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Tortilla Soup' leaves moviegoers hungry

August 31

You've got to wonder about a film that pitches food as the star. Not that the dishes, prepared by the "Too Hot Tamales" Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, fall short of expectations. Tortilla Soup is rife with cooking and dinner scenes that feature both classic Mexican and Mexican fusion dishes. But nobody eats film, so the magnitude of the food's presence distracts from the story line. Or maybe it's the story line that distracts from the story line. Lying beneath it all is a story about a family of Mexican Americans and their abruptly changing lives. Hector Elizondo, most recognized for his role in Chicago Hope, plays Martin Naranjo, a semi-retired chef and the father of three young women. Every Sunday his daughters are required to join him for a grand meal that he spends the day preparing. His eldest daughter, Leticia (Elizabeth Pena), is a devout Christian and schoolteacher. She's the daddy's girl of the three sisters. The middle child, Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors), is a successful executive, with an eccentric style of cooking that aggravates her father. The youngest daughter, Maribel (Tamara Mello of She's All That), is a fun-loving high school student longing to see the world. All at once, Leticia begins to receive love letters, Carmen gets offered a job in Barcelona, and Maribel runs off with her new boyfriend. Nothing is as it was. People begin to miss Sunday dinner, frustrating Martin whose taste is dead and health may be failing in the process. Martin decides to fill his newfound free time by courting the mother of a family friend. Hortensia (Raquel Welch) seeks Martin as her fourth husband. The extensive dining scenes segue into the major dialogues of the film. Cooking scenes battle the discussions for time on-screen. But despite the prominent role of food, the music turns out to be the hidden star of Tortilla Soup. It is light Latino fare, showcasing "Si En Un Final" by Eliades Ochoa of the Buena Vista Social Club and a Spanglish version of "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" by Lila Downs. It's a warm, fuzzy moment when the girls sing together during post-dinner kitchen duty. That's what sisterhood is all about: love, support, and cleaning. Everything seems to work out for the characters. Without giving anything away, the film's conclusion involves both "living happily" and "forever after." The film's lone plot twist can be attributed only to the lack of support throughout the film. The cast, despite much talent, fails to perk up dialogue that teeters on the edge of cheesy. In one scene, Leticia and Carmen discuss their father's disdain for Christianity. Martin, a Catholic, feels that Christians worship Christ, rather than Christianity as a whole. Carmen mentions that Christ was a Christian, and both girls are surprised when the hairdresser reminds them that Christ was a Jew. Wouldn't the "devout" Leticia have known that? One of the more tactfully placed cultural snippets is the persistent use of Spanglish, the Spanish/English hybrid that Martin shuns. His demands for either English or Spanish to be spoken in his household serves the character well, reinforcing the juxtaposition of Martin's loyalty to tradition and the Americanization of his daughters. A great deal of Tortilla Soup tries to enrich the audience with factual knowledge about Hispanic culture and religion, but most of it is presented so conspicuously as to appear forced and excessive. The film's saving grace is the relationships between the characters. While the characterizations are peppered with stereotyping, the Naranjo family and its friends blend together nicely. Through thick and thin, sisters are sisters, and they offer each other unwavering support. Their father, who struggles with his own faults, seeks to find the line between helping and suffocating his children. As his family changes, so must he, and for a man obsessed with tradition, change comes slowly. Martin is aided through this transition by the hand of a young girl, a friend's daughter, to whom he brings a home-cooked lunch everyday at her school. The young girl quells Martin's empty nest syndrome and plays a roll in the film's surprise ending. It's difficult to say for whom Tortilla Soup was written. Despite its sexual content, the movie is still really a matinee family film. Or maybe you can catch it in the afternoon before having a nice sociable dinner. Then again, the food in the film looks so good, dinner will probably be a disappointment.

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News

Dining Services to cut swordfish from menu

August 31

Once offered an average of 1.5 times per week in Dewick, swordfish will soon be eliminated from Tufts' dining halls. Earlier this month, Tufts Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (SETA) successfully lobbied Dining Services to take the overfished entr?©e off the menu. Several SETA members sent e-mails to Dining Services Director Patti Lee Klos to ask Tufts to combat overfishing by not serving overfished species, including swordfish. Lee Klos honored the request hook, line, and sinker, discontinuing the swordfish entr?©e on the same day the e-mails were sent. "I have to say that the swordfish campaign is probably the shortest animal rights campaign in history," said SETA member Shari Leskowitz, one of the campaign organizers. While some students complain only that Tufts' swordfish can be rubbery and overcooked, others have questioned the ethics of consuming overfished species at an environmentally minded institution. The issue spurred freshman Jennifer Ko to submit a Daily Viewpoint last month to promote awareness on the issue. After its publication, SETA orchestrated the e-mail campaign. If Lee Klos had not then taken action, group organizers say, SETA planned to "escalate tactics." SETA and Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO) both worked on the swordfish campaign, with SETA leading the efforts and ECO members, including Zoe Hastings, collaborating. "[Lee] Klos always gets bombarded by activists on campus," Hastings said. "We go about it in the nicest way possible." ECO voiced similar concerns about swordfish last year, but Dining Services did not address its concerns. Lee Klos viewed this year's conversation as a continuation of last year's talks. Lee Klos said that Dining Services had several other issues to contend with last year and did not have time to resolve the swordfish controversy. Dining Services cooperated with SETA on the campaign this year because of Tufts commitment to conserving and protecting the environment, Lee Klos said. "We recognize that we are a large service provider.... We are finding ways to minimize the environmental impact of the Tufts community," Lee Klos said. "In keeping with our commitment, it made sense to make the decision to stop serving swordfish in the dining halls," she said. Lee Klos compared the swordfish campaign to issues regarding styrofoam use that arose in the 1980s. Tufts stopped using styrofoam products because of concerns that it contained chemicals harmful to the ozone layer. Dining Services has since resumed styrofoam usage, saying the material is no longer manufactured with the harmful chemicals. Although Dining Services agreed to stop serving swordfish, the entr?©e will remain on the menu for a few more weeks, since Lee Klos does not want to waste the swordfish supplies she has already purchased. Dining Services has not yet decided on a substitute dish. "We will have to look for a more acceptable popular entr?©e for the menu," she said. But Lee Klos has not forever ruled out serving swordfish. "If the species rebounds and is available in a reasonable way, it would certainly be thought upon to serve it in the dining halls again," she said. "Swordfish has a flavor profile that people seem to like. It is a popular menu item in the dining halls." SETA and ECO members are pleased with Dining Services' cooperation. "I get a good feeling about the dining halls in general," said Cindy Chang, ECO co-chair and a SETA member. "They are open to our suggestions as students." Campaign organizers see the elimination of swordfish as a victory for environmentalism at Tufts. "Small changes like this one make frustrated animal rights and environmental activists feel reinvigorated, knowing that we can affect change in our communities," Leskowitz said.

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News

A Tufts tradition: holiday shopping on points

August 31

With the holidays fast approaching, and in the midst of finals, some may find it difficult to get to Harvard Square or downtown Boston to shop for everyone on their list. Online shopping can be just as time-consuming, with inefficient search pages, long and repetitive delivery forms to type, and the occasional computer crash. So why not take care of all your holiday needs at Tufts? Although they aren't the Cambridgeside Galleria or Copley Place, University stores possess one very big advantage - you can buy everything on points there. Here's a look at how a few well-spent minutes at Tufts' finer shops can wrap up your entire holiday shopping experience:Tufts Bookstore By and large, the bookstore is the easiest place to pick up gifts for all your friends and relatives. If you're a freshman, the task is even simpler. You probably know by now that you're expected to buy Tufts sweatshirts, hats, mugs, and key chains for everyone in your extended family. But start with the clearance racks; since campus-signed merchandise can be among the most expensive stuff in the bookstore. For upperclassmen, your family should already have enough Tufts crap to fill a swimming pool. You'll have to shop the other half of the bookstore. Start with acquaintances you don't really care about, but need to give a gift to anyway. This includes Secret Santa recipients, or other kinds of cheap holiday exchanges. The perfect gift for these types of people is, of course, a calendar. At the bookstore, you can get the basic Sports Illustrated and Far Side desk calendars for about $13 on points. For people you care a little bit more about, there are also a few wall calendars, including a Lord of the Rings movie calendar. And if you know any George Harrison fans still mourning the singer's death, there's an Early Beatles wall calendar, also for around $13. While your friends back home might not want stuffed Tufts teddies, you should be able to take care of most of them with the bookstore's CDs and movie racks. Although they're not cheap (the prices are closer to a Sam Goody than a Best Buy), the selection isn't terrible. Plus, you can pick up campus a cappella music from the Bubs and Amalgamates. The bookstore also stocks the print versions of the season's top fantasy films - Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings. Both series can be purchased with points, and the winter break should leave enough time for anyone to enjoy the stories without worrying about English reading lists. As for movies, the bookstore has at long last entered the DVD era. You can pick up such semi-recent titles as Hannibal, Varsity Blues, and What Women Want. They're each around $30, but at least you don't have to go to a mall. Believe it or not, there are even items at the bookstore suitable for bratty little second-cousins or other small children. You can impress them with your alma mater's mascot in "Jumbo - The Most Famous Elephant in the World!" from the You Can Read book series. Those Dumbo fans don't know what they're talking about. And for the more athletically inclined child, there are wiffleball sets (cheap) and Tufts footballs (not cheap). For siblings, you might choose some timeless board games. You could pick up Ultimate Outburst, Scrabble, or Deluxe Monopoly (complete with gold playing pieces). Besides that, try a Walkman or some headphones, or just fall back on some more Tufts merchandise. Mom and Dad have enough campus gear, no doubt. But does your tree sport Tufts ornaments? They're sold in pairs at the bookstore for $10. If you think that's going too far, keep Tufts out of the holidays with Godiva chocolates for Mom or a wet-dry electric razor for Dad. Watch out around the candy rack, though, since the high-quality treats can run around $30 for larger boxes. Finally, you've got to wrap these gifts up. You can get it all on points, from the cards to the wrapping paper and gifts bags to the bows and ribbons.Brown and Brew Tufts' coffee shop is a less obvious choice for holiday giving, but it's still worth checking out. Besides the lattes and croissants, there is a small section of gifts and novelties. For starters, there are Upton Tea tins in various sizes and favors, including Christmas Tea, Peppermint, and Earl Grey. If your relatives like to keep themselves more caffeinated, Brown and Brew has all of its distinctive coffee flavors for sale by the pound, including the extra-heavy "Speeder's Blend." There are also gift boxes and baskets for sale, which include the shop's tea and coffee as well as Brown and Brew mugs, Italian cookies, and truffles.Jumbo Express Unless you hate your intended recipient, you probably won't want to bring anyone holiday cheer from the campus convenience store. But you could probably get away with a gift of Jelly Bellies. One last point - Points Plus are not the same as the Dining Dollars that come with freshman and sophomore meal plans. Although Dining Dollars can't be used at the bookstore, they will work at Jumbo Express and Brown and Brew. And if you need more points, you can always just add them at the bookstore. Just be sure to tell whoever gets your college bill!

