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Book Review | Just not that into dating guide for dummies

February 9

Hey, pretty lady. Hello, super fox. Hi, beautiful, intelligent, superstar woman. These condescending affirmations fill every page of "He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys," a now infamous manifesto by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, consultant and writer, respectively, for everyone's favorite ragingly self-obsessed show, "Sex and the City." With Valentine's Day looming, everyone's mind naturally turns towards love and sex. More specifically, everyone wants to know how to get the former, the latter, or both. Don't look to "He's Just Not That Into You" for help. Holding the No. 4 spot on the New York Times Best-seller List for hardcover advice books, this self-help book has managed to eclipse even Arthur Agatston's "The South Beach Diet" in sales. If in time, it's discovered that actually practicing the South Beach Diet causes appendicitis, gangrene or the growth of a third eye, it would still be healthier than applying the fundamentally flawed and psychologically unsound logic of "Into You" to your life. Not to mention that "South Beach Diet" is probably a better read. From Oprah to the girl down the hall, "sexy singles" have hailed this 165-page book and six-word phrase as a revelation, but it's not clear what exactly has been revealed. Each chapter is titled, "He's Just Not That Into You..." followed by a standard unfavorable dating scenario: "He's not calling you," "He's not dating you," or, most bewilderingly, "He's having sex with someone else." Did anyone need help figuring that out? When the scenarios aren't obvious, they're throwbacks to another era. This dated would-be dating bible applies to a certain generation: specifically those who got married before or during the 1960s. Chapter One: "He's Just Not That Into You If He's Not Asking You Out." Fair enough-but the actual moral of this chapter is infuriating, setting the tone for the entire book. Don't ask out men. Don't allow excuses. Dump him when he's too "busy" for you ("busy" is a non-word to Behrendt and Tuccillo). So dump him - when his mother dies, when he suddenly becomes the President of the United States, or when he saves an entire busload full of orphans on the way to church and forgets to call. The so-called advice is sugar-coated in a mildly nauseating tone, which is something of a mixture of Dr. Phil and classic 1990s you-go-girl. Overly formulaic and too cutesy to be real, the chapters belabor each point, set into pictures of stationery "From the Desk of Greg." It's a gimmick that does little to distract from the jerky structure and redundant content of the book. The advice is primarily doled out by Behrendt (or just Greg, as he's referred to throughout). Embracing yet another stereotype, Greg is the enforcer whose tough love will bring even the most deluded woman to the light, or the altar-depending on her goal. Tuccillo (or just Liz, of course) is called in to nurture and empathize (since only girls can do that) when Greg cuts too deep, but she sticks to the party line. He's just not that into you, sister-friend. There's no liberation to be found in this skinny little book. Instead, the stereotypes and dated cultural conventions are at odds with the alleged superwoman tone, insultingly rendered, and probably psychologically damaging to the young and hopeful. A well-adjusted person should look to this book for a few laughs, and possibly for firewood kindling. The target audience of the book, the well-educated, high-class, older woman (a Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, or Samantha perhaps?) deserves more credit. Anyone deserves more credit. There's something to be said for the attempted upbeat message of empowerment. Encouraging women not to be unrealistic and not to settle for a relationship that is beneath them, is worthwhile. Unfortunately this message is too poorly executed and tackily belabored to actually hit the reader.

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News

Traveling Lush | Why not try wine instead of chocolate this Valentine's Day?

February 9

Valentine's Day is fast- approaching and, for many of us with significant others, that may mean that it's time for roses and chocolates. Why not strike it up a notch and bring in a bottle of good wine to complete the romantic evening? Chocolate and wine being notoriously difficult to pair up, lovebirds may want to simply take the alcoholic option. In an attempt to stage a wine-food matching event, I called Daily editor Valerie Chung and a group of friends together for an evening of feasting and imbibing. Now, both Val and I have been weaned on wine since we were children, so I'd like to think that we can tell a good from a bad wine, a fruity wine from a dry wine, a rich wine from a light wine, and so on. However, we don't want to even attempt the title of sommeliers, nor do we pretend that we know what we're doing when it comes to matching wines with food. Nonetheless, with the interests of Tufts students in mind (of course), we bravely volunteered our tongues, livers and stomachs, and gallantly experimented with lots of wines and good food. Armed with a rudimentary wine and food guide from the Internet, we headed over to Argana, a Moroccan restaurant in Inman Square. We started off with a bottle of Santa Julia chardonnay to go with our appetizers of mazza (pita with mechoula, hummus and maaqooda) and Moroccan Cigars (baked filo roll-ups filled with chick pea pur?©e, seafood and feta cheese). This Argentinean wine turned out to be very young - surprisingly young. In fact, I believe it's the first time I've drank a 2004 bottle. Try as we might, our untrained palettes were completely at a loss when it came to discerning any of the wines' "aromas of apple and pear" or "flavors of citrus and peaches." Despite these problems, however, the Santa Julia was smooth and good-and gained the approval even of the non-wine drinker in our party. Despite its age, this sweet wine complemented the strong Mediterranean flavors of our appetizers very well. For the main course, Val ordered a glass of zinfandel (Santa Barbra, 2003) to go with her rack of lamb. Jammy Argentinean reds such as this zinfandel, or perhaps a shiraz or merlot, are ideal complements for lamb. The fruity and tangy flavor of the Santa Barbara went well with the distinct lamb flavor. To go with my seared ahi tuna, the bartender suggested the Italian pinot grigio (Villa Carra, 2003). As someone who prefers heavy, dry red wines, I was a bit put off at first by the white pinot grigio's extremely light taste and body. However, its clean, fresh qualities turned out to be a good accompaniment to the light and delicate seared ahi. Anything heavier would have drowned out the fish completely. As for the rest of the table, we ordered a tempranillo from Argentina (Dollium, 2003) that the manager guaranteed was as close to a Moroccan wine as one can get...short of an actual Moroccan wine. Your two Lushes would love to tell you just how well it went with the food, but we had, to say the least, had enough. While lovely, our trip was not cheap. Running at about fifty bucks per person, it was most certainly a treat reserved for special occasions. We should hope that Valentine's Day counts as a special occasion. There are some general principles that everyone who intends to drink wine at a meal should know (most of which are just common sense): 1. Red meat with red wine, white meat with white wine. As a general principle, this old mantra works quite well. Red wines tend to be more powerful and will drown out an order of fish. On the other hand, a rack of lamb will overwhelm a lighter white wine. 2. Spicy food with either spicy or very fruity wines. In my opinion, it's probably not the best idea to have wine with spicy foods. If you're stubborn (or an alcoholic) and insist on wine anyway, avoid sparkling wines (or any carbonated drinks, for that matter). The bubbles make the chili even more explosive. Instead, you want to go for a spicy or fruity wine (though these are subjective qualifications) that will be zingy enough to match your food. 3. Choose a wine you like. When it comes down to it, you gotta drink what you wanna drink. There are exceptions to the rules above and one can spend a lifetime exploring all the intricacies of food-wine pairing. Drink what you like! No matter what the wine snobs say, why waste your money on a pinot noir to go with your pork tenderloin if you just don't like pinot noirs?

