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It's all in the mood

November 12

The sultry nostalgia associated with the blues, bebop, and swing brings jazz enthusiasts back to some of the genres all time greats. Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane are all synonymous with jazz culture, and while Boston may not compare to the smoky rhythms of New Orleans, Bean Town boasts its fair share of contemporary jazz artists paying homage to their immortal roots. For Tufts students, exploring these creative expressions and interpretations of a timeless musical culture is only a simple walk, bus trip, or train ride away. This is a student's guide to the best and most accessible jazz around town that will have you snapping your fingers, tapping your feet, and trading Mardi Gras beads in no time flat. >Johnny D's Uptown Whether it's in pursuit of a famed Anna's burrito or to catch the T into Boston, by now you've probably frequented Davis Square more times than you can count on your two hands and feet. However, Davis has its own jazz gem worth a pit stop on your way into the city. Disguised by wooden paneling covering its outer fa?§ade, Johnny D's Uptown blends in with Somerville's unremarkable urban landscape. Don't let this discreet exterior turn you off. Within its four walls, Johnny D's is a jazz adventure just waiting to be had. Its regulars downplay the bar's only-average cuisine and laud this location as a place where the point is the music. Patrons don't generally go to Johnny D's for the restaurant, but if good music makes your stomach rumble, menus are half priced on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Jumpin' bands and an energetic ambiance complement Johnny's D's intimate experience and are sure to get your jazz juices flowing. This weekend, the Nicole Nelson Band will grace the bar's stage. Nelson's powerfully soulful vocals have been compared to the likes of the great Aretha Franklin and disco dancing diva Chaka Kahn, and the performance promises to be worth the while. In addition to hosting occasional big name artists, you can add a bit of soul to your weekend breakfast routine by going to Johnny D's Jazz Brunch, where you're sure to find your routine pancakes, eggs, and bacon spiced up with a musical flavor. Lizard Lounge If you're looking for something slightly more student oriented than Johnny D's, check out the Lizard Lounge on Mass Ave. Giving your jazz experience a less refined and edgy feel, the Lizard Lounge's lesser known bands offer a quality music experience off the beaten path. Here you'll find the perfect mixture of alternative rock, acid jazz, and pop bands performing nightly Tuesday through Saturday. In addition to live acts five nights a week, the Lizard Lounge's Sunday "poetry jam" is a unique treat for lovers of the spoken word and jazz alike that will leave even Ginsberg's mouth watering. The Jam features impromptu jazz performances by a trio who provide an animated musical backdrop for the work of the evening's showcased poets. >Scullers Jazz Club A bit pricey and geared toward a much older crowd, Scullers Jazz Club will attract only the most diehard jazz fans. Located at the Double Tree Hotel, this is a great place to take a serious date. You and your escort can spend an elegant evening dining and wining and listening to some of the best acts the jazz community has to offer. This weekend marks a special occasion with the homecoming appearance of renowned drummer Roy Haynes. Often credited with the development of Bebop drumming, Haynes will perform his legendary and acclaimed sound with his band, the Roy Haynes Quartet. Regattabar With featured artists Herbie Hancock and Sonny Rollins, The Reggatabar at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square is another wonderful place to check out some of Jazz's big names. With low ceilings and dimmed lighting, the recently renovated bar offers a perfect jazz ambiance reminiscent of the dark and crowded speak easies of the 1920s and 30s. With a multitude of musical options surrounding the Tufts area, there's no reason not to explore what Boston has to offer and release your inner jazz cat.

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News

Canucks, Avs battle for Western Conference supremacy

November 12

Despite the lack of on-campus ESPN, the National Hockey League's season has been underway for about a month. Though this meant little change in many of our daily lives, it marks the beginning of something we should all be excited about -- every team's quest for the most coveted trophy in sports (or at least hockey), the Stanley Cup. The first question on everyone's mind about this season is whether anyone beat the Colorado Avalanche. After free-agents Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne were added to the roster, along with the one-year resigning of superstar Peter Forsberg, most hockey fans couldn't help but salivate. The offensive duo originally together on the Anaheim Ducks has been interjected into an already formidable cast of players, including Joe Sakic, Rob Blake, Alex Tanguay and Milan Hejduk. The Avs have become the Lakers of the NHL, but with less drama. Instead, Colorado has gotten down to business -- winning nine of their first 15 games. The one question mark for the team heading into the season was concerning the man in between the pipes. After 18 seasons of dominance, Patrick Roy hung up the skates after last season, leaving a huge void for Colorado to fill. 25 year-old David Aebischer has been filling in thus far. Though clearly not as intimidating as Roy, Aebischer has been holding his own, in the nets for 8 of the team's 9 wins with one shut-out while tallying a 90.6 save percentage. Currently though, the Avs are trailing the Vancouver Canucks in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference by three points. Vancouver (with a league-leading 22 points) has their own showcase of offensive talent in left-wing Markus Nasland (18 points) and right-wing Todd Bertuzzi (14 points), both of whom are coming off 45 plus-goal seasons. In off-ice news, Florida Panther coach Mike Keenan was fired only 15 games into the season after a stormy row with management, namely general manager Rick Dudley. Keenan, who has appeared in four Stanley Cup Finals (losing all but one), just signed a six-year contract last year, and as a result, doesn't really need to coach again. But there's no doubt Keenan will be back eventually. In the team's first game after the firing, Dudley acted as interim coach while the Panthers blanked a strong Tampa Bay Lightning squad 4-0. Mario Lemieux's successful comeback from Hodgkin's disease in 2000 was inspirational, but now it seems that the future Hall-of-Famer is finally feeling the effects of old age. The 38-year old has been struggling to return from a strained left hip flexor muscle since Nov. 1. Now, reports from the Pittsburgh Penguins indicate that the injury is not responding to treatment and that Mario is now looking at a Nov. 19 return at best. Trying to picture number 66's legendary 1988-89 season, when he scored a whopping 85 goals and had 114 assists, is becoming harder by the day. After an embarrassing 9-0 loss to the Lightning on Saturday, it's clear that the Penguins (second to last for points in the league with nine) desperately need Lemieux's on-ice presence. Any analysis wouldn't be complete without a review of the defending champion New Jersey Devils' season thus far. Led by arguably the best and most consistent goalie in the business, Martin Brodeur, the Devils have started slower than they would have liked. Their 7-3-3-0 record, however, is still good enough for second in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The team lacks a real offensive superstar, and that's the way they seem to like it. Though Patrik Elias and Bryan Rafalski can wow the crowd at times, the team's focus is on winning the battles in the corners with grit and team unity. Too many things have to go right for the Devils if they are to repeat, but their roster is full of role players working hard to prove the critics wrong. Unfortunately, no matter what exciting stuff happens on the ice this season, the biggest story of the year will undoubtedly be that of the inevitable lock-out next year. Many teams have already begun to prepare for the financial ramifications of such a labor disagreement. The sad truth is that this year's Stanley Cup winner might be able to keep possession of the Cup for at least one extra year.

