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The Setonian
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City Briefs

February 24

Somerville will form Multicultural Commission to improve race The Somerville Board of Aldermen approved city Mayor Joseph Curtatone's proposed establishment of a Multicultural Commission. The Commission seeks to "promote better relations between different ethnic and racial groups in the city," according to the Somerville Journal. Fourteen community members will be appointed by Curtatone, and two Aldermen and a representative from Curtatone's office will join them in forming the commission. "This is an important step forward for improving relations between and among the various ethnic and cultural groups in our city and in strengthening the connection between the city government and immigrant populations," Curtatone said in a press conference, adding that Somerville is one of the most diverse cities in Massachusetts. The commission will reach out to the Jewish, Muslim and Christian populations, the gay and lesbian community, and "coordinat[e] activities among the city's different racial and ethnic groups," according to the Journal.New development in Medford calls attention to strained, overburdened public safety departments Medford officials expressed concern that fire crews in the city may be "overburdened" given the large amount of new development, especially in the Wellington area, according to the Medford Transcript. Additional residents and property may add to the strain that firefighters are already feeling, according to Medford Councilor Breanna Lungo. "I'm very excited to see the developments taking off. With that comes great benefit, but it also brings some concerns," she told the Transcript. The City Council voted to send a motion to Medford Mayor Michael J. McGlynn, asking him to develop a plan detailing how the fire department will cope with the additional population. Medford Fire Chief Frank A. Giliberti Jr. said that the department will adjust to the influx of development in any way needed to ensure safety. "I can't predict the future. If it does become a problem we'll adjust to that, I promise you," Giliberti told the Transcript. The developments are expected to bring in a lot of tax revenue for Medford, and one suggestion is to channel some of this revenue towards public safety.Federal funds go to Somerville organizations dedicated to helping the homeless According to the Somerville Journal, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development will give $1,360,511 to the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC), a group devoted to helping the needy in the city, and trying to find permanent housing. "Shelters are not the answer to homelessness. We are trying to make a shift away from these Band-Aid solutions," said Mark Alston-Follansbee, executive director for SHC. According to the Journal, the SHC has 25 apartments that it leases to the homeless. This year's record amount of funds will go toward coordinating efforts with other organizations that work with the homeless, vocational training programs, and alcohol and drug rehabilitation. Employment programs receive funding so that they can help give people "marketable skills," according to Gail Enman, the executive director of the Cambridge and Somerville Program for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Rehabilitation. Somerville also received funds to help convert buildings into homeless shelters.-- Compiled by Bruce Hamilton from the Medford Transcript and Somerville Journal.

The Setonian
News

Chugging the facts

February 23

The recently released results of the Office of Institutional Research's Alcohol and Drug Use report should be shocking to no one outside Ballou. The vast majority of Tufts students drink: less than 20 percent of underage students abstain and roughly 10 percent of legally-aged Jumbos decline the bottle. The real question is not how to enforce burdensome and arbitrary consumption and possession laws on underage students but rather how to make sure students on The Hill know when to say when. Having the good sense to put down the bottle would save a lot of trouble on campus, for students, administrators, and community members. Students who drink too much risk hurting themselves and their friends; many nights that have not ended in an ambulance have ended with broken friendships. Even more importantly, students who drink heavily are much more likely to be sexually victimized - limiting consumption keeps one alert and more able to summon help. As for the administration and the neighbors, their drinking-related headaches are rarely related to hangovers. Drinkers become destructive and keep the campus judiciary booked with cases of drunken students who unleashed their inner Mr. Hyde, much to the dismay of the authorities. Most students realize that parties in the densely-packed neighborhoods are likely to bother neighbors, but many fail to consider that loud conversation, public urination, and beer-induced vomiting are just as bothersome to local residents and embarrassing to Tufts. Part of the issue, as Dean of Students Bruce Reitman notes, is the fact that the legal drinking age is so high: most undergraduates will be legal for less than half of their time here. This inevitably leads to problems because the University cannot sanction drinking by most of the student body, ergo the underage go underground, where the booze is plentiful, supervision is minimal, and disaster readily awaits. There are very few Western nations that have as restrictive drinking laws as America, as most students who studied in Europe or down under could verify. Many of these more permissive countries also have a more responsible attitude towards alcohol, because it is not the "forbidden fruit" that it has become in the United States. Proponents of the current drinking laws argue that they are necessary to prevent young and inexperienced drivers from hurting themselves or others after a drink or two (which most of-age drivers could have and legally drive). Perhaps a more sensible alternative would be to lower the drinking age to 19 but leave a zero tolerance (BAC of .01) policy in place for drivers until they turn 21. The money no longer used on alcohol enforcement could be used to enforce DWI laws, and a substantial portion of the market for false identification would be deflated, thus serving national security interests. Of course, few realistic thinkers expect the drinking age to change any time soon. In the mean time, Jumbos will continue to drink, but one would hope that they would first do what they were brought here for: thinking.

The Setonian
News

The Daily takes on the Oscars

February 23

Best Picture Let's do this by process of elimination. Sadly, the first to go is "Finding Neverland." Despite stellar performances by leading man Johnny Depp and co-star Kate Winslet, this movie just doesn't have the stunningly inventive plot or big-budget ad campaign to woo the Academy. And, unfortunately, being a diamond in the rough just doesn't cut it on Oscar night. Likewise, the "Sideways" crowd should save the money on their tuxes and go bowling on Sunday night instead. "Sideways" is a solid film with dark horse appeal, but it is so far inferior to the other four in terms of supporting cast and cinematography that it doesn't stand a chance. At this point, one can also safely discount "Ray" from the running. Jamie Foxx (deservedly) has the Best Actor Award locked up, but unfortunately for the film as a whole, Foxx gave such a breathtaking performance that the rest of the movie pales in comparison. And now it comes down to the real Oscar race, pitting a low-budget, hard-hitting emotional drama against the only movie that is glamorous enough to transcend superficiality and deliver a potent punch. In the final count, Scorsese's biopic "The Aviator" can't quite touch the unsurpassable raw talent of "Million Dollar Baby's" cast, but it will nonetheless be Eastwood's 'Baby' that gets knocked out on Sunday. Is it frustrating that conventional Hollywood glitz triumphs yet again over a quiet masterpiece? Yes. But that's what Oscar night is all about. - Kelly Rizzetta

