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Lyric Stage Theater brings Mae West back to life

September 18

"I've had more men than you've had hot lunches," winks the legendary Mae West to a 17-year old fan in Claudia Sheerling's newest play, Dirty Blond. Currently running at the Lyric Stage Theater, Dirty Blond is set in an almost voyeuristic manner around Mae's life. It's a forthright and genuine production that doesn't use any Wonderbras to give its content a lift _ Mae wouldn't have stood for it. The play begins with the two protagonists meeting coincidentally at Mae's gravestone while on their yearly pilgrimage in honor of the great dame's birthday. Charlie, played tenderly by Larry Coen, and Jo, portrayed by Maryann Zschau, who alternates between insecure Jo and flamboyant Mae, prove a striking if not odd pair who gradually steal the play away from a legend and transform it into a story of truths. Jo is an out-of-work actress whose talents aren't quite big enough to fill the shoes of a star. Charlie is a quiet audio visual worker who celebrates Halloween more than once a year, usually wearing skirts. But they both love Mae. The dramatic question of the piece asks, "Can they love each other?" While their relationship progresses, so does Ms. West's. She flaunts her curves and wit as a Vaudeville extraordinaire and in the process picks up a partner, a husband, and a reputation that would proceed her for the rest of her days. Her response? "I don't care if I get a bad name on the circuit as long as it's my name." West craved stardom like Jo and like Charlie craved love. A bit of a warped relationship? Sure, but what good obsession isn't? The writing of Dirty Blond certainly provides the forum for an entertaining production, but at the Lyric Stage, multiple successes are at hand. The lighting provides a gentle yet notable magic to the story that explodes over the stage during brass musical numbers and softly exits during quieter moments, such as when Jo visits Mae's grave for the first time. The set adds an excitable texture to the program with the main curtain featuring sketches of different movie posters where Ms. West was featured. In the center is a facial portrait of Mae's with her blond curls resembling the color of a blinding sun. Yet, what is most surprising about Dirty Blond, is that throughout the two hours, Mae isn't the character stealing the spotlight. Jo did. Charlie did. The versatile Will McGarrahan playing characters ranging from West's ex-husband to theater director to muscle man in one of her Vegas hotbox shows did. It wasn't Mae's fault. She sure put on a good show. But, when the curtain fell that's all she was _ a show. She lacked the thumbnail character behind the other characters afforded stage time. Yet, as the show progressed it became visible that, as Mae might have said, "Who needs character when you've got class?" Zschau's performance of Mae West is sensuous, tough, and racy. She answers her own questions and doesn't leave emotions by the side of the road for anyone to mess around with. Additionally, her mannerisms, such as her constant need to fluff and refluff her hair support the sexual atmosphere she is trying to create without seeming forced. Meanwhile, Coen's execution of Charlie shimmers with na??vet?© and sheer exuberance. He could be captain of the math team, if he wasn't in his late thirties. Much of the humor of the show is dependant Charlie's ability to be self-conscious around the experienced Mae, yet demand respect from the cynical Jo. Coen's ability to not only successfully execute this, but develop other equally entertaining characters throughout the play serve as a mere glimpse of what tricks he has waiting up his sleeve. The character of Jo, however, proved a difficult character to fully understand. While a definite asset within the scheme of the play, Jo somehow gets lost in the glamour of Mae and the adorability of Charlie. She hits the notes but can't seem to find her place among the score. One wonders if she'd ever be caught saying anything along the lines of "When I'm caught between two evils, I always pick the one I've never tried before." Probably not. For most of the students on this campus, Mae remains a dusty ghost somewhere in the back of our memories. Our parents never spoke of her, and when our grandparents did, well, what could they possibly know about movie stars? While watching Zschau's portrayal of Mae's mantra, "I made myself a platinum, but I was born a dirty blond," it wasn't difficult to want to love her. There were a fair number of senior citizens in the audience, and perhaps they appreciated this tale more than those newcomers to West's scene. There were lines missed by those of the younger generation. But, Mae West never liked to exclude anybody, be it her gentleman callers from acting in her pictures, or younger audience members from her life. "I've had more men in my life than you've had hot lunches," says Mae to Charlie when he finally meets her after running away from Wisconsin for a week to stalk her apartment. "I've had a lot of hot lunches," replies Charlie. Mae leans back, and then she smiles

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News

Volleyball team slams at Coast Guard Invitational

September 18

The women's volleyball team rebounded from an opening loss at MIT to win the Coast Guard Invitational last weekend for the second straight year. The weekend gave first year coach Cora Thompson both her first win and first tournament title. The Jumbos won three straight games on Saturday to retain the crown, defeating Eastern Connecticut, Coast Guard, and Rhode Island College in succession. Tufts dropped just one set during the entire tournament. In the final game the Jumbos disposed of an overmatched Rhode Island College team in three games to once again be crowned champions. "The key to our being successful is communication. We run an audible offense, so talking is very important," Thompson said. "When we communicate, everything comes together." The entire team seemed to click, as it controlled the net offensively and notched a season high 31 kills. Evans had ten of her own, and junior Amy Cronin and sophomore Emily Macy each added eight. With setter Lindsey Moses resting after two straight games, sophomore Rebecca Shaevitz filled in to lead the Jumbos with 22 assists. In the second game of the tournament, Tufts beat the Coast Guard in three straight sets, though it was a close match. The margin of victory for each set was five points or fewer. "It was the kind of game we love to play," Moses said. "The Coast Guard squad is a great team with some big hitters and we knew our challenge in this game would be to remain disciplined on our defense and to do all the little things right. We came out of that win with a better idea of what we needed to work on." Cronin again led the way with an impressive 14 kills. Macy also had a big game, contributing 12 kills of her own. They were both beneficiaries of great setting by Moses once more, who tallied 34 assists. Defensively, it was a team effort. Five Jumbos recorded at least six digs, with junior Danielle Cafasso leading the team with ten. Cronin notched three blocks for the second consecutive game. During the first game against Eastern Connecticut, the Jumbos and the Warriors traded sets before the Tufts squad displayed its dominance, winning the third set 30-14. They then closed out Eastern Connecticut in the fourth setting. "It's great, I didn't even think about it at the time," Thompson said. "I was happier for the team getting its first win of the season. It was just afterwards when people came up and congratulated me that it hit me that that was my first win." Cronin led the Jumbos with eleven kills, and the freshman combination of April Gerry and Courtney Evans also contributed with eight and seven kills respectively. Moses was the main table setter, dishing out 31 assists. Defensively, the Tufts squad saw good production from senior Paulette Pacheco and Cafasso. The combo totaled 21 digs between them. In the front Cronin and Evans provided the blocking, each credited with three blocks for the match. Adding to the beauty of the weekend killing, Cronin and Moses were honored by being named to the All-Tournament team. Cronin was selected for the second straight year, as she led the Jumbos for the tournament with 33 kills, 8 solo blocks, and 6 block assists. "It's an honor to be chosen, but I'm happier that the team did so well," Cronin said. Moses' stellar play also ensured her place on the All-Tournament team as well. She led the team with 65 assists. The victories at the invitational were especially important to the Jumbos after they began the season on a sour note with a loss against a talented MIT squad. MIT defeated the Jumbos in three straight sets in Cambridge, on Sept. 10. "Even though we lost, we built on a lot of things," Cronin said. One bright spot in the loss was the play of the younger members of the team. Macy, Gerry, and Evans all had solid games. Tufts will need them to step up this season and help the junior tandem of Cronin and Moses. "They were a little timid at first, but they are really starting to be a force and they are always getting better," Cronin said of the younger players. "We need them to play well to be successful." Although the win against Eastern Connecticut was Thompson's first, she is no stranger to Jumbo volleyball. Thompson has actually been a part of the team in various positions for seven years. Thompson played four year and then graduated to the assistant coach position. After former Coach Kris Talon stepped down last year, Thompson became the successor. She has high goals for this season, confidant that if this team plays to its potential. "We can be in the top four (in New England)," Thompson said. "I think we can win it." Next the team will travel up to Connecticut College to participate in the very competitive NESCAC weekend

