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The Setonian
News

The advice no one wants

March 31

Having trouble filling out your bracket? Can't decide between Xavier and Hawaii, or Oklahoma State and Kent State? Well I've got the perfect advice for you: don't listen to me. I may know more about the teams in the tournament than your average scribe, but I am scarred by a history of bracket failure. It might be something about inner demons, poor luck, or an uncanny knack for not picking the right upset,. but I have never won an NCAA bracket. I pulled down over $1,500 playing fantasy football this year. I won another $50 betting on football games in Las Vegas over winter break. But you could give me a ten-point lead and a free 12-5 upset and I still couldn't win a five-dollar office pool. What good is a penchant for losing if you can't help others, right? So I figure I'll just lay my picks for this year's tournament out there, and if you need help filling out the bracket, go with the opposite of what I do. Let's start with the play-in game tonight between Sienna and Alcorn State. First of all, the concept is ridiculous because the poor guys from these schools that won their conference tournament don't actually get to be in the big dance. Instead, the players from Underachiever University (Missouri and Boston College are just a few) get an undeserved ride into the tournament because the selection committee is too afraid to say no. Anyway, this game is essentially a toss up, so whatever team I take, go with the other. I'm going to take Sienna because I don't like the name Alcorn State. As you follow me into the real bracket, keep in mind that I watched almost every game of basketball during conference tournament week. I know which teams are playing well, which are slumping, who is injured, and so on. Also keep in mind that all of this information helps me not at all when it comes to picking, so let's begin. Personally, I like Kansas winning the tournament, so if you're in Vegas, bet on the field against the Jayhawks. If you've never been to Vegas and don't understand the terminology, it just means you're betting on anyone in the tournament except for the team I like. It's like betting on the US versus Afghanistan. In the tricky eight versus nine game in that bracket, I like Western Kentucky upsetting Stanford. This means you should look for an upset elsewhere. Try St. John's over Wisconsin in the East. It may be unpopular, but I like Texas holding serve and defeating Boston College in the 6-11 game. In other words, this is a good upset to look for. Many people feel the West is the toughest bracket in the tournament. I'm going to make it the easiest. I like Arizona playing Cincinnati in the Elite Eight, with the Wildcats advancing to the semifinals. On your bracket, mark off Gonzaga taking down Arizona in the second round, with Oklahoma advancing to the Final Four. In the East region, I like Maryland. That means this is a good bracket to take an upset team in the Final Four. If you like Connecticut, the Huskies have a fine chance to advance. If you like Bobby Knight, this is a bracket weak enough for his Texas Tech team to pull a surprise run. The bottom line is Maryland won't make it to the Final Four. You want proof? In 1999, I picked the Terrapins to win the whole tournament. Oddly, they didn't even make it to the Final Four. Down south, Duke is going to run away with the region. Seriously. Don't take anyone except Duke. I know I've said not to take who I like, but Duke should win this region without a problem. Alabama in the two-spot is weak, Pitt can't score enough to stay with the Blue Devils, and USC will hardly pose a challenge. As far as first-round upsets go, I have a couple up my sleeve, which I'll divulge of so you don't look foolish in front of your peers. Whatever you do, don't go with Missouri over Miami (FL), Penn over Cal, Central Connecticut State over Pitt, or Valparaiso over Kentucky. Those are sure-fire busts, but that's who I'm filling in. So in the end, I have Maryland playing Kansas on one side, with Duke playing Arizona on the other. Which means you should have anyone from the East but Maryland playing anyone from the Midwest but Kansas, with anyone from the West but Arizona playing Duke. Seriously, pick Duke.

The Setonian
News

Phenom & Giddy's Urban Vibez

March 31

PHENOMenal Singles to get GIDDY AboutRaphael Saadiq feat. D'Angelo - "U Should Be Here" Rapheael Saadiq - known for his stints in Tony Toni Tone and Lucy Pearl - is "S-A-double- D-I-Q," and proves again he "wanna get involved with you." This head-bobbin' mid-tempo experience will appear on Raphael's heavily anticipated Instant Vintage, due May 28. It's also great to hear the beautifully blended vocals of an incognito D'Angelo on this hit.Ms. Jade - "Feel The Girl" "Ladies and Gentlemen," Warning - the moment this club-banger hits the airwaves, you won't be able to escape its infectious sound. This is a prime example of a song you can instantaneously fall in love with during the first listening. Timbaland kills the beat while Jade's smooth Eve-like lyrics make Beat Club Records a force to be reckoned with.(Shaheed Da) Poster Boy - "Lets Go" "Don't care ya ghetto or sophisticated, from the East to the West I'm anticipated," states Poster Boy over the Jurassic Park theme song sample (yes, it's hot - please believe it!). "I don't know how the public will feel, I ain't even signed yet... First n-gga to rip Tha Bassment (BET) without a deal." Bottom line, he's hilarious, ghetto, confident, and has a uniquely hot flow - a must-have. Stay tuned for more info on Poster Boy.P. Diddy feat. Usher - "I Need a Girl"*Giddy's Gem* I swear this song is about J. Lo. A remix to "I Need A Girl" from P. Diddy's The Saga Continues album (released in July), this song is on the upcoming P. Diddy and the Family Present: This Is the Remix album. Hot song, although I would have loved to have heard Usher doing more than background vocals. Puffy, keep ya' head up.Ol' Dirty Bastard feat. ICP - "Dirty and Stinkin'" He's dirty and stinkin'. Of course we all know that when we look at Ol' Dirty Bastard. But that's not what matters - it's the music we care about. This single is what you expect from Ol' Dirty Dog: a song that's a little off the wall but keeps you tuned in. Look for his upcoming album entitled, The Trials & Tribulations Of Russell Jones in March. I'm Getting' Giddy about this Gal: Tweet Tweet, Gold Mind Records' newest addition, was discovered by Missy and Timbaland. Tweet brings a funk/hip-hop/soul sound to the table. Her upcoming album, Southern Hummingbird, has an eclectic feel and diverse content, while also introducing a soft, yet soulful voice to the music world. With her current single, "Oops (Oh My)," Tweet comes to terms with her newfound womanhood. This single, with the typically hypnotic Timbaland beat, showcases her hip-hop influence. On other tracks, like "Cigarettes," Tweet reminisces over a lost love that leaves her "nervous and trembling, smoking cigarettes at night." In a collaboration with neo-soul artist Bilal entitled "Best Friend," Tweet copes with being in love with her best friend and not wanting to pursue a relationship at the risk of ruining their friendship. Much of her music deals with the complicated issues of love that many of us go through at some point, which makes her music especially appealing. With backing from the likes of Timbaland and Missy, we can surely expect great things from this artist. Look for Tweet's album, Southern Hummingbird in stores this March.

The Setonian
News

Nutrition matters

March 31

Q: What does Propel Fitness Water do for me that regular water can't do?A: Propel Fitness Water is a new product by the makers of Gatorade. It is basically filtered, flavored water that has been fortified with a few vitamins. It is made to appeal to people who normally drink bottled water instead of a sports drink. The light flavor, say the Propel ads, might encourage people to drink more fluids so they'll stay better hydrated during warm weather or while exercising. If you don't like the taste of plain water, then this beverage might appeal to you. There are only ten calories in an eight-ounce bottle, so you can drink it often without tallying up too many calories. It is non-carbonated and does not contain caffeine. On the downside, though, it is just basically water that will cost you about a dollar for a 16-oz bottle. If you eat a fairly normal diet, you don't need the extra vitamins that they've added to this product. Q: I'm interested in "energy drinks." Which ones are best?A: Nobody markets their products better than the people who sell caffeine-containing energy drinks. ("Tired to wired in seconds flat," promise the makers of XTZ tea.) The key ingredient in most of these products is caffeine (about the amount you'd get in eight ounces of coffee), but some add extra ingredients like B vitamin, herbs, and amino acids. Here's a rundown on three of them. All five flavors of Jolt are basically caffeinated soda, with about twice the amount of caffeine than you'd get from a can of Mountain Dew. If you don't drink coffee but want the caffeine, this product might work for you. XZT tea combines an odd assortment of caffeine-like herbal stimulants - Ma Huang, guarana, kola nut - with kava, which is a sedative. It's not clear what the total mix does for you, but the drink is sold as a "synergistic blend of ancient mystical herbs" that promises to give you a hyper-caffeinated energy boost. For an athletic edge, though, some people have found Red Bull, a sweet-tasting mix of carbohydrate, B vitamins, caffeine, and taurine, an amino acid. The makers of Red Bull say that your body may need more taurine during periods of extreme physical exertion, but this claim appears to be a little ahead of the science at this point. According to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, there is no concrete proof that supplemental doses of taurine enhance athletic performance. The same goes for the B vitamins. Your body uses B vitamins in energy production, but most people get all they need from foods. Bottom line - if you like the taste and think you need the temporary caffeine boost, give one a try. But keep in mind that improved athletic performance is probably going to require more than just an energy drink.Q: What are energy gels and will they really give me extra energy?A: PowerGel, Cliff Shot, GU, and others were introduced to athletes and other fitness enthusiasts several years ago. The contents of these little foil packages are essentially the same thing, about 100 to120 calories of carbohydrate. Some contain caffeine, amino acids, herbal "blends," or antioxidants. Do those products provide an energy boost for the user? Yes, in some situations. After running or cycling for 1 1/2 hours, some additional easily absorbed carbohydrates may keep you from "hitting the wall" or "bonking" (marathoner's and cyclist's terms for completely running out of fuel). Note, though, that the amount of added vitamins or other "special" ingredients is so low that unless you were to make a meal of these products they won't offer any benefit. Besides, it is not proven that certain herbs or antioxidants enhance athletic performance in any way. And while these packets of calories are easy to transport, open, and consume in the midst of activity, other portable, high-carb snacks like fig bars or raisins are less expensive and will work just as well. If the concept of vigorous exercise for more than 90 minutes does not faze you, energy gels may be a useful training tool. But, exercising for less than 90 minutes does not come close to depleting your body of it's own stored energy, so a packet of 100 calories it just that - an additional 100 calories. For many people, that is counter to the reason they are at the gym in the first place.

