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Men's Cross Country:Jumbos finish eighth at UMass-Dartmouth Invitational

September 20

In one of the weirdest races of his life, junior Matt Lacey ran one of his best. All he needed was a little help from a Japanese national team and an old friend. Despite running on the some of the worst course conditions he and coach Connie Putnam had ever seen, Lacey out-dueled the remnants of Hurricane Ivan and most of the competition to finish ninth overall. He placed third out of collegiate runners and first out of Div. III athletes at Saturday's UMass-Dartmouth Invitational. Bates (58) edged out the Brown Bears (62) for the win, while a Tufts squad minus seniors Peter Bromka, co-captains Brian MacNamara and Nate Brigham and sophomore Josh Kennedy finished eighth out of 29 teams. With rain continuing to fall throughout, most of the runners got bogged down in the soggy, muddy course. However, Lacey avoided that problem by lining up in the starting box next to a team of elite Japanese collegiate runners that have been staying and running with the Brown team for several weeks. "The plan was to kind of key off them at the start and follow their lead, so [junior Kyle Doran and I] did that, and after 200 meters I looked back and realized that the rest of the race was behind us, and I could basically run whatever path I wanted," Lacey said. "Getting out fast was really good because it was much easier to move through the mud and wet spots without having to worry about getting tripped up with anyone." Putnam agreed that getting off to a fast start was crucial on a day when the wind was so strong that at times he thought it might have blown some of his lighter runners. "The majority of the rest of the guys on the team maybe didn't see the opportunity to get out ahead of the pack and stay there instead of getting stuck back in the rain. It takes somewhat of a veteran to see that," Putnam said, referring to his juniors. However, Doran fell off around the three-quarter mile mark and met up with sophomore Justin Chang. Doran finished 40th overall in a time of 26:39, while Chang finished 46th in 26:46. Freshman Chris Kantos (27:22) and junior Mike Cummings (27:25) finished 74th and 76th overall, respectively. "I like getting out well and not having to pass, but Doran is the opposite because he runs better from behind, relying on finishing speed," Lacey said. "He gains confidence from passing people, while I gain confidence from being ahead of people. So him getting out early probably hurt him. He kind of sacrificed his race so I'd have someone to run with." Lacey had someone to run with the whole race, because as Doran dropped back, Lacey joined a pack of three Brown runners, including his old Amherst Regional High School teammate, junior Owen Washburn. "He and his two teammates caught up to me at around .75 miles, and we smiled and said a few words, then I just tucked in to their group and ran with them," Lacey said. "We still train together when we're home, but it was the first time we've raced since high school, and it gave me a lot of confidence to be able to run that close to him, because he always beat me in high school. I had nothing to lose, running with a bunch of D-I guys." Running with the Bears propelled Lacey to a time of 25:42, one second off of his career best, which he set at the New England Championship his freshman year. This course was actually about 20 meters shorter than a typical 8k race due to construction, but Lacey felt the poor weather negated the shorter distance. "The weather was ridiculous," Lacey said. "You had to slow down on turns, and I saw a lot of guys go down, but luckily I was able to get out ahead and avoid muddy patches." Lacey finished behind six Japanese runners and two Brown runners, including Washburn, to rank as the top D-III finisher. "The Japanese guys just killed the field," Lacey said. "They [put a gap] in the whole field in the first half mile and were just running together and laughing. They were almost 20 seconds ahead of everyone at a mile." The fact that Lacey wasn't intimidated by the high-caliber international competition, but instead used them to his advantage at the beginning of the race, left Putnam impressed. "He got out there and ran with some really good people," his coach said. "He showed he can maintain it with a different class of athlete; he had a special race."

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News

Three on Three Basketball: It's Too Easy takes 3 v. 3 tourney

September 20

It's Too Easy proved to be too much for its competition as it swept the first three-on-three basketball tournament of the year, with a decisive 11-7 victory over the Dean's List on Sunday. The score was close throughout the game, but the Dean's List was unable to make the grade once It's Too Easy grabbed the lead and never looked back. Reggie Stovell, a senior center on the Tufts varsity team, explained the reason for his trio's victory. "It's about consistency on a regular basis," Stovell said. "Everyone played hard out here, but It's Too Easy is just too tough." The games were half-court, double-elimination battles that had pride and, more importantly, free T-shirts on the line. The atmosphere at the outdoor basketball courts by South Hall was casual and fun. With teams like The Gadd and Balla Status, it was hard not to have a good time. Rap music thumped softly in the background during the games, and free bottles of water were available to the players. The games were refereed, though there were no signs of foul play. Residents of South Hall watched from their windows, and one group of students even sat on their windowsill dangling their legs in the breeze. The tournament was completely free for both the players and the fans, and it was open to anyone on campus. "[A] goal of this tourney is love," said Jamil Ludd, an R.A. at Wren Hall who was a driving force in organizing the tournament. "It's an event for people to play together and compete all out of fun. The main reason why it's free is for the love of basketball." Tufts Personalized Performance, an organization that brings a greater awareness of health and fitness issues to Tufts through one-on-one personal training sessions, also helped coordinate the successful tournament. "One of our goals for programming, as residential staff members, is to promote physical activity and health as a way of bringing people together," said Ludd, who played for the runner-up team in addition to organizing the games. Several teams showed up to play at the 1:30 start time, and more players eagerly surfaced hoping to participate despite the chilly weather. The tournament began as a community builder for Wren Hall residents with eight teams initially signed up, but by the time the games wrapped up at around 4:00, ten teams had signed up and played. Though the members of It's Too Easy got T-shirts acknowledging their win, everyone involved in the tournament was victorious in some way. Ludd explained his vision in organizing an event that brought some of the Tufts community together. "'Tufts' means 'clot,' which is a compact group," Ludd said. "In other words, it means 'community together.' So we're trying to help make a 'tufts' out of Tufts." Whether it was in bringing people together, giving away free shirts, or just having a good time playing basketball, Ludd's sense of "Tufts" came through on Sunday.

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News

Film Review:The long and boring road to Nowhere

September 20

When a television crew covering last year's Cannes Film Festival asked Chicago Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert what he thought about that day's film, "The Brown Bunny," they unwittingly unleashed what might have otherwise been a quickly forgotten art-house flick onto the world at large. Ebert's response to the television crew's question - that it was the worst movie ever shown at the festival - prompted the film's writer, director, producer, editor, cinematographer, and star, Vincent Gallo, to fire back with some criticism of their own. Gallo called Ebert a "fat pig" and, in a comment later detracted, put a cancer curse on the critic. "My film is archival," Gallo told The Observer. "Roger Ebert will be dead of prostate cancer - if my curse works - within 16 months, and my film will live far past the biopsies that are removed from his anus." It was Ebert's rebuttal though that assured "The Brown Bunny" a place of infamy in the history of film, or at least the history of film criticism. "I had a colonoscopy once, and they let me watch it on TV," Ebert wrote in a review of the film in the Sun-Times. "It was more entertaining than 'The Brown Bunny.'" With press like that who needs PR? Before anyone even knew what "The Brown Bunny" was about, endless buzz surrounded the film that was flatly dismissed by a major critic and vociferously defended by its creator. More than anything else, what spurred people on when it came to "The Brown Bunny" was a simple case of rubber-necking: Just how bad could it possibly be? Thanks to a limited release of a radically slimmed-down version of the movie (nearly an hour of the original was excised), filmgoers will finally get a chance to experience "The Brown Bunny" for themselves. Most will be disappointed to find that it isn't the train-wreck they anticipated. Even Ebert couldn't bring himself to hate Gallo's shortened version of "Bunny;" he gave it a thumbs up on his television show. The story of Bud Clay (Gallo), a motorcycle racer who travels cross-country to Los Angeles, "The Brown Bunny" starts out listless and uneventful, and doesn't improve much along the way. About 20 minutes into the film, we learn that Bud is returning to his wife Daisy (Chlo? Sevigny) who is somehow estranged from him. In the meantime, Bud picks up girls named after flowers - there's a Lily, a Violet and a Rose - before quickly abandoning them. The film ends after Bud returns home and reunites with Daisy, but not before a "Sixth Sense"-like twist ending (don't worry - it's too trite and ridiculous to properly ruin) and some oral sex. Even at a svelte 93 minutes, "Brown Bunny" doesn't have enough plot to exhaust its running time. Instead, Gallo's movie whiles away celluloid with the filmic equivalent of twiddling your thumbs. There are interminable shots of passing landscape through a fly-splattered windshield, terrible folk music (think Gordon Lightfoot) and what can only be described as Bud just "doing stuff:" Bud pumping gas, Bud staring off into the distance, Bud buying a Coke, Bud dressing, Bud urinating, Bud eating Chinese food in a mall. Don't be duped into thinking that all this dead-air is a stab at authenticity or, worse yet, an artistic statement. Even if it were, Gallo doesn't have the heart or the skill to really make everyday minutiae jump to life. But without a clear purpose for these on-screen meanderings, "The Brown Bunny" ends up becoming a road movie minus the movie. And while there are some things to like about "The Brown Bunny" - Gallo's vague but likable performance as Bud - it's impossible to ignore some of the movie's more disastrous choices. This brings us to the oral sex scene. It's the part of "Brown Bunny" that viewers will remember most vividly, not because it's particularly offensive (although it is rather long and gratuitous), but simply because it's one of the few moments in the film where something actually happens. As poor Chlo? Sevigny makes a sacrifice for her art and Gallo moans along, there's a moment when the film achieves a real clarity and viewers can see just how vapid and pointless the last hour of "Bunny" really is. You can only delude yourself that the movie's obliqueness is intentional or "for the sake of art" for so long. In the end, Gallo's the only one here getting off. Is "The Brown Bunny" the worst movie I've ever seen? No, not even by a long shot. In today's culture of camp and crap aesthetics ("Pink Flamingoes") and multi-million dollar fiascos ("Gigli"), for a movie to be crowned the "worst" it must be unmercifully, impossibly bad. "The Brown Bunny" just isn't up (or down) to that task, although you certainly can't fault it for trying.

