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What Child is this?

December 1

Of all the holiday specials about to barrage us this season, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" remains one of my favorites. The climax of the show comes at Linus' speech, where he quotes the first century historian Luke's account of the birth of Jesus. This, Linus says, is "what Christmas is all about." But unfortunately, Linus does not tell us why. Anyone not already familiar with the whole Christian story does not feel the punch the author intended to deliver. It is as if one walked in late to a movie -- the surprise plot twist means nothing to him. And that is precisely what has happened, for the birth of Jesus Christ is not the beginning of the story -- it is the middle. Linus recites, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shown round about them. And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger'. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men.'" To understand, we need to know what's come before. First, who were these shepherds? They were ordinary Jewish men. As Jews they had probably been going to their synagogue all their lives, hearing the Scriptures read from their earliest days. Those writings told them there was but one God, all-powerful and all-knowing. Being the Creator of the earth and sky and everything in them, this God was the ruler of all. God existed before all things, before even time itself. This was the God whose glory shown round about them that night. So why were they so scared? We may not know, but we can speculate. Maybe one man didn't know quite what to expect from this God. Perhaps he spent many sleepless nights wondering where this almighty God was when his daughter did not make it through the previous winter. Perhaps he often shook a clenched fist at the cold night, seeing his neighbors steal his livelihood and watching them go unpunished. Where is this so-called Lord? Why doesn't he do anything? Does he even care? Maybe God just hates me, the shepherd thought. The angel's arrival would seem to him a bad omen, just another raw deal in an unjust world. But this shepherd would be surprised by the angel's message, for it is not more bad news but good news for all people, including him. Neither he nor his cries for justice have been ignored. The Lord has come to earth. The shepherd cried out, "why?" Rather than send reasons, God sent himself. Huddled in a filthy manger. This God is not a cold, impersonal force of the universe. He does not come with the detached sterility of a court-appointed attorney. Amazingly, he is a God who is - I beg his pardon for bluntness - not afraid to get his diapers dirty. God does indeed care, enough to suffer alongside the suffering. Doubtless not all shepherds were hoping for justice that night, however. Justice is a fine thing for those who have been wronged, but it is no fun at all for those who have done the wronging! Perhaps that thought terrorized in the mind of another shepherd. He had heard the sermons. He knew what God must think of the things he had done in his life. He knew that God demanded promises to be kept, neighbors loved. An all-seeing God could not have missed all his convenient lies and hateful remarks. And even those times he tried to be good he failed more often than not. Instead of doing the things he knew he should do he did the things he hated himself for doing. Along the way he hurt many people. All people whom God promised to defend. And now God has come. Is this the end?, the shepherd thought. Has God come to finally smite me dead? But the angel's message would surprise him, too. Look again at how God has come. Not as a general, riding upon a battle-stallion, ready to make war with his enemies. No, not yet. Here he is a baby, possibly the most defenseless creature in the world. What could this mean? The angels proclaim "peace". But haven't I, asks the shepherd, put myself at war with God? Yes-but that doesn't stop God. Shockingly, God has not abandoned people to their own self-inflicted messes. He declares peace to bring them out of them. These are the angel's tidings of great joy! Christ the Lord is born a _savior_. He has come to not only to save the wronged, but to also save the wrongdoer. To the one who aches for justice he brings hope, and to the one who fears justice he brings mercy. The angel's tidings were not just for shepherds. The three wise men from the East were not Jews. They were not raised with a belief in one God. They were never told that the universe had any reason for being, or any purpose. They were stargazers. They searched the skies for signs. They were kept awake at night by that question that slowly gnaws the insides of anyone who has stopped to think it-are we alone? Is there any meaning behind this great cosmos, or am I just a speck of dust? These men stumbled and groped in the darkness for answers, looking for any kind of sign of life from the great beyond-a signal, a message, a word. And a word came. Wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. When man could not (or would not) find God, God revealed himself to man. He made the first move. God took on a human nature and dwelt among us to make himself known. The painter stepped into his own painting. The Author became a character. Is this absurd? Yes. You expect to understand everything? Love itself is absurd. Love desires the good of the beloved no matter what it costs the lover. Love keeps no record of being wronged. Love is tireless, relentless, and removes all obstacles. Love does the impossible-even healing the great divide between the creature and his Creator. Christmas is the middle, not the beginning (and not the end!) of a love story. It is the surprise plot-twist in the story of God's sacrificial love for men and women. And that, Charlie Brown, is what Christmas is all about.

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News

And you thought Kaballah was the only game in town

December 1

Tufts students now have a new place to go to explore their Jewish identitiy. The Chabad House arrived on campus last fall and aims to help students learn about Judaism through education programs. The organization Chabad is named after the philosophy that the movement it is based on. The word is a Hebrew acronym for three words: wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It is also an internationally known organization, with branches on many college campuses. Chabad puts an emphasis on the unique spiritual potential of every Jew through a nonsectarian manner. "The purpose of Chabad in the Tufts community is to make a contribution to the Jewish community at Tufts in any way," Rabbi Tzvi Backman, who heads the Chabad House said. "It works to help students become closer to their roots, help them lead the path, and offer knowledge and experience regarding Judaism." Tufts students are not required to fully commit to the organization. Students are free to attend many events including weekly Shabbat dinners. Each week, Rabbi Tzvi and his wife cook these dinners for an average of 10 to 20 people. Many different students attend events at the Chabad House. Both students and professors -- with many different levels of Jewish understanding -- are invited. "We have a very diverse group of people," Rabbi Tzvi said. "People with a strong understanding of the Jewish religion and people who know very little. They ask basic questions to very complex ones." Junior Alexis Gerber has attended several events at the Chabad House. "Their experience of Judaism and the way they lived their lives is very different from the way I've lived my life," she said. "They've been very welcoming, they're very nice people" Many of Chabad's programs aim to educate students about Jewish topics. The Chabad house holds weekly Torah readings on Monday nights. Participants gather to discuss the parshah -- the section read that week. In addition to this group setting, members of the Tufts community can meet one-on-one to discuss certain texts. There is also a Jewish women's group that meets to discuss the role of women in Judaism. Chabad also tries to increase visibility of Jewish holidays on the Tufts campus. Earlier this year, at the campus center, a hut, known as a Sukkah, was placed on the back of a pickup truck in honor of the Festival of Sukkot. Many Jews build these huts to commemorate the forty years that the children of Israel wandered in the desert and lived in temporary dwellings. Today, Jews often eat meals in the Sukkah to commemorate the holiday. Students were also invited to shake the lulav -- something done traditionally during Sukkot. Four plants make up the lulav -- an etrog, which is a citrus fruit native to Israel, willow branches, a palm branch, and myrtle branches. These four species are bound together and waved in different directions. In an effort to continue to reach out to many students on the Tufts campus, the Chabad House is planning several more events. A "Candle design and fondue party" will be held where students can design candles, bake Challah bread, light the Shabbat candles, and learn about these Jewish traditions. They are also planning a Kosher Movie Club where they will be showing a film called "Left Luggage." The movie follows the story of a young girl whose parents are Holocaust survivors. She finds herself struggling between her liberated self views and the views of a Hassidic Jewish family for which she works as a nanny, while learning more about her parents' struggle during the Holocaust. The Chabad House hopes to provide an opportunity for students to explore Judaism and have their questions answered. "We are dedicated to serving the community in any way," Rabbi Tzvi said. "Our doors are open to anyone; background or affiliation is not a concern." The organization Chabad was developed in 1940 by Rabbi Joseph Schneerson as a means of proving to the world that traditional Judaism can thrive in America. He sent emissaries to cities in the East Coast to set up Jewish centers and schools. His son-in-law, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, took over after Rabbi Schneerson's death and continued to establish Chabad houses and Jewish outreach centers throughout the globe. The Chabad House is located at 117 Hillsdale Road. Their website is www.jewishstudentcenter.com

