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Good luck, Ariel Sharon

March 31

Tuesday afternoon, Ariel Sharon was elected prime minister of Israel. Here's why it's not as bad as you think. It's time to stop being optimistic and to start being realistic. Now is not the time for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, as much as we would like it to be. Barak wanted to be the leader who would bring about a peace treaty with the Palestinians so badly that, for a time, it seemed as though he were willing to make concessions on which the Israeli people would not back him in referendum. The people's backing is required by Israeli law before any land may be given up. Barak finally called for a special election, reasoning that the Israeli people would reelect him if they agreed with his methods. Tuesday, we saw that the Israeli people are calling for a change in the course of action. Even if a deal had been made between Barak and Arafat, it is doubtful that it would have been honored. The same groups of Palestinians (NOTE - "groups" of Palestinians, not all Palestinians) responsible for the recent uprisings would continue their violence until their demand for a Palestinian "right of return" was met. Time after time, Arafat has scoffed at the most generous of offers, holding out for this "right of return." To ask this is not only unfeasible, but also insulting. It is unfeasible because there are nearly four million Palestinian refugees living outside of Israel, to whom this would apply if enacted. Not only is there not room for these people in the places where their homes existed before they left, but more importantly, there is not room for four million more people in Israel. Israel is a small country; she has neither the space nor the resources to accommodate that many new immigrants. It is insulting because the Israelis have brought numerous offers to the bargaining table, and all have been rejected simply because they do not grant this clearly impossible request. The only conclusion I have been able to draw from the events of the past year is that the Israelis do not have a partner for peace in the Palestinian Liberation Organization. Arafat may claim to want peace, but until he is willing to make concessions, his promises are empty. Now is not the time for a peace deal; when that time comes, Sharon will be more than capable of acting as peacemaker. Until then, however, we need a strong leader who can restore the calm. In America, we tend to think of either being in a state of either war or peace. In Israel, however, there is a third option. Peace is evasive and war is far too destructive, but perhaps a break from the violence can be attained, an agreement to live peacefully until the time for a real peace presents itself. It is this condition that I believe Ariel Sharon will bring to Israel. I recently came across an article in {{{ITAL}}} The National Journal by Jonathan Rauch (Jan. 26, 2001). In his article, Rauch compares Sharon to Reagan, and the situation in the Middle East to the Cold War. He posits that Sharon's confrontational approach to Israeli-Palestinian relations, and further moves of separating Palestinian areas may influence Palestinians to reconsider their no-concessions policy. Most importantly, however, Rauch explains that Sharon has the ability to show Palestinians that they can achieve a better deal through peace than they can through violence. I am not advocating war. I pray for peace daily, and I wish a real peace were possible at this point in time. Terrible as it may be, the reality is that now is not the time for any true peace deal to be struck between Israelis and Palestinians. Sharon has just taken office. Things will most likely get worse before they get better. But they will eventually get better. Until then, we continue to pray. Good luck Ariel Sharon: Israel is in your hands now.Florice Engler is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.

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News

Mismanagement

March 31

I am honored to have had the chance to serve on the board of the Tufts Economics Society. My term is ending this spring and I am actively deliberating whether or not I will continue on next year. At first this fact came as a shock to both my friends and my colleagues who know both how much I am involved in the society and how much I enjoy the activities in which we partake. However, I would be concealing my true feelings at this moment if I were to say that I unconditionally love every part of my job on the board. First, however, it is important for me to acknowledge how thankful I am for the wonderful board members that share the responsibilities of running the society with me. Our society advisor, Prof. Garman, and associated faculty members have supported our projects and events throughout and I thank them wholeheartedly. To our 250 members that have become involved: thank you. While the society has had all of this support from the department's and students' side, what is most lacking is support from the University. Today, a speaker from Harvard will come to try to get Tufts students involved in a wonderful opportunity that has never been made available to them before. The society has been planning this event in conjunction with Harvard since late November. While we have done all of the work we can to make the event run smoothly, factors that are out of our control have made planning this event such a difficulty, rather than a satisfaction. Here is why. When we wanted to reserve a room, we had to go through two different people: one person was in charge of the room before 5 p.m. and someone in a completely different office was in charge of the room after 5 p.m. When we finally got the room reserved, all we needed was a simple, old-fashioned overhead projector. Such a projector can be purchased at Staples for as low as $150 (I checked). I e-mailed the two people who reserved the room for us about our need for a projector. One of these people told me to check a URL that did not work while the other sent me a URL that was for faculty members only. This whole process took at least two days and in the end got us nowhere. Another URL I found said a secretary in the Tisch Library is in charge of AV equipment for Eaton. I managed to get her on the phone first thing in the morning but it was only a false hope that I could accomplish something. Her system that reserves AV carts was down. She called me back at the end of the day after her system recovered and left a voice mail saying that the cart for the first floor of Eaton was reserved for the date and time that we needed. "Sorry" was the concluding remark of her voicemail. Outrageous. It is as if my need for a projector had gone away suddenly because the one cart she has is already reserved. I called her back to see where else I can go to find a projector. For two days, she was out of her office, away from her desk or busy. Finally, I went into her office personally and asked her what I can do. I STILL NEED A PROJECTOR! She shrugged her shoulders and said that there is only one AV cart per floor, that it is rented out already and that I would have to change the room to a location that does have an AV cart. CHANGE THE ROOM? That took enough time going through two people from two different offices! She gave me the number of a manager in Tisch's IT department who doesn't seem to answer his phone. In near tears, I went to my good friend, a secretary in the Economics Department office, who said that she said could lend me hers. She was very kind, however the problem is that the talk ends at 5:30 and she leaves at 4:30. We figured out that the only way I could get a projector was to take hers with me to the lecture, bring it home that night, and return it to the Economics Department office the next day. If this is not lunacy, I don't know what is. Take home a projector? Perhaps my housemates wouldn't mind the overnight guest, however does this whole thing not seem a bit outrageous? My point in writing this is not to write a catty list of conversations I have had with various administrators at Tufts. It is to make the point that most of my time spent on the Tufts Economics Society is not devoted to the activities, events or students themselves. My time is wasted running around trying to disentangle the unorganized mess collectively called Tufts' administration. And that is precisely why I feel disheartened at the thought of continuing my program the board next year. While I thought that most of Tufts' problems were due to a lack of endowment (and yes, there are serious problems due to a lack of endowment), on a more fundamental level, they are due to a complete lack of rules or organization on the part of the administration. In the business world, this is called mismanagement. And we know what happens to bad managers in that world. Tufts should not be run like a corporation, however when it comes to getting the most basic things like a projector for a talk, one should not have to spend two weeks just finding one and then commute home with it after the talk! Manijeh Azmoodeh is a junior majoring in international relations and economics. She is the PR coordinator of the Tufts Economics Society.

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News

Jumbos stop skid against Babson

March 31

With its win over Babson College on Tuesday, the men's tennis team was able to halt the four-game losing streak that had brought it from an impressive 5-3 record to a mediocre 5-7 mark. Although a win is always a win, Babson isn't on the same level as Tufts' league competitors and the 6-1 thrashing of Babson College was not the confidence-restorer that the team desperately needs. The convincing victory came without Tufts' number one player, sophomore David Ruttenberg, whose absence forced the entire team to move up a spot. Ruttenberg, Tufts' top player, injured his ankle against Bowdoin last Friday and was forced to sit out the two subsequent matches. Another crucial loss was sophomore Brian Brendell, who had been playing the number six spot for the Jumbos before injuring his ankle so severely in his match at Colby that he is out for the rest of the season."Brian was playing very good tennis," Watson said, adding that his loss will be greatly felt. Kathpalia is expected to shoulder the responsibility of filling Brendell's shoes.Despite the injuries, the Jumbos trounced the Beavers, losing only one match as senior co-captain Adam Scott fell in the number one position 6-2, 6-4. But last Saturday was a different story, as the Jumbos trekked to Waterville, ME to take on Colby College. Ruttenberg's injury from the day before precluded him from playing in the match, and the team had to play up one spot once again. The Jumbos only win came at the hands of freshman Sonny Kathpalia, who beat his opponent 6-2, 6-3. Although the other Tufts players didn't come away with wins, they did push their opponents to extra games in every match, and three matches went to a deciding third set. Junior co-captain Mark Fitzgerald pushed Colby's Owen Patrick to a third set that Fitzgerald dropped 6-2. Freshman Jon Bram and sophomore Brian Brendell also pushed their opponents to the do-or-die set, but couldn't emerge with the victory. Brendell won the first set 6-0 before suffering an ankle injury that he tried to play through, but couldn't overcome the disadvantage."Brian was playing on one foot in that match. He would have won otherwise," Watson said. "If David had played, we would have won the match," Watson said. To add insult to injury, the Jumbos were battling a severe home court advantage for the White Mules. "Colby's courts are super-fast and they have terrible lighting and low ceilings," Watson said. "They were very hard for our guys to get used to."Colby's courts were especially difficult to adjust to considering that, the day before, the Jumbos were at Brunswick, ME battling the Bowdoin Polar Bears. Bowdoin's courts are slow and the backdrop is white, which makes the ball difficult to pick up. "The courts were especially tough for players like Adam [Scott] and Mark [Fitzgerald] who try to be aggressive - when the ball sits up there an instant longer, their opponent can pick them off," Watson said. Ruttenberg and Bram were able to adjust enough to win their matches. But Ruttenberg suffered the injury that kept him out of the Colby and Babson matches. He was able to play through the pain though and beat his opponent, Bowdoin's Colin Joyner, in three sets, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. All other Jumbo players fell in straight sets. This loss was disappointing for the Jumbos because of the heated emotions involved with the Bowdoin match-up. Last year, there was an altercation between the two squads regarding Bowdoin's prolonged celebrations after relatively inconsequential points. But this time around, coach Watson said that "both teams conducted themselves admirably." The losing streak was not as much a slide in team performance as the result of bad breaks for the team. "One thing after another hasn't gone our way," Watson said of his team's season. During a stretch when the entire team was battling injury, Watson's squad was forced to take on its most daunting NESCAC foes. Williams, Bowdoin, Trinity, and Colby were ranked first, fourth, fifth, and eighteenth respectively in the East region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association at the end of last season while Tufts earned a ranking of ninth. Even if the Jumbos had entered the matches at 100 percent, it would have taken a small miracle for them to top Williams and a superb effort to beat Bowdoin or Trinity. Injuries prevented Tufts from even approaching the type of effort the team needed. In addition to Ruttenberg and Brendell's injuries, Scott has been suffering from a pulled hamstring for most of the season, and Bram is suffering from what Watson called a "chronic groin pull." Despite their hobbled status, the Jumbos have not given up on their season and are still pushing hard in their matches. Later today, the Jumbos will try to overcome their bad fortunes as they take on Connecticut College at Voute Courts. Next Wednesday, the Jumbos will conclude their unfortunate regular season with a home match against Bates College. Bates finished the 2000 season ranked one spot above the Jumbos.

