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The season that was (and yet wasn't)

November 4

The Red Sox ended the 2003 campaign with a 95-67 regular season record, the most victories for the franchise since it won the same amount in 1986. The Sox clinched the American League wild card, finishing six games behind the Yankees in the AL East, despite the most potent offense in the majors. This was, for the large part, due to an incredibly shaky bullpen for most of the season, and a sometimes inconsistent starting rotation. Nevertheless, the Sox came within five outs of their first World Series appearance since 1986, falling to the Yankees in seven fever-pitched (but in the end devastating) games. In this, the second of a two-part series, we look at the Red Sox pitching, and its offerings, both positive and negative, throughout the season. Pedro Martinez, RHP: Pitched two complete games, against the Twins on May 3 (1R, 12K) and Angels on August 6 (2R, 11K). Not so hot: The home opener against Baltimore (10ER in 4.1IP) wasn't as planned, and Petey's 11 no-decisions in 29 starts (with five blown saves by the bullpen) weren't pretty. Ugly: Pedro versus Don Zimmer. What is it with the Sox and clashes with baldheaded men (read: Damian Jackson and Gabe Kapler and their magnetism for collisions)? Postseason: Solid against Oakland, and looked good for seven innings against the Yankees in Game 7. "Pedro dominated this year, leading the league in ERA," freshman Sox fan Scott Sporn said. "But he seemed much more human because the bullpen blew so many games." Derek Lowe, RHP: Not much went right during the regular season, but he did finish off the Wild Card clincher. Not so hot: On the road; 6-5, 6.11ERA and a recurring 6th-inning blister. Ugly: Game 1 at Oakland--four walks, one surprise bunt, one man left shaking his head on the mound. Game 2 in New York (6ER) wasn't exactly hot either. Postseason: Two of the dirtiest strikeout pitches in history in Game 5 against the A's. Tim Wakefield, RHP: 16 of his 33 starts were six or more innings with three or fewer runs allowed. Also delayed Clemens' would-be 300th victory in the "300-Win Glove Game" at Steinbrenner's joint on May 26 in an 8-4 Sox win. Not so hot: Aug 26 against the Blue Jays at Fenway (7R, 3.1IP). Postseason: Beat the Yankees and Mussina twice and would have been a lock for ALCS MVP had the outcome been different. "Wakie was the MVP of the ALCS for the Red Sox without question," Sporn said. "He just didn't have his knuckler working in Game 7." John Burkett, RHP: Out dueled Bartolo Colon and the White Sox twice. On June 17 in a 7-4 Sox win he gave up four consecutive doubles and three runs in the first inning, then was brilliant, retiring 18 straight at one point. Also won on September 2, when Colon pitched a two-hit, compete game (both hits were homers). Not so hot: Versus Toronto: 0-2 in 3 starts, 18ER in 10.2 innings (15.88ERA). Also, 0.1IP, 7ER against Baltimore, Sept. 24. Ugly: Burkett in the first inning: 10.52 ERA; Burkett after the 1st inning: 4.14 ERA. Postseason: Solid in Game 4 against Oakland, until he was left in to start the 6th inning having tapped 94 pitches and several crates of Ibuprofen. Mike Timlin, RHP: The most consistent out of the bullpen all season. Ugly: Allowed the Jim Thome homer against Philly, blowing the win for Pedro on June 21, rather than pitching around him to get to the ever-slumping Pat Burrell. Postseason: 9.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 2BB, 11K. Allowed just 3 of 32 batters faced to reach base, including setting down the first 23. He also pitched three perfect innings in relief of Lowe versus Oakland in Game 3 to keep the score tied at 1-1. Alan Embree, LHP: Took awhile to find a groove, with a 9.00 April ERA, but then settled in with a 3.78 ERA the rest of the way. Postseason: 1-0, 0.00ERA in 6.2IP. Great, except for surrendering the game-tying hit at Oakland in Game 1. Scott Williamson, RHP: Ugly: A 6.20 ERA after trade to the Sox. Postseason: Turned it around with three saves against the Yankees, and overall went 2-0, 1.13 ERA in eight innings, 14Ks against Oakland and New York. Jeff Suppan, RHP: Shades of Johnny "Way Back" Wasdin: Before returning to Boston: 10-7, 3.57ERA, 11 homers in 141 innings for Pittsburgh. With Red Sox: 3-4, 5.57ERA, 12 homers in 63 innings. Casey Fossum, LHP: April 25 in Anaheim: seven innings, zero runs. Not so hot: Ate his own weight in Krispy Kreme over the winter, but still couldn't hit 170lbs soaking wet. Ugly: Everyone was ugly versus Toronto, but 19 runs in 18 innings? Byung-Hyun Kim, RHP: He did strike out Vernon Wells, Carlos Delgado and Eric Hinske, sandwiched around hitting Howie Clark to preserve an 8-7 Sox comeback victory on July 9 against the Jays, and solidified the pen with a 0.96ERA when they needed it in July. Ugly: 1-2, one save, 5.14ERA against the Yankees. His Fenway sign-language before Game 3 against Oakland wasn't endearing either. "Kim looked like he was always about to break into tears," freshman Henry Mayer said. "It was stupid to trade our best hitter against Mariano Rivera [Shea Hillenbrand] for him. [He wasn't even] on the postseason roster." Scott Sauerbeck, LHP: "Sauerkraut", a lefty specialist (.152), specialized in boosting righties' batting averages (.387). Also surrendered 18 walks in 16.2 IP. Bronson Arroyo, RHP: The International League Pitcher of the Year for the PawSox impressed in a brief Sox stint (2.08 ERA in 17.1IP). Brandon Lyon, RHP: Brilliant for the first month (1.98 April ERA), then was sent to Pittsburgh stamped "return to sender". What a way to feel welcomed. Todd Jones, RHP: Fu Manchu and budding Sporting News columnist. Enough said. Chad Fox, RHP: "As we all expected, Chad Fox finished the season with a World Series ring," sophomore Alex Maloney said. "There is no God." Ryan Rupe, RHP: Only a brief appearance, but at least there was one less Sox headhunter pitching for the D-Rays. Ramiro Men-blow-za (RHP), Rudy Seanez (RHP), Bruce Chen (LHP), Kevin Tolar (LHP), Robert Person (RHP), Jason Shiell (RHP), Steve Woodard (RHP): ...need we say more...? Grady Little, MGR: The positive: he let the players play their own game. The negative: he let the players play their own game. "Whenever they cut to Grady during the gamecast, I felt they should have been playing the banjo theme from Deliverance," Mayer said. "And he never seemed to think about the game." "It's unfortunate that Grady overdosed on crack at just the wrong time," Sporn added. Well, there's always next year...

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News

Somber crowd at LaFuente campaign

November 4

Defeated mayoral candidate Tony LaFuente addressed a disheartened crowd of supporters after his opponent Joe Curtatone won the hotly contested race that decided Somerville's leadership for the next two years. "Well, it wasn't meant to be this year," LaFuente told his backers from the stage at the function hall at Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church on Central St. in Somerville. "We have nothing to be ashamed of, this was a hell of a campaign," he said, before leaving to congratulate Curtatone. Curtatone won by a margin of 658 votes. 7,563 Somerville residents voted for Curtatone, 6,905 for Lafuente. Ward 6, which borders the Tufts campus, came out solidly for LaFuente. Results were announced throughout the evening by John L. Sullivan, LaFuente's campaign manager. "Somber crowd, here," said Sullivan, informing the crowd of the election results. After announcing Curtatone's win, Sullivan told LaFuente's visibly disappointed supporters, "We've sent a message to City Hall. We're not going away -- two years come fast." LaFuente and his family took the stage to a standing ovation and shouts of "Tony! Tony!" from the crowd. "I'm not disappointed," he said. "We have shaken this city. It will never be the same." LaFuente assured his supporters that he would return in two years. "For us, this is just the beginning." During his speech, LaFuente offered emotional thanks to his family and campaign workers, highlighting his achievements. LaFuente started before the primary with three percent name recognition and ended up one of the final two candidates. He attributed Curtatone's win to the "machine" that the Alderman had built, combining forces with former supporters of lame duck mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay. Voter turnout was "very high," according to Sullivan. "We matched the primary turnout by 5 p.m." Polls closed at 8 p.m. The assembled supporters were mostly families and friends of those who worked most closely with the Lafuente campaign. "I didn't want to vote against someone, I wanted to vote for someone," said Francine Mello, a Somerville resident who backed LaFuente. "I know he's a man of integrity," she said. "We're not going to hold our head low," a supporter shouted to LaFuente after he left the stage. Indeed, all aspects of the evening made it apparent that Lafuente's name would be on the ballot in 2005. "We're going to be watching for two years," Sullivan said as he and LaFuente left the hall to congratulate Curtatone.