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News

Bush gives thanks at the expense of Cuba

December 1

While Americans looked forward to Thanksgiving this year, lawmakers were busy undermining the democratic process and bending to the will of the executive branch. In the 42nd year of the embargo on Cuba, Congress upheld the ban on travel to Cuba -- a measure that violates American freedom of travel and contributes to the systematic repression of Cubans. While lifting the travel ban passed in both houses with vast margins - 227-188 in the House and 59-36 in the Senate -- the amendment was stripped from an omnibus bill on Nov. 12 by Republican leadership. The Treasury and Transportation conference committee was decidedly mixed on whether to support the travel amendment, even amidst a threat of presidential veto. However, conferees never got a chance to vote on the amendment as it was stripped from the bill in what some opponents call "undemocratic measures." Lifting the ban on travel holds many opportunities for both Americans and the future democratic development in Cuba. According to agribusiness statistics, lost trade with Cuba costs the US $3 billion annually. According to the Cuban Policy Foundation (CPF), the US energy sector could gain anywhere from $2 to $3 billion from lifting the embargo. And although lifting the ban on travel is an incremental step along the path of lifting the embargo, any movement in that direction only stands to benefit the US economy. Travel-related gains alone would result in gains up to $1.7 billion and a creation of 10,000 US jobs in an ever-unsteady economy (CPF statistics). Contrary to Republican leadership belief, Cubans would be the true beneficiaries of a change in policy. American travel would increase "person to person" contact, the very contact Americans had with the people of the former Soviet Union that helped bring about its demise. Americans bring with them the very important concepts of democracy and freedoms that Castro presently blocks access to under his ruthless dictatorship. Travel would also stir the roots of free market reform and growth -- the very impetus for democratization. When hundreds of thousands of Americans travel to Cuba, it will exert pressure on the Cuban economy in the critical areas of the small business and self-employed sectors. Monetary freedom from the Communist party's political machine will allow Cubans to speak and organize freely against their government. Additionally, travel would raise scrutiny of human rights in Cuba, as seen during the Chinese liberalization in the 1980s. All of these possible developments are ignored by the Bush administration in a strategic effort to appease the Cuban-American electorate. With an election year ahead and the critical importance of Florida duly noted, Bush made a speech in October vowing to continue to exert pressure on Castro, tighten travel restrictions on Cuba and veto any legislation that would liberalize US foreign policy on the island nation. Two weeks later, the Senate openly rebutted this idea by passing a lift on the travel ban with a comfortable majority. With both houses voting on the exact same language of the travel bill, the Administration vowed to veto it. The legislation, if it had reached his desk, would have placed Bush into a political conundrum. If he signed it, he would be going against his word and reaping controversy amidst the Cuban-American community. If he vetoed the bill, he would have vetoed a $90 billion dollar spending bill the travel amendment was attached to. It is easy to see why Bush flanked the leadership in Congress to strip the bill -- it saved his own political career. All is not lost, however. The 108th Congress marked the fourth year in a row legislation was passed to lift the ban on travel to Cuba and the first in which it was passed in both houses. Legislators will seek floor action for the bill when Congress returns to session in February. If the bill makes it through both houses of Congress as an individual piece of legislation, Bush will be forced to either sign or veto the bill -- putting him in a precarious situation. Concerned advocates' most important role in all of this is to contact their representatives and urge them to support lifting the travel ban on Cuba. These actions could perhaps prevent a reoccurrence of Republicans pursuing undemocratic actions of stripping bill amendments to save their leader. Until then we can only hope that Castro will go belly up. Gobble, gobble. Rachael Hereford is a junior majoring in political science.

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News

Chinese language house likely for next year

December 1

The University will likely create a Chinese Language House for the next academic year. Chinese professors in the Department of German, Russian & Asian Languages and Literature have been exploring the initiative for several years, and have begun to pursue the idea when they determined there was enough student interest. The department recently surveyed students in Chinese classes about their interest in a Chinese language house. Of the 143 returned surveys, 24 students (17 percent) answered "yes" and 64 (45 percent) answered "maybe." "Based on these numbers there will definitely be a Chinese Language house," said Chinese professor Mingquan Wang, who is leading the efforts to establish a house. "It's very likely -- maybe 90 percent -- that this is going to happen. There is a lot of enthusiasm among students and support in the Chinese program," Wang said. The Office of Residential Life and Learning is currently "in the process of setting up and reviewing the program proposal that Professor Wang is developing," said Lorraine Toppi, the associate director for occupancy management. "We expect the house to be in either Latin Way or a Hillside suite," Toppi said. "The number of anticipated applicants and types of programs offered would determine the size and location. We would want to select a unit size that would ensure their success." The University already has a house dedicated to Asian culture, the Start House on Latin Way, but Wang said that the Chinese house would have a different focus. "Their focus is on culture, and our house would be a language-based housing unit," he said. He explained that the house would be aimed at "members of the community who are taking Chinese or who speak Chinese at home." Wang said that the Chinese house's programming would be "very versatile." "We will try to do a lot of cultural events to benefit not only residents [but the] Tufts community at large as well," he said. Proposed events include small lectures, film series, and demonstrations on topics such as Chinese cooking, painting, calligraphy, and music. The house would also celebrate Chinese holidays such as the Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn festival. For those events, both residents and non-residents would be able to participate, Wang said. "I think these events would have broad appeal to Tufts community," he added. Freshman Adam Halper said he was "definitely interested in a Chinese Language House." "I think it would be a great opportunity." If the unit is established, all Tufts undergraduates may apply to live there. According to Toppi, applications would be reviewed by the House Advisor and House Manager, who would also interview candidates before making selections.

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News

Oxfam closed for renovations

December 1

Oxfam Caf?©, the student-run eatery in the basement of Miller Hall, has closed early for winter break to repair a broken window and to repaint the interior. The window was broken the night of Friday, Nov. 21 during a performance in the caf?©. "Someone put their head through the window and ran off," manager Frances Dixon said. "Whoever the manager was that night couldn't see that window, and it wasn't until the end of the night that somebody told her what happened," she said. "We don't know who it was." The caf?© was originally scheduled to close this Sunday. Oxfam is a self-sustaining operation that is financially independent of the university, but according to manager Jen Ko, the University is paying for the window replacement because it is technically on the outside of a residence hall. The window is expected to be replaced by Friday, when Oxfam will reopen temporarily for the last Midnight Caf?© performance of the semester. Neither Dixon nor Ko knew how much the new window would cost. Oxfam managers decided to have the interior repainted at the same time "to brighten the place up a little," Dixon said. The cost of repainting the interior will be funded by caf?© proceeds and the Midnight Caf?© budget. Repainting was scheduled to be completed by last night. Sophomore Elizabeth Bishop, who had meetings scheduled for the student organizations Emerge and the Coalition for Social Justice and Non-Violence this week, said Oxfam managers notified her in time to arrange another location. "It's a slight inconvenience, but we'll manage," she said. In a separate project, the university is also repairing the sidewalk and curbing adjacent to Miller Hall.

