Heights 09-23-10

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Vol. XC, No. 29

THE HEIGHTS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

www.bcheights.com

Bus woes go unaddressed Admins claim ignorance of alcohol, crowding

BY DANIEL TONKOVICH

ANNIE BUDNICK / HEIGHTS STAFF

For The Heights

A speed limit monitor sits at the intersection of Greycliff Rd. and Commonwealth Ave., the site of a collision that occured in April between a Jeep of BC students and a trolley.

Though the bus is already packed with riders, students pile into a Commonwealth Ave. shuttle near Main Gate on a Friday night. The doors attempt to close and are reopened again before the bus finally pulls away from the stop. Students stand pressed against one another, against the tinted windows, and against the doors marked with signs stating that standing is not permitted in the door areas. A group of guys sit in the rear, consuming their cans of Keystone.

“The kids are crazy on the weekend nights,” said a bus driver, who spoke on conditions of anonymity in order

MBTA beefs up speed monitoring Three strike rule instituted for trolley drivers

BY PATRICK GALLAGHER Assoc. News Editor

MBTA officials said that they doubled their efforts in the past month to cut down on Green Line trolley operators who exceed the speed limit.

Following an April collision between a Green Line trolley and a studentdriven Jeep at Greycliff Road, it was determined that the operator of the trolley had been driving at 35 miles per hour at the time of the crash, well over the 10 mph speed limit at the track crossings.

The operator, Edwin Dieujuste, was suspended by the MBTA in May for two weeks, and was again suspended indefinitely by the MBTA in June pending the outcome of the MBTA investigation into the incident, according to reports by The Boston Globe. Dieujuste has since returned to work, according to Joe Pesaturo, MBTA spokesman.

Over the summer, the MBTA installed a number of portable radar signs at track crossings that display the trolley’s speed and are regularly monitored

by Green Line inspectors. The MBTA started auditing trolley operators on a weekly basis nearly two years ago, but has stepped up its efforts as of late, Pesaturo said in an e-mail.

“Rules compliance audits are done weekly,” Pesaturo said. “Green Line supervisors use radar guns. We’ve doubled the number of audits performed in the last month.”

Operators found to be violating the posted speed limits are subject to suspension and possible discharge, depending on whether they had any previous disciplinary issues on their record. All trolley motorpersons are required to complete a several-week training course in all aspects of Green Line operations, Pesaturo said.

He said that operators cited for speeding receive a three-day timeserved suspension if they are on the first level of safety discipline, with a second offense eliciting a 10-day time-served suspension, and a third offense earning a 30-day suspension and a recommendation for discharge.

In response to questions regarding whether the MBTA has experienced issues with drivers complying with speed limit rules, Pesaturo said, “Some trolley operators have been disciplined.”

However, the MBTA’s assertion that it has cracked down on trolley operators has been challenged by recent news reports.

On Monday, WBZ-Boston reported that it had clocked several trolleys going through the Greycliff Road crossing – the exact location of the April collision – at more than three times the speed limit of 10 mph. The report stated that while WBZ reporters were on-scene, they did not witness a single train that

See MBTA, A5

See Shuttle, A5 MICHAEL CAPRIO / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Concert day presents 47 medical cases

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The majority of the day’s medical cases were the direct or indirect result of alcohol, said officials from the Boston College Police Department.

BY MICHAEL CAPRIO News Editor

There were 47 students transported to medical facilities for injuries last Saturday, the day of the Fall Concert, police officials said – marking the most problematic day in over a decade for some officers.

“I’ve been on the force for 18 years,

and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Sgt. Joseph Desmond of the Boston College Police Department (BCPD).

“Definitely not at football games. Some concerts have come close, but have never been this bad.”

Students transported during the Fall Concert featuring Kid Cudi and LMFAO were taken to Newton Wellesley Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton,

said Chris Faherty, president of Eagle EMS and A&S ’13.

Faherty said that he had expected the worst, having worked on the EMT team at last fall’s concert featuring Akon.

“Eagle EMS is dedicated to the University in providing medical services and responding to medical emergencies,” Faherty

See Medical Cases, A5

CSOM’s Alan Marcus receives new job title

INSIDE SPORTS

Trustee Mario Gabelli gives $3 million for endowed CSOM professorship

The offensive line must improve against Virginia Tech, A10

BY MICHAEL CAPRIO

THE SCENE

Alan Marcus, a professor in the finance department, has been named as the first holder of the Mario J. Gabelli Endowed Professorship, the result of a $3 million gift from Boston College Trustee and Wall Street money manager, Mario Gabelli.

Gabelli, who serves as CEO and chairman of Gamco Investors, also founded the University’s Wall Street Council and endowed the Presidential Scholars Program’s Gabelli Distinguished Scholars Fund.

News Editor

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Claire Kairys, A&S ’12 (left) and Kathleen Hutson, LSOE ’11, are two members of the conduct board.

The edtors reimagine beloved classic films, B1

MARKETPLACE

Conduct Board gives students hearing options

BY DANIEL MORRISON For The Heights

The issue of hunger throughout the world investigated, B10 Classifieds, B6 TV Close-Up, B2 Editorials, A6 Editors Picks, A9 Police Blotter, A2 Fashion Blog Writeup, B2 Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, A7 Forecast on Washington, B8 Weather, A2 Numbers to Know, B10

When students have been “documented” for violating Boston College’s community standards, they have the option of disputing allegations made against them in front of the Student Conduct Board.

Organized through the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD), the Student Conduct Board is composed of 16 to 19 BC undergraduates from all classes, and is advised by Brent Ericson, associate dean of Community Standards.

The Conduct Board holds hearings in which the accused party and the complaining party recount the disputed incident and present witnesses to advance their cases. The board listens to each side

He said in a recent statement that he hopes the funds will benefit future generations of BC business students.

“My wife Regina and I believe that a fundamental underpinning of our democratic system is meritocracy, and that America’s global competitive advantage is maintained through education,” Gabelli said. “For a great university to help accomplish that goal, it has to have excellent facilities, students, and faculty. Having previously funded a residence hall and a distinguished scholars fund for stu-

See Marcus, A5

and issues one of three verdicts - responsible, not responsible, or no finding.

If the accused party is found responsible, the board recommends a sanction that is then forwarded to Ericson, who has the final say on the sanction.

The other two verdicts release the students from any allegations and they are no longer “documented.”

Despite issuing verdicts, the Conduct Board is more focused on educating students rather than punishing them, said Kathleen Hutson, senior chair of the Student Conduct Board and LSOE ’11.

“We recently changed our name from the Judicial Board to the Conduct Board, in an effort to make it less penal and legality-oriented, and more about education reform,” Hutson said.

See Conduct, A5

MICHAEL CAPRIO / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Marcus’ research has fallen in line with the business strategies of Mario Gabelli.

TopFive

Thursday, September 23, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

things to do on campus this week

Women, Sex, and the Church

1

Today Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Higgins 300

Take part in the book launch of Women, Sex, and the Church: A Case for Catholic Teaching, edited by Erika Bachiochi.

Todd Carey Performance Today Time: 9 p.m.

Location: Chocolate Bar Come and see a performance by Todd Carey, presented by Nights on the Heights.

The show will start at 9 p.m. in the Chocolate Bar.

2

Pops on the Heights

3

BC Football vs. Virginia Tech

Friday Time: 8 p.m.

Location: Conte Forum

Enjoy a memorable night with your families at the 18th annual Pops on the Heights, featuring Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart.

FEATURED ON CAMPUS

WRC promotes awareness

Saturday Time: 12 p.m.

Location: Alumni Stadium As par t of Parents Weekend, cheer on the BC football team as they face off against the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

4

Holocaust by Bullets

5

Sunday Time: 4 p.m.

Location: Higgins 300

Come hear the story of one priest’s journey to uncover the truth behind the murder of 1.5 million Jews and learn of his devotion to confronting antisemitism.

IntheNews A recent study said candidates for election to federal offices have received a total of $13.5 million from employees of colleges and other institutes of higher education during this election cycle, with the bulk of that money going to Democrats, according to a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The study noted that nonprofit colleges can’t contribute directly to individual campaigns. Any employees, however, may make donations. Leading the way were employees of the University of California system, who collectively gave nearly half a million dollars.

Local News Mass. Catholic bishops oppose repeal of affordable housing law

ANNIE BUDNICK / HEIGHTS STAFF

BY KENDALL BITONTE

safe campus, assault can and does still occur.”

The UGBC highlighted two particular resources available Wednesday was the fourth to students: Sexual Assault annual Sexual Assault AwareNetwork (SANet) and BCPD’s ness Day at Boston College.

Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) In the Dustbowl, volunteers in training. purple shirts involved in the UnSANet is a 24-hour-a-day, dergraduate Government of BC seven-days-a-week hotline run (UGBC)’s Women’s Issues Team by student volunteers and facpassed out informational fliers to ulty. The confidential hotline passers-by and held posters disis available to playing assault those who need statistics. counseling reTh e UG B C “Even though BC garding assault, collaborated with is a relatively safe rape, relationt h e Wo m e n ’s Resource Cen- campus, assault can ship violence, and other relatter (WRC), BC Health Services’ and does still occur.” ed issues. SANet was started by health education the Office of the team, and the BC —Alicia Johnson, Dean for StuPolice Departdirector of women’s dent Development (BCPD) to plan the day’s issues for the UGBC and ment (ODSD) and the WRC. event.

A&S ’11 The hotline is Alicia Johncompletely confidential and son, director of women’s issues seeks to empower survivors and for the UGBC and A&S ’11, said offer support. they aimed to address issues “We can explain judicial opspecifically important to BC’s tions, explain how to file charges campus and to publicize student or just counsel,” Haroldson, a resources. third-year volunteer for SANet “I hope that our efforts enand A&S ’11, said. “All calls are courage more students to think 100 percent confidential and the about the issue of sexual ashotline is a service designed by sault, protect themselves and and for BC students. You can find their friends, and seek help when the number on the back of the needed. BC students can create Eagle ID card,” Haroldson said. a safer environment by looking According to the Rape, Asout for each other,” Johnson said. sault, and Incest National Net“Even though BC is a relatively For The Heights

work (RAINN), one in six women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. College-age women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted, and 60 percent of all sexual assaults are not reported to the police.

“No one talks about it,” said Ryann Summers, A&S ’11. “It’s become a nonchalant issue at BC because of the hookup culture.

When you really understand what ‘assault’ means, you realize how much more widespread it is.

It’s incredibly underreported because the definition of ‘consent’ has become so blurred.”

According to Massachusetts law, sexual assault is intentional physical contact of a sexual nature that occurs without the willing consent of the victim.

Moreover, a person cannot give consent if she or he was using drugs or alcohol to the point of incapacitation.

The National Institute of Justice reported that 35.5 percent of rape survivors knew their attackers as fellow classmates and 34.2 percent knew the attacker as a friend.

“The nature of sexual assault makes it a difficult topic to address, both as a campus-wide issue and on an individual level,” Johnson said. “Keep informed about the resources available on campus. Also, don’t make jokes about rape or roofies, which belittles survivor’s experiences and trivializes the issue.” 

TODAY

73° Partly Cloudy 60°

FRIDAY

82° Mostly Cloudy 67°

SATURDAY

74° Mostly Sunny

University Educators raise $13.5 million for campaigns, study shows

On the fourth annual Sexual Assault Awareness Day, volunteers distributed information to students in the Dustbowl.

FOUR DAY WEATHER FORECAST

In an effort to save the Massachusetts affordable housing law, the state’s Catholic bishops opposed repealing the law. Known as Chapter 40B, the law has been controversial in many suburban communities, as it gives developers authority to bypass some local zoning laws if municipalities do not have enough affordable housing.

The Boston Archdiocese was one of the original supporters of the law when it initially passed in 1969, and the archdiocese itself has an office that develops affordable housing, according to a report by The Boston Globe.

On Campus BC Law and Tufts Grad School announce dual degree program BC Law School and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University recently launched a program allowing students to earn a dual degree in law and environmental policy and planning. Launched this fall, the collaboration focuses on the strengths of the two Universities: Tufts, which has a distinguished program for earning a Master of Arts in Environmental Policy and Planning, and BC, which has a law school, but no master’s programs in environmental science and policy. Students will apply to both schools independently and during their first year take courses only through one of the schools.

National 59 New York City cab drivers accused of charging double fare NEW YORK (AP) - Dozens of New York City taxi drivers have been arrested on charges of quietly doubling the rates that thousands of passengers should have paid. Officials say tourists and residents unsuspectingly overpaid hundreds of thousands of dollars in all. City officials said Wednesday that the 59 drivers were among far more who bumped up their meters to a higher suburban rate when they were in the city.

Prosecutors say the cabbies stole a total of more than $235,000 during about 77,000 cab trips.

53°

SUNDAY

63° Mostly Cloudy 48°

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 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 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 9/17/10 – 9/18/10 Friday, September 17

Saturday, September 18

1:24 a.m. – A report was filed regarding assistance provided to an underage intoxicated party in Loyola Hall. The party was transported by ambulance to a medical facility.

2:28 a.m. – A report was filed regarding two suspicious parties on Commonwealth Ave. A controlled substance and other items were confiscated. Both parties were identified, issued written trespass warnings, and escorted off BC property.

1:30 p.m. – A report was filed regarding a missing student. The party was later found without incident.

6:41 p.m. – A report was filed regarding two injured parties in Fitzpatrick Hall.

The parties were transported to a medical facility by police cruiser.

7:51 p.m. – A report was filed regarding the confiscation of a large amount of alcoholic beverages and fraudulent identifications from several underage parties in Walsh Hall.

11:48 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in the Mods. The alarm was triggered due to unknown people who were smoking in a residence hall.

11:55 p.m. – A report was filed regarding several parties trapped in an elevator in Rubenstein Hall. The parties were later freed without incident.

6:08 p.m. – A report was filed regarding alcoholic beverages, which were confiscated after two parties dropped the alcohol and fled upon seeing a marked police cruiser.

8:36 p.m. – A report was filed regarding assistance provided to the ResLife staff in Walsh Hall. Several residents and other BC and non-students were identified. A small amount of contraband was destroyed on-scene.

8:45 p.m. – A report was filed regarding a party who was attempting to gain access to a restricted area in Conte Forum. The party was ejected and a report will be forwarded to the ODSD for review.

10:39 p.m. – A report was filed regarding an intoxicated BC student in Conte Forum.

The party was later released to the custody of a sober and responsible adult.

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

Voices from the Dustbowl “What are you going to miss most about the Dustbowl during the construction of Stokes?”

“I’m going to miss the shortcut, because it’s a direct line from Upper to the Quad.”

—Christian Bates, CSOM ’14

“Definitely the open space, and it’s nice to be able to sit in the grass.”

—Alex Vasquez, A&S ’12

“Just seeing people. In a lot of ways, the Dustbowl is a social area.”

—Kristin Demafeliz,

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

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Heights

A3

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Heights

A4

BC ranks 161st in new report

Campus hosts film premiere

By Tanner Edwards

By Patrick Gallagher

For The Heights

Boston College was ranked as the world’s 161st best university in a report published last week by the United Kingdom-based Times Higher Education. The placement marks the first time in the rankings’ seven-year history that BC has entered the magazine’s annual “Top 200 World Universities” report.

The honor bolsters an already successful round of perennial college rankings for the University, highlighted by BC’s move from 34th to a record 31st in the National University rankings published by U.S. News and World Report.

The rankings, compiled during a 10-month process that drew information from a variety of professors, university presidents, and researchers along with the Times Higher Education editorial board, graded universities on a variety of criteria.

Schools were judged mainly on research citations (32.5 percent of overall score), teaching (30 percent), research volume, income, and reputation (30 percent), international mix of staff and students (5 percent) and industry income (2.5 percent).

BC ranked highest in the international mix category, at 161st, and lowest in research volume, income, and reputation, in the 196th slot out of 200.

Richard Reynolds, a London-based researcher and writer for Times Higher Education, said that any ranking will be imperfect.

“There is no such thing as a way to directly measure how good a university is,” Reynolds said.

He said, though, that research citation was “one of the best proxies for rankings” in the opinion of Times Higher Education. Reynolds said that hard academic data, like research volume, formed the crux of the evaluations, unlike some rank-

ing systems like U.S. News and World Report.

“We think our tables are based more on academic performance than reputation,” Reynolds said.

As with every list of college rankings, the Times Higher Education report has been met with skepticism by some. Detractors cite the study’s unique emphasis on research output and quality as a skewed measure of the value of a university.

The report notably omits liberal arts colleges from the rankings, as well. “We’re talking about universities,” Reynolds said. “We’re not saying [liberal arts colleges] are bad institutions. It’s a matter of measuring apples and oranges.”

On the whole, the United States retained 72 spots in the rankings, easily making the U.S. the most-well represented country in the study. Harvard University, California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Princeton University comprise the top five spots of the rankings.

Other notable placements include Arizona State, tied with BC for 161st overall (143rd in U.S. national university rankings according to U.S. News and World Report), The Medical College of Georgia at 158th (unranked in U.S. News and World Report), and Boston University at the 59th slot (56th in the U.S. according to U.S. News and World Report).

Dartmouth College ranked as the lowest Ivy League school at 99th best in the world, according to the Times Higher Education report, compared to a 9th place listing in U.S. News and World Report’s national university rankings.

Reynolds said that Times Higher Education was “open to criticism” to help refine the rankings. “We want to f ind out where academic excellence exists.” n

Assoc. News Editor

Courtesy of Mass Most Wanted

Michael Kevin McCarthy is allegedly pictured on an in-store surveillance camera at Tedeschi’s in Cleveland Circle, and faces multiple charges.

Woods student held on charges

with the BC Police Department (BCPD) to identify McCarthy from the store surveillance tapes.

University Spokesman Jack Michael Kevin McCarthy, a part-time Boston College student Dunn told reporters on Sept. 12 from Roslindale, is being held on that McCarthy had withdrawn charges of pistol-whipping a clerk from part-time classes the day at Tedeschi’s in Cleveland Circle he was arrested and is no longer in Brighton and then robbing a student.

“They contacted us and we the convenience store, accordconfirmed that he ing to the Boston was a student in Herald. the Woods ColMcCarthy was lege of Advancing arraigned Sept.

McCarthy was Studies,” Dunn 2 on charges of arraigned Sept. 2 said. armed robbery, M c C a r t h y ’s assault, battery on charges of armed profile is listed as with a dangerous robbery, assault, “not available for weapon, and usviewing” on Agora ing a disguise to battery with a Portal. obstruct justice. dangerous weapon, “Boston ColMcCarthy pleadlege cooperated and using a ed not guilty, the the police Suffolk district disguise to obstruct with investigation,” attorney’s office justice.

Dunn said. told reporters.

“Prior to the The Herald restart of the school ports that the alleged robbery took place on Aug. year, the accused withdrew from 13 at 5 a.m. After receiving a tip the University, thereby eliminatthat the man in the tapes was a ing the need for a disciplinary BC student, Boston Police worked process,” Dunn said. n

By Matthew DeLuca Editor-in-Chief

On Tuesday, Boston College played host to the North American premiere of the movie Little Town of Bethlehem. The documentary film, which tells the story of three Middle-Eastern men and their personal efforts at promoting nonviolence, was shown in the Caberet Room in Vanderslice Hall.

The screening was part of BC’s celebration of the International Day of Peace, which also occurred on Tuesday, according to a press release from the Office of News and Public Affairs.

The f ilm features f irstperson accounts by Ahmad Al’Azzah, a Palestinian Muslim, Sami Awad, a Palestinian Christian, and Yonatan Shapira, an Israeli Jew, and their respective approaches to a nonviolent way of life. All three were in the audience at Tuesday’s presentation.

“Little Town of Bethlehem is not about who is right or wrong, but rather about seeking the humanity in both sides,” said Jim Hanon, the film’s director, in the release. “It is impossible not to respect the courage of these men who stand up for what they believe, even while facing serious opposition.”

BC was chosen as the screening site for the film in recognition of its “longstanding commitment to human rights, social justice and interreligious dia-

Courtesy of Office of News and Public Affairs

logue,” according to the release.

The University’s Faith, Peace, and Justice Program was the primary sponsor of the event.

“We feel that the nonviolent approach promoted by the film is a humanitarian message with the power to transcend religions, nations, politics, languages, and cultures,” said Eve Spangler, associate professor of sociology, in the release.

