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Committee searches for new Dean of Engineering

February 10

The search committee for a new Dean of Engineering began advertising the open position last week with the hope of having a new dean in place by the fall semester. The committee, which is comprised of professors from each of the engineering disciplines, illustrates what is standard about search committees at Tufts: very little. Tufts is searching for several new high-level administrators right now: a Dean of Engineering, Dean of the Medical School, Dean of the Sackler School, Dean of Admissions, Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs, Director of Financial Aid, Dean of the School of Nutrition, and possibly a new vice president. Because so many of these positions are related to each other, several _ like the Sackler dean, Nutrition dean, and Student Services dean _ are not even being advertised yet. There are also a number of tenure-track faculty positions open, though no more than usual. The formation of the search committee, the length of the process, the method of soliciting candidates, and the involvement of students in searches differ depending on the case. "There is a rough rubric [for the search process], but each search is different in its design to meet the needs of the University and the position," said computer science chair Diane Souvaine, chair of the Dean of Engineering search committee. Souvaine also served on the Provost search committee last year. The one thing common to each search is the strict attention paid to attracting a diverse pool of candidates. Before posting a faculty job description, it has to be approved by Director of Diversity Education Margery Davies, Tufts' affirmative action watchdog for faculty hiring in Arts, Sciences & Engineering. Davies scrutinizes the activities of each faculty search committee at several points during the process and provides departments with related resources. Administrative searches do not go through Davies, but the same attention is paid to attracting diverse candidates. "We pay a lot of attention to how diverse a pool a department has been able to attract when doing a search and the criteria they give for the choices," Davies said. Because of these efforts, over the last decade, nearly half the tenure or tenure-track faculty hired were persons of color. The ease of formulating each job description depends on the position. For a pre-existing administrative or faculty position, it is simple to detail the duties involved and the skills needed to perform them. But if the position is newly created, the process of defining it could take months _ a problem the American Studies and English departments discovered last year when they decided to create a split appointment in Asian American Literature. "It's thinking outside of the box, and that's something that takes longer," said English Professor Carol Flynn, who chairs that search committee. The committee is now in the process of bringing the four finalists for the job to Tufts for interviews, and a hiring decision should be made soon. Though the engineering dean description was put together quickly, the committee may encounter difficulties in its search because it is looking for someone who has an established career _ and is therefore less willing to relocate than a person who has just earned a Ph.D. and is looking at a variety of places for their first professorship. For senior faculty searches, sometimes advertising is not the best way to attract candidates. "You're looking for people who are not probably actively seeking a job, so you advertise differently. You rely on your knowledge of who is out there in the field," said History Professor Howard Malchow, who is currently involved in a search for tenure-track professor in Chinese History. The engineering dean search committee is likely to use consultants to advise it on how to reach out to potential candidates and other aspects of the hiring process, but no search firm will be hired. It falls to that position's direct supervisor to oversee the search process, select the search committee, and determine if a search firm will be hired and how involved Tufts' human resources department will be. Isaacson, Miller, a Boston-based search firm, was used to find President Larry Bacow two years ago, but no firm was used in the hiring of Provost Jamshed Bharucha. But a firm is being used in the Dean of the Medical School search. In the case of the Dean of Engineering, Provost Jamshed Bharucha organized and oversees the search committee. With faculty appointments, it falls to the chair of the department to select a committee, and often to chair it. Whether students are involved in the search committees varies depending on the department and search being conducted. Some departments have a set procedure _ for example, the Political Science department, which invites students from the discipline's honor society to meet with finalists for faculty positions. Others evaluate how to incorporate student input on a case-by-case basis. The Asian American Literature search committee will have candidates meet with an open group of undergraduate and graduate students from the American Studies and English departments. History, on the other hand, does not invite students to participate in its searches at all. In administrative searches, the role of students is much more limited because of the need to maintain the confidentiality of the candidates. Usually the search committee is trying to woo people from other schools, which might cause trouble for the candidate if it became widely known. A representative from the Tufts Community Union Senate is sometimes invited to sit on high profile searches, as happened in the presidential search two years ago. For the engineering dean position, the search committee is creating a student advisory committee, made up of students nominated by the departments, to advise the search. The exact role that this body will play has yet to be determined. Though informal outreach occurs in every search, Bharucha and the engineering dean search committee are making a formal effort to gain input by holding an open forum with undergraduate and graduate students, tentatively scheduled for this Wednesday in the Campus Center. Once suggestions are collected and applications begin to arrive, the committee will determine the specific process it will use to narrow down candidates. "We're looking to make a good match between what the candidate's strengths are and what the University has to offer," Souvaine said. "There's a lot of communication that needs to happen between the candidate and the committee." Though Ioannis Miaoulis, the departed Dean of Engineering, also served as associate provost, the new dean will not take on both roles. No decision has been made about whether a new associate provost will be selected, according to Bharucha.

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News

Why women may choose abortion

February 10

In response to Jack Grimes' Feb. 5, 2003 viewpoint "Why Men Love Abortion," I would like to take the opportunity to question many of his assumptions, as well as offer an alternative view for the outcomes of this much-debated action. The viewpoint approaches abortion with a woman's welfare as the primary concern. If a woman's welfare truly is at stake here, then let's for a moment examine the ramifications, for both mother and child, of not aborting an unplanned for and unwanted child. The viewpoint claims that a woman who chooses abortion will end up alone at the end of the experience. How much more alone will this woman feel as she spends the rest of her life single-handedly responsible for a child? Or, alternatively, when a woman has a child but chooses not to accept responsibility, how much more alone will the abandoned child feel? That is, of course, if the child survives being abandoned in the first place. While I agree that her school or workplace is under no obligation to offer assistance, they are also under no obligation to assist with the long-term care of the child. It would also be much harder and much less likely for a single mother to be able to pursue higher education and full time employment when faced with the responsibility of a child. Without these resources, how can she possibly provide the best care for the child and any other future children? Now we come to the argument about the woman's family. Since when is the father the only viable source for support? And even given the type of father portrayed in this example, he is much more likely to close himself off to a daughter who is a single mother, rather than one who does not permanently affect her life. Arguably, these issues can easily be seen from either perspective. But when the viewpoint describes the relationship between the mother and her "life-long" friend, there is no question that the idealistic scene of "life-long companionship" and "deeply intimate bonds" ignores the fact that for 18 years or more after the birth of the child, the mother will be responsible for food, clothing, shelter, education, her own welfare, and will have to provide all of these things without the support of a true companion, namely a person who participates in providing these things. The viewpoint speaks of robbing a mother of this glorious experience. If the writer can provide scientific data that shows unequivocally that every woman of childbearing capacity sees motherhood as her ultimate goal, then by all means this is a valid point. By this token, if a woman cannot physically bear children, does this mean that her life will be devoid of true happiness? The viewpoint also questions the "violence" of abortion. What about the violence towards unwanted children blamed for a lost life? What about the violence of hunger, humiliation, cold, or desertion? It is true that the emotional aftereffects of a termination can be devastating, but the aftereffects of single motherhood can be and are much worse. Where will the man concerned for women's well-being be then? He will probably be out "reaping gain on a date" by overwhelming another woman with his sensitivity. The viewpoint also addresses the agony of the "anniversaries of the never-born." What about the daily agonies of looking at a child who is the result of rape? Or the agony of knowing that there could have been a different life? Or the constant reminder of desertion? It takes fortitude and bravery to face an abortion and its aftereffects. It is unnecessary for the mother to endure any further pain, and selfish to needlessly inflict it on the child. Finally, I address the viewpoint's reassurance of divine forgiveness to the men and women who had the courage to go through with an abortion, regardless of the consequences, because they knew that it was in their best interests and the child's. My God tells me to care for others, that this is the highest way of life and the best way to honor Him. Until a woman can and wants to devote her life and emotions to a child, that child should not live the alternative. The writer says that using the word "child" already implies a "commitment to the continuity of life." I respond by saying that his use of the word "life" implies a commitment to just that. Part of life should be the full and wholehearted care and safety of a parent or guardian. Stephanie Glass is a senior majoring in Political Science.