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News

Boston rocks the vote

November 4

College was back in session for the democratic presidential nominees last night at CNN's "Rock the Vote." Held in Faneuil Hall last night, they fielded tough questions about what they were like as 20-year-olds, whether they'd ever smoked marijuana, and who they'd like to party with. In a town-hall style 90-minute debate, the candidates fielded questions from young voters and the show's host, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. Several Tufts students and alumni were in the audience, and over 50 others stayed outside to rally for their candidates or work inside as event staff. Focusing on job creation, civil rights, access to education, and the conflict in Iraq, Gov. Howard Dean, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Gen. Wesley Clark, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Sen. John Edwards, Sen. John Kerry, Rev. Al Sharpton and Congressman Dennis Kucinich tackled issues at the hearts of young voters. The tensest moments of the debate came in the beginning when a student asked frontrunner Dean about his comment in the Des Moines Register last week that he wants "to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks." Dean said he intended the comment to broaden the Democratic party's appeal to voters in the South who live in poverty, but consistently vote Republican. "If we don't reach out to every American we can't win," he said. "I've had enough of campaigns based on fear, I want a campaign based on hope." He nevertheless drew harsh criticism from Edwards and Sharpton who demanded he apologize for the comment, Dean spent the first six minutes of the debate defending himself. Students said they were surprised at the comments. "I was shocked by the way some of the candidates reacted to Howard Dean's comment about people who fly the confederate flag, and I was equally shocked by Gov. Dean's response," said Justin Krypel, a senior and treasurer of Tufts Democrats. "I personally think that is something he should apologize for, insulting our friends in the South." Krypel worked at the event. As usual for a "Rock the Vote" event, the evening was full of surprises. Clark said he opposed a trade embargo on Cuba and Kerry said he would have taken star Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez out of the game that cost the team the World Series. When asked about marijuana use, there was no talk of inhaling or not inhaling. Rather, Edwards, Kerry, and Dean admitted freely that they had used the illegal drug. Braun, however, took the fifth. Instead of the boxers or briefs question that revealed Clinton wore Boxers in the 1996 forum, a student from Brown University asked if the candidates used PC's or Macs. Most said they were PC users. Throughout the evening, Sharpton, and his slogan, "walking the talk," brought laughs from the crowd with his critiques of other candidates and Bush. "We believe in dreams, Mr. Bush believes in hallucinations," he said. Tufts students and alumni were some of the most vocal audience members. Senior Courtney Demesme-Anders from California asked the candidates how they would reach out to young people like her, and Greg Propper (LA '01) prompted the candidates to discuss Bush's cuts to Americorps. Alethea Pieters (LA '03), now a fiscal policy analyst, ended the evening by asking, of those present, who would be the best to party with. Though Sharpton said he'd like to party with Kerry's wife, Lieberman said he'd like to party with Pieters. Though senior Jackie Fields did not ask any questions, she sat in the second row, and said the event made her hopeful. "They were very lively and compassionate people who I knew very little about before attending the event, so I felt very honored to do something like that," she said. Fields was nominated to attend the event by Dean for Undergraduate Education James Glaser. Congressman Richard Gephardt was the only candidate who did not attend. Many students rallied outside of Faneuil hall before and after "Rock the Vote." Freshman Amy Helms, who rallied with Tufts Students for Dean, said she was excited for this event. "[Rock the Vote] is the one event that targets young student," she said. She said she was campaigning for Dean because she felt he "is the only candidate that speaks to our generation." Other students attended "watch parties" at nearby pubs, sponsored by the candidates, or held their own parties much closer to home. Boston was chosen to host this year's "Rock the Vote" because the winning candidate will return to Boston this July to receive the party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Yesterday morning the Convention Committee held a preparatory meeting targeted at young democrats to gear up for "Rock the Vote." A handful of Tufts students joined those from other local colleges and universities to discuss similar issues of unemployment, access to education, healthcare, and how to mobilize students on their campuses. Convention Chairman Terry McAuliffe urged students to "embrace" the issues, share them with other young voters, and most importantly, that, "the time to pull together is when we have a candidate." At age 33, McAuliffe himself is the youngest Democratic Convention Chairman in history. Krypel said this was another positive step by the Democratic committee in trying to reach out to the youth vote -- a vote that could be very important in the crowded primary. "Its great to get together with other college democratic leaders, and just hear ideas about how to get young people in this area involved," he said. "It was great to see the Boston convention committee reaching out to young people." As reflected by informal votes at this meeting, it appeared that candidates Kerry and Dean have been most effective at reaching out to college students, particularly with their youth-targeted website campaigns, Generation Dean and Students for Kerry. This outreach to the nation's youth comes in the wake of last week's Harvard Institute of Politics poll, which revealed that this year's youth vote is up for grabs more than ever before. The poll, which identified 31 percent of students as Republicans, 27 percent as Democrats, and 38 percent as Independent or unaffiliated, is reversing the adage that college voters are liberal voters. Though "Rock the Vote" mainly focused on the Democratic party, over half a dozen members of Tufts Republicans joined other local groups in rallying for Bush in front of Fanueil Hall. Phil Tsipman, Tufts Republicans president and a senior, said he thought the forum was a good way to put candidates on the spot about some of the issues, but criticized the organization for not appealing to all voters. "As far as the organization goes, I'm all for trying to get young people to register to vote," he said. "On the other hand [Rock the Vote is] kind of politically biased in the kind of stuff that they do." Established in 1990, "Rock the Vote" is a non-profit and non-partisan organization dedicated to engaging young people in the political process through the incorporation of youth culture. In addition to the "Rock the Vote" debates, the organization has created Street Team programs in urban centers distributed voter registration kits throughout the country. Last night's forum was aired live on CNN and simulcast on CNN Radio.

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News

Curtatone wins Somerville mayor race

November 4

Repeating his victory in September's preliminary election, Alderman at Large Joe Curtatone became the mayor of Somerville last night. Curtatone, an attorney by profession, won by a margin of 658 votes: 7,563 Somerville residents voted for him, while 6,905 cast ballots for his opponent, businessman Tony LaFuente. Curtatone took six of the seven wards, nearly all of the city's precincts, and his margin of victory was 283 more votes than in September's three way primary. "This was a big victory not for me but for Somerville itself," Curtatone said. "I will do everything in my power to carry my plans out and to earn the enormous trust the voters have placed in me." Curtatone supporters crowded the VFW Logan Post in Teele Square after the polls closed at 8 p.m. As results from the city's 21 precincts were announced one by one, each Curtatone victory sent the crowd into rapturous applause. After his victory was announced, the crowd of over 400 rose and started chanting "Joe! Joe! Joe!" "Can you feel it?" campaign worker Bob McWaters asked the audience, "We dig it." Curtatone arrived with his wife Nancy and infant son Cosmo at 9 p.m. In his victory speech, Curtatone said his election indicated that voters approved of his platform. "Today you voted for you real change," Curtatone said. "You voted to put Somerville back on the track. You voted to put Somerville back to work." Curtatone has called for immediate development of Assembly Square, the introduction of zero-based budgeting in city government, and a crackdown on absentee landlords. "They said I had too many plans, that I had too much substance," Curtatone said. "No one should underestimate the intelligence of Somerville voters." Curtatone repeatedly thanked his campaign workers and family for their support. Many city and state officials were in the audience, including Massachusetts State Senators Charlie Shannon and Ward 4 Alderman Maryann Heuston. "This election was won, make no mistake, because of the efforts of the people in this room," Curtatone said. In turn, McWaters presented Curtatone with a plaque holding a worn-out pair of shoes. The superstitious Curtatone knocked on every door in the city wearing the same pair, even after the soles wore. McWaters said that Curtatone's endless door-knocking -- he visited voters for six to eight hours each day as the election drew near -- carried him to victory. The emotional highpoint in the evening came when LaFuente arrived with his campaign advisers. After sharing a long embrace, the two addressed the audience and pledged continued cooperation. Despite personal attacks and conflicts that sometimes erupted, both candidates praised each other last night for their campaign etiquette. "This is the first time in a very, very long time, since the 17 years I've been here, that the mayoral candidates respected each other both during and after the election," LaFuente said. LaFuente said his defeat did not mark the end of his involvement in Somerville. "I am going to continue to live in this city, and I am going to make myself available to our new mayor," he said. Curtatone accepted his offer and encouraged LaFuente to meet with him. "I think he's a successful businessman and I think it's important to hear his ideas and for us to have open ended conversations," he said. In his speech, Curtatone said the city would need all the help it could get in coming months. He said the city would lose $2 million in state aid this year, a problem he blamed on President George W. Bush and Governor Mitt Romney. But despite the problems, Curtatone remained hopeful about Somerville. "I love this city," he said. "If we work together our best days are ahead." Curtatone called on all citizens to help the city solve its current problems. "We will find innovative ways to control costs and to increase development and receive the new income that comes with it," he said. Last night, Curtatone's supporters were already looking toward the future. "Right here we are starting getting ready for two years from now, when we re-elect Joe," McWaters told the crowd. For the next two months, Curtatone will work with outgoing Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay as the city transitions between administrations. Curtatone will be inaugurated Jan. 5.