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News

Nutrition School to move its main campus to Boston

September 18

The Tufts University Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy has moved its campus from Medford to downtown Boston. The move presents a "unique opportunity" for the Nutrition School, Executive Associate Dean of the School David Hastings said. "For the first time in our history much of the social science program students, faculty and staff will be proximal to their biological science colleagues. We continue to believe that Tufts is a university and should be defined as such _ much more cooperative than campus-based." The school, established in 1981, brings together biomedical, social, behavioral and political scientists to do research projects and community-related educational services to promote the nutritional health of populations through out the world. This fall, the nutrition school is moving to the newly constructed Jaharis Family Center for biomedical and nutrition research at 150 Harrison Ave in Boston. The new 180,000 square ft. and nine story high building will unite interested researchers under one roof with expansive facilities. This way the two wood frame houses on campus and five rented places in Boston will come together. With the help of other 300 donors, the new Jaharis Family Center has been constructed, ready to host expansive research. Michael Jaharis, a Tufts trustee, has contributed to healthcare as a pharmaceutical industry leader.The expansion and relocation of the nutrition school was spurred by Jaharis, who raised $10 million in the past four years, adding to his own contribution of $10 million. Each of the first five floors consists of 19,500 square feet and the upper four floors have 11200 square ft. each. Some portions of the fourth and fifth floors are left unfinished to reserve space for additional research. The Tufts Nutrition School will occupy the first floor of the Jaharis Center with classrooms, administrative offices, an auditorium and outdoor and indoor caf?© areas. The upper floors will serve as laboratories and are not limited to the sole use of the nutrition school. Not all of the nutrition school, however, is moving to Boston. The Alan Shawn Feinstein International Famine Center will remain in 11 Curtis Street and nutrition students will still be able to use 126 Curtis Ave. for studying. Though Jaharis acknowledges that splitting the nutrition school's campus hurts school identity he was quick to note that the nutrition school has always taken a global approach to their work. The schooll has full time staff working in East Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. "To say that we are moving to one city is not only a false statement, but also does not appropriately reflect the richness of the contributions to the world made by my student, faculty and staff colleagues here." The center will bring together the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine and the nutrition school. The increased cohesiveness across schools, now afforded by the center, will increase opportunities for cooperation and research among different practitioners, nutritionists, scientists and physicians _ essentially combining all aspects of science and social policy

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News

The true face of the Palestinian people

September 18

But you know what? The State of Israel is also committing terrorist acts against Palestinian people. These acts did not stop during Oslo and they have not stopped now. The actions of the majority of Palestinians are ones that demonstrate their commitment to peace. Let me give you an example of this commitment to peace. Anas al-Aili was shot inside his school by an Israeli soldier at age 14. At that age, he was involved in the first Intifada of 1987 whereby he fought for his very existence. How did he do that? How was he "threatening" the soldiers? He wanted to display the Palestinian flag that Israel had banned from public display. Israel did not allow the expression of anything Palestinian, so as to deny the existence of the Palestinian people. People joked that watermelons were illegal since their colors are similar to the colors of the Palestinian flag. Anas's injury nearly lost him his life. For four weeks he was in the hospital recovering. He never injured a soul and simply wanted to hold his flag and be allowed to exist. In 1993, he finally got what his scars cost him: Oslo and the right to hold up his flag. He believed by supporting Oslo he was finally going to be like any other human being and be a citizen of a state. Today, Anas has no freedom. He is forced inside his apartment and leaves for five hours every three days (when the Israeli imposed curfew is lifted) in the town of Ramallah. He goes to buy food from the market and then he returns home. His job as a peace activist, mostly working with children, no longer exists because of the occupation of Ramallah by tanks and troops since June 2002. Seeing Israeli soldiers kill people has become normal. And believe it or not, he is still hopeful for peace, and believes it can exist. Now, Anas is no longer a child, but he continues his peace work for the Palestinian kids. He does not want any of them to have his scars and to have to live under occupation. He does not practice any violence, does not want to annihilate Israel but wants it to leave the territories it is occupying. His backyard is a war zone. The Israeli kids Mr. Behm spoke of, who sit discussing ending the violence, have the luxury to be away from it. Today, more than 70 percent of Palestinian kids suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome from listening to the shelling and bombing outside their homes, being denied access to a school, being cramped up indoors due to curfews. These kids are committing no acts of violence, while acts of violence against their rights and humanity are being committed against them. Scholars affirm that Oslo failed because it did not acknowledge the wholly unequal power and resources of the negotiating parties, the state of Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). On top of that, the sole intermediary in the talks has been Israel's ally, the United States. In addition, in my opinion, the Israeli government has continued to violate international law by creating "facts on the ground" _ illegally expropriating Palestinian land to build settlements and a network of linking bypass roads in all the areas occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem. Anas, and all Palestinians, looked out their window everyday and saw a Jewish settlement that grew during Oslo. How is this action by the State of Israel showing a desire for peace? During the Oslo process, peace was primarily equated with security, security for Israel. Consequently, the role of the PA was seen largely as internal enforcement and control. As a result, the proliferation of powerful and unaccountable internal security agencies has encouraged anti-democratic trends within the PA. Yes, to look at this fairly, the PA and Arafat deserve criticism. But where was Mr. Behm's criticism of Mr. Sharon, Mr. Netanyahu or Mr. Barak? Finally, the Palestinians have seen few tangible benefits from the peace process. Since 1993, living standards have fallen and unemployment remains high. People like Anas remained hopeful that peace, which in my opinion means a state, will come. Others began to see that Oslo was all an illusion. Immediate action is needed to create a new framework for peace, based on international law. The negotiations should be conducted in a context that gives greater equality to both parties. A just solution would give both societies the prospect of security and prosperity. The way I see it, for the Palestinians, this means an independent, viable state. A viable Palestinian state requires a number of stipulations. Israel should withdraw from the territories occupied in 1967 by pulling out of settlements and discontinue the use of bypass roads. East Jerusalem should be the Palestinian state's capital, the center of its economic, religious and cultural life. The PA should control natural resources within the new state, including land and water. The state should have clear boundaries, contiguity of territory, and freedom of movement for people and goods within and across the state's boundaries. Finally, the state should provide the possibility of a functioning economy, which is no longer totally dependent on the Israeli economy in terms of employment, movement of prices, balance of trade and access to external markets. Mr. Behm, Mr. Barak did not guarantee anything close to this at Camp David in 2000. Israel after Rabin did not practice peace and its actions today demonstrate nothing but its war practices. Rana Abdul-Aziz is a senior majoring in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies

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News

BLOCKED: schedule creates difficulties for coaches, athletes

September 18

In every semester since her freshman year, senior Clare Dooley has gone to classes in the morning, followed by four days a week of sailing practice in the afternoon. But this year she is finding it increasingly difficult to make it to practices. "We have practice Tuesday through Friday, and for the past three years I've been able to go to just about every afternoon," Dooley said. "So far this year I haven't been able to make it to practice even twice a week." Her difficulties in getting to practice do not stem from a lack of desire, laziness, or even poor planning. It is a direct result of the new block schedule. "It sucks," she said. "The new schedule has definitely made it difficult to go to practice everyday because the classes are scheduled between 10-4." The sailing team practices anywhere from 1:30 to 6 p.m., making it difficult for anyone with an afternoon class to attend practice. Due to the revamping of the block schedule, some feel that it is has become nearly impossible to avoid a class in the afternoon hours. "A lot of the upper level classes that people need for their majors are only offered in the afternoon," Dooley said. With these scheduling problems, Dooley has not yet been able to practice with her crew. Senior Taylor Fallon, has also had difficulty attending practices, even after changing around her schedule to include classes that she had not previously intended to take. According to Ken Legler, coach of the women's and coed sailing teams, scheduling sailing practices has always been a problem, and the new schedule has not helped the situation. "It's kind of the same old thing. A lot of students don't want to take early classes, so the schedule is arranged to accommodate that," he said. "With a lot of the specialty classes only in the afternoon, we have a lot of people arriving at practice at different times. We can never have everybody there at the same time." Not a unique problem The problem of schedule conflicts is not unique to the sailing team. Coach Bill Samko and the football team have had similar difficulties arranging practice times. "It's always been a problem," Samko said. "But it's more of a problem now." Conflicts have forced the team to schedule practices at irregular times, including one practice from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights. "The main problem stems from upper level classes and several required engineering courses that are only offered in afternoon blocks," Samko said. "One required lab for freshmen engineers meets on Tuesdays from 4 to 5:15 p.m., or 5:25 to 6:40 p.m. If football players take either of these labs, they wouldn't be able to make practice." "What's the sense in that?" Samko said. "And it's not just athletics. Talk to the guys in drama, the guys in music, the guys in English _ if you have something to do on a Tuesday afternoon, you're stuck." At a school where academics come first, he said, practices must be arranged around class times. "We always demand that a player's academic life is his first priority," he said. "I don't mind having late practice, but you're kidding yourself if you think players are going to walk off the field at 9:30 at night and go study." >What to do? While scheduling has long been problematic for coaches at many schools, some universities have found ways around it. According to Legler, some schools, including MIT, have a two or three hour afternoon block that is "untouchable". This empty block allows every team to hold practice, and guarantees that none of the athletes will have a conflict. Dooley said that she would support an open afternoon block. "Athletics are not looked at very fiercely at Tufts," she said. "And I think if a block was allocated specifically for sports it might encourage athletic participation." "A change to an open block in the afternoon does not seem too difficult," Samko said. "As there are already two open blocks on Monday and Wednesday from 11:50 a.m. to 1:05 p.m." But, he said, the problem may not be as simple as it seems. "This is Tufts University," he said. "You can get anything you can possibly think of here. But there's limited classroom space, and that creates scheduling conflicts. It might be much more complicated that just saying leave this block or that block open." Legler was also hesitant to say the scheduling system should be done away with. He proposed working with the existing schedule, and finding small things that could be changed. "I'm not a believer that if something's not good you scratch it," Legler said. "If the schedule was tweaked a little bit it might work. I think a lot of the conflicts can be worked out with more early morning classes." Early classes might not be enough, as far as Dooley is concerned. "I'm taking an 8 a.m. class as a senior and still have only made it to four practices," she said. "I'm not maximizing my athletic ability.