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News

Academic freedom: The student-faculty contract

February 9

Tufts is not performing to its educational potential. The symptoms vary from its uncharacteristic lack of prestige (see drop in U.S. News and World Report ranking) to unfortunate embarrassments (see Andrew Fastow, CFO Enron), and most of all, a lack of expression in the classroom. The cause is a lack of academic freedom. Academic freedom is the spirit that drives all great universities. It promotes debate, free speech and ethical behavior. The necessary preconditions for academic freedom are: the ability of students to conduct coursework without fear of ideological discrimination, a faculty commitment to characterizing unsettled issues as such while exploring the different viewpoints fairly, and the affirmation that ideology does not play a part in faculty hiring and firing. At Tufts, inadvertent abuse of the faculty-student relationship is increasingly threatening academic freedom. Students trust Tufts educators to explain the world in analytical terms, only to find after they graduate that they were presented with a pseudo-reality. While at Tufts, students are made to understand that the faculty is much smarter than them. They are discouraged, for fear of losing a perfect transcript, from challenging anything the professor has to say. While it may have once been the case that Tufts students were disparately less intelligent than the faculty, today's students must be seen as qualified pupils. They can readily challenge their professors on a variety of issues, and are eager to do so - if it were not for fear of unconscious retribution. Founded or not, these fears must be actively diminished by professors to promote the values of education. Perhaps worse is the way in which professors seldom portray disagreement among peers in their field. If they do, they do not adequately assert their position by presenting their opponent's views with authority. Though teaching styles and practices vary across Tufts from good to bad, the overall climate is one where students are never prepared for the real world: where people disagree and individuals must be able to seek the truth themselves. Professors can do more to welcome viewpoints that challenge their own. Unfortunately, there are many instances where the principles of academic freedom have been clearly violated. Students have been berated by their instructors in post-election disgust. A professor insisted without remorse that the military is full of "Jesus-freaks." Students hardly have to guess what position they should take in that class to appease the teacher. More recently, students were contemplating whether to take a course pass/fail so that they could express their opinions in the classroom without fear. Good work in some classes earns suspiciously-low marks. These are only a few examples. If students look to the prestigious Tufts faculty for role models (and they do), they risk learning some very bad habits. Tufts graduates are increasingly involved in the public sector where ethics and integrity are paramount. Yet, in the classroom, students learn that the best way to ensure one's intellectual legacy is to misrepresent, undervalue, omit, or otherwise obscure the arguments of one's peers. This works well in political warfare, but is otherwise destructive to meaningful discussion. In real terms, the restoration of academic freedom at Tufts will benefit every member of the student-faculty community. The faculty will reexamine its course lists to assure that they reflect the challenges faced by students today (ensuring their intellectual legacy outside the University). Liberal students will finally be assigned a book written from a conservative perspectiveto read and tear apart - giving them ammunition against the Bush administration's policies and scholars. In the same class, conservative students will be challenged by the reasoning of great liberal scholars. The result: a community of Tufts students that is prepared to disagree, and to defend their ideology with understanding of the opposition. Liberals need not fear that the introduction of alternative viewpoints will ruin an otherwise hegemonic institution. The principles of academic freedom can be used to promote controversial thinkers and debate on both sides unapologetically, and nondiscrimination does not entail affirmative action. Most importantly, if certain thinking is to be taken as universal truth, it is essential that faculty and students learn to prove the worth of their ideas against formidable challenges. After all, the leaders of America's tomorrow will always need to convince the people who disagree with them. Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale produce students who are capable of such debate. Why not Tufts? By supporting the ability of students to conduct coursework without fear of ideological discrimination, by committing to a fair characterization of unsettled issues, and by affirmation that ideology does not play a part in faculty hiring and firing, Tufts can rise to the level of its peers, and in time, exceed them.Brandon Balkind is a senior majoring in computer engineering. He is the spokesperson for Tufts Academic Freedom Project.

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News

Ash marks start of Lent

February 9

Tufts students filled Goddard Chapel yesterday to observe Ash Wednesday, the first day of the lenten season.

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News

Police Briefs

February 9

Chemical spill requires outside assistance A professor in Barnum Hall reported a minor chemical spill on the morning of Friday, Feb. 4. At the time of the accident, the lab was being cleaned. A table was moved and approximately 500 mL of the chemical pyridine fell. Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers called chemical spill control to clean up the chemicals when they reported to the scene. The spill control workers roped off the room with tape and vented the area. Pyridine, commonly used as a solvent in paint and rubber manufacturing, can cause damage to the liver if humans inhale, ingest or absorb it through their skin.Enormous Boston Ave. party broken up due to noise violation Both Medford and Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers broke up a party held on Boston Avenue on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 6 at 12:33 a.m., reportedly due to complaints regarding the noise. When TUPD arrived, officers counted 20 people standing outside and approximately 250 people inside the house. Medford police arrested one student for creating disturbances as authorities broke up the party. According to Sergeant McConaghy, the TUPD has jurisdiction over parties occurring on campus as well as parties occurring on any street adjacent to the campus.Boston University Students Hit by MBTA Train At approximately 1:30 a.m. yesterday morning, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) officials reported that a train struck and killed two Boston University (BU) students walking along the tracks behind BU's Walter Brown Arena. The commuter train, which was the last of the evening coming from Worcester, MA inbound to South Station, collided with Molly Shattuck, 19, and Andrew Voluck, 20, according to Newscenter 5 reporter Gail Huff. MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera stated that authorities remain unsure why these two students were walking on the tracks nowhere near a T station.-- Compiled by Mark Pesavento

