SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016
VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 14
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Bootstrap brings coding, WRESTLING math to middle schools Developed in part by Brown faculty, curriculum supports White House’s CS for All initiative By HATTIE XU STAFF WRITER
Ten thousand middle school students in 17 states are now designing video games while solving algebra problems, thanks to Bootstrap, a curriculum developed by Emmanuel Schanzer, Shriram Krishnamurthi, professor of computer science and Kathryn Fisler, adjunct professor of computer science. Initiated in 2006, Bootstrap is used by 250 teachers across the United States and five other countries, Krishnamurthi said. As part of President Obama’s Computer Science for All initiative, the curriculum has received national attention and was featured on the White House blog. “We want to make a significant contribution to the way math is taught in the United States, and we want everyone to be exposed to computer science,” Schanzer said. “We tried to make something light enough so that it feels like exposure, but heavy enough so that it’s a meaningful and memorable first step into computer science.”
Bootstrap helps students learn algebra, a necessary life skill, and introduces computer science to students early enough so they do not rule it out as a career choice without being exposed to it, Krishnamurthi said. “Computing has become a fundamental tool for many different disciplines,” Fisler said. “Some are science disciplines, but some aren’t. Look at how much media is produced digitally and how a lot of artists now need to know about computation.” Since 1985, Krishnamurthi has been interested in computer science outreach and education. Krishnamurthi worked with his adviser at Rice University, Matthias Felleisen, on Program by Design — a curriculum for high school and college students, Krishnamurthi said. As a high school teacher in Boston, Schanzer saw his students struggling with algebra and was inspired to find a new way to teach it, he said. Using the programming language Racket, Schanzer began to develop a curriculum for middle and high school students. In a chance meeting on an MBTA train, Felleisen, creator of Racket, noticed Schanzer using the programming language, Krishnamurthi said. Felleisen connected Schanzer to » See BOOTSTRAP, page 2
ELI WHITE / HERALD
The Bears got off to a slow start against Harvard but slowly worked their way back into the match. Despite strong efforts from Justin Staudenmayer ’17 and Steven Galiardo ’17, Bruno eventually fell 25-10.
Bears bounce back after loss to Harvard Younger wrestlers get chance to grow against Roger Williams at Beauty, Beast competition By NIKKO PASANEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
It was a packed house Sunday at the Pizzitola Sports Center, where over 700 spectators spent their Valentine’s Day at the second annual Beauty and the Beast competition. But the boisterous crowd was not enough to inspire the Bears to a
victory over Ivy League rival Harvard. The day’s second contest against Roger Williams brought better results, giving Bruno a split on the day and the fans something positive to cheer about. “This is our favorite event of the year. Everyone gets really hyped up for it,” said Justin Staudenmayer ’17. “We had a tough match against Harvard — a couple things didn’t go our way — and you can see that on the scoreboard. But overall I thought we fought hard, and then we picked things up against Roger Williams and turned things around.” The first match of the day saw Bruno
take on its Ancient Eight foe. Things got off to a great start for the Bears, with Josh Durso-Finley ’18 pulling off an exciting overtime victory that set the tone for the crowd’s day-long enthusiasm. But it did not take long for the Crimson to shift the momentum, as it quickly jumped out to a 13-3 lead through four matches. Fortunately for the Bears, the middle weight classes, where they have found the greatest success this season, came next. Steven Galiardo ’17 started off their comeback with an impressive » See WRESTLING, page 3
Tie at No. 15 Cornell gives Bears key point Researchers investigate M. HOCKEY
Late power play goal squashes Brown’s first chance at conference victory since November By MATT BROWNSWORD SPORTS EDITOR
For a men’s hockey team that has won two conference games this season, picking up a point in a 3-3 tie against No. 15 Cornell is an occasion to be celebrated. As it stands, a point for Brown (4-16-5, 2-12-4 ECAC) could be the difference between playing at Dartmouth or Rensselaer in the first round of the playoffs. Avoiding Dartmouth would be the Bears’ goal, as the Big Green is on a five-game win streak against Bruno, including 7-3 and 6-3 drubbings this season. Still, for a team that has not recorded a conference win since Thanksgiving, one point will not make up for a difficult season. “I thought our team played well » See M. HOCKEY, page 2
INSIDE
from top to bottom,” said captain Mark Naclerio ’16. “We were unfortunate to go down a man in the last minute, but our energy was very good, and we had a great game.” The Bears’ penalty kill — an achilles heel each of the past two seasons — came back to bite them against Cornell (12-7-5, 7-6-4). The Big Red started the third period with a power play goal and then sandwiched two Brown tallies with a second goal on the man advantage with 10 seconds left on the clock. Though Brown’s power play has seen much improvementin the last year, its penalty kill has remained one of the nation’s worst. Ranking last in the conference, the Bears’ kill is third-to-last in the country, ahead of newly minted Arizona State and Western Michigan. “Our power play has been collecting a lot so far even though we’ve had few calls for us,” Naclerio said. “But the penalty kill is something
that we definitely have to focus on and figure out.” Tommy Marchin ’19 has been a brilliant bright spot in a challenging season and showcased his ability again Friday, continuing his ECAC rookie of the year campaign with another first-period goal against the Big Red. The first-year’s 13 goals are second-most on the team and eighth in the conference. Zack Pryzbek ’17 has been a pleasant surprise for the Bears as well, scoring his fourth goal of the season to put Brown up 3-2 late in the third period. The fourth-liner is one of two players for Bruno with a positive plus-minus, boasting a plus-two along with Brandon Pfiel ’16. “He’s been great so far,” Naclerio said. “He’s been shooting a lot and playing with high energy and playing really physically.” Max Willman ’18 picked up the other tally for Brown, tying the game at two midway through the third ELI WHITE / HERALD
Captain Mark Naclerio ’16 awaits a pass near the boards. He tallied one assist in the Bears’ 3-3 tie against the Big Red Friday night.
