Archives

News

Sara Franklin | Oh My!: Sex Straight Up

November 21

As we all venture off for Thanksgiving, the beginning of a beautiful, but sometimes stressful, holiday season, I thought it would be appropriate to include someone else's story of pleasure. Pleasuring yourself may not be old hat for you, but it's never too late to start. This story was dictated by a good friend of mine: This summer I had the privilege of accompanying my best friend on her quest to buy her first vibrator. A few hours before our excursion, I had received an urgent call from Rebecca, my best buddy from high school. "Can you do me a favor?" she asked. "Come with me to buy a vibrator." Her voice wavered a bit over the phone - she's the nervous type. I laughed and agreed to meet her that night to go vibrator shopping. We were both in Manhattan for the summer, so we ventured to the West Village where numerous sex shops reside. Our first pit stop can only be categorized as raunchy. I had never seen so many varieties of sex toys before. There were walls of anal probes (yikes) and huge double ended dildos (double yikes). As Rebecca and I were scoping out one particular toy, an old man approached us and said very matter-of-factly, "That one's good for the clit and the tit!" Rebecca nudged me, and we were immediately on our way. I'm not going to lie - a lot of the vibrators were frightening-looking. They appeared more like weapons than pleasurable sex toys. Also, I had never known that vibrators came in such various shapes, sizes and colors. Some looked like real penises and others did not. Some were hard, others soft, and some vibrators were even sparkly! One of my favorite models was disguised as a tube of lipstick. In one store, a woman noticed our confused faces as we stared at the display of vibrators. She asked Rebecca, "Are you looking for something hard or something soft?" Rebecca instantly looked my way. "Don't look at me!" I said holding my hands up in front of my chest. We left the store empty handed. As much as I was enjoying the experience, I was also becoming a bit annoyed with Rebecca's indecision. Finally, Rebecca announced that she would buy a vibrator in the next store that we entered. In this shop, the vibrators were behind the counter. There was a young, hip-looking woman (with numerous piercings to boot) standing behind it. As we approached her, it was as if she could read our minds. "Have you girls ever owned a vibrator before?" she asked. We both shook our heads no. From there, she went on to show us the perfect beginner vibrator. It was small, pink, and came with a crazy-looking rubber slip cover for extra pleasure and insertion purposes. I can't forget to mention that it had the words, "pocket rocket" inscribed on it. The young woman popped a AA battery into the vibrator and let us feel it on the back of our hands. We both turned red and giggled. It was a bit of an awkward moment. "You girls look like you wanna get the f-k out of here," the woman said. Needless to say, Rebecca was ready to make her purchase and book it out of there. So, we did. Some of you may be asking, why go to such lengths to buy a vibrator? And why take the time to tell the story of it? There is a simple answer for these questions: vibrators are amazing! In my opinion, everyone deserves to be pleasured. Whether the pleasure comes from yourself or someone else, it is something we all crave and should not be embarrassed about. Receiving sexual satisfaction is great. There is absolutely nothing wrong with masturbating. In fact, studies have shown that people who masturbate tend to be happier in their everyday life. Let me add that although it took Rebecca some time to get used to her new toy, she is delighted with the results and uses it frequently. A vibrator is something to be proud of. Most women whom I have had sex talks with are excited to chat about their vibrators and even more excited to compare them. And guys: if your girlfriend has a vibrator, there is nothing to be scared of. A vibrator cannot replace "the real thing," though it does leave a girl satisfied in those times of solitude. If you're feeling frisky, I definitely recommend using it in the bedroom. Your girlfriend will be pleased, and I'm sure you'll find that you will be, too. And this goes for everyone: vibrators come in many different forms, much like the many varied ways we choose to experience our own sexual pleasure. So if you don't already have a vibrator, what are you waiting for? Go out and buy one!Sara Franklin is a sophomore majoring in history. She can be reached via e-mail at Sara.Franklin@tufts.edu.

---

News

TV Preview | Spend the weekend with Rudolph, Ralphie and Co.

November 21

Silver bells, silver bells, it's Christmas movie re-run time in the city (and anywhere else where there's basic cable). That's right - it's mid-November and that means along with the premature playing of Christmas carols and ceaseless holiday commercials comes, of course, the showing of classic holiday movies on television. You might be wondering, "How will I manage to drink all this eggnog and watch these fine Christmas films?" Well, wonder no longer: here is your concise guide to viewing the holiday movie classics. A good starting place? Might as well start with the paramount Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life." Frank Capra's 1946 film starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed still quiets the cynic in all of us, if only for two hours. George Bailey (Stewart) is the most honest, moral man in Bedford Falls, the town he sacrificed his big city dreams to maintain. But financial troubles at the hands of a greedy, crusty old man make George contemplate suicide. Clarence, coming to George in true guardian angel form, will have none of it. Clarence shows George how terrible life in Bedford Falls would be if George had never been born, proving that George has indeed led a wonderful life. From a man with a town full of friends to a man (er, Grinch?) with none - the 1966 Dr. Seuss classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" is another beloved holiday favorite. The Grinch, with his isolated, mountaintop cave dwelling and hearty disdain for all things involving Christmas and Whoville, crafts a Santa suit and sleigh with remarkable skill (seriously, how did he learn to sew like that?) in the hopes of stealing all the happy little Whos' presents and food. When the theft of their goodies does little to quench the Whos' sizeable holiday spirit, the Grinch thinks: "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more." Nothing like a good moral that rhymes. Rhyming cartoons aren't your cup of tea? Though you are no fun, there could still be a holiday film for you. Set in the 1940s, "A Christmas Story" (1983) tells the story of young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley), a boy who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Even repeated warnings that he'll "shoot his eye out" do not deter Ralphie in his quest for the perfect Christmas gift. "A Christmas Story" is that rare holiday film that so aptly and hilariously focuses on the ludicrousness of the holiday season, family dynamics and the poignant trials of pre-adolescence. Not only does Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer have a very shiny nose, he also has a very schmaltzy, beloved Christmas special. We all know the story: Rudolph is a misfit among a bunch of non-shiny nosed reindeer, but he turns his handicap into an asset and saves Christmas for all the little children of the world. This predecessor to the claymation style of animation we know today has been popular with children since its creation in 1964. Also attracting viewers is the well known song of the same title which, if not already stuck in your head, will be now: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him you would even say it glows..." You're welcome for that. A holiday movie list would not be complete without mention of Charles Schulz's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Charlie, always wary of the world and its people, finds himself disillusioned with the rampant materialism that persists during Christmas time. With the help of his old chum Linus, Charlie is able to rediscover the real meaning of Christmas. "A Charlie Brown Christmas," when first released in 1965, was criticized for taking on overtly religious tones in a secular nation, but ultimately the special is feel good fun for all. "A Christmas Carol" is yet another pillar of holiday entertainment. We've seen adaptations of the Dickens classic performed by the likes of Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammer and even Fred Flintstone. But perhaps the most successful, or at least the most humorous, is Bill Murray's take on Scrooge in, appropriately, "Scrooged" (1988). Frank Cross (Murray) runs a TV station and is disillusioned with Christmas and all its darn cheer. It takes the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future to make him change his ways. Now you have everything you need to celebrate the holidays the right way: by watching all the TV you can and speaking to your family as little as possible. Enjoy!

---

News

The spread of avian flu: A terror with wings and talons?

