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The Judges had one final chance to defeat their conference rivals this year, when they competed in the University Athletic Association Championships at New York University last weekend. However, the Judges dropped all three conference matches in the tournament, falling to 9-20 for the season.
Despite ending the regular season with a 2-0 victory over New York University last Saturday and a 12-5-1 record overall, the men's soccer team still missed qualifying for the Division III NCAA Tournament. Instead, the team is the top seed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament and will take on eighth-seeded Southern Vermont College at home tomorrow at 7 p.m.
The Brandeis men's soccer team didn't make a pit stop to gamble in Atlantic City during their trips to Pittsburgh and Atlanta over the weekend, but there was an element of luck in their games against Emory University and Carnegie Mellon University last weekend. Brandeis fell 1-0 to Emory last Friday despite outshooting the Eagles 22-10 and clipping the crossbar twice. However, the Judges rebounded in Pennsylvania two days later, an own goal by a Carnegie defender in overtime giving Brandeis its first University Athletic Association road win of the season.
As Jacob Riis—a famous figure in American social reform—once said, a rock that shatters on a stonecutter's 101st blow is not a result of a single strike, but all that came before.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed in a culture where it seems like problems grow daily and people spend more time talking about them than actually doing anything to solve them.
Last Sunday morning, the men's soccer team was a few steps too slow in a 2-0 loss to an assertive Case Western Reserve University team. Case Western senior forward Vinny Bell dazzled, his brace punishing the Judges and ending their four-game unbeaten streak.
The intramural soccer season ended in epic fashion late last Thursday, with the men's soccer championship going down to the wire on penalty kicks. Joga Bonito prevailed over American Express, winning by a score of 5-3 on penalties after an impressive comeback in regulation. In the coed championship, which was held earlier in the night, Stan Ree blanked Nova 4-0 for the championship. In the men's match, American Express dominated the first half. With the defense able to shut down Joga Bonito's potent offense, American Express was able to fire off two goals. At 15 minutes, 55 seconds left in the half, Billy Geibel MA '12 slammed it into the top left shelf of the net for the first goal of the match. About 10 minutes later, American Express was able to edge in another goal on a laser from Cameron Welter '12 that trickled through the keeper's five-hole to increase the lead to 2-0. However, Joga Bonito broke through with its first score at the 15:55 mark of the second half on a huge rip from IBS exchange student Giulio Tramontana that sailed right through the net. American Express' defense stayed tough, clinging to the one-goal lead until Joga Bonito notched the tying goal with less than five minutes remaining on a strike from the right side by IBS exchange student Angelo Lacroix. The two sides failed to find the net for the rest of the second half and all of overtime, which sent the game to penalties. After each team put home its first three kicks, Joga Bonito broke through with a fourth goal while American Express' fourth attempt sailed wide of the net. Joga Bonito's fifth player nailed the final score of the season, winning the men's tournament. One hour earlier, Stan Ree defeated Nova by a score of 4-0 in the coed final. After 10 minutes of lockdown defense, Stan Ree notched the first goal of the match at 9:10. A counterattack landed Dylan Britton '13 an open look at the net, which was slotted home in the top left of the net. Now a tight 1-0 affair, Stan Ree would start the next half off with a bang, as Stephen Kostel '11 MS '12 earned his team's second goal and his first of two on the match on a fast break just 15 seconds into the half. The team proceeded to notch two insurance goals at the 10:15 and 7:39 marks in the second half on goals by Kostel and Matt Houser '13 to increase the lead to 4-0. Along with an efficient offense, its defense completely neutralized Nova's attack, helping to secure the championship.
Adaptation is a tricky thing. Any time a theater production is revived or re-imagined, it invites comparison to the original, as well as criticism should the new incarnation not do justice to the original. The American Repertory Theater's recent production of Porgy and Bess—or, as the theater billed it, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess—received more than its fair share of scrutiny. New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley came to Cambridge to review the show, a rare occurrence for a regional production. Before Porgy and Bess even opened, noted composer Stephen Sondheim chastised its creative team in an open letter published in the Times.
"Cheap" and "ethnic" are key words for any college restaurant-goer, and Steve's Greek Cuisine on Newbury Street, just a 10-minute walk from Beacon Street and Mass Avenue, qualifies as both. It's a casual coffee shop-style joint with the best Greek wraps in town, not to mention a variety of Mediterranean appetizers you won't find anywhere else, such as tzatziki ($7)—yogurt served with cucumbers and garnishes—and saganaki ($8)—fried cheese—which I ordered to begin my light dinner there. The saganaki, which is a pan-seared Greek goat cheese, is a treat. Our waitress brought it out flaming with brandy, then doused the fire scuttling around the cheese with lemon juice. The red burnt edges of the dish had the slightest crunch to them, giving it great texture. The cheese itself is light yet salty enough to offset the brandy and lemon juice flavors. The brandy proves overwhelming at times, so I'm glad our waitress was generous with the lemon. The bitter alcohol aftertaste finishes strongly in the throat, a sensation that may surprise some but one that I enjoyed thoroughly. Like burgers in American cuisine, wraps are an affordable and hefty staple of Greek food. First-timers who don't know what else to order should opt for the wraps as a default choice. The shish kebab wrap ($9) is classic and meaty but perhaps too rich for that light lunch to break up your Newbury shopping spree. Instead, it's a well-portioned dinner with bigger-than-bite-size pieces of lamb or beef. The lamb I ordered could defeat even the hungriest of students. Wrapped in hot pita bread with tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, onions and lots of lettuce, it's the healthier Mediterranean equivalent of the double bacon cheeseburger. The souvlaki wrap ($8) is similar to the shish kebab wrap, though with smaller chunks of meat and spicier seasonings. The menu refers to these flavorings as "Steve's special spices," and they give the beef a nice peppery taste. Both wraps are recommended. One caveat for the unskilled: Beware of intense dripping of the sauce. It'll take me a trip or two more to really get that wrap-handling down, so in the meantime, I'm bringing hand sanitizer. I had a meaty meal, but vegetarians also have just as much to drool over at Steve's, including the veggie grape leaves wrap ($7), tabbouleh wrap ($7) and falafel wrap ($8). The vegetarian mousaka is worth checking out—it's eggplant, potato and zucchini topped with béchamel (also known as "white") sauce. The restaurant also serves burgers, though the only two I would recommend are the salmon burger ($10)—stuffed with feta cheese and spinach—and Steve's Special Burger ($9.45), which is a pita wrap with hamburger meat, sautéed onions, mushrooms, peppers and feta cheese inside. Steve's Greek Cuisine is in a cozy red-brick street corner of Newbury Street that's hard to miss. The food and service is quick, which means more time dedicated to browsing the name-brand clothing stores or frozen yogurt spots you've been eyeing all day. Ask any local and they can instantly point you in the right direction to the restaurant, a testament to its great track record over the years. Steve's Greek Cuisine is located on 316 Newbury Street in Boston. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m from Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Call (617) 267-1817 for more information.
