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Bows and Arrows' is not quite what Cupid had in mind

February 12

From the start, it's been clear that The Walkmen are somewhat pessimistic. They almost had us fooled into thinking otherwise. Their debut album featured tinkly piano and bouncy high-hat cymbals, the band was accepted by mainstream culture, and their single, "We've Been Had," was featured in a Saturn commercial and in the Jack Black film School of Rock. Two characters even have an important conversation in front of one of the band's posters. But this was all a ruse. The title of their debut album, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone, indicates the band's propensity toward self-loathing and aggression, and this trait is realized in full on their new release, Bows and Arrows. In 1998, The Walkmen were formed from the remains of two other bands: Jonathan Fire*Eater and The Recoys. After tossing away the asterisk and a weak vocalist, guitarist Paul Maroon, drummer Matt Barrick, and organist Walter Martin of Jonathan Fire*Eater picked up bass player Pete Bauer and singer Hamilton Leithauser and adopted a more New York scene-y sounding "the" name. Bows and Arrows doesn't offer a very optimistic outlook for love, but that's the point. The Walkmen's sophomore release is full of self-loathing and hostility, but it's blended with such musical virtuosity that you're left with a feeling of indignant righteousness and disdain for sappy love songs. Leithauser is not your typical snarling rock singer. Instead, his yowling sounds more like a drunken opera singer or Bob Dylan when he strains to reach notes (except that Leithauser always hits them). The best example of this is on "The Rat," the amazing first single from Bows and Arrows. Leithauser spews out "The Rat" like a boa constrictor in reverse, unhinging his jaw and gorging himself on angst as he expels the song from his belly: "Can't you SEEAAAHHH me! I'm! Pounding onnnn YOUUAAAHHR DOAAAAHHHR!!!" Songs like "No Christmas While I'm Talking" makes you feel like you're taking crazy pills. Maroon's guitar wails in the background as Barrick's drumming builds thunderously like a train that's about to hit you and Leithauser vocally represents the disquietude the song induces in the listener. And yet, while Leithauser's singing is interesting (and sometimes mind-boggling), the real front man of The Walkmen isn't a member, but an effect. Bows and Arrows is full of incredible percussive elements. "The Rat" could easily just be an exercise in self pity. Lyrics such as "When I used to go out/I'd know everyone/Now I go out alone/If I go out at all" demonstrate that. In "Thinking of a Dream I Had," the first 40 seconds are a frenzied mix of alternating bass guitar and bass drum, clangy rhythmic guitar, and sleigh bells. The sleigh bells seem like a weird choice for a rock band, but they work on Bows and Arrows, just as they did on Everyone. There, they backed Leithauser's optimism that "we've begun to work things out." Here, they supplement the angry "don't lead me on." Across the board, The Walkmen expound on the angst they demonstrated in Everyone with their tracks in Bows and Arrows. The band shifts from innocuous listlessness to emotional abuse. "New Year's Eve" takes the cute awkwardness of "Stop Talking" from Everyone and crassly distorts it: "I'll take your hand in another one night stand." The guitar work in "The North Pole" is reminiscent of Everyone's title track, but it counters that na‹vet‚ with the accusation, "seen you with your new boyfriend." Even what the band calls one of its "lighter" tracks, "Hang On Siobhan," is pointedly world-weary, featuring lines like "got tired of it day after day after day" and "you're a mystery to me/but you don't hear me asking around." Bows and Arrows makes you want to spend Valentine's Day alone, rather than subject yourself to the volatile nature of relationships that it presents.

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News

In case you missed it the first time: The Shining

February 12

It's that time again: time to buy sappy cards, neon-colored candy, and overpriced stuffed animals for friends and lovers alike. That's right, it's Friday the 13th. And what better way to honor this spooky day than to grab some popcorn and watch a truly horrific movie? Although boy band B2K's You Got Served (now in theaters) is terrifying in its own right, this day calls for a more classic horror flick. The Shining (1980), directed by Stanley Kubrick, is the renowned director's only foray into the horror genre. Starring Jack Nicholson, a scarecrow-like Shelly Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and veteran actor Scatman Crothers, the film is regarded by many as one of the scariest movies ever made. Writer Jack Torrance (Nicholson) is selected to be winter caretakers of the cavernous Overlook Hotel, a summer resort that closes during the desolate Colorado winters. Torrance brings his wife (Duvall), and young son Danny (Lloyd) along to accompany him through the lonely months. Kubrick carefully establishes the family's total isolation: the unplowed roads leading to the hotel, to the bleak expanse of snow outside the enormous residence, to the massive and empty rooms in the hotel itself. Soon after their arrival, a long-dead former caretaker and his two daughters whom he brutally murdered years ago begin haunting the not-so-happy family. The caretaker slowly starts prodding Jack to "correct" his family while the two girls terrify young Danny. Nicholson's decent into madness is palpable and unstoppable. The film culminates as the ax-wielding Jack first hacks down a bathroom door to get at his wife, yelling humorously, "Here's Johnny!", then chases his young son into the intricately confusing hedge-maze. The audience watches in horror as Nicholson stalks his son's footsteps in the falling snow. Throughout the film, characters go around corners before the camera follows, and keeps the audience on edge as the score builds to terrifying crescendos without payoff. Kubrick successfully keeps the audience guessing and terrified the whole time. A masterful study of isolation, madness, and finally mayhem, The Shining is what every horror movie and Neverland Ranch sleepover try to be: scarier for what might happen than what actually does. Kubrick is remembered as one of the foremost directors of his time with other classics such as Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Clockwork Orange.

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News

Budget proposals streamlined by software switch

February 12

The TCU Senate's Allocations Board (ALBO) has switched to Microsoft Excel in an effort to make budget calculations and submissions easier for student groups. ALBO used Microsoft Word before the switch. "We now have a more uniform and error-proof system than before, when we used Microsoft Word," Programming Board Co-Chair Anita Sinha said. Programming Board oversees ten groups, including the class councils, Social Programming Board, Concert Board, and the Film and Lecture Series. "Excel is a lot more straightforward, and even provides spaces for explanations," she said. "All you have to do is enter the numbers in the right places." Tufts Community Union (TCU) Treasurer Josh Belkin said he proposed the switch to last year's treasurer Ben Lee. "He wasn't very tech-savvy and thought it wouldn't work, so I told him 'When I'm treasurer...' and now we're using Excel," Belkin said. Belkin said Excel saved ALBO time and ensures greater accuracy. "There would be ten of us sitting there for four hours just correcting math mistakes," he said. "It was also unfair to groups before because they would think they were going to get something, but then a mistake would be found, and all of a sudden they'd be down three hundred dollars." "There's less confusion over what's being cut from each group's budget," Assistant Treasurer Harish Perkari said. "Excel allows us to do it so quickly that we can edit budgets right in front of them, which is very helpful for the groups in understanding what's going on." According to Concert Board Treasurer Jason Slomovitz, "the editing process was much easier -- instead of having to rewrite and recalculate all the figures, all I had to do was input the new numbers into the right columns." "The Treasury's template has made it so simple that I haven't had to deal with the problems that my fellow programming board members have had in the past," freshman Class Council Treasurer Jonathan Chan said. Groups were required to submit their budgets for next year by last week. Final budget decisions will be made on Feb. 26, after each group has met with a representative from ALBO.

