The Heights will return on Jan. 20, 2011. Good luck on your final exams! The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Vol. XCI, No. 46
THE HEIGHTS
QSLC hosts Times food columnist BY LOGAN GALLAGHER For The Heights
“I do a lot to preserve my anonymity,” said Sam Sifton, a New York Times food critic, during a lecture on Tuesday. “I reserve under fakes names, I have fake credit cards, I have large reserves cash, I’m Jason Bourne!” The lecture, titled “Restaurant Criticism, Arts Reporting and the Business of the New York Times”, was hosted by the Quality Student Life Committee (QSLC). The QSLC also held a dinner with Sifton, featuring such Boston College dining staples as Addie’s Loft pizzas and cupcakes, burgers from Hillside Cafe, and a mac n’ cheese station. “Helen Wechsler, the director of dining services, wanted to make sure Sifton tried the food we eat in the cafeteria,” said Cliff Baratta, the chairman of the QSLC and A&S’11. The QSLC is a non-political student
Sexual health examined
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
advocacy group that provides the BC community with daily copies of the New York Times and The Boston Globe. The QSLC organizes a lecture from a New York Times writer each semester. Previous speakers have included White House Correspondent David Sanger and United Nations Correspondent Warren Hoge. During his speech, Sifton brief ly introduced himself and spent an hour answering questions from the student audience. Several audience members wanted to know how one becomes a food critic and what skills are needed for the job. Sifton, a former Culture editor for the Times who began writing restaurant reviews in 2009, said that the main skill required is a love for food. “If you’re the type who sees the Chinese restaurant in every town and thinks, ‘That place could be great,’ you might be a food critic,” Sifton said. He
www.bcheights.com
O’Neill offers quiet space, iPads
Library listens to student suggestions BY MOLLY LAPOINT Heights Staff
ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF
Sam Sifton, a New York Times food critic, got a taste of BC Dining on Thursday evening. promptly added, “It never is.” Students asked the critic about his thoughts regarding different “fad” foods. He complained that he was tired of “fifteen dollar sliders” and “foie gras sliders.” He also expressed concern about “two bite plates” and “30-pound brontosaurus burgers.” On “local sourcing,” Sifton said, “I don’t need to know the cow’s name. I want to know it’s not an endangered
unicorn, but when it becomes marketing it gets a little wonky.” The final question of the night was regarding Sifton’s thoughts on BC’s dining options. “I liked it,” Sifton said. “I was fascinated. These guys are doing 24,000 transactions a day in Lower, and 4,000 in that little burger place (Hillside). I was not looking forward to it, but I was jazzed.”
BLASTING WILL BE ON HIATUS DURING FINALS WEEK
State of the Heights provokes discussion
See O’Neill, A4
BY PATRICK GALLAGHER Assoc. News Editor
The issue of sexual health at Boston College was the topic of debate at last night’s State of the Heights presentation, the third such panel to be held this semester. The roughly two dozen students in attendance probed administrators on topics ranging from the new Office of Health Promotion to whether certain clubs should be recognized by the University or not. Representing the University were Tom McGuinness, director of University Counseling Services, and Nancy Baker, associate director of University Health Services. McGuinness said that he believes BC needs to do a better job of encouraging conversations with the student body when it comes to students’ sexual health, a shared sentiment among uni-
KEVIN HOU / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Lower foundation excavation continues at the Stokes Hall construction site, including controlled blasting up to three times a day. Each blast is preceded by a security check of the area and a series of warning whistles. The blasts will temporarily cease during finals week.
Modern atmosphere attracts customers
INSIDE
BY DANIEL TONKOVICH For The Heights
THE SCENE
Editor’s Note: This is the third and final installment in The Heights’ examination of the history of Cleveland Circle.
SPORTS
ANNIE BUDNICK / HEIGHTS STAFF
From Nov. 29 to Dec. 8, the Boston College Army ROTC held a winter clothes drive. The donations, including coats and hats, will be sent overseas to support people in Afghanistan.
ROTC holds clothes drive Coats, hats, and gloves to be sent overseas A preview of BC’s bowl game versus Nevada, A10
MARKETPLACE
Dems and GOP agree on temporary tax cut extension, D11 Classifieds, A13 Editorials, A6 Police Blotter, A2 Videos on the Verge, B2 Editors Picks, A11 Swan Songs, C1 Forecast on Washington, D2 Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, A7 Weather, A2
AP FILE PHOTO
O’Neill Library is now loaning iPads, as well as setting aside space for quiet zones.
Embracing the Chill
See Sexual Health, A4
Plan your holiday with 12 nights of fun festivities, B1
O’Neill Library has made some recent changes, setting aside quiet zones on the fourth and fifth floors, loaning iPads out on two-day loans, and opening up some of the staff rooms for graduate student use. University Librarian Thomas Wall, said he tries to honor all student requests that come through, which is how these changes came about. He receives input from direct e-mails from students and from committees of both graduate and undergraduate students, who he meets with once a month. This has changed the way his staff thinks about what can be done with the library, Wall said. “I think people just needed to be empowered,” he said. Wall said the floors near the top of the library should be quieter. “I think the main floor should be an active space, a combination of the Apple store and a Borders bookstore,” he said. “As you go up, you expect it’s going to get more quiet.” The quiet zones, which include the area to the right of the staircase on the fourth floor and the entire fifth floor, will be monitored by the students themselves. “I never want to make a rule unless there’s a reason to,” Wall said. “I don’t think librarians should be policing
BY REBECCA KAILUS Heights Staff
Dec. 8 marked the end of Boston College ROTC’s Operation Outreach Afghanistan winter clothing drive, which had been an ongoing effort since Nov. 29 to collect winter coats, gloves, shoes, socks, winter hats, and blankets for the people of Afghanistan. David Willner, the ROTC coordinator of the donation drive and A&S ’12, said the donations will be distributed by the U.S. military. “We will ship it to a military base in the U.S. and then send it to Afghanistan,” Willner said. “There are a lot of soldiers and civilians of all services that ship it and sort it out. They then will take it out to the individual villages that they are working with, and will probably distribute the items at the schools and orphanages. The winter is supposed to be freezing over there.” The Operation Outreach Afghanistan program is comprised of a group
of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and civilian contractors who work for the betterment and empowerment of the Afghani people. They volunteer their time to provide medical assistance, as well as supply basic survival items, to the people of the region, through hospitals, villages, schools, and orphanages. Willner said that this donation drive specifically focuses on providing warm clothes for Afghani children at risk of cold exposure and hypothermia in the coming Afghani winter, where temperatures can dip below freezing. BC’s Army ROTC became involved in this donation drive after a former National Guard liaison to the BC Army ROTC, now stationed in Afghanistan, sent Captain Melissa Parrish, U.S. Army reserve company advisor, an e-mail describing the program. BC’s Army ROTC Company Captain, Sean Collins, A&S ’11, then sent out an e-mail to the cadets, asking if they would
See Clothes drive, A4
Relatively new to the Cleveland Circle business scene, Chill Frozen Yogurt has managed to attract customers to its modern atmosphere to enjoy a variety of treats from its house-made frozen yogurt to ice cream, coffee, and tea. “We decided to not locate at the more popular spots such as Harvard Square or Newbury Street because of the rents,” said Peter Rogaris, owner of Chill Frozen Yogurt. “We figured that with great products and a good location, such as Cleveland Circle, with the neighborhoods and college near us, we would do well. Being close to Boston
College is very attractive. The neighborhoods surrounding us, home to families and young professionals, provide much business.” The venue which opened in May of 2009, has had great success in its almost two years of operation. Rogaris credits Chill’s success to not only its Cleveland Circle location, providing a diverse clientele, but also to its customer tailored product offerings. “For me, it is about knowing customers and building relationships,” he said. “By working the counter I have direct interaction with the customers, allowing me to provide a quality and fun product developed from customer comments.” Customers clearly believe they are receiving a quality prodcut “I have come here many times,” said Marisa Gilardetti, a sophomore at Newton North
See Chill, A4
KYLIE MONTERO / HEIGHTS STAFF
Chill established itself as a member of the Cleveland Circle community in 2009.
TopFive
Thursday, December 9, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
things to do on campus this week
A Christmas Festival
1
Madrigal Singers’ Concert
Today Time: 8 p.m. Location: Heights Room
The University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band will be celebrating Christmas through both traditional and popular holiday music.
2
Today Time: 8 p.m. Location: St. Mary’s
Get in the Christmas spirit with the free Madrigal Singers’ concert, where they will be singing Christmas carols in their Renaissance costumes.
Study Days for Final Exams
3
Friday Time: all day Location: BC campus
Classes for undergraduate students end today, and finals begin Monday, giving students a chance to study before their first final exams.
FEATURED ON CAMPUS
Speaker shares stories from Ghana
Gaudete in Carminibus Friday Time: 3 p.m. Location: Robsham Theater Dan Gostin, BC ’09 will be directing a choir that will be performing in French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Latin. A reception will follow.
4
Voices of Imani Gospel Choir
5
Friday Time: 7 p.m. Location: Trinity Chapel
The Voices of Imani Gospel Choir will be singing spirituals, traditional, and contemporary gospel during their annual Christmas concert.
IntheNews
FOUR DAY WEATHER FORECAST TODAY
30° Mostly Sunny 16°
FRIDAY
32° Mostly Cloudy 28°
SATURDAY
42° Mostly Sunny
University Graduate foreign language study declines for first time in a decade According to a report by the Modern Language Association (MLA), enrollment in undergraduate foreign language classes increased 6.6 percent between the fall of 2006 and 2009. Graduate enrollment, however, declined for the first time in a decade by 6.7 percent, according to a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education. MLA officials attributed this decline to changes in enrollment and a decline in foreign language offerings. American Sign Language, Korean, Chinese, and Portuguese saw the largest spikes in enrollment.
31°
SUNDAY
49° Rain 39°
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 Former Wellesley student acquitted in attempted murder of MIT student
ELISE TAYLOR / HEIGHTS STAFF
The Agape Latte series featured Kwasi Sarkodie-Mensah, who spoke about his experiences in the U.S. and Ghana. BY ELISE TAYLOR For The Heights
Kwasi Sarkodie-Mensah, instructional services manager at O’Neill Library, gave a talk concerning his relation with the Catholic Church in Ghana and the United States in Hillside Cafe Tuesday. This discussion was this semester’s final installment of the Agape Latte lecture series, a monthly event sponsored by Campus Ministry and the Church in the 21st Century Center. Sarkodie-Mensah began by discussing his childhood in Africa and how religion played a part in his childhood. He described how the church bells would ring every morning at 6 a.m., serving as an alarm clock for his village. Residents would go to church, and then make trips to the river for water, he said. “I learned from a young age to be very, very, church-going,” he said. His village was not prominent enough to retain a permanent priest, so Sarkodie-Mensah began to taking leadership roles in the church. “When I was growing up in Ghana, parish priests would come to your hometown every three weeks,” he said. “When I was nine or 10 I used to lead the church services in my hometown.” This religious interest led him to spend free time shadowing the few priests that did
come to his village and take trips with them to other towns. “When a priest came to your town, people would bring you eggs and chicken,” he said. “It was like Christmas.” It was on one of these trips, Sarkodie-Mensah said, that “his life was changed forever.” He ran into a member of the Brothers of the Holy Cross, named Brother Raymond, who was the assistant head of St. John’s Secondary School in Ghana. Raymond recognized his academic and religious potential. Months later, he came to Sarkodie-Mensah’s village and offered him a place at his school. “This brother came back looking for me in my elementary school, and you wouldn’t believe how amazing it was for an assistant head of school to come back looking for me.” he said. “Going to high school was not a common thing. There were about 350 people [in my village], and only eight of us got the opportunity to go to high school.” He spent seven years going to St. John’s, which was 200 miles away from his home. He excelled in his studies, and said he learned much about spiritual and public service from the Brothers, especially Raymond, who was a coach, a nurse, and an overall leader to the students. He would conduct trips to the U.S. to bring back
supplies for the students. This furthered Sarkodie-Mensah’s interest in learning to do good through God, he said. After graduating from St. John’s and college in Ghana, he moved to the U.S. to continue his education in 1982. When he first arrived, he began to seek out a religious community similar to the one he had experienced in Ghana. This was not without difficulties, especially due to the racial tensions that existed at that time, he said. Many Africans, fearing racism in America, would attemd church with all African members instead of finding one that adequately agreed with their beliefs. “A lot of times, especially with a lot of Africans coming to the United States, we get so isolated, he said. It is not an easy thing for an African to walk into a Catholic Church and stay. We do not learn how to invite ourselves in a Catholic community in the US.” This did not deter him, however, as the lessons he learned at his Catholic high school helped him continue practicing his faith despite external factors. “When I’ve invited myself into a church, a school, a community, people have been very open and welcoming, Sarkodie-Mensah said. “I think it is because the Brothers of the Holy Cross taught me to be confident and part of humanity.”
Judge Bruce Henry found Anna Tang innocent of armed assault with attempt to murder, home invasion and assault with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury on Wednesday. Tang, a former Wellesley College student, was accused of stabbing her ex-boyfriend, Wolfe Styke, in his MIT dormitory. Tang confessed to stabbing Styke in 2007 but claimed she was legally insane at the time of the incident and waived her right to a jury trial. Tang was acquitted on grounds of insanity.
On Campus BC Dining employee honored with MRA “Star of the Industry” Award The Massachusetts Restaurant Association named Stuart Dining Hall’s Emmanuel Milfort, dishroom supervisor, a “Star of the Industry.” He was one of 10 recipients, one for each category of the food service profession. Milfort began working in BC Dining Services in 1999, and lives in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston with his wife and three children. Also, Jeronimo Colon, first cook in Corcoran Commons, was one of three finalists for the “Cook of the Year” category.
National Father and son pair convicted in fatal 2008 Oregon bank bombing SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Bruce Turnidge and his son Joshua Turnidge were convicted yesterday of planting a bank bomb that killed two police officers and maimed a third in 2008. A Marion County Circuit Court found both men guilty on 18 counts that included aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and assault charges. The convictions sent the trial into a penalty phase that would begin today, when the jury will decide whether to send the men to death row. The homemade bomb exploded at the West Coast Bank in Woodburn in December 2008.
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. 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. 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. CUSTOMER SERVICE
Police Blotter
Voices from the Dustbowl
12/04/10 – 12/08/10 Saturday, Dec. 4 8:49 p.m. - A report was filed regarding the confiscation of alcohol from two underage parties in Gonzaga Hall. A report will be forwarded to ODSD for review. 10:06 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a disorderly male in Conte Forum. The party was identified, issued a written trespass warning, and escorted off BC property.
Sunday, Dec. 5 2:58 a.m. - A report was filed regarding the arrest of Jacob Lombardi of West Caldwell, NY for breaking and entering, disorderly conduct, and malicious destruction of property in Kostka Hall. He was booked and processed at BCPD Headquarters. 3:30 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a reported fight in progress in Gabelli Hall. Both parties stated it was a minor disagreement and refused to press charges. 11:39 p.m. - A report was filed from an outside law enforcement agency regarding a past sexual assault that occurred on campus.
Monday, Dec. 6 9:40 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a
disagreement that took place between two BC employees. 3:41 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in Merkert Hall. There were no signs of smoke or fire, and the cause of the alarm was determined to be a malfunction.
Tuesday, Dec. 7
“What is your favorite holiday tradition?”
“Cutting down the Christmas tree with my family.” —Cassandra Bell, A&S ’11
10:23 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a construction vehicle that had spilled a small amount of hydraulic fluid. Environmental Health and Safety was notified. The spill was determined not to be hazardous and was removed.
Wednesday, Dec. 8 12:06 a.m. - A report was filed regarding minor cruiser damage at BCPD headquarters. 12:47 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a motor vehicle that was being operated erratically with a rear flat tire. The operator was determined to be intoxicated and was provided transportation back to her residence.
—Source: The Boston College Police Department
“Lighting the Christmas tree.” —Anthony Marte, A&S ’14
“Baking Christmas cookies.” —Alanna O’Grady, LSOE ’11
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 - In the article titled “AIDS Fashion Show serves multiple purposes” in the Dec. 6 edition, BC Students for Sexual Health were mistakenly reported to have thrown condoms into the audience. BCSSH threw tubes of lube into the audience.
A3
The Heights
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Prospective students await admissions decisions
By Michael Caprio News Editor
And Anna Patrick For The Heights
It was only after a devastating ACL tear resulting in the end of her field hockey season and a major surgery that Kirsten Garvey, 17, discovered her passion for the medical profession, which led her to pursue her career aspirations by applying to Boston College for her undergraduate pre-med studies. A senior at Duxbury High School in Duxbury, MA, Garvey said she plans to focus on a premed concentration at BC, which currently yields an 83 percent acceptance rate into medical school. The holiday season will be marked by anxiety and anticipation this year for some high school seniors awaiting responses to their early applications to college. Others, including Garvey, are still in the midst of the process of completing their regular decision applications. BC had about 6,200 early applicants this year – a seven percent increase from last year’s 5,775. Of these students, about 2,500 will be admitted and about 700 to 750 will enroll in the class of 2015, according to data from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
There has been a decrease since 2008 in the number of early applicants, however, due to a policy change in the admissions office. In 2008, the office discontinued its policy of accepting early applications from students who were also sending early decision applications to other colleges. There was a 17 percent decrease in applications in fall 2008 from the previous year. Additionally, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions strives to make the early application period a competitive one compared to most schools, said John Mahoney, director of undergraduate admissions. “We apply a higher standard to early action candidates because we don’t want to enroll half our class, which we could easily do, from such a small proportion of our total applicant pool,” Mahoney said. “We want to ensure fairness and equity for all the regular decision candidates.” BC seeks to enroll no more than 30 percent of its freshman class from its early application pool, he said. The quality of the applicant pool has notably increased this year, Mahoney said. The undergraduate admissions office is now in the decision-making phase of processing the applications. “We have completed reviewing and rating,” Mahoney said. “We as-
Courtesy of casey reinhart
Casey Reinhart of Massachusetts archives her town’s historical documents.
