Last year, a group called Scaled Composites won the Ansari X prize, ending a competition to find a viable means of space tourism. Coupled with a new branch of the Virgin Group, Virgin Galactic, the spaceship designers hope to create a market for commercial space travel within the next 15 years.
Several hundred students attended Health Services' annual "Spring Oasis" event Wednesday in the Cousens Gymnasium. The event focused on presenting students with ways to relax, unwind and reduce stress. Free massages, Tai chi, pilates and yoga demonstrations all took place.
The baseball team has a chance to clinch a playoff berth this weekend when it travels to Maine to battle Colby College. Colby sits at the bottom of the league, with no wins all season, and the three-game series will give the Jumbos the opportunity to achieve their postseason aspirations. Tufts currently sits in second place in the NESCAC-East behind Trinity College, and will look to cushion their lead in the standings over third-ranked Bates College.
Dr. Wawa Ngenge, a youth development expert from Cameroon and employee of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), addressed approximately 20 students and faculty members last night in the Terrace Room of Paige Hall.
A notoriously slow starter, Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee usually struggles through the first couple months before exploding in June.
The teenyboppers will compare Jonathan Rice, with his soft and raspy voice, to John Mayer, while the cognoscenti will find his folksy acoustic style reminiscent of Nick Drake. But Rice owes much of his initial success to his ability to appeal to both teenyboppers and music buffs alike, albeit on different levels. He has received praise from such divergent publications as "Venue Magazine" and "Elle Girl" - the latter rating him the "hottest bachelor of the month" on two separate occasions.
Junior Lydia Claudio gives instruction to some of the participants in the clinic run by the women's soccer team at Kraft field yesterday for over 50 inner-city students from Boston. The event was sponsored by Citykicks, an after-school soccer program that gives girls (ages 11-14) the opportunity to learn soccer skills and play the sport with a collegiate team. Angela Hucles, a former Gold Medalist from the U.S. Women's National Team and former member of the Boston Breakers was also on hand for the event.
Tufts students looking for greater equality in local and federal elections gathered yesterday for a workshop on lobbying followed by a discussion of campaign finance reform in a broader context.
You walk into your local Gap clothing store, and instead of being greeted by a salesperson, a 42-inch flat-screen plasma monitor flashes your name across the top, and a computerized voice says, "Welcome back to the Gap, [your name]." Next, the screen displays your purchase history, side-by-side with suggestions for future purchases.
The Office of Student Activities (OSA) recognized a range of awards recipients at its Student Organization Awards banquet last night for both University-wide student organizations as well as individual students.
The final exam for the first semester of my U.S. Government class senior year of high school was not what you would call a typical exam. It was not multiple choice, it was not short answer - in fact, it really had nothing to do with U.S. Government. It consisted of one question: "Which is more important, success or personal integrity?" We were to write an entire essay based solely on that question. I will admit that I was one of many students who complained about how ridiculous I thought the assignment was. But as I wrote the essay, I realized I was getting really into it - and not just because it was a final. I ended up as a finalist in the contest and then proceeded to win first place in the debate. Looking back, I realize that the entire experience gave me more than just a trophy, local publicity and gift certificates to some local establishments. Though it sounds obvious, I have found that the more difficult things get, the harder it is to be honest. Not that I am a perfect saint. Since I have been at Tufts, I will even own up to using the solutions guide for Math 6 homework. But that is just homework. After all, copying answers to homework problems is a far less serious offense than copying answers to a quiz, test or really anything that counts for more than, say, 15 percent of a final grade. I am pretty sure everyone is aware of this distinction. In fact, at a school like Tufts, I would think that people would not even dare to pull such a stunt. So as I was perusing the Daily last week, the headline "One Jumbo relies on 'cutting corners' to pass" (April 21) caught my eye. Initially, I was shocked that someone was actually admitting to cheating at a school that makes the freshman orientation panel on academic honesty an attendance-required event. But I was also intrigued. And even though I knew I was most likely going to be appalled by this student's behavior, I felt compelled to read on. 'Gertrude,' I realize that you are a senior and I am just a lowly freshman who probably has not learned all the tricks of success at Tufts. I am sure you are a very intelligent person - you do have a 3.75 GPA, after all. Though I am a firm believer that grades are in no way telling of true intelligence, you do go to Tufts, so you must be smart. I do not want to rebuke you or tell you that you are wrong; I don't even know you, so who am I to judge you? No matter how many corners you have cut, you must have attained a vast amount of knowledge in your college career. But there is something about your corner-cutting policy that I just do not agree with. You are right - every single person has indeed "cut a corner" at some point during his career here. But I am pretty sure that entails busting out the solutions guide in a fit of frustration while doing math homework or frantically logging onto Blackboard to get the answers to the assigned workbook pages before a language exam. Call me naive, or just plain ignorant, but I doubt anyone has the audacity to obtain an old test, which he knows will be used again, and blatantly use it to his advantage. You say that you would never steal a test, but isn't that act essentially ... stealing a test? Maybe the professor is at fault for not changing his tests and making them so available. Do you remember that "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" episode where Zack's ethics professor leaves the final exam in plain sight around campus, tempting people to cheat? In the end, this entire act turned out to be the real test: the test to see who would or would not cheat, the test to see who had actually taken something from Ethics class and applied it to real life. I am not trying to revere a situation from an early '90s sitcom as something of deep moral value - but as ridiculous as it sounds, I think we could all learn a little something from Zack, Slater, Screech, Kelli, Leslie and Alex. I guess I just do not see things the way you do. What you would call a resourceful move is something I would dub as plain dishonesty. Even though you insist that you are not cheating but simply using every resource at hand, I beg to differ with you. You are still cheating. You are cheating yourself. I do not know much about the real world and probably won't for another few years, but I do know that your best friend and class valedictorian will not be there to give you the answers. The seemingly careless professors who do not change their exams every year are not always going to be around. Last semester's problem sets will most likely not be floating about. You are going to have to fend for yourself, and even though you have worked hard and learned a lot, you clearly have not learned much about one of life's most important lessons: honesty. Niccolo Machiavelli once said that the ends justify the means. One can interpret his words as legitimizing whatever means necessary to attain one's ultimate goal. Perhaps some people strive for that 4.0, sitting at the top of one's graduating class, having a great job and copious amounts of money. I will not deny that those dreams outline my very own. But even if I do not get there, I want people to be able to look back and still celebrate my accomplishments. I may not be driving a BMW to my job as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. However, at least I will know that I got somewhere because I combined my talent with my morals, not with cut corners. Courtney Chua is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.
Some Washington D.C.-area fans who recently abandoned their Baltimore Orioles for the newly-created Washington Nationals might want to think twice. The O's have quietly put together a 14-7 record and a first-place standing in the highly competitive American League East. Everyone knew the Orioles would hit, and so far the bats have propelled them to first place. They currently rank first in the American League in runs scored. Aside from first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, everyone on the O's is pounding the cover off the ball. The big surprise has been second baseman Brian Roberts and his 1.163 OPS. Roberts isn't exactly known as a power hitter (his career OPS is .715), but he currently shares the AL lead with seven home runs, and sits in fourth with 23 RBIs. Perhaps he's been stealing Rafy's viagra, who knows. There's no reason to think the Baltimore offense can't continue what it's doing. Aside from Roberts and centerfielder Luis Matos, no one is vastly outperforming expectations. Roberts and Matos may cool down, but Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa might heat up to compensate. What about the Baltimore pitching? The O's haven't been lights-out, but they have gotten the job done thus far. Lefty Bruce Chen has been surprisingly effective, sporting a 3.62 ERA. Rodrigo Lopez has brought his usual crafty game, keeping his ERA around 4.00. Young lefty Erik Bedard has been solid this season, but it still remains to be seen whether he can fool Major League batters over the course of a full season. Daniel Cabrera has a lot of talent, but he too has yet to prove himself. Finally, there's Sidney Ponson, who was supposed to be the ace of the staff. Right now Sidney's posting a hefty 6.85 ERA. Unfortunately for the O's, the media's also labeled him a headcase, probably because he's been consistently inconsistent. On the bright side, Ponson hasn't punched an umpire so far, although he was arrested in the offseason for punching a judge in Aruba on Christmas Day and later arrested for drunk driving; finally, he also admitted to having hurt his hand in a bar fight in Florida - a busy off-season to say the least. The bottom line is that when Ponson is at the top of your pitching staff you're in big trouble. A bright spot for Baltimore is their much-improved bullpen. B.J. Ryan has proved to be a consistently effective reliever and has performed well in the closer's role. Former closer Jorge Julio has been a dominant setup man. Relievers Steve Reed and Steve Kline haven't gotten the job done so far, but they both have impressive track records and should be effective in the long term. So do the O's have staying power? Probably not. If Baltimore was in the American League Central they'd have a good shot to win it or at least compete with the Minnesota Twins. However, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are simply more balanced clubs with more depth. Over the course of the season, the pitching of the Red Sox and Yankees will likely prove to be too much for Baltimore. The O's will likely have a couple of weeks where the bats fall silent and the pitching won't be good enough to keep them competitive. Once that happens, their season will be over because New York and Boston are too good not to capitalize. Other AL notes: What has happened to Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez? Chavez is normally considered an MVP candidate, but he's been horrendous so far in 2005. Chavez is batting a cool .177 and has a .526 OPS. Past performance indicates Chavez will turn it around, unless he's playing hurt. Speaking of Oakland, the American League West is turning out to be just as competitive and interesting as most people thought it would be. As of April 26, no team was more than two games out of first place. Many predicted the Cleveland Indians to have a breakout season. So far it hasn't happened, as the Tribe stands at 8-11. As Inside the AL sagely predicted, the Indians just don't have the offense to compete. There is little doubt that the remainder of the season should generate plenty of excitement, surprise, and drama. You'll have to try to enjoy it without the expert knowledge emanating from Inside the AL, but do your best.