The proposal for a new interdisciplinary Sexuality and Queer Studies minor was approved by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and went through the first of two faculty votes, Prof. Thomas King (ENG), a member of the UCC and of the program faculty for the new minor, said in an interview with the Justice.The idea behind the minor, which will be offered within the Women and Gender Studies department, has been a topic of discussion since the 2002-2003 academic year and originated as a response to and in support of student activism to increase lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer visibility both on campus and in the Brandeis curriculum, said King, who is also a member of the WGS faculty.Though the proposal still needs a second vote of approval at the May 19 faculty meeting, King said he is "almost certain" the minor will be approved in the second reading, which would mean the minor would be available to students starting next fall.According to the proposal, "Students in the program critically consider the relationships among sex, gender, and sexual orientation, desire and identification, and erotic and affectional behavior, as these intersect with other cultural formations including gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, and class."King wrote in a follow-up e-mail to the Justice that if the proposal is approved, Brandeis will be the first university in Massachusetts to offer a minor specifically in Sexuality and Queer Studies, though Harvard University offers a concentration in a similar field. "In theNew England area, Brandeis joins Bowdoin [College],which offers a Gay andLesbian Studies minor and the University ofNew Hampshire which offers a Queer Studies minor," King wrote."Smith [College] offers a track within its major in the Study of Women and Gender."Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe said in an interview with the Justice, "I think that we pride ourselves as a campus that is open and welcoming to LGBTQ students, and I think having the minor is not the main thing that matters in that regard, but it's one aspect of showing that this is a campus that is open to all kinds of students."Tommy Arnott '11, a member of Triskelion, an LGBTQ community group on campus and one of the students who has been involved in the efforts to create the minor, said that he is very excited about the progress of the minor and believes that it will be an effective way to "increase visibility of sexuality and queer studies on campus."An initial version of the proposal was brought to the UCC in February 2004 but did not pass due to a lack of courses in the social sciences and an "inability to guarantee faculty resources from across the curriculum to teach in the program," King wrote in a follow-up e-mail to the Justice.King said in an interview that most of the courses in the new program have always been available across various departments, but that as a result of the "downsizing of the University, it has been difficult to staff the curriculum within the departments and programs that we already have."Since 2004, additional faculty members, some of whom teach in the social sciences, have joined the effort in support of the minor, which has "really allowed the program to take off," King said. Two such professors, Sarah Lamb and Ellen Schattschneider (ANTH) will be teaching a new course next spring called Queer Anthropology, according to King.Usman Hameedi '12, a student representative on the UCC, was very impressed by the proposal. "This was a reflection of the [professors] listening to the students and wanting to give them actual foundations to their activism, and that was beautiful," he said in an interview with the Justice.King said, "In my own teaching, I value enormously the intersection between theory and practice, so what I'm most excited about with this curriculum is [that] it actually is responding to practice and changes that are coming from the students as well as from the world outside of Brandeis."Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS), who, like King, is a member of the UCC and WGS faculty as well as the program faculty for the new minor, said in an interview with the Justice that what she is "excited about is how studying sexual orientation and gender expression and gender fluidity helps us to understand sexuality as a whole and gender as a whole."Brooten believes that the minor "is an important opportunity to look at important institutions like marriage and sexuality within society and family, and think, 'Why are they this way, and could they be another way?'"King and Brooten emphasized that the administration has been very supportive of the minor.Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Elaine Wong, who has been involved with the minor since 2003, said in an interview with the Justice, "This is one of the things I really wanted to have happen at Brandeis because . we actually have faculty who are intellectual leaders in the United States, . and [the minor will be] in touch with Brandeis' cutting edge intellectual leadership in this field."Jaffe said that the reception of the minor has been positive. "I think the faculty working on the proposal have been working on it for some time and they did a good job. They showed that . there was significant student interest in it, so I think people in general thought it was a good proposal.