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News

Jumbos tip Purple Cows for important NESCAC win

March 31

With many question marks floating throughout the first few weeks of the season, the men's lacrosse team finally found some answers on Saturday with its 7-4 victory over Williams. The first NESCAC win of the season also marked the first time that the Jumbos have defeated Williams in six years. "We were definitely stoked," junior Jon Zissi said. "They are always a cocky team, and it felt great to beat them." The Jumbos (5-3, 1-2) played a strong defensive game and were able to run the patient style of offense they prefer, outscoring the Ephmen (1-5, 0-2) 6-2 in the second half. "Our defense always plays well," sophomore Alex Kerwin said. "We tried to slow the game down a little to not give their offense as many chances." Zissi and senior co-captain Dan Kollar led the team with three goals apiece. The duo has taken over the brunt of the scoring duties in the past two games, with a combined 14 goals. "We were able to posses the ball better," Zissi said. "We were trying to spread them out and isolate them and get the one on ones. It's basically an attack oriented offense. This way the middies have been able to rest and play better defense." The game began at a slow scoring pace, and Williams led Tufts 2-1 at the half. After a slow third quarter, Zissi connected twice in the final 2:32, giving Tufts the 3-2 lead. Kollar scored three goals and junior midfielder Jim Mandler added another in the first seven minutes of the fourth, giving Tufts a 7-2 advantage. The Ephmen attempted to stage a comeback, beating junior goalkeeper Kirk Lutwyler twice, but he and the defense were able to hold on for the most important win of the season. "It was a big momentum builder," sophomore defenseman Dave Richman-Raphael said. "We really came into this game wanting and needing the win. There has been a big rivalry between us and Williams, and everyone played at the top of their game." "It was definitely a solid game," Kerwin said. "They weren't quite as good as they have been in past years, but it was our first NESCAC win, which was also huge for us." Now 1-2 in the NESCAC, the Jumbos' postseason hopes and team confidence were revived with the victory. Six of the ten NESCAC teams have only one win or less, leaving the conference wide open. Next on tap for the Jumbos will be the most daunting task of the season - defending national champion Middlebury. At 3-0 in the NESCAC, the Panthers have breezed by Amherst, Colby, and Conn. College by a combined score of 51-23. The underdog Jumbos have home field advantage and confidence riding on their side for Wednesday's match, and feel the Panthers are not quite as good as their record might indicate. Middlebury barely escaped an upset against Union College on Tuesday after Union rallied to make the score 8-7. Tufts faced Union over Spring Break, and despite losing 11-4, the Jumbos felt as though it was a game they would have won on any other day. "We'd like to pull the upset," Zissi said. "We have nothing to lose, and they have everything to lose." "We are going to play the same kind of lacrosse that we did against Williams," Richman-Raphael said. "When we play together as a team, we can play with anybody." Tufts will host Middlebury on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the most difficult game on its schedule. Following Middlebury, Tufts' record gets slightly easier, as the team will face Colby, Amherst, and Bates, who own a combined 3-6 NESCAC record.

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News

How low can online auctions go?

March 31

With the Internet marketplace explosion in recent years, it's easier than ever to compare prices on various products in order to make a knowledgeable buying decision. Unfortunately, it's also easy to get ripped off. For the savvy consumer, less-regulated online marketplaces such as eBay or www.half.com can provide the same product for a low price. eBay and other auction sites are possibly the most dangerous places to buy online if you're not careful. They take no responsibility for the accuracy of a product's description or for any of the actions of the buyers and sellers - if sellers ship damaged or defective items, the buyers have little legal recourse against them. One way eBay tries to solve this problem is through an interactive feedback system, where buyers and sellers can leave positive messages about a pleasant transaction or negative messages about deceptive members. The feedback comments and overall rating (the total number of positive, negative, and "neutral" comments) for a particular member can be accessed by anyone who is considering a transaction with that member. Another way to avoid getting ripped off on an auction site is to use an escrow service, such as www.escrow.com. Escrow companies serve as "middlemen" by holding the buyer's payment until he or she has received and inspected the merchandise. If the buyer is satisfied with the product, the escrow service will release payment to the seller. Otherwise, the buyer can send the product back to the seller and receive repayment from the escrow company. A safer way to buy online while still getting great prices is to frequent merchants that specialize in selling pre-owned products, such as half.com. The merchants typically guarantee the quality of their items to a degree, but if anything goes wrong after you buy, they do not offer any warranties. Finally, the big names like Amazon.com form the safest (and most expensive) category of online buying. They give you new products, return policies, a reputable dealer, the whole nine yards... but you might have to pay a lot for it. The Daily has been tracking four eBay auctions during the past week in an attempt to determine the benefits (and consequences) that come with online bidding. Here's what we found.Madden NFL 2001 for Playstation 2 This game started out with an asking price of $9.99 from a seller boasting over 100 positive feedback comments (and no negative ones). The item was described as "opened but in mint condition." There were 17 bids; the final one went for $35.50. A comparison search on www.mysimon.com, which uses an inventory database of both new and pre-owned merchants, revealed that the lowest price it could find was $40, pre-owned but still sealed, at half.com. www.toysrus.com (operated by Amazon) wanted $49.99 for a brand-new game. The bottom line: The eBay seller had a reputable standing in the buying community, and was selling the game for about $15 less than Toys R Us. Although the item was used and thus possibly damaged, the feedback rating was so high that there was a poor chance of receiving bad merchandise.The Big Lebowski; DVD version The seller did not set a mandatory minimum price on the movie, so the first bid came in at $0.07. The seller's rating was through the roof, having received over 3,000 positive responses since becoming a member and only one negative response within the past six months. The movie was new and sealed, and the auction closed at $17. A quick search of www.buy.com and Amazon.com revealed lower prices than the eBay auction, however - Amazon.com offered it for $15.99 and Buy.com only wanted $12.99 for the movie. The bottom line: It pays to do a little research before simply assuming that you can get something cheaper at an auction. Always check the retail price for a frame of reference.1 ticket to a Weezer concert at the Roseland Ballroom, NYC Online auctions are probably the only places on the Internet where you'll find items like this - they're definitely not reselling concert tickets at Amazon.com. The bidding started at $1.00 and closed at $133.50. The seller's feedback rating, while consistently positive, only had seven responses. This is typical of illegal auctions (as specified in eBay's rules, as well as being considered scalping in New York state), since it doesn't take eBay too long to find illegal sellers. The sellers, therefore, don't have much time to build up a decent rating. The bottom line: This is a high-risk transaction, since you're essentially buying a scalped ticket, but it might be your only way to get into the show...Wizard hat worn in the upcoming Harry Potter movie Once again, it's hard to find this kind of thing anywhere else. The bidding's not officially over yet; you can still buy the prop if you're so inclined. Of course, the price was $1,025 at press time. The seller has received over 100 positive responses with a single negative response during the past six months. The hat also includes a certificate of authenticity. The bottom line: Relatively low-risk, especially if you use an escrow service. There's no basis for comparison, though. If you think a couple thousand is a good price for a movie prop, then it's probably a good buy.

