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Rematch of ECAC title game tonight at Cousens

March 31

Although it was almost ten months ago, members of the Colby men's basketball team painfully remember their 74-73 overtime loss to Tufts in last year's ECAC title game, when the underdog Jumbos finished off a Cinderella playoff run on Colby's home court. Tonight the White Mules will look for revenge at Tufts' Cousens Gym. The White Mules have won three of their last four, including a 90-69 thrashing of Middlebury on Saturday. Tonight, the Jumbos will have to find an answer for Colby senior center Sam Clark, who is averaging 21 points and 9.5 rebounds. The responsibility of covering the NESCAC's leading scorer will likely fall on senior co-captain Dan Flaherty, who at 6'7" is an inch taller than Clark. At 14-4 on the season, chances are that the men's basketball team will see some form of playoff action, possibly on its home court. But just in case, this weekend marks the last time Jumbo fans can witness a regular season home basketball game. The women have already wrapped up their regular season home schedule, while the men will finish when they host Bowdoin tomorrow. The men come into the weekend sporting a 2-1 NESCAC record, having defeated one of New England's top teams, Keene State, on the road Wednesday night. Both Flaherty and sophomore Kyle Van Natta contributed 19 points, a career-high for Van Natta. Sophomore guard Brian Shapiro returned from a two-game absence due to a sprained ankle and, while not starting, scored 10 points in 13 minutes. Freshman Phil Barlow started in Shapiro's place and averaged 9.0 points over the three-game span. But Barlow will likely be relegated back to the bench this weekend, with Shapiro, the team's second-leading scorer at 15.2 ppg, reclaiming his spot in the starting lineup. Despite the win over Keene State, the Jumbos come off a trying week and a half. After losing to New England's top team, UMass-Dartmouth, last week, Tufts split a pair of NESCAC games with Trinity and Amherst. The men came from behind in the final minutes to top Trinity on Friday before coughing up a second-half lead in a 72-60 loss to Amherst on Saturday. Now finished with its non-conference schedule, Tufts plays six straight NESCAC games to close out the season. The NESCAC tournament then begins, with the top seven of the conference's ten teams qualifying. Ranks will be distributed based on NESCAC records. Four of the team's last six games come against opponents currently under .500 in conference play - but the other two are this weekend's foes; Colby comes in at 3-1, in conference, and Bowdoin at 2-2. The Bowdoin Polar Bears, who are 2-2 in conference play, 12-5 overall, are led by senior David Baranowski, who is averaging 14.5 ppg and 7.1 rpg. The sharpshooter leads the NESCAC in shooting percentage, at a scorching .688 clip. The women's team also takes on Colby and Bowdoin this weekend, but both games will be on the road.

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News

Take charge of your careers

March 31

There are two occasions when a college's career services department is thrust into the spotlight: commencement and an economic downturn. Sometimes the two collide, as they do this year with the class of 2001 entering a workplace where available jobs are declining for the first time in nearly a decade. News of the weakening economy has prompted media inquiries, anxious parents, and an ever so slight palpitation in seniors' confidence. For the period 1998 to 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be a sufficient number of appropriate jobs for all but seven percent of graduates. The number of college graduates in this time is expected to be approximately 1.37 million, while the number of appropriate jobs will be closer to 1.28 million - an average shortage of 90,000 jobs each year. Despite the gap, this is a better ratio than the previous decade, which experienced a shortage of 190,000 jobs per year. It would be easy now to hold "the economy" responsible for unmet job expectations, for a disappointing return on investment in tuition and time. This is a bittersweet temptation for jobless seniors who have watched older siblings and classmates wooed by salaries, sign-on bonuses, and other perks. However, the difference this commencement season is that the class of 2001 has never known a down economy, nor the frustration of job search during difficult times. Reframed, the opportunity exists for this year's graduates to master the cardinal rule of today's workplace: you are in charge of your own career. The process of career development is a lifelong, cyclical challenge that should ideally incorporate continual assessment, exploration, and decision-making. A new employment contract stresses flexible worklife, portfolio skills, and self-marketing, rather than job security and paternalistic employers. This news took baby boomer parents by surprise, but should neither surprise nor alarm their Millennial children. Today, we live and work amid uncertainty. The prosperity of the late 90s followed an era that invented downsizing, outplacement, reengineering, and "golden handshakes." Unlike their most recent predecessors, who glided into the workplace with the euphoria of entitlement and privilege, the class of 2001 may discover in the economy a reason for introspection. In their final days at Tufts, seniors can comfort themselves with the knowledge that managing your own career puts your future in the most trusted hands. In the meantime, here are some reassurances: The job outlook is still good for graduates. Despite the forecast of job shortages, the number of graduates is expected to be only seven percent higher than in the prior decade, while between 1988 and 1998, there was a 17 percent increase in bachelor's degrees awarded. The white collar job market is still strong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics adds some additional good news: the number of jobs requiring a degree is also on the rise. By 2008, 23.8 percent of all jobs will require a four-year college degree, compared to 21.3 percent in 1998. According to the Federal Reserve Bank, lost jobs are being absorbed by other companies, and overall employment is characterized as essentially unchanged. The current unemployment rate for college graduates is around two percent. Additionally, starting salary offers continue to increase. According to the Winter 2001 Salary Survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), graduates in many fields are getting higher starting salary offers than they did last year. Although modest, according to the NACE survey, the salaries affect nearly all disciplines, including liberal arts, and are moving upward at a steady pace. Larger gains were reported for technical fields such as engineering and computer science. Finally, employers value a liberal arts education. In survey after survey, employers say they seek the skills and knowledge fostered by liberal arts curricula: cognitive and analytical skills, presentation skills, and social skills. A liberal arts background helps prepare students for the changing workplace by encouraging active learning, independent thinking, openness to new ideas, creativity, risk-taking, and perseverance. This is a Tufts education. Students who have embraced this learning philosophically and practically will find themselves competitive in any job market.Jean Papalia is the director of Career Services.

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News

F*cking N*gg*r

March 31

Something unbelievable just happened to me. It was so unbelievable that for a little while I was almost convinced that it didn't really happen. But now there is no doubt in my mind. I heard what I heard. It happened while I was sitting in the campus center, at Hotung Cafe, a place where I have sat so many times before and will sit many more times in the future. But on this day, I experienced something which I never thought I would directly experience at Tufts - racism. I had just left Halligan and was in the mood to read. Feeling hungry, I decided to stop by Hotung and relax a little while eating. Wheel of Fortune was on. It was the same old show with the same old goal: solve the puzzle and win prizes. The contestants seemed ordinary. As I was watching, about four or five guys sat down by the television around me. They were definitely athletes, I could tell by their frames and the clothes they wore. I even noticed that one of them was wearing a sweatshirt that had a football helmet on it. On the surface, nothing about them seemed unusual, although I did notice that they sat a good distance away from me. So, I went back to watching the show. It was Carole's turn to spin the wheel. She was a black, middle-aged woman who cheerfully exclaimed that she "loves life" when Pat Sajak introduced her. Her spin was a successful one. She landed on some money and picked a letter that was in the puzzle. As she was celebrating with excitement and laughter, I heard someone say something in a low, muffled voice. "Fucking nigger," he said. It was very subtle, almost as if the person who had said it was saying it only to himself. But as soon as I heard that comment, I doubted that it was ever said. I wanted to believe that it was just a slur of words that sounded like that. I wanted to believe that I had misunderstood it. I looked over at them and noticed that one of those guys met my eyes. I don't think he was the one that said it, but the mere fact that he met my eyes said a great deal. I guess he must have been waiting to see my reaction. He wanted to see if I was going to do anything or say anything. But I didn't react. I didn't say anything. I didn't do anything. I didn't even attempt to clarify in my own mind that what I heard was indeed a racist remark. And that's what really angers me. More than anything else, what makes me furious is that I did nothing. I didn't confront these guys, I didn't question, I didn't raise a voice. I sat silently and continued watching the damn show. Certainly, I was confused and I was shocked. Maybe I didn't want to believe that what just happened was a bona fide incident of ignorance. Maybe I was lazy and didn't want to make a scene and feel uncomfortable. Maybe I was trying to convinced myself that it was a harmless remark. I mean, black people call each other "nigger" all the time, right? Whatever the reason, I know now in my heart that this was different. What this person said was intended to be negative. He meant to reduce that black woman on the TV screen to something less than a human, something smaller than himself. And I didn't do anything. I didn't do a thing! And that scares me. It terrifies me because I think of how deep-seeded these kinds of things are, how unbelievably innocent they can appear on the surface, how they can numb you, how it numbed me. Right now, there are so many questions and confusing thoughts going through my mind. I don't understand why I didn't act. I feel as though I didn't do the right thing. Being silent is not the answer. I know in my heart that this will happen again, and I wonder if I will have the courage to act then. Will I be able to come to my mind quicker? And if I do, what will happen then? Will I fly off the handle and just start pummeling these guys, knowing fully well that I'll probably be the one ending up in the hospital, or worse? Will I start yelling, screaming, throwing chairs and flipping tables? I don't know, and it frustrates me. It makes me want to turn time back and do it over again, but I know I cannot do that. I can only prepare myself for when it happens again. And I know that it will, but until that time comes, this question will constantly be in the back of my mind: "Will I be ready?"Alok Lal is agraduate student at the College of Engineering with a concentration in computer science. He attended Tufts as an undergraduate.