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News

After the Jumbo Love Match

February 12

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, students are searching for love all around the Tufts campus. One place they just might find it is the ever popular TUTV television show Jumbo Love Match. On the eve of the quintessential "couples" holiday, the Daily steps in where the cameras left off, following two recently Love-Matched Jumbos on their first date. Last Wednesday, sophomore Jackie Kossman appeared on Jumbo Love Match and selected junior Joe Hill from a group of three male contestants. Kossman says she picked Hill because of his sense of humor: "His answers were really funny," she said. "He made me laugh." The two contestants, who had never seen each other around campus prior to meeting on the show, were pleased with the results. "When I first saw him, I was like, 'He's really cute,'" Kossman said. Hill 's first impression of Kossman was positive as well: "I was satisfied -- I wasn't disappointed at all," he said. At first, Hill thought that few students actually went on follow-up dates after the show. "I thought [Jumbo Love Match] would just be a fa‡ade," Hill said. "Then I asked [Kossman], 'Do you really want to do this or not?' and she was like 'Yeah.'" Kossman had to go out of town over the weekend, so the two contestants didn't waste any time. They decided to meet the following day, Thursday, at the campus center. Unfortunately, Kossman woke up on Thursday feeling so ill that she was unable to attend classes. However, not wanting to push the date back, she toughed it out and anxiously waited for Hill to arrive that evening. Kossman was scared she would be uncomfortable during the date. "I kept thinking, 'What if it's the most awkward thing ever?'" she said, adding that she was "concerned it was going to be [filled with] painful silences." After Hill entered the campus center, he and Kossman boarded the Joey to get to Davis Square. At first, the bus ride was extremely uncomfortable for the contestants. "It was kinda awkward because we didn't really know each other," Hill said. "I kind of feel people out before I open up to them, so I was just letting her say whatever she wanted." Kossman felt awkward as well, but tried her best to initiate a conversation. "I was like, 'So, what's your major?" she said. The couple attributes much of their initial unease to self-consciousness. "I watch game shows a lot on TV," Hill said. "So I was trying to be conscious about the way I was acting." Luckily for both, the awkward silence only lasted about five minutes. "Because we're both from Boston, we talked about a lot of stuff like that," Hill said. "We talked about how it is to be at school and what we thought about Tufts in general." When they arrived at Picantes, a Mexican restaurant in Davis Square, Kossman and Hill could not stop talking. "We didn't even look at the menu for 30 minutes," Kossman said. The two students laughed together, telling each other embarrassing college stories. Kossman told Hill about her humiliation during the Naked Quad Run, when she fell and split her chin open. "She's a really funny girl," Hill said. They also spoke about their relationship histories: Hill has a girlfriend who is studying abroad in Paris, and Kossman just ended a relationship two weeks ago. "I didn't really go into it thinking we were going to fall in love or anything like that," Hill said. "Because I do have a significant other." Their past, however, did not affect the couple. "We both made it clear that we had no expectations about what was going to happen," Hill said. "Because if you expect something to happen, you'll probably just get disappointed anyway." When he and Kossman finally ordered and the food arrived, the lactose-intolerant Hill tried his best to force his entr‚e (which included cheese) down. Though she was surprised, Kossman found Hill's culinary needs endearing : "He's a big tough dude," Kossman said. "I thought it was cute because he [said], 'I'm lactose intolerant.'" The date did not end at the restaurant. "I wanted her to still chill with me afterwards," Hill said. The couple decided to go to Sligo's, a bar in Davis Square. At the bar, Kossman and Hill continued to talk. "By that time, we were friends," Hill said. "We were just chilling." After Hill bought the first round of drinks, Kossman offered to pay for the second. She took out her wallet, however, and realized that she only had one dollar. Kossman ran to the ATM in embarrassment. "Luckily, he was in the bathroom," Kossman said. "So he didn't notice." Since Kossman was still not feeling well, she and Hill decided to return to campus at 10 pm. Thwy plan to go to the movies this weekend and attend the Robert Randolph concert at Dewick on Tuesday. So how will things end up? With Hill's girlfriend in Paris, Kossman "in between relationships," and Valentine's day right around the corner, this Jumbo Match might just be love.

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News

It's now or never for men's basketball

February 12

The men's basketball team faces a precarious situation this weekend: win, or the season is over. In its last opportunity to find a way into the postseason, the men's basketball team will host conference competitors Middlebury and Williams this weekend. "We are trying to stay loose and not put any added pressure on ourselves," junior guard Andrew Kaklamanos said. "Everyone knows we have to win this game." Middlebury travels to Medford tonight, for what is a must-win for both teams in order to make the playoffs. Currently, the fight for the last two playoff seeds is up for grabs between Middlebury (2-5), Tufts (1-6), and Colby (2-6). Had Tufts defeated Colby on the road last Saturday, the Jumbos would have been guaranteed a spot in the postseason. In that case, Colby would have at best tied Tufts' record. Ties in the NESCAC standings are determined by the winner of head-to-head match ups during the season. What ifs, however, are useless, and unfortunately for the Jumbos, last weekend's two conference losses to both the White Mules and the Bowdoin Polar Bears have complicated the team's playoff picture to include the outcome of other conference games. There are only two ways this team can make it into the playoffs and both require a victory against Middlebury on Friday. If Tufts loses, at best it can only land in a tie with Colby for the last spot, giving the edge to the latter. However, the Jumbos can stay alive, if they manage to beat the Panthers. "We know we have to win and we have been going hard in practice," Kaklamanos said. "However, we played the last two games as must-wins and I don't know if that had anything to do with the way they turned out. There isn't really much added pressure on us because we have played every NESCAC game as an important game." This is a winnable game for the team, as Middlebury has struggled this season, including suffering routs by Williams (104-71), Amherst (91-67), and Bowdoin (72-48) -- all teams that served Tufts a similar fate. What will also help the Jumbo cause is that the game will be at home in Cousens Gym. However, this team has learned not to take anything for granted. "We can't afford to take anyone lightly," Kaklamanos said. "We have to play every team like it is a top ten team and be ready to go." In preparation, Tufts has been focusing on its defense this week in practice, in response to the recent string of high scoring games -- giving up 80 points to Colby in particular. In particular, the Jumbos will have to focus on containing the Panther big men, namely 6'5" senior forward Nate Anderson. Anderson currently leads his team in both points per game, with 15, and rebounds per game, with 7.1. Most notable is that this forward became the 14th player in Panther history to reach a career 1,000 points, a feat which he accomplished in the team's loss to Bowdoin the last weekend in January. Most dangerous for Tufts, is that many games this season have been double-doubles for Anderson (including one against Colby where he scored 23 points and 10 rebounds). In order to beat Middlebury, Tufts will also have to contain 6'8" junior middle man Clark Read, who is the second-biggest contributor to the squad, averaging 11.6 points per game and 5.6 rebounds. Right behind him will be 6-3 junior point guard Mike Salek who also averages points in double digits per game (11.5). Even if Tufts defeats Middlebury, one of two things needs to happen before the Jumbos are assured entry. Tufts can control their own destiny by defeating Williams, Saturday afternoon, guaranteeing the team the seventh or eighth seed depending on how Colby does against Bowdoin. However, if there was ever a team you wouldn't want to play in this scenario, it would be the Purple Ephs. "Williams is a great team, they are well-coached and are like a machine," Kaklamanos said, "But we know their guys. I wouldn't say that it is probable [that we will win], but it is possible." Williams currently sits atop the NESCAC with a perfect 7-0 record, 21-1 overall. The number one ranked division III team in the nation has easily beaten the rest of the teams it has played in the NESCAC -- by fifteen points or more. The only NESCAC team to challenge the Ephs this season has been nationally ranked Amherst (5-2, 20-2), in a January 24th game that went into overtime. The next weekend, Amherst dished Tufts its worse loss of the season, a 99-54 rout. Barring any uncharacteristic play by either team, the Jumbos will most likely have to hope that Middlebury goes on to lose against Bates on Saturday. Bates (4-3, 16-6) is currently in fifth place in the NESCAC and is slightly favored to win. As for the Brown and Blue, all the team can do is show up on Friday and execute. Talent-wise, Middlebury should not be a problem for the team, but many teams like that have been able to get the better of the Jumbos. "Hopefully there will be a big crowd [this weekend] because we play so much better at home," Kaklamanos said.

