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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

VOLUME CLIII, ISSUE 7

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

Community activists honored at annual ceremony ‘Phantom

Thread’ explores toxic love

Community organizer, city councilor, librarian inducted into MLK Hall of Fame By ALEX REICE STAFF WRITER

Three Providence community activists were inducted into the 15th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at City Hall Wednesday evening. The event honored the late Philip Addison Jr., Pilar McCloud and Mary Jones for upholding King’s legacy. The ceremony stressed unity and community spirit, beginning with a speech by Mayor Jorge Elorza. He emphasized the impact that King’s lifelong work had on him as a young teenager struggling to find his way. Elorza said that the Talent Development Program at the University of Rhode Island, which was created to honor King after his assassination, provided him with a chance as a “skinny 18-year-old who didn’t have his head on straight.” The community members being honored at the ceremony “embody Dr. King’s legacy,” Elorza said, including King’s belief in “the beloved community.” A note of appreciation was then given by Council President David

Cable Car features romance exploring morality, philosophy, psychosexuality By LIYAAN MASKATI SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ALEX REICE / HERALD

The inductees were celebrated at the Providence City Hall for their work in 2017. Those honored dedicated significant time and effort to serving their community and the constant pursuit of civil rights. Salvatore, followed by a message of who never considered anyone “beneath the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast peace and hope by Reverend Chontell … or above him.” Asians for Education. Washington. Before the three inductMcCloud, National Association for Jones, one of the founders of the ees were honored, actor Joe Wilson Jr. the Advancement of Colored People Smith Hill Community Corporarecited one of King’s speeches. at Providence Youth Works chair- tion and a librarian at the Smith Hill The ceremony first honored Addi- woman, was the next to be inducted. Library was the last to be honored. son — the first black member of Provi- She “dedicated her life to social justice,” Known as the “grandmother” of Smith dence City Council who served from Salvatore said. “King is a civil rights Hill, she “instilled in us a thirst for 1969 to 1981. He was a Freemason, a icon that I look up to,” McCloud said. knowledge,” said Jones’s daughter, Alleader of the Mount Hope Neighbor- “Civil rights and social justice don’t thea Graves, who accepted the award hood Association and “helped thou- take a nap.” on her behalf. sands of youth in the City of ProviMcCloud centers “the voices of “Mary did a lot for Smith Hill Lidence,” Salvatore said. Addison’s wife, young people in her work, and that’s brary. … Everyone who went into that who accepted the award on his behalf, what we value,” said Chanda Wom- library knows who she is,” said Diane described him as a “people person” ack, founding executive director of Tina Jones, a friend of the awardee.

UCS reconvenes in new semester General body briefed on new course evaluation questions, re-addresses Campus Consent Bill By MELANIE PINCUS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

At its first general body meeting of the semester, the Undergraduate Council of Students discussed proposed additions to the student course evaluation survey and debated changes to the Campus Consent Bill Wednesday evening. Dean of the College Maud Mandel and Director of the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning Mary Wright presented a revised version of the feedback form to the general body. Students can currently submit the form either on Banner or in class before they receive grades at the end of each semester. “We’re going to actually pilot (the new questions) in some courses” this semester, Mandel said. “Based on that

INSIDE

and on student feedback from that, we will hopefully launch a new form next year.” She added that a committee of faculty, staff, undergraduates and graduate students h elped to develop the form in the fall 2017 semester. A draft of the form presented at the meeting included new open-ended questions that address academic integrity and in-class atmosphere regarding diverse student perspectives. For example, a proposed question on the form asks how a student’s professor “communicate(d) and explain(ed) the expectations for academic honesty” in class, and another question inquires whether students “were treated with respect and their questions and perspectives welcomed,” according to a copy of the proposed form obtained by The Herald. General body members were offered the opportunity to suggest additional changes and comment on the form’s questions at the meeting. Among other » See UCS, page 2

The toxicity of love can be strangely appealing — whether experienced directly or vicariously. Naturally, this does not hold true for all romances — indeed, it would not appear to hold true for most. Yet “Phantom Thread,” currently playing at Cable Car, explores a paragon of this mysteriously enticing je ne sais quoi born of a largely twisted relationship. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Reynolds Woodcock — a dominating, fastidious and obsessive dress designer in the 1950s in England, who almost defines peculiarity. Living in a realm » See PHANTOM, page 2

ARTS & CULTURE

RISD Museum exhibit engages community Flag represents pUN as part of 16 installations that will be featured nationwide By ELISE RYAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Hanging above Bolt Coffee at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum is Pedro Reyes’ flag “Hands On With A Vision,” the latest installment in “Pledges of Allegiance,” a nationwide art project put on by the New York-based public arts nonprofit Creative Time. With each opening of the cafe’s heavy doors, the sky-blue flag ripples slightly, revealing more of the image obscured by its folds. The flag’s graphic plays on the recognizable flag of the United Nations, which depicts a similar white emblem centered on a blue background. The emblem on Reyes’ flag reinterprets the UN » See REYES, page 2

ARTS & CULTURE

SAM BERUBE / HERALD

Predo Reyes’ latest piece is the eighth part of a 16-part art project. The artist is one of many working on this collaborative venture.

