Heights 3-25-10

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919

THE HEIGHTS THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010

Vol. XCI, No. 16

www.bcheights.com

‘Times’ columnist dissects Washington

BY NATALIE SILENO For The Heights

David Brooks, opinions columnist for the New York Times, spoke Monday on the recently passed health care bill and the state of the U.S. political climate at a lecture in Gasson Hall’s Irish Room on Monday.

During his lecture, Brooks said the decline of the American cultural values of thrift and responsibility was the cause for fiscal and political strife within the country.

“When they Europeans first came to this country years ago, they had two thoughts,” he said. “The first was that God’s vision for humanity would be realized here and, two, that they would get really rich doing so.”

Brooks examined current political issues with a focus on the people and attitudes that have shaped policy as it stands today.

Regarding the health care bill, Brooks said that its prominence lies in its realization, not in its content. “I find it on the one hand very impressive,” he said. “But I’m not happy with the bill overall.”

He said that while he does not agree with every facet of the legislation, he expects the bill to do a lot of good for the country’s people. “A lot of people will go to bed at night resting easier,” he said. “But they did not do enough to solve the actual problem.”

The bill’s development exposed the flaws of the Washington political system, he said.

“I saw the nature of the Democratic party, for

Search for summer internships continues

good or ill, come out in this process.”

Brooks described his dealings with politicians during his time reporting on Capitol Hill. Public servants, he said, develop a keen ability to read others and to adapt to situations. “Politicians don’t have heads, they have containers for heads,” he said. “If they don’t have the ability to walk into a room and feel what everybody’s thinking, they learn it out of practice.”

Brooks said he uses two words to describe politicians. “If you interview as many politicians as I do, you come away with two words: reasonable and private.”

Many public servants, he said, are “normal” once they are taken out of their political settings. “They’re normal in private,” he said.

“They know weaknesses of their own position and the strengths of the opposition’s position.”

But, he said, many can get constrained by political prejudices. “They are genuinely service-oriented people, who are stuck in a team mentality,” he said. “They don’t see each other as people, but as members of the other team.”

One such politician Brooks spoke of was President Barack Obama. “I think he’s a serious, smart, responsible guy,” Brooks said of Obama. But, he said, “Obama’s self-confidence has a good side and a bad side.”

During his time in office, Obama has

Students navigate internship market

BY DANIEL TONKOVICH For The Heights

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

See Brooks, A3

‘New York Times’ columnist David Brooks spoke to a packed Irish Room Monday

Health care a matter of debate for faculty Opinion on bill differs among University professors

BY COREY JAVES For The Heights

Sunday night, Congress passed the health care reform bill by a vote of 219-212. The bill’s passage was aided by an executive order that stated no federal funds would finance abortions.

After the bill passed late Sunday night, President Barack Obama gave a brief speech showing his support of the bill, laying claim to its historic significance. “We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things and tackling our biggest challenges,” he said.

“We proved that this government – a government of the people and by the people – still works for the people.”

Among the changes that will be instituted as a result of the bill’s passing is a requirement that every American citizen carry health insurance. This will expand coverage to 32 million Americans who do not currently have health insurance coverage, according to congressional reports. The plan will also require insurance companies to cover the full costs of preventative care, to cover policy holders with pre-existing conditions, and to allow children to stay on their parents’ insurance plan until they reach the age of 26. The legislation also expands

INSIDE SPORTS

Preview of the men’s hockey team’s road to Detroit, A10

THE SCENE

Blooming Boston: A selection of the city’s top arts events, B1

MARKETPLACE

Obama signs Congress’ health care reform into law , B10 Classifieds, A5 Crossword, A5 Editorials, A6 Editors’ Picks, A9 Forecast on Washington, B7 On the Flip Side, B6 Police Blotter, A2 Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, A7 Videos on the Verge, B2 Weather, A2

Medicaid and makes brand name prescription drugs more readily available to those currently covered by Medicare. The plan, which is expected to cost nearly a trillion dollars, will be paid for through tax increases starting next January.

The debate has continued, both in the offices of Congress and the classrooms of Boston College, over what this will mean for the country and what this means for the average American.

“I have long been in favor of finding a way to get government-sponsored health care coverage for lowincome and unemployed because we end up paying the costs of their poor health, in terms of both acute diseases and chronic bad health, one way or another,” said Timothy Crawford, a professor in the political science department.

David Hollenbach, human rights and international justice University chair, referenced the U.S. Bishops Program of Social Reconstruction. “As far back as 1919, the U.S. Catholic Church urged that the state should make comprehensive provision for insurance against illness,” he said. “Despite the recently ambiguous positions of the U.S. bishops and with the strong support of U.S. Catholic nuns, final approval of health care insurance by the Congress will realize a goal that has been a priority of the Catholic Church for nearly a century. The action of the House is a major step toward the fuller protection of the dignity and well-being of the people of the

United States.”

Joyce Pulcini, a professor in the Connell School of Nursing (CSON), said, “I am very pleased that the health care bill did pass as I feel that this is an historic moment in U.S. history. Finally we will no longer be the only industrialized country without universal access to health care. Heath care is a right, not a privilege, and we need to meet the heath care needs of all citizens in the U.S.” Pulcini said that the bill’s passage into law will not have any side-effects on nurses entering the work force.

“This bill has been strongly supported by nursing groups who feel that this reform was much needed. What helps patients will always be in the best interest of nurses,” he said.

Others are concerned about the cost of the bill. “The country faces two big problems regarding health care,” said Marc Landy, a professor in the political science department. “Health care is gobbling up too large a percentage of our national wealth, and there are too many people not covered by health care. The question is which of these the more serious problem is,” he said.

“Given the state of the economy and how difficult it is for the federal government to meet its obligations, it is too difficult to deal with the second question and we should have focused on the first question. I really appreciate

The warm weather serves as a reminder to Boston College students that the search is on for sumer employment.

Although the number of internships available to students has remained the same, hiring is down approximately 20 percent this year, in turn making the search more competitive, according to statistics from the BC Career Center.

Also, fewer internships come with a paycheck, especially those outside of the major professional companies.

“Many opportunities exist for summer experiences,” said Peter Hunt, assistant director of the Career Center. “Some students pursue the traditional internship path, while others pursue solely employment to boost finances, a combination of internship and employment, or just intensive volunteering,” he said.

“Internships are more common with upperclassmen as they are often used as a pipeline by employers to bring in qualified employees, and many BC students have success in being hired with a company due to their involvement in an internship program.”

Hanyin Cheng, A&S ’12, is one of the many BC students aiming to secure an internship this summer. Cheng, a computer science major, utilized Eagle Link as well as the relationships he has formed with technology companies through the Carroll School of Management’s information systems courses to search for internships.

“While nothing is finalized, I am competing for two internship opportuni-

See Internships, A3

Hernandez to lead ALC next year

See Health Care, A3

Hockey tickets offered at discount rate Athletics department releases 200 discounted tickets for NCAA tournament

BY MICHAEL CAPRIO News Editor

The athletics department will be offering 200 discounted student tickets for the NCAA hockey tournament this weekend in Worcester, Mass. The tickets, which will be distributed via a lottery system, will cost $35 instead of $85.

The University will also be providing bus transportation to and from Worcester for the two-day tournament.

The buses will run on a schedule over the weekend, transporting students before and after the tournament and in between games.

Gene DeFilippo, director of the athletics department, said that the $85 ticket price is determined by the NCAA, and that the University has no say in setting the price.

It does, however, have the choice of offering student tickets subsidized by the University. “We decided that we would take the hit,” DeFilippo said. “For the tickets, for the bus transportation there and back to the game. We have to pay the $50 for students.”

The athletics department will be releasing approximately one-third of available tickets to students at this discounted price. Athletics took game attendance for season ticket holders into account when distributing the 200 tickets. “We

try to make sure we get our hockey supporters taken care of first,” said James

O’Neill, associate athletic director for ticket operations. The remaining tickets will be distributed, taking into account athletic department supporters and donors, he said.

In response to student concern over the $85 ticket price, O’Neill said that the University is subject to the event prices set by the venue. “The same thing is true when we go to the Frozen Four. The same thing is true when we go to the Beanpot,” he said. “I think it’s important to emphasize that tickets at events held outside BC are not determined by us.”

Jamie DiLoretto, director of external relations for the athletics department,

said that the department’s expenses on this initiative are estimated at $10,000, depending on the number of students in the lottery.

As of noon yesterday, there were just over 100 students entered in the ticket lottery, O’Neill said. The athletics department accepted entries until 6 p.m.

Al Dea, president of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) and CSOM ’10, said that he met with DeFilippo immediately after BC’s advancement to the tournament was announced on Sunday.

“Our concern was for students who wanted to go to the game and making it easy for those who wanted to do so,” Dea said. 

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The BC Men’s Hockey team earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament this weekend.

KEVIN HOU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Hernandez serves as current ALC vice president

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER Assoc. News Editor

The AHANA Leadership Council (ALC) held elections over the weekend for the 2010-2011 academic year, selecting Erika Hernandez, current ALC vice president and A&S ’11, as its next president. Susan Choy, the current ALC chief of staff and CSOM ’11, was selected as the next vice president.

Hernandez said that she hopes to apply experiences from her tenure as ALC vice president to the task ahead, in order to address both internal and external challenges. She succeeds Earl Edwards, A&S ’10.

“This year, I worked really closely with Earl,” Hernandez said. “I learned almost everything there is to know about how to run a large organization [like the ALC], what types of things work, and what types of things don’t work.”

She said she hopes to strengthen the connection between the ALC and the rest of the AHANA community, as well as the BC community as a whole.

By working with the Office of AHANA

See ALC, A4

TopFive

Thursday, March 25, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

things to do on campus this week

Extremism and the West

1

“Speech and Debate”

Today Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Higgins 300

Join the Quality of Student Life Committee in welcoming Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for the New York Times Andrea Elliott, who will speak about Islamic extremism in the United States.

2

Today Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Bonn Studio

Speech and Debate, a play by Stephen Karam, tells the story of three teenagers from Oregon who find they are linked by the same sex scandal, and one sets out to expose the truth.

6th Annual Baldwin Awards

3

Friday Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Heights Room

The Baldwin Awards celebrate excellence in student filmmaking on campus. Golden Eagle statuettes will be presented in 13 categories including Best Picture of the Year and Viewer’s Choice.

FEATURED ON CAMPUS

Discrepancy with DNA evidence

Men’s Ice Hockey Regional

4

Saturday Time: 12 p.m.

Location: Yawkey Center

Free transportation will be provided to the men’s Ice Hockey Regional in Worcester, MA. Buses will depart from the Yawkey Center at noon on March 27 and at 4 p.m. on March 28.

Investing: the new shopping

5

Tuesday Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Cushing 001

Sponsored by Women in Business, the panel, featuring realworld women, will go over the basics of investing. Find out whether J. Crew, Steve Madden, and Coach are smart investments.

IntheNews

FOUR DAY WEATHER FORECAST TODAY

60° Mostly Sunny 41°

FRIDAY

41° AM Rain 25°

SATURDAY

41° Mostly Sunny

University Supreme Court in agreement on dismissing former student’s debt On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously voted to uphold an appellate court decision allowing a former student to discharge a portion of his student-loan debts in bankruptcy without proper legal proceedings to show that repaying the loans would lead to hardship. Under federal law, student loans cannot be dismissed in bankruptcy unless borrowers can present proof that they are unable to repay debts in the future.

Lenders have said that the requirements for student loans are necessary to protect taxpayers.

33°

SUNDAY

53° Mostly Cloudy 40°

SOURCE: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

A Guide to Your Newspaper The Heights Boston College – McElroy 113 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467 Editor-in-Chief (617) 552-2223

Local News Recession has ended in Mass., new jobs soon, according to analysts

SANG LEE / HEIGHTS STAFF

The case of Mass. vs. Darrin Fernandez, featured on NBC’s “Dateline,” proved that DNA evidence is not always conclusive.

BY DIVYA PRAKASH For The Heights David Deakin, assistant district attorney for Suffolk County, Kristi Holden, a sexual assault nurse examiner, and Fred Rothenberg, NBC’s Dateline producer, spoke about the limitations of DNA evidence at Robsham Theater Wednesday night.

In the spring of 2006, the case of Massachusetts vs. Darrin Fernandez was reviewed in Boston.

The victim, “Kate,” had been raped in her Dorchester home.

DNA evidence could have proven Darrin Fernandez’s guilt in the case, but instead of being conclusive, it confused the jury even more, as Fernandez has an identical twin, Damien, who shares his DNA sequence. Either Darrin or Damien could be the rapist, but which brother was it? The dilemma pitted brother against brother, and Rothenberg was given the job of making the story into a Dateline episode.

The episode, termed “Blood Brothers,” was shown at the event.

“If this story were just two rapes in Dorchester, then it wouldn’t be a Dateline story,” Rothenberg said. “What makes a good story is mystery, intrigue, or infidelity.”

That identical twins were both suspects in the case was intriguing, Rothenberg said.

Even more fascinating to him was the betrayal factor. Darrin Fernandez’s lawyer worked to plant doubt in the minds of the

jurors, which he did by portraying how his brother, Damien, could also have been responsible for Kate’s rape.

“The brothers were the only two that knew with certainty who was telling the truth, who did it, and the jury was going to have to figure it out,” Rothenberg said.

Darrin Fernandez had been tried twice before for this particular case, but each trial ended in a “hung jury,” or a mistrial.

The 2006 re-trial and DNA evidence proved to be the end of the dilemma. Police were able to use alternate investigation methods, and a jury sentenced Darrin to 2535 years in prison for the rapes.

Fernandez was already serving a 10 to 15-year sentence for the rape of Jennifer Hogrell, but the evidence presented in that case was withheld during the original trials of Kate’s rape. Kate suffered through two mistrials before Deakin was assigned to her case.

Deakin took a risk and called Hogrell to testify in Kate’s case.

Usually, DNA evidence is considered conclusive in the courtroom. “In the normal case it’s game over if a rapist’s DNA is matched,” Deakin said. DNA could not be used to identify the guilty party in this case, though, which is why the testimony of the two victims, Kate and Hogrell, was key evidence.

In the end, Darrin Fernandez was convicted based on traditional evidence. Both women remember their attacker speaking clearly, and Darrin’s twin had a lisp. Kate remembers a

shorthaired rapist, and Darrin’s twin had an afro at the time of her rape. Jennifer remembers an armband tattoo on her rapist, and Darrin’s twin has no tattoo on his arm, while Darrin had a tribal pattern on his left bicep.

Holden’s role in the case was to perform a “rape kit,” or a series of tests to collect evidence from the victim, whose body, Holden says, “is an important part of the crime scene.”

Holden, who has been a nurse for over 20 years, said that until the time of the trial, she did not know that identical twins had matching DNA. Kaitlin Vigars, BC ’08, organized this event through the Forensics Nursing Department.

Vigars said she thinks that popular crime shows, like CSI, have misled people. DNA evidence is “really not the end-all-be-all” of a case, and DNA evidence will not erase older forms of detective work, she said. “DNA isn’t always the ultimate source, and it doesn’t hold all the answers.”

This lecture was the largest in a series of lectures organized by the Forensics Nursing Program.

In February, Sergeant Pi Heseltine of the Massachusetts State Police spoke about drug-assisted sexual assault. In the fall, David Adams spoke about “Batterers Who Kill,” and his book, Why Do They Kill? Men Who Murder Their Intimate Partners. Also in the fall, Ann Marie Mires, a forensic anthropologist, spoke about the use of forensics in large-scale disasters, like Sept. 11. 

Massachusetts has rebounded from the recession still affecting most states and jobs will be steadily added in coming months according to a leading economic forecasting firm. Analysts who looked at employment and production estimate that Mass. began recovering in January, as one of 22 states with growing economies.

The state economy is still struggling, but there have been signs of improvement in recent months. Statewide employment increased last month and Mass. saw its first job gains in two years.

On Campus CSOM’s MBA accounting program among top 15 in the country The Carroll School of Management MBA program is one of 15 graduate schools of business named to The Princeton Review’s 2nd annual “Student Opinion Honors for Business Schools” list, for accounting. The list will appear in April’s issue of Entrepreneur, the country’s top entrepreneurial publication. The categories also included finance, general management, global management, marketing, and operations. The top business schools are ranked based on student evaluations of their program’s preparation in different areas.

Editorial General (617) 552-2221 Managing Editor (617) 552-4286 News Desk (617) 552-0172 Sports Desk (617) 552-0189 Marketplace Desk (617) 552-3548 Features Desk (617) 552-3548 Arts Desk (617) 552-0515 Photo (617) 552-1022 Fax (617) 552-4823 Business and Operations General Manager (617) 552-0169 Advertising (617) 552-2220 Business and Circulation (617) 552-0547 Classifieds and Collections (617) 552-0364 Fax (617) 552-1753 EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Michael Caprio, News Editor, at (617) 552-0172, or e-mail news@bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the News Desk.

Sports Scores Want to report the results of a game? Call Zach Wielgus, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or e-mail sports@bcheights.com.

Nebraska crime scene investigator accused of evidence tampering

Arts Events The Heights covers a multitude of events both on and off campus – including concerts, movies, theatrical performances, and more. Call Kristen House, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or e-mail review@ bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the Arts Desk.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — As the chief crime scene investigator for Nebraska’s busiest county, David Kofoed spent more than a decade helping put away hundreds of criminals using cold, hard science. He developed a reputation as a man who could find things others couldn’t. That reputation was destroyed Tuesday when the Douglas County CSI director was convicted of planting blood evidence during a murder investigation. The conviction throws into doubt the legitimacy of other cases on which he worked, and some of those he helped put behind bars are likely lining up for appeal.

Clarifications / Corrections The Heights strives to provide its readers with complete, accurate, and balanced information. If you believe we have made a reporting error, have information that requires a clarification or correction, or questions about The Heights standards and practices, you may contact Matthew DeLuca, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@ bcheights.com.

National

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Police Blotter 3/18/10 – 3/21/10 Thursday, March 18

Sunday, March 21

9:34 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a party who was verbally abusive toward a gate attendant. The operator was identified as an employee and a report will be forwarded to their supervisor for review.

12:34 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a party observed operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner. After an investigation, it was determined the operator did not possess a valid license. The motor vehicle was towed and a false identification was confiscated.

6:47 p.m. - A report was filed regarding two parties who were trapped in an elevator in the Commonwealth garage. The parties were freed without incident.

Friday, March 19 2:38 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a party who was observed to be operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The party was identified and the keys to the motor vehicle were confiscated.

4:06 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a third party report about a party observed on BC property after previously receiving a trespass warning. The party was later located and placed under arrest for trespassing. Christopher Johnson of Paterson, NJ, was taken into custody.

10:16 p.m. - A report was filed regarding the confiscation of alcoholic beverages from three underage parties. Two non-BC parties were identified, issued written trespass warnings, and escorted off BC property.

1:16 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a party asleep at the wheel of a motor vehicle near Gabelli Hall. Due to jurisdictional issues, Newton Police responded and took over the investigation.

1:54 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a disorderly party who was observed smoking a cigar inside Corcoran Commons. A report will be forwarded to the ODSD for disciplinary action.

2:44 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a motor vehicle accident that resulted in property damage and bodily injury. One party was transported by ambulance to a medical society.

Newton Police later responded to take over the investigation.

12:57 p.m. - A report was filed regarding assistance provided at an accident scene involving a jogger and a bicyclist. Boston Police and Boston Fire later responded to take over the accident.

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

Voices from the Dustbowl “What do you think about the health care plan?”

“It doesn’t solve any of the partisanship.”

—Minje Shin, A&S ’13

“It’s a good idea.”

—Lorenzo Posadas, CSOM ’11

“We don’t feel like we have an extensive knowledge of the pros and cons - most people don’t.”

—Dana Hogan, CSOM ’12, Sophie Moradian, A&S ’12

Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact John O’Reilly, General Manager at (617) 552-0547.

Advertising The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the BC community. To submit a classified, display, or online advertisement, call our advertising office at (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday.

The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2010. All rights reserved.

CORRECTIONS Please send corrections to editor@bcheights.com with ‘correction’ in the subject line.

A3

The Heights

Thursday, March 25, 2010

“It is not so much a question of health care itself as it is ... the way the federal government regulates the conduct of individuals.”

-Rev. Frank Parker, S.J. Professor, Carroll School of Management

“Given the state of the economy ... I really appreciate what Obama is trying to do, but I think he made the wrong choice.”

- Marc Landy Professor, Political Science Department

The action of the House is a major step toward the fuller protection of the dignity and well-being of the people of the United States.”