“It was clear that their words, thoughts, and actions on nonviolence are still profoundly impacting today’s nonviolent movement.” n

Students run for Senate spots

By Courtney Kuhn For The Heights

Members of the Class of 2014 are gearing up to fill the five seats currently vacant in the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) Senate.

The UGBC Senate, which is composed of 20 senators, is currently operating with five vacant seats – an issue that the Senate is able to deal with, Senate leaders said.

Last week, the Senate passed the executive branch’s 20102011 budget in a 7-5 vote. Harvey Simmons, president of the UGBC Senate and A&S ’11, said that the absence of freshmen senators had no bearing on that process.

Mike O’Hara, co-chair of the UGBC elections committee and A&S ’11, said that the freshman class typically has a lot of experience with student government.

Based on last year’s interest, he expects 15-20 freshmen to run.

Freshmen may campaign as individuals or as part of a team, though they are elected as individuals.

Vanessa Gomez, UGBC senator and A&S ’13, said she is “unsure about whether it is a good idea to run along with someone else” as a freshman. Gomez

did campaign with Brian Raab, UGBC senator and A&S ’13, for her sophomore reelection bid.

Campaigning starts on Monday, Sept. 27, and continues until voting takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 6. A successful campaign requires freshmen to employ “face to face marketing tactics,” O’Hara said.

“Typically the most successful candidates are the ones who reach out to their peers the most,” he said.

Freshmen platforms are based on high school accomplishments and a desire to serve. “Actually working as a member of Senate gave my platform more validity,” Gomez said of her sophomore reelection bid. “I was able to fill people in on the different resolutions … and initiatives that I had worked on.”

The final step before serving in the Senate is attending an orientation session at which the duties of being a senator are addressed in addition to meeting protocol. The Senate will have their first meeting with the freshmen after Columbus Day weekend.

“There are several senators who have been in for all four years, but you’ll have kids come in and run junior year never having held a UGBC position and they’ll win,” O’Hara said. n

Allston-Brighton Crime Reports 9/14/10 – 9/16/10

Suspected burglar apprehended Acting on previous reports, on Tuesday, Sept. 14, Boston Police apprehended a 44-year-old man operating a yellow and grey scooter who had been suspected of committing house and car break-ins in the Brighton area. Police found “burglarious tools” like a screwdriver, flashlight, and pliers stored under the seat of the scooter.

Police respond to possible robbery Around 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16, Boston Police went to the scene of an alleged robbery. A girl was approached from behind by a stranger who allegedly grabbed her “pink iPod cell phone” and ran away without being caught. Police are still investigating.

Man charged with giving alcohol to minor Thursday, Sept. 16 at about 7:40 p.m., Boston Police stopped a 21-year-old male from allegedly passing off a 750 mL bottle of Smirnoff Vodka to an underage female at Blanchard Liquors.

The male was arrested for delivery of alcohol to a minor and the female was arrested as a minor in possession.

-Courtesy of the Boston Police Department, District 14

Thursday, September 23, 2010

A5

The Heights

Shuttle bus drivers face assault, overcrowding Shuttle, from A1

BC official, had ridden the bus during weekend evenings. to protect his employment. “They “Boston Coach is expected pack the bus, many rowdy and to operate the buses within the intoxicated, sometimes drinking, state and federal transportation making it unsafe at times. I think guidelines,” Cappadona said later, the only reason I have not had an in an e-mail. “Boston College has a accident yet is because of my expe- good working history with this bus rience. God help the new driver who service company of being proactive may have to face this.” and responsive.”

Boston College officials acThough the shuttle bus opknowledge erations are fishuttle buses “The questions regarding nanced by the are crowded on students filling the bus, University, BosThursday, Friton Coach, a standing in prohibited private Bostonday, and Saturday nights, but areas with doors barely based transpordenied having tation service able to close, and k n owl e d ge o f and manageovercapacity and students drinking on ment company, student conduct contracted the bus are the first I was issues. at $2.68 million Paul Cappa- have ever heard of such in the fiscal year dona, manager 2008 to manage occurrences.” of transportation and operate the and parking for BC shuttle bus BC, who oversees system, accord— Paul Cappadona, the contract with ing to BC’s latDirector, Office of Boston Coach, est tax data. claimed that the Transportation and Parking Under the interview for this terms of the article was the first time he was contract, Boston Coach is responever made aware of weekend capac- sible for the screening and training ity and conduct problems on the of the drivers, maintenance and shuttle system. daily operation of the buses, and “The questions regarding stu- assumes liability in operations. dents filling the bus, standing in Drivers said that during peak prohibited areas with doors barely travel times on weekend evenings, able to close, and students drinking the number of students exceeds on the bus are the first I have ever the design capacity, and that there heard of such occurrences,” Cappa- have been continuous problems dona said. “These issues have never with overcapacity, as well as stubeen brought to my attention.” dent conduct including assaults Cappadona declined to com- on drivers by intoxicated students ment on whether he, or any other and a lack of response by the Uni-

versity to issues brought to their attention.

“It can be dangerous,” another bus driver, who spoke on conditions of anonymity in order to protect his employment, said.

“Students can fill the bus beyond the permitted white line, pressed against the front window.

It makes it so that I have to make a right hand turn and lane changes to the right blind without the use of my mirror when students fill the windshield area. Something needs to be done to control ridership for [the] sake of safety.”

A Boston Coach shift coordinator, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to protect his employment, said that BC has not responded to the issues raised by drivers.

“Drivers have reported safety, capacity, and student conduct concerns to Boston Coach, who addresses the matter with Boston College officials,” the shift coordinator said.

“The University does not respond to the issues. They claim they cannot control students 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so deal with it. In the event of a major emergency, such as the assaults on drivers that occurred last year, the University directs us to BCPD [the Boston College Police Department], who respond quickly to the call and assist, but the normal weekend night problems with safety, capacity, and student conduct remain unaddressed by BC officials.”

Cappadona said he disagrees

annie Budnick / Heights staff

Bus drivers said their claims of student misconduct and overcrowding have gone unanswered by the administration. with the coordinator’s statement of the University’s responsiveness to capacity issues, but declined to comment on safety and conduct concerns that have continued to occur this academic year.

“Last semester, Boston Coach brought to our attention the need to adjust the service on

weekend nights, which we did in order to accommodate the increased demand,” Cappadona said, in an e-mail.

“When we are made aware of any shuttle issues, we immediately assess the situation and develop an appropriate course of action. It is the mission of the Office of Transportation

and Parking to provide a safe and reliable shuttle bus service for the BC community. We are always proactive and responsive.

We welcome, appreciate, and act upon all feedback we receive from students or staff.”

Boston Coach corporate officials did not respond to requests for an interview. n

Many medical cases related to alcohol, BCPD reports Medical Cases, from A1

said. He said that while the concert presented a “seemingly high number of cases, it was a testament to [Eagle EMS’] core mission.”

According to data from the Student Programs Office (SPO), there were 25 students who were processed for medical reasons during the concert itself, which took place in Conte Forum. Of those students, 22 were transported to medical facilities, while three were released to sober parties because they had only minor injuries.

Most of the incidents that occurred at the concert, which was sponsored by the Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC), were indirectly related to alcohol, Des-

Michael Caprio / Heights Editor

A radar speedometer sits at the end of the B Line near the Boston College stop to monitor trolley drivers’ speeds.

Some MBTA drivers violate speed limits, reports say MBTA, from A1

obeyed the speed limit.

Last May, after The Heights reported on a number of inconsistencies with the MBTA investigation of the collision, several Boston College officials expressed doubts as to the integrity of the MBTA’s initial findings, which suggested that the driver of the Jeep had been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

After Dieujuste’s suspension this summer and the subsequent safety measures that have been added by the MBTA, Uni-

versity Spokesman Jack Dunn said he was satisfied with the changes.

“We are pleased that the MBTA has taken corrective actions to address the concerns, long expressed by students and neighbors, regarding speeding trolleys along Commonwealth Ave.,” Dunn said.

He said that he hopes the added measures will help to prevent future accidents that result from speeding. “We hope that their efforts will help to avert the incidences that have resulted in injuries to our students over the past few years,”

Dunn said.

In June, all criminal charges that the MBTA had pursued against the Jeep’s driver, Jane Stanton, LSOE ’13, were dismissed by the Brighton District Court. Stanton paid fines on three civil infractions: an open container of alcohol violation, impeded operation of a motor vehicle, and uniform stopping and turning.

In addition, all of the passengers who were in the vehicle at the time of the crash were held responsible for the open container violation, according to the Globe report. n

mond said. “Students showed up intoxicated … and we dealt with the indirect incidents.”

The BCPD enforced a no-tolerance policy for alcohol maladies during the day of the concert. “If you throw, you go,” said Lt. Thomas King in a previous interview.

“BCPD officers, many of whom are certified Emergency Medical Technicians, are careful to look out for those who may be in need of medical assistance,” said BCPD Chief John King in an e-mail. “The officers tend to be pro-active in recommending that students seek medical attention if necessary.”

Students with visible signs of alcohol sickness were processed through the Eagle EMS’ triage center in Conte Forum and reported

to the BCPD. The number of students attended to by EMTs at campus concerts vary depending on the venue, said Mark Miceli, assistant dean of SPO. “We didn’t have numbers like that during The Fray,” he said in reference to last semester’s UGBC Spring Concert, which featured The Fray and Steel Train. The average number of medical transports for a campus concert is about 15, he said.

One reason for the high number, he said, was that the event fell on a Saturday.

“Students had all day to prepare,” he said. “We’re looking into that – changing the date to prevent this in the future.” n

Marcus attributes new Gabelli professorship to research Marcus, from A1

ticularly honored to have been chosen for the Gabelli Profesdents, this endowed professorship sorship,” he said.

Marcus told The Heights that will provide the third pillar of my commitment to BC in these im- much of his work falls in line with Gabelli’s caportant areas.”

Marcus said in “His career work reer work.

“His career a statement that starts with a lot work starts with a he was honored to be named the first of fundamental lot of fundamental research,” Marrecipient of the Garesearch.” cus said. “The rebelli Professorship. search I’ve done in “Mario Gathe past few years belli is one of the — Alan Marcus, has been on … to all-time most sucProfessor, Finance what extent comcessful investors, panies are trying whose investment Department to paint an overly philosophy – based ro sy p i c t u re o f on a serious and detailed consideration of the themselves and how that shows fundamental factors that affect in their stock prices, whether it a firm’s long-term success – is works or not.”

He said this research comconsistent with what we teach as plements Gabelli’s work of best practice,” Marcus said.

“While I would be honored capitalizing on companies that to be selected for any chaired have been undervalued by the professorship at BC, I am par- market.

“The Gabelli Professorship carries with it the outstanding reputation of Mario Gabelli, renowned for being a leading innovator in the world of equity investment,” said Dean of the Carroll School of Management (CSOM) Andrew Boynton in a statement.

“It is appropriate that this professorship will further accelerate the strengthening of the Carroll School’s finance department faculty as one of the very best in the country.”

Gabelli’s relationship with BC began in the early 1980s, when he took a role in the University’s endowment. Gabelli Hall was named in 1995 in recognition of his support to the University.

Gabelli, who graduated from Fordham University in 1965, is the father of four BC graduates.

He joined the Board of Trustees in 2003. n

Student Conduct Board looks to make itself known on campus Conduct, from A1

The Conduct Board aims to serve as an impartial, educational environment, Claire said.

Kairys, co-chair of the Student Conduct Board and A&S ’12.

“Students have come to view the board as an impartial place where their voices can be heard, and where they can be educated and not reprimanded,” she said.

“We [the Board] are there whenever cases are not so black and white, and there is a little bit of gray area. We are there to fill in that gray area and really take into consideration the students,” Kairys said.

“Most of the cases we see in-

volve alcohol,” Kairys said.

The board also hears cases related to vandalism, drug use, and weapon possession.

Members of the Conduct Board are held to a behavioral standard, similar to RAs and Orientation Leaders, Ericson said.

“Even as a Conduct Board member, you still have to remain in good conduct in order to be a member of the Conduct Board.

And that’s something we check, review, and discuss with our students on an annual basis,” he said.

The basis of punishment for a board member violating community standards depends on the circumstances.

“The person could be suspended from the board, they could be asked to step down the position from the board, or placed on some probationary status,” Ericson said.

“It would really depend on the fact pattern of the case, what the violation was, what they were responsible for,” he said.

But punishing a member of the board rarely occurs, Ericson said.

A position on the Conduct Board requires balancing one’s commitment to the University and one’s life as a college student, Hutson said.

“A lot of times, we know where they [accused students] are coming from, and we’ve been in the same situations,” she said.

“But we know and they know what they did is wrong, and we have to adhere to the rules and standards of the University. It can be a little tough because you’re really on both sides. But that’s probably the toughest part – balancing those two.”

“Sometimes you see things you know don’t align with community standards and it puts you in a difficult position,” Kairys said.

“If I am not in a Conduct Board hearing, I do my best to promote the same ideas that ODSD supports.”

One of the principal concerns of the Conduct Board is maintaining objectivity, Ericson said.

If members know one of the students appearing before the Con-

duct Board, members can excuse themselves from the case.

“We are given a cover sheet with the names and [years] of the students when we are assigned a case,” Hutson said. “We are told not only to look at the names but also to look at our classmate rosters on [Agora] Portal, because a lot of times the kid will be sitting next to you, and you don’t know his name, but as soon as you see his picture on Portal, you know who he is.”

If board members know the student, they can excuse themselves, enabling other members to take the place of the excused members.

ODSD trains the members of the Conduct Board at the beginning of each year and regularly invites

faculty and administrators focused on student development to speak with the board, Ericson said.

“Throughout the year, they meet with people from ResLife, the campus police, Health Services, and the Alcohol and Drug Education Program,” Ericson said. “They meet with various constituencies to get a better sense of the stakeholders in the conduct system at BC.” Hutson and Kairys admit that the Conduct Board has room for improvement.

The fact that people are ignorant to the board’s existence is a problem, Kairys said. “I think that ResLife could allow students to know they have the option to have their cases heard.” n

A6

The Heights

Editorials

Quote of the DAY

Bus safety standards

Thursday, September 23, 2010

“We are not the same persons this year as last, nor are those we love. It is happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.”

— W. Somerset Maugham

Bus drivers and students are both at risk when overcrowding and rowdiness take over a bus ride. Safety must be improved for all.

Students and faculty alike travel between Boston College and the surrounding communities of Newton and Brighton on a daily basis. The buses are heavily utilized, both by students who live off-campus and by students wishing to get to the Cleveland Circle stores, but the system rectify some safety concerns. Problems, including overcrowding, alcohol consumption, and reckless horseplay plague the buses during the peak hours of Friday and Saturday nights. Even after Boston Coach supervisors report to the Department of Transportation and Parking Services (DTPS), the University does little, if anything, to respond.

Safety is an extremely important issue for all students, and while the bus drivers have a responsibility to protect passengersby driving carefully, the administration and the students need to contribute to the cause, as well.

The DTPS needs to take into consideration the reports bus drivers give to Boston College. Since it seems that no one from DTPS frequently rides the bus at peak hours, University officials should heed the complaints of the eyes and ears on the bus routes. If they remain unresponsive to reports regarding drinking, DTPS officials should take a ride on the Commonwealth Ave. bus on a Saturday night to survey the environment firsthand. The University has a responsibility for the

safety of students and bus drivers alike.

The Heights encourages the University to develop better communication with Boston Coach by listening and reacting to reports and taking greater responsibility in handling such issues.

Students also bear some responsibility in addressing these concerns.

Boston Coach cited overcrowding and student intoxication as the two most common busing problems, and students should make amends. Despite signage and the reasoning of bus drivers, students continue to crowd the bus to the point of blocking the windshield and obstructing the view of bus drivers. Bus riders need to consider the amount of space available on the vehicle. Waiting to take the next bus or simply walking are easy ways to solve this problem.

Intoxication creates a multitude of problems. For instance, vomiting creates a health issue and puts buses out of service for cleaning. Drunken assault presents legal issues and puts everyone present in danger. Bus drivers can step in during these situations, but the dual fear of escalating a situation and enduring potential assault gives the driver reason to pause. The role of the bus driver is not to keep students in check. His or her duty is to safely drive the vehicle. As passengers of the bus, students need to make an effort to exhibit acceptable behavior and keep the bus environment safe.

Political persuasion

The Boston College campus is not as partisan or politically active as similar universities, but this does not mean we are apathetic.

What does it mean to be politically active? Boston College has organizations for students who identify themselves as Republicans and Democrats, yet there is little explicitly political public conversation on this campus.

For the most part, it seems as though students are happy to be informed and thoughtful, not polemical, and that seems, to us, to be a rather wise position to take in these times.

“If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all,” said Thomas Jefferson, who at different times throughout American history has been claimed by Democrats, Republicans, and Vermont separatists alike. We feel that many students at BC are of Jefferson’s state of mind, and while active in their communities and with an undiminished sense of civic and social duty, nevertheless see no need to practice politics in the

way their parents did. We need only turn on our televisions to hear acid and partisan rhetoric that does nothing to build a country we can hold in common – we need only turn off those same televisions to return to sanity.

Here at BC, students have decided to be informed, not apathetic, and local, not abstract. We speak of the BC bubble, but it is also to be taken into consideration that many students choose to spend their time here, on campus, and know that it is here that they can make the greatest difference in the lives of their peers. Why join a candidate’s Facebook group when you can lead an Arrupe trip? Why be a faceless demographic or a number in a statistic on the cost of higher education when you can plan the Fall Concert or campaign for GLBTQ rights here and now? Our campus is perhaps a microcosm, but also its own place and locus.

MBTA speeding

After several incidents in the past few years, the MBTA must take serious actions to ensure that the trains are traveling safely.

The MBTA has installed radar speedometers at track crossings along the B Line in an effort to monitor the speed of trolley drivers, who have routinely been found in violation of the 10 mph speed limit. Additionally, the MBTA has doubled its routine auditing of trolley drivers by Green Line inspectors over the past month.

One notable incident of driver misconduct occurred in April when a B Line trolley struck a car full of Boston College students at an intersection on Commonwealth Ave. MBTA investigators found that the MBTA driver was not only driving 25 miles over the speed limit, but that he had also lied about his previous driving record during an MBTA tribunal.

The speedometers are intended to bring the MBTA drivers one step closer to full compliance with their standards. For this, the company should be applauded.

But we cannot speculate as to how long the speedometers will remain in use, whether the increase in auditing will make a difference when it has already been in

effect for nearly two years, or how long the antics of trolley drivers will remain a “hot” issue before it runs cold, only to be ignited again when more pedestrians or automobile drivers are involved in collisions with B Line trolleys.

The burden, for better or worse, lies with students and community members to be vigilant when walking or driving about the tracks. Pedestrians, be aware that unpleasant encounters between yourselves and a trolley are often the result of human error – whether it be a texting driver or an iPod-wearing jaywalker.

The B Line is unique in that it runs through two college campuses and a dense residential neighborhood. We will continue to press the MBTA to be proactive in their standards and dutiful in their responsibilities. But, just to be safe, the next time you’re traveling between the BC and Arlington stops on the Green Line, don’t try to challenge the trolley cars. You are not going to win that battle.

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

Robin Miller / Heights Illustration

Letters to the Editor Kid Cudi ticket demand an unprecedented situation Having read the articles and editorials regarding ticket sales for the Kid Cudi / LMFAO concert, I feel a need to respond. Let me begin by saying that I truly appreciate the fact that the box office was not targeted in your criticisms. The box office is operated by undergraduate students who really give it their all in situations like this and, to my dismay, some of them chose to miss a class in order to help me and you out. I thank you for not disparaging them in your review of the situation.

I can assure you that no one was more startled than I was when I arrived at 6:45 a.m. and faced a massive line of students hoping to get tickets. In my 13 years of selling tickets at Boston College, I have never seen such a demand for concert tickets. Being faced with such a line, I opened early and began selling before my student employees arrived. I spent eight hours selling tickets without a break, and the line never shortened. It was a very trying day for everyone involved. Would I do things differently if presented

with that line again? Absolutely!

In order to prevent students from missing class, I would have distributed wristbands immediately so they could return at their leisure and be assured a ticket. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and for that I feel responsible. I will say, however, that the students in line were very kind and respectful by the time they reached the windows.

