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Dissenting opinions over success of Bridge Program

March 10

Despite a positive and dedicated set of administrators facilitating programming in Metcalf, residents have been largely disappointed with this year's Bridge Program. "It hasn't met my expectations," freshman Tim Kistner said, citing the "almost exclusive" agreement of the residents with whom he lives. The Bridge Program was created 12 years ago for students interested in blending their residential and academic communities. "The goal of the program is to provide residents living in Metcalf the opportunity to engage Tufts' faculty and each other in a casual yet intelligent atmosphere," Director of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) Yolanda King said. The program brings in speakers from inside and outside the Tufts community to discuss a wide range of topics, which this year have ranged from the influence of music in Cuba to the implications and specifications of the Patriot Act. Although the program's directors have made available a number of speakers and even arranged a trip to Harvard Square, resident participation in events has been limited. "There was no enthusiasm for [the programs]," freshman Anjuli Fahlberg said. "I went to the first [meeting], and the moderator talked for half the time as if to say that her opinion was so much more important and valid than ours. It was very broad, and no way to focus the debate and no closure. We left upset and angry with each other." Kistner complained about the lack of resident involvement in the selection of discussion topics. "I thought it was discussing current events and foreign affairs, but we've done more things along the lines of analyzing the social impact of the 'Matrix,'" he said. Residents also feel the events have been inadequately publicized. "They happen so rarely, and I never know when they're happening," Kistner said. Timing of the events has also not coincided with students' free time. Although he would be interested in a discussion of the Patriot Act, Kistner said, "I am not going to go on a Friday evening." The administration holds a more positive view of the program's efficacy. The "Scholar-in-Residence" position was reinstated this year and filled by Kim Hebert, who has organized most of the events with the help of Residential Assistants (RAs) Candace Gomez and Tauheed Zaman. Herbert attests to a great experience with the residents. "I always leave a discussion knowing more. [The students] are interested in everything, and within the political spectrum range from extremely liberal to conservative. It really helps you to see that the students are so bright and so interested," Hebert said. Hebert spends substantial time reaching out to the residents. "It's nice for students to know they have someone who walks the line between student and faculty," she explained. "It's nice for them to know that someone's here at 11 at night." Fahlberg found Herbert to be "friendly and available," but said she did not utilize the Scholar-in-Residence's office hours or opportunities for discussion. Gomez agreed that Hebert's role has been "integral" to the program, saying "her personality and energy makes [the students] want to know more. I can't really imagine the program without her." Hebert has planned events for the upcoming semester on topics including gay marriage and active citizenship, a perceived priority among the residents here. "I try to get a sense of who lives here," explained Hebert, mentioning her attempts to contact students and find diverse themes that are interesting to a wide number. She often sends out e-mails with attached articles to put everyone on the same page with regards to the upcoming events. Though the students do appreciate the concern and work of the administrators, many will not re-apply to live in Metcalf next year due to disenchantment with the program. "I probably would apply because Metcalf is a great location, but I want to live with my friends next year and we probably wouldn't all get in," Kistner said.

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News

Spike Lee speaks to packed audience on race, state of America

March 10

Spike Lee upheld his reputation as no stranger to controversy last night by proudly displaying his New York Yankees jersey and hat. The acclaimed director proceeded to list every World Series title the team has won, despite a mix of boos and cheers from the audience. In his lecture titled "An Evening with Spike Lee," presented by the Tufts Lecture Series, Lee gave his opinions on everything from baseball to Martha Stewart. At the beginning of his speech, Lee emphasized the need for self-reliance and motivation. "Brooklyn Gas Company turned off my gas, the electricity company shut that off, and my phone was dead. I was forced to 'get off my rusty butt' as my mom would say." To make "She's Gotta Have It" -- Lee's first movie -- "we scraped together penny by penny, nickel by nickel". For much of the lecture Lee spoke about modern race relations and depictions of African Americans. "African Americans are still ghettoized today, stereotypes are either hip-hop shoot-em up, romantic comedies, or broad, broad, broad comedy," he said. He knocked films like the upcoming 'Soul Plane' about an African-American airline. "They're serving 'tato salad, collards, and Snoop Doggs in the cockpit smoking herb." He could not hold back a laugh before deemed the movie "buffoonish and pathetic." He also critiqued movies by young African-American directors and writers that support negative stereotypes, particularly "Barbershop." "One of the most vile things [about this movie] were jokes about Dr. King and Rosa Parks. I don't see anything funny about that." Lee especially criticized the role of Cedric the Entertainer who was supposed to be the wise old man. "I expected him to drop knowledge but he said some of the most ignorant things." Hollywood, he said, is controlled by the "elite" and "until we are the gatekeepers, nothing will change." For that reason, Lee had a good deal of praise for Mel Gibson and his film 'The Passion of the Christ.' "He shows how if there is an audience you can circumvent Hollywood." He said of Gibson, "That man is smart. He put up $30 million of his own money. He said 'F-You' to the studios." Lee was disgusted by the Academy Award winning 'Cold Mountain' for its inability to portray slavery in a Civil War setting. He likened it to making a love story movie in Nazi Germany and forgetting certain things. "I'm gonna leave out Hitler, Goebbels, and the concentration camps. There's no need to be messy." "I would be thrown out [of a studio] on my head if I tried to pitch that," he said. After offering his opinions on other films, Lee also touted his own upcoming movie entitled "She Hate Me." "It's about the moral and ethical decline of America from the boardroom to the bedroom," Lee said. The film is based on the ImClone scandal and about how a man set to take the blame reduces himself to selling his semen. "In the course of a month he impregnates 19 women, and that's in the first ten minutes!" Lee jibed. His disdain for President Bush was clear throughout the evening. He called the 2000 election proceedings in Florida "shenanigans." After he spoke of the war in Iraq, he plainly stated "I'm not voting for that guy." He also lambasted Bush for cozying up to large media conglomerates. "Bush did a lot of deregulation when he came to office, particularly with the FCC. The guy that benefited was the Clear Channel head, who happens to be a big supporter of Bush." Lee encouraged everyone in the audience to get out and vote in the next presidential election. "We all need to understand the importance of one vote, especially after what happened last election," he said. Following his speech over a dozen students filtered down the aisles to pose questions to the director. Questions ranged from critical to humorous. One student asked what the most important issue for the United States was at the time that has not been portrayed in film. Lee immediately responded, "Education. I read in The New York Times today that New York private schools are starting to cost $26,000. What is going to happen to the people that can't afford that?" He continued to describe the plight that faces young African-American men today "They have three options: play ball, be a rapper, or sell drugs, and guess which is the easiest one?" On a lighter note, he exchanged retorts with a student from Chicago over the Knicks-Bulls rivalry. "It feels good to be a Knicks fan!" He then asked the student if he also supported other Chicago landmarks like R. Kelly. Though he started the night with a mixture of applause and jeers, Lee exited to a standing ovation.

