Foghorn Newspaper: Mar 5th

FREEDOM AND FAIRNESS

VOL. 105

ISSUE 16

TheFoghornOnline.com

MARCH 5, 2009

Sexual Harassment On Campus Is Often Unreported SAMANTHA BLACKBURN Staff Writer

Get Down for Gaza event celebrates, supports Palestinians affected by Israeli attacks.

NEWS

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“Favorite Online Comments” Read the Foghorn’s top online comments from the last two issues.

OPINION

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Stephen Malkmus wows fans during Noise Pop at the Great American Music Hall.

SCENE

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Author’s Note: Initial reporting and interviews for this article were completed last spring. However, new reporting and updated interviews were done to address issues raised by the arrest on Feb. 12 of Ryan Caskey, a University of San Francisco senior who has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of four of his female classmates. Caskey has pled not guilty to these charges. We are aware this story includes graphic language, but it is important to acknowledge that sexual assault and harassment are happening on this campus and on many other campuses across the United States. �e names of students and victims in this article have been changed to protect them. One night, Jane Dixon and a few of her friends were outside Gillson Hall, a freshman dormitory at the University of San Francisco, drinking and partying, when things got out of hand. John, a good friend of Jane’s, was extremely drunk and high on cocaine. Jane knew John had had a crush on her for a long time; he even had a nickname for her: “monkey.” However, whenever John was intoxicated, he would try to make a move on Jane. On this particular night, he was lying in the dirt drunk with his pants down to his thighs. “He started looking at me and saying ‘monkey, monkey, monkey.’ I was like what, do you need help?” said Jane. Jane noticed that John had an erection and tried to run, telling him to “put it away.” Jane said John continued to hassle her and said something along the lines of “Monkey, you gotta f- me, like you have to. We need to have sex, it will make my reputation so much better back home. You have the perfect body, and all I want to do is have sex with you.” It did not stop there; following this vulgar plea, he proceeded to pull out his genitalia, began masturbating, and chased Jane around. “I was drunk too. Everyone was laughing, and it was kind of like a joke,” said Jane. �is type of behavior may be appalling to a reasonable person and is legally considered to be sexual harassment; however, Jane’s reaction, or lack thereof, is typical of college students. Assistant Dean of Students Julie Orio said, “I think sometimes when situations come to us, it probably could have been resolved �ve steps before. But then it was kind of silence accepted, silence accepted, it’s not a big deal, its not

Photo Illustration by Melissa Stihl/Foghorn Various forms of sexual harassment are prevalent on university campuses, but the victims of these incidents often keep silent to protect themselves and their friends.

a big deal, and then all the sudden it’s a big deal.” News of USF senior Ryan Caskey’s arrest has the entire USF community talking about sex and violence. Many young women feel uncomfortable making waves

friends, I think reporting [it] would cause a lot of unnecessary drama,” said Jane. In 2005, a survey conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) revealed that 62 percent of college students say they have encountered

in their social circles so they laugh off or endure offensive behavior from friends that they would never accept from strangers. And even if they do want to report unwanted sexual attention, it can be hard to know who to turn to or what will happen. “If it’s a situation where you have mutual

some type of sexual harassment at school. �e AAUW’s report emphasized that sexual harassment takes an especially heavy toll on female students, and that the majority of students do not report the cases. According to the survey, sexual harassment is a major problem on most college

“

But then it was kind of silence accepted, silence accepted, it’s not a big deal, its not a big deal, and then all of a sudden it’s a big deal -Assistant Dean Julie Orio

MELA Event Highlights Injustices

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campuses, and this university is no exception. In response to the recent events at USF, many students have blamed violence associated with military culture for the rapes allegedly committed by an ROTC student. However, it is important to note, none of the students interviewed for this story were in ROTC and such incidents are common on all kinds of campuses throughout the United States. Peer pressure is especially tough for �rst-year students, who are in a new community and want to �t in, said Orio. Of the night outside the dormitory, during her freshman year, Jane said, “Reporting the experience never crossed my mind.” For some students, reporting harassment would disrupt their social lives, which in Jane’s opinion is much more important than “reporting one stupid incident.” Another student, Elizabeth Smith, also chose not to report the sexual harassment she endured in a class her sophomore year. “Guys will make comments or say sexual things, and they just think it is funny. Because it happens all the time, our generation has become used to it,” said Elizabeth. Beginning around the �rst week of class, a male classmate of Elizabeth’s began commenting and writing notes about the way she looked and things she was doing. He would call her sexy, touch her hands and arms, and even attempted to caress her leg. Elizabeth verbalized her discomfort to her classmate; however, this behavior persisted throughout the semester. As a result, she dreaded going to class and avoided him on campus. “If I tried to report every gross comment a guy ever said to me, I feel like I would be in the counseling center every day,” said Elizabeth. Victims of sexual harassment are protected under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. �e Office of Civil Rights (OCR) works with the Department of Education to protect civil rights in federally funded education and prohibit gender discrimination. Maureen Guilfoile, who worked as a Senior Equal Opportunity Specialist at the OCR from 19962005, said, “Schools subject to Title IX are required to maintain an environment that is free of sexual harassment.” Title IX protects students from unwanted and unlawful sexual harassment at all university programs, on and off campus. Guilfoile said a student should report the incident to a school official and �le a complaint with the OCR. “To �le a complaint HARASS: Continued on Page 2

ISO invites other clubs to discuss global inequalities NICHOLAS MUKHAR Staff Writer

Men’s rugby loses another game, this time to Santa Clara, despite their best efforts.

SPORTS

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Video Street Talk now online. In print you can read what they said but only online can you see how they said it.

FOGHORN

ONLINE

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ily have battled in the United States, from airport security to the questions about her appearance. �e roughly 400 students in attendance went from a loud, talkative crowd to a silenced group as Zaman passionately tackled U.S. foreign policy and the use of the words “extremists” and “terrorists.” “�ose extremists’ groups provide healthcare for people that U.S.-backed regimes do not provide,” she said. �e other �ve groups who shared social injustices were the Muslim Student Association, Back to da Roots, Invisible Children, School of Americas Watch and Not For Sale. “�ere has been a 20-year-long war on children in Uganda,” said freshman Maggie Kennedy, whose Invisible Children group focused on the suffering of children in northern Uganda. Kennedy has been studying this issue since high school, and traveled to southern Uganda two years ago as part of a humanitarian mission. Kennedy and her group were not allowed to enter northern Uganda though. Invisible Children is a nationwide group that was started in California. �ere is a branch of the organization in Kampala, Uganda, the nation’s capital. After two separate musical and dance performances, one by USF sophomores Ravi Amarawanza, Marina Liu, and Sarah Reinheimer that featured South Asian music performed on the sitar, drums and

On �ursday night, McLaren Hall was home to USF’s second MELA event, where six USF clubs each brought a different social injustice to the forefront of discussions among the hundreds of students in attendance. �e Indian Student Organization (ISO) spearheaded the event that featured traditional dances and music, South Asian food and speeches by USF students and professors. �e ISO’s main issue was the pollution in India. “We want to inspire people to join a cause and �nd something they care about,” said co-president of the ISO Priya Sajja, who said the ISO got the idea for their cause from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire.” “We want to create awareness about the South Asian community at USF,” said senior Ravi Sandhu. Sandhu, who was the DJ of the night, is the former president of the ISO, but has since passed on the title and is still a member. After roughly an hour of socializing during which students had the opportunity to visit each group’s table and learn more about speci�c causes, the �rst speaker of the night, USF Professor Taymiya Zaman, stepped to the podium to speak about her life as a Pakistani-American. “Do I �nd it difficult to be a woman in Pakistan? Not really,” said Zaman, as she discussed the prejudices she and her fam- ISO: Continued on Page 3

2130 FULTON STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118

Melissa Stihl/Foghorn USF student Marisela Marquez accesses USFrooms at the Office of Residence Life.

New Software Improves Housing Selection CHELSEA STERLING News Editor Beginning this spring, incoming freshmen, transfers and returning students will be able to choose their room and roommate from the comfort of their homes. �e Office of Residence Life has implemented a new electronic system that has moved the housing and roommate selection process online, meaning students no longer have to wait in long lines to secure a room. Director of ORL Steve Nygaard said, “�e idea is to improve our service to stu-

dents.” Students who wish to live on campus for the 2009-2010 school year will not have to wait in line to choose their room. In past years, students have received a lottery number which determined their room selection date; the lottery number was partly based on credits earned. After waiting in a long line, students would look at the big dry erase board and see what rooms were still available and choose accordingly. Resident assistants and ORL staff would ORL: Continued on Page 2

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NEWS

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MARCH 5, 2009

San Francisco Foghorn

Cultural Dinner Culminates Month of African-American Heritage BOBBY MARQUEZ Staff Writer When most people hear the word “February,” they think about Valentine’s Day, �owers, and hearts. However, February is also Black History Month, a time for all races to come together to appreciate the history and the future of AfricanAmerican people. Each year at USF, the Black Student Union holds a variety of entertaining, educational and culturally enriching events in celebration of Black History Month. BSU Vice-President of Internal Affairs, Halimah Najieb-Locke said, “Black History Month is a time for all of America, and the world, to re�ect on the in�uence African Americans have had on this country’s development and the key role we play in the direction the world is going. It is also a time to pay our respects as a people to those who have passed who were in the struggle to gain our rights as a people.” On Feb. 26, BSU held the 2009 Black Cultural Dinner as the �nal event of the Black History Month celebration. �e event was very popular among USF stu-

dents; members of BSU had to bring in additional tables and chairs during the event because of the large number of attendees. Politics Professor James Taylor gave an overview of the San Francisco Fillmore District and the rich history of politics, culture, and jazz that thrives in the Fillmore. �e dinner was comprised of warm spinach salad, cat�sh po’boys, buttermilk chive mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, and USF alumnus Preston Walton’s personal recipe for chicken and andouille gumbo. After the delicious feast, Managing Partner Monetta White and Executive Chef David Lawrence of the restaurant 1300 Fillmore spoke about their experience doing business in the historic Fillmore neighborhood. �ey held an open discussion forum describing the current environment of the Fillmore District and the revitalization of the area. Junior psychology major, Elizabeth Quintero, who attended the Black Cultural Dinner, said, “I have lived in the Bay Area my whole life and always known of the crime in the Fillmore District, but after today I am glad to have been informed

of how things are changing and being revitalized in such a historic area.” White and Lawrence’s restaurant gives back to the community through community service. �ey use their upscale restaurant to disprove the negative stereotypes of the area and help return the Fillmore to its roots and times of prosperity. Lawrence describes his cuisine as “soul food made in a French technique.” He treated all members of the audience to a delicious dessert of caramelized apple bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and candied pecans. Junior Johnny Barajas, who attended the event, said, “�e event was put on well and gave a terri�c and in-depth overview of Black History Month. I will de�nitely attend next year.” After the event concluded, NajiebLocke said, “I would like to say that Black History Month is not just a time to pay homage to our forefathers, but a time to gain inspiration from their strength and move forward in our futures as powerful men and women who can effectuate important, and irreplaceable change to this world.”

Melissa Stihl/Foghorn Black Student Union President Courtney Ball and Politics Professor James Taylor share a laugh at BSU s Cultural Awareness Dinner last Thursday evening.

