Archives

News

Animal deaths in Vet School experiment ignite debate

January 21

The Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine is facing controversy after euthanizing five dogs earlier this month. Five test dogs were put to sleep on New Year's Day after their legs had been purposefully broken and re-healed using different techniques. After the dogs were put down, their bodies were tested to determine the strength of the healed bones. The killings were defended by the doctors and veterinarians at the Veterinary School. The doctors explained that these test dogs were not suitable to have as pets and had been bred for research purposes, following the rules of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The dogs were given lethal injections, complying with AVMA standards, and were euthanized in a humane manner that would have occurred in any veterinary clinic, Veterinary School public relations manager Barbara Donato said. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), a federally-mandated board at the Vet School, gave the final approval for the research. Now is not a good time for the Vet School to face a public controversy as it is fighting to keep its state funding which has been under fire over the last few years. Vet school students received a letter stating that Tufts, in conjunction with an orthopedic organization and pet-food company Hills, would be providing the majority of the funding, Vet School masters student Tara Turner said. The majority of the protesting students are in the Master of Science and Animals in Public Policy program, which does not commonly work with animals and instead focuses on policy issues. Several Masters students were outraged when they learned that the school was to conduct this experiment, and many of these students conducted their own research to find non-lethal methods that the veterinarians could use in lieu of euthanasia. Tara Turner is a student in the Masters program at the Vet School and has been active in this research process. But she is hearing both support and criticism for her efforts. "We've received support from the public, but mostly we have received angry e-mails from students, telling us that we're making a big deal out of this, and that this story is making us look bad - which I understand - but I don't think they understand the process we went through," Turner said. Currently, nothing has happened at the School since earlier in January, when a principal investigator was sent to answer students' questions. "The meeting ended up being the faculty asking questions to the students," said Turner. Turner and a group of peers also tried to talk to Dean Philip Kosch, but due to scheduling conflicts, the meeting has been postponed to the end of the month. The overwhelming amount of attention and press received in Grafton has been enough to upset local residents as well. Lifelong Grafton resident John LaPoint was concerned with the speed and pervasiveness that the news spread and how the town was associated with the killings. "I personally feel that this public relations blunder and the continuing backlash against the Vet School does not play well in terms of the town and Tufts trying to recruit new businesses," he said. Residents have been writing letters to the editor in the local paper, The GraftonNews, voicing their opinions, but as far as LaPoint is aware, that is the extent of the residents' actions against the research. "I don't think anyone in this community is so na??ve as to not understand that this is both a research and teaching facility, but I am not aware of any news such as this getting out to the general community and news media," said LaPoint. "It has generally been 'happy news' any time there has been a mention of the Tufts Vet School. There have generally been good media relations, in a pro-active way." Examples of the healing methods used in the dogs' legs were the common "pins and rods" treatment, and the newly developed flexible bone brace. The School's researchers claim that this research has the potential to yield incredible results and is a vital experiment for the animal medical field. If the research is successful, it has the potential to give dogs with tibia fractures a newer and faster healing system. High-tech bone scanners were proposed, but the veterinarians found this and other non-lethal methods to be insufficient for attaining the results they needed. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had also called upon the Veterinary School to find more humane treatments. When Turner and her group approached the veterinarians and administration with non-lethal methods, they were told "it's not that [the non-lethal methods] wouldn't work, but that [the doctors'] method was superior," said Turner. "The doctors didn't give us any scientific reasoning, which was very frustrating." This experiment at the Vet School has been more or less the last straw for LaPoint and other Grafton residents. While they are pleased to have the Vet School in their town, there has been a gradual build-up of feelings of "isolation" - the Tufts community failing to interact with the Grafton community - on a variety of issues.

---

News

Time for a new Tufts tradition?

January 21

So what happened at the Naked Quad Run 2003? Hundreds of Tufts students were able to run naked around the residential quad in celebration of the end of the semester. What they missed out on was an experience that was an unorganized and quasi-spontaneous act of freedom. If the spontaneity and counter-culture of the run no longer exist, it may be time for Tufts students to find something new. The "NQR," as the administration prefers to call it, was similar to the Naked Quad Runs of previous years only because of the run. The disappointment of not getting naked in West's basement paled in comparison to the disappointment of the track that had been created. Instead of a narrow alley surrounded by spectators, runners found themselves in a chute, giving plenty of room for spectators to view and take full body pictures and videos. And take pictures they did. Despite the reassurance that planning and supervising the Naked Quad Run would benefit everyone because the use of cameras would be reduced, the crowd flashed like fireflies on a muggy summer night. Any reduction in video was minimal, as anyone who has internet access knows. The organizers can be applauded for the safety of the event. However, to call the Naked Quad Run this year a success because only two people reported injuries is hasty. The Naked Quad Run last year was a tragedy. The safety precautions enacted were valuable, but some were draconian. Locking down West Hall killed the spirit of the Quad Run and chased the drinking to other dorms and houses. No single dorm became dangerously crowded like West used to be, however, and the damage was kept to a minimum. The memory and the tales of last year were much more effective in preventing a recurrence of the plague of alcohol poisoning incidences than any actions taken by the TCU and Programming Board. For better or for worse, one must be thankful for the administration's middle of the road stance towards the event which allowed it to continue. Many other schools, such Princeton and Michigan, have lost this freedom. Our administration was willing to meet us in the middle. For this we had to make some sacrifices. TUPD Captain Mark Keith recalled that twenty-five years ago, he first encountered the Naked Quad Run when a pack of naked students suddenly ran past him. If Tufts students seek the purity of spontaneity, it may be time to move on. But if they just want to run naked, Tufts could do worse than the current situation.

---

News

Haircuts and Tuff Luff

January 21

It's easy to write the Unicorns (Nick Diamonds and Alden Ginger) off as a silly novelty act -- they have three songs about ghosts, two with the word "Tuff" in the title, and one about a harrowing medical condition called "Jellybones." But three months after the release of Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?, the Unicorns have become the darlings of indie music, the band whose album everyone wants and whose recent concert at the Middle East had a line at the box office that stretched out the door. There's something about these two self-described "young-uns" from Montreal that makes them so irresistible that normally reserved concert-goers would wait outside in the Cambridge cold to see them. Their style is a mixture of goofy, childish groups like the Moldy Peaches and unhinged, frantic, Moog-centered bands like Whirlwind Heat, neither of which have received as much critical acclaim or fan support as the Unicorns. One of their songs, "Child Star" degenerates into back-and-forth bickering: "'I'm still a big, big star.' 'No, you're not.' 'Yes, I am.' 'No, you're not.' 'Yes, I am.' 'No, you're not.'" The tin whistle at the beginning of "Sea Ghost" is somewhat awkwardly whimsical, and the song "The Clap," combined with their on-stage entreaty to "wear a condom," seems like a cheap sex joke. The thing is, kids today love irony, and the Unicorns are no different from their peers. Despite the band's cutesy name, bubble-lettered album art, and slightly deranged on-stage presence (during a recent show, Ginger didn't show up, so Diamonds enlisted the help of several homeless people to play backup instruments), they are versatile musicians, who take turns on vocals and switch off instrument duties (both can play guitar, bass, and keyboard). Their melodies are infectious, which is a cruel joke if you like to hum the songs that are stuck in your head; after all, no one can look cool trying to replicate the electronically-produced opening to "Jellybones." Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? works because the Unicorns understand how to balance their absurdity well enough that it's not a gimmick. They can be silly, but they're always smart: the fighting in "Child Star" is ridiculous, but it sounds just like what you would expect from a kid, and the sadly whined "No, I didn't," perfectly captures a child losing an argument. They don't try to get political (except for once in "Tuff Luff": "Hey nuclear war/we're in a hotbed of trouble") but they can adroitly reference poetic devices: "Let's make like a couplet/like two pairs of lips." In fact, the Unicorns have an excellent vocabulary; various songs contain the phrases "are you visceral," "driving intent," and "genuflect in my presence." Their seemingly quirky musical choices are sensible, too. That weird whistle in "Sea Ghost" is nautical and fits the ocean theme of the song. What sounds like an editing mistake in "Ready to Die" (a cough at the end) actually fits the context of the song. The sound effects verge on novelty, but they still work -- if the keyboardist from Flock of Seagulls didn't take himself and his hair so seriously, he and his counterpart from A-Ha might have spawned something like the Unicorns. Above all, they're fun to listen to. Diamonds and Ginger play different characters and put on different voices from song to song: a plaintive cry in "Ghost Mountain," a bizarre approximation of machismo in "I Was Born (a Unicorn)," a joyful take on Simon and Garfunkel's "Lie lie lie" in "Les Os." It turns out that their song titled "The Clap" is not a sexual reference after all, but is actually about clapping. The whole album plays with your expectations, sometimes giving you something you never would have guessed, sometimes giving you what you should have guessed, but didn't. In "Let's Get Known," the Unicorns plead, "Say, let's get known/if we keep it up/we'll show the haters/it's gonna be soon, not later./Hey, let's get known/if we work real hard/we can buy some matching/clothes for our live shows." By now, their prophecy has come true, down to the matching pink suits. it combines legitimate musical talent with fun lyrics and melodies that allow music fans to actually laugh at their music again.