WEATHER

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

SCIENCE & RESEARCH U. study shows that cuts in copays increase the number of mammograms

ARTS & CULTURE Brown Student and Community Radio, local organizations acquire new station

NEWS Chemstry PhD student looks to expand NGO that donates used books to African countries

COMMENTARY Friedman ’19: Costs might not outweigh benefits to become Amazon’s new HQ2

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» PHANTOM, from page 1

» REYES, from page 1 symbol: An open eye sits in the palm of a hand and is layered in front of a globe that is dissected by longitudinal and latitudinal lines. The flag represents “The People’s United Nations” — “pUN” — which the flag’s placard describes as “an experimental conference developed by the artist” that has brought together individuals from over 160 countries at three meetings. On the placard, Reyes writes: “This right palm with an eye at the center … has been a symbol of protection across cultures and millennia,” adding that the hand, which is open in salutation, “placed over an orb is meant to signal our mission to protect the planet.” Reyes’ work is the eighth installment of a collaborative compilation of 16 flags, which will be on display at museums nationwide through July 31. Other featured artists include Alex Da Corte, Tania Bruguera and Jeremy Deller. The first flag shown at the RISD Museum “Untitled (Dividing Time)” was also displayed at nine other locations across the nation from Sept. 13 through Oct. 11 last year. The number of museums, galleries and institutions hosting installments of the series has increased each month as participants are continuously added to host pieces of the rotating series. In addition to the RISD Museum, California College of the Arts, Texas State Galleries and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell will also display the flags. On its website, Creative Time states that, in response to the current political climate, the exhibition’s goal is “to inspire a sense of community among cultural institutions, and begin articulating the urgent response our political moment demands.” “We … thought that this would really be a great way for us to … have a project that kept pace with changing times,” said Dominic Molon, the Richard Brown Baker curator of contemporary art at the RISD Museum. “Pledges of Allegiance” is dynamic in nature, which Molon sees as “something that would ... demonstrate how the museum was wanting to engage with the present moment and with the future.” According to Molon, “Imagine Peace,” the flag by Yoko Ono, was one of the most well received at the RISD Museum. On the flag, bold type reads, “THINK PEACE ACT PEACE SPREAD PEACE IMAGINE PEACE,” against a white backdrop. In the background of a video accompanying “Imagine Peace” on Creative Time’s website, echoing voices recite statements describing their definition of peace. For one speaker, “peace is understanding someone else’s point of view,” while for another, “peace is like a puddle of puppies … or sleeping on a marshmallow.” Molon considers the museum a place where community members can find “some kind of reflection of what’s going on out there in the world.” “Pledges of Allegiance,” its changing nature and the artists’ messages demonstrate this concept. “Hands On With A Vision” will be on display at the RISD Museum until Feb. 14, while the entire exhibition, “Pledges of Allegiance,” will continue to show through July 31.

of elegance, haute couture, models and muses, Reynolds’ life comprises a range of eccentric habits. He sews secret messages into the lining of his dresses, he only consumes asparagus when prepared with oil — asparagus cooked with butter is sacrilege — and his mornings must be marked by utter silence. Needless to say, it isn’t in the least surprising when he describes himself as a “confirmed bachelor.” When Reynolds meets Alma (Vicky Krieps) — a waitress, who soon takes on the role of his muse — his meticulously structured world is threatened. Though dominated by Reynolds at first, Alma soon emerges from a position of submission with a force that matches

his control and authority. What may have initially been construed as one of Reynolds’ passing fancies transforms into an established relationship and then marriage. But their romance is paradoxical, characterized by the warmth of affection, love and desire, alongside icy inhospitality, sin and unhealthy obsession. Without giving too much away, there is a distinct element of sadomasochism in their dysfunctional interactions that cannot be missed. The film’s plot is fairly straightforward, navigating the evolution of Alma and Reynolds’ relationship. But the questions it raises are far from simple. Anderson examines a plethora of psychosexual, moral and philosophical