The Setonian
News

The plight of Afghan refugees

March 31

There are currently around three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan alone, a commonly cited fact, which we are all only too aware of by now. But, it is hard to really digest this fact. The number alone is the first problem. THREE MILLION. Take the Tufts undergraduate population and multiply it by 600! So, so, so many people! More than live in Boston. Hard to imagine. Easy to forget that we are talking about individuals. A lot of individuals... The other aspect that makes three million refugees hard to understand is this term refugee. We all know what it means - a displaced person, forced to live in another country. But how often do we picture what it really entails? I know I never really did. And I am ashamed of it now. We saw so much on TV about the victims of the World Trade Center. The building collapsed over and over again, we saw bodies falling out the windows, heard stories of people who were in one of the two towers at the time, struggling to get out - brought into the hearts and memories of every single American. Really, really terrible things. But how much did we hear about the plight of Afghan refugees? Section B of the New York Times sometimes showed one or two pictures. CNN and other TV stations were rather quiet. Yet, I believe that particularly for Americans, it is extremely important to understand what American bombs did to so many people. I am not saying that three million Afghans were uprooted due to American bombings, but maybe one million were. Again, such a HUGE number! The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are at least 200,000 new refugees in Pakistan alone, maybe as much as 500,000 - nobody knows. Not to mention the tens of thousands who are waiting close to the border and are not allowed into Pakistan as well as the tens of thousands who are displaced in other parts of Afghanistan. And the horrors these people had to go through... Sometimes I wonder how we could possibly understand. Living in this wonderfully cozy environment here! Little children waking up at night because 200 pound bombs are falling onto their village. (And please don't tell me these things about American bombs only hitting al Qaeda and Taliban networks. Far more American soldiers have died in their own accidents than in enemy fire. During the very first weeks, a CNN, a UN, and a Red Cross building were destroyed). Imagine your house getting hit, members of your family dying - the noise of planes and bombs and sleepless nights with bombs dropping all around you. Praying you will survive. Crying children, weeping adults, traumatized for months and years to come.Or bombs destroying livelihoods. People simply had nothing to eat any more. (Hard to imagine here at Tufts - I could start crying when I see how much food is left on the trays and wasted after every meal). Some people in Afghanistan were eating grass - others really had nothing.Finally, the situation becomes too bad to bear, and people have to start leaving - little children, pregnant women and the elderly. What must it be like to leave EVERYTHING you have, everything you worked for behind, not knowing whether you will ever see it again? People had to walk for days - carrying their children, and, if lucky, a couple of blankets.They had to cross minefields, sneak through the borders like criminals, try and find a place where they can survive. When they arrive, they are exhausted. Long marches, in often terrible weather conditions take their toll. They arrive hungry, tired. Their feet are cut and they have nothing. And how do you deal with the psychological burden? This insecurity of the future? Somehow they manage.Or they don't. Huge, sad graveyards greet every visitor to refugee villages. Piles of dirty rocks covering dead bodies. Those who survived this first part of the journey will often have to move again and again. They get relocated to different camps, or decide to return to their home - and have to flee again. And people only barely get by. The lucky ones get jobs none of us would ever want. Many, many children are forced to work as well to support their families. School is an unaffordable luxury. The first months or years are the worst. In the places where people settle first, there is often not enough access to safe water. There are not enough latrines. People live in tents. The situation is particularly harmful for women. Their traditional space is in the house. Can you imagine how hot it gets inside the tents during summer? Women develop skin diseases due to sweating. And yet, they survive. And I admire them for it. Since September, there are at least 200,000 new refugees in Pakistan. Maybe the number is even closer to one million. Nobody knows. What happened in New York and Washington, DC is horrible. But what is happening in Afghanistan is horrible, too.More than 3,000 people have directly been killed by American bombs. Many more have been killed indirectly due to a lack of food or because they died when they had to flee their homes. Hundreds of thousands have had to go through the experience just described. I believe (and I know that opinions differ on this) that "the hunt for terrorists" certainly does NOT justify the suffering of so many innocent victims. "Their" government (which according to the US never was, a government representing the people of Afghanistan) might be (somewhat indirectly) responsible for the deaths of 3,000 Americans. But that does not justify our government's actions; to kill or injure over one million people on the grounds of fighting "terrorism."But then, luckily, in this case, there is another approach one could take to "Taliban Under Attack." In many ways, the Taliban certainly was not a good regime, and they refused to change. So, in the most positive light one could examine the American attack, one could argue that they are taking out a bad regime and replacing it with a better one, hence helping the Afghan people in the long run. In this case, the inflicted suffering to at least one million people MIGHT (I am not sure myself) be justified. Yet, if looked upon in this light, the most difficult task of the American operation in Afghanistan still lies ahead of us. And it is a hard task. According to some newspaper articles, conditions in some parts of Afghanistan, notably around Jalalabad, have returned to pre-Taliban conditions. Local warlords are fighting each other, making life for everybody extremely insecure. The US and other countries must now ensure that the situation will improve, and that a stable, just government can rule the country in peace. Many Afghans are extremely hopeful right now. For the first time in a long time, they see a real possibility of peace. Maybe one day then, the refugees can return home and finally settle down again.Jana Frey is a she should call back with this info] majoring in sociology.

The Setonian
News

Sleep - are you getting enough?

March 31

If you often feel sleepy and have trouble concentrating during the day, you might be one of thousands of university students who are depriving their bodies of something as essential to their well-being as food and water. Because students' priorities often lie with grades and social lives instead of their physical and mental health, the basic need of sleep is put on the back burner. Fatigue and sleep deprivation in college students has become an unhealthy norm. "Sleep is definitely on the priority list, but it always comes after schoolwork," freshman Arielle Jacobs said. "Sometimes I stay up just to sit around with people, but if I'm exhausted enough, sleep will come before friends - at least on a school night. Julie Basset, a junior from Paris spending her year abroad at Tufts, says that dorm-style living encourages socialization, something that living at home and commuting to the University does not. "Because I am up talking with people I am spending my time in a different way - talking instead of reading a book or watching TV," Basset said. "People are easier to reach here, but I try not to let it limit the amount of sleep I get." Experts with the National Sleep Foundation say that feeling drowsy during the day, even during boring activities, is an indicator that you haven't had enough sleep. If you routinely fall asleep within five minutes of lying down, you probably have severe sleep deprivation, possibly even a sleep disorder. The amount of sleep each person needs varies with age. As we get older, our bodies require less sleep; infants need to sleep about 16 hours a day, while teenagers need nine hours on average. For most adults, seven to eight hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep, although individuals may need as few as five hours or as many as ten hours of sleep each day. Even as people grow older they still need about the same amount of sleep as they did in early adulthood. The amount of sleep you need increases if you have been deprived of sleep in previous days. Too little sleep creates a "sleep debt," and eventually the body will need that debt to be repaid. No matter how acclimated you are to a specific schedule, you cannot force your body to adapt to sleep loss. Even when students get used to a sleep-depriving schedule, their judgment, reaction time, and other functions will still be impaired. "Students should get organized by the time they're in college," supervisor of the sleeping disorders unit at Iowa Lutheran Hospital Dale Steffans said. "They should know what you have to do to cheat on a 24-hour day." "Most college students don't get the amount of sleep they need because they have 'social insomnia.' They party or put off studying, get four or five hours of sleep, and build up a sleep debt which eventually has to be repaid," Steffans continued. "Sleeping in late on the weekends doesn't make up for the intermediate stages of rest they needed throughout the week." Six to eight hours of sleep per night gets freshman Brian Costello through the week. "If I'm not getting enough sleep it's because I'm hanging out with friends, not because I'm doing work and staying up all night," Costello said. "If I get behind I can usually catch up on the weekends." Other students make up for the lack of sleep with naps. "Without naps I wouldn't make it through the day," freshman Rhonda Barkan said. "Sometimes I take two a day." But not only is there no guarantee that students will be able to "catch up" on sleep, but such disruptions in the cycle are unhealthy because they lower the quality of the sleep. The type of sleep you receive matters as much as the amount. College students whose Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep (the deepest sleep cycle) is disrupted don't follow the normal sleep cycle progression when they fall back asleep, and instead they slip directly into REM sleep and go through extended periods of REM until they "catch up" on this stage of sleep. Since sleep and wakefulness are influenced by different neurotransmitter signals in the brain, foods and medicines that change the balance of these signals affect the quality of your sleep. Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and drugs such as diet pills and decongestants stimulate some parts of the brain and can cause insomnia, or the inability to sleep. In fact, drinking caffeine three to six hours before going to sleep can double time it takes to fall asleep and quadruple the number of times a person wakes up during night. But since caffeine keeps students up when they are doing work late at night, many drink a cup of coffee to help them make it through papers and stay up late to study. "I use coffee to stay awake at night, especially when I have a paper due the next day or big test to study for," sophomore Jennifer Clark said. "I know it isn't a very healthy habit but I've found that I get headaches when I don't have caffeine, so a cup of coffee seems to be the way to go."

