Students give massages to raise teen suicide
Transcription
Students give massages to raise teen suicide
the independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 VOL. 133, NO. 54 WWW.STUDLIFE.COM From college romance to real life What happens to relationships in the real world? You have to figure out how to make a life together. COOKING WITH COPY SCENE, PAGE 8 THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT CADENZA, PAGE 5 University joins Students give massages to national dialogue over raise teen suicide awareness but fall hundreds short of goal student loan concerns BY MICHAEL TABB BEN GOTTESDIENER | STUDENT LIFE Students form a massage chain on Francis Field in an unsuccessful attempt to break a world record. The event, organized by Senior Michael Weiss, was intended to raise awareness for the Jason Foundation and the plight of teen suicide. BY MICHELLE MERLIN On Tuesday night, 306 students and a few adults formed a massage chain with the hope of reclaiming a world record while also raising awareness about teen suicide. Though the record-breaking target of 2000 people stayed out of reach, former pastor Clark Flatt, the president of the Jason Foundation, said would have been happy to see his message reach just one person. The Jason Foundation Inc. (JFI) was started by Flatt after he came home in 1997 to find that his 16-year-old son Jason had committed suicide. The foundation aims to educate people about teen suicide so people can recognize the signs if their friends or family members become suicidal and intervene before it’s too late. Each attendee was asked to donate at least $1 to JFI. Michael Weiss, the senior who organized the event, estimated a fundraising total of $500. Flatt thanked the crowd of 300 and asked them to spread awareness about teen suicide to their own friends and family members. “This is awesome,” he said of the event. “This is something I know Jason is looking down on and is proud of.” In spite of not approaching the world record, Weiss was pleased with the turnout. “The only reason I wanted to make the record was to have a more memorable effect for the foundation and its mission to raise awareness,” Weiss said. “Even though not thousands of SEE MASSAGE, PAGE 2 His slow jam on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” brought in two million viewers and was just one stop on President Barack Obama’s ongoing campaign to pressure Congress to pass legislation to freeze the interest rate on subsidized student loans. The president, who spoke at the University of Colorado Boulder on Wednesday after visiting the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Iowa earlier in the week, said failure to maintain the current 3.4 percent interest rate would have ramifications for millions of students. Some students have expressed concern over the possibility of rising interest rates, but according to Bill Witbrodt, director of Student Financial Services, Washington University students will largely be insulated from the impacts of potential interest rate changes, based on the fact that the University has taken many steps to minimize the number of loans that students take out. The interest rate on Federal Stafford Loans used to be 6.8 percent before Democrats in Congress cut it to 3.4 percent in 2007. If Congress chooses not to intervene, that legislation will expire in July, and rates will return to 6.8 percent. Between his stops in Chapel Hill and Boulder, Obama took a conference call with college reporters to communicate the importance of Congress maintaining the lower interest rate. “If Congress doesn’t act... interest rates on Stafford loans, on student loans from the federal government, will double. Nearly 7.5 million students will end up owing more on their loan payments, and that would be, obviously, a tremendous blow,” Obama said. He discussed his and the first lady’s personal experiences working to pay off student debt before suggesting that students join forces to urge Congress to act—urging them to take to social media to make their case. The hashtag he advertised, #dontdoublemyrate, has appeared more than a thousand times over the past few days, according to hashtracking.com. Students on campus said that rising interest rates are definitely a concern, even for students who may not be involved in the national discussion. “I think they’re probably like me in the sense that they don’t know a lot of the specifics, but I definitely think that the idea of student loans, especially for upperclassmen, is definitely on their minds as far as knowing that they’re going to have to pay it back at some point. Even underclassmen, it’s definitely something to worry about just because this is a really expensive SEE LOANS, PAGE 3 Anthropology department axes New W.I.L.D. alcohol policy advances changes public health minor, adds scientific and cross-cultural approach started a decade ago BY MICHELLE MERLIN While general inebriation may be a tradition as old as the event itself, adjustments to the alcohol policy at the wildly popular Walk In Lay Down concerts held in the Brookings Quadrangle each semester have been happening for years. In 2003, Washington University’s administration took the final steps to ban kegs from the events, following through on what was a controversial four-year plan to limit how much alcohol that could be brought into the concerts. Now W.I.L.D. is undergoing the most recent change to its alcohol policy: banning alcohol from the outside, including the six-packs of the past, and permitting students of age to get three free drinks inside the Quad. Kegs of Bud Light will be provided by Bob’s Liquor, the company used by Campus Programming Council for Happy Hours. The beer is courtesy of Team 31’s fundraising and has been ordered to provide about 1,500 people with three drinks. There will be eight people serving beer in one corner of the quad, which Team 31 hopes will keep traffic from getting congested. Administrators and Team 31 members hope that the new policy will help emphasize the show aspect of W.I.L.D. and possibly cut back on alcohol consumption to make W.I.L.D. a safer event. “In terms of alcohol consumption itself, we’ll see if the policies make a difference,” Mike Saxvik, coordinator for the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, said. “There’s definitely things that will not happen as a result: the 6 o’clock rush for beer. The cutoff was always a dangerous time because people were running and trying to gallivant across campus to a point where we saw a lot of injuries because people were running and already intoxicated or just not paying attention they’d get injured.” “There’s also a lot of confrontations that took place between students who would try to bring in beer after 6.” In the past few years, six-packs could be brought into the Quad any time before 6 p.m. but not after. “Compared to where it was in the ’90s, I think the overall safety of event has gotten better. It still remains a high-risk event by any standard,” Saxvik said. Saxvik said that looking back on those times, it’s important to remember that higher education institutions have only changed their stances on alcohol relatively recently. “W.I.L.D. was well known for students getting together, bringing in couches, rolling kegs in,” SEE WILD, PAGE 3 BY DIVYA KUMAR Beginning next year, students will have the option to enroll in a new anthropology track that emphasizes a global approach to health. The public health minor will no longer be offered for matriculating students. The new track, global health and environment, will examine the notion of human health in different environmental and cultural contexts, differing from public health, which is more focused on programmatic approaches to wellness. “We feel that this will be a deep, comprehensive and rich major,” T.R. Kidder, anthropology department chair, said. “Pre-health is a very soughtafter field at this school, and the global health and environment track focuses on health and healing but from a more globalized, cross-cultural perspective.” The creation of the track was spurred by the demand of many students in public health and medical anthropology classes. Students were more interested in the cross-cultural, scientific and humanistic approaches to health, rather than on career paths in medicine or public health. “The global health and environment track will provide students with a broader cultural perspective than just the public health minor would,” Kidder said. The new major track will require students fulfill 34 credits as opposed to the traditional 28. Students currently declared as anthropology majors do not have to adhere to these new criteria unless they decide to switch to this track. Similarly, students currently declared as public health minors won’t experience any changes if they do not switch to the global health and environment minor track. “The program is moving away from a technical skill set and emphasizing a more global approach,” Bradley Stoner, associate professor of sociocultural anthropology, said. “A lot of us in the department were teaching classes that revolved around this concept, so it made a lot of sense to join them under one larger umbrella.” Stoner, who administers the public health minor, said that in the past the minor was administered through the anthropology department but required courses in other departments as well. The required classes for the global health and environment track all exist in the anthropology department, solving this redundancy. “It definitely sounds really interesting,” sophomore Rosie Shanley, a public health minor, said. “I wanted to minor in public health because I’m interested CONTACT BY POST CONTACT BY EMAIL CONTACT BY PHONE ONE BROOKINGS DRIVE #1039 #330 DANFORTH UNIVERSITY CENTER ST. LOUIS, MO 63130-4899 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] NEWSROOM 314.935.5995 ADVERTISING 314.935.6713 FAX 314.935.5938 in a global perspective on healthcare, but I didn’t want to be a doctor, and if it had been offered for me as a minor when I was a freshman, I probably would’ve taken it.” The department does stress that the global health and environment track is not a standalone major and would require prerequisite classes within the anthropology department. Additionally, there will be no changes made to the Medicine and Society Program. The new track was first presented to a focus group, comprising of students within fields of anthropology and public health, and then voted on in the College of Arts & Sciences. An email was sent to all anthropology majors and minors and public health minors explaining the new track, with a list of requirements for the major and a FAQ. “Some students might prefer a public health degree, but this major will be able to fulfill many of their interests and will still grant them the ability to later work in such a field,” Kidder said. “The anthropology department has a superb faculty to address this new track, and it really seems like one that will be suitable to students who want to go into a wide variety of careers.” 