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News

Privacy will be waived in life-safety issues

March 31

Tufts students have always looked at their dorm rooms as their homes away from home. Within their rooms, they create a unique environment using posters, carpets, flags and sometimes, even fish. Many students, however, are unaware of where their right to privacy within their rooms stops and the University's right to intrude begins. Administrators say that they do not violate students' private space, but rather, seek to serve students by intervening in "life-safety issues". This intervention includes investigating sudden shouts, crashes, or even a student living in a single who hasn't been seen in a while. University officials leave it up to the person on the scene to decide when it is appropriate to enter a room. "It's all situational," Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) Director Yolanda King said. The University can enter when there are "issues concerning a student's safety." Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Captain Mark Keith said that the standards by which an officer may enter a room are flexible to the situation. If a TUPD officer smelled marijuana smoke outside of a room, it would not give him just cause to enter, but the officer will knock, Keith said. If there is no answer on the door, however, an officer may feel that something could be burning in the room, thus making it a "life-safety issue." But Keith said that TUPD would not violate a student's privacy without reason. "Legally, we would view students' rooms as their private space," he said. While a dorm room with an open door is considered public space, TUPD would obtain search warrants before entering a student's closed room, said Keith -unless there was reason to believe a felony was in progress or a student was in danger. The Tufts license agreement is such that a student does not hold the same rights as a normal tenant. The relationship between students and the University is "not a typical landlord-tenant relationship," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. The arrangement is "not a lease" and is different in many ways, according to Reitman. The differences lie in the housing license which all students sign before being allowed to occupy their rooms. The license states that "agents of the University may enter your room at any time" in an emergency, after a service request by yourself or any staff member, or with 24-hour notice. In the case of a service request a student has rescinded his or her right to privacy, but in the other two cases it is the University's decision to enter. Residential Facilities Coordinator Jennifer Bevins said that the purpose of the facilities department is not to find evidence of student wrongdoing, but rather to maintain University property. "We consider your privacy important," she said. "My tradesmen are not looking to be a disciplining presence on campus." Bevins said, though, that if a facilities employee sees something that "could threaten the safety of a student," it will be reported. One student spoke of how facilities entered her room to fix a heater without notifying her of their entry. "They should be able to come in the room, but let someone be there," she said. "Not that I don't trust them, but it's an issue of privacy and safety." Students are not fully protected, however, as preventing a University official from entering could result in unspecified disciplinary action, despite the University's privacy policy. Under the regulations, students are not required to open their private space to University officials. This includes even TUPD officers, who cannot enter a dorm room without just cause or a search warrant. One student, when made aware of University policy, found it acceptable. "It makes sense from the University's standpoint," senior Dan Hoagand said. It is "a pretty sound policy, all things considered."

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News

Flung towards finals

March 31

Everyone was awake by 11 a.m. Saturday morning, whether or not they wanted to sleep. If their alarms didn't do the trick, or trips to local liquor stores didn't require an early wakeup, it was the deafening roar of the speakers on the president's lawn performing a sound check for this year's Spring Fling. The annual concert is Tufts' last major social event before finals, and this year's show was no different from years past, with Jumbos making clear their desire to let loose during Saturday's six-hour festival. One of the day's biggest thrills was Tufts' own Guster's return to campus. The trio, who opened spring fling several years ago, spent part of their set sharing memories of their years in Medford. Following Guster, the funk band Original P closed out fling. Jurassic 5, a West Coast rap group, preceded Guster and was well received by the crowd, while Battle of the Bands winner Redshift 6 opened the concert shortly after 11 a.m. The Tufts group moved fluidly through 40 minutes of original music, evoking comparisons to the guitars of today's jam bands and the unmistakable keyboard style of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen. Unfortunately, Redshift 6's audience was mostly limited to the band's close friends - an unavoidable pitfall of starting before noon, but a necessary tradeoff for being able to open the show. The band closed out its set with a cover of the Doors' "Roadhouse Blues." By then it was almost noon, and the crowd had begun to arrive. Many students played in the carnival-style inflatable houses near Ballou and Professors Row; others gathered at Dining Services' tables, choosing from a menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, and bottled water. Some drank the alcoholic beverages they'd brought in - legally or not - and lined up to use the Porta-Potties stationed in front of Tisch. But when Jurassic 5 took the stage, the crowd on the president's lawn rushed toward Gifford House. The band, comprised of four rappers and two turntablists, stunned the crowd with its complex vocal harmonies and polished performance. The turntablists laid down complicated beats, often battling each other. And though concert-goers closest to the stage could not see the show, since Tufts had created an artificial hill where the stage sat, spirits were not diminished. It was just after noon, but the crowd proved itself ready to party, with arms swaying in the air and bodies moving to Jurassic 5's rhythm. Much to the crowd's delight, Guster took the stage shortly after 2 p.m. Known for its two-guitar harmonies and Brian Rosenworcel's inventive percussion, the band entertained the audience with favorites such as "Airport Song" and "Either Way," along with guitarist/vocalist Ryan Miller's stories of the band's time on the Hill. At one point, Miller reminisced about a party the band held on College Ave. "We found the two bitchiest girls to work the door, and they charged like seven or eight bucks for a cup of beer. All the freshmen didn't know any better... we paid our first three months' rent off that party!" Miller also noted that Guster - called Gus during its early years - was rejected from participating in the Battle of the Bands during the members' freshman year. But they persisted - causing Gardner to earn four incompletes in one semester - and ended up headlining this year's show. With a show scheduled later Saturday night at the University of Connecticut, Guster closed out its set just after 3 p.m. with the hit single "Fa Fa," leaving the job of closing the show to Original P. Tight leather pants and frightful masks. Broken teeth and executioner's robes. The members of Original P - all 12 of them - vowed to bring Tufts "the funk, the whole funk, and nothing but the funk." With such epic costumes and a proven expertise at kicking out the pure funk, the band delivered. Though many students left the president's lawn to begin recovering from the afternoon's activities, several hundred remained up front to cheer on the band, dancing along with the stellar drumming and metallic guitar solos. At two points during the set, Jumbos rushed the stage, climbing over the steel barricades designed to keep them out. Concert Board security responded angrily, but Original P welcomed the funksters onstage. The band played for about an hour - or until it had all hips on the hill shaking in unison. Funk classics "Atomic Dog" and "Flashlight" were included in the set and sounded far better live than on the average mp3 player. Just before 5:30 p.m., the band thanked the students onstage, and concluded its set. Backup singers in tight leather danced with a masked guitarist in a fur coat. The 50-something male singers in front nodded in assent as the drummer played his final roll. And with that, the crowd disappeared, leaving behind a mess of empty beer cans and other waste, strewn all over the lawn, satisfied with yet another Fling.

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News

Lehrer making rare college appearance

March 31

Acclaimed broadcast journalist Jim Lehrer will deliver the keynote commencement speech and receive an honorary degree from Tufts this May, in a rare appearance for the renowned personality, who has delivered only one other graduation speech in his many decades in public life. Lehrer's visit was made possible through the efforts of Brown University History Professor Gordon Wood, a Tufts trustee and a member of the Honorary Degree committee. Wood said that he and Lehrer have a personal relationship, and was pleased when the journalist accepted Tufts' invitation. "I think it's terrific," he said. "He has a lot of invitations to receive honorary degrees. I certainly did call him, and he told me that he normally doesn't accept [speech offers]. With his kind of visibly, he gets many requests." Wood became acquainted with Lehrer through his work with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, of which the two are members. Lehrer supports various historical organizations, and Colonial Williamsburg, located just outside of Williamsburg, VA, is the world's largest outdoor living history museum. While Lehrer has never visited the Tufts campus, Wood said he has wanted to see it for a long time and is looking forward to his visit in May. Lehrer's demeanor and field of expertise differ greatly from last year's commencement speaker, comedian Bill Cosby. But Wood said the PBS personality has a marvelous sense of humor and, as a model journalist, was an excellent choice. "I think [he is] the leading newscaster in the country and one that has no obvious bias," Wood said. "Lehrer is one that does seem to stand apart from the parties and be independent. In addition, he's just a warm and wonderful man." Lehrer is the executive editor and anchor of PBS's NewsHour. He has won numerous awards in journalism and is the author of 12 books and several plays. Many students say they are excited for the ceremony and hope his speech will reflect his unique background."I am particularly happy to see that Lehrer will be speaking at our graduation because he's a perfect example of someone with incredible dedication to what he does - television broadcasting - but who at the same time has never forgone his passion of writing novels," senior Michael Leung said. "It shows young people like us that just because we embark on a career path, we don't have to give up what really makes us individuals and what makes us happy." According to Secretary to the Trustees Linda Dixon, the Board of Trustees solicit nominations for commencement speakers throughout the year, with most of the submissions coming during the spring and summer. The Honorary Degree Committee meets several times during the year to consider the nominations and develops a list of acceptable candidates. The committee then presents its list to the Board of Trustees, which approves some or all of the options. Approved nominees are placed in the eligible pool that is maintained by the University president, who may invite anyone from that list. The process is the same for choosing honorary degree recipients. No information is yet available regarding the subject of Lehrer's speech. His last and only graduation speech was delivered at the University of Washington in June of 1998.

