Archives

News

Alum runs for Somerville Alderman

October 14

The Tufts-Somerville community relations may soon undergo a new twist - if a Tufts graduate running for public office wins. Marty Martinez, who received a degree in Urban & Environmental Policy in 2001, is running for Ward 7 Alderman. In Somerville, an Alderman represents a section of the city, or ward, on the citywide Board of Alderman. The Ward 7 district includes the neighborhoods from Teele Square to the Medford-Somerville line, covering many areas which border campus. Martinez has made the town's relations with the school central in his campaign. "I'm committed to building and improving the relationship, long term, with the University," he said. Martinez said that conversations with residents have revealed a degree of animosity. Students' apparent disrespect of property, noise violations, and conflicts over municipal services such as trash pickup has left residents angered. While Tufts is partially at fault, Martinez said the city's representatives were also to blame. "I think the biggest problem is that the [city] government has taken on the attitude that Tufts is bad," he said. To improve, Martinez calls for the creation of a "Somerville Community-Campus Partnership." The partnership would be a committee of Tufts students, neighborhood residents, and city officials. They would meet regularly to discuss issues and concerns that residents have with the town and the school. The proposed board would be similar to the Perimeter Committee, a group primarily made of residents which was created by Somerville Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay in 1999. While the board became inactive soon after it was founded, Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said there has been a rebirth in the last months. "I think the dialogue has moved from conflict against each other to a genuine interest in trying to be productive and solve issues," she said. The Perimeter Committee has addressed concerns from residents about students putting trash out for collection on the appropriate day and noise violations. Martinez believes his contacts with the university both as a graduate and through his previous work will help him as an Alderman. During his campaign, Martinez has also reached out to the University by working with the Latino and TTLGBC Centers. If elected, Martinez would be the city's first Latino or openly gay official. To futhur campus support, Martinez contacted the University College requesting help on his campaign. Junior Eitan Hersh volunteered to be Martinez's intern. Hirsch said he has been concentrating on phone banking, calling everyone in the ward. He has also been organizing standouts in Teele Square, where supporters hold Martinez for Alderman flyers. Hersh said the results have been promising. "Students are pretty excited to see a candidate working with Tufts in a more cooperative way," Hersh said. Martinez said he is encouraging student involvement, even though they make up a small percentage of voters in the ward. "It's not only voting that counts," Martinez said, "it's helping out." Even though many students are not registered to vote in Somerville, Martinez said it was still important for candidates to reach out to them during the campaign. Martinez previously was the city's Youth Director, working with the mayor to establish programming for children and teenagers. He also is involved with Somerville United against Racism and the Progressive Democrats of Somerville. However, Martinez said it was his work with immigrants in the ward that inspired him to run. "I identified lots of people who didn't have a voice," he said. Martinez has been criticized by his opponent, Robert Trane, for his short roots in the area. "I've lived in Ward 7 for 36 years, while my opponent has lived here for 36 months," Trane told the Somerville Journal. Trane refused to comment for this article. Trane has completed the term of an alderman who was forced to retire in January. In his next term, Trane told the Journal he wants to focus on improving relations with absentee landlords around the campus. Martinez dismissed Trane's criticism "My investment has been greater in the past five years in schools, health care, and community relations than his has been in 30," he said. Martinez said Trane was interested in the office "for all the wrong reasons." "He is running for himself. His kids are in the schools here and he owns a house. I'm running for the people of this ward," he said. "I made the commitment to go door to door and hear what people have to say," he said. Martinez said by the end of the week he will have knocked on every door in the ward, fulfilling a promise made when he announced his candidacy in May. Phone calls, door knocking and standouts could make all the difference in a close race. At the end of the last reporting period, both candidates had raised similar amounts of cash for the campaign. As of September 15, Trane had $7,000 while Martinez had just over $6,000. Alderman John Connolly of neighboring Ward Six, refused to take sides, saying he lets "the people of the ward decide" the outcome of the race. He is running unopposed for reelection. Connolly, a twenty year veteran of Somerville politics, said both candidates were strong. "Mr. Trane has worked hard to learn his job since being elected," he said. However, he also said that Martinez has a "strong work record" and mentioned his work as Youth Director. Rubel said she was not sure of a vast difference in approach between the candidates. "They would both like to see Tufts more engaged in the city" she said. The outcome of Martinez's proposals may ultimately not rest on his election but other races. The partnership would need to be approved by the future mayor or the Board of Alderman. All nine aldermen are up for reelection, and since Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay was eliminated in last month's primary, the Ward 7 Alderman will enter a different political atmosphere. Somerville mayoral candidates Joseph Curtatone and Tony LaFuente were unavailable to comment on Martinez's ideas, although they have supported a closer relationship between the school community and the town in previous interviews. The election will be on Nov.4, along with the Somerville mayoral election. Despite the candidates' promises, Rubel said that the relationship between residents and the university may always revolve around complaints. "[Alderman] does end up being a more reactive position." Rubel said, "they call us up when a constituent has a problem."

---

News

The Olsen twins myth

October 14

I have two good male friends who recommended that I write a viewpoint. Both my friends are boys, and both are seniors. A 20 year-old engineer and a 21 year-old liberal arts student with limited social skills and raging hormones comparable to those of any pubescent fifteen year old boy with an incessant boner -- pretty much your prototypical Tufts males. And they are both very nice boys. Nice boys that they are, they are always quick to offer suggestions as to what exactly I should have a point of view about. They mention frats and class selection, dorm life, abroad concerns and that inevitable what to do after college question. And they mention the Olsen twins. The latter being the only theme they bring up each and every time the viewpoint subject is discussed. Now, I was a Full House fan, just like everyone else in the early nineties. My little sister, having been born the same year as these cherubically ubiquitous wonders, had all the tapes, and I am pretty sure a lunch box even came into play at some point during her elementary school years. But honestly, the Olsen twins? I mean there are children starving in Africa, and DTD may or may not be on probation for something or another. Okay, so, I am female, and heterosexual, which may explain some of my confusion. But, still. I get Pamela Anderson. I am comfortable enough with my sexuality to say Britney's hot, and if I was drunk enough, and a boy was at least somewhat involved, I probably would not kick Cameron Diaz out of bed. But the Olsen twins are these pre pubescent little girls who we used to watch have their diapers changed. They are like Americas baby sister. And now, not only are they the doable little sisters, they are every boys fantasy, with a capital F? Luckily, I have acquired a theory concerning this wonder of wonders, a viewpoint if you will. It is about control. And I do not mean it in the scary rape fantasy kind of way. Tufts boys are not that sexually adventurous. But, intellectually, social domination. The Olsen twins make these slightly awkward, incredibly horny, boys feel not only smart and mature, but well, cool. There is none of that pesky give and take; they will be off to college soon so the whole question of commitment never comes into play. They worship you simply for being older and that is easy enough, since well, you are. What could possibly be sexier than the hot little sister who demands nothing of your socially retarded brain but to smile and fumble around in the manner that most girls your own age find comical and somewhat contemptible? It is perfection, carnal bliss, not to mention sheer strength in numbers, as if the whole she does not mind how long it takes or how little foreplay is involved isn't enticing enough, there are two of them. And certainly, where sex and the college boy are concerned, quantity almost always beats out quality. So, my most beloved male friends, I present to you a point of view. What you have not found trolling the frats the past three years may in fact have been right under your nose all along. At your local high school. They are hot because they are younger, because they are perhaps not quite as quick on the trigger, because they demand almost nothing of you and are just happy that you have your driver's license and/or a fake id. And maybe just maybe, if you are very lucky, they are hot because they do not mind sharing you with their sister or best friend. So my advice to you is this. Forget the frats, even house parties and bars do not have what you are looking for. Instead, start an after school program, or join one. Tutor, build bridges with the community, beef up that resume that is looking weaker and weaker as the real world beckons, and at the same time fulfill the ultimate college boy fantasy; the Olsen twins, or at least their age equivalent. And to you seniors out there, be quick about it. As a former high school girl who briefly dated a college boy, I can tell you, it is way cooler to brag to your friends that your boyfriend is a college boy than to say that you are dating a mid level worker at the local engineering firm. Lynn Steger is a junior majoring in International Relations