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News

Frats clash with Somerville over complaints

September 20

The future of Tufts' Greek scene may be in jeopardy due to the possible revocation of the housing licenses of Delta Upsilon (DU), Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep), and Alpha Tao Omega (ATO). The houses have come under increasing scrutiny by the city of Somerville as a result of alleged noise violations. Though none of the housing licenses have been revoked yet, Somerville Alderman Bob Trane said that as a last resort, the city would close the fraternities. While both fraternity members and the city of Somerville are trying to take a proactive and fair approach to the situation, noise violations have been a chronic and serious issue in the past, according to Trane. "Within the first week of school, two fraternities were cited for noise violations, and their housing licenses are coming up for review before the Board of Aldermen," he said. Trane met with representatives from Sig Ep on Wednesday "to talk about the issues we want to avoid this year," he said. That Saturday, the fraternity was written up for a noise violation. Meetings between Somerville and the fraternity houses will take place in the near future to discuss what is expected in regard to noise levels and party protocol. In the meantime, the houses will receive a 60-day temporary housing license. Once this license expires, the city of Somerville will decide how to proceed with their concerns associated with fraternity parties. Jon Kluge, president of Sig Ep, agreed that in the past fraternities have caused problems for residents living around them. "Last year we ran into problems with noise violations regarding our house in the middle of October," Kluge said. Spillover of the fraternity party's patrons had created a problem in the neighborhood. "In my opinion, however, we've gone 180 degrees. We've become much more conscious of what makes a party safer and with regards to the social atmosphere of the neighborhood," Kluge said. "Spring semester [of last year] we had no noise violations at all." He noted that some of the problems associated with loud parties are beyond the control of the fraternities themselves. In some instances, students who are denied admittance to a party will congregate outside the house and loudly express their disappointment. "They'll just sit around outside and make noise," he said. Nevertheless, Kluge said that a compromise can be reached between Somerville and the fraternity scene at Tufts, provided that all parties agree to work fairly. Trane has said that he would prefer not to revoke housing licenses, but that it may be necessary if problems with the fraternities persist. "We want to head off all of these problems before they start," he said. Trane insisted that he's not trying to be "the bad guy" in reviewing the licenses. "I want these kids to go out and have a good time, within reason," he said. "It's just important that we make Somerville a habitable place for everyone who lives here. We can't let conditions degrade back into the way they were last year."

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News

Gay marriage issue brings Sciortino's victory to national spotlight

September 20

Since helping to found the Rainbow House as a Tufts sophomore, Carl Sciortino has stepped into the national fray on gay marriage by winning the Democratic primary for a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. "The reason I got very involved politically and as a student activist around the gay issues was because it was important to me to give back to my community," said Sciortino in an interview at Diesel Caf?© in Davis Square. Sciortino's path to the State House began when some Massachusetts state legislators began working on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Tufts graduate and Somerville resident Sciortino wanted to know where his own state representative, 16-year incumbent Vincent Ciampa, stood on the issue. After writing over two dozen letters to Ciampa, Sciortino and two friends - one of whom would become his campaign manager - went directly to Ciampa's office on Beacon Hill to meet with the man Sciortino would later defeat. "It took him quite a long time during that meeting to actually say where he stood, and we made it very clear that we weren't leaving until we got an answer," Sciortino said. "We left there, and based on that, talked for many weeks about whether we should do anything more about it and decided I should run and see what happens." Sciortino's fears were well-founded - in March 2004, Ciampa voted for a constitutional amendment which would prohibit gay marriage but establish civil unions. The amendment passed 105 to 92, but the legislature must consider it for a second vote during the 2005-2006 session. The proposed amendment must also be approved on a statewide popular ballot in 2006 in order to become law. That second statehouse vote has made the 2004 election a critical battleground for both sides of the gay marriage debate. Sciortino's win has moved the legislature one vote closer to defeating the amendment, a fact that was not lost on pro-gay marriage groups during the primary campaign. Since many Massachusetts Democrats face no Republican challengers in statewide races, pro-gay marriage groups targeted 11 incumbent House members who supported the ban on gay marriage in their primary battles, including Ciampa. These groups rallied behind Sciortino from the get-go, helping him and other Democratic challengers financially and with volunteer support. Sciortino received the endorsement of MassEquality, The Freedom to Marry Coalition and The Victory Fund. According to publicly-available finance information, of the $50,985.34 that Sciortino had raised two weeks before the election, $500 came from the Freedom to Mary Coalition and $500 from Gay Pennies for Politics. But Sciortino estimates that only 10 percent of the money they raised was because of the gay marriage issue. In response to the accusation that her candidate was carried only by pro-gay marriage money, campaign manager Rachel Berry pointed out that Sciortino received funds from a smaller number of political action committees than the 31 from which Ciampa received donations. According to an analysis by The Somerville Journal, 69 percent of the money Sciortino raised came from outside his electoral district, while 77 percent of the $22,335 Ciampa raised came from outside of the district. But Sciortino's election was not a referendum on gay marriage, Berry said. The Sciortino campaign conducted two internal polls to evaluate what issues were most important to Somerville and Medford voters. Gay marriage ranked lower than education, health care and the economy, the most important issues. And although Sciortino was open about his policy on gay marriage, of the five flyers circulated by his campaign, only two mentioned the issue. The flyer distributed most often was about education and attacked Ciampa for voting against $1 million in funding for local schools. Pro-gay marriage groups also helped to defend eight legislators who opposed the gay marriage ban that were being challenged in the Sept. 14 primary. The groups were successful in defending all eight seats and managed to unseat two of the incumbents who voted for the gay marriage ban. Sciortino's decision to run for public office grew out of a history of working for his community. In his first semester at Tufts, Sciortino was elected LBGT culture representative to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate. That year he also met Rachel Berry, daughter of political science Professor Jeffery Berry, with whom he successfully lobbied the University to open the Rainbow House for LBGT students. Eight years later, Rachel Berry, who is also openly gay, became Sciortino's campaign manager when he ran for statewide office.