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News

So you wanna get into Jazz?

August 31

"So you wanna get into jazz" is the first in a three-part series which will appear in the Daily over the next few weeks, designed solely to provide an introduction to the world of jazz music, a way to get your foot in the door. By the end of the last column, you'll have a list of ten jazz CDs to investigate and explore which together span 70 years and demonstrate not only the variety of the music, but also the way in which it has evolved to include elements of rock, funk, and world music. In this installment, I'll present four CDs to provide an overview of the developments that took place from the 1940s to the 1960s. In the next column, we'll look at three CDs from the '60s to the '70s which represent some of the ways in which musicians attempted to fuse jazz with rock and funk. Lastly, I'll recommend three CDs released within the past three years which give an idea as to where the music is today and where it might go in the future.Jazz - cool, swinging, sophisticated, occult. Visions of small, smoky, tightly packed nightclubs come to mind. On a small stage, a saxophonist vehemently plays his horn in front of a pianist, upright bass player and drummer. However, the unfortunate reality is that for most people, the experience of jazz ends here. The music makes no sense, sounds like a jumble of random outbursts organized in no particular, cohesive way. As they observe the musicians on stage, one question repeatedly comes to mind- what is going on here? The purpose of this column is hopefully to change this reality for some of you. However, before we begin, a disclaimer is in order. As with any type of "essential," "best of," or "introduction to" list, there will no doubt be some students with knowledge of jazz who will disagree with the following suggestions. "What? You didn't include Miles' 1964 My Funny Valentine concert?? And where's Wes Montgomery's Full House?? What are you trying to pull?" All I can say is in putting this list together, my goal has not been to provide an exhaustive list of all of the jazz classics. There already exist large tomes on this subject, and to try to represent the past 100 years of this music in a list of 10 CDs would be a difficult, if not impossible task. Rather, I'd like to stress once again that this is intended to be merely an introduction to jazz, a sample of some of the great records of the past and the present compiled with the non-jazz initiated student in mind. Additionally, I've chosen to focus on more modern jazz, that is to say beginning with the innovations of Charlie Parker and the creation of bebop. As a result, Louis Armstrong is not on this list. For those interested in learning more about Armstrong, however, you can check out the exhaustive treatment given to his role in the music by Ken Burns' series "Jazz."Charlie Parker and Dizzy GillespieBird And DizRecorded June 6, 1950Verve Records Alto saxophonist Parker and trumpeter Gillespie first met in 1940 and subsequently formed a partnership which led to the creation of Bebop, the music that laid the foundation for all modern jazz. Parker (or "Bird" as he was nicknamed) and Gillespie composed the majority of the material which has come to represent Bebop, characterized by fast tempos, complex melodies, and challenging chord progressions. At the same time they championed a new level of virtuosity on their respective instruments. This 1950 studio date almost exclusively features Bird's compositions, and also provides a great introduction to two other major figures in jazz-eccentric pianist Thelonious Monk (yes, that's his real name) and legendary drummer Buddy Rich, who has been called "the greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath." The CD also contains a whopping 17 bonus tracks including false starts and studio conversations, giving an insider's view into the recording process and what the musicians were hoping to achieve with the music. Miles DavisKind Of BlueRecorded March 2, 1959 and April 22, 1959Columbia Records Look through anyone's CD collection the world over and if there's one jazz disc which you're sure to find: Kind Of Blue. It is arguable that no other musician was as innovative, outspoken, and praised as Miles Davis. Beginning his time in the spotlight as a teenager with Charlie Parker, Miles went on to create a body of music ranging from bebop-rooted recordings such as The Birth of the Cool, to groundbreaking free-form work with his quintet of the '60s, to fusions of jazz with rock and funk beginning in the late '60s which lasted until his death in 1991. Of the Kind of Blue session, it has been said that "it was a recording made in heaven." Fed up with the complex chord progressions of Bebop, for this record Miles composed a series of pieces, some of which were based on the blues. The others were so-called "modal" compositions, sometimes consisting of as few as two chords, each lasting eight to sixteen bars (32 to 64 beats). As with Bird and Diz, Kind of Blue also provides a great introduction to some of the most important and groundbreaking musicians in jazz, most notably tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and pianist Bill Evans, both great innovators in their own right. For anyone looking to get into jazz, this album is an absolute must.Charles MingusMingus Ah UmRecorded May 5 and 12, 1959Columbia Records Volatile. Passionate. Virtuosic. Genius. Throughout his life, words such as these were frequently used to describe bass player, composer, pianist, and bandleader Charles Mingus. Born on an army base in Nogales, Arizona, Mingus spent his childhood years in Watts, CA, where he was exposed to church music and jazz early on. By the age of 20 he was touring with jazz giants such as trumpeter Louis Armstrong and vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. However, it was as a leader and composer that Mingus made his biggest impact on jazz, creating various groups to perform and interpret his original compositions which blended jazz, classical music, and the music of the black church. Mingus Ah Um features nine of these compositions, including the fast swinging "Better Git It In Your Soul," the poignant ballad "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," and the more avant garde homage to Charlie Parker, "Bird Calls." With constant shifts in tempo, unusual chord progressions, and a ton of soul, this record really showcases Mingus and his musicians at a great stage in their development.Oscar Peterson TrioThe TrioRecorded live, September to October, 1961Verve RecordsOscar Peterson has a special place in jazz. The Canadian pianist is not only one of the most technically gifted, swinging musicians in the history of the music, but he is also one of the most accessible. Jazz musicians acknowledge him as one of the greats. Classical piano players revere him as a god. And the general population just can't help but feel better when they listen to him play the piano. On this live date, Oscar is in particularly good form in the presence of his long-time trio mates, Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums), as he leads them through a set of blues-infected standard jazz songs such as "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Whisper Not." The trio's amazing telepathic communication is highlighted throughout the album, and the one ballad, "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" is especially moving. If you have reservations about buying four jazz albums for fear of not understanding them, start with this one. You'll probably find a smile on your face as you listen to it, which is more than you can say for many albums coming out today. In a recent article in jazz magazine Downbeat, I read a quote from bassist Dave Holland which struck me deeply: "The best experience I've had with pieces of creative work, whether painting, or music or books has been being able to go back to it, and as I've changed, my experience of it has changed, too. That's what makes art have longevity and significance." Each of the four discs that I've mentioned today has passed the test of time for precisely this reason - they offer a new experience upon each listening. As I said above, if you're hesitant about buying all four, start with just one. Give it a few listenings, and I guarantee each time you'll hear something new - perhaps an unusual chord played by the pianist that you missed the first time, a cymbal splash from the drummer, maybe an interesting passage from the trumpet player. Listen a few more times and you'll be on your way to appreciating a new type of expression, and to forging a deeper understanding of America's only original art form. Next week: Take a journey back to the late '60s and the '70s as we examine three attempts to blend jazz with rock and funk which created a new music that came to be known as "fusion".

