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COACH OF THE YEAR Wrestling’s Mark Cody brings home national award ! PAGE 20
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IN THIS ISSUE
FROM THE TWITTERSPHERE @kavika_ali, April 10
3 POLICE BLOTTER 4 NEWS 4 5 6
nerd alert: @AmericanU in the library... so excited to nd my favorite spot was available this morning! #itsthelittlethings @colinjcampbell, April 8
COLIN POWELL AMERICAN AT WAR BEEGHLY EVACUATION
Email from @AmericanU admin 2day sayin if im furloughed by gov shutdown ill still receive credit. Now I dont have 2 surrender my Blackberry!
10 SCENE
@McConnellKM, April 8
10 VERY HIGH FREQUENCY 11 LOOK OF THE WEEK 14 BLACK LIPS
Free parking @AmericanU today? Thanks #freshman @sarahnanne, April 7
16 OPINION
Could it be possible that I’m starting to feel nostalgic for the @AmericanU #library already? That’ll change by the end of this #capstone.
16 STAFF EDITORIAL 16 SMARTER THAN I LOOK 17 TRENDING TOPICS
@KCartero, April 7
@AmericanU shuttle still takes a half hour wait. Awesome. AU Frats give rides from campus to parties with more regularity.
18 INCUBATOR 18 ONE MONTH IN 18 CLEANING THE SLATE
! AMERICAN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT VOICE
20 SPORTS 19 NFL DRAFT 19 MLB PREDICTIONS 20 WRESTLING
12
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WE WON AN AWARD!
First place: Society of Professional Journalists Region 2 General News Reporting for our coverage of AU Student Conduct Code changes
THIS WEEK
APRIL 12 — AUTHOR DISCUSSION
4 - 5:30 p.m. / SIS Beacon Conference Room / U.S. Foreign Policy Professor Jordan Tama will discuss his newest book, “Terrorism and National Security Reform: How Commissions Can Drive Change During Crises.” / Contact sis@american.edu
APRIL 13 — AUTHOR DISCUSSION
4 - 5:30 p.m. / SIS Beacon Conference Room / U.S. foreign policy professor Jordan Tama will discuss his newest book, “Terrorism and National Security Reform: How Commissions Can Drive Change During Crises.” / Contact sis@american.edu
APRIL 14 — CULTURAL INTERACTIONS OF THE HOLOCAUST
7 - 11 p.m. / Ward 2 / As part of Holocaust Remembrance Week, various embassies and cultural organizations will host a panel and discuss the cultural effects of the Holocaust. / Contact Mindy Hirsch, hillel@american.edu
APRIL 15 — MUSLIM COMEDY SHOW
6 - 8 p.m. / Ward 1 / Students and professionals will perform stand-up comedy in this third annual event hosted by the Muslim Student Association. / Contact Muslim Student Association, msaamerican@gmail. com
APRIL 16 — SENIOR DOCUDRAMA: SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING
8 - 10:30 p.m. / Katzen Studio Theater / The theater, musical theater, technical theater and theater arts graduating class explore what makes D.C. such a contradiction in their new docudrama. / Contact auarts@ american.edu or 202-885-ARTS
APRIL 17 — KIDS @ KATZEN: BACK TO BASICS
1 - 3 p.m. / Katzen AU Museum / Kids ages 7 to 12 will experience a traditional art class setting and explore the basics of shadow and light, gesture, still life and models. / Contact aumuseum@american.edu
!CORRECTIONS In “AU senior to raise money for Myanmar with 450-mile walk,” Kirk Acevedo first met “Ying” in Thailand, not Myanmar, as originally stated. Acevedo hopes to do a 400-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail or in the Rocky Mountains sometime in late August, but not with Sean McCarty. Acevedo wants to raise $26,220, not $26,200.
MISSION
POLICIES
CONTACT US
EDITORIAL STAFF
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EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Linda Barnhart ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Hoai-Tran Bui MUSIC EDITOR Stephan Cho SCENE ASSISTANTS Maeve McDermott Madeline Wolfson BLOG EDITOR Abby Fennewald ASSISTANT BLOG EDITOR Erin Greenawald MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Kira Kalush ASSISTANT WEB EDITOR Anna Scalamonga COPY EDITORS Rocio Gonzalez Marissa Cetin BUSINESS MANAGER Sam Yolen FINANCE MANAGER Bobby Jones SALES DIRECTOR Alexander Robinson PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR Kasturi Puntambekar AD REP Jonathon Gaynes
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! POLICE BLOTTER April 1 Department of Public Safety officials responded to a noise complaint from a neighbor on 43rd Street at 3:39 a.m. The neighbor did not wish to be contacted. No noise was heard upon arrival. Public Safety noticed approximately 100 plastic forks had been stuck in the yard and bushes were covered with toilet paper. Several minutes later, approximately 18 individuals walked down the street to the house. The group entered the house. Five minutes later, the group exited the house and stood by the street nearby. Public Safety requested the Metropolitan Police Department respond due to the noise being made as the group opened and closed doors. Several minutes later the group headed south of 43rd Street. Public Safety waited another 20 minutes and then cleared the scene at 4:35 a.m. MPD did not arrive prior to DPS’s departure.
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April 2 A resident director reported student #1 and student #2 entered Hughes Hall at 1:47 a.m. Student #1 vomited near the front desk. Student #2 would not provide student #1’s identification to the resident director. Upon Public Safety’s arrival, student #1 was conscious. Her speech was slurred. Student #1 stated she consumed three shots of rum. She would not disclose the location where she drank. DCFD responded. Student #2 interfered by stating student #1 did not need medical attention and interfered with the resident director providing DCFD with student #1’s information. Public Safety asked student #2 to leave the area several times. Student #2 refused to do so. DCFD transported student #1 to the hospital. April 3 A resident assistant reported individual #1 and individual #2 started exchanging words inside McDonald’s at 3:32 a.m. Both individuals stepped outside. Individual #1 punched individual #2 in the face. Public Safety responded and saw five individuals tightly crowded together. Public Safety gave a command to “stop” and saw
one individual bleeding from the nose. All the individuals fled in different directions. The resident assistant was able to identify individual #1. Individual #2 ran towards Butler Garden. He was not apprehended or identified. April 4 Student #2 gave student #1 her phone number at 11:20 a.m. They periodically exchanged text messages. Student #1’s messages became “overzealous and aggressive” and continually asked student #2 to go on a date with him. She replied by advising him to cease all contact with her or she would notify police. Public Safety contacted student #1 and advised him to have no further contact with student #2. April 5 Two individuals reported a fight in progress between several individuals playing football behind the Kogod School of Business and the Battelle-Tompkins Building at 4:55 p.m. No altercation was noticed upon Public Safety’s arrival. Student #1 was out of breath and bleeding from his elbow. Student #1 stated he injured himself playing football. Student #2 stated he just arrived in the area and was about to join the football game. Both students denied any fight occurred. Student #1 signed a medical refusal form. April 6 Public Safety discovered damage to a crash bar pin area of a door in the Kreeger Building at 8:53 a.m. The damage suggested forced entry from a hallway. No damage was discovered inside the room. Public Safety and Facilities Management responded to a fire alarm in MGC at 9:39 a.m. A contractor reported he noticed a small fire coming from an oven. He extinguished the grease fire with a fire extinguisher. The oven was damaged. No injuries were reported.
ing a Colin Powell event in Bender Arena at 8:28 p.m. The individual signed a barring notice and was escorted off campus. April 7 Four cases of beer were stolen from a Bon Appétit storage area in MGC at 8:58 p.m. Public Safety and Facilities Management responded to a fire alarm activated by a smoke detector in a Beeghly Building chemistry room at 11:54 a.m. Public Safety observed fumes rising from a glass bowl on top of a hot plate. DCFD was contacted and responded to evaluate the situation. A Hazmat team tested the air quality and deemed the area safe to be entered. The fumes were caused by sodium acetate packets (hand warmers) beginning to burn after the water they were boiling in evaporated. . A former employee walked into his former office and made derogatory remarks toward staff, which was reported at 2:29 p.m. The former employee utilized a phone to make a call. When he was advised he should not use an employee’s phone to make calls, he replied, “This was my office.” The former employee asked if he could take a chair home with him. When he was told he could not take it home, he became angry and stormed out of the office. On March 9, the former employee had walked into the stockroom with a box of pizza. When an employee asked if he could share the pizza with him, the former employee took a knife from his pocket and said, “I would cut you if you touch my pizza.”
http://eagl.us/dRZHuh
An individual repeatedly attempted to get on stage dur-
READ MORE POLICE BLOTTER ONLINE
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Powell talks social media, U.S. intervention in Libya By LEIGH GIANGRECO Eagle Staff Writer
Now that his secretary of state days are over, retired Gen. Colin Powell lives just like any other American. He drives to work everyday — in his silver Corvette. He eats New York hot dogs — given to him for free by thankful food cart vendors. He even gets TSA patdowns, too — and very thorough ones at that, he said. Powell said of all the things he misses most about his former position as secretary of state is the private airplane, red carpet included. “It was so cool,” Powell said to a packed audience in Bender Arena April 6. Sponsored by the Kennedy Political Union, Powell’s speech — one part comedy act, one part leadership advice — ran the gamut from social media to nuclear weapons to his military career. Powell said his grandchildren are trying to push him toward social media, but Twitter jargon confuses him. “I don’t want to be a
tweet!” Powell lamented to his grandson. He also discovered to his surprise that someone had already created a Facebook profile with his name. “It’s OK, Pop, you already have friends,” his grandkids reassured him. Powell said new social media has reshaped the globe, but added that the ability to choose from such a wide range of sources can actually lead to narrower viewpoints. “With so much information available to us all, there is a tendency to focus only on that slice of the information system that reaffirms your own views,” he said. Powell said he watches in-
and they’re nothing but commentators commenting on commentators.” He also said PBS should not be cut and that he’s a fan of WAMU, which the audience responded to with hearty applause. Students later asked Powell in how many countries overseas we should invest our money and troops, including Libya and Côte d’Ivoire. Powell said before the U.S. enters a country, it should examine whether national interests are at risk. “I don’t think the American people would support a president who managed to get into each and every one of these situations,” Powell said. “Nor do we have the
“Unfortunately, you turn on these so-called ‘news shows,’ and they’re nothing but commentators commenting on commentators.” ternational media like AlJazeera and the BBC to get more in-depth reporting than what the U.S. news offers. “I need that kind of information,” Powell said. “Unfortunately, you turn on these so-called ‘news shows’
— Gen. Colin Powell capacity to do so.” Powell said he believes a diplomatic solution will be found to the Iranian nuclear problem, adding that the country using such weapons would be like committing suicide. “I know nuclear weapons
and what I know is that they can’t be used,” Powell said. He added it would also be foolish for North Korea to use its nuclear weapons. The U.S. is still No. 1 in the world, Powell said, but other countries are starting to rise as well.
“We cannot be terrified by some clown hiding in a cave in Pakistan,” he said. “We’re Americans, we’re not afraid.” lgiangreco@theeagleonline. com
CODEPINK protester barred from AU for a year By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writer
Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK, a womeninitiated movement working to end U.S. funded wars and occupations, was barred from AU for a year after she protested at Colin Powell’s April 6 speech in Bender Arena. Benjamin, who is not affiliated with AU, held a sign EXIT STAGE LEFT Medea Benjamin is taken off the stage during Colin Powell’s speech April 6. Benjamin, of the women-initiated peace movement group CODEPINK, protested the event, saying Powell has blood on his hands. ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE
that said “POWELL=WAR CRIMINAL” and attempted to walk onto the stage after she thought Powell was gesturing her to come up. Powell walked toward her and she started up the stairs. Department of Public Safety officers removed her and fellow protester Paki Wieland from Bender Arena. Wieland was not barred from AU because she did not try to go on the stage, according to Department of Public Safety Chief Michael McNair. “AU’s policy is to prohibit signs inside the venue where the speaker is speaking,” McNair said in an email. “When exercising her [Benjamin’s] free speech rights, she can not infringe
A NEW LIFE Now that he’s no longer using a 747 jet to commute to work, Colin Powell drives a silver Corvette. Powell spoke to a packed Bender Arena April 6. ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE
upon the free speech rights of the speaker or the rights of others to hear what the speaker is saying.” Benjamin said she and Wieland believe Powell lied to the United Nations about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. “I feel a moral obligation when somebody like Colin Powell or anybody I feel who has not been held accountable for devastating acts like taking us to war on the basis of lies, I feel a moral obligation to protest them,” Benjamin said. She said believes her First Amendment rights were violated in her ban from AU. “Schools are usually quite respectful of First Amendment rights,” she said. “I think it’s ridiculous to ban me for a year.” sdazio@theeagleonline. com
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!"#!"#$! BURIED SECRETS The frame of a Willys-Knight sedan from the 1920s was unearthed near the Child Development Center in 2003. Courtesy of MARK BAKER / ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
2001: Arsenic in AU soil triggers health concerns, debate in local community AMERICAN AT
WAR By SYLVIA CARIGNAN Eagle Staff Writer
This story is the sixth in a seven-part series investigating World War I-era chemical weapons and equipment buried under AU’s campus and in the Spring Valley neighborhood. The Army Corps of Engineers’ contractors were excavating World War I chemicals on the South side of campus in 2003 when they made a puzzling discovery. Near the Child Development Center, the Army Corps unearthed the rusted frame of a four-door sedan, manufactured in the 1920s. Some in the AU community believe the car was a Ford Model T, a popular automobile at the time, but according to Army Corps historian Mark Baker, the car was actually a Willys-Knight,
produced by a now-defunct Ohio company. The Army Corps found the car when they were looking for pieces of metal that could have been World War I munitions, Baker said. In the late 1910s, the Army disposed of projectiles and lab equipment at the edge of campus by burying them. The car, however, was an unexpected find. “We don’t know why it was buried or why it was buried there,” Baker said. The Army Corps’ dig was part of a larger 2001 effort to clean up arsenic-contaminated soil near the Child Development Center. Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical that can be poisonous if it builds up in the body. It was an essential ingredient to many of the laboratory experiments conducted at AU during World War I.
