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Eaton closed for Veteran's day?

November 18

Its 10 a.m., Veteran's day morning: another cloud-enshrouded New England day. I pull on my study clothes -- a Tufts sweatshirt, sneakers and loose-fitting pants. A long day of paper writing looms over my head. First on my list: breakfast at the Commons. As I approach the Campus Center, however, something seems amiss. No glaring florescent lights? No glazed-eyed students guzzling caffeine on the patio? It is closed? In a way I am not surprised. It is a holiday, and the Commons seems to have quite haphazard hours in general. I figure, although Brown and Brew is a bit further, it has better coffee. I am just anxious about getting to work on my ever-looming 10-14 page paper. And oddly enough, Brown and Brew is open. I understand Tufts even less as I get closer to graduation and further from freshman year. Nevertheless, in a few minutes I am climbing up the memorial steps, feeling ready to tackle my work, armed with a freshly toasted bagel in one hand and a steaming latte in the other. Another student, evidently with a similar mission, also clad in lounge wear, reaches the front door of Eaton just ahead of me. We exchange knowing looks. She reaches for the door handle (my hands are full with a bagel and coffee.) It does not budge. Just then I realize, as before, the lack of lights and students milling about. It is closed. It's closed?!? We look at each other, not knowing what to do. She asks in a foreign accent, "What the f--k I am going to do?" I have no idea. It is a Tuesday, mid-November, peak work-load time; what am I going to do? And why is Eaton closed? The last time I checked, students do not really keep normal schedules like the rest of the world, and our school usually caters to that. Our gym is open later on Sunday nights than Fridays; the Tisch library is open for 23 hours each day during a seemingly random week in December and May, and the ever faithful Carmichael and Dewick dining halls are open all day during the week. But yet, all I wanted to do was write a paper! So I went back down the memorial steps to Anderson. I figure, in the least, the engineers must be working. And yes, the EPDC has a hand written sign announcing that it will open its doors at 12 noon. I sit down with some other students waiting for the prospect of internet and Microsoft Word. We wait. 12:00 comes and goes. Then 12:30. We then venture to call the Tufts Police. But they just remind us that: a) they have no idea what really happens on campus; b) that it is indeed a holiday (oh, gosh for a second there I forgot.) End of conversation. So we wait longer, if only for a lack of another plan. Gradually some of the students get up and leave. Just then, in a cool, leaf-filled breeze, a tour group of prospective students enter the foyer. They stand staring at us. My fellow over-stressed, computer-lacking students are an exciting show for them. The tour guide is lost for words; "If the EPDC were open..." he begins, not knowing how to continue. Yet, strangely, the lack of open academic facilities does not seem to faze the tourists. So I ask, how has Tufts gotten away with this all these years? I believe I know the answer. Many students, like my previous working-computer-owning self, are not dependent on the school's facilities for digital access. The majority of students have a computer, be it a bulky old Mac circa 1998, a deck-of-cards-thin laptop, or something in between. When most students find themselves in my position, they just trudge on back home. Maybe productivity is lower with the fridge calling out every 15 minutes and the TV somehow finding a way to turn on by itself, but they still have access to a computer. However, some of us are not as fortunate. Some of us, like myself and my dejected foreign friend outside Eaton, may not have computer access due to financial constraints, technical problems, or refusal to cart an expensive piece of machinery on a transcontinental flight. And, like many students, I never had to deal with Eaton's fickle hours. That is, until my unreliable laptop decided to fight with its hard drive, leaving me dependent on Tufts' computer facilities. There is no dearth of computers on the campus; yet somehow, students have limited access to them. Although I hate hearing Tufts constantly compared to other private schools of its caliber, it must be said that the majority of such schools do have libraries and computer labs open for more than a few (or in the case of Veteran's day, zero) hours. These schools may have more outside funding and/or private donations, I am aware, yet I would think that academic work would be a high priority here (and not, say, repaving walkways and grooming the lawns.) Exactly how much does it cost to open Eaton? Does it, for instance, cost as much as keeping the bookstore open all day? Though the Commons was not open on Tuesday, nor the computer lab, and Tisch had 'special' (i.e. limited) hours, it is interesting to note that the bookstore (a.k.a. the souvenir shop) was open all day -- presumably to allow those prospective Tufts students and parents to purchase a Tufts sweatshirt before climbing back into their Land Rovers and heading home. The kids can use them when they study next year. I just hope it is not a paper they are expecting to write. Ali Kosiba is a senior majoring in Biology.

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News

Court ruling is only beginning of battle

November 18

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled in favor of same sex marriage yesterday. The ruling is no doubt an overwhelming victory for gay rights advocates, but it marks the beginning of what may turn out to be a long, heated battle in the legislative and executive branches of the Massachusetts government. Gov. Mitt Romney has expressed his support for an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Speaker of the House Tom Finneran (R-Suffolk) have endorsed the proposal, although many in the legislature support same-sex unions. Members of the Tufts community who support the ruling should write to Massachusetts legislators State Senator Charles Shannon and House Representative Vincent Ciampa, who represent Tufts' district, to advocate that the ruling be upheld. The court has opened the way for Massachusetts to become the first state in the union to protect gay marriage, and concerned students should do everything in their power to not allow this momentous progress be run over by factions who would like to see some segments of society denied equal rights. Civil union is not enough; same sex couples should not be barred from marriage and all of the benefits and responsibilities that come with such an institution. The country is watching to see what Massachusetts will do; hopefully students will take action to make sure this state leads the country into a new era of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans.

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News

Alcohol abuse rises on college campuses

November 18

Large increases in alcohol usage at Tufts appear to be in line with nationwide trends, according to a recent study by the The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The study found that approximately 86 percent of college students consume alcohol, which is not far off from the 81 percent from Tufts who responded that they drink. These statistics are roughly similar to other benchmark schools like Dartmouth and Williams College. "Alcohol use is way up this year, at Tufts and virtually all colleges in the northeast" said Elizabeth Moore, a counselor at the Tufts Alcohol and Health Education Center. In addition, the number of TEMS reports has increased at Tufts. "By estimate so far, the number of reports to TEMS has already doubled, perhaps even tripled, the total number of reports last year," Moore said. Up to this point there have already been 35 calls whereas last year there were only 45 for the whole year. She said many factors could have lead to the increases, including a changed alcohol policy, people feeling freer to call, and higher stress levels. Another possibility for the higher numbers may be due to more freshmen drinking. "So far it seems majority of increase in drinking can be attributed to increase in freshman drinking," said Margot Abels, who directs the Alcohol and Health Education Center. Numbers for freshman violations have increased enormously, with 115 already for this year versus only 148 for all of last year. "I have spoken to many other colleges and what we all seem to be observing in particular is an increase in freshman alcohol use," said Laini Sporbert, director of the Substance Abuse Counseling Center at Williams College. "We are currently looking into this, though as of now we are unable to pinpoint the exact cause of this trend." "I feel like people here, including many I'm personally associated with, drink just because it's what you're 'supposed' to do in college, and they just want to fit in," Tufts freshman Hannah Field said. "Besides," she added, "there aren't many other better things available to do on campus besides drink." According to a 2000 Tufts Alcohol Study, approximately 33.8 percent of Tufts students felt pressure from others to drink, and about 44 percent report drinking more since arriving on campus. A survey of Columbia University students reports similar motivations for drinking. The (often overwhelming) majority of students said that they used alcohol because it "makes them feel happy" or "to have fun." Other commonly cited reasons were "to make it easier to meet new people" or "as a reward for hard work." NESCAC schools adopted an agreement in December 2000 to be "united in efforts to provide safe environments in which students may mature intellectually and socially" and to "take a strong stand against substance abuse, including alcohol."