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News

Men's crew claims depth is key to success

March 10

While the rest of the Tufts community sleeps, the men's varsity crew team toils in the tiny crew room almost everyday at 7 a.m. For this, the crew receives almost no recognition since its regattas are held miles away from campus, and fellow students rarely attend. But the lack of attention doesn't seem to the work ethic of these athletes. Boats do not go as fast as the best athletes can row. On the contrary, one slow rower can hold the entire boat back. Therefore, everybody is fighting for a spot on the boat, and continually working to not be the weakest seat. "Unlike many other sports, the most important athletes are those that are the least strong," coach Gary Caldwell said. "A boat is only as fast as the sum of its parts, so our most important rowers are those who are currently the least strong; but are going to put in the time and energy to raise the bar for themselves and the team." The team is deep this year, so the competition for the top seats should be intense. The season's early practices are exceptionally charged, with everybody trying to reach his highest potential. The 7 a.m. sessions do not merely serve the individual desire to excel. Instead, they build the chemistry that is necessary for boats to succeed. "It's critical to have eight guys who hang it all out on the line and trust each other to do the same," senior coach James Burke said. "Chemistry among the guys is always critical in rowing." For leadership, the varsity will look to senior Jon Goulet and junior captain Robbie Goldstein. "Goulet has an absolutely ridiculous amount of motivation," freshman Tim Pineau said. "It's rare that you find someone who's willing to work that hard, but if you do, they are going to be on the crew team." Goulet, Goldstein and their fellow upperclassmen should set the bar high for a team that has many young rowers. The freshmen on the team look to be contributors this season, as most are expected to fill important seats. "We have a great mix of experience, youth, energy and focus," Caldwell said. "Every guy on the team is pulling to earn their seat every day."

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News

Seven Questions with Naeem Webster

March 10

Name: Naeem S. Webster Nickname: Hans a.k.a Hans Dolo a.k.a The Bootyologist Hometown: New York City Birth date: 5/28/82 Zodiac sign: Gemini -- the other half being Mr. Jonathan Burns Favorite athlete: Radio Hobbies: Playing basketball, playing with puppies, long walks in the park, and smutting myself around campus from Wednesday to Sunday along with the rest of Smut Unit. Every so often I like to pay tribute to lesser known athletes. Naeem Webster fits this criterion. In his earlier undergraduate years, Webster was a bruiser on the rugby field, but after sustaining tough field and drinking related injuries has since retired. Currently you can find Webster on the court during Tuesday night intramural basketball. If you're looking, you can tell it's him because he actually runs up and down court flexing the entire time. One day I was watching television in my room when Mr. Webster threw a brick through my window. Attached to the brick was a note that demanded 7 Questions. And I know when rugby/intramural stars mean business, so naturally 7 Questions followed. 1. Who are tougher, rugby or football players? Oh Rugby players by far, football players wear pads -- and you know who else wears pads right? >2. What is your craziest story from Tufts? (All four years are game) Crazy stories? Sorry my man my whole Tufts experience has been one big crazy story. A gentleman never tells. >3. When females see you at a party, should they: >a. Calmly step to you >b. Play it cool and stand their ground >c. Run to the nearest exit Well that's a tricky one. How about I say they play it cool and calmly step to me, and if all goes well then we will both be running towards the nearest exit, en route to Latin Way A tower. >4. I often see you in the gym, what is your sole purpose for lifting? That's quite generous of you Kanye Wiley because most of the time I'm not even lifting, I'm helping out the muscularly challenged around me. I would have to say though that my sole purpose for lifting is to keep my love muscle nice and strong. >5. Is there anything wrong with sharing? Not at all my good man and as my parents taught me when I was young, the more you share, the more people share with you. Keeping what my parents said in mind, I have done a lot of sharing in my day and fully endorse it. 6. Would you consider yourself famous or infamous, and why? I would consider myself famously infamous. The reason being while I was studying abroad in London, a random girl came up to my friend Mr. Burns and I and said, "Are you guys John and Naeem? Because I have heard a lot about you guys." -- That, my good man, equals famously infamous. >7. You are headed down to Miami for Spring Break. As I'm sure you are aware, there are tons of beautiful women down there. Are you baller enough to pull a single female during your entire trip? Well Mr. Wiley it's funny you ask that because what most people don't know about me is that I am a gardener in my free time, so I definitely know how to handle a hoe -- so Miami shouldn't be a problem for me. * by Elliott Wiley, Jr.

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News

Popularity of host advising dwindles among students and faculty

March 10

Roughly ninety students and faculty members gathered for "Asking for Directions: A Dialogue on Advising" at the Experimental College's 14th annual "Opening Up the Classroom" event last night. Main topics of this Experimental College (ExCollege) event included offering incentives to attract advisors, leaving open the option to be advisors for faculty, the phasing out of host advising, and instituting a mechanism to clarify the expectations of the advisor-advisee relationship. According to Director of the ExCollege Robyn Gittleman, considerable debate took place before an appropriate theme for this year's event was decided upon. After academic advising was suggested, it quickly became clear that it was a contentious issue worthy of discussion. "When advising was mentioned, the entire ExCollege Board had something to say about it. We figured that if we expressed so many divergent opinions about what advising is and should be, the rest of Tufts probably did as well," Gittleman said. According to sophomore Alicia Harvie, advising, whether good or bad, is a vital campus issue because it affects both faculty and students. Eight separate groups, each consisting of students and faculty members, engaged in casual discussion about advising over dinner. Each group was given the formal task of coming up with three suggestions to improve advising at Tufts. These recommendations were shared at the end of the meal and submitted to Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser. Most participants agreed that host advising, the least personal of the advising options, should be scaled down because it is least favored by both students and faculty. Students also suggested setting up an "emergency" help desk during freshman orientation to assist freshmen with technical concerns usually answered by advisors. This would provide students with a quick, direct resource for straightforward registration questions while giving advisors more time to focus on students with more complicated concerns. Attendees proposed that advisors and advisees to begin communication before the new school year commenced in order to ensure the maximum possible advisory benefit. Students suggested that advisors have available a template for letters sent to incoming freshmen to begin establishing the goals of the advisor-advisee relationship. Other recommendations included creating an advising web page where students could post questions and receive answers and upperclassmen could post helpful information regarding classes and majors. At the same time, however, it was acknowledged the web page should in no way replace the current multi-pronged advising system and that students prefer to interact with humans as advisors instead of computers. Students cited curiosity, the desire to discuss personal advising experiences, and the appeal of a free dinner as reasons for attending last night's event. Though the event drew a diverse crowd, many of the same faculty members return every year. Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser said he was "very pleased to be here tonight in support of the ongoing dialogue between students and faculty that the Ex College has successfully initiated and perpetuated." The evening also marked the 40th anniversary of the Ex College.

