The Dartmouth 11/05/2019

VOL. CLXXVI NO. 96

CHANCE RAIN HIGH 53 LOW 31

OPINION

ADELBERG: FREE THE LIBRA PAGE 4

ALLARD: THE SUMMER MY MOM TURNED LIBERTARIAN PAGE 4

ARTS

REVIEW: ‘THE LAUNDROMAT’ A DISJOINTED, LACKLUSTER CHRONICLE PAGE 7

THE PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA’S MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BRING HISTORY TO LIFE ON STAGE PAGE 8

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Russell Muirhead Senior society tapping dates set, named interim director unrecognized groups pose issues of Rockefeller Center B y THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Government department chair and Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics Russell Muirhead has been named interim director of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy effective Dec. 1, the College announced today. “ I a m exc i t e d t o d o everything I can to support the great things happening at Rocky,” Muirhead wrote in

an email statement to The Dartmouth. “I love the way Rocky inspires in students a care for public things and equips them with the skills and confidence to make a difference in the world.”

The Rockefeller Center offers classes to support its public policy minor, conducts a variety of leadership and experiential learning programs, and hosts frequent public lectures and SEE MUIRHEAD PAGE 2

Student creates new app to increase course selection information B y GRACE LEE The Dartmouth

Course election is often a stressful time for Dartmouth students. Failing to register for a class can lead to entire alterations of a term schedule.

Frantic messaging, swapping of classes and begging a professor to let you into class all comprise this stressful time.

In an attempt to combat

this kind of stress, John McCambridge ’22 created a new app called Dartdrop during the 2019 spring break. Dartdrop — a play on “add-drop” — is a mobile application that helps students at Dartmouth make decisions about classes during course selection by compiling information about classes and providing SEE DARTDROP PAGE 5

NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Sphinx is one of 14 recognized senior societies at Dartmouth.

B y LAUREN ADLER The Dartmouth

Each year during the winter and spring terms, some members of the junior class are tapped

by Dartmouth’s senior societies — groups that mostly remain secret until most members reveal themselves at graduation.

Tapping dates have been set for Feb. 11 to Feb. 15 for the winter term and April 7 to 11 in the spring, according to Office of Greek Life director Brian Joyce.

However, the tapping dates set by the Office of Greek Life can be complicated by the operations of unrecognized senior societies at the College.

Dartmouth has 14 recognized senior societies — Abaris, Andromeda, Atlas, Casque and

Gauntlet, Chimera, Cobra, Fire and Skoal, Griffin, Olympus, Order of the Sirens, Phoenix, Pyxis and Sphinx. The exact number of unrecognized societies is unknown, although the president of one recognized society told The Dartmouth she knows of fewer than five unrecognized societies.

According to the College’s website, approximately 31 percent of seniors become members of senior societies, each of which is “unique in character and composition.” Members of secret societies usually do not reveal themselves until the end of their senior year, either in the Aegis yearbook or by carrying a cane at graduation that signifies a specific organization.

For recognized societies, the

tapping process occurs during an officially designated tapping week that occurs during both the winter and spring terms. Before this period, societies send lists of all of their potential ‘tappees’ to the Office of Greek Life, which then responds to the societies by designating tappees as “singletap,” meaning that the person is only being recruited by one society, or “multi-tap,” meaning that the person is wanted by two or more societies. Societies then decide internally which prospective members to tap.

Societies are only allowed to reach out to tappees during the tapping period and must confirm members by the end of this period. This process occurs SEE TAPPING PAGE 3

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THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

Search for permanent Rocky director taking longer than expected FROM MUIRHEAD PAGE 1

debates. “ We n e e d Ro c k y : n o t t o be dramatic, but the fate of constitutional democracy is more uncertain than at any time since the 1930’s,” Muirhead wrote. “There is no doubt in my mind that our country and our world are going to depend on your generation to renovate our politics and put things right. We need to discover new ways of making government seem worthy to citizens—because not many look at it and find it worthy right now.

So Rocky’s mission is urgent, now more than ever.”

Muirhead has taught classes in the government department in American and contemporary political thought since 2009 and became chair of the government department this year. He has also served as the co-director of the Political Economy Project since its inception in 2014. Before coming to Dartmouth, he taught at the University of Texas at Austin,

Harvard University and Williams College.

