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TCU Senators stress increased book buyback

March 28

A communication problem between professors and the bookstore often leads to low book resale values for students, according to professors and Tufts Community Union (TCU) senators. In fall 2003, Tufts students received a total of $7,200 in buyback -- a decrease from $8,400 the year before. This amounted to approximately $14.73 per person. In contrast, 2004 Tufts tuition statements estimated that undergraduates pay an average of $600 for textbooks. TCU Senators John Valentine, Kyra Jackivicz, and Jason Bauer have been working since fall 2003 to make professors' booklists available to the bookstore and the student body before the beginning of each semester. Senators last year focused on getting professors' book lists to students, so that students could find cheaper options for their books than the campus bookstore. But after contacting department chairs, meeting with individual professors, and sending out mass e-mails, the group received less than 10 percent of the total booklists. This semester, however, the senators have decided to change their focus to improving buyback rates for used books at the bookstore, allowing for more used books for students the following semester. "What we really wanted to focus on this semester was increasing the amount of booklists that get to the bookstore," said Valentine, who addressed President Bacow and other university faculty about the issue March 3. In the buyback system, a student can sell his or her book back to the bookstore and receive 50 percent of the original price if the store knows the book will be useful in a following semester. The system relies on communication between the faculty and the bookstore. Last semester, by the final deadline to submit booklists, Dec. 1, only 42 percent were in. When lists are not submitted by the deadline, the bookstore cannot repurchase used books. That limits the number of cheaper, used books that can be sold by the bookstore in the subsequent semester. "Professors have busy schedules just like everyone else. We're basically just educating them to how much they can save for students' pockets," Valentine said. If the bookstore is unaware of whether a professor plans to reuse a book in future semesters, the book will be repurchased at a much lower price -- sometimes as low as $1. Ideally, Valentine hopes for a 20 to 30 percent increase in on-time book orders next semester. So far, the bookstore has already seen improvements in faculty response. "Right now we're doing a little better than last year," Bookstore Textbook Manager Idalia Quintanilla said. "Finally, we have eight percent of the book orders [for the 2004 fall semester]. Last year, we didn't have any." James Glaser, Dean of Undergraduate Education and formerly an associate professor and department chair of political science, said at the March 3 faculty meeting that the booklist deadline is not always a simple task. "It's true that some faculty are not as diligent as they should be," he said. "Part of it is that it requires you to be thinking six months ahead of time. Many people aren't thinking that far ahead." Additionally, changing course readings can often be a difficult task for professors. "Is the book appropriate? Is it accessible? Is it in line with the themes of the course? Those aren't the sort of decisions that are made on the snap," Glaser said. Ronna Johnson, a professor in the English Department who teaches a course that requires 12 books, said that determining what books she will use a year in advance is difficult. "The first week of class, we already have to commit to what we're teaching the following semester. Many of us know a year in advance. But just because I'm teaching English 63 next semester doesn't mean I'm using the same material." In general, Glaser says, professors are well aware of the financial strain put upon their students. "Faculty have very good will on this," Glaser said. "They want to help students use their limited resources wisely." The Education Committee will concentrate again on making the booklists available earlier for students once the bookstore's buyback prices reach a satisfactory level. In the meantime, they encourage students to e-mail their professors about the books for next semester. "We want to put money back in students' pockets," Valentine said. "It helps the bookstore make more money, because they'll be selling used books. Additionally, there will be more used books next year for students to buy. So it all works out to make the system a lot more efficient than it is now."

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News

Donuts and DJs pair up to find new talent

March 28

Considering you can't even walk a block in Boston without inhaling the sweet scent wafting from one of the city's thousands of Dunkin' Donuts coffee shops, it sometimes seems the world's largest donut chain is dominating more than pastries. It turns out that they are. Dunkin Donuts, in conjunction with the Little Steve Van Zandt, has made its way into the music industry. The partnership is sponsoring the first "Underground Garage Battle of the Bands" and will soon be making their way across the country in search of America's undiscovered talent. Steven Van Zandt, an acclaimed record producer and advocate for untainted rock and roll, has been the DJ of his own radio show "Little Steven's Underground Garage" since 2002. Van Zandt has written songs for several well-known artists and was one of the founding members of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and his show features an eclectic mix of garage rock that includes music by the White Stripes, the Ramones, the Kinks, and Jet. Though music and donuts appear to have little in common, Dunkin' Donuts said it is an eager and welcome participant in the sponsorship, as the corporation can provide the much needed funding for this kind of event in the name of a shared vision. "As a company, Dunkin' Donuts represents many of the same unpretentious and authentic characteristics of good old rock 'n roll that we celebrate with this effort. It's a great time in music to support garage bands and we are excited to be a part of the movement," John Gilbert, the Vice President of Marketing at Dunkin' Donuts, said in a press release. Van Zandt shared the coffee shop's enthusiasm. "Dunkin' Donuts support for the Underground Garage makes events like this possible," he said in a press release. "The 'Underground Garage Battle of the Bands' will go a long way in helping us continue our mission to bring the coolest music in the world to a whole new generation, and it's just the beginning." While all interested bands are welcome to participate in the pair's "rock 'n' roll revolution," bands are only eligible if they submit a completed entry form along with a demo by the designated deadline. The deadline for Tufts bands to submit their demo tapes is Wednesday, March 31. Submitted demos will be sent Van Zandt's production company, Renegade Nation, and then will be reviewed by a panel of music experts, according to a recent press release. All bands are encouraged to participate, but only twenty will be chosen to perform in the contest's regional playoffs. Selected groups will have a chance to compete in cities along the east coast and throughout the Midwest, and those from New England will perform on April 15, 16, and 17 in Boston at The Matrix at The Roxy. Regional winners will be eligible to perform on July 22 in New York City at Little Steven's Underground Garage Rock Festival, where the national winner will be chosen. The grand prize winner will be invited to play in New York alongside top acts from across generations of rock-n-roll in Little Steven's Underground Garage Rock Festival, according to the press release, and other winners will receive top of the line music equipment as well as an entry in the New York competition. The contest offers an unprecedented opportunity to undiscovered bands and pays homage to the enduring culture of rock and roll. And donuts. At all of the events, there will be lots of donuts. Tufts bands should go to www.rockingarage.com to download an official entry form. Forms and demos are to be sent to Renegade Nation by Wednesday, March 31.

