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Off-campus students told to take down Greek letters

March 9

Residents of Bromfield Road who complained to Tufts about loud parties and a sign proclaiming the home of "Chi Tau Delta" fraternity need not worry - 90 Bromfield Rd. is not the newest frat on campus. "It appears that it's a group of students who have no affiliation with the Tufts Greek system," Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Todd Sullivan said. "It's being approached from the standpoint of requesting them as students that they take down any letters that might lead people to believe that they are a fraternity, because they certainly are not," he said. Sullivan emphasized that none of the students in the house had any connection with Tufts' Greek system. "I have looked in our rosters. None of the students who live there are members of our fraternities and sororities," Sullivan said. The house had primitively fashioned wooden unpainted letters tacked to its front porch. Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said that the appearance of the letters worried neighbors. "I received a call from a neighbor on Bromfield Road who was concerned that a group of Tufts students were establishing a fraternity house there because Greek letters had appeared on the front porch of a nearby house," Rubel said. "I said I'd look into it." Rubel said that the presence of a fraternity house on a neighborhood street would be a problem in a number of ways. "The neighborhood would probably not welcome it and it would be a violation of the relationship statement between Tufts' fraternities and sororities and the University," she said. Rubel said that when she visited the house, nobody was home, so she e-mailed the students to request that they take the letters down. "After I sent out an e-mail to the residents asking that the letters come down, I received a call from one of them who explained that this was all, essentially, a joke. I believe that the Tufts students will cooperate and remove the letters," Rubel said. The letters had been removed as of yesterday afternoon. Residents of the Bromfield house were not home to comment at press time. "I don't look at it as a Greek issue," Sullivan said. "It would be different if there were students who were interested in starting a new organization, I would always be happy about talking to students about what that process would entail."-Brian McPartland contribued to this article.

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News

How to write like conservatives

March 9

In honor of Ann Coulter's visit to Tufts last night, here are some helpful hints for all of you aspiring right-wing pundits out there. Follow these carefully, and soon you too could be a syndicated columnist dumbing down political discourse in the pages of America's newspapers. First, you have to choose what type of article you would like to write. While there are many types of conservative opinion pieces, three common categories are the following:1. The Michelle Malkin Rantathon. First, choose an aspect of popular culture that you find offensive. This can be anything from Janet Jackson's breast to "Desperate Housewives" to low-cut jeans. Label it un-American, and claim it is a symptom of the downfall of society. Then completely ignore the fact that popular culture is created by market forces and that most large media and entertainment corporations are owned by conservatives and contribute heavily to the Republican Party. Now you are free to blame popular culture, and by extension, the downfall of society, on liberals. 2. The Ann Coulter Two-Step. Step 1. Choose a topic. Step 2. Write whatever crazy thing pops into your head as long as it is demonstrably false.3. The Generic Conservative Student Opinion Article. Anyone who reads the Daily is familiar with these. The process begins with intense viewing of President Bush speaking. The writer must fully open his mind and allow the President's rhetoric to overcome his sense of reason. When the writer can take no more (allow plenty of time, this may take a while), he must quickly get out a piece of paper and regurgitate as much of what he has taken in as possible. The end product should include many uses of phrases such as "freedom is on the march," "ownership society," "culture of life," "compassionate conservatism" and, perhaps, "don't mess with Texas." Remember to read your work, carefully checking to make sure that no well-constructed and empirically supported argument has hidden itself amidst your beds of flowery rhetorical nothingness. Now that you are well on your way to becoming a right-wing pundit, here are some additional tips. These can make all the difference in determining whether you turn into the next Bill O'Reilly or become the Alan Keyes of the media world. Get your history book. Throw it out the window. Now, as an exercise in Academic Freedom, write your own history book. Do not include references to separation of church and state, deism, slavery, the Great Depression, McCarthyism, the Vietnam War, Watergate or the Clinton surplus. Include only one chapter on the 1990s and instead of writing it yourself, simply copy and paste the entire text of the Ken Starr Report. Now get out your Bible. With your Sharpie, black out all the sections which do not specifically mention homosexuality. Now print the remaining passages on a three-by-five inch note card. This is your new Bible. Have it laminated. Pose nude and post the pictures on the internet. Start a male escort service. Do not attend journalism school and do not pay your taxes. Change your name. Congratulations, you are now qualified to be a White House press correspondent. If anyone has the audacity to question your qualifications or the process by which you received your White House press credentials, he or she is clearly a raging homophobe. And, quite obviously, a slandering, treasonous liberal. If you can find any patriotism within this person (which is unlikely, considering the fact that all liberals are French-terrorist-communists who hate America) be sure to publicly question its authenticity. Take quotes out of context to support ridiculous claims. Lie incessantly. When people object to your methods and disagree with your point of view, attack their patriotism. Insist that all sectors of society, the media and academia for instance, which value objectivity have a liberal bias. Now use this claim to demand balance, in the form of ideological rants from the right. If someone does not agree that the media and academia are the two great cogs in the liberal/terrorist machine, attack his or her patriotism. Sometimes journalism does not pay as well as you would like. Do not worry. If you run short of cash, the government will be happy to support you financially as long as you support it. Just make sure you vote Republican. And if anyone attacks you or the government for what may seem like unethical behavior, this person is probably either a racist or a terrorist, and of course, a dirty, dirty liberal. In any case, vehemently question his or her patriotism. If you ever run out of things to write about, return to the basics. Ask yourself, what is the root of all that is un-American? Who embodies terrorism, communism, socialism, and fascism? No, not Osama Bin Laden, Josef Stalin, or Adolf Hitler. The answer, of course, is Bill Clinton. What other man would have a quadruple bypass to boost his favorables? These guidelines were garnered from observing the very best: America's right-wing punditry dream team. Bill O'Reilly, Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and many others have proven just how much they love America by transforming public political debate into something truly American - show business. You, too, can share in the continued fictionalization of the media. Just keep this list close to you and keep anything resembling an objective fact very far away. Don't believe me? Maybe you just don't love America enough.Steven Ward is a junior majoring in international relations.

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News

Correction: March 10, 2005

March 9

The headline for a recent article about Wendell Phillips award winner Eitan Hersh ("Wendell Phillips finalist Hersh to speak at Commencement," March 8) was incorrect. Hersh will speak at the Baccalaureate Ceremony on Saturday, not at Commencement on Sunday. The Chaplain's office organizes the Baccalaureate Ceremony.