physics of stone skipping Splash Lab study has implications for water toys, naval crafts, basic physics understanding By RACHEL GOLD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
When it comes to skipping stones, kids know to look for the perfect rock. But according to a team of researchers from the School of Engineering, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport and Utah State University, it is elastic balls that they should be after. In a paper published Feb. 4, the team of researchers offered new insights into the fluid-solid interactions that send “skipping stones” and balls jumping across water surfaces. The result could have implications on anything from pool toys to water skis to inflatable boats for the navy, but the main purpose behind the project was the “advancement of scientific
understanding,” said Allan Bower, professor of engineering and member of the research team behind the paper. In the case of this experiment — part of which took place at Utah State University’s “Splash Lab”, which is run by Tadd Truscott — the scientific understanding came with a hearty dose of fun. “It’s definitely the most fun thing I’ve ever done academically,” said Jesse Belden, researcher at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and another author of the paper. “There is something about skipping stones that has always intrigued people,” he added. Though the physics of skipping stones across water has long been studied, it “turns out nobody has looked at how squishy objects bounce off water surfaces,” Bower said. The team found that elastic balls “automatically adopt a favorable shape” when they impact the water, deforming into the flattened discs that » See SKIPPING, page 3
WEATHER
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016
SPORTS Men’s basketball team falls into Ivy League cellar following losses to Dartmouth, Harvard
SPORTS Despite comeback efforts, women’s hockey falls short in final home ECAC contests
COMMENTARY Mitra ’18: Whitewashed Academy should take cues from diversity of television industry
COMMENTARY Novoa ’19: 2015 saw Drake veer away from soulful persona as he draws on new hip-hop influences
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NEWS
PAGE 2 • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY
Shriram Krishnamurthi, professor of computer science, collaborated on Bootstrap, an innovative curriculum that blends algebra with CS.
» BOOTSTRAP, from page 1 Krishnamurthi and Fisler: From then on, the three worked together to further develop and refine what became Bootstrap, Krishnamurthi added. Adam Newall, a seventh- and eighth-grade algebra teacher at Pembroke Community Middle School in Boston, has implemented Bootstrap in his curriculum for the past three years and seen his students learn effectively from the program, he said. One of Newall’s students created a typing game that matches the alphabet to pictures of animals, he said. His mother, who is a kindergarten teacher, was inspired to use in her own classroom, Newall said. His mother’s school reached out and asked him to create more programs for their students, motivating him to stay late for weeks after school to write code longhand, Newall added. Instead of creating something for their own “personal pleasure,”
» M. HOCKEY, from page 1 period. Though the Buffalo Sabres draft pick has only two goals on the year, his eight points are more than those notched by each of his fellow NHL selections, Sam Lafferty ’18 and Tyler Bird ’18. But it was a tale of a poor defensive effort once again, as Bruno scored three goals and failed to record the win for the sixth time this year.
Newall encourages his students to make “something that could convey a message to someone,” he said. “They think about that a lot and interpret it in a lot of different ways.” Bootstrap has received a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, The Herald previously reported. The grant will be used over three years to study how students can use programming to improve their math skills, Fisler said. In addition to the team itself, external groups have evaluated the effectiveness of Bootstrap by comparing students’ performance on word problems before and after the program, Krishnamurthi said. Going forward, the group hopes to implement Bootstrap in even more schools and make it accessible to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, Krishnamurthi said, adding that he hopes to further develop Bootstrap to apply it to the teaching of calculus Along with a league-worst 3.47 goals against average, the Bears have a .884 save percentage — one of two teams in the ECAC with a save percentage under .900. Brown looks to upend its 10-game winless streak against St. Lawrence and Clarkson at home next weekend. “We want to win as many games as possible moving forward,” Naclerio said. “We just want to gain some momentum heading into the playoffs.”
SPORTS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
M. BASKETBALL
Bears go cold in road trip north, sink to last place Consecutive losses to Ancient Eight’s worst teams have Bears looking up at rest of conference
back to the Ivy cellar as its road woes continue. The Bears are now 1-9 in opponents’ gyms, an alarming sign given that four of their six remaining games are on the road.
