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The Setonian
News

Perfect 8-0 fall season for women's tennis

October 15

The women's tennis team finished the fall season in impressive fashion, dominating 9-0 and 8-1 over Wellesley and Trinity this week. The Jumbos head into this weekend's New England Division III Championships at Amherst College with a perfect 8-0 record, having lost just three matches out of 72. Saturday's win over Trinity in Hartford rounded out the fall season for the team, which looks to improve on last year's third place finish in the Championships. The lone loss occurred in the doubles, with the number one pair of sophomore Jennifer Lejb and senior co-captain Katie Nordstrom going down 8-4. After the opening loss, however, the Jumbos slugged their way to eight wins, led by Nordstrom (four) and fellow senior co-captain Iffy Saeed (six), who both won their singles matches 6-0, 6-0. The Jumbos also received solid support from freshmen Becky Bram (two) and Lisa Miller (five), and junior Barclay Gang, (three) who battled through three sets. Lejb (one) fought her way to a 7-5, 6-3 win. "Jen is just so tough," Saeed said. "Jen knew [Trinity number one Diana Goldman] was probably one of the most consistent opponents she'd play all year, but she mixed up her game really well." Earlier in the week, the Jumbos defeated an overmatched Wellesley team 9-0. The toughest match of the day was Bram's singles match against Kirsi Hakkinen. Bram came back from a set down to win 10-7 in a power set 3-6, 6-2, 10-7. Saeed (five) won 6-0, 6-1 while sophomore Trina Spear (six) won her third singles match of the year, 6-1, 6-0. The doubles again featured strong play from the Jumbos, who lost just eight games in the three matches. With the fall season secured, attention now turns to the Championships. Each singles player competes against similarly ranked players from other schools. Doubles matches follow a similar pattern. Points are awarded for victories and at the end of the weekend the highest-scoring school wins. The Jumbos finished behind NESCAC powerhouses Amherst and Williams last fall, and even after this season's overwhelming successes, coach Jim Watson remains cautious about overconfidence. "In spite of the unblemished record going in [to the Championships], until we start knocking heads with players from Amherst and Williams, we won't know how good we really are," Watson said. "But the girls are fired up, and we've been in some challenging spots, but it's been a wake up call for them." The team can look forward to what should be an exciting tennis-filled weekend. Though the three individual losses have occurred in the past two weeks, the Jumbos have played against increasingly better opponents. An increasingly evident net attack has been used in many recent matches, putting added pressure on rivals to make every shot. "We're all pretty psyched. I think we're all ready to go, all ready to play," Saeed said. "We know what we need to work on, especially creating angles, and being able to create points." "I've only seen success from the team," Lejb agreed. "I think all the girls are heading into this weekend with the right attitude. Patience is a big thing, plus playing smart tennis." At the completion of the New England Championships, attention will turn to the spring season. The Jumbos will play a new group of opponents, most notably Amherst and Williams. While spring remains a long way off, Watson acknowledges that the main focus at this stage is to take everything one step at a time. "We're just trying to stay healthy," he said. "And we're focusing on playing well at the Championships." Regardless of how they fair at Amherst this weekend, the team has established a solid base on which to build. The composure, confidence and energy the Jumbos have shown on all levels of the team has formed a cohesive unit that has the potential to improve. The 8-0 start gives the Jumbos strong footing heading into spring, when tougher opposition will challenge their record and affect the seeding they receive going into the NCAA East Region finals.

The Setonian
News

Punch Drunk' Chump

October 15

Sometimes it takes the most talented of people to make some of the worst movies ever made. John McTerrnan, the action wizard who made Die Hard and Thomas Crown Affair, made Rollerball. Danny Boyle, the man behind Trainspotting, also made The Beach. Barry Sonnifeld Men In Black and then Wild Wild West. Even Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut, was about as laughably bad as last year's Tim Burton helmed Planet of the Apes. And so on. So maybe it should come as no surprise that Paul Thomas Anderson, the creative mastermind who made the controversial films Boogie Nights and Magnolia, has created his first real bomb. Punch Drunk Love, featuring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson (Red Dragon), is bad. But not bad in a Rollerball, hair-pulling incompetent sort of way. This film was not rushed, nor was it taken over by the studio, nor was it under-financed or given inadequate shooting time. Every "t" was crossed on this one. It is undoubtedly the film that Anderson wanted to make. The question is, why. Why is a piano dumped off at Sandler's feet with no explanation? Why do random watercolors flash on the screen? Why do talented actors like Luiz Guzman and Phillip Seymour Hoffman show up in roles of no depth of consequence? Why is everything shot in such a drab tone, the movie becomes oppressively dull? Again, I know that all of this, somewhere, must have a reason. The piano symbolizes something. The colors also probably mean something. As does Hoffman's one memorable line, "Shut, shut, shut, shut, shut, SHUT, UP." I'm sure it all means something, somewhere. The story: Sandler plays Barry Egan, a man who apparently owns a toilet plunger business. He also has seven overbearing sisters (who we can never really tell apart), and his large but blunt family has resulted in severe social problems. He is purely incapable of dealing with people, and this is demonstrated non-verbally by Sandler very well. In fact, it is far and away the best performance I have seen him give. I wish I could say that I enjoyed watching him give it. The only co-worker we recognize as more than a random extra is Lance (Luis Guizman). However, he doesn't say much or do much more than look at Barry quizzically, and so much for that part of the story. The second part deals with his improbable romance with Lena (Emily Watson) a woman who also looks at Barry quizzically but grows to love him anyway. Watson does a good job at being likeable and believable, but Anderson's script doesn't give her much more detail, and in the end we don't really know who she is. In fact, everything smacks of under-development, which is odd considering the director's last effort was Magnolia. By most accounts, the movie was awfully long, weird, and had one character too many. But it was also filled with life and detail, and each character was fully sketched and performed beautifully. The third and weakest part of the story really suffers in this area, as Barry gets involved with a blackmailing sex-talk-line business that tries to extort money from him. Huh? Yeah, it didn't make much sense at the time either, but on it went. Most of the movie kept going, with no real reason. It is only ninety minutes long, but feels much longer. Only Sandler's character feels like an organic creation, and even then our sympathy for him does not automatically equal identification. This is a man who smiles as people insult him then breaks windows and entire restrooms in bursts of pent-up rage. He is interesting, but not the stuff that romantic heroes are made of. We want him to find love, but we also want him to get help. Ultimately, the film is sometimes unpleasant, mostly boring and manages the feat of being both undercooked and overlong at 90 minutes. There are sparks of inspiration, yes. When Barry does a small dance of joy in a supermarket, when he first steps off the plane in Hawaii (don't ask) and when he first kisses Lena, we see the heart of the story peak through. We see what Anderson probably saw when he first wrote it, the story of a guy who was never gonna fall in love but fell in love anyway. But Anderson then felt compelled to load up his story with so much baggage, so much random artistic weight that it never takes off. Look, I'm sure many critics will see this and nod their heads, muttering "genius!" I was a loyal defender of Magnolia, frogs and all, and I was really excited to see this film. And I tell you that, hat over my heart, I did not like it. If you like bizarre for the sake of the bizarre, and symbolism so convoluted that you need Cliffs Notes to understand it, go buy a ticket. If you want to see a film with more than one good character, strong visuals, a fascinating story, darkly hilarious moments and overall good performances, go see Red Dragon. Or rent Boogie Nights again. I still want to see Anderson's next film. He is a born filmmaker, up there with contemporaries Wes Anderson and Kevin Smith. But any masters can still screw up, and a born filmmaker can sometimes forget how to make a film. A.I., anyone?

The Setonian
News

The viewpoint war: until when?