Full name: Robert Joseph Kenny Jr.Nickname(s): Shotgun, Murray, Bob Job, CapBirthdate: 6/18/83Zodiac sign: GeminiHometown: Milford, MAFavorite athlete: Richard SeymourFavorite Tufts athlete: Hard to say, there are so many I like. Brian Kumf, Jess Barrett, and a couple of my own teammates: Brian Casey and Jason Protano. (Go Scarlet Hawks!) Senior catcher Bob Kenny - four-year starter Bob Kenny I should say - is quite the man about campus. Or at least about 2 Chester Ave. Either way, the man can multi-task; he has been known to be able to keep an eye on Spongebob Square-pants while beating me 4-0 in FIFA soccer. I caught up with Bob while he was calling Lawrence a "Mongoloid" for taking a Hold 'em pot ... Naturally, Seven Questions ensued.1. Which makes you happier: a double in the gap to plate two, or hosing a dude trying to steal? Although the thrill of throwing out someone trying to take a base on me is much greater, the fact that those doubles in the gap to plate two are few and far between for me would make me say the double.2. Who would you say you most model your game after? Well on the ball field, I would have to say I model my game after Indians catcher Jake Taylor, from Major League. He followed up in Major League 2 as a manager (a personal goal of mine). But with the ladies I try my best to model my game after the smooth talking Donovan Brown; a man so smooth, he hasn't shaved a day in his life.3. As I recall when we lived in the same house, you were quite the cook. What, besides Easy Mac, is the dish you serve on the first date?Well Easy Mac was a Capen Street delight, but when I am cooking for that special someone I go with some fettuccini alfredo with a little red wine or one of my favorites, Chicken Marsala and some white wine.4. It recently has been reported that Lenny Dykstra may have been betting on his team's games when he played. Would you like to tell us something, Bob? Although I am known to take a gamble or two and to dabble in the Poker Room I cannot say that I have ever placed a bet on a NESCAC sporting event.5. Who has the best Bob Kenny impression? AAAHHHHHH! That's a tough one, Timmy, Ben Bloom has great volume, while you and Benny Simon do great impersonations. I would say I get the most ticked when you get going so I will give it to you.6. Not everyone knows it, but Steve Cincotta was a catcher here as well our freshman year. Were you ever hearing footsteps for your job?Well at the time me and Stevie were coming up as freshmen, we had just graduated a great catcher and the spot was open and not yet mine. Once I earned the spot, though, I found myself looking back to see him on my tail every day. And I knew he wasn't going anywhere when he got hit by a ball from an 80 mph pitching machine from two feet away and bounced right back up. I also became a little more comfortable when I witnessed Stevie pull his mask off mid-pitch during a JV game.7. You are quite the video game player. Would you say that translates to your on-field ability at all?Absolutely. Although I have yet to get a game of MVP with the All Stars on the baseball team, I have been playing quite a bit of Baseball Stars and my Baseball experience has allowed me to out-coach Mat McMillan on the virtual ball field. I must say it does contribute greatly to my hand-eye coordination on and off the field. Bonus: Describe the Bob Kenny Era at Tufts in 5 words or less.Separate, Stay Back and Drive.-by Tim Whelan
With a forecast of possible stormy weather on Saturday, questions arise regarding what will happen to the Spring Fling concert if rain does occur. According to Programming Board co-chairs juniors Alice Chiou and Sheena Harris, under rainy weather conditions the concert will not be moved inside. "There is no indoor venue at Tufts that is able to hold that amount of students or tolerate the amount of sound that will be produced. If there is a lot of rain on Saturday, we will have to cancel the event," Chiou said. "Students that purchased guest tickets will be reimbursed." Busta Rhymes has a history of accompanying bad weather to Tufts; the Spring Fling concert Busta was to headline two years ago was rained out. The 2003 concert, which also scheduled Reel Big Fish and then-student band Drowned as performers, was cancelled the Friday afternoon before the Saturday show. No alternate venues for the concert had been planned for that year's concert. As a result, the University forfeited tens of thousands of dollars to pay Busta Rhymes and Reel Big Fish for their planned performances. This year's Spring Fling weekend will include more than the day-long concert. According to Chiou, other events scheduled are Tuftonia's Friday night fireworks celebration, a "[Tufts University Spirit Coalition] and Greek Jam" sponsored by the Inter-Greek Council (IGC), and a side-stage concert by Apollo Sunshine on Saturday. Aside from different performers, the security on Saturday will run similar to last year's. "Security was adequate last year, and we plan on using the same type of security that was used last year," Chiou said. The Concert Board first announced that Wyclef Jean would be this year's headlining act for the concert, but on April 11, Chiou told the Daily that Wyclef was dropping from the lineup. According to Chiou, Wyclef had to cancel his performance because the show would conflict with his mother's wedding. Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. also ran into scheduling conflicts when bidding to have Wyclef perform for their spring concert. Babson, like Tufts, originally planned with Wyclef to have him perform at their campus on Saturday, April 30. Babson had bid on Wyclef after he cancelled his performance at Tufts, but the same scheduling conflict arose. "We had to move it to [Friday] April 29 because of [his mother's] wedding," Babson Coordinator of Student Programs Jennie Erdle said. At press time, the Weather Channel predicts a 20 to 30 percent chance of precipitation on Saturday.