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News

Undefeated women's rugby wins Division II East title

August 31

You've probably seen them practicing, the girls in muddied blue and white striped shirts, tossing around something like a football. You may even have some ideas about what women's rugby players are about, from stories around drinking or even leg breaking. What you likely don't realize, though, is that the women's club rugby team is in the midst a nine-game unbeaten streak, and it recently captured the Division II East championship. In the past four years, the team has transformed from a haphazard collection of players which could not score a single point into an organized unit that practices at a near-varsity level and has outscored opponents 78-23 for a 5-0-1 record this year. Perhaps the highlight of the season included a 5-0 blanking of defending Division II champions Wellesley on Sept. 29. "We did not score a single try two years ago and now we are going to the playoffs," senior Tory Foster said. "We are an old fashioned, underdog, Bad News Bears kind of team." The team is led by senior co-captains Jenny Albertini and Julie Litzenberger, as well as coach Kara Yimoyines, a '98 Tufts grad and former rugby captain. Yimoyines currently participates in the Boston Women's Rugby Club, and has brought in a group of four assistant coaches to help guide the team. "We have had a lot of problems with the administration over the years, and [Yimoyines] has been there and knows the history and helped us work through it and gain trust from the administration," Albertini said. Aside from the two captains, the team features 11 other seniors, many with a few years of experience under their belts. The seniors all agree that the turning point for the club came in a pivotal game last October when they defeated Northeastern, giving the team its first victory of the season. "That one win changed our mental game completely," senior Emily Schaffer said. "Before that win, we played much more of a defense game. After that, we went in to games trying to win, not just to survive." The club won its final three games of the 2000 season and has had little trouble this year, defeating rivals Wellesley and the University of Rhode Island (URI), as well as three other schools. Last weekend, the 28-12 victory against URI clinched the Division II East title for the club, and it will travel to Stonehill College tomorrow morning to take part in the New England Rugby Union (NERU) Championship. The tournament will feature four teams from the area, including Norwich (North), Southern Connecticut (South), and Springfield who won the wild card. The current Tufts squad has not played any of these clubs, but from the scouting reports it seems it'll be in for a challenging day. "From what we've heard, Norwich has scored over 300 points this season and not given up a single try," Foster said. Regardless, the team is happy to have qualified for the tournament. "The other teams must be good, but we are confident in our abilities," Albertini said. "We're so happy that we have gotten to this point, and anything beyond that would be incredible." If the team wins its first game against Norwich, it will automatically qualify for the Northeastern Championships, which will be held the following weekend at UMass-Amherst. The top two teams from that tournament will then participate in the National Championships in April and May. The rugby team's success this season can be attributed to a number of factors, but most team members agree that an increased level of commitment has made the difference. While players are told that they are only required to attend three practices a week, most team members attend all five."It really shows dedication," Albertini said. "I have worked harder for this team than any varsity sport I played in high school." After the team qualified for the postseason on Saturday, the practices of the past week intensified even more, as the club hopes to ride its underdog role to some more victories. "We went into practice after we knew we were in the playoffs this past week and it was a whole different attitude," Litzenberger said. "To look around at all the faces, and to know that we are on a winning team was a great feeling." Winning aside, the team has always prospered from a long line of social traditions, and while drinking is among them, team members are focused on other social aspects of the game. "People assume that after games we just drink, but it is one of the few sports where after the game you hang out with the people you play with," Foster continued. "On the pitch you get angry, but afterwards you put that aside, and talk to your opponents and partake in rugby traditions which have been going on for hundreds of years." "You get to know people from other teams," Litzenberger said. "For example, the Northeastern girls. We beat them during the regular season, but they promised to come support us this weekend because we are all buddies with them." After years of battling with the administration, the women's rugby team seems to be on track, both on and off the field. Regardless of the outcome of the weekend's tournament, the 13 seniors say they have left a lasting mark on Tufts' rugby teams for years to come."We've worked hard to change our image to not just become a winning team, but also a respectable team," Litzenberger said.

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News

Transfer student McGlynn provides a third backcourt option

August 31

In the NBA, improving a team's roster typically happens via trades and free agency. But rhe NESCAC and other college basketball conferences have to settle for the next best thing -the occasional transfer student. In Tufts' case, men's basketball Bob Sheldon probably would have preferred a 7' center to show up at his doorstep, but he will certainly "settle" for junior Mike McGlynn, a 6'2" shooting guard who came to Tufts after leading Brandeis in three-point shooting two years ago. McGlynn, a Medford native, left Brandeis as a sophomore after the 1999-00 season for personal reasons. Last year, he took a few classes at Tufts but did not play basketball. Now, McGlynn is a full-time student and getting ready for his debut with the Jumbos. His new teammates, moreover, are looking forward to teaming up with a former opponent. "I don't think taking a year off has hurt him," sophomore point guard Phil Barlow said. "He can shoot the lights out." In fact, McGlynn shot the lights out against the Jumbos two years ago. Tufts' current juniors and seniors remember the Mike McGlynn who nailed six threes in the second half en route to a 26-point Brandeis win over Tufts in February 2000. While Brandeis struggled that year, going 5-19, McGlynn was one of the few bright spots. McGlynn made an instant impact at Brandeis, scoring 12.2 points per game his freshman year. He continued to scorch opponents from downtown, averaging 18.8 points per game the following season, including a 43.7 shooting percentage from beyond the arc. The junior will be a part of the starting backcourt at Tufts, which will feature three to four guards at any one time. "There are a lot of shooters here," McGlynn said. "At Brandeis there was only one other kid [who took threes], but here there might be five guys on the court who can shoot threes. We will be more dangerous offensively." His style is similar to junior Brian Shapiro's, and the duo should be hoisting up countless threes each game. Instead of sharing minutes at the two-spot, they will more likely share the floor, trying to draw double-teams. "We will be playing both at the same time, so that if opponents shut down one, the other will be open," Sheldon said. Shapiro, a Swampscott MA native, has played with McGlynn in off-season high school leagues and is looking forward to teaming up with him again. "It's easy to see just from the first few practices that he has been able to fit in with everyone on the team," Shapiro said. "Plus, the fact that he barely ever misses a shot makes him a player that everyone is going to try to get the ball to." At Brandeis, McGlynn occasionally ran the point, and proved he could be unselfish - he dished out 3.25 assists a game during his sophomore year and 3.96 during his freshman year. As a first team selection in the University Athletic Association in 2000, McGlynn finished second in the conference in scoring, second in three-point field goal percentage, fifth in assists, and sixth in free throw percentage (81.3). With McGlynn's numbers, it shouldn't come as a surprise when the team shoots a lot of threes this year. In fact, the junior nailed almost as many threes two years ago - 83 - as Barlow and Shapiro combined (91) last year. Sheldon looks forward to McGlynn's ability from beyond the arc, but notes the guard's versatility as well. "He's a good all around player, and he plays good defense," Sheldon said. "We already had one of the best backcourts in the area, and he's going to give us another dimension." For McGlynn, today's opener is a homecoming of sorts - it's his first time suiting up for a Medford team since high school. "When I was a little kid, I would always come here and shoot around, so this will be special," he said.

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News

Tufts' low endowment contributes to rising tuition fees

August 31

From high-tech new buildings to high-flying application rates, Tufts has grown steadily over the past few years. While the benefits of these changes are unquestionable, they do not come without a cost. Soaring national energy costs, construction projects, and renovations have led to growth in another aspect of the University: tuition rates. These and other factors have put pressure on Tufts' already struggling endowment. Taking inflation into account, the average cost of attending state universities in Massachusetts leveled off in 2000 after steadily decreasing over the previous four years. But tuition at Tufts - which tracks its fees against 20 benchmark universities, including Boston-area schools such as BU and BC - may be on the rise. After hovering at second highest in the nation during the early 1990s, Tufts' tuition rate dropped to ninth between 1990 and 1995, only to rebound to number six in recent years. Much of this has to do with Tufts' endowment, which is relatively low in comparison to American universities of its size and stature. Because tuition fees comprise a large portion of the endowment fund, Executive Administrative Dean of Finance, Budget, and Personnel Wayne Bouchard explained that it is difficult to maintain a balance while limiting tuition hikes. "Since tuition fees are our primary source of income, this has put pressure on our budget," he said. "We are at a disadvantage because of the size of our endowment. The long term issue is that we do need to raise money." Bouchard said he is confident that student concerns will be reflected in the upcoming budget meeting, adding that no increases are planned for next year's tuition rate. "Because of our concern to try to keep costs down, I would not expect a rise much higher than what we've seen in the past years," he said. Tufts can keep tuition costs down, Bouchard said, because the money in the endowment has been put to more efficient use. "We've doubled the book budget," he said. "Technology was exploding and there was tremendous investment in infrastructure, facilities, and classrooms." He also cited complications resulting from the nationwide economic slowdown, and cited President Larry Bacow's commitment to "capital campaigns and resources that will best help our priorities" as evidence of Ballou's focus on expanding Tufts' endowment. There has been upward pressure on tuition rates across the nation in wake of the broad economic slowdown. Budgetary problems in Massachusetts have led officials to warn that student costs for state schools may soon be on the rise. Due to a federal government stipulation that has been in effect since the early '90s, universities cannot communicate with each other about tuition policies. But Bouchard said that Tufts' tuition costs have historically been similar to comparable schools - even those with larger endowments. "We have always been very close to the average of schools with large endowments," he said. "If we had their resources, there'd be little doubt that our tuition fees would have less pressure to rise." In the meantime, the financial aid department has seen an increase in the amount of requests for reviews by students affected by the economic slowdown. "Our commitment is still to reassure their need to help them stay in Tufts as well as try to meet the need of all admitted students," Bouchard said.