sign a numerical rating to every file, and now we’re deciding who to admit.” For some prospective high school students, what led them to explore BC was the school’s size and its religious affiliation. “When I first started the college search, BC was the first school I was interested in,” said Jodi Askey, a senior at Roland Park Country School in Baltimore and a prospective BC student. “I thought I wanted a tiny liberal arts college, but I also looked at state schools.” Askey, who is president of her senior class and a championship squash player, said she is aiming to get into BC, partly because of the university’s community dynamic. “[Students have] school spirit, but I feel that I won’t get lost in the cracks,” she said. Across the country, other students, including Garvey, will be focusing their college application efforts toward getting into BC over the next month. This past summer, Garvey began exploring the medical field by taking an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training class, which provided her with the necessary training to take the certification exam this upcoming winter. Once certified, Garvey will be able to ride along in ambulances responding to emergencies. Her training is similar to the services provided by the Eagle EMS program, which has been operating on campus since 1997. The program provides Basic Life Support care from on-call EMT volunteers that are stationed at school-sponsored events. “After researching information about Boston College, I discovered the Eagle EMS program,” she said. “If admitted, I would love to participate in that program, and offer what I have learned to the BC community.” In addition to her EMT training, Garvey is a member of the varsity field hockey team and a volunteer for the African Service Project at her high school, which raised $25,000 for women in Darfur. “We raised enough funds to send two students to school for a year at Hope Academy in Uganda,” Garvey said. Academics aside, it was the BC atmosphere that first caught Garvey’s eye, the overall essence of the “rigorous academics, the student body, and the nationally competitive athletics,” Garvey. For Chloe Carver, 18, a student at the Pingry School in Morristown, NJ, BC’s focus on community service as well as its tight-knit and spirited student body led her to apply. Carver, who has been commended for her work for collecting and donating 250,000 books through the Global Literacy Proj-
Courtesy of Chloe Carver
Chloe Carver, a student at the Pingry School in New Jersey, donated 250,000 books through the Global Literacy Project. ect (GLP), made her fourth trip to South Africa last Aug. to build a library, renovate classrooms, and hold seminars for teachers and students. “The goal of the GLP,” Carver said, “is to set up high literacy clusters in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, which includes setting up schools, homes, libraries, and community centers with the hope that this will spread.” Carver, who got involved with the GLP in Nov. 2006, works with her family and her sister, as well as another family, to collect the books from her church, school, and community. “My church and school have been really supportive,” she said. Carver and her sister were recently awarded the New Jersey Jefferson Award for Community Service as well as the National Jefferson Award for Community Service. For this award, she attended an award ceremony in Washington, D.C. “It was interesting to meet so many like-minded people interested in community service,” she said. When beginning the college search process, Carver wanted a school where she could continue her work. “I definitely intend to continue my work, and I was looking for a school that fosters community service and values it. I liked the Jesuit influence at BC.” When she begins her college career next fall, Carver said she plans on pursuing a major in the humanities. “I really enjoyed a freedom honors class that I took. It combined history and English
Sale offers fair trade gifts
VSLC hosts annual holiday sale in Corcoran Commons By Adriana Mariella
the gifts of product-producing animals, many of these vendors benefit small women’s cooperaThe Volunteer and Service tives in countries like India and Learning Center (VSLC), the Mexico. Boston College Neighborhood Students who choose to Center, and dining services donate to Heifer International will be hosting can purchase the annual Fair an animal for “A really interesting a p o v e r t y Trade Holiday Sale in Corcostricken family [vendor] is a group ran Commons in the name of that sells women’s today. a family memFa i r Tra d e work from Botswana. ber or friend is an effort to as a gift. AdThey make jewelry c re a te b e t te r ditionally, they lives for workcan add their and baskets. Also a ers around donated anigreat one is Emerge t h e wo r l d by mal to the “BC ensuring that Global from Sri Ark” which was its products begun by BC Lanka, whose are crafted by employees in proceeds help women 2005. justly-paid artisans. Some of who have been The sale, these vendors victims of abuse and already have which will take p l a c e o n t h e gives them classes and a connection second floor of to the Univertraining so they can sity, organizers Corcoran Commons between get back on their feet.” sa i d . D ea n ’s 9 a.m. and 5:30 Beans, ta cofp.m., will feafe e c o m pa ny —Sarah Grillo, ture at least 15 wh o s e p ro d VSLC employee vendors. These ucts are sold vendors will on campus, be selling fair will also be at trade products from countries the sale. like Mexico, Ghana, and Ni“A really interesting one is a caragua. group that sells women’s work Some of these 15 organiza- from Botswana,” said Sarah tions are well-known, like Heif- Grillo, VSLC staff. er International, which aims “They make jewelry and to give impoverished people baskets. Also a great one is access to a sustainable source Emerge Global from Sri Lanka, of food and income through whose proceeds help women For The Heights
who have been victims of abuse and gives them classes and training so they can get back on their feet.” Addie’s will be open at 9 a.m., offering “local and sustainable foods such as custom f latbreads, handmade veggie burgers, and mixed greens salads.” In addition, the small fee collected from each vendor will be donated to scholarship programs in Nicaragua and El Salvador. The annual sale requires months of planning. Grillo, who did most of the planning for this year’s sale, has been preparing since last year’s fair ended. “The work kind of just rolls over into the next year,” said Rebecca Hill, the graduate assistant for the VSLC and GLSOE ’12 Members of EcoPledge and the Golden Key will be helping at the sale. “They’ll be helping setting up tables, carrying wares upstairs, and manning tables, as well as helping to clean up afterward,” Grillo said. The sale holds a deeper meaning than an ordinary holiday sale, organizers said. “You can get pretty unique gifts,” Hill said. “But more than that, since it is a holiday sale, most people will be buying and giving gifts. When you get one of these gifts, I think it also represents a lot of what BC students believe in – a global vision, fair trade, and solidarity with the poor.” n
and talked about what freedom meant to different groups of people throughout history,” she said. “I also like psychology and English - really anything to do with the study of people. However, I’m really open to exploring other courses, too.” Carver, however, is involved in more than just community service. She is the captain of both the varsity ice hockey and softball teams, as well as participates in an a cappella group. Academically, she is an honors student and an AP scholar. With these varied interests, Carver said she was also looking for a school that could allow her to explore all of them. Another BC applicant, Casey Reinhart, 17, enjoys spending hours steeped in historical documents. Organizing the town of Duxbury’s historical archives provides her with the opportunity not only to explore her community’s past, but also to cultivate her love of history. With access to much of her town’s archives, Reinhart, a senior at Duxbury High School in Duxbury, Mass., is taking her knowledge of her own community’s past and applying it to her future. “I have learned firsthand the impact that every member of the community can have on the town,” Reinhart said. Given her appreciation for a community rich in historical tradition, it seems natural that Reinhart’s favorite aspect of BC is the ritual spirited atmosphere surrounding sports and schoolsponsored events. “I love the en-
thusiasm of the students, alumni, and staff,” she said. “The spirit shown is a positive reflection upon the entire school.” Reinhart said that, archival work transcends voluntary service to become a way to strengthen her passion for history, as well as for her community. Her job in archiving is to organize small collections of Duxbury’s historical documents, contributing to her sense of pride for her community and its resources. “I now know how important it can be to use all of the resources available to you, to truly have an understanding of the community as a whole,” Reinhart said. When it comes to joining a new community by starting her college career, Reinhart said that choosing a college is “no light decision.” She has found everything she was looking for in a college community at BC. “I chose Boston College because everything from the size of the student body to the location was just what I was searching for in a college,” she said. “College admission can be a game of luck,” she said. “One has to have just the right combination that admissions offices are looking for that year. I figure that I have put in my absolute hardest work these past few years, and this should shine through on my application. Knowing this, I can only sit back and cross my fingers.” n
Molly LaPoint, Heights Staff, and Adriana Mariella, For The Heights, contributed to this report.
Allston-Brighton Crime Reports 11/19/10 – 11/26/10
Police respond to taxicab vandalism Boston Police responded to a call regarding vandalism on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 10 p.m. in Brighton. A taxi driver tipped the police about a member of a group of four suspects, who, after leaving a Seven-Eleven convenience store, threw an egg at his taxi. The group left the scene as the taxi driver yelled that he was calling the police. The group responded in explicative terms that they were not afraid of the police. Another member of the group allegedly threw an object from the street at the same taxi cab, breaking a window. The police did not find the suspects, but the cab driver said he was able to identify the suspect whose projectile broke the window.
Men beat motorist’s vehicle with hammers On Friday, Nov. 19, while operating her damaged Kia Spectra, a female victim was approached by an Escalade driver who advertised cheap auto repair service. The victim followed the Escalade to a local parking lot where she was given an estimate of $250 for current damage. The men in the Escalade allegedly proceeded to beat the car with hammers, increasing the repair costs to $500. After the victim said she “did not have that kind money with her,” the suspects brought her to an ATM where they demanded she withdraw $600. She could only obtain $420. The suspects demanded her phone number and gave her their contact information.
Man steals tools from industrial office on Thanksgiving On Thanksgiving, , Nov. 25, a suspect entered a propped door to an industrial office building on Comm. Ave. from where he allegedly proceeded to steal $4,000 worth of tools. Police could not identify the suspect from surveillance footage but the victim will check the footage to see if he can identify who propped the door. The incident is under further investigation.
Man robs Allston T-Mobile store on Black Friday Boston Police responded to a call regarding a robbery at the T-Mobile Store in Allston on Friday, Nov. 26, 2010. The robbery occurred earlier that morning. The employee stated that three suspects, between the ages of 16 and 19, stole two cell phones. Police took evidence to be processed and searched the area to no avail.
Elderly man commits assault and battery in Allston At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24, police responded to a call regarding assault and battery in Allston. The victim was attempting to help direct traffic on Cambridge Street when a 75 to 80 yearold-male with a wooden stick allegedly assaulted him. Upon being struck on his forehead and nose, the victim pushed away the suspect who got in his car and fled the scene. A witness reported the suspect’s license plate number to the police, who now have the suspect’s information.
- Courtesy of the Boston Police Department, District 14, Gathered by Kendall Bitonte and Adriana Mariella, for The Heights
A4
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Heights
Group supporting DREAM Act at Senate meeting B y P atrick G allagher Assoc. News Editor
It was standing room only at last night’s meeting of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) Senate, with over two dozen student activists making an unexpected appearance. The students packed the UGBC offices in 21 Campanella Way to show their favor for a Senate resolution to throw its support behind the DREAM Act, which is currently being debated in Congress. The DREAM Act, or Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, was first introduced in the U.S. Senate in 2001, and was recently reintroduced in the House of Representatives. If passed, the bill would give legal status to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant students, which would allow them to attend public institutions of higher education in the United States, according to a report by The New York Times.
The UGBC Senate resolution, which something.” read “The Undergraduate GovernLo addressed his fellow memment of Boston College Senate sup- bers of the UGBC Senate, challengports the Developing them to take ment, Relief, and their support for Education for Alien “Why are we taking on this the DREAM Act Minors Act by the Act, which seems out of the beyond the Sen111th United States ate proceedings. UGBC’s hands? It’s very Congress,” passed “Look around you unanimously with simple. When we are here, – look at all the three abstentions. you have,” we represent the student support Members of the he said. “Use this Senate spoke passame kind of enbody. What we say here sionately in favor of to go to other – even though it’s a small ergy the resolution. groups. Use this drop in the bucket – it still same kind of en“Why are we taking on this Act, ergy to continue means something.” which seems out of your efforts.” the UGBC’s hands? Many student —Derek Lo, It’s very simple,” groups were in atsaid Derek Lo, tendance, includUGBC senate member and UGBC senate memi n g m e m b e rs o f A&S ’12 ber and A&S ’12. the Asian Caucus “When we are here, a n d t h e C o l l ege we represent the student body. What Democrats of BC (CDBC), in addiwe say here – even though it’s a small tion to other student organizations. drop in the bucket – it still means Nick Domino, UGBC Senate memeber
and A&S ’12, said that many of the organizations with members present at the Senate meeting had already taken steps to draw support for the bill. “The Asian Caucus addressed this in September,” Domino said. “The ALC addressed it last weekend at their meeting. There is verbose student support.” Lizzie Jekanowski, UGBC Senate member and A&S ’13, said that despite this being a national issue, it was important for the resolution to go through as a demonstration of the UGBC Senate’s support for those various groups on campus that at times may struggle for publicity. “We often overlook the recognition that these groups are due as well,” Jekanowski said. “It is extremely important that we support these students in the initiatives that they are doing. I want to urge people to have these conversations on campus. We get stuck in the ‘BC bubble,’ but there is so much more
McGuinness encourages conversation thing we cannot provide is contraceptives and referrals for abortions,” she said. versity officials, that he attributed in part Within both the University Counseling to the creation of the Office of Health Services and Health Services, the only Promotion. agenda is to inform students of their op“I don’t think we’ve done a good enough tions, and not to sway students in a specific job at fostering dialogue,” he said. “The direction based on BC’s Catholic values, charge for that department will be to pro- officials said. vide comprehensive health information … “Our job is not to advocate for one posiincluding sexual health tion or another, but to [information].” work with students,” “We see the health services McGuinness said. One of the aims of the new office will be The creation of an department as neutral to cut down on student Office of Health Proterritory. [Students can] misinformation regardmotion was the ultimate ing university policies, get information, education. outcome of the sexual McGuinness said. As an health referendum that It is our professional example, he said that students voted on in the many students think BC spring of 2009 and that role to promote disease does not offer testing called for affordable prevention.” for sexually transmitted STI testing and contrainfections, which in fact, ceptives on campus. it does. The result of that —Nancy Baker, “We see the health referendum was the creAssociate Director of Health services department as ation of a committee on Services neutral territory,” Baker health and wellness last said. “[Students can] year that was chaired by get information, education. It is our pro- McGuinness, who said that sexual health fessional role to promote disease preven- and student relationships were a major issue tion.” that was discussed by the committee. Baker said that BC does offer STI testing The committee then formed the Office to students, and can advise students where of Health Promotion, which will initially they can obtain contraceptives. “The only take over BC’s programs in alcohol and
Sexual Health, from A1
drug education, nutritional education, and general health education, in addition to the Women’s Resource Center. “We’re hoping to expand that,” McGuinness said. “What we want to do is change the culture on campus around health and welfare,” McGuinness said, adding that a major role of the new office will be to assess student behaviors and compile related data that the office will then be able to incorporate into its educational programming. The University is hoping to appoint a new director by January. McGuinness said that student input has also been used to help narrow down the candidates. “We’re hopeful and encouraged with a full-time professional [coming in],” Baker said. The panel was the third in the State of the Heights series, which has become a monthly event since October, with the first having featured a discussion of the University’s Institutional Master Plan (IMP), and the second having featured a talk on campus security. “Do we anticipate any more dialogue on this? The answer to that is yes,” McGuinness said. Last night’s talk was sponsored by the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC), the Quality of Student Life Committee, and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. n
iPads now available for use at O’Neill Study space, reading room on reserve for BC graduate students O’Neill, from A1 things students can police themselves.” In addition to the quiet zones, both graduate and undergraduate students have expressed the need for more study space. “We’re always working with [Wall] to find where we can get more group study space,” said Cliff Baratta, chairman of the Quality of Student Life Committee and A&S ’11. Members of the committee meet monthly with Wall, bringing the concerns voiced by the group during the general meeting. “The long-term goal is to clear the first floor and create a lot more group study space,” he said. The graduate students have voiced concerns about having their own space in the library, and now two rooms will be reserved for their use. Room 511 is now for graduate students, and the laptop room, 403, is being converted into a graduate student reading room. “We’re really excited about that, as now graduate students will have their own space,” said Elyse Purcell, president of the Graduate Student Association, member of
the library advisory committee, and GA&S ’12. The committee of graduate students consists of five students from different disciplines who attend these monthly meetings. If the need arises, the guidelines may become stricter. Recently, signs were posted to make sure students were aware of the expectations of the quiet zones. “If we have to do something a little more assertive, we will, but we’re not going to start there,” Wall said. “It’s something we really wanted because there are definitely times when there’s a conversation going on where it doesn’t belong,” Baratta said. Beginning Tuesday, O’Neill will be open 24 hours until finals. Between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., conference rooms 403 and 416, classrooms 211 and 307, and the Connors Family Learning Center will be open to provide additional study space to students. “This is just for finals now, but we’ll see how it goes,” Wall said. The loaning of iPads began just before Thanksgiving break and is being tested now. “If it works, we keep it where it is and expand it, and if it doesn’t, we’ll get rid of
it,” Wall said. Wall said the two-day loan for the iPad has been successful thus far. “It’s a little more mobile, and it has all the features, except you can’t print,” he said. “That they’re going out all the time shows me there’s some value. We don’t judge what you do with it.” “Technology has a big part in the world we live in, but so does physical space and human interaction,” Wall said. Additionally, O’Neill will be loaning spaces in 60 lockers on the fourth floor previously reserved for graduate students to undergraduate students for long-term use, and a proposal was submitted last week to extend the library’s hours to 24 hours a day, Sunday through Thursday. “Every year we go to them and push for longer hours,” Baratta said. “It’d be the full realization of what we’ve been working toward.” Overall, students use the library for different reasons, and the library should cater to all of their needs, Wall said. “It should be a neutral place that you should be able to come into and accomplish what you want,” he said. n
out there.” Other items on the agenda at last night’s meeting included a resolution to allocate $1,000 to the men’s club soccer team, which competed at a collegiate club soccer national championship tournament in Arizona last month. While the team applied for and was given a secondary allocation from the Student Organization Funding Committee, the team still paid $3,500 for fees incurred from tournament travel. The resolution passed with minor opposition. In addition, the Senate passed a resolution allocating $100 to be used for a promotion surrounding t h e UG B C Pro fe ss o r Eva l u a t i o n Profiles (PEPs). Mark Larik, CSOM ’13, was also approved to replace Peter Brown, A&S ’12, as executive manager of the UGBC’s Student Life Department. Larik was previously one of the directors of the UGBC’s BC-to-Boston program. Brown will be studying abroad during the spring semester. n
“The BC students and faculty have been really charitable. I don’t know if it’s the Jesuit tradition, but everyone at BC has been really supportive [of the donation drive].” —Cpt. Melissa Parrish, U.S. Army reserve company advisor
Donations to be distributed in Jan.
Operation Outreach Afghanistan supports local Afghani villages Clothes drive, from A1 like to participate. “One of the students in ROTC, our company commander Sean Collins, told us about it, and he sent an e-mail out about it, asking us if we wanted to donate,” Willner said. “Based on that e-mail, we decided to put on a drive. We got together and thought it would be cool to create a donation drive for the whole school.” Parrish said that this drive was important to Army ROTC because it gave BC cadets the opportunity to lend support to those serving overseas. “The principle is that as future service members it’s important that cadets remember there are people who are serving away from home and that we are supporting them in Afghanistan,” Parrish said. “If we can do that by having a clothing drive, that’s awesome.” Willner said he personally became involved in this donation initiative because it sounded like a nice way to make the holidays brighter for those less fortunate in the world. “It sounded like a cool initiative,” Willner said. “I’ve done events here before. When I heard about the idea, I knew it wouldn’t be too difficult. I would be doing something small and nice. It would be a good way for ROTC to get involved because we don’t get too much contact with Afghanistan. We want to establish communication with the program. It’s a really cool initiative, and it’s something nice to do before the holiday break.” Parrish said that her per-
sonal support for the donation drive stems from her experience in Afghanistan, leading to a better understanding of the need for these donations in the region. “People think that Afghanistan is a desert,” she said. “But Afghanistan has a lot of mountainous region. They don’t realize, but from my experience in Afghanistan, it gets really cold in the mountains.” Nearly 100 items have been donated, filling over a dozen trash bags, which have been collected from Carney Hall as a part of the donation drive. The items will now be sent to the general distribution area, and then will be shipped to Afghanistan, where Operation Outreach volunteers will distribute them to local villages during the first week of Jan. 2011. Willner said students, faculty, and staff support have made the donation drive a success. “[Student response] has been pretty good,” Willner said. “We reached out to staff and faculty as well. There are some people in Carney who know about it. Cpt. Melissa Parrish, the administrator for it, she’s been talking to a lot of the staff in Carney Hall who have shown enthusiasm about it. There are also a lot of people signed up on the Facebook event. Overall, the turnout has been pretty good.” Parrish said she agreed that the support for the donation drive has been overwhelming. “The BC students and faculty have been really charitable,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s the Jesuit tradition, but everyone at BC has been really supportive [of the donation drive].” n
Business steady for Chill Chill, from A1
High School. “The yogurt is delicious. It just makes you feel good.” Rogaris also attempts to meet customer requests with local or sustainable products. His frozen yogurt is made according to the store’s own recipe. Ice cream is purchased from Christina’s Homemade Ice Cream in Cambridge and the coffee is Fair Trade Certified and purchased from Dean’s Beans in Orange, MA. “The yogurt here is different, but far better,” said Michael Kaye, a sophomore at Newton North High School. “Plus, the commitment to ordering from local businesses is attractive.” Rogaris is a graduate of Williamson College and a Boston native who worked in television and sports production in New York before returning to his hometown. He said he is satisfied with his business and its performance. “I always wanted to work for myself and I was in the fortunate position to do so at this stage in my life,” he said. “I worked hard and it paid off. I never sat down and developed a formal business plan. My success was always to be in offering a superior product. With a good product, tailored to custom-
ers, I figured that would propel customers to come to us.” Rogaris further credited his success as an entrepreneur to his experience in sports productions. “Sports production, unlike news, is about entertainment, promotions, and selling to the public. Business is no different. My experience in the field has related to how I operate my business: customer oriented.” Even in the cold of New England winters, Chill continues to attract customers. “With our product offerings, we really operate a yearly business, not just seasonal like your normal chain ice cream shop,” Rogaris said. “With the neighborhood and college, we receive business year-round, regardless of season.” Business has been strong enough in the past two years that Rogaris also plans to expand his operations. In the first quarter of 2011, he will begin delivery of his frozen treats and warm beverages to the Cleveland Circle area. Even with his plans to expand, Rogaris maintains that Chill will remain true to its original operating philosophy. “People can venture to other places, but they continue to return due to our quality product and service,” Rogaris said. n
kylie montero / heights staff
Chill plans to expand its operations in 2011 to include delivery of frozen treats to the Cleveland Circle area.