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News

The three victims of the Second Gulf War

March 28

When the Americans and the British decided to attack Iraq, they posed a serious threat to the international equilibrium and to global security. The first "victims" of the international system appeared even before the beginning of the war. Those victims placed new obligations and new frameworks in the international community. The first victim was the credibility of the United Nations, the second was the relationship between Europe and the United States, and the third was the relationship between the countries of the European Union that were profoundly divided in this debate. From its establishment in 1945, the United Nations has gone through various phases. The Cold War politics did not allow it to grow into the strong organization it was meant to be, mainly due to the unanimity that is required in the Security Council in order to make a decision or adopt a resolution. It was impossible to have unanimity at all times among the permanent and temporary members of the Council. The United Nations always expressed an opinion, but unfortunately nobody would listen. Nevertheless, in the past decade the United Nations managed to reestablish its credibility in international relations, more specifically after the collapse of the existing socialism. The evolution of the latest events and the marginalization of the United Nations by the United States in the issue of Iraq have destroyed the efforts for bringing back this credibility. I believe that the United Nations is a very important organization for the conduct of international relations and of course for the protection of the small and poor countries of the system. Therefore, the global community has to work to reestablish the credibility and the effectiveness of the United Nations. The second victim was the relationship between America and Europe that was threatened from the very first instance of this debate. The ties of friendship, cooperation, and reciprocal assistance have existed for many decades now. The current version was created after two world wars and survived through the Cold War era. After all, America's dream according to Eisenhower in 1951 was to see some form of a United States of Europe as sister to the United States of America. The Europeans have always believed that the reality between the United States and the European Union was one of mutual respect, alliance, common interests, and collective security. Those factors do not exist anymore in the degree that they did before the Second Gulf War: the relation of equality in alliance has been transformed by the United States into a relation of submission -- one that was expressed by President Bush as either with us or against us. For this reason, France reacted the way it did to a new war against Iraq. France never approved the omnipotence of the United States in the world. Moreover, in the aftermath of the war and the American domination in the area, the American arrogance would become greater than before with respect to the European Union. At the same time that the war threatened the existence of the transatlantic relations, some European countries and many countries awaiting accession into the Union aligned with the American position on the issue and congratulated the American practices in the region. This evolution has created the third victim: a new cleavage in the relations among the European countries. The difference of opinion among them demonstrated a crisis in the Union and its inability to obtain a common position in issues of foreign affairs and security. At the time, the differences in confronting the Iraqi issue among them placed a great risk in the unity of Europe and created some deep chasms in the process of integration. Therefore, the European Union needs to find a working mechanism to stand up for itself in the global arena and detach itself from the protection of the United States. One can say that the Second Gulf War created many different "conflicts" around the world. Many people believe that the actual invasion was a mere issue between the United States and Iraq. Nevertheless, the problems that evolved after this conflict have extended to the transatlantic relations, the European relations, and have destroyed part of the valuable credibility of the United Nations. As a consequence, this war might have managed to resolve one problem -- Saddam Hussein -- but it has created numerous others that will dominate the future of international political scene. The victims did not result from the actual physical casualties -- that continue to increase to this day -- but also from the injured trust among powerful actors of the world. Theofanis Exadaktylos is a senior majoring in International Relations and Economics

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News

In defense of health

March 28

In The Primary Source's "From the Editor" (March 11, "Who's at the Wheel?"), Source Editor-in-Chief Brandon Balkind's stance against Health Services' support of "Sex on the Hill" highlights, to me, a major problem that public health professionals and health policymakers face today. "Health care providers have an obligation to avoid controversy," Balkind wrote. He goes on to accuse Health Services of lobbying for health policy, which he deems inappropriate. Professional health care providers have one broad responsibility which should govern all of their actions: to protect and improve health. For every provider, this means something different. For your general practitioner at home, it means monitoring the health and well-being of his or her patients when they come in for appointments. For an emergency room doctor, it means treating the emergencies that come in and making recommendations for follow-up care. And for a university's health services, that means working to create a healthy environment for the entire population, encouraging healthy behaviors within the community, and providing primary care to the student body. This is quite the formidable task. But Health Services, at Tufts and elsewhere, is not the same as the practice where you see your family doctor. In addition to training in the traditional biomedical model, practitioners at Health Services are governed by the principles of public and community health. Beyond treating your STD/sprained ankle/sinus infection, Health Services conducts health promotion, prevention, and social marketing campaigns. In conducting these projects, and in supporting others' attempts at doing the same, Health Services still maintains the same responsibility of other health care providers: to protect and improve health. There is no obligation to avoid controversy if it is in the best interest of health. Fortunately, both medicine and public health are fields largely based on scientific studies and evidence-based medicine. Decisions made by providers and practitioners are not based on whim, fancy, or political affiliation. Rather, they are made based on scientific studies and findings. In terms of the Sex Fair, the body of literature supports exposure to sexual terminology, visuals, methods of contraception, and alternatives to intercourse as a means of reducing the transmission of sexually-transmitted infections, the number of unwanted pregnancies, and the occurrence of sexual abuse. In supporting this program, Health Services is fulfilling its obligations to public health. People understandably fear controversy. But fear of controversy in and of itself is not a valid reason to abandon otherwise valid, evidence-supported programming. Fear of controversy is a political rationale, a self-preservation mechanism. It becomes relevant if one has to face re-election, a partisan boss, or retribution while pursuing other aspects of an agenda. Health professionals should be insulated from these more political arguments. But that does not mean that they should restrict their actions to ones with no political repercussions. Balkind argues that "the University should encourage abstinence, marriage, or at least monogamy whenever possible, as these are much better practices in public health." This statement has no basis, or support, in public health. Public health supports protected and safer sexual behaviors. Marriage does not guarantee safe sex, nor does it have a monopoly on safe sex. Abstinence education is impractical, and not supported by public health literature. Promotion of monogamy is also ideological, not governed by health outcomes, but I don't think Health Services has ever promoted polygamy regardless. One of the most important concepts in public health is that of harm reduction. This theory accepts the fact that people will engage in behaviors that are potentially risky, and aims to reduce those risks as much as possible. While there is some disagreement and controversy surrounding harm reduction policy in relation to drug use, harm reduction for sexual activity is widely-accepted as the best form of HIV/AIDS, STI, and unwanted pregnancy prevention. The worst health policies in our nation are the one's governed by politics and ideology, and not by health research. Policies supporting abstinence-only sex education are based on ideology and refuted by health research. The United States' policies surrounding the awarding of aid to population assistance and family planning programs are based on the politics surrounding abortion, not on improving the health of women and families in lesser-developed countries. Continued cuts to government-sponsored health insurance programs are based on pleasing the politically powerful upper classes, not on improving the health of the nation (or even saving money in the long run.) If health professionals were to support these policies, than they could be accused of violating their obligations, their obligation to health. Health Services does not discriminate against conservatives, which is good because HIV/AIDS, sexually-transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy do not discriminate either. Conservatives have sex -- gay sex, straight sex, and everything in between. They have fetishes and proclivities. But if you go for treatment to Health Services, no one will ask your political affiliation. No program forces you to abandon your personal beliefs in abstinence. If a student approached Health Services with an idea for a health education or promotion program that was conservative, but supported by research and the needs of the community, it would probably be encouraged. However, Health Services must acknowledge the fact that students on this campus are engaging in sexual activities, many of which are potentially unsafe. To avoid research-supported programming simply because it may be controversial would be irresponsible. Yes, health care providers may be biased, but not towards a political ideology, but towards responsible health policy. The actions of Health Services are consistent with the argument that health care professionals should stay out of politics, not vice versa. Adam Pulver is a junior majoring in political science and community health. He can be reached at pulver@tuftsdaily.com

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News

University to revamp main website

March 18

If there is one thing both students and administrators can agree on, it's that the Tufts website is too plain. With the Internet becoming more and more important in the college selection and admissions process, universities across the country are realizing the importance of a well-designed website. "At the end of last semester, it was the general student consensus that our website is obsolete and an embarrassment," Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senator Ed Kalafarski said. Kalafarski is spearheading the Senate initiative to begin a major reconstruction of the website. Kalafarski took the idea to fellow TCU Senator John Valentine, who presented the proposal for a new Tufts.edu website at the first Senate meeting of the semester. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of a redesign. According to Assistant Director of Public Relations Pete Sanborn, the main goals of the redesign are to highlight the strengths of the undergraduate and graduate schools, research at the University, student life, faculty, staff, and alumni. New content will replace what already exists, and Sanborn expects there to be easier access to key information to help visitors. "[We need] a top-level web presence that reflects the outstanding reputation of the University," he said. When Kalafarski proposed the idea to Vice President of University Relations Mary Jeka, it paralleled the administration's plans. "As it turned out, we had begun focusing on improving and expanding at about the same time that the senators were developing their resolution," Sanborn said. "We've had a chance to meet and talk about our ideas and have much in common." While researching what could be improved and changed on the Tufts.edu site, Kalafarski browsed other schools' websites for examples of both good and bad sites. "What we found from looking at all these other college websites was that the modern trend is having attractive graphics and a very minimalist design," Kalafarski said. "Basically all we want is a hot design with good features." Students agree the Tufts.edu website and its branches, such as the Student Information System (SIS) page and the admissions sites are unattractive. "It's extremely boring, especially compared to other universities' sites, and it's hard to find information," sophomore Ashley Ward said. "A school like Tufts should have a more impressive and effective site." Both Kalafarski and Sanborn confirmed that the first phase of the redesign will be launched over the summer, but that some new tools may be available online within the upcoming months. The new website design will begin with central University sites but the redesign effort is expected to trickle down to individual academic department websites. Currently, each department designs its own website, frequently through student help. "While the IT deptartment can't force them to go for the new style, it's going to be suggested and strongly encouraged," Kalafarski said. He said some of the current department websites are over ten years old. Because the project is still in its early stages, "everything is subject to change," Kalafarski said. There are no specific University websites or templates that are being considered at the moment. Sanborn also could not comment on what the new website could look like, "but I can say that the new site will be highly visual with improved functionality." Costs are also unknown, but Kalafarski said a professional website design company will work on the project. Ford Adams contributed to this article