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News

Nebraska Cornhusker win could vault them to first

August 31

This weekend's best match-up featured the Oklahoma Sooners against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the country's number two and three teams respectively. The Cornhuskers prevailed 20-10 in this battle of two powerhouse.The low scoring, defensive clash was marked by two key plays. Oklahoma tried and failed to complete a reverse, option pass. Then later in the game Nebraska surprised Oklahoma with the Sooners' own play. The reverse pass worked for the Cornhuskers and Eric Couch sprinted in for the 63-yard score.This victory gives Nebraska a legitimate claim to be number one in the AP and Coaches polls, but more importantly the victory should place them first in the all-important Bowl Championship Series ranking, which comes out today at 2 p.m.In a surprise from Big East football, the unranked Syracuse Orangemen stunned the number four ranked Virginia Tech Hokies 22-14. 'Cuse scored the first 17 points of the game and held the Hokies scoreless in the first half. The Orangemen scored first on a punt block in the first quarter. Then they converted a Tech turnover into another score.Virgina was not able to put points on the board until four minutes left in the third quarter. Then, trailing by six points late in the fourth, the Hokies got the ball on their own four yard line. With a chance to drive down for the winning score, 'Cuse forced a safety that they needed to close the game.Syracuse played solid football, converting on every chance that Tech left on the table. With the loss the Hokies are most likely out of the National Championship race and have also lost their edge for a Big East Conference title.On the other side, the win tied Syracuse with the University of Miami for first place in the Big East. Those two teams will meet on Nov. 17 in a match that will likely determine the conference title. Moving to the Southeastern Conference, the sixth ranked Florida Gators got their season back on track with a victory over 16th Georgia Bulldogs. Despite some turnovers, including two interceptions by quarterback Rex Grossman, the Gators won 24-10.The Gators overcame these errors with their highly potent offense, with Grossman passed for 407 yards. Despite scoring first and staying within a touchdown for most of the game, the Bulldogs were not able to convert on Florida turnovers to blow the game open.As a result, the Bulldogs slipped to 5-2 (4-2 SEC) and dropped seven spots in the Coaches poll. The Gators surprisingly improved to third in these rankings and kept their chances at playing for the SEC title alive.Penn State Nittany Lions improved their record to 2-4 by beating Big Ten rival Ohio State Buckeyes 29-27. The exciting game moved Penn State coach Joe Paterno ahead of Bear Bryant for all-time Division I-A victories with 324. Paterno tied the record last week with his team's first victory of the year.This week, faced against a tough challenge, the Nittany Lions won the close game. Though the Buckeyes had the lead for three quarters, Penn State freshman quarterback Zack Mills scored on the second play of the fourth quarter to give Penn State their first and only lead. His 14-yard touchdown pass gave Penn State a two point edge that would hold until the game ended.Mills came in the game on the Lions' second possession to relieve the ineffective Matt Seneca and proved that last week's game-winning drive was not a fluke. With his performance he passed Seneca as the starting quarterback.Neither team has any chance of winning a title this year, but both teams will still be fun to watch as they play for pride. They will take the roll of spoiler as they face top teams and conference rivals.Heisman WatchThe Heisman Trophy hopefuls have come to the forefront of college football as November is right around the corner. The top four contenders include three quarterbacks and one running back. Ken Dorsey, QB from the University of Miami, has lead his team to a 6-0 record with some impressive numbers, but his knock is that the Hurricanes schedule is not as tough as other teams'. . . . Eric Crouch, QB for Nebraska, is the only senior among this group. He fits the typical mold of Nebraska quarterback, which means he does what is necessary to win, be it running or passing. . . . Rex Grossman, the Florida QB, leads the country with 2,636 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, but his team has one loss which hurts in Heisman voting. The last of this group is a RB from UCLA. DeShaun Foster does not have the best rushing numbers in the country, but he is not far from the top. He brings a lot of intangibles to the table that make him a favorable candidate.

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News

From trash to treasure

August 31

If you walked down College Ave. yesterday, you probably saw the moving vans, tents, and students hauling away couches, desks, and rugs. Perhaps you heard the orchestra playing. The piles of goods, and musical accompaniment, were the signature features of Tufts' second annual Dump & Run, a mammoth yard sale co-sponsored by Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO) and the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS). "It's been going really well. We've had a lot more students this year," said senior Keryn Bromberg, the Dump & Run coordinator and former ECO co-chair. "I feel like this is really becoming a Tufts event," she said, crediting the warm weather and band with the event's success.Increased advertising, she added, didn't hurt. "More people knew about it this year. There were people waiting outside the gate at nine this morning." During finals week last spring, students placed their unwanted goods into containers in dorm common areas. Volunteers collected the items and sorted them before storing the sundry collection for the summer in Oxfam Cafe. In sorting through the containers, volunteers see everything - from baby clothes to coffee from Slovakia. And, of course, a few pairs of worn undergarments. "This fall we had a lot of volunteers come and help finish sorting and really getting the stuff ready for the sale," Bromberg said. She estimated that volunteers spent one or two hundred hours on the effort in total.But students aren't the only participants in the exchange. This past spring, Facilities donated ten desks, faculty and staff volunteered their time, and Planet Aid sent in their own volunteers. "It's a win-all situation," Bromberg said. She added that Tufts saves time and money by not having to dispose of all the items that students would normally leave behind, Planet Aid receives all the proceeds and leftover goods that are not sold, and students don't have to feel as though they are wasting their materials. Amy Lewis manages the Planet Aid store to which all proceeds benefit. "We have clothing containers all over New England," Lewis said of Planet Aid, which has programs in Africa, India, Central, and South America. The higher quality items are sold in their stores to fund grassroots activities.For Lewis, the best moment of the day came when a customer found a psychology textbook that cost $1 - the same book that she had recently purchased at the Tufts bookstore for $100. Sayaka Ogata volunteered at the sale as part of her work at the Institution for International Cooperation and Development, a program that is linked to Planet Aid. But Ogata was a customer, too. She picked up a mat to cushion her sleeping bag for only 50 cents. Ogata might need it in January when she leaves for Nicaragua to do some development work. "I think this is a good project, but I wish that there was more advertisement on campus," she said. The sounds of "The Doug Rosenberg Afro-Cuban Fire" entertained the shoppers and lured them to the food and beverage table. The trio of Doug Rosenberg, saxophone and bell; Carmen Staaf, keyboard; and Diego Pinera, drums; volunteered their talents for the day without the help of their bassist, who couldn't make the event. In the final 15 minutes of the sale, Lewis picked up her bullhorn and announced that everything except for the desks now cost only 50 cents. Senior Gary Wilson walked away from the sale with two rugs - and his wallet was only a dollar lighter. "It's a great deal, being a college student," he said. "I wasn't expecting this."