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News

Why turkeys and pants shouldn't mix

December 1

Gobble gobble. Gobble. Gobble gobble? GOBBBBBBBLLLLLLLE! Sorry, had to get that out of my system. In case you couldn't guess, we're going with a Thanksgiving theme for this column. And personally, I have so much to be thankful for. My friends and family. My excellent grades, especially from my most favorite English professor who I know reads this. The Tufts Big Band, who is playing at 8 p.m. this Thursday in Goddard Chapel. But most of all, as should be expected on a day like this, I am thankful for turkey. The turkey is a wonderful bird. They can range in height from midget-sized to gargantuan and are nasty at chess. More importantly, turkey is the only meat I've encountered that has the exact same effects as a 12-pack of Guinness. You feel like you've eaten ninety loaves of bread, your head is spinning, and you end up covered in cranberry sauce. But sometimes it is easy for us to forget that turkeys have feelings, too. It's not easy being a holiday meal on legs. Which is exactly why farmers in England have developed a CD mix of tunes to soothe turkeys during their resting period. CNN reports that the British Farming Union has released a CD with "Gregorian chants, whale calls and rustling forest" sounds. The idea is to soothe the birds and make them relax enough that they don't kick the hell out of the farmers every time they walk by. Of course, finding the right combination of songs wasn't easy. For instance, the farmers were dismayed when they tried playing "Shake Your Tail Feathers" for the poor misguided birds. The poor Brits were shocked to find their turkeys running around in FuBu and using St. Louis slang. They finally figured out it wasn't a good idea when one turkey capped the other for "treadin' on my bling bling, gobble." And let's not mention what happened when they tried playing "YMCA!" There is more Thanksgiving ridiculousness for me to talk about, don't you fret. While doing research for my Turkey Extravaganza, I stumbled across an article about the Jones Soda Company. Turns out Jones has made a name for itself by coming up with creative and interesting soda flavors. Items such as Fish Taco soda have flown off the shelves (I really do wish I were making this up). So, in honor of the special holiday, the company came out with turkey and gravy-flavored soda. I kid you not -- turkey and gravy flavored carbonated drinks. It's things like this that makes me understand why the rest of the world hates Americans. Guys, guys, these inventions are great, but let's get priorities here. AIDS? Anyone remember AIDS? How about his friend cancer? All I'm saying is we need a little focus. The only thing that turkey and gravy soda brings into the world is the need for whoever drinks it to commit seppuku. For our final little story about this topic, let's check out the hotwire news out of Germany, where a man attempted to smuggle out 177 cartons of cigarettes in his pants. The man, whose pants were so loaded (shut it, all of you) he could hardly walk, was aided by three accomplices who "formed a protective shield by holding newspapers in front of the man and his bulging trousers." Despite the thief's claim that he simply had a "mastadonic penis," the cops arrested the four on their way to the car. Oddly enough, when the man's pants were searched it was discovered his penis had disappeared. This crime has been attributed to the legendary Penis Snatchers of Africa, who are destined to become a running joke until I really just drive it into the ground. So, to recap: Thanksgiving good, school work bad. Turkey good, tofurkey, bad. Being lazy on a holiday, good, being productive, bad. Stuffing your pants with the holiday bird, depending on what you like, can swing either way. We're tolerant here at Tufts. Just make sure it's an American bird. You don't want to be messing around with those terrorist turkeys. That's bad mojo, man, and you might just end up sitting in a parking lot with the police riffling around in your pants. And no one wants that, right?

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News

Men's Basketball

December 1

With a troublesome Thanksgiving break behind them, the men's basketball team looks to turn its season around at home tonight. Tufts (1-3) will face non-conference rival MIT (2-2) in Cousens Gym at 8:00. The Jumbos are coming off an 83-60 loss to Salem State on Sunday. MIT enters the match-up at an even .500 (2-2). Fellow NESCAC competitor Connecticut College dealt the Engineers one of their two losses and the Jumbos would like to follow suit. In the past, this early season game has fallen in favor of the Jumbos. Last season, Tufts found itself in the same scenario -- beginning the season with a 1-3 slide and gaining momentum with a victory over MIT, 70-67. Each season is different however, and for the Jumbos to end up victorious on Tuesday, the team will need to step up the level of play that has been displayed thus far this season. "We are 1-3 right now, so everyone is going to be tough," coach Bob Sheldon said. "MIT is a big rivalry for us so I am expecting a good game." The Engineers will travel into Cousens armed with an aggressive offense, one that is particularly effective from behind the arc. In their last game, a 69-57 victory over Suffolk, MIT overcame a five-point deficit at the half, sinking a game total 12 three-pointers. Half of these shots were attributed to senior guard Andrew Tsai. In order for Tufts to come out on top in its home opener, the defense will have to find a way to break through screens and shut him down. A win in this game would be a confidence booster, as well as preventing a 1-4 season opening record. "We are going in with the same game strategy, we just need to execute better," Sheldon said. "We've been throwing the ball around too much." Sheldon was referring to the team's high number of turnovers, including 19 in the loss to Salem State on Sunday. In that game, the Jumbos were taken down early, trailing by 13 at the half. Tufts did not put up much of a fight in the second half, and the Vikings breezed to an 83-60 victory. For the fourth game in a row, Tufts was unable to break the 70-point mark. During the game, the Vikings were able to hold the Jumbos to a mere 33.9 percent (21-62) from the field, while they answered with their own success at 50 percent (35/70). Guards Dewayne Cox and Allen Reid for Salem State proved to be the most troublesome, each scoring sixteen points apiece. Tufts also faltered on the line, making only 12 of 30 free throw attempts. Tufts has struggled with free throws this year, making only 50.5 percent of its opportunities. Also contributing to the loss was the high number of turnovers sitting at 19, a number the Jumbos would like to contain to around ten. On the positive side of things, Tufts' cleaned the boards for a total of 48 rebounds. Contributing to this number was sophomore Blaine Lay and senior co-captain Deyvehn East, who both tallied nine apiece. Lay saw the most playing time and scored a team-high 15 points. Freshman David Shepherd added ten points, while Martin contributed eight. After duking it out with MIT tonight, the Jumbos will travel to face Dartmouth on Thursday, followed by another home game on Saturday against Clark. Tufts has yet to face a NESCAC competitor- those match-ups that will come later in January and February.

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News

Jumbos welcome UMass-Dartmouth to town tonight

December 1

Coming off of a 4-2 win over Southern New Hampshire on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, the hockey team looks to pick up where it left off before the holiday as it takes on the UMass-Dartmouth (UMD) Corsairs tonight at 7:30 at Malden Forum. The Corsairs, a member of the ECAC Northeast, are 6-3, while the Jumbos are 1-2. Last year, Tufts traveled to UMD and skated to a 4-4 tie in a game in which the Jumbos had their chances to win. The Corsairs went on to a 15-7-3 record while Tufts fell off a little to the tune of a 7-11-4 finishing mark. "They have always been a good team," coach Brian Murphy said. "We used to play them every year when we were in their league, and we only beat them once. They have lost their last two, but we still have to respect them." UMD was mauled 10-2 at Trinity on Saturday and then fell 8-4 to SUNY-Cortland on Sunday. Besides these two setbacks, UMD's 6-3 record is a testament to how dominant the team has otherwise been this season. Murphy does not categorize UMD based on their last two games, either. "They lost to Trinity, who is one of the best teams in the whole country and to Cortland, who is always competitive as well," he said. "With the talent they have, between local talent and DI transfers, they're going to be tough." The Corsair's talent is headed up by sophomore forward Eric Frank, who is second in his conference with 14 points (five goals, nine assists). Senior Matt Beck is tied for seventh in points with ten (four goals, six assists) and last season's leading scorers, seniors Chris Dussault and Scott Gallagher, are sfleeping giants yet to get going, as they currently have only four and five points, respectively. Defensively, the Corsairs are led by sophomore Dan Aucoin, who is second in defenseman scoring in the ECAC Northeast with eight points (one goal, seven assists). At goaltender, UMD has had two players splitting time: Junior Kevin McGowan is 4-1 with a 3.75 goals against average and a .873 save percentage and senior Ryan Grant is 2-2 with a 3.56 goals against average and a .898 save percentage. Murphy knows what the Jumbos are up against, but feels his squad will respond. "We're confident right now," he said. "We switched up the lines this week to get more production out of our five-on-five offense. Half our goals have come on the power play." While what the team does on the power play has not been of concern (third in the NESCAC, converting 31.6 percent of the time), the Tufts penalty kill has taken its hits of late. The Jumbos lead the league with 27 penalty minutes per game and as a result have a penalty kill average that is the worst in the NESCAC (64 percent). But the team is making strides. "Our first couple of games, we faced two teams (Norwich and St. Michael's) who are unbelievable on the power play, so that put a lot of pressure on our unit," Murphy said. "But we have been working real hard in practice at playing when we're a man down, so I think we will be alright." The Jumbos have their work cut out for them as far as keeping the puck out of the net when they are shorthanded, as the Corsairs are second in their conference on the power play with a 25.6 percent conversion rate. As far as the week-long Thanksgiving break is concerned, Murphy doesn't think the layoff will hurt his team. "I think we're going to be real rested for [tonight's] game," he said. "We had good, productive practices the last couple of days, so I don't think the break hurt us."