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News

Men's Swimming Team Primed for Championships

February 10

Saturday's Middlebury Invitational provided the Tufts men's swimmers an opportunity to showcase their skills on a grander stage than usual _ and in this instance the Jumbos rose to the challenge. The meet brought together some of New England's strongest Div. III swimming programs, including Williams, MIT, Norwich, and Middlebury. None of the teams, however, displayed all of their fastest swimmers _ using the meet instead as a late season tune-up to concentrate on making adjustments in specific areas to the final Championship roster. "There wasn't the level of competition that there will be at NESCACs," sophomore Seth Baron said. However, the format of the Invitational served as a good experience, preparing the Jumbos, whose season so far has been a fairly ho-hum affair, for the tough competition they are likely to face in the NESCAC Championships. "The dual-meets don't really give you a clear measure of how you'll do in the NESCACs," Baron said. Baron, who has yet to improve on his times from last season, easily won the 200-yard butterfly (2:00.96) on Saturday, but is still disappointed. Conspicuously absent from the meet were the Lord Jeffs from Amherst _ the team most feared in the NESCAC this season. Tufts will compete against the undefeated Amherst swimmers for the first time at the NESCAC Championships at the end of the month. Nevertheless, the Jumbos (8-1 overall, 4-0 NESCAC) did what they have always been known for _ swimming hard and proficiently. In the afternoon's first men's event, the Tufts 'A' team won the 200-yard medley relay (1:39.49). Winning the top spot in the 18-team field could be attributed, in large part, to junior Nick Ghoussaini, whose blisteringly fast final leg (22.11) clinched the event. The two backstroke events were Tufts' strongest showings of the afternoon. In the 100, freshman Jonathon Godsey hit the wall first at 55.60 seconds, with junior Kaili Mauricio grabbing second-place (57.40) in the 14-swimmer field. Godsey took home first-place honors in the 200-yard backstroke as well (2:01.91), with fellow freshman Jason Kapit close behind in second (2:02.13). "I was happy to see a lot of the swimmers that shaved and tapered last week swim well on Saturday," Kapit said. "I'm looking forward to the Championships in three weeks and to scoring points for the team to help us place as high as possible." Taking advantage of the more intimidating setting to test their poise, the Jumbo divers passed with flying colors. Seniors Connell Cloyd and David Liebenstein came in one-two in the three-meter event. The experience gained on Saturday should prove invaluable come Championships. Tufts chances in the upcoming NESCAC Championships, to be held at Williams College from Feb. 28 to March 2, are now a bit clearer. Amherst and Williams, historically strong teams, will probably be fighting for the top spot. Though anything is possible, the Jumbos seem to be eyeing a third-place finish in the final standings. Standing in their way are the Middlebury Panthers (4-4 overall, 2-3 NESCAC), last year's first-time champions. After losing eight valuable seniors to graduation over the summer though, Middlebury seems to be in a weakened position, susceptible to being overrun by the Jumbos. "We'll give them a run for their money this year," Baron stated confidently.

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News

Faculty meeting discusses in-class discrimination

February 10

In an effort to increase awareness of discrimination by faculty members in the classroom, attendees of the Arts, Sciences and Engineering (AS&E) faculty meeting last week participated in a "Discussion of Race and Diversity Issues in Students' Academic Experience." The faculty examined several case studies, which have been compiled over the past eight years by Jean Wu of the AS&E Office of Diversity Education and Development. Some of the common concerns students have about the faculty include, according to Wu, faculty who express assumptions about students based on racial or ethnic stereotypes, faculty who avoid contact with students because of racial or ethnic heritage, and faculty who fail to deal effectively with racially-charged issues and discussions in the classroom. In order to protect confidentiality, the gender of students and faculty, as well as the names of the departments were changed. The workshop on Feb. 5 was "focused on assisting faculty to be effective teachers in diverse classrooms," Wu said. The workshop aimed to inform attendees about possible discrimination, in order raise awareness, said Kathleen Camara, a member of the AS&E Faculty Executive Committee and one of the presenters at the meeting. "We hope that by raising the consciousness of our faculty to these concerns that we will be working toward the creation of a safe, respectful and thoughtful learning environment for all our students, as well as for the larger community at Tufts," she said. One African American student felt that while no racial tensions are present in the classroom, awareness of the different ethnic and racial groups is noticeable. The student, who chose to remain anonymous, said that an African American professor will often make an effort not to single out or favor African American students while another professor may make a special effort to include them in discussions. Such situations understandably affect students' ability to focus and perform well in class and even in their everyday lives, Wu said. Some students have not noticed any type of discrimination. "I do not feel like there is any discrimination in my classes... Though most of my classes are not extremely diversified, there seems to be no prejudice, and the relations between professors and students are largely positive," freshman Nancy Chen said. Faculty at the meeting proposed several solutions to the problem of in-class faculty discrimination. Proposals included offering additional workshops on teaching and advising diverse student populations and requiring departments to devote at least one meeting each year to discussions about issues related to race and ethnicity. Faculty also recommended including an item on the annual faculty activity reports on how they have responded to the interests and needs of a diverse student population in their curriculum. Revising the questions on course evaluation forms to more explicitly solicit feedback from students on the inclusion of course materials reflecting the diversity of the student populations was also proposed. According to Gary Goldstein, the chairman of the AS&E Faculty Executive Committee, the meeting was a positive experience and there was a lot of agreement among faculty, as well as a lot of positive discussion on proposed actions. The faculty expressed both concern and surprise about the cases and general trends presented. Summaries of the discussions that took place and the recommendations that were suggested will be passed on to the Executive Committee, Camara said. Once compiled, the recommendations will be reviewed by the committee and work will begin to implement the suggestions through faculty communities and administrative support, she said.

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News

Christmas, Valentine's Day: celebrating the gift

February 10

Now that December and the subsequent holiday period is over, now that we have satisfied our souls through the necessary gift exchange, we are all back, ready for the semester. For some it was Christmas, for others it was another holiday. However, irrespective of religious denomination, Christmas time is the ideal opportunity for people to have a little fun or to provide some happiness for a family member or friend, or one's self, who sits in the midst of an unfulfilled live. How? We satisfy our needs by going to the nearest mall and buying gifts for ourselves and other people. Apparently, nowadays it is only through gifts and other materialistic gestures, such as cards, that we can maintain human relationships. Nowadays, there are few people who seek religious spirituality during Christmas; most people see the holidays as an opportunity to have fun, receive gifts, and eat nice homemade food. Indeed, one can argue that Christmas and New Years without gifts is like a candy without the sugar. I am not arguing against gift giving, but rather against the nature of gift giving in the context of our society. Gift giving has always been an element of our culture and has defined interactions between humans. Essentially, it is through the exchange of goods that life and culture perpetuate themselves. Nevertheless, today, the nature of gift exchange has altered. Nowadays, gift exchange not only reflects our materialism but also has a profound impact on human relationships. This is because today the gift itself is employed to offer the compensation and satisfaction that people so much need. Gifts are often viewed as rewards and people seek to accumulate as many as possible. Gifts, because of the way we use them and have made them part of our lives, can be held responsible for the demoralization and degradation of human relations. From the Christmas example, two main concerns arise. First is the fact that people increasingly become dependent on material goods in order to maintain human relationships. This is because people try to establish or perpetuate relations by offering goods as a sign of approval. There is little room for variation; those who do not agree with this point of view nevertheless have to succumb. Receiving a gift makes one feel secure that he or she is not alone and that people think of him or her. The continuous use of material goods to maintain a relationship shows that people have not forged strong bonds with one another and need other ways to prove their feelings. In addition, the fact that people seek to maintain relationships in this way shows that people are not satisfied by the number or quality of their present relationships. Through the exchange of gifts people hope to create new relationships or to reinforce already existing ones. Human relations gradually lose their moral aspect. Human interaction has been minimized and limited to holidays or traditional coming together occasions such as weddings. Apparently, the current mode of life is not fulfilling and people try to reunite and maintain these relationships through gift and card exchange in an attempt to convince themselves that they belong somewhere and they are linked to someone. The gift is one sure way to establish these relationships because it is particularly appealing to people. This is because our society values materialism over idealism. Nowadays, people are always thirsty for something new, something that they do not possess in order to be happy and therefore are keen to receive goods. The continuous pursuit of happiness through material objects shows how materialistic our culture has become. This tendency to acquire increases as time goes by and people are never satisfied with what they possess. Often, these products exceed the needs of individuals; sometimes they even create "new needs." As a result, people become more self-interested and adopt an individualistic approach to life as opposed to a more communal one, whereby emphasis would be given to the well-being of the community and not of the individual. Our society is one where consumerism prevails. Consumerism is like drugs: people get addicted to it and certain individuals _ the suppliers, in this case, those who manufacture all those products which are somehow linked to all the key holidays of the calendar _ benefit from this addictive need. Once deprived of multiple goods, people feel that they can no longer live in the same way. If you wonder how this may be the case, imagine what Christmas would be like in a city where there would be no Christmas trees, no lights, no stars and above all no gifts to buy. If you still felt the "spirit," then congratulations, you do not really belong to the big hordes of people who squeeze themselves in the malls. It is not a pure coincidence that a month before Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Thanksgiving there is a plethora of merchandise which is in some way related to the holiday. Having given way to their needs people cannot resist the temptation; they cannot abstain from buying all sorts of gifts for themselves and others irrespective of their utility. By trying to satisfy themselves or by trying to bring others closer through gifts, people develop further needs without even realizing it; they become trapped by those who seek to exploit them. Even in the case where one does not aim at attracting people with gifts or does not feel close to another in order to offer a gift, one has to offer "something" to be just like the rest of society. People are no longer free; they have lost control of their choices. Choice is being taken over by obligation. In general, people nowadays are subjected to manipulation because they are not able to control their needs. People are vulnerable because they are not able to make free choices. A society of people not able to control themselves and not able to make free choices is definitely not a healthy one. It is ironic how nowadays people try to "buy" relations with gifts since gifts and the turn of individuals towards materialism is what has brought people apart. The gift has always constituted a fundamental part of human interaction either as a means for ensuring survival or just as an aspect of culture. Often, it has played a role in determining with whom one associates. Nonetheless, never before in the history of mankind has the Gift or any other material object degraded and demoralized human relations to such an extent. Never before have people depended on goods so much in order to be happy; never before have people visualized the meaning of life and satisfaction in the exchange of objects. Never before have people been so unfulfilled, at least psychologically. Enjoy your Valentine's Day! Anastasia Konstantakatou is a freshman who has yet to declare a major

