Thursday, September 4, 2008 by The Brown Daily Herald

The Brown Daily Herald T hursday, S eptember 4, 2008

Volume CXLIII, No. 63

Since 1866, Daily Since 1891

Loury to Class of 2012: Fashion your own paths By Juliana Friend Contributing Writer

Members of the Class of 2012 should not limit definitions of themselves to those imposed by society, Professor of Economics Glenn Loury said in the keynote speech of this year’s Opening Convocation. Under the soft breeze of a warm September afternoon, the freshmen marched from the Van Wickle Gates to the Main Green to hear Loury challenge them to script their own path. As the freshmen took their seats –– some chattering with new friends, others studying their newspapersized orientation guides –– they heard the plaintive tones of a bagpipe and watched faculty march by in lavish robes. Loury told the first-years that they should use their time at Brown to forge their own values and determine their own priorities. A prominent academic and social critic known for his bold opinions and dynamic life history, Loury used a personal anecdote to illustrate the challenge of “self-authorship,” common to students of all backgrounds. He recounted his adolescent friendship with Woody, a man with black ancestry who appeared to be white. Both whites and blacks rejected him for not being “one of us,” Loury said, though Woody asserted that he was “ ‘a brother, too.’ ” During a rally of the Black Panther Party, Woody raised his hand to voice his opinion, only to be silenced by a party member calling him “ ‘a white boy’ ” with no business telling black people what to do. Loury said he chose not to defend his friend, for fear of having his own blackness called into question. He predicted that the class of 2012 would face similar tests of moral

By Alexandra Ulmer Staf f Writer

Kim Perley / Herald

Professor of Economics Glenn Loury discussed issues of identity in his speech. courage. The tendency to sacrifice “authenticity” for “identity” affects everyone and is not limited to questions of race, he said. Loury stressed the importance of independent thinking and the danger of trying to “pass” for a certain identity to gain the validation of others. Awareness of race or any other socially determined dimension of identity is a necessary, but not sufficient, component of a meaningful life, he said. “The particular features of one’s social condition, the external givens, merely set the stage of a life. They continued on page 11

Kim Perley / Herald

President Ruth Simmons offers her best wishes to a first-year during the ceremony.

continued on page 4

By Melissa Shube Senior Staf f Writer

Emmy Liss / Herald

The Farmer’s Market on Wriston Quad Wednesday displayed local goods and produce.

Top chef Simmons’ former chef arrested with highest BAC heard of in Rhode Island history

www.browndailyherald.com

LET THEM EAT THAYER Sick of hot ham on bulky roll already? Open your wallet for DINING GUIDE some local eats

How many Brown students does it take to open a mailbox? This joke has been popping up around campus after incorrect combination numbers, broken mailboxes and undelivered packages plagued the opening of the new mailroom in the remodeled J. Walter Wilson student center. After 10 minutes of spinning the lock on his mailbox left and right with the help of a friend Wednesday, Gal Peleg ’10 knew something was wrong. “We’re two guys — computer science and engineering majors — and we can’t do it,” he said, though he ultimately managed to enter the right combination. Others never opened their boxes. Faustino Mora ’10 spent an hour and a half on Tuesday tr ying different combination numbers given to him by mail clerks, who eventually told him they would request a locksmith to fix it. “I’m a little annoyed,” he said. “They’re not going to do anything for a while, although they’re helpful.” University of ficials said they became aware of the problems and were taking steps to solve them. Elizabeth Gentry, assistant vice president of financial and administrative ser vices, which oversees Mail Ser vices, said the problems should only be temporar y.

Go Cross Campus set for next round of Ivy battle

i n seaso n

CAMPUS NEWS

Students finding new mailroom problematic

OPINION

Go Cross Campus’ Ivy League competition, which captivated many students’ attention last semester before pausing due to server problems, will start fresh on Sept. 16. Ivy League students and alums will have the opportunity to bring their colleges online glory in what co-founder and chief marketing officer Matthew O. Brimer, a Yale senior, called “the single largest competitive event in the histor y of the Ivy League.” Go Cross Campus is an online strategy game where students, fighting in the name of their universities, are given territories and three options: attack, defend or move. The number of students par ticipating and the quality of leadership within the game determine how successful a school will

is brown’s coffee bitter? Boris Ryvkin ’09 challenges Brown’s support of fair trade coffee

195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island

16 SPORTS

be in conquering other schools’ territories. This will be the tournament’s second year. Last year 11,000 students and alums participated, which overwhelmed the company’s ser ver. Brimer said the Web site has been rebuilt from the ground up and is now “a much more stable game that easily handles thousands and tens of thousands of players.” The tournament is owned and run by a company formed by students at Yale and Columbia. Yale sophomore Nick Selz, the director of the c ompany’s Ivy League Championship, explained that other changes this year include the replacement of armies with “vitals.” Instead of each person controlling his or her own army, players will have one avatar to control, a soldier who represents the continued on page 4

MUST-SEE SPORTS EVENTS! Upcoming soccer, tennis, football and other sports highlights

News tips: herald@browndailyherald.com

T oday Page 2

Thursday, September 4, 2008

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

We a t h e r

Classic Nightmarishly Elastic | Adam Robbins

TODAY

TOMORROW

sunny 86 / 64

sunny 82 / 64

Menu Sharpe Refectory

Verney-Woolley Dining Hall

Lunch — Cheese Tomato Strata, Wild Colonial Risotto, Vegan Tofu Pups, Middle East Bar, Kielbasa

Lunch — Pulled Pork Sandwich, French Bread Pizza, Enchilada Bar, Grilled Montreal Chicken

Dinner — Spice Rubbed Pork Chops, Beef Saute With Cumin, Spinach And Rice Bake, Cajun Corn

Dinner — Roast Turkey With Sauce, Sweet and Sour Shrimp Saute, Shells With Broccoli

Vagina Dentata | Soojean Kim

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Free Variation | Jeremy Kuhn

Dunkel | Joe Larios

Los Angeles Times Puzzle C r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Monday’s circled letters: Martin Luther King Jr. ACROSS 1 Burns and Hume, e.g. 6 Leaning Tower city resident 11 Volcanic residue 14 Figure skating event 15 “In this corner ...” begins one, briefly 16 RR stop 17 Detective with a mystery magazine 19 These, in Tours 20 Breezy 21 “It’ll be __ little secret” 22 Fast 24 Stat for a sacrifice fly 25 Classic dancer whose last name at birth was Foote 28 Leave the country 30 More shabby 31 First South Korean president 32 Not fer 34 PC monitor 35 “Live” CNN host 39 “... for what __ worth” 42 Stately shade trees 43 Grandson of Adam 46 Conscripted soldier 49 Places for sweaters? 51 Coach with the most NCAA Division I basketball victories 54 Interminably long time 55 Anchor position 56 So-so grade 57 Martini & Rossi product 58 “__ Love You?”: Ronettes hit 59 “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” songwriter 63 Rifle or revolver 64 Kentucky frontiersman 65 Slugger Jim who hit his 500th homer 9/16/2007 66 JFK screen info

67 Tunes 68 Parisian heads DOWN 1 Asparagus units 2 Bullet measurement 3 Like some Mideast nations 4 Low card 5 Ukr. or Lith., once 6 Stimulate, as interest 7 Bury 8 Fr. holy woman 9 Exist 10 Milk for losers 11 Hardly selfindulgent 12 Pittsburgh gridder 13 Speaker of the House after Gingrich 18 Bygone days 23 D-Day craft 25 Mental creation 26 Satie and Estrada 27 “Pleeeeeease?” 29 Sniggler’s quest 32 “Over the Rainbow” composer Harold 33 Workout place 36 Really stink 37 With no ice

38 Wildebeest 39 Employee’s security pass 40 Present proudly, as family albums at a party 41 TV’s teenage witch 44 Like a deal that won’t happen again 45 Príncipe’s island partner 47 “The X-Files” org.