Many Sexually Harassed, Few Report Incidents HARASS: Continued from page one with the OCR a student can mail or fax a letter, �ll out the OCR’s Discrimination Complaint form, or use the OCR’s electronic complaint form,” said Guilfoile. Agencies including the OCR and the Department of Education are working diligently to protect students from sexual harassment; however, it is not society or the government that decides if behaviors are harassment, it is the individual. “What’s key with sexual harassment is it’s ‘unwanted’ so the person has to make the claim that it’s unwanted,” said Orio. Universities have written policies to protect students from such actions, and are attempting to provide their students with the vital knowledge and resources to deal with harassment.

ment at USF is “quite pervasive.” “In my time at USF (14 years), many female students have talked to me about men seriously harassing them in some way, from insistent calling and following, to more general calls and comments on the streets.” She said that female students in her gender studies classes have often said their lives are much different from those of their male peers because of the small everyday harassments.

Defining Harassment

hol abuse- the focus of the investigation and charges is usually placed on the harassment or assault.” “I hope all of our students- regardless of personal consequence- would report any case, or even suspected case, of sexual harassment and/or assault,” said Higgins. “�e consequences of not reporting can affect not only the student but the entire student community.” “Most of us know or feel when a situation is turning bad or dangerous, but we sometimes override that instinct, especially when we are young, we want to seem cool or hip,” said Barker-Plummer. However, Barker-Plummer believes there is nothing to be lost in reporting harassment, and the student will only gain self-respect and safety by taking action. Resident advisor Gomez said she also thinks that students are unaware of the resources that are available to them if they are sexually harassed. “Whether they [students in the dorms] know it or not, we [resident advisors] are a resource,” said Gomez. In an attempt to educate students, the University provides every incoming student with violence prevention resources and a copy of the Fogcutter, the student handbook, which explains the sexual harassment policy. Students receive this information about sexual harassment during orientation, but Orio acknowledged that a lot of information gets thrown at students during that time, and the num-

Orio said she thinks the term ‘sexual harassment’ is very broad, and that many people experiencing harassment don’t realize it. She said she believes students don’t report sexual harassment for reasons including “embarrassment, time, will the people believe me, do I want to go through this again, do I want to have to talk about it.” Orio also suggested that students don’t come forward because they aren’t convinced others will Administrators at USF say they are support them or agree that it is actually hamaking strides to raise awareness of sex- rassment. ual harassment and that the necessary reNatalie Gomez, a third year resident sources are available to students. Orio said, advisor at USF last spring, said she is not “When we do any type of training on say, surprised that young women dismiss harasssexual assault, we know that for every one ment experiences. “�ere’s a certain level of report, there’s many others that go unre- apathy with sexual harassment, people feel ported.” Orio explained that USF focuses like it’s commonplace, [because] it’s accepted on educating students, especially �rst year in culture.” Some students think they don’t students, about where to go and who to have the right to complain and should intalk to, but the students have to be recep- stead accept the behavior. Gomez said many tive also. “We’ve tried different things. I students are afraid of judgments that might think some things have gotten better than be placed on them if they attempt to speak other things, I don’t know if it has affected the entire community yet,” said Orio. Although USF administration may believe the institution’s resources are sufficient for students to deal with sexual misconduct, they appear focused on training and advising employees rather than educating students, where the real problems -Debbie Lee, Family Violence Prevention Fund lie. For instance, all faculty are required to take an online sexual harassment awareness course, similar to the AlcoholEdu course incoming students must take. “As out against sexual harassment. ber of students who actually sit down to our training efforts have taken root, which During her years as a resident advisor, read the information is probably small. includes how to communicate concerns, Gomez had many students come to her to Orio said students often don’t want more individuals have come forward,” said talk about being sexually harassed. How- to hear about assault, or harassment, or Maye-Lynn Gon-Soneda, assistant Hu- ever, many of them did not want to report anything negative. She noted that stuman Resources director. or release the information to a supervisor or dents have an attitude of “that’s not goGon-Soneda said students should staff, because the incidents involved drugs ing to happen to me,” so they tune out know where they can report incidents and/or alcohol and they didn’t want to get during orientation. about sexual harassment. However, some in trouble. Jane is a perfect example of a stustudents and resident advisors agree that dent who fears reporting sexual harassment many students don’t. When sexual harass- to authorities, because drugs and/or alcohol ment victim Elizabeth Smith was asked if were involved. she reported her experience, she shrugged Although students say that they do “We try to educate around that you can’t and said, “No, I didn’t really know what to consent to sex if you’re intoxicated, that’s not not know where to go or who to speak do, or where to go.” consensual sex. But I don’t really think that’s to, for the most part the resources and According to Debbie Lee, senior vice known or thought about, so people can �nd information exist. A concerned student president of Family Violence Prevention themselves in situations where they actually can go to the Dean of Students Office, Fund in San Francisco, “more often than didn’t consent, even if they thought they did where a student resource team has been not, sexual assault happens between people or somebody thought one did,” said Orio, set up as extra support for students. �is who know each other.” She explained that who knows there are grey areas when it additional resource is someone who “can when people are acquaintances or have comes to understanding sexual harassment. sit down and talk with them, advocate been friendly, they often feel it is their Vice President of University Life Mar- for them, and go to intake meetings with right to take the next step. “We need to garet Higgins was interviewed last week them,” said Orio. create an environment where people are for some answers regarding the recent acOrio supervises a full-time coordinaencouraged to come forward and when quaintance rape/assault on campus. Many tor of Judicial Affairs, who trains and they do, the victims need to be believed students have voiced concerns and fears of advises hearing officers about sexual and supported,” said Lee. reporting sexual assault to authorities when harassment. �rough either in-person Students, faculty, and staff of USF have drugs or alcohol are involved. Higgins said, training or an online tutorial, faculty and various de�nitions of sexual harassment, “�e consequences of the harassment or as- staff are given a basic knowledge about explanations of how people respond to it, sault usually far outweigh the consequences sexual harassment and California law. and ideas as to what in�uences those be- of another violation of the student code of �e training addresses how to proceed if haviors. Department Chair of Gender and conduct.” Higgins stressed the importance somebody approaches them with a sexSexualities Studies Bernadette Barker- of reporting sexual harassment or assault. ual harassment concern, where to refer Plummer said she thinks sexual harass- “While I do not condone drug and/or alco- them, and other steps they should take.

University Policy

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We need to create an environment where people are encouraged to come forward and when they do, the victims need to be believed and supported

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Campus Resources

“We rely on ongoing education of faculty and staff to serve as early warning systems to prevent and correct sexual harassment,” said Gon-Soneda. Resident advisors attend sexual harassment training in the summer, where for three weeks outside sources speak to them about such issues; they also attend a crisis issues seminar, and learn how to deal with the issue of sexual harassment and its aftermath. Orio said, “Safety is one of the biggest needs, and how can we expect someone to perform well academically, socially, or personally if those basic needs aren’t being met.” Students may choose to seek support or report an incident of sexual harassment; however, that does not change the emotional toll that the harassing behavior has on their academic experience. Students experiencing sexual harassment, speci�cally in the classroom, might feel uncomfortable there, �nd it hard to concentrate, or skip class and study groups to avoid the harasser.

Lasting Impact Jane Dixon, the student who had the lewd experience outside her freshman dorm, has endured many more experiences of harassment, none of which she reported. In one case, Jane felt threatened by the harasser, and said whenever she saw him on campus she never made eye contact and tried to avoid him. “When I told people about it a few people were like ‘that’s not cool, that really sucks.’” But many of her friends dismissed her fears, telling her “that’s just his personality.” Jane was ecstatic when he transferred schools, but was equally disheartened by her friends’ lack of understanding during a difficult time. Elizabeth said the comments made her very uncomfortable and made it difficult to stay focused. “I would usually laugh or blow it off, because I didn’t want to have any more conversation with him than was absolutely necessary,” said Elizabeth. Gender studies professor Barker-Plummer said that experiencing sexual harassment has extremely negative affects on a student’s academic experience. “It can undermine her focus, make her afraid and stop her from pursuing her life.” Jane Dixon seems resigned to living with unwanted sexual attention, and her reaction is representative of many young women. “[Stuff ] like that happens all the time, and you just have to blow it off. You have to like give it up that you’re a decently attractive person, and there are always going to be…men,” said Jane. Many students avoid repoting sexual harassment because they dont think it’s a big deal, don’t know who to report it to, or don’t want the drama of making a public accusation. “Unless we deal with it, it won’t change,” said Lee. “Instead of sweeping issues under the rug, by reporting sexual harassment, the community is made aware and people can seek the help they need.” Gomez, the veteran resident advisor said, “It takes bravery inside the individual, I understand that it’s a hard situation; but it’s not necessarily for you, to do something about it, but for the rest of the community and for the health of the community.”

USFrooms Takes The Hassle Out of Housing Process ORL: Continued from page one then process their paperwork and mark the chosen rooms with big Xs. �is tedious process took approximately three or four days to accommodate freshmen, sophomores and upperclassmen that signed housing contracts to live in on-campus housing. Now, after receiving their lottery number, students can reserve their room online. In the future, they will even be able to decide which side of the room they prefer and if they would like their bed lofted. A negative housing situation can ruin a student’s impression and college experience. �e system was implemented to improve service with ORL and to cut down on roommate con�icts. Nygaard said that one feature of the new system is the pro�le application. �is application allows students to create a personal pro�le, similar to Facebook, MySpace and other social networking Web sites, which other students can peruse to �nd common interests. After creating a pro�le, a student can search for other students whose pro�les match aspects of their own. When a student spots compatible people, he/she can save their pro�les and view them later and compare them. �e system provides a percentage indicating how closely other people’s pro�les match a student’s. Interestingly, Nygaard said that studies have shown that roommates who are most compatible are those that share similar tastes in music. In addition to creating a personal pro�le, students can make housing payments through the electronic system, create a screen name to chat with other students and sign housing contracts. In the past, students have expected ORL to match them with a compatible roommate. However, the electronic housing system places this burden on the students. Nygaard said with this system, “Students take responsibility early on to �nd roommates.” �e pro�le and chat features prompt students to think about �nding a roommate long before the housing selection process begins. As of last week, 30 incoming freshmen and 700 students total have logged into the new system to apply for housing, search for a roommate or see which rooms are available. On Feb. 12, the �rst day that the electronic system was made available to students, the site crashed because too many students had attempted to log in at the same time. Nygaard said the system is adolescent and ORL is still working out the errors. �e system also has the capability to generate reports that will aid ORL in making data driven decisions. For example, the data derived from the new system can let ORL know how many sophomores are planning to live on campus and they can plan accordingly. Nygaard hopes that the new system will help “create an effective environment” for students to learn and socialize at USF. He said, “We [ORL] are here to serve out students.” If students have problems accessing and using the new electronic system, they should contact ORL directly at extension 6824, or stop by the ORL office in Phelan Hall. �e system can be accessed by logging into USF Connect and clicking on USFrooms under the student tab.

