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NESCAC grouping invites competition and comparisons

September 28

You attend a NESCAC school, but do you feel like a NESCAC kid? You know the stereotypes of these small liberal arts colleges: Middlebury students are rich and snobby. Wesleyan students are very...granola. Bates is covered in snow year-round. "Everyone at Middlebury is exactly the same - blond, preppy kids who come from private schools and rich parents," senior Meredith Harris said. "Wesleyan is very alternative - very smelly armpits," senior Emily Hershburdick said. "I stayed there before coming to Tufts, and [the girl I stayed with] seemed spunky and fun, but then she was telling me how they don't party, but occasionally they chase each other down the hall and kick a big ball around." Whether these stereotypes are valid is unclear but the NESCAC grouping does invite comparison - and competition - between member schools. NESCAC, or the New England Small College Athletic Conference, was founded in 1971 to serve the intercollegiate athletics of liberal arts colleges and universities in the New England area. It now has eleven member schools: Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Wesleyan University, Williams College, Bates College, Colby College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Connecticut College - and Tufts University. Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser said Tufts is difficult to compare to other NESCAC schools because of its size, its many institutions, and its relatively urban environment. "I think they [the other NESCAC schools] see Tufts as a larger version of themselves, which isn't really accurate," he said. In the academic realm there are similarities: all the NESCAC schools are intellectually solid, diverse, liberal, and rank well against other liberal arts colleges and national universities. While some, including Amherst College, allow for a completely open curriculum, many have "general" course requirements - similar to Tufts' distribution requirements - in math, science and English to graduate. Junior Erica Brody, who transferred from Trinity to Tufts last year, said the schools have similar academic environments. "Academically, the schools are comparable," she said. "The professors at Trinity had a great impact on me - Tufts and Trinity both have great academics." While the classrooms are popular, sports are not. "As far as fan support goes, the only people who show up to our games are our parents or really close friends," Tufts sophomore and softball player Erica Bailey said. "People don't really seem to have a huge interest in women's sports in general around here. Maybe it's because most NESCAC schools are so hardcore when it comes to academics that people forget the athletes." Games might not be popular but athletes are not forgotten. According to William G. Bowen and Sarah A. Levin - the authors of "Reclaiming the Game: College Sports and Educational Values" - 20 to 33 percent of entering students at the typical New England school are composed of recruited athletes. "I don't like Williams or Amherst because they're good at basketball, especially Amherst," Tufts senior and basketball player Dan Martin said. Athletic rivalries are stronger at other NESCAC schools, Brody said. "Trinity is a smaller school, so people were more invested in the school sporting events," Brody said. "That's not to say that kids aren't invested in school activities at Tufts - they are. But the interests are more diverse at Tufts because of the school's nature: it's bigger, and it's a university rather than a college." Since all NESCAC schools are located in New England, they are usually further away from big cities and nightlife. "There's a bigger bar scene here, and Boston is a college city, so there's more opportunities to meet other students," Brody said. The on-campus social scene at Tufts, Broday said, is more varied than Trinity: "Trinity parties were more frat-oriented," she said. "There are more options here." At other rural NESCAC schools, complaints about social life are common. "One of my closest friends goes to Bates, and he thinks it lacks in social spirit," senior Hilary Pentz said, adding that "overall, the thing he complains about the most is that there is snow on the ground six months of the year." Colby and Trinity boasted glowing reviews of their campuses based on attractiveness - in College Prowler, one Trinity male claimed the girls are so hot, he thanks God when spring comes around - and almost all schools affirmed that well-dressed individuals dominate their campus. All NESCAC schools posted positive reviews of their guys and girls in College Prowler - with the exception of Tufts. One student justified the ugly ducklings of Tufts by posting "smart people are generally not good-looking." Others claimed the girls are definitely better looking than the guys. Expect the number of members in the "Why Are There No Hot Guys at Tufts?" Facebook group to continue rising. Alex Dretler and Patrice Taddonio contributed to this article.

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News

Climb a mountain, walk in the woods

September 28

With all the draws of Boston - Red Sox games at Fenway, concerts in Central Square, and dinners in the North End - on top of the abundance of campus events, it's easy to see how the natural beauty and excitement of the New England wilderness can get overlooked. As many Tufts students hail from some of the largest cities in the country and the world, many have never even seen a mountain over 5,000 feet, much less climbed one. But this weekend, they will have the chance to do just that, as the Tufts Mountain Club (TMC) invites Tufts undergraduates, and especially freshmen and first-timers, up to the University's Loj for Newcomers' Weekend. "We're mostly geared towards freshmen, but also anyone who's never been," said Hannah Shaw, a sophomore and TMC member. "We try to raise a lot of awareness about the Loj." Located about two hours north of Medford in Woodstock, NH, the Loj is owned and operated by the University, and while it is open to all Tufts students, it often hosts special groups around campus for retreats. "It's a place to get away from all the academics," Loj Director junior Dan Hechavarria said. "You can immerse yourself in the company of lots of cool people." The weekend's agenda will feature a broad array of events that range from apple-picking and pumpkin-carving for less outdoorsy Jumbos to mountain climbing and canoeing on the Pemigewasset River. "We are right in the middle of the Presidential Mountains, so there will be a lot of day hikes up Lafayette, Lincoln, Haystack, Flume, that whole ridge line," junior TMC vice-president Jen Crawford said. "It's gorgeous up there." If the weather holds, one of the weekend's marquee events will be a hike to the top of Mt. Adams, which stands as the second-tallest peak in New Hampshire at 5,774 feet. However, because TMC members recognize that rock climbing does not represent the ideal Saturday afternoon for all Tufts students, they try to offer different activities both in the Boston area and up at the Loj. "Our goal is just to get people outside, so we offer all sorts of things for all different levels of experience and interest," Shaw said. "We provide a forum for people who haven't had much outdoor experience to do all sorts of activities in the area, from short hikes to rock climbing to huge games of Capture the Flag." Trying to juggle class schedules, extracurricular activities, campus events, and trips into Boston, many Tufts students are either unaware of the Loj or haven't been able to take advantage of the opportunities it offers. "I've met so many people who are juniors or seniors who still haven't been to the Loj, so we try to crush that right at the beginning," Crawford said. "If you go once, you've got to go again." As freshmen are bombarded with opportunities to get involved with on-campus and off-campus groups, TMC is hoping to offer something with a slightly different appeal. "A lot of the draw of the Loj is to get to know people that you don't come across in other parts of your life," Shaw said. "You get to know people from all different walks of life and all four classes. It's just good clean fun - apple-picking, rock-climbing, and our newest thing is Mattress Kickball." "We're really just trying to get the information out there," Crawford added. "This is what Loj has to offer, so come up and check it out.