Arsenic makes up 30 percent of the chemical lewisite, a chemical weapon that causes large, painful blisters and irritates the lungs. Lewisite was first created at Catholic University and then manufactured at AU during the war. The center was closed from 2001 to 2009, after the Army Corps found elevated levels of arsenic in the soil around the building and on the intramural field — once known as the “arsenic field,” The Eagle previously reported. In 2001, a health-consulting firm hired by AU tested 68 children, AU grounds crew members and student rugby players for arsenic poisoning. Members of the rugby team had unusual rashes that would not completely heal. The 27 children tested had been playing in the vegetable garden at the Child Development Center, a possible site for arsenic. The tests concluded that the subjects, who spent hours each day near contaminated soil, had arsenic levels within a normal range. In March of this year, AU chemistry professor James Girard gave a lecture on
the history of World War I chemicals on campus. He believes they shouldn’t be a problem. “All arsenic was removed from campus 10 years ago or longer,” Girard said. “I know of no danger to the AU community.” Chemicals on campus Arsenic and perchlorate, an ingredient in rocket fuel, have been the Army Corps’ two main chemical concerns for the AU campus. Years of the Army Corps’ perchlorate testing have revealed a concentration of 146 parts per billion in the groundwater near the Kreeger Building. The Environmental Protection Agency’s safety standard for perchlorate is 15 parts per billion. Though the Army Corps’ testing wells detected the chemical, they are not sure where it is coming from. Locating the perchlorate source would be valuable, but may not be feasible, Army Corps Project Manager Dan Noble said at a February 2010 Resident Advisory Board meeting. Noble also said the levels of perchlorate on campus have been steady or declining. Spring Valley residents
have been at odds with Army Corps members at meetings like these since cleanup progress began in the 1990s. Residents are concerned that the Army Corps has not been thorough in its search or excavation of World War I artifacts, and that the Army Corps has hidden test results that would harm its credibility. In 1995, the Army Corps issued a public cleanup report that said, “There are no risks posed by hazardous substances that exceed acceptable risk levels for human health or the environment.” But in 2001, they found the elevated levels of arsenic at the Child Development Center. At the site where the Willys-Knight was excavated in 2003, the Army Corps also found over 1,000 pieces of laboratory glassware, projectiles, munitions, a bottle of lewisite, several bombs, lead, mercury and arsenic. The Army Corps identified the site as one of several “disposal areas,” where chemicals and lab equipment would have been thrown away during Army engineers’ World War I experiments. “The Army Corps said they finished the cleanup ahead of schedule and under budget, but after a heavy rainstorm, the sidewall of the pit collapsed, exposing more laboratory glassware,” said local environmentalist Kent Slowinski. The Army Corps’ cleanup project is ongoing. One of the most-disputed cleanup sites is on AU property: the house of the University’s president. See the final part of this series in The Eagle’s April 19 issue. To read the first five parts of the series, visit theeagleonline.com/AUatWar. news@theeagleonline.com
Undead come to life in new vampire history class By PAIGE JONES Eagle Staff Writer
“Twilight” and “True Blood” fans can quench their vampire thirst this fall with AU’s new course HIST-296 “Vampire Narratives and American Society.” In this class 25 students will analyze how the vampire character reflects American society’s cultural norms throughout history, according to history professor Katharina Vester. The course will examine the transformation of the vampire from ugly and scary in the 19th century to the beautiful, egocentric creatures portrayed today, Vester said. “We will start in the 19th century and look at how xenophobia, fear of immigration, fear of miscegenation and how Americans have taken over the vampire genre in short stories and novels and later movies,” Vester said. The course will count for history and American studies credit, she said. Vester said she became interested in vampires two years ago when her godson gave her a copy of “Twilight.” “I was not interested in reading vampire stories, and then I couldn’t put it down,” she said. “It was very engaging and wellwritten in many regards.” But Vester said she became concerned by the lessons of teen marriage and pregnancy “Twilight” promoted and investigated the change in the vampire’s character in history. “I thought it was interesting how vampire narratives have changed over the past 20 or 30 years,” Vester said. Vester said she wants students to leave with a better understanding of how society unknowingly affects culture. “We have all these rich vampires who don’t have to work, so what does it say about society when we look at these vampires?” Vester said. pjones@theeagleonline.com
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Handwarmer causes Beeghly Building evacuation By LINDSEY ANDERSON and STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writers
AU students did not receive text message and e-mail alerts about a “dangerous chemical spill” in the Beeghly Building for more than an hour after the building was evacuated April 7. A handwarmer in boiling water in Beeghly 105 set off a smoke alarm and caused the evacuation of the entire building for nearly an hour while the D.C. Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Unit (Hazmat) responded to the incident. Beeghly was evacuated at 11:54 a.m. due to vapors of sodium acetate, a crystallized compound commonly found in handwarmers. More than an hour later, a 1:10 p.m. campus text message and e-mail alert warned students: “Dangerous chemical spilled at Beeghley Building. Evacuate building immediately and stay away until further notice.” Department of Public Safety Chief Michael McNair said the alert wasn’t sent out until then because Public Safety officials still weren’t exactly sure of what had happened and that they needed to wait for DCFD to investigate before sending the alert out. “When you have a working incident, it’s not always easy to figure out what happened and what’s going on, and you don’t want to give people erroneous information,” McNair said of the delay. “The problem was, it took [Public Safety officials] awhile to figure out that’s what was going on.” McNair said Public Safety and chemistry department officials were not communicating initially to determine what exactly happened, as they were trying to evacuate the building first. “There was a lot of milling about because nobody was providing information to the officer as to what truly had occurred,” McNair said. “Had they done that, it might have been a little bit different.
+,-!"#$! They did later on, but not right away.” McNair said there wasn’t any real danger since the building had been evacuated. “Really the RAVE Alerts were more for students who might have had a class at two o’clock,” he said. McNair also said the alert’s wording may have been too strong with “dangerous,” but the alert system is based off of templates. This template has since been revised. “Sometimes when you’re putting these things out you don’t realize what impact they’ll have on people,” he said. “We still scared the bejesus out of people. Maybe if we’d waited a little longer we might not have said ‘dangerous chemical.’” Chemistry Laboratory Director Jane Ferguson said she was preparing a demonstration in the lab with the handwarmer — which contains sodium acetate, commonly found in heating pads — and water when the smoke alarm sounded. McNair said the fume hood was not properly opened, so the empty room filled with smoke, setting off the alarm. Sodium acetate is non-flammable and is “kind of like burning table salt,” Ferguson said while standing outside Beeghly in her white lab coat during the evacuation. An automated alarm reacted to a vapor in the lab, according to Public Information Officer Pete Piringer of the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Four fire trucks, an ambulance, the Hazmat truck and various DCFD SUVs and trucks responded to the call at 12:37 p.m. Piringer said the building was evacuated smoothly, and no one was sick or exposed to the compound. The Hazmat Unit, dressed in encapsulated suits with air tanks, opened windows and blew fans to ventilate the building, Piringer said. “It’s all precautionary,” he said. Post-baccalaureate student Mary Smith said she was on the fourth floor of Beeghly when the alarm sounded. She and freshman Mary May Kozlik grabbed their coats and evacuated the building. “Everything was pretty relaxed. We thought it was a fire alarm, a practice alarm,” Smith said during the evacuation, still wearing her medical gloves. “But because it’s the
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chemistry department, everyone was worried.” Smith and Kozlik said the fire department’s response was “not very urgent at all.” Students were allowed to collect their belongings from Beeghly only on the first floor. McNair said allowing students back into the first floor, where the incident occurred, was a mistake. He said officials should have secured a better perimeter, keeping students farther away from the building. He also said officials should work to set up a command post, where all officials should meet to exchange information in the event of a future incident. AU sent out another text and e-mail alert at 1:38 p.m., notifying students that an all clear had been given for the building. The building was reopened at 2:03 p.m. news@theeagleonline.com
New bar opens in Tenleytown Public tenley expands neighborhood options for AU’s 21+ crowd By LAUREN LANDAU Eagle Staff Writer
Public tenley, a new bar on 41st Street next to the Dancing Crab, opened April 1. The restaurant and sports bar is the sister location to Dupont Circle’s Public bar on 18th Street and offers food, a variety of alcoholic beverages, games and nighttime entertainment for its
patrons. General Manager Sean D’Augostine said the location has “a smorgasbord of liquor” and 10 beers on tap. Drink prices usually range from $5 to $10, but are $2 to $5 during happy hour, according to D’Augostine. Public tenley serves traditional American food with a twist, including appetizers, burgers, wings, sandwiches, wraps and salads from $5 to $12, according to the bar’s website. The venue will introduce an expanded menu in May that will include more expensive items such as pizza, steak, entrees and a wider selection of appetizers and salads, D’Augostine said.