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News

Ring brings realism to the Moon

November 12

While most Tufts students indulged in a day off from classes this Tuesday, the cast and crew of Ring Round the Moon logged in a 12 hour work day, working through two runs of the show, and putting on the last finishing touches. All this meticulous preparation will culminate this Thursday night when the major fall production of student theater group Pen Paint and Pretzels takes the stage at the Balch Arena Theater. The romantic comedy, by Jean Anouilh, takes place in a garden outside of a classy 1920's party, engaging the audience in a whirl-wind of racy 'class A gossip' and small scale scandals. But it's the details that make this show swing, compliments of period costumes, classy dance movies and superb acting. The small cast of 11 characters, described by lead Megan Hammer as "a very varied, equal cast," carries the storyline through from bouts of humor to its more telling moments. Director Taylor Shann stated that Ring Round the Moon is a play that "people can enjoy for what it is," but can also be analyzed at a deeper level should they take the time to look a little deeper, thus finding the intricacies of each character. "Each actor is a character actor," Shann foretells as they each bring an integral aspect of the play to life. The cast itself is unique. The director wanted "not to cast anyone in something they've done before," bringing 6 seasoned 3P's actors and 5 newcomers to the scene. Taylor urges the audience "to expect the unexpected." The 11 actors have spent multitudes of hours rehearsing -- a process that began the very first week of classes. In addition, all actors have undergone individual 1 on 1 sessions with the director to more concretely comprehend their character, in order to delve into the innate reality of their specific characters. Shann aimed for realism, wanting to highlight not only the very obvious humor of the play, but also the more subtle serious issues dealing with family, relationships, and money. "I want it to be funny, but also make you think. I want to fit art and entertainment in a box," he said. The characters all share a quality of exaggerated realism. While at first, the characters seem untouchable and inhuman; Taylor asserts that "everyone, even exaggerated characters are a reflection of someone you know in real life" -- a quality he tried to portray as accurately as possible. Lead Josh Bauml, who acts the parts of both Hugo and Frederic, twin brothers in the play, added "the characters are very large, but Taylor [director] aimed to find the reality within all of them." It is this clash of characters that carve out the backbone of the play. Additionally, the theater-in-the-round space of the Balch Arena Theater adds an air of simple truth to the show. For instance, actor's backs will always be turned to some people in the audience. Moreover, the actors don't have to over dramatize their actions, given that there are audience members as close as. However, the Balch does present certain conflicts for the set crew: the huge set for Dr. Faustus left a gap in the seating which had to be filled for the showing of Ring. Yet Shann stated that such problems ultimately "force everyone to be more creative" resulting in a better show. In retrospect, this heartfelt play aims to "deal with sadness and through that get to happiness," says Shann. Ring Round the Moon -- a romantic comedy by nature but with far deeper roots residing below the surface has something in it for everyone including characters that may seem to be pulled directly from your life. As Bauml puts it "get ready to come in and have a good time."

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News

By the numbers

November 11

In this installment of the Daily's "By the Numbers" feature, we take a look at Americans' religious (and irreligious) beliefs. Americans who believe in "the survival of the soul after death": 84% College graduates who do so: 79% 18-25 year olds who do: 85% Americans who believe heaven exists: 76% College graduates who believe in heaven: 76% Americans who think they're going there: 64% Americans who believe Hell exists: 71% College graduates who believe in hell: 60% Americans who expect to go there: less than 1% Americans who have "no idea" where they're going when they die: 24% Americans who would vote for an atheist for president in 1959: 22% In 1999: 49% Americans who would vote for a Jewish president in 1959: 72% In 1999: 92% Americans who would vote for a Catholic president in 1959: 70% In 1999: 94% Officially recognized religion-themed student organizations on Tufts' campus: 8 Chaplains at Tufts: 5 The statistics cited above come from the 1999 Gallup Poll "Americans today much more accepting of a woman, black, Catholic or Jew as president; Still reluctant to vote for Atheists or homosexuals;" K. Connie Kang's Los Angeles Times article "Most Americans think they're heaven-bound;"; the 2003 Harris Poll "Religious and Other Beliefs of Americans 2003;" and Barna Research Online.

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News

Sorting out the Heisman candidates

November 11

It has been proven that just because you win the Heisman in college football doesn't mean you will be the best professional football player. Look at last year's winner, Carson Palmer. While Palmer will probably be a good professional quarterback one day, there are QBs who were picked below him in the draft and finished below him in the Heisman voting who are doing adequate jobs in the pros like Byron Leftwich of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the now-injured Kyle Boller of the Baltimore Ravens. Regardless of the fact that the Heisman carries no guarantees of turning out a good pro, it remains the highest achievement to bring home in college sports. While there are many weeks until the award is given out, it never hurts to chart the possible candidates. On the top of everybody's list has to be the Pittsburgh Panthers' wide receiver sophomore Larry Fitzgerald. After a breakout freshman season in which Fitzgerald shattered almost every Big East freshman receiving record, the Minneapolis, Minnesota native returned this year to prove his success wasn't a fluke. With defensive backs draped all over him every game, in only nine games Fitzgerald already has 68 receptions for 1,282 yards and 17 touchdowns. Fitzgerald faced considerable challenges in the off-season - losing his mother, who died of cancer, and close friend, wide receiver Billy Gaines, who died falling through a church ceiling, within months of each other. Still the receiver focused and became better in the off-season. If any receiver is to win the award, it has to be Fitzgerald. If a quarterback is going to win the award, it will be either Oklahoma's Jason White or Mississippi's Eli Manning. North Carolina State's Philip Rivers and Pittsburgh's Rod Rutherford should be on the board, but will fall short. Currently the nod has to go to White just because his Sooners are still undefeated. While it is tough to beat a Manning because of the family's great name recognition, White has thrown 32 touchdowns with only six interceptions compared to Manning's 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. White's quarterback rating of 176.6 is also off the chart. True, White definitely has a better supporting cast than Manning, but White has certainly excelled with the Sooners. A quarterback that most certainly will not get the award, but should be a finalist, is Texas Tech quarterback B.J. Symons. What Symons has going against him is that he plays in the high powered Texas Tech offense which has consistently padded quarterback's stats. Need proof: refer to Kliff Kingsbury. Still, Symons is a dynamite quarterback. He has thrown 16 interceptions, but his 44 touchdown passes in ten games are hard to overlook. What is different than in past years for the Red Raiders is that the team actually has a respectable 7-3 record. Even in a losing effort, running back Kevin Jones' nationally televised performance at Pittsburgh might have been enough to earn him a seat as a finalist. The Virginia Tech running back is almost certainly leaving school after this year and he wants the Heisman. Through nine games, he already has a career high 1,104 yards rushing with almost a fifth of those yards coming in his 241-yard performance at Pitt. Jones is fast, strong, but also confident bordering on cocky, which will play into his possible Heisman selection. Michigan running back Chris Perry is on the outside looking in. While he might be the most consistent top performer in college football this year, his lack of flash hurts. Perry has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in the last two seasons with 1,313 yards through the Wolverines first ten games this season. While his 4.3 yards per carry against Michigan State in Michigan's last game is not impressive, his ability to carry the ball 51 times for 219 yards is. When comparing the Hokies and Wolverines, the teams are a toss-up, so it might just come down to Jones' raw athleticism carrying him to a Heisman finalist seat. If the four finalists were selected today, the seats would have to go to Fitzgerald, White, Manning, and Jones. Perry also has a shot, while a potential wild card is USC's quarterback Matt Leinart, whose numbers are on par with Manning, but is playing for a much better team. However, the voters' west coast bias might hurt his chances.

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News

The fight for Africa's wildlife is taken to Tufts

November 11

Dr. Richard Leakey, famed Kenyan anthropologist, visited Tufts' Medford campus last Friday to deliver a lecture related to his latest book, Wildlife Wars: My Fight to Save Africa's Natural Treasures. The discussion, entitled "New Strategies for Conserving African Wildlife and Ecosystems," attracted a large number of students to Barnum auditorium, the number made more impressive by the Friday afternoon time slot. Leakey, the son of anthropologists Mary and Louis Leakey, made his first significant find at the age of six when he unearthed a hominid fossil under the direction of his parents. It was clear from this point on that Leakey would go on to do great things. Appointed the Director of the National Museum of Kenya at the age 23, he went on to fight for a ban on ivory poaching. Leaky has remained an active member of the Kenyan government, serving as the director of the Kenyan Wildlife Service up until his recent retirement. With a crisp but soft British accent, Leakey immediately captivated his audience as he began to describe the problems facing conservation in Africa today. Leakey began his talk after a brief introduction when he explained that he would be giving an off-the-cuff speech on the problems facing conservation strategies in Africa, echoing themes from his latest book. In order to convey the complexity of African wildlife conservation, Leakey made it clear to his listeners the importance of understanding the severity of the level of human poverty plaguing Africa in addition to the issues of wildlife conservation. He said it is difficult for those who have never seen the degree of extreme poverty first-hand to understand how difficult and all-encompassing it is. In Kenya and other African nations, he reminded us, "there is no social security, no assistance other than what you can make for yourself." Leaky clearly laid out the problems facing conservationists. Western aid is not enough to make a serious dent in the poverty levels, and the food distribution centers across the nation concentrate large numbers of people in very small areas, having an enormous environmental impact. A massive HIV/AIDS problem also poses a serious threat to economic activity. He estimated that nearly a full quarter of the population was afflicted with the disease, leaving the government unable to hire teachers or other vital workers. In addition, global change and global warming has been making the region's climate less stable and predictable, making it more difficult for conservationists to go about their work. "I see the protected areas as islands," Dr. Leakey explained, "and it is no longer a possibility for them to switch locations once we need more land to develop." He said that the only alternative to just giving up was to rely on money generated by tourism to support the conservation community. After the war in Iraq and the crisis in the Middle East, tourism to Kenya dropped 85 percent, but Leakey still has faith that tourists will return in time. He emphasized that while some of the wildlife parks may close with time as funding and the ability to support the animals decrease, tourism will eventually return to support them. Leakey's visit to campus was sponsored by several groups from across the Tufts spectrum, including the Tufts Institute for the Environment, the Biology Department, the Research Policy Program at the Fletcher School, the School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. The wide range of interest across the university indicated just how universal Leakey's work has become, significantly impacting several fields and disciplines. Leakey concluded by answering a few questions from the audience, addressing various issues in regards to the involvement of local communities in wildlife conservation and inherent problems concerning fundraising to support wildlife parks. "It's wrong to act like the wildlife sector created some horrible crime," he said. "We talk about the importance of health and education and human rights, but should the environment not be a human right?"