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News

Playin' those mind games together

March 18

Hollywood has never been particularly comfortable within the walls of the human psyche. What more proof do you need then the dreaded dream sequence: a character gets conked on the head, the focus goes soft, and suddenly audiences are treated to an inside look at his "subconscious," which, in cinematic terms, usually means a lot of heavy-handed symbolism cribbed from Jung and a child abuse scenario or two thrown in for kicks. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is about the only film that actually gets the interiority of the human mind right. But then again, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman has made a career out of tackling high-concept subject matter with wit and ease -- "Being John Malkovich" was all absurd metaphysics, while "Adaptation" turned the art of screenwriting into a self-referential mind-game. "Eternal Sunshine" begins with the first (or is it the second?) rendezvous between a down-and-out thirtysomething named Joel (played here by an uncharacteristically subdued Jim Carrey), and a manic free-spirit named Clementine (Kate Winslet). He scowls and scribbles in a journal; she bounces around like a tweaker and dyes her hair toxic shades: it's a relationship that's doomed to fail, rehabilitate, and fail again. Thankfully, there's Lacuna Inc. to break the masochistic cycle. Straight out of a less sinister-minded Philip K. Dick novel, Lacuna's not so model employees specialize in the science of memory erasure. After fastening what looks to be a modified spaghetti strainer to the patient's sleeping head, the Lacuna team proceeds to erase every trace of failed romance or, in one case, a beloved dead dog from memory. When Joel finds, to his surprise, that Clem suddenly no longer recognizes him, it's only a matter of time before he stumbles on the Lacuna offices and undergoes the procedure himself. Unfortunately, Joel decides halfway through the operation that he wants to keep some memories of Clem. Helpless to warn the inept memory-erasure crew (comprised of Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood) of his change of heart, Joel must navigate the byways of his own unconscious to escape the procedure with a single happy memory of Clementine. "Sunshine" is Kaufman's second script to be adapted by French music video auteur Michel Gondry. The first, "Human Nature," was almost universally derided, but with "Sunshine," Gondry has hit his stride with remarkable assurance. The subject matter is especially suited for a director who cut his teeth crafting surreal, frequently abstract music videos. At its most freewheeling, "Sunshine" feels like one of these videos with narration -- which is one reason Gondry and Kaufman are able to pull off the dive into Joel's psyche. Yet for all its circuitous storytelling and cerebral concerns, "Sunshine" is, at its heart, a love story. Kaufman's scripts have always had something of a romance movie at their core, usually one involving a lovable, scruffy introvert trying to make headway in the world of women, and this one is no different. Unlike "Malkovich" or "Adaptation," though, the movie's gimmick never takes precedence over the love story. In fact, the memory-erasure plot enhances its romantic counterpoint. Joel's memories are erased backwards and as he relives them a final time before removal, we can see Joel regressing from the painful final days of his relationship to its happier beginning: he ends up falling in love all over again. It is innovative tweaks to the traditional screenwriting formula like these that most in the profession would kill for, and it's the reason that Kaufman has become so well regarded..

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News

Telefund plays role in Annual Fund's record-breaking year

March 18

Thanks to a surge in donations through Telefund, the Tufts Annual Fund is looking forward to another record-setting year, even without a new capital campaign. According to Telefund program manager DJ Stevens (LA, '03), the Telefund has already raised over $2 million with two months still left in the school year. "This already exceeds last year's entire phonathon campaign," he said. The Annual Fund as a whole has raised $94 million this year, with $5 million slated for undergraduate Arts, Sciences, and Engineering programs and facilities. Money raised by Telefund, which employs sixty students who place phone calls for direct solicitation, goes to a variety of areas, including financial aid, lab equipment, library resources, and faculty development, Stevens said. Telefund employees make phone calls from different alumni calling pools, which are divided into those who have previously donated and those who have not. "Those who have donated in the past are more receptive to giving again," one Telefund employee said. "With those who haven't donated before, you just have to encourage them, work harder to encourage them to give." The main tactic employed by the Tufts Fund is to keep alumni involved and active in the school's network through growing communication and ongoing programs. During his tenure at Tufts, President Larry Bacow has made a strong commitment to growing the fund, and said that results are already evident. "I think the Annual Fund has grown in recent years because we have done a better job of engaging our alumni before we ask for their support. For example, we have tried to provide better programming for Tufts alumni groups in cities throughout the country," Bacow said. "We have also tried to reach out to alumni through better communications like E-News." Although Telefund only makes up just over two percent of this year's Annual Fund donations, Bacow said Telefund is a crucial source of the school's capital because its funds can be used immediately. "The Annual Fund provides unrestricted support for current use. It helps provide flexibility in the budget to address immediate, as opposed to long term, capital needs," he said. Each individual Telefund call seeks to target alumni through their personal connection to and experiences at Tufts. "If you make conversation and ask them what they were most interested in and tell them they can give specifically to that, it makes them more likely to give a donation," another student employee said. This also leads to an increase in targeted giving, where a patron can request that their donation be used to benefit a particular program or facility. Targeted giving is available for any of the groups, programs, teams, and facilities on campus. "If alumni had participated in one of those areas when they were at school and you offer that option to them, that gets them more excited than just giving to the Tufts Fund," the student said. "That way they know their donation is going to something that they have been a part of." Along with alumni, parents of current and past students are also targeted through Telefund phone calls. "Parents of current students are always more likely to give to areas their children are involved in," the student said. Telefund employees are discouraged from speaking to the press, and the students spoke on the condition of anonymity. Donations tend to increase with older alumni, as more recent graduates are often not in a financial position to donate. One student worker said "a lot of people from Fletcher are more willing to give. They really seem to be on their feet." Annual Fund gifts can take the form of cash, securities, properties, life insurance plans, or real estate options. Many donor plans are tax deductible. Bacow explained that keeping graduates and parents more engaged has led to the campaign's success, and the school hopes to continue this growth in the future. "Our goal is to build a lifelong, value-added relationship with every graduate of Tufts," he said. "We want to give them a reason to stay in touch with their alma mater."