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News

You asked, I answered

August 31

I've just started weight training. How much protein do I need? Building muscle uses up protein, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to take in more protein than you normally do. An upper-level, intense bodybuilding routine may temporarily up protein requirements to about 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight (140 grams for a 175 lb. athlete), but this is probably too high for most people. Starting a weight program increases your protein requirements by a small amount, but only in the beginning stages of training. On average, dividing your weight in pounds by 2 should give you the number of grams of protein you need. Keep in mind that extra protein isn't "saved for later." It's broken down and either stored as fat or used for energy. Plus, protein overload increases calcium loss from bones. Most Americans already get more than enough protein, and more isn't necessarily better - even for weight lifters. What can you tell me about Hydroxycut? Hydroxycut, a "fat-burning" supplement designed to help you get lean almost instantly, claims it can "burn 613 percent more fat." Many students claim "it's the bomb" as far as energy and fat loss are concerned. Unfortunately, Hydroxycut doesn't deliver on all of its claims, and chronic users may damage their heart muscle. The so-called "effective" ingredients in Hydroxycut and other similar products are ma huang, guarana, and willow bark. Ma huang is an herb containing ephedra, a chemical stimulant that is used in over-the-counter asthma medicines (popular model Niki Taylor's younger sister died from overdosing on this chemical). Guarana contributes a jolt of caffeine, and willow bark adds salicin, which is basically the same thing as aspirin. Some fat-burners also contain a plethora of other substances such as chromium picolinate, pyruvate, and hydroxycitric acid, all said to help dieters lose weight. The studies done on the efficacy of these products have yet to make it into reputable journals. But there have been good studies that show an increased risk of high blood pressure, fatal heart attacks, and strokes with the use of weight loss products that contain ephedra. Clearly, the ads are very deceptive regarding safety. Studies of efficacy are about 50/50, with half showing marginally positive results and half showing none at all. What is interesting is that commercial manufacturers often fund the studies that indicate beneficial effects of ephedra. Some experts will claim that these products do have a small positive effect, but only when used in combination with diet and exercise. Therefore, it is hard to say how much weight loss is due to Hydroxycut and how much is due to improved eating and exercise habits. Whether it works is one thing; whether it is safe is another. Any minor effect you might get from these pills can be achieved with better and quicker results through exercise and dieting, and it isn't worth the risks.Will I gain weight faster if I eat before bedtime? Your body's need for energy fluctuates over a 24-hour period, but the food-to-energy cycle isn't so rapid that what you eat at bedtime will be sitting on your hips as fat by morning. It's more of an issue of how much you eat rather than when you eat. Lots of students get into the habit of "grazing" on high-fat munchies like pizza and chips, in addition to regular meals, and end up eating more calories than they need to maintain their weight. But if you work an odd schedule and end up eating dinner late, you won't sabotage your weight as long as you eat a reasonably healthful meal.Can soy protein help you lose weight? No. Despite claims you may have seen like "soy stops fat" or "clinically proven for weight loss" on soy-based meal replacements, there is no component in soy that promotes weight loss. However, soy protein (found in tofu, tempeh, soy burgers, and other foods) has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and contribute to "heart health." If products containing soy are found to be effective for weight loss, it is only because people are likely replacing high-calorie foods with low-calorie soy, not because soy has any miracle "fat-stopping" ingredient. What is Tyrosine? Tyrosine is one of 20 amino acids - the building blocks of protein. It is nonessential, meaning our bodies can make it themselves (from proteins), and don't have to get it from food. In the body, tyrosine is converted into neurotransmitters that relay electrical "messages" throughout the nervous system. A supplement form of tyrosine (sometimes called L-Tyrosine) is marketed for depression, improving mental alertness, easing alcohol withdrawal, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, among other disorders. However, there is no evidence that taking tyrosine or any other single amino acid offers any of these benefits. In fact, the body doesn't recognize the difference between amino acid supplements and amino acids from protein in food. But supplements of any single amino acid may interfere with the absorption of amino acids we can't actually make on our own. The amount of tyrosine needed for optimal health is achieved merely by eating protein. Even vegetarian diets provide ample tyrosine. But too much protein, which can happen with amino acid supplements, can harm the kidneys and cause dehydration. Do carbohydrates make you fat? No. You will not find a single, credible nutrition expert who will tell you that carbohydrates make you fat. But if you don't exercise and you eat lots of "fat-free" cookies, chances are you're going to put on weight because of the excess calories. Experts agree that Americans tend to misinterpret "The Food Guide Pyramid" with the mentality that you can eat as much as you want as long as you avoid fat. This thinking has caused an influx of products filled with sugar and high in calories but bearing the claim "fat-free." Americans have continued to pack on the pounds ever since - not because we eat carbohydrates, but because we avoid fat (keeping us from feeling full), eat too much sugar, and don't get enough fiber. There is some debate about the difference between whole grains like oats, barley, millet, and bulgur wheat, and refined grains such as white rice, potatoes, and bread. Experts agree that whole grains should be emphasized over refined grains because they are high in fiber, which fills you up and keeps you from overeating. Too many calories will make you fat, and they can come from any high-calorie food, including cheeseburgers, french fries, soda, candy, dessert, or anything else consumed in excess - even protein bars or shakes.What's the best way to burn fat? Strengthening muscles through weight training gives you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to fat burning. For cardiovascular work, you'll get the same overall fat burn per session for a shorter, harder workout than you would from a longer, slower workout. But you'd be better off including some tough workouts or interval training in your aerobic routine on a regular basis. This is because high-intensity training helps strengthen "fast-twitch" muscle fibers, which will increase the amount of calories you burn at rest. In addition, workouts where you really push yourself burn calories at a much faster rate and continue to burn calories for a longer period of time after you stop exercising than easy workouts. When crunched for time, take advantage of short interval-training sessions (20-30 minutes) for fat-burn and skip the hour on the treadmill.Valerie Green is a combined Nutrition and Masters of Public Health student at Tufts. You can e-mail your questions or topic ideas to valerie.green@tufts.edu.

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News

A plague on both your houses

August 31

Yes, you've read the play. Yes, you've seen the movie (or two or three of them, even). Romeo & Juliet was designed for the stage, however, and until you see it performed in front of you, you haven't felt what Shakespeare intended you to feel. The Tufts Department of Drama and Dance's production of Romeo & Juliet, however, may not give you the full feeling you're looking for, either. Artist-in-Residence Anthony Cornish directs a traditional version of the tragedy in the Balch Arena Theater that fails to impress not by a missing artistic vision, but through imperfect performances and lackluster stage mechanics. Most people consider Romeo & Juliet a tragedy, but Cornish plays up the show's comedic aspects for the first act. There is plenty of bawdy banter, be it between the nurse and Juliet, Juliet and Romeo, or Romeo and, well, more or less everybody. By the second act, however, this carefree air gives way as compounded plots and consequences begin to fall upon the two lovers. This may make the second act far less enjoyable than the first, but it is done exactly as the play was written, exactly as it should be. Freshman David Greene seems the archetypical Romeo, at least in physical presence - his loose hair and slightly sarcastic smile give him the fitting, romantic air of a rascal. His performance is charming, though without surprises. Those familiar with Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet will find many points of resonance. Greene doesn't break into anything new, but there are some fine moments. When Romeo tries to avoid fighting with Tybalt - his new cousin-by-marriage - it seems the bravest thing he could do. Much of the same goes for Nicole Frattaroli as Juliet. She is an innocent, a girl among women. She is the only female with her hair free and her skirt un-bustled, and her Juliet recalls Claire Danes' performance in that same film. Unfortunately, Frattaroli lacks much of the emotional variation necessary to her role. When Juliet's nurse (Melissa Holman) tells her to forget Romeo and let herself be won over by Paris, Juliet's monologue should explode with rage and betrayal the instant the nurse departs; Frattaroli, however, continues reading lines in the same helpless, breathless manner as before. When she does turn up the emotion as the play continues, it is marked more by heavy breathing and a sharp increase in volume than a sense of real feeling. The two most appropriate and consistent characters are, sadly, the very two which are murdered within the first act, Tybalt (Charlie Semine) and Mercutio (Gio Gaynor). Semine's Tybalt is irrepressible in his ire, turned aside by no one and nothing as he pursues Romeo for what he sees as a dire insult. Gaynor, on the other hand, gives Mercutio a flamboyant turn; the audience chuckles along as Romeo and Benvolio (Deane Madsen) sit down to listen to his fantastic rants. Some actors take on two or more parts, which seems unnecessary even for the small roles involved; it only serves to break the audience from the scene with a reminder that this is only a performance. Others seem somewhat miscast, or perhaps just poorly made up - Chris Tadros seems a bit young as Montague, which is strange since he appeared much older in last year's The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Love Course. Other characters fall down a bit, due at turns to a lack or excess of character or energy. Holman's portrayal of the nurse is disappointing for someone who is so inherently funny - she gives her lines as much tweak as she can, but there doesn't seem much character behind it as support. On the other end is Jesse Levey as Capulet. His angry flailing and polar moods recall his performance last fall as Mr. Ford in Cornish's The Merry Wives of Windsor. Such an attitude, unfortunately, is much better suited to the comedic role he took there than to the often tragic flavor of Romeo & Juliet. Many of the characters have their prettier moments as well. The swordfights are well executed, especially for a student cast without stage combat training. But by the end of this three-hour show, the flaws mount up. The mechanical aspects of the show prove problematic, most notably in the absent set and the at-times awkward scene placement. Romeo & Juliet is this fall's department production and as such receives a much larger budget and grander creative license than any student-produced show. This support, however, is undetectable onstage. There are clever moments with the set, but each of these is all too evident to the audience from the beginning. The balcony scene - always the keystone of the play - makes use of a simple curtain above the existing stairs and railings in the arena's seating area. Clever, yes, but not quite up to the production quality expected from a fall department show. Moreover, it forces half of the arena's audience members to crane their necks while deciding whether to watch Romeo on the ground or Juliet on the balcony. There may be something admirable in a minimalist production, but it is an attitude unsuited to such a well-financed show - especially when the ornately costumed actors move about on an empty stage. Juliet's bed is the show's only set piece besides Friar Laurence's wooden stool, and its ambition belies the artistic mode of zero-scenery staging. At the foot lies a trap door, here the curiously relocated "balcony," through which Romeo will escape after his tryst with Juliet. This trap door, visible only to half the audience, waits anxiously for someone to roll off the bed and into it. This draws attention away from the actors on the bed by making the audience members - at least those who could see it - wonder why someone would put a bed so close to the perilous edge of the balcony. The bed itself has long, billowing drapes surrounding it that connect to the arena's ceiling, making the lovers' first and only rendezvous there a romantic moment (particularly since the audience has already waited over two hours for it). These drapes, however, prove an onstage stumbling block: when Romeo and Juliet stand up beside the bed, half the audience in the arena cannot see the actors past the curtains. Juliet's bed transforms into her funeral slab in a set twist that would be clever if it were not somewhat evident from the bed's first appearance - one can see the stone-painted wood beneath the thin drapes and sheets. It remains effective, however, that her lifeless body then overlooks the remainder of the scenes. When Romeo receives the messenger with the news of Juliet's apparent death, the audience sees his grief directed at her body, even though she is actually many miles away. The flexing, unsupported plywood of the arena floor and even various backstage noises further detract from the play's effectiveness. This is not to say the inanimate aspects of the production are without charm. With no sets involved, the lighting design, coupled with occasional transitional music, indicates every scene change. It does so effectively, making Juliet's bedroom warm with the sun and the Capulet's tomb cold and gloomy. The costumes are rich with ruffles and trim, though one does begin to wonder why no one but Juliet seems to change their clothes. There is nothing wholly wrong with Cornish's imagining of Romeo & Juliet. He takes no inappropriate liberties, successfully playing up the comedic and sexual aspects of the play that are often lost on high-schoolers stuck in ninth grade English. On the serious performances and the staging, however, the show stumbles, and therein lurks its downfall. A more ambitious vision with so-so acting or an equally standard vision with exceptional performances would both be preferable to this traditional version that falls short of its mark.Romeo & Juliet will continue Nov. 1-3 at 8 p.m., with an additional matinee performance Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $1 for Nov. 1 and are $10 for all other performances ($6 for senior citizens, $5 with valid Tufts ID). Contact the box office at (617) 627-3493 for more information.