By CALEB MILLER
Harvard 79, Brown 73 The Crimson’s five-year Ivy championship streak will come to a close this year, as the Cambridge bunch has severely underperformed given its talented recruiting classes. But Harvard flashed some of its talent with a monster second half Friday. An even game through the first 30 minutes swung Harvard’s way with a 9-2 Crimson run midway through the second half. Despite continual surges by the Bears, Harvard’s timely long-range shooting and late success at the charity stripe kept the Bears from cutting the lead to fewer than three points the rest of the way. Just how much did Harvard rely on three-pointers and free throws? In the
Tavon Blackmon ’17 dribbles the ball up court. The junior point guard led the Bears in scoring against both Harvard and Dartmouth over the weekend, putting up 19 and 22 points per game, respectively. game’s final 11 minutes, the Crimson Of those 30 points, just four came on its last 13 points from the charity stripe. scored 30 points to turn a one-point two-point field goals. Instead, the home The Crimson “shot the ball extremelead into a victory and hold off a Bears team nailed four treys and converted ly well when they needed to,” said Head offense that was also scoring in bunches. 14-of-18 free throw attempts, scoring » See M. BBALL, page 4
and — per Newton’s laws — the fluid pushes back. Bower explained that this force is very different from the surface tension that enables insects to walk on water, but similar to basilisk lizards running across and seaplanes landing on water surfaces. The team constructed the balls from a silicone rubber called “Dragon Skin,” produced by a company called Smooth-On and available to
anyone online, said Michael Jandron, another researcher at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. The team then used launchers to project the balls at specific velocities and angles and recorded the trajectories using highspeed cameras. The team was especially curious about how the elasticity of the material would affect the ball’s deformation and ability to skip. By changing the stiffness, radii and density of the balls, the
STAFF WRITER
Momentum is a fickle friend. When the men’s basketball team made the trek up to Harvard and Dartmouth with a chance to even its Ivy record, momentum decided not to make the trip. A week after topping Cornell and playing a league frontrunner in Columbia from start to finish, the Bears fell on consecutive nights to the conference’s last-place teams. Harvard (10-13, 2-5 Ivy) rode a 51-point second half Friday night to a comeback 79-73 win, and Dartmouth (8-14, 2-6) delivered another blow Saturday, besting the Bears 87-70. The pair of losses draged Bruno
» SKIPPING, from page 1 rock-skippers know to look for, Bower said. The water then pushes back on the ball and sends it into the next skip — or, in the team’s experiments, the next 60 skips. Hydrodynamic forces — more generally known as lift, the mechanism responsible for airplane flight — cause this phenomenon, Bower said. The ball exerts a downward force on the water,
» WRESTLING, from page 1 11-4 victory, missing out on the major decision win by only a point. Standout Staudenmayer followed suit with a dominating 8-0 win by major decision, bringing the score to 13-10. Down to just a three-point margin, Bruno put its faith in rookie Jon Viruet ’19, who admirably fought against Harvard’s No. 19 Devon Gobbo, but ultimately could not pull off the upset. The match’s last three contests were close calls, with the Bears falling in two of them by sudden victories. Bruno will have a couple weeks to work out the kinks before it goes up against its Ivy League competitors again at the EIWA championships. The Bears are focusing on turning their close losses into close wins, said Head Coach Todd Beckerman. “In the Harvard match, I think we fought really hard,” Beckerman said. “We just didn’t win the close ones. I told those guys, we are going see Harvard again at the conference tournament. We are going to see all the other Ivies. We just have to win them next time around.” In the second match of the day, the Bears found themselves up against instate opponents Roger Williams, who are currently the third-highest ranked Division III team. A break against Division I competition may have been just what Bruno needed to boost its
confidence as it heads into the final stretch of the season. Durso-Finley started things off again for the Bears, but this time he could not come away with an opening win. Unlike in the Harvard match, the next stretch of guys picked up the slack during a dominating streak. Michael Russo ’18 kicked it off with a solid major decision victory, followed by notable performances by William McDonald ’17 and the always-reliable Staudenmayer. McDonald registered a pin, grabbing six points for the Bears, and Staudenmayer recorded a win by technical fall. With two matches remaining and the dual-meet victory already secured, the Bears let some of their younger guys see some action, which made for a more competitive final score. Bruno left the mat with a 24-17 win. The team now has one dual-meet left on the regular season schedule before it gears up for the EIWA and NCAA championships. The whole season has been a preparation for this postseason run, and the wins and losses from earlier in the season will not matter in the next couple of weeks, Beckerman said. “This season we put them through a tough test to prepare them for this run,” he added. “We did a lot of a character building. We did a lot of traveling to put them in situations that make them uncomfortable, which (is) going to help us in the long run.”
ALEX WAINGER / HERALD
researchers found that “softer is always better for skipping,” Bower said. Belden and Jandron, who study fluid dynamics, worked with Bower, an expert in solid dynamics, to create a computer model that could extrapolate further results — for example, to test a 10-foot diameter ball, Jandron said. The team “had a great collaboration,” Belden said. “We had (a) couple students, professors and research
scientists. Everybody had different strengths, and all were integral in resolving the problem.” But Bower was quick to point out that one does not have to take highspeed images of rocks to have fun experimenting. “Anything you pick up is so cool,” he said as he started spinning one of the small, scientific contraptions on his desk. “There should be a class on what’s cool, though that might not look good for the resume.”
SPORTS
PAGE 4 • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
W. HOCKEY
Losses to Cornell, No. 10 Colgate extend winless skid to 16 games
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Erin Conway ’17 skates past a Colgate defender. During Friday night’s tilt against Cornell, the junior registered an assist, but the Bears could not muster enough offense against the Big Red and eventually fell 4-2.
