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Music Review | Johnson shows he's no 'Flake'

March 8

Jack Johnson keeps to his signature acoustic guitar sounds on a solid new album, "In Between Dreams." Influenced by such artists as Nick Drake and Ben Harper, Johnson adds appeal to simplicity with intricate guitar solos and fun yet contemplative lyrics. This former filmmaker first turned heads with the hit single "Flake" from his debut album, "Brushfire Fairytales" (2002). Johnson's second album, "On and On" (2002), was also a commercial success, allowing him to launch his own label, Brushfire Records, in the same year. Adding to his success on the airwaves and in album sales, Johnson played to enthusiastic crowds all over the world. Beginning with his sold-out tour in October and November of 2002, Johnson has been on the road constantly since then, performing everywhere from Spain to Hawaii. Currently, Johnson is hitting the concert circuit in Australia with plans to tour the United States in the fall. Consistency is key for a musician, and Johnson continues to deliver with his newest release. Like his previous albums, "In Between Dreams" illustrates Johnson's laid-back, no-worries surfer persona (he grew up on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii). It contains a good mix of mellow to more upbeat tunes, and those who enjoyed his previous albums are sure to be pleased. In "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," the first single off "In Between Dreams," Johnson addresses the universal agony of waiting for someone to return one's affections-but in a more optimistic, less melodramatic way. In it, he asks, "Must I always, always be waiting on you? Must I always, always be playing your fool?" The great thing about this song is that it avoids being whiny, so what could easily have become another woe-is-me lament is actually a highly enjoyable tune. It's more of an ode to unrequited love than a rant on the subject. "Banana Pancakes" is a feel-good love song in typical Jack Johnson fashion. This song can instantly draw the listener into Johnson's worry-free musical world. In it, he sings, "Maybe we could sleep in / I'll make you banana pancakes / Pretend like it's the weekend now." He asks listeners to imagine what they could be doing instead of mechanically going about their busy workdays. Its sound and lyrical style are reminiscent of Johnson's past hit single "Bubble Toes" off of "Brushfire Fairytales," a catchy cut that the singer-songwriter penned for his wife. The more contemplative tracks include "Never Know" and "Good People." In "Never Know," Johnson sings, "We're just human, amusing but confusing / We're trying, but where is this all leading?" As he explores the limited emotional capacities of human beings, he adds, "We feel certain but we'll never, never know." It's basically a song about the uncertainties that all people have in life. Johnson voices his concern about society today in "Good People." He asks, "How many train wrecks do we need to see? / Before we lose touch / Well it's bad, getting worse." The song is not meant to depress anyone. Rather, it's simply a thoughtful contemplation of how things are in a modern society. There is no added anxiety in Johnson's voice; it's the same cool, soothing voice that draws listeners to his other songs. In "Do You Remember," Johnson reminisces about the history of a current romance. He sings, "The craziest thing of all is over 10 years have gone by and you're still mine." His are the words of someone truly content with his life at the very moment that he sings the song. No matter what the subject may be, each track on this album is unmistakably Jack Johnson. The cool, rhythmic acoustic tunes take listeners back to the shores of Hawaii where it all started. Upon hearing the songs, one cannot help but simply unwind and slip away "In Between Dreams."

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News

Scholar speaks on Pakistani military-industrial complex

March 8

Using her native Pakistan as an example, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa spoke of many nations' military-industrial complexes in her lecture entitled "Guns and Butter: Political Economy of Soldiers in Business," last night in the Cabot Intercultural Center. In countries where the military has economic influence, the military has become a "stationary bandit, rather than a roaming bandit," and can use its political influence to procure unfair advantages in commerce. Siddiqa said that in such cases, the military's attitude amounts to "I don't want just guns; I will take your butter as well." Pakistan has large amounts of money for the military invested in businesses and real estate, but less active military officers working in the economic sector. According to Siddiqa, retired members of the military have many business advantages, especially when competing for government contracts. The Pakistani military is also able to acquire private land and redistribute it for its own personnel, where military-owned construction and transportation companies monopolize service through preferential awarding of government grants. In one area of Pakistan, according to Siddiqa, the military took control of a government road and began charging a road tax, something that Siddiqa said is, "clearly illegal" under Pakistani law. This ability to bypass laws stems from and increases the political influence of the military. The real test of a military's pervasiveness in the economy is found by the examining the three layers of the military-industrial complex found in many countries. The first layer comprises the actual organization of the military, the second includes all military foundations involved in the economy, and the third is the undocumented smaller ventures designed for fundraising. All of these things can be found in Pakistan where there are over 90 military foundations providing a wide variety of goods and services. There are also undocumented ventures such as bakeries and gas stations, which are set up in communities where they are able to undercut local prices. Additonally, the actual military possesses the two characteristics which Siddiqa said allows it to interfere in business. These are financial autonomy and capacity to redistribute resources The Pakistani military possesses considerable financial autonomy and is able to use the principle of eminent domain-generally used in America during the creation of highways, or public buildings-to acquire public land and redistribute it to their personnel. Currently, according to Siddiqa, the Pakistani military receives 10 percent of newly available land. The military received three million acres in 11 provinces in the last few years - just over 3.5 billion American dollars worth of property. As a result, there is less land for peasants to farm. According to Siddiqa, this redistribution is mostly concentrated on the top ranks of the military, and rarely benefits the low-ranking officer. Siddiqa said military officials in Pakistan will aggressively defend these types of actions, saying that their business ventures are more effective and successful than private ones, and that that they are trying to raise money to better care for their soldiers. "Land as a resource in being monopolized," Siddiqa said. Siddiqa said that the people like her who criticize this build-up are being dismissed as pseudo-intellectuals who don't understand the situation. But according to Siddiqa, the government denies many of the problems she made apparent in her speech. "I, as a Pakistani analyst, cannot ignore this expansion, [as the] military begins to define its role in terms of defense and economics," Siddiqa said, adding that the military could begin to shift its focus to internal threats, such as terrorism Siddiqa is a fellow in the Asian Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and is the author of the book "Pakistan's Arms Procurement and Military Buildup, 1979-99."

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News

Mom's last wish for Pinochet

March 8

When a Santiago judge in mid-December indicted former Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet for one murder among the thousands he allegedly ordered, I imagined how the glimmer of vindication would have delighted my mother who had passed away 10 days earlier in a Miami Beach hospital. Few acts of political violence had troubled Mom more than another one of those murders, the 1976 assassination of former Chilean foreign minister Orlando Letelier in broad daylight on the streets of Washington, DC. I thought as well, how ironic it was that she had lived so close to the erstwhile epicenter of anti-Castro extremism, "Little Havana," the preferred watering hole of CIA-trained Cuban exile terrorists - three of whom Pinochet bankrolled to bomb Letelier's car. Mom died convinced the truth would never come out, and she was not without reason for believing so. Then CIA director George H. W. Bush had stonewalled the initial FBI investigation, leaving it dead in the water for years. Americans have long since lost interest in terrorism - unless, of course, we're the targets. And why not? Thanks to the Elian Gonzalez affair and, before that, Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" rhetoric, the anti-Castro brigadistas are no longer recalled as "terrorists" but as "freedom fighters." This is the opposite of present day Washington D.C.'s regard for Osama bin Laden and his Islamic extremist cohorts, whom Reagan hailed as freedom fighters when the CIA was paying them billions to kill Russians in Afghanistan. Throw in talk radio, "embeds," and a stenographic White House press corps, and it's easy to understand why Americans asked "why us?" on Sept. 11. To resume contact with reality we need to confront Washington's primary role in Latin America's decades-long nightmare of military dictatorship. We need to acknowledge that the "post-factual era" began with the first inauguration of Ronald Reagan, not George W. Bush. Notwithstanding the media hagiography upon his death, Reagan was the master of flipping reality on its head. He not only heaped praise upon bin Laden's minions, but also the nun-raping Salvadoran death squads and the hospital-bombing Nicaraguan contras. He even deemed these contras as being "the moral equivalent of our founding fathers." When even the hyperbole fell short of its goals, the Reagan team manufactured front groups to manipulate public opinion. They created the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) to marshal support for the contras, who had been assembled by the CIA from the remnants of deposed dictator Somoza's secret police to oppose Nicaragua's leftist government. A grateful Reagan invited CANF director Jorge Mas Canosa, a successful exile businessman and inveterate Castro-hater, to the White House. As a sideline, Mas Canosa used his deep pockets to play "sugar daddy" to some of the more notorious Cuban extremists. When a technicality voided Guillermo Novo's prison sentence for the Letelier assassination, Mas Canosa found the anti-Castro bomber and drug trafficker a job as an information officer for the CANF. When the CIA sought a demolitions expert to train the contras, it sent out a call to the legendary anti-Castro bomber and long-time agency operative Luis Posada Carriles. However, Posada was languishing in a Venezuelan jail on charges of masterminding the decimation of a Cuban airliner two weeks after the Letelier murder. Posada magically got hold of $25,000 to bribe his way out of prison and join the contras in Nicaragua. In his memoirs he names Mas Canosa as his benefactor. Mom would have gagged in the ambulance taking her home from the Miami Beach rehab hospital had she noticed that part of Biscayne Boulevard had been renamed "Jorge Mas Canosa Boulevard." However, she noticed little and suffered a second stroke before peacefully passing away. Shortly thereafter, on the eve of a Chilean judge's determination of his fitness to stand trial, Gen. Pinochet had another of his own remarkably well-timed strokes. Mom would have wished him the health he will need to face his accusers.Meldon is an associate professor in the School of Engineering.