Muirhead is also the author of three books. His most recent, “A Lot of People are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy,” compares moder n-day conspiracy with “classic conspiracy theory” and was published this year. His other works, “The Promise of Party in a Polarized Age” and “Just Work,” were published in 2014 and 2004, respectively.

The Center has been without a per manent director since economics professor Andrew Samwick finished his contract as director and returned to teaching in June. The search for a new director will continue as Muirhead assumes the interim position but has taken longer than expected, according to a College press release.

The director must be a tenured faculty member, so the search may continue for months as a candidate goes through Dartmouth’s tenure review process.

CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com.

ELI BURAKIAN/COURTESY OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

Muirhead has taught at Dartmouth since 2009 and is currently serving as chair of the government department.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

Unrecognized tapping creates logistical problems

society and they accept their tap, they wouldn’t even have a chance to decide during both the winter and spring terms, which one they want to be in. It gives with the list of members sent to the Office them less flexibility, less awareness of Greek Life in the winter applying to and less transparency throughout the process.” both terms of tapping.

The society president said that one “The Office of Greek Life works closely with Dartmouth’s recognized way to improve the tapping process senior societies to uphold the values would be to implement a formalized and standards set by our community,” method for negotiations between Joyce wrote in an email statement. societies after each organization learns “This partnership is important, and which prospective members on their lists are single- and multiwe encourage taps. She said that all students to this process could affiliate with “Someone could prevent situations r e c o g n i z e d get tapped by an in which confusion organizations over which society t o b o l s t e r unrecognized society is tapping certain t h e s t u d e n t either earlier or tappees results experience.” later than the formal in those tappees Because accidentally getting unrecognized tapping week, and passed over, which s o c i e t i e s it could impact the has happened in the are mostly past. u n r e g u l a t e d people on the lists “Some people have by the College, of all the recognized been listed as multithey largely tap societies because [the tap, and then one outside of the society says, ‘Oh, official deadlines, recognized societies] they’re going to be w h i c h c a n are unaware if tapped by society X,’ create logistical when society X says, problems for someone has already ‘They’re going to be both the College been previously tapped by society Y’ and other tapped.”

— and then neither societies. one taps them and A c c o rd i n g they just don’t end to the president -SECRET SOCIETY up being tapped at of a recognized all,” she explained. s o c i e t y wh o PRESIDENT H oweve r, t h e spoke with The society president Dartmouth on the condition of anonymity, when said she believes that all societies, unrecognized societies tap outside of the recognized or not, serve an important official dates, both societies and tappees purpose in getting Dartmouth students to engage with different members of the can suffer the consequences.

“Someone could get tapped by an campus community.

“Each society brings together a unrecognized society either earlier or later than the formal tapping week, and complex and dynamic mix of people it could impact the people on the lists from a variety of areas on campus,” she of all the recognized societies because said. “I think that there should be more [the recognized societies] are unaware societies in general … I wish that people if someone has already been previously didn’t feel pressure to act a certain way to tapped,” she said. “It also impacts the get into a society, but also that there were tappees, because if someone is tapped more societies so that more people could by an unrecognized society earlier than participate in the process, because I’ve they would be tapped by a recognized found it to be really fun and rewarding.”

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

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ANOTHER GOOD BOY

FROM TAPPING PAGE 1

NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

A golden retriever enjoys running around on the Green.

PAGE 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

THE DARTMOUTH OPINION

STAFF COLUMNIST STEVEN ADELBERG ’21

STAFF COLUMNIST SYDNEY ALLARD ’21

Free the Libra

The Summer My Mom Turned Libertarian

The world needs access to Facebook’s new cryptocurrency.

When a technology entrepreneur presents a high-profile plan to the House Financial Services Committee to provide low-cost access to financial markets and payments services to billions of people without bank accounts, most people would applaud him as 21st-century hero. But Mark Zuckerberg is no ordinary tech entrepreneur — he has earned a bad reputation as the monopolist who oversaw egregious violations of user privacy.

It is natural for people to be wary of Zuckerberg’s more recent efforts to bring more of the world’s financial life onto his platform. However, the demonization and obstructionism he is facing in Washington is unfair and irresponsible — regulators shouldn’t sacrifice an initiative with such massive humanitarian benefits just to score a few cheap political points. Washington should step up to the plate, offer the clear regulatory guidance needed to make Zuckerberg’s vision a reality, and stop standing in the Libra’s way.

