OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071105/WLURG39_RTP_20071105_001.2.txt ' Volleyball back in NCAAs Y; u-ikzi I Y H1.'.¥7."!Vi‘.‘.. l i2s‘~.4lw=.~.a-ii-311*.’ "‘.vl‘-43'3"‘ ocw; M’ .fln."o‘.MéMJ in our first moview review coiumn, Scott Centorlno breaks down American Gangster, the new Rldley movie Brat stars Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Russell crowe. ARTS & LIFE / page 4 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING—TUM PHI. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5,2007 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME CXI, NUMBER 7 V aadrty, Friday eel’ ; Saturday nights lfi gram. ~ 2 cam. Ptinsw l, THE fifliitsiifii EXPRESS 3 ,3 ii norm: is HIGRLIGHTED 3*, in YELLOW ran mun -‘ couveusencs. |I\l'Iv I-I-I-I-l\ wru-J urinal 6.: .-—-v‘-~v——r.—_«¢';zm’~J0‘~\IlS‘—(-)r.>~4 .“,(A"w?_,:_‘p......... COURTESY OF TRAVELLER Problems have continued with the Traveller safe-ride system. On Monday night someone at the Pole Houses threw cans at a dispatch van. When the driver got out, bystanders said the student ran away. Drivers reflect on driving, students over Parents’ Weekend By Wes O’DelI STAFF WRITER lt’s shortly after 11 p.m. on Parents Week- end, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons are blaring in the background. The girls in the back are tipsily trying to get the names of their cadet escorts straight—then the chorus hits and they abandon their efforts in order to sing along. The music is loud and spirits are high as “December, 1963” gives way to “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.” its just another night on one of Travel- ler’s buses. The Traveller safe-ride system, the net- work of professionally contracted buses and student-driven taxis designed to get party- goers home safely, has faced a particularly challenging year; physical damage to the buses, verbal abuse from students, and a ren- egade malevolent bus driver have all strained nerves at a program that has expanded ex- ponentially over the last few years to meet tremendous student demand. It has done so in the wake of several failed “On average, I think they do really well. Most show re- spect, but then you have the oddball John Smith, Traveller bus driver safe-ride systems that have graced W&L’s campus over the last two decades. The drivers themselves had much to say about their job on recent ride-alongs con- ducted by the Phi. The Good The men and women who drive for Trav- eller do so because they genuinely enjoy the job. “I love it; this is my relaxation time. I have a good time driving. . .1 get to chat with the kids,” said driver Mike Hudnall, a “four or five year” veteran of Traveller. “It feels pretty good [keeping drunk driv- ers off the road]," he added. Similarly, the drivers agree that, despite recent troubles, most riders are polite and well-behaved. “On average, I think they do really well,” said Jerry Massie, the site manager and lead See “TRAVELLER” on page 2 Team upsets No. 1 seed Bridgewater to win another ODAC crown By Michael Keenan SPORTS EDITOR For the first time in years, the Washington and Lee women’s volleyball team did not en- ter the ODAC playoffs as the top seed. How- ever, this only made them more determined to win as they steamrolled their way through Emory & Henry, Randolph-Macon College, and Bridgewater to win their seventh con- secutive ODAC title and assure themselves a place in the NCAA playoffs. The Generals entered the tournament as one of the league’s hottest teams, riding a 22 game winning streak dating back to September 22. On Friday evening the Generals opened the tournament against seventh-seeded Em- ory & Henry. The Generals took the sting out of the Wasps who only managed a meager 0.073 hitting percentage for the match. Offen- sively, the Generals were led by junior Laura Maurer’s 10 kills and eight aces and sopho- more Rachael Phillips’ 10 kills. Preparing the way for the attack were setters senior Lauren Rudolph and sophomore Kristi Stevens, who tallied 17 and 20 assists, respectively. “We just focused on our game and played at our own pace, not thinking about what team was on the other side of the net,” said Phillips about the team’s focus in the early rounds. ' The final score was 30-19, 30-17, 30-12. The win advanced the Generals to the semi- finals where they would face sixth-seeded Randolph-Macon who upset Virginia Wes- leyan to advance. The Generals did not drop a game to Ran- dolph-Macon in the two matches they played during the regular season. The streak contin- ued as the Generals swept the Marlins 3-0 with games scores of 30-14, 30-17, 30-25. Phillips and Maurer continued to lead they way, tallying 18 and 12 kills respectively. Stevens and Rudolph combined to chip in 36 assists, and senior Jess Hudock added seven kills and eight digs. in the regular season, but that game helped us see what we needed to improve upon to get better as a team, so we focused on those things and have improved dramatically since then.” The Generals played like a team on a mis- sion, grounding the Eagles’ plans to foil the Generals’ hopes for a seventh straight ODAC title. En route to a 30-22, 30-19, 30-18 vic- tory, the Generals were led by the usual sus- “We had no doubt that we were going to win the game against Bridgewater. We have a much tougher schedule than they do and have battled good teams and come out on top, so we had the edge in that area. ” LAUREN RUDOLPH, team captain In the finals, the Generals faced a Bridge- water team that had not lost since September 15 and had swept the Generals in the Warner Center earlier in the season. However, the team knew this match would be different. “We had no doubt that we were going to win the game against Bridgewater,” said Ru- dolph. “We have a much tougher schedule than they do and have battled good teams and come out on top, so we had the edge in that area. The first time we played Bridgewater we did