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News

Despite tuition hikes Tufts fares better than peers

February 11

After the next round of tuition hikes Tufts will just squeak under the forty large mark by one single dollar. Before scrambling to save, however, an accompanying hike in the financial aid budget may soften the blow for many students. The Board of Trustees announced this past week a 4.5 percent tuition increase for the 2004-05 year, raising the tuition total to $30,203. After room and board ($9,030) and other required fees ($766) are factored in, the cost of a Tufts education is $39,999, not including textbooks and personal expenses. For the next year, though, undergraduate aid has been increased six percent, graduate aid five percent, and tuition remission 4.5 percent. The Tufts budget for student aid for 2004-05 will be set at around $43 million. This development is yet another example of rapidly rising costs of higher education. Increased science and research costs, competitive faculty salaries, student healthcare, and the withdrawal of government support has all contributed to driving up expenses for both public and private colleges across the country. This year, the budget for the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering combined will be just over $260 million. This represents about 50 percent of the University's total budget, which is around $500 million. Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard said that Tufts has a difficult balancing act with all these factors. "Everyone is very focused on trying to keep Tufts affordable. At the same time, everyone is very focused on keeping Tufts excellent." he said. The 4.5 percent tuition increase is less severe than the 4.9 percent rise for the 2002-03 school year. Student response to the higher tuition, however, is expected to be the same. "It's usually negative," co-chair of the Budget and Priorities Committee (BaPC) Professor Robert Guertin said. "It pleases no one. But it has to happen." This smaller incremental rise in costs is due to successful fundraising efforts, alumni-outreach programs, and goals for expanding the school's endowment, Bouchard said. Increasing funding from outside sources is the key to keeping tuition and fees as low as possible, Bouchard said. Tufts is largely "tuition dependent" with tuition and fees financing 81 percent of the budget. The remainder of the budget is funded by the endowment, the capital campaign, and the Tufts annual fund. Despite this relative decrease in tuition rises, the fact remains that a college education is more expensive than ever. "For students who have taken the time to understand how the budget works, they are always very impressed with what we do, and the fact that we always try to make sure that Tufts continues to be as affordable as can be," Bouchard said. "At the same time, does anyone look forward to a four to five percent increase? Never." The budget process begins with the BaPC. Using preliminary information about school expenditures, the group formulates a set of budgetary recommendations for the following year, which they submit to a council of deans and senior administrators. The council forms its own proposal to give to the Board of Trustees, which makes a final decision a few months later. Student opinions are not forgotten, administrators said. "There is a lot of student input," said Guertin. "Five committee members are undergraduates and one is a graduate. They have as much say as a faculty member." One of those students was TCU President Chike Aguh. "A big priority was undergraduate and graduate financial aid. We wanted to do our best to increase that. I am pleased with the decisions that came out of that committee," Aguh said. How are the students chosen? For the future, the administration will continue to try to minimize tuition rates and fees while maintaining current spending. "I think it's safe to say that there's no single item that the University has to cut back on. I think the school is good at keeping costs down right across the board," Professor Guertin said. Tufts compares its overall spending and tuition rates with about a dozen of the top research universities in the country -- including Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Duke, and Northwestern. In the early 1990s, Tufts was rated the second most expensive school in the group, and currently ranks as the fourth highest.

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News

Fanueil Hall bar offers a change of scenery

February 11

I was nominated to write bar reviews for two reasons: 1) I'm 21 and 2) I've been called a lush so many times in my life that I might as well make a career out of it-or at least a column in the Daily. Let's begin with Saturday's adventure to Bell and Hand Tavern, a Boston landmark and America's oldest continuously operating tavern since 1795. My gal pals and I arrived at Fanueil Hall to be greeted by Bell and Hand's very long line. I highly recommend getting some people over there early to save you a spot, and pre-gaming beforehand. While the annoying 40-minute wait pissed some of us off, it gave others a chance to smoke a last cigarette and meet some nice Irish lads who were leaving for their homeland the next day. We entered and paid the $5 Saturday cover (there was a band and free coat check) and instantly noticed that we stood out. Now lately, my friends and I have been feeling old. Seniors, perhaps you too have been feeling the same way, but for what reason? Just because you're turning 22 and most cute people at on-campus parties turn out to be younger than your sister? Well, get ready for the post-college bubble. Because as far as bars are concerned, you're just getting started. We were the youngest group of people in Bell and Hand. And not only were we the youngest, but we were all girls. The guy to girl ratio was in our favor (that is, if we actually wanted to meet prematurely balding computer analysts). There are several pro and cons to being the youngest group of girls at a bar. As far as cons go, there are some sketchy old dudes out there. For instance, the gray-haired man who leered at my friend and said, "I would do anything to buy you a drink." Eww. As for pros, you will never have to pay for a drink. I racked up three free rounds, the average amount in my group of friends. (Note: this isn't to say all the guys there could've been friends with your parents. My friends can attest that there were some polite and attractive mid-20 year olds, as well as some cute Irishmen. And for the men, there were for sure a few blonde MILFs running around, but older people in general aren't really my scene.) The bar itself is quite large. The first floor has a bar, places to sit by tall windows, and a small stage where a band crooned to some tipsy dancers. The bass from the DJ upstairs beckoned us to the second floor, where there are two bars and a crowded dance floor. The music at Bell and Hand is inconsistent, reflecting the age span of the dancers-from 80s music that none of us had heard of to current hip hop and R & B. A proactive stance is best to improve a bad music situation, so I became friends with the DJ. Under the hazy bar lights and on the hot (literally, it was burning up in there!) dance floor, we made the most of our night. The drinks were more expensive than here in Somerville, but cheap for a Boston bar-- around $5.25 for mixed drinks and more for imported beer. (Note: the four Long Island Iced Teas we ordered each varied in strength, but all could be considered potent.) Unlike Davis, however, getting home from Fanueil was a disaster. The free shuttle doesn't go to Fanueil and getting a cab at 2a.m., with traffic spilling out from all the other Fanuiel bars, is a mess. In all honesty, I didn't think Bell and Hand was much better than a good night at the Burren. Although a trip to the Burren would require paying for most of your drinks yourself, at least you'll run into more people your age. Or maybe Bell and Hand is the kind of bar I'll enjoy in a couple of years... if I ever become bald... or a computer analyst. The prices weren't bad, and the free coat check was a major plus, but in the end the night was a success because of the bar, but because of the company. (Also, pleading with the DJ to play more current music helped.) We ventured out of the Davis-scene, danced like hot young thangs, and some of us even left with phone numbers. And with the last song, R.Kelly's "Ignition," being dedicated to the "Tufts Girls," the night proved the old saying is true: "It's not where you are, but who you're with that really matters."