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News

Baseball Preview | Defense

March 9

It might not be as sexy as a towering home run or a fastball stopping a hitter dead in his tracks, but people who know baseball know that defense is as important as any part of the game. And as the Tufts baseball team kicks off its 2005 campaign, coach John Casey says defense is a priority. "My theory is, I don't get paid by the hour so if we're a good defense, we won't be out there long," Casey said. "We take great pride in playing good defense; it's something we have complete control over. It doesn't matter how they hit the ball, it's how we field the ball. We spend a lot of time on that, and we hope that's a strength every year." The Jumbos' defense will be anchored behind the plate by the team's captain, senior catcher Bob Kenny. Kenny committed just one error last year on his way to posting a .995 fielding percentage. "It all starts with the guy behind the plate, and we have the best catcher in the league," Casey said. "He calls the game and runs the show for us. He's done that for three and half years and we're looking forward to a great season from him." The Jumbos will be young in the infield, posting three sophomores in the starting lineup. Sophomore Kyle Backstrom, an All-New England Third Team selection last year as a designated hitter, moves to third base this season, and Tufts returns its middle infield junior shortstop Greg Chertok and sophomore second-baseman Brian Casey. Sophomore Chris Decembrele returns in the outfield, and according to Coach Casey it is hard to find "a better athlete out there." Decembrele, who is a two-sport athlete for the Jumbos, spending his falls as an All-NESCAC linebacker on the football team, committed only one error last year while recording 54 putouts and will anchor the Jumbos' outfield. According to Casey, the team aims to rely on its defense in addition to good pitching. "I think you have to be [built around pitching and defense] to be a good baseball team," Casey said. "The Red Sox finally figured it out, and they won the World Championship, right? They get good pitching, a good defensive shortstop, and then they're good. That's what gives you consistency. Your pitching is in your control, your defense is in your control. You should be somewhat proficient at it. That's certainly our philosophy."

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News

It's not just a number: head on over to 33 for drinks, eats and, of course, dancing

March 9

I associate good memories with the number 33 here in Boston. More than just a number, 33 is also a restaurant and lounge tucked away in Back Bay, a few blocks from Newbury Street. It is a little more of an inconvenience for Tufts students to get to, but has nonetheless been one of my favorite destinations in Beantown. 33 doubles as both a restaurant and a lounge. Upstairs, diners choose from a menu of contemporary American cuisine, designed by executive chef Anthony Dawodu, previously of the Four Seasons hotel. Around 10 p.m., however, food and plates are cleared away to make room for young night crawlers starting to peep in at the doors. But be forewarned kiddies: if you only intend to show up for after-dinner drinks, 33 has a 21+ policy and checks ID at the door. Dressed nicely, young'uns can circumvent this by showing up for a late dinner and bumming around until the night starts. Or, if you're lucky like my 20-year-old self was back in the day, you may be able to hide behind a group of your older, 26-year-old friends and have the bouncer let you in with no questions asked. Once in, however, don't ruin the nice bouncer's good faith - stick with the soda. I certainly did, of course (cough). The lounge is comprised of two floors: upstairs has tables for eating and drinking, while downstairs features a dance floor for some boogieing. When I walked down the flight of stairs lit by cool, color-changing LED lights for the first time one night long ago, I expected to enter a room with a similarly cold and sterile sci-fi theme. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself surrounded by cozy brick walls lit by soft red and purple hues. The warm d?©cor is a nice contrast to the upbeat, energetic music spun by a live DJ in the corner. When you have had enough dancing and want to give your tired feet a rest, you will be hard pressed to find somewhere to sit downstairs. All room on the couches will usually already be occupied by a warm body or by mountains of jackets and other items of clothing. So unless you know any of those warm bodies personally, instead of planting yourself in one of their laps, I suggest you head upstairs. If it weren't the dead of winter, you could head outside to the patio area by the entrance for a breath of fresh air ... or a lungful of smoke from the smoker upwind. If you're lucky enough to grab one of the few tables outside, it's a nice chance to enjoy a conversation with friends away from the bustle of activity inside. Once you're ready to rejoin the party, head over to the bar upstairs. There are fully stocked bars both upstairs and downstairs, but at the former, you're less likely to have your drink spilled all over you by some over-enthusiastic dancer. (I'm speaking from many an experience.) Plus, there's a good chance that you and your party can grab yourselves one of the tables in the nice little corner nook at the back of the floor. Here, servers are available to take orders, which means that you don't need to worry about shouldering your way through the overly chaotic mess at the bar. The martinis at 33 are some of the best around - and they'd better be at $12 a glass. The lounge's signature martini is the 33-tini, made with fresh strawberries, sour-apple liqueur, and Hypnotiq. It's more of a cocktail than a martini, but it is served in a martini glass, which is good enough for me. As a pineapple-hater, I blanched at the thought of a Carnival, which is pineapple-infused vodka with Cointreau, white grape juice and dessert wine, but I'm told that it's rather good. For those who don't mind thicker drinks, 33 offers a heavenly chocolate martini too. All these fancy concoctions aside, my hands-down favourite is the apple martini. I wouldn't recommend having more than one as it's so sweet (think liquid apple Jolly Ranchers) but it is one drink you should not miss. As the clock approaches 2 a.m. and the night winds down, there will be no shortage of taxis to take Jumbos back to campus. If you decide to leave before the T closes at 12:30, the closest T stops are the Arlington stop, a couple blocks back on Boylston Street, and Back Bay station. In this weather, a few blocks is a long way and having a warm, empty taxi waiting for you at the door is a godsend.

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News

White people and racism

March 9

Why don't most white people care about racism? I really do not understand. Most white people do not see racism as something that shapes their lives, despite the fact that it most definitely does. Tuesday night, I went to a discussion with the Pan-African Alliance at Capen House to discuss why white people feel they cannot walk into the Africana Center. While we never reached definitive conclusion, I think it boils down to racism. There are several types of racism that prevent white people from going to the Africana Center, the most blatant of which is that they don't like black people. They believe in the myth of white supremacy and would never want to associate with black people. Most of these people will deny this kind of racism exists within them, but it's there. It's what they have been taught by their families, the media, and our schools. These people do exist, they do attend Tufts, and they are pathetic. Then, there is a slightly subtler form of racism that prevents people from going to the Africana Center. This form of racism manifests itself in the notion that white people have no need to concern themselves with black issues or race issues in general. While they may know that they are white, they do not think about what this means. To be white is not to be race-neutral; it is to be privileged. I cannot list the number of privileges that I and other white people get because of our skin color, but the one I am most concerned with right now is the privilege not to think about race or racism. While this is a privilege, it is also a terrible detriment. Not to know about race or racism is not to understand our country. Not to understand where our nation comes from nor where our nation is now, nor even where Tufts comes from and where Tufts stands now. White people do not go to the Africana Center, or any of the other culture centers, because they do not view issues relevant to people of color as relevant to their own lives. This is an absurdly ignorant and self-centered belief. Even if we forgot about the innumerable ways in which race impacts the lives of white people, just for a second, there would still be the infinite ways in which the lives of people of color are greatly affected by racism. This varies from symbolic racism, in which the media consistently portrays people of color negatively and inaccurately, to individual acts of racism like bias incidents and hate crimes, to institutionalized racism that keeps Asian-American studies out of the Tufts curriculum and causes lower rates of faculty retention of professors of color. If these forms of racism only affected people of color and we ignored the effects they have on white people, this in itself is enough for white people to concern themselves with racism. White people live alongside people of color in the dorms, classrooms, and in the greater communities. Racism profoundly affects these people and to ignore that is to ignore them. Now, let that moment end when we forgot that racism affected white people, because racism does affect white people. The system of racism that has developed in our country is one that systematically privileges white people consistently. I've heard many white students pride themselves on the fact they got into Tufts without the "unfair advantage" granted by affirmative action policies to students of color. That is utter nonsense. I got into Tufts because I am white. That is not the only reason I got into Tufts, but it is a very significant one that I cannot, and should not, forget. My white privilege has helped me as long as I can remember. When I was two years old, my family moved out of Philadelphia to a suburb that was almost entirely white. The fact that my family was white made it easier for them to move into the suburbs so that I could go to the better school district. Once I was in school, I was never considered a "credit to my race" when I did well in class and I was recommended for the honors classes in high school without question. And yet when I looked around those honors classes, I wondered where my smart black friends from middle school went. In my high school with over 1,200 students, why were there no black students in my honors classes? Why did I only read one book by an African-American author in all my years of high school? That was not my nation's literature. Why did my history textbook only dedicate special colored boxes to talk about African-American history while the rest of the book only talked about white people? That was not my nation's history. I have been poorly educated. I have not learned about my country; instead I have learned about the white people who have held positions of power for most of its history. In doing so, I was taught not to think about race. After all, what did racism have to do with colonialism? Or Japanese internment? I reject the idea that racism does not affect me because I am white. Racism has shaped my life in more ways than I will ever know. And that is why I, and other white people, do need to step into the Africana Center and enter into conversations about race. Go to the other culture houses. Remember that race is not just black and white. Read poetry by Gloria Anzald??a or Audre Lorde. Find out who Vincent Chin was and learn about Leonard Peltier. Walk into the Latino Center and listen. You may be afraid that the people there will reject you, but what you really fear is finding out that you might reject them.Alex Weissman is a senior majoring in American Studies.