---

News

Lord of the Rings' fight styles designer knocks out Tufts

October 14

When you think "Barnum 008," you probably don't think "epic battle scene." At 7:30 p.m. on Monday night, however, the biology lecture room was transformed -- at least in the mind of Fight Styles Designer Tony Wolf -- into just that. "I'd set up a cowboy-style brawl, starting at the top of the steps, followed by a roll down the stairwell," Wolf said, demonstrating that specific environments and settings -- yes, even Barnum 008 -- can infuse fight scenes with unique character. "Then some back-and-forth, using the chair and the table, maybe swinging the lectern as a weapon." At Monday's lecture and question and answer session Wolf, who designed fight scenes for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and for numerous other films and theatrical productions, addressed an enthusiastic crowd of approximately 60 students. Throughout the event, which was sponsored by Tufts' Department of Drama and Dance and the Tufts Lecture Series, Wolf shared information about his artistic development, insights into his profession, and anecdotes -- often humorous ones -- about his experiences. A native New Zealander, Wolf was drawn toward his vocation at a very young age. An avid fan of superhero comics as a child, Wolf sent away for a "Superpowers Made Simple" kit that offered -- among other things -- "invisibility goggles". The young Wolf was met very quickly with disillusionment, however, when the kit never arrived in the mail. "I learned the lesson... that becoming a superhero wouldn't come through the mail," Wolf said. "I realized that I had to do it myself." In his quest to become a superhero in his own right, Wolf studied martial arts, dance, fencing, and wrestling. At one point, the petite Wolf said he "was New Zealand's smallest professional wrestler." It was in designing, coordinating, and teaching fighting styles, however, that he found his calling. According to Wolf, growing up in New Zealand, a country with only four million citizens, was both a benefit and a detriment to his ambitions. New Zealand's small size and isolation enabled Wolf "to segue right into the [theater and film] business -- if you were talented enough to be working in the theater in New Zealand, the film roles would come your way." This isolation spurred Wolf to independently develop a system for choreographing and teaching fight styles. "By force of circumstance, I developed my own system, based on Bruce Lee's philosophy of 'Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is your own,'" Wolf said. Wolf's system, titled the "Reaction Course," views fight choreography as "physical theater" rather than simply a sequence of disparate moves strung together. At the time that he introduced this concept, it was considered very radical by the industry. "Previously, specific styles were taught as a series of techniques, in a sort of classroom style," Wolf said. According to Wolf, that method -- while valuable -- can translate into stiltedness on screen and "lead to laziness and [seem] generic in terms of action." "If a fight scene is purely a demonstration of a style, the actors will look like two mannequins," Wolf said. By contrast, Wolf said, the Reaction Course method seeks to create unique, original action by "beginning with something basic and universal and then building on that based on the character's... story." "As I'm working with groups of actors, their physical strengths and weaknesses are incorporated into the fight scene," Wolf said. Throughout his career, Wolf has taught and applied the Reaction Course throughout the entire industry, working on ballets, operas, TV series, and feature films. His most well-known work, however, was done between 1997 and 2000 on director Peter Jackson's Rings trilogy. When Wolf, who had worked with Jackson previously on the movie Braindead, heard that Jackson was taking on the trilogy, he contacted the director, and was given the title of "Cultural Fighting Styles Director" on the film. His role was to create different culturally based fighting styles for each of the distinct races of the world of Tolkien's Rings. To accomplish this, Wolf drew on his past television and theater experience in the fantasy genre. He also looked to Tolkien's books, "though they weren't too specific." Through synergy with the other creative departments and looking at sketches, models, and costumes, Wolf sought to determine what he termed "the central aesthetic" of each race of characters in the film. Wolf described his development of the Orcs' fighting style to illustrate this process. "The Orcs are these insane, cannibalistic, animalistic creatures, so it wouldn't make sense for them to have a uniform fighting style," Wolf said. "They react like baboons or hyenas -- they're not trained, but they have strong survival instincts." In addition to the Orcs (which he split into three differently nuanced styles of aggression), Wolf also developed unique fighting styles for the movies' elves, goblins, Rohanians, Gondorians, and ring-wraiths. For legal reasons, however (the third installment of the trilogy has not yet been released), Wolf was not able to discuss his Rings experience in greater depth. There's a great deal that I can't talk about," Wolf apologized. "We all had to sign legal documents." In response to one audience member's question, however, he admitted, "Yes, I met Orlando Bloom -- I can say that because it's already on record." The students attending the event, though disappointed not to hear more Rings details, were impressed by Wolf's vast experience, willingness to answer questions, and sense of humor. "He was really funny," sophomore Adrienne Poon said. "And I didn't realize how much variety there was in being a fight styles designer -- that you can go from designing fight scenes for an opera to a fantasy movie and back again." "[Wolf's] insight on different cultural styles was fascinating to hear," sophomore Dave Kramer said Freshman Nick Jandl concurred: "[Wolf] really opened my eyes to a very little-known field of work in movies," he said.

---

News

Alcohol policy also frustrates administration

October 14

Refuting the popular rumor that it is being excessively hard on students this year, with regards to discipline, the Tufts administration argued that they are doing all they can - within the boundaries of safety and legality. "The feeling that our offices closed down most of the parties during Homecoming weekend is simply inaccurate," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. "Speculation that the administration is seeking to kill the social life here is absolutely not true," TUPD Captain Mark Keith affirmed. Only two parties were actually closed or cancelled over the weekend. The two alcohol-free gatherings shut down were the Pan-African Alliance party and the International Club party, Reitman said. The reason for the closings, according to Reitman, was the simple fact that the number of students at each party would have been impossible to control. School regulations dictate that a certain number of TUPD officers must be on-call for each party in order to be safe. Numbers were stretched too thin during the weekend due to Homecoming. According to Keith, there was a total of only seven TUPD officers to patrol the entire campus from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on Saturday night. President of the International Club Duane Goodin seemed to be understanding. "We went through the proper steps and spoke with the relevant administrators. However, it was dependent on whether the TUPD could provide us with a detail. Sadly, they were pretty booked over the Homecoming weekend and couldn't help us out," he said. Pan African Alliance President Ernest Bihm was also disappointed, "It was upsetting, considering the fact that it was Homecoming. We really wanted to have party." "We had the majority of our officers committed to Homecoming," Reitman said. He noted that neither the Pan-African Alliance nor the International Club had given the TUPD the mandatory ten-day advance notice of the party. "Even if they had, larger events connected directly to Homecoming absorbed most of our police force anyway," Reitman said. Because the Pan-African Alliance party was to be a citywide event, there would have been a large presence of non-Tufts students. "There must always be several officers on stand-by during a party, especially when there is an influx of students who would have no real allegiance to Tufts," Reitman said. Bihm understood the necessity for security at the party but was frustrated by the lack of a clear policy. "We registered the party in advance; however, there is no definite registration policy for an organization to refer to when they want to do something." According to Keith, the administration is dedicated to meeting the complicated social needs of its students. Resource 25, the online events calendar currently under construction, should streamline the party application process for students, he said. Reitman attributed the increased amount of off-campus parties closed this year to the shift in the off-campus student population. "The number of seniors who live on-campus has increased from 26% to 71% in the last three years. Meanwhile, only 10% of juniors are living on-campus this year," Reitman said. This, he claimed, has caused a spike in loud parties -- and corresponding increase in Somerville residents calling in to complain. "While seniors are thinking of theses and impending careers, juniors have a different, more social focus," he said. Keith said that the majority of parties closed by the TUPD during the year occur at off-campus houses. "Most complaints from Somerville residents are phoned in after midnight," he said. The problem arises when the sleeping routines of town residents clashes with those of students. "Most residents get up early and go to bed early... which is not the case with students," Keith said. Due to noise ordinances, the TUPD has few alternatives when residents call in to complain. "Depending on the size of the party, we'll give the students a warning and give suggestions, like shutting windows and lowering music volume," Keith said. Outside of that, the officers are forced to close down parties. The administration must obey local and federal law when it comes to parties, noise issues and alcohol violations both on and off campus. Nevertheless, Reitman said, "I don't like the 21 year old drinking law. While it may work to prevent drunk driving accidents, it's simply terrible for college campuses." "Ideally, the drinking age on campus would be 18. If this were the case, we could create what we feel is the ideal situation -- make alcohol an accompaniment to an event, not the event itself," he said. "Instead of teaching responsible drinking, we're forced to treat it as an illegal activity, which is something most of us disagree with," Reitman said. While the administration may share these sentiments, state and national law forces all schools into a prohibition-like state. "Students stay in to get drunk, which leads to all sorts of problems," Reitman said. He jokingly added "I wish Tufts could secede from the Union." Until that day, however, Tufts has no choice but to follow the regulations imposed on it. "RA's cannot afford to ignore school policy, and our police offers cannot ignore the law. That's simple fact," Reitman said. Reitman stressed that despite the problems surrounding the alcohol policies that students and the administration both face, there is still plenty to do on campus. "When people complain that there's nothing to do at Tufts, that's not what they mean. They're saying that there's no place to drink or get drunk," Reitman said. "Simply look at Tuftslife.com on any given evening, and there are always around twenty activities to choose from," he added. Although everyone would appreciate a change in alcohol policy, for the time being at least, it is "unrealistic for people to expect anything else," Reitman said. Although right now, large on-campus spaces for parties are limited, Phase 3 of the Mayer Campus Center renovation will include the addition of a large, multi-function room. "We'll keep programming as many events as possible," Reitman vowed. He foresees continued problems, though. Although students will see an increase of more large events, like this year's Fall Ball, Reitman fears that "without alcohol, the novelty of these events will wear out, and people won't like it." Nevertheless, the next big event to hit Tufts will be the Naked Quad Run. "Conversations have already begun this week about how the quad run will continue while being safe at the same time," Reitman said.