The Setonian
News

Fencing | Tufts' fencing 'steamrolls' foes at New England

February 23

It was all about stamina and determination last Saturday for the women's fencing team, who finished third in a field of 13 at the New England Championships, held at MIT last weekend. The top-three finish was one of the best results ever for the women's team, and could be considered an upset as the Jumbos knocked off several squads who had defeated them earlier this season. Overall the squad finished fifth in its conference this season, behind MIT, Brown, Boston College and Brandeis. "I am so proud of our women's team and every member's hard work that won us third place for the best overall team," freshman Jamie Kraut said. It was a grueling day of fencing for the women, who left Tufts around 6 a.m. and did not return until well past eight in the evening, both physically and mentally exhausted. "The format of the tournament is all about match-ups, conditioning and keeping emotionally controlled," coach Jason Sachs said. "We fenced 13 schools over seven hours and then the individuals who made it to the finals fenced another two hours. That is a long time to keep your focus." The Jumbos faced off against MIT, Brown, Boston College, Brandeis, University of New Hampshire, Wellesley and UMass, among others. MIT finished in first place at the tournament, followed by BC, Tufts, Brown and Brandeis to round out the top five. The team lost to the MIT Engineers and the Brown Bears 4-5 and to the BC Eagles 3-6. In Sachs' words, the Jumbos "steamrolled" over the rest of the competition, including 6-3 wins over Brandeis, Wellesley, and New Hampshire, teams who had defeated Tufts earlier in the season. "My girls performed in a New England Patriots-like fashion," said Sachs. "Very few stars, lots of team focus and great execution. Not a fencer on the team fenced poorly. All brought their A-game." The championships featured both team and individual competition. Each school had three fencers, one each in an A, B and C slot. Each slot faced off against one another, and the top nine fencers from each weapon moved on to the individual round. After this round, the individual winners were determined. The epee squad featured freshman Anne Haluska who, despite having only been fencing for three and a half months, competed in the A slot. "I put Annie there not because she was the best of three starters, but I had been watching all year long and she seemed to give the experienced fencers a very hard time," said Sachs. "She is patient and smart. She doesn't over-commit and she loves to fence." Haluska won six of her 13 bouts. Sophomore Donna Au fenced in the B slot, going 7-6, and Sophomore Lauren Bowen fenced the C slot, finishing 8-5. The epee squad finished the day sixth out of 13 teams-a promising performance for next season given the squad's youth. "They were amazing," Junior Julia Shih said. "Despite the talented field of opponents they faced they really showed other teams that although they have been only fencing for a short time they are already formidable competition and will only continue to become more so in the years to come." The sabre squad once again finished on top, led by sophomore Louisa May Zouein in the A slot and freshman Diana Barger in the B slot, both of whom went undefeated on the day, finishing a combined 26-0. Senior Rosabelle Pong finished 8-5 in the C slot. Zouein and Barger also competed in the individual competition, and Zouein finished as the number one sabrist at the event. Foilist Jamie Kraut praised Zouein's performance at the competition. "Louisa May remained calm and concentrated throughout the day," she commented. "Louisa is a dedicated fencer, working so hard during the season, and so she deserved that first place win more than anyone I can think of." The sabre squad took home the Vitalli Cup, given to the top team of each weapon category. "The Vitalli cup was great because it's a testament to the amount of work and dedication that the rest of my squad put into practice," Zouein said. Rouding out the weapons, the foil squad also had a successful showing. Junior Julia Shih finished 7-6 in the A slot, Kraut went 8-5 in the B slot, and freshman Emily Cooperman ended 7-6 in the C slot. In addition, Kraut edged out another foil fencer by one touch to make it into the individual round, where she finished in ninth place. Making into the individual round is a difficult task, and for newcomers Kraut and Barger, it marks the potential for two very promising fencers. "Jaime and Diana did wonderfully for their first championships," Zouein said. "They've both improved dramatically from the beginning of the year. I'm really proud of both of them for getting into the individual competition." The women have two remaining competitions for the 2004-2005 season. The National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association Championships will be held next weekend in Philadelphia and will include 15 fencing teams from New England, New York and Virginia. The NCAA regional qualifiers will take place the following weekend. Kraut, Zouein, Barger, Cooperman and Shih all qualified for the event.