issues that stem from the duo’s relationship, which continue to engage the viewer long after the film ends. Yet the explorations of “Phantom Thread” go beyond the protagonists’ unconventional romance. Indeed, Anderson leverages their relationship as a tool to subtly introduce a melange of topics, ranging from the power dynamics of gender roles to the purpose of art. The success of “Phantom Thread” largely revolves around the performances of Day-Lewis and Krieps, who embody their characters and concretize their respective idiosyncrasies flawlessly. Brilliant dialogue and sardonic wit mark their interactions, and their non-verbal communication is no less

impressive. While the spotlight is focused on Reynolds and Alma, one must not dismiss the significance of a third character: Reynolds’ sister, Cyril, who runs his fashion business in addition to overseeing his routine — and essentially his life. Portrayed beautifully by Lesley Manville, Cyril has a tart expression permanently tattooed upon her visage and exudes impeccable coldness. Her comportment and eerie omnipresence — which bear an uncanny resemblance to those of Mrs. Danvers in Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” — never fail to tacitly command authority. The cinematography in “Phantom Thread” is stunning and exquisitely portrays the distinct world that the characters inhabit. Anderson’s camera captures an array of textures, colors and tones with detail that lends an element of almost hyperrealism to the mundane. The costume design is incredible, too — Reynolds’ garments are breathtaking and even ordinary clothing worn by the characters has been designed to fit the period impeccably. Anderson’s artistry is also complemented well by Johnny Greenwood’s musical score, which features a spectrum of genres. Dominant through the film, Greenwood’s music successfully captures a range of moods and mimics the transformation of Reynolds and Alma’s tumultuous love. “Phantom Thread” is guaranteed to rivet most spectators. Despite its dark and unconventional facets, the film is hard to criticize. In terms of aesthetics, performance and originality, it is an absolute feast.

»UCS, from page 1

categorization to “describe the structure of the organization and any associated power dynamics.” In addition, the suggested changes would require groups to establish guidelines for community accountability, according to a version of the suggested changes presented at the meeting. “I think the previous version (of the bill) put a lot of responsibility on SAPE,

whereas now it’s … on the Student Activities Committee,” said William Zhou ’20, chair of the committee on student activities. To make the bill sustainable, “we need to find some sort of in between, where it’s not just all on one group.” At the meeting, Steele also discussed making the UCS election process more fair by giving UCS members the oppor-

tunity to establish connections with student groups throughout the semester. In past elections, there has been “a lot of running around,” Steele said. “A lot of (election results) depend on who you know and how well you know them, and also how much time you can dedicate.” UCS elections for the 2018-19 executive board will take place later this spring.

TIFFANY DING / HERALD

Actors Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville command the screen in “Phantom Thread,” which explores the intricacies of a twisted relationship between a 1950s London dressmaker and his muse.

comments, UCS members suggested the addition of questions regarding how students feel about their amount of busywork and the necessity of attending class. Mandel also discussed the possibility of allowing students access to these response summaries that are currently available only to professors and certain administrators. Responses to the forms “are invisible, and one of the things the committee is discussing is whether we should review that policy,” she said. “I would make them all visible, but as you can imagine, people have strong opinions about that.” The council also discussed amending the Campus Consent Bill, which UCS passed in a unanimous vote last spring. The bill mandates that a liaison from every Category III student group receive training from the Sexual Assault Peer Education Program by the end of spring 2018, or risk losing the group’s funding and classification. The proposed changes aim to decrease the burden of training currently placed on SAPE and increase the obligations of Category III student groups, said UCS President Chelse-Amoy Steele ’18. “Originally, the plan for this was that all Category III student groups needed to have a singular liaison that went to a three-hour training by SAPE, … and then they would go back to their student group and host some sort of connected training,” Steele said. “Unfortunately, this put a lot of the burden for keeping up with this on SAPE.” The suggested additions and changes to the bill would also require student groups to amend their constitutions during their next re-registration or re-

KAITLYN LEW / HERALD

In the first general body meeting of the semester, UCS members suggested additional questions for a revised student course evaluation survey.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • PAGE 3

