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The Setonian
News

Alex Bloom | Philly Phodder

October 24

It wouldn't be fall without the Fall Classic. And I would be disingenuous to not comment on baseball's biggest stage. Currently, the White Sox have a 2-0 lead over the Astros. How did this happen? How did baseball end up with the White Sox two games away from a World Series title? I don't want to diminish the accomplishments of the White Sox, but Joe Crede isn't exactly Jason Varitek or Derek Jeter. Paul Konerko - who certainly doesn't compare to A-Rod, Vlad, Pujols, Papi or Manny - isn't even the best slugger in the World Series right now with Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman, and Morgan Ensberg on the Astros. Carl Everett has always been more likely to hit an opponent than hit a home run and A. J. Pierzynski is a cheater. Chicago's starting rotation from top to bottom is solid. But so is the pitching on the Angels, Indians, Athletics and quite a few National League teams. Yeah, it's good, but we're not talking about a rotation of Dontrelle, Beckett, Burnett, Penny and Pavano on the Marlins' 2003 World Series team. The White Sox' bullpen stands out as really being superb with Dustin Hermanson (former Red Sox), Cliff Politte (former Phillie), and Bobby Jenks (who looks a lot like the closer in 'Major League' - "This guy threw at his own son in a father son game!"). Throw Damaso Marte and El Duque into the mix and you can understand why the Astros didn't score a run past the fourth inning in Game One. But really, how did the White Sox make it this far with just a decent rotation and a good bullpen? Was it really speed defense and pitching that took this team to within striking distance of its first title in 88 years? At face value, fans would look at this series and say that the Moneyball strategy of valuing players with plate discipline and power is a thing of the past. Both the Astros and the White Sox struggled all season long to score runs. And yet here they are competing for the biggest prize in the sport. But don't start writing a eulogy for statistical baseball philosophy yet. Whether you agree with me or not, the White Sox have been statistically "lucky" this season. They have overachieved. Yes, they won 99 games and had the best record in the American League. But baseball comes down to runs. Runs are the currency of the sport. As a team, you want to have the best run differential possible. Bill James, the first, and still the best, sabermetrician out there, identified that you can closely predict winning percentage using a formula that resembles the Pythagorean Theorem, except it uses 1.85 for the exponent. He called it Pythagorean Wins: W% = (RS^1.85)/(RS^1.85+RA^1.85). Based on James' theorem, the White Sox' win percentage should have been closer to .564 rather than actual .611. Instead of winning 99 games, they should have won only 91. The Cleveland Indians, who outscored and out-pitched the White Sox this season, should have won 96 games according to Pythagorean Wins rather than 93 - a total which kept them out of the playoffs. How did the White Sox do it? It must have been "Ozzieball!" Ozzie Guillen is a baseball mastermind. Or, as any Cubs fan (who is probably blue in the face right now with the Southsiders two games away from a title) could tell you, they got lucky. Yes it can happen over a whole season. It's a statistical outlier. The White Sox came out on top in close games. That's what a good bullpen will do for you. So now you're asking me how the White Sox have managed take a 2-0 stranglehold in the World Series if they're such a "lucky" team. Do I really have to answer this question? How about Tony Graffinino as a logical answer? According to Jayson Stark, in Game Two of the ALDS, David Wells lost a game in which he held a four-run lead for the first time in his 19-year career. That's a record of 135-0 with 16 no-decisions. If the Red Sox had won Game Two, there's no telling what would have happened with the series tied going back to Fenway. What about A.J. Pierzynski? The guy stole first base and the White Sox stole Game Two in the ALCS. What would have happened if the Sox had headed to Anaheim down 2-0? At the very least, there would have been a Game Six. But now it's the World Series. Perhaps the White Sox have stumbled into good fortune again with the Rocket suffering a groin injury and Brad Lidge serving one up to Scott Podsednik. Podsednik - who did not hit even one home run during the regular season - has two in the postseason, with one coming against arguably the best closer in the game. So enjoy it White Sox fans. I hate to say that luck is the name of the game, but I have no other explanation. You will very rarely see a team get this lucky in one season.Alex Bloom is a sophomore who has not declared a major yet. He can be reached via e-mail at alexander.bloom@tufts.edu

The Setonian
News

Ladies and Gentlemen, the new nightly news

October 24

In the second half of the 20th century, television was the primary source of news for many Americans. By the mid-'90s, however, the medium had reached a saturation point, with multiple cable networks spewing out their crimes-of-the-moment and national weather reports 24 hours a day. It was no coincidence that this was when "The Daily Show" first appeared on the air. Striving to be the first anti-news broadcast, the show provides a satirical look at the day's events as well as interviews with newsmakers, all while making fun of itself, its guests, and virtually everything else in the process. The show reached a ratings pinnacle with its "Indecision 2004" coverage, and remains a large draw in the coveted 18 to 49-year-old demographic. Nine years after Craig Kilborn anchored the first show, Comedy Central is seeking to expand its success with "The Colbert Report." In this new show, former "Daily Show" correspondent Steven Colbert is the face behind the news desk, giving monologues and conducting interviews. In a time slot right after "The Daily Show," it does not present a major stylistic departure from its predecessor. Colbert usually begins the show with an exhibition or monologue. In one, he made his feelings known regarding eating caramel apples for breakfast. Another involved him reading newspapers from around the world, chastising an Israeli paper for "printing the most important stuff on the back." While not particularly groundbreaking or side-splitting, these introductions induce a few chuckles. The show then dedicates a chunk of time to the day's events, again more in an editorial style than a pure reporting one. In a recent segment, Colbert said the Saddam trail "is the TV event of the year. It's like the Oscars... but with atrocities." On tax cuts, he said, "America has a simple deal with the rich. We cut their taxes, and in return they inspire us with their gloriously macked-out cribs, golden toilets, and young, taut trophy wives." Colbert gives a solid performance, but it's again nothing to get overly excited about. Colbert at times seems to be stretching for material - not because of a lack of news but because he seems to go on for a bit too long on each topic. This may be just another jab at the standard cable news program, but it's more likely his one-man show format is just not interesting enough to fill a full 30 minutes. Colbert's on-stage interview is one of the more disappointing parts of the show, if only because Colbert himself set the bar so high. On "The Daily Show," Colbert's interviews with various politicians, celebrities and unknowns were a high point of the show. His deadpan interview style and questions - not even tangentially related to the matter at hand - almost guaranteed the segment's hilarity. His signature delivery style remains the same in "The Colbert Report," but without the editing and lead-in comments, the presentation feels unpolished. Colbert is a talented comedian and a segment can still succeed, but there aren't as many laughs as there were before. While patrons of "The Daily Show" will find little reason to change the channel when "The Colbert Report" comes on, it is unlikely the show garner the same type of mass appeal as John Stewart's program. As with most good spin-offs, it succeeds because it shares some of its forefather's best attributes, even at the expense of originality. It is mildly successful in its own right, and "Daily Show" fans and non-fans alike will find themselves at least laughing sporadically. Barring a good "Seinfeld" or "Simpsons" re-run, it might be the funniest thing on at 11:30.