The Libra is a revolutionary new cryptocurrency that promises to provide low-cost access to financial markets and payments systems to the 1.7 billion people without bank accounts. The Libra was originally proposed by Facebook and operates under the legally independent Libra Association, a myriad of nonprofits and payments firms like Mercy Corps and Mastercard that were assembled by Facebook.

The Libra would be backed by a basket of traditional currencies like the dollar and the pound that would give it the stability needed to support everyday use.

The IT infrastructure supporting the cryptocurrency would be centralized under the Libra Association and capable of supporting 1,000 transactions per second as compared to Bitcoin’s mere seven. The

DEBORA HYEMIN HAN, Editor-in-Chief

CEO of Mercy Corps endorses Libra’s potential to significantly increase the efficiency, transparency and accountability of foreign aid and the head of the Bank of England foresees healthy competition to the dollar’s hegemony in international trade. The possibilities are endless.

Endless, too, is Washington’s latest trail of criticisms. Responding to the Libra proposal, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) exclaimed, “Do you really think people should trust Facebook with their hard-earned money? I just think that is delusional.”

President Donald Trump tweeted that unregulated cryptocurrencies are too volatile, that they facilitate the drug trade and that the Libra will have little standing. House Financial Services Committee chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) told Facebook to stop the Libra’s development until big questions were answered, arguing that maybe Facebook should be broken up. Congressional House Democrats introduced a “Keep Big Tech out of Finance Act” that would fine large tech companies that offer online platform services $1 million a day for operating digital assets. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) went so far as to say that Zuckerberg “needs to be an advocate for privacy and so he is creating a device which will provide privacy to drug dealers, human traffickers, terrorists, tax evaders and sanctions evaders.”

This opposition is vindictive. For starters, the Libra would not be owned or managed by Facebook — it is under the governance of a legally independent, nonprofit Libra Association based in Switzerland. Calibra, the subsidiary that will manage SEE ADELBERG PAGE 6

AIDAN SHEINBERG, Publisher

ALEX FREDMAN, Executive Editor PETER CHARALAMBOUS, Managing Editor

ANTHONY ROBLES, Managing Editor

PRODUCTION EDITORS CAROLINE COOK & EOWYN PAK, Opinion Editors

BUSINESS DIRECTORS JONNY FRIED & JASMINE FU

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ELIZA JANE SCHAEFFER, Engagement Editor WILLIAM CHEN & AARON LEE, Data Visualization Editors

SUBMISSIONS: We welcome letters and guest columns. All submissions must include the author’s name and affiliation with Dartmouth College, and should not exceed 250 words for letters or 700 words for columns. The Dartmouth reserves the right to edit all material before publication. All material submitted becomes property of The Dartmouth. Please email submissions to editor@thedartmouth.com.

A political transformation questioned my conceptions of “left” and “right.”

When I was little, I asked my mom what makes Democrats different from Republicans.

She tried to figure out how to explain the difference in 10-year-old-friendly terms. My mother’s response, not entirely tongue-incheek, was that “Republicans are motivated by self-interest, and Democrats are concerned about what’s good for others.” The differences as I learned them were not political; they were moral.

The way my mom explained it to me, Democrats cared more about liberal values like equality, justice and the importance of giving to others. My parents lived by these values.

They sponsored immigrants and mentored ex-convicts who sought employment. They donated to Obama and canvassed for Clinton.

I never doubted their commitment to their values. I should have doubted, though, that their values had anything to do with their political affiliation. I should have doubted the claim that Democrats had a monopoly on empathy and generosity.

I learned over time that my classmates had a similarly moralistic view of political parties.

Anyone bratty was “probably a Republican.”

Republicans were rich people who didn’t want to pay taxes; Democrats were the selfless givers.

In high school, students whose parents were Republicans had to express shame for their parents’ beliefs. Otherwise, they, too, were labeled as amoral and greedy.

Like most Democrats, my mom was shocked

by Trump’s victory. But rather than shaming and chastising those who voted Trump into office, my mom wondered how she could have gotten it so wrong. Rather than assuming that everyone who voted for Trump just didn’t know what was best for themselves, she wondered if maybe her own ideas about what was best for others were flawed.

After the election, my mom began reading Camille Paglia in addition to Gloria Steinem.