Who is Leonard Peltier? Why is the incident at Wounded Knee considered a massacre and not a battle? What are the contemporary repercussions of American Indian boarding school atrocities? Why is there an ongoing debate about tribal sovereignty? For the majority of students who matriculate at Tufts University, the answers to these pertinent historical and societal issues will never be addressed during their four years on the Hill. To deny students the option of pursuing the area of Native American Studies is to deny the importance of one of the seven major racial groups in America. We are students currently enrolled in ENG 148: American Indian Writers, taught by Professor Elizabeth Ammons. This is one of only four courses that Tufts currently offers in the area of Native American Studies. Additionally, neither of the two professors who teach these courses is indigenous. They strive to research and present material in an objective light, but they both stress that the addition of indigenous faculty members would shed light on the material from a different and important perspective. For example, one such overlooked aspect of American Indians is the case of political prisoner Leonard Peltier, who has been called the "American Indian Nelson Mandela." On June 26, 1975, two FBI agents stormed the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and opened fire on innocent American Indians. Unfortunately, when the ambush was over, the FBI realized that both agents were dead from gunshot wounds. They devised an elaborate plan to pin the blame on Peltier, who had been under FBI surveillance for several years as a result of his involvement with the American Indian Movement. Peltier realized that he was being used as a scapegoat and, doubting his chance of a fair trial, fled to Canada. Eventually, the United States extradited Peltier from Canada using fabricated evidence and a false affidavit. As expected, Peltier did not receive a fair trial and is now currently serving two consecutive life sentences for the deaths of the two agents. Since his trial, numerous documents have surfaced proving that the FBI intimidated their main witness, basically forcing her to commit perjury against Peltier. Ballistics reports conclude that Peltier was almost certainly innocent. Indeed, the FBI has admitted that they do not actually know who killed the agents. Regardless of these admissions, Peltier is repeatedly denied presidential pardons, retrials, appeals for parole or the opportunity to serve his two sentences concurrently. In his 1999 book "Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance," Peltier chronicles what it is like to be imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. This book can be read in a few hours, yet its lessons are life-altering. Although summer reading is the furthest thing from everyone's mind right now, we encourage all Tufts students to consider reading this important text in their free time. To read Peltier's work is to realize the gross injustices the American government has enacted against indigenous people. Ignorance of this injustice merely enables state-supported racism to continue to disenfranchise minority groups. Peltier's plight is furthered by the lack of media attention and general conscience. We highlight this incident in contemporary American Indian issues to demonstrate that ambivalence toward indigenous people has tangible and devastating effects. For a "liberal" university that prides itself on its so-called "global perspective," absence of this field of study perpetuates misunderstanding of and apathy toward historically overlooked and misrepresented people. Harvard University and Dartmouth College have offered Native American Studies programs since the 1970s. Scores of other institutions across the country, both small and large, offer majors and minors in this critical academic field. In an April 6 Daily article ("Lack of Native American courses troubles some"), Dean of Undergraduate Education Jim Glaser stated that he did not view the lack of Native American course offerings "as a big problem." Glaser went on to note that he had not heard of any dissent among members of the Tufts community. Although we may be small in number, we respectfully submit this editorial as evidence of our dissent. Peltier's poem "The Message" contends that "silence screams. / Silence is a message, / just as doing nothing is an act." By not including the study of American Indians in the curriculum, Tufts silently sends the message that this continually marginalized population is insignificant. The university prides itself on sparking intellectual debate and setting academic standards. For 153 years, it has called itself the "Light on the Hill." It is time for Tufts to give Native American Studies the light it deserves. For more information on Peltier, consult www.freepeltier.org and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee at www.leonardpeltier.org. Katie Winter is a freshman majoring in English and American Studies and Perrin LaPlante is a senior majoring in English.