-Rev. David Hollenbach, S.J. Chair, Center for Rights and Human Justics

“Heath care is a right, not a privilege, and we need to meet the heath care needs of all citizens in the U.S.” - Joyce Pulcini Professor, Connell School of Nursing

Rachel Gregorio / Heights photo illustration

Implications of legislation draw diverse opinions Health Care, from A1

what Obama is trying to do, but I think he made the wrong choice.”

Rev. Frank Parker, S.J., who has a background in business law and realestate studies and is a professor at the Carroll Graduate School of Management (CGSOM), said that the disconnect between the law’s writers and the people it will effect is a cause of concern.

“The health care bill will be imple-

mented in years to come, long after Obama has left office,” he said. “We have never had a sort of law go into effect for which people are not accountable. Such a great number of legislators are aware that their constituents don’t want policy, it is something rare that it still gets pushed through.”

Parker drew on occurrences from U.S. history to give examples. “The last time this occurred was with the Vietnam War,” he said. “To do this on a domestic issue

is very different, and Obama will have great pressures on him. It’s a tremendously complicated subject, and the pace at which you change it has to be reasoned.

It is not so much a question of health care itself as it is a relationship between the state and federal government, and the way the federal government regulates the conduct of individuals.”

Others challenged the politics behind the bill’s formation. “The way the bill was passed was ugly and corrupt,” said

Rev. Paul McNellis, S.J. “The Democrats should have tried to receive bipartisan support as was done with all major social legislation in the past. If the bill goes into law as stands, it will drastically change the relationship between the average citizen and government,” he said. “I hope I am wrong, but I think the quality of care will go down, become harder to get, and become more expensive.”

“I went to grad school in Canada and realized that people who think govern-

ment-run health care will be more efficient do not know what they are talking about,” said Rev. Ronald Tacelli, S.J. “This marks an inevitable decrease in the quality of health care and an enormous increase of the federal government’s power over every aspect of our lives.

With all these new people pushed into the system, do we have a corresponding increase in nurses and doctors? If not, no one can deny the fact that there will be a decrease in quality.” n

Students secure internships Internships, from A1

ties” said Cheng. “One would be at a local tech firm called Attivio and another would be with True Venture, a technology venture capitalist firm in California.”

Cheng said the True Venture opportunity would be a unique internship because it would provide business experience in a region of the country new to him. “Coming from Boston, it would provide me with new opportunities and experiences with firms on the West Coast,” he said.

Other students, especially freshmen, are not worried about finding an internship, but have still utilized BC’s alumni network to search for possible opportunities. Robert Pickart, CSOM ’13, said, “I was not too worried about securing an internship as I thought most would go to upperclassmen. However, I was fortunate to meet a BC graduate at a local alumni club gathering in Wisconsin over spring break. She expressed interest in assisting me with securing a summer internship back home and has provided me with valuable connections and advice throughout the process.”

Hunt said that, for freshmen and sophomores, securing an internship is not absolutely necessary in order to become marketable to future employers, but said that students need to have at least one internship during their college years.

“It is important that students try to do at least one internship while

they are in college,” he said. “Not work environment, also plans on only is an internship a potential using his summer service abroad path into full-time work, but, in experience as a means of discerning many fields, an internship is also a future career path in the nonprofit essential for consideration as a sector. “Last summer, I interned serious candidate in that field after at the Massachusetts Governor’s graduation. office. It steered me away from “In addition, employers know government work and more toward that students who have done an nonprofits, though it did provide me internship have with a lot of office learned about the experience helpful expectations, culfor any career,” he BC offers two ture, and practices said. of a professional For those seekprograms that work environment,” ing summer emhe said. “An intern- provide students with p l oy m e n t , t h e ship is a good way a modest stipend Career Center has to find out if a para number of refor their unpaid ticular career field is sources. As part of internships. right for you.” the UCAN internNo t a l l st u ship listing network dents are seeking along with 20 other paid employment for the summer national universities, students have months, however. Some, like Jason access to thousands of internships Martineau, A&S ’11, are planning updated daily, even through the on devoting their months away from months of March, April, and into school to community service or an early May. For juniors working in abroad experience. an unpaid internship, BC offers two Martineau said he plans to programs, one through the Career participate in a six to eight week Center and one through The Office volunteer program in Ecuador, of AHANA Student Programs, that teaching English to children in the provide students with a modest sticommunity through United Planet. pend for their unpaid internships.

“The program provides a good op“One searching for summer opportunity to have an abroad experi- portunities now is definitely not too ence that I did not have junior year,” late, but perhaps a little behind,” he said. “For me, volunteer work Hunt said. “We would encourage abroad was a better fit rather than such a student to visit the Career taking classes abroad.”

Center as soon as possible and use Martineau, who said he has our services to assist them with gained experience in past summers their search. Opportunities are in a more traditional professional still available.” n

Alex Trautwig / Heights Editor

Brooks pointed to cultural failings as the cause of political and economic issues faced by the United States.

Brooks: problem within ourselves Brooks, from A1 established a system of debate and analysis in his White House – one which was absent during the previous administration, Brooks said. “His White House is a culture of debate,” he said. “Bush did not spread debate around the White House.”

Brooks said that in his personal encounters with Bush, he found him to be an engaging debater, but the attitude wasn’t manifested in his administration.

Offering a criticism of the Obama administration, Brooks said that the Obama White House has been out of touch with the direction towards which the country is leaning. Obama and his constituents have relied too heavily on analysis and too little on experience, he said.

“There is a tremendous faith in analysis and not enough in perception,” Brooks said. “There’s a trait of going out and feeling viscerally what the country wants to do at a given time. The Obama administration lacks that gut sense of where the country is.”

He said that the Obama administration may not have been ready for what they were about to face in

the American people. “They came into a country that absolutely hated its government,” he said. “It was a country insecure about a lot of things, and they added another level of insecurity.”

Brooks said that Obama has struggled to find his own leadership style in the power struggles of Washington politics. “I though he really was going to bring change to Washington,” he said. “He has not changed the fundamentals to get our country out of a fundamental crisis.”

However, Brooks said, the political and cultural system within which Obama works is worthy of the most blame. “It’s a failure of culture,” he said. “I blame Obama 20 percent and the system 80 percent.”

Brooks’ lecture was sponsored by the Clough Colloquium and the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics. During his opening comments, University Provost Cutberto Garza said that the Winston Center’s events have inspired, in undergraduate students, a sense of engagement in modern issues.

“You can see that by just looking around the room,” he said. n

A4

The Heights

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Hook up culture elicits response from McNellis

By Daniel Morrison For The Heights

Rev. Paul McNellis, S.J., professor in the philosophy department, spoke Tuesday night at a lecture titled “The Hook-Up Culture: How Should Men Respond?”

The BC Philosophy Association, the St. Thomas More Society, and the Sons of St. Patrick sponsored the lecture and subsequent question and answer period.

McNellis said his motivation to address the male response to the hook-up culture stemmed from his observations of student life since arriving at BC 11 years ago. “The thing that struck me as a difference from when I was in college was how little women now expect of men,” he said.

Cultural changes in the United States during the last 20 to 30 years have caused this reduction in women’s expectations, said McNellis. Women’s dwindling faith in male behavior has been triggered by the rise in the divorce rate, the spike in births out of wedlock, and the collapse of the dating culture, he said. “Despite how the sexual revolution was billed, the real beneficiaries, if you look back now, have been irresponsible men,” McNellis said.

“When men get involved in the hook-up culture, they regress. It infantilizes them,” McNellis said.

“They develop habits of thinking about themselves and women, which are antithetical to being a good husband and a good father.

They view women from the neck down, instead of from the neck up.”

McNellis said the audience should frame its thinking about women in terms of respect and decency. Evaluating one’s thoughts or treatment of a woman should be measured by the standard of behavior deemed appropriate for

one’s own sister, McNellis said. “If you have a sister, then ask yourself if she would be ashamed of what you are thinking. That’s a good standard to follow,” he said.

Male undergraduates must shed their ties with the hook-up culture in order to start developing the values that are necessary to being a faithful spouse or responsible father, McNellis said.

“The virtues it takes to be a good husband and a good father are the things undergraduate men should be working on now. Don’t postpone that, don’t wait until after graduation, start now.”

From his observations of undergraduates, McNellis highlighted the benefits of living outside the hook-up culture.

“Undergraduate students trying to live a chaste life seem happier than the people involved in the hook-up culture,” he said. “They have clear goals they are working towards, and they tend to do better academically.”

While McNellis acknowledges a hook-up culture, he believes it has declined in the last 10 years.

“I think the average student looks down on [the hook-up culture],” he said. “They may think that they have to participate in order to have a social life, but that’s not true.”

In spite of its decline, there has been a “hardening” of the hook-up culture, in which the lines between the hook-up group and non-hookup group have sharpened, McNellis said. “It has become harder for those trapped in the hook-up culture to get out.”

The hook-up culture is partly fueled by the student body’s fear of marriage, which may reflect students’ experience with divorce in their own families, McNellis said.

The pressure to aspire to higher education and pay off debts contributes to this hesitancy toward

marriage as well, he said.

McNellis said the resurgence of the dating culture can cure the hook-up culture. “Dating isn’t dead all over the country,” he said.

He pointed to the South and parts of the Midwest as areas where dating has remained a mainstay.

Students want the dating culture to come back, he said. “No one is happy in going as gangs of people to parties, although women go as gangs for self-protection.” The desire among BC students to revive the dating culture is reflected in the yearly student scramble to obtain tickets to the formal Middlemarch Dance. “Both men and women want something more classy, more formal,” McNellis said.

In addition to the growing popularity of the Middlemarch Dance, the pro-family sentiment shared by many undergraduates is a shield against the hook-up culture, McNellis said. “Many students are very pro-family and enjoy when parents and siblings come on Parents’ Weekend, for example.”

The dating culture gave men and women a common language.

“For one, it gave you rules that everyone sort of knew, it protected your ego,” he said. “If a guy worked up the courage to ask a girl out on a date, she could say no in a gentle way and you weren’t lacerated,” McNellis said. The demise of the dating culture has removed this language from students’ dating vocabulary and has resulted in rampant miscommunication and widespread uncertainty. “People are disappointed when they don’t have dates, and they are freaked out when they do,” McNellis said.

“The dating culture is coming back, and it’s more humane. The hook-up culture is really subhuman. Nobody could be happy with it.” n

Annie Budnick / Heights Staff

Rev. Paul McNellis, S.J. addressed how men should react to the hook up culture prevalent on college campuses.

Job prospects for language majors improve, but still limited

By Molly LaPoint

This allows BC to hire better quality faculty, Crane said. “BC sees [the economic downturn] as an opportunity – if places like Harvard, really wealthy schools This year, those seeking professorships in English that are worse off because they rely on endowment, and foreign languages may have a difficult time find- aren’t hiring, now this is one of the best jobs, so it’s ing them, but it might not be as difficult as predicted, an opportunity to gain some good faculty.”

Crane said that this year is a bad year for according to a mid-year analysis by the Modern English and foreign-language scholars, but that Language Association (MLA).

However, opportunities will still be lower than there have been worse years. “Your chances are essentially the number of people getting Ph.D.s they have been in 35 years.

The job market for those looking to receive ten- versus the number of jobs,” she said. “It’s a bad ure-track jobs at universities is never particularly year because the number of jobs is low, but it’s favorable, even when the economy is good. “Even in not as low as it was at its lowest point, probably a good year, less than 50 percent of those who earn because there are other places like BC who see the Ph.D.s that year will get a tenure-track job,” said opportunity to hire.”

For those who are English majors in college, Mary Crane, chairperson of the English department. there are many different options “Ever since I was in graduate school, for career paths, and the data for everyone always says, ‘It’s hard to success in the job market is not get a job.’”

Opportunities for their tracked as carefully. “A lot of people Generally, such students enter language scholars go to law school or other kinds of the job market three times, taking one-year jobs when they cannot get will still be lower graduate school, so it doesn’t apply directly,” Crane said. “A lot of Enga tenure-track job. Crane said that at least one of her graduate assistants than they have been lish majors get jobs in publishing, which is having a lot of economic will not able to get a tenure-track in 35 years. troubles, so it’s probably harder to job, but is looking to find a one-year get a job in that field right now.” position. Taking a temporary job Many students have chosen to will increase her chances of getting a tenure-track job next year, Crane said. “If you have a continue their education or volunteer instead of one-year job, that helps. If you continue publishing, trying their luck on the current job market, Crane said. “You see more people getting master’s degrees that helps, too.”

Boston College has been able to continue hiring or doing Teach for America or another volunteer because it is tuition-driven rather than endowment- program to put off going on the job market.”

For those interested in pursuing advanced dedriven, meaning that it has been less affected by the economic downturn, Crane said. This year, the grees in English, Crane’s advice is the same as it is University hired a new English department faculty at any time, given that job opportunities are almost member, a position for which there were about 200 always scarce in such disciplines. “It’s really only applicants. About 15 of the candidates were inter- something to do if you feel like you can’t imagine viewed at an annual convention held in December in yourself doing something else,” she said.

Foreign language studies present a different set Philadelphia, and three were brought back to campus to spend a day, at which point one was offered the job. of problems. While becoming a foreign-language “A bad job market is great for hiring,” she said. “We scholar is difficult, speaking a foreign language, had three really great candidates who all would have particularly Spanish, can enhance many careers, said Karen Daggett, a professor in the Spanish come here, and our top person is coming.”

For The Heights

Hernandez to bring new ALC initiatives in leadership role ALC, from A1 Student Programs, she hopes to raise awareness on campus for the work done by the ALC besides the Boat Cruise, Ball, and Showdown that are planned each year by the ALC. “This year [we] worked on a bunch of initiatives, but it was a big learning year for me,” Hernandez said. “The point is to start making strides.”

Hernandez’s election to ALC president comes just one semester after she was promoted to ALC vice president when thenVice President Ashley Woods, A&S ’10, stepped down.

Next year, the ALC hopes to explore the possibility of adding a new event that would ideally emphasize the educational aspects of the ALC, Hernandez said. In addition, the ALC will continue to work with the Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) and other organizations on campus to push for the institution of a social diversity seminar for freshmen.

“We plan on continuing the effort from this year,” Hernandez said. “This year we’re developing a committee of students and faculty that will be working together to figure out the best way possible to install some things we’ve

proposed.”

Hernandez said that she also hopes to improve the internal organizational structure of the ALC in order to make the council more interactive for all of its members. She said that by promoting a more active role among its members, the ALC will be able to hold itself to a higher standard of accountability.

Edwards voiced confidence in Hernandez’s ability to take the reins of the ALC. “I’m extremely excited,” he said. “Erika did a lot of great things this year in terms of really helping me out. I know the ALC is going in the right direction.” n

department.

Cultural context can be important when speak“There just really aren’t that many jobs,” she ing to a Hispanic person. “My brother-in-law is an said. “Our best candidate last year got a doctorate engineer in California, and he was trying to make in French, Spanish, and Italian theater, and the a deal with a company in Mexico,” Daggett said. best job she could get was a one-year position.”

“He needed me because he couldn’t get anywhere Getting jobs in other occupations can be easier with them. I had to translate and also explain why for those who speak other languages, especially he wasn’t getting anywhere, because he didn’t unSpanish. “I think there are certain jobs that a derstand Mexicans and how they do business.”

Spanish major can get just by majoring in Spanish, Speaking Spanish is more of a benefit now such as that of a teacher, principal, or interpreter,” as people are looking for ways to stand out in the Daggett said. applicant pools, she said. “Part of it “Those are jobs that are directly re- “The best of the is made more acute because the job lated to majoring in Spanish. However, market is more tenuous,” Daggett best will sell unless it’s someone’s dream to be a said. “It’s a way to stand out. It tenured faculty member at a university his soul to get a doesn’t enhance your salary very who teaches literature, a high school, tenure-track job, much, though.” or junior high school teacher, or interthe usefulness of Spanfor the very few ishDespite preter, Spanish is an enhancement.” in everyday occupations, the job positions there market for those looking to become Daggett teaches a Spanish conversation class at BC for those who professors is small because their are.” already hold a variety of occupations focus is very different, Daggett said. and want to increase their market“People who are getting doctorates ability in fields such as medicine, — Karen Daggett, and are going to teach in the university education, social work, marketing Professor, Romance environment are going to be teaching human resources, and business, fields literature, and how applicable [to Language and in which it is particularly helpful to other careers] is medieval literature?”

Literature be fluent in Spanish. “I have students she said. “The best of the best will sell Department who come into class and are desperate his soul to get a tenure-track job, for to learn Spanish,” she said. “I have a the very few positions there are.” lot of psychiatrists who come because they want Still, there are some options for those who are to expand their practices, and some who feel they interested in such professions. “There are midhave to learn Spanish. They feel as if, if they don’t, level universities and community colleges that they could lose their job.” This type of pressure is [provide] very satisfying jobs, and I think they felt in other occupations as well, she said. are looking at hiring,” Daggett said.

The Hispanic population in the country is Often, those looking to become professors growing, which makes Spanish an enhancement are not interested in staying in the Boston area, to one’s resume, Daggett said. “I really believe Daggett said. “Not everybody wants to come live that most professions, with very few exceptions, in the Boston area because the salaries are not would be enhanced by Spanish,” she said. “It commensurate with the cost of living,” she said. opens doors and enhances everything. Hopefully “Some professors can’t afford to live here, and when you learn a language, you’re not learning it [Boston area schools] are losing good candidates. in a cultural vacuum. The assumption is made by Those who are graduating with doctorates from the person you are speaking to that you under- good schools here are not hoping or wanting to live stand them.” here.” n

CLASSIFIEDS

A5

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, March 25, 2010

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Eligible participants will receive up to $550 for a total of four outpatient visits and two overnight stays at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Canter. More info: Michael Mckenery 617-552-2758 mckenery@bc.edu Have you thought about adoption? Loving and devoted married couple hoping to adopt. We hope you will consider us in your options. To learn more, please call us toll-free at 1-877-841-3748, or visit our Web site www.roseanneandtim. com. Please be assured all conversations are held in strict confidence.

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You know you love me because I’m the baby ...

THAT’S FROM DINOSAURS! Answers to the Crossword are below the Sudoku

Directions: The Sudoku is played over a 9x9 grid. In each row there are 9 slots, some of which are empty and need to be filled.

Each row, column and 3x3 box should contain the numbers 1 to 9. You must follow these rules: · Number can appear only once in each row · Number can appear only once in each column · Number can appear only once in each 3x3 box · The number should appear only once on row, column or area.

A6

The Heights

Editorials

Quote of the DAY

SOFC must manage increased funds

Monday, March 25, 2010

“El martirio es una gracia de Dios que no creo merecer. Pero si Dios acepta el sacrificio de mi vida, que mi sangre sea la semilla de libertad y la señal de que la esperanza será pronto una realidad.”

— Oscar Romero

An increase in student activities fee should be allocated more toward SOFC to be distributed fairly among student clubs.

The University has recently announced an increase of $54 in the student activities fee, which is a component of tuition. The funds generated from the fee will be used to fund student clubs and organizations as well as late-night programming. The Student Organization Funding Committee (SOFC) holds in its power the ability to distribute approximately $500,000 in student activities fee funds to student organizations.

As with any organization, the SOFC must hold itself to a strict structural standard of disinterest and prevent its members from exercising bias in their decisions. As its budget increases, though, so does the committee’s level of responsibility and the level of scrutiny exercised upon it.

While the committee boasts strict ethical standards preventing the bias of members from infiltrating the decisionmaking process, the possibility of bias remains within the 16-member committee, many of whom hold positions in student organizations funded by SOFC. The committee’s policy of preventing members from voting in budget decisions affecting their own organizations is a step in the right direction. Still, as in any organization, biases seep through the cracks. When the organization in question operates a $500,000 budget, however, the issue has the potential to negatively impacts students’ wallets.

According to recent statements made by SOFC members in the article “SOFC manages student funds,” from the March 22 issue, the committee is working toward meeting that demand for transparency. Rather than relying on the testimony of committee members to determine funding for organizations, the committee is working with a program to have committee members assigned to clubs. These members will examine

a cluster of club finances and programming to report back to the committee with information used to make decisions. We ask that the SOFC continue to monitor its own practices and employ new methods of transparency as called for as its budget and responsibilities increase.

The SOFC might have a $500,000 budget, but the fact remains that it receives requests for funds that exceed its budget by almost $1 million. Yet, the administration has stated that it wishes to direct many of these newlygenerated funds toward late-night programming.

We think the administration should examine exactly what students’ “latenight” interests are before they determine that the University needs better late-night programming. Some of the most popular events on campus are organized by culture clubs and student organizations that hire guest lecturers and performers. Some of these events might not fall directly under the banner of “late-night programming,” but nevertheless might serve students late-night desires if funded correctly.

