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Justice and Vengeance

August 31

Recent events have brought back a memory of my days in Kindergarten. I was playing with a set of blocks, carefully constructing a high tower, when a fellow student came by and knocked down the tower, sending a cascade of blocks onto my head. Stunned, I began to cry. Our kindergarten teacher soon recognized the situation and a suitable punishment was dealt to the offending student, in an attempt to show him that such behavior is not permitted in the classroom. The American people, and freedom-loving people across the globe, have shed tears over a great injustice. They look to their leaders, not for retaliation, but for a bold stand against the perpetrators, letting them know that they were wrong, and that their actions will not be tolerated. I realize that my digression into childhood is a gross oversimplification of recent events. I give my apologies if my analogy makes the matter seem trite or easily explained, for it certainly is not so. I feel that it may take such a simple story, however, to illustrate the sometimes subtle, and often confused, difference between vengeance and justice. As I sat there amidst the pile of blocks, I did not seek or desire vengeance. What I needed was for someone to say, "This behavior is wrong and will not be tolerated." If you listen to the speeches that President Bush has been making, and you remove the image of a ranting redneck that many associate with him, it is clear that the words he has spoken point towards justice and not the settling of scores. Many Americans have been asking themselves the very question that Bethany Arrand, in her recent viewpoint, "Don't Kill for Me" (9/25), has suggested we ask ourselves: "What is it that [I did] wrong, that has caused someone to hate [me] so much?" That is the very question I was asking myself, and the ultimate cause of my tears in the Kindergarten playroom. For many Americans, the sadness comes when they find there is no answer to that question that could possibly warrant such a savage act, and leaves them with the hope of the small, but necessary, consolation that justice will bring. If one places the prospect of war before my eyes, I will tremble. The thought of sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers of loved ones being killed, both here and in a distant country, can make even the strongest of men and women shudder with fear and bring pangs of sorrow. I am not, however, scared by the prospect of 91 percent of the country in favor of military action. Having an overwhelming majority of our country in support of the government's plans is a powerful display of a representative democracy in action. This makes me glad to live under such a system of government. There are two difficult facts that we must face. The first is that sometimes war, regardless of how horrible it may be, is at times a tragic necessity in this world. Our involvement in a war at this time could be debated, and one could even persuade me that now is not the time for war if it were not for this second fact: the war already began with the attack on New York City. If Osama bin Laden, under the protection of the Taliban, had arranged for fighter jets to breach US security and take the lives of over 6,000 civilians, it would be taken as a declaration of war. Such a course of action and the events of Sept. 11 differ only in the degree of cowardliness associated with each one. It is a foundational truth across systems of government and religions around the world that the deliberate taking of innocent life for one's own gain is wrong. It is further accepted that one who aids in such a shameless act shares in the guilt of the perpetrator. If the Taliban continues to protect and defend bin Laden, it is not only pronounced "evil" by the standards of the US, but pronounced "evil" by the pillars of basic human rights and culpability that all in this world hold in common. Bethany Arrand has stated that forcing the Taliban to turn over Osama bin Laden would be in violation of its religious rights. I am a strong supporter of religious rights, but such rights cannot be allowed to trample on the rights of the innocent to live. I recall in the Second World War, how the US and its allies put what the Third Reich called its religious rights aside in order liberate the innocent who had been persecuted under these rights. The attack on America has brought us up against the unfortunate reality of war. It is only natural that any who protect or defend those who attempted to start war with our country be dealt with as the enemy in a time of war. I don't believe in vengeance. I do not believe it is the responsibility of the US to take innocent lives for the sake of killing in order to even the score. It is time, however, for the US to do whatever it takes to do in what my kindergarten teacher did; showing that such behavior is not tolerated, and will not be allowed to continue.Andrew Tupaj is a graduate student in the department of electrical engineering.

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News

Tufts Feminine Alliance picked the wrong fight

August 31

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR OF THE PRESS." For those in the Tufts Feminist Alliance (TFA) members who are unfamiliar with the preceding quotation, it was taken directly from the First Amendment of the US Constitution. I feel it necessary for someone in the Tufts community to respond to the TFA's recent claims against Delta Tau Delta's (DTD) advertisement choices last month. It is true that DTD's posters may have been tasteless, and they may even have been ignorant. However, the social "statements" aided by these posters are also fervently protected by the document quoted above. I would probably agree that DTD used poor judgement in choosing to try and lure potential rushes with pictures of scantily clad women. In fact, I am unclear as to what message they were attempting to send. Yet, what I do know is that the TFA crossed the line in accusing the fraternity of contributing to violence against women and "rape culture." Unfortunately, the consequences of such accusations by the TFA are likely to have the opposite effect of those that the TFA was most likely hoping for. The accusation of rape in any context is a claim that should be taken very seriously at all times. While it is likely that the TFA was hoping to strike a chord within the community by throwing this word around, the group fails to recognize the detrimental effects on their own mission such an accusation has. The more often people use the word "rape" in situations as these, where it is clearly inappropriate, the less seriously it will be taken in a time of serious need. I understand that DTD's posters offended the TFA, but mere offense does not warrant the claim that these posters contributed to "rape culture." During such a critical time for the fight for women's rights on an international level, it is unfortunate that the TFA has opted to use its resources so poorly. I would like to think that campus organizations are designed to help make a difference, and the TFA could do so by working to raise awareness regarding the truly violent atrocities being committed against women in Afghanistan. Perhaps if advertising is an issue that TFA would like to take up, why not hold a forum on the abundance of alcohol, cigarette, and clothing ads that use sex and sexual references to sell products? Unfortunately, this organization has chosen to pick a much smaller fight. What the TFA must understand is that, while the First Amendment does protect DTD's rights to make these "statements," it does not protect it's own right to be shielded from offensive material. If the TFA wants to be considered a true liberal organization, it must understand one thing. The beauty of one's freedom of speech is that it protects all and cannot be compromised simply because a comment is not in good taste. I hope that with this understanding, the TFA will re-prioritize its goals and will begin to use its resources to truly make a difference, rather than continue attempting to fight un-winnable battles. Harris Dainoff is a senior majoring in political science.

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News

Here's the scoop

August 31

In a move to appeal to the sweet-toothed kid in all of us, Dining Services is finalizing arrangements to bring Denise's Homemade Ice Cream of Davis Square fame to the on-campus coffeehouse Brown and Brew. According to Director of Dinning Services Patti Lee Klos, the plan - while still unofficial - is for Denise's to begin serving at Tufts as early as next semester. Plans for a slight internal renovation of Brown and Brew to accommodate "dipping cabinets" and approximately 14 flavors at a time have been in the works for over a year, leaving both sides of the deal in high anticipation. "We've been talking with [co-owner of Denise's] Stan Zafran for a long time now about bringing his ice cream to campus, and he's been very patient with us," Lee Klos said. Zafran believes his patience could pay off later in the spring when the ice cream business really heats up. "If we put this together, it would be a welcome addition to my wholesale business," he said. Usual ice cream flavors will be in-house regulars upon Denise's arrival, but Brown and Brew's menu will also boast a variety of "seasonal" flavors and some coffee house tastes like "cappuccino." The beverage menu will also be expanded to incorporate new resources with a number of frozen drinks and frappes to be offered. "Denise's Ice Cream will be a good fit with the coffee concept and should compliment the rest of the menu nicely," says Lee Klos. "We didn't want something generic with this project; we wanted fresh-made ice cream from a local business." News of the expansion has pleased many students, although plans have not yet been formally announced. "Denise's is so yummy, I'm excited!" sophomore Rachel Klein said. But others are concerned with the cost of the ice cream, especially after a rise in prices at Denise's after last semester. "It will be a nice treat every once in a while, but if it is as expensive as it is in the store, then I won't have enough points to eat it as often as I would like," sophomore Allison Cohen said. As a local favorite located in Davis Square adjacent to the Tufts shuttle stop, Denise's was a top contender as an addition to Tufts dining offerings. "We like to promote local vendors in our business to build a community," Head Manager of Brown and Brew Dave Ford said. "We're also hoping that this will enhance our patio with people choosing this treat during the warm weather seasons." Lee Klos echoed Ford's sentiment on hometown businesses. "Denise's receives a lot of good press, and we like to support the local business in our endeavors," said Lee Klos. She also praised co-owner Zafran's ability in the ice cream business. "He has really lent his expertise all throughout our negotiations. He's really turned what he does into a science," Lee Klos said. "His standards of cleanliness in his store and hygiene when handling all the dairy products is very specific and that was also a definite factor in our selection of his store among the others we had looked at," she added. With another blustery Boston winter approaching, most students are probably not thinking of indulging in a frozen treat right now. But Lee Klos thinks that students will adopt the New England-esque preference for scooped ice cream as a year-round treat. "The usual crowds at Brown and Brew will eat during breakfast and lunch and consider that a meal. But in the evening, it is mostly a place for the grazing study-time customer. Evening might be the best time for homemade ice cream to fit in as another snack option for a study break," she said. Denise's will represents a return of homemade ice cream to campus. In the past, students weary with late night hunger had only to look to the now-defunct Jumbo Scoops for a delectable dairy treat. Presently, students know the era of the Jumbo Express convenience store, which occupies the old space of Jumbo Scoops. According to Lee Klos, Jumbo Scoops enjoyed some success for the first few years, but then interest in the product declined with sales and demand for a convenience store grew. Jumbo Express came into its own, displacing the lone hard-serve ice cream vendor on campus. But a return of homemade ice cream to campus is imminent, according to Lee Klos. "Although it's taken a few years, I think we've found a new home for scooped ice cream at Tufts," Lee Klos said.

