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Appealing a cappella

August 31

Their appeal has been on the rise since its creation in 1995, and the "shir" is only getting louder and stronger. As Tufts' only Jewish co-ed a cappella group, Shir Appeal wanted a Hebrew name, and originally chose one for its direct translation - "shir" means "song" in Hebrew. Only later did members realize that their name doubles as a pun on the Hebrew phrase "song of the elephant." The group has proven that elephants don't only sing, they do so in various languages. Shir Appeal has a unique reputation for its distinct religious affiliation and eclectic song list. Instead of the usual a cappella fare, the singers draw on popular Israeli rock, traditional Jewish melodies, and Hebrew-themed English songs. Past songs include everything from "Al Koh Aleh," a favorite folk song, to the musical theme from the movie The Prince of Egypt. Their unique repertoire and distinct cultural focus are only a few of the many reasons behind the growing recognition of the group both on campus and throughout the country. On campus, the diversification of the a cappella scene has brought more attention to the once obscure Hillel-affiliated singers. Indeed, the audience's enthusiastic response to this year's performances at both the first night ceremonies and the O-Show confirmed the group's prominent place in the hierarchy of Tufts a cappella world. Off campus, the group enjoys both nation-wide recognition and the benefits of a niche market. Last year, Shir Appeal was included on the Best of Collegiate A Cappella album. Meanwhile, group members are busy playing gigs in the community. Over the past year, there were months when Shir Appeal was booked every weekend for sessions at synagogues, Hebrew schools, and for special occasions such as bar and bat mitzvahs. To further their national prominence - and have a good time - the group has toured during school breaks. Last winter break Shir Appeal was in Florida, visiting synagogues and Hebrew schools from Fort Lauderdale to Miami. One afternoon, a few of the members wandered into a cafe where a piano was being played. After a brief exchange with the piano player, the singers started an impromptu concert. Twenty minutes later the group was facing a cheering crowd of admirers. Such success, however, doesn't come without effort. "It's definitely a time-consuming commitment," said member Ben Zablotsky. The group practices an average of seven hours a week this year. Members also stayed on a week after classes finished last year to record their third CD, to be released in the fall of 2002. For the members of this unique a cappella group, however, it's a worthwhile endeavor. The singers form a close-knit bunch of friends that frequently go out as group. While the social relationships are a definite benefit, the religious background of Shir Appeal is also important. Several of the members agree that participation in the group seems to renew faith. They find that touring synagogues and singing their unique songs strengthen their spiritual connection. For membership, however, singers do not have to be Jewish. With such meaningful associations, it's no surprise that the group is growing in size and popularity. They currently have more alumni than members, a significant turning point for the formerly tiny group, which indicates Shir Appeal's continued growth. This year, they've added four freshmen to their roster, and while they've lost a few members to programs abroad and graduation, all the singers say they're looking forward to the year ahead.

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News

Dance program works to expand offerings

August 31

Who would have thought that you could get college credits for shaking your bootie? Or for twisting, leaping, and twirling around for a few hours per week? The Tufts dance program gives students the opportunity to do just that by offering a dance curriculum that is open to every member of the Tufts community, regardless of skill-level or body shape. Although the dance program has been around for decades, many students are unaware that taking a few dance classes, taught in Jackson Gym through the drama department, can add up to a minor in drama and dance. "I didn't know you can take a dance class for credit," sophomore Matt Gasbarro said. But this pervasive unfamiliarity may soon change. Professor of Beginning and Intermediate Modern Dance Lynn Frederiksen says the dance program is trying to offer more dance classes while making them more accessible to students. While program members have been working to include additional curricula, they find themselves in what associate professor and head of the dance program Alice Trexler calls a "no growth phase," with little, if any, funds or manpower to expand. The program also has limited access to facilities, sharing Jackson Gym with student dance groups as well as other organizations that use the space, such as the fencing team. The program, Trexler said, is in a "reduced form compared to when I first came in 1978." Trexler is the only full-time tenured professor in the program, which also includes two half-time professors. The dance program has a small office in Jackson, but has no office staff. Things, however, may be looking up. With the promotion of Daniel McCusker from part-time professor to half-time professor, the dance program is now equipped to offer an additional class per semester. According to members of the dance program, McCusker, a critically acclaimed Boston choreographer, has been well received at Tufts. With more staff time, this academic year has seen the addition of dance classes to the Tufts course guide, including a ballet class offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Kathak Dance, which exposes students to the basic footwork and movements of northern Indian dance, is another addition. The students who have discovered these classes say they were attracted for a variety of reasons. Sophomore Turner Savard, who is enrolled in Performance Ensemble, chose to take the class simply for the experience. "It allows you to have an creative outlet," Savard said. Sophomore Jessie Khamsyvoravong, a student of Dance Movement and the Creative Process, used her dance class to get some requirements out of the way. "I picked it because it fulfills an art and a world civilization requirement," Khamsyvoravong said. "It's also very fun and out of the ordinary. There is no set routine." Some students, like Intermediate Ballet student sophomore Valerie Wencis, are interested in the particular dance forms. "I love ballet, and I haven't taken it since sixth grade," Wencis said. "I think most people take the class because they are really interested in ballet... it's good exercise and you learn and perfect technique." There are eight classes offered for the upcoming spring semester, ranging from African American Dance to Beginning Ballet. In addition to more traditional dance classes, the dance program offers at least one form of non-western dance each semester. Trexler says the program is looking to uphold the liberal arts ideals of the University, which encompass a global focus. Gasbarro, who was initially unaware that she could dance for credit, says he is unfamiliar with the program's efforts to offer a wide variety of classes. "I don't even know the scope of the dance program," he said. "I kind of assumed it was ballet and stuff." The Tufts dance program is different from what many students may have experienced before. While dance programs at other universities and dance institutions, such as the American Dance Academy, are highly selective about body shape and previous experience, and teach solely movement-based curricula, Tufts tries to engage the student mentally - not just physically - through dance. The program "promotes creative thinkers, not just tools for choreographers," Trexler said, adding that the program boasts a wide audience. There is "a full range of people from all departments, including engineering, from freshman to seniors." "Conservatory model, this isn't," McCusker said. And the dance classes offered through the drama department are not focused primarily on dancing, but rather incorporate reading and literature into the curriculum, something many students do not realize before they take the class. "There's reading?" McCusker said, mimicking his shocked ballet students at the beginning of the semester. Said Trexler: "We're teaching about thinking about dance as well as teaching movement."

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News

A fall full of flicks

August 31

The Mummy has returned. Stifler and his buddies had their Pie and ate it too. Jay and Silent Bob have smoked their last blunt, and the lovely creatures that inhabit Jurassic Park have charmed us for yet a third time. Memories of this summer's movies fade as quickly as our tans. An odd few moviegoers might wish to savor the joys of the summer's selection, but most would probably rather forget the stale day-old popcorn taste that most of the season's offerings left in our mouths.But fear not, movie fans! Autumn is on its way and as those leaves turn to glorious hues of red, orange and yellow, theaters begin to show movies worth watching. When September rolls around, moviemakers- studios and independents alike -start to roll out products that look far different from the tripe that once filled the cineplex. With Academy voters starting to think Oscar and other awards to be handed out after the new year, film makers historically reward patient movie mavens with an onslaught of intriguing, innovative and often artistic films. So fill that glass with some hot mulled cider, don your flannel pajamas, and check the movie listings. With well over 100 films scheduled to be released before the calendar reads 2002, it may be hard to distinguish the chaff from the good and the good from the great. We here at the Daily have compiled a list of films that should be worth investigating when the reels come rolling into area theaters.From Hell From Hell, directed by Albert and Allan Hughes of Menace II Society fame, recounts the story of the search for Jack the Ripper. Starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham and set in London in the 19th century, the film is a departure from the directors' previous films, which often take place in the urban US and deal with issues of race and violence. The film, based on a popular graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, was shot in Prague over a three-month span. The preparation involved constructing a true-to-life replica of Victorian London's Whitechapel district. Buzz on this one is positive so far, despite the film's killer subject matter.Mullholland Drive Director David Lynch stunned his fans - a passionate yet obsessive bunch - when, a few years back, he released The Straight Story, a simple G-rated film about an old man who drives his lawnmower across middle America. The man who had established himself as the arbiter of all things freaky, surreal, and twisted, with such gut-wrenching, mind-bending works as Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and Lost Highway, suddenly made a movie that was so un-Lynch-like we couldn't believe it. With that now out of his system, we can expect his latest fare to give us the usual indigestion, and that is the way his supporters like it. The film, which starts as your typical LA murder mystery, subtly makes it way onto planet Wacko before you can think twice. Good luck sorting this one out.Waking Life Richard Linklater's Slacker captured the rambling cynicism and pervasive ennui of an entire decade when it came out in 1991. Now it's 2001 and the man has something new to offer. Will it speak to our hearts and souls? Maybe, but one thing is for certain: it will be original. The film is neither fully live-action nor fully animated. How can that be, you ask curiously? The answer: it is both. The film features a set of loosely connected sequences, as the main character played by Wiley Wiggins moves in and out of dreaming. The visual technique utilized involves digitally painting over the footage of live actors. The result might just leave us in a state evoked by Linklater in Dazed and Confused.New York Martin Scorsese has made his share of crime films that take place in the Big Apple, but this one is the first set in 1860. Though the film might gather most of its attention from star Leonardo Dicaprio, keep your eyes open for real actors like Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, and Liam Neeson.Vanilla Sky It's pretty simple if you take a step back: Tom and Nicole break-up. Tom meets Penelope at work. Tom realizes he and Penelope have last names that are pronounced the same way. Tom is smitten. Tom and Penelope get together. Of course, director Cameron Crowe would rather we think about the movie and not the rumors that surround its stars Mr. and Miss Cruise/Cruz. This remake of a 1998 Spanish film unfolds as a twisted love story, a mysterious adventure tale, and a sharp-tongued commentary on popular culture.Ali Will Smith might not be many fans' first choice to play the lead in a powerful biopic about that boxer of boxers who once floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. But with Director Michael Mann of The Insider fame and costars Jon Voight and Mario Van Peebles, this one might be winner. The film, which boasts a $100 million budget, addresses the man as both athlete and social activist.

