), Guitar Wolf does not fuck around, and they even include a fair amount of covers of classic rock ‘n’ roll songs—including an awesome version of “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” (+10). Best of all, Guitar Wolf have their own documentary, “Wild Zero.” It recounts the time when flesh-
eating zombies AND aliens (+30) tried to kill everyone on earth and Guitar Wolf had to stop them (+50), with violence (+50). Maybe it isn’t a documentary, but this movie is full of guns, gore and rock (+50): the subtitles have “fuck” spelled with 10 ‘u’s and eight exclamation marks—“FUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!” (+180). Try watching the movie and taking a drink every time a) somebody says “rock ‘n’ roll”, b) somebody combs his hair, c) anytime anything blows up and d) anytime fi re shoots out of anything. You’ll probably die (+1,000), and they don’t even care—that’s how awesome Guitar Wolf is. The band is scheduled to play a show on Wed., March 23 at the Creepy Crawl, where they will undeniably rock. Coolness Total: 1,500
Guitar Wolf with The International Playboys, Ded Bugs, Corbeta Corbata, the Electric Wed., March 23 at the Creepy Crawl, 412 N. Tucker Doors open at 7 p.m. $10 for 21+, $12 for under 21
Long-View vies for Coldplay’s Brit pop title By Adam Summerville Contributing Reporter
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It seems as though each year a wave of Brit pop bands comes over to America with one emerging as the public’s favorite. Coldplay held the title a few years ago, Keane tried for it last year with a modicum of success and Long-View vies for the crown this year. If Coldplay succeeded, then “Mercury” proves Long-View to be more than capable of capturing the ears of America. Long-View is an evolution of the standard Brit pop formula, with a good mix of both very catchy pop songs and slower, more emotional songs. The band’s sound is that of a bastard child of U2 and Coldplay. However, the band follows the formula a little too closely and at times seems uninspired. The members of Long-View are proficient with their instruments, but none shine in any particular way. The guitar parts in particular sound a bit guarded, using the standard chord progressions, never attempting anything very fun or interesting. Despite the fact
that the members are a bit mundane individually, this is a case in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. In its entirety the band has a good cohesion with each part in its proper place, giving lead singer Rob McVey’s gripping voice center stage. Lyrically, the band does nothing to set itself apart from the other contenders, save for the very religious and slightly out of place track, “Further.” The lyrics are well written and surprisingly beguiling. Long-View seems to be nothing special, but it cannot be denied that they have a certain “je ne sais quoi.” The band is agreeable to almost all musical palates, but they do not fall into the trap of being so broad in interest that they are devoid of any depth. Given the backlog of material they have to port over to America, I believe we will be hearing Long-View for quite some time.
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6 STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS
FRIDAY | MARCH 18, 2005
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--SUMMER HELP -Apartment leasing/ clerical, or maintenance/ clean-up/fix-up for W.U. area apartment management company. 725 -5757. FULL TIME AND PART TIME position available. Picking and packing orders along with shipping and receiving. Must be able to lift 100 pounds. Please send your resume to: mmoore @ thealanco.com. Or mail to: Warehouse Position, 4410 Hunt Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110. Indicate full or part time. FUN SUMMER JOB Counselors / Instructors needed for residential Summer camp located in Warrenton, MO (1 hour west of St. Louis). Must love kids and the outdoors! Lifeguards (certification necessary), horsemanship (experience required). Rock climbing/ rappelling, ropes course, hiking, archery, arts & crafts, fishing, and mountain biking. Experience helpful, but not necessary. We will train. Competitive salary plus room and board provided. For more info call or email: DEER HOLLOW RANCH (314) 469- 0100. dhr@hopeandrews.com. GET PAID FOR YOUR OPINIONS! Earn $15 -125 and more per survey! w w w.money for sur veys .com WANNA MAKE GREAT money? Do you provide great customer service? Student Life is currently hiring reps to call on local and university clients. Light sales, mostly client service oriented. Freshman & sophomores preferred. Email resume to advertising@studlife.com
2 BEDROOM IN THE LOOP, living room, big eat-in kitchen. Central AC, washer/ dryer hookups, great offstreet parking. Water, sewer and trash included. $595/mo. 314-567-9992 or seanrosen@aol.com 3 BEDROOM 1.5 BATH APARTMENT. Half block from RED line shuttle. Many amenities! For more info www.homeandapartmentre ntals.com Tom 314.409.2733 6337 N. ROSEBURY, CLAYTON. Large 3+ bedroom apartment close to campus with central air, dishwasher, laundry, off-street parking, great neighborhood. Available June 1. $1425/month. 314-984-0258 or 860-7485419. CLAYTON, U. CITY Loop, CWE and Dogtown. Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms. Quiet buildings. $350 -$750. Call 725 -5757.