The Setonian
News

Dennis Doyle | The Brunson Burner

February 23

Have you ever heard of Ted McGinley? He is primarily a sitcom actor, mostly known for his role as Jefferson in "Married with Children." The thing about Ted is that almost every sitcom he has appeared on since 1998 was cancelled shortly after his affiliation with the cast. "Sports Night," "Work with Me" and "Life of the Party" were just a few shows that were trampled in the path of the McGinley tornado. In fact, jumptheshark.com, a website that tries to assess the exact point at which a TV show went downhill, has anointed Ted their patron saint. It's not that he is a bad actor. He has just become the kiss of death for network sitcoms. Stephon Marbury is the Ted McGinley of the NBA. Ever since Marbury entered the league in '96, he has had a similar reputation. Not necessarily because every team he joins goes bad, but because every team he leaves turns good. Minnesota, New Jersey, and Phoenix - all Marbury's former teams - all transformed from lottery teams to playoff contenders almost immediately following Marbury's departure. It has all been well-documented. Marbury has never been on a very good team. He has made the playoffs four times in his eight seasons as a pro, and his team has lost in the first round all of those times. Half of the time, his team was swept. Furthermore, every team that showed Marbury the door significantly improved after his departure. So it only makes sense that the media has labeled Marbury a human hex for whatever team he is on. Ted McGinley with tattoos. But do either of these guys really deserve the blame? I can't speak as much for McGinley, but Mr. Marbury sure should not be taking the heat. The general conception of Marbury is this: "Well, he's a great player, but he's just not a winner." People love to assign winning as a statistic for players in every sport. Why should wins or losses be attributed to any one player? Does anyone know what the career playoff win-loss record for Jud Buechler is? It's probably amazing, but who cares? Now, it's obvious that Marbury has more of an impact on the game than a guy like Buechler, who was nailed to the bench for most of the game. It is still ludicrous to give a single player the majority of credit for winning or losing. One great player is not enough to win in the NBA. It takes a cast of other good players, something Marbury has yet to experience. In Minnesota, you could argue that Marbury had Garnett. But both players were still developing, and by the time they both started to blossom in '99, Marbury was traded to the Nets. Minnesota combined Garnett with Terrell Brandon, one of the premier point guards at the time, and began to excel. The situation in New Jersey was nothing short of a train wreck, even before Marbury showed up. The team was cursed with injury problems - Kerry Kittles was a lock for first team All-Injury, missing 20 games in the '99-'00 season and the entire '00-'01 season. Jayson Williams, the Nets all-star forward, suffered a freak career-ending knee injury in an on-court collision with - guess who - Marbury in '99. Keith Van Horn missed 33 games in '00-'01. The team was nothing short of a disaster injury-wise, and even with a healthy roster, the talent on the team was not outstanding. In the summer of 2001, Marbury was traded away to the Suns for Jason Kidd, and like magic, New Jersey became a contender. Naturally, Jason Kidd got credit for almost all of the following: Kerry Kittles playing in his first full season since his rookie year, the development of the number one overall draft pick Kenyon Martin, and the addition of rookie Richard Jefferson. In spite of a host of glaring reasons for dramatic improvement, Kidd received the lion's share of the credit for the turnaround. In his second year in Phoenix, Marbury led the team to the playoffs, where the Suns fell to the Spurs in six games. People tend to forget Marbury's spectacular game-winning shot in that series, or how the Suns arguably gave the eventual champions, the Spurs, their biggest challenge that postseason. What they do remember from his time in Phoenix is that the following year, the team stumbled out of the gate with Rookie-of-the-Year Amare Stoudamire languishing on the injured list. The team's poor start incited Phoenix to try rebuilding via free agency, so they traded Marbury to New York for expiring contracts and little talent. Needless to say, in the off-season, they used that cap-room to sign Quentin Richardson and Steve Nash. With a healthy Amare Stoudamire, the team has become an offensive juggernaut in the stacked Western Conference. Now the Coney Island Kid has returned to his roots in New York with the team playing about as badly as ever. It seems like the same old scenario for Marbury, and in a lot of ways, it is. He does not have enough help around him. The roster is a Gilligan's Island of marooned all-stars washed up at the Garden. Allan Houston is the third-highest paid player in the NBA and may never play again due to chronic knee problems. All Marbury is doing is averaging 20 points per game and eight assists per game, and he will be the first to tell you that he is the only player ever to do that other than Oscar Robertson. But wins lead to respect. Unfortunately, Marbury has been the victim of coincidence and calamity, and may never get the credit he deserves. Until he gets a supporting cast, Ted McGinley will have some company.

The Setonian
News

Traveling Lush | Be a Saint at Beantown's Oscar Party

February 23

If I were in charge of the Oscars this year, I'd be taking a good long gulp of Johnnie Walker on the rocks with some equally-beleaguered colleague right about now. After all, viewers of glamorous, star-studded award shows have been steadily declining. The Golden Globes? Down a whopping 37% in the Nielsen's from last year. The Grammys? Down 28%. And I wouldn't count on the caustic Chris Rock enticing much of a bigger audience - he's likely to turn away just as many viewers as he attracts. Although I tune in to the Oscars giddy with anticipation merely at the chance to watch my favorite stars handing out gold-plated awards after reading cheesy scripted lines, I must admit I wouldn't mind an inside look at the real main event: the Oscar parties. In 1994, the Academy began to allow one charity per city to hold a fund-raising party on the night of the big show. Saint, the self-styled upscale restaurant/lounge/bar in the basement of the Copley Square Hotel, will be hosting Boston's bash this year. On normal, non-Oscar Party nights, expect to find a condescending bouncer waiting to stop you at the door. He will then, of course, proceed to amuse himself by taking his own sweet time "checking" IDs and muttering mysteriously into his 007 earpiece, while women shiver in their Galliano dresses and men try their best not to look cold in their light Prada blazers. I know that most people in Boston don't seem to have much patience with these types of bouncers. However, their attitude does reflect a quality lounge and restaurant that you'd be hard pressed to find any closer to Boston than New York City. Although Saint can't really compare to the best in NYC or LA, I really don't know of any better place to hold a glitzy after-party worthy of the Oscars in the Hub. Inside, Saint sports three distinctly different rooms. My favorite: the Bordello room. Red, plush and elegantly decorated, the Bordello room simultaneously radiates both class and an air of seduction. If you've reserved a table ahead of time, lean back and get ready for some heavy duty lounging in their bed-like couches (regulars at Saint call them "bed pods.") Be aware, however: you and your friends had better be ready to drop a few hundred dollars on a couple bottles of Dom Perignon to cover the minimum charge for a table reservation. The next room over is Saint's lounge/dining room. Here, you'll find the 30-foot long "communal table" - think of a seemingly endless sushi bar. I have never eaten here, but from what I hear, the fusion Asian-European food is good, if on the pricy side. I would also imagine the bar-table design, while functional during the drinking hours later at night, to be a drawback during a meal. And if the music is even close to as loud as it was when I was there later at night, you'd have to lean over and yell in the ear of your friend for them to hear anything - and this just after you shoveled a piece of steak into your mouth. On the plus side, the small stage area in this room is perfect for live music gigs during the week and for DJs to show off their stuff on weekends. Ice blue luminescent walls give clubbers the opportunity to cool down after a stint in the Bordello beds. If you're sick of people-watching, don't forget to scope out the plasma TVs decorating the walls. Finally, there is Saint's Threshold room. Unfortunately, the white leather sofas here aren't nearly as comfortable as the bed pods in the Bordello. On the other hand, after a few of the delicious concoctions from the Threshold's vodka infusion bar, you won't mind even the hardest stool. My lychee drink, the name of which I have long forgotten, was a tad on the sweet side, but absolutely delish. I don't know what vodka they use there (the bartender's response was completely drowned out by the music) but believe me, no Brita filter will be necessary. The quality of service at Saint is best characterized as erratic. My party, with a 3:1 girl-boy ratio, had little trouble getting through the door. Expect to be asked whether you're a member: members get first dibs when making reservations and in the queue outside. Inside, you're more likely to encounter snooty attitudes from the waitresses as a non-member (this of course changes as you order more and the anticipated tip grows larger and larger). At the bar however, the male bartenders are much friendlier and are actually quite easy to chat with as they make your drinks. Expect a radically different scene at this Sunday night's Oscar Party, however. For a cover charge ($40 in advance, $55 at the door - if available,) guests will be treated to a "complimentary" reception and menu from Saint's resident master chef, Ren?© Michelene. They will also receive the same program handed out to stars attending the ceremony at the Kodak Theatre. A live broadcast of the awards ceremony from Hollywood will be preceded by a high-end silent auction of "great entertainment items," according to the official invitation. Proceeds from this and the cover will benefit the Ellie Fund, an organization dedicated to breast cancer research. Once the show starts, I suggest helping yourself to the free-flowing tap of Sam Adams beer before moseying it on over to the Bordello room to settle back and enjoy the show.