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News

Campus feels passionate about 'The Passion'

March 10

Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" has dominated headlines and box offices since its release on Ash Wednesday. While Americans across the country have been flocking to see the film, the film, which depicts the last 12 hours of Jesus' life, has been raising questions -- and controversy -- among people of all faiths. Tufts had its fair share of heated discussions on the film. In a University Chaplaincy Panel discussion on Monday night, the University's Christian, Jewish, and Islamic Chaplains, as well as approximately 25 students, shared their feelings on the film. The "Passion"-related issue that has received the most frequent coverage in the media is the perceived anti-Semitism in the film. While some have charged the filmmaker with using classic anti-Semitic iconography -- such as hooked noses and beards to portray Jewish characters -- for some, it goes much deeper than that. What worries many students is not the fact that the film shows Jesus being killed by Jews, but the fact that, at time when anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world, such a notably violent film may give rise to anti-Semitic sentiments. Jewish Chaplain Rabbi Jeffrey Summit says the potential to misinterpret the film in a way to justify anti-Semitic actions is worrisome. "In the 12th century, when Passion plays were put on, they were often to rile people up to start pogroms against Jews. So this makes me nervous when this is again thrown into our culture." "I believe that this film arose from someone with an impulse who wanted to share his faith, and I cannot condemn that," Protestant Chaplain Reverend Laurie Rofinot said. "But I think someone with such great power as Mel Gibson needs to be very careful in his portrayal. I think although this may have come from a good impulse, this was an irresponsible portrayal and it will come to be seen how this will affect the future for Jews, and even Muslims, in such a [tumultuous] time." Summit agreed with Rofinot, saying that Mel Gibson's portrayal of Jesus's last hours "at this moment in time ... is somewhat dangerous and possibly irresponsible." "Do people have the right to interpret religion? Of course," he added. "But you have to be careful how your interpretation is portrayed. This film raises the question of blame, and we are at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise -- and not just name-calling, but synagogues [are] being blown up." During the Second Vatican Council of 1965, the Roman Catholic Church issued a statement that officially absolved Jews of deicide (the killing of Christ) and formed a clear stance against acts of anti-Semitism. According to O'Leary, Mel Gibson is affiliated with a specific sect of Catholics which rejects the decisions of Second Vatican Council and the changes in the Catholic Church over the past few decades. "What is the intention of Mel Gibson? He comes from a group of Catholics who want to say the changes of the 1960s are wrong and to go back to before," O'Leary said. Potential anti-Semitism is not the only aspect of the film that bothered many people: some were disturbed by the film's violence and portrayal of Jesus. "I thought it was a pretty gruesome film, although I thought it was pretty powerful also," sophomore and Protestant Student Fellowship Vice President Seth Lancaster said. "Showing it in such a gruesome way when people think of Jesus as our savior, to show him being beaten so badly can be very hard for some people." Others felt that the film's focus on Jesus's physical torture and suffering detracted from his broader message of compassion. "I think Jesus' message was a message of redemption and hope and that love is stronger than death. To not have that part of Jesus' message, to focus on suffering, I don't know how that is going to bring more love into the world," Summit said. "Jesus had tremendous love for everyone around him and the world, and portraying such suffering without context is dangerous," Rofinot added. "At best, people identify with it, and at worst, they say, 'How could anyone kill the son of God?'" "My greatest fear is that people won't take the time to discuss this movie, and recognize that anti-Semitism still exists in the world today," said junior Erin Baldinger, a practicing Jew. "If people go to the movie and interpret it as fact, then I can certainly see how it would breed feelings of anti-Semitism. On the other hand, if people engage in constructive dialogue, then it doesn't matter what Gibson's intention was."

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News

Novice crew offers more relaxed attitude

March 10

As varsity rowers deal with rigorous schedules and the pressures of winning, most can look back fondly on their days in the novice program. While the varsity crew teams, both men's and women's, are reserved for upperclassmen and experienced rowers, novice crew is the stepping stone that all potential team members and enthusiasts alike must pass through. Rather than gearing up towards winning regattas and defeating particular teams, the novices are focused more on learning the sport and refining skills. And after a winter spent working out in the gym, the team is itching to get wet. "The river thawed early and the racing season starts in a few weeks, so there is lots of excitement to get out of the gym and on the water," women's novice assistant coach Jennie Dapice said. "It's a really exciting time," freshman novice rower Mackenzie Moffat said. Of course, not everything could be perfect. "It'd be more exciting if it were warmer," she said. Complaints about the weather aside, this group looks to be more than the typical group of rookies, according to men's varsity coach Chris Mitchell, who coached the novices for the fall season. "This is the fastest group I've been around in the last decade," Mitchell said. For now, some novices might just be learning or rowing for the fun of the laidback, club-like atmosphere. But for those who stick with it, the coaches expect their beginner's talent to translate into more polished varsity members down the line. "I think all of NESCAC has been getting faster and stronger, and we're staying right with them," Mitchell said. "I think the varsity needed a shot in the arm, and this group is more than capable of taking the Tufts crew program to the next level. I think we have a chance to become a force in NESCAC." Overseeing the farm system of novices for the twelfth consecutive season will be coach Gary Caldwell. With this experience at the helm, one can expect many of these fledgling rowers to become hardened veterans by the end of the spring. As for those who may be tempted to join the novice team in search of a cohesive community, the squad welcomes them to participate. "I would definitely recommend this to everyone," Moffat said. "The [people] are great, it's fun, and very rewarding as well."

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News

Rally should not be seen as a failure

March 10

Yesterday's rally organized by the Bias Intervention Program's Peer Educator Group drew a small crowd that disappointed organizers. Obviously during the winter months, and March is a winter month in Massachusetts, not many students eat lunch outside. But thousands of students pass by the campus center patio every day, and the format of the rally was, either by plan or accident, ideal for a student to stop and listen for a couple of minutes. At a time when media and social commentators link the concern over homophobic bias with the national debate on the legality of gay and lesbian marriage, it is unfortunate that the organizers were so disappointed. Rather, it should be seen as an effective method to engage an audience and encourage them to question instinctive judgments, which may well be wrong and unreasonably biased. Last November the Bias Intervention Program published an incident report because it was concerned about the large number of bias incidents that took place during the first two months of the school year. Half of the reported incidents through November of last year were targeted against the gay community. This month, as every individual in America must question him or herself about the propriety of gay marriage, we at Tufts should also think about confronting gay bias, both in ourselves and in society. So far this semester, no bias incidents have been severe enough that the Bias Intervention Program felt pressed to publicly report it. Half of the incidents reported last November took place in Tilton Hall. The program should pick up on the trend and realize that bias incidents at Tufts often are committed by first-semester freshman. Whether they are immature, uncomfortable with the diversity of Tufts, or simply biased against others, it seems that the time to be proactive is at the beginning of the school year, and that the target should be freshman. The Tufts experience socializes norms of tolerance and acceptance, greatly reducing the need for anti-bias education later in the school year. If there is a substantial decrease in bias incidents as students become older, as is indicated, then this dynamic would be interesting to examine. The Tufts experience could be applied to the greater society. The Peer Educator Group could use its lessons and techniques to foster acceptance and consideration far beyond Tufts, starting with the greater Boston community.