48 Laid-back personalities 49 Country singer Wooley 50 Fires from hiding 52 Hockey infraction 53 Trait carriers 57 Arthur for whom a tennis stadium is named 60 Head of Liverpool? 61 Maria __ Trapp 62 Old comm. giant

Enigma Twist | Dustin Foley

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Classic How To Get Down | Nate Saunders

xwordeditor@aol.com

1/22/08

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C ampus & N ews Thursday, September 4, 2008

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

News

a healthy start

i n

Brief

Simmons to faculty: U. financially stable

Min Wu / Herald

The University remains financially stable despite the current economic downturn, President Ruth Simmons told the faculty in their monthly meeting yesterday. Because the University plans a detailed budget with sufficient “lead time” before big projects, it is able to avoid the economic problems that currently plague many businesses and has not had to change its plans for its biggest projects, Simmons said. But, she added, if the economy does not improve, “we are bound to see results.” Economic uncertainties have led to a smaller increase in net faculty size for fall of 2009, Simmons said. She added that the University is making a point of “sticking to budgets” this year. Despite economic problems, fundraising remains strong. The Plan for Academic Enrichment, a comprehensive statement of the University’s goals with an accompanying capital campaign, reached $1.24 billion on June 30 of this year, putting it on track to reach the $1.4 billion goal ahead of the original end date of 2010. Last year the University received $139 million in new gifts and pledges and $178 million in cash gifts, the second-highest total in the University’s history. At the faculty meeting, Simmons also addressed the recently released U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges 2009” rankings. Brown was ranked 16th among national universities, between Johns Hopkins and Rice universities. The rankings “show us how much more work needs to be done ... and how hard it is to remain competitive in this environment,” Simmons said.

Julia Bond ’12 and Rubina Ratnaparkhi ‘12 remain ‘balanced’ during Orientation by participating in a group yoga session.

— Isabel Gottlieb

Simmons’ former chef pulled over with .49 BAC By Kyla Wilkes Contributing Writer

Stanley Kobierowski, the former part-time house chef for President Ruth Simmons, garnered national media attention this summer when he was caught driving with a blood alcohol content six times the legal limit of .08 percent, as reported by the Providence Journal on July 23. The North Providence resident was arrested on July 21 after crashing into an electronic message board near Providence Place Mall. On a breathalyzer test, he recorded a BAC of .489 percent by volume and .491 percent on a second test, said Mike Healey, spokesman for Attorney General Patrick Lynch. This is the highest breathalyzer reading that state police officers can remember seeing in the state of Rhode Island, though there’s no official record of such readings, Captain James Swanberg said. At the scene of the accident, Kobierowski was slurring his words and could not pass any of the sobriety tests, the Journal reported. Officers had to carry Kobierowski into a breakdown lane to remove him from traffic. Vice President of University Affairs and Public Relations Marisa Quinn confirmed in an e-mail to The Herald that Kobierowski worked for the University on Simmons’ house staff from November 2001 to June 2007. Kobierowski will attend an argument on Friday to determine wheth-

er prosecutors can legally subpoena his medical records, Healey said. Kobierowski and his lawyer have filed a motion to quash that subpoena. “For most people ... a .5 would be lethal,” said Robert Swift, professor of psychiatry and associate director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. “One can infer that (Kobierowski) had a tremendous amount of tolerance.” A BAC of .3 could easily land a “naive” college freshman in the hospital, he said. According to Swift, the average person’s BAC will be around .04 after about two drinks — half the legal limit in all 50 states and one-twelfth Kobierowski’s level as determined by the breathalyzer test. At .04, the individual is generally already impaired, said Swift. When an individual gets to .06, he begins to slur his speech, and some people have slower reaction times, Smith said. By the time an individual gets to a level of .2, he or she may pass out or start vomiting. Simmons’ former chef has caught the attention of news outlets nationwide for what is believed to be his record-setting BAC. Almost all the major TV news networks, including CNN, ABC and FOX News, covered the story. Kobierowski’s arrest has also provided fodder for many blogs and, as reported by the Journal, became the punch line of a joke on comedian Jay Leno’s late-night television show. Kobierowski was unavailable for comment for this article.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Popular online game to begin again Sept. 16 continued from page 1 player. However, this doesn’t mean that individual players can be killed because each time a player logs on he or she will receive new vitals as avatars. Go Cross Campus tries to capitalize on competitive rivalries already in place within the Ivy League, Brimer said. Some students have gone as far as spying on other schools, using college e-mail accounts belonging to collaborating friends enrolled elsewhere to register as students from those other schools and reporting on strategies discussed in the school-specific chat room. “It actually got to the point, I think, that Yale stopped using their chat room,” Chris Archuleta ’11 said. Mike Cohen ’11 joined the tournament last year and said he felt it was his obligation to Brown to obey the instructions e-mailed out by the commanders. “I felt like I had to do it for Brown and for my compatriots,” he said. “And then troops died, and more of them died, and then we died.” “It’s like fighting an actual war,” Archuleta said. “The competitive nature between schools was so awesome.” Last year some students at Brown met in person for Go Cross Campus meetings to discuss strategy and delegate leadership. While Archuleta said the meetings consisted of a core of around 30 peo-

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ple, Brown had 1,000 total players registered to participate in the Ivy League Championship. Yet Brown par ticipation was small compared to levels at other schools. Last year, many Brown students lost interest when the magnitude of other schools’ participation became apparent. “It was evident very quickly that Yale was such a huge school with so many people that we had no chance,” said Francios Baldassari ’11 “I wish we would have known about (the game) sooner,” said Archuleta, who added that Brown could have put up a better fight with more time to advertise and recruit members. Many students stopped playing after the game’s server slowed down and ultimately stopped for three weeks. But Baldassari and Cohen said that if improvements have been made, they will be willing to try the game again this year. “I’ll probably give it a shot,” said Cohen. Danny Klotz ’11 and Jenna KayeKauderer ’11, high school friends of Selz, are tr ying to increase awareness of the tournament within the Brown community by planning a launch party for the championship on Sept. 16. “Ideally we want to get more people from Brown involved,” Kaye-Kauderer said. “We’re throwing the party just to get people excited and to make them aware that this is going on, so we get a really good team and win the championship.”

leadi n g the pack

Mailroom change slowing students continued from page 1

Quinn Savit / Herald

Members of the Class of 2012 enjoy their moment at the front of the class after walking through the Van Wickle Gates.