---

News

Bomb scare at AEPi

January 21

A suspicious package was discovered at the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity at 45 Sawyer Ave. in Somerville over the winter recess on January 5. The package was originally thought to have been a bomb but later found to be a "hoax device," according to Lieutenant Paul Trant, Public Information Officer for the Somerville Police Department. No one interviewed would give any more details on the appearance of the package and what made it look suspicious enough to prompt a call to the police. Trant said that units from the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD), Somerville police and fire departments, Massachusetts State Police, and the Bomb Squad of the State Fire Marshal's office were on scene. Somerville Fire Chief Kevin Kelleher said that the call was made at 11:01am, and the area was cleared at 1:04pm, but did not have any more information. The Somerville Journal did not report the incident in its fire log. TUPD would not comment on the incident while it is under investigation. Todd Sullivan, Director of Greek Life, was also unable to comment. According to AEPi president Joe Bornstein, the fraternity is very interested in cooperating with the investigation, and the suspicious package was not fraternity-related.

---

News

Snow crushes quad reception plans

January 21

Months of planning for this year's Naked Quad Run were destroyed by one evening of snowfall. The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and the Programming Board were responsible for planning the first Nighttime Quad Reception, a pre-run outdoor party to be held on the Academic Quad. The event was planned to limit drinking and congestion inside West Hall. Injuries from the night were much lower than the previous year's run, when several students needed to be hospitalized and one nearly died from alcohol poisoning. "Since the event happened with only two relatively minor injuries and without any major disruptions or complaints of area residents, I'd say the event wasn't the disaster it was last year," Keith said. The reception was supposed to include live performances from the local band The Swinging Johnsons, the Tufts a cappella group sQ!, and the Tufts band The Residence. In addition, Chinese food, Krispy Kreme donuts, and hot chocolate were scheduled to be delivered. However, the two-foot snowfall dumped on the Medford/Somerville campus two days before the event drastically altered the reception. None of the performances were able to take place because of transportation difficulties and electrical concerns. Chinese food could not be delivered in the snow. "The goal of the Nighttime Quad Reception was to provide entertainment," Programming Board Co-Chair Anita Sinha said. "Inclement weather prevented us from achieving this." Despite the problems, the Reception continued in an altered form. Food and NQR t-shirts were still distributed on the academic quad. Pizza and an acoustic music performance were scheduled at the campus center through monies from the Office of Student Activities. During the run itself, where safety was the primary concern, nearly 30 student volunteers assisted Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) personnel in keeping West Hall clear and shoveling and securing the track around the Residential Quad. There were four TUPD sergeants and eight officers on hand, as well as two lieutenants and additional security guards. According to TUPD Captain Mark Keith, the overtime expenses cost the department just under $2,000, an amount not planned for in TUPD's budget. In addition to the added police presence, there were four teams of two Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) personnel at the run. "The safety aspect was implemented exactly as planned," said sophomore TCU Senator Rafi Goldberg, who coordinated the student volunteers. "I wouldn't be surprised if we had the benefit of additional funding sources next year, now that we've proven that this event is viable." The night of the run a student suffered from a bruised jaw as a result of a fall, and after the run, a student reported a "stinging sensation" on the bottom of her feet from running on rock salt. "I'd have to say this year was a much safer event [than last year]," Keith said. According to Programming Board Co-Chair Caroline Postel, The Swinging Johnsons were paid half of what they would have been paid had they been able to perform. Javier the Chinese Food Guy was given half its salary, while sQ! and the Residence were not paid. All expenses compensating performers came from TCU buffer funding which was allocated to the Programming Board in December. This is the second time in less than a year that an end of the semester event needed to be cancelled because of weather. Last year's Spring Fling was cancelled due to rain, and performers Busta Rhymes and Reel Big Fish had to be paid in full. To help pay for the reception, the Programming Board tried to solicit co-sponsorships from other student organizations. Approximately $150 was pledged, but the funds were not processed, Sinha said. In addition to safety concerns, organizers of this year's run addressed issues of unwanted local residents attending the run and possibly filming students. Organizers claim that this problem did not surface this year due to increased security in the form of uniformed officers and crowd barriers. The amount of snow also limited the viewing areas that could have been used by local residents. "There was very little presence of outsiders this year," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. In past years, local residents complained of the noise and traffic disturbances the run caused. According to Reitman, this year "there were no complaints that I have heard about." There were mixed opinions among students, however, about the increased planning that went into this year's run. The organizers "put too much effort into it," sophomore Seamus Riley said. "It's supposed to be a free-for-all, and the planning took away from that." Conversely, sophomore Alex Sherman appreciated the shoveled path and the effort to keep local residents out. TCU President Chike Aguh said he expects and encourages criticism of the event, but he argued that organizers made every attempt to maintain the "spirit of the event" while ensuring the safety of the participants. Several serious injuries at last year's run prompted student and administration concern. A University-wide e-mail from President Larry Bacow on Dec. 11, 2002 said, "the combination of consumption of alcohol with a mad dash through an icy, hilly campus at night cannot continue." Aguh said after last year's run the debate between students and administrators "was not what form the run would take, but whether there would be a run at all." Although "Mother Nature decided [the reception] wasn't going to happen," Aguh said, "we still succeeded in having a run."