The Setonian
News

October 25, 2005 | Headline could be misinterpreted

October 24

Dear Editor; It would be hard to imagine a more misleading headline than "From different camps, student activists arrive at same end" (News; Tuesday, Oct. 18). The two students described - one Jewish, one Arab - sound, in fact, as if they come from the very same political camp - those that deny the legitimacy of the Jewish people to have a state of their own. While, just like every other nation, Israel has an imperfect record when it comes to civil equality, one wonders if either student ever thought of what would result if a Jewish student attempted to enroll in any university in any of the 23 Arab states. Sadly, his or her fate would likely not be much different than that of a homosexual - immediate lynching. The Daily must do a better job of contextualizing in its reporting. Michael Granoff LA '91

The Setonian
News

Feeling alien in Ghana

October 24

Accra, GHANA - It is sunny and hot here in Accra. Ghana is starting to heat up for the warmest months of the year: January, February and March. As I walk back from classes in a skirt, tank top and flip-flops on the red Ghanaian earth, I realize I will only spend another two months here. Then, it is back to Boston, where the feeling of being cold will re-enter my body. I have had six months of summer, so coming back to snow in January with a 24 hour flight as my only fall will be grueling. I arrived in Ghana on Aug. 1. I was a stranger in a strange land where people speak unknown languages, eat unusual food without chewing, and students go to bed as early as 10 p.m. I was overtaken by the usual fears of a person abroad: worrying about not fitting in, making new friends and understanding the social norms. But what I found it hardest to adapt to wasn't any of these things. First, there is heat. It clings to you from late in the morning until the evening hours, making you take pleasure in the cold showers provided by the International Students Hostel where we stay. This heat gives me a sense of holiday. Then, we wake up to reality when we have to walk, sweating, to class. There is also the issue of food. I think my stomach was fearful of what I put in it as first. I have always been fond of eating good meals, and suddenly, I have absolutely no clue what is put in front of me. There are dishes that I have never heard the names of before with spices, fruits and bush-meat. Nobody can really explain what the latter is, and those who try ... well, you wish you hadn't listened to them once they are done. But it sure tastes good! Trying is the key to anything here. Getting over my need to always be in control of what's going on around me was a true challenge. Sometimes, you just don't know what's going on, and, well, it's OK. Of course, people here are very different. Coming from a predominantly white middle-class background, to a country where I am the minority race, is hard. But this, to some extent, is why I came here. I read that when whites first came to Ghana, people thought that they had burnt their skin off because of boiling water, thus changing colors. In most large cities, people are used to Americans, and we are not a novelty. A couple of weeks ago a group of us went to the Volta Region near the Togo border, along the world's largest man made lake: the Volta. There, in a small rural town, we were greeted with enthusiasm and curiosity. Children pinched us to see if our "coloring" would come off, stroked our hair, and poked inquisitively at our flesh. I had never experienced anything like this. How sheltered I am at home! When I think back on old experiences where I felt like an outsider, I laugh at my old self. Nothing comes close to this. But people don't only touch you to feel the different color; they also call you by it. There is a word used to refer to white people: obruni. Although in politically-correct America no one could get away it, hearing the word is an everyday occurrence here. At first, most of us didn't know how to react: is it an insult, joke or normal reference? Why do you call me by something so obvious, if not to mock me? For a few weeks, there was uneasiness. Then we learned to accept this word as a common appellation. We use it now to refer to ourselves, but it was at first frustrating. How do you explain to someone who has lived in a culture where you must be treated as equals, that here, you will be called by those differences? Is it better to hush these dissimilarities or should we openly claim them? These short paragraphs only explain some of the questions I ask myself everyday. Would I have gotten this kind of knowledge anywhere else? I don't think so. Going to a country where I am so different, and everyday having to feel this difference so strongly makes me take pride in who I am. I have to fend for myself at times, go against stereotypes, reaffirm where I come from and what that means. Am I an ambassador of the obruni culture here? I wouldn't go that far, but I am an alien in this land. And sometimes, I need to know that to feel independent.Samantha Roussouliere is a junior majoring in English. She is currently on the Tufts-in-Ghana program.

The Setonian
News

Men's Crew | Varsity rows to stellar 18th-place finish at Head of the Charles

October 24

Anyone trying to get into Boston this weekend could not have missed the excitement (and the traffic) around the Charles River. Not even grey skies and mist could put a cloud over the hoopla that unfolded as the Head of the Charles Regatta showcased some of the top crew talent in the country. Despite the weather, the men's varsity crew team finished a sterling 18th out of 60 teams on Saturday with a time of 16:44.283. This time was good enough to guarantee Tufts a spot on the Charles next October. The men's junior varsity team also rowed this weekend, finishing 42nd out of 50 teams (17:22.859). A top 20 finish is a huge accomplishment for a Div. III school like Tufts, as the regatta fielded teams from all three divisions of collegiate competition. "I think we did quite well considering that the competition was very high and weather conditions were very tough," coach Jay Britt said. "We overcame quite a bit in terms of the obstacles in front of us." The high finish illustrated how far the team has come since last year, especially when it comes to translating individual performance into a boat's success. "Basically [the race] told me that these guys are learning how to be focused, learning how to be aggressive," Britt continued. "They are getting the concept of rowing as a team. It's about the individual effort and how it could be cohesively combined with the effort of the other eight people in the boat. They have an understanding of what an individual goal is and how to achieve that as a team." Along with the weather, the Tufts team also had to deal with a long layover from competitive action. With the cancellation of the New Hampshire Championships on Oct. 15 due to flooding, the team has been out of action since the Textile River Regatta on Oct. 2. While the extended hiatus from competition can find a team out of sync upon its return, the Tufts coaching staff prepared the team for this weekend the same way they do for every regatta and did not see any negative effects in the team's performance on the water. "I think generally our student-athletes handled it quite well," said Gary Caldwell, the Tufts Director of Rowing and coach of the women's team. "The coaching staff did have concerns on how the athletes would react with the layoff, but their response was extremely positive. They performed up to the level of our expectations and, on some levels, exceeded our expectations." In addition to inclement weather and a long break from action, the team ran quite literally into some more immediate bad luck on the water. The junior varsity boat collided with another boat during the race, losing valuable time and throwing the boat off rhythm. While the stroke man was nearly hit by an oar, freshman Artie Zeckendorf actually did suffer a blow to the chest and nearly fell out of the boat. He was pulled back in. Despite the boat's relatively low finish, Britt was impressed that the team stayed focused and finished the race. "These guys were looking for some identity and they found a piece of their identity this weekend," he said. "I think both our coxswains, [sophomores] Ian Davis and Amy Rodgers, did a tremendous job. We had two freshman, Artie [Zeckendorf] and Mike Conroy, going in three seed in varsity. They also did tremendous job. [Sophomore] Eugenui Sibru and [senior tri-captain] John Papp, everybody in the boat really stepped up." The Fall NESCAC-NERC Novice Championships this Saturday will round off the fall schedule and offer the Tufts team a chance to add even more experience as it looks ahead to the spring season.