The Setonian
News

Seven Questions with Casey D'Annolfo

February 23

Full name: Casey Cordier D'Annolfo Nickname(s): C-Dollars, CD, The HydrantBirthdate: 8-26-83Zodiac sign: That's right ladies, VirgoHometown: West Hartford, CT. - the HeartbeatFavorite athlete: Matt D'Annolfo - SMU Mustangs WR, and Franca and Angela (campus center sandwich artists.)Favorite Tufts athlete: On Court - Erin Connelly, Off Court - Quinn Kelley (Do I really have to explain?)Special: Favorite three-sport athlete of all time: Matt Malatesta '04 (Football, Lacrosse, Juggling Women) There's Casey lined up behind center, surveying the defense. Hey, there he is scooping up a ground ball with hordes of defenders around him. Oh, look over there, he's...scanning the crowd for some eye candy? Hey, such is the life of junior football/lacrosse player and basketball "participant" Casey D'Annolfo. I caught up with Casey at the local Y where he was signing up for Little League. Naturally, Seven Questions ensued.1) Outside of sports, when does being 6'4" come in handy?Well, at Tufts it comes in handy every time I'm trying to pick up that 5'10" blonde hair, blue-eyed beauty at the gym. So to answer your question, it hasn't come in handy at Tufts yet.2) How have you been able to pull off the lax hair in basketball season?Fortunately for the hair, I have spent most of the basketball season on the end of the bench, for which there is no distraction with length. However, if say seven or eight or nine guys were to get hurt before the Bates game on Saturday, Big Reg and I would be hittin' the stylist Friday night.3) You and I both know you had four points on the season. Will the football team's win total surpass your point total?Timmy, we both know that on the court, it's quality, not quantity. So when I dropped those four crucial points in a 33 point win over that 2-21 team, I really had to pat myself on the back. But in regards to the football team, we'll be fine next year, as long as Rachel Bloom comes out and plays for us.4) So I don't know if you've heard but there is no NHL right now. Seeing as you're from Hartford, haven't you felt locked out ever since the Whale left?The Whale meant more to me than the DU basement freshman year. However, nothing has been more painful to see than Devin Clarke, Mike O'Brien and Brett Holm of the lacrosse team being "Locked Out" of the social scene by their girlfriends. It's true ladies, regardless of what they've told you.5) As a one time (and only one time) fall and spring athlete, I know that the little sliver of time between both sports can be good rest. Your public wants to know: Why did you fill that space this year?Well, as healthy and restful as it is going out three or four nights a week for two months, basketball has been keeping me pretty healthy. Besides, I saw a pretty good trade off: I let Dave Shepherd give me some tips about basketball, and I would give him some tips on how to talk to women, such as telling him he can do better than 'It's late and we're both desperate, whaddya say?'6) We all know you've got game(s). But how has your GAME been since takin' up hoops?All I know is that when three girls sports teams tell their freshmen that they're not allowed to hook up with me, you know that you've made it on the Tufts Social Scene. Also, when your boys jokingly introduce you as 'three sport athlete' D'Annolfo, the girls actually eat it up like Ice Cream Sunday Night at C-Mike.

The Setonian
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The Secret Life of...a pot dealer | The inside dope on drug dealing at Tufts