Late-night programming does not come from the top down, but rather from the bottom up. Just because the University provides late-night programming does not mean students will, or should, attend the programs. Furthermore, popular student groups, such as the BC Outdoors Club and the Word of Mouth speech club, have the potential to provide engaging events, but have yet to be recognized by the Student Programs Office. We think the University should recognize these organizations in which students show natural interest before further funding late-night programming that may not serve the student body in the same capacity.

OIP lacks necessary organization

Many students who are preparing to go abroad find Hovey House unhelpful; a lack of staff may be to blame for confusions.

Every year, more than 40 percent of the sophomore class begins the process of planning their study abroad experience. With more than 60 international partner programs and countless approved external offerings in virtually every discipline available at Boston College, the Office of International Programs (OIP) has the enormous task of matching each student with the program that best fits his or her interests.

This entails guiding students through the advising and application process, as well as preparing them for the challenge of assimilating into a foreign culture. The staff of the OIP in the Hovey House, although generally helpful and available to students, should focus on making the process more manageable for all involved. This includes more advance notification notice of application deadlines, as well as more comprehendable policies regarding finances and scholarship opportunities.

The recent deadline for all internal study abroad program applications resulted in frustration for many students who had only received their application package days before it was due.

Although OIP claims that students who were scrambling to finish their application simply hadn’t prepared properly, this fails to take into account the fact that students were not given any previous warning of what their applications would include. Yes, students could have investigated the OIP Web site or the online requirements of their specific program, but a primary responsibility of the OIP staff is to alleviate this

pressure for harried students. There is no reason an e-mail detailing the application process couldn’t have been sent out to each student after they were approved to apply. Blaming student incompetence for poor planning will not solve any problem.

Another student concern was the perceived pressure to take an internal program as opposed to an approved external program, the decisive factor, as far as students are concerned, being price.

Internal programs are funded by BC tuition whereas external programs are paid directly to the international university, usually at a much lower rate. The Hovey House should understand that financial concerns are a factor for many students studying abroad, and they should receive equal assistance for both options.

The root cause of this disorganization may be the lack of resources devoted to accommodating the annually increasing amount of students interested in spending a semester abroad. Although there are professional advisers and staff in the OIP, much of the administrative staff consists of part-time students. This lack of a permanent staff large enough to handle the influx of student interest should be remedied by the administration with increased funding for and attention to the program. Especially when the program is an internal or BC affiliated program, the University should make every resource available. Having a strong international program is an important feature of the University and students should receive all the support they require when applying to abroad programs.

The Heights The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Matthew DeLuca, Editor-in-Chief John O’Reilly, General Manager Darren Ranck, Managing Editor

Chris Petteruti / Heights Illustration

The Online buzz Reprinting reader comments from www.bcheights.com, The Online Buzz draws on the online community to contribute to the ongoing discussion.

In response to “Students voice complaints over study abroad applications” by Daniel Tonkovich and Michael Caprio: “I completed all the required steps well ahead of time and had to wait several weeks for the application materials to be available to me. Once I got them, I found I had to transfer 53 euro to the college I was applying to. I ended up needing to go into Boston to open up a new bank account that would let me complete international transfers. I had to go out there on a school day during currency trading hours, which nearly caused me to miss a class, and get a wire (that cost an additional $40). After $110 and several hours spent running around, I thought I was finished (with only a few days to spare). That same week, I got an e-mail saying the fee had been waived. I took my statements to Hovey House, and they said I should receive a refund in two weeks. After four weeks, I still have not been repaid. That is not a smooth or convenient process ...”

Anonymous

“I have to echo the sentiments of the article and the previous commenter. Despite being on the ball for application requirements, the process felt (needlessly) compressed. I have a complete appreciation for needing all of the components requested, and it definitely helps the process self-select determined candidates, but given the value of the experience and the general time constraints of students, a review of the process would seem beneficial.”

GM BC’05 “Your article concerning the difficulties and obstacles you encountered with the International Program at BC brought back some painful memories that my daughter also experienced two years ago. She was very prompt, if not ahead of schedule, with the application process, only to find out that she needed to do one more thing. The people at Hovey House were not helpful in the process ... if anything they were detrimental in accomplishing what needed to be done, as they seemed to be rather ignorant about the whole process. Thank goodness my daughter is very resourceful and determined.”

Anonymous

Health care reform worth the price Patrick Gallagher It is the death of freedom, they might say. Shame on us, for neglecting the demands of the American people, they might say.

Today is a somber day for America, they might say. But regardless of what they say, there are 32 million Americans who can now afford health insurance who previously couldn’t. There are now millions of families who can rest assured that their medical coverage will not be denied when they suddenly become sick or disabled.

There are countless parents who will be able to sleep peacefully, with the knowledge that insurance companies can no longer deny their children coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. And yes, there are millions more who will be responsible to pay the bill for it all.

There is no perfect answer to the issue of health care. President Obama and the Democrats in Congress were faced with an

extraordinary opportunity: the chance to enact the most sweeping social welfare legislation since Lyndon Johnson was in the Oval Office. At the end of the day, it was an opportunity that they decided they could not pass up.

The price to pay for Obama’s health care overhaul is steep.

Health insurance premiums are expected to rise across the board.

Doctors and medical practices will see their incomes decrease, leading to a potential decline in the quality of medical treatment.

Drug companies, manufacturers of medical devices, and insurance companies will be forced to pay billions in fees. Medicare payroll taxes will increase from 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent for individuals earning over $200,000 a year and families earning over $250,000 a year. And, last but not least, Sunday’s vote represents the abandonment of any notion of bipartisanship in Congress.

But, I am sure beyond a doubt that the changes that occur as a result of the health care over-

Contributors: Mollie Kolosky, Brad Zak, Matt Palazzolo, Krysia Wazny, Will Watkins

Patrick Gallagher is junior in the College of Arts & Sciences and Assoc. News Editor

Readers Note: The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 200 words and column submissions that do not exceed 700 words for its op/ed pages.

The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces

submitted to the newspaper.

Submissions must be signed and should include the author’s connection to Boston College, address, and phone number. Letters and columns can be submitted online at www.bcheights.com, by email to editor@bcheights.com, in person, or by mail to Editor, The Heights, 113 McElroy Commons, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467.

Business and Operations

Editorial Kaleigh Polimeno, Copy Editor Michael Caprio, News Editor Zach Wielgus, Sports Editor Jacquelyn Herder, Features Editor Kristen House, Arts & Review Editor Daniel Martinez, Marketplace Editor Hilary Chassé, Opinions Editor Ana Lopez, Special Projects Editor Alex Trautwig, Photo Editor Karolina Cyburt, Layout Editor

haul will be worth it. Obama did not campaign for president on a platform of mediocrity. Rather, he stated plain and clear that he wanted to see change. It is time to end the marginalization of Americans by health insurance companies looking to make a buck. It is time to expand Medicaid, to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly, and to help low and middle-income families pay their insurance premiums by providing them with tax credits. It is time to protect those who have recently lost their jobs and, accordingly, their health care coverage. No one ever promised that it would be cheap, and no one promised that it would be easy to stomach. They promised that they would make health insurance affordable and accessible for every American, and they were true to their word.

And yes, to quote Vice President Biden, it is “a big [expletive] deal.”

Michael Saldarriaga, Graphics Editor Christina Quinn, Online Manager Laura Campedelli, Multimedia Coodinator Brooke Schneider, Assoc. Copy Editor DJ Adams, Asst. Copy Editor Patrick Gallagher, Assoc. News Editor Taylour Kumpf, Asst. News Editor Maegan O’Rourke, Assoc. Sports Editor Paul Sulzer, Asst. Sports Editor Kristopher Robinson, Asst. Features Editor

Zachary Jason, Assoc. Arts & Review Editor Allison Therrien, Asst. Arts & Review Editor Patricia Harris, Asst. Marketplace Editor Kevin Hou, Asst. Photo Editor Margaret Tseng, Asst. Layout Editor Rachel Gregorio, Asst. Graphics Carrie McMahon, Editorial Assistant Zachary Halpern, Executive Assistant

Joelle Formato, Business Manager David Givler, Advertising Manager Brynne Lee, Outreach Coordinator Brendan Quinn, Systems Manager Madeline Demoulas, Local Sales Manager Daniel Ottaunick, Collections Manager James Gu, Asst. Ads Manager Dara Fang, Business Assistant

The Heights

Thursday, March 25, 2010

A7

Opinions

Thumbs Up Romero – March 24 is the 30th anniversary of the Salvadoran Jesuit’s assassination.

Events are taking place all over campus to commemorate the occasion this week, many spearheaded by the Arrupe El Salvador group and Campus Ministry. If you don’t know who he is now (as the Texas Board of Education assumes) the time is ripe to learn.

Brooks – The famous conservative columnist for the NY Times enchanted a packed Gasson 100 with his take on current issues, especially the recently signed health care bill. His truly fair and balanced analysis of world affairs (ahem, Fox) was a breath of fresh air in the stuffed room.

Nanooks – Although they are our opponents this weekend and must be crushed, the No. 18 University of Alaska team will be facing off against our Eagles in their first Division 1 tournament! They also have a sports intro video that features a giant polar bear detonating the globe while escaping in a fighter jet to the Top Gun theme. Look it up, now.

Cleaning – Since we’re all trapped inside again (curse you heavens!) many roommates have started the arduous task of sifting through winter messiness to unearth treasures last seen during the mild days of September.

It’s like finding a whole new wardrobe. Maybe Narnia is also hidden beneath that pile of flip flops!

Discount –When loyal hockey fans discovered that they not only had to trek out to Worcester for this weekend’s tourney but that tickets were $85 a pop, there was some mild discontent. Thankfully BC athletics, knowing their fans all too well, shaved the price down to a mere $35 to see the gents take down Alaska. It is, unfortunately, still in Worcester. Where rivalries go to die.

Thumbs Down Booby Traps – Despite the best efforts of Facilities Management, walking through O’Neill Plaza has been a dangerous undertaking as of late. Loosened bricks have littered the steps for several weeks now, leading to many embarassing tumbles. TU/ TD’s biggest fear is eating it in the middle of the Plaza during the morning rush, and these obstacles don’t bode well for that nightmare to remain unfulfilled.

Blasters – When settling into a table at O’Neill, prepared to productively procrastinate, nothing is more disheartening than hearing the faint melody of “LOL smiley face” sneaking out of your neighbor’s ear buds. The slow but sure destruction of your eardrums is your own business, but the sacred silence of the stacks is all of ours. Respect it.

StumbleUpon – Speaking of productively procrastinating, this is not it. Surely a creation of the devil, the browser application brings up amusing pages tailored to your interests with the mere click of a button. Only those with the will power of a saint will be able to tear themselves away from the LOLcats and return to their econ problem sets, i.e., almost no one.

The party politics of progress

As time goes by

Dan Esposito MaryAnn’s is not the type of bar you’d expect to wait 40 minutes in line to enter. In fact, it’s not the type of bar you’d expect to attract a line on even the busiest of nights.

Yet, last Tuesday (the inexplicable mid-week oasis of inebriation for those of us who can’t abide three consecutive sober days), I found myself at the tail end of the chattering procession of (unhappily) sober aspiring bar-goers. While the crowd could largely be attributed to the imminent approach of St. Patrick’s Day, there was a more insidious element at work that night. That is to say, that night and every Tuesday and Thursday of the last few months, the situation has been the same. MaryAnn’s, once Cheers-like in its warm familiarity, its cast of lovable drunks, and its overall decor, has of late been filled with the type of alien faces and overwhelming crowd more akin to the bar from Total Recall. Who are these new barflies drink-leading their way through the suffocating crowd? Mobbing the jukebox and foolishly ordering drinks mixed with anything other than two dollar well-gin? These are the juniors.

The spring has brought the deafening tide of 2011’ers (2011-ites?) over the precipice of 21 and crashing onto the shores of all of our favorite local watering holes. MaryAnn’s?

Packed. Cityside? Loaded. Roggies?

Full to burst. What is even more fatal about these voracious socialites is the ruthless eagerness with which they approach the bar scene. While your average senior may meander towards Cleveland Circle around midnight, half-drunk and only compelled by a strange sense of obligation to drink on days that begin with “T,” juniors have already filled every bar stool and formed a line for the Hoop Fever machine.

It’s not losing the bars that is the hard part, not exactly. It’s some-

Kevin Swanson

Michael SAldarriaga / Heights Illustration

thing else that we’re surrendering (or being forced to surrender) which exacerbates the ire of standing in line outside of “Boston’s worst bar.” Our youth, maybe, or it could be the fact that the bars no longer truly belong to us. In the same way we moved in en masse as we celebrated birthday after roommate birthday, falling off one barstool or another, the juniors now are repeating that very pattern.

We can’t fault them for it. We may know the ins and outs of Buck Hunter like the back of our hand, but they’re the ones ordering rounds of shots and cocktails while we have long since learned not to pay more than three dollars for a beer. In truth, it’s them, not us, who are the lifeblood of any campus bar.

It’s not just our youth that we’re losing, either. It’s our station, our hard-earned and much-beloved position at the figurative top of the college “food chain.” Over four years we’ve paid our dues, we’ve pulled the all-nighters, taken the shots, we’ve sweat, bled, and sometimes puked, we’ve finally figured out how college works ... and we’re not ready to give that up yet. It seems as if the

moment we became seniors we were being pushed out the door, gently at first (thinking about next year, making reservations for graduation restaurant outings, career info sessions) then a bit more forcefully (interviews, apartment leases, and, of course, juniors in the bars). By late March, it already feels (in some small way) as if we’re only visitors here. We’ve got freshmen who refer to the Rat as “Lyon’s Dining Hall,” sophomores who have never heard of Matt Ryan, and juniors who, well, get to the bars before 11 p.m. It’s starting not to look so much like our campus anymore.

The truth is, though, it never really was our campus. Boston College, our Boston College, wasn’t a place. It was a time. Boston College was four years that will never look the same as any other four years anywhere, even right here in Chestnut Hill. In time it’ll all change, the Mods will be torn down, they’ll put up a student center, 2000 will become a dorm, but the way we’ll remember it, that’s us, that’s BC. Dan Esposito is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@ bcheights.com.

How to save a spring concert?

Chris Dewey The past three months have brought an influx of rumors regarding the identity of the act for Boston College’s spring concert. Names such as Passion Pit, Ke$ha, and MGMT caused a great stir of anticipation around campus.

At one point, many even suggested that Lady GaGa would be making an appearance in Chestnut Hill. Between these rumblings and the announcement of Girl Talk as a pre-spring concert event, it seemed like the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) understood what students were looking for. Then, it announced that The Fray would headline BC’s spring concert. Zzzzzz …

For those of you who managed to avoid Top 40 radio for the past five years, The Fray is the piano-rock (the term “rock” being used loosely) foursome responsible for overplayed tunes such as “Over My Head (Cable Car)” and “How to Save a Life,” the latter of which was heavily featured in episodes and promos for the television show Grey’s Anatomy. The band is fronted by the froggy-voiced Isaac Slade, a singer who sounds like a cross between Coldplay’s Chris Martin and The Counting Crow’s Adam Duritz. Not quite rock, not quite emo, and not entirely tailored to appeal to Toyota Sienna driving soc-

cer moms, The Fray does not appear to reach an entirely specific or well-defined demographic.

Regardless of your opinion on the quality of The Fray’s music, it is hard to believe that this is the best group the UGBC could find in order to maximize attendance. The Fray is probably not a bad live band. Musically, it seems to be quite capable of writing decently catchy pop tunes. However, there is definitely an excitement factor missing with such a group. With songs that are mostly downbeat and overly emotional, it is hard to imagine droves of college kids getting pumped up for the show. Will The Fray really be able to capture the anticipation and desire to unwind that BC students have on a Thursday night?

Whether you are a fan of Akon’s music, there is no denying that his arrival on campus last semester created a great deal of hype. Even those who detested his brand of autotuned R&B knew that the concert was going to be one giant party. Students were excited not only for the concert, but for the events that they planned both before and after the show. Now, admittedly, not every show needs to be an all-night, uproarious celebration, but at a university like BC it certainly wouldn’t hurt. After a long week of work and busy schedules, most students are looking for a way to let loose, blow off some steam, and dance.

It is hard to believe that many view The Fray as such an outlet.

There are two types of acts that would prove successful for a BC spring concert: an uber-popular modern act of considerable relevance, or an act

FROM HERE TO RESERVOIR

BY SAL CIPRIANO

that could be considered retro for students who grew up in the 1990s.

Though the sort of modern act that would appeal to the BC campus has already been discussed above, people might underestimate the draw that a semi-active ’90s group would have around here. A band like the Goo Goo Dolls or Matchbox Twenty would be highly popular, despite the fact that they aren’t overwhelmingly relevant.

Three years ago, many might have considered Third Eye Blind a washedup act when it played in Conte Forum, but at the same time, it was surprising to see just how many songs the audience was able to recall from the band’s glory days. Students want a fun band with a catalogue of songs they will actually recognize.

When put into perspective, these are all petty ramblings. At the end of the day, we are lucky enough to go to a school that provides us with both fall and spring concerts. No one is suggesting that the UGBC failed to put in the appropriate amount of time or effort in selecting the act. Most will recognize that our student government has gone above and beyond to provide for our campus in various capacities this year. It is just unfortunate, amid all of the exciting rumors that had circulated, that such a middle-ofthe-road act was ultimately selected. I don’t see this show selling too well at $25 a pop, but who knows? It wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong in my life … it would be the third.

Chris Dewey is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

On Monday, David Brooks spoke in front of a standing room only crowd in Gasson 100 as part of the Clough Colloquium series through the Winston Institute on Leadership and Ethics here at Boston College. Brooks, the renowned and well-respected “conservative” columnist for the New York Times, is academia’s favorite pundit at the moment. As every liberal’s favorite conservative, he is the least polemical and most constructively insightful critic of President Obama and liberalism in general. It also turns out that Brooks is incredibly funny and self-effacing, which is quite refreshing in the world of celebrity punditry and journalism.

Whoever booked the event had uncanny timing, because just hours earlier the House of Representatives passed the health care reform bill. The 219-212 vote, which did not include a single affirmative Republican vote, needed 216 votes to pass. Prior to the vote, the floor debate provided some of the best political theater seen on CSPAN in recent years. The rhetoric from both sides of the aisle followed the narrative of what we have seen during the last year of debate over the health care bill. However, this time, with the votes in hand for the Democrats to pass the bill, the House Minority Leader John Boehner’s (R-OH) comments were drenched in desperation. Boehner, visibly angry, huffed and puffed through the Republican and Tea Party talking points that the bill would constitute a “government takeover” of health care, Medicare would be cut, and seniors would lose access to their doctor.

The Tea Party showed its true colors last weekend as well. While in my last column I referred to the Tea Party as a largely anger-based and racist movement of anti-authoritarians, their actions last weekend, appear to vindicate my assertion. In the words of Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) whose fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus were attacked with racial slurs, “It was absolutely shocking to me” Clyburn said, in response to a question from the Huffington Post.

“Last Monday, this past Monday, I stayed home to meet on the campus of Claflin University where 50 years ago as of last Monday ... I led the first demonstrations in South Carolina, the sit ins ... And quite frankly, I heard some things today I have not heard since that day. I heard people saying things that I have not heard since March 15, 1960, when I was marching to try and get off the back of the bus.”

Yet for once, in seemingly a long while in Washington, DC time, fear mongering, blatant misinformation, and demagoguery did not prevail.

Democrats, the ones with large majorities in both houses of Congress, prevailed in passing the single largest piece of legislation in 50 years. The merits of the legislation need not be debated here, but rather the process by which it was achieved and its consequences on our democracy.

Amid this backdrop, Brooks’ talk largely focused on the leadership style of President Obama and the leadership culture within his administration, but everyone waited with bated breath to hear Brooks’ take on the health care bill. Sorry to disappoint you, but he didn’t have any cutting insights on the bill itself. As a conservative, Brooks articulates the philosophy that government shouldn’t provide health care for its citizen, however he didn’t seem apposed to covering 32 million previously uninsured people. Conservatives say they favor “responsible deficit reduction” instead of grand liberal projects.

Yet, President Obama and his party share a different ideology that calls for the universal provision of health care to its citizens. These two views went head to head for an entire year.

In 2010, after battling 190 years for universal health care, the Democrats ideology won and found a way to get it done. The process by which it was done does not bode well for the future of democracy, but liberalism took round two after the stimulus package in the fight against conservatism during the Obama administration.

Kevin Swanson is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

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Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Heights

Freshman defensemen gel at perfect time

By Zach Wielgus Sports Editor

The fate of the Boston College men’s hockey team’s chances in the NCAA tournament rests on the shoulders of three freshmen.

At least, that’s what head coach Jerry York told a room full of reporters after BC’s Hockey East championship win over Maine Saturday night.

