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The Setonian
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Womens sailing team hopes to qualify for Nationals this weekend

March 31

The women's sailing team will head to the University of Rhode Island this weekend for the New England championships, with the opportunity for a trip to Nationals on the line. That competition would come in May, at the University of Hawaii. Approximately 15 to 18 schools are expected at this weekend's competition. Only the top five, though, will make the cut to qualify for Nationals. For Tufts, a top five finish is no sure thing. But team members are optimistic that with enough focus, the goal remains within reach. Sophomores A.J. Crane and Liz Bancroft will lead the team in the A boat. Junior Clare Dooley will make a return to the women's team after a semester off and will be joined by Marjorie Affel in the B boat, while freshmen Lindsay Shanholt and Sarah Affel will make up the alternate B boat. "I think that if AJ and Clare both sail smartly, we can beat any of these teams, without a doubt," Shanholt said. "It will be tough though, because there are only 5 spots, and at least 10 very good teams - so it's really hard to tell who will get those spots." Bancroft was slightly more optimistic. She said the team has a good chance, "especially after how well, we did this past weekend. We were consistently finishing in the top of the fleet in a variety of different weather conditions and in competition against many of the same teams that will be at New Englands this weekend." Last weekend's success came at the Dellenbaugh Women's Trophy, hosted by Brown University, where the women finished fifth out of 17 teams. Though many of the teams competing at New Englands were in attendance, some were noticeably absent. "Connecticut College, Brown, Harvard and Boston College didn't send their best women's teams to the regatta this past weekend," Bancroft said. "But they will all be at New Englands next weekend and that will definitely raise the level of competition." Some of the teams have reportedly begun to bring back their women's skippers from coed regattas to participate in the women's division. "Dartmouth, in particular, brought back their top woman skipper, and it helped them tremendously," Dooley said. The sailors say their performance at this weekend's regatta will depend on how well they keep their cool. "I think that I've sailed better (than last weekend) but that I was psyched out; going into the regatta, I was very nervous and I think that that was obvious with my scores," Dooley said. Furthermore, the women will face the task of sailing in FJ's, a type of boat different from the Larks sailed out of the Tufts Boathouse. "New Englands will be raced in FJ's," Bancroft said. "However, we spent all of spring break practicing in FJ's and hopefully that experience will help us to perform well in their boats." Despite the squad's relatively young composition, team members remained determined. "[The women's team] is pretty young, which is both a strength and a weakness," Shanolt said. "We have two freshmen, two sophomores, and two juniors, which means that we have time to improve together. On the other hand, this is the year to qualify, because we want to go to Hawaii.""We need to keep focused; we know we have the skill to qualify," Dooley said. "If everything we've worked on all year comes together then we'll be successful." Last weekend, the co-ed sailing team was also successful, finishing first at the Freshman Gibb. Also over the weekend, the co-ed team finished fifth out of 20 at the Admiral's cup, and fourth out of 13 at the Boston University Trophy.

The Setonian
News

Promising preseason does not guarantee fast start

March 31

The men's club volleyball team played in its first divisional tournament last weekend at Northeastern and split games 2-2. The squad played well in its two victories but appeared to be holding back its their two loses. The wins came against Eastern Nazarine College and Stonehill College, but the team lost to host Northeastern and UMASS Amherst. "We should have won at least three of the four," freshman starter Kellan Gregory said. "It is always a little discouraging when you lose a game that you know you could have won." After a successful preseason, the Jumbos hoped to perform a little better in this tournament. Though this year is seen as a rebuilding period, the team has high expectations. The preseason began last semester, and the squad jumped to a good start. It made the preseason playoffs, which was a positive harbinger for the season to come, especially with a young squad that starts three freshman. During the offseason, the team has lost some key players, either to graduation or conflicting commitments. But junior co-captains Jeff Van der Veer and John McAllister are looking to develop the young team into a post season contender. Without a coach, it is up to the two team leaders to rally their peers for practices and tournaments. Thus far, they have done well in introducing their three starting freshman, Michael Toomey, Hadie El Haneidi, and Gregory, to the mix. "Jeff and John have done a great job with practices," Gregory said of his two captains. "They make them fun while still keeping things in perspective. It makes for a better playing environment." The team's greatest weakness is its lack of height. Because of this, it relies on the defense to carry it. "They play hard, and more importantly, play good defense," McAllister said. "Mike and Kellan are good at filling in where we need them and Hadie has established himself in the middle." As the young talent develops, the team hopes to go further than anticipated. Making the post season and getting the young players experience will be instrumental to next year's play. The team will not lose any players to graduation at the end of this year, and some players who could not play this year are anticipated to return next year. Though the team did not fare as well as it would have liked last weekend, the season started off on the right foot. In late January at the Marty Open, the season's inaugural tournament, the Jumbos finished fifth of 30 teams. They defeated several strong teams, most notably a solid Wesleyan squad. The volleyball club competes in its next divisional tournament in a couple of weeks, to be hosted by MIT. The team has usually finished strong in its division, the East of the NESBO, which is considered by many to be the toughest division in the conference. "We hope to finish at least fourth in the district and make the 16-team cutoff for the playoffs," McAllister said. "We made it my first two years here, and I think we can do it again this year - even if it is as a lower seed."

The Setonian
News

Tufts International Club packs Cohen at annual Parade of Nations

March 31

Hundreds of students packed into Cohen auditorium for the 19th annual Parade of Nations fashion and talent extravaganza this weekend, taking a world tour without leaving their seats. The annual performance, put on by the International Club (I-Club) and International Center, featured a night of signing, dancing, acting, and fun presented by various Tufts culture clubs and organizations. MC Kareem Idriss, who urged the crowd to "take home with you the feeling of cultural unity," entertained the crowd with jokes and quizzed the audience on geography between three acts that featured poetry, a skit, singing, dancing, a fashion show, marital arts, and the annual presentation of the Oliver Chapman award. The energetic audience voiced their support when representatives of their cultural groups or friends were on stage. Among the biggest hits of the night were the African Student Organization's dance moves, which brought whistles and shrieks from women in the audience when eight-year-old Abeeku Barrow, the cousin of a Tufts Alum, joined the dancers and strutted his stuff for the last few minutes. A Tae Kwon Do sequence in which three men and one woman put their martial arts techniques to a music routine, breaking wooden boards and leaping high in the air, was also well-received. Sophomore Brian Johnson said that he came to the Parade especially to see the Tae Kwon Do performance. "It was really very good," he said. "The kata sequences they incorporated in their dance movements were impressive." Even when tape for the Puerto Rican Saborealo dance malfunctioned, and the dancers needed to start over, the audience was still encouraging, with a long round of applause and a rousing "S?­!" when Idriss asked the crowd whether they had enjoyed the performance. Sophomore Jessica Schauer especially enjoyed the singing of the South African National anthem by the a cappella group Essence. "It was something new - you don't usually hear the national anthems of other countries," Schauer said. Freshman Emily Rufo's favorite performance was the opening dance by members of the I-Club. "The dance gave me an opportunity to see my roommate and other members of the I-Club perform," Rufo said. "It's amazing to see her and the other dancers in action; now I know what they have been working for" Tufts President Emeritus John DiBiaggio and wife Nancy DiBiaggio announced the fashion show portion of the evening, with the most highly applauded clothing being the Japanese "schoolgirl" outfit. TURBO, The Tufts Break Dancing Club, also earned an especially appreciative round of applause, as did the fusion of traditional Egyptian belly dancing and hip-hop by the Arab Student Association. The Spirit of Color dance troupe's routine brought the house down as the Parade's finale. According to sophomore Monica Saldarriaga, I-Club secretary, the club hopes to become an umbrella for the other cultural organizations. "Since we do not concentrate on a particular region of the world, we hope that through activities like Intercultural Week, we can bring all other organizations in unison," Saldarriaga said. Saldarriaga says that being involved in the I-Club gives students the opportunity to work with different organizations and get to know a variety of people. "We have been trying to break away from the traditional by adding our own little flavor by bringing people together, teaching them about different cultures, by allowing them to experience the excitement of each culture," she said. Saldarriaga commends the clubs and organizations that participated in the Parade of Nations for making "our job a lot easier through their hard effort and constant dedication. I hope their experiences were as rewarding as ours." Sophomore Yasmine Iliya looks forward to Parade of Nations all year as one of the best events that take place at Tufts because she believes that it recognizes and celebrates the diversity of the student body. "The dances are phenomenal and so entertaining - I love them," Iliya said. "We've been working on our Arab Students Association dance for about a month and it's taken a lot of organization and energy, but it was worth it because we love to express our culture." Co-choreographer for the Arab Students Association dance, senior Ayten Fatheldin, hopes that Parade of Nations - a tradition she has participated in all of her four years at Tufts - continues long into the future. "This year many dancers in our dance are not even from Arabic heritage, which proves that the event is cross-cultural and unifying," she said. I-Club president Eli Levin-Goldstein introduced the Oliver Chapman Award for Leadership and Community Service, which is presented annually at the Parade of Nations to an outstanding senior who has proven leadership abilities throughout his or her time at Tufts. This year the award was given for the first time to two of the six nominees this year, to seniors Carl Mould-Millman from Ghana and Sean McDermott, who said that he hailed from "all around the world." The seniors first met each other during international orientation their freshmen year. The I-Club held its yearly Intercultural Festival from Feb. 14 to Feb. 24, beginning with a Valentine's Day parties at three Boston clubs: Avalon, Embassy, and The Modern. Other events included a Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Perspective (TILIP) symposium titled "China: Dimensions of Security," movie showings, World Cup playoffs, an international food fair, and a poetry and hip-hop performance at Hotung Caf?© in honor of Black History Month. The Intercultural Festival culminated in Saturday night's performance. Profits from the ticket sales will be donated to the International Scholarship Committee, an international organization that helps to fund tuition expenses for foreign students studying to Tufts.