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News

Ex-College hosts annual discussion

March 9

Yesterday evening marked the 15th annual Opening Up the Classroom conference, an event organized by Tufts' Experimental College (Ex College). A broad cross-section of the Tufts community gathered in the new faculty dining facility in Carmichael Hall to discuss this year's theme: "Tufts Life: Expectations vs. Experience." Sixty-three people were in attendance. The crowd was broken up into groups of eight, and a general free-flow of ideas was encouraged by Assistant Director of the Ex College Howard Woolf. "The idea is to encourage faculty and students to sit together in a way that hardly happens anymore," Woolf said. Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Lee Minardi, who sits on the Board of the Ex College, said the main purpose of the event was "to get different people together and gain new perspectives" on life at Tufts. Three central questions posed by Woolf to the audience were meant to guide the individual discussions around the tables - name one thing at Tufts that should be changed, one thing that is currently working well, and what should one question on the alumni questionnaire 10 years from now be? In answering the three central questions of the night, similar answers arose from the individual tables. Half of the tables said that, in terms of changes at Tufts, a greater level of faculty-student interaction was required. Other tables said the need for more on-campus space for faculty-student interaction is a need the University should consider in the future. With regard to what Tufts was successfully achieving, five tables described accessibility to and efficiency of on-campus student clubs and organizations. Other responses included a "high level of faculty accessibility" and "a culture of respect among students and faculty." The tables' answers to the future alumni question varied, including, "What skills do you wish Tufts had provided you?" and "How much money do you give to the University, and why is it not more?" Table conversations, however, extended beyond these three questions and broached a wide variety of concerns expressed by students, administrators and faculty. Freshman Jesse Cooper, for example, said that he was particularly concerned with the condition of some buildings on campus. "As a Mechanical Engineering major, I have a different vantage point than most students [regarding this issue]," Cooper said. He said his current dorm, Wren Hall, is an example of buildings on campus that require attention from facilities. Director of Drug and Alcohol Education Services Margot Abels addressed the issue of student confusion regarding alcohol consumption on campus. "I hear students say that there are a lot of mixed messages coming from the administration regarding drinking," she said. According to Abels, this is unacceptable. "There is a serious situation regarding drinking that leads to dangerous and even potentially fatal situations for students," Abels said. Although rules regarding drinking are officially listed in the Pachyderm, Tufts' student handbook, Abels said that a more effective advertising campaign might eliminate confusion amongst the student body. Cooper added that rules regarding Tufts Emergency Medical Service (TEMS) and possible administrative discipline were never mentioned during his freshman orientation. With regard to drinking on campus, sophomore Talia Quandelacy said, "The fact that people are afraid of calling TEMS for fear of getting in trouble is a bad sign." Sophomore Doug Kingman, President of the Tufts Republicans, addressed what he considers to be the "large problem" of "ideological indoctrination" and "institutional bias" that allegedly pervades liberal arts education. He said there was a need for the Tufts Academic Freedom Project (TAFP), which would increase the monitoring of the University curriculum more often. Kingman said that the curriculum currently undergoes a review every 10 years. "We need safeguards to protect us from the ideological indoctrination," Kingman said. He recommended an annual review of the curriculum to ensure that it "stays on track." But Associate Dean Chris Nwabeke said that such a measure might not be necessary. "There are constant changes in the curriculum as it is," he said. "If a professor broaches an argument only from one side, the student has the ability to raise questions. That's how you learn." The event concluded with a tabulation of a poll taken by participants at the program's outset. The question posed to the group was "If I could go back to when I made the decision to attend or to work at Tufts, my decision would be the same: Definitely So, Probably So, Maybe, Probably Not and Definitely Not." One-hundred percent of faculty chose "Definitely So" as their answer, as did 76 percent of administrators. Zero percent of students said they would "Definitely Not" have chosen Tufts as their school of choice.

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News

Tufts Academic Freedom Project and its possible hidden motives

March 9

There has been a lot of recent conversation surrounding the TCU Senate resolution ratifying the Tufts Academic Freedom Project (TAFP) resolution. This discussion seems to presume that there is a controversial issue to be discussed, but rest assured, fellow students, there is not. The TAFP, according to a March 3 article in the Daily, is a "sub-group of the Tufts Republicans." Led by Senior Brandon Balkind, TAFP has lobbied strongly and successfully to convince the TCU Senate to draft and ratify an amended and simplified "student Bill of Rights." The TCU Senate debated and passed a resolution that in itself is not controversial. The resolution that passed on Feb. 13 is a relative non-factor because it has no teeth; it carries no practical weight. However, the way in which proponents and opponents have framed their arguments in favor of and against said resolution has much to say about the way in which parts of the Tufts student body operate. It has become painfully obvious that the Tufts Republicans are driven not by their conservative adherence to free speech, but because they are unwilling to, and perhaps incapable of competing in the free marketplace of ideas. If the Tufts Republicans believe that there is a disproportionate number of liberal-minded professors in academia, perhaps they should consider the thesis that higher levels of education tend to enlighten the mind and therefore breed liberal/progressive ideologies. Be that as it may, it seems more than slightly paradoxical that a group so consistently concerned with its own freedom of speech would so ardently pursue a policy that seeks to restrict the free speech of Tufts professors. But even if it could be demonstrated that the ideas presented by Tufts professors should be monitored, we would soon face the same problem encountered by the Romans so many years ago: Qui custodiet ipsos custodies? Who watches the watchmen? An institution of higher education, such as Tufts University, is centered around a free exchange of information and ideas. We don't deny that the TAFP, at some level, acknowledges and even supports this very concept. In its wording, the resolution even aims to rectify what it sees as a transgression against the principle of free speech. However, it appears that the TAFP is hoping to establish a standard of intellectual discussion through litigation rather than the more organic means of academic and productive discourse. Students who receive lower grades for voicing unpopular but informed opinions should certainly have an avenue for remedy. We would encourage such students to seek reconciliation through the class deans, the Tufts Community Union Judiciary, the University policy on academic integrity, and various other means. However, students who feel discomfort because they find themselves in an unpopular intellectual minority should continue to voice their opinions while realizing that such discomfort is the price one pays for dissent. In truth, the authors of this piece find nothing objectionable in the message of the TAFP resolution and are ultimately indifferent to its adoption by the administration. The principles it espouses should already be codified and ingrained in the fabric of the University. However, we hope the motivation that prompted Balkind and the TAFP to lobby for this resolution is an honest desire for free intellectual discussion, and not the urge to stifle and silence opinions that happen to oppose their own. Besides, the TAFP and Republicans might find that if they spend more time listening to and understanding what their professors are saying and less time trying to silence them, they may actually find themselves challenged to think beyond the proverbial box.Jake Pearson and Pedro Arroyo are both freshmen who have yet to declare their majors.