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News

Injury shakes up women's squash lineup

February 11

The women's squash team was victorious in a pair of 7-2 victories over Connecticut College and Wesleyan on Saturday, despite being without the help of its number two player. Freshman Erica Adler injured her knee in the first game of her match against Franklin and Marshall on January 31 at the Mount Holyoke College/Smith Invitational. Adler finished out the match, losing 7-9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-4 to bring her record to 2-2. That will be her final mark, as she will miss the remainder of the season, which ends in two weeks at the Howe Cup at Yale. Adler said that she is being treated for a sprained knee, and that she will need three to four weeks of therapy. Without Adler, the team has been forced to move all their players up a spot. "The higher up you go, there are more players able to hit the ball in the back corner, so the deeper [on the court] you have to play and the more you have to adjust your game," junior Rhonda Barkan said. Senior tri-captain Leigh Checchio was a near-automatic win at the three-spot, posting a 3-1 record with her lone loss to a Williams squad that overwhelmed the Jumbos 9-0. Since Adler's injury, Checcchio is 0-5 playing up at number two. "Playing up at number two is definitely an intense challenge," Checchio admitted. "[Erica's injury] affects the dynamic of the team. But we're definitely still confident about our chances in matches. It's not a fatal blow to the team." The Jumbos proved that statement true when, after stumbling with three consecutive losses to close out the MHC/Smith Invite, they righted the ship with a 2-0 record over this past weekend. This was due in large part to the efforts of five through nine seeds junior Eliza Drachman-Jones, sophomore Zoe Bolesta, freshman Liz Thys, Barkan, and sophomore Joelle Polivy, who combined to go 10-0 against Conn. College and Wesleyan. "Where you're at the bottom of the ladder, changing a spot doesn't matter as much," Barkan said. "At the top, the difference between, say two and three, is a lot more." "We all love Erica; she's real fun and definitely adds a lot," Checchio said. "In terms of morale losing your number two player certainly doesn't help."

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News

Seven Questions with Kristen Hyland

February 11

It's only so often that I gain the strength to walk up two flights up stairs. When I do get the feeling, however, there is nothing better than haggling one of my many athletic residents to answer 7 Questions. This week's athlete, sophomore Kristen Hyland, is a long distance swimmer on the women's swim team. She has been doing well all season, logging many meters around NESCAC swimming pools. It just so happens that I caught up with Kristen while she was folding her New Jersey: "Only the Strong Survive" t-shirt, so naturally 7 Questions followed. 1. When you first started swimming did you want to be more like Nemo or Flipper and why? Neither. I wanted to be more like the Little Mermaid--because she's super hot! >2. What is your favorite thing about tapering? The fact that I know next Friday, Sat, and Sun will be my big climax -- at NESCAC's -- and I have more free time to spend with my awesome RA, Elliott. 3. I hear you swimmers shave down before meets. Why not wear bikinis to get even faster times and more fans? We can't wear bikinis because we are already too much of a distraction to the boy's team, and if we wore any less they probably wouldn't be able to concentrate on any of their swims. >4. What's your fondest memory of New Jersey, your home state? Visiting exit four on the lovely Jersey Turnpike -- Erica Weitz lives there! >5. Every time I walk into your room there are always mounds of clothes drying on a drying rack, is there anything you and your roommate have against a drier? Well Elliott, contrary to popular belief, people from Jersey actually are clean. >6. Is it ever okay to wear "water wings?" Yes, but only if they coordinate with your bathing suit. (It's always important to be color coordinated) >7. Where do you find motivation to swim such long distances? Ray Radovich. by Elliott Wiley, Jr.

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News

Indie pop saviors, the Shins, hit Boston

February 11

Sick of the tirade of garage rock rival bands? Feel distanced or alienated by the artsy new-wave movement? Just want some peppy-indie-lo-fi pop that's unabashedly, well...poppy? Our warriors who fight the good fight for sunshine and goodness in music, also known as the Shins, will touch down in Boston this Friday at the Roxy, promising to save us all from this hoity-toity, post-punk movement. These four Albuquerque boys exploded into the limelight with their 2001 release, Oh, Inverted World, after nine strong years under the radar. The group is currently promoting Chutes Too Narrow, which is a bit of a detour (albeit a welcome one) from Oh, Inverted World. The first album's catchy tracks integrate melodic chords, light synths, and strong drum rhythms into a consistent warm and fuzzy sound. Conversely, Chutes Too Narrow offers a peppier sound with more obvious influences from the '60s pop era. Chutes also boasts a more eclectic collection of tunes that range from acoustic twang to a smooth blend of synth effects, drums, and delicate guitar. Short but sweet, Chutes is an understated album when compared to Introverted's longer play list. Vocals are the Shins' obvious strong suite. Persuasive and emphatic lyrics take listeners to a surreal pop world where it makes perfect sense to feel giddy, melancholy, bored, and lonely all at once. "So Says I," a brief political theory romp, is a particular standout track on Chutes. Against a bouncy melodic guitar and heavy cymbal background, the Shins find themselves in a nasty, brute state of nature. Lead singer James Mercer's effective lyrics exclaim, "So we burned all our uniforms/ And let nature take its course again/ And the big ones just eat all the little ones/ ...Tell Sir Thomas More we've got another failed attempt." "Young Pilgrims" also serves up good pop sensibility with simple and crisp acoustic guitar. Mercer admits in the song, "I know there is this side of me that wants to grab the yoke from the pilot/and just fly the whole mess into the sea." The Shins might have recorded the most decidedly adorable song of 2003 with "Turn a Square." Its lusty vocals and rock-inspired instrumentals blend wonderfully with Mercer's lovable admittance that, "Just a glimpse of an ankle/ and I react like it's 1805." Essentially, Chutes plays with the listener's musical palate and creates an album that's an absolute joy to experience. Whether it's the sun-shiny harmonies of "Saint Simon," (which are definitely sing-along worthy) the jangling synths of "Fighting in a Sack," or the delicate and somber "Gone for Good," the Shins aim to please. With hooks and inventive harmonies galore, the Shins continue to create some of the best music in recent years. Theirs is a joyous music which carries none of the pretense of the modern artsy post-punk movement. The Shins' music is sure to bring some much needed Albuquerque sunshine to the Roxy this Friday. The Shins perform at The Roxy in Boston this Friday, February 13. Show starts at 7 p.m. Cass McCombs and Sam Jayne (from Of Love as Laughter) open.

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News

TDC: A true collective?