The restaurant and bar has two floors, both equipped with bars and outdoor patios. The first floor is primarily a restaurant, while upstairs is a sports bar that is limited to patrons over 21 years old after 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. D’Augostine said Public tenley has something for college students, young urban professionals and families alike. It’s still a work in progress, but D’Augostine said the response has been positive so far. “We’re hoping to get a little bit better once summer comes around, as we can open up the front patio,” he said. Public tenley, located at 4615 41 St. NW, opens at 11 a.m. for lunch and closes at 1:30 a.m. on weekdays and 2:30 a.m. on weekends. llandau@theeagleonline.com
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AU junior aids Japan in search and rescue efforts
“At some point, I realized that if I stop now, it’s going to fall apart. It’s resting on me to get this all together.” By RACHEL KARAS Eagle Staff Writer
When disaster struck in Japan last month, most students were preoccupied with winding down their spring breaks. AU junior Ari Katz, however, got to work. Katz, a student in the School of International Service, became involved with the U.S. military’s search and rescue operations throughout northern Japan, working with the Air Force to compile and stream crucial data to troops on the ground. His father, a Homeland Security consultant, worked with Google and Carnegie Mellon University to send data to Japan. He brought his son on as an assistant because of his technical and search and rescue experience with the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Patrol and volunteer firefighting. The team provided Misawa Air Force Base in Japan with pre- and post-earthquake high-resolution images and maps of rescue areas, nuclear radiation models and data on road safety and population sizes. “Our job was kind of to facilitate [intelligence] for the team and make sure they didn’t get killed by the nuclear radiation,” Katz said. “We were able to pull data together and predict where they’re searching, even with the lack of communication … we needed to have an idea of where they’re going and what they’re doing so we would know what to prioritize.” Because most methods of communication were intermittent or unusable, Katz said he needed to be creative in transferring information to people on the ground in Japan, including trying to use the satellite link of CNN TV cameras to send data. He also used in-car GPS in-
formation from Honda vehicles to map usable roads. Late nights became early mornings involving Skype calls to Japan, navigating the military’s chain of command and dealing with online firewalls. “It’s the most difficult when the adrenaline wears off, and it’s 2 a.m., but you still have a mission to do,” he said. “At some point, I realized that if I stop now, it’s going to fall apart. It’s resting on me to get this all together. If I were to tell my team we can’t do this, they would trust me and we’d give up…It’s not like school where you can ask for an extension — this is the real world.” This is not, however, Katz’s first time helping in an overseas crisis. In January 2010, he traveled to Haiti with John Travolta’s relief mission to treat victims of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake. “One thing I learned in Haiti is that helping one person, that’s like the world to them,” he said. “I wasn’t able to save as many people as I wanted [in Haiti] … I’m not naïve, but making a difference in even one person’s life is a big deal.” With efforts in Japan transitioning to the recovery and assistance phase, Katz is also transitioning back to his usual schedule — one that involves fewer 2 a.m. Skype sessions and more hobbies like photography and basketball. Katz said he may turn his experiences into a career in emergency management or global security. “Where I go with this…we’ll see. I have a lot of opportunities,” he said. “I’m pre-med but…I want to affect the world more than one patient at a time. I think really big.” rkaras@theeagleonline.com
Government bans synthetic marijuana By LAUREN LANDAU Eagle Staff Writer
The sale and possession of synthetic marijuana products, commonly known as “spice” and “K2,” is now considered a violation of AU drug policy after the federal government temporarily banned the substances March 1. Usually marketed as incense, synthetic cannabis products are a blend of herbs and spices that have been coated with at least one of the five “THCmimicking” chemicals. The Drug Enforcement Administration classified the five synthetic cannabinoids used to make spice as Schedule I substances. The manufacture, possession and use of the five chemicals found in spice will be regulated by the government for at least one year with the possibility of a six-month extension while the government studies whether these chemicals should be permanently controlled, according to the DEA. Before the ban, consumers could legally purchase synthetic marijuana products over the Internet and in head shops, gas stations and other locations for about $30 to $40
per 3-gram bag, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. AU’s Director of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution Services Rosie McSweeney estimated that there have been about five cases at AU in which students were found in possession of spice. McSweeney said that as a result of the ban, students who are discovered smoking, possessing or selling any form of
the substance will be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and will be subject to the same procedures that the school uses for marijuana, including disciplinary probation, parent notification and counseling. Before the DEA ban, students found smoking synthetic cannabis were not charged or were found “not responsible,” because the substance was still legal, Mc-
Definitions:
Cannabis: a plant from that marijuana, hashish and hashish oil come from THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol): thought to be the chemical that causes the psychoactive effects of marijuana Cannabinoids: chemicals or compounds that mimic the THC component of cannabis Schedule 1: drugs that have no known medical use, are likely to be abused and are accepted as unsafe for use under medical supervision Source: DEA / Image: Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Sweeney said. “I think any time something seems new and trendy, we have to watch for that on the campus,” said Associate Dean of Students Michelle Espinosa. DEA spokesman Rusty Payne said the DEA started receiving reports from poison control centers and hospitals about two years ago that spice was being abused and causing problems. The most common side effects reported were agitation, hallucinations and seizures, according to Dr. Cathleen Clancy, associate medical director of the National Capital Poison Center. ‘The Frankenstein of cannabis’ Capitol Hemp Co-Owner Adam Eidinger, a 1996 graduate of the School of Public Affairs, is an advocate for medical marijuana and drug policy reform. Eidinger said Capitol Hemp destroyed all of its spice products in December after the DEA announced its intent to control the substance. “It’s the devil you don’t know,” Eidinger said. “It’s like the Frankenstein of cannabis.” Before the ban, it was legal for stores like Capitol Hemp to sell spice as premium incense, but not to knowingly sell it to someone who intended to smoke it, Eidinger said. Although it was legal at the time to ingest the substance, !
see DEA on page 8
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AU admits class of 2015 students Average GPA: 3.9 Average SAT score: 1300 By LEIGH GIANGRECO Eagle Staff Writer
AU saw a 10 percent increase in applicants this year with a record number of 18,719 freshman applications, the most in University history, according to University officials. About 41 percent of applicants were admitted for the class of 2015, according to Director of Admissions Greg Grauman. There were 17,325 applicants for the fall 2011 semester, 400 more students than in fall 2010, according to Grauman. AU’s class of 2015 target enrollment is 1,550 students, according to Grauman. Last year, 43.5 percent of AU’s 16,925 applicants were
admitted — a total of 7,357 students. Grauman added that the increase in the number of applications to nearly 19,000 allowed for a more competitive pool. “We also were able to be more selective because we believe a higher percentage of students admitted will accept our offer,” Grauman said in an e-mail. “When an institution increases its yield rate, they are then also able to lower their admit rate as fewer admitted students are needed to ensure the enrollment target is met.” A yield rate is the percentage of admitted students who choose to attend a university. More students are also saying that AU is their first choice, according to Karen Froslid-
Jones, director of Institutional Research and Development. Grauman said AU looks for students who put the University as their number one choice, are intellectually curious and are “wonks” who can handle the rigor of academics. However, the University’s admissions process involves more than numbers on an application. “In the past, we might have admitted a student who academically hit the bar … a student that we know could do the work,” he said. “We might get that same student now and realize from what we see in their application, from what we understand about them, we’re not seeing the fit for American University.” The average student in the class of 2015 has a 3.9 GPA and scored a 1300 on the SAT. The average class of 2014 student had a 3.87 GPA and scored a 1300 on the SAT. The incoming freshman class will be the strongest academically in AU history, Grauman said. lgiangreco@theeagleonline.
BY THE NUMBERS
AU spends 69 days recruiting in 14 countries
The University defines some of its campus diversity by its international student base and has continued to recruit globally, Grauman said. AU spent 69 days recruiting in 14 countries, visiting 78 different schools.
20.5% increase in D.C. students There was a 38.5 percent increase in the number of D.C. students that applied to AU, and a 20.5 increase in the number of D.C. students admitted to AU, Grauman said.
$92 million in financial aid The class of 2015 was offered over $92 million in financial aid, an increase from last year, Grauman said. AU Central officials said numbers for that increase in aid are not yet available.
35.5% of admitted are multicultural About 33.5 percent of the class of 2015 reported they were multicultural — defined as permanent U.S. citizens who identify as non-white — compared to 29.5 percent of the class of 2014. There was also a 24 percent increase in the number of admitted African-Americans and 33 percent in admitted Hispanics for the class of 2015.
New social networking site debuts at AU By MARIE ZOGLO Eagle Staff Writer
A new social networking site, Spotflag, is currently being beta-tested exclusively at AU. AU students will be the first in the world to use Spotflag, a website similar to Facebook and Twitter, except that connections between users are based on proximity. Spotflag founder and CEO Sambou Makalou said the San Francisco-based startup chose AU as its pilot school because of its urban environment, its strong focus on community service and a friendly response from AU Student Government President Nate Bronstein after the start-up contacted various university student presidents. “Spotflag is kind of like Facebook for where you are,” Makalou said. “If you wanted to know what are your friends all over the country — all over the world — were saying, then you’d go to Facebook and check your status updates. If you wanted to know what people are saying that you might not necessarily be friends with or know on campus, then you’d go to Spotflag and see what’s being posted.” Spotflag is not affiliated with AU or the SG, and neither are receiving money from the company. Bronstein said the University’s political activism and service focus make AU a great place for Spotflag to try to break into the market. Students can use Spotflag to attract people to a service project, to find friends at a party, advertise events or locate people in the library working on the same assignment, Bronstein said. “Really, the possibilities are endless and the cool things about it [Spotflag] is that it just combines all the other three social networks,” Bronstein said. To join, students sign up,
sync their account with Facebook or Twitter so Spotflag knows their interests and begin posting messages called “flags.” Users can check into their locations on Spotflag throughout the day, choose a radius from 500 feet to 25 miles of how far out they want to look for and see the flags, events and people within their chosen radius. Users can choose to be anonymous, and their location will only be shown if they choose to check in to Spotflag, according to Makalou. “You’re posting your location, but it’s for the other people who are there, who are already at that location,” Makalou said. “So it’s not that someone across the world or across town or whatever knows that you’re at a certain location so they can track you. It’s basically saying ‘We’re both here at this event, and I just want to know who else is here.’” After gathering feedback at AU, Spotflag hopes to expand the site to more universities across the country. “We really encourage AU students to use it [Spotflag] and give their feedback, because you guys are molding the future of Spotflag,” Makalou said. “Our anticipation is that as this takes off, it’s going to be known as something that came out of AU. Just like Facebook came out of Harvard, this is going to come out of American University.” AU students can join by signing up at www.spotflag. com. mzoglo@theeagleonline. com
TRY SPOTFLAG AND TELL @THEEAGLEONLINE ABOUT IT. WWW.SPOTFLAG.COM
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from DEA on page 7
it was illegal to sell the substance for that purpose. Payne said that labeling the products as “incense” is merely a marketing technique. The THC-like chemicals are odorless, and therefore have no value as additives to herbal incense, according to the DEA. “It’s not incense,” Payne said. “They’re telling you that it is, but it’s not.” Eidinger said that he believes the chemicals in their pure form are dangerous, but in his experience, the spice products are not. “We sold a large amount of it, and we did not have a single customer come back and complain about getting sick,” Eidinger said. “Not a single one in the year and a half that we sold it.” Eidinger said that current drug testing methods do not test for spice, so people who want to smoke marijuana are turning to synthetic cannabis products as an alternative. “There’s definitely a demand for it,” Eidinger said. ‘An unpleasant experience’ Raymond Hart, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said he first tried spice because he was afraid of being drug tested for marijuana. He said he smoked spice for about a month to control his anxiety. “After I smoked it, I just calmed down,” Hart said. “I was happy.” Although Hart said he usually felt fine after smoking the substance, on one occasion he fell ill after smoking a gram of the substance in half a day. Hart said his face turned white, his legs started buckling, causing him to stumble, and he felt disoriented and strange but couldn’t identify the problem. “I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t put my finger on it,” Hart said. Russell Cann, a sophomore in SIS, said he first tried synthetic marijuana because he was curious. Cann said he smoked the pure form of the chemical at a party when someone offered him a pipe filled with a yellow powder that he called “legal weed.” “It was an unpleasant experience, honestly,” Cann said. Both Cann and Hart said they would not smoke spice again, even if the DEA overturned the ban. llandau@theeagleonline. com
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Undergraduate Senate doles out nearly $620,000
SG BUDGET AT A GLANCE
SG PAYROLL
FOUNDERS’ WEEK
OTHERS
$49,200
Women’s Initiative: $29,000 Department of Outreach, Publicity and Recruitment: $17,000 SG General: $15, 320 Department of Events: $14,500 AUTO: $14,000 Capital Maintenance: $9,000 VP General: $8,300 Travel Subsidy: $6,000 Class of 2012: $5,000 SIS Class Council: $2,600 Bike Lending: $2,500
$75,250
Budget for SG departments, organizations approved for ’11-12; $25,520 more than ’10-11 By ZACHARY COHEN Eagle Staff Writer
The Undergraduate Senate allocated more than $619,920 to student government departments and organizations for the next school year. The Student Government distributed $594,400 in last year’s budget. The raise is due to increased enrollment, according to current SG Comptroller Ed Levandoski. Student Activities decided to allocate more money to the SG, Media Board and the AU Club Council, according to an e-mail from Andrew Toczydlowski, the Student Activities coordinator of governance and leadership. All undergraduates pay $52.92 in fees to Student Activities that are then given to the SG. Graduate students pay $21.60, according to Toczydlowski. The College of Arts and Sciences School Council and the Arts Council were not given any funds for next year because they didn’t request any, according to Senator for the Class of 2012 Bart Thompson, a member of the Budget Committee. “The councils don’t operate,” Thompson said. The Class of 2012 also received less than half of what was given to last year’s junior class, which “reflects a change in the philosophy for the budget,” Thompson said, adding that the budget committee felt it was inappropriate to bail out rising senior councils when they had not adequately fundraised throughout previous years. “None of the class councils do anything until they
become seniors,” he said. “We didn’t want to reward that.” The Class of 2012 hopes to build a statue of suffragist Alice Paul, a Washington College of Law and AU graduate, to dedicate the 100th anniversary of her arrival to D.C. The statue will cost about $45,000, according to the class’s budget proposal. Kennedy Political Union received $8,700 more than last year. Speaker fees and general events costs rise every year, according to KPU Director Josh Levitt. “You need to have a budget that reflects that,” Levitt said. KPU spent 92 percent of this year’s funds on speaker fees, according to KPU’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year. The Student Union Board was given $5,000 more for the same reasons, according to Special Committee on the Budget Chairman and Class of 2013 Senator Taylor Yeates. Yeates is also the comptroller-elect for next year. Women’s Initiative was given $7,000 more this year, and the American University Transportation Organization (AUTO) received about the same amount as last year. In future years, AUTO will not require as much money because it won’t need to buy additional vans, according to AUTO Commissioner Dave Paddock’s budget proposal. AUTO plans to buy two vans with this year’s funds. The next fiscal year begins May 1, Levandoski said. Staff writer Marie Zoglo contributed to this report.