November 21

Like frostbite, chapped lips and wind-burned cheeks, the common flu has been a part of New England winters for centuries. But until recently, the general demand for winter flu vaccines was never great. As recently as several years ago, the medical community found itself repeatedly pushing vaccinations and was forced to exert great energy into encouraging better awareness of precautions against the flu. Yet today, many Massachusetts residents face a struggle to obtain a flu vaccination. The Boston Globe reported earlier this month that at many clinics, shipments are used as quickly as they are made available. And this fall, Maxim Health Services - a national provider of flu shots - recorded a 30 to 40 percent increase in demand over the same period in 2003. This surge in demand may be linked to the appearance of avian influenza. To date, 68 human beings have died of the deadly strain of avian flu, H5N1. An additional 130 people are estimated to be infected. The fatality rate for this flu is dramatically higher than the common flu that affects humans: In bird populations, the flu can kill an entire flock within 48 hours. Although usually deadly once contracted, the avian flu has not been shown to have the same contagiousness in humans. Virtually all cases of humans infected with avian flu have resulted from direct contact with infected birds. Not a single case has been recorded of humans contracting avian flu from one another. "The avian flu currently affects only birds and humans who have a lot of contact with birds - particularly butchering them and stuff like that," said Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Mark Woodin, who specializes in epidemiology. "The way the avian virus is set up genetically, right now, there have been no documented cases of human-to-human infection," he said, adding that "cases have been traced back to direct inoculation by knives or poultry blood or feathers. People are either cutting themselves and injecting themselves or breathing it in or getting exposed to it in other ways, but it's always from infected poultry." According to Woodin, the likelihood of the avian flu outbreak turning into a pandemic is tough to predict. "The big issue is that nobody really knows how likely it is that it will become a pandemic," Woodin said. "In 1977, the whole U.S. was told we were going to be infected by the swine flu, which was very deadly, and we started a large-scale vaccination... and it never developed into anything. People were almost 100 percent sure that it was right on top of us." Woodin said he "wouldn't be surprised" if some birds with avian flu make it to North America. He emphasized, however, that at this point, much of the discussion revolving around avian flu is speculative in nature. "We just don't know if this virus will reorganize itself and mutate to become a really lethal person-to-person pandemic strain or whether it won't," he said. "That's the main question, and that's the question that absolutely nobody can answer. We just don't know." Officials and community leaders are working to prepare their communities for the annual flu explosion, as well as the possibility of more serious pandemic. Tufts Health Services has struggled to meet the demand for flu shots, initially making them available only to those with high-risk conditions, such as diabetes or asthma. As new shipments arrive, Health Services intends to provide vaccine clinics for the larger population in the coming weeks. "They are shipping [the vaccine] in very small amounts this year," Health Services Medical Director Margaret Higham said. "As we keep receiving shipments we will keep scheduling vaccine clinics." In order to avoid contracting any strain of flu, common practices are highly recommended. Higham said she urges students to stay home when they're sick, cover their mouths when they cough and avoid touching their mouth and nose. "A key concern I have is that students on this campus tend to go to class when they are running a fever," Higham said. "You aren't going to learn when you have a fever, and you are going to infect other students." One of the concerns surrounding the flu and flu vaccine is its effectiveness. A fundamental characteristic of human influenza is its ability to adapt. Every year, a slightly new strain appears on the scene. Due to the seasonal nature of the annual outbreak, scientists must develop vaccines long before the flu arrives. Up to eight months before the beginning of flu season, a vaccine is developed based on whatever form of flu is available - often a sample from the previous year. "The people who are in charge of vaccine development try to predict what the strains that year are likely to be like," Higham said. "Every year, the strands are a little bit different. The vaccine is 80 percent effective." But it is not effective against avian flu. The two viruses are different in their genetic makeup and cannot be treated with the same products. "We could make a vaccine against the form that is affecting birds right now - the problem is that that it's not the type that will infect humans," Woodin said. "Because in order to go from birds infecting humans to infecting humans from person to person, there would have to be genetic mutation. So anything we vaccinated for now would not be effective."Becca Dince contributed to this article.

---

News

Women's Swimming and Diving | Tufts team surfaces 2-1 from a busy weekend at the NESCACs

November 21

The women's swimming team kicked off the season against some heavy competition. The team traveled to New London, Conn. this past Saturday to compete against Conn. College and Middlebury, and followed by playing host to Trinity on Sunday. The Jumbos split the Conn. College meet, beating the Camels 177-117, but losing to Middlebury 101-199. They followed the mixed results with a 154-133 win over Trinity to close out the weekend. These early-season meets are often good barometers to help the team work out the lineups for each race in the season's later meets. They are also good markers for the team's potential. As the season is still young, the team has not had many official practices and the swimmers' times are not yet in midseason form. "We did very well for an opening meet," coach Nancy Bigelow said. "You can lose the meet, but still do a good time for this time of year and still be happy." Tufts' lone overall win on Saturday occurred in the 200-yard medley relay. Freshman Michelle Caswell, junior Chloe Young-Hyman, senior tri-captain Megan Wallach and classmate Katie Mims won by less than half a second, just edging out Middlebury with a time of 1:53.29. Although no other Jumbos took in an overall first-place finish on Saturday, many Jumbos swam their way into second place. Sophomore Tia Bassano swam to a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle, after leading for most of the race. She finished in 2:01.41, just behind Middlebury freshman Cornelieke Lammers, who finished in 2:01.01. Caswell added on to her stellar day with a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle, swimming 1:03.27. The women's 400-yard freestyle relay team of Caswell, Mims, freshman Kayla Burke, and Young-Hyman also took home second place with a time of 3:44.78. Other second place finishes for Tufts included Hyman-Young in the 100-yard freestyle, senior Jess Schwartz in the one and three meter dives, sophomore Alison Palomaki in the 200-yard breaststroke, and sophomore Renee Nicolas in the 200-yard IM. Although the Panthers' barrage of talent put them out of the Jumbos' reach, Tufts' solid performance against Conn. College bodes well for the coming season. "Conn. had beaten us for the past few years," senior tri-captain Kristen Hyland said. "So it was a really big deal to beat them." On Sunday, the team downed Trinity in a close matchup. Tufts won nine overall events enroute to a 154-133 victory in the meet, the team's only home meet of the year, and the seniors were honored before the meet in a ceremony. Highlights of Sunday's meet included Hyland winning the 1000-meter freestyle in a time of 11:32.13 and the Tufts' 200-yard medley relay team once again taking home first place. The freshmen also had a big day, with both Caswell and Katie Swett emerging victorious in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke, respectively. After this weekend's meets, the team looks towards tomorrow's matchup against Wesleyan. One of the Jumbos' biggest goals this year is to take advantage of dual meets and come out with the win, and tomorrow's meet will give the Jumbos a chance to do just that before the holiday.

---

News

Bopic shoots Man in Black just to watch him die

November 21

The worst sin a biography can commit is failing to live up to its subject's particular genius. "Walk the Line," director James Mangold's by-the-numbers account of Johnny Cash's rise, fall and redemption commits such a sin in abundance. Safe, middling, and formulaic, it's everything Cash's music is not. Not that "Walk the Line" needs to be particularly great in and of itself in order to succeed - giving Cash and his music a little breathing room would suffice in this respect. Instead, Mangold's film buries the Man in Black in biopic banalities. We first see Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) on the cusp of his infamous concert at Folsom Prison. Or rather, even before a proper introduction, we hear what might as well be Cash's theme song: the sound of prisoners rattling their chains in violent applause. It's no surprise that "Walk the Line" chooses to place the Folsom concert at the beginning of Cash's story. Not only does the concert seem to be the defining moment in Cash's career, it also manages to cut to the heart of his appeal. This was, after all, a man whose music brought together the straight-laced gospel music devotees, the sweater-girl groupies and the locked-away maniacs. But "Walk the Line" pulls away from the sound of those clattering chains the first chance it gets, leaving the bars and barbwire of Folsom for the pastoral poverty of Cash's youth on a cotton farm in Arkansas. There Cash meets with an early tragedy when his saintly older brother dies in a gruesome power saw accident. The film takes the death as an opportunity to do a little psychological groundwork on Cash: he couldn't live up to his brother's potential, his father hated him, etc. Luckily, none of this Man on the Couch stuff gets too heavy-handed before Cash moves to Tennessee and falls in with Sun Records producer Sam Philips and, consequently, a recording contract. By about 30 minutes into the film Cash is gobbling down speed with Elvis and blowing apart a tree with a home-made firework. You probably know the rest of the story, even though your copy of Cash's autobiography isn't dog-eared. The Man in Black hits the road, hits the hard drugs, alienates friends and loved ones, saves himself with a little help from wife-to-be June Carter (Reese Witherspoon), and comes out on top with the Folsom concert. That a concert at a prison proves to be Cash's moment of redemption seems to be an irony lost on the film. What really gets lost in the biopic meat grinder is the only reason anyone cares about Cash, the reason convict and church-goer alike roared at his songs about executions, cocaine-fuelled killing sprees, and unrequited love. Whatever you want to call it - genius, charisma, base depravity - "Walk the Line" tip-toes around it. And while it's never clear whether or not "Walk the Line" wants to keep Cash and his genius mysterious, or simply can't figure him out for itself, most of the narrative does seem to be spent posing questions that, if we could only answer them, might get us closer to the source of Cash's genius. So, why was Cash a genius? Was it because he hated his father? Wanted to impress his dead brother? Felt imprisoned in the military, and later in the suburbs? Loved June Carter? Was told by Sam Perkins that he should believe in himself? Was addicted to metamphetimines? In the end, the best scenes in "Walk the Line" eschew amateur psychologizing and Behind the Music-like narrative. The film's greatest moment, for example, takes place during Cash's stint in the military at an air force base in Germany. There Cash hunkers down in the deserted bunkers and offices and picks out "Folsom Prison Blues" on his guitar in a wavering, dreamy voice. For all its subtlety, the slight pause between "Well, I shot a man in Reno" and the next line - "Just to watch him die" - is like witnessing an on-screen revelation. No doubt Cash was an interesting man, but it was his curse to live a life eminently adaptable to a run of the mill rock-star biopic. With Hollywood's vampiric hunger for stories with authenticity and tales of overcoming the odds, "Walk the Line" will no doubt win an Oscar. But if there's any justice in this world, Johnny Cash will be remembered more for the clatter of those chains than anything else in this film.