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News

TV Review | 'Everybody Hates Chris' and for a good reason

September 28

Throughout the fifty-year history of sitcoms, every imaginable gimmick has been tried to add a new twist to the basic formula of familiar characters getting themselves into and out of hilarious predicaments. Sitcom smash "M*A*S*H" (1972-1983) found something to laugh about in the Korean War, and "Seinfeld" (1990-1998), which billed itself as a show about nothing, will likely enjoy an equally long afterlife in syndication. "Everybody Hates Chris," which premiered on UPN last Thursday, is a show about the early life of Chris Rock, narrated by Rock himself. Far from joining the two aforementioned classic TV shows in the history books, though, "Everybody Hates Chris" seems destined to be quickly forgotten. The first episode profiles Chris (Tyler James Williams) and his family as they move out of the projects and into a new neighborhood. Chris has his hands full trying to fit in at his new school, and his parents are also busy trying to manage the kids and pay the bills. The episode is full of plenty of Rock's classic one-liners and jabs. In describing his new school's neighborhood, for example, he explains: "Much like rock and roll, school shootings were also invented by blacks, and stolen by the white man." Rock recounts his schooling as "Not a Harvard-type education, just a not-sticking-up-a-liquor-store-type education." Even when the narrative is at its funniest, however, the show boils down to Chris Rock doing a comedy routine with his own life as the subject. While Rock is funny during on-stage appearances, because this is a family show on UPN, drugs, sex and swearing are all excised from his regular comedic vocabulary. Add that to the fact that all of his jokes must relate to the specific slow-paced plotline, and the result is Chris Rock's voice with a decidedly un-Chris-Rock tone. Damaging the show further, the writers seemingly forgot that sitcoms are supposed to be comedies about situations (hence, SITcom). "Seinfeld" was successful because in every episode it managed to build up a set of intertwined premises between Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer, and then unravel them at the end in one climactic scene. Jerry's witticisms played second fiddle to the flow of the plot. This has been the case in scores of popular sitcoms, all the way from "I Love Lucy" (1951-1957) to "Friends" (1994-2004). "Everybody Hates Chris" has it backwards. While the jokes are comical, the plot is anything but. As Chris starts attending his new all-white school, he trades harsh words with the school bully. The two have a fight after school and Chris laments messing up his new shoes, but predictably, everything turns out okay in the end, since he is able to clean them before his mom notices. This series of events alone, without the omnipresent voice of Rock narrating, would not hold a viewer's attention past the first commercial. This is a boring show that Rock dubs over and adds jokes to, making it watchable and at some times funny, but no less inane. If nowhere else, "Everybody Hates Chris" does a good job in one area - casting. Tichina Arnold, as Chris' mother Rochelle, is convincingly sassy as a mother trying to balance working with raising her kids. When Chris' brother Drew (Tequan Richmond) asks why he is wearing his new shoes to school, Rochelle snaps, "'Cause you only have one pair of feet." Terry Crews, as Rock's father Julius, also turns in an agreeable performance as a penny-pinching and imposing father figure. Finding a half-eaten chicken wing in the garbage, he exclaims, "That's a dollar nine cent in the trash!" Still, the performance of the cast members alone isn't enough to make up for the failures of the writers. As long as Rock is able to punctuate the boredom of the actual show with his post-production commentary, "Everybody Hates Chris" will not be a show entirely devoid of merit. However, without the traditional setup of clever, entertaining storylines, it is unclear how long this "sitcom" will keep anyone's attention.

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News

At Mountain Club's Loj, a little nudity, a little noise

September 28

Despite his double electrical and biomedical engineering majors and pre-med track, junior Dan Hechavarria doesn't frequent Tisch Library on the weekends. His course load is hectic but he isn't in his apartment studying on Fridays and Saturdays. Most weekends, he isn't even in Massachusetts. Hechavarria drives 120 miles north to one of the University's lesser-known properties, the lodge. The comfortable yet cozy retreat is nested in the White Mountains of New Hamsphire in the small town of Woodstock (population 1,164). Affectionately called the "Loj" by the Tufts Mountain Club (TMC), the retreat is a gateway to the outdoors. Hechavarria serves as Loj Director for TMC. "I was up every weekend this summer until I had to take a class during the second [summer] session," Hechavarria said. "Now I go at least every two weeks during the semester. I have an enormous amount of work, but I can never get work done up there, so all the work gets done on Sunday night when I get back." Any member of the Tufts student body can use the Loj for $10-$15 per night, which includes food. The TMC has detailed guidelines for the building on its Web site (http://ase.tufts.edu/mountainclub). The Loj is visually appealing, coupling a modern feel with a rustic, all-wood look. It has 26 beds and extra mattresses spread through three bunk rooms which ring a large common room. There are full bathrooms (with plumbing!) and a kitchen. The Loj has a roomy porch facing east off the common room, which brings sunlight through the large common room window. "We have bonfires almost every night," TMC vice president Jen Crawford explained. "We also play Frisbee on the lawn, and have a bunch of games in the library." The Loj's library, while it may be lacking in biochemistry texts, has a selection of board games, popular fiction and activities to keep guests occupied on a rainy Saturday. "I'm a Scrabble guy, personally," Hechavarria said. "We also play Trivial Pursuit a lot. But you know, usually people like to put their own spins on games." Hechavarria's favorite is "Mattress Kickball." "We lay out extra mattresses in the yard, and the rules are that you have to dive or jump onto the mattress to be safe," Hechavarria said. The Loj is opened nearly every weekend, all four seasons. The building has a fun reputation, especially when Wilderness Pre-Orientation groups invade in August. "I guess Wilderness is notorious for having a bit of nudity and maybe a little noise," Hechavarria said, laughing a little. "But that's not affiliated with the Mountain Club." According to Hechavarria, living next to dozens of nudity-prone, alcohol-drinking, fun-loving college students each weekend does not bother the neighbors. "We actually get along with the locals really well," he said.

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News

Golf | One step forward, one back for golf team

September 27

After the Tufts golf team finished first at Colby College's Sid Farr International Saturday, the team was jubilant. The result of Tuesday's ECAC Championships at the Hamden Country Club proved in golf, momentum can shift as quickly as New England weather. The Jumbos finished 12th out of 19 teams. Salem State took first place with a score of 18-over 306, well ahead of the Jumbos' aggregate mark of 333, tied with Brandeis at 45-over. "We knew we weren't going to win," said coach Bob Sheldon, who is in his 16th year with the team. "We were a little tired from Saturday. We had to leave here at 6 a.m. It was just a bad day on the course ... it just wears down on you." There were a few bright spots yesterday. Junior co-captains Matt Linde and Justin Meier finished first and second for Tufts. Linde shot a smooth 75, tying for third overall, while Meier finished with a 78, a tie for 11th place. Meier and Linde have been the top two for Tufts in every tournament this year. "I think I played pretty well. I was struggling with putting before, but today I putted really well. That's the big difference for me," Linde said. Sophomore David Hunt agreed with Linde's self-assessment. "He had a really stellar performance. He hit the ball really well. He played really strong." Meier's performance impressed his teammates. "Justin Meier played really well. He came through for us big," Hunt said. Hunt, meanwhile, was one of several Jumbos who struggled yesterday. He shot a 90, a far cry from his 79 on Saturday. "My mind pretty much wasn't focused today," he said. "I got off on the wrong foot and it went down from there." His teammates didn't seem to be worried. "Watch out for Dave Hunt," Linde said. "I'm sure he's going to bounce back." With Hunt in the standings was senior co-captain Sebastian Gonzalez, who also finished at 90, while freshman Phil Haslett finished at 103 in last place in his first college tournament. "[Haslett] had a lot of nerves. He didn't find out until late Monday night that he was going to play," Sheldon said. "It's kind of tough to do that." With the golf team retaining only three players, this upcoming season might be focused on rebuilding. Despite his performance, Sheldon said Haslett's participation was postitive. "He can get a feel for it. We want our freshmen to play so they can be contributors later on at Tufts," Sheldon said. Hunt sympathizes with the new players. "Freshman year wasn't easy," he said. "I was getting used to Tufts ... I had struggled. This year, I am more focused and it shows in most of my scores." But the team is optimistic about the future. "This year is definitely going to be the best year. We have three players who should be below 80 every time we go out," Linde said. The next two tournaments, NESCAC Tournament at Williams and the New England Championships, will be huge tests for this young team. "We want to finish in the top three out of 11 at the NESCAC tournament. Last year we finished 20th out of 48 teams in the New England tournament, and this year we want to be in the top 15," Sheldon said. Despite the bump that was the ECAC, the team is confident they can accomplish these goals in the upcoming tournaments.