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News

Blue Devils and Huskies Fall to Unranked Foes

December 1

This just shows you how much the preseason rankings mean. Sports Illustrated ranked the Gonzaga Bulldogs third and they lost their first game of the season. And now this week the top four ranked teams in the nation -- the UConn Huskies, Duke Blue Devils, Arizona Wildcats, and Michigan St. Spartans -- were all defeated this week. The Huskies and Blue Devils were also both beaten by unranked opponents in their preseason tournaments. In the Preseason NIT semifinals on Wednesday night, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets stunned UConn. With the win, Georgia Tech bumped the Huskies from the number one spot in the polls. Some UConn fans may argue that Emeka Okafor was plagued by a bad back, but the Huskies were still blown out of the water by a score of 77-61. UConn went on to embarrass the Utah Utes 76-44 in the consolation game. The Huskies were out to prove that despite the fact that they lost the number one ranking, they are still one of the strongest teams in the nation. Georgia Tech went on to beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the final on Friday night, 85-65. The Yellow Jackets were in a league above Bobby Knight's team as Georgia Tech's Jarret Jack filled the box score along the line, leading his team with 17 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Despite 25 points from All-American candidate Andre Emmit, the Red Raiders fell behind early and were not able to climb out of the hole they had dug themselves. The Maui Invitational didn't feature as many real national contenders as the NIT tournament, but it still served as a nice tropical setting for coaches to get a sense of their teams' makeups and chemistry. The Dayton Flyers beat the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Wednesday night to capture the Maui Invitational championship, 82-72. The Flyers are one of the mid-major darlings of college basketball, and at 4-0 they are looking to enter the top 25 and make a splash come March once again. Anchorage's Great Alaska Shootout turned out as well as anyone could have expected. Looking at the brackets, many envisioned a Duke/Purdue Boilermaker final, and that's exactly what happened. Purdue coach Gene Keady anticipated this match-up when he scheduled his team for the tournament. Ultimately, it was his squad that proved to be the more experienced team at this point in the season, winning 78-68. Despite not being in the top 25 at the beginning of the season, the Boilermakers are sure to enter the polls this week. This was the first game this season Duke led at halftime and ended up losing after going cold in the second half. Other big games this week included a nail-bitter between the Arizona Wildcats and the Florida Gators, as well as a four-five matchup between the Michigan St. Spartans and the Kansas Jayhawks. The Wildcat/Gator top ten bout featured two of the premier offensive teams in the nation and ended with Florida on top, 78-77. Gator forward Matt Walsh finished with 27 points in leading his team to the victory. In Tuesday night's game between the Jayhawks and Spartans, Kansas prevailed by a 81-74 margin, with forward Wayne Simien exploding for 28 points and eight rebounds. Next week will heat up even more with the ACC/Big 10 Challenge, which pits members of the two power conferences against each other. These games will definitely distinguish the contenders from the early season pretenders.

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News

By the numbers

December 1

Predicted rise in U.S. sales during 2003's November-December shopping period: 5.7% (to $217.4 billion) Rise in U.S. sales during 2002's November-December shopping period: 2.2% (the smallest in over 30 years) Amount the average U.S. household is expected to spend on holiday gifts this year: $455 (a 5% decrease from 2002) Consumers who plan on spending less this holiday season than they did for last year's: 34% Amount e-sales are expected to rise this holiday season: 25% (to $17 billion) American consumers who went shopping in 2002 on the weekend after Thanksgiving: 75.6% Amount of 2002 Thanksgiving weekend sales spent on "books, CDs, DVDs, videos or video games": 41% On "clothing or clothing accessories": 40.4% On toys: 34.6% On home furnishings: 23.7%). College students with credit cards: 65% Amount by which Visa spending rose last Friday and Saturday: 12% (to $6.5 billion) Amount of sales for which college students were responsible in 2002: over $210 billion College students who "cite low prices as important when shopping": 93% College students with paid jobs: 67% College students who shop at "general purpose retailers" like K-Mart and Wal-Mart: 80% Amount spent at U.S. Wal-Mart stores on Friday: $1.52 billion (6.3% more than last year) Current consumer confidence level: 91.7% Consumer confidence level in October: 81.7% The statistics cited above come from Harris Interactive; Robyn Greenspan's News & Trends article "College Students Surf, Spend"; Parija Bhatnagar's CNN/Money articles "Bargains not such bargains," "Soggy start for shoppers," and "Strong start to shopping season"; Melody Vargas's 2003 Holiday Retail Sales Predictions and Forecast; and Cnn.com's Consumer Confidence Index.

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News

New law would allow Sunday liquor sales

December 1

A new bill, allowing liquor stores to sell their wares on Sundays has recently passed through the Massachusetts state legislature. Over the next few days, governor Mitt Romney is expected to ratify and sign this bill into law, allowing liquor stores to be open every day of the week. The proposed law is part of an economic stimulus package that aims to allow for maximum business opportunities, and thus create more jobs and more profit in the state. The manager of University Wine and Spirits, Robert (who declined to give his last name) feels that the law is a good idea. He called the old law banning Sunday liquor sales "silly rules." However, not all store managers are pleased by the change. Stores cited possible difficulties include finding capable staff willing to work weekends, overtime work for owners, and the fact that stores can be successful being opened only six days a week. John Lianos, the manager from Ball Square Fine Wines and Liquor said it would be "better for the new law not to be passed because it would be bad for my business. Even if I chose not to open on Sunday, I would have to, because if the store down the street was open, [and] you just don't want to lose the customers to them." Lianos did not think the passage of the law would be beneficial to the business of any of the liquor sellers in Massachusetts near colleges. "Students mostly come into the store on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. [They] will not be drinking or make purchases [here] on Sunday because there are classes Monday," he said. Members of the Tufts Alcohol and Health Education Center also did not believe that the availability of liquor on Sundays would have too much of an effect on students' alcohol use. Alcohol and Drug Treatment Specialist Elizabeth Moore said "Student drinking primarily occurs on weekends, in the Thursday through Saturday time frame." Moore agreed with Lianos in that "there is much less drinking on Sundays, because the next day is a school day. People drink the most on days they don't have commitments and the new law will likely not have an effect on this." Margot Abels, Director of the Drug and Alcohol Education Service at Tufts, acknowledged that students would potentially make use of the extra day to buy liquor. "Football is on Sundays and Mondays, so this could perhaps lead to lead to more parties on Sundays for those lacking classes on Mondays," she said. Even though the impending law would allow an extra day each week to purchase liquor, some students did not believe that there would be much of a change in alcohol use on campus. Sophomore Paul Chase said, "Most students who drink tend to do it on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday nights. Having alcohol available on a Sunday would not cause any major change." However, Abels feels the law could adversely effect attempts to prevent youth drinking. "[there has been] lots of activity with alcohol education in the Somerville area for people 21 and older about providing alcohol to minors, making alcohol less accessible, contradicting the new law." The law banning the sale of liquor on Sundays, which date back to Puritan enforcement of the Sabbath, was originally created in order to discourage drinking on the Sabbath. The law was updated in 1990 allowing for the sale of liquor on Sundays in towns within ten miles of the New Hampshire border. A further change in 1992 allowed Sunday sales from the weekend before Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