The Setonian
News

Hits and Misses

March 31

The Franc Graham Band Sugar TreeTake Easy3/5Franc Graham knows what sounds good, but unfortunately, she isn't instantly exciting. While pleasing to the ear, the songs on Sugar Tree tend to blend together on first listen. They start off slowly, with a mellow, simple chords and a straightforward bass line. After about a half-minute introduction, Graham joins in with her bluesy vocals, which very could well be the strongest element of the album.She uses her voice well, her gravelly alto fitting in well with the harmonica that sometimes plays backup. Her slow, casual sound results in a very pleasant, if rather undifferentiated, listening experience. The music uses an odd blend of musical effects, from the aforementioned harmonica to a brief appearance of turntables. It appears that Franc Graham is trying to follow in the footsteps of other female artists in the likes of Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris, who have gained notoriety as of late. She certainly makes an excellent effort, but doesn't quite manage to distance herself from sounding derivative.- Alex MoerleinRichard ShindellCourierSignature Sounds4/5The liner notes of Richard Shindell's Courier show him performing in jeans, sport coat, and a button down. But I bet when he's sitting around at home writing music, he wears corduroys. His tunes - the lyrics, melodies, and soft rhythms that lazily waft through the album from beginning to end - have that feel, that warm, comfortable, style-conscious, rainy-days-inspire-me-to-write kind of feel. And they fit him just right. A Long Island native, Shindell has written for and toured with Joan Baez over the years while working independently on his own folk projects.This disc rocks with the wilting lyrical bent of Adam Duritz, and the rough-hewn hard knocks growl of Bruce Springsteen. Shindell's guitar work is soft and subtle, while his band, with occasional violin accompaniment, complements his strumming. But this poet's true talent lies in his passion and flair for storytelling. The events and people that crowd his tunes are sometimes pitiful, sometimes inspiring, frequently desperate, and always sweetly human.- Rob Lott Suspect DeviceBoston MassacrePigpile3/5Suspect Device's Boston Massacre tosses together a bunch of rebellious punk songs. From the opening "Brass Tacks," which states objection to the typical boring life, to the closing "Over Your Head," which decries standard methods of criminal investigation, Suspect Device does nothing but complain."Carry On," the most original song, deviates from the punk standard used by The Ramones, Green Day, and the rest of this album. But Suspect Device still can't evade the whiny subject matter. It's not all so bad, though. On "Sunday Morning 3AM," the band infuses a ska sound, making for a good start that could have been further developed.Overall, however, the album is fun to listen to. The lyrics are barely distinguishable, but there's a lot of energy in the performance. Plus, they're so caught up complaining about life in general that they avoid entering the pop domain of songs about women - something this reviewer appreciated.- Seth Kaufman

The Setonian
News

Men's tennis falls to Bates

March 31

The men's tennis team ended its regular season on Wednesday, suffering a rare defeat at the hands of Bates. But the squad is still in a good position for this weekend's NESCACs and for regionals, which will be held in a few weeks. The team was beaten 5-2 on Wednesday as it once again played without its regular number-three player John Brahm. "We need John," coach Jim Watson said. "It's pretty evident." Still the men's tennis coach did not attribute the loss strictly to the absence of Brahm. "Bates is a very solid team," Watson said. "I knew we would be in trouble and they just played a little better than we did." The only players to win were number-one junior tri-captain Dave Ruttenberg and number-two freshman Rifat Perahya. Ruttenberg was victorious 6-3, 6-1 and Perhaya won 6-4, 6-4. The team is pleased with the 9-3 record it has compiled. "It was much better than I ever thought we would do," senior tri-captain Mark Fitzgerald said. "The team has done real well." For Fitzgerald, the sun is setting on a four-year tennis career at Tufts. "Fitz will be a huge loss for us," Ruttenberg said. "Fitz retiring from Tufts is like Jordan retiring from the Bulls." "It was good," Fitzgerald said of his time on the tennis team. "I made some of my closest friends on the team. Our coach was really good too." Looking back on the regular season, the team is satisfied - but the players also realize that complete success is still a ways off. "We have been able to compete with every team we have played," Ruttenberg said. If the team is to achieve postseason success, Ruttenberg and Perahya will need to maintain the key roles they have held throughout the season. "Rifat is ridiculous" Ruttenberg said. "He is one of the ten best players in the country in my mind." The addition of another freshman, Adam Yates, has added to the team's depth. The team heads into the postseason poised to make a run both in NESCACs and in regionals. "We are in a very good spot for the post season," Ruttenberg said. "We will probably be the fourth seed in the east for regionals." Coach Watson is cautiously optimistic about his teams chances. "There are a lot of tough teams in the NESCAC," he said. "You got to be in tough form or else you will be in trouble." The NESCAC tournament, which is to be held at Amherst college this weekend, will feature six different singles tournaments and three doubles tournaments. Each tournament will involve the same seeds from different teams competing against each other."It's a fresh start for the playoffs and we will see what happens," Ruttenberg said.

The Setonian
News

Men have strong showing at Bates

March 31

This past weekend saw the men's track team participate in one of the biggest meets of the season - the New England Division III Indoors, held at Bates College. Coming off last year's fifth-place finish, the Jumbos were looking to continue their successful ways in the region. With the help of some clutch performances, Tufts put together a solid fourth-place showing. Finishing with 60 points, coach Connie Putman's team trailed only co-champions MIT and Williams and third-place Wheaton College in a field stacked with 24 teams. The most noteworthy performance of the weekend came from sophomore Bryan Pitko. Continuing his impressive campaign, Pitko captured the 55-meter hurdles title with a time of 7.67. Other Jumbos kept up the pace in the event as well, including junior quad-captain Greg Devine, who placed third in 7.80, and freshman Nate Thompson, who finished in a solid 7.90 for fourth place. Devine also managed a fourth-place finish in the 200 with a time of 22.67. "The hurdles have been a strong feature of our team all year," senior quad-captain J.R. Cruz said. "Pitko and Devine have been consistently excellent all year. They have certainly been a huge part of this team. Thompson has only added to the depth of our hurdles." Cruz himself put forth a strong effort in the 5000, finishing third with a time of 15:08.24. However, he was not satisfied with his effort and is looking to bigger things in the future. "I could have won, but I got stuck in a slow race behind the Williams runner," Cruz said. "My goal all season has been to qualify for the nationals. With a strong showing in the D-Is this weekend at BU, I hope to qualify." Tufts also had a good showing in the 400 at Bates as freshman Ray Carre showed his potential for the future, finishing fifth in a time of 50.48. Junior Bryant Coen placed fourth in the 600 with a time of 1:23:87. "It was an awesome race, and I was happy with my performance," Coen said. "I got beat at the wire by MIT." The Jumbos also did well in the middle-distance races. Sophomore Ian Joseph finished sixth in the 1000, while senior captain Ben Smith also finished sixth in the 3000, respectively. Joseph crossed in a time of 2:34.38 while Smith hit the tape at 8:49.69. The relays again proved to be a Jumbo strength; Tufts placed fourth in the 4 by 400 in a time of 3:24.95. Overall, the team was satisfied with the effort, but some members are looking for more. "While the team's goal was third, it was a good meet," Coen said. "We did not anticipate Wheaton being as strong as they were. It was fun to get a chance to beat up on MIT and Williams. Everyone put forth a good effort." "It turned out to be the best we could have done," Cruz said. "The better teams scored in events we didn't have people in. We've met expectations, but we're getting ready to put forth a good showing at BU this weekend and hopefully at the nationals. I don't think everyone has peaked yet in their seasons. For some, I think our best performances are still ahead of us." With the ECACs and the Nationals also coming up quickly, the Jumbos are optimistic about their opportunities for the rest of the season. While the Jumbos have already proven themselves to be one of the better teams in the region, this weekend's meet at BU will provide an even better measuring stick for this team.