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News

TV Review | UPN asks us to be on our best model behavior

September 27

Since the dawn of time, artists have debated the epitome of beauty. Thousands of representations, from cavegirls in tiger-hide miniskirts, to busty Renaissance ladies, to fluorescent screen-printed Marilyn Monroes, have proven that the female form is the essence of aesthetic bliss. Beer commercials eventually taught us that the only thing better than a pretty girl is lots of pretty girls. And now we have finally received the last piece of wisdom in our quest for beauty: the only thing better than lots of pretty girls is lots of pretty girls embarrassing themselves by tripping in high heels and crying when they get haircuts. This Schadenfreude-laced revelation comes to us courtesy of "America's Next Top Model" which began its fifth "cycle" (like a season, only sexier) last Wednesday. The modeling reality show gives 13 girls the chance to win representation with Ford Models, a contract with CoverGirl, a photo shoot with Elle magazine, and an ELLEgirl cover with Tyra Banks, the show's host. Every week, the wannabe models compete in a fashion shoot, usually one with an absurd theme. In the premiere, for instance, the girls had to dress up as superheroes and pose suspended on an elaborate setup of wires. Each girl's "best shot" is selected and presented before the panel of judges who eliminate one contestant every week until only the winner remains. Fans of "Model" will immediately notice a conspicuous difference in the panel of judges for this cycle: beloved 100 percent silicone nutcase Janice Dickinson (of "Surreal Life" fame... if fame is the right word) has been replaced by '60s icon and actual supermodel "Twiggy" Lawson. This choice might add a little more class and legitimacy to the judging process, but the tradeoff is that there will no longer be anyone to make out with Banks for no reason. Dickinson's absence is compensated for by the over-the-top additions of J. Alexander ("runway expert" and walking coach) and Jay Manuel (makeup artist and photo director). Rounding out the male portion of the judges' panel is Nigel Barker, a fashion photographer and resident straight guy who clearly adores the fact that his career involves lots of scantily-clad beautiful women. Though the show is ostensibly about the fates of the 13 girls battling it out for their piece of the runway, it's clear that Banks is the real star. In addition to the dozens of ads for her impending talk show, Banks pulls double duty as host and judge. She also, for some reason which is never explained, does her own version of that week's photo shoot and mugs for the camera whenever possible. Undoubtedly the best part of each episode is the final elimination scene. Banks announces, one by one, the competitors who are still in the running. When there are only two left, Banks asks them to step forward, describes the positives and negatives of each of their performances, and finally informs one of the visibly shaken girls that she is still "in the running to become America's next top model." This entire sequence would be unremarkable if not for Banks's delivery: her voice trembling with emotion, she is barely able to choke out each syllable. By the time she gets to "top model," she's practically whispering, and everyone is hoping Twiggy remembered to get the smelling salts, since Banks seems on the verge of swooning. Also contributing to the thrill of the final elimination scene is the arbitrariness of the judges' choices. In last week's episode, the final two contestants remaining were Ashley, who claimed in her interview that her family had a "pretty gene," and Sarah, whose lips would make Angelina Jolie think she needed Botox, but who tripped in her high heels (twice!) during the runway challenge. Clearly, Ashley was the stronger candidate, but the judges decided to keep Sarah for one more week and sent "pretty gene" packing. Obviously, one of the joys of the show is mocking the models' vapidity (in the premiere, no one really recognized Twiggy, even after Banks gave a fairly lengthy bio) but this year's crop seems more articulate than models past. Although poster-girl-for-inferiority-complex Nicole lost points last week for not knowing how to make Cup Noodles, beauty pageant winner Cassandra impressed by giving a surprisingly accurate (albeit extremely creepy) definition of "sociopath." Additionally, androgynous lesbian Kim lists "The Economist" as one of her favorite magazines and "plus-sized" Diane's real job is a criminal defense investigator. This year's group of models strikes an important balance between the nice girls who will try to avoid trouble (former Dairy Queen employee Kyle and high schooler Ebony, for example) and those who are going to yell at girls for looking at them the wrong way (Harlem tough girl Bre and in-your-face Lisa). There is also more of a focus on unconventional beauties this time around: there's Coryn, with the athletically cut arms and thick eyebrows, Nik, whose features are all large and dramatic, and Jayla, whose punk rock ear spacers had to be covered up in last week's photo shoot. Cynics can't hope for another fiasco as great as last season when Keenyah wasn't sure if Nelson Mandela was alive or dead, but the jerk inside all of us looks forward to seeing a beautiful girl leave the set in tears every Wednesday for the next 12 weeks.

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News

Unique 'Defiance, Ohio' ain't no trip to Cleveland

September 27

In Julianne Moore's new movie, "Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio," Moore fills the role of the 1950s suburban housewife. How, then, does a director from New York who calls herself "a middle-aged menopausal broad" identify with Moore's character, Evelyn Ryan? First-time director Jane Anderson worked with Moore and Woody Harrelson, who played Evelyn's alcoholic husband Kelly, on a film that celebrates the independence of the stay-at-home mother. With ten children and a husband who spends his paycheck at the liquor store, Moore's character single-handedly supports her family by entering ad-writing contests. Anderson adapted the screenplay for the movie from the nonfiction memoir by one of the Ryan children, Terry "Tuff" Ryan. The Daily sat down with Anderson to discuss the unique point of view she brought to the film.Question: Julianne Moore's and Woody Harrelson's characters both have very extreme personalities in the film as an eternal optimist and as an angry alcoholic, respectively. How did you make these characters believable or likable for the audience?Jane Anderson: It's a very delicate line all of us were walking. All of us who are urban and artistic and consider ourselves sophisticated make the assumption that optimism is linked to naivete I was like that; I lived in New York... So I always equated art in the intellectual world with darkness...The older I got, and then when I became a mother, I found that way of life very, very exhausting, and it didn't serve either my family or my art. Julianne Moore did such a brilliant job in balancing the intelligence with the insistence of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. You can see her actively deliberating, deciding not to go to the dark place, and that's what saves the film and her character from being shallow. Woody [Harrelson] did the same thing on his end. He showed the tenderness in that poor beaten man's heart. And how does it end? Does he take over with his doom? No, she laughs at him. The power of laughter is so enormous ... So I follow the Evelyn Ryan way of life, which is very strong. She never let Kelly walk over her. She was clear, she was strong, she was decisive, but she was compassionate. It's the only way to get through this life.Q: Was the Evelyn Ryan school of thought what drew you to the project?JA: [Nods] And also I'd never seen a story about a housewife that was heroic. In our post-feminist times, as someone who grew up in the feminist era, I accepted the premise that staying at home was wrong and oppressive and a bad thing to do. But to read about Evelyn Ryan who was intelligent and knew how to work the advertising system and always kept her brain alive and actually enjoyed her life and had no regrets, that's what attracted me to this story. I'm interested in characters with no regrets because my objective is to live a life [where,] when I'm an old lady on my way out, I want to know that I've lived my life and even the bad stuff that's happened to me I have no regrets about. What I found was that any nasty turn of events that ever happened to me always led me to something better, and that's what Evelyn understood. That's what you start to get when you're a middle-aged menopausal broad. Nothing is bad. That's Buddhist as well; you observe what's happening to you. It is what it is.Q: What was it like working on a true story? Did you feel that your creativity was limited and that it was harder to follow the guidelines?JA: It is always hard, especially if you like the people you're writing about. At the beginning I felt like I had a lot of responsibility to Terry Ryan...It gave me a degree of writers' block, and my first draft wasn't very good. When you're writing true stories you usually write a crappy first draft that just gets the facts down, and then you give yourself permission to be an artist and give your interpretation to it.Q: What struck me was that the title of the movie brings the focus to the contesting and prize-winning aspects of the film. Is that really the main point of the movie though?JA: No, the main point of the movie is this; the premise for the film for me is that pain is inevitable but suffering is an option. Early on, [producer Robert] Zemeckis and I talked about the fact that we didn't want this to be a film [in which] the end is "Yay, they won!" It could have been just a very ordinary sports film structure where the whole film is about the winning, where that's the end and that's the goal, but it isn't.