“I ask for patience as we work into a new space. It will probably take a couple more weeks,” she said. Gentry and Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student ser vices, said they had not heard any “negative feedback” until reading The Herald Wednesday morning. Still, Gentr y said all issues have been reported to Facilities Management and the building’s project manager. The problems go beyond bad combinations for some. For example, the four packages that Isabelle Hull-Fossas ’11 ordered last week have not been delivered. “They usually get here after three or four days,” she said. Other students stood in line to report a variety of other issues: Quinn Sivage ’08.5 with a lock that does not spin 360 degrees; Sadiea Williams ’11, a mailbox assigned to another student; and Hristo Atanasov ’10, a broken lock. Asad Nasim Jan ’10 warned against unnecessar y fumbling. “The good thing is the windows,” he said. “Now you don’t have to open it if there is nothing in it.” Other students were dealing with the loss of their old mailbox numbers — students with box numbers below 2039 received new numbers. “I and some morons just look at the wrong number,” Bill Jackson ’08.5 said. Amid the confusion, students have been suggesting tricks to each other. “My friend told me to have the combination sit at the last number,” Nicole Carty ’10 said. For Michael Levy ’11, the best solution is to line up and ask a staffer to open his mailbox from the other side. Behind the Mail Ser vices window, staf f are busily slaloming around ladders and construction workers to provide assistance. Standing in front of packages and speaking above the sound of drilling, Mail Clerk Diane Collins declared that “ever ything is in chaos.” Occupants moved into the building on Aug. 5 with hopes of opening on Aug. 15, but construction is still incomplete, Klawunn said. The mailroom is awaiting furniture, the computers are not all connected and the staff is still familiarizing itself with the new location, mail clerks said. Mail Clerk Arney Hepburn said with a grin that he “likes a challenge” and that there is “more room” in the new location. In another change, the United States Postal Ser vice decided to close its post office on campus. The nearest U.S. Post Of fice is on Thayer Street next to New Pembroke. Gentr y said the postal ser vice made the decision independently. “I’m sure it’s a funding issue,” she said. Meanwhile, the aging mailboxes in the lower level of Faunce House, will be offered to Alumni Relations, Klawunn said. Many former students consider them a “sentimental thing,” Gentry said.

W orld & N ation Thursday, September 4, 2008

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

U.S. to provide up to $1 North Korea moving to restart reactor billion in aid to Georgia By Barbara Demick Los Angeles T imes

By James Gerstenzang and Paul Richter Los Angeles T imes

WASHINGTON — Offering new support for Georgia following its losing militar y clash with Russia last month, President Bush said Wednesday the United States would provide up to $1 billion in assistance to the beleaguered Caucasus nation. But by including no money for Georgia’s military, the White House appeared to be trying to avoid irritating Moscow while the region remains tense. Although administration officials said they are considering re-arming the Georgians, funds in the twoyear package announced Wednesday are reserved for economic and humanitarian assistance. “It is not yet time to look at the questions of assistance on the military side,” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said. The announcement came as Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on a trip that also includes stops in Georgia and Ukraine. After meeting with Azerbaijan’s president, Cheney noted his trip is taking place “in the shadow of the recent Russian invasion of Georgia — an act that has been clearly condemned by the international community.” The White House said that the new, multi-year assistance package would help Georgia rebuild infrastructure, back up private-sector financing and pay for humanitarian aid. “Our additional economic assistance will help the people of Georgia recover from the assault on their country, and continue to build a prosperous and competitive economy,” Bush said in a state-

ment. The United States provided $30 million in food and other humanitarian aid following the GeorgianRussian war fare that began in early August when Georgian forces moved against South Ossetia, a pro-Russian enclave that broke with Georgia’s government more than a decade ago. Russian leaders say they intervened after Ossetian civilians were killed by Georgian troops, and the fighting ended with a Russian occupation to enforce the separation from Georgia of South Ossetia and fellow breakaway region Abkhazia. “Thus far it looks like the administration is going out of its way to avoid military assistance that would indeed be interpreted by Moscow as a serious provocation,” said Charles Kupchan, of Georgetown University, who was a national security aide during President Clinton’s administration. Yet despite the absence of money for arms, Moscow still is considered likely to react angrily to the American package. Nonetheless, the Bush administration seems to be still hoping that Russia will remove its troops from Georgia. On Monday, the European Union also announced new aid for Georgia, while warning that the alliance would postpone talks with Russia on a proposed partnership if Russia does not pull back its troops from checkpoints in Georgia. Meanwhile, political turmoil seethed in Ukraine, where Cheney is due Thursday. Ukraine’s government seemed on the brink of collapse Wednesday as a festering dispute sharply escalated between President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, longtime pocontinued on page 10

BEIJING — In a challenge to the Bush administration, North Korea is taking the first steps toward reassembling the nuclear reactor it had been dismantling as part of a now-tattered agreement to denuclearize. South Korean and U.S. officials reported Wednesday that, in the past 48 hours, international monitors had observed North Koreans taking mothballed equipment out of storage at Yongbyon, a nuclear compound 55 miles north of Pyongyang. North Korea suspended the dismantling process Aug. 14, saying that the United States had broken a promise to remove it from the State Department’s list of terror-

ism-sponsoring nations. Restarting the reactor, which is the only source of plutonium for the Communist regime’s weapons program, would take at least one year and a considerable investment. U.S. officials said Wednesday it was not clear how serious an effort North Korea was making to rebuild what it had dismantled. “Our understanding is that the North Koreans are moving some equipment around that they had previously put into storage,” State Depar tment spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing Wednesday. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that President Bush still hoped to remove North Korea from the terrorism list but that he would not do so until North Korea allowed inspectors to verify

information it provided as part of the deal to detail its nuclear inventory. “Once Nor th Korea simply agrees to a verification protocol, then the United States would take them off of our State Sponsors of Terrorism list,” she said. “But we’re not going to do it without it.” This latest development is a setback to Bush’s hopes of claiming as part of his legacy the removal of the nuclear threat from North Korea — one of the nations he labeled as part of an “axis of evil,” along with Iran and Iraq. South Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Sook, said earlier this week that North Korea most likely was trying to exact further concescontinued on page 10

U.S. begins ground attacks in Pakistan By Candace Rondeaux and Karen DeYoung Washington Post

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Helicopters carried U.S. and Afghan commandos many miles into Pakistan on Wednesday to stage the first U.S. ground attack against a Taliban target inside the country, Pakistani officials said Wednesday. At least 20 local people died in the raid, according to the officials. Pakistan filed a formal protest with the U.S. government, which had no comment on what appeared to be a new escalation of U.S. pressure on Taliban and al-Qaida sanctuaries in Pakistan’s mountainous border regions. As the Taliban insurgency escalates in Afghanistan, U.S. officials have increasingly turned their attention to those havens. Pakistan has committed to securing the borders, but has been beset with

rising violence, both in the frontier region and in its cities. In another example of eroding security, the limousine of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani was ambushed Wednesday in the capital, Islamabad. Two bullets struck the side window of his black Mercedes Benz as it sped toward an airport. Gillani was not in the vehicle at the time. U.S. forces based in Afghanistan have periodically conducted air and artillery strikes against insurgents across the border in Pakistani territory and new hot-pursuit rules provide some room for American troops to maneuver during battle. But the arrival of U.S. helicopters in the village of Musa Nika, deep in undisputed Pakistani territory, would constitute a new tactic. Mohammed Sadiq, a spokesman for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, condemned a “gross violation of Pakistan’s territory” and “a grave

provocation.” In a written statement, he said his office lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. “Such actions are counterproductive and certainly do not help our joint efforts to fight terrorism,” Sadiq said. “On the contrary, they undermine the very basis of cooperation and may fuel the fire of hatred and violence that we are trying to extinguish.” U.S. military officials in Afghanistan, at the Central Command in Tampa and at the Pentagon maintained a wall of silence, saying they had no comment on the Pakistani reports. Lou Fintor, a U.S. Embassy spokesman in Islamabad, also declined to comment. Pakistani sources gave varying accounts, including on the number of troops and helicopters involved, and on whether U.S. troops were continued on page 6