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News

Inside Fitness | Shoulder muscles key for improved range

March 9

What are some good exercises for the back of the shoulder? I'm looking for that sexy separation between the rear delt and the top of my tri (my other areas are sexy enough, believe me). Thanks - Phildo LaGamma, Fairfield University The back of the shoulder, or rear deltoid, is a muscle that plays an integral part in any and all activities that involve pulling. These include rowing, climbing, and even throwing a baseball or serving a tennis ball. Aside from that, it also serves to stabilize the shoulder joint itself. A weak muscle may lead to shoulder impingement, a condition commonly associated with overuse and repetitive motions (such as pitching), and other problems of shoulder instability. Here are a few exercises guaranteed to strengthen that important part of your shoulder: Reverse flys can be performed with or without a bench. In order to perform this exercise on a bench, it must be high enough off of the ground so that you can fully extend your arms downward without impediment. Grab two moderately light dumbbells (this exercise doesn't require excessively heavy weight for effectiveness) and lie face down on the bench with your arms perpendicular to your body. Slowly and deliberately extend your arms outward from your sides, keeping the elbows relatively straight (a slight break is okay), until they are parallel to the floor. Squeeze momentarily, and then return to starting position. If no bench is available, this exercise can be performed in the following way: Bend at the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor, with your arms, dumbbells in hand, pointing towards the floor. Looking straight ahead (this helps ensure back alignment), bring your arms out to your sides as if you were lying on the bench. Squeeze at the peak of the movement, and then return to starting position. Another relatively simple yet effective exercise requires a cable. Adjust the pulley height until it is slightly below your shoulder. Attach a rope or a D-grip. Stand next to the machine and grab the rope with the opposite arm across your body (so if you are standing with the machine on your right side, you will be working your left shoulder). Keeping your arm parallel to the floor and as straight as possible, move it all the way across your body until it is at your side (picture a backhand in tennis). After doing a set, switch hands. Another good exercise requires a flat bench and a double cable system. Set the weight relatively low to begin, as the motion for this exercise takes a little getting used to, and place the bench equidistant from each pulley. Adjust the height of the pulley on each side to its maximum. Attach the bars used for cable flys (the D-shaped ones), and grab one in each hand, so that your arms are now perpendicular to your torso. Turn around a full 180 degrees so that your hands and arms are crossed, while still holding on to the D-grips. Lie flat on the bench. In this position, your arms should be pulled in opposite directions. Slowly extend your arms out and down, so that at the peak of the movement, your arms are parallel to the floor. In essence, you are doing reverse flys on your back. The benefit of this movement is the ability to work both shoulders at the same time, as well as the continuous tension that cable work gives the user. Since this exercise is primarily for stabilization and not so much for power, it is recommended that you keep the rep range relatively high, in the range of 10 to 16. Sometimes, because of the fact that a lifter may not be used to the motion, some slight pain will be felt in the shoulder joint. Should this happen, just lower the weight and focus even more on keeping strict form.There's this guy in the gym that reeks, and I just can't concentrate on my workout when he's around. What's the most tactful way to ask someone to put on deodorant? - Fed up in the Fitness Center "Hey stinky, it's called DE-odorant, not ODORant. Don't make that mistake again!" If you say this to him, at least you will be giving him credit by making it seem like his odor problem is the cause of a small reading error, and not a lack of hygiene. If he still stinks after you say this to him (obviously, you'll have to give him a day to fix his mistake), then just say, "Man, you stink. Take a shower." That should send the message nicely.

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News

Happily ever after?

March 9

(Jeff Chen/Tufts Daily) Tufts students led by Matt Pohl staged a mock Jewish gay wedding at Hillel last night. The event mixed traditional Jewish customs with serious contemporary issues like gay marriage.

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News

Headlights stolen off of several student vehicles

March 9

Unidentified perpetrators stole external lights off of multiple Tufts vehicles during three consecutive weekends starting last month, according to Captain Mark Keith of the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD). In addition, license plates were stolen off of several other cars. A Lexus sport utility vehicle (SUV) parked in the Cohen lot had its headlights stolen during the night of Friday, Feb. 18. The fog lights were stolen off an Audi parked in the Cousens lot sometime between Feb. 24 and 26. During the following week, the directional light lenses were taken off a Volkswagen Jetta, also parked in Cousens Lot. "I parked in the Cousens lot and I left my car there over a Thursday night. When I went back to get it I noticed that the fog lights had been ripped out of the car," sophomore Evan Lichtenstein, owner of the Audi, said. Lichtenstein filed a report at the TUPD station, where officers informed him of the other robberies. Lichtenstein said that he was initially upset that police had issued no warning to the Tufts community. "I was upset that if they knew about it they weren't doing anything about it," he said. Keith confirmed that although the TUPD did not send out warnings, they did increase patrols. "We have stepped up our patrols in the lots that are more removed from the main campus," he said. Lichtenstein, an employee of Brown and Brew, said that he noticed the added patrols while at work, and called it a "step in the right direction." Lichtenstein mentioned the incident in an informal discussion with Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senators in an effort to raise awareness about the problem. As somebody who has friends with cars on campus, Lichtenstein said he felt it was important that people were aware of the problem, but added that he felt that the police response had been appropriate. "The police response does seem to be positive," he said. He also said that he was not sure if he wanted to pursue more aggressive action to raise awareness and protect vehicles on campus. "I'd like to wait a little bit and see how the police react, and see if there is a continued response," Lichtenstein said. "I would like to set up something where people can anonymously say what happened to their cars to poll people and see how often this really happens." In addition to the theft of external lights, Keith said several license plates from different states were also recently taken. "Several license plates were taken over one particular weekend. That is probably unrelated," he said, adding that incidents of license plate theft are common and may be part of some form of scavenger hunt or other organized activity. Junior Jeremy Setton also has a car on campus, and feels safe with the vehicle here. "I'm not too worried about it," Setton said. "I've never thought about somebody stealing the car or stuff off of it. That stuff happens everywhere. I'm not saying it couldn't happen at Tufts but I don't worry about it." Lichtenstein said that the police recently called him to say that they were still investigating the incident, and wanted to obtain more information. "At this time there is no suspect info. But the case is still open. We encourage anyone who sees suspicious activity in the [parking] lots at any time to report that to us," Keith said.