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Study finds co-pay cuts boost mammogram screenings Eliminating co-pays has lead to 6 percent increase in mammogram screenings among all eligible patients By KENDRICK TAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that mammogram screenings have increased in the two years after the Affordable Care Act eliminated cost sharing, or out-ofpocket payments. The study also exam-

ined the impact of this change on different demographics. “The idea of eliminating co-payments and making these services free is that more people would receive recommended services, but we had limited evidence as to whether that has actually happened,” said Amal Trivedi, lead author and associate professor of health services, policy

and practice. The study compared the number of mammogram screenings in the two years prior to the mandate to the number in the two years after it. Among people in Medicare Advantage Plans that eliminated co-payments for mammograms, screening rates rose by about 6 percent, Trivedi said. “Although (6 percent) may look like a small number, if you translate this to the number of women who are eligible

to receive mammography, it is still a large number in terms of thousands more,” said Orestis Panagiotou, co-author and assistant professor of health services, policy and practice. “The results show that the elimination of cost sharing as part of the ACA is an effective strategy for increasing use of recommended preventative services such as breast cancer screening,” said Bryan Leyva MD’18, co-author and a medical student. “More women received recommended breast cancer screening after the ACA eliminated co-payments,” Trivedi said. “This is good for public health because we have compelling evidence that receiving recommended screenings reduces mortality from breast cancer.” The study also compared the changes in number of mammogram screenings among different demographics. “We found that women who lived in areas with lower education and also Hispanic women did not increase their use of screening mammography as much as women did in areas with higher education and white women. This suggests that there is a need to have more outreach to women with lower socioeconomic status, as well as Hispanic women, to make sure that they are aware of the important provisions of the Affordable Care Act and can benefit from these services to the same degree as other women,” Trivedi said. As for the implications of this

research, Panagiotou said that while it is still too early to say what concrete impacts there will be, follow-up data will help track how health care policies alter mammogram screening rates going forward. These policies may one day be transferable to increase the usage of other beneficial services, Panagiotou said. Leyva also brought up the impact of future policy on the results that have been observed. “Any policy that attempts to get rid of these provisions of the ACA may result in less use of this recommended service,” he said. Although there has been an increase in screening rates, Trivedi said that they remain suboptimal. “There are other costs associated with a screening that can be substantial and can be a barrier to receiving screening,” Trivedi said. These costs could include having access to a source of care, as well as the out-of-pocket costs that would arise if a screening produces false positives and demands further tests. “Patients shouldn’t have to pay for things that are proven to be beneficial,” which is why it’s important to look into these kinds of policies and examine their outcomes in retrospect, Panagiotou said. “In my opinion, it is a tragedy that there are women dying from late-stage breast cancers that could be prevented with appropriate screening and followup care,” Leyva said. “Policies have an important role to play in promoting or deterring use of recommended tests.”w

Providence organizations create new station U. station, local stations consolidate new FM station, retain some WBRU programming By JACOB ALABAB-MOSER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

AS220, Providence Community Radio and Brown Student and Community Radio acquired the local, Low Power radio station WBRU-FM 101.1 FM last month, after a process of several years. This new development in community radio comes in the wake of the sale of WBRU’s frequency 95.5 last year for $5.63 million. “We’re technically three different radio stations sharing time on one signal,” said David Dvorchak, the communications director of AS220. BSR, AS220 and PCR jointly applied for a construction permit in 2013. Their joint station was approved last year to begin broadcasting in Jan. 2018, Dvorchak said. Rather than being a large, commercial radio station, Low Power is noncommercial and has a listening radius of 3.5 miles, according to the Federal Communications Commission website. The effort has been many years in the making; BSR had been involved in an appeals process with the FCC since 2000, said Willem Pickleman ’18, the studio manager of Brown Student and Community Radio. At the same time, PCR was started in the same year by friends who wanted Providence to have its own Low-Power FM radio station, said the organization’s Program Director Frank Mullin. All three organizations hope to bring

MEAL PLAN

changes

ARTS & CULTURE

STEP ONE:

Choose a Meal Plan. KENNETH ZERKEL / HERALD

Brown Student Radio, one of the affiliated partners responsible for launching the new station, runs out of the third floor of Faunce House. to Providence less commercialized and more locally-sourced content. BSR plans to broadcast syndicated, archival and live programming of music, talk shows and podcasts, including at least eight hours daily of radio shows from a pool of around 20 trained student DJs, Pickleman said. “Instead of focusing on one specific area of music or talk radio, we try to do stuff you wouldn’t really find on any big radio station.” With the new FM presence, BSR hopes to reach more of the community beyond just the University, he added. Meanwhile, PCR hopes to consolidate many different segmented forms of media — including podcasts and music — under a single frequency for the enjoyment of the community, Mullin said. AS220’s programming is still largely undecided, as the organization plans to act more as a facilitator for community voices, Dvorchak said. He added that the content, however, would align with the organization’s core values of being

“unjuried and uncensored.” Currently, only BSR broadcasts content on-air. But there are plans for AS220, PCR and 360 Degree Experience in Sound — WBRU’s hip hop and R&B program — to eventually have their own days, Pickleman said. The old WBRU has continued to stream its programs on its website, he added. Last August, WBRU sold its frequency 95.x5 to the syndicated, nationwide Christian radio network K-LOVE as a part of a larger transition for the station, Pickleman said. The move was highly opposed by the University, he added. At the same time, WBRU was helping the internet-only BSR obtain and finance its own terrestrial radio station. “The station sold the WBRU call signs to BSR for a nominal fee,” Pickleman said. “BSR actually used to operate WBRU until the station became its own entity separate from the University in 1962,” Pickleman said. “The name is almost coming back to its rightful owner.”