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News

Getting a late start

March 10

Ask anybody who knows Tufts basketball, and they will tell you senior co-captain Deyvehn East is the most athletic and dynamic finisher on the squad. It's hard to imagine that East isn't the best player in his family. Even harder to imagine is that the 6'3'' small forward only stood 5'4'' while playing junior varsity basketball as a freshman in high school. When East was in eighth grade, his brother Alphah was a senior at Greenfield High School. At 6'8'', 230 pounds, Alphah not only dwarfed his younger brother, but was also getting looks from Div. I basketball programs. In addition, Alphah led Deyvehn's future high school to two Western Mass. titles en route to playing two seasons at Div. I Quinnipiac University. Meanwhile, East graduated from middle school and moved to Greenfield High School where he had to make a name for himself and step out of his brother's shadow. "We played different positions," East said. "But, I was always his little brother." During his first season in high school, the then-5'4'' East was a bench rider on junior varsity. Even though he rarely played as a freshman, sparks of athleticism were always in the air. Even with his diminutive stature, East could still touch the backboard when leaping. "Every year people asked, 'when are you going to get taller like your brother,'" East said. "There was a lot of pressure. I just thought about getting tall every day." As a sophomore, East hit a major growth spurt, climbing to 5'10''. Still under six feet, East played point guard, which is one of the reasons he claims he handles the ball like a guard today. If you saw East on the court this season, you probably noticed his ability to go one-on-one and break down defenders. This was not the case his sophomore year of high school. During that time, East claims he was actually a passer and slasher, always looking for the easy lay-up. At that point, East struggled with his jump shot. One thing did change though -- for the first time in his life, East dunked the ball. "I went from eighth grade touching the backboard, to ninth grade touching the rim, and dunked for the first time sophomore year," East said. East still ran point guard his junior year, but by senior year he finally grew into the frame he has today and converted to a small forward. Before his senior season, East began to get looks from mainly Div. II and III schools. This attention did not stem from his play in high school, but from a Hoop Mountain Summer Camp that he attended at Northfield and Mt. Herman, Mass. in the summer after his junior year. "Up to that point, I was just playing ball just to play," East said. By senior year, East says people began to call him a "stat-sheet stuffer," meaning he scored, pulled rebounds, made steals, and in his opinion, "did whatever it takes to win." Regardless of his motives, his game caught the attention of several schools, including Brandeis, Vassar, and Adelphi. However the school he considered most was Tufts because East considers himself a student-athlete. Both his father, who has a PhD in economics, and mother stress education, but East also pushes himself to do well. East says he was accepted into Tufts through his own academic merit and hard work, not solely through basketball. Along with the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the country, East's decision to attend Tufts also gave him a chance to develop his own identity away from his older brother. "I was trying to get respect as a ball player, not just be little brother," East said. Due to Alphah's rigorous basketball schedule during the first three years of East's college career, he rarely got a chance to see his brother play. Alphah did have the chance to see Deyvehn play on Senior Day in February against Clark, however. The younger East dropped 17 points and grabbed ten rebounds in a 78-75 win over the Cougars that night. According to East, Alphah told him after the game: "'Little man can play ball.' "He was completely surprised; he didn't know I could jump like that," East said. Looking back on the four years at Tufts that began with East playing for the now-defunct junior varsity program and ending with him as the team's leading scorer, the only regret East has is that he didn't try and take over the team right away. He says, however, that he is proud he stuck with the program for four years through the "ups and downs," which included players quitting the program. "My last four years here have been a microcosm of my first 12 basketball years," East said. "I wasn't handed anything. I had to work hard in order to succeed. Many times I was overlooked and that's what fueled the fire." East emphatically claims he loves the game of basketball and plans to pursue some post college basketball options. However, if that doesn't work out, East has an economics degree to fall back on and hopes to secure a job in either finance or investment banking. Ultimately East would like to attend business school after working for a few years.

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News

Sweaty bodies and anxious faces

March 10

Spring break, the vacation that seems so elusive during the cold of winter and the stress of midterms, is finally approaching. As Tufts students prepare for the week away from campus, many are yearning -- and planning -- for warmer weather. For these students, it's time to strip off those down jackets and break out those swimsuits that are covered in dust. Before students head to the beach, however, many want to shed some unwanted pounds. Every year, during the last weeks before spring break, hundreds of students flock to the gym eager to get in shape. This year, however, more students have been hitting the treadmills. Athletic trainer Greg Katz believes that the increase in gym goers is due to a rising trend in people's concern over fitness. "There's been a huge increase in the [fitness] program in both the personal training end and the gym in general," Katz said. The gym craze escalated upon returning from winter break when students were determined to keep their New Year's resolutions. "The entire semester has been more exercise focused than I've seen in the past," Katz said. "Originally I thought it was because of New Year's resolutions and it would taper off -- but it didn't. Freshman Elif Erez agreed that these past few weeks have been extra-hectic. "After the break it was so crowded that I couldn't find any machine," said Erez, who works out daily. "For midterms it wasn't so bad but it started being crowded again because people want to get in shape for the break." Senior Adrian Clarke, head supervisor at the fitness center, has also noticed a dramatic increase in students working out. "It's starting to get packed again. I was there at seven in the morning and there were already like 50 people there." In order to minimize waiting time for the ever popular cardio machines, the gym accumulated five new treadmills and five new ellipticals as part of a generous donation over winter break. Trainers have also set the machines so no users can go above 30 minutes. "But you can still just start working out again after 30 minutes is finished," Clarke said "So that's a problem, but it has helped to discourage students from abusing the system." Despite the 30 minute cut-off Erez remains frustrated when waiting for an elliptical. "Most people don't care about limits on machines," Erez said. Many students, having never previously ventured into the fitness center, are also trying to break a sweat. Exchange student Marion Fabing wants to lose a few pounds before returning home. "I've put on a little weight with all the junk food in America," Fabing said in response to why she picked this past Monday as her first trip to the gym. Sophomore Erika Perdomo also recently began working out in preparation to returning to her hometown of Miami over spring break. "I'm just trying to do a lot of physical activities," she said. "I want to get back in shape." Although many students believe that working out right before spring break will alter their winter bellies into beach-worthy abs, getting in noticeably good shape is more of a long-term project. "In two weeks you're not really gonna see results unless you're taking steroids or something ridiculous," trainer Katz said. "It's a process -- there's no transforming your body over night." But it never hurts to start. To avoid the rush at the gym, Clarke recommends going early in the morning or late at night. "The worst time is between three and seven," Clarke said. "If you can go before 9:30 in the morning or after 8 [o'clock in the evening] it's the best time to go because most people don't want to get up that early and after dinner people don't like working out." Graduate student Adam Carberry takes Clarke's advice and only works out after 9 p.m. "It's really crowded during the day," Carberry said. "If I come at night, I never have to wait for anything." Fitness center director Mike Pimentel believes that the only solution to the overcrowding problem would be to add additional space to the fitness center. "There's been plans for years now to put in a balcony," he said. While this plan does not look probable for the near future, Pimentel is receptive to ideas. "I would be open to listening to students if they have suggestions for new systems," Pimentel said. "I would love to see something that keeps students happy -- but it's been a challenge."