If you have been paying any attention to current events this month, you will have heard widespread reports on the abysmal state of Sino-Japanese relations; specifically regarding the history textbook dispute. The Chinese government claims that Japan's recent state-approved history text glosses of Japanese aggression during World War II, including the rape and murder of 300,000 Chinese in the Nanjing Massacre. The Japanese have now retaliated by voicing their concerns about Chinese history texts. According to the Japanese authorities, Chinese history books are overly nationalistic, needlessly embellish Japanese wartime atrocities, and disregard the poor state of China under Mao Zedong. Forget the textbook matter. Every history text is filled with lies, misrepresentations and embellishments. History is an art. That is simply the nature of the discipline and precisely the reason why I chose it as the focus of my undergraduate studies at Tufts. Of course, the history textbook dispute is an oversimplification of the dispute. Even the U.S. media reports that the quarrel over history texts is not the primary source of the current downturn in Sino-Japanese relations. Many international news organizations now assert that worsening Sino-Japanese ties can be traced to China's rising geopolitical aspirations (including their growing thirst for oil) and Japan's fear of losing its role as the supreme economic (and political) force in East Asia. Media reports have explicitly highlighted the following factors: Japan's pressure on China to revalue their currency (a demand echoed by the United States, European Union and G7 nations), Sino-Japanese territorial disputes, a U.S.-Japanese joint declaration citing the Taiwan issue as a primary security concern in East Asia, Japan's effort to join the U.N. Security Council, frequent visits by Japanese politicians (including Prime Minister Koizumi) to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine (a war memorial which honors Japan's 2.5 million war dead, including convicted war criminals), Japan's decision to offer oil-drilling rights in disputed waters, and the widespread and sometimes violent protests by Chinese university students in cities throughout China. Or ... perhaps there is something else. It should be noted that the Chinese central government has a great deal of control over protests in Chinese cities. Yes, even the infamous Tiananmen Square incident of 1989 was initiated by Party cadres. Regarding the current wave of anti-Japanese protests gripping China's youth, one cannot ignore the Party's role in the incitement and organization of urban social unrest and its ability to halt any such movements at will (which happened this week when the central government stepped up state censorship of the Internet and SMS messages). So last week's anti-Japanese protests must have initially been permitted, if not instigated, by the Party. Why would the Chinese government allow this series of events to unfold? A conflict with their East Asian rival would have deleterious effects on the Chinese economy. For one, China is now Japan's largest trading partner. Japanese companies have also invested billions of dollars in China and are a key factor in its rapid economic development. Perhaps the recent anti-Japanese protests have nothing to do with Japan at all. Although the Communist Party initially based their legitimacy on socialist ideology, their source of power today is rooted in both nationalism and the government's ability to better the lives of the Chinese people. Chinese nationalism comes in various forms. There is the Olympics and spaceship variety. There is the economic variety. And, there is the 'anti' variety (i.e. anti-Japanese, anti-Imperialist, anti-American, etc.). This last variety was most prevalent in China's early years, both before and after the founding of the People's Republic. It has re-surfaced only in extreme circumstances, such as NATO's "accidental" bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade in 1999. Oops! China's "anti" nationalism has recently resurfaced in the form of anti-Japanese protests. Is it really because Japan desires a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council? I think not. The Chinese technocratic leadership is among the most pragmatic in the world. Surely China realizes Japan's role as global economic leader and its status as a major financier of the United Nations. Of course, any expansion of the U.N. Security Council should include Japan (and perhaps India and Brazil as well). With China's mission to space and Olympic success long gone from the nation's headlines, the Party has found a new nationalistic distraction for rising social unrest caused in China's countryside. Despite China's emergence as a global economic superpower, the nation is plagued by a widening urban-rural income gap. China's state-run media, however, fails to report on such events. And because foreign reporters are granted limited access to the countryside, social discontent in the countryside is rarely covered by international news agencies as either. In the absence of nationwide economic development, the Party is utilizing widespread anti-Japanese sentiment to fuel the nationalism on which the government's legitimacy depends. For this reason, increasing pressure on China to revalue its currency is extremely untimely. A revaluation of China's currency will only kindle the flames of social unrest and place unnecessary pressure on the Chinese central government. While the ballooning U.S. current account deficit is partly due to China's undervalued currency, it is by no means the only source. (Note: To maintain their currency peg, the Chinese government hoards a large amount of U.S. currency in the form of U.S. Treasury Bonds, of which they currently possess over U.S. $500 billion in their foreign reserves coffers). In conclusion, a word of advice for the U.S. government: Instead of causing trouble for China, advise U.S. citizens to leave some money in the bank.Jason E. Friedman is a senior majoring in history, with a focus on Chinese history. He is currently abroad at Hong Kong University.