Senior Day goals by Woo ’17, Carey ’19 not enough to carry Bears to win over nationally ranked Raiders By BEN SHUMATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The women’s hockey team fell in its final home games of the season this weekend, bringing the Bears’ (3-213, 1-16-3 ECAC) winless streak to 16 games. Though the team failed to send its three seniors off with a victory in their last home weekend, Bruno mounted valiant comeback efforts in both games. Brown welcomed Cornell to town Friday, looking to build off a 2-2 tie in the teams’ first matchup. After a hooking penalty against Maddie Woo ’17, the Big Red (1112-4, 7-9-4) cashed in on its only power play opportunity of the opening period. Briana Veerman fed a pass through a Brown defenseman in front of the net for Jess Brown,
» M. BBALL, from page 3 Coach Mike Martin ’04. Making more shots is easier when you take more shots, something the Crimson were able to do all game thanks to 15 offensive rebounds. Harvard shot a lower percentage from the field, but a 10-point advantage in second-chance points vaulted the Crimson above Brown. Tavon Blackmon ’17 emerged as the key cog for the Bears’ offense down the stretch. The point guard scored or assisted on all Bruno’s final 10 points and finished the contest with a gamehigh 19 points and six dimes. But, like the rest of his teammates, Blackmon’s good came with some bad, namely a season-high nine turnovers. Foul trouble for starting forwards Cedric Kuakumensah ’16 and Steven Spieth ’17 kept them out of the game for much of the first half. But Bruno overcame their absences to carry a fivepoint lead into the locker room. Four starters finished in doubledigits, including a 14-point outing from rookie Obi Okolie ’19 against his brother’s team. But the offense is not
who snuck the puck past goaltender Monica Elvin ’17. The score remained at 1-0 into the second period, but Bruno continued to struggle on special teams. Cornell’s Taylor Woods struck on a shorthanded chance, and Anna Zorn scored on the power play to make it 3-0. After generating 18 shots over two periods, Brown went all out offensively in the third. A tripping penalty gave Bruno a man advantage early in the period. Samantha Swanstrom ’18 found Hunter Davis ’16 at point-blank range, and she put Brown on the board. Unfortunately for the Bears, Cornell countered with another 2-on-1 rush opportunity, restoring the Big Red’s three-goal lead. Head Coach Bob Kenneally ’90 said that he had asked the defensemen to play more aggressively, which the primary problem for the struggling Bears, as the squad’s 40-point second half was outshadowed by Harvard’s 51 in the same period. Defense and rebounding failed the Bears in the second-half, and those troubles carried into Saturday’s contest in Hanover. Dartmouth 87, Brown 70 Bruno fell behind early in a streaky contest, and the Big Green pulled away in the second half to condemn the Bears to a winless weekend. A 14-2 Dartmouth run early in the game foreshadowed the consistent control the Big Green would exert throughout the game. A 9-0 Bruno answer preceded another Dartmouth run — this time 11-0 — as the home team held a 38-28 lead at half. Bruno fell victim to another secondhalf offensive surge, allowing 49 points in the period and falling behind by as many as 21 points. The Big Green is the second-lowest scoring team in Ivy League play this season, but against a putrid Bears defense, the Big Green racked up more points than it has scored against any Division
can often be a high-risk, high-reward strategy. The odd-man rushes on both of Woods’ goals mark the high-risk part of that proposition. “We knew we would give up some (chances), but we thought the sacrifice of giving up odd-man rushes to actually generate some more offense was worth it,” he said. Just 50 seconds later, Woo cashed in on one of those offensive chances on an assist from Erin Conway ’17. Brown got several good chances in the final minutes and dominated puck possession. With 5:30 remaining, the Bears were given 30 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage. After Cornell killed off one of the penalties, Brown squandered the rest of their advantage after a too-many-men on the ice penalty. Ultimately, the time would run out on Brown’s comeback effort, but not before the team outshot the Big Red 15-12 in the final period. Elvin finished with 37 saves. I team this season. “Dartmouth was really efficient running their offense,” Blackmon said. Dartmouth forward Evan Boudreaux, frontrunner for Ivy Rookie of the Year, put on a show Saturday. The first-year put up game-high totals with 25 points and 13 rebounds. For the third loss in a row, Bruno shot a higher percentage than its vanquisher. But offensive rebounds allowed Dartmouth to make up the difference by putting up more attempts. The Big Green crushed Bruno 16-2 on secondchance points. Blackmon and Okolie led the way for the Bears once again. Blackmon poured in 22 points, and Okolie chipped in 16. Kuakumensah notched 16 points, and his five rebounds and six blocks accounted for the little success Bruno found on the board or interior defense. Martin said the Bears would turn the page quickly as they prepare to battle Penn and Princeton next weekend. But Bruno’s road woes and 82 points allowed per game in Ivy play is not a recipe for success, so the Bears will look to buck those trends beginning Friday night in Philadelphia.
Saturday’s contest against No. 10 Colgate (19-6-7, 11-4-5) was the final chance for the teams’ three seniors — Davis, Ali Rollandelli ’16 and Kelly Micholson ’16 — to suit up at Meehan Auditorium. The trio were honored in a pregame ceremony with family members by their sides. Their road sweaters hung on the glass behind the bench, along with homemade signs around the rink. Bruno struggled to break the puck out early and was hurt by turnovers in the defensive zone, allowing the Raiders to strike first. But the Bears seemed to find their passing rhythm, and the game turned into a back-and-forth contest similar to the third period against Cornell. “The first period we had some tired legs, and I think they were so amped up before the game for senior day that mentally we just weren’t there,” Kenneally said. “I really emphasized in between periods that they had to move their feet, and we wanted to stretch the zone.” Just 1:58 into the second, Colgate found the back of the net again, this time from a slap shot from Lauren Wildfang. The score held at 2-0 until 10 minutes later, when Sam Donovan ’18 found Bridget Carey ’19 in the slot. Carey buried the chance to bring the Bears within one. Minutes later, a shot from Colgate’s Shelby Perry trickled past Julianne Landry ’18 and into the net. Kenneally then made the decision to pull Landry and put Elvin in. “It’s not always something that a coach wants to do. But I thought it would give us a shot in the arm, and it did,” Kenneally said. That “shot in the arm” was almost immediate, as Woo would cut the deficit in half with her second goal of the weekend. Donovan sent a low
shot towards the net that the junior tipped into the top corner of the net in textbook fashion. The teams went into the third period with the score still 3-2. Elvin held strong in net, and Brown dominated possession. It appeared as if the Bears had the Raiders on the ropes, but the equalizer never came. Despite falling short on the ice, both Kenneally and the seniors had positive reflections on the night. “That Colgate team is one of the best teams we’ve played all year,” Kenneally said. “They have 18 wins coming in to this game, and I thought we actually outplayed them in the third period. I thought we had some quality chances, and I could not be prouder of this team.” “Coming here seeing the locker room decorated, seeing our notes from our parents — it just means so much,” Micholson said. “I know all three of us cried.” The seniors also took time to reflect on the four years they spent as part of the Brown program. Micholson said she will remember the friendships and connections she made on the team. “The bus rides, the road trips, pre-game meals — just the little things,” she said. “It’s not all about hockey. That’s what I want people to realize.” “The seniors were instrumental in helping me change the culture of this team,” Kenneally said. “The culture in the past few years has been one of accepting not playing well and losing, and this team did not accept that all year. Their leadership was a big part of that.” “It’s exciting for us to see a class like that develop so much and have such big roles on the team,” Rollandeli said. “It gives us hope for seasons to come that we can look back and know that we played a part in that. Brown has a lot of success to come.”