---

News

Amazing Grace a 'mediocre misstep'

October 14

Amazing Grace, the latest release from the band Spiritualized, represents a return to roots for front-man Jason Pierce. Pierce, the only permanent member of Spiritualized, began his career with the now seminal Spacemen 3. Releasing only a handful of records and singles throughout the 80s, the Spacemen's music was indebted just as much to the heroin it constantly wrote and sang about, as it was to bands like the Velvet Underground and Suicide. The band's songs were heavy with drones and feedback, and usually contained little in the way of song structure or even chord changes. Nevertheless, Spacemen 3 infused everything it wrote with an undeniable, almost frenzied intensity, earning the band a significant cult following and near-canonization after breaking up. It's not surprising then that after leaving the group in '91 and forming Spiritualized, Pierce chose to emulate the dense minimalism of his former band as closely as possible. The group's first releases were relatively faithful continuations of the defunct Spacemen's sound. Yet, with subsequent albums, the music of Pierce's new band deviated more and more from that of his old; the droned melodies suddenly turned into junkie symphonies complete with angelic choirs ,and the guitar feedback became 17 minute free-jazz workouts. Although Spiritualized's ever-expanding sound did leave Pierce with some great records, it also resulted in 2001's Let It Come Down, an album that was too big and too epic for its own good. Presumably unhappy with this last record and its escalating musical ambition, Pierce's latest album, Amazing Grace, is a return to his roots. But while Amazing Grace is certainly an album stripped of ostentation and epic ambitions, fans expecting the choirs and orchestras of recent releases to be replaced by the dreamy one-note drug-dirges of old will be disappointed. However, what does remain of this older, simpler sound is the same intensity that made Spacemen 3 so successful in its time. As if to prove this fact to listeners immediately, Amazing Grace begins with two of Spiritualized's most direct, rocking tracks. "This Little Life of Mine" and "She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit)" are the types of songs that the Strokes and other members of the "garage-rock revival" make in their wet dreams. The mic feeds back, the guitar feeds back, and everything feeds back. Pierce's voice is buried deep underneath all of this noise, yelling about heroin and his baby which, for all we know, are probably one and the same. The songs are so immediate and fun that it is hard to notice or even care that they sound almost exactly the same. In fact, the biggest difference between Amazing Grace and preceding Spiritualized albums is the amount of space given to tracks like "This Little Life of Mine." However, at his most grandiose, Pierce's best songs were always ballads, not fiery rockers. The ballads are still there, and even the choir makes an appearance. The example of these ballads, like "Oh Baby" and "Lord Let It Rain on Me," manage to give listeners only a vague feeling that they've heard better from the band before. This is true, and is also the reason the requisite Spiritualized rocker appears in four tracks on this album. This is not to say that there's really anything wrong with songs like "Cheapster" or "Never Goin' Back." These songs repeat the formula of the album's first two tracks, but once the initial rush of these songs dissipates there's little else to hold the listener's attention. "The Power and the Glory" is the album's obligatory nod to free jazz and is interesting in its own right, especially due to the inclusion of British sax-legend Evan Parker. However its vast swells of sound seem out of place amidst the relatively straightforward ballads and rockers. One song that does demonstrate an immense amount of promise is "The Ballad of Richie Lee." "Richie Lee" is one of the few songs on Amazing Grace that makes a strong initial impression and continues to get richer with every listen. Comprised entirely of a bluesy guitar riff floating over plaintive strings and vocals, the song somehow manages to find a midpoint between the languid early Spiritualized and the catharsis of the late. Most importantly though, it suggests an interesting direction where Amazing Grace could have gone but, for whatever reason, didn't. Amazing Grace proves that Pierce is at his best while operating under extremes. Spiritualized may have grown tired with its early minimalism and disenchanted with its ambitious later efforts, but despite the album's shortcomings, it's a lot more interesting to hear the band operate within one of these contraries than make an album like Amazing Grace. It's an album that is too small to be epic and too huge to be anything but. In the end, Amazing Grace is simply a mediocre misstep by an otherwise fantastic band.

---

News

Jumbos get huge NESCAC win over Trinity

October 14

The men's soccer team began a crucial two-week stretch that could make or break its season with a victory against the Trinity Bantams last Saturday on Kraft field. The 2-1 win came largely in thanks to freshman striker Ben Castellot, who netted both Jumbo goals. The victory allowed Tufts to pass Trinity in the standings and take sole possession of sixth place in the NESCAC. Castellot began the scoring in the 16th minute on a great pass by sophomore halfback Mike Guigli. Guigli's lead pass flew over the defense and to the foot of an on-running Castellot. Castellot did the rest, placing the ball by the goalkeeper and into the lower right corner of the net. It was his second goal of the season and second in as many games. The Jumbos kept the pressure on through most of the first half, with many opportunities to go up by two. They took five of an eventual nine corner kicks in the first half but came up empty. Despite not scoring, however, it was clear that the Jumbos were the better team. Slowly, this fact wore down the Bantams and they showed their frustration on the field. The tension boiled over early in the second half when Bantam senior Phil Flakes punched Jumbo quad-captain Mike Blea in the face. Flakes was immediately given a red card, leaving the Bantams at a disadvantage, playing 10 on 11 for the rest of the game. Four years ago in the Jumbo-Bantam game, Flakes was also the culprit in a similar incident that caused his ejection. "Traditionally it's a heated game," Blea said. "We always play them close and it is very intense. It was the same way last year when we beat them in overtime." Even though they were a man down, the Bantams managed to tie the game less than ten minutes later. A pass over the Tufts defense found Trinity senior Jared Rubin open. Rubin deposited the ball into the back of the net and the Jumbos were back to square one. With 30 minutes left in the half, the Jumbos found themselves in an all-too-familiar position, as they needed one clutch goal to secure the victory. This goal has been elusive for the squad all too often this season, as the Jumbos only have scored two goals this season after the 70 minute mark. Whether it has needed a goal to give itself a cushion or to break a tie, it just has not been there for Tufts yet this season. However, Castellot possibly showed a sign of things to come as he came through with the game-winning goal. In the 72nd minute, sophomore forward Todd Gilbert sent a low ball that split the defense, landing on Castellot's foot. Finding only the goalie between him and the back of the net, Castellot made a nice move, sidestepping the keeper and putting the ball into the open goal. "The goal was very big for the team and myself," Castellot said. "It took me a while to get adjusted to college soccer. It's a totally different level. The guys are bigger, faster and stronger. Now I am feeling much more comfortable." The Jumbos held on for a crucial NESCAC victory. The win elevated Tufts to .500 in the conference with a record of 2-2-1. It was also crucial for momentum purposes. In the next two weeks the Jumbos' schedule has three conference games, all against opponents that are ahead of Tufts in the standings. This weekend they will begin that run in Williamstown, Massachusetts, against a Williams team that is currently in first place. "We know what they (Williams) can and can't do," associate head coach Andy Nelson said. "This week we'll concentrate on ourselves and learn from things that happened Saturday." Then the Jumbos will travel to fifth place Wesleyan next Tuesday and then return home to play third place Middlebury a week from Saturday. If Tufts survives this stretch with a solid record, they will easily have solidified one of the seven spots in the NESCAC tournament.