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News

Live survives the '90s

August 31

Seven years ago - has it been that long? - everyone was a fan of Live. "Selling the Drama" and "I, Alone" were radio hits, the band played MTV's "Unplugged," its videos were in heavy rotation, and Live had what has become an eternally 90s classic in "Lightning Crashes." The only negative side effect of Live's success is that everything the York, PA-bred rock band has done since the early 90s has been unfairly compared to the group's stellar sophomore album, Throwing Copper.What the ever-fickle pop-music gods have done is relegate Live to that category of once-messianic 90s rockers who seem to have "lost" their edge and profundity amidst the apocalyptic music landscape of Limp Bizkits, N*Stinks, and Destiny's Children. That the last record they released, 1999's The Distance to Here, went relatively unnoticed and under-appreciated is a travesty. (If you haven't heard it, go buy it, it's worth ten times what you'll pay for it at a used CD store.)Throughout its 12-year existence, Live has made solid, innovative music. Guitarist Chad Taylor, bassist Patrick Dahlheimer, and drummer Chad Gracy are fundamentally sound, which is better than many popular bands can say; lead singer Ed Kowalczyk's lyrics have been unendingly influenced by Eastern philosophies and an almost religious belief in love as salvation. But his undeniable talent lies in complementing his band's music with the perfect vocal melody.Enter V, Live's latest effort, one that seems to suggest a slightly different direction for the band. Their "maturation" album was Distance. This, their fifth (hence the title), is their "growth" album. There's the good old-fashioned, guitar-driven rock that Live has always been so skilled at; there are heartfelt slow songs; there are tracks that have a certain Middle-Eastern and/or Indian flair; there's even an almost hip-hop tinge to the way Kowalczyk delivers some of his lyrics. A lot of the things that Live tries to do in this album work fantastically. Others do not. But the band's willingness to put it all out there, whether you like it or not, is entirely commendable.V opens with a half-minute "Intro," something not normally heard on a rock album. The practice of sprinkling an album with thematic interludes and intros is usually a convention found in rap and hip-hop albums, which may be why English experimental hip-hop and funk artist Tricky was recruited to lend his vocals to V (he shows up again in the opening song).That track leads into the cathartic guitar chords of "Simple Creed," a song propelled by the band's enthusiasm: the guitar and drums are loud, the bass is taut, and the lyrics are at once thoughtful and aggressive - Kowalczyk's signature. It's in the best tradition of former Live hits "I, Alone" and "The Dolphin's Cry." The song also reflects a return to a toned-down sort of funkiness that was present on their first album, Mental Jewelry.That same quality comes through in the rest of the album, most notably in "Like a Soldier" and "Deep Enough"(a far superior remix of the latter is included as a bonus track). It seems as if Kowalczyk has finally gotten over his angst and doesn't feel the need to discuss enlightenment the way he once did. He is having much more fun here, teasing, partying, and loving - every track on V deals with one form of that love or another.One form is friendship - in addition to Tricky's appearance, the group convinced longtime friend Adam Duritz of Counting Crows to lend his voice to "Flow." The song demonstrates a nice little trick Live has picked up - shifting tempo in a song several times and never having it come off as disjointed or forced.What do seem forced are some of the slower songs. A lot of pop-rock bands have made it onto commercial radio with these kinds of mellow, "pretty" songs. But save one, they are all old hat, shadows of their forebears; when "Nobody Knows" dissolves into ethereal whistling, you begin to hope that it ends soon. The one exception is "Overcome," an absolutely amazing song and easily among the most moving Kowalczyk has ever written (the rest of the band and their instruments are absent from the track).Although the good songs on this album overshadow and help you forget the handful of mediocre ones, the fact remains that they are there, and that takes away from the full effect of the album. So, while V isn't as complete an album as it could've been, it still offers a great variety of solid rock songs that will give you hope that heartfelt rock will be back to the forefront soon.

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News

Arizona-St. Louis series is a call to arms

August 31

When the National League playoffs began yesterday, they featured the usual cast of characters. The Atlanta Braves, who are making their tenth straight postseason appearance are paired against the Houston Astros, who are back in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years after missing out last season. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks returned to the October stage for the second time in the franchise's four-year history and will face the wild card St. Louis Cardinals who are in the playoffs for the second consecutive year after winning the NL Central last season.Atlanta vs. Houston While Atlanta (88-74) became the first professional team to win its division for ten straight years when it won the NL East title last Friday, the team has wavered between pathetic, mediocre, and dynamic this year and seems to have made the playoffs due in large part to luck. If the Braves had been in the AL West, they would have finished 28 games out of first place, and wouldn't have stood a chance in the AL wildcard, where Oakland would have bested them by 13 games. Houston (93-69), though solid for most of the season, also squirmed for its division title. The Astros had a 5.5 game lead on Sept. 24 when they decided to take a vacation before the playoffs. Houston proceed to lose two to the Cardinals, three of four to the Chicago Cubs, and three to the San Francisco Giants, falling to second place in the division by one game. Only a 9-2 win against St. Louis in the season finale saved the Astros from handing the division to the Cardinals. The Braves ended their seven-game postseason losing streak yesterday when they beat the Astros 7-4 in Game 1 of the series. Chipper Jones' three-run homer in the eight inning was the difference in the game, and John Smoltz pitched two innings for the save. But while Game 1 went according to plan for Atlanta, the team's season has been anything but smooth. Almost its entire infield changed, as it released second baseman Quilvio Veras and first baseman Rico Brogna and lost shortstop Rafael Furcal to an injury. They traded volatile closer John Rocker for closer Steve Karsay, but ended up entrusting veteran starter Smoltz, back from a series arm injury, with the role. Smoltz has been superb in relief, but whether his beleaguered arm can hold up in postseason pressure remains to be seen. The Braves have never been known for their offense, and the pitching staff that was so revered in baseball throughout the 90s has disintegrated. Potential Hall of Famer-Tom Glavine has nearly as many walks (97) as strikeouts (116), Smoltz is gone from the rotation, and Kevin Millwood missed 2.5 months with an injury and is not on the roster for the NLDS. The bright spots in the rotation have been erstwhile ace Greg Maddux and journeyman John Burkett, who leads the starters in ERA (3.04) and the team in strikeouts (187). On paper, Houston is a better offensive team, leading Atlanta in all major categories except stolen bases. The Astros line-up of Moises Alou, Jeff Bagwell, and Craig Biggio is fierce, but Bagwell and Biggio have traditionally slumped in the postseason. Don't expect the Astros to walk all over the Braves. Houston has its share of pitching problems, and the injury to rising star Roy Oswalt may have a huge impact on the rotation. Oswalt, who is 14-2 this season, was sidelined for much of September with a groin injury and is questionable to pitch Game 4. Houston's rotation also lacks the experience that Atlanta's has. The Astros will rely on the young arm of Wade Miller, who at the age of 25 went 16-7 this season. Dave Mlicki, scheduled to start Game 2, did not fare well in his last two starts in the regular season. While Houston is a better team than Atlanta, the Astros enter the postseason following a sloppy finish to the regular season. But the Braves have momentum and have proved in the last weeks of September that they can turn on the heat when it matters. Look for them to make it close but for the Astros to come out on top. St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks In a best of five series, starting pitching can make or break a team, and in the case of the St. Louis-Arizona series, St. Louis may be broken because of it. Any team where Randy Johnson is the ace and Curt Schilling is the number-two starter is dangerous and while the Cardinals have good pitching they cannot match the Diamondbacks' one-two punch. Cardinals pitching is no chopped liver, however, and St. Louis beat Johnson twice this year. They were third in the league with an ERA of 3.92 and got more wins out of their starters (75) than any other NL team. Morris had a fabulous season, and Woody Williams went 7-1 after joining the team at the trading deadline. Darryl Kile adds great depth to the St. Louis rotation as the third starter. Both the Cardinals and Diamondbacks have bullpens that are less than steady, so it will be up to the starting pitchers to set the tone. Yesterday's first game was a battle between two of the best pitchers in the NL this season, Arizona's Curt Shilling (22-6) And St. Louis' Matt Morris (22-8). Arizona had a great season this year thanks to their dominating pitching and the offensive heroics of Luis Gonzalez, who batted .325 with 57 homers and 142 RBI. For St. Louis, rookie Albert Pujols, who batted .329 with 37 homers this year, leads the offensive attack. Pujols has made up for the lack of production from slugger Mark McGwire, who batted .187 this year with 29 homers and is reportedly considering retirement. The Cards also have Jim Edmonds and J.D. Drew who both batted over .300 and hit over 25 home runs. The Cardinals come into the series riding a wave of momentum. They were .500 at the All-Star break and went 50-26 afterwards to win the wild card, winning 17 of their last 22 games. Starting pitching gives Arizona the edge, but if St. Louis can break through against Arizona's 1-2 combo the Cards have more depth in the 3-4 spots in the rotation and would have a good shot at taking the series from the Diamondbacks.