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News

Simpsons' reach 300th episode

February 10

On Jan. 14, 1990, President Bush cautioned against big defense cuts, the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos made their way into Super Bowl XXIV, and Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III opened its first weekend at the box office. Oh yeah, and one more thing, The Simpsons premiered the first episode of its amazing run with Episode 7G02: "Bart the Genius." This Sunday, thirteen years later, America's favorite family will star in its 300th episode entitled "Barting Over." In the episode, Bart abandons his family after he discovers that the fortune he earned as a baby starring in commercials was wasted away when Homer decided to name a star. The episode also features skateboarding sensation Tony Hawk and Blink-182. By reaching this landmark, The Simpsons extends its streak as the longest-running animated prime time show, as it surpassed The Flintstones in 1997. Josh Belkin, co-president of the No Homers Club (the Simpsons fan club on campus) and co-teacher of the "Simpsons and Society" Ex-College course, attributes the longevity of the show because it "works on so many levels." He also points to the "funny animations, funny plot, and funny dialogue," all of which make it the "most intelligent show on television." The fact that The Simpsons is even a subject for a college course is a testament to the amazing cultural significance of the show. Pam Aghababian, the other teacher of "Simpsons and Society" along with Belkin, feels the show "is not just a cartoon or slapstick." She said one of the main objects of the course was to delve into why "kids and adults watch it for two different reasons," according to Aghababian. Philosophical and theological books have been written specifically on The Simpsons, with a similar volume on the political commentary of the show coming out later this year. The intellectual attention placed on The Simpsons is amazing, considering the roots of the show. The Simpsons is often credited with carrying the FOX network into the 1990s as a competitor with the "Big Three" networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC. Slotted against The Cosby Show, the top rated show in the country, The Simpsons held its own and soon became a national phenomenon. Many Americans could identify the derivation of additions to the lexicon like "Ay Carumba" and "Don't have a cow, man." Bart Simpson merchandise inundated toy stores as America's image of the proverbial bad boy. The Simpsons had arrived in American pop culture. After the first few seasons, as Groening sharpened the animation, and the talented cast (including Tufts alum Hank Azaria) honed the characters' voices, the show hit what Belkin calls, "The golden years, seasons five through seven." Some of the show's best writers, like Conan O'Brien, worked during this time, banging out great episodes. As the central character of the show moved from Bart to Homer, the plots became "zanier and zanier," as Aghababian put it. Cynics, some of whom are devoted fans, claim that the quality of The Simpsons has gone drastically down hill in recent seasons. Belkin and others believe it's difficult to bring up new storylines considering the writers have already done 299 episodes. Originally, cartoonist Matt Groening created Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie as the subject for a series of animated shorts for The Tracy Ullman Show, a variety show on the fledgling FOX network. For the most part based on his own family, the Simpsons were designed to be a wacky, animated, dysfunctional family. In late 1989, as production for the half-hour series began, the shorts fell the way of slap bracelets, and The Simpsons was on its way toward becoming the star of the FOX primetime lineup (Simpsons geeks, like me, will remind you that the first episode, "Simpson's Roasting on an Open Fire," was actually aired on December 17, 1989, while the regularly scheduled programming began with "Bart the Genius."). Now, FOX has signed a contract with Groening and the other producers to extend the show to its 16th season. Courtesy of cable television and syndication, The Simpsons will have a life on television for many years after its life in primetime. Regardless of why you love The Simpsons, whether its Homer's primal stupidity, Marge's grumbling motherhood, Lisa's political consciousness, Bart's impishness, or Maggie's homicidal tendencies, they are America's favorite dysfunctional family and the stars of the greatest animated program ever on television.

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News

Love your enemies

February 10

I have been considering how I would respond to the following scenario: tomorrow the United States bombs Iraq. Sensing his impending death, Saddam Hussein, in an act of desperation, uses whatever weapons he does have on his neighboring Middle Eastern countries. Ignited, these nations respond, while at the same time, India sees the unstable situation as an impetus to use nuclear force against Pakistan. Pakistan responds, and while US turns its gaze towards North Korea, that country invades South Korea with backing from China. China also supports Pakistan in fighting India. We step in and, seeing our enemy's enemy as our friend, support India and fight Pakistan, China, and North Korea. The probability of all of these events occurring in this order is very low. Then again, nobody suspected World War I. Why do I look at the world and feel that very little has changed? I believe that a fundamental human distortion is at work in the above situation: the idea that responding with anger and aggression will have any lasting positive effect. We can see that this response fails to work in our personal relationships as well as in matters of international diplomacy. Anytime we feel we have a monopoly on the truth, we feel that we are given the right to breach our typical moral and ethical conduct in an effort to liberate others from their wrong views. Even if we did have a monopoly on the truth, such action would not be particularly skillful. Any friend or romantic partner would have a difficult time hearing what we had to say if we were yelling at them or beating them, and likewise our foreign friends would probably have difficulty understanding our message of peace if we bombed them. At the same time, were we to respond to the actions of our country with anger and resentment, I could understand how others would have a difficult time hearing us out. Assuming that our belief in world peace gives us the right to take offensive action in communicating our message is not so dissimilar from our President Bush believing that his vision for a safer world gives him the right to harm others. Taking out our personal frustration through protest is, again, not particularly skillful. Sometimes we enter in with the attitude of assuming we are right, and therefore have the right to impose our views by any means necessary. Such an attitude is detrimental: no matter how well-intentioned we are, we are not right all of the time. We must lead by example, not anger. Mohandas Gandhi once said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." How can we protest an attitude if we don't provide an alternative to that attitude? We must represent the peaceful manner in which we hope to see our leaders behave. Our government has labeled three countries as an "Axis of Evil." Some of us have twisted such rhetoric and named three top officials to be the "Axis of Evil." We, too, have turned our fellow man into an enemy. While it may be necessary to take an oppositional stance, I would never want to give up on another human being. Another great peace martyr, Dr. Martin Luther King, once said "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." We cannot hate our leaders for their actions. We must seek to understand and embrace our political opponents _ if we want unity and respect, we cannot wait until a later date to begin implementing such measures. I am against war. I do not wish to wage war against those who are not against war. I do believe that our President Bush is an ignorant, xenophobic man. Ridiculing him is unlikely to change that. His fear and anger gives me all the more reason to love him. He is a simple man and quite easy to understand; why should I be angry with him when I know why he acts in his harsh way? The man is in a very difficult position; if he is as stupid as many make him out to be, then he needs our help, not our mocking. We must provide a welcoming example for him to consider. Across the country there are a great many people opposed to a war with our friends in Iraq. Often the attitude taken is that "nobody will listen to us, so we might as well be as radical as possible." I do believe that there are ways to get people to listen. Nobody listens to advice for which they did not ask _ they have not opened themselves to it. If we were to implement such measures as, say, a national day of silent reflection, people would be more inclined to ask our opinions than if we forced those opinions on them through confrontational opposition. Opposing one's government is not radical. Responding to hatred with love is radical. Few people, historically, have done so. Before we can hope to help others, we must be clear in ourselves. We must calm the anger within before we will be able to begin making any lasting change. And when we do take action, we must not forget the skillful suggestion of Oscar Wilde: "Always forgive your enemies _ nothing annoys them so much." Brian Roiter is a Sophomore majoring in English.