---

---

News

That time

October 14

Men love vaginas. In fact, I'd go so far as to say they spend a good portion of their lives obsessing about them; talking about the ghosts of vaginas past, present, and future. The ones they've been in previously, the ones they're in currently, and the ones they will be in subsequently. On a separate note, men love gore. Hockey, Schwarzenegger, boxing...any type of extreme sports video where someone gets hurt. You name it: if it's bleeding, it's awesome. Awesome, of course, unless it's a vagina. Now clearly the majority of men don't hate vaginas, and judging by box office sales, they're not disturbed by blood either. So then why is it that we can take two things the general male population claims to like (vaginas and blood shed), and when we put them together they become a sort of kryptonite? The concept of menstruation should not be that disturbing, yet for some reason, just by mentioning the word "tampon", most men cringe. I don't get it. These are the same men that have stacks of Maxims behind their toilets, and posters of the "tastes great, less filling" girls up on their walls. They undoubtedly like females, but when confronted with the process that makes these girls truly women, they're disgusted. When I've asked why this is, I am often told that "it's just not natural to bleed for five days and not die". It's as though the whole period thing is just some glitch in the master plan; like after creating the world, God got lazy and neglected to deal with the "problem" of menstruation. And the "problem" runs deeper than the fact that "periods are just plain gross". Our society looks at menstruating women like they belong in a mental facility. We have successfully substituted the word PMS for "bitch", and we all know that if a woman's in a bad mood, no doubt it's because she's on her period. In a way, it's almost empowering that people fear menstruation so much. But let me assure all you non-menstruaters, it's really not the all-powerful demon you make it out to be. The majority of women function completely normally when bleeding. And amazingly enough, women get angry sometimes, and it has nothing to do with their hormones. It's not fair to dismiss women's feelings of anger by attributing them to PMS. But because we make periods out to be such horrible events, women become both ashamed and embarrassed by their fertility. I remember every girl in my 8th grade class had her own discrete way of carrying a tampon. We didn't want the boys to know we were on our periods, because then they would regress five years and start talking about cooties again. Periods are easily the number one source of embarrassment for teenaged girls. Open up any teen magazine to the "Why Me" embarrassing story page, and at least a third of the stories involve a girl's period and a cute boy. It would be a girl's worst nightmare if a boy she liked was a witness to the fact that she was now of child-bearing age. If society were more positive about women's fertility then maybe women would be excited by their periods, as opposed to disgusted by them. Maybe if men told us "wow, that's neat, my genitals can't do that" then we would look at our periods as more of a blessing than a curse. I don't think you necessarily have to love everything about the other sex's anatomy, but I do think you can accept it. I'm sure if most girls had their druthers they'd make it so that testicles didn't exist. I mean, in all honesty, what have they done for us lately? But you don't see women telling men it's so disgusting that they have balls, and shrieking every time they see a bottle of Gold Bond Powder. Menstruation is the sign that we have the ability to carry another life inside of us for nine months. And that's not something we need to feel embarrassed by. It's not "a curse", it doesn't make us crazy, and it is not disgusting. It's just a little bit of blood, period.

---

News

Production of TUTV resumes

October 13

A virus that infected production equipment has caused Tufts Television (TUTV) to delay broadcasting new shows for several weeks. After updating equipment and software, production has resumed, although no shows are currently airing. Before the virus, TUTV was airing shows shot last spring and broadcast a few programs produced in September. The problems come as TUTV adjusts to a series of new regulations and contracts that came with Tufts' cable service provider change last spring. Tufts took over cable broadcasting from Comcast and TUTV is now operating under a contract from Falls Earth Station. Previously, much of the material was in the "live to tape" format, in which shows were filmed and then aired without editing. Sports events and performances will continue to be shown, but "in the interest of quality," they will be know be edited, according to TUTV Production Editor Hannah Suh. TUTV will now be "more of a network style. Producers are now coming to us with a concept and a set crew," Suh said. The set crews are intended to facilitate production. In the past, volunteers often "would quickly lose interest, and it was not as organized." All potential producers have to fill out an application and have their idea approved by Suh. Producers are then in charge of their own shows, unlike last year when TUTV officers were responsible for certain programs. In addition, several freshmen explorations classes are producing material for shows. This has helped to stabilize personnel, since students must stay all semester for credit. Several shows have already been approved, including "Jumbo Love Match," which will return for a third season. Last year the show was "put on hold" for what host Andy Katzenberg said was taking it "really close to extreme lines." He was reprimanded for using "inappropriate language and jokes and advertising for a company [on air]." Seniors Elliott Wiley, Ethan Austin, (also Daily Editorial Board members) and Colin Stewart will continue to broadcast the sports commentary show "The Best Damn Interruption." Wiley will also host a new political debate show, "The Balance of Power." Other shows include "Undergrad," a soap opera, and a series of shorts from a rotating group of contributors. TUTV replaced computers and software after the virus and TUTV Technical Director George Rausch wants to make additional improvements. Rausch said TUTV would like to switch to a digital broadcasting center, moving away from the current format of mini digital video cassettes and hard drives. The new system would increase the amount of material than can be in rotation at one time. Capacity would increase from 12 to 27 hours of tape, and the speed it takes material to be uploaded to air would decrease. Rausch said the network is currently creating proposals to fund these improvements. The University now provides cable at no additional cost to students, so the whole campus has access to TUTV on Channel 23. Many have yet to see TUTV. "I have really missed TUTV this year, and I am looking forward to finally seeing what it has to offer," freshman Mary Cella said. Even with current equipment, TUTV will have new features this fall. Shows will be streamed online through the Tufts Intranet, and the network is exploring the possibility of sharing material with other universities. TUTV also wants to show new DVDs and other movies. Because the network runs on a closed circuit, TUTV does not have to worry about copyrighted material, Rausch said. All these new features are expected to begin shortly, and the first shows are expected to air beginning Sunday.

---

News

Athletes of the Week

October 13

Ben Castellot Men's soccer freshman forward Ben Castellot netted Tufts' only two goals in the Jumbos' wining effort versus the Trinity Bantams on Saturday at home on Kraft Field. The Newton, Mass. native scored the first goal of the game in the 17th minute of play. Sophomore Mike Guigli crossed the ball and Castellot was there to outsmart the Trinity keeper and drive a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net. The second time around in the 73rd minute, Castellot received a pass from sophomore Todd Gilbert and used his quick feet to maintain possession and tap in the game winner. Castellot was the key player in giving Tufts its fourth consecutive win over Trinity and also bringing the Jumbos back up to the .500 mark in the NESCAC with a 2-2-1 league record. Saturday's two goals were Castellot's second and third of his regular season collegiate career. Jayme Heller Junior field hockey defender Jayme Heller scored the winning stroke in Tufts' exciting 1-0 victory over the Trinity College Bantams on Saturday. Heller found the back of the cage in the fifth round of penalty strokes after her team had battled the Bantams to a 0-0 tie over the course of a whole game and two overtime periods. Heller is currently the third-leading Jumbo scorer with two goals on the season. She also has recorded one assist to bring her point total up to five. The Chadds Ford, PA native and Westtown School alum helped her team edge closer to a winning season mark with the win over Trinity. The Jumbos now stand at 4-5 on the year, but have a winning 3-2 record over NESCAC opponents. Though she was a contributor on the field in the past, Heller has scored all of her collegiate goals during this 2003 season.

---

News

Eco-friendly electric cars

October 13

In compliance with Tufts' commitment to mitigate climate change, the university has recently collaborated with Zipcar, a shared vehicle program that rents fuel-efficient cars to universities for short-term use. Toyota has collaborated with Tufts and Zipcar, donating four Rav 4 electric vehicles for use on the Medford/Somerville Campus. One of the donated vehicles has been allotted to the Tufts Security Department and one to Mail Services. The other two cars have been designated for use with the Zipcar program at Tufts. These electric vehicles began their rounds last week. This past summer, Tufts announced its commitment to adopt the climate change prevention goals put forth by the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP), a coalition of states and provinces working to facilitate sustainable development. The Climate Change prevention goals set by NEG/ECP require a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2010, leading up to an eventual reduction of between 75 and 80 percent. Tufts was the first New England University to accept these restriction goals. Sarah Hammond Creighton, Project Manager for Tufts Institute of the Environment, views the efficiency and duration of electric cars positively. "Electric cars last between 50 and 60 miles per charge and take about four hours to charge," Creighton said. "The great environmental benefit of electric vehicles is that they emit nothing when idling." The Zipcar program strives to offer solutions to environmental and economic problems through the implementation of technology. Zipcar's mission statement reflects a progressive attitude: "Our user experience strives to elegantly combine the promise of the Internet with wireless communications and online communities. Our success is an example of how innovative businesses can harmonize business goals with the values of their customers and their communities." Aside from participating in the Zipcar program, Tufts has also been considering purchasing compressed natural gas vehicles for the Tufts Police staff. The proposal is now being evaluated for cost-effectiveness, practicality, and environmental impact. Creighton points out a potential problem with natural gas vehicles that must be considered and weighted prior to a purchase. "Natural gas vehicles emit mostly methane (CH4), which is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2)," she said. However, natural gas vehicles typically reduce carbon monoxide (C0) emissions by 70% and nitrous oxides (NOX) emissions by 87% as compared to regular gasoline powered vehicles. This is significant, considering that standard on-road vehicles account for about 60% of all CO emissions and 31% of all NOX emissions. CO and NOX emissions both have detrimental effects on human health; CO is poisonous to humans and NOX is a strong oxidizing agent that contributes to acid rain formation and damages delicate tissues in the eyes and respiratory passages. So far, Zipcar services are available in Arlington, VA, Alexandria, VA, Boston, MA, Brookline, MA, Cambridge, MA, Somerville, MA, Princeton, NJ and Hoboken, NJ. Zipcar-like services can be found in 450 European cities. According to research by Zipcar, each available Zipcar vehicle replaces between 7 and 10 privately owned cars, because people are likely to sell their old cars or refrain from purchasing new cars when they join the Zipcar program. As a result, newer cars with more current pollution abatement equipment replace older, dirtier vehicles. Zipcar was founded in 1999 by Robin Chase and Antje Danielson, both entrepreneurs from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their goal was "to make car reservation and access as hassle-free and seamless as using an ATM" (zipcar.com). On August 4, 2003, Governor Romney honored Zipcar with the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, which recognizes individuals whose innovation strengthens the economy and community. The first Zipcar vehicles hit the road in June 2000. Today there are thousands of Zipcar members along the Northeast Corridor; 7,000 members currently drive 250 Zipcar vehicles in Boston, New York, and Washington D.C.