The Setonian
News

Hockey drops two more games

March 31

The hockey team lost its fifth and sixth straight games this weekend, falling to 4-14 overall and 3-12 in the NESCAC/ECAC East. With the loss, Tufts equaled its longest losing streak in a decade for the second time this season. Afterwards, team members said they needed to avoid the negativity that stems from losing. "Our biggest problem is the we're all getting frustrated, not just the younger guys, but the older guys, too," junior co-captain Chris Martin said. "We're not really going to approach these next games any differently, we're just going to try and stay positive. At this point, that's all we can do." On Saturday night, the Jumbos squandered a 4-3 third period advantage against the UMass-Boston Beacons en route to a 7-4 loss at home. Down 3-1 at 11:24 of the second, Tufts mounted an impressive comeback, only to buckle in the final period as UMass-Boston erupted for four unanswered goals to steal back the win.Just two minutes into the third, Tufts seemed to be in the driver's seat, as junior forward and co-captain Mike Carceo gave his team its first lead of the contest. Carceo broke a 3-3 tie when he poke checked the puck away from a Beacon defensemen's stick and into the net for his 11th goal of the season.The Beacons would answer only four minutes later, though, capitalizing on a power play opportunity with a goal by freshman Julian Giantonio at 6:21. Sophomore Mike Mantenuto, who would finish with three straight goals in the period and four for the game, then followed with two scores, one at 7:48 and another power play tally at 13:08.Tufts freshman forward Shawn Sullivan appeared to keep the Jumbos alive with a goal that would have made the score 6-5. But the score was called back shortly thereafter, due what the referees to rule to be a dislodged net before the play. Mantenuto capped off the game's scoring with his fourth goal at 15:58."It was real tight game, we were down, we were even, then we were even up one," Martin said. "Then we got that goal called back and it really killed our high. Apparently the net was off before the goal went in."The Jumbos were on a high after Carceo's goal, which gave them the 4-3 lead as well as their third goal in a six minute span from the end of the second period to the beginning of the third. Matt Kniaz got things going with a goal at 15:14 on an assist from Bryan Conti, and Sullivan scored on a powerplay at 16:53 from Martin and Carceo.In the end, UMass-Boston proved to be strong, with two powerplay tallies in the final nine minutes. For the game, the Beacons converted 50 percent of its power plays (4-8), as it improved its record to 3-15-2 overall and 2-12-1 in the ECAC East.Tufts' Ben Crapser was credited with 25 saves on the night, while his counterpart, Beacon goaltender Dan McGonigle, made 32.The night before, it was Babson playing spoiler, as the visiting Beavers used two third period goals to secure a 3-1 victory in Malden. The two teams went back and forth for the first two periods and the beginning of the third, before the Beavers took control, outshooting Tufts 17-8 in the final frame.Both teams were held scoreless in the opening period and then traded goals in the second before Babson caught a break just over three minutes into the third. The Beaver's Eric Tkacz scored what proved to be the game winner when he beat Crapser for an unassisted tally at 3:18 of the third to make it 2-1. With over 16 minutes remaining and Tufts remaining aggressive, it seemed the game was anything but over - but a costly mistake buried the Jumbos at the seven-minute mark. With Babson on the powerplay, Tufts was unable to clear the zone, leaving a loose puck in the crease. Brett Adamczyck promptly slipped the puck between Crapser's glove-side skate and the post for an insurance goal to make it 3-1 at 7:48. "They got a lucky bounce off my skate," Martin said. "It was awful. We're just not getting the bounces we need."Overall, the Beavers outshot the Jumbos 34-23, as they matched the hosts' high intensity level over the final twelve minutes of the contest to preserve the win. The visitors opened the scoring at 5:50 of the second when Rob Harvey poked home a wrist shot. Ten minutes later the Jumbos would answer, as sophomore Matt Spang followed a Carceo shot at 15:47 to tie the score at one and set the stage for the pivotal third period. Freshman forward John Hurd was also credited with an assist on the play. But once again, their comeback bid would fall short.Despite the Jumbos' hard luck, Martin remains positive about his team's prospects for the future. "The most important thing is that we're all getting the experience and quickness to move on next year," he said.

The Setonian
News

Formulaic novel falls short of potential

March 31

Certain authors have a knack for taking potentially interesting topics and creating from them remarkably uninteresting novels. Tackling issues that include the difficulties of immigrant life, racial conflict, aging, and marital infidelity, Rita Ciresi's Sometimes I Dream in Italian is surprisingly nondescript. Despite the potential to be awe-inspiring, it falls disappointingly short of impressive. Divided in two parts, 'Ragazza' and 'Donna,' Sometimes I Dream in Italian is the story of Italian sisters Lina and Angel Lupo who grow up in the strict household of their immigrant parents in New Haven. Angel wishes she could be more like her older sister - glamorous, beautiful, strong-willed, and defiant. When Lina stands up to her mother's old-fashioned demands and expectations, Angel merely averts her eyes. As the more vulnerable of the two, Angel often suffers punishment for the both of them. Nonetheless, they form a unique alliance against Mama and Babbo, conjuring up fantasies to make their lives seem anything but ordinary or Italian. They make a concerted effort to not learn the language of their ancestors because they are, as Lina points out, Americans. Angel's jealousy continues as an adult as she lusts after Lina's husband, children, extravagant home and clothes. She is dissatisfied in her own life- unmarried and pushing 30, her biggest accomplishment is her job writing Catholic greeting cards. In an effort to put an end to the drudgery of her life- or at least make it easier to bear- she answers a personal ad and meets Dirk Diederhoff, a teacher at Vassar. He's a far cry from Italian and certainly not the source of thrills Angel had hoped he would be. Nor is this novel, for that matter. While some moments are moderately humorous and others mildly touching, not one of them is especially compelling or poignant. When Ciresi is confronted with complex issues in the novel, she appears to brush them off and deal with them so simplistically that the reader is left unsatisfied. Character development is weak, such that the Lupo family -with the exception of the outspoken and opinionated Mama- seems superficial and unbelievable in its expressions of any kind of emotion. Events like Mama's death and Lina's suicide attempt don't make as much of an impact as they should as a result of Ciresi's simplistic approach to description to such complex and heart-wrenching events in the novel. Especially disappointing is the underdeveloped conflict between the immigrant generation and its American-born children. The tension between the sisters and their parents is apparent, but Ciresi deals with it the same way in which she deals with every other potential conflict in the novel- she doesn't. She makes an effort to ensure that the reader is aware of it and then leaves him hanging. Her development of conflict is as flawed as her character development, leaving many unanswered questions for the unsatisfied reader. To Ciresi's credit, she does an impressive job of interspersing common Italian euphemisms throughout the novel, adding an interesting and pleasant cultural flavor to the novel. This is a surprisingly creative move given the apparent lack of enthusiasm and insight that pervades the rest of the novel. But don't hold your breath; this is about as creative as Sometimes I Dream in Italian gets. Whether Ciresi is writing about coming of age or death, the language is trite, forced and awkward. Despite its shortcomings, Sometimes I Dream in Italian is fairly innocuous as poorly written novels go these days. The conclusion is exactly what you might expect from a novel that feels as though it's following some kind of formula. By the time the reader turns the last page, there's not much for him to do but shrug his shoulders. A far cry from stellar, it's still a tolerable read if you're looking for something lacking in complexity or depth.