---

News

Men's Swimming and Diving | Jumbos make a splash with 3-0 start

November 21

Different season, same result. The men's swimming and diving team clobbered Trinity 155-112 at home on Sunday and moved to 3-0. Bantam swimmers won just one race in the entire meet and the Jumbos broke two Hamilton Pool records. The matchup wasn't any closer in the water than it looked to be on paper coming into the weekend. Trinity, which finished ninth at the NESCAC Championships last February (Tufts finished fourth), has only 13 swimmers on its roster compared to the Jumbos' 40, and has lost to the Jumbos each of the last six years. Yet the blowout was the closest the Bantams have come to upending Tufts since 2000, when the Jumbos won 149-117. In multiple races on Sunday, what amounted to a mercy rule was enforced, whereby the times of the top Tufts swimmers were withheld from official scoring. In cases of extremely lopsided victories, the swimmers' times are simply classified as "exhibition" times, even though the times themselves are official, and are not counted towards their team's score. Had the scores been counted without the mercy rulings in effect, the final tally would have been a Tufts victory, 220-51. "They have a pretty small team, and just comparing the number of swimmers [between Tufts and Trinity], it's really not fair," senior quad-captain Brett Baker said. "We still swam really well though." Senior quad-captain Jason Kapit had an impressive day against the Bantams, winning both the 50 and 100-yard butterfly with times of 24.39 and 53.00, respectively. However, Kapit's 50 yard time wasn't counted towards the point totals because of the mercy rule. His 53.00 in the 100-yard butterfly set a new Hamilton Pool record and was nearly ten seconds faster than the nearest Trinity swimmer, Jeff Yoshida, who placed fifth with a time of 1:02.57. "The whole team seems to be swimming really fast lately," Kapit said. "I knew I'd been swimming well in practice, but [setting the record] wasn't really on the front of my mind. [Teammate and junior] Greg Bettencourt had the record before me, and he was swimming in the same race when I swam the 100-yard butterfly on Sunday, and that pushed me. If he hadn't been there pushing me, I wouldn't have gotten the record." Kapit also took part in the 200-yard freestyle relay, which also set a new Hamilton Pool record with a time of 1:27.04. Racing with Kapit on the relay team was Baker, junior Mike Kinsella and freshman Matt Murphy. Baker himself was notable on Sunday, winning the 100 yard freestyle by nearly three seconds with a time of 48.05 and also swimming as part of the 200-yard medley relay, whose 1:40.19 was over six seconds faster than the second-place team, also a Tufts quartet. Along with Kapit and Baker, juniors Nathan Cronin and Kinsella and seniors Craig Kelly, Seth Rosenberg, Jon Godsey and Steven Ward all won individual races for the Jumbos, while the Bantams' only victory came from sophomore Jon Fugge, who won the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 22.92 seconds. The Bantams dropped to 0-1, while the Jumbos are headed in the opposite direction. "I don't think it's unrealistic at all to finish higher [in the NESCAC Championships] than we did last year," Kapit said. "That's our goal. We have a very strong freshman class, and we only had five seniors graduate last year." The Jumbos' first two wins of the season, victories against both Conn. College and Middlebury on Saturday were also impressive, with Tufts winning 175.5-91.5 and 168-101, respectively. Like in Sunday's meet, many Jumbo swimmers again had their times marked as exhibition races to prevent an even larger blowout margin on Saturday. However, Middlebury, which finished last year in second-place at the NESCAC Championships and is one of the teams the Jumbos are looking to surpass this season, had many of its top swimmers away at the water-polo championships at Williams, and so the scores from Saturday's meet were likely skewed. "Middlebury actually has a very strong team; they would've given us a good run for our money if they actually had all their swimmers there," Kapit said. "That would have been quite a close meet. I can't say who would've won if their whole team had shown up." The Jumbos have a break between now and the end of the Thanksgiving holiday, as they return to the water on Dec. 1 at Babson. The meet is the first in a long stretch on the road, as the team does not have another home meet until Jan. 18, when it will race for the second and final time at Hamilton Pool against Boston College.

---

---

News

Alex Bloom | Philly Phodder

November 21

Sunday saw a battle between one great quarterback and one soon-to-be great quarterback. Peyton Manning marched his undefeated Indianapolis Colts out of Cincinnati with their tenth win, but Carson Palmer and the Bengals put up a fight. Down 35-17 in the second quarter, the Bengals closed the lead to 35-34 before the Colts took over. Manning threw for 365 yards and 3 TDs while Palmer fired right back with 335 yards and two TDs. Both of these guys were No. 1 draft picks. Palmer stepped up his game against the league's best quarterback (at least statistically) and proved his worth as a No. 1 pick. He took the Bengals to a new level this season that nobody would have predicted. That started me thinking about how certain high draft picks pay off at a higher rate than others. LaDainian Tomlinson was picked fifth overall in 2001. The Colts drafted the Edge fourth in the 1999 draft. And then there are the great busts. Many players come into the league with high expectations and never pan out. My buddy Garis and I decided to countdown the biggest busts of the last few years. We had to lay down a few ground rules. The player must have had at least three years of NFL experience, because some guys (Philip Rivers in San Diego) haven't had a chance to earn a starting spot. The player must have been drafted in the top ten. There are countless busts from the last few years and nobody can name them all (certainly not in an 850-word column). We limited our scope to the drafts between 1998 and 2002. I've heard of Tony Mandarich, and I know all about Brian Bosworth. But both were drafted before I turned five. So, here goes: No. 10 is Koren Robinson. He was the ninth pick by the Seahawks in the 2001 draft. Here's a guy who went from 1,200 yards of receiving in 2002 to 495 yards in 10 games in 2004. He's now sixth on the depth chart in Minnesota and not even the best receiver named Robinson on that team (Marcus is better). Keeping with wide receivers, Peter Warrick, No. 9 on the list, was the No. 4 pick by Cincinnati in 2000 and currently keeps the bench warm for Joe Jurevicius and Bobby Engram in Seattle. Warrick reached "mediocre" in 2003 when he had 819 yards of receiving and seven TDs, but was cut after a 2004 season cut short by injury. Joey Harrington is No. 8. The Oregon quarterback was drafted third by the Lions in 2002 and lost the starting job to Jeff Garcia this season. He managed to throw for 19 TDs and over 3,000 yards last season, but still had a pitiful QB rating of 77.5 - a career high. No. 7 is Andre Wadsworth, a defensive end drafted by the Cardinals with the third pick in 1998. Wadsworth, is another Seminole disaster, holding out on the Cardinals for a six-year deal worth $42 million. He had five sacks in 1998 before suffering injuries over the next two seasons, and is currently out of football. The guy at No. 6 is pretty high on the list for a few reasons. Mike Ditka traded all his picks in the 1999 draft to get Ricky Williams at No. 5 and it ruined his professional run. Ricky gave up football in 2004 after reviving his career in Miami, costing another coach his job (Dave Wannstedt). He's currently trying to pay off the $8 million he owes the team. Curtis Enis of the Bears sits at No. 5. The Penn State prospect was taken fifth in the 1998 draft, ahead of Randy Moss and Fred Taylor, and got injured in his first season. His second season was an improvement, but by 2001, he was out of football. Akili Smith and Courtney Brown sit at numbers four and three. Smith went third overall to the Bengals in 1999, and threw for 2,212 yards. Total. He was out of football by 2001 after getting a career 52.8 QB rating. Brown, the No. 1 pick in 2000, played five seasons with the Browns and made them feel stupid for drafting him over Brian Urlacher and Plaxico Burress. He currently starts for the Denver Broncos, trying to resurrect his career. A pair of No. 1 draft picks are at the top. Tim Couch, No. 2 on our list, was taken by the Browns with the top pick in 1999 and spent five seasons starting for Cleveland. He never lived up to expectations and then beaten out for the backup job in Green Bay by Doug Pederson. No. 1 is the king of all busts, Ryan Leaf. The Charger's top pick in 1998, he threw two TDs and 15 picks in his first season. But he was more than just that a bad quarterback. He was also a jerk, often yelling at media and throwing tantrums (think TO but without the talent). He left for Dallas after two seasons with San Diego and then signed with Seattle in 2002, but never played a game.