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News

Agreeing to disagree

March 10

To some, it may seem absurd to think that one's opinion would be subjected to objection, but I guess that is what conflict is all about, right? In the Feb. 26 edition of the Daily, I came upon a letter to the editor that I found illustrative of a common misperception that I find unfortunate and irresponsible at Tufts. The letter, written by William Elder '04, is an opinion entitled, "Can't we all just get along?" It discusses the conflict that readers of the Tufts Daily repetitiously encounter: Person A does something that Person B finds offensive, then Person B reacts with some inflammatory rhetoric against Person A. Likewise, I will take on the role of Person B. Fortunately, at a "liberal university" like Tufts, opinions always have consequences. This issue of conflicting ideologies, ethics, and opinions on campus is not an old one, and it is not one that will go away soon. The concentration on these conflicts of opinions is particularly important and relevant in light of today's on-campus relations between different student organizations and entities. In politics, elections are coming up and the Tufts Democrats and Tufts Republicans are likely to get into some heated campaigns for their respective candidates. In ethics and morals, tensions are consistently fluctuating in relation to what words we can say (c**t and vagina) and what types of activities go 'over the line' (such as the Sex Fair at Mayer or The Vagina Monologues). Issues including Hill Hall's recent loss of its beloved Resident Director Tim Hegan and the Tufts Debate Society's recent controversial Alcohol Policy Forum utilizing Resident Assistants as speakers have exacerbated often tense student-administration relations. These are all issues that some may find superfluous and unnecessary. However, in a school with such a diverse student body, it is important to remember that some people take things more personally than others -- and we should respect that. I find a contradiction in Mr. Elder's philosophy -- a philosophy, might I add, that is shared by other people on this campus. In his letter, he reflects on why cannot "people please just lighten up," and how many people on this campus "don't even know how to 'lighten up'." He uses examples such as the recent Vagina Monologues' brush with the Tufts Republicans on what is considered "appropriate" on campus. He says about this issue that, "the next time you see "c**t" written on the ground, either 1) Go see The Vagina Monologues...2) Giggle like a school-girl (like me)... 3) Be slightly offended, and let it slide. It is a dirty word, not something that we need to take to the authorities." In rebuttal, I first point out that his defense of such profanity is in direct contradiction to his argument that we should lighten up -- if we should lighten up, and let things slide, than the issue of people getting offended by such language should not upset him, correct? Secondly, I would like to "crystallize" why things should not just "slide" and why some people are justly offended. Everyday, on campus, there are prospective students walking on campus, and often times they have families with them, and with those families are often children. I recently heard of the exposure of a seven-year-old to some profane or "indecent" advertising on campus. It is a fact that some people will be offended and (while I am not advocating who is in the right or wrong here) their right to explain or vent their concerns to the general public should not be taken lightly or be neglected. We, as a student body, need to respect the ideas and beliefs of everyone, whether or not we see eye-to-eye. Calling people's ethical standards "insignificant" is ignorant. We need to remember that people will say what they think on this campus, and people will react. If the natural order of things were to "let things slide," and if the only venue of "fun" were to "go crack open a beer," than our society and our school would be unproductive, and quite frankly, boring. The word "fun" is not exclusive to drinking and partying -- to some, it may be studying and it may be writing to the Tufts Daily, to others it may be singing or it may be acting in a play like the Vagina Monologues. Whichever way you look at it, it is important to remember that we are all different, thinking beings with different ideas, beliefs, and standards. Can we all just get along? Yes, we can -- we all may not agree, but we should agree to disagree, or at least respect to each other's views. Each person will decide what offends him or her, and what they will take in reaction to that offense. "Lighten up?" Let's first get people to respect each other's differences, and then we will work on that. Andrew L. Savini is a freshman with an undeclared major.

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News

Corpus Christi: an antidote to The Passion

March 10

Christianity has never held even the most remote appeal to me. Raised in a non-denominational home, I have always felt the idea of integrating any religious doctrine into my life distasteful, especially one that seems (if contradictorily) so pernicious and underhanded. Instead, I have found through art a sense of spiritual and ethical comprehension, and have been able to approach and accept religion on my own terms. Yet, I am left somewhat uninspired when Mel Gibson's "Passion" is the only religiously driven form of art widely available to us. An alternative that has become increasingly affecting to me in the last five weeks of rehearsal is Terrence McNally's "Corpus Christi." "Corpus Christi," which goes up on Thursday, March 11 at the Balch Arena Theater, is a play about love. It is a play that attempts to return to the essence of Jesus' teachings and the fundamental, unadulterated message of the New Testament -- that, as the play puts it, "all men are equal, all men are ordinary, and all men are divine." It also examines the extent to which this message has been perverted and forgotten in the millennia since his death and crucifixion. While the idea that all of humanity had a part in Jesus' death is perhaps the most important and penetrating message in the Christian faith, "The Passion" surpasses this message of love that is so central to the faith. In a time when the unforgivable acts of more and more priests are being exposed every day, and gay marriage is condemned as somehow "unholy," I wonder exactly who and what "The Passion" is trying to expose. McNally's trick is that he approaches authenticity through some of the most unconventional and inevitably controversial measures possible. In his adaptation, Jesus is a young boy from present day Corpus Christi, Texas. He, along with all twelve of his apostles, is gay. McNally is himself a gay Catholic from Texas, and his artistic choices reflect a continual examination and approach to the faith that has persistently abandoned him. Unfortunately, his opposition seems dedicated to maintain a stasis of thought and action, a characteristic oddly contradictory to the Word itself. Upon its unveiling in 1998, the play was greeted with numbingly predictable furor. A right-wing Christian group called "The National Security Movement of America" condemned the "Jew guilty homosexual Terence McNally," and the Manhattan Theater Club was forced to cancel its opening due to bomb threats and intimidations to the staff (it finally went up a month later). Perhaps what scared these groups is that "Corpus Christi" humanizes the characters of the New Testament. It does not leave them behind in the archaic, Aramaic-speaking Greco-Roman world, but brings them to us. What many seem to have illogically neglected is that in his day, Jesus was hated -- he posed such a threat that he was put to death on a cross. Today, what could be scarier than the prospect of a gay Jesus? What could be more detrimental to our worldview, more challenging to our beliefs? Similarly, what could provide us with a better opportunity to open our hearts and examine our actions? By modernizing the story, McNally is offering all of us another chance: a chance to align that which we believe with our behavior and find a newfound appreciation for our fellow man. While at times didactic, the play is never unrealistic. It is truthful and honest, full of pain and joy. While "The Passion" strives to condemn the death of Jesus and those supposedly responsible, McNally instead decides to celebrate His life, His word, and His message. Seth Pitman is a junior majoring in English.