NEWS

San Francisco Foghorn

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Music and Poetry Express Gazan Anguish NICHOLAS MUKHAR Staff Writer “We celebrate our resistance, stomping, kicking and dancing in perfect chaos.” Her words echoed through the silent lounge that had been �lled with music and dance just seconds before, as Dina Omar, a Palestinian-American and a UC Berkeley undergraduate student, recited a poem she had written about Palestinian resistance in Gaza. Her words were mostly in English and partly in Arabic. She continued reading her poem as the roughly 300 in the diverse crowd applauded, whistled and yelled words of encouragement. “Tell them, we will return to our homeland,” she said. “Tell them, we will paint these walls with our sweat and our blood.” Each word seemed to resonate with the crowd as they continued to nod their heads in agreement, and she continued to bare her strong feelings about her Palestinian heritage. “We are always way too…overwhelmed with tears and checkpoints, and guns pointed at our heads, and the sound of quietness and the white phosphorus that thickens the sky. We celebrate ourselves and our resistance,” Dina said. 330 Ritch, a nightclub in SOMA, hosted Dina and other poets on the night of Feb. 25. People from all over California came together for a charity event, united in the common goal to raise money to buy medical supplies for Palestinians in Gaza who are lacking proper medical care following last month’s Israeli offensive along the Gaza Strip. �e concert, entitled “Get Down For Gaza,” featured music and poetry from DJ Leydis, DJ Sake One, Excentrik, Davey D, Omar Offendum and Mark Gonzales. �e poetry, lyrics and music centered around the Palestinian cause in Gaza, though criticism of current politics throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia was a common thread throughout each performance. “Most Americans don’t know this, but Afghanis, they don’t hate Americans, they hate the arrogance that can’t differentiate between violence and self-defense and labels everything as ‘terrorist,’” said Mark Gonzales in one of his three poems throughout the event that began at

MARCH 5, 2009

Spring Break Plans Tempered by Economy MIMI HONEYCUTT Staff Writer As the frigid winter ends but before the icy clutch of San Francisco summer, spring blessedly nears the horizon. Easter may still be more than a bunny-hop away, but it is never too early to think about Spring Break. Yet between pocket-burning airline tickets and a queasy economy, some must curtail possible globetrotting excursions. However, there are still some exciting options available to thrifty students. From community service to thespian retreats, USF students have certainly not resigned themselves to a dull spring break. Stephen Gotfredson, a theology graduate student and Phelan Hall resident minister, has created Alternative Spring Break for any Saint Ignatius students staying on campus. Alternative Spring Break is “for students who are really passionate about giving back to their community and who don’t know many organizations here in the city. Every single day will be spent with a different organization.” Habitat for Humanity, Glide, and the Rescued Orphan Mammal Program are just a few of the organizations. For performing arts and social justice majors involved with the April production of “�e Laramie Project,” spring break means following artistic pursuits. According to stage manager Zoe Bronstein, “the majority of the cast has decided to stay and rehearse.”

Priscilla Trasvina, a sophomore business major, has taken an economical view of her spring break. “I’ll just be working at the front desk,” she said. “It’s extra money to spend.” Her big vacation will come in the summer, with a trip to Los Angeles. Another campus-bound student, freshman Gabriel Avina, plans to “relax, hang out, and read books. Maybe go see Lake Tahoe. It would be nice to go home but it’s so far away.” Avina is from �ailand, and a trip home would take two days just in transit. “For that amount of time, it’s just not worth it.” Other students will return to their native soils, some happily, others not quite. “I was going to go to Vancouver and see the sights,” said freshman Aaron Halbleib. “But people just weren’t on board.” Canadian adventures thwarted, Halbleib said he will return to his San Mateo home and “cry myself to sleep because I don’t have anything cool to do. Actually, I’m not that disappointed. I’ll save a lot of money. I’ll probably to do a road trip to Chico State instead.” On the other hand, Sacramento native Barbara Evangelista is happy to see home again. For her, it is the perfect occasion for catching up on sleep. “I’ll get to relax and not deal with the stress of classes and midterms.” Evangelista, who took a cruise over winter break, said, “A vacation is cool, but just being able to go home is nice enough.”

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict Addressed at MELA Nicholas Mukhar/Foghorn Tarik Kazaleh, aka Excentrik, plays the oud, a popular Middle Eastern string instrument, at the Get Down for Gaza event last Wednesday night.

9 p.m. on Wednesday night and ended at 2 a.m. on �ursday morning. In Lebanon bombs drop like beats,” he said. “Children fall asleep…only wondering if they’ll live long enough to dream tonight.” In the background, Excentric played a low, slow tune on the Oud, a string instrument similar looking to the guitar that is commonly used in Middle Eastern music. Gonzales is an L.A.-based poet and is part of a series of social justice events spearheaded by thirdSPACE Productions, a graphic design �rm formed in 2002 by a group of multimedia artists. Gonzales and the other artists who performed have worked with thirdSPACE

productions in the past, and Gonzales said he will be part of similar events in New Orleans on Mar. 20 and in Seattle during the month of May. “�ey say that evil is a necessary, but when is it really,” said Omar Offendum, as he discussed gun violence not only in the Middle East, but at home and in our neighborhoods. “We didn’t meet our goal, but the club owners and the DJs said they were happy with how much we raised, considering the time and day of the event,” said Yara Badday, a graphic designer for thirdSPACE Productions. Badday, an Iraqi-American, GAZA: Continued on Page 4

ISO: Continued from page one �ute, and a separate Hawaiian Ensemble dance, the �nal speaker of the night approached the podium. USF senior ErinKate Escobar, a Jewish-American student, spoke about the Palestinian-Israeli con�ict. �e issue was the focus of the Muslim Student Association. Escobar talked about being Jewish and recognizing Jewish and Israeli injustices, as well as Jewish-Americans being major contributors to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which seeks to maintain and strengthen the American-Israeli relationship. “In terms of the Palestinian-Israeli con�ict, I have no resolution for you tonight,” she joked with the crowd, giving those in attendance a bit of comic relief in between her speech and a poem she wrote about

how she feels being a Jewish-American. “I am from the �esh and bones of the colonized and the colonizers,” she told the crowd. Escobar also gave information about “Abraham’s Vision,” an organization that explores social relations within and in between Jewish, Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian communities. Escobar went on a trip with the group last summer to the Middle East, where they explored just alternatives to the status quo in the Middle East. She encouraged other students who identify with any of their communities to do the same. �e MELA event grew this semester from the previous one held, with more clubs and more students in attendance. Sajja said, “We want to try and get other clubs involved, and more students to come every time.”

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MARCH 5, 2009

Award Winning Filmmaker Discusses Documentary LAURA PLANTHOLT Staff Writer Academy Award-winning documentary �lmmaker Alex Gibney came to USF last �ursday as part of the Davies Forum: Remaking the News and the Human Rights Film Festival. �is co-sponsorship is actually symbolic of Gibney’s work: it is part news, part �lm; part giving people the facts and part telling people a compelling story in an artistic manner. Davies Forum Professor Dorothy Kidd posed the idea that the documentary may be becoming the most effective form of news-making in an era where traditional news outlets are struggling. Gibney did not say that he believed documentary to be the “superior form of journalism” when the question was posed to him during a Q&A session before the screening of his �lm “Taxi to the Dark Side.” He did point out that documentaries have the power to touch people in a more personal way than traditional journalism. He said, “Documentary has a personal voice combined with collected facts and evidence. It engages you in a story that can touch you with images seared into your mind in a magical way.” “Taxi to the Dark Side,” which won the Academy Award in 2007 for best documentary feature, is a �lm which questions the United States military’s use of torture as an interrogation technique. �e story begins by telling the story of one man, a young Afghan taxi driver named Dilawar. Dilawar was abducted by U.S. soldiers, detained in prison and beaten and tortured to death by interrogators within days of his arrest. Dilawar was completely innocent. From there, the �lm goes on to discuss other incidents of U.S. torture such as the case of torture and abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Gibney interestingly blames the media in part, saying shows like “24” show torture as an acceptable means to an end, when in reality the types of “ticking time bomb” situations, as depicted on television, rarely actually occur. Gibney’s documentary-making career has included multiple successes, including “Enron: �e Smartest Guys in the Room” and “No End in Sight,” about the Iraq war, both of which were nominated for

�is past weekend, two seniors in the Honors program, Anna Shajirat and Megan Hanley, attended the fourth annual Associated Jesuit Colleges and Universities Honors Conference in Santa Clara. While Philosophy Professor and Interim Honors Program Director David Stump said, “Student involvement was quite substantial,” Shajirat was hesistant to see the USF Honors program adopt some of the strategies that other Jesuit universities have. Stump attended the conference last year to scope out the possible bene�ts for students, but only this year did he arrange for students to attend. Stump asked professors to nominate three top students who have performed well and excelled in the rigorous honors courses. Shajirat and Hanley were chosen to represent USF’s Honors program. �e Honors program currently has approximately 100 students participating. Honors students are required to take �ve (four unit) honors courses before graduation. Stump said, “Having students

Dons Dollars and Cents

How The Stimulus Package Is Making College (Slightly) More Affordable HUNTER PATTERSON Staff Writer

Laura Plantholt/Foghorn Award winning filmmaker Alex Gibney shares his experiences with the Davies Forum.

Academy Awards. While he is currently involved in an array of projects, his plans for the future vary. Some ideas that have always interested him range from creating a documentary about people who keep primates as domesticated pets to venturing into the �ctional genre, making a narrative �lm based on the classic novel “1984” by George Orwell. His projection for the future of documentary was positive, noting the possibility of making �lm much more cheaply than in the past as a bene�t for aspiring documentarians. “With Final Cut Pro and a camera

you can put together a pretty good cut of a �lm without too much money,” Gibney said. But money will always be the bottom line in this and all other industries, so he emphasized the need to learn how to get investors to back a project, and look at every �lm as a fundraising campaign. In a room full of aspiring �lm and news makers, many wondered what other advice Gibney had for the next generation. “Watch a lot of movies; documentary and �ction,” he said. And, he said simply, “Just do it! �e tools are inexpensive enough now, so just do it.”

along [at the conference] helped foster an interchange of ideas.” Shajirat said that the conference began with an overview of the different honors programs at the various colleges and they discussed fundraising ideas. Unlike at the Honors program at USF, half of the director’s job is to fundraise. At USF, the Honors program focuses mainly on academics, not on facilitating social interaction between student scholars. Shajirat prefers this. She said, “We have no student presence, which is not necessarily a bad thing.” Shajirat pointed out that other Jesuit universities have much more limitation; some universities only offer one honors course per semester and require students to complete an honors thesis paper, in addition to department requirements. She said of the USF Honors program, “�e way it is structured [gives] students the most amount of freedom.” Stump doesn’t foresee any big changes in the way that the USF Honors program runs. However, he thinks that the program could provide more opportunities for the honors students to interact. He suggested co-curricular activities, like a

trip to a museum exhibit, for students who may not be consistently enrolled in honors courses to socialize and learn from out-ofclassroom experiences. While some universities have living-learning communities attached to their honors programs, where the students live together, Stump promotes co-curricular activities that are “not as intense as living-learning communities.” Creating travel abroad programs just for honors students was one suggestion raised at the conference. Shajirat did not support this and said that a separate study abroad program “just perpetuates a differentiation between honors students and other students.” A difference in study abroad programs could be detrimental to the image of the Honors program, portraying it as elitist. Stump was unsure if students would attend the conference next year because the conference will be held “a plane ride away.” He said that if an organization, or student advisory board was created, it would provide a more formal presentation, which could succeed in fundraising to send students to the conference.