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U.S. now chasing Taliban on ground in Pakistan continued from page 5 among those who left the helicopters and conducted a ground operation in the village. There were also differing versions of how far inside Pakistan the helicopters flew, because the border’s location is disputed. By one count, the target village lay about 20 miles from the border. According to Pakistani military sources, the raid began about 3 a.m. Wednesday when two or possibly three U.S. Army helicopters carrying American and Afghan troops landed in Musa Nika village in the Pakistani tribal area of South Waziristan. The raid was apparently in response to a rocket that fighters fired at a convoy inside Afghanistan, according to one senior Pakistani official. “By the time they got there,” the official said, “the guy with the rocket had moved.” According to another Pakistani official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to give out information, several of the troops left the helicopters and launched an assault on three houses. One of the homes belonged to local tribesman Pao Jan Ahmedzai Wazir, according to Anwar Shah, a resident of a neighboring village. Several women and children who were inside Wazir’s house and two other homes nearby were killed when U.S. and Afghan troops fired on the buildings, he said. “The situation there is very terrible. People are trying to take out the dead bodies,” Shah said. The reported attack comes at a time of debate over the rules of military operation along the 1,500 mile border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Pakistani military appears to have acceded to U.S. pressure to step up attacks on extremists in its border areas. In the past two months, it has launched major offensives on Taliban and al-Qaida strongholds in two of the country’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Analysts in Islamabad say that the incursion into South Waziristan could augur a tactical turn aimed at cutting off an insurgency that threatens to engulf large swaths of Pakistan and reverse gains made by U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The Pentagon has never acknowledged a case of hot pursuit into Pakistan. Wednesday’s incident “doesn’t fit that bill,” the senior Pakistani official said. There was no indication U.S. forces had begun a ground pursuit inside Afghanistan that led them into Pakistani territory. A Pakistani military liaison unit at the main U.S. military base in Af-

ghanistan, Bagram, is under military procedures to be informed of any incursion. Pakistani officials insist there was no such notification. Last week, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a meeting with the Pakistani army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani, aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean after several serious setbacks for Western and Afghan forces in Afghanistan. U.S. and Pakistani officials have released few details about the meeting, which was also attended by Gen. David McKiernan, NATO’s top commander in Afghanistan. But a senior Pakistani military official with knowledge of the meeting said that Mullen and Kiyani focused in large part on the threat to international forces in Afghanistan emanating from insurgents operating inside Pakistan’s borders. The Pakistani military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting touched on a possible agreement to allow U.S. Special Forces to begin ground operations in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, chief spokesman for the Pakistani militar y, denied that there was any agreement for U.S. troops to operate on Pakistani territory. A NATO spokesman in Afghanistan said foreign forces are generally prohibited from mounting crossborder attacks into Pakistan. The spokesman, who gave his name only as Sgt. Yates, said NATO forces occasionally use artillery or missiles to target insurgents who attack foreign troops from Pakistani territory, but the rules of engagement are very precise. “Our area of operations stops at the border. We don’t go over the border, period,” Yates said. In Afghanistan, NATO and U.S. military operations have recently come under scrutiny because of an airstrike that Afghan and U.N. officials said killed up to 90 civilians two weeks ago. On Wednesday, McKiernan said that he concurred with a U.S. military investigation that found that five civilians died in the incident. McKiernan expressed sorrow at the loss of civilian lives in the strike, which began late on Aug. 21 in the village of Azizabad and continued into the early morning hours of Aug. 22. He said NATO would work to better coordinate with the Afghan government and the U.N. mission in Afghanistan to respond to incidents involving civilian casualties. — Staff writer Ann Scott Tyson at the Pentagon and special correspondent Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad contributed to this report.

D ining G uide Thursday, September 4, 2008

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Our guide to taking a bite out of Thayer Andreas: Owned by a very nice gentleman and his lovely family, Andreas has Greek fare ranging from moussaka to souvlakis. Homesick European students can take comfort in the menu, which inexplicably lists prices in Euros as well as U.S. dollars. Homesick Greek students might be disappointed by the lack of big fat weddings. Antonio’s/Gordito Burrito: Despite competition from reggaespinning Nice Slice down the street, Antonio’s remains a late-night pizza fixture for hungry, drunk and alt-rock loving Brunonians. Eggplant and tortellini grace Antonio’s reasonably priced slices, and Gordito Burrito is a nice place to eat. Antonio’s needs to stop raising its prices, though. Au Bon Pain: It may be a chain, but if you pronounce it right it’ll sound high-brow. The create-yourown salads surpass the copycats at Jo’s and the chicken tarragon sandwiches keep us going all year long. If you come late at night, you can sometimes get super cheap pastries. Arrive after 10 p.m. and you can dumpster dive for a cinnamon bun — not that we would know. Bagel Gourmet Ole: The stepchild of the original Brook Street bagel shop offers the same combination of bagels and questionable, but tasty, Mexican fare. Ben & Jerr y’s: You get free scoops on your birthday, and with a few Fish Co IDs that could be several times a year. The buzz around Free Cone Day in April can sometimes rival Spring Weekend. Blaze: An offshoot of the Hope Street eatery with the same name, Blaze offers standard American fusion fare — whatever that means. Blue State Coffee: Liberal drinking is encouraged at this coffee shop that gives a portion of its earnings to

progressive charities. Chief rival is Ralph Nader’s fledgling Green State Coffee, which is rumored to steal about 3% of Blue State’s business. Byblos: The home of “Mama’s Falafel,” Byblos wraps french fries into its chicken shawarma and houses Thayer’s only hookah bar upstairs. The Lebanese-owned joint faces stiff but peaceful competition from longtime falafel powerhouse, Syrian-owned East Side Pockets (see below). Cold Stone Creamery: Students are divided over whether they like it or love it, but either way you gotta have some of this droolworthy ice cream at least once. This place is not for the indecisive, though. Be prepared to make 14 decisions before being served a cup of vanilla ice cream. Creperie: Tucked away behind ABP, this French spin-off serves fresh crepes, wraps, smoothies and death metal. And it’s easier to pronounce than its Fones Alley cousin. Chinese Food Truck: A cheap, popular stop for iffy Chinese food, this is exactly what it sounds like -- a van parked outside the SciLi. East Side Perks: It’s hard to say if this coffee joint on Waterman can ever best its predecessor, Ocean’s Coffee Roasters. But friendly service and a decent breakfast menu mean that it and partner restaurant Spice remain popular study haunts. East Side Pockets: East Side’s falafel is legendary for late-night munchies and lineups out the door. Friendly service, Arabic music videos and dairy products where they don’t seem to belong — but do. Geof f ’s on Thayer: Geoff’s, which was home to an unbelievable two-for-one deal on Tuesday, closed its doors over the summer. But fear

Herald File Photo

Shanghai, Blue State Coffee (above) and Via Via IV (below) attract the hungry Brownie searching for a midnight bite or coffee fix.

not, sandwich fiends — the restaurant’s flagship site on Benefit Street remains open. Haruki Express: Sushi place on Waterman Street and little brother of the Haruki at Wayland Square. Also sells Japanese gummy things, to the delight of Hello Kitty fans everywhere. J&J’s Candy Bar: One-stop shop for a good old-fashioned sugar-highslash-study-aid. Fudge and homemade candies share space with an impressive, colorful array of gourmet jelly beans, chocolate confections and M&Ms. Show your Brown ID for a discount. Johnny Rockets: Grow out your beehive and read some Archie comics at the popular wannabe-1950s burger joint on the corner of Meeting and Thayer streets. They sing, they may even dance. And the music that blares outside will forever (Techni) color your memory of Thayer. Juniper: Toss your Pinkberry before you enter this new, brightlylit frozen yogurt place with all the Mangosteen you’ll ever need. Be prepared for its decor; if you think you are in an operating room, you’re in the right place. Kabob and Curry: If you haven’t sampled their selections by the end of the month then you clearly haven’t followed The Herald’s advice to join a plethora of student groups, because this spicy stuff is a mainstay at info sessions and open houses everywhere. If venturing into this Thayer Street establishment, be sure to bring cologne and Binaca.