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News

The Silence Experiment

March 10

On Tuesday, my eyes opened at 10:40 a.m. I had been up late the night before. My first obligation of the day was my 1:30 p.m. class in Anderson, so the morning was a leisurely one. I made some oatmeal and cut up half of a grapefruit. I am a heart disease-prevention poster boy! I took said breakfast over to the computer and clicked on three articles from the NY Times to read. A bizarre postmodern manifestation of "reading the morning paper." I continued with my breakfast and found last night's "Conan O'Brien" show on Comedy Central. I was laughing out loud. At some point, Matt came downstairs and we exchanged grunts. I respected his having just woke up and didn't make him talk. He went into the bathroom. Now at this point, I had done a lot of stuff and still not talked. I had e-mailed people, posted to the Board, laughed, but no talking. And I had been thinking about how long I go in the morning sometimes before talking. For instance, on Monday, when I had my radio show at noon, the first words that I said that day were on the radio. Kind of sweet, right? So, I decided I would try out not talking. Nothing crazy here, no sign saying "Not talking today," and no hand signals. But I would try to casually avoid talking. See, the truth is, I've got things to say. I talk in class, I say hello, and well, I talk. I have had conversations with a friend realizing that it's probably as hard for him to talk in class as it is for me not to talk. So I wanted to give it a try. It was on. No talking. I grabbed headphones and walked to Anderson. So many humans -- all obstacles. My first veritable test was seeing Evan. He didn't see me yet, but our convergence on the door was unavoidable. He turned, I grunted, I ducked out to grab a Daily and was in the clear. Peace out, Evan. I sat in the EPDC for my five minute skimming of the Daily. Maybe my headphones would keep me safe. But then Cooter walked up to me and said, "What's up?" Well, at this point it was over. I couldn't avoid a direct question. That would be -- in my own words -- ridiculous. So I told him what was up, which was that this was the first time that I was talking for the day. I was going to see how little I could talk for the day. He -- much like you -- thought this was strange. Now up to class. There are only seven people in my "Evolution of Human Cognition" class. It's a great class -- very engaging. But the catch is of course that there are only seven people, so not talking is pretty hard. I was doing well for the beginning, but then Dr. Bushnell asked me a direct question. As in, "Zach, what are the stages of development that Piaget describes?" I couldn't believe it -- but I kept it up! I silently just pointed to the student next to me. Carmen, I'm sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. But I managed not to talk, no one thought anything was up (I don't think), and all was cool. But then we broke up into small groups! Oh no! I was doomed. So I sat determined, with my hat pulled down, for the first few minutes. But then I totally caved. Started suggesting ideas and all that. I was disappointed in myself. For the rest of class, I thought about how much we take our talking for granted. Every day, we exchange ideas verbally with probably hundreds of people. We go about talking with or without thinking. There's so much information flying everywhere! A few summers ago, I asked a friend what it was like to be a shy person. He was cool to talk about it -- and I genuinely wanted to know because I just have no idea. And so on Tuesday I tried just a bit to get in the quiet shy dome. Alas, I failed. So, think about it. Are you a talker in class? Try to sit it through without a comment. Do you sit in the back, full of ideas, but are too shy to raise your hand? Raise it! We can all try to play a different role for a day. Or even an hour. Because you don't have to be crazy to try a little experiment with yourself.

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News

Rally seeks to increase awareness of bias incidents

March 10

The campus center patio played host yesterday afternoon to this year's Bias Awareness Week "Speak Out, Stop Hate" rally and open-mic session. Last year's rally was held in direct response to seven bias incidents that had occurred before March of Spring semester. This year's rally was not meant as a response to any particular event but was intended as a proactive stance against bias incidents. The Bias Intervention Program's Peer Educator Group (PEG) sponsored and organized the rally. PEG member and freshman Liz Manno, said that the event was intended to allow people to speak out against hate and to teach everyone what they can do to prevent on-campus bias. The central theme for the speakers was the definition of "bias", of which there were varying responses. Tufts Community Union (TCU) Vice President Joe Mead defined bias as "when you judge someone before you know them based on anything different from you." Mead then proceeded to challenge those in attendance to expand upon their definitions of diversity. TCU President Chike Aguh identified bias as "telling someone else they don't have the same right to be here that you do." Lisa Coleman, director of the African American Center, looked in the dictionary before stating that bias was, among other things, "an inclination to one side." No matter which way the word bias was defined, all speakers agreed that it should not be welcomed into the Tufts community. History professor Jean Penvenne spoke of fear, Coleman mentioned that "bias is about violence" and History professor Steven Marrone spoke about how "we live in a society which, in great part, was established by hate." Dean of Students Bruce Reitman mentioned the dangers of silence and how awareness of the issue can help to change the community ethics and values. Aguh agreed that "a proactive approach starts with responsibility." He urged bias victims to notify a Residential Assistant (RA) so as to stop bias from continuing. Junior Alex Weissman was one of the student speakers who took advantage of the open-mic section of the rally. He spoke of the importance of awareness and tolerance. "[The fight against bias] does not end at the end of the rally, and it does not end with [the end of] the week." At its busiest, the rally attracted about 45 attendees but turnout was not as good as the event's organizers had hoped. "It's disappointing not to have a larger turnout to an event like this," Reitman said. Those who did come, however, enjoyed the rally. "I liked the diversity of the speakers," freshman Garen Nigon said. Nigon also said that the rally did not change his views, but was, instead, an affirmation of his views. Freshman Charlie Bonello, another organizer of the event, did not expect the rally to directly change anyone's mindset. "You can't expect concrete evidence of an effect," he said. "It's more of a gradual and general shift in attitude and sentiment among individuals on campus."

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News

New men's crew coach looks to rebuild

March 10

This year, former rower Chris Mitchell is looking at the crew team from a different angle, Mitchell, a 2002 Tufts graduate, became the novice crew coach for this past fall season. This spring he takes over the reins as the coach of the varsity team, replacing former coach Ben Foster, who left the squad for Hobart College. Mitchell will be splitting coaching duties with Shane Black-Macken and Tufts class of 2004 member Jim Burke. Mitchell has brought enthusiasm to his position, and his recent graduation from the Jumbo crew program also allows him to easily relate with his rowers. "I think it is good to have a coach who was in our shoes just a few years ago. He is able to draw from that experience to motivate us," sophomore rower John Papp said. "Chris [and Shane and Jim] give us a sort of pep talk at the end of each practice. One time Chris passed out bananas to all the guys as rewards for individual accomplishments." While Mitchell knows how to use the appetites of college-aged men to his advantage, he also knows how to prepare them for big meets. "We have charts, graphs, and tables of pretty much every important piece we've pulled on the walls of the erg room," Papp said. As over half of the 30 team members are freshmen, Mitchell is concentrating on preparing the younger teams for future seasons. "The freshmen are our priorities this year," Mitchell said. "It's a rebuilding year. We want to get them some experience so they will know what it's like to race at the collegiate level." The most experienced freshman, Jeff Vanderkruik, looks to anchor the boat with the sole senior on the team, Jon Goulet. The other spots will be determined during Spring Break training, when the team will remain on campus. "What's exciting for us as coaches is that the rest of the three boats are yet to be decided," Mitchell said. "Over break, we'll be working out two or three times a day to get a better sense of the rowers' abilities both individually and together." While Mitchell is excited about the capabilities of several freshmen oarsmen, he has especially high expectations for two rowers who are new to crew. "Freshmen Michael Abare and Nick Haslett have put in a lot of effort over the winter," Mitchell said. "I think they will certainly reap some rewards." Along with strengthening the program this season, Mitchell's goals also include building support for the team. The squad has recently started rowing on the Malden and Mystic Rivers, and will have its first meet there on March 27.