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Picture starting to clear as season progresses

November 30

The NBA season is now almost one fourth complete. That sounds weird seeing as how the playoffs still find a way to end in late June, but it's true. The first month of regular season action is always a glass full of muddy water, as pretenders pretend, contenders take a while to get on track, and no-name players try to impersonate MJ. However, starting now, the muddy water gives way to a clearer picture of the NBA, version 2003-2004. The Orlando Magic, for one, opened the season with shaky play. They escaped the New York Knicks in overtime (at this point, beating the Knicks in overtime is pretty much a loss to any other team), and quickly dropped the next several games. Everyone assumed it was just a fluke at first -- after they blew a 3-1 first round series lead in last year's playoffs Orlando would surely come back hungry this year, right? Plus, the Magic returned reigning Coach of the Year Doc Rivers and superstar Tracy McGrady, and also added veteran Juwan Howard and rookie Reece Gaines. Orlando was supposed to be good -- it couldn't really be that bad, could it? Unfortunately for the Magic, they are that bad. The losing streak is still alive, and at 1-15, it's pretty safe to say Orlando won't be around to blow a first round playoff series this year. And as now former coach Rivers found out, when you're bad in the NBA, when you're supposed to be good, you get fired. For Doc, T-Mac, and the Magic, everything that could go wrong has this season. The team began the year without forward Pat Garrity and guard Gordon Giricek. Then T-Mac admitted early in the season that zone defenses gave him and his teammates trouble. Not surprisingly, T-Mac and the Magic have faced a steady diet of zone defenses ever since. But instead of gritting his teeth and battling through like a superstar leader, T-Mac has whined and complained, even mentioning the R-word, "retirement". Puh-lease. T-Mac is 24, and he's one of the two best guards in the league. He's not going anywhere for awhile. Instead of talking about quitting, McGrady should be focusing on getting his mojo back, and that starts with clutch play at the end of the game. In two close losses this week, the final shot for Orlando was taken not by McGrady, but by Tyronne Lue, a name you probably won't be seeing on this year's all-star ballot. The Magic are better than they have been, and they will play better in the future, but it probably won't help them this year. On the flip side of the coin, guru Rick Carlisle has shown just how much better he is than ex-coach Isiah Thomas in leading the 14-2 Indiana Pacers to the best record in the league. Carlisle has managed to keep time bomb Ron Artest from going off while sitting Jamaal Tinsley in favor of Kenny Anderson at the point. This move is reminiscent of the move that the Sacramento Kings made several years ago when they traded Jason Williams for Mike Bibby. The Kings were then on the verge of breaking into the big-time and the calm and collected Bibby was what they needed, not the wild risk taker Williams. While the Pacers are running the fast break less than last year, they run better as a team with Anderson, at least for now. Tinsley still has a fine career ahead of him, as Williams proved to have, it just might come with a different team. Another team that looks to be much improved is the New Orleans Hornets. Maybe they just needed a year in N'awlins to get the, uhh, fun, under their belts, but more likely the difference is in the weight Baron Davis lost from under his belt. A considerably slimmed down Davis has the Hornets running and gunning to an 11-6 record, and that's without the injured Jamal Mashburn. However, there are two sour thoughts for the Hornets to toss around in their head. One, they might actually be a better team without Mashburn, who prefers the slower post up game. And two, they're moving to the Western Conference next year, so they should enjoy their success while it lasts. Out west, the biggest surprise has been the Utah Jazz, whom many expected to falter without the services of John Stockton and Karl "shopping for a ring" Malone. But with Jerry Sloan still on the pine, a host of players have stepped up to fill in the gap and the 9-6 Jazz have just one loss at home this year. It's doubtful the Jazz can keep up the pace and make the playoffs, but they're certainly vastly better than anyone imagined they would be. Ugly Stat of the Year: The Toronto Raptors have yet to break 90 points in a non-overtime game yet this year. That could change soon, however, as the Raptors just traded for Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall, and Lonnie Baxter.

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In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 a timeless classic

November 30

Whenever a well-known band releases a "best of" compilation, there is always a certain hesitancy involved. Are they going to select the appropriate mix of new and vintage favorites as well as offer previously unavailable flashy new bonus features? Are the songs going to further the band as a musical rock, surmounting the test of time? And, finally, economically - after owning a majority of the band's previous work (7 albums in R.E.M.'s case), is it worth it in dollars and sense to re-buy music you already own? With an 18 song compilation disc, furthered by a 15 song disc of rarities, b-sides, and concert versions, In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003(special edition) would like you to think the answer is yes. But before we come to any hasty conclusions, let us consider the questions at hand. In terms of song selection, one of the greatest challenges is the dilemma of trying to create a fluid sound from song to song amidst an often chaotic and experimental catalog. In the case of R.E.M., one might say that they succeed almost too well; Michael Stipe's voice blends so well that the music is almost lulling. Nonetheless, upon a casual listening, the body of work is not jarring. Initiating R.E.M.'s musical time machine with its twin Andy Kaufman tributes, "Man on the Moon" and "The Great Beyond," In Time proceeds to travel to a fair number of key songs post 1988. From "Losing My Religion," drawn from R.E.M.'s first big album circa 1990 all the way to new tracks, "Animal" and "Bad Day," no one can say that the disc doesn't know how to get around. However, while the CD does manage to incorporate all the previous albums, it certainly does not do so evenly. "Shiny Happy People" was left off and represents one of the most obvious voids "Drive" - off the later and better represented Automatic for the People - is another notable track omitted. Additionally, "Bad Day" sounds suspiciously similar to the band's previous hit, "It's the End of the World as We Know It." Beyond this liability, however, there is a peculiarity presented in this idea of "getting around," in that either a R.E.M. die hard fan or just an avid radio listener would be familiar with the core work of In Time. Thus, this would suggest that instead of a "best of" album, this is more of a "greatest hits" grouping. Not that one is necessarily better than the other; rather, they are just different beasts. In terms of swanky new features on the special edition of In Time (it is possible and less expensive to purchase only the main "best of" CD sans special features), the fifteen songs range from tingling musical treasures to overindulgent annoyances. The live version of, "The One I Love," for instance, takes one's breath away. It feels genuine -- a living specimen of art -- without the manipulation of a label or studio. However, the solely instrumental"2JN" grates on the ears and quickly becomes boring, prompting a swift fast-forward to the next track. Beyond the physical music, another bonus additive is a song booklet with insightful comments by guitarist Peter Buck, offering a direct glimpse into the world that is R.E.M. Tangentially, the collection begins in 1988 because that year separates the period when R.E.M. was signed under the IRS record label, before they moved to Warner Bros. Under their formative years spent with IRS, R.E.M. released an earlier "best of" CD of called Eponymous. Moving on to the next qualification for a formidable compilation CD is whether or not R.E.M. has the musical chops to produce such a work. Considering that the main grievance with the album is the lack of favorite songs after hearing 18 other favorites, the answer to this conundrum should be simple enough. With their mix of lugubrious yet still poetically buoyant lyrics, R.E.M. has proven time and again that its music channels and will channel immeasurable imagination for years to come. So we are left with the question of whether or not this steadfast disc deserves a place in your CD rack. And in the end, you're on your own. R.E.M. seems to be aware of its own impending mortality within the music industry. In fact, rarely have they actually followed the trendy popular music of the time or followed the patterns of their own success for that matter. 1990's "Shiny Happy People" offered a style polar opposite to the popular Seattle grunge of the time, while the 1994 Monster strayed from everything R.E.M. was previously known and adored for. It charted foreign and less instrumental material for the group. The band claims to now be In Time, but with their all too familiar exit from the norm, in this supposed "best of" CD, the trio appears to once again be marching, singing, and thumping along to their own timeless drummer.

