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Putting acid rain regulations to the test

November 16

The Environmental Protection Agency recently released an assessment of its current acid rain regulatory program indicating that corporations have been meeting sulfur dioxide (SO2) reduction standards through the tradable permits system that is in place for this purpose. But according to many Tufts experts, the tradable permits system - which sets a mandatory 8.5 million ton cap on SO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants and allows a limited and periodically decreasing number of pollution credits to be bought and sold in a free market - has limitations as well as benefits. "While the acid rain program has been successful, it may not be as wildly successful as its most ardent supporters suggest," said Robert Russell, an Urban and Environmental Center for Policy and Planning lecturer. "There have been other measures independent of acid rain regulations that contributed to a decrease in SO2 emissions." The permit system was introduced in an amendment - Title IV - to the 1990 Clean Air Act. The Reagan administration's deregulation of the railroad industry allowed for the transport of coal that was naturally low in sulfur. (Deregulation made it economical to sell coal from the west to power plants in the east, and coal from western regions is naturally much lower in sulfur than coal from the east.) According to Russell, part of the tradable permit system's effectiveness is due to the nature of SO2, which disperses when released. "Without precise local effects, it doesn't matter so much where permits are bought and sold," Russell said. "If the effects of SO2 were more localized, we would have to worry about pollution hot spots." Because of SO2's non-localized effects, the overall reduction of emissions matters more than the reduction of emissions in a particular area - but the problem of localized pollution is not entirely avoided. The state of New York, for example, has sued corporations in an attempt to decrease upwind emissions. Economics professor Jay Shimshack said people in his profession view the tradable permits program as a success. "Substantial SO2 and NOx emissions reductions occurred, and these pollution reductions were achieved at considerably lower costs that command and control alternatives," Shimshack said. (According to the Environmental Protection Agency's [EPA] Web site, command and control programs "establish specific, inflexible emissions limitations with which all affected sources must comply.") "Estimates suggest cost savings have exceeded $1 billion annually, and 'hotspots' concerns for this policy were largely unfounded," Shimshack added. "Further, best estimates suggest total benefits of the program have exceeded total costs by a considerable margin, although many of the economic benefits come from reduced adverse health outcomes - not from ecosystem benefits of reduced acid rain." The success of Title IV was a victory for Environmental Defense, a leading environmental organization that was particularly supportive of economics-based solutions. Others are more skeptical of these solutions being implemented on an international scale. "Tradable permits systems may be helpful in the reduction of CO2 emissions, in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol," said Professor William Moomaw of the Fletcher School and the Urban and Environmental Center for Policy and Planning. "But while trading credits in the EU will work, it's harder to see how these exchanges could be effective among other countries where emissions may not be monitored as strictly," Moomaw said. Despite the limitations of permit trading between countries, Moomaw is confident that trading systems within companies and between companies can at least help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "Trading can happen within a single company, among several companies, or among nations," Moomaw said. "Trading is going on in the commercial sector, even though the U.S. is not part of an international trading program." The acid rain program was not the first time that a tradable permits mechanism has been used to help regulate a pollutant: When lead was phased out of gasoline during the 1970s, lead refiners traded the right to continue manufacturing lead gasoline. But this tradable permits system was on a smaller scale. The acid program is much larger - involving the entire electrical industry. Shimshack said the appropriateness of a tradable permits program depends largely on the particulars of the problem being addressed. "Tradable permits programs aren't preferred to alternatives when the transaction costs of trading are high, political and administrative costs of program operation are high, or if the regulating agency is considerably uncertain about the distribution of costs and benefits of reducing pollution," Shimshack said. The Bush administration is proposing a tradable permits system to regulate mercury emissions. "I don't think that this is a good idea," Moomaw said. "[Unlike SO2], mercury does not disperse, so certain areas would become very polluted." "Command and control might be a better strategy for mercury regulation, since mercury is more localized and poses severe and direct threats to human health," said Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering John Durant.

The Setonian
News

Weekender Feature | Pornography

November 16

You've heard of Johnson's War on Poverty and Nixon's War on Drugs, and even today's kindergartners can tell you all about the War on Terror. But you may not know of one of other top priorities of the Bush administration: the War on Porn. The initiative may come as a surprise to many college-aged readers, as federal obscenity prosecutions have not been in vogue since the Reagan years. Our generation has grown up alongside the explosive proliferation of pornography that accompanied the internet boom and advances in home entertainment technologies. Once relegated to red light districts and seedy XXX theaters, the industry now nets more than $10 billion annually. Adult entertainment is available from cable and satellite television providers and many a posh hotel. Inveterate companies including General Motors, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and Time Warner garner profits from interests in explicit adult entertainment. One could claim that pornography has attained a fairly accepted and legitimized status in society: porn star Mary Carey and hard core pornographer Mark Kulkis of Kick Ass Pictures were welcome guests at the National Republican Congressional Committee's gala fundraiser for Bush's 2004 presidential campaign (each, of course, having paid the $2,500 for their ticket) There are many who are less than thrilled by such developments - especially conservative Christians - who view pornography as morally unacceptable. Robert Peters, president of Morality in the Media, a not-for-profit, interfaith organization committed to upholding decency standards the media, believes pornography is an addictive moral evil threatening families everywhere. Many critics believe that a causal link exists between pornography and sexual violence, citing high rates of pornography use among sex offenders. "'Conclusive scientific data' is not necessary," Peters said. "There is already enough evidence of a causal link between pornography and sex crimes to justify enforcement of obscenity laws, and there would be much more if we would listen more to the people who deal with pornography first hand." Anti-pornography groups have pushed for more stringent and effective enforcement of obscenity laws, and Washington is listening. Before examining the recent actions taken by Congress and the Bush administration, we first have to provide some definitions.What "obscene" really means The United States owes its current test for obscenity to the 1973 Supreme Court case of Miller v. California. For a work to be deemed obscene, it must depict or describe sexual conduct as defined by state law in a patently offensive way so that the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work as a whole appeals to prurient interest. The work also must be judged to lack any serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. This legal definition leaves some room for contention. One man's art may be another's abomination. (Remember former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani's fracas with the Brooklyn Museum over Chris Ofili's painting "The Holy Virgin Mary," the work which incorporated elephant dung and cut-outs from pornographic magazines?) Because the test invokes local community standards, something considered perfectly legal in San Francisco may be deemed obscene by a jury in Lubbock, Texas. This situation can become even more problematic when a defendant ships sexual materials to different parts of the country or distributes content via the Internet. It is an open question whether the law intends a distributor in New York to be subject to the standards of a customer's more conservative locale. But there's no need to start erasing your hard drive just yet: with the exception of child porn, it is not a crime to merely possess obscene materials for private use, but only to sell, distribute, or import/transport them across state lines.Peddlers of porn, beware: Gonzales has got your number In the first major address of his tenure, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales laid out his obscenity agenda. "Another area where I will continue to advance the cause of justice and human dignity is in the aggressive prosecution of purveyors of obscene materials ... obscene materials are not protected by the First Amendment, and I am committed to prosecuting these crimes aggressively," Gonzales told his audience at the Hoover Institute last February. He began the speech by praising the service of his predecessor Edwin Meese III, a man who during his tenure as Attorney General under Reagan, argued that adult pornography is a threat to families and children. Meese appointed a commission which released a highly critical report on pornography in 1986. The present attorney general proved true to his word. In May the Justice Department announced the creation of an Obscenity Prosecution Task Force, a group dedicated to "the investigation and prosecution of the distributors of hard-core pornography that meets the test for obscenity." The act was hailed by many social conservatives, some of whom were disappointed by previous Attorney General John Ashcroft's perceived failure to prosecute porn aggressively in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The act, as the Family Research Counsel put it, added to "a growing sense of confidence in our new attorney general." The move has elicited criticism from some White House insiders, federal prosecutors, and law enforcement agents. "Compared to terrorism, public corruption and narcotics, [pornography] is no worse than dropping gum on the sidewalk," said Stephen Bronis, chair of the white-collar crime division of the American Bar Association, in a Daily Buisness Review article. Last August, the FBI's Washington Field Office began recruitment for a new eight-agent anti-obscenity squad, which will investigate the producers and distributors of adult pornography as specified by a 2005 congressional initiative. The Washington Post has reported that attached to the job posting was a memo from headquarters to all of the country's 56 field offices, affirming that the obscenity initiative is "one of the top priorities" of Attorney General Gonzales and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III. The memo stated that the best chance for convictions comes from porn that includes "bestiality, urination, defecation, as well as sadistic and masochistic behavior," but warned that such prosecutions "encounter many legal issues, including First Amendment claims."Opponents fire back Though the initiatives have not been major headline makers, reactions among the populace have been mixed. Many worry that funds could be better invested, addressing more pressing security and law enforcement concerns. Speaking under condition of anonymity, one frustrated FBI agent told the Washington Post, "I guess this means we've won the war on terror. We must not need any more resources for espionage." Predictably, the adult entertainment industry itself is up in arms. "If the government would spend half the time they spend, and half the money they spend, chasing constitutionally protected legal adult speech, and spend that on actually enforcing the child pornography laws, they would benefit children tremendously," said Michelle Freridge, the executive director of the Free Speech Coalition, the trade organization of the adult entertainment industry, told National Public Radio. Not everyone agrees: "While there are crimes like drugs and public corruption in Miami, this is also a form of corruption and should be a priority," said Anthony Verdugo, director of the Miami Christian Family Coalition, to the Daily Buisness Review. "Pornography is a poison and it's addictive. It's not a victimless crime. Women are the victims." Even some opponents acknowledge that certain kinds of pornography are disgusting. (They could cite the videos produced by Max Hardcore or Extreme Associates, frequent defendants in obscenity cases, whose exploits we won't discuss here out of consideration for those of you who may be dining as you read the Daily - just think bodily fluids.) Free speech advocates, such as the ACLU, maintain that the Constitution protects speech no matter how odious. "The First Amendment exists precisely to protect the most offensive and controversial speech from government suppression," it says on its website. "The best way to counter obnoxious speech is with more speech." Practitioners of alternative sexualities are also concerned, often voicing their frustrations in online communities. For instance, some in the BDSM community (BDSM refers to bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism) fear persecution because their sexual interests are not well understood by the country at large. Whatchya gonna do, when they come for you? The Justice Department reports that it obtained 38 obscenity convictions during President Bush's first term, compared to only four during the eight-year tenure of President Clinton. Interestingly, the crackdown has not been limited to distributors of DVDs and magazines, pictures and streaming video. On Oct. 3, the FBI's anti-obscenity squad raided the Pittsburgh home of the owner of Red-rose-stories.com, a text-only website devoted to erotic fiction. Charges have not yet been filed, but this may prove to be an important test case, as written stories alone have never been the grounds for obscenity prosecution under the current statutes. The indictments are having ripple effects: fearing the legal and financial troubles of prosecution, some Internet sites devoted to alternative forms of sexual expression are taking preventative self-censoring measures. The popular alternaporn website SuicideGirls.com has removed "any images with fake blood and any images we felt could be wrongfully construed as sadist or masochist." Similarly, the fetish model and author Midori, who teaches classes on Japanese rope bondage, has taken down her site BeautyBound.com. The owner of three Web sites that focused openly on BDSM, known only as GrandPa DeSade, has removed all of his content from the Web despite the fact that the sites were primarily education-oriented and not for profit. "One of the criteria for porn prosecution is if the site promotes or features S&M. If convicted they can confiscate anything involved and throw the owners in jail. Even if not convicted, or the conviction overturned, the process would financially break us," DeSade told YNOT.com. The culture wars continue With current controversy over same sex marriage, abortion, and abstinence-only education, it seems that sexual matters have rejoined religion and politics as one of those topics unmentionable in mixed company, and it is likely that the obscenity debate will only intensify the country's cultural divide. "This is a very complicated issue that tends to get talked about in simplistic terms by both sides," Tufts Assistant Professor of Philosophy Nancy Bauer said. Armed with information, let the debate commence.