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News

Does Tufts have issues with its sexuality?

March 31

The recent LGBT versus Anyone struggles have been depressing. It's as frustrating as hearing Jews saying there's not enough coverage about their religious/ethnic group being killed in the Holocaust. I know it's controversial to even be mentioning either, but let me explain my reaction. First, I will not deny that both gays and Jews have been oppressed for ages. Their struggle to be recognized as normal members of society is an extremely important fight. I will join the fight of any minority group to help it gain the representation it deserves. But when these groups become politically active on a scale where they begin to ostracize themselves by forcing the mentality of being the oppressed, it becomes sickening. Wasn't the fight in the first place about equality? Now these groups have "super-equal" status and separate themselves further from society. Supporters get scared away because suddenly it becomes a critical issue that "they don't know how it feels." Everyone is secretly making fun of this "super-equal" minority, while they can't say anything approaching criticism in public because of an overly politically correct society. And furthermore, they hurt other minorities who are looking for equality, partly because the status quo fears another "super-equal" group, and partly because the status quo is too busy apologizing to this new "superior" minority to be able to give other minorities the attention they deserve. And this mentality makes us all sick. I don't want friends or even myself to be tempted to make fun of the LGBT community and its struggles. But I'm fed up with the University and its double standard. How can the University say that painting the cannon during the day and chalking the pavement overnight are not equal forms of free speech? How can it apologize profusely to LGBT students for washing off their chalk "by accident," while calling the whitewashed cannon justice? I know that the University has rules against student expression that is negative and hurtful towards other students, but there is definitely a double standard. Unfortunately, there are many instances of chalked messages without taste or respect that never get any attention from the University deans or Facilities. For example, on National Coming-Out Day, there was a message in front of Bush Hall saying, "Lesbians Like Bush." And the campaign by the Tufts Poetry Society called "Giving Sex Back to the Community" was postered all around the library. And I'm not even going to go into the issue of censoring University-sponsored magazines such as The Primary Source or the Zamboni that have no respect for anyone and will intentionally insult a specific group or individual. So what am I getting at? What, exactly, is my problem, you may ask. I have two issues: First, freedom of speech being held at a double standard. Second, this LGBT issue has been blown out of proportion. I don't want to blame the LGBT community for fighting for equality and the opportunity to foster a sense of community for its members. And I certainly want to make it clear that I am not anti-gay. I love homosexuals, I love heterosexuals, I love bisexuals; they are all just ordinary people like myself, as far as I'm concerned. I also know that if I accuse the University or one of its deans of promoting a double standard, I will run into a bunch of legal bull about how it wasn't the University that erased the messages, but an independent person or group, etc. So, fine. Blame wasn't my original intent. I just feel that the argument between the LGBT community, the University, and everyone in between needed to be addressed by a student who doesn't want to get involved in the mess, but would like to comment that both groups are setting themselves up for ridicule. Tufts University seems like it's going through a sexuality/identity crisis and needs to set itself up for a visit at the Counseling Center. The LGBT community may be in need of an anger management class. And everyone, I feel, has the need for a little more love in their hearts. Marta Selinger is a freshman majoring in political science.

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News

Fencing in Tufts

March 31

Unarguably, Tufts students can agree that the view of the Hill - no matter what the season - is beautifully picturesque. The stately trees, modern library, long green lawns, at times blanketed with snow, and wrought-iron fence comprise an aesthetically pleasing and made-for-a-brochure scene. For better or for worse, a new plan hopes to augment this scene by extending the Hill's fence around the entire Medford/Somerville campus. The fence will run along the athletic fields of College Avenue from Professors Row to Powder House Circle, and then back along Powder House Boulevard. Traditionally, graduating classes donated money to extend the fence. This began with the class of 1924, which made the initial contribution to build the fence. During the following years, graduating classes and families of deceased alumni have donated money for the fence - until the Great Depression, when the tradition was practically forgotten as funds dried up. Tufts now hopes to raise money from alumni and graduating classes to complete the fence project. The construction of the fence will help to celebrate Tufts' 150th anniversary in 2002, and its planners hope to channel the excitement drummed up by the anniversary to support the project. Each section of the fence, which consists of two pillars 30 feet apart and connected by wrought iron, costs $30,000. How many sections needed? According to the plan, a portion of each donation will go toward financial aid. "We're not just building a fence, but also helping students in need," said Jeff Winey, Director of Reunion and Leadership Giving for Arts and Sciences and head of fundraising for the project. Winey said that the extension of the fence is a long-term project for the university, which he hopes will be "another nice beautification to the surrounding campus." Most students agreed that extending the fence would add venerable beauty and prestige to the campus, and that the concurrent financial aid donations dispel any concerns that the money should be better spent elsewhere. "We really need the money for things, such as financial aid, which I am glad [the fence project] will provide," said sophomore Sarah Sandison, assistant treasurer to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate. "Alumni relations could be improved and the fence could do that, making alumni feel more connected with the campus," she added. In addition to the money issue, there is also concern that the fence will worsen relations between Tufts and the surrounding towns of Medford and Somerville. Currently, there are no major structures that physically divide the campus from its neighbors - there is no clear distinction of where the campus ends and where the towns begin. Members of both the Medford and Somerville communities feel comfortable walking their dogs on the Tufts campus or taking their children sledding on "the hill." Junior Bill McCarthy, a TCU senator and a Medford resident, dislikes the fence project and believes it will do little to help the school's relationship with the towns. "I don't like the idea," he said. "It would look 'prisonesque' and has a keep-people-out kind of concept." McCarthy also cited College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. as an example of a perimeter fence that looks like an enclosing and excluding fixture on an otherwise beautiful campus. "I would hate to see Tufts become like that," McCarthy said. Kathy Gatto, owner of the Aquarium in Davis Square and Somerville resident, did not agree that the fence would exacerbate town-gown relations. "There already is a fence, which they put up two years ago. I'm not sure if that was a great move," she said, referring to the chain link fence that the University constructed, which encircles the sports fields and the areas around the dorms in that vicinity. "The fence is already up. It doesn't matter if it's an iron fence... a fence is a fence," Gatto added. "I actually like the wrought iron fence better and think it would look nice." Most simply, the extension of the fence, which still has no fixed starting date, hopes to add beauty and tradition to an already picturesque and historic campus. Freshman Daniel Hannon echoes this sentiment. "I like the way it looks around the Hill as it is, which leads me to believe I would like it around the entire campus."