October 15

It has frequently been the case that the viewpoints page of the Daily has been the battleground for many issues, but most heatedly and most noticeably, the Arab-Israeli conflict. Anyone who has been reading the page since the semester began would have noticed it. The last viewpoint I read with regards to the conflict made a call to the Arab community leaders on this campus, and so I feel obliged to respond to the call, even if my response may not please those who made it. There is a war being waged on the Palestinian people. To be a Palestinian in Palestine today is a crime. Palestinians are being besieged in their houses, not even allowed to go to school. The 35 year old occupation of Gaza and the West Bank has reached its pinnacle, with the Israeli government and army trying to destroy any instance of Palestinian civilian life. Everyday somebody is killed in Palestine. Everyday there is an act of aggression on the Palestinian people, and yet we hear no mention of this in the pathetic excuse for a free media we have in the US. It seems amazing to me that certain viewpoints demand that the Palestinians, and the leaders of the Arab community on this campus, denounce the Palestinian Authority and its policies. I did not write this viewpoint with any intention of defending the Palestinian Authority or Yassir Arafat, but how on earth do Americans expect the Palestinians to have a public debate over policy where they lack such a debate in their own country? Ever since the tragic events of Sept. 11, no one dares to question what the government of this country is trying to do to the world. How do Americans, who still drive two cars and still enjoy a standard of living higher than anyone else in the world, expect the Palestinians to self-criticize and re-evaluate when the only thought that goes through a Palestinian mind is: will I live to see tomorrow? While American security is threatened, Americans still go to school, they still move freely in their country, they are not in shortage of humanitarian needs. They do not face the threat of being killed while walking in the middle of the street, yet still in their moment of danger they rally around their elected leader to guide them through one of the most difficult times of their history. Why should the Palestinians be any different? Why do Americans and Israelis continue to apply different standards to themselves than they do to Palestinians? Is it truly the case, as George Orwell might say, that "All humans are equal, but some are more equal than others?" There is no doubt in my mind that the Israeli occupation of Palestine can not be sustained. As their occupation of South Lebanon was met with failure, so will it be in Palestine. In the meanwhile though, the collective punishment policies of house confiscations, house demolitions, sieges, closures, road blocks, extra-judicial killings and more continue to torment and terrorize the entire Palestinian population on a regular basis. The mere fact that Tufts students can justify and support such measures shows that education and civilization of mankind have a long way to go. In my third year at Tufts, I am witnessing what is the most peculiar intensification of the war of words between Arabs and Jews on campus. Even though I pride myself on the relations that Arab and Jewish student groups have been able to sustain at the most difficult of times, it is not the first time that I hear such arrogant and ignorant remarks such as "The Palestinian people are the problem for peace in the Middle East." The developments that have henceforth ensued have struck me as excessive. Every semester, the Arab community is faced with provocative and inflammatory remarks, and every semester, the Arab community tries to respond in ways which it sees fit. We are always put on the defensive, and we are always trying to justify our position, a position that is by all means unenviable, and to that I say no more. No more putting words in our mouth, no more attacking us and forcing us to defend ourselves, and no more trying to portray a heinous picture of us to the Tufts community. Abdul-Wahab Kayyali is a junior majoring in international relations and economics. He is the President of the Arab Students Association.

The Setonian
News

Renowned philosopher gives lecture at Tufts

October 15

Women. Womyn. Lend me your ears. Andrea Nye, a published feminist philosopher gave a lecture earlier this month on the nature of feminism and modern philosophy. Speaking to a crowd of mostly women, she argued that feminism is for everyone. "I think feminism and modern philosophy are really the same thing," Nye said. "Looking at the roots of modern thought, one can see that the goals of the feminists are really the same of all modern thinkers." Speaking of the noted philosopher Emanuel Kant, she said that although Kant thought negatively of women, he was in fact the father of modern philosophy and feminism. Although many people disregard Kant in their arguments, Nye chose to make him a central part of her lecture. "Kant, in his writings posed several important questions: one: What can I know? Two: What should I do? 3. What can we hope for?" Nye said. "These questions are at the very center of feminist thought; we always question about the world and the questions posed by Kant bring us feminists back to the core issues of feminism and I think... everyone else as well." While most of Nye's lecture focused on the works of Kant and how his ideas related to modern philosophical thought and the feminist movement, she also discussed how modern science is affecting the feminists. "There is a lot of new science out there that can drastically change the way we interact at the moment, in terms of reproductive sciences," Nye said. "Can we in the future alter people to remove unwanted traits? Could we make racists and sexists less prejudicial or can we remove race altogether?" "I think these scientific issues, while at the center of the feminist movement at the moment, are issues that effect not just the feminists," Nye continued. Nye argued that the advances in science are also changing people's views on societal roles. "Kant wrote that there is a certain natural process to the world; that is, we are defined by natural experiences _ or natural selection," she said. "Man is aggressive because he has been shaped by nature to be the hunter and warrior and woman have been shaped by their own existence. With societal and scientific changes, these traditional male and female roles do not necessarily apply any longer." Those in attendance praised Nye's speech. Robin Mangino, an English teacher and graduate student working on her PhD, was interested in Nye's original arguments about nature versus society. "I think her general project of reading modern philosophy in a way that exposes the tensions between essentialism and anti-essentialism, so prevalent in feminist discourse, is interesting...although I'm not sure that I agree that feminism is modern philosophy," Mangino said. "I also thought that Nye's use of real-life examples helped her appeal to a more general audience." Of the few men in attendance, freshman Steven Keppel, learned for the first time that feminism is _ and what it is not. "When you think about feminism, the first images that pops into your head are women pushing to show that females are better than males. However, now I can see that feminism is not just about pushing for womanly values or for equal rights; it's about the betterment of every person," Keppel said. Megan Nelson, also a freshman, agreed with Keppel. "Dr. Nye really changed my views on what feminism is to women and men. However, I wish that I knew more about Kant's teachings; it would have really helped me understand Dr. Nye's arguments." Nye received her BA from Radcliffe College and her PhD from the University of Oregon, both in philosophy. She has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of many books and papers including Philosophy and Feminist: At the Border~ Philosophy of Language: The Big Questions, and has been published in The Journal of Value Inquiry, Hypatia, and Signs. As a part of a lecture series cosponsored by the Women Studies and Philosophy Department, there will be several other lectures in the coming weeks.

The Setonian
News

Student hit on Boston Ave.

October 15

A student was hit by a car yesterday while crossing Boston Avenue, between Anderson and Brown and Brew. Junior Jodi Gilman was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital after she was hit by a vehicle driven by another junior but was not admitted. The intersection at Boston Ave. and College Ave. continuous to prove hazardous, as it has been the site of at least one other accident this fall. It is the second time in less than two years that a student has been hit at the intersection. The accident occurred around noon, when a student driving a silver car north on College Ave. made a right turn onto Boston Ave and collidedwith Gilman. Gilman, who was released from the emergency room after some tests were run, does not blame the driver. "The intersection is dangerous and that it's really hard for both drivers and pedestrians to see each other," she said. Traffic patterns at the intersection are complicated by the fact that the traffic lights installed this summer are not fully operational yet, only flashing red and yellow. Personnel in the Medford mayor's office attributed the delay in turning on the lights to "conflicting traffic patterns." The traffic lights will be fully operational by next Friday, according to Joseph D'Angelo, a district construction engineer in the Massachusetts Highway Department. Problems with electrical writing often postpone the activation of the traffic lights, D'Angelo said. After two students were hit at the intersection in Feb. 2001, Tufts officials began exploring plans to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians. The University's plans coincided with the need to perform maintenance on underground utility lines, and construction began about seven months ago. Portions of Boston Ave. and College Ave. near the intersection were repaved in May. Students have long been wary when crossing the street near Curtis Hall, but this year students say the flashing traffic lights confuse both drivers and pedestrians, making the intersection even more dangerous. "I fear for my life at least twice a day when I cross that intersection," sophomore Julia Thompson said. "I was happy to see the light there but confused why they never got it up and running." Paul Gere, the director of Medford Public Works, maintains that it is a "well-designed intersection" despite the accident. "I know that there are problems right now, but the lights haven't been turned on," he said. Staff members in the Medford Public Works office have walked the intersection with Tufts police to garner their approval of its safety, Gere said.