February 23

Dan* is high and driving with his friend to a local Boston university to pick up weight for the next month. He's gotten low on weed and already has orders for that night. With the last one and a half grams of his stash, he rolls a joint and smokes leisurely while he drives towards I-93. He and his friend listen to 94.5 and commiserate over midterms and the Quizno's they can't wait for on the ride home. Half an hour later, he is at the apartment of his dealer, Scott, who weighs out bags while they smoke and talk. Dan has known Scott for a year, having met him through a mutual friend. Scott is able to get Dan large quantities on a regular basis, and in turn, the two have become friends. Dan and his friend stay at Scott's for an hour, chilling and smoking during their college-version of a field trip. When it's time to go, they collect the weed in their jackets and hide it in Dan's car under the driver's seat for the surprisingly calm ride home. Dan first experimented with marijuana when he was about 15 years old. He broke out in hives and realized his sneezes were an allergic reaction to the drug. He would not try it again until his freshman year at Tufts. Once he realized that his allergy had passed -as many childhood allergies do - he was soon smoking frequently. By his second semester at college, he was smoking every weekend. When he returned to school sophomore year, he was living with a student he'd met his first year, who was selling weed on the side. This friendship blossomed into a business partnership, which lasted on and off throughout his sophomore year. Dan used his vantage point to learn the things that did and did not work in the business, sidestepping many of the errors that plague new dealers. Such lessons included never selling a light bag, even to the most na??ve customers. Few customers request to weigh their bags before purchase, but Dan learned that honesty is the best policy if one hopes for a high return rate - reputation is everything. "I was buying an ounce from Dan through a connection with another friend, and brought my scale," one customer said. "The friend who introduced us never asked him to weigh it, as they were friends, so he had no reason to suspect I would. It was exactly an ounce. I knew I could return to him and trust I wasn't being taken advantage of." Another lesson: be sympathetic to clients who cannot pay immediately, but be stern so that they pay eventually. "The reasoning is that no one is going to buy a bag from you and not pay you - they know they owe you and you know they owe you, and you'll see them around campus," Dan said. "The advantage would be that you just sold a bag you would not have normally sold. And they'll come back because they know, 'He's a nice guy; he's not out to [screw] me.'" Dan has also learned that the customer comes first. This mentality, he said, helps to ensure return visits. Dan chose to begin selling pot as a means of not wasting money on what he smoked. He learned that even if he didn't turn a profit, he could cover the costs of buying for himself, which can become high (no pun intended). For example, Dan could easily spend $250 a month to buy an ounce for himself, so, he rationed, if he bought in greater quantity and sold the majority of it, his finances would even out. Currently, his habit would cost him $300, and that's at a reduced rate. Dan has learned many things from selling pot, including the fact that demand varies: orientation, before and after holidays, and the beginning and end of the year are the highest peaks of sales. In addition, he has learned how to be inconspicuous. Though there is always a risk of being caught, Dan has worked on a referral policy since sophomore year. He is unlikely to sell to someone who is not a friend, or a friend of a friend. The risks of dealing, however, are still present: Tufts' Public Safety Annual Publication states that, even if they don't live on campus, students caught with illegal drugs may be referred to government authorities for both civil and criminal prosecution. (This consequence is on top of University punishments, which may include a warning, probation, suspension, or even dismissal.) For Dan, who is not only in possession of pot but is also dealing it, federal law has an even harsher penalty: a mandatory one-year prison sentence, which individuals older than 18 caught selling drugs to people under 21 within 1,000 feet of a college automatically receive. Fire alarms were often Dan's greatest fear when he lived in Tufts housing, as an inopportune alarm could enable the fire marshal to search his room, unearthing his weed and money. Now, Dan continues to avoid travel while carrying: he does not cross state lines with marijuana, nor does he take public transportation. He sees his business as exactly that - a business. He chooses not to take unnecessary risks that could damage his business or his future. Though the ability to smoke for free has been the most obvious benefit for Dan, he has also accrued business skills that he sees reflected in many of the classes he has taken at Tufts. "The biggest thing that I learned from dealing dope is, legitimately, depreciation," Dan said. "You have to be able to depreciate the value of your [quarter pound] over the life of it, and then it comes back. It's the little things where you don't realize what you're officially doing until you learn the terminology or theory used in the business world."*Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, all names have been changed.

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Concert Preview | Stranded on the punk rock: AppleJam brings hardcore band, Sirens, to stage

February 23

Tonight, Hotung plays host to a few angsty hours of indie and post-hardcore rock, as AppleJam brings three relatively unknown bands to campus. The show will feature local band The Receiving End of Sirens, as well as Lux Courageous and In the Arms of Providence. Although the bands vary somewhat in style, it will certainly be a concert for all the Converse-wearing, button-pinning, blogging, thrift-shopping emo kids on the Tufts campus. The Receiving End of Sirens, or TREOS, is tonight's featured band whose debut album will be released on April 26 by Triple Crown Records. The band consists of five members: Andrew Cook on drums; Brendan Brown on bass and vocals; Casey Crescenzo on keyboard, guitar, and vocals; Alex Bars on guitar and vocals, and Nate Patterson on guitar. The members, all aged 19 or 20, describe themselves as a group "dedicated ... to making music that we love." Artistically influenced by bands ranging from Radiohead to Bjork to Cave In, TREOS associates itself with post-hardcore and experimental indie rock, and uses heartbeat-like drumming, echoing vocals, and solid distortion to create an unusual intensity of sound. Paul Farris, one of the organizers of Applejam, said of TREOS, "I can see them blowing up. We saw them play, the record is going to come out in April, and there's a lot of hype surrounding them in the rock scene." Also gracing the stage at Hotung tonight are Lux Courageous and In the Arms of Providence. From catchy pop-rock songs to more complicated rock ballads, the Long Island band claims, "Every single song sounds different." In December 2001, Adam Laporto and PJ Tepe, the founding members, decided that music was in a state of crisis and that something needed to be done to change the face of modern rock. So they recruited two more like-minded members and Lux Courageous was formed. Their music tends to be energetic and speedy, with full guitars and staccato bass, and the sound can be compared to that of Dashboard Confessional, The Get Up Kids, and Phantom Planet with its slightly punk drum beat and clear harmonies. Their album, "Reasons That Keep the Ground Near," is also available from Triple Crown Records. In the Arms of Providence, the third band on the roster, is a melodic post-hardcore band from Portland, ME. They deviate slightly from TREOS and Lux Courageous in employing a heavier style that slips gracefully in and out of both pure hardcore rock and emo. In The Arms of Providence describes its music as the "mixing of melody with dissonance," creating "a new sound of intense emotional contrast." They are not what one would call easily accessible, as the singer's vocals sometimes fall into the category of screaming, but for open-minded listeners who want to move past Dashboard Confessional's generic emo-whinings, this might be a band worth listening to. Their album, "Left My Voicebox in a Seaside Town" is available from Muscle City Records. In general, AppleJam differs from Tufts' Concert Board in that they try to get local, lesser-known bands to play before they hit it big, rather than arranging for already famous bands to perform on campus. Previous bands that have graced the AppleJam stage include Arcade Fire and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, both of which have gone on to great success in the music industry. Tonight's concert brings a cacophonous ensemble of artists descended from the post-hardcore and emo generation, so concert-goers should put on their brooding faces and be prepared to fall headbang-long into a night of independent music.