The Setonian
News

Bucks are scoring their way towards respectability

November 16

In a central division that features the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers, the LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers and the resurgent Chicago Bulls, it is easy to forget about the Milwaukee Bucks. After all, the Bucks stumbled to a 30-52 record last year, and their biggest win was in the NBA Draft Lottery. But this year, the reloaded Bucks have the look of a legitimate playoff contender. Prior to their Tuesday night loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee was 4-1 with wins over a few of the Eastern Conference's finest. On Saturday night, the Bucks erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to knock off the Pacers and improve to 4-1 on the season. The Bucks started the game sluggishly, falling behind by 16 at the half. Even a 31-point third quarter could not get them back into the game as the Pacers extended their lead to 95-82 on a Fred Jones dunk with 3:39 left in the ballgame. At that point, however, the Bucks scored eight unanswered points to clip the lead to 95-90 with 2:08 to play. Milwaukee did not score again until Michael Redd hit two free throws with 49 seconds to cut the Pacer lead to five at 97-92. Redd added another six points over the next 42 seconds to tie the score at 100 on three made free throws. The Pacers had a chance to take a two-point lead when Jones drew a foul, but he split a pair of free throws, part of a 6-of-16 stretch for the Pacers from the foul line in the final minutes. The Bucks capitalized when Maurice Williams hit a long three at the buzzer that gave Milwaukee a 103-101 win. It was not a pretty loss for the Pacers, but it illustrated what has allowed the Bucks to surge early in the season. With Redd leading the offense, the Bucks can score. After a slow start, they tallied 63 points in the second half of Saturday's game. Even after struggling to score against the red-hot Clippers, the Bucks are averaging 103.8 points per game, giving them the second-best offense in the league behind the Phoenix Suns. The Bucks' early success is the fruit of a busy offseason. Their first priority was retaining Redd, who flirted with joining James and the Cavs, but signed a $91 million contract over the next six years in Milwaukee instead. So far this season, Redd has done what he was paid to do - score points - throwing in 26.3 points per game to lead the team. After retaining their star, the Bucks shored up the small forward and center positions by adding free agent Bobby Simmons and drafting Andrew Bogut. The Simmons signing made fellow small forward Desmond Mason expendable and the Bucks moved him to New Orleans in exchange for burly center Jamaal Magloire. Each move has paid dividends. Simmons has contributed 14 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Bogut has contributed eight points and 7.8 rebounds, while Magloire has added 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a game. The Bucks received another boost when they learned TJ Ford would return from a horrific neck injury that has kept him off the court the last two years. While Ford has struggled at times with his shot, he looks like a decent candidate for Comeback Player of the Year with 15.3 points, nine assists and 2.5 steals per game. Ford's reemergence has allowed Williams to come off the bench, and he has been deadly averaging 16.3 points in just 25.5 minutes per game. The Bucks' proficient offense has powered them to wins over the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Miami Heat. The only thing that has held Milwaukee back has been its swiss-cheese defense, which has allowed 104.2 points per game, fourth worst in the NBA. The Pistons are undefeated and the Cavs have won five in a row, including a big win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. With Ron Artest back and playing well, the Pacers also promise to be one of the top teams in the league. While the Bucks' high-speed attack allows for some errors, they will have to tighten their defense if they want to compete in what is shaping up as one of the league's toughest divisions.

The Setonian
News

Jill Harrison | Traveling Lush

November 16

Screw Thursdays. I'm sure about half of you reading this are among the lucky ones who have class-free Fridays. For those of you who were intelligent in your registering last spring, Thursday is the beginning of the weekend. For the Lush and the other pitiful souls like her, Thursday is a big tease. Sure, Thursday night is fun, but Friday morning bio and anthro classes are rough enough without a hangover. Thanks for nothing, distribution requirements. That said, the Lush is not opposed to during-the-week drinking. I take my work pretty seriously and as such, after only a couple days of classes I am completely wiped. Taking six credits will do that to you. (Yes, I know I am the worst senior ever.) So by the end of Tuesday, I am usually ready for a stiff drink... or four. After successfully scrambling to put together a paper for Monday and cramming for a Tuesday morning midterm, it was one of those Tuesdays last week. The Lush mustered her fellow mid-week burnouts and made her way to PJ Ryan's in Teele Square - an easy stumbling distance back to both on- and off-campus abodes. We arrived as the trivia crowd was trickling in and secured the last open chairs at the bar. Ordering our first round from Allan, the most attentive bartender around, we immediately set to work brainstorming our team name. It is strangely satisfactory to get a chuckle from the rest of the bar when your name is announced in the standings. Being the only girl on our team at the time, I had to exercise my veto power more than once for some unprintable names. We finally settled on "Team Awful Waffle" - of "Salute Your Shorts" fame (if you don't know, you didn't watch enough TV growing up) - although "Everybody Gets Laid" a la "PCU" was a close second. Pub Quiz Night at PJ Ryan's is almost always packed, so the thin crowd that night was a clear indication that the Lush was not the only one with midterms to deal with that week. Even so, the competition was a still solid 14 teams strong, so we had to put our game faces on. Teams consist of up to six players (in theory - some unabashedly cheat that rule) and it costs $5 a team to play. The winners split $50 and the last-place finishers are treated to a round of free shots, so the stakes are high. The Quizmaster, who some love but the Lush finds incredibly irritating and unfunny (yet fun to heckle), stepped up to the microphone at 10:05 and the first of six rounds began. All four questions and the bonus for a round are given at its outset, and teams have about ten minutes to come up with the answers or to eavesdrop for their neighbors' answers (small bar, close quarters). The cocky among you should beware; this ain't Jeopardy! These questions are random, hard and subject to the crazy whims of the Quizmaster, probably one of the most random people alive as evidenced by the recent category "Swear or Chair?," in which teams had to differentiate Swedish curse words from Ikea products. After the first two rounds Team Awful Waffle was ranked a respectable sixth, mostly because the engineers in our group knew the six most abundant gasses in the atmosphere. The Lush was able to get a random question on some NHL stats and some pure dumb luck - who knew Denny's was the official sponsor of the Professional Bowling Tour? After Round Two, however, Team Awful Waffle began to slide. We got every question wrong in Round Three and although we knew that topaz was the birthstone of November, we had dropped significantly in the rankings by the end of Round Four. This slide is attributable to two factors. First, as the night goes on and the beers rack up, the old concentration tends to wane. Secondly, past friendliness to another PJ Ryan's regular came back to bite us. About two months ago, my friend Josh and I were cornered into talking to a fellow patron - we'll call him BDSM - during the pub quiz. This guy liked to talk ... but not just to talk, to share. His favorite topic? His tattoos. Poor Josh had the misfortune of asking what one of them meant - Bondage Dominant Slave Master (BDSM). Uptight, close-minded suburbanites that we both are, we were horrified. Hey, this isn't a sex column. We had managed to avoid our sexually-adventurous friend until last Tuesday when he wandered in midway through Round Three and took up residence at the other end of the bar where he proceeded to stare at me and Josh for the rest of the night. This, too, hurt our concentration, because we were terrified. Around Round Four, it is normally time for a big decision. Should you go for the win or just bite it and go for the free shots? Still sitting comfortably in the middle of the pack, we decided to go for it. We surged in Round Five, with our stunning ability to identify early '90s one-hit wonders, and we got every question in Round Six. Every question except for the bonus question. The Round Six bonus has a 100 point swing, so it's pretty crucial. Debate broke out in Team Awful Waffle. The Lush was certain that Montana was the 41st state. The rest of Awful Waffle was not so sure. I would like to say they should have believed me, but people who know me can tell you that my dismal performance once upon a time in a category entitled "Pokemon or Prescription Drug?" proves otherwise. I was adamant; they went with Arizona. And I was right We finished 12th, two spots from the shots. We bolted in shame... and to avoid BDSM. So next time you a feeling that midweek itch in your liver, head over to Teele on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. The crowd tends to be very Tufts-heavy, with a few twenty- and thirty-somethings (and former chemistry faculty member Chris Morse) thrown in for good measure. Hey, you compete with those other Jumbos for grades, why not compete for free shots at night?