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T DAY THE LASEA L PLAN

TO MAKE M EDNESDAY, CHANGES IS W

FEB. 14!

• You can ADD a new Meal Plan at any time during the year • You can make one CHANGE per semester. The deadline for spring semester changes is Wednesday, Feb. 14. • Meal Plan CANCELLATIONS are not available during the spring

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EMAIL DINING_SERVICES@BROWN.EDU OR CALL 863-3343 WITH QUESTIONS

• Changes may be made in person weekdays from 9:00AM to 4:00PM at the main Brown Dining office located at 144 Thayer Street (Sharpe Refectory).

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Gamm Theatre’s take on “Uncle Vanya” disappoints Chekhov enthusiasts Chaotic performance fails to do justice to famed play, musical numbers do little to redeem effort By ANNABELLE WOODWARD SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre’s performance of Anton Chekhov’s play “Uncle Vanya” failed to do justice to the biting satirical realism for which its author is so well-known. The play will run from Jan. 18 to Feb. 18 and is directed by accomplished Chekhov translator Curt Columbus, the award-winning mind behind the local Trinity Repertory Company. The plot of “Uncle Vanya” follows the extended visit of an elderly professor, Serebryakov, and his young, beautiful second wife, Yelena, to a country estate that his plain, unmarried daughter, Sanya, and manic ex-brother-in-law, Vanya, have grudgingly managed for most of their adult lives. Confusing, no? Reviewing the family tree before attending is strongly advised. At the very least, the director could have provided audiences with a schematic in the play’s accompanying program. As the characters struggle to reconcile their family’s complicated past and present, unlikely alliances emerge, unrequited love runs rampant and the tedium of provincial life ultimately drives both the play’s characters and its audience members to the brink of insanity.

ARTS & CULTURE

Though Chekhov’s original text and Columbus’ translation are rich, the directing — although well-intentioned — leaves much to be desired, with poor performances by several cast members that make the play’s characteristically tangled and confusing Chekovian plotline hard to endure. Among the worst of the culprits was Rachel Dulude (Sonya) whose inflections in the show’s first act often seemed unnatural and over-rehearsed. Thankfully, Dulude seemed to warm up by the end of the second act, and her character’s loneliness and desperation finally began to glean sympathy from the audience. Easily the most deserving of criticism is Tony Estrella, who played the show’s dark, irreverent protagonist, Vanya. Estrella’s portrayal of depression was inaccessible, abrasive and disappointingly one-note — imagine near-constant chaos, clamor and nihilistic glee. Furthermore, his many tantrums were often punctuated by unnecessarily loud stomping that only served to rattle the set and distract from the action. The set, designed by Michael McGarty, served as a charming backdrop for the family’s many dramas — so long as it wasn’t being violently stomped upon. Richly furnished wooden platforms raised at varied heights were used to signify the mansion’s many rooms, often allowing for multiple dialogues to take place simultaneously. The set’s only flaw was a large wheel used to simulate the sound of rainfall, which was comically disruptive when operated in clear view of the audience.

The play’s sequences were broken up by musical interludes wherein a cheery house-servant named Waffles led the cast in renditions of songs like Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” and The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry.” These interludes were irritating because they seemed to be attempting to compensate for the aforementioned actors’ ineptitude. Instead of watching the characters’ internal conflicts play out on the stage, audience members were forced to hear those internal conflicts summarized by pop-rock anthems.

The performance partly redeemed itself in its second act, when unlikely friendships blossomed between Yelena and Sonya, two strong, shrewd women trapped by the patriarchy, and Vanya and Astrov, two hopeless has-beens disillusioned by their insignificance in the cosmic scheme of things. Special mention goes to Marianna Bassham (Yelena) and Steve Kidd (Astrov), who both created playful, robust characters that made their anxieties deeply felt and transparent to the audience.

In an interview featured in the playbill, Curt Columbus bemoans how most people experience Chekhov through the “Chekhov Industrial Complex” — what the director deems “sad, boring plays about siblings incapable of taking public transportation.” Though Columbus may have tried to imbue his production with levity and light, his actors’ lacking performances made many audience members wish they, too, could hop a train to Moscow; or anywhere but that theater.

