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Boondocks' battles range from Reagan to R. Kelly

November 10

Making the jump from newspaper funny pages to national television has always been a path fraught with peril. "Garfield and Friends" and "Dilbert" were met with mixed reviews. Nevertheless, it was with high hopes that Cartoon Network launched the TV adaptation of "The Boondocks" last Sunday. "The Boondocks" has been one of the most controversial and popular strips of the past half-decade. Created by Aaron McGruder while he was an African-American Studies major at the University of Maryland, the strip, with its biting wit and cultural awareness, quickly picked up fans and was in newspaper syndication by 1999. The strip focuses on an African-American family: two young boys - Riley Freeman and his smart-mouthed older brother Huey - and their grandfather, referred to simply as "Granddad." Although it remains one of the United Press Syndicate's most popular strips, "The Boondocks" is controversial. It was pulled from several papers in mid-2004 after running a series that poked fun at Condoleezza Rice and offered her dating tips, responding to the verbal slip the Secretary of State had made by referring to President Bush as her husband. The strip was reinserted in all publications within a week. The TV show makes no real departures from its paperbound counterpart in style or tone. The anime-like style will be instantly recognizable to millions of newspaper readers across the country. And while adding voice to a well-known cartoon character is a tricky business, Huey and Riley (both voiced by Regina King) sound much like a reader would expect: young, outspoken and unapologetic. In the first episode, the family has recently moved into a new suburban neighborhood, and a white neighbor comes over to invite the family to a party at their opulent house. Granddad graciously accepts the invite while Huey scopes out the neighbor with a laser-sighted toy rifle. The family goes to the party, and the rest of the episode focuses on the differences between the Freemans and the other party-goers. When Huey tries to explain to the crowd that Ronald Reagan is the devil, he's greeted with laughter and applause. "So well spoken!" a middle-aged woman proclaims. When the racist black groundskeeper of the host's estate gets up and sings a song filled with the n-word about why black men shouldn't be trusted, he is met with the same applause. ("I think it's OK when they say it," one teenaged white girl explains to her friend.) The episode ends with the party's host telling Granddad that he likes him because he's "old school." "The Boondocks" has retained the dark comedic edge that brought it fame. Even the pilot episode pulled no punches, using the n-word with a frequency usually reserved for rap songs (about 15 times in all). Virtually every line of dialogue as well as every joke is based around either perceived or real racial stereotypes. While the jokes are for the most part very funny, the repeated use of "the race card" to advance the plot or finish a punch-line becomes a bit tired after a half-hour. Since the comic strip consisted of one joke told daily, McGruder never had to worry about overusing this edge. It seems that McGruder and co-writer Reginald Hudlin are trying to adjust to the new format. Although "The Boondocks" (both in strip and TV format) should be applauded for initiating a dialogue on modern race relations, it remains to be seen whether the show will be enough to entertain viewers. The show is at its funniest when it brings up these issues subtly - such as when Huey meets a white rapper just home from fighting in Iraq. Without some refining, the show risks becoming more of a soapbox for venting societal grievances than an entertaining cartoon. It is (for better or worse) only by embracing the latter that it can hope to stay on the air. Luckily, with an upcoming episode reportedly based on Oprah one titled "The Trial of R. Kelly," the show seems poised to provide as many laughs as critiques. "The Boondocks" is struggling to balance social commentary with more traditional jokes. The good news is that even without the perfect mix, the show is entertaining and frequently funny, and it seems like it can only get better.

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News

Intrepid few carry the banner for campus anti-war activism

November 10

It was the evening of Thursday, Sept. 22. While most Jumbos hunkered down over schoolwork or hit the night's parties, a group of freshmen were gearing up for something bigger: having heard of the opportunity to travel with other Tufts students to a national anti-war protest in Washington D.C., the five friends - Liz Fusco, Arianna Rubin, Rachel Machta, Maia Kolchin-Miller, and Betsy Aronson - gathered at the Crafts Center to make shirts that read "Tufts for Peace." The freshmen were determined to make their way to this event, despite doubts about the bus transportation that had been publicized for the weekend. "We took things into our own hands," Aronson said. That Friday, they hopped on a D.C.-bound train, and re-emerged eight hours later in the nation's capital to march the next day protesting the continued casualties in Iraq. They weren't alone: According to the Washington Post, there were an estimated 100,000 participants in the march. This freshman contingent, traveling free of ties to on-campus organizations, remained focused in their weekend mission. "We felt it was really fun to go, but also serious in terms of the reasons why we were there," Kolchin-Miller said. "Looking at the news coverage, there was a quote from Bush where he said that he disagreed with why we were marching, but he respected our right to march." "I think that that says a lot about our civil liberties," she added. "We should do this every chance we get, because however effective it is, it's showing we still have the power to organize." The girls were glad to receive a warm response from non-demonstrators on the trip. "We got such a nice reaction on the way down," Kolchin-Miller said. "The conductor kept giving us stickers and saying, 'You girls are marching for all of us.'" "They drew stars on our seats. We met a Navy Seal who came and talked with us, and he obviously didn't agree with everything we were working for, but we had a really good conversation," Machta added. The conditions were less than ideal: the girls slept on the floor and reused clothing. "We wore those shirts for five days straight," said Kolchin-Miller, laughing. "It was ridiculous! They smelled horrible." But in the end, they decided the conditions were well worth the trip. "We felt like we were representing Tufts to some extent - people would come up to us and say, 'Oh, I went to Tufts,' or 'I know someone who goes to Tufts,'" Machta said. "It was pretty great - the whole way there was just amazing." The freshmen noticed a marked contrast between the on-campus attitude towards anti-war activism and the attitude towards anti-war activism in D.C.. "The attitude [in D.C.] was so different from the attitude on campus, where we were standing at the Joey stop and getting looks, like 'Who are these people and what are they doing?'" Fusco said. At the start of the Iraq War, however, the movement opposing it was more prominent on campus. In fact, the anti-war movement on campus began before the war had even been declared. The Tufts Coalition to Oppose the War in Iraq (TCOWI) was founded by concerned members of the Tufts community during a remembrance ceremony for Sept. 11 that was held in 2002 by the Department of Peace and Justice Studies. "We passed around a list for e-mail sign-up," TCOWI leader and Physics Professor Gary Goldstein said, adding that at least 40 people showed interest immediately, and that the fledgling group met the next week in Barnum to start organizing. Since then, TCOWI has become a campus fixture, despite large fluctuations in its membership. TCOWI has organized countless marches, teach-ins, films and rallies since Sept. 2002. "We've always had progressive, active students working on what we see as the most important issues," Goldstein said. "Those who do participate find an experience that's unique to political activism, and a sense of belonging to a larger group of people. That's an experience every college student should have." "I feel like the most effective tactics have been bringing big-name speakers to campus, like Noam Chomsky, and trying to get people to take collective action through things like rallies," said history graduate student Dan DiMaggio, a committed TCOWI member. He added that he hopes to coordinate skits on the library patio to emphasize the cost of the war. DiMaggio said that TCOWI faces different challenges than other activist groups on campus. "The anti-war effort is different because we are not appealing to the powers that be to make change, but rather trying to build a mass movement to force them to end the war and change their policies," DiMaggio said. But there is some internal disagreement between students and faculty about the goals of TCOWI. "Many of us, in fact, are trying to get the 'powers that be' to change their course and to end the war," Goldstein said. "Our efforts are focused on stopping the war as soon as possible, nothing more." Goldstein attributes the drop in TCOWI participation to students growing tired of the war as an issue. "Fewer people come to meetings now; there is less interest in [the war]," Goldstein said. "It's becoming clear that it's background noise." Others speculate that students have found it difficult to commit to organizations like TCOWI because the movement is headed in a new direction. "I've always been against the war," freshman Hannah Flamm said. "But I can't say that taking the troops home now is definitely the right thing to minimize current problems for the Iraqi people and reduce future conflict." "It's hard," Flamm continued. "People say, 'How can you be against the war and not want to bring all the troops home now?' I guess there is no obvious answer." Others say students who remain opposed to the war feel alienated by TCOWI specifically because of its rhetoric and its associations with the Tufts Socialist Alternative. "My impression is that many Tufts students agree with the general aims of TCOWI," said DiMaggio, who is a member of the Tufts Socialist Alternative. "But I am afraid that some view us as a fringe group." The freshmen who made the trip to D.C. were concerned with this issue. "[Being associated with the Socialist Alternative] makes a lot of people apprehensive," Aronson said.

