(02/11/14 5:00am)
Imagine being asked to become a pen pal with a prisoner on death row. Would you accept the offer, or shove it off as a ridiculous suggestion? This question became real for those in Levin Ballroom last Thursday night as a result of the experiences and thoughts shared by Sister Helen Prejean, a nun from New Orleans, during a lecture titled "Dead Man Still Walking: A First Hand Account of Death Row." The Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism along with 12 other campus groups sponsored the event as a part of this year's 'Deis Impact. Prejean was also a featured lecturer in the 'Deis Impact college, a series of open lectures on a wide range of topics. Founding director of the Schuster Institute Florence Graves introduced Prejean as "the country's most famous advocate for ending the death penalty," and "an extraordinary activist and human being." Prejean became well known in this country after writing her 1993 best seller, Dead Man Walking. The book was later adapted into a film and starred Sean Penn as Matthew Poncelet, the character inspired by Prejean's prisoner pen pal, Patrick Sonnier, and Susan Sarandon, who won best actress for the role as Prejean. Prejean also wrote a second novel, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States. After presenting a poignant clip of the Film Dead Man Walking, Prejean began her lecture by explaining that her activism stems from Justice Louis Brandeis' work for justice. "You drew me here because of [what] Brandeis is as a university," Prejean said. "You bear the name of a man of justice." She then began her story of how her book was transformed into an award-winning movie. After receiving a phone call from Sarandon, who was the first person to express that she wanted to transform the book into a movie. Prejean agreed to a meeting with her. She then praised Sarandon with her performance as an actor. "Susan Sarandon defines the vocation of acting as in forced compassion, getting inside people's skin and their lives. I just want to hold up that the acting profession is a worthy," she said. "Anything we're gonna do ... to understand about a dimension about human rights and to get that word out there is worth doing, is worth giving our lives to. "None of them could see [the book] as a box office success," Prejean said on how all the Hollywood studios turned down the screenplay. Little did these studios know that the film would receive four nominations and Sarandon would win an Academy Award. Prejean started her work as an anti-death penalty activist when she was leaving the adult learning center in New Orleans and was approached by a man who worked in the prison coalition office. He asked her if she would be interested in becoming a pen pal to a prisoner on death row. Prejean accepted the offer, and wrote a letter to Patrick Sonnier who, along with his accomplice and brother, Eddie Sonnier was charged with raping and murdering Loretta Ann Bourque and murdering David LeBlanc. She eventually became the spiritual adviser to Sonnier. "I wrote that first letter never dreaming that two, two and a half year later he [was] going to be killed in the electric chair and I [was] gonna be with him when he dies," she said. After visiting him and gaining a trusting relationship with Sonnier, Prejean realized, "we're all just human beings, that's all we are." In addition to describing the relationship she built with Sonnier as well as his brother (who was also convicted for rape and murder although not sentenced to death), Prejean also explained the relationships she formed with the families of the victims who were killed by the Sonniers and the lessons they taught her. Prejean was especially fond of David LeBlanc's father, whom she described as the hero of the story. "[Mr. LeBlanc] was the first one who taught me that what forgiveness means is not letting hatred overcome you," Prejean said. Prejean further reflected on the feelings of the victim's families, saying they realized that "they are not going to honor their name by having the government using the name of the victim and then kill a human being," she said. She then recalled some families saying, "death penalty re-victimizes us." Prejean concluded the event with a question and answer session. Among these questions included how Prejean suggests others take action on this issue. "It never hurts to write the mayor to your city, and you say well he doesn't have any kind of legal power. But when you're talking about the voice of the people, you talk about discourse in the community ... never underestimate that [power]," she suggested. In response to another question she was asked, Prejean responded with a question of her own: "Does the death penalty deter crime?" To which the people in the audience replied no. "If you look at the track record of the states that have practiced the death penalty the most ... and you look at the violence rate, its roughly double that than in the states that don't have the death penalty," Prejean said. Although obviously a woman with a religious background, attendees of the lecture were impressed with her ability to avoid religious beliefs in her lecture. "It was very good to hear from somebody who is in a religious position but was very nondenominational and secular, who didn't bore us with statistics but gave us stories and actual accounts of people who have suffered firsthand the injustice that is the death penalty," attendee Arlene Cordorez '17 said. "She's the best person I've ever met," Terrell Gilkey '15 said. "It takes a great person to see the humanity in a person who has done things like that. But she looked into his eyes and saw a human being, and that's amazing."
(02/04/14 5:00am)
On Sunday Jan. 26, former star of The Bachelor, Sean Lowe, married his fianc?(c)e Catherine Giudici in a live, televised ceremony. Lowe, 30, proposed to Giudici, 27, at the end of the 17th season of the popular ABC reality series. The nuptials took place at the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort in Santa Barbara, California, and multiple former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants were in attendance, including Desiree Hartsock, who became the next Bachelorette after being sent home on Lowe's season. Lowe, a "born-again virgin," and Giudici garnered attention up until the wedding ceremony due to their public decision to wait until marriage to have sex. The two have cited their religious beliefs for having come to that choice. A day after the ceremony, the couple appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the host jokingly subjected them to a lie detector test, which was administered by Dennis Blackstock, a polygraph expert. The test confirmed that the couple did stick to their convictions and waited. After their Tahitian honeymoon, Giudici will reportedly move into Lowe's Dallas home. In other news, actor Owen Wilson, 45, welcomed a son on Thursday with his former personal trainer Caroline Lindqvist, with whom he is no longer in a relationship with. Wilson also has a three-year-old son, Robert Ford, with his ex-girlfriend Jade Duell. Back in October, when Wilson's representative confirmed that he was expecting another child, Lindqvist was in the process of divorcing her husband. Though that sure sounds like a bit of a complicated scenario, congratulations to the parents nonetheless. Breaking news out of Tinseltown this week also included reports that actor Jesse Eisenberg has been cast to play Lex Luthor in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel-a natural leap for someone who starred as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, for sure. Warner Brothers broke the casting decision on Friday. This sure-to-be-a-blockbuster sequel is already full of star power. The film will feature Ben Affleck (Batman), Jeremy Irons (Alfred, Batman's butler), as well as returning stars like Henry Cavill (Superman) and Amy Adams (Lois Lane). The choice of Eisenberg has already attracted mixed reactions-whatever the final product, the film has already effectively captured people's attention with its casting. The still untitled sequel is set to premiere in theaters in May 2016. We will have to wait and see if it can break Man of Steel's gross of over $600 million. Last of all, the tragic news of Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman's death hit media outlets on Sunday. Hoffman's friend, screenwriter David Bar Katz, found him in his Greenwich Village apartment around 11:30 a.m. that day. Hoffman was 46. Police confirmed the death, which was reportedly caused by a drug overdose. They found Hoffman with a syringe in his arm as well as envelopes containing what was believed to be heroin at the scene. Last May, Hoffman entered rehab for snorting heroin. He had apparently relapsed after being clean for 23 years. In 2005, Hoffman won a Best Actor Oscar for the titular role in Capote. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor three times as well, for his roles in The Master, Charlie Wilson's War and Doubt. His work on Broadway also earned him three Tony Award nominations. The versatile actor is survived by his partner of 15 years, costume designer Mimi O'Donnell, and their three young children. Hollywood has lost a bright talent.