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News

Carmichael goes to the beach

February 10

There's nothing like a day at the beach to combat the winter blues. Though Carmichael Dining Hall's Feb. 6 "Beach Party" wasn't quite as therapeutic as lounging on the sand while the sun shines and the surf crashes, it did provide University students with a way to break the chilly monotony. "It's the little things you can do," said Carmichael Unit Manager Dave Kelley as he watched students mill around Carmichael during the beach party dinner. Themed events like the beach party, banana night, and Hanukkah night used to happen only at Dewick Dining Hall. When Kelley was transferred from Dewick to Carmichael in Sept. 2002, however, he brought the eight-year theme night tradition uphill with him. "[Beach night] can at least make the illusion that we are somewhere warmer than frigid Boston," freshman Lisa Miller said. "[Themed nights] spice it up a little bit so that we don't get bored with going to the dining hall for the same food and the same atmosphere every night." Stepping into Carmichael's beach party night provided an interesting contrast for the students who, only minutes before, were pushing their chins as far into their coats as they could. After having their ID cards swiped, students walked through a maze of beach balls, beach towels, and seashells. Beach night was unique not only because of themed decorations, but also because of the special menu. Each station included summertime favorites like mahi-mahi skewers, popcorn shrimp, BBQ chicken ribs, and tropical fruit punch. For those who students just wanted a regular dinner, normal food was also served. "Themed nights at Carmichael are what make eating uphill worthwhile," freshman Daniela Fairchild said. "That, and the fact that Carmichael is so much classier than Dewick." But many students disagree with Fairchild in terms of Dewick's classiness, and they also don't share her enthusiasm for themed dining events. When senior Jacob Cohen was an underclassman, he attended some of Dewick's themed nights. He acknowledges that the themed nights broke the monotony of the regular menu, but said that "[he doesn't] think they serve any purpose." Many other students who regularly eat at Dewick express the same indifference towards themed nights. "When I eat in a Tufts dining hall, I'm not looking for an amazing dining experience," freshman Sarah Samuelson said. "Decorations and themes aren't an incentive to trek uphill. If the themed nights were at Dewick though, I'd probably go." Though theme nights don't generally spur students to attend the dining hall further away from their residence, Kelley is not worried about theme night attendance. "Accounts are up in general," Kelley said. "On any given theme night at Carmichael, we get about 800 to 900 people." Though the organization of theme events like beach party night is left to the Carmichael staff, students play a role as well. "We get tons of student feedback each night we do something like this," Kelley said, adding that it was students who suggested a beach night during the winter in the first place. Once the event date was decided upon, the entire dining hall staff searched their homes for any props related to summertime theme. Sometimes, companies donate products for the theme nights. For Carmichael's banana night, the Hall Smith Company donated ten cases of bananas, which would have normally cost up to $20 per case. Kelley estimates that six or seven more theme nights will take place at Carmichael this semester. Upcoming themes include an "Under the Boardwalk" night, an Atlantic City-themed night, and a Mardi Gras-themed night. Through Beach Party night, Kelley and his crew succeeded in creating a portal to the sandy beaches of summertime, even if it only lasted for the length of a meal.

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News

Election mess

February 10

In a bizarre move by the Elections Board, former TCU President Melissa Carson's seat was filled by junior Cristina Gioioso in an uncontested election less than a week after Carson's departure. The three freshmen members of ELBO appear to have violated the current version of the by-laws on their website by advertising fewer than ten academic days prior to the election, which had been scheduled for tomorrow. Though the by-laws indicate that Daily ads are sufficient notification for students on the Medford campus, the two full-page ads that ran last week were not enough. A campus-wide e-mail would have helped spread the word, and it would have reached students studying abroad as well (another stipulation of the online by-laws). ELBO has employed such methods in the past, so it not clear why it chose not to do so this time. It is also unclear why the election was so rushed. Interested candidates were required to obtain the 100 required signatures to qualify for the ballot within a matter of days, certainly no small task. But perhaps the most disturbing revelation of the non-election is that the junior who ran uncontested is a housemate of TCUJ member Abby Moffat, Senate Vice President Andrew Potts' girlfriend. She's not quite someone who could be considered a senate outsider. So to sum up: an election for a senate seat was held days after it became vacant and the only student that came up with a valid petition is part of a social circle that includes a TCUJ member and the Senate vice president. Maybe there's nothing wrong with this _ after all, it's entirely possible that ELBO could have advertised the election in a mass e-mail and given people more time to collect signatures, and Gioioso still could have run uncontested. But the combination of circumstances is troublesome. ELBO may have only freshmen members, but it needs to stick to its guns. Election controversy has plagued the campus in the past, and ELBO rarely comes out smelling like a rose. If its members simply followed their operating procedure to the book, it is hard to imagine there would be any accusations of election improprieties.

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News

Observations from NBA All-Star Weekend

February 10

In the Celebrity Game, 5'1 Frankie Muniz's NBA-range three-pointer in 6'3 Ashton Kutcher's eye was sweet, but I'm still waiting for the Muniz-on-the-shoulders-of-Sheryl-Swoopes dunk over Kutcher that never came. Or for Marko Jaric to viciously swat Muniz's shot into the upper deck. Rookie Challenge: Sophs over rooks, 132-112. The rookies opened the game in a zone defense, which was puzzling since it suggested that some sort of defensive strategy was actually discussed in the pregame chalk talk. No one makes dunking look smoother and easier than Richard Jefferson _ a virtue in a real game, but not a skill that will win you a dunk contest. Jamaal Tinsley came out of the womb dribbling a basketball behind his back. Unfortunately, in the 24 years since then, he hasn't learned how to make a lay-up. Best sequence: Jay Williams' no look trailer pass to Amare Stoudemire, who missed the lay-up, which was rebounded by JWil, who flipped another behind the back no-look to Amare for the jam. Number of missed dunks and lay-ups: too many to count. Cheryl Miller, Marv Albert, and Mike Fratello are the last three people Inside the NBA wants to hear talk about basketball. And this seems like the first time Miller has covered a game in which her brother Reggie wasn't playing. Three Point Shooting Contest:Inside the NBA challenges Antoine Walker (seven points, two airballs) to a three-point shooting contest. Inside the NBA would also pay money to watch champion Peja Stojakovic shoot. As if his suit wasn't bad enough, how about Craig Saiger ruining Peja's moment as champ by mentioning that it was too bad he couldn't have shot like that in Game Seven of the Western Finals versus the Lakers last year. Props to Peja for NOT strangling Saiger with his microphone cord on national television. Dunk Contest: It took a slow-motion replay to realize that Jason Richardson went between his legs on his winning dunk. Desmond Mason threw down some sick ones too. Over the previous week, all the pundits from Sports Illustrated and ESPN dispensed their ideas to improve all-star weekend. One suggestion was to offer $5 million to entice the biggest stars to the dunk competition. Like the players need MORE money. Want a real suggestion? How about having the NBA do some scouting in the city where the game is being played, and selecting the best local playground and YMCA dunkers to compete against some of the NBA's second tier dunkers. Picture three local nobodys, Mike Miller, Larry Hughes, and Michael Redd competing for a petty half a million dollar jackpot. It would be the NBA's version of reality TV, fans would get a thrill watching underdogs compete against the stars, and the locals could actually use the cash. Also, every sophomore and rookie not playing in the challenge game should be required to attend a mandatory skills camp during the weekend. Oh yeah, The Game: West over East, 155-145, in two OTs. I hate to say it, but it hit home how old MJ is when he came out in the pregame introduction with his warm-ups tucked into his pants. It almost makes one forget that he was the one who made long shorts hip (along with the Fab Five, but now thanks to Chris Webber they don't really exist). Best line by an announcer: "Somehow I don't think Phil Jackson is in Montana drawing up wing isolations for Shaquille ONeal," after O'Neal dribbled the ball between his legs several times before driving to the hoop. Tracy McGrady caused a shot clock violation late in the fourth quarter. There should NEVER be a shot clock violation in an All-Star game. Thank god the game did not end in a tie; thank god David Stern is not Bud Selig. No Portland Trailblazers were selected to play in the game. Most impressive performance of the weekend: the 6-year old girl who sang the National Anthem with soul, passion, and attitude beyond her years, putting Mariah Carey to shame (singing-wise, that is). Best political stand: Steve Nash's "No War _ Shoot for Peace" T-shirt. It figures it would take a Canadian to show us the way.