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News

Love, Love is All Around

March 10

? la "Romeo and Juliet," "Corpus Christi" makes no amends about revealing the ending of the play before it has begun. "We're going to tell you an old and familiar story," recites freshman actor David Adler as the play opens. "There's no suspense and even fewer surprises." In telling the old and familiar story of the New Testament, playwright Terrence McNally does present some interesting twists. Jesus, along with all 12 of his apostles, is gay. The biblical group has been relocated and is portrayed in modern times. Complete with nightclubs, Lucky Strike cigarettes, and Birkenstocks (the apostolic footwear of choice), Jerusalem has been replaced by the city of Corpus Christi, a conservative Texas town. Pen, Paint, and Pretzels' (3Ps) major, which opens tonight in the Balch Arena Theater, recounts the life and death of Jesus, or Joshua as he is called in this retelling. The modern adaptation serves to place the New Testament in a new context, with the trajectory of Joshua's life mirroring that of Jesus. The manger has been replaced with a seedy motel, and Lucifer appears to Joshua as a mirage of James Dean. The basic events and underlying message of Jesus' life, remain unchanged. According to senior director Jenn Jarecki, the first half of the story focuses mainly on Joshua's experiences with his own sexuality. Whether it's unhappily trying out for the football team or awkwardly attending his senior prom, growing-up Jesus must deal with "what it's like to be an outsider," Jarecki said. With the help of Judas, played by junior Andrew Beattie, Joshua grows to accept his homosexuality, and a few scenes and a trip to the desert later, he is also able to accept his role as the leader of men. The remainder of the play depicts Joshua's gathering of the 12 apostles and his interactions with those in need via kindness and miracles. The play ends, inevitably, with Joshua's condemnation and crucifixion, all of which is presented on stage. Corpus Christi's on-campus debut could not be more perfectly timed. The scene in which Joshua gladly weds apostles James and Bartholomew is quite poignant within the context of the current debate concerning gay marriage. Later, in watching Joshua's crucifixion, the audience can't help but make a connection to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Parallels will be made, but to that end the director said that she has been told her presentation is "a good antidote to 'The Passion,'" because it addresses different themes. While the play can be seen as a comment on current events, none of the show's actors saw their experiences as public commentary of current events. For them, the play was an entirely unique experience. David Adler, who plays James, stressed that the play is about "love and acceptance." To him, McNally isn't trying to push a gay or religious agenda. "I don't feel as though I'm preaching when I perform the show," Adler stated. Sophomore William Dunn, who plays singer-turned-disciple Simon, presented the play as an open dialogue with the audience. "You don't just get to sit at this play and watch," says Dunn. Indeed, the performance attempts to break down the barriers between actors and viewers. As stated by senior producer Taylor Shann, "There is no fourth wall." Often, audience members will find themselves sitting next to an apostle who, when not directly engaged in dialogue, may be lounging in the aisle. Due to the play's rather risqu?© topics and presentation, it is possible that some audience members will feel uncomfortable. But Dunn suggests keeping an open mind throughout the performance. "If you come in with baggage and looking for something [to be upset by], you're going to miss what is a fantastic show." According to those involved, the play is not meant to shock or jar the viewer; it is simply intended to present the story of a man who cared for and accepted others. During a time when religion can be a topic of contention, this play's casual atmosphere and earnest presentation breaks it down to its core teaching -- love. The audience can expect to leave with a sense that they have just seen something very important, even if they did already know how it would end. Pen, Paint, and Pretzel's production of Corpus Christi runs March 11, 12, and 13. $1 of each ticket sold for Friday night's performance will be donated to GLAAD.

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News

Jumbos look to build on solid fall ranking

March 10

With races scheduled against some of the best competition in the region, the Tufts women's crew has an exciting spring ahead. After a fall that included strong performances at the Head of the Charles Regatta and the New Hampshire Championship Regatta, the Jumbos are looking to post more strong times in 2004. This spring's captains are seniors Nebulla Stephen and Magda Denes. Among the underclassmen expected to play integral roles this season are juniors Lauren Sessions and Katherine Lindy, and sophomores Jackie Stone and Maddy Carroll. The team has the added benefit this season of being able to train in Florida over spring break. The warm weather will certainly be a welcome change for the women, but their time down south will not be for relaxation. Stephen and her teammates are most excited to be able to prepare for the season with as few distractions as possible. "It's the first time we are going away to train," Stephen said. "So it is a really good opportunity for us to put all of our focus into practicing and forget about weather conditions." At the end of the spring 2003 season, the women's crew team ended the season ranked 13th in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Div. III poll and it has the opportunity to improve on that number this spring. A convincing performance in last October's Head of the Charles regatta showed the team's intent to improve. The Jumbos finished 16th on the Charles, American rowing's marquee event, which attracts large, competitive schools from great distances. Among those teams in attendance were the Universities of Louisville, Colorado, and Tulsa. Queen's University of Ontario, Canada, won the race with a time of 16:47.32, about a minute ahead of the Jumbos. Tufts' other impressive showing came at the New Hampshire Championship Regatta, where it finished in sixth place out of 25 teams with a time of 16:51.39. Colby won the race in a time of 16:14.33. Among the teams the women will race against this season are Bates and Holy Cross, two of the small handful that beat them in the New Hampshire Championship Regatta. The Jumbos will also meet Smith, whose team was also impressive on the Charles. Perhaps the most intriguing match-up of the spring, however, will be when Tulane makes the trip up from New Orleans to compete with the Jumbos on the Malden River, Tufts' home course, on Apr. 4. Despite captivating regular season match-ups, the team has its sights fixed on May's New England Championships and ECAC National Invitational Championships, both taking place in Worcester. "The end goal is to win and shake things up at New Englands, giving us a spot at Nationals," Stephen said. The rowers open the season with a race against Worcester Polytechnic Institute at home on Mar. 27.

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News

All mediocre things must come to an end

March 9

With the recent news of a Somerville Police Department (SPD) crackdown on nightlife, it seems as though Tufts will join the ranks of universities across the nation that have venomous relations with the local fuzz. While their efforts will likely serve only to move late night carousal elsewhere, Tufts should take the opportunity to critically evaluate the situation and craft real solutions. Despite their pledge to protect and harass partiers, the SPD cannot change the reality of the situation: students and families do not mix. In fairness to all involved, local residents have a right to expect a tranquil environment every night of the week, and students have a right to be afforded some leeway in their late night activities. It is unreasonable to expect locals to simply put up with obnoxious rowdy students. Regardless, nobody deserves the boorish attitude employed of late by SPD officers. Officers who are unnecessarily rude and physical betray a lack of professionalism on the force. If a student responds calmly and respectfully to SPD requests, he should be treated similarly. Tufts can ill afford to stand idle and must work harder to craft both short-term and long-term solutions. Hopefully the spike in complaints will drive home to the administration that restricting on-campus social life merely sends the problem off campus. As this page has argued before, there is a critical need to allow spaces where large numbers of students can socialize on the weekends. If fraternities are not going to be afforded this role -- as President Bacow has indicated -- something must substitute. Though the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) works closely with the SPD, it should redouble its efforts to act as a mediator. Whatever their foibles, TUPD officers are more likely to care about students. It should work with the SPD to create a list of rules and a protocol for dealing with violations. Ideally, TUPD officers would make the initial contact with residents. All these solutions, however, still fail to address the underlying problem of Tufts' off-campus residences. The bottom line is students will continue to be students, and locals will continue to complain. It would have behooved neighbors to consider not living a block away from the 151-year-old institution if they dislike students, but they cannot be faulted for demanding city ordnances be enforced. Tufts must bite the bullet and create a comprehensive long-term plan to concentrate students who live off campus. As it stands, the surroundings and in some cases houses themselves are completely mixed. Tufts should work in concert with Medford and Somerville, landlord associations, residents, local police and any interested party to create policies that encourage students to rent properties in pre-determined areas. The Office of Off-Campus Housing needs to take a more active role in pairing students and landlords. Ideally, Tufts would work with landlords to designate houses as student or non-student, and the landlords would voluntarily try to rent only to the designee. These schemes would be very long-term in nature, and likely coordinated with construction plans. Any plan would require city hall and locals to actually work constructively with Tufts, something they have been loathe to do in the past. There are encouraging signs that new Somerville mayor Joe Curtatone will be more cooperative than his predecessors. He needs to be willing to expend political capital to push all parties to participate. While relations with the SPD have never been great, it is a shame to see things turn so ugly. With more conscience effort on the part of all involved, perhaps this problem will be alleviated and the police can focus their efforts of Somerville's real problems.