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News

Shelton the better option

March 31

Students voting in today's Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate presidential election face a choice between two candidates who both tout desirable goals, but have different government experience and leadership styles. Choosing between behind-the-scenes Treasurer Michele Shelton and friend-to-the-people Vice President Eric Greenberg may leave students stumped between two very qualified candidates. But upon closer examination, it becomes clear that Shelton is the better choice. The three-year senator has developed solid working relationships with key administrators and student group leaders through her work on the treasury, has set forth attainable goals, and will likely head a more publicly accountable Senate than her opponent. Shelton's accomplishments as treasurer speak to her ability to lead an efficient government body. She balanced the budget this year, a rare accomplishment, and led ALBO to its second consecutive year without receiving an appeal on any of its decisions. During her time on the Senate, Shelton has established ties with both administrators and the signatories of various groups, connections which will ensure her voice is well-respected when acting as the head representative of the student body. While both candidates are proposing beneficial changes, Shelton's goals are more realistic. Her ideas are varied, affect many communities at Tufts, and strike a balance between long and short-term objectives. She has already begun brainstorming methods to accomplish the goals set forth on her platform, taking initial steps in some circumstances. For example, her commitment to increase support of athletic teams marks a step towards improving student pride at Tufts. Greater attendance at and knowledge of athletic competitions would further the connection between students and the University. So too would Shelton's proposed class websites, an inexpensive innovation. More long-term goals, from securing funding for a music building to diversifying orientation programming, demonstrate Shelton's greater vision of life at Tufts. Greenberg, too, has a vision for Tufts. But while his goals of better cable and phone service, more dining choices, and improved facilities at the fitness center and campus center are all admirable, his plans to accomplish them seem less formulated and, in some cases, less feasible. The biggest difference between the two candidates, however, lies in their leadership styles. Under outgoing President David Moon, the Senate's reputation for infighting disappeared, but so too did much public accountability. Shelton is a motivational leader who would likely allow her Senate a freer reign to innovate and speak out on a variety of issues. Greenberg, meanwhile, has during his campaign lauded Moon's tight-lipped style of governance. He would be a visible leader in his own right, maintaining his good relationship with the media and the student body as a whole, but would encourage his senators to keep up the current atmosphere of secrecy. Both candidates have campaigned hard this spring. Greenberg, it seems, has made more personal contact with voters than his opponent, and is a more familiar face to the student body. Shelton has excellent contacts with administrators, but needs to follow Greenberg's lead in reconnecting with students. She must be prepared to step up and speak out for students should the need arise. Greenberg outdoes his opponent in terms of public persona. But Shelton's leadership style and realizable goals, along with her established connections and track record as treasurer, ensure she would lead a productive and efficient student government.

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Under secretary general of UN discusses conflict mediation

March 31

Armed with notebooks and pens, Fletcher students, undergraduates, and faculty members sat attentively Tuesday evening to hear a lecture by Under Secretary General of the United Nations Alvaro de Soto. Mediation in the UN was the announced lecture topic, but many came to hear the prominent speaker's recollections of his involvement in negotiations in Cyprus. Approximately 30 people entered Cabot Auditorium to hear de Soto deliver a well-crafted, accessible speech on the practice of mediating disputes in the UN. The Peruvian native, who has worked in the UN for almost two decades, touched upon the issues of national sovereignty, regional organizations, and domestic conflict of social, ethnic, and religious origins, but focused mostly on the lecture's topic: the internal functioning of the UN, and specifically, its role in mediating conflicts and peacemaking. Several members of the audience, particularly a handful of Greeks, inquired about the under secretary's opinion of current issues on the UN agenda, such as the Kashmir and Cyprus conflicts. They received brief, diplomatic answers. De Soto is the special adviser on Cyprus to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and some students attended the lecture to hear a primary account of the situation. His speech, however, was mostly theoretical and only spotted with examples from personal experience. "De Soto is responsible for the peace talks on Cyprus, so I'm interested to see what he has to say about their progress," sophomore Kyriakos Ashikalis, who is from Cyprus, said before the lecture. "I want to hear his views on the future, something good." But the under secretary restricted his speech to the intricacies of mediating, listing "rules of thumb that apply to all mediators," including the need to be impartial, honest, and clear, as well as obtaining and maintaining trust from the different parties in the dispute. Although there is a natural tendency to avoid displeasing anyone by describing the reality of a situation, he said, mediators should not succumb to the temptation to be disingenuous. "The truth should be told unvarnished," de Soto said, encouraging future diplomats to present truthful accounts in a private fashion so as not to embarrass the leader of a particular party in front of other disputants. "Mediators face challenges," he said, noting his experiences with negotiating the peace agreements in El Salvador in 1992. The "proliferation of mediators," competition from regional organizations, and communication with Non-Governmental Organizations, are a few of the factors that mediators face when attempting to achieve a consensus between parties with conflicting goals and interests. Although the role of the UN mediator is to seek "institutional friends of the secretary general" in non-principal actors, sometimes the debate table can become a "chamber orchestra with great soloists," de Soto said. Timing is another aspect mediators and peacemakers are confronted with, and often there are moral and political discussions within the secretariat, he said. While the UN has a responsibility to promote human rights, deal with impunity, and resurface truths, humanitarian assistance efforts are sometimes fruitless, and the results of a war can sometimes yield better results. "Should we jump into a pool where there is dubious amount of water?" de Soto asked. The majority of the audience left the auditorium immediately after the lecture concluded, but some remained to ask questions of the under secretary. Conflicts in Kashmir and Cyprus, as well as the question of communication between formal negotiations and lobbying during mediation, the role of regional organizations, and the maturity of a conflict were concerns of the remaining audience members. De Soto only granted a few minutes to address these questions - at least during the formal lecture. At the end of the speech, the Fletcher International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (INCR) club, which sponsored the event, presented the under secretary with a gift: a crystal sphere that read "Fletcher: Global Perspective." Thomas Lank, the Fletcher student who organized the event, said the under secretary's speech was carefully prepared. "De Soto phrased his speech without jeopardizing the image of the UN and gave a lot of insight on decision-making and peacekeeping," Lank said. After the speech, Maria Stephan, the co-coordinator of the INCR, noted the under secretary's points regarding mediation and his warning that if you raise the hopes of the parties involved, you put negotiations at risk. Although de Soto did not provide many personal examples to the crowd at Fletcher, Stephan said, he was able to recount his personal experiences at a previous luncheon with some of the INCR members. One of the few personal experiences de Soto drew on was that of the peace agreements in El Salvador, where he admitted the UN made the error of not including financial institutions to resolve the conflict. The Bretton-Woods institutions (the World Bank and IMF) were necessary because institutions had to be built from scratch in El Salvador, de Soto said. Some students said they would have preferred to hear more specific references to the undersecretary's experience. Freshman Theofanis Exadaktylos, who is Greek, said that he understands de Soto's diplomatic confidentiality, but expected to hear something novel about the conflict. "I can definitely see his diplomatic identity when talking," Exadaktylos said. "He is a good orator and knows how to play around with words so that they still have the same meaning but don't reveal plans or insult any of the parties in conflict."

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News

Kozmo calls it quits

March 31

Online retailer and delivery service Kozmo.com announced on April 11 that it was closing down and laying off its 1,100 employees. The announcement came after Kozmo failed to merge with the privately-owned Camarillo, CA based grocery delivery company, PDQuick, which would have provided new financing for the fledging business. Kozmo was launched in New York in 1997 with the promise of free door-to-door delivery of products ranging from everyday necessities, books, movie rentals, and CDs, to high-end electronics and luxury gifts. A pair of former college roommates got the idea for the company during a night spent craving videos and snacks and wishing there was a business that would deliver these items to their door. Shortly thereafter, the vision was transformed into a growing company with operations in nine markets, including New York, Boston, and Washington, DC. But after a promising start and $250 million in private funding, Kozmo found that delivery and warehousing costs were too high and was forced to downsize its operation. Despite its initial philosophy, Kozmo began charging delivery fees on orders under $30. The company searched for a way to become profitable, introducing fancier items like gourmet food and home electronics to attract upscale customers, with the hope was that these clients would purchase more expensive products. Though the company never succeeded in becoming profitable, Kozmo's shutdown surprised many students at Tufts. "It's an outrage. I used Kozmo.com for everything, even condoms when I was in a jam," freshmen Ilia Papas said. "College kids are really lazy, so it was perfect. If you wanted to rent a DVD or something but didn't want to move, they'd bring it to you. If food delivery is so successful, then I don't see why a company that delivers everything is not," Papas said. But freshman Jason Kurien said he would have expected the company to fail. "I've never seen any of my friends use this service, which would mean it's not that popular. It just seems like a great idea for lazy people, and it's so hard and way too costly to be able to coordinate on-time deliveries to thousands of people," Kurien said. According to Kurien, Kozmo might have thrived if it had operated at a smaller scale. "I think it would actually work if it only serviced specific colleges where it's easy to coordinate deliveries, but it would definitely not work at all nationwide," he said. Some attribute Kozmo's downfall to the recent weakening of the US economy. Economic markets, such as the Internet and technology sector, that were prosperous only a few years ago now face financial difficulties. Economics teaching assistant Andy Eggers said that investors loss of faith in online companies led to Kozmo's failure. "I think that the real story is the changing attitudes of venture capitalists and other investors," he said. "For a while, people were throwing their money at any business with a website, but when it becomes clear that sales are not going to be growing at the rate that deluded analysts had been talking about, you're better off with your money in a savings account," he said.