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News

Paul Walker: an interview with a modern day cowboy

November 11

Paul Walker, is known for his many films, which include 2 Fast 2 Furious and Varsity Blues. However, "just wanting people to think of me as a good guy" is what he'd most like to be remembered for in his lifetime. Promoting his new movie Timeline, originally a novel by Michael Crichton, Walker comfortably ripped (SoCal lingo for "surfed well") his way across many a subject matter: from wave riding (he used to do more, but now only goes 3-4 times a week), the film he's hoping to make in the near future (a western), to, of course, Timeline itself, which opens November 26th. The film's premise investigates the question of what happens when a group of modern day archaeological students travel back to the 14th century France in order to save their professor, only to later get stuck there themselves. "Guys who work on these types of films are big kids.," Walker said. "We get to pick up swords, but it's just like when you were younger and picked up a stick and went on to beat the hell out of your younger brother. Guys here never grow up." But his desire to work on the film stems deeper than just the physical satisfaction of play violence; he has a fancy for the time period itself. "If I could go back in time, I'd definitely go back to medieval times ... I want to see if King Arthur actually happened -- I want to be Lancelot, hell," laughed Walker in what appears to be a not atypical, laid-back personal style. At one point of the interview, fellow Timeline actor Billy Connolly walked by, and Walker piped in a "hello" with the ease of someone on the phone with his mother, as opposed to 15 possibly dirt hungry journalists. He handled delicately natured questions with the same casual finesse. When asked about his sex symbol status, Walker said: "Just so long as I'm working, if some girls find me cute -- right on." He later expanded on his statement, noting that "the majority of the people who approach me on the street are guys. And it's great when some 16, 17 year old kid thinks you're awesome. If girls think you'd cool, that's great. But, unless guys think you're cool too -- you aren't anybody." His relaxed take on the world likely stems from his family upbringing. For one thing, if he was not so 'down to earth', Walker jokes that his dad would kick his ass. But all jokes aside, his natural humility appears to make him uncomfortable with fame. According to Walker, he asks his parents to refrain from buying magazines that contain pictures of him, and he shies away from the magazine aisle at grocery stores in order to avoid seeing himself portrayed in such explicit fashions. "I live in denial about it," he says. But make no mistake; Walker is very multifaceted. For one thing - he can't get enough of the Discovery Channel or Animal Planet. "I love that shit! That's all I watch," exclaimed Walker at one point during the interview. Certainly, his fun loving side isn't hard to see. As he spends his free time horseback riding and lassoing, one might say he's a modern day Hollywood cowboy. Minus the Hollywood. He talks about the great outdoors as if its real magic, not the kind manufactured on the big screen. And he wouldn't dream of making his future western film without genuine cowboy stuntmen. Walker calls himself young for his age, but he's far older than many of his contemporaries. At points, his modesty seems to take on the form of denigrating himself, trying to avoid calling a spade a spade. To this I'd say, Paul -- go be a nice guy. Like cowboys, they're an endangered species.

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News

Revenge, E-Men down alumni

November 11

For Jesse Goldberg, redemption was sweet. Jumping high and scoring in this year's alumni game, the senior Ultimate Frisbee player managed to redeem himself with a catch that he had missed the previous day in the Co-ed Alumni Tournament. Goldberg's catch proved symbolic for the men's Ultimate Frisbee team, which also redeemed itself after last year's 15-0 loss to the alumni, by defeating them last weekend, 15-13. "We had the most alumni ever come back," senior co-captain Andy Valen said. "It was really great to win." The team came into the game skeptical because of the enormous amount of talent on the alumni team. "There aren't any real superstars on our team," sophomore Michael Chirlin said. "But the alumni team is made up of superstars." But it was this conglomeration of superstars that may have cost it the game. "They haven't played as a team, whereas we have," Chirlin said. "Our win definitely came from a team effort." Alumnus Mike Zalisk, former winner of the Callahan Award, which is presented to the best collegiate Frisbee player in the nation, was among many of alumni's biggest weapons. The alumni team featured three other club members beside Zalisk. Club Ultimate is the next step up from college. The team started off the first half slowly, allowing the alumni to pull ahead 4-1. By the end of the half, the E-Men managed to close the deficit somewhat, but were still down 8-6. Largely due to the play of senior co-captain Matt Abbrecht, the E-men pulled themselves together and went on a 5-0 run. "[Abbrecht] had a really great game. He went deep for a score a bunch of times and he played really well," Valen said. But it wasn't just his offense that led the E-Men. "Abbrecht was making stellar defensive plays all over the field. He was blocking people all the time," senior Ariel Santos said. With Abbrecht's help, the E-Men were within one point of victory, when the alumni scored two points, reducing the E-Men's lead to 14-13. Shaking off this slip up, the E-Men hammered the final nail in the coffin and edged out the alumni by two, 15-13. Despite the intensity of the game, the alumni game can best be characterized by its fun atmosphere. Adding to the good times of the game was the huge rivalry that has developed over the years. "We were attempting to take it seriously because last year we lost pretty badly," Valen said. "They kept making a lot of stupid calls to try to throw us off our game. But we stayed focused and came out on top." A lot of the alumni live in the Boston area, so friendships have remained strong, which only promotes the jovial atmosphere. "There's a lot of heckling that goes on because we know each other," Santos said. "But we still tried to take it seriously because of our loss last year." Win or lose, both teams wait in anticipation each year for the annual alumni game which has been an E-Men tradition for almost a decade. "It's a really fun time for everyone. For us it's like our Homecoming," Santos said. This game also has added significance because the freshmen and new players are able to see how Frisbee is played at higher levels. "It shows the freshmen how important and big our team is," Santos said. "They see how they should be playing." Hoping that this Sunday's win will set a precedent for their upcoming and final tournament, the team now focuses its efforts on practicing for this weekend's Brown tournament in Providence, Rhode Island.