Monday, December 9, 2010
The Heights
A5
A6
The Heights
Editorials
Quote of the DAY
Looking to the future, the time for change is now
Thursday, December 9, 2010
“Genius goes around the world in its youth incessantly apologizing for having large feet. What wonder that later in life it should be inclined to raise those feet too swiftly to fools and bores.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald
Issues that remain points of concern on campus deserve reiteration and consideration for the coming semester For the Boston College community, together to create effective policy when the year of 2010 was marked by signifi- called upon to do so. cant change. The manner in which stuAcademic Accessibility: In the dents navigated their day-to-day lives, troughs of a recession whose effects the attitude toward University’s vari- have been seen around the globe, ous sports programs, and the physical students choosing to engage in the landscape of BC’s campus were each fulfilling yet expensive world of higher subject to alterations this past year. education are migrating toward majors In anticipation of the coming year and such as communication, economics, biwhat it will mean to be a member of ology, and finance in record numbers. this community, it is integral to review Though BC has routinely enlisted the issues and events that have had the top academicians in these fields to the greatest impact on our immediate properly educate students, the spike in realities. enrollment has been more than some We call to mind our campus, with departments can handle. These numtwo of its hallmarks hidden under bers, although sometimes intimidating, construction tarps, the emergence are evidence of a peak in what is an of increasingly popular majors in the ebb and flow of departmental enrollmidst of the economic recession, sports ment - a statistic affected by a variety programs putting the University on the of factors. map with their performances, and the But it does not change the fact that introduction of innovative methods to current students are paying to receive handle alcohol-related emergencies. the same experience that those that These have each served to redefine came before them did, when enrollment what it means to be was lower. While a BC student at the the idea of making p re s e n t m o m e n t . drastic structural Not only did the St i l l , we b e l i eve changes to acthat if the Univercommodate this administration amend sity wishes to coninflux of students its previous protocol to tinuously improve, is unreasonable, accommodate for the safety c o o r d i n a t i n g it should evaluate which issues it will of students, but it did so in m o re p l e n t i f u l pursue in the coming course selections a way that incorporated year. Here are a few that would allow student input by including for a greater numsuggestions: several members of the ber of students is Crime: During Undergraduate Government respectfully rethe course of this fall quested. of Boston College (UGBC). semester, BC stuThis new policy is evidence dents have seen a Winter Sports number of incidents Fan Culture: Last that students and on and off-campus, year, the men’s administrators can work in which their fellow hockey team together to create effective students were vicwon the NCAA tims of armed robc h a m p i o n s h i p. policy when called upon to beries and at least Just recently, the do so. one violent crime. In women’s soccer most of these cases, team came in secthe crime itself ocond to Stanford curred off-campus, or the perpetrator in hope of obtaining that same title. came to BC from off-campus area. These two feats are testaments to the While it is not necessarily the task fact that when the cold hits, enthusiof the police authorities to prevent asm for BC sports doesn’t freeze over. all unpleasant interactions between While fall football games carry with students and non-students (these them traditions that gather the cominteractions will inevitably happen, munity, the same fervor can be applied given BC’s proximity to urban areas), to hockey and basketball. On a football the Boston College Police Department game day, campus effectively shuts (BCPD) should remain mindful of the down, suspending Plex access and bus safety concerns of students living off- routes. While this might not be the campus. first step toward fostering fans in the We urge the BCPD to remain diligent winter months, the notion of actively in its collection of crime data pertain- and widely drawing attention to these ing to BC students, and its monitoring winter sport teams during one of their of the area beyond St. Ignatius Gate. game days is a way to carry the fervor Students appreciate knowing that experience at pep rallies and events fellow members of the BC community like Ice Jam throughout the entire are still looking out for them when they season. move off-campus. Expression: It has been over two Drinking Sanctions: With the months since the Dustbowl has closed introduction of its “Seeking Help for for construction. Yet, the green fence Alcohol-Related Medical Emergen- circling the Dustbowl remains bare. We cies” policy in September, the admin- urge the UGBC to pose a plan to allow istration reaffirmed its commitment students to make use of this verdant to ensuring student safety through façade. effective, rational policy. The removal of the Dustbowl, alWe urge leaders in the administra- though necessary for the construction tion and student government to use the of Stoke’s Hall, was an event that shook measure, which amended the last row many members of the BC community. of the Office of the Dean for Student By giving students the means to Development’s (ODSD) Matrix to al- celebrate the University’s progress low students to seek medical attention through the availability of a common for the over consumption of alcohol posting space would help connect the without fear of disciplinary action, as student body with the larger goals of a model for the construction of future the University in a very literal way. University policies. We feel that, when students begin to Not only did the administration feel the nostalgia for the budding flora amend its previous protocol to accom- of the Dustbowl in the spring, they can modate for the safety of students, but it take comfort in the fact that, at the did so in a way that incorporated stu- very least, that space has been replaced dent input by including several mem- with an area for open discussion and bers of the Undergraduate Government expression. of Boston College (UGBC). With these issues and solutions in This new policy is evidence that mind, here’s to making 2011 a year of students and administrators can work seeking solutions.
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
Contributors: Kevin DiCesare, Diana Nearhos
Matt Laud/ 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 “Column: Lessons Learned From Bowl History Can Serve Eagles Well,” by Alex Klokiw: “Once upon a time...there were just a few bowls and America got to see the very best teams from the several conferences go head-to-head, while today there are far more bowls than there are conferences and now teams with LOSING records can be bowl bound. The only thing that should be celebrated about this year’s football squad is their determination to keep struggling through adversity and never giving up; but to think that a poor football team with an equally poor record deserves the “recognition” of a
bowl game (from the Sports Economist: An article in the San Diego Union-Tribune exposes the dirty little secret of bowl games: on average, schools lose money when they participate in bowl games but, while the losses incurred by many participating institutions suggest a subsidy flowing from college football fans to cities that host bowl games, the existing evidence indicates that college bowl games actually do not actually generate much local economic benefit for host cities) is ludicrous, so the simple question to be answered is cui bono when it comes to participating in these minor bowl contests. David Mortimer Sudbury, Massachusetts
Are you an artist with a message? Would you like to publish your opinions? The Heights is now accepting applications for cartoonists and columnists for the Spring semester. Direct all questions to: lopezaq@bc.edu 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 Margaret Tseng, Layout Editor
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 Matt Palazzolo, Asst. Marketplace Editor Kevin Hou, Asst. Photo Editor Lindsay Grossman, 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, December 9, 2010
A7
Opinions
Thumbs Up Texts from El Pelon - Our new Mexican neighbor has caught on to exactly how to catch our attention: texts and free food. Those savvy enough to be on their mass-text list are receiving frequent announcements of free quesadillas and other specials. At least there’s one text from last night you can still appreciate. Theology Library - Perhaps this secret should be guarded more selfishly, particularly around this time of year. But the best place to write that 30-page philosophy paper or struggle through calculus is undoubtedly the theology library on the Brighton campus. Bonus: With the amount of priests and Jesuits that utilize this facility, you may be able to maximize your study breaks and fit in a little end-of-thesemester confession, as well. Finals - There are but a few professors on this campus that realize the craziness of finals week-in which apathy and psychosis each vie to overtake us-is not always the best time for students to make their last show of competence in the classroom, particularly with two hours worth of scantron questions. To those wise few that favor papers and early finals, we thank you. Our sanity thanks you. Winter Wonderland - On Saturday, the University will be hosting a winter festival in the Alumni house that promises to be a “magical holiday celebration” complete with both members of the Claus family, amateur gingerbread architecture projects, and live animals. You had us at “magical”. Mochi - It turns out that, consumers still scream for ice cream in large numbers in the winter months, which isn’t surprising considering the glory that is Mochi, an ice cream covered in a Japanese sticky rice shell, is available year round. Leave it to the culture that leaves the rest of the world in the dust in terms of promoting self-control to be the creators of addiction in snack form.
Thumbs Down Quad Trees - Love is in the air ... or at least its smell is in the Quad. Reproduction season for the spot’s Ginkgo trees is upon us, bringing with it ripened fruit that smells more like vomit and boiled cheese had a baby, rather than a lady tree. The bright side? If you’re hankering for something more exotic than the Rat has to offer, these fruits are rumored to aid digestion, improve circulation, and prevent mental decay in the elderly. R. Kelly’s new album - With lyrics like “I’m just a snowman, looking for a snowgirl,” and an honest shout-out to “sweet dreams, butterf lies, and holding hands side-byside” as the best things in life, Kelly is rolling out the winter music scene with a signal that maybe he should stick to getting embroiled in lawsuits and sex scandals as his day job. Weather - You’re hot then you’re cold-or rather, you’re cold and then you’re downright frigid. This time last week we were basking in near 60 degree temperatures and now, anything short of walking around with an electric blanket means risking your extremities to frostbite. If only this bitter cold could be tempered by the cheer that is the first snowfall....
What a wild horse can teach us
Janine Hanrahan The other night, as I was procrastinating and perpetuating the cycle of academic ruin, I decided to watch a PBS Nature program that I had seen a few years ago. The documentary, produced by Emmy-winning filmmaker Ginger Kathrens, follows a wild horse named Cloud through his life cycle in the Arrowhead Mountains of Montana. The viewer first meets the protagonist when he is a knock-kneed foal, wobbling around on unsteady legs. He is born into a band (which is similar to a family) of wild horses. Led by a stallion, the group of horses travel together in search of food and water. The young horses often play and rough house, just like young siblings, while the stallion and lead mare maintain order similar just as mother and father would. But when he matures, Cloud leaves his family and joins a group of “bachelors,” or young stallions searching for a band of their own. Engaging in battles with band stallions and one another while on the prowl for mares, it is easy to see how these bachelors compare with their male human counterparts. But in any case, Cloud eventually does acquire a band of his own. Life in this rugged countryside is never easy for any of the wild horses, even those like Cloud who achieve their instinctual ends. In the course of the documentary countless foals fall prey to mountain lions, are struck by lightening, and die of natural causes, but in all of this they are left to roam free and live as nature intended.
Yet as in every nature story, humanity barrels and destroys the harmony. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages the public land in the United States, and in turn the wild horses that roam on it. Because wild horses do not have any natural predators, their numbers have grown quite large and there are concerns that the land cannot support the herds. As a result, the BLM conducts roundups in which they herd horses by helicopter into pens where they are either released or go to auction. As it turns out, Cloud and his band have been rounded up on three separate occasions. During one of the instances, it took the helicopter four tries to round the band up, and the
horses ran over twenty miles. One of the young foals was seriously injured on this arduous journey and was lucky to survive. Aside from injury, bands are often torn apart and over a quarter of the horses never sell at auction. These horses go to government holding facilities if they are lucky, but others meet a gruesome fate: slaughter. While there are no longer any horse slaughter facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico are a different story. Many horses that would have ended up in U.S. slaughterhouses now go to Mexico, where laws governing the treatment of animals bound for slaughter are nil. A video captured by the Humane Society at a slaughterhouse in Juarez shows a horse being stabbed over and over again until it is paralyzed. Then, while it is still alive,
the horse is hoisted up by its hind leg and its throat is slit. And this is just what goes on when the horse gets there, let alone the hundreds of miles they travel in trailers that are completely unsafe and inhumane for their transport. In order to avoid this unsavory end, the BLM is trying to limit herd numbers by using infertility drugs on the mares. Despite the fact that this flies in the face of natural selection, it also leads mares to foal out of season, increasing the likelihood that both mare and foal will not survive. What an excellent way to treat the creatures that helped us manifest destiny! There is no denying that herds have to be managed in some way, but the problem is not too many horses, it is not enough land. Ranchers are grazing their cattle on these public lands, limiting the range for the horses and really any wild creature that threatens livestock. I am not one to ignore the reality of a growing population and the need to feed it and house it, but I will also never believe that we have to drive nearly every species to extinction in order to achieve these ends. Yes, I admit that I am a horse lover, but one does not have to be an enthusiast to agree that there is something valuable about preserving the lives of these horses or any living creature. Do we want to live in a world where the only enjoyment people get out of life is their iPad because Earth has become a barren wasteland? With any environmental issue, our unwillingness to deal with it is encapsulated by these words from Kurt Vonnegut: “We could have saved the Earth, but we were too damned cheap.” Janine Hanrahan is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
It’s what you’re buying Hayley Trahan-Liptak City sidewalks, silver bells, and above all, the bustle of shoppers rushing home with their treasures. Those are the sights and sounds of Christmas we are most familiar with as we prepare for the holiday. Christmastime in the city is anticipated with pleas for presents, the expectant scanning of the skies for a gift-laden sleigh, and hopeful gleaming eyes of corporate executives and economists. Will this year’s spending season bring showers of money to corporate coffers? Will the hard earned money of consumers be spent on gifts? Or will the tough economy be reflected by fewer presents under the company tree? Every year Americans spend an average of $450 billion during Christmas. As we spend, we hear the red bells of the Salvation Army collectors and see the opportunities for alternative gifts. From charity volunteers to corporations, everyone seems to have an idea of how you should spend your money this season. The Advent Conspiracy, responsible for the animated alternative Christmas videos on YouTube, recommends giving one less gift this season and donating your extra money to others while Best Buy shouts about free shipping and discount electronics. The choice seems to be simple: buy gifts and miss the reason for the season by ignoring the need around you, or
Party Time
BY BEN VADNAL
do not buy gifts and give the money to those who need it instead. What if we all chose the second option and stopped buying gifts? Christmas may be a big season for corporate executives but it is also an essential season for people selling you that big screen TV or that Tickle Me Elmo. Stand in the checkout line and a waiting employee will handle your order. That person’s job depends on your spending. As does the job of the person making the toy, the person shipping the toy, and even the managers behind the desks. The more we spend, the more people will find temporary employment this holiday season after months of no work. A Chicago-based employment firm estimates that retailers will hire 600,000 temporary workers this season. When we don’t spend, those people aren’t hired – like last year when 100,000 fewer people were given seasonal employment. After you checkout, your package will be shipped – carried by the 50,000 seasonal workers from UPS. Across the country, consumer spending is essential to keep the Christmas economy going. Pick the second option, save your money or give it to far away funds, and the need for jobs in your community will go unanswered. Should thousands of people depend on the commercialism of a season to scrounge up enough money for food and housing? Of course not. But in our society, it is the reality that your Christmas gift becomes the gift of a job to temporary employees. Some may think this is only justification for our buying addiction, noting that temporary workers are earning mini-
mum wage with no benefits. But that is something we can change a lot easier than abolishing the holiday economy. Here are a few more options: - Patronize local stores: The money you spend is more likely to be given in larger quantities to the people working behind the counter and those making the product nearby while less money will go to corporate executives. - Shop fair trade: The organization Partners for Just Trade estimates that Fair Trade products give artisans four to twenty times more compensation for their work, usually without adding too much to the price of the item for the consumer. - Check out sustainable gifts: You don’t always need to make the choice between giving to friends and giving to the needy. Companies like TOMS Shoes donate a product to the needy for every purchase. Supporting these companies means you employ workers, give to the needy, and get your gift all for the price of one. We are a nation driven by consumers. Christmas, along with Easter, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Halloween, have been turned into a store-bought holiday. Campaigns that encourage you to cut your consumerism are valuable. A holiday that is meant to bring joy and happiness shouldn’t generate stress and headaches. Yet, we need to look beyond eliminating the shopping bags to find a solution. When you give a gift this year, remember that your spending is supporting other Hayley Trahan-Liptak is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
All I want this year
Tim O’Connor It’s that time of the year again. The Christmas lights are up in O’Neil Plaza, the nativity scene adorns the lawn outside of Bapst Library, and it’s time to take care of that holiday shopping. I’ve always had a lot of trouble picking out gifts, and most of the time I find myself wishing my friends and family would just tell me what they want. As such, I thought I might be able to help out my fellow conflicted shoppers by offering up my wish list for this year, just in case anyone out there happens to be shopping for a cynical, disaffected journalist who already owns too many gadgets and DVDs for his own good: 1. Tax cuts for the rich – Man, am I distraught about the expiration of the Bush tax cuts coming this January. Unless Congress acts before the Christmas recess, the tax cuts will lapse and the new Congress will have to pick the issue up on their return. Last week, the House succeeded in extending the cuts for income under $250,000, but the Senate Republicans refuse to pass any bill that doesn’t extend the cuts at all income levels. In fact, they feel so strongly about it that they hand-delivered a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid stating their intention to block all legislation period until cuts are renewed. I’m certainly thankful that these self-proclaimed “deficit hawks” are committed to defending a policy that will add as much as $300 billion to the federal deficit every year. 2. Clones of all my favorite U.N. Diplomats – Of the more interested things to come of the recent WikiLeaks document dump was a memo from Secretary of State Clinton requesting that U.S. representatives working with the United Nations collect “biographic and biometric data” on their fellow dignitaries. Diplomats have always been a sort of “formal spy”, so there’s nothing really surprising about Clinton’s order (though when one gets caught it is generally considered appropriate to fall on one’s sword, Hillary). The only bit that stands out is the specific order to get biometric data. Blackmail aside, the only reason I can possibly think of for requesting DNA samples and health records is to create an army of clone agents to plant in foreign governments. I want my very own Ban Ki-moon, personally. 3. An unemployment check – Unemployment benefits began expiring at the beginning of December, and unless Congress acts to pass a further extension, two million Americans could lose their benefits by Christmas. I suppose many would find it simply unconscionable to cut off the only source of income thousands of distressed workers have smack-dab in the middle of the holidays, but that money to pay for those tax cuts has to come from somewhere. Of course, one may argue that our economy is better served by putting money into the pockets of people who will immediately spend it on food, clothing, and shelter, but I see the definite benefit in allowing more and more of our country’s wealth to sit in mortgage-backed securities. 4. $52 million in cash, hand delivered by Vice President Massoud – Another WikiLeaks hit is a report from the U.S. embassy in Kabul which reveals the vice president of Afghanistan’s attempt to smuggle $52 million into the United Arab Emirates last year. The Drug Enforcement Agency, working in conjunction with local authorities, detained Massoud after discovering the money, but were summarily ordered to release Massoud and all of the property in his possession. Frankly, I don’t really care whether the money was stolen from the Afghan people or straight from our coffers, I’d just like a bit of it for myself. I don’t anticipate Massoud will have too much trouble getting it through security, even with the enhanced TSA screening. 5. Alien life – Normally, NASA press releases are inconsequential or minor discoveries, but on Dec. 2nd, NASA announced the discovery of an extremophile, tentatively labeled GFAJ-1, while studying a lake in eastern California. This rodshaped bacteria is capable of using arsenic to create it’s DNA backbone, rather than phosphorus (employed for the same task by all other known organisms). GFAJ-1 has challenged the fundamental assumptions that science has been using as basic prerequisites for life. As interesting (and frankly, awesome) as this may be, its still a bit short of an advanced, star-faring race of extra-planetary beings who will come to usher in a new golden age of peace and prosperity. Or, you know, kill us all. But seriously, an iPad would really be great. Happy holidays. Tim O’Connor is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
A8
Monday, December 9, 2010
The Heights
Happy Holidays! From the 2010 Heights Board Danny martinez | Marketplace Editor
Kaleigh Palimeno | Copy Editor
Allison Therrien | Asst. Arts Editor
When I think of experiences that have framed my time at BC, The Heights is the first thing that comes to mind. Countless hours slaving away at my pages, late-night runs, ridiculous drinks from the Chocolate Bar. One of my favorite things about The Heights is that it is independent. It’s completely student run, editors and writers are unpaid (see above: slaving). Whether it was Mike and Rachel creating amazing Graphics, Kaleigh, Brooke, and DJ ripping up my articles with red pens, Margaret politely telling me how my layout could improve, Hilary for her witty Forecast On Washington responses, and my writers constantly flooring me with their level of in-depth knowledge and research. This passion is something that can’t be bought. I learned about leadership, responsibility, and journalistic integrity each and every week, making my section as good as it could be and hoping to God it was perfect Thursday morning. But my favorite part was making 38 new friends and working with them to making an amazing product for students. I want to thank the previous Marketplace Editor, Kara Kaminski, for her mentorship and encouragement, my writers and staff who were an indispensable part to making an amazing section, and my friends and family (thanks Mom and Poppy!) who inspired me. I wish David and Matt the best of luck next year, I know they will be doing a wonderful job and I look forward to reading the section from abroad!
My name is Kaleigh. I like to eat McDonalds. Wait, I like to eat everything. But, even more than food, wait no, not more than food, but even more than most things, I like The Heights. Sometimes I go walking through the campus and I think to myself, who are these people sliding around the banisters? Then I realize. This is parkour. Something I regret about being on The Heights is not writing an editorial about parkour. It makes me uncomfortable. And I think that those people are too live. Much, much too live. But I digress. Something I don’t regret is singing about Rihanna. Puh-leese, lol. I think that it is funny when Brooke and D.J. sing the news. Love you copy children. Something I like very, very much is the photo editing position filler from last year. His name is Robert. No, no wait, his name is Kevin Hou. He takes ohhkayy photos (not as good as mine, but close). 11:05 forever. Keep it real, Keep it Live, Copy4Lyfe. Wait, I have more words to say. They are: Cray-Cray babigurrl. ok now im just forcing it. If I stop and think, Kaleigh gurl, whatchu thinkin doin The Heights?, I respond to myself, Kelly Cupo, she was my inspiration. Clara, Chris, Therese, use the power of the red pen wisely. In the famous words of Chris Brown, Dueces, Heights.