---

News

Statistics accurately portray Tufts' struggle

October 13

It is sometimes said that there are three ways to alter the truth: lies, damn lies, and statistics. This is especially true in sports where numbers can be misleading and rarely ever tell the whole story. In the Tufts football team's game Saturday against Trinity, however, the statistics paint an accurate picture of the game. The Jumbos struggled in every phase of the game, losing 23-3 to Trinity College. They were, for the most part, unable to run the ball on offense, or to stop the Trinity rushing attack. After starting 3-0 in each of the last several seasons, the team had been hoping to take the next step forward by beating one of the NESCAC's best teams. The game, however, revealed how wide the gulf is between where Tufts is and where it wants to be. The Tufts defense came into Saturday's game looking to limit Trinity's running game. Trinity boasts the NESCAC's best ground attack, with two exceptional tail backs, and the great majority of their yards this season have come through the rush. Tufts was unable to stop Trinity despite expecting an emphasis on the running game. Tom Pierandri gained 109 yards for the Bantams and scored their only offensive touchdown. The Tufts defense was able to prevent long runs, though Pierandri was consistently able to gain four or five yards per carry, and his effectiveness increased as the game progressed. The "D" did a better job limiting Trinity's other star running back, Drew Finkeldey. He was consistently met by defenders at the line of scrimmage and finished with less than 50 yards. Keeping the ball on the ground also kept Trinity from playing into one of Tufts' biggest strengths: forcing turnovers. For the first time this season, the defense failed to intercept a pass. The team relies on the big plays of the defense to both produce points and to set up scoring opportunities for the offense, and without them the Jumbos struggled. Trinity's success at running the ball also allowed quarterback Erik Paisley to have a good passing game. He racked up 135 passing yards, giving Trinity a much more balanced offensive attack than it has had so far this season. Overall, the Trinity running game was the dominant offensive force in the game. Not only did it produce 148 yards, the majority of the team's total for the day, but it also allowed Trinity to dominate the time of possession. Tufts only had the ball for 22:43 of the 60 minute contest and never really seemed to be able to get into any semblance of an offensive rhythm. Also by holding possession for over 37 minutes the Bantams were able to keep their defense off the field and ensure that they were fresh when they did play. -- by Christopher Munsey

---

News

Football suffers disappointment against Trinity

October 13

A lot was on the line going into Saturday's game against Trinity College. The Jumbos were trying to advance to 4-0 for the first time in the three years, move into sole possession of first place in the NESCAC, and avenge last year's 13-12 loss to Trinity. But Tufts could not make it happen. The team suffered its first loss of the season, 23-3. The Bantam defense shut Tufts down, while its offense maintained control of the football. The score was close for most of the game, with Trinity leading just 6-0 at halftime. But in the second half the Bantams took over, scoring the only two touchdowns of the game and continuing to shut down the Tufts offense. After a first quarter in which both teams failed to score, Trinity put up the first points of the game at 4:49 in the second quarter with a 34-yard field goal from Bantams' kicker Kevin Swinarski. Trinity added another field goal with 38 seconds to go in the first half. That field goal was set up by a good punt return by Brad Soules. On the return, a Tufts player was hit from behind before he could cover Soules. No penalty was called, one of three illegal blocks committed by Trinity that were not called. Tufts senior cornerback Mark Tilki set up the team's only points of the day with a 46-yard return on the second half's opening kick off. That return led to a 27-yard field goal by senior Marcellus Rolle. In all, Tilki gained 131 return yards. Later in the third quarter Trinity scored its only offensive touchdown of the day on a two-yard run by Pierandri. The score was set up by a punt return by Soules, which he took to the Tufts' 42-yard line. Pierandri ran for 21 yards to give the Bantams 1st and goal and set up his own touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter Swinarski kicked a 41-yard field goal, his third and longest of the day to give Trinity a 16-3 lead. It appeared that Tufts might score on the ensuing possession, moving the ball to the Trinity 19-yard line. Tufts' quarterback, junior Casey D'Annolfo, was unsuccessful on three straight passes and was sacked on fourth and 10 to end the drive. Late in the game the Trinity defense produced the team's second touchdown when Duane Taylor recovered a fumble by Tufts' wide receiver Matt Cerne and returned it 25 yards for the score. Statistically, Trinity dominated the game, out-gaining Tufts 283 yards to 143. The time of possession was heavily in Trinity's favor; 37:17 to 22:43. Playing without starting running back junior Steve Cincotta and his back up junior Matt McMillan, the Jumbos managed just 36 yards rushing. The running load was split between converted fullback sophomore Steve Lombardi and senior wide receiver Tim Mack. Tufts' passing game was similarly ineffective. Quarterbacks D'Annolfo and fellow junior Jay Casey combined to complete just 13 of 36 passes for 107 yards. Tufts' offensive coordinator Mike Daly attributed the offense's poor performance more to mistakes than to the Trinity defense. "It seemed like every time we did something good, something else set us back," Daly said. "We'd have a long return, and it'd get called back because of a penalty. We'd get some positive yards and then lose them because of an offensive penalty. We really just shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times." According to Daly, it was hard for the offense to get into a rhythm because of how little they had the ball. Tufts lost the turnover battle for the first time this season, as the defense failed to intercept a pass. Without the extra boost of big defensive plays, the offense was unable to move the ball effectively.

---

News

The problem with Tufts

October 13

Let me begin this diatribe by stating that Tufts is not all bad. I have made some good friends in my time here, which began a little more than one year ago, and have met a lot of great people. I have had some noteworthy professors. The campus is attractive, and the food is pretty good. Nevertheless, I do not like it here. It did not take me long to formulate this opinion. Very quickly I sensed that, for the most part, I did not like a large contingent of the student body. I have seen very little evidence suggesting that my antipathy was ill-founded. I do not like students who walk into the library with a Big Gulp of Dr. Pepper or a Grande Mocha Latte and act like spoiled brats when they are told they cannot bring it in. I loathe students who treat TA's like sub-humans, as if that pupil's inability to grasp a concept is the fault and responsibility of the TA. I dislike students who leave trash all over the place in the student center, as if it is the custodian's job to pick it up. I object to hearing cafeteria workers given orders by overindulged students who rudely demand their sandwiches be made a certain way, and do not possess the common courtesy to say please or thank you. I abhor that students in the front row play games on their Palm Pilots and cell phones while a professor tries to give a lecture. It frustrates me when a professor requests at the end of an exam that pencils be put down and nobody puts their damn pencils down. Essentially, I detect an overwhelming and completely undeserved sense of entitlement among many here at Tufts. My question to those individuals is this; what makes you so special? Watching the Boston Red Sox defeat the Oakland Athletics Monday night in Hotung, I felt much of these emotions boil over in me. Students came and went, leaving their trash on the tables. I have learned not be surprised at that. However, as I listened to people laugh and cheer at the replays of Manny Ramirez walking nonchalantly down the first base line after hitting a 3-run homer, it occurred to me that Manny and his supporters lack many of the same fundamental tenets of bearing and conduct. Manny was proving that he is an immature and spoiled prima Donna with little in the way of discipline or intestinal fortitude, not unlike many people here. He is a man whose similar sense of entitlement paves the way for his disgraceful displays of sportsmanship. Manny had done essentially nothing up to that point in the post-season. But he, like many students here, incorrectly assumes that the world, or the people in it, owes him something. Prior to that embarrassment, Kevin Millar had lolly-gagged his way down the first base line after hitting what he believed was a single, only to be thrown out at second, hustling in an attempt to mask his egregious laziness when he saw the A's center fielder bobble the ball. Precious little outrage was expressed at these feeble displays of mettle. Sadly, this leads me to conclude that such poor examples of professionalism are commonly embraced as the standard by a bunch of spineless sycophants -- the same people who predictably and gleefully jeered Barry Zito (the A's pitcher) during replays that revealed the pitcher's forlorn expression as Manny's ball sailed out of the park. I have news for those of you who were laughing at Zito: the lot of you are sorry punks who know nothing about true competition or character. I ask you again; what have you accomplished in your lifetime that eclipses a competitor like Zito's achievements? No answer necessary. We both know it already. Steve Williams is a post-baccalaureate student.