USF Students Discuss Merits of Jesuit Honors Programs

CHELSEA STERLING News Editor

San Francisco Foghorn

Hated by Republican congress members, and business owners , and loved by Democrats and the unemployed, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 seems to have polarized the American public, and even economists, who cannot agree on whether the bill will pull the economy out of tailspin or just greatly increase the size of government, as well as government debt, for years to come. For college students, who would have hoped for the Democrat-controlled government to aim stimulus money at making college more affordable, there is disappointingly little in the enormous package to get excited about. Less than four percent of the $787 billion economic relief effort will be spent on college students, in the form of expanded Pell Grants and Federal Work Study and increased tax credits for education spending. �e bill calls for $15.6 billion to increase Pell grants from $4,731 currently to $5,350 in 2009 and to $5,550 in 2010. Pell grants do not have to be repaid and students who qualify will receive anywhere from $400 up to the maximum amount depending on their level of need as determined by their FAFSA. However, these grants go to only the poorest college students; 90 percent of Pell grants awarded in 2008 went to students whose families made less than $40,000 per year, according to a report by the New York Times. �e stimulus package also calls for about a 17 percent, or $200 million, increase in funding for the Federal Work Study program which subsidizes the cost of hiring student workers by chipping in part of

their wages. Work study allows employers, especially campus departments and nonpro�ts, to hire more workers, or workers they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. �is is important at USF, where campus departments are facing tighter funding and some are reducing student hours or laying student workers off all together. Non-work study student workers are also seeing their hours cut more dramatically than those with work study, as was reported in the Feb. 19 issue of the Foghorn. In the bill, Congress also increased tax credits for education spending, up to a maximum of $2,500, made the credits refundable, meaning tax payers who owe less in taxes than their education credit will get a refund, and increased eligibility to families making less than $180,000, up from $116,000 last year. �e credit will go either to students or to their parents if the student is claimed as a dependent and is up from a similar $2,000 credit last year. Total spending on college funding in the bill comes to just $29.8 billion, a small fraction of what has been set aside for other programs including Medicaid spending and tax cuts. While students should support efforts to increase economic activity in hopes of securing well-paying jobs upon graduation, there is little in this bill that increases federal support for higher education or reduces the incredible cost of obtaining a degree. However, the Obama administration plans to include further support for college students in its �scal year 2010 budget, including making some of the programs mentioned above permanent. �e impact of Obama’s budget changes on college students will be pro�led in a forthcoming Dons Dollars and Cents column.

Fundraiser Draws Attention to Atrocities in Gaza GAZA: Continued from page three was at the event and said that other events like Get Down for Gaza are being planned, though nothing has been �nalized. Badday said that thousands of dollars were raised on Wednesday night. �e cover charge ranged from $10-20, based on how much people were willing to donate, and T-shirts were sold inside. All the money raised went to KinderUSA, a non-pro�t organization that was founded in 2002 by a group of American physicians and humanitarian relief workers. �irdSPACE Productions collaborated with 330 Ritch and KinderUSA to put on the event. KinderUSA is one of two humani-

tarian groups currently on the ground in Gaza. “I’m hoping six years from now, our atrocity de�cit disorder will not be on the next [atrocity], and then six years later the same thing. ’Cuz Gaza isn’t about Gaza. Gaza for me is about the right for indigenous people to have the right to exist and the right to return wherever we exist on this planet,” Gonzales said to the crowd. To learn more about KinderUSA, visit kinderusa.org. To learn more about thirdSPACE productions and their upcoming events, visit thirdSPACE Productions.com. You can also �nd thirdSPACE Productions on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, along with many of the artists performing at their events.

Correction �e article “Senate Selects ‘Sexy’ Slogan to Revamp Image, Bolster Participation” which appeared on page three of the Feb. 19 issue of the Foghorn incorrectly represented the Senate is SEXY campaign. Several facts in the article were incorrect. Not all of the words that the SEXY acronym stands for will change every week

as stated; only the word that the letter ‘S’ represents will change. In addition, the date of Senate Week listed in the “Senate Selects ‘SEXY’ Slogan” article was incorrect. Senate Week will be held sometime during April, not the �rst week of March as previously reported.

San Francisco Foghorn

University of San Francisco’s 21st Annual

Career & Internship Fair Friday, March 6 11AM to 3PM McLaren Complex Come check out over 70 employers who will be at the fair!

5 MARCH 5, 2009

OPINION

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Peter Dalton Senior, International Studies Major

“I don’t really know enough about ROTC; I could see there being an argument there.”

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Homecoming Concert Should be Interactive, Reflect San Francisco Scene Two weeks ago, Lupe Fiasco performed at War Memorial Gym as part of USF’s Homecoming weekend. While last year’s performer, Wyclef Jean, interacted with students and performed for more than two hours, Fiasco barely made an appearance before the concert began. He met students that had spent all day preparing the gym for the concert only minutes before he went on stage. Once the concert began, Fiasco only played for about an hour. Lupe Fiasco’s background in social justice is well-documented, and USF is to be commended for seeking out an artist that falls in line with the University’s core mission. However, the terms by which USF brought Lupe Fiasco to perform at our campus should have been re-worked to ensure a more interactive student experience. For the amount of money that was spend on getting Lupe Fiasco to USF, why did he only perform for one hour? Why were meeting with students and spending more time at USF not worked into Fiasco’s contract? Why did USF not come to an agreement with Lupe Fiasco to where USFtv and the Foghorn would be able to photograph and �lm the event? Both student media outlets were not allowed to cover the event as fully as expected. Lupe Fiasco was brought to USF for the USF community, and USFtv and the Foghorn are a large part of what makes this community. Student media outlets should have full access to Homecoming events in the future, as well as all events on campus, and we hope that next year USF comes to an agreement with the chosen artist(s) before hand to make this possible. �ere is also a larger issue to be had with the Homecoming music choice and selection process. San Francisco, and more

speci�cally USF, has a deep, wide-spread and popular music scene in all genres, including hip-hop, which was the choice of the student body for this year’s Homecoming concert. �ere are venues all over the city that host local bands almost nightly. �ere are bands with San Francisco roots that perform in San Francisco and would gladly come to USF. �ere are students at USF that are in bands and perform around the city. �e Homecoming concert seems to be more of an outside experience, rather than a part of the lively and diverse music scene in San Francisco that so many students at USF are fans of or a part of. �e Homecoming concert should re�ect this popular and growing scene, which is why the Foghorn endorses bringing a performer next year that has both a social justice background and has roots in the San Francisco music scene, regardless of the genre. For the money that was spent on bringing Lupe Fiasco to USF, we could have had more than one, slightly less famous, but far more interactive, San Francisco-rooted performers be a part of our Homecoming weekend. �is might attract more upperclassmen to the event who, for the most part, did not attend the Homecoming concert. Students across the board, from freshmen, to seniors, to graduate students, can largely identify with some aspect of the San Francisco music scene. It is a key aspect of what makes San Francisco the diverse, open, free-spirited city that it is, which is a factor many people consider when deciding to come to San Francisco, and speci�cally USF, to pursue their education.

SUBMISSION POLICY An All-American Publication ad maiorem dei gloriam �e San Francisco Foghorn is the official student newspaper of the University of San Francisco and is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of San Francisco (ASUSF). �e thoughts and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily re�ect those of the Foghorn staff, the administration, the faculty, staff or the students of the University of San Francisco. Contents of each issue are the sole responsibilities of the editors. Advertising matter printed herein is solely for informational purposes. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship or endorsement of such commercial enterprises or ventures by the San Francisco Foghorn. ©MMIV-MMV, San Francisco Foghorn. All rights reserved. No material printed herein may be reproduced without prior permission of the Editor in Chief. 10 papers are allowed per person. Additional copies are 25 cents each.

Columns for the Opinion section and Letters to the Editor are gladly accepted from students, faculty, staff and alumni. All materials must be signed and include your printed name, address, and telephone number for veri�cation. Please include your university status (class standing or title). We reserve the right to edit materials submitted. All submissions become the property of the San Francisco Foghorn Columns of not more than 900 words should be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Wednesday before publication. Letters of 500 words or less should be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Shorter letters which get to the point have a greater chance of being published than long, rambling diatribes. Anonymous letters are not published. Editorials are written by the Foghorn editorial staff and represent a group consensus. �e San Francisco Foghorn Opinion page is a forum for the free, fair and civil exchange of ideas. Contributors’ opinions are not meant to re�ect the views of the Foghorn staff or the University of San Francisco.

Larissa Wilcox Junior, Biology Major

Marisa Keller Senior, Math and Psychology Major

“I don’t know a lot of the details about what really happened so I don’t really know what role ROTC played in how that guy viewed women or felt about the situation. I think whether or not we have ROTC on campus is an issue that we should talk about just because it does in some ways seem inconsistent with Jesuit social justice values.”

Greta Klaber Senior, Psychology Major

“I think [ROTC] is an easy target, it’s sort of the fundamental attribution where something bad happens to one person and we take it and I mean in a way it’s like stereotyping anything. �ere are a ton of people in ROTC that are there for so many reasons.”

Do you think USF should reconsider having ROTC on this campus?

“ROTC is kind of a broad organization to attack [in that matter]... maybe they should have to attend a lecture to reiterate that this is a big deal.”

Nick Wayham Senior, Molecular Biology Major

“I don’t think you can draw a correlation between rape and being in ROTC. I think it was probably just the individual.”

Favorite Online Comments February 26th, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. “Kate, We need to be more open about talking about sex and contraceptives on campus. We are all adults, and this conversation is healthy. It would be a little weird if people weren’t having sex, right?” - “Stephanie” in response to “Open the Sex Disussion on Campus,” by columnist Kate Elston from the Feb. 25 issue. February 19th, 2009 at 1:48 p.m. “Nicholas, Did you wear a gold/yellow shirt at the game? Did you sit in the student section? Did you cheer on the Dons? Or do you just like to write articles to criticize?” - “Bill” in response to “Campus Chic: Rex Walters Edition,” by Opinion Editor Nicholas Mukhar from the Feb. 18 issue.

February 20th, 2009 at 4:26 p.m. “Ryan Caskey does not seem like a person to commit these crimes, I say this because I actually know the young man in question and went to school with him for four years. His character at no point would make me think that he did this, but if it is true may god has mercy on him.” - “Terry” in response to “USF Student Arrested, Charged with ‘acquaintance’ Rape,” by News Editor Laura Plantholt from the Feb. 19 issue.

February 18th, 2009 at 7:34 p.m. “Saw it, loved it. Bust out yo 3D glasses!” - “Hannah” in response to “Director Henry Selick Crafts Romantically Macabre World in ‘Coraline,’” by Rich Media Editor Sky Madden from the Feb. 18 issue.

February 19th, 2009 at 7:52 p.m. “When you look good you feel good, and when you feel good you play good. Fake it until you make it baby. Rex why don’t you slide down to Nordstrom and pick out a power tie. In an interview you said you were settling into a house near campus, thats got to be in the mil range if not higher, you can afford some dubs.” - “GQ” in response to “Campus Chic: Rex Walters Edition,” by Opinion Editor Nicholas Mukhar from the Feb. 18th issue.

To read more comments on Foghorn articles or write your own, head to �eFoghornOnline.com.

February 25th, 2009 at 9:28 p.m. “It seems that the Foghorn Editorial Staff had their feelings hurt.” - “Silly Foghorn” in response to “Placing Blame not Helpful For Campus Healing,” the staff editorial from the Feb. 25 issue.

February 18th, 2009 at 10:42 p.m. “Dior has all the makings of an NBA player. You may forget that Dior was actually �rst recruited by legendary coach Bobby Knight at Texas Tech. �at speaks volumes about his overall talent. Just because he is playing at USF does not mean he cannot be a pro. Good break down though.” - “Uber Loco” in response to “Scouting Report on Dior Lowhorn: Is USF Ready to Send Another Don to the NBA?” by Sports Editor Matt Steinbach from the Feb. 18 issue.