“I think the emergence of the freshman defensemen [is most important],” York said in the post-game press conference. “They are getting better and better.

That’s a hard position to jump to. They have really impressed me.

“They will be a real factor for us advancing to the national tournament.”

Half of the Eagles’ defensemen touching the ice against Alaska-Fairbanks in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday will be just 18 years old.

Though young in age, Brian Dumoulin and Philip Samuelsson are old in experience, while Patch Alber, replacing fellow freshman Patrick Wey, who will miss at least the opening rounds with mononucleosis, is no stranger to logging minutes in important games, either.

“I don’t think [our youth] is much of an issue at all,” Dumoulin said. “A lot of people say age can make or break you, but I feel that was more toward the beginning of the season. Now that we’re seasoned, we shouldn’t be playing like freshmen. We shouldn’t be making the same mistakes we made in November. I think we are truly seasoned and are going to be able to make a statement.”

Dumoulin and Samuelsson have played in all 38 games this season, and Alber has stepped in for Wey, who has been slowed throughout the season by a broken wrist, a concussion, and now mono. With only one upperclassman on the back line, defensive struggles would have been understandable for a team that gave up nearly three goals per game last season and bowed out of postseason play in the semifinals of the Hockey East tournament.

Instead, it’s been the freshmen defensemen who have played an enormous role in maintaining a dominant resurgence and enabling a return to the national tournament. This came as no surprise.

“This team has usually had more offensive firepower, so bringing us in, being solid defensively, is the reason we’re here,” Samuelsson said. “We’ve played in these big games and we’ve played steady, and we need to keep that going.”

The trio has shown it doesn’t cower in

alex trautwig / heights editor and mollie kolosky / heights photo illustration

Only freshmen, Brian Dumoulin (2), Philip Samuelsson (5), and Patch Alber (27) are expected to maintain strong defense in the postseason. the face of adversity.

Coming from small-town Biddeford, Maine, Dumoulin has adjusted to life a handful of miles from a major city – as well as having to take down the team his family was rooting for in the Hockey East championship game – without much difficulty.

“Everyone I seemed to talk to back home was pulling for Maine,” Dumoulin said. “They were kind of bitter about it, but they were happy for me. It was definitely exciting to beat Maine.”

Dumoulin also won the competition for best rating, which serves as arguably

the only statistic made for defensemen, on the team, compiling a conferenceleading plus-24 rating. As Samuelsson stifled a laugh, the modest Dumoulin cited stellar play from forwards when he was on the ice and “getting lucky a couple of times.”

Samuelsson led in a category of his own among his back-line mates, finishing third on the team in penalty minutes (PIMs) with 36. “He was just telling me he was beating me in PIMs this season,” Dumoulin said. “I got some in the last few games, but I couldn’t catch him.”

To be fair, hitting people is in Sam-

uelsson’s blood. His father, Ulf, played in the NHL for 16 seasons and became feared as one of the most vicious hitters in the game. Samuelsson, who still speaks Swedish at home and calls his family “a Swedish one living in America,” admitted that his dad’s style of play influences him, but it’s been Ulf’s support for his son rather than his aggressiveness that has stuck with him.

“I’m not as brutal as my dad was, but I learned a little from him, and that’s something I’ve always enjoyed,” Samuelsson said. “Starting around 13, I decided I wanted to give hockey a serious shot, and

he was right there supporting me. I could learn all parts of the game from someone who has played at that high level.

“This year in particular, he has watched all the games and given me feedback, which is great because it’s another set of eyes helping me get better.”

Alber, meanwhile, has had to fight for his time on the ice, battling from the bench to take over for Wey when he was injured for six weeks in January and February. Although ice time only came in spurts of five or seven minutes for an entire game, Alber believes that it unquestionably prepared him to step in at the most crucial part of the season.

“It’s helped enormously,” Alber said.

“Especially being thrown into the fire against BU and being able to deal with the crowds, it was a different thing for me to get used to. The biggest thing was being able to deal with the distractions, and that definitely helped prepare me for now.”

What none of the freshman defensemen were prepared for was being thrust into the spotlight. In the days leading up to the first-round match-up against Alaska, they have been asked to field questions on their play, the team, and their predictions for the Frozen Four. The spotlight, they agree, is not something they miss.

“It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s something I love doing everyday,” Samuelsson said of playing defense. “I don’t miss at all being in the spotlight, it’s not something I put a lot of emphasis on.”

“The forwards are prettier than us, they need their limelight,” Dumoulin added with a smile. “We also had a top 10 defense, and that’s all we need. It doesn’t matter if we don’t get a lot of recognition.

As long as we’re moving on, that’s all that matters.”

For freshmen, Dumoulin, Samuelsson, and Alber are taking a business-as-usual approach to their first NCAA tournament game, buying into the senior leadership that is reminding them to stay calm and focus on playing as they have all season.

But the excitement of a season comprised of 25 wins, a Beanpot title, and a Hockey East championship isn’t lost on them.

“We’re just lucky to be in on this in our first year,” Alber said.

“When you look around the country, there’s not many true freshmen coming in, so I consider myself lucky to find myself in this situation,” Samuelsson echoed.

If the Eagles’ season is to rest on the shoulders of three freshmen, York and the rest of the team has to be glad they belong to Dumoulin, Samuelsson, and Alber. n

Journey to Frozen Four starts against Nanooks Alaska Preview, from A10

alex trautwig / heights editor

Despite his diminuitve frame (5-8, 165 lbs.), junior Brian Gibbons is unafraid to get physical with anyone on the ice.

Junior duo packs a punch Hit Them Back, from A10

set someone up in front,” Gibbons said. “So yeah, I think it definitely has helped.”

Few would disagree. The line of Gibbons, Whitney, and Atkinson lead the Eagles in offense, totaling 125 points among them.

The way they do it is by taking the chance to check another player and passing the puck to whoever is now open.

“We work off each other,” Whitney said. “If one guy is feeling it that night, we try to get him the puck. We love to move the puck to one another, even if it’s a five-foot pass.”

“When I have the puck, I want Joe to score, I want Cam to score,” Gibbons added. “I’m just as happy getting an assist, and they’re the same way, so I think that’s really helped us.

“We just like to play fast.”

Although they are two of the smallest players on the BC roster at 5-8 and 5-6, respectively, Gibbons and Whitney do not lack any strength or physicality.

Both players gave credit to strength coach Russ DeRosa for helping to make them stronger

players during the offseason.

“I’ve been hitting ever since I was a freshman, but I think the hits are starting to have a little bit more of an effect as I get stronger, as I get older,” Gibbons said.

“I think it’s a lot harder when you’re a sophomore or a freshman, just strength-wise, you might not have it,” Whitney said.

“I think that’s just a case of being more mature and stronger.”

With regard to being overlooked because of his size, Gibbons said he uses it to his advantage.

“I think being a smaller guy, other teams tend to look to hit me more because they think they can knock me off the puck,” Gibbons said. “Once I get hit, I want to hit them back. When I go to hit someone, people look at me and see how small I am, and [they’re] not really expecting a big hit, so I think I can catch them off guard.”

Whitney echoed Gibbons’ thoughts about being underestimated because of his small stature, but he said he tries not to think of it as being the smaller guy on the ice.

“The biggest guy on the team should be finishing his hits, and

the smallest guy on the team should be finishing his hits,” Whitney said. “It’s just a formula for winning games, and I think everyone’s buying into it.”

One memorable hit for Gibbons this season came in the Beanpot, when he knocked down BU defenseman Eric Gryba, who stands at a sizeable 6-4, 219 pounds. “It was right after he took a run at Joe Whitney when he didn’t have the puck, and it just kind of got my blood boiling, so I went after him and got him pretty good,” Gibbons said.

With the NCAA tournament beginning Saturday, both Gibbons and Whitney said that physical play would be key to their success with the playoff hockey atmosphere at its peak.

“The national tournament is playoff hockey,” Gibbons said.

“It’s always physical, it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be a grind.

So the whole team is going to need to come out physical if we want to be successful.

“I think we’re just going to have to fight and finish every single hit,” Whitney said. “I think that’s going to be a huge part of our success.” n

the guys are selfless, so if they’re not scoring, they’re checking, and everyone is fine with doing whatever it is that they need to do to help the team win.”

Case in point, assistant captain Matt Lombardi scored two goals the entire regular season, and then proceeded to notch four in the Hockey East tournament, including a hat trick when the Eagles needed it most in the championship game.

For the Nanooks, forwards Dion Knelsen and Andy Taranto are the main offensive weapons. Knelsen has 19 goals and 23 assists on the season, while Taranto has notched 17 goals and 24 assists.

Alaska also has a formidable netminder between the pipes in sophomore Scott Greenham. Over 38 games, Greenham registered a 2.20 goals-against average, as well as an impressive four shutouts.

“From what we’ve heard, they’ve got some really good lines up front with an ability to score, and they’re a pretty solid team defensively,” Price said.

“So it’ll be tough to get into the offensive zone and get things going.”

Because Alaska is a fairly unknown team, the Eagles will look to focus on improving and playing their own brand of hockey, which has already proven successful so far this season.

“At this point, everyone is good,” Price said. “So regardless of what we know about them, we know

we’re going to have to bring our best effort.”

Despite knowing little about the Nanooks, the Eagles do have the advantage of playing in nearby Worcester. Their travel day will consist of a 37-mile bus ride, whereas the Nanooks will have to make a decidedly longer trek of roughly 4,500 miles.

“I think it’s nice to be close to home,” Price said.

“The guys can get some extra rest and stay an extra night at home, and there’s a little bit more of a comfort level.”

Price also stressed that aside from depth and the comfort of familiar surroundings, consistency is what makes a team great come tournament time.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to how we play, and I think we’re going to focus more on playing our game and doing what we do well than on changing up anything,” he said. “It’s not going to be some new formula that gets the job done, it’s going to be Eagle hockey and doing what we do well.”

BC plays “Eagle hockey” very well, thanks in large part to the leadership on the team, consisting of the juniors and seniors who were part of the national championship team two years ago. Between that team and this new and more youthful one, York said the leadership is very similar.

“There are a lot of those intangibles that we had in ’08 that we have now,” Price said. “Guys are going to be ready to play in the big tournament games, and they’re not going be fazed by it.” n

Enough to turn me into a fan Becoming a Fan, from A10

have gone 9-2-1, gathering the ever-important momentum for the NCAA tournament.

This isn’t the first time Jerry York, the nation’s winningest active college coach, has had his team peaking at the right time for a deep run in the tournament. Claiming the Beanpot in February and then clinching the Hockey East championship in March seems to be the winning formula for the Eagles as they try to reach the Frozen Four.

This weekend marks the start of the Eagles’ quest for another national championship. BC will head to the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass., to take on the Alaska Nanooks in the first round of the NCAA tournament (if you get a chance, YouTube Alaska’s game intro video – it involves a polar bear in aviators). If the Eagles advance, they will play the winner of the game between Yale and North Dakota.

Once again, the Eagles are primed for another championship run. The leadership is there in senior captains Matt Lombardi – who will hopefully

continue his Hockey East MVP play – Ben Smith, and Matt Price. There’s speedy forwards like Cam Atkinson, Joe Whitney, and Chris Kreider that give BC an explosive scoring advantage. Freshman defenders Philip Samuelsson and Brian Dumoulin anchor the defense alongside sophomore Tommy Cross and senior Carl Sneep. And no one can forget goalie John Muse, who already has the experience of one national championship under his belt.

This team has earned the support of BC. If you can, get out to Worcester for the Eagles’ 1:30 p.m. game this Saturday. There will be a free shuttle bus out there, and you’ll be home before the Elite Eight games tip off and before any Natty Lights are cracked open in the Mods.

The hockey team has a chance to bring a national championship back to Chestnut Hill and make 2010 a year to remember. If it does, more than just the hockey Superfans will be cheering.

That’s enough to make anyone a hockey fan.

Maegan O’Rourke is the associate sports editor for The Heights. She can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.

The Heights

Editors’ Picks

Thursday, March 25, 2010 The Week Ahead

Standings

The hockey team faces the Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Baseball plays its first home series against Duke. Softball will try to keep rolling at FSU. And if your bracket hasn’t been ruined yet, good luck surviving the second weekend.

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Paul Sulzer

26-14

Maegan O’Rourke

25-15

Zach Wielgus

24-16

Heights staff

19-21

The Eagles won a thrilling Hockey East title game in overtime. Virginia swept the baseball team, while softball broke its six-game losing streak. No. 2 Maryland handed the lacrosse team its first loss. BC guy Bruce Pearl has Tennessee in the Sweet 16.

Guest Editor: Dan Ottaunick Collections Manager “Damn you, Ali Farokhmanesh!”

This Week’s Games

Zach Wielgus Sports Editor

Maegan O’Rourke Assoc. Sports Editor

Paul Sulzer Asst. Sports Editor

Dan Ottaunick

Collections Manager

Men’s Hockey: Worcester Regional champion

BC

BC

BC

BC

Baseball: Duke at Boston College (series)

BC

Duke

BC

BC

Softball: Boston College at Florida State (series)

FSU

FSU

FSU

FSU

Women’s Lacrosse: North Carolina at Boston College

BC

UNC

UNC

UNC

West Virginia

Kentucky

Kentucky

West Virginia

College Basketball: East regional champion

BCnotes

Recap from Last Week

Women’s Lacrosse The Boston College lacrosse team improved to 7-1 on Wednesday by defeating the Vermont Catamounts, 14-10. The Eagles scored early and often as Lauren Costello gave the team a 1-0 lead in the first minute of the contest. After the Eagles built a 3-0 advantage, the Catamounts rallied for seven goals over the next 20 minutes to take a 7-4 lead.

BC head coach Bowen Holden used a crucial timeout to motivate and focus her team. Apparently, the message Holden delivered was well-received, as the Eagles staged a run of their own by netting six consecutive goals. The late run gave the Eagles a 10-8 halftime lead and shifted momentum their way for the second half of play.

In the second half, BC controlled the game at the defensive end. Goalie Sheila Serafino stopped 10 shots during the game and kept the Catamounts from making a second-half comeback.

Brittany Wilton, Brooke Blue, and Peyton Killeen all registered goals in the second half for BC. Costello led the way with five goals and an assist. Blue and Wilton both added three goals each. Kristin Igoe played a wellrounded game, recording a goal, an assist, and four ground ball pick-ups.

The Eagles host the University of North Carolina on Saturday at noon. Saturday’s game will be the lacrosse team’s third annual Friends of Jaclyn game. Judith Theriault, BC’s adopted teammate and Massachusetts native, will be honored during the match-up between the Eagles and the Tar Heels.

Aoki urges team not to ‘hit any panic buttons’ Baseball, from A10

preseason hype as the staff ace. He skipped his last start against Virginia, though, because he hyperextended his left (pitching) elbow. Dean was cleared by team doctors on Monday and is penciled into the starting slot on for Sunday’s game against Duke.

Leonard hasn’t thrown a pitch yet this season due to an undisclosed shoulder injury, which will be reevaluated today. Although the doctors haven’t given Leonard a definite timetable, Aoki said he hopes to have him back in two to three weeks.

“We’re trying to take a pretty conservative approach with both of those guys,” Aoki said. “Both have a relatively bright future beyond college pitching. We want to be careful with them, making sure we don’t do anything that is going to harm them in the long term.”

The staff beyond Dean is starting to take shape after a couple weeks of uncertainty. Sophomore Taylor Lasko will start the series opener against the Blue Devils on Friday before Mike Dennhardt takes the mound on Saturday.

Against Bryant last week, Lasko picked up his first career win by pitching six innings and giving up one run on five hits. Dennhardt has pitched well, too, even if stat lines haven’t been outstand-

ing. His defense has let him down, Aoki said. The sophomore right-hander gave up three unearned runs against Miami and one against Virginia.

“I think Michael Dennhardt has [proven himself],” Aoki said. “I thought he pitched well at Virginia. I thought he pitched well at Miami. The numbers don’t really back that up, especially in the case against Miami. We played poorly behind him.

“That was probably our worst defensive game of the year. There were a couple of plays that should have been routine but weren’t made, one big error that cost him, especially after we went out and put a three-spot on the board against [Miami starter Eric] Erickson. Then our defense coughed it right back up. Michael was throwing the ball well enough to certainly have won that game.”

This weekend can be a turning point for the Eagles, who are 1-5 in the ACC. Picking up wins against Duke, who is currently 13-7 and 2-4 in the ACC, before going on the road to Clemson is a must if BC wants to rescue a season that’s quickly getting away.

“If we can get ourselves turned around, which I think we’re more than capable of, and if we don’t hit any panic buttons and just continue to work, I expect that we’ll end up right where we were last year,” Aoki said. n

steven stuts / miami hurricane

Starting pitcher Pat Dean has lived up to the billing of staff ace, striking out 25 batters and maintaing a 2.79 ERA.

Mauer’s extension keeps the dreams of average Joes alive

DJ Adams John Lennon, Martin Luther King, Jr., and I, believe it or not, all have something in common. We each have a dream.

While I might not be advocating the revolutionary and influential movements of peace and equality, nor do I think I will be persecuted any time soon for my opinion (in the spirit of my favorite sport, I’ll knock on wood just in case), I believe in the purification of America’s greatest pastime: baseball. My dream came a little closer to being realized on Sunday afternoon when the best catcher in baseball, Joe Mauer, inked an eight-year, $184 million contract extension with the Minnesota Twins that keeps him in the Land of 10,000 Lakes through 2018.

Growing up in Edina, Minn., I watched firsthand as the Twins struggled through the ’90s. Attendance at the Metrodome rarely exceeded 20,000, and a fourth-place finish in the weak American League Central was something to rave about.

Minnesota’s payroll hovered near the league bottom due to the pathetic interest in the squad and the ugly Teflon roof that it called home.

In 2001, MLB commissioner Bud Selig proposed two teams be contracted, or removed from the league for good, to increase parity. Though not explicitly stated at first, Minnesota was one of the most likely victims.

Owners voted 28-2 in favor of the action, one of the owners being my beloved squad’s very own.

Luckily, by a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling, the MLB was forced to postpone this discussion until 2003. The Twins then responded, winning their first ever division title, and rode an unlikely bunch of prospects to the ALCS. Four more division titles followed in the next seven years, yet none produced anything more than a first-round exit in the playoffs. Superstars such as Johan Santana and Torii Hunter left for bigger markets, bigger contracts, and bigger aspirations than a simple division victory.

And why wouldn’t they? If another team can offer you more money and a chance at the glory associated with a World Series title, go for it. Winning the whole damn thing is the American dream, not settling for a sub-par contender. It isn’t just Minnesota that possesses this problem, though.

Toronto was forced to ship off its ace Roy Halladay this past season, and the Florida Marlins, despite winning two World Series in ’97 and ’03, due to a lackluster fan base, couldn’t match the immense contracts offered by baseball’s ogres (yes, that

includes you, Red Sox nation).

Therefore, small-market teams focus on good farm systems, smart drafting, and raw potential to achieve success. This worked well the past decade (best exemplified by Minnesota), but when the machos caught on and coupled this strategy with a few free-agent gems (cough, Yankees, cough), the parity vanished.

Enter Joe Mauer, who overcame early injuries in his career to achieve three batting titles, the first AL catcher to win just one, and a 2009 MVP award. All of this in just his first six seasons as a professional.

As Twins fans celebrated his success, they dreaded his departure. A free agent-to-be in 2011, rumors circulated of 10-year, $300 million offers that would soon arrive from the Yankees and Red Sox. Minnesota knew these contracts were unmatchable. Even with a brand-new outdoor stadium that will nearly double its payroll next season, $30 mil a year is too high a price for the hometown hero’s services.

Joe didn’t wait for those offers to come about, though. He signed with the team he grew up watching. The team that was willing to dish out 20 percent of its total money to keep him, despite the risks such contracts might cause for its future. The team that knew this was its only hope at keeping a superstar got the sideburns and the bat they wanted for a local discount of $23 million per year.

Minnesota should be fine, and that is not my obsessive bias talking, as it has locked up players such as Denard Span and Justin Morneau to savvy, long-term deals. By filling in the pieces with the occasional minor-league hidden treasure that they find so well, I don’t think this contract is hindering the Twins’ style in any way. In fact, they have their most competitive team in years, even with the loss of all-star closer Joe Nathan.

The fact that the best catcher in baseball, and probably one of the five best players overall, will forever play in Minneapolis brinks on absurdity.

Ten years ago, I would have laughed at that knowledge. Now I can only smile.

Mauer will never don bright red socks, nor will he ever sport pinstripes, and that is the real beauty of this deal. I hope for the “average Joe” teams of the MLB that, someday, each of them will receive one of these “not-so-average Joes” who transforms its future. I hope that somewhere in this country there is a little-league ballplayer watching ESPN who will see what Mauer decided to do and dream.