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News

Rapid rape response service formed

August 31

Tufts has developed a new method to promote the safety and well-being of its students. The Tufts University Women's Center, located at 55 Talbot Avenue, has instituted a student response line for sexual assault, harassment, rape, and abusive relationships. The program, called Students Sexual Assault Response Assistance (SSARA), provides the student body with a rapid response service that gives confidential support and information to victims of sexual assault, harassment, or abuse. Certified by the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, eight female students serve as volunteer assistants to a counselor-on-call, physician-on-call, and administrator-on-call, all of whom are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The student assistants are on-call with cellular phones on a rotating basis. Kathy Savage, a nursing coordinator at Health Services, and Peggy Barrett, director of the Women's Center, serve as alternate on-call backups to the student assistants. With the network of staff in place, Savage says she is confident the program will succeed. "The reason SSARA will prove to be successful is the dedication and commitment that everyone involved with this service has demonstrated," Savage said. The student assistants are certified by the state's Rape Crisis Services, but the completion of the course does not signify the end of their training. Associate Director of Counseling Sherry Richman and a trained rape crisis counselor from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center meet with the student assistants each month to provide supervision and ongoing training. When an on-call student assistant is beeped, the assistant seeks a private area where the call can be returned. In this way, the caller has access to the resources available to the assistant, as well as short-term counseling if they choose to meet the assistant. Assistants are also available to accompany callers when they get medical care, counseling, or file complaints, and no permanent records are kept of the calls. Many students have welcomed the new program as a helpful resource for the Tufts community, praising the system that allows callers to speak to their fellow students. "I think it's encouraging to see this program here," sophomore Christina Zahara said. "Sexual violation, whether it is in the form of harassment or rape, is a sensitive and deeply personal subject," Zahara said. "Some students may not feel comfortable sharing this type of incident with friends or adults. It is important to have the opportunity to seek support and advice from a trained student with the knowledge that shared information is confidential." "I think that there is definitely an advantage in being able to speak to someone your own age when you have that sort of a problem," senior Abby Noble said. "There is a certain level of familiarity and comfort that comes with talking to a peer that you can't always get with someone older or younger." Residents of Richardson House, Tufts' all-female dorm, have also spoken in favor of the initiative. "It would be great to have someone your age to talk to in that kind of situation," senior Tracy Rosa said. "A student would know what you're going through, and the program gives the caller access to adults if necessary." Though freshman Kim Nguyen, another Richardson resident, said she doesn't see rape as a significant problem at Tufts, she said she is glad to know the program is here if she needs it. "The program is kind of like Richardson," she said. "Here we have a network of support and community." "We're always here for each other just in case this kind of problem, or any other kind of problem, arises," Nguyen said. But some students say they're skeptical that their classmates are capable of providing adequate counseling. "I'm not sure I would take advantage of the counseling part of it simply because the people on call are students," freshman Lauren Gesserman said. "Even though they have been trained to assist rape and abuse victims, it's not the same as having a professional to talk to." But Gesserman said that she would call the student number if she needed to, if only to be referred to a more qualified professional. According to SSARA volunteer junior Liz Monnin, the students do not take the place of professionals, but rather act as a central location where students can get information about available resources. "For survivors, they are often unsure if they want medical attention or if they want to file charges, so it can be confusing to know who to call for help when you're not even sure yet what help you want," Monnin said. "SSARA fills a critical role of having all of the information and resources centralized - we are there just to listen, we are there to answer questions, we are there to guide people in the right direction for the resources that they say they want." The Students Sexual Assault Response Assistance program provides support to students whether or not they are using other campus support resources such as the Counseling Center or Health Service. To reach a student assistant, call 617-435-7272.

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News

Subdued Emmys lack the glitter

August 31

"Welcome to the 53rd, 54th, and 55th Emmy Awards."Host Ellen DeGeneres began last night's Emmy Awards ceremony with a sigh of relief - after being postponed two times due to the recent national crisis, the 53rd annual celebration honoring television's best and brightest finally took place at Los Angeles' Schubert Theater. Gone were the usual red carpet festivities, where stars parade the latest fashions and flashy jewels. Low-cut dresses and the glitter gave way for a slightly more subdued ceremony than usual, where West Wing took home top honors for direction, writing, and Best Drama Series. HBO's Sex and the City won Best Comedy Series honors.DeGeneres joked frequently about the show's fated scheduling conflicts, but assured the audience that she had no intention of bailing out on her hosting duties. "It's important for me to be here... what would bug the Taliban more than seeing a gay woman in a suit surrounded by Jews?"She also spoke of television's power as a creative medium to turn to in times of strife. "They can't take away our creativity...only network executives can do that," she joked.This creativity was awarded throughout the night. Major acting nods went to James Gandolfini and Edie Falco of The Sopranos, Patricia Heaton of Everybody Loves Raymond, and Eric McCormack of Will and Grace."I'm a Canadian and this is my American Dream," McCormack said.The evening was half tribute to stars and their craft, half tribute to America and the heroes of recent months. Festivities started off with a trumpet rendition of "America the Beautiful," followed by an emotional singing by Phil Driscoll, both met with a rousing standing ovation. A surprise ending of the evening found Barbara Streisand delighting a shocked audience with a tribute to Sept. 11 victims. The Emmys also paid its own tribute to other countries that might be tuning in. A montage showing faces around the world mourning and showing their support for America became, in itself, a thank you note in tribute to foreign support.Familiar television faces were called on to speak out. Famed journalist Walter Cronkite, live via satellite from Toronto, spoke of television's importance in the recent months, citing it as "the great common denominator... entertainment can help us heal."Larry King introduced a montage showing how entertainers and entertainment itself can mean everything to troops abroad in times of strife. He spoke of veteran comedian Bob Hope, whom he assured was sitting at home watching the ceremony, and thanked him for his position as an American legend.Chairman of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Jim Chabin came onstage to explain why they decided not to cancel the awards show - a practice that some might find frivolous during a war on terrorism, to some. "That would have been giving in," he explained. "Like baseball and Broadway, we are an American tradition."The former tradition might have prevented people from enjoying the Emmy's - it's almost ironic that a show lauding television success had to compete for ratings against the final game of the World Series.Degeneres, who promised score updates, ensured everyone that CBS was the place to be. "Don't think they're going to break in on the game and let you know who won for Best Supporting Actor."