The Setonian
News

The case for better controlled arms

March 31

The Bush administration seems to think the definition of arms control is being able to hit your target with more weapons that are better controlled than ever before. The US is spending ridiculously too much on the military, and nobody seems to want to do anything about it. We are rapidly being pushed into the same mounting deficits and military expenditures as in the Reagan era, though this time the Pentagon is getting even more. Does anybody care? For a minute, let's not consider whether that money is spent wisely, but only the pure numbers. Mr. Bush asked for $396.1 billion for the military, when you count the money going to our nuclear programs through the Department of Energy as well as the Pentagon. This is an increase of 13 percent from last year and 15 percent higher than our average cold war spending. It is six times larger than our closest competitor, Russia, and when considered together with our allies is more than the rest of the world combined. Of the US's discretionary budget - the money that Congress is free to play with - the military currently takes around $60 billion more than every other category combined. Education gets $45 billion, healthcare gets $41 billion, housing assistance gets $30 billion and international affairs gets $24 billion. The amount requested by Mr. Bush for the military would eat up 51.6 percent of these discretionary funds. Such a large increase in military spending will continue to push us further into the red. Furthermore, of this year's budget request, $20.3 billion is going to classified programs over which the public has no control. That money could be paying the mafia to assassinate Fidel Castro or to research the effects of LSD - we have no idea (both programs were actually funded during the cold war). Now, if we consider exactly where the money is being spent, the picture gets worse. The missile defense budget increased 57 percent last year and is likely to increase another 25 percent this year, without any corresponding increase in threat. If anything, this money should be used only for research and development, since the technology is clearly imperfect. Yet there is tremendous pressure to push ahead with construction, even though a national missile defense system has never shot anything down that was not meant to be shot down. Proportionally, more money should be spent in theater missile defense systems, as these more effectively meet current threats - such as those to troops deployed in Korea and Saudi Arabia, for example. Most of the spending increases in research and development go to traditional weapons programs, such as conventional fighters, rather than in unmanned aerial vehicles, which will have a greater role in the future. Our current research and development program is five percent above the previous high in 1987, when the Soviet Union was pouring huge resources into weapons production. That does not make sense. It is said that military strategists are always planning to fight the last war. Without any conventional military competitor, there is little need to develop completely new fighter systems; the existing ones work fine. If anything, the money should be going to the development of new programs such as better reconnaissance systems. Building a quieter submarine is pointless if none of our potential enemies can hear the ones we already have. The current military budget that is 15 percent higher than the cold war average is supporting a force structure one-third the size. The US keeps far too many nuclear warheads and ballistic missile submarines, both of which are extremely expensive to maintain. As it is, Moscow cannot afford to maintain its existing nukes, so there is no reason we should not continue to cut down on ours. Why is military spending so hard to control? President Eisenhower back in the '50s warned of the military-industrial complex: the close ties between defense contractors and the Pentagon. More recently, this relationship has been described as the "Iron Triangle" between congressional appropriation committees, industry lobbyists and the Pentagon. The Pentagon wants its new weapon system, the industry lobbyists want the contract, and the congressional committees want to bring home the production to their districts. Of all pork barrel spending, military appropriations have been some of the hardest to control. The biggest surprise in all this is how little the public seems to care. Congressmen argue endlessly about the National Endowment for the Arts, which uses around $100 million when they gleefully approve the construction of another B-2 bomber, costing $2.1 billion a pop. The UN estimates that $9.2 billion each year is needed to adequately fight AIDS. The US spent a mere $500 million last year on AIDS while purchasing 397 Trident II missiles (weapons of the cold war)for $17.9 billion. Why does Congress not find it cost-effective to develop cleaner fuels while at the same time approving the development of a giant laser (no, this is not Austin Powers) to be carried aboard 747's to shoot down ballistic missiles? Our priorities have really gotten mixed up. It is extremely important to have a powerful military, and to a certain extent, there is always an arms race. But do we really need to finish that race several light-years ahead of our nearest competitor? Rather than spend more, we need to spend smarter. The US must be a leader, not just militarily, but in support for fighting AIDS and other diseases; in developing cleaner technologies; in providing loans to deserving development causes; in investing in education. For some reason, the Pentagon budget always seems to escape the same scrutiny other federal agencies face. This must change. Until it does, taxpayer money will continue to be spent with reckless frivolity on the Pentagon's pet projects.

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Church scandals spark debate about marriage for priests

March 31

Despite accusations of inappropriate activity by more than 130 people, Father Geoghan was never ejected from the priesthood. Instead, he was shuffled from diocese to diocese, always one step ahead of the next allegation. Under the glare of the national media, this and other scandals involving priests have caused many Catholics at Tufts and around the nation to pose previously unasked questions. Most importantly among them: should priests be allowed to marry? "Obviously this is very, very shocking," Vice President of the Catholic Community at Tufts (CCT) junior Maria Robertson said. "Just the fact that this is happening in Boston, [in] a predominantly Catholic [city], is amazing." Grappling with these disturbing occurrences, some Catholics have begun to question the doctrine of celibacy. According to Tufts' Catholic chaplain, Father David O'Leary, the question of marriage for priests is deeply complex. O'Leary explained that while some people think that allowing marriage would alleviate the problem, there are married people who engage in acts of pedophilia. Eliminating the law of celibacy wouldn't necessarily prevent pedophiles from entering the priesthood. Still, O'Leary says he would support allowing priests to marry. "I would welcome marriage," he said. "It is, after all, a man-made law that could change. I'm not holding my breath, though." Students remain undecided as to whether the doctrine of celibacy for priests needs to be reevaluated. "I think that priests should be able to marry," freshman Devin Clarke said. "I don't think its such a big deal that [marriage] should be outlawed." But there are those who believe marriage is not the cure, especially when the celibacy of priests has always been an important tenet of the religion. "It's easy for an outsider to simply say that priests should be able to marry," sophomore Jess Grasso said. "Yet for Catholics, this contradicts everything the Church has stood for and preached for hundreds of years." Grasso believes that changing traditional doctrine in this manner might not lead to any positive results. "I'd like to think that if they were allowed to marry that these incidents would stop," Grasso said. "However, I just don't know if that's realistic." Other Catholic students think the problem needs an immediate solution, and waiting for the granting of marriage rights or other actions by the Roman Church will not ameliorate the current situation. "The Church cannot shy away from the law as it has in the past and I think if we wait for Rome to change we will be waiting for much longer than the situation deserves," freshman Lauren Ungerleider said. "Some sort of resolution should be found and carried out, even if the actions are only temporary, until Rome decides what to do about the situation."O'Leary expressed regret in response to the Pope's acknowledgment of recent scandals within various Catholic dioceses."It's a sad reality when any priest goes against the oath that he's promised," he said. O'Leary fears that a backlash against Catholicism may result from the allegations. "There's always been an anti-Catholic sentiment; this is just bringing it up more," he said, adding that he is critical of the Cardinal Law's treatment of many priests. "These priests are [considered] guilty until proven innocent." And according to O'Leary, few prosecutors want to prosecute priests, further complicating their fate. "Priests' careers are over [because of] a case that is never going to be brought to court," he said, adding that he forgives the occasional mismanagement of allegations within the Church. "Most bishops are not trained to respond to this properly, so everyone's learning as they go," he said. "Cardinal Law's main concern is the children." O'Leary is hopeful that the scandals will not have an adverse affect on the Catholic community on campus. In the past few weeks, attendance numbers have been on the upswing, with an average of 300 people attending 10 p.m. mass, and many students frequenting the Catholic Center. "My faith is not shaken," Robertson said. "From what I've seen we're still strong. A lot of people come to mass, a testament to our faith."

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A new foreign policy

March 31

The United States occupies a unique position in world history today, one that contains the elements of both awesome power and morality. The seeds of such a foreign policy have existed for twenty years, from the time when Ronald Reagan first uttered the words "evil empire," and they began to grow during the last decade, from the time of the Gulf War through Kosovo. Now, entering the beginning of the new century, America has a chance to craft a foreign policy based upon the dual principles of power and morality. In the past, foreign policy has only contained one of these two elements, never successfully managing to combine both in a single vision. Since the treaty of Westphalia and the formation of the nation state, power has ruled the day. During the 19th century and up until World War I, the European powers played a great game, attempting to balance each other so that no one country could become dominant. This "game" was nearly universally approved by the great powers during that time, and was credited with bringing stability to the European theater. The second half of the twentieth century saw the United States engaged in a struggle over ideology, backed by power. The Soviet Union was attempting to spread communism to every corner of the earth, usually through forcible means, and the United States attempted to stop Soviet advances and spread democracy instead. This conflict, while ideological in nature, was based off a premise of power - that the United States could not afford to let communism spread, lest the Soviet Union dominate the world. Finally, in the 1980s, Reagan turned the conflict into one of morality as well as power. The Soviet Union was evil, and for that reason alone it should be challenged. At the same time the Soviet Union threatened American interests, and for that reason, too, it should be challenged. In the 1990s, the United States conducted operations all over the world for both security and humanitarian reasons. In the most visible of those operations, the Gulf War, the United States protected its strategic link to oil, while at the same time freeing the people of Kuwait from a potential lifetime of brutal occupation. Later in the decade, the United States intervened in Bosnia, Somalia, Haiti, and Kosovo, all of which were as much moral operations, if not more so, than they were security missions. In those cases where the US failed to meet is strategic objective, it did so because they were either poorly executed or relied upon poor assessments of how to meet its ultimate objectives. Today, with our position as the world's only superpower, advances in technology, a clear moral vision, and the recognition of how power works in the international order, the United States has the chance to rearrange the world order in a way that both benefits the United States' security needs and helps the other peoples of the world. By understanding that peace and prosperity must be protected by force and that moral imperatives cannot proceed without the guarantee of power, the United States will be able to craft a foreign policy that will provide the basis of peace and stability in as many regions of the world as possible. Already one aspect of this vision has been incorporated into American foreign policy. Throughout the world, America, in general, has supported democracies. Democracies have tended to be friendly to the United States which increases our security, while at the same time tending to be far more benign and responsive towards their own citizens. This is the kind of duality that the United States is now in a position to implement. The United States cannot intervene in every troubled spot in every corner of the globe due to limitations in resources. So when we do intervene militarily in order to preserve some aspect of our security, it should be our goal to leave the situation better than we found it. There is no reason why enhancing US strategic interests should be incompatible with enhancing the lives of ordinary people. During the Cold War, the United States supported dictators in a variety of places because we believed the Soviet Union and communism represented a greater threat to the security of this country than did the anti-communist dictators. It was a marriage of convenience, which in many cases ultimately turned out negatively for the US. However, now that we are free of the restraint of great power conflict and the need to contain communism, the United States can work on improving our security by placing people in power who are not only amenable to our ideas, but who also have liberalizing influences on the countries in which they are in. A roadmap for U.S. foreign policy in the future should be the destruction of dictatorial and totalitarian regimes, the replacement of those regimes with democracies or at least democractic structures, full support of liberal societies and governments over authoritarian ones, and support for emerging democratic movements over support for movements lead by morally dubious and/or nefarious individuals. One day Saddam Hussein's regime will fall, probably at the hands of the United States. We will then have a choice. We can install former Iraqi military leaders, who were once part of Saddam's inner circle to run the country, or we can put people in power who have a respect for democracy, human rights, and individual freedoms. In the past we have often chosen the former, believing them to be more competent. Today, we should not repeat that error in judgment. The beginning decades of this century will be shaped by American power and strategic vision. As long as we recognize that the world is a hostile and dangerous place that must be dealt with accordingly, we can implement a policy which is both effective at protecting the US and is morally just. Both ideologues and cynics will find reason to criticize this approach. Ideologues believe that morality can never rest on a foundation of power and cynics believe that power can never rest on a foundation of morality. We should make it the business of the United States to prove them wrong.