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News

Neuman remembered as a fun-loving musician

September 18

Jonathan Neuman died of leukemia this summer, but his memory will linger on campus with an concert dedicated to his memory. Neuman would have graduated this May, but he left Tufts at the beginning of his junior year when he was diagnosed of leukemia. He died on June 26. Neuman was better known as "Johnny Physical" to Tufts students. The nickname stemmed from his band at Tufts, "The Physicals," which was voted the best band on campus in a spring 2000 Daily poll. The concert, which has been dubbed "Annual Physical," will be the fall concert of New Music Ensemble (NME, pronounced "enemy"), an improv group of which Neuman was also member. This year's "Annual Physical" will be called "Physical Memory," and will be held on Nov. 21 in the Alumnae Lounge. The idea for an annual commemorative concert came from dialogue between Neuman's brother, Joshua, and John McDonald, the chair of the Music Department. "Physical Memory" will be a type of "pilot" for the rest of the "Annual Physical" concerts. According to McDonald, "it will definitely be experimental." Although this year's concert is sponsored by the Music Department, in the future it will probably be sponsored by outside contributors. The musicians of NME will perform a piece based upon the recordings Neuman made while in hospital. There will also be several other pieces inspired by Neuman, including a piano solo composed by McDonald. The show will also incorporate clips from a documentary about NME, showing Neuman participating in the group that will be shown during the concert. Neuman was difficult to "package into a statement" according to his friends. "It seemed almost as if he was so smart that he just thought completely differently than everybody else," one friend said. "Everybody else tries to act weird, he really was weird," another said, in reference to the genuineness of Neuman's character. When his friends spoke of him, they responded with smiles and demonstrated an underlying affection for the passionate musician. McDonald described Neuman, a music major, as "an energetic musical mind." Neuman continued to pursue his music while undergoing treatment in New York. Apart from recording his music and taking up the piano, he also put on acoustic guitar shows for the other patients. Joshua Neuman said that his "visitors constantly remarked that Jonathan cheered them up, not the other way around." While in the hospital, Neuman participated in one of NME's concerts, using the keys of a telephone as an instrument. In the past, the group has experimented with such unconventional ways of making music, including an "Anti-SUV" concert, which featured instruments made of car parts. But when friends remember Neuman, they think of more than just music. One remembered how "when we went to visit him, after he left school, he had no hair." "But he came in with a really black, furry CVS wig... he wore it so seriously even though it was a joke.

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News

In search of cheap eats

September 18

No one can underestimate the importance of a good meal before a night of bar-hopping. Therefore, before heeding the advice of the Traveling Lush and embarking on your own pub crawl through Davis Square, you need to find a place for the perfect pre-drinking eats. Your criteria: something simple, something filling, and something cheap. After all, you don't want to blow all your beer bucks on dinner. While the task may seem daunting at first because of the number of local eateries and your strict standards, the question of where to grab a bite is easier to answer than you might think. Anna's Taqueria, conveniently located on Elm Street, is just a few short steps from Davis hotspots like Joshua Tree and The Burren. With its simple Mexican fare and a price that's right, and you've found your perfect pre-drinking meal. While you're unlikely to ever find a quiet time to dine at Anna's, the fast, no-nonsense service ensures that you'll never wait more than five minutes to place your order. But be advised _ until you're certain of exactly what you want, stay away from the line. Fast service also means little patience for those customers who have to linger over questions of sour cream and hot sauce, and experienced Taqueria-goers demand that you know what you want and how you want it. Someone from the assembly line behind the counter will take your order when you're ready and make your burrito, taco, or quesadilla to your specifications. The eatery's selection of trimmings includes all the Mexican staples from guacamole to jalapenos, ensuring that whatever you decide to order will be made just the way you like it. You pretty much can't go wrong at Anna's _ the combination of Tex-Mex expertise and only the freshest ingredients guarantees your satisfaction. The appetizer menu includes everything from a plate of chips and salsa to a mini quesadilla. Burritos, tacos and quesadillas are made to order with your choice of grilled chicken, carnitas, chili verdes, steak, vegetables, or simply beans and rice. If you're feeling especially hungry, you can order a Super Burrito _ for less than a dollar extra, you can get any of the above burritos...just a whole lot bigger. For a truly Tex-Mex experience, you can stay away from the traditional beverage options such as Coke and Sprite and instead purchase a bottle of Jarritos, a sparkling water-type beverage with natural flavors such as pineapple, guava or mandarin. The chips and salsa are an excellent choice when all you can handle is a snack _ an order for at least two people is only $1.75. Anna's salsa is unique but secret blend of tomatoes and spices that is anything but your typical store-bought variety. And while you're bound to stumble upon a stale chip here and there, the freshness factor remains high. The grilled chicken burrito is a crowd favorite, generously stuffed with beans, rice, and fresh grilled pieces of chicken. The trimmings make all the difference. I recommend ordering a burrito with all the extras _ the coolness of the sour cream and guacamole takes the edge off the hot sauce, which invariably adds some spice to the meal. For the more vegetarian-ly inclined, the veggie burrito is another excellent choice, blending an array of fresh vegetables with traditional Mexican flavors. Unlike the quesadillas at other fast food joints, Anna's quesadillas are low on grease without sacrificing taste. The tortilla is warmed over a grill, then sprinkled with a thin layer of cheese that almost melts on contact. The steak quesadilla is overflowing with pieces of tender, juicy steak. Again, the rule for burrito trimmings holds true for quesadillas _ the more extras you get, the more flavor-bang for your buck. While Anna's Taqueria is a great place for a quick bite before your drinking extravaganza, the eatery is not without its drawbacks. The restaurant occupies too small a spice for its enormous clientele, making it difficult to find a table if you've come to dine with more than one or two people. Rather than endure the frustration of having to wait for a seat while your steaming burrito approaches room temperature, you're better off taking your food outside (dining on the Square can actually be quite nice) or bringing it back home with you. The size factor also contributes to the noise level, which is often so loud that conversation is simply futile. You also have to keep in mind that for all its special touches, Anna's is still a fast food joint, and is decorated as such. With the exception of the mellow lighting (which is certainly more pleasant than the fluorescents that loom overhead at McDonald's), little attention has been put to creating an authentic Mexican atmosphere. The walls, painted a mild yellow, are completely bare, and not counting the few decorative chandeliers, the place actually borders on drab. Contributing to this less-than-aesthetically-pleasing environment is the haphazard, almost chaotic, assembly of tables and chairs. But back to the point _ you're here to eat. It may not be the place to wine and dine your latest love interest, but it's one of the best local places for cheap, clean food. In fact, it was nominated this year by CitySearch for Best Cheap Eats, and last year for Best Burrito in Boston The feeling you get from Anna's might not be "gourmet," but the fact of the matter is that you'll leave fully (and happy) every time