2 STUDENT LIFE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 theflipside THURSDAY 26 FRIDAY 27 SATURDAY 28 SUNDAY 29 MOSTLY SUNNY 78 / 49 SCATTERED T-STORMS 59 / 54 FEW SHOWERS 63 / 46 PARTLY CLOUDY 63 / 49 MASSAGE FROM PAGE 1 EVENT CALENDAR THURSDAY 26 Dept. of Music Concert – Opera Scenes 560 Music Center, Ballroom Theater, 8 p.m. The semester-end program by the Washington University Opera Program will take place at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 26. Directed by Tim Ocel, lecturer in music, the performance is free and open to the public. Women’s Society Lecture Series – Adele Starbird Lecture. Graham Chapel, 11 a.m. The Women’s Society of Washington University presents “Journey of an American Actress” by Ellie Kemper, actress, comedienne and writer best known for her supporting role in NBC’s “The Office.” The event is free and open to the public. Performing Arts Dept. – “As You Like It” Edison Theatre, 8 p.m. Come see this Shakespeare play directed by Annamaria Pileggi, senior lecturer in drama. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for faculty and staff, and $10 for children, students and seniors. QUOTE OF THE DAY “The changes this year were motivated not by a FRIDAY 27 wish for a safer alcohol Spring W.I.L.D. 2012 Brookings Quadrangle, 5:30-10 p.m. The Spring W.I.L.D. 2012 will feature Fitz and The Tantrums with the Dum Dum Girls opening. The Second Stage at the Village Green opens at 2:30 p.m. The Quad opens at 5:30. Students get in free with their student IDs, and guest tickets are available for $30. Tickets are on sale at the Edison Box Office. policy, but by an attempt to Election 2012: Perspectives Across the Aisle Simon Hall, Room 109, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. A morning discussion with former Democratic Congressman Richard A. “Dick” Gephardt and former Republican Senator Christopher S. “Kit” Bond. The two former legislators will discuss the 2012 presidential and congressional elections. Those interested in attending are required to RSVP at www. election2012.eventbrite.com by April 13. Questions must be submitted beforehand by clicking “Contact the Host” on the right side of the RSVP page. The event is hosted by the Gephardt Institute for Public Service SATURDAY 28 WUIR Conference on Migration and Identity Laboratory Sciences 201 and 300, 1-5 p.m. The Washington University International Review will be hosting its first undergraduate research conference. The Keynote Address will be given by Lok Siu, author of “Memories of a Future Home: Diasporic Citizenship of Chinese in Panama,” in Laboratory Sciences 300. The conference panel, “Reframing Internment: Japanese Peruvians and the State(s) of Exception,” and other research will occur in Laboratory Sciences 201. get students more involved with the musical acts.” - Casey Hochberg, co-chair people came, thousands of people definitely learned about the foundation and suicide awareness [through the publicity of the event].” The event was initially Weiss’ idea. Weiss and his teammates on the Washington University football team have been involved with JFI since their coach, Larry Kindbom, started working with it nearly three years ago. Weiss decided to raise money for JFI by trying to bring the world record for longest human massage chain back to Washington University, after Wash. U.’s world record was broken by a group in Thailand. In 2010, the graduating class was awarded the record for assembling a chain of 710 people, including the chancellor, to celebrate one final achievement as a class. “I decided it could be a good event to raise awareness for the foundation,” Weiss said. “The…message that it draws is apropos to the message that the Jason Foundation tries to promote to people: be there for one another and lend a hand.” The people who did come to the event wanted to show support for the cause and their team. “It’s a good foundation and cause, and we thought the whole team should come out and support it,” freshman Patrick Cantwell, a member of the football team, said. Others came because their own lives have been touched by suicide. “I think it’s a really good organization. I’ve had a couple of friends who have been suicidal or committed suicide, and I thought I’d show support,” Alexis Kirton, a freshman, said. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 10 to 24, and the second for college-age people. Four out of five suicidal teens display signs of being suicidal, making suicide a preventable cause of death. “I think depression and teen suicide are really relevant issues, especially at a college campus,” senior Cassie Rowland said. “I thought it was important to do what I could about awareness and supporting my fellow students.” of Team 31, on new alcohol policy for W.I.L.D. POLICE BEAT April 22 Lost or Stolen Item— At Village East, a student reported that a camera left unattended in a common area was missing when he or she returned for it at 11:39 a.m. The estimated time of crime in between 11 a.m. on Saturday to 4 a.m. on Sunday. Disposition: pending. Assault— At Fraternity Row, a student reported an altercation between herself and a female Saint Louis University student at 11:25 p.m. Disposition: cleared by arrest. April 23 Property Damage—On Monday at 4:56 p.m. in Eliot Hall, the drywall in the hallway outside of the housekeeping offices was damaged. The damage appears to be caused by punching the wall. Disposition: pending. BEN GOTTESDIENER | STUDENT LIFE Senior Michael Weiss poses with Clark Flatt, president of the Jason Foundation. Weiss organized a massage chain event to raise awareness for the Foundation’s mission to combat teen suicide. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 STUDENT LIFE 3 W.I.L.D. FROM PAGE 1 Pre-2000: More or less a free-for-all with kegs allowed in Brookings Quad. 1999: University administrators enter into discussions with the Team 31 executive board about scaling back alcohol consumption. A plan to phase out kegs slowly is agreed upon and implemented. 2003: The last W.I.L.D. with kegs—only nine are registered. 2004: First keg-free W.I.L.D. Six-packs of beers are still permitted. 2005: Administration and Team 31 consider banning six-packs and handing out beer inside the Quad, but action is not taken. 2012: No outside beverages of any kind are allowed in, but each student of age can get up to three beers inside the Quad. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 CHRIS HOHL | STUDENT LIFE Saxvik said. “There were no safety precautions put in place, nothing addressing that.” The changes this year were motivated not by a wish for a safer alcohol policy, but by an attempt to get students more involved with musical acts, according to Team 31 co-chair Casey Hochberg. “The alcohol policy change came as a result of splitting W.I.L.D. x between two stages to feature performances where the students will be,” Hochberg said, noting that Second Stage will be on the North Side at 3 p.m. this year. With W.I.L.D. pushed back to 5:30 p.m. in the Quad, bringing in six beers would mean students had more beers than hours at W.I.L.D. Team 31 and the administration brokered the deal of 3 beers per person of age. “We’re not incentivizing students to drink more, and we don’t believe that students 21-plus are going to be the ones to binge drink, so we’re providing beer free of charge to keep with the festival vibe we’re working toward,” Hochberg said. Hochberg said that the policy will be evaluated after this W.I.L.D. and that Team 31 is open to criticism or suggestions. other people mentioned it; I just wasn’t aware of the context. But yeah, I think people are upset about it.” Recent political dialogue aside, Witbrodt said he and his colleagues at SFS have not found students overly worried about possible interest rate changes. “We hear very little concern raised by students and their parents about the student loan rates,” he said. “[But] I’m sure that they are considering the rates and perhaps looking at alternatives.” He noted that one major reason the dialogue has stayed clear of campus is the University’s dedication to providing scholarships in lieu of loans. “There are schools like proprietary school, vocational school, where students are financing their whole educations with loans, and in that situation there could be a lot of pushback and concern; but at an environment like Washington University, where we’re constantly trying to minimize student loans that students take out, I don’t think it’s going to be as big an issue,” Witbrodt said. In response to Obama’s call for schools to expand work-study offerings, Witbrodt said Washington University already has more than enough opportunities for students who wish to work on campus. “Even students who aren’t eligible to receive jobs that have federal work study funding don’t have a problem finding a parttime job on our campus,” he said. “There are more jobs than there are students to fill them.” LOANS FROM PAGE 1 university, and for a good number of people at Wash. U., they couldn’t have come here if they didn’t get a student loan. So it’s definitely an issue that I think is important,” senior Jacqui Germain said. “I definitely think that’s significant,” junior Lesley Olson agreed. “[With] people that I know that have loans, I’d say it’s a pretty big deal. I remember that SAINT LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER BOLDLY GO EXPLORE THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2012 TO BOLDLY GO: THE NEW HORIZONS MISSION TO PLUTO DR. BILL MCKINNON, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LECTURE RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED DUE TO LIMITED SEATING. CALL 314-289-4424. VISIT STAR TREK: THE EXHIBITION FOR A SPECIAL EVENING RATE OF $12 WITH STUDENT I.D. (ENTRY TIMES FROM 4:30 TO 6 PM; EXHIBITION OPEN UNTIL 7 PM) ON LECTURE NIGHTS! ® & © 2011 CBS Studios Inc. All rights reserved. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. BOLDLYGOEXPLORE.ORG SUp this week Part of a student group? Want to be featured here? Sign up under “reservations” at studentunion.wustl.edu or email [email protected]. Does your group have an event coming up? advertise here Student Life Staff Michael Tabb Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Kurt Rohrbeck Senior Sports Editor [email protected] Hannah Lustman Sahil Patel Davis Sargeant Managing Editors Alana Hauser Senior Scene Editor [email protected] Chloe Rosenberg Michelle Merlin Senior News Editors [email protected] Natalie Villalon Senior Forum Editor [email protected] Georgie Morvis Senior Cadenza Editor [email protected] Danni Liu Kastyn Matheny Senior Photo Editors [email protected] David Seigle Ethan Rabb Senior Online Editors [email protected] Leah Kucera Art Director [email protected] Emily Sybrant Design Chief [email protected] John Schmidt Copy Chief [email protected] Wei-Yin Ko Becky Prager News Editors Matthew Curtis Scott Haber Forum Editors Alex Leichenger Sports Editor Kara Gordon Kayla Hollenbaugh Trevor Leuzinger Alieza Schvimer Cadenza Editors Chris Hohl Design Editor Alex Chiu Alana Hauser Jackie Reich Derek Shyr Designers Nora Long Caro Peguero Assistant Copy Chiefs Rebecca Horowitz Copy Editor Andrew O’Dell General Manager Sara Judd Advertising Manager Copyright © 2011 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is a financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. Our newspaper is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent the views of the Washington University administration. 