ADD YOUR TWO CENTS ON THE SG BUDGET, TELL @THEEAGLEONLINE WHAT YOU THINK.
SUB
SG Senate supports required sex assault education
$180,000
KPU
$183,200
SG senator proposes AU invest in Israel; resolution fails By MARIE ZOGLO Eagle Staff Writer
A Student Government resolution recommending AU invest in U.S. companies that are based in or invest in Israel failed after contentious debate April 10. Even after several revisions, the resolution failed with a vote of 10 senators for, 11 against and seven abstentions. Students who supported the resolution said it wasn’t political but rather made financial sense. They felt Israel was a good place to invest because of its strong economic performance during the recession and status as a world creditor, not debtor. “This is not foreign policy. This is us using our investment money in businesses in Israel,” said College of Arts and Sciences Senator Amy Leazes, the resolution’s sponsor. But senators who opposed the resolution felt it was too political. “It’s wrong for us as the student government body to support such a resolution,” said Class of 2012 Senator Roger Deming. “You can say
all you want: ‘This [resolution] to me is just a business transaction.’ But I’m sorry, the Confederate flag is more than a flag.” Students who are not in the SG voiced their opinions on the resolution during the meeting’s public comment period, before the debate on the legislation. Former SG President Andy MacCracken, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, said he believes investing in U.S. companies that invest in Israel is a sound financial decision. “We [AU] have made poor financial decisions in the past. Looking forward, students need to be engaged in how we’re investing our dollars and looking at trends of where it’s most sensible to invest money,” MacCracken said. “Coming out of the financial recession that the world is just recovering from now, Israel is a nation that was least affected.” Other students disagreed, saying that the economics and politics could not be separated on this issue and that AU support for Israel would be wrong because of Israel’s actions in Palestine.
UBA: $2,450 Student Advocacy Center: $2,000 Community Service Coalition: $1,200 SOC Class Council: $900 SPA Class Council: $750 Class of 2015: $500 Class of 2014: $500 Class of 2013: $500 Senate Discretionary Fund: $250 CAS Class Council: $0 Arts Council: $0
“I am not interested in AU making financial or institutional profit. I am, on the other hand, very interested in ensuring that the investments that AU does make are in line with socially just and equal principles,” said School of International Service senior Sepideah Mohsenian. “By investing in innovation from Israel, AU is de facto supporting Israeli foreign policy.” AU spokeswoman Maralee Csellar said AU’s finance office would need to research all funds to determine if the University invests in any companies that invest in Israel. In 2006, AU’s Board of Trustees passed a resolution saying AU “will not invest directly in companies doing business in the oil and gas sector in Sudan.” The University also notified its investment managers to end any investments in companies doing business in the oil and gas sector. This resolution is still in effect. mzoglo@theeagleonline. com
By MARIE ZOGLO Eagle Staff Writer
The Undergraduate Senate passed a resolution April 10 expressing support for a mandatory online sexual assault education course. AU officials oppose such mandatory education, which would create a “stop” on student accounts and possibly delay their class registration. This was a contentious point of debate between the University and some students when AU refused to submit a Department of Justice grant proposal that would give AU $300,000 over three years toward sexual assault programs and education on campus. The grant proposal was ultimately not submitted. The Senate also passed a bill that directed the Student Government president and Women’s Initiative officials to advocate for a confidentiality agreement for the Wellness Center’s sexual assault health educator and a confidential victim advocate. The Senate also passed a resolution in favor of the 2011 Campus Plan, saying the “benefits that the Campus Plan brings to the University would not impose objectionable burdens on the broader community of the neighborhood and the city.” mzoglo@theagleonline.com
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AU Dance Company emits ‘Very High Frequency’ By HOAI-TRAN BUI Eagle Staff Writer
Dance is generally stereotyped as a cold, feminine and old-fashioned art form. However, in the classrooms of the Katzen Arts Center, the AU Department of Performing Arts is blooming with youth, energy and talent, all showcased in last weekend’s Spring Dance Concert, “VHF: Very High Frequency.” “We’re a quiet program in Katzen where students do exceptional work,” said Artistic Director Melanie George. “Every day we do hard work and pour our blood, sweat and tears into it. Our job is just to make everything look easier than it is.” The April 9 dance concert featured eight pieces, including four studentchoreographed dances and two guest works, all ranging from ballet to jazz to modern dance. CityDance Ensemble’s Christopher K. Morgan, who also teaches a course in modern dance at AU, choreographed one of the guest works. “In my creation of a piece, I try to feature and challenge the dancer,” Morgan said. “Whether it’s professional
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Chris Morgan and his dance class practice their moves in rehearsal for Spring Dance Concert “VHF: Very High Frequency.” Morgan was greatly inspired by modern dance for this showcase.
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Morgan sets the sound for his modern dance class taught at AU. In addition to his teaching position here, he is a rehearsal director and choreographer-in-residence for CityDance Ensemble, one of the District’s premiere dance companies and educational dance programs. CARMEN MASON / THE EAGLE
or AU dancers, I try to challenge myself to find connections in movement.” Morgan’s piece, titled “Currency Exchange,” was influenced by his experiences abroad while traveling with CityDance. The modern dance is comprised of abstract images set to an Arabian-sounding score composed by Tunisian composer Kronos Quartet. “Modern dance has a lot of potential,” Morgan said. “I’m mystified by the structure and story in ballet, but modern has a much more expressive movement.” Modern was prominently featured on the concert,
with four of the eight pieces in the style of modern dance. The best of these was that of the other guest choreographer Kim Karpanty, “(Meta)Morphoses,” an original, inspired and wonderfully performed dance that turned primal Tarzanlike movements into graceful poses. That is not to say the students’ work should be devalued. Rachel Hoopes’ modern dance “The Forms of Women” was ethereal, emotional and delightfully minimalist. Samantha Schreier’s jazz piece “The Tourists” was cute and quirky, providing a much-needed
“Whether it’s professional or AU dancers, I try to challenge myself to find connections in movement.” — Christopher Morgan, dance teacher, CityDance choreographer
does of hilarity in an otherwise somber dance concert. And Ellie van Bever’s ballet “To Move Forward” was a wonder to watch, featuring dancers in orange jumpsuits pirouetting to Bach’s “Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor.” “The four wonderful student works really showed their growth as choreographers,” George said. “That investment is something you can’t manufacture.” But the success of the concert wasn’t just the product of a few talented individu-
als. It was the hard work and commitment of dozens of talented dancers, teachers and staff. “Because we’re such a small program, my agenda as head of the program is to encourage the growth of the community,” George said. “We’re always working with people, always in the moment. Nothing exists twice. My teaching and choreography is all about people dealing with people.” This sense of community was also a deciding factor in George and Morgan’s audi-
*tion process. Morgan described watching what happens on the sides of the room rather than just focusing on the people onstage. George said that most people such as herself spend very little time onstage, so community is very important. “Willingness to work together is as important as strong techniques,” said Morgan. “We’re responsible to the creative process and to the art.” hbui@theeagleonline.com
LOOK OF THE WEEK Spring Flings By NICOLE MOUTIS Eagle Staff Writer
Fashion NICOLE MOUTIS — LOOK OF THE WEEK HEADBAND / $3 /01
JACKET / $14 /01
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SHIRT / $14 !"#$%$#&''(
SHORTS / $14 !"#$%$#&''(
SKIRT / $14 !"#$%$#&''(
SHOES 2#3-+&45,6&,,$#7
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Finally some warm weather has (somewhat) come around, and with it comes shorter hems, brighter colors and other exciting new spring trends. These two students at AU caught my eye while walking down the Main Quad with their stylish ensembles. They make it apparent that some winter trends are here to stay while they both show off their combat boots. Here we get a taste of everything, from tights with shorts and boots, to white skirts with tucked in denim, to turban head ties. The transition from winter and spring can cause some chaos in our closets, but both these students show us how to do it right. Freshman Phoebe Bradford, in SOC (pictured right), explained the inspiration behind her outfit. “I saw it was going to be 70 degrees, and I always use that as an excuse to throw on a skirt. It makes those rainy cold days that keep popping up a little bit more bearable,” Bradford said. “I also love neutrals and then one big pop of color — it’s springy and puts me in great mood. Also, this is something I would have worn on a beautiful day back home in Brooklyn; I was feeling a bit nostalgic.” As far as high-end designers that inspire her, Bradford has plenty. “Anything Marc Jacobs touches is gold,” Bradford said. “I fantasize about owning everything by Alice + Olivia. Chanel is great for referencing classic/timeless style. And — just because he’s awesome — Alexander Wang.” And though she’s exemplifying her unique spring style now, there are many retro trends she’s itching to bring back. “For sure this ’70s throwback to the turban styled headbands. It reminds me of photos I have
seen of Sophia Lauren from the ’70s, and I’m loving the return,” Bradford said. In three simple words, Bradford describes her style as “eclectic, bright and vintage.” !"!"!
Yet when it comes to freshman Cristina Keane, in CAS (pictured left), her style is a bit more relaxed than fashion forward. When asked what inspired her wardrobe, Keane said: “I never know how to answer this question. Nothing ever really inspires my outfits, unless you catch me on a day when I’m channelling Topanga Lawrence circa 1993 (which happens more often than you’d think).” And as far as her naming her favorite designers, Keane keeps the same lax approach. “I have to admit I know very little about who designs my clothing, usually because I buy them secondhand,” Keane said. “You’d be surprised at how much Ann Taylor ends up in my wardrobe because of that. If I had to pick one, I’d probably say Jean Paul Gaultier. His collections often feature really bold colors and takes a lot of risks in his design.” In keeping with that trend, for Keane, color is probably the thing she’s looking forward to incorporating into her spring style. “I somehow acquired like, 5 pairs of really loud, vibrant pants. Most of them come above my ankles so I couldn’t wear them in the winter,” Keane said. “I don’t know if that counts as a trend, but I’m excited to show off my loud ankle-bearing pants.” In three simple words, she described her style as “fun, relaxed and anachronistic.” thescene@theeagleonline. com
WARM WEATHER MEANS COOL OUTFITS. LET @THEEAGLEONLINE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE ROCKING.
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FILM REVIEWS
YOUR HIGHNESS C+ — 102 MINUTES By MADELINE WOLFSON Eagle Staff Writer
Courtesy of ALEX BAILEY / SONY
Icy characters make for cold action flick in ‘Hanna’
HANNA
B+ — 111 MINUTES By HOAI-TRAN BUI Eagle Staff Writer
“Hanna” opens with a shot of a snowy landscape — cold, distant and elegant, much like the movie itself. A stylized kiddy version of “The Bourne Identity,” “Hanna” does an excellent job of showcasing balletic fight scenes and starkly contrasting cinematography, but fails to draw the audience’s sympathy to the protagonist’s struggles. Hanna, played by the wraithlike Saoirse Ronan, is a child assassin raised by her ex-CIA agent father (Eric Bana) in the Arctic wilderness to survive against all odds. She has never before known the outside world, until one day she tells her father she is ready to face it. A mysterious switch is triggered, and the chase begins. Hanna is hunted down by the steely CIA agent Marissa Wiegler, played by the talented Cate Blanchett. As Hanna flees from her pursuers, the mysterious story slowly unfolds, but not in a way to capture the viewers’
attention. Coupled with the ambiguously motivated lead characters of who you’re not sure is the good guy and the bad guy, it’s hard to attach yourself to the struggles of a singular character. Both Hanna and her opponent Marissa Wiegler are cold killers who garner little sympathy. This isn’t the fault of the actors. Saoirse Ronan is wonderfully cast as Hanna, with her ghost-like appearance and piercing blue eyes. However, she retains a sort of blank-faced look throughout the film, which fits the character’s personality, but makes it hard to identify with her. Eric Bana seems to only be there to provide some fan service with a few shirtless scenes, and Cate Blanchett is stuck with a rather one-dimensional character as the cold and heartless Marissa Wiegler. Some of the supporting cast provides most of the color. Jessica Bardem provides some comic relief as Sophie, a vain and quirky British girl on vacation
with her family who Hanna meets and befriends. Sophie is a refreshing breath of realism among all the tense characters and is frankly the most interesting person in the film, despite being surrounded by assassins and mercenaries. Tom Hollander plays a super creepy mercenary hired by Marissa Wiegler who really likes torturing people and beating them with steel pipes. His jolly whistle as he stalks his prey is the creepiest thing of all. The film’s cinematography is what stands out the most. Hyper-stylized and extremely modern, director Joe Wright makes great use of stark colors to contrast each other and experiments with lighting and fast cuts. Many of the chase scenes feel like a music video, with dizzying camera shots and flashing light shows. At first this is intriguing to watch but starts to feel too contrived. Wright sacrifices realistic action sequences for gracefully choreographed fights, many of which are surprisingly bloodless and often end in a visually appealing shot of a symbolically placed body. The soundtrack, which was composed by The Chemical
SCENE SAYS Flashy fight scenes and cinematography but very little substance
Brothers, is extremely techno and has beats that suggest a high-end dance club rather than an action film. It adds to the music video-feel of the film and supports its “modern” mantra. “Hanna” is a stylish take on a tired action genre, but it’s no “Bourne Identity.” It may have a morally ambiguous protagonist who doesn’t really know who she is, but the similarities stop there. “Hanna” may look good, but it suffers from poor characterization and mediocre acting that not even a talented cast can save.