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News

Students gather to discuss bias incidents

November 18

In an effort to increase awareness and tolerance, Peer Educators of the Bias Intervention Program led open discussion at Hillel on Monday night to discuss hate crimes on campus. The discussion follows the Nov. 3 publication of a Bias Incident Report, which detailed 13 "bias incidents" that occurred during the first half of the semester. The report, which normally appears at the end of the spring semester, was released a semester and a half early because of the high volume of incidents. All of the incidents in the report apparently targeted the University's gay and Jewish communities. Approximately 20 students attended the discussion. Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, the executive director of Hillel and the University's Jewish chaplain, said the reaction to the publicity was positive. "People paid attention," he said. "They wanted to know what happened and were very concerned." "We need publicity for these issues. Not talking about [them] only gives cover to the perpetrators," he said. Peer Educators and sophomore Rachel Kraft suggested that the increase in the number of reported incidents was probably due to "a more public mechanism for reporting bias incidents." Peer Educators -- who are charged with combating hate crimes on campus -- agreed that incidents such as those that were reported probably occurred just as often as before, but in the past they were not as likely to be reported to the University. . Two of the incidents that targeted Jews took place during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, when unknown perpetrators knocked down two Sukkahs -- wooden hut-like structures used to commemorate the period of wandering following the Jewish exodus from Egypt, as well as a harvest celebration. "It causes us to look at [anti-Semitism on campus] with seriousness," Summit said. "In general, Jewish people feel OK on campus, but, because we are a relatively small community, we are able to look at all of this in a microcosm. In our community we have a shot at addressing these issues. We have to recognize, educate, and [incite] reaction in the community -- people need to know where the limits are." Summit said that Sukkahs at Tufts had been vandalized in the past, but said that it was the first time that both had been torn down. Peer Educators also attempted to distinguish between Coming Out Day chalkings -- when members of the Tufts Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) wrote suggestive messages across campus in order to publicize the event -- and incidents where the word "gay" was used in graffiti. According to sophomore and Peer Educator Sam Stiegler, the provocative chalkings were "a way to get the dialogue going." Kraft explained that when a TTLGBC member designated a column at Ballou as "gay," it was different from an incident last year when someone wrote "This laundry machine is gay" on a broken machine in a residence hall. "When someone from [the targeted community] labels, it's a form of empowerment," she said. When Peer Educators asked the audience to evaluate the Bias Intervention Program, a couple of students spoke of instances in their classes where professors had demonstrated prejudice and suggested educating the community on bias in the classroom According to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, the Faculty Executive Committee voted this year in support of mandatory training on diversity issues. All faculty members must complete the training by the end of this semester. "One of the goals will be to make people aware that some of the words they use innocuously can devastate," Reitman said. At present, the diversity training only covers issues related to race and ethnicity, but Reitman said that he hopes that eventually the program will be expanded to address discrimination against other minorities. Peer Educators are charged with combating discrimination as defined in the University's equal opportunity statement. The statement prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, race, genetics, color, and national or ethnic origin. The Peer Educators added discrimination is not limited to certain groups: whites could be victims of racism, or males could be victims of sexism.

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News

ResLife, Senate considering housing lottery modifications

November 18

Though this years housing lottery numbers have yet to be released, plans are already underway to modify the process for the following year's selection. The lottery numbers are expected to be released by the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) within the next two weeks. According to Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Historian Jeff Katzin, the Senate is considering proposing changes to the system that would make numbers more evenly distributed. "We look at how other schools do it to try to get an idea of alternative methods," he said. One possible system would involve having three categories of numbers: high numbers, middle numbers, and low numbers. Each year, each student would be given a random number within a different range. By giving each student a number in a different category each year, Katzin hopes the lottery will present a more level playing field. "Now, a student may be incredibly unlucky and get low numbers all three years while another student is blessed and has high numbers every time," Katzin said. The Senate also hopes to improve the housing lottery by pushing for an even earlier release date for the housing numbers. Before last year, when housing numbers were in December, numbers were drawn only shortly before the selection process in March. "Getting [the housing numbers] out early gives people more information sooner to help them make better decisions [about where to live]," TCU Treasurer Josh Belkin said. Belkin said that the Senate has been discussing several other methods to make the housing lottery more fair and predictable. The availability of on-campus housing for upper-classmen plays a role in the admissions process, according to Director of Admissions Allan Clemow. He said that in order to figure out what size of class to admit, admissions officers must consider how many students are returning, how many students are studying abroad, and how many students are expecting to live off campus. ResLife takes these figures into account when allotting space for incoming students. Reslife also recently sent a survey to rising seniors in an effort to determine how many would chose on-campus housing. The first priority for space, however, goes to underclassmen, according to ResLife Director Yolanda King. "We guarantee housing to freshmen and sophomores. If these classes are large, they will utilize more space on campus which interprets into fewer upperclassmen being housed," she said. Until the numbers are released, King said, the only thing students can do is prepare for each possible scenario. "At this time it is important for students not to panic about housing, but to wait for the numbers to be released and then begin to think about options for living on or off campus," she said.