(10/14/13 4:00am)
The men's soccer team suffered a tough loss on Saturday to the No. 25 University of Rochester YellowJackets by a 3-2 score. With the loss, the Judges dropped to a 10-2 overall record, also falling to 1-1 in University Athletic Association play. The YellowJackets, meanwhile, moved to 9-1-1 and 2-0 in the conference. The first half was epitomized by a hard-fought, defensive-minded possession game. It was a battle of attrition in the midfield. Although Brandeis was able to maintain a majority of possession, it could not turn those opportunities into goals. This inability to score stemmed largely from the aggressive challenges made by Rochester senior goalkeeper Mike Moranz, whose ability to charge out of the net stopped several key chances on through balls. Similarly, Brandeis' dominant play in the midfield and well-organized defense prevented the YellowJackets from securing any real offensive chances. Even with a scoreless period, the Judges still felt confident in their game plan going back onto the field in the second half. "Our plan did not change at all," said forward Tyler Savonen '15. "Going into it we were confident in our abilities to play around them and play our game and get a win. When the second half started we had that same confidence." This confidence would pay off, though, as the Judges struck first. 10 minutes into the second half, midfielder Kyle Feather '14 sped down the left flank with the ball, cut in and sent a well-placed ball across the box to left-back Ben Applefield '14. Applefield then fired a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net, his second goal of the season. Feather additionally secured his second assist of the year. Brandeis' lead was short-lived, however, as the YellowJackets immediately responded. Rochester won a controversial free kick 40 yards out, and from there, junior defender Andrew Sheridan sent the ball into the box, where junior defender Keith Grafmeyer was waiting. Grafmeyer headed the ball toward the left of the net, forcing net-minder Joe Graffy '15 to make a diving acrobatic save. However, Graffy could only block the ball and no Brandeis player was there to clear the ball. Rochester sophomore defender Sean Daly capitalized, firing the ball into the roof of the net before Graffy could recover. The goal was Daly's third of the season and the assist was Grafmeyer's first. The tie would not last long, however, as Brandeis would strike back one minute, 26 seconds later. Brandeis earned a corner kick after an impressive offensive run down the right side by forward Evan Jastremski '17. Midfielder Josh Hacunda '16 sent in a cross to fellow midfielder Jake Picard '16, who took a powerful header, forcing Moranz to make a diving save. However, Savonen was there for the second attempt and put the ball in the back of the net, earning his fourth goal of the season. Although the Judges had a lead in hand, they started to struggle defensively. Rochester began to control the midfield, winning several challenges in the Judges' half. The YellowJackets were able to capitalize again when junior forward Alex Swanger cut to the left side of the field, blasting a shot into the bottom corner past a diving Graffy. The score then had been tied at two goals apiece. In the 78th minute, the YellowJackets were awarded another free kick in the Judges' side of the pitch. Junior forward Shane Dobles sent the ball deep into the box, finding freshman forward Jeff Greblick. Greblick took a leaping header and put the ball into the back of the net off of the right post, giving Rochester the go-ahead goal with 12 minutes, two seconds to play. The goal would turn out to be the game winner. Brandeis' high-pressured attack created a plethora of chances, but at the end of regulation, the Judges had nothing to show for their efforts. Savonen explained that the loss was particularly frustrating because the Judges played well for large spans of time. "I thought it was one of our best efforts of the season," he said. 'We played well together, especially in the first half and then at times in the second half. That's why the loss is so frustrating; I felt the way we played as a team was much better than that of Rochester." However, Savonen remarked that he still has faith in the team in future UAA matches. "I think we [can] win every other UAA game. We're confident in our abilities, and we know we can beat every team. We just need to maintain focus down the stretch, especially on free kicks and corners. This upcoming weekend [away matches against Carnegie Mellon University and Emory University] is huge for us." The Judges continue their schedule with a non-conference match tonight at home against Massachusetts Maritime Academy at 7 p.m. *
(10/07/13 4:00am)
Last Wednesday, Irish songstress Sinead O'Connor posted an expletive-laden open letter to none other than pop queen Miley Cyrus on her website. O'Connor's letter was a response to Miley's comment in a recent Rolling Stone interview that the music video for her new hit single "Wrecking Ball" drew inspiration from the video for O'Connor's 1990 song "Nothing Compares to U." O'Connor, 46, criticized the over-sexualization of Cyrus's new image, even warning the 20-year-old that "the music business will ... prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think its [sic] what YOU want." Zing! That was a more PG selection of the letter, by the way. Despite its crass language, the overall tone of the letter was one of care and concern for Cyrus that obviously stems from O'Connor's own experiences with the music business. Showing Cyrus some "tough love" may be the only way to really get her point across. O'Connor even advised Cyrus that she is "worth more than [her] body or [her] sexual appeal." Miley, however, turned to Twitter to respond, simply tweeting, "Before Amanda Bynes ... there was ..." followed by a picture of O'Connor. Many have taken offense at Cyrus's Twitter response, arguing that it was insensitive toward mental illness, considering that actress Amanda Bynes is currently undergoing psychiatric treatment. It doesn't stop there. Adding to this media-dubbed "feud," O'Connor has since wrote two more angry open letters to Cyrus and has even threatened legal action against her on account of her emotionally damaging tweets. If Miley's recent photo shoot with acclaimed photographer Terry Richardson is any indication-a photo shoot in which she, once again, wears nearly nothing-she certainly isn't heeding O'Connor's seemingly well-intentioned words. In other news this week, the rep for Glee's Naya Rivera confirmed on Thursday that the actress is engaged to rapper Big Sean. Rivera, 26, and Big Sean, 25, dated for around six months before their engagement. Twitter also plays a role in this bit of pop culture news-Rivera admits that she initially connected with Big Sean through exchanging messages on the social media website. Ah, Twitter-the maker and breaker of Hollywood relationships. Some more big celebrity news broke late Saturday evening, when media outlets announced that Halle Berry and her husband, French actor Olivier Martinez, welcomed a baby boy. No word on a name at the time of the announcement, but this is the second child for Berry, who had her five-year-old daughter Nala with her ex-boyfriend and Canadian model, Gabriel Aubrey. Berry, 47, was previously married to baseball player David Justice, and then to musician Eric Benet. Then, in July, she married Martinez. In an interview with CNN in April, she called this second pregnancy "a big surprise." Nonetheless, a big congratulations is in order for the happy couple! Well, Brandeis, there you have this week in pop culture. We'll wait and see how Twitter might dictate next week's celebrity news. *
(09/30/13 4:00am)
Sauntering into Cholmondeley's on a weekend night before the party begins is usually pretty awkward: the lights are still on, bands take their time setting up and the crowd trickles in at a markedly slow rate until 10 p.m.. This Saturday night, I made sure to get to Chum's early for the heavily advertised Har Mar Superstar concert, sponsored by WBRS-and was greeted by an empty room, instead of the crowded dance pit that the event's hype had led me to expect.