Taking a movie like the “Lord of the Rings,” inserting a plethora of raunchy sex jokes, f-bombs and snippets of soft-core porn and then smoking a bowl may sound like a hilarious way to kill an afternoon. Yet “Your Highness” takes this premise and somehow manages to turn it into a barely funny film that even its talented cast can’t redeem. Co-written by Danny McBride and Ben Best (“Superbad”), “Highness” is a story and quasi-parody that centers on McBride’s character of Thadeous — a pouting, selfish, underachieving prince living in his brother’s shadow. Fabious, played by James Franco is the typical pretty-boy knight who gallantly slays monsters and rescues damsels. Zooey Deschanel plays his love interest, the virginal Belladonna, but is quickly captured by the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux) on their wedding day. So naturally, Fabious must save his lover and ropes in the most unqualified of quest-mate, you guessed it, his bum of a brother Thadeous, and they set out on a magical journey full of battles, monsters and, inexplicably, boatloads of topless women. Along the way they meet the independent and sexy Isabel, played by Oscar-winner Natalie Portman, who catches the eye of Thadeous. The most aggravating thing about this movie is just how close it comes to being really
funny. Franco hysterically plays the charming prince with honesty and intensity in a way that parallels Will Arnett’s absurd intensity as Gob in “Arrested Development.” The relationship between the two brothers is honest and endearing. When the film does parody fantasy films, cleverly playing up the absurdity of magic and throws in anomalies such as a robotic bird companion, mocking the movies’ own lack of consistency. And the all-star cast is good, but only Franco manages to make a poorly conceived script entertaining. And then there’s the sheer volume of rape and molestation jokes that seem to be the foundation of this movie. The evil wizard steals Belladonna essentially to rape her and every other scene seems to be a preparation for the act as the two characters chat and make jokes about the approaching night — but that’s not all! Jokes about child molestation as well as adult molestation weasel their way in as well. Now tragedy is comedy and a joke can be crude or taboo, but it has to be funny enough to merit the content. The movie has an upsetting amount of potential but lacks a concept and wit. It’s willingness to go low, real low, for a joke will amuse an audience for a couple of hours, but you’d be better off digging up that old “Shrek” DVD for a solid fantasy parody. mwolfson@theeagleonline. com
hbui@theeagleonline.com Courtesy of UNIVERSAL PICTURES
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SOUL SURFER C — 105 MINUTES By HAELY JARDAS
Eagle Contributing Writer Surfer Bethany Hamilton became a media sensation at the age of 13 for the shark attack that took her entire left arm in 2003, her talent on the water and her strong faith in God. The film “Soul Surfer” is based on Hamilton’s autobiography. But while it has some breathtaking shots of Hawaii, it failed to do justice to Hamilton’s inspiring story. It assumes that, since Bethany’s story is so famous, the movie didn’t need to be written well. Aside from the performances by seasoned veterans Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid, the best parts of the movie were when nobody was talking. The dialogue was incredibly awkward and extremely heavy-handed in the religion department. Hamilton says that her faith is what helped her keep her head above wa-
ter, but the film tended to force the audience into it. For example, the producers attempted to air brush the words “Holy Bible” off of a book Bethany’s father holds in the movie in order to open up to non-Christian audiences. But at the Hamilton family’s insistence, the Bible remained in the final cut. There’s no denying that then13-year-old Bethany’s story is remarkable. She was back on her surfboard a month after the tiger shark attack that should have killed her and was awarded the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award for “Best Comeback Athlete” in 2004. But “Soul Surfer” is a movie targeted at girls who are too young to be able to recognize a well-made movie. Unfortunately, adults will have to take them to this movie and suffer through it for their daughters. From a sports movie standpoint, there was no shortage
of fantastic shots from above and beneath the water as the stunt doubles ripped along the waves. There was also no shortage of good cinematography in the film — otherwise it would have simply been a waste of two hours that no one could ever get back. The film also doesn’t do anything to help Hollywood’s misrepresentation of sharks. One scene shows a dead shark hanging in the Hamilton’s front yard surrounded by an angry mob. Dennis Quaid shakes his head at the shark as if it’s not in its nature and it purposely sought out his daughter to destroy her life. Hamilton is indeed as remarkable as all the countless stories and news specials say, but “Soul Surfer” does not live up to the legend. The film may inspire young girls with a story of faith and perseverance — but so could any movie on the Disney Channel. thescene@theeagleonline. com
Courtesy of MYRIAD PICTURES
HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE A — 98 MINUTES SCENE SAYS Endearing rom-com captures essence of real-life relationships.
By ANTOANETA TILEVA Eagle Contributing Writer
Courtesy of SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
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The title of “Happythankyoumoreplease” is quite apropos — you will leave the theater grateful and wanting more of its offbeat charm. If you are already groaning at the prospect of yet another contrived indie rom-com à la “500 Days Of Summer” or the movie version of “Friends” or the millennials’ answer to “Singles,” you will find yourself pleasantly surprised. In “Happythankyoumoreplease,” director, writer and star Josh Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother”) forgoes the hipperand - m ore - cl e ve r- t h an thou approach in favor of an unassuming, natural dialogue and genuinely likable characters. And if there is such a thing as a New York “vibe,” the movie captures it spot-on. The lead character, Sam (Radnor), is an aspiring novelist on the way to a meeting with a publisher who meets a boy named Rasheen (Michael Algieri) who gets separated from his family on the train. As a plot vehicle, Rasheen
and Sam’s relationship is meant to assure us of Sam’s inherent goodness despite his ne’er-do-well, seemingly rakish lifestyle, delivering some of the more heart-warming, cute lines in the movie. For example, Sam labels his suburban angstfree childhood as hardly “Dickensian” or conducive to writing the great American novel. Or when Sam discovers Rasheen’s art talents, he laughs at Rasheen’s drawing of him as a “dashing Russian aristocrat.” These sort of exchanges abound and make the movie terribly endearing with a low cheese factor. The other characters are equally compelling. Mary Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and her boyfriend Charlie (Pablo Schreiber), who try to decide whether or not to move to Los Angeles, which Mary calls the “epicenter of all that is awful.” Sam’s best friend Annie (Malin Akerman) is bemoaning her unfortunate choice in men, (dating “29-year-old 12-yearolds”) when she meets a seemingly dorky co-worker who seems to constantly hang out on her floor
at work because “philanthropic giving is the cool place to be.” Annie tells this story of an Indian cab driverwould-be-guru who advises her that a good way to perpetuate more gratitude in the universe is to simply say, “Thank you. More please.” Albeit hokey as far as mantras go, it’s veritable enough for hippie-esque Annie, who in the end gets over her abysmal dating streak and allows herself to be wooed by the uncool Sam #2. Then, there is Sam’s love interest, waitress and cabaret singer Mississippi (Kate Mara), whose refusal to sleep with Sam due to her New Year’s avowal to “not be a whore” leads to their impossibly-cute three-day-stand/move-in session, complete with a hand-written contract and key exchange. The characters in “Happythankyoumoreplease” feel very realistic with no tacked-on, contrived idiosyncrasies for entertainment’s sake. It’s definitely a feel-good movie, but not in a mawkish, fake sense. In the end, the characters all end up working through their various conflicts, but the resolutions are not fanciful and unrealistic. thescene@theeagleonline. com
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CONCERT REVIEWS
Swedish indie rockers Peter Bjorn & John to take buoyant, indie jams to 9:30 club April 30 By MAEVE McDERMOTT Eagle Staff Writer
It’s tempting to think of the Swedish indie rockers Peter Bjorn & John as newer players in the indie rock scene. But in reality, the band — which takes its name from the first names of the three bandmates — are responsible for six studio albums over the course of nearly a decade, with their first self-titled album released back in 2002 on a small Swedish label. The trio will play at the 9:30 club on Saturday, April 30. The band is touring to support their new release, “Gimmie Some.” In 2006, PB&J gained critical and commercial attention with “Writer’s Block,” their third release and the band’s first on a major label. The album’s success, and the band’s rise to notoriety in general, was driven primarily by the massive hit “Young Folks.” With its ubiquitous whis-
tle and bongo drums, “Young Folks” was the indie pop song of 2006, popping up everywhere from commercials to the opening scene of the “Gossip Girl” pilot to a “Now That’s What I Call Music!” compilation. “Young Folks” was the epitome of a breakthrough single, and as a result, the band has since struggled to shrug off the “one-hit wonder” condemnation. On their disappointing next release, “Living Thing,” the band chose a darker, sparser sound, and their rather unwelcome departure from the cheerfulness of “Writer’s Block” produced an underwhelming and cold album. PB&J’s newest release “Gimmie Some” shows the band’s return to form, and lively lead single “Second Chance” has a handclapdriven spark that was sorely missed on the band’s last release. It’s no “Young Folks,” of course, but judging the band’s releases against their
one megahit is no way to enjoy their strong new album. PB&J may not have developed a distinct sound over the course of their career, but their eclectic and fresh-faced releases place them amongst the best indie pop acts today. The group is joined on their tour with Bachelorette, a one-woman electronic project from New Zealand. Annabel Alpers, the woman behind Bachelorette, produces blissful synth-pop songs featuring her looped and layered vocals and plenty of reverb. This tour features two talented acts that occupy different realms of indie pop and will be sure to make for a night of excellent live music. Peter Bjorn & John’s endearing live show is not to be missed, and, yes, they will definitely play “Young Folks.” mmcdermott@ theeagleonline.com
Black Lips, Vivian Girls bring psychedelia, punk rock antics to Black Cat By JESSE DRUCKER and ALEX MORPHEW Eagle Contributing Writers
MORE “Their eclectic and freshfaced releases place them among the best indie pop acts today.”
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?
Peter Bjorn & John escape the moniker of one-hit wonder with their new album, “Gimmie Some.” The band is joined on their U.S. tour by synth-pop project Bachelorette. PB&J received instant media attention with their darling hit “Young Folks” in 2006.