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News

On guard; title IX hurts club ports

August 31

For the most part, Jon Japha's article, "Love Potion Title IX" appearing in the Daily on Oct. 31 did a good job of boiling down the Title IX issue. Tufts compliance to Title IX has been in raising the number of athletes instead of using other criteria such as equal number of male and female teams or equal funding to teams. Of particular interest was the acceptable leeway of a plus or minus five percent difference in participation rates of men and women. However, Mr. Japha is incorrect in assuming that women's sports elevated to varsity status are "without male counterparts." Both the fencing and volleyball team have male counterparts, the difference is that they exist as club sports. Title IX has a profound impact on club sports, which has been ignored by the administration. The Tufts fencing team that existed as a coed entity was broken up five years ago. It was identified as a competitive team, which required little funding - a good T IX fit. While I hold the women's fencing team in the highest regard, and do not doubt the merit of their competing on a varsity level, their separate accession to a varsity level of competition is a sore point for many male fencers. This is compounded by the nature of collegiate fencing, where men's teams and women's teams from opposing schools face off simultaneously. While varsity men's and women's basketball teams have separate tournaments, and little contact with one another, collegiate fencing teams are rarely separate. Most frustrating is that while our skills are on par with many regional NCAA squads, the lack of a NCAA designator keeps us from attending better tournaments where Tufts students could excel. The competitive nature competency is true for a number of other Tufts club squads, male and female. The impact of T IX on club sports is implicit in how teams are selected for varsity status. If a team were to ask for varsity funding and recognition, it would need to find a comparable number of women to do the same. However, most of these women's squads, which have already been gleaned by the Athletic department squads that fall through the cracks, are ones that gain no benefit from collegiate associations. Examples are the ultimate Frisbee teams (who use a US governing body rather than the NCAA) or the equestrian team (which is viewed as costly). Ironically compliance with T IX on the varsity level may lead to a disproportionate number of men in the club sports program. Where would new varsity sports come from? History has shown they come from the club sport system. Last year, club sports were given charge of their own funding from the Athletic department. In addition this funding board was informed that at some point we would have to make allowances for new club sports. Note that because of the zero-sum nature of the funding scheme there is little incentive to accept new teams. Those that do get accepted will likely be eyed as an avenue to varsity status by men's teams. This is wrong because club sports are supposed to respond to student interests and needs, not to the trickle down effect of T IX. To the extent that upward mobility of qualified clubs has been impeded by T IX, the Athletic department has pushed responsibility of club (and eventual varsity) recognition, to the club sports. Perhaps the questions one should ask is, what criteria exist for the creation of new varsity sports or the criteria for their termination? Nothing upsets me more than when men's Fencing, Volleyball, or Skiing finish high in the regional standings year after year, only to have the headline stolen by "Golf finishes 26th for the year." A criteria must exist, if it isn't performance, what is it? How do varsity teams defend their continued existence if they do at all? This is a very complex issue, but that's not a reason to shy away. There is something inherently inequitable about the Athletic Department using "tradition" as a criteria for keeping weighty T IX teams, like Football, while at the same time using it to deny other viable competitive sports teams. To add to the problem, the desire for varsity status has the potential to alter the selection process of new club sports, which is a disservice to all students. Chris Greller is a fifth year student in the joint Tufts-Fletcher program. He is president of the men's fencing team.

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News

STDs common at colleges, students often unaware of risks

August 31

If you ask junior Jake Berman, protecting yourself against Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)s is just a matter of common sense. "Don't have sex with people who have STDs, that is the best way to prevent them," Berman said. This type of attitude worries Dr. Margaret Higham of Tufts' Health Services, who is concerned that college students are not aware of the dangers of unprotected sex. Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are a category of diseases that include over 80 types of viruses. They are named for the benign warts, or papillomas, that they cause. Different types of HPVs cause the common warts that grow on hands and feet and those that develop in the mouth and genital area. HPVs are now recognized as the major cause of cervical cancer. Beginning sexual intercourse at an early age and having many sexual partners increase the chances of contracting an HPV. "HPV is the most common STD on college campus, but hardly anyone knows about this virus," Higham said. "One to two thirds of all sexually active people have this virus. It takes a while to develop so students might not know they have it while they are in college and pass it on to other partners before they discover that they are sick." Syphilis, once virtually untreatable, can now be effectively diagnosed and treated with antibiotic therapy. Early symptoms of syphilis are often very mild, and treatment is often not sought when first infected. Syphilis increases the risk of transmitting and receiving HIV and is caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. The initial infection causes an ulcer at the site of infection. Over time, the bacteria move throughout the body, causing damage to many organs over time. The disease is divided into four stages - primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary (late). An untreated infected person may infect others during the first two stages (one to two years). Even though untreated syphilis is not contagious in the late stage, serious heart abnormalities, mental disorders, blindness, other neurological problems, and death can occur. Herpes, a more commonly known STD, is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-type one causes fever blisters on the mouth or face, known as oral herpes. HSV-type two - also known as genital herpes - typically affects the genital area. HSV-1 and HSV-2 are inactive and cause no symptoms. People can remain infected for life after the first initial episode. Herpes is spread by direct contact including kissing, sexual contact, and skin-to-skin contact. An estimated 40 million people have genital herpes, which is a chronic viral infection. About 500,000 new people get symptomatic herpes each year and there are even more people without symptoms. Hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver, sometimes resulting in death. There are 4 forms of hepatitis - A, B, C and D. Both Hepatitus and A and B have permanent vaccines to protect against them. The virus that causes Hepatitus B is found in blood, saliva, fecal matter, and urine. One-third of all Americans have evidence of some past infection, with up to 200,000 infections per year. Many symptoms of Hepatitis A are similar to those of Hepatitis B, which include pain in the abdomen and muscle and joint aches. Hepatitis B virus can cause lifelong infections. The virus continues its silent attack on the liver, which over a period of years can lead to cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver. This damage to the liver slows the blood flow through the liver causing increased pressure in the vein that transports blood from the stomach and the intestines to the liver; and varicose veins (esophageal varicies) can develop in the stomach and esophagus and, without warning, these large veins can break. Over 5,000 people die from chronic liver disease caused by HBV infection each year including scarring of the liver, liver cancer, damaged liver cells, liver failure and even death. The incubation period for this virus is from two weeks to six months after viral entry to the liver and during this time a person is extremely contagious. Symptoms disappear over six to 12 months until complete recovery. "Many of these viruses have either no test or no good treatment. The best treatment is prevention. Stop the virus before [you] acquire it," Higham said.

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News

Cheapass Gourmet makes cooking house calls

August 31

Paetec. Tutoring. A slew of after-hours Chinese delivery services. Since the dawn of college life, businesses have sprung up gearing themselves solely toward the college student, providing fast, efficient, and inexpensive services, and cultivating a loyal customer base in a centralized geographical area. The formula is simple: Find a large group of young people confined to a campus with a lot of spending money, and offer them a convenient and quick service. Quick and convenient - these two magic words open the pocketbooks and wallets of the lazy and those otherwise ill-inclined to search beyond campus walls, and spell opportunity for any creative businessperson. Using this formula, Verena Wieloch created Cheapass Gourmet, a Somerville business that aims to teach college students how to cook inexpensively and healthfully. Wieloch teaches at the students' homes, using their utensils and cooking ingredients. She emphasizes a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, which any busy college student can appreciate. The class, she says, is a "combination of a Tupperware party with a cooking class." After leaving a corporate job in February, Wieloch had plenty of time to consider what she loved doing and what she wanted to do next. With the knowledge and experience gained from working on an organic farm during her summers, Wieloch saw Tufts as the opportunity to combine her love of food and cooking with the frugality - and desire to learn - of a Tufts student. "Cooking makes life nice," Wieloch said. "And how nice to show people how on a fixed budget." During her college experience, Wieloch had no cooking options as a student at the University of Pittsburgh. No one had taught her how to cook simple dishes, let alone tasty, inexpensive meals. "If you watch all the television chefs, they prepare these luxurious and extravagant meals, but who has the time or the means for that?" Wieloch said. "It's great to watch on TV, but nobody cooks like that." Lacking the visibility of Emeril and the stars of "Ready, Set... Cook!," Wieloch started her business with only a half-time partner, who teaches when Wieloch is unavailable. She required little money for her start-up, instead relying on students to provide the food, utensils, and classroom space, as well as any friends who could be future clients, allowing Wieloch to keep costs low. She approaches her teaching with an organic twist, using her experience in the field. The students walk away with an understanding of what it means to buy organic, as well as a consciousness of cooking. Two main factors pushed Wieloch towards Tufts students, currently her sole clientele, though she hopes to branch out to Boston University and possibly Harvard in the future. Her main focus is frugal cooking - and who better to appeal to such a lifestyle than a college student? But Wieloch also believes most college students are very open to learning. Wieloch says her motivation is the love of teaching and cooking, but as with all entrepreneurs who pursue college students, Wieloch likely also sees dollar signs. Simply put, Boston is the biggest college town in the United States, where one of every four people walking around the city is a student. It is the sheer number of college students in the area with money to spend that makes Boston a lucrative and obvious market for entrepreneurs. Although Wieloch is aware of other cooking class attempts that have been made throughout the country, she has seen none that offer such inexpensive expertise in such a relatable manner. It may appear that most of the work rests in the student's hands. After all, they host the class and provide the ingredients and utensils. But as Wieloch says, "in your own kitchen, you know what you are capable of." In addition, the intimate atmosphere of each class allows for Wieloch's most trusted method of advertisement: word of mouth. In the end, both the student and Wieloch prosper. Wieloch profits from the accessibility of college students, but at the same time, students take advantage of the business's aim to please attitude and from the useful culinary survival skills they have learned. Wieloch makes a living from her tutorials, and the student learns to cook easy meals on a fixed income, and can dine on more than Mac and Cheese and Rose's Chinese cuisine.