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News

Pretender's Dance seeks understanding

November 18

It starts not with a dance, but a question -- what would life be like with a missing limb, and what would it take for someone to really, truly want to find out. Pretender's Dance, a short film created by two former Tufts students, is being featured this Thursday evening at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts before it is shipped off to compete in film festivals worldwide. The film addresses a rare condition called Body Identity Integrity Disorder and is the brainchild of Tufts Alums Tom Keefe, LA/Museum '03, and Jeremy Wang-Iverson, LA '02. The innovative filmmakers created their own production company, Vesto Productions, while they were both still undergraduates on the hill. "Tom had read an article in Atlantic Monthly in December of 2000 that featured the disorder, and something about it just stuck with him," Wang-Iverson explained. "He thought it would make a great idea for a film, just because it presented the enormous challenge of creating something that would wow an audience that was previously unacquainted with the disorder." Body Identity Integrity Disorder (BIID) is a psychological condition where affected individuals want to amputate one or more of their own limbs in order to make their physical bodies match their internal, idealized picture of themselves. Those with the disorder may bind their legs or arms to experience life as an amputee, and some even go as far as to cut off their own limbs. BIID, having barely been researched, is only remotely understood. Because of the embarrassment and the social stigma associated with the disorder, it remains extremely underreported. Men are believed to be affected more often than women, but there is no way to get an absolute count on the numbers afflicted. "The subject caught my interest," said Keefe. "I thought that you could create a character with the psychological disorder that could drive a storyline in a film, and that was one reason that we chose to do it." More than anything else, Pretender's Dance seeks to put a human face on a seemingly inhumane disorder. A young ballerina, Adelaide (Samantha Jones), whose livelihood relies on maintaining perfect control over her body, discovers that a close friend, Sebastian (Nick Garrison), is afflicted with BIID. The film's opening is raw and powerful, as a resounding cello echoes dueling images of the graceful, harmonious dancer interspersed with her own physical interpretation of her afflicted friend's illness. The duo's research for the film spanned more than one thousand miles and lasted over a year. The former Jumbos made five trips to New York to visit an associate who has the disorder. Keefe flew to Florida in order to speak with a man who had shot his leg off with a shotgun. And in June of last year, they attended a conference for those afflicted with BIID that was held in New York City. "It was the strangest thing, because it was the first time these people allowed themselves to open up," said Wang-Iverson. "In their normal lives, they're all closed in." The story of Pretender's Dance is simple enough on the surface. After a chance encounter in the woods where she sees Sebastian with his leg bound up to mimic an amputee, Adelaide seeks to understand his condition by incorporating it into an interpretive dance. She wants to learn to empathize, but he, frightened of what she must think, pushes her away. "Our goal was to create the ability to sympathize -- or at least empathize -- at some order," Wang-Iverson said. "That was our goal, and I think we accomplished it because you hear about this initially and you immediately think that these people are just freaks, but it turns out that that's not the case." The film itself is moving, with a simple background score playing counterpart to the story of the two protagonists. It relies on vivid settings and tangible imagery to give the audience a sense of what both Adelaide and Sebastian are going through, of her drive to understand and his longing to be understood. In the end, it all comes down to a dance, a cathartic expression of physical emotions.When Adelaide finally takes her finished project to the stage, the emotions it evokes are raw and palpable, courtesy of the young filmmakers who have brought their vision this far. Only then can the audience see. And only then, through this media, can they hope to understand. Pretender's Dance will be shown in a sneak preview alongside a series of other short films at the Museum of Fine Arts' film program this coming Thursday. As Vesto Productions prepares to ship it off to Sundance, Slamdance, and other film festivals around North America and Europe, the success of the film will hopefully open other doors for the creators, including the opportunity to make a full-length feature film. "Pretender's Dance" is screening at 6:15 on Thursday, November 20 as part of the Museum of Fine Arts' short film program. Tickets are $8 for students. Call 617-369-3306 for reservations. Take the Green Line of the T to the MFA stop.

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News

Visions of love

November 18

In my freshman year of high school, my friends and I decided that as a joke we were going to make a "lesbian porn video." Seeing as how we were all straight, and didn't want our first sexual experiences to be caught on tape, we had to get creative for the "sex" scenes. The problem was, since we were virgins, none of us knew what sex was supposed to look like. After much deliberation we decided that the most realistic portrayal of sex would be if two people got under the covers flailed their arms and legs and threw clothing out from the bed, while a third person sat under the blanket on her knees bobbing up and down. Needless to say, we were a little off. Sure, not everyone has had an image of sex that extravagantly wrong growing up, but when we were younger, we all had our misconceptions. Although our notions of sex become more realistic as we gain sexual experience, we continue to be disillusioned about bedroom activities. Our visions include romantic kissing and passionate thrusting; yet fail to address the not-so-desirable dealings that are just as much a part of every sexual encounter. As a result, men and women alike feel tremendous pressure to be sexually perfect. In movies we see hot, kinky sex that makes houses look as though the Tazmanian devil spun through the living room. But that type of sex is choreographed selective memory. The filmmakers portray the wild romp, but then leave out the footnotes that the man was on Viagra and the woman couldn't walk the next day. Without these footnotes we assume that's how most couples' sex life is, and how ours should be. Having these sorts of expectations makes it easy for us to feel inadequate if our sexual repertoire doesn't include acrobatics. I mean, I know I've never broken a piece of furniture while having sex, so does that make my sex life boring? And while movies plant the seed of sexual inferiority, we don't get the verification that true sex isn't that perfect from our peers either. When we're talking about sex with our friends, we don't hear about the not-so-pretty aspects of it. Men don't reminisce about the times they couldn't get it up, or got a little too excited a little too quickly. We don't address the weird noises that two sweaty bodies can make, or the very salient issue of how to dispose of sexual fluids. The sex we talk about and the sex we see is not real. Real sex is deciding when to stop the action to put on the condom. Questions arise such as "Should I put it on, or let him do it?" or "Should I maintain eye contact or stare longingly at his erect manhood?" It's a mouthful of hair when you meant to nibble on her ear or the clinking of teeth when you try to kiss. Real sex is lots of "that wasn't supposed to happen" moments, all the while trying to maintain some level of sensuality about the whole affair. Movies lie, and people systematically avoid discussing the more awkward moments of sex. But it is completely normal if things go wrong, and that doesn't make you a bad lover. We don't expect to be perfect in any other aspect of life, and the bedroom should be no exception. In order to be sexually confident, we have to accept our occasional shortcomings, and rework our idea of what sex should include. Sex is messy, sweaty, and at times uncomfortable. But that's why it's so intimate: because it makes you so vulnerable, you're sharing the awkward moments as well as the good ones. What's funny is that as na??ve as my 13-year-old concept of sex was, in ways it was more realistic than the expectations I developed later. At least at 13 I understood that ironically, many things that happen during sex aren't really that "sexy" at all.