COURTESY OF GAIL HUBERT

Tony Estrella (left) and Marianna Bassham (right) act in a play with scenes of unrequited love, unlikely alliances and lots of existential turmoil. The play closes Feb. 18.

PhD student founds non-profit to assist under-stocked African libraries Efiwe collects, donates books to post-secondary institutions in Englishspeaking countries By CORAL MURPHY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

While completing his master’s degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2015, Philip Àlàbí GS observed a stack of textbooks resting on a table outside the chemistry department. The sight turned Àlàbí’s thoughts toward his home, Nigeria, and its lack of accessible academic resources. Àlàbí, a PhD student in chemistry at Brown, said this mo-

ment inspired him to found Efiwe, a nonprofit organization dedicated to donating books to under-stocked libraries in post-secondary institutions in Africa. “If you’re not so educated, you won’t have the freedom of mind to tell authority what should and should not be,” Àlàbí said. Àlàbí hopes that as more African students “educate themselves about their rights, then they can speak more … and develop the continent for Africans,” he said. Last fall, Efiwe-Brown, a localized chapter of the organization, received over 2,000 books to deliver to libraries following a campus-wide book drive, Àlàbí said. By publicizing the event through fliers and emails,

Efiwe-Brown received book donations from students and faculty, he added. During the book drive, EfiweBrown also partnered with Brown Student Agencies, which “provided storage space for Efiwe-Brown to store the books” and helped “publicize the event,” said Supassara Leeswadtrakul ’18, the director of business development for BSA. While Efiwe accepts any kind of book, it mostly receives textbooks, Àlàbí said. Because most of the donated books are written in English, Efiwe restricts itself to shipping books to “English-speaking countries” in Africa such as Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Liberia, he added. In order to ship the books to the

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER COST and COST RELATED COURSES! COST 0035: Saints and Mystics of India Srinivas Reddy TTh: 9 - 10:20 A.M. Sayles Hall, Rm. 205

COST 0450: Stages of the Contemplative Path Jared Lindahl TTh: 9 - 10:20 A.M. J. Walter Wilson, Rm. 401 MedLab: M, 4 - 5 pm Hillel, Winnick Chapel

COST 1020: Cognitive Neuroscience of Meditation

CONTEMPLATIVE STUDIES 0100: INTRODUCTION TO CONTEMPLATIVE STUDIES IS NOW OPEN TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS! Class meets Wednesdays: 3 - 5:30 pm J. Walter Wilson, Rm. 301 MedLab meets Monday, Wednesdays: 9 - 9:50 am For location, please contact anne_heyrman-hart@brown.edu

Sara Lazar T: 4 - 6:30 P.M. Smith-Buonanno, Rm. G12

RELS 0100: Introduction to Buddhism Jason Protass M,W, F: 11 - 11:50 A.M. Churchill House, Rm. 106

RELS 0120: The Classical Chinese Philosophy of Life Larson DiFiore M,W, F: 10 - 10:50 A.M. 59 George St. - S. Miller House, Rm. 101

RELS 1425: Buddhist Poetry

Jason Protass M: 3 - 5:30 P.M. 59 George St. - S. Miller House, Rm. 101

COURTESY OF PHILIP ÀLÀBÍ

In addition to hosting book drives on campus, Philip Àlàbí aims to partner with other student groups to host events to discuss development in Africa. libraries, Àlàbí said Efiwe-Brown “connected with … Nigerians (in the United States who) were already shipping products to Nigeria” and asked that they could “include (our) books in (their) shipments.” Initially, Àlàbí said that some of the librarians were skeptical of Efiwe’s mission and worried that the organization would perpetuate negative stereotypes about African nations. “They got into a tussle because they said ‘Why are Africans asking the U.S. for books? It looks like Africa is begging the world for everything again.’” However, after the librarians assessed the quality of governmental aid in this regard, they decided to accept Efiwe’s help, he said. Belinda Muhama, a graduate student in neuroscience and the treasurer of Efiwe-Brown, said Efiwe’s mission resonated with her, given her parents’ experiences growing up in Ghana. “They would tell me all the time how hard it was to get books for courses

they were taking.” In addition to holding book drives, Efiwe-Brown is “reaching out to other (student) groups” with similar mission statements in order to hold events together, Muhama said. “We’d like to bring in speakers (to campus) ... as well.” “We are excited about creating events and opening a conversation about coming back to Africa for business and entrepreneurship,” Àlàbí said. “I feel that Africans come to the U.S. and forget quickly where they have just come from. They need to contribute back to the continent.” Looking ahead, Efiwe-Brown is also working with the computer science department to develop a website, he added. “The web platform will help to decide which books go to what country” and would allow librarians to choose books that are most relevant to their institutions, he said.