not play as well as we wanted to, and we lost. Of course we hated losing to them pects. Phillips, Maurer and Hudock all regis- tered double-digit kill totals while Rudolph and Stevens combined for 39 assists. “It is amazing to have won ODACs every year that 1 have played,” said Rudolph. “Be- ing a part of a program that is this successful is amazing and I’m sure that tradition will continue long after I’m gone because of the coaches and players that constitute the W&L volleyball program.” The team title was not the only piece of See “VOLLEYBALL" on page 2 Ruscio defends proposed four- Week Spring Term Current structure strains faculty, undermines academic exploration By John Henderson 5 TA F F w R I T E R President Ruscio made the case for a shorter Spring Term on Monday to students, stating that two classes in the spring is too many. “If we don’t do something, spring term is going to be in real jeopardy,” he said. But he made his pitch to a largely empty room. Two student forums — one on Oct. 15 and one on Oct. 29 — drew just one stu- dent to each meeting. That miserly turnout suggests that student input won’t be a major factor when faculty vote on the plan today. This year, students will be required to take two classes dur- ing Spring Term, which Ruscio believes will defeat the purpose of having a shorter semester. He is concerned that Spring Term will become a condensed fall or winter term, not the immersive academic experience it was meant to be. R Last year, the faculty voted in favor of a two-class require- ment for Spring Term, believing that many students were treating Spring Term like a six-week vacation. A more intensive term would keep students focused on school, they reasoned. But as Ruscio pointed out, 25 percent of the student body would have to leave to accommodate regular class limits. Other- wise, classes would have to get bigger. Ruscio fears that small classes encouraging academic exploration, which are the essence of Spring Term, would be replaced by large, ungainly ones. “If we don ’t do something, Spring Term is going to be in real _ jeopardy...we have one foot on the gas and the other foot on the J brakes. ’ Ken Ruscio, university president Ruscio’s plan would limit students to one class during the four-week term and thereby keep classes small. He said that his model would revert Spring Term to its original format: a short, intense academic experience with greater flexibility. Ruscio stressed that he is not trying to get rid of Spring Term but save it. He said, “l’m worried that in two years it would re- ally collapse. .. This is a way of rejuvenating Spring Term.” He said that students would still have the option of going abroad for a full six weeks or doing spring internships such as the Washing- ton Program. Ruscio sees a lot of potential in a four-week Spring Term. Without scheduling constraints, professors could be creative See “RUSC|0’S PLAN” on page 2 Ruscio’s p _- » i-FA shortened four-week springi1'e replace the current six~week'l: - . Students will only be required. 0 one intensive academic class. R believes this will revitalize the M -a ic conversation and allow pric§_es;, " g to structure their classesgini Ve“ , exciting ways. 0 1, 9, Requiring one class during finri .. 1 instead of two will also atiow; ii 1 . . stay small. it 1 .3 ’ Students still have the optic. i ' abroad for a full six weeks of ’ 1 spring internships such as lilies . Term. : P L '7 Teaching, credit, and major req. ' , meats will be reduced. Prof - only have to teach 5.5 course’ 7, gnrhich means five courses of‘ . L six the next. p. . - lffaculty approve the plan ‘ _?Jeffect during the 2009-2016 ffyear. This spring and next spring‘ A operate under the previous ‘ where students can take one.- . classes during the six weeikiter OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071105/WLURG39_RTP_20071105_002.2.txt wmmcrou Q Lglémm mmmMW 2 - THE RING-TUM PHI ° Nov 0 5 280? MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2007 ’ with how they structure their Life on Traveller continued from page one bus driver; “most show respect, but then you have the oddball. . .the one’s that are good try to be good for the one’s that aren’t.” Hudnall has actually seen marked im- provement over the last few years; while he received “no thank-yous” his first year at W&L, he now says a majority of riders thank him. “For the most part, students are very polite,” said driver John Smith, “[but] every crowd has one or two jerks.” The Bad According to Smith, there are three kinds of drunks: “the happy go-lucky drunk, who is nice and sweet, the guy who wants to fight, and the sick and blacked-out kind.” Rude and belligerent riders are a pe- rennial problem none of the drivers be- lieve will ever go away. Each deals with them in their own way. Hudnall, for example, is fond of slow- ing down near the county jail and direct- ing the angry rider’s attention that way: “there’s free room and board there!” he exclaims. Music can also sooth the savage drunk; Massie and Hudnall’s buses are both equipped with sound systems. “They ask for music,” said Massie, “[it’ll] keep them calm until we get where we are go- ing.” Sick students are a sore spot: “Use the bucket, don’t use the bus,” said Hud- nall. John Smith —who has taken three students to the Health Center already this year—vividly recounted an episode in which a rider at the back of the bus was so sick that the evidence of his sickness ran all the way to the front of the bus. Liquids of any sort are forbidden; vi- sual evidence of alcohol earlier this year Ruscio’s plan continued from page one classes, he said. Students would have more time and attention to dedicate to one class and would get more out of it. The plan would “revitalize the academic conversation and get us thinking in new and excit- ing ways,” Ruscio said. Ruscio’s plan is not just to short- en Spring Term but to lessen the teaching, credit