---

News

News Briefs

January 21

T fare hike takes effect Traveling into Boston became more expensive when the latest subway fare hike took effect January 9. In preparation for the change, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) barred purchases of more than $100 to discourage stockpiling the old fares. Annual passes, however, will continue to be sold at the old prices for the next month. The price of a subway token was raised from $1 to $1.25. MBTA said the fare increase was necessary to close a $4 billion budget gap for the year 2004. T fare previously increased from 85 cents to the dollar in 2000. Big Dig moves forward With the opening of the southbound tunnel and the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge on I-93, the completion of the Big Dig moved one step closer to reality. On Dec. 20, cars rolled across both lanes of the bridge for the first time, ten months after the bridge opened for northbound traffic. Workers hope to have the Central Artery, the section of I-93 that has been moved underground, removed by August. Demolition has been complicated as traffic continues to move through the area and a large portion of the freeway is near buildings. Officials hope to have the area around the FleetCenter cleared by the Democratic National Convention in July. The removal is estimated at $62 million. Part of the cost is being offset by reusing steel and concrete in area construction projects. First death penalty case in twenty years Gary Sampson was sentenced to die on December 22, the first capital conviction in Massachusetts in 1973. Sampson was found guilty of the murders of Philip McCloskey, 69, and Jonathan Rizzo, 19 in late July 2001. Both men were murdered after they were carjacked by Sampson, who was hitchhiking. The case was tried in federal court under a 1994 law which placed certain kinds of fatal carjacking under national jurisdiction. The death penalty has been outlawed in Massachusetts since 1984. Sampson pleaded guilty to both murders, making the jury responsible only for sentencing. The Prosecution argued that Sampson preyed on good Samaritans, and that his crimes were committed in an "especially depraved or cruel manner" and that it involved aggravating factors including torture. In their defense, lawyers for Sampson pointed to his "troubled" childhood and actions he made before the murders. Sampson allegedly tried to turn himself in the week before the killings but the call was accidentally disconnected by a FBI clerk. Sampson plans to appeal the ruling. Compiled from Associated Press, Boston Globe reports

---

---

News

Chem Professor to work on Mars mission

January 21

A Tufts chemistry professor is part of the team that is developing a new Mars lander -- the Phoenix -- for NASA, set to launch in 2007. Professor Samuel Kounaves and his colleagues will incorporate past projects when developing their new lander. "We called our [lander] 'Phoenix' because it brought back to life several of the instruments and science from the lost 1999 and cancelled 2001 missions," Kounaves said. According to a Jet Propulsion Laboratory press release, the Phoenix Lander was originally built for the 2001 Mars Surveyor Program. The 2001 program, however, was cancelled when the Mars Polar Lander was lost in December 1999, when it attempted a landing at Mars' South Pole. Kounaves and his team submitted their plan in 2001 against a field of 30 other teams. NASA selected Kounaves' team in August and gave them $325 million in funding for the project. The Phoenix's mission is to "follow the water by landing at high northern latitudes where the current Odyssey orbiter has reported near-surface ice," Kounaves said. The mission is set to last nine months, landing in May of 2008. The experiments will last for 90 Martian days, but also "perhaps 60 additional [days] if all goes well," Kounaves added. The tasks will include searching for the origin of ice found on Mars, evidence of past water, and "habitable zones," to determine whether the soil could support indigenous life. Kounaves believes the probability that there is life on Mars is higher now than it was in past years. "There are places on Earth that have harsher conditions than are found on Mars, and where living organisms are only now being found alive and prospering," he said. "Since Mars and Earth most likely had similar environments during their first billion years, there is no reason to suppose that life could not have developed and evolved on Mars, especially in a protected underground environment." While this project will require him to spend time at the University of Arizona and the Jet Propulsion Lab in California, Kounaves is not planning to take a sabbatical until the time around the launch and landing of Phoenix. "Between now and then there will be a lot of meetings, but a portion of the research and preparation will be here at Tufts," he said. Kounaves has involved both undergraduate and graduate students in his Mars research. "I have had undergrads working on various aspects of the Phoenix, plus several other NASA funded research projects for the past couple of years," he said. Senior Graham Griffin is one of the undergraduates working on this project with Kounaves. "We're working to find out what materials can be used that can survive space travel and still work and we need that kind of information for the safety of manned missions to Mars," he said. Kounaves is also working on developing a 2009 NASA Mars rover mission involving a "robotic chemistry lab." President Larry Bacow praised Kounaves ability to "blaze" new paths in science. "He is part of the team that is developing the instrumentation that will allow us to answer one of the most fundamental questions in planetary science: Do the conditions exist to sustain some form of life on Mars? What could be more exciting?"

---

News

Disney for the Pretentious

January 21

It's French. Very, very French. The Triplets of Belleville is a tour de farce about a Tour de France racer. It's an animated journey through the obscure, the obscene, and the obese. It's a wordless yet grunt-filled mockery of American corpulence and French oenophilia (the love of wine). You'll leave the theater wondering, "What the hell did I just see?", but with a giant grin across your face. There are many characteristics of The Triplets of Belleville that will make it unappealing to most adult American audiences. It's foreign, and French at that. It's a cartoon. Lastly, it's practically wordless. On this occasion, however, broaden your interests and see a film that by any other stretch of the imagination would be considered unwatchable. Director Sylvain Chomet, a Canadian animator, has based his film on mime and character-acting instead of using extensive dialogue. The beautifully drawn facial expressions and audible grumbles provide all the subtext to the characters' actions, making subtitles unnecessary. The cartoon begins with an off-the-wall stage show, starring the famous Triplets as they scat-sing in front of distinguished gentlemen who turn into literal horny monkeys at the sight of naked women. A topless Josephine Baker and a Fred Astaire with carnivorous tap shoes dance alongside the Triplets in inspired cameos, setting the zany tone for the rest of the film. Watching the variety act are Madame Souza and her orphaned (exactly how is unclear) grandson, Champion. Forlorn and depressed, Champion finds little that can excite him in the rural suburbs of Paris. Madame Souza makes many attempts to cheer him up, but not even a cute-as-a-button puppy named Bruno can lift Champion's spirits. Madame Souza finally finds the key to her son's happiness when she happens upon a scrapbook filled with biking memorabilia. Cut to the present time, as Champion fulfills his name's promise as a Tour de France winner. His grandmother relentlessly trains her grandson, who is now lanky with grotesquely overdrawn calf and quadriceps muscles. The formerly pint-sized puppy is now a massive and bloated canine whose daily routine consists of waiting for the next commuter train to pass by the window so he can bark at the unsuspecting Parisians. The actual plot, if that's what you'd call it, takes off when Champion is kidnapped by French mafiosos as a part of an elaborate underground gambling scheme. Madame Souza and the dog Bruno engage the kidnappers on a bi-coastal adventure, chasing after Champion all the way across the Atlantic to Belleville. There, they meet up with the same singing triplets from the opening sequence. Now, however, the triplets are old and frail, and spend their time eating frogs harvested from the water with pipe bombs. Yes...it's that odd. The triplets' affinity for frogs is only a part of the quintessentially French character of The Triplets of Belleville. The city of Belleville is a disfigured conglomerate of Montreal and New York. A few anti-American jabs aside, the truly French nature of the film comes through with the endless wine and fat jokes. The skyscrapers in the ominous, mafia-riddled metropolis are shaped like wine bottles while its citizens are as portly as Al Roker (pre-stapling, of course). Even Belleville's version of the Statue of Liberty is an obese woman whose tablet, instead of reading "July 4, 1776" in Roman numerals like the real statue, reads the Belleville motto, "In Vino Veritas"-in wine we trust. The Triplets of Belleville is a ridiculous romp through nothingness. You might try to explain the images flashing before your eyes, but by the time Madame Souza crosses the Atlantic in a paddleboat, you realize it's pointless. The climactic chase scene near the conclusion of the film is the piece de resistance of absurdity. The affect is baffling. Your cheek bones will hurt from just grinning at the pure creativity of Chomet's imagination. The movie scene in late December and January is often filled with films catered for Oscar nominations, meaning they are often preachy and melodramatic (see Big Fish). To fill the void of fun and interesting movies, studios offer mindless family entertainment, see Cheaper by the Dozen, or moronic action flicks, see Torque. Even worse, some of them might even star Ben Affleck (Paycheck). Triplets of Belleville is precisely the film you'll need as a good-natured, whimsical experience.