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News

Two of Tufts' very own are ready to make their mark in hip-hop

August 31

Just a couple of weeks after The Beatnuts and the Genius/Gza performed at Fall Fest on the Residential Quad, two of Tufts' very own are ready to showcase their hip-hop talents behind the mic. Juniors Ajahne Santa Anna and Connell Cloyd, aspiring artists, will be performing at Hotung tonight - not only to see if they have the ability to be MCs, but also, as Santa Anna points out, to "hopefully get other people into expressing themselves." Since freshman year, Ajahne Santa Anna and Connell Cloyd have put their pens to paper and endeavored to make their words reach many. Cloyd reminisces about freshman year and how "me and my boys would come home on the weekends after a party and have sessions. We would just go on and on freestylin' off the top of our head." As the year progressed and the sessions continued, the two started generating buzz among their friends, Cloyd says. The support from friends along with aspirations of putting out an album has led them to meticulously hone their skills through writing, freestyling, and performing. Whether freestyling or consciously writing rhymes, both are quick to point out that their styles are unique. Santa Anna, whose stage name is Infinity, lists jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, Staten Island natives the Wu-Tang Clan, and Queensbridge representative Nas among his influences. From these artists and everyday experiences, Santa Anna derives his approach, which he describes as "incorporating the streets and knowledge I've gained from private institutions growing up." Santa Anna remembers the night his freshman year that made him want to be a performer. "I was at an open-mic night called Moonlight Vibes, and I decided on a whim to write a poem. I wrote it in like ten minutes and just went up there and read it. I received lots of good feedback. That experience, along with seeing Connell write, jumpstarted my drive." But Santa Anna doesn't just want to write- he wants to be remembered. "We want to put out albums. Fifty years from now, I want college kids to still be listening to my music." Cloyd, who goes by the stage name MPC, grew up in Tennessee, not would one would call a hotbed for hip-hop. Nonetheless, his passion for the art form would leave you to believe otherwise. At his first performance during a high school show in 11th grade, Cloyd says he was simply trying to do something different. But after his second performance in prep school and his experiences freshman year, Cloyd started getting serious. Cloyd's most prominent influences are Three Six Mafia and several underground Tennessee rappers. Three Six Mafia's music has a southern-bounce feel to it, similar to what you'll hear in tonight's performance. "I spit knowledge and consciousness too. That's what makes me different, I combine two different styles and make it something special." Although the two secured a spot for the performance last semester, preparation for the show has not been easy. Both spent the summer writing both independently and together on new songs. "The work that has gone into producing the show has been relentless," says Cloyd. "Me and Ajahne have put a lot of time and effort into this. We've been pulling a lot of all-nighters lately. Stayin' up all night and goin' to sleep at like eight in the morning, that's been the schedule this week. It's been a lot of work but everything has come together and we're ready to perform. We want everybody to see us." The two performers don't want to let too much out of the bag regarding tonight's show. Santa Anna says the show will have a lot of variety. "The performance has an album feel to it in that each song brings you something different. We'll have some R&B and hardcore rap... but we'll also be performing songs that will make everybody think, and we'll also be addressing the events of Sept. 11," he explained. The performance is also a personal one. As Cloyd says "we spit what we live and do.... we want people to know we're serious about this." There's no denying the excitement and passion that Santa Anna and Cloyd will hit the audience with. If you're tired of the references to platinum, ice, and thuggin' that overloads radio these days, tonight's performance offers a thought-provoking alternative that appeals to all lovers of music.

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News

Training program sorely knee-ded

August 31

One study on women basketball players says that on a typical team, two of the players will tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during their college careers. In terms of knee problems, then, this year's women's basketball team can't escape being average. Both senior co-captain forward Jayme Busnengo and junior guard Sarah Conlon have missed a season of their college careers due to ACL injuries. That's where assistant trainer Pat Cordeiro comes in. Cordeiro, in her first year at Tufts, installed a six-week program prior to the season specifically designed to work on this problem.The program, which Cordeiro originally borrowed from an online program before adding other aspects, is designed to prevent injuries that frequently cost women a year or more of their basketball lives. Cordeiro had her work cut out for her. The statistics differ, but essentially women basketball players are ten times more likely than men to tear an ACL. Additionally, women are 85% more likely to incur the injury in non-contact play. According to the New York Times, one in ten female varsity collegiate athletes suffer a season-ending knee injury every year. Of those, roughly 3,000 of them are due to the ACL. Staggering statistics like this beg the question: why? What makes women so much more susceptible to men playing the same game? Unfortunately, there aren't clear answers. There have been a plethora of studies conducted on the issue, but no single reason has been identified. "There are so many factors," Cordeiro said. "It could be structural, hormonal, strength, or when women start playing sports. A lot of research now, though, is saying that it happens a lot when the players jump and land." According to Cordeiro, a majority of women have a tendency to turn their knees inwards, so that they point at each other. In what is called a position of no return, the feet are flat on the ground at the same time that the knees are facing each other. Getting a number of the players out of this jumping pattern was the major goal of the program, and though it's early, it appears to be successful. "I don't even think about it," Busnengo said. "I saw the videotape, and I was jumping differently, and I hope now that the change is just something that has happened." The program was preventative in nature, so complete success can't be determined for a while - at least not until a rigorous season has passed without injury. Cordeiro's program, though, has proven beneficial in a number of regards. First, the vast majority of team members increased their verticals, on average by about two inches. In addition, players are now more confident that they can perform injury free. Almost every player on the team knows a few people who have sustained an ACL injury, so it wears on all their minds. But for someone like Busnengo, who has suffered an ACL tear in the past, confidence is almost as essential to her performance as dribbling or shooting. Like many, Busnengo suffered her injury - which forced her to miss her freshman season - in a non-contact play. She was driving on a fast break and about to pass to the wing when she was forced to pass to the other side. That slight twist of the knee was all it took. "I try to keep the injury out of my mind," she said. "It's all in your head. You have to have confidence in your body and your knee to perform. The program helped with that. It's another reassurance for me, like wearing a brace." Cordeiro used an online program - Sportsmetrics, developed by the Cincinnati Sportsmedicine Research and Education Foundation - and mixed in additional elements. Sportsmetrics is a program based on low-level plyometrics, or basic jumping exercises. Once Cordeiro was able to alter the way her players jumped, she could progress to more advanced activities. In addition to the jumping, Cordeiro focused on balance. The players would balance on foam rollers with one or both feet while working on ball skills at the same time. The third element to her program is strength conditioning, though the team already has a strength regiment. It might not sound like fun work, but Cordeiro seems to have made it enjoyable for the team. "It was actually fun," Busnengo said. "We did a lot of silly things. A lot of it was kind of like hopscotch." Despite the work, Cordeiro still noticed that the poor jumping habits aren't completely eliminated. "I could still see the difference in their good and bad extremities," she said. Cordeiro is no stranger to this type of program. Though she wasn't hired specifically for the ACL problem, the ability to establish this program designed for women made Tufts more desirable to the trainer. In the past two years, while getting her masters at the Arizona School of Health Sciences, she was performing a similar program with high school basketball players and with the Phoenix Mercury, a WNBA team. For the players, having someone initiate the program was a blessing. Prior to "Pat's program," as it came to be known, the women only did speed school in preparation for the season. Though speed school has changed slightly this year under the leadership of Fitness Center Director Mike Pimentel, in the past, it was directed more towards football players. And while both Cordeiro and the players appreciate the value of speed school towards cardiovascular training, the team welcomed a change. "It's nice to have someone here who cares enough about women's sports to initiate a program for us," Busnengo said. If the women's basketball team has the successful season many are predicting, it can only be with a full roster. And if the Jumbos make it through the season without a knee injury, it will be due at least partly to "Pat's program."