The Setonian
News

Thoroughly old-fashioned musical

March 31

Joining the slew of movies-turned-musicals that have taken Broadway by storm over the past few years (ala The Producers and The Full Monty) comes the stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning 1967 classic Thoroughly Modern Millie. Currently in previews, the production officially opens on April 18 - giving it plenty of time to make the Tony Award nominating committee's final selections. And Millie's chances for success are solid, partially given to the fact that it has been a fairly lackluster season for new musicals. Revivals of reliable favorites like Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma and Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods have dominated the Broadway scene of late, leaving theatergoers wondering what happened to last year's hopeful burst of new collaborative talent. But that's not to say that Millie doesn't have any staying power of its own. The spunky new musical's fiercest competition comes from the box-office smash Mamma Mia, which in typical British mega-musical style has taken up residency at the Winter Garden Theater - the former home of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. Mamma Mia will clearly have the edge with the general public simply based on name recognition, but that does not necessarily mean that it is the stronger musical artistically. What Millie has going for it is that it is an all-American, all-around tribute to the heyday of musical comedy. With snazzy tunes, a wholesome story, and endearing characters, the show puts faith back into a once-purely American art form that is slowly becoming overshadowed by imported productions. Only two and a half songs from the original remain, thus making the musical essentially a new piece of drama, rather than a carbon copy of a dated film. And both the old and new songs are delightfully clever, ranging from the Gilbert and Sullivan-esque typewriting tap dance in "The Speed Test" and the cabaret style ballad "Only in New York." While Millie's tunes are almost all clearly evocative of past musical gems, the way in which they are strung together and the freshness of their execution makes any rip-offs forgivable. Which is in many ways surprising, given that both the creative team and the performers behind Millie consist largely of Broadway newcomers. All have extensive experience at regional playhouses, and some are making the crossover from straight to musical theater. But it is almost a relief to watch a show powered more by its raw talent than by star power. Sutton Foster's Millie is pure and polished, though her vocals initially make for an overly treble baby belt. A displaced Kansas girl learning how to survive on her own in the Big Apple, Millie is very much reminiscent of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. And as Foster warms up to the audience, her voice grows immensely. By the time the second act rolls around, she brings the house down with passionate showstopper called "Gimme Gimme" that makes one wonder why she wasn't singing like that in the first place. The supporting cast is also strong, and for the most part remains in tact from the musical's tryout run in La Jolla, California. Sheryl Lee Ralph of Dreamgirls fame plays '20s diva Muzzy Van Hossmere, an almost Good Witch-like figure who teaches Millie that there is more to life than riches and status. Angela Christian's glorious soprano brings an aura of innocence to Millie's newfound best friend, Miss Dorothy Brown. And the most humorous performances are delivered by two actors who speak barely three words of English each throughout the whole play: Ken Leung's Ching Ho and Francis Jue's Bun Foo delight with their vulnerability and subtle slapstick humor. Their humor is especially poignant in several musical numbers during which their foreign lyrics are translated into English and projected onto a computerized screen A few plot twists make for a surprising but unrealistic ending that almost takes away from the show's purity. But such instances give a more up-to-date edge to the standard girl-meets-boy musical theater scenario, thus allowing Millie to make an impact in today's deep and dark world of musical theater. Hopefully the Tony voters will feel the same way.

The Setonian
News

Men's crew powers past competition

March 31

The Tufts crew teams hosted Bates, Wesleyan, and UNH this past Saturday once again racing on the Malden River. The men's crew team defeated both Bates and Wesleyan, while the women's team lost both races. Racing in back-to-back sprints, the men's varsity eight left no doubt that it is a talented squad. At the midpoint of its season, it remains undefeated with a record of 5-0. Leading up to this meet, the Jumbos had a string of decisive victories about which to boast. This weekend was no exception. In the first race, Tufts and Bates ran neck and neck from the start. Going through the bridge, Tufts implemented a series of ten high pressure strokes called power tens, a move that pushed them slowly into the lead. By the second turn on the course, they were a half a boat length in the lead. This gap grew to more than a boat length by the final 500 meters. At this point the coxswains, sophomore Courtney Keefe and senior Mike Friedberg, the front seat (stroke) of the boat, made the decision not to go into the sprint sequence at the end of the race. Tufts cruised across the finish line with a final time of 5:49.3, eight seconds ahead of Bates. "Normally we go into our sprint sequence with about 400 meters left to go in the race," Friedberg said. "However my coach had advised us not to do it if we were more than a boat length ahead, which we were. We knew we were going to have to turn right around and race again and so it was better to save up strength for the next race." Since the Malden River can only accommodate one-on-one racing, the Jumbos were going to race the winner of the Wesleyan-UNH match up. Wesleyan was predicted to be the fastest boat that Tufts would face this weekend, and it lived up to its reputation, easily defeating UNH. When Tufts raced Wesleyan, the Cardinals jumped out of the start quicker, taking a couple of seats on the Jumbo's boat, a lead they maintained until the bridge. At this point, the Jumbos began to creep up on them. The team took a couple of power tens, firing themselves up and evening up the race by the first turn of the course. By the second turn the Jumbos took the lead, and they never looked back. "The last part of the race is a straight shot," Friedberg said. "This part of the race is a strength for us. For many crews, the second and third 500 meters is their weakest part, but we did a lot of training over the winter to ensure that it was strong." By the last 400 meters, Tufts had increased the gap to three-quarters of a boat length. The Jumbos sealed the victory during the sprint sequence, winning the race by four seconds (5:51.5). "We had made a pact to ourselves before the race to commit to a power ten at the 1000 meter mark and take control of the race," Friedberg said. "We executed those tens and took a bunch of seats, making sure to win." Unfortunately, the women's crew team was unable to continue its successes from last weekend. Plagued by a bad start in its first race against Wesleyan, the women's varsity eight were unable to recover. The problem occurred when the race started in a rush due to extreme choppiness at the beginning of the race. "We had a really sketchy start," sophomore Liz Richardson said. "Due to the wind and choppiness, the race had to start quickly and the boat just wasn't ready. One girl didn't even have her oar in hand." Wesleyan was able to capitalize on the mistake and jump out ahead of the Jumbos. However, under the strong leadership of coxswain sophomore Bess Dopkeen, the Jumbos were able to recover from their rocky start. "Bess plays a huge roll in recovering from our mistakes," Richardson said. "She has a confidence that is communicated throughout the entire boat. Her leadership is the reason we recovered so well from our start." Unfortunately Wesleyan was a stronger team in both size and experience. The Cardinals capitalized on the Jumbos' error and never relinquished their initial lead. The Jumbos lost the race, crossing the line with a time of 6:53.6. The varsity eight's next competition was against Bates. Unfortunately, Tufts was at a severe disadvantage; the team was competing in its second race of the day, while Bates was at full strength, having yet to compete. Despite this, the Jumbos managed to keep the race close. They were even with Bates up to the halfway point of the course. At this point, fatigue set in and Bates was able to pull away. The Jumbos lost by eight seconds (6:51.9). "Due to this being the second race, we were tired much sooner in the race than we were used to," Richardson said. "Bates had the edge, not having raced yet. I'm proud of the team though. We fought hard and stuck it out." The women's varsity four raced in the form of a second varsity eight against Wesleyan, comprised of five varsity rowers and three novice rowers. In a close race to the finish, the Jumbos ultimately lost by a slim margin of three seconds in a time of 7:00.0. The women's varsity eight at this point in the season holds a record of 1-2 for the season while the varsity four are 1-1. This week in training, the team will be focusing on the basics. They particularly want to strengthen the togetherness of the team and the unison of their movements in the water. This weekend the crew teams will be traveling to Worcester to compete against Holy Cross, Ithaca, and Connecticut College. The women's team is expecting a challenge from Connecticut College, while the men's team's major threat of ending their undefeated record is Holy Cross.