From a historic perspective, Kid Cudi appeared at BC two years ago and did not generate this type of frenzy. Akon did not generate this frenzy last year. And we all know about The Fray. No concert has ever generated this type of frenzy for as long as I have been selling tickets here (well, Ryan Cabrera, maybe).

This truly was unprecedented!

Please be assured that the Robsham Theater Box Office and Student Affairs are working diligently to upgrade to online ticketing. This is an ongoing process that requires approval and, as with most things in life, money. The Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC), to their credit,

Contributors: Kevin DiCesare, Diana Nearhos, Molly LaPoint, Mollie Kolosky,

Kim Principi Box Office / House Manager, Theater Arts Center

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 “BC should hold itself to a high standard at games” by Grant Salzano: “Thank you so much for articulating precisely why this highly inappropriate behavior needs to stop. Regardless of our University’s climbing national rankings across sources like Forbes Magazine and U.S. News and World Report, some of our students fail to take ownership of the pride and responsibility that this limelight

entails for the cheap payoff of a classless (and antiintellectual, I might add) football chant.

Let he who is without sin throw the first stone yes, I know. I myself bring my fair share of vocabulary to Alumni every Saturday, but when we as a student body engage in this vulgar and mob-minded behavior – what does it say about us? Families bring their kids to those games. Give me a break.”

A nonymous

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

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

submitted to the newspaper.

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

Business and Operations

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

tries to keep these events affordable to everyone. Online ticketing will require additional fees that will be passed on to the students or absorbed by the student groups. That is an unavoidable fact. And an event like this will simply mean you may be potentially just as frustrated in front of your laptop as you would be standing in line, but without the camaraderie.

I cannot sign off without a word about the scalping that took place. I am quite disheartened that your fellow students would take advantage of each other in such a way for a Kid Cudi concert. This is not in keeping with the spirit of the BC experience, and perhaps a few more words about gouging one another are in order?

Seriously, I cannot fathom sitting next to someone in a lecture hall after taking a lot of money from them for a $25 ticket. That, to me, is one of the biggest and most disturbing issues here.

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, September 23, 2010

A7

Opinions

Education, not admonition

Thumbs Up Parents – The collective tensing of the student body will be palpable come Friday.

Shirts will be ironed, beer bottle collections hidden, and front row seats taken during classes. Welcome parents!

Please enjoy our beautiful campus (don’t look too hard at Gasson) and our game-winning football team (fingerscrossed). It’s going to be a long but wonderful weekend.

O’Neill Renaissance – Too long has Tip’s legacy been seen as the ugly stepsister on campus.

No longer! Now, tour guides will be leading student groups into the apparently not-quiet entrance of the library and starting the revolution from the bottom up. Let’s all take a moment and appreciate this mismatched center of campus.

‘The Town’ – the No. 1 movie in the country was filmed in Boston, premiered at Fenway, and is based on a book written by a BC grad? Sounds like a winner. Support three local loves by checking out this flick wicked soon.

World Class – BC has recently been ranked the 161st best University in the world by the Times Higher Education. TU/TD was at first thrilled at this statistic, but now realizes that our competitors for the top spot are as far away as Australia. Get on this, global Eagles!

Nighttime – Is the right time.

The announcement of the 8 p.m. start of the Notre Dame game brought much rejoicing: longer tailgating, prime time TV slot, and no downtime from game to afterparty? TU/TD is excited, but unsure that some Superfans will be up to the task. Eagles, first down indeed.

Heat wave – Although summer 2010 has been officially over for a few days, it’s having a comeback, just as students were trading their sun dresses for sweaters. Get the last few days of flip flops in while you can, they’re not kosher after Columbus Day.

Thumbs Down Milkshakes – No, frappes. Not milkshakes. Not malts. Not frappés (now that’s just obnoxious). Frappe, rhymes with trap, we’re in New England, doggone it. Now that that’s cleared up, enjoy.

Clusters – Class of 2014, we’ve been happy so far to help guide you to Campion, to enjoy your high jinks in the Dustbowl, and marvel at your front-row worthy attentions in class. But there comes a time when you must break free and explore. There are, in fact, other dining halls besides McElroy and Eagle’s Nest. Go forth and seek them, and stop clogging the lines.

Party Time

Jack Schwada Last week, those of you who read this newspaper, which you undoubtedly do since you’re reading this right now, might have noticed some fairly good news in regards to the way alcohol-related incidents are being treated by the administration. Let me explain this “groundbreaking” new policy. The administration has decided that if one brings a friend or one’s self to the infirmary voluntarily, not under the escort of one of the Boston College Police Department (BCPD) officers, the administration would not react with a disciplinary sanction on said student. Instead, the student would only be required to attend alcohol counseling or educational classes.

Despite the claims by those involved of the policy’s great success I and others like me don’t view this new policy with as much optimism or satisfaction as the administration and the policy’s proponents do. This “new” policy puzzles me. In fact, many, including myself, were under the impression as incoming freshmen that if one voluntarily comes into the infirmary, he or she would be immune from sanctions. But unfortunately, our administration has not always been so clear on the issue of punishments for such incidents.

Don’t misunderstand me. This is a step in the right direction. Actually, let me correct myself. It is a step in the direction of establishing a policy on drinking that integrates common sense. It appears that a policy that punishes students for trying to be safe has been on the books for years.

BC has tried to establish a community of students and administrators, but how can a community, allied together, exist when administrators

promote a system that punishes students for being responsible and safe?

This slight alteration in policy may be positive, but rather than reforming the current policy, there should be an entire overhaul. Our community, as it is today, should not be divided into those who punish and those who try to escape punishment.

Let me quote the motto of our police force: “Together for a safer community.” This is a noble proposition, and I think we can all agree that it is one we all accept as a viable way to operate.

But a safer community may not be established just by punishing students. We are all just kids, learning in and out of the classroom. We are here to be educated, not punished, and this idea should extend to how the administration treats students who consume alcohol. The administration has deemed it necessary for us to take the informative and actually somewhat entertaining AlcoholEdu course, but I’m not quite sure an online course during which students can get away with not paying any attention is the most effective way to educate people about the negative effects of alcohol.

Rather than, excuse my harshness, wasting our time taking an online course that won’t be paid attention to, why don’t students attend a lecture or two during their orientation before freshman year? Now, I’m sure that won’t solve the problem entirely, but it encourages people to actually pay attention to what they’re being told.

Also, the administration has to recognize that its system of sanctions has not been entirely effective. Students still drink, and no reasonable or legal system of punishment will be able to stop this. Rather than simply punishing those who drink, they should address the problem. Students who are sanctioned should actually take a class about alcohol consumption. Although it may be tedious to attend a class, it really is not a punishment to do so. This is an op-

portunity, when a student has gotten caught, to really learn something from the mistakes he or she has made.

In addition, sending a letter home as a punishment seems like a childish reaction to this type of mistake. This really doesn’t address the underlying issues and just creates personal problems within a family. We’re here to learn, and a learning environment is not comfortable when the school is adding to one’s list of troubles by “tattling” to your parents about a mistake you made. Let us focus on our education and not be distracted by foolish and unnecessary disputes with our parents.

As someone who has been through this system, I don’t think I learned much from the “educational” class I taught to some of my peers. The experience itself taught me something, but the potential to inform students who are caught is wasted on punishing rather than educating these violators. When a student is caught, the administration should take advantage of that opportunity to teach a student and perhaps can reach him or her more than any AlcoholEdu course could. When a student is punished for his actions, it doesn’t always lead to change. Instead it can foster animosity toward a system that shows no real sympathy or leniency.

All I’m trying to say is that we live in the 21st century, where drinking among college students is a common occurrence. I wouldn’t say that this is a good thing, but it’s a reality that should be accepted. Rather than simply punishing, the administration should do what they have been trained to do: educate. They are here to mold our minds, and there is a right way to go about it – and then there is the wrong way, the current system. Let’s usher in a new era where we actually are a community, working together and learning together, and not just on two opposing sides.

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

An Eagle’s journey

Zamin Husain Everyone has their own reasons for choosing Boston College. Some come for the religious affiliation and others for the academic excellence. Some come for the proximity to home (near and far) and others for the booming metropolitan city just six miles outside of campus. As for me, I came for the change. I’m not intending to channel my inner Obama, but I needed change. I was born in Texas, grew up in Texas, and I needed to get out. It’s not that I didn’t love it, but I didn’t want to just be another kid who went to a big public high school in Texas and then ended up going to UT-Austin, the decision of the vast majority of my class. Unfortunately, the East Coast Univeristies start later than the majority of Texas schools, so the last three weeks before the seventh orientation I was left with nothing but my anxiety for school, fears that my roommate would snore in his sleep, and Netflix instant movie watching.

Finally, I arrived in Boston. With Massachusetts transportation being as foreign to me and my family as a philosophy class (which I am now taking), it was not considered a viable option. So we rented a car at the airport. Due to the fact that in Texas I don’t even know what my car horn sounds like, within my first hour of “experiencing Boston” I was horrified.

After that terrifying symphony (not

BY BEN VADNAL

the famous Boston Orchestra one that I was excited about), we finally got to the hotel. The final night, though so close to freedom, was the worst. I was freaking out at the prospect of doing something embarrassing, or even worse, my parents doing something that could potentially destroy my social life for the next four years.

Orientation was much more relaxed, and aside from awkwardly roaming around my empty floor waiting for move-in Thursday, I was no longer freaking out at the prospect that my roommate could be an antisocial creep or even worse, a “lax bro.” Also, I anticipated that because I was from Texas, I would be considered so interesting, so different, and so special. Little did I know that everyone at the seventh orientation came from interesting places, particularly those coming from across the globe. There, I made friends whom I got to show off to my UTAustin friends. “Hey, I have friends from places like Brazil and Norwegia,” I would say (it sounded more correct than “Norway” at the time).

As orientation dwindled to an end, the campus evolved from a drizzle of freshmen to an overwhelming ocean of us. Any upperclassmen would have been terrified. It all blurs together after that, though, especially the names.

Freshman mixer after freshman social event after freshman dinner leads to at least one thing, a lot of names that don’t even compute mentally.

About every time I met someone, two seconds later (without exaggeration) their name would be forgotten. The only slightly relieving and non-embarrassing aspect of it is that it was a shared amnesia; no one remembered anyone’s name. One thing that amused

me (and continues to amuse me) was people’s accents and dialects. I only met a couple of people with a thick Boston accent, but each time I made sure to discuss what a pain “parking cars” would be around campus.

Occasionally someone points out my use of the word “y’all,” but it pales in comparison to the excitement I get when my Minnesotan friends stress their “o’s.”

Of course, freshman events started to wane out as classes began to fill in and take their place. Karma got back at all the freshmen who complained how hot it was, and the following week I had to wear a sweatshirt (in September? This may be the most foreign thing to me yet). The promises that I made in the summer, such as doing homework before it is actually due, didn’t last beyond the first week.

The awkward encounters with people you thought could potentially be your friends because you sat by them once in an orientation lecture are for the most part over, and as some kids in my dorm have put it, “There are so many people here, if you screw it up with one person they won’t remember your name and you can meet one of the other 2,200 students who you haven’t met yet.” The embarrassing and stereotypical situation of walking into a 400-level advanced geology class has happened on more than one occasion since, but now that week two is complete, it (hopefully) won’t happen again. And every once in a while when I walk around campus with my backpack, it finally hits me.

I’m in college.

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

Football, futbol, soccer

Konrad Putzier Coming to a new country as an exchange student is exhausting.

Everything is different: people, food, weather, language. After two weeks of working hard to adapt ourselves to a new environment, my flatmates and I had had enough. We needed something familiar, something we knew, something that reminded us of home. Coming from different countries (France, Australia, and Germany) we all had one thing in common: a passion for soccer.

So we were understandably excited to watch the Boston College men’s soccer team play Maryland on Newton Campus. Walking up to the pitch on Friday night felt just like home. The distant roar of the crowd, the excitement of the looming match, this was soccer as we knew it from the old continent. Who cared if the team playing was Manchester United or the BC Eagles? Soccer is the same around the world, and that was a very comforting thought. The crowd was excited, the players showed some skill, everything was ready for a great night. But then we realized that something very important was missing: beer in plastic cups.

Not a big deal? Just picture our situation: The referee made one horrible decision after another against our team, refusing to send off Maryland’s bloodthirsty leftback, and we had absolutely nothing to throw at him! In every European stadium the ref would have deservedly been covered in sticky liquid, but that night we just had to swallow our anger. That alone was difficult enough, but more problems arose from the absence of beer. The crowd was much too sober, chanting a reinterpretation of a choral by Karl Orff rather than the primitive abuse we love to voice back in Europe. Choral music at a soccer match? Really? Okay, we thought, maybe things will change when we finally score.

But they didn’t. The Eagles scored their 1-0 and all that followed were 10 seconds of enthusiastic clapping. As a proper European soccer fan I was ready to take off my shirt, wave it in the air, and dance around topless for the rest of the match. But nobody else did, and there was probably a good reason for that – when you are sober it is just awfully cold without a shirt. Ah, the beer again. However, this is no excuse for the fact that not a single smokebomb was lit. Not even a flare! Then Maryland equalized and we just kind of got frustrated. My flatmate resorted to the Australian tradition of random shouting (“Come on, you idiots!”) and I resorted to the German tradition of angry sulking. This just wasn’t our kind of soccer match. Or so we thought.

As the game went on, we made an interesting discovery: soccer matches have a second half! As proper European soccer fans, by minute 45 we are usually too drunk to realize what’s going on.

Turns out, the second 45 minutes have quite a bit to offer, too. In this case we saw an exciting struggle for the decisive goal. The game went into overtime, our team came closer and closer to scoring, and we started to really enjoy the match. And thanks to the fact that no one was drunk, the crowd was able to reveal their full creative potential. The verbal abuse yelled at the Maryland goalkeeper was among the finest of its kind we had ever heard, and showed a quality unknown even to Russian stadiums. Who would have thought that being a sober soccer fan could be so much fun? Despite the best efforts of both team and fans, the match ended as a tie. This result was absolutely unfair, and we were ready to express our discontent by marching down the street and getting into fistfights with Maryland supporters. But, again, this seemed to be an exclusively European custom and nobody was inclined to follow our lead. Luckily, the college offered us an alternative: getting onto the bus back to Main Campus involved more fighting than any angry hooligan could dream of. So in the end we had every reason to be satisfied. We had seen a great match and enjoyed a creative crowd. But most importantly, for once we had seen a soccer match without getting a black eye, a nasty hangover, and only minor smoke poisoning. Soccer really isn’t the same around the world. Thank God for that!

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

A8

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Heights

Boston college vs. virginia tech When BC runs the ball

The advantage has to go to BC here, as long as the offensive line gets its act together and opens holes for Montel. Harris’ dominance, combined with a thin Virginia Tech defensive line has a big day for the BC running game written all over it.

Advantage:

When BC passes the ball Dave Shinskie went one for 12 for four yards in last year’s game against Virginia Tech. Shinskie now has an extra year of experience under his belt, but hasn’t really shown it in the first two games of the year. Virginia Tech’s secondary is its greatest strength on defense.

Advantage:

When VT runs the ball Prior to last week, this would have been a definite Virginia Tech advantage, but Ryan Williams will not play thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in last weekend’s game. This one is close, but BC gets the edge, given their sixth-best run defense in the country.

Advantage:

When VT passes the ball The BC secondary has looked solid this year, but Tyrod Taylor has looked better. He has thrown for five touchdowns to only one interception, and he will look to expose holes in the BC defense thanks to his ability to run the ball if nobody is open.

Advantage: david givler / heights editor

QB Dave Shinskie struggled mightily in his first road start against Virginia Tech, throwing for only four yards and two interceptions on one-of-12 passing.

Special teams

Spinney steps in for Claiborne

Neither team’s return game has been very impressive this year, so the edge here will come down to kicking and punting. Nate Freese is a perfect five for five so far this year in field goals, and Ryan Quigley is probably the best punter in the ACC.

“A little competition is always important,” Lapham said. “It’s always important to keep everything fresh, and maybe keep people on their toes, make sure everyone keeps working. [Spinney is] a smart kid. He understands the offense pretty well, the assignments, and we haven’t had too many hiccups when he was kind of thrown in there. He knew what was going on and he picked up on everything real quick.”

Spinney also knows what he’s getting into with the Hokies.

“They always have a great defense year in and year out.

No matter who’s in there, what players they got, they’re always going to be a tough challenge,” Spinney said.

Coaching and intangibles

O-Line Problems, from A10

Although this will be Spinney’s first start this season at right guard, he has been involved with the Eagles for longer than most, if not all, of the players on the team.

“I used to come to games as a kid, sitting up there in section DD,” he said. “BC was always a school that I wanted to come to.”

Spinney also has some experience against Virginia Tech, and he knows just how good the team is.

“Last year, when we went down to Lane Stadium, head coach [Frank Spaziani] said he was going to get the second offensive line in there. He threw us in, in the first quarter,” Spinney said.

“You just got to get out there and do the best that you can. I’m excited to have an opportunity to

go out there with a challenge in front of me.”

Two of the most challenging threats that the offensive line will have to cope with on Saturday are Hokies defensive end Steven Friday and linebacker Bruce Taylor.

Friday leads the team with two sacks, and is sixth on the team with 12 tackles. Taylor leads the team in tackles, with 26, including one sack. Combined, the two defensive threats have amassed 10 tackles for a loss of 46 yards.

“Anticipating what Virginia Tech does, that’s extremely important,” Lapham said. “People are going to move on us. I don’t anticipate a lot of people playing us on a base defense.”

The Eagles will also rely on their experience. Despite the switch of Spinney for Claiborne,

the offensive line will still have three starters from last season.

And Shinskie is confident that the line’s veteran mentality will show itself against the Hokies.

“They’re looking good,” the quarterback said. “In practice yesterday we ran the ball well. I see a lot of improvement in the holes. They’re a veteran line, and they’re going to come ready to play. They’ve played in these kind of games, and they thrive on situations like this.”

Above any other position, the offensive line is ready to take on the Hokies for the sixth time in four years.

“I love playing Virginia Tech,” Lapham said. “It’s the Hokies. I don’t think I can ever say I get sick of playing them. We’re prepared for whatever they bring at us.” n

We’re not ready for prime-time slot

By Greg Joyce This was supposed to be the night game. Don’t get me wrong, I love that the Notre Dame match-up next week is an 8 p.m. start. But this weekend’s football game against Virginia Tech had prime time written all over it before the season started.

When I found out this game was on Parents’ Weekend, I even told my mom not to make those reservations at a restaurant because I thought for sure we’d be sitting (actually, standing) in Alumni Stadium, not at the dinner table at 8 p.m. on Sept.

25. Thanks to Virginia Tech’s unimpressive 1-2 start, however, we will be filing through the gates of Alumni at noon.

But maybe it’s a good thing that BC will not be playing in prime time just yet. Sure, it would be nice to get into the national spotlight, but maybe not yet. I don’t think we’re ready.

Because, as Coach Spaziani will tell you, there are still plenty of things the Eagles need to work on. The team as a whole has made strides since the beginning of the season, but a 12 p.m. game may be exactly what we need.

The national scene won’t have a chance to see that we still don’t exactly have a starting quarterback. Sure, we have Dave Shinskie as our starter, but I’m not convinced. I have been jumping off and on the Shinskie bandwagon this season.

Part of me, though, still wants to see Marscovetra get a chance, and more than just two or three series. He needs at least a half. I know, he threw a bad interception and threw for four yards in two series against Kent State. But doesn’t it sound a little like how Shinskie started against Weber State? I

saw Marscovetra in the Spring Game, when he actually got more than two series of play, and he went 13 for 16, passing for 146 yards and the game’s only touchdown. He said after that game that it was a confidence booster taking reps with the first team. This confidence could theoretically return in the regular season if he gets to play more – which shouldn’t be limited to two series in which he’s forced to make a bad pass because he thinks he is going back to the bench unless he does something amazing.

Yes, Shinskie put up solid numbers against Weber State, but (no offense to the Wildcats) I’m pretty sure Dayne Crist could have done that. And I’m not saying I wasn’t encouraged by Shinskie’s second-half performance against Kent State, but we can’t afford to have a quarterback who doesn’t get going until the second half against formidable ACC opponents.