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News

Spring trip to set tone for team

March 18

The Tufts baseball team opens its 2004 campaign today on a ten game road trip through eight schools in Virginia and North Carolina. The Jumbos will play Lynchburg this afternoon, followed by clashes with Randolph-Macon, Guilford, Methodist, Greensboro, NC Wesleyan and culminating in back-to-back doubleheaders next weekend at Apprentice and Virginia Wesleyan. The Jumbos went 5-4 on last season's southern swoop, and 6-3-1 in 2002. Both years, the team ended its season with over 20 wins. Tufts will try to use the trip as a positive jumpstart to its season. Coach John Casey, who heads a considerably youthful team this season, will take 26 ballplayers on the trip with the aim of finalizing the roster and settling on which players will be plugging the holes left by last season's departed seniors and recent injuries this year. "We're gonna learn a lot, especially about the younger guys," assistant coach Bill Samko said. "[Casey] has it so everybody who goes down plays, to discover who's ready and who is not." The trip will also serve to provide game experience before returning north for league competition against NESCAC rivals. In the process, testing out different lineup combinations with both varsity and JV athletes will allow the coaching staff to find the right balance at the plate, on the mound, and in the field to assemble a competitive team. "It's really a preparation for league play when they get back," Samko explained. "[Casey's] going to experiment with people at different positions, play guys in the outfield to see who can figure it out, out there, and I think we'll find out who our backup catcher is [to replace injured sophomore Josh Ludmer]." While winning is undoubtedly an important part of the season's opening week, Casey stressed the importance of playing well, rather than focusing on the final score. "We're not shying away, we're going to go play them," Casey said in an interview last month. "I don't even care who wins, I care if we play competitively. Either way, it's going to give us some great experience and give us a sense of how well we're going to fly." With any luck, the team will return to campus with some strong play under its belt ready to tackle the NESCAC competition and shoot for its fifth straight 20-win season. "Of course, you always want to win some," Samko said. "[But] they're trying to get ready for when they get back up here, when it really counts."

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News

To be free, or not to be?

March 18

Contract controversies are always swirling during spring training, and so far this spring has been no different. There were many who wondered if Oakland A's third baseman Eric Chavez would get a lucrative extension. Yes, you read that sentence correctly, the words "Oakland A's" and "lucrative extension" were in the same sentence together. And yesterday afternoon, Oakland actually followed through, signing Chavez to a six-year extension believed to be worth $66 million, which would be the biggest contract in franchise history. Unfortunately the Boston Red Sox do not have to deal with just one contract controversy: they have four key players who will be free agents after the season (catcher Jason Varitek, pitchers Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez, and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra). They likely won't be able to keep everyone, so the question is: who to keep? As much as Boston fans love Nomar, of all the free agents in that group, Garciaparra should be last on the list if he does not drop his unrealistic contract demands. If he maintains his current stance, the Sox management may let the beloved Nomah walk in a Mo Vaughn-esque fashion, and the ownership would be completely justified in doing so. According to numerous reports, the Red Sox offered Garciaparra a generous four year, $60 million contract last spring. However, the shortstop quickly rejected the deal. At that point, the Red Sox decided to reduce their offer to four years and $48 million because of the current dynamics of the market. Apparently Nomar was insulted and is holding out for something in the $16 million per year range. The Boston management does not want to alienate the fan base, but they surely know that paying Nomar anything more than about $13 million per year would be foolish. The bottom line is that Garciaparra's play has been declining for some time. Anyone who has watched the Red Sox over the last two years can see that the Boston shortstop is not the Nomar of 1999 and 2000. In those two years, Garciaparra posted OPS numbers of 1.021 and 1.033, respectively. Since coming back from his wrist injury in 2001, Garciaparra has posted OPS' of .880 and .869. Not too shabby, but those aren't numbers worthy of a $16 million player (unless you're thinking of Derek Jeter, in which case, just remember that George Steinbrenner is a lunatic). Let's not forget Nomar is already thirty years old, with a history of injury. In addition, statistics show that Garciaparra's approach at the plate has actually gotten worse over the last few years. Numbers show that Nomar swung at a far higher number of first pitches in 2003 than in past years. That has to make Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein cringe. If that isn't enough cause for concern, look at Garciaparra's numbers down the stretch in 2003. He batted .170 in the entire month of September, posting an anemic .599 OPS. In the playoffs, he didn't fare much better (.660 OPS). That combines to about 150 at-bats. That's more than a slump; he was either hiding an injury or he's lost some bat speed. The Boston management should wait out this season and see how Garciaparra performs. If he's the superstar Nomar of 1999, then the shortstop has a case and the team should pony up the dough. But it's more likely the solid Nomar of 2002-3 will show up. That means he should accept a fair deal of around three or four years at $12 or $13 million. It would be a hard sell to send Nomah his walking papers, but it is the right thing to do if he doesn't change his stubborn ways. After all, as much as Boston loves Garciaparra, the fans want nothing more than to win (for evidence, see the Alex Rodriguez saga). Overpaying for Nomar won't help the team win; Epstein can use $16 million far more efficiently than spending it all on an aging shortstop. If he wants to stay in Boston as much he says he does, Garciaparra should do what Tim Wakefield and Trot Nixon did: accept a modest and fair offer that helps both sides accomplish the one ultimate goal: winning a World Series Championship. Over in the National League, the question everyone's wondering is 'who's the team to beat?' The Philadelphia Phillies have to be considered favorites in the Eastern division after the Braves outsourced most of their good players. The real race is going to be in the Central, with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs battling for the top spot. The San Francisco Giants have to be considered the favorites in the West. In the end, the battle for the pennant should be a tight one between Houston and Chicago. Both have exceptional pitching staffs, but the edge has to be given to the Astros because of their hitting and bullpen advantages. In addition, it's quite likely that by October, Dusty Baker will have run some of his young, fragile pitchers into the ground. If the Astros do emerge from the National League, it could make for an interesting story if they are matched up against either the Red Sox or the Yankees. If it's Sox-Astros, there is the return of pitcher and arch-enemy Roger Clemens as well as former manager Jimy Williams. If it's Yankees-Astros, then there is the return of now arch-enemy Roger Clemens as well as former pitcher Andy Pettitte. There are many exciting possibilities, so just sit back and enjoy the start of the season.

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News

Spring break will be no break for men's lacrosse

March 18

While many Tufts students will be enjoying the sun and relaxing on some exotic beach during spring break, the men's lacrosse team will be competing against some of the top teams in New England and the country over the next ten days. The Jumbos will begin their spring trip tonight against Endicott College, one of the top fifteen teams in New England. After Endicott, the team travels south to Baltimore, where it will compete against Whittier College, which has one of the top ten lacrosse programs in the nation. The Jumbos will wrap up their trip against Western New England. According to coach Mike Daly, Endicott and Whittier will pose the biggest challenges for his team. "Endicott and Whittier will be good tests for us," Daly said. "But there isn't a team in this country that we're afraid [of]. If we maintain our focus and execute the fundamentals we can compete with anyone. When we lose this mentality, we run into problems." The biggest challenge the team has faced thus far has been getting outside to practice, especially after this week's weather. Although practicing indoors has been effective, the Jumbos haven't been able to simulate many game situations, which indoor practices cannot provide. "Our biggest problem has been the weather," Daly said. "Getting outside on a field just gives us so many more options in practice. It could be a factor for us as we compete with teams down south who have had the benefit of practicing outdoors, but there are so many other factors in the sport. We're not going to use the inclement weather as an excuse." The Jumbos came out strong in their first game against MIT, winning 16-4. However, according to Daly, it's still too early in the season to make any assumptions about the team. "We had a good showing against MIT," Daly said. "We had some problems adjusting in certain game situations, but we'll work those things out." Overall, the Jumbos will look to use their balanced attack to their advantage against other squads around the region. The team doesn't rely on one single player to be omnipresent, but rather has a slew of role players capable of hurting its opponents. According to Daly, the Jumbos will play efficiently and rely on every player to carry out his role. "We don't have one guy who will carry us all season," Daly said. "Everyone plays different roles, and as long as they execute their roles, we'll be successful. We've got a lot of great kids who love lacrosse, and want to win, so we'll be competitive." The Jumbos will look to improve on last season's trip, when they faced three tough opponents over the course of the week. The Jumbos will only face one team this year that they did last year, Endicott. During last year's trip, the team also battled Eastern Connecticut and Western New England, going 2-1 in the three contests. Tufts was led by junior standout Bryan Griffin, who notched 11 goals and three assists in those three games. While the Jumbos will face considerably stiffer competition this week, the squad will look to Griffin, classmates Devin Clarke and Devin Taylor, and senior tri-captains Matt Malatesta, Tom Mulcahy, and Dave Rodman, to lead the way.