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News

Fabolous' show not that great

February 10

The audience let out a sigh of relief as soon as the host appeared on stage and proclaimed in a deep, raspy voice that, "Fabolous has entered the building!" For over two hours, fans had sat through various opening acts to hear young rapper, Fabolous, also known as the "ghetto superstar," perform at the Orpheum Theater in Boston last week. Before Fabolous appeared, the crowd was subjected to the cacophony of a few amateur rap groups. Certain opening groups, such as the "Justice League" and "Project," from NYC, were talented young artists in their late teens and early twenties, while other acts included three mediocre break-dancers and fifteen female dancers dressed in torn jeans, cotton T's and baseball caps. The opening show seemed to catch the crowd's interest for a little while, but none of this was worth Fab's twenty-minute debut, where his background music accounted for more than half of his actual performance. Nevertheless, the two hours of discordant gibberish enabled the crowd to become all the more excited to see Fabolous perform. According to a sophomore who preferred not to be identified, she thought that, "Fabolous was mad energetic and there were a lot of people on stage with him that enhanced his performance even more so." Others disagreed, feeling the show was not worth the thirty dollar admission. "The concert wasn't all that I expected. The opening acts were longer than the headliners actual performance, which was very disappointing," sophomore Vanessa Gabb said. "But I did hear he got his money in advance so that could be why." Many thought that the venue was "lame" because the Orpheum had also kicked out the opening groups from backstage. Some fans actually had back stage passes to meet Fabolous after the show, but he took off as soon as the music stopped. The only fans that made any contact with Fabolous at all were the ladies in the first row who reached out to grab his dangling arm. Donned in a Celtics jersey, green sport jacket, baseball cap and a shiny watch probably worth more money than the actual concert produced, Fabolous hopped around the stage with two other backup singers. He animated his fans even though half of the back theater was not even filled up, and shouted out, "Boston, you are great." His suave voice, with a tinge of Brooklyn accent, echoed throughout the small theater and created a great sense of spirit amongst his fans. Opening with "Can't Deny It" and "Keepin It Gangsta," Fabolous started the crowd off strong. He added in a "Superwoman" remix, "Young'n" and ended with his new single, "This is My Party." He did not sing his latest hit, "Trade It All" with Jagged Edge and P Diddy, but there were a couple of apparent beats played between his five song playlist from that song. He made sure at the end of his twenty minute performance to let everyone know that his new CD was coming out in March, but Fabolous was likely aware that if he sang more of his new hits at the concert there would be less of a chance people would purchase his CD. Even though the concert was only thirty dollars, Fab did not seem to realize that college students are poor and don't have that kind of money to spend on a show that is only halfway decent. Next time Fabolous decides to "roll up" into town, it should be interesting to see how many people actually, "Holla back... woo woo!"

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News

Construction projects begin

February 10

@bodytext: A chain of related construction projects began yesterday when the Institute for Global Leadership started moving from its building on Professor's Row to its new location on Packard Ave. The construction schedule, which also includes building a new house for the Zeta Psi fraternity, a music center, and a new dormitory, depends on the University's ability to raise sufficient funding. The new space features 12 new offices, a small lecture hall, and an additional workspace for visiting scholars and special projects. The new building is "in every way superior to the old one," said Sherman Teichman, director of Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC), which operates out of the Institute's building. The move's timing _ just two weeks before EPIIC's culminating symposium _ has presented some challenges, Teichman said. After the Institute finishes moving, the building it vacates will be torn down sometime this spring. In the building's place, the University will build a new home for Zeta Psi, which will be displaced by the new music center. Since Zeta Psi currently owns its own property, the fraternity has reportedly requested that property rights be transferred with its new location. Negotiations between the University and Zeta Psi have been ongoing for the past year, but both parties declined to comment. The question of Zeta Psi's land ownership may be jeopardizing the entire construction timetable, since the only project that can be completed without settling the issue is the demolition of the Institute's building. The University's construction budget includes money set aside to settle with the Zeta Psi organization. Lingering uncertainty about land ownership has not stopped the University from raising money for the new music building, however. Almost $11 million has been raised, though President Larry Bacow and the Board of Trustees prefer to wait for another $3 million in donations before beginning the project. Bouchard is confident that the remaining money for the music building will be pledged soon. "There's been real progress this past year and there are a number of good prospects," he said. The building was originally scheduled to be constructed in two phases, but the influx of donations has convinced the administration to complete all the construction at once. The new music building will replace the current music facilities, including the faculty offices at 20 Professor's Row. The new building will also include classrooms, recital halls, and the music library. Rehousing the music department's faculty will clear the way for the most expensive of the new construction projects, a new 142-bed dormitory. The facility is currently planned as an L-shaped structure between Talbot Ave. and Professor's Row. It is unclear when construction on the new dorm will begin. The new dorm was predicted to cost roughly $15 million in a 2001 study conducted by a consulting firm. The trustees have ordered another cost estimate using more exact figures and up-to-date costs. Finding funding for the dorm is up to the Office of Arts & Sciences and the Office of Development, however. So far only a single grant of $500,000 has been made to cover environmentally-friendly construction, including solar panels on the roof. "We still are very hopeful a significant amount of the money can be raised externally," Bouchard said. "It's not clear, but there's definitely a lot support for this facility." If sufficient cash cannot be raised, the University may consider borrowing money to complete the dorm.

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News

49er's Chandler slept in my bed

February 10

On Jan. 5, 2003 the San Francisco 49ers ended what could have been a New York Giants' run to the Super Bowl and I only had myself to blame. The 49ers overcame a 24 point third quarter deficit to beat the Giants 39-38. I could have prevented it. You're probably thinking this kid is nuts. He thinks that if he had prayed a little harder Jeff Garcia never would have connected with Tai Streets for the game winning touchdown. Actually, my logic is quite a bit more reality based. During week four of the NFL season, 49ers kicker Jeff Chandler slept at my house in Medford. Unfortunately, I was at home in New York having my car inspected. A few months later, Chandler ended up scoring five points _ enough to change the course of history _ in the 49ers' win over the Giants. What's that, you think I've gone crazy? There is no way that Chandler slept in my house in Medford, right? Well, guess what _ not only did Chandler sleep in my apartment, he actually passed out there. So how did Chandler _ a real NFL player _ come to spend his bye week in a rundown apartment in the ghetto of Medford with a bunch of college kids who play Madden in their free time? It's very simple actually, Chandler is the ex-boyfriend of my housemate Matt's cousin Kerry. The two dated throughout college while Chandler was kicking for Florida and Kerry was attending Miami. Kerry planned to come to Boston on the weekend of Sept. 29 and unbeknownst to any of us, so did Chandler. Yes, I surely wanted to meet Kerry; however, I was in a very precarious situation. My car needed to be inspected and my parents explained to me that I if I did not come home during week four of the NFL season to get it inspected, then it would no longer be mine. Let's just say I didn't need much more convincing. Imagine my surprise that weekend when I got a call from my housemates in Medford telling me that Jeff Chandler had slept in my bed. At that particular instance, I was simply upset that I didn't get to shmooze with an NFL player. Only in the first round of the playoffs did I realize that going home that fateful weekend, cost me more than a brush with fame. While I spent week four hanging out with my family and doting on my car, Chandler spent the weekend trying to hang out with his college girlfriend and buying my friends drinks. In retrospect _ following the Giants epic meltdown in the Wild Card game _ I realized that I could have changed everything. It did not have to end this way for my beloved Giants. If I had only been in Boston partying with Chandler and the gang during week four, things could have been different _ oh so different. It pains me to say this because evidently Chandler is a really nice guy. He took my friends out all around Boston and not only paid for all their drinks, but also provided them with free entertainment as well _ he left his credit card at one of the bars and had to retrieve it the next day. According to eye witnesses, he nearly stumbled out of our apartment when he mistook the front door for the door to my bedroom. Regardless of Chandler's pleasant, comical disposition, if I had been bar hopping with Chandler and my friends and had known that he would end up helping the 49ers beat the Giants in the playoffs, I surely would have done something to stop it _ or him rather. Perhaps, after a few drinks _ purchased by Chandler of course _ I could have bumped into his knee causing season-ending ligament damage. Or maybe I could have brought my digital camera and taken a few embarrassing shots which I could have used to blackmail him. Who knows? Such tactics might not have been necessary. I might have been able to simply reason with him. "Jeff, I'll be your best friend if you throw any game you play against the Giants." He probably would have responded, "Sure Dan, anything for you _ I owe you big time for your hospitality this weekend. I mean hell, I did sleep in your bed." Sadly, I never had to the opportunity to sit down with Chandler man to man, mano a mano. Instead, all I have is the knowledge that Jeff Chandler passed out on my bed and then 15 weeks later helped the 49ers slay my Giants. How ungrateful can somebody be? He could have at least had the common decency to sit out the playoff game. I suppose the only satisfaction that I can take from the whole Jeff Chandler sleeping in my bed and then going out to beat my Giants is this _ I have a chronic bed wetting problem.