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News

Brett Weiner | Force Perspective

March 8

Note: The following column was written for and applies to the heterosexual male. Apologies to females, homosexuals and especially female homosexuals. You know the situation. It is 10 p.m. on a Thursday night and you are busy IMing that cutie you met a week ago. You mention that your roommate is gone and invite her over for a movie. Now you are faced with the ultimate dilemma: what is the best movie to hook up to? Some of you may be thinking anything will do, but to those, I say, "Listen, Grasshopper. There is an art to picking the correct movie." "'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'?" I scoff. "Yes, girls love it, but choosing a movie about breakups is not the way to get her to follow your happy trail. You want action, not a nostalgic philosophical conversation about someone's exes. "Leave talking to women where it belongs: squarely in the realm of the gay best friend," I wisely add. Now, hopefully you are not like me and you don't have the compulsive need to finish every movie you start watching. But if you are, you will find this list can still serve your needs. The movies are perfect: too terrible to finish but just good enough to hold attention for a little while. Even a massive film buff won't feel bad turning down these flicks to get some action. Without further ado, The Guy's List of Movies to Hook Up To:Number 7: "Reality Bites" "Can you define irony?" "It's when the actual meaning is the complete opposite from the literal meaning." The words that defined our middle school youth coupled with '90s nostalgia and Ethan Hawke makes this movie a sure-fire hit. As an added bonus, its sad depiction of post-collegiate life will make the girl depressed enough to lower her standards for you. Be sure not to scream "Lisa Loeb!" during the lovemaking.Number 6: "Bringing Up Baby" Cary Grant is a charming man. This means that normally one would want to avoid showing a movie with the Grantster for fear that his charm and attractiveness would make you look like the inept slob you actually are. Never fear, for this movie has him in full super-dork mode. Your fumbling attempts to unhook her bra one-handedly will seem like a fingersmith at work when compared to Grant's blundering over the intercostal clavicle. A wacky storyline and a great Katherine Hepburn makes the movie fun to watch, but the third-act sag is a great time for third-basing. Number 5: "The Ring" (Or Equivalent) Ah, the horror movie. A classic method for scaring the pants off any squeamish female visitor. I choose "The Ring" to represent the genre for a host of good reasons: not a lot of blood, so it won't disgust her scary enough for her to cling to you, and the underlying creepiness will mean she won't want to sleep alone that night. Be sure to get the American version, because despite the recommendation a friend of a friend gave you, the original Japanese movie, "Ringu," is NOT as scary. The next morning, scare her out of your room and to the walk of shame by turning on the TV.Number 4: "The Thomas Crown Affair" Obscure enough to seem like an actual movie of worth and clever enough to keep you and your target mildly entertained, "The Thomas Crown Affair" is a solid entry on this list. Pierce Brosnan plays a millionaire who is a master thief. (Movie millionaires only spend money doing stuff that can get them arrested). One thing Brosnan won't capture is your potential hook-up's heart: this movie has gratuitous, saggy Pierce ass. Once the bowler hats and the plot holes start appearing, the film peters out while you can bring your Peter out. Number 3: "Requiem for a Dream" Nothing can go wrong when watching this movie with a female. Women will be powerless to resist this movie's charming scenes. Especially towards the end. Seriously, it's true. Trust me. Try it.Number 2: "Shrek" When your competition is a farting ogre, you can't lose. The childish girl will love this movie for its whimsical take on fairytales, while the intellectual will love all the hidden pop culture references. This film is entertaining enough to watch all the way through, but its overexposure is key. Everyone's seen it before, so you can feel free to interrupt this movie whenever you get the urge to initiate dry humping. Hey, if she's never heard Donkey's opinion on parfaits, you shouldn't be interested in her anyway.Number 1: "Empire Records" Girls have a secret rulebook. It contains the protocol on such things as when and how to be passive-aggressive, what specific types of shiny things they like to wear around their necks or in their ears, and the codex to decipher the mysterious language of Womanese. I was able to secure a tiny piece of this elusive document. It says, "Article CIV, Section 37a: All females as defined in Article I, Section 2, will love 'Empire Records.'" I neither understand nor condone this phenomenon, I merely acknowledge it exists. Use the knowledge wisely, for many Bothans died to give us this information.This list actually work? Send e-mail to Brett.Weiner@tufts.edu.

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News

Coming home to a good idea

March 8

Homecoming and Parents' Weekend, two staples of October on The Hill, will be combined this year in a move to ease scheduling concerns. While it may seem that the combination weekend was created more by chance than by thorough planning, such a combination has the potential to be the start of a very successful tradition for current Jumbos, alumni and parents. The new parents' and Homecoming combined weekend will enable all involved to experience a few days of excitement and Jumbo spirit, a healthy combination if there ever was one. All three groups involved will benefit from the combination weekend. Students will have more options on their plate for activities, whether or not their parents come to town. For those whose parents can not make it, there will be sports events and celebrations throughout the weekend. On the other hand, for the lucky (or perhaps unlucky) Jumbo whose parents can make it to town, there will be plenty of events to enjoy with, and not in spite of, one's parents. Parents will be treated to an exhibition of a campus in full bloom, both in terms of fall foliage and Jumbo pride. They will be able to see proud alumni from throughout the country who have traveled back to their alma mater to show their love and devotion to Tufts. Also on display will be school spirit that far exceeds any other time on campus, with students and alums alike dutifully donning the brown and blue to cheer on their classmates and teams. In all, the grand display of pride and tradition will be enough to reassure any parent that the Hill is the right place for his child. Alumni returning to campus will be greeted with a vibrant and welcoming community of students and parents. Many of the older alumni are parents themselves or may be friends with parents, and thus the combination of weekends gives them added incentive to take the trip to Medford (and write the check to Ballou). Many alumni might also find it easier to relate to students when their (similarly aged) parents are present. The added connection thus fostered will pay tremendous dividends in terms of commitment to the University throughout the future. Some may grumble about missed tailgating opportunities or a tighter schedule when it comes to next year's weekend, but what the new arrangement really boils down to is one that will result in more school spirit and more fun for everyone. We are lucky enough to be able to enjoy this Hill while we are here; we are even luckier when we can share it with others. Now that's Jumbo-sized thinking.