(09/30/13 4:00am)
Happy October, pop-culture enthusiasts! Guess who's back in the celebrity news circuit this week ... our favorite big-screen vampire, Robert Pattinson. No, he's not back in the news for bringing back that big hair-thank goodness. Rather, RPattz reportedly has a new gal pal, 22-year-old Dylan Penn. The model is the daughter of actors Sean Penn and Robin Wright. Pattinson, 27, officially split with Kristen Stewart in May. Photographers caught Pattinson moving some of his items from Stewart's home. The former Twilight stars had dated for three years, and Stewart's cheating scandal with director Rupert Sanders tarnished their relationship in its later stages. Meanwhile, Pattinson and his new flame Penn sparked attention when they attended a concert at the famous Los Angeles club the Viper Room, and then followed that up with a trip to hotspot Chateau Marmont for drinks. Now that sounds like dating, in true young Hollywood style. In some other Hollywood romance news, Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco announced this past week that she is engaged to Ryan Sweeting, her tennis player boyfriend of three months. Just three months! Earlier this summer, the actress was linked to Man of Steel actor Henry Cavill, but it looks like her relationship with Sweeting heated up nice and fast. The couple made a big public appearance at the Emmys recently, and then the rumors of their engagement began when the actress, 27, was photographed wearing a big diamond ring last week. Sweeting, 26, supposedly proposed on Wednesday, after which Cuoco tweeted "Flying high, I could literally touch the sky with you..." Funny, considering she previously dated Superman. Now, here's an update on Lamar Odom. The rumor mill just keeps on churning when it comes to the former Los Angeles Clippers player and his supposed drug addiction and recent brushes with the law (he was charged with a DUI last month). People magazine reports that while Odom and his wife, Khloe Kardashian-Odom, are still a couple, they are now living apart. In a much more fantastical report, TMZ speculated on Thursday that Odom had recently been spending his days hiding out in a home in a gated community around Palm Springs. They added that two women in their early twenties also live in the same house and that Odom is on a crack binge. Just when you thought the Lamar saga couldn't get any more bizarre, well, it actually did. Rounding off our pop culture fill this week, former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse made headlines this week for accepting a job working as a host at a New York City restaurant. Earth shattering, right? Sprouse, 21, along with his twin brother Cole, is currently enrolled at New York University and has been battling rumors that he is broke. He posted a reply to these rumors on the social media website Tumblr, claiming that he is "financially secure" and that he took the restaurant job "as a way to try a new experience, working somewhat below the means [he's] used to." This is a real testament to how difficult it is for these former Disney stars to stay out of the limelight, even after their shows are no longer in production. That's this week's pop culture highlights! I hope this enriching information will help you get through this full week of classes.
(04/23/13 4:00am)
A day of anxious waiting in lockdown at Brandeis came to an end Friday evening as police captured 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the remaining suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. A mere two hours after Gov. Deval Patrick declared the lengthy "stay in place" lockdown over, allowing Bostonians to go back to their usual business, state and local police announced that Tsarnaev was taken alive. The suspect was brought out of a boat in the backyard of a Watertown, Mass. home and subsequently taken to Mount Auburn Hospital, according to reports from Boston's ABC affiliate, WCVB. Police had been searching for Tsarnaev for about 19 hours. Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel confirmed the news in an email to the Brandeis community. "All stay in place orders have been lifted and we are returning to a normal schedule of activities," the email read. Flagel went on to acknowledge the efforts of campus safety staff and the students themselves. "As we return to our routines, all of us at Brandeis express our profound gratitude to [Director of Public Safety] Ed Callahan and his dedicated team of police officers who have worked tirelessly to ensure that our campus remains safe and secure," he wrote. "We are so proud of the way you are all supporting one another, and our hearts and prayers continue to be with those who were hurt." The news of Tsarnaev's arrest first came just before 9 p.m. Friday, following a day during which University officials cancelled activities and stepped up security on campus while local and federal forces searched the area for the probable bomber. The events of those 24 hours included a wild chase and shootout, which culminated in Watertown early Friday morning. Brandeis administrators maintained that the school was in no danger, but advised off-campus students to stay home, in keeping with the orders of local law enforcement. The Brandeis Office of Communications first alerted students to the situation in an email sent out at 2 a.m., informing readers of events but assuring them that "[t]here is no threat to the Brandeis campus at this time. All students should stay inside their residence halls and off-campus dwellings and report any suspicious activity." Campus lockdown mode was suspended around 7:30 p.m., shortly after Patrick declared it over for the rest of the area. Security efforts had been ramped up by the Department of Public Safety during the day, with University police stationed at the main entrance to campus. "Officers are identifying all individuals who request access to the campus. Perimeter locations are being monitored and are secure as well," wrote Callahan in an email to the Justice. The University sent text message alerts to students early Friday morning, notifying them that Brandeis was closed for the day. Flagel later announced that classes were cancelled via email, in compliance with a request from the governor's office. "We have not been informed of any specific threats to Brandeis or our campus," the email read. "Our police are on alert and on-campus students should feel free to go to dining halls and elsewhere on campus. Because of area travel restrictions, off-campus students should remain in place and should not attempt to travel to campus." Sherman Dining Hall, Usdan Student Center, Einstein Bros. Bagels, the Stein and Ollie's remained open, following their usual Friday schedules, according to Brandeis University Dining Services' web page. All other campus dining locations were closed. Goldfarb Library was opened at 2:30 p.m. and stayed open until 8:30 p.m., with the Farber Library available until midnight. The Waltham and Boston-Cambridge shuttles were suspended all day Friday, but resumed on Saturday, according to Flagel. The Crystal shuttle continued to operate on campus, including service to the Charles River Apartments, throughout the day. In addition to Waltham, Boston and Watertown, the communities of Newton, Belmont and Cambridge were in lockdown mode most of the day on Friday, according to boston.com. Residents of these cities were advised to stay inside and to not answer their doors for anyone other than a clearly identified member of law enforcement. Patrick lifted this restriction at about 6:30 p.m. Also according to reports from boston.com, all public transportation provided by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was suspended until Patrick lifted the ban. The lockdown provisions left an eerily empty city. Taxi service in Boston was also forbidden for about a span of about half an hour earlier Friday afternoon. Logan Airport remained open, according to its website, but was "operating under heightened security." Flights appeared to be arriving and departing normally. Amtrak, however, suspended its service between Boston and Providence, R.I. on Friday, according