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Women's basketball splits weekend series against NESCAC foes

March 31

The Tufts women's basketball team played two good halves of basketball this weekend. Unfortunately, the halves were spread over two games. Still, the Jumbos managed a split on the road against two NESCAC opponents, edging defending ECAC champion Trinity 53-50 on Friday night before being subdued by Amherst 61-51 on Saturday afternoon. In both games, Tufts held halftime leads (29-20 and 27-26 respectively) but in each instance, their opponents outplayed them in the second half, as the Jumbos record moved to 10-5 overall (1-2 in the NESCAC). "We didn't play as well in the second half of either game," freshman Kate Gluckman said. "It's sort of a bad habit we've been getting into."The Amherst Lord Jeffs feature the NESCAC leaders in assists (sophomore Sarah Bozorg), rebounds (Sarah Walker), blocked shots (Walker), and three-point field goal percentage (freshman Shannon Russell), and as of Sunday have the third best record in the NESCAC at 3-1 (15-3 overall) behind Colby and Bowdoin, who are both 4-0 in NESCAC play.Against Amherst, the Jumbos had things going their way early on, holding a 12-5 lead 6:38 into the first half. Tufts got four points from sophomore Emily Goodman to open the game, and threes from sophomore Hillary Dunn and freshman Maritsa Christoudias gave the Jumbos a seven-point lead.Amherst tied the game up almost four minutes later on a lay-up by Lord Jeff sophomore Sarah Walker, and even held the lead until the 6:33 mark. But Tufts reclaimed the lead and managed to stay slightly ahead of Amherst until halftime, by getting four points from junior forward Jayme Busnengo and three from sophomore Erin Harrington to take the one point halftime lead into the locker room.In the second half, Amherst came out firing. Two three pointers, one from sophomore Sara Bozorg, and one from senior co-captain Charlotte Taylor gave the home team a lead at the 17:35 mark, that it would not relinquish. Walker hit a jumper with 13:49 remaining and after that shot, Tufts would never get closer than five points.Amherst's leading scorer was freshman Shannon Russell with fifteen points. The Jeffs also got 18 rebounds and five blocks from Walker. Jumbo turnovers played a major role in Amherst's second half run. The Lord Jeffs scored eleven of their 35 second-half points off of turnovers while stopping the Jumbos from converting any of the five Amherst turnovers into scores. In the first half, the Jumbos out-rebounded the Jeffs 25-19 and converted five of their 11 offensive rebounds into points. In the second half, those numbers were almost exactly reversed, with Amherst holding a 25-16 rebounding edge and getting 13 second chance points. "I don't think it was anything that Amherst did," senior captain Shira Fishman said. "We kind of beat ourselves. They were getting a lot of second-chance points. We didn't go aggressively after the ball, and they did." The night before, Tufts was in Hartford taking on the Trinity Bantams. Again, the Jumbos played an impressive first half, shooting 46.2% from the field and taking a nine-point lead at the half. "We played pretty well in the first half, and played good defense in both games," Gluckman said. "We played as a team." During the second half, Trinity came back to make the game close. The Bantams shot 40% from the field, a big increase over a horrid 26% first half, while the Jumbos went in the opposite direction, hitting only eight of 26 shots (30.8%) in the second half. Tufts held on to the lead, but not without a bit of luck. With roughly 40 seconds to play and Tufts up by four, the Bantams hit a jumper to cut the lead in half. A Jumbo turnover then gave Trinity the ball back, but the Bantams blew a wide open lay-up. Busnengo snared the rebound and made one of two free throws to put the game out of reach. The loss dropped Trinity to 5-10 overall and 0-4 in NESCAC play. The Bantams, last season's ECAC champions, lost three starters to graduation and have struggled so far this season. Sophomore forward Kate McCloskey is the second leading scorer (behind Goodman) and rebounded in the NESCAC, and in Friday's game she led Trinity in both categories. "They were good," Fishman said of Trinity. "Every NESCAC game will be a good game. Still, we knew we should win. We got a little complacent in the second half. It would have been a huge disappointment if we'd lost." The Jumbos continue their NESCAC schedule next weekend with a trip to Maine where they will battle Colby and Bowdoin, the top two teams in the NESCAC. Both schools beat Tufts at Cousens Gym, last season, and the Jumbos will look to avenge those losses. In the meantime, Tufts hits the road for a non-conference tilt with the Fighting Scots of Gordon College on Tuesday night.

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No more days of thunder for Cruise and Kidman

March 31

Nicole Kidman won't be getting roses and chocolate from Tom Cruise this Valentine's Day. It will be the tall, redheaded Aussie's first "single" V-Day in 11 years. The good news: Tom Cruise is single again. The bad news: America is still reeling from the shock of their divorce announcement last Tuesday. They were the couple, our modern day equivalent of Bogart and Bacall. When they first zoomed across the screen together in Days of Thunder, we were irresistibly drawn to their charismatic chemistry and glamorous sense of style. If any Hollywood couple could make it, they were the one. But wait a second. How did this happen? It came out of the blue. Who could forget the hype over their recent and rather erotic pairing together in the sexy Kubrick flick Eyes Wide Shut. Everything seemed to be going so well. The statement released by their publicist (imagine having to announce your divorce through a publicist) cited that the two had "difficulties inherent in divergent careers which constantly kept them apart." The two decided to place their careers over love. Guess all that fame got to their head. Is it an impossible feat for two mega movie stars to stay married these days? I wonder why they even bother to get married. It inevitably turns into a gruesome battle between their egos and their devotion to each other. Kidman and Cruise weren't in equal ranks in terms of stardom when they married each other. Perhaps that is why their marriage worked so well... at first. Being married to the high-profile heartthrob Cruise certainly didn't hurt Kidman's career. Her pairings with him in Days of Thunder, Far and Away, and Eyes Wide Shut were among some of the most successful films of her career. But it was obvious that Kidman wanted to make her career on her own terms. Her first true Hollywood break was as the sultry Dr. Chase Meridian in BatmanReturns. From there, her career skyrocketed and she was suddenly the leading lady in a number of high-profile flicks such as To Die For and Malice. Cruise certainly wasn't losing his steam, either, with roles in the action thriller Mission: Impossible II and a critically lauded performance in Magnolia. Now, all of a sudden, the two were on the same playing field. In the past few years, their relationship must have turned into a series of phone calls and late-night frustration as the stars attempted to balance their careers and marriage. It's no wonder that their marriage fell apart, considering they must have never even been home at the same time due to their hectic filming schedules. The tension between the two must have become unbearable, especially with their two adopted children, Connor and Isabella, in the picture. Neither star was willing to follow the other on their journey to notoriety to keep the family together. Work first. Play later. The tension on the rope became unbearable and the couple cut the knot. But boy, did they do a good job keeping their misery a secret. Being a famous couple in this day and age is like being a caged bird with all of America peering in. Greedy entertainment gossip shows and websites capitalize on glam pairs' every breath and move. Kidman and Cruise were able to manage the hype with a great deal of grace and calmness. Of course, they were cautious. Very cautious. Apparently, they made their hired help sign a legal agreement that they wouldn't sell any gossip to the tabloids. All the more reason their divorce made such waves - we never knew anything was wrong. The end of glam couples like Cruise and Kidman is certainly nothing new in Hollywood. Call it the beautiful people's curse. In just the past few years, we have witnessed the high-profile divorce of power couples like Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, and Tufts' own Hank Azaria (who just graced the Medford campus last year to receive the Light on the Hill Award) and Helen Hunt. Maybe these stars would be better off not finding such notorious spouses and marrying someone, say... normal, or ordinary. A match between a doctor and a movie star might have a much higher chance of survival. After all, it's not like a cardiologist and movie star would be competing for the same thing. Celebrities, just like us, often find themselves unhappy in their marriages. But it is even harder for them because the world they live in puts them in direct competition with each other when they attempt wedded bliss. They seem to be constantly searching for the right one and endure one miserable divorce after another. How many marriages did Elizabeth Taylor go through again? Seven? Eight? I've lost count. Cruise and Kidman were the Hollywood golden couple we all aspired to be. We'll have to search for a replacement, but I don't know if we'll find one quite as breathtaking. Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston don't quite fit the bill in my eyes as our next favorite pair. I imagine we'll all be rather taken aback when we hear of Tom's newest sweetie and Nicole's latest beaux. Somehow, it just won't feel right, because they were supposed to be the one couple that beat the odds.