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News

Go see what all the buzz is about

November 10

During their first year at school, college freshmen across the country, be they at Harvey Mudd or Harvard, University of Southern California or South Hall share similar experiences. The "what's your name/where are you from" syndrome, ubiquitous dry erase boards, and the infamous Freshman 15 weight gain unite the incoming classes, ushering them into the culture that can be overarchingly described as "college life." "The Insect Play," which opens tonight, deals with a different brand of universality. It does, however, share a characteristic with the aforementioned phenomena: its participants, from actors to stage manager to costume designers, are all freshmen. This year's incarnation of the Pen, Paint, and Pretzels Freshman Show explores human traits through a creepy-crawly cast of characters. Each actor in the ensemble cast (save one actress who plays a human) portrays many insect varieties throughout the production. At the start of the play, said human, the Tramp (Laura Gerhardt) joins the insect world in what can be interpreted as a dream. The remainder of the play takes place in the insects' own space as the Tramp interacts with anthropomorphized beetles, butterflies and bugs. Through these bugs, each of which exemplify various aspects of humanity, the show works on multiple levels to explore human imperfection and, as actor Benjamin Meller put it, makes the audience think about "what's important in life." Director Brendan Shea chose the play because he sees it as a piece all audience members can relate to. "The play is not a politically active piece, and it doesn't speak to any specific issue that alienates anyone," he said. Rather, Shea sees "The Insect Play" as a "universal allegory that uses the insects beneath our feet to exemplify grossness and savage vices. The things it criticizes are not specific to a group of people or a political doctrine; it speaks to something we all have experienced in humanity." Each of these flaws is explored through the different insect varieties. An "Insect Play" cheat sheet would reveal that the butterflies in the play are only concerned with sex, the crickets are too idealistic, and the ants are quick to battle and slow to think independently. As for style, in the initial stages of the show Shea described the production to his designers as "Max Ernst meets Disney-a surrealist brushstroke superimposed over 'A Bug's Life.'" Indeed, nothing about the play has been ordinary. During auditions, actor-hopefuls were asked to bring in any piece they wanted. After reading it through once, Shea asked the participant to embody a bug in movement and voice and read it once more. Callbacks couldn't be seen from this side of normal, as participants all banded together to form a giant bug and navigate the space they were in. Aside from the shared strangeness of personifying bugs, those involved in the Freshman Show have also had the unique experience of starting out their Tufts theater careers with fellow Balch Arena neophytes. "It's great to know that everyone here is a first-year student," said Meller. As in the tradition of the Freshman Play, the actors are overseen by an upperclassmen director (junior Shea), and an experienced mentor oversees each member of the crew. Craig Kaufman, the play's set designer, benefited from the guidance of two mentors - senior Matt Saide and faculty designer Ted Simpson. Saide and Simpson "helped me develop the set into what it is right now and looked at my sketches," said Kaufman. "It's been a great jumping off experience." Designing "The Insect Play" proved to be a particular challenge because of what Shea describes as the "aesthetic spectacle" surrounding the show. "The play is notoriously difficult to pull off successfully because of the allegorical, episodic nature," said Shea. "It's relatively obscure and not often done in America because it has the reputation of not being done right." To combat this, Shea worked with what he found to be a highly talented pool of actors in various theater techniques, most notably biomechanics. Gerhardt describes the technique as "focusing on performance as opposed to realism," thus creating the surrealistic experience Shea envisioned. This evening, Shea hopes to parlay this stylistic work-shopping and five weeks of hard work by cast and crew into what he says will be the "freshman show to end all freshman shows."

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News

Nov. 11, 2005 | Clear and informative on dangers of HPV

November 10

Dear Editor: I want to congratulate The Tufts Daily on the excellent article "The Secret Life Of... a student with an STD" (Thursday, Nov. 10). The article is extremely well written and presents some complicated medical information in a very readable and understandable way. The student's experiences in this article bring the medical facts to life. It is a story that we hear repeatedly at Health Services. There is an epidemic of HPV in our country, and it seems to receive little attention. At Health Services, we are constantly trying to get the word out to the Tufts community about the frequency of the infection, and the fact that having "clean" STD testing has a limited meaning, because you have not been tested for HPV or for herpes in most cases. In fact, experts in the field now prefer the term "STI" for sexually transmitted infection, instead of STD, since in the vast majority of cases, students infected with HPV do not have a disease, but they are infected and contagious! Bravo for such a clear, informative and interesting article!Margaret Higham MDMedical Director, Health Service

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News

Weekender Feature | Their milkshakes bring all the boys to Harvard Yard

November 9

What do Americans produce 1.6 billion gallons of, spend $20.5 billion on, and consume 20 quarts per capita of each year? Three guesses. No, it's not soda (good guess). Nope, it's not potatoes either (and you don't measure them in gallons). You're not good at this. The headline and graphics should have given it away; it's ice cream. That's right, the cream-and-sugar-based dessert, and your two best friends on a Saturday night (Ben and Jerry). Though you might have chosen Tufts because of its location in College Central, its reputation of academic excellence, or its proximity to Harvard, superior ice cream is a benefit you might not have considered. The modern ice cream industry as we know it has its roots less than a mile from campus. Oh, you didn't know that? We'll get there. You've become acquainted with the Columbo soft-serve options in Dewick- MacPhie and the various choices in Jumbo Express - it's time to expand your horizons. According to the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bostonians eat more ice cream per capita than any other urban area in the country. Not coincidentally, the region also boasts some of the best stuff around. Unfortunately, most Tufts students who venture off campus only go as far as JP Licks. It's convenient, pretty good - and pretty overpriced ($3.39 for a small?!). It's time to venture past the confines of Davis Square into the wily wilderness of Beantown's surrounding areas. The Boston Ice Cream Party? Legend has it that "cream ices" first reached the masses when Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli started selling them at his Paris caf?© ©n 1660. After the invention of modern refrigeration in the 1870s, large-scale production became feasible as we stopped storing ice in straw-covered holes in the ground. The rest, quite literally, is history. After the vanilla, chocolate, strawberry monolith, recent ice cream innovations over the last couple of decades have involved mixing different things into the different creams - Reese's Pieces, Heath Bar Crunch, M&Ms and beyond. In recent years, Cold Stone Creamery has taken the art of the add-in to previously unimaginable heights (actual pieces of cake? Apple pie filling?). "Wow, what a great invention by Cold Stone," you think to yourself. Think again. Way back in 1973, Steve Herrell ushered in the modern era of ice cream when he opened the first Steve's Ice Cream Store in the location that is now O'Naturals, just outside of Davis Square on Elm St. It was here that modern ice cream was born, with nut and candy "smoosh-ins" of various sorts and his now famous homemade fudge sauce. The landscape is now less diverse. An industry of mom-and-pop ice cream parlors has become a land of Dairy Queens and Cold Stones. Boston, however, has retained much of its unique ice cream charm. Single stores and small chains dominate the region. After the rest of the nation caught on to the mix-in craze, Boston stores again diversified. Diversity of flavor is what sets current Hub shops apart. One of the drawbacks of the standardization of frozen treats is that, unlike Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you always know what you're gonna get. How, then, is a poor college student to differentiate between the multitude of distinctive offerings available? Never fear, the Daily is here. The Tale of the Tape Among the various options, three in particular stand out. First to weigh in is Cambridge favorite Toscanini's. What sets this two-store operation apart? "We make more flavors than other places, especially from other countries," says owner and founder Gus Rancatore. It's hard to argue with him; got a craving for some old-fashioned hamentashen ice cream around Purim-time? Fancy some champagne or pumpkin instead? Look no further. Once lauded by the New York Times as the "the best ice cream in the world," their ever-changing flavors, which over the years have included Belgian chocolate (decadent) and Grand Marnier (surprisingly tasty), are widely renowned. "Some flavors you can fake. But if you have good peaches, you make good peach ice cream. If you don't, you don't. There's no way around it," Rancatore said. "We have good peaches." It's also probably the chicest ice cream shop in the area: fancy hot beverages and syrup-flavored sodas give it a decidedly European feel. Best of all, Someday Caf?© ©n Davis carries their product. Next is Herrell's Ice Cream. Remember the Steve who founded Steve's? After selling his trend-setting business in the late '70s, he returned a few years later with Herrell's. With three locations scattered across the state - Harvard Square, Brighton and Northhampton - Herrell's can be thought of as the patriarch of the region's ice cream scene. Recipient of fistfuls of Best of Boston awards over the years, Harvard Square store owner Jessica Leahy believes that she knows the chain's secret. "Everything is homemade on the premises, including the fudge sauce," she said. Although the flavors might not be quite as unusual as Toscanini's, they're not to be taken lightly. Offerings such as chocolate pudding (a regional favorite) and their especially superior cookie dough are trip-worthy. If those options aren't enough, "we'll gladly make up a flavor for people," Leahy said. Keep in mind that Herrell invented the mix-in, and his franchise has stayed true to form, offering a comprehensive selection. Rounding out the top three is Inman Square's culinary masterpiece, Christina's Ice Cream. Like Herrell's, Christina's prides itself on making ice cream on location. Like Toscanini's, Christina's can claim a number of unique flavors. "I think we've taken it to a different level," Christina's owner Ray Ford said. "What sets us apart, I think, is that we use fine ingredients. We also have a greater variety of ingredients. That's the key, that variety. Our flavors never come from a recipe book." Inventive flavors such as carrot cake, banana cinnamon and adzuki bean are perennial favorites. Perhaps most impressive are their improvements on standard flavors. Their fresh mint, instead of the industrial stuff we're used to, tastes like you're nibbling on a leaf garnishing your dessert. To choose an individual winner between the three would border on criminal. You tell us who is better: da Vinci, Michelangelo or Van Gogh? Soccer fans rejoice; this one's a draw. But, why male models? An unanswered question remains: why Boston? It seems counterintuitive: Why would a cold-weather city lead the nation in ice cream consumption? Owners point to a number of reasons. "Most food anthropologists think that in cold climates people eat high-fat diets. In the south people tend to drink a lot," Toscanini's Gus Rancatore said, noting Atlanta-based Coca-Cola as an example. "Our sales triple in the summer, but there's enough business to stay open year round. Boston's better than New York - it's better than anywhere I can think of for that matter." "Because the winter here is so hard, people still see ice cream as a treat. In California and other warmer-climates it's warm all the time, so people don't appreciate it as much," said Christina's Ray Ford. Herrell's Leahy wasn't as positive about the cold climate. "We do well for several months [in the summer], and then it slows down a lot. It's tough when the students aren't here in December and January." Asked if she could imagine moving the chain to a milder climate, however, Leahy seemed content. "It's a New England institution and franchise," she said. Beyond the climate, the various owners see Boston as a fertile ground for various experimental ice cream options. "People that go to school here tend to have more discretionary income," Rancatore said. "It's not enough to go out to a fancy dinner, but it's enough for a good study break." Ford agreed: "Cambridge works very well [for ice cream variety]. You can do things here that maybe you couldn't sell in other places. It is its very culturally diverse, very sophisticated market that makes it a great place to be." Keep screaming for it Overall, Boston's cream industry appears here to stay. "It's really a New England tradition," said Joe Prestejohn, owner of Newton's famous Cabot's Ice Cream. "It's a great business to be in. Everybody's happy eating ice cream." Leahy summed it up best: "Ice cream is like blue jeans - it never goes out of style."