Articles by Thomas Sowell and Milton Friedman littered our kitchen island. That summer, my mom turned Libertarian.

When my mom declared herself a Libertarian, my understanding of politics was turned on its head. Here was a woman who I knew cared deeply about helping others, and believed in basic human rights and the fundamental equality of all people — but she didn’t identify as a Democrat anymore. Her morals hadn’t changed — only her political affiliation had. I was forced to realize that political liberals don’t have an exclusive claim

to liberal values.

None of my mother’s ideas about what every human deserves have changed. She still believes that everyone should receive the health care they need, that every child deserves to be educated, that anyone who wants to should be able to get a job. All that changed were her ideas about who or what is best equipped to provide people with those necessities. She was brave enough to doubt what we had long taken for granted; that the government with its power and money was the best vehicle for almost any job.

When my mom became Libertarian, I became liberated. Before, I was afraid to criticize any Democratic policy because I worried that it would call into question my commitment to liberal values. But when my mom, who was as committed to liberal values as anyone I knew, declared herself Libertarian, I felt free to explore policy options that I had previously dismissed as heresy without thought.

I wondered: if the U.S. public education system is so bad, what makes us think that the government is best equipped to educate the American youth? If almost anyone who can opt for private health care does, why are we focused on developing a government-run health care system as opposed to making private health care more accessible to the poor? I started taking classes on subjects I had thought were abhorrent and going to lectures by professors whose politics would have offended me four years ago. I learned that more often than not, they envision nearly the same ends as Democrats do — a world in which all people have the opportunity to reach their highest potential — but propose different means. When I let myself consider not just Democratic, but Libertarian and Republican politics, my end goals didn’t change, but I gave myself permission to consider new ways to achieve them.

When we attach moral value to political affi liations, we do everyone a disservice.

We doubt that others have good intentions.

We assume that different policy ideas imply different moral values, when often they don’t.

We do ourselves a disservice, too, by limiting the pool of ideas that we consider viable.

As my Libertarian mother would put it, a freer marketplace for ideas can’t be a bad thing. We still get to choose the best ones and dismiss the bad ones, but we ought to consider all, or at least more, of them.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 5

New app includes class median data, ‘notesharing’ feature available on the app, according to McCambridge. He added that a broad selection of crowdsourced courses are ranked by popularity notes. so that students can be aware of McCambridge added that one which courses may be difficult to function of the app is class alert, get into. which allows “It’s a very useful s t u d e n t s t o “It’s a very useful app. app,” said Yunive find out more Ave n d a n o ’ 2 2 .

Specifically for me, I infor mation “Specifically for about classes forgot to choose my me, I forgot to t h a n w h a t classes last term. I got choose my classes is publicly last term. I got offered. The to quickly see which to quickly see app assembles classes were already which classes were reviews from already filled. It filled. It was a great the website was a great tool Layup List, as tool for me to see for me to see what well as student what I wanted.”

I wanted.” interviews for In addition specific classes to obtaining t h a t h a v e -YUNIVE AVENDANO ’22 information been deemed about the “popular,” into courses, students a huge data set can receive to summarize student experiences notifications as soon a spot in any w i t h c o u r s e s o r p ro f e s s o r s. course they might want to register Additionally, the app classifies for opens up. reviews by importance, with recent “This app is great for switching interviews having more weight than classes,” Avendano said. “Before older ones. this app, I used to check every hour.

Class median data are also Now, I if I want to switch into a FROM DARTDROP PAGE 1

class, I add it to my alerts.”

Another feature of the app is its ‘notesharing’ feature, through which “top students” share their notes from a course, McCambridge said. He added that this feature was developed to allow working students to focus on academics and enrich their learning experience.

“I am a big fan of the notes part, because you are selling the notes to earn money on the side and providing resources for students,” said Lidia Balanovich ’22, who provided McCambridge with feedback related to the app’s design.

Through notesharing, students can access a package of notes with a broad overview of the course to supplement their learning.

McCambridge said he was very intentional in ensuring that Dartdrop does not violate the College’s honor code in any way through its use of note sharing.

“We’ve thought about the ethics far, far more than the engineering,” McCambridge said. “We want to work with the College and maintain honor and respect for the College. [Not facilitating or condoning cheating] is central to

the development of the product.”