and major re- quirements as well. Professors would only have to teach 5.5 courses per year, which in practi- cal terms means five courses one year and six courses the next. Teaching is more complex than ever, Ruscio said, and professors need more time to teach, advise, write and do research. Ruscio said that most other liberal arts schools have far smaller requirements than we do, but at W&L we try to do too much. “We have one foot on the gas and the other foot on the brakes” he said. But Ruscio also feels that W&L has the best environment of any liberal arts college for teaching and learning. He be- lieves that if W&L can rethink its requirements, it will become a leader among liberal arts colleg- es. “We’d be like the Red Sox sweeping the Rockies” he said. Ruscio will present his plan to the faculty today. If approved, the plan would go into effect in the 2009-2010 academic year. Spring term would go back to its original format until that time six weeks long with only one re- quired class. Volleyball continued from page one hardware the Generals took home. Phillips was named ODAC MVP. She was joined on the All~ODAC team by Maurer and Hudock. The Generals now move on to the NCAA playoffs where they could be sent to Texas or New Jersey. “We want to have another great NCAA run like last year, and it is «definitely possible,” said Rudolph. “Once we find out who and where we play, that first game will be our focus, but if we con- tinue to play the way we have the past few weeks, 1 think it will be a great NCAA tournament for us.” “Whether we win or lose, we just hope to play all out and leave everything on the court,” said Phillips. “And if we do lose, we want to go down fighting.” Seven straight _”-‘ 1 Aside from Brtdge- r "‘ *]water’s tltte in P 2000, W&L has won qevery ODAC crown , since 1997 P E _ The regular season 0 toss to Brldgeater was the first ODAC; , toss since 2001 ©2007 US. Cellular Corporation. even provoked the police to search a bus. This Parents Weekend, one rider tried to bring what Smith described as “a trash bag full of beer” on the bus. When Smith explained that the spirits would have to stay behind, the spurned rider was “very upset.” The drivers agree that students don’t understand the buses. “When they get on the bus, it’s like ‘what can you do for me?”’ said Smith. Students don’t realize that Traveller is a system to get them home safely. Many also can’t wrap their minds around the idea of Country Express, which runs a continuous route from Red Square to the country after midnight to reduce wait times. Riders tend to swarm the buses near the end of the night, fearful of being stranded. Drivers have seen some stu- dents nearly trampled in the rush, de- spite the fact that the buses will gener- ally make another run after 2:00 if the crowds warrant it; Traveller Country Express didn’t return to Red Square on Parents Weekend Saturday until 2:29. Despite recent troubles, Massie is op- timistic that the Traveller organization and the students can solve their prob- lems: “Together, we’ll all get this ironed out.” The Taxi There is no typical night for a Travel- ler Dispatch driver. On October 26, for example, driver Jess Steinmetz (with a Phi reporter in tow) was sent to a non- existent address in town, mistaken for a Dominoes delivery vehicle, and offered a chance to purchase narcotics some- time in the future by a particularly grate- ful rider. “It was such a slow night,” she said-- without irony-—afterward.. Operated by the students for the stu- dents, the Dispatch service operates a number of taxicabs that ferry students right out of the box, along with a 30-Day FREE Napster To Go trial. Which makes it, literally, music to your ears. US. Cellular is wireless where you matter most?” 7/? us. Cellular getusccom. 1~888—BUY—USCC U.S. CeHuiar®introduoes the ‘ ' if “ MOTOROKR""-—a phone and" " MP3 player in one simple, stylish plug-and~piay form. It comes with everything you need to get started throughout the town and county. Thus far into the year, drivers have been con- fronted with an unusual amount of abuse on the part of the riders. “People think [it’s] their right, a privi- lege,” Steinmetz said in reference to the program, which relies in large part on the willingness of service-minded students to give up their party nights to help make the community safer. The pay they receive is often‘ compa- rable with that offered by fraternities to their school-mandated sober drivers, but the treatment they receive at the hands of riders is ofien worse thanks to the sense of entitlement many students attach to the Traveller service. Nonetheless, Traveller drivers soldier on, both for the pay and for the satisfac- tion that comes with helping fellow stu- dents. “I’m supposed to get off at 2:00,” said Steinmetz. “I’ve never gotten off at 2:00. MOTOROKR" Z6m O OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071105/WLURG39_RTP_20071105_003.2.txt MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2007 THE RING-TUM PHI 0 3 opinions —-—-——--—— WASHINGION AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING—TUM PHI. MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR ASST. NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS&L|FE EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITOR ASST. COPY EDITORS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGN EDITOR DESIGNER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MNGR. libel and JACOB GEIGER JESSICA SHAW GRACE WANG STACEY GRIJALVA SACHA RAAB MICHAEL KEENAN CATHERINE CARLOCK WILL DORRANCE ANDY RUBIN KATHIE SCOTT SCOTT CENTORINO KEVIN CORN BRIAN DEVINE JOHN HENDERSON HANK NATHAN WES O’DELL AMOR NEILL THUPARI RUSS WEEMS KIMBER WIGGS LARA JORDAN LENORA NUNNLEY CHARLES PERSONS STROCK MOORE MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING—TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting,.we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING—TUM