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News

Weekend losses finish season

November 3

The 2003 campaign fizzled to an end for the field hockey team over the weekend, as the Jumbos lost 6-0 to the second seeded Bowdoin Polar Bears in the first round of the single-elimination NESCAC tournament on Sunday. This came after Tufts dropped its final regular season game to Colby 3-2 on Saturday in strokes. Following Saturday's heartbreaking loss, which came in a second round of strokes after 100 minutes of play, the Jumbo mood was brightened with news of Trinity's loss. The Bantam's loss secured the Jumbos' first postseason appearance in three years. The revelry could last only a night, however, as the postseason began and ended the next day for the Jumbos. Tufts was caught on the receiving end of the Polar Bears' six goal offensive explosion on Sunday in Maine. Bowdoin scored early and often, putting the Jumbos into a 2-0 rut 17 minutes into the first half. Polar Bear junior forward Colleen McDonald lit the spark for Bowdoin, finding the back of the net just 2:29 into the first half. The Bears would score twice more in the first frame, going up 3-0 at halftime on their way to the day's half dozen scores. Bowdoin junior forward Marissa O'Neill had three assists and a goal in the match, giving her 49 points on the year and breaking Bowdoin's previous school record of 46. She finished the season with 16 goals, her final coming on a corner less than five minutes into the second half on Sunday. Penalty corners were costly all day to the Jumbos, who found themselves on the wrong end of 12 Bowdoin corners, the first four of which the Polar Bears converted into goals. "The corners were a big problem for us today," sophomore midfielder Lea Napolitano said. "They scored those first two goals off corners, and that put us down early." The Polar Bears' fast-playing turf did not help the Jumbos' effort. Huskins Field in Medford is natural grass, and provides for a strikingly different game than the one played by Bowdoin, whose artificial surface increases ball speed and changes stick-work and passing patterns. "We played on turf today, which was hard because we hadn't played on turf in almost a month," Napolitano said. Fellow sophomore midfielder Erika Goodwin agreed. "I know we could've played better on the turf, it's just hard to do with less than 24 hours to mentally prepare for it, let alone physically prepare for it," Goodwin said of Tufts' uncertainty regarding Sunday's playing location. "They're a turf team, they play well on this fast surface and they passed the ball well to beat us." Had Tufts been victorious Saturday on Colby's sod, the Jumbos would have played on Sunday at Amherst on another natural surface. The Jumbos were far closer to winning at Colby on Saturday, in a hard-fought and tough match. "Our whole team played really well, both our teams were very evenly matched," senior co-captain Kelly Sarson said. "It was another heartbreaker, because once again we were playing so well." Tufts jumped out to an early lead on Saturday, with junior forward Jennie Sachs flipping a shot past the goalie 17:30 into the game for the score on an assist by junior midfielder Dana Panzer. Napolitano, the team's leading scorer, added the second Tufts goal less than three minutes later past the pads of Mule goalkeeper Jess Laniewski. Panzer once again provided a solid defensive front for the Jumbos, after containing NESCAC scoring leader junior forward Wendy Bonner to just one goal in all of regulation and both overtime periods. It was the second consecutive game that the Jumbos called upon Panzer to defend against their opponents' star. Senior goalkeeper Julie Jackson had another impressive day in front of the net, saving a season-high 15 shots.

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News

Espresso's overcharging students for using points

November 3

Espresso's Pizzeria on Boston Ave. has been consistently overcharging students using the points system, freshman Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senator Zach Landau revealed at this past Sunday's senate meeting. "No business on Meals on Points (MOPS) is allowed to charge extra for using points," he said. Nevertheless, Espresso's has been adding on a 15 percent surcharge to all orders if a student uses points to pay there. According to Director of Dining Services Patti Lee Klos, this is in direct violation of their contract. "They know that they shouldn't be doing that," Klos said. Espresso's declined to comment on the matter, awaiting an outcome. Despite the fact that Espresso's has received various warnings in the last several months to stop this practice, it has apparently refused to do so. Several Tufts students have complained about the surcharge to Dining Services since the beginning of the term. Landau discovered the additional surcharge in mid-October, and he has been pressing Klos to take stronger action ever since. "I believe at this point she is planning on contacting the manager," he said. It was brought to his attention by Tufts students who are employed at Espresso's. "As a patron, I will not go back until the charge is dropped from their billing, and then only after seeing an apology of some sort," Landau said. Freshman Christopher Duerrmeier was shocked to hear that Espresso's was overcharging its student patrons. "It just seemed like such a convenient way to get food," he said. "I can't believe that a business that relies so heavily on Tufts students for business would do such a thing to us. I refuse to go back until they've stopped swindling us," Duerrmeier said. Many students echo Duerrmeier's sentiments and some plan to boycott Espresso's until changes in the policy are made. Klos plans to set up a meeting with the manager of Espresso's. "I think that if this is a violation of their contract, we would have a right to terminate the contract, but I hope that it doesn't come to that," Landau said. TCU President Chike Aguh condemned Espresso's secretive actions. "Espresso's is a popular restaurant for students on campus but their popularity, no matter how great, does not allow them to charge Tufts students 15 percent extra because they are using points," he said. There are three other local businesses that have contracts with Tufts that enable students to pay for food using their Tufts ID cards -- Panda Palace, Pizzeria Roma, and Wing Works. Although they are allowed to add a delivery charge to a student's bill and change menus without notice, the contract states that no charge can be added for the simple act of using points as payment. TCU Treasurer Josh Belkin fears that Espresso's overcharging might have a negative impact on the MOPS program as a whole. "Obviously, if this increase is sustained, I wouldn't be surprised to see a drop off in both points transactions and overall patronage with Espressos," he said. Belkin added that "charging more reduces the incentive to use the convenience of points, and I feel they are taking advantage of students because many see points not as 'real money.'" Though the future relationship between Tufts and Espresso's is still unclear, Landau remains optimistic for a quick, painless end to the problem. "I would like to see the problem resolved in a way that allows us to keep Espressos, minus the 15 percent fee," he said.

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News

Wasfur ein schooner bart!

November 3

They come from the UK, Germany, Italy, the US, Norway, Sweden, Mexico, and China. They play for teams like the Den Norske Mustachclub, the Handlebar Club, the Hong Kong Harriers, and the Kurpfalzischer Bartclub. They are the few, the proud -- the bearded and mustached. And they gathered this past Saturday in Carson City, Nev. for the World Beard and Mustache Championships. Competing in 17 different divisions -- from Musketeer to Imperial to Fu Manchu -- hundreds of contestants strutted their fluff in front of celebrity judges like Carson City Mayor Ray Masayko and Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah Agosti. With trampolining and speed walking already Olympic sports, making the definition of sports wider than a Patriots lineman in July, there doesn't seem to be any reason why bearding and mustaching can't be next. The competitions are organized by beard and mustache clubs in the host country. This year's worlds were organized by Phil Olsen from Tahoe City, Calif., the first time the competition has been held outside of Europe since the inaugural games in the H?¶fen/Enz village in Germany in 1990. Olsen first got involved with beards and beard competitions when he competed at the 1999 games in Ystad, Sweden. Fellow contestants urged him to organize a competition in the US. Stone Roberts, who had decided to make a documentary about the Carson City competition for FireLight Films after seeing photos of what looked like Santa Claus and his buddies on a flyer at the post office, was given the job of media relations coordinator. "I wasn't a beard enthusiast by any means," Roberts told me, "but this was too good to be true. "Have you seen those photos?" he continued. "It's like Christopher Guest meets Fear and Loathing." Olsen requested that Roberts not shave for the two months that the documentary was in production. "I'm ready to take this thing off my face," Roberts said. His first priority was the film, however. "As a filmmaker, you've got to kind of become part of the story." Still, you might say, "Even speed walkers have to be in relatively good physical condition, but the dudes over in Geislingen in the Schabischer Bartclub just have to lay off the razor for a few weeks and they're world champions." Wrong. Not only do beard and mustache competitors risk getting their peach fuzz caught in power equipment (true story), but they were required to march with their team members, carrying their country's flag, in the Nevada Day parade before the competition. Because the World's are only held every two years, the (ahem) athletes have to train in between by attending local competitions at town fairs and the annual European Championships and German Championships. Olsen spends very little time managing his beard except for on game day, but he said the competitors with elaborate freestyle beards "might take up to an hour every morning" to keep it in shape. Personally, if I spent an hour every morning messing with my face, I'd want a lot more than a trophy and a tour of Virginia City. The participants, at least the European ones, also meet regularly with their clubs. The Handelbar Club, one of the most prestigious of the British teams, meets weekly at the Windsor Castle pub in London. From its inception in 1947, "The object of the Club was, and still is, to bring together moustache wearers (beards being strictly prohibited) socially for sport and general conviviality," according to the club's website. Olsen, who classifies his beard as a Garibaldi, said he doesn't expect the world championships to inspire a beard community in the US. "There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of interest," he told me. "There's something social about Europe -- there seem to be clubs for everything." However, there are Americans besides Olsen and Alaskan native Dave Treaver, who placed third in best in show in Carson City, who support beard and mustache awareness. The National Beard Registry, for example, lets beard wearers in the US register their mug online. Their website reads: "The National Beard Registry has been established to encourage men in all walks of life, from every continent, to resist conformity, corporate culture, and androgyny by embracing the beautiful, unique and utterly personal habit of growing a full beard." So guys, think twice the next time you reach for that Bic. After all, who's more famous, you, the freshman from Long Island with a little stubble on his chin, or Karl Heinz Hille from Berlin, the best in show winner at the World Championships?