In a New York Times article published in January titled "Positives With Roots in Tragedy on Campus," Michael Winerip wrote that "some of the best university programs-at Virginia Tech, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Western Kentucky University-have been spurred by some of the worst tragedies." Following the suicide which shook the Brandeis community in February, Brandeis administrators say that the University has been no exception in evaluating the effectiveness of the counseling resources available to students, whether through the administration, Department of Community Living, Psychological Counseling Center or student-run peer counseling groups."I don't think the suicide was the result of any hole in our system or any weakness in it," said Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer. "But we would not be professional and we would not be the Brandeis administration that we are had we not done a lot of introspection and had we not done a lot of review," he said. Although the University has not set up a specific committee or written an official report to evaluate its counseling resources since the suicide, recent meetings of administrators have frequently included reflections and discussions of ways to improve the counseling resources, according to Sawyer. While the Psychological Counseling Center, located in the Mailman House at the edge of campus, is tucked away and easy to miss for some, it is nevertheless used by approximately 20 percent of Brandeis students each academic year, according to the Brandeis website. It is estimated that by the time May rolls around, about half of the senior class has been to the counseling center at least once, according to Sawyer. The types of students and issues that are addressed in counseling vary, according to information from the counseling center. While many students have been in therapy either off of campus or prior to entering Brandeis, according to the Counseling Center, many students who use the center have never been in therapy before and will come in just once for help when needed.Students can also seek counseling through peer-counseling groups on campus, among them the Counseling and Rape Crisis Hotline, Students Talking About Relationships, the Queer Resource Center and Peer Education for Responsible Choices. Many also seek help from community advisors right in their own building.The utilization rate of the center is "off the charts," according to Senior Director of the Psychological Counseling Center Dr. Robert Berlin. The uniqueness of the center comes from its strict policy of confidentiality, which separates it from the counseling services at other universities, according to Berlin. "We adhere to confidentiality, we're down at the bottom of the hill, we don't interface with any departments, and we advocate for the rights of students," Berlin says. Unlike other universities that may require counseling as a result of a disciplinary matter, students who use the Psychological Counseling Center are self-referred and therefore there only by choice, according to Sawyer. Brandeis is also unique in that students can continue to be counseled on campus, as opposed to other schools, which may refer students to therapy off campus after a certain number of visits. The struggle the University faces is when students in need don't seek counseling help and friends do not notice or reach out for help. "Everyone has that problem in every community," Berlin said. "You don't know those people who are that alone, that desperate, don't reach out, don't tell the truth, hide, are too stoned [or] too drunk," he said. The University works to educate students about the resources available to them, hoping students will make informed decisions when counseling is necessary. "I want [students] to understand what the counseling center is. I want them to know who works there and what it's like to be a patient at the counseling center or a client at the counseling center so they can make an informed decision about whether that's good for them," Director of Student Rights and Community Standards Dean Gendron said. The hope is also to reach more students by educating the student body about the signs to look for in their peers. "Could we do a better job in terms of the students? I think so," Berlin said, noting the need for more mental health education programs through speakers, presentations, meetings or forums. "We're working on the education piece," he said. "Also, bringing people who have things to offer that would be useful in understanding signs of difficulty in others and in general just raising the level of consciousness, though it doesn't need to be raised too much. This community is pretty smart," Berlin said. While the University has been successful in getting the word out about what is available, there is always room to reach more students, according to Mark Hajjar '13, a coordinator of the Student Sexuality Information Service. "It's a little bit of a balancing act. We try and highlight [our services] and get the word out about it, but we can always do better," he said. SSIS, a confidential peer-counseling service, is known for educating students on safe-sex practices but also offers "heavy duty" counseling, according to Hajjar. "All of the counseling groups on campus have felt a certain degree of pressure and self-evaluation because it was a tragedy," Hajjar says of the February suicide. "For all of us who were involved in counseling and social support networks, it feels like a personal failure. I think all of the groups on campus have taken the time to look at themselves and what they've been doing and really evaluate what could have been done differently," he said. Rebecca Erenrich '12, a coordinator of Students Talking About Relationships, feels that although a good number of students are utilizing the counseling resources, the numbers could be much higher. Counselors for STAR have office hours from 2 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, more hours than students are using, according to Erenrich. She feels that more flyers, tabling and events are needed to get the word out about how STAR can be used, and she thinks that more collaboration between the different peer groups on campus is needed. Knowing what other groups can offer and working together would allow peer-counseling groups to make educated referrals to students as to which groups to see, which could better maximize the number of students using the counseling groups. "We're getting there, but we definitely feel under-utilized," Erenrich says. In the aftermath of the suicide, however, there has also been a surge in the number of students using the counseling resources, according to Sawyer. "So quite frankly, I think we need more therapists. I think we need more people in place. I think we're feeling a little tapped out. Certainly no student in an emergency will go without being seen immediately, but the counseling staff right now is very busy. It feels like in the aftermath, we could use a little help. We need more hours. If you walk by there on a weeknight the lights are on there until nine, ten at night, ... and that's therapy going on," Sawyer said. Though there is no plan to add additional hours or therapists on campus during the short remainder of this semester, according to Sawyer, the University plans to assess the need for more help over the summer and will add more counseling hours in the fall if necessary. "I would never say we can't do a better job making sure that our students are aware of all the resources on campus, not just counseling resources," Sawyer said. "There is so much in students' lives every hour ... in terms of information. So the struggle has always been where do we fit in with that, what do we need to do? What other medium is there or what other opportunities are there to make sure that students are totally aware of where they could seek assistance either through the peer groups, themselves or through the counseling center," Sawyer said. Catering to a high-tech generation in a Facebook-centered society, the University is working to keep up and utilize online resources to reach the student body. "One of the things that's interesting about being in higher [education] right now is the way students are learning both inside the classroom and outside the classroom because of advances in the digital sphere," Gendron said. "What is it that you're attached to when you're not in class? Are you looking at Facebook? Are you looking at SMS or videos? We want to understand what kinds of stimuli students are gravitating to," he said. "We can always do better, and that's all we're trying to do," Berlin said. "We're just trying to do as much as we can. ... No one likes a failure. Every time you face that you [try] to do more," he said.
Prof. Janet McIntosh (ANTH) was recently awarded the 2010 Clifford Geertz prize for the Anthropology of Religion for her book, The Edge of Islam: Power, Personhood, and Ethno-religious Boundaries on the Kenya Coast, according to BrandeisNOW.McIntosh's book explores the ethnic and religious tensions of the Swahili and Giriama peoples of Kenya while discussing how each group specifically relates to the practice of Islam. McIntosh said in an interview with the Justice that she was inspired to write this book because "Islam is all over the news right now and I think it's too easy for people to imagine that there is just one Islam. Something I focused on was the idea that there are many Islams, and Islam can mean very different things to people of different cultural backgrounds."According to the BrandeisNow article, the Clifford Geertz prize is given to an "outstanding work in the field" of anthropological study. The prize is given each year by the Society for the Anthropology of Religion.Members of the award's selection committee award the prize to what book they feel is the best in the anthropology of religion for that year, Misty Bastian of Franklin and Marshall College, one of the individuals directly involved in awarding the Geertz Prize, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. According to its website, the Society for the Anthropology of Religion is a section of the American Anthropological Association that seeks to facilitate the research and teaching of the anthropology of religion."The Selection Committee chose McIntosh's study both for its theoretical rigor and for its 'thick description' of religious, moral life in a place where people move between indigenous practice and Islam in Kenya," Bastian wrote. A particular focal point of McIntosh's book centers on how each group interprets the self, and in turn, its understanding and practice of Islam."The Swahili and the Giriama [communities], have very different ideas of what a person should be and what a person is. And so one thing I really explored in the book is that these different models of personhood really inform their different versions of Islam," she wrote. In an interview with the Justice, McIntosh said she is currently working on a second book that explores the adaptation of white Kenyans who are the descendants of colonial settlers.