---

News

Bacow inducted into Academy of Arts & Sciences

October 13

President Larry Bacow was recognized by top minds in the country through his induction into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS) this past Saturday in Harvard's Sanders Theater. Bacow was one of 187 fellows and 29 foreign honorary members of the AAAS's Class of 2003. These inductees join the academy's 4,000 members, which include 150 Nobel laureates and 50 Pulitzer Prize winners. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite and recording industry pioneer Richard Dolby were among this year's inductees. Peter Agre, who shared the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Tufts medical school graduate Roderick MacKinnon, also joined the academy. Bacow is Tufts' first inductee into the Educational, Scientific, Cultural, and Philanthropic Administration branch of the academy. New members to this branch include the presidents of UCLA, the University of Texas at Austin and Johns Hopkins. He is also only the fourth faculty member from Tufts elected to the AAAS. Bacow joins Philosophy Professor Daniel Dennett, School of Medicine Professor Jerome P. Kassirer, and Professor Emeritus of Microbiology James Theodore Park. AAAS President Patricia Meyer Specks said the academy was established not just as a place for academics, but for all kinds of prominent thinkers in society. Founded by John Adams, the AAAS was designed as a place for "thinkers and doers" to convene and share their ideas, Specks said. In that spirit, four members of the AAAS Class of 2003 gave brief remarks before their induction. One speaker, University of California Chemistry Professor Carolyn Betozzi used her discoveries in cell biology to show how academic research can inspire others. She recounted her first viewing of the movie "Fantastic Voyage," where a team of researchers miniaturize themselves and travel inside the body. "I realized then that the human body could be just as mythic and cosmic as outer space," Betozzi said. Betozzi stressed the importance of academy members sharing discoveries with future generations. "We should show students what we think the future is, and then follow them there," she said. Philanthropist William Gates, Sr., father of the Microsoft founder, argued against the repeal of the estate tax. "Can there be a serious question about the rectitude of society recovering from its most successful citizens a fraction of the fortune they leave at the time of his death?," he said. Gates prefaced his remarks by saying they did not represent the views of his son, but he repeatedly buttressed his argument by quoting billionaire Warren Buffet. His speech ended in loud applause and several audience members rose in a standing ovation. Princeton English Professor and famous literary critic Michael Wood challenged audience members to find "the story that is not being told" inside literature. He argued that literature allows readers to "live with what might be the case," and this enabled people to see past the story presented and discover something within. Among Tufts' peer intuitions, Dartmouth has 13 members and Amherst has seven. Harvard has over 100 faculty members in the AAAS. The AAAS, in addition to selecting new members, focuses on funding academic programs and sponsoring visiting scholars at its headquarters in Cambridge. The academy has recently published studies on "Congress and the Court" and "War with Iraq: Costs, Consequences, and Alternatives." In her opening address, Specks said the academy's current activities were designed to allow the best minds in America to help shape the country's future. She encouraged members to "share your thoughts and activities of the academy's work, so the academy can fulfill its mission to society."

---

News

Reads that Resonate: The DaVinci Code

October 13

I wish I could tell you it wasn't true. I wish I could say they were all vicious lies. Unfortunately the truth must prevail: I am a reality TV junkie. I have been known to be hooked on my share of Bachelors, Paradise Hotel guests, and American Idol crooners. The worst part about it is I consider myself a champion of the arts. I know that I shouldn't support the networks that fill their air time with the vapid and artless "acting" of reality TV's "stars," when there are struggling actors out there who are just looking for the even the meager walk-in role for their resume. I have wrestled with this dilemma for some time now, and have been eager to discover a way to get my "reality" fix without putting more theater folk out on the street. This summer, like a beacon of light cast on my grim world of reality TV, my prayers were answered by Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. For me, the summer has always meant the shore (shore, not beach to the Jersey folk). As far back as I can remember, in addition to stocking up on suntan lotion, there would be an inevitable trip to the book store to pick up the quick summer read. This summer, I ventured into my favorite bookstore, one of those places where old and new books line the walls up to the ceiling, and began my search for the perfect summer book. That's when I first saw it, something that seemed too good to be true: the book that would wean me off my shameful reality TV addiction. Dan Brown's best selling novel The Da Vinci Code, is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Not only because the author intricately weaves suspense, mystery, murder, art, history, Catholicism, and secret societies, but because he does so with an unbelievable, yet undeniable, thread of truth. It is the story of Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbolism, and Sophie Neveu, a French cryptographer. The two are thrust together after the murder of The Louvre's curator, Jacques Sauniere. What unfolds is a story involving The Priory of Sion (a real European secret society founded in 1099 whose members have included Sir Issac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Leonardo da Vinci), Opus Dei (a deeply devout Catholic sect that seems Medieval in its beliefs of "corporal mortification", but is scarily and equally modern with its building of a world headquarters in New York City), secret messages hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci, and an unpredictable quest for the holy grail. Just when you think all these clandestine groups and messages couldn't possibly exist, Brown draws you in with the disclaimer that every description of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in the novel is accurate. How, you're wondering, did this book rid me of my fondness for reality television? The answer is, it brought to light the real draw of reality TV. What it boils down to is truth. There is something fascinating and voyeuristic about watching, reading, or even hearing about a far fetched tale that astounds you with its realistic roots. It's the same reason one of the best selling points for a movie is the classic tagline, "based on a true story." Dan Brown manages to take a purely fictional tale of murder and infuse it with hidden truths about art and religion to create a story so authentic; it puts reality TV to shame. I may still be prone to watch an episode of The Bachelor or two (or every Wednesday night at nine), but now I get my taste for reality, from the pages of Dan Brown's fact driven fiction.

---

News

Who's coming with me?

October 13

One Daily sports columnist. As many students and faculty as he can bribe with meals at Dewick. 29,029 feet. An annual mountain climbing challenge to support free printing, ESPN and less frat discipline at Tufts. On April 19, while President Bacow once again leads (in spirit, not in time, of course) his team of runners in the Boston Marathon to raise money for the Tufts Personalized Performance Program, I will personally lead a coalition of the willing up the summit of summits: Mt. Everest. It's going to take a whole heap of training to get ready for The Mountain, and one round trip ticket to Nepal will cost you a bit more than that microfridge, so I suggest we practice on peaks closer to home. Membership in the Highpointers Club -- a society of very dedicated (ahem) people who try to climb the highest point in each US state -- should help get us started. This past Sunday, I drove down to Foster, Rhode Island to tackle the highest point in the Ocean State: Jerimoth Hill, 812 feet above sea level. Jerimoth Hill isn't really a hill at all. It's a...a...a...a rock. Yeah, it's a big rock in some guy's back yard that's a foot and a half taller than anywhere else in that godforsaken wasteland of a state. Chuck, the Highpointers host for the Rhode Island site, came prepared with prayer flags, climbing boots and ice picks, and he said that by the time I arrived at about noon, two people had already fallen off the rock because of the slippery conditions. Chuck made it up to Camp Two at Everest before he had to come back for work, so he knows his way around mountains. To be more precise, The Rock and a clearing around it are owned by Brown University -- they built a telescope platform next to the rock and use the area for astronomy classes -- but all the land around it, including the property between Jerimoth and the road, is owned by good ol' Fosterites. The surrounding owners only let tourists in to "climb" a few days a year, and luckily Columbus Day is one of them. I say luckily because as it turns out, the surrounding owners aren't the friendliest bunch. Last year, two Alaskan Highpointers took a trip around the summits of New England, but when they showed up in Rhode Island, they were two weeks too early for visitation day. The men parked their car on the side of the road, and in the middle of the night, decided to bushwhack the 50-foot distance to Jerimoth. When they got back to their car, two men emerged from the bushes, fired shotgun blasts into the air, and made the Alaskans wait face-down at gun-point until the cops showed up. An experience atop Jerimoth will go a long way in preparing us for the deadly demands of Everest. But still, you may ask: Brian, how do you know you can physically be ready for Everest? To that I say this: Go watch the IMAX movie "Kilimanjaro: To the Roof of Africa." They follow a team of seasoned vets up the highest point in Africa -- not Everest, but a bit higher than Jerimoth. Among the climbers was a 12-year-old girl. TWELVE YEARS OLD! GIRL! If a middle-schooler can tame the Furtwangler Glacier, why can't a bunch of lanky Jumbos B.S. their way up Everest? This past Saturday, my roommate and I hiked both Mt. Flume and Mt. Liberty in New Hampshire via the Flume Slide trail -- a trail the guidebooks say you shouldn't take on the way down or in less than perfect conditions. At the top of the first peak we met a woman with her dog, a dog she said has climbed 36 of New Hampshire's mountains that are over 4,000 ft. above sea level. Go back and read that sentence again. When I got to the top, I didn't need supplemental oxygen, I needed a full body massage and a gin and tonic. This dog was kicking my ass. I may be an IR major, but I can do some basic math. I'm pretty darn sure that 12-year-old girl + four-legged fur ball = mountains are a heck of a lot easier than that %&@!# rope in gym class. So come on, who's with me? We'll do a highpoint each weekend until Patriot's Day. I hear New Jersey's peak is just a landfill off the Turnpike, so that'll be a lot easier than say, Mt. McKinley. And besides, would you rather be part of the President's Marathon Challenge or the Bring Social Life Back to Tufts by Freezing Your Ass Off in the Himalayas Challenge? Everest or bust!