---

News

Unpaid summer jobs may no longer be a problem

November 21

If all goes as planned, students who would normally turn down internships because of prohibitive costs may have the opportunity to apply for stipends starting next fall. Details of the project have yet to be worked out, but Tufts Community Union (TCU) senators are excited now that money from this month's $100 million Omidyar donation has been set aside for an internship stipend fund. "The money has been earmarked; it's just a question of when," said TCU Historian senior Ed Kalafarski said. A student and faculty committee has yet to be put together to work out the details of the project. All of the donation made by Pierre and Pam Omidyar will go into a microfinance investment fund. The fund will give loans to small businesses in developing countries. Half of the interest from these loans will go back into the microfinance fund, while the other half will go back to Tufts. "It's kind of a victory that any of the money is going to campus programs," Kalafarski said. According to Kalafarski, the expected interest return is nine percent. There is much to be settled before the program becomes a reality for students. Despite enthusiasm from the Senate, Dean for Undergraduate Education James Glaser was cautious in his description of plans for the project. "There are no details yet because it is too early," Glaser said. "It was just announced two weeks ago, and the president was in India, so there's plenty of things that have to happen before this goes into place." Senator Rafi Goldberg, a senior, played a key role working with administrators to set up the internship stipend fund. Starting six months ago, he attended several meetings helping to conceptualize the program. Fundraising for an internship stipend was originally slated to fall under the University's next capital campaign, before the news of the Omidyar donation broke. Goldberg will not be at Tufts to witness the completion of this project, but he is happy about "the fact that the student body was able to successfully advocate for a program that's really important," he said. "It's a testament to how receptive the administration can be here." The creation of an internship stipend fund was a central part of Goldberg's unsuccessful campaign for TCU President last spring. He wanted to do this project so less privileged students would not have to chooe between "a summer in Washington and a summer at Wal-Mart." "We want [Tufts students] to get that real world advantage, and to have that competitive advantage in the real world," Goldberg said. He said most of the funding will probably go towards helping students in non-profit and government internships. "It's all very preliminary," Glaser said. "I'm not even sure when the money is delivered. There's quite a bit of work we have to do."

---

News

Alex Sherman | Retrospective

November 20

A famous comedian (whose name evades me) once said that Thanksgiving was a great but terrible holiday, claiming it was no wonder most of the world hated us: we have a holiday where we stuff food into more food and then proceed to gorge ourselves. God bless America and our overabundance. Thanksgiving is the best, though. It takes down all the depressing holidays because it's anything but. It beats out the gift-giving holidays because it has no rampant consumerism attached to it. Comparing Thanksgiving to New Years is comparing apples to oranges, except by apples, I mean genetically perfect grown-in-the-Garden-of-Eden oranges, which, when compared to regular oranges, are superior in every way. We feast on turkey, a noble bird - so noble in fact that Ben Franklin himself advocated choosing it as our national bird instead of that scavenger, the Eagle. It's also famous for tryptophan, a literal kryptonite of a relaxant, which gives the term "food coma" new meaning. And then comes the mashed potatoes and the stuffing. Thanksgiving is a monument to America, branded in our culture like cattle. This Thanksgiving Break will usher in my 22nd year on this Earth, walking hand in hand with that inexorable, depressing idea that the passage of time is more permanent than we. Boys and girls, being almost 22 is crazy. That means that I was a freshman in high school eight years ago. What comes next for me - and for most seniors - is unclear. An obscure haze has descended on the pre-prescribed life that our parents laid out for me. There's grad school, of course, but seeing as my professional goals aren't clear yet, I see no reason to shovel more money into the bloated pockets of another university. Finding a job is probably necessary and probably difficult. Moving back in with the 'rents is slowly becoming an unavoidable reality. Yet perhaps the worst thing about being older is that you start noticing the changes to the world you've spent your life naively wandering through. Old-standing traditions are abandoned, paradigms are shattered, and things once considered sacred are sacred no more. I've watched, along with most, the birth of a new breed of Star Wars fans. We all saw the train wreck "The Phantom Menace," and hated Jar Jar Binks and his species. But let's face it, people. Despite the fact that we don't like them, despite how we shrug off their contribution to the victory over the forces of evil, they are no different than the ewoks. In "Return of the Jedi," we had cute little teddy bears waging war, and in "Menace," we had equally useless fish people. So why do we love the bears? Nostalgia. It was awesome, as little kids, to see a bunch of safety-blanket look-alikes saving the universe. Now that we're older, that same idea in different form seems ludicrous. But there's a new army of fans out there, and though I like what they like, I can't seem to reconcile this difference. The Used and My Chemical Romance covered Queen's "Under Pressure," and the radio is playing it like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. All their cover really amounts to is a bunch of "scream-o" bull, unlike the totally legit and amazing original. At what point did it become not only OK, but socially acceptable, to cover something by Queen? Vanilla Ice ripped them off, but look what happened to him - relegated to a doomed existence of the one-hit wonder that everyone knows is the intellectual property of real geniuses. Queen needs at least another 30 years before being covered... right? Apparently not. Video game controllers now have more buttons than we have fingers. "The Simpsons" and "Seinfeld" are being replaced by humorless and inane shows like "Tyra" and "Dance 360." Zoos are suddenly no longer cool. The candy bar Whatchamacallit has fallen by the wayside. A fancy new CGI movie about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is due out in 2007, which will no doubt be horrible, yet will still manage to eclipse the cinematic glory that was the original film. What in the good lord (or any deity that you believe in)'s name happened to the good old days? Do they eventually slip into oblivion with youth? I remember and miss the days when it was illegal to buy cigarettes and porn, and when drinking beer was still against the law. But those days are long past. My point, after having prematurely depressed all you underclassmen and made all the seniors undoubtedly more uncomfortable in their last year is this: that famous comedian I referenced earlier made claim that Thanksgiving is both a great and terrible holiday. I couldn't agree more. While the holiday is a milestone for growing older, it is also a tradition, and I'll be damned if it ever changes. So go home and enjoy your turkey and mashed potatoes. Let the tryptophan put you to sleep. And know that even as time keeps on slipping, Thanksgiving will always be there to ground us. Alex Sherman is a senior majoring in architectural studies. He can be reached via e-mail at alexander.sherman@tufts.edu.

---

News

Fraternities welcome furry friends as family

November 20

On Professors Row, fall leaves cover the lawns of fraternities. In front of Zeta Psi, girls line up along a fence, staring into a pile of auburn, yellow and garnet foliage. A fuzzy head pokes through the warm-colored leaves, and a ball of fur emerges. Walter has come out to play. Walter Psi, or Wally, is the new puppy at Zeta Psi. Three fraternity brothers - sophomores Collin Mayer, Steven Richter and James Gerber - recently purchased the 10-week-old Saint Bernard puppy from a breeder in Rochester, N.Y. "Everyone here [at Zeta Psi] loves the puppy," Gerber said. "They think he's awesome. He's really chill most of the time, and ridiculously adorable." When he's not chasing the rake among the leaves or nibbling on the socks of his fraternity brothers, Wally spends his time roaming around the house. The 15 brothers all enjoy his company. "He's a big ball of joy," said senior and Zeta Psi brother Dan Marcus. In addition to being a bearer of happiness to the house through his wet kisses and playful antics, Wally is a girl magnet. When the three brothers brought the puppy to a Tufts football game, Gerber recalled that "all the cheerleaders stopped cheering to come say hi to the dog." "He's way cooler than I am," Mayer added of Wally. "He helps me meet girls, but he shows me up at the same time." Wally is not just a magnet for the ladies: he receives attention from both sexes. "Anybody who walks by has to stop to look at him," Gerber said. "Guys do, too." Wally's popularity has even made its way onto the Internet. On Nov. 14, Walter Psi's own Facebook page was created. According to the page, the dog's interests include playing in the leaves, belly rubs and chasing feet. The pup's favorite movies are the three "Beethoven" flicks, and he currently has 20 friends at Tufts. While Zeta Psi's puppy dominates the Tufts social scene via sporting events and the Internet, the new puppy at Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) takes a more subtle approach. Mac, a 7-month-old Black Lab mix, likes to run around Fletcher Field, barking hello to passing students. "We try to socialize him," said senior Aaron Goldman, who is one of Mac's three "parents." Goldman, along with sophomores Meredith Ginley and Katie Greenlee, spent five weeks searching for the perfect dog. After making eight trips to numerous shelters, they finally adopted Mac. Both Ginley and Greenlee had grown up with dogs and wanted to have one at Tufts. Since they couldn't have a pet at the dorms, they waited until moving into ATO. Goldman was thrilled with the suggestion of adopting a canine friend. Growing up with a father who was allergic to animals, he had never been allowed to own a dog, and he was thrilled with the arrival of Mac. Like Wally, Mac is a calm, friendly and social puppy - important traits for an animal living in a frat house. "We'd rather have a dog that rolls over than barks," Goldman said. Mac loves to socialize with everyone, even ATO's cat, Disco Ball. Though the cat hisses at him, Mac continues the chase, often sliding around the house. "He just gets so excited about everything," Goldman said. "He has a lot more excitement than coordination." When he's not playing, Mac sleeps in the room shared by Ginley and Greenlee. The spacious area allows him enough space to walk around when he wakes during the night - which he did three times a night his first two weeks at Tufts. Now, the puppy has adjusted to college life and has learned how to sleep in. A few houses down on Professors Row, Walter sleeps in Mayer's room, which has been converted into a puppy play-haven. A couch and small gate corner off about half of the room, where the puppy can run around chasing feet - one of his favorite activities. He can play with his toys, watch television, or sleep in his puppy crate. Like Mac, Wally spent his first few weeks at Tufts whining in his sleep. The fraternity brothers, however, took turns comforting the puppy during the night. "Everybody here is so into it," Gerber said. "The only problem is there's too many people that want to take care of him." Though both Zeta Psi and ATO were at first nervous about having a puppy while attending school, they have been pleasantly surprised by the team effort displayed by the houses' inhabitants. "We were worried about the time commitment involved with getting a puppy," Gerber said. "But everyone here loves Walter, and are more than willing to help out if needed. Wally is never alone for more than an hour." Mac's "parents" don't only have the time commitment of school: they also play sports. Luckily, Goldman's swimming season and Greenlee and Ginley's sailing season do not overlap. Thus, there is always someone who can watch Mac. "He gets top priority," Goldman said.