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News

It's out of this world

November 11

The members of the New York-bred band stellastarr* enjoy the confusion of being unusual. For starters, their name breaks three conventions of the English language: the first letter of the name is lowercase, they misspell "star," and they have an unpronounceable symbol at the end. Usually, when a band relies so heavily on cleverness in the construction of its image, the image is all the band has, and there's nothing underneath that cool exterior. Happily, stellastarr* is not a usual band. "In the Walls," the opening song on stellastarr*'s self-titled debut album, starts off sounding emo-ish; vocalist Shawn Christensen's voice is soft and plaintive. Then, at the 30-second mark, he launches into the yelping, throaty crooning that brings to mind Talking Heads' David Byrne. Christensen challenges the bounds of what is considered ridiculous, tossing off lines like "My recurring fear of being tied down," and "When I was down and failing life," with such earnestness that they seem almost logical. Indeed, the vocals are one of the most impressive facets of the stellastarr* sound. Voices of three out of the four band members are showcased on the album. On "Somewhere across Forever," the disparate voices of Christensen, bassist Amanda Tannen, and guitarist Michael Jurin overlap and somehow manage to complement each other. Drummer Arthur Kremer doesn't sing, but makes up for it by putting in double duty with keyboard work. The most enjoyable song is "My Coco," which starts off as a lazy, almost surfer-like song before it's pummeled by "Rio"-esque soaring guitar and drum work, causing the listener to wonder if Duran Duran is making a secret guest appearance on the album. With the extreme sounds of "My Coco," it's hard to believe that the members of stellastarr* are nothing more than superficially constructed poseurs. How could anyone worried about his image belt out lines like "which way to go go GO go"? And yet despite the band's sometimes shallow sound, there is something very theatrical about stellastarr*. The jazzy high-hat cymbals and showy drum rolls on "Jenny" sound like either a marching band performance or a late night talk show's musical group. "Moongirl" is futuristic, but in a 1980s kind of way, with almost cheesy low-budget outer space movie sound effects. The dramatic effect is only believable because of the band's sincerity about its affectations. One of stellastarr*'s favorite tricks throughout the album is to challenge the listener's expectations. Tannen was trained in the cello and had never played bass before joining the band. Not to mention that she's a woman, which is fairly uncommon among the bassists of today's upcoming NYC bands (or in general, for that matter). Still, she's awesome. The rhythmic backing she supplies on "Homeland" is especially complex and powerful, but her prowess is obvious on every other track of the album as well. stellastarr*'s cleverness is reflected in its lyrics, in addition to its unusual style of instrumentation. In "Untitled," Christensen asks us (and presumably the song itself) "What's your name?" In "A Million Reasons," he mocks himself, singing that he'd like to blame his aforementioned fear of being tied down on "the artist in me." We never know if we should expect thought-provoking lyrics like these or silly ones like "I'll run away/build a goldmine" ("Somewhere Across Forever"). Even with this lyrical confusion, as listeners, we think that at least we understand that stellastarr*'s instrumental style is '80s glam. Then we get "Untitled," the most stripped down song on the album. Jurin's strumming is gentle and honest and seems to go backwards in time, past the '80s sound of most of the album to an era before electric guitars. Kremer's keyboard is so childish and uncomplicated that it sounds like something on a Casio by a couple of creative second graders. This refreshing simplicity makes us believe in stellastarr*'s carefully constructed honesty. The song immediately following "Untitled"'s beautiful innocence is "Pulp Song," in which Christensen and Tannen drone together "We're lying/we've lied to you/we've lied to make our point of view." So what was the lie? The gentle sound of "Untitled," or the punkish "My Coco," or the David Bowie "Space Oddity"-era "Moongirl"? Or all of these? Perhaps the lie began with the assumption that the listener knows what to expect from a band like stellsstarr* just by looking at the album cover. After 43 minutes, it's difficult to be sure of anything anymore, but perhaps the best thing to do is to listen to stellastarr* many times and try to figure it out.

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News

Pragmatism or Idealism: the Democrats' Dilemma

November 11

I would not blame you if you have not been watching the televised debates of the nine Democratic candidates. For one thing, the format of the debates makes them slow and boring. No one candidate really stands out, and the few interesting exchanges of ideas lack substance. There are no Clintons in this pack either. Most of them seem like good candidates, and they have a few decent ideas, but not a single one of them is truly charismatic. As of now, Howard Dean is unquestionably the frontrunner of the pack. And there is a simple reason behind his current success. His early anti-war, anti-tax cut stance earned him the support of a core of liberal Democrats who think Bush is nothing more than a cross between Satan and the Three Stooges. By claiming to be part of the "Democratic wing of the Democratic party," Dean distanced himself from more moderate Democrats who looked like sad, watered-down Republicans. He capitalized on the ardent anti-Bush sentiment by siding with the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party. This was a smart move which allowed an otherwise relatively unknown and inexperienced Vermont governor to become a serious contender. The support of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party may be enough for him to win the nomination, but will it be enough to beat Bush? It is hard to tell now, but to me it seems unlikely for several reasons. First, the Bush administration has pushed this country to the right end of the political spectrum, while enjoying considerable support from the population. This means that attempting to pull the country back to the center would be far easier than trying to pull it all the way to the left end of the political spectrum. It would take enormous public support for Dean to be able to sell such a dramatic political reversal in the coming election. Dean's opposition to the war resonates among liberal Democrats, but its appeal is not much wider than that. We must remember that polls indicate that most Americans supported the war against Iraq. So running against Bush on an anti-war platform is not going to consolidate the support he needs to unseat him. Finally, Democrats need to understand that national security will be one of the main issues of the campaign. American voters will look for someone who can protect the U.S. against terrorist attacks. People see Bush as a forceful leader committed to defending the homeland. Howard Dean on the other hand has zero experience in foreign policy and security matters. If Bush is able to effectively portray Dean as weak on terrorism, forget about it. The election will be a landslide. If the Democrats want to win back the White House, they need to be pragmatic. They need to point out the abuses and errors of the Bush administration -- including lack of post-war planning in Iraq -- but they should not get too hung up on the war itself. They need to criticize Bush's relationship with the international community, but they also need to appear as a strong alternative in security matters. They need to please the core liberal Democratic voters, but they need to be attractive to moderate Republicans. It is hard to have all of these characteristics at the same time. But unless the economy sinks even lower and jobs continue to be lost left and right, it is the only formula that will work for the Democrats in 2004. Howard Dean does not have that formula. His message is limited in its appeal and will only get him the Democratic nomination. So, is there any Democratic candidate who stands a chance against Bush? Let's see. Carol Moseley Braun, Al Sharpton and Dennis Kucinich have no chance of winning the nomination, so let's not even bother with them. Wesley Clark has a bright resume, but he has no political skills and he does not even know what his stance on Iraq is (plus, he wore a ridiculous outfit to the last debate). Gephardt has support among Democrats, but I do not think we are about to see the first anti-free trade president anytime soon. Lieberman is so conservative that he might as well be a Republican. That leaves us with John Kerry and John Edwards. In my opinion, Kerry has an important edge over Edwards: his experience in foreign policy and his participation in Vietnam. He has all the qualities that would make him an attractive option for moderate voters. In fact, many polls show that, in a head to head contest against Bush, Kerry does considerably better than any of his Democratic rivals. However, Kerry is trailing behind Dean in polls in New Hampshire and Iowa. Kerry has the right message, but he is delivering it to the wrong audience. Perhaps Howard Dean might be able to pull off a victory against Bush. And perhaps John Kerry's campaign might get its act together and conduct a successful attack on Dean. Both of these scenarios could happen. What would really be tragic for the Democrats' aspirations, however, is for the best Democratic option against Bush to lose because of a shortsighted anti-Bush impulse. Rodrigo de Haro is a senior majoring in International Relations. He can be reached at deharo@tuftsdaily.com.