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News

Indiana or bust

November 30

According to "Mapquest" the driving distance between Medford and Hanover, Indiana is about 963 miles. Last weekend, about 30 Jumbos braved the 2000 miles, roundtrip, to cheer for the eight Tufts runners competing at the National Cross Country Championship, held at Hanover College on Saturday, Nov. 22. Six cars left Tufts at 5 a.m. Friday morning, embarking on the first half of a road trip that women's cross country tri-captain Katie Higley called "just crazy." By the time the fans returned home early Sunday morning, they had acquired four speeding tickets, visited "Grandpa's Cheese Barn" somewhere in Ohio, and spent more than 34 hours driving. On Saturday, after numerous road games and bets, the fans, decked out in brown and blue body paint, arrived in Indiana to cheer on their team. "We got out there and had a dress code," Higley said. "Everyone had to wear brown and blue, and we painted our bodies. I'm still trying to wash my 'temporary' tattoos off, and poor Sarah Crispin is still walking around with blue hair from dye that washes out after 'one wash.'" "We just ran around like mad and cheered our heads off," Higley said. "[Tufts was] one of the largest groups, especially for a team not from the Midwest," junior Matt Lacey said. "All the teams had fans going nuts -- waving team flags, ringing bells, just making as much noise as possible." According to Crispin, a freshman, the Jumbos had driven further than any other fans to reach the meet. "We were trying to be the loudest people there," Crispin said. Senior men's captain Pete Bromka, one of the seven Tufts men to race at Nationals, said that friends from other schools complained to him about the exuberance of the Tufts crowd. "Your fans are so annoying. Everywhere we go we keep hearing 'TUXC! TUXC!," they told him. The Tufts fans' energy hardly waned throughout the weekend, despite long hours on the road and little sleep. According to Bromka, the fan presence was well appreciated. When the Tufts competitors arrived at the course on Saturday morning, the Jumbos already had the team tent set up. "It was like they were waiting there to meet us, so it felt like any other meet because our teams were there and our fans were there," Bromka said. "It was pretty awesome. I think it really makes the whole event more meaningful." Bromka feels the strong Tufts presence was especially helpful for senior Lauren Caputo, who was the only member of the women's team to qualify, but had teammates at Nationals to warm up with her. "This is the best team I've ever been on," Higley said. "The team spirit is just amazing."

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Caputo represents Tufts in Indiana

November 30

It was sunny, humid, and almost 70 degrees at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship in Hanover, Indiana on Nov. 22, a far cry from typical fall weather in New England. This made the race an especially difficult one for competitors like Tufts senior tri-captain Lauren Caputo who, along with others from the region, was challenged by the race day conditions. Caputo withstood the weather, however, and fared far better than several other New Englanders. She completed the 6K course in 23 minutes 33.3 seconds and placed 71st of 213 runners, putting her just barely in the top third. She also beat several individuals who placed ahead of her in the previous weekend's Div. III New England meet, where she was 20th. Wesleyan's Courtney Quirin was 13th at New England's, but managed only 128th at Nationals. Bowdoin's Audra Caler was 15th in New England's, but had to sit down in the middle of Saturday's race, eventually getting up and jogging to a 182nd place finish. Marissa Cawley of Middlebury was three spots ahead of Caputo at the previous meet, in 17th, but dropped out mid-race at Nationals. And New England's top at-large runner, Springfield senior Marissa Clapp (3rd at NE's) also dropped out mid-race, suffering from heat exhaustion. The New England champion, Williams sophomore Caroline Cretti, collapsed shortly after the mile mark. "In general the New England kids were really struggling," coach Kristen Morwick said. "Having come from like 20 degrees in Maine, I don't think any ran particularly well." According to Morwick, Caputo's race was impressive given the heat and the reaction so many other New England runners had to it. "I'm really proud of Lauren for putting it all out there," Morwick said. "I think when she looked at how everyone else had finished from the region, she was like, 'Wow, I did pretty well.'" When the starting gun fired at 11 a.m., the congested field went out hard, and Caputo stayed near the front of the pack. "I was trying to stay in the top 40, because Kristen was saying if you get in the race, it's easier to stay up there than to move up from the back," Caputo said. "Everyone was together for the first mile. You were never running alone. The race itself was pretty crazy." Caputo stayed around the All-American range (top 35) for the first two miles or so. "It was gutsy," Morwick said. "She went out pretty hard and she went after it." Later in the race, Morwick said that Caputo wasn't quite able to move up and keep up with the pace. "The pace was so fast, so I kind of faded a bit," Caputo said. "But I'm glad I ran the way I did because I think I wouldn't have placed as well in the end." Caputo had never been to Nationals before Saturday. "For her first time out, it was great," Morwick said. "It's hard when you're racing with the best people in the country." "It was a solid performance given the heat and the course," Morwick added. "I think if the weather hadn't been how it was, she could have hung in there. We haven't run in that kind of weather in over month. It's just too bad it really killed the New England kids." Although the weather was a challenge, the NESCAC conference still dominated. Middlebury won the team crown with 135 points, Trinity was the runner-up with 174 points, Williams was fourth with 206, and Amherst took fifth with 225. "I think New England was lucky to finish how they did," Morwick said. "It shows the strength of the region that we have a sub par day and still go 1, 2, 4, 5 for teams." One NESCAC runner who fared well was Caputo's former teammate and best friend from high school, Trinity senior Liz Brown. Brown placed 18th overall, and Caputo was excited to watch as her fellow Belmont, Mass. native was named an All-American at Saturday evening's awards assembly. Caputo said that another highlight of the weekend was the carloads of teammates and Tufts supporters who drove to Indiana. "Everyone was there, psyched, body painted, running across the field like crazy," Caputo said. "It was awesome." Morwick agreed. "We had like 40 kids from Tufts out there running around and cheering," she said. "It was great to have so many fans." Overall, Caputo said she was very happy with the weekend. "Just making it was a great experience in itself," Caputo said. "It's really an honor to be there, and you can feel that when you're there too." "She was All-New England Div. I, All-New England Div. III, all NESCAC, and then the national qualifier," Morwick said. "This is by far the best season she's ever had."

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Campus room reservations to be online by next fall

November 30

The procedure for booking University events is moving to the web. Resource 25, an event scheduling software package, will soon enable student groups to book campus rooms via the Internet, as well as view campus events scheduled through next year. The software also includes a comprehensive campus calendar. Students will be able to access the web viewer and see every event scheduled on campus for months. "One of the things that the Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience heard was how much the University needed a master calendar," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. The task force, of which Reitman was a member, ultimately decided to utilize the software at Tufts. In the past, student groups looking to reserve spaces on campus for events had to individually contact the appropriate departments to make their requests. Different departments used an array of various booking methods, including online reservation forms, phone calls, and e-mails. "Resource 25 alleviates all of the confusion as to the different systems used by different people," Event and Space Planning Coordinator Audra Vernon said. "Eventually everyone will be using the same system." Both Vernon and Reitman are optimistic about the time saving benefits of Resource 25. "You can see if the space is available before you submit your request," Vernon said. "That's a huge success for us because most times people submit their reservation requests and the space is not available and it goes back and forth for weeks. People can now see what's available and what's not, so that correspondence doesn't have to happen." In addition to viewing available spaces, students will be able to find out room capacities, accessibility of audio and visual systems, and whether or not there is a need for added security. "We've never had all of this information in one place," said Reitman. "It's a very logical use of technology." Both Reitman and Vernon feel that there is a need for a more comprehensive campus calendar than that found at Tuftslife.com, which is currently the only online campus calendar available. "Tuftslife.com is dependent upon people submitting an event listing," Reitman said. "It has nothing to do with the actual booking of the space, so it doesn't automatically include every event on campus. Resource 25 will submit these listings automatically so that as soon as the space is booked, it's listed on the calendar." Students can currently use Resource 25 for its calendar function as well as to view bookings for particular rooms on campus. However, the room reservation function is still being implemented. "As of now, requests must still be made the way they always were," Vernon said. "In the future, all requests will be made on the website, similar to the online reservation that some departments use now." Vernon expects the entire website to be in full operation by early next fall.