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News

A class project scores Points for a good cause

November 9

Even students who do not carry cash can still donate to charity, thanks to a new pilot program. The plan will allow student groups starting next week to use an ID card swiper - like those found in the dining halls and the bookstore - when they fundraise. Students will now be able to use Points Plus to donate to charities. Starting Monday, Nov. 14, one student group per day can use an ID card swiper while fundraising at the campus center. "We thought it would increase campus philanthropy," junior Samantha Ferrell said. Ferrell, along with classmates Matthew Plitch, Angi Kang and David Weber, devised the plan for their "Innovative Non-Profits" class. Since many students do not carry cash and rely on their Points Plus to make on-campus purchases, the plan will allow students who usually do not donate to charity to participate in philanthropy. They said students who do carry cash will be more likely to donate money because they are often unwilling to part with their cash. Sophomore Dania El Hassan said she supported the plan. "Students are more inclined to do it [donate] if they use points, because it seems like they're not using real money," she said. Professor Molly Mead, who teaches the class, said the assignment was to find a solution to a social problem at Tufts. "This group immediately latched on to this issue," she said. "The team did fabulously, beyond my wildest expectations." Weber said he expects to see three results from the project: an increase in the amount of money raised at the University, an increase in the number of students who participate in philanthropy, and growth of the University's reputation as a leader in the community. Director of Dining and Business Services Patricia Klos said the plan was important to the University's reputation. "Tufts is known for its service orientation," she said. "It's my hope that this helps students continue in this vein of giving." After formulating their plan, Ferrell and her classmates talked with the Tufts Community Union Senate, which will help train treasurers of student groups to use the system. "There was no issue of funding," Kang said. The group also sought approval to use the campus center and talked to Dining Services, which is providing the ID card swiper. Dining Services' role in the project is to facilitate the use of Points Plus for this new purpose. "Over time, the [Points Plus] program has grown," she said. "This to me is an outgrowth, another means to make a purchase if you will, a donation to charity." Before moving ahead with the implementation of their plan, the students from the "Innovative Non-Profits" class conducted a survey of 60 people. They said 97 percent of respondents supported the plan. They are working with the Senate to include questions about the project in the Senate survey next month. The group contacted recognized student groups on campus to get their opinions. All of the groups supported the plan, but the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) said that allowing students to use Points Plus to donate to charity means students are most likely donating their parents' money. Weber responded to this argument. "Kids can go to the bookstore and buy candy bars and magazines," he said. "They might as well be able to give money to charity." The students argued that the cash a lot of students carry is their parents' money also, but they agreed to compromise with LCS and limit donations made with Points Plus to $5 per day. Sophomore Matt Higger said students should not be able to use Points Plus. "I feel bad spending other people's money," he said. "How am I supposed to know if my parents want to give money to some charity?" Senator Ed Kalafarski, who was involved in the project that will combine laundry vending points with Points Plus at the start of next semester, said the Senate has considered the possibility of using Points to donate money in the past but never pursued it. "I think it's a phenomenal idea," he said.

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News

Weekender Interview | Turntables to turnin' heads in Hollywood

November 9

With "Derailed" hitting theaters this weekend, the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA is once again in the spotlight and at a crossroads between the worlds of hip-hop and film. RZA plays Winston, a mail clerk caught up in the world of adultery, rape and murder-for-hire inhabited by the two main characters, played by Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston. RZA spoke with the Daily about his new movie, the state of hip-hop, and the difficulties of breaking into the film industry in a conference call Tuesday. Among his current projects: Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Volume 2" should arrive next year and a score for "Miami Vice," starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. And no, there is not a Wu-Tang reunion album or concert in the works.Question: Were you approached to work on the "Derailed" soundtrack?RZA: I was approached to score the film. The president of The Weinstein Company, when we was filmin', he came on the set and was like, "You made it to the BAFTA with 'Kill Bill' - you almost got the award." He said, "For 'Derailed,' I want you to bring it home." But I was so busy getting into the acting world that I didn't really get that focus that I needed to kind of compose it. So I helped out a little on the soundtrack.Q: What drew you to the "Derailed" script and had you read the book?RZA: I didn't read the book, but I read the script. When the script first came in my hands, they sent about three or four different scripts, and the one I read first was "Four Brothers." And I didn't have time to read "Derailed" that particular week, right. And my manager read it. He couldn't put it down. So I was like, "I gotta read that." And I was like, "Yo, I'd like to be involved with this one." "Four Brothers" is cool, but "Derailed," - I was like, "Y'all, I gotta be involved with that one."Q: Why do you think musicians have an easier time going to film than the other way around?RZA: I don't think it's easy for neither direction. It's hard for both worlds. I think those who have the talent stand out, yo. When I first seen that movie "8 Mile," right, and I seen how Eminem nailed that, you know what I mean, I knew that it was more opportunities for all of us being made right there. With the actors, they grew up in a totally different environment. You got a lotta actors who grow up basically goin' to school or not gettin' a chance to feel the urban pressure or all the things that build the soul in you.Q: Why do so many rappers want to make that transition?RZA: Most rappers are actors, man. Keep it real, keep it real, keep it real - that was my slogan for maybe ten years. I don't use that slogan so much now because I keep it real no matter what. Nobody has to tell you that. But when it comes to TV and entertainment, it ain't real, and when it is real, it's bad. The new slogan is keep it entertainin', man. People pay to be entertained. You don't pay for reality. You pay to escape reality. "Derailed" for me is an escape from reality. The things that happen to me in the film, the things I do, it's not real but it's real for that character, and I think a lot of hip-hop artists is fallin' in love with that opportunity to escape reality.Q: Does anyone in the hip-hop underground have a long-term business plan like you did for Wu-Tang? Perhaps MF Doom?RZA: I think definitely, man. He's a great example. First of all, to the world, he's a new artist, but to hip-hop, we know him from the past. The beautiful thing about him is that he's able to put out two or three records a year, and generate maybe $2 million a year by doing that. Two or three years of that - he's basically doin' better than platinum artists. And sooner or later, he'll leave MTV-U and go to MTV-2, and then MTV. So I think it is possible for a plan like that to materialize at any given point.Q: How are you working to get behind the camera in the film industry?RZA: I'm strivin' to be a film director. That's another reason why I took the mentorship with Quentin Tarantino. What I mean by mentorship, I mean he my big homie. He send me to the store at 2:00 in the morning, I'll go. To humble yourself to greater authority, to humble yourself to greater talent, that's something that I learned from martial arts. You could be good in one form, but if you want to increase yourself, you have to find a good master. I started in the music industry not knowin' what a C note was, not knowin' what a G note was, not knowin' what a chord was. You gotta pay your dues and make your bones. As an actor, I don't think I proved anything yet. Nor as a director. Till I prove those things I don't think nobody'll come to me and go, "RZA, here's $20 million. Make a movie." Hell no.Q: What have Bill Murray's and Clive Owen's entrances into film taught you?RZA: With respect to both of those men, and any other thespian, as they call 'em, I'm entering this world with respect. I'm not just jumpin' in. I read, I study, I practice, you know what I mean. I'm just tryin' to get it right so when I do appear on there, and somebody like the godfather, Sammy Jackson, be like, "Rappers can't act" - I wanna change his mind about that. So it's more like I gotta prove to him like he was my father. I've gotta prove to Sam Jackson that we can do this.