---

News

Pierre shoots and misses in satire of American life

January 21

As a satire about a school shooting in a small Texas town and the ubiquitous, vulture-like media coverage that follows the event, DBC Pierre's Vernon God Little will probably be seen in years to come as an anomaly -- not because of its potentially "edgy" subject, but because of its perplexing and undeserved praise. Pierre's story is told from the point of view of fifteen year old Vernon Gregory Little. Already a quiet, unassuming outcast in his hometown of Martirio, Texas, Vernon finds himself in a jail cell after his only friend, Jesus, kills eighteen classmates before committing suicide himself. Hungry for revenge and fuelled by a growing media circus, the people of Martirio condemn an innocent Vernon, causing him to flee to Mexico where he is caught, extradited, and sentenced to death. Released to overwhelmingly positive reviews early last year in the U.K., Pierre's first novel managed to win not only the coveted Man Booker Prize but the esteem of the notoriously "snarky" and trenchant British book press as well -- no easy to feat to be sure. But when Vernon hit U.S. shores later in the year on a wave of impressive hype (for the book world, at least), its reception was less than welcoming, with most American critics slamming Pierre's award-winning work. In a fierce attack on the book, the New York Times' Michiko Kakutani felt it necessary to use the word "inane" in her review. Twice. In the same sentence. As a testament to the inner-workings of a fifteen year old boy's confused, angry, and sex-crazed mind, Vernon God Little is passable, sometimes even astute. But as a satire of American culture and media obsession, the novel is laughable at best. Even though DBC Pierre claims to have lived in Texas and Mexico until he was twenty-three (he also claims to be a former con-artist who stole money from friends and family to finance a drug addiction), his novel is unfamiliar in its setting and often just wrong when it comes to the people he satirizes. Every cop in Martirio is fat and inept, and each teacher and therapist is a pederast. The reporters who come to cover the Martirio tragedy are conniving snake-oil salesmen. Vernon's mother and her circle of friends are dumb Texan hausfraus who wear muumuus, watch Court TV, and babble endlessly about failed weight-lose strategies while stuffing their faces with fried chicken. At one point a character actually exclaims "Do' gone'it." Obviously Pierre is working from a broad palette here, and sometimes broad does work with satire -- more than one critic mentioned Swift and Rabelais when reviewing the book -- but Pierre's characterizations go beyond broad to merely ridiculous; even his stereotypes have stereotypes. The only fully-fleshed character in the book is Vernon himself, who you can't help but love as the lone voice of reason in the post-shooting madness. Vernon's voice is somewhere between Huckleberry Finn and Holden Caulfield. His narrative alternates between contempt for the stupidity of the world he sees around him, with an optimistic assurance that, like a movie, everything will turn out all right, and an obsession with fart jokes and cotton panties. Pierre does manage to pull off this balancing act between Vernon's lighter side and the grim reality that faces him. Unfortunately, Vernon himself has nothing particularly noteworthy or interesting to say about the world. His greatest epiphany during his troubles is this: "Where TV lets you down, I'm discovering, is by not convincing you how things really work in the world." Even television does a better job at ridiculing itself. What's most absent from these pages though is the sting that accompanies good satire. At no point while reading about Martirio, Texas will you feel like Pierre has scored a point against the idiocy of America or managed to tear away the patina of our media-obsessed culture with his deft, searching craft, or that he exposed a raw nerve that shocks us all so sufficiently that we rethink our very existence as Americans. Mostly what you will get is fart jokes.

---

News

In the NFL today, it's win now or pack your bags

January 21

The job advertisement would read something like this: Wanted: Strong leadership ability, strategic savvy, people skills and intestinal fortitude. Fame, fortune and prestige guaranteed...if you produce a winning product immediately. Otherwise, pack your bags. Many NFL teams dropped their head coaches like bad habits at the end of this season, as seven clubs sent their head honchos riding off into the sunset after less-than-satisfactory season results. Some, like former Oakland Raiders coach Bill Callahan, fell from playoff glory to the depths of the division cellar in just a few short months. Others, like ousted Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves, struggled with injuries to key players that cost wins and fan support. When things go wrong in the NFL, head coaches are often the first item on the "Things to Change" list. The bottom line is that the seven head coaches who lost their jobs failed to live up to expectations. Along with Callahan and Reeves, the Washington Redskins and Steve Spurrier, New York Giants and Jim Fassel, Arizona Cardinals and Dave McGinnis, Buffalo Bills and Gregg Williams, and Chicago Bears and Dick Jauron all went their separate ways. Though this mass exodus from the coaching ranks is larger than in most previous years, the trend of getting rid of coaches after very few seasons is becoming more and more apparent. Of all NFL teams, only five have coaches who have been at the helm of the same team for five or more seasons. The Indianapolis Colts have had 15 coaches since 1970, giving each skipper an average of 2.26 years in charge. The message is clear: win now, or get out. Explanations for this deviance from the traditional dynastic coaches like Vince Lombardi are often attributed to several factors. Free agency is one, while the immediate success of expansion teams like the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars is another. When the Panthers and Jaguars made it to their respective conference title games in just their second seasons in 1996, teams realized that success does not necessarily have to take time. Why plant grass seeds that have to take hold and grow when you can sod the lawn and have a finished product faster? Coaches are being recycled like last week's Daily as job tenures shrink and more positions become available. Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcels is now with his fourth club after officially retiring. Reeves was fired from the Denver Broncos only to be picked up by Atlanta, then be fired again. With so many jobs opening up so frequently, the NFL and NCAA have traded coaches in hopes that success in one sphere will equate to success in the other. However, this has often proved unsuccessful as the two games have many fundamental differences. Spurrier relocated from his beloved Florida to coach in Washington, only to fail miserably. USC coach Pete Carroll was a loser in the pros, but led his Trojans to the collegiate national championship. What, then, will be Callahan's fate as he leaves the Black Hole in Oakland for the Hole that is Lincoln, Nebraska? West Coast offense in the running heartland? This could be interesting, but inevitably it will not work out. Though a coach contributes many key elements to the team- leadership, discipline, and brains -- the pressure for glory falls too heavily on his hands. Organizations should realize that, like Rome, success is not built in one day. If this trend of firing, hiring and recycling continues to worsen, the NFL will be left with little more than disillusioned, nail-biting coaches going to extreme measures just to keep their jobs. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Good luck to the next wave of coaches and see you next year, in the unemployment line.