The Setonian
News

How to get a flatter, firmer stomach

March 31

It was recently called to my attention that this column seems to be primarily geared towards males. I do not deny this allegation, as I see the pursuit of a bigger and better physique a distinctly male pursuit. However, I do see the other side of the issue; that is why I am devoting a section of this week's inside fitness specifically to female concerns with fitness, as explained to me by someone I consider a typical female. When talking to women about fitness and working out, the most common question I get is how to flatten and tone the stomach. This process consists of three elements: diet, cardiovascular exercise, and resistance training. All of these can also be applied to any other areas that a female may feel isn't up to par. The first thing I must do is dispel the myth that hundreds of crunches, outer/inner thigh exercises, or triceps exercises will eventually lead to that lean, toned look that is desirable. This technique, called "spot-reduction" does not work. In actuality, it probably hinders the progress of the specific body part due to the excess strain put on it through intensive exercise. In other words, no, five hundred crunches a day will not put you on the fast track to that flat, firm stomach that you want. That said, here are the basic elements of improving a body, or an individual body part. For the sake of discussion, we will consider the steps toward improving the midsection; this includes flattening it, getting rid of love handles, and enhancing it's general appearance. The first element to explore is how to shed the excess fat covering the stomach. The first step to this is simple: reduce your caloric intake slightly, and increase your caloric output in the same proportion. The principle behind this is very basic: if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Now that said, I must also say that taking this method to the extreme will have the opposite effect: severely cutting down on calories will slow down your metabolism accordingly, making losing the fat that much more difficult. Your body will go into survival mode and actually begin to store fat, as it will interpret the severe caloric deficit as starvation. The second element also concerns reduction of body fat. This is cardiovascular exercise. Now, I have been to the gym and seen the same woman running on the treadmill for the entire time I am there; sometimes in excess of an hour. While this isn't exactly unhealthy, it is probably more than is necessary for most people to reduce fat and improve cardiovascular health. Studies show that just 20 to 30 minutes of cardio three to four times a week will yield significant benefit. I am sure that most people can spare 40 to 50 minutes a day, a few times a week, to walk down to the gym, run for 25 minutes, and walk back. It must be noted that of the three things that one should do to work on "problem areas," two of them have nothing to do with inordinate amounts of repetitions on the sit-up machine. The third element is the actual exercise to tone the muscle or muscles in question. In this case, it would consist of doing stomach exercises to tone the muscles of the abdomen. There are three basic groups of muscles in the midsection: the upper abs (usually the easiest to bring out, especially in females); the lower abs (usually the most difficult to define); and the side abdominals, or the obliques. In order to effectively tone and improve the look, one should incorporate exercises that target each of these groups. The following are a few examples: Upper abdominals usually respond well to the standard crunches. Lie on your back, with legs in the air and bent at the knee. Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor, with your knees at right angles. Keep your lower back flat on the mat, and pick a point on the ceiling above your head to focus on. This ensures that your neck moves minimally throughout the exercise, thereby reducing strain. Crunch up, lifting your shoulders and upper back off of the mat. When contracting the abs, imagine squeezing an accordion. Lower slowly. For the obliques, you can use the captain's chair (this is commonly used for leg raises). With back straight, legs hanging straight down, twist your legs and bring your knees up to your side, squeezing your obliques as you do so. Lower your legs slowly, and repeat on the opposite side. This exercise is fairly intense, so don't get discouraged if at first you have to cheat and swing your legs a little bit. For the lower abs, I have found this exercise effective. Lie flat on your back. It's usually easiest to hold on to something above your head, such as the edge of the mat or a partner's ankles, but if you must you can place your hands under your butt. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, raise them to a right angle with your torso (or slightly beyond). Once in this position, push your feet towards the ceiling, lifting your butt off the floor slightly. Lower slowly, and repeat. If this motion is too difficult, just do the leg-raises until you are strong enough for the push towards the ceiling at the end of the movement. The motion is more important than the number or repetitions, so focus on the movement rather than trying to complete 25 reps. Fifteen to 20 reps per set should be effective.

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Injuries abound in NBA

March 31

As the NBA regular season winds down and the playoffs loom closer, teams are praying that their key players escape serious injuries. Unfortunately for a few squads last week, these prayers went unanswered. The Philadelphia 76ers lost star shooting guard Allen Iverson for the next four weeks with a broken bone in his left hand. Iverson, who leads the league in scoring with 31.4 points per game, fractured the bone in his non-shooting hand during the first half of a March 22 victory at Boston. The reigning MVP is expected to return to action for the playoffs if the hand heals according to schedule. Without Iverson, however, Philadelphia is not even a lock to qualify for the postseason. Although the team currently resides in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, with a mediocre 36-32 record, the Sixers will have trouble winning without Iverson in the lineup. Philadelphia is winless in eight games without Iverson so far this season.Furthermore, injuries to other key players will ensure that the void left by Iverson will not be well filled. Guard Aaron McKie has been battling a sprained left ankle for nearly two months, hasn't played a game in March, and still does not appear to be back in playing condition. Forward Derek Coleman, whose 15 points and nine rebounds a game have provided surprising boosts to the Sixers this season, has torn cartilage in his knee and will be day-to-day for the next month. If the team does not want to fall out of playoff contention in Iverson's absence, Eric Snow and Speedy Claxton will have to dramatically increase their offensive production.One team that could have capitalized on Philadelphia's late season misfortune is the Toronto Raptors. But the emphasis is on "could have" - Vince Carter decided last week to undergo surgery on his left knee, which will sideline him for the rest of the year. Despite their 31-38 record, the Raptors were just 4.5 games out of the final playoff spot, but will likely be unable to surge into the postseason. The Raptors have been the worst team in the league since the All Star break, losing 17 of their past 19 games after starting 29-21. Although seven of those losses came without Carter in the lineup, even Air Canada himself could not stop the club's drastic fall from third to eleventh place in the East. Having conceded the remainder of this season, the Raptors did not want Carter to risk further, possibly chronic injury.Although the Raptors have deferred their playoff dreams for another year, the Washington Wizards clearly still hope they can salvage this season. Five days before Michael Jordan was scheduled to make his return from knee surgery, his Airness was back in action last Wednesday. Coming off the bench for the first time since 1986, Jordan scored seven points on 2-9 shooting in only 16 minutes of action. The choice to bring Jordan back prematurely was an indication of the urgency felt by Washington's management. On the eve of his return, the Wizards stood 2.5 games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot in the East, having gone just 4-8 in Jordan's absence. While the team can win the occasional game without its leading scorer, it simply needs Jordan playing in order to win consistently. The confidence that Jordan provides his teammates is invaluable, even if it does come with him as a bench-player. This is the role that Jordan will assume until his health approaches 100 percent, but his presence on the floor should give the Wizards the lift they need to make the playoffs for the first time in five years. In the Western Conference, Denver Nuggets' guard Tim Hardaway broke his left foot Saturday in a contest against the Seattle Supersonics. With the Nuggets having been eliminated from the playoffs since November, the injury is actually a blessing for the 12-year veteran, who will be fortunate enough to miss the remainder of the team's games this season. Traded from the playoff-bound Dallas Mavericks to the lowly Nuggets in February, Hardaway has already let frustration with his new team surface. On March 15, Hardaway heaved a TV monitor onto the court after he was ejected from a game against the Orlando Magic for arguing with the referees. The monitor, having escaped serious damage, will be auctioned for charity. Hardaway, on the other hand, received a two-game suspension and a $10,000 fine.