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News

Condemnation of an attack against coexistence

November 18

Though we come from different cultural backgrounds - that of a Turkish Muslim and an American Jew - we both recoiled in horror to the news of Saturday's two terrorist bombings in Istanbul. They killed 24 people, injured 303, and heavily damaged two of Istanbul's synagogues -- one of them the city's largest. One of us knows Istanbul as home and as one of us knows it as a beautiful city seen through a tourist's eyes. We both know the sites of the bombings: quaint buildings in historic neighborhoods where Jews and Muslims have lived and practiced their religion side by side for more than five centuries. And we both know that it can be either of us -- or any of you -- who falls victim to an act of violence in the world these days. Nobody is safe in a world where human beings have accumulated so much hatred that they are ready to kill themselves and those who are allegedly on their side while trying to attack their "other." Saturday in Istanbul had started as one of joy and ceremony on a holy day for Jews, and a bustling workday for Muslims as usual. A young boy's bar mitzvah was taking place at the Neve Shalom synagogue, while shopkeepers were going on with their sales next door. The attackers believed that it was their duty to label this peaceful coexistence unacceptable. No, they said, as they planned their brutal attack, you may not live side by side as you have done for more than five centuries, because we want to depict you as enemies. The attack was planned by people who are disturbed by the Jewish-Muslim harmony in Istanbul. The irony of current-day terrorism was demonstrated by the fact that a radical Islamist attack masterminded by al-Qaida killed more passersby Muslims than worshipping Jews. Only 7 of the 24 victims were Jewish. This attack was not an attack against Jews. It was an attack against all who go about their daily lives in the narrow streets of Istanbul that are painted with centuries of multiethnicity. Turkish Jews and Muslims alike were punished by those who implied that good relations between countries, particularly between Turkey, Israel, and the United States, are wrong. Government leaders took a stance against the efforts to create a clash of civilizations. Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom flew to Turkey for a joint press conference with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul. Shalom said that the attack was "carried out by extremists who don't want to see countries share values of freedom, law and values of friendship and cooperation." Gul stated that, "the attack that was aimed at our Jewish citizens is actually an attack against all of Turkey." Another positive response to the bombings was an immediate visit to the synagogue by the Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party with Islamic roots. The injured head Rabbi, whose sermon was cut off by the blast, commented that this was the first time a prime minister had visited the synagogue. He was grateful for the vast sympathy and support. He also said that he was deeply saddened by the fact that so many Muslims fell victim to the attack, as they were those who were guarding the synagogue or were living next to it. It was not the first time Neve Shalom's ornamental facade saw bigotry. In September 1986, Arab terrorists had staged a bloody attack with guns and grenades on worshippers in the synagogue, killing 23. The Turkish government and people were outraged by the attack. The damage had been repaired, except for several bullet holes in a seat-back, left as a reminder. Saturday's bombings came as a starker reminder of the anger and hatred that still exists in the minds of some because of their belief that the coexistence of two different cultures, which encompass religion and history and traditions and prayer and work, is wrong. That is what we cannot understand, what boggles our minds, because we know inherently that just the opposite is true. At the heart of positive international relations lies personal contact between people of different backgrounds - this is its most basic component, its foundation, and to us, the easiest of concepts to grasp. Perhaps this is because we don't see ourselves solely as products of our cultures. Our identities also include being women, students, and human beings. We know that we differ from fundamentalists in this way; for we don't see all of human life through the lens of religious faith. But this is not an excuse or explanation for these attacks, because there are Muslims and Jews alike who devote their entire lives to religious faith and study without ever blowing up those who call their God by a different name. We know that it's not our secular education that gives us this perspective. An injured victim of Saturday's attack did not have to study international relations to grasp that the only difference between human beings is the conditions they are born into, which in our minds is pure, unadulterated chance. This 22-year-old Muslim shopkeeper's words allude to the inherent love in human beings, which those who are blinded by lust for power are trying to convert into hatred: "We are Christians, Jews and Muslims, but what remains of our differences when we are hit by a bomb?" A 77-year-old Turkish Jew, who was about to step outside for a morning walk not a block from Neve Shalom when the bomb hit, was equally adamant about this cultural harmony: "Turkey is our home - a million bombs would not be able to make us leave." Like our Muslim and Jewish neighbors in Istanbul, we are resolute. We may be thousands of miles away from this tragedy, but our friendship is no less significant. We believe in human beings' right to live - and just as importantly, their right to live in coexistence. Baris. Shalom. Salaam. Peace. Joanna Friedman is a senior majoring International Relations and Esra Yalcinalp is a senior majoring in History and International Relations.

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News

Without Carceo, offense must push on

November 18

Twenty-seven points last season, good enough for second on the team. A whopping 142 points over his four year career, placing him sixth on Tufts' all-time points list. Such is the imprint left by last year's hockey captain Mike Carceo, one of only three graduation losses from a team that went 7-11-4. While Carceo's skates will be hard to fill, the Jumbos are returning essentially everyone else from an offensive unit which took great strides after finishing last in the NESCAC in 2001-2002. "Carceo was a great player here and it's tough to make up for his loss," sophomore forward Matt McCarthy said. "But one player is not more important than the team. Everyone is maturing on this team, so if we come together, I think we should be fine." Leading the charge will be junior co-captain Shawn Sullivan, whose 32 points last year (12 goals, 20 assists) were tops for the Jumbos and eighth in the NESCAC. Team members were hard pressed to find a player more capable of taking this team to a possible NESCAC title. "Sully is a great captain and a great player because he plays to win," McCarthy said. "He brings a lot of intensity, day in and day out." McCarthy can't sell himself short, though, as he adds to this team's depth as well as anyone. His 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) last season led Jumbo freshmen and were good for fifth on the team. He will be joined on a line by John Hurd, last year's fourth leading scorer with 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) as well as freshman John Murphy. Other freshmen forwards this year are Matt Dalton, Brian Bailey and Chris Connelly. Also not to be overlooked is senior forward and co-captain Pat Byrne, who's 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) were good for third on the team last year. Sophomore Ken Cleary (16 points -- six goals, 10 assists), junior Gino Rotondi (15 points -- 5 goals, 10 assists) and sophomore Remy Bickoff (12 points -- eight goals, four assists) will also have to pull their weight in order for LAC (Life After Carceo) to be a pleasant experience. McCarthy certainly thinks this team has what it takes to work wonders on the offensive side of the ice. "We have experienced forwards coming back," he said. "So with a little hard work, we have a chance to win the NESCAC this year if we can put the puck in the net." For coach Brian Murphy's troops, it doesn't look like that will be as much of a problem as it has been in years past.

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News

Zouein 'sister act' should lead fencing

November 18

What do you get when you take one of the top national performers in her sport, and add her equally promising little sister to your team? You get the Zouein sisters, sophomore Kat and freshman Louisa May, who are poised to lead the women's fencing team this winter, and to perhaps make Tufts fencing history during their tenure here. "They're a pretty special pair of women," head coach Jason Sachs said of the duo. "They could really be something special nationally." As a freshman last year, Kat Zouein won the saber division at the New England Fencing Conference Championships. She also finished 14th at the NCAA national tournament in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with what Sachs said was far from her best performance. "Even on a bad day, she's still one of the top collegiate fencers in the country," Sachs said. Then-senior Kasara Williams (LA '03) also traveled to NCAA's last year, marking the first time Tufts has sent more than one fencer to nationals. "For a team like ours to qualify two fencers for NCAA's is pretty much unheard of," Sachs said. This season, Tufts looks to build upon last year's success. There is a strong likelihood that both Zoueins will qualify for the NCAA tournament, and Sachs said that senior foil captain Christina Zahara, senior epee captain Talia Alexander, and sophomore foiler Julia Shih all have a small chance of qualifying as well. "This is a really nice team with a lot of potential," Sachs said. "I'm looking forward to a good year." One downside to this season will be the absence of two key members from last year, who left the team for reasons other than graduation. Junior Zinger Yang, who would have been Tufts' strongest foiler, announced her decision to quit upon returning to campus this fall. Sasha Brodski, who nearly qualified for NCAA's as a freshman last year, transferred to Cornell. Sachs called Yang and Brodski's departures "a disappointment," and said that the pair "really would have bolstered our program." Nevertheless, Sachs remains optimistic about his squad's potential this season. Graduations and the Yang and Brodski departures opened positions for up-and-comers, like sophomore Tiffany Tran and others who showed promise last year. "We have some people who have been working hard and should have some success this season," Sachs said. This Sunday, Tufts will face St. John's at Boston College. St. John's has one of the strongest programs in the country and will likely have one or two Olympic fencers on their squad, Sachs said. Though Sachs acknowledges that Tufts will likely "get crushed as a team," he thinks the meet will be a good experience, and hopes that his strongest fencers can improve their national rankings with wins this weekend. "We have individuals who can compete with them, and that's what we hope to do," Sachs said. He expressed pride in his team's past performances against St. John's and other top fencing schools like Columbia, Yale, NYU, and Harvard, especially in light of Tufts' status as a Division III school, with reduced funding and recruiting. "When you compare us with schools that have what we have for resources, we do really well," Sachs said. The team's roster is only 14 women-strong, and Sachs said that new members can still join. There will be a fencing demonstration in Jackson Gym today at 5:30, and all are welcome. One hallmark of the Tufts fencing team is its willingness to adopt both beginners and experienced competitors. Sachs compared learning to fence with learning a foreign language. "It takes a little time. You have to be ready to fail, and you have to be stubborn and willing to work hard," he said. Sachs noted that Williams had never fenced before Tufts, yet finished her collegiate career at the national tournament last spring. "Anything's possible," Sachs said.