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News

Students, faculty help local high school students relate to crisis

August 31

Senior Sarah Yamani, a Muslim, spent yesterday morning in the Gantcher Center teaching Boston high school students about Islam and the Arab world. She tried to avoid making the discussion personal, but it wasn't easy. "I wasn't actually trying to defend Islam," she said afterwards. "But it was difficult." Yamani was one of 52 Tufts undergraduates who led discussions with 400 students from the Boston Arts Academy, a pilot school that makes use of student teachers from Tufts' Department of Education. Tufts' Institute for Global Leadership hosted the discussion to foster discussion about the events of Sept. 11 and their aftermath. The morning-long series of speakers and discussions answered some of the teenagers' questions, and compelled them to ask more. Yamani said she participated in the program to help "inquisitive minds" better understand the issues. "Maybe they didn't come up with a conclusion," she said, "but they opened up their minds." During the opening panel, the students listened to professors lecture about the history of Islam and the south Asian region around Afghanistan, and repeatedly asked the speakers how the US should respond to the terrorist attacks. In his opening remarks, Provost Sol Gittleman said the program was intended "to peal the intellectual onion" of the high school students' minds. The students' questions addressed issues ranging from US energy policy to its military strategy. Zadina Cadyma, 16, asked the panelists what strategy the US government should use to capture the man they believe masterminded the Sept. 11 attacks, Osama bin Laden. After Sherman Teichman, the director of the Institute for Global Leadership, said Afghanistan's Northern Alliance were "thugs and rapists" with whom the US should not have been quick to make alliances18-year-old Diego Ribeiro: "Should we tell people they can't help us? The US has done some nasty things too." Ribero was one of the high school students who organized the discussions with Tufts. He was hoping to learn more about Afghanistan and America's war on terror. "I think the biggest thing is 'what's next?'" he said. "A lot of people want revenge, but what can I do as a citizen?" After a saxophone performance by Kenneth Radnofsky, a music professor at the New England Conservatory, the high school students were divided into discussion groups of 15, led by Tufts undergraduates. Their topics ranged from the media to religion. "I don't think they can call this a holy war if one of the freedoms we have is freedom of religion," said Adriana Malliaros, 15, during the group discussions. Malliaros' group focused on cultural imperialism and the realities of American influence around the world. Egyptian J.P. Ghobrial, a senior, led another group. "It wasn't a session of 'I am an Egyptian, this is how I feel,'" he said. "I tried not to get involved in that way at all." In the end, it was not just the students who say they benefited from the event. Kevin Jones, a Tufts graduate student and an intern history teacher at the Arts Academy, questioned how best to address Sept. 11 in his classroom, but never found definitive answers. "It was very difficult for me as a student teacher to approach some of the questions they were asking," he said. "You want to be politically correct but at the same time you want to give them something they can come away with." Jones, who plans to become a teacher, said the morning's activities provided training for dealing with tough issues. After listening to a panel, the students' questions, and moderating his own discussion group, Jones said he felt better prepared to moderate class discussions about complex crises.

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News

Associate provosts Miaoulis and Lee take office

August 31

Ioannis Miaoulis, dean of engineering, and Dr. Mary Y. Lee, dean of educational affairs at the medical school, officially assumed the positions of associate provosts on Nov. 1. The two deans fill a vacancy left by former Vice Provost June Aprille, who departed this summer to assume the provost position at the University of Richmond in Virginia. But Miaoulis and Lee have not abandoned their current duties at the School of Engineering and medical school. Each will assume additional responsibilities that complement their other administrative tasks. The associate provosts will work mainly with Provost Sol Gittleman on programs to unite areas of Tufts' eight schools, rather than focus on any one particular field. They will report to a new boss next year, with Gittleman set to resign as provost after the spring semester. The administration hopes that drawing deans from different Tufts schools into the provost's office will form the various schools into a more cohesive unit. "Right now, it's very difficult to get undergraduates to realize that Tufts is a university," Gittleman said. "Undergraduates form the major part of Tufts, but there is more out there. These positions will cut across the University...They will serve as ropes stretched across abysses." Along with developing new research and education programs in various areas of the University, Miaoulis will work on projects initiated by Aprille before her departure, such as the Tufts Institute of the Environment, the Africa Forum, the Tufts Institute for Healthy Aging, and the Tufts University Center for Children. As Dean of Engineering for eight years, Miaoulis worked on several other collaborative projects, such as the establishment of joint degree programs between the School of Engineering and other University faculties. "Working on collaborations has always been one of my favorite parts of work," he said. "Now I can work on synergies without engineering." An example of an area in which Mialouis hopes to synergize redundant elements is the curriculum. Similar courses are often offered in different departments, such as the 35 different statistics courses offered throughout Tufts departments. "Due to our decentralized nature, there is quite a bit of duplication of efforts," he said. Miaoulis is currently evaluating the curricula of such courses and is looking to combine lower-level courses while maintaining specialized upper-level courses.Gittleman cited the importance of initiatives like these in "convincing people that more is less." Miaoulis' main project in this area right now is the development of a bioengineering program, drawing upon resources from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the Medical School, and the School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The new associate provosts are also working with civil engineering professor David Gute to analyze Tufts' role in homeland security in response to the events of Sept. 11. Lee's responsibilities are more concentrated. She will work on bringing together the health science schools located on each of Tufts' three campuses. She is also continuing her previous work in developing University-wide teaching initiatives. President Larry Bacow and Gittleman announced the appointments of Miaoulis and Lee as part of a massive administrative restructuring in October, which streamlined Tufts' administrative system. Neither associate provost has a defined team that reports to them. Gittleman calls them "lone rangers" in that they have find different people to work with on each initiative.

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News

Double your pleasure or double your workload?

August 31

"Undecided." The word hangs over the sophomore class, an ominous cloud as the fall semester draws to a close and the pressure to choose a major heats up. The choice is obvious for some, and many have already begun shaping their schedules around the majors to-be. But for others, the choice is not as easy. Some ambitious souls choose to double major - either because they just can't decide on one subject or because they feel pressured to tackle more than one. Sophomore Joe Coleti is one of the many sophomores who is still in the process of deciding, but double majoring isn't in the cards for him. "I think most sophomores consider double majoring at one time or another, but with the heavy requirements at Tufts, it seems very difficult," Coleti said. Some students, debating which subject to pursue, believe that double majoring will enhance their chances of landing a job. Still others worry that a single major will not require enough "hard work," and end up double majoring even though they may not want to.Patricia Wong, a transfer student considering double majoring in economics and Japanese feels that she wouldn't be fulfilling her academic potential if she majored in only one subject."I just feel kind of lazy if I just had one major, I would at the least like to minor in something," Wong said. But there is no need to make this decision sophomore year. Some juniors and seniors discover through their regular workload that they have enough - or nearly enough - credits in one discipline to major or minor in it. And many find that they have more than enough time to pick up a second major. "If I had just majored in econ, I could probably finish up my major by junior year," Wong said. "I would like to be more productive and make the most out of my time." Some students feel that international relations is the department that is most conducive to double-majoring because many IR credits count towards other majors as well. But that doesn't mean anyone is breezing through a double major that includes IR - as with most majors, only 50 percent of courses in one major can be applied toward the other major's requirements. And for some students, the benefits of double majoring might not outweigh the tradeoffs. There is a significant extra workload for more students, which may merit taking some summer courses or even an extra semester. Double majors are also precluded from minoring in an additional subject. It is stressed at Tufts that in most cases, one does not have to major or minor in a subject to get recognition for their attention to that area of study. Workshops are offered to help students incorporate all of their academic pursuits, even if they do not relate to their major, into their resumes. Two subjects, Environmental Studies and Community Health, force students to double major because the University does not offer a sufficient number of classes to accommodate a major by itself. These are designated as "second majors" and degrees on not granted in these programs on their own.Sam Segal, a junior is majoring in economics and math, added a second major because he had room in his schedule. When he came in as a freshman he had enough AP credits to take care of many of his freshman requirements, so he decided to start right away and begin his classes required for majoring in math. "It makes me look more desirable as a potential employee, and I was interested in both subject areas," Segal said, in reference to the benefits of double majoring when it comes to entering the job market. While some students decide to double major, others find their calling in the interdisciplinary majors. These majors incorporate a wider spectrum of classes and take disciplines out of an eclectic mix of subjects. These include most of the culture studies majors, as well as Peace and Justice Studies, American Studies, and International Relations. Sciences are also sometimes combined into one major such as biochemistry and biopsychology. These subjects combine many disciplines in majors so students can get a broader view of the real world and not narrow their studies to just one subject. These subjects are attractive to students who are equally interested in two subjects and decide they can handle the extra work. Todd Walters, a sophomore who has decided to double major in classics and bio-psychology, says that double majoring, "... gives me a chance to study two very different fields that I enjoy. One of the majors relates closely to what I want to do after college, while the other is one I find enjoyable and interesting to study."