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News

Head of the Charles will define fall season

August 31

As the fall season draws to a close, the men's crew looks forward to its largest and most important race of the season this weekend in the 37th annual Head of the Charles regatta. The weekend-long event is considered among the biggest rowing events in the world.Beginning near the DeWolfe Boathouse, boats will be racing upstream through a three-mile stretch along the Charles River, ending near the Cambridge Boat Club. In addition to competing against nearly 60 boats from around the world, the Jumbos will be rowing in front of a crowd of over 3,000 spectators scattered along the raceway. "For the Charles, we will focus on keeping our good time," senior Nate Swinburne said. "We can't fall apart. With the adrenaline rush from racing at such fast pace, especially when racing the Charles, we have to avoid racing sloppily." In the season-ending race, coach Ben Foster plans to display his best athletes. The Jumbos will enter two boats - one for the fours and another for the eights -as they have in each of this season's regattas. "We're definitely excited for this weekend," Foster said. "The Charles is an exciting race, and the kids have fun every year. It will also be a good race to see where we stand." The team is coming off a strong performance with their fifth and tenth place finishes from last Saturday's New Hampshire Rowing Championships in Manchester, NH. Racing one boat in the open fours and another in the club eights, the team finished near the top against powerhouse crews MIT, UNH, and Williams - all opponents Tufts will meet again this weekend at the Charles. The men's lightweight four squad placed tenth out of 16 last weekend with a time of 18:00.74. The boat consisted of seniors Raj Marreddy and Chris Mitchell, freshman Joe Schipani, junior Brandon Dickason, and sophomore coxswain Sarah Dale. In the men's club eight, the crew finished fifth out of 16 boats. Comprised of seniors Shane Black-Macken, James Winkler, and Swinburne, juniors Mike Friedberg and Max Bernstein, sophomores John Goulet and Jim Burke, freshman Rob Goldstein, and sophomore coxswain Bess Dopkeen, the team turned in a time of 15:44.18. WPI, this year's winner, completed the race in 15:01.17. "We did well," Foster said. "Our team chemistry is increasingly improving every time we row together". The team attributes much of its success this season to depth, which includes an abundance of returning sophomores and a supporting core of upperclassmen. Rigorous practices from the weight room have translated to faster row times on the ergs of the water. The team's main concern early this season was overcoming off-season rust and getting the members to gel together. After settling into the season, the coach has decided to use the Textile Regatta and the NH Championships to gauge which lineups are best for the spring sprints and for the oarsmen. "Our form is much improved, especially in keeping in rhythm and synchronization," Swinburne said. "We have to keep working on our catching an releasing as well." Foster has experimented with different lineups this season, sometimes moving players out of traditional positions. Nevertheless, most team members are confident in their ability to work together this coming weekend. "We have had fairly good races, and chemistry-wise, we certainly have been looking better," Black-Macken said. "This weekend should definitely be an exciting race for us, as well as it being a great way to close the fall season."

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News

Screaming girls and quirky poetry fill Central Square haunt

August 31

At 10:45 p.m. this past Tuesday, Dan Bern took the stage in the "Upstairs" backroom of the Middle East. The crowd went wild. Three girls standing directly in front of the folk artist screamed and cheered Bern's every word. They also blew smoke up into his face, but when asked after the show if they'd bothered him, Bern replied, "If I wasn't interested in people having a visceral response, I wouldn't have a band." Bern's husky voice and Dylan-esque lyrics have made him famous in the folk music genre - his independent spirit, quirky poetry, and amusing jokes have made him the favorite of folk audiences. This concert lived up to all expectations. Dan's paint-spattered flannel shirt and loose jeans could hardly cover the talent shining from his smiling face. With Bern promoting his freshly minted album, New American Language, many of the songs were new to listeners. This is generally true of any Bern concert, however, as he writes songs much faster than he can record them. Among the novel tunes performed were the album's the title track, "Black Tornado," "Rice," "Thanksgiving Day Parade," and the haunting "God Said No." It was during this last song that the screamers were finally silent for a period of more than 30 seconds. The lyrics were softer, the rest of the band (keyboard, electric and bass guitars, and drums) silent, and the crowd eager to respect this unforgettable song: "I asked God/ Do one thing for me/ Send me back in time/ Send me to Berlin/ Let me find/ The one they call Hitler./ I will stalk him./ I will bring him down./ I will bring along/ a powerful gun/ Loaded with bullets./ Obliterate his memory./ God said No." The conclusion of the song found tears and screams intermingled in the audience. To take the intensity down a notch, Bern proceeded with a Paul McCartney impression, saying, "Now we're going to play a little something off one of our first records, from before you were born." Laughter mixed with the intro chords of "Too Late to Die Young," a song that Dan marched to as he strummed his acoustic guitar. The concert concluded - after tunes about Marilyn Monroe, Graceland, and a cover of "All My Lovin'" - with the encore "Jerusalem." A crowd sing-along bolstered the lone Bern on stage. As soon as the lights dimmed, fans surged forward to grab a minute's attention from the artist. It was nearly 1 a.m. before the crowd thinned out. Opening the show was James O'Brien, locally known for his slashing guitar skills and poignant political songs. O'Brien began the evening like a bullet shot straight into the heart of the listening crowd. His up-close-and-personal new song "You Are the War" clearly portrayed his political leanings - he's a left-winger at heart. O'Brien proceeded to tear the house down with his high-energy, intense guitar riffs, aided by drummer Dylan Callahan to pound songs into the bodies of his listeners. Literally sitting at his feet were new disciples, committing every word to memory.Dan Bern will be appearing again at the Iron Horse venue in Northampton later this month. For more information, check out www.danbern.com.

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News

Watching the light

August 31

In the past two and a half weeks, I have twice joined members of the Tufts community in creating literal "light on the hill" by partaking in a candlelit walk across the academic quad. Although there was a dramatic difference between the exciting, joyous mood of the freshman "First Night" and the somber, mournful mood of the vigil in response to the "Attacks on America," both events sought to create the "light on the hill" that symbolically unites our community. These past two weeks have changed my life in innumerable ways, turning my world upside down. However, through it all, I have always seen the "light on the hill," even when there were no candles. Last year, I never would have thought that I would eventually be a student at Tufts University. In fact, until I received my acceptance letter, I barely gave this school any serious thought. Not that I was bitter about attending Tufts, but I just never thought I would. Of the schools I was accepted to, what made me ultimately choose Tufts over an extremely prestigious university was the idea that Tufts was a community: socially, intellectually, and emotionally. I have embraced and been embraced by this community in my time here. After hearing about the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, I felt extremely lonely. As a freshman, I felt too distant geographically from my best friends at home, and too distant emotionally from my newly formed friends on campus. Although my Tufts experience has been largely positive, and I have had some great times here, I have felt homesick on several occasions. I have wanted to go home, but after hearing the news, what I felt was even stranger; I was scared. The strange feeling that ate away at the lining of my stomach and at my soul was not the fear of being attacked, but the fear of being alone. Though this tragedy will forever stay in my mind, the light on the hill helped to assuage my fear. As I stepped out of my dorm room, I was presented with support from countless sources, from religious groups to academic professors, from dorm meetings to discussion groups. I did not need to actually utilize these resources to feel comfortable. Just knowing they were there did wonders for the feeling in my abdomen. As a learning community, and as a living community, we must always be a light on the hill. We cannot merely exist at matriculation, graduation, and at massive tragedies in between. Each person on this campus goes through private tragedies at any given time. Every day, we must each emit a radiance to those around us, offering ourselves and our support, because the light on the hill is the people of Tufts University. When there are no candles in our hands, we are still that light. By thinking, discussing, doing, and caring, we, a capable community with astounding resources, are the light on the hill. One thing that walking the hill with candles has taught me is that we should not rush up the hill with our lights. If we do, the light will blow out. Most likely, though, there will be someone there to share his or her light with you.