Despite the lack of advertising, To ensure the app never violates McCambridge said that the app the honor code, McCambridge said appears to be successful. Within he made sure that professors have the first 24 hours, according to access to the app. He added that McCambridge, the app garnered professors have the authority to 15,000 page requests, which appear remove content that violates their whenever a user requests specific policies. Furthermore, only students information, refreshes or uses the who understand the honor principle app. are allowed to share their notes.

Currently, McCambridge said “You are not he is seeking posting exams, “We’ve thought about feedback for the but what you app. He added g a i n e d f ro m the ethics far, far more that it has been t h e c l a s s , ” than the engineering. difficult to receive Balanovich feedback because, said. “I don’t We want to work while he wanted think it breaks with the College to reach out to t h e h o n o r and maintain honor users, he did not code.” want to violate As of now, and respect for the their privacy by t h e r e i s n o College.” looking at their marketing registered emails. for Dartdrop, He added that he according to -JOHN MCCAMBRIDGE ’22 is also working McCambridge; on making the the app relies app available for on word of mouth. It was first post-graduate classes and for the announced on a Reddit page, and Android platform. in 20 minutes, had become the “I want to make Dartmouth most trending post, according to better and students less anxious,” McCambridge.

McCambridge said.

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DARTMOUTHEVENTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS

AN APPLE A DAY...

UUGANZUL TUMURBAATAR ’21

TODAY 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Lecture: “Magnetic Self-Organization and Catastrophic Energy Release in the Solar Corona,” with Joel Dahlin, sponsored by the Physics and Astronomy Department and the Thayer School of Engineering, Wilder Hall Room 202.

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Reading: “The Shadow King,” with Maaza Mengiste, sponsored by the English Department, Sanborn House, Sanborn Library.

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Lecture: “Giving Up the Higher Ground: Where Does the U.S. Go from Here?” with Open Society Foundations Foreign Policy Director Sarah Margon, sponsored by the Dickey Center, Haldeman Hall, Room 41.

TOMORROW

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Seminar: “Neoantigen-Based Vaccines for the Treatment and Prevention of Cancer,” with Mayo Clinic professor of immunology Keith Knutson, sponsored by the Microbiology and Immunology Department at the Geisel School of Medicine, Borwell Hall, Room 658W.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Film Premiere: “Enchanted Hills: Legacy of an Art Colony,” sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Dartmouth, Black Family Visual Arts Center, Loew Auditorium.

FROM ADELBERG PAGE 4

the Libra, is not allowed to share customer data with Facebook. But unlike Bitcoin, Libra’s servers are centralized under a corporate parent and can thereby accept government oversight of illicit activity on the platform. The currencies backing the Libra would save it from Bitcoin’s volatility, and the lack of cryptocurrency regulation is the product of Washington’s own negligence.

Washington’s latest play to the crowd’s prejudices against Zuckerberg to take down the Libra is highly unethical and completely irresponsible.

Still, some of Washington’s concerns are warranted. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin sees a national security threat in the potential for money laundering abuse. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has raised valid concerns about terrorism and financial stability.

As Facebook itself recognizes, these shortcomings in the latest iteration of Libra should be taken seriously. However,

none of these problems are built into Libra’s core concept.

These challenges can be addressed by improving Libra’s design and establishing a clear regulatory regime for the new cryptocurrency. These serious challenges from Washington regulators are not reasons to ditch the Libra — they are reasons to improve the Libra. Even still, PayPal, Mastercard and Visa have all left the Libra Association in the face of Washington’s unreserved opposition to Zuckerberg’s latest initiative. Washington regulators should couch their criticisms as constructive partners rather than obstructionist opponents to prevent other key partners from leaving the Libra Association.