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News

GOP 101

November 30

This is a lesson in hypocrisy. You won't see it being taught in class and it certainly won't be illuminated in the "liberal" media. However, its truth pervades contemporary American politics. This is the story of the true Republican Party. While there is an almost unending list of exemplary hypocrisy the GOP has displayed on a plethora of issues, the one that most recently provoked my ire was the conflict over federal judges. In their 39 hour anti-filibuster marathon, Senate Republicans pandered to the media in an attempt to provoke public sympathy for their failure to promote several judges to lifetime appointments on the federal appellate and circuit courts. Senators such as Rick Santorum complained that Democrats were being, well, anti-democratic by using the oft-admonished filibuster to torpedo the nomination of 4 Bush appointees (with 2 more added to the list on Monday). What the GOP failed to mention is that they used similar tactics during the Clinton presidency to kill the nominations of 63 different federal circuit and appeals court nominees. Filibusters were used, as well as the largely unknown blue slip process that allows Senators to single-handedly halt the nomination of anyone from their home state (CNN Online, 11/14/03). In fact, Senator Santorum, the ringleader of last week's Republican sponsored circus, himself tanked the nominations of several judges from his home state of Pennsylvania during the Clinton administration. When combined with the various nominees that were outright rejected by the Senate, Bill Clinton saw just over 60% of his nominees confirmed as compared to over 90% of George W. Bush's submissions. This blatant disregard for the truth on the part of Senate Republicans is both disheartening and shameful. If Republicans want anti-choice (Priscilla Owen), anti-gay rights (Jay Bybee) and anti-civil rights (Charles Pickering) judges they should at least be willing to make the case as to why these people deserve to be appointed to federal and circuit court benches, rather than complaining about Senate procedure. This continuing conflict over judges is only part of a larger Republican hypocrisy present in American politics today. Anyone who pays even the slightest attention to party politics knows that the GOP frames itself as the party of "freedom." They want less taxes, smaller more localized government and a bigger military because they want all American citizens to have more "freedom." However, I question what conservatives define as freedom. The overwhelming majority of Bush's tax cuts have gone to the richest one percent in this country. In the mean time poverty, unemployment and the percentage of people without health insurance in this country have all increased. Tax cuts have not made these people more "free." To the contrary, the poor and unemployed in this country find that their choices in life are undeniably restricted and oftentimes also find themselves increasingly reliant on the government, rather than the other way around. Socially, Republican conservatives would like you to believe that they believe in personal empowerment and choice. Yet, they subscribe to a Christian morality which, coming from the perspective of a Christian, is the antithesis of choice. For better or for worse, it is a prescription for how one ought to live their life. However, the Republicans in power today believe the government should be in the business of forcing everyone to follow this same morality. In fact, many self-proclaimed neo-conservatives on this campus and across the US question the legitimacy of the separation of church and state altogether. Such a disposition is what guides conservative viewpoints on everything from what a woman can do with her body to who a person is allowed to marry. From this perspective the "freedom" calls of Republicans are only a convenient smokescreen that shields the public from the reality: Conservatives seek only to shrink the government to a size small enough to fit inside your bedroom. The last issue that I believe deserves some attention is the almost unquestioned belief in the bias of America's "liberal" media. Entire books have been written about this supposed institution in American politics, however a recent event has brought this debate back to the surface. Last week the CBS television network decided to bow to pressure from conservative organizations and opted not to air a new miniseries or docu-drama on Ronald Reagan. Among other things, conservative organizations threatened a massive advertising and viewership boycott of CBS if the docu-drama went to air. What were conservatives so upset about? They believed the documentary was, you guessed it, too liberal. Conservatives were outraged about references to Reagan's record as California Governor (where he actually raised taxes) and the stories of womanizing that reside in Reagan's past (such as the accusation that Ronald Reagan raped a young actress named Selene Walters while he was President of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1950s). Yet, Republicans in Congress and across the nation had no qualms about discussing President Clinton's sex life in public. Why this unequal coverage? Under the guise of a constant barrage of "liberal media" accusations conservative media personalities such as Rush Limbaugh and moguls such as Rupert Murdoch have taken over both the content and form of America's media. Commentators such as Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly spout off largely unsubstantiated conservative claims while giants such as Murdoch consolidate Conservatives' power over the media. This is accomplished through pushing for laws, such as the recent rule passed by the FCC, which would have allowed media mergers to create an environment where a few, Republican owned, super-media organizations control all of our information. While this rule was thankfully overturned by the US Congress, it is a clear example of the amount of control conservatives exact over the parts of American media that matter. The question then must be re-asked: is there really a liberal bias in America's media or do you believe that this bias exists because people have told you it is true? This is the unfortunate lesson of GOP 101. Republican hypocrisy runs deep and distant. From advocacy of small government and cries of liberal media bias, to specific issues such as judicial appointees and abortion rights, Republicans are found to say one thing while doing something entirely different. I never expect to agree with Republicans on many issues, but that's the virtue of a democracy, informed debate. I just hope that in the future the Republican party will be willing to tell us the truth, rather than feeding us more hypocrisy. Justin Krypel is a senior majoring in political science.

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News

Kirkland places seventh in nation

November 30

Sophomore Zander Kirkland placed seventh in the nation in the North American Men's Singlehanded Championship laser sailing regatta, held two weekends ago at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Kirkland, a native of Warwick, Bermuda, led the field of 16 sailors from around the country after day one of competition, and was in second place after day two. The final day of competition proved more challenging, as Kirkland dropped back into seventh place. Friday's regatta-opening race began at around 2:30 p.m., delayed due to a dying wind. Kirkland was positioned atop the leader board after five races on Friday with 25 points, four points ahead of Kings Point's David Wright. Just three points separated the second through sixth-place sailors. Stanford's Brian Haines and Harvard's Vincent Porter followed Wright with 30 points each, with Crimson teammate Clay Johnson was positioned fifth with 31 points. Greg Helias of USC was sixth with 32 points. Saturday's competition featured just three races, with an eight-to-ten knot wind in the morning, which faded quickly by midday. Kirkland placed fourth, third and sixth in the three races, falling one point behind Porter at the end of the day, but distancing himself from Wright by ten points. Johnson dropped back to eighth following a disqualification and 11th and seventh place finishes. Shifty winds characterized the final day of competition. Johnson sailed well enough to produce a win, three seconds and three thirds to finish in third place overall, while Wright also put in a solid effort to finish second. Porter maintained his grasp on the lead, winning the regatta by eight points. Kirkland started off strongly, with a fourth and fifth place finish, but finished 15th, 15th, 12th, eighth and 13th in the final five races causing the slide back into seventh. Nevertheless, the finish is testament to Kirkland's persistence and promise. It is his second year competing in the national event, having finished fourth overall as a freshman in last year's championship at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Kirkland also hopes to represent Bermuda in next year's Summer Olympics in Athens, and would possibly face several of the competitors from last weekend's event, many of whom recently competed in the US Olympic sailing trials. The event caps off the fall sailing season. The sailing team will go into hibernation until the spring calendar begins next semester. --by Jesse Gerner

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Crowds at No Name irk Fletcher students