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News

A weekend of 'Giving'

November 17

Tufts' Catholic Center was alive with activity this weekend as The Giving Camp held its fifth camp, bringing to Tufts twelve children from Medford and Somerville, each with some form of disability or disorder. Throughout the weekend, the children -- and the Tufts students who volunteered to work with them -- did arts and crafts projects, made their own trail mix at snack time, played games, painted murals, and played outside at a local playground. The guests were also treated to performances by the Jackson Jills on Saturday and Traveling Treasure Trunk on Sunday. The Giving Camp is a non-profit organization at Tufts which aims to serve people with disabilities. The planning for each camp is done primarily by the Student Leadership Team, made up of eight Tufts students, with help from a Steering Committee made up of faculty, administrators, and professionals from the community. Now that the Giving Camp has completed several camps, organizers hope that it will be a sustainable organization at Tufts. "My goal is to make it sustainable after I leave," junior and Student Leadership Team member Zach Baker said. "So I hope to get more freshmen involved." This was the first camp that was organized just for children, and organizers were very pleased with how the event proceeded. "It beat everyone's expectations," Diane Ricciardelli, the Executive Director of the Giving Camp, said. The 45 Tufts students who volunteered at The Giving Camp were either part of the Camp's list of previous volunteers or students who saw the announcement on Tuftslife.com and wanted to become involved. Because guests this weekend were all children, many of the volunteers were Child Development majors. This past August, they held the Giving Camp in conjunction with the Leonard Carmichael Society's FOCUS program for incoming freshmen. This served to introduce freshmen to the Giving Camp and get them involved. Ultimately, however, those who work on the Giving Camp want to serve the needs of people with disabilities. "The key is we're trying to increase visibility of people with disabilities," Baker said. "This population doesn't always have the opportunity to do things." --Miriam Sznycer-Taub

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News

Lonely together

November 17

A recent issue of New York Magazine featured a cover story on Internet pornography. In the pages within, Naomi Wolfe reveals the ironic outcome of decades-old dire warnings against pornography: erotica has, as warned, become near commonplace, but has not, as feared, led men to be sex-crazed beasts. Rather, pornography has simply drained them of their sexuality and left them for dead. How is this so? It certainly begins simple enough. A man finds himself very pleased by the beauty of a woman, and so he seeks that beauty out wherever he can. There is an undeniable thrill when he first finds it, but when once found, the thrill starts to fade. Pictures aren't enough; the man must see action. But very soon the action becomes a bit too "normal." So the man is led further and further out by the ever-increasing demands of an ever-diminishing pleasure. He is compelled into ever more novel, ever stranger pornography just to recapture that old thrill, which still never quite returns. The man wonders why his girlfriends do not share his interests, and his interest slowly turns from them. Real sex has become, as Wolfe puts it, "just bad porn." Pornography so dominates the mind that, of his first time having sex, a college student told New York Magazine, "my first thought as it was happening was 'Oh, this is pornography.' It was a kind of out-of-body experience. I was really uncomfortable with sex for a while." What could he mean by an out-of-body experience? Why would he feel his self separated from his body? Perhaps because pornography has first severed sex from his soul. Consider what sex has meant in our best love stories. In sex, each partner is completely vulnerable in front of the other. They say, "Here I am, I hide nothing from you, I keep nothing back." She knows that he will not abandon her in the morning, or any morning. He knows she will never give such trust to someone else. Each stays with the other. Sex is the outward expression of the inner reality that the lover and the beloved want to give all of themselves to the other -- body, emotions, and life itself. It is not merely a physical act because we are not merely physical bodies. Nor are we ghosts or brains in vats. We are creatures physical and spiritual, and when we have sex of whatever kind we are connecting ourselves on both those levels with a partner in the deepest intimacy imaginable. The bond created between partners can seem so strong that it's even made them into one person, for in their mutual promise they have lost themselves in each other. Pornography has no partner. There is no person in pornography. There is only a slab of pixilated flesh. Pornography rips the pleasure of sex away from a committed relationship with a vibrant person and attaches it to an ownership of a lifeless image. You do not need to bother with all the messy things that come with real love, like patience or self-denial or saying you are sorry. The thrill is easy and tragically cheap. Tragic because it is obvious you are not getting what you really, in your heart, desired. What you wanted was someone who was willing, really willing, to let you, and you only, into the deepest, most intimate areas of their life, because they loved you. And of course free, public, meaningless pornography can never give you that. So you are trapped. British professor of English C.S. Lewis says it, like in so many things, better than I can: "Masturbation sends the man back into the prison of himself, there to keep a harem of imaginary brides. And this harem is always accessible, always subservient, calls for no sacrifices or adjustments, and can be endowed with erotic and psychological attractions which no real woman can rival. Among those shadowy brides he is always adored, always a perfect lover; no demand is made on his unselfishness, no mortification ever imposed upon his vanity. In the end, they become merely the medium through which he increasingly adores himself." When a man has locked himself in that prison, his real relationships become empty motions. Even when he has sex, he is not really with her. He and his partner are still lonely when together. True sex involves making love, not faking love. Pornography demands much, promises everything, and gives nothing. Lasting pleasure can only be found in lasting love. When you make love to the one and only person you have promised yourself to, you do not think about pornography -- you do not think about yourself! You think about them. Jack Grimes is a senior majoring in Philosophy and Political Science. He can be reached via e-mail at grimes@tuftsdaily.com.