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News

Orlando has its magic back, will challenge Philly

August 31

Neck and Neck: If there's one thing for sure in the Atlantic, it's that the Orlando Magic have the best blend of proven all-around talent (Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady) and quality veterans (newly acquired Patrick Ewing and Horace Grant). Throw in the likes of gritty point guard Darrell Armstrong, sixth man Bo Outlaw, small forwards Mike Miller and Pat Garrity, banger Andew DeClerq, and head coach Doc Rivers, and you have the makings of an NBA title contender. But Hill and McGrady are both recovering from injuries and Miller is out for a month with a foot injury - all factors that could hinder this team's success. So assuming that they can stay healthy, the division crown is the Magic's to lose. The Philadelphia 76ers marched all the way to the NBA Finals last year on the wings of six-foot, 165-lb. Allen Iverson. But he might not have to do all the scoring himself this year. Former number one draft pick and All-Star Derrick Coleman was added in the off-season to complement defensive master Dikembe Mutumbo in the post, and Aaron McKie, already the best sixth-man in the league, could step up his game even more. The volatile Coleman could spell disaster for coach Larry Brown, though. If things stay harmonious in Philly, and most likely they will with Brown at the helm, the Sixers are the Magic's best competition. Questions Abound: Will Alonzo Mourning return to his All-Star form? Both Tim Hardaway and Anthony Mason have jumped ship, placing more pressure than ever on 'Zo to produce and produce big. And this may be easier said than done, considering that coach Pat Riley's keystone is recovering from a kidney disease that kept him in street clothes for 69 games last year. During the playoffs, when his minutes went up to 30 per game, Mourning's production dropped to just a 11.7 points a night, and the Heat were embarrassed by Charlotte in three games. Mourning will have help from Eddie Jones and Brian Grant inside, but neither has the presence of Mason. But without a healthy 'Zo, the Heat are no better than a lottery team. Can Michael Jordan carry another franchise on his back? While Jordan has shown that he still has the ability to dominate anybody in the league, the rest of the Wizards (2-6) haven't shown much of anything during preseason play. And aside from his age (38), Jordan is not exactly at his physical peak either, as he already cracked two ribs in June to go along with his chronic back problems and tender knees. But then again, this is Michael we are talking about. So don't count the Wizards out as long as he is in the lineup. Fantasy Stars: Michael Jordan. Nothing more needs to be said other than the fact that he is the best player on the planet. Ever. Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker of the Celtics combined to average 48.7 points per game last year while leading the Celtics in their run at the final East playoff spot. Walker, often criticized for his selfish play, also dished out 5.5 assists per night and is finally showing that he's as good as everyone says he is. Pierce, on the other hand, should have been an All-Star last year and is one of the best young players in the league. Allen "The Answer" Iverson, last season's MVP and scoring leader (31.1 ppg), should recover fully from off-season surgery and will be back to burning or leaping over anything that crosses his path. He is also a tenacious defender, averaging 2.5 steals per game. Moving Around: Despite losing three starters in Hardaway, Mason, and Bruce Bowen, as well as veteran Dan Majerle, Miami has added Kendall Gill, LaPhonso Ellis, and Chris Gatling, a trio of veterans who know how to score...Tyrone Hill, a key ingredient in the Sixer's breakthrough season last year, has been traded back to Cleveland...The New York Knicks lost both Larry Johnson and Luc Longley to retirement, then traded away sharpshooter Glen Rice...The New Jersey Nets may have got the better of the deal when they swapped one point guard for another with the Suns: Stephon Marbury for Jason Kidd.And the award goes to... MVP: Tracy McGrady. Vince Carter's cousin finally came into his own last year when he nearly doubled his scoring average (15.4 to 26.8), and boosted his assist and rebound totals. This year, even with Hill in the same lineup, McGrady is still the go-to guy in Orlando. And if the Magic make a serious title run, he is the one who will lead them.Coach of the Year: Larry Brown. Any guy who can handle Iverson without a psychology degree and then take on an even bigger challenge by adding Coleman to the mix deserves some kind of award. Oh yeah and his team is pretty good, too.Rookie of the Year: Joe Johnson, Celtics. This Arkansas product can score, and he'll likely step right into the starting lineup. Boston should be the perfect fit for the 6'7" slasher, who will blossom under the tutelage of coach Jim O'Brien, Walker, and Pierce.

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Mariners, A's clinch playoff berths

August 31

The west coast may again experience electrical shortages, with the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics monopolizing all energy in the region. The two teams have generated the best records in baseball this season and, last week, powered themselves to the first two guaranteed playoff berths in baseball. While the Athletics never came within striking distance of the Mariners in the AL West, they surprised baseball with a mid-summer surge and achieved momentum that has swept them into the playoffs. Oakland was 8-18 on May 1 but lost only eight more games while winning 57 since June 27. At 92-58, the A's are only second to the Mariners (106-44) for the best record in baseball. Oakland clinched the wild card on Sunday with a 7-4 victory over Seattle, which secured the division title last Wednesday. Mark Mulder earned his 20th win and Jermaine Dye had a three-run home run to complete the three-game sweep of the Mariners. Oakland won the first two games 11-2 and 5-1. The series was the first time the Mariners have been swept this season and also their first series loss on the road. Seattle has dropped four straight for the first time since Aug. 12-20, 2000, when it lost eight consecutive games. The Mariners must now win ten of their final 12 games to tie the Chicago Cubs' record of 116 wins in a single season. Another record fell in the AL last week, when the New York Yankees' Roger Clemens became the first pitcher in baseball history to go 20-1, beating the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. Clemens is on track to win his record sixth Cy Young award and will likely get the five strikeouts he needs to tie Bert Blyleven (3,701) for third on the career strikeout list when he starts against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight. The Boston Red Sox have laid down the doormat at the entrance to Octoberland for Clemens and the Yankees, who are headed toward their fourth straight division title. New York avoided a sweep by the lowly Baltimore Orioles by the seat of its pants on Sunday when Baltimore blew a 4-0 lead and a three-RBI effort by Cal Ripken Jr. Bernie Williams drew a bases-loaded walk in the tenth inning to force in the winning run, and Mariano Rivera earned his 47th save of the season. The win allowed New York to whittle down its magic number to two to clinch the AL East, as the Red Sox lost their second straight to Detroit, 12-6. The Yankees could shore up their playoff berth tonight when they begin a series against Tampa Bay, a ball club often mistaken for a Triple-A team. Cleveland furthered its pursuit of the AL Central title this weekend by taking two out of three from the second-place Minnesota Twins. The Indians now have their biggest lead of the season at seven games and are 12-4 against Minnesota this season. The Twins are having the opposite season as Oakland. After surprising baseball with a 34-17 start, Minnesota has gone 24-39 since the All-Star break. Cleveland has gained 11 games on Minnesota since the break and will face the Twins for three games next weekend for a series that in all likelihood will end the Twins' playoff hopes. Elsewhere around the league, Alex Rodriguez provided some excitement for a team that is going nowhere this season when he broke Ernie Banks' record for most home runs by a shortstop in one season with his 48th round-tripper. The shot helped the Texas Rangers beat the Anaheim Angels 5-2 and tied Rodriguez for the franchise record for most home runs in a season. Tampa Bay, which is in a tight battle with the Red Sox for first place in the division, won its first series in a month when it took two of three against Toronto. The Devil Rays must now win ten of their last 13 games to avoid the first 100-loss season in their four-year franchise history.