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News

Captured | Underground in Athens

February 9

Dimitri Georgantopoulos, a recreational photographer studying International Relations and Economics, spent countless hours in the darkroom throughout high school and has recently experimented with digital photography. In the late night hours in September 2003, he captured his best friend awaiting the metro train in Syndagma Square in Athens, Greece. By decreasing the camera's shutter speed, Dimitri captured the contrast between the movement of the train and the stillness of the empty station. "Captured" is The Tufts Daily's weekly photo column, open to any University student. Please send your artistic and creative pictures to weeklyphoto@gmail.com.

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News

Due to budget issues, MBTA may cut Night Owl buses

February 8

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced that it will carefully examine the viability of the Night Owl bus service. The search for lower costs comes as the MBTA is confronting a $16 million budget deficit. The Night Owl bus service provides transportation to customers traveling later than one a.m., the T's approximate closing time. "The MBTA is looking at a number of cost saving initiatives," Lydia Rivera of the MBTA Public Affairs Department said. "There is no definitive response to whether we are going to make changes to Night Owl." Rivera said that the service might be altered, consolidated or eliminated in order to reduce costs to the MBTA. Although she had no official numbers, Rivera said that studies have found "minimal use" of the service. "We've determined that the Night Owl is not utilized to its fullest," she said, adding that the $1.25 fare each passenger pays does not cover the $1.1 million annual cost of the service. Currently, according to the Boston Globe, the Night Owl runs buses from Cambridge, Watertown, Roxbury, Allston and Brookline, and makes stops at subway stations. The future of these routes is uncertain. The MBTA has shown that it is not afraid to cut services - certain harbor routes have already been cut. Even with the Night Owl service, Boston has limited late-night public transportation compared to other major metropolitan areas. Many buses and the subway trains stop running at approximately one a.m., well before the close of bars and clubs. The limited transportation raises questions about the implications for college students and the threat of drunk driving. "It's a wonderful thing to have access to public transportation for people who are out at clubs, out drinking," said Margot Abels, Director of the Alcohol and Drug Prevention Services at Tufts Health Services. "I certainly don't want people drinking and driving." The cancellation of Night Owl could serve as one more cut to the late-night services in the city. Still, no final decisions have been made. Rivera discussed other possible measures for reducing MBTA costs. One possible action would be to reduce the number of employees riding on Green Line trains. Currently, according to Rivera, three or four ride in the cars. Cutting this number to one would save between four and eight million dollars annually. Revising certain schedules rather than eliminating them completely could also save money. Though the future of Night Owl is unclear, the MBTA's examinations of its services is of consequence to Tufts students, who will need to examine the availability of trains and busses, the price of cabs and the dangers of drunk driving before settling on weekend plans in Boston. Some students question the effectiveness of local public transit, however, blaming limited late-night service and poorly advertised schedules for the weekend Night Owl's lack of use. "I think that Tufts students don't know the times," senior Vanessa Matthew said. "It [seems] so random when it stops running, when it starts running." "[Students] just aren't familiar with it," freshman Caitlin Gallagher said. Advertising, Abels said, could be an effective component in an effort to increase use of late-night services to curb instances of drunk driving. "It would be a great thing for people to know about," Abels said. "We don't really have great campaigns in this state about drinking and driving for college-age students." For this reason, Abels believes keeping the Night Owl is just a small piece in a larger effort to help people travel safely in the middle of the night. Eliminating the service "would not be a great decision," she said. Matthew has used the service, to get home from a party at another college. "I used the Night Owl bus when I was a freshman," she said. "Actually, the buses were empty at the time," but she added the emptiness was convenient when she traveled in large groups, sometimes of 40 people or more. Freshman Peter Zaroulis, a resident of New York City, has also traveled on the Night Owl. He said, however, that the transportation in Boston was not as well-developed as that of New York. "I think it's crucial to have a comprehensive 24-hour service," he said. Subways in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles serve the cities' inhabitants 24 hours a day. Of these three cities, Chicago and Los Angeles have public transit systems that serve approximately the same number of people per day as Boston, with averages hovering over one million riders daily.