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News

Changes to 2006 MCAT worry pre-med students

September 27

Students looking to apply to medical school next year will face a different test than this year's seniors. Starting next August, students will take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) on computers, as opposed to on paper. The change was announced this summer by the Association of American Medical Colleges - the group that runs the MCAT. The number of test dates is also being increased, from two a year to 22, and the length of the test is being shortened. The computer tests can be graded more quickly, as well. Results will be available after 30 days instead of after 50. Carol Baffi-Dugan, the health professions advisor, said the changes should alleviate students' stress. The computer tests are also designed to increase security and prevent fraud. "This is really a big deal," Amjed Mustafa, a representative from Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, said. "The MCAT is taken by approximately 60,000 students." Students in the pre-med program, though, have begun expressing anxiety and suspicion about the changes. With the computer tests, students will have to copy diagrams and tables onto scratch paper to work out problems, Mustafa said. Students will not be able to highlight or underline passages. Kaplan will soon offer courses on strategies designed for the new test format - leading some students to complain about the test's bias. "It sends the message that if you have the money you will have a greater chance of doing well on the exam," pre-med sophomore Andrea Thoumi said. "It's specifically geared to the mechanics of the exam." The new MCAT "is weeding out people based not on their intelligence but on their financial background," pre-med sophomore Laura Uwakwe said. This is a common criticism of standardized testing preparation courses. A recent Kaplan survey of 3,858 pre-med students found that 82 percent felt they would perform worse on the computer-based test than on the current paper MCAT. Kaplan will offer a free seminar this fall on the changes to the test. "We're educating students to try to explain to them exactly where they fit in and what their options are," Mustafa said. Some students also said they were afraid of computer malfunctions, and that paper tests were more reliable. "If my screen froze," Uwakwe said, "I would throw my computer at the proctor." Baffi-Dugan said the shift to computer-based testing for the MCAT is positive. "I think it's a shift in the direction that all standardized tests are taking," she said. "It's all plusses from my perspective." She said some students have taken a pilot version of the computer test and liked it. "If they look at the plusses they'll be a lot less stressed."

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News

Theater Review | 'Camelot' is fairy tale come to life

September 27

One second, you're sitting in the audience of the grand Schubert Theatre in downtown Boston, and the next, you're swallowed into a medieval world of passionate lust, evil sorcery and chivalry, with a lovely musical score to go along with it. The show begins on a magical snowy day in the beloved kingdom of Camelot. There, we see a number of animal creatures frolicking through the snow while King Arthur (Joseph Dellger) hides in a tree, looking to sneak a peek at his new wife-to-be, Guinevere (Nili Bassman). At once, the audience is welcomed to the show with a bright, opulent and cheery stage. One can easily see that detail is important to set designers Michael Anania and Jerome Martin who worked to incorporate every possible fantastic element of medieval life into the production. What's more, the pair use the modern stage of the Schubert to their advantage in creating designs that show off the theatre's versatility. Scene changes transition smoothly, despite involving large-scale set pieces. The theatre itself is used as a prop of sorts; the top two box seats on either side of the stage are constantly incorporated into the production, and characters are seated there during certain parts of the show. Director Gabriel Barre's stage directions emphasize the crux of the story - the intense love triangle between King Arthur, his wife Guinevere, and King Arthur's right-hand man, Lancelot. This dynamic is artistically and subtly expressed throughout the production. The furtive looks that Lancelot and Guinevere exchange while King Arthur is in the room are especially powerful in conveying the treacherous adultery going on in Camelot. Along with Barre's interest in the theme of infidelity, he highlights the more comedic parts of the show as well. In the number "C'est Moi," Lancelot sings a song about himself and walks through a series of comedic vignettes where he defends all those in harm's way. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's lyrics remain as entertaining as ever, playing on aspects of the King Arthur story that audiences still find funny 45 years after they were written. "I'm not very accomplished at thinking, so I have Merlin do it for me," King Arthur says at one point. This cynicism entertains audience members of all ages and keeps them on their toes. It's evident that the cast works hard to keep the audience enthralled. Actors who work in musical theatre in general must be accomplished multi-taskers, since they dance and sing as well as act, and this cast is certainly up to the challenge. Joseph Dellger conveys an extremely masculine presence on stage with a deep baritone voice that resonates confidence and poise. Bassman's Guinevere, on the other hand, uses her naive and delicate femininity in her portrayal of the young queen. Although some songs were a bit high for her and she was occasionally out of her vocal range, eventually Bassman warmed up and her vocal flexibility became apparent. The supporting cast is equally talented, providing the perfect complement to Dellger and Bassman's leads. Adam Wylie exhibits his talent and flexibility in a variety of characters. Maxime Alvarez de Toledo provides a strong Lancelot with a sweet baritone voice, but his accent is a bit put-on, despite his heritage. Josh Grisetti, who plays Arthur's evil son Mordred, on the other hand, was able to manage a splendid Scottish accent for the entire show. David Coffee was brilliantly eccentric as the oddball King Pellinore. Pamela Scofield designed the costumes to fit into the luxurious medieval motif; most were bright in color and had a sumptuous appearance onstage. Scofield adds a modern touch to the ancient tale by having Adam Wylie's page character wear jeans in all of the scenes, a reference to Mark Twain's book, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." The North Shore Music Theatre troupe's new production of Camelot is truly awe-inspiring, leaving audiences on their feet, clamoring for more. Despite the fact that this is a particularly long production, the audience is enthralled by every detailed action that takes place on stage. All in all, the Shubert's dazzling and spectacular production of Camelot truly defies expectations and leaves audience members wanting more.

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News

AOL blocks Tufts e-mail after spam reports

September 27

America Online refused e-mail from Tufts accounts for 24 hours last week, thanks to an early semester surge in outgoing spam messages. America Online (AOL) alerted the University at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22. "They were not accepting mail from Tufts because they felt Tufts was sending them too much spam," Lesley Tolman, the director of the University's information technology infrastructure, said. During the 24-hour block, Tolman said, e-mail from Tufts accounts was temporarily queued. The messages were re-sent once the block was lifted. Tens of thousands of e-mails were sent to AOL from the Tufts server, AOL spokesperson Nicholas Graham said. According to Tolman, students return at the beginning of each semester with various viruses on their computers that automatically send spam e-mails from the Tufts server. "While many students bring their infected machines to Tufts Online to be cleaned, not all do," she said. AOL has what it calls a white list - "accredited and known centers of legitimate bulk email," Graham said. Tufts is not currently on the AOL list, so the company received many spam e-mail reports. "A number of people were pressing the report spam button," he said. "Because Tufts was not on the white list," Graham said, "we could not tackle the problem as quickly as we would have liked." Tolman said there is a spam quota that triggers the e-mail block, and that AOL has used the block on the Tufts server before. "AOL has established a threshold for complaints," she said. "It's highly likely that the mail that pushed the threshold this time was spam." Tufts is now in the process of being added to the AOL white list to avoid future problems.