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News

Comparison of the Prices of College Food Staple Items

November 3

Jumbo Stop & Shop Foodmaster Shaws/ Express Star Market Liter of Brand Soda $1.84 $0.99 $1.49 $0.66 Box of 8 Pop Tarts 2.54 1.99 1.99 1.79 Box of Easy Mac 3.99 3.29 -- 2.79 Tostitos 3.29 3.29 3.29 3.29 Tostitos Brand Salsa 2.99 2.89 2.89 2.59 -Compiled by Sydne Summer

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News

Bacow's approval rating drops over last eight months

November 3

A Daily poll showed President Larry Bacow's student support has slipped over the past eight months. In addition, students have noticed a downturn of social life compared to last year. The Daily polled 295 students, randomly selected during the open block last Wednesday. Polling locations were at the campus center, both dining halls, Brown and Brew, Tisch library, and the Eaton Computer Lab. The margin of error is approximately 5.1 percent. Survey respondents were asked to rate a number of campus and national issues. Their responses were on a scale one to five. The numbers corresponded respectively to a response of "strongly disagree," "somewhat disagree," "neither approve nor disapprove," "somewhat agree," and finally a five ranking as "strongly agree." Compared to a Daily poll from March of last academic year, Bacow has seen a general downward shift in support. 22 percent of the campus disapproves of Bacow's performance and 33 percent approves. 44 percent neither approves nor disapproves. At the margins, Tufts has also seen a shift. While 14 percent of the campus said they "strongly approved" of Bacow's job performance in March, only three percent did so last week. The number of people "strongly disapproving" of Bacow's job performance also nearly doubled to six percent of the campus. That change is, however, within the poll's margin of error. In addition to Bacow losing student support there was a clear criticism of campus social life. When upperclassmen were asked how they viewed campus social life compared to previous years students responded by rating it an average of 1.8. That response is between "somewhat disagreeing" and "strongly disagreeing" that the campus social scene has improved since last year. Again, there was a male-female split as more than 50 percent of males strongly disagreed. Conversely, just over 40 percent of females did the same. As a whole, 73 percent of the student body disagreed with the statement that social life has improved. Though the poll cannot show causal factors of survey responses, sophomore Rebekah Seabury feels that this split may be due to Greek life. "Guys are much more critical of the policy because fraternities are much bigger here than sororities" Similar results were found in the alcohol policy. Almost 61 percent of males disagreed with the school alcohol policy, and 54 percent of females did. The difference lied in degree. Of those who disagreed 40 percent of males strongly disagreed while only 16 percent of females strongly disagreed. Sophomore Ben Alexander said the overall social policy drop is a reflection of multiple factors. "Between the stricter alcohol policy and the crackdown on Greek life, it is no wonder that students are becoming increasingly frustrated with the monotonous social life on campus." When asked about student outreach from the administration students were relatively indifferent. The distribution was close to normal with more than 40 percent of students indifferent. However off-campus students feel less of an outreach as they rated this aspect of administrative policy at a 2.6. Junior Jordan Edwards, who lives off campus, did not miss Tufts oversight. "I would prefer the University left me alone. Outreach is overrated," she said. The smoking policy, another change for this year was better received than the new alcohol policy. In terms of quality of life 55 percent of students felt the smoking ban improved dorm life. This falls in line with the results from last year when more than sixty percent of students supported to some extent the banning of smoking in dorms. But Sophomore Derek Fehrer said the smoking ban is obtrusive. "There was never a problem before with smoking in the dorms. Most smokers would go outside anyways. This only inconveniences the smokers while improving life for no one." However, as with before, there was again a male-female disparity. 26 percent of males disagreed while only 8 percent of females did. The final question concerning campus policy was on graduate student unionization. A significant portion of the respondents were unaware of this initiative, and most were indifferent with 64 percent of students saying they neither disapproved nor approved. Additionally, the survey included questions about national policy. The resounding majority of students disapproved of Bush's actions in Iraq. Almost 40 percent of students gave him a one. However, between men and women, 75 percent of women disapproved of his actions while only 58% of men did so. Only 15 percent of students approved of his actions.

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News

BBC's The Office finally comes stateside

November 3

A mere twelve episodes of The Office had aired on the BBC in 2001 when the show's co-creator and star, Ricky Gervais, chose to end the series at the height of its popularity in Britain, before the comedy even had a chance to reach American shores. Fortunately, thanks to the recent release of a DVD with the show's first six episodes and a run of the remaining six on BBC America, those of us in the States will finally have an opportunity to see Gervais's brilliant, inconceivably funny television series. As its name suggests, the action of The Office centers on the anonymous, cubicled confines of the corporate workplace. Specifically, the show takes place in the dreary London suburb of Slough, home of paper wholesaler "Wernham Hogg, Inc." and the denizens of the company's office. David Brent, played by Gervais himself, runs the front office of one of the paper merchant's two branches. The focal point of the show, Brent is a woefully incompetent supervisor, more concerned with winning over his employees with humor than actually managing his department. Brent's dopey, loyal-to-the-end assistant is Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook). Keenan's bizarre attitude and quick but harmless temper provides comic fodder for Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman), a listless, dissatisfied college dropout and the show's straight man, and Dawn Tinsley (Lucy Davis) his love interest as well as the office's receptionist. Although The Office mines the same white-collar disillusionment and corporate absurdity as the Comedy Central classic Office Space, the show's real humor doesn't lie with its pointed observations on life in the cubicle, but rather, with the character of David Brent. The standard gags like photocopier breakdowns and hot coffee scaldings are left to Dilbert strips here, as they serve simply as a backdrop for Brent and his idiocy. With Brent, Gervais has created a character that is as unlikable as he is unfunny. Brent is a hypocrite and a liar, an egoist and an unregenerate misogynist, a fake and a tyrant. He promises his workers that they will not be fired in an upcoming downsizing but is quick to sell them out when offered a promotion. Obsessed with being the center of attention, he hijacks a motivational speaker's training seminar to play some of his songs on acoustic guitar. He is, in the words of many of his superiors and underlings, "a sad little man." The humor of The Office is aimed squarely at Brent himself, in particular his terrible sense of humor. In fact, Brent's jokes are so painfully unfunny and clumsy that they inevitably lead to a moment of awkward silence as he bares his teeth in an embarrassed grimace, self-consciously smoothes his tie, and quietly walks away from his co-workers' disbelieving stares. Where The Simpsons relies on sight gags and parodies, and Seinfeld on its characters' pathetic and conniving personalities, The Office utilizes awkward moments as its comedic fodder. The show is at its funniest when Brent's jokes go horribly awry and everything screeches to a deadening halt. During these moments, viewers are just as likely to feel extremely uncomfortable, as they are to laugh out loud. Gervais has made Brent so unappealing that it's hard to believe someone this terrible, this inept could even exist. Yet, by the end of each episode, Gervais has us convinced that there are not only a couple David Brents in the world but that we know one or two ourselves. It's Gervais's insistence on playing everything straight-to shoot the show as if it were a documentary about a real office, and to forego without a laugh track-that gives the show its real brilliance, its ability to strike a balance between the banal and the hysterical, the awkward and the hilarious. Ultimately, The Office is concerned with deconstructing the idea of humor itself. Every episode questions what is and isn't funny; from the practical jokes Tim plays on Gareth to Brent's pontificating on politically correct humor in the workplace. Somehow these questions seem appropriate for a show that isn't funny in any traditional sense but rather shows just how funny the unfunny can really be.