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News

Tufts grad wins nomination with door-to-door strategy

September 20

Almost four years after graduating from Tufts, 26-year-old Carl Sciortino overcame long odds and a close primary election last week to unseat a 16-year incumbent, Vincent Ciampa, from his state House seat. Sciortino won Tuesday's Democratic primary for the Massachusetts 34th State House District with 51.3 percent of the vote - a margin of only 117 votes. The district covers parts of both Somerville and Medford, including the Tufts campus west of Professors Row. Although Sciortino lost Medford, he credited Somerville's strong turnout for his win. Since no Republican challenger has presented himself for the state House seat, Sciortino's victory in the primaries virtually assures him the post due to the lack of an opposing candidate. Sciortino, who is openly gay, was largely motivated to challenge Ciampa because of the latter's efforts to amend the Massachusetts state constitution to ban gay marriage. Sciortino's win moved the legislature one vote closer to rejecting a potential ban. But it wasn't just Ciampa's view on gay marriage that motivated his run, Sciortino said. Ciampa also voted against the interests of his community by opposing the Green Line T extension, Sciortino said, and by voting against $1 million in funding for local schools. Ciampa did not respond to repeated requests for comment. But before Sciortino could attempt to challenge an incumbent of so many years, he had to get his name out. He created a strategy of personal contact, knocking on as many doors and talking to as many voters as possible. "It would be Carl and whatever volunteer we could get that night," campaign manager Rachel Berry said, describing the little support they received in late spring and early summer. During early phone banking and door-to-door efforts in May, Sciortino found that Ciampa had a strong lead, better name recognition and much more support. But he also found that talking to residents one-on-one was a good strategy for finding voters who supported his agenda. "As soon as I started going door to door and realized that people responded well to me as an individual - responded to the issues that I was talking about - I knew that if I would do that more and faster and get to as many people physically as I could, then we would be successful." Sciortino faced a potential crisis in June when the Ciampa campaign challenged the voter signatures used to put him on the primary ballot by showing that Sciortino had added his middle initial and the suffix "Jr." after the signatures had been collected. The state elections commission rejected the challenge, stating that there was no evidence that Sciortino had tried to mislead voters. As the election neared, more and more volunteers began to show up to Sciortino's headquarters, allowing the campaign to reach more voters face to face. The strategy differed from Ciampa's, who concentrated on doing "visibilities" - standing at busy intersections with signs and waving to voters, Berry said. "People would call our office in a panic saying, 'Ciampa's on this corner doing a standout - what are you going to do?'" Berry said. "And we said, 'We're not doing anything, we're knocking on doors tonight.'" The strategy worked. By early August, the campaign's internal tracking showed Sciortino voters tied with the number of combined undecided and Ciampa voters. A month and a half later, just before the election, Sciortino had clearly pulled ahead. On election day, Berry arrived at the office at 5 a.m.. The campaign had around 100 volunteers in the streets and on the phones, convincing supporters to go to the polls. As the returns slowly came in, Ciampa was initially in the lead. Once the polls closed, Sciortino volunteers collected at Orleans restaurant and bar in Davis Square, not knowing who had won. By 8:45 pm, all the precincts had reported and Sciortino emerged with a slight win. He rushed to the party at Orleans, stood on a wooden chair overlooking the crowd, and announced his win. According to Sciortino, the room shook with applause. "We were ecstatic. It was a thrilling moment," Sciortino said. But Michael Goldman, a Tufts political science lecturer with extensive experience in Massachusetts politics, said that Sciortino's win was not a referendum on Chiampa's gay marriage vote. Rather, a demographic change in the makeup of Somerville voters created an electorate that was waiting for the right candidate to challenge Ciampa for a win. The demographic shift stems from rising housing costs in Cambridge after the end of rent control, sending socially liberal residents to nearby Somerville, where rents were lower. Medford has not experienced such a change, which could account for Ciampa's stronger showing there. "Demographics led to the ability to identify people who would vote," said Goldman. "When Ciampa was first elected, the demographics of that area favored someone of his ethnicity - because he was Italian - and his ideology." Goldman agreed with Berry's analysis that the key to Sciortino's primary win was getting those more progressive Democrats to the polls on election day. The gay marriage issue helped, but was not the deciding factor, Goldman said. Since his win, Sciortino is exploring which pieces of legislation to support. He says that the Green Line extension is one issue he'll fight for that will affect Tufts students. He also hopes that he can improve relations between Tufts and the Medford and Somerville communities. As for being a deciding vote in rejecting the constitutional ban on gay marriage, Sciortino is proud to be an elected gay leader, fighting for his rights. "I want to be able to go to my mother and say, Mom, I'm getting married," he said.

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News

Inside College Football:LSU downed by second-chance PAT

September 20

We're already four weeks into the college football season and our very own Tufts University has been in session for less than two weeks. But while we're just getting settled into college life, we had the privilege of being treated to some cr??me-de-la-cr??me football performances that one expects during the bowl season in January. TOP 25 BREAKDOWN: Of the teams ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25, 21 played this weekend. The top three teams, USC, Oklahoma and Georgia, respectively, posted convincing victories over their unranked opponents. Fourth-ranked LSU, on the other hand, succumbed to 15th- ranked Auburn. After having missed a PAT on the opening drive, LSU surrendered the game-tying touchdown with 1:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. John Vaughn, Auburn's place-kicker, had the chance to put the game away with a PAT, but the kick went wide left after a botched snap. However, LSU's Ronnie Prude picked up a personal foul and gave Vaughn another shot; this time he didn't miss. Auburn upset the defending co-national champion Tigers by a score of 10-9. Fifth-ranked Miami blew out Louisiana Tech 48-0; the seventh-ranked Ohio St. Buckeyes played amazing defense despite their atrocious offense, holding off North Carolina State 22-14; and eighth-ranked West Virginia knocked off the 19th-ranked Maryland Terrapins 19-16 in OT. I had the pleasure of watching the Tennessee Volunteers/Florida Gators match-up, one of the most heated rivalries in all of college football. The game was back and forth the whole way; when one team scored, the other team always had an answer. With the game tied 21-21, Gators sophomore QB Chris Leak threw a deep pass to Chad Jackson. The pass was deflected by a Volunteer defender, but Jackson's focus kept him on track. He came up with Leak's pass and ran for an 81-yard TD to put the Gators up 28-21. With 3:40 remaining in the game, freshman QB Erik Ainge stepped it up for Tennessee, driving the team 80 yards in four minutes and finding Jayson Swain in the end zone. However, James Wilhoit, the Volunteer place-kicker who had hit every PAT in his career, missed the game-tying kick. The score remained 28-27, and Tennessee was forced to kickoff. After some stifling D and a couple of nice passes from Ainge, Wilhoit was given the chance to make up for his terrible PAT failure with a 50-yard field goal attempt. With 13 seconds remaining in the contest, the ball was snapped and the game was on the line. The snap was good, and as soon as Wilhoit laid his foot on the ball, he knew his kick was good as well, for a 30-28 win. The Vols' sideline went nuts, along with the record Tennessee crowd of over 109,000 covered in orange. Continuing the top 25 breakdown, the 11th-ranked Florida State Seminoles routed the University of Alabama Birmingham, number 12 Iowa was smothered Arizona State 44-7, and 14th ranked Utah and 16th-ranked University of Virginia ran past their opponents. Number 17 Michigan snuck by San Diego State 24-21, and numbers 20 through 23, Fresno State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Boise State, respectively, all posted victories. Clemson, the 25th- ranked squad, was smoked by Texas A&M by a score of 27-6. In other big-name programs, Nebraska defeated Pittsburgh 24-17, Penn State ran down Central Florida 37-13, and Notre Dame knocked off Michigan State by a count of 31-24. RECORDS: Mad props go out to the following fellas for breaking some big time records at some serious college football programs. Braylon Edwards of Michigan and Mark Clayton of Oklahoma now own the record for most career receptions at their respective schools. Zach Mills became Penn State's all-time passing yards leader, and Andrew Walter passed the NFL's own Jake "The Snake" Plummer for most TD passes in Arizona State history. PLATINUM PLAYAS OF THE WEEK: There were plenty of great performances this week. I could give out 100 game balls and their explanations, but I have to sleep at some point, so I'll leave you with what I believe to be the best of the best for week four. The Texas Tech Red Raiders exploded on offense after a dismal start. After trailing TCU 21-0 after the first 23 minutes of the game, TT went bonkers. The Red Raiders went on to score ten touchdowns in the remaining 37 minutes, amassing 70 points (56 unanswered) in their 70-35 victory over the Horned Frogs. A shout out goes to the 1-AA Maine Bears for knocking off a big-time opponent. In the Bears' first 1-A game since 1991, Maine defeated the Mississippi St. Bulldogs of the SEC, one of the top college football conferences in the country. My two platinum balls, one for offense and one for defense, go to two of the best performances that we'll see all year. The offensive platinum ball goes to Maurice Drew, the UCLA running back. At halftime, Drew had amassed 235 yards and four touchdowns. On the day, Drew picked up 322 yards (a UCLA record) on 26 carries and scored five times (also a UCLA record) in the Bruins' victory over the University of Washington. The defensive award goes to Tom Zbikowski of Notre Dame. The Z man forced two fumbles, one of which he returned for a TD, and picked off a Michigan State pass in the Irish's win over the Spartans.