Herald File Photo

East Side Pockets (above) and Spice (below) expand the Brown student’s palate.

Kartabar: Not the place for an intimate conversation, unless you’d like to meet some awfully friendly, occasionally leather-clad locals. Quarters are a bit cramped and the acoustics are terrible, but the lobster ravioli and martinis are the best on Thayer. Liquid Lounge: Dark and kind of sketchy, with a mostly local crowd, buckets of beer, and some good live DJs. The College Hill Neighborhood Association doesn’t like it — we can’t tell if that’s a bad thing. Metro Mart: This upstart convenience store doesn’t have Store 24’s selection but has the advantages of parking and alliteration. Plus, it’s a

block closer to the Main Green. Meeting Street Cafe: You might feel like Gulliver in this land of prodigious sandwiches and gargantuan cookies, but bring your linebacker friend and you should be fine. These tasty items will dazzle your taste buds and can also serve as stomach-fillers before your trip downstairs to Spiritus (see below). Bring your ID for a discount. Nice Slice: This tiny joint on Thayer must be doing something right, since it has won over a substantial number of dedicated pizza-eating Brunonians since it opened a few years ago. The indie reading material on their counter matches the lesser-known soda brands you can order with your pie. Paragon/Viva: Whether you enjoy weekly trips to this dance floorslash-restaurant or distance yourself from the Eurotrash “Viva crowd,” you’ll probably agree that Paragon’s food is among the tastiest and most consistent in quality that Thayer has to offer. Food best served when parents take the check. Roba! Dolce: An oddly placed exclamation point in its name complements its imported Italian deserts and surprisingly good breakfast sandwiches (plus a lunch/dinner menu) and cappuccino. Enjoy the creamy gelato or else sleep with the fishes. Shanghai: A staple of the Thayer Street Food Court, this joint is half classy pseudo-bar, half mall take-out joint, with the same good-enough Chinese food served on both sides. You will probably drink a Scorpion Bowl before leaving Brown. You will definitely not remember it.

Spats: Do you enjoy beer, steak, sports and loitering drunk, whilst smoking cigarettes? Spats may be the place for you. Across the street from The Herald’s offices, so just keep in mind that when you urinate in the alley next door, we can see you. Spice: Large portions of slightly-pricey Thai food abound in this Waterman joint with a coffee shop (see East Side Perks) tucked in the front. Super convenient if you don’t want to haul down to Wickenden for your Asian food fix. Spike’s Junkyard Dogs: Park your motorcycle at the door and dig into these dogs, meat or veggie. Try Spike’s Challenge sometime. You get your photo on the wall if you succeed and a bucket if you don’t. Spiritus Fermenti: The only liquor store on Brown’s campus. Overpriced, but you’re paying for proximity. Go there on your 21st birthday for a discount and a teeny bottle of champagne, or on your tippie-toes for a decent shot at some booze to bring to your freshman dorm. Packed on Friday evenings. Starbucks: The one place where college students suddenly have deep pockets. Usually crowded, and a good place for Thayer Street peoplewatching opportunities. There’s a good chance your French class conversation section will meet here. Store 24: The whiney tween of convenience stores is shut down by local law just shy of 2 a.m. despite later aspirations.. It does have all your weekend needs — limes, Solo continued on page 9

D ining G uide Thursday, September 4, 2008

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Cushing S

Brook St.

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Image courtesy of Google.

The Herald’s Guide to Thayer Dining: Joining old and new continued from page 7 cups, Ping-Pong balls and soda. If you’re there around closing time Sunday through Thursday, chances are you’ll run into some Herald editors holding a can of Red Bull and muttering “preciousss.” Subway: Near Minden Hall, Finlandia and a couple of banks to pay for their footlongs. Home to delicious chain-made sandwiches and cardboard cutouts of now-skinny pseudo-celebrities. Sushi Express: Don’t feel like walking to Wickenden or even, if you live near Pembroke, Haruki Express? Hole-in-the-wall Sushi Express has passable, quick sushi, made when you order it. So far, no health code violations.

Tealuxe: If you like your tea as eclectic as your course schedule, Tealuxe is the place for you. Please don’t spend an hour looking through their handheld menus — some of us

are waiting. Via Via IV: This restaurant, legendary among students for its late night service, clings to its brick

ovens and Meeting Street lot with uncommon ferocity in the face of a University that wants the property. They have a new menu, too.

Xtreme Pizza and Wings: Despite their name, the Phillies are the best thing on the menu. The service is good, and you can get free fries with a Brown ID.

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North Korea moving to back out of nuclear deal continued from page 5 sions from the United States. “We need not overreact,” said Kim, speaking at a seminar Monday in Seoul. “They are trying to pressure the United States and other parties to back down rather than engage. The North should realize that verification is a core element” of the deal. To longtime North Korea ob-

servers, the move is a typical tactic from Pyongyang, entirely predictable under the circumstances. “It is par for the course. There is nothing terribly surprising about this,” said Scott Snyder, a Washington-based expert at the Asian Foundation who wrote a book about North Korea’s negotiating behavior. “They are betting that this is a legacy issue for President Bush and that he will back down.”

Up to $1 billion in aid to Georgia from United States continued from page 5 litical rivals who are expected to square off in the next presidential election. In a nationally televised address, Yushchenko accused the prime minister of leading a bloc of opposition parties in a “constitutional coup,” and threatened to call for new elections. The president lashed out after parliament approved laws that would cur tail the power of the president while bolstering the

authority of the prime minister. Yushchenko said he would veto the laws, which he said were meant to create a “prime ministerial dictatorship.” In a televised address of her own, Timoshenko predicted that the fragile coalition would hold together. The constitution gives the squabbling ruling coalition ten days to work out its differences before new elections can be called. — Staff writer Megan K. Stack in Moscow contributed to this report

Thursday, September 4, 2008

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

S harpe you n g mi n ds

Kim Perley / Herald

Students gathered in the Sharpe Refectory recently for a theme night devoted to student activities.

In keynote, Loury challenges first-years continued from page 1 do not provide a script.” While upperclassmen sprawled across the grass to hear the speaker, the Class of 2012 gave him a standing ovation. In her introduction of Lour y, President Ruth Simmons told firstyears that despite their different paths to Brown, they all shared a spirit of independence. Dressed in a long black robe accented by her signature gold earrings, Simmons also said that Brown now must not only serve its own community, but the world at large. “The world calls, and we must respond,” she said.