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News

Portrait of the Artist | Dana Price

March 8

Dana Price is getting worked up about the prevalence of the double major at Tufts. "People ask me, 'Wait, you're only majoring in music?'" She throws up her hands and shakes her head in exasperation. "Don't they get it? I live and breathe music!" For this Tufts senior, music isn't a secondary interest - it is her all-consuming passion. A pianist, violinist, singer and composer, Price has explored a diverse range of musical fields that today make her something of a one-woman musical powerhouse. From expounding on the wonders of the prepared piano (placing objects on the soundboard of the piano for musical effect) to nonchalantly mentioning the date of her professional debut (she was 17 years old), Price is never unwilling to wax poetic about a new style of music. Price began her study of classical piano at age four and picked up the violin six years later. As she blithely puts it, "You know, I won a bunch of piano competitions when I was little, went to All-State, that kind of thing." In her freshman year of high school, Price turned to homeschooling so she could practice more, winning piano competitions by playing the major works of Beethoven and Schubert. By her junior year of high school, Price returned to public school at the prestigious Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts near her home in Hobe Sound, Florida. One year later, she made her professional debut playing Beethoven's "Romance in F Major" with Florida's St. Lucie Chorale. Despite her numerous musical accomplishments throughout her childhood, Price felt that her college years should not be dedicated wholly to music. "I didn't think it was a legitimate thing to do." She picked Tufts for its location in Boston, a city with rich musical vibrancy, but her intended academic focus was engineering. However, she soon found that to be "too structured" and turned to political science. What happened next changed the course of Price's life. She was in a major car accident and had to leave Tufts for a semester for rehabilitation and therapy. Price describes the experience as a major turning point, an event that pushed her to rethink the role of music in her life. "There was a piano in the hospital where I went for rehab, and it hurt so much to not be able to play it. I had to do music somehow." While in the hospital, Price started singing to give herself a musical outlet that didn't require physical mobility. She also realized that music was where her passion lay and that it was the career she needed to pursue. "It sounds really corny, but [music] helps your soul. It's everything I am," Price explains. She also notes, "It took a lot to accept the fact that I might not make a lot of money doing it." Price's current post-graduation plan is to support herself by teaching music lessons and by gigging. She has also considered pursuing a degree in library science to work in a music library. Along with teaching piano and violin lessons, taking private jazz violin lessons, and performing in three Tufts music ensembles (one classical, one jazz and one New Music improvisational), Price is also a developing composer. Working with Professor John McDonald, she composes and performs pieces for solo piano, rock/pop/jazz songs, and is currently working on a musical score for a play. Price recently had a song entitled, "Colors," accepted for the Jumbo Audio Project. Price describes her compositional career as "kind of a new thing," and she says with a rueful smile, "I wish I had more time to work on it all." Price's musical journey to this point has run the gamut from child classical prodigy to experimental jazz artist. Her freshman year of college, Price auditioned for the New England Conservatory of Music. While she was ultimately rejected, Price views the experience as fortunate. "It's forced me to be more active in my own musical education. It's been much more rewarding for me to seek [music] out on my own. At [the New England Conservatory], I would have been spoon-fed [music]." Price doesn't so much absorb music in small spoonfuls as much as she inhales it. She counts herself attending between two and four concerts a week, ranging from the Boston Symphony Orchestra to the experimental jazz stylings of Tim Berne. For Dana Price, life's direction is clear. With a shrug and a simple and a simple smile, she sums it all up: "I really just want to play and compose and sing."

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News

Jon Schubin | Honkers

March 8

Hong Kong prides itself on being a center of technology and commerce, so it may seem strange that one basic service is decidedly low-tech. At a time when the world is growing ever smaller, the travel business still takes an awful lot of manpower to navigate. In America, travel is increasingly the domain of Internet sites like Travelocity and Orbitz. The business in Hong Kong, however, is still face-to-face. A visit to the travel agent is less a friendly conversation and more a battle of wits. The agent has a destination in mind for the client, the client has another. Your vacation hangs in the balance. Ivan and I have been having a heated exchange over the past week. We are by now well-acquainted, as we have hammered out several trips already. He works at my favorite travel agency, a cheap place located in the shopping district of Mong Kok. His agency's office is tucked into a back corner on the fourth floor, crammed with 15 eager agents seated around a long U-shaped table. There were no other customers on Monday afternoon. Eight agents perked up when I strolled through the glass door. Ivan greeted me with a warm smile and a "hello." He gave a glare to the other agents to indicate that I was his customer. "Hi." A pause. "I want to get a plane ticket to..." "You want to go to Taiwan!" Ivan finished my sentence for me. I did not want to go to Taiwan. I had already been, two months earlier, and it was Ivan who had sold me the ticket. I was there for a ticket to Phuket, in the south of Thailand. Ivan did not seem too pleased with the destination. He fiddled with his mouse, and checked his messages on MSN before searching the computer. He pulled up a screen showing several three-, four-, and five-star hotels. When I told him I was not interested in a hotel, he brought up a screen of even more expensive packages. He was not one for small-talk. Little comments about the tsunami met with no reply. I asked Ivan if he had ever been to Phuket, and which beach was his favorite. He did not answer the question, but deflected it with a general comment about tsunami damage on one particular beach. The best deals, he said, were to be found on the southwest side of the island. He showed me some four-star hotels that were on the beach. We went back and forth for the better part of the hour. I finally was able to put in a request for three plane tickets to Phuket. There was, however, a problem - the airline did not have a computer system. It would be a day before I would know if I had gotten my plane ticket. Ivan was confident he could get the tickets. The next day I spoke to Ivan on the phone. He sounded frazzled. There were no tickets on the day I requested. Everyone was going to Thailand on the same day as me. He suggested that I leave the next day. "There is only a small surcharge," he said. When pressed, he admitted the surcharge was almost $200, or more than double the cost of the ticket. Ivan seemed shocked when I balked at the amount. I asked him if there were tickets for the price we had agreed on the day before. He was evasive, trying to lure me into expensive packages or through additional air miles. Eventually, we settled on another flight, which would require leaving three days earlier and coming back in the middle of the weekend, and paying slightly more than the first fare. In the battle over travel, it seemed like a victory. Ivan and I are not chummy, but we do need each other. I have used other travel agents, and it has been much worse. One agent would quote a fare and then immediately say, "Will you consider?" She said this for every single fare for an hour. Another agent asked several times why an American would be traveling with a Canadian and a Swede (we all go to university). Ivan at least was pleasant in trying to reroute my destination and upgrade me to business class. The dominance of the Hong Kong travel agent may soon be under threat. Discount airlines, including Malaysia's Air Asia and Thailand's Orient Thai, are beginning to service the region. AirAsia does not use travel agents; rather, it sells fares directly on the Internet. The huge travel centers that currently dominate, with their pictures of tropical beaches and exotic temples, may soon be replaced with shopping malls and fusion restaurants. Down the street from Ivan's agency, Langham Place, a 12-story futuristic shopping mall just opened. Ivan and company have a right to be worried. If things get too bad, however, they can always head over to Taiwan.Jon Schubin is a junior majoring in political science. He can be reached at jonathan.schubin @tufts.edu.