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News

Thirsty Thursdays in Davis Square

September 18

It's Thursday night, and thanks to Tufts' bizarre block schedule, your classes are done for the week. If you're tired and don't want to venture far, fear not, as the diverse selection of bars in Davis Square is certain to have something for you. So put on your drinking cap, jump on the Joey, and get ready to live on a prayer, Somerville style. PJ Ryan's (3 out of 5) For a quiet evening with your sweetheart over a candlelit barrel, head to PJ Ryan's on the fringe of Teele Square (Highland Ave). This sleepy pub is a great place for a little more conversation, a little less action. The beer selection is small and on the expensive side, but PJ Ryan's does carry some off-beat imports such as the German hefeweizen Franciskaner. Thrills and chills include an open front and well-manicured window boxes. Make sure to brush up on horticulture before you go so you can show off to your date. Orleans (2 out of 5) The latest of Davis Square's attempts at trendiness, this fabric-ladden bar was almost certainly decorated by Enya and the interior design guy on the Discovery Channel. Drinks are pricey, and the food is too expensive for poor college students. Mixed drinks are sloppy and the beer selection is uncreative. With its wealth of draped fabrics, Orleans is a site more fitting for a brothel than a party _ but unfortunately, neither is happening there. Be careful not to trip over the velveteen rope on your way out. The Burren (4 out of 5) Unless you've been living in the Tisch Library men's bathroom since your 21st birthday, you've likely experienced a lively Thursday night at The Burren. The pub is home to live Irish music several nights of the week, but on Thursday nights, the backroom is a mecca for those who enjoy singing along to '80s hair rock with a pint of beer in their hands. The Swingin' Johnsons _ a band of men clearly experiencing mid-life and grooming crises _ churns out a predictable but enjoyable selection of Bon Jovi, Journey, and more Bon Jovi beginning at 10 p.m. each week. The frontroom bar has a larger beer selection than the back, so buy your beer there before venturing into the '80s oasis. The Burren offers a fairly standard selection of local favorite brews, along with a wide selection of bottled beers and girlie drinks. Avoid gambling on mixed drinks, as the quality is about as reliable as Tufts e-mail. The Burren is a must-visit on your first Davis experience and a good site for 21st birthday debauchery. It's not the place for a heart-to-heart conversation, but do expect to see some lip-to-lip action on the dance floor. But as with all bars in Somerville, points off for closing at 1 a.m. Sligo's Pub (1.5 out of 5) A slice of Somerville at its worst, this bar is smaller than your Wren single and probably has more bugs. It is the place to meet that trucker you've always been lusting after. But despite a less-than-glamorous appearance, Sligo's offers cheap drinks and a lively atmosphere. It features the classic beer selection (Budweiser, Sam Adams, Corona) at the lowest prices in Davis, and Sligo's punch is both tasty and guaranteed to give you beer goggles. Underbones (3.5 out of 5) If you're looking for large quantities of barbecued-meat or want to go out with a crowd of mixed ages, head downstairs at Red Bones on Chester Street to Underbones. The bar offers the best beer selection in Davis Square, and there is plenty of quirky artwork on the wall for you to make slurred comments about. They feature many local beers, seasonal favorites (like blueberry beer in the summer) and uncommon imports, as well as creative and high-quality mixed drinks. The music is generally an eclectic selection of rap, hip, hop and modern rock with enough booming base to get the party started and keep it rolling. When you get the drunken munchies, pub food is available until 12:30 and can be ordered at the bar. While it is not the full red-neck dinner menu, the late-night menu includes the pulled pork sandwich, hushpuppies and nachos to die for. Wait until at least your fourth drink before venturing into the oddly-shaped and brightly-colored bathrooms. If you are male, it requires a substantial amount of maneuvering to avoid peeing on yourself. The Joshua Tree (4 out of 5) For a look at what your life might be like in six years, head down Elm Street to The Joshua Tree. This mid-priced restaurant turns into a bar after 8 p.m., making it a great place to get dinner and hang out for a few beers with a late 20-something crowd. The food, though not exotic, is better than wings and dippin's. Though the beer is expensive, the selection ranges from obscure favorites like Magic Hat Fat Angel and Pete's Strawberry Blond to popular favorites like Sierra Nevada Pale and Sam Adams. With a wealth of big screen TVs, Joshua Tree is a great place to watch the game or pre-game with The Burren. The atmosphere is trendy but relaxed, and the crowd is social _ sometimes to the point of desperation

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News

Jumpstart becomes permanent fixture on campus

September 18

Jumpstart, a national tutoring organization for preschoolers, is making changes to the way it works with Tufts in order to make the program more efficient. Melissa Russell has been hired as a campus manager to coordinate the University's students. With a full-time presence, Russell hopes to better cater to the Tufts community by forming alliances with different departments and student organizations. This year, Jumpstart has become a part of UCCPS, which is based in the Lincoln-Filene Center. "Each year, 35 percent of children in America enter kindergarten unprepared to learn," reads a Jumpstart pamphlet. "They'll struggle with early literacy skills, speech, and social interaction, and they'll fall further behind their peers as the year progresses." The pamphlet conveys the need for college students to participate in its program. Jumpstart pairs college students one-on-one with preschoolers. For a year, the pair works together intensively on literacy skills with the goal of preparing the child to successfully enter kindergarten. The non-profit organization's focus is on early childhood development and teacher recruitment. The Jumpstart pamphlet tells of last year's success _ ending the program with the children "having matched or surpassed their peers in every skill area." Before Russell was hired to manage Tufts students participating in Jumpstart, "a manager could be in charge of three different sites, and there would often be scheduling conflicts with Tufts students," Russell said. "With me here, I can concentrate on this group of members. It should make the program much more efficient." Although Tufts students have long been involved with Jumpstart, the program is growing both nationally and locally. This fall, the number of sites will rise to 30 as new universities join the Jumpstart network. Participation is up 150 percent since last fall. Founded by two Yale students in 1993, Jumpstart is a branch of AmeriCorps. The organization aims to enrich the lives of struggling children in low-income families through intensive adult-child interaction. Jumpstart Corps members have served more than 12,000 children nationwide. The service movement hopes to expand its influence to 50 sites by 2005. The program reaches out to the parents of tutored children as well. "Jumpstart encourages members to form relationships with the parents," Russell said. "A main focus is on the family relationship. We want to make sure that what is learned in the classroom goes home with the children." Students can participate in two different programs. A 300-hour program runs from October through May, while the 525-hour program takes place in the summer. Tufts students who commit to Jumpstart become AmeriCorps members and work at preschools in the Boston area. For dedicating their energy to the program, students get paid: a $1,000 education award is available to those who commit for one school year, while students who work for a school year and a summer earn $1,250. They also have the option of earning their work-study award by becoming a Corps member. Jumpstart members go through 60 hours of training. By giving students the opportunity to return their second year as team leaders, Jumpstart opens many doors for students interested in pursuing education as a career. Grants, training programs, and internships are available to aspiring teachers. "The fact that Jumpstart is 100 percent funded by the government means that the school system doesn't pay for any of the tutoring," said Joanne Grande, the director of student employment. "This is what makes it such a great program," Grande said. Some participating students are majoring in Child Development or are interested in pursuing education in the future. However, Russell says many of the members are not experienced at all. Senior Victoria Plotkin was majoring in architectural studies in the engineering department when she decided to participate in Jumpstart. "I was getting a little burnt out and wanted to get involved in something a little different," she said. Plotkin was paired up with a boy from a Cambridge area preschool. Working alongside seven or eight other Tufts students, she spent an average of three days a week in the classroom, and found it very rewarding. Plotkin was a Corps member from the fall of her sophomore year until the summer before her junior year. "We worked with our children in three hour sessions three times a week," she said. "In some extra sessions, we would give them more help with homework after school." Over the summer, Plotkin got to work with another experienced Corps member in front of a classroom where they helped the teacher with the curriculum and worked closely with the students

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The customer is always right