In the wake of Syria's departure from Lebanon after a 29-year-long occupation, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister and former Tufts University trustee Issam Fares said that he is optimistic about his country's future and how Syria's departure will shape it. Fares has a long involvement with Tufts University. As one of the University's significant donors and a former trustee, Fares funded the Fares Research Center at the Fletcher School, the Fares Equine Research Center at the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Issam M. Fares Lecture Series. Fares' son, Fares Fares, graduated from Tufts in 1993 and currently sits on the University's Board of Trustees. Lebanon maintains a relative peace today. Many of the country's one-time warring factions united in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on Feb. 14, 2005. With the Syrian pullout complete, the Lebanese now look ahead to an election that should prove void of Syrian influence but still runs the risk of sinking into violence. Anti-Syrian opposition is hoping to defeat Damascus' political allies at the ballot box. Syria still wields influence in Lebanon. President Emile Lahoud is a Syrian ally, Prime Minister Najib Mikati is a close friend of Bashar Assad, the Syrian President, and the current parliament has many pro-Syrians. Damascus, even after the withdrawal, still faces U.S. demands to end its influence in Lebanon and the United Nations (UN) is calling for the disarmament of its ally, the Hezbollah guerrilla group. Hezbollah remains a potent military force and has refused to lay down its weapons, with the reasoning that it is not a militia but a "resistance movement." The Syrian elections are expected to take place in May, and Fares said he expects there to be no delays. Fares said he believes Syria will continue to have a positive role in Lebanese politics. He admitted that there had been "highs and lows" in relations over the past century, but said in an e-mail that "it is in the interest of both countries to always maintain close relations." Despite concerns in the international community that the situation in Lebanon could begin to return to violence after the Syrian withdrawal, Fares said he sees no reason to be concerned in the build-up to the national elections. "I see no reason to be nervous," he said. "I was encouraged and energized by the recent demonstrations as it renewed my faith in the population which expressed their deep commitment to Lebanon, to the democratic process, and to tolerating alternative points of view." Fares said he sees Lebanon becoming a "prosperous and dynamic" Arab democracy as it moves forward. As to whether Fares himself will be running in the elections, Fares said that he would like to have another term "if the voters want me to serve another four years ... and if I am called upon to serve in a government that enjoys national support." Fares said that he has had an active involvement in Lebanon for decades, beginning with his creation of the Lebanese charity, the Fares Foundation, and by stepping into politics in 1996. He termed his original election to office as "the highest honor that I have ever been granted." Despite the ethnic strife which has split Lebanon in two throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Fares said that he thinks Lebanon could be a beacon for other countries grappling with racial and cultural divisions. "[Lebanon's] existence and success is more important today, after [Sept. 11, 2001], as it is a living example of the dialogue of civilizations rather than the clash of civilizations," Fares said. The world held its breath last month when millions of Lebanese took to the streets to alternatively call for the removal of Syrian troops and to call for them to remain. Fares said that the back-and-forth protests between Lebanese independence supporters and others who wished for continued Syrian involvement was heartening. The lack of violence on either side told Fares that all elements of the country want to have a democratic discussion. "Both sets of demonstrations agreed on the need to find out the truth about the assassination and both marched under the Lebanese flag and emphasized the need for national unity," he said. "While these demonstrations brought hundreds of thousands, indeed millions, of people onto the streets, they proceeded in the most democratic and peaceful manner without any violent incidents to speak of. I was very encouraged by the nationalism and commitment of the Lebanese population." He said the ability for Lebanon to maintain peace between its Sunni, Shiite and Christian sects could make it a world leader on how different peoples can come together. "Lebanese example is important to the world, because if Muslim-Christian co-existence fails in the 10,000 square kilometers that make up our country, then how can it succeed in the wider world?" Fares asked. Fares said that he wants the current changes in Lebanon to bring attention to Lebanon's 12 million departed immigrants that are "more and more a part of their mother country." In a country of 4 million inhabitants, Fares said Lebanon needs help with things from politics to economics. Fares said that he himself left the country only to return. "I was one of those Lebanese that lived and worked abroad for many years; but I carried Lebanon inside me wherever I went, and I decided to return to pay back some of the debt that I owe to the beautiful country that raised me and made me who I am."