TODAY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
s pa c e - c a pa d e s
menu SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS
Pizza: Rhode to Italy, Caprese, BBQ, Chicken Ranch Chili Bar JOSIAH’S
BLUE ROOM
Gourmet Grilled Cheese
Turkey Chili, Chicken Noodle Soup, Mediterranean Pockets
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Southern Fried Chicken, Butternut Squash with Shallots, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pork Chops in Tarragon Mustard Sauce, Potatoes Italienne, Chocolate Sundae Cake
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Bacon Ranch Chicken Sandwich, Vegan Tofu Ravioli, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Italian Beef Noodle Casserole, Cheese Souffle, Spanish Lentils, Chocolate Sundae Cake
sudoku
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Brown Band members masquerade as science fiction characters during their annual costumed show Saturday. The ice rink was toasty compared to the sub-zero temperatures students have been braving this week.
comic Can’t You See | Roland High RELEASE DATE– Monday, February 15, 2016
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Diplomat Henry __ Lodge 6 Former Ford division, briefly 10 “Kindly let us know,” on invites 14 Like a noisy stadium 15 Length times width 16 Israeli airline 17 *The president’s annual salary, e.g. 19 Lily that’s Utah’s state flower 20 Mary __ cosmetics 21 Agree silently 22 Avoid shipping out? 24 Electrically connected 26 Weds in secret 27 Kind of football kick 30 Prairie dog or squirrel 32 Brown photo tone 33 Long skirt 34 Carpe __: seize the day 37 Hawaii’s Mauna __ 38 Pool diving area ... and, literally, what the start of each answer to a starred clue can be 41 Dean’s list fig. 42 How some audiobooks are recorded 44 Prayer ending 45 Autumn shade 47 Pencil mark remover 49 PC memos 50 Say yes (to) 52 Arabian Peninsula country 54 Thick fog metaphor 56 Prefix with east or west 57 Comedian Margaret 60 X-ray units 61 *Prince film featuring “When Doves Cry” 64 “Understood” 65 Flanged fastener
66 It’s measured in degrees 67 “Why don’t we?” 68 “__-dokey!” 69 1971 Eric Clapton hit
27 Capital of Norway 28 Gas used in signs 29 *Scatterbrain 31 Team on the farm 33 Viral video, e.g. 35 Fencing sword 36 Fourth planet 39 Approach cautiously 40 Fait accompli 43 Puts on clothes 46 “Vaya __ Dios”
48 Commotion 49 Actor Jannings 50 Tax deadline month 51 Put an end to 53 “E” on a gas gauge 55 Rock genre 57 Clever 58 Sledding slope 59 Most fit for military duty 62 Regret 63 Genetic stuff
DOWN 1 Wine barrel 2 Operatic solo 3 Squarish, as some cars 4 Lummox 5 __ and Tobago: West Indies nation ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 6 “All in the Family” spin-off 7 Make a typo, say 8 “Cheers” actor Roger 9 Redeemed, as casino chips 10 English translation of the start of 10Across 11 *“Sweet dreams” 12 Unclear 13 Lands heavily 18 2000 Bush opponent 23 Pub potable 24 Nintendo game system 25 Window 02/15/16 xwordeditor@aol.com treatment
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Exhibition: Dead Animals 11:00 A.M. List Art Building
The Environment of Pregnancy 11:00 A.M. 121 South Main
How Chocolate Came to Be 5:30 P.M. Salomon Center
TOMORROW
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Independent Concentration Workshop 10:00 A.M. Curricular Resource Center
Amazonian Sound Systems 12:00 P.M. Watson Institute
Gaussian Processes for Machine Learning 2:00 P.M. 170 Hope Street
A Reading by Novelist Shelley Jackson 2:30 P.M. McCormack Family Theater
Is Theology a Science? 5:30 P.M. Salomon Center
STAY UP-TO-DATE. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK. FACEBOOK.COM/BROWNDAILYHERALD By Robert E. Lee Morris ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
02/15/16
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
EDITORIAL
To the students who did not get bids As of Thursday, 296 female undergraduates were in the process of rushing sororities. This is a steep increase from last year, when 207 rushed, and that number marked an increase of about 48 percent from the 140 students who rushed the year before. While Brown’s fraternities have been less active recently due to punishments for alleged misconduct, sorority popularity seems to be on the rise. Unfortunately, as more students vie for a limited number of spots, more will also face rejection. We want to remind students that failing to receive a bid from a certain sorority, or any sorority at all, in no way defines their value. It can be hard to remember this when faced with a fresh rejection. This is especially true since rejection from a sorority might feel more personal than other types of rejections, such as academic or professional refusals. But it is important to remember that rush events are hectic and overwhelming. As stressful as recruitment is for rushes, it is also stressful for sorority members. This year, with so many students involved in the process, making a memorable impression was more difficult than ever before. Most students who did not make it were likely not cut for personal reasons but simply because there was not enough room for everyone. Despite knowing this, being rejected from a sorority might come as a blow to students still searching for a community at Brown who hoped that joining a sorority would make it easier to find one. Luckily for those students, there are many opportunities to find a community outside of Greek life. With intramural sports teams, student-run publications, political groups, theatrical productions and various other groups on campus, there is something for everyone. Many of these groups come with the same advantages as sororities, such as a form of mentorship and social events. They also have the added advantage of attracting students with similar interests. Even better than being part of a community is being part of a community made up of individuals with whom one shares a passion. While sororities can be a great place to make meaningful connections and have fun, it is by no means a requirement to be in one to do so. Rejection of any type hurts, but students who did not get into a sorority should use this as an opportunity to get into something else. Whether or not you get into a sorority will not define your time here at Brown. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editors, Emma Axelrod ’18 and Emma Jerzyk ’17, and its members, Eben Blake ’17 and Leeron Lempel ’19. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
L IO R A M O R HAY I M
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“There should be a class on what’s cool, though that might not look good for the resume.” — Allan Bower, professor of engineering
See skipping on page 1.