The funny about being a Heights editor is that you might not realize just what it means to you until you’re sitting around on a Wednesday with a whole lot of time on your hands. As much as I want to sprint up the million-dollar stairs towards that far left corner of the Heights office I have come to know so well, I know that Darren Ranck, Brennan Carley, and Charlotte Parish will shape Arts & Review in ways that I cannot yet anticipate, and I can already imagine myself in Prague, jumping on my laptop on Mondays and Thursdays to see what they have created. I have been unbelievably lucky this year. My fellow editors, Kristen House and Zak Jason, have provided me with more reasons to laugh, frappes to drink, owl images to behold, and Celine Dion songs to sing than I can count. If I was already a bit of an oddity, they most certainly made me odder, and for that I am thankful. I would like to thank the sports corner for helping me build up my Taylor Swift repertoire, graphics and layout for consistently wowing me with its genius every week, Matt DeLuca for his persistency in the face of our reluctant correction-making, Hilary Chasse for all the times she crept up behind me and screeched in my ear, Taylor for making me cry, and copy for somehow still loving us despite overhearing all of the bizarre things that are said in our weird little offbeat arts corner. You all hold a special place in my heart.
Carrie McMahon | Editorial Asst. My time on The Heights has truly been invaluable for the people I have met, the experiences I’ve had, and the amount I’ve grown. I have made some of my closest friends at BC while working on this newspaper and know these relationships will continue to develop even as I leave the board. To Zac, Alex, and Madeline, you have all been amazing friends to me this past year and I’ll miss all of you so much next year. When I get back though, count on me to come visit all of you wherever you are and to drag you back to BC regularly. Also, to Zak and Kristen, you two have always supported me in my various incarnations of a fashion column, and I honestly appreciate it so much. I felt like I had so much freedom in all my pieces and you both pushed me to fully take advantage of this. Each week I learnt so much from the outstanding writers and editors around me on The Heights and know I will take this knowledge with me as I continue to write. I take great pride in being part of such an excellent newspaper and wish everyone on the board for the upcoming year the best of luck.
Thanks to the departing one-year members of the Heights 2010 Board!
Above are the seven one-year Heights editors who will be leaving the board following the 2010 year: Kaleigh Palimeno, Rachel Gregorio, Danny Martinez, Allison Therrien, Pat Gallagher, Michael Saldarriaga, Carrie McMahon
Michael Saldarriaga | Graphics Editor My time with The Heights officially comes to an end. I had no idea how big of an impact this paper would have on my college experience. It was a welcomed distraction in the first awkward months of freshman year, a source of free food at the end of each semester, and a place where I always knew I could get a break from everything else. So, here we go: Hawaiian pizza; Football victory posters; Megatron; Baldwin’s sword; Imma Slap a Ho; hot tubs; kite flying; the Sour Egret; Zak Jason droppin’ trou; Stu P and the Scene—actually, all Arts Editors and the Scene; house ads; sneaking sexual innuendo into the occasional Forecast on Washington (sorry Matt); “We Are the Boys from Old Florida;” the razor scooter; gnocchi; Danny’s mountain of graphics, and rabbits; rockin’ out at Glen House; semiannual André parties in the office; Rachel’s Drawings; my photo and layout neighbors: making our corner persistently awesome; GRAFIX marker board; Man Night, scotch and cigars; Glen House; years of free food; Opinions graphics; Exquisite Corpse; “El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido!”; sports wraps; Shwarma King; Lindsay’s unwanted advice; Staff Dinners; Smack talk on the listserv; 3am Ihop runs; Zak and DJ dance-fighting; RLQ; Ryan and Laura; Rachel; Mollie and Alex; the 2010 Board; and as always: Peace, Love, Photoshop”
Patrick Gallagher | Assoc. News Editor
Rachel Gregorio | Asst. Graphics Editor
To the 2011 board: I have no doubt in your ability to continue to produce incredibly professional work. Keep it all in perspective, and remember to have fun! To my fellow seniors of the 2010 board: You are all incredibly talented and amazing individuals. Never doubt in your capacity to blow people away with your abilities. To Mike and Taylour: I could not have asked for a better news team. Don’t think, as E.I.C. and News Editor, that your work is complete – you are both going places far above and beyond The Heights. To Adriana and Molly: You two represent the future for the news section, and as it so goes, The Heights. To my friends and roommates: I value your friendship more than all the treasure in the world. Thank you for always being there despite my intermittent absences. To the BC community: While it would be easy to take for granted that The Heights will be on newsstands twice a week, please know that a tremendous amount of work goes on behind the scenes in order to produce each issue. We are far from perfect, but we put in countless hours for all of you, so that this community will never compromise its standards of excellence. For Here All Are One.
Although my time on The Heights was short-lived, I value it as one of my favorite experiences so far at Boston College. Aside from meeting and working with some incredibly intelligent, talented, and wonderful people, I’ve learned so much from coming into production nights and taking part in something very important to everyone on campus and beyond. Seeing my published graphics every Monday and Wednesday give me a feeling of pride unlike any other. My favorite memories with The Heights include binging on IHOP pancakes at 2am, having a blast at the enormous Glen House, and dressing up for the Christmas dinner at Maggiano’s. Michael, thanks for being a great Graphics editor, teacher, and friend. I couldn’t have asked for a better boss. Mollie and Alex, I know you will do the section proud. I’ll miss our cramped little corner sandwiched between the brilliant people of photo and layout, but I promise I’ll come back to visit when I get back from Spain. Although I will miss seeing everyone twice a week in the office, I know the new board will do a phenomenal job. Peace, Love, Photoshop.
Monday, December 9, 2010
The Heights
A8
SPORTS
A10
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
Change is not my cup of Joe DJ ADAMS I’ve never been good at dealing with change. No matter how severe, any deviation from the status quo drives me insane. For example, when Hillside got rid of Starbucks coffee, I freaked. Rather than embracing this new “fair trade” business thing that dining services holds so dear, I called my mom and asked for a care package full of my favorite beans. So, yes, that’s how I handle change. Moral issues aside, when things get tough, thank goodness for mothers. The reasons behind my resistance to adapt to the world’s persistent mobility are hard to explain. Maybe it’s my pessimistic outlook on life, as I think everything can only get worse rather than better. Or perhaps it’s the nostalgia I constantly possess for gems of the past long after they are gone. I probably could ramble off plenty more faulty excuses, but the main point is that I lack a sense of hope when things around me begin to look a little different. This is probably why I have always claimed direct allegiance to sports. In the professional leagues, long-term coaching contracts and franchise players provide a small sense of comfort and resistance to unexpected alterations. And in college, at least everyone knows that the longest an athlete will stick with your beloved team is five years, allowing a proper amount of time to prepare for eventual mourning when the star departs for the real world. Unless your favorite NFL team decides to be the one to finally pack its bags and move to L.A. (if this happens to my Minnesota Vikings, you might want to avoid me for awhile), there is little change to fret about in the sporting universe. Of course with my luck, this past year has been a rocky terrain for Boston College sports, eliminating every single bit of stability I once found in Eagle athletics. It started back in spring of last year, when Al Skinner was fired and BC reined in new head coach Steve Donahue from Cornell. As many of my classmates voiced excitement for the coaching change, I languished in uncertainty. Recruits decommitted and key players transferred. With a tough transition to a new offense, I argued, my next few seasons watching BC basketball would be a disappointment rather than an injection of new life. Then this fall, with Dave Shinskie underperforming at quarterback, critics called for a new leader, albeit a man who had yet to step on a collegiate playing field. So freshman Chase Rettig took over against Notre Dame, and my fears proved to be correct. I cringed as the team continued its steady decline, losing five straight games to fall to 2-5. But I think the final blow, one that no one could have expected, was the struggle that our defending national champion men’s hockey team faced at the beginning of the season. Especially considering Northeastern head coach Greg Cronin pronounced this Eagles squad a 40-win group. I panicked when we followed that hype with losses to Merrimack and Vermont, of all teams. A change in this team’s fortune, my favorite Eagles athletes, I just couldn’t handle. But this past week, it all hit me at once. Football earned a berth to play Nevada in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl after rolling off five straight wins to end the season. Rettig finished the year with average stats, but with impressive poise. Men’s basketball is off to a fine 7-2 start, racking up decent wins against Texas A&M, Indiana, and Providence. With Reggie Jackson heading the fast offensive scheme with ease and the ACC struggling in the early goings, maybe a tiny bit of Cinderella fairy dust still sitting in Donahue’s pants pocket from his Sweet 16 run last season could help this team, as well. And finally, after switching Paul Carey and Joe Whitney in their respec-
See Change, A11
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Luke Kuechly and the Boston College defense will be put to the test against Nevada’s dangerous running game in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on Jan. 9.
A Classic Match-up
Kuechly, defense face toughest offensive opponent yet BY GREG JOYCE Heights Staff
It’s a classic matchup. The third-ranked rushing offense in the country versus the top rush-defense in all of college football. A pistol offense versus a tenacious defense. Colin Kaepernick versus Luke Kuechly. No. 13 Nevada versus Boston College. The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco. The Eagles will travel to their bowl game in San Francisco for the second straight year. They may not be playing a prestigious program like USC, but the Nevada offense that they will match up against is probably even more dangerous. The Wolf Pack run a Pistol offense, with quarterback Colin Kaepernick poised as a dual threat to not only throw the ball, but also run it just as effectively. On the season, the senior has thrown for 20 touchdowns and rushed for 20 touchdowns, as well.
BC staves off Friars
High-scoring Eagles blow out Crusaders BY MAEGAN O’ROURKE Assoc. Sports Editor
BY TIM JABLONSKI For The Heights
I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE
See Bowl Preview, A12
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Old Big East rival nearly completes comeback attempt
Ask any Boston College basketball fan if they would feel comfortable with an 11-point Boston College 88 halftime lead, 86 Providence and the universal response you would get would be, “Not even a little.” Yes, in recent years the Eagles have developed an uncanny knack for making every game interesting in the second half. They stayed true to form Wednesday night against the Providence Friars. BC barely survived a gutwrenching finish after leading for the entire game, holding on for a thrilling 88-86 win in Conte Forum. Channeling his inner Gordon Hayward, Providence’s Vincent Council rebounded a missed free throw by Joe Trapani with 1.8 seconds left, dribbled and let loose a 60-foot prayer that came within a millimeter of banking in. “I was just thinking, ‘He can’t take that many dribbles and shoot,’” guard
“He’s a beast,” Kuechly said about Kaepernick. “He’s one of those Tyrelle Pryor/Cam Newton, those kind of guys. He’s a good player. That’s a 20/20 guy.” Kaepernick averages 91.1 rushing yards per game, while throwing for 217.7. Nevada’s running back, Vai Taua, is also a threat on the ground, running for over 127 yards a game and 19 touchdowns. Overall, the Wolf Pack average 305.9 rushing yards per game. As a result, it will be a gritty matchup against the BC defense that has allowed only 80.2 rushing yards per game on the season. Kuechly said they haven’t watched much of the quarterback yet, but that they will be doing so in the coming days. “The biggest thing is, you know, they’re a big rushing team,” Kuechly said. “You gotta stop the run first and foremost. [Kaepernick] runs well and they got the running
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Reggie Jackson put up 26 on Wednesday night, leading the way for BC’s offense. Reggie Jackson said after the game. “But luckily for us it didn’t go in.” Jackson once again was the catalyst for the Eagles (7-2), finishing with nine rebounds and four assists to go with 26 points on an efficient 9-12 from the floor. Jackson was as pure as he’s ever been from behind the arc, knock-
See Surviving Providence, A12
Construction will displace teams
Club sports playing on Brighton Campus will be looking for new homes soon.............A11
In its first game since earning a ranking in the National Coaches’ Poll, the No. 25 Boston Boston College 98 College women’s 64 Holy Cross basketball team (9-0) routed Holy Cross, 98-64, in Worcester Wednesday night. Behind guard Kerri Shields’ careerhigh 25 points, the Eagles wore down their in-state Jesuit rival with a scorching season-high 61 percent shooting from the field to stay undefeated this season. The Eagles’ offense has been on fire of late, averaging a nation-leading 91.2 points per game. This was the third time this season that BC has scored more than 90 points. BC recorded a program-high 13 3-pointers in the game, shooting 57 percent from behind the arc. The Eagles opened the game hot, with both Shields and senior point guard Jaclyn Thoman hitting 3-pointers to put BC up 6-0. BC easily took command from there, shooting 58 percent from the field in the first half. Shields scored 17 of her 25 points in the first half, hitting five 3pointers. The Eagles went into halftime with a 52-34 lead. The second half was much of the same
The resurrection of BC basketball
Both BC basketball teams are off to quick starts a month into the seson.............................A11
for the Eagles, who opened the half with Thoman’s third three of the game. This set off a 9-2 run for the Eagles on their way to 46 second-half points. All nine BC players who entered the game scored. Shields finished the game connecting on seven of nine 3-pointers. Thoman had a strong all-around game, scoring 15 points, dishing out four assists, and making a career-high five steals. Fellow senior Stefanie Murphy recorded her fourth consecutive doubledouble in the game, scoring 13 points and bringing down 11 rebounds. Senior center Carolyn Swords added 12 points, four rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. Freshmen Shayra Brown and Kristen Doherty added nine and eight points, respectively. BC’s shooting was outstanding across the board, including 82 percent from the free-throw line. The Eagles also were staunch on defensive in addition to their hot shooting. BC forced the Crusaders into 22 turnovers, including 12 in the first half, and racked up 16 steals, all while limiting Holy Cross to 29 percent shooting from the field. The Eagles also held the rebounding advantage in the game, grabbing 36 boards compared to Holy Cross’ 29.
Editors’ Picks..............................A11 BC Notes.....................................A11
The Heights
Editors’ Picks
Thursday, December 9, 2010 The Week Ahead
Standings
Hockey takes a break, but there is plenty of basketball to be played over the next week. The men head to Maryland to kick off ACC play, while the women stay home to face Rutgers. Over break, football will play Nevada in San Francisco.
A11
Recap from Last Week
Maegan O’Rourke
28-27
Zach Wielgus
26-29
Paul Sulzer
25-30
Heights staff
21-34
For the second straight semester, Maegan held on to win the picks title. Football earned a berth in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Women’s soccer lost in the College Cup to Stanford. Men’s hockey swept BU in a homeand-home series.
Guest Editor: Dan Ottaunick Collections Manager “No Sleep Week 2010.”
Zach Wielgus Sports Editor
This Week’s Games Football: Boston College vs. Nevada
Maegan O’Roruke Assoc. Sports Editor
Paul Sulzer Asst. Sports Editor
Dan Ottaunick
Collections Manager
Nevada
Nevada
BC
Nevada
Men’s Basketball: Boston College at South Carolina
BC
BC
BC
BC
Women’s Basketball: North Carolina at Boston College
UNC
UNC
UNC
UNC
Men’s Hockey: Boston College vs. Providence (series)
BC
BC
Split
BC
Atlanta Falcons
New England Patriots
New England Patriots
Atlanta Falcons
NFL: Best Record at End of Regular Season
BCnotes Men’s Hockey Four sophomore members of Boston College’s men’s hockey team – defenseman Brian Dumoulin, forward Chris Kreider, defenseman Phillip Samuelsson, and defenseman Patrick Wey – were selected to the 29-man preliminary roster for the 2011 U.S. junior national team, according to an announcement on Tuesday afternoon by USA Hockey. The next step for the players is to participate in a pre-tournament camp starting Dec. 17 in Troy, Rochester, and Amherst, N.Y. The team will compete in exhibition games against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s hockey team on Dec. 19 and the Czech Republic national team on Dec. 21. The final 22-man roster that competes in the 2011 World Championships will be announced on either Dec. 22 or Dec. 23. After the decision, the team is scheduled to participate in one last scrimmage versus the Norway national team that evening. The 2011 U.S. junior national team will compete at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2011, in Buffalo and Niagara, N.Y. Were any of the Eagles athletes to make the final cut, they will miss two BC games on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 when the Eagles participate in the Leynard National Bank Classic, located in Hanover, N.H. The other schools represented in the four-team tournament include Colgate University, Dartmouth College, and Mercyhurst College.
Rejoice in the resurrection of the BC basketball teams Brad Zak “There’s a love of the game in this city that is difficult to put into words. You start off when you’re very young and you never get it out of your system. You might get married to a woman, but basketball is still your first love.” –Willie Hall, New York City playground ballplayer Without a doubt, I have always been a hoops guy. There has never been a question. This fact has frustrated me over the past three years, as Boston College basketball has been marred by a noticeable lack of consistency and passion. It wasn’t just the players. Throughout the season, there seemed to be a general joylessness that pervaded Conte Forum. The environment in the arena seemed similar to a Thursday night class. Everybody was looking at the clock wondering when they could leave. BC has undoubtedly been a hockey school for the past four years. Unfortunately, my relationship with hockey was like the interaction you had with that girl last weekend: awkward, forced, and ultimately unfulfilling. I gave hockey a chance but it never came close to matching the majestic game I grew up with. After only one NCAA tournament berth sandwiched between two disappointing seasons, I was impatiently waiting for a basketball resurgence at Conte Forum coming into this year. It’s only been a month, but both the men’s and women’s teams have undergone
nick rellas / heights staff
Alex Trautwig / heights Editor
Reggie Jackson (left) and Jaclyn Thoman (right) have led their basketball teams to impressive starts so far this season for Boston College. a complete makeover. Following two exciting wins in three games in Orlando, the men’s team delighted fans with victories over Indiana and UMass while the women’s team beat Penn State and UMass, scoring a combined 206 points in the two contests. Yes, you read that right. These women aren’t playing the run-and-chase middle school girls’ basketball that you grew up with, but rather a new, exciting brand of the game. An early loss to Yale made it seem like history was bound to repeat itself for the men’s team, though, as the
Eagles failed against yet another Ivy League school. It seemed inevitable that they would hover around .500 and leave Conte Forum emptier than a Fray concert. Head coach Steve Donahue, however, has begun to press the right buttons, first by inserting freshman Danny Rubin into the starting lineup and then allowing all of his players, with the possible exception of Josh Southern and Courtney Dunn, permission to fire at will from downtown. One of the many beautiful things about basketball is that despite the need
for chemistry and teamwork, one player can form the identity of the team. For the men, Reggie Jackson has become the indisputable leader. His game has developed this season as he has consistently showed the ability and willingness to take the big and difficult shot. During the UMass game, Jackson took over at the most critical juncture of the game after the Minutemen had cut the lead to two with only 3:48 to play. The Eagles made five more field goals to close the game. Jackson scored two of them and assisted on the other three.
Brad Zak is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com.
Adjusting to change
club sports report
Rugby displaced
Change, from A10
tive lines following a Merrimack beating, hockey figured out its funk. The two forwards together accumulated six points as the team won three in a row, including a two-game romp of rival and then-No.2 Boston University by a combined score of 14-7. Watching from the stands of Agganis Arena on Friday, I couldn’t help but think of what further improvements Jerry York has up his sleeve. These changes, ones I once feared, have brought much-
By Paul Sulzer
Asst. Sports Editor When Boston College begins the construction of a new sports complex on Brighton Campus as part of the Institutional Master Plan, some club sports teams will be forced to find new practice fields, including the women’s rugby team. From the time construction starts to the completion of the club and intramural sports field, the rugby team will need a new home because the fields at St. John’s Seminary will be destroyed. Monica Capobianco, assistant director of intramural and club sports, is leading the search for new facilities. In recognition of her dedication to the rugby team, Capobianco received the Robert L. Laurence Award from the New England Rugby Football Union on Saturday. The award acknowledges a college administrator for outstanding support of rugby in New England. “She has been such a constant in our lives,” said Laura Cavicchi, the outgoing club president. “When the Seminary gets destroyed, we won’t have a place to play. Monica stepped right up and started looking for fields.” Most of the fields being considered are a lengthy car or T ride
Last year, there was a battle for alpha dog status between Jackson and Rakim Sanders. Both had the innate abilities, but only one has proven that he can rise to the occasion and elevate the play of his entire team. With Donahue at the helm, he has made Jackson his ambassador to a new era of BC basketball, and Jackson has shown he is worthy. For the women, Jaclyn Thoman has become the unifying force for the team with her up-tempo approach and playground flare. Thoman averaged 6.2 points and 4.2 assists per game last season, as the team often struggled to find a balance between its affinity for the deep ball and its incredible low post presence. She has doubled her scoring to 12 points per game this season and has played a significant part in keeping the Eagles undefeated thus far. During last week’s thrilling 113104 victory over Penn State, Thoman exploded for a career-high 25 points. She appeared comfortable leading the offense and directing the flow of the game. In basketball, the better team will always impose its will on the pace of the game and Thoman has kept the Eagles in overdrive all season long. They are averaging an astonishing 91.2 points a game this year, due in large part to the consistency of their senior floor general. The Eagles will go as far as Jackson and Thoman will take them this season. After three years of pain, it looks like BC basketball might actually bring us some excitement this March beyond the Qdoba burrito toss or halftime sumo wrestling. Talking myself into a 7-2 non-conference start and the excitement of women’s basketball? Yeah, I love this game.