to reports from boston.com. The efforts of local law enforcement, Massachusetts State Police, the FBI, Homeland Security, SWAT and K-9 teams were focused on an area surrounding Arsenal Street in Watertown as of Friday afternoon, but moved to Franklin Street later in the night-the eventual site of Tsarnaev's capture. The search around Arsenal Street, which involved going door to door through many neighborhoods, took place about six miles from the Brandeis campus. The FBI identified the suspects early on in the process as Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, both of Cambridge. Multiple news outlets confirmed that Tamerlan was killed during a shootout with police in Watertown early Friday morning, while his brother remained at-large until late that night. Dzhokhar was described by the FBI as "heavily armed and extremely dangerous." Several local and national news outlets also confirmed that Dzhokhar was enrolled at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. The campus, in North Dartmouth, Mass. was evacuated Friday afternoon. Police confirmed early Friday morning that the two suspects also carried out the Boston Marathon bombings and were behind a fatal shooting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology late Thursday night. The MIT shooting was the catalyst that started Friday's series of events. State Police said at the Friday evening press conference that a convenience store robbery that occurred nearby at around the same time is not connected, to the best of their knowledge. Just 10 minutes after the robbery, an MIT police officer, 26-year-old Sean Collier, was found shot in his patrol car, according to a timeline of events posted on npr.org. Collier was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and confirmed dead later that night. Police then followed leads regarding an armed carjacking nearby and pursued the suspects to Watertown, where they engaged the two in a lengthy gunfight at around 1 a.m., according to the NPR timeline. Police reported that the two threw improvised explosive devices from their SUV. Tamerlan was severely wounded as a result, and was later pronounced dead at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center. MBTA police officer Richard Donohue, 33, was also seriously injured in the shootout and remains in critical condition. While the mention of a possible third suspect was denied in the press conference this evening, the Boston Globe reported that three people were arrested in New Bedford, Mass. after Tsarnaev's capture, in connection with the bombings. A possible link between Tamerlan Tsarnaev and a 2011 triple homicide in Waltham was also recently uncovered. The Boston Globe reported Saturday that the owner of a gym where Tsarnaev boxed said Tsarnaev introduced one of the victims, Brendan Mess, as his "best friend." Another one of the victims of the Waltham homicide, Raphael Teken, was a 1998 Brandeis graduate. The Boston Marathon bombings to which the Tsarnaev brothers are connected took place last Monday afternoon at the finish line of the marathon. According to boston.com, three people died and over 170 were injured as a result of the attacks.
(04/19/13 4:00am)
A day of anxious waiting in lock down at Brandeis came to an end this evening as police captured 19-year-old Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, the remaining suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. A mere two hours after Gov. Deval Patrick declared the lengthy "stay at home" lockdown over, allowing Bostonians to go back to their usual business, state and local police announced that Tsarnaev was taken alive. The suspect was brought out of a boat in the backyard of a Watertown home and subsequently taken to Mount Auburn Hospital, according to reports from Boston's ABC affiliate, WCVB. Police had been searching for Tsarnaev for about 19 hours. Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel confirmed the news in an email to the Brandeis community. "All stay in place orders have been lifted and we are returning to a normal schedule of activities," the email read. Flagel went on to acknowledge the efforts of campus safety staff and the students themselves. "As we return to our routines, all of us at Brandeis express our profound gratitude to [Director of Public Safety] Ed Callahan and his dedicated team of police officers who have worked tirelessly to ensure that our campus remains safe and secure," he wrote. "We are so proud of the way you are all supporting one another, and our hearts and prayers continue to be with those who were hurt." The news first came just before 9 p.m. Friday, following a day during which University officials cancelled activities and stepped up security on campus while local and federal forces searched the area for the bombers. The events of the past 24 hours included a wild chase and shootout, which culminated in Watertown early this morning. Brandeis administrators say that the school was under no specific threat at the time, but advised off-campus students to stay home. The Brandeis Office of Communications first alerted students to the situation in an email sent out at 2 a.m., informing readers of events but assuring them that "[t]here is no threat to the Brandeis campus at this time. All students should stay inside their residence halls and off campus dwellings and report any suspicious activity." Campus lockdown mode was suspended around 7:30 p.m., shortly after Patrick declared it over for the rest of the area. Security efforts had been ramped up by the Department of Public Safety during the day, with Brandeis police stationed at the main entrance to campus. "Officers are identifying all individuals who request access to the campus. Perimeter locations are being monitored and are secure as well," wrote Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan in an email to the Justice. The University sent text message alerts to students early Friday morning, notifying them that Brandeis was closed for the day. Flagel later announced that classes were cancelled via email, in compliance with a request from the Governor's office. "We have not been informed of any specific threats to Brandeis or our campus," the email read. "Our police are on alert and on-campus students should feel free to go to dining halls and elsewhere on campus. Because of area travel restrictions, off-campus students should remain in place and should not attempt to travel to campus." Sherman dining hall, Usdan Boulevard and Usdan Caf?(c), Einstein Bros. Bagels, the Stein and Ollie's remained open, following their usual schedules today, according to Brandeis University Dining Services' web page. All other campus dining locations were closed. Goldfarb Library was opened at 2:30 p.m. and stayed open until 8:30 p.m., with the Farber Library available until midnight. The Waltham and Boston-Cambridge shuttles were suspended all day Friday, but are scheduled to resume tomorrow, according to Flagel. The Crystal shuttle continued to operate on campus, including service to the Charles River apartments, throughout the day. In addition to Waltham, Boston and Watertown, the communities of Newton, Belmont and Cambridge were in lockdown mode most of the day, according to boston.com. Residents of these cities were advised to stay inside and to not answer their doors for anyone other than a clearly identified member of law enforcement. Patrick lifted this restriction at about 6:30 p.m. Also according to reports from boston.com, all public transportation provided by the MBTA was suspended until Patrick lifted the ban at the conference. The lockdown provisions left an eerily empty city. Taxi service in Boston was also forbidden for about a span of about half hour earlier this afternoon, but has returned since. Logan Airport remained open, according to its website, but was "operating under heightened security." Flights appeared to be arriving and departing normally. Amtrak, however, suspended its service between Boston and Providence, RI on Friday, according to reports from boston.com. The efforts of local law enforcement, Massachusetts State Police, the FBI, Homeland Security, SWAT