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News

Jazz making music again

March 31

Will the Utah Jazz ever fade? Lately the team has given its critics a resounding "NO," maintaining a one-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the Midwest Division, and winning eight of their last ten games. There is never any secret to Utah's success. The legendary combination of point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone has been intact for 16 seasons now, and the savvy veterans are once again playing top-notch basketball. Stockton posts a solid 11.7 point average and 9.3 assists (2nd in the NBA). Malone averages of 23.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists _ business as usual.But as the season began, many predicted that the Jazz would continue to decline from championship contender to also-ran, and this wasn't just about Stockton and Malone. When Michael Jordan's series-ending jumper from the top of the key sank Utah's title hopes in 1998, the door appeared shut on the Jazz' hopes of ever winning a title with Stockton and Malone. In successive seasons, the Portland Trailblazers eliminated Utah in the conference semi-finals, doing their part to usher out the NBA old guard. Meanwhile, newer combinations such as "Duncan and Robinson" in San Antonio and "Shaq and Kobe" down in Los Angeles emerged to bring the championship trophy back to the West. The advancing age of Stockton and Malone, coupled with the retirement of shooting guard Jeff Hornacek, appeared to signal the Jazz' demise. Hornacek may have been the league's best sharpshooter last season. He shot 49.2 percednt from the floor, was second in the NBA in three-point field-goal shooting percentage at 47.8 percent, and led NBA in free-throw shooting percentage last season at 95 percent. His replacement, the notoriously streaky John Starks, has left much to be desired from the two-guard spot, shooting a below-average 40 percent from the field, and a poor 32.5 percent from three-point range. In the off-season, the Jazz gave up another guard, Howard Eisley, in a four-team, nine-player deal, and brought in an underachieving Donyell Marshall from the Golden State Warriors. The move looked like just another symbol of the Jazz' plummet into mediocrity. But Marshall was determined to prove otherwise.After a slow start, Marshall stepped up in January, averaging 18.1 points and 9.6 rebounds to help Utah put together a 10-4 record during the first month of the new year. Marshall's play has only gotten hotter in February, where his averages of 19.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals have led the Jazz to an 8-2 record, and their current position atop the ultra-competitive Western Conference.Originally drafted by Minnesota in 1994, the 6-9, 230-pound Marshall was traded to Golden State midway through his rookie season. He put up solid numbers, including last year's averages of 14.2 points and 10.0 rebounds, but never shot better than 42.1 percent in a season. However, after 54 games in Utah's precision-based half-court offense, Marshall has become a model of consistency, hitting field goals at a 48.9 percent clip and providing critical balance for Utah's offense. Stockton and Malone have helped him learn the offense and have provided him with open shots. The result has been a revitalized Marshall, and by extension, a rejuvenated Jazz team that is once again thinking championship.Marshall's emergence can also be credited to circumstance. Former starting small forward Bryon Russell, who was in the midst of his best season ever, averaging 13.6 points and 4.6 boards per contest, missed just three games with an ankle sprain. But Donyell Marshall starred in those three games and has been starting ever since.Marshall came up big in recent road victories over Portland and Seattle. He dropped in 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds against the Blazers' talented forwards, while playing strong defensively on the other end of the court. In the following game against the Sonics, he had just three points in the first half and the Jazz trailed at intermission. Marshall then took over in the second half, scoring 17 points and helping Utah pull away late in the fourth quarter. Marshall's athleticism in the post, complementing Malone, is something the Jazz has lacked for years.Surprises like Marshall have allowed the Jazz to defy critics to this point, but the true test lies ahead. Success against Western Conference opponents has shown that the Jazz could be trouble for any of the youthful, elite clubs. But still, Utah will need to prove that this success can last into the playoffs. San Antonio, which has beaten Utah three times this season, would be its major stumbling block. The Spurs' Twin Towers are too much for Greg Ostertag and Olden Polynice, and their team defense slows down the Stockton-Malone connection. The Jazz defeated Atlanta Monday night, 99-82, and will play the Grizzlies tonight, looking to add to their lead and fortify their position as the playoffs loom in the distance.

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News

Men's baseball plays four on first weekend of Passover

March 31

While many Tufts' students will enjoy a Passover seder this weekend, the men's baseball team hopes to feast on a smorgasbord of Wesleyen Cardinals. The Jumbos will take on the Cardinals in a pair of home and away doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, both at 1 p.m. With Tufts off to an inauspicious 5-5-1 start - and Wesleyan boasting a 10-3-1 record - this weekend could be a backbreaker for the Jumbos. Nevertheless, both squads have perfect records in the all-important NESCAC. Tufts (2-0) is second in the NESCAC East, behind Trinity, and the Cardinals are at the top of the standings in the West at 3-0. Still, after the Jumbos' upped their winning streak to three with a 17-3 thrashing of Mass. Maritime Academy on Wednesday, the Cardinals must be molting a bit at the thought of facing a hot Tufts squad. Sophomore shortstop ended Tufts' slow start to the season by exploding against Mass. Maritime. Shapiro went 4-6 with two doubles and seven RIB, nearly doubling his season total of four entering the game. The pitching is also beginning to heat up, as Jumbos hurlers have held the opposition under four runs in each of their last three contests. Sophomore Dave Martin highlighted the trio of strong pitching performances by tossing eight no-hit innings on Wednesday.

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News

Mount Holyoke Invitational easy as 1-2-3 for Jumbos

March 31

In a span of ten hours this past weekend, the women's squash team accomplished the impressive feat of winning three matches, traveling to Smith College for the Mount Holyoke Invitational and defeating the host Little Pioneers 9-0, the St. Lawrence Saints, and the Haverford Fords 9-0. Entering the day, the Jumbos knew that there was really only one team to worry about. "When you are going to play three matches in one day, it's very hard to focus on all three," coach Doug Eng said. The Jumbos chose to focus on the St. Lawrence squad, which was ranked one spot behind the 15th ranked Tufts team in the Feb. 1 Women's Intercollegiate Squash Association (WISA) national rankings. "They're gunning for us," Eng said of the Saints.Before they could play their key match, though, the Jumbos had to first dispose of Smith. The Jumbos had no problem meeting the task, easily dispensing with the Little Pioneers 9-0. Following the initial victory, the Jumbos went to battle against the St. Lawrence team that they had been preparing for all week."We were all psyched up for St. Lawrence," captain Justine Kurland said.St. Lawrence has an experienced team, and one of its players, Sarah Kreiner, is ranked 39th in the nation. Despite winning only one of the first four matches, the Jumbos rebounded to emerge with a victory. The team received solid performances from sophomore Abi Cushman in the number three spot, sophomore Eileen Connors in the five spot, and senior Lani Radford in the ninth position. Freshman Leigh Checchio won the clinching match, and another crucial win came from freshman AJ Crane, who has come on strong of late to help the team replace some missing players. Eng attributed the Jumbos' big win to being "mentally tougher than the other team." With the victory over St. Lawrence, Tufts made a strong bid to move up in the national poll.After the exertion required to top St. Lawrence, the Jumbos were still able to muster enough energy to avoid a letdown, easily disposing Haverford, 9-0, to end the exhausting day."It's hard to concentrate for the third match," said Kurland. "Especially after such a big win." Eng was very proud of the way his team performed on Saturday."We played well in all 27 [individual] matches and managed ourselves well," Eng said. With the season winding down, every match is now of great importance in determining the final national rankings. This Friday, the Jumbos will travel to Lewiston, Maine to take on the 14th-ranked Bates team.