Pointing to a white “Building Brown” scrim to the audience’s left, she said that Brown’s “knowledge and demands are constantly changing.” Justin Williams ’12 said Convocation confirmed his decision to come to Brown in the first place; “I feel very welcomed. The speech was enlightening, and it reaffirmed the sense of community that Brown is offering.” Likewise, Allison Palm ’12 felt emboldened by the keynote address. “[Loury’s speech] was very inspiring. Coming in here I hadn’t been exposed to ideas like that before. Hearing such a worldly perspective makes me excited to be here.”

Looking forward to Head of the Charles, vball rivalry continued from page 16 Wheaton.) These two games against Connecticut College and MIT are sure to be exciting matches after Bruno outscored them by a combined score of 35-12 last year. Men’s and women’s crew: Oct. 18 & 19: The Head of the Charles races always feature the best crew competition of the fall each year up in Boston. The women’s crew team will be looking to pick up where they have left off the past two years after winning two consecutive NCAA titles, while the men are building on another strong year after recently winning the prestigious ECAC Turfer Award for the second year. Volleyball, Nov. 7:

Last year against the Big Red of Cornell, the volleyball team won an epic five-game battle before a huge Pizzitola crowd. This year’s rematch will provide more of the same hardhitting plays in the opening matchup of the team’s last home weekend of the season. W. soccer and field hockey: Nov. 8: The last home game for the seven seniors of the women’s soccer team will make for an emotional night on Stevenson Field, so don’t miss this game against Ivy League foe Yale. The field hockey team will also be playing its final game on this Saturday afternoon against Yale, as they will be saying goodbye to five outstanding seniors of their own.

@ 8:30 p.m. Sunday..................9/7 Tuesday................9/9 Sunday................9/14

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W. tennis freshman ranked 10th best squad in nation continued from page 16 leticism rivals that of her brother, men’s tennis player Chris Lee ’09. One key for Lee will be the ability to stay healthy, as injuries prevented her from playing her senior year in high school and garnering a national recruiting rank. The fifth member of the new class only received a three-star rating, but coaches consider Carey Aboubakare ’12 of California to be of the same caliber as the rest of the freshmen. The younger sister of Bianca Aboubakare ’11, last year’s unanimous Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Carey Aboubakare did not receive as many points from the recruiting Web site because it does not factor in international or adult play. Brown’s coaches say the younger Aboubakare’s strength is not just doubles (in which she and her older sister were ranked second in the country as juniors), but also her capacity to improve as a singles player. “Carey has the potential to be the stronger of the two if she matures as a competitor,” Wardlaw said. Despite the stature of the new players, the team’s coaches and older players know that the transition from junior to collegiate tennis is not seamless. Wardlaw said the level of play will surprise the freshmen, while Dubusker added that none of last year’s members are looking to give up their spots. Last year’s team lost only one of its 11 members to graduation, Kelley Kirkpatrick ’08, so this year’s group will have 15 players vying for no more than 12 positions.

“We have upperclassmen that are not going to go down easily,” Dubusker said. While Flanzer and Stewart practiced on one court Tuesday afternoon, Brett Finkelstein ’09 and Sara Mansur ’09 played next to their new teammates. The seniors warned that it wouldn’t be easy for the new kids in town to take the veterans’ spots in the starting lineup. “College tennis is completely different,” Mansur said. “It takes a lot of maturity.” The newcomers might hit the ball hard, but Finkelstein said freshmen inevitably face an adjustment. “The balls come back in college,” she said. Stewart said she didn’t feel any pressure to match up against any of her senior teammates. Instead, she has a simple philosophy to keep herself focused on her play. “I don’t like losing,” she said. The coaches expect good-natured competition to be a positive for the team, especially since its conference rivals have beefed up, too. But Dubusker said she isn’t overly concerned about the new Tigers or Crimson. “We’ll stack our class against either of their classes any day,” she said. Wardlaw said he’s excited about the “credibility and legitimacy” Brown’s program has gained after landing thenfive-star prospect Bianca Aboubakare last year and a top-10 freshman class this fall. Wardlaw said he expects the team to compete for the conference championship and an NCAA bid. And looking ahead to the class of 2013, Wardlaw said the team could gain “potentially a stronger class.”

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

M. soccer ‘hungry’ for new season after past successes

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continued from page 16 each year. “We have set a good standard nationally for ourselves,” said midfielder-defender David Walls ’11. “We are returning nine starters with some experience. It’s easier to deal with pressure situations.” Walls said that every opponent Brown crosses this season will give the squad a good game, as those teams are fired up about trying to upset a strong program. The Ivy League schedule once again looks to be a challenge; the league has produced a number of successful teams over the years, including Brown, Dartmouth and Harvard. Because the soccer season is short, with only 17 games on the schedule, there is no opportunity to play league foes more than once. Conference play is worth a lot to a team when there is no postseason conference tournament to redeem a loss. “The Ivy League is competitive,” Grandstrand said. “You win games by having more concentration and greater focus than talent.” Four seniors graduated from last

year’s squad. Eight freshmen and one transfer have replaced them. With a strong returning group and a talented freshmen class, there will be healthy competition for playing time. The Bears have greater depth than in years past. “We have to throw some guys out there in the first couple of weeks. It’s the only way they’ll get any experience,” Noonan said. “We’ll see how the new ones mesh into the nucleus already out on the field.” The Bears ended last season with a heartbreaking 2-1 double-overtime loss to Old Dominion in the second round of the NCAA tournament that no returning player has been able to forget. “We’re all hungry for the up-coming season,” said M-D Jon Okafor ’11. The Bears, No. 12 in the NSCAA/ Adidas Division I rankings, kick off their season by hosting the AdidasBrown Classic on Stevenson Field. Bruno faces No. 22 St. John’s on Friday at 7:30, and then closes the tournament against Villanova on Sunday at 2:30. No. 2 Boston College rounds out the Classic’s lineup.

Asher ’09: Remember alums continued from page 16 out linebacker, during which he helped lead Brown to its first outright Ivy League championship in 2005, DeOssie was drafted by the New York Giants. Last year, in his rookie season, DeOssie played on special teams, and less than nine

months after walking through the Van Wickle Gates, had procured a Super Bowl ring. Not bad at all. If you want to learn more about Brown’s prominent alums, continue to read The Herald! Or, you know, look up “Brown University” on Wikipedia. Whichever is more convenient.

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E ditorial & L etters Page 14

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Thursday, September 4, 2008

Staf f Editorial

Admissions blackjack Across campus, students are feeling the effects of a housing crunch that has left first-years detatched from their units, stowed in lounges, and dropped into kitchens. Because the University rightly does not place freshmen in triples or quads, there is a trickle-down effect that also wipes out housing for upperclassmen. As a result, The Herald reported yesterday, nearly all common spaces and hallway lounges are now bedrooms. While the beginning of each year is often a little unpredictable with respect to matriculation, a major factor in the housing crunch is the higher enrollment among the class of 2012, which is about 3 percent larger than expected. The larger-than-expected enrollment seems to be the result of a bad gamble by the Office of Admission. The Herald reported yesterday that the University admitted about 120 more students than last year as a response to other schools’ changes in admission and financial aid policies. Last year’s financial aid arms race leaves Brown’s offers looking less attractive than those from schools like Harvard and Princeton, who reached deeper into their waitlists because they just stopped offering early admission. As a result of these changes, admission officials believed more students who were admitted to Brown would choose to go elsewhere. Only that didn’t happen. Instead, Brown’s yield rate stayed nearly the same, and now we find ourselves with a freshman class our housing system cannot support. We cannot really fault the Office of Admission for their choice to admit more students. Despite the fact that the decision does not offer a huge vote of confidence in Brown’s ability to compete with its peers, the choice is admittedly still a rational one. The lesson to be learned here is that as colleges continue to tweak their financial aid packages and admission policies to attract students, University officials should expect the admission environment to be unpredictable for quite a while. As a result, there needs to be some leeway in the Office of Admission’s enrollment targets. We cannot continue to have a situation where every time it misses the target by a few percentage points, all the lounges and kitchens on campus disappear. The latest numbers show Brown has advantages beyond financial aid — including a strong residential experience — that attract students even when other colleges offer more money. But if the University undermines those advantages, students really will start to choose our peer institutions over us. We realize being more conservative with enrollment targets may mean admitting fewer students, which would hurt revenue. But the advantages are that students would have access to important amenities like kitchens and lounges, and first-years wouldn’t be separated from a primary social support network. At least then, those of us who do decide to come wouldn’t feel so shortchanged by the numbers games inherent in college admissions.