---

News

Jumbos get buzzer Love to upset Wesleyan

January 21

The women's basketball team earned nine votes on the d3hoops.com national poll this week after going 4-1 over winter break and upping its record to 8-3 (2-0 NESCAC) on the season. Led by junior Allison Love, Tufts knocked off nationally ranked opponents Emmanuel and Wesleyan as well as Fitchburg State and Connecticut College. The Jumbos' only vacation loss came Tuesday night against 10-2 Brandeis on the Judges' home court. Love was named NESCAC player of the week on Monday for the second time this season after helping the Jumbos to a 3-0 record from Jan. 13-17. The forward averaged 16 points and 6.3 rebounds over the course of those three games. She scored the winning basket at the buzzer against 18th ranked NESCAC foe Wesleyan, ending the Cardinals' 11-game winning streak, and had 25 points in Tufts' victory over Emmanuel. "[Love] has definitely been playing well," coach Carla Berube said. "She has stepped up her game and has taken on more of a scoring role." Despite her recent play, Love could not help the Jumbos seal an undefeated break with a win against Brandeis on Tuesday. She started out quickly with 19 points in the first half, but was shut down in the second as the Judges put the verdict out on the Jumbos, 85-63. "Our offense was not able to execute how we want," Berube said. "[Brandeis] might have doubled down on Love a little bit, but we just missed shots." Brandeis senior center Danielle Fitzpatrick scored a career-high 32 points en route to the Judges' victory. With the effort, the tri-captain also netted her 1000th career point. On Friday, Jan. 17, Tufts pulled off an exciting victory, beating Wesleyan 47-46 as the final buzzer blared. With 11:52 remaining, the teams stood deadlocked at 35. Wesleyan scored eight straight points to go up 43-35. Tufts then got clutch free throws by Love, sophomore Julia Verplank, and senior tri-captain Erin Buckley to go up 43-41 with 2:38 left on the clock. Wesleyan would not go down easily as junior Nora Bowman was fouled on her tying lay-up. She drained the foul shot to put the Cardinals up 46-45 with 18 seconds remaining. On the final possession of the game, Love received the ball at the foul line and launched a shot just as time expired to win the game, 47-46. "Wesleyan plays very tough half court physical defense. It was hard for us to score," Berube said. "In the second half we turned it up on D. It seemed like it was going to be a coin toss [to determine] who came out victorious." The previous day, Tufts opened its NESCAC season with an 86-51 win on the road against the Connecticut College Camels. Sophomore Jessica Powers, Buckley and Love each netted 11 points on the way to the victory. A mid-first half 18-3 run started the Jumbos' momentum. After a brief lapse at the end of the first frame in which the Camels had a 10-4 scoring spree, the Jumbos put the game away early in the second half. "[It was a] big first NESCAC win at Conn. College and a good start with two NESCAC victories on the road," Berube said. On January 13, Tufts blew out ranked opponent Emmanuel 91-66 in Cousen's Gym. Love had 25 points in the effort and Powers followed suit with 24. After a close start to the game, the Jumbos broke it open and led by 17 at half time. Their first half success stemmed from their 61.8 percent shooting from the field. The second frame was all Tufts as the Jumbos let Emmanuel creep no closer than 13 points. Tufts padded its lead from the foul line, sinking 16 of 19 free throws. The Saints have had three straight NCAA Tournament berths and were 28th nationally prior to the Tufts victory. "Emmanuel plays an up and down pressing style, and they [force] a lot of steals," Berube said. "We took care of the ball, were patient and were strong with our passes. We executed our offense and made open shots, the ball just got rolling and Emmanuel couldn't get back into it." In its first game back from the holidays, Tufts clinched a solid victory over Fitchburg State, 64-53. Powers broke back into the game by scoring 20 points and helping the Jumbos end Fitchburg State's six game win streak. Tufts' signature pressure defense forced 35 turnovers. "We were a little bit rusty for sure, but we got that out of the way quickly," Berube said. The team returns to action here at home tonight against non-league Keene State. "[Keene State] has had a great program for a number of years," Berube said. "They are tough and will be a good test for us coming off the loss at Brandeis. We'll see how we'll bounce back at home in front of our crowd."

---

News

Making the grade

January 21

It's test time, and you're sweating. In addition to extracurricular activities, you had two papers and a problem set this week -- studying for this test simply did not happen. Should you suck it up and do the best you can, skip the test and face the consequences -- or should you cheat? Whether it is in the exam room, the dorm room, or on a paper, there are students at Tufts -- like any other school -- who give in to the temptation to cheat. According to Assistant Dean of Judicial Affairs Veronica Carter, there are approximately 60 to 75 incidents of academic dishonesty each year. These range in severity from unintentional plagiarism to falsifying GPA's on resumes to stealing someone else's paper and handing it in. It is difficult to quantify exactly how many students at Tufts cheat: the only numbers recorded are of those students who are caught. Nonetheless, several students estimate that a reasonable number of students do indeed cheat. "Most of my friends cheat," said an anonymous junior, who admits to plagiarism and creating cheat sheets. She says that cheating is a habit that many people continue from high school. "I think once a cheater, always a cheater for a lot of people," she said. "Either you cheat here, or you have never cheated in your life." During the Fall 2001 semester, cheating became an issue in one particular class, Astronomy 10. Twelve students were placed on Probation I for not properly citing Internet sources. Now taught by Professor Ken Lang, the 350-student class has taken measure to prevent academic dishonesty, including three differently arranged and color-coded versions of each test. Even with such preventative measures in place, students find a way to get around professors' wary watch. The cheating methods students employ during exams vary, ranging from the simple (looking at a test over someone's shoulder) to the calculated (a tiny, fact-filled cheat sheet sticking out of a folder in a backpack) to the technological (students text messaging each other answers in large test rooms like Cohen auditorium). One anonymous senior wrote the answers to a test on a small piece of paper and put it in his sock. During the test he asked to used the bathroom and then read his notes in the stall. "It was probably the reason I passed the class," he said. Students say they cheat for a number of reasons, including its convenience and the difficulty of a Tufts workload. "I cheat because there is a lot of pressure to do well -- sometimes I am so busy with a million and one things, it's like a safety net," one anonymous student said. "A lot of pressure is on us, especially at Tufts, and the stakes are high. People want to do well." This student was caught for plagiarism, but says that it was "unintentional" (she sourced incorrectly in her paper) and that she does not always need the extra help. "Sometimes I don't even use the cheat sheets," she said. She attributes cheating's prevalence to how college is set up: "Students get lazy in college because there is more free time, and since they are smart, they can get by on doing the minimal amount," she said. However, the consequences involved in cheating can dissuade many from taking the risk. According to the Pachyderm, disciplinary action may include suspension or expulsion, as well as failure in the course. The faculty member determines grading consequences after it is admitted or proven that a student has cheated, and this grade cannot be appealed, nor can the student withdraw from the course once accused. The punishment a student receives depends largely on his or her intentions. Cases of plagiarism, including incorrect citations in a paper and unauthorized collaboration on homework and take-home exams, are seen most frequently at the Office of Judicial Affairs. According to Carter, this type of academic dishonesty, especially when acted unintentionally by a first-year student, merits Probation I. Students placed on Probation I must also attend a workshop on using sources at the Academic Resource Center so that they may "learn from their mistakes." Academic fraud, or intentionally trying to deceive a faculty member, receives a more severe punishment of Probation II, but Carter says this occurs less frequently. Instances which constitute fraud include having another student take an exam for you or stealing someone else's paper and handing it in as you own. According to the Student Judicial Process Booklet, students placed on Probation II are no longer considered to be in good standing with the University. In addition, the booklet states that any further infractions usually result in suspension or expulsion. Carter highlights that the difference between academic dishonesty and fraud is in the student's purpose: "Intent is a big word for academic fraud," she said. However, unlike the one-year disciplinary probation for an alcohol-related offense, a student on probation at any level for academic dishonesty remains on probation for his or her entire time at Tufts. "If you're on disciplinary probation level one for academic dishonesty, it ends at graduation," Carter said." Lang recalls coming across a serious case of academic dishonesty when two students turned in the same work. "I caught two identical papers out of hundreds," he said. Both students were expelled from the school. Not all students resort to cheating. Some view it as just that: cheating oneself out of actually learning something. "If I cheated I would feel too guilty that I hadn't really earned the grade I was receiving," senior Allison Cohen said. To Cohen, cheating does not seem a necessary or realistic approach: "It's a lot easier to go to offices hours and get help from the professors, rather than trying to figure a way to sneak around and try and beat the system," she said. "You can't keep cheating forever," Cohen added. "You eventually need to get a job and have your boss or whomever trust you, and how can they trust you if you're not honest?"