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News

In the spotlight | LaPorte breaks it down for us

February 8

Senior Dave LaPorte is getting a few glances. Dressed in the standard lazy day uniform of every Tufts student (the classic Tufts hoodie, in the classic dark blue), he's "breaking out" in the campus center, demonstrating the fundamentals of breakdancing, including - but not limited to - jargon, basic steps and appropriate music styles. The mellow LaPorte doesn't rely on words to describe his experience as co-president of Tufts' breakdancing crew, TURBO - but then, he doesn't need to. The athletic twists and smooth contortions that characterize breakdancing are easier done than said for the four-year member of the group. TURBO (Tufts' Urban Rad Breaking Outfit) is known for its memorable guest appearances in other campus groups' gigs, like TDC, Sarabande, SCOPE, and the Parade of Nations. This semester, co-presidents LaPorte and Senior Jake Terry hold practices three times a week in the Hill Hall Aerobics room, gearing up for their April show, "Turbomania." Watching these practices is the way the once stage-shy LaPorte gained his confidence as a freshman and sophomore. With that confidence came spontaneity. Performing only rarely as an underclassman, the 21-year-old psychology major has become comfortable, even busting out in an impromptu Bhangra circle at a party last weekend. And though LaPorte once shyly choreographed and planned each move he would hit prior to performing, he's now willing to let the moment decide. "In the beginning, I had a very set thing I would do, so I didn't make a fool of myself," LaPorte said. Now, he allows himself to "play with the music." Coming from a Malvern, Pennsylvania native with no dance or gymnastic training, this talent in dancing as performance is interesting. LaPorte, however, finds that strength and previous experience aren't as important as patience, persistence, and style. "Some people think strength is necessary, but there's so much style that you can put into it that doesn't require a lot of strength, and that a lot of people are capable of," LaPorte said. LaPorte demonstrates his style with Toprock, a dance floor-clearing move designed to prime the space and the crowd for the more impressive feats to come. He rhythmically shoots out his arms and steps out the border of his imaginary dance space, his quick white sneakers in contrast with the brown tiles. Breakdancing, or "B-boying," (and there are "B-girls," too), is something that this kid from the suburbs of Philadelphia picked up haphazardly. With help from TURBO founding member, "Grandpa" Kris Helenek, and mentors Henry Kasdon and Eric "Sleepy" Kim in his first years at Tufts, LaPorte began his still-evolving learning process. While abroad in London with Boston University, LaPorte took breaking classes through the nearby Imperial College's student union. The classes, combined with his two years of experience, gave him a feeling of competence, but he still feels he can learn much more. "I still consider myself a beginner," he said. The down-to-earth LaPorte makes it clear that he doesn't take himself too seriously. He's unwilling to throw out too much breaking slang at once; even as he comments on the "sick" performance of a B-boy and his "power moves" in a competition he attended, he laughs. LaPorte cites his humor in helping him perform, allowing him to deal with his mistakes by exaggerating them. "Since I don't always have the power," he said, "I try to rock the humor." LaPorte makes no mistakes in the elementary moves he's showing in the Campus Center. Soon kicking it up (or down), he transitions to the Six-Step, a move now part of Downrock, or dance on the floor. As he executes the move, his momentum propels his body, walking his feet in a circle while his weight rests on one hand. It can be strenuous, according to LaPorte, though he shows no sign of fatigue. "It can be a ton of exercise, and it should be a lot of art at the same time. You have to blend the two," he said. LaPorte ultimately considers breakdancing to be a fun way for him to be comfortable with dancing and expressing himself. "It's a way for people to get together and do something athletic and artistic," he said. "It's a group break from studying - no pun intended," LaPorte said.

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News

Sports Commentary | Things can't get better for Beantown

February 8

What a time to be alive and a Boston sports fan. Sportswriters and fans have been saturated in victory to the point that failure has become distant, something that happens only to those other teams. Homes are running out of wall space to hang championship banners, and scrap books are overflowing with newspaper headlines declaring yet another triumph. Imagine if this weren't the case. Imagine being a sports town in America and having the following as your top story of the week: "This weekend, not only did the Boston Celtics climb to the top of the Atlantic Conference with a stellar 24-24 record, but Paul Pierce was also named Eastern Conference Player of the Week!" Terrifying. New England has been blessed these last four years. "The spirit, the will to win and the will to excel - these are the things that endure and these are the qualities that are so much more important than any of the events that occasion them." The immortal Vince Lombardi spoke these words, and today no coach embodies these values more so than Bill Belichick, and no team more so than the New England Patriots. It's appropriate that sports pundits are now declaring Belichick to be Lombardi's successor. Never before has a city been so dominant in its sporting ability, and 2004-2005 could go down as possibly the best sports year ever for Boston. The Patriots have won three of the last four Super Bowls, only the third team besides the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers to accomplish such a feat in so short a time frame. The Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 86 years, an event few thought they would ever get to see in their lifetime. And we got to see both in the same year. Nationally, these teams are finally getting the attention they deserve. Sports Illustrated covers have been inundated with images of Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, Curt Schilling - even Mark Bellhorn graced an issue. Sports pundits across the country are jumping onto the Patriots' bandwagon, and already are talking about four Super Bowls in five years. It's not just the Pats and the Sox, though. The Celtics are finally coming to terms with Danny Ainge's master scheme, and young guns like Tony Allen and Al Jefferson have the potential to become true fixtures on a competitive Celts team. Even with a less than sterling 24-24 record, they're in first place on top of the pathetic Atlantic Conference and have a real chance at making more than just a symbolic run at the playoffs this year. Getting number 17 might seem improbable, but so was a Red Sox comeback. The way this year has gone for Boston teams, who knows what could happen? They've become like children to the city, and to all of New England. The Red Sox are the venerable oldest child, loaded with talent, but before this year never able to reach their full potential. The Celtics have to be the middle child, the team that defined dynasty and success, but were always overshadowed by the Sox, unable to truly gain the respect they deserve in this baseball city. Then there are the Patriots, the youngest, learning from the mistakes of others, and now setting the bar far, far, far above the rest, accomplishing feats deemed impossible in this age of salary caps and free agency. And finally you have the Bruins, who are, of course, the black sheep of the family - the child who drops out of school to go backpacking across Europe for a year. And like children, we celebrate their successes and gloat of their accomplishments as if they were our own. "Oh, your son's a doctor? Ours are World Champions." Boston fans and sportswriters should give extra thanks tonight, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, because this may never happen again. In fact, there's no conclusive evidence that this all hasn't been just a wonderful dream. Either way, enjoy it. Eventually, fortune will turn her fickle gaze away from Boston. Soon, we could be the city with a hapless basketball team at the bottom of the standings, or a baseball team that blows an unconquerable 3-0 lead in the playoffs, or, God forbid, a football team with a coach you wouldn't trust to work a stopwatch. But today, be merry, New England. Your Patriots are Super Bowl Champions. Your Red Sox are World Champions. Your Celtics are in first place. All is right with the world.