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News

Women's basketball seeks revenge against Babson

August 31

The women's basketball team (0-0, 1-0) hopes to avenge last year's 69-47 loss to Babson, a game in which the Jumbos were completely outplayed, tonight at 7 p.m. in Cousens Gym. "We lost to them last year and we had a really tough game," junior Emily Goodman said. "We didn't play well at all." The team played especially poorly on offense that game, as it connected on only 16-59 shots for a dismal 27.1 shooting percentage. Goodman led the team in scoring with a mere 13 points on 5-21 shooting, more than five points below her season average. "We just weren't clicking at all," Goodman said. "There was no chemistry out there. Nothing was working. But I think we are more prepared this year. They put a lot of pressure on the pass to the wing and we got a little frazzled early and couldn't get out of it." The inconsistency on offense during last year's game against Babson could also be attributed to injuries which forced a number of underclassman into prominent roles. "Last year, we were without the services of four players. Shira [Fishman] had gone down with a knee injury, Sarah Conlon and Meghan Gill were both out for the year with knee injuries, and Erin Harrington was out with mono," Goodman said. "It was kind of baptism by fire, throwing some freshmen into starting roles." Another major problem that the Jumbos hope to rectify is rebounding. Against Babson last year, the Jumbos were outrebounded by a 50 to 44 margin. But more importantly than simply outrebounding Babson, Tufts is intent on preventing Babson from getting second chances following missed shots. "The key is limiting them to one shot," Goodman said. "No second shots for them and just playing good defense and staying out of foul trouble." "The keys are transition defense, which is going to be vital," coach Janice Savitz said. "Also, not allowing them too many second shots." Tufts comes into the game against Babson with a lot more confidence than it had last year, as it ended the season at 14-9 and earned a trip to the first annual NESCAC Tournament. In the Jumbos' first game last Tuesday, they thrashed Johnson and Wales by an 84-66 margin. During the contest, all twelve of the Tufts players who saw action made at least one field goal. Once again, Goodman led the team with 18 points and 11 rebounds. In addition, to using revenge as inspiration for tonight's game the Jumbos have other motivation, as well. "One of our goals is to win all non conference games," Goodman said. "And this is obviously one of them." However, Babson, whose record is 3-0, is no pushover. It boasts a trio of stars who all average more than ten points a game in Meredith Eddy, Patricia Leahy and Ingrid Miller, who are at 15.7, 14.3 and 11.7 respectively. The Jumbos will have to contain these big time scorers if they hope to pull out a victory.

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News

A view from the other side

August 31

Imagine life in Afghanistan on Sunday night. You look up into the sky to see fire raining onto the horizon. Bombs explode around you, and there, by your feet, sits a carefully wrapped package. It features an American flag, a picture of a smiling face, and the words "This food is a gift from the United States of America." The so-called "bomb and butter" attack initiated by US-led forces this weekend represents an unprecedented attempt at "humanitarian bombing." According to the Boston Globe, 37,500 rations were dropped by two American cargo planes in opposition-controlled areas of Afghanistan, well out of reach of the Taliban. Each nutritionally sound ration includes enough food to nourish one person for one day. The effort went so far as to make the rations sensitive to religious beliefs - none include animal products.The drop also supplied the Afghan people with medicine, including anti-diuretic drugs and antibiotics. It represents only one of many planned humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan by the US government, which hopes to shower the nation with 50,000 tons of food each month. But to do so, the US needs ground access to the country - something that will be virtually impossible during wartime. The Bush administration hopes to demonstrate to the Afghan people that they are not the targets of US-led attacks against their rulers. On a larger scale, many feel the US is working to solidify Muslim resistance to the current regime. Humayun Hamidzada, a humanitarian assistance major at Tufts' School of Nutritional Sciences, is an expert on aid projects such as this one. Hamidzada left Afghanistan ten years ago after finishing his undergraduate work; he has family living in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Through his work with the UN, he has been travelling frequently between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the US. Hamidzada keeps in touch with his family on a regular basis, but has not been able to telephone since Sunday's bombings. He did, however, receive an e-mail from his family ensuring that they were all right. "Certainly this is a moment of confusion and distrust - this is not an easy time to be living in Afghanistan," he said. According to Hamidzada, the Taliban has banned many forms of education, excepting religious training for men. The women of Afghanistan are expected to stay at home. Men must grow beards and wear turbans, and the Taliban has prohibited all forms of entertainment. This includes music and sports of every inclination, "from football to kite-flying." "We don't have any freedom of expression," Hamidzada said, adding that minorities are specifically targeted by terrorists there. Through his work with the UN and his collegiate studies, Hamidzada has an edge on understanding such situations. "My field is purely humanitarian. It doesn't have much to do with politics. It tells you how to manage the design of humanitarian interventions," Hamidzada explained. "Humanitarian assistance is responding to manmade disasters and reaching out to those people who are in need."However, in his ten years of work in the humanitarian field, Hamidzada said that he has never seen an effort on par with the current US relief mission, and therefore cannot predict its outcome. Because the bombs and foods are coming at the same time, he said, people will not be rushing to the rations. "How are you going to trust that it's not poisonous?" he asked.Hamidzada said that the Afghanistan's distrust of US efforts stems in part from deceptive tactics used by the Soviet government following its 1979 invasion of the mountainous country. Although he recognizes and appreciates the American efforts to assure the Afghans that they are not targets of attack, Hamidzada disagrees with the use of violence at this stage. "The use of force can jeopardize negotiated settlement," Hamidzada said. "We should let all ethnic groups and people of all political opinions present their opinions. On the military front, we have reached the pinnacle, but I don't see the progress on the political front." Hamidzada believes that the US is focusing too much effort on dealing with the symptoms of extremism, instead of attacking the "root" of terrorism. He believes the key is gaining the trust of the country's people. "[The US] should empower the Afghan civilians to make their own decisions and become a part of the international effort to remove the extremists and fanatics that hold power in Afghanistan," Hamidzada said, adding that the will of the Afghan people must determine a new government structure if the Taliban are removed.But the people need a government structure without interruption, he added. If the US disbanded the Taliban, Hamidzada said, people would try to take the law into their own hands and it would have disastrous results. "Especially in a country [such as Afghanistan] where a lot of people are armed, it could be very dangerous," he said. "That vacuum of power should be filled immediately." Hamidzada believes Americans can play an active role in the conflict in Afghanistan from home. By voicing their opinions to policy-makers, Hamidzada is certain that US citizens can affect change and assure that the government takes a just course of action. In fact, it is this element of democracy that Hamidzada wants to eventually see in practice in Afghanistan. The deconstruction of the Taliban is supported by the people of Afghanistan, according to Hamidzada. But he fears that the US is rushing to support the opposition Northern Alliance, and will eventually substitute one evil for another. "The international community is now trying to support one of the factions in the North - the Northern Alliance - just because they oppose the Taliban," Hamidzada said. But he argues that the Northern Alliance is no better than the Taliban, and that it represents less than ten percent of the Afghan population. Bringing them to power, he believes, would make life for Afghan civilians worse than it is today.Of course, overpowering the Taliban will not be easy. Hamidzada acknowledges the power and manipulation of the regime. "The Taliban will try to stop people from leaving their places and going to other countries. They will use them as human shields against further attacks," he said.But until this war is over, the country cannot move beyond its current state of conflict, and the people of Afghanistan will continue to suffer for the actions of the terrorist regime. "I'm glad that the president and the secretary of [defense] made it clear that this is not a war against Afghanistan but a war against terrorism. But the people of Afghanistan will only believe that when the US shows this in action, not just in words," Hamdizada said.