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News

Kitsch for Your Cross-Country Excursion

March 18

This is the fourth installment in a bi-weekly feature on specialty stores in the Boston area. This week, the Dailylooks at souvenir shops. Forget Cancun -- for those who love to shop, Spring Break is the perfect opportunity to blow a hole in your wallet and get rid of the extra holiday money that's been plaguing you ever since December. If you've finally tired of trolling Downtown Crossing and searching for a nonexistent bargain at Cambridgeside, hop in a car or on a plane and head around the country to seek out other great shopping opportunities. Leaving New England isn't even a necessity. If you're still searching for that shirt from Filene's that you never quite got around to buying six months ago, try one of the various Ocean State Job Lot stores, which purchase close-out brand name merchandise to sell for cheaper prices. For those willing to hop on a train and brave the New York subway, discounts abound in secondhand shops, and you can even pick up a model of the Statue of Liberty to decorate your desk for the rest of the semester. The signs for South of the Border start to pop up somewhere south of Richmond, Virginia. Then they pop up relentlessly, at least one per mile on average, to the point where you can't do anything but stop at this cheesy tourist stop. It's amazing that so much can be squeezed out of a stretch of souvenir stores and dilapidated "restaurants," but when your rear end is sore from hours of driving, any diversion is more than welcome. South of the Border is perhaps the vilest result of capitalism this side of Enron, but I dare you to drive by it on I-95. It's irresistible. If you prefer malls, head for the Midwest -- the Mall of America, of course, is the king in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is so big that it even has its own theme park inside. Oakpark Mall just north of Chicago, Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois, and Mayfair Mall outside of Milwaukee give one the opportunity to turn a road trip into one big shopping excursion. If you make it to the Windy City, Michigan Avenue is famous for its shops and boutiques, but the area around Grant Park probably offers a better opportunity to find something at a real bargain. For those unlucky enough to be heading even farther into the frozen north, the West Edmonton Mall up in Edmonton, Canada, is the largest in the world. Even if it's snowing outside, the Galaxyland amusement park and the full-scale water park and aquarium within the mall itself offer the perfect escape from the ice and snow. The shops, of course, are nothing to turn your nose up at, either: with over 800 stores spread out over a sprawling 120 acres, even the pickiest shopper will be sure to find something to take back to his or her dorm room. The west coast has its own share of shopping opportunities. Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco boasts fish markets side by side with knickknack shops, perfect for purchasing a little wooden boat that can sit on top of your fireplace for all eternity. For those with a sweet tooth, the city by the bay also has more than its share of candy shops, featuring everything from homemade fudge to maple sugar candies. Keep California on your mind as you support Corporate America at Downtown Disney, keep an eye out for movie stars as you cruise the streets of L.A., or troll the tourist shops by the water in San Diego as it suits your fancy. Tourists may come from all over the world to check out South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, but you'll probably be better off finding a bargain if you head for the outlet malls just outside of Palm Springs. If you've never quite been convinced that "Jurassic Park" wasn't the real deal, you can stop off on the way at the gas station right outside the San Gorgonio Pass on Interstate 10 -- two gigantic dinosaurs mark the skyline here, and you can climb into the Tyrannosaurus Rex to check out the overpriced dino models and fossils on sale in the gift shop inside. If you really head south of the border -- even for just a mile or two -- the plethora of cheap, strange, or otherwise attractive products for sale in border towns like Juarez or Tijuana will cause you to dive right for your wallet. You can use the paper flowers and cheaply made maracas to convince your friends back home that you've gone somewhere really exotic, and even get the thrill of living on the edge when you haggle your way down from $5 for that Bart Simpson shirt that you always wanted. Whether you're hunting for bargains on Miami beaches or in the open-air market at Florence, Spring Break is still the perfect opportunity to spend money. Remember: if you love shopping, it's not where you go, but what kind of deals you can dig up.

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News

Tufts community donates solely to Democrats

March 18

One hundred percent of donations over $100 made by Tufts students and faculty to presidential campaigns went to the Democratic Party, according to a report by the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), a non-profit, non partisan research group in Washington D.C. Senior Senator and Trustee Representative Joseph Coletti said that given the social and political scene at Tufts, "it is no secret that the school is very liberal and Democratic." The overall results for the top 20 determined that 66 percent of the total contributions made were to Democratic candidates. Although Tufts was not among the top 20 education contributors, the University's donation percentage was equal to that of the College of William and Mary, the only other institution to give 100 percent Democratic financial support. Tufts community members gave $12750 to campaigns overall. Tufts represented the pro-Democrat extreme of the overall donation spectrum. Tufts' total contribution, however, was split between Democratic presidential candidates including Howard Dean, John Edwards, and John Kerry. The majority of Tufts contributors were faculty and administration. President Lawrence Bacow donated $1,000 to General Wesley Clark's campaign. Drama and Arts Associate Professor Barbara Goodwin matched that donation for the Dean campaign. Neva Goodwin, co-director of the Global Development and Environment Institute, said that Tufts' Democratic support is attributed to the University's "strong culture of responsible citizenship." "The clustering of support towards Democrats suggests to me that a variety of values which Tufts faculty and students tend to share are more in line with values that are apt to be espoused by Democrats than with those that are associated with Republicans," Goodwin said. Goodwin said her contribution to the Dean campaign was a response to her disappointment in the Bush presidency. She said that the Bush administration maintained a poor environmental record, avoided its responsibility to Afghanistan, and antagonized "our allies who are essential if we are to confront the global threat of terrorism." In contrast to her disillusionment with Bush, Goodwin saw a new hope in Democratic candidates Kerry and Dean. Due to the recent turnouts in the primaries, Goodwin favors Kerry in light of his potential to be a good leader for the U.S. in a trying time. Tufts undergraduates have also given their share of election contributions. Coletti, for example, recently contributed a significant amount to the John Edwards campaign. "I haven't been so inspired in my life by a politician," he said. Political science professor Jeffrey Berry believes that Tufts' overwhelmingly Democratic stance is fairly common in the northeast. "I don't think we're different from most elite northeastern colleges. Most elite schools lean heavily towards liberalism. Nationally, the bias isn't so great," Berry said. Berry said that Bush has angered many Democrats and has pushed them to donate, while there is little incentive for Republicans to give to the Bush campaign due to the large funds he already has. Democratic candidates such as John Kerry are desperate for funds, however, and people will be more likely to donate to him, Berry said. "If you're going to donate to Kerry, donate to him now."