It would seem logical that income taxes would be progressive, and that tax rates would increase as income does. But the research done by Brian Roach, a research associate at Tufts' Global Development and Environment Institute, indicates that if the tax cuts implemented by President George W. Bush are eventually made permanent, income taxes will actually become regressive - decreasing as income increases. "The Bush tax cuts have flattened taxes," Roach said. "Measured as a percentage of income, the wealthy have benefited significantly more than the middle class and poor." "Further, if the Bush tax cuts are made permanent - as is his intention - the tax system would flatten to the point where those in the top one percent of the income distribution would actually be paying an overall tax rate that is lower than people in the upper middle class," said Roach, adding that this is primarily because those at the top get a larger proportion of their income in capital gains and dividends. "The middle class looked like they were getting a good deal to start, but over time they lose," he said. "The Bush government is misrepresenting some of the effects, trying to sell it as a middle class tax cut. It worked the first couple of years, but in the long run, approximately half of the benefits go to the top one percent - people with [an] average income of $938,000 per year." "One of the things that makes this even more unbalanced is the way incomes have been changing over the years," Roach added. "Over the last few decades, people at the lower end of the income spectrum have seen income go up little. People at the top have seen it go up very much." Roach shared statistical data with the Daily that showed that between the years of 1979 and 2000, the bottom fifth income bracket has seen an increase in income of nine percent. Conversely, the top one percent of income brackets has seen income soar - up 201 percent. "It's a double-barrel approach - the top one percent has seen huge income gains and the biggest tax cuts too," he said. Though Roach's background is in environmental policy, he became interested in taxes as a policy issue over the last couple of years. His conclusions, which he shared with the Christian Science Monitor earlier this month, have come from data provided by an independent agency called Citizens for Tax Justice. According to Roach, the government has stopped producing results about the effects on tax cuts for people of different incomes since the Bush administration took office. "My research has really focused on the distribution of the tax cuts and tax payments overall," Roach said. "One problem is that we've been lowering federal income taxes, which are quite progressive. Meanwhile, those taxes which are regressive, such as sales and Social Security taxes, are a relatively large burden on lower-income people." The Bush tax cuts follow a supply-side economics way of thinking. "Supply-side economics says that tax cuts to the wealthy - entrepreneurs, investors, etc. - cause economic growth because these people invest more money, work harder, and therefore create more jobs," Roach said. Roach mentioned a similar attempt by former President Reagan in 1984 - an attempt Roach believes demonstrated that the theoretical gains of this plan don't really exist. "There is no push on wealthy people; it doesn't generate that much more growth," he said. While supply-side economics focuses on employers, demand-side shifts attention to the employees. "With the demand-side approach, instead of looking at those supplying the jobs, we look at consumers," Roach said. "If we give them more money, they will spend it." "I think the problem is that the majority of the tax cuts went to the wealthy, who tend to save a larger percentage of their income than middle-class and poor households," Roach said. "If you give a tax cut to lower-income people, they will tend to spend it all immediately, providing economic stimulus. But if you give a tax cut to the wealthy, they tend to save it, providing less stimulus." "Right now, there are abysmal savings rates," said Roach, who added that savings rates change for higher incomes. "If you give [lower-income groups] a tax cut, they're not going to save it. Poor people essentially save nothing." How much do extra tax dollars mean to people at the bottom? A lot, Roach said. "If they have to pay more [in taxes], they will be giving up health care, education - essentials," he said. Roach also mentioned that, in comparison to other countries, U.S. taxes are already low: in 2000, the total tax revenue as a percentage of GDP was only 29.6 percent. "There also isn't much room to go lower," he said. "All European countries have higher taxes than the U.S. - but they also have more publicly provided goods and services." Roach points out that there's some validity to both approaches. "The recession was short - maybe [the tax cuts] did help there," he said. "But in the long run, there are huge costs looming ahead, according to most experts. "I see it more as a timing issue - huge surpluses were forecasted, under admittedly somewhat unrealistic conditions, but now we're projecting huge deficits," Roach added. "We could have used the finances for health care, Social Security. "For the first time, we've had a war and lowered taxes - it's an experiment we haven't had before," Roach said. "We're getting money for the war by borrowing, and will have to pay interest in the future. "Can we continue with such low tax rates? Eventually we will have to raise tax rates - and to even higher levels than before," Roach said. For now, however, the impacts of the Bush tax cuts are not really a concern for students. "Students don't earn a lot of money - less than $16,000 a year - so benefits are generally less than $100 per year," Roach said. "Making tax cuts permanent will have little effect on students. "This changes once students are finally out and getting jobs - you will have to pay higher taxes," he said.