For this reason, I am proposing an idea. Start Mike Marscovetra against Virginia Tech, and let him play at least the first half. Call me crazy, but didn’t Shinskie seem nearly invisible during the first half of the Kent State game? Even in the Weber State game, it took him a while to get going. So why not let Marscovetra get a chance?

He got one last year against a tough Virginia Tech defense and saved the Eagles from complete embarrassment in Blacksburg.

(I know, I know, new team, new year).

But even Spaz said that he deserves a chance. When is that going to be? Time is running out on being able to switch freely between quarterbacks during the game, especially as we head into conference play and the Holy War. Which brings me back to my

david givler / heights editor

Mike Marscovetra scored all of BC’s 14 points against Virginia Tech last year. original point. We could be mad at Virginia Tech for losing twice and forcing the game to be at noon instead of eight, but maybe we should be thankful. There is no doubt that this game is crucial to BC’s season, in spite of Virginia Tech’s freefall from No. 6 in the nation.

I’m not saying that we should use the game solely to work out all of the kinks our team possesses. But I am saying it’s a good thing that we are not playing in prime time just yet.

We have another week to give Marscovetra his chance – not

in front of millions of viewers, but in front of a home crowd and whoever else knows that the channel Raycom Sports exists.

So start Marscovetra, see his true potential, and if I am wrong about it, then put in Uncle Dave.

Maybe he’ll be awake by 1:45 p.m. when the second half starts.

Then again, maybe by that time we’ll have already found our starter for next week’s game in prime time.

Greg Joyce is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.

Advantage:

Frank Beamer is in his 23rd season as head coach of Virginia Tech, and is one of the most successful coaches in the nation. Spaz is in his second year, but doesn’t have the ACC experience that Beamer does.

Virginia Tech also has a huge chip on its shoulder.

Advantage:

football notebook

Eagles not daunted by last year’s poor showing

By Ian Boynton For The Heights

When the first half of last year’s game against Virginia Tech came to an end, the Hokies had outgained Boston College, 293-3, and led, 34-0. Even though the Eagles managed to put in 14 second-half points, the message had been delivered: BC was not ready for the ACC’s best. “[That game] is something you try to forget, you don’t really experience that too often when you play football,” said defensive tackle Damik Scafe.

“It definitely left a nasty taste in my mouth.”

Linebacker Luke Kuechly couldn’t agree more.

“You do remember that scoreboard and how it felt that they put up that many points,” he said. “When teams score that many points, it’s just demeaning.”

Despite the result of last season’s game in Blacksburg, the Eagles remain undeterred, choosing not to focus too heavily on the underwhelming performance of 2009.

In line with that focus, the captains have their team worrying more about what it can do and less about what the Hokies did. “[You can’t] get caught up and wrapped up in who is in the other jerseys,” said captain and safety Wes Davis. “What it boils down to is running your scheme efficiently, and doing what we do best, and doing it better than they do theirs.”

Quarterback Dave Shinskie, who went 1 for 12 for four yards and two interceptions against Virginia Tech last season, admitted that, in that game, he was “out of [his] element.”

Last season’s game against the Hokies was Shinskie’s first road start. Heading into this year’s match-up, Shinskie now has a full season under his belt, experience that he knows will be valuable on Saturday.

“It is tough to play when you are – I’m not going to say scared – but a little bit intimidated, a little bit overwhelmed by the stuff, and I am not like that anymore,” Shinskie said. “I just came out last year and was

not ready to execute the game plan, to throw where I have to throw. This year I feel it’s a lot different.”

With a fortuitously placed bye week, the Eagles were given an extra seven days to prepare for their first, and arguably hardest, conference game this season.

“We had hard practices,” Shinskie said of the preparation. “We came out and did not make it seem like an off week, and we just got better. What I can say about the offense is that it looks a heck of a lot better than we did two weeks ago.”

A Budding Rivalry With five meetings in the last two years, including two in the ACC Championship game, BC and Virginia Tech have developed one of the ACC’s best rivalries. Of the teams’ five meetings, the Hokies have walked away the victor three times, two of which crowned them ACC champions.

The teams have seen plenty of each other, but tackle Rich Lapham is hardly tired of seeing the Hokies.

“I don’t think I could ever say I am sick of playing [the Hokies],” he said. “It’s always great competition, and you always get real pumped up for it.”

Even though the personnel changed dramatically for both teams over the last three seasons, the intensity has not.

The Hokies have the 3-2 advantage in the last five games, and demolished the Eagles in the last meeting, but they have not won at Alumni Stadium since 2002.

Quick Notes In their last 30 games at home, the Eagles are 24-6.

Virginia Tech is 1-2 on the season after losing to both No. 3 Boise State and FCS opponent James Madison. Its only victory is a come-from-behind win against East Carolina, where former Eagles quarterback Dominique Davis mans the offense.

Ryan Williams, the nation’s second-leading rusher in 2009, will not be active for Saturday’s game after injuring his hamstring against East Carolina. n

THE HEIGHTS

EDITORS’ PICKS

Thursday, September 23, 2010 The Week Ahead Soccer plays ranked opponents on the road, with the women at No. 1 UNC and the men at No. 11 Duke.

Field hockey hosts Virginia. Football takes on rival Virginia Tech for the first ACC game of the season. Alabama at Arkansas is the game of the week.

Standings

A9

Maegan O’Rourke

6-4

Heights Staff

6-4

Zach Wielgus

5-5

Paul Sulzer

5-5

The men and women’s soccer teams kept rolling last week with wins against BU and Rutgers, respectively.

Field hockey lost its first ACC game to Maryland, while volleyball swept the Brown Invitational. The Patriots dropped a heartbreaker to the Jets.

Guest Editor: Kristen House Arts & Review Editor “Check out ‘Mr. Team,’ with the soundtrack

by Willie Nelson and Lady Gaga.”

This Week’s Games

Women’s Golf The Boston College women’s golf team took first place out of 22 teams in this past weekend’s Dartmouth Invitational in Hanover, N.H. The team’s total score was 611, plus-35, over two rounds of play over the par-72 course. BC posted scores of 305 and 306, respectively, in each round, which were the lowest scores in both rounds.

Stephanie Hu finished the weekend with a total score of 148, plus-4, which tied her for first overall. Hu eventually won the tiebreaker, winning the tournament’s individual title.

Eunice Kim was second for the Eagles with a score of 153, plus-9.

Women’s Track and Field Zach Wielgus Sports Editor

Maegan O’Rourke Assoc. Sports Editor

Paul Sulzer Asst. Sports Editor

Kristen House

Arts & Review Editor

Women’s Soccer: Boston College at UNC

UNC

UNC

UNC

UNC

Men’s Soccer: Boston College at Duke

BC

Duke

Tie

Duke

Field Hockey: Boston College vs. Virginia

Virginia

Virginia

BC

BC

Football: Boston College vs. Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech

BC

BC

BC

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Arkansas

Football: No. 1 Alabama at No. 10 Arkansas (+7.5)

BCnotes

Recap from Last Week

The women’s cross country team took second place overall in the UMass Invitational meet with 46 points on Saturday in Amherst, Mass.

Sarah Lord took fourth overall, coming in as BC’s first finisher. The sophomore ran a personal record time of 17:51 to pace the Eagles.

Siobhan Breagy also finished sixth overall, followed by Jessica Driscoll (ninth overall), Sarah Dahlberg (10th overall), and Morgan Mueller (17th overall). Breagy and Driscoll both ran the race in personal best times, finishing in 18:06 and 18:13, respectively.

Volleyball shows improvement against Maryland

BY MAEGAN O’ROURKE Assoc. Sports Editor

The Boston College volleyball team opened its ACC schedule with a hard-fought 3-1 loss to the University of Maryland (103 Maryland 3, 1-0 ACC) in College Park, Boston College 1 Md., on Tuesday evening.

The Eagles (8-6, 0-1 ACC) dropped the first set, 25-23, but pushed the Terrapins to four sets after winning the second, 26-24. Maryland then took the third set, 25-20, and BC never led in the fourth set, falling 25-22.

BC could not overcome Maryland’s defense, which featured a season-high 14 blocks. The Eagles also fell victim to service errors, committing 13 in all compared to Maryland’s nine. Both teams had evenly matched attacks, with Maryland taking a slight advantage with a .265 attack percentage and BC recording a .258 percentage.

A bright spot for the Eagles was the performances of outside hitters Brennan Clark and Tsvetelina

Dureva, who combined for an impressive 38 kills.

Clark totaled 19 kills on a team-high .277 attack percentage and also had 21 digs. Dureva, who was named to the all-tournament team in the Brown Invitational tournament, tallied 19 kills on a .244 attack percentage.

“Brennan’s an all-around player,” said head coach Chris Campbell. “She’s been a libero for the last few years, but she shows she can compete at this as an outside. We rely on her, she’s one of our best passers.

We need her to be a top defensive player and get it done on the top line.”

Setter Krissy Mussenden also recorded a doubledouble in the match for the Eagles, picking up a career-high 55 assists to go along with a season-high 15 digs. Rounding out the attack for the Eagles was outside hitter Val Mattaliano. The sophomore tallied 10 kills against the Terps, giving her seven games of double-digit kills for the season.

The Eagles matched the Terps’ strong defense with a strong showing of their own. Krystle Higgins and Melissa McTighe led BC in blocking with eight

total team blocks. Campbell said defense has been a work in progress for the Eagles, with improvement coming each week. The team has learned the defensive system, and now must work on its execution.

“We’re a very cerebral team,” Campbell said.

“This group has proved to be reasonably good at remembering it and recognizing it. We still have to get better at the execution of it. That’s the one that takes longer, but we’re getting there.”

In the first set of the match, BC committed costly errors that put them in a hole early. After trading points and with the score tied at 11, the Terps took advantage and held on for the 25-23 win, even with BC recording a team .370 attack percentage.

“I thought we were a little nervous, made a couple of silly mistakes,” Campbell said. “It’s unfortunate because the rest of the game, besides the first set, we played well. A couple of mistakes early, outside of that it was a well-played game.”

BC drew even with Maryland in the second set, after trading points for the majority of the set.

With the score tied at 24, Mattaliano and McTighe

clinched the set win for the Eagles by earning points off passes from Mussenden.

In the third set, the Eagles came out firing, jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead that eventually grew to 10-5 behind kills from Dureva, Clark, and Mattaliano. Maryland drew even at 11, and the teams traded points until 17, when the Terps pulled away for their 25-20 win.

“We got up 10-5 [in the third set], and that’s when our inexperience showed,” Campbell said. “We allowed Maryland to get back into the game, and they went on a little run. We got back into it and played a tight game, but it was close right up until 20 and we had a chance to go for a knockout blow, but we didn’t capitalize on it.”

Maryland never relinquished its lead in the fourth set, after taking an 8-2 advantage from the beginning. BC only had a .189 attack percentage in the set, but the Eagles were able to pull within one on a block by senior Melanie Cimino to make the score 21-20.

The Terps then clinched the set and the match, effectively ending a BC comeback. 

Soccer readies for ‘Heels UNC Preview, from A10

as fit as they are,” Foley said.

If UNC commits a lot of bodies to the ball, BC will look to the open player on the other side of the field.

The game will feature two of the premier forwards in the game, Alyssa Rich from UNC and Victoria DiMartino from BC. Rich has 19 points on the season, with seven goals, while DiMartino matches her seven goals but trails slightly with 15 points.

Despite an offense that is averaging 3.5 goals per game, behind five different players with double-digit points, Caldwell is confident that her teammates on the back line can stop UNC’s onslaught.

“All four defenders and our goalie can handle anybody,” Caldwell said. “We just need to stay focused as a back line and as a team.”

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Forward Edvin Worley scored his second goal in as many games to extend BC’s lead over URI late in the match.

Rugg breaks URI stalemate Perseverance, from A10

opened up a little bit, put Charlie [Rugg] out wide, and brought in Stefan [Carter], that … stretched them out.”

“When they did that, I felt really good out there,” Rugg said. “I was pretty much alone the whole time.”

Now, with more room to make his preferred cut toward the goal, the midfielder finally put the Eagles on the scoreboard in the 78th minute. Defender Colin Murphy sent a cross right across the goal, and he wasted no time in capitalizing, leaping into the air and heading the ball past Rams goalkeeper Peyton Warwick.

“It was a wide open pathway to go through, and I decided to take it,” Rugg said. “It came right to me.

Rugg finally made good on one of the Eagles’ many scoring opportunities, much to the relief of Kelly.

“It was a fantastic head ball,” the head coach said.

“Beautiful cross, perfect timing, and right into the back of the net – really good.”

The deciding goal was Rugg’s third on the season and second in two games.

Only four minutes later, Worley broke through the URI defense to add a second BC goal. With his back to the goal, about 12 yards out, the forward controlled a pass from Bekker, wheeled, and fired, hitting the back of the left net for his second goal

of the season.

The score was a long time coming for Worley, who had taken six shots before finding the net on his seventh. He came close to scoring about five minutes into the second half, heading another pass from Bekker, but he missed just barely wide left of the goal. Led by Worley’s seven shots, Aburmad’s seven, and Rugg’s eight, the Eagles finished with a trigger-happy 28 total shots.

Far on the other side of the field, Eagles goaltender Justin Luthy and the rest of the defense stifled the Rams’ offensive effort. Luthy’s four saves, all in the second half, led to his 12th career shutout, which moved him into seventh place on the program’s alltime shutout list. By holding the Rams scoreless, the Eagles keep their shutout streak alive, which spans three complete games, or 340 minutes and 13 seconds.

Saturday’s game also saw the debut of the team’s newest defender, freshman Chris Ager. Hailing from Norway, Ager’s first 90 minutes of play as an Eagle impressed his head coach.

“He’s a very good player,” Kelly said. “He’s going to be a big help.

Despite not seeing any results from the multitude of first-half scoring opportunities, the coach was satisfied with the Eagles’ poise and performance.

“We had lots of chances,” Kelly said.

Where other teams might have grown frustrated, his kept at it – and was rewarded in the end. 

DiMartino and the Eagles offense will look to strike and set the tempo early. Caldwell said if BC can net the first goal, the team can really focus on what they need to do to control the other team.

With five seniors starting for the Eagles, they feel like this is their year to finally upend their pesky rival.

“I’m as confident as I ever have been,” Foley said.

It only counts as one conference win – and the team’s first win at that – but the team knows deep down that a victory in Chapel Hill would have a special place in their hearts.

“We’re anxious more than nervous,” Caldwell said.

“Last year, there were a lot of nerves, but this year it’s a good nervous because we know we can compete with them.” 

SPORTS THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, September 23, 2010

A10

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Reading between the lines PAUL SULZER

DAVID GIVLER / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Head coach Frank Spaziani opted to shake things up along the offensive line after its shaky performance against Kent State. Mark Spinney will start for Thomas Claiborne at right guard.

Front five look for vindication Linemen hope to redeem themselves for shaky start

BY JAKE BURG Heights Staff

There is no doubt that Boston College has earned the name “O-line U.” Year after year, the Eagles offensive line remains an untarnished bright spot for the football team. But after two games this season, there are a few scuffs in the offensive line’s usually pristine reputation.

The line got off to a tremendous start against an overmatched Weber State squad. In that 38-20 victory, the Eagles allowed no sacks and ran for 188 yards on 33 carries. But then against Kent State, the offensive line struggled to generate running lanes, resulting in only 87 yards on the ground on 40 attempts, averaging a mere 2.2 yards per carry. The Eagles also allowed two sacks for a loss of 17 yards.

On the heels of that poor performance, the Eagles

went into the bye week preparing for their biggest test of the season thus far: the Virginia Tech Hokies.

The Hokies will walk into Alumni Stadium on Saturday with a 1-2 record, but the Eagles know full well that Virginia Tech’s rocky start indicates nothing about the quality of their opponent.

“I don’t see Virginia Tech ever giving up,” said offensive tackle Rich Lapham. “Just because they started 0-2 doesn’t mean they’re going to throw away their whole entire season.”

The offense will face the best defense they have all season. The Hokies are averaging two sacks per game, and despite allowing an average of 130.7 rushing yards per game, the Hokies run excellent defensive schemes that lead to tackles resulting in lost yardage. So far, they have accumulated 19 tackles for a loss of 87 yards.

“They don’t play many defenses, but they give you different looks on how they start out and end up going to the coverages they’re going to,” Shinskie said.

“There’s not many different things they run, they just do it extremely well.”

The offensive line will look slightly different against

See O-Line Problems, A8

“We’ve always been close, and this time, we’re confident going into it. We don’t feel like the underdogs this time.”

BC shows mettle in URI win

-Amy Caldwell Forward

Score to settle in Chapel Hill

BY ROBERT T. BALINT Heights Staff

Frustration is doing the right thing time and time again without ever seeing results. Where some would have let that frustration Boston College 2 discourage them, Rhode Island 0 the men’s soccer team shrugged it off, kept fighting, and was finally rewarded for its efforts with a 2-0 victory against the visiting Rhode Island Rams on Tuesday.

“We moved the ball very well,” said head coach Ed Kelly after the game. “We had a lot of chances.”

That’s an understatement.

Forwards Charlie Rugg and Edvin Worley constantly tested the Rams defense throughout the first half. Rugg, along with midfielders Amit Aburmad and Kyle Bekker, took cross after cross and shot after shot, but no goals emerged.

The Eagles took 14 shots in the first 45 minutes of the game, doubling the Rams’ seven.

At halftime, Kelly decided to make a few adjustments.

“We got a little bit frustrated there, halfway through,” he said. “There was too much going to goal. So then when we

the Hokies. Mark Spinney will make his first career start, replacing Thomas Claiborne at right guard, giving up over 40 pounds in the process.

“During the offweek, Thomas was Saturday, 12 p.m. working through Live blog on some things, and I bcheights.com/sports was out there running with the ones,” Spinney said. “I was playing pretty good, so they decided to give me an opportunity here.”

Though an unconventional move to bench a senior leader such as Claiborne, Spinney’s insertion into the starting lineup has drawn the support of his teammates.

BY ADAM ROSE For The Heights

ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Victoria DiMartino, who leads the BC offense with seven goals, is expected to pace the Eagles attack against UNC.

No. 4

No. 1

at Thursday, 7 p.m.

See Perseverance, A9

I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE

Terps spike Eagles

The women’s soccer team has accomplished much over the past few years, including many firsts, such as its first Elite Eight appearance and most wins in a season. One goal that has alluded Alison Foley’s team, however, stands right in front of them tonight: beating the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The No. 4 Eagles’ match-up against the No. 1 Tar Heels will mark the second time this season they have faced an opponent at the top of the polls, as they opened the season against the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal.

“We want to be the best,” Foley said. “To do that, you have to play the best.”

The team has seemed to fire on all cylinders since they tied the Cardinal, 1-1, at the beginning of the season, outscoring their opponents 25-2 and won seven straight contests.

But that all goes out the win-

The volleyball team dropped its ACC opener to Maryland on Tuesday night.......................A9

dow with the Tar Heels, who are 8-0-1, with the tie also coming against Stanford. The squads have a history, dating back to controversial handballs in last year’s 2-1 UNC win.

“We’ve always been so close, and this time, we’re confident going into it,” said forward Amy Caldwell. “We don’t feel like the underdogs this time.”

Last year in the ACC tournament, the Eagles dueled the Tar Heels to a 0-0 tie through regulation, but a deflected cross into their own goal ousted them.

This year’s UNC team will look a little bit different due to graduation, but Foley knows the Tar Heels love to swarm the ball, and has emphasized pressure situations in practice this week. By doing so, the Eagles are prepared to use their speed and move the ball more to avoid getting trapped.

“UNC’s one of the fittest teams out there, but I think we’re

See UNC Preview, A9

Not prime time just yet

The football team won’t be prime time until next week, but that may be a good thing for the Eagles..............A8

For a unit with a lot of hype heading into the season, the Boston College offensive line has been a disappointment.

Said by the writers (myself included) to be among the best lines in the country, the Eagles in the trenches have not adjusted well to coach Sean Devine’s man-blocking schemes. The backfield is left exposed to unblocked defenders on a play-to-play basis.