4 STUDENT LIFE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 forum STAFF EDITORIAL Potential issues with new W.I.L.D. alcohol policy deserve scrutiny T his semester, Team 31 productions announced a change to its alcohol policy for W.I.L.D. In past years, students ages 21 or older with identification could bring in six beers to the Brookings Quadrangle. Now, these same students cannot bring their own alcohol to the event but will instead receive a wristband for three complimentary beers, half the amount of alcohol they were allowed just months ago. Binge drinking the day of W.I.L.D. is an oftentimes dangerous “tradition” on the Wash. U. campus, and this rule will not solve that problem by merely offering less beer to students of age. Many students under the age of 21 want to be intoxicated during the concert and those who can’t drink at W.I.L.D. often drink to their limits—or beyond—before arriving on the Quad. The one group of students who may not have felt the pressure to drink large amounts of alcohol quickly were those of legal drinking age who knew they could continue to drink on the quad, at their own pace. A policy that restricts the amount 21-year-olds may drink on the Quad can hardly be expected to make them drink more responsibly, especially if students anticipate the line for beer being anything like the line for pizza. The new policy may ultimately increase consumption among these students before the concert. A rule change alone cannot alter long-standing attitudes about drinking and W.I.L.D., so the policy may be creating a bigger binge drinking problem instead of preventing one. There are a number of other potential consequences of the University providing beer to students as well. Although the ReDD Flag enforcement policy regarding alcohol does acknowledge that drinking under the age of 21 is common, it also forces students to assume the potential consequences of obtaining and drinking alcohol illegally. Most of us, though, know at least a handful of our fellow Wash. U. students who have fake IDs. It isn’t hard to imagine that with hundreds of students queuing up to receive wristbands for free beer, some may be getting through with fakes. Consequently, these people will be illegally receiving beer—on University property, approved by University officials. While one could say that the University may already be allowing this through Thursday afternoon Happy Hours, there is a clear difference between the school supplying underage students with alcohol on a calm weekday afternoon and doing the same at a Friday night event that necessitates an EST tent by the entrance. Although the University may punish minors for owning alcohol, it may be supplying them with it on Friday evening. Many students may simply be upset because they are allowed less beer on the quad, but these arguments should not be what makes the University or Team 31 reconsider the policy in favor of the previous one. The likelihood of increased binge drinking and University-sponsored underage consumption should at least be raising some eyebrows looking into Friday’s event, though we will, of course, have several months after Spring W.I.L.D. to look into refining the policy for the fall. And if it does ultimately make traditional problems related to alcohol consumption worse, it should certainly be re-amended. Critics of Arizona Bible law wholly miss the point BY WILL WILDER T he Arizona State Senate recently approved a bill that would allow public schools to offer an elective class teaching the Bible’s role in Western culture and its influence as a literary work. Critics have been quick to pounce on the bill, claiming that enacting it would equate to forcing religious indoctrination upon public school students. However, a lot of these critics are simply looking for a reason to bash Christianity, because many of their attacks are unfounded. If taught in an appropriate manner by well-informed teachers, the class created by the Arizona Bible law would be able to educate students about an important part of Western history without infringing upon religious freedoms. The class outlined in the Arizona bill is not about preaching the Bible as a religious text—it is about teaching about the history of the Bible as a cultural and literary force and how it helped shape modern history. Regardless of your religious affiliation, developing an understanding of the influence of the Bible could help any student better understand political and cultural history in the Western world. From its use by Constantine the Great to help reunify the Roman Empire to its depiction in Renaissance art to its role in the spread of the printing press, the Bible as a historical object has had an enormous impact on our history. If taught by an informed, nonbiased teacher, this class could actually be very beneficial in helping students analyze the complex history of Western culture. Another very important element of the bill that critics need to consider is the fact that this class will only ever be offered as an elective. Many reporters and talk show hosts are quick to jump on the bandwagon and make claims of religious persecution and religion being forced on children in schools; however, the class will not be forced on anyone because it is an elective and therefore no students will ever have to take the class against their will. I understand that even an elective class should not ever attempt to indoctrinate students with any particular belief system. However, this elective should be looked at no differently than an elective on comparative politics or Chinese culture or European history. The Arizona Bible class would serve the same purpose as any of these other electives: attempting to give students a greater understanding of global culture by analyzing a particular area that has had a major influence on the world we live in today. Parents and political critics are understandably paranoid about schools trying to indoctrinate their children with certain beliefs. Some conservatives fear schools teaching kids about homosexuality while some liberals fear schools teaching kids about religion. These are valid concerns in some cases where schools are forcing beliefs on students. However, when a school attempts to present controversial material in a neutral environment in order to let students form their own opinions and critics attack them for it, it discourages the schools from ever trying to teach their students about cultural diversity at all. Will Wilder is a freshman in Arts & Sciences. Write to Will Wilder at WILL.WILDER@ STUDLIFE.COM. Where a liberal arts education fails BY BRIAN VAN PELT W hat is presently chapping my derriere revolves around the notion that professional success, or merely gainful employment, hinges on the acquisition of a college degree, and that degree has somehow, as if by divine intervention, qualified us to perform a specialized occupation. Not only is this counterfactual, but also, it perpetuates an apocryphal standard, that knowledge workers are somehow more valuable than craftsmen, and that the values pertaining to the craftsman don’t pertain to the intellectual elite. The craftsman is something of an endangered species in our society. Free-market capitalism has exported his talent overseas, and consumerism has reduced his necessity by marketing disposability as a virtue. Intellectuals often overlook the inherent values that a technical education provides. As anyone who exhibits expertise in a tradecraft knows, in order to truly learn, you have to get your hands dirty. The true character of the American craftsman should be resurrected in the college undergraduate. A liberal arts degree furnishes us with an abundance of theoretical instruction. We become proud members of the intelligentsia, a secret society of useless generalists who know a little about a lot. The prevailing educational trends favor knowledge as opposed to efficacy, a grave error that subjugates us to a complete lack of relevant skills as they pertain to job performance. As a result, the vast majority of liberal arts majors will leave here with an incomplete education. At $42,500 per year – not including parking tickets – it might be suggested that our degree is but another example of western consumerism, selling us something we don’t need by hoodwinking us into believing it has a value beyond what it truly does. Prior to returning to college, I spent several years recruiting and hiring within the realm of business management. Experience taught me that recent college graduates were about as valuable as hookers wearing chastity belts. The best indicators for success included both knowledge and skills. A college degree only implied the latter, and even that was often wishful thinking. So, what is the true value of a bachelor’s degree? Well, I’m going to be downright un-effing-stoppable at Wednesday night trivia. I’ll have a working knowledge of both glassblowing and 17th century Europe, and I’ve already incorporated elements of operant conditioning and positive reinforcement to teach my roommate to put the toilet seat down. What I don’t have anywhere in my repertoire is job training. Should my next adventure after graduate school lead to significant economic prosperity, I would aim to pay it forward, return to my alma mater, and finance the construction of a new school. It would be named the Brian Van Pelt School of Things that Actually Matter in Real Life. It would be a tech school specializing in the applied practice of all of the majors offered by the University. It would require us to get our hands dirty, and practice what our professors preach. There is no sound, logical reason why we should wait for graduate school or professional employment to begin an applied training practicum (like I said, liberal arts.) The University should teach us to be craftsmen of our fields as opposed to jacks-of-notrades. It is only with the addition of the applied practice of specific skills to the existing knowledge-based curriculum that a liberal arts degree will be a complete package. Rather than wait patiently for the magnetic poles of the universities’ educational model to right themselves (which would be akin to awaiting the rapture), I recommend taking advantage of the optional assets, which are presently available. We don’t go to Williams or Amherst; we attend a university whose merit is constructed upon one of the top research institutions in the world. Engage