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News

College TV channels will not be reappearing at Tufts

February 10

Despite continuing to grow in popularity on campuses across the country, television channels aimed at college populations will not be reappearing on televisions at Tufts any time soon. The last attempt to bring a commercial channel to Tufts did not succeed. In 2000, the College Television Network (CTN), a subsidiary of MTV, placed monitors in Dewick-MacPhie and broadcast original programming and music videos. Problems emerged soon after the broadcasts began. According to Director of Dining Services Patti Klos, who negotiated the original agreement with CTN, "the equipment was being repeatedly vandalized." When Dewick employees found cut power cords and ketchup on the screens, Klos decided "it just wasn't worth it." Students complained the televisions were loud and distracting, and eventually the televisions were shut off after a protest led by the Coalition for Social Justice and Non-Violence. Though the televisions have been turned off, the University has still benefited from the original contract, Klos said, because signing on with CTN "was an opportunity to get monitors." There is no legal issue over the Tufts-CTN split. According to Klos, "CTN knows the TVs were turned off. [The network] doesn't want to be somewhere they're not wanted." With the failure three years in the past and a mostly new student body, there is a new interest in bringing back a commercial network. "I don't know how useful it would be," freshman Connor Quinn said, "but some of the programs sound interesting." According to Carlo DiMarko, who was the vice president of affiliate marketing at CTN and visited Tufts at the time of the controversy, the true opinion of the student body did not come out. Students who favor the service are often more passive in their support, DiMarko said, and they "obviously won't become preachers for the network." The key for another network to succeed on campus would be finding the right programming angle, DiMarko said. Though CTN's music-centered programming was unsuccessful at Tufts, one of the other major campus networks might be a future substitute. CTN's main competitors, National Lampoon Network and Zilo Networks have programming that ranges from an anti-Martha Stewart cooking show to college-centric versions of Survivor and The Osbournes. Networks like National Lampoon and MTV are involved in fierce competition for the exclusive rights to air college-specific programming in dorm rooms and common areas across the US. While college students watch shows created specifically for them, advertisers can focus on the desirable 18- to 21-year-old demographic. College networks have grown in popularity in the last few years. Over 1,300 campuses now broadcast at least one channel. Since the CTN controversy, there have been several changes to television programming on campus.TuftsLife.com installed electronic screens around the campus, which display upcoming campus events. Tufts Television (TUTV) now broadcasts several shows campus-wide, but they are only viewable on private televisions and on the campus intranet.

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News

Women's swim team prepares for NESCACs at Middlebury

February 10

In its final tune-up before the NESCAC Championships, the women's swimming team traveled to Vermont to compete in the Middlebury Invitational. The competition was a who's who of NESCAC competition, as the Jumbo swimmers battled against the best in the conference. It was the team's first taste of perennial powerhouse Williams College, as well as Middlebury. "There is a hierarchy in our conference, with Williams at the top and Amherst and Middlebury fighting for second," tri-captain Rebecca Ullman said. Although Amherst did not make the trip, the Jumbos also competed against the team that dealt them their only loss of the season, MIT. There was no team scoring in the meet, giving a chance for individuals to shine in their respective events, and to see the NESCAC competition first-hand. This Saturday and Sunday the Jumbos will be battling many of the same athletes they took on at the invitational in the NESCAC Championships. However the stakes will be much higher this time around, with NCAA Championship berths on the line. Last year junior Mika Sumiyoshi qualified for three separate events in the NCAA Championships _ the 200 and 400 yard Intermediate Medleys, and the 200 backstroke. This year she is looking for her third straight trip to the NCAA's in as many years. Sophomore Erica Weitz will be looking to follow up on her freshman success at the NESCAC Championships which also gave her a chance to compete in the 400 and 200 Intermediate Medleys and the 200 breaststroke. On Saturday Sumiyoshi competed in the 200 freestyle and captured second with a time of 1:58.92, one second behind Williams sophomore Jessica Yankura. Yankura sprinted out to a lead after a lightning quick lap in 26.79 seconds, almost two seconds faster than the entire rest of the field. While Sumiyoshi cut into Yankura's lead in the next two laps, Yankura managed to hold on. Weitz finished seventh in the same race. Yankura also prevented Sumiyoshi from taking the 100 freestyle, coming in just 0.40 seconds ahead of her. Sumiyoshi clocked a 55.12 to take another second place finish. Sumiyoshi finally broke through in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:01.75. It was her best time this season in the event, but she has only competed in the event during a couple meets. Like the other events she competed in during the Invitational, the 100 butterfly is not her best event. "We are shaving, just trying to recover," said Coach Bigelow last week. "The season is exhausting, but you have to keep training. Everyone is trying to hit their peak at the NESCACs." As a result of the non-scoring events, many athletes were swimming their off events. Weitz was the other winner from the Jumbo team. She took first in the 200 backstroke. Again this was not one of the events she qualified for during last year's NESCAC Championship. The two wins may be misleading, however, because other top teams most likely reserved their best swimmers for their best events. The true test for all teams will come next week, when each will throw everything they have in the pool. A trio of Tufts swimmers took fifth, sixth, and eigth place in the 1000 freestyle. Freshman Kristen Hyland, sophomore Kate Sweeney, and freshman Katie Seyboth took those places in that order. Sweeney also took sixth in the 200 backstroke. Unlike some of the other jumbo swimmers, all three athletes usually compete in the 1000 breaststroke. Other impressive performances by Jumbo athletes include freshman Meghan Wallach. Wallach appeared everywhere on the result sheet, as she took fourth in the 100 butterfly, seventh in the 50 freestyle, and eighth in the 100 breaststroke. She was also a member of both Tufts relay teams that finished third in both the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay. Sophomore Sarah Ferranti also finished fifth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:06.09 and seventh in the 200 backstroke.