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NEWLY RENOVATED, SPACIOUS one bedroom apartments. Hardwood floors, washer/dryer, dishwasher. No pets. Non - smokers only. Manager on premises. Near campus. $600/month. 3691016.
GOING ABROAD? IF YOU’RE GOING abroad Spring ‘06 and want to live off-campus Fall ‘05, come and live with us! Contact hagger t yk @ olin.wustl.edu or 314-306 -2296.
7038 AMHERST AVE. two bedroom, one bath 1300 square ft. walk to Loop and WU. Great condition. $800/mo. Available April 1. 314-322- 4936.
APPLE EMAC G4/700: 768 MB RAM, 40 GB HD, OS 10.2 freshly installed. Keyboard, mouse, original system disks. $450. Contact mpmenden @wustl.edu QUEEN-SIZE AND LOVESEAT-SIZE futons; black wood frames, mattresses and matching covers. Excellent condition. $100 for both; will sell separately. Call 725 2619.
ADULT NOVELTIES, TOYS, cards, ballons, more. Host a Toy Party. Call for details. Heffalumps, 387 N. Euclid 63108. Phone: 314-3610544, Fax: 314-361-2911.
GREAT HOTEL SPACE for Graduation, Parent’s Weekend & all other times. St. Louis Wash. U. Travel Agent Joe Lang. 1-800 -737-1900 ext. 121.
ANNOUNCING $450 GROUP FUNDRAISER SCHEDULING Bonus. 4 hours of your group’s time PLUS our free (yes, free) fundraising solutions EQUALS $1,000 $2,000 in earnings for your group. Call TODAY for a $450 bonus when you schedule your non-sales fundraiser with CampusFundraiser. Contact CampusFundraiser, (888) 923-3238 or visit www. campusfundraiser.com JUST THE FACTS. REAL. Actual. Truth. Factoid. www.justthefacts.wustl. edu.
Your Horoscope for Friday, March 18, 2005 By Linda C. Black, Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (03-18-05). True love is liable to find you this year, perhaps in a familiar package. With that in your arsenal, you really don’t need much of anything else. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 6. Don’t try to fix the problems you’re facing at home by yourself. That’s never going to work. Get help from everybody involved. It’s your only chance. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 7. If you keep your nose to the grindstone, by later today you’ll be ready to frolic. And, even better yet, you’ll have both the time and the money. That’s just the way you like it. Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 5. If you’ve handled the situation wisely over the last few days, great
wealth can be yours today and tomorrow. If not, well, it’s proportionate. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 7. At last, the path ahead is clear. Your success seems assured. All you have to do is go from here to there, but watch out for bumps. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 5. Stand back and let the others argue. Let yourself be educated. By the time you make your decision, the answer will be obvious. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is an 8. A rather hectic couple of days will ease into a celebration. Make a date to get together with friends in a place where you can let off steam. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6. Production has trouble keeping up with sales, as previously warned. Don’t let shortages take the client by surprise. Call and tell the truth. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 9. Look at your life from a different perspective, and you’ll be able to see the
wonderful things you have accomplished. Just see how far you’ve come. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 5. An item you thought was out of reach may be affordable now. The trick is to get someone else, like a bank, to go into the deal with you. Get the best rate you can find. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is an 8. You’re getting smarter, and you realize you don’t have to go it alone. Use what you’ve recently learned to help you choose a perfect assistant.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 6. You might choose to go back to work to find some peace and quiet. It’s not a bad scheme, since the money you can earn looks pretty generous now. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is an 8. A recent conflict is forgotten, well almost, anyway. Let it go and sooner or later the others will do the same.
Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com
FRIDAY | MARCH 18, 2005
STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
7
MOVIE REVIEW
Robots: A real clunker By Adam Summerville
engages the audience. Given this rant, it should be obvious that “Robots” is a weak movie with a lackluster plot Ten years ago, Hollywood was certain that and weak characters, disguised as the flavor the surefi re formula for a children’s movie of the week. “Robots” takes the “quantity over was a traditionally animated musical with a quality” style of characters, introducing a new love story and a couple of irreverent characcharacter at the pace of one every five minutes. ters that would make pop-culture references, Most get about three to five lines throughout because Disney was able to dominate with that the movie, meaning that essentially everyone formula. Currently, Hollywood is convinced but Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams (God that CG movies with current movie stars proknows how many souls he has sold to the devil viding the voices of a rag-tag group that goes to remain popular for so long), Mel Brooks and on a journey of self-discovery and personal Greg Kinnear has a slightly extended cameo. growth is the answer, because Pixar has been The movie has quite the nice actor pedigree, able to dominate with it. but few of them seem What Hollywood comfortable in their needs to realize is roles; the conversaRobots that these “magic” tions are stilted and formulas are just awkward at times. the flavor of the Directed by: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha This is a shame since month trappings Featuring the voices of: Ewan McGregor, the average moviethat cover the good Robin Williams, Greg Kinnear, Mel Brooks goer might think, story and characters “Hey, if Craig T. that the audience Grade: CNelson can do a great cares about. It Final word: Continues in the bland children’s job, think of what doesn’t matter if movie trend of weak characters and a hackthis cast can do,” it is traditionally neyed story. and will walk away animated or CG, it Now playing at: Galleria 6, AMC Esquire disappointed with doesn’t matter if it “Robots.” is a musical or not, The plot is every it doesn’t matter bit as disappointing as the characters. “Roif it has unknown voice actors or stars. The bots” uses the aforementioned “group of only things that matter are the characters misfits on a journey of self discovery” plot and the plot. It is because Hollywood sees the that has already been used in “Shrek” 1 and 2, current trends, thinks that America is stupid “A Bug’s Life,” “Antz,” “Toy Story” 1 and 2, “The and believes that it can pass off a piece of Incredibles,” etc. However, since you actually trash wrapped in the current blueprint that cared about the characters in those fi lms and these formulas get dropped so quickly. Holmost were just different enough to keep your lywood needs to stop believing its own hype interest, those movies were actually entertainand needs to create a narrative that actually
Contributing Reporter
ing. However, in “Robots” everything seems manufactured (no pun intended). The villains are unilaterally evil with no motivation for their actions save for the sake of being nasty. The dangers seem artificially contrived and the movie feels forced to say that there are
looks like a fully realized world taken from someone’s imagination. The cities are essentially giant Rube Goldberg machines and are full of fancy. And some of the ideas of a fully robot world are amusing and cute, such as the fact that essentially every single inanimate ob-
problems instead of letting the audience decide for themselves. There are also a couple of plot points at which an explanation is never attempted and could easily have been remedied by an extra five minutes added to the movie. However, the movie is not entirely devoid of charm and interest. “Robots” is perhaps the most gorgeous movie ever created. It is the fi rst CG fi lm that does not look strictly like a cheap facsimile of the real world, but instead
ject in the world is a robot itself. However, this is not to say that it is original, since anything seemingly new was already on “Futurama.” The cute use of robots and the luscious visuals are not enough to compensate for the weak plot and stale characters. For those who want to see a good CG movie, watch “The Incredibles” again.