September 18

In real life, people often feel helpless. As Abercrombie raises the price of their jeans to $90, or dairy producers spill milk so as to raise its market price, consumers quietly grumble as they fork over the extra cash. I submit that the reason for this lack of change in behavior is that individuals act as, well, individuals. There is no great Borg Collective where everyone at the same time decides to drink orange juice or boycott Abercrombie. Perhaps the closest thing we have to a collective are giant email lists which can rapidly spread knowledge and produce change. (And these are certainly effective as was shown last year when Abercrombie and Fitch began selling tee shirts with Asian stereotypes.) And now my point: if such institutions exist which represent large numbers of people, and thus economic power, then these institutions should be used to reinforce the first rule in business: the customer is always right. Tufts University is a case in point. Tufts has almost 10,000 students, with most on the Medford campus. These students, along with faculty, all require certain necessities such as phone, food, electricity, and, of course, books and paper. Last year, I wrote a viewpoint ("Don't understand economics? Buy a book", Jan. 29, 2002) concerning the economics behind the price of books and argued that both the bookstore and Gnomon Copy have monopolies over Tufts. Over the summer, Tufts renewed the book store's contract with Barnes and Noble, who blamed the low buy-back prices, a primary concern for students, on professors not submitting their intent to use the book again. Once again, Tufts accepted this excuse instead of asserting the economic power of 10,000 students. Let's do the math, conservatively. Take the undergrads, about 5,000 students. If each student spends an average of $300 on books, that is $1.5 million. We buy books each semester, so that would be $3 million each year, just for the undergrads. Wow. Of course, Barnes and Noble is a huge company and nets much more than $3 million each year. Even when you take into account that the contract is for several years, Barnes and Noble would not go bankrupt without Tufts' business. But think of how significant Boston is with over 60 schools. Even if Barnes and Noble only held a few of these schools' contracts, would the company notice if they started to lose their market share in Boston? Oh yeah. (You can figure out what we could do to Gnomon.) Let's look at a few other examples. PaeTec, which provides phone and cable television service on campus, charges high fees for basic services. And if a problem occurs, how good is the response? From what I have seen, not very. Think of all the phone numbers this university has, and how much money that must cost. The same goes for OneSource, the janitorial service. Here is a great example: general contractors. Each time Tufts builds a new building, it has to hire a myriad of people, from architects to engineers to plumbers and electricians. While I am sure that Tufts' construction department, operations, and facilities are all cognizant of cost, and take great care to only get the best people for projects (I know some of them and they are really good), they must also always be ready to flex the university's muscle when the contracted individual adds cost and time to the project. If our option is to either keep someone who was not able to keep his end of the contract (barring actual problems) and having to wait longer, or to fire that person, send a message of intolerance to inefficiency, and have to wait the same time to get a new person, I choose the latter. Janet Reno lost her bid at the Democratic nomination, so we will never know if her plan would have worked. However, just as I wrote at the end of my previous viewpoint, I urge the university to take action and use its economic muscle to obtain the best deals for the institution. We are the customer, we have the money, and we are right. Daniel Mandell is a sophomore designing a plan of study in Public Policy.

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Boston Lyric Opera presents free show

September 18

This weekend, college students will participate in inexpensive activities, like frat parties and the opera. Yeah, the opera. This Friday and Saturday evenings, starting at 7:00 p.m., the Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) will present the first fully-staged opera on the Boston Common with Georges Bizet's Carmen on the Common, one of the world's most popular and well-known operas. Performed entirely in English, the show will be open, at no charge whatsoever, to the public. Like many great operas, Carmen is a story of desperation in true love. Carmen, a local factory worker in Spain, is accused of wounding a fellow coworker with a knife. To free herself, she woos Don Jose, an army corporal engaged to Mica?la. As a result of setting Carmen free, Don Jose is sent to prison. Upon his release a month later, he informs Carmen that he can not stay with her, but instead return to the barracks. When a fight ensues between himself and his superior Lieutenant Zuniga, he is forced to abandon the army and join up with a group of smugglers. All the while, the infamous bullfighter Escamillo seeks in vain to win the affections of the beautiful Carmen. While carrying out a delivery of stolen goods with the smugglers, Don Jose and Escamillo battle over the affections of Carmen. When the battle dies down, Mica?la discovers her fianc?©e and brings word that his mother is dying. Carmen urges him to leave at once and tend to her, as he promises that they will meet again. The opera concludes at Escamillo's latest bullfight, where Carmen has agreed to be his escort. Don Jose arrives and pleads with Carmen to begin a new life with him. She refuses, and throws away the ring he had given her. Consumed by a jealous rage, Don Jose murders his love. Carmen on the Common, conducted by BLO Music Director Stephen Lord and under the direction of Leon Major, the company's artistic director, is a new multi-media production. Producers at the BLO chose Carmen not solely on the basis of its popularity and its familiarity amongst audiences of all ages, but because of its culturally diverse casting. They feel it reflects the rich variety of cultures in the Boston area ranging from Irish and Italian to Brazilian and Dominican. The cast list itself, which includes names like Jossie P?©rez (Carmen), Guiping Deng (Mica?la), and Robert Honeysucker (Escamillo), is reflective of this important component to the opera. In addition to marking the company's grand finale to its 25th anniversary season, this landmark production represents the culmination of the BLO's initiative to introduce opera to broader audiences. Over the summer, the company produced more than 40 education and preview programs in almost every Boston neighborhood, accompanied by "Welcome to Opera Guides" in six languages. Founded in 1976, Boston Lyric Opera is North America's fastest-growing opera company, recognized for its commitment to debuts featuring some of the world's most exciting young singers, conductors, directors, and designers. For more information on "Carmen on the Common", more upcoming programs, or the BLO itself, call (617) 542-6772 or visit www.blo.org

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An eclectic MIX

September 18

If you're one of those people who walks around campus wearing headphones blaring music into your ears, chances are high that you've been hearing a lot about MixFest lately. Or you've at least been hearing lots of music by the seven acts headlining the show. The annual fall music festival presented by the popular adult contemporary radio station MIX 98.5 rolls into the Fleet Center this coming Saturday evening, bringing with it such notable artists as John Mayer, Avril Lavigne, Pink, David Gray, Ruby Horse, Def Leppard, and Tufts' own alumni, Guster. Though the acts cover a variety of musical genres and eras from teen pop to R&B, the overall target audience of the MIX Fest concert is clear _ the large and diverse Boston college scene. The radio station markets the concert as a back-to-school bash, strategically scheduling it to be held just as students have settled in to their fall semesters. And many of the artists themselves are rooted in the Boston area _ aside from the members of Guster, who went to Tufts, John Mayer also had a brief stint of studying composition at the Berklee College of Music before his solo career took off. But while the mission of MIX Fest has remained constant over the years, the format has been slightly altered this year. At least for the past two years, the concert has been an all-day outdoor affair that took place on the fields by Suffolk Downs. Both assigned seating and general admission lawn passes were sold, which allowed students on tight budgets to still enjoy the festivities. Though the expense of renting out the Fleet Center has caused ticket prices to skyrocket (the top price is a whopping $85), that hasn't seemed to have much of an effect on the popularity of the event. Tickets, which went on sale at the beginning of August, have been sold out for almost two weeks. The new indoor venue is a first for MIX Fest, though the radio station had a hugely successful "Holiday Hoedown" at the FleetCenter last winter. "One thing you cannot control about the outdoors is the weather," said Mike Mullaney, the music director of MIX 98.5. "Four of the last five MIX Fests have had heavy rain." Mullaney also explained that holding an outdoor show means that the station must pull in between 30 and 40,000 people. "In this day and age it's getting harder and harder to find talent to draw that many people," he said. "Asking people to be there the day is a lot to ask...plus with outdoor shows people don't have seats, and our audience isn't really the mosh pit crowd." MIX is sponsoring a free pre-show for three hours prior to the start of the concert. Beginning at 1 pm on Saturday, the plaza outside of the Fleet Center will come alive with music performed by the Dick N Jane Band, as well as interactive sponsor booths and what the radio station's website calls "a lot of MixFest excitement!" But the real excitement begins at 5 pm, when the headlining acts take center stage. Canadian teen sensation Avril Lavigne literally brings skater-punk style to the line-up, with her new hit single "Sk8er Boy." The 17-year old is also sure to present her popular first single, "Complicated," as well as other selections from her rockin' album Anything But Ordinary. Lavigne and the popular R&B singer Pink make up the female delegation to the male-dominated concert. Mullaney said that women between the ages of 18 and 34 make up the largest percentage of the station's listeners. "We get some younger listeners, but we play the '80s so we get the college crowd," he said. "And we really get the women," he joked. Other headliners include Guster _ now one of the premier bands in the United States _ as the group makes yet another return trip to the college town where they first met. This time they're joined by another local favorite, Ruby Horse, a group that first gained fame by playing shows at The Burren in Davis Square. David Gray brings his signature British style to the lineup, while Def Leppard _ the act which Mullaney is most looking forward to _ supplies a vintage 80's twist. And there's always room for Atlanta-born singer/songwriter John Mayer, who quickly made it big on the charts just last year. "Mayer was the first guy to sign," said Mullaney, who began recruiting artists for MIX Fest almost immediately after last year's concert. "When I first heard him last year I said 'call me a nut but I think he's gonna be a superstar,'" he said. The station is very happy with this year's lineup of artists, though Mullaney says that he would have really liked for the Dave Matthews Band to play the show. "Every year we want Dave, though he really avoids radio shows... that doesn't mean we don't ask him, though," said Mullaney. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, don't fret. MIX 98.5 will continue to offer remaining tickets through radio call-in contests "up until the very last minute," says Mullaney. So if you're the kind of John Mayer fan that can recognize his tunes from the very first few guitar strains, chances are that you've got a pretty good shot at getting yourself a seat _ provided your fingers are quick to the dial. "It really looks like it's gonna be a great fun show," Mullaney said