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News

Senate resolution divides TTLGBC and TJO

March 18

Hopes of an amicable resolution to one of the campus's oldest debates have been temporarily dashed due to miscommunication and confusion. Members of Tufts Joint Operations (TJO) and the Tufts Transgender Lesbian Gay Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) were on the road to developing close ties prior last Sunday's Senate meeting. The TJO is a military service organization that deals with both ROTC and non-ROTC issues. At the meeting, the Senate passed a "resolution to support the granting of credit for courses taken by Tufts students while enrolled in the MIT ROTC program." The resolution passed 14-5 with four senators abstaining. Tufts students who participate in ROTC do not currently receive credit for courses taken at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The resolution sparked heated debate, as the TTLGBC objects to the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Discussions between TJO and TTLGBC began last Wednesday when TJO President Sean Colon and members Frances Dixon and Kyle Fisher met with TTLGBC Co-coordinator Kit Stanton and co-president of Emerge Matt Pohl. Emerge is an activist group for gay and lesbian political issues. "At first I was thrilled that they had contacted us," Pohl said. "I do feel empathy for a lot of these students. I know they take a lot of effort to go and take these classes and train." The two groups decided "it was important for the queer community to be included in any additional actions [TJO] would take," Pohl said. "I saw this as the beginning of a wonderful relationship from which both sides could greatly benefit," Colon said. "We were even discussing holding joint events on campus." The conflict arose when the Senate chose to vote on the resolution at Sunday's meeting. Neither group was given advance notice of the vote in order to prepare a formal statement, so members rushed to the meeting to give brief remarks. Senior ROTC cadet David Taylor spoke in favor ROTC students receiving course credit for classes. "I was unaware that a resolution would be voted on until 10 minutes before the meeting," he said. "My initial intention for appearing at the meeting was not to pass a resolution but rather to apprise my student representatives of the discrimination against ROTC students." Representatives from TTLGBC were not informed that the meeting would include a vote on the resolution. "We found out about this resolution literally about 10 minutes before the meeting," Pohl said. "All of us rushed in and gave an uninformed presentation." TTLGBC members were disappointed that they were uninformed. "Somehow between Wednesday and Sunday there was a breakdown in communication," Stanton said. Colon said TJO was did not know of the vote ahead of time, and that he was unsure if Taylor would speak. "This was all a misunderstanding," he said. "Many students have been speaking to faculty members and advisors on their own, and Dave Taylor saw the opportunity to speak to the TCU Senate and took it." However, Colon said he regrets what happened. "I definitely would like to make a public apology to both Matthew Pohl and the rest of TTLGBC who might have felt that this was done purposefully and maliciously," he said. A representative from TTLGBC was scheduled to attend the TJO meeting on Monday night, but as a result of the incident on Sunday, no representative attended. Because of the resolution, "I decided not to go to their meeting," Pohl said. "The damage has been done, at least for now," Pohl said. "In my eyes, most chances for full dialogue with the LGBT community have been squandered." Pohl said TTLGBC expected to discuss the resolution with TJO before it was given to the Senate for approval. Members of TJO and ROTC said the issue of course credit should be separate from the issue of discrimination against homosexuals. "Basically we can't fight unjust discrimination with more unjust discrimination," Taylor said. "I know it is important to make a point to the government, but I only ask that the undeserving Tufts ROTC students not be used as the sacrificial lamb," he said. "Simply put, there was miscommunication and misunderstanding all around and nobody should be accused of anything," Taylor said. Colon and TJO are hoping to reopen dialogue. "I certainly hope that this does not hinder this rare opportunity to bridge the gap between these two communities," he said. "This has been one of my priorities and is of great importance to myself and many of the TJO members." -- Jon Schubin contributed to this article

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News

Making birthdays fun between 18 and 21

March 18

Colorful invitations, theme parties, skating rinks, laser tag, cake, goody bags, and an exorbitant amount of presents -- all these things come to mind when reminiscing about childhood birthday celebrations. When the number of candles on the cake surpasses eighteen, however, many celebrate their special days in -- well, other ways. "Sometimes, high school parties are organized by parents - quite a bit differently than college birthdays," sophomore Mary Humphreys said. While the ways that college students celebrate their birthdays may change, the annual event remains a cause for celebration. "I think birthdays get celebrated about as much as they do in high school, but in different ways," Humphreys said. Students agree that one aspect of birthdays has definitely -- and regrettably -- changed: the number of birthday presents received in college. "[Birthdays] have changed in that I don't think people give birthday presents as much as before college, because there are so many birthdays to celebrate," sophomore Rhiannon Deierhoi said. Considering the number of fellow Jumbos the average student knows, purchasing gifts for all of them is not only a daunting task, but also a bank-breaking one. "Presents are a bit less extravagant because people just can't afford too much on the actual present," Humphreys said. The money that students may spend by buying fewer presents, however, often gets redirected towards the actual birthday activity. Friends often chip in to make the day a special affair. "The most money is spent on actually organizing the event," Humphreys said. Some would argue, however, that the party's not over, even if you can't put your ID to use just yet. According to many students, the college years see a number of landmark birthdays, not just the typically heralded 21st. "Our nineteenth birthday was our first one together at Tufts," sophomore Caroline Decker said. "Turning twenty is also a big deal; we are no longer teenagers. So over four years, there are some pretty big birthdays in there." The first birthday away from home represents a milestone for many freshmen. "I always had pretty exciting birthdays at home, but the first one here was great because I wasn't expecting it, and it was all the friends I had made at Tufts that meant the most to me in one place," Deierhoi said of the surprise birthday party her friends planned for her 19th birthday. "It was awesome." The surprise party is one route many students take to avoid the clich‚d dinner out. "I've been to a lot of surprise parties," Deirhoi said. "Mine has actually been a surprise both years." For those who are bored with the typical on-campus celebration, there are many places to explore off campus. A surprisingly popular birthday celebration spot for Tufts students is Chuck E. Cheese's. Though it may sound silly, returning to one's birthday party roots can result in a memorable time. "We went to Chuck E. Cheese's because it was really funny," Humphreys said. "We got to play all the games and crawl through the tunnels with kids, which was embarrassing but awesome." Humphreys said. "Plus, we danced with the Chuck E. Cheese huge doll, so that was funny." Sophomore Miranda Steed's friends had the same idea. "We got the [Chuck E. Cheese's] party area all to ourselves and just had a blast acting stupid," she said. Another positive aspect of this type of festivity is the lack of a minimum age limit: Chuck E. Cheese's will not card you and your guests. "It was a nineteenth birthday present, so we couldn't go out to bars or anything like that yet," Humphreys said. A word of advice to those who plan on copying this idea: avoid Fridays and Saturdays. "We went on a weeknight, so it wasn't full of screaming kids," Steed said. For those who want a more grown up place to celebrate birthdays, Boston offers a multitude of special-occasion activities for those with the imagination to find them. "We went to see comedian Dane Cook at the Boston Comedy Connection [at Faneuil Hall] recently for a birthday, which was a really fun time," Humphreys said. Many students fall back on the reliable tradition of taking the birthday girl or boy out to dinner, but add a not-so-tame twist. Some students suggest taking your friends -- and your sense of humor -- to the raunchy Dick's Last Resort, located in the Prudential Center. "The service is really bad, on purpose," sophomore Mara Stahl said. "If you're really close friends with someone, enough to be able to make fun of each other, it's great." Humphreys' advice to those planning birthday parties is to make it big. "Bigger groups are more fun for birthday parties, especially for surprise parties," she said. "My least favorite way to celebrate a birthday party is probably with a movie or something low-key. I like it to be a big, built up event that people have a blast at."

