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News

World-class performers spice up flamenco festival

February 19

When the roads are icy and the weather is cold, some people opt for a good book and hot chocolate, while others prefer a fire and a game of Monopoly. Others go to see world class flamenco dancing. Last Tuesday, the George Washington University Lisner Auditorium presented "Gala 2007: Bienal de Sevilla.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Take Wikipedia with grains of salt, not a ban

February 19

The history department at Middlebury College in Vermont recently banned students from citing Wikipedia as a primary source in papers. But should a ban on something so widely used even be necessary? It's true that Wikipedia isn't always the most accurate source.

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Opinion

Why Feminists are Irrelevant

By Caleb Enerson | February 19

The feminist movement, like the civil rights movement, is one that almost everyone is afraid to criticize. If you attack feminism, you're obviously a sexist, misogynistic male who wishes that women would just stay home and cook, clean and raise children. The issues I have with feminism have nothing to do with the idea of equality between men and women; I just feel that women can and will succeed without the now largely irrelevant feminist movement "supporting" them.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: AU search committee should take cues from Harvard

February 19

Harvard University recently appointed its first female president in the school's 371-year history. Drew Gilpin Faust, a Civil War scholar, will begin the job July 1. Some see Faust's appointment as an attempt to make up for the sexist comments of previous president Lawrence Summer, who said that genetic differences account for why women cannot attain top-level jobs in science.

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News

Campus briefs

By Kyra Smerkanich | February 19

Class of '09, coed service fraternity to host a cappella fundraiser The Class of 2009 and service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega will be holding a charity a cappella concert, A'Capalooza, March 3, according to a Class of 2009 press release. Proceeds from the concert will be donated to a D.

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News

Townsend briefs class on homeland security

By Jimm Phillips | February 19

President George W. Bush and his advisers decided against issuing an alert over a terror threat in the days leading up to the 2004 presidential election over concerns that their decision would look politically motivated, according to Adjunct Professor Mark Croatti and AU students who attended a presentation by Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend on Thursday.

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News

Study abroad, but step lightly on historic sites

By Lindsey Marburger | February 19

When I was little, I knew what old was. My grandparents were ancient and my parents were pretty darn old. Once I entered elementary school, I learned all about U.S. history, and those founding fathers from the 18th century seemed incomprehensibly remote. How did humans even exist then? Did they talk like us? Did they breathe oxygen and like "The Boxcar Children" like me? Yesterday, I was confronted with one of the founding fathers' contemporaries, the minute general Napoleon.

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News

Vermont college bans Wikipedia as primary source

By Kaylor Garcia | February 19

The history department of Vermont's Middlebury College decided to ban students from citing Wikipedia as a primary source in their papers for this spring semester. While AU advises students to take advantage of the library's resources for papers as alternatives to Wikipedia, many AU students use Wikipedia as a start-off point.

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News

SG divides account funds between four student organizations

By Cassie Passinault | February 19

The Undergraduate Senate passed two new bills Sunday, one establishing a bike-lending program and another approving the transfer of restricted funds for spring programming. The restricted Student Government account holds over $17,000, which was split up between the Kennedy Political Union ($13,500), the Student Union Board ($1,000), the Kogod Undergraduate Business Association ($500) and the Class of 2009 ($1,000).

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News

Young artists stage Mozart classic

By Vanessa C. Mueller | February 19

Last week, the Washington National Opera's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists Program staged Mozart's "Cos Fan Tutte" at the Opera Studio in Takoma Park. All of the major roles, including singers, musicians, conductor and director, were played by members of the program.

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News

Preferred lender list may not be best for students

By Tony Romm | February 19

One of the largest contributors to students' financial stresses comes right from the schools' financial aid offices, Vice President of Media Relations at My Rich Uncle, a student loan company, Karin Pellmann said. According to Pellmann, the enemy is the preferred lender list.

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Sports

Eagle Sports brief: Track competes at PL Championships

February 19

On the final day of the Patriot League Championships on Sunday, the American University men's track team won league titles in the 800, 1,000 meters and mile, placing fourth in the team standings. AU swept the top four spots in the mile, led by junior Brendan Fennell, who took first with a final time of 4:06.

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Sports

Wrestlers snap 4-match losing streak

By Dave Stone | February 19

The AU wrestlers faced off against the East Stroudsburg Warriors in their last dual meet of the season on Saturday, and came away with a win to bring their record to 9-10 for the season. Wrestling by Pennsylvania rules, the match started at the 197-lb weight class with redshirt junior Evan Murtaugh, who took a forfeit.

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Sports

Lax takes first season opener since 2002

By Erin Keaveney | February 19

In their first season-opening victory since 2002, the AU women's lacrosse team defeated Davidson on Saturday, 9-5, at Maryland's Women's Lacrosse Complex. The Eagles began the first game of the 2007 season in an early hole, when Davidson's Cheli Bleda scored just under two minutes into the first half.

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News

'Rider' goes down in shameful flames

By Christopher Patriquin | February 19

"Ghost Rider" is one of the worst films in recent history. It's difficult to know where to begin with this review, as "Ghost Rider" cannot be explained easily. The failure of this film cannot be ascribed to any single flaw, but rather a whole mess of them coming together into one giant cinematic fecal explosion.

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News

Article says online sources diminish need for library

By Patricio Chile | February 19

Students prefer online resources and databases to traditional print sources in libraries, according to an article in Educause Review. This switch to online sources has led libraries to change the services they offer to meet students' more high-tech needs.

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Opinion

Perfunctory Primary Pondering

By Jacob Shelly | February 19

Political columnists regularly find two temptations irresistible: D.C. silliness being one and relentless horse race "analysis" being the other. These are frequently substitutes for substance. This week, in the spirit of the David Broders and Maureen Dowds of the world, I will succumb to both temptations in the same column.

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