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News

Making the world safe for individual freedoms

August 31

During the first few weeks of the military action in Afghanistan, the international press was filled with comments from columnists and readers about the bombings. Some people simply believed that there was something inherently wrong with the wealthiest country in the world bombing one of the poorest. Others asked readers not to forget the images of Sept. 11, and argued that the bombing was justified on those grounds. These arguments have likely changed due to the fact that the military campaign seems to have yielded some of the desired results, such as the end of the Taliban's supremacy over the majority of Afghanistan. Throughout this period of the war I was most moved by the argument presented by Polly Toynbee in The Guardian on Oct. 10, 2001. Her article, "Limp liberals fail to protect their most profound values," criticized the "fuzzy idea on the soft left of an Islamic cultural otherness that supersedes basic human rights..."Her article goes on to describe how "hard headed liberals have no problem opposing the Taliban" because they "hold basic human rights to be non-negotiable and worth fighting for." She elaborates on this, taking it to a global level: "Promoting liberal values everywhere from Burma to Saudi Arabia, Iraq to Chechnya is not neocolonialism, but respect for a universal right to freedom from oppression." I completely agree. Though we entered into military conflict with the Taliban because of their harboring of terrorists, the Taliban's removal from power is only part of the US's job. The "war on terrorism" will go on its convoluted way, but if we now take an active role in helping build a new Afghan state, hopefully Afghanis will not ever have to live under such an oppressive regime. It is as much in the US's interest as it is their duty, to now work with the many ethnic groups to form a coalition government.Undoubtedly, this will only be a temporary solution, as twenty years of warfare, both internal and external, will not be solved overnight.The process of establishing a new government will likely be a long and arduous one for all involved. I hope that the US takes an active role in this process and, in so doing, helps establish a government that best represents the various people of Afghanistan, their cultures and customs, while ensuring that all Afghanis live free from oppression. This is a possibility; a government has just been displaced and the world's eyes will be watching how Afghanistan rebuilds itself politically and socially. However, it is more than a shame that a regime that tortured its citizens and forced all women out of the public sphere, was only brought down after they could be tied to the events of Sept. 11. As our world continues to shrink due to the ease with which people, capital, and ideas move around the globe, I hope there will be increasingly less tolerance for regimes, such as the Taliban, that rule with blatant disregard for personal freedoms. I am aware of the paradox of wishing for less tolerance of intolerant regimes, but there is another contradiction that is equally unsettling. Those from the West who argue that regimes that do not equally protect all their citizens (based upon sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or race) do so because of cultural differences that must be respected. These critics argue that cultural differences often manifest themselves in forms of government, and it is not the duty of the West to tell these governments how to govern their people. I appreciate this, in that I understand that cultural differences must be understood; however, there seems to be a serious hypocrisy in their argument. These critics who argue for cultural relativism do so from the comfort of nations that guarantee and protect their freedoms to make such comments, and live in manners that would not be tolerated under the governments they seek to defend. I choose to hope for that liberal ideal - a world in which every individual is afforded a life free from oppression - I hope the new Afghan government does as well.Chris Mitchell is a senior majoring in history.

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News

Men lose second straight on the road

August 31

Following a tough loss to Springfield on Saturday night, the men's basketball team hoped to bounce back against Babson College on Tuesday. But while Tufts has topped the Beavers each of the last two seasons, it couldn't repeat this year, falling 76-63 and dropping its record to 3-3. Babson improved its record to 5-1 with the victory. In a fairly lackluster performance, the usually energetic Tufts offense was easily contained by a tenacious Beaver defense. Babson had little trouble harnessing the sharp-shooting trio of sophomore Phil Barlow and juniors Mike McGlynn and Brian Shapiro. McGlynn was held to just six shots on the night. "We simply did not perform well," coach Bob Sheldon said. "If I had to grade our performance last night, I would give us an F." Neither squad played well in the first half, as Babson shot 9-29 in the period, while Tufts was only slightly better at 10-30. The Jumbos only attempted eight three pointers in the first half, and did not connect on any of them. Despite Tufts' ice cold shooting, the team went into the half trailing by only one point, 24-23. "That first half was some of the worst basketball I've seen in a long time," Sheldon said. In the second half, however, Babson sophomore Jeff Hines caught on fire, sinking seven points in the first four minutes. Hines transformed a one-point halftime lead into a 31-25 advantage with 16:20 remaining. But Barlow and freshman center Craig Coupe kept Tufts within striking distance, each scoring four points over the next three minutes. A Babson three pointer at 12:09 put the Beavers up by 11, and though a Coupe put-back 20 seconds later reduced the margin to nine, Babson answered immediately with a breakaway lay-up. Despite Shapiro's team-high 19 points on the evening, Hines' 16 second-half points proved too much for the Jumbos. The Beavers lead by double digits for the final 11 minutes of the game, rolling to the victory. "We out-rebounded them (36-25), but we also had something like 17 turnovers," Sheldon said. "It was just one of those games where nothing went right." After averaging 25.4 three-point attempts through their first five games, the Jumbos put up a mere 17 shots from beyond the arc against Babson, their lowest total of the season. Babson surely did its homework on Tufts' guards - McGlynn was held to a season-low six field goal attempts. "Teams are scouting us now," Sheldon said. "Before they didn't really know what we were about, but now they know that they have to shut our shooters down from outside. They didn't give Mike many good looks last night." The team performs best when it is patient and chooses good shots, as was the case against Salem State on Nov. 25, when the Jumbos scored 100 points. However, the Beavers did not yield many good looks at the basket, resulting in hasty shooting by the Jumbos. "We were really just taking what they gave us," Sheldon said. "It wasn't a change in game plan, we just didn't get good looks at the basket." A bright spot for the Jumbos was the play of Coupe, who finished the night with 11 points and seven rebounds. With teams focusing on shutting down the perimeter shooters, Coupe's inside presence will be crucial to Tufts' success. "[Coupe] has really been exceeding our expectations so far," Sheldon said. "He's gonna have to step up and be an inside force for the rest of the season. We're real pleased with how he's been playing so far." Although the Babson game did not turn out as the team had hoped, the Jumbos see it as an opportunity for improvement. "Sometimes it takes a kick in the ass to get you to improve," Sheldon said. "Hopefully this was it." Next up for Tufts is a game against 7-0 MIT. Coming off of two straight losses and sitting at 3-3, the Jumbos will need to win this game to stay above the .500 mark. "We're gonna be pumped up for this game," Sheldon said. "This is as close to a must-win situation as you can get this early in the season." Tufts and MIT square off tonight at 7:00 in Cousens Gym.

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News

Not my Buddy

August 31

It's the week after Thanksgiving and I am depressed. But instead of going into how much work I have to do, or how tired I am, or how my room is so messy that I can't find my bed, or how I have no food in my house, I'm just going to vent about someone who has been bothering me since 1994. I first began to hate him in August 1994, during the baseball strike which destroyed my childhood. Up until that point I had lived a happy little existence- school, friends, and baseball. Then at age 13 I came to the harsh realization that life wasn't so simple. I figured that the strike would last a few days. But the days turned into weeks and eventually this man canceled the World Series for the first time since 1904.World War I couldn't prevent the World Series from occurring, nor could World War II. But then along came a devil named Bud. Alan H. "Bud" Selig to be exact. You might have heard of him, as he is the commissioner of baseball, pseudo-owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, former used car salesman, and most importantly, moron. Now, what respectable human being would allow themselves to be referred to as Bud? My best friend's dog is named Buddy and quite frankly, the animal is the stupidest thing I have ever encountered. But the same first name is not all that the dog and Mr. Selig have in common. Oh no, there are actually a number of uncanny similarities between the pair. Buddy the dog does a lot of stupid things. For instance, he runs around the kitchen chasing his tail and attempts to eat plastic objects which could potentially kill him. Buddy the owner also does a number of stupid things. His latest "brainchild" is, of course, contraction, which would eliminate two teams from Major League Baseball and would offend millions of baseball fans, potentially destroying the game forever. In addition, both Buddy the dog and Buddy the commissioner are selfish. Buddy the dog will happily steal scraps from the dinner table or hop on somebody's leg for a ride with no understanding that such actions are self serving and in poor taste. Likewise, Commissioner Buddy claims that eliminating the Minnesota Twins will have no effect on the attendance of the Milwaukee Brewers. You don't have to be a navigator to realize that Milwaukee is the closest big league city to Minnesota. If Minnesota fans want to see baseball, Milwaukee is the most logical destination. Commissioner Buddy claims that contraction is in the best interest of baseball and I bet if Buddy the dog could talk he would claim that mounting a person's leg is pleasurable for the mountee. Simply put, Buddy the commissioner is a liar. The only one who will get any satisfaction from contraction is Buddy the pseudo-owner, and a few of his selfish owner friends. Not surprisingly, the fans, who are truly the foundation of the game, are once again going to be screwed over. While Buddy the Commissioner acts like Buddy the dog, he is also eerily similar to the popular toy doll from the late 1980s and early 1990s, "My Buddy." First of all, there is the obvious physical resemblance between the two - moppy brown hair and a crooked smile which clearly says "I'm up to no good." And who can forget the quaint wardrobes? However, the most striking similarity between the two is the absence of a brain, which causes both Buddy's to be controlled by others. Commissioner Buddy is supposed to work with the best interests of baseball in mind. But in reality, he is the owner's handpicked lackey. Prior to Buddy, Fay Vincent served as commissioner of baseball. However, when the owners realized that he wouldn't be manipulated, they relieved him of his duties and replaced him with a puppet known as Buddy. In fact, it would not surprise me if the owners collectively referred to Bud Selig as "Our Buddy." Like the dolly, "My Buddy," who serves as a companion for the friendless, a loyal sidekick if you will, Buddy Selig was designated commissioner by the owners to serve as their friend. Without a strong commissioner, the owners are free to wreak havoc on the game and are not forced to answer to anyone. Imagine "My Buddy" talking back to its owner. Having trouble picturing this? Well there is a reason for that: it would be impossible. Likewise, Commissioner Buddy talking back to the owners and standing up for the best interests of baseball is also a figment of our collective imaginations. Think about two of the greatest baseball commissioners of all time. Judge Kensaw Mountain Landis who cleaned up the game following the Black Sox Scandal of 1919 and A. Bartlett Giammatti, who had the courage to ban Pete Rose for life, after it became clear that he jeopardized the integrity of the game by betting on baseball. Just look at those two names, Kensaw and Bartlett - wow. Those are a couple of intimidating names and not only did they have the names, but both men demanded and commanded respect. Kensaw was a judge and Bartlett was the former president of Yale University. When I think of a Buddy I think dog or dolly. But actually he's just a used car salesman. And I seem to remember an old saying that goes a little something like this, "You can never trust a used car salesman named Buddy."