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News

Why going abroad just to have fun isn't worth it

September 20

During sophomore year when it comes time to make the final decisions about where to study abroad, most students already know where they are headed; in fact, they have known for years. This was definitely the case with me: I was going to Paris first semester and then Buenos Aires second. I had prepared for this and had appropriately taken enough French and Spanish to be able to do this. But when the time finally came, "love" (or something like it) drew me away from these places as I followed my significant other to the far-away continent of Australia. Obviously, this was a poor decision, and like all other stories you've probably heard of someone making such a huge decision for someone else, it blew up in my face. So, I had a decision to make: continue with my plan to go to Australia or attempt something else last minute. Six weeks later I was standing in the Melbourne airport with the faint lyrics of the Dixie Chick's "Cold Day in July" in my mind, as I looked out the windows at the rain and slush everywhere outside. Had I made a mistake? Well, as it turns out, probably. But it's only now, a year after that day in the Melbourne airport that I really know why. I spent nearly eight months in Oz. This is a pretty long time to be all the way on the other side of the world, especially since the final three months of it I was alone, and traveling with some random people I had picked up along the way. Late in January, I suddenly realized that I was not enrolled anywhere for that semester and in a rash move got the next flight home. Three weeks later, Spanish practice books under my arm, I embarked on my flight from Dallas, Texas to Santiago, Chile. This was by far the best decision I have ever made in my life. In Chile, seeing starving, homeless animals on the streets was a common everyday event. So was winding through crowded streets breathing in heavy unbearable smog just to get on a crowded bus where I would inevitably get lost and whistled at. So was keeping a lemon in my backpack so that if the police sprayed tear gas at the protestors in the universities, I could squirt some lemon juice in my eyes in order to physically pass. Other common events were having lunch with my Chilean family, becoming proficient in another language, learning to rely on only myself when I thought I couldn't stand being in a place that different anymore, incredible talks of politics and anarchy, drinking the best boxed wine I've ever had in the park at 3 a.m., going to illegal bars, and cruising around with a guy named Fernando who carried a fiddle with him at all times and slept in the streets. In Australia, drinking at 4 p.m. after class was more than common. Hitting up the bars to see the same Americans (and yes, have fun with them) was an every night event. So was living with a group of Americans, going to the beach, speaking English, getting yelled at for being "pro-Bush," watching the Simpsons and doing my homework. These two experiences are not the same, and the locations should not even be in the same heading of "study abroad programs" but indeed, people do not realize the inherent differences and therefore possible regrets in them. I hope that students can stop glamorizing the fun aspects of going to a place like Australia and realize that while having fun is obviously great, there are so many more amazing opportunities out there that go beyond just having fun and making great American friends, and go into the realm of real satisfaction that will continue to impact your life for years to come. My two study abroad experiences were very different and extremely worthwhile. I wonder, what will I remember in 20 years, six months, two weeks? I doubt it will be all those fun times spent at the pub in Oz with my all-American buds drinking Victoria Bitters and watching Aussie Rules Footy (or even the World Series). It is completely possible to have a great experience studying for one semester in a place where Fun is the main objective. But when sophomores or even freshmen ask me about my experience, I just wish they would know about this deep not-often-discussed difference in abroad programs and locations; this difference that so starkly contrasted my first eight months to my final five; and, this difference that often makes me so angry that I spent first semester essentially on vacation.

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News

New director, old problems

September 19

Several months after the abrupt departure of Assistant International Relations (IR) Director John Jenke, students are still in the dark regarding the reasons for his dismissal. The department and the University, while not answering any questions about Jenke's departure, have moved to fill the vacancy that was left after the April termination. Meanwhile, Jenke has filed a grievance with the University. While it is certainly commendable that Tufts has so quickly filled the position that was left vacant, the fact that questions from students have been answered barely, if at all, by officials is troubling. Jenke's abrupt departure left many students in varying forms of distress. Many IR majors lost an advisor and had to scramble to find a new one as the academic year was quickly drawing to a close. The confusion was compounded by the three-day delay between when he was dismissed and when students were informed of his absence. Jenke also served as an advisor for Hemispheres, the undergraduate journal of international relations at the University. Perhaps the more important point at issue here is not whether or not John Jenke should still be here, but why students have not received more information from the administration regarding his departure. There are legal and ethical constraints on the amount of information that Tufts can give regarding the departure of an employee, but students are entitled to more openness when a departure sharply affects their academic lives. To this end, the response by the IR department and the University administration to student and media inquiries does not meet a high enough standard. A recent e-mail campaign by students to President Larry Bacow and Provost Jamshed Bharucha apparently fell on deaf ears, with the two top administrators on the Hill neglecting to send even a simple response to many inquiries. While this is not the first problem students have had communicating with Ballou, it certainly seems that Bacow or Bharucha could do more for students that have been left without either an advisor or a reason. The announcement of new leadership for the IR department is a sign that department leaders wish to move beyond the issues involving Jenke. While it is true that there are pressing concerns for IR majors that a new director and assistant director will help to resolve, it is also true that it will be difficult to replace Jenke's years of experience and rapport with students. The world class IR program at this university depends on the hard work of people like Jenke. Students, meanwhile, depend on getting good information from the administration when a wrench is thrown into their academic wheels. In the future, one would hope that Ballou will do a better job communicating with students and responding to concerns.

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News

Bonds hits 700. Let's move on

September 19

It finally happened. For the first time since 1973, there is a new member in the 700 home run club - the San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds. There have been jokes - hey, we've called him "BALCO Barry" - allegations, and the best efforts of Al Pedrique. There has often been insufficient lineup protection from the Giants, although even with Manny Ramirez or Albert Pujols hitting behind him, he'd probably still be walked. But despite it all, Bonds joined one of baseball's most exclusive clubs on Friday night. Not since July 21, 1973, when Hammerin' Hank Aaron joined Babe Ruth as just the second 700-homer hitter in history, has there been an occasion like this one, and we might not see another like it in a while. There are great home run hitters out there, but none with the ability to go deep with such great regularity in so few opportunities. To give you an idea of how out of whack this is, Bonds has 43 homers this season in just 347 at bats, going yard once every 8.1 at bats. No other player with 30 or more homers this year has done so in fewer than 414 at bats. Bonds connected for number 700, his 42nd round tripper of the season, off San Diego Padres starter Jake Peavy leading off the third inning of the Giants' 4-1 win. He added number 701 on Saturday in the Padres' 5-1 win. But as great as Bonds' accomplishment is, the Giants-Padres series is part of a bigger picture in the National League at present - the wild card and NL West remain up for grabs. The St. Louis Cardinals officially wrapped up what they've had in the bag for a long while now, clinching the NL Central on Saturday. The Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and Giants remain locked in a tight three-way battle for the fourth playoff spot, and the Padres sit just off the pace as well. They will face the Giants again at the end of the month. San Fran, of course, would much rather leave all three teams behind and push its way to the top of the NL West, ahead of current leaders, the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the way the Giants have played of late - they're coming off a six-game winning streak - claiming the division outright is not inconceivable. Given the Dodgers' slim lead, recent slide and upcoming bouts with both San Diego and San Fran this week, it could become a reality. L.A. has lost some edge lately. Saturday, the bullpen turned a 2-1 deficit into a blowout, allowing a five-run seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies. The day before, starter Hideo Nomo coughed up six runs in an inning-and-a-third but was bailed out by his offense and 7.2 shutout innings by the pen. The team lost three of four last week to the Padres following a five-game winning streak, keeping the division race closer than it could be - so this week will be big. For scoreboard watchers, it is too close to call. Throw in the Florida Marlins, currently fifth in the race behind the Padres, and it gets even tougher. The Fish and Cubbies still have to play three makeup games because of a hurricane-cancelled series early this month. So how can we predict the winner? Well, we can't. Say what you will about the Giants' pitching - we know we have - but they've gotten it done so far, and who's to say they can't keep doing so? Jason Schmidt has been far from stellar this month, going 1-2 and allowing five or more runs in three of his four September starts. But rookie Noah Lowry, 5-0 this season, has reeled off successive one-run performances over the last week. Even Bonds, not exactly known as the consummate teammate, has respect for the southpaw, who pitched Friday night. Barry put fanfare on hold and took only a brief curtain call after his historic mash, saying, "I didn't want [Lowry] to lose his momentum." Also contributing to this month's drive have been Brett Tomko (2-0, 0.82 ERA), Kirk Reuter (1-1), Brad Hennessey (1-0) and starter-turned-closer Dustin Hermanson, who has pitched six scoreless innings and notched six September saves. But what of the Philadelphia Phillies, you might ask (or might not), who last week made a last gasp run at the final playoff spot? There's just one word: "Eagles." Forget the Phillies. In closing, has anyone really taken much notice of the Atlanta Braves? Bobby Cox and his club are quietly on the way to their tenth straight NL East crown, and most people probably haven't even blinked. After a mediocre start by Braves standards, solid pitching (Jaret Wright), hitting (Johnny Estrada, J.D. Drew) and rebounds from first-half slumpers Andruw and Chipper Jones have put Atlanta in familiar territory yet again.