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Women's culture rep goes against democratic ideals

March 31

Student government is, and should be, based on democratic ideals. The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and its membership are clear examples of this. The vast majority of these members are elected by the student body; a handful are "culture representatives" who are elected by minority groups such as Tufts Transgender Lesbian Gay Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC), commuter students, and other groups. Recently, it has been proposed that a women's culture representative, elected by the Tufts' Feminist Alliance (TFA), be added. This goes completely against both reason and democratic ideals and should not be implemented. It is not a question of liberal or conservative, but a question of logic and definitions. Either the culture representative is designed to represent females at Tufts, or it is designed to represent feminists at Tufts. In neither of these situations should the position be created. First, let us examine the possibility that the women's representative is supposed to speak for all female students at Tufts. Its very existence is then unnecessary, as the Tufts student body is 53 percent female. This is not an under-represented minority; it is, in fact, the majority. Female Tufts students do not face either legal or de facto disenfranchisement. They are able to vote or run for office just as easily as male students are. Even TFA co-chair Abagail Moffat stated in her viewpoint, (Students suggest culture rep for women, 12/7) that the issue at hand is not the lack of female representatives in the Senate (there are currently seven), but the lack of representation of "women's issues" also known as feminist issues. It is clear that the women's representative is not intended to simply represent the female students at Tufts. So let us consider the possibility that the women's representative is supposed to speak specifically for feminists at Tufts. This situation is completely inappropriate, as feminism is a political/cultural view, not an identity. Many feminists at Tufts are not female and many females at Tufts are not feminists. Having a fixed culture representative for a political ideology is unacceptable. It is equivalent to having a "culture rep" for the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM), Students for a Free Tibet, or the Tufts Republicans. If some students feel that there is not enough representation of feminist viewpoints in the TCU Senate at the moment, there is a simple solution. It is not an additional culture representative. It is voting. Nothing bars people with feminist views from running for the regular Senate seats. Nothing bars Tufts feminists from voting for those candidates. Nothing bars feminists from advertising the merits of certain candidates they support and bringing swing voters over to their side. The critical factor in this debate is not the short-term goals; it is the long-term precedents that will be set. The short-term goal of setting up a women's culture representative is to sway certain votes, primarily those dealing with conflicts such as the TFA versus Delta Tau Delta (DTD) and Iris Halpern versus The Primary Source. The long-term effects, though, are much broader. They imply that certain political views deserve to have votes above and beyond the votes they secure through democratic channels. This is a travesty against the very idea of a student senate. Perhaps this would be more obvious if the political organization requesting a "culture representative" were Tufts Republicans instead of the TFA. Either way, the answer is obvious. A political agenda, no matter how "under-represented," does not receive non-democratic benefits over any other political agenda. Consider a different organization of representative democracy of why the proposed change is inappropriate, for example, the United States Congress. During the Clinton administration, the Congress had a Republican majority. Did Democrats or any other political parties (such as the Green Party or the Libertarian Party) support the creation of seats that were not elected by the United States populace, just so they could have more voting power in short-term decision-making? Of course not! They knew that if they wanted their agendas to be better represented, they would have to simply win more seats in the next election. For the Democrats, this worked. By running better candidates, capturing swing voters, and getting more of their supporters into the voting booths, the Democrats won back the majority. Other groups such as the Green Party and the Libertarian Party didn't receive more seats, because the vast majority of voters did not support their agendas. This is the fate of radical groups - liberal or conservative - in a representative democracy. The statement that feminist political views are poorly represented in the TCU Senate is not one that I contest. It is obvious that the majority of senators do not side with the TFA on certain decisions. What I disagree with is the TFA's proposed solution. Destroying the principles of representative democracy merely to secure another vote in the Senate is unacceptable. Feminists need only do one thing if they want to be represented better: VOTE. Indeed, if TFA secures widespread support for their candidates in the next election, they can control not just one seat in the senate, but many. On the other hand, if their candidates are unable to win over voters, then they will not control any seats. This is how representative democracy works. This is how it should work. I hope this is how it will continue to work at Tufts.Eric Mitton is a junior majoring in history.

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Less than 45 minutes from Broadway

March 31

The bright lights and glamour of New York City's Times Square are closer to Tufts than you'd think - just take the T to Boylston Street, the heart of Boston's theater district. Though not quite the same size and scope as their Manhattan counterparts, the streets that line Boston Common boast a wide array of theaters, from the enormously grand Wang Center to the smaller and more intimate Charles Playhouse. This spring promises a remarkable season for the Boston theatrical community as touring companies of award-winning musicals from New York and London present a smorgasbord of dramatic fare. Boston is known for producing top-quality theater, having been the home of the pre-Broadway tryouts for shows as triumphant as Ragtime and Mamma Mia. Though many of Boston's shows this season have already completed successful New York runs, at least one of the new ones is likely to be the next Broadway hit. Others are weaker, overdone incarnations of film-based musicals that lack creativity and innovation. Here's a rundown of what to expect.If the shoe fits Known for nearly half a century solely as a movie musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is beginning to come into its own right, and the stage production makes a stop in Boston as part of its first national tour. Capitalizing on the success of ABC's recent made-for-television update of the musical, the revival promises to incorporate many new ideas while showcasing the dynamic Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother. A vibrant rendering of the timeless story, the stage production should not be confused with the familiar Disney animated version of Cinderella. There are no singing mice or "Bibbity Bobbity Boo" in this production - in fact, the Disney cartoon commissioned an entirely new score that has come to overshadow Rodgers and Hammerstein's beautiful melodies. But the original songs, like "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible" and "Stepsisters' Lament" have regained popularity of late through increased exposure and will continue to shine in this production. Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Cinderella' plays at the Wang Theater through this Sunday, Jan. 20.Disco Inferno One might think that the success of the '70s film classic Saturday Night Fever would make its stage adaptation a surefire hit. Not so. Though its crowd-pleasing familiarity helped it gain popularity and a short-lived New York transfer, the musical is at best a lackluster clone of the film, sans the effervescent John Travolta. Alas, the touring company has survived despite the criticism and makes its way to the Wang Center for a few performances. The show features a score made up of The Bee Gee's movie soundtrack, featuring disco classics like "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever," and "What Kind of Fool." Two additional songs were written especially for the stage, framing the coming-of-age tale of young Tony Monero who discovers love and realizes that there is more to life than dancing. 'Saturday Night Fever' plays at the Wang Theater from Jan. 22 through Jan. 27.Let the memory live again Though Cats' nine lives on Broadway expired back in 2000, the popularity of the longest running musical in Broadway history continues to soar nationwide. A new touring company -the first to follow its legendary Broadway run- is still going strong as it makes a three-week stop at the Schubert Theater beginning next weekend. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is based on a series of poems by T.S. Eliot called "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." Virtually plotless, members of a special breed of "Jellicle" cats are introduced throughout the play, including The Rum Tum Tugger, Grizabella the Glamour Cat, and Magical Mr. Mistoffeles, to name a few. The underlying premise is that one of the cats will be chosen to journey to the "Heaviside Layer," a mystical sort of cat heaven. Over the course of the play, each cat states his or her case for deserving the honor.Cats features exquisite costumes, choreography, and acrobatics, but the major reason to take a trip to see Cats is just to see what all the hype is about. Unfortunately, that's about where the magic ends. The dramatic value of the show isn't much more than spectacle - Cats is exciting to the eyes and pleasant to the ears, but doesn't do much to capture the soul or the heart. 'Cats' plays at the Schubert Theater from Jan. 29 through Feb. 17. It all adds upProof began its journey in 2000 as a small-scale off-Broadway production at New York's Manhattan Theater Club. Two years, three Tony Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize later, the beautifully crafted tale of a genius mathematician's daughter who faces the challenges of life and love makes its way to Boston's Wilbur Theater. Though the Boston production will be without the enigmatic Tony Award-winning Mary Louise Parker in the leading role of Catherine, the dramatic value of the story itself is enough to make the show a must-see. Captivating and engaging throughout, with an incredible ending, Proof makes the audience think, feel, and wonder as the characters must solve an intricate problem of truth. The mathematical proof that forms the backbone for this play is really a metaphor for life, and David Auburn's structure and dialogue allow for the formation of several interesting parallels. 'Proof' plays at the Wilbur Theater from Jan. 29 through Feb. 10.Pomp and circumstance When The Graduate opened in London in March of 2000, its claim to fame was being the first West End theatrical production to depict nudity onstage. Such a concept met much criticism from the conservative British theater community, which claimed that nudity compromised the integrity of its theatrical traditions. Regardless, the play adaptation of the classic 1967 film managed to break box office records with highest opening advance for any play in the entire history of the West End. Though the American production of The Graduate did not face the same controversy, the all-star cast seems ready to steer the official Broadway opening of the play in March to success. Kathleen Turner reprises her role as the sultry Mrs. Robinson (played in the film version by Anne Bancroft), with the popular Jason Biggs and Alicia Silverstone stepping in as her co-stars. Biggs plays Benjamin, a college graduate struggling to come to terms with his future, and Silverstone plays Elaine Robinson, the girl who helps him find meaning in his life. But Mrs. Robinson, in keeping with her own sexual desires, opposes their relationship as she attempts to make Benjamin her own. 'The Graduate' plays at the Colonial Theater from Feb. 20 through Mar. 3. Every Story is a Love Story Aida opened on Broadway in 2000 to mixed reviews. And though it won nearly every award imaginable for Elton John's dynamic score, it failed to garner even a nomination for Best Musical. Now, this Disney version of Verdi's classic opera makes its Boston premier at the Wang Center in March, starring Patrick Cassidy as Radames, Kelly Fournier as Amneris, and Simone as Aida. In typical Disney fashion -and much like it's signature song suggests - Aida is in every sense a love story. This love faces struggle, however, as Aida, an enslaved Nubian princess, falls in love with Radames, the captain of the Egyptian guard. Aida faces competition from her royal mistress Amneris, and throughout much of the show the two women duke it out to win his heart. Technically speaking, the show is full of excitement and wonderment. The lighting design creates a realistic rendering of an evening sky and elaborate jewels for the royal chamber. The costumes are exquisite as well, covering up many flaws in the dramatic structure. 'Aida' plays at the Wang Theater from Mar. 27 through April 7 .Good ol' reliable Exactly ten years after a highly acclaimed New York revival of Guys and Dolls made stars out of Faith Prince and Nathan Lane (who chose his pseudonym after being cast as Nathan Detroit) comes a new production of this classic musical. This time, the award-winning Maurice Hynes takes the reigns as high-rolling gambler Detroit, supported by Alexandra Foucard as Miss Adelaide and Brian and Diane Sutherland as Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown. This production is a bit different from typical musical theater fare - instead of remaining true to the era in which the show takes place, a balanced multiracial cast plays out the action in a colorblind setting. The streets of New York come alive with an array of gamblers, Salvation Army missionaries, and nightclub dancers as a gambler's bet leads him to the girl of his dreams. The diversity isn't limited just to the cast. Frank Loesser's score encompasses some of the greatest songs in musical theater history; highlights include operatic love ballads like "I'll Know" and "I've Never Been In Love Before," plus the upbeat numbers "Bushel and a Peck" and "Luck Be a Lady Tonight." 'Guys and Dolls' plays at the Colonial Theater from April 2-April 14. Tickets for all shows can be obtained by calling the theater box offices or via the internet at www.telecharge.com