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News

Changes to econ major in the works

November 3

Current freshmen considering a major in economics may be subject to a different set of requirements from current declared majors. The economics department is undergoing discussions regarding three potential changes to the economics major requirements. "We just feel that it has been a long time since we reviewed the major in a comprehensive way," department chair Gilbert Metcalf said. "We think it is worth taking a look to see if there are ways to improve what we do." One change that has been discussed is the proposal to combine Economics 1 and 2 into a one-course survey. "Among other things, this will make it easier for students to sample the discipline," Metcalf said. A second proposed change is to require seniors to either take a seminar course or conduct research. While a half-credit course for seniors who are writing an honors thesis has already been instituted, the development of a seminar course as part of the curriculum is still under discussion. The third possible change is the addition of the current elective course econometrics to the core major requirements. Economics Professor Henry Kim predicted that students may have the greatest problem with this alteration. "I mentioned the idea to a few of my students," he said. "Some responded that despite not wanting to take the course, they wouldn't change their major because of the new requirements. Others, however, were more wary." Econometrics is currently a requirement for quantitative economics majors only, and it is known by economics students as a difficult course. "It's one of the more challenging classes I've taken in the econ department," senior quantitative economics major Andrea Burrell said. "I can see why a non-quantitative econ major might be apprehensive about taking it." However, Metcalf believes the added challenge is worthwhile. "Quantitative skills are highly prized when employers look at econ majors," Metcalf said. "Improved econometrics skills will enhance quantitative skills more generally." Kim said that nearly half of the economics departments in the country require econometrics as a core course for economics majors, and that the addition would boost the reputation of the department. "The average quality of econ majors is actually decreasing," he said. "It's not up to the level that we expect." Kim attributed the lower quality to the increased number of economics majors over the past few years. "The number of Econ majors over the past five or six years has doubled," Kim said. "We have too many econ majors." With the proposed requirements, Kim feels the department is moving in a better direction. The changes will not go into effect until proposals are finalized and taken to the appropriate committees of faculty and administration members for approval. The entire process could take up to two years. Students who have already declared a major in economics before the changes are instituted will not be subject to the new requirements. "Whenever we make changes, we generally grandfather existing majors," Metcalf said. "In other words, current majors are subject to the rules in effect when they declared their majors." Regardless of the department's decision, both Metcalf and Kim are confident that the process of re-examining the economics major is beneficial. "We feel that it is important to ask ourselves continually whether the majors we offer are designed to be as effective as they can be in the teaching of economics to Tufts undergraduates," Metcalf said.

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News

Team falls in playoffs to Middlebury

November 3

The men's soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs at Middlebury on Sunday. After beating Colby on Saturday to earn the fifth seed in the NESCAC tournament, Tufts had high hopes and momentum going into the match. But the Jumbos' date with Wesleyan in the second round was not to be as sloppy conditions and officiating left tempers flaring and Tufts defeated by one goal. "It was a rough way to end the season," senior quad-captain Jesse Dinner said. "We were very disappointed after the work we did on Saturday to win the fifth seed." Tufts' most disappointing moment of the game came in the final minute. Senior quad-captain Mike Blea took a cross from the outside and jumped up evenly with Middlebury goalie Craig Hirsh in an attempt to head the ball into the net. The wet, slippery ball squirted out of Hirsh's hands and into the goal. The Jumbos celebrated as it appeared they had tied the game and would be heading to overtime. The line judge signaled the goal counted and the scoreboard changed. However, the center referee disallowed the goal a few minutes later and called a foul on Blea for making contact with the keeper. Middlebury was awarded a free kick and ran out the clock sending the shocked Jumbos home for the season. "The seniors were crushed," Dinner said. "It was a solid performance from everyone. [We] played with a lot of passion." Emotions ran high throughout the match. It seemed that the bad blood from Tufts' Oct. 25 loss to the Panthers continued to seethe in both teams' veins as multiple cards and penalties were assessed. With the rain causing more slide tackles and shoddy ball handling, physical play intensified nearly to the breaking point. "It was as heated if not more than the last game," Dinner said. "There were lots of cards and scuffles." Middlebury scored the only goal of the match early in the second half. Middlebury forward Jason Griffiths and Tufts goalie, junior Matt Sullivan both leapt up to get a corner kick. Sullivan initially knocked the ball out of the goal, but Griffiths was there for the rebound and drilled a low shot into the lower left side of the goal. Going into the second half, Tufts still felt very much in the game. "We felt like we could come back for sure," Dinner said. "[Middlebury] started sitting [back] in the second half. We carried play and [possessed] the ball, but we were not dangerous enough." Though Tufts did drive deep into the Middlebury zone throughout the second frame, the team could not put together pass combinations to create strong scoring opportunities. As has been the case for most of the season, Tufts had trouble finishing on Sunday. Middlebury, on the other hand, took 24 shots to Tufts' seven. The Panthers pounded in from outside the 18 yard line, but were held to just one goal thanks to Sullivan and the weather. "[Middlebury] took a lot of long shots from about 35 yards out," Dinner said. "15 of those were not even a threat to our goal; the numbers are a little deceiving." Tufts saw strong performances from its back four defenders amidst the barrage of Middlebury long balls. Sullivan also made several acrobatic saves in the second half to keep Tufts in the game. This loss eliminates the Jumbos from the NESCAC championship tournament in the first round for the second year in a row. Last year, the team lost to Amherst 2-1 to end its season.

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News

Somerville, Medford to vote today

November 3

Voters both on and off campus will head to the polls today to cast ballots in several unpredictable local elections. Drawing most of the attention for the last two months has been the Somerville mayoral election, where Alderman-at-large Joe Curtatone is running against political newcomer Tony LaFuente. The candidates have spent nearly a quarter of a million dollars combined and have blanketed the city with ads for weeks. Both candidates have spent the last week trying to reach as many voters in the town as possible. Curtatone has spent hours knocking on doors, and LaFuente has driven through the city with a band on a "Trolley Tour." Local officials have declared the race to be a dead heat, and supporters have been out in force trying to persuade voters. In an informal survey conducted yesterday of likely voters, many had not definitely decided who to vote for. A Birmingham Street resident who did not wish to be identified said she was leaning toward LaFuente. "Curtatone was in with Dorothy Kelly Gay. I think he may have many of her ideas," she said. "Taxes, sewer bills went up, and if he supported her, he might do it again." However, she said she had not yet made up her mind and was reading literature handed out by both campaigns. Junior Carly Baruh, who is registered to vote in Somerville, said that other than pamphlets, neither of the mayoral candidates tried to engage Tufts student voters. "I'm not aware of any effort they made to inform Tufts students particularly about their campaigns," she said. "[They] treated us more as a body of people who probably wouldn't vote in the election anyway." In other elections, Ward 7 Alderman Candidate Marty Martinez (LA '01) was confident about his chances in the election. "The last couple weeks we've had so many more people turn out and make phone calls," he said. "The support and is really there and I'm pretty positive there is going to be a new alderman tomorrow." The Tufts alumnus is running against current Alderman Robert Trane in a close race. The Somerville Journal has endorsed Martinez. The flurry of activity in Somerville contrasts with Medford, where Mayor Michael McGlynn seems poised to win a ninth term. His opponent, Patrick Fiorello, has already lost three times, and has not gained any major endorsements. Both mayors will soon resume negotiations with Tufts for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) in exchange for municipal services. The University suspended negotiations until the new Sophia Gordon Residence Hall is approved by the Somerville Historical Commission. Curtatone has supported the PILOT as a new stream of revenue, while McGlynn and LaFuente said they would accept other forms of contributions. Linkage payments, donations to the schools, and developing business have been suggested as possible ways to reimburse the communities for services. The Daily distributed a survey, along with the Tufts Democrats and Tufts Republicans, to Alderman and City Council candidates to comment about issues relating to the University. Only two Medford and one Somerville candidate responded, but their opinions on PILOTS varied widely. Medford City Council Vice President James DiGiacomo said he is not in favor of PILOTS. "I feel that students pay enough for tuition and fees and other expenses and I would not want to add another burden on them," he said. "If there is a plan to pay the city I think that the students would be the ones to take the hit." Stephanie Burke, who is also on the Medford City Council, disagreed. "I believe that there is so much more than dollars that the Tufts community can and has offered to the citizens of Medford," she said. "There is a wealth of knowledge up on the Hill and I believe that the City and Tufts should work cooperatively to assist each other whenever possible." To be eligible to vote, students need to reside in the community and have registered last month to qualify for this election. Polling locations can be found at www.medford.org for Medford and www.ci.somerville.ma.us for Somerville. Polls close at 8 p.m.