The Setonian
News

Burnett recieves Light on the Hill award

October 14

As a student at Tufts, Rob Burnett (LA '84) was admittedly tardy to almost every lecture. As an alumnus, Burnett still can't make it to campus on time, and the presentation of last year's Light on the Hill award to him had to be postponed for a semester because he could not travel to campus. But last Friday, Burnett was right on time for his speech in Cabot Auditorium when he finally accepted the award. Burnett, the producer of The Late Show with David Letterman and the creator of the show Ed, traveled from his home in New Jersey with his wife Eunice (LA '85) and their three children. During his acceptance speech, which was more like a stand-up comedy act, Burnett encouraged students to work hard for their futures by explaining his experience in the television industry. Burnett said that hated "old people" trying to give him advice while he was in college, so he would try to refrain from doing the same. Two videos highlighting the alumnus' career were played prior to Burnett's speech. The first video showed Ed winning favorite new comedy at the 2001 People's Choice Awards and Burnett accepting one of five Emmys he has won for his work on The Late Show. The other video consisted of clips from Ed and The Late Show, many of which contained references to Tufts. "I have dreamt about winning Light on the Hill since I was six years old," Burnett joked. Burnett came to Tufts with dreams of becoming a writer. Although he majored in English, he said that he was frequently discouraged from writing during his Tufts career. For example, in the creative writing class he took during his freshman year, the professor had the class analyze everything that was wrong with his first story. Nonetheless, he told students interested in writing to "write all the time." "There is no such thing as talent," Burnett said. "You spend a lot of time and energy assessing if you've got it or not." He told students not to "think that way," and that it is simply necessary to work hard. "It's all luck," he added. Burnett stressed the importance of working hard in everything one does. No matter what menial job a student may have, he said, it is necessary to do everything perfectly. "Every time you have to make a copy, make sure it's the best copy you've ever made." After graduating from Tufts, Burnett drove to California instead of attending law school as he had previously planned. When he was fired from his busboy job and was unable to break into writing, he returned to the east coast. After submitting a writing sample to The Late Show, Burnett received an internship at the show. "It was absolute dumb luck," he said. A year later, in 1985, Burnett became a writer for the show. By 1992, Burnett was head writer and in 1996 he became the executive producer. "The irony is that as you advance as a writer, you become a producer," he said. Burnett looked back on his years at Tufts and recalled his best memory _ the first time he did stand up, during his senior year. "It was a crystallizing moment of my four years here," he said, although he has no desire to perform in front of the camera. His wife Eunice distinguished herself more academically at Tufts than he did, Burnett said. She triple majored and received a Dae scholarship, the German equivalent of a Fulbright. Burnett, on the other hand, distinguished himself by eating five cheeseburgers and fries in one sitting at Hodgdon, he said. The former Jumbo expounded upon the advantages of the Tufts experience. "The greatest luxury of this place is that you can't screw up, within reason." He compared it to being on an escalator _ no matter which way you go, you're continually improving. Part of students' success is simply being on campus and meeting the "certain kind of well-rounded" people that Tufts attracts, Burnett said. Burnett would eventually like to venture into film, but likes television because "writers are the bosses on TV." He and a friend wrote a screenplay after college, and were hired by Steven Spielberg's company, Amblin Entertainment, to write three more. Although none of the screenplays were produced, Burnett would like to rejoin the medium. "Film is much more linear; it's similar to making a pilot." "Ed is punishing work at 22 episodes a year," he said, adding that it is like having all his favorite foods lined up and being forced to eat all of them for 18 hours at a time. At such a fast pace, each episode cannot be totally inspired from beginning to end. Instead, Burnett tries "to find certain moments _ those episodes are very special." Students have presented the Light on the Hill award to distinguished Tufts alumni since 1995. Previous winners have included NBC News President Neil Shapiro, actor Hank Azaria (LA '85), New York Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. (LA '74), former Secretary of Energy and New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Bill Richardson (LA '70, F '71), and astronaut Rick Hauck (LA '62).

The Setonian
News

Concert season remains secure

October 14

This year's Fall Rock Show sold significantly fewer tickets than last year's show, resulting in a more than $500 difference between the Concert Board's expected and actual revenues. But despite the loss, the Concert Board _ which has the third largest budget of Tufts Community Union (TCU)-funded on-campus organizations _ will not have to make any significant changes in the current concert season. The vast majority of the Concert Board's 2002-2003 budget of $171,165 comes from the TCU's Activity Fund. The Board also earns money from three main concerts during the year that charge for tickets _ the Rock, Jazz, and Hip-Hop Shows. The ticket price of $5 per person per show, however, raises only a fraction of the costs of staging the events. Last year, with the TCU facing a $50,000 budget shortfall, the Concert Board was forced to make some hard decisions. The Fall Talent Budget lost $5,000 in funding and the Spring Fling's funding was cut by $1,000. Despite these cuts, the Board has actually increased its total cash flow the past two seasons due to increased needs. When the President's Lawn was reconstructed two years ago, the flat area where Spring Fling was traditionally staged became a hill, making the cost of staging the event significantly higher. "[The Concert Board] basically came to us and said that they would need the extra funding or they wouldn't be able to have Spring Fling," said Benjamin Lee, a senior and the second-year TCU Treasurer. The Senate gave additional money for last year's Spring Fling, and also increased the staging costs allotted for this year's spring festival. "Concert Board is one of those organizations which could always find use for extra money," Lee said. The Board usually receives additional funding through the Senate's Buffer Fund, which this year amounts to $50,000. The Buffer Fund is money set aside from the Council's normal treasury for any emergencies that may arise during the year. In order to make a request, a Concert Board member must appear at an Allocations Board (ALBO) meeting to detail the reason for funding. "They usually come to us in the spring, around early March, requesting any additional monies we have left over for the Spring Fling. They've done it every year I've been at Tufts," Lee said. The Concert Board typically receives about $10,000 extra from the Senate's Buffer Fund, which it uses to get high-priced talent to play. Concert Board co-chair Omar Ellis said that the process of requesting additional funding is not automatic. "We're not sure if we're going to request additional funding for the Spring Fling [this year]," he said. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." This spring, the TCU Senate approved additional funding for the group because of "rising entertainment fees and overly optimistic ticket sales forecasts." The Senate allocated funds that were originally earmarked for this year's Fall Fest to cover the shortfall. The Concert Board then had to book bands for the Fall Rock Show on a $15,000 budget, compared with $20,000 for the year before. The Board requested $25,000 in funding both years. The Fall Rock Show only recouped about four percent of its costs in ticket sales. If the Concert Board relied solely on ticket sales to cover costs, prices would more closely resemble the $35 charged to see Billy Joel last December _ and that show was still half-funded by the University. Every February, the Board is required to submit a detailed budget estimating funding needs for the following year. Representatives from the Concert Board spend the month working with the Treasury Department deciding on a final allotment. Most of the arbitration is done in individual committees, and Concert Board is included in Council Two: Social Programming Activities, which typically receives the biggest percentage of the TCU's funding. Other Council Two organizations include the Entertainment Board, Film Series, and Apple Jam. After the council head works out a passable budget with its member organizations, the budget is taken to the whole Treasury Committee. Once the Committee agrees on the budgets, the Senate body votes on them. Any student can come to a Concert Board meeting and suggest a band to play at upcoming events. After suggestions are made to the council, Pretty Polly Productions, Tufts' agent, looks to see who is available and communicates its findings to the board. While the Concert Board has suffered from decreasing ticket sales, there has been a rising interest in membership on the Board, with as many as 100 people showing up to board meetings. Concert Board co-chair Amy Dunphy sees great potential for this group. "I think this going to be a great year for the Concert Board," she said. "We have a lot of interest, and I'm really looking forward to working with this group." The Concert Board is currently focusing on this year's Hip-Hop Show, which is scheduled for Nov. 21.

The Setonian
News

Bantams peck away a win in overtime

October 14

The field hockey team lost a 2-1 heartbreaker on Saturday in a soggy overtime match against NESCAC opponent Trinity College in Hartford, CT. The team's record now stands at 2-7 overall and 2-3 in league competition. The Jumbos gained momentum from sophomore Jennie Sachs' tying goal and senior tri-captain Dana Chivvis' pass in the closing minute of the second half, but this was dashed early in overtime. At 3:50 into the sudden death period, Trinity junior Jennifer Latiff capitalized on a pass from senior co-captain Susan Hoppock to break the stalemate and send Tufts home with their fifth straight loss. Winning in dramatic fashion has been the Trinity trend as of late, as the Bantams came out on top in three straight overtime games versus Smith and Connecticut College. The victory elevated Trinity's record to 3-7 overall and 2-4 against NESCAC adversaries placing them seventh in the league. With Sachs' goal in the second half, the Jumbos broke a 394 minute scoring drought spanning four shut-out competitions. "Jennie was in the right place at the right time and had a beautiful final touch," senior tri-captain Ursula Stahl said. "We were under pressure and knew we had get something done." Up until Saturday, the squad had not put the ball in the back of the net since Sept. 21 during its 1-0 victory over Connecticut College. It has been unable to finish deep in enemy territory thus relinquishing games by one or two goals. The ladies lost to both Bates and Wheaton 1-0 and to Babson 2-0 in recent weeks. Even though one Jumbo shot did find the back of the net, the game was full of offensive frustration. "The offense tried really hard," Stahl said. "There were so many opportunities that it just didn't capitalize on. We were so close so many times." Despite their struggles to score, the Jumbos played very strong defensively throughout the entire competition. They managed to hold Trinity scoreless through the first half and frustrate the Bantams for nearly twenty minutes into the second frame. Trinity finally took advantage of one of its 22 shots when Hoppock rocketed the ball past Tufts senior goalkeeper Lauren Rufino on an unassisted shot with 16 minutes left on the game clock. The only other Trinity goal came in overtime to seal the match. With the loss, Tufts is ranked sixth in the NESCAC. The Jumbos need to be one of the top seven teams in the league to qualify for the playoffs. With two NESCAC competitions coming up this week _ Tuesday against fifth place Wesleyan and Saturday against first place Williams _ the next few days will be very important for Tufts to remain in playoff contention. "We will work on our overtime plays more in practice and continue to focus on moving the ball and finishing offensively in regulation," Stahl said. One obstacle the team will face lies in returning to play on grass after two weeks of away matches on artificial turf. The pace of the game is slower on grass and the ball takes stranger bounces requiring spur of the moment reactions. Another factor in New England this time of year is the changing weather. "On Saturday, it was pouring rain so the conditions were totally different. Our team likes that kind of play, but it was a hard adjustment." Stahl said. Tufts will put Saturday's discouraging loss behind it and concentrate on its next two games. Whatever the weather and whatever the circumstances, this week will be crucial both during practice and in match play to determine whether the Jumbos will find themselves in action on Nov. 3 in the first round of the playoffs or will finish the season on a disappointing note.