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News

Police Briefs

March 9

Vehicle stolen from Carmichael parking lotOn the afternoon of Tuesday, March 8, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a female student reported that her Jeep had been stolen from Langsam parking lot behind Carmichael Hall. The vehicle had been parked there since March 7. Later in the day on March 8, members of the Boston Police Department (BPD) apprehended an undisclosed number of suspects in possession of the stolen vehicle. These suspects reportedly used this vehicle in a robbery that took place later that afternoon. The case is still under investigation. According to TUPD Sergeant Rich McConaghy, incidences of stolen vehicles on the Tufts campus are "very uncommon occurrences." McConaghy stressed, however, that while such cases may be uncommon, students should continue to be cautious. "Students parking their cars on campus should be aware of their surroundings and any suspicious activities in the parking lot," McConaghy said.Sorority members harassed while guarding cannon Four sisters of an unnamed sorority complained that several fraternity pledges allegedly poured cans of paint on them while they were guarding the cannon next to Goddard Chapel on Sunday, March 6 at 4:03 a.m. According to the sorority sisters, four pledges approached them while they were guarding the canon early Sunday morning. As one pledge distracted them, the other three allegedly poured "jugs of paint" on the victims. As Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers arrived on the scene they spotted two of the female students distressed at the Bowen gates. The students informed members of the TUPD that the suspects ran into a nearby frat, where the victims later positively identified the students. Tufts officials informed the perpetrators that the incident would be documented and forwarded to the Dean of Students office. According to TUPD Sergeant Rich McConaghy, incidences of harassment between fraternities and sororities are rare. "There is not much rivalry that results in reported harassment between fraternities and sororities. Rivalry is more common among fraternities than sororities," McConaghy said.Incident of racial slur on Web site reported At approximately 9:53 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) received a call from a residential proctor living in Hill Hall accusing a Tufts student of using racial slurs on a student-run Web site. A student of Arabic descent living in the residential hall informed the proctor of a mock profile depicting Osama Bin Laden on the national university directory Web site thefacebook.com. In addition, the student found several racist comments in the mock-profile. Members of the TUPD reportedly checked the online directory but failed to identify the student associated with the account. The case is still under investigation.

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News

Conversation, not 'Crossfire'

March 9

Unsurprisingly, last night's debate between conservative pundit Ann Coulter and New Republic editor Peter Beinart was a host of political party clich?©s and did not adhere to the night's topic of the state of moral values in America. Each of the speakers carefully toed the line they stereotypically represent instead of engaging in what could have been an interesting debate from various sides of the political spectrum. The debate was well hyped by campus organizations, particularly because Coulter elicits strong responses from college audiences, the most famous being when she was hit with a pie in the face while speaking at the University of Arizona. There is no doubt that both Coulter and Beinart are intelligent and have the ability to carry on a well-thought out debate concerning American morality. The audience, however, heard a barrage of attacks towards Democrats or Republicans concerning welfare, the war in Iraq, abortion and tax codes. While these topics could pertain to morality, the pundits chose to use them to attack their opponent and entertain the audience. It's understandable why Lecture Series chose to invite the two guests to Tufts - they are recognizable figures that are likely to draw and entertain a large audience. But these factors apparently do not facilitate a good debate. In the age of shows like "Crossfire," political figures know they can make a name for themselves by yelling and insulting any opponent they come across. This is a reflection on the current climate of American political culture. As November's election showed us, the nation is dramatically divided politically. No one wants to give an inch to the other party, so each constantly attacks the other in hopes of gaining ground. Intelligent discussion of pressing issues has been thrown out the window in favor of witty sound bites that can be replayed across the news channels. So long as this style of "debate" continues between the Democrats and Republicans, the United States will remain split and each side's hate for each other will grow. This is unsustainable for our country and must be thrown out, in favor of smart, thought-out discussions. Unfortunately, in the popularity of the news channels' yelling-matches disguised as news shows, it appears that debates like those between Coulter and Beinart will not be changing soon.

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News

Dennis Doyle | The Brunson Burner

March 9

What you are about to read may cause a lot of discomfort for all you ESPN-deprived Stuart Scott groupies out there. No, it is not that "Dream Job" is a sham, or that Woody Paige is missing part of his brain. It is an atrocity much worse. The ESPN execs have raised a golden idol, and he is LeBron James. It is time that the record is set straight on "The Chosen One," "King James." I think I just threw up in my mouth. Bill O'Reilly would call this something like the "No-Spin Zone." But Bill O'Reilly also confuses loofahs for falafels, so we won't go there. The truth is LeBron James has become a phenomenon that has exceeded anything he does on the basketball court. The absurdity started in the fall of LeBron's rookie season when ESPN hyped a game between the Cavaliers and Carmelo Anthony's Nuggets. They pushed it like it was the beginning of some historic rivalry on par with Magic and Bird. There were a few slight flaws, though: the two players had never faced each other before (unlike Magic and Bird who squared off for the NCAA title while in college), and the teams had absolutely no history either (unlike the Celtics and Lakers, who constantly met in the Finals). There was not even a hint of animosity between the two players. Not to mention it was a regular season game. What rivalries are born in November? The whole thing was an ESPN-invented brouhaha, a desperate attempt to plug their broadcasts with their newfound golden boy. LeBron is the perfect face to market their NBA coverage, and ESPN is milking it regardless of his performance or character. Last October, a story broke that James had a child with his "long-time" girlfriend from high school. Amazingly, he drew absolutely no criticism. Sportscenter ran features about how he was a proud father, and sent him their congratulations. You did not hear anything about teenage pregnancy. Nothing about whether such an impressionable role model should be having children at his age out of wedlock. Not only did ESPN give him a free pass, they used it to try and build his image even more. Still, it is not fair to kill the guy just because his popularity has reached absurd levels. James deserves a ton of credit, and his accolades are not by any means totally unfounded. There are reasons why he was appearing on the covers of basketball magazines as a junior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. There are reasons why his final high schools games became the first nationally televised high school games ever. There are reasons why Nike signed him to a $90 million shoe deal before he even played a game professionally. The reasons? He is very good, and very young. There is some insultingly obvious Dr. Jack-esque analysis for you. After becoming the youngest player to win Rookie-of-the-Year honors, he is having a stellar sophomore season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 25.5 points with 7.6 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game. He ranks in the top 10 in a multitude of categories, including points (sixth), assists (sixth), steals (second), and minutes per game (fourth). In his second season, James has solidified himself as a top-flight NBA guard. But that is about it. He is no basketball messiah. James is right there with Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady in terms of the best shooting guards in the NBA. The thing is, he is by no means a cut above either of those two players. Bryant is averaging 28.1 points, 6.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game, while McGrady is putting up numbers of 25.6 points, 6.0 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. McGrady's statistics are perhaps the most impressive of the three, though, since they are garnered in Jeff Van Gundy's slow-it-down offense in Houston. LeBron is in good company, but he is in no way the leader of the pack. At this point, the only rational explanation for the amount of hype and recognition James is getting is the same as always: his potential. LeBron has run the gamut so far. He has not disappointed up to this point. Yet it should be clear that he is not by any means the best player in the league, or even the best guard. For all of the attention he gets, Bron-Bron should be dominating the league the way Jordan did in his second full season with the Chicago Bulls (37.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.88 steals per game). The only real way to justify all the hoopla is to say that James still has the potential to become that player. He is still only 20 years old. Will he significantly improve in the following seasons? Maybe, although it will be very difficult to make that kind of jump. It could be that LeBron is only really ahead of the curve, and not that his curve goes higher than the other stars in the league. What will happen five years down the line, when he can no longer be called a young phenom? Sooner or later there will have to be real results for James, or this hype will become a beast that cannot be fed. Give him credit for doing the job so far - he has had a tremendous first two seasons and has posted some gaudy numbers. But if he does not win some playoff games, hit some game-winning shots, or significantly improve to the level of best guard in the game, the Chosen One might start to seem a little overrated. Not even ESPN can protect him from that.