Courtesy of allison holcombe
Monica Capobianco (center) won the Robert L. Laurence Award for helping the rugby team look for a new home. away from campus. The rugby team is considering facilities in Needham and South Boston. The public parks being considered in South Boston are about an hour away by T. Transportation could be an issue. Only two members of the team, along with head coach Ken Daly, have cars on campus. The A and B teams have a combined 40 players on the roster that need rides. “Moving off-campus will be tough,” said Allison Holcombe, the incoming club president. “We practice two hours a day, three days a week. If you have to com-
mute an hour to practice and an hour back, that’s asking too much of our team.” Spending more on transportation to practice would also limit the team’s ability to compete against schools farther away from campus. BC usually plays at least one team outside of New England each season. Last year, it was Georgetown University. That tradition might end if the team can’t afford to travel that far anymore. BC started slowly this year, losing three of its five regular season games before defeating Wellesley and Northeastern in
the playoffs. “We were really determined to turn our season around after not starting so well,” Holcombe said. For the second straight season, the team fell just short of nationals. BC won the lower division of the New England championships by beating Northeastern, 31-5, on Oct. 30. The win gave BC sixth place overall in New England. The top four teams qualify for the national tournament. “The end goal is always to play for nationals,” Holcombe said. “It just feels like we’ve been one game away for the past couple of years.” n
needed improvement to BC sports. It might have taken some time, but I finally understand just how well the University set itself up for the future. The Eagles are about to take full flight, and how lucky am I to come along for the ride, covering games as a new editor of this fine Sports section. My own recent change that, for once, I’m actually looking forward to.
DJ Adams is a Heights editor. He can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com.
A12
Thursday, December 9, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
BC-Nevada pits strength against strength sure I don’t do, come back too early. Just give it enough time to back, [he’s] a beast too. We gotta heal all the way because I don’t stop the run first and then he can want the same thing to happen open it up as well passing the ball, again or I could be worse this so you just gotta stop the run and time.” then adjust to the pass. But really, If Harris is able to play, he I haven’t watched too much on could potentially be in line to [Kaepernick].” break the school record for rushThis year, the Eagles won’t ing yards. The junior needs 125 be playing until yards to tie DerJan. 9, which re- “It could have been so r i c k K n i gh t ’s sults in a 43-day easy to be like, ‘We’re record of 3,725 layoff between yards. t h e i r re g u l a r not gonna make a bowl “Yeah, that’s season finale at game, just pack it in, always in the Syracuse and the of my mind, get ready for next year.’ back bowl game. With being this close But guys did a great to a goal that I such a long wait, Kuechly said, it job this year of being didn’t even think will all be a head I was gonna be relentless and sticking able to accomgame. “It’s a mental to the task at hand of plish being at thing,” he said. college,” Harris winning each week.” said of the re“Guys gotta stay sharp. You gotta cord. “So I’m — Luke Kuechly, keep looking at just working for your stuff, and Sophomore Linebacker the victory and just keep our det ry i n g to ge t fense sharp. I think the coaches do those 125 if I can, and help the a great job of keeping us in tune team win.” with everything going on.” If Harris is not 100 percent, One advantage of the long time freshman Andre Williams has between games for the Eagles is proved himself to be a suitable that it will allow them to get some replacement for the ACC’s leadkey players healthy. Guys like Alex ing rusher. Albright and Billy Flutie might be “I knew [Andre Williams] had able to return for one last game in it in him,” Harris said. “It was a BC uniform. just a matter of time before he “We’ll get Alex back, we’ll get got out there and showed what Billy back, and we might be able to he can do.” get Montel back,” Kuechly said. “I If the Harris-Williams backthink it lets guys get their bodies field tandem has a big game on the back a little bit, and that’s one of ground, and Kuechly and the dethe big things. fense are able to contain Nevada, Montel Harris is on the list, BC could be primed to upset the too, after having knee surgery to Wolf Pack. The once desolate searepair a torn left lateral meniscus,. son could all of a sudden become Harris said that he expects to be an eight-win one. back in time for the game. “We didn’t quit the whole year, “My knee’s doing real well,” and that was good,” Kuechly said. Harris said. “I’m able to walk, run, “We didn’t fall apart when we just taking it one day at a time, were 2-5. It could have been so and make sure I do that to full easy to be like, ‘We’re not gonna health before I start to practice.” make a bowl game, just pack it in, He also said that he should be get ready for next year.’ But guys back to practice in another week did a great job this year of being or two. relentless and sticking to the task “I thought I would be back for at hand of winning each week.” any of the bowl games,” Harris If the BC defense is up to the said. “But Jan. 9 just gives me task of shutting down, or at least enough time to make sure that slowing down the Nevada offense, it’s 100 percent before I come all the sixth-straight win would be the way back. the most impressive one of the “That’s one thing I’m making season.
Bowl Preview, from A10
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Montel Harris (top) hopes to return for the bowl after having knee surgery. If he isn’t ready to go, Andre Williams (bottom) will be called on again to step up.
Eagles survive Friars
BASKETBALL FEATURE
Jackson makes up for thin BC bench
BY DAN POPKO Heights Staff
Surviving Providence, from A10
ing down all four threes he attempted without hitting rim on any of them. “He’s really dedicated to his trade,” said head coach Steve Donahue. “He loves being good at basketball and really works at it. I think he’s a tripledouble waiting to happen.” The other Eagle who stepped up on Wednesday was center Josh Southern. After the team announced the suspension of Courtney Dunn for violation of team rules hours before the game, Southern was left as the team’s only big man. He stepped up, dropping a career-high 16 points, while grabbing nine rebounds. “Amazing,” Jackson said of Southern’s performance. “He’s battled through mental and physical fatigue. We needed his stat line very much and we need him to keep excelling and playing his game.” The Eagles are also going to need to get better at rebounding the ball. They were out-rebounded 24 to 12 in the second half and yielded 16 offensive boards to the Friars, one reason Providence was able to cut a 15-point lead down to a one-possession game in the contest’s waning moments. Donahue said that the team “got crushed on the boards. If you asked me where we missed (Corey) Raji that’s where we missed him the most.” Raji has missed the past two games due to a concussion, and his absence, combined with Dunn’s suspension, has left the Eagles with a thin frontcourt. The Friar’s, led by senior guard Marshon Brooks and his 28 points, cut BC’s lead to three points with just over four minutes to play. The Eagles battled back with a Jackson 3-pointer and a pair of forward Joe Trapani free throws to go up by nine with 2:30 to play. But Providence would not go away, and converted several baskets off BC turnovers to get within two points with 30 seconds left. Duke Mondy
DAVID GIVLER / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Even without its two captains, the BC defense has been stout against the run. Alex Albright (98) has battled injuries all year, but could return against Nevada.
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Missing Cortney Dunn and Corey Raji, Josh Southern scored 16 in an important 30 minutes. followed a Trapani dunk with a corner 3-pointer to make it a one-point game with 2.7 seconds left. Trapani knocked down one of his two subsequent foul shots to set the stage for the dramatic finish. When asked how the Friars got back into the game, Jackson said, “We went faster than we wanted to and were not getting into the offense we wanted. It was really us getting stagnant on the offensive end and not
getting good shots.” In the end, they got just enough good shots (and enough luck) to hold off a talented opponent by the skin of their teeth.
For a slideshow of the men’s basketball game, visit www.bcheights.com/sports
With a short-handed team behind him and Joe Trapani continuing his early season offensive struggles, Reggie Jackson had to step up to extend Boston College’s winning streak to four. Courtney Dunn was suspended for a violation of team rules and Corey Raji is sidelined until Friday with a concussion, forcing the Eagles to play without two of the starters from their opening day lineup. Jackson led an efficient Eagles attack with 26 points to outduel Providence star Marshon Brooks (28 points) in an 88-86 victory on Wednesday. Brooks added 10 rebounds for the Friars, but just couldn’t do enough to propel his team back from a 16-point deficit in the second half. “We both kind of have that inner drive where losing is not an option,” Jackson said of his matchup with Brooks. “Fortunately we got the upper hand today.” Nine points in the first half for the junior point guard, coupled with 10 from the rejuvenated Josh Southern, staked the Eagles to a 42-32 halftime lead over the Friars. Despite the early success, BC coach Steve Donahue thought Jackson really made his impact after the break. “The beginning of the second half he was really terrific,” Donahue said. “They were trying obviously to worry about him driving the ball and he goes four for four from three.” Jackson’s four triples helped him shoot a resounding nine of 12 from the floor. Coming into Wednesday’s game, Jackson was shooting 48.1 percent from the field, good for sixth in the ACC and third among guards in the conference, trailing only Duke’s Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith. His 42.5 percent threepoint shooting was also good for sixth in the conference. His coach, despite being in just his first year at The Heights, can see the strides Jackson has made since his first games on campus.
“I saw the film of him shooting the ball as a freshman and compared to his form and technique now, it’s light years difference,” Donahue said. “He takes the notebook out in the summer, shoots his 300 shots. He’s really dedicated to his trade.” That work ethic, coupled with fiery passion and raw talent, has helped make Jackson one of the best players in the ACC. Despite Jackson’s impressive numbers to this point of the season, Donahue doesn’t think the junior point guard has hit his ceiling yet. “He got seven rebounds [Wednesday] and I think he’s a double or tripledouble waiting to happen,” Donahue said. Though Jackson has three doubledoubles in his career, he has yet to tally his first triple-double. Despite only registering one double-digit assist game this season, Jackson sits tied for third in the conference at 4.5 assists per game and, more impressively, first in assistto-turnover ration at 2.4. His ability to control the flow of the game while holding on to the ball makes Jackson invaluable to BC’s offense. “He’s a great leader in terms of his presence, and I think he could be even a better verbal leader,” Donahue said. “I’m going to keep pushing him there because it makes us better.” The only area where Jackson, as well as the rest of the Eagles, struggled against the Friars was at the foul line. As a team BC shot 51.7 percent from the floor and 12-24 from three-point land, the first time this season the Eagles have hit half of their shots from beyond the arc, but struggled with the ball in their hands and the game at a standstill. Jackson, a 90 percent foul shooter in the ACC, hit just four of his nine freebies, with late misses by him and Trapani nearly costing BC the victory. “A lot of us are kind of disappointed in 16-28 from the free-throw line [as a team],” Jackson said. BC came into the game as the 10th best free-throw shooting team in the nation.
CLASSIFIEDS
A13
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, December 9, 2010
COMMUNITY HELP WANTED BABYSITTER NEEDED. We have 2 children, 7yrs and 9 yrs. Looking for a reliable, enthusiastic person, 2-3 days per week from 2 p.m.-7:30 p.m. to pick up kids from school, take them to after school activities (car is not required), etc. Location - Brookline, Washington Square area. Beginning mid-January 2011. If interested, please contact Kate at 617-953-7123. SITTER NEEDED. Fun loving family hiring mother’s helper/sitter in Newton for 1 yr. and 3.5 yr. CPR & car required. Tuesday 2-7 p.m. & Thursday 8:45 a.m.- 2:15 p.m. Contact Jessica at jascherer@mac.com. 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. With gratitude, Roseanne and Tim. SITTER NEEDED. Needham family seeking warm, engaging, part-time sitter for gregarious 1-year-old girl. Family has 3 children but 5-year-old and 2-year-old boys attend preschool in mornings. Sitter rarely home with all 3 kids. Sitter needs own transport. Desired hours: Tuesday (8:30 a.m.2:30 p.m.) and either Wednesday (8:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.) or Thursday (8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.). Pay very generous. 15 mins from campus. E-mail alixcampbell@yahoo.com.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP. True Power is a new performance band that improves strength and stability. True Power enhances energy levels through a new technology. We are seeking highly motivated interns that are interested in the sales and marketing of a growing business. Send resumes to internships@truepower.com or call Matt Campbell @ (781) 820-9047 to learn about an opportunity with our company. www. true-power.com.
MISCELLANEOUS Interested in blogging for The Heights? Contact Dara Fang at fangda@bc.edu for more information. Got a tip for the B-Line? Visit the blog at theb-line.tumblr.com to submit a tip!
Are you allowing your children to believe in Santa Claus? 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.
Answers below Answers to Crossword and Sudoku
A14
The Heights
Monday, December 9, 2010
INDEPENDENT FRAME OF MIND
ARE TRAILERS A GIFT?
WE CHECK OUT THE VALUE OF TRAILERS PAGE B2
BC TUBE
FASHION
FRESHMAN FADS
GAELIC TELEVISION
TWO TRENDY FRESHMEN TALK STYLE, BARGAIN SHOPPING PAGE B3
TALKING ABOUT EUROTUBE PAGE B2
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
INSIDE: CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH 12 DAYS OF ARTS, CITY FUN, AND WINTER RELEASES
POP CULTURE IN A PEAR TREE: A CHRISTMAS GUIDE
A
BY B R E N N A N CA R L EY | H E I G H TS STA F F A N D C H A R L O T T E PA R I S H | H E I G H TS STA F F
s students head into finals, they find themselves with more free time during those inaptly named “study” days. However, we here in The Heights Arts section believe this time could be put to more fruitful and fun excursions around campus and Boston. Let’s say you relish the thought of escaping campus for the afternoon. We provide several unique and festive excursions. Alternately, if relaxing in your room is on your mind, good books, music, and movies abound. Food is a quintessential part of the holidays, so we offer ample ways to expand your waistline just in time to give new meaning to the phrase “skin tight jeans” (even Ms. Katy Perry herself might notice the difference).
Taking inspiration from the classic British tune, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” we have provided a guide to benefit this Boston College students in their pre-holiday efforts to get in the spirit. While the studying has its benefits, time off is necessary before plunging into the drudgery and panic of finals week. And, with any luck, exams will be cancelled due to a freak snow storm. So whether you’re looking for the perfect gift – for yourself or others – a new eatery for a goodbye dinner with friends, or winter wonderland activities to make use of this cold weather, The Scene has got you covered. So queue up your Christmas music, pour some eggnog, and see how celebratory you feel after joining in The Scene’s “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
See 12 Days of Scene, B4
MOLLIE KOLOSKY / HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Heights
B2
+Editor’s Corner
That is the state of the art To quote Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, “White: a blank page or canvas – so many possibilities.” Darren Ranck Around this time of year, I look at a blank page and think, “Time to fill eight of these with words before I pass out from exhaustion.” Then again, I never claimed to be as insightful as Sondheim. He wrote the line for the musical Sunday in the Park with George, a theatrical account of the genesis of Georges Seurat’s pointillist masterpiece “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” Seurat spends the entire first act sitting in front of his canvas, hoping and praying an image will simply appear. Will something beautiful magically drip from the blankness or will he have to use inspiration to stain the page? Sondheim responds to this question with another lyric – “Art isn’t easy.” Everyone argues that the word “art” is so subjective. Some take it to be, only taking painting and sculpture into consideration. Others, like myself, have a broader interpretation. As I define it, art is any creative output. Paintings, books, films, television, music, it’s all art to me. They all start out as blank pages before someone, or even something, fills them with intangible ideas. It’s easy to chalk these victories up to creativity, but creativity must be mastered first. It is rarely a matter of quick thinking. It takes a particular thought process. Art isn’t easy. I think of my favorite recording artists and the work that goes into making an album. Sure, some people outsource songs. I could call that lazy, but it’s actually pretty self-aware. Songwriters, just like any other artist, begin with nothing. Using the sounds of rain hitting a roof or the patter of a sprinter’s footsteps or the beating of his own heart, he lays down the beat. From there, he writes the melody, something so unique and interesting that it could only derive from a sort of bodily chemistry. Lyrics are obviously personal (or if, you’re Ke$ha, completely unflattering) but consider the piece as a whole. It’s three minutes of intense accomplishment. We take art for granted. If all the creative people disappeared, we would have to resort to playing sports, and there’s no way I’m even going there. This section of The Heights, though, Arts & Review, celebrates art. A friend once asked me the rather philosophical question, “Is Arts & Review responsible for reporting on the arts community or fostering the arts community?” In so many words, I responded with the latter. Covering these disciplines is really the only way to recognize the importance of art by both professionals and our peers. I’ve always been impressed with talented people. To be frank, I find myself equally impressed with the untalented but certainly persistent. I recognize the variability of art, the difficulty of art, and the beauty of art. For that reason, we’re going to talk about it all. Engaging with art is the only way to suck the marrow out of our culture. With this in mind, I encourage the Boston College community to explore art with us. To the critics of art, write a review or let the world know of your passion for Lady Gaga memorabilia. To the artists, keep producing work for the community to see and embrace the experience. Don’t fear it. To quote Sondheim one last time, “Anything you do, let it come from you / then it will be new. / Give us more to see.” Indeed, give us more. I’ll be on the sidelines, to use a rare sports term, taking it all in. I may not be the songwriters putting out the work (I suppose I’m more like Ke$ha), but I have my own blank page to fill. So many possibilities.
Darren Ranck is a Heights editor. He welcomes comments at ranckd@ bc.edu.
An independent frame of mind
arts events calendar, DECEMBER 9–12 thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
A Christmas Festival Heights Room, 8 p.m.
Voices of Imani Christmas Concert Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m.
Voices of Imani Christmas Concert Trinity Chapel, 7 p.m.
Special People: A Film MFA Boston, 12:30 p.m.
Better Than Ezra The Paradise, 8 p.m.
Joan Rivers Wilbur Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Dashboard ConfessionaL The Paradise, 6:30 a.m.
Lessons/Carols in the Romance Language Tradition St Ignatius, 7:30 p.m.
The Bloodsugars The Chocolate Bar, 9 p.m.
Andrew Bird Converse Hall, 6 p.m.
Podge and Rodge Show, which filled the role of “chat show” (i.e., talk show) by raucously hosting real celebrity guests, and be saddened by the ending of the series in April 2010. I would have come to understand the breaking of comedic boundaries from my old muppet friends, and would be sad to see them go. I’d likely be a loyal RTE (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) One News follower, since it would evoke nostalgic memories of my mother turning it on after our weekly Monday dinners of Irish stew. RTE, after all, is Ireland’s oldest, most popular station, situated in Donnybrook, Dublin. Here I’d find out the results of my favorite team’s hurling match and get a look at the next day’s (predictably rainy) weather forecast. Meanwhile, I’d keep an eye on BBC One’s MasterChef: The Professionals, utterly in awe of the magic a chef can work with just a few sprigs of parsley and a slice of tuna. Whether these predictions would hold true or not is hard to say. But I can predict with 100 percent certainty that, even if I was an Irish citizen, I would still find myself glued to the TV watching Strictly Come Dancing as my legitimate responsibilities idly sat by, waiting for me to ‘strictly’ do homework.
Imagine this scenario: two of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest stars come together in a movie about intrigue and espioBrennan Carley nage. One star has helmed a franchise of wildly popular movies for three installments with a fourth on the way. The other star is known almost equally for paparazzi as she is for her ability to play spies. In case you hadn’t already guessed it, I’m talking about Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, who will be seen on screens around the world this weekend in The Tourist. You might be wondering how the title of this week’s column correlates with the subject matter thus far. Upon looking at the new box office releases this weekend, I saw an interesting similarity shared between The Tourist and another movie, The Tempest: there is no way that either of them will be able to live up to their hype. Let me dissect this as best as I can. When reports of Jolie and Depp’s pairing first hit the blogosphere, people went insane, paparazzi relentlessly stalked the film’s Venice set for months, and pictures of Depp in pajamas running through the waterlogged streets quickly circulated alongside Jolie wearing a fur coat, brandishing a hefty looking gun. That was almost one year ago, and I’ll be honest, I was excited at the time. I appreciate Jolie for who she is: a fairly formulaic actress who does a just above serviceable job with all of her movies. I adore Depp while also firmly believing that overexposure has gotten the best of him since the first Pirates of the Caribbean was released. Nonetheless, the thought of seeing these two Hollywood icons together on one screen was tempting. Then, in November, the trailer for The Tourist surfaced online, and it was utterly disappointing. Perhaps it is the overdone plot (a Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets Ocean’s 11 mish-mash) or maybe I’m just totally put off by Jolie’s smarmy sounding British accent, but something just rubs me the wrong way about it. It’s obviously unfair to judge a movie by its trailer, but if the preview is any sort of indication, The Tourist simply will not be what it easily could have been. The plot seems to revolve around Depp’s character getting swept up in some sinister plot by Jolie, only to find both falling for each other in the end. I say, “Boo.” The only mildly redeeming part about the trailer is catching glimpses of Depp’s Jack Sparrow-style wit. That leads me to director Julie Taymor’s The Tempest. The Shakespeare classic here has been reinterpreted by the usually spot-on Taymor (she of current headline-grabbing musical Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark). Starring the illuminating and impish Helen Mirren (don’t even get me started on how incredible she is) as Prospera, a gender bending version of the original sorcerer Prospero, The Tempest also features the immensely talented Russell Brand (of the woefully underappreciated Get Him to the Greek), Djimon Honsou (Blood Diamond), and Alan Cumming (he of immeasurable talent on the best show on television, The Good Wife). Unlike that of The Tourist, the trailer for The Tempest looks utterly stunning. Filled with Taymor’s trademark swishes of color and enrapturing special effects, the two-minute glimpse proves to be breathtaking. I have not wanted to see a movie more than The Tempest thanks purely to its trailer since Inception, and therein lies my fears. Yes, the trailer looks brilliant, but it also looks like perhaps The Tempest has pulled out all of the stops for a teaser. It has happened before that all of the best material a movie has had to offer wound up in its trailer (think 2007’s Beowulf or 2008’s Cloverfield). Some have managed to escape the curse (Inception’s haunting trailer only left room for conjecturing, almost forcing people to see it) and I pray desperately that Taymor’s Tempest does the same. I still plan on seeing both The Tourist and The Tempest, and I’m hoping to be proven wrong, but I’ll be queuing up Inception on Netflix just in case.