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News

Inside College Basketball | Wake's balanced attack ends Duke

February 8

As the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) slowly adds schools in order to strengthen its status among the nation's elite football conferences, it also must make a concession - soon, the ACC's powerful college hoops teams will not be playing each other as often as they did in the past. However, the truth of the matter has not set in yet, and last Wednesday, we were treated to the first of two Wake Forest/Duke match-ups this season. The strength of the ACC was demonstrated last week when the No. 7 Wake Forest Demon Deacons hosted the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils in a game featuring two of the three best teams in the ACC. Throughout the first half, the game was back and forth, with Wake holding small leads throughout the first 20 minutes. At the half, the Deacons led 45-39. Wake exploded out of the locker room and charged to a 14-point lead, leading 75-61 with just over eight minutes left to play. But Duke held tough. Despite having superstar point guard Daniel Ewing foul out with over seven minutes to play, the Blue Devils found a way to hang in and chip away at the Deacons' lead. Duke Sharpshooter J.J. Redick nailed three three-pointers in the final two and a half minutes and Sean Dockery added another trifecta that eventually cut the Wake lead to one point (90-89) with three seconds remaining. But as brilliant as Redick was, finishing with 33 points, he wasn't enough in the end. Duke fouled Wake's Taron Downey with two seconds left. Downey, who had missed a key free throw in regulation against Florida State in a game the Deacons went on to lose in overtime, put the past behind him and nailed both free throws, putting his team up two. Duke in-bounded the ball to Redick, who managed to unload a desperate, off-balance three-pointer that fell just short as the buzzer sounded, giving Wake a crucial 92-89 victory. The Deacons have now beaten Duke three straight times at home. The depth of these two teams was the key to the tale - Duke only had two players score in double figures, Redick and Shelden Williams (16 points). Wake, on the other hand, had four players in double figures, led by All-American Chris Paul (23 points). Outside of the ACC, after a tumultuous career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, star guard Pierre Pierce has been dismissed from the team. In 2002, Pierce was charged with third-degree sexual abuse. This time around, Pierce said that he had had an argument with his girlfriend, and coach Steve Alford dismissed him from the team. Pierce's scoring ability will be sorely missed by Hawkeye fans, as he led the team with 17.8 points per game this season. Taking a look at other top teams, another week has passed, and the No. 1 Illinois Fighting Illini and the No. 5 Boston College (BC) Eagles are still undefeated. Illinois moved to 23-0 this week with a convincing 60-47 victory over Indiana. This Saturday, Wisconsin could give the team a scare, but Illinois has already defeated the Badgers in Madison earlier this season, breaking up a 38 game home winning streak for Wisconsin. BC moved to 20-0 after squeaking by Seton Hall on Saturday by a count of 60-52. But the Eagles still haven't played either Syracuse or Pittsburgh, games which will provide big tests for the Big East Cinderella story. Most importantly, the biggest and best college hoops rivalry is coming up tonight. The North Carolina Tar Heels travel to Duke to take on the Blue Devils and the Cameron Crazies at 9 p.m. While Duke will enjoy the distinct home-court advantage and anything can happen in this type of game, the odds are stacked for the Heels. Duke's been on its heels as of late, and Carolina's playing its best basketball of the season. Look for the Tar Heels to beat up on the Blue Devils and reassert their dominance in the ACC.

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News

Men's Track and Field | Third Invitational Marks Third Victory

February 8

This weekend, men's track and field teams from around New England traveled to Medford for the third Tufts Invitational of the season. And for the third time, they watched the Jumbos win their own invitational -- by a point margin that wasn't even close.

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News

Armed robbery alert should be immediate

February 8

Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) should have been faster to report the armed robbery of two students to the Tufts community. Four days passed between the robbery and TUPD's e-mail that alerted students both of the robbery and its possible gang relation. Tufts is a campus that thrives on instant-communication. Why should an event as important as this take four days to report? While an instance of armed robbery is frightening enough, the fact that it could be a part of wider gang violence in Somerville is more worrying. Somerville is one of many American cities now infiltrated by the Salvadoran MS-13 gang, which has contacts across the United States, Canada and El Salvador. MS stands for "Mara Salvatrucha," which roughly translates into English as "Tough, streetwise Salvadorans." MS-13 has made headlines for infiltrating into suburbia, previously thought to be immune to gangs. This gang has no overarching hierarchy; instead it is run on a regional clique basis. Gang members maintain close links with El Salvador (and increasingly Mexico) to obtain cheap weapons and drugs. Somerville has tried to pass laws to curb gang activity, which have largely been controversial. The Anti-Gang Loitering ordinance, which prohibits suspicious looking groups from gathering in public areas, came under criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union and Tufts students. The ordinance was written too broadly, and could easily be construed into an assault on the civil liberties of Somerville residents. State senator Jarrett Barrios presented a new plan to fight gangs in Somerville via "funding devoted to partnerships between local law enforcement and community-based anti-violence organizations," according to Thursday's Somerville Journal. Barrios, who represents Cambridge, was a staunch critic of the Anti-Gang Loitering ordinance. Barrios' initiative is an important effort to halt gang activity in Somerville, without targeting Hispanics or restricting citizens' right to assemble. Tufts appears to be seeing a rise in crime, with burglaries over winter break and now this armed robbery on Talbot Ave. Students must be more cautious, both at home and while moving about campus. We've taken our safe campus for granted. Start preventing crime by not leaving your bag unattended in the library for hours at a time or walking about with your iPod so loud you're oblivious to your surroundings. Stick to well-lit pathways, and try not to walk alone at night. There's not much individual students can do to stop gangs in Somerville, but we must be aware of the changing nature of our surrounding towns. If another incident occurs on or near campus, hopefully TUPD will alert the Tufts community immediately. Even though the suspects were quickly apprehended, it is still important for students to know about safety threats on campus as soon as possible.