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News

Attacks alter students plans for Rosh Hashanah

August 31

The Jewish community is preparing to celebrate a "sweet new year," but that may prove difficult as America readies itself for a war against global terrorism. Though some students chose to travel home for the holidays, most say they were concerned with their safety. Rosh Hashanah, which begins this evening, represents the start of the new year on the Jewish calendar. The holiday serves as a celebratory time for families to come together to reflect on the year that passed and prepare for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Many students return home to celebrate with family during the two-day holiday. The shocking nature of the terrorist attacks may compel students to travel home, Rabbi Jeffrey Summit said. "My sense is that many people want to be with their families now and if they can find a way to travel, they will try to go home," he said. Junior Ari Weisman lives in New Jersey and traveled home for Rosh Hashanah during her freshman and sophomore years. Tuesday's events increased his desire to go home, Weisman said, because the Jewish holidays are too important of a time to spend without family. Some students decided not to go home because the holidays fall this year in the middle of the week. Missing classes, not security concerns, led these students to stay at Tufts, according to Hillel President Brooke Menschel. But others, Menschel said, reconsidered plans because of traveling fears. "If I lived somewhere close enough, I would want to go home, but I am apprehensive about traveling right now and would probably have changed my plans," sophomore Tara Heumann said. "I am very concerned about my friends who are going home." Though some students say they are apprehensive about traveling, others insist that the need to be with family is paramount. "Traveling home wasn't an issue for me because I drove - I didn't take any mass transportation," said sophomore Bonnie Rose Shulman, who lives in New York "But I think that even if I had needed to take a train or a bus or something, I would have done it." Menschel said she could not gauge the effects of last week's tragedy until she sees the turnout at Hillel's holiday events. "Because of the tragedies last week, I think some people seriously reconsidered their plans for the Jewish holidays," she said. "I definitely heard people asking about tickets [for holiday meals] late last week, but I also heard about people still planning to go home." Senior Rachel Kaplan said she had no reservations about traveling because the trip to her grandparents' home in Hartford, CT is only two hours long. But she said she was nervous for her parents, who flew from Orlando, FL, taking one of the first planes out of an almost-empty airport. Kaplan's parents calmed her fears by describing how the entire plane came together as a community during the flight. Many of the passengers shared the same fears regarding last week's hijackings. But the pilot, who walked into the cabin and spoke to passengers personally, assured everyone that they would be fine. "I'll be even more appreciative of being with so many family members this holiday," Kaplan said. "I'm especially grateful for the company of my [aunt] and 12-year old cousin," she said. "I've really felt a need to see their faces in person since Tuesday."

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News

Vegans and vegetarians unite

August 31

Free food is always a crowd-pleaser. Nothing could have been more obvious at this Saturday's Boston Vegetarian Food Festival, held at the new Reggie Lewis Athletic Center at Roxbury Crossing. The free event attracted a vast array of people from all around the Boston area to sample vegetarian and vegan products and learn more about the vegetarian lifestyle. For the sixth year, the festival was organized and sponsored principally by the Boston Vegetarian Society (BVS), an all-volunteer, non-profit organization. BVS uses the annual festival as a means to "make a better world for people, animals and the earth through advancing a healthful vegetarian diet and a compassionate ethic." The day of food, fun and people was an accomplishment for BVS - it managed to achieve its goals of educating, promoting continued participation in, and stimulating general enthusiasm for the vegetarian lifestyle. While increasing interest in vegetarianism promoted enthusiasm for those involved, the Food Fair's popularity was somewhat of a detractor. The most common complaint did not concern the food, but the crowded conditions that prevented fair-goers from sampling it. The combination of too many booths, copious amounts of visitors, and the Athletic Center gymnasium's limited space and stifling ventilation made for a fair that was beyond capacity. The traffic flow around the various booths often prevented access to the tables, while lineups for food samples regularly blocked other stands. Nevertheless, all those who managed to travel the loop and visit the assorted stands found a wide array of animal-friendly fare. Tasty treats included a collection of flavors from Sunshine Sorbets (a cool vegan treat that alleviated the heat of the many bodies at the fair), hummus and pita offered by Bread and Circus (the same brand available at Tufts' own Oxfam Caf?©), and soothing Chai tea from Oregon Chai. Other, non-edible highlights included mehendi (traditional henna tattoos), an array of speakers lecturing on everything from curry cooking to making a healthy transition into vegetarianism, informative booths such as the New England Anti-Vivisection Society, and a children's activity table where youngsters played with beans, pasta, and string to make pictures and jewelry. While this fall event is the main public showing for the BVS, the organization also hosts monthly speaker events and dinners, bimonthly cooking classes and food tastings, holiday events, and general vegetarian resources. Though BVS volunteers run most of these other activities, this weekend's Food Fair was also helped by some more commercial organizations including AllGoode Organics, Soynut Butter, VegNews, and Vitasoy. For more information on the BVS, visit www.bostonveg.org.

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News

Preparations for war

August 31

Ten years ago, when most of today's undergraduates were in elementary school, the US fought its last war. Operation Desert Storm lasted less than 45 days with 139 of 540,000 US troops killed in action. The enemy was Iraq, and the US won a decisive victory, securing Kuwait's independence. There was no draft. Now, a new war is beginning. The initial conflict took place on American soil, at places many students have visited and where some have even worked. Estimates of US casualties number above 6,000, roughly double the amount of US soldiers killed during the strike on Pearl Harbor in 1941. And though there's no obvious enemy, President Bush has warned Americans of a "lengthy campaign" to rid the world of terrorists. But there is still no draft. Nevertheless, newspapers and TV networks across the country are reporting a growing unease among college students who fear that the draft may be reinstated. Male students were required to register with the Selective Service System when they turned 18, though many say they thought nothing of it at the time. After all, there hasn't been a draft since the Vietnam War. "I'm not really worried," junior Dan Hoagland said. "If it came to the draft, I'd go." Despite national media reports to the contrary, Hoagland's view represents the opinion of many at Tufts: while the draft may come up in conversation more and more since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, students aren't worried. Many, in fact, say they would fight if asked. Among Hoagland's friends, he said, some are ready to go to war, while others are eyeing tickets to Canada. Other students say they are not sure how a reinstatement of the draft would affect them, since most of their information on the subject comes from their parents' experience. Some, like senior Paul Lanks, say that college students are not eligible for being sent into ground combat. Although this was true during the Vietnam conflict, later legislation allows only a one semester deferment, which means current students could be called up as early as January if a draft were begun today. Under the Selective Service System, men whose 20th birthday falls in the current calendar year are called up first in the event of a draft, followed by those turning 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Eighteen-year-olds and those turning nineteen are drafted last. According to official sources, however, there is no cause for concern. Last Wednesday, White House Spokesman Ari Fleisher released a statement saying that the draft won't happen any time soon. There is no consideration of reinstating the draft at this time, Fleisher said. "From my conversations with the Pentagon, it's not something they anticipate," he added. Sociology professor and Director of Peace and Justice Studies Paul Joseph said that the public's concept of the draft is part of preparing for war. "Everything is entailed in social mobility for war - support for the president, making a sacrifice, lining up behind the flag, constructing external enemies," Joseph said. Part of what he calls the "cultural aspects" of war, Joseph said that people invariably find themselves considering the possibility of a draft, notwithstanding the untraditional nature of a war against terrorists. "You can't eliminate the situation," he said. "It may be possible there may be manpower demands that may necessitate a draft down the line." Junior Mike Lambert said he does not see the draft happening for a long time, if at all. Calling it a "last-ditch effort" on the part of the president, he said people are worried because Bush warned the nation to prepare for a prolong conflict. "When people think of a long war, they think of World War II," Lambert said. "This is a whole new territory." Junior Samantha Herman agreed that the conflict cannot be thought of in traditional terms, and said she's not anxious about a draft. "It seems there won't be as many ground troops," Herman said. "Everyone's calling it the new war."The armed services has seen an increase in recruits since the attacks, though the official numbers won't be released until the end of the month. Sgt. Parker Simon of the Malden Recruiting Station said there are "a few" more Army recruits than usual, and that he's aware of an increase of recruits throughout the armed forces branches. Though a draft is far from imminent and most students remain unconcerned, some are beginning to worry. Sophomore Elizabeth Wolkomir, though not eligible for the draft herself, has a brother in his early twenties. She's been talking to him lately about the possibility of a military call-up, and says she feels that everything is out of her control. "At this point, I feel that whatever is going to happen is going to occur," Wolkomir said, adding that she can't believe a draft could happen very soon. According to Wolkomir, her brother had always planned to leave the country if a draft were ever declared. But after witnessing the worst domestic attack in America's history, he's had a change of heart. If drafted, Wolkomir says, her brother would go.