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News

Golf team swings respectable finish at New England's

August 31

The golf team finished its season on Tuesday at the New England Championships at the Captain's Course on Cape Cod. The team placed a respectable 27th out of 46 teams after the two-day event and was amongst the top three Division III schools to participate. The New England tournament is the largest in the region, hosting schools in all three NCAA athletic divisions. Tufts golfers combined on the first day to score a 339 - an average of 84.75, a disappointing total for some Jumbo golfers. "We didn't play too well the first day," sophomore Brad Hawes said. But consistent with the season's trend, the team significantly lowered its total on the second day, shooting a combined 328 for an 82 average. "We all played pretty solidly all day," Hawes said. "We passed about 16 teams from the first to the second day. We were happy with the finish." Junior Arun Lamba was the high scorer each day, shooting a pair of 80s on the two par-72 courses. There was little doubt among his teammates that Lamba was the Jumbos' tournament MVP, as he posted the low score for the first time of the season. "I was impressed with Arun," said junior Dan Kramer. "I knew it was just a matter of time before he threw in a good tournament." The Captain's Course is a two-course facility, which hosted the tournament on its Starboard Course the first day, and its Port Course on Day Two. But there was little difference in the difficulty of the two courses. "The Port isn't significantly easier," Lamba said. "I think we just had more experience on the second day." Experience would explain the downward trend of the team's scores on the second day of competition. Junior Dan Kramer scored an 86 the first day and an 81 the second. Sophomore Brad Hawes went 86, 82, while junior Brian Tarmey followed his 87 with an 86. Senior Eric Muhlanger, in his final tournament, scored an 89 then an 85, highlighting the tournament with a birdie on the last hole of his career. The senior stuck his approach on the 544-yard par five to within a foot of the cup, and tapped in for the bird. "It was really cool for him," Kramer said. "He was a four-year letterman which is impressive in any sport." Despite the dramatic finish, the season was definitely a turbulent one for the Jumbos. "We had some erratic performances," Kramer said. "Next season we need to see more people playing to their abilities." Of the top five, the team is only losing Muhlanger, but is getting back the top golfer from a year ago, junior Elliot Barr. As far as off-season work, the golfers will mostly play and practice on their own to prepare for the 2002 season. "Basically Brad [Hawes] and I alternated shooting the low scores," Kramer said. "More him than me." But with the addition of Barr, the team will have a trio of golfers that can shoot in the 70s every time out. Kramer, who emerged as a top two player on the team this season, was generally pleased with his play. "Most of the season I was pretty happy," he said. "Still, I felt like I gave up shots here and there, freshman mistakes, and over the course of the year they add up a little bit." Brad Hawes, who faced the high expectations of being the top golfer for the first time this season, said he has some work to do before next year. "I need to step up my all around game," Hawes said. "But there's nothing specific to work on." Though Tufts underachieved this season, next season looks promising. "Don't sleep on the golf squad," Kramer said. "With the group that is returning for next year, I definitely won't."

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News

Former Celtics GM teaching NBA 101

August 31

Imagine a class where a student's presentation can be about the Boston Red Sox and where the lecture topic of the day could be the NBA salary cap. A class whose guest lecturers include a Boston Globe sports columnist, former professional athletes, and a former NBA coach. If that's not enough, the class's instructor wears an NBA World Championship ring."The Business of Sports: A Study of the National Basketball Association", an Experimental College class, is taught by Jan Volk, former general manager of the Boston Celtics. "Generally, I had the best job in America, except for maybe ten days a year," Volk said, reflecting on a position he held for 13 years. Ex. College Director Robin Gittleman contacted Volk by about teaching at Tufts. Previously, Volk has taught at Harvard's Business and Law Schools, Boston College Law School, Suffolk Law School, and the University of Connecticut. This is Volk's fifth time teaching the class at Tufts, and he says he still finds the material interesting. "The interaction with students is stimulating," Volk said. "I think I take as much away from the class as they do." Despite years of coordinating a professional sport team, Volk said organizing a college class is challenging. "There's a big difference between giving a lecture to a class or two, and creating a syllabus and implementing it," he said.Overall, however, Volk says he's satisfied. He loves the stimulating class participation and how insightful his students can be. "It's amazing to take a group of bright students and have them not be held back," he said. "Sometimes they ask questions that someone with my experience wouldn't think to ask," Volk added. "It is not uncommon to learn something about my business that I didn't know."Of the twenty students enrolled in the class, Volk says most of them are passionate about sports. Andy Hart, a former student of Volk's who graduated from Tufts last year, now works for the New England Patriots in the team's public relations department.If Volk learns from his students, they certainly learn plenty from him. Junior Andrew Hambelton says he is amazed how enjoyable he finds the class, especially as an athlete. But the course is not just fun for Hambelton, who says he's gaining real-world knowledge as well. Volk's stories are great, he said, "they are stories that are meant for us to hear in the academic sense [and are] not meant for the media.""We get a real inside view of the NBA," Hambelton added. Hambelton, who plays baseball at Tufts, hopes to attend law school. He says he wants to stay involved in sports, but realizes he can't always be a player. "I can't play baseball forever," he said.As a sports fan, junior Pete Berkowitz is getting a lot out of Volk's lectures. "It's interesting to hear his perspective on things [and] the stories he has to tell and the people he knows," Berkowitz said. The guest speakers for the class, some of Volk's personal friends, include TV broadcaster and former NBA player and coach Tom Heinsohn, Bob Ryan, a Globe columnist, and M.L. Carr, a former basketball player, NBA head coach, and team executive."I'm a huge sports fan, [and] if I could pick a dream job it would be to GM a team," Berkowitz said. "The class is [Volk] describing the dream to all of us and describing how very cool the job is."During his 26-year career with the Celtics, Volk was part of five NBA World Championship teams. He has also served on two distinguished committees: the 1992 United States Olympic Basketball Team (Dream Team I) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.Volk was excited to teach the subject matter his career involved: professional sports. "It's something almost everybody has an opinion on; people are very interested in what you do," he said."It can be a stressful business. Most businesses are concerned with the bottom line," he said. "In a pro sport franchise, you're just as concerned about the top line in the standings in the daily sport pages."Volk was born in Iowa, but grew up in Newton, MA. He attended Newton High School (now Newton North) and Colby College and played sports throughout high school and college. After graduating Colby in 1968, Volk attended Columbia Law School, and began work for a NYC law firm. It was his professional experience that caused Volk to rethink his plan to work as a traditional lawyer. "I knew what I didn't want to do," Volk said.After passing the Massachusetts Bar Exam, Volk learned of an opportunity to work for the Celtics in its sales department. Although he had never worked in the industry, he says he was "intrigued by the challenge." The job was very difficult, according to Volk, but soon after joining in 1971, he was named head of the season ticket office. Eventually, he was given legal projects by Red Auerbach, then-president of the Celtics, who wanted to test Volk's legal skills. Auerbach met Volk through his summer basketball camp where Volk worked for many summers; it was Auerbach who told Volk about the job in sales. Volk credits Auerbach for introducing him to another side of professional sports. "Auerbach exposed me to the business of sports through his eyes," Volk said. "The concept of the business of sports was evolving and my career evolved with it." In 1974, three years after he started at the Celtics, Volk became the team's legal counsel. Later, he began working with player contracts, making sure the team followed the league's contract rules. In 1976 he was named team vice-president, and in 1981 he assumed the responsibilities of assistant general manager before being promoted to general manager in 1984. He left the Celtics in 1997 to work for the Denver Nuggets for two years and now serves as a consultant to a number of NBA teams. Volk and his wife Lissa have two children, one of them - Shari - is a 1998 Tufts graduate. Shari helped her father's transition to teaching, working as a TA for her dad over three semesters.

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News

Dining disservices?

August 31

As appetizing as Aztec-Rubbed beef a la Dewick or the signature Carmichael Chicken Grilla may sound, students have long had trouble digesting some Dining Services policies. Most recently, a decision to fine students who are caught stealing food from the dining halls has left some with a bad taste in their mouths.