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News

Walking away from tradition

November 11

The strange-looking caps. The shapeless robes which unite us all. The thousands of beaming parents who sit restlessly in the audience. The distinguished faculty and President, appearing like royalty on the stage. These are the images of graduation. But what is this old ritual really about? Changes to graduation are currently being discussed by the powers that be. These changes would mean that instead of having one main Tufts University undergraduate graduation for all Arts, Sciences, and Engineering students -- as has been the tradition -- there would be many smaller, individual department graduation ceremonies. Would this change be for the best? I am not positive, but I can't help but find myself feeling a great sense of loss associated with the idea of having separate ceremonies. All I ask is that the many gains and losses be weighed carefully. Before any final decision is made, I think that all students, especially current seniors, should have the opportunity to voice their opinion on this very important issue. After all, it is our graduation. We've worked long and hard for four years to reach that day, and the majority of us should be happy with how the day is structured. Almost four years ago, seniors stepped onto this beautiful campus for the first time as students. After nervously meeting our freshmen roommates and unpacking our belongings into an unfamiliar room, we were all invited to attend a matriculation ceremony. I had not been aware of this tradition but was struck by the feeling of unity as a large group of strangers set out on what was to be an amazing adventure. Many parents were also present on that day, and we probably all felt that the next time the entire class would be brought together -- graduation day -- was miles and miles down the road. However, time passes all too quickly. We are no longer strangers. We are now a group of acquaintances, classmates, and true friends. Some of us have found a soul mate among the class of 2004. Others may have fallen in love. We began this journey together. We shared the failures and triumphs, good times and bad. Should we not end the journey together as well? To avoid the boredom and endlessness of a single graduation ceremony, some schools do have separate department graduations instead. Other universities hold both types of ceremonies, which is perhaps another option that could be explored. However, most of the schools that hold only departmental ceremonies are much larger than Tufts. One of the benefits of attending a fairly small school is that you can get to know a larger percentage of your classmates, and you can graduate in a single ceremony without it being ridiculously long. Some feel that two hours is too long to listen to the recitation of each senior's name, but in reality, what's two hours on a single day when compared to the four years we've spent together here at Tufts University? The truth is that a good number of us have sat through classes that last longer than this on a weekly basis. I guess it comes down to the question I posed at the beginning of this article. What is graduation all about? What is the point? And what does it mean to the Class of 2004? These questions are not easy ones and must be closely examined. If our answer is that graduation is important and about publicly receiving a certain amount of personal attention and praise for our accomplishments or graduation means nothing to us, and we'd like to simply get it over with as quickly and painlessly as possible, then perhaps smaller departmental ceremonies make a lot of sense. However, if graduation for us is more about being together with our friends and sharing this monumental day of success, then we may have problems with the idea of individual departmental graduations. The majority of us have friends who, for the most part, do not share a common major and this is a great thing which leads to an increased diversity among groups of friends. Therefore, the thought of not watching these people, whom we have grown to care about and love, receive their diplomas is rather sad. Parents would also miss out on the opportunity to see those students graduate who have touched their children's lives in a very real way but do not study the same discipline. I encourage any member of the Tufts community, especially my fellow classmates, to respond to this Viewpoint and let us know how you feel about this issue. I do not deny that there are certainly positive and negative aspects of both the traditional graduation ceremony and the new idea being proposed. Perhaps I will be persuaded otherwise, but for now, I must lean towards holding on to the traditional way. In my mind, I have always envisioned feeling a mix of pride, sadness, and excitement as I hear my friends' names called aloud and watch as they walk to receive their diplomas; I think I may feel quite disappointed if this once-in-a-lifetime experience is taken away from me. Many of us have come to feel that our Tufts friends are like a second family, and in a way, to not be present to witness their graduation simply seems wrong. Rachel Golden Luck is a senior majoring in Child Development.

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News

TCOWI hosts panel to discuss war, media bias

November 11

Students, faculty members and war veterans gathered in the basement of Braker Hall yesterday to discuss the human effects of the war and occupation of Iraq. The Tufts Coalition to Oppose War on Iraq (TCOWI) assembled the five-person panel. The organizers aimed to show a bias in the US media's coverage of the situation in Iraq. TCOWI leader and Professor Gary Goldestein said panels like yesterday's could serve to counter such biases in the media. "The war is not over," Goldstein said. "The destruction and death visited upon the people is horrifying. Yet the mainstream media in the US presents us with the restricted, even rosy pictures of present conditions." The panelists, who volunteered to speak free of charge, "represent a spectrum of aspects of our involvement with the Middle East" that can help paint a more realistic picture of the situation in Iraq, Goldstein said. "We hope to reveal that opposition to the war is coming from many places, including from the soldiers themselves." As co-founders of Military Families Speak Out, Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson have devoted time to providing soldiers with an organized platform from which to voice their opinions about the war. Their organization, which now boasts a membership of 1,000 families, was founded in November 2002 to oppose the possibility of war in Iraq. "We didn't want [the administration] to use our kids as cannon fodder," Lessin said. "Those who are dangerous to this country are sitting in Washington, not in Iraq," Richardson said. He and Lessin traveled to Washington with several members of their organization to urge members of Congress to consider the ramifications of a prolonged occupation of Iraq. They asked Congress to look at the Vietnam memorial and realize that "this is the time, this is the moment" in which Congress could prevent history from repeating itself. "They did nothing," Lessin said. Decorated Vietnam veteran, author and filmmaker Marc Levy further clarified connections between this current conflict and the Vietnam War by relating personal experiences with combat. "In both wars, the soldiers were taught to dehumanize the enemy and fight for things they often didn't believe in," Levy said. Intense resistance from within the troops is pervading today's military forces in much the same way it did in Vietnam, Levy said. If anything, he added, resistance is spreading quicker today. Rana Abdul-Aziz (LA '03) rounded out the diverse panel. Abdul-Aziz's strong background of International Relations and her Iraqi heritage allowed her to provide considerable insight into the war's effect on the Iraqi citizens. "The fact of war is that no matter what outcome, it leaves a trail of destruction that never goes away," Abdul-Aziz said. She stressed that the wrong kinds of Iraqis are currently in control, and placed partial blame on US encouragement of these unqualified sources. "Everyone who wants to do something constructive is not being given a voice," she said. Although they came from diverse backgrounds, the panel seemed to share the same basic belief that occupation must end. It was wrong to invade Iraq, and it is wrong to occupy Iraq, Lessin said. The US must get out because "there is no right way to do a wrong thing," she asserted. The panel discussion was TCOWI's second presentation of the year. Both last month's Al-Jazeera lecture and yesterday's panel presentation were designed to educate the public about the reality of America's foreign policy and what it is actually doing to people, Goldstein said. TCOWI is always trying to put current foreign policy into a global and historical perspective, he added.