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The Four Feathers' disappoints despite potential

September 18

Heath Ledger stars in The Four Feathers, a new film that seems to question the motives of British Imperialism and then goes nowhere with it. The movie opens on Harry Faversham (Ledger) leading a seemingly charmed life. He is the son of a decorated general, well loved by his friends, and is engaged to the beautiful Ethne (Kate Hudson). His life changes suddenly when he learns that his brigade is going to war in the Sudan. Faced with the prospect of war, Harry resigns his commission, only to be given white feathers, a symbol of cowardice _ a grave sin in 1885 _ from three of his friends, followed by Ethne. Although his closest friend, Jack (Wes Bentley) defends him, Harry's life is shattered. Determined to prove them wrong, he travels to Sudan on his own in to join up with the army, although his intent when he succeeds is unclear. He changes his appearance and joins the regiment of slaves that is accompanying the British army. But, he is suspected to be a British spy by another of the slaves, Abou Fatma (Djimon Hounsou), who later befriends him. Harry seems to disappear off the face of the earth, and his friends and family believe that he is dead. As he continues in his quest to redeem himself to his friends, he finds himself more and more enmeshed in the war, realizing that it will be harder to return to his old life. The movie continues into a war movie, although never losing sense of the love story, however dirty Harry gets. In the end, the film is a little unsatisfying, because it never fully resolves any of the storylines, from Harry's reasons for resigning his commission, to his friendship with his best friend who, although he doesn't give Harry a white feather, wastes no time in trying to woo Ethne, to his relationship with his father or with Ethne. Harry's friendship with Abou is also not clear, although it is probably the most developed relationship in the movie. Harry and Abou's friendship is one of the film's strongest points, and Ledger and Hounsou exhibit great chemistry while exploring that relationship. Hounsou is not given a whole lot to work with in the part, relegated to the part of the "noble savage," in the story, based on a novel written in 1902. He plays the part well, though, creating a character that has depth and charisma. Wes Bentley plays Jack, Harry's best friend, and adds a much darker dimension to character. It is very interesting, but it makes one question why Harry is so incredibly attached to him. Ledger and Bentley play against each other very well, and there is a very touching scene at the end, through which both actors are able to say volumes without speaking a word. Kate Hudson's performance is one of the weaker parts of the film. It seems that one of her goals was to make her as ugly as possible, which, being Kate Hudson, isn't that easy. She is a very unsympathetic character. Throughout the movie, it doesn't seem as if she's really worth of Harry, especially after she casts him aside so easily in the beginning. It makes one wonder why Harry and Jack go through so many efforts for her. It seems an arbitrary decision as to whom she ends up with at the end of the film. While she could have been the most sympathetic character of the story, she just seems cold and uninteresting. One aspect the movie truly accomplishes is the gorgeous scenery in Africa. Having previously directed Elizabeth, Shekhar Kapur brings the same visual intensity to his latest movie. It truly feels like an epic film, and some of the images in the desert are breathtaking. The sand dunes are immense, and the sheer size of the desert seems to dwarf the British army. In the end, however, the movie fails to live up to its potential. It seemed as long as it was _ it was not a fast paced movie, although there was always something happening on the screen. Some of the subplots come from out of nowhere, never adding anything to the story. Although interesting, they are completely unnecessary, and in the end just make the movie feel even longer. There are also several logical places for this film to end, and the one that was chosen was awkward. Although probably considered a "happy ending," it seems ill-fitting for the tone and the action of the rest of the movie. If you want to go to this film and appreciate the beauty of Africa, you won't be disappointed. If you want a brainless action film, you'll probably enjoy it. The performances are all accomplished and many of the characters are very memorable, but it still feels like the movie is missing something. It starts down one path, ends up going up several others, and never fully satisfies. The film has some wonderful ideas that it seems to lose track of, and it never really has a central vision. For all of that, The Four Feathers is an enjoyable if not entirely fulfilling movie

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Despite aggressive play, women's field hockey tastes defeat

September 18

After defeating Amherst over the weekend for its first victory of the season, the field hockey team fell to visiting Wellesley 1-0 yesterday. The defeat dropped the Jumbos' record to 1-2 but had no affect on NESCAC standings. Tufts came out aggressively in the beginning of the first half, playing primarily offense and keeping Wellesley on their heels. The team "played an excellent first twenty-five minutes, in which we controlled the tempo of the game," coach Carol Rappoli said. Two Tufts shots proved fruitless early on along with three unsuccessful penalty corners. As the half progressed, the Jumbos continued to attack the Wellesley goal. Sophomore Dana Panzer contributed with physical play and speed up the field. "The energy was great going in," Panzer said. Despite the Jumbos' domination for the majority of the half, Wellesley managed to penetrate the defense and sneak the ball into the back of the goal in the last five minutes of the half. Wellesley senior Marret Arfsten scored the lone goal of the competition on an assist from senior Elizabeth Masiello in heavy traffic just before the referee sounded the half-time whistle. Negative energy from the last minute goal followed the Jumbos into the second half. "Once the goal was scored, we were completely frazzled," Rappoli said. Tufts seemed to be stuck in a defensive bog for the remainder of the match, playing deep in its own zone with few offensive opportunities. Wellesley had eight-second-half penalty corners in comparison to the Jumbos' two. Opposing attackers had many opportunities to score, but failed to capitalize. Junior goalkeeper Julie Jackson had an excellent second half, as she recorded seven saves. Tufts' frustration was obvious and resulted in a green card issued by the referee, warning players to keep themselves under control. Wellesley stepped up the intensity and generated well-orchestrated attacks as Tufts continued to struggle in clearing the ball. The Jumbos showed did not give up however, as they made a last ditch effort in the final minutes to score the tying goal. An unsuccessful break away by senior attacker Dana Chivvis was thwarted by the Wellesley defense and a late penalty corner was unsuccessful as well. The offense frantically continued to fight in the Wellesley zone but to no avail as time ran out. "We could have connected better on the field, but everyone played their hearts out," Panzer said. Despite the defeat, the team remains hopeful for the rest of the season. "It is only our third game, there is nothing we feel in trouble about" just yet Rappoli said. The team will have two days to practice for this weekend's league game versus Connecticut College. It aspires to boost its overall record back up to .500 and improve its NESCAC record to 2-0. Coach Rappoli will focus on defensive tactics and free hits in practice to improve upon Wednesday's second half performance. "We have a great team and will do great things this season, (but) this game was a good indicator of what we need to work on (in practice)," Panzer said

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How to save the Middle East without killing anybody

September 18

Since he became prime minister in February 2001, Ariel Sharon has followed a hard-line attitude toward the conflict. He has refused to sit down and negotiate with Yasser Arafat, who is the Palestinian president and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, calling him "irrelevant." His response to virtually every terrorist incident has been military occupation of Palestinian territory, resulting in many unnecessary deaths. In short, he has taken a unilateral "eye for an eye" approach. Didn't all our parents tell us that we should not hit back because it was wrong? Didn't they tell us that two wrongs don't make a right? Mr. Behm is right, however, in his strong condemnation of recent Palestinian acts of violence. As I stated before, neither side is without culpability. Terrorist attacks of this sort are immoral and, just as important, ineffective. When the lessons of history are considered, we learn that violent actions of this sort rarely bring about any real change. Indeed, as we learned on the morning of Sept. 12, 2001, when thousands of new American flags began to appear on cars and buildings, violence more often steels the resolve of the people being attacked. The Israelis had six million of their people imprisoned, tortured, and brutally slaughtered in the worst atrocity in human history. And they lived to tell about it. They are not about to back down in the face of stones and car bombs. If Palestinians truly want an independent state and peace with Israel they must stop the bombings and take a queue from Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. They must exercise mass, nonviolent civil disobedience. How would our perception of the Israel-Palestine conflict change tomorrow we woke up to images of Palestinians sitting in front of tanks posed to enter their land? This is the only way for the Palestinians to obtain the international support they need. It has the added bonus of not costing lives in either side. Timothy Ryan is a freshman who has yet to declare a major

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Senior Thesis requirements hard yet rewarding