The Setonian
News

Meredith Pickett | The Eyes of Texas

October 24

Pickin's must sure be slim for Supreme Court justices this year. First Roberts, now Miers, who next? Me? I'm sitting by my phone waiting for a call, Bush, just to let you know. But seriously folks, there are so many things going on with this dilemma that I don't even know where to begin. It seems to me that a successful Supreme Court nominee needs to have a balance between qualifications, experience and personality. When one of these is missing, the potential candidate becomes hard to nominate, even among their own party. Because, just in case anyone forgot, the Supreme Court is important. They are appointed for life. Not just anyone will do. Although the office has always been used to promote certain values that go along with nominees, Bush's nominees have been more personal that party related. This worries me, and it should worry you. This is not to say that Harriet Miers is not a successful woman. She is. For those of you who now have a tent set up in Tisch because you have been studying so hard for midterms and missed this, she is a Texan (and yes, I am still sad that Texans go to Washington and mess things up) who has been a successful lawyer and broke through barriers to become the first female leader of the Texas Bar Association. It seems that Bush likes to surround himself with people who break barriers, maybe because he himself has broken none. But that's beside the point. She is a successful lawyer who has been a long time friend and lawyer of President Bush. Unfortunately, this country is full of successful lawyers, many of whom don't have to count covering up Bush's National Guard controversy on their records. Being a success at your profession does not necessarily merit appointment for life to a bench. I mean, I'm a somewhat successful student, and you don't see the University appointing me to anything. So her career seems not to be winning her many points with senators, many of whom also have distinguished law careers, and you don't see them getting nominated for one of the country's most distinguished offices. Now for experience. This paragraph will be short, because she has no judicial experience. They can't find anything on her that will tell what kind of justice she will be, and this worries all senators. They are not comfortable with having a justice who has no experience. And although it has happened before, something tells me that she's not going to be the next William Renquist. Just a hunch. As for personality, it seems to be up in the air. She is known to be extremely hard working and puts in long hours. That is a good quality in a Supreme Court Justice. But where people get nervous is her blatant hero worship of President Bush. She once called Bush "the most brilliant man she had ever met." Let me say that again. "The most brilliant man she had ever met." What I love about this comment is that Republicans actually consider it a strike against her. And this is exactly why sometimes, as an American, I cry a little in my pillow every night. It's not necessarily a bad thing to think an American president is brilliant, but we can all see why, in this case, a comment like this would make me sad. This certainly does not make any Republican senators happy, many of who are actually brilliant and have worked with blood, sweat and tears (not the band) to make it to their position. They way I see it, senators are like, "She thinks he's brilliant? There must be something off about her." It's not odd that Bush would nominate a woman who is obsessed with him, because he surrounds himself with them. He calls these women, such as Miers, Condolezza Rice and Karen Hughes his "mother hens." I think Freud would have a field day. But aside from that, I'm tired of women climbing to the top of their field only to bow down to a man who does not have a strong command on the English language. It is not inspiring, it is not barrier breaking, it's embarrassing. It's okay to work for and support Bush. But to kowtow to him and blow sunshine up his behind? That's just a discredit to our gender. We're better than that. One final note on Miers: the White House is now playing up the fact that she is an Evangelical Christian as a qualifier for the bench. This is the U.S. Senate, not the Iowa primary. The White House is going to have to do better than that. So what are they saying? If you aren't an Evangelical Christian you can't be a good justice, or American? If you are an Evangelical Christian, you are automatically qualified for all Governmental positions? Somewhere Louis Brandeis is rolling over in his grave. Harriet Miers, you are a good and successful woman, no doubt about that. But this office is not meant for you. Please withdraw your nomination, before the Republican party internally combusts any more than it already is. And Bush, I'm waiting for that phone call.Meredith Pickett is a sophomore majoring in history. She can be reached via e-mail at Meredith.Pickett@tufts.edu.

The Setonian
News

World Series-American League

October 24

Does Major League Baseball do steroid testing in the postseason? Maybe it should. The hero of Game Two, Chicago White Sox left fielder Scott Podsednik, did not hit a single home run in over 500 regular season at-bats. Podsednik has now hit two dingers in the 2005 playoffs, including Sunday's game-winner off the Houston Astros' flamethrowing closer Brad Lidge. Right now it seems the planets are aligned for a White Sox title in 2005. After benefiting from a bad call in Game Two of the American League Championship Series, Chicago once again lucked out in Game Two of the World Series when the home plate umpire claimed a 3-2 pitch hit batter Jermaine Dye, sending Dye to first and loading the bases. Replays showed the ball clearly bouncing off Dye's bat. The call would lead to Houston's eventual downfall, as first baseman Paul Konerko - who has carried the Chicago offense all season - crushed a Chad Qualls pitch into the left field stands for a grand slam that gave the Chisox a 6-4 lead. But questionable officiating shouldn't take anything away from Chicago. The White Sox have been both lucky and good this postseason. In fact, they couldn't have played much better in October, and almost every team that has success in the postseason benefits from luck at one point or another (just ask the 1996 New York Yankees and their friend Jeffrey Maier). The White Sox got off to a lead in the series thanks to their dominant bullpen. Lefty Neal Cotts and righty closer Bobby Jenks absolutely shut down Houston in Game One, as the two pitchers combined to strike out five batters in two innings. Jenks had a bit of a hiccup in Game Two, but Podsednik bailed him out of trouble with the homer. As a side note, Chicago owes much of its success to its ability to turn around the careers of previously-ineffective pitchers. Other teams gave up on two of the stars from Game One, as Jenks was waived by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Yankees dumped Jose Contreras. Dustin Hermanson, a 32-year-old veteran and the Sox' closer for much of the season, cranked out only one quality season in his career before this one (and that was in 1998). Yet all of these players have played pivotal roles to Chicago's success. The big weakness for the White Sox in the regular season had been their offense, but weak bats have not held Chicago back so far in the postseason. Although Chicago's lineup doesn't dominate, it has been timely, and that's all the team really needs in the playoffs when it has such great pitching and defense. Chicago's manager, Ozzie Guillen, has also done a nice job of not getting in the way of his players. Ozzie loves to put pressure on the opposing team and be aggressive, albeit sometimes too aggressive, on the bases. But in the postseason, he has run at the right times and not gotten out of control. He hasn't had to do much work with his starters completing so many games, but the few pitching changes he has made have been good ones. He has certainly outmanaged Astros skipper Phil Garner, who has made a number of head-scratching moves already in the first two games. So as the Astros limp back to Houston, will they have a shot to turn this series around? The final outcome now weighs very heavily on one player - Astros ace Roger Clemens. Clemens was the best pitcher in Major League Baseball in 2005, but after pulling his groin in Game One of the World Series, his status for the rest of the series is sketchy at best. Houston has a good shot to take Game Three with 20-game winner Roy Oswalt on the mound. But in Game Four, Houston's lack of a quality fourth or fifth starter will play out as Chicago counters with Freddy Garcia, who has a strong track record of success. If Houston stands a chance, it will need Clemens to come back and be at his best in Game Five. But even with Clemens at the top of his game, the Astros will find it extremely difficult to rally against Chicago's deep pitching staff.