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News

Baseball Preview | Pitching

March 9

Despite losing all-star pitching prospect Randy Newsom, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox after his senior year, the Tufts baseball team is optimistic about its young pitching staff. The core members of the 2004 pitching staff, with the exception of Newsom, all return in 2005 and are supplemented by the addition of Derek Rice, a sophomore transfer from Div. II Rollins College. "I feel good about our pitching staff this year," Coach John Casey said. "We have depth and a group of guys that are hard-working. I think the biggest thing for us is replacing Newsom mentally." Casey is still trying to determine the starters on the mound this season. Sophomores Ben Simon, Rice and Aaron Narva, junior Zack Smotherman and senior Jeremy Davis are all competing for starting jobs. The Jumbos expect to have a four-man starting rotation. Narva, who closed for the team last year and led the Jumbos in appearances and saves, may make the transition from reliever to starter this year. "I loved closing last year and I certainly would not mind starting," Narva said. "However, I am ready to go wherever Coach Casey puts me. He knows what's best for the team." In contrast to Narva, a power pitcher, Simon is known more for his control. He led the team in ERA as a freshman, finishing with a 2.01 in 10 appearances. Simon's final record was 4-2. Smotherman is a strikeout pitcher who posted an ERA just under three. He also held his opponents to the lowest batting average against any pitcher in the NESCAC, and was second in innings pitched only to Simon. Davis posted a 3-2 record with a 4.54 ERA a year ago and figures to be the leader of this pitching staff. "Davis' leadership has been huge," Narva said. "He has become an extension of Casey in a way. [He] is always telling us what to expect and advises us on how to handle things that come up during the year." Sophomore Chris Gingle will also be returning, after missing almost all of last season with an elbow injury. The pitching staff should get a significant boost from newcomer Rice. Rice was the number two pitcher on the staff at Rollins, the No. 2 Div. II team in the country. He appeared on the mound and played a significant role in the 2004 Div. II College World Series. "Rice should certainly help us," Casey said. "He is scheduled to start an early game on the southern trip. He has worked extremely hard and we should see the benefits of that hard work this season." This year, Casey will continue to preach a philosophy of throwing strikes, avoiding walks, and giving the defense behind the pitcher a chance to make plays. "I think the guys on this team have really bought into the way we are going to pitch, which is we are going to throw strikes," Casey said. "If you look at our pitching staff's strike-to-ball ratio last year, it was excellent, and I don't see why this year should be any different." The team's early season southern road trip will provide an opportunity to solidify the rotation. "I hope after the southern trip there will be some type of delineation as to who will start and who will relieve," Casey said. "This is something I just don't know at this point." Simon and Smotherman each threw about 40 innings last year, the second most innings on the team, but still 20 less than Newsom, who was the team's horse. One questionmark will be whether their arms can hold up under increased pressure. But Casey isn't worried about filling the innings void left by Newsom's departure. "Its funny, people were saying the same thing about filling John Lee's shoes, when he left a few years ago after being an all-star." he said "And then came along Newsom who ended up developing into [another] all-star. It seems like somebody always finds a way to step up around here. I am wondering who it will be this year."

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News

Comedy Review | Jimmy Tingle's provides lots of laughs on Monday

March 9

While some of our friends from other schools spent Monday night partying it up in Cancun, others spent it in a dimly-lit basement in snowy Somerville, and yet were far from being jealous: we were too busy laughing at decidedly un-PC anecdotes on AIDS, drunk driving, the crucifixion of Jesus and yes, even the Holocaust, courtesy of some of Boston's most talented up-and-coming comedians at Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway (JTOB.) A linoleum labyrinth takes you down to the subterranean stage that is JTOB. Though the theater can sit up to 200 patrons, it is an extremely intimate setting: the comics were less than eight feet away during the show, and the lack of a raised stage fostered the cozy, conversational feel of the performance. The performers had about eight minutes of stage time each, keeping the pace fast and always funny. It was refreshing not to be distressed by drink minimums or crammed into a seating arrangement better suited for sardines. Located in Davis Square, JTOB was founded by Cambridge-born comic, actor and writer Jimmy Tingle in November of 2002. In addition to Monday's college comedy show, the venue hosts other laughter-filled nights like the all-woman standup series on Sundays, as well as a variety of other kinds of performances, including dramas, cabaret variety shows, live music, poetry readings and family-friendly fare. What's more, college students get their tickets to all shows at half-price. Although Tingle originally came up with the idea for a college-themed night of comedy, he soon handed the reigns to Myq (born, and still pronounced, Mike) Kaplan, whom he felt was utterly qualified; he has been a college student for the past nine years. Myq's talents are not limited to creative spelling, however. Originally entering the local performance scene as a musician five years ago, reactions to his funny lyrics helped him realize his comedic calling. Since then he has performed at comedy clubs and colleges all over New England, garnered praise at national festivals, been featured in this year's humor issue of The Improper Bostonian, and released a CD of his comedic material and musical stylings, appropriately entitled "Open Myq Night." And, of course, Myq, now a fifth year BU graduate student, has served as the weekly host of JTOB's college comedy night since its debut on Feb. 21, opening the show and introducing all the performers. His observational humor and linguistic gags are delivered in an endearingly dorky deadpan, and his comic riffs are frequently punctuated with silly serenades, like his wife-beating ballad, all accompanied by his oddly-shaped guitar. Myq has recruited talent from his contacts in the city's standup scene, word of mouth, and through advertisements on an online forum. And, although attendance has been less-than-stellar, he's quite happy with the level of talent displayed thus far. "We've had really bad luck with snow storms, so turnout isn't what it might be, but we're definitely hoping to grow and build," he said. The college theme is loosely interpreted, welcoming graduates, never-wents and drop-outs in addition to area coeds: this Monday's collegiate comics included an undergrad from BU, two from Brown, a professor from a local community college, a college basketball fan and a dude sporting a sweatshirt from the state school that rejected him. Boston offers a number of comedy club experiences, including Faneuil Hall's Comedy Connection and Inman Square's ImprovBoston. The humble (and cheap!) Jimmy Tingle's, however, may be the best of the all. The comics were eclectic and consistently amusing; the only low point was towards the end of the show, when the stage was overtaken by special guest group TBA, one of Brandeis University's improvisation teams. TBA proved why the guys on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" are so well-paid for their antics; their four improv games seemed to go on forever and weren't particular funny, causing my ADD date to squirm uncontrollably in his seat. In this season when the campus takes on the appearance of a frozen arctic tundra, even the trek to Dewick can seem daunting, and an actual evening out beyond ambitious. But at just five dollars with a student ID, the college comedy night is well worth the short shuttle ride to Davis, especially since next Monday's show features Tufts performers - you just know we'll do way better than Brandeis.