Courtesy of PETER BJORN & JOHN
The Black Cat brought hordes of garage punkloving teenagers to see the Atlanta band, Black Lips. As their third stop on their new tour with Vivian Girls, the Black Lips are promoting their upcoming album “Arabia Mountain,” set to come out on June 7. In an interview with The Eagle, the band was still in recovery from their tour kick-off celebration that included a visit to a strip club. “We went balls out right before the tour started,” said guitarist Cole Alexander. “We just had to usher ourselves into the tour.” The recording of the new album stretched out over a year and included tracks produced by Mark Ronson, who has also worked with artists like Duran Duran and Amy Winehouse. “We recorded in four locations, three of them by ourselves and one with Ronson,” said bassist Jared Swilley. “With Ronson, we really just wanted a couple more strong songs on the album. We ended up coming up with eight or nine.” “Arabia Mountain” will be the sixth album in the Black Lips’ discography, spanning over eight years. “When we first started, we had more of a ’50s feel but lately we have had more psychedelic influences,” guitarist Ian St. Pé said. During the show, the more psychedelic songs featured a kaleidoscopic liquid-light show projected behind the band that was sure to expand the minds of select audience members. Re-affirming their ’50s influence, the band chose Elvis as their dream tourbuddy. “He is rudimentary, he is the King, he is classic,” Swilley said. Swilley himself claims to have
“We went ballsout right before the tour started. We just had to usher ourselves into —the tour.” Cole Alexander, guitarist the nickname the “White Elvis.” The Black Lips are well known for their stage antics, from vomiting to making out, to getting kicked out of clubs and even countries. “In India, we let the audience have some of nature’s goodness in the face, so they kicked us out,” said St. Pé. “We don’t do that stuff as much during shows. We decided to try not getting kicked out.” While the band did succeed in their goal on Friday night, the energy of their more notorious shows was still alive and pumping. Swilley hyped the crowd from the beginning and set the trend for the numerous stage dives that occurred throughout the night, at one point even swinging over the audience using the light grid as monkey bars. The show included tracks from their new album, as well as some old favorites including “O, Katrina” and “Bad Kids.” Before the Black Lips, Vivian Girls played an ethereal set filled with their unique blend of hazy indie-rock that filling the room with a transcendent sexual energy. Following the current tour, the Black Lips will have to be on their best behavior for their upcoming Middle East circuit, which will include shows in Beirut, Damascus, Lebanon, Alexandria and Istanbul. thescene@theeagleonline. com
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Folksy crooner Livingston Taylor to perform at the Birchmere in Va. The singer will sway the crowd with guitar strums and playful banter By JILL WHEELER
Eagle Contributing Writer The Birchmere will be graced with Livingston Taylor, an artist who is sadly not very well-known for anything other than that one time he hit number 30 on the charts with “I Will Be in Love with You,” this coming Thursday. Some people will look at him and just see the great James Taylor’s brother, and, while they share the same North Carolina twang and stand with a similar stature, Livingston’s talent is not one to be overlooked. Taylor shares the old folk tradition of sitting in front of an audience on a stool with a guitar and just telling a story. At times, his music screams folk and yet his music holds facets of jazz and pop, as well as gospel. While all these genres are prevalent in his music, the charm of folk rings the
most true. His music is honest and yearns to send a message that is at certain times astute and other times just plain amusing. He doesn’t care if people like it or if people even stop to listen. But hopefully they do because to Livingston Taylor, performing and playing music seems to be a conversation. Everything blends together from one song to the next like a swift change of topic that no one notices happened. On stage, he’ll strum a few chords and just talk to people. He will point out people in the audience and have a conversation with them, all the while he never stops strumming. His personality and his charisma are as much a part of his performance as his music and the audience means everything to him. Each song is like an exchange of ideas — it shows the music he’s heard that has influenced him, and his per-
formance is his way of sharing what he finds great in music with other people. His songs are full of anecdotes and insights into both his life and life in general. Taylor currently teaches at Berklee College of Music and, judging by the way he performs, one can only imagine he would be a brilliant teacher. The way he communicates ideas and explains concepts in his music is both eloquent and clear, and his passion is inspiring. He loves people, evident in any recording of him and even more so in person. Livingston Taylor wants to tell people what’s on his mind and he wants to do it through song. He believes in the power of music. His show is not one to miss for anyone who loves the idea of a casual folk experience or is interested in a musical conversation. thescene@theeagleonline. com
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THE WEEK
APRIL 12 — 8 P.M. BEYOND THE DOOR 3 WHERE WHAT’S UP
The Passenger, 1021 7th St. NW
METRO
Metro Center (Red/Blue/Orange Lines)
COST
Free ($2 suggested)
The Washington Psychotronic Film Society is a group of film lovers who offer weekly screenings to obscure, off-beat films both new and old. “Beyond the Door 3” is about a group of students who require a virgin to sacrifice for their Satanic ritual.
MORE INFO
www.wpfs.org
APRIL 13 — 8 P.M. THE LUYAS WHERE WHAT’S UP
Red Palace, 1210 H St. NE
METRO
Union Station (Red line)
Canadian indie rock band The Luyas recently released their sophomore album “Too Beautiful to Work” and are playing at the Red Palace with Liam Finn.
COST MORE INFO $16
www.redpalacedc.com
APRIL 14 — 8 P.M. BEACH FOSSILS WHERE WHAT’S UP
DC9, 1940 9th St. N.W.
METRO
U Street/African-American War Memorial/ Cardozo (Green/Yellow Lines)
COST
With the success of their latest, self-titled album, Brooklyn’s Beach Fossils are set to play at the DC9 nightclub with Craft Spells.
MORE INFO
www.dcnine.com
$12
APRIL 15 — 8 P.M. SILENTS WITH THE SNARKS WHERE WHAT’S UP
Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va.
The Snark Ensemble is an instrumental group
Rosslyn (Blue/Orange Lines)
silent films, and they’re making their return to the Artisphere with new performances.
METRO that performs music against the backdrop of COST MORE INFO $15
www.dcnine.com
APRIL 16 — 8 P.M. THE BOXER REBELLION WHERE WHAT’S UP
Black Cat, 1811 14th St. N.W.
METRO
U Street/African-American War Memorial/ Cardozo (Green/Yellow Lines)
Britain’s The Boxer Rebellion draw their influence from Oasis and Radiohead, and they’re joined by We Are Augustines at the Black Cat.
MORE INFO COST www.blackcatdc.com $15
APRIL 17 — 4 P.M. THE AP TOUR WHERE WHAT’S UP
9:30 club, 815 V St. N.W.
METRO
We Deliver Monday — Thursday 25% off for AU students (with valid ID) after 8:30 every night
U Street/African-American War Memorial/ Cardozo (Green/Yellow Lines)
COST MORE INFO $15
PETE’S NEW HAVEN STYLE PIZZA Columbia Heights 202-332-PETE (7383) Tenleytown-Friendship Heights 202-237-PETE (7383) Hours of Operation: 11AM-10PM Sunday-Thursday 11AM-11PM Friday & Saturday
As part of their spring tour, Alternative Press is making a stop at the 9:30 club with bands Black Veil Brides, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, I See Stars, VersaEmerge and Conditions. www.930.com
APRIL 18 — 8:30 P.M. WOODSMAN WHERE WHAT’S UP
Red Palace, 1210 H St. NE
METRO
Union Station (Red Line)
Woodsman, an experimental artist from Denver, is playing at the Red Palace with Tjutjuna.
MORE INFO COST www.redpalacedc.com $8
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Beeghly ‘dangerous chemical spill’ raises alarm over RAVE alerts
Need for improvements in emergency alert system highlighted by handwarmer incident When a crisis, incident or accident occurs, there’s usually a system in place that helps inform citizens of the danger. Our city has Alert D.C. AU has RAVE alerts. These alerts are designed to, well, alert students of the goings-on in a situation so students know what to do in the event of an emergency. Last Wednesday, students who were signed up for RAVE alerts received three messages within a span of half an hour describing an incident that sounded like the next Three Mile Island. In reality, the incident was akin to a minor laboratory goof-up with a chemical as harmless as “table salt,” according Chemistry Laboratory Director Jane Ferguson. Also note that the alert was sent more than an hour after the incident. Was it necessary to send
out such an alert, especially after it was sent an hour after the building was evacuated? Though Public Safety’s (one of the two departments authorized to send the alerts) policy is to wait for all the details of the incident before sending out an alert, it took them almost an hour after the alarm went off to ascertain the situation. In emergency situations, time is of the utmost importance, and any delays can be costly. Though this situation posed no threat to the campus community, if a dangerous situation were to occur, we would hope for a much faster response time. Was the wording of this alert necessary? Not at all — the “dangerous chemical spill” was a minor chemical vapor that set off an alarm and posed no viable threat to students and faculty in the
building. RAVE alerts are based off templates, which can be useful in sending out an alert quickly, but harmful if they misstate or overstate a situation. In this case, the template system did more harm than good — heaven forbid you knew anyone in Beeghly at that time and had a minor heart attack over a text message. After the incident, Public Safety revised its alert system to better reflect individual situations. But the fact remains that Chemistry Department officials and Public Safety officials were not effectively communicating. Yes, their main goal was to evacuate the building, but other universities have been criticized (and even fined) for not effectively implementing an emergency message system in a time of crisis. Though last week’s incident hardly qualifies as a crisis, if AU wants to have an effective emergency message system in place, it needs to revise its system so as to get out an accurate message quickly.
Crude and rude jokes don’t necessarily imply prejudice CONOR SHAPIRO — SMARTER THAN I LOOK A fat redneck and a skinny redneck jump off a cliff. Who wins? Society. Why do men want to marry virgins? They can’t stand criticism. From the late, great George Carlin: “So, if there is a God, I think most reasonable people might agree that he’s at least incompetent, and maybe, just maybe doesn’t give a crap. Doesn’t give a crap, which I admire in a person, and which would explain a lot of these bad results.” I love racist jokes. I love religious jokes. I love sex-
ist jokes. Jokes make us laugh; they lighten our mood, they lengthen our lives. Jokes are therapeutic — they can mitigate conflict, help remind us of the absurdity of assumptions and pacify anger. Obviously, not every funny joke targets a specific segment of society, but some of the best ones do. Think about it. Do you like South Park? Do you watch Family Guy? Do you think Chris Rock is hilarious? How about Dane Cook? Sarah Silverman? Woody Allen? Howard Stern? If the an-
swer is yes to any of the above, then are you racist or misogynist? Are you complicit in stereotyping? Are you reinforcing or ignoring norms that need to be challenged? Are you trivializing real issues and avoiding painful truths by laughing at legitimate problems instead of addressing them? Some of these accusations have been leveled at those who laugh at the list mentioned above. I disagree. If actions speak louder than words, then my activism and advocacy prove I’m an ally of many
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AU needs SexualAssaultEdu with or without federal grant EMI RUFF-WILKINSON — RANTER IN RESIDENCE When an opportunity comes up for an additional $300,000 to help the victims of sexual assault and prevent further ones from happening, you’d think that AU would be all over it. In addition to the programs we already have, getting that extra funding would be a big step toward reducing rape on campus. Nothing too controversial there, right? Wrong. When the University decided to apply for a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant, they failed to follow through on their original decision. And one of the main reasons was that the grant requires all incoming freshman to complete a sexual assault education program, like AlcoholEdu, except it’s actually mandatory. And that’s a reason I just flat-out don’t understand. Seriously, can anyone give me one good reason not to make sexual assault education mandatory? I’m sorry, but is
it too much of an annoyance for freshmen to find a stop on their account because they didn’t complete SexualAssaultEdu? The consequences of having a student body uneducated about sexual assault far outweigh the mild annoyance of having to do this course. Incoming freshmen are about to enter a world that’s completely new and will confront them with situations they’ve never considered before. Yes, there is usually a rape component to high school health (although, who knows what you learn in abstinence-only programs), but it’s often a very “No means no!” based program. And sex in college is a hell of a lot more complicated than that. This type of education actually can help students understand sexual assault. Despite the complaint that AlcoholEdu is “cheesy,” it actually seems to work. Study after
study finds that students who enter freshman year without completing AlcoholEdu have a significantly higher chance of engaging in “problematic drinking,” “high-risk drinking-related behavior” and overall drink considerably more than their peers who complete AlcoholEdu. There’s no data on SexualAssaultEdu specifically, but it’s probably fair to extrapolate that these online programs are somewhat effective. So why not make SexualAssaultEdu mandatory? And why let that stand in the way of getting even more funding for sexual assault prevention and programming? There’s almost nothing you can do that’s crossing the line in terms of preventing sexual assault.
causes I mock in jest. I’m a white male, but I laugh at white-male jokes. I have Jewish lineage, but I laugh at anti-Semitic jokes. I’m a feminist, but I laugh at Peter Griffin’s buffoonery constantly. Some folks don’t think this type of humor is funny. They think it does more harm than good. Sometimes they’re right. A joke belittling women in the workforce may be humorous in the right circumstance (especially between two liberal women). But if an elderly male in the Deep South is telling it, is it really so funny? When the person who’s telling the joke has proven to actually believe what he ridicules, maybe it’s not funny after all. Besides our actual feelings toward the group, a couple of other prerequisites might include that we have to laugh at ourselves (or our identity group)
and that no groups are immune or excluded from the roast. If those three things are fulfilled, I think it’s perfectly permissible. Additionally, context and intent are crucial. When friends and I hang out over a beer, we tell jokes we would otherwise refrain from telling in public. If you have the wits of a flagpole, odds are you’ve bitten your tongue in certain situations when you had a clever pun to share. It’s called being tactful. All of us can relate stories of a joke gone awry that we wish we could yank back like a fishing rod. It’s that remorseful feeling we get when that happens that illustrates our sensitivity and true sentiments. One of my friends asserted that the reason I’m able to laugh at these offensive jokes is because I’m insulated and remain unaffected by them. For example, it’s easy for an af-
fluent white male to laugh at jokes and go about his day because of white male privilege. But what about the numerous blacks who laugh at Chris Rock’s jokes ridiculing blacks. What about women who love Family Guy? Laughing at offensive jokes doesn’t invalidate our true, inner feelings. Sometimes it’s solely a coping mechanism for dealing with the challenges we face in overcoming these issues. It would do us all some good to lighten up and use humor as a tool — not as a means of cloaking prejudice or to deflect taking action. We should know why we’re laughing.
Emi Ruff-Wilkinson is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and the winner of The Eagle’s Next Great Ratner contest.