---

News

War games

November 20

Anyone who has ever dismissed opposition to the Iraq war as the domain of the radical left-wing of the political spectrum received a sharp wake-up call on Thursday. U.S. Representative John Murtha, D-PA - a highly decorated former Marine colonel and traditionally hawkish Democrat - introduced a resolution calling for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. The chaos that ensued in the House of Representatives on Friday revealed the high level of irony inherent to Republican statements welcoming open, depoliticized debate on Iraq war policy. On the morning following Murtha's earth-shattering statement of support for withdrawal from Iraq, Republican House leadership decided against engaging him and other proponents of withdrawal in an open and complete debate about the benefits of withdrawing versus "staying the course." Instead, they orchestrated a night of political theater, bent on embarrassing a war hero and painting the Democratic congressional caucus into a corner. On Friday, the final day of legislative business before the Thanksgiving recess, Representative Duncan Hunter, R-CA, introduced a shortened and intentionally vague version of the Murtha Resolution on the floor of the House. Murtha's resolution listed specific reasons for withdrawal and actions to be taken by American military forces, and set a timetable for a "redeployment" to be completed by "the earliest practicable date." Hunter's resolution simply read: "Resolved, that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately." This is clearly not a serious resolution. It is non-binding, and the language makes it so vague as to be purely symbolic. But Republican House leaders pushed to limit debate on the resolution and ensure that a vote would occur that same evening. The significance of the rush to action on the Hunter Resolution cannot be overstated. Before the vote to authorize military action in Iraq, each of the 435 members of the House of Representatives was allocated five minutes to speak. This allowed at least 36 hours and 15 minutes of debate. In stark contrast, the debate on withdrawal was limited to 60 minutes total, allowing each member of Congress an average of only eight seconds to speak. The resolution was also brought to the floor for a vote without going through committee, further restricting intelligent debate on an Iraq policy shift. There was no empirical evidence presented in support of either withdrawal or sustained presence, and no experts testified. The procedural vote to bring the resolution to immediate action was along party lines, with Republicans almost completely united in their desire to restrict debate and force a vote on their intentionally ridiculous resolution. The vote was forced for the same reason that the resolution was introduced in the first place: Republican leaders in the House were not interested in engaging in a genuine dialogue on Iraq war policy. The resolution provided a venue in which members of their caucus could accuse Representative Murtha of being a "coward." They then forced a vote on the resolution, knowing that Democrats could not and would not support such a vague yet polarizing and potentially significant statement of support for "immediate withdrawal," particularly on such short notice and without full debate. In so doing, Republicans clearly hoped to stifle future dissent on the president's Iraq policy. Since the Hunter Resolution passed with only three Democrats voting no, virtually any House Democrat voicing support for a more nuanced strategy of disengagement will surely be accused of "flip-flopping." By essentially mocking Representative Murtha's honest call for a strategic withdrawal from Iraq, House Republicans showed a frightening disdain for intellectual diversity. They played a political game with a war in which three American soldiers per day are killed, and by attempting to quiet a dissenting yet experienced and wise voice, they did the American public no favors.

---

News

Theater Preview | 'Matt and Ben' asks: and just how do you like these apples?

November 20

Contrary to what the posters may lead you to believe, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are not actually coming to Tufts tonight. While this might disappoint some, the alternative is fairly comparable. Pen, Paint, and Pretzels' (3Ps) minor production of "Matt and Ben" provides a hysterical, although not necessarily realistic, look at these two celebrities before they broke into the limelight. In this version, Matt (senior Jess Fisch) and Ben (sophomore Katherine Round) live in Somerville and are struggling to make their way to riches and fame. In the middle of adapting (a term loosely used by Ben to describe the copying of lines from the J. D. Salinger novel verbatim) of "The Catcher in the Rye," a miracle occurs: the script for "Good Will Hunting" falls out of the ceiling into Ben's apartment. Even more fortunate for the duo, the cover of the divine gift gives them credit for being the authors of the movie. This good luck quickly turns sour, as clashes ensue between two best friends both vying for the same prize. The friction eventually leads to shouting, strangling and sword fighting. The entire piece is stuffed with jokes, entertaining action and comedic timing. Fisch describes the play as "a good way to laugh on a Monday before Thanksgiving. You'll leave feeling happy." The entire show uses only two actors, which proved to be surprisingly difficult for the director, senior Nathan Todd. Each movement and interaction between the two has to be specific, since the entire play hinges on the way these two best friends relate to each other. Having a small ensemble was also beneficial. Round found that the laidback atmosphere really helped the show. "We got a lot of our best stuff from just messing around," she said. Another challenge for Todd was having two females playing male roles, which, although it debatably makes the show even more entertaining, also makes it harder to perform. The play was originally written by two females for two females, but Todd still had to teach his leading ladies the finer aspects of being a guy, including pushing as a man would or scratching themselves. The satirical piece also offers social commentary (if you decide to think about it). Having two females in these roles serves to "break down gender," Todd said, as it highlights "the feminine within the masculine." Todd describes the play as a "testament to the nature of celebrity and celebrity worship." Along those lines, seeing this image of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck pre-Oscar win reminds us that celebrities are a lot more like us than we might think. Ben's apartment is littered with junk food, magazines and empty beer bottles; it could easily belong to any Tufts student. The two characters are nowhere near perfect. Round immediately describes Ben as an "idiot." "He gets by on his charisma, looks and his frat boy persona," she said. Matt is the more intelligent of the two. "Matt wants something more for himself and is not afraid to go out and get it," Fisch said. Sometimes he does this at the expense of Ben, which causes some serious tension in their friendship. If you want to, you can find several themes in "Matt and Ben." If not, you can easily appreciate it just for the hilarity. In either case, be prepared to be surrounded by fun and silliness for an hour. In the words of Round: "['Matt and Ben'] is a reminder that there is still fun to be had in theater."

---

News

Sydne Summer | How To...

November 20

During my junior year of high school, both of my parents were on Atkins. I would wake up in the morning stifled by the smell of bacon creeping into my bedroom. At night, I would come home to a house overpowered by the fumes of steak sizzling on the grill. Then there was my friend who decided she'd mimic the stars and pick up smoking in hopes of looking like Mary-Kate. The following year, I witnessed another friend try the cabbage soup diet. As I munched on my Dodger Dog, she snacked on carrot sticks she had smuggled into the stadium. Diets have never worked for me. Whenever I try to restrain myself, I always end up wanting more. During my year abroad in London, I decided I wasn't going to eat any sweets. The week-long attempt only resulted in a sickening binge of ice cream, brownies and Kit-Kats. Instead of crazy diets, I now have become aware of what I put into my body. As winter approaches, many of us lose the drive to maintain our toned summer bodies. But nobody wants to return home over Christmas ten pounds heavier than when they left. The following are guidelines on how to keep off winter weight. Social dining: Dining halls can be a social experience. During my sophomore year, I would sit at Sunday brunch with my friends for hours, chatting about our weekend festivities while munching on bagels and waffles. Looking back, I wish I did more talking and less eating. Instead of gorging on carbs for three hours, I should have had one meal, then munched on healthier foods. If you treat the dining hall as catch-up time with your friends, start with a single meal. After you have one plate of food, snack on healthier items such as carrots, broccoli or fruit while you discuss weekend hook-ups. If you keep eating fro-yo and breadsticks for three hours, you probably won't be hooking up come spring. "Healthy" foods: I used to have an overweight friend who was trying to lose those extra pounds. She thought that if she ate healthy foods and worked out, she'd be fit in no time. The exercise was great, but what she didn't understand was that healthy does not equal low-fat. Sure, those granola bars at Hodgdon are healthy, but they still have six grams of fat and 180 calories. Then there are the Odwalla smoothies at the campus center: they may have antioxidants and vitamin C, but drinks like Mango Tango and C-Monster have over 200 calories! Even "good fats," such as peanuts and avocados, are only good in moderation. So next time you pick up a "healthy" snack, make sure to glance over the nutritional information. If you're going to eat a sports bar with ten grams of fat, you might as well indulge in that brownie you've been craving all week. Cold nights: It's easy staying thin during the summer: It's too hot outside to fathom eating anything but salads, smoothies and sushi. But as the frosty air sets in, most of us crave comfort food. We put Espressos on speed dial and head to Costco for boxes of Top Ramen and Easy Mac. But after a month of indulging in creamy cheese and steaming hot dough, we begin to notice that our favorite jeans are a bit too snug for comfort. Before the habit of comfort food becomes an addiction, try to stock up on lower-fat versions to warm yourself at night. Instead of consuming the six grams of fat in a single serving of Easy Mac, you can sate your sweet tooth with some warm maple syrup-flavored oatmeal that contains only two grams of fat. Or, refrain from ordering a slice and stock up on filling soups. You can get the same taste with Campbell's microwavable Soup at Hand, now in Pizza Soup flavor. Instead of the 20-something grams of fat in a single slice of cheese, the warm tomato base will only cost you one measly gram of fat and 160 calories. "Low-calorie" tricks: My freshman year, I was thrilled to see the non-fat frozen yogurt at Dewick. I would end each dinner with some soft-serve, which unfortunately started a horrible sweets-after-dinner habit. I figured since the dessert was non-fat and low-cal, it couldn't be that bad. My freshman 15 proved me wrong. Sometimes, low-calorie foods can be tricky, causing you to eat more than you usually would. Last weekend, my friend devoured an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's frozen yogurt, figuring that it was the same as eating a quarter-pint of full-fat ice cream. The Phish Food binge still cost her 20 grams of fat, which she tried to make up for by eating nothing but salad for a week. It made me think: Wouldn't it just be better to get a scoop of ice cream? Before you become a frozen-yogurt-holic, remember that no matter how low-calorie a food may be, portion control is still the answer to maintaining a healthy weight.