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Women's basketball hopes to build on last year's success

November 17

Despite the shorter days and falling temperatures, the women's basketball team is heating up in preparation for its 2003-2004 season. Last year under then-rookie coach Carla Berube, the Jumbos posted a 17-7 overall record and earned a NESCAC tournament berth. The team finished sixth in the league and broke into the New England top ten rankings with the most wins recorded by a Tufts squad since the 1990-91 season. "We hope to build on what we did last year [this season]," Berube said. "Our ultimate goal is to get to the top of the NESCAC." This year's squad has a similar look to what it was last year. The Jumbos lost just one senior, former captain Hillary Dunn, to graduation last spring. This year's senior tri-captains, Maritsa Christoudias, Kate Gluckman, and Erin Buckley, look to fill void left by Dunn. "The leadership from [Dunn] will be missed," Berube said. "But we had three great juniors last year and they have all stepped up. Hopefully they will pick up where Hillary left off." Two junior forwards, Krissy Nierenberg and Devin Rhoades, will be absent from the team this season as well while they study abroad. Along with the three senior tri-captains, the Jumbos bring back sophomores Jessica Powers, last year's NESCAC rookie of the year, and Julia Verplank. Powers averaged 13.5 points per game as a freshman and looks to continue her collegiate success at guard. "Jess is one of the best players on the team," Gluckman said. "She leads on the floor just by her style of play, but is becoming more vocal in practice and on the court. This year she will not only be one of the best players on the court, but also one of the best leaders." Verplank will be the likely starter at the point guard position. Junior forward Allison Love will also play an important role this season after averaging 10.5 points per game last year. In addition to last year's core group, five freshman will bring a new look to the court this season. The first-years should see sufficient playing time under Berube's high-energy strategy. "With our run and gun, in your face defense, we need everybody," Berube said. "[The freshmen] will all get some quality time." "We are trying really hard to integrate these five really amazing freshmen into the team," Gluckman said. "We have really great team chemistry." The Jumbos started practicing two weeks ago. Players worked on their conditioning with double sessions and played in their first scrimmage on Sunday at Suffolk. "[Suffolk] was a good chance to see what we can do against people other than ourselves," Berube said. "We worked very hard and had good defensive pressure in the half court setting. We fouled a little too much and at points our defensive transition wasn't where it needed to be, but there was nothing we can't work on." Much of this year's success will be based on the Jumbos' NESCAC performance. Last season, the team was 4-5 in the league despite its 17-7 overall mark. Tufts will play league rivals Amherst, Trinity, Colby and three time defending champ Bowdoin at home this season. With a 10-2 record in Cousens Gym last year, home court advantage could help the Jumbos beat their strong NESCAC competitors this season. The Jumbos will play their first real games of the season this coming weekend in the Ford Tip-Off Tournament at Montclair State College. Their first game will be on Saturday versus FDU Florham. The team's first home game will be next Tuesday, Nov. 25 against Johnson and Wales. NESCAC play will not begin until mid-January. Berube feels confident about this year's team and is optimistic about its chances to not only repeat, but surpass, 2002-2003's success. "I'm pleased for the most part [with the preseason]," Berube said. "We are far ahead from where we were at this point last year." "This year we need to take it one game at a time," Gluckman said. "One of our goals is [to go] undefeated with area schools. We really want to be very competitive in NESCAC and hopefully get to the NCAA's."

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Students, administrators clash over noise ordinances

November 17

The University's fines for noise violations -- which are as much as four times the amount charged by surrounding towns -- have attracted criticism from some students, who say the university should be more forthcoming about the policy. While non-student residents in Somerville receive a warning for their first noise violation, the second occurrence attracts a $50 fine, and a third instance results in a $100 fine, Tufts students living off campus are subject to a $200 university fine for each noise violation and do not receive any warnings. Medford also warns residents and only fines them after a second violation. "We don't go by the ordinance," Judicial Affairs Officer Veronica Carter said. The noise violation policy is outlined in the Pachyderm, the University's student handbook, but it is not expressly explained to students when they choose to live off campus. "We think the school has a responsibility to inform students of this policy," said senior Adam Mueller, whose Somerville house was fined for a noise violation at a recent party. "When we signed housing contracts as freshmen and sophomores, it's all clearly spelled out." The cities have given authority over noise issues at off-campus student houses to the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) -- which gives students the benefit of TUPD's discretion, but subjects them to different penalties from other residents. If an officer decides to write a report, it is sent to Carter, who gives residents the option of paying the fine or completing 40 hours of community service. "Most people pay the fine," Carter said. Junior Josh Harris, whose house in Medford was fined early in the semester, said he had never heard of the policy until he met with Carter. "Nobody ever talked about it all." Mueller and his housemates are appealing the fine; Harris split the fine among the ten residents of his house. Although the fines may be intended to deter violations, Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said that the number of noise complaints has not decreased since the fine was raised. "It's certainly not better than past years," she said. The fine for noise violations was raised from $100 to $200 per incident at the beginning of last year. In the 2000-2001 academic year, students received one warning before they were fined $100 for a noise violation. Both Carter and Rubel suggested that the number of complaints is typically highest when the weather is warm and student parties spill onto porches. Now that temperatures have cooled off, they said, the noise violations have decreased. "Over the past few weeks it hasn't been so bad," Carter said. But while the number of police reports has decreased, the number of verbal complaints has not. Rubel said she has been "pretty busy in terms of getting calls from neighbors." "The neighbors have become more eager to pursue problems," she said. Somerville Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane said he has received numerous complaints recently. "It's escalated, if anything, since the beginning of the school year," he said. To help address the conflicts between the students and local residents, Carter organized a meeting in September between students and neighbors from one neighborhood, University administrators, and Trane. She also occasionally sends TUPD officers to specific areas to meet with student and non-student residents. "If you asked any of the neighbors," Rubel said, "they would say that the discussions are very successful." Rubel said neighbors are increasingly willing to meet with students to work out differences and ways to solve problems without resorting to calling the police. "Really all they want is for the problem to go away," she said. Trane said he would be willing to participate in more discussions organized between students and neighbors. Students have expressed mixed opinions on the $200 fine. Mueller said his house has not hosted a party since the meeting with Carter. "We're not going to be one of those perpetual violators," he said. But Harris thinks the warning on the first infraction should be reinstated. "We're all 21 -- in real life, if the cops show up, they just tell you to keep the noise down," he said. He also said that more conferences with neighbors would help decrease the number of complaints more than a large fine. "If it was agreed upon that they would call us so we could keep the noise, down that would be good," Harris said. Carter said she does not expect the policy to change next year.

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Pressure defense key to women's success

November 17

As the Tufts women's basketball team enters the 2003-2004 season, the focus for head coach Carla Berube and the Jumbos is the team's pressure defense. With a guard-oriented team, Berube plans to utilize full court pressure more often during her second season at Tufts. "We want to press a lot more this year," Berube said. "We've got the personnel for pressure, with a lot of depth in the backcourt." Berube expects to go 13 deep, a testament both to the team's depth and way that Tufts plans to play. "I think it's important to have depth for the kind of defense we're going to use," Berube said. "I said during try outs that I wasn't going to keep anybody on the team that isn't going to help us." The expected up tempo style should play to the strengths of the returning Tufts players. Sophomore Jessica Powers, who last year led the team with 13.5 points per game and was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year, should benefit from the faster pace. The focus on transition will give Powers easier scoring opportunities from her wing position. Fellow sophomore Julia Verplank is expected to start at point guard, where her court vision and quickness should fit well into the run and gun style of play. Tufts also has a group of post players that according to Berube "get up and down the floor well." The team hopes to get much of its offense on the fast break, from missed shots and turnovers created by the pressure defense. The team will press much of the time, using both zone and man defensive strategies. In the half court, the Jumbos will play almost exclusively man to man defense, with an occasional half court trap. "We're going to play man," Berube said. "I think it makes the team aggressive, not just on defense but it also extends to offense. And the girls want to play it, they want that aggressiveness." Forcing turnovers will be important for Tufts, and last year several of the team's players had very sticky hands on defense. Senior Maritsa Christoudias led the team with 60 steals, and Powers and Verplank joined her in averaging better than two steals a contest. Overall, the team forced nearly 23 turnovers per game, a trend Tufts hopes to continue.