A panel of eight leaders in business spoke at a media roundtable at the 2011 Global Trade Summit last Tuesday. They discussed business practices that they encountered on the Massachusetts Innovation Economy Partnership Mission 2011 to Israel and the United Kingdom and the application of these practices for Massachusetts companies. The roundtable discussion took place in the Alumni Lounge in the Usdan Student Center and was the first event in the day-long Global Trade Summit hosted by the Brandeis International Business School and the Perlmutter Institute for Global Business Leadership. The summit included sessions focusing on international trade and business, following the business panel itself.Each of the panelists, including moderator Bruce Magid, dean of IBS, accompanied Patrick on the mission that arrived in Israel on March 7 and left the UK on March 17, according to a March 8 article in the Justice. In his introduction to the roundtable discussion, Magid said that the Global Trade Summit was organized in response to the trade mission as a "logical and natural follow-up."According to the Justice article, the trade mission primarily addressed opportunities and challenges for companies that work in technological fields. Each of the panelists works with companies that focus on biopharmaceutical technology, life sciences technology or social networking.Magid said that the goal of the Global Trade Summit was to provide attendees with "the practical knowledge they need to expand exports and build international partnerships."The goal of the Global Trade Summit, Magid continued, was to bring together "representatives from industry, academia and the public sector to identify opportunities for future growth and job opportunities in the state [of Massachusetts]."Magid asked each of the panelists to explain why they chose to participate on the trade mission and to share insights they gained from the program.Diane Hessan, president and CEO of Communispace, which provides consumer insights and market research, who only attended the Israel portion of the program, said that she chose to participate in the trade mission because Israel is "number 1" in startups, venture capital, engineers and Ph.D.s per capita, and because technologies such as the cell phone, voice mail and the first anti-virus software were invented there.The two goals she had for the program, she said, were to learn how to implement Israeli business practices, particularly concerning environmental sustainability and handling risk in Massachusetts, and to bring Israeli entrepreneurs to Massachusetts.Tamara Joseph, senior vice president and general counsel of Cubist, a bio-pharmaceutical company, said that the decision to go to Israel was a "no-brainer" because "there are very interesting innovations there," especially concerning collaboration and innovation in business.Michael Greeley, general partner at the venture capital firm Flybridge Capital Partners said that he had hoped to learn how Israel has "weathered the storm" of the global economic recession, citing the country's "collaborative investment community" as a trait from which he hopes that Massachusetts businesses can learn.Other panelists also focused on Massachusetts' role in international trade. Andy Ory, co-founder of Acme Packet, which produces session border controllers for telephone communications, said that he believes Massachusetts has a "culture of innovation ... [and] a culture of excellence" that will be key to leading the changing technological market. He said that in order to enact this change, Massachusetts business leaders must "get out and engage and learn" how best to function in the changing market.Praveen Tipirneni, vice president for business development at Cubist, spoke about the benefits afforded to Massachusetts companies, particularly in his company's fields of life sciences and biotechnology, because of the "critical mass of all the disciplines you need to get a biopharmaceutical company started and going forward" available in the state."Massachusetts is competing for its edge on a worldwide basis," said Winston Henderson, vice president and general counsel of the drug development company Surface Logix. The ability for companies in today's economy to grow fast, Henderson said, is "critical." One of his goals for the trade mission was to "put Massachusetts on the forefront" in global trade, he continued.Frank Sinton Jr., CEO of PMC BioTec, which provides waste treatment technologies, the final panelist, added that one of the "side benefits" of the trade mission was the connections he was able to make with fellow Massachusetts business leaders during "bus time" and other time spent traveling. These local connections, he said, have helped him to learn about other business practices and have led to collaborative business plans that will help create jobs in Massachusetts.
For the 2010 to 2011 season, justSports has been given a press pass to attend Boston Bruins home games. We will cover these games periodically throughout the year.Last Saturday, the Bruins played their final home game of the season against the Ottawa Senators. Despite sloppy puck handling and several missed opportunities, the Bruins held on to win 3-1.After defeating the New York Islanders earlier in the week and dropping a meaningless season finale at the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins finished the season 46-25-11, good for third place in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins will take on the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs, beginning with game one on Thursday.After allowing just one goal against the Senators and sitting out the season finale, Bruins goalie Tim Thomas finished the season with a .938 save percentage, which is an NHL record. Dominic Hasek previously held the record with a .937 save percentage, which he set as a member of the Buffalo Sabres during the 1998-1999 season.With 12:53 left in the first period against the Senators, the Bruins scored their first goal. A rebound off a shot by left wing Shawn Thornton was grabbed by center Gregory Campbell, who found left wing Daniel Paille at the edge of the crease. Paille was able to redirect the puck in for his sixth goal of the season and fourth game in a row with at least 1 point.Paille said that he has been happy with the fourth line's production as of late. "Right now, [the fourth line] is scoring, and it's definitely helping," he said. "But the top three lines have been scoring all year for us. Once we get everyone on track, I think we'll be a great team." With 1:33 left in the first, Thomas pushed too far out of the goal to contest a shot from Senators right wing Bobby Butler. Butler was able to scoop up his own rebound and easily flicked the puck into the back of the net. Just 1:02 into the second period Senators right wing Ryan Shannon received a double-minor penalty for high sticking that put him in the penalty box for 4 minutes. The Bruins were able to capitalize on the one-man advantage as Bruins right wing Nathan Horton skated around the goalie and drilled a shot into the net. Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara and forward Milan Lucic were given the assists on the play.Later in the second period, Bruins left wing Mark Recchi earned applause from the audience for simply entering the game. He entered his 1,652nd career NHL game, passing Chris Chelios for fourth on the all-time list.The Bruins entered the third period with a 2-1 lead, a situation in which the team has been very successful all season. The Bruins entered the game with a 29-2-2 record when leading after the second period, and the team didn't disappoint in its home finale. Boston was able to hold on to the lead in the final period and even tacked on an additional goal for insurance.With 14:52 left in the third period, Bruins center Rick Peverley skated around the defenseman and scored unassisted.Bruins coach Claude Julien was happy with the team's performance in the home finale."I think it was important for us to finish on a positive note," he said. "A lot of good things came out of today's win."Last Wednesday, Thornton returned for the first time since suffering a facial laceration against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 29. After finally getting the nod to play against the Islanders, Thornton provided the necessary spark to lead the Bruins to a 3-2 victory. In the closing seconds of an otherwise uneventful first period, Boston tallied its first score when Paille flipped a rebounded puck to Thornton, who fired it into an empty net.Thornton just narrowly beat the first intermission horn, scoring a rare buzzer-beater goal with just 1/10 of a second left on the clock. The officials reviewed the play for several minutes, but the goal was eventually confirmed, giving the Bruins the momentum heading into the locker room for the first intermission."Well, I knew when we got out there, there was about 30 seconds, so I knew there wasn't much time," Paille said of the goal. "When we looked at the clock I couldn't believe it didn't go off even that quick, so it was great to get that right before the buzzer." After a tripping call on Bruins defenseman Tomas Kaberle 2:08 into the second period, the Islanders were able to capitalize on the power play by tying the game on a goal by rookie right wing Michael Grabner. It was Grabner's 32nd goal this season, which leads all rookies. Boston responded just 4 1/2 minutes later when defenseman Dennis Seidenberg fired the puck through Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro's legs for his seventh goal of the season.Campbell scored his 13th goal of the season and the eventual game winner 9:09 into the period to put the Bruins up 3-1. Grabner would add a shorthanded goal for the Islanders 14:26 into the second period, but Thomas was able shut down New York in the third period to earn Boston the victory. "It wasn't the kind of game you want to see from your team," said Julien. "I think the execution wasn't very good tonight. We weren't very sharp. Our best players certainly didn't make a difference and who made a difference was our fourth line, the Campbell line and the goaltender, who made some good saves for us." The Bruins also presented its club awards for the season prior to the game.The Eddie Shore Award for exceptional hustle and determination was awarded to Thornton.Thomas received the Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy for outstanding performance during home games.Defensemen Andrew Ference was awarded the John P. Bucyk Award for off-ice charitable contributions.The Three Stars Awards were presented to Thomas, center Patrice Bergeron and Lucic.