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News

Three cheers for the squad

August 31

Sarah Kimball has a bruise on her arm the size of a tennis ball. But she wasn't playing tennis when she got this bruise. She wasn't playing soccer, rugby, or lacrosse either. Sarah was cheering. Kimball is a member of the Tufts Cheerleading Squad. If you've never been to a football or basketball game, you probably didn't know Tufts had a cheerleading squad. But it does. And they want you to know that they're making an impact on Tufts' athletic scene. Once a leisure activity - something students did to distract themselves from work - cheerleading has grown rapidly at Tufts over the past three years. During the 1998-1999 season, interest in the program was so low that there were not enough people to form even a small team. However, with the return of alumni cheerleader Erika Beam (LA '99) and support of Amy Welch, a member of the Tufts faculty who had cheered in national competitions, the Tufts cheerleading squad was revived. Today, cheerleading is less of a pastime and more of an athletic commitment, with the majority of the squad coming from dance or gymnastic backgrounds. Coach Erika Beam is eager to dispel the stereotype that cheerleaders are "a bunch of girls jumping around in short skirts and screaming their heads off.""The team was not so strong in past years and it was discontinued," she said. "But I don't think a lot of people know how good we are now. We're a very strong team." Cheerleading at Tufts is not just pom-poms and pep rallies. Being on the team is now a firm commitment: the girls practice four times a week in addition to running and lifting weights on their own time. Most of the routines are based on gymnastics and strength training and involve a number of stunts, including tosses, flips, and tiers. Injuries are commonplace: Beam has broken her ankle cheering in the past, and freshman Rose Okoye has suffered a broken wrist - although the injury didn't prevent people from standing on her. "It's not easy and it's not comfortable," Beam said. "I want people to respect these girls if only for the amount of pain they go through. People don't realize it's really hard to throw someone 30 feet in the air. It's hard to have someone stand on you while you're standing on someone else and smiling the whole time. There's a big gymnastic component people who don't see us aren't recognizing."Although the squad acknowledges there is a negative stereotype against cheerleaders, they say that their biggest critics have usually never seen them perform. "People that don't like us aren't really going to games anyway," senior Justine Alger said. Freshman Caitlin McGarty was teased by some friends on the cross-country team until they actually saw the cheerleading squad in action. After seeing the squad's moves, they "apologized profusely," McGarty said. The squad emphasizes that they work just as hard academically as they do athletically. "I wouldn't be surprised if the team's average GPA was one of the highest among teams at Tufts," Alger said, adding that the fact that the girls are Tufts students should be enough to erase the "dumb cheerleader" stereotype.Reactions from people who have seen the team performing have been overwhelmingly positive this year, attracting everyone from the random fan in the crowd to President Bacow. At homecoming, the squad made such a good impression that one fan told them that their stunts were worthy of Division I. The football and basketball teams are also among the cheerleaders' fans."They appreciate it," Okoye said. "We're out there with the teams in the bad weather." The squad has been asked to cheer for a number of other sports teams, including girl's teams, but has had a hard time accommodating all the requests.Overall, the team wants potential cheerleaders to know how much fun being on the squad is. "My high school team was the most miserable experience," Beam said. "It was the stereotypical squad - numerous cliques fighting all the time. Here, I look forward to practice every single night, and the rate of progress is unbelievable." Because of the team's cohesiveness and progress, they plan to start entering local competitions. Okoye agrees that the team defies expectations. "It's not what people make it out to be. It's very rewarding physically, socially, and emotionally. You get what you put into it," she said."The best part is that everyone is so supportive of one another," McGarty added. "Everybody is so nice, nobody is snippy, nobody is talking behind backs... It's ridiculous how fun and enjoyable this experience has been. None of that whole girl-group mean, backstabbing stuff."The squad is also hoping to attract some men to the team as well. "Any serious team needs guys. At any other school, there are football players helping out with stunting," Beam said. "What it takes three girls to do, one guy can." Men don't even have to cheer on the team, she says. "No previous experience, you don't have to wear a uniform, and no cheering required. We'll teach you everything you need to know." Alger challenges those who are hesitant to join the squad due to cheerleading's social stigma to reconsider their opinions. "It's humbling. You know you'll get crap because of the stereotypes, but it gives you the self-confidence to spite all that. But it's good for the school and it's a good time. And you get to prove people wrong," she said. "We're like any other team. We work really hard, we're proud of what we do, and we have something to show for our efforts."

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News

Ultimate frisbee team competes during 'off-season'

August 31

Last weekend, the men's ultimate frisbee team competed in its final fall tournament at Brown University. But though the nationally recognized team has been practicing and competing since August, its year has not truly begun. Fall isn't the official season for the Jumbos, or the "E-Men," as they call themselves. The team plays in competitive, but unofficial tournaments throughout the fall, but official play does not begin until spring break. "In the fall, we don't work as hard, because our coach isn't around," senior John Wilner said. In the spring, he said, coach Jeff Brown really "cracks down on us." Winter training consists of two night practices for the E-Men, in addition to running, conditioning, and the occasional weekend practice. "We do a lot of running and conditioning because the sport is almost continuous running," Wilner said. "You play a few points and then have to sub out." The men are divided into two squads each year: the "A" team and the "B" team. Senior captions Mike Bright and Mike Zalisk choose the "A" team, which is generally limited to 20 men, and all other prospective players are welcome to participate on the "B." team. Currently, the squad appears inexperienced, with over half its players in the sophomore class. "It looks like we have a lot of potential, although we do have a lot of young guys," Wilner said. "We are really looking forward to gelling together over the winter and getting ready for the spring." The Tufts ultimate frisbee dynasty began in 1972 by Jim Pistrang and Ed Summers and has experienced widespread success, including four national tournament appearances since 1980. The Jumbos compete in the Northeast Region, one of the most competitive in the country, against teams such as Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern, and MIT. The men's team has advanced to the national tournament the past two springs, and though it has finished at the bottom of the tournament teams, "it's a big deal just to be able to go and to make it out of the region," Wilner said. In 2000, the Jumbos finished 15th among 16 teams in the nation, including big-name schools such as Stanford, Rice, University of North Carolina, and University of Florida. Last spring, the team went 13-0 against New England teams en route to its first-ever regional title. The E-Men made it to the national tournament, but did not fare as well as the previous year, placing last. For a team that has experienced national success, and is arguably one of Tufts' most competitive squads, the label of a "club team" seems to be a poor fit. But the E-Men say the label is apt. "There's a very strong faction of people who believe that keeping the sport 'club' maintains the spirit of the sport," Wilner said. "If the sport were to go varsity, that spirit might be lost." Another perk to the team's club status is that playing ultimate frisbee does not end at commencement, with a popular club circuit available for frisbee players after college. This weekend, the team will host another unofficial tournament, in which only the "B" team will compete. The E-Men will continue their "full-time" commitment throughout the winter, while preparing for the official season in the spring. The squad expects to compete in Georgia and North Carolina for the inauguration of its season. The Jumbos' ultimate goal this year is, as always, nationals. "With hard work, we could go further at nationals," Wilner said. "We're still getting to know each other and working together, but I definitely think we have the potential," Wilner said.

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For optimum health, follow the rainbow

August 31

When choosing fruits and vegetables, go for those with deep, vibrant hues and pick from a variety of color groups, advises Dr. James Joseph. It's not just about getting vitamins, minerals, and protein anymore, as phytochemicals - plant compounds that give color to produce - are also key players in long-term health. Joseph is the chief of the Neuroscience Laboratory of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts and the co-author of "The Color Code," to be published by Hyperion next spring. In his research, he has discovered that to perform at your highest mental capacity, recover from hard workouts, stave off illness, and prevent chronic disease, you've got to get color in your diet - something you don't get from a pill. Each plant pigment, from the blue in blueberries to the green in spinach, has a different health benefit. These pigments work synergistically to keep the body on track. If you eat only apples, oranges, bananas, and potatoes (typical of Americans), you deprive yourself of the many health-promoting compounds that come from other colors in the spectrum. For example, anthocyanins, which give blueberries their color, help fight age-related memory loss, according to Tufts research. Other research by the University shows that lutein, a yellow pigment in spinach, may help protect vision. Many more phytochemicals boost the body's ability to clean up free radicals, and it appears that they may even augment, protect, or regenerate antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E or C. Every day we experience stress that produces cell-damaging free radicals. Vigorous exercise, smoking, medications, and exposure to air pollutants will all increase the amount of free radicals produced in the body. Luckily, we have physiological systems in place that act as little vacuums that clean up free radicals as they are produced. But, our ability to squelch free radicals is highly dependent on the adequacy (or colorfulness) of our diet. A typical college student will have a stressful academic load and may endure regular bouts of intense exercise. Top this off with a night out drinking, and there are a lot of free radicals to clean up. Without adequate systems in place, the student becomes more prone to disease in the long-run and may experience sub-optimal health in the short-term. "What Color is Your Diet," the latest book by Director of U.C.L.A.'s Center for Human Nutrition David Heber, outlines the "Seven Colors of Health' as follows:RED: Tomatoes and tomato products such as pasta sauce, pink grapefruit, and watermelon contain lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers.RED-PURPLE: Grapes, prunes, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that improve circulation and may even fight cancer.ORANGE: Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, pumpkin, mangoes, and winter squash contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant that may improve cell communication, helping them stop the spread of cancer.ORANGE-YELLOW: Oranges, tangerines, peaches, pineapples, and nectarines are high in vitamin C, a powerful cell protector.YELLOW-GREEN: Spinach, kale, green and yellow peppers, green beans, yellow corn, and turnip, mustard, or collard greens contain lutein, which may protect vision.GREEN: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cabbage contain sulforaphane, isothiocyanate, and indoles, all of which have cancer-fighting properties.WHITE-GREEN: Garlic, onions, chives, leeks, and shallots contain sulfur compounds that protect DNA. Asparagus, pears, mushrooms, and celery contain flavanoids, antioxidants that protect cell membranes. This list represents only a fraction of the beneficial components of fruits and vegetables. Scientists think that there are several thousand 'phytochemicals' in foods that have yet to be identified and contribute to health in unique ways. Keep in mind that dietary supplements, which do not meet the 'rainbow' criteria, cannot replace the 'real thing.' So, follow the colors of the rainbow, and good health may be at the end.