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News

Alumni, cadets work to gain credit for ROTC classes

November 11

While Tufts students have the opportunity to participate in the well-known Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, current university policies have made the experience more challenging for some. ROTC cadets at Tufts are required to travel to the MIT campus for all ROTC related activities, be it physical training or one of the mandatory military science classes. In addition to not having ROTC events take place on campus, Tufts has a policy that it will not recognize any of the MIT-sponsored class credits earned by participating students. A group of eight to nine Tufts naval ROTC (NROTC) alumni from the 1940s era have formed an ad-hoc type committee to campaign for at least a naval ROTC base on the Tufts campus, if not all three branches. Jay Samuels, LA'45, and a veteran of World War II, has been working on the two main priorities of the committee. "First of all, MIT students receive partial credit for the ROTC classes they take, and Tufts cadets should have credit, too. It's not fair. Secondly, Tufts cadets must depend upon private transportation, like their personal cars, to get to MIT everyday. We need a jitney or some form of public shuttle that can make this easier for them." "I didn't speak to any of the faculty or administrators at Tufts yet about ROTC in general, because most of the time that I spoke to administrators at Tufts it has been about the NROTC," Samuels said. "I'm involved with a lot of alumni relations at Tufts, and I'm at the school often, so my conversations with the administrators have been during those times, and have been rather informal." He declined to reveal the names of the members of the administration with whom he spoke. Samuel has wanted Tufts to establish an on-campus ROTC base for the past 14 years, primarily during the DiBiaggio and the current Bacow eras, "but we did not find out about the credits and transportation issues until the past five and six years." "I've been getting some promises, but this kind of situation takes time, and it's much too early to see any results," Samuels said. Similarly, sophomore ROTC cadet Sean Colon has been planning to talk to the administration about the credit issue. Colon has spoken with TCU senator Jose Vazquez about taking action against the administration, but nothing has been achieved yet. "This past semester has been busy with the Sept 11th ceremony , UN day, and the Veteran's Day event," said Colon. Military science classes have not been approved to count toward the distribution requirement for Tufts since the 1970s, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman At the end of the Vietnam era the program was derecognized and students were allowed to take courses at MIT. "By no means does the University discourage ROTC. We send out informative literature and we believe the $10,000 per year scholarship opportunity is great," said Reitman. "There was just controversy again about the issue of sexual preference, as well as the fact that some faculty members don't think a military science class is appropriate." "It is essentially the faculty and only the faculty that makes the ultimate decisions about which classes may or may not be approved," he said. The ROTC's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy has been an area of conflict between the program and the University. Vazquez explained that informal proposals to accept ROTC credit have been rejected based on the findings of the 1993 Task Force on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual issues. The Task Force report cited a 1990 Arts and Sciences resolution which stated the intent to not cooperate with ROTC until their policy on sexual orientation was changed. While the resolution, which called for a halt to the acceptance of ROTC scholarship money by 1998 should the policy remained unchanged, was not completely followed, its intent has been maintained. "I think maybe the reason why this is not in effect today is because it would affect government funding to the University. Refusal to accept students applying for ROTC scholarships could mean a violation of federal law for Tufts. That could put us at risk for federal funding, possibly in the form of grants. I don't know of any schools which have rejected ROTC scholarships," said TCU senator Matt Pohl. Samuels said that his committee does not discuss the issue of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'. "The members of our committee and myself do not get involved with that subject. It doesn't come up in our conversations, it doesn't become an issue to us. I do recognize that it's an issue on campus, as well as nationally, but it has never really been an issue to us," he said. Colon said that Tufts cadets spend between two and 14 hours per week at MIT. Freshmen take part in the fewest courses and physical training activities, while seniors have the most commitment. Because the University does not give credit for ROTC courses, "the Tufts ROTC program doesn't have the strongest reputation right now," Colon said. However despite the controversies surrounding ROTC, sophomore cadet Chris Robbins recently joined. He did not participate in ROTC his freshman year but signed up this year "I want to try and go into the government career field," he said. "ROTC is a great opportunity, especially with the scholarships. I just don't see myself as working in an office cubicle job." Though Robbins is irritated by the lack of credit for his military science courses, it was not a deterrent. "It makes my life a little more difficult, but [the University] has the right to do what they want to do," he said. Reitman and fellow administrators are well aware that the requests from ROTC cadets on campus are out there. "I think it is a good affiliation to have with our campus," Reitman said. "The scholarships, as well as graduating from Tufts and ROTC can make a real difference for some students when they're deciding where to apply to school. Plus, it's like an automatic career after graduation." Other ROTC programs do not have the same problems. "Tufts ROTC cadets have every right to be upset," Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) sophomore Air Force ROTC cadet Mike Gerstenhaber said. "At RPI, four distribution credits can be satisfied with ROTC courses." Aside from Tufts, Harvard and Wellesley both send their ROTC cadets to MIT; neither school grants class credit for the ROTC courses. BU and BC both grant partial credit for ROTC classes. The Tufts ROTC program has approximately 40 students enrolled and has remained relatively constant in recent years. Seventy-five percent of all Army officers have been commissioned previously by ROTC.

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News

Website promotes 'wicked' parties

November 11

How do you link the 250,000 college students living in the greater Boston area? This was the social challenge that three MIT students recently tackled. MIT sophomores and best friends Arun Agarwal, Steve Fredette and Paul Wehner began to build a website last January that would become WickedParty.com - an online nightlife guide to college students in the greater Boston area. Almost a year later, their site is up and running, and the trio has incorporated their business. Now, Agarwal, Fredette and Wehner are the presidents of Awf Beat, Inc. (pronounced off beat; the name of their company is actually an acronym derived from the first letters of their last names.) Like any good businessmen, the three saw a market and seized it. "All you hear about when you decide to go to school in Boston, is how great the social scene is and what an amazing 'college town' it is," Agarwal said. "But there just isn't a lot of mingling between the schools because there has never been an infrastructure for it. We decided to create a site that would tie the city together socially." The website generates an income from club promotion, although the creators hope to make their real money through selling advertising on the site. Since the website's launch a month half of ago, the company has started a strong public relations campaign to spread word of the website, and employs 42 promoters at 15 schools. Mike Decker, a freshman at Boston University, promotes WickedParty.com at his school. "It's just a matter of getting the [website's] name out there, then people will start coming to the parties," he said. The website features college party listings, club events and shows in Boston, as well as cheap restaurant listings, movie schedules, and columns written by students. The website also allows students to post personal profiles to meet other students in the area. "The idea is that you can not only find out what's going on at the other schools, but you can network and meet people using their profiles," said Fredette, who manages many of the technical aspects of the site. Joining the WickedParty.com e-mail list enables students to receive information on upcoming events, including concerts, fraternity parties, and club nights -- WickedParty's latest venture. At these events students can put their names on a WickedParty guest list through their school's promoter and receive reduced admission to the club that night. WickedParty.com has hosted three club nights so far, none of which have been terribly successful, according to Decker. "The first two were at a bar called Who's On First," he said. "The bar was difficult to work with and the turnout was bad." Organizers say students can put their names on a guest list through their school's promoter and pay a reduced admission to the club. However, one student who attended the Halloween party at Avalon said that the event did not meet expectations. "It just seemed really unorganized," junior Julie Burstein said. "There were no guest lists like they had said there would be; and inside the club, you couldn't tell which people were college students and which weren't. It defeated the purpose of going." But organizers expect the next party -- a beach bash on Nov. 20 at Avalon -- to be more successful. "This time [the promoters] have plenty of time to advertise, and it will be much more organized," he said. WickedParty.com has helped introduced its employees to other enthusiastic partygoers. "I hang out with WickedParty.com people all the time," sophomore and promoter Dan Weinbeck said. "I love that every person I work with is as outgoing and social as I am." But organizers recognize that they still have work to do to make the website successful. "Right now, it's just about gaining clout," Agarwal said. "You have to remember that we're college students," the computer science and electrical engineering double-major said. "We have classes and a lot of other stuff going on, too."

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News

Mixed bag for golfers in 2003

November 11

Coming into the 2003 season, the golf team did not know what to expect. The Jumbos had graduated a number of their top players from last year's successful team, and it was uncertain whether there would be players who could step up and carry the load. However, coach Bob Sheldon was pleasantly surprised to see that a number of talented freshmen like Arjun Chawla, Matt Linde, and Justin Meier emerged as key elements of the team. Chawla and Linde began their college careers on a strong note, posting the top two scores for the Jumbos in their very first college tournament. Chawla shot a 76-78 and Linde added an 80-77 to lead the Jumbos to a fourth place finish among ten teams at the Bowdoin Invitational. In the next tournament, the Jumbos accomplished their goal of qualifying for the ECAC Championships in New York by finishing sixth out of eighteen New England teams. "Qualifying for the ECAC's was certainly a highlight for this team," Sheldon said. However, soon after the auspicious start, the Jumbos' play started to decline. Only two days after its solid finish at the ECAC qualifiers, Tufts finished a disappointing eighth out of ten teams at the NESCAC Championship. "Our finish in the NESCAC's wasn't very good," Sheldon said. "The worst thing about it was that we never got to redeem ourselves after that first day because the second day was rained out. So that was frustrating." After their performance at the NESCAC's, Tufts had a relatively disappointing finish to the season, placing 16th of 18 teams at the ECAC Championships and 13th out of 15 squads at the Western New England Invitational. The Jumbos wrapped up their season with a decent performance at the New England Championships, finishing 32nd out of 45 teams, despite competing against a number of teams from Division I and II schools. Although Tufts did not achieve the high expectations it had for itself after the first couple of matches, the talent the freshmen exhibited gives Sheldon a lot of hope for the future. "I was happy with the development of the freshmen," Sheldon said. "It was an adjustment for them to have to play so many 18-hole tournaments, because they played nine holes in all of their high school matches. But as they got going, I felt they became more comfortable." Chawla, who also posted the top score for Tufts at the NESCAC's, felt that despite his many strong performances there was still room for improvement. "I would've liked to play better this year," Chawla said. "I could have used a few more rounds in the 70s, and my short game was a little weak. But it was an important season because we got a solid foundation for next year." Chawla thought the team could improve on its consistency for next year. "Each player on the team played quite well at one time or another, but none of us managed to play real well all at the same time," he said. "That's something we'll work on for next year." In addition, Sheldon was impressed with the leadership that senior captain Brad Hawes exhibited. Hawes usually put up strong performances in matches, and he got along well with the players. "Brad did a great job," Sheldon said. "He was very consistent in his play, always shooting in the high 70s and low 80s. He missed placing in the top 20 in New England by just two strokes. He did a great job leading by example." Hawes was also an excellent mentor for the freshmen. Chawla in particular felt that the captain did a nice job of making him feel welcome. "Brad's an awesome guy," Chawla said. "I actually met up with him this summer and we practiced some together. He's just a real friendly guy with everyone and a real strong player." Chawla also had kind words for Sheldon, who was the 2002 NESCAC coach of the year. "I had a great time with Coach Sheldon," Chawla said. "He's able to instill a real good fighting spirit among us, but at the same time he makes it a lot of fun." It will be tough for the Jumbos to make up for the loss of Hawes' contributions both on and off the course. But this year's freshmen will give the team a bright outlook for next season. "With those solid young freshmen - Chawla, Linde, and Meier - [and] one or two other strong players, we could have a lot of success next year." Sheldon said.