The Setonian
News

Cole Liberator | Hot Peas and Butter

November 16

Midnight Madness was over a month ago. Bracketology has already begun. The preseason tournaments are in full swing. All of these things mean one thing: College basketball season is upon us. Now, a preview would be useless because Andy Katz and Jay Bilas have already written about five for each team. Instead, let's take a look at some of the more pressing questions of the current season. Why are college athletes so stupid? Even the most marginal college basketball players in a big time program get perks that most people only dream of. Besides the obvious social benefits, the academic advantages aren't bad either. For example, take a look at the following test administered by Jim Harrick Jr., former assistant coach of the Georgia Bulldogs in his course, "Coaching Principles and Strategies of Basketball." A class of predominately Bulldog basketball players had to struggle through questions such as "How many halves are in a college basketball game?" But don't shed a tear for them just yet. At least Harrick had enough decency to make it multiple choice. Yes, life isn't exactly hell for these athletes. And because of this you would assume that someone given this amazing opportunity would do everything in his or her power not to mess it up. So then why in the world did Marcus Williams and A. J. Price, two guards on the preseason No. 2 UConn Huskies, decide to sell stolen laptops? Do they think they are that far above the law? The most ridiculous part is not the fact that they tried to sell them, but that they tried to sell them on campus, to students. Apparently they didn't take Jim Harrick's class on how to properly distribute stolen goods. Rule number one is maintaining some type of anonymity. It's bad enough that they tried to sell the computers in Connecticut, a state that worships its Huskies, but they tried to sell it to students who certainly knew them, and probably even attended a game or two. Williams was not only the starting point guard on the team, but was also coming off a brilliant year that made him a possible draft pick. Now he has to sit out until December, which could seriously hinder his team and his own success. Why should you care about any basketball team on the West Coast? To be honest, you shouldn't at all. Well almost not at all. This may be the one time that the East Coast bias is almost completely true. With all due respect to Washington last year, the Pac-10 has been the weakest of the major conferences over the past few years. The league's problem stems from a lack of intensity and physicality. Teams that labor through a season in the Big East or the ACC go through wars that make them - albeit clich?© ­ "battle-tested" clubs. The Pac-10 heavyweights have a weak division and don't even have a conference tournament. This doesn't present them with as many challenges over the season. But even beyond that, can you really blame them for being a little on the soft side? Would you be obsessing over basketball in a world where snow is a four-letter word and girls wear miniskirts year-round? But there is one motivation to catch a game or two on FSN at 1:00 a.m. That reason comes in the form of a 6'8" junior, a moppy-headed beanpole that has been compared to a certain Boston "Legend" since high school. Adam Morrison of the Gonzaga Bulldogs is one of the rare players that excels in the mid-range game and has the type of gritty mentality that made him an honorable mention All-American last year and Gonzaga's number one option during crunch time. The only knock on Morrison is his lack of athleticism, a knock that also was attributed to the Bird. Morrison's shot even mirrors that of the Celtics' great. While the comparisons are obviously premature, Morrison has already had to tackle an obstacle Bird never faced: diabetes. It's an affliction he has had to deal with since childhood. That means on top of staying on top of opposing players' tendencies, hostile crowds, and offensive schemes, Morrison has to make sure his blood sugar level is stable. That's why you might catch a glimpse of him taking down a candy bar or two during timeouts. I'm sure Snickers is counting down the days until he turns pro. Will this be the year that we learn the real truth behind Dick Vitale's unabashed love for Duke? There's got to be a reason that Vitale doesn't even attempt to hide his bias when covering Duke games. If you've ever heard him announce a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, you know what I'm talking about. About every 30 seconds Vitale has to throw in at least one of the following comments: a) Cameron is the best college basketball atmosphere in the country and Duke fans are just plain super-duper, b) J. J. Redick may be the best college basketball shooter of all time, and c) Mike Krzyzewski is possibly the greatest person/coach/philanthropist/ father-figure/ humanitarian/demi-god ever in the history of humanity. (Sorry, Jesus, but it ain't even close). As if I didn't have enough reasons to hate Duke already. I first thought Vitale was so pro-Blue Devil because Special K would hook him up with a cocktail of speedballs and amphetamines before games. Then I thought maybe Vitale was looking for a way to relive his "glory days" on the Detroit bench and get back into coaching. But now I think it has to be deeper. I don't have any evidence, but I think this one could even make the bureaucrats in Trenton blush. Who will be the Cinderella of this season? I have no idea and neither do most of these so-called "experts." And that's what makes college basketball so special. There is no sport more exciting or more unpredictable. So bring out those sweatshirts and fight songs of your true college basketball team and start prepping for the madness because there are three things that are certain in this crazy life: death, taxes and upsets in March.

The Setonian
News

Too high a price to pay?

November 16

Unlimited free printing: It may sound like a dream to underclassmen, but to seniors at Tufts, it once was a reality. Before the spring semester of 2003, students could print out and copy an unlimited amount of pages at Tisch Library and the Eaton computer lab, completely free of charge. All of that changed two years ago when the administration decided that soaring costs and wasted paper necessitated the implementation of the current Pay-for-Print system, under which copies and prints cost ten cents each. Ex College intern and Tufts alumnus George Rausch (LA '05) approved of the change. "I think it's an excellent idea," Rausch said. According to Rausch, the old system was inefficient and bad for the environment. "There were stacks of wasted paper," he said. The former free system resulted in waste by professors as well as students, Rausch said. "Professors would say, 'Oh, go to the library, go to Blackboard, and print out this 40-page PDF,'" instead of using course readers and online articles that don't need to be printed out. "Most people weren't even thinking about conserving before being forced to pay," Rausch said. But many students still long for free on-campus printing. "I wish I had access to a better printer," said freshman Bridget Reddington, who owns a printer that often malfunctions. "I can't really afford to buy a good printer. [Free printing] would make life easier." Sophomore Lauren Vigdor is in a similar situation to Reddington's: She also often has problems with her printer. Vigdor also finds required copying for class to be a burden. "We have to copy our econ workbooks because we can't turn in [our problem sets] in the book," Vigdor said. "That really adds up - it's 20, 30 pages at a time." Senior John Valentine, Vice President of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate, agreed that printing and copying are too expensive. "It is pretty obvious that ten cents per copy is way too much to be asking students to pay, especially considering that the University is trying to encourage students to write theses," Valentine said. Valentine's suggestion is to cut down the amount of wasted paper associated with free printing by making copies and prints cost five cents each - a price he said is "much closer to the actual costs associated with printing and paper." The University's solution to the problem of printer costs is to issue debit cards already programmed with $10 for students to use toward copies or prints (100 pages in all). Some students are unaware of the cards' existence, though. "I never heard about [the cards]," Reddington said. And though Rausch was aware of the system of debit cards, he did not know that they were given away for free. "I actually didn't even know about that program," he said. Additionally, many students print out more than 100 pages in a year. "I have probably printed out 100 pages already this semester," sophomore Doug Foote said. "I'm a political science major, so I have to print out long articles." Valentine said he agreed that the current copy cards are inadequate. "The University says that the free 100-page copy card is enough, but we would rather just have the price set at five cents to be fair for all students," he said. Costs associated with personal printers are often high for students. Inkjet cartridges often go between $30 and $60. A block of 500 sheets of printer paper can cost between $6 and $10. But this is still cheaper than printing at the library, where printing out 500 pages would cost a student $50. Other colleges have found different ways to deal with such costs without placing the burden on students. Dartmouth College uses a system called Greenprint, in which students are given $40 of free printing on their online accounts each term. At Dartmouth, single-sided pages cost five cents each - and as a result, each student has 800 free pages each term. Students can use the computers in their dorm room to write a paper and then send it electronically to a Greenprint station, several of which are located around the Dartmouth campus. Dartmouth sophomore Gerard DiPippo, who does not own a printer, said the Greenprint system is a success. "I'd say the vast majority of Dartmouth students use Greenprint and do not have their own printers," he said. DiPippo also said that the system does not lead to much waste: "I think the system probably saves paper overall," he said. "Since people need to walk to a printer, which is generally in a different building, they are going to be conservative with their printing." Dartmouth senior Diana Bradford also utilizes the Greenprint system. "I don't have a printer; I use Greenprint all the time," she said. She also said she thinks Greenprint results in saved paper. "There are recycle boxes all over campus, and there are single-sided paper drop boxes designed to collect paper which can be reused." Bradford said that before the $40 limit on printing was imposed at Dartmouth in 2003, unnecessary printing ran amuck. "There was a lot of wasted paper during my freshman year," she said. "Now, I don't think there's that much waste." Vigdor said that a system similar to Greenprint one would be useful at Tufts. "If I could print for free, I'd definitely take advantage of it."