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News

House of Mirth' true to novel

March 31

After six years of raising funds, British director Terence Davies brings Edith Wharton's classic novel, The House of Mirth, to the big screen. The film aims to recreate the world of Wharton's novel with an interesting cast amidst lavish period costumes and sets. Filmed in Glasgow, Scotland, the film profiles turn-of-the-century New York and showcases the story's main character, single socialite Lily Bart (The X-Files' Gillian Anderson). The tragic story involves Lily's internal and social struggle to stay single in an aristocratic society that expects women to marry well, conform to conventions of wealth, and display their husbands' economic standings. Telling this story is a cast that also includes film veterans Eric Stoltz, Dan Aykroyd, Laura Linney, and Anthony LaPaglia as part of a network of New York's social elite of the very early 20th century. Because these actors' faces and personalities are so recognizable, the film takes some getting used to - it takes a few scenes for the actors to make their characters believable. After this leeway is awarded, however, the film almost feels like the novel is being read to the audience through the on-screen dialogue. The timing of the film is imperfect: some scenes pass too quickly while others drag, and the film as a whole is rather long. Though these elements may be difficult to overcome, they can in part be credited to the director's desire to retain the voice of the author within the cinematic work. Herein lies the great challenge in creating a period film: to make the dialogue and settings believable for an audience of the modern world. More often than not, Wharton's story successfully shines through in the film. Terence Davies (director of The Neon Bible) offered his understanding of the film in an interview with the Daily. Davies is a jovial artist who will enthusiastically and openly discusses the meaning of his film and the challenges he faced in its production. He notes that the tedious auditioning process was made difficult not only by having to see so many actors but also choosing those who could successfully pull-off period language and clothing. By observing the way the actors sit and move, and the structures of their body language, he recalls that some actors, such as Eric Stoltz, stood out with a "natural elegance," as did Gillian Anderson, whose visage is strikingly reminiscent of John Singer Sargent's portraits of the period. Davies explains that the strength of these actors, as well as their fellow cast-mates, is that they could understand both the sub-textual meaning and formality of 19th century English. Davies does not think of the tedious casting procedure and pre-production processes as obstacles, remarking that they are "not so much challenges as how you can make it work." An important element in making the film work is the actual adaptation of such a classic Wharton novel for the big screen. Certain dialogue in the novel stands out to Davies as remarkably cinematic, such as a conversation between Lily Bart and Eric Stoltz's character, Laurence Selden, during a walk to church in the woods. In realizing the story's cinematic quality, Davies did not want to lose the distinct voice of the author. In recreating Wharton's world in a historical context, Davies notes that certain elements of the novel, though historically appropriate, might have hindered the believability of the film. Some of these elements include the 19th century feeling of sentimentality, elements of coincidence so often seen in novels of Wharton's era, and the anti-Semitism in the story, which, Davies claims, "disfigure the book." The most major change, however, is the "amalgamation of two characters - Gertie Farish and Grace Stepney." As these characters mold into one, dialogue had to be invented that would preserve the original feeling of the novel. This invented dialogue is one of the more impressive elements of the film. Even after reading the novel analytically, it is difficult to decipher which dialogue is Wharton's and which is Davies', especially the completely invented dialogue of the servant, Mrs. Hatch. In the novel, Lily describes the actions of Mrs. Hatch, whereas in the film, Mrs. Hatch speaks directly. Also refurbished is the ending of the story, which in the novel does not state whether or not Lily survives. "I couldn't figure out why I didn't believe [the ending]," Davies remarks. As a result, his version of the story avoids the ambiguous ending that the novel suggests. On these changes, Davies notes, "You have to change things, and the real challenge is to try and be true to the world that [Wharton] has created while trying to be cinematic as well." To this end, Davies' film is successful. The film is markedly Wharton, but with a Davies flair. As for the adage that "the movie is never as good as the book," one would have to know both quite well to decide.

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News

Sox pitching solid during weekend sweep of Tampa Bay

March 31

This weekend, the Red Sox proved that there really is no place like home. Someone flicked the 'on' switch for Boston's offense and, buoyed by three solid pitching performances, the Sox swept the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in their first series at Fenway this year. While the season debuts of Tomo Ohka and Paxton Crawford were key to the Sox' success this weekend, Pedro Martinez would not allow himself to be outdone by his younger counterparts. Martinez dominated the Devil Rays for eight innings yesterday and received his first victory of the season when the Sox won 3-0. Tampa Bay has always been a source of trouble for Pedro Martinez. He came within three outs of hurling a no-hitter against them last August only to have it broken up in the ninth inning, and his 16-strikeout performance against the team back in May went to waste when the Sox failed to score any runs in the game. But yesterday, Martinez was a source of trouble for the Devil Rays. Pedro struck out the first six batters he faced and went on to strike out 16 on the day, one shy of his career high. He held the Devil Rays hitless for five innings, and gave up only three hits during the last three innings he pitched. Three runs off of Tampa Bay starter Albie Lopez was all Martinez needed for the win, and Derek Lowe pitched the ninth for his first save of the season. The Red Sox upped their record to 4-2, which ties them with the New York Yankees for second place behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. Red Sox pitchers have long feared Manny Ramirez's visits to Fenway Park, but now that he is on their side, it is the visiting teams who have to worry. On his first swing in the park as a member of the team, Ramirez lined a three-run homer over the Wall on Friday to earn his place in the hearts of Red Sox fans. Ramirez had RBIs in all three games this weekend and amassed six hits in eleven at-bats. Carl Everett was also extremely productive over the weekend, homering both on Friday and on Saturday and driving in a run during yesterday's game. Friday's home opener was an offensive massacre, as Sox hitters tapped Tampa Bay for 11 hits during their 11-4 victory. Jose Offerman, who spent the first three games of the season on the bench, made a case for a spot in the starting line-up with three hits to lead the offensive attack. Sox fans, who were in agony throughout three low-scoring games in Baltimore last week, groaned after the first inning, when Ohka gave up three runs. But the Sox evened the score on Ramirez's homer in the bottom of the inning, and Ohka kept the Devil Rays scoreless for the next three innings. The Red Sox took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the third. Everett and Mike Lansing padded the score with solo homers in the fourth. Pitcher Tim Wakefield earned the win after he struck out five and gave up a run in three innings of relief. Ryan Rupe was tabbed as the loser after allowing eight runs in three and two-thirds innings. On Saturday it might have been only 42 degrees outside, but the Red Sox were on fire in their 6-2 win. Paxton Crawford, making only his fifth major league start, dominated Tampa Bay hitters with the ease of a veteran. Crawford allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings, and his nine strikeouts were a career high. The rookie only got better as the game went on, retiring the last 13 batters he faced before Rod Beck came in to pitch the last two innings. Crawford's impressive performance was matched by the offense, as each starter tallied at least one hit in the 14-hit outburst. After Tampa Bay took the lead on an RBI-single by John Flaherty in the bottom of the second, Trot Nixon turned the score in Boston's favor with a two-run blast, his second of the season. Crawford was not the only rookie who came through for the Sox on Saturday, as Shea Hillenbrand's first major league home run put Boston ahead for good in the fourth inning. Hillenbrand, who played at Double-A Trenton last year, has hit safely in all six of Boston's games this year for a .300 average. Ramirez provided an insurance run in the fifth with a single that drove in his sixth run of the season. Everett and catcher Scott Hatteberg added to the lead with RBI doubles in the seventh. The Devil Rays have lost five straight after their opening day win against Toronto, and are struggling though the worst start in their short franchise history. In other Boston news, second-baseman Chris Stynes, whose fielding error blew the opening game, was put on the 15-day DL, and Lou Merloni was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.