---

News

Men's Cross Country | Tufts finishes fifth at Nationals

November 20

With the season culminating at Div. III Nationals in Ohio over the weekend, the Jumbos ran strong and finished in fifth place. This finish marked the best final result in the Jumbos' history and also was the eighth time the Jumbos finished in the top ten at the big race. Tufts (216) went into the race ranked fifth in the nation and looked to prove that prediction wrong by cracking the top four and grabbing a podium spot. Calvin, Wisconsin-LaCrosse, North Central College and Nebraska Wesleyan were ranked first, second, third and fourth respectively in the national polls. The Jumbos, however, would fall just short of their podium goals as Wisconsin-LaCrosse (94) took first, followed by Calvin (117), Haverford (118) and Nebraska Wesleyan (132). North Central College had a terrible performance, taking 12th out of the 24-team field. With North Central struggling, Tufts could have moved in for a podium spot, but Haverford, who went into the race ranked seventh, stole the show by taking third with 118 points and two All-Americans. Although the team didn't get a podium finish, Coach Ethan Barron was definitely very pleased with the performance of his runners. "It was a great finish," Barron said. "You can't have the highest finish in team history and not to be happy with that. The teams that finished ahead of us ran really good so frankly, I am really pleased with the way we ran." The main story of the day was the performance of junior Josh Kennedy who finished 22nd overall with a time of 26:13. Kennedy's finish earned him All-American honors and it was the second week in a row where Kennedy was the first of all Jumbo runners to cross the finish line. Junior Justin Chung (26:57) finished 72nd overall while senior co-captain Matt Fortin (27:03), sophomore Chris Kantos (27:04) and senior co-captain Matt Lacey (27:08) finished 81st, 83rd and 88th, respectively. Senior Kyle Doran (27:32) and senior Neil Orfield (28:04) rounded out the Jumbos' top seven runners by finishing 127th and 176th. The foundation for the Jumbos record team finish was the performance by Kennedy. The junior's finish allowed him to accomplish his own personal goal as well. "I had a goal all season to be an All-American just like last year so it was definitely really gratifying to achieve that," Kennedy said. While it might have been a record finish, it wasn't what the Jumbos had expected and it was obvious that while they were happy with their accomplishment, there was still a sense of disappointment from the team. "It was an OK day," Kennedy said. "The course was in bad shape and a lot of people were falling down on turns. We could have finished a little higher." While Kennedy raced to All-American status, the biggest surprise of the day was the unusual sub-par performance of senior co-captain Matt Lacey. In the last race of his Tufts career, Lacey sunk to fifth on the Jumbo squad. It was the first time Lacey had finished worse than second all season. "I just didn't feel it," Lacey said. "I can't pin-point why I didn't do so well, but I am definitely not happy with the way I ran." While obviously disappointed about his personal performance, Lacey said he was still happy about the overall performance of the team. "The team finish was good," Lacey said. "It wasn't our ultimate goal but the teams that ran ahead of us were really good. Our team ran really solid." Barron was extremely sympathetic for his senior co-captain. "It is always hard on a coach to see one his athletes fall short of his goal," Barron said. "However, I know and most importantly he knows that that this race was not a true representation of his abilities. He still has track to showcase how great of an athlete he really is." With the season now at a close, the Jumbos can look to next season with excitement and anticipation. While they will be losing both of their captains, and one of their best runners in Lacey, the team will still have a core of solid veterans that will return. "We have three out of our top four runners returning and we hope to get a solid recruiting class, maybe a freshman that we could put in the top seven," Barron said. "That's the beauty of the Tufts program; we really have good young players that can step up once the veterans graduate. Expect the Tufts cross country team to be once again competitive next year."

---

News

After a nine-month review, some vague suggestions

November 20

"Tufts does not have a strong identity," Vice President for University Relations Mary Jeka said. "People struggle to answer what defines Tufts." Last January the University hired an outside marketing consultant, Mark Neustadt, to help answer that question. Neustadt presented his findings at the Nov. 5 Board of Trustees meeting. After nine months of research, interviews and focus groups, Neustadt concluded the University's communications strategy should be embodied in the statement: "Tufts is a university focused on new leaders for a changing world." Neustadt said the University should identify key projects that comprise its elevator speech - a sales pitch brief enough to give during an elevator ride. These will help Tufts separate itself from other schools, he said. The communications strategy should focus on what is being done at Tufts, Neustadt said, rather than on the University's international diversity. "The shift to a forward-looking university broadened the identity from one with an exclusive international identity," he said. He said Tufts can have a forward-looking strategy because it does not have many policies set in stone, like some older schools. "Tufts has the best potential of distinguishing itself," he said. The shift in emphasis to Tufts' impact on the immediate community will not have to be forced, Neustadt said. "The goal of the project was to take the style of undergraduates and apply it," he said. "The style of the student body was an example for this shift. Tufts students are really motivated and want to do something for themselves." He said the environmental focus of the School of Engineering and the public exposure of philosophy professor Daniel Dennet were examples of how students and professors are socially engaged and forward-looking. Executive Director of Communications Julie Pierce agreed. "Tufts' Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is leading the way in addressing some of the most important issues of our time, like the animal vectors of disease," she said. "And Tufts' Dental School is deeply engaged in the Boston community, with about 30 clinics around the city." To reach these conclusions, Neustadt studied information from the Office of Institutional Research and other schools' communications strategies. He also interviewed about 80 administrators at all of the University's schools about admissions, academics, student life and communications. He also held focus groups with students, professors and alumni, and with high school students in certain target markets. "I asked focus groups what they thought about the University, and how its image ought to and can be changed," Neustadt said. The focus groups identified a family atmosphere among alumni and a connection between the undergraduate Arts, Sciences and Engineering schools and the graduate schools. "One part of the overall strategy is to connect professional schools with the undergraduate," Neustadt said. "I wanted to make sure the strategy didn't have a Medford-centric attitude." Neustadt also conducted a survey of about 3,000 applicants to Tufts who were admitted and enrolled, who were admitted but did not enroll, and who were not admitted. The research will allow for the creation of a "High Visibility Strategy," which Neustadt said "prioritizes certain messages" and "will direct communication vehicles," including the University's publications and its Web site. "The Tufts Web site needs a lot of work," Jeka said. But, she said, "In changing the Tufts Web site, we need to have an overall strategy." Director of Web Communications Pete Sanborn is heading a seven-member committee to redesign the University's Web site. The changes will allow for smoother navigation through the various sites, including those of individual departments and graduate schools. This will require similar backgrounds and lettering. "We're trying to create a template to make it look more coherent," Pierce said. The details still have to be worked out, though. "It's a long process," Pierce said. She said they will not be completed until some time next year. Neustadt will also use his research to try to create a single Tufts logo. There are many shades of brown and blue and fonts of the letters T-U-F-T-S. "We need to unify them," he said. University President Lawrence Bacow's February 2003 presentation to the Board of Trustees, "Tufts: A University Poised," stressed the importance of an effective communications strategy and was the impetus for the University to hire Neustadt. When she was considering firms for the job, Jeka said she wanted the University to have the success of companies' communications strategies. "Large corporations have done a better job in creating identity than most universities," she said. She hired Neustadt after interviewing a number of firms. Neustadt had worked with Wesleyan University, the Dickinson School of Law at Pennsylvania State University, Hamilton College, St. John's College and Dickinson College. For the last nine months, though, he has worked exclusively with Tufts. "He lives, breaths, eats Tufts right now, which is great," Jeka said. Neustadt's recommendations were well accepted by the Board of Trustees, Jeka said. "They thought his ideas were right on point," she said. "The trustees' reaction was extremely positive."