The Setonian
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Weekender Interview | Charlize Theron

November 16

MTV cartoon hero Aeon Flux is back and in the flesh, as Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron takes the futuristic form-fitting-bodysuit-clad sci-fi heroine to the big screen in the appropriately titled "Aeon Flux," set to open nationwide December 2. Set in the year 2415, the film tells the story of a renegade warrior who combats the Big Brotherly government of Bregna, Earth's only surviving colony of humans who escaped a devastating plague. Earlier this week, the Daily participated in a conference call with Theron to talk about her transition to the world of the sci-fi comic book adaptation film genre.Q: How difficult is it for you mentally and physically to change your body so often for different roles? CT: It is challenging, but it is part of the challenge that I like. I mean, a huge part of this film for me was the physical aspect, and I said pretty early on that I did not want to just be in a gym and change my body to look a certain way; I really wanted to go and learn these skills. So what happened to my body was really secondary, but I wanted to go and learn gymnastics and I wanted to learn capoeira [form of martial arts]. I wanted to learn how to actually do these things, versus just making my body look like I could do them, but [in reality] I could not. So my body just naturally changed. But, at the same time, I learned incredible skills... Q: You are known for your strong roles in films that deliver a sense of social commentary. Do you feel this story comments our current political situation in any way? CT: The whole film is really about questioning your government, and I think right now, in this day and age, I think the majority of America is doing that right now, and so I think it is a very relevant film. It is not about being blindsided and just kind of sitting back and thinking everything is fine, but really taking a stance and asking questions about what your government is doing, and that is really what Aeon does. Aeon is that quintessential character who stands up against the government and does not give in. ... I sometimes did not think of this as a futuristic film at all; it deals with issues that I think we are dealing with right now. If we do not pay attention to them, we will be dealing with the final product of what "Aeon Flux" deals with 400 years in the future. So maybe we can learn something. Q: You worked with many female directors recently: Patty Jenkins ["Monster"], Niki Caro ["North Country"] and now Karyn Kusama. Was this a conscious choice, and how have your experiences differed working with female directors in comparison to working with male directors? CT: No, it was not a conscious decision. I just want to work with good directors; I don't care what sex they are. At the end of the day, I want to work with directors who believe in me and who see those possibilities within me, and whether they are a man or a woman really does not matter to me ... I think maybe, all of these years, male directors have seen me very differently than a woman, for instance, like Patty or Niki. Do I like working with them more? Well, no. I mean, I just particularly liked working with these women because they were, incredible directors; they were incredibly smart, and as a woman, it is nice to be around women like that who can inspire you.Q: There are a lot of [film] adaptations that kind of fall flat. Do you feel that [this incarnation of "Aeon Flux] really does the show justice? CT: I do. I mean, I think a lot of people who are a fan of the anim?© ·ill understand. I mean, if you know the anim?© eally well, you understand that it is pretty much impossible to double that exactly on film; it's a cartoon, and I am not a cartoon, and I cannot run around in a G-string and do the splits, because Paramount will not be able to release the film. So I think - I really truly feel - that people who do love the [original] show will not be disappointed. For [creator of the original "Aeon Flux" cartoon] Peter Chung to come on the set and feel the same way, I think is a huge validation for fans of the show.Q: Now, after winning an Academy Award [for her leading role in "Monster"], do you feel an obligation to yourself and to your fans to pick roles that are kind of socially conscious? CT: The one thing that you learn pretty quickly on in this industry is that you do not have any power or control over what happens to a film. Of course, I care about my fans and I care about what people want to see, but the thing is, there is no recipe. There is no formula that really works. At the end of the day, you have to make decisions based on what you as an artist really want to do, because when it does not do well at the box office, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you did something for yourself as an artist that made you grow, that made you explore things and elements about your craft that you never could have done... I do not want to go through my life sitting by the phone on a Friday night to see how the opening weekend is and then feeling like I have let somebody down or let myself down if the movie is not performing really well. So Oscar or no Oscar, for me as an actor, the most important thing always has just been to be true to myself and to do work that really means something to me...Those things are usually a surprise, and they are usually things that I least expected myself to do.

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For biggest student group, crisis at the top

November 16

A candidate in last Monday's elections for Leonard Carmichael Society President is filing a complaint alleging the elections were carried out against the group's constitution. Junior Irit Lockhart was defeated in the elections, and she expects to file her grievance with the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) on Friday. Juniors Garen Nigon and Arielle Traub were elected co-presidents. Sophomore Kim Petko was the fourth candidate for the two president positions for the 2006 calendar year. Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) is the umbrella organization for most community service groups on campus. LCS is governed by a 12-member directional staff, which oversees the 85 members of the programming staff who run the group's 40 programs. According to the LCS constitution - last revised in 2003 - the directional staff has the largest say in determining the group's presidents. "The President, Vice-President, and Treasurer of LCS shall be selected in the form of a proposed slate by the D-Staff, ratified by a margin of two-thirds of P-Staff," Article II, Section 3 of the constitution reads. According to Lockhart, though, the procedures were not followed. In late October current LCS Co-Presidents Erin Poth and Mari Pullen, both seniors, sent an e-mail to the group's members to ask for applications for president. The next e-mail, sent Nov. 7, was sent to programming staff members. "As these two individuals will be your LCS leaders for the next year, it is very important that you take part in this process. If you are interested in coming to the meeting (which you all should come to!) please let me know by THIS FRIDAY so I can email you out the applications," the e-mail read. The final e-mail, sent Nov. 13, the day before elections, explicitly told programming staff members they could vote. "We would really like all of you to come and elect the new LCS learders! [sic] Attached to this email are the applications for your review," the e-mail read. Poth declined repeated requests to comment on the election. She said the group's leaders were discussing how to handle the situation. Nigon and directional staff member Ami Patel, a senior, also declined to comment. Lockhart said in past years the directional staff decided the two presidents. She participated in the election of Poth and Pullen, when there was a third applicant. The previous year, Andrea Daley and Emily Cerveira ran unopposed. "The programming staffers are very much removed," Lockhart said. "The D-staff have the knowledge base [to determine the president.]" In the past, she said, presidential candidates' applications were only sent to members of the directional staff, but this year the programming staff received them, as well. The application for president is not clear about who will see the information. "This application is your one and only opportunity to tell the staff members of LCS your views, your thoughts and your suggestions about our GREAT organization including what LCS means to you, what ideas you have for the future and why you want to serve as LCS's elected leader," the application reads. Lockhart said she assumed that by "staff," the application meant the directional staff. At Monday's election, there was about an hour of discussion on the candidates before the vote. According to Lockhart, 17 people voted, only about half of whom were members of the directional board. Candidates are not allowed to vote. "This is the first year they threw it open," Lockhart said of Poth and Pullen. "They did it after applications were submitted and they did it without any consultation with the directional board." The results were announced immediately. After the election, Lockhart said she went home and told the group's leaders she was considering resigning her position on the directional board. Lockhart is also the program coordinator for ESL and Adult Literacy. Freshman Rebecca Dunlevy had already been appointed to take over this program next semester. When Lockhart found the group's constitution online, though, she changed her mind. In an AOL Instant Messenger conversation, Lockhart told Poth about the constitutional procedures for elections. "I said, 'You really should have looked at this,'" Lockhart said. She then sent an e-mail to the seniors on the directional board saying she would not be resigning. She is considering making ESL at Tufts - a subgroup of her LCS program that teaches English to OneSource workers - into its own group, not affiliated with LCS, to be able to perform advocacy functions. Lockhart's complaint to the TCUJ will include several issues with the LCS constitution, most notably the section on presidential elections. It will charge Poth and Pullen with violating the constitution's election procedures and changing those procedures without going through the required two-thirds vote by the directional and programming staffs. Daley (LA '05), the 2004 LCS President, said the constitutional procedures were applied in past years, for the most part. "P-staff has been allowed to participate," she said. "P-staff was invited, but they were asked to leave when the final vote took place." Lockhart's complaint will also include the constitution's requirement of regular directional board meetings. "Meetings will be held bimonthly, on alternating weeks during the academic year, for both Directional and Programming Staff," Article III of the constitution reads. Poth and Pullen have held only one directional staff meeting this semester, Lockhart said. The complaint will first go to the Dean of Students Office, but because it has to do with the constitution of a student group, it will then be referred to the TCUJ. After the complaint is filed, the responding party will have the opportunity to submit its case, TCUJ Advocacy Chair Jamie Morgan, a sophomore, said. The TCUJ will then hold a hearing, and the seven TCUJ members will determine the constitutionality of the group's actions. Either party will be able to appeal the TCUJ's ruling to the Committee on Student Life. Neither Morgan nor TCUJ Chair Alex Clark, a sophomore, had seen Lockhart's complaint in advance, but they spoke in general about TCUJ procedures. "We will hear the complaint. We will rule on the constitutionality of the issue. We will determine any of the appropriate consequences, including but not limited to the overturning of the election," Clark said. If the TCUJ decides the constitution was violated and another LCS presidential election is required, Lockhart said she would not run again. "I will take myself out of the election," she said. Her motivation in filing the complaint is not to become the group's president. "I'm much more concerned with the constitutional and procedural issues," she said. "That's what gives us the right to use the close to $100,000." The fiscal year 2005 budget for LCS lists the group's total expected expenses at $80,980.20 and its income at $25,200, for a net amount of $55,780.20. LCS gets the second most amount of money from the student activities fee. Concert Board gets the most, with $178,306 in expenses and $18,750 in income. After the process is over, Lockhart said, she wants the group's decision-making process to be clear. "The reality is, we have no idea what the results would have been," she said of Monday's election. "But we should know."