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Rose's service to officially begin Monday evening

March 31

Chinese food will be available on students' meal plans beginning Monday, when Rose's restaurant on Boston Ave. formally joins the Merchants on Points (MOPS) program. The restaurant will join MOPS, run by Dining Services, Monday evening at 7 pm, Dining Services Director Patti Lee Klos confirmed Wednesday. Students have been eagerly awaiting a fourth vendor after Urban Gourmet left the MOPS program early last semester, and wait lines for the other three have lasted as long as three hours on particularly egregious occasions. Equipment that allows Rose's to accept Tufts Dining Points was installed Wednesday and will be ready for use Monday.After hardware problems with the computer supplier, Blackboard Inc., caused months worth of delays, the system is ready to go. Klos said she is glad the process of signing a fourth vendor, which has taken almost a semester and a half, is over. "I am relieved," she said. "It's long overdue and my hope is that it will be very successful."In October, Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Services committee and Dining Services polled 857 students on their favorite of six local restaurants. Rose's, which received 289 votes, was the top choice.Dining services approached Rose's about joining the program, and though the restaurant was interested, students were concerned the restaurant must close at 11 p.m. due to Medford zoning restrictions. Dining services tried to sign the second-choice vendor, Golden Light in Davis Square, but communication difficulties with the restaurant over the winter break forced Klos to set her sights back on Rose's.Blackboard Inc. spokesman Michael Stanton said the problem of adding hardware for Rose's to join the MOPS program was due to an oversight by the company. When Klos ordered hardware for Rose's, the company was in the process of reformatting for the use of both new hardware and software. At first, the new hardware was shipped, but the software Dining Services needed was not yet ready."The delay occurred in conjunction with the Hewlett-Packard hardware and our new software," Stanton said. "When we got the new terminal we needed to test it. Apparently it got shipped without getting tested for quality assurance." Blackboard then moved Tufts' request up in the service call, and sent out a slightly older model for free installation. Stanton said the company is continuing to test the new Hewlett-Packard terminal, but did not want to continue the delay for Tufts."Rather than making Tufts continue to wait, we sent out an existing, working model for you to install, so students and faculty can go ahead and use it," Stanton said.The last step in the process is training the Rose's staff. Though the restaurant may have difficulty adjusting to the initial increase in volume, Klos said she expects that Rose's will acclimate itself quickly. "The equipment is here, and it works. He's training his staff, and he will be prepared to start on Monday," Klos said of the eatery's owner.TCU Senators Josh Belkin and Ed Schwem, who worked on the Student Services committee with Klos, are glad that the process is over. "I'm glad the technology finally came together to bring lo-mein to your door on points," Belkin said. "It's a victory for the students."Schwem said he hopes the addition of Rose's will decrease the wait lines for the other vendors. "Now people will have the Chinese food they so want and additionally, the wait lines for the other three restaurants will be decreased."Rose's joins Near East Caf?©, Wing Works and Espresso's Pizza as the MOPS vendors.

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Eating Disorders Awareness Week kicks off

March 31

If the statistics hold true, much of the student population at Tufts suffers from some form of eating concern. Eighty percent of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance. Forty-five percent of American women are on a diet on any given day. These figures translate into an estimated five to ten million girls and women, and one million boys and men, who are struggling with eating disorders. Due to these astounding figures and to Health Services' concern about students with eating issues on campus, Health Services is kicking off Eating Disorders Awareness Week at Tufts. This year, Health Services is focusing on educational programming and distributing information through a variety of resources on campus. "We just want to let people know we're out there and that there are a variety of ways on campus to get help," Director of Health Services Michelle Bowdler said. The feature presentation for the week is a program called Andrea's Voice, inspired by the death of a 19-year-old college student from complications from bulimia in 1999. Since her death, Andrea's parents Doris and Tom Smeltzer have given talks on college campuses, hoping to educate college students about eating disorders. They hope that Andrea's death, along with the issues surrounding eating disorders, won't go unnoticed. "The parents are out giving talks nationwide [because] they lost a daughter to an eating disorder," Health Services Nurse Carol Maltacea said. Before their daughter's eating became a problem, the Smeltzers believed themselves to be relatively informed. They soon realized that their knowledge of the disorder was grossly incomplete. The presentation will address awareness of eating disorders and body image. The Smeltzers say that the presentation is not meant to be a retelling of Andrea's battle with bulimia, but rather to empower and educate other students. By providing statistics and dispelling stereotypes, they hope to offer resources to people who need them. After the presentation, the Health Services staff will be available to answer questions, lead small discussion groups, or talk individually with students. Health Services is also in charge of the Eating Disorders Task Force on campus. This initiative seeks to help students who have eating issues or concerns, and is comprised of various organizations campus including the Counseling Center, Dining Services, Residential Life, and the athletics department. By making the task force interdisciplinary, Health Services hopes to address eating concerns in a variety of non-threatening ways. "I think it's a great idea, and I'm glad that it's there," Resident Assistant Divya Muthappa said. "I think it's a good way to deal with it." Muthappa added that students are often intimidated by health professionals, so the interdisciplinary approach is particularly helpful. Health Services plans to work through various departments in order to educate students and spread the word about ways to deal with eating concerns. Departments like Athletics may sponsor programs for students about healthy ways to lose weight, while other departments will help students who come to them with questions. Still, other departments, through RAs or chaplains, may be available to act as a referral service for students who are unsure where to turn with their concerns. "I would advise [students] certainly to take advantage of the services that are available," Maltacea said. "It's totally confidential and very private." Recently Health Services hired a nutritionist as another resource for students struggling with eating issues. The Counseling Center is also available for those who have questions and want to talk more personally about their concerns. According to experts, college is a time when people are especially vulnerable eating disorders. "I think it's just the added stress," Maltacea said. "It's a coping mechanism. It's not an appropriate one, but it's a coping mechanism."