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News

Where lecture courses are concerned, bigger is not better

February 8

For students at virtually any large university, the sizeable lecture hall is an almost inescapable fate. And while Tufts is not known for big lecture classes with distant professors, the University has its share of large introductory courses that must be taken in order to take upper-level classes. Introductory courses including "Principles of Economics," "International Relations," and "Computers in Engineering" have well over 150 enrolled students, and each is a required course for certain majors. According to Associate Computer Science Professor Jim Schmolze, who teaches "Introduction to Computers in Engineering," a course in which about 220 students enrolled last semester, the principal reasoning behind large lecture courses is monetary. "The driving force is that large lectures are cost-efficient," Schmolze said, adding that "it's also an effective way to teach." Some colleges and universities across the country, however, are trying to change the age-old tradition of holding large lecture courses in favor of holding more personalized and interactive intro classes. Schools including MIT have employed new technologies involving the Internet, while others have made their classrooms into more intimate settings. Through such changes, professors are able to interact more personally with students - something that is difficult for them to do in large lecture courses. According to Astronomy Professor Rosa DiStefano, big classes can be difficult in terms of "getting to know students," but they "do not bar students from asking questions and participating." "One disadvantage is that it is very difficult to get to know students as individuals," DiStefano said. "But I think large classes can be participatory. I encourage questions, and I ask questions for students to answer." DiStefano's class has about 170 students enrolled this semester. In several other schools, classes of this size are taught either partially or wholly online. DiStefano, however, believes that personal interaction is the most important tool for teaching. "Students can interact with someone who is part of the area they teach, and that can't be reproduced with a computer," she said. "The college setting provides opportunities for interaction and discussion, and Tufts makes it possible to interact with experts." As does DiStefano, Schmolze feels that the biggest difficulty with large lectures is the lack of personal interaction with students. "In going from courses with 100 students to courses with 200 students, there is a dramatic difference," he said. "It's difficult to stay in touch with students when there are so many." Schmolze, however, believes that online courses have their merits. "Online teaching can be effective, but it is not cheaper," he said. He also discussed a trend in the computer-teaching community to change the way introductory courses are taught: "There is a movement against the standard lecture format, even in small groups," he said. In addition, workshops around the country allow faculty to reexamine their own teaching methods. "A lot of Tufts people attend the workshops," Schmolze said. Faculty are not the only ones examining traditional teaching methods: students share similar beliefs to those of faculty about large lectures. According to freshman Ian McClellan, who took an introductory astronomy course last semester with more than 150 students, "you definitely don't interact in a classroom setting and if you do, it has to be outside of class of your own volition." One student has a two-sided view of the large introductory course. "I think there are good and bad points," said freshman Eliza Chamblin, currently enrolled in "International Relations" with more than 200 other students. "On the one hand, you have a lot of different viewpoints, different opinions on each subject, but on the other hand, students might be more apprehensive to contribute because they're intimidated." Freshman Lindsey Tannenbaum, who has already taken four large introductory classes, agreed that they can be intimidating, but said that recitations make these classes much more manageable. "They allow students to ask questions that they wouldn't be able to normally ask," she said, "The only way you can personalize a class is by having recitations, review sessions and office hours." Upperclassmen with more experience in a variety of class sizes had the same sentiments toward big lecture classes. "They're okay, but now that I've been exposed to smaller classes and have been able to have more interaction and discussion with the class and professor, I like it so much more," junior Bianca Wyont said. According to Schmolze, the performance of students in a course generally increases as the number of students in the course decreases. "People do better in smaller classes, but partly because they are higher level courses and students are better equipped," he said. DiStefano, who has taught a seminar with only 10 students, also felt that class was more satisfying with fewer people. "The small classes are more enjoyable because I know students more, and so many students do well," she explained. Wyont echoed DiStefano's words: "The smaller classes are so much more enjoyable," she said.

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News

City Briefs

February 8

Fire on Somerville Ave. destroys two buildings A six alarm fire on Saturday, Jan. 29 required the efforts of 100 firefighters from 10 towns to extinguish, according to the Somerville Journal. The cause of the fire was probably a pinched extension cord, said Somerville Fire Chief Kevin Kelleher, as quoted in the Journal. Two three-story buildings on Somerville Ave., containing apartments, a hair salon, and a real estate office were affected. All 35 residents were safely evacuated, though one of the buildings "will probably be demolished," according to the Journal. Somerville is somewhat of a densely developed city, making fires especially dangerous and potentially devastating. Kelleher explained to the Journal the situation Somerville faces. "This fire basically shows the severity of the fires we have in Somerville," he told the paper. "In Somerville, it's a unique situation because of the proximity of the wooden buildings." The city has lately faced even more difficulty in confronting this issue, as financial problems have forced the fire department to operate with less equipment to save money.Runners donate shoes for soldiers Local residents have started a charity group called Runners for Those in Need in Iraq in an effort to collect donated goods for soldiers and citizens. The founder of the group, Paul Collyer, spoke to the Somerville Journal, and was optimistic about the amount of donations it had already received. "We just got a tremendous outpouring from ordinary people," he told the Journal. Over 1,000 items were dropped off on Sunday, according to the Journal. They sought sneakers and socks, and also personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes and soap. Collyer said that soldiers often only have their heavy military combat boots and do not have lighter pairs of shoes. About 125 new pairs of shoes were donated, according to the Journal, and the various items donated came from companies such as Reebok, schools and organizations, and individuals. A second drop-off will be planned for the spring.Modell's robbery ends with arrests An attempted robbery at a Medford sporting goods store occurred on Saturday, Jan. 29, and four hostages were taken, according to the Medford Transcript. Two men were arrested at Modell's Sporting Goods after they got in an altercation surrounding the hostage taking of the store's manager and three of the employees. Another employee witnessed the incident and called police. Medford Police Spokesman Lt. Paul Covino told the Transcript that the situation was resolved quickly and without violence. "It went very well on our end," Covino told the paper. "The officers were able to organize the situation right away." One of the men was an employee of the store, and both were due in court last Wednesday, Feb. 2 for a "dangerousness hearing," according to the Transcript. They are charged with armed assault with intent to rob, armed robbery while masked, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and kidnapping.