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The trouble with student ID cards

March 31

At Tufts, your student ID can get you a meal at Carmichael, buy your books at the bookstore, and check out a book from Tisch. So what happens when someone else gets a hold of your ID? It depends. The University uses social security numbers as ID numbers for most US residents that enroll at Tufts. However, if your social security number is on your card, you might have reason to be concerned about who is getting access to your personal information and how it might be used. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (www.privacyrights.org), a nonprofit consumer education, research, and advocacy program, identity theft is increasing to epidemic proportions. When someone has access to your social security number and wants to use it fraudulently, it's easy for him to gain access to your bank account, credit accounts, and other sources of personal information. So why do Tufts and other universities use the social security number as the student identification number? Social security numbers were first issued in 1936 and were meant for use exclusively within Social Security programs. Because the numbers facilitate access and retrieval of information, however, their use has become widespread - from employee files to medical records to student IDs. "I've never lost my ID, but it makes me uncomfortable to give strangers access to my ID number," senior Michelle Kahn said. "I don't like to order food from MOPS because I don't think it's a good idea to just give out my social security number." Students do have an alternative to displaying their social security number on their ID. In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, Tufts policy states that students who prefer not to use their social security number may request that the Registrar's Office assign another identification number. But not many students take advantage of this option. "I lost mine freshman year and I was a little worried about someone else getting it and using it," senior Jennifer Sapp said. "The old IDs used to have our pictures laminated on them and they were easy to reproduce, but the police made me a new one for ten bucks and deactivated the old one. I didn't really consider the consequences of someone using my social security number." Most students approach the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) when they lose their IDs. The police then issue a new copy of the ID to the student, and the original is deactivated. Within the Tufts community, a student with a missing ID can feel relatively assured that their ID will not be misused in Tufts facilities. "There's a lost card code so the [register] reader would read just the new number," Sergeant Paul Riley said. According to Riley, the "lost card code" is kept within the magnetic strip of the ID. The card is difficult to replicate because of its magnetic encoding and because the student's photograph is printed on the ID. However, while the register will not recognize the original ID once a new one is activated, the student ID number displayed on the card remains the same. "There has been no input as to any problems with this [version of the] ID being stolen and used," Riley said. Students are satisfied with how the TUPD handled their lost IDs. "Tufts police were really good when I lost my ID sophomore year. I called them, and I said that I lost my ID, and they were very efficient in giving me a new one and deactivating the old one," senior Katherine Levitt said. Most students are not aware that their social security number can be used as identification in conjunction with their name even on the phone. MOPS vendors accept the student ID by phone and usually don't check for the student ID upon delivery. The student ID number also allows access to multiple arenas within Tufts and outside Tufts. In many cases, students could question the actual necessity of giving out their ID number. For instance, students sign up for club meetings and events using their ID numbers. Students may also add points to their ID card using their ID number by telephone and get access to their transcript or grades online. There are also employment and medical forms that require social security or ID numbers. Although many schools, including University of Iowa and Boston University assign the social security number as the student ID number, others use a different policy. MIT changed its policy in 1995, opting for the more secure option of randomized numbers. Harvard also opts for not using the social security number.

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Poll: students liberal, campus politics dull

March 31

Tufts has been recognized as a school notorious for its liberal atmosphere in the past, but some events during this academic year have propelled the University into the national spotlight. Earlier this week, Tufts even won a "Polly" award, given by the conservative Collegiate Network "to highlight the noxious tendencies of radical faculty and students at the nation's colleges." Despite the negative press from conservative media, however, a recent Tufts Daily poll showed that the majority of students identify with the left. Moreover, though only a small number of students are extremely vocal, most consider Tufts a considerably political campus. Sixty-three percent of the 92 students polled said Tufts is "somewhat political" and 17 percent said "very political." In contrast, 13 percent found it "average" and five percent "not at all." About half (51 percent) of Tufts students considered themselves either liberal or left-of center, according to the poll. Sixteen percent called themselves moderate, while another 14 percent were not sure. Ten percent identified themselves as either conservative or right-of-center. Sophomore Dave Geisler said that the political atmosphere on campus was synonymous with what he expected out of a college experience. "We're a college campus. There are always going to be some people that complaining. There are always some [liberals and some conservatives]," Geisler said. Other students said that Tufts' political climate is typical for local colleges. "We're a northeast, liberal campus," sophomore Senator Shaunik Panse said. "That's no secret." Sophomore Pritesh Gandhi, who resigned from the Senate last month, said that while he thinks Tufts students take liberal stances on and are involved in national issues, many, including senators, are conservative and apathetic toward campus issues. "Whereas we're a liberal campus the student government is incredibly conservative. They are slow and stagnant," Gandhi said. Though lackluster in support of campus politics the poll revealed 18 percent of students said they always participate in Massachusetts's elections, and 45 percent in their home state's elections. Gandhi's assertions are in line with the poll- 17 percent said that they always vote in campus elections, while 58 percent always vote in national elections. "I think campus politics are a joke," Gandhi said. "Student government members here don't commit themselves to their causes. They should be more actively involved." Some students said they felt the ineffectiveness of student government comes from the lack of confidence from the students. "I don't think there's much support coming from the student body for student government," Panse said. When asked about issues that have sparked debate on the hill this year, Tufts students leaned to the left. Fifty-nine percent thought the University should guarantee a "living wage" to Tufts employees, and 50 percent think the provision should be "very important" in University budgetary decisions. Tufts raised the wages of University janitors last fall, contracted through the outside company OneSource. The movement to raise the wages, led by the worker's union and the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM), made itself visible on campus through demonstrations. Yet, only 12 percent of students thought that protests and demonstrations play a "very important" role on campus. The majority of students take the middle-ground- 38 percent thought they are "somewhat important" and 37 percent found them "not very important." Thirteen percent find demonstrations "unimportant." "I think these so called 'liberals' are a bunch of people with no real purpose in their lives," one junior respondent said. "[They] are just looking for something to complain about." Saying that there are more avenues to students available to solve problems than they may believe, Panse said that he didn't see the justification for some protests that have occurred this year. "A lot of students feel needlessly disenfranchised by the student government," Panse said. "They're quick to assume their voice isn't heard." When asked what limits should be placed on speech on campus, 46 percent said that speech should be completely free. Fifty-three percent said speech should be "kept within good taste" and only one response said speech should be "restricted." Yet, when asked when free speech goes too far, answers varied. Many students simply cited the Source, while others gave more specific answers. "When it is slanderous and spiteful," one freshman said. "The 'Fat Carl' incident was not necessary," the respondent said, in reference to a cartoon in the Source, which depicted former Pan-African Alliance President Carl Jackson as the cartoon character Fat Albert. "What the Source does is covered by the First Amendment," Dangremond said. "I didn't sign away my constitutional rights when I became a Tufts student." Tufts ranked second out of five schools in the Polly Award contest for the incidents surrounding the theft of The Primary Source issues and the conflict at the cannon between Source editor Sam Dangremond and noted liberals Adam Carlis, Lou Esparza and Liz Monnin.

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A Red Sox Medley

March 31

Sung by Red Sox nation, to the tune of The Music Man's "76 Trombones"84 long years since the Sox last won 84 long years for the fans It started with they sold Babe RuthWhich gave the Yanks some toothAnd since then, Boston fans have had no funThe Sox, on opening day this year, to the tune of Annie's "It's a Hard Knock Life"It's a hard ball game for us.It's a hard ball game for us.Steada homers, we get strikes.Our pitchers no one likes.It's a hard ball game for us.George Steinbrenner, to the tune of Damn Yankees' "Whatever Lola Wants"Whatever Georgie wantsGeorgie getsA championship, Georgie wants youSox Manager Grady Little, at the start of the seasonGeneral Manager, general manager, find me a starterGet me a pitcher, I'm willing to barterPedro's been hurt and I'm longing to beThe envy of the YankeesThe Yankees, on their way into Boston, to the tune of Oklahoma's "Surrey with a Fringe on Top"Bats and balls and fans better scurryWhen we come to Boston in a hurryWhen we come to Boston in a hurry to beat the SoxWatch the bats of Jeter and Giambi flutterWhen they step to the plate you will shudderSox pitching will melt just like butter and New York will rockBefore Friday night's game, a duet by Manny and Nomar, to the tune of Guys and Dolls ' "Luck be a Lady"Luck hit a homer tonightLuck hit it over the MonsterLuck hit a homer further than you've ever hit a homerLuck hit a homer tonightOn Saturday, before the Roger Clemens/Pedro Martinez match-up, Clemens to the Tune of West Side Story's "I Feel Pretty"I feel greedy Oh so greedy I feel speedy, and needy, and snide And I pity Those dumb Sox who thought I was washed upSox fans, to Nomar, to the tune of RENT's "Glory"One run, gloryOne run and then we winGlory, the lead is in our sightOne run, one run remains, glory from the pretty boy NomarWho always gets us in the gameDrive the runner home to take the lead Glory in a homerunOne run to redeem this losing streakFans, sportswriters, and the world after the Sox crush the Yankees this weekend, to the tune of The Sound of Music's "The Sound of Music"The hub is alive With the sound of the Sox winning (backup vocals) Go-Pedro-go With songs they have waited to singFor 84 yearsThe Sox swept the YanksOn Patriots' Day weekendAnd they'll sing in October once againSox fans to the tune of Les Miserables' "I Dreamed a Dream"I dreamed a dream in years gone byI dreamed the Sox would win the pennantI dreamed a dream the Yankees diedAnd the Sox then they could win itSo maybe I am not as adept as the writers of the musical "Damn Yankees."