PHI is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year. THE RING—TUM PHI is a member of The Media Board, which can be reached at mediaboard@w|u.edu, but is otherwise independent.THE RING—TUM PHI welcomes all letters. We reserve the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and advertising do not necessarily reflect the opinion of THE RING—TUM PHI staff. This newspaper observes current court definitionsof obscenity. THE RING-TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGI-NIA 24450 Diversity needs student participation editor When I think sometimes Why do we laugh at situations that really are not funny? By Lenora Nunnley C0 LUM NIST Why exactly do we laugh? That’s right; I am asking why do we laugh, in particular at other people? Many of the things that we giggle, chuckle, and double over laughing at are not really funny at all once you stop and think about it. I’m sure you’ve found yourself, at some point in your life, laughing at a person be- cause they are running. Yes, running, which by itself is not hilarious. However, given that all surrounding people are calmly walk- ing and there’s that one man who is sprinting as if being chased by a cheetah that hasn’t eaten for 91.2 days, you just might find run- ning rather funny. Would you laugh? Even if you’re not the laughing type, most would smile or at least make a little humming sound as if to contain a laugh. Why? Because we find it funny when other people run and we are unaware of the reason. Of course the man could be running to save a baby who is being suspended ov_er a balcony by a very pale high—voiced male or perhaps he is running to help a 97-year- old lady cross the street. However, because of his inability to share that valuable infor- mation, he will be the source of someone else’s laughter. Sadly, I cannot honestly say that it would make much of a difference even if he were being chased by a hungry cheetah. It’s my bet that after the bystanders ensured their own safety, they would most definitely bend over and laugh at the man who was running for his life. This is not funny. However, if such a thing were to happen, I guarantee you that 99.5 percent of the witnesses would laugh, call someone else and tell an exaggerated version of the story, and/or bring up the situation for comic relief at some point in the future. Why do we laugh when people fall? Here’s how it usually happens: Some- how you fall, quick like lightning you get up, rearrange your clothes, and wipe off a single bead of perspiration, and you look around two to four times to make sure you were not seen. If you have witnesses, you look down at your feet and floor and exclaim “what was that?” loud enough for everyone to hear, pretending that something besides your own two feet caused your fall. As you Of course the man could be running to save a baby who is being suspended over a balco- ney by a very pale high—voiced male... but because of his in- ability to share that, it is funny. carefully walk away looking confused, you listen for whispers or laughs. Once you’re out of sight of the witnesses you sigh while thinking,“That was so embarrassing.” That’s mostly likely how you reacted when you fell. A deviation would be if you fell on your face or in front of kids. If you fall on your face, never jump back up; most likely your face will be stinging so badly that you won’t be able to anyway. However, even if you feel like you can get up, stay on the ground motionless and wait for someone to run to your rescue; that way people will be more apt to feel sorry for you or at least see if you are okay be- fore laughing. Actually, when you fall it’s always best to stay on the ground for a few seconds rather than jump back up; with ev- ery second you remain on the ground, the level of sympathy you will receive increas- es exponentially. But if you fall in front of a group of kids, you better be prepared for an earthquake. Yes, the earth will shake with high pitched laughter. A vivid description of your fall will definitely be the first thing out of all the kids’ mouths when they see their parents. Most likely after one of these falls you will start preaching that falling is not a laughing matter and can be very serious be- cause people can get hurt. Your pride will probably be the only things hurting at the time, but you will try to convince the kids otherwise by making up some story about someone who fell and had to go to the hospital. The extreme may even say that the person died because of their fall. If you trip, you will also get laughed at. However, trips are more disappointing, at least for the witnesses. So you’re walk- ing, whistling a cheerful tune, and you trip; there is a spilt second between a trip and a fall, and it’s during that spilt second that sus- pense builds and people become excited. During that split second, people around you will start celebrating within themselves as they think they are about to witness a fall. However, you terminate their anticipat- ed climax of you hitting the pavement when you catch yourself and do not fall. Of course, some will ask you if you are okay, but they are secretly very dismayed; others will laugh anyway to mask their dis- appointment. _ I’ve given you three examples of things we laugh at that are not exactly funny, how- ever, the list could go on. By no means am I advising anyone to stop laughing. Laughing is good for your health; I just want you to stop and ponder why we laugh. Strikes = reruns Why pay more for disappointing quality? W&L sfirst Black Homecoming Queen addresses student shock at her win I was not surprised to find an article attacking diversity on our campus in the Parents Weekend Edition. It is a yearly tradition after all. I was taken aback, however, by the number of fac- tual errors within “Guilt Fuels Diversity Initiatives.” Before I address the substantial concerns about diversity on our campus, let me set a few