yourself in undergraduate research. Do an internship over the summer. Join a club related to your major or (God forbid) get a part-time job at one of our laboratories. These opportunities may not be required as a condition for graduation, but they are far more valuable than intro to yoga and underwater basket weaving. Whatever you do, don’t think for one second that you’re going to be more entitled or prepared for the work force than a non-college graduate with technical experience. You aren’t. Brian Van Pelt is a student at University College. Write to Brian Van Pelt at [email protected]. OP-ED SUBMISSION Monsanto CEO should not receive a Wash. U. honorary degree BY AMANDA WOLFF L ast week, Washington University announced it will award retired chair and CEO of Monsanto, Richard Mahoney, an honorary degree at the upcoming graduation ceremony. While Monsanto has strong financial ties to the University, they are complex and controversial. Monsanto is an international agricultural biotechnology company that is most famous for monopolizing the herbicide and genetically engineered seed markets. Along with several other companies, Monsanto is responsible for the disaster that has come of our global agricultural system. If Wash. U. awards honorary degrees to “distinguished men and women who have made outstanding contributions to their fields,” then the University has incorrectly selected Mahoney as a recipient. When Richard Mahoney worked at Monsanto, he helped transform it into the biotechnology patent factory that it has become today. Monsanto is not improving agriculture; it is a company that manipulates life, endangers our environment and bankrupts farmers while claiming that it improves the lives of the starving people of Third World countries. Ask a Bt cotton farmer in India why he is abandoning his farm and he will tell you that the pesticide treadmill that Monsanto put him on failed him. I want to be clear Richard Mahoney is not a bad person. However, Wash. U. should not award such a prestigious honor to someone responsible for a company that seeks to profit off the destruction of our agricultural system. While I understand the benefits of biotechnology and genetic manipulation such as the production of modern medicine and biodegradable plastics, Monsanto is a for-profit business that goes beyond playing the role of God. Monsanto generates profits by acquiring intellectual property patents for the genes that they produce for agricultural seeds. However, when you patent the genes of a plant or any other living organism, you are patenting life itself. Genetic engineers have no control of their product once it has left their hands, and the genes manipulated in plants are in a sense alive, often affecting the plant in unintended ways. Monsanto is also the leading producer of Roundup herbicide. Obviously, this liberally-sprayed pesticide is toxic to humans, animals and the environment, and by producing Roundup and Roundup Ready crops, Monsanto encourages destructive agriculture practices. This company is further infamous for their aggressive lobbying techniques that have put countless innocent farmers out of business. Farmers who grow Monsanto crops sign a technology agreement that obligates them to never save their seed, ensuring that OUR VOICE: EDITORIAL BOARD Staff editorials reflect the consensus of our editorial board. The editorial board operates independently of our newsroom and includes members of the senior staff and forum section editors. Editor-in-chief: Michael Tabb Managing editors: Hannah Lustman, Sahil Patel & Davis Sargeant Senior sports editor: Kurt Rohrbeck Senior scene editor: Alana Hauser Senior cadenza editor: Georgie Morvis Senior forum editor: Natalie Villalon Forum editors: Matthew Curtis & Scott Haber they purchase Monsanto seeds every year. Invariably, seeds containing Monsanto’s genes may blow into another farmer’s field either from wind dispersal or from casualties of shipping seeds. Frequently, Monsanto investigators will illegally trespass onto land owned by farmers who are not planting Monsanto seed, find a Monsanto seed and sue the farmer for illegally using their product, even if the farmer never planted Monsanto seed. Our university is heavily connected to Monsanto, and their funding negatively transforms the way that Wash. U. teaches and conducts research. It is dangerous to mix education with corporations, and in the end, our university is being used by Monsanto. No longer is our biological research about gaining knowledge, but when Monsanto funds a study, they have the ultimate say in the outcome. If they do not find the results of a study favorable to generating profits for the company, they can immediately eliminate funding and prevent any results from being published. Like other departments at Wash. U., research should not be controlled or manipulated by a for-profit company because education is not a for-profit business. If we want an unbiased education free from corporate control, then we need to cut the ties that our university has to multinational mega-corporations. We certainly should not be recognizing their CEOs for the “outstanding contributions” they make to the destruction of our environment, health and global agricultural system. Monsanto has far too much control of our university and our education, and it is wrong for Wash. U. to give such a distinguished honor to Richard Mahoney. Amanda Wolff is a senior in Arts & Sciences. Write to Amanda Wolff at [email protected]. YOUR VOICE: SUBMISSIONS OUR WEB POLICY We welcome letters to the editor and op-ed submissions from our readers. Submissions may be sent to letters@ studlife.com and must include the writer’s name, class and phone number for verification. Letters Once an article is published on studlife. com, it will remain there permanently. We do not remove articles or authors’ names from the site unless an agreement was reached prior to July 1, 2005. should be no longer than 350 words in length, and readers may also submit longer op-eds of up to 750 words. We reserve the right to print any submission as a letter or op-ed. THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 STUDENT LIFE 5 cadenza ‘Diablo III’ beta BY GLENN HARRIS The first “Diablo” game was published in 1996 and the second in 2000, when I was eight. Seeing as my dear mother did not want my young, innocent mind to be tarnished by the M-rated game, I regretfully never played either of these storied installments. However, the promise of an open beta this past weekend was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at “Diablo III,” one of the most eagerly anticipated games of the past few years since its announcement in 2008. Unfortunately, like with “Duke Nukem,” long waits can produce lofty, impossible-tomeet expectations. While the beta leaves much to be desired, much of this may be because it’s not a full game. Nonetheless, this preview has shown that “Diablo III” should be massively popular, if not perfect. One of the most striking features of the game was the powerful and well-composed sound. Some touches are subtle: opening a wrought iron gate sounds far different from opening a wooden door. The attacks all have decent effect sounds, and even the game’s menu music is strikingly melodious. This helps make the atmosphere of New Tristram—a ruined town on the verge of being taken over by reanimated skeletons—more immersive. The entire beta took place at night, which added to the archetypical zombie theme, though it is also indicative of an unfortunate lack of variety in level design. This is not to say that the levels are all monotonous: Many are varied, but after running through a cathedral for an hour, everything begins to look the same. “Diablo” builds on a fairly strong atmosphere by successfully intertwining lore into play. Instead of forcing the player to read a lengthy parchment in illegible writing, the game has it read as the player advances. I ended up paying more attention to the back story than I usually would have because of this. Similarly, there are few cut scenes, so the story can be explained unobtrusively. Kormac, who follows you through the depths of the dungeon, periodically adds in some of his own story while wandering. He has some interesting things to say but has the unfortunate tendency to repeat some lines of dialogue. More hardcore role-playing game fans will be disappointed by the game’s leveling system, which gives no direction as to how a character is progressing. This does allow for those unfamiliar with the series, such as myself, to enter uninhibited, but may leave everyone asking for more challenge by the end of the game. Enemy design could also have been far more creative. I faced a variety of creatures, but I was left with three choices: In defense of: Hating #WHATSHOULD WECALLWASHU ALBUM REVIEW ‘The Wanted’ The Wanted BY KARA GORDON for fans of David Guetta, Katy Perry singles to download “Chasing the Sun,” “GladYou Came” BY KAYLA HOLLENBAUGH Just in case you thought one BritishIrish boy band wasn’t enough, meet The Wanted. Formed around the same time as One Direction and also hailing from the U.K., The Wanted try to emulate the other group’s stateside success with an imaginatively named debut U.S. release, “The Wanted,” out this week. The album is actually a medley of songs chosen from their two U.K.-released albums and several new songs written specifically for U.S. audiences. This means most are suitably catchy and radio ready. The first single, “Glad You Came,” already covered by the hit TV show “Glee,” has a chorus that you won’t be able to stop singing (ever) and should be a big summer dance hit. “All Time Low,” the single that rocketed The Wanted to popularity in the U.K., showcases the members’ voices over epic violin-backed verses and an explosive ending. In fact, the best songs on the album are the most upbeat tunes which would feel most at home on the dance floor; see “Chasing the Sun” or “Lightning.” Inevitably, comparisons must be made to One Direction, the boy band whipping up a tween frenzy here in the U.S. The Wanted’s members are older, and it shows in the tone of their music. The album leans more toward electro than bubbly pop, and there are less impossibly infectious hooks present. The production seems pretty generic, causing a lot of songs, especially the slower ones, to sound exactly the same—it takes a couple of listens to distinguish a lot of the songs. It seems that by trying to appeal to an older audience, The Wanted have lost some of the classic cheesy boy band charm, but this may have been what the band was going for. Listeners will have to judge for themselves if they are wanted. Surely you’ve seen them. Someone posts a link from the popular website #WHATSHOULDWECALLME on someone else’s Facebook wall. It’s a seemingly universal action with a clever GIF, or animated photo, attached to it. For example, “WHEN YOURE THE ONLY ONE OF YOUR ROOMMATES WHOS DRUNK” and a GIF of Jemaine from “Flight of the Conchords” dancing. This