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O pinions Thursday, September 4, 2008

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Fair trade coffee: a raw deal boris ryvkin Opinions Columnist My daily coffee fix in the Blue Room is a sacred routine. Having been here for three years, I feel I should weigh in on the “fairtrade” label accompanying Brown’s retail brew. Under fair trade, growers in developing countries are paid an above-market price for their produce and work on fair-trade-designated cooperatives. The aim is to empower small, especially “marginalized” growers, to improve their individual financial situation and to strengthen the self-suf ficiency of their communities. Certainly laudable objectives, but what really lies behind the higher prices consumers pay to keep their coffee fair? Fair trade is advertised as a cure for poverty and inequality. In reality it is just another misguided market distortion accomplishing the opposite of what its proponents intend. Fair trade makes the majority of unaffiliated coffee growers poorer by depressing world coffee prices and widening the gap between supply and demand. Those growers that benefit cannot sustain their gains over the long term and face a far harsher financial blowback down the road. Coffeeexporting states become more dependent on the crop and reduce efforts to diversify their economies, thereby undermining plans for sustainable development. And the biggest beneficiaries from fair trade are retail chains, not growers. For

ever y dollar or more a retailer makes from marketing fair-trade coffee, expect the grower to receive about ten cents (the average return). The coffee market is in poor shape. In a 2007 report, the social advocacy group Global Exchange reported that prices had plunged to between $0.60 and $0.70 per pound (down from $1.20 per pound in the 1980s). As noted in an article by Mark Tran, Business Editor for the Guardian, coffee prices are especially low for a few reasons. The first is a recent glut in the coffee supply.

sidizing those already engaged to stay in. As long as fair trade continues, the glut will only become worse. Prices will stay low, and, due to the predictable effects of a classic price floor, demand will fall even further below supply and growers will sink into deeper pover ty. Those on fair-trade cooperatives might benefit temporarily, but the gains are unsustainable — these same growers will eventually experience massive economic losses. Low prices and an exacerbated market glut spell doom for sustainable develop-

Fair trade is advertised as a cure for poverty and inequality. In reality it is just another misguided market distortion accomplishing the opposite of what its proponents intend. Beyond that, large plantations and transnational firms have been able to reduce transportation and output costs in recent years. Low coffee prices indicate that there is too much coffee in the world right now, and that farmers should be switching to other crops. Instead, fair trade distorts this market signal and per versely encourages more workers to come into the market while sub-

ment. Economist Gene Callahan explained in a recent article for the Christian Science Monitor: “By paying more than the market price for coffee — the authentically fair price — fair-traders send a signal to people in developing countries to join an already overcrowded field. ... a caffeinated price means more growers, more land destruction, more dependency on a single cash crop.” As a result, coffee-exporting countries

have less incentive to invest in economic expansion and encourage new industries since such a high percentage of the workforce is involved in the coffee trade. The lack of economic diversification will set development back for decades. Local communities have already become less self-sufficient and more dependent on foreign investment and capital to make up a gigantic skills gap. Furthermore, the biggest beneficiaries from fair-trade are not growers, but retail chains. Comparisons of returns released by the Fair Trade Federation allege gains of about 10 cents per pound on standard, non-organic coffee. These gains pale in comparison to the returns for coffee retailers — typically a dollar or more per pound, according to economist N. Joseph Potts of the libertarian Mises Institute. Supermarkets, knowing that some consumers are eager to be as compassionate as possible, have taken advantage of the fairtrade label. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the British supermarket chain Salisbur ys has sold fair-trade coffee at $3.46 per pound, while growers earn only 44 cents above market price. Small wonder where the rest of that markup went. The case against fair trade is substantial. By toying with market signals, fair trade widens the gap between supply and demand, impoverishes coffee growers in the long term and undermines sustainable development. It is a successfully marketed scheme meant to exploit popular ignorance and goodwill. Brunonians should know better.

Boris Ryvkin ’09 still loves Blue Room coffee.

‘Obama’s election to lose’ BY MAX chaiken Opinions Columnist As I followed the presidential election over the summer — the negative ads, Barack Obama’s trip to the Middle East and Europe, the growing excitement over the potential vice-presidential nominees and the seesawing polls, I grew ner vous. Pundits alleged that Obama did not respond quickly enough to attacks portraying him as a celebrity and the media exaggerated Obama’s smallest dips in the polls. Now, as summer gives way to fall, the campaign narrative is starting to change. The Democratic National Convention successfully brought the Democratic Party together after an historic and bitter primary battle. Much of the bitterness was relieved as both Hillar y Clinton and her husband made a forceful and passionate case for electing Obama. Michelle Obama’s love for our country was moving, compassionate and warm. And Barack Obama’s detailed vision of our nation’s future inspired over 80,000 hopeful supporters. Yet, still, I am ner vous. I am ner vous because there has never been more at stake for our nation than there is right now. We live in a world endangered by a misconceived and misguided war. We live in a nation where workers are working longer hours for smaller paychecks. America is now a country in which fewer children have the resources they need to succeed in school. It is a nation

where families forego necessary health care because of a broken health care system that leaves millions uninsured. We are dependent on foreign oil — an addiction that destroys our economy, threatens our security, and harms the world that we live in. There are many reasons to be confident that Obama will win in November. John McCain chose a running mate mired in scandal. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s inexperience is enough to rob McCain of his strongest argument against Obama. The choice indicates an utter disregard for any

have run his campaign brilliantly, and his powerful ground organization far outstrips McCain’s meager efforts. Despite knowing all of this, I still worr y. These fears crystallized in a conversation I had with a friend after he suggested that the race is Obama’s to lose. All indications are that Obama should have an easy time defeating McCain in November. President Bush’s approval ratings have never been lower. A struggling economy historically forecasts Democratic victories. “The race is

We must reject the notion that the race is Obama’s to lose. It is ours. ... But if we are complacent and apathetic, we will deserve to lose. sort of rigorous vetting process and allows Democrats to make McCain’s age and health central concerns in the campaign narrative. There are encouraging trends in most swing states, and Obama has many different ways to get to the necessar y 270 electoral votes. Obama’s top campaign managers

Obama’s to lose, and if he can’t win, I won’t pity him,” he said. There is some truth in that sentiment. And it would probably be easy for many of us to tune out, passively watch the news until election day and be done with it. But this type of attitude is precisely what Obama is running against. That attitude contradicts

the notion that we are all responsible for our own destinies. It stands in absolute opposition to the guiding principle behind Obama’s movement — the belief that by working together, we can change our countr y for the better. In his acceptance speech, Obama said “I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s been about you.” We would be wise to remember this. We must reject the notion that the race is Obama’s to lose. It is ours. There is too much at stake. We have an obligation to our children and grandchildren to ensure that we win. But if we are complacent and apathetic, we will deser ve to lose. So today I ask any person reading this column to take a stand. Stand up if you want to end this war and restore our standing in the world. Stand up if you believe that every American who works should be able to make a living. Stand up if you hope and believe, as Obama said, “we are a better countr y than this.” Make a phone call. Make a donation. Knock on a door. Send an e-mail. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself wake up on Nov. 5 wishing you had done more.