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News

Jumbo has a TUSK?

November 9

In a rare coup for the last prestigious university on the outbound red line, Tufts already had a step up on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in developing its OpenCourseWare (OCW) initiative. But despite holding an ace, we failed to make use of it. Tufts already had a system in place allowing graduate students in the professional sciences schools to access a variety of course material online several years before MIT launched the first OCW effort. Tufts University Sciences Knowledgebase (TUSK) is similar to OCW and many of the initial OCW courses are stripped down versions of TUSK. The service is available to undergraduate students, but few know about it. The University is taking a big step forward in providing course materials free to the world via the Internet. Not only will it allow students around the world to benefit from supplementary materials, it also brings promises of increased collaboration, and the development of an online campus. This initiative follows in a long line of community-oriented measures that place Tufts among the most civic-oriented universities. (For example, President Bacow's pledge to adhere to the Kyoto Protocol.) OCW makes the current Blackboard system used in most undergraduate courses look like a refugee's raft docked next to the millionaire's catamaran. While paying students continue to plug through an outdated interface, the rest of the world will have access to valuable resources through an interface superior in both cost and functionality. OCW places all content on the Web site and there is no need to open cumbersome attachments. In addition, a more visually appealing interface makes navigation far quicker. The organizational structure follows like a course, and useful tools are not hid behind cookie-cutter menu titles. With this vastly superior resource at our disposal, why does Tufts continue to outsource to a provider like the Washington, D.C.-based Blackboard, Inc.? Tools like Blackboard and OCW have the potential to be useful resources, though many professors do not capitalize on its capabilities. Surely implementing a Tufts-coded and designed interface would increase the incentive for professors to make course materials more easily available. The current system available to undergraduates is sub-standard, and before Tufts shares its resources with the world, it should first share them with students. One the other hand, one setback of placing all of this valuable information on the Web is that it may cause some to wonder what they are paying for at Tufts. Granted, OCW is not a degree-granting program nor does it give credit. But with the entirety of a course available online, students may be less inclined to attend classes. The Internet has made learning easier, but the value of receiving an education at the university level should be far greater. And with increasing pressures from the accessibility of the Internet, professors and administrators will need to vitalize classroom discussions, activities and experiences. Improving offerings online is actually two battles in one. We have made great steps in disseminating our knowledge to the underprivileged, but the classroom experience will have to make giant leaps to catch up. The benefit of having attended classes at Tufts should not simply be receiving a piece of paper at commencement. OCW has the potential to be an amazing asset for the University, and while it is a noble effort to value the needs of the less fortunate, OCW - together with TUSK - can easily enhance the learning experience for students.

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News

Proposal to embetter campus housing

November 9

Ask Tufts students what frustrates them the most about our school; I would bet that housing is the most popular answer. This is what I found when running for TCU President last spring. One of the most important parts of my platform was better campus housing. Let's face it: additional dorms are not built overnight on this campus. This makes the way that housing is determined the main issue at hand. I put forth a proposal to the entire student body to refine the housing lottery system. While the proposal would go into effect starting with the Class of 2009, I hope to gain feedback from upperclassmen to ensure this project will achieve its intended goals. This proposal is designed to cure two flaws in the current distribution system: lack of predictability and fairness. The first problem, the inability to predict lottery numbers, can be easily fixed. Lottery numbers are currently randomly assigned each November for the following academic year only. Under the new system, students will receive their lottery numbers for sophomore, junior and senior year in the fall of their freshman year. By getting all three housing numbers at once, students will be able to better plan housing arrangements, study abroad plans and off-campus living preparations. Personally, from the student perspective, I do not see any drawbacks to this change. The second part of the proposal is to increase fairness of lottery number distribution. Presently, lottery numbers are randomly distributed for each class. Sophomores are guaranteed and required to live on campus, and so rooms are earmarked for them to pick. This leaves juniors and seniors. Seniors select first and juniors pick from whatever rooms are left. While the Office of Residential Life and Learning does not guarantee housing for seniors, they can "meet demand," meaning they can accommodate the approximately 50 percent of the senior class that wants to live on campus each year (this is a very rough percentage). Seniors will still have preference over juniors, and the sophomore living requirement will remain in place. The main difference I propose is linking numbers during one's sophomore and senior years so that they are reciprocals of each other. In other words, if Jane gets the lowest number her sophomore year, she will get the highest number during her senior year or visa versa. Similarly, if Jane's number is dead in the middle during her sophomore year, she will have the same place her senior year. I believe this is a beneficial change because it ensures parity in the distribution of lottery numbers for two years. Junior year numbers would still be randomly assigned. The main drawback students may find with this part of the proposal is that they can no longer "gamble" on getting lucky for all three years. Double rooms would be picked by averaging the numbers of the two residents. Let me elaborate on this for a moment: in the case that a student gets a low number sophomore year but his roommate has a high number, the student will end up with an artificially high number sophomore year and his reciprocal Senior year which will also be high. Averaging is essential to make this system effective and give greater meaning to the proposed distribution of numbers. There is also the issue of the soon-to-be opened Sophia Gordon Hall. Of the 21 (6-person) apartments, up to 17 will be assigned through application. Students can apply to live in these apartments much like Latin Way and Hillsides, where all six numbers get averaged out. The remaining four apartments will be incorporated into the housing lottery so students can select individual rooms even if they don't have five other friends to live with them. Apartments will be "senior preference" in order to have a central community for the senior class, something that is seriously lacking. I understand that these changes would not be a cure-all. But they definitely improve the inadequacies of the current housing lottery system. I hope the rest of the student body agrees with me. While it may sound confusing, this is the background to how the three lottery numbers would be calculated and presented in future years. I urge you to show your support for the aforementioned changes, although we will respect and follow through on the results of the student body vote either way. I look to the TCU to make an informed decision about a meaningful and positive policy change that will hopefully improve student life at Tufts. Thank you for your support in this endeavor. It has been a wonderful start to the semester and I wish you all the best through the rest of the year!Jeff Katzin is a senior majoring in economics. He is currently the president of the Tufts Community Union.

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News

Hey, what channel are you watching on your cell phone?

November 9

In the lounge of Tilton Hall, there is a pay phone hanging inconspicuously in the downstairs lounge. But it seems unlikely in this day in age that anyone has used - or even noticed - this phone. Whereas in the past cell phones were large, bulky and only used by a small fragment of the population, children in elementary school now walk around with their cell phones glued to their ears. So the question has become: What new technology will come next - and will students use it? Some students said they don't see a need for fancy phone features: "My cell phone was free, and it doesn't have high tech features - except if you count text messaging," freshman Will Henchy said. While students like Henchy are happy with their reasonably priced cell phones, there are expensive options for those students who choose to splurge. These options include everything from a full-color screen that can be rotated horizontally, to a high-megapixel camera that can take film-quality pictures, to an integrated mp3 player. "I've played with those high-tech phones before," Henchy said. "They seem like something that would be fun, but only for like ten seconds, and then you realize that you spent $500 on a cell phone." After the advent of the camera phone, television cell phones are now emerging as "the next big thing." While having a phone that doubles as a miniature TV might seem unnecessary to some, for those who study media and culture, television cell phones are not too surprising. "What's interesting is that the introduction of mobile phones with television capability isn't a revolution - it's an extension of the role that television already plays in our lives," Assistant Professor of Sociology Sarah Sobieraj said. "If television has a hallmark, it is its ubiquity," Sobieraj added. "Over 99 percent of American households have television sets, with an average of 2.25 sets per household." "And even when we leave the house television, it's around us - it's in bars and restaurants, fitness centers, airports, doctor's offices, in class, and videos are now watched in an increasing number of cars," she continued. "So mobile phones represent the logical extension of this trend." "I think they could become big for sports and things like that, but I can't see people watching TV shows on their phones," senior Maggie Lovett said. "Yet, phones have become a status thing, so people may get them just to say they can watch TV on their phones." According to Sobieraj, the television cell phone could have any range of effects on consumer trends. Already, people have portable phones and mp3 players: One can walk around campus and see most students engaged in conversations on their cell phones or in their own worlds, protected by their iPod earpieces. As well, students can already access the Internet from their cell phones- in fact, Tufts even offers SIS Online via cell phone to all of its students. "In order to really evaluate the outcomes of this transition, we'll have to wait and see how this pans out," Sobieraj said. "Will [the TV phone], like the iPod, become a phenomenon that impacts personal consumption and the production process? Will it be slow to proliferate, like the video telephone? We'll have to wait and see." According to Sobieraj, the potential phenomenon of television on a cell phone has repercussions for the production industry, too. Some cell phones already offer TV programming, such as MobiTV, but that service only provides access to pre-recorded downloads of television episodes on a few television channels. "One of the things that will be interesting to watch is what content becomes available via telephone," Sobieraj said. "Which companies will have access to this new form of distribution and which will be left out? Will there be advertising?" That could all change in 2006 with the introduction of a new service called Sprint Power Vision that will bring live broadcast television to cell phones through a partnership between Sprint Nextel Corporation and major cable providers. This new service will facilitate interactions between a person's home computer, landline phone and digital-video recorder. But in order to use this service, a person will need a Sprint Power Vision plan and a phone capable of high-speed Internet connection as well as a subscription to Comcast Corporation, Time Warner Inc.'s cable company Cox Communications Inc. or Advance/Newhouse Communications.