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News

Student prepares for History Channel game show

March 31

While some Tufts students are content with a spot on Jumbo Love Match, David Michaels set his sights a little higher. The sophomore has landed a coveted spot in the college tournament History IQ, a game show on the History Channel. Michaels qualified for the show - which will be taped on Tuesday and aired sometime later - after taking a 30-question short-answer test at a History IQ site in New York City. In addition to questions like "Who led a slave revolt in 1831 in Virginia?" (Nat Turner), the test also included a bonus matching section. This set, which resembled the final round of the actual game show, consisted of nine events and nine dates, and required the tester to match one to the other. Michaels left the test feeling confident in his performance. "I had a pretty good feeling. You had to get 70 percent right on the test to get an interview with the producers," Michaels said. Qualifying for the show is not enough, though - to become a contestant, Michaels had to impress the judges. "The history test was to make sure you had enough knowledge to be competitive on the show, and then the interview is to see if you'd make a good TV personality," Michaels said. Michaels nailed every question during the interview, including a request to state the most obscure historical fact he knew, as well as which historical figure he would most want to be stuck with in an elevator. He responded to the first question by reciting the order in which the Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk at the Battle of Midway (Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu). And about the elevator? "I said Robert Kennedy - I guess I had a good defense for that," Michaels said. Most importantly, however, Michaels proved to the producers that he was contestant material. "It's clear that I know enough about history to be a competitive contestant, but I also think that I would joke around with Marc Summers," Michaels recalls telling the producers. Yes, the Marc Summers, formerly of Nickelodeon's Double Dare, Family Double Dare, and, of course, Super Sloppy Double Dare - and now host of History IQ. Michaels jokes that he will be tempted to ask Summers if he can take the "physical challenge" during Round Two of History IQ. Michaels said he has always been both a trivia whiz and a history buff. "I love Jeopardy. I love Trivial Pursuit. This is perfect because this is my area of most interest in trivia," Michaels explained. In preparing for Tuesday's taping in New York, Michaels has been studying a book of facts and dates given to him by Provost Sol Gittleman and has been watching the show nightly to see how he matches up to the regular contestants. Despite the fact that Michaels will compete against college students and receive less advanced questions, he has been consistently matching or beating the regular contestants. Last week he even won the grand prize - all in the comfort of his very own dorm room. During the show, Michaels could be quizzed on everything from the pyramids to the last presidential election. No topic in history is off limits. Tufts' history department might be watching especially closely should Michaels answer questions related to African-American history since 1865, modern Russia, wars in East Asia, sports in America, and rock and roll - all topics he was taught in college. Of these classes, Michaels said that African-American history is his favorite. He has been particularly inspired by professor Gerald Gill, whom he chose as an advisor based on his experience in Gill's African-American history class. "Professor Gill has confidence in me. His advice is to relax and concentrate on what I know. There's no way to be an expert on everything," Michaels said.Aside from studying, Michaels has done his share of fantasizing about what he would do with the prize money, especially the $250,000 grand prize. The prize for winning one game is $25,000, in addition to any money won during the game itself."I'll probably use some of the money to travel around Europe. Also, I would not have my parents pay for any more college, if they would accept that," Michaels said. Michaels has sought out game show positions before. Earlier this year he qualified for the college version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, but was not granted a spot on the show. "There were 1,875 applications for 30 spots, so I wasn't too distraught when I didn't get that, although I was a little disappointed." Michaels said. Michaels is also looking forward to applying to College Jeopardy, though he fears that his previous experience on History IQ may keep him off the show. Years of history trivia building and these past few weeks of studying and observing the show have left Michaels feeling confident and ready to go. While some people may feel nervous before appearing on television, Michaels says that he is not. Excited by the prospect of winning the grand prize, he encourages everyone to watch his appearance on the show. After all, he says, "I've been preparing for this more than my homework."

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News

A ticket to ride

March 31

Who would have thought a trip to the campus center would result in a trip to the Bahamas? Or a weekend getaway to some of the ritziest Boston nightspots? Certainly not seniors Adrian Wilairat and Jeremy Bratt, Winter Week's luckiest participants. Wilairat was one of the 14 contestants in Outcast, an event held at Hotung last Thursday. Outcast, a game show based on television's Survivor, is sponsored by Toner Sound Entertainment Group and holds events to give away prizes at college campuses nationwide. By lip synching, answering trivia questions, and performing other odd tasks, Wilairat won himself a ticket to paradise. "I'm totally psyched. It's really bizarre, I never thought I'd be winning a cruise to the Bahamas," he said. "It's still hard to believe I won." Wilairat thanked his friends for helping him win the game - in Outcast, audience members get to vote off contestants, and Wilairat came with a large contingent of buddies to keep him in the running. "I basically give all the props to my friends. They were showing me the love and the rest of the crowd got into it," he said. Wilairat can take his trip during any weekend over the next year, with the exception of holidays. Bratt won A Tid Bit Nippy's weekend getway to Boston, which landed him two nights at the Park Plaza Hotel, tickets to The Phantom of the Opera, lunch at Cheers, and dinner at the Prudential Center's Top of the Hub. "I was elated," said Bratt, who won the trip through a raffle. "I didn't know about it and I didn't know what I won. It was just a big surprise." Though their outlook on the festivities can be considered anything but impartial, Williams and Bratt both praised Winter Week as a whole: "I think Winter Week was totally awesome. There were tons of cool events," Wilairat said. "I think [the Office of] Student Activities did a great job. It's a great way to start off second semester."

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News

Women's lacrosse expects big things

March 31

After finishing the 2000 season with a 9-5 record and making an appearance in the semifinals of the ECAC tournament, the women's lacrosse team returns all but one of last year's starters. This is a welcome change compared to last year when the team roster included five freshmen starters and no seniors. "Last year we started five freshmen," coach Carol Rappoli said. "This year we might start one, if any." Leading this year's experienced crew will be senior co-captains Jen Gregorian and Collete Gaudet. Gregorian led the team in offensive production last season with 41 goals and 47 points overall and earned a spot on the All-New England team. This season, she will once again head up the team's attack, aided by fellow senior Katie Richardson, who was second in scoring behind Gregorian, with 33 goals and 41 points overall last year. "We have six of our seven leading scorers returning, so we're looking pretty good offensively," Rappoli said. On the other end of the field, Gaudet, a NESCAC all-star last season, will lead Tufts' defense. In her second year as co-captain, Gaudet's experience will be a valuable asset to the team. Backing the defensive crew will be sophomore goalie Ari Kristan. After starting in goal during her freshman year, Kristan will look to improve on her already impressive record of play. Though several young players were thrust, somewhat prematurely, into the spotlight last season, Rappoli says that experience will be beneficial to the team. "Our sophomores are playing like juniors and our juniors are playing like seniors," she said. While this year's freshmen crew will not play as instrumental a role as did last year's, they will nevertheless be key to team success. The six freshmen on the roster boast impressive high school records and appear to be a talented group. "Our freshmen this season are incredibly talented," sophomore Dana Chivvis said. Gregorian was likewise impressed with the skill level. "They're a very smart group with great attitudes," she said. "They are all very into succeeding."With an experienced starting line and a skillful freshman crew, goals for the season are high. After falling to Connecticut College in the semifinals of the ECAC tournament last year, the Jumbos are looking to repeat, then surpass, that success. "We definitely want to make it to the national tournament," Gregorian said. "I think we have a really good chance."The team has already had one scrimmage, and though the competition was not particularly fierce, team members were encouraged by their performance. "Everyone looked really good," Rappoli said. Chivvis was equally encouraged: "We still have a few kinks to work out, but the scrimmage went very well," she said.Despite having only one scrimmage under their belt, the Jumbos are already being noticed outside campus; the Division III national power rankings have them ranked at 14th. But even with this high ranking, the team is not in for an easy season. According to www.laxpower.com,Tufts has the third hardest schedule among women's Division III lacrosse programs For its first true competition of the season, Tufts will travel to Panama City, Fla. over spring break. While in Florida, the Jumbos will face stiff competition from Western Maryland College and Union College. Both games should prove tests of character for Tufts. In the preseason power rankings, Union is ranked just above Tufts at 13th, and Western Maryland will likewise be no pushover. "Union is a very good program, and I expect Western Maryland to be very scrappy," Rappoli warned. "These will be tough games."As has become the norm for teams coached by Rappoli, this year's squad has high expectations. It has been six years since the Jumbos last took the ECAC championship, but with the skill and experience of this year's group, that streak could come to an end."We have a well-rounded group, and we all get along very well," Chivvis said. "It should be a fun season."