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News

Hundreds turn out to watch Jumbos jam

November 11

On Friday night, roughly 300 students showed up at Cousens Gym to watch the men's and women's basketball teams display their talents in the first annual "Jumbo Jam." "Jumbo Jam 2003," originally conceived by sophomore forward Blaine Lay and junior lacrosse player Jen Griffin, featured a three point shoot-out and a game of "knock-out" between the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the main attraction, a slam dunk contest for the men's team. In addition to the talent showcase, Jumbo Jam also featured a number of contests for the audience, including a chance to sink a shot from half court and win $100. "This was the first year we had it, and we were really looking to generate interest in the basketball team," men's coach Bob Sheldon said. "We plan to build on it and have it again in future years." According to Sheldon, the original idea behind the event was to combine performances from the basketball team with performances from other student groups, such as the Beelzebubs. "We wanted to get as many different groups as possible," Sheldon said. "The idea was that people who maybe didn't know too much about basketball would come to see other groups like the Bubs, and the people who just came for the basketball would gain interest in other groups." Due to last minute conflicts, however, only the basketball teams and the cheerleading team performed on Friday night. Some teams that didn't perform still took advantage of the venue, however. The men's and women's lacrosse teams both set up tables to raise money for their programs. The women's team sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts and t-shirts, while the men's team sold candy. "We're out here trying to raise money for our spring trip to Virginia," senior goalie Brian Atherton said. "I've been impressed by the event so far. There are some good players on both teams and it was cool to see some of the players dunk." Lay, a 6'7" forward, won the dunk contest, beating out 6'8" sophomore Dan Martin. For the winning dunk, Lay stood at the foul line with his back to basket, bounced the ball through his legs, off the backboard, and elevated for the one handed jam. The winner was based on fan reaction. The women's team won both the three-point shoot-out and the game of knock-out. The knock-out game came down to a shoot-out between senior Kate Gluckman and sophomore John McGlynn, brother of former Tufts star Mike McGlynn, and lasted for several minutes before Gluckman put McGlynn away. The women also handily defeated the men in the three-point shoot-out, taking the first and third rounds in the best out of three contest. "We ran for that yesterday," Sheldon joked. "We don't like to lose." From the large turnout and loud cheering, it seemed that most in attendance had an enjoyable experience. "I think it was a good show of spirit," senior Maggie McClory said. "A lot of people who weren't athletes showed up." Atherton agreed. "I've had a good time," he said. "I was surprised by the number of people that showed up. It's good to see all of these people come out and support our athletic teams." The men's and women's basketball seasons begin on Nov. 21 and 22, respectively. The women will play their home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 25 against Johnson & Wales, while the men open their season at home on Tuesday, Dec. 2 against MIT. And if all went according to plan with this year's Jumbo Jam, the teams will see a large crowd come out to see them open their seasons. "We're just trying to get it going, generate some support," Sheldon said. "Hopefully we'll see some bigger crowds this year."

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News

Rocking the vote, manipulating the discussion

November 11

CNN's manipulation of "Rock the Vote," the Democratic presidential candidate debate televised last Tuesday, was disappointing and unfair. Worst of all, it was not journalism. Several Tufts alumni and students were present at the forum and many came back disillusioned, reporting that CNN had stringently controlled which questions were posed. Attendees were asked to submit questions in advance and producers selected which students would ask which questions on air. While this is not the ideal way of conducting a town meeting-style event, it is understandable for a television program, and at least participants asked their own questions. But the network's decision to plant questions in the audience was highly unethical. The role of the media -- particularly when covering a debate -- is to report the news, not create it by setting the agenda. CNN admitted it had gone "too far" in response to the revelation made by Alexandra Trustman, a student at Brown University who said she had been forced to ask a question she had not authored. But not all forum attendees allowed themselves to be co-opted: former President of the Tufts Democrats Greg Propper (LA '01) refused to go along with CNN's nefarious plot. When instructed to ask a suggested "lighthearted" question, Propper accepted, but at the moment of truth asked an important policy question on AmeriCorps instead. It seems that CNN decided to add frivolous questions to the program in an attempt to retain viewer interest. Producers were presumably working on the assumption that young viewers need to be enticed with humor to watch a discussion about politics. In turn, they perpetuated an incorrect and unfair stereotype that young American voters are interested in non-issues -- in the case of Trustman's question, candidates' choice of operating system. Unfortunately, the few substantive questions that audience members asked were universally answered with predictable establishment double-speak. Perhaps if all of the questions asked had been policy-related, then the audience in Boston and television viewers across the nation might have had a chance to hear serious, substantive answers. This incident is indicative of a larger problem: US television broadcasts often do not reflect the reality of life in America. Broadcast media outlets have become slaves to ratings and advertising revenue, and as a result produce content that appeals to the lowest common denominator, regardless of its truthfulness or value. As the future leaders of this country, our generation needs to begin fighting back against the broadcast fictions passed off as news or reality. Actions taken by Trustman and Propper are just the beginning.

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News

2003 brought answers, still more questions

November 11

After an off-season of speculation and anticipation, 2003 was another year of mixed results for the field hockey team, which finished its season on Nov. 2 with a 5-10 record. On the one hand, the team experienced the elation of a playoff appearance for the first time in three years, increased its win total from the previous two years, and saw all of its goals scored and assisted by players who will be returning for the 2004 campaign. On the other, however, questions were still left unanswered as the Jumbos posted their third straight losing season, finished seventh in the league with a 3-6 record, and scored only 20 goals on the year, the second lowest offensive output in the NESCAC. "It's tough, but I think right now we're looking at it from the standpoint that we have a lot of potential, with just three seniors leaving," sophomore midfielder Lea Napolitano said. "We're going to miss them though." Napolitano scored a team-high six goals and five assists on the year, making her the 2003 scoring leader. Fellow sophomore midfielder Erika Goodwin was key to the offense as well, scoring four goals on the season and notching a pair of assists. This plethora of younger players, combined with the three veteran seniors, helped send Tufts to its first playoff appearance in three years, a 6-0 loss to Bowdoin. In addition, the five season wins were the most by the field hockey team since it won 10 in 2000. Still, the 2003 season could leave a few Jumbos feeling unsettled. The three consecutive losing seasons ties a career high for coach Carol Rappoli, now in her 19th season at Tufts. She last had three consecutive losing efforts between 1991 and 1993. All of Rappoli's other 13 seasons with the Jumbos have been above the .500 mark. In addition, the Jumbo offense will be seeking rejuvenation next year after scoring only 20 goals in 2003, the second fewest in the NESCAC ahead of Wesleyan's 19. The Jumbo defense also had its flaws in giving up 34 goals, third most in league. The numbers don't faze those players returning for next season. "We know that next year is our year," sophomore midfielder Jeanne Grabowski said. "Given our players, and how we have a lot of great juniors now, next season we'll be at our peak." Talent-wise, Grabowski's statement appears to be accurate. Junior midfielder Dana Panzer, the Jumbo sparkplug whose ability to find open forwards and baffle defenders seemed effortless, will be returning for the 2004 season. Additionally, junior midfielder/defender Jayme Heller will be back next season. Heller, who has strong skills both defensively and offensively, with two goals and two assists this season, provides coach Rappoli with a versatility that could be useful when having to decide where incoming freshmen can best help the team. Freshman midfielder Hillary Fazzone, out all year with mono, should also be back in 2004 and ready to assist the team. Fazzone scored the lone Jumbo goal in the season opening 2-1 loss to Bentley before being forced to watch the remainder of the games from the sideline. Tufts will need to bolster its defense in 2004, given that all three departing seniors played a hand in slowing the opponent's attack. Senior goalkeeper Julie Jackson did the majority of the work between the posts this season for Tufts, while both senior co-captains Kelly Sarson and Willow Hagge assisted Jackson in front of the net. Sarson usually thwarted forwards from her right defender position, while Hagge played midfield, and both will have to be replaced next year.