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Lehrer is Kinda Cool, I Guess

March 31

In the commencement before the 150th Anniversary - a year when most expected the class of 2001 to get a no-name speaker so Tufts could focus its efforts on next year's important event - Jim Lehrer is a pleasant surprise.The accomplished journalist represents a balance between two competing factions: those who want to be entertained and those who expect university speakers to be purely academic. Lehrer is neither particularly entertaining nor super intellectual, and for this reason, he was a safe, though not spectacular, choice for commencement speaker.But many remain skeptical about the Lehrer selection. Last year, Tufts had Bill Cosby. The television star shared the stage with baseball great and honorary degree recipient Hank Aaron. This year, it's Jim Lehrer sharing the stage with honorary degree recipients with whom most students are completely unfamiliar. In brief, therein lies the gripe of many graduating seniors.These sophomoric rumblings are more befitting high school students than graduating university scholars. Tufts could easily hire a juggling clown, and ignite fire works to dazzle the graduates and their families. Thankfully, the University is not cow-towing to student sentiment.Lehrer, in fact, has the potential to deliver a solid commencement address. Sure, his speech will likely be on the boring side, but so are most graduation addresses. But Lehrer was not invited to Tufts to scintillate the crowds, as anyone who has watched his rather dry nightly PBS show can attest. And admittedly, he is not the kind of big name that will attract national attention, like a Cosby or a Hank Aaron. But he did happen to host three televised presidential debates this year alone, and has been honored for his work with nothing other than a presidential medal.Lehrer, in fact, is the perfect compromise between the desires of faculty, administrators, and students. The selection of Lehrer, as compared to Cosby, shows that Tufts is attempting to satisfy its many constituencies. Left to the faculty and senior administrators, Tufts would probably have strict academicians each year - mathematicians from MIT, perhaps. Left solely to students, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Matthews, and Pedro Martinez would crowd the dais. What is Lehrer? He is a TV star, but not a joke, an academic, but not a reclusive scientist. And though not comparable to some of the big names that Tufts has attracted in the past - Thatcher, Powell, Bradley, to name a few - Lehrer has a wealth of experience from which to draw for his speech. He is, for example, one of the most respected journalists in America, widely acclaimed for his work during the Watergate scandal when he covered the Senate hearings and House impeachment proceedings. Already inducted to the Television Hall of Fame, Lehrer is an excellent journalist with the kind of commitment to quality that Tufts should laud. Moreover, Jim Lehrer was a good pick for a school concerned with active citizenship. The criticism that Lehrer does not represent Tufts model of active citizenship because he won't vote in national elections - as was elucidated in a Viewpoint ("Jim Lehrer: A poor example, 3/15) last week - is entirely unfair. Call Jim Lehrer anything you want, but an uninvolved citizen he is not. Lehrer understands that citizenship is more than casting a vote, and as the UCCPS defines itself, this is a lesson that Lehrer can teach Tufts students. Through his career, Lehrer has asked politicians tough questions that provide the American people with the vital information on which they vote. The act of voting itself is almost a formality. The American democracy requires that its citizens have a serious engagement in issues that affect their lives, and voting is one very small part of that citizenship - one, I dare say, that pales in comparison to the myriad obligations. Perhaps most importantly, Lehrer is a pick that is consistent with Tufts educational philosophy. He is the embodiment of what Tufts teaches and wishes to impart on its students: a global and active citizen; a good speaker; a bright man with a passion for quality work; and a success in his field. This combination is exactly what a Tufts graduation speaker should be, not just someone who entertains the crowd. Jim Lehrer won't leave you roaring in your seat, nor is he the most exciting person to grace the Tufts stage. But he is the epitome of what Tufts attempts to teach its students. He is someone who remains active in the political culture and has achieved success as well as national accolades while doing so. Though he may work for PBS - a network that but a rare few still watch - at Tufts, he will do a decent, though not incredible, job during Commencement 2001.

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News

Defenses don't rest in two blowouts

March 31

The throngs of media that attended Sunday's conference championship games better have enjoyed their pre-game meals. Because, as each game drew to a close, their selection had dwindled considerably to just one item: Crow. Very few people who watched Sunday's games did not have to eat their words. Some believed that the New York Giants were a product of their weak schedule. Others thought that the Minnesota Vikings offense could not be stopped. Even more thought that the Baltimore Ravens could not go to the Super Bowl without an offense. They were all proven wrong. In a season chock full of surprises, the results of the AFC and NFC Championship Games took the cake. For the first time in 20 years, both underdogs advanced to the Super Bowl, leaving stunned onlookers in their wake. The first shocker of the day didn't take very long to unfold. The Giants, who finished 12-4 and with the NFC's top seed, weren't being taken very seriously going into their game against Minnesota. The Vikings were the popular pick against a New York team that got trampled in its only game against an offense comparable to that of the Vikes - a 30-10 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Nov. 12 - and failed to score an offensive touchdown in a 20-10 divisional playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles. But, in a development that has become commonplace in today's NFL, the popular pick proved to be the wrong one. The Giants jumped on Minnesota early and never relented, taking a 34-0 lead by halftime, and going on to win by a 41-0 margin. To understand the seemingly inexplicable result, one need look no further than the quarterback position. The Giants' Kerry Collins, believed to be a liability, played like a Hall-of-Famer while sophomore sensation Daunte Culpepper, an MVP candidate during the regular season, struggled horribly. Collins made smart reads and executed the Giants' game plan - to attack a weak Minnesota secondary - perfectly. Both of the Giants first two touchdowns came on perfect strikes, a 46-yard pass to wide receiver Ike Hilliard followed by an 18-yard pass to fullback Greg Comella. Those two plays gave New York a 14-0 lead, barely two minutes into the game, and the Vikings never seemed to recover. Any chance to do so evaporated with the play of the offense, which had been the team's ticket to the NFC Championship Game. Culpepper, along with wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss, shied away from the spotlight, and the offense could not put together a drive of more than 24 yards. Perhaps it was inexperience on Culpepper's part, but the team looked rattled all afternoon. When the Giants' Emmanuel McDaniel picked off a pass intended for Carter later in the first quarter, Minnesota went into the tank, amassing negative yardage in the remainder of the first half. The end result was an unexpected laugher. The Giants proved that they were not the same team that was on the brink of collapse after two consecutive blowout losses at home in November. For the Vikings, it was one more chapter in a sorry postseason history. After choking away an NFC title two years ago after a 15-1 season, Minnesota decided to spare its fans the "oh-so-close" pain this time around. Apparently traumatized by 1998, this time they simply did not show up. While the Giants win was shocking in how it happened, the AFC Championship Game marked the latest in a series of shockers for the Baltimore Ravens. After taking out the popular postseason favorite, the Tennessee Titans, last week, Baltimore stormed into Oakland and quieted the Raiders' rowdy fans. Oakland's vaunted rushing attack, the top-ranked ground game in football, never got rolling, as Tyrone Wheatley gained just seven yards on 12 carries. Throw in an injury to Rich Gannon that sidelined him for most of the game, and the Raiders had no shot against the NFL's best defense. The Ravens used the same recipe they have throughout their current 11-game winning streak: Dominating defense and just enough offense. A 96-yard touchdown pass from Trent Dilfer to Shannon Sharpe was the only whiff of the end zone that either team got, but it was all the Ravens needed in putting together a 16-3 win. Dilfer was efficient and did enough to allow the team's defense to win the game, as has been the recipe since he replaced Tony Banks as the starter. The defense also chalked up some assists in the scoring department, setting up the offense in field goal range three times in the contest, leading to six points. The Ravens defense, through 19 games, has given up three points fewer than the mark the 1985 Chicago Bears set for fewest points in a 16-game season. That defense proved too much for the Raiders' offense, especially without Gannon at the helm. Backup Bobby Hoying, who hadn't seen significant action all year, was thrust into a high-pressure situation and appeared overwhelmed at times. Two key interceptions hindered any chance of a Raiders comeback. The first came on the drive that followed Baltimore's touchdown, with Duane Starks returning the pick to the Raiders' 21-yard line to set up a field goal that made it a two-score game at 10-0, not a good position for an opponent of the Ravens to be in. The second iced the game, with just under four minutes left, as Hoying was intercepted by Jamie Sharper deep in Baltimore territory. Those mistakes, plus three more turnovers, were far too much to overcome against the best defense the league has seen in years. Considering that, in two of the Ravens three previous wins, the team was dominated statistically, even a wash in yardage would have probably been good enough. So the fact that the Ravens out-gained Oakland by almost 100 yards spelled doom. In fact, once Baltimore took the lead, the game was never really in doubt. The end result of two surprisingly easy playoff wins is, for a second straight year, a Super Bowl match-up nobody could have foreseen going into the season. In using dominating defensive performances to get to Tampa, the Giants and Ravens have proven that the era of winning with just a dominating offense is over after just one year. And in a week and a half, one of these two teams will have something even better than the satisfaction of shutting up the experts - a Super Bowl championship.