---

News

Jumbos skate to mixed results over break

January 21

The frigid winter weather did little to chill the hockey team's determination, as the Jumbos went 2-3 over the academic break, soundly defeating Castleton State 10-2, and securing their first NESCAC win over Connecticut College 5-4. Against Castleton on Saturday, the Jumbos got hat tricks from not one, but two players, as senior tri-captain Pat Byrne and junior John Hurd both dropped three goals into the Castleton net. Sophomore Ken Clearly also scored two goals for Tufts, which jumped out to a 1-0 lead a mere 11 seconds into the game on Byrne's first goal. The Jumbos led 5-1 after the first period. Castleton was not the finest of opponents - they have yet to win a game this season. The win came a day after a tough 4-2 loss to Skidmore. Tufts fell behind 2-0 early but roared back to deadlock the game on goals by sophomore Adam Delaney-Winn and Clearly. The team then surrendered two third-period scores that provided Skidmore with the final margin. Tufts scored its first league win on January 13th when the Jumbos managed to edge out a 5-4 win against the Connecticut College Camels. Junior tri-captain Shawn Sullivan led the way offensively with two goals, while Byrne added a goal and two assists. A Clearly goal at the 13:24 mark gave the Jumbos a lead they wouldn't relinquish, as Tufts was able to answer every Conn. College score. Senior goaltender Ben Crapser recorded a staggering 39 saves, many of them in a frantic final period as the Camels were trying to draw even. When asked about the significance of the Conn. College win, junior forward Gino Rotundi was tentative. "It was a big win at the time, but we need other league wins soon for it to be important in our playoff push," he said. "Winning just one league game doesn't make a big difference, except to get us started." The Jumbos' current league record is 1-7. Besides their victory over Conn. College, the Jumbos have yet to make a significant impact in the NESCAC league standings. Prior to their Conn. College win, the men lost four straight league games to St. Anselm, New England College, Williams, and Middlebury in December and early January by a combined score of 36-9. But while the earlier games demonstrated significant scoring gaps, the Jumbos' last three games have been more positive, with the lone loss by two goals and the blowout going the Jumbos' way. As a result, the players are optimistic that the season and their standings in the NESCAC will continue to improve with time and hard work. "We're definitely coming together more as a team," Clearly said. The squad has also been focused on improving its team defense. "Aside from our one win against Conn. College, we haven't been successful in our goals of scoring more points and moving up in the league standings," Rotundi admitted. "But as far as improving is concerned, we are continually moving in the right directions, especially defensively. We need to work at being in better position to avoid breakdowns and definitely need to be more physical in our defensive approach." The squad currently holds a record of 3-8, 1-7 in the NESCAC. The Jumbos played against Suffolk University late last night and the squad faces a tough skate this weekend when they play at Colby and Bowdoin tomorrow and Saturday, respectively.

---

News

Students fake warmer temperatures

December 7

As the days become shorter and sunlight disappears, some students long for the bronze look of summer. But if a trip to Hawaii isn't in the holiday plans this year, many overlook health risks and choose to hop into the tanning beds or use self-tanner to achieve that sun-kissed artificial glow. The web site of Tan Works, a tanning salon in Boston, underlines the main reason why most people go tanning -- physical appearance: "By attaining a healthy-looking tan, you can appear fitter and slimmer." Senior Alex Kenney does not go to tanning salons frequently, but has used tanning beds to achieve a warm glow. "I've tried it a few times, but basically I think it's stupid," Kenney said, citing health reasons. A recent Dartmouth Medical School study, reported in a WebMD Medical News article, found that people who had used a tanning bed were 2.5 times more likely to have squamous cell cancer and 1.5 times more likely to have basal cell cancer. The study also reported that the younger the age someone starts tanning, the higher the risk of getting cancer. While tanners often get their fake bronzes to improve appearance, not all are purely in it for vanity. The Tufts Ballroom team, for example, gets fake tans in an effort to "look Latin," since they compete in Latin dancing. "Most of us don't like using fake tanners, but eventually you succumb to it," sophomore Emily Mangone said. "Although some people do become obsessed [with the practice]," she added. For those who want the look of a fake tan without going into a tanning booth, there are the sunless self-tanning lotions and creams that range in price from cheaper drugstore brands like Neutrogena to high-end department store brands like Estee Lauder. Mangone opts to use Pro-Tan lotion, a safe alternative to tanning salons. Pro-Tan is a thick, orange self-tanner used by body builders to show off muscle definition. Self-tanners consist of a "compound called dihydroxyacetone that binds to the dead upper epidermal cells and as those cells are washed off daily, it begins to fade" explained dermatologist Dr. Robert Harla, on a recent WHDH Boston news report. As self-tanner technology evolves, more students turn to bottles than tanning beds, and salons now provide sunless tanning alternatives. The Suntique Tanning Salon in Medford Square offers Mystic Tanning, a spray booth which coats a person with a week's worth of bronze in less than a minute. Senior Michele Bordieri prefers Mystic Tanning, not only for its safety, but also for its speed. "Mystic tanning is great if you have to go out that night because the results are fast," she said. The process is faster: Mystic Tanning takes 28 seconds, while regular tanning beds take ten to 15 minutes. Bordieri says that the result is as natural as regular tanning if used at a safe level. "It looks pretty realistic, as long as you get level one," Bordieri said. "The girls who work there always push higher levels, but they are generally disastrous." She also advises to moisturize before sunless tanning because, it soaks in more in dry places, causing an uneven complexion, a telltale sign of a fake tan. "It is really crucial that your skin is not dried out when you go because then it is heavier in places, like your knuckles or knees," she said. Overall, sunless tanning booths provide a quick, natural glow without the risk, but is not recommended for frequent usage. "It is a great one-time, one night out alternative, but it is not realistic for long term upkeep because it is expensive and it dries out your skin," Bordieri said. Regular tanning costs $6 per visit and Mystic Tanning costs around $20 per session. Sunless tanners have gained popularity as more and more studies show the dangers of tanning bed. The bond between "healthy" and "tan" is a tenuous one, considering the list of unhealthy side-effects associated with tanning, both artificial and the real thing. Studies have shown that the sun's rays cause damage including, premature aging, sun spots, and wrinkling. The trend toward tanning began with Coco Chanel, when she denounced the pallor that had been in style since the Victorian age, and declared tanned skin to be vogue. Americans came to recognize a tan as a sign of free time and leisure, since the laboring work force had been moved indoors, after the Industrial Revolution. Amanda Mu?±oz contributed to this article.