While the Libra holds a lot of humanitarian promise for international finance, it will only see the light of day if Washington can find the strength of will to not settle for the easy political points and begin the hard policy work of building a clear regulatory framework for ambitious cryptocurrencies. After all,

the stakes are higher than just the Libra: The future of innovation in financial technologies hangs in the balance. The Libra is one of the boldest financial technologies of our time and it is perfectly positioned to execute on its plan to democratize international finance. If the Libra Association cannot succeed in its mission to democratize international finance, it is hard to imagine who can.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

PAGE 7

Review: ‘The Laundromat’ a disjointed, lackluster chronicle B y shera bhala

exchange. This first section of the Street.” film already consists of a disjointed The next scene, similarly confusing assortment of scenes, which are and non-linear, portrays Boncamper’s Wealth can create vicious cycles. confusing and disorienting. arrest by American authorities on The more money a person earns, Divided into five sections, the the charge of money laundering, the more scared they become of movie begins with “Secret 1: The during which the viewer must assume losing it, and, as such, they resort to Meek Are Screwed.” This first secret that Boncamper and Martin were extreme measures to protect their shares the story of Martin and her coincidentally on the same return money. The scandal of the Panama husband: his tragic drowning due to flight to the U.S. In its non-linear Papers — the leaked documents the boat accident and the consequent fashion, the film then provides exposing the offshore businesses of discovery of the fake insurance a glance into the Panamanian many wealthy individuals, of which company, United Reinsurance headquarters of Mossack Fonseca some were shell companies used for Group, which the boat company & Co., revealing a scene in which the illegal purposes of fraud and used. The fraudulent business is employees discuss the hundreds of tax evasion — details such extreme headed by Boncamper, a lethargic, thousands of shell companies created measures, making for an unbelievable uncaring man who plays Solitaire by the law firm. chronicle that is the premise for “The on his desktop computer during the “Secret 3: Tell A Friend” is Laundromat.” day. Following the perhaps the most Despite the explosive nature of funeral, Martin confusing of all the scandal upon which the film is travels to Las “Streep’s performance t h e s e c t i o n s. based, “The Laundromat” fails to Vegas, where she is well-done, although This secret live up to the intrigue of its premise. n o s t a l g i a c a l l y blends together not as laudable as Directed by the independent cinema r e c a l l s f i r s t the biography filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, “The m e e t i n g h e r her role in ‘Sophie’s of Fonseca, the Laundromat” stars Meryl Streep, d e c e a s e d Choice’ or as iconic as murder of two Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas. h u s b a n d a n d Americans in Streep plays Ellen Martin, a recently dedicates herself her part in ‘The Devil Sinaloa, Mexico widowed woman whose husband to uncovering the Wears Prada.’” by a drug dealer drowned on a boat during their trip to secrets of United who has shell Niagara Falls. Oldman and Banderas Reinsurance. companies act as slimy lawyers Jürgen Mossack Martin’s amateur investigation through Mossack Fonseca & Co. and and Ramón Fonseca, respectively. opens a can of worms — or a can of the repugnant life of Charles (played Jeffrey Wright plays Malchus Irvin illicit dealings, tax evasion, bribery by Nonso Anozie), a wealthy South Boncamper, the overseer of many and shell companies. The second African man who cheats on his wife illicit companies, section, “Secret with their daughter’s roommate at the one of which is “‘The Laundromat’” 2: It’s All Shells,” University of Southern California. the illegitimate delves into the These clips are scrambled, and while company that acts like a teacher who of fshore shell they provide interesting stories, it is s u p p o s e d l y loves his subject but is companies that difficult to see their connection to the insured the people bigger picture. “The Laundromat” disheveled and unable wealthy cruise company set up to hold acts like a teacher who loves his in Niagara Falls. to explain it to his their assets and subject but is disheveled and unable And, taking on students.” evade scrutiny. to explain it to his students. a ro l e mu c h Mossack Fonseca In “Secret 4: Bribery 101,” different than & Co. provided perhaps the only linear storyline in Ross in “Friends,” David Schwimmer law and corporate services for such the film, Charles’ efforts to conceal his acts as the head of the boat company, dealings. Sad and troubled, Martin affair continue.He offers his daughter frantically and tragically discovering travels to the Caribbean Island of a shell company in exchange for her the insurance company’s fraud.

Nevis. During the flight, she has silence, declaring, “This is adulthood.