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News

Animation generation

February 10

Remember the beginning of your freshman year of college? "What's your name?" "Where are you from?" So many lost and generic conversations. Every once in a while, though, you'd find something great to talk about right off the bat. You'd connect with someone on some funny topic and find that you both had plenty to say. Wouldn't it be great if you could do that all the time? Ah, gentle reader. It's so easy. If I learned nothing else three and a half years ago (and I can't say for certain that I didn't), it's that college students love to talk about cartoons. Cartoons _ and all children's television shows _ form a touchstone for our entire generation. They're an all-inclusive common ground that's unique to each five-to ten-year segment of the population. Kids today don't know Thundercats or the original Transformers (there are some bizarre variations that have none of the red-white-and-blue simplicity of the first generation) or He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. These shows are just for us. Meet a stranger around your own age (give or take several years) and you can form an instant bond over Garfield and Friends or DuckTales or the theme song to The Gummi Bears. It's easy to expand out of your immediate age range, too. Throw some Hanna Barbara and Looney Tunes classics into the mix and you can start a conversation with half of America. And don't even get started on the borderline range of cartoons that we were probably too old to watch shamelessly but that we remember anyway. In 1994, I knew I was too old to watch Animaniacs, so I just did it quietly. You laugh? Don't pretend you didn't do it, too. You probably still watch cartoons. The difference is that you can have zero shame about it now. With the variety of shows out there, everyone has something original to say. Just while reading this, you've probably thought of a half-dozen cartoons that I haven't thought about in years. Everyone has something to contribute, and everyone has fun being reminded of lost fragments of childhood. Why do these shows make for such potent memories? Why do we still remember the insipid lyrics to a vanished Saturday morning cartoon? Why do we love remembering them? Maybe the memories you make when you're young are more potent than the rest. Maybe everyone likes feeling younger, even when they're still pretty damn young anyway. Maybe _ just maybe _ Transformers is one of our culture's greatest artistic achievements. Who can say? (My bet's on that last one, though. Remember Transformers: The Movie? It has Robert Stack, Orson Welles, Eric Idle, Leonard Nimoy, Judd Nelson, and an awesome '80s butt-rock soundtrack. Incredible.) Reliving your childhood as a twentysomething is valuable not just for nostalgia but for perspective. Batman: The Animated Series used to qualify as high drama in my mind (so did the original Batman TV series, but that's a different story), and I love seeing it again to understand how much of the weight was legitimate and how much was just the heightened realism that comes with being young. I find it's about half and half, but if you didn't watch the shows in the first place, it's too late for you to start feeling the love now. That sense of history makes them fun to talk about, too. We all love our childhood shows, but we also know that they can be pretty stupid and silly. No one fears looking stupid talking about cartoons. You're already talking about cartoons with grown people. How much sillier are you going to get? When you're contrasting Buster and Babs with Bugs, you're already far enough off the deep end to be beyond reproach. Go for it! Be shameless. Guys, this makes for some amazing opportunities. It's the all-purpose icebreaker! Imagine: you tag along with your friends to a party where the beer is free and you know no one. You jam into a keg line with a red cup in hand and almost knock down some nice, curly-haired girl from Minnesota. (Note that women are welcome to ignore this whole argument. No girl has ever had trouble starting a conversation with a single guy who's in line for a beer. You don't need the help. Congratulations!) So what do you do? How do you catch her attention? Is it easier to talk about 1) where someone else is from (as though you know anything about Minnesota), 2) where you are from (as though anyone wants to hear more about Jersey), or 3) Smurfs? Now, it's essential that you know your background for these discussions. Sure, bringing up the oblique drug references in Scooby Doo may wow some innocent farm girl, but you aren't 16 anymore. No amateur hour allowed here. If some anonymous Abercrombie trying to steal your thunder brings up how much sex Smurfette must have, you have to be right on top of him, pointing out that Smurfette was originally an evil Smurf created by Gargamel who was converted to her healthy blond-and-blue state by the goodness of the Smurfs, and that since the Smurfs existed before she came along, the species must reproduce asexually, meaning that no one's having sex with Smurfette at all! Not even Papa! That's easy! And you just shot down his attempted bit of titillation with some impressive '80s-cartoon trivia. Believe me, the women will be falling all over you. The funny thing is that this trend doesn't end with the cartoons we watched when we were younger. Look at The Simpsons: A cartoon that draws together college students everywhere for obsessive rewatching, memorizing, and quoting. It's no accident that the show's on three times a day. It's the latest and greatest of the cartoons that have brought our generation together. Of course, people will remember The Simpsons in thirty years as something more than a kid's program, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the same generation that followed the adventures of Danger Mouse has fallen so heavily for an intelligent cartoon aimed at adults. The best part of it all? Cable networks have kept many of our old favorites alive. No matter what you loved most when you were younger, you can find it out there somewhere. Sorry, the next generation of children won't love it the way you do, but you shouldn't care. Grow old, eat pretzels, and watch The Snorks until you fall asleep. It's a good life.

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News

Talent now on-sale

February 10

The word of the week is fire sale. Well actually, that's two words, but the point is the same. Mid-February is upon us, and teams are already dropping out of the playoff race like flies in a snowstorm. With many teams unable to afford to keep high payrolls in these lean years, many are trying to cut their losses by unloading high-priced talent before the end of the season. Starting the sell-off was last year's Stanley Cup finalists Carolina Hurricanes, who traded winger Sami Kapanen and minor league defenseman Ryan Bast to the Philadelphia Flyers for winger Pavel Brendl and minor league defenseman Bruno St. Jacques. Philadelphia was tired of waiting for Brendl to develop and Carolina has already stated that they are no longer looking to win this year. The Hurricanes have also put goalie Artus Irbe on waivers to see if they can ditch his first-string goalie salary, now that he has been pushed out by former backup Kevin Weekes. Do not expect Carolina to stop there, as General Manager Jim Rutherford said that the team is "starting to plan for next year" and is looking to change the team's entire makeup before the start of the next season. Another team that has fallen from its high expectations at the beginning of the season is the San Jose Sharks, who are actively shopping team captain Owen Nolan. Nolan has improved his play since the trade rumors started flying a few weeks ago, but the Sharks are still looking to deal him. San Jose has said that it needs to start winning 80 percent of its games if it wants to get back in the playoff hunt. Another recently successful team that has underachieved is the Los Angeles Kings, who are now without starting goaltender Felix Potvin for six weeks with an ankle injury. LA had a chance to come back in the second half of the season before Potvin went down, but now the team has said that it will start moving players to lower its payroll. The Kings have a lot of players to move, too. Potvin, center Bryan Smolinski, defenseman Aaron Miller, defenseman Dmitry Yushkevich and winger Craig Johnson are all unrestricted free agents this summer. But the first player to be moved will probably be winger Ziggy Palffy, who has an option on his contract for another year at $7.5 million. One team that will not be looking to sell its more expensive talent is the New York Rangers. In fact, it is adding talent. The Rangers traded for Pittsburgh Penguins' forward Alexi Kovalev yesterday in an eight player deal. Not only will this trade not improve the New York Ranger's defense, it will also not get them into the playoffs. Despite General Manager Glenn Sather stepping behind the bench to take over coaching responsibilities, the team has racked up nothing more than a couple of ties, bad penalties, and still cannot play defense. I guess after promising the Ranger fans a playoff spot next week, the organization is still hoping the $70 million payroll will come together to win a few games. The Kovalev trade was a classic salary dump for the Penguins, who got rid of a restricted free agent who was looking for $8 million a year after this season. The players they got in return will likely never be more than fringe players. But at least they got $4 million in cold, hard cash with the trade, which may help them stay afloat a little longer financially. The question is who else is on the block as the Penguins follow the classic strategy of dumping salary during a losing season. On the other side of the ledger, teams that are faring a little better are looking for some added pieces before the playoffs. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks have started already by picking up defenseman Sandis Ozolnish last week. Vancouver Canucks owner John McCaw has given the green light for GM Brian Burke to start looking for more higher-price talent. The New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs are both looking for something to add to their rosters. And never count out the Colorado Avalanche, who have never fail to make a big trade in early March to bolster their playoff roster. Expect to see some busy trading between the winners and losers over the next month before the March trade deadline approaches. Now who's the best? For the last couple of years, ever since he beat Terry Sawchuk's record for the most career wins by a goalie, Colorado Avalanche Patrick Roy was referred to as the best goalie to ever play the game. But last night, Martin Brodeur collected his eighth straight 30-win season, the first time ever that has ever been accomplished. Brodeur has an Olympic gold medal, something Roy never got, and is seven years younger at 30. Maybe Roy should enjoy his status while it lasts.

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News

Jumbos weekend win puts team on track for home playoff game

February 9

Mike McGlynn's 300th career three-pointer couldn't have come at a sweeter time. Just over five minutes into his last regular season game at Cousens Gym, with the Jumbos down 13-14 to Colby, the senior guard nailed number 300 to give Tufts a two point lead. The team never trailed again. McGynn would hit four threes on the day in leading the team to an 89-71 rout of the White Mules that wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated. The NESCAC victory was the second in as many days for the Jumbos, who defeated Bowdoin on Friday night behind 18 points from sophomore Reggie Stovell. Pleasing the large contingent of fans there to see him on Senior's day, McGlynn did not disappoint as he came out firing early. He nailed his first three 1:30 into the game with a hand in his face, and it was apparent that it was only a matter of time before he launched himself into the history books. "I wasn't really thinking about, that's just how I play," McGlynn said. "I wasn't really trying to get it, but obviously I knew what I was at." The guard's first three gave Tufts its first lead of the game, but Colby was able to keep it close, and tied the game at 20-20 on a bucket by freshman Michael Westbrooks. Three treys from senior co-captain Brian Shapiro over the next five minutes, including two back-to-back keyed a 31-9 run by the Jumbos that gave them a 51-30 lead at halftime. The run also featured ten points from sophomore Deyvehn East, as well as nine points from McGlynn. "They were playing a triangle and two, kind of a trick defense," coach Bob Sheldon said. "And that's okay if there's only two guys you've got to stop. But we have so many weapons that I knew it was just a matter of time before we figured it out and started scoring again." The second half opened with an 18-8 run by the Jumbos and the rout had begun. Tufts led by 31 points at 13:53, and stretched the lead to as many as 33 on three separate occasions. Colby made a late run after all of Tufts' starters were out, but it was far too little, and way too late as the Jumbos ran away with the victory and moved into third place in the NESCAC. McGlynn hit four three pointers on the day to finish with a game high 19 points, and now sits at 302 for his career. With two regular season games left, he needs one more to move into the top 20 all time for total three-pointers in Div. III. Shapiro also connected on four of his seven three point attempts to finish with 16 points. Stovell finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double in his last four games and his fourth consecutive game in double digits. Friday night was a different story for the Jumbos, as Tufts trailed for the majority of the game against Bowdoin. Tufts was down 33-32 at the half and trailed by four with 5:22 left in the game. But a 16-2 Tufts run put the team up 73-62 with 33 second left to play, and the game was essentially over. Stovell led the way for Tufts with 18 points and eight rebounds. McGlynn finished with 16 points, while sophomore Craig Coupe had 13 points and 12 rebounds. With the end of the season approaching, the Jumbos' two weekend wins puts them in prime position to nab a home playoff slot. The top four teams in the NESCAC receive home court berths in the tournament. "The playoffs are what every man dreams of," Stovell said. "I think we want [a home game] bad. I can feel it, and personally I'm starting to get very hungry." Tufts will head to Middlebury on Friday before what will likely be the biggest game of the season at Williams on Saturday. "Williams is going to be a big game, but we can't look past Middlebury," McGlynn said. "They're a good team, especially in their own gym where they shoot the ball real well."