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Blowing away the competition

March 31

American culture is obsessed with two things: sex and sports. Sure, we really like cheesy pop music, fast food, and exercising our unalienable right to drive at whatever speed we please no matter what the posted limit, but we don't spend nearly as much time analyzing the costumes of N'Sync's Justin Timberlake as we do analyzing the health of Pedro's arm. Though it would be crude to suggest that sex itself could be a competitive sport, the similarities between societies' two obsessions begs the question of whether other sexual activities could be considered sports. Many sports are dominated by elements of sexuality. Female outfits for many sports are designed to make athletes fit a certain feminine image or show off their particular attributes to attract men to watch the sport. Many sports, such as baseball and football, play a major role in creating and then propagating to children what society's ideal man is. In these sports, athletes are praised for characteristics associated with masculinity: strength, bravado, and fearlessness. And, if someone could please explain to me the sport involved in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, it would be much appreciated. The connections between sex and sports are not always so implicit. We are taught in about the third grade, depending on how inquisitive we are, to compare sex to a sport when we learn about how our older siblings and friends reached first base when they made out with a boy at the school dance. The "bases" metaphor has long been a staple of junior high note-passing, and many of baseball's attributes can be applied to sex. People strike out, there are switch-hitters, and if you're not doing well, a pinch hitter might be sent in to replace you. Sports are also related to sex in that practicing several times a week has been medically proven to improve one's emotional and physical state. Both are popular in American culture because participation in either is a form of pleasure and escape from everyday lives. One gets a tremendous rush of adrenaline from the competitive aspect of sports, and seeing a favorite team win a game in a dramatic fashion is a great thrill. Likewise, sex causes a rush of hormones and pheromones (and other fluids) that give a feeling of euphoria. Given that society's reasons for liking sex and sports are similar, could the two be combined in some non-intercourse way? According to dictionary.com, one definition of sport is a "physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively." Certainly there are rules and customs for giving and receiving a certain form of sexual activity scientifically known as felacio: no teeth, and a proper gentleman reciprocates. There are also certain customs of behavior between boys and girls wishing to engage in such activities and during the act, certain techniques and movements. There are balls involved, and sometimes, stiff competition. Like any sport, these acts must be performed with a certain degree of skill and finesse, or one will not get the prize. Though my suggestions are made tongue-in-cheek, society does like sex and sports for the same reason. They are outlets for fantasies, escapes from the harsh reality of every day life, and trigger hormones that signal feelings of pleasure and euphoria. In sports, the competitive aspect is explicit, as teams compete with each other to win. In sex, there is an implicit competitive aspect. Both men and women accuse each other of playing mind games to influence dating outcomes, and we work hard to demonstrate to members of the opposite (or same) sex that we embody whatever characteristics they are looking for better than anyone else. Sex is not and should not be a sport, but the two concepts are related in their role in American culture and reasons that we are obsessed with them. But in reality, the only thing missing is the organized competitive aspect. There are no leagues, playoffs, Olympics, or way of determining a champion among the masses - an essential element of a modern-day sport. But what if there were? Medals would be awarded to the pairs, and certain celebrities could be employed as judges. Contestants could compete for speed like speed skaters do, style like ice skaters, or endurance like long-distance runners. Any takers?

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From the pumps to...

March 31

You won't see him on Total Request Live, and only adult contemporary stations around here seem to play his music. Yet his upcoming Avalon concert has been sold out for weeks, and droves of college-aged fans are flocking to Providence to catch his show at Lupo's. John Mayer is not your everyday rock star. In fact, if you'd known Mayer during his ordinary Connecticut childhood, you'd have guessed that any chances of his becoming a rock star at all were virtually nonexistent. But somehow life has led him to creating Room for Squares, his major label debut, and a headlining tour of the East Coast's most prestigious venues. This same path led Mayer to the Holiday Inn in Farmville, Virginia - where he'd "just rolled in from Athens, Georgia....on the rock 'n roll time machine that is a bus." That's where the Daily caught up with him. Legend has it that Mayer was your run-of-the-mill Fairfield County high school freshman until an influential neighbor one day handed him a Stevie Ray Vaughan Tape he'd copied. "It was a blank tape that said 'Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble' on the front," Mayer explained. "I didn't know what it was. I just put it in, in the middle of the tape... What I heard was just like oh, my God." Mayer had just come across one of the most influential blues legends of all time, and set about discovering more about him. "Growing up in Fairfield County, Connecticut, you don't naturally end up hearing 'Tin Pan Alley' by Stevie Ray Vaughan - it was a high-speed intro into something else. I didn't know what kind of guitar playing that was." Perplexed and intrigued, Mayer began taking lessons at a local music store. Of course, he brought the tape his neighbor had given him along. "It was a credit to my guitar teacher at the time, to find what I needed and show me how to do it. This is soloing; this is lead guitar...how do I get there?" Previously, Mayer had been rooted only in the music of the day, early '90s glam-rock: "It was Tesla, Warrant, M?¶tley Cr??e, Guns 'n Roses...and then I heard Stevie Ray Vaughan, and then it went on to Pearl Jam. I kind of erected and tore down several times over a Pearl Jam tribute all over my room, and a Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute all over my room." Mayer immediately became absorbed in discussing his early industry voices, his youthful voice speeding faster and faster as he described hearing the artists that fueled his curiosity and creativity. "I got Jimi Hendrix, Axis: Bold as Love - holy shit! - and you can print 'shit', because -" Mayer paused, trying to find the words that match his emotion. "I held it in my hands and I was like, what is this orange Jimi Hendrix record with a guy in a turban on the cover and elephants? I put it in and it was just noise." He paused to catch his breath. "By the way, Axis: Bold as Love answers the question, 'What is the best Jimi Hendrix record of all time?'" After drinking up such powerful influences, Mayer began to appear in local blues clubs when he was 16. "Grown-ups would take me to open mic nights, and I'd sit in with the band," he reminisced. In high school, he formed his own band, which played at Fairfield High's annual Spring Jam. "It was this huge battle of the bands," he explained. "It was really on a grand scale for a high school. That was my prom - for a while, I kept telling people that. I didn't even go to my own prom." As one listen to Room For Squares will demonstrate, Mayer didn't exactly fit in during high school. "I prided myself on not being labeled at all; I was invisible. For the most part, people didn't really know me at all...and I really liked that. There was a time that I thought I was above it. I thought at the time that that was my emotional ammunition to get through high school. That I'm not really 'from here.'"Immediately, Mayer is struck by something: "Dammit...I just had the thought: What if the prom was right now?" While the fame would certainly help, achieving it didn't come easily. Unlike a lot of today's stars, Mayer actually had to pay his dues."I honed my guitar playing skills at my local Mobil for two years," he said, revealing a fact that is often omitted from the public spotlight. "There's something you take from every job - like turning pumping gas out in the cold into a morning drive-time DJ shift." Like a true artist, Mayer turned his unleaded-pumping routine into a daily performance as soon as he got to know his audience. "Each person or group of people would come in at the same time every day. It was just an amazing thing, to take something that in and of itself is pretty banal and turn it into a performance thing," he said. "I'd come up with jokes every day and use them on everyone that came in. I'd like to believe that because the place across the street had coffee that was a little bit cheaper, that maybe, just maybe, people started coming in just to see me." One could almost hear Mayer grinning through the phone line. After two years at the Mobil, Mayer decided to enroll in Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music. "It was kind of the petri dish," he said of Berklee. "All the playing I did was either in my room or someone else's room." He only stayed in Boston a year, and never played out, not even at an open mic night. However, Mayer fell in love with Boston itself "I'm gonna tell you the condensed version of Boston: T tokens, nutty Bars, ATM machines, Tower Records bags, the stink of the cafeteria on my clothing. Boston is my happy place. When I'm on stage in the middle of nowhere, Boston is my emotional kind of last resort. I always know that wherever I am...[I can ] sell all my stuff, move to Boston, and live in the rain. The external climate there matches my internal climate." Still, after two semesters at Berklee, Mayer knew that the academic approach to songwriting wasn't for him. Convinced by a longtime friend, he moved to Atlanta. "I was told that the music scene was great there, and in terms of supply and demand, there was a lot of supply and little demand." So Mayer packed up and moved south. In 1999, while living in Atlanta, he released Inside Wants Out, an acoustic solo debut. "It started out as a demo and ended up being a little more timeless than I thought it would be," Mayer explained. "Not that I think it's that timeless." Four of Room For Squares' fourteen songs were taken from this hard-to-find debut.The next year, Mayer performed at the prestigious South by Southwest music conference in Austin, and was shortly thereafter signed by Aware/Columbia. "I think Columbia is the best label to be with in terms of perks," Mayer noted. "I just got the Miles Davis/Coltrane box set from them, and I'm stuck on disc three."Since moving to Atlanta, things have come together incredibly quickly for Mayer. His major label debut was released last September, and he is currently on his second US tour in support of the album. Every show he will play this week is already sold out. It's not hard to imagine the youthful Mayer rolling up I-95 in his bus, listening to Davis and Coltrane and enjoying the fruits of his labor.