The Setonian
News

As U.N. flag goes up, so do students' tempers

October 24

As senior David Fair played his trumpet Monday to an audience of at least 100, a handful of students stood off to the side, waiting for what would happen next. Fair was followed by several speakers - students and University Provost Jamshed Bharucha - and then a graduate student a capella group began to sing. Before the United Nations flag was raised, the small group on the side departed. The group was led by senior Jordana Starr, the Editor-at-Large of The Primary Source - the University's journal for conservative thought. This event was the realization of a behind-the-scenes e-mail fight that had lasted three days. Monday was United Nations Day, celebrated every Oct. 24 on the anniversary of the founding of the international institution in San Francisco in 1945. For the fifth consecutive year, Fletcher and Arts and Sciences students organized a flag-raising ceremony, among other events, to mark the occasion. The flag-raising was originally planned for the flagpole next to Goddard Chapel on the academic quad. The American flag was to be lowered, and the United Nations flag would be raised in its place. But before the flag-raising could even happen, controversy erupted. Late Friday night, Starr, on behalf of a group of students, e-mailed University President Lawrence Bacow, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, Coordinator of Alumni Relations Leah Brady and Fletcher Professor Alan Henrikson. In the e-mail, Starr quoted the National Flag Code: "No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof." In addition, she said this was the first year she was aware that the U.N. flag replaced the American flag during this ceremony. Starr requested, in accordance with the code, that the University keep the American flag above the United Nations flag during the flag-raising. Starr and the students who sent the e-mail planned a protest at the ceremony if the United Nations flag was placed above the American flag. According to Starr, 36 students from different groups supported her e-mail. Henrikson - who guided the student United Nations Day Organizing Committee - responded to Starr's e-mail Saturday, defending the celebration of United Nations Day but not specifically mentioning the flag code. He later called this recent outbreak of controversy "astonishing." Sunday evening, Bharucha informed both Starr and Henrikson that the location of the flag-raising ceremony had been changed to the flagpoles in front of Ginn Library. The library patio has six flagpoles, and the American flag could remain to the right of the pole where the U.N. flag was raised - the position of most respect. Bharucha said he made the decision to move the event after consulting with legal counsel and the State Department Office of Protocol. "As a university we obey the law," he said. "The U.S. Flag Code is very clear." Rather than flying the United Nations flag below the American flag, Bharucha chose to give each flag its own pole. "The U.N. is best honored if we honor it in its own right," he said. The patio in front of the library, completed over the summer, was the best location for the ceremony, Bharucha said. "U.N. Day is the perfect inaugural event for the patio, and it solves the one flagpole problem," he said. "We are very happy with this," Starr said of the venue change that cancelled the need for a protest. But Bharucha's decision did not satisfy all the organizers or participants. After the decision to move the ceremony was announced, at least seven Fletcher students e-mailed administrators to protest. "The U.N. flag is about ideals," Fletcher student Teitur Torkelsson, a member of the organizing committee, said. "We feel that the administration, on a very high level, is giving into pressure from people who represent a small fraction of the Tufts community." The dissatisfaction among students led to an e-mail from the organizing committee to Bacow, Bharucha, Fletcher School Dean Stephen Bosworth, and Chair of the Board of Trustees James Stern. In the e-mail, the organizers said they expected "full transparency" of University decisions and that the administration risked setting a "dangerous precedent" by responding to threatened protests by a small group. Torkelsson said organizers saw the University's priority as avoiding conflict at a public event that would attract attention. "We would expect the administration to be professional and firm," he said. He also complained that organizers were told of the change less than 24 hours before the event. Another committee member, Fletcher student Cornelia Schneider, said Starr's objections were misplaced. "Nobody in the committee remotely intends to dishonor the United States," she said. Schneider also said the change minimized the importance of the ceremony to the entire University by moving it to the Fletcher School. "We wanted this to be an all-Tufts event," she said. "But now it seems like it's not." Fletcher student Mike Spiros said Bharucha's use of the flag code was wrong. "The U.S. government will, under special circumstances, fly the flag of other countries and organizations as a gesture of respect and solidarity," Spiros, a former State Department spokesperson, said. After the bombings in London last July, Spiros said, U.S. federal buildings flew the flag of Great Britain in place of the American flag. Bharucha acknowledged the flag code is not always strictly obeyed but said the State Department example did not apply to the University's situation. "That decision was made by the State Department under different circumstances," he said. "We shouldn't be taking those liberties ourselves." The legal advice Bharucha received following Starr's e-mail encouraged him to strictly follow the flag code, he said, "notwithstanding exceptions in practice that may have occurred in the past." Bharucha said he did not want the Tufts community to be divided over legal technicalities, and yet he also wanted to foster free expression. "It's important that one take advantage of an opportunity to take the high moral ground and go beyond hairsplitting," he said. On Monday evening, Bharucha sent an e-mail explaining his decision to all those who had objected. After reading Bharucha's explanation, Torkelsson said his concerns were not alleviated. "Provost Bharucha's decision was good as reactionary crisis management and a de-escalatory move to avoid conflict on campus," he said. "These groups wanted to make a point that they are here at Tufts. And they are - alive and kicking." Despite the conflict surrounding the location of and rationale for the ceremony, organizers said the event itself went smoothly. Schneider and Fletcher student Gillian Cull welcomed the crowd. Senior Mauricio Artinano and Fletcher student Heather Sensibaugh then spoke. Artinano recalled learning about the United Nations when he was eight or nine years old, and his frustrations with the difficulty of passing worthwhile resolutions at his first Model United Nations competition - a problem that plagues real diplomats. He said audience members should work to strengthen the United Nations and promote dialogue. "Any frustration is born out of a deep respect for what [the U.N.] stands for," he said. Sensibaugh discussed the oil-for-food scandal and the sexual abuse by United Nations peacekeepers in the Congo. She said audience members have the ability to reform the institution. "Reform is always on the agenda," she said. The Fletcher student group, the Ambassachords, then sang the Cantonese song "Tuan jie jiu shi li liang" before the United Nations flag was raised on a pole to the left of the American flag. The ceremony closed with a reading of the United Nations Charter by University Chaplain Reverend David O'Leary. After he read the passage, O'Leary quoted theologian John Courtney Murray: "Civility dies with the death of dialogue." According to Bharucha, the turnout was higher than in past years. Both sides of the controversy said the ceremony had some positive effects. "This whole incident brought Fletcher and the wider Tufts community together in solidarity to defend American values," Torkelsson said. Starr said she agreed. She said the ceremony gave members of the Tufts community the chance to discuss issues and show that the University is home to a "marketplace" of ideas. "I'm glad that the organizers allowed discussion to take place," she said. The United Nations Day celebrations continued Monday evening when seven Fletcher students shared their experiences working at the U.N. and other international organizations, corporations and government agencies.

The Setonian
News

Gender' may send audience members 'round the bend'

October 24

"Gender Bender," a zany and over-the-top show by Bare Minimum Productions, is currently underway at the Boston Center for the Arts' intimate Black Box Theatre. The play, penned and directed by production company co-founder Anne Continelli, explores gender issues using humor and improbable dramatic ploys. The show revolves around a confused - and rather contrived - reality. Betty (Deb Malone) and David (Jonathan Overby) have just moved in together, but want to conceal their new living arrangement from David's middle-aged parents, who have announced their intent to pay a visit. Just as the parents arrive, however, the young lovebirds also find themselves playing host to a pair of Mormon missionaries who decide to stay for the weekend. A modified game of Trivial Pursuit, in which questions about gender identity and beliefs have replaced the traditional stumpers, serves as a medium through which the not-so-traditional views of the parents and the missionaries are explored. Malone is wonderful as Betty, the young woman who arbitrates the weekend of gender exploration. Fresh from UMASS Boston, Malone shows considerable talent for her age, and is completely at ease on stage. Overby's David is one-dimensional, but a good foil to Betty's sharp wit; his part involves little more than sulking across stage, and making Ashton Kutcher-faces of distress and befuddlement. Anne Freund plays David's mother, a prim woman who relates some of the play's funniest moments. Her frank discussion of her "lesbian genes" is completely at odds with her prudish disposition. This juxtaposition comprises one of the most interesting elements of the play, and Freund executes her role beautifully. Geoffrey Parrish plays Scott, a confused Mormon missionary who enjoys wearing women's clothing and pursuing masculine females. The characterization is too far-fetched, though there is no denying that Parrish enjoys the wackiness of his part; indeed, he makes a very pretty woman. Despite this, the offer by David's parents to accept Scott into their home as their son/daughter is entirely out of character and strains the limits of plausibility. That said, the Mormon missionaries were a delightful medium for jokes. At times, however, the show was insensitive to the beliefs of this religion. The portrayal of the missionaries, and the expected reaction of the church elders at Scott's decision to change genders, is highly unflattering. The religion is presented as both stifling and ridiculous for its "presumptions" about divine truth. It seems unnecessary to disparage the faith for the sake of a joke, for most of the lines would still had retained their humor had the script been more sensitive to a faith practiced by over 12 million people. Throughout the show the actors' antics grew increasingly bizarre. It was clear that all of the actors were having a blast on stage, and the audience happily responded to their high-energy performances. Unfortunately, the show wears a little thin by the end: there were many feasible ending points for the play, but the script continued to barrel on. Although most of the dialogue was snappy and fast-paced, there were moments of awkwardness that were either the result of missed lines or deficiencies of the writing. The show attempts to discuss important issues about gender identification and traditional stereotypes, yet there is no subtlety in either the script or the execution. A Trivial Pursuit game with questions such as "behave in a manner completely at odds with the way you were raised as a male or female" just feels too engineered. The ever-escalating degree of weirdness felt downright grating by the end. This material has been done before, and done better. Attend ready to laugh (sometimes), rather than gain new insights into modern gender constructions.