The Setonian
News

Caribbean vacation or office cubicle?

October 14

Though still in the midst of midterms, Tufts students are already longing for their next vacation from classes. Many are planning to spend the winter holidays at home with family and friends, but others see the month-long vacation as an opportunity to "get ahead" in the real world. One way to do so is to apply for a "winternship," which can provide students with an opportunity to establish professional contacts and gain insight as to whether or not they are interested in a particular field. A winternship is a brief internship experience that takes place over winter break. This year, most winterships will take place during the week of Jan. 6 to Jan. 10, 2003, although there is some variation in the time commitment based on the needs of the sponsors. They are intended to allow students to shadow a working professional and sometimes even to work closely with that person on a particular project. Most sponsors are Tufts alums who have volunteered to participate in the program. While the majority of winternships are based in Boston, New York and Washington, DC, Tufts students have also worked with Career Services to establish programs as far away from campus as Portland, OR. In the past, several internships have also been set up abroad for international students. Despite the programs good intentions, the question remains: is five days ample time for a college student to determine whether he or she wants a given job or a job in a particular field? "I think it depends on the quality of time, not the quantity [spent working at a winternship]," sophomore Nina Soares said. "Obviously, the more time you spend, the more you will become familiar with that field." At an informational meeting about the winternship program on Thursday, Oct. 4, Jonathan Kaplan, Assistant Director of Career Services, emphasized the growing importance of networking in today's competitive job market. At the meeting, Kaplan stressed that a wide variety of opportunities is available in the winternship program, allowing students with different interests to get involved. "[Students] have accompanied sponsors on calls to clients, attended court, observed surgeries, and followed reporters on their beat," he said. "Others have created client databases, assisted with marketing projects, taken notes at US Senate hearings and edited video clips for promotional films." The success that the winternship program has experienced in the past couple years can be seen in the increase in student participation. Last year, there were approximately one hundred participants, a thirty percent increase from the previous year. Regardless of the programs benefits, however, some students believe that the work experience is not worth the inconvenience of having winter vacation cut short. "I like to spend time with my family and friends over winter break, sophomore Ben Hagopian said. "The winternship program is offered at a very inconvenient time." Sophomore Talia Gracer is from California, and winter break is the only extended period of time during the school year that she can spend time at home with her family. "As a pre-med student, I know that experience in the medical field is extremely important, but offering amazing internships during the few times during the school year when college students generally see their families [prevents me from making] the best use of these opportunities," Gracer said. In addition to its brevity, another way that the winternship program defers from a normal internship is that the application process places little importance on the amount of prior experience one has in a field. For this reason, a winternship can provide a means to break into a field and to begin to establish professional contacts. Vivian Chan, a senior majoring in Asian Studies, has had two valuable internship experiences in past summers, but wants to use the winternship program to explore a new field. "I'm thinking about applying to a winternship in advertising," Chan said. "I've always been interested in communication, so I just want to see what it's about and if I want to go into it." Seniors with little previous work experience are more optimistic than underclassmen about the potential benefits of participating in a winternship program, perhaps because they need the exposure more then the younger students. Jake Berman, a senior, plans to apply for a winternship in hopes of becoming a more competitive applicant to admissions officers at graduate schools. "The way the job market is going right now, a lot more people are applying to grad school," Berman said. "So I want to do as much as I can this year to make my application stand out." Berman also expressed a fear shared by many seniors of getting an advanced degree in a field in which he is not certain he is interested. "I think that there are a lot of seniors who don't feel comfortable applying to grad school at this point because they are afraid that they won't end up wanting to [use] that degree in a career," he said. Although seniors may use the winternship program as one of their last opportunities to gain further experience before breaking into the "real world," the program is designed for students of every class year. "While the objective of a senior may be different from that of a first-year student, the winternship program is an excellent way for all students to explore career options," Kaplan said. At this time, new postings are still being added to Tufts' online winternship database. Kaplan said that the postings should be almost completed by the end of this week, making now the best time to apply. In an effort to increase job experience opportunities, the program does not limited students to those winterships that are presented on the website. If a student is interested in exploring options in a geographic area or field that is not currently an option, it is possible to work with Career Services to create one's own winternship through Tufts alumni connections. All applications are due on Nov. 7 to the Career Services office in Dowling Hall. The selection committee will aim to provide a winternship for all applicants. "Our goal is to offer placement to as many students as possible," Kaplan said.

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Ask Angie

October 14

My best friend and I grew up together and now we're at college together. She never used to drink, but now I think she is drinking every night. Every time I see her, she is drunk. She sometimes drinks when she is in her room alone. This just happened recently. Is it normal for this to happen at college? _Not a beer fan A: When some people get to college, it's pretty typical to find that they throw their "good kid" persona out the window in favor of some hardcore partying. Most of the time, this lasts through freshman orientation _ after a bad experience of drinking too much and finding oneself somewhere unexpected, people settle down into the academic routine. No one will deny that college students drink or party pretty regularly to relieve stress. The behavior you're describing from your friend sounds like it's bordering on alcoholism. It is certainly not "good" or "healthy" for your friend to be drinking daily, especially when she's by herself. This puts you in a tough spot. If the bottle has become her new best friend, she'll resent you if you try to talk her out of it. Luckily, it's just started, so it's a fresh habit. It's possible that she's going through a phase that will end as soon as she starts to suffer academically. You could also just calmly explain that you're worried about the fact that every time you see her, she's drunk, and you miss the sober hang-out time. This would show her that you care, without putting her on the defensive. Ask her to go out and do some of your old fun activities _ with no alcohol involved! It's possible that she is depressed, and your friendship could mean a lot to her right now. Q: Do my grades in college really matter? _Slacker A: Well, that really depends, now doesn't it? When I was applying to colleges, people used to say, "It doesn't matter where you go to school, all that matters is what you make of it." They were pretty much right. Your personal college experience is entirely up to you, and that includes your grades. If you plan on jumping right into a specific job after school, then your grades could really matter. Your employers may comb through your transcript, and they may be highly interested in your GPA. If you're planning on attending any sort of graduate school, then grades can have a big impact on your admissions. On the other hand, if you're planning on working in fast food until something better comes along... so what if you get a C- in Physics, right? Some people are perfectly happy to scrape by with whatever passing grades they can get; others aren't happy unless they've got a permanent spot on the Dean's List. The amazing thing about college is that FINALLY, for the first time, you can really dive into whatever subjects really interest you. High school wasn't like that at all. Now is the one time in your life to educate yourself for fun. After all, college is voluntary, and it's often important to remind yourself of that fact. Maybe if you start studying the things you really enjoy, grades won't be an issue _ the As will come naturally.