Adagio treasurer Taylor Lombard '13 got it right when she quoted Austrian writer Vicki Baum on the joys of dance. "There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them," Lombard wrote on the Facebook page advertising Adagio's Annual Spring Show. It was an apt description of the passion that nearly 100 performers displayed at the Levin Ballroom that night. And while the attendees gladly displayed their happiness-with shout-outs and cheers from the crowd, hugs and roses from friends after the show-the dominant emotions exhibited by the performers were less indulgent and primarily derived from hard work. With 15 energetic pieces, the members of Adagio took no shortcuts in putting together, on both Thursday and Sunday, the most popular dance performance of the semester.More than anything else, the Annual Spring Show was a celebration of the Adagio community. This was shown in the first piece, "Circle of Life," which was choreographed by Adagio Co-president Julie Judson '11. Nearly 70 dancers filled the stage and aisles of Levin while Jordan Warsoff '11, playing The Lion King's Simba figure, summoned an orange spotlight on the wall that resembled a sun. When all the dancers raised their hands in unison, the effect was powerful and dramatic. The emcee for the night, an animated Marc Eder '12, moved things along to introduce modern and jazz offerings like the colorful "Bass Down Low," choreographed by Emily Zoller '14; and "Who Do You Think You Are," choreographed by Lombard. The latter piece featured the scorned expressions of its dancers interpreting singer Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts," which concluded with Camille Dolfen '12 defiantly shoving off another dancer's arms and jumping off the middle of the stage-a stunning ending. Adagio Co-president Greg Storella's '11 "Foley Room" presented abstract interpretations of the drum and bass of Brazilian musician Amon Tobin in what must have been an artistically and physically challenging piece for the dancers-each, however, moved along to the zips and zoops of the music with the individualistic confidence of a violin maestro following his conductor.One of my favorites of the night was choreographer Sam Cortez's '13 "Smooth," a humorous all-male dance that starred the jaw-dropping, hip-hop skills of Shaquan Perkins '13 and an adorable, charismatic Rocky Reichman '13 dancing to Justin Bieber's "Baby." Even without the technical caliber of the modern dances, the dancers' attitude and vigor made the performance a blast.The most imaginative piece of the night was Storella's "Conversations about Dance," during which instead of music, dancers moved along to their own sound bites about dance. "It takes all my stress away," a contemplative Melanie Shapiro '12 said as part of the prerecorded dialogue that played over the sound system as Shapiro herself spun these words into movement. There were exceptional bits of discourse by all dancers here: "'I didn't think of myself as a dancer at first.' . 'It's how I met my best friend.' . 'I'm so much happier because of it.' . 'Who am I if not a dancer?' . 'If you choose to dance, you have to do it for nobody but yourself.'" The sentiment expressed in that last sentence is something, I think, most students deeply involved in extracurricular activities at Brandeis understand. When barely keeping up with the constant flurry of midterms and papers, it's not unusual for a student club leader to ask if the hours spent organizing this performance or event a worthy sacrifice.For Dance Ensemble Coordinator Danielle Gurr '11, involvement with Adagio has been a privilege. "Adagio has allowed me to push my boundaries, try new things, work hard at something I love and take the support I was given and give it to others," she said. "It's been amazing."Judson, also a graduating senior, spoke about how Adagio was an opportunity to grow, make lasting friendships, appreciate her body and understand the creative process of dance. The Annual Spring Show was the final stage of an experience that "has given [her] more than [she] ever expected it would." Something Judson will always remember about Adagio after she graduates is the visceral feeling of "standing at the edge of the stage and looking out at the people who are watching and supporting us," she said. "I will miss all of it, but with the wonderful feeling that I know I experienced it from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, and with my heart and soul."It was precisely this packaging of physical and emotional feeling that made for such a successful show.Editor's note: Rocky Reichman '13 is a Features staff writer for the Justice.