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News

Prescription drug use rises on campus

November 11

An increase over the last decade in the rate of prescription drug usage among Tufts students mirrors a national trend in college campuses. Nationally there has been a rise in teens that are prescribed mental health drugs. In response to demand, Tufts Health Services has broadened its range of psychiatric services, providing inceasing amounts of medication and therapy. According to Director of Tufts Health Services Michelle Bowdler, Health Services wrote 7,000 prescriptions last year, including those for ADD/ADHD and depression. Though she could not offer previous years' statistics, Bowdler said that the number of prescriptions has increased. According to Time magazine, a 2001 survey of college mental health counselors revealed that the percentage of students treated at college counseling centers who have been prescribed psychotropic drugs has increased from 7 percent in 1992 to 18 percent in 2001. In addition, 85 percent of North American student counseling centers have reported an increase in students with "severe psychological problems," the director of the counseling center at Texas State University told Time magazine. Clinicians point to a number of possible reasons for this increase in drug usage, including increased stress and an increased awareness of mental health problems. "Easier access to prescription medication may also be a factor," Bowdler said. "All these little pieces might have some truth, but there is never just one answer to this question." Medical insurance also pays more readily for pills than it does for more costly and time-consuming cognitive/behavioral therapy. It also favors doctors not specializing in psychiatry or psychopharmacology since such doctors will be likely to provide much less extensive evaluation and follow-up of their patients. Health Services could not say whether or not the rate of "talk therapy" (traditional counseling) has seen a comparable increase over the past few years. "Research has proven that medicine and talk therapy in combination has been most effective," said Bowdler. "However, it is ultimately the right of the patients to decide which one to use." A junior who spoke on the condition of anonymity reported that she feels a combination of talk therapy and drugs are the best solution. "Neither one on its own helps me cope [with my disease]" Statistics would seem to support this view. As the rate of prescription drug usage on campuses has increased, the overall reported college suicide rate has gone down from 122 students in 2000 to 80 in 2001, although this might also be attributed to an increase in campus mental health professionals and their increased efforts to diagnose problems early on and treat them aggressively. However, some fear that prescriptions are favored over traditional counseling. "What about the long term effects of drug reliance?" asked Freshman Sara Eisler. "They only worsen your personal ability to deal with problems the natural way, which will in turn cause even greater dependence on drugs, which will hurt you even more in the end. It's a vicious cycle whose effects you should really think about before deciding to enter." Some see this rise in drug usage as positive, while others are less enthusiastic. "It's great that medical technology has improved so that more solutions are now available to help people deal with their problems," freshman Lala Ma.

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News

Trustees meet to discuss University issues, elect new members

November 9

The Board of Trustees meeting saw the departure of four of its trustees earlier this month, including Chairman Nathan Gantcher. Michael Jaharis, Edward Budd, and Marilyn Ducksworth have each served on the Board for ten years. Gantcher has been a trustee since 1983, but since he was elected, trustees have been limited to two five-year terms. Four new trustees were also elected at the meeting. However, the new trustees will not be told that they have been considered until they are approved by both the Board and president Bacow, who then approaches the candidates and offers them to accept or decline the invitation. "We do this so people don't get disappointed," Trustees Secretary Linda Dixon said. The 37 trustees arrived on the morning of Friday, Oct. 31 to hold committee meetings. The audit committee met with both internal and external analysts to review the University's bookkeeping. The academic affairs committee divided into two groups, one for faculty issues and one for student issues. The faculty group met with the deans of the School of Arts, Sciences and Engineering (AS&E) to examine faculty salaries and teaching loads. The student group focused on AS&E graduate students, meeting with Dean of the Graduate School of A&S Robin Kanarek to address issues of graduate student housing, and visibility on campus. Graduate students "make great contributions but they need more recognition," Dixon said. The committee discussed offering more stipends and fellowships to attract top-caliber graduate students. The administration and finance committee met to begin examining the University's investments and endowment before considering the budget proposal at the February meeting. Trustees then attended a presentation by two Summer Scholars groups. Senior Tom Baran worked with professor Karen Panetta in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department last summer to research image compression. Senior Jennifer Cho worked with Dr. Cynthia Cole and Dr. Jim Hagadorn, from the School of Medicine, to examine blindness in premature infants. The University development committee met with Vice President for University Relations Mary Jeka to discuss the relationship with Medford and Somerville, including issues of new construction projects and payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs). Director of Alumni Relations Tim Brooks, Director of Career Services Jean Papalia, and Assistant Director of Career Services Leslie Warner then proposed the idea of career services for alumni. "They need career service help as much as students," Dixon said. Finally, the committee met with VP for University Advancement Brian Lee and VP for Information Technology Bruce Metz to discuss a new $7 million University information system, which is expected to be tested for the first time at the end of this year. The database will include students, alumni, professors, administrators, and donors. "Anyone in the world with a connection to Tufts will be in this system," Dixon said. That evening, the trustees gathered at Gifford House for a reception for Gantcher's departure. New Board chair James Stern announced that the trustees had contributed a total of $1.25 million to endow the Summer Scholars program in Gantcher's honor. The program gives students stipends to conduct research with faculty members over the summer. In its inaugural year, 30 students received the grant. Next year's program will expand by ten students and be renamed the Gantcher Scholars program. "[It is] a very attractive extra feature and makes Tufts enormously competitive" in the area of undergraduate research, Dixon said. The reception was followed by a dinner in honor of Gantcher at the Golden Temple Chinese restaurant in Brookline, Gantcher's favorite when he was growing up in Boston. The following day, the trustees traveled to Grafton to mark the 25th anniversary of the School of Veterinary Medicine. There, Bacow presented the first in a series of dashboards (reports that can give the University's financial, academic, and administrative situation at a glance) to the trustees. These dashboards were requested by the trustees at their March retreat. The trustees then undertook a complete review of the bylaws, a process that had not been attempted for over five years. Dixon said the bylaws were modified to reflect current practices. At the final meeting, the new trustees were elected and Stern was officially installed as chairman. Upon leaving the board, Budd, who was the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Travelers Corporation until his retirement in 1994, stressed the importance of viewing University achievements as collaborative efforts, rather than the successes of individual trustees. Budd hopes the Board will follow through on proposals made by last year's Task Force for the Undergraduate Experience. "There is work to be done on housing and work to be done on the next campaign to get our endowment per student a little more competitive than it is," he said. He also hopes more connections are made between Tufts' eight schools, "so that the University turns out to be greater than the sum of its parts." Along with Budd, Jaharis, Ducksworth, and Gantcher will be missed as they depart. Jaharis is now the Chairman of Kos Pharmaceuticals after serving as the CEO and President of Key Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The Jaharis Family Center for Biomedical and Nutrition Sciences on Tufts' Boston campus was named after his donation. Ducksworth is the Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Executive Director of Penguin Putnam, Inc. She has personally handled publishing for Tom Clancy, Amy Tan, Larry King, and Bill Cosby. Gantcher is currently the Co-Chairman, President, and CEO of Alpha Investment Management. Previously, he was the President, COO, and Co-CEO of Oppenheimer and Company, Inc. He was the Board of Trustees Chairman since 1995.

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