things straight. Therelare indeed special di- versity awareness weeks, meals in the dining hall, and speak- ers. Most of these initiatives are hosted by student organi- zations, not the administra- tion. The Multicultural Student Association (MSA) sponsors heritage months that recognize the contributions of the various cultures and groups to W&L life and American society. The Student Association for Inter- national Learning (SAIL) often collaborates with the D-Hall to sponsor special menus, drawing attention to the diversity that ex- ists within our student body. I imagine that if I came from an- other country, I would want to share some aspect of my culture with others. Why not food? We all have to eat. The article also mentions that there are special programs to help non-white students “transition” into life at W&L. I like to think of myself as rather informed, and to my knowledge, Sororities create student divide, As a member of a Greek or- ganization, I am truly aware of all the positive aspects that the Greek system embodies; other- wise why would I bother? That being said, my positive experi- ence has been tainted by a huge flaw in W&L’s Greek system. One of its biggest draws, the all-inclusiveness touted as so unique to our school, actu- ally serves to exacerbate the “elitism” and “doubting of self- worth,” a problem acknowl- edged by Dane Boston’s article. By its very nature, the inclusion of a vast majority of the student there are no special transition programs for multicultural stu- dents. In general, students have access to the same transition programs. If there are efforts to help multicultural students adjust to campus, they are ini- tiated and controlled by other students. It is not my intention to focus on these surface-level details about diversity. Instead, like the author, I want to challenge the common perception of diversity on our campus. The problem with diversity on our campus lies not with the administration but with the student body. Let’s discuss the Homecoming Queen controversy. I am honored to be the 2007 Homecoming Queen and indeed, W&L’s first Black Homecoming Queen. What is sad about the experience is that so many of us were shocked that it happened. Despite my work on campus, love for this university and some (not all) of its traditions, I was afraid that I would not be named Homecoming Queen because of my race. Many stu- dents are genuinely excited that I am Homecoming Queen, yet others would deny me the op- portunity because I am black. It’s disappointing to think that students, my peers, would not be able to see past my race and acknowledge my connection to body creates a hierarchy within the Greek community and alien- ates those not participating. The all-inclusiveness of our sorority system works to sepa- rate the students, not unite them. There exists a huge struggle for recruitment. Instead of the po- tential end goalin recruitment to be in a Greek organization and part of the Greek system as a whole, the emphasis moves to try to join the sororities at the top of the hierarchy. What is the point of an all-inclusive system if it doesn’t even protect the feelings of potential new members? Our this university. In a community that claims to be inclusive, it’s hard to deal with this conflicting perspective. I am positive that when those students expressed shock about a black Homecoming Queen that other students stayed silent and did not challenge their state- ments. I recognize that there are “unoflicial” pressures on campus to change who one is and con- form to different ways of think- ing, acting, and even dressing. I know that there is a tendency to ignore or disparage other stu- dents because of their gender, sexual orientation, Greek affili- ation (or lack thereof), race, or ethnicity. We criticize the ac- tions of our administration but how often do we consider our own actions? Those pressures, those statements, and that way of life come from within our student body. So what is diversity done right? The first step to “doing” diversity right is to stop think- ing of it as a burden upon our university rather than a benefit. We should all consider how in- creased diversity can broaden our perspectives and help us further engage in our local and global communities rather than focus on unrealistic hypothetical changes to our university (such as white southemers becoming a minority group). campus as a whole has decided to ignore this problem and con- tinues to promote the idealized notion of total participation. For now, seeing as the ad- ministration continues to propa- gate false beliefs about the func- tion and intention of the Greek system, the burden falls upon potential new members to see beyond meaningless stereotypes and the dangerous tendency to extract a measure of self—worth from one’s membership. Yes, joining certain organi- zations will change your W&L experience, and at this point in Diversity done right includes initiating open dialogue among students about our campus cul- ture and acknowledging that not every tradition is perfect. Diversity done right includes initiatives by students to assess inclusiveness on campus. It also includes a student commitment to diversity in its many forms. Like the author, I look forward to the day when it’s not a nov- elty that a deserving woman of any background is named Homecoming Queen. In order to see that day, however, W&L students will have to take an ac- tive role in bringing it about. Therefore, it’s not a bad thing to celebrate that W&L has a black Homecoming Queen. It is an example of the progress W&L has made. But let’s not stop there. We as students need to come together and figure out what we can do to make our campus environment more in- clusive. Stop expecting change from the top and instead focus on what we can do on a peer- to-peer level. Diversity on this politically correct and tradition- mired campus will not happen naturally. It’s an admirable