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News

Former Ugandan VP discusses women's issues

March 8

The Coolidge Room of Ballou Hall was packed yesterday in order to hear Her Excellency the Former Vice President of Uganda Dr. Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe speak in honor of International Women's Day. "It's important that we pause at least once a year to think about the accomplishments of women, but also of the challenges ahead of them," University President Lawrence Bacow said in his introduction of Kazibwe. In her lecture, entitled "Women, Health, and Power," Kazibwe addressed the suffering of women, and particularly identified problems in Africa. "We allow men to believe that they're ordained to do what they do," she said. "The morbidity rate of women is higher [than men]. We live longer with more suffering." "I've seen women in Asia with thighs smaller than my arm," Kazibwe said. "We have a very long way to go." Kazibwe concentrated on the solution of finding and promoting commonalities among all women. "Maybe the problem is within ourselves," she said. "What is it that makes us as women together?" In her lecture, Kazibwe argued that better knowledge of sexuality will have a role in both the empowerment of women and the solution of health issues. "Let us show that [female] beauty is a strength, not a weakness," Kazibwe said. She referred to American society, where, because of more open views on sexual orientation, some men switch gender to become women. "If you have the opportunity to be a woman, why not flaunt it," she asked the female audience members. Her main concern dealt with women throughout the world taking submissive roles. "How can we help women get that confidence and have them get out what's wrong?" Kazibwe also mentioned, however, that Americans fail to engage in discussion of sexual and relationship issues. She asked Bacow to talk about his romantic history. "That is a privileged answer," he said. "Talking about these relations is like taboo," Kazibwe said. "But it's what life's all about." Another taboo topic discussed by Kazibwe was the Ugandan government's relatively successful control of HIV/AIDS. "We had to open up. We talked about intimate things and we found that people would help each other," she said. "We made it into a national program." "We think the real success is the way we organized as a country," Kazibwe said. "We're discouraging orphanages because HIV/AIDS is everyone's problem." Along with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Kazibwe aimed the Ugandan HIV/AIDS programs toward the nation's youth. "[They had to know] there is a future for them as Ugandans to be really alive," she said. "We worked on the principle that if you get AIDS, you die. You can't change your ways when you are dead." Kazibwe further explained her opinion of governmental leaders, arguing that they need to understand every part of their constituent population. "Here it's old men in government," she said. "How do the youth feel that they are represented?" She pointed to Museveni's leadership as an example of familiarity with those who he leads. "Our president would take time to sit in the villages," she said. Kazibwe ended her lecture on a positive note. She asked everyone seated to stand, and led the room in singing "We Shall Overcome." She ended the song with an embrace of Bacow. "Celebrating this day is the least that anyone can do," Kazibwe said. "Thank you for bringing the positive to the forefront."

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News

James Gerber | Through the Smokescreen

March 8

President Bush spent his first four years in office turning a budget surplus into a record deficit. He plans to do this by giving tax cuts to the rich and running a messy, expensive war in Iraq. In his second term, Bush pledges to cut the deficit in half. But he also plans on making those upper class tax cuts permanent, while consistently requesting more money for his failing war. How does he plan to reconcile these two agendas? By ridding this country of the social programs that he deems "inefficient." The new budget's hit list includes programs that affect everyone, even children and college students. Bush's 2006 budget proposal calls for cuts in emergency medical services for kids, cuts in vocational education, cuts in K-12 education funding and cuts in the Head Start program. The entire National Youth Sports Program, which has provided athletics for low income kids, has been eliminated. The budget also targets college students, forcing them to pay more for college. Bush forces a tax on student loans that would charge students billions in additional taxes over the next decade. The President will also force millions of low and middle-income students to pay thousands more for their college loans. The Bush budget eliminates the current low fixed consolidation rate benefit. According to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), this change will force the typical student borrower to pay $5,500 more for his college loans. Bush has proposed budget cuts of $733 million in pre-college education programs, in addition to changes in the Pell Grant college-aid program that left 80,000 students no longer eligible for such grants. Now, students and families seeking to fund their education with a Federal Perkins Loan will have to look elsewhere, as the Bush administration plans on eliminating that self-sustaining program entirely. President Bush has said repeatedly that his administration will only cut programs which are ineffective and that his budget is all and only about results. However, on the safe-sex front, one of the few domestic programs Bush is actually expanding has had no verifiable impact. Congress has recently appropriated over $130 million to sponsor abstinence-only education programs. Meant to replace typical sex-ed, these programs are designed to scare kids away from having sex. Because many schools depend on federal funds, teachers can't mention condoms, unless it is in reference to their failure rates, and they can't discuss birth control or safer sex. A new aggressive strain of HIV has been discovered that might relate to methamphetamine use, a frightening revelation in the science community. But what is on Bush's chopping block? Programs that combat meth use and unsafe sex. Bush also plans on cutting, as in cutting out, the Safe and Drug Free Schools program which provides money to reduce drug use and violence among youth. Even with these cuts, we will still be dealing with record high deficits. In fact, Bush's plan to bring down the federal budget deficit by the time he leaves office in 2009 will leave his successor with massive financial commitments that begin rising dramatically the year Bush leaves the White House. Bush's tax cuts, his new Medicare prescription drug benefit plan, and his Social Security proposal will all balloon in cost several years from now. All deficit estimates also exclude future costs for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration seems to be following a proven formula. First, advocate tax cuts for the rich, using whatever tactics you can. Then use the resulting deficits to argue for slashing government spending. So far, it's working. Once again, Bush and his advisors have proven adept at deceiving the American public. Get rid of those "ineffective" programs, do whatever it takes to roll back the accomplishments of the New Deal and Great Society eras, so long as the rich get their tax cuts.James Gerber is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached via e-mail at james.gerber@tufts.edu

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Fencing | Team falls at NCAA Regional tournament

March 8

For the women of the Tufts fencing team, it was the end of a long and eventful season, and despite a disappointing finish at Sunday's NCAA regional championships at Yale University, the last meet was far from characteristic of the successful season the Jumbos enjoyed. "We only lost to very strong fencers from elite fencing programs," coach Jason Sachs said. "We are always the underdog, and we can not always do amazing things." If the Jumbos were the underdogs, then the favorites at the meet were some of the strongest fencing teams in the country, including Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Boston College, Brandeis and more. Despite this, the team was positive heading into Sunday. "We all went in there optimistic, hopeful at best," freshman foilist Jamie Kraut said. "But we knew that the competition was above and beyond what we had seen throughout the season." The format of the event was individual competition only, with the top fencers in each weapon category moving on to the NCAA championships, which will be held March 17-20 at Rice University in Houston. Five members of the team made it to the regional championships after last week's qualifiers. Freshman Emily Cooperman and junior Julia Shih represented the foil squad along with Kraut, and freshman Diana Barger and sophomore Louisa May Zouein competed for the sabre group. After placing fencers into the championship round the last two years, only Shih moved beyond the first round of competition, losing in the second round. Overall Shih finished 19th in the foil division, followed by Kraut in 21st place and Cooperman in 22nd. Barger placed 19th in the sabre category, followed by Zouein in 21st. "It was a huge disappointment for me," said Zouein. "I got so nervous I couldn't fence. I dropped easy bouts. But it happens in all sports. Sometimes you're on top of your game and sometimes you're not." Despite the disappointment, this competition was a good lesson for the entire team, and the season in general has been a strong indication of the potential this squad has for next season. "Everyone fenced well, and we had a great season," said Sachs. "Next year promises to be even better as we have an outstanding corps of great fencers. This team performed above all expectations and honestly I could not be happier with their results throughout the year." This season can certainly be labeled a rebuilding year. The team not only started the semester off with the loss of their veteran fencer, junior Katherine Zouein, but the squad was comprised mainly of freshmen and relatively inexperienced fencers. It has been a valuable learning experience, however, for the entire team, and has given confidence and experience to a group of youthful fencers for next year. "The experience from fencing such talented opponents was invaluable," Kraut said. "I was inspired by the remarkable skill of all of the top fencers and watched the final bouts in awe for over an hour, observing at their moves to make improvements in my own fencing, and using them as models for what I aspire to." This type of mentality will greatly help the team next year, which should not suffer from as high a turnover rate as it did this year. Fencing president Shih is confident about the team's future. "We frequently have to rebuild our team as seniors graduate. We have to train people who are interested in fencing but have never picked up a blade before," Shih said. "While this is a difficult situation to have to be in year after year it's also extremely rewarding to see a new fencer be successful. This team is incredibly young and we have a solid foundation for the future."