Don’t be fooled by the stats. BC’s per-game averages are all acceptable: 32 points, 220.5 yards passing, and 137.5 yards rushing. But, per play, the Eagles are struggling. On the ground, they’re averaging just 3.8 yards per carry. Montel Harris leads the ACC in rushing at 97.5 yards per game, but he averages fewer yards per carry than any other player in the top 10.

Watch the team play, and it’s obvious that something is wrong up front. The linemen are fine when they engage their blocks. They just aren’t making the right reads often enough. That falls on the center, because it’s his responsibility to read the defense before the snap and adjust his teammates accordingly. Nate Richman took over for the graduated Matt Tennant at center over the offseason. The line looked fine in the summer scrimmages. Clearly, though, the front five still needs some seasoning. Whether it’s miscommunication or misunderstanding of their assignments, they have been outplayed by inferior opponents.

Granted, Kent State has the seventh-best rush defense in the country.

But BC supposedly has one of the best offensive lines in the country. There’s no good excuse for the paltry 2.8 yards per carry Harris racked up in the 26-13 win. Considering the average sizes of the Eagles’ front five (6-foot-6, 312 pounds), they should have manhandled the Golden Flashes defensive line, which averaged just 6-foot-1, 242 pounds. Instead, Harris was held to 80 yards on 29 carries. Kent State was in the backfield as soon as the ball was snapped. We know what Harris can do when he gets space. Why, then, isn’t he getting room to run?

To blame the offensive line entirely for such an underwhelming performance would be a mistake. Offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill’s play calling has consisted of “Dive Left” and “Dive Right.” Where is the Wildcat? Where are the counters, sweeps, and draws that punctuate an effective run game? Maybe Tranquill has been saving these wrinkles for more challenging opponents. Hopefully that’s the case.

Even if Tranquill doesn’t open up the playbook, the Eagles will have a different look on Saturday. Head coach Frank Spaziani promoted reserve lineman Mark Spinney to starting right guard over fifth-year senior Thomas Claiborne.

Claiborne, a former second team all-ACC selection, is the emotional heart of the team. If Spaziani’s goal was to light a fire under the team, this was a curious way to do it. Add in the fact that Claiborne outweighs Spinney by 50 pounds, and the decision becomes even stranger given that the offensive game plan will likely be run-heavy.

By the time BC faces Virginia Tech, they will have had two weeks to work out the kinks on the offensive line. They will be facing a thin and young Hokies front seven that features several undersized players, including end Steven Friday (229 pounds), tackle Chris Drager (239 pounds), and linebacker Jeron GouveiaWinslow (206 pounds). Three of the four Hokies linemen who gave BC so much trouble last year have either graduated or declared for the NFL Draft. Making matters worse for Virginia Tech, defensive tackle Kwamaine Battle tore the ACL in his right knee, so he’s out for the season.

This Tech defense in no way resembles the one that shut down BC, 48-14, in Blacksburg last year. If the Eagles can’t make headway against arguably the worst Hokies defense in head coach Frank Beamer’s career, then it’s going to be a long season.

Paul Sulzer is the Assistant Sports Editor of The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.

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

FOOD

DRINK

FASHION

TRY DIANA’S SALMON

AUTUMN!

TRADE IN YOUR SUMMER WARDROBE FOR THESE FALL TRENDS PAGE B4

THIS DISH WILL SUCCEED EVERY TIME PAGE B4

JUKEBOX WOES

BAR MUSIC KILLS THE MOOD PAGE B4

PLAY IT AGAIN, JON HAMM! A look at The Heights’ favorite films, old and new

INSIDE: A MODERN CASTING CALL FOR ‘THE WIZARD OF OZ,’ ‘MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON’ AND MORE

C

BY K R I ST E N H O U S E | A RTS & R EV I EW E D I T O R Z A K JAS O N | AS S O C. A RTS & R EV I EW E D I T O R A N D A L L I S O N T H E R R I E N | AS ST. A RTS & R EV I EW E D I T O R

arey Mulligan, evoking nothing but doe-eyed mystique, looks into her neighbor Paul Varjak’s eyes and says, “I don’t want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I’m not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It’s like Tiffany’s.” She clutches Cat and lunges for her cigarette, perched elegantly on a long holder.

Yes, this is a reference to Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as re-imagined for the modern day. Hollywood is forever consumed with creating favorites and, later, resurrecting them to stun and captivate modern viewers. For every remake of a beloved classic, there is the daunting task of recasting characters over old-world fa-

vorites. Who could imagine a better pairing in Casablanca than Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman? But friends, we live in ever-changing times and a refreshing take can always breed unexpected glories that, in turn, may become new classics.

Perhaps it’s presumptuous of us to imagine these films being redone, but it’s certain that directors and writers all over Hollywood are bound to do it, too. Thus, we have picked actors and actresses that we think would be able to do justice to and perhaps even revolutionize the way we see these iconic films. From Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to A Philadelphia Story, we’ve taken a survey of the most adored classic films.

See Classic Films, B5

MIKE SALDARRIAGA / HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Heights

B2

+Editor’s Corner

The hunt for Y2K’s celebrities Ten years from now, Justin Bieber is going to be a step aerobics teacher in Montana, working to alleviate his class’ quad Kristen House pain.

“I know it hurts guys, but baby, baby baby, ohh! We only have one more set to go!” He won’t have let go of his tight pants fetish or floppy hair, despite his male-pattern baldness working its magic from the back of his scalp forward.

This is all I could think of after I came across a “Where Are They Now” article in the September issue of Rolling Stone. For anyone who has ever wondered what the heck Sisqo is up to (he’s cleared those pesky gun charges, by the way) or contemplated the liberal politics of 98 Degrees’ Justin Jeffre (no, he never grew into his looks), this article laid in wait. Rolling Stone took a bulleted approach to a decade’s worth of lost time. The authors reminded us why these people were ever relevant and explained their current life situation, or, put simply, they give us 20 words on why they’re no longer relevant.

The nature of a “Where Are They Now” article is inherently depressing. Imagine the most brilliant thing in your life right now totally souring and being broadcast in a national scale. The word “where” evokes a hunt. Like an unresolved 98 Degrees abduction case, or a missing persons report filed for Vitamin C that was never solved (“Graduation,” anyone?).

So who is the heir to the Sisqo crown of thongs in the kingdom of oblivion?

Who knows. Fame is a cruel mistress, and the casualties left in her wake are doomed to lives of “celebrity” rehab, drug and firearm charges, and even political careers.

In all likelihood, lead Pussycat Doll Nicole Sherzinger will become relegated to the dark corners of obscurity, forcing her to become a bona fide pussycat owner after several failed marriages, all ending in irreconcilable differences.

A few more humble predictions: Kevin Federline will be a champion of The Boys and Girls Club of America after he uncovers his exquisite ability to mentor young people (he’ll still have cornrows).

Carey Mulligan will be secretary of state, under an assault from the evangelical Christians for her lax stance on stem cells. Joel McHale will be a chief botanist for a company based in Lisbon. You never can tell.

When I read a “Where Are They Now” article, I can’t help but imagine if, given the opportunity, these people would do it all again. Is stardom, without the guarantee of longevity reaching into your dying day, ever worth it? I think the taint of being in a ’90s boy band would be enough to deter many from being friends with you. And the ones that are would seem to be satisfying some sort of grotesque curiosity.

The only man that seemed relatively for the better under the light of the Rolling Stone article was the man who formed the band Nine Days. He penned the ditty about the story of a girl who cried a river and drowned the whole world. Before the song, one of the two members, John Hampson, was a teacher.

In 2000, when the song blew up, Hampson and band mate Brian Desveaux went on a whirlwind press tour. Once the arduous process of creating a follow-up album became a futile effort, “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” was attributed as a “one hit wonder.”

The article found Hampson still teaching English in New Jersey, flanked by a crew of beaming students, a periodic royalty check from the song, and a happy family.

For the moment, however, stars and starlettes can rest easy in their meat dresses and Armani suits.

They are at the top of the entertainment industry’s wheel of fortune (which I can only assume is operated by Pat Sajak and a group of dedicated troll people). For most of you, your future career awaits.

Kristen House is the Arts & Review editor for The Heights. She can be reached at houseka@bc.edu.

An independent frame of mind

arts events calendar, september 23–26 thursday

friday

saturday

sunday

Chile 1810-2010 Burns Library

Chile 1810-2010 Burns Library

Ancient inspires new Burns Library

Ancient Inspires New Bapst Library, 4 p.m.

Literary Lives McMullen Museum

Literary Lives McMullen Museum

Literary Lives Burns Library

Literary Lives Burns Library

Stars House of Blues, 8 p.m.

The Eels The Royale, 6 p.m.

Teenage fanclub The Royale, 6 p.m.

Mates of State Paradise Rock Club, 8 p.m.

Brandi Carlisle Wang Theatre, 8 p.m.

Ghost Box Orchestra PAs Lounge, 8:30 p.m.

midatlantic Great Scott, 9 p.m.

The Have Nots Harper’s Ferry, 8 p.m.

quirky music, lends the party a glamorous yet dreamy quality. Viewers get an authentic sense of a Fashion Week fete, as those featured in the film obviously consider the blogger one of their own.

This leaves the fashion elite, including the designer, model Agyness Deyn, and Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist (also Dore’s boyfriend) free to act as they please. Whether that means dancing to Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” on stage or chasing after one another in bumper cars is up to them.

One of the best things about Boston is its wonderful Museum of Fine Arts (MFA).

Sometimes overlooked by Brennan Carley Boston College students because it isn’t in the center of the city, the museum nonetheless has a collection that numbers in the hundreds of thousands of pieces. Last week, the MFA hosted an intimate advanced screening of the film Howl.

The film, which stars James Franco as famous beat-poet Allen Ginsberg, was, in its own way, a magnificent piece of art that seemed at home in the spacious museum.

The film takes its name from Ginsberg’s eponymous landmark poem. For those who aren’t familiar with the man, he was a leading figure of the Beat Generation, a group of activists who championed individuality and loathed conformity. Shortly after the first spoken performance of Howl at City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, the masterpiece found itself at the center of an obscenity trial. Keep in mind, this was the era of McCarthyism in which Americans feared for the preservation of their values; for a work of literature like Howl which spoke so freely of sex, drugs, and violence to come onto the scene was seen as an attack on the nuclear family. Quite fairly, I think, Howl takes a primarily academic yet engrossing look at the trial that surrounded the poem, one at which Ginsberg himself never appeared.

Essentially, Howl could have been a wooden, book-on-tape sort of biopic, but thanks in part to the revelatory Franco and his supporting cast, it transcends the niche audience it is clearly geared for and works its way to a beautiful hybrid of documentary, narrative, and animation. Longtime documentarians, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (who both appeared at the MFA screening) look at the beatnik’s life from three angles. The first, and most effective, is a mock interview with Ginsberg, in which Franco is able to work his magic. Franco immerses himself in the role, injecting his Ginsberg with the tiniest of tics (the inflection of his voice when he gets worked up, the way he waves his arms about manically at times). In every sense of the word, he disappears into the character, at times almost freakishly so. Through this faux interview, which features exclusively real quotes from the poet, we are privy to his every intimate moment. The rest of the film is dominated by the court case in which prosecutors tried to prove that the poem was indecent and held no literary value. These scenes stumble only when not in the capable hands of Jon Hamm, the defense lawyer for the publisher of Howl. Not straying drastically from his Emmy-winning Don Draper, Hamm mercilessly slashes at the prosecution’s feeble arguments.

The film sparkles with originality when it utilizes animation to explore the sometimes ambiguous and complicated poem. With Franco’s haunting voice reciting the piece in the background, cartoon hipsters sweep across the sky while buildings transform into the horrific Moloch “whose eyes are a thousand blind windows!” The film reserves all the cliched biopic histrionics for this section, a tactic that works brilliantly. Here, Hamm’s arguments are transformed into moving images that vividly illustrate just how much literary value Howl both had and has.

Sprinkled here and there are notable faces like those of Mary Louise Parker and Jeff Daniels, both playing witnesses for the prosecution. Though blessed with the gift of Hollywood’s finest actors and actresses, the directors wisely choose to keep the weight of the film on Franco’s shoulders. If I have one complaint, it’s that at times the film comes off as too intellectual. I would’ve liked to see more scenes showcasing Ginsberg’s life outside of his poetry, rather than the fleeting montages that the picture offers. As it stands, Howl excels as an honorific piece, one that pays overdue homage to one of, as Ginsberg himself puts it, “the best minds of [our] generation.”

Carrie McMahon is a Heights editor.

She welcomes comments at review@ bcheights.com

Brennan Carley is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at review@bcheights.com.

tv close-up

courtesy of allmoviephoto.com

For this author of ‘Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea,’ award show hosting and stand-up touring are just the beginning.

Handler’s comedy reigns

This comedienne proves risks are worth taking

By Courtney Seitz For The Heights

here’s a Jersey girl causing some buzz in the entertainment world these days, and no, it’s not Snooki. Comedienne Chelsea Handler initially made her mark on the entertainment industry with her late-night comedy review, Chelsea Lately, on E!. The wisecracker is also the author of three books – laugh-out-loud accounts of her anythingbut-ordinary life experiences – all of which have perched comfortably on the New York Times Best Seller list. Now, Handler is taking the entertainment realm by storm as evidenced by her most recent stint as host of MTV’s 2010 Video Music Awards. She was the first female in 16 years to host the event. Keep an eye out for Handler on her countrywide “Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang” stand-up tour.

fashion blogs

A survey of the blogs’ trendiest finds Carrie McMahon Check out this week’s top five post from the major blogs within the fashion world.

Designer Catherine Malandrino Drinks Tequila During Fashion Week, Celebrates With Spaghetti and Champagne Grub Street New York (http://newyork.grubstreet.com) True, Grub Street New York is no fashion blog, but when it decided to follow Catherine Malandrino around New York days before her show at New York Fashion Week to chronicle her food and drink choices, more than one fashion follower took a second look at the site.

The blog post not only shares that Malandrino actually eats a decent amount of food (opposed to many of her fashion industry peers), but also made it possible to get a sneak peek inside the world of a designer as she prepares for her big day. From parties for Fashion’s Night Out, to her studio, to a club with friends at 2 a.m., Malandrino’s days seem like an enviable whirlwind.

Tommy, Can You See Me? Style.com (style.com) Blogger/photographer Tommy Ton of JakandJil.com is currently lending his hand to Style.com to capture some of the best fashion choices on the streets from London Fashion Week. With pictures uploaded daily, this collection of photos will evolve throughout the week.

Many of the photographs focus on accessories and details in outfits that are often overlooked, but are stunning when captured on film. From a pair of beyond fierce black cutout peep-toe pumps to an army green anorak paired with a leopard print belt, Tommy Ton continues to pick out some of the most alluring and inspiring examples of street style seen so far this season.

Fug Girls: Fashion Week Superlatives The Cut (http://nymag.com/daily/fashion) With its usual snide attitude, The Cut unabashedly labels the people, collections, and conditions of New York Fashion Week. From basics such as “Best Show” and “Dress We’d Most Like to See at the Golden Globes,” to more scornful categories such as “Worst Looking in Person” (Bradley Cooper), and “Worst Part of the New Lincoln Center Venue,” every aspect of the week is covered. Filled with comical and often harsh words about all those involved in the mayhem of Fashion Week, as well as a couple of comments on the actual content of the shows, the list definitely provides a good laugh, even if it is often at another’s expense.

Video: Alexander McQueen’s Memorial Fashionista (fashionista.com) Fashionista.com published a narrated video displaying the scene outside of Alexander McQueen’s memorial service this past week in London. The designer, who took his own life one year ago, was honored by family and close friends such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who can all be seen in the footage. Additionally, Anna Wintour, American Vogue Editor-in-Chief, is seen entering the cathedral where the commemorative service took place. A quick summary of McQueen’s career and the circumstances surrounding his death are also presented.

Party!

Garance Dore (http://www.garancedore.fr/en) Watch the adorable Garance Dore mingle with the fashion world’s downtown royalty at a party for the current king himself, designer Alexander Wang.

The carnival-themed celebration was held in honor of Wang’s latest collection, and the video, with its soft lighting and

Art in the obscene

courtesy of flikr user bryanboy

McQueen is celebrated on the runway.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

B3

THE HEIGHTS

GONE WITH THE WIND Sure, Enchanted was no Oscar nominee, but it did prove one thing definitively: Amy Adams truly does have all the peppy, earnest, sing-songy qualities of an animated princess and the vocals to boot. Now picture her as chef-on-a-power-trip Julie Powell in Julie and Julia and you’ve got one scrappy, sweet, eye-catching actress. It would be no stretch of the imagination, then, to cast Adams in the role of Scarlet O’Hara, who proves not only the sweet and fawning companion to oh-so-debonair Rhett Butler, but a strong female character, unafraid to make her voice heard. And who would be more fitting to embody the slicked-back charm of Rhett Butler than Pierce Brosnan, who – despite all things Mamma Mia! – has been the epitome of suave as our very own James Bond.

CLASSICS REDUX PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM

BY KRISTEN HOUSE ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR | ZAK JASON ASSOC. ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR | ALLISON THERRIEN ASST. ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR

CASABLANCA As time goes by, it’s nearly impossible to imagine someone other than Humphrey Bogart’s Rick woundedly wondering about how Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa could have walked into his “damn gin joint,” of all places. But who is the modern epitome of the wounded man? Why, John Hamm, that’s who. Hamm’s persona would add a fantastic dark element to the entire production. Kate Winslet also has got the femme fatale with a dash of mystique down to a science. If Winslet could infuse some Eternal Sunshine quirky darkness to the role, it could be groundbreaking. Hamm and Winslet are the power pairing of our age.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S Undeniably, Carey Mulligan possesses a nymphic quality to equal Audrey Hepburn’s. It goes deeper than just a pixie cut comparison, Mulligan has an electric infectiousness that would layer Holly Golightly with a sharp intelligence. John Krasinski would fit the role of Paul “Fred” Varjak, an intellectual writer who can’t quite get a grip on the elusive Golightly. A modern romantic chase between the elusive woman and befuddled man must bring something above and beyond the drivel of many romantic comedies. Krasinski and Mulligan would be cut from the sharpest mod-cloth.

SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS Smug, chiseled, confused, and clueless, John Sullivan’s role requires an extremely versatile actor. With roles spanning from The Facts of Life to Michael Clayton to O Brother Where Art Thou?, George Clooney could rise to the challenge of playing the morally befuddled Sullivan. It also helps that he looks like Joel McCrea.

Christina Hendricks has fashioned one of the most iconic looks and dominating presences of any actress today – who better to play “The Girl” who rattles Sullivan’s world? And who could balance absurdity with poignancy like Preston Sturges? Spike Jonez.

A PHILADELPHIA STORY The idea of embodying saucy, self-important Philadelphia heiress Tracy Lord would be an understandably daunting task, but leave it to Cate Blanchette to blow daunting tasks right out of the water.

She played the Queen of England for goodness sake. Not only does she have the classically chiseled cheekbones of Miss Hepburn, but she has both the sultriness and the elegance that can only come with experience, and those qualities would translate perfectly into the character of Tracy. By her side, she would need a strong male complement for the role of Dexter Haven, and just picturing Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor makes us feel as though no explanation is necessary.

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON Few actors could channel the wide-eyed innocence of Jimmy Stewart’s Jefferson Smith. But after strong performances in Brick, (500) Days of Summer, and Inception, Joseph Gordon-Levitt could play the amiable and hopelessly optimistic senator. It’s hard to imagine him gaping and tearing up on the steps of the Lincoln Monument like Stewart, but his more stoic style would cater well to our more sober times. Proving himself a diabolical villain in the likes of Mission Possible III and Punch Drunk Love, Phillip Seymour Hoffman could evoke the tyranny of Claude Rains’ Senator Joseph Paine.

THE GRADUATE Some call him too snide to be a serious actor. Some call him too one-dimensional. But if you watch Rushmore and The Graduate on the same day, you will notice eerie similarities between Jason Shwartzman’s Max Fischer and Dennis Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock. Both act simultaneously as relentlessly probing, genial, and somehow off-putting. It also helps that neither exceeds 5-9. But only Wes Anderson could elevate both Shwartzman’s performance and the lush aesthetic of the film. Above all, however, Simon and Garfunkel’s pastoral ballads sculpt the film. The woodsy melancholy of Bon Iver could relive that magic.