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The real truth about Amendment III

March 31

In the ever-tumultuous arena of student government, Amendment III to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Constitution has stirred up passionate emotions among members of the student body. The arguments of those who oppose this amendment have been reduced to hurling words like "racist" and "homophobic," and many inaccuracies have been presented. I would like to correct some of these inaccuracies by explaining to you, the student body, exactly how Amendment III works and why you should support it. Amendment III will do three things: level the playing field, restore democracy, and get students involved. As it currently stands, there are five culture representatives to the TCU Senate. These culture reps are elected by five specific organizations: the Off Hill Council, the Pan African Alliance (PAA), the Association of Latino Students (ALAS), the Asian Community at Tufts (ACT), and the Tufts Transgendered, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) - though the Off Hill Council has not chosen to have an active rep for a while. These representatives are currently allowed to speak at all times and vote on all matters (including monetary) in the TCU Senate, although they are selected by the members of each group through an in-house election process. A system of government in which certain constituents have more votes than others is not a level playing field. Currently, members of the five aforementioned organizations get one more say than anyone else through their culture rep in the Senate. Opponents of Amendment III have argued that since anyone may become a member of any group, it is not discriminatory for culture reps to vote. Yet would the groups with culture reps really want everyone to join them? The uniqueness of these groups would be washed away in a tide of middle class white-ness if their voter rolls were truly open. Additionally, why should I, a straight white female who does not feel represented by any of these communities, vote in their elections? It is valuable to have minority voices in student government, but not at the expense of a fair democracy. Many have argued that culture reps' voting power is legitimate because the student body voted on it. However, a pure democracy is not necessarily a fair one. America's own Founding Fathers understood the dangers of the tyranny of the majority, and so created a constitutional republic. That the student body voted to grant culture reps voting power is then no more a defense of its fairness than to argue that laws such as those against miscegenation were fair because the people voted on them. Amendment III will restore democracy to student government, whereby each student votes for seven, and exactly seven, representatives. Finally, Amendment III will get students involved in their government. It is no doubt helpful for the Senate to have input from groups, but why only five groups? There are numerous groups, such as Hillel and the Women's Union, who are not represented by the culture reps. Opponents of Amendment III have said that the current system allows for the addition of more voting culture reps. Yet the only way this can be done under the current system is through a constitutional referendum, which requires at least a 20 percent voter turnout - a turnout found only once a year during the presidential elections. Should groups have to wait a full year before being granted a voice? Amendment III will allow any student group to be granted a voice in student government in a reasonable amount of time. Furthermore, the opposition claims that the amendment could cause a "logistical nightmare" of over 150 lobbyists and nowhere to hold the meeting. Apparently, Tufts does not have a room big enough for democracy. However, the problem of logistics is one that exists under the current system as well, because (as they say themselves) any group can referendum for a culture rep. Their own arguments against Amendment III are contradictory to their assertion that they would support adding more culture reps. Opponents of the Amendment play on the emotions when they allege racism. For example, current culture reps have cited the number of recent hate crimes as a reason why they should have voting power. Yet clearly the number of hate crimes didn't go down since they got the vote, so why would the number increase if they lost it? Furthermore, they cite the historical marginalization of certain groups as another reason why the vote is necessary. However, the only time this entire year when culture reps' votes changed the course of action was to give Radix over $5,000 in buffer funding. Is Radix the extent of minorities' concerns? Amendment III is a fair proposal that will create a level playing field for all student groups. It will not silence anyone's views, only be more inclusive of views that are not represented to the Senate. If you don't feel that your student government represents you, you can do something about it: vote yes on III.Rachel Hoff is a sophomore majoring in political science.

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TCCS to upgrade e-mail accounts

March 31

In response to student complaints, the Coral server used for student e-mail accounts was upgraded over spring break to accommodate the addition of address books and sent-mail folders. The upgrade laid the groundwork for Tufts Computing and Communications Services (TCCS) to develop these features in the future, although it has yet to announce when the improvements will occur. The e-mail service currently includes sent-mail folders and address books only when students access their accounts from Netscape Messenger on their personal computers. When a student uses Information Message Processor (IMP) webmail, which allows access to Trumpeter from any computer with an Internet browser, neither service is available. Students have repeatedly complained about the lack of an address book and a sent-mail folder - as both features were previously available under the Emerald e-mail system. "Typing e-mails is much easier but I miss the address book and sent-mail folders," sophomore Gabrielle Eklund said. TCCS University Systems Group upgraded the operating system "in order to bring it under the umbrella of their standard build and maintenance services," TCCS spokeswoman Kathleen Cummings said. Trumpeter is an IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) server, a network standard that allows users to manage e-mail messages and folders from multiple locations and systems. IMAP users can choose to store their messages on their computer locally or on a network server. During the upgrade, on March 16-17, students were unable to access their e-mail accounts for two days. The switchover from the IMP, which provides webmail access to IMAP accounts, to an Information Management System (IMS) will create a foundation for a new webmail implementation. Cummings called the upgrade the "crucial first step" in providing the advanced functionality that students desire. While current freshmen were issued Coral accounts upon arrival at the University last fall, the rest of the student body began the process of moving from the Emerald server to the Coral server on Feb. 6. Sophomores and juniors were required to change from Emerald to Coral, but seniors were given the option of whether to do so. Some students had expressed anxieties about the changeover and its possible effects on the system. Nearly two months after the process began, however, Cummings said that students seem happy with the new service and the transfer process. "We were very pleased with the migration process," she said. "Feedback that we received was overwhelmingly positive." In keeping with efforts to improve the e-mail system, TCCS will soon assemble a team to evaluate webmail clients. Cummings said it will seek out student representation from both the undergraduate and professional schools to join the group.

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Men's hockey stomps eight game losing streak

March 31

The hockey team snapped its eight-game losing streak, which dated back to Jan. 18, with a come-from-behind, 7-2 thumping of Plymouth State in Waterville Valley, NH on Tuesday. Tufts' record now stands at 5-16 overall and 3-14 in the NESCAC/ECAC East, while Plymouth State drops to 5-13-1 and 5-8 in the ECAC East. "It was probably one of the better hockey related feelings I've had in a long time," sophomore forward Timm Schatz said. "It was like a huge weight lifted off our shoulders." The host Panthers appeared to have control early. They jumped out to 2-0 lead in the game's first four minutes, and the Jumbos appeared to be headed down a familiar road: defeat. "At that point, we all knew that what was happening should not be happening," Schatz said. "And because of what had happened in the past, there's always that feeling in the back of your head of 'Oh no, not again.' But we didn't let it happen again; we did something about it." A mere two minutes later, the Jumbos began a scoring barrage that produced seven unanswered goals, including three power play scores and a short-handed tally, and a four goal outburst in the second period alone. Freshman forward Bryan Conti put Tufts on the scoreboard at 5:34 of the opening period with his first collegiate goal on assists from Schatz and sophomore forward Matt Spang. The two squads then battled through nearly 20 minutes of play with no scoring, before another freshman forward, John Hurd, made it a 2-2 game when he finished a feed from junior co-captain Mike Carceo at 4:54 in the second period. From then on, it was all Tufts. Freshman forward Gino Rotundi gave the Jumbos the lead for good at 9:14 when he put home his eighth goal of the season. Hurd then followed with a pair of power play goals, one at 11:27 and another at 14:37, to complete the hat trick before the end of the middle frame and push the lead to 5-2. For the season, Hurd has now recorded seven power play goals. "Going into the second period losing basically just lit a bonfire underneath us," Schatz said. After another long scoring drought that covered most of the third, Carceo squelched a Plymouth State power play when he added an unassisted short-handed goal at 16:10. Carceo, who also recorded three assists on the night, is currently tied with Hurd for the team lead with 13 goals. He also leads Tufts with 22 assists and 35 points. Junior forward Matt Potts then capped off the game's scoring in the final minute, with assists going to junior forward Dan Geary and sophomore forward Dan Coleman. Sophomore Ben Crapser earned the victory after turning back 34 shots, while senior Jeremy Zuniga played the final two minutes and was credited with two saves of his own. In 12 starts, Crapser is now 3-8-0 with an .844 save percentage. Their Plymouth State counterparts, Mike Mansson and Larry Forgue, combined to make 18 saves. Tufts will now gear up for its final games of the regular season this weekend, both which will come against NESCAC foes, with a renewed sense of optimism. "Going into the last weekend losing nine straight games, it would be hard to go into a game thinking positive thoughts," Schatz said. So getting one right before you get the last week of the season makes it all the more exciting as we try to end on a positive note." Wesleyan will be at the Malden Forum for a 7:30 p.m. match-up on Friday night, while Trinity will be in town for a 4 p.m. game on Saturday.

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Just the right exposure

March 31

The University's public relations department has seen a vast redesign over the past few years with the addition of E-News, an extensive fact-gathering department that scours media outlets worldwide for mention of people associated with Tufts. Rather than suggesting a high-tech departure from the conventional role of PR, Associate Director of Public Relations Peggy Hayes said the spin-off from E-News is supporting traditional public relations efforts at Tufts, such as compiling press releases and communicating with local and national reporters. "E-News really helps us," Hayes said. "We have found that reporters who are looking for sources on a topic will use E-News and come to Tufts [to follow up]." Hayes said the department has received about eight press calls since September that followed directly from articles appearing on E-News. The PR service, which now provides daily headlines on the Tufts homepage, is one example of a careful new focus on public relations that began four years ago. In 1997, the former Department of Public Relations and Communications split into separate public relations and publications components. The University hired Cindy Pollard, its current public relations director, to head the newly independent department. According to those who know her, Pollard spares no expense in recruiting worldly staff with experience outside academia - even hiring former vice presidents of New York ad agencies. "She's got a very aggressive approach and very high standards," Hayes said of her boss. "She sets the bar high for us." According to Provost Sol Gittleman, the department has been following an upward curve for years. But with the appointment of Pollard, who came from PR positions at AT&T and Sony, and the expansion to the Internet with E-News, PR began "raising the profile" of Tufts in previously unimaginable ways. "It brought us much more into the attention of the national media," Gittleman said. "The whole [department] is so vastly improved." Along with Pollard, Assistant Director of Public Relations Pete Sanborn (LA '99) was one of E-News' main architects. The concept originated when he was an intern in the PR department during his senior at year at Tufts. It was, and is, a relatively new concept in the academic world. "We're way in the forefront," Sanborn said. "Nobody was doing anything like this in higher ed when we started." He added that E-News allowed its users to receive articles by e-mail before even the Boston Globe or Boston Herald had implemented the system on their own web pages. The system started out before Sanborn had graduated, with a segment of the Tufts website called "Tufts in the News." The feature was introduced at a time when the web was not nearly as ubiquitous as it is now. Now, however, Sanborn is getting calls from colleges across the country seeking to replicate Tufts' system, which re-launched as E-News nearly two years ago. And while maintaining and updating the page takes about half to three-quarters of his time, it may be filling a void that traditional methods of PR do not cover. According to Sanborn, prospective students are the second-biggest group to visit E-News, exceeded only by alumni. It's an audience that might not catch most mentions of Tufts in the national media. But many students use the Internet to apply to or get information on prospective schools, and those visiting Tufts online often click to featured E-News articles from the main page. Boosted by its jump to the Tufts homepage, the E-News audience is growing rapidly. According to Sanborn, there are thousands of digest subscribers - people that elect to receive e-mail notices of E-News articles - and that at any given moment, on any day, there is someone viewing an E-News article. While the numbers visiting the E-News site may be easy to determine, the effect of the site in attracting prospective students, faculty, and investors - both for research and general donors - is difficult to measure accurately. Regardless, the cost is in no way prohibitive, as the site relies on word-of-mouth, not advertising, to spread its popularity. The web design and other maintenance costs since E-News was formed have totaled less than $1000. Along with the entire PR department, Sanborn's focus is carefully considered. He believes that pieces on University-wide research and projects and alumni accomplishments - rather than any of the so-called "big names" that happen to appear on campus - draw readers in again and again. Sanborn said that PR shouldn't be expending its energy on selling the image of the University based on its high-profile visitors. "The University's perception is not going to change because of a particular speaker," Sanborn said. "What makes this a great University is its research, the quality of its faculty, and the quality of its students. You can't stop a train on a dime." Recently, these qualities have helped launch Tufts into the news virtually every day. But Sanborn's most important task is not finding mention of the University anywhere he can. Instead, he needs to find stories that reflect on the characteristics of the University and will appeal to his wide audience. Nor is the PR department looking to simply push the Tufts name into as many papers and television programs as it can. "The goal for us is not coverage at any cost," Hayes said. "We look for press coverage that really focuses in on the identity of the institution."