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Staff Top 10

November 16

We at the Daily fear change. It takes a lot for us to latch on to new things. Until very recently, we produced the paper entirely using carved wooden blocks and roll-on ink. So it's pretty monumental when we swear allegiance to a new television series. Imagine our feelings of betrayal, then, when one of our new TV loves is abruptly cancelled. When "Arrested Development" was axed last week, we stayed in bed for three days, rising only to occasionally change our jean cut-offs. In honor of our beloved Bluths, we'd like to take this opportunity to reflect on all the other prematurely cancelled shows of our time."Hey Dude," on Nickelodeon from 1989 to 1991: Childhood can sometimes skew one's sense of quality (see: Tamagotchi pets, "Blossom," pre-pubescent girls' interest in Devon Sawa circa-1996). Still, we're pretty sure that "Hey Dude" was actually good. Who could forget the time the ranchers convinced Ted he'd shrunk overnight by replacing all his clothes with things that were a few sizes too big? Perhaps the show's most important contribution to pop culture was the show's presentation of the most polarizing Would You Rathers of all time: Brad or Melody?"My So-Called Life," on ABC in 1994: Via unassuming yet astute narrator Angela Chase, "My So-Called Life" captured the pain, awkwardness, and happiness of high school life more realistically than most reality shows. The dialogue was authentic ("Seeing a teacher's actual lunch is, like, so depressing. Not to mention her bra strap."), the actors were actually the right age (we're looking at you, "Dawson's Creek"), and the issues were refreshingly humble (unrequited love, fading friendships, and fake IDs)."The Critic," on ABC in 1994 and FOX in 1995: It's unclear why this cartoon didn't pan out. Jon Lovitz is hilarious as film critic Jay Sherman, whose job entails watching movie coming attractions and after each one declaring "It stinks!" The best of these, probably, was "Rabbi P.I.," in which Ahnold plays an undercover rabbi, killing one of his victims at a Bris by stabbing them with the scalpel. ("Hava Nagila, baby.") Even the desperation "Simpsons" cross-over episode wasn't as painful as it should have been."The Tick," on FOX from 1994 to 1997: This was but the first in the now standard cliche of the superhero dressed as a tick and his trusty sidekick dressed as a moth, who together battle villains named after Austrian operas (Die Fledermaus). Although reincarnated as a live-action show in 2001, it was the cartoon original that really captured our hearts and minds. What other superhero pauses to elaborate upon their platitudes, ("I don't know the meaning of the word 'surrender'! I mean, I know it, I'm not dumb... just not in this context!"), or properly spell their opponent's names ("Thrakkorzog. With a K?")?"Teen Angel," on ABC from 1997 to 1998: Perhaps the most maligned of ABC's TGIF lineup (seriously, how could anything have been worse than "You Wish"?), "Teen Angel" was about Marty DePolo, who died after eating a six-month-old hamburger and was appointed by God's cousin Rod to be his best friend's guardian angel. The show featured surprisingly racy jokes for ABC's family night (in one episode, Marty tells his friend, "Hey, I'll visit whenever I can. I get all the Jewish holidays off," then whispers, "The boss's son is Jewish"). This one only made it through one season; apparently, shows about kids dying young are not what the TGIF creators had in mind."Sports Night," on ABC from 1998 to 2000: It was a sitcom without a laugh track, a widely appealing show without a target audience, a lesson in semantics without an English professor, and ultimately a show without a home as ABC cancelled it after only three seasons. The shame in the show's annulment rests in the fact that it was a legitimately well-crafted and deftly written, and now the audience will never know if Casey and Dana were meant for each other. Viewers lamenting its premature demise could eventually find solace in the fact that most of the actors (and many of the episode structures, and even some of the banter) would show up on "The West Wing," also created and written by Aaron Sorkin."The Sifl and Ollie Show," on MTV in 1998: A show hosted by sock puppets who sang nonsensical songs about pandas ("I'm drunk on panda mystery!") and tried to convince their audience that squirrels are responsible for 70 percent of all deaths cancelled after only one season? If that's not a self-sustaining show concept for the media hungry citizens of the "United States of Whatever," we're stumped."Freaks & Geeks," on ABC from 1999 to 2000: Is it just us, or are our memories from high school radically different than the images typically presented on TV? (We weren't in Southern California, pop songs weren't continuously playing in the background, and most of our friends were under the age of 30) Not so with this show, which detailed the tribulations of the kind of social outcasts we all knew (were) in a Michigan high school in the early '80s; plotlines were lifted from the creator's actual lives and much of the dialogue was improvised. It's pretty impressive that back and fourths such as "When I hit 13, I became a man," "That's only in your temple, Neil, not in the real world" were improvised."Clone High," on MTV from 2002 to 2003: "Clone High" was one of MTV's brilliant cartoon concept pieces: scientists take the DNA of famous figures from history, clone them into teenagers who adapt teen movie cliche to their historical personas (Gandhi has ADD, Joan of Arc is a Goth), and make all the clones go to high school together. Unfortunately, MTV's target audience of Spring Break-ers wasn't really in the market for clever visual puns, innovative guest stars (Marilyn Manson teaching the kids about the food pyramid) and witty historical references (JFK, upon the death of his BFF Ponce de Leon: "I'm a Kennedy! I'm not accustomed to tragedy!")."Rich Girls," on MTV in 2003: Two spoiled, wealthy girls who think Benjamin Franklin invented the light bulb? MTV couldn't have asked for a more perfect pair of jaw-droppingly vapid yet loveable heiresses than Jamie Gleicher and Ally Hilfiger. The girls' natural talent for inanity, combined with the editors' deft splicing, made each episode a treat. While the show's one-season run was due to the girls' separate pursuits of post-high school endeavors, and not a low ratings axe from MTV, our glimpse into the trite and moneyed world of Jamie and Ally ended all too soon. -- compiled by Katherine Drizos, Blair Rainsford and David Cavell

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Coach knows that leadership will be key for Tufts this season, roster sports many under underclassmen

November 16

As the hockey team enters the 2005-06 season, Coach Brian Murphy knows the team can keep improving. "In order to improve on last year, we have to find a way to be more consistent," Murphy said. "We had some quality games every weekend, but we had others that were winnable and we just didn't play well. We need to make sure that we get better every week." Murphy enters his eighth season as the coach of the Jumbos, after playing on the team and serving as an assistant coach for three years. The coach, a defenseman during his playing days, was the captain of the Tufts 1994-95 team that won 11 games in a row and was one of the best in Tufts hockey history. He is the program's all-time leader in coaching victories with 76. This season, with five freshmen on the roster, Murphy knows that for the team to be successful, strong leadership will be very important. "All five freshmen are going to get significant playing time this year and we expect them to contribute right away," he said. "There is a lot of ability there, but with them getting thrown into the mix, there will be some growing pains. We have terrific senior leadership, so I don't think it will be much a problem." The team has already been working hard, despite the winter having just begun. "The seniors led some fall workouts, and I can tell they want this team to be good," Murphy said. "They are getting us ready to go." While Murphy said he loves coaching the team, he also really enjoys the personal interaction with the players, both on and off the ice. It makes the prospect of the upcoming season even more exciting. "I enjoy being around all of them, hearing about how their day is going and what classes are like," he said. "They are a real good group of quality student athletes."

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Team will look to McCarthy and Cleary to lead

November 16

As the Jumbos commence their season tomorrow at home against Middlebury College, the team will look to its two key offensive and senior leaders: co-captain Kenny Cleary and assistant co-captain Matt McCarthy. With only seven upperclassmen on the 20-man roster, the Jumbos will depend on Cleary and McCarthy to lead them in 2005-2006. According to Coach Brian Murphy, both McCarthy and Cleary bring valuable intangibles to the team dynamic, bringing out the best in each player on the ice. "They are both good offensive and versatile players and are similar in a lot of ways," Murphy said. "They also bring intensity, physical play, and give us a strong offensive punch." Both Cleary and McCarthy have served as leaders of the team over the past two years. Cleary will be entering his second season as the Jumbos' co-captain (along with senior defensemen Pat Walsh), while McCarthy will take on the role of assistant co-captain along with senior defensemen Jack Thompson. The combined offensive production of McCarthy and Cleary has been an asset to the Jumbos over the last two seasons. Both players ranked in the top five in goals scored last season. McCarthy had a break-out year, leading the team in scoring with 19 goals and in points with 29, while Cleary ranked fourth in scoring with ten goals and 19 points. "They compliment each other and are both our top goal scorers," Murphy said. "Matt handles the puck well, probably better than anyone in the league, and Ken has speed and creates a lot on offense. When they get into the offensive zone, it's difficult to stop them." This year, for the first time, Cleary and McCarthy will be playing on the same line, joined by McCarthy's younger brother, freshman Greg McCarthy. The brothers have played together in the past, and will most likely play on the same line for much if the season, which the elder McCarthy believes will help his offensive game. "We've played with each other and on the same lines [on other teams] for a while," McCarthy said. "We're always looking for each other and we know how each of us plays together." Although the squad is young, both Cleary and McCarthy believe the younger players are prepared to contribute to the team this season. "The freshmen have the ability to step in and play right away," Cleary said. "As seniors, we've tried to instill a work ethic in the preseason that will help them adapt to the level of play in the NESCAC." According to Murphy, both Cleary and McCarthy have played fundamental roles in preparing the younger players for the upcoming season. "[McCarthy and Cleary] and the rest of the seniors on the team have been especially important in helping the younger guys along doing the optional workouts and getting on guys when they lose their concentration on the ice," Murphy said. Both players believe tomorrow's season opener will be a litmus test for the team and the younger players. "This Friday is going to be a major test for us," Cleary said. "Middlebury is the top team in the country, but I think we have the best work ethic and I think the team as a whole is prepared."