Dream to play for one team forever, his team and no one else’s, no matter what amounts of fat cash others can offer.

As Lennon so eloquently put it, “You may say that I’m a dreamer.” Yeah, you betcha I am. And for the good of baseball, I dream that “I’m not the only one.”

DJ Adams is the assistant copy editor for The Heights.

He can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.

SPORTS THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, March 25, 2010

A10

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010

NCAA TOURNAMENT: REGIONALS PREVIEW

Eagles begin championship chase against athletic Alaska

BY JAKE BURG Heights Staff

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Paul Carey and the Eagles begin their pursuit of a national championship Saturday at Worcester.

An old adage says, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” The Boston College hockey team will put that saying to the test Saturday afternoon when it squares off against the fourthseeded University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, a team that the first-seeded Eagles assuredly don’t know, in the NCAA Worcester Regional opening round.

The Eagles have never played the Nanooks, but BC is very familiar with the highly competitive nature of Alaska’s conference, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The CCHA is one of the best conferences in all of college hockey, and one need only look at the NCAA tournament bracket to determine the reason. There are four teams from the CCHA in the 16-team field, which is tied with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the most bids from a single conference.

“The league is a very competitive league, so for them to get out of that league is good,” said BC head coach Jerry York.

With that said, aside from the power of the Nanooks’ conference, York and

Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Worcester, Mass.

Live blog on bcheights.com/sports his Eagles are not sure about much else concerning the skaters from Alaska.

“We know very little, to be perfectly honest,” York said. “We’re starting really from the basement, trying to figure out how they built their house, and how they got to the national tournament.”

The Nanooks built their tournament reputation primarily by getting hot in February. After struggling through a January stretch, much like the Eagles had, in which they went 1-4-3, Alaska rattled off a 8-0-2 record leading up to its CCHA tournament loss to eventual conference runner-up and fellow NCAA tournament selection, Northern Michigan. The Nanooks also added another notch to their resume on Jan. 22 when they played the No. 1 Miami RiverHawks in a game that ended in a 1-1 tie.

Watch Your Back

BY GREG JOYCE For The Heights

In Friday night’s Hockey East semifinal game against Vermont, Patrick Cullity of UVM took a cheap shot on Boston College forward Joe Whitney after the whistle. Cullity should have known that Whitney’s linemate Brian Gibbons would be right there to defend his teammate, as he has been all season.

“I think Cam [Atkinson] slid the puck over to Joe, and the ref called it offsides, so Joe kind of let up on the play,” Gibbons said. “Then three or four seconds after the whistle, a player on Vermont [Cullity] kind of took a run at Joe, and I thought it was a little late after the whistle. I thought it was a bit of a cheap shot. I don’t know, I wasn’t really thinking. I just retaliated and kind of went after him.”

“I got hit after the whistle, and [Gibbons] came out of nowhere and hit that guy, and then Cam Atkinson came in, and I saw Patch Alber,” Whitney said. “It’s just good to see that everyone’s sticking up for each other.”

This has been one of the BC men’s hockey team’s trademarks all season. Known for their ability to score practically at will, Gibbons and Whitney have developed a physicality that is dictating a tougher, more aggressive team mindset.

Led by Gibbons’ and Whitney’s physical play, the Eagles are not afraid to stand up for each other by laying a hit on an opposing player trying to get away with one.

“I think that it’s something that we have on our team that everyone sticks up for each other, and [Friday night] was an example of it,” Whitney said.

Although Gibbons and Whitney lead the team in penalty minutes, with 70 and 49, respectively, it has not affected their ability to produce offense.

Together, Gibbons and Whitney have combined for 29 goals and 50 assists over the team’s 38 games this season, and linemate Atkinson has added another team-leading 46 points.

Both Gibbons and Whitney agree their physical play has led to an increase in offensive opportunities for their high-scoring line all season.

“Yeah, a couple goals here and there you get in on the forecheck and knock their ‘D’ off the puck, and one of the other linemates is able to grab it and

MAEGAN O’ROURKE

“With the level of competition we play against, we need to get the ball down, to command the strike zone better than we have.”

Those two injured players are the Eagles’ most experienced starting pitchers: juniors Pat Dean and John Leonard. With a 3-0 record in four starts, a 2.79 ERA, and 25 strikeouts in 29 innings, Dean has matched the

I’ll be the first one to admit that I wasn’t born a hockey fan.

I never really was that into the sport, instead opting to follow football and then basketball in the winter. When I got to high school, hockey was one of my school’s best sports, so I cheered for the team along with everyone else (shout out to my Scituate Sailors who finished second in the state last weekend).

It wasn’t until I got to Boston College, though, that I realized just how hardcore – crazy, in a good way – hockey fans truly are.

True hockey Superfans are a dedicated, albeit somewhat small, group.

They weather the cold arenas, make the treacherous treks down the Green Line to Boston University and beyond, and sport those oversized hockey jerseys every day to class.

They have the chants about opposing goalies that fail at life … and goaltending, chants that dismiss other teams’ intelligence levels (hooked on phonics?), and other shenanigans that make hockey games unique from BC’s other sports.

But even though BC hockey fans appear to be insane, they have one thing going for them: a team that wins.

While the football and basketball teams dominate the media’s attention, the hockey team dominates on the ice. There’s the 29 appearances in the NCAA tournament. The 15 Beanpot victories. Not to mention the 10 25-win seasons in the last 13 years.

And the most important number of all: two national championships in the last decade. BC is not your ordinary college program.

My friend texted me the other day about spotting some of the guys on the team, fresh off their Hockey East championship the night before. “I love this team,” he said.

And can you blame him? How can you not get behind this team, a team that hopes to reach the Frozen Four for the fourth time in five years? In a season that saw the basketball team limp to a below-.500 record and completely miss the NIT tournament, hockey was the sole bright spot in an otherwise dreary winter.

The season wasn’t perfect, but what matters is how the team finished. After the Beanpot win over BU, the Eagles

See Baseball, A9

See Becoming a Fan, A8

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Brian Gibbons and Joe Whitney may be small in size, but they have earned the reputation as two of the toughest players.

BASEBALL

Steady pitching can spur turnaround

BY PAUL SULZER

Asst. Sports Editor After a five-week road trip that included stops in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Virginia, the Boston College baseball team will finally play its home opener against Holy Cross this afternoon.

The Eagles were scheduled to debut against Hartford on Tuesday before that game was postponed due to rain.

Then, the Holy Cross game was moved from yesterday to today due to poor field conditions, setting up a four-game homestand against the Crusaders and the Duke Blue Devils this weekend.

Heading into the season, the pitching staff was considered to be the team’s strength, since the Eagles lost only JB MacDonald from an effective rotation last year. BC can’t keep the other team off the base paths, though, as opponents are hitting .322 and scoring 7.6 runs per

I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE

See Alaska Preview, A8

Catching the hockey fan spirit

Gibbons and Whitney crave the chance ‘to hit them back’

See Hit Them Back, A8

“You all want to be playing well coming into the tournament,” York said, “and certainly they’ve had a good last month of their season.”

BC has not had a bad month, either.

After a somewhat disappointing tie with the University of New Hampshire that cost the Eagles the Hockey East regularseason crown, the Eagles have reeled off win after win, including a Hockey East championship win over Maine Saturday night.

The biggest positive to come from all of the wins was the emergence of multiple lines able to contribute on offense, illustrating a previously unheralded depth.

For most of the regular season, the line consisting of Joe Whitney, Cam Atkinson, and Brian Gibbons did nearly all of the scoring. Since the start of the Hockey East tournament, though, every single line has increased its level of play.

“Every championship-caliber team has that ability that someone different will contribute each night,” said BC senior captain Matt Price. “I think we’ve shown that every guy is able to contribute in different ways, whether it’s offensively or defensively, on any given night. And

game against the Eagles. BC’s staff has also allowed 85 walks, compared to their opponent’s 66.

“Part of it, to a certain extent, has been injuries,” said BC head coach Mik Aoki of his staff’s struggles this year.

“The other part is that we haven’t been making good pitches. We’ve been walking too many people. I think we’ve gotten a little bit better with that recently. And another part is that we’ve been leaving pitches up.

Defensemen young, but ready

The three freshman defensemen are prepared to help carry the hockey team to Detroit.............A8

Mauer belongs in Minnesota

The catcher’s decision to sign an eight-year deal with the Twins has an editor euphoric.....................A9

Editors’ Picks..............................A9 BC Notes.....................................A9

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Heights

mike saldarriaga / heights photo illustration

Thursday, March 25, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

B2

+Editor’s Corner

Keeping up with Hollywood

ARTS EVENTS CALENDAR

h it n w a e Se ril a Fo

KRISTEN HOUSE Recently, in a reading I was doing for one of my classes, I came across an interesting idea. The author suspected that our lives, because of an all-encompassing media gauntlet that brings us into its own womb after we leave that of our mothers, are formed by a collective Hollywood unconscious.

Put simply, we want our lives to be like the movies. Like TV. Like a song. Secretly all of us hope to be the one girl who has the potent blood to catch the real Edward’s nose, thrusting our life into a manifestation of the macabre Twilight. Hell, it would even be worth it to pull a Million Dollar Baby, become insanely jacked, and then die heroically with Clint Eastwood scowling at your side. At least you’d have a kickass story to tell in the Beyond.

Media scenes, in all their random glory, become ingratiated into our everyday life, so the 12-year-old boy is trying to feel an older man’s passion and angst a la For the Love of the Game in a mere after school baseball practice, practicing pop-flies and base running. We’re all secretly melodramatic at our core. I speak from the place of a former little girl who was certain that she possessed the powers of Sailor Moon and invested copious amounts of time thrusting my hand up in the air, screaming “moon tiara magic!” and … waiting. Long story short, I’m in college now and not rocking out on the moon with Tuxedo Mask. My dreams were sufficiently dashed.

Women are running around trying to find those three other women who are the perfect balancers on their color wheel of life, so that they can run off to New York City and bemoan the world as they clutch their Chanel purses and ogle men. Medical students are probably spending at least half of their brain power contemplating the on-call room, wondering who their Meredith Grey will be to their own McDreamy selves. In this sense, we’re a nation full of ditzy, half-living human beings, a lot of whom abide by the delusion that our lives will turn out to be as interesting as Jack Bauer’s.

So, before you find yourself in line ordering a toasted ham sandwich and then fancying yourself the next Liz Lemon, take a step back. Perhaps you can mirror a television character. By all means, steal your favorite one-liners and quote them to death among your friends. But don’t pigeonhole yourself by assuming one persona.

Work the collective media consciousness to the best of your ability. See life from the role of Ricky Gervais’ “chubby little loser” in Extras one day. Maybe the day after that you’ll wake up feeling like a Jet from West Side Story. Who knows? Roll with it.

Take the best of what Hollywood has to offer, and instead of screwing up your own life by thinking things like, “Samantha never settles for anyone on Sex and the City, so I better not become complacent,” or, “Don Draper started a brand new life and left everything behind, so I can embrace psychosis in style, too,” try to be a little bit more prudent. The overused adage can go a long way: Good entertainment is life with the boring parts and the annoying conflict cut out.

Just make sure you let your life be, not boring, but normal, from time to time.

Whatever happens, I know I’ll still find myself aching to kibitz with Ross from Friends about how his leather pants shrunk on a first date, or to stroll along in a field singing, “Do so la fa mi do re,” with Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music. Some dreams are hard to let go of. I’m not saying you have to. But live your life in a way that’s utterly unique to you, so that maybe, someday, people will be modeling themselves after your life story.

Kristen House is the Arts & Review editor for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

As Boston thaws out this April following a very harsh and unforgiving winter, many Boston College students will travel home for Easter break.

Awaiting their return to campus will be warmer weather and blooming trees, but also the looming prospect of finals and copious amounts of work. To take their minds of the onslaught of projects and papers, some students will spend their breaks reuniting with friends, others will spend it painting and searching for eggs, and still others will spend it surfing the Internet for the latest and most entertaining viral videos. To make this grueling research a little easier, here is a quick rundown of the videos that have stirred up the most virtual buzz this week.

1

Randy Declares War on Justin Bieber. In a parody of a Behind The Music type of dramatic documentary, Aziz Ansari, also known as popular stand-up comedian Randy, claims that tween pop star Justin Bieber stole the idea for the hit song “Baby” from him. Warning the public that Bieber is “armed and extremely dangerous,” Randy shows, through black-and-white reenactment, that “The Bieb” shot him in the knee, killed his fish, and vandalized his studio. Straight-faced and apparently outraged the entire time, Randy is hysterical as he almost makes you believe he regularly hangs out with Bieber and feels genuinely betrayed by his violence — almost.

2

“70 Million” by Hold Your Horses. In this impressively detailed breakthrough music video, the French and American band Hold Your Horses reconstructs some of the world’s most famous paintings. Masterpiece after masterpiece flashes across the screen, from Rembrandt’s “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp” to Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” recreated in unique and often humorous ways. It’s something guaranteed to make you respect not only the effort put into the video but the world of art in general. The music isn’t half bad, either.

3

Chatroulette Piano Improv Guy. Currently taking the Web by storm, this video was created by the mysterious musician known only as Merton. He had the ingenious idea of going on Chatroulette, the site that lets you webcam randomly with a stranger from anywhere in the world, and improvising songs on his piano about the people he encountered. Hysterically confusing one woman for a man and singing about one guy’s chinstrap, Merton’s skillful piano work and ability to think on his feet leave you wanting more. The video has spread so far that Ben Folds, who was originally rumored to be the real Merton, dedicated a song to the Internet celebrity at a recent concert.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.COM

F

Meeting of the media

E

veryone knows about music mash-ups.

This is a rather bold statement. If forced, I would define a mash-up as a mix of two or more songs. It’s most impressive when the songs have little or no relation to one another in genre or message.

Those who saw Girl Talk at the Plex two weeks ago experienced the mash-up firsthand. Seeing as this is the TV column, though, I won’t string you along with talk of music. I’ll merely tell you that television, too, has its version of mash-ups, which, in TV Land, is known as known as the crossover episode. A crossover usually involves the mingling of characters from multiple television programs.

It’s all very scientific. The stars must align properly (and by stars I mean the respective casts, not burning galactic balls of gas). If I disposed of the science and the schedules and suddenly found myself with free reign of the programming sphere (a dream come to fruition), here are some of the crossovers I’d organize for the audience’s viewing pleasure.

30 Rock meets Damages: Now that despicably brilliant Patty Hewes is without an assistant, I do not know a better replacement candidate than dedicated NBC page Kenneth Parcell. Maybe Kenneth’s do-good tendencies would rub off on Patty as he taught her the ways of old school Bible study, delightfully chided her for questionable moral choices, and lovingly framed documents meant to be shredded. Or maybe Patty would just have Kenneth bumped off. Or why not drop Liz Lemon in on the fun as she wittily observes that Ellen Parsons has it all (the man, the power, the job)? Before too long, they’ll become bosom buds, and Ellen will start dropping “blerg” all over the courtroom.

Lost meets Glee: When J.J. Abrams planned this pop culture phenomenon, he neglected a vital aspect of the show — its musical nature. A show like Lost lends itself to bang-up musical performances, delivered with gusto and pizzazz and corny choreography.

Therefore, wouldn’t it make sense to have included McKinley High Show Choir on the fated flight? Imagine how much more fun they could have had on the island if a song broke up the tension every now and then. Claire’s baby Aaron has been kidnapped! “Bye bye, baby / Baby goodbye.” People are evacuating the island to find help! “Come sail away / Come sail away / Come sail away with me.” The smoke monster killed Locke!

“Yesterday / All my troubles seemed so far away.” I think “the others” would’ve gotten a real kick out of those charming kids.

American Idol meets Survivor: Let’s add insult to injury and have Simon critique the participants on their challenge performance. Best of the week gets extra rice!

Modern Family meets The Office: How can Phil Dunffey and Michael Scott not be related? They look alike, have similar bearings (or lack thereof) on social situations, and want to be the “cool one” in their respective homes. Why not let Michael visit as a cousin and interact with spicy, attractive Gloria to the chagrin of her gruff husband Jay, leading to awkwardly humorous situational comedy a la Office with the zany zing and cleverness of Modern Family? Bring along Michael’s assistant Erin much to the entertainment of the Dunffey children, especially smart alec Alex.

24 meets Desperate Housewives: I’m mainly tired of seeing every Desperate Housewives episode touted as the Most! Shocking! Episode! Yet! Someone! Dies! If they really want the most shocking episode yet, throw the ladies into a CTU plot and have Jack Bauer hunt them down, killing them one by one. Then, in the final episode, the show reveals that Edie Britt (erstwhile Nicolette Sheridan) was behind it the entire time. You kill two birds with one stone — a shocking conclusion and a long overdue cancellation.

JoDarren Ranck is a Heights editor. He can be reached for comment at arts@bcheights.com.

ON CAMPUS

OFF CAMPUS

THURSDAY

THURSDAY

SPEECH & DEBATE Bonn Studio, 7:30 p.m.

NORAH JONES Wang Theatre, 8 p.m.

FIRST HAND, CIVIL WAR McMullen Museum

THE BLACK LIPS The Middle East, 8 p.m.

FRIDAY

FRIDAY

6TH ANNUAL BALDWIN AWARDS Heights Room, 7:30 p.m.

PROSPECT HILL Hard Rock Cafe, 8 p.m.

SPEECH & DEBATE Bonn Studio, 7:30 p.m.

LADY LAMB THE BEEKEEPER TT The Bear’s Place, 9:20 p.m.

SATURDAY

SATURDAY

ALC SHOWDOWN Conte Forum, 6:30 p.m.

THE KONKS The Middle East, 8 p.m.

SPEECH & DEBATE Bonn Studio, 7:30 p.m.

A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS Paradise Rock Club 8 p.m.

SUNDAY BOSTON COLLEGE FLUTE CHOIR Gasson 100, 3 p.m.

SUNDAY SEABEAR TT The Bear’s Place, 8:30 p.m.

LITTLE DRAGON Great Scott, 9 p.m.

CHRIS DEWEY’S CURIOUS CHILDHOOD: Dewey’s Day Off: John Hughes

CHRIS DEWEY John Hughes was the king of Hollywood’s portrayal of teenagers in the 1980s. Flicks like Pretty in Pink and Weird Science chronicled adolescent angst, lust, and quirkiness in a way that audiences had never quite seen before. It is a shame that this column did not make it a priority to properly address Hughes’ passing in August, but a recent viewing of Uncle Buck on VH1 (apparently they aren’t a music network anymore) convinced me that it is about due time to pay my respects to this important writer / director who defined a generation.

Hughes’ films sympathized with high school students of all different classes and cliques.

The Breakfast Club is probably the best example of this.

Detailing the conversations and exploits of five very different students during a Saturday afternoon detention session, the film examines the tension between snobs, delinquents, jocks, nerds, and social outcasts.

Other movies would deal with romances between two people from different social classes within the same town. However, two aspects of identity that these movies always appeared to avoid were racial differences and the struggles of adolescents with their sexual orientation.

Perhaps this is just representative of the era, but it is still suspect that such important issues of teenage social life were completely ignored.

What made Hughes’ movies so familiar and welcoming to viewers was the reuse of a certain group actors and actresses.

Molly Ringwald signified a pretty, underappreciated, angsty girl who would have to overcome a series of obstacles to find happiness. Likewise, Anthony Michael Hall assured viewers that they were dealing with an underdog dweeb who would have little to

no luck with the ladies. Hall’s character in Sixteen Candles is not even given a proper name — he is simply credited as “The Geek.” Though these tendencies served to typecast Hughes’ stars, the technique provided moviegoers with recognizable conventions to look for when they saw one of his movies.

One of Hughes’ greatest accomplishments throughout his career was making Matthew Broderick seem cool. Watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off as an impressionable young lad, Broderick was the embodiment of a likable rebel. A complete free spirit who shirked all of society’s strangleholds, everyone wanted to be Bueller. Oddly, this would be the first and last time that Mr. Sarah Jessica Parker would ever be perceived in this manner. More often than not, Broderick has come across as a nasally, incompetent dork in just about every other project of which he has been a part.

Similarly, Hughes is also singlehandedly responsible for falsely leading many to believe that Macaulay Culkin would always be a cute little kid with a bright career ahead of him.

Ironically, none of these movies were produced with our generation in mind, let alone my so-called “curious” childhood.

Many of us were not even alive when Hughes’ most successful films were in theaters. Nevertheless, endless TV showings of his movies (complete with laughable profanity replacements) flavored the expectations of a lot of young viewers as to what high school life would be like. While he may not have made the most representative or realistic films in the world, John Hughes influenced many of our beliefs regarding teenage romance, alienation, and struggles with adults. Although he has left this world, his legacy, one which has not always been properly recognized, will not be forgotten for generations to come.