September 18

Recent admitted students surveys show that students come to Tufts bent on doing research _ in fact, 80 percent of incoming students say they have at least some desire to do some form of independent research while at Tufts. But when senior year rolls around, the number of students who pursue honors theses is quite small. Last year, 71 students _ or 6.7 percent of the class _ completed senior theses, according to the Office of the Dean of the Colleges. There are a number of reasons for this discrepancy, according to Nadia Medina, director of the Academic Resource Center and the Writing Center. "Different departments have different proposals and guidelines," Medina said. Many students choose not to pursue theses because they feel unprepared for it. Students have never had to "manage such an unusually long piece of work, nothing remotely close to the 65 to 80 pages in a typical honors thesis," she said. The tedious process is outlined in a philosophy's department bulletin, which identifies six steps that one must take just to register to write an honors thesis. The economics department has only four such steps. Each department's website cites a different list of requirements. Many students elect not to write theses because they are not aware of their options and do not plan ahead. When she started classes for the fall, senior Julie Sulman looked into writing a thesis only to discover that she had to have applied last spring. "By the time students hear about it it's too late to go through all of the paperwork and planning that it takes to organize a thesis," she said. Other students say that they do not write theses because they are an added pressure in an already stressful academic year. "I am taking three writing intensive courses, while at the same time applying to law schools, and teaching Persepectives. I feel like I can dedicate my time to the things I am interested in without writing a paper," said Jon Marden, a Spanish and international relations major. Despite these opinions, administrators and professors tout the benefits of writing theses to students. Dean of the Colleges Charles Inouye travels each year to encourage students abroad to pursue theses when they return. He sees senior research as an opportunity for students to take their passions and create something for others, not as a burden. "While the senior honors thesis is not for everybody it is the way you get the most out of college by learning to become an independent thinker," Inouye said. "It is a perfect way to get close to faculty members, because you cannot get there on your own; the writer needs the support of their professors." To help students overcome the difficulties in planning and research, the Academic Resource Center started a workshop program to help students both start and complete an honors thesis. The workshop program will be a central place for students writing in all departments to go for help. In the first of these workshops, students were given a number of handouts, including one with advice from the class of 2002. The theme of the quotes from students was to write early and to get help from advisors. "Make deadlines for yourself and submit as many drafts as possible to professors, writing tutors," one student advised on a handout. Other support offered by the ARC includes an Alumni Mentors program, where students may receive direct help from alumni who wrote theses in their major and/or thesis topic. Trained graduate students are also available to help seniors with writing problems. Outside of the ARC, faculty members in the international relations and history departments have started a program where students doing a junior-year abroad can begin thinking about and researching on their topic of choice. The program is run by professor Jeanne Penvenne and Richard Eichenberg. To write a senior honors thesis, several requirements must be met. Students must have made the Dean's List for one semester and must write their thesis within their department major. Students who wish to write a these must hand in their "Honors Thesis Candidate" form into Dowling Hall by Nov.15. Each student must also form a three-member faculty panel consisting of a panel chair from the writer's major department, a second member from that department, and a third member from outside of the department. For their work, students receive honors, high honors, and highest honors for their thesis on their diploma in the spring as well. While writing a senior honors thesis is difficult work, Inouye believes that it is a worthwhile investment of one's time. "Tufts students should take advantage of Tufts' unusual position as a liberal arts teaching institution imbedded in a research University," Inouye said

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Women's soccer gets revenge against Babson

September 17

The women's soccer team improved to 2-1 with an impressive 2-0 shutout over the cross-town rival Babson Beavers yesterday afternoon on Kraft Field. The Jumbos controlled play for most of the game, possessing the ball well and forcing the Beavers to try to adjust to Tufts' style of play. The win avenged the Jumbos' 4-1 season-opening loss to Babson last year, a game in which the team was unable to recover after losing its starting goalkeeper to a red card in the first half. "Everyone was really pumped up for this game," senior co-captain Alle Sharlip said. "We felt like we didn't deserve to lose [last year], and we wanted to redeem ourselves." The Jumbos did just that, opening up the game with strong play from front to back, something they have been working hard at, after struggling in the opening minutes all last year. "One of our goals is to come out and go as hard as we can for the first three minutes," coach Martha Whiting said. "We make a conscious effort to go out and bust our butts in the beginning, and that usually carries over to the rest of the game. We came out on a high from our win over Amherst, and it was important for us to prove that that was not just a fluke." Although the Jumbos came out strong, the play of the game was relatively even for the first ten to 15 minutes, with Babson's few good chances coming early on. The first of these came on a shot that bounced down off the crossbar in front of the Tufts net. Jumbo goalie Meg McCourt had moved out to contest the shot, leaving the frame unprotected, but the Tufts defense did an excellent job collapsing on the ball, clearing it to keep the Beavers off the board. Babson continued to put together counter-attacks, missing wide and forcing McCourt to make a couple of saves. But the defense repeatedly came together, and it played stronger and stronger as the game wore on, which limited the effectiveness of the Beaver offensives pushes. "We had to make a couple simple defensive adjustments in the first few minutes," Whiting said. "We needed to get pressure on the ball quicker and not give them time or space to get their heads up and see the field." "In the beginning, they were playing the long ball," senior co-captain Cara Glassanos added. "When we started to settle and pass to feet, it really came together for us." Sophomore Sarah Gelb opened up the scoring for Tufts in the 23rd minute, taking a picture-perfect cross from classmate Jen Baldwin and heading the ball just over the outstretched hands of the Babson keeper. The goal was the first of Gelb's collegiate career. With the assist, Baldwin, who was Johns Hopkins' leading scorer last year before transferring to Tufts, assumes that role for the Jumbos with three points in as many games. The Jumbos continued to pour on the pressure through the end of the first period, coming close to adding to their lead on a number of occasions. Sophomore Becky Greenstein hooked the ball into the net from the left corner just minutes after Gelb's score, but the ball crossed the endline before the kick, resulting in a goal kick. Later in the period, Babson keeper Katie McCackin carried a Tufts corner kick into her own goal, but the referee ruled that she had been pushed in, negating the score. The second half saw more of the same, as Tufts kept up a relentless attack on the Beaver defense. Babson played most of the period on its own side of the field, occasionally pushing the ball across midfield, only to see it fly back again. "We definitely improved as the game went along. The team in general is coming together, and is starting to work together as a cohesive unit," Sharlip said. Tufts got some insurance in the 64th minute as senior midfielder Elizabeth Tooley knocked in her first goal of the year. Tooley took the ball on a bloop feed from junior Abby Herzberg, shielded it from a Babson defender and fired it to the left of the keeper to double the team's lead. As the game wore on, Whiting experimented with her lineup, getting in valuable playing time for some of her younger players. But, despite their inexperience, the newest Jumbos played just as strong as their upperclassman counterparts, continuing to dominate the flow of the game. "I got the opportunity to see some people play who I hadn't seen before," Whiting said. "And everyone I put out there did a great job. There was no drop off when I made substitutions _ with some, we got even better. Every year the pool of players we get just gets better and better. This group learns quickly and they're all very coachable." Tufts finished the game with 21 shots and ten corner kicks, compared to just seven and two for the Beavers. McCourt needed just three saves to pick up her second consecutive shutout, and the third of her career. The Jumbos will try to extend their winning streak to three this Saturday at home against NESCAC-rival Connecticut College. The Camels are 1-2, including conference losses to Amherst and Williams. "Any NESCAC opponent, you get really psyched up for. Every team is good, which is not unusual," Whiting said. "We need to be on top of our game. Conn. is always tough, and they need a NESCAC win. But I feel like we have a very strong team and that we have the ability to beat most of the teams out there.