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Homecoming coincides with Parent's Weekend

March 8

Two staples of Tufts' academic calendar, Parents' Weekend and Homecoming, will share the same weekend next year. According to a press release from the Office of Alumni Relations, both events will be held concurrently from Oct. 14 to Oct. 16. Traditionally, each event was held on a separate weekend in October. Last year, for example, Parents' Weekend was the third weekend of October, while Homecoming was the first weekend of that month. Associate Director of Alumni Relations Tom Williams said that a "scheduling anomaly" was the driving force behind the sudden change in next year's academic calendar. Director of Alumni Relations Tim Brooks said that Alumni Relations and the Parents Program have been working on combining both events since late January. He said that the change was first proposed when Bill Gehling, Director of Athletics, approached him with a conundrum earlier in the year. "Next year's calendar showed only one Saturday in October where all athletics games were home, and that fell on the exact weekend we had already selected to be Parents' Weekend," Brooks said. Although initially Alumni Relations and the Athletics Department considered simply switching the two dates around, weather played a prominent role in shaping a weekend of simultaneous activities. "It's awful to have Parents' Weekend the last weekend in October anyway, because it always invariably rains," Parents Program Director Jessica Papatolicas said. Papatolicas said that heavy rains have plagued Parents' Weekend for years - a phenomenon that Williams jokingly attributed to the "Curse of the Jumbino." He said that in the past, Tufts would bring a live elephant to campus for Parents' Weekend, and that one year the animal died at Tufts. "Ever since that day," Williams said, "Parents' Weekend has invariably had terrible weather." "Weather plays such a huge impact" on these events, Brooks said. "We want to put our best foot forward for the parents, and leave them with the best of memories [of Tufts]." "We need to show parents that they've made the right choice by sending their children to Tufts, and even two weeks in New England can mean all the difference in terms of weather," Brooks said. Brooks said that combining both events into a single weekend was a complicated undertaking that directly involved a variety of offices on campus. According to Brooks, Alumni Relations, the Parents Program, the Athletics Departments, Facilities, the Dean of Students Office and the President's Office all had to combine their schedules to fit into a single weekend. "We've seen an incredible level of cooperation on all levels for this effort," Brooks said. "There are some tight timing issues, but it should run smoothly." Williams said University President Larry Bacow's tight speech and attendance schedule was an example of the issues needed to be taken into consideration. Brooks said that student groups-both athletic and performance-would most likely benefit from combining both events into a single weekend. "Athletes especially have the added advantage of performing at home in front of the school, their parents and alumni," he said. "Gehling made it clear from the start that athletes must have home games during Homecoming, and that weekend was the only one that could fit those needs." But some students are less than enthusiastic about the change. Senior Chris Kidd, a current member of Tufts' singing group the Beelzebubs, said he believes that having both parents and alumni attending their concerts will most likely "cheapen the experience." "I personally think it's a bad idea," Kidd said. "Homecoming is an event where a lot of alumni come back, and many organizations, such as the Bubs and the [Amalgamates] have a lot of former members come back and stick around all weekend." The influx of parents on top of alumni, Kidd said, will result in a more diluted experience for all those involved. Nevertheless, Papatolicas is optimistic that, despite the gargantuan task of synchronizing the weekend's events, such a program may be a blessing in disguise for the University. "Although we'll all be working double-time that weekend, it may actually be easier on us to consolidate both events into a single time frame," Papatolicas said. Furthermore, hosting both events simultaneously should effectively double the budget for that weekend, which Brooks said was a "very generous amount from the University." Brooks said that by combining both events, more money can be spent jointly on each event since they will, by and large, be sharing the same time and space. New costs for the weekend, especially as a result of parking issues, have already been foreseen, Brooks said. "We will probably incur expenditures like trolleys to compensate for a parking shortage near the event sites," Brooks said. "There are only about 110 car spots for the Homecoming events," Williams said. "Those will be pre-sold to alumni only." Brooks said he hopes that the combination of both events will increase school spirit. "We're still working on perfecting the formula for the same amount of school spirit that we see at other schools, and hopefully [combining both events] will be a step towards that," Brooks said. He added that various other schools around the country have combined their Parents' Weekend with Homecoming, with great success. Boston University, American University and George Washington University, for example, combine both events annually. It is unclear, however, how certain student habits typically associated with Homecoming will mesh with the atmosphere of Parents' Weekend. Alcohol, for example, is commonly consumed during the Homecoming games at tailgate parties. That behavior will most likely be curbed to a greater degree next year than in previous years. Papatolicas expressed faith in the student body's ability to act in a mature fashion. "I hope and trust that because parents and alumni will be present that students will modify their behavior," she said. Brooks added that although in the past few years there have been a few isolated incidents of public drunkenness at Homecoming, the administration "has never needed to worry about implementing stricter measures because, by and large, students act like adults," he said. Although it is yet to be determined how parents, alumni and students will react to this new schedule, Brooks said that next year does not necessarily mark the beginning of a new custom at Tufts. "We all agreed that this [combination] is not a new tradition," Brooks said. "It happened because of a scheduling anomaly, and we'll decide later next year whether or not to revert to the old schedule."

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Students provide an inside look at Iran

March 8

The 25 members of the Tufts community who braved last night's snow storm to attend "Iran Unveiled: Tufts In The Islamic Republic" were granted an insider's glimpse into the country by seven Tufts and Fletcher School students who have seen what's behind the proverbial veil firsthand. The students' trip to Iran last May was taken through the New Initiative for Middle East Peace (NIMEP) - a project under the Institute for Global Leadership - which junior and trip co-coordinator Negar Razavi described as "a non-political, non-polemical think tank devoted to progressive research and dialogue about the Middle East." In keeping with NIMEP's mission, the trip had a serious purpose. In fact, it was the first time in over 35 years that an official American student delegation had entered the country to engage in dialogue. "It was pretty nerve-wracking - going to the Islamic Republic of Iran is a pretty big deal," said Razavi in her introduction. "There's very little known about Iran. There's no diplomatic relations, there's open hostility because of the U.S. support of the Shah of Iran, and also because of the Iran hostage crisis in 1979." Razavi said that the idea behind the trip was to get students, from both the United States and Iran, to "transcend these governmental hostilities and to see each other not just as the 'Axis of Evil' or the 'Great Satan,'" she said. The trip was a part of the Iran Dialogue Initiative, a branch of NIMEP. The students who traveled to Iran was an ethnically and religiously diverse group. "We had five Fletcher students and five undergraduate students. We had Armenian students, Jewish students, agnostic students," Razavi said. The group visited an equally diverse array of cultural and historical sites, such as the center of Shiite theocracy, followed by a synagogue. The group also held two dialogue exchanges with their Iranian student counterparts and met with various Iranian political and cultural figures, including Minoo Emami, a painter in Tehran, and Majid Majidi, an Academy Award-nominated Iranian filmmaker. The discussion that followed Razavi's introduction centered around the participants' impressions of Iran's cultural, religious and political climate. "There was a coffee shop under a bridge that women are not allowed to enter, but somehow our tour guide was able to talk them into letting us all come in as a group," said senior Rachel Brandenburg. "The females had to go on one side of the room, and the males on the other." "There were women standing outside when we walked out," Brandenburg said. "The thing that struck me was the looks on their faces - they were not allowed to enter, and here we were, some foreign women, just walking in and out on our own." "I think they stereotype us less than we stereotype them," said second-year Fletcher student Devon Ysaguirre. "But they definitely gave us looks, and we deserved them. Why should we be allowed to enter this place when they're not allowed to?" Brandenburg said there was a delicate balance needed to adjust to the Iranian lifestyle. "Culturally, it was fine - any inhibitions I had about being an American in Iran disappeared as soon as I got there," Brandenburg said. "But having to wear a headscarf all the time, having to be careful how close I sat to a guy, those day-to-day things could be very difficult." But Iranian women have bigger concerns than those over headscarves. "When we started talking to people about in what regard they feel the most oppressed, the last thing they ever mentioned was the headscarves," alumnus Joe Jaffe (LA '05) said. "Many of them, if they had the option, said they'd choose to continue to wear them as an observance of their faith." "The things they cared about," he said, "were things like property rights, the right to divorce your husband." "It was interesting to experience the different rules," first-year Fletcher and Medical School student Jason Dettori said. "I don't really feel like there were any special boundaries placed on us because we were Americans - just the cultural boundaries that already exist for the people there." Along with NIMEP, "Iran Unveiled" was sponsored by the Persian Students Association and the Tufts Institute for Global Leadership. NIMEP has sponsored several trips to the Middle East, including one to Israel and the West Bank last January and February, and one to Egypt last year. The students involved plan to create a documentary film about their experiences in Iran.