Kristen House is Arts & Review editor. She welcomes comments at houseka@ bc.edu.
Brennan Carley is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at review@bcheights.com.
BC, I Love You Musuem of Fine Arts, 3 p.m.
Holiday Pops Bos. Symphony Hall, 11 a.m.
videos on the verge
Sometimes you just need a video break
Everyone has that certain film they cannot go a single day without quoting. It can be something beautiful, funny, inspiring, or devastating, but moments caught on film encapsulate the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Sometimes the remakes of a scene are even better than the original. These three video clips are spinoffs of innumerable famous films, calling out all of their best and worst qualities. —Charlotte Parish
inception characters don’t understand inception A mind twisting film, Inception took the box office by storm this summer. Eye-catching and starry, it merited the praise it received. People left the theatre, though, with a bewildered look, convinced that the frame of the film was convoluted. College Humor took this film and hilariously exploited its density, mocking the complicated plot as the movie’s characters pose the exact same questions that puzzled audiences this summer.
40 inspirational speeches in 2 minutes Need a pick up in time for finals? Watch this compilation of forty of the most inspirational speeches in film. This motivational anthology draws from the whole spectrum of TV and film, including The Muppets, Peter Pan, Brad Pitt’s Achilles, and a whole slew of other famous faces. Two minutes is just enough to keep you laughing, and if not utterly inspired, at least highly amused. Search the phrase “40 inspirational speeches”
literal harry potter and the deathly hallows trailer parody This video makes Harry Potter’s movie release ridiculously comical. Its actionpacked sequences, and frenzied flow of scene changes are narrated in song by a “mile-a-minute” voiceover. Tobuscus packs so much into this video that by the end he is out of breath and stops to gasp, before plunging into one final stream of words before the epic “wizard lighting battle.” If this one video is not enough, search for the rest of Tobuscus’ literal movie trailer series.
bc tube
PhotoS Courtesy of flickr user monkeyonagazebo
Podge and Rodge of the raunchy and popular Irish television shows, ‘A Scare At Bedtime’ and ‘The Podge and Rodge Show.’
Receiving new signals across the pond “Are you watching Barney?” My brother used to ask me this question incredulously at the tender age of six. He would mock me anytime he noticed Kristen House the purple dinosaur flailing about, teaching lessons about sharing or the letter P. I would feel guilty at first, then defensive. What was wrong with a little Barney? Television, obviously, seeped into my social understanding at a very young age. I watched Gullah Gullah Island and Rugrats with earnest dedication for a long time, before moving on to the lives of the Seavers in Growing Pains. From there came Lizzie McGuire and Friends, with a few Lawrence Welk Shows sprinkled in that my mom always forced me to watch. Now, I’m a self-professed “Gleek,” a fan of Project Runway, re-runs of Arrested Development and episodes of Mad Men. This gloss of television shows is only a select few of the series that I’ve earnestly followed over my lifetime and they are also a mere product of my environment, the result of my life arbitrarily existing in the land of NBC, ABC, and TNT. Next semester, I’ll be leaving the land of Hillside Cafe and Boston College buses for a semester abroad in
Ireland. I’ve got my raincoat, camera, and travel supplies prepared, but with a new country also comes a foreign popular culture. Sure, a few American shows infiltrate abroad, but not many. It got me thinking: What would it be like to have grown up as a suburban Irish child? How would I define my own self-actualization without life lessons from Lizzie McGuire or Ryan Atwood and the gang? Considering this thought makes me feel like I’m buying a present for a third grader – I just don’t know what to consider cool. With a bit of help from the Internet, I’ve tried to construct the person I might have been if Irish TV was the norm. I would probably be an X Factor fan, which would take the place of American Idol, the show I’ve followed regularly since 2002. I would have watched Leona Lewis reign victorious in the same way I once eagerly watched Kelly Clarkson take the crown. My enjoyment of various X Factor hosts would waffle back and forth – Is he overexposed? Or just a charismatic fellow? To fill my need for a show that matches D-list celebrities (and even totally out of sync politicians) with professional ballroom dancers, I would tune into every season of Strictly Come Dancing. Growing up, I would have heard of the late night TV duo Podge and Rodge, two infamous ginger-maned muppets that star in A Scare At Bedtime, a taboo adult comedy sketch show. As a teen, I would watch the pair on The
Trailers Gone Bad
The Heights
Thursday, December 9, 2010
B3
+Fashion & Food Chronicles of Campus Fashion
Partners in paisley
A
By Kailey kramer | For The Heights
lot of people can recall the beginnings of freshman year as we aimlessly wandered from Lower Campus to Upper Campus (or Newton Campus) in search of a kindred spirit at Boston College. For Deryn Thomas, A&S ’14, and Erin Furlong, A&S ’14, this search began and ended in their Fitzpatrick Hall. After a full month of gathering the courage to initiate conversation, Erin tried to steal Deryn’s camera charger and they’ve yet to leave each other’s side. Other than photography, fashion is clearly a shared interest between the highly compatible Pisces and Cancer.
The pair often graces the benches of the Chocolate Bar with their stylish creations, taking sartorial cues from fashion darlings like Alexa Chung and Hannelli while still sporting a down-
to-earth attitude. It’s not everyday you run into such confident and self-assured freshman girls, which is telling of the people they will become over the next few years. KK: How would you describe your style? DT: A bit eclectic and practical. I like to wear things that say, ‘I know what I’m doing,’ but aren’t obnoxious or make me look pretentious. EF: A lot of stripes and an abiding love for anything plaid or flannel.
take me to the Garment District soon. I’m incredibly lazy so I much prefer online shopping where no one makes me take my pants off. KK: How does your style compare to those in your hometowns? EF: I live in a suburb of NYC so the style is wonderfully varied. There’s a fair share of preppy kids, but I would say inspiration wasn’t in short
KK: You discover a lot about yourself in the first few months of college. Has your style evolved at all since the beginning of school? DT: I’m still discovering. And yes. New experiences and new people mean new inspiration. For me, fashion is dynamic. EF: I’ve been able to experiment a lot more now that I don’t have a school uniform. Also, I found I’ve been less hesitant and am taking more risks.
Erin poses in an Alexa Chung x Maxwell dress with Oxford shoes from shopbop.com.
KK: Since neither of you are from Boston, what are some of your new favorite places to shop? DT: My single visit to the Garment District tells me we’ll have a future love affair. EF: Yes, I’m actually making Deryn
Kailey kramer / for the heights
The girls sport an ecclective mix of pieces including a pair of All Saint Spitalfields lace-up boots. supply. DT: Being from just outside of D.C., it doesn’t really vary. Home was collared shirt meets khaki pants– oh wait. They’re already engaged.
appreciation for fashion. EF: Alexa Chung, Hanelli, Alison Mosshart from The Kills. I also love Refinery29, Dazed&Confused, and i-D.
KK: How do you find the fashion scene at BC? DT: Considerably lacking a bit, although through no fault of its own. I realize that not everyone gets as excited as I do about Swedish Hasbeens. In attempting to dress well, comes the hope that maybe people who don’t care as much will see me and think, ‘That girl looks good!’ and be inspired. Since it’s my form of art – not necessarily my life – I like to share it with who I can. EF: I think it deserves more credit than it’s given. I don’t want to steal the closet of every student, but there are lots that I admire. I think if you look closely, there’s variety.
KK: Favorite brands? Designers? EF: I love Madewell, AllSaints Spitalfields, and Aritzia as well as Rag & Bone, Rodarte, Band of Outsiders, and Acne. DT: I’m fairly fashion illiterate so I’ve never given it much thought.
KK: What are some favorites within your closets? DT: A pair of black men’s brogues. EF: My mom’s navy Chanel purse that I borrow enough to call mine. Also, a silver necklace engraved with a Bhagavad Gita passage. Deryn sports vintage tweed pants along with a sweater from H&M and mary-jane heels.
KK: Who are your styles particularly inspired by? DT: Real people with an effortless
KK: If Sartorial Santa could leave anything under your tree this year, what would ask for? DT: I might ask for something fancy and overpriced, since I own none. I have an incurable weakness for shoes and leather. So, probably some good lace-up boots or a nice bag – I’m not picky. I’ve also been lusting after some Sweedish Hasbeens if you’re looking to buy me a present. EF: One of the long white dresses from the Fall 2010 Rodarte line. They are magical. Or the Mulberry Alexa bag or the PS1 by Proenza Schouler LK: H&M and Madewell — we don’t have them at home.
Kailey Kramer is a Heights contributor. She can be reached for comment at arts@bcheights.com.
dorm-cooked Chicken noodle soup
Photo Courtesy of yawgurt.com
Shows like ‘Cougar Town’ mix family and alcohol, making for awkward yet humorous conversations around the house.
on The Session Diana C. Nearhos / heights senior staff
By Diana C. Nearhos
add the chicken. You want to warm the chicken up beforehand, because if you cook the soup for too long, the meat will dry out. On a windy day (the likes of which we’ve been The chicken is the most complex part of this having lately) it’s nice to sit down with a hot bowl recipe. If you happen to already have leftover of soup. With it being cold season, there is noth- chicken on hand, that is ideal. If not, you’ll have ing better than homemade chicken noodle soup to cook some. You can use any kind of chicken to comfort you. you want. We all have finals, which doesn’t leave much If you have a George Foreman Grill, you can time for cooking. It is worth setting aside a grill it quickly while you saute the vegetables and few minutes for an easy recipe, which will be boil the stock. If not, it will take a few minutes so much more satisfying than microwaving a longer to prepare in the oven. frozen meal. Although I am typically not a fan of white meat, My mom has a great chicken noodle soup I use chicken breast in my soup. The texture of recipe that doesn’t take too long to make and the meat works well as long as you make sure not always reminds me of home. There is nothing bet- to overcook it. ter to lift my spirits when I’m sniffling, coughing, I like to use a more basic marinade for the and run down then this soup. chicken I am using in the soup than I do when I Start off by sauteing onions and celery. You am eating chicken on its own. You don’t need a want both to be chopped small, but not so much marinade because the soup is already flavored, so that they lose their texture. This is the base of but it adds a little something extra. I tend to the soup, it is easiest to saute these in a big pot, make a couple different marinades every time I so you just add everything to the same pot. buy chicken and freeze them all so I have some While the onions and celery are cooking, chop on hand when I need it. up some carrots. The carrots can be any size. Once I love the taste of rosemary in my chicken noodle the onions and celery begin to be translucent, add soup so I suggest a marinade of olive oil, chopped the carrots to the pot. rosemary, garlic, and a dash of lemon juice. Pour in the chicken stock when all of the vegIf you don’t have marinated meat but still want etables are completely translucent. Chicken stock the effect, you can coat it in a sauce before you is different from chicken broth. Stock has a fuller, cook it. Keeping with the rosemary theme, I would richer taste that is important for something like suggest making a paste of finely chopped garlic, chicken noodle soup. rosemary, and salt. At this stage, I like to add some herbs. Not However you decide to cook the chicken, everyone has herbs handy, but if you do have make sure it is fully cooked before adding it to some in the cabinet, a little bit of rosemary will the pot. you do not cook it anymore once it is go a long way to enrich the taste of added to the soup. Simply heat the soup. it up. Once the stock comes to a boil, Also, keep in mind that the Want to make Diana’s you can add the pasta, using whatlonger you leave the pasta in the SOUP yourself? ever kind you like. I like to use disoup, the more liquid it will absorb. Check out talini, which is small, round pasta. If you have leftovers, the pasta will www.bcheights.com/ If you choose spaghetti, however, likely expand and you might want arts for the specific I suggest breaking the noodles in to add a little bit more chicken recipes featured half to make it more manageable in stock when you heat up the soup in this week’s the soup. the next day. Enjoy! Recipe of the Week. Once the pasta is almost done, Heights Senior Staff
A holly jolly happy hour From the age of 14 to 18, I spent these stories illustrate family unity and spirit. In my summers working at an ice my opinion, whenever I hear of family members cream shop. When a husband getting drunk together, I feel like I’m witnessing and wife bought the place from a ferret die in front of me. the original owners in my fifth But I realize some families weave booze into summer there, they exhausted the fabric of their family structure. Others drink an exorbitant amount of energy at family parties as the only means to endure their trying to appear cool to us ice families. As winter break approaches, most of us cream scoopers. They encour- will soon find ourselves in the arena of holiday aged us to eat all the free ice parties, of goblets of eggnog and drunken aunts cream we wanted. They wore confessing the vilest of secrets about your father Zak Jason cargo shorts. They explained and drunken uncles kibitzing about your grandhow they played parent’s financial woes. beer pong with their daughters So I offer a few biased do’s and In my opinion, and their daughters’ friends, and don’t of holiday binging with your whenever I how the wife was a “natural” at the family. hear of family game. I couldn’t tell whether they made Do: members getting worse bosses or worse parents. Drink whiskey with an elder famdrunk together, ily member. Of all liquors, whiskey Some parents raise their children on alcohol as naturally as they do facilitates conversation the most. I feel like I’m with driving them to recreational Sipping a quality whiskey straight witnessing a soccer and feeding them Dunkaroos. with a perceptive grandparent or Parents allow their ten-year-olds to ferret die in front wise aunt may lead to profound swig a few beers on New Year’s Eve, revelations about the family. Not of me. their thirteen-year-olds to slurp a gossip revelations. Mai Tais and couple of Baileys on the rocks at the rum and cokes will lead to stories family Christmas party, their sixteen-year-olds to about how your uncle had an affair with a taxi have a few friends over, and say “Hey Sergei, if I driver. But whiskey will spawn the heroic tales of could just have your friends keys for the night, I’ll your ancestors. give you that 30 of Bud Light and you can have at it.” In Europe, many children enjoy Chardonnay Don’t: and Pinot Noir with their meals, even from the Attempt to go shot for shot with your cousin’s Little Tikes table. tabby cat. Not only will you become inebriated, Growing up, I neither lived in Europe nor did you will earn the scorn of your entire family. You my parents let me “have at it.” Because of that, might also unintentionally kill your cousin’s cat. people who tell me stories of drinking with their If you think about it, he probably can’t weigh parents make me uncomfortable. “PB&J Otter more than 20 pounds. So if you try to drink more was a rerun so my dad and I played Edward For- than three shots with the tabby, he probably won’t tyhands with each other.” “My mom and I went continue. Tempting as it sounds, it’s inevitably to a wine tasting. She had like eight glasses and one of those things that sounds like a great idea started flirting with the sommelier. I was like, at the time, but ends with a dead cat. ‘Mom, daddy would say this is a big no no.’ But that’s why she’s my girl, you know?” “For every gift we opened, grandmama and Zak Jason is a Heights editor. He can be reached I took a shot of Goldshlagger.”To some people, at arts@bcheights.com.
12
12 Days of Scene CUPS OF COFFEE
For the first 12 days of December, Starbucks Coffee is helping out frantic Christmas shoppers get a gift for that impossible person with a new special offer everyday. Need a new idea for that distant relative who always comes to holiday dinner? The Christmas Blend Espresso Roast, holiday mugs, and decorative gift baskets are sure to be a hit among people of all ages. Mix and match different items to appease that caffeine addict in your family.
11
SKATERS SKATING
The Frog Pond is the ultimate symbol of winter for many Bostonians as a perennial excursion. Open seven days a week, this frozen playground is only $4 per adult ticket for an entire day of fun skating and sliding. Maintained by hourly Zambonis, the Frog Pond is a timeless venue and a wonderfully cliche spot for a winter outing for groups or dates. Avoid the middle hours of the day if you do not want to be hampered by young skaters or crowds. But at some point before Christmas, visiting Boston Common with skates in hand is a must even if you have to brave frigid temperatures and tiny skaters under foot.
10
POUNDS OF BUTTER
The holidays are notorious for adding 10 unwanted pounds from scrumptious holiday favorites. But when searching for some new recipe ideas to further this waistline expansion, start with a dessert inspired by “The Christmas Song”: Roasted Chestnut Cookies. These delicious, powdered cookie balls taste exactly like the namesake, with some extra cinnamon and nutmeg spices for an extra touch of holiday spirit. If you are looking for a wonderful snack to get guests in the holiday mood, whip up some Sugar-and-Spice Candied Nuts. Amazingly easy to make, these nuts look festive and will make your house a
9
B4
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, December 9, 2010
CUPS OF EGGNOG
If you plan on sticking around Boston over the Christmas vacation, The Fireplace has a special Christmas Eve menu filled with treats like roasted goose, filet mignon, and the mouthwatering hard eggnog creme brulee. Regular menu items like the melt-in-your-mouth braised beef short ribs with sweet potato mash remain, in case goose isn’t your cup of tea. On the pricier side, Cambridge’s incredible Upstairs on the Square will be presenting a special “Three Evenings of Christmas Caroling” spanning Dec. 21 to 23. The special includes a three-course tasting menu while carolers roam the dining room. Depending on where you sit, you might be treated to delights the likes of chestnut risotto. All signs point to it being a deliciously festive time.
8
LAYERS WARMING
You may have to pile on eight layers of bulky warmth to brave the Arctic frigidity this winter, but underneath all of that puff are some gorgeous winter trends. Take advantage of the season’s love for tinsel and break out from the crowd in a gold metallic top or dress. With heels it’s the perfect piece for holiday parties, but can be dressed down, with a light colored over-shirt for daily wear. Another trend of the season, which is fitting for the holidays, is the nude heel. It is the perfect companion for all of the bright green and reds taking over your wardrobe without making an outfit too garish.
7
8
DANCERS LEAPING
With seven years experience devoted to the company, principal dancer Kathleen Breen Combes will once again join the Boston Ballet in its annual production of the beloved classic, The Nutcracker. Performances will take place in the gilded Boston Opera House as the company brings to life the story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince in the wonderland of dreams, filled with candied dancers such as the sensual Arabian Coffee Dancers and the voluminous Mother Gigogne. Tickets are going quickly for this fabulous show, a testament to its breathtaking execution, but the show is well worth the price for a night on the town guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit.
6
FIDDLERS PLUCKING
The classic Christmas touring band, Trans Siberian Orchestra, hits Boston later this month with its flamboyantly over the top show. Their concert is equally a theatrical experience and rock extravaganza, featuring songs like “Winter Wizard” and “Carol of the Bells.” Check them out at Boston’s TD Bank North Garden. On the other side of town, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular has touched down at Boston’s Wang Theatre. Featuring the famous high-kicking Rockettes, the enduring show also showcases the “Living Nativity,” and the crowd favorite, “March of the Wooden Soldiers.”
5
GINGERBREAD HOUSES
Next Friday through Sunday heralds the arrival of Christmas Reflections, a “celebration of the Christmas season through story, music, and dance.” The Voices of Imani will grace the Heights with their lovely harmonies in their annual Christmas concert, with a mix of traditional and contemporary gospel music. Finally, the Alumni Association is hosting their Winter Wonderland on Saturday, which will offer a family holiday celebration including caroling, gingerbread houses, and horse-drawn carriage rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Santa himself is poised to make an appearance.