CONCERT REVIEW
The Flipside of Pop Culture By Tyler Weaver
Interpol, in concert, struggles with its godlike status By Jordan Deam
So Hootie, Big Mac, and the King of Pop walk into a bar... It’s been quite the couple of weeks for pop culture icons I’ve loved—or at least admired—in the past. Here’s a look at three of the most egregious newsmakers for whom I once had real affection. Darius Rucker — Once upon a time, for about three days in the summer of 1995, everyone and their mother—literally— loved Hootie and the Blowfish. Those genial dudes who sang “Hold My Hand” were a bit too wholesome to grab the hem of cool, but their hits were so damn catchy that you just had to crank down the car window and cry about the Dolphins. Personally, I dug Hootie hardcore, and stand rigid behind their second album (“Fairweather Johnson”), a Southern pop gem Michael Stipe should envy. But the backlash came, the sales crashed to Earth (or someplace below) and—in early 2005—lead singer Darius Rucker strapped on a sequined cowboy suit and a shiny hat to croon an ode to Burger King’s Bacon Cheddar Ranch burger. I mean … my God. I LOVED Hootie. I’m not ashamed. They put on a great show! Even now! They’re like a great bar band done good! But … Burger King? I suppose I can take solace that B.B. King’s already been there, but then again the master of Blues didn’t deck himself out in the Village People’s backup pajamas. Darius … why you punish me? Mark McGwire — Anybody who didn’t think Big Mac was on steroids is probably still pulling for O.J. to fi nd the real killer. Nevertheless, you could scarcely fi nd a soul in August of ’98 that wasn’t dead-on enthralled by the slugger’s quest for 61. People who didn’t know a bunt from base words for the female anatomy were suddenly throwing out pitching matchups and home-field possibilities. My own love of baseball, whittled to a splinter after the ’94 strike, reblossomed along with everyone else’s. It really was a magical chase. Ah, but what. Now, with our pastime’s dirty laundry blowing out of every closet that couldn’t get a major-league contract, St. Louis’ adopted national hero looks less like a home run king than a gummy, intolerant geriatric, snapping press releases towards the latest accusation and buttoning his lip against any further explanation. The dude’s bitching about a subpoena from Congress, for Christ’s sake—as if an afternoon on Capitol Hill might drop a kink into his packed schedule shilling for Hardee’s. Really, the only thing McGwire has going for him now is the jackass who broke his record, a particular outfielder who—what with his arrogance and what-the-f*** references to ‘70s television—makes the new Big Mac look like Billy Graham. And that’s saying something. Michael Jackson — One of my loud family’s favorite yarns to spin about toddler-age Tyler is my seizure of a dance floor in an Ontario resort home in order to bust some languid Michael Jackson dance moves. “Oh,” my mom/dad/sister will swoon, “Remember that time Ty danced around the floor at Cleveland’s House? Oh, <forkful of dinner> that was so cute!” And so on. Basically, I was a big time dork for the King of Pop, getting scolded for throwing my ballcap “Smooth Criminal”-style at school, asking my aunt why the singer on her Jackson 5 tape was black. What now? I’ll avoid the easy jokes and just say our boy MJ looks to be jailbound for a very, very long time. None of us can argue with it (have you seen those jokers outside the courthouse with their “I SUPPORT MICHAEL” signs? It’s like speeding past a Perot sticker on the highway), but damn, people are taking such joy in this lurid judicial downfall. Um, what are we rooting for here, exactly? Even if the dude’s guilty, it just means some helpless kids got fiddled with. We’ll never really be able to enjoy “Billie Jean” again, at least not without feeling halfway gross on the floor. Whither the old Michael, whither “I Want You Back” and “Thriller?” Ah, well. I guess I’ll just put on my Hootie albums instead.