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Tim Whelan | Some Kind of Wonderful

March 8

With spring training upon us and Yankees-Sox and steroids talk already inching towards "getting old" territory (at least for now), there are plenty of other running themes you need to look out for in the season ahead. Namely ...Expanding Waistlines and their effect on performance Obviously, some of our big leaguers aren't in Spring Break shape. These guys have more than enough money to hire a personal trainer or a personal pharmacist or whoever, but they'd rather use their extra cash on Chalupas. Players to whom this pertains have been overheard saying things to the effect of "I never injected myself with the juice, but I did put bleu cheese dressing in a syringe once ..." Gross. With Mo Vaughn, John Kruk and Cecil Fielder but distant memories, there is a new batch of "Yes, in fact, I would like fries with that" big leaguers who pique our attention mainly because they play Major League Baseball (some very well, I may add) while resembling those guys you see on Maury Povich ... you know, the ones who can't get out of the bath tub without a crane. The most amusing aspect is that today's chief culprits are all starting pitchers. Plump hitters must get weeded out, or thinned out in the minors these days, as happened to one-time porker Kevin Youkilis. The Indians' C.C. Sabathia, the Angels' Bartolo Colon, the Orioles' (Sir) Sidney Ponson, and ... the poster boy for the (lack of) movement ... the Sox' David Wells. Last season, these four tipped the scales at an average of 263.5 lbs (at least that's how they are listed) and went 52-45 with a cumulative ERA of 4.54. Not terrible. Three of the four had winning records, and one of them (Wells) was 41. And he had the only sub-4.00 ERA of the bunch (3.73). But any time these guys struggle, analysts and fans alike attribute it to "excess baggage." Bronson Arroyo blows it? His mechanics are bad, it slipped out of his hand, etc. Hey, if the ball is going to slip out of anyone's hand, Wells' left paw will be the culprit, for all the hungover sweat it has dripping off of it. OK, I've already been too graphic in this column. Let's move on. Small market teams who think they have a shot No players just come out and say it, but I'd be willing to bet that the feeling resides at the front of a lot of players' minds. Random Cold Pizza interviewer: So how do you think you guys look this year? Random center fielder/first baseman for the Rockies, Royals, Pirates, Reds, Brewers, Blue Jays, Devil Rays: I think 70 wins is a realistic goal. Seriously, the Yankees went out and got, who was it, Jaret Wright, and he's their fifth starter? We could've used him for our ace. Yeah, we're not going to be very good at all. And they would be correct. But now is not the time for my attack on the cruel system Major League Baseball has in place. Rather, I'm going to prey on those small market clubs who have not found the formula for success. Memo to all the teams I mentioned above - cut and paste the work the Twins and Athletics have done over the past five years. Those teams reside in small markets, yet they have consistently competed (even if the playoffs have revealed their respective lacks of greatness). Neither threw money at Ken Griffey, Greg Vaughn or even Denny Neagle. And those who did are now paying the consequences. Not only did those deals set those teams back, they also made them gun shy in pursuing a player such as Wright. As you already know, in the Yankees' case, paying for Wright is like paying for a chair to go on the Titanic. Other teams would have to give him their whole boat. The Royals of a couple years ago looked like a fun bunch that could actually believe the "We can go all the way" lies. But the honeymoon ended for them last year, so until a future revival, a 76-86 season (the Reds' mark last season, best of the small town bunch) will have to suffice as "success." There is always the bunch that comes out of the gates strong, but come July and the trading deadline, the chances of that team being able to hang are slim to none. Those 2003 Royals as well as the aforementioned Reds of last year were testaments to that. And to those of you who are fans of these teams, here's some advice from a big market, Boston snob - enjoy April and May, because that's as good as it's gonna get. But it could be much, much worse ...Can't forget Montreal Well, Major League Baseball did. But without any Canadiens hockey or Expos baseball, what could possibly be going on in the heads of Montreal's sports fans? Granted, nobody went to Expo games except for 18-20 year old Americans who happened to be up there partying on St. Catherine's Street, but still ... Some Kind of Wonderful would like to pour one down for our homies ... nay ... nos amis, in Quebec, for whom there will be no baseball this year. As for the rest of you, crank it up ... even if Oliver Perez is your Opening Day starter.

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Brian Wolly | Wolly and the Teev

March 7

Think of the children! The horrors! Television is corrupting the youth of America, according to Brent Bozell and the Parents Television Council. To counteract these forces of sex, violence, and the un-American way, Bozell and his cadre of puritans are single-handedly changing the definition of indecency and the way the Federal Communications Commission operates. The general idea of the Parents Television Council (PTC) makes sense to me. They're an advocacy group that warns parents about shows which have adult content. They also are lobbying for ?? la carte options for cable television, so parents don't have to buy MTV along with the Discovery Channel. I agree; shows like "Real World," which are replayed during the daytime, shouldn't be shown to kids too young to understand what an unrealistic farce the program has become. If parents want to pay for "Sponge Bob," but not "Date My Mom" they should have that right. What ticks me off is when the PTC starts forcing the whole country to adhere to its definition of "indecency." According to a report in Mediaweek, 99.9 percent of FCC complaints against violations of the government's restriction on broadcasting "indecent material" come from the Parents Television Council. Even though literature on the PTC's website disputes the FCC's account of where complaints come from, the organization still proudly announced that they have filed the "overwhelming majority of indecency complaints." It's the great American ideal that any one person can make a difference in the world. Brent Bozell is living up that ideal - but to what extent should one man be able to ruin the lifestyles of everyone else? With Congress' recent passing of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act (H.R. 310,) under which fines will be increased to $500,000 for "indecent" television and radio broadcasts, it will soon become financially unsound for networks to air edgy or bawdy content. I love edgy and bawdy shows, but if Bozell has his way, there won't be any of them left for me to watch. Even worse, the PTC takes aim at local stations who definitely can't afford fines of half a million dollars or more. Take for instance, the PTC's recent failed attempt to fine WTTG-5, the FOX affiliate in Washington, DC, for airing an episode of my favorite show, "Arrested Development." The following is verbatim from the FCC report: "PTC complains about several scenes in the episode. Specifically, according to the Complaint, 'There are multiple scripted bleeps, and some sexual innuendo dealing with homosexuality.' In particular, the episode contains a reference to 'making corn-holes' and then 'corn-holing' (which the Complaint describes as 'slang for anal sex'), within the context of discussions of a corn baller, an implement for making popcorn balls." First off, their implication that homosexual innuendo is "indecent" is horrifying and only perpetuates the stereotype of the homophobic right-winger. Secondly, any child who understands the sexual reference to "corn-holing" cannot be that pure, and most likely has been corrupted by some other source. "Arrested" draws much of its humor from double entendres; essentially all the lines delivered by David Cross' character Tobias have unintended sexual meanings. Around six to seven million Americans watch "Arrested" each week. I highly doubt that the FCC received more than a handful of complaints. This is just one sad example of how the PTC is trying to impose their value system on its fellow Americans. One of the highest-rated programs on parentstv.org, the website for the PTC, is "7th Heaven." Apologies to ex-Jumbo Jessica Biel aside, I can't stand this show. I find it a demeaning, sanctimonious and incredibly unrealistic depiction of a family. The Camdens, led by Reverend Eric, are surprisingly dysfunctional: Simon, the son of the preacher man, committed vehicular manslaughter, and older daughter Mary also turned rotten at some point. I could go on, but the fact remains that I think that "7th Heaven" is a bad show. But I realize that many families look at the Camdens as role models and enjoy watching it; it was recently renewed for a 10th season. Instead of getting angry and trying to push the show off the air, I came up with a revolutionary alternative: I don't watch it. Howard Stern calls it "The Knob." Others refer to it as the "up or down arrow" on a television remote. The greatest way to avoid "indecent" programming is to change the channel or turn off the tube entirely. I doubt anyone would dispute that television programming has become increasingly racy and coarse. It's understandable that parents may not want their children watching a threesome on "The Real World" or a bloody corpse on "CSI." Instead of picking a fight with the networks who broadcast such shows, boycott their sponsors. Even better, don't watch the show. Concerned parents everywhere: please, stop infringing on my right to enjoy whatever television programs I please. As long as I can have my Bluths, you can have your Camdens. Until Bozell and the PTC keep their conservative agenda to their own personal remote controls, the First Amendment rights of every television viewer remain in jeopardy.