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Onward and Upward | Alumnus simultaneously serves the community and the government

September 27

When Randall Ravitz was a student, his name was written in chalk next to his fellow Tufts Community Union Senators. After a decade of hard work, his name displayed with slightly more elite company: Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Riley. As Assistant Attorney General, Ravitz (LA '93) represents the state of Massachusetts in appellate criminal cases, handles habeas corpus petitions, and represents government officials subpoenaed in civil cases. While on the Hill, his most influential and enjoyable class was "Industrial and Organizational Psychology," taught by Psychology Lecturer Harold Miller-Jacobs. The class educated students on how to deal with organizational dynamics, motivate members, and lead a successful group. Ravitz said these types of skills are indispensable no matter the career. He also acknowledged Miller-Jacobs' foresight: "[He] always insisted that we all use e-mail at a time that I hadn't even heard of it before!" Ravitz said. Ravitz's involvement in the TCU Senate helped develop his leadership abilities. He was a member of the Senate all four years of his college career. He served as TCU treasurer his junior year, and as president his senior year. After receiving his undergraduate degree in political science, his intense political career immediately commenced. Ravitz studied at Rutgers's Eagleton Institute of Politics, obtaining a masters of science in public policy. He then attended Georgetown Law School. After earning his two graduate degrees, Ravitz initially worked for a mid-sized law firm, and later moved on to Hanify & King, a larger one. His experience with general litigation exposed him to a wide range of cases, giving his career a variety that he not only enjoyed but also found useful later. Ravitz worked as a budget analyst for the Massachusetts State Senate Ways and Means Committee. "There is a lot of responsibility in government level jobs that isn't available in other lines of work," Ravitz said. "Therefore, young employees can benefit from lots of hands-on experience as well as gain connections and prestige for later careers." Ravitz has experience with political campaigns through his work at the Boston State House. He did press work for one campaign that lost by one point. His rebound campaign, however, was more successful: Ravitz worked for Senator Ted Kennedy. Ravitz recently co-authored a book, "Guide to Judicial Management of Cases in ADR," which provides guidance to federal judges concerning ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution). The book has been influential in the judiciary, referenced in federal trials and appellate court opinions. Ravitz is a member of the Brookline Town Meeting, a legislative organization. Through As a member he is able to represent an area home to the Kennedys - a political family he enthusiastically admires. Ravitz isn't only active in the local, state, and national governments. He's a prominent player in the Tufts community. He is an active member of the Tufts Alumni Association, and he credits Tufts' focus on community service with inspiring his career achievements. Ravitz's advice to fellow Jumbos desiring a similar career path is to "seek out as many people as possible who are doing different things in the field." He believes with diverse experience comes deeper understanding and a wealth of opportunity. Ravitz praises the campus for its variety of activities and multicultural atmosphere. "Tufts encourages people to learn about a wide range of areas," Ravitz said. "By graduation, the diverse exposure allows one to be confident in their choice of career paths." To future Tufts graduates, Ravitz encourages action. "Time is a terrible thing to waste," he said. "People need to go out and take steps to make things happen for themselves." He said the way to find a successful career is to pursue a path that integrates community and personal interests. "This ensures that you are doing something you are passionate about, therefore making it more rewarding," he said.

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Searching for a major

September 27

Mischief is afoot in the chemical engineering department. A phantom elective, Bio 152: Biochemistry and Cellular Metabolism, somehow became a requirement for current seniors, who took it without first having completed its prerequisite, Organic Chemistry. The situation, as reported in the pages of this newspaper, is so convoluted, complex and incomplete as to preclude judgment in favor of either the students or the department. There are only questions to be answered. Did any professors actually tell students they had to take Bio 152 in order to receive a degree in chemical engineering? Were the degree requirements printed clearly on a Web site or an information sheet widely available to students? If so, did Graham Good, Anura Patil, and James Turco access these requirements? Why did these three students wait two years before making their complaint public? What on earth is Cellular Metabolism? Does anybody have a Tylenol? The question of what exactly happened in the Chemical Engineering department to cause these three students to complain may never be adequately answered, though it clearly should be. Short of an independent commission made up of foreign dignitaries, efforts to unravel the twisted tale will almost certainly fall victim to confusion, apathy, or smoke screen operations by the administration. The Chemical Engineering department and the Tufts administration should focus an investigation not on this particular incident but on the department requirement system as a whole, to make sure that similar problems do not arise in the future. One thing is absolutely certain. Degree requirements must be clear, accessible, and universal. Many departments do an excellent job. The International Relations major, for example, has a fully operational website with well articulated requirements and Web links to lists of approved courses, supplemented by exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable advisors. Other departments are less organized. The Romance Languages department has very general requirements listed on its Web site without links to historically approved courses or contact information for advisors, who, some language majors claim, can be less than helpful. To ensure students comply with degree requirements and departments meet a base level of competence regarding requirement communications, Tufts should centralize information about departments' degree programs. Instead of having information organized and released by each department, the administration should collect requirements from the department heads and then publish it in one place, along with information about historically and currently approved courses and advisor contact information. This would save students, professors, journalists, and Daily editors from the pain of avoidable migraine headaches.

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Tufts students undeterred by bombings

September 27

Last week, Al-Qaeda finally claimed responsibility for the July 7 attacks on London's transit system that killed 52 people. Though the specter of those attacks remains, the bombings did not deter any London-bound Jumbos: According to Associate Dean of Programs Abroad Sheila Bayne, all students scheduled to take part in the 2005-2006 Tuft-in-London program, through which students study at University College London, stuck with their commitment. Though there was student and parental anxiety following the London bombings, Tufts' study abroad program e-mailed all participants and their parents to inform them of security procedures. Students were again emailed after the July 21 attack, and still, nobody withdrew from the program. Bayne attributes their confidence in part to Tufts' safety precautions. "Tufts monitors the security situation in our host cities very closely from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Department of State and International SOS Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services, a company whose services cover all participants in Tufts' programs abroad," Bayne said. Since the 2004 terrorist attack in Madrid, Tufts has further improved its communication system. "We now keep lists of parent e-mail addresses for quick updates," Bayne said. Nevertheless, those abroad are still affected by the bombings. Junior Veronica Adamson was hesitant to leave for London upon hearing about the attacks over the summer. Her mother, however, encouraged her to go. "[My mother and I] agreed that the danger wasn't great," Adamson said. "And that by not going, I would be succumbing to the fear the terrorists hoped to create." Junior Molly Nutt had similar reasons for sticking with her plans to spend the year in London. "I live in New York, so I was around for Sept. 11, and that didn't make me want to move away," Nutt said. "Terrible things can and do can happen anywhere, and it would have been pointless to not come to London because a terrible thing happened here." "I never considered changing my plans," Nutt added. "My dad, however, held an informal dinner-table poll on whether or not I should go to London. Unfortunately for him, he was the only one who voted that I should not." While Adamson has not noticed any particular dangers during her first few weeks in London, the bombings have left her slightly paranoid. "I do catch myself looking over my shoulder when I ride a double-decker bus," she said. Some students actually feel safer since the terrorist attack took place. Junior Amy Feduska was scared when she heard about the bombings, but never let that fear affect her decision to study abroad: "I figured that the bombings would lead to better and more effective security measures," Feduska said. "I never thought of not going - I've always wanted to study abroad in London." Senior Jessica Levine, who studied in London last year, echoed Feduska's sentiments, and said she would still study in London given another opportunity. "I can't let these terrorists think that I'm afraid of them," Levine said. "In fact, London is probably more safe now since the security probably increased." Students have indeed noticed tightened security in London. "There are signs in Metro stations - and even the pub down the street - urging people to report suspicious packages and bags," Feduska said. "I see about four to six patrolling policemen a day - more in the Westminster area around the palaces and government buildings." "There are always a few in the Tube stations as well," she added. "The main thing I notice is how much closed-circuit TV there is: streets, restaurant counters, grocery stores all have video cameras recording your every move." Feduska and her London-dwelling peers have not refrained from using the city's Tube or bus system. "I'm more afraid of getting hit by a double-decker than I am of being on one," Feduska said. Senior Joanna Troy, a member of the 2004-2005 Tufts-in-London group, also feared drivers more than terrorists while abroad. "I was always more anxious of being hit by a car," Troy said. "I think that is still more likely to happen to students abroad than being bombed." Unlike Levine and Troy, senior Emily O'Neil, who also studied in London last year, said she probably would have refrained from studying abroad if this summer's events had happened prior to her departure. "I think that if I were planning to study in London this year and realized where the incidents occurred in relation to UCL's [University College London's] campus and dormitories, I would have a great deal of hesitation in studying there," O'Neil said. "Shortly after the incident, I had a conversation with my mom about whether or not I would have gone if this happened the year before, or if I had been planning to go this year," she added. "I know it does absolutely no good to live terrified of what might go wrong, but honestly, my gut reaction was that I would have stayed in the States for my peace of mind and that of my family."