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Jumbos finish well at New England Championships

October 14

A cool, damp day well-suited for cross-country running set the tone as the women's cross country team competed in a pool of 512 athletes at the New England Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships. In a competitive field of 42 scoring teams, Tufts ended the day at 18th overall and fifth within the NESCAC, a result consistent with what the team had hoped to accomplish. Though winning was not a viable option with a slew of Division I and II teams in the mix, contending with the other NESCAC squads was, as well as improving upon the results of last year. One year ago, the Jumbos placed 23rd of 35 teams and came ninth among the NESCAC teams. This time, the team came out on top of the likes of Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin and Connecticut College. "Last year three of us broke 20 minutes, this time seven of us did," senior Danielle Perrin said. "We only lost one runner from the top seven from last year, so the people remaining are just older and more mature. We have more confidence this time around." Not only was the team finish more impressive this time around, but several individual performances also bode well for the success of the program as the postseason approaches. Freshman Becca Ades has shown continued improvement over the past weeks, and had another breakout race this weekend. Ades was the second Jumbo to cross the finish line with her 87th place overall finish, doing so in a clear personal record of 19:11. "The beginning of the season was a bit of a transition from high school, but this week I just had a good race on a course that was really fast," Ades said. "Everyone did really well and we beat the teams we wanted to so I'm happy about that." Joining her teammate in attaining season-low PRs was junior Lauren Caputo, who improved on her mark by 30 seconds in her campaign to go sub-19 minutes. Caputo again lead by example this weekend, heading the herd of Jumbos en route to a 53rd place individual finish in 18:49. Senior co-captain Mary Nodine came in at 116th in a time of 19:29 and third for the team, showing more comfort after coming off a two-year hiatus from competition. The scoring five runners were rounded out by junior Lauren Dunn (19:33) at 121st and senior Heidi Tyson (19:46) at 144th, to give Tufts a total of 521 team points in the varsity race. "We had one workout this week and people were prepared for the fast course," coach Kristen Morwick said. "It went really well for us, we had a smart race and it was a big confidence boost." The varsity race was not the only one to produce positive results, as a few performances indicated in the Open race. Perrin ran to a 13th place individual finish in at a fair clip, finishing in a time of 19:25 that would have put her at third on the team in the varsity race. "It felt awesome, I usually do better on flat courses like the one at Franklin Park. I just had a good attitude and that's very important in a cross-country because it's such a mental sport," Perrin said. Eleven spots back was senior Kristen Munson, who completed the course in 19:44, with senior Ashley Peterson following 20 seconds behind in 33rd place. Both times put Munson and Peterson in the top seven in the varsity contest, with Munson within the top five for the team. "We had five people at 19:30 or better, there were some of the best performances of the season and a vast majority of the team PR'ed. We're getting to a better point in the season," Coach Morwick said. The pack that plays to the strength of the Jumbos was evident in the standings of both the varsity and open races. Even though runners were placed in different races, they were interchangeable between the two races, showing that everyone on the team has the ability to contribute. In order to see success in the postseason, the squad will have to continue to have races like this one where everyone is in sync and competes well on the same day. This coming weekend's James Earl Invite at Westfield State will provide an opportunity for the team to build upon the success of this past weekend. It will also allow the team a preview of the same course that the NCAA New England Championship meet will be held on Nov. 16. "We want to keep the momentum going while getting a look at 6K course that we'll be seeing later," senior co-captain Sarah Foss said. "It's been going well, we're getting faster every week and working together as a team which is good because our strength is going to be in our pack."

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Dorm construction to begin next summer pending Trustee approval

October 14

Pending approval at the November meeting of the Board of Trustees, the University will begin construction of a four-story residence hall early next summer. The new dorm, tentatively scheduled to open by September 2004, will stretch from Professor's Row to Talbot Ave. between Richardson House and the Yeager House. The four-story, L-shaped building was designed by Graham Gund Architects, Inc. of Cambridge and will have two separate wings, connected by a three-story glass "bridge" of lounges. The project will necessitate the demolition of several structures, including the historic music building, where Tufts' first president lived. The 53 doubles of the larger wing are expected to accommodate mostly underclassmen, said Vice President of Operations John Roberto. The smaller wing that will parallel Talbot Ave. will provide single rooms for 44 students, primarily upperclassmen. Every two rooms will share a centrally located private bathroom, and residents will be able to use the several lounges and study areas distributed throughout the building, Roberto said. Tufts will receive a federal grant to make the new residence hall a uniquely "eco-friendly" space, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. The "green" building is designed to lessen the deleterious effects of construction on the environment by using largely recycled or renewable materials. To minimize electricity expenditure, low energy light fixtures, extensive use of energy-efficient glass, and a system of passive solar heating have been proposed, according to Reitman. Tufts has not embarked on a housing project of this magnitude since the construction of South Hall more than a decade ago. When South opened in 1991, an increased preference among students for off-campus housing resulted in an abundance of vacancies. But in following years, off-campus living costs skyrocketed, filling the once-empty rooms in South and leading to the current on-campus housing shortage. Though no signs indicate that the resulting increase of on-campus housing requests will slow, the trustees selected the current 150-bed plan over a proposed 300-bed to avoid the oversupply situation the University faced in 1991. From the outset, the new dorm was seen not only as a means to alleviate the housing crisis, but also as a vehicle to promote interaction between members of the Tufts community, Reitman said. As former Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs Kristine Dillon said in the spring of 2000, "A school the quality of Tufts has the opportunity to expand the learning experience outside of the classroom... building a new dorm is not only a matter of bed spaces." Several seminar rooms and a large second floor lounge capable of holding the dorm's 150 residents will facilitate special programs, assembly, and discussion, Roberto said. In hopes of encouraging further intellectual and social interaction between faculty and students, a two-bedroom rooftop apartment has been designed to accommodate a professor and his family. The professor-in-residence will not be the building manager, Reitman said. Instead, the position will closely resemble that of Princeton and Harvard "housemasters." The concept is borrowed from English institutions, where housemasters serve as dormitory heads and parental figures. The professor's apartment, complete with a large deck for social gatherings, will serve as a meeting place in which the Tufts faculty can interact with students and colleagues, Reitman said. The dorm's special features will make it well suited for use as a theme house, Reitman said. But, he added that a theme will not be chosen until after the plans are approved, when a program committee will be formed. Outside of the building, numerous walkways will connect a large patio with various points on the Tufts campus, including the nearby student center and the College Ave. bus stop, Reitman said. While this bustling thoroughfare will be useful in redirecting pedestrian traffic, the patio will also serve as a location for assemblies and meetings. The addition of this space will help alleviate the "dearth of outdoor locations" on the Tufts campus in which assemblies can be held, Reitman said. Reitman said the three themes of "climate, coherence, and community" outlined by the Task Force for the Undergraduate Experience, which he co-chairs, are well-represented in the new residence hall. While "one building alone can't accomplish [all of the Task Force's goals] for all the students," Reitman hopes that the new dorm will be the "seed that begins the realization of these goals."

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Understanding a liberal education