The Setonian
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The real crisis

February 23

With all the debate surrounding both of President Bush's domestic policy goals, it is surprising what is not being discussed. While Social Security eventually needs to be reformed, it has not yet reached a crisis. However, the United States has reached a crisis in another domestic issue: healthcare. Medicare spending alone is increasing at twice the rate of the GDP. According to Medicare's chief actuary, Medicare is facing a $62 trillion shortfall, nearly six times the shortfall Social Security is facing. To worsen matters, over 20 million Americans have no health coverage of any kind. Perhaps, it is because of the boondoggle of HilaryCare that Republicans and Democrats alike have been afraid to touch it. It would be easy for critics to blame the lack of universal healthcare on cheap Republicans, however that simply is not the case. According to the World Health Organization, in 2001 the U.S. government spent $2,168 per capita on healthcare. Germany, in comparison, spent $2,113 per capita. However, the amount the U.S. government spent covered only 44 percent of the total dollars spent on health, while Germany's spending accounted for 75 percent of all healthcare costs. One of the questions we must answer in order to reform healthcare is why Americans are spending twice as much as their European counterparts on healthcare. One answer is that Americans demand a lot more from their healthcare coverage. Many aspects of American "lifestyle" healthcare are not received by our European counterparts. For example, Americans receive far more knee and hip replacements per capita than any other country. These are not absolutely necessary procedures; instead they are quality of life surgeries. In fact, Americans expect their quality of life to be so high that even Viagra is covered by Medicare. However, it is not just unnecessary medicine that drives up our costs. Many Americans remember the day when insurance companies were mutual. That is, the insurance company was "owned" by its policy holders. In turn, the policy holders did not care about profits, they simply demanded the best care that could be provided. Today, most insurance companies are profit-driven stock companies. No longer is patient care the top priority; instead the top priority is making money. Another major cause of the cost of healthcare is the rising premiums doctors must pay for malpractice insurance. Between 2000 and 2002 alone, a physician has seen his premiums increase 15 percent. Lastly, we must also acknowledge that Americans pay a high price for prescription drugs. The pharmaceuticals are making their profits off of American healthcare while the rest of the world enacts price controls. Today, to win FDA approval for a new drug, a company must invest on average between 12 and 15 years and $800 million in research and development before the drug reaches the market. As the Washington Times puts it, "Americans pay some of the highest prices for drugs in the world ... because of our free market and our willingness to shoulder most of the global costs of new drug development." In fact, Americans pay 67 percent more for prescription drugs than our neighbor to the North. While it is easy to point out the problems, it is a much more difficult to uncover a solution. The solution most commonly suggested by liberals is government-provided healthcare. However, there are numerous reasons why socializing medicine ultimately will not solve the healthcare crisis. State-provided healthcare is often characterized by long waiting lists, inadequate opportunities for treatment, and a brain drain. One needs only to look at the healthcare system in Britain as an example. The "brain drain" is so pervasive in Britain that Tony Blair has declared that 10,000 foreign physicians are needed to continue the system. In Britain, the waiting lines are so long that as many as 40,000 residents leave the island to receive care elsewhere. The "brain drain" problem should be particularly disconcerting to an America that has seen medical school applications decrease 21 percent in recent years. This decrease could not come at a more inopportune time. The baby-boomers are beginning to age and will require more care than at any other time in our nation's history. Proponents of state sponsored healthcare will likely argue that Britain simply is not spending enough money on Healthcare. And this is true: Britain spends half as much of their GDP on healthcare compared to the United States. So, why doesn't the United States pool the money they are already spending and provide universal healthcare? The simplest answer is it would require a new and significant tax. However, it can be argued that we are already paying the costs of healthcare, just not in the form of taxes. For the majority of Americans, their place of work provides them with health insurance. Personally, I doubt that if corporations are relieved of the need to provide health coverage, they will pass the savings along to the workers in the form of a pay increase. So, universal health care would actually hurt the average worker because their income would remain the same, while being burdened with a significant tax increase. One viable solution is to allow the re-importation of prescription drugs. An additional action we can implement to reduce the cost of healthcare is tort reform. The cost of malpractice insurance is ruining the quality of medicine while also increasing its costs. While there is no easy answer to America's healthcare woes, we should also remember that most Americans receive much better healthcare than the rest of the world. The bigger question, though, is at what cost? It is time the government tackles an area that truly needs reform.Michael Schrimpf is a senior majoring in Political Science

The Setonian
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Theater Review | Tufts drama 'Monster' is alive at Balch Theater