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Keith Barry | Blight on the Hill

September 27

Welcome freshmen and transfers! It is my pleasure to greet you on the pages of this esteemed publication! Now, I know most of you are pretty nervous about "fitting in." I can just hear you wondering if, in this new environment, you stick out like a bad nose job. For that reason, I'm going to give you some pointers that will help you blend in as a true Jumbo!1. Fashion. Nothing is more important than how you look. For girls, it's easy. Look at any fashion magazine published between 2003 and 2004, and copy it stitch for stitch. Make sure your sunglass lenses are bigger than your breasts, and wear them even on cloudy days. Boots are in - especially those that get ruined if exposed to snow. If you're going out on the town, wear so much makeup that you completely obliterate any ounce of natural beauty you may possess. For guys, it's all about the hair. Chicks dig that "Jason Mraz" look. The "Jew-fro" is also popular. Either way, make it unkempt - it'll be sure to get you that job interview you were looking for! 2. Cars. Make sure your parents buy you something nice, but keep it practical for New England winters. For girls, I recommend a Lexus RX330. In beige. Park it anywhere you like. Don't pay too much attention to driving when you get a phone call. And keep those sunglasses on! For guys, the key is using as much gas as possible. Some achieve this through flooring the gas on their M3 or Infiniti FX whenever there's a slight opening in pedestrians. Others slowly circle campus until the wee hours of the morning in their large, American-made SUVs. Either way, keep rockin' the House of Saud! 3. Community relations. Remember, those people who live around us aren't really people at all. As a Tufts student, YOU are the center of the universe! Pump up the volume! If the police try to tell you that children are trying to sleep in the house next door, tell them what country your parents are high ranking officials in. If you need to cross the street, do so as slowly as possible. Those people in their cars don't nearly need to get to work as much as you need to not scratch those new Manolo Blahniks! If it snows, don't shovel your sidewalk - that cute little old lady down the street can just walk in the middle of the road. Street sweeping laws also don't apply to you, so keep the A4 blocking the road on street sweeping day. 4. Social life. Go to Kappy's. Buy as much cheap booze as you can find. Sit alone in a dorm room drinking as much as possible as quietly as possible. You don't want anyone to hear you having fun - you might get caught! If you still feel absolutely miserable because you are in a cramped dorm with two other people sitting in silence, drink some more and you'll feel better. Pretty soon you'll meet some new friends at Club TEMS. Aren't you glad we closed all the frats? 5. Family. Your parents should either live in a country that does not start with "United States of" and end with "America", or they should live in a suburb of New York or Boston. If they're not ambassadors or important business figures, just lie! If your dad is a middle manager at DuPont Chemical, just say he's the CEO. It's not like it is public information that Charles O. Holliday Jr. is the true head of the company, and that he has no close relatives who attend Tufts. Nobody will ever find out! 6. Paying for college. Have your parents write a check for the full amount of tuition. How else do you pay for college? 7. Diversity. Make new friends from all over the world. Diversity is key! Tufts offers an incredibly diverse student body. Our students come from financial backgrounds ranging all the way from upper middle class to upper class. Geographic diversity is key too. If you're from Westchester, don't be afraid to introduce yourself to someone from Fairfield! You'll notice that our student body makes up a rainbow of colors - some of the people have white skin and dark hair, while some of the people have white skin and light hair! We even have Asians! 8. Give back to Tufts. Bacow hates to beg, and he also hates to give up vegetarian sandwiches from Dewick to entice future donors. Don't hurt his self esteem - give money today! 9. Student organizations. Spread yourself thinner than the coffee in Brown and Brew. Like traditional Indian dance, the environment, civil liberties, journalism, AND support womens' rights? Join Bhangra, WaterWatch, the Tufts ACLU, the Observer, and VOX! Don't commit yourself to just ONE cause that you believe in - make sure you have a line on your resume for every interest you've EVER had! 10. Schoolwork. Did your prof say "no extensions"? Screw that! You're entitled! You're paying his salary, he should have to give up a week of his winter break to read and grade your paper! Make up some sort of illness. I hope these helpful hints can set you on your way to joining the rest of us happy Jumbos. Now, if you'll excuse me, my rich white friends and I have to drive to yet another general interest meeting, and I have yet to tousle my hair.Keith Barry is a senior majoring in Community Health and Psychology. He can be reached via e-mail at Keith.Barry@tufts.edu.

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Inside the NFL | Slipping into the Patriots' press conference

September 27

Inside the NFL went all-access this week inside the New England Patriots' locker room on Monday. And as usual, Patriots coach Bill Belichick remained modest after the big 23-20 last-second win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. "[It was a] good competitive performance," Belichick said. The game had a playoff-like atmosphere and the Patriots implemented the perfect strategy against Pittsburgh running back Willie Parker, making him a non-factor in the game. As for the Patriots' running game, Belichick certainly dispelled some of the critics. "I thought Corey [Dillon] did an excellent job in the game," Belichick said at his press conference on Monday. "He ran hard and he was able to block well in their blitz packages." After a loss last week in which Patriots quarterback Tom Brady found Carolina Panther jerseys in his face all afternoon, the Patriots responded by keeping Dillon on the field as a blocker. The Pats were also able to take advantage of the Steelers' blitzing safeties through their passing game. On the whole, New England has adapted well to the loss of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, continuing to put forth solid offensive numbers and running its offensive game smoothly. "The flow this year and last year has been just as smooth, " New England tight end Christian Fauria said. "To be honest, I am just making sure that I am in the huddle when I am supposed to be. There doesn't seem to be any confusion this year." On Sunday, the Patriots were able to work the ball quickly to David Givens and other receivers for short gains. "I was very happy with the offensive effort," Belichick said. "The receivers did some great open-field work because it wasn't like there were any long passes. They had to make moves." In particular, Belichick highlighted Givens' play. "Here is a guy who came in very raw and caught seven or eight balls the first year and does things every year that he couldn't do the year before," he said. However, the Pats may be worried about the injuries they sustained. New England will be forced to play two rookies on the right side of their offensive line, as Nick Kaczur will be standing in for right tackle Matt Light. A third-round pick, Kaczur has good fundamentals but is not as strong as the team's first-round draftee Logan Mankins, and his play on Sunday may raise a question mark on the offensive line. [Kaczur] needed work on a lot of other things," Belichick said. Despite Rodney Harrison's likely season-ending ACL injury, don't expect the Patriots to panic. The reason: safety Guss Scott. The Patriots drafted him three years ago but he has not seen much time on the field due to injury. Safety Eugene Wilson is one of the smartest players in football, so look for him to help Scott with the learning process. "If you have to learn 50 different situations in one week, it's impossible," Belichick said. "But if you learn one play every practice - and we have been practicing since early July - then you should be ready." Meanwhile, Adam Vinatieri did not waste anytime getting back to practice on Monday after his game-winning kick. When he spoke to reporters, he was sweaty and a little bit out of breath. "Thirty-two is not young for a kicker," he joked. One Quick Dispatch Inside the NFL is not one to jump on the bandwagon, but some outstanding young running backs are piling up yardage and prestige, especially former Auburn teammates Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Ronnie Brown. Williams is quickly running his way to a Rookie of the Year award, compiling an NFL-leading 434 yards for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, while Brown's 224 rushing yards are the most on the Miami Dolphins and good enough for twelfth-best in the league.