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News

Inside College Basketball | Regular season ends with a series of bangs

March 8

With Selection Sunday less than a week away, the teams on the brink of being in or out are looking to make late-season cases for an invite to the Big Dance. The bubble teams showed their poise no better than on Sunday, a day filled with dramatic college basketball finishes.Undefeated No More: Going 29-0 didn't seem that hard for the first-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini. The team's weak mid-season schedule coupled with the overall weakness of the Big 10 Conference this year made it easier for the Illini to stay perfect than some would think. All it needed to do was beat unranked Ohio State Buckeyes to end its regular season an untouched 30-0. But the Buckeyes had other plans. Even though the team was 18-10 coming into the contest, it knew it had to make its case somehow. Luckily, the play of back-up forward Matt Sylvester, in addition to the craziness of the Ohio State home arena, helped the Buckeyes pull off the biggest upset of the season. The game started off like any other game that Illinois has been a part of, when the Illini took a commanding lead into halftime. This time, however, the 38-27 lead wasn't good enough. Ohio State coach Thad Matta motivated his team to leave it all on the floor. And that's exactly what they did. Ohio State out-hustled and out-scrapped Illinois in every aspect of the game in the second half. With 17 seconds left and Illinois up by two points, Illinois' guard Luther Head missed a long three-point attempt that would have essentially put the game out of reach for the Buckeyes. After Ohio State grabbed the rebound, Matta called a timeout to regroup his team and draw up a play. Matta instructed Buckeye big man Terence Dials to set a pick for guard Tony Stockman, who was to be the decoy. Sylvester, who had been playing at a high level all game, finishing with a career-high 25 points, came out of nowhere to receive the ball behind the three-point line. With 5.1 seconds remaining, he nailed the trifecta, putting his team up 65-64 and sending the Ohio State crowd into a frenzy. Illinois couldn't muster a last-second basket after a timeout, ending its hopes of a perfect regular season.Greatest Hoops Rivalry Ever: Aside from the Illini upset, we were treated to the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels rivalry only a couple of hours later. Down by nine points with three minutes left, and playing without its best player, Rashad McCants, who was out sick for the fourth straight game, the number two North Carolina Tar Heels managed to pull out one of the greatest comebacks ever and score the final 11 points of the game, beating the number six Blue Devils 75-73. UNC freshman Marvin Williams nailed the game-winning shot with 17 seconds left in the game, capping the dramatic 11-0 Tar Heels run. Sean May dropped 26 points and grabbed 24 boards in what proved to be his first victory over Duke in three years at North Carolina. With this win, the Heels clinched their first regular-season ACC title since 1993 and, for all intents and purposes, have locked up a number one seed in the NCAA tournament.Other Big Things that Went Down on Sunday: Other monstrous games happened on Sunday, despite being overshadowed by the Illinois loss and the Duke/UNC rivalry. The number three Kentucky Wildcats were stunned by unranked Florida Gators, 53-52, behind Anthony Roberson's 21 points. The win by Florida most likely locks them into a bid to the Big Dance. The number four Wake Forest Demon Deacons had to overcome a late deficit against the North Carolina State Wolf Pack to pull out an impressive 55-53 victory. With the game tied at 53 apiece and just over four seconds remaining, Wake All-American guard Chris Paul inbounded the ball underneath his own basket, immediately got it back from a teammate and drove the length of the court to toss up the game-winning floater at the buzzer. Also, seventh-ranked Kansas Jayhawks fell to unranked conference foe Missouri Tigers, 72-68. This loss may prevent the Jayhawks from getting a number one seed in the NCAA tournament.Wrap-Up: With Selection Sunday and the major conference championships coming up this weekend, make sure to pay attention and prepare to be sucked into March Madness.

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News

Need-blind admission needed to diversify Asian community

March 8

Recent articles printed in the Daily regarding representation of Asian American students at Tufts have sparked debate over university policies in admissions. As a group of concerned students from the Asian Community at Tufts and Asian American Curriculum Transformation, we would like to voice to the Tufts community our concerns that still stand after reading "Need Blind Admissions: Setting the Record Straight" (March 7) by President Bacow and Dean Coffin. We are writing in support of the continued push by both students and administrators towards need-blind admissions. Tufts University takes pride in the diversity of its student body by creating and ensuring a space in which students from varying backgrounds (e.g. socioeconomic, racial, ethnic and religious) are able to learn from each other. A need-blind admissions policy would allow an equal chance for students, regardless of financial need, to be a part of this conversation. Because the University has yet to achieve need-blind admissions, we would like to stress the importance of recognizing lessons learned from the discourse regarding last year's admissions outcomes. While we appreciate that the administration shares our disappointment in the considerable loss of incoming Asian Americans for the Class of 2008, we seek stronger evidence of commitment from the administration that thorough examination and effort has been, and will continue to be made to ensure that this does not happen again. We are also concerned that in their Viewpoint, Dean Coffin and President Bacow did not acknowledge the importance of recognizing the diversity that exists within the Asian American racial category. Coffin and Bacow stated in their Viewpoint that four million dollars of the $10 million anonymous donation has been allocated toward undergraduate financial aid. However, the administration has not been clear about how the funds will be further divided for incoming students to ensure that no one particular racial group will have to witness a relatively alarming drop in numbers again. In addition, assuming that a 40 percent yield of the 46 percent Asian American "pullbacks" would negate any strong effect of admissions decisions in denying the neediest Asian American applicants begs the question of how we can be sure that the estimated 40 percent yield is an accurate prediction. Where did the assumed 40 percent yield come from? Moreover, even though the administration may consider that difference of 18 additional Asian American students to be insignificant, we would like to point out that 18 is in fact a highly significant number for the Asian American student population, especially if those 18 are from already underrepresented ethnic backgrounds. We would like to consider how the term "Asian-American" had been treated. In Coffin and Bacow's Viewpoint, they wrote that "Asian Americans are the second largest racial group in Tufts' applicant pool and sustained the second-highest level of pullbacks." Yet, looking deeper, one can (and should) note that there are divisions among socioeconomic and ethnic lines within Asian Americans. In America, it can be seen that (first and second generation) Southeast Asians (Vietnamese, Cambodians and Laotians) and first generation East and South Asians are of lower socioeconomic class. Therefore it may be suggested that applicants within these populations would have a high demand for financial aid. "Asian American" is not a monolithic label, something that Coffin recognized in the original Daily article ("University admissions policy leads to under representation of Asian Americans," March 3). Therefore, with this knowledge, we need to look at who the "pullbacks" of Asian Americans for the Class of 2008 were. Can we, as students, assume that the needy Asian American students "cut" were not from these ethnic groups? As previously stated, Tufts prides itself on its diverse student body. As students who live and grow in the diversity that the University purports, we would like to reinforce this vision within the Asian American population to not assume a blanketed Asian American group, but to assure that all cultures and ethnicities are represented. We are asking the administration to recognize the need for a truly diverse student body and to be transparent in their admissions process. We want students to be privy to the numbers and statistics that have been alluded to. The drop in Asian American students for the Class of 2008 should not be treated as an insignificant statistic, nor should it be the responsibility of students to raise these crucial points. The administration needs to continue working towards achieving diversity in its truest forms so that we, the students, can continue to benefit from the plurality of life experiences that we find so invaluable to our time here at Tufts.Lin is a junior majoring in engineering psychology. Chan is a sophomore majoring in international relations.