October 14

Let us get to the heart of the problem, or at least its most notable symptoms. I showed the poem I wrote last week about the disgusting and at times nauseating drive for money, these base bourgeois obsessions that motivate most of the campus, to someone next to me in the dining hall. After she read it I asked her what she thought. "It is long, and I am an engineer, it gets too hard after the first five lines." Earlier in the day some other people who read it were impressed that the words at the end of the lines rhymed. How is it that after two viewpoints, each of which I attempted to obliquely assault a large part of this campus, and one of which I underhandedly insulted the entire economics department, go unnoticed? Perhaps this is the question that shall lead us to a better understanding of what an education is, and who we are ourselves. If we first submit the premise that the purpose of an education is not to make money, for, if it is, then an education would be merely vocational training; then what are we left with? First, education is for the self: it is to deepen an individual, to make him more interesting, to allow him to understand his world, and more importantly, himself. The crucial question thus becomes: in the short time period of four years, what subjects truly teach an individual about himself and his world? He cannot take everything, priorities must exist. There must be subjects that are deemed higher _ more important than others. As a wise professor remarked to me once: why do we not have a course in alpine skiing or advanced sexual techniques? Precisely because those subjects are not deemed important, that is not what makes a human truly educated. By taking this first preemptory step, by making this first judgment, we have already concluded that one subject can be higher than another; therefore, the next logical application is: what subjects are highest? Yet you must be careful not to fall into this particularly modern disease, this chronic and sophistic relativism, which posits that one value is not higher than another, that one subject cannot be deemed more important than another. "Everyone has their own individual tastes," you are fond of saying, "and who are you to tell them what is more important? Each person discovers his education in his own way" Yet if students already understand what is important, then what is the point of coming to college-you might as well just go to the library and educate yourself, or go to Brown, where I hear they like sophistic students. "But we need help reading the books," you say, "we need to be taught complicated notions that would be hard for us to understand by ourselves." Well what else do you not know? Perhaps you need more help than you think? If you already admit that you came to college for guidance in your studies, than perhaps you should actually permit the University to guide you. Liberal education is taught by the greatest minds. They are the inheritors of Socrates, and we are all their pupils. We must be careful not to use the term "great" lightly, for there are none of these great minds alive today. They are in the past, and their teachings are in books. It is na??ve not to admit that these books are mostly, but not exclusively, in the Western tradition. Yet that hardly matters, they are books rooted in human culture-a singular term that transcends the plural form, cultures. The minute you attempt to divide cultures, you are the one that commits the injustice by denying the universality of human longings and desires, of human potential and possibility. Today we think our views are superior to those of the past; that we have advanced, perhaps, even to a point beyond the ability to be taught by anyone who lived before the age of automobiles and automatons. To think this is not to be liberally educated. A liberal education demands that the student disregard television talk shows for Tolstoy, malevolent magazines for Moliere, and newspapers for Nietzsche. Liberal education demands literacy in letters, which means an avid and propitious pursuit of the great books. These great books introduce the student to the problems of man: his longings and his desires, his faults and his faculties. They introduce the pupil to options of nobility and virtue that are spread out like silver in the story of man and the gold in the pages of books; and conversely, to what is vulgar and base. In short, they attempt to give him an understanding of humanity, its awfulness and its excellence. They are the true teachers, and the best ones to do it. Where are these books found, and who chooses them? This question is easy enough, for the task has already been done for us. Time, the ultimate leveler, reveals who stands its awesome tests and who falls by the wayside. We moderns like to think our own writers superior, but I would be surprised if any could last fifty years into the next century. The greatest are those that last for thousands, and will continue to last until the great minds are disregarded, shamed as unimportant, and forgotten. The only other way is for us to lose them is or if they are burned in 451 degrees of heat. Yet our modern way of government makes the latter nearly impossible, but the former is an ever-present danger that liberal education is supposed to combat-perhaps that is what Ray Bradbury truly meant. It is up to those who truly wish to get an education to carry the torch of learning, which is a liberal education in the great books. I would be wrong not to say that I am truly indebted to Leo Strauss and Allan Bloom for helping me get a preliminary glimpse of what a liberal education is and means. Matt Holbreich has yet to declare a major.

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No interim home yet for Music Dept.

October 14

The Music Department is in limbo as to where it will go in the interim between the upcoming demolition of its current location at 20 Professors Row and the completion of the new music facility. The administration has yet to choose a temporary location for the department, which awaits the groundbreaking of the new music building at the intersection of Professors Row and Packard Ave. The current music building will be demolished to make way for the new dorm. Construction on the dorm is expected to get underway during the summer of 2003. The music department also currently uses the basement of Aidekman Arts Center for classes, practices, the music library, storage, and faculty offices. But Aidekman will not be able to house the entire department after the property at 20 Professors Row is demolished. The department is working with Vice President of Operations John Roberto to find an interim location, Music Librarian Michael Rogan said. "The main problem is that every program has too little space." The Provost's House, located at 48 Professors Row next to the Mayer Campus Center, is the most probable interim location for the department. The house is currently being occupied by former Provost Sol Gittleman, who will vacate it at the end of the year. One idea that has been proposed is for Provost Jamshed Bharucha to wait to move into the house and for the Music Department to take it over until construction of the new building is complete, according to Music Department Chair John McDonald. "At this point, it's still a matter of timing," McDonald said. Bharucha previously told the Daily that he does not feel strongly about moving into the Provost's House and hopes the space will be used for an academic department. As of now, there is no timetable for the new music facility's construction. The administration is awaiting further fundraising progress before breaking ground. Raising additional funds for the music building may be frustrated by the fact that donors are more enticed to give money for the new dormitory, according to McDonald. Nonetheless, he is "confident that the administration has our needs and interests in mind and will work hard to meet those interests." Some students, however, do not have as much confidence in the administration. "It seems like [the new building] is never actually going to be built because there are so many things standing in the way," senior Jake Cohen said. Cohen, a music major, added, "If I stay here for graduate school, I probably still wouldn't see it. They've been talking about this since my freshman year." The building was originally supposed to be completed this academic year, he said. Newer students have also expressed dissatisfaction with the music department's current situation. "The music facilities at Tufts are severely lacking," freshman Michael Hadley said. "We need a pleasant and acoustically adapted performance space, we need new pianos in the practice rooms, and we especially need classrooms that don't resemble prison cells." "The new building is a crucial step toward making music accessible to and enjoyable by everyone on the Tufts campus," Hadley said. The department is awaiting the new building's construction with anticipation. "We have outgrown the space we have," Assistant Music Librarian Abigail Al-Doory said. "We have a severe lack of study space for students and places to put new materials." There are only three classrooms in the entire music department, all of which have ventilation problems. The music library is also pressed for space. Three years ago, the University decided to build a new music building after an anonymous donor gave $4 million toward the project. As of today, $10.5 million of the $13 million needed to begin construction has been raised. The new building will have three stories. The first two levels will contain performance spaces, classrooms, offices, and a storage area. The top floor will be dedicated to the music library and circulation desk, and "finally we will actually have much needed bathrooms and windows, something the basement [of Aidekman] currently lacks," Al-Doory said.

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Open dialogue exists _ maybe we just don't see it

October 14

As an apathetic, uninvolved student at Tufts University, I found the editorial in Monday's paper ("Open Dialogue Necessary," 10/7/02) quite harsh. For some reason I was drawn to the protest against the war in Iraq, mostly as an outlet to explore a paper topic for a class. I stood in the back of the crowd, realizing I had forgotten my "No Attack on Iraq" sign, but mostly realizing that I was completely unaware of the importance of participation in the community around me, and how easy it is in fact to participate. Last Monday's editorial states, the protest was "preaching to the choir," "appeared too liberal," and was generally close-minded. As one who has little experience with the mobilization of our campus, maybe I was mistaken when I heard more than just one point of view on the situation in Iraq. To my recollection there were four speakers, all with different subject matters relevant to discussion of the war with Iraq. Granted some might see the chanting of "War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing" somewhat close minded, but the speech made by Rana Abdul-Aziz contained no such theme. In a well written speech she delivered her view of the possible attack on Iraq and what her family members still in Iraq feel about this imminent threat. In this speech I heard no preaching to the choir, but rather an individual's call to the people of this community to not forget the many aspects that the invasion of Iraq would involve. These aspects include an aftermath affecting not only the people of America, but Iraq as well. What Monday's editorial forgot to mention is the other aspects of the Tufts Coalition to Oppose the War in Iraq. Not only do they do a good job of marching and chanting, they have also been working to educate and involve the greater community of Tufts, not just those few individuals who are already activists on the Tufts Campus. The editorial, "Open Dialogue Necessary," failed to mention the table tents in the dining halls, and the unbiased fact pamphlets scattered all over campus. The editorial also did not address the fact that at the protest, organizers announced the meeting times of the Coalition and they pleaded with all the attendees of the protest and members of Tufts community to attend. Education and discussion of this subject matter is imperative if we are to call ourselves "educated" people, which most of us might tend to do now or upon our graduation. That is why our university is addressing the war on Iraq from all aspects. One must first research a subject matter before they can make a judgement on it or get involved. And research can be as easy as looking at the Tufts Life web page campus calendar, which is full of ways to learn and participate. Last Monday's protest was not the only activity planned by the Coalition against the War in Iraq. With little trouble one can quite readily find an outlet for "further exploration of the Iraq issue," whether it be as simple as the "Wag the Dog" movie, debate and discussion, or as involved as starting your own war on Iraq related Coalition. This is still a democracy, and in a democracy it is up to the people to let those with decision making authority see what the people want. Maybe Tufts students cannot stop the invasion of Iraq, but at least we can be educated on the causes and their effects. Margot Thistle has yet to declare a major.