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News

From Burning to Brandishing

August 31

Throughout the late 1960's and into the 1970's, America was at war with Vietnam and itself. Abroad we fought a hidden enemy, one which we knew was there, lurking in the dense jungles of Southeast Asia, but at home the enemy was far different and sometimes more dangerous - ourselves. It wasn't a civil war in the traditional sense, we weren't killing our brothers, but we were, indeed, a house divided. Our parents and many of our professors were at the front line of these "battles," standing protest at government buildings, blockading troop transports, chanting and marching on college campuses around the nation, including our very own. It was only thirty years ago that many of our parents and professors did not agree with the American government and loathed the changes to the "American way of life" that they perceived to have occurred. They took to the streets, divided amongst the various groups that crisscrossed the spectrum of American anger. Racial division, ideological canyons, and skepticism of our very way of life created a nation that was not united to a common cause but splintered with broad emotions of fear and rage. The most indelible images have to be that of the American flag, the most revered and consecrated symbol that our nation has, set aflame by the protesters, our mothers and fathers, our educators. What a stark difference we find today. With the tragic events of the past week still branding itself unto our conscious and collective American minds, we find that many of these very people, who had such strong convictions against our government and nation, unfurling the American flag and raising it upon their homes. From burning to brandishing and protest to support. It is true that the protestations died down quite some time ago, and the once radical generation has diffused into the calmer corporate sect of America, but still it seems as if the post-war generation is facing a reversal of sorts, a coming of age. My own mother, whose own stories of Woodstock and anti-war protests color my childhood memories, told me what a weird sensation it was to be buying an American flag. "I can't believe I'm coming here only to buy an American flag to fly outside my own home when thirty years ago I was watching them burn," she mentioned to one of her friends at a Home Depot in New York. It is within this stark role reversal that, not only is the history of an American generation being written, but so too is the strength and power of the patriotic identity that roams along our land. Often, if not most times, it is not apparent. We live our lives softly and humbly, rarely displaying any love for our country, except of course on the calendar holidays our nation has created. It is only on rare occasions that the American culture is displayed, the one that lets us all rally amongst a common cause, a general enemy, and an all-encompassing love for our people and our land. It came out during Pearl Harbor, when Kennedy was killed, and when the Challenger exploded over the sea. In this most recent tragedy, let us grieve for the lives of those who have been lost, and let us also celebrate the compassion and patriotism slipping through the usually benign American consciousness. It is something so powerful and fortuitous that it takes an entire generation that was once riveted by the hatred of the nation's ideals, torn even amongst it's own people over the idea of what America should be and creates within them such a patriotic pride, that they love the land and leadership of a nation they once seemed to despise. Perhaps the recent attacks will, like Pearl Harbor, awake within us a great call to action, not just for the coming weeks and months, but for many years to come. Perhaps now we can reevaluate our priorities and values as a society, and reflect upon the tragedy as not only a grievous attack on humanity, but as a great impetus for societal overhaul. We must and will change our lifestyles due to the act of war perpetrated on Sept. 11 and realize that this is one nation, united forever by the common bonds of freedom and liberty. It is not a perfect society in which we live, none exists nor will ever exist, but at least we can celebrate our accomplishments while mending the many holes that exist within our nation, attempting to attain the idealist democracy we once thought we knew to have, but have since realized we've never had.Adam Blickstein is a sophomore majoring in political science. He is the communications director for the Tufts Democrats.

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News

Terrorists hijack four planes

August 31

Two hijacked passenger planes crashed into New York City's World Trade Center towers and another hit the Pentagon in Washington, DC, yesterday. A fourth hijacked plane crashed outside Pittsburgh, in what appears to be the largest terrorist attack in US history. In New York, both towers collapsed from the collision, as did a nearby building. Government officials have named Osama bin Laden as the most likely organizer of yesterday's attacks, which killed thousands of Americans. At Tufts yesterday, stories circulated of personal tragedies, including accounts of one student who reportedly lost two brothers when their hijacked flights crashed into the buildings. The first plane hit the North Tower at 8:45 a.m. As rescue workers struggled to cope with an already devastating situation, a second plane struck the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. According to official estimates, 10,000 people were in each tower. 5,000 people are visiting the WTC at any given time. A third hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon at 9:43 a.m. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which controls civilian flights, closed New York area airports after the attack, and later halted all flights nationwide. President Bush addressed the nation on network television from Florida, in response to what he called an "apparent terrorist attack." He again addressed the nation last evening, saying that those responsible "cannot touch the foundation of America" and that the nation will make "no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." Last night, CNN reported bombings in Kabul, Afghanistan. An Afghani political faction claimed responsibility for the acts. Bin Laden is believed to live in Afghanistan, where he is protected by the Taliban, a ruling party of Islamic fundamentalists. The two planes that crashed in New York left Boston's Logan airport yesterday morning. The plane that destroyed a section of the Pentagon departed Washington's Dulles airport. The fourth plane, which crashed outside Pittsburgh, originated in Newark, New Jersey. Americans across the nation - including Tufts students - spent the day in a state of shock, glued to their television and computer screens in search of the latest news reports and horrific images. About 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students at Tufts come from New York and the Greater Washington, DC area. Countless others have family and loved ones in these regions. Classes will continue as scheduled today, but University officials say they will make a concerted effort to support students, staff, and faculty. "We feel that it is important to move forward as a community of learning," Tufts administrators wrote in an e-mail yesterday. Many professors cancelled classes yesterday and one Tufts building on its downtown campus, the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, closed for security concerns. Tufts manages the federally-owned building. The ranking USDA official at the center, Kathy Wilhelm, was told that only essential personnel should remain in the building. Of the 270 people who work in the center, only six stayed, according to Bachir Petithomme, a building security officer. But on the Medford campus, the administration encouraged faculty and student organizations to continue with scheduled activities. "It is not a time to cancel everything," said Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. "We must use the structure of the calendar in place to come together and be a family." University chaplains and President Larry Bacow held a service on the academic quad at 5 p.m. [see ?, page ?]. Tufts announced that it would keep open the campus center until 3 a.m. and staff the lobby with counseling center staff. Dowling Hall telephone operators took calls until 9 p.m. Resident assistants and proctors were available in the dorms. The medical and dental schools in downtown Boston cancelled afternoon classes yesterday. The dental school also shortened today's morning classes to accommodate a noontime memorial service. The clinic also closed yesterday afternoon and evening sessions were rescheduled, said Donna Carrey, the associate director of student affairs. Busy telephone lines frustrated students trying to contact loved ones in or around New York and Washington, DC. Students calling the University's information line early yesterday morning received a recording that classes would be held as usual. Later in the day, the recording featured a message from Bacow, who also sent an e-mail to the Tufts community condemning the day's tragedies and calling for unity. Dean of the Fletcher School, Stephen Bosworth, held a meeting at 2:30 p.m. to express similar sentiments to graduate students. Both Bosworth and Bacow advised students to avoid assigning blame for the tragedy. "I urge you to not rush to judgment about those who might be responsible for these actions," Bacow wrote in an e-mail. "In due course, we may learn more. However, even at that point we must continue to demonstrate respect and compassion for all members of our community." Students on the Medford and Boston campuses huddled together in front of televisions all day. A radio broadcast news across the Tisch patio for most of the day. Across Boston, colleges and universities also interrupted official activities. Schools with smaller residential populations cancelled classes, while larger schools, like Boston University, encouraged students to remain on campus.

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News

Holiday season not so jolly for some

August 31

Complete with long-lost friends, extended family, turkey, and an occasional gift or two, Thanksgiving and the winter holidays offer joyous times to celebrate in the company of loved ones. How can the holidays offer anything but happiness? On the surface, it seems strange that happy times could be overshadowed by sadness, but many people get a little down over the holidays. Sudden reunions, impossible parental expectations, sibling rivalry, and lost relationships - they all contribute to a sense of sadness many experience during the holiday season. These feelings can build up, culminating in outbursts, gloominess, or even tears. The attacks of Sept. 11 may also contribute to the feelings of depression, according to Massachusetts Department of Health Commissioner Marylou Sudders, who predicted long-lasting effects of the tragedy in an October interview with the Boston Herald. "Our nation has suffered a great emotional and psychological trauma from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and will continue to do so in the aftermath," she said, adding that the patriotism many Americans felt in the aftermath of the events may give way to more morose feelings as terrorism threats continue into the holidays. Winter break is especially trying for returning college students. Tufts' "Hooper Health Beat," the newsletter put out by Health Services, advises students on how to deal with parents during the winter break. "Although your family may seem like they have all been invaded by alien beings, you are actually the one who is growing and changing at an enormous rate. Give them some time to get used to the new, independent you, and try to be patient." Holiday depression makes up a large part of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a winter-related depression marked by changes in behavior and mood. Many find the season difficult to begin with, but scientists say that a lack of sunlight can contribute to physical and emotional changes. Because winter days are shorter, wake-sleep cycles are sometimes thrown off. And over the winter holidays, those feelings of depression can be exacerbated. Experts have noticed a depression unique to the holidays, however. "We do know that holidays tend to be very difficult for many people," Betsy Schwartz, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston, told The Houston Chronicle last December. "Because the winter holidays are so filled with sentiment and traditions of both a religious and family nature, the emotions we may be able to keep at bay the rest of the year tend to surface at this time." The absence of a loved one, either through death or distance, can make the holidays tough. Underlying depressions can also surface. Plus, the holidays are a time of great indulgence, from shopping to consuming food and alcohol. These can lead to empty wallets and full stomachs that leave people depressed after the season has passed. As if this isn't enough, an additional factor is the so-called "anniversary reaction," explains Julie Jampel, Supervising Senior Psychologist for the Tufts Counseling Center. Anniversary reactions occur when a specific event triggers a painful memory. Jampel provides the example of a student who has lost a parent. "If a student's parent has died, then holiday time might be particularly distressing for that student because the parent is no longer present at gatherings," she said. Schwartz says that acknowledging pent-up feelings is often the best way to overcome feelings of depression. For example, if someone constantly finds themselves bickering with the same sibling at the table, Schwartz recommends confronting the problem directly. Once that is done, it is fairly easy to gauge the gravity of the situation - or lack thereof - and move on. In addition to acknowledging holiday emotions, experts emphasize that it is important to keep busy and talk with family and friends about common anxieties. Staying away from alcohol and drugs, as well as avoiding major life changes are also strongly suggested. Many turn to drugs and alcohol as an escape from their unhappiness. Holiday depression can happen to anyone. The real question, especially in these trying times, is how we handle it. And if all else fails, the holiday season is only one month of the year - so hibernation is always an alternative. After all, there are eleven months to work up to the next season.

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