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News

Column: Voice of the Daily

September 19

The Tufts Daily is introducing a new concept for the newspaper, albeit not an original one - a space for the editor. The idea of an editor's column is something that has gained momentum as print media attempts to gain a more personal touch vis-? -vis the normally staid and neutral articles that grace their pages. The biggest hurdle the concept faced was the concern that a column would potentially do more harm than good to the newspaper. Sharing the innermost workings of the Daily would probably just get us in trouble, and who really wants to hear what the editor has to say anyways? But I do not think the gains can be exaggerated. This campus is rife with students and professors who have had concerns with Tufts' only student newspaper, mostly due, in my experience, to miscommunication or misunderstanding between you, our readers, and us. If the Daily is not understood or liked, then it is increasingly unlikely that it will be read. But maybe, through this column, we can try to smooth over misunderstandings, explain a little about what we do, and share with our readers our reasoning. It may be well worth the effort. That is not to say that journalism is falling back to its pre-20th century mold. I doubt the Daily will be printing first-person exposes of our writers' daring exploits as Hearst was wont to do; no, the press' primary purpose is to inform readers through a neutral and unbiased voice. But for the press to be informative, the readers must believe and trust the source. So this is our attempt to do just that. Please feel free to send me questions, complaints, comments, or just sound off. This is an outreach to our readers to make us more accountable in our coverage of issues that matter to them. We have taken the first step. Now it's your turn. In this vein, we are taking other steps this year to increase student-body participation in the paper. We are working to make space for student comics in the paper, the first example of which you can see above this column in the editorial cartoon by the talented freshman Trey Kirk. Comic artists on campus who would like to see their work printed once a week should come down to the office and show us what they have. Also, as many of you already know, Tuftsdaily.com now has feedback ability. This is a chance for Tufts students to have an open online forum to discuss our coverage, campus-wide issues, or just to congratulate a member of our community on a job well done. I hope you will turn in to what I have to say every Monday. So until next week, enjoy the crosswords.

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News

Partnership gives nutrition new research opportunities

September 19

The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and the New Balance Foundation, the charitable branch of New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., have joined together to form "Children in Balance: Tufts Childhood Obesity Initiative." The partnership is based on new studies linking childhood obesity to nutrition and behavioral patterns. "We have new and important research and we act as advocates for children not only in the Boston area, but also we hope to extend to the national and international communities as well," said Miriam Nelson, director of the Center on Physical Activity and Nutrition at the Freidman School. The Friedman School will issue fellowships to graduate students and finance research opportunities that were difficult to fund in the past, with the goal of effecting positive change in local communities. "The New Balance Foundation helped to catalyze our program and also provide some core funding and financial support," Nelson said. "The New Balance Foundation has a real interest in [the issue of childhood obesity]. The interests matched so well between us." Graduate students will be permitted to explore many different avenues of research, according to Dr. Christine Economos, assistant professor at the Friedman School. "We want to continue the momentum that we have going." The Friedman School has been involved with other programs involving childhood obesity and activity in recent years. "One of our programs, Shape-Up Somerville, has allowed us to gather a lot of research and ideas about community development and new perspectives on childhood nutrition," Economos said. Shape Up Somerville brought nutritional know-how to first, second and third graders in Somerville schools. Teachers were trained to implement the main curriculum, the HEAT Club (Healthy Eating and Active Time), which focused on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, decreasing snacks high in sodium and sugar, increasing physical activity, and decreasing sedentary time. Other elements included creation of healthy children's menus at local restaurants, Global Positioning System mapping to aid walking to school, a monthly newsletter for parents, and "cool moves" - a creative way to incorporate physical activity into the classroom during school hours. The new initiative will provide funding for other similar projects. "We want to show that nutrition and health in children's lives is more about behavior than genetics," Economos said. "We want to change the perspective." The partnership grew out of similar goals of improving nutrition and fitness to combat child obesity. Once the idea for the program was formed at Tufts, the Friedman School joined forces with the New Balance Foundation and the joint venture was announced in July. The New Balance Foundation is also involved in other community support initiatives in the greater Boston area, including support of women and sports via the New England Women's Fund and financing construction of sports fields in elementary schools. Nelson and many members of the Friedman School, including new Dean Eileen Kennedy, have all played integral roles in developing this partnership. "Our major mission is ultimately to make an impact in the development of new and important research," Nelson said. "In 10 years, we hope to see a tremendous difference in the growing problem of childhood obesity."

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News

Jumbos get shut out of its second straight contest

September 19

The women's soccer team failed to score a goal in its second straight contest on Saturday, falling 3-0 to the Middlebury Panthers in its NESCAC road debut. The loss, Tufts' second straight, dropped the squad to an overall record of 0-2-1 (0-1-1, NESCAC) and into a tie for sixth place in the conference with Colby. The 0-2-1 start is the Jumbos' worst in over five seasons, and it was the first time in that same time span that the Jumbos went two straight games without scoring a goal. "We definitely have some improvements to make," senior co-captain Sarah Gelb said. "We played inconsistently and we came out flat, but there were a few times that we connected really well. Overall, we're very disappointed but we definitely saw potential." Middlebury senior tri-captain Brittany Cronin got things going early for the Panthers, scoring her NESCAC-leading fifth goal of the season with 19:39 elapsed in the first half. Cronin found an opening inside the 18-yard line and ripped a shot past Jumbos senior goalie Meg McCourt to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. For the second straight contest, the Jumbos suffered a let down after a goal was scored, and for the second straight game, the opposing team immediately capitalized. Just 41 seconds later, Cronin and the Panthers were back in the zone attacking the Jumbo net. A Middlebury cross set up junior Erin Pittenger, who sent a header across the center of the net to Cronin. Cronin controlled the ball and snuck a shot past McCourt for the 2-0 lead. "It's definitely a mental thing," Gelb said. "We need to pick up the intensity if we get scored on and when we score so that we maintain possession, and we let down today." The Panthers added a goal in the second half off of Tufts sophomore backup goalie Annie Ross, who replaced McCourt at halftime. They scored when senior tri-captain Mayo Fujii took a cross played to the near post and sent a hard shot past Ross to put the icing on the cake for the Panthers. Despite working on defensive intensity all week, the Jumbos appeared to be off their game on the defensive side, allowing the Panther forwards to take advantage. "We set up to play our own game, and we didn't alter our plan by any means to tailor to their game," McCourt said. "We tried to stay strong and get on their backs as soon as they got the ball, but we gave them too much space and were slow to pressure, allowing them to take advantage." The Jumbos were also slowed by three major injuries that have been hampering them since the start of the season. Senior forward and last year's leading scorer Jen Baldwin sat out the game with an ankle injury that she sustained over the summer. Junior forward Sarah Callaghan, last year's second leading scorer, saw limited action for the first time this season after severely pulling her hamstring, also over the summer. Junior midfielder Lydia Claudio is also still working on getting back to full strength after a stress fracture in her shin kept her out of the majority of the past two seasons. Despite the injuries, the squad quickly dismissed the idea of them being excuses for the loss. "It definitely slowed us down not having those three, but injuries plague every team and we just have to work through them," McCourt said. The injuries to the squad's two main forwards has been the likely cause of the Jumbos offensive drought, having to put first year players Kim Harrington and Lauren Fedore into the starting lineup rather than easing them into college soccer. "We really just haven't had that many opportunities. We haven't been dominating in the offensive zone," Gelb said. "It certainly helped to have Sarah back even though she played for a limited amount of time, and hopefully next week we'll get to work with all of our forwards at full strength." The loss left the Jumbos and coach Martha Whiting looking at many aspects of the game to hone, including consistency, intensity, and transitioning. The Jumbos have struggled moving the ball from the defensive side of the field to the offensive side, and much of the time have resorted to just booting the ball out of the zone and giving up possession, rather than playing off the ball and creating offensive opportunities. "We need to work on continuing to move together as a team, and getting the ball all the way to the opponent's zone," Gelb said. "We need to work on being more composed and maintaining possession instead of just forcing the ball forward." The squad has no midweek game this week, allowing the players to rest and fully heal any lingering injuries they have sustained thus far. Tufts resumes its NESCAC season on Saturday at 1 p.m. when it heads to Western Mass. to face the Amherst Lord Jeffs, the squad that knocked Tufts out of the conference playoffs last season in penalty kicks.