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COMMENTARY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
After the Oscars whitewash, we should turn to TV MILI MITRA staff columnist
Another year, another over-the-top Oscars ceremony, another all-white acting nomination field. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has eschewed diversity and ignored some terrific performances from minority actors. In the four major acting categories, every single nominee is white. The worst part? It’s shocking, certainly, but not unprecedented. After all, last year’s ceremony was a “whiteout” as well. The Academy is notorious for its lack of diversity — not only in terms of race but also gender and other categories, as Herald staff columnist Ameer Malik ’18 wrote last week (“The Academy’s Shortcomings,” Feb. 7). The issue isn’t just about the films we recognize but the types of movies produced. Sure, we have a few gems about minorities every year, but they are few and far between. For every “Selma” or “12 Years a Slave,” we have a host of movies that diminish or stereotype the minority experience. Many influential actors have spo-
ken out against the lack of inclusion and diversity in the industry; several have even announced their intention to boycott the Oscars completely. The public outrage prompted by the #OscarsSoWhite campaign has forced the Academy to take action to improve its membership’s diversity. Unfortunately, those changes alone are not enough. More must be done to expand opportunities for minority actors, directors, screenwriters and anyone else involved in
None,” “The Mindy Project,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Scandal,” “Empire,” “Quantico” … The list goes on and on. As Idris Elba put it in his speech at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to more diverse TV.” Television was not always considered a multicultural forum. In 1999, the NAACP threatened to boycott network television on New Year’s Eve to protest its lack of diversity. As
and diverse medium. The future of television has never looked so bright and, frankly, colorful. It is also refreshing to note that race has become less of a trope in episode plots. When I watched TV as a child, I was painfully aware that most sitcoms and dramas had allwhite (or majority-white) casts. In the rare instances when casts were more diverse, minority roles always seemed to embrace stereotypes. But in recent years, race is increasingly
If the film industry really wants to become more inclusive, perhaps it should look to its counterpart on the small screen. the industry. If the film industry really wants to become more inclusive, perhaps it should look to its counterpart on the small screen. Though certainly with its own set of flaws and limitations, television is being hailed as the new progressive medium. Shows starring people of color are emerging as popular and critical successes. It really does seem to look more diverse than ever, with shows like “Master of
recently as fall 2008, television failed to offer a single minority lead in a newly developed television show. Viola Davis was blunt but spot-on in her Emmy acceptance speech last October: “You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” And yet, in the last eight years, Davis and other minority actors have managed to break through the glass ceiling and put television on the path to becoming a more realistic
used to enhance a part rather than to portray a caricature. Actors like Mindy Kaling, Kerry Washington and Aziz Ansari have shown how ethnicity can contribute to characterization without becoming the central or defining feature of a role. In doing so, they have made television more real and relatable. Of course, television has certain advantages over the film industry as it strives to address this issue. It has
become a more experimental form for a variety of reasons. Television shows have a number of episodes to test out different formulas and refine their messages. They also tend to cater to more specialized audiences and don’t need to simplify their messages to attract a broader public. But though it is important to acknowledge that there are significant differences between the two industries, I can’t help but feel that Hollywood should follow television’s lead. There is no reason why television’s success shouldn’t translate to the big screen. That said, there is still enormous room to improve diversity in television. We have more minority leads than before, but there are all too many shows that unnecessarily retain all-white casts. There is still a dearth of diverse representation, particularly in directing and screenwriting. This could prove to be a barrier for telling important stories from varied perspectives. It is also a timely reminder that there is still a lot of work to be done. But the television industry, at least, is making a well-intentioned start.
Mili Mitra ’18 can be reached at mili_mitra@brown.edu.