THE WIZARD OF OZ More so than any other film on this list, The Wizard of Oz cannot garner a definitive one-to-one ratio from original actors to modern actors. It’s too timeless. The images of Judy Garland are seared into our collective consciousness. But if a production company tried to do it, they would need an unknown to play Dorothy.

Casting an already-established actress would spark uproar. Chris Cooper’s borderline insanity would serve the Scarecrow well.

Seth Rogen could tackle the Cowardly Lion. Paul Rudd’s awkward charm could work into the Tin Man.

ON THE WATERFRONT Forget for a moment the James Franco that giggled dizzily in Pineapple Express and made Julia Roberts blush Eat Pray Love. If we revert back to the Franco in Spider Man who struggled under the weight of his dark past and the growing desire to punch someone, it’s easy to see him in the role of Terry Malloy, the dark, somewhat reserved product of a less-than-ethical past who is slowly learning to take responsibility for his actions. And as his ultra-feminine counterpart – the yin to his rather sinister yang – Claire Danes would be well-suited for the role of graceful Edie Doyle, who manages to see more in Malloy than he sees in himself.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN Singin’ In The Rain proposes a plot problem for modern times.

It is the film chronicling the shift from silent movies to sound, but perhaps this could morph into a tale of modern technological shifts – like the shift from DVD to Blu-ray or CD’s to online music streams. But once that bump in the road is re-worked, there is no better big screen actor to take over Gene Kelly than the dynamic Hugh Jackman. The man can even dance. Zooey Deschanel has the bright-eyed enthusiasm that’s perfect for Kathy Selden, and Deschanel’s presence would decamp the movie with her indie edge.

B4

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Heights

+Fashion and Food Chronicles of Campus Fashion

Shades of fall, glances of spring

By Kailey kramer | For The Heights

s the temperature dropped into the 60-degree range over the past week, shorts and sandals entered the beginning stages of hibernation, and pants and boots have begun to come out of the final ones. Students seem eager to trade in their simple and cool summer wardrobes for layered and bundled fall gear.

This past Monday, I so rudely interrupted Jillian Georgio, A&S ’14, mid-conversation as she was frantically bolting through the Quad to class.

The first thing I noticed on her was her military jacket. After a few years of steady invasion, campus looks more like a boot camp than a University as the military trend is in full swing. Personally, I’m a big proponent of the military jacket. They’re great for layering and an easy way to make a simple outfit a bit more interesting. Camille did just that with a cardigan and double-scarves.

In addition, I love her slouchy Jeffrey Campbell boots. The distressed leather gives them a vintage character and adds to the “carelessly put-together” vibes of her look.

Each season presents it own set of trends, some of which are seemingly total opposites. This can be seen when one compares Jillian’s look to Courtney’s prep look.

I first noticed Courtney Alpaugh, A&S ’13, because we have the same J.Crew “Scout” cropped chinos. I have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for these pants, as they were one of my staple pieces this summer. Being someone who loves bi-seasonal and versatile pieces, I look forward to wearing them in the fall even more so because they are so easily dressed up or down.

Pairing them with a good pair of lace-up boots is one of my favorite ways to wear them

during the colder months, but they work just as well with a good ankle sock-clog combo for a more feminine spin. Other than her pants, another reason I felt so inclined to ambush her in the Quad can be accredited to the general prep quality of her outfit. Seeing that prep and ’50s inspired, clean-cut looks are making a comeback this fall, it’s awfully difficult

dorm-cooked Oven-Cooked steamed salmon

Diana C. Nearhos / heights senior staff

By Diana C. Nearhos

more delicate proteins and will go bad faster than anything else. There is nothing worse than buying something and having it go bad before you can If we eat the same things all the time, we eat it, or getting sick because you were unaware inevitably tire of them. That is why we can only of its shelf life. enjoy BC Dining for so long. When I reach that Now that you have everything, you are finally point, I need something completely unrelated to ready to cook. Mix the soy sauce, sesame seeds, everything else I eat, especially something without and ginger together. Place each slice of fish on any chicken or pasta. top of a separate sheet of tinfoil, and fold up the One of my favorite things to reach for in this sides before pouring on the dressing. Use the foil case is fish. It reminds me of my time on the Cape to create a package that will hold in the steam by and the delicious fresh fish I can get there. Here, pulling the sides up and folding over the edges to even though the distance is not that far, there is not create a seal of sorts. as much of a selection of truly fresh seafood.

This envelope will be the key to keeping the Salmon isnot a local fish, here or at the Cape. salmon moist. If all the steam seeps out, the fish And while cooking fish may seem a daunting task, can, and probably will, dry out. You do not want it really doesn’t have to be. Grilling is always a good to wrap the fish tightly, either, for that will have option. (I am typically partial to grilling, as it is a similar effect. Leave some space around the what my family does most). However, the easiest salmon and just fold down the edges of the foil. way to do salmon is actually in an oven.

The actual cooking of the salmon is possibly You need just four ingredients; salmon, soy the easiest part. Simply put the foil packets on a sauce, sesame seeds, and ground ginger. I realize cookie sheet and put it in the oven for a few minmost college students do not have sesame seeds utes. I suppose if you wanted to, you could just and ground ginger in their cabinets, but it might put the foil packets in the oven, but the cookie be worth the investment, as they are good flavors sheet makes life a little easier and doesn’t even to use. A store like Ocean State Job Lot will have get dirty. large bottles of seasonings and spices for a dollar Salmon, though delicious, is best served with a or less. If not, you can go without and maybe use side dish or two. Most main courses should include garlic powder. a vegetable and a starch. Even the dining hall The single thing that will make your life easi- serves with that rule in mind. As college students est when cooking salmon happens at the seafood who do not typically spend a lot of time and effort counter when you first buy the fish. First of all, on our meals, we often let that slip to the wayside, you want a salmon fillet, not a salmon steak. That but that is a whole other topic. means the larger, flat piece, not the wishboneTo serve the fish, use a spatula to peel the shaped one, if you are unfamiliar with the terms. skin off the bottom - it will come off easily once Typically, about half a pound of fish will feed it’s cooked. I like it best with a small bed of rice a person. Ask the person behind the and grilled or sauteed asparagus. counter to cut the salmon into one The trick is to pour the juices in the and a half to two-inch strips so you bottom of the tinfoil over the fish Want to make Diana’s don’t have to deal with it at home. when you serve it. Don’t waste that salmon yourself?

Cutting the fish may seem simple, good flavor.

Check out but most of us do not have the knives It can go over or next to the sides, www.bcheights.com/ they have behind the counter. my mom likes it one way and I the arts for the specific Fish, more than anything else, other. It’s all about personal preferrecipes featured should be cooked within a day of ence, and when you’re the chef, you in this week’s being purchased. It is one of the can do it however you want. Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week.

Heights Senior Staff

to challenge Dov Charney, American Apparel CEO, and his, “Hipster is over” declaration.

They may not be layered or bundled, but Rich Hoyt, A&S ’12, and Kerns Lane, A&S ’11, epitomize men’s collegiate fall fashion. Casually relaxing in the sun on one of fall’s mildly brisk days, they both espouse a look all their own.

On Kerns, black, fitted jeans, and a plaid shirt compliment my favorite element of his look, the canvas backpack. As I’ve stated before, the impact an interesting bag has on an outfit should never be underestimated. Kerns finishes his look off with a pair of Ray-Bans, looking quite casually cool. I’m always a big fan of anything Hoyt is wearing, as he makes it look effortless to look like a genius in all respects. Pairing a classic cardigan with well fitted and pleated pant, loafers, and collared shirt, Rich’s look can go from classroom to Parisian cafe all in one fell swoop. The glasses don’t exactly make him look stupid either.

As fall brings comfort food, it also marks the beginning of comfort clothes in the form of plush layers and scarves. Maybe if we pile on the cable knits The Rat will start serving that butternut squash and apple soup on a weekly basis? One can only hope. Stay cozy!

Fashion Week Update: Despite the fact that fall just recently, arguably barely, arrived, it’s not too early to look forward to spring.

Spring 2011 NYFW just came to a close and there’s a whole new set of trends to look

Kailey kramer / for the heights

forward to. Highlights from the week included the Rodarte, Calvin Klein, and Proenza Schouler shows. Rodarte showcased soft texture and bold patterns in the form of high-waisted bottoms, in addition to other softly symmetrical pieces. As for Calvin Klein, white never looked so exciting. Francisco Costa, head designer, perfected the art of minimalism with flawlessly fitted basics and seemingly simple silhouettes (as per usual Calvin Klein). Proenza Schouler showcased the spring texture trend in the form of tweed, tweed, and more tweed. It feels like a trendier version of Chanel and I’ve fallen hard for it. Enjoy the fall, but the past week’s shows make it awfully tempting to “think spring.”

Kailey Kramer is a Heights contributor.

She can be reached for comment at arts@ bcheights.com.

on The Session

A eulogy for the jukebox Nothing exists outside the two of you. You lean into her, she into you, and under the dimmed light, with the nectar of Slippery Nipples streaming through your blood, she begins to tell you something she’s never dreamed of confessing before, not on Kairos, not on Appalachia, not even during Kostka dorm orientation icebreakers. Your eyes lock, and Zak Jason as she begins to pour out her soul, the crunk beats of the Nelly and the St. Lunatics jam “Batter Up” thuds through the bar’s sound system.

“This is my jam,” someone shouts from near the digital jukebox. The bartender turns up the volume, and some inebriated gentlemen begin singing along.

At this point, the moment has evaporated, and you’re another three Slippery Nipples away from returning to that wavelength with her.

Music can either exalt or ruin a bar experience.

If you haven’t noticed, these digital jukeboxes, these Rockola jukeboxes that flash Day-Glo lights to the beat of the selected songs, reside in Roggie’s, Cityside, and Mary Ann’s. With a catalogue that regularly updates via satellite and at just a dollar a song, these machines allow anyone to pop in Captain and Tennille, Parliament Funkadelic, Staind, or Taio Cruz (even in that order) with no warning. These machines oppose everything a bar exists for.

Some of us go to dissolve our problems, some of us to prey on lewd women, and most of us to enjoy the company of friends. But we all go to bars to escape the chaos of the world, to slow the world for a moment. In a bar with a cohesive, warm atmosphere, we can examine the world as a snow globe; we can make some sense of those slowly falling flecks.

Rachel Gregorio/ heights photo illustration

Music, above all things, shapes the atmosphere.

With a structured, consistent, and enjoyable stream of music – be it a live jazz trio or experimental new wave – we enter a complete universe of absolutes. Think of how this formula works in all aspects of our culture. The Weather Channel never sways from its elevator music jazz so that you’re never distracted from the forecast. Grocery stores buzz forgotten ’90s music so you can better focus on your shopping list. In a bar that pumps a steady style of music, if it’s charged and engrossing, we can lose ourselves in it. If it’s mellow and more of an accent than a presence, we’re free to lose ourselves in our friends, to delve deeply into conversation.

But when someone pops in Ke$ha’s “Take It Off” without any regard for the rest of the bar, without any regard for humanity, we return to a world devoid of order, we become the flecks shaken in the snow globe. Cluttered music begets cluttered minds.

You may retort, “What about the First Amendment, man? James Madison and his boys revolted against tyranny so my boys and I could rock out to ‘The Final Countdown,’ whenever or wherever we please. Plus, I’m sharing great music with people.”

Sure, someone will occasionally select the song that sparks a bar-wide sing-a-long and dance. But that’s a daunting task rarely achieved by someone filled with vodka tonics. For the most part, a jukebox allows patrons to select the Top 40 song they haven’t heard in a half hour, the ’80s ballad for the sake of irony, or funk.

You wouldn’t bring an alternate scalpel for your surgeon to use at the hospital. You wouldn’t suggest your cognitive-behavioral therapist start using psychoanalysis. So why should a bar that usually plays hair metal permit someone to play Sinatra at the push of a button?

For as much good as Somersett’s Case did for England, jukeboxes do equal evil to bars.

Maybe this is excessive. I’ll even concede that sometimes it’s endearing to hear Celine Dion played after Rage Against The Machine. But Boston offers some of the best music bars on earth. At places like The Great Scott and The Middle East you can sip premiere cocktails as you watch the nation’s premiere emerging bands play, at the cost of a pitcher of Coors Light at Cityside. Deep Ellum and The Otherside Cafe play from a meticulously groomed indie library around the clock.

I’m just saying, if you want to submit to the disarray of the world, if you want join in the fall of man, stick to Cleveland Circle and the tyranny of the jukebox. But if you want to explore, if you want that girl to reveal things she’s never told anyone before, follow the music.

Zak Jason is a Heights editor. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, September 23, 2010

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+Music & notes

NEW RELEASES

Legend stripped down to his Roots

J

BY KATIE LEE

For The Heights

ust a few months after the release of their ninth album, How I Got Over, hip-hop legends The Roots are back with yet another musical endeavor. Yet this time, the album’s inspiration comes from John Legend’s efforts to become more socially conscious during the 2008 Presidential Election. The result: Wake Up, a 12-track album released this week that combines the musical talent of soul-singer John Legend with one of the most multitalented musical groups of our time. The album covers a unique set of socially-conscious protest songs drawn from the ’60s and ’70s with the exception of one original track, “Shine.”

Legend and The Roots aim to enlighten listeners through their revival of songs from the likes of artists such as Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, and Nina Simon.

Since his promising debut with Get Lifted in 2004 as an emerging soulful singer and songwriter, John Legend has largely stayed within the boundaries of generic, lighthearted, and accessible music. Even though songs such as “Ordinary People” on his first album invited more analysis than most contemporary R&B songs, Legend has rarely tackled provocative or challenging concepts in his music. However, Wake Up is a clear departure from Legend’s previous tendencies in his music. From the first track of the album, “Hard Times,” originally by Baby Huey and the Babysitters, Legend’s usually smooth, soul-like voice seems to tap a newfound sense of strength and determination. Also featured on this track is

ERIC CLAPTON CLAPTON

WAKE UP JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS PRODUCED BY COLUMBIA RELEASED SEPT. 21, 2010 OUR RATING 8/10

JIMMY EAT WORLD INVENTED

CHART TOPPERS SINGLES

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM AND FLICKR USER DJDROGA

John Legend’s collaboration with the legendary Roots on the album ‘Wake Up’ is easy on the ears, chock-full of 70s-era protest, smooth singing, and even some gospel rock. the Roots’ emcee Black Thought, who successfully adds a contemporary and distinctive aspect to the track with his thoughtful verses. Other notable tracks include “Our Generation” and “Little Ghetto Boy,” another song that features Black Thought. These tracks further exemplify a hopeful message through their energetic beats and inspirational lyrics.

Yet there are also aspects of Wake Up that seem to fall short of expectations.

For one, “Shine,” the only original song on the album, seems be an unsuccessful attempt to tie the album together, and gives an impression of being an unworthy final track for such an inspiring album. While the rest of the work seems to be more provocative, this track seems to be more reminiscent of Legend’s style in his previous efforts, and does not fit

well with the rest of the album. Also, one may argue that a stronger performance by Black Thought would have added more of an updated and accessible feature to the album.

But despite these few shortcomings, Wake Up successfully captures a spirit of protest that was alive in the ’60s and ’70s and revives it with an updated and unique collaboration of gospel, rock, reggae, and hip-hop with contemporary influences. The album gives its listener a breath of fresh air from the increasingly computerized and auto-tuned style of contemporary hip-hop and R&B music.

Although some of the tracks may be less accessible, it is clear that Legend and the Roots are not trying to make the Top 10 list on iTunes. Rather, there is a focus on content, a message, and a call

to action. By looking back at the works of artists such as Gaye and Hathaway, The Roots and John Legend call us to take a step forward. Furthermore, the fact that 11 of the 12 tracks have sociopolitical messages reminds us that many social situations and problems concerning education, environment, and health care are still relevant today.

Overall, John Legend and the Roots’ Wake Up is a must-hear. Despite the negative situations that are described throughout the album, one cannot help but finish listening with a sense of strength, energy, and hope. Although this music may not make the average listener want to sing along or dance, it may get them to think, or even better, wake up and take action.

1 Teenage Dream Katy Perry 2 Love the Way You Lie Eminem feat. Rihanna 3 Just the Way You Are Bruno Mars 4 Dynamite Taio Cruz 5 I Like It Enrique Iglesias feat.

Pitbull COLLEGE ALBUMS 1 Eternal War of Ages 2 The Powerless Rise As I Lay Dying 3 Horseshoes Disciple 4 When Angels Dance Pod 5 Together New Pornographers SOURCE: Billboard.com & CMJ.com

All hands on deck for Maroon 5’s follow-up

BY CHARLOTTE PARISH For The Heights

Whether or not her name is Jane, some torturous girl is still plaguing Maroon 5 and leaves it hanging and distraught, but writing catchy pop songs. Better yet, this time she’s given them a lot more to work with. Hands All Over, the band’s third studio album, covers a broader range of sounds, making this possibly their best effort yet.

From the radio hit “Misery,” it would seem HANDS ALL OVER MAROON 5 PRODUCED BY A&M RELEASED SEPT. 21 OUR RATING 8/10 that Adam Levine and crew are sticking to their highly successful routine of bouncy melodies paired with a strong base line that makes it easy to sing along with, so long as you are a girl with the same range as high-voiced Levine. In fact, the first few tracks on the CD seem similar to their past albums, filled with innuendo and falsetto, but they also hint at a broader sound,

with more layering of vocals and more unique guitar runs.

By “Never Gonna Leave This Bed,” the group is definitely moving beyond their old albums, which at times sounded like one continuous song because the tracks were so similar. Even on this pseudo-ballad, though, they can’t leave behind the sexual lyrics that required a double take on other tracks, hidden beneath the sugary beats. Making more use of piano, the group comes into some beautiful slower tunes, which were lacking on the other albums. Levine’s ending of the song “How” in a cappella leaves the spine tingling. They then take a momentary dive via the surprising, and frankly odd, pairing with Lady Antebellum on “Out of Goodbyes.” Given the huge rush of duets this year (Rihanna and Eminem, Taylor Swift and John Mayer, Taylor Swift and Boys Like Girls, actually Taylor Swift and everyone), it’s not so shocking that they would jump on the bandwagon. But the choice of collaboration is not the best, as Maroon 5 gives over to the country twang in Hilary Scott’s voice by adding banjos that do not match the rest of the album’s feel or Levine’s voice at all.

Given the strength as a whole of the album, which Robert Lange helped the band create and who is most likely responsible for the edgier rock sound, this one slip-up out of 15 tracks is not too devastating to the overall well-rounded entertainment. The title song, “Hands All Over,” quickly contends with “Stutter” as the next big

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA LOU MORGAN

The fun, simple pleasures of listening to Maroon 5 are blessedly back with their latest installment ‘Hands All Over.’ radio hit, both having a bit more sass and rock than the contemplative, wishful lyric trademark from Songs About Jane.

The third time is the charm for this California crew, and Hands All Over is easily a windows-down, volume-cranked-while-driving

album that keeps you singing with them for a long time. With just enough of their old sound for the long time fans, and enough of a new sound to appease critics of Maroon 5’s sometimes repetitive tunes, Hands All Over is a pop album done right.

POWER IN A PAINT CAN

A look at political symbolism in Viennese urban art Vienna, Austria, where I currently reside for the semester, is the epitome of what some have labeled as High Art. The Baroque architecture that dominates the KRISTIN CANFIELD city provides a veritable visual feast and in case I were ever to tire of the Baroque (it can get too Jersey shore for my taste), there are Roman ruins, Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance chapels, and abundant green spaces at my fingertips. One can go to the opera for less than a roundtrip ride on Vienna’s excellent public transportation, and most museums are always free to the 19 and under set – I think it is the dimples, but if I’m going to get asked for my identification in Poland, where the legal drinking age is 16, you better believe that I feel minimal guilt saying “Ich bin achtzehn Jahre” to save

a few precious euros here and there.

That being said, it may puzzle one as to why my very first column on Vienna is about graffiti. No, that was not a typo.

Supposed vagrants, armed with cans of spray paint and markers, take back art.

I’m talking about today’s vigilantes.

The Steven Slaters of the art world.