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News

Offseason Madness

March 9

Terrell Owens is so conceited and such a potential clubhouse cancer, but he's so good. As a Baltimore native, this entire Terrell Owens drama that first had the former 49er as a free agent, then on his way to Philly, and finally under contract with the Ravens, has been trickier than the conclusion to an episode of Melrose Place. Owens' agent wasn't aware of the logistical change in his client's contract that caused him to miss the date to file for free agency. The players association has filed a grievance with the league saying Owens should be a free agent. The league OK'd the trade to Baltimore, so their stance on the issue is obvious. The Ravens expected the wide receiver in Baltimore on Monday for his scheduled physical -- but of course Owens didn't show up. Owens has been cited in multiple publications blasting the 49ers, downplaying his trade to Baltimore, and showering all praises on the Philadelphia Eagles, who he thought he was traded to in the first place. With all of that drama, what do we have now? We have a superstar wide receiver, who is arguably the best player at his position, in limbo. He should be in Baltimore, yet is probably on some tropical island cursing out his agent via cell phone. We have the 49ers who, in all likelihood, are preparing their draft board and including the second round pick the team acquired from the Ravens for Owens. They also seem happy just to get rid of the wide receiver. For all the good press Owens brought the team, he brought just as much bad publicity. While in San Francisco, he performed outlandish, but creative, touchdown dances, openly spoke his mind on many issues, and is probably the sole reason Jeff Garcia wasn't resigned to play quarterback. As far as the 49ers are concerned -- good riddance. We have Philadelphia who, before Baltimore jumped in offering its second round pick, was on the verge of acquiring Owens for a fifth round pick and James Thrash. That would have been a robbery -- a premier wide receiver who would have mingled so well with all-world quarterback Donovan McNabb. To put it simply, the only thing that could stop that combo would have been a hamstring injury. McNabb to Owens would have been completely unfair, so I'm glad that trade didn't go through. However, the real victim of this entire charade is the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens played by the rules. It doesn't matter if Owens really deserved free agency or not, he was technically still a 49er. The Ravens followed the rules by giving up a much-needed second round pick for Owens and, so far, they are without his services. In this situation, Owens needs to be a professional. While unhappy in San Francisco, Owens rarely slacked on a play even though he outwardly expressed his displeasure in the Bay area. He has always claimed to be a professional, but is currently not holding up his end of the bargain. As an NFL player, you have the right to free agency when your contract is up. However, in that same breath, when you are under contract, you must report and play for the team that owns your rights. In other NFL news just 40 miles down I-95, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder believes he is buying his way to a Super Bowl Championship. First, he bought Joe Gibbs out of retirement and then commenced to overpay every free agent that contemplated a career in Washington. For Snyder's efforts with his pen and checkbook, I really hope the Skins bring home the big one next year. As fellow co-host on TUTV's Best Damn Interruption Sports Show Colin Stewart put it, "The Redskins win the Super Bowl every off season." So far Snyder has had the initiative and passion of George Steinbrenner with the luck of Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos. No matter how much money Snyder dishes out to big name veterans, the production just doesn't show. Maybe this off season's big name additions like Clinton Portis, Mark Brunell, and Shawn Springs can end the trend. For some reason, the NFL off season has become almost exciting as the actual NFL season. I find myself checking epsn.com more and more, looking for any updates in free agency and any updates to Mel Kiper's mock draft. The NFL is truly a business and the business aspect doesn't get more exciting than this time of the year.

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News

Chapelle's Show: Still funny. Still Fearless.

March 9

Dave Chappelle's take-no-prisoners brand of comedy made him a celebrity of stand-up, and now it's making him a TV legend as creator, writer, cast member and host of Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show." But not without a little controversy. The show's slogan is fitting, "Still Dave. Still Dangerous." Chappelle's unique and edgy sense of humor drives the sketch comedy show; it mocks even the most loaded topics -- white supremacy, black reparations, the "n-word," and slavery to name four. Chappelle and co-creator Neal Brennan are the show's only writers and their sketches fearlessly parody situations which other comics have either failed to satirize or have overlooked completely. A good example of this is Chappelle's spin on MTV's "The Real World." Each season the cast of "The Real World" rarely includes more than the token black housemate and therefore all potential differences are exaggerated, misrepresented and attributed to race. For most comics, the joke ends around here but for Chappelle the joke has just begun. In a sketch called, "The Madd Real World," the cast is made up of five stereotypical black characters and only one stereotypical white one. The sketch is funny in concept alone, mocking the token personalities. Yet when it's used as a way to reconsider the absurdity of the actual "Real World," the humor is much more arresting. To effect this response is rare even for a veteran sketch comedy show like "Saturday Night Live," yet Chappelle and Brennan do it weekly and in nearly every sketch. Chappelle has a keen eye for the world around him and his humor is both unapologetic and satisfying. In a promotional trailer for the show, Chappelle stands by a mailbag and reads a letter that criticizes his show's depiction of white people. He responds, "I thought there were plenty of positive images of white people all over television, that's why I keep my show devoid of them." But the show's complexion is more complicated than just that. Neal Brennan, Chappelle's co-creator and co-writer, is white. The two first became friends as employees and aspiring comics at a New York comedy club. From there they went on to co-write the feature film "Half Baked." They are equal partners in "Chappelle's Show." The show is not simply about making caricatures of white America, it's about exposing the fallibility of culture and race in general. Chappelle does not view himself as a comic of exclusively racial themes, nor are his sensibilities only suited for racial commentary. As a person, Chappelle is part "Half Baked" heavy-eyed stoner and part combative and aggressive kid from Washington, D.C. As a comic, he's just as unpredictable. In one sketch indicative of his originality, Chappelle travels through the Internet as though it was a mall and he discovers the Internet's otherwise indiscernible but inherent sleaziness. Like all comics he draws from everyday experience. He said in an interview with the "The Progessive," "When I do my act, I'm not trying to ever be political, but if there's something funny that happens, and I have a point of view about it, I'll do it. But it's not to be preachy. There's not a serious agenda behind it." This comes across in the show. When watching, one feels that Chappelle is truly just writing and acting scenes that make him laugh. This is why the show is so populated with original scenarios like super-freak Rick James slapping men, and a re-occurring character who dances the robot in several unrelated scenes. It's not hard to imagine Chappelle imitating and egging on the dancer from off camera. Even when a joke bombs it's obvious why the idea appealed to Chappelle. Unlike the crowd-chilling bad jokes that happen every so often on "Saturday Night Live," the viewer can always sympathize with Chappelle and appreciate the seed of humor even if it doesn't blossom. More than anything else, what stands out about "Chappelle's Show" is the sheer volume of original ideas he comes up with and the precision with which he acts them out. Chappelle has the patience to look for a joke. For example, the comedian goes beyond the stock-joke that white people can't dance to develop a sketch that proves that they can, as long as you play them their own music. The Chappelle Show comes at a time when the public is hungry for someone to tell the truth. Chappelle does them one better. He makes them laugh when they hear it. Comedy's greatest virtue is that it can expose people and things for who and what they really are; Chappelle uses comedy to this end, hysterically.

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