TODAY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • PAGE 5

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f r e s h s n o w fa l l

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizza: Barbaque Bam Bam, Meatball Provolone Rosemary, Pepperoni Make Your Own Pasta JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Chicken Wings Bar, Mac and Cheese Bacon Burger

Chicken Tikka Masala, Madras Vegetable Curry

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Chicken, Cuban Sandwich, Roasted Yams

Cavatini, Steamed Corn, Turkey and Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie, Bok Choy Saute

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Hot Turkey Sandwich, Swiss Broccoli Pasta, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas

Swiss Steak, Grits Souffle, Risotto Primavera, Fresh Collard Greens, Stir Fried Carrots

sudoku MIKAELA CARILLO / HERALD

Students bundled up and braved the cold weather to walk to their classes, as around four inches of snow fell in most of Rhode Island earlier this week. On average, Providence receives nine inches of snow in January.

Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

“Patients shouldn’t have to pay for things that are proven to be beneficial.” — Orestis Panagiotou, assistant professor of health services, policy and practice

RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, April 23, 2013

See screenings on page 3.

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis c r o s s 34 wTractor ord ACROSS 67 Quilting parties 53 “Whip It” band

1 Pink drink, briefly 6 Arson aftermath 9 Hutt crime lord of sci-fi 14 According to 15 Grazing area 16 Light purple 17 O’Neill drama set in Harry Hope’s saloon 20 Tailor’s target 21 Many a Beethoven sonata ender 22 Popeye’s __’ Pea 23 Jabber on and on 24 __ in November 25 Likable prez 27 More than feasts (on) 28 With 30-Across, drama based on ’70s presidential interviews 30 See 28-Across 32 Aspiring doc’s course 33 Walked alongside one’s master 35 On the Pacific 36 Fertilizable cells 38 “Just __!”: “Be right there!” 40 Drama about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine 45 “Friendly skies” co. 46 Greatly feared 47 Comstock Lode find 48 Fred of “My Cousin Vinny” 50 Oozed 52 With 54-Across, “Viva La Vida” rock group, and what 17-, 28-/30and 40-Across each is? 54 See 52-Across 55 Pottery “pet” 58 Smooth transition 60 Pastoral poem 64 Invisible vibes 65 More than most 66 Wine tasting criterion

54 Like the driven manufacturer 68 Corrida cheer snow 69 Neuter, horsewise 35 Give __: yank 37 By way of 55 Red wine choice, 39 Believability on for short DOWN the street, slangily 56 Tint 1 Slyly spiteful 41 Driver’s license fig. 57 Wrath 2 Irish actor Milo 59 Salon goop 3 Say what you will 42 Threat words 43 Actor Snipes 61 Mommy deer 4 Golda of Israel 44 Thought 62 Initials on 5 “The Lord of the 49 “March Madness” L’Homme Rings” baddie games, informally fragrance 6 Answering the 63 Took the reins penultimate exam 51 Sizing up question, say ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 7 Actor Connery 8 How lovers walk 9 “Jersey Girl” actress, to fans 10 Goals 11 Emulated Mt. St. Helens? 12 With __ breath: expectantly 13 Pains’ partner 18 Answering machine button 19 Journalist Roberts 24 Name, in Nîmes 26 Program file suffix 29 Not counterfeit 31 “The Good Earth” mother 04/23/13 xwordeditor@aol.com 32 “Nonsense!”

calendar TODAY FEBRUARY MARCH

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Wellness at Brown: Heart Health Stop By 11:00 A.M. Nelson Fitness Center

Warm Up to Study Abroad 12:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson, Lobby

Columbia Publishing Information Session 12:00 P.M. CareerLAB

Brown Bag Series in Archaeology 12:00 P.M. Rhode Island Hall, 108

TOMORROW

04/23/13

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12 13

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14 15

15 16

16 17

17 18

18 19

19 20

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Jen Shyu Artist Talk 10:00 A.M. Orwig Music Building