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Early admissions no longer be binding

September 17

The future of early decision admissions programs was uncertain for about a month this summer after admissions officials at Harvard University suggested that the school would allow students it admitted to renege on binding admissions decisions from other schools. The policy was first reported in The Harvard Crimson on June 6 and jeopardized a longstanding gentlemen's agreement between colleges that they will respect each other's binding early decision programs. The issue received attention in several national newspapers because it threatened to collapse the entire early decision system. But six weeks later, Harvard's Director of Admissions, Marilyn McGrath Lewis clarified her office's policy to The Crimson and said that it would not pursue such a policy. McGrath Lewis explained this week that the school did not want to enroll students who had breached contracts with other schools. "We will rescind our offer of admission," she said. We don't like students who misrepresent themselves." Suggestions that Harvard might change its policy came after the National Association for College Admissions Coucn Harvard's decision came just as a new policy went into affect which prohibited colleges with non-binding early decision programs from restricting applicants the admissions office announced that they would accept early action applications from students who were applying binding-early decisions elsewhere. Many interpreted the decision as an attack on early decision, a policy that allows high school seniors to send in their applications earlier than the regular deadline and find out if they have been accepted in December instead of in March. In general, students may only apply to one school under early decision, which they are required to attend if they are admitted. Harvard and Georgetown's "Early action" programs are non-binding, but until this year, schools could prohibit students from applying early to other schools, whether through early action or early decision programs. During its annual conference in San Antonio last September, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) made minor changes to its policy definitions of "early action" and "early decision" programs. Over the past year, however, these changes have stirred up a flurry of debate in the higher education community about commitment, character, and privacy. In its most recent guidelines, NACAC made changes that affected schools with early action programs only Harvard and Georgetown Universities. The schools had previously requested that students applying to their early action programs not apply to another early program. But now, according to the NACAC website, "institutions utilizing an early action plan may not place restrictions upon the number or type of other applications filed by the student." The goal of this change is to give students more than one early admission option. NACAC is a national membership organization for guidance counselors and college admissions officers. It creates guidelines for all aspects of the college admissions process, including early action and early decision. Early admissions programs assume that applicants are both extremely well qualified and that the school they apply early to is their first choice. By allowing students to apply to more than one institution early, admissions offices can no longer be so sure of students' enthusiasm about their school. A student they admit under early action may be committed to another institution by early decision. As Harvard's Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis made quite clear, "there has been no change in Harvard's early action policy...Anybody who has made a binding commitment must honor that commitment." She added that Harvard admissions, "will not ask Tufts or Yale or anyone else to give us a list of students admitted early. In other words, we are not going to check. We believe this is illegal, and more importantly, wrong." At present, no policy is in place to stop a student from applying early decision or early action to more than one school. If a student was accepted early decision to Tufts and early action to Harvard, for example, they could renege on the binding commitment to Tufts. In such a situation, though, Harvard's Lewis said, "We will rescind our offer of admission. We don't like students who misrepresent themselves." Early admission programs were originally intended to ease the application tensions of highly qualified students who knew exactly where they wanted to attend college. In the past few years, selective schools have seen a surge in early applicants. Close to 40 percent of Tufts' class has been admitted by early decision in the past few years. Students now use early decision as a tool to get into a highly competitive school, since early admission rates are often higher than those of regular decision. Ultimately, the responsibility of choosing the "right school" and upholding the early decision contract falls to the students. But with policy changes such as this one and the ever-increasing competition to get into a highly selective institution, it may be difficult for some students to give up an admissions advantage, however unethical it may be

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News

Without the right genetics, huge trapezoids may be a fantasy

September 17

What are some good growth-producing exercises for my trapezoids? Everyone has seen him in one form or another: a guy in your gym who has traps that are so well-developed and massive that they seem to connect to his ears. How do people get traps like that? Well, unless you're blessed with perfect genetics, it's pretty unlikely you'll develop those kind of traps. However, try these few simple exercises, and you can help realize your full genetic potential for building up those shrugging muscles. The typical exercise for traps is the upright row. It can be performed with either cables or free weights. Cables can help emphasize the burn, thereby helping to form and shape the muscle. Using free weights for this exercise helps add height to the muscle. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder width apart (or slightly wider). Grasp the bar with a pronated grip (palms facing you), and slowly pull the bar to the top of your chest. Concentrate on keeping your elbows slightly higher than your wrists, if possible. Squeeze at the top, and focus on feeling the muscle contract as you reach the top of the movement. Another exercise that hits the traps hard are dumbbell or barbell shrugs. If you choose to use dumbbells, stand with the weights in either hand. Slowly bring your shoulders up as high as you can ("shrug" them; that's where the name of the exercise comes from). For a good squeeze, visualize touching the tops of your shoulders to your ears. Lower the weight slowly, and do not roll your shoulders during the exercise _ the motion is straight up and straight down. If you choose to use a barbell, the motion is pretty much the same, but you can alternate holding the bar in front of your legs and behind your legs to hit the muscle from different angles. Should I wear a belt while I do squats? My friend says that it's really dangerous not to wear one, but I have been doing squats for a while and haven't had any problems without one. After consulting a few local squatting experts, the consensus seems to be that you are both right. Doing squats is an exercise that brings into play lots of muscles in the body, both lower and upper. The lower back plays an important role in stabilization throughout the movement. Therefore, doing squats is a way to help strengthen your lower back. On really heavy squats, however, using a belt is the safest way to go about doing them. It gives your lower back more support, and helps protect it from strain and possible injury. Therefore, I would recommend that you use the belt only on your heaviest sets (in the 6-10 rep range). Do I need "straps"? One of the most obvious mistakes I see in the gym are people who spend five or six bucks on a pair of lifting straps, only to use them constantly, on exercises ranging from bicep curls to shoulder presses to deadlifts. While I do not advising against getting the most use for your money, lifting straps should be used sparingly, like a spotter. Think about it: when bench pressing, do you ask your spotter to assist you on every rep, from warm up to working? Of course not _ you only use your spotter's help when you absolutely need it, or to help you through a lift you might otherwise not be able to complete. The same rule goes for using straps. Using them when doing exercises that are anything less than totally intense and heavy will be short-changing your forearm development. For example, using straps on most dumbbell exercises would be a waste, because most people can easily handle the weight they need to fatigue their biceps with just their hands. But, if you're doing 400 pound deadlifts, the straps should come into play because there aren't many people who could hold onto the bar by virtue of sheer forearm strength. That said, equipment in the gym that is meant to make things easier is a necessary part to any effective training regimen. In other words, straps should be used sparingly

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News

Tae Kwan Do Club kicks off the semester

September 17

The Tae Kwan Do Club kicked off its year last Friday night, literally. In a demonstration in Jackson Gym, students from various ability levels performed an array of different kicks, board breaking techniques, and several short sparring matches. "We generally have a demo to develop interest at the beginning of each semester, touching on basics: forms, sparring, and sometimes board breaking," instructor Sean Bjerke said. The demonstration was one of many that the club has held since its founding in 1990. After starting out with some traditional routines, club members donned protective gear to exhibit their sparring skills. Demonstrations of different types of board breaking followed. The audience cheered as the participants kicked, punched, or headed the boards into pieces. Later, audience members were invited to join the Tae Kwan Do Club's members on the gymnasium floor to try out some basic moves like kicks and punches. Students looking to take advantage of the offerings of the Tae Kwon Do Club found the demonstration to be helpful. Freshman Patty Kral said she had "no prior experience with any kind of martial arts" and saw the demonstration as a "good opportunity" to see what the club was like. Other prospective members came with years of experience under their belts. Freshman Matt Miller, who is a black belt, said he enjoyed Tae Kwon Do as a type of exercise and "...as a form of self-defense." The Tae Kwon Do Club holds classes three times a week, charging a fee of $50 per semester. Class size usually range from 15 to 20 students, and the classes are open to different ability levels. Among roughly 40 participants in the club, the amount of experience greatly varies. "Perhaps one-third of the people who join our club are experienced martial artists, coming from Tae Kwon Do or other martial arts," said Eric Mitton, a former president of the club. "But at least two-thirds of the people who join have never done any martial arts in their life, or perhaps just a few classes in their youth." Not only does the club offer classes, but members get involved in competitions, traveling to compete with students from other college Tae Kwon Do associations. Members typically take a trip to Yale every spring and compete against colleges in the area. While participating in the competitions is not mandatory for club members, Mitton said that there is always "plenty of opportunity to compete." Members of the group enjoy Tae Kwan Do because, like other martial arts, it has mental benefits as well as physical ones. "Apart from all the physical aspects, I have learned to be a model citizen," Bjerke said. "It helps you not only to set an example for other people: it makes you generally more aware as a person." Those benefits, group members say, extend into the academic arena. "Tae Kwon Do really develops self-confidence, perseverance, and the ability to concentrate," Mitton said. "This holds true even in unrelated environments, like a literature seminar." Students looking into Tae Kwon Do may wonder how quickly they can progress through the different belts, and how soon they might be expected to break their first pine board. Because there are different techniques for breaking boards, some are easier than others. A beginner or a white belt would learn to break a board with a simple kick, Bjerke said. An incoming student with no previous experience could be expected to progress a significant amount in four years. "Potentially a student could get as far as a red belt," Bjerke said. Butthat progression would depend on how dedicated the student was to Tae Kwan Do, and whether or not the student took time out from practicing for studying abroad. However, the emphasis at the Tae Kwon Do Club is not entirely on rank. While the student instructors are chosen based upon their merits as martial artists, the four officers of the club are elected. "People worry too much about what belt [they are]," Mitton said. "I say I've learned a ton since I started." "Tufts Tae Kwon Do definitely doesn't feel like a gym class," Mitton added. He stresses that the club's members were not intimidating people. "We're just a bunch of ordinary Tufts students having a lot of fun.

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