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TUPD reports more laptop thefts this year

November 17

With high numbers of laptop thefts continuing on campus, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) is attempting to create more awareness of the threat among students. According to TUPD Captain Mark Keith, there have been over 12 laptop thefts this semester -- many more than in past semesters. As a result, the department has tried to increase student awareness of theft since September. "We're just trying to raise the community's awareness that we have had several laptops stolen since the beginning of the semester. We just want to prevent [students] from becoming victims," Keith said. The laptop theft problem reaches off campus as well, as Somerville Police have also reported higher than normal numbers of laptop thefts since Oct. 1. "They've had numerous burglaries in this end of town, with many laptops taken as well," Keith said. "We are working with Somerville and Medford as well as other surrounding agencies, trying to identify some suspects and trying to identify where the laptops might be being fenced." According to TUPD Administrative Captain Ron Brevard, the majority of laptop thefts are a result of people leaving the computers unattended. "Up at Tisch, we've had incidents where the person will go and do some research or they're looking up books," Brevard said. "In one case, we had a laptop that was left unattended for a long period of time, and when the student came back, it was gone." Measures taken by the Department since September include numerous security alerts and various crime prevention displays. TUPD has also increased outreach work through Operation Awareness and the dorm liaison program, which includes "Have Trunk, Will Travel." "We try to be as proactive as possible," Brevard said. "In Operation Awareness, we talk about laptop security -- not leaving them unattended, keeping the room doors locked, and cabling devices for laptop security." In an effort to raise awareness about the thefts, TUPD has added some new methods of reaching the student body. "Currently in addition to the regular security alerts that we've done, we've made up some posters, as well as tabletop tents," Keith said. TUPD plans to begin selling laptop cable locks to students. "Right now we have bicycle locks. We'll buy a number of them, and then sell them at cost. It makes it easier for a student to come by here. We're looking into getting a stock of laptop cables to do the same thing," Keith said. Though cable locks are not totally secure, they act as deterrents, according to Brevard. "The good thing about the cables is it just prevents someone from walking in and picking the thing up and walking off with it. It will prevent that crime of opportunity that they've been taking." Keith said that students should record their laptop's serial and model numbers, to make retrieval possible if stolen computers are found. "If we don't have those, we're never going to be able to retrieve property if we do happen to find some stolen items," Keith said. Even with the awareness efforts by TUPD and other departments, many students still leave their laptops unlocked. "I would say that while most people in my hall do not consistently use a lock, all make sure to never leave their laptops unattended," freshman Mickey Leibner said. "I have [a lock] and use it when I know I am going to use the laptop somewhere public, like the library. But I don't use it in my room, I just lock the door," Leibner said.

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News

Weapon of mass distraction

November 17

Back home, my friends and I came up with names and sayings which automatically create a punch line in any situation. Among such luminaries as "Michael Jackson's nose", "your mom," and "horse" stood out amongst the crowd as good names to call each other. Whenever a punch line was needed, it was always a safe bet that you can throw around the name of "Don King" and get laughs. For those who don't know, Don King is the luminous promoter of every boxing-related thing known to man, including the Ear Clipper 3000, a.k.a. Mike Tyson. He is also famous for his many guest spots on top-rated shows, such as Miami Vice and Blossom. His radioactively-styled hair has garnered as many Homeland Security warnings as Osama's Mama and his witty mutilation of the English language is legendary. Through constant media pressure he has become a pop culture fixture and an idol to millions of odd-looking people around the world. What is the appeal about Don King, though? What is it about him that causes instant laugh riots, universally? The hair, obviously, but there needs to be more aside from the Do to End All Do's. It is the stylish rhyming way he has with words? The suave, self-confident way he has with the ladies? The strange tinted color his skin has? Perhaps it lies in the ridiculous things he does. Case in point, ESPN.com recently ran a news blurb that alerted me to the fact that Don King has recently offered up 54 acres of his property to the Florida Marlins as a home for their new stadium. Claiming that Pro Player Stadium is too big for baseball (something that has only become a problem since people started to actually go to Marlins games), the club has begun to look for new sites, and Mr. King thinks he has the ideal location. "It's a marriage made in heaven for Floridians," said King. The club had no official response to Mr. King's offer, but General Manager Larry Beinfest was heard to remark "Oh, hells no." The question, then, is why Mr. King would feel compelled to offer up his land. He plans on hosting boxing matches in the stadium, so clearly he plans on losing money. It could be a gesture of goodwill, but really, anyone who has willingly been in an episode of Knight Rider clearly hates all of humanity, so that's not the answer. Lucky for our readers, someone happened to be bugging Mr. King's palace at the time he came up with this brilliant idea. What follows is a transcript. King: Slave! Yo, slave, we gonna have the Marlins moving in, so hurry with the din-din. Manservant: Sir, we prefer the term Manservant these days. King: Shut it, Slave. Now move yo' feet or I will de-LETE! Manservant: You realize you make no sense, yes Sir? King: Hush! Bring me some Viagra for my hair, you freakish looking pear! Manservant: Do you have any idea how much I loathe you, Sir? What happened after this conversation isn't suitable for description in a public periodical, but it involved someone impaled by King's hair. We'll let you figure out the details and we hope the reporter who witnessed this act recovers his sanity soon. It's not just his ridiculous antics that draw attention to the Don of Kings. In fact, he is a well-noted advocate of racial equality. His tagline, "Only in America," is as much at reference to his rise to riches from the poverty of the ghetto as it is in reference to his ridiculous style. In fact, according to his website, cities such as Newark, NJ have declared a Don King Day to honor him for his good works. Granted, not killing anyone in Newark, NJ is enough to get a day named after you, but it is still an honor and should be noted. Some people say that boxing is dead and no one cares anymore. As long as there is breath in Don King's body, however, I know this will never come to pass. His passion, energy and ridiculously-colored hair will prop up the sport. For your good works and willingness to make the lives of struggling comedians easier, we here at The Colizzle salute you! Just keep your damn hair away from me.

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News

Will Ferrell: so hot right now!