and K-9 teams were focused on an area surrounding Arsenal Street in Watertown as of Friday afternoon, but moved to Franklin Street later in the night-the eventual site of Tsarnaev's capture. The search around Arsenal Street, which involved going door to door through many neighborhoods, took place about six miles from the Brandeis campus. The FBI identified the suspects early on in the process as Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, both of Cambridge. Multiple news outlets confirmed that Tamerlan was killed during a shootout with police in Watertown early this morning, while his brother is still on the run. Dzhokhar was described by the FBI as "heavily armed and extremely dangerous." Several local and national news outlets also confirmed that Dzhokhar was enrolled at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. The campus, in North Dartmouth, was evacuated this afternoon. Police confirmed early this morning that the two suspects also carried out the Boston Marathon bombings and were behind a fatal shooting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology late Thursday night. The MIT shooting was the catalyst that started this series of events. State Police said at the Friday evening press conference,that a convenience store robbery that occurred nearby, at around the same time, is not connected, to the best of their knowledge. Just 10 minutes later, an MIT police officer, 26-year-old Sean Collier, was found shot in his patrol car. Collier was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and later confirmed dead. Police then followed leads regarding an armed carjacking nearby and pursued the suspect to Watertown, where they engaged the two in a lengthy gunfight at around 1 a.m., according to the NPR timeline. Police reported that the two threw improvised explosive devices from their SUV. Tamerlan was severely wounded as a result, and was later pronounced dead at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center. MBTA police officer Richard Donohue, 33, was also seriously injured in the shootout and remains in critical condition. Dzhokhar fled on foot, and, earlier this evening, it seemed that he had been able to elude today's massive manhunt. While the mention of a possible third suspect was denied in the press conference this evening, the Boston Globe reported that three people were arrested in New Bedford after Tsarnaev's capture, in connection with the bombings. The Boston Marathon bombings to which the Tsarnaev brothers are connected took place Monday afternoon at the finish line of the marathon. According to boston.com, three people died and over 170 were injured as a result of the attacks. - Sara Dejene, Marissa Ditkowsky, Sam Mintz and Andrew Wingens contributed reporting *
(02/12/13 5:00am)
* These days, it's conventional wisdom that the Republican Party needs to figure out a way to attract more minority voters if it is going to remain a viable major political party. The numbers speak for themselves. In the 2012 election, President Obama won 93 percent of the African-American vote, 71 percent of the Hispanic vote and a whopping 73 percent of the Asian vote. In the more than three months since the November election, Republican after Republican has put forward ways to solve the GOP's "minority problem." Conservative pundits Sean Hannity and Charles Krauthammer proposed embracing immigration reform, where others have spoken of the need for Republicans to sponsor more black and Hispanic candidates. However, while immigration reform may serve as good public policy, I don't think Hispanic votes can be bought so easily. Likewise, as much as I would like to see a more diverse group of Republican office-seekers, tokenism won't cut it. * Several days ago, Avik Roy, a conservative health- care expert-of Indian descent- published an article on National Review Online, where he argues, I think correctly, that Republicans will win a bigger share of the minority vote when they stop trying to buy minorities off and begin to treat with them with respect as voters. * Roy writes, "The more Republicans make a genuine effort to respect minorities' languages, cultures, faiths, and values, the more likely it is that the GOP can find a broader audience for its core principles, and in turn build a truly durable conservative majority." * Roy's analysis of the issue is spot-on. If the past is any guide to the present, the serious outreach to those who stand outside "mainstream" American culture may prove particularly difficult for the Grand Old Party. * Our Republican and Democratic parties are some of the oldest political parties in the world. Since the Civil War era, they have dominated our political system. Of course, the particular policy positions each party has held has changed a great deal over the years. What has remained remarkably consistent, however, are the overall characters of both political parties. Since the days of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, the Democratic Party has been the party of the outsiders. As political analyst Michael Barone once put it, "The core constituency of the Democratic Party has been people who are seen by themselves and by others as something other than ordinary Americans or, to put it in less offensive terms, out groups." From slaveholders to Southern farmers, from Irish Catholics to European Jews, from Hispanic immigrant to the LGBTQ community, Democrats have always represented the "other." * In contrast, the Republican Party has traditionally represented "normal," "mainstream" Americans. In the 19th century, this group consisted mainly of Northern Protestants. Today, the average GOP voter is a married, middle-class, white, Christian male. The upshot of all this is that Republicans have always had a problem reaching out to minorities. This was true one hundred years ago as much as it is today. The Republicans were able to remain a viable political party, because, eventually immigrants assimilated and out-groups became in-groups. The rise of the Southern middle class facilitated the South's movement to the GOP as much as backlash against the Democrats' embrace of civil rights. The rise in Catholic votes for Republicans is undoubtedly linked to the mainstreaming of Catholics in American life along with the rise of the abortion issue. * So why can't Republicans just wait for that same transition to happen with today's out-groups and minorities? For example, why can't Republicans just wait for more Hispanic Americans to enter the middle class and start voting Republican? * This is because assimilation isn't what it used to be. Comparatively, it is much easier these days to become a successful member of mainstream American society while still retaining strong ties to one's fringe identity. * Just look at our country's Asian population. What other immigrant group has had such great success in obtaining the American dream and becoming part of American society? Yet, many Asian-Americans remain non-Christians, part of a variety of religious minorities. Likewise, most of us know immigrant families who, rather than avoiding their mother-tongues as past generations of immigrants did, made an active effort to teach their native languages to their children. * Even as America's out-groups become in-groups, they retain a sort of outsider identity. For the GOP to appeal to these votes, it is going to have to shed its 160 year identity as the party of "normal" Americans. As Roy argues, it is going to have to embrace the "other" in a way it hasn't in the past. * This transition will be a challenge, but not an impossible one. As I mentioned before, our parties have changed over the years. If you had told Abraham Lincoln that in 150 years the South would be voting almost uniformly Republican, the Great Emancipator would have been shocked. That our first black president is a member of the party that once stood for slavery and Jim Crow is an epic historical irony. * The world is shrinking quickly, and identities are more fluid and complex than they used to be. If Republicans want to avoid shrinking as a party, they will need to meet the challenge of embracing this reality.