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News

The season that was (and wasn't)

November 3

The 2003 Boston Red Sox season featured many dramatics and heartbreaks, surprises and disappointments. The Sox roller coaster saw the team lead the American League in victories in its last at-bat (23), one-run games (26), and extra innings (11). The Sox also led the majors in 15 offensive categories, including setting a new major league record for slugging (.491), eclipsing the longstanding .488 mark of the 1927 Yankees. But despite the team's often-supernatural accomplishments at the plate, the pitching was a continuous thorn in the Boston jersey, with a bullpen as unreliable as Boston's parking for much of the season. The bullpen posted a 4.87 ERA, third-highest in the majors, blowing 21 saves and causing nightly anxiety attacks throughout the Northeast. This two-part series looks at just some of the key contributions, both good and bad, by the members of the 2003 Red Sox. Today we look at the offense, and tomorrow pitching. Jason Varitek, C: Was clutch during the regular season, homering eight times and knocking in 65 runs with men in scoring position while being one of the best behind the plate. Tek's ALCS Game 6 solo shot off the Yankees' Andy Pettitte into the third level upper deck in left tied the game and led to a four-run inning. He also beat out a pinch-hit fielder's choice grounder in Game 4 at Fenway to drive in Kevin Millar with the eventual winning run. Kevin Millar, 1B/DH/OF: Began his Sox career with a blast, launching a 16th-inning game-winner against the Devil Rays in game two of the season, and made just four errors at first base in 101 games. He had a disappointing second half, however, batting just .251. Mr. Springsteen also somehow managed -- all in the space of six months -- to breach copyright, sport a mullet, cornrows, and be bald, be fu manchued, and turn Fenway into a rodeo ring. Todd Walker, 2B: His three-run, game-tying homer on a full count with two outs in the ninth off of Baltimore's Jorge Julio on September 23 provided one of the most dramatic Fenway moments all season. Not so hot: Batted .210 in July and August, dropping his average to .273, but responded with a .347 September. Postseason: Was clutch all postseason (five homers, .349 average, .767 slugging), including the infamous "Ed Hillel: Objective Yankee Fan" Game 1 homer. "Walker was the most consistent batter in the playoffs, but despite two great plays in Game 7, his defense is shaky," freshman Sox diehard Scott Sporn said. "But his clutch performances should help him be re-signed." Nomar Garciaparra, SS: Went six-for-six in a 13-inning Philadelphia tragedy, the first Sox player since Rem-Dawg in 1981 with a six-hitter. His four-for-six Father's Day show against Houston included three doubles, a triple and a sacrifice bunt to move Walker into scoring position for Manny Ramirez's game-winner. "Nomah" also tied the game in both the ninth and tenth innings against the Cardinals on June 12 in an eventual 13-inning Sox loss, and hit a walk-off homer off Toronto's Cliff Politte on April 20. Ugly: His entire September (.170) and most of October was abysmal. Bill Mueller, 3B: The first player in Major League history with a grand slam from both sides of the plate in one game, homering three times on July 29 against the Rangers. Mueller also somehow won the American League batting title (.326), despite a career .286 average entering the 2003 campaign. Also flashed some leather at third. Postseason: Batted .174 with 11 strikeouts... Manny Ramirez, LF: Had the game-winning hit in the 14th against Houston on Father's Day, and hit a game-tying solo shot leading off the ninth against Oakland's Keith Foulke on Aug. 14. Also showed some agility in the field in the Bronx in September, playing left field like a pro who cared. The Ugly: 0-7 against the Phillies on Nomar's six-hit night. Not even Jeremy Giambi could manage that. Manny's August Saturday night date with Enrique Wilson and a pack of Strepsils was hard to swallow too. Johnny Damon, CF: Hit .293 after the All-Star break, and his leaping, scoreboard-banging catch of Angel Adam Kennedy's drive against the Monster on Aug. 6 sweetened Pedro's victory. The Sox were also 53-24 when he scored. Not so hot: First half -- Johnny, where did you go? Damon was hitting .260 at the All-Star break. Ugly: The mullet, the (lack of an) outfield arm, and the Damon versus lil' D. Jackson clash, uglier than a Mike Tyson fight. Trot Nixon, RF: "Dirt Dog's" grand slam against Philly on Sept. 1 sparked the Sox to a 17-9 September, and he was clutch throughout the season, finishing fifth in the AL in slugging (.578). Anyone else care to give up chewin' dip? But Nixon was hampered by a September calf injury. Postseason: Four key homers, but his Game 3 walk-off shot against Oakland capped them all. David Ortiz, DH/1B: "Mini-Mo" had a pinch-hit, game-winning single against the Yankees' Armando Benitez with two outs in the ninth off the Monster, and also launched the game-winning blast against Baltimore in the tenth after Walker's equalizer. Ortiz carried the team with 21 second-half homers, sixth most post-All-Star game, and 55 RBI. He also hit two go-ahead homers against Chicago on Sept. 3, including the tenth inning game-winner. He should have played all season, but killed the Yankees (.327, 6 HR, 14 RBI during regular season, including 4 homers in two July games). Postseason: His Game Four two-run double against Oakland was key. "David Ortiz played as well as any MVP has in the last month of the season," sophomore fan Alex Maloney said. Doug Mirabelli, C: His homer off Toronto's Roy Halladay on July 8 kept the Sox in the game until Varitek delivered the game-winner in the 11th. Does as good a job as anyone catching the knuckler. Damian Jackson, IF/OF: Solid off the bench, but three errors versus Baltimore on September 25 behind Lowe were ugly. Roughed up Damon with his polished noggin' too. Gabe Kapler, OF: First two games for Boston were as unbelievable as his forearms: 7-9, 2 homers, 7 RBI, 1.889 slugging, .778 on-base. Also batted .320 in eight September starts for Trot, but had an affinity for nearly steamrolling every Sox fielder at some point. Lou Merloni, IF: Just hearing "Louuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" echo through Fenway again was worth trading for him. Jeremy Giambi, IF/OF: MIA all season with a .197 average and 42 strikeouts in 127 at-bats--ouch--but his single and first career steal in the ninth versus the Pinstripes set the stage for Ortiz. Adrian Brown and Dave McCarty: Brief stints, but Brown became the first Sox pinch runner ever to steal two consecutive bases in a game, and McCarty had a two-run pinch-hit double off Mo Rivera at Fenway on Aug. 30. Shea Hillenbrand, 3B/1B: Left Boston and claimed it lacked veteran presence. Arrived in Arizona amongst the likes of Randy Johnson (40), Mark Grace (39), Steve Finley (38), Curt Schilling (36) and Luis Gonzalez (36), and displaced Matt Williams (37). How veteran could you get, Shea? Tomorrow, we highlight the Sox pitching staff.

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News

Commenting on candy

November 3

So Halloween has come and gone again. What a crazy weekend of costumes, parties, and very heavy binging. On candy. Having consumed at least a pillowcase full of fun-size treats, I feel sufficiently ill. I also feel strangely powerful. With this amount of sugar comes certain knowledge. I would have to confess, that after almost two decades of Halloween experience, I have become a candy connoisseur. Therefore, in the following paragraphs, I will graciously provide a candy review: an analysis and criticism of the most popular trick-or-treat goodies. Butterfinger: Described by their label as "crispety, crunchety, peanut-buttery!" these candy bars try hard to live up to their claim. Milk chocolate enrobes a core of -- what exactly is it? Crystallized peanut butter? The consistency resembles flaky English toffee, but the taste is reminiscent of peanut brittle. Though decidedly delicious, consumers beware: this crunchy candy will stick to your teeth like sealants. Grade: A Milky Way: Not one of my favorite candy bars in the least, though at least the addition of caramel makes the Milky Way an improvement on Three Musketeers. In my opinion, nougat should only be used to package fragile objects. It is just fluffy filler, like all those unnecessary paragraphs I use to make my papers longer. Get rid of it, and you are left with a better product. Grade: C- Reeses: Classic. Reeses depart from the traditional candy bar mold (pun only slightly intended) in assuming a circular nature. Though not exactly peanut butter "cups," per se, these creamy discs of milk chocolate and peanut butter are satisfyingly simple. Hardly a better taste combination exists than the pairing of these two essential ingredients. Grade: A+ Twix: By arriving as a pair, this candy has the advantage of extended enjoyment. Distinct in the inclusion of a "cookie," Twix corners the market on chocolate-covered shortbread. A Twix bar's most redeeming quality, however, is the sticky caramel that stretches out with every bite and extends the gap between mouth and remaining candy bar. The only improvement would have to be in the cookie itself, which is slightly dry and chalky. Grade: B+ Almond Joy: For those of us who enjoy coconut, this candy is quite a treat. One of the richest candy bars I know, Almond Joys are too sweet to be consumed in mass quantities. They are externally distinguishable by the whole almonds that line the top of the candy bar, vertebrae-like. Although a little large and disconcerting for those accustomed to peanuts in candy bars, these nuts add additional crunch and flavor. Grade: A- Twizzlers: I realize that I might be alone on this one, but I just do not find Twizzlers to be appetizing in the least. They taste like strawberry-scented candle wax. The Pull-and-Peel variety is slightly better, and the Twist-and-Fills are actually pretty good. But classic Twizzlers just do not make the cut. They were always the first items I traded away as a kid. To me, a Twizzler is only useful as a means to other, more delicious, candy. Grade: D- M&Ms: Although I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate (why is it that no one has produced dark chocolate M&Ms?) I do enjoy the occasional bag of M&Ms. I primarily use M&Ms as fun chocolate. Their small size and hard-candy coating make them quite effective as poker chips. M&Ms also make excellent projectiles for the classic game of try-to-throw-candy-towards-my-mouth-and-see-if-I-can-catch-it. Grade: B+ BlowPops: While I would much rather have a Tootsie Roll Pop than a BlowPop, they are both enjoyable suckers. The bonus treat of bubblegum at the core is always exciting, although it requires patience not to just bite straight into the gum. Admittedly, gum lasts longer than a Tootsie Roll center, but BlowPop gum itself is not really of great quality. Overall, this is a decent trick-or-treat goody, but not one of my favorites. Grade: C+ Tootsie Rolls: An absolutely essential Halloween candy, these "bite-size midgees" are sweet and chewy and perfect. However, I have always been a little unclear about the intended flavor of a Tootsie Roll. What exactly are they supposed to taste like? Chocolate? It isn't very fudge-y, but I enjoy this candy immensely. Sometimes I like the long skinny ones, sometimes the short and stout ones. Good thing they come in all shapes and sizes. Grade: A In general, Halloween is a great holiday. In my opinion, no one is ever too old to go trick-or-treating, and no one is ever too old to pig out on a whole cache of mass-produced novelty goodies. Just one thing to keep in mind: when you start handing out treats yourself, don't be "those people". You know, the ones that hand out raisins, or toothbrushes, or religious pamphlets. All the cool kids will just skip your house. We want candy. Sean Pezzini is a freshman with an undeclared major