February 23

Neal Bell's "Monster," on stage at Balch Arena Theater for its second and final weekend, is a mixed bag of standout acting and overdone theatrics. This adaptation of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is billed as a creepier, sexier version of the classic tale. However, at times this concept gets in the way of the story itself, causing the action to feel disjointed. Above all else, most striking in Tufts' rendition of the tale is the fantastic performance offered by senior Chistopher Bonewitz. Bonewitz, as the Creature, flawlessly captures the strangeness, sadness, and alienation of Frankenstein's creation. His seemingly painful movements and weirdly modulated diction make the audience forget that they are watching an actor on stage. Instead, Bonewitz envelops himself in his role and stays committed to it through the entire performance. The Creature's makeup, post-electrocution-esque hair, and tattered costuming add to this overall effect. Senior Timothy Wagner also perfectly captures the two roles he plays. He puts Halle Berry to shame in the feline acting department with his spot-on portrayal of the Frankensteins' doomed cat. While the audience is still lamenting his character's untimely yet inevitable death at the hands of his experimentally-inclined owner, Wagner delivers another impressive and believable performance as Victor Frankenstein's adoring younger brother. Wagner's boisterous presence onstage provides much-needed comic relief over the course of the rather lengthy production. That is not to say that those in the Arena expected the story of a man obsessed with biology, death, and playing God to be a raucous, colorful romp. However, the enduring gloom and creepiness of the play seem so forced at times that Wagner's scenes give the audience something to look forward to. In fairness, besides Wagner's characters' scenes, the play does have quite a few clever and fresh quips about family life and love. However, the audience is too used to the pervasive dreariness and overwrought fervor of the majority of the dialogue to fully appreciate these understated musings. This ubiquitous feeling of overdone intensity is seen in the way Victor Frankenstein delivers most of his dialogue while invading the personal space of the other characters. Multiple passionate kisses are exchanged on stage, but they seem quite out of place. The audience gets the sense that these occur for shock value and are merely in place because Bell received a last-minute memo that "sexy" and "edgy" were in that year. Perhaps most disappointingly, the script of "Monster" fails to obey the basic theater tenet of "show, don't tell." The profound love that characters such as Victor's cousin, best friend, and younger brother feel for the good doctor is frequently stated, but this love is never rationalized or demonstrated. Scenes showing why Victor is such a magnetic and compelling personality are decidedly absent. The audience is left to assume that Victor must actually be a stunning conversationalist or a formidable chess player, but no evidence of his seemingly addicting personality is actually presented to the audience. Nearly everything the audience knows about Victor Frankenstein is gleaned from point-blank statements delivered by his family and friends (e.g. "You love me because I'm human. You love me because I bleed"). In short, the audience watches a protagonist for over two hours who they're never truly given a reason to like. "Monster" is not without entertainment value, and admittedly most who opt to sit in the audience this weekend will probably like the play. It is generally well-acted and the Gothic costumes and fitting scenery will make the audience feel that they're seeing something original. The problem with the lengthy, rather slow-moving play is that it never really captures the audience's imagination. As a result, the audience may find itself more mesmerized by the smoke effects and stage blood in the second act than by the action and dialogue. If nothing else, one can appreciate the little things about "Monster." After all, the reanimations are really quite fabulous.

The Setonian
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Police Briefs

February 23

Reported "break and entry" in College Ave. apartmentOn the night of Thursday, Feb. 17, student residents of an off-campus apartment on College Ave. in Somerville reported an incident of theft. All the residents had left the apartment between 6 and 7:30 p.m. that night. Upon leaving, the front door was left unlocked. According to the students, three laptops, an iPod and a DVD player were missing from the residence upon return. At 10:30 p.m. the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) arrived on the scene along with the Somerville police department. Currently there is no suspect information. According to TUPD Captain Mark Keith, this incident is one of several "break and entry" style thefts to occur this season. "I think there's been an increase [in 'break and entry' theft] over the last few months from what we've seen in the past," Keith said.Theft of motor vehicle parts reported in Cohen parking lotA female student reported parts stolen from her vehicle at approximately 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb 19. The student informed members of the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) that the headlights from her Lexus SUV were removed sometime between 11:30 p.m. on Feb 18 and 1:00 p.m. on the Feb. 19 while parked in the Cohen parking lot. Currently there is no suspect information. While theft of internal parts of vehicles is not unheard of on campus, the theft of external parts, such as headlights, is a "rarity" on campus, according to TUPD Captain Mark Keith.Physical altercation erupts between two students Two male students were involved in a physical altercation on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 20, at approximately 12:40 a.m. The fight occurred at a fraternity house on Packard Avenue during a party. It is believed that one of the students involved was a member of the fraternity. Upon arriving at the scene, members of the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) broke up the party and talked with the individuals involved, neither of whom was willing to file criminal charges. The incident was filed with the Dean's office. There were no injuries reported and no medical attention required.Second incident of theft of off-campus residency reported At approximately 8:10 p.m. on the night of Tuesday, Feb. 22, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) responded to an incident of "break and entry" style theft from a house located on Winthrop Street. TUPD responded to the scene of the crime with members of the Medford Police Department. The student residents reported that they left the apartment between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. of that night. Upon returning, one student noticed the backdoor to the apartment was open and that a laptop and a pillowcase were missing. Currently there is no suspect information. According to TUPD Captain Mark Keith, the case is being examined in conjunction with another "break and entry" style robbery that occurred on College Avenue on the night of Thursday, Feb. 17.-- Compiled by Mark Pesavento

The Setonian
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Men's Volleyball | Interdivisional a step back for club team