no- tion, but an inclusive community on this campus requires proac- tive student initiatives. We need active student participation. I am ready whenever you are. —Quiana McKenzie ‘O8 hierarchy your university career, it might seem as though this change will be for the worse. But let me emphasize, in a few years removed from the emotionally-charged chaos that is sorority recruitment, you’ll see the emphasis on. your af- filiation wane, and life becomes more about who you are, not what you are. Appreciate the Greek system for the opportuni- ties it provides, but do not allow the system to tell you that two or three Greek letters define who you are. —Jenny Plaster ‘08 By Kathie Scott COLUM NIST The information from my fall television lineup may now be obso- lete since Hollywood writers have called the first strike since 1988. The contract between The Writ- ers Guild of America and the Alli- ance of Motion Picture and Televi- sion Producers expired on Oct. 31. So what is this big nonnegotia- ble quarrel over? The most popular source of problems: money. The writers want more. Once upon a time, writers could profit only from VHS and the one television slot they were appropri- ated. We all know this has changed in this new age of technology. After all, how many of you watch your favorite show online? Now we have iPods, cell phones, computers and DVD players all providing viewers with more access to the shows they love the most. With television shows gaining more visibility, writers feel they should be paid more for their script- writing abilities. And in all fairness, don’t songwriters obtain financial compensation whenever their song is played on a radio station, a mov- ie, or a television show? The big question, of course, is how does this affect me? As a viewer, the effects of the strike will not be felt until next season. The scripts for this season have already been finished. The troubling times will occur in January when new air- ings will be replaced with reruns. The only saving grace in this matter is the surprisingly still popu- lar reality television frenzy. These shows do not heavily rely on writ- ers and will therefore continue pro- ducing new shows. The first shows to suffer will be late night shows like The Jay Leno Show and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Then daytime and primetime shows like General Hospital, Heroes, and Grey’s Anatomy will provide an appropriate dose of déja vu with reruns galore. ' The more pressing matter is how this strike affects the economy. The entertainment industry contributes to $30 billion dollars a year or seven percent of Los Angeles’ economy. In L.A. the amount of lost revenue totals $2 billion dollars a month and 82,000 lost jobs. The scariest part to think about is that this strike has a domino ef- fect. It’s not just the writers who lose money. The owner of Televi- sion and Cinema Wardrobe Clean- ers manages 2,000 garments a night for certain television shows. There are some Landscape companies who specialize in greenery for tele- vision show sets. Restaurants that cater to certain studios have already experienced a decline in customers since talks of a strike began. And of course Talent Agencies might begin layoffs. Now, when all these repercus- sion are fully processed, I begin to think the writers are selfish. If the writers continue with this strike, the studios will be forced to either show reruns or recreate past ideas from earlier episodes. Oh wait, they already do that anyways. From analyzing the fall lineup, I learned that the Hollywood motto is “Reuse, Renew, and Recycle.” So will anyone really notice if the writers go on strike? Do writers, who already make $200,000idollars a year plus residuals, really need their pensions doubled? In fact, WGA writers made $56 million dollars in surplus for DVD sales. What’s more, does anyone really care if Hollywood writers aren’t getting as much money as they “deserve” when they’re al- ready getting paid well enough given the quality of the scripts? Is anyone else really disappoint- ed in “Grey’s Anatomy” lately? I don’t think that writer should get twice as much money. As entertain- ing as “Heroes” can be at times, does that writer really deserve double his already large income? Basically, I think the writers should quit their whining. Show me new scripts, with new ideas and new twists, and then I’ll entertain the idea of doubling their money as a reward for all that they do. Invest in Netflix. If January comes around and the strike is still going strong, invest in an obscene- ly large movie collection and you will be just fine. The strike in 1988 lasted 22 weeks, I’m sure this strike will not last any longer. Now, if the actors follow suit and strike, then some concern would be appropriate. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071105/WLURG39_RTP_20071105_004.2.txt 4 0 THE RING-TUM PHI ' M 0 N DAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2007 arts&life Students Support Sudan W&L students show support for Sudan while showing 017 their talent in Showcase By Klmber Wlggs STAFF WRITER Last Friday, the Student Association for International Learning (SAIL) held the second annual Showcase for Sudan. The competition brought acts from all over campus to entertain and to promote the cause of stopping genocide in Darfur. W&L was treated to a wealth of homegrown talent, ranging from the co- medic to the incredible. MarkHeavens Tshuma and Linnea Bond amused the crowd with a song from the musical comedy Urinetown, while the Hotness, featuring Zaq Lawal, Sophie Xiong, Colton Payne and Chris Washington, had the audience agape with their astonishing moves. In the end, Eric Reitz came in third place, Julia Pleasants landed second, and the Hotness walked away with the ultimate prize. The dance group then wrapped up the evening with an encore of their winning performance. ' Though the night was entertaining, to say the