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Cheers to Beirut

October 24

The New York Times did not arrive at any phenomenal breakthroughs in discovering that a majority of students engage in drinking games - students know this already. Drinking games have existed as long as there has been alcohol. Our generation has simply taken this leisure activity and found numerous permutations involving wit, chance and skill. Developed to serve a social purpose, drinking games merely combine two aspects of any successful party, entertainment and beverages. Director of Drug and Alcohol Education Services Margot Abels suggests that the number one problem with drinking games is that they encourage students to consume alcohol faster than they would otherwise. The simple fallacy in this argument is that there is no control, no 'otherwise'. There is no way to determine the effect of drinking games on alcohol consumption without first knowing the characteristics of the drinkers involved. The culture of drinking games at Tufts is one that is more social than viscous. In most cases, any student that declines to drink will not be forced to and the game will continue unimpeded. Most people who engage in drinking games are planning to consume moderate amounts of alcohol in the first place, otherwise there would be no motivation for entering into the game. The rules are transparent and the amount of alcohol to be consumed is often known in advance. One of the other alleged problems with drinking games is that they create a self reinforcing cycle of drinking (i.e. losing entails drinking) and drinking further increases the chances of losing. While true in theory, it is impractical in reality, as most drinking games - particularly at events - require rotation of losing players out of the game. This makes the most persecuted of all drinking games, Beirut, actually one of the safest. Games in which players are constantly playing, and repeatedly punished for losing are the most dangerous. In order to drink in Beirut, for example, players must wait for their opponents to sink ping pong balls into their own cups filled with beer. But for obvious and practical reasons, the more "dangerous" games are not the types of games played at large gatherings. The social function of party oriented drinking games is more of a help than harm. In team games, there is a sense of unity fostered among players. Not only do teamates naturally develop a relationship in which one will watch out for the other, but even competitors cultivate bonds which can help prevent dangerous situations such as binge drinking to the point of illness or sexual assault from developing. Denoting drinking games as a mechanism for forced drinking is erroneously placing the blame on the game. The problems which arise from drinking games are the same ones which arise from drinking heavily, and drinking games can even help combat some of these negative effects. Humans naturally empathize with whom they interact. Drinking games are not the anonymous mechanisms for forced consumption they appear to be. Games are essentially created by people, for people, in order to have a good time. Properly devised games can provide an interactive form of friendly, competitive entertainment. If the New York Times is correct and 50 to 80 percent of college students are involved in drinking games and there are only a few cases a year reported to Judicial Affairs, then the conclusions drawn are inherently weak. Conclusions drawn only from anecdotal evidence when drinking games go awry are bound to be suspect.

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The Primary Source goes too far when attacking Bacow

October 23

Deciding to respond to The Primary Source is always a hard decision. Should one really scold a group of people who write only to incite resentment and draw attention, trying hard always to mask their goal as conservatism? The comments in the Source bear little merit as insightful conservative thought, so to make up for its inability to understand political issues properly, the publication turns to its other inability: humor. In the Oct. 20 edition of The Primary Source, in its "From the Elephant's Mouth" section, the magazine takes a jab at President Bacow and implies insulting ideas about his values, his religion and his attitude towards homosexuals. Furthermore, the blurb suggests offensively that Tufts Hillel is a homophobic student organization. I'll admit, I read the Source from time to time, and I occasionally laugh at what I find inside its pages. Someone there knows how to craft a funny joke. But, whoever wrote this item of commentary has misunderstood the delicate craft of criticism, and instead has crafted an erroneous, defamatory and slanderous statement that could only be construed as a "joke" by the bored and sorry likes of The Primary Source. The blurb suggests that President Bacow's presence at Parent Weekend Shabbat was a tactic meant to impress "gullible, tuition-paying parents" into thinking that our President is "humble and pious." It also states, speciously, that his appearance at Shabbat services at Hillel was the first time he had been this semester. The implication that President Bacow would arrive at Hillel in order to excite and arouse Tufts' Jewish parents is downright vicious. It is not the place of The Primary Source to comment nor is it its place to count the attendance of President Bacow at Hillel. To imply that he would attend for some ulterior public relations motive is simply disrespectful. To then continue to comment that President Bacow shows up at Hillel "once a year" is just absurd. President Bacow need not defend his religiosity to anyone, regardless of the fact that he was at Kol Nidre services, attends Hillel several times throughout the year, and maintains a quiet but firm Jewish identity on this campus. Seriously, is there someone at the Source whose job it is to count how many times Bacow goes to Hillel every year? For those who do not know, there is a Bible portion in the book of Leviticus that details a list of sexual practices regarded biblically as wrong. Included in this list is the much debated line, Leviticus 18:22: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is an abomination." The Source insinuates the possibility that President Bacow, who attended Hillel, a Jewish organization, might be homophobic himself. Never mind that the list of abominations mentioned was not read at Tufts Hillel. Never mind that the article doesn't make it clear if President Bacow was present at the reading of this passage. Never mind that this intimation is horribly offensive to President Bacow. And certainly, never mind that this suggestion is offensive to Tufts' Jewish community as a whole. By supporting the Old Testament, Judaism does not support homophobia. The far-fetched connection attempted here is ridiculous. The rest of this edition's "From the Elephant's Mouth" includes further rips on gays and on President Bacow's wife, Adele Fleet Bacow. I'm not quite sure what the Bacows, the gays or Tufts Hillel did to The Primary Source to garner such harsh criticisms, though I'm sure someone is going to tell me that it was all meant as a joke. Let me make it clear to the writer of this blurb: you are not funny, and your insinuations, while they are inflammatory and have earned you attention, demonstrate that you simply lack the skills it takes to write an effective, dignified commentary. Write something intelligent and worthwhile. After all, do you really care whether Larry Bacow wears a yarmulke or not?Jon Adler is a sophomore majoring in English and minoring in Mass Communications & Media Studies.

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Natural disasters shift 'Generation Apathetic' into gear

October 23

Joan Baez swings into town this week, attracting throngs of long-haired older fans along with the ghost of the socially-active sixties. But recent tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes and mudslides are showing her can-do spirit didn't end with the passing of tie-dye. College students today are contradicting the lazy, apathetic and disconnected stereotypes frequently thrown on them. Students are getting involved. On the Tufts campus, many students have been participating or coordinating efforts to reach out to the people in Louisiana and Mississippi affected by Hurricane Katrina. From organizing benefit concerts and auctions to holding pot luck luncheons, selling beads and creating Web sites, the students at Tufts contradict the designation "apathetic." "Youth today are involved in different ways than the youth of the '60s and '70s, and the reason they are engaged in different ways is because the circumstances of action have changed," sociology Professor Susan Ostrander said. Other educators agree. "I think there is a big difference in tactics today - certainly, students are not taking over buildings and shutting down the University," said Professor Molly Mead, who teaches in the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS). "Part of [the reason for] that is that today the emphasis is more on the action part of it - students are becoming more pragmatic," Mead said. Mead teaches the Experimental College course "Innovative Non-Profits." Students were able to use their skills from the class pragmatically after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. Junior Sonja Good Stefani organized "No Shoes, Just Stuff to Use," a campus-wide drive for supplies. Seniors Daniel Stuckey, Jason Karp, Jordan Marton and junior Nick Haslett started studentsdonate.org, a Web site that collects funds and channels them to different relief organizations. Many other students are looking to raise quick cash to benefit the needy. Musically-oriented students on campus have been hosting jam sessions. Senior Jon Dimsdale helped the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) put together benefit concerts, both in Cohen Auditorium and off-campus at Johnny D's, a restaurant and bar in Davis Square. "In the days after the hurricane and after receiving Bacow's e-mail about reaching out, the concert was the first thing that came to my mind," Dimsdale said. "Everybody who played at the concert was really eager to [participate]. I asked a few people in the a cappella groups and they were interested right off the bat." Sophomore Jahn Sood, another student musician, donated a cut of his CD sales for the month of September to hurricane relief organizations. "As a college student, I can't really go out like a working person and give money, but as a musician, I can play," Sood said. "We could go play at a church and have a bunch of people giving a little - like $3 - but added together it becomes a significant amount of money." Students have also been working on long-term efforts. LCS Volunteer Vacations will be sending trips to the Jackson, Miss., area this winter. The trips have attracted record levels of interest. According to senior Alexandra Kramer, one of the Volunteer Vacations organizers, the room was "packed" at an informational meeting, and she has been receiving at least two e-mails per day on the subject. Though Hurricane Katrina has been on the minds of many students, and has thus been the first place people are looking to donate their services, it has also drawn out the humanitarian side of Jumbos on campus. For example, while studentsdonate.org was initially created to rebuild the areas affected by Katrina, it will be used in the future to capture student power to respond to similar humanitarian problems. Sophomore Rida Bilgrami created a Facebook group called "Earthquake Relief Effort" to provide relief for Pakistan. Although the earthquake in Pakistan received significant media coverage, Bilgrami feels that non-Pakistani students on campus could benefit from more information. "It was all over BBC and CNN, but I think a lot of people didn't know about it," Bilgrami said. "We want people to get involved and realize that this is not just a South Asian thing, it's not just a Muslim thing - it's a humanitarian issue, and we need to help in any way we can." The group has planned a candlelight vigil for Tues., Oct. 25 and a bake sale on Wed., Oct. 26. According to political science Professor Michael Goldman, a big obstacle to continued relief is the "bubble effect" of increasingly specialized media, which isolates people from world events. "Before, when you only had three channels, by the very nature of only three choices, you were going to bump into things outside of your particular interest," he said. "Now, you could go forever and not know anything about anything other than what you started off with, your initial interest." Some students are skeptical that the newfound activism will continue. "I think people have already forgotten about [the hurricane]," Dimsdale said, adding that he would like to see further community service activity on campus during the semester. He suggested taking a percentage of food sales from the Campus Center Commons, Hotung Caf?© ?r Bookstore one day or setting up a drive would be good ways to continue fundraising efforts. Other students, though, have faith in the continued active citizenship of students. "We live in a time where if you have the means, why wouldn't you?" Kramer said.