November 30

Following a debate weighing the pros and cons of the presence of undergraduates at their school, many Fletcher students expressed hopes for better interaction between Fletcher and the undergraduate community. The debate, recently initiated and circulated on Fletcher's own social listserv, was sparked by an e-mail message from a Fletcher student who voiced frustration over a specific encounter with an undergraduate student who made rude remarks. The incident occurred at No Name Caf?©, the coffee and sandwich shop housed within the Fletcher building, formerly known as Trios. However, others in the Fletcher community commented that the problem does not necessarily arise from the presence of undergraduates, but from the lack of space and resources for Fletcher students. The Fletcher administration says it has plans to address these concerns. Since it reopened after being renovated over the summer, No Name Caf?© has been criticized for its slow services and long lines. "Up until this year, the ability to grab a quick bite to eat with faculty or friends has been an integral part of the Fletcher learning experience. This year, our use of the caf?© has declined, and sadly we have lost that part of the experience," said Judith Dunbar, a second-year student at Fletcher. Brandon Miller, a second-year student at Fletcher and member of the Fletcher Student Council, acknowledged that the lack of space for Fletcher students was the main cause of complaints. "The space is no longer viewed as Fletcher-friendly by faculty and students here," Miller said. Dunbar, however, felt that an atmosphere of openness must continue to be encouraged. "No Name is not Fletcher property, and should be open to the entire Tufts community, [but] it should be primarily geared toward creating a space for Fletcher's graduate students, faculty and staff," she said. Mike Kugelman, a first-year Fletcher student, said "the emphasis" of the discussion "should be on establishing more seating space and speeding up the lines at the Caf?©." Jeremy Harrington, a first-year Fletcher student and once a Tufts undergraduate himself, agreed the lack of space was the main cause of the problem, not the undergraduates themselves. "The problem is not the presence of undergrads, but limited space in some areas and a hopelessly inefficient counter at No Name," Harrington said. Similarly, Kugelman said that undergraduates are not the problem. "While I can understand the frustration many Fletcher students have expressed about the amount of undergraduates in the Caf?©," he said. "I've seen how packed it is during the lunch hour. I think that the whole situation is much too overblown, and that the undergraduates are being 'scapegoated.'" Undergraduates, however, appeared to have little knowledge of the Fletcher students' complaints. Freshman Mandy Lee visited No Name with a friend back in September, and although it was not too crowded, Lee pointed out that "it's inconvenient and somewhat hard to find." But Lee said she was not disappointed with the speed of service, nor did she feel awkward being around Fletcher students. Sophomore Nate Papazian who frequents No Name said that the service is never longer than "a few minutes," despite crowded spaces. Papazian also said that he often "can't tell the difference" between the undergraduates and the Fletcher students and that he has not experienced any conflict with Fletcher students. Others have pointed to the lack of manners as another problem, though these issues may stem from unique incidents. Miller also said that the behavior, not the status of undergraduate or graduate students, is the issue. "Bad behavior by individuals shouldn't be unfairly projected onto every Fletcher student or every undergraduate student. Individual behavior needs to be dealt with, not blaming every undergraduate for one person's poor behavior," he said. Harrington said the incident that started Fletcher's recent debate on undergraduates "must be one of the isolated incidents." He feels that "civility, tolerance and understanding" are the desirable qualities of the members of Tufts community. Just as the 'isolated incident' is not an indicator of the maturity level of all undergraduate students, the frustration of the vocal few at Fletcher is not an evidence of Fletcher students' general discontent against the undergraduates, Miller pointed out. "Don't blow out of proportion what you see on in the listserv. It's only the vocal few. Not everyone at Fletcher is anti-undergrad," he said. To better meet the needs for more facilities at Fletcher, a "master plan" has been conceived to provide more space for community-building. According to Miller, Fletcher's Executive Associate Dean Gerard F. Sheehan briefed the student council on a master plan, "which will address many of the space issues we are facing." Such a move would be consistent with last spring's Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience report which called for more ways to use "space to promote community" on the Medford campus. The report proposed renovations of common rooms, more spaces in the campus center and a caf?© in the Tisch Library to encourage easier student and faculty interaction. Miller said that positive changes in Fletcher's space will come around when funding is secured. "When the funding is finalized, there will be a briefing for students on the upcoming changes," Miller said. Harrington hopes to see "more lounge areas [and] more space" with the implementation of the plan.

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News

New 'single-choice early action' admissions has varying effects

November 30

Changes to early admissions procedures at Yale, Harvard, and Stanford have resulted in mixed results, both at those schools and others across the country. The new early application process endorsed by the three schools, called "single-choice early action," limits students to applying early to one school -- like in early decision (ED) -- but it does not oblige students who are accepted early to attend -- like in early action (EA). For this year's application pool, the first year of the new hybrid early admissions program, Yale experienced an increase of 42 percent in early applications, and Stanford's early application rose by 62 percent. Harvard, on the other hand, saw a decrease in early applications of 47 percent. Tufts currently offers early decision application deadlines in both November and January, as well as the regular decision deadline later in January. "Many institutions, and especially members of NESCAC (New England Small Colleges Athletic Conference), use a two-round Early Decision format," Dean of Admissions Lee Coffin said. "The first round is the traditional round; the second round typically allows athletes in fall sports or students who need to document their academic achievement in the fall semester in order to strengthen their candidacy to utilize the ED option." There are no plans for Tufts to convert to the new single-choice early action process. "If an early application signifies a student's 'first choice,' then a student should apply to one institution," Coffin said. Richard Shaw, the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale, said that with the increase of applications, the Yale admissions staff has observed a greater quality in the students that have applied early, as they have been "more diverse culturally and economically." The Yale admissions staff decided to implement the single-choice early action plan on its own with consulting with other schools, but Shaw encourages other schools to consider adopting this new application program. "[Single-choice early action gives] greater flexibility for the candidates," he said. "They do not have to lock in [their decision]. They can wait until May 1 to decide and can choose to apply to other schools during the regular cycle. This allows those needing financial aid to compare their offers -- I think it's a very good model." Although Shaw said that the volume of applications has risen remarkably due to the single-choice early action plan, it has not affected number of ED applications to Tufts. According to Coffin the Round I ED numbers (statistics for Round II are not yet available) "are comparable to last year's numbers." 797 students applied to ED-1 this year compared with 859 last year. 4,030 students applied with the single-choice early action program to Yale this year, and 2,330 students applied last year. Yale plans to continue with the single-choice early action system for next year. Early decision remains the most popular admissions process according to a recent study by CNN. Harvard is the only one of the three schools to implement the new process which has not seen a rise in EA applications. The same CNN study suggested that the reason applications were up at Yale and Stanford and not Harvard was because Yale and Stanford previously used binding ED programs, whereas Harvard had both ED and EA options. "I decided not to apply to Harvard on the new early choice program," Pittsford, NY high school senior Danielle Flemming said. "I never felt confident enough to apply only to one school." Flemming, who is applying to Tufts in addition to Harvard, prefers the regular EA process to the single choice early action policy. "Plenty of schools offer EA, and in my mind I would rather get all my applications out of the way early rather than wanting to apply and not being able to," she said. "[The single-choice early action] policy seems just like early decision just their own way. It's almost sneaky, since the papers say 'action,' my assumption would be apply to as many places as I wanted to," Flemming said. Flemming said she was not aware of this new application process, until she began her own research. Montepelier, Vt high school senior Chloe Matthews is applying to Yale, Stanford, Harvard, and Tufts. Matthews applied to the single-choice early action plan at Stanford. "At Stanford, the admissions officers didn't really urge us to apply single-choice and wanted us to make sure that it was really our first choice," she said. "At Harvard, the admissions officers didn't really want to talk about it at all. They said it would be changing and the application deadline had passed at that point anyway." Matthews likes the way that the single-choice early action plan is now because she feels that she has an advantage doing so since "not too many students understand it." Therefore, not many students end up applying single-choice, and she feels that if more schools adopt the single-choice early action plan, competition will become worse. Out of Matthews' class of 88 students, only ten applied early to any schools. Though Tufts was not directly affected by Yale, Harvard, and Stanford's switch to single-choice, other schools claim to have been. The University of Chicago experienced a decline of 17 percent in early applications, and MIT saw a decline of 22 percent.

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