(02/05/13 5:00am)
The intensity of the battle between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday could not have been any more exciting, as the game ended in favor of the Ravens by a mere three points. What could more accurately epitomize the American Dream than winning the Super Bowl and imagining that you are the quar- terback who will be telling viewers all around the nation that you are going to Disney World? The obvious answer: being Beyonc?(c) Knowles-Carter. The 31-year-old's stellar halftime performance left spectators in awe, so much so that her performance was succeeded by a power outage-the cause of the 35-minute black- out is still under investigation, but we all know that Beyonc?(c) took the power and ran with it. I was half- expecting Beyonc?(c) to come back out during the outage and perform again, and then run away with the Vince Lombardi Trophy herself. Following the controversy that ensued after she was accused, and found guilty, of lipsyncing, using a pre-recorded rendition of "The Star- Spangled Banner" during her performance at the presidential inauguration, Queen B was sure to respond with a superb performance-sung live, of course-at the Super Bowl. The setlist commenced with her hit "Love on Top" and transitioned right into "Crazy in Love." She proceeded to perform "End of Time," flawlessly and effortlessly. Not surprisingly, she performed the older but never forgotten 2003 hit "Baby Boy"-the voice of Sean Paul was pretty much the only pre-recorded soundtrack to be detected during the performance, other than numbers during which Beyonc?(c) was dancing. Beyonc?(c) did not need Sean there; she had holograms of herself projected on the stage showcasing the investment in outstanding tech and lighting. Destiny's Child reunited on the stage, which seemed fitting considering the recent release of the group's new song "Nuclear." The group performed the popular hit "Bootylicious," followed by fan favorite "In- dependent Women (Part 1)," which was featured on the soundtrack of the Charlie's Angels 2000 adaptation. Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams remained on stage with Beyonc?(c) to help her with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)," and left Beyonc?(c) to finish up the set solo with "Halo." Despite the fact that Beyonc?(c)'s performance was so entrancing, fans, such as myself, were left with an unresolved yearning for Beyonc?(c) to perform her hit "Countdown." The deception was conjured by the multitude of advertisements put out by Pepsi, which sponsored the halftime show, featuring the song. In addition, Jay-Z, Beyonc?(c)'s husband of almost five years, did not make an appearance during the halftime show. Perhaps he was off playing daddy and watching Blue Ivy Carter, the couple's daughter, whom I have come to know as "Destiny's Child." The Pepsi Halftime contest results were also a bit of a letdown, especially considering I did not win. Contest participants were asked to submit photographs of themselves completing certain tasks, such as puckering up or posing as a clock, for the chance to appear in the slideshow put out by Pepsi prior to the halftime performance. However, our hopes were certainly met when Destiny's Child did make an appearance and performed old favorites, thankfully omitting "Nuclear" from the setlist since it is not of the classics and does not live up to the group's previous work. Obviously Beyonc?(c)'s talents andability to put on a show exceeded our expectations. Her energy was such that I could not even sense her becoming tired throughout the whole performance, although I became drowsy just watching her. The lighting and effects used throughout the performance certainly met the standards of a Super Bowl-meets-Beyonc?(c) performance. The use of fire and pyrotechnics; fog; the multi-colored illuminations and a huge, lit structure in the shape of Beyonc?(c) herself-a new world wonder I like to call the Colossus of Beyonc?(c). The most empowering part of the entire performance was not even Queen B's singing and dancing: surprisingly, it was the fact that every performer on the stage was female. The dancers and musicians-which included a guitarist, bassist and saxophonist among other-all happened to be female. The theme of independence and strength for women and its importance to Beyonc?(c) was evident in her song choices and clearly in her choice of performers. Perhaps that is a major contributing factor as to why Jay-Z did not make an appearance, but that is just my own theory. Now that Beyonc?(c) has set such a high standard, I am curious to see who will want to follow her next year at Super Bowl XLVIII. I wish those musicians luck.
(10/08/12 4:00am)
Cruel Summer is not a Kanye West album and anyone preparing to listen to it needs to know that. Rather, a G.O.O.D. Music album featuring 23 different artists, only one of whom is Kanye West. G.O.O.D. Music is a record label started by Kanye West in 2004, and it has since signed some of the biggest artists in music including John Legend, Common and Kid Cudi. All of the other G.O.O.D. Music artists are much less well-known; thus, it was a smart marketing tactic for West to release an album with both big and small names, giving his less-popular artists a huge amount of exposure. In addition to the famous acts on the G.O.O.D. Music roster, Cruel Summer also features some of West's successful friends including Jay-Z, R. Kelly and Ghostface Killah. With such a star-studded lineup led by West, the king of high expectations, Cruel Summer had a lot of hype to live up to. Websites such as Pitchfork and Global Grind made excited posts about the album long before it was released. Unfortunately, the album comes across as forgettable. Cruel Summer is a compilation album, but some efforts should have been made to make it feel more cohesive. Ideally, Cruel Summer would serve as a G.O.O.D. Music crew album, appropriately displaying the talents of the label's members in the form of an enjoyable record. Puff Daddy & The Family's 1997 release, No Way Out, proves that great crew rap albums can be made. Like those featured in Puff Daddy & The Family, the members of G.O.O.D. Music are not officially a rap crew, but that does not excuse the record's sloppy track arrangement. "Creepers," which featuring only Kid Cudi, comes awkwardly after a stream of tracks that each features four to five different artists and sounds comparably out of place. On its own, "Creepers" is an enjoyable, catchy song and serves as a nice break from overly-crowded songs. Within the track listing, however, Kid Cudi's solo performance and comparatively peppy song do not belong. "The Morning" features six different artists. It has a simple beat, giving the rappers a chance to show off, but none of the verses are memorable. Besides the lack of cohesion, this is one of Cruel Summer's biggest problems: lacking ambitious beats or powerful verses, many of the songs become repetitive and boring fast. "Mercy," the album's second-highest charting single to date at No. 13 on the Billboard 100, is difficult to listen to all the way through, thanks to Lil B saying "swag" every fourth beat, which is no longer a creative technique. "The One" is led by the rapping of Big Sean and 2 Chainz. Both are up-and-comers on the G.O.O.D. Music lineup (Big Sean was recently featured on the new Justin Bieber single, "As Long as You Love Me"), but neither is a very good rapper. Big Sean and 2 Chainz's unexceptional, boring flows start to test the listener's patience, especially toward the end of the six-minute song. Within the jumble, Cruel Summer does have some decent songs individually. The opening track, "To the World," is particularly catchy. The song features just R. Kelly and West, allowing for a nice balance of melody and rapping - good rapping, at that. "Clique" is the album's highest charting single to date at No. 12 on the Billboard 100. A good beat and a couple of solid verses from Kanye and Jay-Z make the song one of Cruel Summer's best. But that still isn't all that amazing, especially in the grand, non-cohesive scheme that is Cruel Summer's track listing. Even the album's best songs would be considered bad when compared with the rest of West's library. No, Cruel Summer is not a Kanye West album, and it shows. If this is what we have coming in the future from the G.O.O.D. Music artists, I respond with a great big apathetic "eh." *
(09/10/12 4:00am)
Possessing a 2-0 lead midway through the second half, the men's soccer team must have felt that it had last Sunday's game against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology all but wrapped up.
(08/27/12 4:00am)
While school was out for the summer, the Brandeis Athletics Department remained busy by giving an array of awards to its athletes for their accomplishments last season.