---

News

Tufts to train local teachers in technology use

October 13

The cities of Medford, Malden and Everett are partnering with Tufts to implement an educational initiative in schools that will produce technology-savvy graduates. This educational program is part of a plan to increase the number of high-quality jobs for city residents. The program, called Tri-Tec, collaborates closely with the Tufts Education Department and will help educate and spur the interest of middle and high school students in the area of technology. TriTec is an integral part of a larger plan to build a technology-focused office park called TeleCom City, which grew out of an idea to capitalize on the fast-growing telecommunications industry in the late 1990's. City officials say it will bring in more professional-level and better paying jobs for residents. "[City officials] wanted to bring in industry, but recognized that they would need a more educated workforce" to fill positions at TeleCom City, said Barbara Rubel, Tufts Director of Community Relations. "They are taking the long view on a more educated workforce." "Instead of sweeping the floors, [the citizens of these towns] can be computer programmers or hold other positions at TeleCom City," said Bob Simpson, director of the Teacher Learning Center in Malden and a part-time faculty member with the Tufts Education Department. One of Tufts' important roles in the TriTec Program is to co-write grants with Medford, Malden, and Everett. "Part of getting the grant is demonstrating you can do what you say you can do," Rubel said. Education Department faculty and researchers convinced grant-makers that money given to these cities would be put to effective use because they were bringing their expertise to the project. Over the course of four years, Tufts released over $350,000 to each of the three school districts for teacher stipends and other support for the TriTec project according to Linda Beardsley, Director of Teacher Education and School Partnerships. The money came from the federal Department of Education and an initiative called Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3). Some of this money was used to establish Teacher Learning Centers in each city where teachers periodically meet for training in technology and workshops on integrating technology into the classroom. Tufts staffs these centers with a director who is also a Tufts faculty member in the Education Department. "Once you have the computers, you have to do something with that technology," Simpson said. The technology should be accompanied by training so that teachers can effectively use the technology and curriculum development so that students get the most out of it, he said. To further assist in these areas, Tufts has lent out Education Department Technology Coordinator Dan Cogan-Drew, who Beardsley calls a "technology guru," to train teachers participating in the Tri-Tech program. They have also sent pre-service teachers from the Tufts Master of Arts in Teaching program to work with teachers in Malden, Medford, and Everett. "[Tufts] worked with teams of teachers from the three school districts to develop and implement web-based and project-based curriculum units that encouraged students to tackle essential questions about issues such as immigration patterns in the US, Renaissance Women, Mystic River Watershed, bio-diversity, language and culture issues," Beardsely said. Tufts continues to collaborate with some of these teachers as mentors for students taking courses in the Education Department, Beardsley said. Tufts faculty members also benefit from this project because they have a testing ground to implement their ideas. As for the office park, Simpson said the site for TeleCom City is being put together right now and offices will be built soon. The three cities have been able to buy out the owners of the land and assemble a plot large enough for the office complex. They have been tearing down buildings and developing new roads that will connect the offices to major highways. The idea for the park has changed slightly, however, as the focus has shifted from attracting telecommunications companies to simply attracting technology companies in general. "At the time things were coming together, [telecommunications] was a hot industry," Rubel said. "There would be really good jobs for people in the area. Now I think they see it more generically." Something that the developers of TeleCom City still hope for, however, is to provide "incubator space" for new businesses, Rubel said. This "incubator space" can be a great benefit to Tufts, Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn said. Tufts is good at creating ideas through academic research, and this park can be a vehicle for Tufts to do prototyping and commercialization of its research, he said. TriTec is something that McGlynn pointed out as a particularly good example for future collaboration between Tufts and surrounding towns. TeleCom City is located at the intersection of Medford, Malden, and Everett near the Wellington T-stop on the Orange line on land that was previously used for industrial purposes. One of the largest obstacles that had to be overcome was the presence of hazardous waste left on the site by these former industrial tenants. But local officials were able to convince government authorities that this land has great potential. Money was obtained from state and federal governments for a cleanup operation that has been completed. The idea for TeleCom City and TriTec originated with city officials in Medford, Malden and Everett. TriTec was formed between the three district superintendents in meetings with Beardsley and former Tufts Vice President Mel Bernstein. Both city and Tufts officials are excited about putting the program in place. "As far as I know, there are no other programs that have school districts collaborating with educational partners and businesses," Simpson said.

---

News

Death of TV's John Ritter leaves sitcom's future unsure

October 13

There will be one primetime comedy tonight that will be airing a rerun. It won't be because the network executives are pulling the show due to poor ratings, and it isn't because it is serving as a replacement for another failed sitcom. It's because the heart of the show, John Ritter who effortlessly played the 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter's lead male character, Paul Hennessy, passed away last month. Ritter was the nucleus of the show about a neurotic and overprotective father of three teenage kids: Rory, the wisecracking and romantically insecure son, Kerry, the artsy and underappreciated daughter, and Bridget, the stereotypical vapid and beautiful blonde. As each go out on their romantic escapades, Paul's reaction and relationship with their respective dates creates the situation for hilarious scenes with witty one-liners. Paul's wife, Kate, served as the "straight man" foil to his wildly animated anxiety over his daughters' safety. While most every episode had a morally conclusive ending, it rarely came across as preachy and patronizing as if it were a Full House episode. Seventeen million viewers tuned in to Ritter's final episode of 8 Simple Rules...last week. It was an astounding number considering that the show had not attracted that many viewers since its series premiere in September of 2002. The sitcom became the lone bright spot in ABC's comedic offerings last year, and was meant to be the flagship program of the network's Tuesday night lineup this year. The new series I'm With Her had hoped to reap the benefits of 8 Simple Rules...'s large audience by following it in the 8:30 time slot. Yet all of these prognoses meant nothing with the shocking death of Ritter. The cast was in the process of taping the show's fourth episode when Ritter collapsed on the set, only to die later from heart failure, the result of an undiagnosed coronary problem. The news of Ritter's death jolted and shocked the Hollywood establishment. Many were thrilled to see the former television star back in his element in the second season of the modest hit 8 Simple Rules... After the end of Three's Company, the sitcom that made Ritter a star, the actor attempted a couple of failed sitcoms and bit movie roles until landing the part of Paul Hennessy last year. It was as Jack Tripper on Three's Company that Ritter became a household name and racked up Golden Globes and Emmys for his performances. Playing a straight man posing as a gay man in order to live with two beautiful and buxom women, Ritter exhibited an understanding of slapstick comedy at a Lucille Ball level. Cast alongside television legend Don Knotts and the ebullient Suzanne Somers, Ritter shone and his show became a comedic standard throughout the early 1980s. It is because of this brilliance that tonight's episode of 8 Simple Rules...is one that aired last year, and the cast's favorite, as it is a spoof of Three's Company, with his children in the roles of Jack, Janet, and Chrissy. The death of a major character in a television series is not a tragedy unique to 8 Simple Rules...The cast of NewsRadio was hit hard by the loss of leading man Phil Hartman when he was murdered by his wife, and the show never recovered in terms of quality or viewership. On Cheers, Nicholas Colasanto, who played the proprietor of the bar "Coach," died after the third season of the wildly adored show. To replace him, the producers cast Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd, and Cheers never missed a beat. Specific plans have still not been made for whenever the show returns, although Ritter's character will most definitely not be replaced by another actor in the same role. The first episodes that air will deal with Ritter's death. Rumors have swirled that Henry Winkler, of Happy Days fame, will take on a fatherly figure in the show as the uncle of the three children. Ritter's death has left a gaping hole in the lives, hearts, and careers of the cast of 8 Simple Rules... Here's hoping that 8 Simple Rules... has the same degree of good fortune as Cheers and misses the pratfalls of NewsRadio. The spirit of John Ritter deserves it.