Letter to the Editor: ROTC Ban Dear Editor,

While I agree with the majority of Ms. Luu’s article [ROTC Ban Not the Way to Address Safer Campus in Feb. 26 issue of �e Foghorn], there were some statements made about ROTC and the military that were disconcerting. Ms. Luu wrote that ROTC needs to hold its cadets to a higher standard. However, she fails to mention that it is because of those standards that Mr. Caskey was expelled from the program, effectively ending Mr. Caskey’s military career before it could even start. She also wrote that one of her main issues with the military is the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. However, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is not a product of the military. It was enacted by Congress. �e military has no choice but to follow it. Ms. Luu also wrote how, in her vision of an ideal world, our country would not need the military. I believe that not having a military is possibly one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. �e military serves multiple purposes, not just �ghting wars. When a disaster strikes, who races in when everyone else �ees? �e National

Guard. Even if there is no war at the time, the military is utilized for humanitarian missions in various countries. It is only in the military that humanitarian aid can be done on such a grand scale, and with such organization. If the country were to suddenly stop having a military, not only would we leave ourselves vulnerable to the rest of the world, but the opportunities to serve one’s country, gain valuable leadership skills and make a difference in one’s life will cease to exist. While many people can argue that those same things can be done in other programs, such as Teach for America, only the military can guarantee a stable job. USF should not even consider banning ROTC. As Ms. Luu wrote, “�ese alleged rapes are the result of one person’s choices and behaviors, and should not be blamed or linked to ROTC.” Why punish the other cadets who hold themselves to a higher standard than Mr. Caskey? Where is the justice in that? If USF bans ROTC, it will not only fail to train “compassionate, educated, social – justice minded leaders,” but will also not give the cadets the opportunity to show the rest of the student body what the pro-

gram is really about. �at is a form of censorship. It is unfortunate that people are suggesting banning ROTC from USF. �e 94 cadets who receive scholarships from ROTC are contracted, meaning they will spend eight years minimum upon graduation from USF in the military. �ose eight years do not include time spent in specialized schools for the Army. By even hinting at banning ROTC, USF is suggesting to those cadets that their personal sacri�ce to their country and to their fellow students is worth nothing because of the actions of a single cadet. I hope that the student body seriously reconsiders the idea of banning ROTC. �is community should not allow the actions of a single person to affect the futures of the current cadets. Mr. Caskey has already victimized four women. By making the banning of ROTC an option, USF will allow him to victimize others: the ROTC cadets. -Nicole-Faith Alipio Nicole-Faith Alipio is a freshman politics major and member of Air Force ROTC

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SCENE MARCH 5, 2009

Human Rights Film Festival Inspires Change

COLIN GIBBONS Staff Writer

Last week USF held the seventh annual Human Rights Film Festival, a three-day event featuring nearly a dozen �lms from four countries. �e festival, which took place in the Presentation �eater on campus and was free and open to the public, confronted an impressive range of issues through a line-up of highly acclaimed and well-respected �lms. In the past, the festival existed as a collaboration with the Human Rights Watch Traveling Film Festival and exclusively featured selections from that festival. �is year, however, the USF fest evolved into an independent event with a wider scope. Although two �lms were contributions from the Traveling Festival, the rest were unique selections, many of which were presented by their directors. Largely organized by Susana Kaiser of the media studies and Latin American studies departments, the event was sponsored by over two dozen USF departments and organizations. Faculty from several departments were instrumental in recruiting the directors to appear

with their �lms. �ere was also a signi�cant student presence, as the festival featured four student short �lms covering topics ranging from the ongoing protests of the School of Americas in Georgia to the oppressed fate of the Gypsies living in Rome. �ese �lms provided a tangible example of the festival’s mission “to encourage citizens to take action.” A table of student volunteers was on hand throughout the festival providing pamphlets and information related to a variety of human rights issues and organizations. �e opening day focused on human rights issues in South and Central America. �e �rst three �lms examined historical instances of injustice in the region, while the �nal �lm of the day looked to the future and involved the United States in its scope of discussion. �is �lm, “Sleep Dealer,” described by director Alex Rivera after the viewing as “the �rst science �ction �lm that could turn out to be a documentary,” addressed the economic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and the complicated nature of borders. �e �lm

examined the absurdities of a globalized world by depicting a technologically advanced near-future in which “connectivity does not lead to justice or equality but instead leads to new forms of exploitation.” �e second day of the festival juxtaposed several �lms focused on American events with another, which addressed a foreign human rights issue. “Burning the Future: Coal in America” examined the devastating effect that coal mining has on the environment and public health, and stressed the responsibility of citizens to confront problems within their community. �is �lm was followed by 2008 Sundance Award winners “�e Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo” and “Trouble the Water,” a �lm which addressed suffering in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. �ese �lms used personal stories to expound on large-scale issues of social justice and stressed the capacity of the individual to affect social awareness. �e third and �nal day of the festival featured an interview with Alex Gibney, director of Oscar-winning documentary “Taxi to the Dark Side,” followed by a screening of the �lm and a question and

answer session. While discussing the �lm after the viewing, Gibney described the atrocities committed in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, which were explored in his �lm as “human issues” which should not be viewed strictly within the context of the military. He went on to propose “education as the best antiseptic” against human rights abuses. �e concluding event of the festival was a viewing of “Dos Americas: the Reconstruction of New Orleans,” followed by a panel discussion between director David Zlutnick and Ronald Sundstrom (professor of philosophy and director of African-American studies) and Jorge Aquino (professor of theology and religious studies and director of Chicano-Latin studies). �e professors and Zlutnick interpreted the situation in New Orleans from slightly differing perspectives, which, taken together, provided an example of how the diversity and free exchange of ideas occurring at USF place our community in a unique position to recognize and take action in support of human rights issues across the globe.

more complex than your average beat-‘emup and its difficulty keeps you coming back for more. But where the game really excels is in its presentation: sure, the graphics alone make for great presentation, but everything about “Comix Zone” pops out like it would in a real comic book. Dialogue appears in the classic comic book text bubbles and the art style bears a close resemblance to everyday superhero comics, but what makes “Comix Zone” so cool is the way that the camera is panned out more than normal, displaying the lines between each panel as Sketch rips through one panel and into the next. It’s an effect that solidi�es the comic book-y feel of “Comix Zone” and makes it an instant classic.

Gunstars, a group of siblings determined to stop an evil empire from resurrecting an ancient destruction machine by collecting the four gems that power it. “Gunstar Heroes” features a great soundtrack and a deeply varied weapon combination system, but what makes it stand out from most other games is its emphasis on boss battles, so much so that roughly half the game is spent �ghting against bosses. �is never becomes a problem since all of the boss battles feel fresh and different from one another. “Gunstar Heroes” is a tough game to put into words, so playing it �rst-hand is your best bet to get the full experience.

Geek Squad: The Top Five Sega Genesis Games

Melissa Stihl/Foghorn Being a geek requires many different video game consoles and controllers in this exciting world filled with Segas, Nintendos, X-Boxes and Wiis. Hechema has it all.

JONNY HECHEMA Staff Writer With the NES selling like hotcakes, it was only a matter of time before a rival popped up to snag a cut of the pro�ts: enter Sega. True, Sega’s �rst entry in the console market was the 8-bit Master System, but the company didn’t hit its stride until the release of their next system, the Genesis, so that’s where we shall begin. Touting the slogan “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” and bogus features like “blast processing,” Sega was in it to win it with the Genesis, and they were able to stay competitive thanks in part to a great lineup of games – here are my picks. 5. Zero Wing Can’t remember what “Zero Wing” is? I offer only one non-grammatical phrase as a reminder: “All your base are belong to us.” Yes, “Zero Wing” is the game that

started one of the earliest internet fads with its poor translation. But when you look past the game’s horribly translated opening scene, you �nd that it is a surprisingly above-average 2D space shooter. With eight fairly lengthy stages, a satisfyingly varied power-up system and the kind of hair-pulling difficulty that you’d expect from any shoot-‘em-up game, “Zero Wing” has got enough going on that you won’t regret pressing start after that iconic opening scene. 4. Comix Zone “Comix Zone” puts you in the role of Sketch Turner, an ordinary comic book artist whose life gets much more complicated when the villain of his comic book manages to jump into the real world and cram Sketch into his own creation, forcing him to �ght his way out. For starters, “Comix Zone” plays great – it has a useful item system, the �ghting mechanics are slightly

3. Golden Axe Moving from a shoot-‘em-up to a beat‘em-up to a hack-and-slash, “Golden Axe” offers classic gameplay and multiple modes to keep you hacking and slashing. An evil being known as Death Adder decides to take the king and princess hostage in their castle, forcing you to take up your sword (or axe) and show him who’s boss. �e game gives you the option to play as three different characters, each with his or her own little quirks. Gameplay also features a magic system, allowing you to unleash varying levels of magic spells based on the amount of potions you pick up. Other than story mode, “Golden Axe” also has a mode called “�e Duel,” an addicting alternative that pits you against enemy after enemy to see how far you can get before defeat. Indeed, “Golden Axe” packs a ton of fun with a decent amount of replayability in one cartridge. 2. Gunstar Heroes Step aside, “Contra,” there’s a new shooter in town. “Gunstar Heroes” is the kind of game that many gamers have never heard of, but those who have cherish it greatly. �e game follows the story of the

1. Sonic 3 & Knuckles Okay, this one requires a bit of explanation. You’ll never actually �nd a Genesis cartridge labeled “Sonic 3 & Knuckles.” Rather, it’s a combination of two games: “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Sonic & Knuckles.” At the top of the cartridge for “Sonic & Knuckles” is a slot similar to the one located on the Genesis, allowing you to plug cartridges directly into the “Sonic & Knuckles” cartridge. Best results were attained when you stuck “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” into it, which made for a substantially different experience. “Sonic 3 & Knuckles” combines the levels of both games, allowing you to play as Tails in the “Sonic & Knuckles” levels and Knuckles in the “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” levels. Another new feature to the game was the addition of Super Emeralds, allowing you to access Knuckles and Sonic’s Hyper modes and Tails’ Super mode after upgrading all of the original Chaos Emeralds. While both the originals are great games, combining them both into “Sonic 3 & Knuckles” creates what is quite possibly the greatest Sonic game in existence.

San Francisco Foghorn

MELISSA BARON Scene Editor Ah, the freedom of driving. I have the fondest memories of hitting the road and putting my most rockin’ CD in so I could air drum on the steering wheel (interestingly enough my beautiful Saturn came with a CD player but no power windows?). Unfortunately, most of us traded our cars for bus passes when we moved into San Francisco. �is is a Muni mix. A mix to listen to while attempting to ignore the rowdy kids in the back of the bus playing music on their cell phones with no headphones. A mix for tolerating the older woman who keeps accidentally hitting you with her purse. A mix for keeping spirits high when you sit down in a great seat only to have a stinky man with twenty backpacks come and sit next to you. Put this mix on so you feel less uncomfortable about the man in urine stained clothes talking to himself next to you. Here’s to you, Muni! 1) “Greyhound Bus” by the Moldy Peaches off of “�e Moldy Peaches” 2) “Value Gulag” by Steel Tigers of Death off of “****PUNCHER EP” 3) “�e Temp” by Meneguar off of “I Was Born At Night” 4) “Myke Ptyson” by Star****** off of “Star******” 5) “Kiss Me On �e Bus” by the Replacements off of “Tim” 6) “Caught in the Deep Zone” by Lightning Bolt off of “Lightning Bolt” 7) “Chester�eld King” by Jawbreaker off of “Bivouac” 8) “�e Dead Dog Laughing in the Cloud” by Daniel Johnston off of “Continued Story/Hi, How Are You” 9) “Fire & Fast Bullets” by Blitzen Trapper off of “Furr” 10) “Howl” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club off of “Howl”

Next week, we’ll take a look at Nintendo’s 16-bit retaliation to the Genesis, the SNES. Until then, game on!