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Culture show fanTASAtic

March 31

If Tufts really wants to increase Jumbo spirit, the Athletic Department should recruit members of the Tufts Association of South Asians (TASA) to join the cheerleading squad. And that's not just because the dances displayed at this weekend's TASA culture show were athletic, energized, and polished. Rather, it was the excitement of the cross-cultural audience that imbued the performance with yelps, whistles, and cheers. Every performer must have invited a fan club of at least ten friends each, and though at times the audience's excitement took away from the show's professionalism, the performers deserved nearly every minute of praise. There's a reason why TASA's dynamic celebration of South Asian culture plays to a full house in Cohen each year. The members are known for successfully bringing together traditional song, dance, and costumes while adding modern nuances. On Friday night, they delivered with this year's show, appropriately subtitled "Ekta"- the Hindi word for unity. The title symbolized the show's connection to the past, a mingling of the traditions from various South Asian cultures, and the group's desire to share them with all members of the Tufts population. Even the TASA cast itself surpassed cultural boundaries. For the first time ever, the group opened up its traditional bhangra dance -an upbeat and vibrant dance that originated in the Indian state of Punjab- to dancers outside of the greater TASA community. Additional bhangra dances were presented throughout the evening, including a modern techno version performed by several of TASA's men. This number was especially exciting - the performers exuded athleticism and talent with complex lifts, leaps, and rhythms. Other selections were purely innovative representations of culture; some set to traditional music and others calling on modern favorites. "Tarangam" embodied the lyrical classical traits of the dance style Bharat Natyam, featuring an intricate sequence in which the four dancers walked delicately across the stage on plates. "Songs from the Desh" featured a three-person ethnic rock band, performing popular Hindi melodies on drums, guitar, and tabla - a traditional instrument. And "Push the Limits," the second act's opening segment, a beautifully presented fashion show displayed both traditional and modern Indian dress. The performers' wide array of colorful garb was a highlight of the entire show. Throughout the evening, the performers donned costumes that added refreshing touches of cultural flavor. The costumes complemented the rigorous movements in some of the acts, to the point that they began to take on a life of their own - especially in the dances that are traditionally characterized by a lack of facial expression. Creative skits separated the song and dance numbers, adding a humorous flavor to the show. References were made to some traits stereotypically associated with South Asian culture, such as owning convenience stores, and the pressures to get into Ivy-league schools and go pre-med. A mock-episode of Jerry Springer referred to the Indian custom of getting married at a young age, while a hysterical parody of Penn Masala - the South Asian a cappella group from the University of Pennsylvania- performed a Tufts-related version of a Backstreet Boys classic: "Show me the meaning of being Jumbos/We're not Penn, but we're not dumbos." But the acts -especially some of the interlude skits- were not perfect. Microphone problems plagued "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai," a love song duet from a popular Indian film, to the point that it was nearly impossible to hear one of the singers. And some of the skits' humor was difficult for audience members not of South Asian descent to understand. It was nevertheless amusing to watch audience reaction to such chides. Still, one of these skits featured a stand-up comedy act that best summed up the universal campus appeal of the TASA culture show. The performer asked for a round of applause first from all audience members of South Asian descent, and then a separate reaction from everyone else. He was shocked when both groups responded with equal enthusiasm, and had to adjust his routine on the spot by ad-libbing. "You just ruined the joke," he said. Then he repeated the question, this time requesting a greater reaction from the South Asians. He finally addressed the non-Asians in the audience with a sly smile. "So how does it feel to be a minority now?" he asked.

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Free drinks, huh?

March 31

"Right, so let me get this straight. We get free drinks from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.?" "That's right." "Uhh...so do we need to be on some kind of guest list?" "Well, there is a guest list, but anyone is welcome to come." "Wait, so do I need to be on a guest list to get free drinks?" "No, you can get free drinks too" "From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.?" "Yup." "Is there some kind of cover charge?" "Nope, just come on down" "So totally open bar from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m... for me? "Yup." "I'll be there in five minutes." This was a conversation I had with the employee handling the phones at Orleans, the new restaurant and bar in Davis Square. You may have noticed that I was somewhat persistent on finding out what exactly the deal was with the rumors that were going around campus about a bar in Davis Square giving out free drinks as a promotion for its grand opening. I would sooner have believed a rumor that Santa Claus was going to come down from the North Pole and personally pour me a Guinness in a frosty mug. However, when I called the establishment to check what I had heard, I was assured that I was not dreaming and that the rumors were in fact true. Immediately following the phone conversation, I got on the horn to my network of drinkers and partygoers to let them know of the good tidings. I then put aside the three assignments I had due the next day and put on my game face: an opportunity like this only comes when the planets align and God smiles down on me. This was the beginning of what would be a very disappointing night. My buddy Glen and I walked into the bar with smiles on our face and no money in our hands. The atmosphere was a little high brow for me, but nonetheless it was a very nice place with a comfortable ambience. Although there had been a direct confirmation of my ability to drink this place back to the recession with no charge, I was still skeptical and walked about with a sort of "freshman on campus for the first time" kind of look. I didn't wander around too long, for I thought it was go-time. I wandered up to the bar and asked the bartender, with a slight twinkle of self-doubt, "So it's an open bar from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., right?" "Uh, where did you hear that?" he said. I can describe my emotional reaction best by bringing you all back to that time when your girlfriend or boyfriend dumped you for the first time, and then punched you in the face and stole your wallet. That never happened to you? Well, just imagine then. "I was told that there would be an open bar from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.," I said with a tear in my eye. "Oh yeah... We heard that rumor was going around, so I guess we can get you your first round for free, but then you gotta pay your own way." Oh, no, he didn't. Oh, dear lord, no, they didn't. But they did. The powers that be at the Orleans Restaurant thought it would be a very clever idea to get foot traffic in their bar by throwing out some rumor that they were having an open bar for two hours. Then, when people found out that they weren't going to drink as much as they had thought, they would take their free beer (singular, the opposite of plural) and notice how nice the place was and how it would be a nice place to visit again. Unfortunately for them, as soon as I sat down to enjoy my free Guinness, in flocked about 50 other Tufts students with dreams and hopes in their eyes - ones as deep and true as mine once were. I saw each and every one of my classmates slapped down with disappointment (with the exception, of course, of some girls that could flirt their way to the tap, God bless 'em). The point is that each of my brethren had been told the exact thing that I had. We had all called and asked the employees if there were free drinks from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. We were all lied to. Now, I'm sure that this little plan will work for some of the feebleminded that don't care about being played like an Enron employee, but this drinker isn't about to have any of that. So all I can say is that the Orleans Restaurant has definitely seen the last of me. I cannot say anything for the rest of you, but in a community where Tufts students provide for an enormous amount of the revenue at bars and restaurants, you have to wonder what in hell they were thinking.Ricardo Martinez is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering.