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News

Big fun on your b-day

March 18

If blowing out the candles just isn't enough of a birthday adventure for you, try celebrating with one of these unique activities. Explore the city by taking a cruise in Boston's historic harbor: Boston Harbor Cruises offers a variety of tours, including the USS Constitution Cruise (a 45 minute tour), the Historic Sightseeing Cruise, and the Sunset Cruise (each 90 minutes). All have great views, and you may even pick up an interesting fact or two. Prices range from $12-18. Want a full-(birth)day trip? Try the Whale Watch, a three-hour guided tour that guarantees whale sightings on every trip ($30 for adults). If you are prone to seasickness or would prefer an on-land celebration, challenge your friends to a scavenger hunt: See which team can collect items from different Boston sites. For example, items could include a chocolate-covered cannoli from Mike's Pastry in the North End, a map of the Museum of Fine Arts, a postcard of Fenway Park, and a picture from the Prudential Center Skywalk. Looking for a more leisurely daytime activity? Take the Red Line to Park Street and walk to the Public Garden for a picnic. Hop on one of the swan boats that paddle around the main lagoon (starting April 17). Have a winter birthday? Try a skate around the Frog Pond in Boston Commons. Are you the competitive type? Show off your skills in a candlepin-bowling match. You won't have to look far for an alley. Sacco's Bowl-Haven is located at 45 Day Street in Davis Square. Or, you can take the Green Line to Kenmore Square and find Jillian's, (at 145 Ipswich St.) which offers a game floor and a billiards floor (Sunday through Thursday after 8pm 18+, Friday and Saturday after 8pm 21+). Those that enjoy spending time on the dance floor but are looking for a change from the typical club scene should try their swing dancing moves. Check out Swing City, a new lindy-hop dance club, located at 688 Huron Ave in Cambridge. It's open every Friday night for dancing, and is $10 with student ID. Take the 75 bus from Harvard Square. -Stephanie Christofides

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News

Jumbos head west for busy week

March 18

Softball players will head to California for spring break, but unlike most other students, they won't be going to rest and relax. The Jumbos will play 12 games over the course of the week, starting this Sunday when they kick off their season at the Sun West Tournament in Orange County. Tufts will take on a variety of different opponents over the course of the week. The team starts off playing Carleton and then faces off against Elmhurst and St. Catherine among others. The biggest game is saved for last, as Tufts will face rival Williams in the final leg of the trip. Aside from the obvious rivalry, the Jumbos will be out to defeat the Ephs for another reason. This will be the first time Tufts will get to face its former coach, Kris Herman, who left to be the head coach at Williams after last season. "The Williams game is going to be huge for us," senior tri-captain Deana Davidian said. "It's hard not to think about how much we want to beat them," senior Pam Swidler said. "We're all going to be up for the game, but we can't psyche ourselves out either. We've got to stay focused." Sophomore Laura Spring is one of the players who will be competing for a position on the trip. She and freshman Sarah Taylor are both going to see time at third base over the course of the trip to help coach Milligan determine a regular for the hot corner. However, Spring is not dwelling on the situation. "I don't really think about [the third base situation]," Spring said. "My focus is on whatever the team wants me to play to help them win." The Jumbos also hope to get an idea of who can fill the vacancy at left field over the course of the trip. "There are a bunch of people who are going to see time at that spot," Swidler said. "I think a lot of people are just going to split the time and we'll see what happens." In addition to the positional battles, there are a couple of other questions that need to be answered. "The trip is going to be useful because we'll hopefully get our lineup in order," Davidian said. "We'll also use the trip as a learning experience and hopefully get our freshman adjusted to college softball." While the Jumbos are facing the daunting task of playing twelve games in a week, Davidian feels the team is deep enough to compete. "We've got seven pitchers this year, which is a lot, so we should certainly be fresh," she said. Despite the distractions of being in California during spring break and facing a grueling schedule of numerous double-headers, the team feels focused and ready to play. "It won't be hard to focus because we all know why we're there," Davidian said. "We have very high goals because of what we've achieved in the past. We want to come out with at least a 7-5 record." Swidler echoed Davidian's comments. "I think we've made a lot of progress over the last few weeks, and I think all of us are ready to start playing some games," she said. Like the rest of the Jumbos, Spring is anticipating a productive trip. "Everyone's been looking forward to this cause we've been indoors working for the past five weeks," she said.

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News

Skip This Trip to Paradise

March 18

The tagline of FOX's new reality television series, "Forever Eden," attempts to entice its audience by promising a "reality show without an end." Unfortunately, this statement is only half true; although the hour-long show feels like it will never end, its inability to be even remotely entertaining makes cancellation seem inevitable. In the defense of "Eden," at least the show's premise diverges from the rut of reality dating shows in which television programming seems to be trapped. The pitch: eleven players with better-than-average looks and bodies leave their families and friends to meet and stay in paradise ... indefinitely. Each participant is given four coins worth $1,000 for every week that he is able to stay on the show. Banishment from Eden strips the contestant of half of his collected fortune, while a voluntary decision to leave costs them all of their earnings. Every week, one of the contestants is banished and replaced by someone that has been watching the show back in the real world (with the added requirement that they are also unrealistically beautiful, lest the balance of paradise is upset by someone who is unpleasant to look at). At least in other reality shows, the audience is given enough time to invest emotion in the characters, whether it it's positive or negative; "Eden" barely introduces new players before one of them is banished. The writers have successfully cooked up numerous challenges such as "males choose the most undesirable female" to "females choose the most desirable male" in order to ensure a relentless cycle of sex and conflict. In the eloquent summation of one of the contestants: "This is drama, dawg!" Although the never-ending plot twists make it difficult to predict who is next to get the boot, whatever intellectual stimulation is used trying to guess what will happen next is counterbalanced by the mind-numbing stupidity of the players' themselves. Mary, the "former" sports club manager from Utah, pulls a Julie from "Real World: New Orleans" and immediately declares, "I've never seen so many black people in my whole entire life ... I was like, wow this is cool!" Unlike Julie, who over the course of the season comes to realize how na‹ve she is and grow in character, Mary compounds her own ignorance with such statements as, "How did your toes get black like that? Did you get something on them? Oh my God, are your toes just dark like that? I've never seen a black man's feet before!" She is then promptly kicked off the show, leaving the viewers at home to scramble and try to recover whatever brain cells were lost from hearing this woman speak. And although Mary is unforgivably ignorant, every comment about her from the men exacerbates the situation by focusing on her enormous breasts and sex appeal: Jordan confesses that Mary may be "racist and ignorant, but I still might have sex with her," while Matt proclaims, "She's like looking at a piece of paper, with very large plastic breasts." The real drama kicks in after a day or two of lounging around by the pool when the men have to select the woman whom they find to be the least desirable. They then have to place a laughably oversized, hormone-injected green apple on the chosen woman's pillow and see what drama will follow. I'll save you two hours of your life and summarize: Mary ends up being deemed "least desirable," and in true reality-show fashion must stand in front of the group while the men humiliate her. Then the tables are turned: Mary is told that she gets to choose which man will be banished; Mary butt-kissing promptly ensues. Finally, both Mary and Craig, the brawny and brainless fitness trainer, are eliminated in a "shocking double-banishment." "It's just, like, a part of us, like, totally just like left," Brooke says, shedding a tear over the intense two-day relationships she had developed with the banished contestants. The remaining group then proceeds to get drunk off of champagne, play truth-or-dare, and wind up in each other's beds. "Eden" is the ultimate cheesy drama, complete with repeated echoing voiceovers and sepia-toned flashbacks. The show relies on the flashback technique to fill time so often that it feels like watching everything in the episode twice. If melodramatic scenes of elimination couched between discussions over who can dread their chest hair are your idea of a good time, then plop yourself in front of the tube on Thursday nights at 9 and tune into "Forever Eden." But you'd better act quickly: FOX may soon realize that it picked a rotten apple and give this series what it deserves: banishment.