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DLC on the right track

October 23

One of the most attractive aspects of any interdisciplinary major is the freedom afforded to students in terms of course selection. This is abundantly clear from a visit to the Web site of the International Relations (IR) program - the most popular major at Tufts. As the program is currently designed, two IR students could graduate with the exact same diploma while having only two courses, Political Science 61 (Intro to International Relations) and Economics 5 (Maco/Microeconomics), in common. While the freedom to design one's own course of study can surely enhance an academic experience, the IR Program is dangerously close to turning this freedom into academic anarchy. Because of its general, and perhaps intentional, lack of focus and structure, the knowledge acquired through the IR course of study will not necessarily be relevant to the student's future career, academic or otherwise. As the Director's Leadership Council (DLC) and the IR faculty have recognized, a drastic restructuring of the curriculum is called for. This is an opportunity to redefine what International Relations is at Tufts, and it should be approached boldly and with a sense of responsibility to future generations of students and scholars. The most important shift that the IR Program can make is to go back to the basics and reaffirm that International Relations is a subfield of political science. While cultural studies, economics and history are all integral parts of the study of international politics and relations among states and transnational entities, they should be treated as secondary to the political science aspect. Currently, an IR major can receive a degree while only taking one very general and introductory course in political science. This means that some IR majors will have only very briefly been introduced to the theoretical underpinnings of international politics before they leave Tufts, ostensibly able to make sense of interstate relations. At the same time, students are required to take eight semesters of a foreign language. The IR Program would do well to treat political science more like a foreign language, and insist that students become fluent in the theoretical aspect of international relations. Another very basic yet extremely important change the IR Program should make is in line with the suggestions of the DLC. In general, the curriculum must become more focused. It must become less horizontal and more vertical, delving deeper into fewer topics in order to increase specialization. This can be accomplished, as the DLC suggested, by increasing the number of thematic cluster courses and by asserting more control over the type of cluster classes that students take. International Relations should also either cut the number of core requirement areas, restrict the number of classes that satisfy these requirements, or pursue both of these strategies. The approved course offerings, especially for the Theories of Society and Culture area, the U.S. Foreign Policy area and the Historical Dimension area are so broad that it may not be an exaggeration to say that many students fill these requirements without even realizing it. Classes should meet a minimum standard of relevance to the student's overall understanding of international politics if placed on the approved list, and it is not at all clear that such a standard - while published at the top of each list of classes - is currently applied to course approval, particularly when a perusal of the IR Web site reveals that virtually every history class not focused on the United States is deemed valuable to the IR major's course of study. It may in fact be of greater utility to simply cut one or two of the above areas and add a second required course in one of the remaining core areas. International Relations is Tufts' largest major because so many Tufts students have an interest in studying and working in the field (although it is possible that this popularity is due to the fact that it is very difficult to study at Tufts for four years without accidentally completing half of the IR Program's requirements). While some students are currently able to pursue a coherent, deep course of study in IR of their own volition, the IR Program should make sure that no majors fall through the cracks of its overly broad and focus-deficent curriculum. The faculty has a duty to protect the study of International Relations at Tufts from a future of incoherent irrelevance.

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Women's Soccer Sidebar | Spectacular defense

October 23

The team's defense once again stole the show this weekend. While the team was unable to come away with a victory over the Ephs, the tie was the next best thing. "Williams possessed the ball very well and our defense did a great job of being patient and waiting until they made a mistake," sophomore midfielder Martha Furtek said. The unit has allowed nine goals all season, and just six in its seven conference games - first in the NESCAC. Junior Jen Fratto, who had to sit out the first few games with stress fractures in her back and has been battling traces of the injury in recent weeks, is the leader of the pack. Her composure around the goal sets the example for her teammates, as she exudes calm confidence while opposing teams rally around the net. "There is a definite difference when she leaves the field," sophomore Joelle Emery said of her fellow defender. "Even though she's battling injuries, she still goes out and plays hard and really keeps us calm and composed." With Fratto holding down the middle, Emery not only roams defensively, but can also to push up on offense and use her big foot create potential scoring opportunities in the box. "Joelle's been playing really well, and she can make the runs up on offense every once in a while," senior tri-captain Sarah Callaghan said. "Her having such a big foot means that even free kicks from farther out are now scoring opportunities." Perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the year for Tufts has been its outside two defenders: sophomores Annie Benedict and Jessie Wagner. The two stepped into defensive roles previously filled by departed seniors and have rarely made mistakes. "They definitely have surprised people," Emery said. "They both have a very good sense of defense, which is helpful." The icing on the defensive cake all season has been junior goalie Annie Ross, who, like Wagner and Benedict, replaced a graduated senior. She has flourished as the Jumbo keeper, leading the league in goals against average and shutouts this season. Her play against the Ephs on Saturday was particularly impressive, as she fended off a potent Williams attack to keep the Jumbos in the game and preserve the 0-0 tie. "Annie had a really great game," Furtek said. "She got a lot of pressure from their offense and came up with some really amazing saves to keep us in it." And while the Jumbos aren't looking past the game in front of them, much less the 2005 season, one small fact can't help but cross the minds of the Jumbos. "Three of the four starters are only sophomores, so they're only going to get better in the future," Callaghan said.

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Getting into business without having a business school

October 23

"It's much more important to get a broad background and not get zeroed in," George Putnam III told students interested in careers in finance Thursday. Putnam, the founder of New Generation Advisers, which specializes in corporate bankruptcies, was the keynote speaker at the financial careers symposium hosted by the Tufts Financial Group and Career Services. He gave three suggestions to students. "One: Always be flexible and open-minded in looking for opportunities. Two: Be sure that you cast your net widely, and be persistent in following up. You should also network widely. Three: Use connections you have." After Putnam's speech, Economics Professor Christopher McHugh moderated a discussion and question and answer session with Jonathan Sloane (LA '80), the co-president and co-CEO of Century Bank and Trust, Robert Ryan of Resolute Financial, a financial planning firm, John Harper (F '85), a principal of Birch Tree Capital, and Bruce Revzin, the CFO of IDG Ventures Boston, which specializes in information and healthcare technology start-ups. Education - in the classroom and on-the-job - is essential for success, the panelists said. "I don't think you can get enough of it," Sloane said. "It's curiosity, and it's doing reading and writing," Harper said. "My educational background didn't really prepare me for what I do. I learned along the way." Harper also said good writing skills were important. "If you can write well and concisely, that's a real pleasure to see," he said. "There's too much information so concise writing is valued." The Tufts name has improved in standing in the business world, Revzin said. "Tufts was always a prestigious school," he said, "but more so now." The panelists were deliberately chosen from diverse fields - not just investment banking. "College focus on finance is very driven by 'I-banking,'" junior Shikha Gupta, the vice president and director of programming for the Tufts Financial Group, said. After the discussion, the panelists and students stayed for a catered networking reception of cookies, cheese, crackers and drinks. They discussed their careers and the steps it took to get to those positions. "People are building networks," Gupta said. "I think the event went well," the Tufts Financial Group's president, Sam Baris, a junior, said. "Students that attended learned a lot from the experiences the panelists had to share." The group, founded last spring as the Tufts Investment Club, now has over 150 members, Baris said. It organizes a stock market competition and educational events on the financial industry.