Staff Reporter On the night of March 15, 2005, the clouds parted in the northern sky over the Pageant, and the New York post-punk quintet Interpol descended from the heavens on a shimmering moonbeam to send a soldout crowd into alternating fits of ecstasy and despair. That is to say, expectations were high for the hipster demi-gods— maybe impossibly so. The evening began on a lackluster note, with lead singer Paul Banks struggling to stay on pitch while belting out the lilting “Next Exit,” the album-opener from last year’s “Antics.” Daniel Kessler’s monophonic guitar lines were choppy and labored, but the sampled Hammond organ did wonders to fi ll up a song brimming with empty space. The rest of their set featured a song selection culled
fairly evenly between both their LPs, and, unsurprisingly, the best moments came from their material from “Turn On the Bright Lights.” While “Obstacle 1” couldn’t quite match the blistering intensity of the album version, the washed-out, delayed strumming of “NYC” sounded absolutely epic. They followed with “Take You On A Cruise,” one of the best tracks on “Antics,” which flaunted Sam Fogarino’s tight, propulsive drumming and Carlos Dengler’s jerky basslines. While Bank’s voice sounded better and better as the set went on, the energy of the band was surprisingly lacking. The band’s keyboardist spent most of the show either offstage or stiffly standing in a pose reminiscent of a prison security guard. Opening act Q and not U earned the audience’s attention by neatly JELLE WAGENAAR | MATADOR RECORDS upstaging the headliners in energy and stage presence. While the drumming didn’t quite match Interpol’s spot-on precision, vocalist/multiinstrumentalist Christopher Richards stole the show with his manic dancing, punchy basslines and the unmistakable siren-song of his baritone melodica. Like a serpent charmer, he had the crowd enrapt each time its gleaming plastic keys approached the mic.
CD REVIEW
Iron & Wine delivers more great folk, plus some new tricks By Robbie Gross Staff Reporter The oxymoronic title to Sam Beam’s latest Iron & Wine EP says it all. While the album is certainly interested in feminine and feminist issues, the music itself stands out far more than the lyrical content. In Beam’s fi rst two releases, the low-fi “The Creek Drank the Cradle” and “The Sea & the Rhythm,” he proved he had found a folksy formula—soft voice, sweet melodies and intimately domestic lyrics—that could have easily led to 100 albums of equal beauty. Surprisingly however, “Woman King” is not a return to these bread-and-butter roots, but rather continues where he left off with his 2004 LP “Our Endless Numbered Days.” Beam has taken his music above the sparseness of basement recordings and injected it with more sound than ever before. This wedding of electric guitar and Sam Beam is as strange as the wedding of woman and king. Only, it works. As with Iron & Wine’s previous albums, the fi rst track on “Woman King” sets the tone for the rest of the album. Just as “On Your Wings,” the fi rst track of “Our Endless Numbered Days,” aims to surprise its listeners with a rare introduction of drums at the end of the song, the title track on “Woman King” commences the album with an initial blast of clicking percussion. The staple of Beam instrumentals—the slide guitar—soon follows in an untypical way. It compliments the percussion rather than vice-versa, serving as a symbol of a musical departure. Lyrically, the song
continues in the tradition of producing remarkable images, as Beam shows the emperor as woman, closing with the haunting portrait of a “woman king, bloodshot eye / thumb down and starting to weep.” This theme of innocent woman corrupted runs throughout the album. In the melodically gorgeous “Jezebel” he sings of she who was “born to be the woman we could blame.” In “Gray Stables” it becomes the “lady, like a teacup on the counter / frail, pleasing everyone.” The album’s six songs oscillate musically between sparse and full, lyrically between sweet and coarse. In the fi nal track, “Evening on the Ground (Lilith’s Song),” violin and electric guitar are introduced, producing a climactic sound to go along with perhaps Beam’s most ostensibly caustic lines yet: “We were born to fuck each other / one way or another.” The EP concludes just as it should. As a fantastic short spurt of music it leaves nothing to be desired—except that it were a bit more oxymoronic and extended.