Chris Dewey is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

B3

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, March 25, 2010

BY KRISTEN HOUSE, ZAK JASON,& ALLISON THERRIEN Arts & Review Editors

Young Frankenstein Improv Boston

“Under The Skin: Tattoos in Japanese Prints” Before you get that ying-yang etched around your belly-button or that peace sign stamped onto your cheek, peruse the new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Opening April 3, the MFA will display a gallery of eclectic Japanese tattoo prints spanning the 19th through the 21st centuries.

The majority of the collection will include works by acclaimed artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Check out the masterworks of the artists and become inspired to look like a Japanese war hero.

(College students receive free admission to the MFA!)

Are you a fan (closet or otherwise) of the Whose Line Is It Anyway brand of humor? Venture forth into the city limits for more consistenly awesome comedy. Improv Boston has a myriad of shows, from stand up to improv to storytelling. Improv Boston has a calendar full of dates and times for shows, so visit their Web site for more information. Even if you find all your studies crumbling around you (which, we hope, you don’t), you can cheer yourself up with a laugh. Visit www.improvboston. com for more information.

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure quote-along What a better way to champion a man caught masturbating at a movie house than by attending his vintage film at a midnight screening? Tim Burton’s 1985 bizarro classic returns to theaters.

For Paul Reubens aficionados, you can shout the secret words and one-liners throughout the flick – a Rocky Horror Picture Show for generation X and Y. The Coolidge also promises to begin the night with a tequila dance competition. Check it out Friday, April 9, at midnight at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

David Sedaris at Symphony Hall Author and frequent guest on NPR David Sedaris is coming to Boston on April 11. Those familiar with Sedaris’ work know that he has perfected the art of dry, perfectly concise humor. His books Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and Naked have all garnered him copious critical acclaim. Here’s a taste of Sedaris: “I find it ridiculous to assign a gender to an inanimate object incapable of disrobing and making an occasional fool of itself.

Why refer to lady crack pipe or good sir dishrag when these things could never live up to all that their sex implied?”

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang “I have made a recent living making fun of every person in Hollywood, so I’d like to take this tour as an opportunity to get back to my roots and make fun of myself along with the rest of America and of course, Spain,” says famed Chelsea Handler, E!’s resident smacktalker of the entertainment world. Handler, who has already penned two bestsellers – My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands and Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea – is touring once again in promotion of her just-released Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. On April 10 she hits Boston’s Wang Theater for what is sure to be a night of gloriously vulgar celebrity slander.

For the 21+ crowd: Liberty Hotel The Liberty Hotel not only possesses one of the most sophisticated spaces in Boston, but has some of the swankiest occasions around. Check out their weekly Thursday installment, “Fashionably Late,” which has collaborated with everyone from local designers to Boston Ballet dancers to the executive producer of local cable station NECN. The result is an enchantingly cultured night with an endless supply of cocktails and plenty of couture for the fashionable palette. The hotel also hosts a bevy of other events, like “Gallery Night Tuesday” and “Whole Note Wednesdays.” For more information, visit www.libertyhotel.com.

Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend has redefined the goal of the Ivy League education. Erudite young guys singing about Oxford commas and contras? Such a killer combination. Contra, Weekend’s newest album, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and was generally well-received by fans both old and new. The guys will definitely give another upbeat stunner of a show with their sprightly techno-flavored pop. It will come at the completely apropos time for actual springtime bliss, where kicking back with a cup of horchata will finally be feasible.

Sia with Girl in a Coma Sia is, in many ways, a true artist. Just watch her video for “Soon We Will Be Found,” and this much becomes clear. Known more abroad, the Australian musician is only just gathering an American fan base, but her popularity stems from the truly unique, raw sound to her music and the general sense that there quite simply aren’t a whole lot of artists out there like her. On May 1, Sia will play at House of Blues with Girl in a Coma – a Texan, punk-sounding, rock girl band backed by Joan Jett’s record label – for what promises to be a night of inspired female sound.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon In Coolidge Corner’s continuing series “Science on Screen,” the theater revitalizes the enigmatic martial arts masterpiece.

Ten years ago, Ang Lee beguiled the world with his film’s crisp natural beauty and gravity-defying stunts, receiving 10 Academy Award nominations. On April 5, The Coolidge will both reveal its original beauty on the big screen and debunk its martial arts magic. Boston University physics professor Andrew Cohen will speak before the film to explain how certain scenes defy physics and how that enhances its mystique. It’s like being on the set of Mythbusters.

Looking to indulge your singing-green-corpse fetish? Well, lucky for you, the Broadway favorite Young Frankenstein is coming to Boston for a monthlong showing starting on April 2 in the Boston Opera House. The show is – as one might expect – a comical adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein, and follows Frederick Frankenstein, who attempts to do what his grandfather never could: bring a corpse to life. Of course, in this witty masterpiece, the resulting monster is a singing, dancing wonder, and he might just run into the audience when you least expect it.

“Bon Anniversaire, Monsieur Chopin!”

Let’s be honest, you were planning on celebrating mastermind and French composer Frederic Chopin’s 200th birthday anyway, so why not do it in style? On April 9, Boston’s elegant French Library is hosting a night of pure class, entitled “Bon Anniversaire, Monsieur Chopin,” or “Happy Birthday, Mr. Chopin.” Silly and fanciful as it would seem, it may turn out to be the most cultured night you’ve spent all year. The event promises a piano concert of some of Chopin’s best works, a dinner and French wine sampling, an art exhibition, and a social hour.

“Poste Restante” Meet Bonnie Duncan and Tim Gallagher, a performing duo that globe-trots to perform for audiences from Prague and Dresden to our very own Boston, Mass.

Duncan and Gallagher, who call themselves “The Secret Agents,” put on shows like no other, and in their upcoming “Post Restante” they will present what they call “a madly inventive mix of acrobatics, paper, laughter, dance, flight, puppetry, longing, and film ... all stuffed neatly into a box.” They promise that, in their mixture of meaningful performance, imaginative warping of reality, and sheer simplicity, there is something for everyone to love. They will be at the Charlestown Working Theater on May 6.

Coppelia The ultimate confusion ensues when the leading lady Swanidla, of the ballet Coppelia, pretends to be the doll Coppelia to test her lover’s faithfulness. It’s like Big Brother meets Life Size. With tutus. The show promises to be a lovely way to spend a spring day. Intrigue, beautiful sets, and consistently beautiful ballet. Boston Ballet has comfortably settled into their new home at the Opera House, and as the third to last show before the end of the season, it’s well worth picking up some student rush tickets and experiencing the magic.

Coppelia is running April 8 to 18 at the Boston Opera House.

RACHEL GREGORIO / HEIGHTS ILLUSTRATION

B4

Thursday, March 25, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

+Food and Fashion

Chronicles of Campus Fashion: The journey of Joo Yeon’s effortless style

BY JORDAN MENDOZA For The Heights

I’m a huge fan of having a uniform and sticking with it. If I were brave enough and in an ideal world, and if I could find the right blazer, I’d be Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore everyday (Wes Anderson reference #4 for this column). No, no, this is not a formula for complacency. Nor should the uniform be synonymous with conformity, as in the “BC girl uniform.” No, I use “uniform” in the individual sense. Sure, it’d be wonderful if you could have this unlimited wardrobe through which you express exactly how you felt that day in the exact manner that you’d like, but then again, not really.

If you’re too experimental, there comes a point where the whole thing just kind of falls apart, where you sacrifice consistent personal expression and risk looking consistently silly. Creatively playing within a framework is much easier on the eyes, not to mention the dresser, who, through this uniform, renders him/herself capable of dressing well on a daily basis, somewhat stress-free. Moreover, the idea of having too many clothes in a closet just gives me a head-ache, which explains why I clear my wardrobe of its inessentials periodically.

As I’ve mentioned before in this column, I came from a high school where the dress code (shirt tucked into belted khakis) truly became somewhat of a blessing for me, because, on the one hand, it allowed me to dress beyond my years, and on the other, it gave me a playful constraint. Sheena Matheiken of “The Uniform Project” puts this to the extreme, pledging to wear one dress for an entire year: “I was raised and schooled in India where uniforms were a mandate. Despite the imposed conformity, kids always found a way to bend the rules and flaunt a little personality. Boys rolled up their sleeves, wore oversized swatches, and hiked up their pants to show off their high-tops. Girls obsessed over bangles, bindis, and bad hairdos.”

She donates all of the online project’s proceeds to fund uniforms and other educational resources in India. If we could all be so idealistic! Anyway, onto Joo Yeon, who I’ve photographed multiple times this year, but whose image I have somehow never used in a column, which is surprising because she quite possibly is my favorite female dresser on campus.

JORDAN MENDOZA / FOR THE HEIGHTS

55-200mm: I shot Joo Yeon with my telephoto lens early last semester after Lauren Gomez pointed out her boots – and look at the rest of it: earthy, muted tones for the cool, fall weather, really exceptional coat. The bag itself is remarkable, something I’ve never really seen on campus before. Note how she takes the dress and, in a way, the boots into the next look.

50mm: I took this one while in a manual phase a few weeks ago. Here the dress and the boots reappear, and, although quite different, have a similar feel.

Her tights here adopt a magenta hue as opposed to their former muted yellow. You really begin to get a sense of her consistency and her feel in general. I love the blazer and the fabulous red bag, which you unfortunately cannot see.

Jordan Mendoza is a Heights contributor. He can be reached for comment at arts@bcheights.com.

Just Desserts: Cinnabons

BY KARA KAMINSKI

Heights Senior Staff When coming up with this recipe, I was on a quest to make yeast free cinnamon buns.

While cinnamon buns are delicious they are not worth the hours spent waiting for dough to rise when they are usually only part of a brunch. What I found is that, while you cannot cut corners with these buns, you can definitely create a satisfying substitute for your cinnamon and sugar cravings.

Without yeast, you will end up with a swirl that is more like the consistency of a scone.

The chilled butter in the dough makes for the flakiness of a pie crust. While cinnamon buns are a great treat paired with a glass of milk, I would suggest these swirls with tea or coffee.

You can put your own touch on this recipe,

as you can improvise your own dough, filling, or glaze. While I’d stick with the dough if you like the scone style, the filling and glaze are up to your own personal taste. I have seen clove and allspice used in filling, which will create more of an autumn pumpkin pie feel.

If you decide clove and allspice are what you are feeling on your baking day, go with 1/4 teaspoon of each, since both spices are extremely strong. When adding any other spice, add in 1/2 teaspoon increments to not overpower the flavor.

While I almost always use a cream cheesebased glaze or frosting, if you’d like to go a different option there are numerous options.

Popular one is 2/3 cup of powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold milk (add slowly), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. This recipe is for the basic, pure sugar frosting to which most people are accustomed.

COURTESY OF RYAN KILLIANY

Ingredients

Dough: 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 stick of cold butter 1 cup milk Filling: 3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar 2 tablespoons cinnamon 1/2 stick room temperature butter Glaze: 4 ounces cream cheese 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 stick room temperature butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter to make a crumbly filling mixture.

3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt of dough ingredients.

4. Cut up cold butter and mix into flour mixture.

5. Stir in milk, slowly mixing to form a soft dough. You may not make use of the entire cup of milk.

6. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle.

Slice off the straggling ends because they will not be used for the end product.

7. Spread the filling evenly on the rolled out dough.

8. Roll up the rectangle and cut into desired width, around 12 pieces.

9. Bake for 20 minutes.

10. For glaze, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.

11. Once rolls are finished, spread on glaze and serve warm.

35mm: So I shot this most recently, unfortunately making her late for class – well worth the sacrifice though, as this is easily my favorite of the looks. The blazer and boots come back, but she retires the dress.

Instead, we see this terrific sporty prep ensemble: crisp Polo oxford, adorably cuffed shorts, and no more tights, just knee-high boot socks. Note also how, as time goes on, my focal length gets smaller and smaller, allowing me to get closer to my subject. Symbolic?

Bite of Boston Radius 8 High Street Boston, MA 02110 (617) 426-1234 Hours: Mon - Thurs: 5:30 - 10 p.m.

Fri - Sat: 5:30 - 11 p.m.

Sun: Closed Mon - Fri: 11:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. (lunch)

COURTESY OF BOSTONCHEFS.COM

Radius hits the mark during restaurant week

BY JENNY LIU

For The Heights Better than Shark Week. Or even Fleet Week. Boston Restaurant Week Winter is here, and as you are reading this sentence, it may be one or two days away from ending on March 26.

Is there that grandly decorated, hallowed hall of fine dining that you walk by in Copley Square every so often? Is it that place where you eagerly press your face against the pristine glass windows to dreamily stare into the dining room before your reverie is interrupted by the host on the other side, who gives you the withering two second glance-over? In the most egalitarian fashion, over 200 high-end, trendy, or just plain good restaurants signed on this year to provide a three course meal at an affordable price ($20.10 for lunch and $33.10 for dinner), a tradition that will continue to be held twice a year, hopefully for many years to come.

The highlight of this year’s restaurant week thus far was Radius in Downtown Crossing. The chef and owner, Michael Schlow, former New Yorker and closet Yankees fan, has won a slew of prestigious awards from Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Esquire. Most impressively, in 2006, Radius was awarded four-stars in the Boston Globe, one of two restaurants to ever receive that recognition.

The first course arrives, a shallow dish holding shavings of crispy duck, miniature brioche croutons, and flurries of romanesco in a small pile at the center. The waitress theatrically brings out a cast iron kettle and pours the silky cauliflower soup over the former ingredients.

One spoonful yields a perfectly balanced taste of smokiness from the duck mingling with a delicate sweetness from the cauliflower puree.

I ask for more rolls to sop up the rest of the soup, and become quickly infatuated with them in the process. The rolls are served fresh from a silver tray, and they were so hot that it must have taken mere seconds for the bread to come out of the oven and arrive at the table.

It feels like my fingerprints have melted off from prying open the crackly crust to expose its steamy, soft insides.

After efficient clearing of plates, consuming more flaming rolls, and sipping green-apple lemonade, the main dish arrives. The most flavorful part of the pork entree is the different assorted mushrooms that have absorbed the flavor from the sauce while adding their

own earthy signature. Next to the medallions of perfectly pink and tender pork is what resembled a giant croquette, from which a firm jab with a fork would cause a tidal wave of creamy polenta to spill forth. As fun as it is to visually lap up the cause and effect, it is equally gratifying to taste it.

By this time, almost anyone would be full, but if you are like me, your second stomach is clamoring for a dessert fix — and Radius fixes it well with its carrot cake of the most untraditional construction. With spirals of pickled carrot tendrils and fluffs of mascarpone, this dish is almost more form than function. It contains both.

Service is a perfectly orchestrated dance, with waiters choreographed to enter from the right. Napkins are refolded upon vacancy of the seat, and glasses are refilled unobtrusively.

When the check was brought, along with it came two $20.10 gift certificates in appreciation for dining at Radius during Restaurant Week. In the spirit of the week, Radius takes active measures in generously welcoming diners to return on a regular day to explore the menu, something that plenty other restaurants fail to do.

Logistically speaking, some of these reservations can be tricky to claim. One year, I bullied my tired, protesting body up at 9 a.m., when the booking started, frantically speed-dialed a coveted restaurant, and despite my best efforts, other foodies with nimbler fingers and faster phone connections beat me to the punch.

Luckily, the Internet has made life as a gourmand easier, with most restaurants listed on Opentable.com, an online reservation system, where you can periodically check for the rare openings that might crop up in these popular destinations.

After all, it would be a shame to miss out on these last 48 hours of Boston’s best week ever, or the chance to try perfectly well-rounded Radius. You could always start planning for Boston Restaurant Week Summer.

Getting to the point...

Transportation: South Station Affordability: Expensive Atmosphere: Business Casual Food Quality: Excellent

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, March 25, 2010

B5

+Music & TV

She & Him present another pristine jewel

BY DARREN RANCK Heights Editor

The union of She and Him came most ordinarily. She, Elf and (500) Days of Summer star Zooey Deschanel, met Him, blues / folk singer and guitarist M. Ward, at the wedding reception of a mutual friend. Out of a rating Deschanel expressed to him of 10, this her secret dream of becoming a singer and sang a few self-writ- album scores ten ditties to Ward. Impressed with what he heard, Ward proposed a collaborative effort with her on vocals and him as lead guitarist.

Their formation is as simple, lovely, and harmonious as the music they create.

After the critical success of its first album, Volume One, She and Him returns with its follow-up effort, the aptly titled Volume Two. For those who enjoyed the initial outing, Volume Two will provide much of the same pleasure. This time around, though, the bright spots shine ever more luminously, and the low points sink deeper.

At its core, the album is another tribute to folk-inspired girl groups, mixing in typical song themes of love and loss but with a kitschy twist.

With a larger budget, though, the duo chose to better the production values, a move that seemed detrimental for such a stripped-down sound. Surprisingly enough, it only adds clarity and authority to the ’60s-inspired percussion and Ward’s skillful guitar playing. As Doo wop duo She & such, Ward’s deft guitar Him return for their prowess delightfully pepsecond album, Volume pers this album, making up for how underutilized Two. The twosome draw his skills were in Volume inspiration from country One. Album single “In acts, the sound of soul, the Sun” perfectly exemclassic Motown, and plifies this notion, from alternative quirk. the opening low register riffs to the ever escalating instrumental climax.

The overall sound of the

music still leaves the sweet taste of nostalgia on the listener’s tongue, but there’s a bit of an edge to it now.

She and Him, from its conception to its realization, has always been about highlighting Deschanel’s vocal ability. Her voice is unusual in the modern music age. With an ever present lilt, Deschanel softly croons each song with quirkiness and bubblegum-sweetness. After so much time, though, much like bubblegum, she loses her flavor. It does not occur in trend-like fashion, however, but rather occasional dips in listener interest. Album opener “Thieves” wonderfully emphasizes the strengths of Deschanel’s voice, offering what may be her best vocal performance yet, as she channels Patsy Cline.

Only five songs later, though, she sings “Gonna Get Along Without You Now” with a trite vocal.

To what end is that a problem with Deschanel’s vocal ability, though? The song itself is possibly the weakest on the album, with its chorus of “uh huh

7.5

/ Mmhmm / Gonna get along with you now.” Deschanel and Ward are not necessarily the strongest lyricists. Several of the songs simply feel like filler, and Deschanel treats them as such in her vocals.

When they write a song for Deschanel to sink her teeth into, though, she wears the emotion on her sleeve and in her voice.

For instance, on the penultimate tune, “Brand New Shoes,” Deschanel channels genuine emotion and sings the heartbreaking refrain, “It’s just like you said it would be / It’s nothing at all,” with the proper amount of sadness and detachment. Or, the hopeful girlishness with which she warbles on “Lingering Still” as she joyously cries, “And your word’s like a science / And my mind’s like a secret / And I saw you lingering still.” Both of these songs, along with a few others, stir greater emotion than any song on Volume One. On the whole, though, there’s greater cohesiveness on Volume One than on Volume Two. When Volume Two hits its stride, it’s an exquisite throwback, but editing would’ve helped it out. Sometimes it feels too kitschy, too affected for its own good. With its intention of making good, old-fashioned music, though, She and Him keep its word.

IN STORES NEXT WEEK

Usher Raymond v. Raymond LA FACE

Barenaked Ladies All in Good Time RAISIN’ RECORDS

CHART TOPPERS SINGLES

1 2 3 4 5

Rude Boy Rihanna Need You Now Lady Antebellum Break Your Heart Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris Imma Be The Black Eyed Peas Nothin’ on You B.o.B. feat. Bruno Mars

1 2 3 4 5

Teen Dream Beach House Transference Spoon One Life Stand Hot Chip ODD BLOOD Yeasayer Contra Vampire Weekend

COLLEGE ALBUMS

COURTESY OF FLIKR USER GREG HUDSON

Source: Billboard.com & CMJ.com

What we talk about when we talk about Justin Bieber

BY ZAK JASON

Assoc. Arts & Review Editor For reasons known only to the artist, Justin Bieber has not taken an artistic leap in his sophomore album, My World 2.0.

This leaves the outer world Out of a rating bamboozled. How could the of 10, this Canadian songbird craft such album scores similar songs? Where did the boy who crooned tunes as experimental and diverse as “One Less Lonely Girl” and the Usher-boosted track “First Dance” get the stones to release an album so mainstream? Critics asked the same of John Keats. Fellow Romantics condemned his series of odes for their formulaic repetition. Bieber is the Keats of our day, a pubescent prodigy scribing — with obnoxiously catchy rhymes — the decrepitude of the current human condition. His sophomore album at the age of 16 will solidify his status as the poet laureate of our day.