Foghorn Digs Morrisey s New Album While Dan Auerbach Disappoints

ADEN JORDAN Staff Writer

On the opening track to Morrissey’s newest solo album, the Pope of Mope assures his listeners that, after all these decades, he’s still sticking his nose in the air while his heart continues to break: “I’m doing very well/ I can block out the present and the past now/ I know by now you think I should have straightened myself out/ �ank you, drop dead.” Morrissey was the vocal and lyrical

brain behind �e Smiths and his commanding presence both on stage and on his records attests to why he’s been more �nancially and critically successful than his old Smiths band mates. Morrissey’s last two solo albums, “You are the Quarry” and “Ringleader of the Tormentors,” both had a few jarringly great songs. However, neither record came together as a cohesive whole. �ese stand in stark contrast to Morrissey’s newest album, “Years of Refusal.” Nearly every song on this album is worthy of multiple listens. �e songs here are usually fast paced with thrashing guitar and Morrissey’s typically intelligent and snotty lyrics. Little �ourishes on the album tracks complement instead of take away from the meat of the songs: the somber church organ on “Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed,” the tinge of Blue Oyster Cult’s in�uence on “Black Cloud,” the Pixies-like opening to “I’m �rowing My Arms Around Paris” and even the strings on “You Were Good In Your Time” that sound like they were lifted

from a 1980s James Bond soundtrack. Morrissey’s impressive skill on this album is his ability to build up a rising action in his songs, release a musical and lyrical climax to the listeners and then let the falling action slip from his �ngers. Even more impressive is that Morrissey can subtly put this kind of structure into his songs while also retaining his wit about whatever dreary subject, internal or external, he sings about. Morrissey has been feeling blue for quite some time now, but albums like this con�rm how bright and talented the guy is after all these years.

After the last two poor-quality albums by the Black Keys, the new solo album by their guitarist and singer Dan Auerbach is evidence that the Black Keys may have lost the promising potential they brought to their masterpiece “Rubber Factory” �ve years ago. On “Rubber Factory” and their covers EP “Chulahoma,” the Black Keys proved that their sparse blues model sounded more passionate and pleasing to the ears than more commercially popular blues-rock bands like the White Stripes. �eir last two albums, “Magic Potion” and “Attack and Release” were disappointing, and this new solo album “Keep It Hid” is not much of an improvement. �e raw, fuzzy distorted guitar and lament-�lled vocals from previous Black Keys records are still present on “Keep It Hid,” but Auerbach doesn’t seem to have progressed much, even with branching out with a solo album. �at’s not to say that Auerbach isn’t a talented musician, and a handful of the songs on the album show off his impressive guitar skills.

�e song “Whispered Words” has moody compositional elements in it that channel the great Issac Hayes and Burt Bacharach song “Walk On By.” On the track “Real Desire,” Auerbach cleverly uses pedal effects to make a guitar sound like a tuba. Auerbach’s lyrics on “When I Left the Room” are typical of his style and also appear as cookie cutter emoting. His raspy voice on the song barely gives the lyrics an air of blues authenticity: “She left a year ago/ With my record collection/ Now all I have/ Is my own re�ection.” None of the songs on “Keep It Hid” are terrible, but songs like the title track and the acoustic guitar closer “Goin’ Home” show that after more than �ve full length albums, Auerbach continues to make the same kind of music with increasingly mediocre quality. Check out some of the music from the albums on our website. Just go to www.thefoghornonline.com to listen.

SCENE

8

San Francisco Foghorn

MARCH 5, 2009

Ditchin the Dining Hall: Downtown Edition

Espetus Captures the Essence of Brazil on Market Street

Melissa Stihl/Foghorn

The charming Espetus downtown provides a meat-filled Brazilian feast and large buffet.

KATHERINE HARWOOD Staff Writer

Bring your appetite to San Francisco’s one-and-only Brazilian-style Churrascaria. Top selections of beef, lamb, pork, chicken and shrimp come delivered sizzling hot on sword-like skewers by waiters decked in traditional “gaucho-style” ensembles—boots and all. �ough the price is steep ($50 per person), any meal that is able to transport me into a frame of nostalgia about my days spent lying on the beaches of Rio is de�nitely worth the money. �e set-price menu includes an allyou-can-eat smorgasbord of over 14 differently-prepared meats and an exotic buffet. �e buffet over�ows with rich stews, spicy �sh, fresh shell�sh, sweet cranberry cous cous and hearts of palm, a Brazilian delicacy. �e food comes non-stop until you switch your “green card,” meaning ‘bring me more meat’ (given to every table) to the “red card,” signifying that there is an actual possibility of consuming too much perfectly cooked, mouth-watering meat in one sitting. Smiling brasileiros swiftly dance across the room with their skewers

of meat to the bossa nova streaming from the restaurant’s speakers, which almost gives you a feeling of sitting at a restaurant right in Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana. To wash down the over�owing spices that tickle your taste buds, the in-house prepared white or red wine sangria and/or the traditional Brazilian drink “caipirinha” seem to do the trick. �ough drinks are not included in the set price, they’re necessary due to the constant eating that takes place throughout the sumptuous feast. After a few drinks and forkfuls of heaven, the crowd around the restaurant seems to have a uniform “smile and eyes closed” look while tasting the divine treats. �e scent that permeates the air while Brazilian music plays reminds me of the sweet sugarcane scent that �ows throughout the warm and humid air in Brazil. As I ate, I recalled one of my favorite Astrud Gilberto songs, titled “Non-stop to Brazil,” while I calculated how long it would take to �y from SFO to the Carlos Jobim Airport in Sao Paolo. After the meal craze comes to a slow and steady end, every patron must satisfy his/her sweet tooth with the decadent des-

serts available, ranging from sweet fried plantains with ice cream to rich, “betterthan-sex” chocolate lava cake (not included). �is celebratory style restaurant satis�es every palette from salty to sweet. �e service is representative of the Brazilian stereotype: the waiters and hosts are warm, friendly and laid-back and occasionally forget to speak English to you instead of their native tongue, Portuguese. Reservations are necessary on Friday and Saturday nights. For those hungry for Brazilian plates with slightly shallower pockets, try lunch for half the price. It’s equally �lled with the meats galore. Make sure to take a glimpse at the kitchen before you leave to get a peek at how the genius chefs cook the succulent meats—over a huge open �re located right in the restaurant’s kitchen. �e waiters at Espetus care about your experience and play the roles of “the expert” meat and wine connoisseurs very well. Espetus is made up of three mediumsized rooms to encompass the steady �ow of people that in�ltrate the restaurant by the second while you dine, making you feel you have not only come to the right place, but are sitting in one hot commodity of a restaurant. Espetus Churrascaria: 1686 Market Street in San Francisco 415-552-8792 710 S B Street in San Mateo (NEW!) 650-342-8700 Reservations needed for dinner Hours: Mon-�u: 11:30-3PM for lunch 5-10PM for dinner Fri: 11:30-3PM for lunch 5-11PM for dinner Sat: 12-3PM for lunch 5-11PM for dinner Sun: 12-3PM for lunch 4-9PM for dinner

Courtesy of The Black Rock These mugshots feature four of the many black inmates imprisoned at Alcatraz island.

Film Exposes New Alcatraz Story KEVIN KUNZE Staff Writer

Rushing down the Embarcadero in the rain, �nally reaching Pier 38, you arrive right as the cruise boat is about to leave the dock. Quickly �ashing your ID to the guard, you board the ship and go up to the second �oor, looking out at the island that lies ahead. �e destination: Alcatraz. �e location: the prisoners’ cafeteria, which was once the most dangerous place in the prison, so treacherous they installed tear gas devices from the lights that would release with the push of a button. �e mission: set up dual rear projection and stereo sound for over 300 people. �e reason: because over 50 percent of those jailed in the United States today are black youth. “�e Black Rock” tells the untold story about the black inmates of Alcatraz and their struggle to survive in a primarily white maximum-security prison. Researching and �lming the documentary took six and a half years to complete. Superbly directed by local �lmmaker and activist Kevin Epps (“Straight Outta Hunters Point”), the �lm examines the lives of the few AfricanAmerican prisoners who were important �gures in the history of “�e Rock” from the 1930s to the 1960s. Interviews with historians, archival footage, photographs and re-enactments are used to present an entirely new perspective on the most feared prison of its time during a frightening period of racial prejudice and discrimination. One of the most notable criminals in the �lm was Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, a notorious heroin distributor from

Two Lovers, No Happy Ending

All major credit cards accepted. ****/***** $$$/$$$$

Stephen Malkmus Rocks Fans at Noise Pop

Courtesy of Noise Pop Former Pavement singer Malkmus played sold out show at Great American Music Hall

COLIN GIBBONS Staff Writer Twenty years after the birth of Pavement, one of the more in�uential bands of the past two decades, Stephen Malkmus continues to be a �gure in the center of the indie rock universe. Although certainly entitled to kick back and take a long nap on his laurels, the man known as “SM” has proved unwilling to cruise along on his cred. Since the breakup of Pavement 10 years ago, Malkmus has released four albums, three of them with his band �e Jicks. Although he’s always willing to play Pavement songs, he has remained focused on writing and playing new material. Because of this relentless creativity and a longstanding eagerness to take bands of his musical progeny along on tour, the patriarch of the slacker generation has become more ingrained than ever in the indie sphere. Malkmus’ sold-out solo show at the Great American last week seemed a natural �t in a Noise Pop lineup largely

�lled with young bands and darlings of the blog age. Folksy San Francisco-based openers Goh Nakamura and Kelley Stoltz seemed to have attracted a few loyal fans, but the full capacity crowd was clearly there for Malkmus. Although the venue was not yet �lled enough for crowd noise to be an issue during Nakamura’s set, second opener Peggy Honeywell was more or less drowned out and had to resort to making passive -aggressive requests for the audience to quiet down. Stoltz, appearing third, didn’t have much better luck, but the soundman had the foresight to increase the volume between sets. Stoltz �nally managed to catch the crowd’s attention as he capped his set with a rather outstanding cover of Echo & the Bunnymen’s “Read it in Books” (If you have not heard Pavement’s take on Bunnymen classic “�e Killing Moon,” I recommend you check out the recent deluxe release of “Brighten the Corners.”) When he �nally appeared, Malkmus came on stage holding an acoustic guitar and a laptop, announcing, “It’s only me, it’s

only me,” in response to the frantic cheering. After a bit of banter (“It smells like weed, yo”) he began with “Harness Your Hopes” and a stream of Pavement classics followed. �e laptop provided distortion for a few songs, but Malkmus remained alone on stage throughout the set. Everyone was wild to hear pared-down versions of songs like “Spit on a Stranger” and “Loretta’s Scars,” but the highlights of the night came from more naturally bare numbers such as “Zurich is Stained” and “Heaven is a Truck.” Pavement songs, especially those from the “Slanted/Enchanted” era, made up the bulk of the set, but Malkmus did throw in a cover of the Silver Jews’ “Blue Arrangements,” as well as a number of Jicks songs. Surprisingly though, the set was at it’s most shambolic when Malkmus played his latest work. One of his strings conveniently snapped soon after beginning “Real Emotional Trash” (by far the longest song in his catalogue) and after stopping, he opened up his guitar case to reveal that he had not brought any replacements. When someone back stage gave him new strings, Malkmus declared “this is gonna take three minutes - hold on” and proceeded to screw on the wrong string (although, to his credit, he did make the change within the promised timeframe). Later in the set no one was more amused than Malkmus himself when he had to abandon “Vanessa from Queens” after forgetting the lyrics in the second verse. As his set played out as a sort of haphazard retrospective, Malkmus appeared conscious of his legacy, but seemed to take it less seriously than anyone else in the building. When delivering his famously sarcastic lines about the Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots during “Range Life”, he gave a knowing snicker, acknowledging the references that now seem both prescient and dated. After the botched attempt at “Vanessa from Queens,” he introduced “Here” joking, “this one’s so iconic I didn’t even practice it.” �e �nal song of the night, “Summer Babe,” was interrupted midway through as Malkmus stopped and explained that he could not play the bridge on an acoustic guitar. After a few swigs of water he �nished the song with a barrage of sloppy howls and ad-libbed profanity, then waved and disappeared off stage, leaving the audience shell-shocked and satis�ed.