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Keith Barry | Blight on the Hill

November 15

On the online feedback page for the column I wrote two weeks ago, I found the following from a certain "bob" who was apparently unhappy with my work: "Keith do you just like to hear yourself talk. This article is poor written and is just mumbo-jumbo. Shut up, stop talking and do some real reporting for once." The only thing this has to do with the rest of my column is that in the next few paragraphs you'll read about another guy and a restaurant, both also named Bob. I just wanted to humiliate lowercase "bob" for his improper punctuation, complete disregard for the existence of adverbs, and lack of understanding of the difference between a news article and an opinion column. Also, "bob" wasn't paying attention - my "poor written" column was three weeks ago. I actually put some effort into the last two. The summer after my freshman year, I was visiting my Tufts friend Jonathan. His parents also had visitors, a husband and wife named Lonnie and Bob whose children attended Tufts. (By virtue of the capitalization present in his name, it should be obvious that he belongs to an entirely different class of Bobs.) In conversation it came up that whenever they were in Medford, they ate at a restaurant called Bob's (apparently also owned by a fellow uppercase-B Bob). Jonathan and I were incredulous - we'd been to Tufts for a year and never heard of this place! How could this be? Once back at school, we made it our mission to find this restaurant. Considering it's on Main Street in Medford, it wasn't too difficult to locate. Bob's turned out to be a fantastic Italian grocery store and deli, with some of the best sandwiches and pasta this side of Hanover Street. They even have refrigerated desserts flown in from Italy. Even better, it was a slice of life in Medford that had been there since the 1930s. The cashiers knew everyone's name. Sure, it was just a deli, but it was just the sort of community I longed to be a part of while temporarily transplanted from the rituals of my own hometown. Why is it that two Tufts students hadn't heard of a neighborhood institution just a few blocks away? Perhaps it's because a lot of Tufts students don't really explore the few blocks around them aside from Davis Square and - when their cellphones break - the Galleria. While it's expected that students don't totally integrate themselves into the community, I think it's at the least polite and the most enriching way for us to show some concern and interest in our host towns. Even though we extensively studied Robert Feke's paintings of the Royall family in my American art history class, I never took a trip to his homestead, just a few blocks away. Think of how much more I could have learned. My Tufts neighbors decided to put up a pirate flag for Halloween, and instantly got a call from Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel who, by the way, may have the hardest job at Tufts. It seems our adult neighbors were concerned with what the flag stood for. Instead of being comfortable enough with Tufts students to knock on the door and ask, however, our fellow Somervillians took it straight to the University. We had never talked to them, and they'd never talked to us. There was no mutual trust, and that's no sign of a community. There's a lot that we all can do individually to remedy that. Talk to your off-campus neighbors. Just a "hello" can break down so many walls, and a conversation can make friends. One of my neighbors last year was former State Representative Vinnie Ciampa who blamed his loss to Carl Sciortino partially on "Tufts kids." He gave us too much credit. The same Tufts students who were active in political movements on campus and who studied international relations couldn't give a hoot about local politics. How many of us even knew about the aldermanic elections last week? It was the fallout of the end of rent control in Cambridge that brought more liberal voters to Somerville, not a bunch of otherwise politically active college students. Oh yeah, and those hate-filled pamphlets Vinnie's anti-gay buddies sent out didn't help too much either. This week, I leave you all with a challenge. If the prospect of a true Medford-Somerville-Tufts community isn't enough to entice us to be better neighbors, we at least owe it to the overworked Barbara Rubel to help her out. Knock on a door, or say hello to a neighbor over the age of 22. And if his name is "bob?" Tell him you've never heard of me.Keith Barry is a senior majoring in Community Health and Psychology. He can be reached via e-mail at keith.barry@tufts.edu.

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Julie Schindall | Making the Connections

November 15

While you folks in Boston are dragging out your down coats and beanies, the blessed residents of the alpine country of Switzerland are enjoying a beautiful Indian summer. As I sit here writing this column, the sun is pouring through my window, set off by temperatures in the seventies and a stunning blue sky. When you think of Switzerland, what image comes to your mind? Thanks to a seriously dedicated tourism board (and more than a pinch of reality), Switzerland is often equated with rugged snowy mountains, pristine alpine meadows and clear coursing rivers. In the geological lottery, this country won big time. And the Swiss people aren't stupid about the beauty of their country. They know they've got it, and they flaunt it. They build their houses low so as to not block the view, and refuse to put train tracks over the mountains (they blast out tunnels instead). While I live 15 minutes by bus from downtown Geneva, I can also walk ten minutes to a large pasture and be surrounded by apple trees and the familiar tinkling of bells strapped around the cows' necks (this country's love for bells will end up in every column, I swear). Furthermore, the Swiss appreciation for the beauty of nature is not confined to the countryside. In Geneva, I have discovered a very unusual culture of urban aesthetics, something I do not believe I would ever witness in Boston. I like to think of it as the culture of gardening. Now, believe me, I come from a family that prizes plants. I can proudly say that many childhood summers were spent watering the corn field, picking peas and cleaning up fruit under citrus trees. My mother, the green thumb of the family, certainly instilled in us a respect for bringing the beauty of nature into everyday life. Yes, the dining room table was often set with fresh-cut flowers, and yes, we thought they were pretty. But it has become apparent to me that finding the flowers "pretty" does not come even close to how the Swiss approach their exalted flora. For days now, I have noticed a bevy of trucks and crates surrounding the small concrete island at the end of my street, which separates cars turning left and cars turning right. I was under the impression that the island was being re-concreted, or that they were fixing a sewage line underneath the asphalt. But seriously, I should have known better than to have assumed they were doing something so practical, so aesthetically blind as re-concreting the island. This morning, amply bathed in the warm morning sun, I walked past the island, now void of trucks and crates. And what did I see? Freshly-watered topsoil and rows upon rows of young green leaves coming out of winter bulbs. Take it from me: Swiss people rip out concrete divider islands to plant flowers. In downtown Geneva, when winter comes and the trees have dropped all their leaves, I am told quite seriously by several Genevois that municipal workers will be toiling away the cold months by installing plantings brought in from greenhouses. "You can never quite know when spring will really come," one of my friends told me, "because the flowers start blooming in January." And while I may poke a bit of fun at the Swiss' serious dedication to natural beauty, I have to say that it's a lovely cult of civil aesthetics. Why decorate our public places with wrought iron and heavy stone when we can let nature do the work instead? In a country so obsessed with its organic food products and small-holding farms, putting nature at the forefront of its cultural aesthetics seems only proper. Other cities and countries I have had the opportunity to visit this semester also have, for their part, a unique cultural urban aesthetic. Copenhagen oozed with colorful buildings and hordes of bikes, illustrating Scandinavia's vibrant and respectful northern culture. Paris' stunning cavalcade of stately offices and museums proved the French love for high art and culture. And Geneva, of course, stands as a platform for the world, offering a myriad of architectural styles seated around oh-so-Swiss parks and gardens. As a young American student traveling around Europe, it is easy to get lost in the onslaught of magnificent public buildings and grandiose boulevards. But for all the massive city halls of Scandinavia and the limestone arches of Paris, I still have to hand it to the Swiss. Why spend decades building heavy stone towers and laying imposing brick buildings? In Switzerland, the people know how to live the good life - surrounded by flowers.

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Hong Kong can't slide

November 15

The future relevance of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is at stake as ministers prepare for next month's Doha Round meeting of trade negotiations in Hong Kong. The organization has been continually bogged down by criticism and dispute over the course of this round, and the run up to this conference has been no different. The early stages of brinkmanship from participating countries have already begun. The United States has been lobbing insults at Europe while lesser developed countries have been barking at their industrialized counterparts. With each new complaint, the possibility of legitimate progress dwindles as the meeting date approaches. Making progress in Hong Kong is crucial because the WTO has set the end of next year as a deadline for concluding the Doha Round. President Bush's fast track authority, permitting him to negotiate trade agreements without congressional approval, is scheduled to expire in mid-2007. With Congress in an increasingly protectionist mood, it is unlikely any progress can be made if the countries miss this deadline. The most hotly disputed subject is once again agricultural subsidies. These barriers to trade unfairly distort market prices, preventing competition from low cost producers in developing countries. Europe and the United States have a repeated history of fighting voraciously for a sector which represents only two percent of their collective wealth and employment. The majority of the international community has turned on France, who is aggressively lobbying against lowering farm tariffs. Though agricultural politics have always been a fierce battleground for Europeans - who consistently argue over subsidies inside the EU - there is no need for Brussels' politics in the Doha Round. It is na??¶? for France to claim they have already lowered tariffs enough. Members of all the major industrial countries are falling into a fallacy of zero sum games. While negotiations may be a process of give and take, the ultimate purpose of international trade is to obtain a mutually beneficial outcome. Members - in both developing and industrial countries - can benefit from a world wide reduction in tariffs. As governments scale back both demands and expectations for the Doha Round, the unacceptably high tariff and subsidy levels are likely to remain. It is disappointing to see this round fade away before it has even started. Despite clear evidence that a reduction in actual tariffs would be beneficial, it seems likely that only the ceiling for tariffs will be lowered at the conference, and broad reforms will be put off yet again. With developed countries setting a poor example for less developed countries, it is unlikely the latter will reciprocate by reducing their own barriers to trade. Only through increased trade and access to global markets can developing countries achieve an adequate standard of living. Industrialized countries must take up the lead, and sacrifice a few thousand jobs in declining industries in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives. The infighting that has characterized previous meetings of this round, and the talks leading up to Hong Kong will produce no results. It is both counterproductive and redundant. For the true mission of the WTO to be accomplished, members must take every meeting opportunity available to aggressively fight barriers to free trade. While an aggressive agenda may have doomed the Hong Kong meeting to lie in history books next to disasters such as the 1999 Seattle meeting, it is imperative officials not be so conservative that they achieve nothing.