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Rushdie speaks on art and politics of novels

September 27

Author Salman Rushdie poked fun at his old nemesis, the former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, Tuesday night. "One of us is dead," Rushdie said. Khomeini pronounced a fatwa - a Muslim religious decree - on Rushdie after the 1988 publication of his book "The Satanic Verses." The decree said the book was blasphemous and amounted to a world-wide death sentence. It was not lifted for nine years. Rushdie spoke in Cohen Auditorium in the third installment of the Richard E. Snyder President's Lecture Series. The opening comment set the tone for a speech that was light-hearted and conversational in style, despite broaching the serious subjects of politics, religion, and the art of the novel. "I came as a writer to be very interested in the questions of the borderlines, of the boundaries," Rushdie said. "Great literature doesn't happen when there is no risk. It happens at the edges." Rushdie, born in 1947 in what was then Bombay, India and educated in England at King's College in Cambridge, lived in hiding in the United Kingdom during the fatwa, though he traveled widely to lobby for its reversal. Rushdie discussed the difficulties modern authors face in an age when information is widely available and easily disseminated. "Too much of my life has been in the newspaper," he said. He said it is difficult for him to separate himself from his art. "People assume that you're offering your autobiography in disguise," he said. Rushdie has published numerous novels and works of non-fiction, the newest of which, "Shalimar the Clown," is a New York Times bestseller. The novel explores tensions between families in the divided region of Kashmir. Another challenge modern writers face is how to make their works stand the test of time. "At a certain point, material will not be contemporary," he said, in reference to including political and social events and allusions. "The great risk is that your book will no longer be interesting," he said. "It is a risk that needs to be taken." Rushdie briefly discussed influences on his writing style, including India's long tradition of oral storytelling. "The most interesting way to tell a story is not necessarily from beginning to end," he said. "The best way to keep an audience interested is not [always] linear narration - [sometimes] something more joyfully playful." Power and religion do play a role in authors' works, though, he said. Despite his own lack of religious convictions, Rushdie said the prevalence of religious belief in India forced him to deal with the issue in his writing. Politicians and authors, he said, compete with each other because both are "fighting for the same territory." Both want to describe the world, but the politician does it in a self-serving way, he said. Rushdie said his experiences have taught him the importance, the right and the power of free speech. He discussed free speech in reference to a defamatory movie made in Pakistan about him and "The Satanic Verses." British authorities wanted to censor the movie, but Rushdie asked that the ban be lifted. The movie failed miserably - a fact Rushdie attributed to the film's poor quality. He said if the censors had refused the film a license, the controversy would have made the film popular. Rushdie was introduced by President Lawrence Bacow, who described Rushdie as "one of the great literary figures of our age." The two previous Snyder lectures took place last year. The series began last fall with Leon Kass, an advisor to President George W. Bush. Daniel Kahneman, who won the 2002 Nobel Prize in economics, spoke last spring.

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Dave Pomerantz | Pom in Prague

September 27

The title of the column is "Pom in Prague." This particular column is about Amsterdam. What gives? I'm studying abroad in Prague this semester, but I am trying to cover as much of Europe as possible before I run out of cash. If anyone actually reads this column, they'll get to see how that works out. Now let's go to the land of tulips and Rembrandt. Oh yeah, and legal marijuana. For those who partake in the fine college pastime of getting high, Amsterdam is a Mecca. Tell a stoner you're going to Amsterdam and the omnipresent glaze momentarily lifts from his or her eyes: "Oh man, that's gonna be soooo sweet dude," followed by a giggling expression of joy. I'm here to tell you that I did go to Amsterdam and there's much more to the city than baked-out coffeehouses filled with tourists and Rastafarians. I didn't even get high the entire time I was there. Ok, seriously though, of course I got high. Are you kidding? How could I go to Amsterdam and not smoke, even if it's just once? I mean, it's legal there. As an aside: Dear Mom, if you've stumbled on to this column on the Daily's website, stop reading now. If you do feel the need to continue reading, please do not send this one to Grandma. Not that there's anything wrong with getting high in Amsterdam. It's expected of college students. But what I said before is actually true: there is much more to the city than the coffee houses, and getting high was probably the least exciting part of my four days in Amsterdam. Part of the reason is that when I smoked there, I passed out. Literally. I was quite unconscious for several seconds. Before my friends back home start to make fun, let me establish something: Dutch weed is very, very different from American weed. And when I say different, I mean a Google times stronger. My passing out was made a thousand times worse by because I was with my 24-year-old sisters. For weeks I'd been nagging them incessantly about how boring they were. "You guys better not suck when we're in Amsterdam," I kept saying. "You better come out with me and get drunk; you better come out with me and get high; you better not just hang out with Mom and Dad." (Amsterdam was the first city I traveled to in Europe, and the rest of my family was there with me before I set out on my own a week later.) My sisters did agree to come out and smoke some pot. We walked to Amsterdam's famed Red Light District, past prostitutes gyrating in windows like caffeinated mannequins, and into a coffeehouse. It was called "The Greenhouse." We bought the cheapest joint on the menu, and I, a bit over-anxious, started toking away like a chimney. Five or six hits later, I was getting dizzy. The next thing I knew, one of the bartenders was rushing from behind the bar to catch me before I fell off my stool. He did this with incredible grace and speed, which, in addition to his uncanny resemblance to John Turturro, reminded me of the "Sneaky Sneaky" guy from "Mr. Deeds." That was probably my last conscious observation. In a few minutes I was fine. We were all high enough to find the humor in the situation. Thankfully, I had pen and paper on hand. Just so everyone knows that I wasn't the only family member smoking, here are a few examples of what my sisters were saying that night: Lauren: "Some times I'm just in the mood to floss." Lisa: "Yeah, yeah. But even better is when you use floss and use peroxide. That's awesome." Lauren: "I always go to the dentist and tell them that I floss. Why do I do that? They know that I'm lying. They're dentists!" Lisa: "Like, when I'm sober, my thoughts go AAAA BBB, but when I'm high, they go ABCDEFG." I, of course, am not innocent of making similar remarks. For instance: Dave: "My tastebuds feel like volcanoes...and my teeth are so squeaky and shiny. They're like glass teeth." And my personal favorite, uttered immediately after I regained consciousness outside the coffee shop: "Hey. That guy looks like Balky Bartokomous! Get back here, you perfect stranger." Lauren and Lisa, I apologize if this is embarrassing. While high, you said I could use your remarks in a column. That was very foolish. But, as I said before, being high was definitely not the best part of Amsterdam. Even the most prolific of pot-smokers should sober up for a few hours to see the city. If you do get to Amsterdam, there are three things you shouldn't miss. First is the Van Gogh museum. The collection is awe-inspiring and it also has a great deal of information on Van Gogh's life, his relationship with his brother Theo, and a collection of his letters, all of which provide a window into a sad and troubled life. Second is the Rijksmuseum. It houses the works of many of Dutch masters. Most of the museum happened to be closed for construction when I was there, but it didn't matter. His paintings alone make the visit worthwhile. Looking at the eyes in a Rembrandt portrait, especially for the first time, gives you chills. Last, my favorite: the Anne Frank House. The museum is the converted site of the Franks' "secret annex." I've been in Europe for some time now, and have somehow managed to travel exclusively in countries that were occupied by the Nazis. The Anne Frank house was by far the place where I felt most intimately and personally the terror of the Holocaust. Of course, there's more to the city. Amsterdam is criss-crossed by canals, and the city's architecture is breathtaking. I've merely tried to hit as many of the highs - no pun intended - as possible.Dave Pomerantz is a junior majoring in history. He can be reached via e-mail at david.pomerantz@tufts.edu

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News

We were there'