(04/30/12 4:00am)
Fittingly enough, the senior players got the job done in their Senior Day matchup against Bowdoin College last Wednesday. Led by relief pitcher Alex Tynan '12, center fielder Sean O'Hare '12, catcher Kenny Destremps '12, right fielder Zach Malis '12 and left fielder Joe Galli '12, the Judges defeated the Bowdoin College Polar Bears 14-7 last Wednesday. The Judges improved their record to 8-29 this season, finishing the year with a 2-1 mark in the last three games. Bowdoin's record fell to 18-14 with this loss. The fifth and sixth innings proved to be the turning point of the game for the Judges. The team collected 11 of their 14 runs in that half-hour of play. In a season that has been plagued by offensive struggles, Brandeis finally showcased its potential for power in its lineup against the Polar Bears. Although Bowdoin outhit the Judges 15 to 14 and led 6-3 in the top of the fifth, the Judges did not surrender easily. O'Hare went two-for-three in the leadoff position, earning two walks, firing off two doubles and crossing home plate three times. The strong game for O'Hare capped off a hot streak for the third baseman to end the season, batting .400 with seven runs scored, three doubles and three home runs in his last five games. Since coming off injury last week, the center fielder ended his season on a high note. In addition to O'Hare's effort, Destremps went two-for-four with three runs and an RBI in the second spot in the order. Designated hitter Pat Nicholson '11 MA '12 gave an outstanding performance, tallying a game-high four hits with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Malis and Galli both reached base twice in the winning effort. Much of the team's victory was attributed to the seniors' impressive performance. Galli admired his fellow seniors' dedication to end their baseball careers on a high note in the final home game of the season. "All of us played well," he said. "It was nice to win our last home game." While the seniors were the stars of the Judges' winning effort, additional help came in the form of three RBIs from center fielder Chris Ferro '13. Brandeis also received a crucial boost from the bullpen. Tynan led the Judges' pitching effort, allowing only five hits and one earned run in three and one-third innings, in which he struck out three batters. Relief pitcher Andrew Weissenberg '12 and Nicholson would combine to seal the victory for the Judges. Starting pitcher Kyle Brenner '15 earned the win even amid a six-run start, improving to 3-7 on the season. However, the record is hardly indicative of the rookie's success on the mound, forecasting a successful career for the Judges. The Brandeis baseball team, however, could not get the job done in its final day of play, losing both games of their doubleheader at Trinity College last Sunday. The Judges' bats were cold after an offensive explosion against Bowdoin. While the Judges only had one hit less than Trinity, they nonetheless failed to convert any of their opportunities into runs. Ferro went three-for-four, singling in the first, doubling in the third, and singling again in the seventh. No other Brandeis player was able to notch a multi-hit game to contribute to the offensive output. Mike Swerdloff '13, in his final start of the season, pitched five innings for the Judges, allowing eight hits and three earned runs, while striking out three batters. Tagged with the loss, Swerdloff fell to 3-4 for the season. Starting pitcher Brian Ing '14 followed his effort with a scoreless sixth inning. While the bats awoke for Brandeis in the second game, Trinity's offense likewise reawakened. The Judges failed once again to convert their hits into runs. Ferro again led the Judges' effort, going two-for-four with two doubles. While Nicholson only pitched two innings, he surrendered the decisive fifth run, failing to notch a win on the season at 0-4. Tynan stated it was an unfortunate way to end the season, but noted that it was a learning experience for the newer members and will hopefully lead to future success. "Even though this season was rough, we have come together as a team," he said. "We just need to focus more, and I think we have the potential to start next season on a high note." With the loss at Trinity, Brandeis concludes its season at 8-31, a mark that the team will hope to build upon for the 2013 season.
(04/23/12 4:00am)
Starting pitcher Dylan Britton '13 came to the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning, looking for two crucial outs to keep the game tied 1-1. Instead, Endicott College shortstop E. J. Martinez delivered a sacrifice fly to hand the Gulls the lead - and the 2-1 victory.
(04/03/12 4:00am)
For those of you sitting unaware in Einstein Bros. Bagels and sipping your large iced coffee, Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old boy gunned downed outside his father's home in Sanford, Fla. on Feb. 26.
(03/26/12 4:00am)
The New Orleans Saints have met their maker. After years of collecting payouts for deliberately hurting other players, such as quarterback Brett Favre, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended coach Sean Payton for the 2012-2013 season, while also seizing the franchise's next two second-round picks. Plays in the bounty system started with a standard pass. Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy snatched the ball from his center. As his receivers struggled to get open, McCoy scrambled to evade the flashes of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense that barged toward him. Approximately one second later, however, a vicious helmet-to-helmet assault from Steelers' linebacker James Harrison sent McCoy reeling. He then lay writhing on the ground. Football is inescapably a rough sport. However, with the increase in awareness about the dangers of helmet-to-helmet collisions, rules have been instituted to ensure that hits like the one suffered by McCoy occur less frequently. Still, however, these hits happen. According to a poll conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, Alzheimer's and similar diseases related to memory loss have been diagnosed in former players at a rate of 19 times the standard for men ages 30 to 49. Another poll from the University of North Carolina's Center for the Study of Retired Athletes discovered that over one-fifth of former NFL players that claim to have sustained three or more concussions have also developed depression-like symptoms. These polls suggest a link between the head trauma obtained from participating in football and neurological disorders developed later in life. This sobering data affirms why news of the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal is so disturbing. "We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game," said Goodell. "We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities." Payton attempted to cover up the bounty system, even when the league established that no such system could exist. Gregg Williams, the Saints' former defensive coordinator who now works with the St. Louis Rams, has also been indefinitely suspended by the league. The Saints were also fined $500,000 . The bounty program officially began in 2009, the year in which Williams first joined the Saints and New Orleans secured their franchise's first Super Bowl championship. The bounty system continued up through the 2011 season, even after continued warnings from the league that warned teams to put a stop to any potential misconduct. Players were paid hundreds of dollars out of a pool created by the players, coaches and others affiliated with the Saints. At one point, during the team's 2009 championship run, the pool grew to as large as $50,000. Who is truly to blame for the Saints' scandal? Certainly Williams had a role in perpetuating the bounty scheme. Payton and the players involved can't be excused either. Football is a form of entertainment. In today's fast-paced world, hard-hitting football is a must. We want to witness brute contact. We need explosive collisions that dismantle players like McCoy. The focus of the American people does not yet take into account the safety of the players involved in the sport of football. The Steelers crowd booed emphatically as Harrison was tagged with a penalty in a game, indifferent to a man twisting on the ground. If you are looking for someone to blame for the Saints' bounty scandal, perhaps we should all take a long look in the mirror. The coaches and players broke rules and endangered the livelihood of many individuals. However, perhaps it is the spectators' attitude towards the sport that also needs readjustment.
(03/20/12 4:00am)
With a runner on second in the bottom of the ninth inning in last Saturday's game against Case Western Reserve University and trailing 9-1 with two outs, pitcher Pat Nicholson '11, MA '12 had the opportunity to inject some life into the Judges' bats with a key hit. Instead, he weakly popped up the ball to second base, and just like that, the Brandeis bats were down swinging.