4
ALEX MANTA / HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
CAROLERS CAROLING
What is it about the holiday season that brings out our inner musicians? This year, a bevy of top recording artists have jumped onboard that lucrative Christmas music train, including the omnipresent runner-up of last year’s Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle. With The Gift, Boyle croons classic hymns like “O Holy Night” and “Away in a Manger.” Meanwhile, Mariah Carey recently dropped the follow-up to her massively popular Merry Christmas with Merry Christmas II You, featuring songs like “Here Comes Santa Clause.” Other notables include Glee: the Christmas Album and popular indie-rock band Neon Trees’ single, “Wish List.”
3
SCULPTORS SHAVING
Some of the most dazzling sculptures in Boston are on display for three days only at the end of this month. None are in a museum, or even indoors, but the ice sculptures in the annual First Night Celebrations will adorn Boston Common, Copley Place, and Northeastern University from Friday, Dec. 31 to Sunday, Jan. 2. These artistic displays are a highlight of the New Year, glowing with microscopic rainbows during the sunlight hours and illuminated at night by electric lights underneath for a mystic radiance. In past years, winter wonderland classics, such as polar bears, were featured, along side the truly masterful recreation of an Egyptian sculpture from an Museum of Fine Arts collection.
2
BOOKS FOR READING
Everyone knows and loves How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and this year, the Dr. Seuss classic is poised for a comeback. Turned into a timeless animated special in 1966, The Grinch remains one of the most creative and heartwarming children’s books of all time as Seuss’ writing is still masterful and elegant some fifty years later. On the other side of the reading spectrum lies humorist David Sedaris’ gut-busting collection of stories, Holidays on Ice. “Santa Land Diaries” is surely one of the funniest results of pen meeting paper. The bit chronicles his employment at New York’s 34th Street Macy’s during the Christmas rush with Sedaris’ tart wit.
1
SHODDY CHRISTMAS TREE
There is only one Christmas special that matters nowadays. Good ol’ Charlie Brown is the hero of a generation in his Charlie Brown’s Christmas. It was the first and the best animated special based on Charles Schulz’s classic Peanuts characters. Who can forget little Linus reciting from the Bible, “Glory be to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men.” Then, of course, there’s the ridiculous dancing that we all tried to emulate as kids (and let’s face it, Willow Smith has nothing on that girl who was whipping her hair back and forth back in 1965). Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
MARKETPLACE THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, December 9 2010
D1
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
POLITICAL PULSE
POLITICAL BELIEF
Immigration reform but a DREAM
Globalizing trade shifts East to West
DANNY MARTINEZ
OLENA SAVYTSKA
Of the many minefields politicians must navigate, perhaps the most treacherous has been the issue of illegal immigration in the United States with respect to our southern neighbor, Mexico. In 2006, immigration reform failed, as it has time and time before, because of the lack of bipartisan support. While there does not seem to be a good time to tackle this issue, perhaps the best time to do so is in a lame-duck session of Congress. One proposed bill, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2010, has the potential to be not only an historic piece of legislation in its content, but a springboard for further legislative action. While steadfast immigration activists have pushed for a path to citizenship or amnesty for all illegal immigrants, their efforts have been stymied by Republican lawmakers who see the need to prevent illegal immigration rather than, in their view, condone it by offering citizenship. The DREAM Act would allow qualified undocumented immigrants to become permanent residents of the United States after completing one of the following: two years of community college, two years of military service, or two of four years at an institution of higher learning. Among these qualifications, the most interesting is that the undocumented immigrants must show proof that they arrived in the United States before they were 16years-old. Such documentation serves as proof that their parents or other adults brought them into the United States as minors. America is a country of immigrants, and the DREAM Act addresses the needs of undocumented workers who had no choice but to come to the United States. Furthermore, it lays the foundation to assimilate a group of patriotic, hard-
To integrate or not to integrate– that is the question. The global economy is a swift current which lifts stronger nations to new heights while turning the lifestyle and values of their weaker counterparts upside down. Although cultural exchange and multinational trade have been on the scene for centuries, globalization has assumed truly colossal proportions with the advent of the Internet, air travel, and the like. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that today’s global village has its main square in the United States, home of the Wright Brothers, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. The United States, with support from the European Union, has likewise dominated the globalization debate – the Millennium Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations in 2000 and geared toward fighting the deepest forms of poverty, were largely championed by developed nations, which pledged to aid developing nations in achieving them. Thus, among these eight goals is that of achieving environmental sustainability. “Going green” is a hot topic in the international economic discourse today. Countries with emerging economies like China argue that most of the environmental problems that threaten the planet today are a by-product of the unregulated, carbon and oil-fueled growth of the developed nations. Similar criticisms have been leveled at efforts broached by the U.S. and the European Union to establish a better regulatory framework for safeguarding intellectual property. The developed nations have a clear advantage with respect to technological innovations, and they are, in effect, seeking to deny the fruit of their accomplishments to less advanced nations. If the goal is a more open global economy, one in which all nations are interconnected, then why not share knowledge in order to make
See Immigration, D3
CHARLES DHARAPAK / AP PHOTO
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, left, and Vice President Joe Biden, center, respond to reporters regarding the recent tax cut debate.
Bush era tax cuts extended Both parties agree on temporary extension until 2013 BY KARN KHUNGER Heights Staff
“A long political fight that carried over into next year might have been good politics, but it would have been bad for the economy,” said President Barack Obama at a recent news conference over the tentative tax proposals he agreed to with Republicans. During the conference, Obama indicated Republicans are an obstacle to his original goal: to extend tax breaks only to those in the middle class. Instead, the Republicans have rallied around the idea of promoting tax breaks for the upper class as well. “In this case, the hostage was the American people and I was not willing to see them get harmed,” Obama said. The deal, which would serve to extend Bush era tax cuts, has garnered its fair share of critics. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) voiced her concern over the estate tax proposal “which would restore the tax at 35 percent on estates
worth more than $5 million.” According to Pelosi, the proposal only “added insult to injury” and “it would help only 39,000 of America’s richest families, while adding about $25 billion more to the deficit.” However, Pelosi did acknowledge that the deal would stimulate job growth in the U.S. In an attempt to quell Democratic unrest, Vice President Joe Biden met with Senate Democrats to discuss the nature of the deal. Democrats have expressed their issues with the burgeoning national deficit and the generosity which has been allotted to upperclass Americans. According to Rep. Bill Pascrell (D., N.J.), certain Democrats in the House feel as if the president is treating them as “irrelevant.” Even well-noted centrist Democrats, such as Sen. Mary Landrieu (D., La.), have yet to decide on whether or not to put their support behind the bill. “We’re going to borrow $46 billion from the poor, from the middle class, from businesses of all sizes...to give a tax cut to families in America today that, despite the recession, are making over a million dollars,” Landrieu said. “This is unprecedented.” Unlike members of the Democratic Party, the financial markets remained relatively upbeat over the news. The Dow
Jones Industrial Average rose 11 points to 11,369. Many within the business sector said that the agreement would ease the financial stress currently hampering America’s productivity. In a press release by Wells Fargo Securities, an analyst said the deal would “help reduce uncertainty within the financial markets. The result of this deal, once passed, will support greater income and spending on the part of consumers and provide investors with a much clearer picture of short-term fiscal policy,” the analyst told investors. Several economists have termed the compromise Obama’s “second stimulus.” But, unlike the previous bill passed, the main boost is not seen through spending. There have also been estimates that the deal could amount to over $900 million in spending and tax cuts over the next two years. By extending the tax cuts to upper-class Americans as well, the move will appeal to a broader constituent of Americans, signifying a victory for both Obama and his administration. “This gave us a chance to do what most people thought wasn’t going to be possible in this environment, which is to provide a real forward lift to the economy relatively quickly,” National Economic Council
See Globalization, D3
See Tax Cuts, D3
Wikileaks: cash flow to terrorists strong
terrorism, and Kuwait, a “key transit point” are all highlighted in the dispatches. Such cables stress the need to “generate the political will necessary” to cut all ties between financial support and terrorist groups, groups Clinton characterized as “threatening stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan and targeting coalition soldiers.” Former president George W. Bush frequently expressed his eagerness to end fi nancing for extremists and vowed to bring financial supporters to justice. In an attempt to pacify U.S. relations with Arab nations, Obama has not publicly concentrated on this issue as fervently as his predecessor. However, the Obama administration’s diplomatic, intelligence, and law enforcement tools are reminiscent of those of Bush. While the cables show signs of U.S. frustration stemming from these largely ineffective attempts, some successes have come from the efforts of both Bush and Obama. Prosecutions, confiscation of money, as well as
POLITICS
ECONOMICS
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
President Barack Obama and Congressional Republicans agree to extend the Bush tax cuts for an additional two years. The compromise also keeps in place extended federal unemployment benefits.
The Federal Reserve delayed the debut of new $100 bills after blank spots were discovered on them. More than 1 billion bills will remain in storage until the error is resolved.
Google launched its Chrome application store and unveiled the new Chrome OS at a San Francisco briefing. Google estimated Chrome’s total user base at 120 million.
The EPA has delayed the implementation of air pollution regulations for industrial boilers. Members of both parties have criticized the regulations as overly harsh.
Oil prices rose to their highest levels in 26 months on Monday. The $89-per-barrel price was last seen in October 2008, before the worldwide economic crisis sapped energy demand.
A Japanese spacecraft began orbiting the planet Venus on Monday. The spacecraft will conduct joint operations with an EU spacecraft that has been orbiting the planet since 2006.
IN THE NEWS
Nearly a decade after the United States committed to putting an end to the money pipeline that provides financial support to terrorists, senior administration officials under President Barack Obama fear that millions of dollars continue to flow easily to international extremist groups. Classified government cables recently released by WikiLeaks, a web site that aims to surface secret governmental and corporate information, suggest that the United States has had to cope with frequent resistance from Middle East allies who may be supporting terrorist groups. The government cables sent by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and senior state department officials list numerous suspected methods used by terrorist financiers. An insolent bank robbery in Yemen last year, kidnappings for ransom, the collection from drug sales in Afghanistan, and money collected at religious pilgrimages to Mecca top the list. While the U.S. government has
See Leaks, D2
I NSIDE MARKE TP L A C E
THIS ISSUE
On the flip side
MARTIAL TREZZINI / AP PHOTO
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, responds to allegations against his website in Geneva.
180
Billion dollars, with which Halliburton allegedly bribed the Nigerian government, to secure a natural gas plant contract.
69
Years since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The surprise assault killed 2,400 Americans and sparked the United States’ entry into World War II.
This week On the flip side will explore both sides of the justice of United States presidential clemency powers..................................... D4
IN QUOTES
put on a relatively happy face when discussing progress in its efforts to disrupt the financing of extremist groups, the leaked internal State Department cables suggest cracks in this facade. The cables reveal the threats wellfunded zealot groups such as Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Hamas, and Lashkar-eTaiba pose to the United States. A confidential memo sent by Clinton in December of last year articulated her concern that residents of Saudi Arabia and its neighbors are the principal financial contributors to crimes committed by terrorist groups. “It has been an ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist financing emanating from Saudi Arabia as a strategic priority,” Clinton in the cable, said, “Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide.” The cables shed light on other countries which can be easily exploited by terrorists searching for money. The United Arab Emirates, a “strategic gap” that terrorists can use, Qatar, the “worst in the region” on thwarting
Heights Staff
IN NUMBERS
BY MICHELA GACIOCH
“
What I see is actually some grounds for cautious optimism.
”
– David Cameron British Prime Minister discussing combat operations in Afghanistan during his second visit to the country
Market Report................................D2 International Insights..........................D4
D2
Thursday, December 9, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
MARKET REPORT
China or the US? AMEET PADTE Exactly a year ago, I completed an internship at the London office of DDB Worldwide Communications Group, Inc. advertising agency. The tremendously rewarding opportunity has left me with a burning desire to return to the cobbled maze of streets, inclement weather, and bad teeth. Living in England would also facilitate inter-European travel, a fascinating experience that anyone who has studied abroad there can appreciate. Unfortunately, a cursory glance at the news indicates that Europe is in dire straits. Let’s investigate. The leading states of the European Union are afflicted with a growing sense of decline, corroborated by international politics. For instance, the war in Iraq confined European leaders to the sidelines, helplessly watching as their soldiers were injured and killed in a war they neither wanted nor understood. They are also required to account for a significant share of the continued costs incurred by the war. In March 2000, EU leaders committed to making it “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-driven economy by 2010.” This sounds like a joke today. European leaders are fully aware of their rapid international weakening. They feel that establishing and strengthening collaboration with other European countries will ensure future success. The adoption of the euro is a prime example of this. What benefits have the euro brought forth? Despite its apparent strength, it has failed to compete as an international tender and continues to be influenced by the U.S. dollar. Furthermore, a unified currency prevents individual countries from manipulating interest rates
to facilitate trade. The European Central Bank has been consistently lowering the already incredibly low base interest rate, following the example of Japan. Japan then proceeded to endure an extremely protracted period of economic stagnation. Michael Bear, the Lord Mayor of London, told reporters that a country’s ability to compete internationally depends on the “Three Cs”: commodities, (which the United Kingdom does not have), cash (which they also don’t have), and creativity. He then proceeded to expound the virtues of London’s intellectual community. Really? He’s going to bet Europe’s ability to recover on ingenuity? Just think: How many high-growth companies have emerged from Europe in your lifetime? The only European companies I can think of that have “recently” exploded onto the international scene are Red Bull and Vodafone. While these are powerful and admirable organizations, they are not leading innovators and paradigm shifters like Facebook, Google, or even Netflix. One can parallel the economic decline of the Eurozone with its technological inferiority to the rest of the developed world, particularly the United States. After a tremendous national tumult in May of this year, Greece reached a public budget deficit of 20 percent, forcing the EU to provide a bailout of $40 billion. Very recently, Ireland received an $89 billion loan. The fear is that these are just the first dominoes to fall. Portugal’s Prime Minister Jose Socrates recently stated that Portugal will not need a bailout, indicating that they will in fact need one. With Spain highly exposed to Portugal (and an unemployment rate of 20 percent) they could be next. After that, who knows? Belgium? Italy? Remember how interlinked these economies are. They have no easy recovery. Unfortunately, the United States may soon enter a period of stagnation. We embarked on a 30-year binge of massive debt
DANNY MARTINEZ
MATT PALAZZOLO
Will Democrats support President Barack Obama’s tax cut compromise?
Reluctantly so. It’s the first substantive disagreement between the Dems and Obama.
Not unless they grow a spine anytime soon.
I feel a collective desire on the left to move as far away as possible from the commander-in-chief.
I think they’ll support it if it works. If it doesn’t, he’ll get thrown under the bus.
Have the Wikileaks cables damaged America’s diplomacy with foreign countries?
Yes, but the more crippling damage might be to the waning faith of the intelligence community in other agencies.
Of course, President Ahmadinejad was about to scrap Iran’s nuclear program until the unfortunate leak.
I refuse to believe anything done by Julian Assange will have a lasting impact.
Most countries that don’t like the U.S. have made those feelings clear already.
Will the Korean military crisis escalate into full fledged war?
No, definitely not. They’d lose. Badly. And they know it.
Hopefully. Then CBS can film a M.A.S.H. remake.
Kim Jong Il probably just wants to get his kicks one last time before croaking.
If North Korea was looking for an excuse to go to war, it found one.
Can Congress eliminate Don’t Ask Don’t Tell during the lame duck session?
I don’t think they will, although it will most definitely not happen after January.
Sure, right after they balance the budget and secure the Mexican border.
Since they were so effective at passing legislation during their normal term... no, no they can’t.
Probably not. That would require the parties to work together. We all know that won’t happen.
Marketplace Editor
creation both in the public and household sector. The Federal Reserve Bank has become very loose, printing out money like there is no tomorrow. We are currently sitting on an $8 trillion deficit with the rest of the world. The government’s optimistic budget projections are just not correct. The Federal Reserve Bank1, White House, and Congress project that across the next five years we will reach three to 4 percent growth rates, a decrease in the unemployment rate from 10 percent to around 5 percent, and an addition of 13 million jobs. This is while we’re currently only adding 50,000 jobs a month. Calculated accurately, our economy will grow by $50 billion a month while debt grows at a rate of $100 billion a month. A total stalemate in our government ensures no spending cuts from the Democratic side and no revenue increases (and in fact, tax cuts)
Asst. Marketplace Editor
from the Republican side. We’re stuck. The rest of the world knows this too. Last month, President Barack Obama went as a supplicant to Asia, seeking to establish stronger ties with emerging markets. He returned empty-handed, save for a positive reception in India. South Korea rejected a relatively standard and straightforward trade pact, Obama failed to get any of the G20 countries to set international trade standards, and nearly every important economic power criticized the Fed’s second round of quantitative easing (injecting money into the economy). What we really witnessed was the world’s emerging powers being forced into a decision between placing their bets with a stagnating United States or an ascendant China. They chose China. I spoke with Professor Tiey-
HILARY CHASSE
PAUL SULZER
Opinions Editor
ing Yu of the Carroll School of Management who said that she can name eight colleagues who are ensuring that their children learn Chinese. She also suggested that job seekers investigate Asian options, bearing in mind that a different system has unique norms and requisites and that while at one point Americans had an advantage in language, the Chinese are quickly catching up. I wonder whether the American system of government will allow us to compete with these centrally-controlled countries. When the Chinese government wants to build a dam, a power plant, or a factory, they eject whoever currently resides on the land they want and build it immediately. Whether such methods are ethical or not is an entirely different issue, but they allow China to complete infrastructure projects much faster than they could be in the United
Asst. Sports Editor
States. There’s a lot to be said for an economy where barriers like democracy do not hinder major real estate deals. For example, the enormous $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands mega-resort in Singapore was built from start to finish in four-and-a-half years. The government recognized that such a venture would earn substantial revenue and that it was in the country’s best interests to build as quickly as possible. The facility will earn at least $1 billion in annual profit. Four-and-a-half years! In the United States, it would take a decade just to get permission to build a mega resort of the same dimensions. All of this has influenced me to question my career plans. New plan: stay in America, learn Chinese, and then, peace out. Ameet Padte is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.
US cables accuse Arab nations of allowing terrorist growth From Leaks, D1
GERALD HERBERT / AP PHOTO
President Barack Obama has worked with Middle Eastern nations in attempts to regulate money flow to terrorist organizations.
Modern Day Philosopher
By Gregory Kita
heightened money laundering regulations abroad highlight both presidents’ successful endeavors. Foreign leaders have done their best to counter such efforts by the U.S. According to many of the leaked cables, foreign officials have accused U.S. off icials of presenting weak evidence of fault by Arab charities, organizations, or individuals. In Kuwait, officials resisted what they referred to as “draconian” measures by the United States against a Kuwaiti charity. According to a cable, Kuwaiti officials dismissed accusations against the charity as “unconvincing.” The cables also address Al-Qaeda, and its capability to attain funds, an issue over which U.S. off icials appear to be divided. In a February cable, Richard C. Holbrooke,
U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said that “sensitive reporting indicates that Al-Qaeda’s ability to raise funds has deteriorated substantially, and that it is now in its weakest state since 9/11.” Other cables contradict Holbrooke’s conclusion and indicate that the bin Laden group has the ability to generate money easily from wealthy individuals and sympathetic organizations throughout the Middle East while managing to stay a step ahead of counterterrorist measures. “Terrorists avoid money transfer controls by transferring amounts below reporting thresholds and using reliable cash couriers, hawala, and money grams,” a recent cable revealed. “Emerging trends include mobile banking, pre-paid cards, and Internet banking.” Hundreds of the cables
leaked reveal confidential government information regarding the issue of terrorist financing. The issue has acquired an unyielding elusiveness in the seeming ease with which terrorists are able to attain and transfer money, carry out deadly attacks, and avoid international legal intervention. Despite the efforts of U.S. diplomats, the casual approach some Middle Eastern allies of the United States are taking with respect to the problem is stalling progress. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, leader of anti-terrorism activities in Saudi Arabia, insisted to Holbrooke in May 2009 that his country is “doing our best.” He warned that “if money wants to go” to terrorist groups, “it will go,” shadowing a dim future in the regulation of terrorist finances.