Night sets in quickly along the equator. Before I even arrived at Zongo junction, the bruised purple sky had turned to black. I hesitantly hopped out of the car and jumped into the tangle of bodies at the market. Searching for the van that would take me home, I had to sidestep motorbikes, taxis and feet. I marveled at the women selling oranges and fried plantains from bowls and baskets balanced on their heads while I strained to hear the call for my tro-tro, a popular form of public transportation in Ghana.I could not find it. The map my host mother had drawn me that morning was no help-all she had written was "Botwe tro-tro." A thin, young banana vendor saw my fearful eyes and asked me where I was going. I told her, and she nodded knowingly and beckoned me to follow. In the near darkness, we wound our way through the market. A little light emanated from cooking fires while cheap bulbs buzzed in barbershop windows. I finally heard the call I was looking for-"Botwe, Botwe!" I boarded the van, paid my fare to the mate and turned to the window to thank the little banana seller, but she had already gone. Following my map, I exited the bus at Babayara junction. It was then that I realized I didn't know where to go from there. I had just arrived in Ghana the night before, and I had never traveled alone at night to my house. I didn't remember which way to turn or how to ask for directions. Adding to my problems, there isn't much in the way of city planning here-most streets here have no names and houses are numberless. Frantically searching through my bag for my phone to call my host mom, I realized that it was gone. My eyes started to get wet with fear, but I knew that I had to find a way to get home. I saw a few children in front of a store and asked them for help. Suley, a boy of about 12, calmed me down. He walked with me to all the houses in the neighborhood, but in the dark I couldn't see the difference between the painted gates and cinder-block walls. I poured the contents of my bag onto the steps of an unfamiliar house, and a slip of paper fell out. On it was the telephone number for Dr. Yemi, my academic director here at the University of Legon. Suley passed me his phone, and I was able to connect with my director who called my host family. Thankfully, cellphones have become an enormous trend here in Ghana. That night at home, tucked into my mosquito net with my stomach full, I felt grateful to be alive and indebted to the kindness of people like Suley. Since that night, I have gotten lost countless times in many different cities in Ghana, but people have always recognized my troubled expression and come to my aid. I believe that people here are so helpful because they live according to the maxim "Be your brother's keeper." In Ghana, anyone can be your sister or brother, or even your father. One of my supervisors insists that we call him Papa. Ghana is a communal and interdependent society with a strong value on family. People rely on each other, and they care for one another. There is no such thing as daycare here because there is no need for it. If you can't strap a baby to your back, ask your mother or your auntie. If you can't find your way, someone will gladly guide you. "Be your brother's keeper" has been very helpful to me to keep in mind as a foreigner with a bad sense of direction. However, the degree to which a foreigner or obruni is looked after can be overwhelming at times. For example, a host father imposed a strict 7 p.m. curfew on my friend. One day, she lingered too long at a nearby Internet café to finish a school assignment and received a call promptly at 7 p.m. "ERICAWHEREAREYOU?" he shouted in a single breath. I study with the School for International Training, and the program requires that we relocate every 2 weeks. I have come to know many regions of Ghana and many kind people. In Accra, I lived with a family of five and an old grandma who loved to watch Oprah. In Kumasi, I roomed with Auntie Ama, a former nurse who spent 40 years in England. We drank tea every night before bed. During my village stay, I lived with a cocoa seller named Nana Opoku, and soon I will move to the east to study with a bead maker called Emmanuel. These are just some of the people I have come to know. As a foreigner, your movements are monitored at all times. I spent 2 weeks living in a rural cocoa-farming village in the fertile Asante region where I was watched all day and night, particularly by curious children. During the blazing afternoons, I would sit and read in the living room with the windows open for ventilation. Looking up from my book, I'd see little hands creeping over the edge of the windowsill, followed by sets of wide, brown eyes. In the village I was asked "Woko hen?" (Where are you going?) so many times that I just wanted to laugh-or maybe scream. There were only two possible answers to their question, anyway: to farm or home. I am no great speaker of Twi-a prominent language in Ghana-but I have mastered this basic exchange because it never changes: You say, "Maakye, wo ho te sen? Me ho ye" (Good morning, how is your health? My health is fine). Most importantly, you must end with "Ye da nyame ase" (We thank God). Ghana is a country known for its hospitality, and Ghanaians will welcome you with enthusiasm that may overwhelm both you and your stomach. It seems that the answer to any ailment is a heaping plate of boiled yams or any kind of sticky starch. One evening in the city of Kumasi, I returned to my home with soaking wet clothes from a torrential rainstorm. My host mom took one look at me, shook her head and ran to the kitchen to prepare me a big plate of rice and stew. It was nearly 10 p.m. and I had already eaten a large supper, but I was pushed to "eat all." In Ghana, I have encountered a lot of discomfort, be it from the extreme heat or lack of Western conveniences. I have chipped a tooth and cut my hand on a ceiling fan. I've gotten lost in the bush and in the cities. But I've always had a brother or sister here to look after me, to clean my wounds and tell me I will be all right. In a place so unknown, I have never felt alone.
Jane Eyre is a stylish and impressively directed film based on the classic novel by Charlotte Bronta and adapted for the screen by Moira Buffini. Directed by Cary Fukunaga, in his American-movie debut, the film centers around Jane (Mia Wasikowska), a bright and strong-willed young girl. She is broke and homeless until the Rivers' family, to whom she tells the story of her scattered and saddening past, takes her in. This plunge into extended flashback sequences begins with her ill treatment at the hands of a cruel and wealthy aunt, Mrs. Creed (Sally Hawkins), who eventually disowns her and sends her off to Lowood School. She is treated poorly by the cruel headmaster, but she eventually makes a good friend in the form of young Helen Burns (Freya Parks). Jane goes on to gain a good education and become a teacher. From there, Jane finds employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the mysterious and charming master of the house, Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender). The two become great friends and develop a relationship of discourse and equality, but they end up falling in love. The center of the story's action takes place around the couple, although their story is primarily told in flashbacks.If the order of the events I've described here sounds fuzzy and ambiguous, that's because they are. The film's temporal shifts are especially confusing early on, when we switch between Jane as a child, Jane as governess and Jane as part of the Rivers' family quite often. Anyone walking in a couple minutes late to the film would have absolutely no clue as to what is past, present or future. Luckily, these temporal changes decrease as the film progresses, and the bulk of the action focuses on Jane's time at Thornfield Hall. Indeed, so much time is spent there that it's easy to forget that the entire hour-plus sequence is a flashback, which we are only reminded of when the film resumes Jane's stay with the Rivers' family toward the end.Despite these technical concerns, the film itself is riveting thanks to excellent direction and powerful performances. Wasikowska, an Australian-born actress who has given notable, strong performances in the television show In Treatment and most recently in Alice in Wonderland, adds another notch to her belt of strong female roles with her turn as Jane. She brings the perfect balance of intelligence, quiet resolve and curiosity to the role, giving an incredible depth to her character, whose stealthy transgressions make up for the film's occasionally slow pace. Wasikowska is only topped by Fassbender, who gives a phenomenally intense performance as Mr. Rochester. His brooding inner conflicts and powerful charisma provide the perfect counterbalance to Jane's reserved strength, and the pair's relationship is a delight to watch unfold on screen. Some other noteworthy performances include Judi Dench as the kindly maid Mrs. Fairfax and Jamie Bell as the unsettling St. John Rivers. The great acting is matched by Fukunaga's phenomenal directing, who turns the halls of Thornfield Hall into a majestic catalyst for the story's emotional underpinnings. There is a ghost-like air surrounding the film's events, leaving one with the feeling that an unholy spirit could come floating through the walls at any given moment. Of course this never happens, but this edge of unease prevents the film from becoming just another historical romance piece. It's remarkable how the character's conflicts are inscribed within the walls of the castle, which envelopes an air of mystery and tension. Mr. Rochester's greatest secret is buried within the halls of his fortress and Fukunaga marvelously represents this secrecy through camerawork that explores the vast, creeping halls of the castle and contrasts them with the sweeping, lonely hills of the lands surrounding Thornfield. The stylish direction is compounded by the fantastic cinematography, and I smell early Oscar buzz for cinematographer Adriano Goldman. It's never an easy job to adapt a classic masterpiece into a film-let alone one that's already been made into a film no less than 27 times-but Fukunaga and his cast manage to leave their mark. With impressive directing and a great cast, Jane Eyre is a memorable modern take on a beloved classic that is sure to leave aficionados and newcomers alike satisfied.