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News

Nov. 10, 2005 | Freshmen elections and misunderstandings

November 9

Dear Editor: I, Constantin Sabet d'Acre, am writing this letter with only one purpose in mind: correction. I was running for the TCU Senate elections that occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Matt LaPolice won these elections as most of you know. That is not my problem. Indeed, Matt is a good friend and we can all be sure he will make a great senator. My problem is that the article that came out in Tuesday's Daily (with the result of the elections) showed me as a sore loser, which I am absolutely not. I am even rather happy that Matt won. That is where a few clarifications are necessary. When I got the phone call Monday night from one of the Daily's journalists I was far from being bitter about my losing of the elections. In fact, I was rather pleased when she told me I came in third with 18 percent of the votes. I then told her with enthusiasm that I would definitely run again in April and wasn't giving up this seat I really wanted! I also said that Matt had a ''major advantage''; living in an all-freshman dorm is definitely an advantage. I am sure that some freshmen from Haskell voted for me because I was in the same dorm that they were, some freshmen from Tilton voted for Kris because he was in the same dorm that they were, and as for Matt, he got the support from voters of Houston -- that is completely normal! We all got our support from our different dorms; Houston is just a rather big dorm, which helps. That doesn't mean that I deny Matt's hard work. He has put a lot of energy in his campaign and postered/chalked/campaigned very wisely and efficiently. He was a great candidate and I'm sure he'll be a great senator. The article also seems to say that I was ''personally disappointed'' because Matt won. That wasn't the case. I just felt disappointed because I lost the elections, which is a rather rational feeling. The goal of this letter was just to make sure that those who believe that I am a sore loser who dislikes Matt for winning realize that this isn't the case. It was a great race with a lot of very good candidates in it and I do not regret trying. No hard feelings. Constantin Sabet d'AcreLA '09

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News

Cole Liberator | Hot Peas and Butter

November 9

THE MEDIA IS TO BLAME FOR THE T.O. CRISIS THAT HAS EMERGED! I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN UNFAIR AND TOO HARSHLY CRITICIZED MY CLIENT!" "Honestly, I believe the media has grossly taken Terrell's comments out of context and the Philadelphia Eagles franchise has responded in a harshly unprecedented manner." Looking at these two statements, neither of which is an actual quote, would you say that one is better than the other? True, I made the second one sound a little nicer, but it's the same point. If you were on TV, you might be inclined to use the first statement, as much of the TV sports world has resorted to increasing volume to drive a point home. The concept is a simple one: if your point isn't all that interesting, just say it loud. For sports analysis TV, the easiest place to watch is ESPN, unless you live in a dorm. Look at someone like Sean Salsbury: a fairly unintelligent NFL analyst whose predictions just plain suck. One of the network's favorite pairings is to put Salsbury alongside a man that could be described as a walking candy apple: John Clayton. Clayton, at least, actually conducts some real football reporting to go along with his crappy game picks. Last year especially, the two would be given a topic and asked of their respective opinions. What resulted was one answering, the other disagreeing, and then a shouting match ensuing until Salsbury threatened to take Clayton's lunch money. Was this really the best sports analysis out there? Take a look at Steven A. Smith. As a basketball analyst, he is fairly sharp at keeping abreast of the important issues and making an insightful point or two when the opportunity presents, all qualities of any legitimate analyst or columnist. On TV, however, he is the closer in the pre-game topic analysis, or the guy that finishes up the conversation by talking the loudest and criticizing a player or coach. How many viewers out there truly enjoy watching this? Now he has his own show, which quite frankly, he doesn't deserve. And unfortunately, I must place some of the blame for this trend of TV sports analysis on the heads of two of my favorites, PTI co-hosts Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser. This fine program features two guys, a former radio show host and a former sports columnist of the year, talking about everything important in the world of sports, and the little Bill Simmons-like pop culture current events. And the hosts debate. They argue. They talk loudly. They interrupt each other, as the name of the show implies ("Pardon the Interruption"). As the name implies, the manner with which they cut each other off is pseudo-polite, and clearly well intended. I see two factors that have made the show such a favorite among sports enthusiasts. First, the two guys have good points to make. The importance of this factor cannot be overstated. Someone can watch people saying the same thing about the same thing for only so long; there comes a point where a well thought-out opinion is what will captivate the viewer. Second, Michael and Tony have ridiculous chemistry. Anybody who has watched PTI when either Michael or Tony is off can attest to how much the show suffers. And the dynamic between the two is natural, not forced, rather than the straight-from-the-sitcom-playbook polar opposite pairing of Salsbury and Clayton. But the sports world learned the wrong lesson from PTI. Instead of celebrating truly spirited and intelligent debate, it decided to emphasize the shouting match side of the program. "Around the Horn" gets mixed reviews among my buddies, as it rightly should. Most of the reporters on the program have a few good points to make, but the actual point contest during the episode makes every "contestant" try to speak with a little extra volume. Woody Page is probably the worst in this regard, relying on loud personal insults much of the time to introduce his opinions. Maybe people such as Chris Berman, a naturally loud individual who is given continuous spotlight, are partly to blame. Terry Bradshaw could also be placed in this group, although I wouldn't consider him one of football's top 100 analysts anyway. People like Drew Rosenhaus are definitely at fault, as well. For those who watched the T.O. press conference, they were exposed to statements similar to the one at the top of this column. Some jackass didn't have a very good point to make, so he resorted to shouting until people agreed with him. So let's all turn the volume down a little. If you really want to knock over the viewer, hit 'em with a two-by-four of insight instead of a two-by-four of... loud, not smart stuff.Cole Liberator is a senior majoring in history. He can be reached at Cole.Liberator@tufts.edu.