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News

Free membership and cheap late fees

March 18

Imagine a free video rental service, replete with obscure foreign films, Oscar winners, and mainstream popular films. Now imagine that it is less than a five minute walk from anywhere on campus. Actually, it is on campus, and it's open to the perusal of anyone with a Tufts ID. Such a place is not just a fantasy. It exists, and it's called the Bernstein Media Center. Located on the third floor of Tisch Library, the Media Center has over 10,000 items in its collection, including approximately 1500 DVDs. Many of these films can be checked out for the weekend, providing the student body with a veritable video rental facility just up the stairs from the library stacks. The Media Center opened in 1987, and at that time, merely occupied what is now a staff lounge. After the Tisch renovation in 1996, the current Media Center and the large screening room were constructed, replacing space which previously held archives. Since that time the center has continued to grow and respond to the demands of both faculty and students. Currently, the Media Center and its accompanying classrooms make up almost the entire third floor. The heavy involvement of the faculty has helped the library garner a diverse selection. Media Center manager Richard Fleischer remarked, "It really is a remarkable collection, one of the best in the Boston area." Since DVD has only recently begun to become the norm, the Media Center has a majority of VHS films. There are over 6,000 VHS titles available. Some of these titles are actually 30 to 40 volumes of a series, making the number of VHS films even greater. However, one should not see these numbers as a statement of a dominant popularity of VHS cassettes; more DVD titles were checked out last semester than VHS titles. While the crop of DVDs is minor compared to the VHS, the library has plenty to offer in the popular format. In addition, the library staff understands that film producers are moving towards DVD. "It's only a matter of time before DVD replaces VHS," Fleischer admitted. Fleischer cautions that the Media Center is not a Blockbuster, but this does not mean there is not a vast collection at the students' disposal. For example, one glance at the newly acquired DVDs shows many recent critically acclaimed and popular films, including "25th Hour," "Whale Rider," and "Secretary." When professors sometimes require a single episode from a television series, the library will buy the whole series, which is why a perusal through the DVD collection will turn up complete seasons of "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City." Another underused and often unknown feature of the center is the folders of suggestions and genres at the front desk. Looking through these, one discovers that the library has a vast collection of foreign films, including French, Spanish, Italian, German and even Russian. Among these are recent favorites like the Mexican film "Y T? Mama Tambien," and the video game-like "Run Lola Run" from Germany. One folder contains "Great Movies -- the first 100", a selection by film critic Roger Ebert. Of these 100, the library is only missing 17. Though it is faculty driven, the Media Center does cater to students. People can vote on what films the library should purchase, and in addition, the Tisch Library website has a link to newly acquired films. Students can also view the new arrivals from home or search for a specific movie on the Tisch website. Fleischer says that students should remember that suggestions, questions, and comments are welcome, because "the entire University is in charge of the collection." So don't be shy, if there's a film you want, come down to the Media Center and ask for it. Chances are they already have it.

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News

Freshmen frustrated with lack of communication about housing lottery

March 17

Members of the freshman class filed into Cousens Gymnasium throughout the afternoon and evening on Tuesday to pick on-campus housing for their sophomore year. Some freshmen found the experience less than spectacular, but senior Resident Assistant (RA) Randy Newsom said that considering other factors, the process went well. Newsom helped at the housing lottery last year as well as this one, and said, "With all the turnover in ResLife this year, [the lottery] was put on such few people. It just seemed less smooth but not necessarily more disorganized." Associate Director of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) Lorraine Toppi left several weeks ago. Toppi's job position included coordinating the housing lottery. According to Newsom, ResLife enlisted the help of Student Services for the first time this year. Students Services were responsible for setting up and running the computers and screens that displayed a listing of available rooms to waiting lottery participants. While waiting at Cousens for his lottery number to be called, freshman Andy Title questioned the lack of communication between ResLife and students. November's e-mail "said we'd receive an e-mail later on with more information about the actual lottery process," Title said. "They never sent us anything though -- I was pretty unsure about this -- I still am." At the end of November, students received e-mails from the ResLife Office notifying them that their housing lottery numbers were available online. Current freshman lottery numbers ran from a high of 2,999 to a low of 1,500. A junior first-year RA, who wished to remain anonymous, said that because ResLife held office hours and informational sessions, it didn't send out a follow-up e-mail. "Also, RAs were supposed to forward a recent e-mail from ResLife explaining the lottery process to their residents," the RA said. It seems, however, that many RAs neglected to do so. Freshman Amelia Denegre said she did not receive an e-mail explaining the lottery. "I think that the process would've run much more smoothly if I had received an e-mail detailing how the lottery was going to work," she said. "The only reason I knew to come to Cousens for this was through word of mouth." Title heard of the lottery in the same way. "I had to ask sophomores who live in my suite [about the lottery]," he said. According to Director of ResLife Yolanda King, there were four informational sessions regarding the housing lottery offered this year for freshmen. Some freshmen were able to secure full suites in Hillsides Apartments this year -- an opportunity rarely available to rising sophomores -- due to low upperclassman interest in Hillsides apartments. According to another first-year junior RA, this lack of interest was probably due to the fact that "it's really hard to find seniors that want to live in a double because the Hillsides suites are made up of four singles and a double each." The RA said that all in all, the housing selection process had been going "smoothly" and that "it's pretty self-explanatory once you get here." Many freshmen, however, were upset that they were never told Hillsides was an option available to them. To apply for a Hillside apartment, students had to sign up for an additional lottery that took place on March 9. "It makes me a little angry and a bit jealous that I did not know that there were [Hillsides] apartments opening," freshman Luke Holden said. Freshman Zach Landau and five of his freshmen friends will live together in a fourth-floor suite in Hillsides next year. Landau said that he did not hear about the March 9 apartment lottery from ResLife and that he had to "find out about it on my own while going through the ResLife website." West Hall was the first dorm to fill up, followed by Wilson House, Miller, Stratton, Latin Way and the few rooms still left in Hillsides.

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News

Beer, bar, and a birthday

March 17

Recently, two of my best friends (and best drinking buddies) turned 22. For one, we celebrated at the already-reviewed Redline, for the other, we headed to John Harvard's on Monday night for some beers, half-priced appetizers, and major academic procrastination. John Harvard's Brew House is a restaurant/brewery chain with eight locations up and down the east coast. The place prides itself on its homemade beer that ranges from pale golden light lagers to coal black stout. And while some beers are brewed regularly, other on the menu are seasonal. The restaurant is pretty good too, but this is a bar review -- eats are secondary to drinks. Even though it was a Monday we still had to wait a few minutes for a table -- apparently Mondays are John Harvard's quiz night. College students packed the place, sitting in booths and at large round, wooden tables, while the few older people there stood at the bar. After being seated, we excitedly grabbed the menus off the table to order our half-priced apps (a Monday night special), but discovered only certain appetizers (read: the less popular ones) feature the discounted price. Although we were disappointed, this was our sole disappointment of the evening. The service was excellent and the food (we coughed up the extra dough for nachos and spinach artichoke dip) came quickly. As advertised, the beers are distinctive, tasty, and light-years away from the Natty Ice served straight from the iced-up tubs at house parties. The company's enthusiasm for beer can be seen simply on its menu, which includes a glossary of beer terminology, naming the specific hops, malt, and original gravity for each drink. The birthday girl ordered the beer sampler, which offers a sizable sample of each on a little tray for only $4.95. In general, the prices were reasonable; a pint of their pale ale costs $3.75 which, considering a bottle of Bud can cost $5 downtown, is pretty good. The sampler gave us a chance to try all the beers; we concluded that the Colonial Kolsch tastes like Corona. The atmosphere is casual, but lively, with most people wearing Harvard hoodies, t-shirts, and visors (seriously, it was like the COOP exploded in there). The quiz night created an intelligent and competitive vibe, but we didn't participate, choosing to play our own drinking game instead. And actually, except for one super enthusiastic group that pushed two tables together for their team, many people didn't pay attention to the questions. Oddly the music was inconsistent, but we figured this had to do with the somewhat annoying quiz night DJ. They played something old -- Paula Abdul's "Straight Up," -- something new -- the tech remix of Bryan Adam's "Red Heaven," -- and something random -- unidentifiable teenybopper music. The music blasted like in an Abercrombie store, making it difficult to have conversations across the table (and of course, just as you to start to yell, there's a pause in the music, so everyone can stare at you). Although somewhat crowded, the place wasn't too crazy (after all, it was a Monday night), but that seemed to fit what we were looking for -- turning 22 is a touch more "sophisticated" than turning 21.

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