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"Do it in the Dark" sheds light on energy conservation

March 31

The "Do it in the Dark" contest, sponsored by Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO), ended last Monday after a month-long effort to reduce energy usage in campus dorms. While over half of the dorms actually increased energy consumption, ECO members say the contest was a useful tool to address the campus energy crisis. South Hall was the winner of the contest, reducing its energy consumption by 54 percent as compared to last February. While it is difficult to assess whether the contest actually changed the lifestyle of South Hall residents, ECO Co-chair Doug Rosenberg said the contest was "enormously" successful in educating students about energy concerns. "If a few people thought about it more often than they normally would, we have fulfilled our mission," he said. Because of its high occupancy, the former ECO co-chair, Keryn Bromberg, was surprised that South Hall won the contest. "I thought there was a potential for the smaller dorms to pull together and really rock the contest." Bromberg realized last year that not enough of the campus was involved in energy saving because there was little monetary incentive for students to reduce their energy consumption. According to Bromberg, there is a grave need for people to change their lifestyle, rather than depend on the government to find new sources of energy. "It's such a hot topic right now, with the debate on whether to open the wildlife refuge in Congress and allow for drilling in the Alaska preservation area," Bromberg said. "We felt that is just avoiding the problem, because it would only provide six months to a year of oil." Residents of South Hall, however, were anything but surprised with the outcome, according to Karyn Blaser, a freshman of South. "Other dorms probably just weren't as aware of the contest," she said. "For the past month, it's been dark in the hallways. I definitely noticed people would turn off the lights in the hallway and in the bathroom when they left." The contest was well advertised, organizers said, and to kick it off members of ECO went to the dorms and distributed energy-efficient light bulbs in exchange for regular tungsten light bulbs. Despite ECO's promotional efforts, some students chose not to participate in the contest. "People turn the lights off in the bathroom, or in the stairwell. You can't see anything," said Melanie Spencer, a freshman in Hill Hall. "With the tuition my parents are paying, I shouldn't have to go around trying to find my way in the dark." Other students also expressed concern about the program. Sophomore Jon Halpert, a chemical engineering student, said there was a danger in disposing of the tungsten light bulbs. "Tungsten is much more rare than electricity, and by throwing out those bulbs, you're throwing out about three percent of the tungsten existing in the world." He questioned the incentives offered for saving electricity: "It would be a different story if the computer were gas-powered, for instance, and I had to think about spending money to power it up." Sam Dangremond, a sophomore resident of South Hall, wondered how much was Tufts actually saved this month. "If South won the contest, isn't the cost of pizza more than the cost of the energy we saved?" Some students said that RAs should have made a more concerted effort to motivate students. "I turned off my computer one night. I think the RAs should have emphasized it more," said Maureen Lynch, a sophomore who lives in Miller Hall, one of the dorms with the worst energy savings statistics. ECO members agreed that there could have been a higher rate of participation, but the club's co-chair, Rebecca Batchelder, said the contest was somewhat disorganized in its first year. "There definitely could have been more RA involvement. We didn't talk to them enough, but then again, we didn't know what we were originally going for. Next year it would be nice to have RA programs... and have a discussion on environmental programs." Next year, ECO hopes to get more corporate sponsors to provide incentives to save energy, such as better prizes and possibly a hybrid car. "It would be great if Toyota were to give us a hybrid car," Rosenberg said. "There is maybe a ten percent chance of getting one from Toyota and a 20 percent chance of getting one from Honda. But, I'm sure a lot of corporations would love to donate." A few Boston companies donated free time and energy to reward Tufts students. This Wednesday, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., South residents will be treated to a Cheap Sox performance, free pizza from Domino's, treats from Boston Cookies, and concert ticket raffles from WMFO.

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News

Voice of a Baby

March 31

They seem to be getting younger and younger these days. First, Britney conquered the pop world with a vengeance at the age of 17. One would have thought the world of classical music was safe, but then Charlotte Church entered the scene three years ago as a starry-eyed 12-year old singing mainly classical music. Last year, Billboard ranked her ninth on its top ten list for female artists.

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News

Business Briefs

March 31

Fed cuts rates by half a percentage point The Federal Reserve (Fed), responding to signs of a slowing economy, cut its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points (half a percentage point) on Wednesday, stimulating a much-needed rally in the stock market. The rate cut came in between the Fed's scheduled meetings, and marked the fourth half-point cut in rates since Jan. 3, 2001 and second intra-meeting rate cut this year. "Capital investment has continued to soften, and the persistent erosion in current and expected profitability, in combination with rising uncertainty about the business outlook, seems poised to dampen capital spending going forward," said the Fed. Wednesday's rate cut brings the federal funds rate (the target rate on overnight loans between banks) down from five percent to 4.5 percent. The Fed's discount rate on loans to banks was also reduced to four percent from 4.5 percent. "It was a big, big sigh of relief," said Stanley Nabi, managing director of Credit Suisse Asset Management. "Investors - professional, as well as individual - were hoping for this kind of news... and when it came, they responded very, very positively." The technology-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index Wednesday jumped 156.22 points, or 8.12 percent, to 2,079.44, marking the index's fourth-biggest percentage gain in its 30-year history. Trading volume escalated to 3.1 billion shares, marking its second-heaviest volume ever. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 399.10 points, or 3.91 percent, to 10,615.83, and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 46.35 points, or 3.89 percent, closing at 1,238.16. "I'm ecstatic," said Robert Armknecht, money manager at the $2 billion Galaxy Equity Growth Fund, in response to the Fed's rate cut. "It recognizes that the economy needs some further help. It gets some liquidity back in the system and it's reassuring to the public, not just to investors."IBM reports solid first quarter results International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), the world's largest computer maker, reported first quarter results on Thursday that confirmed the company's long-term goals. Shares of IBM rose $7.86, or more than seven percent, to $114.36, pushing the Dow into positive territory. "IBM's first quarter was very solid," said Salomon Smith Barney analyst John Jones, who raised the price target for the stock from $135 to $150. "Results were strong in all segments and in virtually all product and services offerings." IBM's reported net income rose to $1.75 billion, or 98 cents per share, compared with $1.52 billion, or 83 cents per share, a year earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 22.32 points, or 0.21 percent, at 10,638.15 in midday trade yesterday, held up by shares of IBM, but weighed down by such stocks as drugs, retailers, and manufacturers. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 7.72 points, or 0.62 percent, at 1,245.88. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index gained 65.71 points, or 3.16 percent, to 2,145.15, led by Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) and Siebel Systems (SEBL). Apple shares were up some ten percent, while Siebel was up almost 28 percent. "For the moment, at least, the psychology has changed, and it looks like we're at least going to have a month or two of a fairly significant rally," said James Oberweis, president and portfolio manager at Oberweis Asset Management.McDonald's reports drop in first quarter earnings Fast-food giant McDonald's Corp. announced a 16-percent drop in first quarter earnings on Thursday, as hamburger sales in Europe declined following an outburst of animal diseases in the region. Weakening economies in some markets also damaged the company's results. McDonald's net income fell to $378.3 million, or $0.29 a share, from $450.9 million, or $0.33, a year ago. "It continues to be an overhang on the stock," said Timothy Ghriskey, who heads value investing at Dreyfus Corp. Shares of McDonald's (MCD) were up a penny at $27.50 in afternoon trading on Thursday.