least, it is important not to for- get the reason for the evening. The goal of the Showcase was to raise money for and awareness about the continuing genocide in Darfur. When the Showcase for Sudan was first conceived last year, the Darfur confiict was a major news story, bringing it to the attention of one of SAIL’s sister organizations, IDRG (International Development Relief Groups). I had a chance to interview Grace Andrews, member of IDRG and one of the mastemiinds behind Showcase for Sudan. One question many people have is “Why Sudan?” “Sudan is the genocide of our generation,” said Andrews. She and her fel- low SAIL members felt that the injustice in Darfur was something particularly relevant to our age group, something for people to rally behind and be pas- sionate about. The conflict began back in 2003. Since that time, UN officials estimate that over 400,000 people have lost their lives due to starvation and disease as well as ethnic violence. When faced with such statistics, it is difficult to remain complacent, which is why the Showcase was created. If a few more people are made aware of this crisis and begin to further support the cause, then I say the evening was a success. The Showcase was also successful on a more local level, because it was an opportunity for student organizations from all over campus to come together for this important cause. The General Activities Board contributed time and money, paying for the winners’ trophies and cash prizes. The faculty and ad- ministration were very supportive of the planning and execution of the event. Greek organizations helped spread the word among their membership. The Pro- duction Club ran lights and sound. As Andrews ran through a list of organiza- tions, it seemed as if the entire campus was involved in some way, which is a truly inspiring notion. “Sometimes there’s a disconnect,” said Andrews, “because so much is going on. For this effort, everyone really came together... I don’t think it happens as often as it should.” Indeed, it doesn’t, but thanks to events like this, we are perhaps making strides toward a more united and conscientious community. New Scott film good but not best suited for actors Washington and Crowe By Scott Centorino STAFF WRITER “The loudest man in the room is the weak- est." So says Frank Lucas, portrayed by Denzel Washington in the new crime film, American Gangster: Unlike other crime lords, Lucas‘ sharp yet subtle dress marks both his physical" appearance and attitude toward the family busi- ness. Lucas slowly rises to the top of New York City‘s drug trafficking business in the late 1960s and early 1970s in a cool but brutal fashion. Arnerican Gangster, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Washington and Russell Crowe, is a gritty and violent slice of life during the Viet- nam War. Its direction, costumes, soundtrack and supporting cast all make the film an excel- lent way to spend two and a half hours. It is well-paced, entertaining, thought-pro- voking at times and does not drag. Scott’s previ- ous films, such as Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, and Kingdom ofHeai'en, have many of the same qualities in terms of setting moods and trans- planting viewers into another era. However, the film’s weaknesses also spring from similari- ties to other films. For the most part, American Gangster is an updated, African-American ver- sion of The l"r‘ench Cormection. Scott’s lack of originality can become tire- some for anyone who has seen The French Connection, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1971. The same basic plot of a cop (Gene Hackman in The French Con- nection and Russell Crowe in American Gang- ster) cracking a drug trafficking scheme in the greater New York City is copied well, but cop- ied nonetheless. Going to a movie starring two Best Actor winners still in the prime of their careers, one expects fantastic acting to carry the film. Wash- ington and Crowe have given some of the most memorable performances of the last twenty years, but neither performs with the depth that their characters deserve. However, looking back on Ridley Scott's re- cord, wc see great movies, not great actors. For example, Black Hawk Down didn’t mesmerize us because ofteirific acting. Ridley Scott craft- ed the filiii so the actingjust “fit in” with his di'- recting. Scott made Black Hawk Down, not Josh Hartnctt. However, none of Ridley Scott’s pre- vious hits were character driven. Perhaps Scott doesn’t have the ability that other directors have in bringing out the best in actors, or, perhaps he just shines with epics that are entertaining rather than a product of quality acting. Regardless, American Gangster; although billed as an epic, is no epic. No crime film is an epic. Not even The Godfather is an epic film. Crime films are naturally small scale, character‘ driven films. Acting made The Godfather; as well as The Departed and Good/‘e/las. Americarr Gangster is simply a mismatch. Ridley Scott excels in non—cliaracter driven, historical epics. Deiizel Washington and Russell Crowe excel in smaller, character-driven films, which American Gangster should have been. Despite all of this criticism, the film is superbly entertaining and compellingly dirty. For fans of the genre, it satisfies a craving. But in the end, we see Ridley Scott try to over- direct this film, shadowing the acting talent he has at his disposal. Scott's enormously powerful (lirectioii actually hurts the film. “Tlie loudest man in the room is the weak- est.“ Top: Dancers Rasaq Lawal, Sophie Xiong, Colton Payne and Chris Wash- ington took 1st place with their dance to Hotness. Middle: Sophomore Markheav- ens Tshuma and fresh- man Linnea Bond sing a song from the com- edy, Urinetown. Far Left: Sophie Xiong showing off her dance moves Middle Left: Is anyone listening? These students are try- ing to raise awareness for Sudan! Near Left: Julia Pleasants show- ing her excitement for the cause. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20071105/WLURG39_RTP_20071105_005.2.txt MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5,2007 ma RING-TUM fliii - orts ence. four starters from last year is 11-1 4 squad Left: Senior forward Femi Kusimo lofts a layup with 0.4 seconds left in the first half of Thursday's scrim- mage against D-I Virginia Military Institute as junior guard Isaiah Goodman looks on. The Keydets, who reached the finals of the Big South tournament last year, defeat- ed W&L 98-81. Below: In this sequence of photos, Kusimo goes up for a rim-rattling dunk. in frame three, guard Chris McHugh (No. 14) likes what he sees. The Generals are coming off their best season in 16 years and have been picked to finish seventh In the Old Dominion Athletic Confer- The team returns five of its top six scorers, including senior Greg Bl- enemann, who averaged 17.8 points per game last season and was named to the all-ODAC team. MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor The Birth of a New Evil Empire Why two Red Sox titles in four years isn ’t necessarily a good thing By Amor Neill Thuparl smrr written A lot has to happen for a team to win a World Series these days. You need to have excel- lent pitching from your starters to the heart of your bullpen. You need to have consistent, timely hitting in every tough playoff situation. And maybe more so than you think, you need to have some luck, or a lot of luck if you can, to help you along the way. The 2007 Boston Red Sox had all of these things and more on their way to sweeping the Colorado Rockies. The city that was once synonymous with heartbreak, disappointment and failure in baseball now stands atop the league once again, and it doesn’t look like things are go- ing to change anytime in the near future. As it stands right now, there is no salary cap in Major League Baseball, meaning that any team can spend as much money as they want, depending on the fi- nancial capabilities of its owner. This has led to the New York Yankees having a payroll of over $195 million while teams such as Washington, Florida and Pittsburgh struggle to reach $50 million. The Yankees are no lon- ger a team but simply a bizarre collection of amazing talent that cannot seem to win champion- ships the way they did in the mid to late 1990s when they were an actual squad of 25 baseball play- ers working together. The same cannot be said about the Red Sox given their recent success in the postsea- son, but it must be noted that they have a payroll of over $143 million, easily the second high- est payroll in all of baseball. In the last off-season they paid over $51 million just to talk to Japa- nese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and eventually signed him for a contract that could be worth $60 million. This year they also playing according to the rules of the game, and as long as there is no salary cap in baseball, they are allowed to spend how much they want on whoever they want. Using this tool to their advan- tage, the Red Sox were able to win the World Series this year despite having just eight mem- bers of their 25 man roster be homegrown products of the Red Sox farm system. The rest of the team simply came together from Hoards of Red Sox ‘fans ” now flock to oppos- ing stadiums and feel obligated to carry on like the little kid in your neighborhood who got a new bike and comes to show it oflfor ev- eryone else and then proceeds to tell everyone just how inferior their bike is in comparison to his. Did he earn his bike? Of course not. Mom and dad had to buy it for him so he ’d stop complaining and actually shut up for a while. spent $14 million on the listless and hopeless J.D. Drew, whom Boston fans have constantly be- rated all season until Drew hit a grand slam home run against Cleveland and all was magically forgotten. Now, I’m_ not trying to make it seem as if this is an unfair at- tribute of the Red Sox. They are other cities in search of a big- ger contract. Boston outfielder Manny Ramirez even said in an interview when down 3-1 in the ALCS, facing elimination to the Cleveland Indians, “It doesn’t happen, so who cares? There’s always next year. It’s not like it’s the end of the world.” It’s sad to say it, but I’m not the least bit hesitant to because of the truth and reality of it, the Red Sox completely show what is wrong with baseball by buy- ing their way to a World Series. They did nothing different than what the Yankees have done, and along the way they even lost some of their prized free agents to the Yankees and other teams in bid- ding wars. They didn’t look for team chemistry but rather relied on blind luck as to what would happen and whether or not the team would gel over the course of the season. It’s the baseball purists’ worst nightmare: a new Evil Empire that actually wins World Series titles. Hoards of Red Sox “fans” now flock to opposing stadiums and feel obligated to carry on like the little kid in your neigh- borhood who got a new bike and comes to show it off for every- one else and then proceeds to tell everyone just how inferior their bike is in comparison to his. Did he earn his bike? Of course not. Mom and dad had to buy it for him so he’d stop complaining and actually shut up for a while. Pretty soon, fans of the Red Sox will be put into the same posi- tion as Yankees fans are now, and if they don’t make it to the World Series often and win them with regularity, each season will be a disappointment. So enjoy it while you can, Red Sox fans, because come next April it will have been five months since your last World Series win. It’s unbearable, isn’t it? How unfair. Men open season at VMI scrimmage Team returns Oil Exchange & Lube 754 North Lee Hwy. Across from Tractor Supply , 540-463-502Q Save $1.00 — Show W&L ID For Rent 2008-9 2BR, 2 BA House at 114 N. 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