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News

Music Review | This Tufts band is no drag

February 8

Citing many of the top indie bands around as influences, two Tufts musicians are playing at the top of their game. The Main Drag is a collaboration between Tufts student Adam Arrigo and ex-Tufts student Matt Levitt. Their richly orchestrated indie-folk rock is a masterful fusion of both experimental and familiar sounds. "Simmer in your Hotseat" is an album that is surprisingly disarming in its ability to strike a personal note on just the first few listens. Arrigo, the band's songwriter and producer, met Levitt, violinist and arranger, at Tufts in 2002. Though Levitt has since transferred to UPenn, he made regular trips to Boston to complete the album. Arrigo began producing "Simmer in your Hotseat" last summer, drawing on material gathered over the past two years. The haunting track "Admit One" was the product of their first successful recording session and caught the attention of junior David Buivid, head of Boston-based indie label Endless Recordings. The Main Drag is now signed to a record label, and "Simmer" was released late last semester. The album's title was taken from an '80s "sittercise" tape that Arrigo used while working as a music therapist in a mental hospital. As many patients could not leave their wheelchairs, they performed exercises from a sitting position while listening to illustrative instructions such as, "Get ready to ride your bicycle!" or, "The cow's udders are in front of you....Okay, now milk! Milk that cow!" One instruction, however, continued to baffle both Adam and the sittercisers - "Okay, there's hot oil on your seat ... Now simmer! Simmer in your hot seat!" This facetious piece of trivia provides the story behind an interesting album title, but should not be taken as a reflection of the duo's album; their music contains enough angst to bring an entire vat of oil to a boil. For the most part, their work seems to draw its inspiration from more somber aspects of life, such as depression, debilitation and disappointment. Levitt's violin arrangements carve out the emotional depth of the songs and are a powerful expression of the dichotomy of yearning and resignation that comes with disappointed hopes. It is to the duo's credit that the subtle is balanced with the straight-forward on this album. Arrigo's lyrics are often frank and direct; "My sweetest dreams leave me so tired," he sings in "Tunnel Lights" while Levitt's violin provides an appropriate background soundscape. Many of the tracks are infused with a sense of melancholy, though the gloomier aspects are lightened with a few more upbeat songs. The cuttingly lonesome aspect of "Admit One" is a contrast to tracks such as the hopeful and mellow "Tax Season" or "Famous Last Words," where a piano intro gives way to fast strumming and Arrigo's urgent vocals, which on this track in particular recall Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder in his "Vitalogy" days. The duo cites bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse and Elliott Smith as their influences. Sure enough, give "Disappointed You" a listen and you will hear the soft strumming and resigned vocals characteristic of Smith, while "I'll Drink To That," which comes across as something of an indie-rock version of the waltz, doesn't fail to bring to mind Smith's own "Waltz #2." The folk influences are there too - "Withold" ends nicely with what sounds like an Irish folk melody. Levitt's violin often sets The Main Drag apart from general indie-rock fare, so "Simmer" is worth a listen even if you've been inundated by the recent explosion, exemplified by Smith, Modest Mouse, and the Shins.

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News

Fencing | Tufts falls to NYU and Duke at MIT

February 8

Last weekend's meet for women's fencing can be chalked up as a good learning experience for the Jumbos. After a strong second place finish at the Wellesley Invitational two weekends ago, Tufts was soundly defeated by two very good squads, Duke University and New York University, at the MIT Invitational.

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News

Top 10 | Things you won't hear out of the mouth of a Boston sports fan ever again

February 8

After this year, sports in Boston will never be the same. The Pats just won their third Super Bowl in four years, the word dynasty is being bandied about on every street corner, and oh yeah, the Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years, breaking the infamous curse and enabling millions in Red Sox nation to die happy. As Bob Dylan said, the times they are a changing, so prepare yourselves. Without further ado, the top ten things you'll never hear again out of the mouth of a Boston sports fan.10. "Losing Bledsoe was the biggest mistake the Pats ever made."9. "Bill Belichick will always live under Bill Parcell's shadow."8. "Reverse the Curse." 7. "Pedro Martinez is, was, and always will be the heart and soul of the Red Sox."6. "The Celtics are the only dynasty this town will ever know."5. Anything regarding Grady Little. To Bostonians, it's as if he never existed in the first place.4. "I've got Bruins tickets for tomorrow night. Who wants to go?"3. "Nomar Garciaparra is, was, and always will be the heart and soul of the Red Sox."2. "Terry Francona couldn't manage a Wendy's."1. "Yankees suck!" ... just kidding. Some things never change.-by David Pomerantz, Jessica Genninger, Tom Spera, and Andrew Bauld

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News

Universities are bringing current events into the classroom

February 8

After Sept. 11, 2001, many Americans turned their attention to the threat of terrorism on home soil. In this climate of raised awareness, universities around the country are beginning to offer classes that directly relate to the current terror climate. Last year, Ohio State University added a class entitled "Terror and Terrorism." It was so popular that administrators quickly added another similar course, "The Development and Control of Weapons of Mass Destruction." In the class, students analyze threats and write up damage assessments. Other schools have added potential majors in homeland security. Tufts is not out of the loop in this new scramble to add classes directly related to the volatile world climate. Next year, Tufts is scheduled to have a new course entitled - like Ohio State's course - "Terror and Terrorism." According to Chairman of the Political Science Department Vickie Sullivan, the course will be taught by a new professor who is "a scholar of the political thought of Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes and Herder." Sullivan added that he will also be teaching classes on those philosophers in addition to the class on terrorism. Freshman Katie Wulster expressed interest in this course's coming to Tufts, saying that it would make students more aware of possible terrorism-related dangers. "It's hard to fathom [the real repercussions]," she said. "It would help if you really had to examine it." In addition to that upcoming course, the ExCollege is currently offering a class entitled "The U.S. and the Middle East," and the Political Science department is offering courses such as "America and Democracy in Iraq" and "Israeli Domestic Politics." These courses, however, tend to gravitate more toward the historical and theoretical than the specifically current: "The US and the Middle East," for example, deals more with the process of international conflict resolution than with drawing up a specific peace plan. Sullivan feels that Tufts has a good balance of classes devoted exclusively to current events and classes that are more theoretical. "As a department, we strive to be scholars who can analyze an ever-changing political landscape, and we endeavor to give our students the same type of skills," Sullivan said. Sullivan added that "all of the offerings of the Political Science Department at Tufts offer students the tools with which to understand and analyze current-day events, even though they are not always devoted exclusively to the current events themselves." Instead of the career-oriented courses offered by Ohio State, Tufts' courses are based on historical context in order to allow students to draw their own conclusions. "[Undoubtedly], students who enroll in 'Origins of Islamic Political Thought' will emerge with a deeper understanding of the tensions and challenges in today's Middle East because they will have a deeper understanding of its past and its deepest aspirations," Sullivan said. Sophomore Michael Devine feels that Tufts does a good job covering the historical background of current events. "[International Relations] theory classes do a good job explaining why things happen," he said. Senior Matan Chorev, who teaches "The U.S. and the Middle East," finds the historical background Tufts courses provide necessary to understanding the conflicts of today. "To study [weapons of mass destruction] without the historical context of the Cold War, the crisis in Cuba, or the intellectual background of realism is insufficient," Chorev said. Chorev pointed out that universities have a tendency towards "reactionary behavior" in creating curriculums. He cited a similar situation during the Cold War era, when "universities drove to alter their curriculum in order to educate the students so that we could better confront the communist challenge." Tufts has experienced a similar upsurge in topical areas recently: interest in Arabic has exploded, and the school has added several course sections to accommodate interested students. Chorev's course aims to add other viewpoints to those already offered. Students in "The U.S. and the Middle East" are able to talk with their counterparts from seven universities in the Middle East through a webcam. "The death of a Palestinian in Ramallah is no longer a distant construction of imagination but now has a human connection," Chorev said. "Having this visceral connection impacts one's decision making. Events can now hit close to home." "[International Relations] classes do a good job explaining why things happen," said sophomore Kenneth Burden, who is in Chorev's class. "This, [though], puts a face on politics." "I'd only had big lecture classes [in IR]," Devine said. "This [class] seemed more interesting."