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News

Halpern and Esparza to speak to Senate

August 31

A week after she lost her sexual harassment case against The Primary Source, senior Iris Halpern will speak to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Monday during an open forum about guidelines for on-campus publications. She will address the forum with Lou Esparza, a member of the Coalition for Social Justice and Non-Violence and the Radix, the Source's left-leaning counterpart. There are currently no official Senate guidelines for University-funded publications - which is what Halpern and Esparza hope to change. Senate President Eric Greenberg said that the senate received an e-mail from Esparza requesting a meeting with certain committee members. He said Esparza was concerned about the decision reached Monday by the Committee on Student Life (CSL), which dismissed Halpern's sexual harassment charge against the Source. The committee cited the magazine's first amendment right to free speech. Sam Dangremond, the Source's editor-in-chief, hopes to attend the forum on Monday. But he said he has no plans to speak, even if Halpern or Esparza criticize the Source. "I am not planning to turn the Senate into some sort of circus," Dangremond said. Greenberg said he was not sure what role the Senate could play in the quelling the controversy. "When there are guidelines to what students can or can't do, I think it falls under the CSL," Greenberg said. "We could pass a resolution saying guidelines should be made," he said. "But it would have no binding affect." Greenberg added that the senate would not likely criticize the CSL, which counts Dangremond among its members. "We haven't been in the business of criticizing CSL decisions in the past," he said. Esparza said senators need to hear how student have reacted to the CSL's decision. "There are lots of students that are upset about what happened Monday," he said. "We'll be discussing how students are reacting." Currently, there are no University regulations regarding what can appear in student publications, even though many of the publications are at least partially-funded by Tufts. Most publications' constitutions do not govern content, either. The controversy surrounding the Source began last month when the magazine printed remarks about "well endowed female SLAM members" and a caricature of a Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) member with large breasts in the Oct. 11 issue. SLAM is an activist group on campus that supports higher wages for Tufts' custodial staff.

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News

Speaker says Afghanistan should not exist

August 31

As UN-sponsored talks near Bonn, Germany this week attempt to create an interim government for a stable Afghanistan, Eden Naby, a historian and expert on Afghanistan, told an audience at Tufts last night that the country should not exist. At a panel entitled "Regional Politics and the Fallout of the War in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Naby explained that Afghanistan's diversity is problematic. Afghanistan's 25 million people do not speak a common language and are divided into more than ten ethnic groups. US President George W. Bush said he wants that diversity to characterize Afghanistan's political future. At the White House yesterday, spokesman Ari Fleischer told the Associated Press that Bush wants "to make certain that there is a multiethnic group that governs Afghanistan, and that includes women." But this diversity, Naby argues, is reason enough to allow the country to split along ethnic lines. Naby, who co-authored Afghanistan: Mullah, Marx, and Mujahid, explained that the country was a product of colonial Britain and czarist Russia's territorial ambitions. The countries expanded their holdings to the north and south, respectively, and created Afghanistan as a buffer. With imposed borders and the forced migration of the Pashtuns - the most populous of the country's ethnic groups - Afghanistan lost the ethnic unity that once defined it. Conflict spurred between the different factions, and according to Naby, any solution that does not involve fragmentation would not solve Afghanistan's problems. But many of the ethnic groups in Afghanistan straddle borders with other countries and groups like the Pashtuns are divided throughout the region. There are 7.5 million Pashtuns in Afghanistan and 14 million in Pakistan, and Naby doubts that any solution could overcome this division. Naby was one of three panelists at last night's forum, the first in a series of discussions sponsored by Tufts' Institute for Global Leadership and the Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) program. She spoke alongside Thomas Simons, the former US ambassador to neighboring Pakistan. "I was as much a representative as we had in Afghanistan," Simons said. By the time he became ambassador in 1996, the US embassy in Kabul has been closed for seven years. Thomas Barfield, the chair of Boston University's anthropology department, completed the panel. Barfield wrote The Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan: Pastoral Nomadism in Transition. Simons and Barfield expressed more mainstream opinions on Afghanistan's future. "Even though ethnic and regional cleavages have become much larger, no one wants to join together with neighboring countries," Barfield said. "As much as they don't like each other, they recognized the benefit of staying together." He added that ethnic nationalism, to which Naby had alluded, never took root in Central Asia. He explained that a central government would help Afghanistan receive the foreign aid it needs to rebuild itself. "There has to be a central government to cash the checks," he said. Simons added that a certain degree of centralization would prevent the country from succumbing to civil war. Barfield explained that because ethnic groups have strong local holds throughout Afghanistan, a central government would need the cooperation of the country's regions. The government would also need to be less centered on Kabul, the Afghan capital, than was the Taliban. With a system of governance in place, Barfield said rebuilding would begin when warlords who profited from Afghanistan's 23-year civil war recognize more lucrative opportunities in rebuilding the country that conflict destroyed. The new government would begin by reconstructing what was lost during Afghanistan's years of conflict - like roads - and building other infrastructure, such as electric grids, from scratch. Less than 15 percent of Afghanistan is served by power lines. Much of the country's growth, Barfield predicted, will be fueled by returning Afghans, who emigrated to Iran and Pakistan. "If there is reconstruction going on," he said, "I don't think you'll see people going back to their village to do agriculture." "[Refugees] have the skills for reconstruction," he continued, and their return would spur urbanization in a country where four out of five people live in the countryside. The economic benefits of a stable and unified Afghanistan are numerous, according to Barfield. Its location is ideal for a central Asian transport hub and with shaky relations between Iran and the west, Afghanistan is the next best option for a natural gas pipeline connecting resource-rich Turkmenistan with South Asia. Small power-generating stations could be attached to the pipeline and provide electricity to the Afghan people. Royalties could also generate as much as $1 billion in government revenue. The figure - larger than any Afghan government has ever seen - would be particularly important since Afghanistan has historically relied on outside sources instead of taxation for revenue. But Barfield noted that the pipeline would be a mere pipe dream unless Afghanistan achieves the stability Bush and other global leaders hope for. Once the conflict in Afghanistan ends and nation rebuilding begins, Simons said the UN will take a crucial role in maintaining stability in the country, either with peacekeeping troops or national armies with a UN mandate. The US - as a party to the conflict which ended the Taliban's dominance - could not take charge. Simons said the heightened foreign presence in the region could also benefit neighboring countries like Pakistan, a US ally in the war against terrorism, but home to significant anti-American sentiment and many Taliban sympathizers. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as it is officially known, was established as a Muslim state in 1947, but the founders envisioned a country similar to India, with a western constitution. "But it never found a stable identity within that definition," Simons said. But with the region now transforming, "Pakistan [has] the opportunity to go back to the ideals of the founders," he said. The country's future, Simons said, would depend on continuing international intervention in the region. The EPIIC series continued last night with "Islam and Terrorism," a discussion with Harvard history professor Roy Mottahedeh and Geneive Abdo, a former correspondent for The Guardian of London who was stationed in Tehran, Iran. Today, Alfred Rubin, a professor of international law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy will discuss terrorism and war in the context of international law. The series will continue into next week with several discussions about the future of Afghanistan and the surrounding region.

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