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Student tracking system to cost foreign students extra money

November 3

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that a new fee of $100 will be collected from international students and visiting scholars for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS falls into the effort of the federal government since Sept 11, 2001 to create new systems to better track foreign visitors as a means of terrorism prevention. The DHS believes that the fee would raise more than $30 million, which would go to maintenance and staffing for SEVIS. Since January 15, 2003, when SEVIS legally came into use, the bodies on campus that oversee visa and immigration compliance have seen a considerable amount of work. "We're just getting through the last stage of BCIS (Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services) reporting," says Jane Etis-Andrews, Director of the International Center. The International Center has about 800 Arts, Sciences and Engineering students on the Medford campus registering this year. The International Center has access to many resources for help. Etis-Andrews cited a "good tech team" at Tufts, an able and responsive help-desk at SEVIS, and spontaneous user listservs where administrators share tips and woes. Despite the help, Etis-Andrews believes the new system could use a facelift. "It's been a process," she says, "We've had some kinks along the way." "The goal is to keep everyone in good legal status," said Etis-Andrews. She said that the International Center has been "lucky" in that there have not been "any major mishaps." An error in data entry could cause a student to be in legal breach with the system, therefore threatened with fines and deportation. Clemens Alt, a graduate student from Germany, wonders about the new fee. "Is it worth 100 dollars?" asked Alt. "As understandable as the desire for a tracking system is, the price seems pretty steep per foreigner -- almost all of whom clearly have perfectly good intentions." The logistics of collecting the fee have also been a concern for both administrators and students. Originally, the fee was proposed to be collected online, through credit card payment or with a check through an American bank. "The person might not have a credit card," says Carol Murphy, SEVIS coordinator at the Fletcher school of Law and Diplomacy. "Money may not be easily transferable in that part of the world." The DHS then proposed to have the fee collected at the school where the student would be enrolled. Universities protested this idea. Etis-Andrews said, "We will not be in that loop, we lobbied pretty hard for that." Through the National Association of International Educators (NAFSA), Tufts joined other universities in the lobby to have the fee collected at the consulate where the visa fee is paid. "NAFSA represents the voices of educational institutions," said Etis-Andrews. An organization of more than 8,700 members worldwide, NAFSA is currently working closely with the DHS during a 60-day comment period to "to make the SEVIS system as workable as possible," said Ursula Oaks, a NAFSA public relations officer "Our members have worked very hard to comply with its requirements and we have raised serious concerns about the many technical glitches in the problem, questions about data integrity, the need for better training of officials who use the system and the SEVIS help desk." Alt thinks that it is a lot of money for just a computer database, although if it were to guarantee better security, he said that he would consider it worth the money. Alt questioned the effectiveness of the system. "If I were a terrorist, all I had to do is to enroll, miss a few days of classes in which time I fly/drive/ride to wherever I wanted to commit a crime," he said. "Coming back to school I would work hard and maintain [a B- average]. And the system would not have caught me."

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News

Intellect and slapstick meet: with a dark undertone

November 3

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of Simon Gray's play Butley is not a one-man show -- but it comes close. Nathan Lane mesmerizes as Ben Butley, a narcissistic, darkly brilliant English professor at one of London's City Colleges. Butley's world is turned upside down one day when both his wife and long-time lover leave him for other men. The play is a comedy -- almost. The script is genuinely funny and Lane is a gifted comedian, however beneath the humor it is clear that Butley is dangerously fragile man on the brink of destruction. Butley is a perfect vehicle for Lane's talents: his physical and verbal energy are vibrant and believable. Butley is a professor who is intellectually gifted but not particularly concerned with tact. He is both charming and infuriating. In the opening scene, using a banana, a briefcase, and a desk lamp, Lane enlivens his character's comically pathetic self-absorbtion perfectly before he even opens his mouth. Butley's wordy speeches are made completely natural. The character, as played by Lane, is hyperactive, almost childlike at times, but his performance is always controlled. The other actors, playing assorted students, friends, colleagues, and lovers, give solid performances, but none were able to match Lane's interesting and engaging performance. I found myself wondering, when watching Butley's wife and lover on the stage, what had drawn Butley to either of them in the first place. The actors were good-looking and well spoken, yet they lacked the edginess and complexity that would seem necessary to attract a man like Ben Butley. He is a man who loves Eliot, but not Blake; who has a family, but lives with a lover nicknamed after a Beatrix Potter character. Butley is a man who is verbal, vulnerable, acerbic and ultimately abandoned. At one point in the play, during an argument about one of his various tangled alliances, Butley apologizes for his obtuseness: "I'm sorry, I'm being literary." This captures concisely what is both the great strength and the great weakness of the play. Full of literary allusions, both subtle and overt, Gray's script is rich and literarily resonant. Butley's borderline mania recalls that of one of his great idols, the modernist poet T.S. Eliot. At the end of the play, as his world is falling apart, Butley riffs on Eliot's epic poem "The Wasteland," shouting, "This is not what I meant at all!" However, other erudite literary jokes don't translate as well. Butley is strongly opinionated over what counts as worthwhile literature and what doesn't, holding no author sacred. For the average theatergoer, the prickly scholarly banter won't be as compelling as Butley and his relationships with the characters around him. This elitism presents Butley as a piece of theatre with a dangerous situation: academia is central to the plot of the play, and Butley's life in its own right. The circumstances of his affairs are not, however, what makes Butley's story a worthwhile one. What is fascinating about the dying relationships portrayed in the play is Butley's frantically genuine reaction to their dissolution. Nathan Lane creates Butley's confusion at these broken ties skillfully and utterly believably. Like the man himself, the Huntington's production of Butley is flawed, but emotionally rich, wildly witty, and well-worth spending the night.

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News

The key is in the details: Rembrandt wows at MFA

November 3

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is proving that there is much more to Rembrandt van Rijn than his typically shown grand religious paintings. On view until Jan. 18 the MFA's new exhibit, "Rembrandt's Journey," hopes to illuminate just that. This showing of hundreds of miniscule etchings displays a Rembrandt with an interest in minute details to be executed with small tools. It pays homage to the Dutchman's versatile talent: Rembrandt was not only a master painter, but a master draftsman and master etcher. Most of the pieces on display in "Rembrandt's Journey" are tiny -- the majority of Rembrandt's etchings measuring no more than about four inches. Because of this, a vast number of the museum visitors brought magnifying glasses and stood very close to the small etchings inspecting Rembrandt's complex arrangement of lines. One especially complicated etching is the Circumcision of Christ. This piece is about two and a half inches tall by two inches wide and is filled with twelve men huddling around the illuminated Christ, about to be circumcised. The incredible textures achieved in the small composition include cave-like stone walls, various cloaks on the assembled men and smoke wafting from a pitcher on the table beside the baby. Rembrandt shows off his ability to create drama and a sense of immediacy in the Circumcision of Christ, underscoring his ability to manipulate the etching's glorification of its subject through the artist's use of the group of clustered men surrounding the shining baby. His use of chiaroscuro is also quite impressive in this small composition, the juxtaposition of light and dark only add to the magnitude of the event. While religious themes are prevalent throughout the exhibit, other subjects and settings include views of the artist's hometown, Amsterdam. Rembrandt painted varying views of the city, ranging from the Beggars' Common to landscape scenes. As a realist, he took subjects which were of concern to him, and which surrounded his everyday life. He saw beggars roam the streets and saw the opportunity to practice facial expressions and body styles without having to pay models. In one example, Beggar Seated on a Bank, he has even etched himself into the position of a beggar seated on a bench. His own face, especially his large keen eyes, is impossible to miss, as it shines out from behind his straggly curly hair and perched cap. Beggars were not the only "found" models utilized by Rembrandt; the artist frequently used himself, his mother and his wife as models, often dressed up in exotic costumes. The engravings of Rembrandt's mother are by the special care with which each line and crease in the old woman's skin is presented, as her small wrinkled hands clasped in her lap amidst her full dress and her small lips are clenched. When Rembrandt drew himself, he had the ability to make himself pose as whatever he wanted and therefore we see him in numerous poses practicing mouth and jaw and nose clenches and experiments with costumes. Rembrandt's "journey" as it were, is followed throughout times of opulence and wealth until the end of his life in 1669 when he died in such poverty that he was buried in a rented grave. The exhibit "Rembrandt's Journey," presents the artist's work on brightly colored walls painted in shades of periwinkle and teal, with muted boards of the same hue affixed in front which hold the artwork- the two tone effect is quite striking and draws visitors in to the small pieces of work effectively. The pieces themselves are arranged by subject matter and while at first this division of the works seems organized, it gets to be confusing as the curatorial staff repeated these subject divisions a couple of times throughout the exhibit. For example, patrons did not always understand why there are images of the childhood of Christ located in different parts of the exhibition space under the same headings. The last portraits in the exhibit are those of Rembrandt just before he dies and a few depictions of his only son to survive childhood. Here, Rembrandt's style has changed; it is more refined and toned down. In the "Self Portrait, 1654," the artist's face is weathered; while his bright eyes have not changed in comparison to depictions in earlier portraits, there are fleshy folds of skin surrounding them. He shows a more humble side of himself, saddened by the turn of events in his life. The trajectory of Rembrandt's life from buoyancy to despair is clearly depicted in his work and its thorough display in this special exhibit.