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News

The Secret Life Of... a student with an STD

November 9

"I remember I was online and one of my guy friends from high school said, 'So how's the STD?' or something like that. It really upset me for a long time. It really bothered me that it was something people were talking about and knew about. I hadn't told many people, so he probably found out from [a previous sexual partner]. Sarah* found out she had contracted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) just weeks before she left home to begin her freshman year at Tufts University. While she was out of the country that summer, her doctor had tried to get in touch with her about an irregular pap smear. "[My doctor] wrote a letter to my house and put my name on it, and at the last minute, someone put 'To the Parents of' instead of just my name, so the letter went to my mom," she said. "It said, 'You've had an irregular pap smear; you need to come in for more tests.'" The letter upset both Sarah and her mom. "I didn't know what it meant," Sarah said. Her mother told her to call the doctor for more information - but this only led to more stress for Sarah. "She told me that I had [HPV], it was never going to go away, I was going to have it for the rest of my life, and I was going to have to use a condom with every partner for the rest of my life," Sarah remembered. "I'd have to use a condom with my husband when I got married. I started crying and freaking out." Her distress caused her mother even more concern. "It was so horrible," Sarah says. "Of course my mom was upset, wondering why I was so upset, but I didn't want to tell her." In the end Sarah told her mother about the situation - and found her to be incredibly supportive. "She researched [HPV] and found out that although there is no cure, most people get rid of it within a year," Sarah said. Sarah's mom also discovered that "Seventy percent of sexually active adults have it or have had it" and that "guys can't get tested." "It was really great that my mom was so supportive and was doing things that I was too upset to do on my own," Sarah said. What was not great, however, was Sarah's realization that her doctor had given her totally inaccurate medical advice. So Sarah sought out a new doctor to perform her cervical biopsy - a doctor who was as miffed by the previous doctor's behavior as Sarah and her mother were. Going into the procedure, Sarah was nervous. She had heard horror stories about girls who were unable to walk for a week after having the biopsy, and because she was about to leave for a wilderness trip, the threat of side effects loomed. Luckily, though, she didn't have any physical side effects from the procedure and was able to trek up a mountain as planned. Despite the absence of physical side effects, the disease still infiltrated Sarah's view of the world and herself. Her new doctor gave her a clean bill of health a year and a half after her diagnosis, but for Sarah, feeling "clean" is much more complex than a regular pap smear printout arriving in the mail. "In my experience, there's this total condemnation and shame built into STDs," Sarah said. "Part of the education is looking at scary pictures of genitals thinking those people are bad people for having that happen to them: 'Don't be a slut; otherwise this is what will happen to you.'" Even Sarah's own friends were quick to place judgment on her. Soon after she was diagnosed, Sarah confided in a friend from high school who also had an STD: herpes. "She's had it since she was really young," Sarah said. "She was actually raped when she was 13. I knew she had it before I was ever friends with her. It was a point of gossip - which sucked for her because it wasn't even her fault." Sarah's compassion for her friend's situation, though, garnered her little in return. "She was like, 'Well, you know, you should have worn condoms; that's all there is to it,'" Sarah remembered. "She was so unsympathetic." After doing research, Sarah realized that was not in fact "all there was to it." "I've since learned that it's nearly as transmittable with or without a condom," Sarah said. "Condoms help to prevent it, but even if you're the most responsible person, you still have pretty good chance of getting it." "You can have a serious boyfriend who's been tested, and even if you use a condom, you can still walk away from that with an STD," she said. "It doesn't mean you're a bad person if you do." While Sarah was away on her wilderness orientation, she started to notice "things [she] wouldn't have noticed or thought about before." She felt uncomfortable when the other students made jokes about STDs, implying that people with STDs were dirty. The disease changed the manner in which Sarah views American sexual attitudes. "I've noticed in the media and in a lot of ways this attitude that we have that's a very promiscuous attitude - that promiscuity is OK as long as you use a condom," she said. "We kind of got a bad deal in the age we live in," she added. "In so many ways, we are expected to be - and want to be, and are allowed to be - so sexual, [but there's] also a double standard in a lot of ways." Sarah said she is unsure how to improve the current state of sex education in this country. Noting the condom bowls in "every nook and cranny" of Tufts Health Services, she said, "That's great, but at the same time, just because you have a condom doesn't mean it's a good idea to have sex with that person." "On the one hand, condoms prevent so much," she said. "But on the other hand, they don't prevent everything - that should be in the same sentence, always." Sarah finds the taboo around STDs to be both frustrating. "[You] hide it from everyone because you don't want people to know, but so many people have it - it seems really stupid," she said. Her childhood friend's response notwithstanding, when Sarah started to confide in others, she was amazed by how many girls came out of the woodwork and confessed to also having HPV - which led her to consider how many more of the girls she knew might have the disease, but remained undiagnosed. Sarah also thought about the multitude of guys who could be carrying HPV, but have no idea since they cannot be tested. "It's a massive and crazy thing to think about," she said. Sarah said she worries about the spread of STDs on college campuses. "Herpes is very prevalent on college campuses, [which] means that things are getting through, with or without condoms," she said. "If AIDS ever [got] into the college pool, [just think] how devastating that would be." * Names have been changed

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News

Jill Harrison | Traveling Lush

November 9

The following is an abridged list of people who were not at all amused by the Lush and her friends last Friday night: the girl whose table I put my drink on at Grafton St., our waitress at Charlie's, the entire table next to us at Charlie's, the man wearing armor in Charlie's and our cabdriver. The Lush is not one to brag, but she is a pretty fun drunk. Apparently, the above-listed people do not agree. As a result, our Harvard Square Pub Crawl became a quest to find a bar where people were on our wavelength. It took three tries, but we eventually made it. When did people get so damn uptight? Pretty much everywhere we went over the course of the night, I found myself turning to one of my friends and saying, "they weren't amused by us, were they?" It's not like we were falling-down drunk or belligerent, or any louder or more obnoxious than anyone else out that night. If the point of going out to bars is to get a little tipsy and have some laughs, then why was the anti-fun brigade out? We started out the night in good spirits. Having recovered from a mild hangover just in time to catch the T to Harvard (hey, it was a long week), the Lush was ready to see what the Square really had to offer. The plan was to have a couple of drinks at a classy (more expensive) establishment before heading out into the night in search of some classic (cheap) bars. The Lush loves dives. We first found ourselves in the Grafton St. Pub and Grill, in the hopes that some class would rub off if we rubbed elbows with the classy Harvard Square set. The Lush's favorite bars are rarely describable by the word "classy," so Grafton St. was a pleasant surprise. The crowd was a nice mixture of the hip and the not-so-hip, and the slightly pricey pints could be forgiven because they still had Oktoberfest on tap. After a couple rounds we felt it was time to move on, and I was glad, because some girl who had been nursing one Cosmo for a good hour kept glaring at me because I put my drink on the unused end of her massive table. Hey lady, loosen up and have another drink. We set off for Charlie's Kitchen to find a drunker and sillier crowd. We got there and climbed up to the second floor, waving at the tank of lobsters as we passed (I was very amused by the lobsters). Charlie's did not disappoint; there was a great vibe and an even better beer selection (I may be the only Sam Adams Cherry Wheat fan). The Lush was thoroughly enjoying herself, even though she may or may not have spilled some - just a little bit - of someone else's Sierra Nevada. I found it amusing; the waitress didn't (although I don't blame her). The people at the table next to us found it even less amusing and proceeded to talk about us and stare for the next 20 minutes, until we finally left. Damn Barnies (that's "stuck-up Harvard kids" for the non-Masshole readership.) We finished our round - it took a while because someone, ahem, Micah, was taking forever because his beer was "really heavy" - and set off to find a bar that had a crowd that WOULD be amused by us. On the way out the door we passed a rather large, somewhat scary bald man wearing armor. Yes, armor. Not a full suit or anything, but a noticeable amount of metal armor. I was feeling friendly so I complimented him on his bold fashion choice. Again, not amused. He looked at me like I had three heads. He's wearing armor at a bar, and I'm the weird one. Clearly. Luckily, we finally found what we were looking for at Whitney's, right across the street from the 7-Eleven. Whitney's is a dive bar at its very best. There were about 15 people in the bar including us, AND they had Golden Tee AND a jukebox. The boys set to playing a very intense round of Golden Tee while Ellen tried to take a camera-phone picture of the poster with a quote from "Cocktail" (her favorite movie). The best part about Whitney's? People were actually in a good mood; they were talking, meeting new people, and rockin' out to Rick Springfield's "Jesse's Girl." There was even a barwide sing-along of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing." And not only did everyone sing, but the Lush was able to get everyone in the bar doing the fist pump (one cannot fully enjoy Journey without a fist pump). The bartender even turned up the volume for us. We left after last call, which was a bit early at Whitney's, and opted not to follow the crowd down to the Hong Kong. It would have ruined what we all shared there at Whitney's - a good beer and good times at a classic American dive bar. Although our cabdriver was decidedly not amused by us (but who could blame him?) the night did end on a high note. Ellen and I ordered some late night lo mein and the Kee Kar Lau deliveryman did, in fact, find us quite amusing.

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News

Plan approved for new veterinary hospital in Walpole

November 9

A week after asking for more information on the project, the Walpole Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved an expansion of the Tufts Veterinary Emergency Service. The $3 million project was approved last Wednesday, Nov. 2. Under the plan, the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine will build a new animal hospital in an 8,000 square foot building in Walpole. It will be expanded to 15,000 square feet to install a mobile MRI unit. Students at the Cummings School, in Grafton, do their residencies at the hospital in Walpole. The hospital will be the new home of the growing Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment and Specialties practice. Cummings School student Jennifer Ann Zambriski said she supported the new hospital. "I definitely think it's important," she said. "There are a number of animals that come in that need MRIs and right now the wait can be up to a week and a half which is sometimes too long." According to the Board's secretary, Evelyn Splaine, the project was first reviewed at the end of September. At the time, though, the project did not include documentation of a waste management plan and an inventory of chemicals that would be stored in the facility - both requirements under city law. At the next scheduled review meeting Oct. 26, the Board still did not have the documents and had to postpone voting on the plan. The information was provided to the Board Nov. 2 and the plan was approved the same day. "The project was approved," Splaine said. "Next, the Board will stipulate certain conditions." The conditions are simply complying with the waste management plan and the chemical inventory, according to the Daily News Transcript. The construction costs will be covered by loans. Patient revenues are expected to eventually pay off the loans and cover the costs of operating the building and the practice. The project will affect the way Cummings School students learn, the school's associate dean for administration and finance, Joseph McManus, said. "It will expand and defend our school's clinical teaching caseload," he said. Cummings School students rarely set foot in a traditional classroom, he said. They spend most their time in clinical teaching environments. "The more varied a caseload we can offer our students, the higher quality their veterinary education will be," McManus said. "Many veterinary schools across the country are struggling with inadequate teaching caseloads. The Cummings School is being proactive to make sure that does not happen here." According to McManus, the new hospital space will also let the school generate additional revenue for academic programs. The Cummings School tries to diversify its sources of revenue - such as gifts, grants, clinical revenue, research and new ventures - to take the financial pressure off tuition and the University budget, McManus said. The expansion will also enable the school to hire additional clinical faculty to instruct students without increasing tuition. The cost of hiring the faculty will be supported by the revenue from the clinic. "This strengthens and builds the faculty available to mentor our veterinary students and residents," McManus said. Senior Jennifer Gilbert, who will be attending the Cummings School next year, said she was excited about the school's expansion. "The equipment upgrades and mobile MRI unit will really make working with animals much more accessible and simple," she said. Zambriski said she was happy with how the Cummings School is using its money. "This is one of the projects I am happier about," she said. "I think more could be done to improve the buildings for the students and for the direct benefit of our education." According to McManus, that is precisely the goal of this project.