February 11

On Wednesday, Jan. 28, nearly 250 people, a record number, crowded into Jackson Gym for the Tufts Dance Collective general interest meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the 19 songs that the TDC board had selected. These songs were selected from a group of prospective choreographers who presented the week before. Five board members, who were elected at the end of last year, have the privilege to choose which people choreograph for the show. These songs will be rehearsed separately over the course of the semester, and by the time April rolls around, the students will have learned these dances and be ready to rock out at the two sold out shows. It is not surprising that this group is so popular on campus. The main idea behind TDC is that any student, regardless of experience, is given the opportunity to express their creativity and interests through dance. There is something that appeals to everyone --- from lyrical to hip-hop dancing. In addition, the level of commitment is amazingly flexible, from Board members who organize and choreograph the show, to dancers who just practice once a week. And if you are not in the show, you are more than likely going to see it, spreading the word that TDC is FUN and worthwhile. However, I think that while TDC is becoming ever more popular, some of the facets of the organization that make it so unique have been warped. To begin with, the process of selecting the songs for the show was not only biased, but it compromised the ideology upon which TDC was founded. I realize this might seem negative, so let me explain my reasoning. Over 30 presentations were made to the TDC board at the choreographer's meeting, and only a little more than half were accepted. As a rule, you must be present at the choreographer's meeting for your song idea to be considered. Of the songs that were accepted, four of the songs were listed as TBA. This means that the choreographer had not selected a song for the presentation, and yet they were chosen above others that had. Three of these "TBA" songs will be choreographed by board members. As a result of this poor planning, two of the songs that were announced at the General Interest Meeting are sung by the same artist, causing the diversity in material to be compromised. I doubt if I am the only person who finds this hypocritical. There were people at the meeting who had extensive experience and put a lot of thought into their song selection, but they were not given the chance to show their skills and bring something new and exciting to TDC. I understand that as the executive board, it may be difficult to take a chance on someone with whom they have had no previous experience, but it is important to include new material from new people. Last semester, many people were given the opportunity to choreograph more than one dance for the show. This semester, with so much competition, it would only seem fair that no one would be able to choreograph more than one dance in order to give more people the chance to put one together. However, three people are each choreographing two dances this semester, and two are board members. Now, this is somewhat understandable since all of them are seniors, and they are all incredibly talented choreographers. But considering all the work that the board members are responsible for (organizing the show, choreographing, participating in other dances...) it seems inefficient when the members try to stretch themselves too thin. I think it might be necessary to consider a choreographer's results from previous semesters if they do have experience. Just because they have choreographed before does not mean that they should automatically receive the honor of choreographing the next semester. Perhaps there could be an evaluation of the choreographer after each semester measuring how successful practices were, if the person was prepared for rehearsal at all, and how the quality of the final product compared to others in the show. In addition, perhaps a couple of spots could be reserved for first-time choreographers, leaving the remaining openings for seniors or other experienced members of TDC. I know that it is a little late this semester to make any of these changes, and even without them, I am sure the show is going to be amazing just like it always is. I did not write this "to get revenge," because I did not even present a song this semester. In the great scheme of things, it will be difficult to remember who choreographed and who did not. But that just makes it all the more likely that nobody will say anything, nothing will change, and the same pattern will occur in each subsequent semester that TDC puts a show together. There are choreographers this semester who definitely deserve to put their dance on stage, but there are just as many out there who were unfairly denied that opportunity. I just have a feeling that the show could be even better if we changed the system a bit. If the quality of the show at the end of the semester takes precedence over the individuals who contribute to put it together, then the true purpose of TDC will be achieved -- to make it a true Collective. Meg Simpson is a Sophomore who has not declared a major.

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News

NESCAC playoff picture becoming clearer in final weeks

February 11

As February zips by and final league games begin to loom in the near future, NESCAC teams are feeling the heat for the final push into the playoffs. With just one more weekend of league competition in store for the men's and women's basketball teams, and two more weeks for hockey, the playoff pictures are solidified for some, but still up in the air for many squads. In men's basketball, Williams, ranked second in the nation, can clinch the top seed in the NESCAC championship tournament with a win on the road against either Bates or Tufts this weekend. The Ephs look to repeat last year's success when they went all the way in the tournament, edging Amherst in the championship game, 74-70, to win a bid to the NCAA Div. III national tournament. Number two in the conference Trinity stands just behind Williams with a 6-1 NESCAC record. The Bantams will play fifth place Wesleyan and last place and winless Connecticut College this weekend while vying for either the top or second tournament seed. Trinity sophomore Tyler Rhoten earned the NESCAC's most recent player of the week honors with his 28 point, 13 rebound performance in a 68-66 win over third place Amherst last Saturday. Despite losing to Trinity, the Lord Jeffs made news last week by defeating the Colby-Sawyer Chargers 89-66 on the road. Amherst's win broke a 32-game home win streak for Colby-Sawyer and moved the Lord Jeffs to 19-1 overall on the season. In women's hoops, number one ranked Bowdoin clinched the top tournament seed with wins over Bates and Tufts last weekend. Led by senior guard Lora Trenkle, who scored a game high 13 points against Tufts and another 20 points versus Bates, Bowdoin extended its undefeated season record to 22-0 (8-0 NESCAC). The Polar Bears now stand as the only unbeaten team in Div. III basketball, women's or men's. The league's hockey teams still have two weeks remaining on their league schedules. Middlebury sits in the top spot at 12-2 in the league and 18-2 overall. Bowdoin is right on the Panthers' heels with a 10-4 league mark. Polar Bear sophomore forward Adam Dann earned NESCAC player of the week honors for his play in his team's two wins last week. Dann had a hat trick against St. Michael's and helped the Polar Bears knock off top ranked Norwich, 5-3, on Saturday. Dann netted the game-winning goal against Norwich in the second period and later added an insurance score in the third to snap his opponent's 15 game win streak. The playoffs will be structured similarly for both basketball leagues as well as hockey. The top eight basketball teams in each league will be seeded by record, or in the case of ties, by a variety of tie breakers. The top four teams will have home court advantage in the quarterfinals, beginning February 21. From there, home court will be decided based on the highest remaining seeds with the semifinals and championship games falling on the last weekend in February. Hockey will have much the same playoff format as basketball with the top eight teams qualifying for the post season. This tournament, however, will begin a week later than the basketball teams' due to one final weekend of league competition. The hockey championships will be held the weekend of March 6-7 and the NESCAC champion will automatically receive a bid to compete for the Div. III national crown.

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News

Parking pass forgery on the rise among sophomores

February 11

If the parking decal on your car is fake, now might be the time to take it off, because the police and Dean of Students office are coming for you. Though there have always been several cases of fraudulent decals each year, this year more students are being caught and disciplined for their action, according to Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Captain Mark Keith. The most prevalent cases of falsification are upperclassmen that purchase decals for sophomores, violating university rules. Parking administrator Brett Sylvia said the problem is not a new one, but it is now being more strictly enforced. "Those people who have been caught have faced severe disciplinary action from the dean's office" Sylvia said. The penalties for a false decal carry an immediate sentence of Probation II, a fine of $50 and suspension of the parking pass. When TUPD discovers a false decal the officer writes an incident report and then refers the issue to the Dean of Student's Office. Due to the increased number of incidents, the university is considering making such an offense more visible on the published list of violations, according to Judicial Affairs Director Veronica Carter. Currently, the Department of Public Safety's parking regulations do not mention Probation II specifically, only disciplinary action. Additional penalties include a fine and revocation of the violator's parking privileges for the present and upcoming semester. According to the Judicial Process Handbook, students on Probation II are no longer considered in good standing with the University. They may not study abroad, hold office in a student organization, join a fraternity or sorority, or participate in any sports program. The offense remains on the student's record for four years, even after graduation. While TUPD may be more strictly enforcing these rules, both Keith and Sylvia were careful to point out that degrees of punishment have not changed. "The disciplinary actions haven't been increased. The penalties haven't changed," Keith said. Keith is not certain of the reason for increased violations, but the forgeries potentially relate to the tight parking situation for sophomores, who are now forbidden from parking uphill. Keith also said that, "maybe it is through the diligent efforts of staff who are noticing altered or phony decals." Because students feel that uphill lots, such as the one behind Miller Hall, are often partially empty, some sophomores question the validity of the strict policy. "I think everyone should have the same privileges. There is ample parking for sophomores in junior and senior areas, and I see no reason why privileges should be reduced," said sophomore Trevor Alcott, who has a Cousens-only decal. Though the regulations may frustrate some students, Sylvia says upperclassmen appreciate the increased available space over last year's parking crunch. Sophomores took up many of the available spaces in uphill lots last year, forcing upperclassmen to park elsewhere. "After what we experienced last year and with the number of sophomore decals sold this year, opening the parking uphill just is not an option," Keith said. When asked if there were any plans to prevent future forgery of parking decals, both Keith and Sylvia were hesitant to release any information. "We're looking into options, maybe, that would help combat this practice in the future," Keith said.