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News

Who called me a faggot?

February 8

Last night my friend asked me if I had seen the scribbles on my front door. I looked and found the word "faggot" scrawled on it. It was hastily drawn cursive writing with an arrow that traced a path to my name tag. A couple of things ran through my mind at that moment, and I felt a sudden rush of confusion. I was amused at the irony of the situation because I had told someone earlier that I had never been discriminated against as a result of my sexual orientation. I was angry that someone had taken the time out of his or her day to write something offensive in an attempt to upset me. Lastly, I felt a spark of fear for the first time - I was targeted. Anonymity can be such a comforting feeling - of security, of seclusion, of peace - however, this bubble had burst, releasing the harsh realization that reality was not as ideal as I so naively convinced myself. My friends consoled me and told me that "the person who did it must be a jerk," but I wonder about that, too. Was it his or her fault? Was he or she intoxicated when writing this on my door? Regardless of the circumstances from which this incident sprang, I am a forgiving person. I frankly could not care any less about the word "faggot;" it means nothing to me. I refuse to be belittled by words that have been charged to incite vice and hatred. But what exactly possesses an intelligent individual at Tufts University to harbor ill intentions because of an all-encompassing label? I am not a homosexual, nor a fag, nor a gay. I am a human being. I take classes like everyone else at Tufts as well as suffer through the same hurdles that everyone else experiences in college. I struggle over my identity like every other Tufts student. I did not ask for homosexuality to be a particular part of that struggle, nor did I volunteer to be a target of overt ostracism. I implore students at Tufts to take a closer look around them; appearances are not as they seem. Assumptions and stereotypes are only fragments in describing a larger entity but are simultaneously ignored and practiced when we shelter ourselves from the real world. We maintain an illusion of utopian academia and look for the best in our fellow students if we have never been burned. I am writing this article to help people realize that categorizations of groups on campus only create further divisions between ethnicities and orientations. Everyone knows that hate crimes suck; I don't have to tell you that. However, most of the grievances that are raised at Tufts are usually overlooked and rationalized as isolated incidents "because nothing like that could happen on a campus full of educated students." That person "probably didn't mean it" since "it was an accident." Well, I beg to differ. With every accident or slip comes a small truth, a subconscious belief whether or not it is overtly expressed. It took me some time before I decided to report the incident, but what struck me as surprising was my hesitance and my desire to avoid attention. I did not want to let go of the peace I thought I had; comfort is a dangerous trap to fall into, and it is time that I acknowledge that. To the person who wrote the profanity on my wall - I am sorry that I have offended you to prompt you to do what you did. I do not ask that you welcome my existence with open arms, but rather that you begin to see that I am not a label. Leave me a note to get lunch at Dewick sometime, and I will try to convey my personality, my aspirations, and my quirks. I can discuss with you my fascination with pharmaceutical drugs, tell you the key of a pop song just from hearing it, or complain about how hard organic chemistry is. As you get to know me, I hope that this community becomes a more tolerant place, one person at a time.Kevin Ng is a sophomore majoring in biopsychology.

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News

Two Tufts students robbed

February 8

Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers apprehended suspects in an armed robbery on Talbot Ave. after midnight Friday morning. The suspects are currently in custody. Two girls, both identified as juniors, were walking home Friday when two men armed with pellet-style guns and knives stole some of their personal belongings, according to Director of Public Safety John King. "The weapon that was used was like a pellet gun - like a BB gun - and they also had two knives in their possession," King said. According to King, the robbers stole a book bag and some personal belongings, all of which were returned. King said that Somerville police officers identified one of the two suspects as Francisco Escobar of Chelsea, Mass. Somerville Police told King that Escobar may be associated with the MS-13 gang. MS-13, short for "Mara Salvatrucha" is a gang that originated in El Salvador and has been active in Somerville since the mid-1990s. In 2002, gang members allegedly raped two disabled teenage girls in Foss Park in East Somerville. According to King, TUPD officers were patrolling the area at the time of the robbery. The suspects reportedly ran when they saw TUPD officers. "[The victims] had used a cell phone and had dialed 911, and actually within moments of this robbery having occurred, two of our police officers happened upon the scene and noticed the individuals," King said. "As soon as [the suspects] saw the police, they began running. We got involved in the case before we even were notified that it happened." King said that a short chase led to the capture of both suspects. "One of them was [apprehended] within minutes, he was chased to the campus center and was taken into custody there," King said. "The second person ran to a dumpster behind the campus center and was found just a few minutes later in that dumpster hiding." Although the robbery took place on Friday, Public Safety did not send an e-mail to students until yesterday afternoon. King said this delay was because the incident did not pose an imminent threat. "This was not a security alert type situation given that the two people are already in custody and have not been released," he said. "If the individuals had escaped we would've done a community alert." One victim declined to comment, the other was not available for comment at press time.

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