Iron & Wine Woman King EP Sub Pop Records For fans of: Nick Drake, Elliott Smith Grade: AFinal word: Another fantastic folk offering from Iron & Wine. Download these tracks: “Woman King,” “Jezebel,” “Evening on the Ground”
8 STUDENT LIFE | CADENZA
Cadenza Editor / Matt Simonton / cadenza@studlife.com
CADEN Z A
FRIDAY | MARCH 18, 2005
n. a technically brilliant sometimes improvised solo passage toward the close of a concerto, an exceptionally brilliant part of an artistic work
arts & entertainment
“I’m gonna be a rock star” Defying your major, your potential future and your celebrity counterpart By Laura Vilines Cadenza Fine Arts Editor Almost everyone on campus knows that most pre-med students spend hours in the basement of the library, poring over lecture notes and textbooks, and that these soon-to-be-MDs are often many of the most competitive and intense students on campus. The pre-meds, however, can only be outdone by the architecture students (or archies), who by the end of their sophomore years have virtually taken up residence in Givens Hall, where they have constructed makeshift living facilities, complete with sleeping bags, alarm clocks and the occasional crockpot. In addition, many Wash U undergrads believe that the B-school students might as well be attending preschool as they prepare for vacations on Martha’s Vineyard and Friday afternoon golf outings. And the Art students, in contrast, are creative geniuses who occasionally emerge from Bixby or the Lewis Center, venturing to main campus only in order to complete a project. Even though Wash U boasts a diverse and multi-talented student population, one in which almost every undergrad has at least two majors and a variety of minors, almost every major here at the University is still accompanied by its very own stereotype. However, while your choice of major may determine how others view you here at college, the good news is that this decision won’t necessarily affect how you’re viewed after your four years here at Wash U. As Cadenza explored the world of pop culture, we discovered just how easily you can escape the predestined future your college major seems to promise. Many American icons have defied their early academic leanings, and based on these celebrities and their incredible successes, it may be easier to escape your college past (and major) than you ever thought possible.
Major: Music (Piano) Celebrity Counterpart: Condoleezza Rice
www.whitehouse.gov
Major: English Celebrity Counterpart: Sally Ride, astronaut
Condoleezza (or Condi, as the press often prefers) began her academic career as a piano performance major and has recently become one of the most powerful women in the world after taking over Colin Powell’s position as Secretary of State. From playing the three B’s to working for W, apparently this Southern woman can do it all; so for those of you who have visions of completing your politically charged rock opera senior thesis project Green Day-style, maybe you should bypass Billie Joe Armstrong and look straight to Condi for musical inspiration. A suggested song title: “Condi for Prez-2008.”
Major: Education Celebrity Counterpart: Gene Simmons
Major: Psychology Celebrity Counterpart: Hugh Hefner
www.mpwright.com www.eonline.com
If you believe that as an English literature major your only future job prospects include teaching fi fth grade reading classes or applying for the assistant manager’s position at the local Walgreen’s, then also consider sending your resume to NASA, because apparently Shakespeare gurus can be astronauts, too. Sally Ride, the fi rst American woman to enter space, studied English literature at Stanford and has provided the perfect example for all of those bookworms who need to convince their parents to drop $40,000 a year on a degree that can be seemingly attained from your public library. If Sally Ride can major in literature and travel to outer-space, then surely your English major will take you somewhere other than your closest drugstore or local BP.
It might have been dumb luck or a deep knowledge of Freudian complexes, but somehow, this former psychology major from Northwestern was able to begin the most profitable men’s magazine of all time and launch an empire that would leave him at 77 years old with a $50 million estate, the most notorious bachelor pad in the world and seven live-in girlfriends. If your psychology major doesn’t prompt you to start your own profitable enterprise, then maybe it will at least provide you with the knowledge to land at least one Playboy bunny of your own.
www.afgrant.com
Born in Israel and fluent in four languages, this education major and former sixth grade teacher is more well remembered for spitting blood than for positively shaping the minds of America’s youth. After realizing that his students disliked him, Simmons quit teaching and formed KISS, one of the most influential and visually memorable rock groups of all time. So, if education isn’t your true calling and you have a tongue worthy of attention, grab a bass and consider starting your own KISS cover band. But one word of caution: don’t let your principal fi nd out—he might just want to join the band.