led to a website exclusively for seemingly universal Wash. U. actions: #WHATSHOULDWECALLWASHU. This is really getting out of hand. HOW DO I PUT THIS GENTLY, #WHATSHOULDWECALLME, #WHATSHOULDWECALLMEMAYBE. THEY’RE BECOMING THE NEW MEME AND MAKING ME WRITE IN ALL CAPS, AND IT MAKES ME REALLY UPSET. I joined the Tumblr community my senior year of high school, about two years ago. What showed up on my dash during those golden days were pretty pictures, inspirational and relatable quotes for my teenage angst, and personal ramblings from a select few friends who didn’t have any other outlet. I found out about—and was able to help—friends with major depression and anxiety disorders. Tumblr was a place where the weird kids had Five fictional bands we want to play W.I.L.D. BY CADENZA STAFF You might not like the W.I.L.D. headliners this year. You might have dreamed that The Shins were coming. We’re sorry if that prank disappointed you—but why not dream a little bigger? We’re thinking bands that could never play W.I.L.D. because they don’t exist in reality. Here are our five picks for the best fictional bands that Team 31 should book next year. Drive Shaft This Manchester-based band from the hit television show “Lost,” would be the perfect fit for W.I.L.D.. They had one good song (like Mike Posner) and they’ve made a few commercials (like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes). The band members—brothers Charlie and Liam Pace, guitarist Roderick, and an unnamed drummer—are hard-partying rockers and would probably go twice as hard as that kid from your freshman floor that passed out in Subway at noon. The band’s real claim to fame, though, is that Charlie was a passenger on flight Oceanic 815. No word on whether or not Daniel Faraday will be joining them on piano. I hope that “You All Everybody” get on board the Drive Shaft train. –Georgie Morvis Garth and Kat If there are any technical difficulties like at Mike Posner, the singing duo of Garth and Kat (Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig) would certainly handle it better than he did. They’re constantly improvising their lyrics to hilarious results in their guest appearances on “Saturday Night Live.” Garth and Kat always come with a click rapidly, click rapidly and use a skill, or actually think about when and how to attack. I only used this last option once: when fighting the boss. The “Diablo III” beta left me wanting much more, but that may be the point. There’s a good deal of potential for the game, as long as the servers don’t crash (which they did repeatedly over the weekend). As such, I regretfully did not have enough time to try out the matchmaking or auction house features, neither of which has attracted much positive feedback. “Diablo III” should be a good game, but it is unlikely to become Blizzard Entertainment’s crown jewel. seasonal theme, and what could put students in a better mood than an almost-summer-themed set? Perhaps little-seen third member Jan Pockabook (Coldplay’s Chris Martin) will join them on backing vocals, or Seth Meyers (who was here just last year) will be disgruntled about their style. Garth and Kat would definitely make W.I.L.D. a fun time, and imagine a little improvised ditty about vomiting college students. Picture perfect. –Georgie Morvis Microbe There are no two ways about it: “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century” was one of the best Disney Channel Original Movies made. Zenon lived on a space station and loved the band Microbe and its lead singer Protozoa. Here’s the thing, if Microbe can put on an awesome concert on a space station, it’s pretty much guaranteed they’ll be entertaining wherever they perform—even Brookings Quad. I mean, how can you not enjoy their hit “Supernova Girl (Zoom, Zoom, Zoom)”? Protozoa sure knows how to engage the audience. Plus, the band’s outfits are zany enough (fitting with the whole futuristic space theme of the movie) to work for W.I.L.D.. Lyrics that are easily stuck in your head along with a catchy beat and a healthy dose of nostalgia would make for the ideal W.I.L.D. performance. –Jennifer Goldberger Mouse Rat Spring W.I.L.D. headliners have had some pretty crazy (wild, even) names these past years: Fitz and the Tantrums, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars. But one band could outdo them all. Currently called Mouse Rat, this band from NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation” has been known as Scarecrow Boat, Andy and the D-Bags, Department of Homeland Obscurity, Radwagon, Just the Tip, and Nothing Rhymes With Orange. That’s just a few of the 24 names they’ve had. Reel Big Fish who? Musically, Mouse Rat sounds like a hilarious version of Nickelback that writes lyrics so awful they’re amazing, rather than lyrics that qualify them as the worst band in the world. A band named Fiveskin is just what we Wash. U. kids need to wash the taste of Mike Posner from our mouths. –Georgie Morvis Dr. Funke’s 100 Percent Natural Good-Time Family Band Solution The folksy and inspired musical stylings of the cowbell, tambourine and autoharp-playing group from “Arrested Development” would be perfect for W.I.L.D. The band members may have gone their separate ways since the height of their success in the mid ’90s, but Brookings Quad would be an ideal place for them to stage their revival; it would likely be their biggest venue yet, but they’re clearly ready to make the leap— with soulful, nuanced lyrics and shows that scream of forced child performances. For the countless inebriated students who start to feel homesick before hitting the ground, the band would be able to bring an uncommon dose of family-friendly cheer. And if we crossed our fingers, they might even be willing to bring some Teamocil—the oldschool psychiatric drug that gives a sense of joy before dampening sex drive and shutting down the pituitary. Just what students need before finals begin. –Michael Tabb an outlet and where everyone was collaborative and supportive in creative works and personal struggles. Now? Only trolls. Trolls everywhere. The Tumblr that I know and love is gone. The issues I have specifically with #WHATSHOULDWECALLWASHU are that a) some of them apply only to a very specific set of Wash. U. students and b) some of them are a bit racist (A Mexican shower? Really?). While I’m sure these weren’t meant to be malicious, the posters need to be aware that Wash. U. is a diverse community. “But, Kara,” everyone says, “If you don’t want to see these posts, don’t follow them.” But they’re everywhere. Some Tumblrs have great posts but will occasionally reblog something really asinine (myself sometimes included). Outside of this realm, however, you still have Twitter and Facebook. You can’t escape! The once-safe haven of Tumblr has been infiltrated by simpletons. And Facebook is completely dominated by the reposting of links. Given, I’m not completely against #WHATSHOULDWECALLWASHU. Some of them are true and pretty funny. Extra meal points? Of course you go to Ibby’s. The collection of GIFs posted is pretty fantastic, and I’m waiting for the Coldplay squirrel to make an appearance. But the students need to tone it down. Maybe only post one a day, rather than twenty. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The problem is, there are a lot less opportunities for a chef in Michigan than in L.A., forcing Tom to take a job at a sandwich shop and accept a role as a glorified house spouse. Plus, let’s face it: Michigan is cold. Despite his best intentions, Tom starts to directed by resent the move, and his unhappiness Nicholas Stoller starts to put more and more strain on and starring the couple’s relationship as the wedJason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt ding is put off indefinitely. “The Five-Year Engagement” is first and foremost a comedy, and there are plenty of silly hijinks to keep it light. At one point Violet BY NORA LONG and her sister Suzie (Alison Brie of I’m a senior. There are only a few “Community”) are trying to have a weeks left until graduation, and I’m serious conversation about marriage still having trouble wrapping my head in front of Suzie’s kids, so they do around that fact. I’m a senior, and the the whole thing in voices as Elmo life I’ve built for myself here at Wash. and the Cookie Monster. It’s genuU. is rapidly drawing to a close. inely hilarious. But at the heart of the The thing about college is that movie are some serious issues. How everyone you meet is in basically at much is it appropriate to sacrifice same stage in life. So relationships are one’s career for love, or vice versa? easy. All you have to do is meet some- How sure do you have to be that a one you’re mutually attracted to, and relationship will last before you agree spend time with that person. Then to get married? Are there times when you graduate, and it gets harder. “The loving someone just isn’t enough? Five-Year Engagement” is about what Jason Segel takes on a familhappens to relationships out there in iar role as a woobie—just like in the real world. It’s not enough to love “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” you each other; you have to figure out a want to give him a big hug and tell way to make a life together. him everything will be okay. Emily In the movie, Jason Segel plays Blunt is charmingly British. And Tom, an L.A. chef who proposes to if the movie doesn’t quite come his girlfriend Violet (Emily Blunt). up with any satisfactory answers They start planning the wedding, but to questions about love and life, then Violet doesn’t get the job at UC well, it’s a comedy and it doesn’t Berkeley she was hoping for, instead have to. For anyone graduating in a being offered a two-year position at few weeks and trying to figure out the University of Michigan. Tom how to carry a relationship over agrees to relocate with her, and they into the real world, “The Five-Year put off the wedding until they get Engagement” is probably worth a settled. watch. MOVIE REVIEW ‘The Five-Year Engagement’ COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES “The Five-Year Engagement,“ starring Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, and Alison Brie, premieres nationwide on April 27. 