The Setonian
News

Women take sixth at NESCAC championships

March 31

The women's swimming and diving team came in sixth place at the NESCAC championships this weekend at Williams College, finishing with a final score of 834.5. Thee members of the squad will now wait until later this week to determine if they qualify for the National championships in individual events. When competing with teams such as Williams, the fourth-best Div. III team in the nation, and Amherst, the 11th-best, coach Nancy Bigelow had to go into the NESCACs with realistic goals. While the Jumbos would not be able to swim competitively with certain teams, Bigelow knew they had a shot at beating closer NESCAC competitors Bates and Colby. Though the Jumbos did not compete against Colby in the regular season, the White Mules were expected to be an obstacle in attaining Bigelow's post-season goal of sixth place. Going into the competition, Colby appeared to be the most evenly matched team with Tufts, as both teams won and lost against the same teams over the course of the season. Tufts pulled ahead, however, at the championships dominating Colby throughout the course of the weekend, and defeating the Mules by 91.5 points. "We knew Colby would be tight," senior tri-captain Joan Vollero said. "But we ended up doing really well against them." Bates was a different story. Tufts lost to Bates at a time during the regular season when the team was plagued with injury and illness. Though the majority of the team had recovered coming into this weekend, the team still knew that defeating Bates would be a stretch. As the weekend played out, Tufts had Bates within its grasp. In the first swim of Friday's competition, the 200-yard freestyle relay, the Jumbo relay team of sophomores Mika Sumiyoshi and Amanda Bloom, and freshmen Katharine Ferguson and Susan Ascoli came in fifth place (1:41.82), well ahead of ninth-place Bates. The rest of the competition was an up-and-down battle between the two teams. The Jumbos heavily outscored Bates in races such as the 200 IM, as Sumiyoshi took third place with a time 2:10.14. Freshman Erica Weitz also took eighth place in 2:13.80, placing two swimmers ahead of the tenth and 11th place finishers from Bates. Sumiyoshi played a pivotal role in keeping the scores close throughout, also earning second-place points in the 400 IM, the highest finish of any Jumbo. Wietz was right behind her however, scoring third place points for the team. Both Wietz and Sumiyoshi qualified for Nationals with those times in the 400 IM. Sumiyoshi also has a shot with her time in the 200 IM. They find out later this week whether they get to make the trip to Nationals. Also waiting to find out about Nationals is sophomore diver Beth Wecksell. As Tufts sole diving representative in the meet, she contributed a vital 49 points to the team. She finished in fourth place in the one-meter and seventh place in the three-meter. Tufts was ahead of Bates at the end of Saturday's competition. "We were really close to beating Bates," freshman Kate Sweeney said. "We have never been that close before." Sweeney contributed a large number of points toward keeping up with Bates in the long distance swims. She took third in the 1,000 freestyle (10:55.06), defeating the fifth-place Bates freestyle swimmer. She also took sixth in the 1650 freestyle (18:13.47), whereas Bates' top swimmer came in 11th. "I was very happy with my races, particularly in the 1,000 freestyle," Sweeney said. "I was in eighth place after the preliminaries and I was just working to keep that spot. I didn't expect to get third place." Bates found its stronger events on Sunday, however, and was able to pull ahead of Tufts, eventually beating the Jumbos by 60 points. Tufts' depth of team shone throughout the competition, though. As Bates tended to outplace Tufts swimmers, the Jumbos had more swimmers qualifying for races after the prelims. This helped to keep the score between the two teams close. "We were so close to beating Bates," freshman Sarah Ferranti said. "We were in such great shape going into the meet, after the taper. The coaches were all really relaxed and everyone was up and cheering for everyone's race, even if they were the last person out there. It was a great meet for the team. I think trying to beat Bates will be a really good goal for next year." For the three senior tri-captains, Miranda Eagles, Sarah Hertzog, and Vollero, this meet was the culmination of their career at Tufts."It was a nice ending," Vollero said, "A lot more emotional than I expected."

The Setonian
News

Earthfest features bands, booths, and more

March 31

Monday is Earth Day, the day when everyone should go out and hug a tree. We celebrate a healthy earth by planting trees, picking up trash, and listening to lectures on the destructive properties of urban smog. Even the most devout baby-seal clubbers put down their weapons in favor of a pair of gardening gloves and a trowel. This year, Tufts has decided to put its very own Earthfest to celebrate the holiday. The premise behind Earthfest involves putting every Tufts musical group that Dina Dubson, the brains behind Earthfest, could find up on stage, where they'll jam from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. In addition to tons of live music, the Campus Center will be filled with booths from groups like the Green Party and games all day. "We're not trying to preach too much," Dubson said. "We just want people to enjoy their day. And maybe they'll turn their computers off before they go to bed that night." Dubson was quick to note that this is the first time that an Earth Day event of this magnitude has ever happened on campus in recent memory. She is dedicated to making an impression that will hold over to future years. "Earthfest is definitely something we hope to continue," Dubson said. And for those of you who worry that jam bands and crazy hippie music will rule the day, fear no more. Dubson went out of her way to make sure that the lineup was as diverse as possible when planning Earthfest. She also made sure that the up-and-coming bands at Tufts got a shot at the big time, and there are several new acts trying out their stuff for only the first or second time. Live music will commence at 11:30 am, with Tufts favorite Redshift-6, and will conclude at 9 p.m., when blues-rockers Tub O' Joy leave the stage. Also slated to perform are the Boston Funk Band and Doug Fell Down. Dubson noted that Tufts should keep its eyes and ears open for The Pedro Martinez Experiment, which is playing its second real gig ever - as well as second in the show's lineup. "They're an amusing act," said Dubson. "I wouldn't label them as any one type." Each group's set will last 45 minutes to an hour. Given the relative ease with which each group will be able to get their stuff up on stage, it should leave time for at least eight or nine acts, more than enough for a full day. Should you tire of the live music, there will be plenty of other activities to hold your interest - including actually going to class on the beautiful, music-filled spring day. "I don't know how it will turn out," Dubson said. "But it should be an awesome event." Because it's first-time event, her worries are justified, but if Earthfest gets the attention it deserves, there should be many more in years to come. Earthfest will be one of many activities featured over the next week. The events will kick off with the Mystic River Super Clean Up. (And as the voice of experience, that river needs it!) As an added incentive, anyone who goes will receive raffle tickets for the numerous prizes being given away throughout the day. And during the next few days, several earth-friendly films will be shown at various locations across campus.

The Setonian
News

Sanchez (LA'01) had alleged affair with 15-year-old student

March 31

Tufts Alumnae Jennifer Sanchez (LA'01) was charged last week with statutory rape for an incident involving a 15-year-old student at the school where she teaches. Sanchez was reportedly involved in a relationship with the student for nearly four months, even moving into the same building as the boy a month ago. Sanchez, 23, was in the middle of her first year as an eighth grade Social Studies teacher at Intermediate School 143 in Bronx, New York, this year. She graduated from Tufts as a History major, and was involved in the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS). Plainclothes policeman from the Bronx Special Victims Unit arrested Sanchez last Tuesday afternoon, where the New York Daily News described her as "visibly upset." If convicted of the third degree rape, a felony charge, she could face up to four years in prison. Third degree rape is charged when the accused is over 21 and the victim is under 17. Accounts differ on how the relationship between the teacher and the student was discovered. The New York Post reported that the student was threatened by Sanchez's boyfriend, and the student then reported the relationship to his mother who went to the police. The New York Daily News, however, said that the student told his mother after Sanchez ended the affair. A source close to the investigation told the Daily News that the teacher and student would meet in the student's apartment while his mother was out and his stepfather was away at work. "The kid indicated that when they did have a sexual encounter, it would be in his apartment, not hers, when his mother wasn't there," the source said. Students in her class were shocked by the news of the affair. "She's a real nice-looking lady," a seventh-grader told the Daily News. "But, damn! Sex with a student? That's deep!" The 15-year-old student involved said that the relationship was voluntary, and that Sanchez did nothing wrong. "If she loves me and I love her, it's okay, and I love her," he told the Post. "Nobody knew," he said. "It was nobody's business."Depending on the outcome of the court case against Sanchez, she will probably be reassigned to the Community School District 10 office.

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