New York City and the real-life counterpart to Denzel Washington’s Frank Lucas in “American Gangster” (2007). Robert Lipscomb, another black convict, was sentenced to life in prison for having around a hundred counterfeit dollars. Other stories included that of George DeVincenzi, who worked as a guard at Alcatraz from 1950 to 1957. He is now 82 years old. He tells of murders, stabbings, numerous �ghts and of a black inmate who helped him stay awake on the overnight shift. “I think he killed three or four inmates himself. He was pretty vicious, but a nice guy to talk to,” he said laughingly. Teaming up with the Golden Gate National Park Service, Epps was able to premiere the �lm on Alcatraz at night. A ferryboat took the audience over to the island, and before the screening, they received a special guided tour through the infamous prison. Setting up the projection and audio for the event, I was able to experience what may have been the largest movie screening ever to occur on the island. On Feb. 27, “�e Black Rock” had its theatrical premiere at the Red Vic Movie House, where speakers included director Kevin Epps, historian and author John Templeton and other prominent �gures. �e �lm’s last screening will take place tonight at 9:15. In addition, clips from the �lm are now a permanent part of the Alcatraz tour, offering a fresh perspective for the 1.5 million tourists who visit each year. For tickets you can call the following number: (415) 668-3994

Courtesy of Two Lovers

ISHTAR SCHNEIDER Staff Writer

If you enjoy a romantic movie with a weird twist and a less–than-happy ending, “Two Lovers” is for you. I entered the theater with an open mind and certain excitement that comes from entering a �lm with an enticing name like “Two Lovers.” Unfortunately, it de�nitely wasn’t the typical Romeo and Juliet kind of cinematic experience I was expecting. Gwyneth Paltrow plays the assistant to a washed up ex-drug addict lawyer who is caught in an affair with one of the married senior partners. She befriends her neighbor, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix’s character is much more �abby, angst-ridden and bipolar than the buff leading man we are used to seeing from him. He plays a suicide-prone 20-something named Leonard, from a Jewish family. He still lives at home and works in his dad’s dry cleaning business. �e storyline felt a little bit too much like a soap opera, with Leonard trying to drown himself in the bay in the beginning of the �lm. It was hard to believe that his character could be so socially awkward and reclusive, yet still be able to balance a love triangle with Paltrow’s character and the

more fresh-faced Sandra, played by newcomer Vinessa Shaw. I was surprised by the unexpected humor peppered throughout that actually amused me, but it felt a little odd to be laughing during such a somber �lm. �e plot was a little predictable – Phoenix falls in love with Paltrow, while dating Shaw. However, I was still intrigued. I found myself sympathizing with Shaw’s character and feeling aggravated with Phoenix for toying with her obvious affections. He had a serious case of wanting what he couldn’t have, which can only end in heartache. It was a unique twist on the traditional love story, but it was not enough to make it worth the two hours of my free time I spent watching it. It has been hyped that this is Phoenix’s last movie before “retiring” from the acting scene, but if he was looking to go out on top this was quite a disappointment. If his recent celeb appearances have been any indication, his awkwardness and reclusive attitude are simply an extension of this character. �is was not a �lm for fans of “happily ever after.” It was however, shockingly gritty and real. �e �lming style was similar to that of a documentary, with unusual camera angles and creative blending techniques between shots. �e lighting seems to be �ltered in a way that gives the whole production a dark and depressing tone. In retrospect, the lighting is very in line with the plot. Set in the poorer parts of suburban New York, there are some great shots of the city and surrounding area mixed in between the drama. One of the best �lmed parts of the entire movie is set in a nightclub where you actually feel like you’re on a vibrating dance �oor, quite inebriated, watching strange faces swirl around you, rather than sitting in a perfectly still and dark movie theater. With a strange, twisted plot and mediocre characters, “Two Lovers” is one of those movies that’s just a little bit too long. It de�nitely isn’t a replacement for a Friday night out and about in the city, but if you’re bored this weekend and want to watch something different for a change, check it out.

SPORTS

San Francisco Foghorn

9

MARCH 5, 2009

Baseball Season Has Started, Dons Look Promising Men s Basketball Finishes 7th FRANCESCA CRUDO Staff Writer �e Dons baseball team is a young team – there are 23 underclassmen and just three seniors. �e team’s youth could help them go back to the post season. �e Dons will, however, rely on veterans to keep the team healthy if they want to win the conference and go back to the post season. A big part of the outcome of the season for the Dons will be due to the veterans. Returning to the team are sophomore left handed pitcher Matt Lujuan and sophomore out�elder Connor Bernatz; both players were freshmen All-Americans last season. Senior third baseman Dane Braunecker and junior shortstop Derek Poppert can stay healthy this season. �e Dons have a good starting rotation and bullpen. Although the team lost Evan Frederickson and Matt Baugh to the draft and Brian Anderson is graduating, the Dons need to �ll their rotation. Matt Lujan will go to the number one slot and start

on Fridays, while junior Alex Kalogrides will start on Saturdays. Sundays and midweek games are also up for grabs. Sophomore Garrett Luippold will be valuable as a relief pitcher and for closing, but he may move into the starting rotation. Sophomore Sean Burns also has a shot at a starting spot. Junior Doug Murray and freshman Cameron Love will be starting in the mid-week games. �e bullpen is strong – it includes freshman Jordan Remer, freshman Bob Mott, junior Joe Anderson, redshirt freshman Kyle Lawton, junior Joe Oropez and sophomore Jonathan Abramson. After having a successful stint with Team USA, junior Ryan Lipkin will start as catcher. �e number two position goes to redshirt sophomore Travis Higgs; redshirt freshman Matt Quintero and freshman Mason Morioka will back up as needed. �e Dons will have to reshape their in�eld since they lost Joey Railey, Mitchell Bialosky, and Tavo Hall. Sophomore Stephen Yarrow will start at �rst base. Second base is up for grabs – junior transfer Robert Abel, junior George Lujan and

sophomore Chris Escobar are all vying for the starting position. Poppert will start at shortstop and Braunecker at third base. Redshirt freshman Adam Clear will back up Poppert at shortshop, but he can also play second and third base. Senior Zach Kim will be the veteran in left �eld and senior Drew Johnson will start in right �eld. Freshman Connor Bernatz and junior Bobby Ethel will share time in center �eld. Bernatz will also see time in left and right �eld. Freshman Jared Denham and Escobar will both be backups. �e Dons open the season with 18 consecutive games on the road and 22 of the �rst 23 games away from Benedetti Diamond. �e Dons need to do well on the road; last year, they were 13-19 on the road. However, head coach Nino Giarratano thinks that the Dons are one of top four teams in the West Coast Conference. If the Dons want to win the conference, they need to take advantage of the young team as well use the veterans. Using their speed and defense would help them out as well.

Men s Rugby Loses to Santa Clara 32-5

Dons starting to recruit for next season

MATT STEINBACH Sports Editor �e men’s basketball season has come to an end with the Dons splitting their �nal two games of the season. On Feb. 26 they lost a close game to Loyola Marymount, 61-57. But the Dons would later pull it together for their �nal game as they won 70-62 against Pepperdine. �is puts their season record to 11-18 overall and 311 in the WCC. �e Dons’ WCC record puts them in the seventh seed in the WCC tournament, which starts Mar. 6 in Las Vegas. �e Dons will sixth seed Pepperdine in their �rst game. During the regular season the Dons split the series against Pepperdine, losing at home 69-67 and winning on the road 70-62. �is is a winnable game for USF and they could easily advance to the next round of the tournament, which will be better than they did last year. Rex Walters has done an excellent job of improving the USF program so far in his �rst season as head coach . Hopefully Walters can continue to rebuild the basketball program and put the team at a more competitive level. A win in the WCC tournament would help. Another way that Walters can continue to improve the basketball program is through recruiting. Recruiting season has

already started and the Dons have signed one recruit, and are wooing several others. �e Dons have reportedly signed center Perris Blackwell out of Etiwanda High School. ESPN has Blackwell rated as the 48th best center and gave him an 85 overall rating. His rating means that ESPN scouts believe that he is an outstanding prospect that will be able to contribute immediately. Blackwell is listed at six foot eight and weighs 240 pounds. Scouting reports say that Blackwell is a natural scorer that can score with either hand and that he has great footwork. He should compete for playing time right away and may even start. �e Dons are also recruiting Dominique O’Connor who is a point guard out of Westchester High School. O’Connor has yet to make a decision on where he will go next year but the Dons are one of the teams he is considering. ESPN has given him a rating of 86, which means he is an outstanding prospect as well. If O’Connor signs with the Dons then that will give USF two outstanding-level prospects. Getting both of these prospects would be great for the program; it would immediately make it better. Hopefully the Dons can continue to sign solid prospects because it would put this program back to respectability. Coach Walters has done a great job so far, let’s hope he continues to successfully rebuild the program.

David Beckham Must Stay at AC Milan

JOEY BELLEZA Staff Writer

Andrew Jimenez/Foghorn The USF Men s Rugby team lost a hard-fought battle to the Santa Clara Broncos 32-5 on Saturday.

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Let’s face it: David Beckham is not Major League Soccer’s long-awaited messiah, although the upsurge in sales of Beckham jerseys must be making the owners of the L.A. Galaxy very happy. Yet the man with the fabled right foot has given neither the Galaxy nor MLS the much needed injection of talent and class it ardently desired when it �rst endeavored to bring Beckham across the pond. �is is not so much due to a lack of skill on the part of the former English captain; it’s more thanks to the lack of comparable skill around him. Whereas in basketball one Kobe or one Jordan can drastically affect a team’s performance and even improve his teammates, football (a.k.a. soccer) requires more than one great player on the �eld to take on the opposition. �e recent dominance of Manchester United and Barcelona in their respective national leagues is as much a testament to the defensive skills of Rio Ferdinand and Carlos Puyol as much as it is to the offensive prowess of a Wayne Rooney or Leo Messi. And although Pippo Inzaghi has become the greatest all-time goal-scorer in international competitions, he could have never done so without an Andrea Pirlo or Kaka to feed him the ball. �e same is true for the Galaxy and for MLS at large. Beckham’s ripped and glistening body, no matter how much it gets plastered all over Union Square, can never lift MLS to a level of quality which can compete with that of Europe or South America. �e talent gap between American soccer and global football is simply too great for Beckham to bridge by himself, and this has been manifested by the Galaxy’s recent failure to qualify for the MLS playoffs. Becks himself has implicitly but vigorously expressed his disappointment with America in the most emphatic way possible: by going to Italy to play for AC Milan on loan during the MLS offseason. It’s easy to see how much better a legend plays when he’s surrounded by men of his class. In just the past few weeks, Beckham has made a contribution to AC Milan which coach Carlo Ancelotti called “indispensible”. Highlights include a splendid cross-�eld assist to 19-year-old