Or at least that is what I wanted to write about when I first conceived this column. You see, part of my (lengthy) commute to school includes a ride on Vienna’s U-Bahn. The line I take to school every day, the U-4 for all you stalkers, runs parallel to the Danube, whose walls are covered in beautiful murals. Some of these murals knock the socks off everyone who passes by, even the most beauty-oblivious, and on top of that they are absolutely free to the able-bodied public, no dimples necessary.

It just so happens that one morning, a morning that, up to this point, was just like any other morning in Vienna, I was riding the U-Bahn and staring out the window per usual, as my not-so-secret 7-year-old self loves to

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR USER RWHGOULD

do when I noticed graffiti much more menacing than simple defacement of property. In a station there was a poster for a Gustav Mahler exhibit on which someone had drawn a Star of David, and across the tracks there was a poster for the Wien in Film exhibit featuring the Riesenrad (the famous Ferris wheel) with the words “von Juden gebaut,” or

in English “built by Jews,” added in a speech bubble. One might ask why this is important to discuss. After all, it is just graffiti. Isn’t an integral point of graffiti centered in the fact that it is by definition subversive and outside of the main stream of thought? Nevertheless, graffiti still holds power that can be used malignantly.

I am far from qualified to speak to the current state of anti-Semitism in Austria, or anywhere for that matter. Instead, I want to talk about what I think one can read the Star of David to mean in this situation. Yes, it is a symbol for Judaism, Jewish people, and the State of Israel. However, I am unable to look at it without simultaneously imagining it as the symbol Jews were forced to wear under Nazi rule during the Second World War. 70 years later, a small group of people is exploiting the same symbol, this time with decidedly sinister intent.

One might ask, why should we care about graffiti? The truth is that, while millions marvel at Baroque architecture in Vienna, what is really in a symbol is the ability to grant power to a small group that would otherwise have little influence. Art, even scrawled on a subway wall, can be as destructive as bombs.

Kristin Canfield is a Heights contributer. She can be reached at arts@ bcheights.com.

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THE HEIGHTS

CLASSIFIEDS Thursday, September 23, 2010

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With gratitude, Roseanne and Tim. Need mature and responsible older student or grad student to pick up two great girls, ages 15 and 11, from school, drive to activities and home (near football stadium), make easy dinner. Must be excellent drive (SUV provided). Hours approx. 2:00/2:30

until approx. 7:00 Mon-Thurs (hours vary). Some help with groceries, laundry, errands ideal, if possible and if/as time permits. Girls are responsible and sweet. Golden retriever at home.

Email nfbaskin@baskinfamlaw.com.

Sunday school teacher / assistant for Episcopal church in Newton Centre, within walking distance from campus.

Hours are 9:30 to 11:30 on Sunday on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule.

Please send a summary of teaching and / or childcare experience and a brief note to Ashley Duggan, dugganas@bc.edu

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE: Perfect location.

Across from BC, steps to T and shops, garage. in-unit laundry, storage, 2yrs new, 1br. Chestnut Hill. $339k. Pauline 508-525-5415. ,

NEED HOUSING FOR SPRING 2011 SEMESTER? Available 9/1.

Brighton. Walk to BC. Modern, 2bed, hardwood, balcony, parking, swimming pool, dishwasher/dispenser, new bath, laundry, heat included, NO FEE, by owner $1,550.

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OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING. Available 9/1. Brighton, Cleveland Circle. Best value. Modern, large, 3-bed, eat-in kitchen, dishwasher/dispenser, new bathroom, hardwood, laundry, heat included. NO FEE, by owner $2,100.

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MISCELLANEOUS Interested in blogging for The Heights? Contact Dara Fang at fangda@bc.edu for more information or to submit a tip.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

Amendment not a catch-all

ON THE flip side

CHRISTOPHER OSNATO

THE ISSUE:

In July 2010, WikiLeaks, a whistleblower website, released over 90,000 pages of classified U.S. intelligence documents. The documents provided an extensive analysis of the War in Afghanistan, including reports of civilian casualties from U.S. airstrikes. The organization insists that leaks of classified information are protected under the First Amendment, while government officials claim such leaks endanger the lives of American troops and should be punishable by law. How should leaks be viewed?

WikiLeaks reveals the truth DAN OTTAUNICK Where does a democracy draw the line between public and classified information? Functional nations will certainly determine that some policy information is too sensitive to disclose to the public, but governments that classify too much information will lose the trust of their people.

The information gap between citizen and government in the United States has never been as wide as those in less progressive nations, but there is still a considerable divide between one with high security access and the average citizen.

For the last four years, an organization called WikiLeaks has been providing people with an outlet to leak information without fear of having their identities traced. WikiLeaks does not typically take part in the procurement of such information, but merely provides a safe outlet for documents to be exposed. According to its Web site, WikiLeaks believes that “transparency in government activities leads to reduced corruption, better government and stronger democracies.” Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, acts on his belief that the public has the right to scrutinize governments and institutions.

Despite its refusal to compromise with institutions when releasing information, WikiLeaks is not the untamed frenzy some may think. Before leaking a document, WikiLeaks puts it through a process to ensure the safety of individuals and the authenticity of the information. Those who leak information must provide their motive for providing the public with access to their documents, and the document may have certain information omitted to protect individuals. For example, when WikiLeaks released the Afghan War Diary in 2010, they omitted the names of many operatives and informants who would have otherwise been put in danger.

This responsibility on behalf of WikiLeaks hints at the motivation behind its operations.

Taking into account WikiLeaks’ mission and method, it is difficult to condemn the organization for the service it provides.

WikiLeaks is not stealing the information that it reveals, but is merely providing an outlet for such leaks. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

protects the process by which the Web site discloses information, making its actions legally permissible in the U.S. Despite its legality, the popular claim against WikiLeaks is that its actions are morally reprehensible.

Such claims demand an examination of the effects of WikiLeaks’ actions.

The aforementioned leak of the Afghan War Diary provides an example of the benefits of an organization like WikiLeaks. The documents revealed enormous amounts of information about the Iraq War and U.S. military policy, civilian casualties, and Pakistani support for the Taliban. The nearly 92,000 documents detail much of what has occurred during the U.S. occupation of Iraq, with The New York Times describing them as providing “an unvarnished and grim picture of the Afghan war.”

We must note that this view is not tainted by news media writers or reporters, and merely contains fact. When presented with unfiltered information, people are able to form their own judgments. In this way, WikiLeaks is providing the world with an invaluable service.

Another notablerelease was in July 2007 of air strikes by two U.S. helicopters in Iraq. In the first video, pilots attacked about 10 men they presumed to be Iraqi insurgents, specifically many of whom were unarmed individuals, and two who turned out to be reporters for Reuters. In the second video, a van containing two children and several men was bombed. In the third video, a building containing civilians was bombed because men who appeared to be carrying weapons had entered it. These reckless attacks indicate poor judgment by our troops, but they, more importantly, give the world information about the war in Iraq.

The release of these videos did not put anyone in danger, and they merely allowed the world to scrutinize U.S. policy in Iraq, which is in line with WikiLeaks’ mission. By releasing these videos, WikiLeaks is acting similarly to a news agency. They are providing us with facts unobstructed by intermediation and allowing for objectivity without bias.

It is clear that because WikiLeaks provides the world with unfiltered information and does so in a responsible way, the organization holds an important place in the framework of an open democracy. When informa-

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tion is withheld due to the possibility of it negatively impacting public perception of governments, those withholding the information are acting dishonestly and abusing their power.

There is certainly information that the public does not need to see because it can create harm and difficulty for the military and the government, but information that merely embarrasses o rga n i za tions perhaps shows the deficiencies of these groups.

If the U.S. Army is upset that the videos, which show their soldiers acting carelessly, have been released, perhaps it should take measures to prevent soldiers from acting so recklessly. Such a change will not come if there is not public scrutiny of military actions, as the soldiers bombing people in the leaked videos would know that their atrocities could merely be kept hidden by their superiors. Wikileaks provides the world with a valuable service, and supporting its existence promotes democratic values.

Dan Ottaunick is a Heights Editor. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com

One of the most inherently “American” principles is the protection and security of its people. Few countries so consistently and quickly commit themselves to action when their population is threatened.

With this tradition of security so firmly ingrained in the mindset of this nation’s people, it is appalling to see such a tepid response to the WikiLeaks incident.

A breach of confidentiality by a former U.S. official is no less than treason in my book.

Government officials are given their job, and level of security clearance, based upon their dedication to the nation and with the understanding that, even when their time in service to their country is over, they will still keep the secrets with which they have been entrusted.

Private Manning, who had been demoted before the incident for assaulting another soldier, clearly violated his duty not only as an American soldier, but as an American citizen.

The argument that the media makes regarding leaks being protected under the First Amendment is pure fiction. The First Amendment was put in place so that individuals could express opinions without fear of prosecution. In no way, shape, or form should the First Amendendment be seen as a “catchall” for any issue that involves an individual who finds him or herself in the public eye.

Private Manning’s actions

extend far past merely expressing his opinion or speaking out. The information in those documents, whether or not they can actually be used against the troops in Afghanistan, was still completely confidential.

His actions had the potential to put American lives at risk.

Regardless of the content of the documents, his actions were completely uncalled for and inappropriate.

The further issue with the leaked documents is WikiLeaks’ involvement in this case. For starters, the presence of a Web site devoted to exposing private information is sleazy in its own right. However, the Web site advances from sleazy to dangerous when issues such as the Manning case arise. WikiLeaks broadcasted information that was potentially dangerous to the world, and certainly aided in spreading the confidential message Manning was trying to send.

The Internet has long drawn debate over whether people should be allowed to post things stating radical opinions in a format where almost the entire world can see it. This, from my point of view, is a non-issue. The stating of opinions and ideas is certainly protected under the First Amendment, but where the issue arises is when Internet Service Providers (ISP) such as WikiLeaks refuse to take responsibility for the information that users post on their Web site.

The Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act (OCILLA) is piece of legislature that provides all ISPs with “safe harbor” in regards to the information posted and presented on their Web site. While originally created so that advancements in Internet technology would not be stunted, the law, passed in 1998, is now outdated. Over a decade

has gone by since the legislature was passed, and now is merely a crutch with which Web sites can lean on so that they may take no responsibility for what is posted on their site.

While the idea of providing Web sites with “safe harbor” is a nice concept in theory, in practice it is archaic. It is not as if WikiLeaks merely informed the world of the latest Miley Cyrus video that had gone viral; they allowed an individual to post over 90,000 pages of confidential documents. That is nothing to just let pass by.

It is clear to anyone who looks at the facts that WikiLeaks’ involvement in this issue is quite large. The Web site is, essentially, an accomplice to Manning in his anti-state actions. Why should the Web site be allowed to proceed without any penalties whatsoever, while Manning runs the risk of 52 years in prison? A piece of legislature that did not fully understand all of the potential that the Internet held allows the main publishing force that Manning used to move on without any issue.

The Internet is arguably the greatest technological invention of the past century, and it has every right to be protected.

But the question that I pose to all readers is this: where do we draw the line? In a country dedicated to its people’s security, why should outlets that put American lives in danger be allowed to operate without any restrictions? Wikileaks’ involvement in the case makes it just as guilty as Private Manning, and the site should not be allowed to merely walk away from the situation to which it has most certainly contributed.

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK TIMES

Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, ignited international controversy when he published classified documents.

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Alcohol catalyzes release of hormone, causes dehydration RACHEL NEWMILLER For many students, drinking is an important component of the college experience. Alcohol can provide its consumer with a temporary escape from the realities of the world, a sometimes dramatic change in temperament, and a loss of selfrestraint. Yet, the dangers of this “drinking culture” are often overlooked, replaced instead by an apparent glamorization, which finds humor in drunken situations that have the potential to quickly spiral downward and out of control – an idea espoused by the lyrics of country music star Brad Paisley: “You had some of the best times you’ll never remember with me, alcohol.”

Since the effects of alcohol on the body are so far reaching, and most of us have received some form of alcohol education, I’ve decided to use this column to unravel and explain a few common drinking-related myths and questions from a scientific perspective.

Hangovers are the enemy of 9 a.m. classes, the result of consuming too much alcohol the night before, and the cause of much discomfort. Dizziness, lightheadedness, and thirst are often experienced the morning after an evening of partying and heavy consumption. Yet why is dehydration a side effect of drinking? It seems rather counterintuitive. Alcohol impacts the brain in a variety of ways, but the symptom in question is a result of its influence on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. The hypothalamus is responsible for a number of autonomic functions and affects the endocrine system through its close relationship with the pituitary. Alcohol inhibits the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) from the posterior pituitary, which has consequences for the kidneys. The presence of ADH normally induces the insertion of aquaporins (aquaporin-2, to be more specific), or water channels, into the cells of the collecting duct of the kidney, increasing their permeability to water and allowing it to be reabsorbed into the body. However, when ADH is not secreted, these aquaporins are not inserted, and water is not reabsorbed, causing frequent urination and leading

to dehydration.

Peter Agre received the 2003 Nobel Prize in chemistry “for the discovery of water channels, but more recently, when the Nobel Prize was awarded for the discovery of aquaporins in 2003, the MythBusters of the Discovery Channel released an episode examining various “techniques,” including eating breath mints and onions, used to supposedly beat the Breathalyzer test. None of the tricks worked. Why did masking the smell of alcohol fail to outsmart the Breathalyzer?

Simply put, hiding the odor does not decrease the actual alcohol content one has in his body.

Alcohol is not digested like food, but is absorbed in the mouth, stomach, and small intestine and then enters into the bloodstream. According to Craig Freudenrich, a contributing writer for HowStuffWorks, “As the blood goes through the lungs, some of the alcohol moves across the membranes of the lung’s air sacs (alveoli) into the air, because alcohol will evaporate from a solution – that is, it is volatile. The concentration of the alcohol in the alveolar air is related to the concentration of the alcohol in the blood. As the alcohol in the alveolar air is exhaled, it can be detected by

the breath alcohol testing device.” Testing devices utilize the relationship between alcohol in the alveolar air and in the blood to calculate a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from the alcohol concentration of his or her breath. “The ratio of breath alcohol to blood alcohol is 2,100:1. This means that 2,100 milliliters (ml) of alveolar air will contain the same amount of alcohol as 1 ml of blood,” Freudenrich said.

The legal limit for driving in the United States is now 0.08 percent, or 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, for drivers at least 21 years of age. There are a variety of devices employed by law enforcement officers designed to measure a person’s BAC. The Breathalyzer utilizes a chemical reaction which produces differing degrees of color change depending on the concentration of alcohol in the breath; the Intoxilyzer uses the principles of infrared spectroscopy and a microprocessor to determine the BAC; Another device called the AlcoSensor is based upon fuel cell technology.

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

The Bard

On alcohol consumption

Alcohol’s effect on micturation (and a few other things) was observed

by England’s most famous playwright more than 400 years ago. The excerpt below is from Shakespeare’s Macbeth (Act II, scene iii).

Porter: Faith sir, we were carousing till the second cock; and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.

Macduff: What three things does drink especially provoke?

Porter: Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOPKINSMEDICINE.ORG

Peter Agre’s discovery helped explain alcohol’s effect on urine production.

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Thursday, September 23, 2010

THE HEIGHTS

Almost half of Ethiopian mired in extreme poverty Ethiopia, from B10

DANNY MARTINEZ

MATT PALAZZOLO

HILARY CHASSE

KEVIN HOU

Is the decrease in American-made cars a national security risk?

I don’t think it is, but American car companies can only blame themselves.

No, but reenacting the movie Speed with accelerating Toyotas is.

An increase in Americanmade cars would be the safety risk. Sorry, Detroit.

Since when did the market become labeled as a national security risk?

Will NJ Governor Chris Christie run for president in 2012?

Hopefully. Obama wouldn’t stand a chance against a Christie-Snookie ticket.

Only if he wins a cage match with the mama grizzly Sarah Palin.

This is the least corrupt N.J. has been in, well, ever. Seize the moment, Christie!

Beating Corzine is no mandate that the people want Christie as president.

Should Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) keep her committee chair after deciding to be a write-in?

Yes, it’s hers, but it won’t be for much longer.

Absolutely not. Only apologizing to BP or solciting “favors” in an airport bathroom are acceptable.

Alaskan politicians have become way too uppity.

Just be grateful to be part of the U.S.

Write-ins will only detract from Joe Miller, the party’s choice, who only beat her by 2,000 votes.

Will Stephen Colbert or Stephen T. Colbert show up when testifying before Congress?

Stephen T. Colbert. His brilliant commentary, pure 100 percent Americanness, and commitment to truthiness are unrivaled.

The real Colbert will testify.

CSPAN is where comedy goes to die, along with bipartisanship and common sense.

Let’s hope Stephen T. Colbert will treat the Congress hearing as a warm up to his Rally to Keep Fear Alive.

Colbert ‘12!

Marketplace Editor

Asst. Marketplace Editor

Opinions Editor

Asst. Photo Editor

UN must commit to hunger problem MDG, from B10

When the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations releases its annual report on global hunger, there is never “good” news – only stories on the spectrum of bad news.

This week, the FAO and World Food Programme (WFP) reported their estimate of 925 million people – three times the population of the United States – that are undernourished. This figured is a 9.5 percent decrease from a year ago, when the FAO estimated 1.023 billion were undernourished. “The numbers of undernourished people in the world remain unacceptably high in 2010 despite an expected decline – the first in 15 years,” the report said. This statistic, however, is slightly misleading. After the economic crisis in 2009, the number rocketed past one billion for the first time in history; the 2010 figure is actually a slight increase, compared to the preeconomic crisis, 2008 estimation by the FAO. The numbers are sobering – despite improvements in technology, communication, and agricultural and crop production techniques, the number of undernourished people has still risen by 50 million people since

the FAO first published its report in 1969.

In 2001, all 192 states of the U.N. signed onto the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

They agreed to reach eight goals by 2015 to help lift developing countries out of the vicious cycles of poverty, disease, and economic hardship in which they have been mired. The first goal addressed the most salient, glaring, and basic issue – eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. In 2001, world undernourishment was just under 850 million people. The MDG’s primary objective was to halve this number by 2015, which meant it would affect 425 million people overall, or 30.35 million people per year. However, the number of malnourished people has increased by roughly 100 million to the present figure today, which should prompt serious discussion as to why the situation has not improved.

If there is a resolution that all 192 nations in the U.N. agree upon, it must be something so pure that it is almost engrained in the human fabric to support the cause. Supporting the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger qualifies. The real question is not if the countries are willing to sign onto the goals, rather, are they willing to make the tough decisions to actually

support them? That answer is complicated.

Returning to the statistics offers clues – why, between 1995 and 2008, in the times of economic prosperity, did the amount of undernourished people increase by almost 150 million? Why have international coalitions like the G-8 not used their economic wherewithal to ameliorate the situation?

Economic crises, although debilitating, do not paint the whole picture of the failure of the nations to fulfill the MDGs. The sorry state of corrupt governments and world trade agreements hinder the ability of developing countries to better their economic standing.

Billions of dollars in aid may provide the short-term solution, but what is truly needed is real economic progress. Indigenous businesses – those not run from London or Brussels – must be an important aspect of economies in developing countries.

Economic depression in Africa and Asia, which accounts for 817 million undernourished people, is not a primary result of a lack of resources. It is the economic system that favors the developed world over the developing, the multinational corporation over the regional one.

Although there was the political will to sign the MDGs, it seems that the political will to implement it is far less powerful. In 1970, the U.N. General Assembly put forward a proposal for the richest nations to put 0.7 percent of their Gross National Income (GNI) toward the eradication of world poverty.

While the U.S. did not agree to the idea, it remains the world’s largest donor in Official Development Assistance (ODA) with over $22 billion in aid. However, this only amounts to a paltry 0.15 percent of their GNI. Lobbying to increase foreign aid is difficult, especially in times of an econom-

ic downturn. When the American domestic economy is hurting, the last place taxpayers want to see their money going is overseas. In domestic economic terms, it is a bottomless pit which offers no reprieve for American businesses.

After Sept. 11, President Bush began his “War on Terror,” but one of the successes of his presidency that is hardly mentioned is the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, dubbed PEPFAR. Bush gave $15 billion over five years to fight the disease, and in many of the African countries, like South Africa and Uganda, it has been very successful.

Although Bush did not make the connection in his rhetoric, global development and national security go hand-in-hand.