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Trinity stomps on Jumbos

October 14

After a dreamlike start to its 2002 season, the football team received a rude awakening on Saturday and suffered its first loss of the year 13-12 to the Trinity Bantams. The game locked Tufts and Trinity in a tie for third place in the NESCAC with Wesleyan at 3-1. Wet and wild conditions contributed to two botched snaps and a blocked extra point that left the Jumbos with only 12 points on the board after two touchdowns. Despite a solid passing day by senior quarterback Scott Treacy (17-32 for 180 yards and two interceptions) the team was not able to overcome the miscues on special teams. "I think we played well in some aspects of the game, and we lost it in others," defensive lineman and tri-captain Caleb Hudak said. "It's like coach (Bill Samko) always say, special teams wins games, and special teams didn't play too well. That and a combination of everything else really caused that loss." Although the Jumbos took a 12-6 lead into the fourth quarter, the Bantam's senior quarterback Greg Ward found junior receiver Joe Wahl open in the end zone for a ten-yard touchdown pass with 9:08 remaining to put Trinity ahead for good at 13-12. Tufts defense, which did not allow a point this season until the second half of its third game, was again dominant in tough conditions, as it held the Bantams to just 77 yards in the air and 59 yards rushing. Junior safety Drew Blewett had an interception - his third in his last two games. But it was a defensive lapse _ a 15-yard pass interference call _ on Trinity's final scoring drive that pushed the Bantams up field, opening the door for Ward's touchdown pass. Other than the interference call in the final quarter, the Jumbos' defense stymied the Bantams all day, holding them to 136 total yards on the day, and just 10-29 passing. But it was Trinity that was able to come through when it counted most, capitalizing on Tufts' mistakes and completing passes at opportune times. The Jumbos opened the game on a promising note, marching 65 yards on ten plays, capped by Treacy's one yard touchdown run that put Tufts up 6-0. Trinity junior Matt Glasz got his hand on the extra point, however, for the first of the Jumbos' frustrations on special teams. Late in the first quarter, the Bantams pulled even when Trinity safety Gavin O'Reilly blocked a Tufts punt and sophomore Duane Tyler grabbed it in the end zone to knot the score at six. Trinity fumbled the snap on the ensuing extra point to keep the score tied. As the quarter drew to a close, Tufts again marched its way 62 yards down the field in ten plays for a touchdown, including a 31 yard completion down the sideline from Treacy to sophomore receiver Kevin Holland. After a botched snap, the Jumbos again were left with only six, and led the game 12-6 at the half. The score remained the same until the fourth quarter when Ward connected on two big passes, including the ten-yarder to Wahl for the go-ahead score. As the clock wound down Tufts was unable to mount a comeback bid, and heads hung low on the Jumbos bench as Trinity walked victorious off of the field. "We didn't play well as a team like we have all season long," Hudak said. "The loss wasn't completely on those extra points. It was the first real team we've faced, and we struggled." The loss comes at an inopportune time for Tufts, who faces Williams and Amherst in the next two weeks in what will likely be the toughest games of the season. Both Williams and Amherst are undefeated on the season, and stand tied atop the NESCAC standing. But with visions of their own undefeated season out of their minds, the Jumbos will have to remain focused on the remainder of the year. "You always think about being undefeated," Hudak said. "But if we win out the rest of our games we can spoil everybody else's undefeated season, and we can finish as one of the top teams in the league."

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Five alive

October 14

The women's soccer team moved to five games over .500 on Saturday with a 5-1 win over the Trinity Bantams in Hartford, remaining undefeated against the Bantams since 1995. With their fifth straight victory, the Jumbos climbed to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), giving them sole possession of first place for the first time this season. Tufts struck first in the 20th minute when sophomore Jen Baldwin, who transferred to Tufts from Johns Hopkins at the beginning of the year, connected on her third goal of the season, which tied her for the team lead. The Jumbos kept the pressure on for the remainder of the first half, and in the 43rd minute, freshman Sarah Callaghan took a pass from senior EA Tooley and scored the first goal of her collegiate career. "It was definitely good to get the first one because it takes off a lot of the pressure," Callaghan said. "I was excited because it was a close game at that point." The Bantams came out aggressively at the start of the second half, as freshman Caitlin Buzzell scored the second goal of her collegiate career in the 46th minute, bringing Trinity within one. The Jumbos responded quickly when, just 13 seconds later, Tooley sent a pass to junior forward Jess Trombley who shot it into the back of the net, once again giving Tufts a comfortable two goal lead. The Jumbos continued their domination as the half continued. Leading scorer Baldwin scored her second goal of the game on an assist from sophomore midfielder Sarah Gelb in the 59th minute. Trombley notched her second goal of the game just seven minutes later in the 66th minute on an assist from sophomore defender Catherine Benedict. The Jumbos dominated the Bantams throughout the entire game, outshooting them 35-7 overall. "We played really well, even though it was very cold and the field was very wet. We need to start finishing our chances, and today we definitely did," Callaghan said. Despite a victory last Tuesday at Brandeis, the Jumbos were not at all pleased with their play and worked very hard in practice on ball movement and shooting. The hard work seemed to come to fruition on Saturday. "It was definitely worthwhile because we worked really well as a team on Saturday and we finished our chances," Callaghan said. The five-goal outburst by Tufts was the most by the team against a NESCAC opponent since a 5-2 victory at Bates 14 years ago. The Jumbos face NESCAC opponent Wesleyan, a team that they have dominated for the past two years, today at 4 p.m.. The last-place Cardinals are 2-7-1 overall and 0-4-1 in the NESCAC. Perhaps Tufts' toughest and most important game of the season is this coming Saturday against arch-nemesis Williams. The second place Ephs are 8-3 overall and 4-2 in the NESCAC this season, but have beaten the Jumbos in two of the past three years and are 6-1 on the road this year.

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Camping

October 14

In a weekend chock full of sports _ NFL Week 6, NHL, Major League Baseball playoffs _ you might think that I would choose to write about something related to them. However, I'm sure you know me better than that by now, and you know that I frequently ignore professional sports and write about my own adventures for strictly selfish reasons. But, for this particular column, I have no choice but to write about myself because I was in no position to watch sports for most of the weekend. While many of you undoubtedly spent your weekends in your warm homes, in front of your big television sets watching sports, I spent my Columbus Day Weekend in isolation _ at a campsite in Vermont with Haley. Not only did I have to experience life without professional sports, I also lacked other basic essentials such as electricity, food, a working tent, fire, and a good flashlight among other things. It is important to note, that whether outdoorsmen such as hunters, campers, backpackers, and hikers are actually athletes has long been debated. In order to make this column "sports related" I am going to go out on a limb here and say that camping is, in fact, a sport. I should have known that things weren't going to go as planned as soon as we left on Saturday afternoon. Right off the bat, two key factors were working against me: Haley was sick and it was pouring outside and the weather forecast predicted rain all weekend. Haley and I discussed postponing our vacation but I am stubborn and had been looking forward to this trip since the summer. I convinced her that both her sickness and the bad weather would pass. At 2 p.m., two hours after our planned departure time, we took to the road. Approximately three hours later when we crossed the Vermont border, little had changed; it was still pouring and Haley was curled up in a ball in the front seat. Although the weather didn't appear to be clearing up, Haley assured me that she was starting to feel a whole lot better. I took solace in the fact that rain or shine we would be able to stay dry in my tent. At about 5:30 p.m. we pulled into Woodford State Park in Wilmington, VT. It was already getting dark, and the campgrounds were officially closed for the night. A sign posted on the office window informed us that we could pick any available campsite and pay in the morning. We settled on a site with a lean-to, just in case the tent wasn't as waterproof as I had remembered it being when I used it five years ago. With the high winds, heavy rain and Haley's sickness we decided that we would set up the tent in the lean-to and thus have double protection from the elements. We took out the tent and set it up in five minutes. After admiring our craftsmanship, we decided to test it out. In retrospect, after five years of sitting in my basement in White Plains, maybe I should have checked out the tent before we left for the wilderness. But I figured that the tent was probably in perfect shape because it had been untouched since I was 16. Of course, after I was done tent gazing and reached for the first zipper it didn't budge. "Just a minor obstacle," I thought to myself as I pulled on it with all my might. After working on the front zipper for 20 minutes, to no avail, I moved on to the next three _ the three that really opened the tent (the first one was just for the front cover). Of course, the main zippers were caked shut as well and no amount of pulling was going to open them, though I did manage to break one off. Hell, with the near monsoon, a broken tent, and a nauseous girlfriend with a migraine, any normal human being would have taken the hint that it was time to pack up and head home. But, I'd be damned if we didn't sleep in the woods in my godforsaken tent. So off we went to the General Store 25 miles down the road, where we purchased a trusty bottle of WD-40 to spray on the zippers. We arrived back at the campsite 45 minutes later at about 7 p.m., well after the sky had turned dark, and sprayed the zippers. While we waited for the WD-40 to work its magic, I figured it would be a good time to look for wood to make a fire. Despite Haley's weakened condition and the fact that we had one tiny flashlight (oh yeah, and it was still raining) the two of us searched around our campsite for logs and kindling. Looking for dry firewood in the dark and rain, is probably a fruitless activity, but I was certain that it would all work out. We found a few twigs and a couple of small branches, but there were no big, dry logs to really get the fire going. The big dry, precut logs were locked up near the front gate and since the campgrounds had officially closed at 5 p.m. We were out of luck. At this point, Haley was practically dead and told me that she had to take a "20 minute" nap and that she would be fine after that. I agreed that a nap was a probably a good idea for her, and I promised that by the time she woke up would have a blazing fire ready for her and our food cooking on it. When, she did finally wake up, all I had to show for my effort was four burnt copies of The Tufts Daily, which I had found in my car and tried to use for kindling. Haley was sick and hungry. I was mad and hungry. And, we had no way to cook our food since, as I learned the hard way, it's nearly impossible to start a fire with wet wood in the rain. So 25 miles back down the road we headed to pick up some food to take back to our lean-to. We had long since given up on the tent and we were now planning to sleep in our sleeping bags in just the lean-to. As we proceeded down the road, Haley became sicker and sicker and by the time we got to the food shop, she could not eat and was about to throw up. On the way back to the campsite, after I picked up my food (Haley was too sick to get any), Haley fell asleep. She woke up briefly to get herself into her sleeping bag once we got back to the campsite. Meanwhile, I ate my food in the cold, dark lean-to by myself. In the morning Haley was nearly recovered, but it was still raining and despite my inclination to spend one more night outside, I realized that enough was enough. We spent Sunday doing indoor activities such as bowling and shopping and then we spent the night at the Jack Daniels Inn in Peterborough, NH. Mother Nature had beaten me.