---

News

Tufts finances remain strong amid peer institutions' struggles

December 7

Despite the budget troubles faced by other tier-one institutions, Tufts' financial situation has remained sound during the recent economic decline. Stanford University and MIT are among the many schools that have recently suffered financial woes. A press release from Stanford's office of the provost announced a freeze on salaries and hiring to help relieve the pressures of a projected $25 million budget deficit without major layoffs. Some departments may be required to lay off staff in the near future, though, the press release said. MIT also instituted a salary freeze for the 2003-2004 academic year in order to reduce spending by $70 million for the next fiscal year and minimize job loss. The freeze affects faculty and staff whose base annual salaries are $55,000 or above. A hiring freeze has also been in effect since Oct. 1, and 250 people are expected to be laid off. An MIT press release said that "if it weren't for the salary freeze, which will save approximately $10 million, a much larger number of jobs would have to be eliminated." The situation is so severe that MIT will also have to close the campus from Dec. 25 to Jan. 5 in order to save on heating, electric, and other upkeep and maintenance costs. Stanford will also close down for two weeks during the winter break, between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5. MIT and Stanford are following the lead of Brown University, which last December announced a hiring freeze. According to Jorge Lopez from Brown's human relations department, the budget has since recovered and the freeze has been lifted. All three schools' endowments are significantly larger than Tufts' endowment. On the other hand, according to President Larry Bacow, "we are giving everybody raises, we are not laying anybody off -- we're doing a lot better than most." Tufts' ability to avoid these problems is a result of two reasons, according to Vice President for Finance and University Treasurer Thomas McGurty. First of all, the University does not invest heavily in venture capital or small company stocks that suffered large losses in recent years. Secondly, Tufts uses a different method of determining how much endowment income to spend each year than many other schools. Other institutions spend five percent of the previous three years' average value of the endowment, McGurty said. "When investments were generating double digit returns in the 1990's, this kind of policy allowed the endowment income to grow at a similar accelerated rate," he said. "Now that investment returns have declined and turned negative for some institutions, they are experiencing significant reductions in endowment income," McGurty said. Over the past five years, Tufts' endowment has grown by four percent to approximately $700 million. Though he is satisfied with the endowment's gradual growth, McGurty said "it's still quite modest even for a school our size." Over the past ten years, Tufts has averaged a nine to ten percent rate of return on its financial portfolio. Despite the two-percent decrease in the Standard and Poors (S&P) 500 index in the last couple of years, Tufts' portfolio still managed to grow four percent. "Tufts has not experienced this budget pressure and hopefully will not if the recent rebound in the investment markets continue," McGurty said. McGurty has worked in the Finance Office since 1985, and he does not recall a period when the financial situation at Tufts was as severe as the situation has been at MIT and Stanford. He said there have been hiring freezes in the past, "but I can't think of layoffs and salary freezes [because of] a severe University-wide budget issue." Since the 1970s, the University's fiscal policies have provided for a yearly growth in endowment income of five percent. "This provides a stable and predictable growth in income that is very helpful in planning and creating a stable budget," McGurty said. In light of Bacow's optimism, McGurty said "we'll continue to see salary increases consistent with the market and the higher education industry."

---

News

Juice Beirut tournament tabled due to administration concerns

December 7

A Juice Beirut tournament intended to raise money for Health Services has been postponed because of concerns from the administration. Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senator Jeff Katzin developed the idea earlier this year because he felt the attraction to Beirut or Beer Pong was the nature of the game, not the drinking aspect. Director of Health Services Michelle Bowdler, with whom Katzin collaborated, said the objective of the event was to work together "on how to come up with fun, well-attended, alcohol-free events." She said she hoped the tournament would be the first in a series of social activities sponsored through Health Services. Administrators objected to the use of games usually associated with consuming alcohol at a University event, however. The Pachyderm forbids Tufts students from participating in "drinking games." Bowdler said her "only hesitation is that drinking games can be dangerous and can easily lead to alcohol poisoning." Katzin found similar objections among the administration. He said the TCU Senate was looking for something "slightly more cutting edge, but this may be pushing it a little too much with certain administrators on campus." Bowdler said there is no connection between alcohol abuse and holding a Juice Beirut tournament. She offered an example. "Giving people condoms doesn't prevent sex from happening, but it doesn't encourage it either," Bowlder said. Bowdler said a tournament such as this would be a perfect example of "harm reduction." Harm reduction, Bowlder explained, is a pragmatic approach to prevent binge drinking. "You don't just walk about saying 'just say no.' That's ridiculous, harm reduction is listening, respecting and understanding," Bowdler said. Bowdler conceded the tournament, while not a bad idea, might not be the best way to launch a campaign for responsible campus events. In response, the TCU Senate and Health Services are considering other ideas, including a Casino Night. Not all students find the idea of the event appealing. Sophomore Adrienne Roma feels that "it's weird to have Health Services sponsoring an event like this. A tournament like this would be condescending and make me feel like I'm in preschool, besides who wants to drink all that juice." Katzin is still optimistic about future events. "The main point is that we want to create an event on campus that's alcohol-free whether it's a fundraiser or for free."

---

News

Top 10 CDs

December 7

Numbers nine and ten on the list, The Clientele and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, are our indie-rock mainstays; throwbacks, but throwbacks worth hearing and loving all the same. M83, number eight, combines elements from electronic and shoegaze to create an album beautifully thick with sound. TV on the Radio's debut EP at number seven is overflowing with promise for this young band. The Black Album might not be Jay-Z's best but its array of producers manage to encapsulate everything that's great about hip-hop right now, easily earning our number six spot. Numbers five and four are our loudest picks. Lightning Bolt and The Blood Brothers are the types of bands disillusioned nu-metal fans should know and love. Dizzee Rascal doesn't make rap but garage-rap -- the British equivalent; a genre interesting and innovative enough to earn spot three here. The New Pornographers write smart, concise pop songs: they're so good at it that they've earned our number two spot. R. Kelly makes it to number one if only for "Ignition (Remix)." -- Jess Keiser and Ruben Sanchez 10. The Clientele - The Violet Hour 9. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Pig Lib 8. M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts 7. TV on the Radio - Young Liars EP 6. Jay-Z - The Black Album 5. Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow 4. The Blood Brothers - Burn, Piano Island, Burn 3. Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner 2. The New Pornographers - Electric Version 1. R. Kelly - Chocolate Factory

---

News

The Talmud and the Naked Quad Run

December 7

When I looked look back in the Jewish tradition, I found very little in the Talmud about choosing to run naked in the cold. Still, there are ways that Judaism addresses issues of modesty, drinking and community responsibility, topics of relevance as people decide how they will approach this event. Through Jewish law, the rabbis stress the importance of personal responsibility and the "shvil hazahav" (the golden path or mean), that values moderation in all aspects of life. While there is nothing shameful about the human body in Judaism, the tradition values modesty, and it is important for men and women to treat the body in a way that does not degrade oneself and lead to sexual contact that is demeaning or exploitative. Ideally, sexuality in a committed relationship is a way to understand and enhance holiness in life. It could be argued that the nakedness in the NQR has little to do with sexuality and one can make a strong argument that the exploitative objectifying semi-nudity in a Victoria's Secret catalogue or the Sunday New York Times Magazine is more demeaning than the kind of nudity in the NQR. Still, it should be stressed that Jewish tradition teaches that we should neither take advantage of other people nor use them for our amusement. Videotaping the run is simply exploitative and should not be allowed. For many people, the primary issue of the NQR is the excessive and increasingly dangerous abuse of alcohol. In the Jewish tradition, wine plays a key role in community celebrations. The Torah teaches that "wine gladdens people's hearts." While drinking had a place in the culture, being drunk was seen as very bad form. In Talmudic times, you knew that you were over the line if "you were no longer able to speak in the presence of a king." It was fine to drink, but if you were not able to comport yourself in society with some control, personal awareness, responsibility and self-respect, your behavior was judged abhorrent. You were not allowed to fulfill major communal obligations when drunk, a stipulation that separated you from the community, an essential part of human life. In Jewish law, being drunk does not free a person of personal responsibility in society. A person is fully held responsible for any action done or any injuries perpetrated while under the influence. For example, if you concluded a business deal while drunk that turned out to be a stupid financial move, the deal still holds. Again and again, the Jewish tradition teaches that our actions count. Finally, the Jewish tradition teaches that within community, individuals are connected by webs of mutual responsibility. We get a tremendous amount from being part of a university community: the fun and comradery of people's company, the power of being part of a larger group, the safety of having structures to protect our health and welfare. Yet joining a community entails responsibilities as well: the responsibility to respect other people and pay attention to their safety, the responsibility to plan for the larger community's well-being and future. If this offends one's American sense of individualism, I might respond, "So then go run naked by yourself across campus." If you chose to join an event with hundreds of people, you also share responsibility for bringing some good sense to the event. The Jewish tradition teaches that the highest value is protecting and preserving life, including your own. There is a reason that when Jews raise a glass, we say "l'hayim!" meaning "to life!" Life is the greatest value; celebrating, protecting and sustaining life is our responsibility. Rabbi Jeffrey A. Summit is the Jewish Chaplain and Executive Director of Tufts Hillel.