The women's basketball team headed into Atlanta. and Rochester, N.Y. looking to sweep the season series against the Emory Eagles and respond to last week's loss to the Rochester YellowJackets. Unfortunately, the Judges, now 10-10, 2-7 in University Athletic Association play, couldn't find their mark against either opponent and lost both games last weekend. Last Sunday afternoon, the Judges faced the YellowJackets, who beat Brandeis 61-50 last weekend. The Judges held a slim lead until midway through the first half, when the YellowJackets began to fire on all cylinders and control the game from then on, pulling away for a resounding 80-51 win.In the first half, the Judges and YellowJackets maintained a tie game until 16 minutes, 1 second when the Judges went on a 7-0 run to take a 13-6 lead. Brandeis held this lead until 6:23 to go in the half when Rochester tied the game at 22 apiece. The YellowJackets got hot from the field and went on a 15-2 run to end the half, heading into the intermission with a commanding 37-24 lead. It wasn't the Judges' shooting that went cold but rather their defense that couldn't match up against Rochester."We struggled defensively at some points," said coach Carol Simon. "We fight hard, but we just have some breakdowns that tend to affect us on the offensive end."The Judges couldn't get a rally going early in the second half, trading points with the YellowJackets through the first 9 minutes. Leading by 9 points with 11 minutes to go, the YellowJackets began to pull away. Rochester silenced the Judges' shooters on pace to a 14-1 run to push the lead to 23 points with 5:22 left in the game. With the starters checking out of the game with 3 minutes left and a lineup of five rookies, the YellowJackets cruised the rest of the way, outscoring the Judges 29-9 from the 11-minute mark through the end of the game. Other than points-in-the-paint and blocks, the Judges were on the losing end of all major statistical categories. The YellowJackets dominated the Judges in rebounds, steals, assists and bench points. Rochester's defense shone in the game as well, forcing 17 turnovers, on pace to a 22-0 edge in points off turnovers. It also held the Judges to 0 second-chance points compared the YellowJackets' 18. "It came down to key turnovers, and [Rochester] executing on the other end," Simon said. "They were taking advantage of our mistakes, and we didn't take advantage of their turnovers. We didn't make them work hard enough, and they made us work very hard."Guard Mia DePalo '11 led the team with 14 points and added three rebounds. DePalo also was locked in from 3-point range, hitting on all four of her attempts from beyond the arc. Guard Morgan Kendrew '12 added 11 points, her 15th double-figure game in 20 games this season. Forward Samantha Anderson '13 added 4 points and five rebounds, and forward Amber Strodhoff '11 contributed 8 points. Last Friday night, Brandeis was in Atlanta for a rematch against Emory. Despite a close first half, the Eagles had the Judges' number in the second half, winning the game 72-55 to earn a split in the season series.The teams traded shots through the first 8 1/2 minutes, but the Judges rallied off 8 straight points to take a 17-10 lead with 9:19 to go in the first half. Brandeis held the lead until 3:16 left, when the Eagles went on a 8-2 run to end the half and head into the break with a 30-29 lead. Kendrew paced the Judges with 10 first-half points.The Eagles rallied off 4-straight points to start the second half to take a 5-point lead. The Judges cut the deficit to 2 with 15:33 left, but a 9-2 run by the Eagles left the Judges in a 9-point hole, and the Judges couldn't respond. The closest Brandeis would get the rest of the game was within 6 points, but the Eagles finished the game on a 27-16 run, pushing the lead as high as 22 before winning 72-55. The Judges were able to keep the Eagles' shooting in check in the first half, holding Emory to just 30 percent from the floor and 23 percent from beyond the arc. However, the Eagles found their mark the second half, shooting an impressive 71.4 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from 3-point land. In fact, the Eagles would miss just 6 shots the second half, hitting 15 of their 21 shot attempts.The Judges shot 40.9 percent in the second half, insufficient to keep up with Emory. Both teams also had difficulty making free throws the second half, with each shooting under 50 percent from the line. Subpar defense also plagued the Judges in the second half."We were not good defensively at all," Simon said. "We didn't defend the drive at all. When the other team shoots 72 percent in a half, it makes it very difficult to dig your way out of a couple of holes."Kendrew led the Judges with 16 points for the game. DePalo added five assists and three steals, as well as six turnovers. Anderson played a team-high 30 minutes and contributed 4 points and four rebounds. Strodhoff added 8 points and a team-high five rebounds.Two first-year guards also had solid games, as Kasey Dean had 6 points and four rebounds on the game and Julia Scanlon '14 added 8 points.Simon stressed that ball control would one of the focuses for this week's practices."Our biggest problem is giving points off of turnovers," she said. "We're going to make mistakes, but it's what you do after that mistake where you have to dig even deeper to get a stop."The Judges will return to action this weekend for contests with UAA rivals Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Correction appended