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News

College doesn't have to be a culinary wasteland

February 9

Eating well on the typical college student budget can be challenging. Both financial and time constraints make eating healthfully between classes, papers, exams, and meetings difficult. Eating on the run often requires creativity, especially when trying to include each of the five food groups. With a few quick tips and ideas, however, you just might find yourself becoming a pro at buying, cooking, and packing healthful snacks to keep you going through those endless days of the college schedule. A little time at the grocery store and some brief preparation over the weekend or on a slow day can help to alleviate many of your eating-related anxieties later in the week. Plus, it will actually help you save money! If you live on campus, it may be easier than you think to include each of the five food groups in a single meal. The key for both on and off campus students is planning ahead, creativity, and, stocking your cabinets or drawers with healthy ingredients for your favorite easy-to-make recipes. Living on campus often does not allow traditional cooking devices such as free-standing microwaves, toaster ovens, and hot pots. This does not mean, however, that students living on campus have an excuse to succumb to poor eating habits. Other than eliminating creases in your pants or shirts, have you ever thought about the uses of an iron? With a little tin_foil, a flat surface, and some of your own creativity, this simple household item may soon become your most reliable kitchen appliance. For example, if you like quesadillas (which can be wonderful sources of many of the food groups), first head to the store for tortillas, low-fat cheese, vegetable slices, or canned beans. All of these can be easily stored. Also, don't forget the tin foil! You may be wondering what crazy idea is coming next, but the next steps are simple. First, pre-heat your iron to its highest setting. Lay out a sheet of tinfoil and place a tortilla on the foil. Layer cheese, vegetables, beans or meat on the tortilla and fold in half. Then seal the sheet of tinfoil around the tortilla and place the iron on each side for three to five minutes, or until the cheese melts. Make sure not to leave your iron unattended! After your culinary concoction has cooled, unwrap it and enjoy. For an added serving of vegetables and a spicy kick, top with a half cup of salsa. You can also use the iron idea to make delicious grilled sandwiches such as tuna melts, warm peanut butter and apple slice sandwiches, or veggie pita pockets. To make things easier for you in the dorm, buy food items that are easily stored. If you have a mini-refrigerator in your room, you have more options. There are, however, plenty of items that don't require refrigeration: peanut butter, breads, cereals, low-fat natural popcorn, granola bars, graham crackers, dried fruits, nuts, and some fresh fruits. Try new combinations like graham crackers spread with cream cheese and topped with strawberry or kiwi slices, or make a "trail mix" that can be easily bagged for an in-class snack. If you live in an apartment or house, you definitely have more cooking options. In fact, you can make a delicious and nutritious meal in less time it takes to look over a menu, call, order, and then wait for delivery. One down-side to cooking is the cleaning up that follows. Here, then, is a recipe that requires only one pan! Also, the ingredients required are easily stored in your refrigerator or cabinet. First, pick your meat or non-meat preference, then follow the chart and directions that follow to create one healthy, food group packed meal. Choose your meat... Add this STOVE TOP stuffing mix flavor... Add these veggies... Try this sauce and low-fat shredded cheese... Boneless, skinless chicken breasts Cornbread Chopped bell peppers Salsa and Mexican style cheese Boneless, skinless chicken breasts Chicken Mixed vegetables (frozen or fresh) Low-fat gravy, prepared from a packet and Cheddar cheese Boneless pork chops Cornbread Corn (frozen or fresh) Barbeque sauce and Cheddar cheese Portobello mushroom slices Savory herb Chopped zucchini Low-fat mushroom flavored gravy (from packet) and Swiss cheese First, melt a small amount of butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat [one pound for four people] and cover. Cook the meat on each side until it turns white. Then, remove it from the skillet. Next, add one and 2/3 cups of water and veggies of choice to the skillet. Bring the skillet's contents to a boil. Stir in one 16 ounce package of STOVE TOP stuffing mix until moistened. Return the meat to the skillet and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the meat and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook on low heat for five minutes. Then, enjoy! For other easy recipes like this one, check www.kraftfoods.com. You can also find other easy and creative college-budget recipes online at www.aboutcollege.com/recipe.htm, www.campbellsoup.com, or www.ilovepasta.org/recipes.html.

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News

Potts to assume Carson's duties

February 9

The TCU Senate decided last night not to hold a presidential election to replace Melissa Carson, who resigned last week. Carson's senate seat was filled by junior Cristina Gioioso. Gioioso, a first-time senator, won the seat in an uncontested race, eliminating the need for Wednesday's scheduled elections. At the meeting, Vice President Andrew Potts affirmed that he would take over the presidential duties, although he will retain his current title. Potts feels that he is prepared for his new role in the Senate. "I'm ready, schedule-wise, class-wise; I am more than willing... experienced and able to take on the responsibilities of president as quoted by the constitution," he said. Because the constitution provides no specific formula for replacing a president, there was much private debate on how best to fill Carson's spot. While many supported the idea of shifting presidential power to Potts, others debated the merits of holding a general election to select a president to serve for the remainder of the year. Concerns such as the brief period for which the new president would serve convinced some that keeping Potts in charge was a better idea. "If it were earlier in the year, I'd have the opinion that to be on an ad hoc basis for a long period of time wouldn't be good," said Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, who attended last night's meeting. At this date, however, he felt that it was up to the Senate to determine what course of action would best serve its interests. "The timing here is just on the cusp of whether it would be productive to put in a new president. As long as we have a Senate to talk to about issues coming up this semester, I'll be satisfied." Potts opened the Senate's discussion on presidential replacement with a letter co-written by Senate Historian Alison Clarke. In the letter, the two stated their intention to work together with the ultimate goal of finishing the year without losing the momentum they had gained. "It is now more important than ever as an executive board to have a consensus and to work together," Potts said. The letter surprised some senators, who remarked on what Potts admitted has been his "adversarial relationship" with Clarke. Last semester, Clarke motioned to have Potts impeached, and she had recently supported selecting a new president by election. It was widely assumed that she would be a contender in those elections. However, Clarke and Potts apparently decided to put aside past differences in the interest of the Senate. "We have to do what's best for everyone, not just some people," Potts said. "Personal issues just really aren't an issue here." Although both Clarke and Potts stressed that the letter was a statement of their personal wishes for the direction of the Senate, not a formal alliance, some questioned the constitutionality of their agreement. "We cannot have any kind of visible or invisible power sharing structure. It's unconstitutional," said Senate Parliamentarian Adam Koeppel. "This is an agreement behind closed doors. The executive board is not acting as a body right now." Others echoed Koeppel's concerns. "The fact that you went from exchanging contentious e-mails to presenting this letter written on blue sealed stationary leads me to believe that there are decisions being made behind closed doors," said one senator. Clarke responded by saying that members of the Senate had indeed been consulted before the two wrote the letter. "Many other people were approached for their input," she said. Despite apparent dissatisfaction among senators, no motion was made to pursue a presidential election. Potts received the Senate's support and will assume presidential duties, effective immediately. It remains to be seen why the Senate worked with such a tight time frame for the senatorial election. According to the constitution they had 15 days to elect a new senator, although Potts said the timing was decided by Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley.

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