---

News

Jumbos suffer third consecutive conference loss

October 13

The women's soccer team came out on the short end of another heartbreaking contest this past weekend, as the Jumbos fell victim to the Trinity College Bantams 2-1 at Kraft field. The loss was Tufts' third consecutive NESCAC defeat, dropping them to 6-3 (2-3) on the season and seventh in the NESCAC. "We didn't play to our potential in the first half at all," senior co-captain Abby Herzberg said. "We were playing frantically, but we definitely stepped it up and played well in the second. Unfortunately, things just didn't go our way in the end." Despite the loss however, the squad is still positive about its season and about its place in the NESCAC. "Right now, our mentality is that we have to go out and win every game from now on," junior Sarah Gelb said. "We're still fine in the NESCAC because everything starts over in the tournament. We're very positive right now, and ready to go kill Wesleyan today." Like in the past three conference games, the Jumbos came out somewhat apprehensive. Tufts looked like it was playing more defensive minded and just didn't seem to be playing with full intensity. The Jumbos' midfield suffered another blow just three minutes into the game when a Trinity player head-butted Gelb as the two went up for a ball. Gelb left the game immediately with a gash requiring 12 stitches over her right eye, but is probable for today's match at Wesleyan. This lack of intensity quickly came back to haunt the Jumbos. A Trinity striker sent a corner kick high towards the goal, and after numerous deflections and attempts to clear, the ball found its way to the center of the field, just six yards from the goal line. Trinity senior Courtney Doyle took advantage, and ripped a shot past the hands of Tufts junior goalie Meg McCourt to give the Bantams a 1-0 edge. "It is just a matter of not coming out with intensity at the first whistle, almost as if it takes a goal by the other team to motivate us," Gelb said. "We really need to work on playing the first few minutes and scoring first." Tufts put relentless pressure on the Trinity backline as the first frame winded down, only to be turned back, time and time again by Trinity junior keeper Brenna Shields. As the first half came to a close, the score remained 1-0 Trinity. In the second half, with freshmen Jenny Muller and Sage Graham, and sophomore first year Caite Meeker all starting, the Jumbos dominated the game and kept the ball in the Trinity zone for the majority of the half. "In the first half, it took us a while to get set because we had to make a lot of changes in the midfield and bring in new players," Gelb said. "We were dominating the game but not controlling it, and finally stepped it up in the second and played our game." Tufts struck even with the Bantams just 12 minutes into the second half. Sophomore Lindsay Garmirian, playing in her first game in over a week due to tendonitis in her hip, fought through the Trinity midfield and sent a lofted cross through the defense to junior Jen Baldwin, who was waiting in front of the net. Baldwin settled the ball and tore it past Shields to nod things up at one. "Lindsay's injury has been really tough for our team because we know how strong she is when she isn't hurting," Herzberg said. "I don't think it was a surprise at all when she came in and played great. We knew that was how she plays; we have just had to wait for her to feel healthy." Tufts continued to dominate the pace of play as the game continued. However, despite numerous shot opportunities, the Jumbos couldn't seem to beat Shields again. With just 20 minutes remaining, and with the Tufts defense playing aggressively over the midfield line, Bantam freshman Amy Joyce sent a ball over the backline of defense, and speedy forward Caitlin Buzzle took control of the ball near the 18 yard line and ripped a shot past a diving McCourt into the left corner of the net to put Trinity up one. "Our back four has been really strong and aggressive all year," Gelb said. "The one negative about being aggressive is that once the ball gets through, it's sometimes hard to get back fast enough. They were playing with three forwards, so they knew how to beat it, but we just need to work on getting midfielders back on defense." Tufts poured on the offense over the last 20 minutes with hopes of sneaking one past Shields. Sophomore Sarah Callaghan and senior Jessica Trombly both got off numerous shot opportunities, all sailing wide or into the hands of Shields. The Jumbos look to rebound in the NESCAC today at last place Wesleyan, and will then quickly shift their focus to Saturday's match up against the Williams Ephs, who currently sit in first place in the conference.

---

News

Is God a Red Sox fan?

October 13

That question may have a different ring to it by the time this article sees print and we've seen games four and five. But at the moment, fresh from a miraculous win over Oakland and an unexpected win at Yankee Stadium, the question seems fitting. Before we could answer it, though, another question suggests itself first: would God, if there is a God, even care about a baseball team? To answer that we'd need to consider what sort of creature God might be. And the first thing we remember is that God is no creature -- he's the Creator. Everything in the universe needs to get its existence from something else, and the universe itself must get its existence from something outside of it, and that is God. The existence God gives must be his own natural possession (because by definition he is that which needs no existence given to him). For this reason we say that God was, is, and is to come. There never was a time when God was not, nor can there ever be a time he ceases to exist. For he is the uncaused cause, and his nature is to be. What follows from this? Well, if time and space (which are parts of the universe) get their very existence from God, then he cannot be limited by them. He has no age, and no size -- God is infinite. If God is unlimited by time, God is eternal. To be eternal is to not be subject to change. For change requires time to pass, but for God all time is Now. Also, if God were to change, he would have to go from being what he is to being something he was not before. But if God gains in being in that way, it means God was lacking in being, or "under-developed." But God is infinite and the source of all existence, all being. How can he lack anything? Now if God lacks nothing, he needs nothing. And if God is eternal, he never lacked anything. God has never needed anything, and he never will. What does this mean for us? If the Creator did not need anything, then he did not need creation. God could have been God, and perfectly content, without it. The universe is superfluous. God does not even need us! Our question about the Red Sox seems a bit out of place now. Compared to all the beauties of the world, the planets and the stars whirling in the vast expanse of the cosmos, what is baseball? How could an infinite, eternal God, existing in himself before all worlds and beyond all galaxies, possibly care about a two-run homer in the eighth? Everything in our thinking so far suggests he couldn't. The line engraved atop Harvard's Philosophy building is apt: "What is Man, that Thou art mindful of him?" God, so far above his own creation, is the ultimate Other to human beings. Is that then, our answer? So far we've only considered an idea and its consequences, or what ought to be true. We haven't let God speak for God's self. As it turns out, that inscription at Harvard about man's insignificance is from an ancient book of songs called Psalms, written by the Jewish people. The Jews were really the first people to declare that the true God was of the kind we have been describing. Yet, oddly enough, they were also the first to speak of a real intimacy with this God. Notice the second half of that line: "that Thou art mindful of him". The writer is not just reflecting on man's insignificance, he's marveling that God (despite that) still cares about him. The writer would only know that God cares if God himself said so, and that is precisely what the Jews said he did, through a special revealing of himself. So particular is God's revealed concern that when he instructed his people, he explicitly sided himself with the obscurest of the obscure among them, the rejected ones: the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner. No one was beyond God's interest, whether Jewish or not. This is unexpected of such a transcendent God, but it does not contradict anything we have said. In fact, to hear that God is so profoundly interested in the condition of people helps explain an unanswered question: why create? There seems to be no other answer than that God wanted to. He did not need, but desired to have, people. There was no reason. Now we already understand such non-rational affection -- it's called love. A friend of mine remarked to me the other day, "You know, even if the Red Sox lose the World Series, I'll still love them -- they're the Red Sox!" This is unconditional love, and it mirrors the kind of love God has for the people he's created. This is the love that sustains the creation that has once been made. For if God is the source of all existence, he must be continually giving out that existence, as a piano note rings out only as long as the musician's finger remains on the key. If the finger leaves, the note stops. From every bird that falls from the sky to every hair that falls from your head, God is aware of it all, because God keeps it going. If God so chose, we'd stop. But for now God does not stop, because he loves. And he's waiting for that love to be returned by all, whether Trot Nixon or Derek Jeter. He's willing to be a fan of both. To ask whether God cares about the World Series is, in light of this, as non-essential as asking whether he cares about the World Bank. Both are, for different reasons, "big things" in our eyes. We think of each as very important in and of itself, and whomever either affects as inconsequential. God is just the opposite. His concern is first for people, and the Big Things they play with are secondary. Nations, kingdoms, empires; these last merely centuries. God has made people to last forever. It matters less to God that Pedro Martinez is a great pitcher than that he is a good man. In the same way, I do think God is pleased by our pleasure in being "non-rational" fans of good things, like the Red Sox. It is training ground for loving unconditionally, and that is what God loves to see in us. But is God himself a fan? Whether God may have a secret partiality for the Sox, I do not know, but considering his fondness for the obscure and the rejected, how could he root for the Yankees?

---