As it turns out, My World 2.0 varies little from his debut, My World, which was released just four months ago. Besides the increasing nocturnal emissions and getting his learner’s permit, not much has changed in Master Bieber’s world, except that he now commands an army of ovulating preteens. For the most part, Bieber — like Keats — remains hung up on that elusive muse: the chica. In the opening to the Gameboy-beeping “Somebody to Love,” Bieber sings, “For you I’d write a symphony.” And what an opus he composes. In the pixie stick, harmonizingheavy track “Stuck in the Moment,” Bieber whispers to his girl, “Romeo and Juliet never felt the way we felt,” and then laments his imminent aging, “I don’t want to be so old and gray / reminiscing about these

better days.” Throughout the album — a brisk 11 tracks — the mop-headed lover repeats a phrase he uttered in My World, “Your world is my world.” At its essence, My World 2.0 is My World engorged with hormones, much like what Chris Columbus did with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

“Kiss and Tell” is the catchiest and most playful cut of the album. Like a veteran emcee, Bieber asserts his name in the intro, “J-j-j-Jay!”, but it sounds like a cartoon voice actor shouting his name in the intro of something on ABC’s One Saturday Morning. For DJ Khaled, the motif is abhorrent. For Bieber, endearing. Amid a bubbling, synthesized melody, Bieber unleashes his carnal urges: “A little kiss is a definite possibility.” In a bridge toward the end of the song, the boy gives some advice on women: “Don’t tell your homies / Don’t tell your mama / Don’t tell your girlfriend / That will start some drama / Stay off that Facebook.”

Profound, perfunctory, yet economical, the words echo those of Keats’ “Ode on Melancholy,” in which the narrator bemoans, “Suffer the pale fore-

5

head to be kissed / By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine.”

For a 12-year-old girl, My World 2.0 marks the equivalent of The Empire Strikes Back. For the college-age person, this album marks a mildly enjoyable but uninspired return to late ’90s boy band sensibilities. For the world, this marks a master rising above all to the peak of his career, bellowing his commandments of innocent love and cheesy romance to all the forlorn sinners below.

At long last, Master Bieber’s sophomore album has finally launched. After an excruciating wait of four months after his first album, Bieber returns with My World 2.0, a batch of lovelorn candy pop ballads, featuring appearances by Ludacris and Sean Kingston.

COURTESY OF FLIKR USER GREG HUDSON

CLOS E-UP

What We’re Watching

BY BRENNAN CARLEY For The Heights

1. Parks and Recreation — By far this season’s funniest show, Parks is a snappy and hilarious treasure trove of talent centered on the “everyday” events at the Pawnee Parks Department. Amy Poehler finally has a handle on her dorky but loveable character, Leslie Knope. Aubrey Plaza (as the easily annoyed April) and Chris Pratt (Andy, the delightfully bumbling pit dweller turned shoe-shiner) have the best chemistry on NBC (move aside, Jim and Pam). Last week’s episode revolved around the mugging of minor character Jerry (Jim O’Heir) and the department’s campaign for “Safe Parks Now!” Parks is at its best in these kinds episodes, when it allows the ensemble to let loose and shine.

Watch Parks and Recreation Thursdays at 8:30 on NBC.

How to Make it In America’s Ben Epstein

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2

2. Law and Order: SVU — SVU is always a stomping ground for stellar guest stars. A few weeks ago, the show featured popular comedian Kathy Griffin as a gay-rights activist and D-List train wreck Mischa Barton as a pregnant prostitute. The second episode showcases Jaclyn Smith, one of the original Charlie’s Angels. Look for an always-strong performance by the Emmy-nominated Mariska Hargitay. Watch Law and Order: SVU Wednesdays at 9:00 and 10:00 on NBC.

3

3. American Idol—Although the show has lost a bit of its “magic” since Paula Abdul left, Ellen DeGeneres does a good job filling her shoes. Everything that comes out of Randy Jackson’s mouth is useless, and Simon Cowell knows the Idol ship is sinking. On the bright side, there are strong contenders, like Siobhan Magnus and Crystal Bowersox, who harken back to a brighter, better Idol. Watch American Idol Tuesdays at 8:00 and Wednesdays at 9:00 on FOX. COURTESY OF HULU.COM

COURTESY OF PETE RHYMES

with Will Watkins Bryan Greenberg, perhaps best known for his role as single father Jake Jagielski on One Tree Hill, is back on the small screen in HBO’s new dramedy How To Make It In America as lead character Ben Epstein. The show, which has many of the same producers as Entourage, follows two aspiring fashion moguls as they navigate New York City’s hipster art scene, experience the struggles of being poor,and possess seemingly impossible dreams. Ben Epstein is an FIT dropout whose homemade t-shirt catches the eye of a prominent fashion buyer. Together with his best friend, Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk), he must struggle to fill the buyer’s order for 300 shirts, all while trying to win back his ex-girlfriend Rachel (Lake Bell) and get his dorky but rich investor, David Kaplan (Eddie Kaye Thomas), laid. In the most recent episode, he found a warehouse full of vintage shirts to print his design on, so viewers can expect more progress with his fashion aspirations in the near future.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

B6

China’s money, China’s rules

ON THE flip side

JOHN LACARA

THE ISSUE:

The international community has been calling for China to allow its currency to grow stronger and to raise its interest rates. Though existing policies have kept China’s economy strong in the worldwide recession experienced by other countries, the fear is that continued use will lead to disaster with international repercussions. Should China be forced to listen to international opinion in determining its policies in our increasingly globalized economies?

Yuan hurts global markets combined has lead to 8.7 percent growth in 2009, a rate far outstripping that of any other We live in a connected nation. world. These are the days of This data should be good the Internet and international news for the international travel, where information technology binds the world together community – after all, if the second-most powerful econmore intimately than ever beomy can rebound so quickly, fore. You can see it in biology, wouldn’t it then become an where the human genome was anchor for the rest of the sequenced by hundreds of difworld’s economies to regain ferent researchers worldwide, their previous form? This time, the unimaginable masses of such is not the case. Accorddata pooled instantaneously in ing to many economists, the Internet databases.

Chinese yuan News breaks This time, it is not is dangerously across televisions, cell the case. According undervalued. reputable phones, and to many economists, Many authorities say Web sites in a the currency is the Chinese yuan matter of minundervalued by utes, when two is dangerously over 40 percent. d e c a d e s a go undervalued. Many This provides the same process would have reputable authorities China with an unfair advanta ke n h o u rs . say the currency is tage in trade, as Nowhere is this use of technol- undervalued by over 40 it allows Chinese exporters ogy more apparent than in percent. This provides the ability to business. Mod- China with an unfair generate more t on each ern telecommuadvantage in trade, profi dollar than they nications bridge as it allows Chinese should. Paul the previously Nounbridgeable, exporters the ability to Krugman, bel Prize-winand countries are closer to derive more profit for ning economist, each other than each dollar than they said, “We are at the stage where ever before. should. we have to be The days when you could view each country’s talking about treating this … as economy as a discrete unit are if the Chinese were subsidizing their exports to the tune of 25, long dead.

30 percent.”

The simple fact is that we The Chinese authorities are residents in this modern deny any currency manipulaage, when one nation’s actions tion, of course. Chinese Prehave international repercusmier Wen Jiabao stated that sions. The question isn’t whether China should be forced the yuan is valued at a “fair market price,” and declared to listen to international opinChina would implement a ion in determining its policies. “managed, market-based and The country has an obligation floating exchange regime,” to listen to and address interkeeping the exchange rate “banational concerns.

During the devastating glob- sically stable at an appropriate level.” He further declared that al recession that has enveloped China would resist all external the world in the past years, pressure to adjust its currency.

China’s economy only briefly Despite these denials, went into a downturn before China’s policies are creating righting itself and storming the foundations of some major ahead, even as the rest of the problems. In the wake of the world’s markets continued decreased interest rates and to suffer. This quick recovery enormous government lending, was mainly accomplished by both prices and interest have increasing credit, cutting interest rates, and instituting a $585 risen, spurring Beijing to begin suspending government lending billion stimulus program in to avoid further increasing inlate 2008. To tie its currency to flationary pressures, bad debts, the plummeting dollar, China and just general economic also has kept its yuan exchange overheating. Yet, as Jiabao will rate pegged at 6.8 yuan to the attest, China is doing nothing dollar since mid-2008. All this

NICHOLAS HANOVICE

about its undervalued currency.

China’s argument – that it should be the only nation with a right to have input in the Chinese economy – draws upon the old-world model of economics, one where the Chinese economy wasn’t so intimately tied to so many other nations around the world. With the rest of the world, including the United States, still struggling to recover from a deep recession, the monetary imbalance maintained by the Chinese state will continue to impede progress.

Furthermore, it may even harm China itself. According to the World Bank, which provides financial aid and advice to developing nations, increasing interest rates and allowing the yuan to appreciate would help reduce inflation within China and would be a major step towards helping to rebalancing the Chinese economy.

Stepping away from the economic details of the issue, I find it pertinent to emphasize the obligation any developed nation with a major economy has to listen to external influences regarding its policies. The U.S. government maintains a globalist position when it takes into account its position in the international community and, even with the recent tribulations and transfer of power to the Chinese markets, it remains the number one economy in the world and one of the major contributors of international aid.

Taking one more step back, I would point out that we are reading this article in the student newspaper at a Jesuit university, one founded on the principles of service and the notion that every privilege carries with it a mission to use it for the good of humanity in general. The fact that we live in the Age of Information, the fact that in this case the Chinese economy may actually stand to benefit from taking external advice, are both window dressings to this ideal of service. China, along with the United States, the European Union, and any other developed nations, has an obligation to address foreign concerns if they intend to continue to live and prosper in this entangled age.

Nicholas Hanovice is a guest columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@ bcheights.com

Since the dawn of the modern age, China has become an important and interesting player on the world stage. In recent years, there have been many international powers that would seem to greatly enjoy dictating how China behaves in regard to monetary policy. Not surprisingly, public statements made by these nations have been ignored almost as quickly as they have been made. As the buzz of international dissent increases, China likely understands less and less exactly why it is being pressured so.

The fact of the matter is that, despite the possible repercussions, it is not prudent for the international community to begin meddling so strongly in the way individual nations handle their specific monetary affairs.

Many point toward a myriad of sound economic reasons that China should be forced to revalue its currency as a sort of justification for the current international outcry. Due to the cheap yuan, China has fared unusually well throughout the global crisis. Of course, this is a point of contention for the countless nations that have not had the same luck. Other countries feel that the current peg of around 6.83 yuan per dollar is far too low, and they might, in fact, be right. On March 16, the United States revealed a plan that would potentially penalize Chinese imports with higher duties should the exchange rate not be allowed more flexibility.

Such a coarse and blatant action simply would not have occurred should the current value of the yuan not be seen as a definite problem. Of course, this “problem” is really only such depending on which side of the ocean you reside.

The primary issue that the United States has with the current value of the yuan is its effect on Chinese imports. The artificially low exchange rate encourages American firms to purchase these foreign goods instead of domestic ones, significantly damaging American

manufacturing job markets. At ability to cover significant fixed a time of such crisis, when the expenses as volumes decrease. job market is one of the most Furthermore, the policymakimportant barometers of how ers of the United States are well the United States is reundoubtedly aware of this fact. covering, this situation proved Those associated with The Chito be unacceptable to policy na Council for the Promotion of makers.

International Trade have stated While this seems to be very recently that there are numersensible from ous exporting Despite the fact that firms that could an American perspective, almost many would wish to face one must also immediate risk construe the situation of bankruptcy wonder what the United as cooperation between should the States would do yuan face rein the opppos- all nations to better the valuation in the ing position. I world, this is more often short run. The find it hard to United States is a dream than a reality. blatantly askimagine that any statements ing something made to the United States in of China that it knows could regards to its monetary policy potentially be harmful and would be taken very seriously threatening repercussions if the coming from any international demand is not met with complipower. In fact, there has been ance. Although a harsh statetalk in the recent past of keepment, this sentence perfectly ing the U.S. dollar as low as illustrates just how important possible so as to help the Amer- national sovereignty in monican manufacturing industry. etary policy is.

The international “free After the most recent ecomarket” is cutthroat. Despite nomic crisis, many have grown the fact that many would wish accustomed to actions that to construe the situation as seem to produce immediate recooperation between all nations sults. The actions of monetary to better the world, this is more authorities, the Fed especially, often a dream than a reality. have created a culture of quick The United States has been one and hasty action to solve of the more powerful players, complicated problems that and its claims against China rewere a long time in the making. garding the yuan, however well Instead of trying to force China founded internationally, can to make immediate changes to be reduced to a sort of posturits currency, a policy of gradual ing. While everyone else may negotiation should be adopted. be contemplating the reasons Given time, it would be much why China isn’t listening, they easier for Chinese firms to should instead be wondering adjust to such a change, which why China isn’t acting. would help to avoid the turmoil It cannot be denied that a that would result. rise in the value of the yuan Although I would love for would be utterly disastrous China to listen to whatever for the Chinese manufacturing the international community industry. With margins in the says simply for the sake of the current age of lean manufacturU.S. job market, the fact of ing and harsh competition at the matter is that it should be all-time lows, a small change in allowed to do exactly what it the foreign exchange rate could feel is right. The United States have disastrous repercussions played fast and loose in regards for many firms. An increase in to monetary policy recently, and the value of the yuan internait’s only fair that China should tionally would vastly decrease be able to do the same. the number of individual units sold by almost all Chinese John LaCara is a guest columnist for yuan-based firms, therefore The Heights. He welcomes comments significantly reducing their at marketplace@bcheights.com

WALLY SANTANA / AP PHOTO

China has resisted American pleas to revalue its currency, boosting global demand for Chinese imports in the process.

Benedict’s actions a positive first step in resolving scandal Catholics, from B10

KEVIN HOU / HEIGHTS PHOTO

The stained glass windows in Gasson depict Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Catholicism has deep roots in the country.

many times. While physical punishment is clearly wrong, the wording used by the media causes the average individual reading the news to believe upward of 1,000 people were abused more explicity.

This number creates a situation in which the problem within the Catholic Church is not solvable and is a permanent problem to which one must resign oneself. While I am not negating the reaction of horror and disgust, I am highlighting how misleading numbers and satistics can confuse the situation.

The media needs to stop demonizing the entirety of the Roman Catholic religion on account of a small percentage of clergy members. There should be appropriate coverage of real, present day problems and critiques of how the Church could best mitigate the current situation. The continued trend of inspiring hatred and anger into the masses because of skewed statistics should be put on hold.

Pope Benedict XVI did take the unexpected and rare action of ordering an apostolic delegation to investigate abuses in an unspecified diocese in Ireland. In his letter, he also advised the clergy at fault

to “submit yourselves to the demands of justice, but do not despair of God’s mercy.” That said, Benedict also stated, “For my part, considering the gravity of these offenses, and the often inadequate response to them on the part of the ecclesiastical authorities in your country, I have decided to write this pastoral letter to express my closeness to you and to propose a path of healing, renewal, and reparation.” While he advised clergy to comply with the justice system, he still wanted the main path taken to be one of “healing, renewal, and reparation.”

The pope’s greater level of intolerance for crimes committed by clergy is a definite step in the right direction for the Church, but there must be a demand for more. A priest or nun is a figure who is looked up to and trusted, often more than any other person a given individual will meet in their life. These individuals are the embodiment of the values any Catholic hopes to achieve.

This break of trust is something that cannot be repaired by assumed “healing, renewal, and reparation.” It may be difficult to fathom, but I believe that any clergymember found to be an abuser, whether in one instance or many times over, should be removed from his or

her office.

Forgiveness is a tenant of Catholicism, but this does not mean one forgets. Forgiveness is an emotional way that parishioners can deal with an abuse of trust and power.

Beyond emotions, though, there must be actions taken to ensure the abuse will not happen again. Having no Church disciplinary reaction sets a poor precedent and implies that the action was, in a sense, tolerated. While the subject is sensitive because of the position clergy hold in our minds, it also makes it all the more important to deal with properly.

Were the Pope to reprimand clergy who commit aforementioned crimes, it would send a message to Roman Catholics that not only is he “disgusted” but he understands that both the safety of children and the honor of the title priest or nun are at stake.

While this is a necessity, the media must also take its proper role in reporting facts and inciting productive discussion for the stigma forming around Catholicism to truly be reversed.

Kara Kaminski is a senior staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@ bcheights.com.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

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THE HEIGHTS

DANNY MARTINEZ

MATT PALAZZOLO

Are you happy with the passage of the health care bill?

It’s not perfect but neither was any of the landmark social legislation in the past.

Death panels, socialism, and the death of freedom.

How could you not like it?

Anything that makes Nancy Pelosi the “most powerful woman in American History” is bad and evil.

I’m excited to watch the hullaballoo emerge out of it. And there’s a mild chance it will work.

What will be the immediate political ramifications of the passage?

I don’t really know, but it was a big . . . deal.

Contract with America 2: The Return of the Newt

GOP has devolved into a party of crybabies? Did I say devolved? That’s an improvement for them.

Mobilization of both parties.

And a threefold increase in Fox News NRA members.

Should the federal government pay for abortions?

Absolutely not, that is a line that should never be crossed.

Only with broad bipartisan support, which should be easy after the cooperation on health care.

Ah, the abortion litmus test.

Classic. Stop categorizing me with one issue, media!

Should your boss pay for your vasectomy? Maybe not.

What will be the effect of Google withdrawing service from China?

I think in the larger picture of China, Google is but a sliver of the censorship pie.

Yahoo will step in and finally win a decisive victory in the decade old Google-Yahoo War.

Is Google a paper tiger?

There’s certainly enough hot air coming from China to blow it over.

The equivalent of when opium withdrew from China.

Marketplace Editor

Marketplace Staff

HILARY CHASSE

ZAK JASON

Opinions Editor

Assoc. Arts Editor

Accusations of voting fraud taint Iraq election results Iraq, from B10

the situation feel that there might be acts of retaliation against the Sunni minority if Allawi maintains his small lead.

The U.S. Embassy and United Nations have found no evidence to suggest vote fraud. After al-Maliki petitioned to the IHEC about the election, the commission refused to do a ballot-by-ballot recount in a Sunday night news conference. The commission’s refusal has caused many supporters of al-Maliki to view the IHEC as corrupt. Faraj al-Haidari, head of the IHEC, told reporters, “To come now and make allegations against the IHEC, I don’t think this serves the interests of that person, or the elections process, and even the political progression as a whole.” After weeks of counting the ballots, final results are expected to be posted on March 26.

The establishment of a new government could take months in the midst of this political turmoil, though.

Experts say al-Maliki may turn to more radical options if the election commission results don’t turn out in his favor. His reason for demanding a recount was “to prevent the slipping of the security situation in the country and the resurgence of violence that was defeated only after efforts, sufferings, and bloodshed.” As the current commander-in-chief of the Iraqi army, observers believe he could use the stubbornness of the IHEC as an excuse to seize control of the government.

While al-Maliki probably wouldn’t dare do this with the large American army still stationed in Iraq, there are suspicions that he will act when the United States pulls out all but 50,000 troops in August.

Kenneth Katzman of the Congressional Research Service told reporters, “Especially with this language of defending the Constitution, setting themselves up as the protectors of the Constitution, that is how authoritarian parties usually justify what they do.” Throughout this period, American troops have watched polling centers to check for any signs of interference, and are monitoring the actions of al-Maliki’s security forces.

Leaders of other political parties are supporting al-Maliki’s call for a re-count.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani of the Kurdistan Alliance hopes to annex territories for the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan lost during Hussein’s dictatorship. As a result, he prefers al-Maliki over Allawi because Allawi’s Sunni-supportive policies would prevent these regions from returning to the Kurds. Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani leads the Iraqi Unity Alliance, consisting of both Muslim sects, and believes that politicians have inflated the voter registration by about 12 percent.

“There was the possibility of treating this [situation] before we reached this stage,” al-Bolani said. “People want no more than their rights.” A coalition of disillusioned politicians and their constituents assisting al-Maliki against Allawi seems possible.

An improvement has been made in one area of the democratic process. In Iraq’s first elections in 2005, a “closed list” system existed, in which individuals could only vote for a party rather than an individual. Authorities were correct in predicting that this procedure would protect candidates from hostile insurgents, but it led to ubiquitous corruption since politicians could anonymously use

ALAA AL-MARJANI / AP PHOTO

Iraqis in Najaf chant anti-Baathist slogans as they demand a manual re-count of the votes submitted in the recent election, hoping to oust Baathists. relatives and allies to capture seats. Now, however, an “open list” system permits Iraqis to vote for parties and individuals.

There is greater transparency despite the higher risks for individual politicians in a country rife with assassinations.