After taking the first two games of their respective Eastern conference first round series, the Heat and the Pistons are set on a collision course. There is no way these teams will not face off with each other for a trip to the Finals come late May. It is basketball destiny. Miami is sticking it to Ason Kidd (still missing the J) and Half-man, Half-injured and company. Personally, I hope this series gets over with quickly so they can stop showing that stupid commercial with Kidd seducing the trophy. "You seem nervous?" Yeah, I would be pretty nervous too if I was in the room alone with Kidd. At least his acting skills are pretty much on line with that 16 pound piece of metal. As for the Pistons, it will be a major disappointment if they do not sweep the hapless Sixers. After getting smoked for the second consecutive game, Allen Iverson said the team desperately needed to come up with some new scheme for stopping the Pistons. At this point, it does not seem that even practice could save AI. At least Kyle Korver will get some early time off to promote his recently released movie "A Lot Like Love." Please, get him out of here. While both teams are locks to advance to the second round, their opponents there might need another week to figure out. Not like that matters either. Miami will obliterate either Chicago or Washington, and Detroit will dispatch of either Indiana or Boston, although Indiana would be a lot of fun to watch. Just don't expect AA Battery Night at the Palace for the opener of that series. Of course, predicting which of these teams will advance to the Finals is a little outside the scope of my magic eight ball. Detroit took care of Shaq and Kobe in the Finals, so why wouldn't they be able to beat Shaq and Wade? Miami's answer to that starts with Damon Jones (a.k.a. Alfred the Butler) and goes right on down the line. Miami's supporting cast around Shaq and Wade is oh-so-much better than the washed up flounders surrounding Shaq and Kobe last season. Call Wade and Kobe equals, even though Wade's numbers are slightly better than Kobe's last season. Pretty amazing. You can go right down the roster, starting at point guard. You have your choice of Damon Jones and Keyon Dooling or Gary Payton and Derek Fischer. Jones has basically become the Dennis Scott of Shaq's Orlando days, ranking in the top five in three point makes, attempts and percentage, while Dooling has been so-so. Between Jones and Dooling and a worn out Glove and the flop-master Derek Fischer, Jones' marksmanship and efficiency gives the Heat an edge over the Lakers of old at the point position. The other position where the teams probably push is the power forward spot, with Udonis Haslem matches up against last year's grizzled Karl Malone. Haslem has been solid in his second season, averaging 11 points and nine rebounds, shooting just over 50 percent. Malone was a shell of himself, but that shell was still good for 13 and nine, shooting just under 50 percent. Call it a push, even though Haslem has not yet made any advances on Dwayne Wade's wife. At small forward, you have your pick of Eddie Jones or Devean George. As much as I love D-III George, you have to give a slight edge to Eddie Jones. Jones has had a down year, but he shoots the ball slightly better from the three than George (38 percent to 35 percent), and his per-48 minute stats in points and assists just edge out George's. Not to mention that Jones is a three-time All-Defensive selection. Miami gets the edge at the three position. For the rest of the bench you have Rasual Butler, Christian Laettner and Shandon Anderson for the Heat, and Kareem Rush, Luke Walton and my favorite, Rick Fox. There cannot really be a question that the Heat has an advantage in this category as well. Rush was dumped by the Lakers for a second-round pick in the offseason, a sign of how highly they thought of him. Luke Walton makes you wonder how much longer he is going to last in the league. Rick Fox ... can he PLEASE go back to the Bahamas? At least he is done with Radioshack commercials. What a joke. Of course, I left out two other players - two critical players. It might be the single biggest difference between the Heat and the Lakers team from last year, and that is Alonzo Mourning going up against Stanislav Medvedenko. Mourning looks like he has turned back the clock, after an outstanding 21-point, nine-rebound effort in only 16 minutes of play in Game 2 against the Nets. If Mourning can continue to play like that, the Heat will not be stopped, not even in the Finals. So do I really have to talk about Medvedenko? In all seriousness, Stanislav probably has a future as being cast as "the giant Euro center" if they ever make a sequel to "Eddie." God, what a horrible movie. That's it for me, so when there's a parade in South Beach this June don't say that I didn't warn you. I hope you enjoyed my brief stint as a columnist at Tufts. I will be sure to drop the school a line when I am in the GM office in Madison Square Garden some day. Until then, enjoy the Playoffs.Dennis Doyle is a senior majoring in engineering. He can be reached at Dennis.Doyle@tufts.edu.