These actors come together in a disturbing dream of arriving at It’s filled with disappointments and the didactic comedy that “The the United Reinsurance offices and negotiations.” Despite Charles’ Laundromat” aims to execute. The shooting its employees. In reality, attempted bribery, his young mistress movie commences with an odd however, she actually discovers that confesses their adulterous adventures introduction by the antagonists, United only has a P.O. Box address in to his wife. The shell company that Mossack and Fonseca. Mossack Nevis and is not a legitimate company. he “gifted” his daughter is empty, speaks with a terribly forced German The disturbing nature of Martin’s worth only $37. The discovery of accent as they discuss the secrets troubling dream has no place in a this money laundering scam is only that arise with money and provide movie that seeks to replicate “The one of the many created by Mossack a history of bartering and means of Big Short” and “The Wolf of Wall Fonseca & Co. The Dartmouth

Revealing another scam, the final are underdeveloped and forced. They secret, “Secret 5: Making A Killing,” attempt to construct a pedagogic opens in Chongqing, China with a tone explaining shell companies and British businessman who attempts to tax havens for the rich, yet they fall extort the powerful Chinese politician short of a performance anywhere Bo Xilai and his wife for their offshore close to Ryan Gosling’s narration holdings. This sub-story takes an even of the 2008 global financial crisis in darker turn, as Bo orchestrates a live “The Big Short.” While Gosling’s organ-harvesting operation from explanations are casual, cool and Chinese prisoners who practice Falun entertainingly condescending, Gong meditation and philosophy. Oldman and Banderas narrate in Again, similar to the dark dream that an unimaginative, yet confusing and Martin has on the plane, this scene decidedly uncomic, manner. Perhaps — a clip of corneas being removed the most interesting aspect of their from a person’s eyeballs — is far too portrayal of Mossack and Fonseca gruesome for “The Laundromat.” are the garments they don. Dressed But ultimately, Chinese police in various black, pinstripe and white apprehend the criminal couple for tuxedos, they wear outfits which bribery, embezzlement and abuse of manifest stereotypes of the rich. power.

Similarly confusing to the A similar downfall occurs for narration by Oldman and Banderas, Mossack and Fonseca upon the all of the scenes in the movie, while release of the Panama Papers. individually quite interesting and Martin, angrily well-constructed, contemplating are jolting and the situation in “The topic of the syncretic as a church, asserts Panama Papers a whole. The that Mossack, mandates a movie that n a r r a t i o n Fonseca and their by the film’s affluent clients can support its weight. antagonists is “know godd—n ‘The Laundromat’ fails poorly connected well what they’re to scenes of the doing. They just to create a flowing affairs of Martin, don’t care.”

Boncamper, the narrative complete This astute with the dramatic Mexican drug observation dealer, Charles of people and tension of the and Bo. A proper o r g a n i z a t i o n s explosive exposé.” understanding of who think they the connections are too big to between each fail compliments Martin and her scene requires far more refinement detective skills, which see Mossack if the goal is a masterful non-linear and Fonseca imprisoned, although for plot like that of Quentin Tarantino’s the short sentence of three months. “Pulp Fiction.”

Martin is revealed to be the John Pandemic corruption throughout Doe who acted as the whistleblower the global financial system deserves for the Panama Papers. Although the a solid, edifying film that fully identity of the whistleblower in reality illuminates on this pressing issue. is unknown, Martin’s significant role Where “The Big Short” succeeds in is an interesting perspective on the its narrative of such hefty problems, financial exposé. Her undercover “The Laundromat” falls short, with actions provide the one noteworthy Soderbergh only compiling a series plot twist in the film. of garbled vignettes with “The Streep’s performance is well- Laundromat.” The topic of the done, although not as laudable as Panama Papers mandates a movie her role in “Sophie’s Choice” or that can support its weight. “The as iconic as her part in “The Devil Laundromat” fails to create a flowing Wears Prada.” On the other hand, narrative complete with the dramatic Mossack and Fonseca’s characters tension of the explosive exposé.

PAGE 8

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

The PBO’s musical performances bring history to life on stage B y helen liu

The Dartmouth

This evening at the Spaulding Auditorium, the Hopkins Center will welcome an incredible performing group to campus: The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, which will explore the works of Jewish violinist and composer Salamone Rossi.

According to its website, the PBO’s mission is to represent history on the modern stage, recalling the sounds of the past with period-specific details that accurately depict the beautiful orchestral melodies of the Baroque, Classical and Early Romantic periods.

In order to preserve the legacy of the musicians whose music they perform, the orchestra pays critical attention to replicating the proper instruments, technique and even energy used in historical performances. Founded by Laurette Goldberg and directed now for the last year by Nicholas McGegan, the PBO is an unmistakably powerful force of music working to keep the past alive.