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This night will last forever: Billy Joel please Cohen crowd

August 31

The last song on 1993's River of Dreams was a ballad titled "Famous Last Words," in which Billy Joel uttered the now prophetic lyrics, "These are the last words I have to say." After that album, Joel turned the other cheek toward popular music and started a new chapter - writing classical, instrumental compositions. Last night in Cohen Auditorium, Joel went back on his Famous Last Words. The man often referred to as "The Piano Man" used plenty of words to sing and schmooze for three hours and 20 minutes, spanning over 30 years of hit songs and life experience for a crowd of 620. "Billy Joel: A Night of Questions, Answers, and a Little Music" brought Joel center stage to, among other things, poke fun at George W. Bush, cover James Taylor, mock Bob Dylan, and answer questions about his career. Pianist Richard Joo joined Joel to play selections from Fantasies and Delusions, his latest album of self-composed classical compositions. Joel was right at home from the night's beginning. "Tufts! Ah, Tufts...I played here back in the early '70s...one of the first places we headlined a college gig. I remember thinking, 'Wow, I'm gonna play at a college in Boston!'" He surveyed Cohen's d?©cor and commented, "The room looks different; they perked it up a little. "I'm back now...I won't go away," he said. Joel started off the night behind his piano, playing "Summer, Highland Falls," a song from 1976's Turnstiles. "I figured I'd start off with a piece of music, rather than starting off with the 'blah blah blah'," he said. The 'blah blah blah' came next. Joel implored the audience to pick his brain about his music, the music industry, composing, writing lyrics, and any aspect of musicianship that it was curious about. "I've made so many mistakes, and I've survived to tell the tale...pick my brain," he said. Six hundred audience members did just that, asking about his roots, his ambitions, and the meanings of specific songs like "Summer, Highland Falls" ("You really like that song, huh...you must suffer from manic depression") and "Falling in the Rain." Joel reluctantly played the latter, a song from 1971's Cold Spring Harbor. "One of the most self-absorbed albums ever," he recalled. "I was contemplating my navel...I was, like, bent in half." Joel then rolled his eyes before playing "Falling in the Rain," calling it "one of the worst lyrics I ever wrote." "I actually used the word 'glade.' You know, like that air freshener shit?" With 19 albums of material, Joel has a lot of words he's written and a lot that he'd sooner forget. But what about the ones that he can't help but forget? That's where Joel's cheat sheets - four big black binders - come into play. These folders sit atop his piano. In them resides his entire catalogue of songs and lyrics, just in case his memory fails him. "It's kind of like Linus' security blanket," he explained. When the words are taken care of, then melody is where Joel's focus is concentrated. When asked about his melodic inspiration, he explained that he draws from thematic, melodic music - everything form Broadway to Sinatra, Latin music to Rhythm and Blues. His mother was English and filled the house with the sounds of Gilbert and Sullivan, which Joel demonstrated from behind the piano in mock-operetta form. He then tinkered around on the baby grand, speaking of his father's German influences and playing Bach. "Hey," he said, tooling around with a melody, "That sounds a lot like 'Leningrad'!" referring to his 1992 hit. Joel also fielded many questions about the art of songwriting and the role that the form of expression has played in his life. "I always found songwriting painful - like a caesarian section. I don't know what it's like to have a child, but I've had kidney stones," he said. He told of a recent attempt at opening up the songwriting wound that has yet to fully heal. "I started to write a song out of nowhere... and it sounded kind of French to me. So I called it the Champs Elysees." After sitting down to treat the audience to snippets of the never-before heard melody, Joel explained why the song will probably never make it on a future album. "My guitarist looks at the song, and asks me... 'You wrote a song called the Champs Eyelashes?" "And I said you know what...nevermind." If Joel does dabble with songwriting in the near future, it might be to capture the sorrow and confusion of Sept. 11 into words and melody. "What would I say? How could I put it into words? I'm trying to write a requiem," he said. "You need something of score and scale, something immense, a mass of voices. I'm going to give it a shot. And if I can't do it well, I'm not going to do it at all." Joel advised one student curious about the cures for writer's block by telling of a time he was similarly aching for lack of words. He walked down to Manhattan's Little Italy ("When it was really Little Italy. Now it's kind of like Little New Jersey.") and sat down at a restaurant with a blank pad. "That's Billy Joel. He's writing a song," he heard a waiter say. "They think I can do it, so therefore I must be able to do it," he remembered thinking. And so he did. This same atmosphere was inspiration for one of his best known hits, "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," which he dissected and played for an ecstatic crowd. Throughout the night, Joel continued to refer to the art of songwriting and the inspirations behind it. "I write for my own edification...I never wrote for radio, audiences, the record company...I write for women. Women love it when you write shit for them." Throughout his advising, he stressed the need for writers to challenge themselves to find what drives them. "Fool yourself, break up with your girlfriend, fight with your parents, have a glass of wine...if you think you can, you will. If you think you can't, you won't," he said. It was this philosophy that drove Joel to follow his lifelong goal of composing classical music. Despite his record company's initial shock at his desire to release a classical album, Joel composed this year's Fantasies and Delusions, which he proudly reminded the audience throughout the night has been number one on the classical charts for six weeks. Joo joined Joel three times onstage to play selections from the album, including the nine-minute "Reverie," and a three-part suite titled "Starcrossed," which Joel described as an instrumentation of the courtship process. "Tufts University," the pianist said, upon sitting behind his instrument. "One of those rare American universities where you come to study and you're praised for your brains and not your ball skills." Joel spoke a bit about his passion for classical music and his need to "grow up" from his days as a rock artist. "I knew I didn't want to be a concert pianist," he said. "I wanted to be a composer. "I got to be 40, and I didn't feel like 'Billy' anymore...but then 'William Joel'? Like I could ever call myself William coming from my neighborhood." It was this neighborhood that almost prevented Joel from following his pianist aspirations. "It was tough enough taking piano lessons. They used to beat the shit outta me!" At age 16, Joel took his pent-up frustration and channeled it toward something a little less delicate than plinking on piano keys; he became a boxer and entertained the idea of eventually going professional. "But," he said, "the piano called me." This calling has led, over the last 30-plus years, to three Greatest Hits albums and the status as pop music's third best-selling male of all time. When asked to choose one song from his four binders-full of material as his "favorite," Joel was at a loss. The audience was more than happy to help. Suggestions rained out (When asked to play his epic "Angry Young Man," Joel called back "That's not a song, that's an opus!"), and eventually he sat down to play the reflective "And So It Goes." "Christie thought that one was about her," he snickered, referring to his supermodel ex-wife. Throughout the night, Joel also shared hits "The Entertainer" and "Downeaster Alexa." And when he pulled out his harmonica, the crown knew the night was about to end. Joel played his signature "Piano Man" and left the stage to a thunderous standing ovation. He and Joo took the stage once more to sample a classical piece from the new album, after which Joel proclaimed his famous mantra - "Don't take any shit from anybody!" and officially left the building. "Don't be afraid," he told the audience before walking offstage. "Be brave" Last night, those were Joel's Famous Last Words. But when explaining the song before playing it for the crowd, he assured that it shouldn't be taken completely to heart. "It had a disclaimer," he said. "These are the last words I have to say...Before another age goes by."

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Why Pakistan?