In defense of Aubrey Graham ANDREW NOVOA op-ed contributor Drake is the hottest rapper in the game right now. This is a fact. In 2015, he released two number-one mixtapes, launched a radio show on Apple Music, shot to the top of the charts with “Hotline Bling,” recorded killer guest verses on “Blessings,” “Where Ya At,” “R.I.C.O.” and “100” and single-handedly destroyed Meek Mill’s reputation with a Grammy-nominated diss track that became a staple at clubs everywhere. All of this in a year when he didn’t even drop a proper album. 2015 was a landmark year for Drizzy in every category, from extended commercial success to a massive boost in reputation. Prior to 2015, he was the rapper you listened to if you wanted to cry and think about your ex. He wasn’t raised by the streets of Atlanta or Compton; he grew up as a child acting star in Toronto. “Soft” and Drake went together like Future and lean. But in 2015, something changed. If “Take Care” and “Nothing Was the Same” were Drake at his most soulful, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” was Drake with an edge. The sound he had so carefully cultivated with his early mixtapes and first three albums had changed. The man who once called himself Heartbreak Drake became the 6 God. He went from, “You could have my heart, or we could share it like the last slice” (“Best I Ever Had”) to, “I pull the knife out my back and cut they throat with it” (“You and The 6”). “If You’re Reading This” was guarded, aggressive and lonely. And it was so, so good. As Rolling Stone Magazine declared in its review, “For the first time in his career, Drake doesn’t sound like he wants to be remembered as one of the greats. This time, he just is.”
Drizzy’s ascent to the throne of hip hop has not come without controversy and criticism. Contempt for Drake can be found everywhere, from music blogs to legions of rap fans unhappy under his new reign. Much of it revolves around the belief that he uses up-and-coming artists to stay relevant without properly crediting them or contributing to their future success. There are allegations that he ripped the beat off of D.R.A.M.’s “Cha Cha” for “Hotline Bling” and concerns that he has remixed popular songs by smaller artists simply to exploit their momentum and keep himself on top. Well-respected rapper Earl Sweatshirt echoes the sen-
groundwork laid by legends such as N.W.A. and Tupac. We wouldn’t have Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan and Future if Lil Wayne hadn’t popularized rap with auto-tune. The list goes on and on. Drake is no different. When he hears something he likes, he incorporates it into his sound, just as many rappers have done before him. Though there was a massive uproar over whether Drake ripped “Hotline Bling” off of “Cha Cha,” what most people don’t realize is that both artists seemingly derived their beats from an older song, titled “Why Can’t We Live Together,” by Timmy Thomas. Furthermore, while Timmy Thomas is credited as a song-
To those who would try to drag Drake’s name through the mud as he continues his run into the history books, I say this: Music relies on collaboration and flourishes in an environment of open creativity.
timents of many when he tweets, “Drake can be a bit of a vulture on young (rappers).” In an article for Vulture, Lindsay Zoladz describes this phenomenon by comparing Drake to “a high-school queen bee who begrudgingly befriends the new ‘It’ girl, just so down the line she can claim credit for her sudden popularity.” But they’re all wrong. And here’s why. Making music — and indeed, any creative process — depends on artists interacting and appreciating work from others, which inevitably influences them and contributes to their own work. This is abundantly clear in hip hop. We wouldn’t have Kendrick Lamar without the
writer on Hotline Bling, D.R.A.M. makes no mention of this beat in his song credits. Thus, it is not surprising that both songs sound alike. But hip hop is all the better for it, and both songs have achieved significant commercial success. Such is creativity in music: It thrives when others take existing ideas and add their own unique twists. When arguing over remixes, the case for Drake becomes even more solid. His collaborations with other artists have increased the quality of the original songs while increasing the popularity of both his own work and the original artist’s. His verses on tracks such as “Versace,” “My Way” and “Tuesday” turned
them from modest hits to absolute essentials on party playlists. If you say that you knew who ILoveMakonnen was before the “Tuesday” remix, you’re almost certainly lying. Critics will say that Drake is trying to stay hip and trendy by exploiting songs that are already popular, but if you look around, he’s not the only one jumping on remixes. Nicki Minaj released a “No Flex Zone” remix after Rae Sremmurd rose to popularity, Rick Ross released a series of remixes to promote his newest album that included verses over “Hello,” “Jumpman” and “Can’t Feel My Face” and Lil Wayne has two entire mixtapes that consist of him rapping and singing over popular songs. But no one complains about these artists because their remixes never come close to rivaling the original in popularity. Drake’s remixes, on the other hand, often eclipse the original, which is the where the majority of the criticism stems from. But this is not Drake’s fault. His work on other musicians’ tracks and beats should be celebrated, not condemned. Music is at its best when artists hone and refine work done by those before them, pushing and inspiring each other to be better. Being the most popular rapper in the industry puts a target on one’s back. The greater the success, the harsher the spotlight. But to those who would try to drag Drake’s name through the mud as he continues his run into the history books, I say this: Music relies on collaboration and flourishes in an environment of open creativity. To say that Drake is a thief is misplaced. He’s not perfect (see: lawsuit over guest verse in “Who Do You Love”), but he isn’t a villain either. He may be a flawed artist, but he is a great one. And instead of debating where he got the beat from “Hotline Bling,” maybe we should just enjoy the music.
Andrew Novoa ’19 can be reached at andrew_novoa@brown.edu.
SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016
M. TENNIS
Overmatched Bruno swept in ECAC Indoor Championships Bears manage only two set victories in weekend play against Dartmouth, Princeton, St. John’s By EMILE BAUTISTA STAFF WRITER
On the heels of a three-match winning streak, the men’s tennis team lost all three of its matches at the ECAC Division I Indoor Championships this weekend. As the sixth-seeded team out of eight, the Bears (4-3) fell 4-0 to all three of their opponents — No. 34 Dartmouth, St. John’s and eventual tournament champion No. 45 Princeton. “It’s a process. We need to get a feel for what level of play we need to get to,” said co-captain Lucas Da Silveira ’16. The Bears started off play with their match against Princeton (8-2) Friday. Doubles play was hotly contested, as Greg Garcia ’17 and Peter Tarwid ’18 battled to the team’s only match victory. Jack Haworth ’18 and Mladen Mitak ’19
nearly secured the doubles point for the Bears but fell in a tiebreaker 7-5. The Tigers then snatched the deciding doubles match and the point. In singles, the Tigers won three matches, halting play as they had secured four points, the threshold for overall victory. The following two days against Darmouth and St. John’s consisted of more of the same. Against the Big Green (64), the Bears played more competitively than they had against Princeton. They once again fell in doubles play — this time losing two matches first, making the third one a moot point. The Big Green then sealed three victories in singles play to emerge victorious. In the first singles match, Garcia went up against Dovydas Sakinis, who is ranked 50th in ITA national rankings, and lost in straight sets 6-1, 6-3. Many of the singles matches were tightly fought, but the Bears found themselves on the losing end more often than not. Mitak managed to win his first set, but his match went unfinished after the Big
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Jack Haworth ’18 returns a shot while playing alongside Mladen Mitak ‘19. The pair narrowly lost their doubles contest against Princeton over the weekend, falling 7-5 in the match’s only set. Green sealed the three points it needed to complete its sweep. In the very last consolation game, the Bears were swept once again, this
time by the Red Storm of St. John’s. “We still have a long way to go,” Da Silveira said. “We have to get healthy, and all around, we need to
keep improving.” The Bears hope to rest, recover and then rebound next week against Bryant and Boston College.
W. BASKETBALL
Two home losses solidify Bruno’s place in Ivy cellar Incomplete efforts against Harvard, Dartmouth keep Bears from claiming much-needed conference wins By JAMES SCHAPIRO STAFF WRITER
Coming off its first Ivy League win of the season against Columbia, the women’s basketball team entered the weekend with a chance to start its season fresh and improve its dismal 1-5 Ivy League record. But the Bears faltered when it mattered most, losing to Harvard despite a good second-half effort and falling to Dartmouth after taking an early lead. Harvard 87, Brown 79 From the start, the game looked lost for the Bears. By the time Brown
(13-9, 1-7 Ivy) recorded its first points, Harvard (9-11, 4-3) had already scored 15. The Crimson led 24-9 after the first quarter and 44-26 at halftime, even as the Bears scored 17 points in the second quarter. “We were a little intimidated — for whatever reason — in the first half, on both ends,” said Head Coach Sarah Behn. “We were a little hesitant to shoot, and (we were) not being physical enough under the boards.” It wasn’t hard to see where the Bears’ first-half scoring problems came from: They were out-rebounded in the first half, 29-8. Harvard racked up more offensive rebounds than Brown had
in total, leading to a huge Crimson advantage in second-chance points. But as the third quarter began, the Bears began taking control of their game. “We turned it around and played with a lot more intensity in the second half,” Behn said. “We pressed a little bit more … and started to play.” The third quarter began the same way the first half ended, as Harvard stretched the lead to 20 off an offensive rebound. But then the Bears started scoring. Erika Steeves ’19 came off the bench for seven points in the quarter, while Sheyna Mehta ’19, Rebecca Musgrove ’17 and Jordin Alexander ’16 each added four. The Bears’ rebounding troubles continued: They were out-boarded 9-5. Regardless, they played Harvard even
in the third. “I’m proud of them for at least fighting out of the hole,” Behn said after the game, “But hopefully we can learn a lesson and not be in a hole tomorrow night,” referring to the team’s Saturday game. The Bears exploded in the fourth quarter — their offense finally clicked while their aggressive press defense kept Harvard from finding a rhythm. But it was too little, too late: Outscoring the Crimson in the final period 32-22, powered by 22 fourth-quarter points from Mehta and Alexander, the Bears lost, 87-79. “I’m mad that we didn’t play like we did in the second half all game,” Mehta said. “If we had, we could have won.”
ALEX WAINGER / HERALD
Shayna Mehta ’19 dribbles past a defender. She recorded a team-high 20 points against Harvard Friday night, marking the fourth time she has surpassed the 20-point mark this season. Mehta followed up with 17 points the next day against Dartmouth, hitting five three-pointers in the process.
Dartmouth 63, Brown 50 If the Bears had started slowly against Harvard, they were first out of the gate against Dartmouth (9-15, 4-4). Brown led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter and 35-21 by halftime. The Bears “changed up the tempo,” according to Mehta, building on their second half against Harvard and translating the quick pace into an energetic, offensive first half. But while Dartmouth was down, it certainly was not out. Starting in the third quarter, the Big Green went to work on both ends of the court. Dartmouth opened the quarter with an 8-0 run, leading the Bears 42-40 by the fourth. After the Big Green started the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run, the Bears once again found themselves in too big a hole to escape from. After their strong first half, the Bears scored only 15 points in the second half and allowed 42. In essence, they played two good halves of basketball: the second against Harvard and the first against Dartmouth. In those two combined halves, the Bears outscored their opposition 88-64. But in the other two halves, opponents had an almost absurd advantage, outscoring Bruno 86-41. “It’s something we have to work on as a team,” Mehta said. “Keeping our heads in the game all the way, not just for halves at a time.” Now six games under .500, the Bears have six games left to play. The rest of their season starts Friday night against league leader Penn and continues Saturday against second-place Princeton. Finishing strong will be no easy task: Like they did against Harvard, the Bears have dug a deep hole for themselves in the standings. But against Harvard and Dartmouth, signs appeared that a turnaround may be in motion. “We have to play together. We still have a chance,” Mehta said. “We still have almost every team to play. We just have to be strong, keep our heads in it and fight.”