Conor Shapiro is a graduate student in the School of International Service and a liberal columnist.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
BOE regulations inhibit free speech and open elections On March 21, the South Asia Student Association (SASA) issued an apology to candidate for SG Secretary Eric Reath. Earlier that week, SASA had made formal endorsements to candidates running for SG that the club had decided would serve the best interests of SASA. There was a complaint filed that SASA did not follow the proper course of action to endorse SG candidates, and the Board of Elections decided to revoke SASA’s ability to be a part of this year’s elections. What exactly did SASA do, according to the Board of Elections? In order to endorse candidates for SG, there is a regulation that any club who wishes to voice their opinion must take the responsibility of reaching out to every single candidate on the ballot. SASA President Ritanch Hans mistakenly missed a candidate in an e-mail to the candidates, and SASA was therefore prohibited from voicing a formal opinion in SG politics. As the SASA executive board pointed out in their apology: “When you have to copy and paste 50 e-mails, you accidentally miss one. It happens.” The Board of Elections procedure for endorsement is absolutely nonsensical. The very idea that a student club or organization does not have the right to freely express their opinion without oversight is blatantly unfair censorship. If a student club wishes to endorse a candidate, they should be able to do so without the burden of reaching out to every candidate. Compare this to endorsements in real elections where any group is able to endorse whomever they choose, regardless of whether they reach out to other candidates. Why does an organization need to reach out to a candidate they know they will not support? This is a waste of everyone’s time.
More importantly, the Board of Elections shouldn’t have the power to decide what is fair and unfair speech. The assumption is that this rule was created to make candidates feel better about themselves. However, it is the responsibility of the candidates to reach out to the student clubs and organizations to garner support — that’s what campaigning is. But the infringements on free speech don’t stop there. You will remember that candidate Jessica Darmawan was sanctioned for sending out e-mails without going through the Election Board’s regulated process. This is an even more blatant abuse of free speech. Pre-publication censorship (which is what this process amounts to) allows the Election Board to control who candidates reach out to and even what their campaign materials say. I ask you, how is this a fair process for candidates? The idea behind it is to give every candidate equal chances. But this is ridiculous, because it assumes candidates don’t have equal ability to draft up an e-mail and send it to the organizations they’d like to be endorsed by. Personally I think anyone running for an SG position can handle drafting an e-mail without the Board of Elections babysitting them. This sort of over-regulation not only dampens political participation, it makes a mockery of AU. If we want to claim fair and open elections, let’s have fair and open elections. It’s time for AU’s election regulations to change and in order for that to happen, students need to speak out about the abuses of this system. If you’re interested in making this opinion heard, Elections Board meetings are Sundays at 12:30 p.m. in MGC 262 and open to the public. You can also contact them on the AUSG website. AU Students for Liberty
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TRENDING TOPICS
Gen. Colin Powell’s Corvette. It’s silver, for the record. (And kudos to KPU for organizing the event!) Undergraduate Senate for passing a budget and avoiding an #govtshutdown. (Question: If the SG couldn’t pass a budget and shut down, would we take our trash to Eric Reath’s room?)
WONK ads in bus stops. As horrific they are, they do help some lost students know they’re in the right area of town.
Term papers — pretty sure they’re manifestations of Dante’s Inferno.
Rainy/gross weather all weekend – D.C., get your act together.
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EAGLE RANTS
Dear frat boy down the hall, You suck. That is all. I really dread the days when it gets warm out and there are frat guys throwing a football out on the quad. Some of the guys were never taught to throw and throw like girls. I am a girl and I was properly taught how to throw a football. I am honestly embarrassed for them. It is also a huge turn off. Phonathon: where dreams go to die. Hey Nate Bronstein, Ima let you finish, but that’s a freaking truckload of e-mail addresses, man. Dear McDowell 6: Look, I don’t care if you guys are slightly (very) revelrous. Be young! Carpe diem! Gesundheit! But stomping around and yelling at 2 in the morning? Pretty dickish, and it’s a lot louder than you think. So just cool it and respect quiet hours, please? I don’t want to start a thing. Cheers, a McDowell resident
essential to my mental well being. The AU Grounds Crew rocks! I am NOT a WONK. I am NOT a narrow-minded technocrat who specializes in one field. I am a broad-minded liberal arts major who enjoys learning about all sorts of subjects and takes pride in being well-rounded and NOT married to just ONE subject. Dear Eagle, Can you please actually cover all the interesting events that Women’s Initiative is hosting this month? They seem to all fall on times when I have class, but I would like to read about them before I graduate. Thank you. No. WONK and Roosevelt Institute both live on the same level of Hell. Do not try to compliment WONK like that.
JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE ISSUES IS NO REASON FOR YOU TO BE A COMPLETE JERK FOR ME.
You are wrong. I can be a housewife after college while at the same time being a feminist. Why does raising the future generation of children get such little respect? The whole issue of family is completely ignored by feminist groups.
I’m pretty sure having this many flowers on campus is
You know what I want? I want a guy to hook up with
who won’t either treat me like crap whenever I’m not naked or become clingy and needy and try to ask me questions about where this is going. Can’t we just have sex, be friends and not take anything too seriously?
won.
To the girl who yelled at me for trash talking Blends at Acapalooza: Yeah, I shouldn’t have said anything in public. It was rude, I know. However, being out of tune is not a matter of opinion. It’s a fact, and Blends was SO out of tune.
Can we stop with the smoking stuff already? There have been several smoking comments every week for a month or two now. We get the point. Now shut up Random statement of anger over arbitrary thing that can only be blamed on fate! DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!
Is it so bad that I just want to live-rant the music that the Dav plays? #sometimesshuffleisembarrassing To the people who apparently hate the very idea of Women’s Initiative: get over yourselves. If you really think women have no particular issues worth pursuing, you live in an ivory tower taller than theirs. If you think we need a Men’s Initiative, get on that. Complaining at Students for Liberty meetings does nothing. Sharks have a week dedicated to Nate Bronstein. Nate Bronstein once challenged his reflection in a mirror to a staring contest. He
It’s not illegal to ride your bikes on the sidewalk in D.C. For once, will you people look something up and learn about the city you live in?
Why must you have a girlfriend? You obviously have a crush on me and it’s driving me nuts in class when I see you sneaking looks at me. Argh. AU asks, “What kind of WONK are you?” Well, do you want the short answer or the long answer? To the person who left his used cigarette butt on the floor of my hall: Are you serious? Get a flipping life. This is my home, damn it. How would you like it if I defecated on your doormat? Pretty sure you wouldn’t appreciate it very much. Grow the frick up.
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Wiping the dating slate clean By SUZETTE ELIZABETH LAKE The Incubator
KEVIN ESPINOSA/THE EAGLE
Chile: One month in By KEVIN ESPINOSA The Incubator
SANTIAGO, Chile — Well, I have been here in Santiago for a little over a month now. This first month absolutely flew by. It seems that just yesterday I arrived here in Santiago. On Monday I picked up my carnet de identidad, my Chilean ID card. This card, which expires in September, allows me to legally reside and study in the Republic of Chile. Applying for the card and registering my visa gave me a real taste of Chilean bureaucracy. Following hours of waiting, several bad photos and providing the same information again and again, I finally have my carnet. Let’s hope I don’t lose it... As if obtaining my carnet wasn’t enough to remind me that I am indeed living in Chile, dinner on Sunday further cemented that notion in my brain. Chileans love avocado, or, as they call it, palta. I had gone a whole month in Chile without consuming the green vegetable, but, lo and behold, on the dinner table was a plate full of avocado! I had some with bread and I must say that
it was quite delicious. But the excitement didn’t stop there. My family had prepared an asado for dinner — a traditional Chilean barbecue. They improvised a makeshift grill on the balcony of the apartment, and the delicious smell of barbecue wafted through the air. I must have consumed my own body weight in barbecued meats, and it was definitely worth it. The fact that my host-parents are excellent cooks didn’t hurt either. Between my carnet, the barbecue, the avocado and last week’s earthquakes, I feel like a full-fledged Chilean! I am amazed at how quickly I have settled into a routine here. During the week, I wake up between 6 a.m. (on Fridays, when I have class at 8 a.m. after a 30minute walk to the university) and 8 a.m. (every day except Friday). Breakfast usually consists of some sort of sandwich (ham, salami or cheese and butter) and tea. My host-mom packs me lunch every day (a sandwich with fruit) and I’m off to class all morning. We usually eat dinner around 8 p.m. every night and watch the nightly news. The weekends are a bit trickier, as I tend to get up early whereas my host
family doesn’t get up until 11 a.m. at the earliest. (Once, they stayed in bed until 4 p.m.) Throughout the week I try to meet up with Chilean friends, and I must say that I am very proud of how assertive I have been in making friends. Having Chilean friends has really enriched my experience here as I can interact with Chilean people my age. Of course, it is somewhat difficult, but it is really rewarding. In other exciting news, President Obama visited Santiago on Monday to meet with his Chilean counterpart, President Sebastián Piñera. The streets were closed, and as a result the metro was chaotic (which I witnessed firsthand after discovering that my route to school from the Registro Civil, where I picked up my carnet, was totally closed). Chileans seem divided on Obama’s visit. On the one hand, many are honored that Obama chose to stop in Chile (over Argentina) during his Latin American tour, as even some TV commentators and analysts said that Chile was “not important” to the United States. However, the leftists here in Chile were furious about Obama’s arrival and staged massive protests. What angered them the most was the fact that last week Chile and the United
States signed a nuclear cooperation agreement. In light of the radiation scare in Japan, many are worried about a similar disaster happening in Chile. What I found most ironic was that the communists and socialists were protesting Obama for being an “imperialist” and “fascist,” whereas in the United States, some segments of the political right have labeled Obama was a “communist” and “socialist.” All in all, Obama’s visit unfolded without a hitch, and images of the banquet were broadcast on Chilean TV. The complicated U.S.-Latin America relationship continues... I was offered an internship at the Fulbright Commission in Chile, an organization which coordinates academic exchanges between the United States and Chile. Following an interview last week conducted in Spanglish and a translation of a highly scientific and technical document, I was offered a position as an intern! I’m still waiting to see if I am contacted by other organizations, but I am relieved that at least someone wants me! Stay tuned to hear more about my adventures in Chile! ¡Adiós! blogs@theeagleonline.com
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine came to me with a relationship issue. She and her boyfriend — who have a history of fighting — recently decided to “call a truce” and start over with a clean slate. After dating for 4+ years, they basically want to drop all their emotional baggage and begin again as if they’d just met. The impetus for this lies in the fact that they’ve been together since high school and have since matured quite a bit when it comes to how they want to behave in a relationship. In the beginning, they made all the classic mistakes, as high schoolers are apt to do, and seriously damaged their ability to trust one another. They fought over stupid things, played too many manipulative games and told innocent lies that, once discovered, spurred jealousy and mistrust. Now that they’re a little older and wiser, they want to undo the damage done by their former, less mature selves and bring their relationship to a more healthy and functional level. They’ve discussed this openly and have both decided to give it their best shot. However, the weeks following their mutual revelation have been a roller coaster of successes and failures. There are periods during which they both behave rationally and make a conscious effort to re-wire their thinking and forget the past. Then there are periods of tumult when one or both of them gives in to old emotions and reacts like they used to. All this drama unfolding right in front of me, really got me thinking about collective memory in relationships. Are we like dogs, never forgetting the hurtful things that have been done to us — and forever wary of similar situations? Or are we like goldfish, completely capable of forgetting unpleasant aspects of the past and able to look at a familiar situation with unbiased eyes? Or does the answer lie somewhere in between? While I believe it is absolutely possible to put some things behind you in a tempestuous relationship, there are certain
complications that develop from trying to pretend you know less than you do. And there is definitely a threshold point at which there is no coming back from a damaged partnership. Some things simply cannot be undone. So when can the slate truly be cleaned, and when is it destined to remain cloudy forever? To answer this, we need to get to the root of the issue: Is the problem how you interact or who you are? If you’re dating a control freak who constantly interferes in your life, that is not likely to change, no matter how many do-overs. You can’t change who a person is. But, if you’re dating someone who’s distant and hesitant to open up because you’ve hurt her in the past, then that stands a chance of being rectified. There is a solution for changing bad habits, but there’s not much hope for changing bad personalities. There are also a few “dealbreaker” incidents that can ruin any chance of a successful relationship. These vary from person to person, but everyone has at least one thing they view as absolutely unforgivable. For me, it’s cheating. Cheat on me once and we’re done. No questions, no “talks”, no second chances. But some people feel differently, and that’s OK. The important thing is to identify how far you’re willing to go with your forgiveness and not expect a ruined relationship to bounce back after it’s taken a fatal blow. Sometimes relationships don’t work because two people are simply incompatible. And sometimes they don’t work because circumstances have gotten messy, trust has been lost and feelings have been hurt. But when both individuals want to make that leap from youthful dysfunction to a healthy adult relationship, a clean slate is definitely within reach. So I suppose my final answer to the dog/goldfish question is that sometimes we’re dogs and sometimes we’re goldfish. It just depends on what we’re trying to forget and how genuinely we want to forget it. slake@theeagleonline.com
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NFL Draft: Which top prospects will be gridiron stars? By ERIC SALTZMAN Eagle Staff Writer
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, I thought why not do my best Mel Kiper Jr. impression and break down the upcoming draft. So here are the players to watch for in this year’s class of young talent, who they compare to in the NFL and a couple of predictions on who goes where. Best Prospect: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia Green’s best aspect is his outstanding body control that allows him to run amazing routes and make spectacular catches. Think: Larry Fitzgerald
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Maher and sophomore Eliza Morgan began the second half with goals to extend the Eagles’ lead to 9-5. But two consecutive goals by Lafayette cut the lead to 9-7 with 13:07 to go. Lisa Schaaf answered back with a goal to make it a 10-7 game. Two more Leopard goals made the score 10-9 with 2:38 left, but that score would not change as the Eagles tightened up their defense and forced a turnover with 33 seconds left in the game. Lafayette had a chance to score when the Eagles turned the ball over with eight seconds to go, but it was too little, too late for the Leopards, and they did not have enough time to score. AU clearly outplayed Lafayette in this one as they led in shots, ground balls and caused turnovers. The win puts the Eagles at 7-6 on the season and 3-2 versus Patriot League opponents. AU takes on Navy at Jacobs Field on Wednesday, April 13 at 4:00 p.m. Lafayette’s loss was just another in a line of many as the Leopards have struggled mightily this season. Saturday’s loss dropped their record to 2-10 overall and 14 in Patriot League play. They beat Bucknell 13-11 last Saturday to pick up their first conference win, but before that had lost six straight games. blasky@theeagleonline.com
Best Athlete: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU You will not find a better height (6 feet), weight (220 lbs) and speed (4.34 40-yard dash time) combination in the draft. Combine that with his fluid hips and awesome ball skills, and you have a top five pick. Think: Nnamdi Asomugha
quarterbacks early.