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News

Aliens in the Arena

March 31

Feeling a little spacey? Tales of the Lost Formicans, the Drama Department's latest production, begins with Jerry (Charlie Semine) lying on the floor and gazing up at glow-in-the-dark stars, comets, and planets... as well as peering aside voyeuristically at the audience members. As strange as it may be, his behavior is forgivable because, for the next couple of hours, you have the privilege of an in-depth view of the quirky lives of a handful of characters. Written by Constance Congdon, the play has an unsubtle autobiographical tilt. Just like the main character, Cathy, Congdon watched as her marriage disintegrated, her difficult teenage son grew up in an increasingly valueless society, and her father slowly faded into the fog of Alzheimer's disease. In the play, however, a group of aliens work like archaeologists to decipher the reason why humans act like humans - why they take for granted what they do.Tales of the Lost Formicans won the Newsday/Oppenheimer Award for the best new play produced in New York City in 1990. Over a decade later, director Barbara Grossman said that "the issues [the play] is grappling with are still timely. As a woman with aging parents, I can relate to Cathy. "You know what hit me last night when I went home after rehearsal?" she continued. "I looked at this abstract painting in my den - it's been there for years. But I realized that this play is like an abstract painting - it's evocative, suggestive, and in its own way, profoundly moving." Don't mistake this for being a sci-fi alien story, though - playwright Constance Congdon's themes are entirely human and recognizable. The aliens act in various capacities - as commentators, anthropologists, narrators, thieves, and, tying these roles together, as comic relief. This is not to say that the human characters aren't topically humorous as well. Jerry's conspiracy theories are initially laughable and then eerie in their truth. Some of Eric's (Graham Griffin) character traits can be found in nearly any teenager, and his penchant for a particular four-letter word puts a comic spin on adolescent angst. Granted, he has reason to be unhappy - his father cheated on his mother with an 18-year-old student, and the resulting divorce transplanted the freshly truncated and hurting family to Colorado. The result for Eric is his abrasive treatment of Mom, long-distance phone bills totaling a couple hundred dollars, and his eventual flight away from home. All plot lines eventually lead to mom, daughter, and friend Cathy (Sarah Kauderer). Her father Jim, touchingly and convincingly played by Josh Bauml, is reason enough to ground this play in earthly frustrations, pain, and loss. As Jim's Alzheimer's progresses, both Cathy and his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Russell) struggle by fighting, crying, and losing pieces of their sanity as they try to cope with yet another frayed strand of their fragile family. Cathy's anger is reserved not only for her son, as evidenced by one tautly planned and performed scene with Evelyn, in which an argument is yelled in cacophony as occasional lines arrive from different places in synchrony for compounded effect. Judy (Lauren D'Avella), while attempting to alleviate her own loneliness and single status, tries to support her longtime friend Cathy, but at times ends up putting her in trouble instead. David Hartnagel lends his voice to the alien announcer, as well as playing a diverse range of assorted characters. And Jerry, the stargazer? He's the token conspiracy theorist neighbor, socially inept but endearing in his trials. Around women, he gushes thoughts like an unplugged dam in hopes of bringing them closer, although the words only drive them away. All the relationships carved between the characters are sincere in both intent and delivery. The format of the play changes continually. Moving from dream sequences to directly addressing the audience to documentary style to rewound to fantasy, it always keeps the audience always interested and sometimes disoriented. Not to ruin the show before it even begins, realize that Tales of the Lost Formicans offers more than good fun and laughs. "This is a chance to see the work of a contemporary woman playwright that really deals issues we deal with in language we understand. It's a challenging play," Grossman said. You may not know what the Formicans are, or why nor where they are lost, but the best way to find out is to see the play for yourself.Tales of the Lost Formicans, Balch Arena Theater, April 17-21 at 8 p.m., April 22 at 2 p.m., Tickets $5 with Tufts ID; all tickets are $1 for Wed., April 18., Opens Tonight.

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News

Sox take three from Yanks during bizarre weekend series

March 31

Two of baseball's biggest rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, provided plenty of material for a J.R. Rowling book on Harry Potter and the Curse of the Bambino during four games at Fenway Park this weekend. The start of the series, played on Friday the 13th, was an indication of weird things to come during this series. Only supernatural forces can explain some of the bizarre plays and umpire calls that occurred during the games, and how the Sox managed to take three out of four from the three-time defending world champs. After a slew of preseason injuries, which included the loss of All-Star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra for the first half of the year, many baseball fans and columnists proclaimed that the Sox were done for the season. But the Sox were a formidable competitor against the Yanks this weekend, and their eclectic pitching rotation out-dueled the supposed best pitching staff in baseball in four close games. The first Twilight Zone moment was the Sox come-from-behind victory against the untouchable Mariano Rivera on Friday night. On Saturday, it was the strange base running of Yankee rookie Alfonso Soriano that proved key to the New York win. Among the many eerie moments during Sunday's game was Carl Everett's bloop triple to short right field. In addition, many key runs in the series either scored or were set up by passed balls, wild pitches, and defensive errors. Playing in Pedro's temple, Manny Ramirez proved that he was worthy of worship from Red Sox nation on Friday night when he gave the Sox a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the tenth inning. Ramirez, who led the offensive attack this weekend, going 7-17 in the series and extending his hit streak to 11 games, singled off of Yankee closer Rivera to give the Sox a thrilling 3-2 victory. The runs were made possible, in part, when a passed ball by Jorge Posada allowed Trot Nixon and Carl Everett to advance to second and third. Earlier in the game, Everett reached base when he was hit by a pitch, and went on to score the first Sox run when Ramirez doubled. Rookie pitcher Paxton Crawford had his second solid start of the season and held his own against veteran Orlando Hernandez. Both gave up one run during six and five innings, respectively, and strong relief pitching sent the game into extra innings. Sox closer Derek Lowe gave up a double to Yankee second-baseman Alfonso Soriano to open the tenth, and Soriano scored on a ground ball to the third base side that nearly hit his feet before bouncing into left field. The run temporarily deflated the boisterous Red Sox faithful, but Boston fans were recharged by Ramirez's heroics in the bottom of the inning. On Saturday, the much-hyped match-up between current Sox ace Pedro Martinez and formed Sox ace Roger Clemens turned into a duel between the bullpens, though both pitchers were also upstaged by the heroics of Soriano. The rookie allowed two runs to score when he failed to cover second on a ground ball in the fourth, but he atoned for this mistake with a home run off of Pete Schourek in the top of the ninth to give the Yankees the 3-2 victory. Soriano was also responsible for New York's other two runs off of Martinez. With Posada on third and Tino Martinez at first, Soriano hit a ground ball that forced Martinez at second but scored Posada. Soriano went on to steal second and third, and scored on the rarest of occurrences, a Martinez wild pitch. While Martinez was once again solid in his start, the Sox were unable to capitalize on his performance. Pedro had nine strikeouts in seven innings, while Clemens had five in six. Things got even more bizarre on Sunday, and while it may have been Easter, it seemed more like Halloween at Fenway Park. Four defensive errors were made during the 5-4 Red Sox win, but that doesn't begin to describe some of the abnormal plays that took place during the game. The key hit of the day was a triple by Carl Everett that opened the seventh inning. Everett launched a pop up into short left field over the head of second baseman Alfonso Soriano, and was able to make it to third when Soriano kicked the ball. Everett tied the game at 3-3 when he scored on a Ramirez double, and the Red Sox took the lead on an RBI-single by Jason Varitek. Because they were facing a left-handed pitcher, the Red Sox starting line-up included some names that have spent the most of the season warming the bench, including Darren Lewis and Dante Bichette. And if that wasn't weird enough, Boston manager Jimy Williams made seven defensive changes in one inning. The Red Sox made three defensive errors, but first baseman Brian Daubach made up for those when he ran into the dugout to catch a pop fly in the ninth. The Yankees, meanwhile, committed one error, and third baseman Scott Brosius threw out two Red Sox runners at the plate. One of Boston's two runs in the fifth was controversial, as replays show that Yankee Chuck Knoblauch caught Ramirez's liner to left field. Umpire Tim Tschida said that the ball touched the ground, and awarded Ramirez a single. The hit allowed Everett, who had previously singled home Mike Lansing, to advance to third, where he scored on a hit by Bichette. This bizarre seemed to have taken over the pitching mound as well, with demoted starter Rolando Arrojo earning his second save of the year after Lowe struggled again. Yankee starter Andy Pettitte allowed a career-high 14 hits, but was able to limit the Sox to two runs. The Yankees took the lead 1-0 on a homer by Posada in the first, and made it 3-2 on a Paul O'Neill homer in the sixth. The Sox then erupted for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take control for good. During Monday's game, the strangest occurrence was simply the fact that the Sox won. Even the most diehard of Sox fans predicted a weekend split with the Yanks, and never expected mediocre starter Frank Castillo to pull off a win against New York's Mike Mussina. Boston led this game all the way, as Lewis tripled to open the bottom of the first and came home on a ground out by Nixon. The Sox padded their lead on a Lewis single in the fifth, a Mussina throwing error in the seventh, and a fielder's choice by Hillenbrand in the eighth. The Yankees lone run came on a Tino Martinez home run in the eighth. Jimy Williams continued to play musical chairs with the closer's role, as Rod Beck came in to pitch the ninth for the save. Yesterday's win put Red Sox fans on top of the baseball world, and tied Boston with Toronto for first place in the American League East. Because of changes in Major League baseball scheduling this year, Boston will face their most-hated rivals 19 times this season. The Sox will again look to massacre baseball's best in three-game series next weekend at Yankee Stadium. The one weak spot on the Sox team during the series was the lackluster performance of Lowe. Lowe, who was responsible for Boston's opening-day loss to Baltimore, can go ahead and make plans for a vacation during the All-Star break in July, because after his near loss on Friday night and shaky relief performance on Sunday, chances are he won't receive a second nomination to the All-Star team.

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