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News

Despite coming out strong, team takes first loss of season

September 19

In a stiff wind on Saturday afternoon, the men's soccer team saw its zero in the loss column blown away by the Middlebury Panthers in Vermont. Tufts was shut out 2-0 to even its season record at 1-1-1 and bring its NESCAC mark to 1-1 on the year. Tufts came out strong to open the match and dominated play for the first 35 minutes. However the game soon turned in favor of the home team with a controversial call in the 38th minute. The Panthers worked the ball down the side of the pitch, playing it wide towards the corner. The ball was sent into the box to senior Panther John Rusten. The Tufts defense bodied up to Rusten and was called for a foul inside the box. On the ensuing penalty kick, Rusten lasered the ball over Tufts' senior keeper Matt Sullivan's right shoulder to break the 0-0 stalemate and gave Middlebury a lead it would not relinquish for the rest of the game. "Our defender played the ball well," freshman midfielder Andrew Drucker said. "It was a pretty soft call." The Jumbos were particularly dissatisfied with the ref's decision to award Middlebury the PK after a similar play involving Tufts junior forward Todd Gilbert earlier in the match failed to yield the same result. With the momentum clearly in their favor, the Panthers took it to the Jumbos for the remainder of the match. At half time, the score still stood at 1-0, but it would not be long before the Panthers would strike again. In the 55th minute, Middlebury senior J.B. Gerber hit an open header into the net after a cross from classmate Nicholas Colacchio. "We were pushed up very high and our midfield was out of position," Drucker said. "Middlebury crossed an early ball into the box that left [Gerber] with the open header." Middlebury controlled the remainder of the game. The Panthers out-shot Tufts sixteen to nine in the contest and retained possession for the majority of the second 45 minutes. "It was very difficult for us to hold possession in the second half," Drucker said. "We didn't get good pressure on their forwards or middies and they were able to take a lot of shots." Though Tufts failed to capitalize, the team did have numerous scoring opportunities. Senior midfielder Brett Wong, sophomore forward Ben Castellot, and junior midfielder Mike Guigli all had good hits that failed to find the back of the net. "Looking back, it was a very winnable game," Drucker said. "In the first half we really outplayed them, but didn't capitalize on our opportunities. If we had played the whole game the way we played the first 35 minutes, it would have been a different story." The Jumbos have scored a total of two goals in three games. Though early in the season, this lack of offensive production could hurt Tufts if it continues as it did last season. In 2003, Tufts was outscored 28 to 17 in 15 games on its way to a 6-7-2 final showing. In addition to a lack of offensive production, the Jumbos' relatively young squad could face more problems similar to those it encountered against Middlebury, a team that boasts eight seniors. Tufts has just three seniors, two of whom alternate in the goal. The Jumbos have no starting fourth year field players. "I think our youth does hurt us in the sense that we lack game experience," Drucker said. "Many of us are still learning the ropes of college soccer." However Drucker also believes that the team's youth is advantageous in some ways. "Being young helps us because we are a very enthusiastic, tight knit group. We are also one of the hardest working squads in recent Tufts soccer history." After the first two weeks of the season, the Jumbos are sandwiched in the middle of the NESCAC between undefeated teams Bowdoin, Middlebury, Williams, and Amherst, and four teams who have yet to win a NESCAC match. The Jumbos will have an opportunity to shift the momentum in their favor against non-league Salve Regina at home on Wednesday before facing Amherst on Saturday. Last year, the Jumbos knocked out Salve Regina, 3-2, on the road.

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News

On campuses, interest in organic foods grows; TFAP revived

September 19

In the face of rapidly spreading fad diets and a growing awareness of the connection between diet and disease, interest in the organic food industry is mounting on university campuses, said Tufts Dining Services Nutrition Marketing Specialist Julie Lampie. At Tufts, though, there have only been a handful of students who have expressed interest in organic foods. "I receive a few inquiries every year," Lampie said. "More students may be interested, but I haven't heard from them. I'm hoping to get a better indication of student interest in organic and locally grown foods by adding questions to our annual dining survey relative to these issues." Though the majority of students have yet to totally embrace organic products, Tufts has recently reactivated the Tufts Food Awareness Project (TFAP). Originally formed by graduate students to educate the Tufts community about environmentally and socially responsible food choices, TFAP is now a partnership between students, Dining Services, the Center for International Environmental and Resource Policy (CIERP), and Tufts Institute of the Environment. In order to make organic foods more available on campus, Lampie said, Dining Services has recently added organic foods to the Jumbo Express Convenience Store. Among the organic additions are items such as organic blue corn chips, Amy's macaroni and cheese and burritos, cookies, trail mix, cereal bars, pasta and peanut butter. Additionally, Lampie said, all whole grains, legumes and whole grain pastas offered at the vegetarian stations in Tufts dining halls are organic. Organic soymilk, tofu, cereal, granola and natural peanut butter are also available at campus eateries. According to Lampie, there are two major obstacles that make it difficult to increase the variety of organic foods available on campus: price and availability. Organic items are more expensive than conventional ones. Organic milk, cheese, beef, poultry and produce typically cost three to four times as much as their conventional counterparts, making these goods price prohibitive. Lampie also noted that it can be a challenge to find organic produce sold in the massive quantities that Tufts would require. Plus, Tufts often purchases ready-to-serve produce (pre-peeled butternut squash, for instance) in order to reduce labor. Organic foods are not regularly sold this way. Some Tufts students and graduates are forming their lifestyles around a firm belief in the organic agricultural system, in which food is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. This greatly reduces the risk of chemical residue in food. Organic items also cannot contain artificial ingredients or preservatives. Farmers who grow food organically work to create biodiversity in soil in order to maintain soil integrity and manage pests. This past summer, Tufts graduate Teague Channing (LA '01) invited students to intern on his organic farm in Las Trampas, New Mexico. Maisie Ganz, a Tufts sophomore who interned on the farm for several weeks this summer, has converted to a whole foods diet upon her return to campus and shops weekly at the Davis Square Farmer's Market, which is held every Wednesday from 12 p.m-6 p.m. "Our current agricultural system isn't sustainable, and we're discovering that the food we eat is affecting our health in a large way," Ganz said. "After working on the farm, I feel more connected to the land and to what I put in my body." Within the organic industry, there is debate as to whether organic foods should be sold in large supermarkets like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, or whether it would be more socially responsible for farmers to sell their organic items only locally. Proponents of strictly local distribution assert that the organic movement is part of a larger movement designed to undermine the consumer's reliance on large corporations. Supporters of the industrial model of organic farming argue that organic food prices will drop as these items are included in the larger corporate framework, thereby making organic foods available to more people. "I think having organic foods more widely available in supermarkets is an exciting opportunity for organic farmers," junior Elizabeth Halperin said. "This step will allow for more people to embrace a healthier, more organic lifestyle." A three-day Harvest Food Festival sponsored by TFAP will take place Oct. 19-21. On the first day, a screening of the film "Supersize Me" will be shown in Barnum 008. TFAP also hopes to arrange a discussion led by Morgan Spurlock, the director of "Supersize Me," after the screening on the 19.On Oct. 20, there will be a walk to the Davis Square Farmer's Market and a panel discussion featuring a fair trade farmer and Tufts faculty on agriculture and trade. Then, on Oct. 21, a Harvest Food Festival will take place in Carmichael, Dewick, and the campus center with organic/natural food vendors, and a menu featuring locally grown produce.