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News

Weekender | Concert Preview

November 9

On Wednesday evenings, the smooth sounds of the Chamber Singers echo through the Alumnae Lounge as the group finishes their rehearsal. Soon the larger Chorale files into the Lounge for their practice. Each week these two performance ensembles fill the Lounge with beautiful melodies, transporting listeners to another, more peaceful time and place. Chorale and Chamber Singers present their annual fall concert this Saturday. The performance, "Walden Pond Unplugged," will feature works of classic American poets with unique musical arrangements. The program will feature American poetry and literature from authors including Walt Whitman, e.e. cummings, and Henry David Thoreau, set to music by prize-winning composers. The groups, backed by the Chamber Orchestra and classical guitar played by David Patterson, will be performing Dominick Argento's "Walden Pond," Tufts Alum Trevor Weston's "Spring Clouds," Jeffrey Van's "A Processional Winding Around Me" and Julian Wachner's "Sometimes I Feel Alive." Recognized by many tuxedoes and great voices, both groups, which are half-credit classes, are a vital part of Tufts' music program. Their repertoire varies by size: The Chorale, with 85 singers, specializes in music for large choir and orchestra, such as Handel's "Messiah" or Dvor??¦#039;s "Mass in D." Typically they perform about 12 times a year in the greater Boston area. The Chamber Singers are a much smaller group. This year the ensemble consists of 18 members that perform a mostly a capella repertoire and pieces written for more intimate choirs and accompaniment. The two groups collaborate on some larger pieces. Tufts' classical singers aren't restricted to the Hill. The Chorale has toured the East Coast, and this past March they embarked on their first international tour, spending nine days singing and traveling in southern Italy with the Chamber Singers. The Chamber Singers have toured Europe four times, including three trips to Italy and one to Spain. In his third year as the director of choruses, Andrew Clark leads both groups. He is also the assistant conductor and chorus master for Opera Boston and the music director of the Junior Providence Singers. This Saturday's performance is one not to be missed. It will explore themes in American history in conjunction with the "Forever Free" exhibit currently at Tisch. "Some of the pieces are from the Civil War era, like one of the pieces that the Chamber Singers is doing, 'Walden Pond,'" said freshman Greg Kastelman, a member of the chamber singers. The piece, based on Thoreau's 1854 book "Walden," expresses some of pre-war Northern concerns. Although the groups often perform with piano or classical orchestra, Saturday's accompaniment will be styled to fit the mood of the evening. "It's going to include all different types of musical instruments," Kastleman said. In Jeffery Van's "A Processional Winding Around Me," a lone classical guitar will emphasize a solemn, post-battle atmosphere beneath the powerful voices of the choirs. The concert will also feature "Spring Clouds" by Trevor Weston, a College of Charleston professor and Tufts Alumnus. This will be the premiere performance of his piece in New England. Argento's "Walden Pond" will be sung for the first time in New England as well.

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Inside NESCAC Field Hockey | Bowdoin wins NESCAC title in shootout

November 9

This is the way it's supposed to happen. With the clock and the scoreboard reading all zeroes in their biggest game of the season, the Bowdoin Polar Bears and Williams Ephs lined up on the 25-yardline and watched as, one by one, their players stepped to the penalty line. It took four rounds of strokes to determine a winner, but two key saves from junior keeper Kate Leonard gave Bowdoin its second NESCAC crown, a perfect ending for a perfect 16-0 season. Bowdoin is currently ranked No. 4 in the national standings, and the team has garnered five first-place votes in the final poll of the season. With the win, the Polar Bears won the right to host the NCAA Regionals, earning a bye in the first round of the tournament. They will play The College of New Jersey on Saturday, which advanced with a 5-1 win over Keene State yesterday afternoon. Bowdoin's route to the championship game started late, as the Polar Bears earned a day off in the first round after winning the regular-season title. A 2-0 win over the Wesleyan Cardinals, who knocked Tufts out of the tournament in the first round, put the Polar Bears right where everyone expected them to be all season long. The Ephs' journey to the final game was a not quite as easy. After trading goals, and the lead, with Conn. College throughout most of their first-round game against the Camels, the Ephs finally came out on top, 5-3, led by a hat trick from junior Cathleen Clark. The win set up a rematch of Williams' Oct. 15 regular-season overtime 3-2 loss to Middlebury. The second time around between these two teams was just as close, with Clark once again lifting her team out of a stalemate. The junior one-timed a pass just 64 seconds into the overtime period, her sixth goal in four games, to send Williams to the title game. Although they fell short of the conference title and the automatic bid that comes with it, both teams were awarded at-large bids to the tournament, reflecting the competitive nature and the strength of the league. Williams, ranked 14th in the country at 13-4, has the lowest seed and therefore the toughest draw of the three NESCAC teams. In their sixth consecutive NCAA appearance under coach Alix Rorke, the Ephs knocked off Western New England College 6-0 last night to advance to the regionals, where they will face second-ranked Ursinus. The Ephs recorded goals from six different scorers in yesterday's win, and will need every offensive threat they can find to get past the 18-2 Bears. The Panthers, entering the postseason 13-3 and ranked tenth nationally, beat Manhattanville at home last night 5-1. If Middlebury can pull off a win over No. 9 Springfield, and if Bowdoin can hold off unranked TCNJ, the two could meet in an all-NESCAC quarterfinal on Nov. 13. After a 2-1 double overtime loss to Bowdoin during the regular season, Middlebury coach Katherine DeLorenzo is eager for another shot at the unbeaten Polar Bears, though she is careful not to look past Saturday's matchup against top-ranked Springfield. "Absolutely, that would be really fun," DeLorenzo said. "But we both have our work cut out for us in next round. We're playing Springfield, and [TCNJ] is a perennial power. I think that's a tough draw for Bowdoin for their first game." The 2005 NESCAC tournament and the subsequent success of league teams in the NCAA brackets reflect the parity across the league and the comparative strength of NESCAC teams. DeLorenzo commented on the strength of teams across the league. "It's absolutely fantastic," she said. "From one team to the next, there are little differences in style, but in terms of total impact there's such depth throughout the teams. Manhattanville is the best in their league and there was no comparison [yesterday]. I'm sure they'll continue on and do well, but [the win] is a reflection on all of NESCAC. It's not just the parity among the top couple of teams; it's everyone. A top team from out of region - [Manhattanville] - comes and they can't compete." NESCAC remains one of the most competitive leagues in Div. III, and a quick look at the 2005 season confirms this. Two of the three final tournament games went into overtime, and the final was decided on penalty strokes after two scoreless extra periods. Three NESCAC teams finished the season in the top 12 in the nation, and the three regular-season games between them were all decided by a single goal in overtime, with two results coming in double OT. The league continues to produce top-quality programs, and the Jumbos will have to capitalize on the "any given Saturday" nature of NESCAC matchups to find their way to the top of the rankings in the years to come.