Lab Monitor Safety Training 1:00 A.M. List Art Building, 2nd Floor

Husain Haqqani: Reimagining Pakistan 2:00 P.M. Watson Institute, Joukowsky Forum

Black Art Night 4:00 P.M. St. Anthony Hall

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 • PAGE 7

Wooing Amazon is a waste of time ANDREW FRIEDMAN staff columnist

Just over two weeks ago, Amazon announced the names of 20 cities that had advanced to the final round of selection for its second headquarters (HQ2) location. As these finalist municipalities were selected from a pool of 238 proposals, an acceptance rate of 8.4 percent, Brown students can rest easy knowing that their accomplishments are still more impressive than those of America’s twenty most promising cities, given that Brown’s acceptance rate last year was 8.3 percent. As for the remaining 218 cities, Amazon rejected them much in the same way many internships and colleges probably rejected you recently: with a tone of artificial sympathy and a hollow compliment to boot. “Getting from 238 to 20 was very tough — all the proposals showed tremendous enthusiasm and creativity,” said Holly Sullivan, an executive at Amazon Public Policy in a company statement quoted by CNN. This atmosphere may be indicative of the kind of poisonous mindset the HQ2 bid, which sets the precedent for future tech mega-deals, is creating: one that conjures up the worst elements of the college or internship application process — selfdestructive gamesmanship, debilitat-

ing competition and zero-sum mentalities. Amazon was not kidding when it stated that “incentives offered by the local communities … (would) be significant factors in the decision-making process.” It seems that among the twenty finalists — whose qualities of life, academic resources and population sizes are similar — incentives are the only consideration separating

example, offered to let Amazon keep $1.32 billion in tax revenue collected from HQ2’s employees, while the governor of Maryland is offering Amazon a $5 billion package ($2 billion in Amazon-centered road and infrastructure projects and $3 billion in tax breaks) that would represent the largest economic development package in state history in order to lure the company to Montgomery County.

The unprecedented level of gamesmanship involved in the hunt for an Amazon deal is undoubtedly rooted in each city’s ego — the mayor of Dallas, Mike Rawlings, even stated, “We dream no small dreams here. We want to be the biggest and the best” — and none of the cities entertained the idea of signing a cooperative pact not to offer Amazon any subsidies. But it may also be rooted in specu-

Since the incentives offered specify no requirements for growth on Amazon’s end, the cities bidding to host HQ2 are in a race to the bottom of their budgets in order to win over a company that may (or may not) generate enough economic activity to justify the ridiculous tax breaks proposed.

one city from another. This, combined with every city’s desire to win the competition at any cost, is generating nonsensical subsidies and tax plans designed for Amazon from the cities still under consideration. Stonecrest, Georgia, famously offered to rename the city ‘Amazon’ in the event of a relocation there; thankfully, it is no longer in the running. But in economic terms, the deals offered by the cities still in the running are just as illogical. Chicago, for

Columbus, Ohio, is even offering to waive 100 percent of Amazon’s property taxes for 15 years — equivalent to $456,750 for every $1 million of investment in property. Since the incentives offered specify no requirements for growth on Amazon’s end, the cities bidding to host HQ2 are in a race to the bottom of their budgets in order to win over a company that may (or may not) generate enough economic activity to justify the ridiculous tax breaks proposed.

lation about the future of the tech industry in general. As the economy becomes increasingly dependent on an industry whose economically viable innovations are often unprecedented and unpredictable, American cities likely see Amazon’s HQ2, with its track record of growth and its stable hold on the tech and logistics industries, as a panacea. But cities are not considering the ways in which landing the Amazon deal may be worse than losing it. Am-

azon promises to bring at least 50,000 new workers with large salaries to its HQ2 site. That means that housing costs will most likely skyrocket, raising prices even in the suburbs, straining the highway and public transportation network and widening the chasm between affluent and poor residents. The labor market in the selected city will become significantly more competitive as the city draws more applicants on a national scale. And cities that inherit these problems will most likely have gambled their tax revenue away to the company that precipitated these issues in the first place. While in the long run, Amazon may have a stabilizing effect on the local economy, in the short term, its presence will definitely destabilize the area. Though it would have been nice to have Amazon internships in our backyard, perhaps the city of Providence dodged a bullet when Amazon passed on its “Providence Station” campus. All we can do now is wait and see how HQ2 ultimately impacts the chosen city. The whole world will be watching.

Andrew Friedman ’19 can be reached at andrew_friedman@ brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

A CONVERSATION WITH U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

SONIA SOTOMAYOR MODERATED BY PRESIDENT CHRISTINA PAXSON

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2018 • 12 P.M. Pizzitola Sports Center 235 Hope Street, Providence, Rhode Island For more information and tickets, please visit soniasotomayor.eventbrite.com. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and close at 11:45 a.m. Brown or government-issued photo ID required. No backpacks, large bags or laptops allowed. Sponsored by the Office of the President in conjunction with the Dean of the College’s First Readings program. Photo: Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States