---

News

Jumbos edge out non-conference rival Wellesley

December 7

The women's swimming and diving team took to the pool last Wednesday to face off against the Wellesley Blue, one of Tufts' biggest non-conference rivals. The Jumbos took their third straight victory over the Blue, traveling to Wellesley and leaving with a narrow 165-135 victory. Senior tri-captain Mika Sumiyoshi credits the win to a good performance by the entire team. "Overall, I think that everyone swam really well," she said. "Almost all of the races were incredibly close, and for the most part, we were the ones who ended up beating the other team by a few tenths and even hundredths, which propelled us to the win." The Jumbos were led, as always, by Sumiyoshi, who won all three of her events, the 200 meter freestyle, the 200m backstroke, and the 200m Individual Medley (IM), all by margins of over three seconds. She also teamed up with freshman Dierdre Cannell, sophomore Meghan Wallach, and freshman Alaina Thiel to take first place in the 200m IM relay. Right behind Sumiyoshi were outstanding freshmen Thiel, Cannell, and Jessica Bollinger. Thiel took first place in both the 50m and 100m freestyle sprints, swam the anchor leg for the winning 200m IM relay squad, and took second place to Sumiyoshi in the 200m IM. Cannell chipped in with two second place finishes in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, while swimming the second leg of the 200m IM and 400m freestyle relay, both of which took first place. Bollinger raced to first place in the 1000m freestyle and swam the third leg of the victorious 400m freestyle relay team, while scoring valuable points for the Jumbos with a third place finish in the 200m breaststroke and a second place finish in the 500m freestyle. "It's great to have girls who are versatile and can swim and are willing to swim whatever coach puts them in without any complaint," Sumiyoshi said. "We're missing a lot of key swimmers, and when the girls come back from abroad, I think our team, especially our relays, will be stronger than ever." Tufts also got strong performances from its sophomore class, namely standouts Katie Mims, Meghan Wallach, and Kristen Hyland. Mims finished second behind Thiel in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events, by .05 and .78 seconds, respectively. She also earned points for the Jumbos with a fourth place finish in the 100m butterfly, and a first place finish in the 400m freestyle relay. Wallach swam a key leg of the first place finishing 200m IM relay squad, in addition to finishing third in the 100m butterfly and fourth in the 100m breaststroke. Hyland scored points for Tufts with two third place finishes in the 1000m and 500m distance freestyle events. Freshman diver Millicent Yee also scored well for Tufts, taking first place for the Jumbos in the lone diving event. Yee and sophomore Jess Schwartz blew away the competition, finishing one-two with scores of 206.90 and 206.15, respectively. Freshman Rachel Rubin contributed with a fourth place finish, ending up with a score of 148.55. Overall, the Jumbos we're thrilled with their performance, especially coming against such a huge rival as Wellesley. "It's always an exciting meet with Wellesley, and because they are a good team, we know going in that it's going to be really close and the fourth and fifth place finishes would decide it," Sumiyoshi said. "It was really great for us to win because we had lost against Conn College, so it was a good confidence booster." The Jumbos will break until the start of next semester when they will be fully armed, and will begin NESCAC competition at home on Jan. 17 against the Wesleyan Cardinals, with hopes of continuing their winning streak. "We have some tough meets coming up," Sumiyoshi said. "Last year, we beat Bates by only a few points, and lost to MIT by one. With close meets like that, I think it just depends on how much the team wants to win. Of course, we'll be a stronger team with the junior girls back, so it'll be something to look forward to."

---

News

Dressing Up

December 7

Winter break for many of us means attending a multitude of social functions. We look forward to some, while dreading others. Whether it is one of those family get-togethers that seem to go on forever, or a little soiree to reunite old friends, different occasions call for different dress codes. A friend of mine recently made the observation that people, in general, have grown much more casual when it comes to dressing for special occasions. For so many of us, looking nice means wearing our "good jeans." Don't get me wrong, jeans are very versatile, but, this holiday season, why not try something a little different: don't be afraid to dress up. Beautiful clothing certainly adds to a lovely party and looking nice sends the message to your host or hostess that you care about being there. This doesn't mean one should wear an Oscar-worthy evening gown to a cocktail party, but, as a rule, being a tad overdressed is far better than being underdressed. If you hate the thought of uncomfortable formalwear, remember that casually styled clothing can look quite dressy if made of a nice material. For instance, many retailers are offering trousers that fit much like jeans in materials like velvet. This is not to be confused with velour, which, as we have discussed before, is a no-no. You can also find simple camisoles made of luxurious satin with lace detailing. Before you know it, you are all dressed up in something that fits like jeans and a tank top! If cold weather is a factor, try adding a fitted blazer (I've seen them in both velvet and satin!). If you feel your outfit isn't quite dressy enough, you can usually pull it together with the right accessories. A bejeweled choker or massive chandelier earrings add instant drama to a simple top. Remember, if your necklace and your earrings make bold statements, wearing them both together can be over the top. For a chic evening bag, a strapless clutch is a must. Pair this with a pair of dainty gloves for a truly classic look. Footwear is another way to instantly change the look of an outfit. If you are feeling a little casual in your plain trousers, a pair of extravagant heels usually does the trick. Let me remind you yet again that slender stilettos and a gracefully pointed toe tend to look more elegant than chunkier varieties. It is very important to match the style of your shoes to what you are wearing. This may seem obvious, but I don't know how many times I've seen nice cocktail dresses worn with horrendous shoes. If you are wearing a slender sheath dress with tiny straps, don't wear clunky wedge heels! Slinky dresses are best with strappy, delicate shoes. As far as dresses are concerned, it can sometimes be difficult to tell just how formal is too formal. Pay close attention to the cut and material. A more formal cut, such as "full-length strapless" looks more formal in satin than in stretchy knit material. I'm personally not a fan of stretchy knit material, but that seems to be quite popular these days. The point is, you can get away with more dramatic styles if the fabric is a little less dressy. I love luxurious materials, so I would suggest going for a less-formal cut in a truly beautiful material. A strapless sheath dress hemmed at the knee in a solid satin or silk is a safe bet. Of course, if you really want something unique, vintage eveningwear is always wonderful. For men, the same rules apply. You can find lots of wearable clothing in dressier fabrics. Instead of boring khaki, try fine wool (perhaps with a pinstripe!). If you are more on the cutting edge, stores like H&M carry velvet trousers for men as well as women. Instead of a cotton sweater, find one in Merino wool or cashmere. A cashmere turtleneck is the easiest way to dress up if you are feeling lazy. Or pair a v-neck sweater with a shirt and tie. Find a sweater with a fitted cut so you avoid looking like a frumpy old man. Everyone looks good in a suit, but that might be too much for many occasions. Instead, find a blazer that compliments your trousers, rather than matching exactly. Now, I'm not talking about your Dad's power sport coat. I'm talking about a cool vintage-looking jacket with a snug fit in a cool fabric. Places like Urban Outfitters and Planet Aid -- both in Harvard Square -- usually carry these. Also pay close attention to accessories. The right tie can make or break a look. What type of tie you choose is a matter of personal taste, just make sure that the colors work. I prefer ties with bold, graphic stripes rather than tiny patters. Be sure that your footwear fits in with your overall look, as well. Contrary to popular belief, a pair of shoes will not necessarily be appropriate just because they are black. Your beat-up Doc Martins simply will not do. I've even seen on several terrible occasions black sneakers with nice dress pants! Don't let this happen to you. Dressing up doesn't have to be a chore. There are all sorts of ways to look stunning while maintaining casual comfort. With the right combination of luxurious materials and flattering cuts, you'll be ready to face all those holiday engagements. So, as we enter this season of social gatherings, look forward to looking your best.

---