The Setonian
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Al Franken all 'Truth' without too many jokes

November 15

"They said we would be greeted with flowers, leaving out the very important adjective: exploding," political commentator and comedian Al Franken said of the George W. Bush Administration's hopes for Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Franken, the founder of Air America Radio and host of one of its shows, spoke to a full Cohen Auditorium Tuesday afternoon. The speech, hosted by the Tufts Democrats, was mostly serious in tone. He presented a laundry list of accusations of dishonesty of the Bush Administration from the buildup to the Iraq War to the present. "These guys just lie out of habit," Franken said. Franken mentioned the aluminum tubes cited by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell in his address to the United Nations Security Council as an example of the way the administration hid information. He said then-National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had been told by the Department of Energy that the tubes could be used for purposes other than nuclear reactors. He also mentioned the Downing Street Memo, a record of a meeting of advisors to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, which showed Bush had decided on war with Iraq in the summer of 2002. Once they decided on war, Franken said, the members of the Bush Administration mismanaged the effort. Instead of using 400,000 troops as recommended by military experts for peace enforcement, he said, the United States invaded with 150,000. More troops would have prevented the looting and destruction of infrastructure in the country, he said. Franken, who waived his appearance fee, criticized no-bid military contracts to companies like Halliburton. President Harry Truman, he said, called war profiteering "treason." "Our young men and women are being killed because Congress won't do its oversight job," Franken said of reconstruction contracts. The audience applauded when Franken called for Bush to take responsibility for his mismanagement of the war. Franken then went into a satire, pretending to be Bush making an apology for misleading America. Franken was promoting his newest book, "The Truth (with jokes)." During the question and answer session, Franken was asked about his thoughts on conservatives' opposition to gay marriage. He said it is a civil rights issue and does not see how marriage is threatened by allowing gays to marry. "I'm not going to walk down the street and see two guys with rings and say, 'Boy, that looks good to me, honey.'" Just as Americans regret forbidding interracial marriage, so too would conservatives eventually be won over. "Forty years from now we'll be embarrassed we didn't let gay people have equal rights," he said. When asked about the rationality of being a conservative, Franken defended the right. "In fairness to conservatives there are people who have a different world view" that is characterized by "rugged individualism" and "tough love." "It's not good to demonize conservatives," he said. "A lot of people don't have time [to stay informed] so they look for someone that's like them." Tufts Democrats President senior Aaron Banks said it took many members of the group to organize the event's logistics. "Getting him to come here was actually the easiest part," he said.

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DVD Review | Philanthropy takes center stage at Live 8

November 15

Since this year's Live 8 sequel to the previous Live Aid efforts had some amazing moments, it is tempting to compare the two. But to do so is not fair; the present musical scope is a far cry from what it was in 1985. The concerts philanthropic efforts have been well-covered and documented - there is no need to elaborate. By contrast, the just-released four-disc DVD set highlights some of the best musical moments of the concerts, mixing a hodgepodge of genres. While not slighting anyone, the day really belonged to the classic rockers, some of whom (U2, Elton John, The Who) played at the original Live Aid twenty years before. Elton John's double-barreled "The Bitch Is Back" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" are amazing, but his duet with Pete Doherty on "Children of the Revolution" is a bit shaky. The pairing of U2 and Paul McCartney on "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is a rare treat; McCartney had never played the song live before (he had played the Sgt. Pepper's reprise song in concert before, but not the original) and Bono and Co. do a valiant job filling in for McCartney's former bandmates. U2 follows this up by rattling off a trio of songs capped by a poignant "One." The biggest story of the day was the reunion of the classic Pink Floyd lineup. After too many years of squabbling, Roger Waters joined David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright for a classic mini-Floyd set. It is hard not to get a bit emotional watching this more than likely one-of-a-kind performance, and the DVD was wise to include the full set the quintet performed that day. For all the reported bitterness between certain Floyd members, Waters looks fairly enthusiastic while sharing the stage with his old bandmates again, and even makes an emotional dedication of "Wish You Were Here" to "everyone who's not here, particularly, of course, for Syd" - a nice nod to former Floyd member Syd Barrett. Not bad for a guy that had pretty much vowed to never play with Pink Floyd again. While the classic rock sets rank among the highlights, there are also some fantastic moments from the younger set. The Verve's Richard Ashcroft joins Coldplay for an emotional resurrection of "Bittersweet Symphony," and punk-pop princes Green Day tear through the title track from "American Idiot." Hip-hop, represented at the original Live Aid in 1985 solely by Run-DMC, gets a good bit of stage time in the concerts' latest incarnation. Kanye West shines on "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" (too bad that "Gold Digger" wasn't released at the time of Live 8, as it more than likely would have been one of the DVD's centerpieces) and The Black Eyed Peas bring a bundle of Red Bull-like energy and try hard to engage the monstrous crowd. Representing the glory days of rap is the always charismatic Snoop Dogg, who raises the non-existent roof with "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" The DVD is a great keeper, especially since many of the artists' sets were cut short when the original concerts were broadcast on MTV and VH1, the stations' cameras cut so that viewers could listen to the ramblings of their respective VJs. To be fair, both MTV and VH1 did try to rectify the gaff, and each presented several hours of uninterrupted performances a week after the show was first broadcast. One wonders if it was enough, especially for those who watched in horror as, during the original broadcast, the VH1 cameras panned away from Pinks Floyd's set early to showcase the infinite wisdom of ("Bands Reunited" host) Aamer Haleem. A couple of weeks back, the DVD of the Concert for Bangladesh (1971) was released. The Concert for Bangladesh was the first "official" benefit concert ever, raising funds and awareness for the plight of the people of the Southeast Asian nation. While the technology was nowhere like the display at Live 8 (how could it have been?), it does embody some classic musical moments, and the spirit of philanthropy created by its original cast of musicians (George Harrison, Bob Dylan and other big names of that time) was the spark that certainly led to the first Live Aid, Live 8, and the myriad of fundraising concerts of that ilk. In the self-absorbed and bling-obsessed world of today's pop-culture, it's pretty great that the music scene is still influential enough to help those who need it.

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After genocide, students look for ways for divided country to heal

November 15

While some look forward to winter break as a time to relax with friends and family, five Tufts students have a different conception of vacation. They are planning a trip to Rwanda. The group will be working with the Amahoro Project, an international student initiative run between the Institute for Global Leadership and members of the League des Jeunes contre le Genocide at the National University of Butare in Rwanda. The students are going to Rwanda to asses the status of reconciliation efforts in the country since the 1994 genocide, when 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu rebels. They will examine the reconciliation methods of local organizations, including cleansing rituals, and the efficacy of international aid programs. They will speak to Rwandans from all walks of life - "from farmers and students to NGO representatives and government officials," said sophomore Jessica Berlin, one of the organizers. "It's something we're not going to see on CNN," she said. Berlin came up with the idea for the trip after traveling to South Africa this summer for a symposium by the Institute for International Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Berlin met a half-Hutu, half-Tutsi student at the National University of Butare who helped her arrange housing for the Tuft students. The current tension in Rwanda is rooted in Belgian colonization. Europeans designated Rwandans as members of one of two groups, Hutus and Tutsis. In the 1960s the conflict was exacerbated by the departure of the Belgians. It eventually spilled over into genocide 1994 after the plane carrying the president was shot down. After the summer of killing, the Tutsi government in exile returned to defeat the Hutu forces, and many Hutus were killed in refugee camps. The then-leader of the Tutsi forces, Paul Kagame, is the current Rwandan President. Berlin said reconstruction of the country depends not just on the end of violence, but on the reconciliation between the Hutu and Tutsi communities. "Reconciliation needs to happen both on a political and social level," Berlin said. "Reconciliation has been a problem because there isn't a single person you can blame, a Hitler or Pol Pot to whom you can point to as the cause for the genocide," Berlin said. "In Rwanda, it was neighbors killing neighbors, even family members killing other family members." The military end to the conflict did not end the tension, Berlin said. "Not everyone is ready to accept a peaceful resolution; many people were left completely destitute and they want revenge." On the other hand, she said, "Some are working for peace, advocating forgiveness rather than retribution so that the country can heal and move forward." Another goal of the Amahoro Project is to evaluate the role of Rwandan women in government and in non-governmental organizations. "In Rwanda, people are recognizing that it's predominately men who make war, and women who demand peace," Berlin said. The Rwandan government has a quota system - one-third of the parliament has to be women. In the 2003 elections, 49 percent of those elected to parliament were women. "Women are a great resource for working towards peace," Berlin said. "Governance needs to be egalitarian." Heather Barry, the assistant director of the Institute for Global Leadership, said the project could turn into a permanent relationship with the National University of Butare. "We're looking to make it a longer term project that will be an ongoing collaboration," she said. The project may also involve groups from other countries in Africa, she said. The Amahoro Project is modeled after the New Initiative for Middle East Peace, which has sent student research groups to Israel, the West Bank and Iran over the past two years and will send one to Turkey over winter break. When the students return from Rwanda, they plan on hosting a forum to present and discuss their findings. They also plan to submit their research to local newspapers. The goal is to raise awareness of the Rwandan genocide and its lessons for the world.