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Inside the NHL | Bruins make headlines as young talent takes league by storm

November 9

While the overall picture remains virtually the same, some new teams have emerged in the NHL this past week. The Boston Bruins have made headlines for the first time this year, as, until Tuesday night, they had gone unbeaten in eight straight games and moved to No. 10 in the ESPN power rankings. Led by Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov, the hometown Bruins have finally started playing up to their potential. The team was 4-0-4 in the past two weeks until a spectacular overtime loss Tuesday night to the Philadelphia Flyers. Both Thornton and Samsonov have six-game point streaks going, each adding a goal in Tuesday's loss. Thornton, one of the league's best centermen, has been brilliant recently, leading the team in points (26) and helping emerging star Samsonov to a 19-point start. In addition to the tag team of Thornton and Samsonov, the team's success can be largely attributed to overcoming injuries. Thornton returned from a three-game absence earlier in the year due to back spasms. Andrew Raycroft, the team's starting goalie, has been hurt for several weeks with a hamstring, and the Bruins recently lost star veteran defenseman Brian Leetch for over a month. But the resiliency of the team, inspired by the return of the superstar Thornton, has sparked much of the Bruins' remarkable success. Another team that has emerged as a powerhouse is the Minnesota Wild. The Wild were an expansion team for the 2000-2001 season and have built their young team quickly. This year, the Wild added veteran Brian Rolston of Bruins fame, who leads the team in goals with eight. Twenty-one-year-old Pierre-Marc Bouchard has been a bright spot, as Bouchard leads the team in points (14) and adds himself to the long list of talented young players this year in the NHL. The star of the team, however, is goalie Manny Fernandez. A true Canadian, though his name hides it well, Fernandez leads the league in save percentage (.939) and is third in average goals allowed (1.82). In the new age of high-scoring hockey, any goalie who posts these kinds of numbers deserves props. The new rules in the NHL were designed to increase the pace, goals scored and excitement of the game. These rules have allowed many talented young players to shine in this faster, more intense game. Bouchard is only 21 years old and is a leader of his team. Simon Gagne, of the Philadelphia Flyers, is 25 and currently leads the league in goals scored. Phenom Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins is barely legal at 18. Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is just 20 years old and is third in the league in goals scored. The Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal is tied for second in points this week with 26, a standing he can now legally celebrate, having turned 21 just last week. The Ottawa Senators have two young stars in Jason Spezza, 22, and Dany Heatley, 24. Spezza is tied for third in points (25) and Heatley, who has 24 points, is on his way to becoming one of the top players in the NHL. Size is no longer as big of a factor either, as speed and agility become more valuable than sheer presence on the ice with the new rules. For example, Pierre-Marc Bouchard is 5'10" and 162 lbs., which would have been miniscule in the old NHL. But the new rules have encouraged the development and breakout play of these smaller youngsters, and so far, it has been a treat to watch. The plethora of young talent is overwhelming the NHL. The new rules have allowed speed to be the dominating factor in any game. These young studs are flying by big defenders, finding open ice in the offensive zone, and are no longer hindered by the grabbing and hooking that plagued the league in years past.

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Volleyball | At-large bid gives Jumbos a second lease on 2005 season

November 9

When the volleyball team failed to beat the Colby Mules in the NESCAC Championship on Sunday afternoon, the players faced the possibility that their season was over. Later that night, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee gave them a second chance. At about 11 p.m. on Sunday night the Div. III NCAA New England Representative at Plymouth State called coach Cora Thompson and gave her the good news.The Jumbos were awarded an at-large bid to the tournament. The team will make its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1996, when Thompson was a sophomore on the team. Thompson then called her captains and the news spread rapidly through instant messaging. "I'm really excited," senior co-captain April Gerry said. "Being a senior, I'm so glad to have this opportunity, especially with these girls. It's been a great season." After a 27-6 regular season where the Jumbos knocked off two top-25 teams, Tufts, having spent much of the season ranked No. 2 in New England, was awarded the same seed in the region, behind Colby. Tonight the Jumbos will open tournament play with a 6 p.m. match-up against Emmanuel. The two teams played in the opening match of the Tufts Invitational, where the Jumbos coasted by the Saints for a 3-0 victory. Tufts won each game easily, beating the Saints 30-20, 30-11 and 30-22. That match triggered a 10-match losing streak for the Saints, who recovered to finish the season 20-17 and win the GNAC. "They run a slow offense and they're definitely not as good as some of the NESCAC teams we've played," Gerry said. "That's good for us, but sometimes those are the teams that lull us to sleep. Hopefully, we'll be on top of our game." Given the win-or-go-home scenario, Thompson is warning her team not to underestimate Emmanuel. "We beat them pretty handily the first time," freshman Kaitlin O'Reilly said. "But [Thompson] is emphasizing that we can't take them lightly. We have to expect a tough match." The Jumbos received more good news this week, as O'Reilly was named an All-New England Team member and New England Freshman of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Classmate Natalie Goldstein received an honorable mention. If the Jumbos can take care of the Saints, they will take on the winner of the match between Colby-Sawyer and Smith. After entering their conference tournament with a 20-6 record as the fourth seed, the Pioneers caught fire and emerged with the third seed in New England. The Pioneers opened up the NEWMAC Tournament with a victory over Wellesley before earning a 3-0 victory over top-seeded MIT, who earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the championship match, Smith beat Coast Guard 3-0. Coast Guard has beaten the Jumbos the past three years. "Smith is on fire right now and we need to respect the fact that they are finding ways to win against many New England powerhouses," Thompson said. "We have a solid game plan for Smith and will be ready for them if and when we earn a second match." If the Jumbos advance and Colby-Sawyer upsets Smith, the Jumbos will face a team with tournament experience. The Chargers are making their third trip to the tournament and were participants in the 2003 Tournament, advancing to the second round. The Jumbos have no tournament experience, but that does not concern Thompson. "The goal is to win it," Thompson said. "I don't think that lack of experience means anything. We have seen all of these teams before. We have played five matches this year in the Colby gym and we are confident that we will be able to focus on our game and nothing else." The Jumbos do have some experience in traveling to highly competitive tournaments, having made a trip to Emory to compete in the Emory National Invitational. "I think having gone to Emory will be really helpful because we know what we're up against," Gerry said. If the Jumbos can make it to the regional championship, they could have a rematch with Colby, the top seed and regional host. The Jumbos have played Colby twice this season and have lost 3-0 both times, including in last weekend's NESCAC Championship. The first time the Mules beat the Jumbos was in the NESCAC opener. Tufts was fresh off an upset of top-25 rival Williams and came into the match with too much confidence, according to the players and coach. Last weekend, the Jumbos lost the three games by a total of just eight points. "They're obviously a good team," Gerry said. "But we definitely have a chance to beat them. It could go either way." The Jumbos do not feel their two losses to Colby give the Mules an advantage. "Colby's going to underestimate us," O'Reilly said. "They played us twice and beat us in three both times. We're going to be even stronger this time." The Jumbos will be much stronger largely in part to the return of junior outside hitter Kelli Harrison, who has been out for the last three and a half weeks with a concussion. Harrison was cleared to practice on Wednesday, but given her time off, it's unlikely that she will start this weekend. Nonetheless, the boost provided by Harrison's presence could be what propels the Jumbos through the weekend. Harrison is just one member of what Thompson calls the most talented team to play at Tufts, including her own 1996 team that made it to the tournament. This weekend, the team will need to translate that talent into wins. "I think everyone realizes this is our last chance," O'Reilly said. "There is no second chance here. You don't get a bid to [the quarterfinals in] Virginia. We just have to put it all out on the court and play our hardest."

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News

After chaos, comedy show is on

November 8

Entertainment Board Co-Chair Jennifer Tam received some terrible news last week. One of the headlining acts in the Fall Comedy Show, Jim Gaffigan, was going to be shooting a commercial in Toronto and was not sure he could make it back in time for the show. The group suspended all advertising and started looking into alternative dates with Gaffigan's management. With no definite answer, the group decided Monday to press ahead with plans for a rescheduled show on Saturday, Nov. 19. Then Entertainment Board received word that Gaffigan could not make the rescheduled date because his wife was scheduled to give birth on Nov. 20. The group started investigating the possibility of hosting the show with another act. Tuesday morning the group heard that Gaffigan could make the original date after all. Gaffigan is a comedy veteran who has appeared in the movies "Super Troopers" and "Igby Goes Down" along with the failed sitcom "Welcome to New York" and frequent standup work. He appeared this year in an advertising campaign for Sierra Mist. Entertainment Board and the Office of Student Activities are investigating the possibility of paying only a portion of Gaffigan's fee because of the confusion. Discussions with his agency are ongoing. The Entertainment Board now has a daunting task ahead of them: sell more than 600 tickets for Cohen Auditorium in less than 36 hours. "We'd like to sell out," Tam said. "I don't know if that's possible considering we only have two days." The Entertainment Board held an emergency meeting Tuesday evening to discuss advertising for the event. The group will be selling tickets at the campus center during the open block today, and will also be tabling in the dining halls. The show's other headliner, Asian-American comedian Eliot Chang, is being co-sponsored by the Asian Community at Tufts as part of Asian-American Month. The group will be assisting the Entertainment Board in advertising for the event. Chang has appeared on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend" and "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit." The lineup is rounded out by Matthew McArthur and Jason Margaca, two local students who were brought to the attention of the Entertainment Board through a friend of a group member. "We got to watch a video of their performance and we liked them," Tam said, "so we asked them to perform at our show." The fall comedy show usually only has one headliner, but the additional funding from the Asian Community at Tufts meant there are now two. The spring comedy show has a larger budget, and usually features a more well-known comedian. Previous fall comedy shows has featured Dave Attell and Jay Mohr. The late Mitch Hedberg performed at the last comedy show, which was in March. He died suddenly less than three weeks later. Tickets cost $7 and will be sold today and Thursday at the Aidekman Arts Center box office.

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