Lifting countries from extreme poverty and hunger does not only make them more stable, but also makes them less likely to harbor anti-American sentiments, and brings them into the fold of countries shaking off their colonial history and economic shackles to develop into successful economies.

While Africa has been largely absent from global politics, in relation to the U.S.’s “War on Terror,” its importance continues to increase. The Christmas Day bomber was from Nigeria, and al-Shabaab, a radicalist Islamist group based in Somalia with ties to al-Qaeda, has wreaked havoc in the country and recently carried out a suicide bombing in the Ugandan capitol. President Obama has the opportunity to rightly connect the idea that national security and global development in countries in Africa and Asia not only makes the U.S. safer, but improves our image abroad.

Danny Martinez is the Marketplace Editor for The Heights. He welcomes c o m m e n t s a t m a rke t p l a c e @ bcheights.com.

election, left 193 protestors dead in the capital of Addis Abba.

After the same election, the government arrested 76 opposition politicians and journalists under charges of treason and genocide.

The current government and several past governments have shirked responsibility in the face of harsh accusations of inaction in response to famine, blaming the widespread hunger on “acts of God” like crop failure and lack of rain. While both have occurred, according to Martin Plaut of the BBC, “drought does not need to mean hunger and destitution.”

The government, though pledging to a free-market economy, owns all of the farmland in the country and prevents its sale.

Laws are created in order to keep farmers on those state-owned lands regardless of crop function, restricting the ability of farmers to produce effectively. Many experts, like Indian Economics Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, argue that instituting democracy and raising human rights in the country would eliminate the presence of famine by forcing the government to be held accountable for food shortages and to respond to the demands of its electorate.

Beyond inaction, the government of Ethiopia has blatantly ignored the presence of a famine in its country. In a Time interview at the end of 2008, a government official unequivocally denied the presence of a famine in his country, despite reports and statistics that proved otherwise.

Government failure and idleness aside, Ethiopia has been badly affected environmentally, particularly in the last few years.

The climate lends itself to two rainy seasons, one in early spring and another, much heavier, during the summer and early fall.

In 2009, though both rainy seasons brought lower than average rainfall, leading to the failure of agricultural production in many areas. The division of Ethiopia into 11 semi-autonomous regions

creates communication difficulties, adding to the inadequate distribution of the already limited food supplies. This prevents drought-stricken areas from receiving aid from areas with more rainfall and better production. In cities such as the nation’s capitol, Addis Abba, food supplies are much more readily available, affording for a much higher standard of living, while rural regions suffer. In most rural areas, Ethiopian citizens are forced to live off rain-based subsistence farming.

When the rains fail, they lose that vital production and lack other options by which to obtain food. Forty-four percent of the Ethiopian population lives below the poverty line. Subsistence farmers who cannot produce crops for their family often lack the purchasing power to buy food, if there is even any made available to them.

Through diplomatic relations with Ethiopia, the United States has worked to relieve hunger and reduce the nation’s vulnerability to famine in the face of droughts. America is Ethiopia’s largest donor, giving the East African country over $1 billion USD each year. While the U.S. has attempted to focus that aid on areas regarding economic and social sector reforms, many critics accuse the Ethiopian government of misusing such funds in order to strengthen the power of the authoritarian regime. What is seen in Ethiopia is a common theme in impoverished and hunger-stricken areas.

Environmental problems like droughts or crop failures, though often the original cause of undernourishment and famine, are exacerbated by the poor workings of distracted and disorderly governments.

If hunger worsens in the future, the onus will be upon the U.S. to make sure its generous aid is used only for its direct purpose – in the case of Ethiopia, limiting drastic famine and combating world hunger, one meal at a time. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF OXFAMAMERICA.ORG

Government negligence and drought has increased hunger in Ethiopia.

The Heights

Thursday, September 23, 2010

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Tea candidate Both parties to blame for bad economy seeks to eliminate Dept of Education Market Report

Tea Party, from B10

Ameet Padte Regular viewers of President Barack Obama’s speeches will recognize his catchphrase “the buck stops with me!” indicating that he will take responsibility for his mistakes as well as his victories. For instance, Obama shared the blame for the shortcomings that allowed the failed Christmas Day bombing plot to transpire. It was a demonstration of his staunch commitment to transparency, relevancy, and contrition, characteristics diametrically opposed to those of his predecessor.

However, this does not explain Obama’s tendency to invoke George W. Bush’s inadequacies whenever convenient, particularly when faced with a hard-hitting question.

He recently deemed Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath more than just a devastating natural disaster, but a “manmade catastrophe– a shameful breakdown in government that left countless men, women and children abandoned and alone.”

One does not need to read very hard between the lines to discern the denunciation of the Bush administration. His Bushbashing for the Gulf Coast continued during the incessant coverage of the BP oil spill, in which he insinuated that a “cozy relationship” existed between the oil companies and the federal regulatory agency.

With the midterm elections imminent, Democrats in Congress frequently make and will continue to stress the link between the Republican Party and the previous administration, point out that they don’t have any “new ideas” and are “holding the middle class hostage.” The point in particular that Barack Obama, along with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, love to repeat is that Dubya is culpable for the economic collapse. Who hasn’t heard the “we inherited two wars and a trillion-dollar deficit” routine?

Obama stated, “We got here after 10 years of an economic agenda in Washington that was pretty straightforward. You cut taxes for millionaires, you cut rules for special interests, and you cut working folks loose to fend for themselves. That was the philosophy of the last administration and their friends in Congress.” When asked why more (or any) progress has not been made to mitigate job losses, the administration cites the existing mess which neces-

photo courtesy of getty images

Democrats have stressed that former President Bush is responsible for the current economic crisis, not Presdent Obama. sitated cleaning.

Is this true? Let us examine.

Anyone with a basic knowledge of American politics should know that a single president of the United States cannot generate a budget deficit or surplus. All taxes are voted into law by Congress and all spending bills originate in the House of Representatives.

Obama has been in control for nearly two years and the Democratic Party for almost four, overlapping with George Bush’s final two years.

Obama was sworn in as a senator in early 2005, well into Bush’s presidency, and he voted for a number of Bush’s “big spending” bills. The only way for a president to directly affect deficits and surpluses is to veto said spending bills.

Luckily (or unluckily) for the Democrats, Bush did not veto many of these and Obama and the Democrats passed multiple, which contributed to our current budget deficit For reference, the last time the federal government had a substantial budget surplus was during Bill Clinton’s presidency, when the Republican Party controlled the House of Representatives. It was the first budget surplus in more than 25 years. How does one allocate credit for something whose origins are so murky?

Furthermore, it has often been stated that a lack of government regulation and oversight of the housing markets, rating agencies, and investment banks led to the cataclysmic economic collapse two years

ago. How fortunes change, as many of the same politicians pressured government regulators into forcing banks and other lending institutions to lower their standards for making mortgage loans. Remember George W. Bush’s desire for “everybody in America” to have a home? These risky loans set off a chain reaction of defaults and massive financial losses, the result of which we are currently experiencing. However, as was discussed earlier, one man alone cannot be held accountable: Congressman Barney Frank and Senator Chris Dodd were notably agreeable.

In 2004, well before the financial meltdown and at a time when measures could have been taken to prevent it, Bush suggested that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be more closely controlled and “reined in.” An astounding 76 members of the House of Representatives opposed, including Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and Charles Rangel.

The Democratic Party has controlled the budget process for the government since fiscal years 2008 and up to 2011. In that first year, they were forced to compromise on measures due to Bush’s obstructionist policies.

However, in subsequent years, Pelosi and Reid passed multiple resolutions until Barack Obama could take office. Finally, in 2009, they passed a massive spending bill to complete the FY 2009 budgets. During that entire period, Obama was a senator in

the very Congress that passed all these bills.

Interestingly enough, Bush held Clinton liable for the lackluster economy immediately following the “tech bubble.”

He leveraged the outstandingly negative sentiment to successfully argue for the very tax cuts that the nation is currently debating.

Bush expanded the federal budget by an unprecedented $700 billion through the end of his presidency, and Obama would like to add another $1 trillion. Bush created a Medicare drug entitlement that would cost around $800 billion in its first decade, and Obama has proposed a $600 billion down payment on his new government health care fund. Bush became the first president to spend 3 percent of the GDP on a federal antipoverty program, and Obama has already increased this by 20 percent. Bush increased federal education spending 58 percent faster than inflation, and Obama would like to continue that trend. Obviously, none of this includes the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Democrats like to point to the Republicans’ poor practices as justification for their current struggles. However, if blame is to be placed rightly, they should stand side-by-side and look in a mirror.

Ameet Padte is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes c o m m e n t s a t m a rke t p l a c e @ bcheights.com.

for his service.

Candidate Miller maintains that President Obama has a socialist agenda that will plunge the country further into debt.

To combat increasing spending from the federal government, Miller favors adding a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, mandating that the national government not spend more than what it collects in revenue. He also argues that unused funds from the TARP fund that were originally used to bail out oversized banks should be put toward financing the country’s national debt.

Miller’s platform appeals to popular sentiment within the ranks of Tea Party followers who value the Constitution as a document of enumerated powers with little room for interpretation beyond a literal reading. Miller favors the institution of new laws regulating Congress in the process of passing bills.

One such law would make it so that, with each bill that Congress passes, the section of the Constitution enabling for the federal government’s passage of the bill would now need to be cited, as a way of making known the constitutionality of the act.

Christine O’Donnell won her party nomination by defeating moderate Republican Congressman Mike Castle, a mainstay in Delaware politics for over 40 years. She has been described by many pundits and media members as a conservative activist. Her victory against the moderate Castle, in a state not known for deep conservatism, is seen as a sign

that the Tea Party is not going to burn out of energy any time soon.

O’Donnell is pro-life, anti-tax, and deeply religious.

Reflecting on her evangelical religious views, in 2006, while campaigning for Congress, she said, “During the primary, I heard the audible voice of God. He said, ‘Credibility.’ It wasn’t a thought in my head. I thought it meant I was going to win. But after the primary, I got credibility.”

O’Donnell has run for elected office several times in Delaware, for a seat in the House of Representatives in 2006, and against Joe Biden for U.S. Senate in 2008. She left Farleigh Dickinson College in New Jersey in 1991 before graduating to work for a Washington-based anti-pornography group. This was the first in a series of jobs for conservative groups, including some with religious affiliations, which the Republican candidate has held.

O’Donnell’s candidacy has been backed by the NRA and Sarah Palin, while derided by leaders of Delaware’s Republican Party and Karl Rove, former political adviser to George W. Bush. Her treatment of Castle provoked strong criticism, as her campaign released ads insinuating that the congressman was having a gay affair. Questions remain as to whether she has broken laws by using campaign funds for personal usage. She trails her Democratic opponent by at least 10 points in most polls.

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

Rob carr / ap photo

O’Donnell defeated nine-term congressman Mike Castle in the GOP primary.

Despite wealth as nation, one in eight Americans hungry America, from B10

hold member who is working.

The trend of low-income and working households in America relying on food pantries and food stamps to replenish their family’s food supply appears to

be growing.

While many Americans who rely on SNAP benefits are homeless or unemployed, millions of SNAP and food pantry recipients are working people whose wages do not allow them to afford both shelter and food. The

Modern Day Philosopher

data behind the latest hunger findings in America enforces this concern. Feeding America’s 2010 report states that one-third of client households are forced to choose between paying bills, such as rent, utilities, or medical, or buying food. When faced

By Gregory Kita

with this decision, many families choose to pay the bills rather than buy food, rationalizing that a set number like a rent bill cannot be negotiated or go unpaid. Instead, the family will often choose to go with less or no food, as the grocery bill is

more flexible than the rent and utilities.

Applying to and being eligible for SNAP benefits does not automatically remedy its receipients’ hunger issues. SNAP benefits are given out on electronic cards, much like a debit or credit card, and their amounts, qualifications, and application processes vary from state to state.

The card is given to a household of people who qualify for food stamps in their state. In Massachusetts, a household is defined as people who purchase and / or prepare their food together. A 2009 Urban Institute report stated that of the working families who receive SNAP benefits, 65 percent are singleparent households.

SNAP benefits are low and are aimed at giving households some assistance in purchasing food. For example, a household of one person that is eligible for the maximum amount of benefits in Massachusetts would receive just $200 dollars a month.

A household of four people, say with two unemployed parents and two children, would be eligible for, at the maximum, $668 in the state of Massachusetts.

Unemployment, however, is no guarantee that a household will be eligible for food stamp benefits. If members of the household receive unemployment benefits that exceed the limit of income that a household needs for eligibility, than the household is not eligible to receive food stamps.

Of the estimated 49 million Americans without enough food, children, whose development may be stunted by malnutrition, stand to suffer the most.

According to Feeding America, hungry children are less likely to become productive citizens, as they struggle with the ability to learn and are much more likely to live in poverty as adults. In 16 states, more than 20 percent of the child population is living in food-insecure households.

Despite new initiatives, many children still lack food even with free or reduced school lunches and breakfasts. Dinners, weekends, and school-less summers are all times when food-insecure children often go hungry.

Although Congress has attempted to address childhood hunger issues with the recent Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill, aimed at making the quality of food available to children in school and out-of-school better, issues of how the bill will be funded have arisen. As of now, the Senate version of the legislation would pay for the child nutrition improvements by taking away or reducing SNAP benefits.

This bill has attracted many critics. “It is unacceptable to use SNAP benefits for other programs, especially for a bill that has the goal of ending childhood hunger,” Terri Stangl, executive director for the Center of Civil Justice in Saginaw, Mich. told reporters, in response to the bill’s current funding plan. n

MARKETPLACE THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, September 23, 2010

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

925,000,000

ELECTION CENTRAL

Tea Party building steam

PEOPLE WHO ARE MALNOURISHED IN THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO A UN REPORT

JOHN GLYNN

An annual United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that there remain 925 million undernourished people in the world DANNY MARTINEZ When the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations releases its annual report on global hunger, there is never “good” news – only stories that fall along a spectrum of bad news.

This week, the FAO and World Food Pro-

gramme (WFP) reported their estimate that 925 million people – three times the population of the United States – are undernourished. This figure is a 9.5 percent decrease from a year ago, when the FAO estimated 1.023 billion were undernourished. “The numbers of undernourished people in the world remain unacceptably high in 2010 despite an expected decline – the first in 15 years,” the report said.

This statistic, however, is slightly misleading.

After the economic crisis in 2009, the number rocketed past one billion for the first time in history; the 2010 figure is actually a slight increase, compared to the pre-economic crisis, 2008 estimation by the FAO. The numbers are sobering – despite im-

See Hunger, B8

Ethiopian hunger spurred by climate

BY DAVID COTE For The Heights

In recent months, Ethiopia’s troubled government has been increasingly accused of inaction and corruption in the face of serious famine concerns. Recurring droughts have devastated the country, causing 46 percent of the population to be malnourished, according to the United Nation’s Food

PHOTO COURTESY OF WATER1ST.ORG

and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Despite a recent report by the organization which stated world hunger has decreased for the first time in 15 years, 35 million people go to bed every night without enough to eat in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia, a landlocked country located on the Horn of Africa, is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, and one with a long history of suffering.

Throughout the nation’s existence, environmental concerns have caused food shortages that have made it difficult to nourish the rapidly growing population, while historically disorganized governments have failed to distribute the nation’s scarce resources properly in the face of humanitarian crises.

These problems continue to the present day. The government of Ethiopia, while superficially democratic, is termed an “authoritarian regime” by The Economist, an accusation supported by numerous reports of fraudulent elections and coercive libel laws. The highly publicized Ethiopian police

Women from the village of Bishikiltu, Ethiopia collect water from a river.

See Africa, B8

POLITICS

ECONOMICS

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

A defense bill that would end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was stalled in the Senate by a GOP filibuster. The bill also contains a path to citizenship for students and soldiers who are children of illegal immigrants.

Larry Summers, chief economic advisor to President Obama, will leave the White House and accept a teaching post at Harvard University. Summers is the third member of Obama’s economic team to resign since July.

GOP senator Lisa Murkowski announced she will run for election as a write-in candidate. Murkowski lost in the Republicana primary to Tea Party favorite Joe Miller.

Unemployment rates in 27 states rose in August, more than double the number of states that saw increases in July. The national unemployment level remained at 9.6 percent.

Twitter temporarily shut down on Tuesday as a virus infected users with spam and pornography. Twitter representatives insist that users’ personal information was not stolen during the attack.

Google released a report highlighting countries that censors its site. The company has called upon the U.S. government to pressure countries into allowing unfiltered Internet access.

I NSIDE MARKE TP L A C E THIS ISSUE

On the flip side

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOODBANKOFEASTALABAMA.COM

A worker at the East Alabama Food Bank prepares donated food supplies for distribution.

U.S. hunger charities report surge in applicants

BY ANDREW R. MITTEN For The Heights Feeding America, a non-pro�it organization recognized as the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity, reported in 2010 that its organization was annually providing food to 37 million Americans, an increase of 46 percent from the 25 million served in 2006. American children accounted for 14 million of its nation-wide recipients, up from 9 million in 2006. The massive surge in hunger throughout the country has put a strain on food banks and pantries and led to confusion about

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, better known as food stamps. Overall, common estimates indicate that roughly 49 million Americans are food insecure, meaning that these men, women, and children in the United States live in fear of or in the state of hunger.

The data collected in Feeding America’s Hunger in America 2010 report shows a startling realization: that one in eight Americans rely on Feeding America for food and groceries. Furthermore, the organization estimates that roughly one in six Americans are struggling with food insecurity. While political, social, and economic factors, including the current recession, have led to an increase in hunger throughout the United States, Feeding America reports that 36 percent of its

See America, B9

800

Salary, in thousands of dollars, of the incarcerated city manager of Bell, Calif.

23

Percent increase in dividends paid to Microsoft shareholders.

The company has not raised its dividends since the economic collapse of 2008.

This week On the Flip Side will explore both sides of the issue of leaking classified information to the media....................................... B7

“

IN QUOTES

IN THE NEWS

See Tea Party, B9

Hunger: a world issue

IN NUMBERS

In several high profile campaigns for U.S. Senate seats this fall, candidates garnering strong support from organizations considered to constitute the vanguard of the Tea Party movement have won impressive victories in Republican primaries. The races for Senate seats in Nevada, Alaska, and Delaware, for example, are featuring upstart Republican nominees who had to take on wellestablished challengers and defeat them in close races.

Last June, Nevada’s Sharron Angle won the GOP’s nod to take on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. A former assemblywoman in the Nevada legislature, Angle ran for Congress in 2006, losing narrowly in the primary.

Angle is a staunch conservative, and received endorsements early on in the campaign from Tea Party activists, conservative talk show hosts, as well as “Joe the Plumber” of the John McCain 2008 presidential campaign. Just three months before the primary, she trailed established candidate Congresswoman Sue Lowden by 40 points, according to one survey.

Angle supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, arguing that local approaches to improve education have shown to be more successful than federal attempts. This notion of using local initiative to fix problems is in keeping with the push by Tea Party followers to lessen the federal government’s responsibility in solving national problems. Angle favors privatizing Social Security over time by allowing beneficiaries of the current public plan to stay on it. As the plan is phased out, future generations of Americans will be placed in private plans.

Angle provoked controversy when she suggested that increased purchasing of bullets at gun shops was due to fear, on the part of Americans, that the nation was in terrible decline. “What are they arming for if it isn’t that they are so distrustful of their government? They’re afraid they’ll have to fight for their liberty in more Second Amendment kinds of ways.”

Angle then suggested that it was imperative for the safety of the country that conservatives win in November, to forestall radical efforts for change. Her campaign later clarified her statement so that it did not appear she was not advocating revolution.

In Alaska’s Senate race, Joe Miller ousted incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski in the Republican primary by a mere 2,000 votes of the more than 100,000 cast.

A former magistrate judge for the Federal Court in Fairbanks, Alaska, Miller received support from the Tea Party Express Political Action Committee (PAC) as well as Sarah Palin’s endorsement against the incumbent Murkowski.

Miller is a veteran of the Gulf War and was awarded the Silver Star

Defendant Long has utilized his spiritual authority to coerce certain young male members ... into engaging in sexual acts.

”

– Maurice Robinson plaintiff in pending lawsuit against Atlanta megachurch pastor Eddie Long

Column: Health & Science........................B7 Column: Market Report..........................B9