November 17

Everything Will Ferrell touches turns to funny. From Saturday Night Live to Zoolander to Old School, Ferrell has shown both an aptitude for portraying characters with an almost unrivaled consistency, proving to be continuously hilarious in a way no one else can. Ferrell brings his unique energy to Elf and creates his most memorable characters in one of the most pleasant holiday movies, one that truly has the possibility to be enjoyed by every member of the family. Ferrell plays Buddy Elf, a human adopted by an elderly elf, known only as Papa Elf, who is employed at Santa's workshop. With a characteristic stutter and dour expression that only masks his inner sweetness, Bob Newhart brings this part to life. Papa Elf also is the narrator of the story that follows Buddy as he traverses the globe on foot. Setting out from the North Pole, Buddy Elf eventually walks through the Lincoln tunnel in hopes of finding his father in New York City. Unfortunately, as Santa warns Buddy ahead of time, Walter, Buddy's real father lay on the naughty list in what can only be seen as an elaborate joke. Walter, played viciously by James Caan, neglects his family, is unscrupulous, self centered, and to top off the irony, is an executive for a company that publishes children's stories. It gets even better, Caan portrays a man who would rather publish a children's story missing two integral pages, than spend the extra money to reprint it correctly. Walter is the exact opposite of Buddy, who has mastered the number one talent of Santa's elves: spreading Christmas cheer. Ferrell seems like a giant six year old; he eats nothing but sugar, insisting on putting syrup on everything. His train-of-thought switches gears in a matter of seconds, and he looks for every opportunity to simply play. In one scene where Buddy answers the telephone, he says enthusiastically "Buddy the elf! What's your favorite color?" Known for his skill with physical comedy that he uses to infuse and enliven his characters, Ferrell is at first awkwardly humongous when in the North Pole, where everything is sized for the petite elves, and then like a kid in the proverbial candy store when in New York, running through revolving doors and showing off his deadly accurate snowball fight technique. As is often the case with Christmas movies, the plot of Efl centers on threat of a destroyed Christmas. In Elf the threat stems from a dearth of Christmas cheer needed to power Santa's Sleigh. Somehow the elves manage to construct a sleigh that is powered by the collective mood of Christians during December; however, as cynicism has been running rampant of late, Papa Elf must attach a jet engine to the sleigh as a replacement - and even that does not even seem like enough power to get through the season. Of course, Buddy is the one person with enough Christmas cheer to power a Boeing 747... so you can probably see where this is going. However, the film does a great job of infusing even those moments on the brink of becoming unbearably cheesy with surprising wit, and while you generally may be able to guess what will happen next, you can never guess how. The best and most original aspects of Elf come with the fun it has with the assumption that all the myths of Christmas are true, and also with the depiction of the actual logistics of the North Pole. There is something undeniably great about Will Ferrell sitting on an elf toilet barely big enough for one of his cheeks. The North Pole is filled with every Christmas clich?©: there is the talking snowman, and his talking artic animal friends; Buddy embarks on his journey to New York by hopping on an ice berg and just floating away; Santa actually eats all the cookies you put out for him, and so on and so forth. In the end, Santa's sleigh once again is able to ride on Christmas cheer, and a case could be made that this is a movie about faith: as Santa explained, he could never reveal himself to the world -- it is more important for people to believe in him without evidence. Perhaps as technology abounds in the new millennium and people have a growing need for instant gratification, as communication through computers becomes more cold and impersonal, and as life becomes extremely fast paced, we all need to remember that the spirit of the holiday is really all about Christmas cheer. Whether you believe that or not, the implications are still clear and we could probably do a better job of spreading peace and love. More importantly, Elf shows us that if elves that made toys so a fat man in a red suit could deliver them to kids really did exist, and they adopted a human child and raised him in their culture and then he went back to human culture to find his real father - well, it would be pretty damn funny.

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Pohl resigns from TCU Senate

November 17

Junior Matthew Pohl announced Sunday that he will vacate his seat in the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate to dedicate time to a new political group he helped found. Pohl, who was elected as a senator last fall, plans to leave his seat at the end of the semester to dedicate time to Emerge, a non-partisan political group focused on the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered (LGBT) people. An election for a replacement will be held early next semester. "Retaining my role in the TCU Senate and helping to run an immensely growing political organization on campus is not realistic," Pohl said at the Senate's meeting on Sunday night. "It is with a profound sense of sadness, appreciation, and optimism that I submit my resignation." Pohl said his decision to leave his post to focus his efforts on Emerge was not easy. "The ride [with the Senate] has been wonderful, but sometimes it's necessary to switch gears," he said. Although the Senate has been an "overwhelmingly positive" experience, he said, his desire to become increasingly politically active on behalf of the LGBT community conflicted with his role as a senator. Pohl started planning Emerge last summer and he will have many responsibilities with his new group. "I will be helping to coordinate major education campaigns, rallies, fundraisers, and partnerships with activist groups at other area colleges and universities," he said. Fellow senators supported the decision and praised Pohl's achievements. "I respect that he has other commitments and it's simply an issue of not being able to put the amount of time he feels necessary into both groups simultaneously," Senate Historian Jeff Katzin said. Freshman Senator Simon Sassenberg was confident that Pohl had made the right decision. "I believe that the University and greater community will greatly benefit from [Pohl's] work with Emerge," he said. Freshman senator Andrew Caplan said that Pohl's "energy and enthusiasm are contagious." "I am glad that he will be applying them to such an important cause," he said. Pohl told senators Sunday why he thought Emerge was important and highlighted issues such as discrimination on the basis of sexuality in the workplace. "Political activism -- becoming a catalyst for positive change -- is now my life," Pohl said. The Senate will formally announce the vacancy of Pohl's seat at the beginning of the spring semester.

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News

7 Questions with Jacques Brauthbar

November 17

1) Tufts Daily: "Phantom Planet" was the name of a movie in the 1940's, is that where you guys got the name from? Jacques Brautbar: It's actually from Neil Norman's Greatest Science Fiction Hits. They're all disco versions of science fiction hits, like Star Wars, Superman, Phantom Planet. We loved listening to that one track and finding a name for a band is hard to do. There are alot of deceased names in the can. 2) TD: How did everyone in PP meet? JB: I went to High School with Sam. Alex knew Jason from grade school. Darren had a cousin who was friends with Jason at the time. I met Jason at a music store and two worlds came together. 3) TD: What would you say is Phantom Planet's collective fan base? JB: There are alot of young girls, but now everybody's catching up. At our last show there were guys, girls, aged 16-34. 4) TD: What was the craziest fan experience you've had? JB: It's amazing the things kids will do -- drive long distances -- once these girls painted Phantom Planet on their car, with our names, website, and everything. We all signed it and then they drove it cross country. 5) TD: Touring the country, you have a unique opportunity to meet people from all walks of life; do you notice a difference in people from different parts of the country? JB: People definitely have different idiosyncrasies in different parts. I love all the different accents. And, except for L.A. and New York, people are actually nice for the sake of being nice. People in L.A are driven by ulterior motives. But L.A is great. I love it -- I have lots of memories and friends there -- it's home. 6) TD: What international city would you like to frequent on Phantom Planet's next out of country tour? JB: Norway. It's clean and everybody there is super nice and happy. It's close to utopia on earth. Oh, and everybody's gorgeous. 7) TD: Now for a very serious question: if you were a cartoon character, who would you be? JB:(Thinks for a moment) Garfield seems to have a very chill existence. Eats and hangs out with that guy -- his dad? Sounds like a fun time. Rachel Sliman contributed to this article

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