The Setonian
News

Defending trash's good name

October 14

There are so many good movies out there, and I love a good movie. There are the serious classics _ Casablanca and On The Waterfront being two often-cited films that more people need to watch. There are also the movies you grew up with, like Stand By Me and The Breakfast Club for many twentysomethings, and the more recent ones that you hope and expect to endure for years to come _ Fight Club, You Can Count On Me, High Fidelity. Of course everyone has their own idea as to what movies should fall into all of those categories. This attitude overlooks a vital component of film, however _ a class, even an entire genre, that goes underrepresented at awards ceremonies and on film critics' lists; a type of movie that people are embarrassed to talk about and rarely admit to watching, let alone owning. Get your mind out of the gutter, porno-boy. I'm talking about trash. Bad movies. Stupid or campy or ridiculous movies that no one wants to go to bat for, but that wipe the floor with some Oscar contenders at the box office. And it's about time that people stop being so holier-than-thou and embrace a little low-brow culture without having to apologize for it. Don't pretend you don't know the movies I mean. Blue Crush: empowered women in bikinis engaged in pedantic, predictable drama with an unnecessary romance thrown in. Swimfan: another aquatic-related trashy number with an implausible affair (any other Shiri Appleby fans that couldn't fathom her devoted boyfriend cheating on her?) and an impossibly evil and insane sex-kitten villain. Bring It On: possibly the most brilliantly unnecessary piece of filmmaking ever, a shot-by-shot example of how to make an irrelevant movie. Those are only three (and they're all pretty recent), but they're all winners. Absolutely brilliant, beautiful trash. I saw 'em. I liked 'em. I'm happy to talk about it. Buy Bring It On on DVD if you know what's good for you. People have too much shame for their own good nowadays. Sure, I love tearing apart a movie analytically. Sure, I love seeing a film and being touched emotionally by something deft and heartfelt. But I'm willing to slum a little bit, too, and I'm willing to be proud of it... proud enough not to offer excuses, anyway. Sometimes you're in the mood for something respectable, and sometimes you're in the mood for some presweetened fluff. I love fine food, but I love Star Wars: Episode II cereal, too. There's a place for everything in this big ol' crazy world, and watching something stupid doesn't make you stupid, no matter what your parents may have told you about Saturday cartoon binges. Sure, if you stumble into Crossroads expecting high art, you're going to be disappointed. But what the hell were you expecting? If you pay any attention to the previews, reviews, ad campaigns, directors, and producers attached to a movie, you should know what you're getting yourself into when you go to see it. And so long as you go to see something "bad" with the knowledge that it's bad, you have nothing to lose (though repeated viewings of Crossroads may distort an otherwise-healthy male's sexual expectations beyond repair). Now, there are some movies that are trash that didn't mean to be trash, and they're fine in my book, too. Fans of the original comic book might try to defend Blade as a misguided attempt at art, but I don't care. It's trash, and I love it. Two hours of Wesley Snipes _ one of Hollywood's essential badasses _ beating down on vampires? Try to top that. After all, vampires top the list of villains that it's okay to hate (much like the Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). In fact, part of the reason we should all stop badmouthing trashy movies is because no matter how much you can mock a given film, someone out there loves it more than you could imagine. I bet I love a few movies that other people think are worthless, and it would be a lot safer for them if they'd just learn to keep their unappreciated mouths shut. Just try making a snide comment about Terminator 2: Judgment Day around me and see how much of your spleen is left when we're finished, you dumb bastard. And no matter how bad a movie is, there's always something to appreciate. Maybe the vacuity of Bring It On doesn't appeal to you, but you have to admit that those cheerleaders pull off some crazy dance moves. Look for the good _ you don't have to like it yourself, but it might help you understand why someone else would. These movies get made, and they bring in some hefty wads of cash, too, so someone must be seeing them. Lots of someones, in fact. And if one of those someones is you, stop being so self-conscious about it! If you expected something to be trashy and it was, revel in it. Take some pleasure from having watched something that other people might never dared to try, and let them worry about being respectable and intelligent for a little while. Sometimes a movie you thought would be pure tripe turns out to be... well, tripe. But if you learn to appreciate really good tripe, you'll open yourself up to another level of moviegoing. Now go rent some trash.

The Setonian
News

Vonnegut-based film disturbing but engrossing

October 10

Mother Night: 1996, Starring Nick Nolte, John Goodman. Directed by Keith Gordon. Rated R Even though it's practically an unknown movie, Mother Night is one of the most disturbing and engrossing stories I've ever seen on screen. The story is simple: an American man (Nick Nolte) is in Germany at the start of WWII. He is approached by an agent of FDR's government (John Goodman) and asked to be a spy, set to become a propaganda spokesperson for the Axis, the American voice to the fascist movement. But during his speeches, he will make planned pauses, coughs and sighs, transmitting a sort of Morse code that even he doesn't understand. His transmissions are vital to winning the war. When it's all over and he returns home, all of America treats him like the scum of the earth. No one will house him, feed him or be his friend. In fact, the only friends he can find... are the Nazis in America, who heard his broadcasts and treat him like a national treasure. Even his father-in-law, a member of the SS, tells him, "The ideals that made me proud to be a Nazi came not from Hitler, but from you." The film is based on a Kurt Vonnegut Jr. novel, and most of the films based on his material have failed, from the '70s wacked-out version of Slaughterhouse 5, to the recent Bruce Willis disaster Breakfast of Champions. Part of the charm of Vonnegut as a novelist is that all of his passages and characters are throwaway. He doesn't take them seriously, nor does he take himself seriously; and often that frivolity gives the novels all the more power to move you. It's all throwaway, but it's based on real sadness and outrage. That's often why they are so powerful in the mind. On the screen, however, these flimsy images don't mesh well, and to keep the tone of the books backfires. This film is different. Director Keith Gordon keeps the story intact but lets the tone determine itself, and as a result the story is at once funny in a Catch-22 sort of way, and at the same time just as sad. Both he and the cast play it straight, acting out the story to its own logical conclusion. Nolte's character faces death at a war crimes tribunal at the end, in a cell next to famed far criminal Eichmann. He can't believe it_ and neither can we, and yet we can. Because even though he helped his country, the face he showed the world was that of the worst kind of human being, the one that helps others rationalize the evil that they do. There is an image near the end where Nolte watches an old film reel of himself in total disbelief, the reflection of his younger self painted on his face. "That's not me! That wasn't me!" he murmurs. Near the end, he finally pronounces the punishment for himself: "Be careful what you pretend to be... because in the end, you are what you pretend to be." Few films are as dark, ridiculous, sad, funny and twisted as Mother Night. It comes with the strongest possible recommendation, as it has not _ can not _ be seen enough.

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