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Construction sites will re-route utilities, students

March 7

As the University prepares to begin construction of the new dormitory, Sophia Gordon Hall, and new music building in mid-April, workers will begin preparing construction sites on Talbot Avenue. The ongoing construction will extend the University's electrical and telecommunications infrastructure from the Pearson Chemistry Building down Talbot Avenue, adjacent to the sites of both Sophia Gordon Hall and the music building. Simultaneously, sewer, water and storm lines at the College Avenue end of Talbot will be reconfigured. Workers will also re-route existing utility lines that run through the construction sites. It will also be necessary to relocate the driveway adjacent to Stratton Hall to make way for the dorm. "This work is being done now in order to minimize the impact to the construction schedules of the dorm and music [building], both of which should start in mid-to-late April," Vice President of Operations John Roberto said. "Getting all the utility and road excavation work out of the way will allow easier access to both sites." Due to the construction, a stairway that runs from 20 Professors Row to Talbot Avenue will be closed. Students living in Stratton and Richardson Halls will be most affected this change. Unaza Khan, a sophomore living in Stratton, is annoyed with the stairway closure. "It has impacted my life greatly. I used the back way from Stratton to go to my classes a lot, but now I can't use that," said Khan. Stratton Resident Assistant (RA) senior Rachael Hereford has found this walkway closure a problem as well. "I was not expecting for the walkway to be closed off, however, and that is a huge inconvenience. In fact, I fell in the snow head first yesterday trying to get around it. It's kind of a pain to get to class uphill because I have to trek through the snow or go through the campus center," Hereford said. Many students have been complaining about the noise as well. Richardson resident sophomore Amanda Fencl, has found the construction clamor inconvenient. "The one complaint I have is the jackhammers that started at 8 a.m. every morning for two to three weeks - having gone to bed at 2 or 3 a.m. the night before - [which] was a rude awakening." Roberto responded to such complaints by promising that, "[Tufts will] make every effort to minimize disruption, but people will need to adapt to the inconvenience expected from two major projects of this size." Residents of both Stratton and Richardson Halls received an e-mail last week from the Department of Public Safety detailing the upcoming construction-related changes. The e-mail stated other possible consequences of the construction, such as some noise due to excavation, re-routing of traffic, and temporary loss of some parking along Talbot Avenue. The lower end of Talbot Avenue is expected to be under construction for the next 18 months. "Tufts community members can expect limited or no pedestrian or vehicular access at times throughout the coming months," Roberto said. Tufts Public Safety staff will be on duty, however, to facilitate the movement of traffic and to assist in parking control as needed. In order to keep the community informed, the Tufts Construction Office will send e-mail notices to the community about anticipated impacts to the area. Additionally, the Tufts Department of Public Safety will make announcements on their Web site. The construction of Sophia Gordon Hall and the new Music building is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 2006.

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University to honor economists

March 7

The Global Development and Environment Institute (GDAE) at Tufts will be awarding the Leontief Prize to noted developmental economists Dr. Ha-Joon Chang of Cambridge University and Dr. Richard R. Nelson of Columbia University. The Leontief Prize is awarded by the GDAE to two recipients approximately every 18 months in honor of 1973 Nobel Prize-winning economist and former member of GDAE's external advisory board Wasilly Leontief, who passed away in 1999. The GDAE is jointly affiliated with Tufts' Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The prize was first awarded in 2000 to developmental economists Amartya Sen and John Kenneth Galbraith. According to the Co-Director of the GDAE, Dr. Neva Goodwin, the Leontief Prize embodies the institute's guiding principles. "The Prize recognizes economists that take a clear and practical look at the real world," Goodwin said. "Wasilly Leontief felt that economics had become too abstract with too many theories on top of theories. He cared deeply that facts and real world circumstances be taken into account in economics." Goodwin said that the 2004 recipients exemplify these same values Leontief sought to advance "Dr. Chang shows the way economics should be going," Goodwin said. "He is really interested in well-being rather than wealth, which is the basis of traditional economics." Chang said he was honored to receive the award and is encouraged to work even harder to make a difference in a rapidly globalizing economy. "What I have tried in the last dozen or so years of my research career is to build a new kind of economics that fully incorporates history, politics, and institutions into its analytical framework," he said. "This kind of approach is not very popular among the orthodox economists, and therefore I am extremely pleased that the value of my effort has been recognized by [GDAE]." Nelson was also very appreciative. "I'm just delighted and flattered," he said. "Throughout my career, I have tried to develop a view of economics that conveys the importance of institutions, innovation, and disequilibrium, and it's nice to know that people [have] taken a strong interest in [my] lifetime of work." Goodwin praised Nelson as an exceptional systemic thinker and for his highly respected work regarding technological innovation. Nelson and Chang have not worked together but share much respect for one another. "We see eye to eye on many topics, so it's a privilege to share this honor with him," Nelson said of Chang. Chang also praised Nelson. "He has been one of my intellectual heroes. His path-breaking work on evolutionary economics and his brilliant work, both theoretical and empirical, work on innovation and technological changes, have influenced me deeply," Chang said. Chang is the author of the book "Kicking Away the Ladder - Development Strategy in Historical Perspective," published in 2002. Nelson's well-known works include "An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change," (co-authored with Sydney Winter), "National Systems of Innovation: A Comparative Study," and "Sources of Economic Growth." Both recipients have been published in multiple languages across the world. GDAE will hold the award ceremony on campus in October. More specifics will be announced closer to the event, including location and speakers.

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Top Ten | Players You KNOW Aren't on Steroids

March 7

As the 'roid controversy rages out of control, the sports world has turned to McCarthy-istic paranoia: Who's on them? Who's not? Who's pumping iron and who's pumping something with a little more punch? So as some of sports' most lovable characters are exposed (case in point: Sammy Sosa takes cheating to a whole new level, combining the corked bat with chemical enhancement), it's nice to know that there are still a few die-hard athletes who like their testicles as big as possible.10. Todd Pinkston - Did you see him flex in the Super Bowl? Was that sinew? 9. David Eckstein - The man weighs 165 pounds.8. The Tufts men's Distance Medley Relay team - They produce results as well as any Tufts athletes, despite lacking the typical steroid-user bodies (they average 140 lbs. dripping wet).7. Ichiro Suzuki - You KNOW the Japanese government has import regulations all over that stuff.6. Terrell Owens - While easily the most arrogant athlete in sports today, that big head is all natural. 5. Earl Boykins - He's like 5'2". We tried to interview him, but he was way too hard to find.4. Bronson Arroyo - 6'5" and 190 lb? Are you kidding?3. Juan Pierre - Jose Canseco tried to inject him, but he's just too fast. 2. Greg Maddux - One of the most cerebral, accurate pitchers of all time. He barely hit 90 mph and rarely lost. No steroids necessary. 1. Barry Bonds - He assures us his testicles are the same size they always were (and we here at Daily Sports would know ...).- By Nate Grubman, Liz Hoffman, and Dave Pomerantz