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Football | Williams flies over ineffective Tufts defense

October 23

After the first half of the season in which the Jumbo defense carried the load for a struggling offense, the defense finally felt the weight of its burden on Saturday, allowing 30 first half points in the Jumbos' 37-13 loss at Williams. Tufts suffered both an offensive and defensive collapse as Williams came out swinging early, building a 30-6 lead by halftime and routing the Jumbos on offense, posting 542 total yards. The game marks the third straight loss for Tufts and drops the Jumbos to under .500 on the season with a record of 2-3. The game also marked the Jumbos' twentieth consecutive loss to Williams since 1987. Tufts seemed to have a chance to make a comeback in the game after a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by freshman William Forde that cut the Ephs' lead to four at 10-6. But after a blocked extra-point, the Jumbos' offense could not pull any other big plays to get back into the game. "Everyone wasn't on the same page, on both sides of the ball," senior Sean Mullin said. "We weren't being responsible or executing when we had to and you can't win in this league when you don't execute." Williams followed up with three touchdowns in the second quarter. The first of the three came on a rushing play from two yards out by junior running back Cory Catelli. On the first play of their next possession, the Ephs posted a second score on a 75-yard touchdown pass, adding to their lead, 23-6. The Ephs were able to expand to their cushion right before the end of the half when they connected again on a 14-yard pass in the end zone with 32 seconds left in the half. Heading into the second half, down 24 points, the Jumbos picked up their play on both sides of the ball, but at that point it was too little too late. A forced fumble recovered by Mullin gave the Jumbos key field position to mount a drive. But a Williams sack on senior quarterback Casey D'Annolfo on a crucial third down forced the Jumbos to punt the ball away. Williams capitalized on the Jumbos' mishaps on offense and posted its last score before the end of the third quarter. Tufts closed out the scoring with its only offensive touchdown in the final seconds of the game when D'Annolfo connected with junior tight end Mark Jagiela on a four-yard pass in the end zone. The Jumbos had a weak showing on offense with 190 total yards. D'Annolfo, who has struggled as of late, went 4-18, throwing for thirty-five yards and one interception as the Jumbos picked up just ten first downs. Senior running back Scott Lombardi had a solid game, rushing for a game-high 120 yards. For a defense that had been strong against the pass, Tufts looked uncharacteristically weak, allowing 391 passing yards. The Ephs were led by junior quarterback Sean Gleeson, who was perfect on the day, going 8-8 and throwing for 215 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Pat Lucey also threw for 179 yards and went 15-18 for Williams. "We weren't getting any pressure on them all day," Mullin said. "[Williams] had a lot of time to throw, and it just made it harder for our secondary." Looking ahead, Tufts will match up against Amherst College next week. Amherst has the second best record in the league at 4-1. A win would put the Jumbos back at .500 and give them some momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. "Right now we have to learn from our mistakes," Mullin said. "Its important to win every week, and for right now we're taking it one game at a time and are just focused on beating Amherst."

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Bring on the C-Movie

October 23

The B-movie used to be a low-budget genre film that accompanied the feature film. Back in the day, this differentiation made sense. You could tell which movies were on the A-list and which were on the B-list, much like you can tell the difference between Kellogg's Raisin-Bran and Star Market's Raisin-DeLite. One was infinitely better than the other. But now, B-movies seem to include almost everything that isn't considered "A-list," and this is an era where A-list movies are an endangered species. People seem to think that's a bad thing. There's a lot of talk about movies recently. The movie studios are whining to the general public that no one goes to movies anymore, which is sort of like that annoying kid who keeps asking why you never made it to his open-mike night debut. Duh, because you can't sing to save your life. The same goes for the movie industry. As the popular argument goes, stop producing crap and I'll pay money to see it. This might not be true. When we hear of a movie, the first thing we do is interpret the title. This is an all-important step, the first filter we run a movie through. The movie studios haven't seemed to grasp this, though. Here's a tip: don't name a movie "Cinderella Man" and then make it about boxing. It confused a lot of people. I myself was watching the preview and my thought process went a little like this: "1930s? The Depression? Boxing? I might actually go see-wha-a-a-a-a?" It doesn't matter if you were trying to romanticize it or attract both genders to the movie, you don't tack on a fairy tale heroine to the opposite gender and make it a serious film. "Snow White Stud" or "Sleeping Beauty Guy" could be about a man in a coma, but the former comes off as an equestrian documentary and the latter sounds like a lame super-hero movie. "Goldilocks and the Three Gentlemen" would have to be porn. But I digress. Once we think the title is interesting, we turn to the reviewers, and here is the movie industry's second problem. A. O. Scott tears movies a new one weekly, but he works for the New York Times, so even if he likes it, his opinion is automatically pretentious and tainted with condescension. Then there's Ebert, who throws the phrase "two thumbs up" around like confetti, and there are the daily blogs of half-wit morons who feel better about themselves when they trash movies. The reviewers don't help us decide what's good and what's bad anymore. Personally, I think the main problem with movies today is the general public, whose high standards are based on a flawed system. These days, the only things considered "A-list" are Oscar-bait movies. Studio X has assembled a crack team of human awesomeness to bring you the best historical reenactment/portrayal of a famous trial/event/battle. The critics love 'em, and the general public is pigeon-holed into believing that this is the pinnacle of cinema, and everything else is useless dreck. But since when were B-movies bad? I'll name off a few to warm you up: "Independence Day," "Air Force One" and "Star Wars." "Independence Day" was a great movie except for all the cheesy one-liners. "Air Force One" brought us the dream of Harrison Ford as the president of the United States, but it was obvious that the movie was cooked up around the unsolvable mystery of how someone could hijack Air Force One. "Star Wars" might have defined the cinema experience and ushered in a new era of film, but it sounds like it was written by a 12-year-old. And yet these are classics, watched over and over and over again by the viewing public. They are B-movies. The problem with B-movies is the unfair implication that comes with it: being associated with all other types of movies that now fall under that category. "Boondock Saints" is not the same as "Bad Boys II," just as (dare I say it) "The Fast and the Furious" is not the same as "2 Fast, 2 Furious." A good example about why we need to differentiate between good and bad B-movies is the era of disaster films that began with the startlingly impressive "Twister" and ended with an unimpressive "The Core." The apex of this series of films was the asteroid movies. We all remember "Armageddon:" superb cast, somewhat terrible script, and Aerosmith wailing in the background. Most of us have chosen to forget "Deep Impact." The casts were equally good: Bruce Willis, Steve Buscemi and Liv Tyler on one, Morgan Freeman, Elijah Wood and Tea Leoni on the other. Both were laden with special effects. The difference was that "Deep Impact" took itself seriously, while "Armageddon" continued to make light of the situation. You can choose to watch Elijah Wood marry his sweetheart so that she can accompany him underground while he waits out the fallout of the comet striking Earth. Or you can see Steve Buscemi go crazy and play with a chain-gun. The choice is obvious for me. If you don't agree with my taste in movies, that's fine, but I think we can all appreciate the fact that the grading system is outdated. As a viewing audience, we are more complex than simple As and Bs. And if little Sally can go to an alternative school and get a purple crocodile for her work on her Civil War project, then we can revamp the movie grading system. We should have C, D and even F-movies. Then the viewing public, much like those who don't strive to overachieve in college, can be OK with a B, and stop complaining.Alex Sherman is a senior majoring in architectural studies. He can be reached via e-mail at alexander.sherman@tufts.edu.