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News

Doctorate program to be added at Boston School of Occupational Therapy

February 11

Tufts Graduate students may now become doctors in occupational therapy without changing schools, decided the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences last Wednesday. If the Board of Trustees approves the proposal in May, Tufts' Boston School of Occupational Therapy (BSOT) will implement a new doctorate program in January 2005. "By 2007, it will no longer be enough to enter the field of occupational therapy with only a bachelor's degree," Dean of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Robin Kanarek said. "The field is changing, and the way it's going, people will soon need doctoral degrees to get the best jobs." Although the BSOT is ranked as having the fifth best graduate occupational therapy program in the country, Tufts is the only school in the top five that does not currently offer a doctorate program in the subject. As a result, it is losing students to other universities for doctoral education in occupational therapy and related fields. "The new program will allow us to continue to be competitive with other universities and will open up opportunities for Tufts students," BSOT chair Professor Sharan Schwartzberg said. "We hope that it will drive people to continue at Tufts, rather than go on to study elsewhere." According to the executive summary of the proposal, the program's stated aim is "to attract and retain students, prepare expert practitioner-teacher-scholars, and to generate a body of research for the profession and health field." The program would be similar in structure to the current master's programs, and would be administered by a committee consisting of five of the department's full-time faculty members, negating the need for major departmental changes. The BSOT currently offers two master's programs in occupational therapy -- one for students with a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and another for students without a degree in the subject. Citing the results of a marketing survey conducted two years ago, Schwartzberg said that BSOT students have been enthusiastic about the prospect of continuing higher studies at Tufts. "We're delighted about the program and hope that undergraduates will eventually take advantage of it," she said. Kanarek agreed. "This proposal is very exciting, and undergraduates should take advantage of its benefits," she said, noting how occupational therapy's interdisciplinary nature could appeal to students from many different academic backgrounds. About 80 students are currently enrolled in the BSOT's masters programs. Kanarek expects that the total number of students will remain approximately the same if the proposal is implemented, as the number of doctorate students would increase while the number of master's students would decrease. According to the proposal, the target enrollment for the doctoral program is 43 to 45 students. As a graduate-only master's program, the BSOT has collaborative relationships with Tufts' schools of engineering, nutrition, and medicine, as well as several departments in arts and sciences, including biology, child development, and psychology. All these programs have released statements backing the doctorate proposal. The BSOT was established in 1918 and has been affiliated with Tufts since 1945. It is located on Winthrop Street on the Medford campus.

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News

Artist's featureless faces offer human emotion

February 11

Two mahogany figures stand as guardians at the door as competing sculptures made out of chess pieces, white and brown, well-carved and crude, hang on the wall. Bullet casings, arranged in the shape of a pyramid, rest on top of an angel's outstretched wings, and in the next box over, a glassy-eyed head sits on top a jar of rusty nails, a forest of metal prongs driven into the shape of a sunset in the wood above. Such is one's first impression of "Metaphysics, Mystery, and Magic," the new spring exhibit opening today at the Tufts University Gallery in the Aidekman Arts Center. With an opening reception tonight from 5-8 p.m., the exposition features the work of metaphysical artist Enrico Pinardi. The showcased artist is a Cambridge native who blends warm colors and contrasting images in the collection of paintings, drawings, and sculptures currently on display in the Tisch and Koppelman Galleries. There are no human figures in Pinardi's work, but in his paintings, the inanimate often take on extraordinary human qualities. Pawns become people, and obelisks and bullets take on qualities of the human form. Also present is the sensation that, though all his paintings feature still-life, they capture snapshots of a just-abandoned scene. Empty tables and scattered cards provide evidence of the activity that recently ceased; open trap doors stand as proof that a faceless individual stepped outside only a moment ago. This lack of visible people, rather than making the work feel dead, actually helps the viewer identify with the paintings in a way that human faces could not. It's easy to imagine someone we know standing behind the curtain, having only just left the table or vanished through the door. And it's this profound sense of intimacy that helps us put ourselves or people we know into the scene at hand, while bringing power to the artist's message. "A lot of my work comes from frustration," Pinardi said. "I always thought that by the time I was 70, things would change, but that never happened. The big stuff is still out there. I think the idea behind all my artwork is that on the evolutionary scale, we haven't gone very far. The same hate is still here, and it doesn't seem to want to go away." Downstairs, dozens of paintings of pyramids and obelisks stand in stark tribute to ancient monoliths; the back wall is lined with a series of faceless, eyeless figures standing bare before a firing squad, riddled with bullets, their mouths gaping wide to emit silent screams. "The screams," Pinardi said, "go on and on and on. The mouth is open, but you can still hear the screams. A day doesn't go by without someplace getting bombed." Repeated throughout the artist's work are images of pyramids and obelisks, functioning as silent monuments alongside an empty table, built of nails or thorn branches in one of his many sculptures, or standing freely in individual paintings and works. Pinardi explained the repeated appearance of monoliths in his work. "A pyramid, historically, represents a new beginning," he said. His work is about the future as much as the past, and even as his paintings reflect on days long gone by, they still contain an element of hope for change in the future. One of the highlights of the exhibit is a new freestanding sculpture making its debut in the Boston area. Set against a dark backdrop, it is divided into three parts. A curtain is draped over the leftmost segment, with death standing, barely noticeable, behind it. The center panel is, as Pinardi described it, "a shop for creating crosses." He noted that one "can sell a lot of stuff using religion," and comments that the missile present inside one of the crosses represents "a misuse of elements and symbols." In the right section, a humanlike figure stands shrouded in linen, representative of the ideas that are destroyed by war, but in a moment of hope, two other figures rise out of the darkness behind it. "Pandemonium and chaos are always present," Pinardi said. "My art is quiet in a sense, but it's also full of that. In the end, you can't kill a good idea. It will just surface and come back like trees." Pinardi describes magic as something that every artist faces when they come up against a blank canvass, and it's clear that the painter and sculptor has a gift for turning even the most mundane scene into a crafted story. His work, though always of simple objects, still manages to capture a sense of humanity inside the faceless figures. "Still lifes also contain elements of how I feel," Pinardi said. "We all get impressions and we can all see a sunset, but it's much more intimate to paint what's going on inside you."