The Setonian
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Senate encourages University to increase wireless access

November 15

The TCU Senate is not giving up on its push to extend wireless Internet access to more areas on campus. At Sunday's meeting, the Tufts Community Union Senate unanimously passed a resolution encouraging the administration to fund the extension of wireless service by next semester. A University site survey conducted last April determined extending wireless access to the Academic and Residential Quads and the President's Lawn would cost $12,000. The co-chairs of the Senate's services committee, sophomores Alexandra Pryor and Evan Dreifuss, drafted the resolution. The senators are also looking for financial aid from the University's Alumni Association. Pryor said talk of extending wireless access has circulated for the past few years, and the Senate has been discussing the issue seriously since at least last spring. She tried to discuss the issue with University Vice President and Chief Information Officer Amelia Tynan, but failed to get support. Tynan was unavailable for comment Tuesday. "Wireless is not their first priority," Pryor said. Pryor said the Senate resolution was a way to "try something new" to convince the administration of the issue's importance to students. Pryor and Dreifuss said it was unclear which specific areas on campus the $12,000 would fund. They phrased the resolution cautiously, saying the survey "assessed the feasibility and cost of extending wireless Internet services to exterior areas such as the President's Lawn, the Academic Quad and the Residential Quad." Wireless access is currently available in the University's libraries, the campus center, Dowling Hall, the F.W. Olin Center, the ASEAN Auditorium and most other rooms at the Fletcher School and the lounges of Tilton, South, Houston and Carmichael Halls. The resolution cites a "lack of dedicated financial resources and institutional support" as the "primary obstacle" to extending wireless access. The two senators are looking to the Alumni Association for funding. Pryor said these discussions were in their "very early stages." Pryor and Dreifuss met with Director of Alumni Relations Tim Brooks and Associate Director of Alumni Relations Jonathan Burton Tuesday evening. Before the meeting, Brooks said he and Burton view the extension of wireless access as a "very important next step in making every space on campus a 'campus classroom.'" He said, though, the Alumni Association was not yet ready to commit to funding the extension because it does not want to interfere with any University plans. "We are checking within the University structure to see what plans might be in place, to make sure we're not moving ahead on something that is in the works," he said. Pryor and Dreifuss also plan to meet with the Student Issues and Activities Committee of the Alumni Association to get financial support. The Senate resolution addresses additional issues surrounding an extended wireless network. One such issue concerns students who create their own wireless networks by purchasing wireless receivers that pick up signals from existing networks. The use of receivers can jeopardize students' privacy and security, Dreifuss said. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said students who create their own wireless networks often do not have security systems, and anyone in the vicinity can gain access to the networks. "That's a new form of information theft," he said. Another problem, Reitman said, is that student-created networks can interfere with University networks in the same area by disrupting the signal. The last issue raised in the resolution is the argument that the University's "competitive edge is diminishing as a result of its inability to remain technologically up-to-date" with other universities. Dartmouth College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have wireless access throughout their campuses. It is important for Tufts "to be as good as the good," Pryor said. Prospective students often ask if there is wireless service on campus, Pryor said, and in order for the University to continue attracting students, it should stay as technologically up-to-date as possible. "But it's not just about maintaining a reputation," she said. "College is about academics, obviously, but it's also about experiencing a campus community." For Pryor, this project is only the first step. "Our eventual goal is to make the entire campus wireless," she said.

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Powers and Krah return to anchor team

November 15

When the women's basketball team takes the court this winter, two guards will lead the way for a squad with high hopes for success. Senior tri-captain Jessica Powers and junior Valerie Krah return for their fourth and third seasons, respectively, looking to provide the Jumbos with leadership both on and off the court. Powers has been a staple in the Jumbo scheme since her freshman season in 2002-2003. She has started every game the Jumbos have played over the last three years and has led the team in minutes per game each season. Powers' consistency earned her the NESCAC rookie of the year award in 2002-03, and all-NESCAC second team honors during her sophomore season. Powers led the 2004-05 Jumbos in time on the court, averaging 32.3 minutes per game. She also led last year's team in assists with 92, good for a 3.8 assists per game average. In starting all 24 of the team's games, Powers was third on the team in both rebounds (94) and total points (278). Her 11.2 PPG were also third behind Krah and graduated senior Allison Love, who averaged 12.2 PPG. Since Powers first took the court for the Jumbos, the team has gone 49-23 for its best three-year record since the 1984-87 seasons. "Jess has always been my role model; she's just always worked so hard," Krah said of her teammate. "We have great chemistry both on and off the court and I hope it's a successful year." Krah broke out during her sophomore season as a prolific three-point shooter, coming off the Jumbo bench to tie for team scoring leader. She led the team in field goals, netting 37 out of her 95 attempts. Her average of 20.7 minutes per game in each of her 23 games helped Krah gain valuable experience and made her team-leading PPG stat all the more impressive. "Last year I really started to work into my role on the team," Krah said. "I always try to focus on the small things because it's the small things that matter the most." With her upperclassman status, Krah will now begin to fill a revised role on the team. Along with Powers and tri-captains Julia Verplank and Kat Miller, Krah will look to take the Jumbos to new heights this season. "Coming into this year, there are some things I need to work on," Krah said. "I hope to take more of a leadership role onto the court. But as a team, we need to just take one game at a time. It's important to not get too far ahead of ourselves."

The Setonian
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Returnees highlight Women's Basketball roster

November 15

Returning all but two players from last year's squad, the women's basketball team has experience, chemistry and depth working in its favor for the 2005-06 season. The Jumbos return the core of a backcourt characterized by speed and solid ball-handling that is equally dangerous on the perimeter and in the lane. Senior tri-captain Jess Powers, a four-year starter and a focal point for the Jumbos' shooting and passing game, will be joined by last season's sixth-woman, junior Valerie Krah, whose presence off the bench infused the Jumbos with perimeter shooting (a team-leading 12.2 points per game) and a defensive quickness that yielded nearly two steals per game last season. Ideally, rounding out the trio would be senior tri-captain Julia Verplank, who has captained the Jumbos' offense at point guard throughout most of her career. However, since going down with a knee injury during a game last January and spending the rest of the season on the sideline - a span in which the Jumbos lost eight of nine games - Verplank has been plagued by injuries, undergoing knee surgery last year and ankle surgery during the offseason. During Verplank's absence last season, then-sophomore Taryn Miller-Stevens took over the position. However, Miller-Stevens is studying abroad for the year, leaving one less option for coach Carla Berube. Without Verplank and Miller-Stevens, the Jumbos will be looking to junior Marilyn Duffy-Cabana, a backup point guard during the past two seasons, and freshman Kim Moynihan to head the offense. "We're definitely going to miss her on the court," Powers said of Verplank. "It's not only her talent; she brings a lot to the court. We all have so much faith in [Duffy-Cabana and Moynihan] coming in and stepping up. We're not really looking at it as a loss but a chance for those two to gain experience." That experience will bolster a Jumbo roster already heavy on veterans. The team returns five players that averaged double-digit minutes last season, and several more close behind, and this wealth of in-game experience will likely be a strength of this year's squad. "I definitely think the fact that young players played a lot last year will help us," Powers said. "They're familiar with playing together as well as playing at this level, and that works to any team's advantage." The biggest loss for the team comes under the basket, as departed senior Allison Love leaves a post position and 12.2 points per game to be filled. Berube will look to her pair of 6'0" post players, junior Laura Jasinski, Love's frontcourt complement last season, and sophomore Khalilah Ummah, who made the most of limited playing time last year and is stepping into her role under the basket. Rounding out the frontcourt options are senior tri-captain Katherine Miller, 6'2" junior Libby Park, and sophomore Jenna Gomez. "I think we're going to be a better rebounding team this year with a little more height and aggressiveness under the boards," Berube insisted. "We're going to miss [Love], but with the experienced backcourt we have, we'll be okay." "I think our offense is going to be tailored to our personnel this year," Berube said. "You'll definitely see that in our play; it will definitely be different. We won't be pounding it inside all the time. There will be a lot of motion, a lot of movement, and we want to get up and down the court. With the guard play we have, we can make it a full-court game." Due to the late Nov. 1 NESCAC start date for official practices, Tufts is at a disadvantage during their November and December schedules, which pits the team against teams with two weeks of extra practice time. "We've had to put stuff in right away to be prepared in the beginning of the season," Powers said. "We're utilizing every minute of practice to get things in, and we're used to playing together now." Heading into the season opener, a Friday night matchup against Suffolk at the Tufts Invitational, Berube is working on fundamentals, the small things that make a team work on the court. "The goals, for me, are the things that we can do daily, to get better every single day," Berube said. "Winning the small battles in practice, cutting down on turnovers from one day to the next, being able to execute better. Winning NESCAC, making NCAA's are always goals, but we don't talk too much about those long-term goals. It's mostly the daily things that we need to get better at."

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