August 31

I was deeply shocked to hear about the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, which have resulted in such a tragic loss of innocent lives. These were innocent people who were not at war. They were just going about their daily lives unaware of this evil terror that struck them. May God ease the pain and suffering of the families who have lost their loved ones, and may God give them strength to recover from this irreparable loss. I hope that those who are behind this attack are apprehended and punished. The planet seems to be united in its determination to root out terrorism from its face. President Bush has received calls of support from a large number of countries including Russia. All fingers seem to be pointing in one direction, Osama Bin Laden and his "protectors," the Taliban, the rulers of Afghanistan. The Taliban has refused to hand over Mr. Bin Laden, insisting it will only consider his extradition if the US provides "solid and convincing" evidence of his involvement in terrorism. The tension between Taliban leadership and Washington has so widened that a peaceful resolution seems unlikely. In fact, war on Afghanistan seems imminent as the US calls in its reserve forces and looks to establish a base in the region. Under intense media coverage, the US government has favored Pakistan, a Muslim country that borders Afghanistan, for this purpose. Pakistan's President, Chief of Army-Staff, and Joint Chief of Staff, General Pervaiz Musharraf has promised his assistance. In an address to the nation, he said, "We share the grief of the American people in this grave national tragedy. We strongly condemn this most brutal and horrible act of terror and violence." He has also promised President Bush Pakistan's "unstinted cooperation" in the fight against terrorism. Unfortunately, Pakistan's sincere offer of cooperation has not played well with the western media. The media seems to be undermining the General's claim by calling Pakistan the Taliban's "strongest ally" and one of the only three countries that recognizes the Taliban regime. I followed the press conference called by Secretary of State Colin Powell and I must say that some journalists were posing questions that implicated Pakistan as an accomplice of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. This is certainly not good journalism and as a Pakistani, I am deeply saddened and upset that at a time of international tragedy, some anti-Pakistani lobbyists are trying to exploit the situation. Some are pushing the US government to settle old scores with Pakistan. Why is nobody asking why Pakistan tolerates the Taliban? Just as one should be asking why the US was targeted instead of some other country in the "free world." Surely the Majority of Pakistanis do not agree with the Taliban style of government. Their treatment of women and girls, who are forbidden to attend school, shows their ignorance of Islam's basic principles of tolerance. What Pakistan has done is accept the reality of the Taliban rulers. They occupy more than 95 percent of Afghanistan while their rivals, the Northern Alliance - composed of old warlords - occupy just one small portion of Afghanistan. We wanted to see a stable neighbor in the northwest of our borders just as the US wants to see a stable Mexico on its southern borders. The Taliban is the only strong force with the resources and strength to provide that stability. Pakistan's northern cities are already flooded with over a hundred thousand refugees who have been there since the Cold War started. I was just a little boy but I still remember the good old days of the early 80's. The Cold War was still on. I lived in the beautiful warm city of Karachi, bustling with foreigners, especially Americans whose then-Vice President George Bush Sr. met Pakistan's Military dictator General Zia and called Pakistan a "close friend" and an ally in the fight against communism. The war was bringing in hordes of refugees from Afghanistan, but we were not concerned. American aid, both military and financial, was pouring in. Our currency was strong against the dollar. Then the war ended. The USSR lost and became Russia. The mission was accomplished and the American assistance started dwindling. The refugee problem became a nightmare creating a law and order problem for Pakistan. The training camps installed by the CIA, where many like Bin Laden trained to fight the Soviets, became terrorist camps. The refugees never went back. Pakistan's economic situation worsened and lawlessness started to override our cities. My beautiful city of Karachi was engulfed in violence, terrorist activities, illegal drugs, and bombings. Now the US demands the Pakistanis' assistance once again - a country facing US sanctions "up to their eyeballs." The Pakistani government has rightly offered its fullest cooperation to eliminate this menace. But what we fear is that we shall be caught in the middle of the crossfire, and that the US will leave us once again to deal with the ravages of this first war of the 21st century. It seems to be a "no-win" situation for Pakistan. Pakistan's alliance with the US has already infuriated the Taliban who share miles of open border with Pakistan. The Taliban can launch a preemptive strike on Pakistan any time it wants. If the US sides with the Northern Alliance to eliminate the Taliban, Pakistan will see hordes of refugees coming into its territory. Secondly, the Northern Alliance has great animosity with the Pakistanis for their support of the Taliban. With the never-ending hostilities, with India over the Kashmir dispute, no one in Pakistan wishes to make new enemies who can easily infiltrate their territory. One can only pray that the Pakistani delegation visiting Afghanistan can convince the Taliban to hand over Osama Bin Laden and avoid any more bloodshed. Just last month, film star Angelina Jolie visited Pakistan and wept at the plight of Afghan refugees. These people have been ravaged by two decades of war. Almost 25 to 30 children die every day in Afghanistan due to malnutrition. The Taliban, ignorant of the world around them, are still living in medieval times, unaware of what they are up against. This was not just an attack on Americans, but an attack on the entire world - citizens of many countries worked at the WTC. There were about 500 Pakistanis who worked at the WTC. God knows how many of them have perished in this despicable act worthy of the strongest condemnation. America is a great nation and it will recover from this tragedy. It's a nation that we hope will not act in a fit of anger but with wisdom. It will not vow revenge but international justice. For many like me, the horror lies in the days to come. As hard as it may be to accept, the truth is that we have been marked for life because of the hideous acts of a few individuals. Everyone will now look upon us with an eye of suspicion and fear that we may be terrorists. When I arrived back in Boston after this summer ended, the immigration official processed my papers and said, "Welcome back!" When I cleared customs, the officer there took my form and greeted me with Assalm-ul-ikum-Peace be upon you. I have traveled to many parts of the world including Europe, and I can say without a doubt that the United States is by far the freest country to travel in. Sadly, it shall be no more. Asif Elahi is a senior majoring in economics.

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News

Texas, jewelry, and the Navy

August 31

It seems as if the Harry Potter buzz has somewhat subsided - the holiday rushes are over, and going to the movies can be a relatively crowd-free experience. This post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas weekend offers a little breather from mega-money mongers, allowing room for three flicks a little more grounded in reality. We travel from post-Civil War Texas, to Revolutionary France, to Naval battlegrounds, viewing corruption, debauchery, courage, and, as always, that smattering of romance that movies can never do without.Texas Rangers In an attempt to revitalize the classic Western flick for new audiences, director Steve Miner (Halloween: H20) leads a cast of pretty young actors including James Van Der Beek (Varsity Blues), Rachel Leigh Cook (Josie and the Pussycats), and Aston Kutcher (Dude, Where's My Car?) in a tale of do-gooding, machismo, and romance. Set in the Texas frontier after the Civil War, Texas Rangers tells the tale of four men who form a justice agency to clean up the remaining dangerous territories. Based on the true story of the real Texas Rangers, the script also offers a love triangle subplot between Kutcher, Cook, and Van Der Beek.The Affair of the Necklace Academy Award winner Hillary Swank makes her long-awaited return as a leading actress in this interpretation of the notorious Countess Jeanne de la Motte-Valois's legendary "Affair of the Diamond Necklace." Swank plays the young woman who leaves her home in search of what she believes to be her royal heritage. What starts out as a personal quest soon leads to intriguing discoveries about her husband, a diamond necklace, Marie Antoinette, and the rumblings of a Revolution on the horizon.Behind Enemy Lines Fledgling director John Moore takes the helm in this patriotically-minded film, which stars veteran actor Gene Hackman (Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State) and Owen Wilson (Meet the Parents, Armageddon). Wilson portrays a Navy pilot shot down over enemy territory, struggling to survive while being pursued by hostile forces. It is up to Hackman, his commanding officer, to carry out the rescue mission in the face of opposition from authorities.

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News

Women's soccer calm despite pressure, loss

August 31

Success has always been a part of the women's soccer program at Tufts. In its relatively brief 22-year history, the team has seen just one losing season and is 192-99-38 overall. In the past three years alone, the Jumbos have won the NCAA New England Championship twice, have compiled a 39-12-4 record, and lost out on a National Championship on a last-minute goal last season. The 2001 Jumbos enter the season still riding the tsunami-sized wave of last year's second-place finish, ranking second in the nation and first in New England in the NSCAA preseason poll. But while the excitement of 2000's tournament run still lingers in the minds of players and students alike, the realities of a new season have cast a shadow over the start of the 2001 campaign. Coming in atop the New England region, the Jumbos were sure to see an increased level of competition from their opponents, who are lined up to take their shots at the top-ranked squad. As the team to beat, Tufts has assumed a more prominent place on opponents' schedules, motivating other teams to come out and play harder against them. In Saturday's season opener against Babson, the Jumbos were stunned by a 4-1 trouncing, one of the most lopsided losses in recent memory. And with Tufts entering the game as the number-two team in the country, the effect is magnified. "It makes [the loss] seem so much worse," coach Martha Whiting said. "You could tell that they were gunning for us. Even from their reaction after the game - it was like they had just won a national championship." That defeat came on the heels of a 3-1 loss in a preseason scrimmage at the hands of a traditionally weak MIT squad. Whiting described the team in that scrimmage as possibly being a bit too overconfident. So have the Jumbos snapped under the pressure? Not at all, according to Whiting. Despite losing to a team that she admits "we should have been able to beat," Tufts showed signs of strength on the field against Babson. Even though they played most of the game a man down and without both their starting goalkeeper and their leading scorer, the Jumbos stayed in control, dominating the play for the majority of the second half, an impressive accomplishment under the circumstances. "We had moments of poorness [on Saturday], but we weren't bad overall," Whiting said. "We had a lot of situations that would have been easier to deal with had this been later on in the year." The Jumbos have responded to the increased outside pressure by focusing more on themselves. Since the scrimmage loss, Tufts has started to bear down, working hard as a team to do what it has to do to reach the goals and expectations it has set for itself. "Our intensity level was a lot higher [against Babson] than it has been, especially in the second half, and we were able to gel better than we have so far," Whiting said. "We have made some goals and set some objectives," senior goalkeeper Mara Schanfield said. "We decided to take things seriously and play hard every minute of the game." Whiting admits that the team's goals are high but insists that they are also both reasonable and reachable. "There is definitely pressure from last year," Whiting said. "Part of it is not being able to completely get it out of our heads, even if it is subconscious. But we need to see it as more of a challenge, and use it as both a challenge and a motivator. We want to maintain the level of success of last year, and not worry about the pressure." And while Saturday's loss may have an effect on the team's attitude, as a non-conference game, it will have virtually no bearing on postseason play. "I'm a little relieved that [the loss] wasn't a conference game," Whiting said. "It counts morale-wise, but not statistically. But you always want to win the first game of the year. It sets the tone for the rest of the season." The Jumbos will attempt to correct that tone as they open their NESCAC schedule today at Wesleyan. Tufts defeated the Cardinals 2-0 at home last year. "I think we're just learning to play with each other still," Schanfield said. There are "lots of new faces, and we're learning where each other are on the field - but that will come from playing together more."