What’sspecialaboutthisperformance is its focus on music that rises out of oppression and marginalization in an early and little-known sector of Europe: the Jewish ghettos of 17th-century Italy.

As part of the PBO’s Jews and Music Initiative, this performance is focused on the music of Salamone Rossi, a 17th-century Italian composer.

According to McGegan, as a music ensemble performing early historical music, the PBO places a heavy emphasis on historical accuracy, and specific instruments and musical techniques allow them to capture the spirit of the time. Through the use of baroque bows, harpsichords and even original editions of some of the sheet music, the PBO brings its music to life in the context of its time period, ensuring that the audience gets to experience it in the exact way that

Rossi envisioned it in the 17th century.

Little details like ornamentation and the proper pronunciation of Italian Hebrew are essential to the musicians of the PBO, according to Bailey and McGegan. Everything is produced with meticulous attention to detail that undoubtedly makes the PBO’s performances nothing short of spectacular.

Achieving this level of accuracy requires research into music, history and Jewish culture, which is the specialty of Italian Jewish scholar Francesco Spagnolo, who will be adding another layer of cultural understanding to the show through his commentary.

“Putting that all together and then breathing life into it [makes the performance] like listening to the sounds of 400 to 500 years ago and feeling like it’s something happening now,” Bailey said. The magic of bringing the past to the present is the distinguishing feature of the PBO, and tonight’s performance will undoubtedly live up to that reputation.

Tonight’s performance also features guest soloist Sherezade Panthaki, who will sing the part of Salamone’s sister, Europa. A very well-known soprano at the time, Europa toured all over Europe and was the first Jewish opera singer to gain fame and recognition even outside of the Jewish community.

According to McGegan, Panthaki follows Europa’s original style faithfully and sings difficult pieces with grace and clarity. Panthaki is also open to sharing her expertise with Dartmouth students; according to Bailey, Panthaki taught a master class on Monday evening to help vocal students improve their singing and offer her knowledge about Baroque music.

“It’s incredibly helpful to hear from an expert who has a completely different teaching style from your teacher,” said Abigail Johnson ’23, who attended the

masterclass led by Panthaki. “You just get a fresh perspective — you get some new ideas that you may have never heard before.”

McGegan said he will also teach a class today on playing Monteverdi and other artists from the same time period as Rossi.

Rossi brought Baroque melodies to the salons of Italian nobles and common synagogues alike. His contributions to the music of his time were undeniable, and he was a shining example of the culmination of the Renaissance in Italy.

From his small hometown of Mantua, Rossi rose to stand alongside composers like Claudio Monteverdi and Giovanni Gastoldi, popularizing Baroque music and bringing a unique cultural and ethnic perspective to the orchestra.

“At the time, you didn’t bring Judaism out of the ghetto,” said Hop publicity coordinator Rebecca Bailey. “Here, you have somebody who was a European of his time but also a Jew, and so there were

certain limitations on what he could do.

He had to play by the rules of Italian society at the time, but he also wanted to write for his own people, for his own faith. He brought the music of Italy at the time into the synagogue and brought some of the identity of the Jews into Italian court life.”

The connections that Rossi forged between the religion and culture of his minority group and the Italian high society at the time were strong and completely novel. Never before had traditional Jewish synagogue music been such a staple in courts, banquets and weddings.

“He lived in, as it were, three worlds,” McGegan said. “He wrote for the theater, he wrote music for the synagogue in Hebrew and he wrote madrigals — love songs — in Italian.”

By exploring and influencing so many varied types of art forms with his musical compositions, Rossi was a force of nature in uniting and blending

different parts of Italian Jewish culture and introducing the traditions of his minority group to a much wider audience.

“He’s using these tunes from the synagogue, which are thousands of years old, and giving them a sort of Baroque twist,” McGegan added.

Rossi found ways to bring his faith to the forefront of Renaissance art and express himself to positive acclaim, despite the hardships he faced at the time. In fact, Rossi’s achievements were so stunning to the Italian nobles that he was made exempt from wearing the yellow badge that was required of Jews in Mantua for self-identification. Rossi’s undeniable musical talent and passion for sharing his culture with the world made him a fascinating character in the 17th century.

For those interested in history, music, Jewish culture — or any combination of the three — this performance is a must-see.

SUZANNE KARP/COURTESY OF THE PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra strives to accurately represent the nuances of history through music.