This year was an awesome year for music. Country music groups became more popular, hitmakers continued to shine and many newcomers hit the stage and radio with songs that became stuck in our heads. Auto-Tune was the big crutch that most artists used, but sometimes to artists' benefits. Unfortunately, artists whom we had seen and heard before didn't seem to change much, but they still managed to give us chart-topping songs. Here are my top 10 albums of 2010:1. Doo-Wops and Hooligans-Bruno MarsThis year was the year for breakout musician Bruno Mars. We first see Mars in B.o.B.'s "Nothing on You," an ode to beautiful girls. He then followed up with Travie McCoy in the summer hit, "Billionaire." After releasing his single "Just The Way You Are," Mars received what most male artists look for when beginning a career: women's hearts. Mars followed up with the hit "Grenade" at the end of the year, which is still dominating the charts today. Doo-Wops and Hooligans is a short album with just 10 songs, but it is effortlessly tuneful. The songs often sound as if they have been written on the spot, a quality that is endearing. The album flows well and is great to listen to when you want to chill. Favorite song: "The Lazy Song"- Mars sings about not doing anything, and it's the college student's dream.2. Teenage Dream-Katy PerryThis year, no one could get away from Katy Perry. From her catchy "California Gurls" single, which was played over and over on the radio, to the chart-climbing "Firework," Perry was a pop goddess force to be reckoned with. Despite the songs we all know and love, Perry has something fun to offer in this album. It is a risqué album that pushes the envelope with its sexual innuendos and connotations that can only be described as scandalous and typical for Perry.Favorite Song: "Not Like the Movies"-A great way to end the album. Perry doesn't necessarily show us her best vocals, but the song has lots of heart as Perry sings about true love.3. Thank Me Later-DrakeMany of you may know Drake as the cute, wheelchair-bound Jimmy on Degrassi. But on his album, Thank Me Later, we see that he is so much more. Drake began to dominate the airwaves with his hit "Over." Who can forget "Last name: Ever; first name: greatest," one of the best rap lines ever said? Drake is not, inherently, a bad rapper. The album's guest stars interact with these sometimes lackluster beats in different ways, turning an all-star team of support into a motley crew of mixed-bag backups. One issue I have with Drake is that he sometimes sounds lethargic and lazy when he raps. He luckily has synthesizers and other hot beats to bring it back. Favorite Song: "Find Your Love"-A rap ballad for the ages. Drake has great lyrics and a very catchy hook in this song. 4. Animal-Ke$haAt first, I didn't find anything on the album particularly noteworthy. It's neither new nor cutting edge, but it is fun. After a few minutes, I was enjoying some of the songs and was already humming them to myself. Ke$ha also knows that the main thing that pop music needs is a catchy tune, and, as expected, this album is stuffed with them. Whether she's singing about getting really drunk at some dude's house or about her one true love, the beats accompanying the songs will always be infectious or simply very fitting to the song's theme. It doesn't take long to realize that this album has one message: party hard and live life to the max.Favorite Song: "Animal"-The title track for this album is not a typical party song. It is something that can be easily enjoyed while sitting down and relaxing. 5. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy-Kanye WestI generally am not fond of Kanye West. But, ego aside, West actually manages to put out a good album with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. So what makes West's new music so 'Dark' and 'Twisted?' His outrageously hedonistic lyrics. In short, the album is brilliant. The rhymes are clever, the music is rich, the emotions are raw, and the themes are dark. Favorite Song: "Power"-West admits that he is the epitome of arrogance: "I embody every characteristic of the egotistic, he knows he's so gifted." 6. B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray-B.o.B.This album is a very good debut album because it introduces the listeners to B.o.B as an artist. The album is good creatively, but there is no real balance to it. It feels like he is experimenting a bit too much, because every single track is different (some might consider that to be a good quality), but for me, it is hard to stay focused on who B.o.B. really is. The Adventures of Bobby Ray will be well received by consumers who have an open mind and ear in the case of hip hop, but those looking for pure hip hop will likely skip B.o.B. As evidenced by such tracks as "Magic" with Rivers Cuomo, B.o.B. can fit in with mainstream pop music as well as dip into the realm of mainstream clean-cut rap.Favorite Song: "Airplanes"- There is something very endearing about wishing for a simpler time when you're an up-and-coming millionaire hip-hop star.7. Rokstarr-Taio CruzRokstarr lives up to its name. It guiltily caters to the general public in a broadened, generic sense while still maintaining a sloppy sense of self-indulgence. Rokstarr is one of those albums that you will either love or hate, but if you're already a fan of Taio Cruz, then you are going to love this album. Tracks such as "Dirty Picture," "Higher" and "Dynamite" are all excellent songs that will get you to dance and celebrate. I recommend this album to those who are always looking for the next party.Favorite Song: "Dynamite"-The second chart-topping single from Cruz. "Dynamite" is an anthem to looking good and feeling good anytime you want.8. Pink Friday-Nicki MinajNicki Minaj is one of the most creative female rappers of all time. Her will to rocket her way to the top of the music industry is apparent in her artistic lyrics and over-the-top music videos. If you like the singles "Right Thru Me," "Check it Out" and "Your Love," then you will love Pink Friday. Pink Friday has some songs aimed directly at the Top 40.Favorite Song: "Last Chance"- Featuring vocals by Natasha Bedingfield (shocker!) the song is a great flow of Minaj's rap and Bedingfield's soulful vocals.9. Recovery-EminemFor years, Eminem has only had his pain and anger from the problems with his mother and ex-wife to rap about, and it got tiring and annoying after a while. Now that Eminem has gone through the hardships of rehab and survived a suicide attempt, he gets a little raw and begins to rap about real things. Favorite Song: "Talkin' 2 Myself" ft. Kobe-This song is very engrossing and draws you into singing the chorus along with Kobe. I never heard of this guy before, but the track was very effective and enjoyable. 10. Crazy Love-Michael BubléMichael Bublé is the anomaly in this top-10 list. He's not a typical pop star, but he has had some success on the mainstream radio with "Haven't Met You Yet." This is Bublé's first album in 2 1/2 years, and it features two original songs along with his always-original take on 11 standards from various eras. It's a great compilation of soulful and poetic works that our generation has forgotten.Favorite Song: "Georgia on My Mind"- A classic song that is soulfully recreated by Bublé; this is a great de-stresser.