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News

Spiegelman steps into the shadows of Sept. 11

September 19

One of my most striking memories of Sept. 11 is listening to a radio interview with a poet who had witnessed the World Trade Center attacks firsthand. It was late afternoon by then and the trickle of information coming from "ground zero" had long since dried up. The radio station, in a moment of dead-air desperation, had turned to the poet to explain it all. "The towers are gone," he said, "but it's as if their shadows still remain. It's really a striking image." Whether graphic-novelist Art Spiegelman was listening to the same broadcast or not we can't be sure, but his black on black drawing of the north and south towers of the World Trade Center for the cover of "The New Yorker" was the perfect visualization of those disembodied shadows. Spiegelman's drawing finds its way onto the cover (and into the title) of his latest graphic novel, "In the Shadow of No Towers." His first book since the Pulitzer-winning "Maus II" (1992), "No Towers" documents the years following the collapse of the twin towers: from the artist's harried attempt to rescue his daughter from a school near the World Trade Center on the morning of Sept. 11 to the color-coded war on terror. Unlike "Maus," which told the story of Spiegelman's father at Auschwitz, "No Towers" doesn't so much present a coherent narrative as it does a collage of the author's paranoia and desperation after Sept.11. In huge, 20-by-14 inch pages swarming with surreal caricatures of terrorists, politicians, and innocent bystanders, Spiegelman attempts to unravel the chaos following the collapse of the twin towers. "The only cultural artifacts that could get past my defenses to flood my eyes and brain with something other than images of burning towers were old comic strips," Spiegelman writes in an afterword to "No Towers." The comic strips that he speaks so fondly of, and goes on to recreate in his own book, are the broadsheet cartoons that appeared in Joseph Pulitzer's and William Randolph Hearst's newspapers at the turn of the century: comics like Rudolph Dirks' "Katzenjammer Kids," George Harriman's "Krazy Kat," and Winsor McCay's "Little Nemo in Slumberland," to name a few. Spiegelman turns the comforting images on their heads for "No Towers." The Katzenjammer Kids are recast as "the Tower Twins," a pair of terrified looking toddlers with burning effigies of the two towers balanced atop their heads. Krazy Kat becomes a protest singer, while Little Nemo has nightmares about plummeting from a skyscraper. Meanwhile, Spiegelman transforms himself into a muckraking yellow journalist from his favored period, drawing crude, allegorical illustrations of Uncle Sam trouncing Saddam Hussein, or George Bush and Dick Cheney hijacking an American eagle. Amidst all the clamor of long-forgotten comic characters parading alongside people and events all too fresh in our memories, the one image that keeps reasserting itself in "No Towers" is that of a gutted Tower 1 as Spiegelman last witnessed it. "The pivotal image from my Sept. 11 morning," Spiegelman writes, "one that didn't get photographed or videotaped into public memory but still remains burned onto the inside of my eyelids several years later was the image of the looming north tower's glowing bones just before it vaporized." This icon, which appears on literally every page of the book, isn't just a incendiary memento mori to the tragedy, but a reminder that "In the Shadow of No Towers" is a work dedicated to representation and, ultimately, reconstruction. Just how to accurately capture the tragedy of Sept. 11, and the images of towers that are both present and missing is a problem that plagues Spiegelman. During his flight from ground zero, the author sees tourists getting their pictures taken in front of the collapsing skyscrapers and a street artist painting the fiery structures. Yet, Spiegelman's personal portrayal of the World Trade Center remains elusive. The half-there, half-not image of the north tower's burning infrastructure haunts "No Towers" unfinished until the final page, where the two towers are finally reconstituted. As it turns out, Spiegelman's rebuilding of the World Trade Center isn't accomplished through some coming to grips with the chaos surrounding him - if anything he remains more paranoid and unhinged than ever - but through the creation of the comic. Again, the comics of the past serve as a blueprint for Spiegelman. He writes: "Comics pages are architectural structures - the narrative rows of panels are like stories of a building - and while an eccentric artist like Verbeck could turn that structure on its head, Winsor McCay, the towering genius of the first decade of comics, drew monumental structures designed to last." "In the Shadow of No Towers" is itself a work designed to last and, through its craftsmanship, to right a world flipped on its head.

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News

The Soundtrack of our Lives

September 19

Anyone who has ever attempted to explore the infinite abyss of satisfying movie soundtracks knows that buying one can be an extremely risky endeavor. Thankfully, director and executive soundtrack producer Zach Braff eliminates the guesswork by providing fans of ?¬Garden State?® with a CD that elicits flashbacks of the movie?­s most poignant scenes while also standing on its own as an exceptional compilation. Usually, purchasing a soundtrack is a high-stakes risk, with losses to the tune of $14.98. When the idea of including ?¬Songs Inspired by the Movie?® became an acceptable practice, it spelled trouble for the street cred of all soundtracks to come. Even if an album does stick to songs that are featured in the movie, the tracklist often consists of tracks that played unobtrusively in the background for a few seconds before fading out. ?¬Garden State,?® however, does everything right. Save one Alexi Murdoch tune, all the songs in the movie are actually included on the soundtrack. Zach Braff?­s directorial ingenuity went a long way in shaping the soundtrack. After selecting the songs he wanted to include in his film, Braff sent his film to the artists. Upon seeing the movie, these musicians agreed to give their tracks for atypically low sums. Braff continues on this path of righteousness by choosing incredibly appropriate songs. While watching ?¬Garden State,?® the viewer is often struck by Braff?­s impressive knack for song selection and placement. Each song is carefully chosen and seems to slip into that cinematic moment with ease, always complementing the scene rather than over-powering it. As does all movie music, the songs in ?¬Garden State?® set the mood. However, by repeatedly highlighting the selected songs in scenes when there is no dialogue, Braff goes one step further. He actually allows the music to advance the plot, filling silences while also allowing the viewer to focus on the lyrics and message of the songs. One of the more striking occurrences of this is Braff?­s use of former Men at Work frontman Colin Hay?­s song ?¬I Just Don?­t Think I?­ll Ever Get Over You.?® At a time in the movie when the main characters?­ feelings for each other have not been articulated, Hay?­s lyrics ?¬If I lived ?til I was one-hundred-and-two/I just don?­t think I?­ll ever get over you?® imply the increasingly romantic nature of the characters?­ relationship without a word of dialogue being spoken. In another scene, when the main character takes ecstasy at a friend?­s party, Braff expresses the experience through the music. He juxtaposes ?¬Fear and Loathing?® camerawork with Zero 7?­s ?¬In the Waiting Line,?® a slow techno track, creating a serene overtone to the character?­s drug-induced daze. The lyrics ?¬Everyone?­s saying different things to be/Different things to me?® help explain the character?­s emotional state during his stupor. Besides being astutely placed within the movie, the songs of Garden State also exist in a sort of mix tape fashion on the soundtrack itself. The soundtrack combines old (Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel) with new (Frou Frou), mainstream (Coldplay) with obscure (Bonnie Somerville), and acoustic (Iron and Wine) with techno (Thievery Corporation). The songs appear in the order in which they are played in the movie, and by following the ups and downs of the film, the soundtrack also adheres to the key tenets of mix tape construction. The soundtrack is not without flaws. The final track, Bonnie Somerville?­s ?¬Winding Road?® seems as though it would be more at home as the closing song in a Freddie Prinze Jr. movie than here in Braff?­s story of development. At times the songs seem like frustratingly obvious choices, straight out of an indie rock playbook. Music snobs will cringe at the product-placement interaction between Braff?­s and Natalie Portman?­s characters when she giddily claims that the Shins song she?­s listening to will ?¬change your life.?® Yet, while it?­s possible that none of the songs on the album will significantly alter your current trajectory, the soundtrack is nonetheless an impressive mix of styles, artists, and perfectly poignant songs. The CD, which broke into the Billboard Top Twenty list this week, is a must-have for anyone who has seen the film as well as a charming blend of tunes for those who haven?­t. If you happen upon a spare moment while organizing your Desert Storm trading cards, this soundtrack, while perhaps stopping short of changing your life, will in the very least be a positive addition to your music collection.