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News

Community Health Program founder dies, remembered for his kindness

February 11

After fighting a bout with cancer, Professor Seymour "Sy" Bellin, founder of Tufts' undergraduate Community Health Program (CHP), passed away on Jan 9. Dr Bellin was 80 years old. He will be remembered by the Tufts community tomorrow at a service in Goddard Chapel at noon. Although Bellin retired earlier, he was still serving on the Community Health policy board at Tufts until the day he died. "Sy was the first faculty member to invite us over to dinner after Adele and I arrived at Tufts," University President Larry Bacow said. "We had a delightful evening in his home on Talbot Ave. He was warm, gracious, and welcoming. He also was a terrific storyteller. Adele and I laughed a lot and learned a lot in a few short hours. For a new president, it was a wonderful introduction into the community." Bellin began his career with Tufts in 1966, serving as an associate professor within the medical school's department of Community Medicine until 1973, when he moved to the Medford campus. Bellin taught courses within and chaired the sociology and anthropology departments. "As a chair of the Sociology department, Sy was always thinking about ways to develop the department and to sustain its members," said Rosemary Taylor, who worked alongside Bellin for 26 years as a former CHP director. "He built a graduate department and nurtured a small group of interesting Master and Ph. D. students. He was a remarkably supportive chair, keenly interested in the work and lives of his faculty." Determined to bring his knowledge and experiences from the medical school to the undergraduate campus, Bellin established the University's Community Health Program in 1975 and acted as director for three years. The CHP is one of the oldest multidisciplinary programs offered at Tufts. Over the years, the CHP gained recognition as an academic major, but students may still only use Community Health as their double major. Thirty-eight students are expected to graduate with a CHP major this spring. As Middle East violence raged in the early 1970s, Bellin and a group of fellow university professors from Brown, Harvard, MIT, and Brandeis established the Middle East Emergency Fund to aid civilian victims on both sides of the war. The Middle East Emergency Fund was supported by the American Friends Service Committee. Taylor believes his friend was multidisciplinary in all he did. "In all his roles at Tufts beyond the Sociology department -- as a member of the medical school faculty, as one of the founders of the Community Health Program, as an active member of the Tufts faculty and as a concerned citizen, he was a sociologist to his finger tips even though he was trained originally as an economist," Taylor said. "He was always immediately interested in the why's and wherefore's of events and their social and political implications." Bellin contributed to the book The Consumer Society, a compilation of essays on economics and health in society that was published in 1997. He worked on the chapter devoted to Family, Gender, and Socialization. The book was sponsored by the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts. Current CHP Director Edith Balbach said that the CHP's attempts to create links between faculty and students was personified in Bellin. "Sy's kind and gentle spirit has permeated everything this program has done. It's hard to imagine the policy board without him," Balbach said in a statement to the University on Jan 30. The Seymour Bellin Research Fund was created at the 25th anniversary of the CHP in 2000. The Fund promotes undergraduate research and celebrates Bellin's achievements of bringing students and faculty together within the program. A reception in the Coolidge Room in Ballou Hall is to immediately follow Friday's service, and any donations will be given to the Tufts CHP student scholarship fund. "It is hard to imagine the University without him," Taylor said.

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News

Tufts and Curatone administration discuss town-gown relations

February 11

Just as Rick and Louis made it work in Casablanca, Tufts and Somerville are beginning what they hope will be beautiful friendship after several tumultuous incidents. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone said that his new administration is working toward forging a cooperative relationship. Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said that University officials have had three meetings with Curtatone that, so far, have been "positive." Rubel said that they are also considering new grant opportunities for the City. Curtatone echoed the same sentiment. "The City will always be here. We were here first, but Tufts will always be here as well," he said. One of the issues brought to attention was Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOTs). As a non-profit organization, Tufts is not subject to property taxes. Therefore, PILOTS would cover the costs of necessary University municipal services. "Tufts does not do enough for the community, if you compare it to other universities in the Boston area. It's high time something happened," said Bob Trane, Alderman for Ward 7, in which Tufts is located. Curtatone agreed, calling PILOTs a "logical expectation" on the part of the City. Somerville is struggling with its budget after a $12 million cut in state aid last year. Trane predicts that PILOTs will be a "front issue for this administration." The lack of funding may lead to serious shortfalls in the next fiscal year, Chief Assessor Richard Brescia said. "We don't have an endowment like Tufts," he said. "We're facing layoffs which could spell shortages in city services. Should we experience more cutbacks in state funding, we're going to have to be more aggressive in other areas." According to Rubel, the University cannot afford to pay PILOTs and such additional expenses would lead to increased costs to students. Curtatone said that financial contributions by the University to the City of Somerville have already been discussed. "We have talked about the categories for now and we're getting to the terms," he said The proposed construction of a dorm on Professor's Row, at the current site of the Music Department building, is also of concern to the Somerville-Tufts relationship. The project was stalled last spring due to opposition from the Somerville Historic Preservation Committee, and as for the outcome of discussions on this subject, much like the others, "it is too soon to say," Rubel said. Both groups continue to explore the dynamics of their relationship. Rubel said that this situation is entirely new, as Tufts "didn't have a lot of interaction with Curtatone before he became mayor. [It is] much too soon to predict where this will go," she said. These discussions are leading towards several new initiatives such as further development of "Shape Up, Somerville", a grant program run by the School of Nutrition that aims to prevent obesity among children in Somerville. Brescia said he "is sure every issue will be treated fairly and expeditiously" and that Curtatone is the right man for the job. "The Mayor is very regimented and aggressive in many areas, but also very fair. We just want to be sure everybody will be treated well education-wise and civil service-wise," Brescia said. Curtatone is looking forward to developing a bridge between the University and the City, in an effort to take advantage of each others' potential as business partners. "For too long there has been a negative connotation about Tufts as a good business partner for us and about the city as a good business partner for Tufts. But Tufts is a great resource," he said. These discussions are meant in part to foster "clarity and predictability" about issues such as PILOTs, Curtatone said. University president Bacow said that "both [Curtatone and I] would like to see the relationship evolve as a partnership. We believe we can get more done working together than against each other."

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News

A low scoring All-Star Game: what else is new?

February 11

The Eastern Conference All-Stars beat their Western counterparts 6-4 on Sunday in a fast-paced,yet goalie-dominated, game. Future Hall-of-Famer and New York Ranger Mark Messier, participating in the weekend's festivities for the 15th and final time, scored a goal and set an all-star record by recording his 14th all-star assist. Other standout performances included that of the Colorado Avalanche's Joe Sakic, whose hat trick for the West earned him the game's MVP award. The real stars, however, were the players in between the pipes. All six goalies had impressive showings, especially for a game that lacks any real checking or defensive intensity. Even with such intriguing action, the big story of the weekend was the somewhat disappointing state of the sport. With goals being scored more infrequently than ever (around five goals a game compared to roughly seven and a half per contest 15 years ago), the commissioner and others analysts have been eager to provide possible solutions to bring the excitement back to the NHL. Even respectable news organizations were getting a bit over-anxious about the lack of scoring. According to espn.com, Sunday's game was only the second All-Star Game in the last 19 seasons with fewer than ten goals. It is true that some recent All-Star scores could be mistaken for those of a football game, and perhaps this weekend's game implies a larger trend in an increasingly defense-dominated league. But in this year's game the east scored six and the west scored four, which by my math is exactly ten, not less. There were indeed only two All-Star games with fewer than ten goals scored (1996 and 1986) in the previous 19 seasons, but this year's game was not one of them. ESPN and the NHL have reason to fret about hockey's dwindling appeal - ratings on ESPN (0.5) and ESPN2 (0.2) for hockey are the lowest by far of any of the major pro sports (though ESPN's parent company, Disney, can't be unhappy with the cross-promotional synergy it achieved over the weekend for its film Miracle). As a result, it seems the NHL can be expecting a considerable decrease in its U.S. TV contract; according to various reports, ESPN will not pay much more than half of the $600 million it currently does every five years to continue airing games. It's with this in mind that many hockey observers have taken the liberty to suggest subtle changes in the rules that could theoretically boost scoring and increase public interest. Even NHL commissioner Gary Bettman admitted on Saturday during his All-Star weekend news conference that more offense would help the game's ratings. Some of the ideas that have been thrown around to increase scoring make sense. Decreasing the allowable size of goalie equipment, using shootouts to decide games after a five-minute overtime, and moving the goals back a few feet to create more neutral ice are easy changes that would have tangible results. Ideas like prohibiting goalies from handling the puck behind the goal line are unnecessary confinements of player freedom. Some fans, Inside the NHL included, have been enjoying hockey just the way it is. If, however, there must be changes, here a few poorly thought-out and, at times, radical proposals. If ties are what viewers want eliminated, why not disallow goalies from even coming out on the ice for the overtime period? Some of the most exciting moments of a hockey game come when a desperate team pulls their goalie to replace him with an extra attacker. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would enjoy five minutes of utter chaos on the ice with a valuable point on the line. To get the home-town fans more involved in the game, how about an instant fan poll (by way of applause) on which of their team's players should serve minor bench penalties (too many men on the ice, delay of game, etc.). All fans have some player on their team who they would rather see in the penalty box than on the penalty kill (the San Jose Sharks' Mike Rathje immediately comes to mind), and this idea would allow for the fans' displeasure to be duly noted. Keeping with the democratic theme, another innovative suggestion to spice things up would be to force the team's players to "vote off" one of their teammates before each game, designating them free targets for the other team. The referees would not be allowed to call a penalty for this player- meaning the other team could do whatever it wanted to him with no retribution. The sacrifices in safety and team unity would be eclipsed by the certain increase in fan interest, albeit a sadistic one. Though seemingly ridiculous, these ideas might be just what a struggling NHL needs to make the sport exciting again -- drastic times call for drastic measures. Have your own suggestion for a new NHL rule, or any other comments? E-mail ideas to David_S.Mitchell@tufts.edu (note the underscore or else another ice-sport-oriented David will receive your note).