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Weekend of awards honors students and faculty

March 31

A select group of students and faculty were acknowledged for a range of accomplishments in a series of awards ceremonies held the weekend of April 12-14. The annual awards weekend brought many family members to campus to support the honorees. President Larry Bacow presented the fourth annual Presidential Awards for Citizenship and Public Service to 20 undergraduate and graduate students from all the Tufts schools. University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS) director Molly Mead officiated the April 12 ceremony, held in Ballou Hall, after Bacow addressed the audience. UCCPS Faculty Steering Committee members Robyn Gittleman, Rose Paradis, and Kerry Maguire recounted the civic accomplishments of the honorees. President Emeritus John DiBiaggio founded the awards program to recognize active citizenship and public service. The awards are a "significant way to communicate how highly Tufts values public service and the high standards that we apply to civic leadership activities." He said he "was moved and inspired by the extraordinary creativity and diversity of the civic leadership of Tufts undergrads and grad students." More than 100 awards and scholarships were presented to undergraduates and faculty for excellence in a variety of academic areas at the annual Honors Convocation the evening of April 12. Associate professor of mathematics Boris Hasselblatt gave an entertaining performance as master of ceremonies, and philosophy professor Daniel Dennett delivered the featured speech, in which he emphasized the importance of learning from your mistakes. The Tufts Chamber singers also performed at the ceremony. Among the many award recipients, economics professor George Norman was honored with the Lerman-Neubauer Prize. The award is given annually to a faculty member who seniors feel has "had a profound impact on them intellectually, both in and out of the classroom," according to the event program. Alva Couch, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, won the Henry and Madeline Fischer Award. Couch was voted "Engineer's Teacher of the Year" in a survey of engineering students. The ceremony also paid tribute to Joseph Neubauer, a Trustee and founder of the Neubauer Scholars program. Those in attendance at the ceremony said it was essential in recognizing the accomplishments of students and faculty.. "It is important to honor academic integrity and achievement," said Development staff member Jessica Papatolicas, who helped organize the Honors Convocation. "We don't do this enough at Tufts." At the Senior Awards Dinner on April 13, the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA) honored 13 of nearly 40 seniors nominated by professors. Created in 1955, the Senior Awards program recognizes students for academic achievement, extensive participation in activities both on campus and in the larger community, outstanding leadership qualities, and potential for alumni leadership and service in the future. Bacow, TUAA President William O'Reilly, and now-University Chaplain Reverend David O'Leary spoke at the dinner. Presidential Awards for Citizenship and Public Service were presented to undergraduates Jennifer Albertini, Katharine Cheung, Jennifer Hirano, Beth Hofmeister, Seren Levinson, Brooke Menschel, Beth Rotenberg, Phoebe Stone, Kristi Tough, and Audra Vernon. Graduate students Kathryn Barton (Graduate School of Arts & Sciences), Eric Brum (School of Veterinary Medicine), Rachel Kyte, Anand Balachandran, Maria Stephan (Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy), Colleen O'Connor, Abdullaibrahim Abdulwaheed, and Ekaterina Butkevich (School of Medicine) also were honored with the award. The 13 seniors to receive Senior Awards were Jennifer Bien, Daniel Callahan, Allison Collins, Shannon Gourley, Jennifer Harris, Lori Kessler, Seren Levinson, Gerald Sean McDermott, Scott Mittenthal, Alethea Pieters, Krisitn Romandetti, Michele Shelton, and Kristi Tough.

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Staying literate

March 31

Read any good books lately? Of course not. You're in college, where it seems like no one has any time for reading anymore. The personal stuff always seems to go first. You give up going to the gym, reading, eating well, sleeping, clean clothes, and the most basic personal hygiene, all for the sake of... well, sometimes it can be hard to tell what you're getting in return. What you don't get, however, is much time to "waste" on a book. The last thing that college students want is more reading. From anthropology to psychology to geotechnical engineering to, of course, English, the average class requires hundreds of pages of reading per semester - and you're taking four or five courses at a time. Hell, ask your professors - they know that you're already not reading what you're assigned. So if you don't have the drive to finish the reading you're tested on, when are you supposed to find the time to read anything else? If you're really that busy, however, a little unassigned reading can be enough to make you feel like a normal human being again, and it's worth finding the time in your life to keep yourself sane. Some people struggle with sanity all their lives; if all you need is half an hour per day to read Tom Clancy novels, you're foolish not to do it. (And while I'm on the idea, we could all stand to expand our scope a little bit, too. If you normally read only magazines, pick up the newspaper. If you're used to the newspaper, pick up a book. If you still read books, read better and harder ones. You get the idea.) Maybe it's only English majors that notice the difference, but college life seems to impose an across-the-board cut on students' leisure reading. I know that I used to tear through books (that's right, multiple books) in an average week; now, I'm always just treading water, barely staying above the waterline of my required reading. But the only difference is the time. My love of reading isn't gone, nor is the supply of good books - I have a copy of Black House in the trunk of my car that's begging to be read - but the time just isn't there. Okay, I'll be honest: the time almost certainly is there somewhere, but how can I justify reading novels when I can't force myself to read all of my class material? How can anyone? Here's the trick: read for yourself during a time that you can't do schoolwork. This doesn't mean cutting any parties or Simpsons episodes or showers out of your schedule (though eliminating 30 minutes of television per day in favor of reading Through the Looking Glass can only help you). It means finding a time that you could read for pleasure that you can't use to read for school - which often means piecing together lots of small bits of time into something larger. Moreover, it means finding time that you're not embarrassed to spend reading; Monday nights and Friday nights are very different times, and any book that keeps you home for the weekend had better be no less than a work of genius. If reading doesn't matter to you, then all of this will seem like a waste of your time. If it does matter, you might be amazed at how much time you've been wasting.The Bathroom The bathroom is the best place to sneak in some reading time. You can read the newspaper or a magazine while you brush your teeth, wait for the water to warm up, or... well, I won't go into some of the details involved (You're welcome). Suffice it to say that people spend a lot of time in the bathroom, and while you can't use the time to crack open that untouched sociology reading, you might be able to get through a chapter or two of something else. Now if only someone would market waterproof books...Eating I refuse to do any work while I'm eating. Meals are my only breaks sometimes, and it's not worth ruining that by reading about the indigenous people of South America. But reading Fight Club while I eat my Toasted Oatmeal squares only makes the experience all the more decadent. Don't watch TV when you eat. Read instead. This is especially appropriate for breakfast, so if you've stopped eating breakfast entirely, maybe you should consider starting again.Downtime Between Classes Yes, the Daily crossword is stimulating (no sarcasm intended), but an attentive puzzler can usually get that out of the way in a single class. So between 12:45 p.m. and your 1:05 p.m. class, do something with yourself. And to be fully honest: you can even use this time to do some actual work or assigned reading. If you can't stomach bringing a book with you around campus, get some schoolwork out of the way so you'll have more free time later. This works even if you don't want to read at all.Just Before Bed Anything you study in the last 20 minutes before you fall asleep isn't going to stick well. Keep a book around, read 15 minutes per night (okay, per weeknight - let's not go overboard), unwind a little bit, and you'll finish it faster than you think.While Waiting For Anything While you're in the airport, at the shuttle stop, on the T, in line for the shower, watching the clock tick up to 8 p.m. for The Sopranos - if you can't think of something better to do (or if thinking is just too dull for you), whip out a book for five minutes. And if none of these things work, set yourself a deadline. Decide that you will finish a specific book within a specific time (two weeks?). If you fail, punish yourself severely - corporeal punishment works best.

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