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News

TV Review | E!'s putting the 'wacko' back in Jacko

March 8

And you thought the Michael Jackson trial couldn't get any sleazier. With enough media coverage to bring a blush even to Jackson's ashen cheek, the American public has been bombarded from every angle with images of the King of Pop's ignominious child molestation trial since Jackson surrendered to authorities in 2003. From radio to television to the Internet to late-night talk show hosts' opening monologues, the Michael Jackson investigation has become the O.J. case of the new millennium. Now, almost two years later, one would think that there would be no ground left to cover, no storyline left to pursue. One would hope that the media would have learned their lesson by now that courtroom entertainment should be restricted to "Judge Judy." Not if the E! Network has anything to say about it! From the station that can lay claim to such tasteful acts as "The Anna Nicole Show," Joan Rivers, and "E! True Hollywood Stories," E! News now brings you "The Michael Jackson Trial," a daily recap and play-by-play analysis of the proceedings in the closed-courtroom Michael Jackson trial. Just when you thought E! couldn't 'beat it,' they recruit a cast of D-list actors to recreate scenes nightly from an official court transcript of the trial's proceedings on a given day. Interspersed in these scenes of telenovela-quality drama, a panel of so-called legal experts debates such pressing matters as the exact content of "Jesus Juice" and whether or not Jackson ever licked his accuser's head. Presiding over everything is the honorable James Curtis, a host whose pompous arrogance rivals the likes of Donald Trump and Simon Cowell. Come on, fellas, have a little class. Press is not allowed in the Jackson courtroom for a reason, and that reason is not so that you could have the chance to dress up an MJ impersonator in drag and pass him off as the subject of a legitimate news broadcast. It is not so that you could have a bunch of photogenic lawyers pronounce judgment on a man's sexual integrity as glibly as if they were Joe Buck and Tim McCarver discussing the Sox's bullpen situation. It is because sometime, somewhere a line has to be drawn separating curiosity from obsession, inquiry from voyeurism, and gossip from slander. Sure, the whole Neverland Ranch, my son's name is Blanket, "No, I swear I didn't have plastic surgery" farce lends itself to public ridicule. But that should be confined to the realm of stand-up acts and VH1 specials - not pawned off on the audience as a caricature of real TV journalism. Think what you want about Michael Jackson, but at the end of the day, defendants in this country are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. In this instance, however, no matter what the verdict reads at the end of the trial, Michael Jackson will have been mocked, parodied, and scrutinized on national television every night for at least a month. Not even a dangling baby stunt could so effectively rid him of whatever remains of his reputation. There is such a sense of innate wrongness to this show that its entertainment value is probably the furthest thing from the audience's mind. Viewers with even the slightest semblance of ethics will experience the same instantly nauseating knee-jerk reaction that can usually only be derived from watching promo spots for Kirsty Alley's new sitcom. You might think that Michael Jackson is a freak or a lunatic or maybe even a child molester. You might believe in the public having a right to know or that celebrity overexposure is simply the high price of fame. And you may, indeed, be perfectly correct on all counts. But when it comes right down to it, the E! News Presentation of "The Michael Jackson Trial" is just plain, common sense wrong. Anyone who can't see that is either completely devoid of human sympathy or has seen one too many Scott Peterson reports. The fact that a bunch of producers over at E! Network sat around a boardroom one day and collectively decided that they'd all still be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that they were destroying a (possibly) innocent man's dignity and privacy begs just one question: is Jacko really the wacko one after all?

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News

In Our Midst | For Bic Leu, the lessons are all in the 'Details'

March 8

At her internship this past summer at Details magazine, sophomore Bic Leu was supposed to be just another poorly paid intern. But when her supervisor unexpectedly quit, Leu was given his job as an assistant to the publisher until a replacement could be found. "I was thrust into the nucleus," said Leu. The publisher made both mundane and odd requests of his new assistant, ranging from having her make celebrity guest lists for the Fashion Rocks Concert, to having her order paperclips and other office supplies. Leu remembers receiving a call in the middle of the night from her boss, who said, "I'm tired of plastic cups - I want porcelain mugs with the Details logo on them for the office." Needless to say, Leu learned a valuable lesson in communications and multitasking. "I was new to the publishing world, and had to figure everything out by myself," she said. As stressful as the situation was at times, Leu loved working in what she describes as "a very fashionable and trendy environment." Her youth was not an issue, as no one she worked with at the magazine was over 35 years old. Plus, she said, "there were tons of male models running around, so it was fun!" Now that she is back at Tufts, Leu has not lost that metropolitan drive. "She is always busy, and needs to be near a computer, cell phone and Post-its, or else she freaks," said Leu's roommate, sophomore Rachel Barbarisi. Leu schedules 20 minutes of "downtime" every few days, which means she plays music while she runs frantically around her room before rushing off to attend yet another meeting. Barbarisi jokingly said that Leu has a tendency to say "very executive things in her sleep, like 'That is unacceptable!' and 'Do it better!'" Leu is also making waves in the art history department. Originally a fan of 20th century expressionist painters like Paul Cezanne and Gustav Klimt, she has recently begun exploring classical works of art. She hopes to spend the upcoming summer at an ancient Etruscan excavation site in Poggio Civitate, a city that dates back to six B.C.E. Also referred to as Murlo, the Mediterranean city is famous for its ancient wall murals and decorations. Working under Classics Lecturer Tony Tuck, Leu is "interested in exploring viewers' interpretation of the message in architectural decoration based on lines of sight." Students at the site get to take part in photography projects, including reconstructing a 360-degree view of how the ancient buildings looked. The available spaces in the field school are highly coveted: "If I don't get to go, I'll have to slum it in New York," Leu said. Leu's family has just begun to accept her choice to major in art history, but they still hope she is just going through a phase. "My parents want me to come to my senses and go to pharmacy school," said Leu, who comes from a long line of engineers and scientists. In addition to her art studies, Leu is the vice president of the Asian Community at Tufts (ACT), and helped organized Tufts' Tsunami Relief Fund and charity auction. Fifty volunteers donated various services - from salsa lessons to home-cooked meals - for the auction, the proceeds of which were donated to UNICEF. As a Vietnam native, Leu was close to the cause. After the Vietnam War, Asian tradition demanded that her mother's eldest uncle look after the family. That was no easy task, as he had to look after 11 siblings, their spouses, and their children. Nonetheless, he attended Northwestern University, earned his degree and obtained U.S. citizenship. He was then able to sponsor the rest of his family to join him. The first migration of Leu's family came in 1990. More family members, including Leu herself, came in 1993. "They were all well-educated, many of them college professors in Vietnam, but here they had to rebuild themselves," she said. Her father's side of the family remains in Vietnam. The most difficult transition for Leu's family was dealing with the language barrier. "For me, I picked up English quickly," Leu said. "I started ESL [English as a Second Language] at age eight, and was fluent by nine." Leu's parents and older relatives had a more challenging time learning English, but Leu's mother was still able to earn her master's degree in computer science, and is planning to get a Ph.D. "I talk to them in English, and they respond in Vietnamese," Leu said. "Our phone conversations must seem really strange to someone listening in!"

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