Politicians have passed reforms to push Iraq into a more independent and progressive mindset following this election. A law passed in December 2009 stipulates that 82 of the 325 representatives must be female. In a country historically dominated

by men, this measure could help transform Iraq into a nation with one of the most liberal attitudes toward women in the Middle East. Other groups have a minimum amount of representatives as well, such as the 5 seats allowed for Christians.

In addition, the IHEC decided in the same month that the 2 million Iraqis who had fled the country since 2003 would be able to vote. The United Nations is auditing these voting centers in 16 countries for these displaced Iraqis. Lastly, 300,000

Iraqi government and IHEC officials are managing the election without any logistical help from the United States (besides providing security at polling places).

Nevertheless, the threat of a takeover by sore losers looms over this idealism.

Decades of authoritarianism cast a shadow over a country that takes decades of freedom to vanquish. Fearful about Maliki’s desire for power, an unnamed official cautioned, “The dark side is very dark.

You can’t dismiss it.” 

British Airway workers strike cripples airline service

BY PATRICIA HARRIS

Asst. Marketplace Editor A plague of airline strikes is creating complicated and frustrating commutes for travelers in Europe. Thousands of cabin crews from British Airways (BA) have recently returned from their threeday strike, and the airlines Lufthansa and TAP Air Portugal may have to face

the ramifications of a strike by their pilot’s union.

The strike at BA had been scheduled to end at midnight last Monday.

Although the strike may have officially ended by then, airplane services remained jumbled at a number of major airports the following Tuesday. According to BA, almost 200 flights, or 19 percent of the flights scheduled up

to midnight on Tuesday, were canceled.

The BBC reported that BA lost about $10.6 million each day of the strike, but BA said in a statement, that it estimates the strike will not affect the overall earnings of the company for the full fiscal year.

On Saturday, BA will have to deal with more delays, as crews represented

by Unite, the worker’s union have an-

LEFTERIS PITARAKIS / AP PHOTO

British Airways experienced extensive delays this week due to a strike involving thousands of aircrew members who held rallies outside the airports.

nounced they will strike for a full four days. The goal of these strikes is to bring the airline back to the negotiation table to rework contracts. As quoted in the Times Online, Tony Woodley, the joint leader of Unite, said, “I am now appealing to the BA chairman and sensible members of the board to use their influence, put passengers first, and [the] return to the negotiating table for good of everyone.” Despite this, and a near guarantee that more money will be lost, no further negotiations with the union have been planned.

Employees of other airlines located in nearby European nations are striking as well. The pilots at TAP Portugal have stated that they will begin a five-day protest on Friday. The Italian airline, Alitalia, also canceled and delayed flights due to a four-hour strike. This strike was called to protest the airline’s efforts to take away items laid out in their contracts. Air France narrowly avoided dealing with the ramifications of a strike by agreeing to negotiate with unions on new contracts.

Europe’s largest airline, Lufthansa, may soon face a drought of pilots, as the International Association of Airline Pilots Associations voted to back the the strike. This same group, the Lufthansa’s Cockpit union, had, in fact, gone on strike a month ago, but negotiations restarted after only a day. This strike is planned to be a walkout from all of the German airports from April 13-16. The union stated that the advance warning was provided to not only avoid causing unanticipated turmoil for customers over Easter, but also to provide the management with a chance to return to contract negotiations.

Many fear that these strikes will have a deeply negative impact on the tourism industry, which many European nations rely on to boost their hurting

economies. According to the Associated Press, Portugal’s economy minister, Jose Vieira da Silva, said, “Our tourist sector is coming out of a very deep crisis. [The strike] is not good for it.” The damage that these strikes may do to the economies of the affected nations is a real concern for many.

These strikes are symptomatic of the economic pressures that have universally been forcing European airlines to cut costs.

In the recent past, airlines experienced a steady decline in revenues, and this trend is not appearing to be turning around any time soon. According to Businessweek, revenues of European airfares have been hit at a loss of 10-15 percent across the board.

The increase of rivals in the air, such as Ryanair and easyJet which provide cheap airfare around Europe, as well as growing pressure from international airlines located in the Middle East and Asia on transcontinental flights, have monetarily crunched the former staterun airlines that hoped to help their shrinking profits and remain competitive by cutting labor costs.

The strike action in BA is a direct result of changes that occurred in wages and working conditions. For example, last November, BA lowered the amount of personnel on long-haul flights. Now, it is starting a two-year pay freeze, starting at the beginning of the 2010.

The administration also was working on an initiative, which would have new contracts that lowered the wages of entering workers.

While BA states that it needs to cut costs in order to survive, the strike might cause it to look elsewhere for penny pinching. Woodley said that their group members have offered to submit an alternative plan, which they claim will to save more than 55 million euros. 

B8

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Heights

Thursday, March 25, 2010

B9

Passage of bill is culmination of yearlong partisan battle Health Care, from B10

William Plowman / ap photo

Republican Minority Leader John Boehner and Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer argue points on “Meet The Press.”

claim that government has no right to force American citize+ns to purchase health care, while Democrats contend that mandating the purchase of health care falls under Congress’ jurisdiction to regulate interstate commerce.

White House adviser David Axelrod is confident that the bill will not be struck down by the courts.

“First of all, every single major piece of legislation that’s ever been passed in this country has engendered lawsuits,” Axelrod said on Good Morning America.

“That’s the nature of our system, and we expected that. We’re not concerned about these lawsuits.”

In the immediate future though, the health care bill will go into effect.

The road to health care reform

for Obama and the Democrats has been long and arduous. In the aftermath of Obama’s election and the strengthening of Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress, the possibility of health care reform seemed very likely.

The president set a timetable for ratification in the summer of 2009, and gave Democratic legislative leaders free reign over the crafting of the bill.

Then the delays began. Eleven months later, however, both chambers passed their respective bills in late December 2009. The vote ref lected the hyper-partisanship in Washington – with the bills combined accumuluating just one Republican vote – and contain many fundamental differences. The House bill contained a public option and strict language preventing any funding of abor-

tions. The Senate bill had neither and was less expensive as well.

At the time, these issues seemed trivial, until the surprise victory of Republican Scott Brown in the special Massachusetts election, denying the Democrats a filibuster-proof 60 votes and putting health care on life support.

Just when all hope appeared lost, Obama outlined a plan that would have the House pass the Senate’s bill and then smooth over the differences in the bills through the reconciliation process, which requires only 51 votes in the Senate, rather than 60. The Democrats had enough votes to pass the bill, even with universal Republican opposition. Now that the bill is law, the waiting game begins to see which party will benefit from its passing in the November midterm elections. n

A Green Piece

Filmmaker challenges students to lead eco-impactless lives Shanna Atherton In the flurry of Green Week events, a soft-spoken yet persistent man came to speak in Devlin 008 Wednesday. His name was Collin Beavan, writer, and for a year in New York City, No Impact Man. Since the previous Sunday, students across Boston College had been participating in a scaled down version of Beavan’s experiment.

Beavan’s goal, and ours too, was to see if we could reduce our negative impact on the

earth, measured by resource consumption and theoretical carbon production, and increase our positive impact for a net of no negative impact.

“Which, by the way, has no basis in science,” Beavan stated during his talk, commenting that he rooted his experiment in the philosophical idea of doing greater good than harm during our tenure on earth.

He said he came up with the idea after having arrived at a successful writing career and an apartment and family in New York city, but still wasn’t happy. He was also looking for a way to use his writing skills to erect change. “We could be the Hunter S. Thompson of the species,” he said, and explained for those who didn’t know the

crazy antics of the American author who partied hard and died young. “The thing is, I didn’t feel like we were having a party.”

The experiment was structured by Beavan in phases, originally to convince his wife to go along with the project.

For students, his program made it easier to gradually phase in no-impact activities during their hectic schedules, but it didn’t make the project easy on the whole. Some students, including myself, found it difficult to phase out trash production and energy consumption when so many food items at BC and in stores come pre-packaged and so much study time is spent working at a computer with the lights on. Beavan came

across this difficulty during the trash phase, too, which he instituted first as a tangible, fast way to see his family’s reduction of consumption. “The ‘No Trash’ phase in this economy means the no-anything phase,” he realized.

The experiment ran for over eight days at BC, with students phasing out the use of a certain resource each day. First was Consumption, where students were advised to make a list of all the things they would need during the week, cross off all the unnecessary ones, and proceed to use only the things they needed, without purchasing anything new, if possible, for the duration. Monday meant Trash, when students were instructed to carry around

courtesy of paenergyfest.com

Collin Beavan became a sensation for his almost religious commitmnet to a no-waste lifestyle. His blog, No Impact Man, was made into a successful documentary.

a water bottle and no-trash travel kit of Tupperware or dishes that they could use in the dining halls throughout the week. Tuesday was Transportation, and students who usually drive were asked to take the T if possible, and students who usually take the shuttle were asked to walk. Wednesday was Food, and students were asked to institute more local and organic food into their diets or try out vegetarianism to reduce the amount of miles their food travels down from the 1500 mile average.

Thursday was Energy, and students were asked to keep their TVs off, turn off unnecessary (or all) lights, and spend more time with friends and away from electronics. Friday was Water, and students were asked to drink tap water instead of bottled, as well as to take shorter showers. Saturday was Giving Back day, during which students could participate in an organized trash clean-up around the Reservoir or paint signs for BC’s community garden. And finally came Sunday, the Eco-Sabbath, during which students were asked to take a little time out of their day to spend in nature or with their friends.

For myself, I found that I had already implamented many of these instructions in my life, and those that weren’t, such as the Energy and Trash rules, were extremely difficult to abide by while living in a dorm.

However, I did find that, overall, I was better able to account for what and how much I was consuming, and where those consumption patterns could be changed in the future.

Likewise, Beavan, during his year-long experience with his family, found that some of the steps he’d taken were extremely impractical and did nothing for his family’s health or quality

of life. As he said, “A person like me [liberal urbanite], can easily romanticize the use of fewer resources,” but there is a point below which quality of life drops precipitously. “It may not be worth destroying the planet for the bread machine,” he said, referring to people’s misconception of how he could make his own bread over the year, “The laundry machine is a different matter.”

What the project boiled down to was finding a realistic place where the health of the planet and human happiness intersected. Beavan typified this idea by sharing an anecdote about his wife and daughter. For the project, he told his audience, he’d switched to using organic cotton, cloth diapers for his daughter. One day, he couldn’t find any cloth diapers, and he spotted one lonely conventional diaper in the back of the closet.

Figuring that they had it anyway, he went to put the diaper on his daughter. She began crying, screaming for the cloth diapers, at which point both Beavan and his wife had a realization. Beavan realized how much nicer the cloth must feel on his daughter’s skin than plastic, but his wife, who was a cynical participant in the project from the beginning, came to a deeper realization. She didn’t know whether plastic diapers against her baby’s skin 24/7 were slowly poisoning her daughter, but she did know for sure that organic cloth diapers weren’t.

The project, in the end, came down to identifying and inhabiting a place where the health of the planet and human well-being intersected.

Shanna Atherton is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes c o m m e n t s a t m a rke t p l a c e @ bcheights.com.

Landmark health bill attempts to bend cost curve down Budget, from B10

employees would be required to pay a fee of $2,000 per employee if they do not provide coverage. A tax will be imposed on individuals making over $200,000 and couples making over $250,000 in order to pay for Medicare.

In addition to the health insurance exchanges and taxes on expensive plans, the bill also helps shape the private market with investments in information technology and prevention to “bend the cost curve down.” If the reform does indeed cut costs and reduce premiums, we could see wages grow.

The White House Council of Economic Advisers believes that the bill can create around 300,000 new jobs and increase both GDP growth by four percent and average family income by $6,800 over the next 20 years. The most optimistic estimates suggest that the bill could create between 250,000 and 400,000 jobs every year for the next 10 years.

Independent of whether Obama will kill our grandmothers with his death panels or that this is one step toward a glorious joyous Red Revolution, the matter on many

Americans’ minds regards the potential economic costs. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the new health reforms will cost some $940 billion over the next 10 years.

Making optimistic assumptions about future revenues from Medicare cuts and doctors’ reimbursements, it determines that the revenues will exceed the costs. In addition, the office purports that the federal deficit will be cut by more than $1 trillion over the next 20 years.

Opponents point out that the subsidies will not start for another four years. It has been said that the CBO estimate takes into account 10 years of tax increases and Medicare cuts to pay for spending. The alternative view suggests that the reform will cause a true 10year cost of $2.3 trillion.

As with most extreme situations, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The first version of the reform, shot down by the Republicans, contained meaningful proposals such as a tax on gilded insurance plans and an independent commission for Medicare reform. These had to be watered down or omitted to pacify opponents.

The success of the bill depends upon whether Congress has the stomach to enforce these taxes and take expert recommendations into account. For example, the bill will not impose the tax on generous insurance policies until 2018 and then will make the tax more restrictive over time. However, Congress has continually dismissed this last, key component. It does appear that by postponing these taxes, the government has essentially bequeathed this unsavory responsibility to its successors.

Currently, the health insurance companies make inordinate profits. Somewhat counterintuitively, enormous and disproportionate profits for any one industry are ultimately destructive to the economy in which they exist because they take money that would otherwise be in circulation, powering economic growth.

With potentially more money in the hands of the people, and increased security in the form of health care, perhaps we can move forward into a new economic era.

Ameet Padte is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.

Harry Hamburg / ap photo

Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL), a member of the Budget Committee, surveys the thousands of pages in the health bill.

MARKETPLACE THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, March 25, 2010

B10

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010

MARKET REPORT

Insurance companies lose free rein

AMEET PADTE

Sweeping health reform passes

Bill is law after 219-212 vote in House Sunday and Obama signature on Tuesday

BY MATT PALAZZOLO Heights Staff

President Barack Obama signed a sweeping health care reform bill into law on Tuesday. The bill, which the Senate passed on Christmas Eve last year and the House passed on Sunday, is the most significant overhaul of the nation’s health care system since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s.

Both votes were highly partisan affairs, with the bill not receiving a single Republican vote in either chamber of Congress. Democrats were jubilant when the bill was successfully passed. David Axelrod, presidential adviser, told reporters, “I haven’t seen the President so happy about anything other than family since I’ve known him.” In his speech to the nation after the House passed the bill Sunday, Obama himself stated that, “[The bill] moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like.”

Republicans were in complete lockstep in their denouncement of the bill. John McCain, Sarah Palin, and

Mitt Romney, all key players in the 2008 presidential race, have called for the repeal of the bill. Moreover, leading House conservatives such as Michele Bachmann have already introduced legislation to that effect. Tim Pawlenty, Republican governor of Minnesota, called the health care bill an “unprecedented overreach by the federal government forcing individual citizens to buy a good or service for no other reason than they happen to be alive or a person.” Twelve Republican state attorney generals have filed lawsuits to block the bill, claiming that it is unconstitutional.

The bill is complex and multifaceted. It will expand coverage to include 32 million uninsured people and will cost $938 billion over 10 years. Starting in 2014, all Americans will be required to carry health care coverage or else pay a fine. However, those with incomes below a certain level are exempted. Insurance providers will be forbidden from denying children coverage because of pre-existing conditions or cancelling coverage if a person gets sick. Furthermore, Medicaid will be expanded to include people slightly

Controversy clouds Iraq elections

BY KEITH VAN KULLER Heights Staff

Optimists had hoped that the democratic process in Iraq would proceed smoothly this year. Yet, political factions refusing to accept the results of the vote are now threatening to tear the fragile country apart. Although the election of 325 members of Iraq’s Council of Representatives took place on March 7, the party with the majority of votes has not been determined. This party would then have the most power in the legislature to select the president and prime minister for Iraq.

Two powerful figureheads are vying for control of the presidency. Nouri al-Maliki, the incumbent prime minister, demanded a recount by the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) when Iyad Allawi, the former prime minister, had a lead of 11,000 votes. A victory for al-Maliki is still possible because only 95 percent of the ballots have been counted. He draws most of his support from Shiite Muslims, while Allawi is a secular Shiite and thus has the backing of many Sunni Muslims from Saddam Hussein’s collapsed regime. Observers of VAHID SALEMI / AP PHOTO

See Iraq, B7

IN THE NEWS

An Iraqi woman holds up a peace sign while waiting to deposit her ballot in the recent election.

POLITICS

ECONOMICS

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Russia and the United States have made plans to sign an arms agreement next month that will dramatically reduce the amount of nuclear weapons in each of the countries.

Sales for new homes in the United States reached all new lows last February, despite generous tax breaks given as incentives by the government.

Next Tuesday at CERN in Switzlerand, physicists hope to partake in the world’s biggest physics experiment. At an underground track 17 miles long, scientists will collide protons together to attempt to create primordial particles.

Nintendo has announced that the newest verision of its hand-held console video game will come with a 3-D display and will be available within a year.

Israel’s construction plans in East Jerusalem have been confirmed by officals in the government, and will break ground in the near future.

The Japanese parliament has passed a staggering $1 trillion budget for its government this year in the hopes that the increased spending will stimulate its slumping economy.

I NSIDE MARKE TP L A C E

THIS ISSUE

On the Flip Side

above the poverty line (approximately 133 percent).

There is no public option and, as a result of moderate Democrats like Bart Stupak, none of the bill’s funds will be used to pay for abortions. Some of the bill’s more controversial aspects, such as the so-called Cornhusker Clause, which exempts Nebraska from increased Medicaid payments, are in the process of being eliminated through the reconciliation process.

Due to Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress, it is highly unlikely that the health care bill will be repealed on the national level. However, individual states have already passed laws of their own preventing any authority from mandating the purchase of health care. The aforementioned attorney generals have also challenged the bill on constitutional grounds.

The attorney generals’ claim of the bill’s unconstitutionality cuts to the heart of the ideological debate over the size of government. Republicans

See Health Care, B9

POLITICALLY SPEAKING

Irish clergy scandal draws papal apology KARA KAMINSKI Pope Benedict XVI apologized last Saturday to victims of the recent sexual abuse scandal in Ireland.

The pope issued a pastoral letter addressed to the Catholics of Ireland, and he did not mandate discipline of the clergy members at fault.

While the letter was heartfelt and genuine, it was not widely seen as an appropriate reaction to the problem at hand. One portion of the letter stated, “I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities

in Ireland dealt with them,” according to the Vatican’s Web site.

The abuse scandal is a result of a nine-year investigation organized in a 2,600 page report by the Irish government. The report investigates rape, sexual, and physical abuse

by Ireland’s Roman Catholic-run institutions.

According to the Washington Post, more than 1,000 individuals, most of whom are now in their 50s or older. have come forth describing their abuses. Is the Church solely at fault for its decaying image, though?

Numbers like the 1,000 individuals who claim abuse stick out in our minds. What does this statistic consist of, though? Reading the report, abuse can be anything from sexual abuse to using a leather belt on a child (a regular form of corporal punishment in the 1930s) too

See Catholics, B6

113

The number of militants that the Saudi Arabian government arrested this week, who allegedly have ties to al Qaeda.

219

The number of congressmen and women who supported the health care bill, all of whom were Democrats.

This week On the Flip Side will explore both sides of the issue of the Chinese currency................................................................. B6

IN QUOTES

See Budget, B9

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO

President Obama signs the historic health care bill to the applause of Vice President Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, Rep. John Dingell, and others on Tuesday.

IN NUMBERS

President Barack Obama’s healthreform package was passed just before midnight on Sunday, March 21. The House passed the Senate bill by the incredibly narrow margin of 219-212.

The reconciliation bill, in which only a simple majority was necessary for approval, then passed by nine votes.

The process was hugely controversial, as reconciliation is usually reserved for financial provisions.

Nevertheless, Obama has a final health care reform package which attempts to effect “Hope And Change” within our deeply flawed insurance market. Any such reform will have a huge effect as U.S. health care spending is $7,900 per year per person, and constitutes a total of $2.4 trillion, or 17 percent of the GDP. The reform includes stringent new regulations for insurers, such as forbidding them from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, canceling coverage for sick people, and charging higher premiums based on gender or medical history. Generous subsidies would be provided to families of four with quite a high annual household income of $88,000. Health insurance exchanges would facilitate the process through which small businesses, the self-employed, and the unemployed gather resources and purchase less expensive coverage. The bill will also limit total out-of-pocket expenses for individuals. One notable example of this is a reimbursement process to fund doctors’ research to find the cheapest and most effective medical procedures.

In return, the insurance companies would enjoy a vast expansion of the private insurance market. Of the roughly 49 million Americans without health insurance, around 32 million would be required to get coverage. Companies with more than 50

“ This is a big f–ing deal.”

– Joe Biden, Vice President To President Obama as he introduced him in the billsigning ceremony, unaware of the microphone

A Green Piece.............................................B6 Airline Strikes in Europe..............................B8