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Music Review | 50 Cent might be inviting a 'Massacre' with new release

March 7

The new 50 Cent CD hit stores last Thursday and has generated so much hype and controversy that rap fans are salivating in anticipation of the coming destruction. Originally slated for a Valentine's Day release, 50 pushed "The Massacre" back to March, coinciding with the excommunication of rapper The Game from G-Unit. During an interview at New York's Hot 97 radio station, 50 publicly cut ties with The Game, citing the rookie's unwillingness to join in the new lyrical beefs that 50 stirs up on his second solo album. 50 also said he deserves more writing and production credits on The Game's recent debut album, "The Documentary." It is reported that The Game tried to enter the station during the interview, and a member of his entourage was shot in the leg during a skirmish. 50 has not officially been linked to the shooting, but the carnage has begun. "Piggy Bank" is the highly anticipated attack on rappers Fat Joe, JadaKiss, Nas (including his wife Kelis) and Shyne. While this track lacks the creativity and smooth flow of 50's infamous dis-track "How to Rob," it makes up for it in malice. The track ends with maniacal laughter and the verbal challenge, "You gotta do something now / Everybody's listening!" Eminem produces the next track, "Gatman and Robbin," and also supplies a featured verse. The beat comes from the Batman TV show theme. Eminem speeds up the original music and adds a choppy rhythm to create a semi-likable beat, but it's the hook that saves the track from becoming a cartoonish parody. 50 has an uncanny ability to write and deliver killer hooks. His voice is smooth on "Gatman," and you'll find yourself liking this one. Eminem handles production on two more tracks and is finally showing some promise as a producer. "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" features 50 singing the hook in the higher ranges of his voice. The contrast of his voice with the ominously drawn out bass is very catchy. Em's production on "My Toy Soldier," however, is nothing short of ugly. "The Massacre" successfully taps many different producers for 22 solid tracks. So solid, in fact, it's not an overstatement to say that just about every beat works. Some of the outstanding work is done by Scott Storch for Tuff Jew Productions, who worked on three different tracks. His sound is soulful but, unlike Kanye West and other producers, Storch creates the atmosphere by using instruments like altered pianos and flutes instead of Motown samples. One big surprise is that newcomers have more production credits on "The Massacre" than does Dr. Dre. Even more surprisingly, Dre's work on this album, while very skillful, is not hit material. There might be some tension between Dre and 50 with Dre redirecting hit beats to the Game's recent album and his own upcoming release. The album's standout track is "Baltimore Love Thing." For this one, 50 takes on the persona of heroin seducing a female user. 50 uses insights from destructive relationships to invent a very compelling point of view for his lyrics. The storytelling quality of "Baltimore Love Thing" is a component that this album lacks in general. "The Massacre" combines high quality beat-making with 50's loveable voice, charisma and catchy hooks. But the album is missing substance, which only comes in small spurts. 50 knows that his tough guy image sells, so he wasn't shooting for lyrical depth and meaning on "The Massacre." Flip through the liner notes and you'll see pictures of the drug dealer-turned-rapper surrounded by guns, cocaine, G-Unit Soldiers and more guns. Both outside and inside of his label and crew, 50 Cent is making a lot of enemies. On this album, 50 makes even more references to his use of bullet-proof vests. He survived a ruthless shooting in the past, but after this album there might be more bullets in 50's future.

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News

Men's Tennis | Doubles Preview

March 7

Having played doubles for all three years of his collegiate career, senior co-captain Rifat Perahya is right at home sharing the court, and for the men's tennis doubles teams, that comfort level could make all the difference. Perahya returns this year to team up with junior Jon Rubenstein to form the team's top doubles tandem. The two will lead what coach Jim Watson says will be an improved doubles group this year. "I think we can be stronger in doubles than we have been in previous years," Watson said. "In previous years, I've had guys who were really singles players who had to play doubles, but didn't feel comfortable. Now I think I've got some players who are really doubles players that feel comfortable attacking, because you have to feel comfortable attacking in doubles." Although Rubenstein and Parahya have never played together for a full season, they both have strong experience playing doubles, including Rubenstein's three-year stint with doubles at Tufts. But while the two may be comfortable in their doubles game, they will have to adjust to playing together. "It will have been the first time they've played together," Watson said. "So they've been working on better communication. They both serve very hard. They return very well. They have good volley skills. It'll be an experienced team. They've both played doubles throughout their career, but they've never played together." Moving down from the Perahya-Rubenstein duo at the top, the pairings for the doubles teams are not yet decided as Watson continues to toy with many options. Possible teams could include freshman William Fleder and junior Paul Roberts, sophomores Geoff Loh and Sean McCooey, sophomores Matt Gallin and Corey Keller, and sophomore Craig Kunkes and freshman Kenny Leavitt. While the teams are unsettled, Watson emphasizes the need for the players to get some experience with their partners to ensure good communication. "Of all the teams I've mentioned, the one who looks to be most comfortable together is probably Loh and McCooey," Watson said. "They played very well together in the fall. They really felt comfortable communicating with each other." That communication is the key to a successful doubles team. "If there's any tension between the two players, it creates some problems," Watson said. If the teams can feel secure together by the time their opener against Bates on Mar. 17 rolls around, the players feel there could be the makings of a good doubles group, adding to a previously weak element of the team's lineup. "In the past, our doubles [lineup] has never been our strong point," senior co-captain Adam Yates said. "We've won some and we've lost some. This year, we seem to have a really strong lineup and that should be a strength." One key for the team, other than becoming acquainted with each other, will be to avoid injuries. The team had to overcome numerous injuries to compile its 7-6 record last year. "The biggest challenge is keeping everyone healthy," said Yates, who suffered an injury riddled season last year. "It's a grueling season with so many games in so few days. If we can keep everybody healthy, I think we can have a really good season."

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News

Don't separate the freshmen

March 7

The Office of Residential Life and Learning (ORLL) believes that all-freshman dorms are the best way to introduce students to Tufts, as indicated by the announcement yesterday that Hill Hall will be all-freshman next year. This will, however, only exacerbate the housing shortage for upper-classmen and make inter-class relations worse. All-freshman residences Tilton and Houston have already proven to be party-central dorms, and these good times can have harmful consequences. The average number of alcohol-related Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) calls to Houston and Tilton in the 2003-2004 school year was 3.46 per 100 students. The average number of calls for all the other dorms was 1.81 per 100 students. It's natural that freshmen students want to go wild their first year away from home. But stuffing them into their own freshman enclaves encourages them to drink more and party harder: there are no older students to cool down the freshmen. Upperclassmen can also give advice on classes and campus life to freshmen when they live together. When the classes are segregated, it is harder for students to make friends in other years and the number of people students can meet is minimized, diminishing the overall college experience. ORLL says that it is turning Hill Hall into a freshmen dorm due to increased demand. Hill Hall is not a good dorm to accommodate all freshmen, however, because it has a number of singles that should be used to house upperclassmen. Housing is tight for juniors and seniors, especially until Sophia Gordon Hall is built. More students will be kicked off-campus next year because the singles in Hill Hall will be housing for extra RAs or turned into study halls. This is a waste of accommodation for upperclassmen who, for various reasons, want to live on campus. Bush Hall would have been a better choice if ORLL decided that it needed to create a third all-freshmen dorm. There is only one non-RA single per floor on Bush, as opposed to five per floor in Hill. Bush is also smaller, allowing for a strong sense of community, which ORLL strives for with its freshman dorms. Its proximity to Tilton also creates a freshman-centered community. If ORLL is determined to split campus housing by year, Bush should house freshmen and Hill should be home to upperclassmen.

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