February 23

The men's volleyball club came out strong on Sunday at the Interdivisional tournament at Yale University but, plagued by injuries, the squad failed to move on to the semifinals. After three tough matches, the Jumbos were tied with Wesleyan and Stonehill College at 1-2 each in the A-Pool of the tournament. After Wesleyan forfeited the tiebreak match, only Stonehill remained for the Jumbos to overcome. But this proved easier said than done as Tufts fell to Stonehill, ending the Jumbos' chances at the semifinals. Columbia University, another participant in the tournament, advanced to the semifinals with a 3-0 record after defeating Tufts, Stonehill and Wesleyan. Moving on to the semifinal round, Stonehill faced Yale, the host school and leader of the B- Pool, and lost 2-0. Later in the tournament, after defeating Tufts, Wesleyan and Stonehill in the preliminaries, the Columbia Lions nabbed another win tally with a 2-0 victory over MIT, and yet another in the finals, rolling over Yale 2-0 for the tournament title. The Jumbos faced several problems during the Interdivisional tournament, including two injuries that hurt the team in later games. The first injury took down starting senior Hadi El-Heneidi early in the match, requiring a trip to the mergency room for x-rays. Junior Jeremy Maggin explained how the initial injury affected the team. "We came out playing harder and better than we had all season," Maggin said. "But then, in the middle of our second game in our match against Stonehill, [El-Heneidi] came down and rolled his ankle. Paramedics brought him to a nearby hospital, thinking he had broken it. After that, we shifted some players around and continued with the game." Even with one starter out, the Jumbos managed to beat Stonehill the first time the teams met, and looked strong going into their next game against Wesleyan. The match started out well, but the Jumbos were soon faced with another hurt player, graduate student Ramon-Carlo Galicia. Galicia pulled a calf muscle and left the game. With two players out, the team began to falter, and Wesleyan took advantage of the weakness to beat the Jumbos and force a tie in the standings. "After the injury in the first Stonehill game, we figured we'd be okay," Maggin said. "But when one of our outside hitters pulled his calf, our morale started to go downhill and our playing reflected that." The sudden-death match against Stonehill that occurred after Wesleyan forfeited marked the end of the Jumbos' tournament. The loss of the two starters was the definite factor in the defeat, as the team had beaten Stonehill easily twice before. "It was a disappointment, especially because we seemed to finally have gelled as a team," Senior captain Colin Pedersen said. "We were playing on the same page, putting up blocks, and racking up the kills. [Senior] Mike Toomey's sets were good, the outside hitting by Jeremy Maggin, Ramon Galicia, [senior] Kellan Gregory and myself was strong, the middles were dominant, and the back row defense by [senior] Jeff McMahon and [freshman] Steve Poon was solid. Everything seemed to fit, and just at that moment we lost two of our starters." Although the result of the Interdivisional at Yale was not the boost in strength and confidence that the Jumbos were searching for, the team is not out of chances just yet. With any luck, the injured starters will be playing again soon, allowing the team to practice as a whole and regain some of their chemistry The Jumbos have a solid core of players, and with all starters on the court they should be able to improve their record as the season continues. Still, this weekend's bad luck and subsequent poor showing put a difficult obstacle on the team's road to any postseason play. A quick recovery by the injured starters will have to be complemented by a gain of strength on the court if the team is to have a chance of competing in the Championships on April 2 and 3.

The Setonian
News

Correction

February 23

An article on Tuesday ("Tufts loses two alumni focused on international service," Feb. 22) incorrectly stated Cristin Gadue's major. She majored in political science and history, not international development. The article also misstated Gadue's mother's name. It is Nancy Murphy and she lives in Rutland, Vt, not Burlington, Vt.

The Setonian
News

Survey tackles substance abuse, campus life

February 23

The Office of Institutional Research has released the 2004 Alcohol & Drug Use Report with data garnered from a survey Tufts Health Service conducted during the fall semester.

The Setonian
News

Inside Fitness | Soreness, fatigue could indicate overtraining

February 23

Will you settle a dispute for me? Every time I go on a cardio machine, people walking by stare at me. I think it's because I am pretty hot, but my guy friend says it's because I am always talking on the phone and it annoys people. Can you tell him that no one cares if I talk or not, and that people look at me because they like to? - Future Model, Houston Hall Regardless of how attractive you are, if the gym were meant for talking on the phone it wouldn't be called The Gym. It would be called Your Room. So get off the phone or get out of the fitness center.Lately I've been tired and sorer than I usually am. I'm trying to tough it out and just work through it, but it's not working. I don't want to just stop going to the gym because if I miss a day I feel like crap. What can I do? - Random Student on Campus You seem to be suffering from two things. The first, overtraining, can be easily remedied by taking time off, decreasing the intensity of your workout, or changing your routine to allow your body some active recovery time. Stop lifting for a week and switch to light cardio. Or, if you are on a cardio-based regimen, drop down the intensity and spend some more time lifting light weights. If you are doing a hybrid program that combines the two, you could try decreasing the weight and dropping a set from each exercise. If you are really in it deep (read: experiencing chronic fatigue and muscle soreness accompanied by a lack of motivation to workout and perhaps some mild depression), then take a week or two off. During this off time, make sure you remain active to some extent, but don't worry about getting to the gym. Go for walks, throw or shoot a ball around with your friends, or go for a light jog. The key here is recovery, so make sure you aren't exerting yourself to an extent that would impede the recovery of your muscles and your motivation. Too many people underestimate the importance of recovery time. Phenotypic and athletic improvement comes during the recovery phase, so if you don't give your body time to recover, you will not see results. The second possible ailment is called exercise addiction. It's common in people who have just recently started exercising and have seen favorable results. What happens is that they associate their workout with good results, and consequently do not feel they have 'gotten a good workout' unless they have completed their workout the same way, to the same extent, every time they enter the gym. In more serious instances, people will continually add intensity to their regimen in an attempt to maintain or accelerate their progress - a basic "more is better" mentality. This could mean an hour or more of cardio every day, 10-plus sets for chest workouts (or they feel they haven't worked the muscle enough), or even a combination of the two. Unfortunately, this method of training is probably the quickest to halt and even reverse the initial progress. The best way to combat exercise addiction is to immediately change the workout or force yourself to take some time off, no matter how small it seems - even purposely missing a single workout can help your mindset. If you run, try swimming for a week. If you do 10 sets of bench every Monday, work back that day and cut the sets in half. It is obviously easier said than done, but the sooner you become comfortable with variation in your workout, the sooner your results will pick up again. The body adapts to exercise stimulus quickly, and performing the same thing every day will lead you directly to plateau. If you are still uncomfortable with changing your routine, and just don't feel good about yourself unless you run X miles or perform X sets, or if your fitness regimen stresses you out more than anything else in your life, it may be time to talk to someone in health services about it. Addiction can come in many forms, and exercise addiction can make you just as unhappy as those other, more talked-about ones.

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