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News

Time for CampusLink to go

March 31

I was disappointed but not surprised to learn in Thursday's Daily that CampusLink was irresponsible in its handling of the loss of Ethernet capabilities for an entire dorm. The reason that I am not surprised is because over the last three years, I have witnessed the severe degradation of the cable lines. CampusLink does not sustain the wires that bring TUTV and CampusLink's own movie channel to the dorms. The quality of the signal that TUTV broadcasts is nowhere near what students see. Last year, when all of TUTV went black, it was well over a month before CampusLink acted. This year, no work was done to repair any of the damage that has occurred over the last few years. It seems that two more years maybe too long to wait before CampusLink is gone.Don Schechter, LA '01

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News

The spirit of Shabbat

March 31

Holidays are commonly thought of as special times because they only happen once a year. Often, they involve celebrating, spending quality time with loved ones, and making ourselves aware of the wonderful things in our lives that we take for granted. So, each holiday reminds us to celebrate and reflect on our lives - once a year. But there is a unique holiday in Judaism that gives us the opportunity to do this every week. This holiday is Shabbat. Although Shabbat occurs every week, it is considered to be a major Jewish holiday. Other major Jewish holidays include Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, etc. (although, contrary to popular belief, not Hanukkah). But Shabbat faces a special challenge that the other major holidays do not face. The "High Holidays," which is the name used to refer to the major holidays, evoke a much greater participation, in both custom and prayer, than does Shabbat. One reason for this is that Shabbat happens every week and people just do not maintain the fervor they have for the "once-a-year-ers."Tufts Hillel attempts to remedy this issue by offering energetic and spirited Shabbat programs. On a typical Friday night this year, there are roughly 130-150 people who attend dinner and services. While 150 students is an amazing number, and among the larger percentages of Shabbat participation throughout universities nationwide, we know that there are many Jewish and non-Jewish students who have still never had a relaxing and fun Shabbat experience at Tufts. We would love to have more students participate in Shabbat at Tufts, 500 for example, but the Hillel Center and the dining staff would not be able to accommodate them. And, although services and dinner at Hillel are quite nice, we recognize that it may not be within everyone's comfort zone. Hillel's desire to bring the spirit of Shabbat to students all over campus brought about a brainstorming session in which we developed the Shabbat 500 program.The second planning phase began with comments and discussions floating around campus about how quiet, reserved, and not so prevalent religion is at Tufts. Shabbat 500 was conceived with the goal of reaching out to the Tufts campus, providing various ways to have a meaningful Shabbat experience, and raising Jewish awareness and pride at Tufts - with the ultimate goal of documenting 500 students' participation on Friday night, March 30.Much skepticism and many questions were raised immediately as to how such a goal could be reached and, if we did reach out to 500 people, logistically, what we would do with them. Nine different committees were organized, comprised of over 40 students, to attempt to promote Jumbo pride in both Shabbat and in Judaism. With each different location and target population, the planners of Shabbat 500 attempted to help create various "Shabbats" so that anyone could find some Shabbat experience that was comfortable.As mentioned above, not everyone would be comfortable just walking into Hillel for Shabbat. We realized that some students might be more comfortable doing something in their own home, or with a small group of friends. One of the wonderful things about Shabbat is that there are many different ways to celebrate it. And no Shabbat experience is wrong. Shabbat for one Tufts student might be going to Hillel for services and dinner, while another Tufts student may have a better experience just sitting down to a dinner with all of his or her housemates, lighting candles with friends, or having a conversation while eating dessert. Knowing this, we tried to provide as many opportunities for people to create, mold, or design their own Shabbat experience.This year was a pilot in many ways, and some of the results are tough to measure. Whether we hit our target of 500 is difficult to say because it means judging to some degree the experience that people had. But we are sure that many more students experienced some aspect of Shabbat than ever before on a single Friday night at Tufts. Underclassmen in dorms made Shabbat candles, and educated themselves about the holiday as they enjoyed traditional Shabbat foods. A candle-lighting and Shabbat "oneg" (which means pleasure or joy and is basically a gathering for social purposes to interact with others) was held for the Greek community. Culture houses ran Shabbat dinners and incorporated aspects of Shabbat tradition and education. And upperclassmen in participating apartments received Shabbat kits with some traditional Shabbat foods (challah - special bread, and grape juice - substitute for wine - sorry, you can only get the real stuff at Hillel), an educational pamphlet including a few readings and basic blessings, and candles. They were encouraged to use whatever educational components they felt comfortable with and enjoy a relaxing dinner with their housemates.Essentially, Shabbat 500 is an interesting program because it really is something that should exist without any extra investment of time. Ideally, all students on campus would enjoy some sort of Shabbat experience each week and there would be a sense of Jewish pride and unity on campus every Friday night. And attempting to find ways for all students to experience some aspect of their Judaism - whether it be through music, literature, education, theatre, career goals, ice skating, holidays, or Shabbat - is what Tufts Hillel tries to do every day. Shabbat 500 was an exemplary effort to achieve the goals we strive for every day - to provide a wide variety of different experiences so that every student can enjoy some part of Judaism.Seth Haaz is a senior majoring in economics. He is president of Tufts Hillel.

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News

Will King Solomon reign?

March 31

Puff Daddy, Jay-Z, Nelly...King Solomon? Tufts Senior Sol Masch, otherwise known as King Solomon, would like to think so. A jazz drummer, Masch wanted to create an album that satirized rap culture while still maintaining the genre's musical integrity. His first album, Sezame Street Beatdown, remains true to its goals. From the moment you pick up the album, you know you're not in for a serious ride through the ghettoes of Harlem or the clubs of Miami. The cover art, drawn by Masch's brother, Ezra, depicts a scene that would send a toddler to therapy for the rest of his or her life: a beefed up Bert and a muscular Ernie giving a bloody Big Bird a pounding in a dark alley. Meanwhile, Don Snufflufagus watches from the shadows, with one eye peeled for witnesses and a thick gold chain dangling from his neck. "Ice Cream Truck Drive-By" opens the album. True, its rhymes may be a bit juvenile (read: old-school) for the modern era, but the sampled track, with its epic strings, somehow remains true to the gangsta rap genre. "Buttnaked," a fast-paced electronic shuffle, brings to mind Jay-Z's "Can I Get ..." Without listening to the decidedly silly lyrics, it'd be easy to pass the song off as an eligible radio single. Meanwhile, "Gold Chains (And Eightball Jackets)" recalls the feel-good, danceable hip-hop of Naughty By Nature. Most of the tracks, though, are unapologetically outrageous. "Makin' Love" features Masch on the drums, while brother Ezra, performing as deep-voiced "Carl C. Griffiths," slowly and smoothly muses about the wonders of makin' love. "Smell The Booty" pokes fun at rap's often-abominable sexism, calling to mind the beat of the 69 Boys' early '90s hit "Tootsie Roll." King Solomon muses, "I thought my dog was on the lawn/ but it turned out it was your mamma on the john/ She came downstairs into the hall/ I said damn, girl, why don't you whip out the Lysol?/ No, fool, put on CK-One/ I said, girl, you trippin' 'cause it smells like dung/ You stankin', you funky, you smell like my pet monkey." Rap-core, the recently popularized fusion of n??-metal guitars and rap lyrics, is another genre that does not escape unscathed. Masch offers us "Rippin' Off Your Testicles," complete with his own drumming and Joe Boyle's repetitive, noisy guitar. Performing as "Unic-Man," he shouts the song's title over and over in an ear-piercingly high voice that elicits immediate laughter, even if the lyrics might disturb males with unusually high levels of castration anxiety: "I'm a lion, a tiger, a bear, oh my/ Don't cry, guy, try to keep your head up high/ 'Cause you definitely don't want to look at your testicles/ They're all severed up in tiny pieces, decimals/ And now it's established that I am indetestable/ So try not to scream when I'm rippin' off your testicles." King Solomon even satirizes children's music in "And The Cow Goes..." On that track, a guitarist named Sun-Dried Tomato invites a friend to make different animal noises as he sings. But the friend can't keep up, forgets which animals make which noises, and storms off in a barrage of profanities.Sezame Street Beatdown's most important asset is that Masch never takes himself too seriously. In the CD case insert, he includes one picture of himself _ he stands in a modern kitchen wearing a luxuriant bathrobe, reading Easy Gardening magazine. Meanwhile, he pours himself a Gateway 2000 mug of malt liquor from a 40-ounce bottle of Olde English. Masch's album is available from mp3.com, and he will bring his live act to the Tufts this April when he performs at Hotung Caf?©.