Fighting Irish Storm Your Stereo By Susannah Cahalan Cadenza Staff St. Patrick’s Day weekend is officially underway. Whether or not you are of Irish ancestry, it’s time for corned beef and cabbage, four leaf clovers, excessive intoxication and, most importantly, music. In the wake of early ‘90s singer/songwriter skinheads Sinead O’Connor and Dolores O’Riordan, it seemed as if the luck of the Irish music industry ran out. But the fighting Celtic singers are back, topping billboard charts, surpassing critic’s expectations and selling out arenas. The quintessential Irish rocker, Van Morrison is touring again with a new album, “Magic Time,” due out in early May. Concerts are selling out in record time with ticket prices in the hundreds. He may be old, fading and probably not worth a fraction of the ticket prices (let alone dealing with the baby boomer crowd), but this Irishman still has it in him. And a St. Patrick’s Day without a sing-along to “Brown Eyed Girl” or “Domino” would be sacrilegious. Also, if you’re planning on throwing a St. Patty’s party without Morrison’s “Irish Heartbeat”—featuring traditional Irish band, The Chieftains—prepare yourself for a soulless Celtic celebration. Back in 1976 when The Edge was David Evans and Bono was Paul Hewson, the members of U2 were simply Dublin lads with a penchant for Beatles and Stones covers. Now they’re “the biggest band in the world” with their sixth number one album “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.” Although the new material is subpar, U2 is the most enduringly popular band to come out of Ireland.
Not to knock a fellow Irishman, but let’s face it, Bono has become the “alternative rock” equivalent to Lucky (from Lucky Charms commercials), searching for world peace rather than the pot of gold. Nevertheless, a St. Patty’s Day is only complete with at least one song off of “The Joshua Tree.” My personal favorite Gaelic rockers are Snow Patrol, Luka Bloom and Alyanya. Praised for their fantastic album “Final Straw,” Snow Patrol is critically acclaimed and has gathered a veritable following in the States. But Luka Bloom and Alyanya, both folk singers with Celtic roots, have gone Van Morrison unnoticed. The prototypical middle-aged “man with a guitar,” Bloom has recently released a new CD, already an available hit in Ireland (particularly in County Tiperara, his and my own native county). Bloom is known for his poignant covers of The Cure (download “In Between Days”) and Radiohead (“No Surprises” is gut-wrenching). He toured with
Alyanya around the States, and played near my N.J. hometown. Although I was impressed by Bloom, it was Alyanya that truly embodied the Irish spirit. If you can fi nd it, I suggest listening to the song “Rise.” Her voice is a rare beauty—strong, yet controlled with tremendous range—and she’s killer with a guitar. She makes a fellow Irishwoman proud, plus she has a full head of hair. Then there are also those singers with a small amount of Irish blood. John Lennon and Paul McCartney both claim Irish ancestry and both have had a successful year. Lennon posthumously released a live acoustic album (uneven, but still amazing) that reached the Billboard charts, while Paul McCartney sang surprisingly well at the Super Bowl. Coincidence? I think not. The stars must be lined up in four-leaf-clover position. Finally, the dourest prince of them all, Mr. Morrissey, came out of retirement with “You are the Quarry” and about 30 extra pounds. But, as he reveals in the song, “Irish Blood, English Heart,” he too is a singer of Gaelic descent. Who knew? Try imagining Morrissey creating limericks instead of petulant melodies: “There once was a man from Nantucket … with a thorn in his side.” And oh yeah, for all of you Enya fans out there—you know who you are (and should be ashamed of yourself)—her new box set is available and she’s currently in the works on a new album! With all these Irish artists storming the music industry and Boston dominating all professional sports, it’s clear that 2005 will truly be the year of the Irishman. So celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with an eclectic mix of folk, rock, blues and Enya. Of course, don’t forget to buy the Guinness, because if it’s the year of Irish there’s going to be a lot of drinking.