The Heights
Thursday, December 9 2010
D3
Discussion ends in compromise From Tax Cuts, D1 Director Lawrence Summers said. Top financial firms have released economic estimates if the deal is to go through. Goldman Sachs expects a half to a full point increase in growth, while J.P. Morgan believes at least a half a point as well (nearing 3.5 percent). If implemented, the tax cut would represent the fourth time in the last decade in which the government has attempted to increase liquidity in the market by offering tax breaks to consumers. Unfortunately, the effects of the previous attempts have largely
By Matt Palazzolo Asst. Marketplace Editor Charlie Rangel was born in Harlem, NY on June 11 1930. His father was unemployed, abusive, and left the family when Rangel was six. He did well in grade school and high school, but constantly skipped class. He dropped out of high school at age 16 to sell shoes. He later enlisted in the Army, and from 1948 to 1952 served in the Korean War. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor for his conduct in the war. After returning home, Rangel finished high school, received a Bachelor’s Degree from the New York University School of Commerce, and obtained a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. In 1961, Rangel was appointed Assistant U.S. District Attorney in the Southern District of New York by then Attorney General Robert Kennedy. He participated in the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches, and served two terms in the New York State Assembly. In 1970, he defeated long-time incumbent Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who was embroiled in
ethics violations, in the Democratic primary. He easily won the general election with 88 percent of the vote. Early in his Congressional career, Rangel served on the House Judiciary Committee, where he participated in the impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon. In 1983, he became chairman of the Select Committee on Narcotics and played a leading role in the War on Drugs. In the 1990s, he opposed both the 1996 Welfare Reform Act as well as most of the recent GOP majority’s agenda. During the Bush presidency he opposed the war in Iraq and became chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. However his time as chairman was short-lived. In late 2010, Rangel was tried and convicted for ethics violations. He, among other illegal acts, evaded paying taxes on a Dominican villa and rented Harlem apartments at below market rates. He was forced to resign from his post on the Ways and Means Committee. Despite his conviction, Rangel was only censured and easily won reelection in his district.
Act would allow citizenship From Immigration, D1 working students and soldiers who strengthen our economy as much as our nation. This would enfranchise a large group of undocumented immigrants, the best of the best, who have been forced to live in the shadows as second-class citizens, yet would be able to positively contribute to our economy and society. However, the political climate might not allow for the passage of the DREAM Act. The bill was in effect defeated in September because it did not reach the cloture threshold of 60 votes, only garnering 57 votes, including a moderate Republican Senator Dick Lugar. President Obama has expressed his hope that the DREAM Act will come to another vote before the year’s end, when his Democratic majority in the Senate withers in January. For immigration advocates, the Republican behavior amounts to obstructionism. For Republicans, the Democratic plan addresses compliance rather than enforcement. The sandy Mojave Desert, where undocumented immigrants cross, seems worlds away from our campus here in Chestnut Hill, but the issue is no less salient. I had the opportunity to hear a talk given by James Q. Wilson, an American political scientist who spoke on the politics of immigration. He cited a poll that questioned two random
samples of Americans. One group was asked if they favor a “path to citizenship” and in the other, if they supported an “amnesty policy.” Interestingly enough, the former received an 11-point higher support rate among Americans likely to vote. What does this say about the status of the immigration debate in our nation? That it has been polarized by the few voices on the fringes – the Glenn Becks, Sean Hannitys, and the far left illegal immigration proponents who believe their position is the only logical and mainstream view. In reality, the views of Americans on immigration, when stripped of the xenophobia and irrationality, are much more moderate. While hardly any Americans favor instant naturalization of undocumented immigrants, most agree that the current situation is untenable and must be dealt with realistically. The DREAM Act is a good step to acknowledging the economic benefit of college-educated undocumented immigrants, but there should be more legislation that addresses the lowestskilled workers, who have jobs in the agrarian sectors of the economy. While immigration advocates believe that enforcement of laws would be harmful on a macroeconomic scale in the long run, it might serve to increase the efficacy of Mexican-American immigrants.
However, a bill that requires employers to use an E-verify system, one that checks social security numbers of workers to confirm their status, would need to go hand-in-hand with a guest-worker program. Politically, it would be impossible to do one and not the other, and furthermore, they complement each other. A system that cracks down on employers who exploit undocumented workers would decrease the amount of labor violations and abuse that have been widespread in California, and other states that rely heavily on migrant labor. A guest-worker program, one that would assimilate this vital workforce into our economy, would lead to both increased tax revenues and higher wages. The debate on what should be done with illegal immigration will be contentious, as it should be. But when it devolves into a shouting match with only the loudest voices being heard, the most moderate and reasonable voices are drowned out. We shouldn’t be concerned with securing comprehensive immigration reform. For me, achievable goals, with provisions that satisfy both sides of the aisle as well as maintain the dignity of undocumented workers, is the real name of the game. Danny Martinez is Marketplace Editor for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@ bcheights.com.
Damian dovarganes / ap photo
DREAM act supporters organized a candle-light vigil and procession in downtown Los Angeles this past Tuesday, Dec. 7.
been mitigated (like in 2001, 2008, etc.) due to the fact that many Americans just kept the excess money instead of investing it back into the economy. The compromise Obama and the Republicans reached on Monday extends the Bush tax cuts until 2013. This includes a 15 percent tax on capital gains and dividends. As for businesses, they would receive a “retroactive” two-year extension of tax cuts which would expire in 2012. In an effort to promote research and development, the compromise calls for tax breaks in this area as well. To the chagrin of
Democrats, by “lowering worker payroll taxes by two percentage points in 2011,” it will add an estimated $120 billion to the deficit. Unemployment benefits will also be renewed until the end of 2011. Overall, the package will add “almost $1 trillion to the national debt” which will further stir debate in Washington over debt related issues. “It is going to put a huge spotlight on deficit reduction,” said Anne Mathias, an analyst for MF Global. “The fact that we couldn’t get fiscal discipline now to deal with these issues makes real deficit reduction more difficult.” n
China’s connection to the global economy yields growth From Globalization, D1 the world as a whole a better place? Looking beyond such specifics, however, developing nations see an ominous change in globalization, a sort of cultural survival of the fittest. Increasingly open markets sweep across national boundaries not only impacting cotton, corn, and computers, but also less tangible products, such as music, hairstyles, and social norms. These ideas tread lightly, yet they leave a lasting footprint. Without a doubt, the author was overjoyed at glimpsing the familiar red and yellow of a McDonald’s sign among the countless onion domes of Moscow this summer. Yet McDonald’s came to Russia in the 1980s – at a time of liberalization preceding the disintegration of the Soviet Union – and has been selling some very Western concepts as a side to its post-Soviet consumers. The idea of fast food is in itself anathema to a country like Russia – a good meal should be eaten in a measured fashion and should involve hot food, including soup and tea. Muscovites may still give you a dirty look if you walk down the street with a styrofoam cup of coffee, yet local chains are starting to offer a menu
of drinks to go. The relentless rhythm of life typical of a United States metropolis is taking hold in this capital as well. Along with a fast-paced lifestyle comes individualism, overachievement, and the like. As family dinners become less savory compared to a Big Mac, family itself gradually becomes less important in comparison to the individual. The turbulent changes wrought by globalization as well as the demands placed upon nations by a global trade regime have made blocs such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries reluctant to engage in global trade on a large scale. Unimpressed by David Ricardo’s arguments about comparative advantages, these countries value tradition more highly than the latest gadgets. And indeed, there isn’t always strength in the numbers accompanying economic inte gration. Certainly, the economic linkages that exist among nations today played a major role in making the financial crisis of 2008 as devastatingly contagious as it was. Additionally, while “emerging” economies, such as the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have shown impressive growth rates in the last few decades, this growth only makes the contrast between
these more fortunate countries and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) starker. Is it possible for a country to achieve economic benefits from globalization without paying the costs? In other words, can globalization be a win-win phenomenon? Perhaps, but it is not advisable for developing nations to take the concept of “opening up” their economy literally. China stands out as a major participant in global trade, which has seen strong economic signs as a side effect of its integration into the international economy, with GDP growth between five and 10 percent in the past decade. At the same time, China retains a unique political climate (admittedly not the most equitable by Western standards) along with a strong sense of national pride and achievement. Yet, with its air thick with smog and its young men hard-pressed to find wives, China maintains a precarious balance. This may confirm the belief of Western nations that globalization is not simply an economic phenomenon, but one which requires the reshaping of a nation after the Western image. Olena Savytska is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.
Mollie kolosky / heights graphic
D4
Thursday, December 9, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
Pardon misused, undemocratic
ON THE flip side
MATT PALAZZOLO
THE ISSUE:
For the first time since gaining office almost two years ago, President Barack Obama used his clemency powers to pardon nine people this past Friday. Is the President’s power to pardon criminals just? Supporters argue that, in some cases, the legal system overlooks cases and the Presidential pardon is a way to combat ineffectiveness. Opponents argue such a law concentrates too much power in the Oval Office and allows for the pardoning of criminals who should remain on trial.
Pardon strengthens judiciary
turns out in droves to select the commander-in-chief, the face of our nation, and arguably the The distribution of the power driving force behind our nation’s foreign and domestic polof the government has been a icies. In selecting a president, significant issue throughout the voters choose the candidate history of the United States. who best reflects their interests, Experience with the tyranniand who, in their opinion, can cal (or perhaps just colonial) most effectively lead the nation. British Empire in the 1700s has When the president is elected, left an everlasting stain on the voters invest their trust in the American psyche in regards to candidate. It is this trust that concentration of power. In response, our constitution adds to the strength of the presspells out a system of checks idential pardon. If the president and balances that is crucial in is selected to represent the will preventing the abuse of power by of the people and he exercises any of our elected officials. No his pardon, wouldn’t that mean system is truly perfect, but mea- the pardon would also have the sures must be taken to ensure that direct support of the people? Regardless of its justice, the any possible abuses or injustices pardon is be removed in order to improve our Our constitution spells rarely used and thus government. The out a system of checks poses little Founding Fathers and balances that is threat to the specifically recognized the inher- crucial in preventing the concentration of power ent f laws in the judicial system of abuse of power by any of in the U.S. our nation, and our elected officials. government. Arguably its created a clever most famous solution. The Constitution clearly application was in 1974, when states that the President has the power “to grant reprieves and newly installed President Gerald pardons for offenses against the Ford “gave absolute pardon unto United States, except in cases Richard Nixon for all offenses of impeachment.” By allowing against the United States.” This the Executive Branch of our pardon undoubtedly angered government to essentially make many American citizens who felt decisions for the Judicial Branch, there was a need for retribution the Constitution strengthens and after the Watergate Scandal. improves the government of our However, almost every other president has exercised their nation. presidential pardon at least The American judicial sysonce with little or no resistem is clearly flawed. Newstance. Why is that? Because the papers often report murderers president’s clemency powers are walking free and simple trials of almost always exercised for just that eventuallylead to innocent causes. rulings lasting decades before a In President Barack Obama’s decision is made. The inefcase, recently pardoned crimes ficiencies of appeals can keep included mutilating coins, innocent candidates from recounterfeiting, and adultery. prieve for long past their proper In all of the cases, Obama was debt to society. At the same “moved by the strength of the time, corrupt juries, judges, and applicants’ post–conviction judicial loopholes can allow obefforts at atonement, as well viously guilty parties to escape as their superior citizenship unscathed. Prisoners who have and individual achievements been sentenced to death stagin the years since their convicnate on death row, usually for tions.” In short, Obama isn’t the duration of their lifetime. just tossing out presidential The use of the presidential pardons like candy. Accordpardon combats half of these ing to the Justice Department, flaws in the judicial system. Obama has received 551 pardon While the president cannot petitions during his almost two levy a just punishment on an obviously guilty party, the clem- years in office. The president has outright denied 131 of those ency powers spelled out by the petitions, while 265 cases were Constitution allow the pardonclosed without his input. The ing of those who are obviously remaining 155 petitions have innocent, or at the very least have fulfilled their societal debt. received presidential pardons. Criminals are rarely parEvery four years, our nation
DAVID COTE
doned for serious offenses such as multiple murders, conspiracy against the government or treason. It would almost never be in the president’s best interest to pardon such criminals, as the public outcry against the action would lead to far worse political ramifications than the pardon is worth. Opponents also argue that such a power is easily abused and that the president could pardon individuals who do not deserve to be free from their trials. They say, for example, that a president might pardon a family member or friend. But imagine for an instant the public outcry that would result if President Obama were to pardon his mother for a crime she had recently committed. The political right would seize the story like a starving wolf seizing a piece of raw meat and immediately forward the details to every e-mail account in America. Additionally, the president’s approval ratings would plummet even lower than they already have. Such a pardon could even be grounds for impeachment of which, thankfully, the Constitution would prevent the president from pardoning himself. David Cote is a staff writer for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com
On Aug. 8, 1974 Richard Nixon resigned as president. The Watergate Scandal had been unfolding for the previous two years, coming to a head two weeks earlier when the Supreme Court ordered President Richard Nixon to turn over tapes of conversations that had taken place in the White House. The evidence was damning. A so-called “smoking gun” tape detailed Nixon scheming to hinder the FBI investigation into Watergate. After two years of evading investigation and lying to the American people, Nixon was brought to justice. And then came the pardon. On Sept. 8, 1974, exactly one month after taking office, President Ford granted a full, free, and absolute pardon. The investigation into Nixon’s crimes as president was brought to an abrupt halt. Ford argued that the pardon was in the best interest of the country, by eliminating the potential of a long and painful trial of a former president. In reality, by pardoning Nixon, Ford obstructed the judicial process by means of an undemocratic power. The presidential pardon has been in place for over 200 years. It is granted to the president in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution under “Presidential Powers”. It has been controversial from the very beginning, with Anti-Federalists comparing it to abuses of power in Europe, and Alexander Hamilton defending it in Federalist Paper #74. George Washington exercised the power for the first time when he pardoned the leaders of the Whisky Rebellion in his final day in office. The presidential pardon was originally intended to fix errors in the judicial process. The court system is not perfect, and innocent people are sometimes wrongly convicted of crimes they did not commit. By pardoning these innocent victims, the president can correct judicial wrongs with a simple signature. Unfortunately, this
idealist view of the presidential the legal process with a pardon. pardon is completely different Even if a defendant is from how it has been exercised wrongfully convicted and loses by recent U.S. presidents. all subsequent appeals, the The presidential pardon has logic behind the presidential evolved into a power used purely pardon is still flawed. How can for political purposes. President the President of the United George H. W. Bush pardoned six States, busy with numerous Reagan officials connected to the foreign and domestic issues, Iran-Contra scandal. President know more about a specific Bill Clinton pardoned an as- case than judges and juries who tounding 140 people his final day have carefully studied the case in office, including billionaire tax material for months and even evader and international fugitive years at a time? The ExecuMarc Rich. Finally, President tive Branch’s job is to enforce George W. Bush commuted the laws, not interpret them. Most prison term of Scooter Libby, presidents have a limited legal who was convicted of leaking the background and would be unidentity of an undercover CIA familiar with the finer points of agent. All three of the previous a complex case. Thus, cases in presidents have which a presiThe presidential pardoned crimident would nals for purely pardon is incompatible consider using political purthe pardon with the current poses. Crimifall into two nals such as Rich polarized and hyper- categories. The and Libby were first category is political government, cases in which not victims of wrongful convic- and must be eliminated the defendant tions or judicial has clearly immediately. error. They were been wrongsimply rewarded fully convicted, for loyalty to the president. Rich which, as stated above, are had donated heavily to President usually resolved during the apClinton’s presidential library, and peal system. The other category Libby had played an integral part is cases that the president has in selling the war in Iraq to the an ulterior political motive American people. The presiden- in influencing. The Founding tial pardon, instead of correcting Fathers envisioned the pardon injustice, has created it. as strictly dealing with the first The underlying motive for category, while in practice it the presidential pardon is also has been relegated to the secquite dubious. Supposedly, it ond category. will correct wrongful convicThe presidential pardon is a tions and protect the innocent. great idea on paper. A saintly However, the judicial system al- defendant, wrongly convicted ready has methods of correctof a heinous crime, is spared ing its mistakes. Any defendant from imminent death by a kind convicted of a crime can appeal and knowledgeable president. the decision. In capital punishUnfortunately, in reality, it ment cases, such appeals can is more often a corrupt civil last for years. Moreover, even servant, in danger of being conif the defendant loses all his or victed of crimes he did commit, her appeals, the conviction can that is pardoned by a partisan be overturned if new evidence president. The presidential is found. Numerous innocent pardon is incompatible with the victims have been freed after current polarized and hyper newly discovered DNA evidence political government, and must exonerated them. The judicial be eliminated immediately. system, like the federal government, has a system of checks and balances intended to corMatt Palazzolo is Asst. Marketplace rect mistakes. There is no need Editor for The Heights. He welfor the president to intrude on comes comments at marketplace@
PHOTO COURTESY OF LEARNCALIFORNIA.ORG
The most famous application of clemency came in 1974 when President Nixon was pardoned for the Watergate Scandal.
INTERNATIONAL INSIGHTS
Overt government privacy intrusion alienates US allies BINH NGUYEN A recent WikiLeaks cable shows that the relationship between the United States and its European allies is not always a calm one. The controversial release depicts Europe’s concern with the continent’s liberty being intruded by the U.S. bank monitoring program. This news serves as a mirror for Americans to reevaluate the state of privacy in the United States. The issue extends the question that has been raised since President George W. Bush held the Oval Office: how much liberty should be sacrificed for counter-terrorist measures? Many Europeans were skeptical. Allies worried that the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), a Brussels-based consortium that has allowed American counterterrorism officials to monitor banking transactions, might be used to steal secrets from Eu-
ropean companies. In Austria, the Nazi scar and familiarity with communist regimes have made the citizens there suspicious of government data collection and in favor of strong privacy protections. “Paranoia runs deep, especially about U.S. intelligence agencies,” a secret cable from the American Embassy in Berlin read. The cable also revealed how quickly rumors about alleged U.S. economic espionage have taken root among German politicians who protested the program. Among European countries, Germany especially opposes being monitored due to the country’s experience with Stasi, the former East German secret police. The Stasi was formed in 1950. In its 40 years of operation, it was widely regarded as one of the most effective and repressive intelligence and secret police agencies in the world. The former program’s effectiveness turned detrimental to the privacy of German citizens when the organization abused information to harm its own citizens. It is not surprising that Germany reacted so strongly to the presence of U.S. intelligence
in Europe. From a diplomatic ment memo dubbed “a fixation” standpoint, the opposition in on privacy issues. On Feb. 10, Germany was damaging to the the Europeans voted 378-196 U.S.’s operation. Germany was to halt the SWIFT program. one of a handful of nations that The Obama Administration helped to ensure valued the prothat SWIFT, a gram and reThe fact that it is program created acted quickly to in secrecy by the easier to provide and the controversy. Bush adminis- to collect the data does Top White t ra t i o n a f t e r House officials, not mean it should including SecSept. 11, would not be ruined always be collected. retary of State by privacy exHillary Clinton, The burden is on the Treasury Secperts. As a nation with great government to explain retary Timoinfluence in the Geithner, clearly how the data is thy creation of the and Attorney o rga n i za t i o n , being used. However, General Eric Germany had a Holder, made WikiLeaks has similarly strong modest coni n f l u e n c e i n demonstrated a crucial cessions that condemning it. promised fact: transparency In 2006, the greater Eurois not always the New York Times pean oversight. d i s c l os e d t h e Washington government’s top program, after claimed that priority. the newspaper the program reported the could trace National Security Agency’s the transactions of suspected warrantless wiretapping pro- terrorists and at the same time gram. The revelation set off contain more strict controls protests in Europe and forced to guard against abuse. The the United States to accept new European Parliament voted restrictions. By 2010, new lead- 484-109 in July to restart the ers in the European Parliament program. However, Europe was had what the State Depart- not completely naïve about
the U.S.’ concessions. They knew, in fact, that transactions between European and U.S. banks would be captured whether or not this is warranted. Sophie in’t Veld, a member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands, summarized the frustration felt by European nations at the amount of financial data to which the United States would have access, as well as their inability to limit U.S. intrusion. “It seems that they are getting it anyway,” she told reporters. The battle between rights and security in Europe should compel Americans to compare the situation to that in America. The Obama administration wants to require U.S. banks to report all electronic money transfers into and out of the country, in an effort to counter terrorist financing and money laundering. Officials told reporters that the expanded financial data would allow anti-terrorist agencies to track money-flow patterns better and spot abnormal activity. The government is working on a new plan which would require banks to report even the smallest transfers. The proposal calls for banks to provide
the Social Security numbers of all wire-transfer senders and recipients, in addition to the typical information that accompanies a wire transfer such as the name, address, and account number of the sender and recipient. The new plan, which is a long-delayed response to the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, will probably not take effect until 2012. In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, the trend to seek more access to personal data is disturbing. Granted, I agree that these measures have kept America safe to an extent, but there should be a limit to how far the government can access our information. The fact that it is easier to provide and to collect the data does not mean it should always be provided and collected. The burden is on the government to explain clearly how the data is being used. However, WikiLeaks has exposed a crucial trend: transparency is not always the government’s top priority.
Binh Nguyen is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.