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News

Sixers comfortable on top

March 31

The Philadelphia 76ers are having one of the best regular seasons in franchise history - led by perhaps the NBA's best player, Allen Iverson, "The Answer." Some of the NBA's finest donned a 76ers uniform - Sir Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlainand Julius "Dr. J" Erving are just three names from a glorious past; they happen to be three of the NBA's "50 Greatest Players," but the best 76er may have just arrived. In Iverson's fifth NBA season, the guard is taking the league by storm, leading all scorers with a stunning 30.4 points per game. Perhaps more importantly, Iverson has led the 76ers to the best record in the NBA (40-14), placing them 7.5 games in front of the second place Miami Heat in the Atlantic Division. In his first two seasons, Iverson was a great scoring threat but was frequently criticized for his selfish play and questionable off-the-court behavior. Critics doubted if he had the intangibles to carry his team to the next level. Today, it is clear that he has changed his game for the better. In addition to leading the league in points, Iverson is also racking up 4.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game. And Iverson has not been the lone star in Philadelphia this year. The Sixers have also gotten a career year from All-Star center Theo Ratliff, who is putting in 12.4 points, while averaging 8.3 rebounds and a phenomenal 3.7 blocks per game. Unfortunately, Ratliff will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his wrist, which will keep him out of action for a minimum of six weeks. The team has experience dealing with injuries. When Eric Snow went down earlier this season with a hurt leg, the Sixers appeared to be in trouble, but thanks to stellar play from Iverson and role players such as Toni Kukoc, Tyrone Hill, George Lynch, and Aaron McKie, among others, the Sixers kept rolling. Philadelphia seems to be running away with the best record in the East and it appears inevitable that the Sixers will clinch home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. The New York Knicks are one of the few other stable teams in a conference defined by inconsistency. The Knicks have made the playoffs for 12 consecutive years and this year should be no different. While New York will surely make the playoffs, the team is doing it with a different formula. The offseason trade of 15-year veteran and certain Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing to the Seattle Supersonics seems to be a blessing rather than a curse. Ewing's absence has allowed Marcus Camby to develop his offensive and defensive presence and Camby is finally beginning to live up to his billing as the second overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. Averaging 10.8 points per game as well as being among the league leaders in shots blocked (2.3) and rebounds (10.8), Camby's young legs and speed make him a threat to the less mobile centers in the league. All-Star Alan Houston continues to play high-caliber basketball, averaging 20 points per game. Fellow All-Star Latrell Sprewell has also been a force for the Knicks, averaging 17.3 points per game. Glen Rice, who came over in the Ewing trade, has proved his as the Knicks' top guy off the bench worth averaging 12.7 points a game. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, the Knicks don't seem to have that one go-to-player who can lead them to a championship. The Knicks remain 8.5 games out of first place in the Atlantic and will not likely have "The Answer" for Allen Iverson in the playoffs. On the other side of the standings, a discussion of cellar-dwellers in the Eastern Conference could not take place without focusing on the Chicago Bulls. Fans of the Bulls have long forgotten the glory days of Jordan and Pippen and are beginning to adjust to losing with the like of Elton Brand, Ron Mercer, and Ron Artest. While the Bulls are filled with former Division I superstars from Duke, Kentucky, and St. John's, the players can't seem to cobble together a winning streak. The Bulls are nonetheless getting great production out of center Elton Brand who is averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. Mercer also is putting up 20.1 a game. Rookie Marcus Fizer, from Iowa State, is likewise on the rise, putting up 8.1 points a game in his first season in the league. Still, the Bulls have only been able to manage a paltry nine wins in their 2000-2001 campaign. Perhaps Bulls fans simply have to wait for these young players to mature. But one can't overlook coaching when a team of future stars can't even manage ten wins in 50 games. Tim Floyd is in his third season as head coach since replacing coaching legend Phil Jackson. Clearly its not all Floyd's fault. General manager Jerry Krauss deserves much of the blame. After putting together arguably the greatest team of all time, he has not been able to acquire that sigle star who could turn his franchise back in the right direction. The Bulls missed out on landing highly coveted free agents Grant Hill and Tracy Mcgrady, who both passed up the Windy City for Florida. For now, the Bulls are playing the waiting game and hoping that their young stars can carry some momentum into the long off-season for the former kings of the NBA.

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News

Students and senators apathetic about TCU Senate non-election

March 31

Something will be missing tomorrow, but very few students remember what was supposed to happen. The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate election, an event that involves all non-graduating students, was canceled when none of the open seats were contested. With the presidential elections and constitutional amendment referendums approaching, questions have been raised as to whether or not there will be a sufficient voter turnout to pass an amendment given the perceived lack of interest in the Senate. One student, freshman Jared Blum, was completely unaware of the Senate elections, and does not plan to vote in the upcoming presidential elections. "I guess I'm lazy," he said. And Blum is not alone. Many students do not know anything about the issues relating to tomorrow's non-election, or the upcoming ballot on the TCU Judiciary, Committee on Student Life, presidential race, and constitutional amendments. Voter turnout is critical to the referendums, as they cannot be passed unless 20 percent of students cast a vote. Three proposals are on the ballet: one that would overhaul the entire constitution, one that would allow culture representatives to vote, and another that would add identity and belief protection to the Judiciary's jurisdiction. But many senators do not seem concerned that the perceived lack of interest in the Senate will effect the April 25 elections. "Absolutely not," said Senate Parliamentarian Benjamin Lee, who proposed one of the amendments. CSL member Sam Dangremond, who also proposed an amendment, agreed. "I do not believe that the lack of Senate elections will result in a lower voter turnout for the elections on the 25th," he said. "If anything, the fact that students will only be asked to vote on one day may result in a higher voter turnout. I believe that this year's tight presidential election, also being held on the 25th, will draw many people in to vote." Sixteen of the 20 "elected" senators for the 2001-2002 are current senators, and had already gone through the election process at least once. Senate Vice President and presidential hopeful Eric Greenberg believes that the low number of candidates may signal that students feel that their needs are being met by the Senate. "In some ways you could look at the lack of people running as an indication that students are generally content with the work being done by the Senate. Usually, when other people run it is because they believe they can do the job better than the incumbents," he said. Senior Lou Tavares said that it's not satisfaction with the Senate, but rather a lack of interest in the Senate, that is the root of the problems. "I didn't even know there were elections going on," he said. But there is a consensus among senators, both past and future, that the non-election is not a significant issue. "I think it's very sad whenever there is not an election, but I think, of the people returning to the Senate, they're very good at what they do. I don't think it will be a detriment to the Senate in any way," said Senate Treasurer Michele Shelton, another presidential hopeful. Senate President David Moon agreed, saying the non-election was "not really a big deal." Many senators, though, are quick to acknowledge a rift between the Senate and the rest of the student body. "The student body, or at least a good portion of it, feels somewhat disconnected from the Senate, and it should be the goal of the new Senate to reach out to the community," Greenberg said. The current vice president also pointed to a less media-hungry Senate as one reason that students aren't aware of what the student government does, and how it can affect the quality of life at Tufts. Tufts Transgendered, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) Co-Coordinator Mike Lambert agrees with Greenberg: "There's a general sentiment that the Senate is a figurehead of the administration, and it's unable to take any policy initiatives or accomplish anything of importance," he said. "People don't take an interest in the events of the Senate and therefore, when they hear popular rumors about how the Senate doesn't do anything, they agree." Although Lambert readily acknowledged the accomplishments of the Senate over the past year, he too expressed concerns over its ability to truly affect change. "The Senate helped resolve the [Tufts Christian Fellowship] controversy by proposing to amend the nondiscrimination policy to protect a student's 'belief and identity,'" he said. "However, I'm very concerned that the University might not back up the policy should it be challenged."