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News

Women's cross country struggles at NESCACs

November 3

This weekend, the women's cross country team finished seventh in the NESCAC, two spots short of their goal, fifth. Tufts' top five runners combined for 174 points, which left them behind fifth place Wesleyan (139) and sixth place Bowdoin (167). Coach Kristen Morwick expected close competition from those teams, but prior to the meet, expressed optimism that her squad could defy the seventh-place ranking they wore heading into Saturday. At NESCACs, Middlebury ran away with the title, tallying only 55 points. The Panthers were tailed closely by Amherst (64), defending national champion Williams (77), and Trinity (79). Barring any major upsets or a meteor destroying Williamstown, those teams -- in one order or another--should sweep the top spots again at Div. III's. Although cross country is a team scoring sports, one runner stood out. Senior co-captain Lauren Caputo turned in a stellar performance for the women's cross country team Saturday, taking 12th in the league championship and garnering all-NESCAC honors. "She ran a brave race," Morwick said. "The course [in Middlebury, Vt.] was muddy, wet, hilly, and really challenging. You knew that she was working for every step she took." According to Morwick, Caputo's throat closed up toward the end of the race, leaving her gasping for air. Nevertheless, Caputo fended off two runners at her heels and passed another just before crossing the finish line in 19 minutes flat. "She really put it all out there," Morwick said, also noting that Caputo finished very strongly "in a field of women who will be All-Americans." Morwick was optimistic that Caputo will qualify for nationals at the Div III New England meet in two weeks, where the top five teams and nine other individuals will earn a ticket to the NCAA's. She said that sophomore Becca Ades and senior co-captain Lauren Dunn could also qualify. Entering NESCAC's, that "solid seven" was more like a "solid six," due to the loss of sophomore Arielle Aaronson to femoral stress fractures. Junior Katie Sheedy's secured herself as Aaronson's replacement with a breakout performance Saturday, placing sixth for the Jumbos and 60th overall in 20:51.7. "I think that Sheedy's a solid addition," Dunn said. "She had an amazing race Saturday. I think she proved herself to really want to be part of the team." Dunn also commended freshman Sarah Crispin for her performance. Crispin is usually Tufts' fifth runner, but claimed fourth on the team and 47th overall at NESCACs. She crossed the line just before junior Emily Pfeil, who was 49th, in 20:18.8. Freshman Samantha Moland was 7th for Tufts, racing to 63rd in 21:05.3. Crispin and Sheedy were not the only Jumbos that placed better within their team than usual. Dunn, Tufts' number three runner, was the second brown and blue uniform to cross the line, at 19:40.8 -- good for 29th overall. Sophomore Becca Ades, Tufts' number two runner, had a disappointing race, finishing third on the team and 37th overall, in 19:49.6. Morwick said that Ades had a difficult week personally. "You could tell from the beginning she was hurting," Morwick said. Tufts will have one more chance to beat Bowdoin and Wesleyan at the Div. III meet in Cumberland, Maine. As was the case heading into last weekend, the top four spots in New England Div. III are almost completely reserved, leaving the Jumbos to battle it out with the Cardinals and the Polar Bears for fifth. Next weekend, the Jumbos will host the ECAC meet at the Farm Course in Grafton. The top seven will be resting up for Div. III's, which will allow Tufts' "second seven," the eighth through fourteenth runners, to compete. "It will give [them] a good chance to wrap up their seasons well," Dunn said. She added that runners who "bust out and have a good performance" could earn spots as alternates for the coming weeks. Morwick said it was inspiring to see other Tufts runners step up when some of their teammates were struggling. She called Dunn's race "a big breakthrough" and was optimistic that she could repeat such a performance at Div. IIIs--which would make a trip to nationals for the squad far more likely. Tufts will have to wait another two weeks to find out if any Jumbos will head to NCAA's. Next weekend, the team's top seven will head to Grafton to cheer for the competing Tufts contingent, which Morwick said has a good shot at the top three, since most other teams will also be resting their fastest runners. The following weekend, Tufts' varsity seven will take to the course again, and this time, the team's fate will be in their hands--or rather, in their feet.

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News

Workin' on the Man

November 3

Let's talk police. In general, I have no problem with the police. I am, as always, a perfectly good law abiding citizen who has never had any reason to run through my neighbor's yard, over a fence, and down an alley to avoid the police. Really. However, in the past week or two, there have been several incidents involving law enforcement that just beg for me, as a fine upstanding card carrying member of the "would be journalists" club, to lay the mock-down on the cops. So, let's start in Washington, where of course nothing silly ever happens. Correct? Not so, says CNN, who informed me that a toy gun was smuggled past police at the Cannon House Office Building. Apparently, the image of the gun, part of a Halloween costume, showed up on the monitor but by the time police responded, the bag was gone. Normally, my first concern about something like this would be the failure of the police to notice something as obvious as, say, a gun in their monitors. But really, the story brings up the question. Why, exactly were there costumes being allowed into the office building? It is a place for government, not for fun! I'm left with this terrible mental image of Dick Gephardt drunk at a party, running around with a Gary Condit mask on yelling "I killed the intern! I killed the intern!" God help us if Kennedy finds his way over there. But back to the main point. The police really have egg all over their face over this little toy gun. To be fair, however, it's not just the police in the States who sometimes have trouble dealing with fake weapons of water destruction. Let's skirt on over to Britannia for a second and check out the scene in Jolly Ole' London. Imagine, you are sitting in the Northern Institute of Cosmetology (does anyone else picture a massive compound of hairdressers with padded rooms when they hear this? No? Just checking.) when you look outside and see your nine year old son being arrested and thrown into a cruiser. Do you, A) Go and try to rescue him or B) finish your perm? If you picked A, than you're a good, respectable parent and if you picked B we're going to have to castrate you. Anyway. This very scene occurred on October 28th, when Tamyka Saunders looked out the window and saw her nine year old son being handcuffed and thrown into a police cruiser at gunpoint. (The Morning Journal) Turns out her son had been sitting outside with a toy gun, and the police were called by a concerned citizen. And by concerned, I mean "dumb." Said a police spokesman, when questioned, "We're not going to tolerate anyone walking down the street, sitting on a bench ... if he's waving a gun around." When asked if they would tolerate people walking down the street or sitting on a bench while holding a gun steady, the officer flipped off the press core, called them all "bloody wankers," and shot the lot of them. Next, let's head over to lovely Brazil, where the police department has clearly watched far, far too many episodes of Baywatch. In a huge undercover operation, a special fifty member unit of the Rio de Janeiro department will be stripping down to their swimwear to patrol the beaches. (abcnews.com) The plan is to send special force operatives onto the beaches to look for mafia meetings, drug dealers, and treacherous thieves roaming the finely combed beaches. Ideally, by not wearing anything but swimwear, the police will be completely undercover. What people have forgotten is that, given a policeman's natural propensity towards the mass consumption of all things donut-like, the bad guys will be able to avoid the cops by just "running when you see a fat guy." Despite my mocking, though, the police really do a pretty good job of keeping the world safe and alien free. Just because they occasionally go into silly Police Academy style hijinx is no reason to take potshots at the whole institution. Unless it's with a toy gun.

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