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News

The other family in the picture ...

August 31

In his viewpoint entitled "Protecting My Family" (10/9/01), Ariel Weissman gives an account of his personal feelings concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state. Mr. Weissman passionately explains what he and his family have been through, and what Israel means for them. The following is a reflection of the other family in the picture, which has not been considered by Mr. Weissman. My grandparents were forced out of Palestine in 1948. My father was 40 days old at the time, and my mother had not yet been born. My grandparents were made refugees in Jordan, leaving all their property behind in what is now Israel. Unlike Mr. Weissman, Palestine was my grandparents' reality, but my dream. As a matter of fact, Mr. Weissman's grandparents may have unintentionally been the cause of the catastrophe (nakbah) that my family suffered, and continues to suffer until today. My people today live under Israeli occupation. Israel humiliates my people, has them under siege, demolishes their homes, uproots their trees, razes their orchards and kills their children on a daily basis. Are these atrocities committed in the name of its people's security? If it does so, then Israel's security is my people's war. It is my people's degradation and their deprivation. In a world of freedom of speech, democracy, and human rights, my people are denied what is inherently theirs by the occupation enforced on them by the state of Israel. Throughout the course of history, no group of people has willingly endured the ravaging of its country, the exploitation of its resources, and the destruction of its natural beauty. Every occupied nation has violently and wholeheartedly resisted its oppressors. The Palestinians are no exception. Innocent civilians have always been scapegoats of their country's policies. The Iraqis were in the Gulf War, the Japanese in Hiroshima were in the Second World War, and Israelis are today. The reason for the Israeli plight is not the inherent violent nature of Palestinians and not their unwillingness to co-exist, as Mr. Weissman's racist tone suggests. It is the continuing Israeli subjugation of my people in their land. How Mr. Weissman expects the Palestinians to endure this subjugation while he and his family enjoy the independence of Israel amazes me. Is it that some people deserve a state and some people are doomed to be occupied till they submit to the oppressor? My uncle, Abdul-Wahab Kayyali Sr., was assassinated while pursuing the independence of Palestine. I am named after him and I will not forget what he set out to do. Rather, I will do my best to accomplish it. Mr. Weissman so arrogantly assumes that Israelis are the only ones suffering, while every Palestinian family has lost some of its members in this conflict. The death of my uncle traumatized my whole family, and I will not let it go to waste. Let me remind Mr. Weissman that Zionists have pursued terrorist policies in pursuit of their own state, such as the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, the Massacres of Deir Yassin, Qibya and Kufr Qasem, and so on. While these criminal acts came in the name of an Israeli state, the suicidal attacks that devastate Israel today come in the name of Palestinian resistance. In any case, you cannot occupy a group of people and expect them to greet you with love and peace and a willingness to live side by side. As Mr. Weissman is not willing to give up a piece of Jerusalem, some Palestinians will not hold back their fire until the whole of Palestine is regained. Is their any logic to either of these claims? NO. Until Mr. Weissman comes to terms with the atrocities Israel has committed against the Palestinian people and until he understands that his hero, Moshe Dayan, is my occupier, that his Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, is my war criminal, that his security protector, The Israeli Defense Force, is my degrader, I promise him that peace and security will not exist in the region. One must review the past critically if one wants to find a solution for the future, and ignoring the roots of the problem will only inflate it. I too wish to walk the streets of Jerusalem one day without being interrogated, detained, humiliated, and dehumanized. Abdul-Wahab Kayyali is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He is the Public Relations Officer for the Arab Students Association.

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News

Senate close to finding a MOPS replacement

August 31

Students indicated that Rose's, a Chinese restaurant on Boston Ave., is their take-out restaurant of choice, in a survey conducted by Dining Services and the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate to find a new Merchants on Points (MOPS) vendor. But Rose's has not guaranteed that it will participate in the program. Although Rose's and most of the other restaurants on the survey approached the University about participating in MOPS, Rose's could decline Tufts' offer after reading the fine print of the MOPS agreement. MOPS brings increased revenue to participating vendors, but Tufts only reimburses the restaurants once a month, which can cause cash-flow problems for small businesses. Concerns about slow reimbursements and high University fees led Urban Gourmet to drop out of the program this summer.Senators have discussed changing the reimbursement policy to deduct money from students' accounts in real time. But the restaurants involved go through a lengthy reimbursement process, explained Senate services committee Chair Ed Schwehm. It would be difficult to speed up the minor details, such as filling out forms and sorting receipts to prove the orders actually occurred, he said. "You would think that it's possible because they're connected [by modem] to Tufts," he said. "But the restaurants have to check signatures to avoid fraud, which has happened in the past." Dining Services and the services committee could rule out Rose's because it closes early. The restaurant is open until 11 p.m., leaving students only a four-hour window to order food on points on weeknights. Dining Services is negotiating with Rose's management to extend the restaurant's hours. If Rose's decides not to extend its hours, Golden Light - a Chinese restaurant in Davis Square - will likely become the new MOPS vendor. The restaurant, which "stays open the latest in town," according to its menu, closes at 2 a.m. on weekdays and 2:45 a.m. on weekends. It received the second highest vote total. Of 836 voters who participated in the six-day survey, which was conducted over the Internet, 289 students selected Rose's and 106 chose Golden Light. Though students prefer Rose's, Schwehm said, they would likely complain that they could not order on points in the wee morning hours if Rose's became the new MOPS vendor. "We're going to have to say 'we told you so,'" he said, adding that having a vendor with longer hours is a higher priority than food quality. Golden Light was also given a copy of Dining Services' MOPS contract, in case Rose's declines the offer. "We want to make sure there is no controversy," Schwehm said. "That's what we're trying to avoid by contacting both." Schwehm and services committee member Josh Belkin will decide which restaurant will join MOPS when they meet with Director of Dining Services Patti Lee Klos on Wednesday. The new vendor must then install the technology that connects it to the University database. This could cause a delay, Schwehm said. Though Lee Klos ordered the MOPS equipment over the summer when Urban Gourmet left the program, it has not arrived because of a corporate changeover in the supplying company. "If we get the equipment, it could be done by a month from Wednesday," Schwehm said. "But I'm almost certain that it'll be done by the end of the semester." Students have long lobbied to add a Chinese restaurant to MOPS. "One of the [student] biggest recommendations to be added to MOPS was a Chinese restaurant," Senate President Eric Greenberg said. "We've never had a Chinese restaurant on MOPS and it's high time here."

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News

Students rally for black solidarity

August 31

In yesterday's chilly weather, senior Alwin Jones spoke at the Black Solidarity Day rally, comparing the weather to the coldness of life and emphasizing how much warmer it would be if everyone stood closer. At first, people bore the cold on their own, but gradually gathered into larger groups to share in each others' warmth. The audience was a metaphor for the day's message of unity, with over 60 students and faculty gathered on the campus center patio for Tufts' fifth annual Black Solidarity Day rally. The rally, sponsored by the Pan-African Alliance (PAA), featured speakers and poets who offered updates and observations on the black community at Tufts. PAA president Carl Jackson said the rally was successful. "We had a lot of good speakers and even some surprise speakers," he said. At the rally, Jackson spoke about the need to attract attendees outside of the black community to similar events to avoid "preaching to the choir." "It's important to get other people to come to our events," he said. One key speaker, visiting lecturer George Davis, who is teaching a class in the Experimental College on the 1960s civil rights movement, spoke about the history of the Tufts' black community. "We need to open up and speak to each other and stop qualifying one another," he said. Davis then made an important distinction about his identity. As Irish Americans refer to themselves as "Irish" and Italian Americans as "Italians," he said he was "African," rather than African American. A PAA representative reviewed some of the group's initiatives for the year, such as retaining black faculty, building relationships with other student groups such as the African Social Organization and Hillel, and encouraging the reinstatement of the Tufts-in-Ghana program. PAA has also worked with the Student Labor Action Movement to petition for custodial rights and aided in the search for a new director of the Office of Equal Opportunity. The day's events also included a discussion entitled "Black Activism in Urban America" and later in the week, the PAA will screen a film. Black Solidarity Day began in 1969. Historically, blacks celebrating the day have not gone to work or school to demonstrate the black community's strength and political influence. The idea was inspired by Douglas Turner Ward's play Day of Absence in which blacks disappear for one day.

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