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Blix: 'Critical thinking' key to disarmament

October 23

The United States is an "impatient Mars" and Europe is a "patient Venus," Hans Blix said Friday, and he wants Venus to win. Blix, who ran the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission in the run-up to the United States invasion of Iraq, spoke at the Fletcher School as part of a day-long conference, "Non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: Current Challenges and New Approaches." He urged countries to use "critical thinking," saying that prudence and negotiation will be the key ingredients in successfully curbing the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Now the chairman of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission - formed by the Swedish government in 2003 to study the issue and host seminars - Blix described the dangers of WMDs and gave criticisms of and suggestions for United States foreign policy. "The United States is engaged in a world war against terrorism," Blix said. "The ultimate threat is terrorists using weapons of mass destruction." He said, though, that the United States was quick to use force in response. "I will not belittle the ... risk of these weapons," Blix said. The United States needs, though, "realistic remedies that are proportionate to the risks." Blix spoke in the Carmichael faculty dining hall, and his speech was simulcast in Cabot 205. He discussed the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a set of ad hoc, bilateral partnerships with the State Department to decrease the spread of WMDs announced by President George W. Bush in 2003. The PSI coordinates law enforcement and intelligence agencies between countries, an approach Blix called "dynamic, creative and proactive." Its most important aspect, he said, is the cooperation it encourages. "I think programs on threat reduction ... are prudent and desirable," Blix said. The goal of the international community should not only be to restrict, ban and destroy WMDs, but to reduce the desire of hostile powers to want them in the first place, he said. Blix, along with Mohamed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was in charge of verifying the disarmament of Saddam Hussein's Iraq in compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441. "Where was the critical thinking of the intelligence agencies?" Blix asked about the United States' justification for war. "The fact that the UN had reported that it found no weapons of mass destruction and expressed doubts of the evidence was ignored." The weapons inspectors pulled out as the United States prepared to invade Iraq in the spring of 2003. ElBaradei - who gave the 2003 commencement address at the Fletcher School - and the IAEA received the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize. Blix said the international community should rely on United Nations weapons inspectors to ensure cooperation with resolutions and treaties. "In the area of arms control, the states of the world seem to be a primitive community," he said. The conference was co-sponsored by the Fletcher School and the American Academy of Diplomacy.

The Setonian
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Football Sidebar | Arsenault sidelined

October 23

Tufts football lost a lot more than just the game at Williams on Saturday. Sophomore starting middle-linebacker Adam Arsenault is finished for the year after suffering a dislocated and broken right ankle during the first half of play in Williamstown, Mass. Arsenault was carried off the field in the second quarter by his teammates and, after an evaluation by medical staff, put on a stretcher and taken to the local hospital where his lower right leg was put in a cast. Arsenault, last year's NESCAC Defensive Rookie of the Year, is currently second on the Jumbos in tackles (31), also adding an interception and 0.5 sacks. Arsenault was one of nine returning starters to the Tufts defense in 2005, which, until Saturday's game, had not allowed an opponent more than 10 points all season. "It's a reassuring feeling knowing that Arsenault's back behind you," junior defensive end and leading tackler Chris Decembrele said. "Middle-linebacker is one of those [crucial] positions where you need someone like him." Arsenault went to the grass and tore his helmet off immediately after the play midway through the second quarter, rolling on his back in pain. According to Arsenault, he was attempting to bring down a Williams' running back on an outside tackle after a blitz. While trying to jump on the ball carrier from behind, Arsenault's right foot got caught under another player falling to the ground. Play was stopped for over five minutes as coaches and trainers attended to Arsenault near the Williams sideline. Eventually, players from the Jumbos' bench were called onto the field to help bring Arsenault off the playing field. The broken bone was exacerbated by torn tendons, making it difficult for doctors to reset the ankle without help from a cast. According to offensive coordinator Mike Daly, team doctors will evaluate Arsenault later this week to determine a best course of action and whether surgery is necessary. Otherwise, Arsenault should be able to have the cast removed sometime two months from now. The sophomore says he expects to play next season.

The Setonian
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Big changes needed for IR program

October 23

Students in charge of advising the International Relations program have made their first recommendations: decrease core requirements, increase the number of cluster courses and make certain cluster courses required. The Director's Leadership Council (DLC) - formed last spring by the program's director, political science professor Malik Mufti - presented its proposals to students and faculty last week. DLC Co-Chairs Mauricio Artinano and Ipek Gulec, both seniors, and junior DLC member Alexandra Liveris led the presentation Monday to students and some faculty, including Mufti. The DLC students attended a meeting of the program's core faculty on Wednesday. The goal of the proposals, the students said, was to make the program more coherent but keep it interdisciplinary. According to the 2003-2004 University Fact Book, published by the Office of Institutional Research, the international relations program has the most graduating seniors of any major. "[The DLC] has a very ambitious agenda," Artinano said. The international relations major's core requirements are Introduction to International Relations, Principles of Economics, and one course each in international economics, United States foreign policy, theories of society and culture and the historical dimension. There is also an eight-semester foreign language requirement, as opposed to six for other liberal arts majors, and a foreign language culture requirement. Students must then choose a thematic cluster from which to take four courses. The cluster options are foreign policy analysis, regional and comparative analysis, global conflict, cooperation and justice, international economics and environment, and nationalism, culture and identity. There is also a seminar requirement, which the program recommends but does not require to be from the chosen cluster. This requirement can be fulfilled by a year-long senior honors thesis or a one-semester directed research project. These requirements, Artinano said, only give majors an "intermediate grasp of theory." The DLC students proposed to address the problem by increasing the number of courses required to fulfill the thematic cluster from four to six. In the presentation, the students gave the example of the Middle East and Southeast Asia option in the regional and comparative analysis cluster. The cluster can be satisfied by Economic Development, Macroeconomic Development, International Economics and U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East - only one course specific to the region. Liveris called the current format, "not necessarily the best foundation." The students recommended the creation of required subsections within the clusters. In the regional and comparative analysis clusters, they said, this could include history, economics, cultural and political science requirements, in addition to two cluster electives. "It would be more meaningful to have a more coherent body of knowledge on an issue," Gulec said. The proposed changes are a result of dissatisfaction in recent years by the program's students. "Seniors have complained that their major did not provide them with a specialized body of knowledge," Gulec said. The DLC also suggested changing the seminar requirement. "The range of courses for the seminar requirement is quite limited," Artinano said. The students recommended allowing internships and a "capstone project" to count for the seminar requirement. "We thought if the major recognizes internships more ... students would get a better chance to experience active global citizenship," Gulec said. Sophomore Alexander Sultan-Khan, an international relations major, liked the students' proposals for the seminar requirement. "Many of the reforms suggested by the DLC were well founded," he said. "I believe it would be a great way to get students acquainted to careers that they may consider in the future." The DLC also made proposals to increase public speaking instruction, make basic geography knowledge a requirement and create writing-intensive courses within the program that would count toward the University's writing requirement. In addition to the proposed changes to the existing thematic clusters, the students wanted the creation of new clusters on current issues, including terrorism, security studies and sustainable development. After the students presented at the faculty meeting, Mufti said, "There was considerable discussion about various aspects of the proposed reforms." The proposals are now being considered by the program's executive committee. The students' ideas were not unexpected, Mufti said. "They articulated what many of the faculty feel as well," he said. According to Mufti, the consensus among the faculty was that the core requirements should be reduced, the cluster requirements increased, and more appropriate course options be offered for each requirement. "In general, they were very receptive to our proposal," Artinano said of the faculty. Gulec said he got the same impression. "I think they are considering our proposal very seriously and positively," he said. Despite the initial receptiveness of the faculty, the DLC has to wait for the executive committee decisions. "I believe the hardest part of the proposal will be eliminating some core requirements," Gulec said. "We are very optimistic," Artinano said, "We feel that any change will be very helpful to the program."

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