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News

PILOTS are not the answer

February 11

Town-gown relations between Tufts and the Somerville and Medford communities are normally decent, recently marred only by noisy parties or new construction plans by the University. But the relationship between Tufts and Somerville has become more strained as Somerville's new mayor tries to solve Somerville's finance woes by demanding that Tufts give Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT). PILOTs are given by non-profit institutions voluntarily to compensate for not paying property taxes. Somerville, like the majority of cities in Massachusetts, must deal with huge decreases in federal and local funding. To not cut services, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone has been looking for new sources of tax revenues. One of these places is PILOTs from Tufts. Curtatone wants to create a PILOT program with Tufts for the municipal; services provided by the city of Somerville. Unfortunately, Tufts, like Somerville, has a tight budget. Compared to its neighboring universities (i.e. Harvard), Tufts has a small endowment and more restricted fundraising options. It would be difficult for Tufts to make comparable PILOT payments, which can reach up to $2 million. Reductions in government funding have impacted Tufts as well as Somerville. Even if Tufts were to complete a PILOT agreement with Somerville, it could only make a token contribution. Another concern with PILOT programs is that universities would probably pass the charge right on to the student, which it turn enhances the problem of skyrocketing tuition. There is no easy solution. It is interesting to note that only six of the 36 colleges and universities in the Boston area have PILOT agreements. The problem of finding new sources of income has been a problem for all communities in Massachusetts as they have had to deal with smaller budgets. When students exhibit riotous and destructive behavior which consumes city resources -- blatant after events like the Super Bowl and the baseball playoffs -- it seems clear that universities should pay something for the services required. Tufts must be respectful and thankful to Somerville and Medford, but those cities should also understand Tufts' capabilities. By aggressively pushing for a PILOT program, Curtatone will harm town-gown relations, and he cannot blame the impasse on the students or the administration. Tufts provides many services to the community by attracting visitors and creating a job resource. There are other options for Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel and Curtatone to find that will better meet the needs of Tufts and Somerville.

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News

What you can really learn from penguins

February 11

Last week, I received an email from my mother that included an article from the New York Times ["Love That Dare Not Squeak Its Name," Feb. 7]. Being the typical college student who doesn't have the time to read any more than she has to in order to keep up with school, I thought to myself, "Oh no, what's this one going to be about." While she used to have to take the time to neatly clip columns from our local newspaper in order to harass me with extra reading material, thanks to the internet, she can now easily send me as many New York Times articles as she pleases instantly. They're always on some topic that she thinks I'll be interested in such as autistic children (I'm a child development major) or careers and how much money one (not me) can make. But this time, the subject was different. The subject was penguins. This wasn't an article on just any penguins but two in particular, Silo and Roy. They live together at the Central Park Zoo. For the most part, they are your average penguins, doing the normal things that penguins do (whatever that is, I'm not sure) and living a jolly old penguin life. However, what makes Silo and Roy interesting is that they're a homosexual couple. That's right. They're two males who are more than just friends (gasp); they even have sex. Well Mom, you did well. This was a topic that really interested me! I can't say I'd ever thought much about gay penguins before or even the sexuality of animals in general. I sometimes joke that I think my beloved feline brother, Tommy, is gay, because it seems he prefers to sit on all human males' laps over females'. What's he got that I don't? I wonder. However, that was the extent of my pondering about gay animals. I was amazed to read on that not only have Silo and Roy been in an exclusive relationship for four years (how many of us can say that?), but they've even adopted a penguin baby! No joke. After the two males sat on the egg for over a month, the baby was born, and the couple was ready to take care of her. The whole touching story of the happy penguin family really made me think. It's hard for me to understand how people can see homosexuality as anything but a natural occurrence after taking a good look at Silo and Roy. True, they are penguins and not human beings, but homosexuality has been observed in many animal species. I just don't see how we could look at the penguins and think, "Oh, how cute," and then look at two gay men or women and say, "That is wrong." We're all believed by many to be G-d's creatures, and we're all alive. Why shouldn't we have the same basic sexual instincts? Yes, some can condemn homosexuality for exactly that reason, calling it "animalistic," but sometimes I think that could be a compliment. Is acting like an animal always a bad thing? Of course, Homo Sapiens are technically "animals" as well. I think in many ways, nonhuman animals are much nicer and less judgmental. It makes me sad to think that Silo and Roy have an easier life than a human gay couple in America. They had no trouble adopting a child and have the comfort of a loving relationship that is probably not shunned by other members of the penguin community at the Central Park Zoo. If penguins had weddings, I bet they could even be married. The question of who has the right to marry who confuses me. It baffles me how it can even be a question. What right do I have to say who someone else is or isn't allowed to enter into marriage with? To me, marriage is a rather personal issue, just as love and sex are. We are already free to love whomever we choose, to live with whomever we wish, and to do whatever we please with that person in the privacy of our own homes. If a person is in a loving, committed relationship with another person, no matter what genitalia adorn each of their bodies, what difference does it make to the rest of the world if they are married or not? True it is mostly just a title, but to deny a homosexual person from experiencing the joy of marrying the person he or she loves, to have a ceremony in front of friends and family if it's desired, simply seems wrong. There was a time when the government wanted to prevent whites from marrying black people. To recall that laws were actually passed which banned such marital relationships, making them illegal, is disgusting to most of us today. Just as banning interracial marriages was the result of prejudice and close-mindedness, I think not allowing homosexuals to marry is not markedly different. Some people thought it was wrong, unnatural, sinful even, for whites and blacks to marry. When thinking about those unbelievable laws of the past, many question, how could the government have stood by such a decision? I hope that not too far in the future, people will look back at our current society, where many states still aren't sanctioning gay marriage, and wonder that same question. Rachel Luck is a senior majoring in child development.

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