Brazilian superstar Pato against Lazio, a curving free kick later in the same game which sailed tantalizingly just out of reach over the Lazio defenders before landing on the head of Massimo Ambrosini for a goal, and a thunderous direct free kick against Genoa which shamed the goalkeeper and put Milan in advantage. He has instantly endeared himself to the Rossoneri faithful, and their faith has not been disappointed. According to the initial loan agreement between L.A. and Milan, Beckham is to return to the Galaxy on Mar. 8, the �rst day of the MLS preseason. Yet AC Milan has made no bones about wanting to keep him in Italy. MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave both clubs involved until Feb. 13 to make a deal. Milan’s offer of $15 million was rejected by the Galaxy on the 13th, but the affair isn’t over, because Garber’s deadline is not completely binding; in any case, the Italian club still has until Mar. 8 to steal Becks from America. AC Milan surmised that the Galaxy would bite at the chance of $15 million, but the Galaxy called the bluff, most likely to hold out for more money from a club that paid around $30 million each for Pato and Ronaldinho. Coach Ancelotti is still con�dent of negotiating a deal to keep Beckham, much to Galaxy coach Bruce Arena’s dismay. What’s more, the Spice Boy has emphatically stated that he hopes to �nish the season in Milan. �e �elds of American soccer are the graveyards of legends. International superstars Pele, Jurgen Klinsmann, Carlos Valderrama and Roberto Donadoni came to America at the end of their illustrious careers to burn out any remaining gas in the tank. Today Cuauhtémoc Blanco seems to be following the same path. To me, there is something heartbreaking about heroes of the sport stubbornly seeking a triumphant end to their careers on �elds unworthy to be touched by their cleats. Beckham deserves a greater glory, and AC Milan is giving him a chance once again to play in one of the greatest teams in the world, in one of the toughest leagues in the world, and in the most competitive continent in the world. Surrounded by greats like Maldini, Pirlo, Seedorf, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Pato, he can become an integral part of a club with the most international titles (18) and can help win a 19th (2009 UEFA Cup) and 20th (European SuperCup) in the coming months. AC Milan is already en route to a spot in the UEFA Champions League (the world’s most prestigious club tournament) for next season, and it is hard to believe that the man so instrumental in Manchester United’s stunning 1999 defeat of Bayern Munich in the Champions League �nal would pass up another chance to lift that trophy after suffering in bowels of MLS mediocrity. David Beckham is a world class player and it would be nothing short of tragic if he ended his most distinguished career on the purgatorial �elds of America. Joey Belleza is a junior theology major and a rabid AC Milan supporter.

10

San Francisco Foghorn

SPORTS

MARCH 5, 2009

Lady Dons Lose to Pepperdine 55-47 On Senior Night MATT STEINBACH Sports Editor In their �nal regular season game of the year, the Lady Dons basketball team hosted the Pepperdine Waves Saturday afternoon. On senior day, it was a freshman that shined. Freshman guard Vania Singleterry recorded her third doubledouble of the season, while scoring a game high 14 points and adding a career best 11 rebounds. Before the game, seniors Shay Rollins, Alexis Musante and Leslie Walker were honored for their basketball careers while at USF. All of these players have made great contributions to the athletic program and they all have had great careers. �e game started out very exciting with the lead going back and forth between the two squads. Pepperdine was �rst on the board after two free throws, but the Dons quickly scored to take the lead. Pepperdine held the biggest lead of the �rst half when they went up by �ve at the seven-minute mark. But the lady Dons would not let Pepperdine develop a larger lead. �e Dons did a good job of staying alive in the �rst half. �eir defense was solid enough to not allow the Waves to pull ahead and their offense kept scoring to regain or shorten the Pepperdine lead. �e half ended with Pepperdine leading 26-22. In the second half the Dons quickly

tied the game at 26-26. Singleterry and Rollins added two lay-ups to get the Dons back into the game. �e guard combo combined for 25 points. Behind Singleterry and Rollins, the Dons continued to �ght off the better Pepperdine Waves. �e second half was a lot like the �rst half with the score going back and forth. At around the 10-minute mark in the second half, the score was tied at 36 all. But after this point in the game, the Pepperdine Waves pulled away. �e Waves went on a 10 to two run to take and stretch the lead 46-38. Pepperdine put the Lady Dons into a deep hole that was almost impossible to get out of. �e Dons attempted to �ght back but Pepperdine continued to build their lead, going up by as much as 10 points. Taylor Smith and Skye Barnett, who each scored 12 points, led Pepperdine to their lead. In fact, they were the only Waves players that scored in the double digits. With the balanced scoring attack, Pepperdine slowly beat down the Dons on both sides of the court. �e lead was too much for the Dons and they failed to come back in the game. �ey eventually lost 55-47 on their �nal game of the season. Senior night was spoiled by a loss but now the Dons will compete in the WCC tournament. USF will get the 7th seed in the WCC tournament in Las Vegas. �ey will play the San Diego Toreros on Friday Mar. 6.

Kate Greenspan/Foghorn

Rheina Ale attempts to shake her defender, but despite her efforts the Lady Dons lost to Pepperdine on their final game of the year.

Manny Ramirez Needs to Stop Being Manny The Lady Dons Defeat Loyola

MATT STEINBACH Sports Editor Manny Ramirez has always been a player that has caused controversy. Last season, after much turmoil and disagreement with the Red Sox organization, Ramirez was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had an amazing year with the Dodgers, batting .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in just 53 games. His amazing season carried the Dodgers into the postseason and he helped give them their �rst playoff series win in a decade. Dodger fans quickly adored and appreciated Ramirez for his talent and production. But after the season was over, Ramirez decided to become a free agent, hoping to score a big contract. He became a free agent in October and has still not signed with a team. Reportedly, Ramirez has received interest from a few teams including the Dodgers and Giants. �e Dodgers have reportedly offered him four separate contracts, a three-year deal worth $60 million, an arbitration contract, one-year deal for $25 million and a two-year deal worth $45 million. But Ramirez and his agent

Scott Boras have rejected every offer they have received because they feel that he is not getting the proper contract for his production. �ey want a contract that will pay him $25 million a year over a few years. But is Ramirez really worth that kind of money? Manny Ramirez is undoubtedly one of the best baseball players of the last decade or so. He has career totals of 527 homeruns, 1,725 RBIs while hitting for a .314 average over 16 years. All these totals put him near the top of every category. �ere is no doubting his level of production, as he has been very productive for his whole career. He also rarely gets hurt; the smallest number of games he has played since his rookie year is 120. So if the Dodgers, Ramirez and Boras were negotiating based on statistics alone, Ramirez would deserve whatever contract he wanted. But along with all those numbers comes a lot of baggage. Everywhere Manny Ramirez goes, controversy follows. He has always been ridiculed for his behavior around the media and his strong and quirky personality. Ramirez is never afraid to say what’s on his mind or do whatever he feels like. �is gets him into trouble because if he is unhappy about his situation, he lets everyone know. He constantly requests trades because it seems as if he is never happy. �ere will be games where he doesn’t feel like playing, so he doesn’t show up. Ramirez is just one of those players that is always in the news because of his antics. He is like a watered down version of Terrell Owens, always stirring things up. Because of his wackiness and sel�shness, the media has created the phrase “It’s just Manny being Manny” meaning don’t pay attention to what he’s doing because he always says and does crazy things that he doesn’t necessary mean. Either you love him or you hate him, that’s just the way it is with Man-Ram. Because of his personality, many teams

don’t want him. �ere’s a fear that having Manny will create bad chemistry or bad team morale because of his personality. So it’s understandable why the Dodgers are reluctant to offer him a huge contract. No one knows if he’ll request a trade a year after signing a mega-deal, because nothing is predicable with Ramirez. Manny Ramirez is also 36 years old and has been in the league for a long time. Although his production hasn’t slowed down that much, it’s highly probable that it will because of his age. It’s a big risk giving an older player a long contract because the probability of him performing at a high level throughout the contract is very low. �e Dodgers know this, so they are not willing to offer him the lengthy contract that he and Scott Boras want. Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras are asking for too much from the Dodgers. Given Ramirez’s age and personality, it his highly unlikely that the Dodgers would be willing to give him the type of contract he desires. But Ramirez and Boras are stubborn and won’t settle for less than what they think they deserve. Boras is notorious for wanting more for his clients than they are really worth, and it’s no different for Ramirez. Being the great agent he is, Boras gets those contracts for his clients. Although Ramirez has not received an offer that he likes, he has received good offers. Earning $45 million over two years sounds good to me. It’s doubtful that the Dodgers will offer a contract signi�cantly higher. Factor in the current economic situation, and it becomes even less likely that Ramirez will get the contract he wants. As a Dodgers fan, I want Manny Ramirez because he gives my team the best chance to compete for a World Series. Somebody has to budge in the negotiations and hopefully it will lead to Ramirez wearing Dodger blue.

Marymount University 65-61

ANDREA LENNOX Staff Writer �is past �ursday evening in War Memorial Gym, the basketball Lady Dons defeated the visiting Loyola Marymount Lions in an exciting 65-61 victory. �is win was the third straight victory over the Lions, a season-sweep that the Dons have not held over the Lions since the 2002-03 season. From the �rst minute, fans and players knew it would be a very close game. In the �rst quarter, the Dons and the Lions took turns leading the game a total of 10 times. However, the Lions were never too far ahead of the Dons; six points was the maximum de�cit the Lions were able to earn the entire night. �e �rst half was one of great stat reporting for the Dons, who impressed fans with a 52.2 shooting clip with a 53.3 mark made from beyond the arc. Although the Lions showed great promise in their offensive attempts, the Dons were invincible with their threepointer power streak. In the �rst half alone, the Dons made eight successful threepoint shots. With one minute remaining in the second quarter, the Lions were leading 34-32. �e eighth three-pointer of the half was made on the buzzer by freshman Don Rheina Ale, and it was a pivotal shot that sent USF into the second half with a 36-34 lead. Although the scoreboard of the second half showed a close game, it was clear that the Lady Dons had their victory in the bag. Senior Shay Rollins of USF scored 8 of the Dons’ �rst 10 points, adding to what would be USF’s biggest lead of the game. With only 12 minutes left, the scoreboard read 46-41 in favor of the Dons. As the half progressed, fans grew weary of what was thought to be an easy

win for the Dons. LMU �red back with their top players, Cowling and Vargas. Together they crawled back to the leading seat with a one point lead (56-55) and only 5:32 left. �e Lions and the Dons faced off with a free throw contest in the �nal �ve minutes. �e Lions were generally unsuccessful as Vargas missed two of their shots, and Ysaguirre missed the front end. USF had better luck as Keating gave USF the lead with two successful shots. Now, with less than two minutes to go, USF lead 5756. Although both teams put in their greatest effort the last two minutes, the Dons prevailed and managed 9-5 shots, and vectored with a �nal score of 65-61; two points higher than the last time the Dons defeated the Lions a month prior in Los Angeles. Previously mentioned Rheina Ale and Shay Rollins were key players in �ursday’s games. Ale added 10 points to the Dons’ overall score as Rollins tied her own career high of 23 points, including going four for seven from the three-point mark. Freshman Don Vania Singleterry was another player essential for USF’s victory. Singleterry scored 18 points, as well as going seven for nine. �ese three had double-digit scorings for the Dons, but were not the only ladies securing USF’s victory. Freshman Katy Keating managed eight points, while attacking seven rebounds. Senior Don Leslie Walker rounded out the Lady Dons with �ve points. Impressively, sophomore Donnisha Taylor managed seven boards, two steals, two assists, and one point for the Dons. After this game the Lions are now (710, 7-6 WCC), while the Dons are (7-20, 3-10 WCC). Saturday will complete the regular season for the Dons, as they host the Pepperdine Waves this Saturday.