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News

Jumbos take a loss in their first scrimmage, 15-9

September 19

While Bowdoin and Williams were busy tearing up Tufts' Zimman Field in Saturday's wretched weather conditions, the Jumbos were at Williams doing the same damage to the Ephs home turf. Tufts made the four hour trek to take on Hamilton, a team that has struggled to find its grip in the NESCAC standings in recent years. The preseason tune up was won by the Continentals 15-9, but such a score rarely indicates the actual events of this, or any, preseason football game. Rather than use the match up as a barometer for how the regular season will play out, the Jumbos are using the scrimmage as a learning tool and a stepping stone. "Our starters were only in for a few series, so that right there tells you that winning the game was not the top priority for us," senior running back Steve Cincotta said. Cincotta, the starter for much of last season, set the NESCAC record for carries in a game with 45 in a 23-14 win over this same Hamilton squad last season. He was only in for four series this time around. In what Cincotta described as "monsoon-like" conditions in the first half, the Jumbos struggled to capitalize on any opportunities they found. Fumbles and holding penalties, not to mention the weather, kept the offense out of rhythm under the direction of senior quarterback and quad-captain Jason Casey. "We moved the ball fairly well from the start, but we could have definitely put some more points on the board if we hadn't hurt ourselves like we did," Casey said. At the beginning of the third quarter, when the heavens finally decided to close up, the Jumbos moved the ball more effectively. Casey threw a 12 yard touchdown strike to sophomore receiver Brian Von Ancken to cap off a long drive. Using a variety of receivers throughout the scrimmage such as seniors Kevin Holland and Chris Roy, Casey was able to orchestrate the offense more fluidly against a Hamilton defense that is returning nine starters. "Once we cut out the penalties and fumbles and just play football, we can do more with the offense," Casey said. On the defensive side of the ball, Tufts is undergoing major changes and this game helped gauge where the strengths and weaknesses lie within the unit. With only three starters returning, the Jumbos' D suffered a couple of minor hiccups near the start on two deep balls with one resulting in a Continentals' score. "There was a little miscommunication on those plays," senior defensive lineman and quad-captain Chris Lawrence said. "But after that, we settled down a good amount." With Hamilton running a sprint out offense in which the quarterback was rarely in the pocket, the Jumbos adjusted within the system the coaches had been setting in place all preseason. "Rather than make adjustments, we did better on the stuff we already had in place," Lawrence said. "But we didn't throw the whole playbook at them or anything, not in our first scrimmage." Lawrence also enjoyed what he saw out of the newcomers and the younger players on the team. "The younger guys, like [sophomore defensive end Chris] Decembrele, really stepped up," he said. The other Hamilton score came near the end of the game when the Jumbos were getting the younger players' feet wet in their first college, albeit unofficial, game experience. Besides the acclimation of freshmen to a college football game environment, another big plus coming out of the game was the fact that there were no serious injuries for the Jumbos, which is always a chief fear when playing games that don't count in the standings. This is equally impressive considering the inclement weather conditions. Saturday at 1 p.m. Tufts opens at home against Wesleyan. The team's enthusiasm for game action that counts is visible. "I can't wait to see what we can do," Lawrence said.

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News

Tufts-NEMC opens itself to Boston College student volunteers

September 19

Starting this academic year, students in Boston College's public service program PULSE will be able to serve at the Tufts-New England Medical Center (Tufts-NEMC) in a new partnership between the institutions. PULSE is a course at Boston College (BC) in which students study classic philosophical texts about citizenship and then devote 10 hours a week to working in a public service institution. Tufts-NEMC will now join 55 other institutions as a choice for students looking for a service placement. There was "a lot of interest" in Tufts-NEMC among the students, said Meg Femino, the Emergency Department disaster coordinator at Tufts-NEMC. She expects to choose about four students to work with her this year and has already met interested students, she said. Volunteers will most likely be supporting Emergency Department staff by helping facilitate patient reception and sitting with patients waiting to be treated. They will also be working on several special projects during the school year, including a homelessness outreach project, a tobacco cessation project, and a flu vaccination awareness campaign. The students will also be helping Femino to assemble a disaster response team, Director of the PULSE program David McMenamin said. Tufts-NEMC was considered a good fit for the PULSE program because, although "many students have interest in medical-related placements," PULSE only had one other placement in the medical field prior to this one, McMenamin said. Also, he pointed out that Tufts-NEMC serves large amounts of the homeless and immigrants. "We want our students to have experience with these populations," he said. Kajahl Valipour, member of the PULSE council, a group of students that examines prospective partner institutions, said that Femino was a large factor in their decision as well. "A big part of our program is supervision, since the supervisor needs to be at the site and actually gives grades," said Valipour. "We loved Meg Femino for this position; she really seemed to understand what the program is about." PULSE's combination of social service and philosophical learning is meant to show students the meaning of social responsibility, McMenamin said. "We get our students by their immersion in the community to think about what it means to be a member of a community in a larger scale and what that responsibility brings upon them," he said. Valipour agrees that "they're studying what it means to be a good person and they'll see this relationship between what they're studying and what they see when they work." In her own experience, she said, PULSE "opened my eyes" to the responsibility to help those born into less favorable conditions than she. Femino hopes that working at Tufts-NEMC will give other allow other students to have the same realization. "I really think this will encompass social responsibility and helping others," she said.

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News

A Thousand and One Words

September 19

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a photograph can create an entire epic. Two new exhibitions currently on display in the Tufts Galleries, ?¬The Amazing and Immutable?® and ?¬Evidence,?® contain multitudes within their frames. The exhibitions, which opened last week in the Tisch and Koppelman galleries in Aidekman, are thought-provoking explorations into the topics they capture with the lens. Though they portray vastly different subject-matter ?? ?¬The Amazing and the Immutable?® ranges from the quotidian to the exotic, while ?¬Evidence?® focuses solely on war crimes in Kosovo ?? the two exhibitions tell stories that extend far beyond their snapshots. ?¬The Amazing and the Immutable: Photography from the Collections of Robert Drapkin and Martin Margulies?® brings an enormous collection of disparate works to Tufts. The exhibition consists of over one hundred photographs, some of which date back to the invention of the medium in the mid-1800s. ?¬The Amazing and the Immutable?® might be eccentric in its choices of subjects, but all of its pieces are eye-catching and thought-provoking, forcing visitors to closely consider the images shown in the works. The exhibition showcases both the human and the unusual. Queen Henrietta and Princess Elizabeth gaze at each other in a photograph dating back to 1860. Nearby, Olafur Eliasson?­s ?¬The Glacier Series?® (1999) captures the slow movement of gigantic sheets of ice. In an untitled photograph, a Hopi snake dancer dressed in a traditional outfit, his body streaked with white paint, stands alongside a photograph of naked human bodies, laid out in the grid of an iron bridge. History lurks in unexpected places in ?¬The Amazing and the Immutable.?® A small, unassuming photograph shows the atomic explosion on Bikini Atoll in 1946. The execution of the Lincoln conspirators is depicted in a series of foreboding images, starting with the empty scaffolding and the arrival of the prisoners, to the placing of ropes around their necks, their hanging, and their final graves. The pictures also trace the history of photography. Some of the works date back to the Civil War and others are as recent as the 21st century. The unusual combination of dates and juxtaposition of techniques allows one to compare ?¬Manning the Yards for Lincoln,?® the photograph of an 1861 Navy ship with its crew decorating the masts, to photographs of service people from World War I dressed in red, white, and blue, arrayed in the shapes of United States flags. ?¬Evidence: The Case Against Milosevic,?® the gallery?­s other major exhibition this fall, makes its aims much more specific. The exhibition showcases the work of photographer Gary Knight, who traveled to the nations of Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo during the conflict between the Yugoslav forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army in the spring and early summer of 1999. Knight turns his work into an indictment against Slobodan Milosevic, the former president of Yugoslavia. Milosevic is currently on trial before a United Nations tribunal, where he stands accused of war crimes for sponsoring ?¬ethnic cleansing?® in Kosovo, one of Yugoslavia?­s two republics. ?¬Killing is my business, and business is good,?® proclaims graffiti immortalized forever by Knight?­s camera. War crimes are an increasingly common topic in the news media today, but it?­s difficult for an isolated American public to understand what they truly mean or to visualize the physical results of them. Knight?­s stated goal for the exhibition is to make the idea of war crimes ?¬less abstract?® by using his photography to put a human face on the travesties. The photographic essay stretches around the Koppelman Gallery, arranged in a series of three ?¬counts?® against Milosevic: deportation, persecution, and murder. The photographs themselves show children crying, a shantytown of tents, and men and women simply waiting, downcast and downtrodden, helpless victims of a brutal war. The most powerful aspect of Knight?­s work is the sheer humanity of it. One section of the exhibition shows hands holding photographs of dead bodies, alongside albums full of smeared, mud-splattered pictures. Shirtless soldiers pose for a picture in the snow, and men, their faces dehumanized by gas masks, work emotionlessly to bury executed civilians. Though these photographs might be one step further away from the actual event, the human quality in them ?? the very fact that someone was obviously there to witness the deaths and the corpses ?? makes them even more real. People suffered, unbelievably and meaninglessly. ?¬Evidence?® was brought to Tufts by the Institute for Global Leadership. It, along with another photo essay called ?¬Envoys of War?® that is due to open later next month, is part of the celebration honoring the 20th anniversary of the EPIIC program (Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship). At the heart of ?¬Evidence?® lies its story ?? a story that might be different than those contained within the works of ?¬The Amazing and the Immutable,?® but at its heart, one that is just as epic in scope. Photography is powerful because of its ability to capture images that can make us think, and at that, the two collections both succeed wholeheartedly.

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