6 STUDENT LIFE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 sports Golf trio eyes big things at NCAA Championships BY SAHIL PATEL Move over, LeBron, Wade and Bosh. The second-ranked Washington University women’s golf team has a Big Three of its own ready to do some damage in the postseason. The trio of junior Hannah Buck, sophomore Andi Hibbert and freshman Olivia Lugar has led the Red and Green to a historic season in which the team set records by shooting below 300 as a group three times, including a three-over par 291 at the Millikin University Fall Classic in September. The Bears won four of five tournaments in their fall season but fell off that pace in the spring. However, Wash. U. closed out its regular season with its second win of the spring season in the University of IllinoisSpringfield Spring Shootout last weekend and looks to carry over that momentum into the NCAA Division III championships, to be held May 8-11 in Angola, Ind. Buck, Hibbert and Lugar sat down with Student Life to talk about the challenges coming in a couple weeks among other things. Student Life: How are you all feeling going into nationals? It was a pretty strong fall, and maybe spring hasn’t gone as well, but you closed out with a win, and that has to feel good. Hannah Buck: That was definitely the way we wanted to end it. Andi Hibbert: It is nice to have some momentum going into nationals. HB: It has been a rough spring for us, but I think we are kind of pulling it together at just the right time. SL: The weather has been pretty poor in a couple tournaments where the team has struggled a bit. Anything you all can do about that? Olivia Lugar: It is hard to work with 30-mile-per-hour winds. AH: Especially when you’ve got a little tiny ball like that. HB: I don’t think any other team really killed it out there. I feel like last spring, the weather was miserable. I feel like it rained every tournament. We kind of got used to it. This spring we haven’t had to really deal with it yet. SL: So it’s just one of those things where you get there and see what it’s like and just make the best of it? OL: Yeah, but the mentality is that everyone else has to play in it, too. HB: Right, so you just have to go out and try to keep your motivation high; sometimes it’s pretty disheartening. It certainly isn’t fun. I don’t like to do it, but practicing in the rain is something you have to do occasionally. SL: So what happens at nationals? You all are there for a week, so there must be something fun other than golf. OL: Last year was a lot better since they stayed at a resort. HB: It’s different this year. We were in this all-inclusive resort the last two years, and it was the best. AH: Now we are in northeastern Indiana, like five minutes from Michigan. HB: At least with the weather, we could get anything. OL: It is also in the middle of nowhere, so we will see how it goes. AH: Usually we study for finals. HB: Yeah, we sometimes take finals there. Sunday afternoon there is a walkthrough round, so you just get to walk the course, and you can’t have clubs with you. Monday you actually have a real practice round. And then we play Tuesday through Friday. SL: With nationals, you’re on the same course for four days— is that an advantage? What do they do to try and mess with you? How do you overcome it? HB: They switch the pins up each day, and the pin location tends to get harder every day. I just go out and think like each day is a new day. I think the hardest part is on the fourth day when you are like, “I’ve already played this hole three times, and I haven’t played it well three times.”...I try [with] every hole to play like it’s the first time I’ve played it. I try to forget what I did the previous days. AH: I usually try to think about the course, especially if we’ve played it before. Today on the range we were talking about specific holes, so I’ll try and almost visualize the holes —like what type of shot I want to hit—and I’ll have that mentality for every single round. I’m not trying to reflect on the previous shots that I hit every round. SAHIL PATEL | STUDENT LIFE Sophomore Andi Hibbert sinks a putt on Hole 18 at Gateway National Golf Club during the first round of the Washington University Invitational on March 31. Hibbert, junior Hannah Buck and freshman Olivia Lugar will lead the second-ranked Wash. U. women’s golf team to the NCAA Championships, to be held May 8-11 in Angola, Ind. HB: And the conditions are different for every single round, every day. It really just depends on how the wind is and where the pin is. SL: So in the last poll from March, you guys stole three votes away from No. 1 Methodist University, the 24-time champions with a record of 14 back-to-back seasons. That has to feel good. How do you handle those expectations going in? AH: It is definitely a confidence booster that, at least statistically speaking, we are beating Methodist, per person per round. They are obviously a strong team—you can’t win 14 consecutive national championships without doing so. I think they’re a little nervous though. I think we actually may have an upper hand. HB: We definitely have them scared, certainly, so that’s nice. SL: On another note, do you all have any fun team traditions? AH: Subway! HB: Pre-round Subway. AH: Pre-round Subway at every single tournament. Without fail. SL: Does that help at all? AH: It’s just part of the routine. We have to do it. SL: It seems like golf takes a lot of consistency and repetition, so would some tradition like that help at all? HB: We are joking around, of course. AH: But it is definitely a tradition! I think the most important part, though, is warming up before a round. I know we each have our own methodology to how we go about it. I know O-bear [Olivia] likes to go putt first, where I feel like the rest of the team likes to hit first, but it just depends. SL: Golf also seems like an individual game, so how do you all emphasize the team aspect of the sport? OL: Being a freshman, it was actually a pretty easy transition. I kind of came out of nowhere. I didn’t tell them I was coming until a week before the deadline, but it ended up being a really smooth transition because we spend so much time together during the week and over tournaments that you can’t help but become really good friends. HB & AH (simultaneously): Aw! OL: We always try and boost each other’s confidence before the round. We have little pow-wows, do our “Yeah, Bear” cheer. AH: Hannah has a great pow-wow speech. HB: Oh stop. OL: It is individual on the course, but it is also really important to be confident, and I think being part of a team really helps that. HB: I think it is really easy, when there are a bunch of good players on a team, to get overly competitive, and I am glad that we never got to that point. I think we are all really happy for each other when we do well, and it really doesn’t matter how we each play. AH: We all enjoy each other’s successes. HB: It is nice to know that one of us is always going to play well. Last weekend when I knew I was not, it was really good to say, “OK, someone is going to pick up my slack.” AH: It definitely is an interesting dynamic, though, since golf is traditionally an individual sport. But I think it is something I have appreciated the most about collegiate golf, being able to play in a team atmosphere. SL: What sort of things help with that team atmosphere? AH: Subway! HB: Practice, staying in the hotels, things like that. We spend most weekends of the school year together. SL: On the course, you are obviously not in the same group as someone on your own team. What are your individual approaches to a specific hole? Is it different per person, or do you all try to do the same thing? OL: I think it is very individualized because we do all have very different games and a lot of different experiences. I have to focus on every shot at a time; maybe that is a common theme. At the same time, I have different swing thoughts going on. AH: Sometimes after rounds we will share what we did on different holes, but for the most part, it’s pretty individual. SL: Tell me about your fans a little bit. Do you all hear from random people who say, like, “Great round this weekend” or something? OL: I wore this sweatshirt that says “Washington University Women’s Golf,” and one of the guys at the DUC asked me, “We have a golf team here?” AH: I feel like that is more common than anything else. HB: Really? I don’t get that. SL: Even I have gotten that before when I tell people I write about the golf team for StudLife. AH: Obviously, all of my friends know how I’m performing, but in terms of total strangers, either a) they don’t know we have a women’s golf team or b) they have no idea how well we can play. SL: So what do you all think we can do to amp up that campus presence and get you all some more fans? HB: Win nationals. OL: Yeah I would like to see one of those banners over —“Women’s Golf: Team National Champions.” HB: That’s our plan right now. I mean why not? We did kind of come out of nowhere this year. But I think we have a lot of drive and determination to win nationals. We can taste it. We know that we can accomplish that. Spot an error? religious directory Third Baptist Church In the City for Good! Sunday Bible Study 9:30am Worship 10:40am 620 N. Grand Blvd. ∙ www.third-baptist.org (314) 369-3238 ∙ Call for transportation or info The Living Water Ministry Contemporary & Multicultural International Worship in English Sunday Mornings 11:10 a.m. Biblical, Conservative, Transforming “You purchased people for God from every tribe, every language, every people, and every nation”--Revelation 5:9 St. Louis Chinese Christian Church 832 N Woods Mill Rd|Chesterfield, MO 63017|SLCCC.ORG USIC M SS DRE REAKFAST B S AT GRE UAL CAS NT E D U V RELE ING ACH LE TE BIB ANT ! I TED I NV E R A YOU E? A RIDOM D E E N RCH.C 3 SCHU IGHT L Y 5.846 9 IT C 3 . @ 4 S E | 31 IL RID 11AM E-MA . C O M VICES @ H C R U ER T S C H NDAY S LIGH U Y S T I C FREE ST Let us know at [email protected] THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 STUDENT LIFE 7 scene Burlesque Bingo at The Fountain on Locust Exploring the effects of ‘Slacktivism” BY JOANNA YOON You get out of your classes for the day, return to your room, lie down on the bed with your Macbook and get on Facebook. Scrolling down the screen a bit, a video on your newsfeed catches your eye. After three minutes and fifteen seconds of learning about the newest social controversy, you like the video, repost it to your status, and continue perusing the Internet. This process refers to the recent trend of “slacktivism,” a combination of slacker and activism, termed by Sarah Kendzior, a graduate student working in Washington University’s anthropology department. According to Kendzior, social media has allowed people to interact with each other and participate in social dialogues in an increasingly direct way. “You would see a bumper sticker on a car, but you wouldn’t necessarily talk to the person in the car to find out why they support that cause,” Kendzior explained. “But now you can. That is the key difference.” According to Kendzior’s recently published article in Qatar-based news site Al Jazeera, “slacktivism, often used as a pejorative code word for digital activism, is not a philosophy— it is a process, varying not only within the cause but within the supporter.” The most salient example of this newly minted term is the recent attention the Kony 2012 campaign received. Directed by Jason Russell, the founder of the non-profit organization, Invisible Children Inc., “Kony 2012” attempts to raise awareness about Joseph Kony, the leader of Uganda’s guerilla group, Lord’s Resistance Army. He is also the International Criminal Court’s most wanted criminal because of his killing and abduction of more than 1 million African children. First published on YouTube on March 5, this 30-minute video was viewed by more than 50 million people within five days. More than a month later, the video has received more than 88 million views on YouTube, 17 million views on Vimeo and more than 90,000 followers on Facebook. While Kony 2012 has been deemed one of the most viral videos of all time, its real-world contributions have been somewhat unclear. “Realistically, there is little you and I can do. It is unfortunate, but it is just the reality of it,” Kendzior said. “People feel frustrated. They want to help, so they look for ways to help, and then there is this video saying, ‘Here it is. You like it. You share it.’ It satisfies people’s urgency, but we should be more creative in how to use the Internet to engage with people in these regions instead of engaging with them by speaking for them.” As social media’s prevalence increases each day, people tend to judge others based on their liked pages, videos and links. Whether these online profiles are accurate representations of their account holders remains dubious. Kendzior proffered a personal example of the ambiguity behind interpreting someone from his Facebook page or Twitter account. Kendzior liked Uzbekistan’s activist group on Facebook because she passionate about it. However, she noticed something strange when the group members invited her sister, who knew nothing about Uzbekistan, to like the cause as well. “We both liked the cause. So on the surface, maybe it looks like we are both slacktivists or dedicated Uzbek activists. But, in reality, one of them was [an activist], and the other one was like ‘Oh, yeah sure. What the hell?’” Kendzior added. “You really cannot tell by looking at the media what somebody’s intention or motivation is.” Although “Kony 2012” initially received millions of shares and likes, controversy regarding the video’s director Jason Russell, who recently appeared scantily clad and yelling in a San Diego street, redirected followers’ attention. It appeared that many of these slacktivists became more interested in watching Russell embarrass himself in public rather than increasing awareness of the notorious Ugandan leader. The video of Jason Russell received higher view counts than the Kony sequel, questioning people’s sincerity and loyalty to the cause in the first place. After all, where did the millions of impassioned likes and shares go? The video’s fleeting popularity attests to the rise of slacktivism. “The movement has gone down to such a degree after the initial burst of support that there might not really be a sustained interest in this topic,” Kendzior said. Junior Joshua Kim, one of the millions who watched the Kony 2012 video, agreed with Kendzior’s ideas of slacktivism. “While the movement [Kony 2012] showcased the widereaching influence of social media on millions of web users around the world, it is still lacking in its capacity to substantially change people’s hearts or alter the course of history,” Kim said. “But it is only human nature to be detached to something that is happening across the sea. Regardless of what means may be used in the future, it will be [near] impossible to achieve humanitarian goals of the scale that ‘Kony 2012’ suggested.” In contrast to the Kony 2012 phenomenon, the hype surrounding Trayvon Martin reflects a more effective type of “slacktivism.” The case of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African-American 17-year-old who was shot by crime-watch volunteer George Zimmerman, attracted national attention and has triggered a heated debate about race and social injustice across the nation. “For Travyon Martin, people wanted something very specific,” Kendzior said. “They wanted George Zimmerman to be charged. That is something that was very unique to the people involved and could feasibly happen. People have been trying to catch Kony for a long time, and it is a very difficult thing, and I am not sure that the increased awareness of what he is doing will lead to his capture.” While Kendzior is skeptical about the effectiveness of certain types of “slacktivism,” she believes that social media can have positive contributions. “It could be that the Kony video can introduce people to the cause,” Kendzior said. “Hopefully, people become more educated and read more about it. The more people who do know about something, the likelier it is that someone will be creative and come up with a solution or at least a new way to help and understand the issue. When it’s successful, people stop calling it ‘slacktivsim.’ They start calling it activism.” BY ROBYN HUSA When I first walked into The Fountain on Locust, two sites immediately stood out: a large spotlight with its beam being manually swung across the dimly lit restaurant and a woman in pasties grabbing her breasts as she walked around the tables of whistling patrons—just another night at Burlesque Bingo, a unique event that The Fountain hosts every first Thursday of the month. For those unfamiliar with the event, the breakdown is fairly simple. After paying a participation fee of five dollars, you are given a packet of bingo cards for the night. The host of the evening then leads the crowd through a consistent oscillation of bingo games and short segments of burlesque dancing. The loud environment and lack of initial explanation may be confusing for some—it was for my group—but you soon get the hang of it. The host for that night was The Randy Dandies, a group self-described on its website as a “motley crew of actors, singers, dancers, comedians and circus folk working together to create interactive, dynamic shows for the St. Louis community.” The dancers were certainly entertaining—I have one memorable image of the only male dancer, Swifty Deeds, stripping down to a speedo with flames attached to the front while the audience shouted, “Flaming balls!” Each dancer had his or her own theme music and costumes, with most involving a combination of feathers, pasties and thongs. And if this fun combination of burlesque dancing and bingo isn’t enough already, then you will be delighted to know that The Randy Dandies add their own little twists to the game. For many of the number and letter combinations that are called out, there are certain responses that the audience yells (e.g., B11 – “Legs to Heaven!”). Fortunately, you are given a list of these responses at the beginning of the game, but it was still humorous to watch the faces of my group members while they simultaneously tried to figure out what to say and mark their bingo cards. What The Randy Dandies don’t tell you up front is what you experience once you’ve won bingo. I’ll give you a hint: Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and don’t be offended if you get hit with some crumpled up bingo cards and friendly obscenities. The prizes are equally mysterious, consisting of a bag of “goodies,” all centered on a particular theme. The last individual to win that night received a gift bag labeled, “Even these types mate for life.” I’ll leave you to judge that one. As for the atmosphere, the carnivalesque costumes and hand-painted Art Deco interior gave off a Moulin Rouge vibe. There are also several secluded booths available along the side of the restaurant, although they don’t offer much of a view of the dancers on the front stage. To keep you further entertained, there are plenty of unique drinks to choose from on the menu. I was treated to the Thin Mint, one of The Fountain’s signature ice-cream martinis, with a delicious flavor combination of mint, Oreos and chocolate syrup. The names of the drinks alone are enough to make you smile, such as the Social Lubricant and the Hemmingway, both seasonal cocktails. If nothing else, Burlesque Bingo is a tantalizing way to spend a Thursday night. One piece of advice: Make a reservation in advance. The venue is pretty packed, and there is a chance that you won’t be seated if you show up without one. Bingo not your thing? Not a problem. At the end of the night, the announcer told the crowd that The Fountain would be introducing Burlesque Battleship every second Thursday of the month. It may be interesting to see how The Fountain on Locust is able to finagle this unusual combination, but no doubt it will be successful if it follows in the footsteps of its bingo predecessor. Location: The Fountain on Locust, 3037 Locust St. Louis, MO 63103 Time: The first Thursday of every month, 9:30-11:30 p.m. Cost: $5 for the show, $5 for bingo cards The Fountain on Locust hosts Burlesque Bingo every first Thursday of the month. GENEVIEVE HAY | STUDENT LIFE 8 STUDENT LIFE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 Cooking with Copy Childhood Favorites BY CARO PEGUERO & LAUREN COHN It’s not only our last week in the Copy Kitchen, but it’s also our last week of classes as undergraduate students, which has us feeling a little nostalgic for simpler times. Sure, it’s great to be able to eat and appreciate sophisticated foods like kale, parsnips and chorizo, but it’s hard to avoid falling for childhood favorites when times get tough, we get tired or there just isn’t enough time to sauté. So we decided this week’s menu would revolve around the flavors of yore: s’mores, peanut butter and jelly, and popcorn (with some sprinkles thrown in for good measure). Our first foray into kiddie cuisine was a recipe for peanut butter and jelly bars from Martha Stewart. They looked a little sandy in the photo, but we were convinced they’d deliciously deliver the flavors from our youth. Well, we were wrong. Granted, we made a bit of a mistake. Lauren thought this recipe would be filled with the most peanut-buttery goodness if we used a natural peanut butter made of nothing but peanuts because sugar and salt are in the PB&J bar recipe anyway. Naively believing any natural peanut butter would do, we twisted open our first jar of creamy unsalted Kettle Brand Organic Peanut Butter (what we happened to have on hand) and could immediately tell our baking was headed in a bad direction. But, hey, we weren’t about to take a 1 a.m. trip to Schnucks, so we barreled on ahead. In retrospect, we think this recipe would be better if made with a Jif or Skippy type of peanut butter, given that we kept having to mix in additional sugar and salt in an attempt to make our dough taste anything like the peanut butter heaven we imagined it would be. Our next tips (and we’re serious about these): Use a bowl that fits your electric mixer well and cover the bowl with a towel while mixing. If you choose to ignore these helpful pieces of advice, be prepared for the Peanut Butter Apocalypse of 2012 in your kitchen. But really. Even after cleaning the kitchen twice, we keep discovering new deposits of dough. Our latest find? Dough on the ceiling. Yes, the ceiling six feet above where the dough was mixed. Once Caro had completed the arduous task of mixing, we were faced with a new challenge: how to move two-thirds of