September 27

Given the University's large international population and global perspective, it is not surprising the London attacks affected many on the Hill. For some students impact was more direct: the attacks occurred in their backyard. Senior Brian Potskowski studied at Oxford last year and worked in London for the summer. The July 7 bombings were not his first brush with terrorism: he was in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 11, 2001. His first impression when he heard pieces of the news in London was that it was a terrorist attack. "I had been on the DLR [Docklands Light Rail train] on my way to work," Potskowski said. "There was a delay because of a power failure. No one knew what was going on." Within two hours, it was clear the power failure was actually bomb explosions. When Potskowski got to his office, only three other people were there. The confusion and shock led to quiet workplaces and later, crowded streets. Jaqueline Leverson, Tufts-in-London program director, said her ride into University College London that morning was full of anxiety. "We could see what I can only describe as an army of pedestrians marching on central London," Leverson said, "each with a cell-phone pressed to an ear." After a few hours in a quiet office, Leverson joined the throngs of people in the streets and started a three-hour pilgrimage home. She described the roads as having "a very curious and eerie silence broken only by police and ambulance sirens and the whirring of helicopters overhead." Once the public transportation system began running again, people tried to resume daily routines. Whereas in the past safety on public transportation had generally been taken for granted, Leverson said after the attacks, "I was relieved to arrive safely at my destination." Leverson usually takes the subway, known in London as the Tube, to work. She took a minicab the day of the bombings. "When the Tube did start running again, it was half-empty," Leverson said. "People were quiet, even when talking to one another, and I suppose we were all a bit nervous." Current Londoners are trying to go back to their normal lives. "In the end, I suspect that the simple need to get on with life and go to work was as important as any other emotional response," Leverson said. "Now that the summer vacation is over and almost everyone has to be back at work, the tubes are filling up again - though they are still not as crowded as before." "We just have to get on with life and hope and pray that nothing so terrible will occur again," Leverson said.

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Privatization recedes in India after unexpected 2004 elections

September 27

A Columbia University business professor used algebra to show the economic consequences of electing a new political party in India. Ray Fisman, who worked with researchers at Harvard University over the summer, spoke to about 25 students and professors from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy on Tuesday. "The Indian national elections in 2004 caused not only a shift of political power in the country," Fisman said, "but also an epochal shift in company evaluations, which sparked an interesting research opportunity in privatization." Fisman's study "Limits to Policy Reversal: Privatization in India," explored the long-term effects on the Indian economic system from the unexpected May 2004 election of the Indian National Congress party. Indian governments over the past two decades have made limited moves toward privatization. Although the government continues to sell parts of large state-owned firms, he said, it still retains a majority stake in many businesses. The study explored the amount of privatization of Indian companies after the defeat of the Hindu nationalist and pro-market reform Bharatiya Janata Party. Fisman listed both the economic benefits and the political costs of privatization to explain the fluctuating privatization efforts in India. "Privatization is a long-term process," he said. "[Companies] may back out because of their mistrust in capricious government policy." The corporations in India, Fisman said, could be divided into four categories: "fully privatized, to be divested, under study, and not to be divested." Companies that were either "to be divested" or "under study" to be divested had the most negative reaction to the change in the party in power. Those classified as "fully privatized" or "not to be divested" saw the fewest effects from the change. Their returns, sales, wages, and other financial data remained nearly the same as they had been before the national political shift. Using a series of complicated algebraic equations during his speech at the campus center's Zamparelli Room, Fisman predicted outcomes of certain scenarios of privatization and how they would affect the nation's economy as a whole. The Indian National Congress party was unlikely to undermine the privatization efforts already under way, Fisman said. The models, however, do not predict significant increases in privatization in the future. "The government has many levers of control in these firms," Fisman said. "They may not be willing to give them up so quickly." There is a possibility of future privatization. Fisman gave three interpretations of the study's conclusions: political irreversibility, staged privatization, and political explanations. The first of the three interpretations is the "most credible," reason for the new party's restraint on privatization, he said. This interpretation had the most supporting data.

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Julie Schindall | Making the Connection

September 27

Last week I was sitting at my desk at my internship at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, highlighting an article called "Terrors of Transatlantia," when my colleague Yann poked his head into the office. "Hey guys," he started, "you're all invited to a party Friday night. It's going to be great." He pushed into my hand a small blue postcard with a dancing figure and the title "Vote-in-Party." I stared at the card for several moments. So I knew my French wasn't that hot, but was my English failing me now too? "Yann, what does 'Vote-in-Party' mean?" I finally asked. He looked at me amusedly. "It's in English! You know, it's for young voters. We sponsor a dance party where they can get into the club for free with their ballot. You should come too, just bring your passport. We're really trying to support EU integration. The wine's free." Thus last Friday night I, along with four of my American friends, descended from bus number three at the sign for Cit?©­•, the University of Geneva dormitories. Passports firmly in hand, we walked down the block to the club, thoughts buzzing through our fully sober heads. A Rock the Vote party in Switzerland! What was this business with EU integration? Free wine! After presenting our passports at a dismally empty entrance, we headed out back to the terrace, following the promise of free alcohol in a country where a pint costs about five dollars. It was still early and the small array of pot-smoking party organizers, attired in the typically Genevois 80s-style jeans and cotton T-shirts, hardly gave our gelled and deodorized gaggle a second look. We settled in with nervous smiles to the velvet couches in the corner. This was Geneva, right? Five American college students were hardly an abnormality in a city of 40 percent foreigners. Four hours and two bottles of Swiss red wine later, it dawned on me that perhaps this was not quite the pinnacle of international cosmopolitanism. When we stood up from our posts to attend to the dancing inside (a strange Brazilian pop/European techno mix had begun emanating from the front room), four eligible-looking bachelors asked if we spoke English. A slightly drunk Jessica replied, "Yes" and their leader gave a mischievous smile. "Go home, Americans," he slurred with a smirk. "Go home." Michelle started muttering in French about weird guys and we strolled away towards the bar, following a stream of slightly odiferous Swiss guys towards the DJ table. Once inside, this strange cultural puzzle started coming together even more. From the corners around the bar sulked a few of the famed beautiful Genevoise women, while on the dance floor seemingly every weird guy at the party was gyrating to a mysterious beat not coming from the DJ's speakers. I'd heard that Europeans liked their music funky and their dancing awkward, but somehow I couldn't get it all through my head. What had happened to those sophisticated Europeans I was supposed to be jealous of, in my artless American way? Where was the fashion, the perfume, and the Evian? How in tarnation did I come over 4,000 miles and find myself at a politically-correct, pro-EU dance party where I was a part of the hottest group of girls at the party? That said, there was a lot to learn at this party: about the Swiss voting system, about special interest groups, about Switzerland continually thumbing its nose at the EU. And, as I happily reflected as we staggered home from the Noctabus, the night had all been free. But through my fuzzy haze of fermented grapes, I was still deeply bothered by this interesting exposure to European culture. While there had been a lot of wine, cigarettes, and loud talk in French, I wasn't sure they'd been having those intellectual conversations I'd dreamed of experiencing while at home in parochial Boston. For the most part, these Europeans seemed like any other group of young people posing around a bar at two o'clock on a Saturday morning. The girls were perhaps slightly more bra-less and the guys slightly less shaven, but through the wall of H&M belts and muscle shirts I had failed to detect a rich and vibrant culture distinctly unique from my own. Except for our brush with some anti-Americanism, the party seemed disappointingly run-of-the-mill, its music loud, its bar busy, and its patrons sweaty. It should be noted that an event with a name like "Vote-in-Party," located in the dormitory village, was probably the wrong venue to discover centuries-old European traditions of intellectual discourse and artistic debate. But the next morning, nursing a hangover and shopping for baguettes across the border in France, I realized that all was not lost. The French cheesemonger was singing to me in French about the freshness of youth, and I still have seven months to go in this country. Week one of the cultural obstacle course may have been slightly odd, but the cathedrals of Rome and the halls of Mozart are still waiting to be discovered. Last week, Vote-in-Party. This week, who knows? Hand me my deodorant and wine, because I'm ready.

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