---

News

Spider Woman' spins a complex web of manipulation, disturbance

November 20

Bloody-hooded prisoners, sexual degradation, psychological manipulation: for once, these disturbing elements do not make up the nightly news report on Iraq, but are the stuff of entertainment. Boston's SpeakEasy Stage Company has made an ambitious choice in deciding to produce "The Kiss of the Spider Woman," a work that weaves a dark tale of torture, homosexuality and death - and, of course, it's a musical. Most of the action takes place in the claustrophobic quarters of a Latin American prison, where two very different men find themselves cellmates and unlikely allies. The play begins as guards drag in a young revolutionary named Valentin (Brendan McNab), whose beaten body is tossed into the cell of the flamboyant Molina (John King), a gay window-dresser. Serving an eight-year sentence for having sex with a minor (he swears he didn't know), Molina has endured the daily degradations of prison life by escaping into a Technicolor fantasy world inspired by his favorite B-movies, all starring his beloved Aurora (Christine Maglione), the epitome of screen queen glamour. But Aurora's most sinister incarnation does not bring him comfort: she stalks the prison as the Spider Woman, offering death and release with a single kiss. Molina cares for Valentin until he regains consciousness and soon shares his survival strategy with his new cellmate. Molina vividly retells his favorite plots in the hopes of distracting Valentin from the physical pain he undergoes during tortuous interrogation sessions, and the emotional anguish he suffers over his failed rebel cause and the girl he left behind. At first, Valentin wants nothing of it; Molina's meddling and his passion for interior design grate on his nerves. But as the months go by, as the beatings grow more violent, and the song-and-dance numbers more fantastic, the ritual becomes a lifeline for him as well. Valentin even comes to appreciate Molina's ministrations, especially after one particularly agonizing bout of diarrhea (this isn't Rodgers and Hammerstein, folks). The two men grow closer, but it becomes clear that no one's motivations in this play are as pure as they appear. The performances are solid, particularly in the case of John King, who almost out-struts Aurora when mimicking his idol's feminine graces. He possesses a surprisingly strong, resonant singing voice as well. For her part, Maglione really gets into her ever-changing role, taking on one cinematic persona after another with ease while always exuding an enigmatic sensuality. It is a bit hard, however, to buy Brendan McNab as an ardent Latin revolutionary; his performance comes off as rather muted. Also, Molina is supposed to be ten years older than his Marxist cell mate, but King looks boyish in comparison to McNab. Costume designer Seth Bodie outdid himself when it came to Aurora's many elaborate ensembles; bedecked in beaded headdresses, draped in feathers and furs, and sparkling with sequins, Aurora's character was truly enhanced by her fanciful costumes. Set designer Eric Levenson likewise deserves praise for making good use of the small space with his versatile cage/web of a set. Unfortunately, not all the production details came together so well. Call this critic a nit-picker, but there was something disconcerting and disappointing about the muffled thuds that were supposed to represent gunshots (especially when a sign posted at the door warned patrons with heart conditions that loud gunfire would be heard during the performance). The same went for the canned screams of prisoners, which sounded like they came from a cheap cassette of haunted house sound effects. Sound quality was again an issue when it came to musical accompaniment; it was surprising to learn that a live orchestra was hidden backstage, for the keyboard-heavy instrumentals sounded like they came from a Casio synthesizer. Little details like these kept from the audience from feeling truly transported. Also, the intimate Roberts Studio Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts may not have been the ideal setting for the work, as the choreography sometimes seemed to require a larger stage. The show's creators clearly thought that Manuel Puig's novel, which also inspired the 1985 film of the same name, was ideally suited for a musical interpretation. Yet translating the heavy subject matter of Puig's novel into an effective and affecting musical is a risky business. Just as Molina can't stop crossing the chalked-out boundary that divides his side of the cell from Valentin's, the show sometimes oversteps the thin line that separates camp from corny. The musical won seven Tonys when it premiered in 1993, so perhaps some of the work's incongruities were glossed over by a lavish Broadway treatment. But, in this production at least, there are certainly some cringe-worthy moments: there is simply something jarring about manacled men dancing in a chorus line. But the show gains its stride as it goes along, getting it pitch-perfect on numbers such as "Morphine Tango." In general, the company makes an admirable effort in portraying a difficult play, which, despite its flaws, still has interesting things to say about the resilience of the human spirit and the sacrifices that love demands.

---

News

Inexperience rears its head in Jumbos' 22nd-place finish

November 20

On Saturday, the women's cross country team made its first trip to the NCAA Championships as a unit since 1999. And they ran like it. With only one experienced runner competing at the sport's highest stage, the Jumbos were plagued by inexperience and finished 22nd out of a field of 24 teams. "We performed poorly," Coach Kristen Morwick said. "That's all I can say about it." Senior tri-captain Becca Ades, the only Tufts runner with prior experience at Nationals, acknowledged the team's sub-par performance. "I know we are capable of much more, but I also know that there wasn't a person out there running who didn't put their heart into this race," she said. It was a packed, fast race with the nation's best in Div. III running the hilly course at Dornoch Golf Club in Delaware, Ohio. Sophomore Catherine Beck led the team once again, finishing the 6k race in 23:59 for 101st place. Junior Raquel Morgan wasn't far behind, taking 115th in 24:10, followed by sophomore Katy O'Brien (128th, 24:23) and Ades (151st, 24:32). Junior Sarah Crispin and the team's two freshmen, Katie Rizzolo and Evelyn Sharkey, had a lot of trouble on Saturday, with all three finishing a lot farther back from other Tufts runners and placing among the final 15 runners in the race. Crispin (200th, 25:31) has been battling bronchitis over the last few weeks and Rizzolo (207th, 25:50) and Sharkey (212th, 27:13) had some difficulty with the course. "It was a hard course, the hardest I've run in four years of collegiate cross country," Ades said. "It was muddy and slippery and people were falling all over the place." Sharkey stayed right with O'Brien through 5k, but it took her seven minutes to finish the final 1,000 meters, staggering down the final stretch and eventually crawling across the finish line. Running in only her second 6k ever, the freshman blacked out and has no recollection of the final 1,000 meters of the race. "She felt the worst of anyone," Morwick said. "She has a lot of courage. I feel awful that that was her first experience. I wish I could take that back." The start of the race was very tight and very fast, something the Jumbos are not used to. The course started on a long, slippery downhill that caused many people to fall. "They basically all almost fell down that first hill," Morwick said. "People behind them were pushing them and trying not to fall themselves." As expected, the Jumbos faced tough competition from other NESCAC teams that they have seen all season long. Williams, Colby and Amherst put four runners in front of Beck, while Middlebury finished three ahead of Tufts' No. 1 runner. "That hasn't happened all year," Morwick said. "I don't know how to explain it." Going into the race, both Ades and Beck had legitimate shots at earning All-American. Ades, who raced in her third Nationals race of her Tufts career on Saturday, was very disappointed with the way the race ended up. "I would have liked my last race to have been better," Ades said. "But some days it just doesn't come together the way you would like it to, and it's really disappointing, it really is." Many factors could be blamed for the team's poor showing - the air travel to Ohio, the toughness of the course, the inexperience of the team, and the added pressure of running in such a huge race for the first time. Hordes of spectators lined the course for almost the whole race, cheering on the runners. "I think it was probably just everything," Beck said. "It's a long season." "It's a really different race," Sharkey said. "There are a ton of fans there and if you can't block that out, it can really get to you and can really interfere with your race." Morwick was very upset with the performance, but preferred not to blame externalities. "It was our first time, and the team has never been there before, and the course is tough, but the course is tough for everybody," Morwick said. "I don't want to make excuses." Beck, always optimistic, stayed positive about the day. "It was our first trip to Nationals," Beck said. "I guess it's good to have that under your belt. We'll just have to get tougher from the experience and learn from it and go on from here." Trouble at Nationals is normal for such an inexperienced team. In 2001, the men's team sent a group that included three freshmen and only two runners with Nationals experience. That team placed 23rd in the 24-team field. "We've all learned that to be successful in cross country, you need to work as a team," Sharkey said. "Definitely in the years to come we're going to use this season as a starting point just to get better." Ades said she believes, as do most members of the team, that this performance was not indicative of their capabilities and that they will move on from here to run better and smarter in the future. "After fours years on this team, we finally managed to get it together and go, and I'm really proud of that," Ades said. "Six of our top seven runners are returning and this race was really good experience for them, and it's something everyone can learn from. I think the worst thing anyone can do is get hung up on this race."