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News

WMFO's Mikey Dee, Godsmack big winners at BMAs

March 31

Forget the Grammys. Thursday night's Boston Music Awards, for which tickets are always available to the public, proved that an awards show can be both informal and meaningful at the same time. Hosted by MTV's Dave Holmes, who apologized for his apparent state of overdress ("I look like an asshole stockbroker!"), the event allowed fans, music industry professionals, and the artists themselves to mingle in the seats of the Orpheum while enjoying a barrage of musical performances. Pop-rockers American Hi-Fi opened the show with their high-energy single "Flavor of the Week," and shortly thereafter claimed the Rising Star Award. Despite the event's poppy opening, the evening took on a distinctly metallic flavor. Godsmack, nestled comfortably in the audience, won six of the seven awards it was nominated for, including Act of the Year, Album of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year. Perhaps one of the biggest treats of the evening was hearing vocalist Sully Erna's true voice - not gruff and angry as it sounds on the radio, but a voice with one of the thickest Boston accents around. Godsmack playfully interacted with Springfield-based rockers Staind, jumping on each other onstage. But Staind only claimed an award for one of its four nominations: Best Video for "Home." Staind's losing streak noticeably troubled Erna, for when he went to claim his award for Best Male Vocalist, he noted, "I don't know who made this mistake, but if it isn't this year, next year Aaron [Lewis, of Staind] needs to get this award." The performers themselves reflected the hard-rock atmosphere of the evening, and more than one presenter wore a "got metal?" T-shirt. Nullset and C60, both Boston-based, churned out thick n??-metal. Halfcocked, who won the award for Outstanding Debut on an Indie Label, frightened both audience and stage crew, with its sexily dressed, profanity-spewing female singer. Their lead guitarist, a short white man with bleached hair and far too many leather cuffs and metal studs, ran around stage swinging his guitar above his head. He accidentally tore a guitar string apart with the spiked cuff on his right hand, and then feigned masturbation over the head of the female lead singer to end his solo. "Not a thing got done backstage in the last five minutes," remarked Dave Holmes as the band walked offstage. He attributed the lack of work to the stage crew's combination of being "turned on and scared shitless." But not all of the evening's performances were as terrifying as Halfcocked's. Somerville resident Ellis Paul lit up the stage performing a folk duet with the undeniably adorable, very talented Melissa Ferrick. Ferrick later won the award for Outstanding Female Singer/Songwriter. Despite a few technical difficulties, folk songstress Patty Larkin also commanded the crowd's attention. Roomful of Blues, an eight-piece ensemble that has been playing in the Bay State for the past 30 years, had the majority of the crowd dancing in their seats with new single "Salt of My Tears." Rapper Mr. Lif, who performed in Alumnae Hall during this year's EPIIC symposium, stunned the crow with his politically conscious, expletive-free rap. He began his performance without music, rapping about the dangers of having George W. Bush in office: "We'll use poverty to neutralized the poor... and on the dark side, we'll reinstate apartheid!" He then performed "Cro-magnon" with spinner DJ Dummy. With such a powerful and eloquent performance, he proved that he was well worthy of the Outstanding Rap/Hip-Hop Act award he'd won earlier. WMFO DJ Mikey Dee was the biggest winner of the night - as well as the first ever non-musician to win the Hall of Fame award, the most prestigious honor given at the BMAs. Dee, who was been a promoter of the Boston music scene for years, suffered a stroke last year, and his WMFO show, "On the Town with Mikey Dee," has been on indefinite hiatus ever since. Accepting the award in his honor were three of the key players in the Boston Music scene, one of which was Adam Lewis, president of the Planetary Group, a Boston public relations firm that deals with many local acts. The presenters held that Dee was not receiving the award as compensation for his stroke, but rather for his personality as a "schmoozer extraordinaire," his radio show, and his long career as a rock critic. Lewis read a prepared acceptance speech by Dee, and then encouraged everyone to attend the "For the Benefit of Mr. Dee" concert series, which took place this weekend with the goal of raising money for the recovering disc jockey. "This event proves that Boston is the greatest music community in the land," he said, then repeated the words with which Dee ended his show on WMFO every week: "Go out and see at least one local act this weekend." The Ertegun Impact Award, named after Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, was awarded to Arif Mardin, a senior vice president at Atlantic Records. Mardin immigrated from Turkey to New York in 1958, then moved to Back Bay and attended Berklee. After graduating, he went on to a professorship there, but moved on to commercial interests and produced albums by such artists as Roberta Flack, Phil Collins, Chaka Khan, and Carly Simon. Simon, who won the Hall of Fame award in 1995, was on hand to present him the award: a glass sculpture of a music note, handmade in Venice. Although these serious awards were given in the middle of the show, the relaxed atmosphere of the evening prevailed. Thanks to his laid-back attitude, Holmes was easily able to add to the unique flair of the event. He calmly and comically reacted when fans in the audience proclaimed their love for him - or when a dissenter commanded him to "Run, Forrest!" as he jaunted across the stage. He also proved himself in tune with the college market, bringing a can of the ever-popular Red Bull Energy Drink on stage. The Boston Music Awards proved that it was possible to honor artists in their hometown at an event open to their fans, while simultaneously entertaining everyone in the house. Sully Erna from Godsmack received a literal pat on the back from a fan seated behind him every time he won an award. The members of Staind high-fived audience members along the aisles of the Orpheum. And Tufts radio's most famous disc jockey won the biggest award of the year.

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News

Speaking truth

March 31

I'm fairly certain that my story is quite similar to those of a number of students here at Tufts. I am the product of a middle-class family that lives in suburban America. I'm a college student living a comfortable life, working my way toward the comfortable future that my degree from this university will provide me (or so I'm told). I have a penchant for politics but have little awareness about human rights. My lack of familiarity with the topic stems from the fact that my personal rights have never been violated by anyone- especially not by my own government. I foolishly assumed that I had no reason to become personally involved with the cause- but now I know that I have many reasons to be concerned. I began my work on the Speak Truth To Power lecture vaguely familiar with Kerry Kennedy Cuomo's book of the same name, and even less familiar with the idea of human rights defense. But through an intense period of organization and event-planning, I became more aware of the significance of this book and the necessity of the crusade against human rights violations. In her April 10th speech to the audience of students and University figures, Kennedy Cuomo described her first hand experience with human rights defense. Beginning with work through Amnesty International, Kennedy Cuomo was a sophomore in college when she discovered the injustices that were being suffered by the people of El Salvador at the hands of US Immigration officials. Kennedy Cuomo opened my eyes to a number of violations that are occurring within our own country. She spoke about the 14 American women she knows who have been raped. Of those 14, only two sought intervention by police. Both of their cases were dismissed without reaching conclusions. While I listened to this unbelievable statistic from her own life experience, I was brimming with anger about the injustice those women have experienced. While I generally associated human rights problems with foreign countries, Kennedy Cuomo's story inspired me to work toward change in my own life here in America. I realize the importance of fighting for honesty and integrity in the American justice system at all levels. Also speaking at this lecture were three Fletcher students who have been deeply involved in this area. Neamatollah Nojumi, a founding member of the American-based Afghanistan Rescue Effort, spoke about his experience as the child of an Afghani politician. Lisa Karanja is a legal advisor on women's property rights and gender violence for the International Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya. Her commitment to ridding her country of grave practices of injustice is inspiring. Bonny Ling, a member of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo, spoke of her amazing experience. These three people are more local examples of amazing human rights activists. They have each had experiences that most of us can never imagine. They have molded their anger and frustration into a vehicle through which they can each work toward justice. In each of their speeches, they reiterated a theme that was present in Kennedy Cuomo's statements as well - we can all work for human rights causes; we can all effect world change.It is our responsibility to become cognizant of the violations that are occurring worldwide, as well as those here in the United States. Preserving another human being's basic rights is simply a matter of respect. We all have the capacity to work for change- we may not be able to move mountains single-handedly, but we can and must work to make the world a better and safer place. Involving oneself in already-established groups working for human rights preservation like Amnesty International is a start. Just because something is not directly affecting oneself, apathy and indifference are not acceptable. As one eloquent participant in the Speak Truth roundtable discussion stated, "We can't wait for someone to be banging on the door for us to open it. We must have it open before they even arrive." We must all learn to speak truth to power.Christina Zahara is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.

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