Max Chaiken ’09 is the President of Brown Students for Barack Obama and is probably standing somewhere in the Ratty right now.

S ports T hursday Page 16

Thursday, September 4, 2008

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Famous Brunonians in the world Hey, do you remember that No. 1 draft pick who graduated from Brown? Yeah, neither do I. So, when faced with the challenge of defending the good Benjy Asher name of our Sports Editor U n i v e r s i t y, we could simply assert our social and academic superiority. But no one likes an elitist, or at least so CNN tells me. But don’t fear, we Brunonians can still compete with the best of them when faced with name-droppers boasting of famous athletic alumni, be they the Emmitt Smiths of the University of Florida, the Michael Jordans of North Carolina, the John Elways of Stanford, or the Chris Dudleys of Yale. Here are some names from the Brown sports world who helped put our school on the map: Before he became one of the most recognizable faces of ESPN as a commentator for sports including golf, baseball and football, Chris Berman ’77 P’08 P’09 got his start as a sportscaster for WBRU. An avid golf fan even back in his days on College Hill, he admitted, on the air, to having snuck into the U.S. Open during his sophomore year at Brown. His apology, and his payment of the admission fee to the U.S. Golf Association, made him a paragon of the virtues instilled in him by his alma mater. Joe Paterno ’50 was a key member of the Brown football team as a quarterback, defensive back and kick returner and is still tied for the Brown career interceptions record, with 14. But even more impressive have been his accomplishments in his college football coaching career. He is currently tied for the lead in career wins by a major-college football coach, with 373. Now in his 43rd season as the head coach at Penn State, Paterno won national championships in 1982 and 1986, as well as two additional Big Ten conference championships and 23 overall bowl victories (both before and after the creation of the BCS system) during his storied career. Brown has never produced a Heisman Trophy winner, but the trophy’s namesake himself attended Brown from 1887 to 1889. John Heisman went on to become one of the nation’s most dominant college football coaches, innovating the game with the use of line shifts and forward passes. In recognition for his contributions to the game, the Heisman Trophy was named after him, and is awarded annually to the nation’s top college football player. Before launching a career in politics, Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri ’65 was a strong defensive back for the Bears. He awards the Governor’s Cup each year to the winner of the Brown-University of Rhode Island game. After losses the past two years, Brown will try to give Carcieri the opportunity to award the cup to his alma mater this season. Oh, were you looking for someone who has actually played professional sports, or who has attended Brown within your lifetime? Look no further than Zak DeOssie ’07. After his college career as a standcontinued on page 13

M. soccer ready to build on last year’s success By Katie Wood Assistant Sports Editor

After such a successful 2007 campaign, it is hard to imagine the men’s soccer team could be even better this year. But nonetheless, that is the team’s goal. The 2007 squad turned in an astounding 15-2-1 overall record, an undefeated Ivy League championship, an NCAA tournament berth and a No. 11 finish in the season’s final poll. The Bears will return nine starters, including preseason All-American defender Rhett Bernstein ’09, returning captain Stephen Sawyer ’09, as well as a core of experienced players returning from last year’s squad. However, Head Coach Mike Noonan doesn’t want the team to rely on its success from last season. “From my perspective, we’ve been focusing on this year,” Noonan said. “Every team is different and it’s a brand new year.” This year there are high expectations for the team once again. “We were successful last year and are trying to build on it,” said goalie Paul Grandstrand ’11 . “We still need to remember how much work it took to get there and put that same amount of effort into this season.” Noonan builds his team’s schedule around challenging opponents that he knows his team is capable of beating. The Bears could start off 0-5 or 5-0 based on the stiff competition they face at the beginning of Herald File Photo

Preseason All-American Rhett Bernstein ‘09 looks to build on last season’s success.

continued on page 13

Herald picks: games not-to-miss for the fall season Men’s soccer, Sept. 5 & 7: The No. 12 and reigning Ivy League Champion men’s soccer team hosts the annual AdidasBrown Classic tournament versus Big East adversaries St. John’s and Villanova this weekend. Stevenson Field is always packed with fans for this kickoff to the fall sports season. It’s also a good chance to catch a glimpse of Preseason All-American defender and Hermann Trophy candidate Rhett Bernstein ’09.

W. tennis, Sept. 26-28 and Oct. 31-Nov. 2: Bruno hosts two tournaments that featured big-name teams, including St. John’s, Temple and Boston College. Brown’s reigning ITA East Regional and Ivy League Rookie of the Year Bianca Aboubakare ’11 and younger sister Carey ’12 are two players who will make for some great tennis to watch.

is always a thrilling game to attend at Brown Stadium, and playing against Ivy League champion Harvard will have the Bears even more fired up than usual as the team looks for revenge after a close seven-point loss to the Crimson last year. The game in Cambridge last year drew almost 19,000 fans, so the Brown community has some big shoes to fill.

Football, Sept. 27: The homecoming football game

Men’s water polo, Oct. 14 & 29: The No. 19 men’s water polo

team has only two “home” matches all year at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass. (For those unfamiliar with Brown’s aquatic situation: After the old Smith Swim Center was torn down last year because of architectural problems, the temporary Aquatics Bubble was built, behind the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center. But it’s not big enough to host competitions; thus, any swimming and water polo home meet is held at continued on page 11

W. tennis nets nation’s 10th-best freshman class By Seth Motel Staff Writer

Herald File Photo

Bianca Aboubakare ‘11 will be joined by sister Carey Aboubakare ‘12, one of five freshmen on the team.

The women’s tennis recruiting rankings last spring contained some good news and some bad news for the Bears. The good news from the Tennis Recruiting Network is that Bruno has the 10th-best freshman class in the country. But strong classes at Princeton and Harvard, respectively ranked first and eighth, mean that both the newcomers and the veterans on Brown’s team will face a tough conference season. The five lauded freshmen come from different parts of the country, but the team’s coaches said the players share strong personalities. “The thing that ties all of our five players is their will,” said Assistant Coach Cecily Dubusker. The Tennis Recruiting Network gave five-star ratings to four of Brown’s

freshmen, the most received by any team in the country. Florida native Casey Herzberg ’12 is ranked No. 49 in the country among the new freshmen. With her two-handed forehand and backhand, Herzberg is a hard hitter with a “firststrike mentality,” said Head Coach Paul Wardlaw. Joining her is No. 60 Julie Flanzer ’12, who brings from Illinois a competitive spirit along with her speed and aggressive groundstrokes, Wardlaw said. Another five-star recruit is lefty Cate Stewart ’12, an aggressive player who finished her high school career ranked No. 1 in Pennsylvania and No. 76 in the country. Also in the five-star club (but unranked overall) is Jenny Lee ’12, a Massachusetts native whose athcontinued on page 12