it into our baking dish. Sounds easy enough, but when you realize that the bowl of dough weighs about the same as Caro’s 1000-page accounting textbook, it gets a little tricky. It took both of us, one to hold the SEE COOKING, PAGE 9 CARO PEGUERO | STUDENT LIFE This Party Popcorn makes a visual statement with a generous helping of of rainbow sprinkles. drink & dine [weekly bar and restaurant guide] Sun - Thur: 20% off dinner w/ student ID* *excludes special promotions Mon & Thur: HIRO Hour 5pm - 7pm 1/2 OFF SUSHI ROLL Daily: All you can eat sushi* *made to order 609 Eastgate Ave In the Delmar Loop [email protected] | 314.721.9168 hirostl.com Like us or check in to receive a gift from your server! FFER: TIME O D E T I LIM off everyday for Wash U students, faculty & staff Must show Wash U I.D. 20% 176 Carondelet, Clayton, MO Next to the Ritz Carlton Check us out on line at strattonscafe.com FREE WIFI! THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 STUDENT LIFE 9 CARO PEGUERO | STUDENT LIFE Left: These Peanut Butter and Jelly bars bring the flavors of a lunchtime classic to a truly decadent treat. Right: Trust us, you won’t be able to stop at just one of these delightful Gooey Smore’s cookies. bowl and the other to scoop into the dish, to accomplish the task, but it happened. The Bonne Maman strawberry preserves we used in place of the called-for jelly were the best, most fragrant part of the recipe, and we nearly ate them straight out of the measuring cup. After regaining our senses, we smoothed the preserves atop the dough and followed with a third layer of crumbled dough and haphazardly scattered peanut shrapnel. See, the recipe said to chop the peanuts, but Lauren instead shoved the required amount into a Ziploc snack-size bag and began pulverizing/beating it with a wooden meat-tenderizing mallet. The result? After the second whack, the bag burst open, and peanuts suddenly covered every surface of the Copy Kitchen, which will clearly be recovering from these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars for a while. Our advice? Use a bag with extra room in it when filled with the peanuts and double-bag, or do as the recipe says and just chop them with a knife. These took forever to bake in the oven, but after 45 minutes we had a yummy-smelling lead brick on our hands. The bars were indeed extremely sandy and fell apart when cut, but they did taste much better than the dough did. In a word, they’re best described as rich, with a cup of butter and 2 1/2 cups of peanut butter in the dough. While Caro thought they were a little too intense and decided she’d rather stick with the classic sandwich to satisfy her PB&J cravings, Lauren was quite a fan of the bars and declared that she would try the recipe again with a different brand of peanut butter. After the trying times we endured with the PB&J bars, it was time for s’mores. The coolest new discovery Caro has made in working through her numerous food blog subscriptions is that the tiny marshmallows that usually come in Swiss Miss hot chocolate packets are now sold in a jar as Jet-Puffed Mallow Bits. They’re like Lucky Charms without obstacles. The jar was nearly demolished before we even started baking. So, imagine our delight when we found a s’mores cookie recipe that incorporates these crunchy little bites of happiness. The recipe comes from Amanda Green Bottoms of the blog Kevin & Amanda and she calls them gooey s’mores cookies. With an ingredient list that includes butter, brown and white sugars, graham crackers, chocolate chips and the aforementioned Mallow Bits, these babies were destined to be a hit, and we hoped they’d relieve some of the discouragement we felt after our peanut-butter-and-jelly adventures. Boy, were we ever right. First of all, they are scrumptious. They taste just like s’mores, with the added textural awesomeness of chocolate chips and tiny crunchyon-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside marshmallows. Lauren was at first skeptical of the cinnamon grahams Amanda calls for, preferring the regular ones, but Caro insisted that Amanda’s recipes are usually right on the money and that we should follow her advice. We did, and it was a totally commendable decision—the slight hint of cinnamon makes these unique enough to stand out among all the s’mores-themed desserts out there. Another reason to love this recipe: The dough comes together easily and is lovely to work with. In other words, we can confidently report that there is no s’mores cookie dough on our ceiling…and this is good. One last thing to appreciate, at least in Caro’s opinion, is how super delicious the dough is. In fact, Caro might have attempted to withhold some of the dough from being baked just so she could eat it by the raw, delectable spoonful. Don’t tell Lauren, who is an adamant believer that everything is better once baked. Anyhow, baked or unbaked, these cookies were great, and both Lauren and Caro would make and eat them again without so much as a whisper of complaint. The only drawback is that, although the recipe title claims the cookies are gooey, we found them to be a bit dry, though not dry enough for us to stop eating them. Perhaps the baking time in the recipe is a bit too long—keep this in mind if you try these cookies at home. We saved the easiest recipe for last, since we were hoping for an almost-instant-gratification-yielding treat after spending so much time on the previous two recipes. This treat came in the form of Party Popcorn, which we found on the blog She Wears Many Hats. It seems as simple as can be: You pop some plain popcorn of your choosing, melt some white chocolate, drizzle it over the popcorn and cover the whole concoction in adorable rainbow nonpareils. Let us tell you what you may not anticipate when you initially think this recipe is the easiest way to create edible happiness: 1. There appears to be a two-second window between the points at which white chocolate is almost melted and burnt. It is almost impossible to know when this window is, so your chocolate is likely to be either too thick to pour or seized and unusable. 2. Even in a perfectly melted state, white chocolate is surprisingly thick. Our “drizzle” looked more like randomly dropped white chocolate blobs over the popcorn. 3. Trying to work these blobs throughout the popcorn results in extremely messy hands. Additionally, you have to do this all quite quickly because the sprinkles will fall to the bottom of the bowl if the white chocolate has dried and they have nothing to stick to. After executing this recipe to the best of our ability, we can say we were pleased at best, though definitely not impressed, with the results. The plain, unsalted popcorn is predictably flavorless and functions really only as a vehicle for the white chocolate, so why not just eat a bar of white chocolate? For Caro, the one winning aspect of this recipe is the texture. “The combination of the fluffy popcorn, the melt-in-your-mouth white chocolate and the crunchy sprinkles are actually pretty addictive,” she says, and she could not stop eating it for that reason. Lauren, on the other hand, took a bite and said, “It is actually painful to eat these sprinkles,” suggesting she was less enthusiastic than Caro about this one. Our final word was that we would consider eating this if it were placed in front of us, but we wouldn’t bother to make it again. That’s all we have for you this week. We hope this nostalgic journey conjured up some memories of spending summer camp nights by bonfires, convincing your parents to buy you popcorn at the movies and finding peanut butter sandwiches neatly nestled in your childhood lunchboxes. Farewell from the Copy Kitchen, happy end of classes, and good luck on finals! SPONSORED BY: puzzle mania topic: National Animals topic: National Animals HOW TO PLAY HOW TO PLAY: Spell the phrase in the grid above Spell each the phrase it, writing unique in letter only theThe grid correct above it, once. solution will each unique spellwriting the complete phrase along a single continuous spelling letter only once. The path that correct moves solution horizontally willvertically and diagonally. Fill the grid from spell the complete square to square - revisiting letters as needed to phrase a path in order. Each letter complete thealong spelling single continuous path will appear only once in the spelling grid. that moves horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Fill the grid from square to square - revisiting letters as needed to complete the spelling 4/23 SOLUTION path in order. Each letter will appear only once in the grid. Pathem™ Puzzle Solution © 2011 Thinking Machine, Inc. All Rights Reserved. visit www.Pathem.com ©2012 Thinking Machine, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Level: 1 2 3 4 Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk SOLUTION TO 4/23 PUZZLE your AD here. FOR RELEASE APRIL 26, 2012 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Place to stand around with a round 4 Musical triad 9 Desert plants 14 Self-image 15 New staffer 16 Popular email provider 17 Field for 19- or 40-Down 18 Florida Keys, e.g. 20 Master 22 “You’re on!” 23 The Beatles’ last studio album 26 Slip-up on the set 31 Seeping 33 Best-selling touchscreen device 34 Co. that makes stuff 36 Tyrolean refrain 38 Ambulance wail 39 Middle-earth menaces 41 “Get out of my sight” 43 Gumbo veggie 44 “24” superagent Jack 46 Diamond surface 48 Fa-la link 49 “Sure, let’s do lunch” 51 Everest expert 53 The one in a onetwo, usually 55 Explore caves 58 Top Olympic medals, in Barcelona 60 Bandleader Kay 61 Elusive evolutionary connection, or the elusive feature of the ends of 18Across and 3and 28-Down 67 Give the heave-ho 68 Committee type 69 Lamp dwellers 70 Something to chew 71 Fort __, Indiana 72 Pilfer 73 New Orleans-toMiami dir. DOWN 1 What really matters 4/26/12 © 2012 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved. By Michael Dewey 2 Come to terms 3 Injury-prone area for pitchers 4 Cheaply made 5 Bathrobe designation 6 NBA’s Magic, on scoreboards 7 Tackle Tolstoy, say 8 Cygnus supergiant 9 One-eyed monster 10 Sigh of pleasure 11 All the tea in China? 12 You, to Yves 13 + molecule, e.g. 19 Surrealist Salvador 21 Carnival setting 24 Bookstore sect. 25 Words before “time” or “the line” 27 Buckeye’s home 28 Meat ingredient in many stuffing recipes 29 Año beginning 30 Kidney-related 32 Actress Rowlands et al. 34 Big name in oil 35 Bowling score sheet division 37 Highland waters 4/23 Puzzle Solved (c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc. 40 Spanish muralist José María 42 Blubber 45 Shout “Hallelujah!” 47 One who can do a perfect Vulcan salute 50 Come by honestly 52 Tissue box word 54 5-time A.L. batting champ Wade 56 Connection 57 Krispy __: doughnut chain 59 Did in, as a dragon 61 Animal’s gullet 62 Mont. neighbor 63 Just short 64 Holy Trinity member 65 Pasta suffix 66 1-Across quickie 10 STUDENT LIFE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012