(03/05/12 5:00am)
Although Brandeis students may have been on break from Feb. 21 to Feb. 25, Brandeis athletics was in full swing, competing throughout the country. The baseball team participated in its first of two tournaments in Florida, both basketball teams concluded their regular seasons at home and the nationally-ranked tennis teams competed in California. Baseball While the baseball team may not have been competing against major-league squads, the team was in Florida for its own spring training session. Competing in seven games at the Central Florida Invitational, the squad compiled a 4-3 record. The Judges scored seven runs in the first two innings, en route to winning the first game of the season against Warner College 7-3. However, Brandeis got a rude wake-up call in the second game, getting shutout 12-0 by Augustana College. From there, the baseball team would win three out of the next five games, notching victories over Farmingdale State College and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Starting pitcher and first baseman Kyle Brenner '15 tossed two complete games, allowing just three runs in 16 innings to finish the trip at 2-0. Leadoff second baseman Sean O'Hare '12 has started off the season on a tear, hitting .440 (8-25) with one home run, five RBIs and eight runs. The team will travel to its annual University Athletic Association tournament in Florida this Sunday, beginning with a game against Emory University. Men's Basketball With 19 points Feb. 19, men's basketball forward Vytas Kriskus '12 became just the 30th men's basketball player in Brandeis history to reach 1,000 career points. After averaging 15.8 points on 46.7 percent from the field and 6.6 rebounds in league play, Kriskus was named to the first-team All-UAA. Center Youri Dascy '14 and point guard Tyrone Hughes '12 were named honorable mentions. After an impressive victory over No. 24 Washington University in St. Louis, the eventual UAA champions, the Judges only stood two games behind first place at a respectable 7-5 mark. However, consecutive home losses against the University of Chicago and New York University halted Brandeis' chances of making the NCAA Tournament this year. The Judges finished the regular season at 13-12 and 7-7 in the UAA, losing four out of their last five games. to conclude the 2011-2012 season. Women's Basketball The women's basketball team, which has struggled all year against conference opponents, finally found its rhythm on Senior Day. On Feb. 25, the Judges halted their six-game losing streak to defeat NYU 62-55 and pick up their second conference victory of the season. Guard Morgan Kendrew '12 scored 21 points in her final game at Brandeis and finished the season with an average of 13.4 points per game, the highest on the team. She also averaged three rebounds this season and shot 38.1 percent, receiving a spot on the Second All-UAA team. Guard Diana Cincotta '11, MA'12, who averaged 6.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in conference play, was named as an All-UAA honorable mention. Before the loss to NYU, the team had suffered blowout losses to WashU and U Chicago to end their season with a 2-12 mark in the conference. The Judges finished 9-16 overall for the season. Men's Tennis The tennis teams earned a reprieve from the New England winter when they traveled to California for their first competitive action of the season. Beginning the season as the 24th ranked Division III team in the nation, the men's squad got off to a rough start in California, losing both of their first two matches by a score of 7-2. After a 6-3 victory over Chapman University, the Judges fell to No. 15 University of Redlands 8-1. Steven Milo '13 notably won his first match of the season easily, 6-1, 6-4. His second match, however, was a much closer affair, facing off against Cal Lutheran sophomore Nicholas Ballou. After losing the first set, Milo took the second set and the tiebreaker, winning 5-7, 7-6 (6-0), 1-0 (10-6). The team hopes to offset its slow start to the season when they travel to the Middlebury Invitation in Vermont this Friday to compete against NYU. Women's Tennis Ranked 30th in Division III, the women's tennis team had a much more positive outcome in its California road trip, emerging undefeated in five matches. The team beat California Lutheran University 6-3 and Occidental College 9-0. After a close 5-4 victory over Chapman University, the Judges soundly defeated Whittier College 7-2. The fifth matchup of the trip, against the No. 28 University of Redlands squad, lived up to the hype. The victor was not determined until the final match, as No. 2 Faith Broderick '13 pulled off a 7-5 victory in the tiebreaker set to give the Judges a 5-4 victory. Broderick also won four out of her five matches during the week. No. 1 Carley Cooke '15 won all five of matches in impressive fashion, dropping just one set. The Cooke and Broderick doubles team earned victories in all five matches. The team will next compete against NYU at the Middlebury Invitational.
(12/05/11 5:00am)
Former Central Intelligence Agency Covert Operative Valerie Plame Wilson and former Ambassador Joe Wilson spoke in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall last Wednesday about their roles in investigating claims of nuclear threat leading up to the Iraq War and about how the information they uncovered was manipulated by the administration of then-U.S. President George W. Bush. Plame spoke first about her experiences. Rather than telling her story as a political issue about Democrats versus Republicans she said, "This story is about power and the abuse of power," she said. Public service was considered "noble" in Plame's family growing up and this mentality contributed to her choice to work for the CIA, she stated during the talk. "I loved my job. … I really found a great sense of satisfaction from what I was doing," she said, noting that her time as a covert operative included recruiting foreign spies and gaining expertise in preventing the "bad guys" from acquiring nuclear weapons. In 2002, Plame was responsible for gaining information on Iraq nuclear weapon development. This process was difficult, she said, because the United States Embassy in Iraq was shut down after the First Gulf War and because former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had expelled weapons inspectors from the country in 1998. Plame explained that she learned about the possibility that Niger was selling yellowcake uranium, a powder that can be used in the production of nuclear weapons, to Iraq after the Office of the Vice President contacted one of her young employees. A CIA analyst recommended that she send her husband, Wilson, to Niger to investigate the claim, Plame continued. According to Plame, two government analysts met Wilson as soon as he returned from Niger to the Wilson's home in Washington, D.C. He informed them that the yellowcake uranium claim was "totally bogus," Plame said. In January 2003, then-President Bush announced that "the British government ha[d] learned that Saddam Hussein [had] recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa," in his State of the Union address. Plame said she thought at the time that Bush was referring to an African country other than Niger and that the assertion must have been separate from the claim that Wilson had investigated the previous year. According to Plame, media sources had begun attributing the claim to an unnamed former ambassador. The Wilsons began doubting the truth of Bush's statement, Plame said, particularly following an interview in which then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice disclosed information on the subject that the Wilsons knew to be erroneous. "I felt that our troops [in Iraq] were in mortal peril" because the nuclear threat that had been the "central rationale" for invasion was now in doubt, Plame said. On July 6, 2003, The New York Times printed an op-ed by Wilson titled "What I Didn't Find in Africa" detailing how he believed that information about the sale of yellowcake uranium from Niger had been manipulated. On July 14, 2003, an article in The Washington Post by columnist Robert Novak ousted Plame Wilson as a CIA covert operative. Plame was worried about her career and about the safety of her then-three-year-old twins, she said. The period following Novak's article felt like "falling down Alice's rabbit hole, where white is black and black is white," she added. According to Plame, media sources referred to her as a "glorified secretary" and accused her of nepotism for sending her husband to Niger. She resigned from the CIA in 2006 and filed a civil suit against former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, former adviser to the vice president Scooter Libby and former Senior Advisor to the president and former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove for contributing information to Novak's article. Plame concluded by encouraging students to become involved in public service. "You've got to hold your government in account for their words and deeds," she said. Wilson then spoke, stating that the "propaganda campaign" against him and his wife "ignored the salient facts" about the yellowcake claim. "The administration knew [the claim] was bogus," he said, but had come to the conclusion that they "could not afford to wait" in acting on the nuclear threat. Citizens have the responsibility to challenge the reasons for going to war, Wilson said, especially when the government has been caught in a "bald-faced lie." "The time to ask questions is before. … You cannot be passive in self-governance," Wilson said. The Wilsons have each published books about their experiences; Wilson's The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity: A Diplomat's Memoir was released in 2004, and Plame 's Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House was released in 2007. Fair Game, the film based on their memoirs starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, was released in 2010. The Office of the Provost sponsored the event.