---

News

To win back Congress, take to the streets

November 20

In a recent appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told Tim Russert the Democratic Party did not need formulate specific plans on issues when it did not control either house of Congress. Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis disagreed. "We've been embarrassed internationally and the little guy's getting screwed everyday," Dukakis said. "It's not too complicated, it might even fit on a bumper sticker." Dukakis spoke to about 50 people in the ASEAN Auditorium Friday. His speech was billed as being about reconciling civil liberties with national security, but he spoke at length about the Democratic Party's desperate need to relearn grassroots campaigning strategies. Dukakis, who began his career as a town meeting member in Brookline, served as Governor of Massachusetts for three terms and was the last Democratic governor of the state. He ran for President of the United States in 1988, losing to George H.W. Bush. "If I were a genius, I would've won the election [in 1988], so I approach this subject with a great deal of humility," Dukakis said, "But I feel very strongly... that the most serious problem facing the Democratic Party is a lack of grassroots campaigning." He said about 85 percent of Americans agree with the Democratic Party on issues such as minimum wage, insurance for working class families and environmental protections. "The party that invented grassroots campaigning has forgotten how to do it," he said. Dukakis joked that he could not have been elected dogcatcher without a ground campaign. "It's not about parachuting in two weeks ahead of the election," he said. "It begins months and months in advance." He laid out a specific plan for a grassroots-style campaign. Every precinct in the country should be assigned a captain, with six block captains reporting to that person. People "who look like the neighborhood, sound like the neighborhood and talk like the neighborhood" need to begin canvassing areas over a year in advance in order to build personal relationships with the citizens, he said. Dukakis' ideal is that by election time every household in an area should have been visited at least twice - regardless of whether they are registered Democrats or Republicans. "For most Americans, the political process has become a movie," he said. Voters simply sit at home and watch attack ads on television - "the personal connection isn't there." Dukakis also brought up some of his concerns about terrorism. "International terrorism is a criminal conspiracy," he said. "The way you break it up is to get inside it, which requires a high degree of international cooperation." He said the Democratic Party cannot wait until 2006 to adopt and drive home a message - doorbell ringing must start now - and that candidates must have some way to fight off smear campaigns, as John Kerry failed to do in 2004. Dukakis said while he was running for president, he "made a decision not to respond to Bush's attacks, and you just can't do that. You've got to have a planned response." He also addressed the topic of civil liberties and the historical tension between individual rights and issues of national security. He pointed to the PATRIOT Act and the Abu Ghraib prison abuses as representative of the George W. Bush Administration's infringements on civil liberties for the sake of national security. While Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy was garnering national attention with his accusations of Communism in the government and the military, Dukakis was a student at Swarthmore College, helping to organize an American Civil Liberties Union recruitment drive. Dukakis said the current political atmosphere reminds him of the "anti-Communist hysteria" of the 1950s, and he called the Bush administration "the worst national Administration I've ever lived under." "Blame me - if I had beaten this guy's old man, you'd never have heard of him," Dukakis said.

---

News

No surprises here: women's soccer is a big winner within All-NESCAC honors

November 20

With the fall seasons finished, NESCAC announced its all-conference awards last week. The Jumbos appeared on each sport's list, with the women's soccer team - in the midst of its best season since 2000 - raking in the jumbo share of Tufts awards. The team nabbed two of the three top honors, with Martha Whiting taking home Coach of the Year and senior tri-captain Ariel Samuelson earning Player of the Year, as well as a spot on the All-Conference First Team. Samuelson's 12 goals and 27 points were tied for the conference-best with Bates junior Kim Alexander, and her three game-winning goals are good for second in the league. Williams was the league's big winner, placing 15 Ephs on All-Conference First Teams and racking up three Player of the Year Awards, a Rookie of the Year and two Coach of the Year recipients. Williams once again proved its reputation as the overall goliath of the NESCAC. In 2005, the school won its seventh consecutive Director's Cup, awarded by the NCAA to one school in each Division for overall excellence in athletics.WOMEN'S SOCCERFirst Team: Ariel Samuelson, Martha FurtekSecond Team: Lydia Claudio, Joelle EmeryPlayer of the Year: Ariel SamuelsonCoach of the Year: Martha WhitingMEN'S SOCCERSecond Team: Mike Guigli, Mattia Chason, Greg O'ConnellFIELD HOCKEYSecond Team: Lea Napolitano, Stacey WatkinsFOOTBALLFirst Team: Rich Aronson, Chris Decembrele MEN'S CROSS COUNTRYFirst Team: Josh Kennedy, Matt LaceySecond Team: Matt FortinCo-Coach of the Year: Ethan BarronWOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRYSecond Team: Becca AdesVOLLEYBALLFirst Team: April Gerry, Courtney EvansSecond Team: Caitlin DealyGOLFFirst Team: Justin Meier

---

News

America's multiculturalism should be cherished

November 20

After picking up a recent edition of the Primary Source by mistake, I read the article "The War on Tradition," which both appalled and offended me, not as a liberal college student, but as a citizen of the United States and a child of its virtues. In the opening letter from the editor, in what was apparently a Thanksgiving edition, Nicholas Boyd attempted to redefine the values and sentiments that this nation looks forward to celebrating each November. In his article, the editor attacked an undefined assembly, the "modern Left," by claiming that they wish to divide America somehow; mainly because the "Left" is upset at the unification of the American population. In support of the Left "prov[ing] America unjust and racist, the Left emphasizes multiculturalism." Now here's where I confess: not only did I go to public schools in the Midwest (East Lansing, Mich. to be exact), but I am thankfully only a cross-register Tufts student for the semester until I can return to New Orleans to complete my third-world education. But I have somehow always been under the impression that multiculturalism is a principle that this country has not only supported but embraced ever since it's founding, which as I recall was in part based on the ideas of diversity, acceptance and cordiality. Somewhere along the way, I must have missed the lecture or sneezed when my parents told me that multiculturalism is "a theory advocating a destructive practice and an unattainable ideal." It shocks me that not only would someone in this day and age think such a close-minded thought but would have the audacity to circulate it in a Tufts University publication. Within a week of being forced from my school, friends, possessions and new home, Tufts University offered me not only an education, but a place of residence: a room in their on-campus Spanish Language House. I was enthralled not only at the idea of not having to live in dorms again but also being surrounded by variety of cultures many with vast differences from my own. In the Chandler House, as it's known by the University, there are more than a dozen Tufts students representing at least five distinct nations and cultures. I applaud Tufts for not only promoting multiculturalism but taking the initiative to educate their students about what a privilege it is to celebrate diversity and tolerance. Boyd seems reasonable when he declares that "the fabric of America will not survive unless tolerance is a two-way street." Sadly though, he defines that two-way street with examples such as, "Blacks must tolerate confederate flags," and "foreign residents must tolerate patriotism..." Demanding that one must tolerate intolerance is a mockery of the word and what it stands for. To be tolerant, one must not just "put up with" others' feelings, beliefs, attitudes and actions, but also learn to respect and appreciate them. That principle is one that helped to create this country and continues to unite us in growth as well. Completely overlooking "tolerance" in this context, Boyd goes on to declare that the Left is attacking "everything that unifies America." In the subsequent paragraph, Boyd clarifies "everything," as God, the military and holidays: holidays such as Thanksgiving and Columbus Day, which he affirms the Left attacks as "celebrations of oppression and massacre." I don't know how Nicholas Boyd will spend his Thanksgiving ,but I am thankful that around our Thanksgiving dinner table we will celebrate those that have been freed from oppression and mourn those that have been massacred: something Boyd suggests those who are "sensible enough" should not do, so as to "lend strength to a nation" instead. Boyd seemed frightened as he forecasted that, "Once all the bonds that hold Americans together are severed, the leftist dream will come true." This might sound threatening until one realizes Boyd must have clearly mistaken the "leftist dream" for what I would refer to as the American Dream: "a random concoction of groups simply sharing a large North American plot of land." Since the day I was born, and especially since watching School House Rock's "Great American Melting Pot," I have cherished the conglomeration of ideas, cultures, beliefs, practices and most of all the people, that make up this wonderful American Medley that is the United States. Doing whatever it is that you do this Thursday is what makes America so great. Whether it be a white linen turkey dinner, a backyard barbeque, or even just a day off of classes, try to appreciate the wonderful opportunities provided to you and some 250 million other people, fortunate enough to live in such a diverse country as the United States. This year, however, maybe give a little thought to a tradition that seems all but forgotten by too many of our peers - a tradition of tolerance. Let us not just celebrate what is old and traditional but, in addition, all that is new and different. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Adam Saper is a sophomore, cross-registrant from New Orleans who has not yet declared a major.

---