Most overrated player: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M Miller seems to be poised to be one of the top pass rushers in the draft. That said, he is grossly undersized (6-foot-2 and 237 pounds) and he doesn’t do much else besides rush the passer (i.e stuff the run, play in coverage). If he plays linebacker, he will have to get much stronger and have a more rounded game. Think: Elvis Dumervil.
has the size, athleticism and pass rush repertoire to be a monster on the next level. Think: DeMarcus Ware
Quarterback to watch: Colin Kaepernick, Nevada Kaepernick is going to have to learn how to run a pro offense and fix his delivery. He is a big-armed quarterback with lots of mobility. Think: slower, right-handed Mike Vick
Offensive Lineman to watch: Tyron Smith, USC Smith is a little undersized for tackle. He does, however, possess tons of athleticism, ideal for any left tackle. Think: Ryan Clady
at quarterback
The Redskins will select: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama. The Redskins have tons of holes to fill and Jones should be the best player available when the Redskins pick.
Defensive Lineman to watch: Marcell Dareus, Alabama It’s hard to find flaws in Dareus’ game. He can play every defensive line position in any scheme. While at that position he can rush the passer or stuff the run. He could also be the safest pick in the draft. Think: BJ Raji
Team with the best draft: New England Patriots Can’t go wrong with eight picks in the first four rounds
The Carolina Panthers (first overall pick) will select: Cam Newton It appears Jimmy Claussen is not the long-term answer
sports@theeagleonline.com
Early MLB match-ups may provide a glimpse of things to come this season
week as last place in the NL West. The Giants lost their closer, Brian Wilson, for the first few games, and when he returned Friday afternoon, he blew a save against St. Louis. I think it’s time for him to shave the beard. It’s obviously not so feared anymore.
would be closer to becoming a contender this year with the signing of Jayson Werth at the low, low price of $126 million. So far, he has only produced seven hits in 27 at bats, one RBI and is batting at .259. I’d say, when all is said and done, he’s not “Werth” the money. Sorry for the pun, but how could
American League The question everyone has been asking all week is what is wrong with the Boston Red Sox? The team lost their first six games for the first time since 1945. They are supposed to have the best offense in the league, but have only hit .181 overall.
Yankees, have started off the season in good form. The team is built around a great offense, and the pitching staff came into the season with some big question marks. They have yet to use their new fifth starter, Freddy Garcia, which will be a big indicator of what problems the team has down the road. For now, the offense has been supporting the shaky rotation.
Riskiest Pick: Any Quarterback There are four quarterbacks, including Auburn’s Cam Newton and Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert, who have huge upsides. Both have questions about character and overall physical ability. With the large amounts of money invested in firstround quarterbacks, there is valid reason not to draft any
By SAM RAPHELSON
Eagle Contributing Writer Baseball’s opening week has come and gone, and most of the hype that was heard during the offseason did not come true. The Phillies’ “Phantastic Phour” rotation did not have their best stuff, throwing an overall 3.93 ERA as of Sunday, only 11th best in the NL. In the American League, the Boston Red Sox are off to a bad start despite having an electric lineup with the acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. And Manny Ramirez retired. Why you may ask? Because he would not stop taking performance enhancing drugs. Though it’s still early, and we fans are only privy to a small sample size, they may be indicators of things to come. National League The Philadelphia Phillies are in first place in the NL East, but it is not because of their pitching. The starters have not been throwing like the best rotation ever
Most underrated player: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Had it not been for a season-long suspension, it’s probable Quinn would go ahead of Von Miller. Quinn
— as some have made them out to be. Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt have pitched well, but Cliff Lee now has a 7.84 ERA. This is definitely bound to improve, and Phillies fans do not expect him to struggle like this the rest of the way. The team has done so well this first week because their
Running Back to watch: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech Williams is the most complete back in this class. He is an explosive runner who possesses both power and speed. He has elite vision and can contribute in the passing game. Think: Rashard Mendenhall
The question everyone has been asking all week is what is wrong with the Boston Red Sox? offense has stepped up. Despite all of the uncertainty, with the Jayson Werth departure and Chase Utley’s knee injury, the team is off to a great start with the bats, hitting .337 as a team. Sure, it was against some of the worst teams in the league, the Astros and the Mets, but that does not invalidate their accomplishments. On the bottom of the NL East are the Washington Nationals, who thought they
I resist? In the NL Central division, the Cincinnati Reds have been on fire, winning seven out of their first nine games. As of Sunday, they lead the NL in runs scored per game with 6.7. Their starting pitching has been serviceable with a 4.79 ERA collectively. The reigning World Series Champions, the San Francisco Giants, have been struggling during opening
Carl Crawford has had only four hits in 28 at bats with a .143 average. Of course, everyone knows they’re a much better team than the way they’ve been playing The Red Sox pitching staff as of Sunday had the worst ERA in baseball at 7.46. To put this into perspective, they have allowed 12 home runs in 41 innings. Boston’s archrivals from the Bronx, the New York
Team with the worst draft: Oakland Raiders Al Davis simply has lost his ability to evaluate talent.
The big news and big surprise at the top of the season has to be Manny Ramirez. He retired on Friday after he tested positive for PEDs for the second time in his career. He would have faced a 100-game suspension, but he decided to hang up his cleats instead. It makes one wonder what he was doing before the MLB implemented testing. The 2004 World Champion Red Sox come to mind. I’m certainly glad that another slugger from the steroid era is calling it quits. Good riddance. At this point in the season, my predictions for the World Series are the Philadelphia Phillies versus the New York Yankees or the Texas Rangers. Of course, there is still a whole season to play where anything can happen. sports@theeagleonline.com
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CHEERING HIM ON The Eagles’ head coach, Mark Cody, talks with a wrestler during a meet. Cody was recently named the National Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. He led the Eagles to a fifth place finish at this year’s national championships. Courtesy of AUEAGLES.COM
Coach Cody takes AU wrestling from afterthought to national contender By KATE GREUBEL Eagle Staff Writer
Tucked away in the far right corner of the Jacobs Fitness Center are two doors that led to the matted wrestling room. On the right side of the room lies an office that houses AU Athletics’ best kept secret: wrestling Head Coach Mark Cody. In his eight years with AU, Cody has rebuilt a program on the brink of elimination into a powerhouse national competitor. On March 19, AU wrestling fans, alumni and the rest of the nation watched as the team placed fifth in the 2011 NCAA Championships, a new program best. The story behind this major feat begins and ends with Cody, who personally took center stage at this year’s championships where he received the 2011 National Wrestling Coaches Association National Coach of the Year award.
Cody’s start in the sport can best be described as tardy. After being cut from a youth basketball team two years in a row, he decided to give wrestling a shot. “I kind of fell in love with wrestling as an eighth grader,” Cody said. “That was a very late start. Most kids start wrestling by the time they are 6 or 7 years old.” Cody made up for lost time quickly and went on to wrestle in college at the State University of New York at Delhi and later at the University of Missouri. Upon graduation, Cody took up coaching as a source of income while he trained for the Olympics. He has been coaching ever since. When Cody arrived on campus in 2002, he came with a goal and coaching style he knew would jumpstart AU’s weak wrestling program. The goal for his program was to be No. 1 in the country in academics and wrestling. It was also
time to make AU wrestling a 12-month sport. “I like my wrestlers to be aggressive, in great shape and technically superior to their opponents,” Cody said. “I think to obtain that, wrestling has to be a year-round commitment from your student athletes.” Cody’s handcrafted recipe for success has had a visible impact on the student athletes who have gone through AU’s wrestling program. Each season, Cody’s athletes set new records on the mat. Just last month, the program sent a record six student athletes to the 2011 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia, and came away with their highest ever finish. In addition, junior Ryan Flores became AU wrestling’s second NCAA finalist, placing second in the 285 pound weight class. The team is also receiving recognition for their hard work in the classroom. Cody expects his team to have the
highest combined GPA in Division I wrestling this season. For the first time in program history, all six wrestlers who qualified for the NCAA Championship are expected to be named Academic AllAmericans, which would also be a record number of Academic All-Americans for AU wrestling. “We have the highest GPA we have ever had, and I am proud of that,” Cody said. “At American University, it is just as important that your kids are well-rounded as how they compete.” Arguably the most profound impact of Cody’s coaching style has been on his student athletes postgraduation. Program alumni say that challenges in the real world are easy compared to Cody’s grueling daily practices, lifting and conditioning. “Alumni attribute a lot of their success to wrestling,” Cody said. “I have two guys that went through this pro-
gram that are both Navy Seals, and it was tough, in a different way, but it was nothing like what we did here.” It is this life-long impact that draws program alumni — many who did not wrestle with Cody — back to Bender Arena and on the road with the team each season. Alumni and boosters attended the NCAA Championships last month and shared in celebrating the program’s success and Cody’s award. “They were so fired-up about what had happened throughout the weekend,” Cody said. “They give their heart and soul to the program.” One such alumnus is Loren Danielson, who was AU’s first ever NCAA Championship qualifier in 1979. “To see American University in fifth place on the scoreboard at the Championships was a monumental feat that Cody deserves the credit for,” Danielson said. “He came and took a program that was nothing and built it into a national contender with a lot of hard work.” Cody is happy with his team’s performance at the championships but not satisfied. He is still in the hunt to be number one is the nation in wrestling and academics, and his goal is to achieve both in the same year. Currently, Cody’s 2011 NWCA National Coach of Year plaque hangs in his 6year-old son George’s room. George doesn’t understand that its one of a kind. Lucky for him, his father has everything it takes to bring home a similar one next year. kgreubel@theeagleonline. com
(* Women’s lacrosse takes down Lafayette to snap losing streak By BEN LASKY
Eagle Staff Writer The AU women’s lacrosse team was able to fight off a surging Lafayette Leopards team by a score of 10-9 on Saturday in Easton, Pa. The win snaps a two-game losing streak for the Eagles. Junior Lauren Schoenberger led the team as she picked up three goals in the contest. She now has 23 points this season with 12 goals and 11 assists. Junior Bernadette Maher also had a good game, recording two goals, four draw controls, two ground balls and two caused turnovers. She leads AU in goals with 25 on the season. In total, seven players scored in the win and junior Kaska Komosinski made seven stops in goal.
The win puts the Eagles at 7-6 on the season and 3-2 versus Patriot League opponents. Sophomore Samantha Marshall scored the first goal about four minutes into the game. She is in a tie with Maher for second on the team with 27 points this season. Lafayette then started to rally and took an early 3-2 lead. Schoenberger followed that up by leading the Eagles to a 4-0 run with back-toback goals, both off passes by sophomore Kimberly Collins, the Eagles’ points leader on the season, to give AU a 6-3 lead. Collins picked up a goal of her own in the run, as did sophomore Chiara Speziale. The Leopards scored a goal to make the score 6-4, but a goal by Maher increased AU’s lead to 7-4 before heading into halftime. !
see LAX on page 19